Talisman Emperor

Chen Xi forgot the passage of time and forgot everything in his surroundings.

His entire attention was immersed within the assignments reflected in his mind, or perhaps it could be said that he was immersed in dealing with the numerous problems in the Dao of Talismans, and he became completely oblivious of himself and his surroundings.

The Dao of Talismans was like a part of his life, and it had affected everything he knew since he started cultivating. It was also precisely because of the Dao of Talismans that he was able to obtain his current accomplishments.

He wasn’t clearly aware exactly what sort of heights his accomplishments in the Dao of Talismans had arrived at, but he was clearly aware that since he encountered the Dao of Talismans, difficulties related to the Dao of Talismans and talisman formations had never troubled him.

For example, the immortal formations in the Immortal Dimension were roughly divided into the Heavenly Grade, Mysterious Grade, Golden Grade, Saint Grade, and King Grade, and it corresponded to the five realms of cultivation that immortals cultivated.

The Heavenly Grade immortal formation was evidently utilized against Heavenly Immortal Realm experts, whereas the immortal formations of the other grades were roughly the same.

For example, the Minor Thunderclap Devilbreak Slaughter Formation and Grand thunderclap Devilbreak Slaughter Formation that Chen Xi had utilized during the second round of the test respectively corresponded to the Mysterious Immortal Realm and Golden Immortal Realm.

Of course, because Chen Xi’s own cultivation was insufficient, so the Grand Thunderclap Devilbreak Slaughter Formation he set up wasn’t able to bring forth its entire might, thus it could only be considered as a Pseudo Golden Grade immortal formation.

However, all of that was in terms of actual combat. If it was in terms of his grasp in the theory of the Dao of Talismans, then not to mention Golden Grade immortal formations, Chen Xi was even able to break down and completely comprehend Saint Grade and King Grade immortal formations.

This was the difference between actual combat and theory.

The only obstacle that obstructed Chen Xi was his own cultivation.

In other words, Chen Xi’s grasp of the Dao of Talismans had already arrived at an unparalleled height, and he could be called a supreme talisman formation grandmaster. Moreover, it was even to the extent that he surpassed this title. But because of the restrictions imposed upon him by his cultivation, he wasn’t able to set up large scale immortal formations that exceeded the Golden Grade.

But even then, relying on his current cultivation in the Dao of Talismans, it was sufficient for him to deal with the various assignments in the Dao of Talismans. After all, it wasn’t actual combat, and he merely had to provide a method to deal with the problem.

“Hmm?” After an unknown period of time, when Chen Xi was about to accept the next assignment, he was suddenly stunned on the spot. Because he noticed that the assignment that lay before him actually carried a reward of 800,000 Starpoints!

“Restore the Nine Profundity Treasured Cauldron. The cauldron is incomplete as the talisman formation within it is damaged. It requires restoration and to be perfected. Requirements — accepted by a supreme talisman formation grandmaster. Reward — 800,000 Starpoints.”

When he finished looking through the assignment, Chen Xi instantly understood that the 800,000 Starpoints weren’t prepared for a single person, and he said in his heart, Even if ten supreme talisman formation grandmasters split it equally amongst themselves, they would be able to obtain 80,000 Starpoints each. That’s a shocking sum of wealth.

Amongst the assignments Chen Xi had accepted earlier, practically all of them were minor assignments that rewarded around 1,000 Starpoints, and the most was 3,000 Starpoints. There wasn’t a single assignment that rewarded over 10,000 Starpoints.

Now, an assignment that had a reward as high as 800,000 Starpoints had suddenly appeared, and it really tempted Chen Xi to accept it. But regretfully, this assignment required him to complete it in person.

In other words, it didn’t just test his knowledge in theory but ability to put it into practice.

After pondering for a short moment, Chen Xi shook his head in the end, and he gave up before he continued to accept those assignments that didn’t require him to personally put theory into practice. 

    …

“Eh? The assignment I just issued has been completed in less than ten minutes?” Within an abode in the inner court of the academy, a white clothed young man suddenly opened his eyes and withdrew his Violet Ribbon Starcrest. When he saw the information conveyed via the Violet Ribbon Starcrest, a wisp of shock suffused his face.

“Something that even that friend of mine who came from a clan renowned in the Dao of Talismans was unable to complete had actually been completed in such a short period of time? Could it be that a supreme talisman formation grandmaster did it?”

“But every single one of those capable of becoming a supreme talisman formation grandmaster is a top figure in the inner court, so how could they possibly take a fancy to 1,000 Starpoints? This matter…is really strange.” The white clothed young man muttered. He originally thought he could thank the heavens and the earth if his assignment could be completed in a single month, yet now, it had actually been completed not long after he issued it!

Moreover, he firmly believed that not only had this assignment he issued been completed, it was completed beautifully. It could simply be called perfect!All of this caused him to feel like it was a miracle, like a dream.

At the same time, in the various area of the academy, numerous voices of shock and bewilderment resounded ceaselessly along with the passage of time.

“My god! Someone really knew the method to restore the damaged talisman diagram I provided.”

“Haha! I never expected that it would be done so quickly. With this solved restriction diagram, let me see who can stop me when I enter that restricted area once more!”

“So that’s how it is. The bone markings of the Netherwind Immortal Beast are actually extracted in this way. Dammit! I pondered bitterly for three months before this and looked through countless books, yet how could I have not thought of such a simple and ingenious method?”

Exclamations of surprise, praise, wild joy, and shock like this resounded from all over the academy, so it didn’t draw the attention of many people.

But on Assignment Mountain itself, a wave of clamorous noise had resounded from an ancient hall at this moment.

This ancient hall specialized in publishing assignments related to the Dao of Talismans.

At this moment, the hall was filled with people while numerous gazes had descended onto the glistening screen of light at the center of the hall.

Shockingly, that screen of light displayed the various assignments related to the Dao of Talismans!

Unlike what was seen in the Violet Ribbon Starcrest, the screen of light in the hall didn’t just reveal the date the assignment had been issued, it even had various other labels like ‘completed’, ‘incomplete’, ‘failed’, ‘reward’, and so on and so forth. It seemed to be extremely complete.

The people in the hall had all come here for the sake of accepting assignments related to the Dao of Talismans. There were students and instructors here, and practically all of them had studied the Dao of Talismans. There was no lack of existences like talisman formation grandmasters amongst them.

But at this moment, all of them had stopped talking and stopped everything they were doing before converging their gazes onto the screen of light while a wisp of surprise appeared on their faces.

Because they noticed to their shock that an assignment was being completed in practically every short moment. Moreover, once this assignment was completed, another assignment would be accepted… Not a single second was wasted.

This wasn’t the surprising part. Most importantly, all these assignments that were accepted and completed had actually been the work of the same person — Chen Xi!

“My god! It has already been an entire eight hours, yet he still hadn’t stopped. Up until now, he has already accepted and completed sixty assignments! In other words, he’s able to complete fifteen assignments on average every two hours!” Someone couldn’t help but exclaim with surprise while shock covered his face.

The others were mostly the same. Those were sixty assignments. They seemed to be few in number, yet any talisman formation grandmaster was unable to complete a single one of them without using ten to fifteen days of time.

But Chen Xi was merely a single person, yet he’d completed an entire sixty assignments within eight hours of time, and this had simple exceeded the imagination of everyone present here.

Even the instructors with deep attainments in the Dao of Talismans were extremely moved at this moment. They didn’t dare believe that such a matter had actually occurred because it was simply like a miracle.

“Who’s this Chen Xi? Could it be that he’s a head instructor of the inner court that has attained the level of a supreme talisman formation grandmaster?” Someone couldn’t refrain himself any longer and asked in the end.

The others glanced at each other. Yeah, who exactly is this Chen Xi? 

Why have we never heard of such a figure in the academy that’s comparable to a supreme talisman formation grandmaster? Could it be that the academy has employed a new instructor?

Seeing everyone in the hall being unaware of Chen Xi’s identity caused every single person in the hall to be filled with shock and astonishment. They felt that the matter that had occurred today was truly a bit too surprising and shocking.

“I remember hearing that the number one student amongst the new students recruited into the academy this year…seems to be called Chen Xi…” Right amidst this deathly silent atmosphere, a young student spoke weakly. Even though his voice was soft, it was heard by many people present here. Thus, in the next moment, the gazes of everyone descended onto him in unison.

This young student was obviously shocked and said hastily, “I don’t dare to confirm whether this Chen Xi is that Chen Xi as well. After all, that Chen Xi’s cultivation is only at the intermediate-stage of the Mysterious Immortal Realm, and logically speaking, he ought to not be a supreme talisman formation grandmaster…” 

When they heard this explanation, all of the people present here nodded in their hearts. Right, his ability to become the first amongst the new students can only prove his combat strength is shocking and his natural talent is extraordinary. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s a supreme talisman formation grandmaster.

After all, everyone present here was clearly aware that existences capable of becoming talisman formation grandmasters were rather rare, whereas those capable of becoming supreme talisman formation grandmasters were even rarer. The number of supreme talisman formation grandmasters in the entire academy could be counted with one’s fingers!

Under such circumstances, would anyone believe that a young man at the intermediate-stage of the Mysterious Immortal Realm would be a supreme talisman formation grandmaster?

“Hmph! I think this Chen Xi is trying to gain popularity. Didn’t all of you notice that all the assignments he accepted and completed haven’t obtained the acknowledgement of the people that issued them!” said a thin old man. He was called Lu Ting, and he was an instructor in the inner court that was adept in the Dao of Talismans. He was a talisman formation grandmaster that had enjoyed a reputation for a long time, and he possessed rather great prestige.

The others came to an understanding as well when they heard Lu Ting. Right, Chen Xi has completed so many assignments, yet up until now, not a single assignment has obtained the acknowledgement of the person that issued the assignment. What’s going on? 

Could it be that all the assignments he accepted are going to end in failure?

When they thought up to here, the expressions of many people present here became strange. If it was really like this, then it isn’t surprising that he was able to accept and complete so many assignments in eight hours of time.

“Perhaps the people who issued the assignment haven’t recovered from the shock of the completion of their assignments?” Someone else frowned and slightly doubted that Chen Xi would dare play around with something like this. After all, repeated failures of assignments wouldn’t just cause too much of his Starpoints to be deducted, the matter would even be pursued by the academy. So the detriment absolutely outweighed the benefits.

The thin old man, Lu Ting, was slightly stunned as well when he saw someone doubted him.

But right when he was about to say something, his eyes inadvertently glanced towards the screen of light, and then it constricted abruptly while his face froze slightly. Moreover, he forcefully swallowed the words that were about to leave his mouth.