Longevity with a Turtle

Chapter 66: Chapter 65: Talisman Arts Improvement

”Is it done already?”

As the final stroke fell, a flash of Spirit Light darted across the talisman paper, marking the completion of a Lower-Grade Water Arrow Talisman.

Chen Jianghe picked up the newly made Water Arrow Talisman to observe it carefully. He found that, aside from the difference in the talisman runes, the magical power fluctuations were practically identical.

Pinching it firmly between two fingers, the Water Arrow Talisman shattered instantly. A Water Arrow condensed from magical power shot out fiercely. With a BANG, it drilled into the lake’s surface, kicking up a ten-foot splash.

”The power is identical.”

A smile graced his face. Drawing Spirit Talismans with this method was twice as fast as his previous clumsy approach, and his magical power consumption had been reduced by forty percent. The increase in speed also meant a reduction in the toll taken on his heart and mind.

By this calculation, having this Talisman Dao inheritance would boost his annual talisman making profits by thirty to forty percent. In other words, his original income of twenty-five Spirit Stones a year could now reach at least thirty-two. Even after splitting it in half with Talisman Master Chu Lang, he would still net sixteen Spirit Stones.

Thinking about it this way, he felt his trade with Talisman Master Chu Lang had been entirely worth it.

Following this, he drew two more Water Arrow Talismans to deepen his understanding of this painting technique. His mind gradually grew clearer.

When painting specific Talismans, magical power would naturally merge with the Talismans, flowing seamlessly into the talisman paper. This method of talisman painting cut out several steps compared to his previous approach. He no longer had to draw out long Runes stroke by stroke, nor did he have to manually seal his magical power into the talisman paper at the very end.

Having specific Talismans allowed him to break through the barriers of elemental attributes, enabling a Cultivator who practiced a Water Element Cultivation Technique like him to draw Spirit Talismans of other attributes. Without this inheritance, he would never have been able to achieve this.

These were talisman painting techniques meticulously tested and refined by countless Great Powers of the Cultivation Realm—an unparalleled treasure.

After resting for a few days to restore his magical power and his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, Chen Jianghe prepared to try his hand at Spirit Talismans of other attributes to see if they were truly as wondrous as recorded in the inheritance.

He laid out the talisman paper, using a Sandalwood Paperweight Corner Press to hold it down. Picking up his Peach Wood Talisman Pen, he dipped it in Spiritual Ink and lowered it onto the talisman paper.

Instantly, his brushstrokes moved as if guided by the divine, delicately painting profound and mysterious talisman runes that revealed wondrous patterns.

BOOM!

Just as he finished the final stroke, a stray thought arose. His magical power wavered, and the talisman paper instantly turned into fine ash.

”I celebrated too soon,” he said, banishing the stray thoughts. Gathering his heart and mind, Chen Jianghe continued to draw the Flaming Talisman.

One month later.

He had consumed twelve sheets of talisman paper and successfully drawn three Lower-Grade Flaming Talismans. His Talisman Success Rate barely reached thirty percent.

Stepping out to the bow of the boat, he tested one of the Flaming Talismans. Suddenly, a brilliant blaze lit up the night sky. A fireball the size of a washbasin gathered and smashed fiercely into the lake’s surface, erupting violently and kicking up waves several dozen feet high. Among the surging waters were a few aquatic creatures, already emitting the mouth-watering aroma of cooked meat.

”Fire Magic is fierce and unyielding. Even though it is also a Lower-Grade Spiritual Talisman, its power feels significantly stronger than the Water Arrow Talisman.”

However, the Flaming Talisman also had its flaws. Namely, its attack speed was not as fast as the Water Arrow Talisman’s—it was nearly twice as slow. Once a Water Arrow Talisman was used, the Water Arrow condensed from magical power could shoot over a hundred meters away in an instant. In contrast, the fireball released by a Flaming Talisman could only cover about sixty meters in the same amount of time.

He spent another month and thirteen more sheets of talisman paper, successfully drawing five Flaming Talismans and pushing his Talisman Success Rate to forty percent.

Next, Chen Jianghe began to attempt Wood Element, Earth Element, and Gold Element Spirit Talismans.

Unknowingly, seven months quietly slipped by, and New Year’s Eve arrived once more.

Sitting in the cabin, Chen Jianghe held his Talisman Pen. As he released his strength and lifted the pen, a flash of Spirit Light darted across the talisman paper, marking the successful creation of an Earth Spike Talisman.

Over these seven months, he had been drawing Earth Element, Wood Element, and Gold Element Spirit Talismans. In total, he had consumed ninety-three sheets of talisman paper and successfully drawn twenty-three Spirit Talismans: seven Lower-Grade Green Vine Talismans, seven Lower-Grade Golden Light Talismans, and nine Earth Spike Talismans.

Gradually, he had raised his Talisman Success Rate for every element from twenty percent up to forty percent.

The Lower-Grade Green Vine Talisman contained a Wood Element Magic spell—the Vine Binding Technique—which could release three long vines to ensnare an enemy.

The Lower-Grade Golden Light Talisman was similar to the Water Arrow Talisman, except it was formed from a sharp ray of Golden Light condensed from Gold Element magical power, capable of shooting out instantly to claim a person’s life.

The Lower-Grade Earth Spike Talisman was a means for sneak attacks, able to summon an earth spike that shot out from the ground in an instant.

”I’ll try the Water Arrow Talisman again.”

Chen Jianghe felt that his Talisman Dao Skills had improved. After successfully drawing Spirit Talismans of all Five Elements, both his control over his magical power and his grip on his heart and mind had experienced a massive leap.

Subsequently, he drew a Water Arrow Talisman. The talisman runes on it were even more exquisite, and the magical power flowing through it was far gentler and more stable.

”My success rate should be around fifty percent now.” Chen Jianghe increasingly felt that his trade with Talisman Master Chu Lang had been a brilliant move. The Talisman Dao inheritance was simply too useful to him.

Once he mastered the Five Elements Escape Talismans and the Five-Element Protection Talismans, he felt his Talisman Dao Skills would ascend to an even higher level. At the very least, it would bump the Talisman Success Rate for his Five Elements Attack Spirit Talismans to sixty or even seventy percent.

A radiant smile broke out on his face at the thought. Walking out to the bow, he watched the occasional flashes of sword light streaking across the sky and the Cultivators relying on Qi Manipulation Flight.

The Jingyue Marketplace on Huxing Island was about to open. More and more disciples from the Cultivation Families of Jingyue Lake were rushing over for New Year’s Eve. If Chen Jianghe’s guess was correct, the Cultivation Families of Jingyue Lake were already figuring out ways to rent courtyards and shops on Huxing Island ahead of time.

Those closest to the water always caught the moon’s reflection first. Given the Yun Family’s past support for the Cultivation Families within their territory, they would certainly prioritize these affiliated clans.

”Little Black, hide at the bottom of the lake. Don’t show your head. I’m going to buy you a Spirit-Encompassing Flower,” Chen Jianghe communicated via Spirit Platform Transmission.

Then, he used his magical power to drive the fishing boat toward Huxing Island.

During the September Fish Sleep Stage, he had consumed a Qi Storage Pill and also given Little Black a Spirit-Encompassing Flower. Now, he still had one Qi Storage Pill left, but he was completely out of Spirit-Encompassing Flowers.

According to his established plan, he intended to synchronize Little Black’s resources with his own. Whenever he took a Qi Storage Pill, he would also reward Little Black with a Spirit-Encompassing Flower.

Arriving at Huxing Island, he observed the increasingly complete Jingyue Marketplace. The Hundred Treasures Tower, surrounded by water systems, had already been built. It was resplendent, magnificent, and crystal-clear.

The comprehensive shops of the Yun Family and the Beast Taming Workshop on both sides were also being roofed. Then there was the already erected Market Arch.

Zhonglou Street, as the main road of the marketplace, had been transformed into a unique water-based main avenue exclusive to Huxing Island, stretching straight from the Market Arch to the Celestial South Sect’s Hundred Treasures Tower. There were nearly a hundred shops along the main street alone. If the auxiliary streets were included, the Jingyue Marketplace likely housed over two hundred shops.

No wonder Yu Daniu had said that the Yun Family had emptied hundreds of years of accumulated family wealth for the Jingyue Marketplace. Come to think of it, a Tier Two Large-Scale Defense Formation alone had cost more than half of the Yun Family’s savings.

Entering the marketplace, one could see quite a few Cultivators in brocade robes on the spacious Zhonglou Street. They were glancing around curiously, seemingly eager to peek inside even the unopened shops.

The Hundred Treasures Tower, in particular, had drawn a massive crowd of Cultivators. These were the disciples of the Cultivation Families from within Jingyue Lake. Most of them were younger generations brought along by their family elders to broaden their horizons.

Chen Jianghe didn’t linger. He headed straight for a Spirit Talisman Shop owned by the Yun Family to exchange the Spirit Talismans he had drawn this year into Spirit Stones first.