The Yang Talisman Scripture

The Yang Talisman Scripture (Many thanks to the two alliance leaders wazlj and Linjie Xiucai; love you!)

The Scripture Repository of the Black and White Divine Palace was located on the fourth peak of Nine Palaces Mountain, Heavenly Treasury Peak.

It was a pure white mountain, made entirely of jade—a completely artificial mountain. Inside were thirty-eight mechanisms and grand arrays, and anyone who trespassed would face a merciless assault.

The mountain had five levels, each corresponding to a realm.

Holding his token, Ning Ye entered the mountain. Everywhere he looked, he saw pristine white stone walls covered in black runes.

These were the cultivation arts of the Black and White Divine Palace.

All the scriptures were carved into stone and could not be taken away. After choosing a scripture, a disciple could activate their token and receive the art directly from the mountain wall, just as in the Trial Battlefield. Moreover, all the arts were protected by the Silent Speech Curse: they could be cultivated, but not passed on. Only upon reaching the Myriad Laws Realm could one break through this restriction. This was how the various Immortal Sects protected their secret arts.

However, no method of secrecy was absolute. In truth, the top sects of the world had always planted people in one another's ranks; it was simply harder to obtain higher-level arts. For instance, most of the Eight Great Immortal Sects probably possessed the Black and White Divine Palace's Basic Mental Method. It simply did not suit their own paths, so they did not practice it, usually only studying it and devising ways to counter it.

Ning Ye had planned ahead, so he did not waste time. He went straight to the point and headed directly for a particular wall.

The wall was covered in carved inscriptions and runes that shimmered with light. Three large characters stood above them: Yang Talisman Scripture.

Below them was a line of smaller writing: Those who choose this scripture may not choose the Yin Talisman Scripture before reaching the Hualun Realm.

Many of the Black and White Divine Palace's cultivation arts had two complementary sides. The Yin Talisman Scripture and the Yang Talisman Scripture were two such corresponding arts.

At its core, this was a Talisman Dao cultivation art, detailing the methods of making talismans.

The Yin Talisman Scripture focused on the hidden side, specializing in assassination, concealment, infiltration, disguise, and transformation. The Yang Talisman Scripture focused on the overt side, specializing in powerful attacks, sturdy defenses, body tempering, and other such methods.

Ning Ye chose the Yang Talisman Scripture because the Talisman Dao made it easy to hide one's strength—all one's power lay in the talismans, so naturally, the talismans, not the person, determined one's strength.

Besides, the Talisman Dao was also the best profession for crushing people with money. As long as one had enough talismans, defeating an enemy of a higher realm was only to be expected. No one could complain about it.

But the Talisman Dao was a money-burning profession in its early stages. Without a substantial fortune, one could not afford to play.

Ning Ye had no such concerns, because he had already known how to make talismans back in the Heavenly Mechanism Sect.

If cultivation was internal energy, then spells were techniques.

Once one's cultivation returned, all the things one had once known would come back naturally. At most, an ill-suited mental method might cause some difference in their power and effects.

Of course, the Yang Talisman Scripture and the Killing Heart Blade were completely different paths. If Zhang Liekuang learned of his choice, he would probably be furious enough to jump out of his skin.

That was another reason he had chosen for himself instead of going through Zhang Liekuang.

After choosing the Yang Talisman Scripture, a beam of divine light entered Ning Ye's mind. He did not leave, but continued looking at the scriptures one by one.

The path of cultivation was majestic and profound. Simply looking at it was not enough to learn it, and it was impossible to remember it all.

But Ning Ye did not need to remember it. He only needed to see it.

Once he saw it, the Kunlun Mirror saw it too, and could record it. That was how he had learned all the Heavenly Mechanism Sect's spells back then. Afterward, he had studied all kinds of arts.

It had been one of the rare times he managed to make Xin Ranzi fly into a rage. His master had chased him around for half a day, swinging the Heaven's Secret Staff.

It was not because he had secretly copied his sect's secret arts, but because Xin Ranzi feared he would bite off more than he could chew. As it turned out, his judgment had been right. With too many spells to learn, Ning Ye had picked up a little of this and a little of that, dabbling in all sorts of fringe arts. He knew something of illusions, the Talisman Dao, and formations, but had mastered none of them.

Because he had dabbled in so many things, his cultivation had suffered. Even though Xin Ranzi found him a pile of spiritual pills and medicines, his progress was still nothing special. Later, when Xin Ranzi learned of the Nine Deaths Great Calamity, he stopped pressuring him.

Thinking back on the past, Ning Ye saw Xin Ranzi's face before him. He now felt that his master's scoldings and beatings had all been expressions of love. Sadly, the past had vanished like smoke, and there was no turning back.

A wave of melancholy rose in his heart.

After steadying himself, Ning Ye continued recording the arts.

He would not take the same path in this new cultivation, but that did not mean he would abandon everything.

What one loved was one's path. For one thing, he enjoyed studying all kinds of arts; for another, he still intended to restore the Heavenly Mechanism Sect to its former glory. So he could not discard the sect's teachings.

Most importantly, he would not be able to face the dangers ahead otherwise.

In the past, Ning Ye had studied pills, talismans, formations, and artifacts—he knew a little of everything, but mastered nothing. This time, he would choose only one.

Mechanisms.

The art of mechanisms was vast and complicated, the culmination of all kinds of miscellaneous studies, yet it was also something distinct.

It had its own unique nature. Those miscellaneous studies formed its foundation, but also defined its direction. Different areas of expertise lent different characteristics to the mechanisms.

The Ning Ye everyone saw would follow the path of a battle-hardened body and overwhelming attacks. The hidden side of him would practice assassination through mechanisms.

That was also what he had been best at in the Heavenly Mechanism Sect. The mechanisms he set up had even earned the praise of Feng Buting.

That was good.

It suited the Black and White Divine Palace's way of acting, with its yin and yang sides.

After recording all the cultivation arts in the Black and White Divine Palace's first mountain valley, Ning Ye finally left.

Just outside the valley, he saw a man with a sword strapped to his back standing in front of him.

Ning Ye recognized him. He was one of the people who had stood out on the Trial Battlefield that day.

Ning Ye even remembered his sword—it had not been obtained on the battlefield.

The fact that he could bring a sword into the valley said a great deal in itself.

The young man glanced at him and said, "You're Ning Ye?"

"Hmm?" Ning Ye looked at him, realizing the other man had come for him. "What do you want?"

The man pointed his thumb at himself. "My name is Chen Changfeng. My master is Master Wubei."

"What does that have to do with me?"

A flash of wind, fire, and lightning appeared in the man's eyes. "Chen Changzhi is my older brother."

Chen Changzhi? He didn't know him.

Suddenly, Ning Ye remembered something and understood. "The guy I killed on the Trial Battlefield?"

"Finally remembered, have you?" Chen Changfeng snapped. "You killed my brother. This hatred is irreconcilable."

"Oh," Ning Ye replied.

Oh?

He killed my brother, and all you can say is "oh"?

Chen Changfeng was so furious his whole body trembled. His aura sharpened, and the grass and leaves around them stirred without a breeze. He was clearly on the verge of attacking.

Ning Ye gave him a somewhat sympathetic look. "Since you understand the situation, I don't think I need to explain the logic to you. On the Trial Battlefield, life and death are left to fate. Your brother was useless and got butchered by me. If you want revenge, you're welcome to try anytime. But this is Nine Palaces Mountain. The Black and White Divine Palace hasn't reached the point of letting disciples kill one another at will, has it?"

Chen Changfeng slowly drew his sword. "I can't kill you, but I can still beat you up. I forgot to mention that my Basic Mental Method has already reached the second level."

Advancing to the second level in three months was a rather impressive pace.

Ning Ye merely sneered. "As if you did it on your own."

Even if he could not see it, he could guess. Chen Changfeng had been allowed to bring his sword into the valley, so he was probably well-connected, with plentiful resources at home. Naturally, his cultivation would progress quickly.

Nothing unusual about that.

Chen Changfeng was enraged. "What did you say?"

He did not bother with more words. He thrust his sword at Ning Ye.

The thrust aimed for Ning Ye's throat, yet it also blocked off three possible routes. As long as Ning Ye dodged, his Killingless Sword could keep attacking without pause. He would make sure to break Ning Ye's tendons and bones, damage his meridians, and tear his skin apart, letting him experience the agony of having his body ripped to pieces. Without spiritual medicine, it would probably set his cultivation back for some time. He would keep suppressing him and making him suffer until, one day, he finally brought his life to an end...

Chen Changfeng had thought it all through. The only thing he had not expected was how it would begin.

Because Ning Ye did not dodge at all.

He simply watched the sword thrust toward him, without moving a muscle.

When the sword tip was about to pierce his throat, Chen Changfeng was horrified.

The Black and White Divine Palace allowed disciples to fight one another, but absolutely forbade them from killing at will.

This was Heavenly Treasury Peak, where many people came and went. Someone nearby was already watching. If he killed Ning Ye, he would probably die too.

Shaken, he forced his sword to a stop.

The moment he stopped, his breath and energy fell out of rhythm, and he injured himself instead. Even more shocking, Ning Ye suddenly sprang into action at that very moment.

"Roar!" He let out a thunderous cry, as if a bolt of lightning had exploded beside Chen Changfeng's ears.

In the next instant, Ning Ye used his hand as a blade. A blood-red glow flared across its back, and he chopped Chen Changfeng in the chest with boundless killing intent.

"Aah!!!"

With a shrill, disbelieving scream, Chen Changfeng flew through the air and then crashed heavily to the ground.

That hand-blade had broken his tendons and bones, damaged his meridians, and torn his skin apart, leaving him in agony as if his body had been ripped to pieces. Without spiritual medicine, it would probably set his cultivation back for some time...

"Tch." Ning Ye scoffed.

He had second-level cultivation, but pitifully little combat experience.

Shaking his head, Ning Ye left.