Chapter 5: Talismans

The discipleship quotas of the Seven Major Sects are becoming increasingly sought after, and the entry requirements are not likely to be low. With Zhao Di's current cultivation level at the fourth layer of Qi Refinement and his pseudo-spiritual root attribute of five spiritual roots, it is virtually impossible for any major sect of immortality to be willing to accept him as a disciple; it is feared that even small to medium-sized sects would be reluctant to do so.

The last-ranked talisman maker is one who creates talismans. Talismans are valuable items frequently used by cultivators. In simple terms, creating a talisman involves the talisman maker sealing a specific spell and its spiritual energy onto talisman paper using special incantations, thus producing a talisman that possesses the power of that spell. When one needs to use this talisman, they only need to recite a few short incantations and channel a small amount of spiritual energy onto the talisman paper to immediately activate the spell sealed within the talisman, making it much more convenient and quicker than casting the spell directly. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, once a talisman is crafted, it can be sold or given to other cultivators, who can also use it with ease. When one needs to use this talisman, they only need to recite a few short incantations and channel a small amount of spiritual energy onto the talisman paper to immediately activate the spell sealed within the talisman, making it much more convenient and quicker than casting the spell directly. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, once a talisman is crafted, it can be sold or given to other cultivators, who can also use it with ease.

Taking the Fireball Talisman as an example, as the name suggests, it is a talisman that seals the low-level spell "Fireball." The fourth elder of the Gu family once bestowed a Fireball Talisman to one of his direct descendants, a little girl from the same batch as Zhao Di. This little girl possessed the attributes of the three spiritual roots: metal, wood, and water, but did not have a fire spiritual root, making it impossible for her to cast the "Fireball" spell. However, on that occasion, she took out a yellow piece of paper, approximately ten centimeters long and five to six centimeters wide, on which was drawn a flame shape along with strange red runes resembling worms. Then, in front of Zhao and several others, she shook the paper in front of her, and in an instant, it transformed into a fireball, startling Zhao Di and the others who were witnessing a talisman for the first time.

It is rumored that once a cultivator reaches the sixth layer or above of the Qi Refinement stage, most practitioners are capable of having an extraordinary memory.

When it comes to specialized skills, one cannot overlook the four most sought-after professions in the realm of cultivation. In addition to the top-ranked alchemist, there are also the artifact refiner, formation master, and talisman maker

The little girl was clearly pleased to see the astonished expressions of several people, as she had evidently achieved her goal. She clapped her hands in delight and walked away. Zhao Di inquired for a long time afterward before finally understanding that the object adorned with strange runes was the legendary talisman.

This path is currently impassable for Zhao, but there is another path that Zhao might barely have a chance at. That is to master a particular skill, enabling him to make a living in the realm of cultivation.

According to Zhao Di's understanding in the classics, there are only two paths to choose from in order to continue one's cultivation

The first is to seek refuge in a cultivation sect

Firstly, talismans are consumables. For instance, offensive talismans such as fireball talismans are single-use; once used, they turn to ashes. In contrast, auxiliary or defensive talismans can be used multiple times, but once the spiritual energy sealed within them is completely expended, they will still spontaneously combust and turn to ashes. Therefore, among talismans of the same level, defensive talismans are generally a bit more expensive than offensive ones.

Therefore, although the library contains more than 1,000 books, Zhao Di appears to be quite swift in his approach. He first glances through each book; if it contains useful information, he examines it more closely, but if it is of no use or of little interest, he returns it to its original place. Even so, reviewing the entire library in half a month has caused Zhao Di some headaches, as it has been somewhat mentally taxing.

He could not dare to hope that as soon as he stepped out of the Nanhua Mountain Gorge, he would stumble upon a windfall, with piles of good things waiting for him to pick up. If he wished to continue his cultivation in the realm of immortality, he must possess the ability to continuously acquire elixirs that solidify his foundation and enhance his cultivation. Otherwise, given his aptitude, it would be unlikely for him to reach above the tenth level of Qi Refinement even by the age of one hundred, and his lifespan would be similar to that of an ordinary mortal. By that time, he would have no opportunity to continue pursuing the path of immortality.

The Jian family has a place similar to a library, called the Collection Pavilion, which houses numerous important events and anecdotes from the cultivation world, collected or personally written by the cultivators of the Jian family throughout the generations. Since one is about to venture outside, it is only natural to gain a deeper understanding of the external environment.

Secondly, the success rate of crafting talismans is exceedingly low. Generally speaking, even for the most basic talismans such as the "Fireball Talisman" and the "Vajra Talisman," which are at the initial stage of Qi Refinement, beginners often have to fail consecutively dozens or even hundreds of times before successfully producing one. Even experienced practitioners with thousands of crafting attempts under their belt typically have a success rate of only around thirty percent. If the talismans are of a higher grade, not only do the required materials such as talisman paper, cinnabar, and talisman brushes demand higher quality, but the success rate also decreases significantly.

If we were to point out shortcomings of talismans, there are also two deficiencies

If one could join a certain major sect of cultivation, they would be assigned specific responsibilities. As long as they complete the tasks outlined in these responsibilities, they would be entitled to certain benefits, such as elixirs and so forth. The principle of finding shade under a large tree is well understood by all. Therefore, whenever the seven major sects recruit disciples, the young cultivators of Jinyan Kingdom flock to them eagerly.

A weapon refiner is a master who forges special magical tools that can only be used by cultivators. Similar to alchemists, they require strong support from their sects to be cultivated. Without personally refining dozens of magical tools and accumulating the necessary experience, it is impossible to become a weapon refiner. The materials for refining are also rare spiritual items, and ordinary cultivators seldom have the opportunity to engage in the repeated forging of so many magical tools.

This library is managed by a plump middle-aged man with a shriveled appearance. Zhao Di bribed him with two grains of gathered energy, and in return, he agreed to allow Zhao Di to read books here for half a month, but Zhao Di is not permitted to borrow any.

Since it was impossible to continue his cultivation at the Jian family, he simply decided to pause his training and instead prepare for the "experience" a year later

Since practicing the "Zhu Lang Jue," Zhao Di has distinctly felt that his hearing, vision, and various senses have become exceptionally sharp, as if his mind has also become increasingly agile. Moreover, as his cultivation continues to advance, this enhancement of his senses becomes even more pronounced. After reaching the fourth level of the Qi Refining stage, if he concentrates fully, he can hear the sound of a cricket crawling on the muddy ground over twenty meters away, or see a hair lying on the grass several meters distant. As for his mind, he cannot claim to have perfect recall, but it is not far from it.

Cultivating immortality is inherently an act of defiance against the heavens; the higher one ascends, the more arduous the journey becomes, with the difficulty increasing exponentially. Given his current pace of cultivation, even if he were to consume a Qi Gathering Pill every month, it would still take at least seven to eight years to reach the fifth level.

The use of talismans is not merely advantageous for its convenience and speed; talismans possess various incredible functions, making them one of the most utilized items by cultivators, alongside elixirs.

As for array masters, in addition to having a certain level of proficiency in artifact refining, they must also understand many profound principles of array formation. Such individuals are even rarer; often, a medium-sized sect may have only one array master, while smaller sects are unlikely to possess any array masters at all

Although Zhao has diligently practiced and trained hard, he only reached the fourth level of Qi Refinement at the age of fourteen. With only one year left until he turns fifteen, it is impossible for him to advance to the fifth level.

Since it is a consumable used sparingly, generally, cultivators will not easily resort to talismans unless in critical situations

However, the gains from this half month have been quite remarkable. Zhao has finally gained a general understanding of the outside world, especially the situation in the cultivation realm of the Kingdom of Golden Flame, which has provided a rough direction for future excursions.

The Kingdom of Jinyan is home to no fewer than one thousand cultivation families and sects, but the most powerful among them are the universally recognized Three Sects, Four Gates, and Seven Major Factions. These seven major cultivation giants almost monopolize all cultivation resources in the Kingdom of Jinyan, ranging from spiritual herbs and medicines to various precious mineral deposits. The remaining smaller and medium-sized forces can only survive by relying on these seven giants. Some of these forces are branches of one of the seven major sects, while others pay tribute to a major sect annually in exchange for recognition and protection. Even cultivation families are intricately connected to these seven major factions. Some cultivation families are affiliated with a certain sect, primarily responsible for continuously supplying outstanding cultivation talents to the sect. Most cultivation families can trace their ancestry back to high-ranking cultivators of these seven major factions, who were allowed to establish their own families after making significant contributions to the sect. Such cultivation families often maintain a good cooperative relationship with a major sect. If a sect encounters danger, these cultivation families will also step forward to serve the sect, considering the principle of mutual survival.

Even if Zhao Di has found great fortune and joined a small sect, it is important to understand that the cultivation resources controlled by such a sect are extremely limited. These scarce resources can only be allocated to a few elite disciples with good aptitude. How could they possibly extend any care to someone like Zhao Di? It is likely that he will instead have to bear many trivial responsibilities, leaving him with no time even for cultivation and meditation