Chapter 150 - Arc 11: The Sect's Grand Competition | Chapter 150: Competition Preparation
Translator: Lynn
Since Luo Yao took up residence on Xiaolu Peak, Xu Ziqing’s daily routine has become increasingly structured.
In the early morning, he engaged in sword practice with Yun Lie, dedicating his entire morning to this pursuit. Once the session concluded, Yan Shuang would arrive with their meals. In the afternoon, Xu Ziqing descended the mountainside to join Luo Yao in the cave he had set up for his studies, eagerly absorbing his teachings.
Over these days, Xu Ziqing had the opportunity to learn more about Luo Yao.
As it turned out, Luo Yao hailed from a prominent mortal family. Born into direct lineage, he displayed remarkable intelligence and charm from an early age, earning admiration and affection from all quarters. However, when he turned ten, the family adhered to a tradition of sending their children for spiritual aptitude testing at a local shrine. His test results revealed a middling three-spiritual root, a far cry from exceptional.
While this aptitude might not have stood out in a major sect, it would still be considered promising by smaller sects. His family, with connections to several minor sects, had no qualms about sending him off. Luo Yao had no objections either, but a twist of fate led him into a conflict between cultivators, bringing him to the brink of death.
Yet fortune smiled upon him that day. A passing Qi Refining cultivator intervened, rescuing him from the clutches of danger. With a single talisman, the cultivator swiftly dispatched the battling cultivators. The spectacle left Luo Yao awestruck and deeply impressed.
Grateful for his life-saving intervention, Luo Yao fervently invited the passing cultivator to stay as a guest, and, in time, they forged a close bond. Unperturbed by Luo Yao’s untrained spiritual aptitude, the cultivator, who had also grappled with mediocre talent, shared his knowledge freely. This kind-hearted cultivator had dabbled in various paths, with the Dao of Talismans among them. Intrigued by its potent magic, Luo Yao became captivated and aimed to carve out a path for himself in this field.
Their camaraderie deepened as they shared their passions, but eventually, the passing cultivator had to continue his journey. Reluctant to part ways, Luo Yao learned that the cultivator was an outer disciple of the Wuling Immortal Sect, a second-grade immortal sect.
The enormity of the Wuling Immortal Sect posed a formidable barrier to entry, but Luo Yao was determined not to lose his cherished friend. He forsook the smaller sects associated with his family and set his sights entirely on the Wuling Immortal Sect, a move driven by the unyielding desire to rekindle their close friendship.
Fortunately, Luo Yao’s diligence bore fruit. He persevered through numerous trials and tribulations, ultimately gaining entry into the prestigious Wuling Immortal Sect as an outer disciple. Here, he reunited with the cultivator who had crossed his path in the past. After years of rigorous training, he finally ascended to the inner sect, granting him access to the vast reservoir of talismanic knowledge and resources that the sect offered.
Upon learning of Luo Yao’s journey, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but feel that the challenges he had faced in his life were relatively trivial. As he reflected on the arduous paths that many cultivators pursued in their quest for immortality, he realized that their experiences were beyond his imagination.
And what about Xu Ziqing himself?
Indeed, he had endured hardships and faced life-threatening situations on several occasions. However, in the grand scheme of things, his trials were comparatively mild. The casual cultivators he had encountered likely experienced even greater hardships, and the malevolent intentions he had encountered paled in comparison to the struggles faced by cultivators still striving to attain enlightenment.
As Xu Ziqing reexamined his own experiences, he felt a renewed sense of gratitude for his fortune.
Though he had been deceived, he had managed to extricate himself from danger time and again. Despite being initially alone, he had crossed paths with his senior brother shortly after embarking on the path of cultivation. He had excelled early on, setting a high standard for himself that would be challenging to maintain.
Reinvigorated in his pursuit of enlightenment, Xu Ziqing and Luo Yao began to take their studies of talismans more seriously.
Luo Yao, undoubtedly talented in the realm of talismans, possessed a profound understanding of various kinds of talismans. After observing Xu Ziqing’s swordplay, he carefully selected over ten types of talismans and provided detailed explanations for each.
These included three low-grade talismans, five middle-grade talismans, and seven high-grade talismans. Each was exceptionally powerful and possessed a multitude of practical applications, many of which harmonized seamlessly with the Four Seasons swordsmanship.
Xu Ziqing, enlightened by Luo Yao’s guidance, made remarkable strides in his studies.
Moreover, Luo Yao’s conduct left a positive impression. He remained secluded in his cave at the mountain’s base, never prying into the affairs of Xiaolu Peak. When Xu Ziqing sought his advice, he willingly shared his knowledge. In the absence of Xu Ziqing, he would be found absorbed in the study of the “Fuwen Tongfa,” demonstrating an unwavering commitment to his craft.
While Xu Ziqing couldn’t fully comprehend Luo Yao’s intense passion for the subject, nor his tendency to become consumed by his research, he recognized the dedication and talent within him, and that alone fostered a sense of camaraderie.
This individual possessed a complex and multifaceted character. On ordinary days, they exhibited an amiable demeanor, transparent yet devoid of pretension. Their actions were characterized by meticulousness but also bore a touch of straightforwardness. They remained unwavering in their pursuit of enlightenment. How could one not admire such a person?
Xu Ziqing’s willingness to share the coveted “Fuwen Tongfa” with Luo Yao alone spoke volumes about his open-mindedness. Furthermore, Xu Ziqing possessed a gentle temperament and a benevolent heart. After their interactions, Luo Yao grew fond of him. Unbeknownst to them, Xu Ziqing and Luo Yao developed a friendship while imparting knowledge to each other, transcending mere communication.
Within the cave, the walls remained unadorned, save for a fist-sized gem embedded in the ceiling, radiating a brilliant light that illuminated the cave as brightly as daylight.
Not far from the gem, various materials were strewn haphazardly, creating an unordered arrangement.
A young man donned in a sapphire-blue robe sat cross-legged on the ground. In front of him hovered four or five spiritual materials, enveloped in a swirling ball of flames. They collided, fused, and melted, bit by bit.
The young man wore a solemn expression as he deftly manipulated the incantations with his fingers, rhythmically casting the spells.
After every series of incantations, the pace of the materials’ melting quickened, and the flames burned more intensely.
A short distance to the right of the young man, another young man clad in cyan robes sat. He possessed a dignified and refined appearance, exuding an aura of elegance and gentleness. He watched the young man perform his spellwork with unwavering attention.
His eyes emitted two clusters of cyan light, and a delicate layer of true essence enshrouded his body. An aura swirled above his head, as if he were continuously unraveling profound insights.
The fusion process was a protracted affair, spanning about an hour.
Finally, the young man exclaimed, “Construct!”
As he uttered these words, the flames surged abruptly, almost reaching the cave’s ceiling.
Beneath the searing heat, the un-melted spiritual materials transformed into a viscous liquid, emitting faint, popping sounds as they writhed.
In the next instant, a magical incantation surged forth, causing the liquid to flare up brilliantly.
With a sharp “sizzle,” the flames extinguished, and the once-liquid mass had now assumed the form of a golden talisman paper, floating serenely in the air.
This piece of talisman paper exuded a subtle aura, imparting a sense of weightiness and substance, as if it were hewn from the very heavens, devoid of any trace of human craftsmanship.
If it were clothing, one might call it “seamless attire,” but in the context of talisman paper, it could only be described as approaching an unprecedented level of perfection.
The expression of the young man in cyan attire shifted, and his concentration intensified.
Simultaneously, the young man in the sapphire blue robe altered his hand gestures, muttering incantations while reciting a series of inscrutable notes.
The scene unfolded in an uncanny manner.
Upon the utterance of these notes, a mysterious resonance seemed to ripple throughout the entire cave. Concurrently, the cyan-clad youth’s hand gestures underwent rapid changes, shifting more than ten times within the blink of an eye. In tandem with these varying gestures, the musical notes themselves vibrated, giving rise to the emergence of illusory characters composed of true essence in midair.
These ethereal characters were known as “Cloud Seal Script.”
These cloud seal strokes, delicate and ephemeral, floated in the air, exuding an air of profound mystery—these were the foundation of talismanic magic.
The cloud seal strokes rapidly coalesced, as if they adhered together according to a concealed law, forming a specific trajectory that suddenly intersected and fused into a delicate rune.
This was the spirit pattern!
As the Cloud Seal Script condensed into a spirit pattern, guided by the blue-clad young man’s gestures, it surged toward the yellow talisman paper. Shortly thereafter, the spirit pattern adhered to the paper as if it were an inseparable part of it.
Before long, thin, sinuous lines began to materialize on the talisman paper, resembling supple serpents undulating and extending across its surface with grace.
During this process, the talisman paper seemed to quiver ever so slightly, as if it were undergoing some indescribable sensation.
Subsequently, the second spirit pattern formed, followed by the third, and the fourth… As all seven spirit patterns affixed themselves to the talisman paper, the radiance within the spirit pattern abruptly contracted!
The entire talisman paper came to a sudden standstill!
The previously writhing and stretching spirit patterns settled down, seamlessly merging with the talisman paper.
This talisman was now complete!
The moment the young man in the blue robe extended his hand, the talisman seemed to respond to his summons, obediently falling into his palm.
The young man in the cyan attire smiled gently and inquired, “Ah Yao, how did it go?”
The young man in blue wore a smile as well. “It’s completed, though it’s regrettable that I can only craft low-grade spirit patterns, and the talismans I produced are also of low-grade quality,” he lamented.
However, he quickly shook off the thought and continued, “But I must express my gratitude to Ziqing for sharing the general method with me. The talismans I’ve created this time are undoubtedly superior to my previous attempts. They’re more accommodating when it comes to inscribing.”
These two individuals were undeniably Xu Ziqing and Luo Yao. After spending time together, they had developed a positive impression of each other, and naturally their manner of address had become more familiar.
Xu Ziqing had observed Luo Yao’s process of crafting talismans on numerous occasions and understood that the creation of these talismans was intricately tied to the art of weapon forging. Each type of talisman bore distinct spirit patterns, and the selection of the talisman’s base material was equally critical. It needed to be capable of withstanding the power of the spirit pattern.
This realization led Xu Ziqing to admire Luo Yao’s skills. As a humble inner sect disciple, Luo Yao had somehow managed to explore these intricate connections. It was truly remarkable.
Unaware of Xu Ziqing’s thoughts, Luo Yao raised his hand, causing the talisman to hover in front of Xu Ziqing. “Ziqing, take this talisman with you.”
Xu Ziqing was momentarily taken aback, then chuckled. “Are you leaving me a keepsake?”
Luo Yao shook his head. “The Sect’s Grand Competition is approaching, and I intend to refine more talismans to match your aura specifically. They’ll be more convenient for you to use when the time comes.”
Frowning slightly, Xu Ziqing responded, “Ah Yao, I consider you a friend. There’s no need to go to such lengths for the sake of understanding the Dharma.”
Luo Yao replied, “You allowed me to borrow your understanding of the Dharma, and that is indeed a favor. However, I now consider you a friend, and I don’t believe it’s a significant favor to peruse an ancient book of yours. In the realm of friendship, there should be mutual exchanges. If you don’t mind sharing rare items with me, then I have no qualms about it. As a friend, contributing shouldn’t be taken too seriously.”
Xu Ziqing hesitated briefly before bursting into laughter. “Ah Yao is absolutely right; I must’ve been confused.”
The two shared a smile, realizing that their friendship had deepened in that instant.
With three days remaining until the Sect’s Grand Competition, Xu Ziqing had made all the preparations he could. His performance in the competition would ultimately hinge on the culmination of his years of practice. They would have to wait and see how things unfolded.
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