The Way of Talismans

Early the next morning.

The Dao Academy's bells rang long and slow, piercing the morning mist and waking the sleeping woods.

The four residents of Room Seven, Yi Block had already washed and changed into the blue-gray student robes issued by the Dao Academy. Together, they headed toward the teaching halls.

Along the way, new students in the same attire were everywhere, walking in groups of three or five. Most wore looks of excitement and anticipation.

For most of them, after all, today was their first real step through the gates of the cultivation world.

"I heard the teacher for Class Three is a strict one."

Zhou Tong, who always seemed to know the latest news, muttered, "Wonder if it's true."

"Strict is good." Jiang Kuo took it in stride, smiling as he waved his folding fan. "A strict teacher produces outstanding students. We didn't come here to idle our days away."

Chen Shi remained a man of few words. He held several basic texts distributed the day before tight against his chest, his eyes full of earnest focus.

Walking between them, Chu Bai listened to his roommates chat and felt a stir of anticipation himself.

Back in Anping County, his foundations had been rather lacking...

The drawbacks of cultivating without proper guidance had been laid bare during the county examination. If he had recognized those spiritual qi attributes sooner, would his victory have been so perilous?

Now that he had entered a proper Dao Academy, he had an excellent chance to fill those gaps.

Before long, the four reached the Class Three lecture hall.

It was a spacious, brightly lit hall. Dozens of desks stood in neat rows, each with a meditation cushion behind it.

Chu Bai chose a seat near the front, in the middle. Jiang Kuo and the others naturally gathered around him.

At the appointed hour, just as the bell fell silent, a figure stepped into the hall.

The newcomer was a middle-aged man in a black Instructor's robe. His face was stern, his eyes sharp as a hawk's, and the faint sound of wind and thunder seemed to follow his steps. His cultivation was clearly profound.

The chatter in the hall vanished in an instant. Not a bird stirred.

The man stepped onto the dais and swept his gaze over the room. His voice was steady and strong. "My name is Zhou Changkong, and I am Class Three's teacher. I will teach your general courses during your time at the Dao Academy."

"As for specialized courses in Spell Arts, combat, and the cultivation arts, other Instructors will teach those in due course."

At the word "combat," Chu Bai felt a slight stir of interest.

He had plenty of Spell Power, but his methods were limited to a few variations of the Spirit Water Needle. In a complicated fight, he would be hard-pressed to cope. Combat training was precisely what he lacked most.

Still, he understood that even a tower ten thousand feet high had to rise from level ground. The general courses mattered just as much.

The cultivation world was strange and bewildering. If he did nothing but bury his head in cultivation, he might not even know how he died. Sometimes, knowledge mattered more than Spell Power.

"For our first lesson, we will discuss the difference between immortals and mortals."

Zhou Changkong wasted no words and went straight to the point.

"You have all achieved Qi Induction and crossed the threshold into Qi Refining. In the eyes of ordinary mortals, you are already lofty 'immortal masters.' But what, exactly, sets you apart?"

"Is it merely that you can throw a fireball or control a few drops of water?"

Zhou Changkong shook his head and answered his own question. "No."

"The heart of Qi Refining lies in drawing the spiritual qi of heaven and earth into the body, making it your own, and circulating it through a complete cycle. This is not merely an increase in power. It is a leap to a new level of life!"

"Mortals eat grains, suffer a hundred illnesses, and seldom live past a century. Qi Refining cultivators wash their bodies with spiritual qi, warding off disease and extending their lives. Once they reach Foundation Establishment, they can live two hundred years, shedding their mortal husks and remaking themselves!"

The young students below listened with surging hearts, their eyes full of longing for a longer life.

Chu Bai gave a slight nod as well.

He had yet to feel any obvious increase in lifespan from practicing the Minor Qi Gathering Technique, but the improvement to his body was undeniable. His abundant energy and sharpened senses were far beyond anything a mortal possessed.

"With Spell Power comes Spell Arts, naturally."

Zhou Changkong continued, "Even a cultivator's simplest tricks can seem like miracles to mortals. Today, I'll teach you a little trick of your own, to give you an initial glimpse of the cultivation arts."

With that, he waved a hand.

Dozens of yellow streaks flew from his sleeve. As though they had eyes, they drifted down precisely onto every student's desk.

Chu Bai looked closely. It was a palm-sized sheet of yellow talisman paper, marked with several cinnabar lines that gave off faint ripples of spiritual energy.

"This is a Clean-Clothes Talisman, one of the most basic low-grade first-rank talismans."

Zhou Changkong explained, "It has only one use: removing dust and grime from your clothes and body. For cultivators like us, seclusion lasting days or even months is commonplace. A Clean-Clothes Talisman is therefore essential."

"Now, try drawing on the spiritual energy within you and feeding it into the paper. Sense the course of its markings and activate it."

As soon as he finished speaking, a rustle spread through the hall.

Everyone eagerly picked up their talismans and began trying.

"Ow! Why isn't anything happening?"

"Don't rush. Take it slowly. Control how much spiritual energy you release..."

Some students flushed with effort, yet the talismans in their hands did not budge. Others pushed too hard and burned theirs straight to ash.

Chu Bai drew a deep breath and pinched the talisman between two fingers.

With a slight movement of his will, his pale-blue Spell Power—a blend of Pure-Origin Spiritual Qi and Pure Bathing Spirit Flow—began to circulate. It flowed through his fingertips and into the talisman.

Hum!

The cinnabar markings flashed faintly. Then the talisman turned into a soft white light that enveloped Chu Bai from head to toe.

It felt as though a cool breeze had brushed over his body, carrying away every speck of dust and trace of sweat.

When the light faded, Chu Bai felt wonderfully refreshed. Even the bit of dust that had settled on his robe had vanished without a trace, leaving it as clean as if it had just been washed.

So this is the way of talismans? It really is wondrous.

A glint flashed in Chu Bai's eyes.

It was only a small Clean-Clothes Talisman, yet it had given him a glimpse through an entirely new doorway.

Before long, white lights began appearing throughout the hall. More than half the students succeeded in activating their talismans.

Zhou Changkong watched and gave a slight nod. "Not bad."

"The way of talismans is vast and profound. It is not a required subject for you at this stage, but as Qi Refining cultivators, you should at least know what talismans are and what they can do. Learn to aid your cultivation with external tools such as pills, talismans, artifacts, and formations."

For the rest of the class, Zhou Changkong explained the five-element classification of spiritual qi, common paths of cultivation, and some basic rules of the Dao Academy, making even the deeper points easy to grasp.

The students listened, utterly absorbed. Even when the bell rang to end the lesson, they were left wanting more.

"All right. That concludes this lesson."

Zhou Changkong gathered his papers and looked over the students. "Your Spell Arts class begins in fifteen minutes. Make sure you're fully alert."

"After you've had your questions about cultivation methods answered, you may collect your enrollment benefits."