Talisman Artifacts (Part 1)

The sky had already darkened, and a bright moon had risen by the time Yan Chihuo finally stepped into Cloud Soaring Sect. His heart was filled with a mix of joy, trepidation, and an indescribable feeling.

He took out that snake scale and held it up to the moonlight, only to discover that the patterns on its surface seemed significantly clearer than before. He was slightly startled, then immediately realized that his eyesight had become extraordinary, allowing him to see the markings with greater clarity.

With this in mind, he secretly circulated his mana and recited the incantation. A moment later, a black light rose up, covering his entire body and forming a layer of armor. He had a feeling that this time, when he unleashed this Stone Armor Art, not only was it faster and less mana-intensive, but the power of the stone armor itself had increased slightly.

The reason for this was that he could see the patterns on the snake scale more clearly, allowing his mana to circulate more smoothly between the markings. He had never expected that his enhanced eyesight would bring such a benefit.

He retracted the Stone Armor Art and began to meditate to recover his mana. As soon as he started circulating his mana, he felt a surge of heaven and earth spiritual energy enter his body; the speed was several times faster than when he was at Tiger Roar Manor.

He was overjoyed, finally understanding why Ping Qi had been so surprised that he could reach the Body Tempering Middle Stage in ten years in the mortal world; it turned out that the cultivation speed in the cultivation world was simply incomparable to that of the mortal realm.

Before long, he had replenished his consumed mana, and he proceeded to cast Earth Shrinking Step and Falling Rock Art in succession, both of which had indeed improved. He put away his spells and began to meditate.

However, he was in no hurry to increase his mana. Ping Qi had mentioned on the way that although he had reached the Body Tempering Middle Stage, he had lacked guidance during his cultivation, and the spiritual energy in the mortal world was too weak. Consequently, his foundation was not solid, and he should not rush to raise his cultivation level upon arriving at Cloud Soaring Sect, but rather focus on building a firm foundation first.

He meditated for over three hours before stopping, feeling his entire body brimming with strength, and he felt secretly delighted. So-called body tempering involved using heaven and earth spiritual energy to cleanse the physical body, changing the tendons and washing the marrow; once body tempering was complete, the physical body would no longer be a mortal vessel. Although Yan Chihuo had reached the Body Tempering Middle Stage, the lack of spiritual energy in the mortal world meant his tendons and marrow had not been sufficiently cleansed, leaving his body a considerable distance away from a true Body Tempering Middle Stage practitioner.

This session of cultivation had significantly improved his physical body, and his strength had greatly increased. It was worth noting that earth-attribute cultivation techniques were inherently stronger in defense and provided greater physical strength, and the Spirit Jade Vajra Art had a miraculous effect on increasing power.

Seeing that it was getting late, he closed his eyes and went to sleep. Early the next morning, he hurriedly finished breakfast and went to Ping Qi's cave dwelling. Ping Qi's dwelling was practically like a palace, complete with young attendants; by comparison, Yan Chihuo's own dwelling was truly shabby.

Ping Qi glanced at him and said, "It seems you were diligent last night; your physical body has indeed improved. For these next three months, do not be in a hurry to raise your cultivation level. Wait until your foundation is properly mended before considering it."

Yan Chihuo nodded in agreement and added, "Master, Senior Brother Shu mentioned yesterday that I could choose one Talisman Artifact. I hope for your guidance."

Ping Qi said, "Talisman Artifacts are extremely important for a cultivator at your Body Tempering Stage. A cultivator at the early stage must recite incantations and coordinate with a Talisman Artifact to cast low-level spells. Once you reach the middle stage, with a Talisman Artifact in hand, you can cast low-level spells instantly. By the late stage, even without a Talisman Artifact, one can cast spells instantly, but having one not only increases the power of the spells but also conserves mana."

Ping Qi continued, "I advise you to wait three months before choosing. Your foundation is not yet solid, so the Talisman Artifact you pick now may not suit you later. You might think a piece is powerful now, but after three months, once your foundation is built, you might find it lacking. It won't be easy to exchange it then."

He added, "However, I can tell you now what kind of Talisman Artifact to look for. You practice the Spirit Jade Vajra Art, which is best for increasing strength, so it is best to choose something heavy, such as a shield, staff, axe, or hammer; this will complement your style. Furthermore, while the value of Talisman Artifacts within Cloud Soaring Sect is roughly the same, they differ greatly for each individual."

Yan Chihuo knew Ping Qi was about to explain the differences between these artifacts, so he paid closer attention. He heard Ping Qi say, "Whether it is a Talisman Artifact, a Dharma Tool, or even a Magic Treasure or Spirit Treasure, they are all first cast into a primordial embryo and then inscribed with restrictions. The more restrictions, the greater the power, but if the quality of the primordial embryo is poor, the number of restrictions it can withstand is limited. The Talisman Artifacts in our sect have similar values, but the number of restrictions varies greatly."

Yan Chihuo asked, "Is that because of the difference in the quality of the primordial embryos used? Why can't they all be forged with high-quality embryos?"

Ping Qi laughed, "How could the primordial embryos all be of the same quality? Can an embryo forged from mortal jade be the same as one forged from heaven and earth spiritual materials? Moreover, the skill levels of various refiners differ, so the quality of the embryos they forge naturally varies."

Yan Chihuo nodded, and Ping Qi continued, "Not only does the number of restrictions vary, but the types of restrictions also differ greatly. Restrictions are divided into single restrictions and composite restrictions. A single restriction is like that wooden sword you obtained earlier; it only has one type of restriction, which is the metal-attribute low-level spell Sharpness Art. No matter how many restrictions are added later, it can never have other spell abilities. A composite restriction, like the snake scale in your hand, is composed of two or more spell patterns. With such a Talisman Artifact, you can unleash multiple spell abilities."

Yan Chihuo asked, "What are the pros and cons of these two types of restrictions?"

Ping Qi said, "You are quite composed. Most people, upon hearing what I just said, would insist on a Talisman Artifact with composite restrictions. Little do they know, both types have their own strengths and weaknesses. A single restriction consumes less mana and allows for faster spell casting; in these two aspects, composite restrictions cannot compare. Of course, if you take a liking to a Talisman Artifact but find its restrictions unsatisfactory, you can wash them away yourself and find a sect refiner to re-inscribe them."

Yan Chihuo took these words to heart and then asked Ping Qi about some cultivation problems. After Ping Qi answered them one by one, he suddenly said, "I could actually give you a Talisman Artifact now, but you wouldn't be able to use it."

After saying this, he opened his hand, and in his palm lay a piece of five-colored thin gauze. Ping Qi said, "This is a Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover inscribed with twenty restrictions; it is considered quite good among Talisman Artifacts. It is a pity that although you practice the Poison Dissolving Art, you still cannot drive it."

Yan Chihuo looked at Ping Qi in confusion. The latter said, "Since you have entered Cloud Soaring Sect, you won't be able to go out searching for potent poisons during this time without a Talisman Artifact. If the toxins in your body flare up a few more times, I fear the Poison Dissolving Art will no longer be able to suppress them. Without potent poison, what will you do? Therefore, I am giving you this Five Poison Cloud Smoke Cover. When the poison flares up, you can absorb the toxins from this cover, and in this way, the Poison Dissolving Art will be able to suppress the toxicity in your body."