Chapter 9: Vitality Talismans
However, this is merely an exercise done with ordinary paper and pen; he has no way of knowing the difficulties he will encounter when actually creating symbols. Only through real practice will he gain a profound understanding.
This time, as he drew the talisman, he continuously urged the vital energy within his body to surge towards the talisman brush, and with the overwhelming vital energy, the process of creating the talisman became effortless.
Li Muran felt a heaviness in his heart. He had indeed come across references to spirit stones in ancient texts. These were special crystals that contained a certain amount of the world's vital energy and had a wide range of uses. In the realm of cultivation, spirit stones were almost universally needed, thus becoming a common medium of exchange in transactions, akin to the role of gold and silver in the secular world.
In terms of texture, this talisman paper is also crafted from the wood pulp of a millennium-old spiritual tree, measuring 3 inches in length and 1.6 inches in width, which is considerably smaller than the talisman paper used for consecrated talismans
This star energy talisman is indeed not very complex, consisting only of a single character "Qi", a fixed incantation for energy, and a simple seal.
Li Muran suddenly thought: "For other disciples, cultivating vital energy is not easy, and it is indeed a pity to use it for talisman crafting. However, the vital energy I cultivate at night will dissipate by dawn anyway, so it is better to use it for talisman crafting; it is not a waste of effort!"
Senior Brother Qingfeng mentioned that the key to the creation of the Vitality Talisman lies in the mobilization of internal magical energy, and indeed it is so! Li Muran thought to himself, feeling not at all disheartened.
Talisman paper, talisman pens, and talisman ink are all specially refined items that contain spiritual essence and cannot be replaced by mundane products
During the day, the progress of cultivation was too slow for Li Muran, so he decided to use this time to practice drawing the runes required for the Qi symbols.
Li Muran returned to the house and immediately took out the talisman paper and talisman brush, joyfully playing with them
After analyzing the situation, Li Muran concluded that the talisman brush could indeed be used continuously, and the amount of talisman ink was relatively sufficient, enough to create dozens of talismans. If it were insufficient, he could borrow a small amount from other senior brothers. The only limiting material was the talisman paper, of which there were only ten sheets in total; each use would reduce the count by one, regardless of success or failure
After all, Li Muran had repeatedly verified that there was no issue with the original energy itself, and using it to create talismans should not pose any significant problems
For Li Muran, it was indeed not difficult. After drawing the first Vitality Talisman, the remaining talismans came naturally and smoothly. Over the course of three nights, with ten sheets of talisman paper, he successfully drew a total of seven one-star Vitality Talismans.
After much contemplation, Li Muran felt that this method was indeed very feasible. Before finding a suitable approach to retain the vitality cultivated at night within the body, it seemed that utilizing this vitality to create vitality talismans, while it had not yet dissipated, was the most efficient way to proceed
The cinnabar is a bright red powder that dissolves upon contact with water, made by mixing the blood of a blue ox with powdered cinnabar ore.
Fortunately, Li Muran possesses a solid foundation, with exceptional strength, eyesight, and mental fortitude. Coupled with the surging vital energy within him, his progress can be considered relatively smooth
Watching the departing figures of Li Muran and the others, Mo Yunzi suddenly let out a cold laugh and murmured, "Hmph, with such poor innate talent, yet you waste the hard-earned vitality on crafting talismans. I doubt your cultivation will amount to much!"
After a moment, a complex character "气" was drawn, this character sprang to life on the paper, embodying an extraordinary aura; Li Muran's brush did not pause, as he continued to inscribe a spell and accompanying text around the character "气".
However, for other disciples, it is likely to be quite difficult. Disciples with average aptitude and cultivation often have to toil for two to three days to gather enough vital energy to create a one-star vitality talisman; crafting five one-star vitality talismans may require nearly ten to fifteen days of cultivation. If they happen to make a few mistakes during this period, the costs incurred will be even higher
Although the talisman creation had failed, Li Muran realized that nearly half of his internal energy had been consumed. He rested for a while, then calmed his mind and sat down to meditate again. Once his internal energy was replenished, he continued to create the talisman for internal energy.
Deacon Wu spoke first: "Master Mo, these several auditing disciples also wish to receive talismans and other items, claiming they need them to practice the Qi talismans. However, there is no explicit regulation within the sect regarding this matter, so the disciples have had some disputes with them. We are currently deliberating whether to report this to the sect leader and the other elders for a decision"
However, unexpectedly, due to his overly hasty mobilization of vital energy, the incantation deviated at a certain stroke because the vital energy was too intense, ultimately resulting in the failure of the spell formation
The clear water in the gourd is drawn from a miraculous spring located several dozen miles away. It is said that this spring water possesses a certain degree of spirituality, and using it to dissolve talisman ink is somewhat superior to using ordinary spring water
On the night of the second day, Li Muran meditated and regulated his breath for an hour, and the vital energy within him had become saturated
"What is all the commotion about?" At that moment, a figure of a young man flashed into view; it was Mo Yunzi, whom Li Muran and the others had all seen before.
Li Muran took out a small dish, sprinkled some talisman ink powder, and then poured a little clear water from a gourd, mixing it evenly
"Ten talismans, wouldn't they be used up in just three nights?" Li Muran thought to himself, recalling what Senior Brother Qingfeng from the library said about becoming a formal disciple. After one year, one would need to submit five one-star vitality talismans each month, which doesn't seem too difficult!
Although this basic energy talisman is the simplest and most fundamental, its creation is quite challenging. In addition to establishing a solid foundation and mastering the drawing of runes, the mobilization of energy must not be too slow, nor can it be too hasty.
The symbols drawn in this manner naturally have no effect; however, they allow Li Muran to become familiar with the use of the brush and ink for symbols, preventing any unexpected errors during the actual creation of the symbols.
That talisman brush has a shaft measuring six inches in length, with a smooth and lustrous surface, likely made from some type of jade material. As for the brush tip, it is a milky white color. Li Muran once encountered in ancient texts that the brush tips of the Yuanfu Sect's talisman brushes are mostly made from the fine fur of white-tailed spirit monkeys that are raised within the sect.
This incantation of the Qi Gathering Spell is not particularly complex. When drawing it, Li Muran felt the vital energy within him flowing more rapidly through the talisman brush into the talisman paper. Clearly, this script is the key to the One-Star Vital Energy Talisman
Without the spirit stones, there is nothing to discuss!" Steward Wu's expression immediately darkened, and with a wave of his hands, he adopted a businesslike demeanor.
"Vitality Talisman?" Mo Yunzi cast a cold glance at Li Muran, then suddenly smiled slightly and said, "Just send it to them, it’s not worth much spirit stone anyway"
Moreover, Zixia Daoist could return to the sect at any time. If Li Muran is able to present a vitality talisman that he has personally drawn upon his return, it would be sufficient to prove that he is not a mediocre talent, thereby increasing the likelihood of his remaining in the sect.
With these few vitality talismans, Li Muran finally gained some confidence. The ability to produce vitality talismans so quickly, with a success rate that is not too low compared to the reference materials, is sufficient to prove that he has a solid foundation and a certain talent in talisman crafting. If Master Zixia holds no prejudice against him, she is likely to take him as her disciple based on these vitality talismans, allowing him to continue his cultivation within the sect
Therefore, after Li Muran became proficient in practicing runes, he did not rush to create talismans, but instead used a talisman brush and talisman ink to draw runes on ordinary white paper
Li Muran said: "Senior Brother Wu, could you possibly make an exception? We have just begun our cultivation, and we do not have any spirit stones! How about this: let us record the account for these two spirit stones for now, and we will definitely return them to you in full later!"
Since we are to create a vitality talisman, careful preparation is essential. The crafting of the talisman cannot be accomplished in one go; it requires step-by-step practice and gradual progress.
They greeted Master Mo with great respect, and all the disciples hurriedly bowed in salutation
Thank you, Master Mo! Thank you, Brother Wu! Li Muran and the others were overjoyed, and they all expressed their gratitude to Mo Yunzi before leaving with great satisfaction
The incantation had been drawn halfway when suddenly a powerful suction emerged, greedily absorbing the vital energy flowing from the talisman brush. Li Muran, caught off guard, was unable to mobilize his magical power swiftly enough, causing a brief interruption in the flow of this vital energy.
Li Muran was not discouraged; after resting for a while, he continued to meditate and draw talismans. Finally, during the third attempt to draw a talisman before dawn, he successfully created a one-star vitality talisman.
Thinking of this, Li Muran felt a surge of excitement. The vital energy he cultivated during the night was abundant enough to be used for crafting vitality talismans. Moreover, this vital energy would dissipate by dawn anyway, so it would be a waste not to utilize it for talisman creation.
Such details can only be understood through genuine practice; a single failure should be regarded as a lesson learned
Li Muran decided to create a vitality talisman, which requires a considerable amount of magical power. At night, his cultivation speed is remarkably fast, allowing him to produce a total of three to four vitality talismans.
However, the master is burdened with heavy responsibilities, and even the formal disciples rarely have the opportunity to meet him. It is even more uncertain whether these few auditing disciples will be able to see him at all
Although this effect is minimal, it is of great importance to Li Muran, who has always held high standards and does not overlook any details. For this reason, he is willing to spend several hours traveling back and forth, without sparing any effort. If it were other disciples, even if they were aware of this, they might not necessarily go to fetch the spiritual spring water
With the solid foundation built through years of diligent practice by Li Muran, he mastered this not particularly complex character, spell, and seal in just half a day
Elder Wu was momentarily taken aback, but then said, "Yes, yes! With Master Mo speaking, there is naturally no problem!" As he spoke, he hurriedly went to prepare the talisman paper, ink, and brushes, providing each person, including Li Muran, with a set.
With the talisman ink evenly mixed, Li Muran spread out a sheet of talisman paper, took out a talisman brush, dipped it into the half-filled talisman ink, and, with a calm mind and focused spirit, began to create the talisman
These disciples, feeling helpless, had no choice but to discuss seeking assistance from the sect leader.
"What is a spirit stone?" A disciple was taken aback.
From the first stroke of the broken brush, Li Muran felt the immense difference between true talisman crafting and practice. With each stroke he made, not only did he encounter an increasing resistance as if entangled in countless threads, but also the vital energy within him gradually flowed away, transferring into the talisman paper along with the drawing of these symbols
Although it was merely a small oversight, it ultimately led to the failure of this talisman-making endeavor, resulting in the self-ignition and destruction of the talisman paper
... ...
The arduous night left Li Muran resting for an entire day. After having dinner, he continued his training and talisman crafting