The next day, Chu Mo opened his eyes. As the last wisp of True Qi within him transformed into Dawncloud One-Qi, he successfully completed his switch to the Dawncloud One-Qi Profound Cavern Scripture.
"The quality of my True Qi has gone up several grades." He reveled in his newfound power. If his former power had been a bicycle, he was now driving a car.
Unfortunately, he knew no spells, so he had no way to test the scripture's true power.
"I need to find a way to earn some Spell Coins and get a few spell manuals."
With cultivation but no techniques, he was nothing more than walking nourishment within the Deliverance Sect.
Chu Mo's gaze sharpened, and he suddenly looked toward a corner of the room, alert.
"Heh heh, boy, you seem to have run into a little trouble."
A cloud of black vapor rose and instantly gathered into a human figure clad in a black robe and hood. He radiated a chilling aura that lowered the surrounding temperature a few degrees.
[Level 3 · Weak Yin Spirit (yellow name)]
The visitor was none other than the nameless senior brother who had intimidated the new disciples that day.
"Senior brother, may I ask why you've suddenly come to see me?"
Chu Mo spoke respectfully, but inwardly, he cursed. This damned courtyard! Anyone can come in whenever they please. There isn't a single defensive measure.
I have to get a formation set up, or I won't even be able to sleep in peace.
The black-robed man gave a couple of strange chuckles. "My name is Mu Ya. Just call me Senior Brother Mu."
His body was as light as smoke. He floated around Chu Mo twice, ignoring his wary expression, and clicked his tongue.
"I don't know what talents you have, boy, but Senior Brother Jiang actually went out of his way to arrange an easy way for you to earn Spell Coins."
"What?" Chu Mo was dumbfounded. Why was Jiang Yunya involved again?
"Talisman Master Liu needs a young attendant to help with miscellaneous tasks. Senior brother recommended you to him."
Mu Ya's voice carried envy. "This is a fine position. If you're lucky enough to pick up some talisman-making skills, you'll benefit from them for the rest of your life. Why wasn't I that lucky back then?"
Can I refuse? Chu Mo instinctively wanted to turn him down. He had no ties to Jiang Yunya, and the man hardly seemed warmhearted. Why would he spend any effort on Chu Mo's behalf?
But looking at the ill-intentioned Mu Ya before him, Chu Mo lowered his head. The other side held the upper hand. He had already refused Jiang Yunya once. If he refused again and offended him, no one in this damned sect would seek justice even if he were killed.
Talisman Master Liu was an outer sect disciple with a cave abode of his own. Chu Mo followed Mu Ya through the restrictions at the entrance and saw a pale-faced young man drawing something on a stone table.
[Level 6 · Deliverance Sect foot soldier]
Huh? A trace of surprise stirred in Chu Mo's heart. This man's health bar was only at twenty percent. Beneath his name was a dark red icon resembling an abstract flame.
Is he Liu Xian? Chu Mo guessed. On the way here, Mu Ya had already given him some basic information about this talisman master.
"Talisman Master Liu, I've brought him." Mu Ya stopped and spoke respectfully.
Liu Xian ignored him, remaining focused on tracing lines across the stone table.
Mu Ya did not dare disturb him and waited quietly to one side.
Only after roughly half an incense stick's worth of time did Liu Xian set down his brush. A wave of scorching heat surged outward from the stone table, and Chu Mo immediately felt the surrounding temperature rise a few degrees.
"Congratulations on your improving skill, Senior Brother Liu. This [Flowing Flame Arrow Talisman] already shows signs of being high grade." Mu Ya approached the stone table, examined it for a moment, and offered his praise.
Chu Mo looked up. Beside some red pigment that gave off a faint bloody smell lay a talisman covered in abstract symbols. It was probably the Flowing Flame Arrow Talisman Mu Ya had mentioned.
"Haha, just luck." Liu Xian tossed his Talisman Brush aside, examined Chu Mo carefully, and nodded in satisfaction. "You're Chu Mo? Good, good. A fine-looking young man indeed."
"I'll take him. Thank Brother Jiang for me."
"Of course, of course." Mu Ya hurriedly agreed. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
With Liu Xian's nod, only he and Chu Mo remained in the cave abode.
"May I ask what duties you need me to handle, senior brother?" Unable to bear the oppressive weight of his gaze, Chu Mo spoke directly.
"The talisman paper and spirit ink needed for Spirit Talismans require special methods to produce. I don't have time for such chores, so I'll teach you how to prepare them," Liu Xian said.
Why not just buy them ready-made? Surely someone sells them?
"Ah, don't be fooled by my youthful appearance. I'm actually over a hundred and eighty years old."
Seeming to notice Chu Mo's confusion, Liu Xian explained, "My allotted years are nearly spent, yet I still have no hope of advancing on the immortal path.
"I don't fear life or death, but I can't bear to let these skills be lost. That's why I want to choose a successor to inherit my mantle."
"What?" Chu Mo was stunned. The man had actually lived that long.
Although he had long known that Qi Refining cultivators had lifespans of around two hundred years, and that their bodies would remain in peak condition until their allotted years were nearly spent, seeing Liu Xian's absurdly youthful face in person still struck him as miraculous.
Could this old geezer be coveting my body? Alarm bells rang in Chu Mo's head.
Liu Xian sounded utterly sincere, but weren't sect disciples supposed to enter the Darkworld Grotto-Scenery Banner after death? They weren't going off to reincarnate, so how could their skills be lost?
"Thank you for giving me this opportunity, senior brother." Though inwardly wary, Chu Mo still put on an excited expression and spoke as though deeply moved.
"Don't thank me just yet." Liu Xian stroked a nonexistent beard. "You're only a candidate. There are two others like you. Only the one who passes the tests can inherit my skills."
"I understand." Chu Mo spoke respectfully, betraying nothing unusual.
"I hear you haven't chosen a primary cultivation art yet?"
After receiving Chu Mo's confirmation, he took a book from his Storage Bag. "Without a cultivation art, you're not truly on the proper path.
"This Heartfire Meridian-Forging Art is a mid-grade mortal art. Take it and cultivate it for now. Once you have enough Spell Coins, you can switch to something else."
Chu Mo accepted the cultivation art with both hands and said in a slightly trembling voice, "Thank you, Master Liu."
Seeing this, Liu Xian nodded in satisfaction, then took out a thumb-sized pouch and tossed it to Chu Mo. "I see you don't have a storage item yet. This Storage Bag is yours.
"Inside are methods for making talisman paper and spirit ink, along with some basic materials. Study them diligently."
"This! What have I done to deserve such care from you?" Chu Mo's reply trembled, and tears of gratitude filled his eyes.
Inwardly, however, he grew even more nervous. Giving me all these good things-could he really be coveting my body?
Liu Xian waved a hand and was just about to speak when a gray-clad youth entered the cave abode, interrupting his explanation.
"Master Liu, I've completed this month's spirit ink assignment." The pale-faced, gray-clad youth took several jade bottles from his Storage Bag.
Liu Xian accepted the spirit ink, not forgetting to tell Chu Mo, "You may leave for now. Remember to hand in a hundred sheets of talisman paper next month. Consider that your first test."
[You have received the quest [Talisman Master Preliminary Test]]
A trace of surprise rose in Chu Mo's eyes, only to vanish an instant later. He bowed to Liu Xian and took his leave without betraying anything.