Talisman Emperor

The Wanderingcloud Sword Sect opening its doors to recruit disciples was an unprecedentedly grand occasion. As the Sect Master, Ling Kongzi had revealed an extremely great resolution by opening up the doors to the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect before the sect entrance tests began. Besides the main peak, Skypillar Peak, and the restricted area at the rear mountains, the entire Wanderingcloud Sword Sect had been opened up to the public. Any person who wanted to register themselves to join the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect and become a disciple would enter the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect in advance to view it with reverence and sightsee in enjoyment.

The streams of people were like weaving silk, rubbing shoulders and bumping into each other.

At this moment in the Wanderingcloud mountain range, the young men and young women from various cities in the southern territory had arrived at the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect long ago under the accompaniment of their guards and family members. Not only was it for the sake of witnessing the strength, resources, and reserves of the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect with their own two eyes; most importantly, they wanted to seize this opportunity to engage with the elders and disciples of the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect and become familiar with them. If they were able to suck up to these people and gain a friendly relationship, then wouldn’t their sons and daughters be able to gain extra care when going through the sect entrance test?

As a family member or senior, all of them hoped their sons could become dragons, their daughter phoenixes, and who wouldn’t hope for their children to join the number one sect in the southern territory and come up in the world?

Of course, extremely few of those ordinary and impoverished people that lived at the bottom of society in the southern territory were able to arrive here.

Because all along the way, they had to pass through innumerable dangerous mountain ranges, wilds, and deserts, and it was exceedingly dangerous. Not only were there bandits and thieves along the way, there were also fierce beasts and demon beasts. Without formidable guards protecting them and without excellent flying Magic Treasures for them to ride, it was extremely likely that they would lose their lives to the various dangers on the way.

For example, if it wasn’t for obtaining Chen Xi’s assistance before they entered Dragon Lake City, Mu Yao and Mu Wenfei would probably have been killed by those three Starnet Palace disciples long ago.

“Look, this is True Heart Peak, where the peerless genius Chen Xi who’s well known all over the southern territory lives. Child, if you’re able to attain the achievements like Chen Xi has, then which elder would dare disagree to Father handing over the entire Clan to you?”

“Xuan’er, do you see it? The person that Mother told you about, Chen Xi, who annihilated six Golden Hall Realm and one Golden Core Realm cultivators of the Su Clan, obtained first place in the Hidden Dragon Rankings, and subdued the Immortal Artifact, Buddha’s Pagoda, stay on this peak. Once you enter the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect in the future, you must make him your target and cultivate properly. Us mother and daughter’s status in the Clan depends entirely on you.”

“Child, you’re always arrogant and overbearing and treat others with contempt. Grandfather brought you here today to let you see that no matter how strong you are, there’s always someone stronger. That Chen Xi’s only a few years older than you, yet he’s the sword brother of the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect’s Supreme Elder. What about you? All you know is to run amuck in that palm size city of ours. What’s there for you to be arrogant and complacent about?”

Amongst the 100 plus peaks in the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect, the True Heart Peak was undoubtedly the peak with the most streams of people. Some young men and young women had come to True Heart Peak under the accompaniment of their seniors and guards to sightsee. Whereas the owner of this peak, Chen Xi, had instead become the model that the numerous elders of the families used to teach a lesson to their children or encourage them, and it seemed to be extremely bustling with noise and excitement.

“Silence! This is True Heart Peak, the place my Supreme Ancestor cultivates. If all of you still dare to make noise, then we’ll surely cancel your qualifications to participate in the sect entrance test!” Dong Fang berated in a loud voice. He’d brought along 35 male Inner Court disciples to guard outside the great hall on True Heart Peak, and all of them wore uniform azure clothes with their Inner Court disciple command token hanging at their waist, causing them to seem awe-inspiring.

These young men and young women and their family members and guards that had come to True Heart Peak to sightsee instantly didn’t speak another word, and they were utterly silent as they looked at Dong Fang and the others with gazes that carried along a trace of reverence and envy.

“My Supreme Ancestor instructed that everyone has come a long way from the various great cities of the southern territory and have gone through great hardships along the way. So, he specially ordered us to send over some fruits and fine wine. It’s just a little token of his regards, please take it.” At the side, the elegant and mature Wang Wan lightly smiled, and then 35 female disciples sent over tray after tray of delicacies, tea, fine wine, and fine fruits. Their etiquette was satisfactory and without the slightest arrogance, causing others to feel as if they were bathing in the spring breeze.

When they saw this scene, the crowd of people that had come to sightsee at True Heart Peak couldn’t help but sigh emotionally in their heart. Look, these is the resources and reserves of a great sect!

“Fellow Daoist, I wonder if we’re able to pay our respects to Senior Chen Xi?” In the crowd, a grey haired old man spoke out. His face was covered in wrinkles, his appearance decrepit, and his age was already sufficient to be Chen Xi’s grandfather, yet he addressed Chen Xi as Senior and his expression was still so reverent and sincere, causing others to be unable to refrain from having a strange feeling.

But no one present felt that it was improper. In the cultivation world, strength determined seniority. Not to mention that Chen Xi was the brother of the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect’s Supreme Elder, Bei Heng, so calling him Senior was something that should be done.

“I’m sorry, my Supreme Ancestor isn’t at True Heart Peak now. If everyone wants to pay your respects, then during the sect entrance test tomorrow, my Supreme Ancestor will be attending it as well. So you’ll naturally be able to meet him then,” said Dong Fang.

Everyone present couldn’t help but be slightly disappointed when they heard this, but they were also satisfied with being able to make a trip to True Heart Peak.

Chen Xi was indeed not at True Heart Peak. During these past few days, the number of people that came to sightsee at True Heart Peak had increased explosively. His place of cultivation that was originally full of quiet and solitude was now no different to a bustling market, and coupled with people coming due to his fame and wanting to pay their respects to him every time. It was fine when it was just once or twice, but when it became numerous, even a saint would be annoyed, let alone him.

So, he could only temporarily hide outside.

——

Outside the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect.

At the side of a waterfall and lake, Chen Xi held an azure scroll and was comprehending the Dao of Talismans. This book was called Zhou’s Detailed Narration of 13 Formations, and he’d borrowed it from the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect’s Book Reserve Pavilion. The deducing, refinement, and technique of setting up 13 types of enormous formations were recorded within it, and their composition was ingenuine and coincided with the principles of the heavens.

He wanted to cultivate the Deducing Arts within it.

The Dao of Talismans was vast like the sea, containing the boundless secrets of the heaven and converging it with the geography of the land and sea, and it was heavily complicated. Everything in the universe contained the secrets of the heaven, and it was utterly impossible for him to cultivate all of the Talismans and Formations in the world. But so long as he comprehended the Deducing Arts, he would be able to derive any formation, and he would even be able to derive a completely new Talisman Formation.

As a result, the strength of a Talisman Formation Master’s deduction ability was related to the level of his ability. The stronger the deduction ability, the more secrets of the heavens the Talisman Formation Master have comprehended, and the stronger the Talismans drawn and Talisman Formations set up by the Talisman Formation Master would be. It was able to be used to refine equipment, refine pills, slaughter enemies, trap enemies, condense spirit energy, transform baleful qi, heal injuries, dispel the clouds, produce rain, and so on and so forth, and it encompassed everything and was capable of anything.

Chen Xi’s objective for cultivating the Deduction Arts was extremely simple: he wanted to combine the eight great sword moves of the Myriad Convergence Sword Scripture and exhaust the boundless variations within it.

Of course, the stronger his deduction ability, the deeper his knowledge and comprehension towards the Dao of Talismans would be, and it brought about an effect of mutual benefit and advancement.

“Yin and Yang were born from a united one…” Chen Xi was immersed in the book, his soul accurately and swiftly deducing various variations in the talisman markings, and he completely didn’t notice the passage of time.

Suddenly, a wave of dense sounds of horse hooves abruptly sounded out from the distant mountain path, and even the ground was vibrating as both dust and dirt fluttered in the air.

In next to no time, a group of around 50 robust riders in bright clothes rode on Flamecloud Bloodmane Horses with expressions of slaughter as they howled and swiftly approached this area. At the center of these riders was a gorgeous carriage that was pulled by six Horned Panthers. The carriage was covered in cloud patterns and had precious stones hanging on it, and it was coiled with the glow of treasures. Their speed was extremely swift, and in the blink of an eye, they’d arrived at the side of the waterfall and pool.

“Stop!” A middle aged man with an inconspicuous chin and fierce looking eyes waved his hand behind him, and this group instantly stopped, causing them to seem well trained and extremely capable.

“Hey, little fellow, is the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect ahead?” The middle aged man noticed Chen Xi, and he didn’t get down from his horse before looking down as he asked with a shout.

“Yes.” Chen Xi nodded, yet he sighed in his heart. I can’t stay at True Heart Peak nor can I stay here, looks like I have to search for another quiet and secluded place before I can cultivate in peace.

During these past few days, countless amounts of people had converged at the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect from everywhere. Most of the young men and young women had guards and servants accompanying them, and there were plenty of people that were more arrogant and overbearing than this group. So Chen Xi didn’t feel anything from this middle aged man’s lofty tone and arrogance towards him.

“Dong Que, we’ve rushed all day and night without stop from Misty Sea City, and it’s just right for us to rest here before ascending the mountain in awhile.” A handsome young man in embroidered robes and wore a jade headpiece walked down from the gorgeous carriage.

“Alright.” The middle aged man with an inconspicuous chin and fierce looking eyes that was called Dong Que agreed with a loud voice before starting to commanding the others to build tents in a practiced manner.

“Little fellow, move aside, this pool has been occupied by our Misty Sea City’s Dong Clan.” Because the pool only covered an area of over 30 meters and Chen Xi was sitting at the side of the pool, he instantly seemed to be slightly conspicuous. Dong Que walked over to stand before Chen Xi right away, and then he looked down from above as he spoke with a tone that carried oppression and threat.

Chen Xi frowned.

“Forget it, Dong Que, don’t make him leave, I still have lots of things to ask him later.” The handsome young man waved his hand and directly arrived by the side of the pool. He used the clear water to wash his face before sitting cross-legged and receiving a translucent wine cup that was filled with scarlet red colored fine wine, and then he drunk a mouthful to his heart’s content before licking his lips and saying. “Kid, do you know Chen Xi?”

This young man around the age of 14 or 15 spoke with a tone that revealed a bossy and arrogant aura, and he acted imperiously like an elder.

Chen Xi felt it was slightly amusing, yet he still nodded.

“Oh, then tell me, is he really as formidable as the rumors say?” The handsome young man’s eyes lit up as he asked once more.

Chen Xi shook his head. “I don’t know.”

The handsome young man laughed. “You’re really too ignorant. I’m at Misty Sea City, yet I’ve heard of his name. As a person of from Dragon Lake City, how could you have not heard of him?”

Chen Xi asked. “Fellow Daoist, could it be that you’re looking for Chen Xi for something?”

“There’s no harm in telling you. Chen Xi’s currently the sword brother of the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect’s Supreme Elder, and he’s both respected and possesses great authority. Supposedly, he will even be attending the ceremony from the side when the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect recruits disciples this time. I’ve already formed a relationship with him, and I have 100% confidence in passing the sect entrance test tomorrow.” The handsome young man laughed arrogantly as he spoke unhurriedly.

“Oh, I wonder how Fellow Daoist achieved this?” Chen Xi asked in shock. He was indeed surprised, as he utterly didn’t know the little fellow before him.

“I can’t say, I can’t say.” The handsome young man smiled mysteriously, yet wasn’t willing to reveal the truth, and he instead asked Chen Xi. “Right, you’ve come for the sake of participating in the sect entrance test of the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect as well?”

Chen Xi shook his head. “No.”

The handsome young man sighed. “Right, there’re an entire 100,000 plus people that have registered this time the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect opened its doors to recruit disciples, whereas, there’re only 100 positions. You’re a single isolated person with neither money nor backing, and you’re unable to pass the test even if you participate. You know your own limitations.”

Rumble!

Right at this moment, dense sounds of horse hooves that were like drums sounded out once more from the distant mountain path, and the noise made even surpassed this handsome young man’s group.

After a short moment, a group of great strength and impetus dashed over towards here. 64 guards that wore scale armor and crimson red cloaks rode on Ink-Horn Beasts at the two sides, whereas, a treasure carriage that seemed to be made of jadestone and ice crystals was at the center. The treasure carriage had magnificent curtains and was pulled by eight beasts, and it was extremely stylish.

There was even string after string of translucent bells hanging on the treasure carriage, and along with the wind, the bells sounded out clearly like flowing water in a clear spring, bright and wispy, and it caused one’s heart to be unable to help but become peaceful.

When looked at from afar, this group of people were like tidewater, roiling as they came, and in next to no time, they’d arrived beside the pool.

“Wang Clan? Hmph! I knew that all of you would surely come as well.” The Handsome young man raised his eyes and swept out with his gaze before snorting coldly right away, and he seemed to have known this group that had just appeared for a long time.

——

Author’s Note: I saw a piece of news that spoke about parents disregarding the intense heat of the summer as they brought their children along to tour Universities. The purpose of this was for the sake of making their children study properly and strive to attend a good University. As I looked at the pictures of the numerous parents that were baked by the scorching sun to the point they were dripping with sweat, my heart was indescribably moved and bitter. So, the first half of this chapter was born.