Talisman Drawing

Geralt furrowed his brow. He had never heard that practicing how to make one kind of potion could increase the success rate of making another.

He couldn't help wondering if the other man was trying to get his recipe out of him.

Kraun had lived two lives and was quick-witted. Seeing the Witcher's hesitation, he smiled and said, "I can buy the Transcendentalist potion recipes you have, sir."

If he bought the recipes, then this would be a business deal between them. Naturally, the Witcher would have to charge him something for brewing the Grasses Potion.

The Witcher understood that, too. He quickly made up his mind and said, "Why talk about buying them? I'll give you all the potion recipes I have. We're friends, aren't we?"

"Of course," Kraun replied with a smile and a nod.

"The ones I have—"

"Let's eat first. We can talk after. I'm starving. It's been seven or eight hours since lunch," little Alan interrupted the Witcher.

His words were accompanied by the loud growling of his stomach, and the Witcher looked a little awkward, too.

"No wonder you're eating so much tonight, after all this time," Kraun teased as he began serving the food.

Although this was Kraun's third meal since the afternoon, he ate no less than Alan—in fact, he ate even more.

After quickly filling his stomach, Geralt asked for paper and a pen, then began writing down the potion recipes he knew.

The Witcher soon filled several pages. "I don't know many recipes. Witchers mostly take herbs in their natural form."

"Thanks. I'm quite talented at potion-making, so I'm sure it won't be long before I can brew the potions I need," Kraun said earnestly as he put the pages away.

"I'll look forward to hearing good news."

Kraun said nothing more. He took out the Talisman Paper he would use to draw the Heart-Clearing Talisman and laid it out in the backyard to bask in the moonlight.

After a short rest, he and Geralt stood in the open space behind the house.

"You've become a Transcendentalist. Have you sensed the Seed of Life?"

He shook his head. "No. After I advanced, Father sent me back, and he didn't mention what I should do next. I have no idea what the Seed of Life actually is. Do you know how to sense it, sir?"

"A Knight's Seed of Life is attached to the heart. At first, it's about the size of a soybean. As you keep training and improving, the little thing will sprout like a seed, eventually wrapping around the heart completely. They say the Seed of Life can continually transform a Knight's blood. I can't really explain how to sense it, but the Church will surely teach you about that."

"Then we'll find out tomorrow. Today, I think I can get you to bring more of your strength to bear in a fight." As soon as Kraun finished speaking, he stepped forward and attacked the Witcher.

"Kid, you're still young," Geralt said, his white hair flying as he stood full of energy. "You can't begin to imagine the strength of a Witcher who's undergone two mutations—not when you've only just entered the world of Transcendence."

Two hours later, the Witcher left, thoroughly satisfied. As he went, he didn't forget to tease Kraun. "You've got a long way to go before you can beat me!"

Kraun bared his teeth and shouted back defiantly, "It won't take long!"

He touched his bruised arm and sucked in a sharp breath from the pain.

[Basic Swordsmanship: 4906/5000; Tier 3]

[Cross Sword: 1998/2000; Tier 2]

Tomorrow, both my sword skills will advance. Just you wait.

Kraun clenched his fist, then took out the Tiger Bone Ointment and rubbed it onto his injuries.

A cooling sensation spread over the area, and the burning pain in his wounds eased at once.

After resting a while, he went out into the yard and collected the talisman paper.

The Moon Dew stored in the Crystal Ball in his Sea of Consciousness was about to overflow. He planned to spend the next few days practicing how to make Heart-Clearing Talismans.

Kraun cut the talisman paper into palm-sized rectangles, then cut a stack of ordinary paper to the same dimensions.

He couldn't waste the Moon Dew, so practicing with ink on ordinary paper was just right.

He lit all the oil lamps in the house and spread out the paper. Once Kraun had taken his place, he picked up his homemade brush with his right hand, affectedly tugged at his sleeve with his left, and began copying the Heart-Clearing Talisman.

Making a Dao Talisman required drawing it in a single stroke without interruption. Otherwise, it was ruined and couldn't be activated.

He swept his brush across the paper, and a talisman appeared at once.

Damn, that's ugly. Did I draw this?

Kraun covered his face for a moment, tossed the paper aside, and started over.

After drawing more than a dozen in such a haphazard fashion, he grew familiar with the brush's properties and began to take the task seriously.

He thought about the flow of each stroke, its rises and falls, and how to guide the brush.

Even after practicing another forty or fifty times, his talismans still fell far short of a real Heart-Clearing Talisman.

Even completing a tiny Dao Talisman with care took a great deal of effort. Kraun felt more exhausted than he would after half an hour of fighting.

You only realize how little you know when you need to use it. Kraun tossed his brush aside in frustration and sat down, scratching his head.

He'd never heard that drawing talismans required practicing calligraphy.

He got up and paced around the room for a while, drank a few sips of water, and shook off his frustration before returning to the desk.

Let me have a starting point, and I'll outwork the whole universe.

He silently chanted his motto, giving himself a fresh shot of motivation, and Klaan began another round of practice.

Two hours later, scraps of paper littered the floor. He stared blankly at the Dao Talisman he'd drawn, close to tears.

He'd used up about three hundred sheets of ordinary paper, but his talismans still only looked about eighty percent right.

People say everyone has some talent. Do I really not have even the tiniest bit of talent for calligraphy or painting?

Unconvinced, he summoned the Golden Wall and scanned it from top to bottom, then from bottom to top. He still couldn't find any new skill.

Damn it, keep going. I refuse to believe I can't even get started with talisman drawing.

Kraun steeled himself, washed his face, then sat cross-legged on the bed and Visualized the Golden Light Incantation.

After three Great Circulations, he stood up and went over to the desk.

The Tier 1 Golden Light Incantation was surprisingly effective at clearing away stray thoughts and restoring his energy. He was brimming with fighting spirit again, full of confidence.

Back to the grind.

He quickly cut more ordinary paper to uniform sizes, picked up the brush, and devoted himself entirely to drawing talismans.

Start here—good. This turn is a little stiff. This part is too sharp; it needs to be rounder.

Time always flew when he was focused. Kraun drew faster and faster, and his talismans grew more and more precise.

When he finished another talisman and lifted his brush, a warm current spread from his heart into his limbs, and a faint sense of joy filled him.

Kraun understood what had happened. He closed his eyes, breathed softly, and savored the brief moment of happiness.

The Golden Wall appeared, and a new line of green text had been added to the skills listed inside.

[Talisman Drawing: 1/2000; Tier 1](Your talent for talisman drawing is "astonishing," I must say—but at least you've got the basics down.)

Damn, even the cheat system is mocking me!

Kraun grumbled inwardly, but it did nothing to dampen his good mood.

He had already learned quite a few skills and had worked out a little pattern.