Chapter 291: Revealing a Third-rank Talisman Master
Five Dragon Island Marketplace was established at the foot of a spirit peak in the central region.
This spirit peak was the cultivation site of the Island Lord, and the Island Lords governing each sea region were all appointed by Bihai Palace.
The spiritual energy here was rich. Unfortunately, ever since this Long Island Lord passed away in meditation, Bihai Palace had yet to select a new Island Lord, leaving the position vacant to this day.
The several Core Formation Cultivators from the Enforcement Hall of Bihai Palace who arrived this time were residing here.
“Steward Jiang!”
After Hu Jin returned from visiting friends, he came to explain the situation. The dark-faced burly man in front of him, a late Core Formation Cultivator, laughed and waved his hand upon hearing it:
“Alright, there’s no need to be so formal between us. It’s only a Third-rank Fire Dragon Talisman. But that friend of yours, although he has some talent, his vision is still a bit narrow.”
The dark-faced burly man surnamed Ding shook his head with a smile after speaking.
These drifting cultivators—clearly they had discovered their own talent in formations, yet they still wasted time drawing talismans just for petty profits. It was completely squandering their natural ability.
Studying one craft alone was enough. Studying two would only delay cultivation.
After hearing this, Hu Jin helplessly cupped his fists and said:
“Steward Ding, it’s easy for you to say. But for drifting cultivators, every resource must be fought for personally. If there were a choice, who wouldn’t devote themselves wholeheartedly to cultivation?”
Old Hu grinned, then took out a share of spirit stones and handed them to Steward Ding.
One could not keep everything for oneself.
……
Xuanyin Pavilion.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, you’ve hidden it from me quite well.”
On this day, Lin Changan came to visit. Fairy of Rainbow Skirt served spirit tea, but when she heard that he wished to consult the sect’s Third-rank Talisman Inheritance, she immediately understood.
This Elder Lin was most likely already a Third-rank Talisman Master.
Facing the teasing from Fairy of Rainbow Skirt, Lin Changan waved his hand.
“It’s not that Lin deliberately concealed it. It’s simply that the cultivation world is full of ever-changing winds and clouds. Without keeping a few tricks hidden, how could I have survived until today?”
Lin Changan wore a helpless expression, as though recounting the hardships of drifting cultivators.
This was something Fairy of Rainbow Skirt could not personally experience, though she still understood their difficulties.
The reason Lin Changan chose to reveal it to her had been carefully considered.
After reforging his core, his potential greatly increased. On the surface, the Azure-Horned Ox had also broken through to the Third-rank. Even if his secret were exposed, the strength he displayed now was enough to protect himself.
Moreover, the hardships he experienced on the Talisman Path could easily be investigated.
He had advanced step by step along the way.
If he truly possessed heaven-defying talent, he would not have struggled for twenty years after first learning talismans before finally achieving a breakthrough.
His progress on the Talisman Path would not arouse suspicion. It was simply a case of accumulated experience finally bearing fruit—someone with moderate talent who achieved success through perseverance.
As for formations, that was purely comprehension. Back when he was in Tianxuan City, even the disciple of True Lord Lu often praised his talent on the Formation Path.
“For a True Core Cultivator who also has a Third-rank spirit pet protecting him, this is nothing. Compared with the top geniuses of Nascent Soul factions, the difference is like heaven and earth.”
After thinking everything through, and considering how comfortable life in Xuanyin Pavilion had been over the years—as well as his long acquaintance with Fairy of Rainbow Skirt—Lin Changan concluded that revealing his status as a Third-rank Talisman Master would benefit both himself and Xuanyin Pavilion.
“No wonder when you killed those cultivator robbers before, traces of the mana from the Talisman Treasure · Blood Fiend Sword remained at the scene.”
Although Fairy of Rainbow Skirt was surprised, the more she thought about it, the more clues she could find.
Lin Changan understood immediately.
Back when he counter-killed the remnants of the Divine Sword Sect, the Sword Attendant had used the talisman treasure.
When handling the aftermath, he had deliberately left some traces behind.
Now, combined with his current admission and some details, the story naturally made sense.
“To be honest, Fellow Daoist Lin, among our sect’s Third-rank Talisman Inheritances, only one is complete. The rest are incomplete.”
Fairy of Rainbow Skirt lowered her eyes slightly.
She seemed to recall how she had exaggerated somewhat when trying to recruit Lin Changan in the past, and she subconsciously focused her attention on the spirit tea.
Lin Changan could not help feeling speechless.
But after thinking about it, it made sense.
Yue Country was a small place. No Third-rank artisans had ever appeared here before, so why would the sects waste resources developing such crafts?
“However, Fellow Daoist Lin, although we are Core Formation Cultivators, our energy is still limited. Cultivation must remain the priority.”
Fairy of Rainbow Skirt took a sip of spirit tea before speaking slowly.
Clearly she had thought carefully before saying this.
Lin Changan immediately smiled.
Normally, a sect master would want a guest elder to create as much profit for the sect as possible.
But her words were essentially reminding him not to delay his cultivation.
“Thank you, Fellow Daoist.”
Lin Changan sincerely cupped his fists, causing Fairy of Rainbow Skirt to finally relax and smile.
“Please wait here, Fellow Daoist. I will personally make a copy of the sect’s talisman inheritance.”
Although no misunderstanding had arisen between them, Fairy of Rainbow Skirt still chose to retrieve the inheritance herself to ensure the matter remained confidential.
Lin Changan cupped his fists in thanks.
The escape light of a Golden Core Cultivator was extremely fast. Moments later, Fairy of Rainbow Skirt returned with several bundles of jade slips.
“Third-rank Spirit Armor Talisman!”
When Lin Changan saw that Xuanyin Pavilion’s talisman inheritance was the Spirit Armor Talisman, he could not help but show delight.
Although it was not the lightning- or fire-type talisman that he most wanted for suppressing sinister entities, it was still very good.
“The Spirit Armor Talisman is purely defensive. It forms from pure mana and has no attribute. Although its defensive power is slightly weaker, it also cannot be countered by attributes…”
Fairy of Rainbow Skirt sighed lightly as she explained the origin of the talisman.
“In the past, our Xuanyin Pavilion had an elder who only possessed False Core cultivation, yet had exceptional talent in the Talisman Path. At the age of three hundred, he broke through and became a Third-rank Talisman Master.
“Later the news leaked out, and then…”
Lin Changan did not know much about Xuanyin Pavilion’s history, but he could easily imagine what happened.
A sect that finally produced a Third-rank artisan would inevitably attract the envy of other sects—especially since Xuanyin Pavilion was the weakest among the Three Major Sects of Yue Country.
If it were him, he would also not sit idly by while a threat grew.
This was precisely why he had concealed his abilities before and only revealed them now.
One reason was that the Beast Sea Region was vast and rich in resources; it did not lack such artisans.
Another reason was that other factions would actually welcome him diverting his attention to auxiliary crafts.
Most importantly, Lin Changan now possessed the strength to protect himself.
“At that time, the sect traveled thousands of miles to the Beast Sea Region to purchase talisman inheritances. During that journey they met people from Bihai Palace in Sea Abyss City, which created this connection.”
After hearing the explanation, Lin Changan suddenly understood.
No wonder among the Seven Kingdoms Alliance, it was actually the weaker Xuanyin Pavilion that formed ties with Bihai Palace.
“Many thanks, Fellow Daoist.”
With the Third-rank Spirit Armor Talisman and two incomplete talisman inheritances in hand, Lin Changan had already gained greatly.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, should the sect secretly acquire some talisman materials?”
Facing Fairy of Rainbow Skirt’s probing question, Lin Changan smiled and nodded.
“That would be good. Previously I purchased a Third-rank Fire Dragon Talisman inheritance from Old Hu. I’ll have to trouble you to also gather some fire-attribute talisman materials.”
This was Lin Changan demonstrating his connections.
With such a large sect available, it would be foolish to gather materials alone.
If he collected them personally, it would take great time and effort and might even expose him.
But if Xuanyin Pavilion did it, no one would suspect anything.
After all, with the current Secret Realm Turmoil, many cultivators were collecting rare materials.
Afterward, Lin Changan stayed on the main peak as a guest. The two spent several days drinking tea and discussing the Dao before Lin Changan departed.
……
Several days later, Hu Jin came to Celestial Spring Peak again and brought the Third-rank Fire Dragon Talisman inheritance Lin Changan needed.
Celestial Spring Peak.
Inside the cave abode’s cultivation chamber, Lin Changan held a Third-rank Spirit Brush. His expression was solemn as he dipped it into cinnabar refined from the blood essence of a fire-attribute demon beast.
He then raised the brush and began writing across a Third-rank talisman paper with vigorous strokes.
It looked effortless, yet immense mana and mental focus were being consumed, sealed into a single small talisman.
When the talisman was finally completed, a flash of firelight appeared.
Upon the golden talisman, a coiling fire dragon emerged. At its center, the dragon’s head appeared fierce, forming the character “Fire”.
A Third-rank spirit talisman would emit spiritual light when infused with mana. For example, the fire dragon on this Fire Dragon Talisman would move like a living creature.
【Third-rank Mid-grade Talisman Master +1 (Proficient 0/1000)】
“Finally, I’ve broken through!”
As the talisman was completed and the sudden realization fully settled within him, Lin Changan slowly opened his eyes with a satisfied smile.
Among the four major crafts, the one he had studied the longest was the Talisman Path.
At the age of 102, he had already broken through to become a Third-rank Talisman Master.
Unfortunately, without proper talisman inheritances over the years, his progress had been slow.
“Sixty-six years… and only now reaching a Third-rank Mid-grade Talisman Master.”
Although it was somewhat slow, Lin Changan was still very satisfied.
This meant he possessed another hidden trump card.
Only a handful of people knew he was a Third-rank Talisman Master. No one would suspect he had already reached the mid-grade level.
“It’s also thanks to the Secret Realm Turmoil attracting so many factions.”
The appearance of the Secret Realm of the Sinister Soul Sect brought many benefits.
Various factions were collecting high-grade materials—especially those that suppressed sinister spirits.
As a result, many rare resources were now appearing in large quantities, making it much easier for both Xuanyin Pavilion and Lin Changan to obtain them.
More importantly, selling talismans secretly had become far easier.
“Third-rank mid-grade talisman materials are difficult to obtain. For now, I’ll mainly sell these Third-rank low-grade talismans. Both Old Hu and Xuanyin Pavilion need them.”
Lin Changan quietly considered his future talisman trade.
Given the current unstable situation, whenever he obtained materials for Third-rank mid-grade talismans, he would keep some for personal defense and sell the rest gradually.
After all, even if he did not sell them, other factions would.
Nowadays, even in the marketplaces and the black market within the Fog Sea of Tongtian, various Third-rank talismans had begun to appear.
Occasionally, even Third-rank high-grade talismans appeared.
“Now talismans, artifacts, formations, and pills are all prepared. I only need to cultivate steadily. However, there is a rare treasure in the upcoming auction of Bihai Palace that I must obtain!”
When he recalled the jade booklet Old Hu had previously given him, Lin Changan’s expression grew serious.
He took it out from his storage pouch and opened it again.
After seeing the value of the treasure, he fell into deep thought.
A Third-rank High-grade Fire Spirit Liquid.
It was an extremely rare attribute spirit liquid. It was highly beneficial for fire-attribute cultivators, nurturing fire-attribute spirit plants, and even artifact refinement and formations.
For him, it could repair the Third-rank formation Blood Fiend Scarlet Sun Formation or restore the spiritual essence of the magical artifact Blood Fiend Sword.
But what he truly cared about was his life-bound magical artifact.
“Sun-Piercing Divine Sword!”
With a wave of his hand, the cave abode restrictions flashed. A golden light appeared in his palm.
A golden-patterned ancient sword appeared—his life-bound magical artifact.
Lin Changan carefully sensed it with a serious expression.
“Nurture wood with fire, control fire with wood. The Sun-Piercing Divine Sword now contains a great deal of demonic energy. If I purify it slowly by myself, the process will be far too slow.”
With a Third-rank High-grade Fire Spirit Liquid, he could greatly enhance the spiritual nature of the Fusang Divine Wood.
“I don’t need much. If I purify just one Sun-Piercing Divine Sword first, once the demonic energy is cleared it will naturally generate spiritual fire. That is the so-called ‘using wood to control fire.’
“With its assistance, it could even accelerate the removal of demonic energy from my other magical artifacts.”
At this thought, Lin Changan’s expression grew serious.
The sooner his life-bound magical artifact was purified of demonic energy, the sooner it could unleash its true power.
After all, the Fusang Divine Tree naturally suppressed demonic energy. Previously the only problem was that the demonic energy had been too overwhelming.
“If I use this method, it differs from using the Mysterious Sky Immortal Vine to purify. Instead, the Fusang Divine Tree will force the demonic energy out through suppression.”
But that meant he would also need a special sealing treasure to store the expelled demonic energy.
After all, even the Fusang Divine Tree could be corroded by unpurified demonic energy.
“Third-rank High-grade spirit item… the price will probably exceed two hundred thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones.”
And that was only for an auxiliary item.
If it were something like a Third-rank High-grade Demon Core, its value would exceed five hundred thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones.
At that level, cultivators rarely used spirit stones for transactions.
They mostly traded items directly.
“Two hundred thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones… I cannot afford that with my current wealth.”
Lin Changan began thinking deeply.
Even after accumulating spirit stones for many years, he still could not reach such an amount.
The only option he could think of was borrowing from the Lu Clan and Xuanyin Pavilion.
But the sum he needed was extremely large.
“Because the Secret Realm of the Sinister Soul Sect has appeared, the value of this item will likely become even higher. In the Five Dragon Island region, only the Long Clan, the Four Seas Merchant Guild, and Xuanyin Pavilion could realistically acquire it.”
After careful consideration, Lin Changan sighed.
“It seems I can only cooperate with the Lu Clan and Xuanyin Pavilion.”
Borrowing such a huge amount of spirit stones was unrealistic.
The situation was unstable, and every faction was short on resources.
It would be better if the three parties cooperated to obtain the item together and then divide the spirit item afterward.
After all, it had many uses.
“Xuanyin Pavilion has long been suppressed by the Four Seas Merchant Guild in trade. If they obtain this item and I help them refine a top-tier fire-attribute formation, they certainly won’t refuse.”
Whether Xuanyin Pavilion used it themselves or kept it as a display to attract cultivators afterward would no longer concern him.
Of course, all of this was made possible by the Secret Realm of the Sinister Soul Sect.
Anything that suppressed sinister spirits was currently extremely sought after.
At this moment, the author added a note:
“Relatives came to visit at home today, so these two chapters weren’t checked for typos. Fellow Daoists, please forgive me. I’ll check them after I return.”