Protective spells

"I've reached the Qi Refining Third Layer. This year's assessment should be nothing to worry about." The corners of Qi Yun's mouth rose slightly as his awareness sank into his Purple Mansion Dantian.

The Dantian, once filled with filthy, obscuring miasma, was now washed clear.

Blazing white innate True Qi formed a pure vortex. His True Qi cultivation method was circulating on its own, constantly gathering the newly generated True Qi from the meridians throughout his body and drawing it into his Dantian's sea of Qi.

"The black-robed cultivator who taught cultivation back at Ling Family Mountain once said that in the Qi Refining Realm, every step was another stair, and each stair climbed offered an entirely different view.

"Now that I see it, he was right.

"At the Qi Refining Third Layer, the cultivation method circulates on its own. Even without deliberately practicing, True Qi replenishes itself endlessly.

"Then if I broke through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer and connected with the celestial phenomena, what would that be like..."

His thoughts drifted despite himself. Suddenly, Qi Yun shook his head, casting those flights of fancy out of his mind.

Reaching beyond one's grasp and chasing quick results were great taboos in cultivation!

"My foundation has only just settled. There's absolutely no need to rush toward the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.

"Besides, the Qi Refining Fourth Layer requires comprehending celestial phenomena. That's not something accomplished overnight.

"There's still some medicinal potency left from the [Qi Spirit Pill], and I still have plenty of Sacred Yuan saved from selling talismans..." A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes. "I should add another two spells, buy some spiritual items, and upgrade the 'versions' of these spells I already have!"

Nodding slightly, Qi Yun rose and strode toward the courtyard's screen wall. He inserted the Great Void Jade Token, and the dazzling interface of the [Wuji Treasure Market] once again filled the jade wall.

Money was earned, never saved.

Besides, he already had the craft of talisman-making. Even if he spent all his Sacred Yuan, he would only have to return to his old trade.

Looking at the wide variety of spells on the screen wall, Qi Yun pursed his lips in thought.

The [Clear Breeze Technique] is for fleeing and concealing myself, while [Basic Sword Qi] is for fighting enemies.

So what I lack most urgently now is a method for defending against enemies and protecting myself.

Having reached a decision, Qi Yun began searching through the [Wuji Treasure Market].

After the [Clear Breeze Technique] upgraded to 3.0, it gained the ability to evade an attack once.

But that's a risky maneuver for saving my life at a critical moment.

Using it for everyday protection is too risky, and would easily expose the details of my abilities and background.

What he needed was an ordinary, common protective spell with a low threshold for cultivation, containing a Dao intent that was not particularly rare.

That way, it could protect him effectively without drawing attention, and finding natural spiritual items to drive its "updates" would be relatively easy later on.

His fingertips slid swiftly across the jade wall, spell names flashing before his eyes. Qi Yun silently noted several candidates, but his gaze continued searching deeper.

There!

His gaze sharpened, and his hand paused. The name of a spell scroll slowly came to a stop on the screen wall.

"Skull Incantation"

[Originally one of the White Bone Devil Sect's eighteen great protective incantations. After the White Bone Devil Sect was annihilated by the Holy Sect's Sea-Splitting Heaven-Upholding True Lord, its many wondrous methods and devil cultivation methods were likewise taken into the Holy Sect's possession.]

[Cultivating this incantation requires the skull of someone who died a violent death as material. Gather countless traces of vicious Qi and resentful thoughts, then awaken it with your own True Qi. When facing enemies, release it to protect yourself. It can not only spew resentful Qi to obstruct enemies, but also withstand their attacks.]

"This is the one!"

The moment he saw this spell scroll, Qi Yun knew he had found what he was looking for.

"Skull Incantation"

It was one of the protective spells most commonly practiced by the Limitless Devil Sect's Outer Mansion disciples.

There was no other reason-the cultivation materials were simply too easy to obtain!

The skull of someone who died a violent death?

Sorry, people who died violent deaths are easy to find. It's the ones who died normally that are hard to find.

Vicious Qi and resentful thoughts?

If you want them, someone would even pay you to take them. How could a devil sect lack those?

Precisely for this reason, the "Skull Incantation" had practically become one of the mandatory protective spells for the Limitless Devil Sect's Outer Mansion disciples.

However, this protective spell's sole drawback was that it was somewhat difficult to cultivate.

Many Outer Mansion disciples suffered backlash from the vicious Qi and resentful thoughts while practicing it.

A large portion of the "youth edition" evil-dispelling and baleful-intent-breaking talismans Qi Yun had sold before had been snapped up by fellow disciples suffering backlash from cultivating the "Skull Incantation."

With his goal clear, Qi Yun unhesitatingly selected and purchased the highest-priced version of the "Skull Incantation" in the [Wuji Treasure Market], labeled "detailed explanation of essential principles."

The "Skull Incantation" was a protective spell that could only be cultivated at the Qi Refining Third Layer. Compared with the "Clear Breeze Technique" and "Basic Sword Qi," its difficulty might not be the difference between clouds and mud, but it was still the difference between elementary multiplication and division and equations.

Qi Yun had a fairly clear understanding of his own aptitude and talent.

Although the detailed edition cost more, it would save him the time spent pondering and comprehending it himself. Overall, it was still a very good deal.

The Wuji Treasure Market's "logistics" were as astonishingly efficient as ever.

Soon, a knock sounded at the courtyard gate.

Once the parcel was in his hands, he found that it contained not only a technique-transmission jade talisman recording the "Skull Incantation."

The seller had also thoughtfully included a complimentary... freshly produced skull of someone who had died a violent death, still carrying the smell of blood, along with a tightly sealed bottle of concentrated resentful thoughts and vicious Qi, black Qi roiling inside as faint, shrill screams escaped!

"Tsk, this service is catching up to online shopping in my previous life."

Now that he had obtained the protective incantation, Qi Yun wasted no time. Clutching the parcel containing the technique-transmission jade talisman and cultivation materials, he prepared to return indoors to cultivate.

But he had only just turned around, before he had even descended the steps at the courtyard gate, when another series of knocks came from behind him.

Knock, knock, knock-

"Hm?"

His steps halted. Qi Yun narrowed his eyes slightly and turned toward the courtyard gate behind him.

Someone's here to see me?

He had joined the sect over half a year ago. Apart from Cao Song, who had visited to introduce the sect's rules when he first arrived at the Outer Mansion, no one had ever come looking for him.

What's going on today...

Opening the courtyard gate, Qi Yun looked suspiciously at the man standing before him.

His clothing was much neater and more presentable than that of the errand disciples who made deliveries. His face also lacked their drained, numb exhaustion. His eyes were calm, with a trace of businesslike detachment.

"You're Qi Yun?" the man asked to confirm, his voice flat.

"That's me." Qi Yun nodded, his gaze appraising.

The man took a letter sealed in yellow paper from the cloth satchel he carried, carefully checked the name, and handed it over:

"Your letter."

"A letter?" Qi Yun did not immediately take it. His brows drew together slightly, his suspicion deepening. "Who sent it?"

"Wu Tao, Ninth Outer Prefecture," the man answered clearly.

"Wu Tao?"

Hearing the name, Qi Yun froze.

There had not been much between him and Wu Tao. Why would he suddenly write him a letter?

Taking the envelope, Qi Yun frowned slightly, vaguely sensing something amiss. He closed the courtyard gate, walked over to a stone chair in the courtyard, sat down, and opened the letter.

Rustle-

The sheet was drawn out and unfolded.

A line of small characters instantly leaped into view:

"My brother Qi Yun, seeing these words is like meeting face-to-face..."

The instant he saw those words, Qi Yun's head jerked up. His expression darkened, and he snapped the letter shut in his hands.

An icy chill instantly shot from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head!

This is bad.

Has that matter been exposed?