Another month went by. Xu Changshou drew fifteen Windwalk Talismans each day.
Yang Bailao had said he would probably be assigned to draw them, so Xu Changshou made some in advance for his future quota.
In a month, he drew 450 Windwalk Talismans.
Yang Bailao had said Xu Changshou would have to hand in 140 a month.
The stockpile would cover more than three months of assignments.
Though he had learned to draw talismans, Xu Changshou told no one.
The sect had given him six months to learn, and only two had passed. He decided to wait another two or three months before revealing his progress.
Meanwhile, he would draw some of the talismans in the Bloodline Jade Talisman and keep them for emergencies.
Many of those talismans were useful.
Xu Changshou set to work.
He began with the Windwalk Talisman.
His version differed from the sect’s.
The sect’s Windwalk Talisman allowed a thousand li of travel a day. His allowed three thousand, a speed comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator flying on a sword.
It could save his life. With one on his thigh, no Qi Condensation cultivator could catch him. It might also sell for a high price.
But he did not dare sell them openly, especially within the sect.
If the sect’s leaders demanded his drawing method, what could he do?
Over two days, he drew thirty of his own Windwalk Talismans.
Then he turned to other talismans.
Earth Stalwart Talisman: two or three times as strong as the sect’s Earth Shield Talisman, able to withstand an attack from a twelfth-layer Qi Condensation cultivator.
It would be useful when he eventually left the sect to gain experience. He drew thirty.
Sharp Gold Talisman: held sword qi with the power of a twelfth-layer Qi Condensation cultivator’s strongest strike.
Apart from the Thunder Explosion Talisman, it was his strongest offensive talisman. He drew thirty.
Invisibility Talisman: made the user invisible to cultivators at the same level. He drew five.
Wall-Piercing Talisman: allowed the user to pass through walls. He drew five.
Soul-Snaring Talisman: effective against souls. He drew five.
Demon-Suppressing Talisman: countered demons and evil cultivators. He drew five.
Illusion-Breaking Talisman: broke illusions. He drew five.
Formation-Breaking Talisman: broke low-level formations. He drew five.
Thousand Faces Talisman: changed the user’s build and appearance for twenty-four hours. He drew five.
…
Xu Changshou kept drawing any talisman he thought might prove useful.
Though only at the seventh layer of Qi Condensation, he now felt able to challenge anyone below Foundation Establishment in a fight.
For safety, he stored the finished talismans in the stone room.
The room could hold objects even though he could not enter it physically.
No one could see what he kept there.
There was one more talisman he wanted to draw but could not: the Thunder Explosion Talisman.
It could kill a twelfth-layer Qi Condensation cultivator in an instant.
Its lightning attribute was too violent for his brush and Yellow Hemp Paper. He needed a better brush and a stronger medium.
The Thunder Explosion Talisman required three things.
First, hide from a Black Antelope Thunder Ox to replace the Yellow Hemp Paper.
Second, a spirit-brush shaft made from the horn of a Moon-Gazing Rhinoceros.
Third, brush-tip hair from a century-old Yellow Weasel.
The materials were precious, but Xu Changshou was determined to obtain them and draw the talisman.
It could be a powerful trump card while he remained in the Qi Condensation realm.
A Qi Condensation cultivator without a magical artifact to defend themselves would have little chance against it.
Few cultivators at that level possessed magical artifacts, apart from the descendants of exceptionally wealthy cultivators.
“Huh? A Spirit Gathering Talisman? There’s one of those?”
Xu Changshou found another useful talisman in the stone room.
It gathered spiritual energy to help cultivation, and one talisman lasted ten days.
Xu Changshou drew ten, then stuck one to himself.
Spiritual energy from the surroundings gathered around him, as though he had a Spirit Gathering Array on his body.
Soon the energy around him was as dense as that on Taiyi Peak.
This was a treasure. It would help him cultivate much faster.
Cultivators spoke of four essentials: wealth, companions, methods, and place.
Place meant one’s cultivation site. Though last on the list, it was still valuable. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
On Chuxiu Peak, many disciples had wanted assignments on Taiyi Peak and Danxia Peak.
One reason was that both sat on major spirit veins and had abundant spiritual energy.
With the Spirit Gathering Talisman, he could enjoy a similar cultivation environment even on Green Ink Peak.
Another two months went by.
Xu Changshou had now been on Green Ink Peak for four months.
The time was right.
Learning to draw talismans in four months would make his talent look neither remarkable nor poor.
Three days later, xu Changshou went to Yang Bailao’s door looking pale and exhausted. “Senior Brother Yang, come out! I can draw talismans now! I did it!”
Yang Bailao emerged, looking tired himself. “Junior Brother Xu, have you really learned?”
“I have!” Xu Changshou said, pretending to be excited.
“Good, good!”
Yang Bailao smiled. “It took me five months to learn. You have more talent than I do.”
“You flatter me, Senior Brother Yang,” Xu Changshou said politely.
Yang Bailao studied him with a sad expression. “Junior Brother Xu, now that you’ve learned, life won’t be easy.”
“I think drawing talismans is wonderful,” Xu Changshou said innocently.
Yang Bailao shook his head and looked at Xu Changshou with sympathy.
He had been about the same age when he began drawing talismans. Forty years later, he had improved his craft and advanced a few minor levels, but little else.
What he had gained was bitterness and numbness.
“You must be tired from drawing today, Junior Brother Xu. Come back tomorrow for an assessment. If you pass, I’ll take you to Martial Uncle Li.”
“Thank you, Senior Brother Yang.”
“Go home for now. Come early tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
…
Xu Changshou arrived at Yang Bailao’s residence early the next morning.
Without a word, Yang Bailao gave him Yellow Hemp Paper and asked him to draw on the spot.
Xu Changshou did not dare use the mark on his palm in front of Yang Bailao. He drew with his own spiritual energy.
He drew one Windwalk Talisman, one Sword Qi Talisman, and one Fireball Talisman.
After the three, his spiritual energy was completely exhausted.