Papermaking Techniques

[Cultivator Character Panel]

[Name: Yue Shuo]

[Age: 12/100 years]

[Realm: Qi Refining Level One]

[Spiritual Root: Metal 1, Wood 1, Water 2, Fire 1, Earth 1]

[Comprehension: 120]

[Cultivation: 0/1000]

[Breakthrough Chance: 75%]

[Blood Vitality: 520/520] [Spell Power: 500/500]

[Divine Sense: 25/75] [Pill Poison: 0/25]

[Talent: Reborn as Human (Purple)]

[Bloodline: Unknown Thin Bloodline (2)]

[Cultivation Methods: Tai Chi Fist (Perfection), Wood Essence Art (Mastery), Evergreen Method (Beginner), Thousand Waves Formula (Beginner), Sharp Metal Art (Beginner), Blazing Sun Art (Beginner)]

[First-Tier Tai Chi Fist: 524/2000 (Perfection)]

[Wood Essence Art (First-Tier): 190/200 (Mastery)]

[Spells: Qi-Replenishing Technique (Minor Achievement), Lesser Cloud-Rain Technique (Minor Achievement), Golden Light Slash (Beginner), Evergreen Technique (Beginner); Secret Arts: Thousand Waves Slash (Beginner), Flame Palm (Beginner)]

[Qi-Replenishing Technique (First-Tier): 95/500 (Minor Achievement)]

[Lesser Cloud-Rain Technique (First-Tier): 87/500 (Minor Achievement)]

[Skill: Talisman Crafting (26/100)]

[Water Condensation Talisman (Foundational): 16/20 (Mastery)]

Yue Shuo examined it from beginning to end, only giving the changes in the cultivation methods and spells sections a cursory glance.

He noted down the changes to the most important figures.

His realm had changed from "Mortal" to "Qi Refining Level One"!

His cultivation had gone from full to zero, while its upper limit had become one thousand. There was still no displayed cultivation speed.

The breakthrough chance had not become the fifty percent he had expected.

It was actually seventy-five percent.

Unexpected, but naturally a good thing!

As for his Blood Vitality increasing by four hundred points and his Spell Power likewise increasing by four hundred points, they seemed to have risen in multiples of five.

The additional twenty points had been added by Tai Chi Fist.

They had not risen fivefold at the same time.

He only pondered the underlying principle for a moment before setting it aside. He looked at the thing he cared about most—his Divine Sense!

[Divine Sense: 25/75]

Its upper limit had risen fivefold from the previous fifteen points, leaving Yue Shuo overjoyed.

Sure enough!

His deduction had been correct!

Cultivation was the key!

Only when his cultivation rose would everything else rise along with it!

As for the talents, bloodline, cultivation methods, spells, and the rest below, they were largely as he remembered them.

There were merely slight differences in their arrangement.

"Continue cultivating?"

Yue Shuo found himself unable to settle down.

He got up and wandered around the spirit field. Seeing the ten mature ten-year Gathering Spirit Grass plants made him even happier.

Without hesitation, he took out the wooden box he kept on hand and harvested them.

After harvesting the Gathering Spirit Grass—

His excitement over advancing gradually subsided.

Yue Shuo examined the amount of Divine Sense within himself and began considering the routine for his future cultivation.

Cultivating to raise his cultivation was undoubtedly the priority.

Of course.

He also had to spend some time on other necessary improvements.

Taking the Gathering Spirit Grass to the Qin Clan's shop to sell now seemed a little too conspicuous.

He had only been on the island for less than two months.

Hmm... could he use them for alchemy?

And Gathering Spirit Grass seemed to have another use... besides alchemy, it also appeared to be the main material for making First-Grade Blank Talisman Paper?

As for exactly how it was made, he was not entirely sure.

However, he seemed to have known a little about how ancient paper and straw paper were made in his previous life.

After all, everyone had gone through some period of time—

When, "by accident," they memorized the formulas for glass, gunpowder, soap, ancient ironmaking, papermaking, and other such techniques.

Though the memories had faded.

He could still recall some of the basic steps.

First-Grade Blank Talisman Paper was simply paper containing a certain capacity for holding spiritual energy, and of exceptionally high quality.

"The stalks and leaves of Gathering Spirit Grass are both very tough and full of fibers... papermaking..."

Yue Shuo returned to the spirit field, squatted down, and reached out to touch the surface of a Gathering Spirit Grass leaf.

He recalled the papermaking steps he had seen in his previous life.

"Break the material into pieces, then steam, boil, or pound and wash it into pulp. Remove the impurities, pour the pulp into a flat wooden box? Press out the water? Let it dry in the shade? Air-dry it?"

The process did not seem particularly complicated.

Of course, in an era of low productivity, it was quite complicated.

But he had spells.

"Would that be enough?"

Yue Shuo was somewhat doubtful, feeling that it might be a little too simple.

For large-scale cutting and shredding, he had Golden Light Slash or Thousand Waves Slash. Removing impurities would not be difficult for him either.

He could make the pulp box himself or have Gu Jiu make one.

For pressing out water, he had Water Condensation Talismans.

He had tested them before.

If he used a Water Condensation Talisman out of thin air, it would draw in the water molecules around it and form a small mass of clean water.

But if he deliberately cast it on a particular location—

It would primarily draw the water molecules out of that targeted area... in short, it could control water, extract water, and condense water.

He only needed to provide a little guidance when casting it.

As for shade-drying and air-drying the paper—

Flame Palm should be of some use.

"Should I... give it a try?"

What Yue Shuo wanted most, naturally, was to use Gathering Spirit Grass for alchemy. The problem was that he did not know alchemy yet!

Tian Wan was working toward that.

Perhaps he could obtain related knowledge from Tian Wan later.

Besides, alchemy required a tool like a pill furnace.

Where would he get a pill furnace?

Should he openly go to the Qin Clan's shop, say that he wanted to try learning alchemy, and then buy a Tier-One Low-Grade pill furnace?

Toss nearly a hundred Spirit Stones into the water without even a splash?

That would be showing off his wealth too much!

"Alchemy will have to be planned out slowly."

"First, talisman crafting. I need to prepare Qi-Concealing Talismans. Before, I only had ten sheets of blank talisman paper, so I didn't dare practice recklessly..."

He had more than a thousand sheets of basic yellow talisman paper.

Naturally, he dared use them freely.

Even if he succeeded only once in ten attempts before, he did not feel the slightest heartache.

Later, his Water Condensation Talisman had reached the Mastery level.

He had also gained certain insights into making Water Condensation Talismans, and had switched talisman ink. Next, he would reach a success rate of one in five, one in four, then one in three.

Occasionally, even one in two.

He could already draw Water Condensation Talismans with great fluency.

He planned to raise it to Minor Achievement before practicing other foundational runes.

As for First-Grade Runes—

He had tried them on yellow talisman paper as well.

They failed one hundred percent of the time!

That was a material limitation.

"Perhaps maxing out those hundred proficiency points in talisman crafting will bring some change. If I go all out, it should only take a day or two?"

After considering it, Yue Shuo still decided to prioritize cultivation.

Talisman crafting and spells would be secondary!

He then cultivated attentively twice, and by then it was already evening.

He checked the time.

Each cultivation session still took around an hour, unchanged, and the efficiency of cultivation gains remained "+2.2."

[Cultivation: 4.4/1000 (+2.2)]

[Divine Sense: 16/75]

The recovery speed of his Divine Sense seemed to have increased.

At that moment, Gu Jiu returned.

He waited outside the wooden hut from afar, his expression clearly indicating that something was up.

Yue Shuo spotted him at a glance. After giving it some thought, he left the spirit field and summoned him over.

"What happened?"

After bowing, Gu Jiu answered quickly:

"Young Master! I've found out what you asked me to inquire about!"

"Also, Young Master Tian asked me to pass along a message: recently, do not leave Creek Valley Spirit Field. This is the planting area, and outsiders may not enter without an invitation!"

Yue Shuo: ??

Right, what excuse had he used to send Gu Jiu away before his advancement?