The First Immortal of Destiny

Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Proficiency Level_1

The night passed in an instant. As the first ray of dawn touched the sky, Shen Mo was in his house, having drawn tirelessly all night.

Twenty-three talismans, and not a single success.

He stretched his back and sighed.

Last night, he hadn’t rested for a moment, attempting to draw talismans twenty-three times, all of which ended in failure.

If it were anyone else, they would probably have given up after a whole night with no progress.

But Shen Mo had no notion of giving up.

On the contrary, he remained quite exhilarated.

Even though all the talismans he drew failed, he had still gained a lot of experience and proficiency!

After a night of hard work, his Talisman Path experience had risen from 2/500 to 46/500.

His proficiency with the Lightness Talisman had jumped to 71/100.

Although none of the talismans were successful, the visible increase in his experience motivated him to continue practicing.

Let’s try again!

Rubbing his sore palm slightly, Shen Mo returned to his desk and began a new round of drawing.

VOOM!

This time, when the demonic beast blood dripped onto the Lightness Talisman, it underwent spirit enlightenment, and a dazzling golden light flared!

A message, much to Shen Mo’s surprise, quickly appeared:

* *Congratulations, you successfully drew the Lightness Talisman!*

* *Talisman Path Experience +10*

* *Lightness Talisman Proficiency +30*

* *Your Lightness Talisman proficiency has improved, advancing from (Unskilled) to (Great). Your success rate for drawing Lightness Talismans has increased!*

I did it! Shen Mo was pleasantly surprised, then elated.

After a night of hard work, he finally had a decent finished product!

At this moment, Shen Mo’s heart swelled with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.

He wished he could spend another three days and three nights focused on making talismans without rest.

However, glancing at the sky, he suppressed the impulse.

It’s dawn; I have to go on duty soon. If I’m late, my already meager monthly allowance will be heavily docked!

Time to go!

He took out a bundle containing all his talisman-making supplies—a brush, yellow paper, beast blood, and Sandalwood Ink—strapped it to his back, and set off.

Let’s test the Lightness Talisman’s effect!

Stepping out of his dwelling, a thought struck Shen Mo, and he affixed the Lightness Talisman to his leg.

STEP, STEP, STEP!

With the Lightness Talisman on his thigh, Shen Mo felt his body become incredibly light, as if he were Wind Riding. His pace became remarkably swift.

This talisman is truly amazing! Its effect is extraordinary! Haha!

Trying out the talisman for the first time left Shen Mo somewhat astonished and deeply satisfied.

He ignored the surprised gazes from the many Sect Disciples in the square, walking with swift strides as he hurried towards the mountain gate.

「...」

”You’re here.”

Cao Ren was already on duty at the mountain gate. When he saw Shen Mo’s figure moving with an unusual lightness, his gaze fixed on the Lightness Talisman on Shen Mo’s thigh. Surprised, he asked, ”Did you succeed in making a talisman last night?”

”Yes, I worked all night and ruined over twenty talismans, but I finally succeeded once,” Shen Mo replied truthfully.

”You... worked all night?”

Cao Ren wasn’t surprised that Shen Mo had managed to create a Lightness Talisman in a single night. After all, the Lightness Talisman wasn’t a high-level talisman and wasn’t difficult to master.

What caught his attention, however, was that Shen Mo had spent the entire night making talismans without sleep.

”Your enthusiasm is a bit strange,” Cao Ren mused for a moment, then said, ”You’re not planning to leave the sect, go to the mundane world, and use this Lightness Talisman to hoodwink mortals and swindle them, are you?”

Although the Lightness Talisman was one of the most rudimentary talismans in the cultivation world, for a mortal, it was enough to leave them completely dumbfounded.

If one were meticulous and cunning, they could make a fortune in the mortal realm relying solely on this one talisman skill.

”Where is your imagination taking you?” Shen Mo chuckled. ”Speaking of which, this Talisman Path... once you get into it, it’s truly captivating. It’s hard to stop.”

”I’ve brought all my talisman-making supplies. Guarding the mountain gate won’t be too demanding for the next few days. Could you keep an eye out for me? While I’m on duty, I’ll also try to sneak in some practice.”

Such a leisurely job, it would be a waste not to slack off a bit.

Shen Mo had long planned to make the most of such opportunities.

While on duty at the mountain gate that day, Shen Mo hid in the pavilion, focused on making talismans and increasing his proficiency. Most other tasks fell to Cao Ren, who didn’t complain as the workload wasn’t heavy. From sunrise to sunset, Shen Mo seized every spare moment to practice, managing to attempt drawing Lightness Talismans over thirty more times.

As his proficiency and Talisman Path experience grew, Shen Mo gradually became more adept, and his efficiency greatly increased.

When it was time to end his shift guarding the mountain gate and hand over duties, Shen Mo clutched the three successfully created Lightness Talismans, feeling quite proud. ”Thirty attempts, and the success rate is improving quickly. It’s already one in ten now.”

He checked his stats: his Talisman Path experience and Lightness Talisman proficiency had increased by 64 and 88 points, respectively. However, I’m still in the practice phase. If I really calculate it, a one-in-ten success rate is a losing proposition.

Shen Mo calculated carefully in his mind. The average Market price for a Lightness Talisman was one Lower Grade Spirit Stone for ten talismans. The materials needed to make a Lightness Talisman—talisman paper, Sandalwood Ink, and the beast blood used for spirit enlightenment—cost about 30% of the selling price. In other words, Shen Mo hadn’t felt the pinch because the materials were heirlooms from his parents; he didn’t have to buy them himself. To break even when drawing ten Lightness Talismans, considering the actual costs, he’d need a success rate of around 30%. This didn’t even include the time and effort a cultivator invested. If he wanted to make money drawing talismans to subsidize his cultivation, the success rate needed to reach 50% to be worthwhile.

It’s still a long road ahead.

After these calculations, Shen Mo’s initial excitement somewhat diminished.

Ultimately, I’m still running a losing business right now. But, there’s no need to rush. I have plenty of time! For now, I’ll concentrate on making Lightness Talismans, striving to increase the success rate and practice until my Lightness Talisman proficiency reaches the Excellent level!

「So, for the entire following month,」

Apart from his regular cultivation, Shen Mo devoted all his energy to making talismans.

He worked day and night. During the day, while supposedly guarding the mountain gate, he would slack off to make talismans. At night, he practiced tirelessly and continuously.

After such a long period of practice, Shen Mo’s skill in the Talisman Path had improved by leaps and bounds.

If not for unforeseen circumstances, he had planned to continue practicing for a while longer, aiming to improve his proficiency in one concerted effort.

This continued until one day, a visit from a young woman with flowing long hair and an elegant figure interrupted his talisman-making routine.