With that thought, Xu Qingtong rose, left his room, and went to Shopkeeper Gu's door.
He knocked, and upon hearing Shopkeeper Gu answer, pushed the door open and walked over to him. "Shopkeeper, there's something I don't understand. I'd like to ask for your guidance."
Shopkeeper Gu glanced at Xu Qingtong. "What don't you understand? Tell me, and I'll see whether this old man can help."
Xu Qingtong said, "Shopkeeper, I can no longer increase the power of the talismans I make. I've studied the problem many times. It isn't that my Talisman Crafting skills are lacking, but that the materials can't hold any more spiritual power. Are there better materials I could use to make talismans?"
Shopkeeper Gu pondered for a moment. "Talisman paper and cinnabar both come in low-tier and High Tier varieties, but our shop only stocks the low-tier ones. Go to the Myriad Treasures Tower to the north, buy some High Tier talisman paper and cinnabar, and give them a try."
Xu Qingtong thanked him and headed out to the Myriad Treasures Tower. He hadn't expected them to be such shameless profiteers: they charged him two spirit stones for each sheet of high-grade talisman paper.
Swallowing the pain of the expense, Xu Qingtong bought twenty sheets of talisman paper and some High Tier cinnabar, then returned to his room.
He took out the talisman paper and laid it on the table, then focused his mind and carefully considered the key steps in Talisman Crafting. After a long deliberation, he picked up his brush and began drawing. As expected, his first two talismans ended in failure.
The third talisman succeeded, holding forty percent more spiritual power than before. The fourth held fifty percent more, and the fifth sixty percent more. For the sixth, he increased the spiritual power by seventy percent, and the attempt failed.
He tried several more times with seventy percent more spiritual power, but every attempt failed. It seemed sixty percent was the limit; anything higher would fail.
Xu Qingtong took his completed talismans to Shopkeeper Gu.
After examining them, Shopkeeper Gu couldn't help marveling. These were unquestionably Fireball Talismans, yet their power far surpassed the previous Mid-Grade Fireball Talismans. They even rivaled the mid-grade spell Rain of Fire.
Shopkeeper Gu returned the talismans to Xu Qingtong and cautioned him, "Qingtong, these have the power of Mid-Grade High Grade talismans, comparable to the mid-grade Rain of Fire spell. Be careful when you use them. Don't take anyone's life. Still, only you would use high-grade talisman paper to make low-grade Fireball Talismans."
Xu Qingtong gave a wry smile. "Shopkeeper, I only know how to make low-grade talismans. I'd like to make mid-grade Rain of Fire Talismans, but I don't know how!"
Back in his room, he made the remaining nine sheets of talisman paper into Shield Talismans and Water Arrow Talismans. Once he finished, he briefly sorted through his belongings.
He had ten newly made Mid-Grade High Grade talismans: three Fireball Talismans, three Shield Talismans, and four Water Arrow Talismans. He had used up most of his previous inferior-quality mid-grade talismans during the four matches that morning, leaving only a few dozen. Xu Qingtong reckoned that should be enough.
Early the next morning, Xu Qingtong again arrived at the martial training grounds ahead of time and quietly waited for the matches to begin.
Perhaps because it was the final day, the competition had grown fiercer. The matches hadn't even begun, yet the air below the platforms was already thick with gunpowder.
The two people Xu Qingtong had defeated the day before glared viciously when they saw him arrive. They looked thoroughly unconvinced by their losses and eager to settle the score.
Xu Qingtong paid them no mind and simply watched the platforms. Soon, the match official stepped forward, announced the start of the competition, and withdrew to one side. Strangely, however, not a single person stepped onto any of the ten platforms.
After a moment's thought, Xu Qingtong understood why. Since this was the final day, everyone wanted to assess the strength of those who took the stage before deciding what to do. No one wanted to become the target of every arrow.
Xu Qingtong only needed one more victory to qualify for the second stage of the competition. Since no one else wanted to go first, he would take the lead. With that thought, he walked straight toward platform seven.
The moment Xu Qingtong stepped onto the platform, someone recognized him.
"Isn't that the brat who blasted people with talismans yesterday? What's he doing here again?"
"I'll go teach him a lesson!"
"Forget it. You'd only be asking for a beating! He doesn't win with skill-he wins with money!"
As the crowd chattered over one another, a young gentleman in a brocade robe stepped forward. He lowered a hand toward those behind him to quiet them and said leisurely, "Everyone, be calm. Allow this young master to take him down."
With that, the young gentleman climbed onto the platform, swaying his head with self-satisfaction. Another wave of chatter rose from below. "It's Young Master Lin! Now we're in for a good show!"
Xu Qingtong couldn't help smiling wryly when he saw his opponent. It was none other than the young gentleman who had once bought talismans at the Jade Spring Commerce Association! Upon reaching the platform, the young gentleman briefly saluted the official with clasped hands, then turned to Xu Qingtong. "My distinguished surname is Lin, and my given name is Qian. You may call me Young Master Lin."
Xu Qingtong could only return the salute. "I'm Xu Qingtong of the Jade Spring Commerce Association. I look forward to experiencing your skills, Young Master Lin!" With that, he activated a Shield Talisman.
Lin Qian laughed at the sight and casually tossed out two inferior-quality mid-grade Fireball Talismans. Xu Qingtong's shield shuddered under the impacts, its radiance sharply diminishing.
Before Xu Qingtong could react, two more Fireball Talismans came flying at him. He hurriedly activated another Shield Talisman.
Yet this time, Lin Qian's Fireball Talismans were weak, seemingly having no effect when they struck the shield. Xu Qingtong froze in surprise. Why are these Fireball Talismans so weak? That doesn't make sense!
Before he could understand what was happening, Lin Qian's flying sword was right before him. Then came two pfft sounds as it pierced both layers of his shields and shot straight toward his chest.
Alarmed, Xu Qingtong tried to activate another Shield Talisman, but it was already too late. He could only twist aside to dodge. Still, he was too slow. The flying sword pierced his left shoulder, circled around, and returned to Lin Qian's hand.
Not daring to hesitate, Xu Qingtong hurriedly activated one of his newly made Mid-Grade High Grade Shield Talismans, then slapped a Rejuvenation Talisman onto his wound.
Only after doing all this did Xu Qingtong turn a cold gaze on Lin Qian. He hadn't expected this seemingly frivolous fellow to strike so ruthlessly. He had nearly taken Xu Qingtong's life.
Lin Qian seemed unconcerned by Xu Qingtong's glare and continued directing his flying sword at him. Not daring to be careless, Xu Qingtong hastily took out the Goumang Seal, channeled magic power into it, and placed it before him.
With a clang, the Goumang Seal was knocked aside. Xu Qingtong felt his blood surge within him and nearly spat out a mouthful. Clearly, his cultivation realm was too low. Clashing head-on with Lin Qian was simply asking for a beating!
After knocking aside the Goumang Seal, Lin Qian's flying sword lost some of its momentum. It struck Xu Qingtong's shield, but only made it tremble and dim a little before its force was spent.
His face pale, Xu Qingtong flicked out two Fireball Talismans, but Lin Qian blocked them with a shield in his left hand.
Seeing that his Fireball Talismans couldn't hurt his opponent, Xu Qingtong began to grow anxious. He doubted his Mid-Grade High Grade Shield Talisman could withstand many more attacks from the flying sword, and the Goumang Seal was even less capable of holding it off.
Watching Lin Qian approach with a smile, Xu Qingtong was about to concede when a sudden flash of inspiration struck him. A colorless, shapeless spike shot straight toward Lin Qian's forehead.
Completely unaware, Lin Qian continued walking toward Xu Qingtong with a smile. Suddenly, a buzzing erupted in his head, as though he had suffered a heavy blow, and he froze.
At the very moment he stood dazed, a water arrow struck him squarely in the chest and blasted him off the platform.
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