Chapter 7: The Art of Control

a sound of "puff"

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, his wrist slightly trembled, and he uttered the words "Yuan Shield".

Guang Laoda had no intention of concealing these matters from the young man, and he explained everything in detail.

There, Liu Ming was sitting cross-legged, forming hand seals under the guidance of the elder.

"Not bad, in such a short time you have already been able to sense a connection between your internal energy and the Tiger Bite Ring. It seems you have quite a talent for manipulating talismans," said the middle-aged man beside him, clapping his hands in satisfaction.

"The young master may not know that the Tiger Biting Ring, being a top-grade talisman, is not so easily controlled. As far as I know, the Bai family should have a set of specialized techniques for manipulating this talisman. Now, we are only using ordinary control methods, so the results will naturally be less effective. However, with your talent, two months should be sufficient for you to initially master this talisman." explained Old Man Guan.

I understand. Liu Ming pondered for a moment and then replied solemnly

Hehe, this is a trivial matter. Before I became a Qi Refiner, I was once known as the Hundred-Faced Man." Gu Laosan replied with a chuckle.

Guang Laoda sat in the opposite corner of the carriage, observing the scene before him, and nodded slightly

"Not bad. The Tiger Bite Ring is indeed a rare high-quality talisman that combines both offense and defense, ranking among the top ten even within the Bai family," Old Gu San said, gazing at the copper ring, his expression revealing a hint of reluctance.

They now finally understand why Liu Ming, without the guidance of a distinguished master, was able to cultivate such remarkable elemental power at such a young age

Half an hour later, a bright and shiny copper mirror appeared before Liu Ming, reflecting his face with utmost clarity

The copper ring that was fitted around his wrist flickered slightly and unpredictably with the boy's breath

Now he is tied to these two individuals; if he truly cannot evade the situation, his own life may also be in jeopardy

Since you, Guan Da, say there is no problem, then there should indeed be no issue. However, after mastering the Tiger Bite Ring, I still need to learn those several offensive and defensive techniques, which will likely take quite a bit of time as well. Liu Ming replied after blinking his eyes.

The young master wishes to know about the Barbarian Ghost Sect, which poses quite a challenge. Although this sect ranks lower among the various sects in the Great Xuan Kingdom, in terms of mystery, it undoubtedly ranks first, with very few rumors circulating about it. Upon hearing this, Elder Guan displayed a hint of difficulty on his face

Liu Ming hesitated for a moment before getting up and walking over

Oh, what is the reason for this? The young man was somewhat surprised

Oh, what spells are these sects proficient in?" Liu Ming appeared to be very interested.

In the position of the coachman in front of the carriage, Gu Laosan sat there calmly, motionless.

"This bottle of skin lotion, you can hold onto it for now. Use it to wash your body every night. I will prepare a few more bottles for you on the way, so by the time we reach the entrance of the Manguizong Mountain, your skin tone should have stabilized for a while. When the skin tone gradually fades and returns later, no one will notice. Although I haven't used the art of disguise in these years, it seems my skills haven't deteriorated too much." Gu Laosan said proudly while holding a bronze mirror in one hand. "Although I haven't used the art of disguise in these years, it seems my skills haven't deteriorated too much." Gu Laosan said proudly while holding a bronze mirror in one hand.

A day later, a light yellow small boat sped downstream along the river channel.

The copper ring trembled slightly on the small table, and then there was no further movement at all

"Young master, there is no need to worry about this matter. As long as you master the art of controlling the elements and establish a certain level of connection with the talismans, the application of other methods will merely be a matter of proficiency. When the time comes, it will come naturally with a single thought," replied Old Guan without a moment's hesitation.

Suddenly, Liu Ming let out a low shout, raised his arm, and pointed a finger at the copper ring.

"Hehe, little brother, rest assured! We will never truly alter your original appearance; we will only make slight changes to your hair and skin color. In this regard, Gu Laosan is an expert, so you can leave it to him." It seemed that Guan Laoda noticed the young man's concerns and explained with a smile.

The junior expresses gratitude to the two seniors. Liu Ming said with a hint of excitement as he immediately slipped the copper ring onto his right wrist, feeling a slight coolness emanating from it

Elder Guan observed the young man from head to toe, revealing a look of satisfaction.

Inside the carriage, Liu Ming remained seated in a cross-legged position, his eyes tightly closed, with his hands naturally resting apart on his knees, gently inhaling and exhaling in a highly rhythmic manner

Is this the talisman of that young master Bai? Liu Ming held the copper ring in his hand and examined it carefully for a while before asking.

He turned around and took out some bottles and jars, along with several exceptionally sharp small knives and scissors from the large package behind him, then waved to the young man.

Finally succeeded! Although it is merely the most basic form of elemental defense technique, it is sufficient to demonstrate that you have initially mastered the high-grade talisman, the Tiger Bite Ring. I originally thought it would take you at least two months to reach this stage, but I did not expect you to achieve it in such a short time. " Boss Guan let out a long breath, his face still unable to conceal a hint of astonishment.

It is important to understand that this form of cultivation is an extremely tedious and uninteresting endeavor, and it places very high demands on mental concentration

Upon seeing this, Liu Ming furrowed his brows.

The use of ghostly entities does indeed sound quite sinister. However, apart from the Barbarian Ghost Sect, the other sects in the Great Xuan Kingdom are..." Liu Ming murmured a few words before curiously asking again

More than a month later, on a small mound over ten zhang high, Master Guan and Third Brother Gu were both intently gazing ahead

"Didn’t you say that I only have two months to practice the technique?" Liu Ming asked slowly

The Heavenly Moon Sect is a school proficient in flying swords. It is said that the disciples within the sect can wield flying swords to directly slay formidable enemies from dozens of yards away. However, the Blood River Hall is ... ...

It seems that the two are echoing each other from afar

On the small boat, Gu Laosan held the helm with both hands while occasionally glancing into the cabin.

Although Liu Ming had never seen what the young master of the Bai family looked like, he could tell from the satisfied expressions of Boss Guan and the other person that his modifications should be considered successful, and he felt a slight sense of relief in his heart

I am more familiar with a few other sects. In addition to the Barbarian Ghost Sect, the Great Xuan Kingdom also has four major sects: the Heavenly Moon Sect, the Blood River Hall, the Nine Aperture Mountain, and the Wind and Fire Gate, " Boss Guan recounted one by one.

However, if the young brother wishes to activate it, he will likely need to first learn the most basic techniques of control. As for this method, my brother will gradually impart it to you along the way, ensuring that you can activate this ring as quickly as possible

Out of curiosity, the two naturally asked Liu Ming how he accomplished this.

I see, then I will focus solely on cultivating the art of controlling the essence these days. By the way, what kind of sect is the Barbarian Ghost Sect? Guan Da should know something about it.

Even the most determined Qi practitioners can only sustain this type of cultivation for a few hours a day at most. If they attempt to extend this duration, their minds will inevitably become fatigued and unable to concentrate, rendering their efforts futile.

The result was that the young man, with a calm demeanor, was naturally able to "focus on two things at once," leaving them speechless

"This is all thanks to the meticulous guidance from both of you along the way, which has made this possible. Now that I have this talisman for protection, I finally feel a bit more confident about participating in the Spirit Awakening Ceremony," Liu Ming said with a smile, shaking his arm again, causing the circular light shield to dissipate and vanish.

"How can we change?" Upon hearing this, Liu Ming frowned.

"Hehe, from now on, you shall be the young master of the two of us. Please refrain from addressing us as seniors; simply call us 'Guan Da' and 'Gu San' to avoid any slip-ups later on," said Old Master Guan with a serious expression.

This copper ring is so light that it seems to have no weight at all

"In that case, there is no problem. Senior Gu, I apologize for the trouble." Liu Ming felt a sense of relief in his heart and agreed.

Even while speaking during meals, one can faintly see the copper ring on his wrist shimmering with a subtle yellow light

Liu Ming could not help but grab the copper ring with one hand, resulting in an expression of utter astonishment on his face

Aside from the necessary time for sleep, Liu Ming was almost constantly urging the primordial energy within him, sensing the faint connection with the Tiger Bite Ring.

......

Liu Ming raised both hands, and his once relatively healthy palms suddenly appeared exceptionally pale, giving off an impression of someone who has been living in comfort and luxury

"Very well, but your appearance is still somewhat inappropriate; you need to make a few adjustments to avoid revealing any flaws to the messenger who comes to visit." After nodding, Boss Guan glanced at Liu Ming's face and said.

The eyebrows have become slightly lighter than before, and the originally uneven sideburns have been neatly trimmed. At the same time, a silver headband has been added to the forehead, imparting an air of elegance. However, the most significant change is...

......

To be honest, in his eyes, the youth's aptitude could at most be considered average, yet the diligence he displayed in practicing the control of elemental energy during the journey left him somewhat astonished

On a low small table in front of him, the tiger bite ring lay quietly there

In an instant, the copper ring on the wrist emitted a buzzing sound, and after a flash of yellow light, a circular small shield, approximately one foot in diameter, emerged and adhered closely to the arm

The Manguizong is a sect renowned for its ability to command spirits. It is said that its mountain gate is situated in a terrifying place where ordinary people cannot survive, shrouded in ominous energy year-round. Practitioners of this sect's techniques, known as spiritual apprentices and masters, possess the ability to sense the aura of the underworld and can summon and subdue corresponding spirits for combat. However, due to this, not many disciples from other prominent families choose to conduct their spiritual awakening ceremony at this sect; most with the means tend to go to other sects. Of course, this is only a relative observation. As for other related information, I truly do not know,

In the direction they were looking, several zhang away, Liu Ming would be closing his eyes to regulate his breath, raising his arm adorned with the tiger-biting ring high above.

Half a month later, a black carriage pulled by four fine horses raced forward along a government road covered in yellow earth

Although he has an ordinary appearance, he does not wish for any significant alterations to be made to his face

At this moment, Liu Ming resembled the original even more closely, by one or two degrees. As long as one is not an acquaintance of the Bai family's young master, they should not be able to detect any flaws

......

This shield is enveloped in a yellow haze, clearly formed entirely from condensed primordial energy