Chapter 5, Apprentice (Part 1)

Chen Chunzai greatly admires Guo Shier's rationality and composure, which is not typical of an eight-year-old child. When conversing with this little fellow, one sometimes overlooks his age. He said, "Of course."

He continued, "Huo Bao also has four years' time. During this period, the inner sect will be responsible for providing you with the most basic body refining talismans. Well, Twelve, you have four slots for talisman warriors, which allows the inner sect to cover the expenses for four years. If you recruit a fifth talisman warrior, then the expenses for him will have to be borne by you; the inner sect will not contribute a single talisman coin."

In this world, safety is the most uncertain thing, unless one relies on a powerful force or the strength of family. If that is not feasible, one might consider living in a big city; however, if suitable employment cannot be found, the likelihood of starvation is also quite high. Choosing to live in the wilderness essentially means becoming prey for wild beasts. In this world, merely surviving is a form of happiness

Guo Twelve fell silent for a moment and asked, "Is it difficult to advance to a talisman master?"

Guo Shier felt a surge of warmth in his heart; he did not speak, but silently resolved to regard Huo Bao as his brother for life

Chen Chunzai stated: "The talisman warrior is a being that relies on the talisman master or talismanist; once separated from the talisman master or talismanist, the talisman warrior is like a fish out of water. The first two professions are the soil for the growth of the talisman warrior; without them, the talisman warrior would cease to exist"

Huo Bao was not foolish; he immediately understood Guo Twelve's intention and murmured softly as he returned to his room to pack his luggage

The second part primarily concerns logistical service facilities, which are divided into two major areas with a detailed classification. In your future studies of charms, you will frequently encounter these two areas

Chen Chunzai stated: "The talismanist primarily focuses on the creation of talismans, while the spellcaster primarily focuses on the use of talismans. Of course, the distinction between the two is not very strict; there are also talismanists who possess the ability to use talismans for attacks and have skills in 'drawing' and 'writing.' Among spellcasters, there are also skilled individuals in the creation of talismans, but none possess the balanced abilities of a talisman master"

Chen Chunzai smiled and said: "10,000 large currency notes, this is the most conservative estimate. If one is more extravagant, spending 20,000 to 30,000 large currency notes is quite normal"

Huo Bao mumbled as he walked out of the room, saying: "Grandpa Chen, who was it yesterday... that kept me awake all night? I'm so tired..." He then asked: "We are going to enter the inner gate today, right, Grandpa Chen? Can I also go into the inner gate in the future?"

Chen Chunzai was amused by this statement and exclaimed: "Children are wonderful, carefree and worry-free, with nothing to trouble them"

Guo Shier and Huo Bao followed Chen Chunzhai to the registration office at Beifumen

Chen Chunzai thought to himself: "I cannot help you; this group of old fellows is about to devour someone... Sigh, I should return to the inner circle and complete my task as soon as possible"

The Inner Gate is situated in a vast valley. Looking in from the valley entrance, one can surprisingly see a city inside. Strictly speaking, it cannot be considered a city, but rather a combination of various towns. Chen Chunzai explained: "This is an important base for the Inner Gate, divided into two main parts and four major areas. The first part includes the bases for the talisman practitioners, talisman masters, incantation practitioners, and talisman warriors, which occupy two of the areas."

Guo Shier naturally understood what was going on, but at this moment, he had to play the fool. He smiled and said, "Grandpa Chen, how could there be any trouble? You will help me."

Guo Shier said, "I am a child, I do not understand anything, do not ask me!"

Chen Chunzai said, "Leopard, you are fortunate."

Guo Shier said: "I understand that the talisman warriors possess almost no skills other than combat. Once they lose their support, they find it difficult to survive. Moreover, due to the pride of the talisman warriors, they are unwilling to attach themselves to a new master and would rather serve as guards for commoners." He recalled his uncle Pu Er from www.hetushu.com.

Chen Chunzai smiled and said: "This is the advantage of the potential of talismans, as they can choose the profession of either a talisman master or a spell master, and focusing on a single path is actually better."

Chen Chunzai said: "I will go to the inner gate to select a few talisman warriors for you. These talisman warriors belong to the inner gate warriors, and you do not need to pay them any remuneration; they are just temporarily borrowed. Aunt Lan and Aunt Xin will take care of your daily needs. In a couple of days, I will have my grandson come over so that you can get to know each other."

There are only three carriages in total, yet they are surrounded by over a hundred people. Among them, there are only a dozen elderly men and women, but their followers number in the hundreds, as the group marches grandly towards the inner gate

Chen Chunzai had not slept all night and was in a bit of a bad mood. He said, "You certainly live in the inner gate, but you are not an inner gate disciple! Alright, go pack your things and prepare to leave!"

Huo Bao whispered, "12, are they all here for you?"

Guo Twelve inquired: "What is the basic annual cost for a talisman practitioner? Well, this includes the talisman money they use themselves."

Guo nodded and said, "Grandfather Chen, you may call him over, but I also need to assess him for a year. This is important for both him and me"

Guo Shier pondered for a moment and then asked, "What is the concept of a talisman warrior?"

Aunt Lan, please tidy up the room and make some arrangements. I will take Twelve and Leopard to handle some matters at the inner door

Guo Twelve further inquired: "What is the difference between a talisman master and a spell master?"

Individuals with average talismanic potential may not be as capable as those with better potential in talisman practitioners or spellcasters. However, those with exceptional talismanic potential are undoubtedly remarkable individuals, and their prospects for development are incomparable to those of talisman practitioners and spellcasters

After having breakfast, Guo Shier and the others boarded the carriage and headed towards the inner gate

Guo Shier, upon hearing this, could not help but marvel at the wonders of this world

The elderly men on horseback exchanged glances with one another, as Guo Twelve brought them an abundance of surprises and delights, leading them to increasingly admire and fondly regard this child

Chen Chunzai said: "Twelve, I have a grandson who also possesses the potential of a talisman warrior. He will follow you in the future, haha, I have high hopes for you"

Huo Bao let out a silly laugh, puffed out his chest, and said: "I will protect Twelve, unless the enemy steps over my corpse; otherwise, I will not give up!"

Chen Chunzai said: "12, you must remember that the talisman warriors are not servants, but partners, brothers; they are our strongest shield and sharpest spear. You must respect the talisman warriors who follow you and do everything possible to help them grow and thrive"

In this situation, Huo Bao clearly fell short; he hardly spoke, merely observing, as he did not know what to say. On the surface, he appeared to be four years older than Guo Twelve, yet in reality, he was the true child, lacking the social skills that are quite normal. This further highlighted how clever and quick-witted Guo Twelve was.

The carriage traveled for three hours and finally arrived at the destination

The quota available for you now includes four apprentices with the potential to become talisman warriors. Additionally, the inner circle provides four genuine talisman warriors responsible for your safety, along with two aunts who will take care of your daily needs. Including yourself, there are a total of eleven individuals, and in the future, you may also hire ordinary people to serve you

Chen Chunzai had already made arrangements, but the identity talisman must be processed in person; others cannot act on behalf of the individual. This is necessary to leave a talismanic imprint, after which a talisman master will quickly create the identity talisman.

Guo Shier finally understood why that group of old fellows wanted to take him as their disciple. He secretly rejoiced that he had not concealed his abilities. He asked, "If a person with average potential for talismans, how will they develop in the future?"

Aunt Lan is very happy to know that Guo Twelve has a bright future, and this time he is fortunate to be able to reside within the inner gate of mhetushucomcom, which is the safest place in Beifu Gate

Guo Shier gasped in surprise, saying: "So many?"

Along the way, there were continuously old men and women on horseback whom I had seen yesterday joining in, all following closely around the carriage that Guo Twelve was riding in. Chen Chunzhai smiled wryly and said, "Twelve, you are in big trouble"

The elderly drove their horses away, and as they left, they did not forget to greet Guo Twelve with a few words. Chen Chunzhai couldn't help but feel a bit envious; he knew that even if Guo Twelve had not formally taken them as his masters, he would certainly receive assistance from these old fellows in the future. Guo Twelve understood this principle as well, so he took advantage of his childlike appearance to act adorably, calling out to the elders with affectionate and loud terms of endearment, ensuring that none were left out, which made the old fellows beam with joy.

The identity token of Guo Shier is golden, while that of Huo Bao is black. Chen Chunzai explained: "Shier, you have four years of apprenticeship during which all your expenses will be covered by the inner sect. After the four-year apprenticeship, regardless of whether you become a talisman master or not, you will have to pay for your own housing, as well as the living expenses of your followers and dependents. As for yourself... heh, let me remind you that being a talisman master is a profession that consumes a lot of talisman money."

The group of old men listened quietly to the conversation between the two, increasingly astonished in their hearts; this was not a question that a child could ask. Guo Shier was able to pinpoint the key issues each time, and at just eight years old, he was already beginning to understand the differences in professions. It was evident that he was considering his future; this child was truly remarkable

Chen Chunzai explained: "The enhancement of a talisman warrior's martial prowess relies on body-refining talismans, which must be provided and personally operated by talisman masters and spellcasters; no one else can substitute for them. Once a talisman warrior chooses a master to follow, they will not change their allegiance. Even if they are willing to switch, no talisman master or spellcaster would be willing to accept them. This is also the reason why there are wandering talisman warriors in the 'He - Tu - Shu'; it is because their masters have died. Having lost their attached masters, they fall into a state more miserable than that of commoners."

Chen Chunzai stated: "The talismanic practitioner... among the talismanists, spellcasters, and talisman warriors, is the weakest... Moreover, advancement is relatively difficult. Talismanists rarely participate in combat, while spellcasters and talisman warriors must grow through battle. Hehe, in fact, the talismanic practitioner is a combination of the talismanist and the spellcaster, but after advancing from a talismanic practitioner to a talismanic master, they become even more powerful than the combined strength of a talismanist and a spellcaster"

Guo Twelve asked: "Why?"

The next day, Guo Shier stepped out of his room, and Aunt Lan came over to assist him with washing his face and rinsing his mouth. Chen Chunzhai also emerged from his door, yawning. Guo Shier couldn't help but laugh at the sight of him; Chen Chunzhai actually had dark circles under his eyes, having been disturbed almost the entire night, which left him unable to sleep at all

Guo Shier quietly waved his hand, signaling Huo Bao not to pay attention to Chen Chunzai. This fellow was short on sleep and in a bad mood; anyone who spoke to him would be in for trouble

The residence of the talisman master is a small town, consisting of several hundred independent courtyards, with one talisman master occupying one courtyard, half of which are vacant. Chen Chunzhai's home is also among them, located near the edge of the town. Due to the abundance of vacant courtyards, after negotiations, Chen Chunzhai arranged for a courtyard next to his own for Guo Twelve to reside in.

You will live here until you advance to the rank of a talisman master. In my estimation, advancing to a talisman master should not be difficult for you. I suggest that you wait until you have advanced to the rank of a talisman master before considering going outside, as it is too dangerous out there. Only with the strength of a talisman master can you ensure your own safety

Chen Chunzai stated: "Therefore, a talisman warrior would rather die themselves than allow their master to perish, haha, and moreover, good talisman warriors are generally cultivated from a young age, with very few being taken in halfway, even if the other party is a talisman master"

Guo Twelve nodded solemnly and said, "I understand, I will do it."