Chapter 007 begins the practice of talismanic arts
Talismanic spells are a type of talismanic art, utilizing the spiritual energy inscribed within the talismans as a guide to wield unique powers. The talismanic spells of the world can be broadly categorized into five attributes: thunder, fire, wind, water, and earth. Ordinary talisman masters can only cast spells that correspond to the techniques they have practiced. For instance, in the Wén family of Luojiang City, the family’s secret talismanic spells are of the thunder attribute, thus all talisman masters from the Wén family are practitioners of thunder-based spells.
Fortunately, Wen Zifu has a good master, known as the second person in the world, Dong Huang Lu Zhongdao. Although he is also an ordinary talisman master practicing a single system of spiritual spells, his profound strength and experience with the summoning of spiritual energy enable him to use spells from four different systems. Furthermore, having carefully studied certain secret texts of the Yin-Yang and Five Elements talisman methods passed down by Zhang Tianshi, he naturally knows how to impart the spiritual spells of Wen Zifu.
The fire-based spells correspond to the elemental power of the fire attribute without a doubt, and the water attribute should also correspond similarly. Unfortunately, Lu Zhongdao himself practices fire magic. Although he can now cast spells from four different elements, he precisely cannot cast water-based spells. Despite his extensive knowledge, he naturally understands the intricacies of water spells, yet he cannot grasp them as deeply as those who specialize in water magic. Therefore, he must temporarily abandon the study of water-based spells.
Divine manifestation involves the cultivation of one's own spiritual energy to nourish the body, resulting in enhanced physical resilience, agility, reaction capabilities, and overall endurance that far exceed that of ordinary individuals. This is essential for invoking celestial beings during the activation of talismans, thereby augmenting one's own strength. It is important to recognize that celestial beings possess immense power and formidable abilities; without a robust physique, a talisman master would be unable to withstand the overwhelming presence of such deities. Legend has it that the mightiest martial deity, upon descending, can unleash devastating power with every punch and kick, capable of turning even an army of one hundred thousand into ashes in an instant under such tremendous force. It is crucial to understand that celestial beings are all immensely powerful and formidable; without a resilient body, a talisman master cannot endure the powerful possession of divine spirits. The legend of the strongest martial deity illustrates that even a single strike can wield extraordinary might, capable of reducing a fully prepared army to mere dust in the face of such overwhelming strength.
Exorcism involves practitioners sealing the abilities of others with their own spiritual power. A powerful exorcist, particularly one skilled in talismans, can even seal the powers of deities. Five thousand years ago, a minor deity from the celestial realm accidentally descended to the mortal realm and caused havoc. At that time, a silver-level exorcist intervened and completely sealed the deity's powers. In the end, the enraged populace brutally killed the deity with hoes, illustrating the terrifying nature of exorcists. Unfortunately, while exorcism spells are easy to learn, they are difficult to master. Countless exorcists exist in the world, yet only one in a hundred thousand can reach the blue level and become an entry-level exorcist.
Strong weapons are nourished by the practitioner's own spiritual energy, such as swords, spears, and halberds. The stronger the practitioner, the more powerful the weapon becomes. When reaching the Silver level, the weapon can even exhibit some special abilities, and upon reaching the Gold level, it can destroy a city with a single strike. Unfortunately, currently, the only Silver-level talisman master in the world is Li Zhen, the Grand Marshal of the Great Xia Kingdom, who practices not strong weapons, but divine strikes.
In the art of talismans, there are three additional methods of use: the close-combat types, namely the strong soldiers and divine strikes; the exorcism and ghost control, which are distinctly different from talismanic spells; and the talismanic healing techniques that can save lives and provide aid.
In the realm of talismanic arts, whether it be exorcising demons, commanding spirits, employing powerful military tactics, or practicing talismanic healing spells, the significance of seal techniques cannot be overlooked. The Wen family, with merely a few hundred years of heritage, has few blue-level talisman masters among its ranks. Yet, it has managed to establish itself as a prominent family. This is due to their mastery of a vast array of seal techniques. Even though the current generation of the Wen family lacks blue-level talisman masters, the knowledge and insights left behind by their predecessors and the * diagrams * and * texts * from the past can still be passed down. This is the fundamental basis of the inheritance of prominent families across the world.
To rest from the art of talismans, a talisman master must first master the hand seals of each spell. Therefore, it is not necessarily better for a talisman master to know more spells; rather, it is better to be proficient in fewer spells. Take the Five Thunders Strike of the literary school as an example. If a yellow-level talisman master uses this spell, it would merely kill an ordinary person. However, if a silver-level lightning talisman master casts the same spell, even if they are drawing the talisman in the void, the Five Thunders Strike can instantly destroy a section of city wall. If the silver-level talisman master is well-prepared and has sufficient time to gather energy, destroying a city with a radius of ten miles is not a difficult task. Thus, most talisman masters in the world rely on a single skill to thrive; as long as their personal strength increases, the power of their talisman spells will naturally increase correspondingly.
However, Wen Zifu's ninth-level yellow rank must be discounted somewhat, as he does not know how to use talisman techniques. It is important to understand that meeting the spiritual power standard is merely the foundation for using talismans. If one cannot use talismans, Wen Zifu's ninth-level yellow rank strength is merely a hollow shell. If he were to learn ordinary talisman techniques, such as the thunder system spiritual incantations passed down in the Wen family, he would be unable to use them due to his comprehensive five-element spiritual power. After all, the spiritual power he cultivates is significantly different from the single-element spiritual power of ordinary talisman masters, and the incantations used by these ordinary talisman masters are also unsuitable for Wen Zifu.
As for the most difficult practice of talismanic healing in the world, it not only cures diseases and saves lives but also treats internal injuries. The Empress Dowager Duan Ziqing of the Dali Kingdom in the south is the most outstanding silver-level talismanic healer in the world. She has saved countless lives through her talismanic healing techniques, earning the admiration of people everywhere. Although the Dali Kingdom is located in the south and is the weakest among the five major powers, the presence of Duan Ziqing has made other nations wary of easily offending the Dali Kingdom
Using talismans to align my essence with the essence of heaven and earth, to connect my spirit with the spirits of all things, where essence supports essence and spirit relies on spirit, is essential to unleash the power of the talismans. The talisman serves as the catalyst for the entire casting process, the seal is the key, and the incantation is a means for the caster to harmonize their thoughts with the universe and engage in self-hypnosis.
Lu Zhongdao analyzed Wen Zifu's physical condition and talents while explaining the differences in the art of talismans across the world. His discourse was somewhat disorganized, as he spoke on various topics as they came to mind. If it were not for Wen Zifu's intelligence and strong memory, he would likely have been thoroughly confused by Lu Zhongdao's explanations. This was, after all, Lu Zhongdao's first time teaching, and it was inevitable that he would overlook certain points. When he recalled these omissions, he felt they were significant, resulting in a fragmented presentation.
The study of the Yin-Yang and Five Elements talismanic methods took nearly two months, and the practitioner's strength surged to the ninth level of the Yellow rank. If the world were to know that someone had stepped one foot into the threshold of the Blue rank in just two months, it would surely astonish many. It is important to understand that each level of talismanic arts represents a significant bottleneck, and each advancement also presents a minor bottleneck. Sometimes, overcoming a minor bottleneck can be as simple as eating or drinking, but cultivation is certainly not as easy as that. Throughout history, there has never been anyone who has reached the ninth level of the Yellow rank in just two months. It is important to understand that each level of talismanic arts represents a significant bottleneck, and each advancement also presents a minor bottleneck. Sometimes, overcoming a minor bottleneck can be as simple as eating or drinking, but cultivation is certainly not as easy as that. Throughout history, there has never been anyone who has reached the ninth level of the Yellow rank in just two months.
Upon further examination, it appears that the earth-based spells correspond to the earth element of the Five Elements. However, it remains uncertain whether the thunder and wind spells correspond to the metal and wood elements, respectively. This can only be determined through experimentation.
It cannot be said that the art of talismans does not require high-level spiritual spells for rest. One must understand that Zhang Tianshi's Nine Thunderbolts, which annihilated the Joy God, is the dream technique of all talisman masters in the world. Legend has it that when Zhang Tianshi unleashed this technique, the heavens and earth changed color, mountains collapsed, and the power was unimaginable. Even in the art of talisman healing, some injuries require high-level spiritual spells for salvation. It is said that the highest level of talisman healing can even snatch people from the hands of the King of Hell. This illustrates the miraculous nature of the art of talismans.
Having introduced the general situation of the art of talismans, let us continue to examine the practice of the incantations associated with the Wenzi talisman. Originally, Lu Zhongdao had begun to contemplate how to impart his incantation techniques as soon as he confirmed that the Wenzi talisman embodies all five elements. After a full two months of reflection, Lu Zhongdao had essentially formulated his ideas, with only the final practical application remaining.
Controlling ghosts involves using talismanic spiritual energy as a conduit to open a passage, drawing forth the malevolent spirits from the ghost realm for one's own use. However, the art of ghost control is the most perilous practice among talisman masters. It is important to understand that the malevolent spirits from the ghost realm are all inherently vicious. While weaker spirits may pose little threat, encountering powerful malevolent entities, such as ghost knights or ghost generals, can be dangerous. If a talisman master remains in prolonged contact with such formidable spirits, they are likely to be tainted by the malevolent thoughts of these entities, ultimately leading them down a path of corruption. Consequently, there are very few practitioners of ghost control in the world, and those who can master this art are invariably individuals of strong will. However, most practitioners of the dark path in the world are, in fact, talisman masters specializing in ghost control. Among them, Murong Xi, the national protector and celestial master of the Great Rong Dynasty in the north, stands out as an exceptional figure in the realm of ghost controllers.
On the third day after the completion of the Five Elements of the Wenzi Fu, Lu Zhongdao and Tu Shuxiang revisited the teaching methods they had long contemplated and officially began to impart the usage of the Wenzi Fu incantations.
Lu Zhongdao felt a surge of joy upon seeing Wen Zifu's diligent study habits. Consequently, he elaborated even more, though his explanations became increasingly disorganized. Fortunately, Wen Zifu was willing to take notes, recording everything Lu Zhongdao explained. Whenever he encountered something he did not understand, he would ask questions, comparing his notes with Lu Zhongdao's responses, which allowed him to grasp the majority of the content. The remaining details would naturally be studied slowly after a break.
Lu Zhongdao explained his analysis to Wenzi Fu, and then began to impart knowledge of spiritual spells to him, starting with the fire-type spells that Lu Zhongdao was most confident in. It is important to understand that casting a spell is not merely about burning a talisman while reciting a few incantations. Before learning to cast spells, one must first understand the sequence of hand seals.
However, Wenzi understood that although he had considerable talent, he was unable to use ordinary talismans due to the limitations of his body. The old man explained these concepts to him, which were fundamental to the art of talismans. The saying goes, "Once you master one method, you master all methods." As long as he grasped the principles of these talismans, it would greatly benefit him in both future encounters and his own cultivation. Therefore, he made a concerted effort to memorize the information, even taking out paper and pen to jot down what he deemed important.
It is known that although the body of Wenzi Fu possesses all five elements, making it unique throughout the ages except for Zhang Tianshi, this very influence of his five-element body prevents him from practicing the spiritual energy of ordinary talisman masters, and naturally, he cannot use ordinary spiritual spells. Although Lu Zhongdao possesses silver-level sixth-tier strength, he does not know the spiritual spells of Yin-Yang and the five elements. Therefore, he corresponded the five-element attributes with the various attributes of the spiritual spells he was familiar with.