Chapter 3: The Sea of Knowledge and the Symbols of Spells
The blue-haired woman announced:
Wishing that the heart, which was once in turmoil, finds immediate peace upon seeing this talisman.
In just this second round of assessments, over 600 individuals have been eliminated, which is truly exceedingly strict; a slight misstep could result in disqualification and dire consequences.
Zhu Jiu looked towards the detection disk in the center of the hall and noticed that the later the completion, the lighter the color displayed. By the time the golden hue on the disk became almost imperceptible, only a little over 200 people had completed the engraving of the Sea of Consciousness talisman.
You picked up the evil spirit pen from the box and traced the talisman from your sea of consciousness onto the green copper of the town's soul.
The portrayal is complete, but is it really that simple? Are you sure?
A few minutes later, the jade tablet pressed against Zhu Jiu's forehead finally flashed with brilliance, and a piece of information appeared in Zhu Jiu's mind
The formed talisman integrated into a scroll, slowly unfurling, radiating brilliant red light, the runes a deep crimson like blood, while the paper bearing the talisman shimmered with dazzling golden light, suspended in the ocean of Zhu Jiu's consciousness, rising and falling, as if imbued with a spirit
Zhu Jiuben did not intend to be the first; he thought that he would report his progress only after two or three more people had awakened, so as not to draw unnecessary attention and trouble. Unexpectedly, as soon as he woke up, he was discovered by others, and he had no choice but to get up and signal.
Wishing for the chaotic musings in Jiu's mind, at one moment contemplating reincarnation into this world, which is truly marvelous. Then, thinking of the ancestral mirror that protects the soul during reincarnation, which is currently hanging around my neck. I want to take it out and examine it with the *illustration* book, yet I fear attracting others' attention.
At the moment the talisman was taking shape, the old man in the green robe, seated at the center of the grand hall, let out a soft "Eh" and turned his gaze towards Zhu Jiu in a corner of the hall
At this moment, one after another, the youths in the main hall stood up to report, having also completed the engraving of the Sea of Consciousness talismans
He turned back and said to Zhu Jiu:
Zhu Jiu immediately focused his mind, carefully observing the symbols in his mind. He meticulously copied the simplified symbols of the Six Blessings one by one in his mind. The process was extremely easy; he memorized each one after just a single repetition. When he attempted to combine them in his mind, it was also smooth and uninterrupted, successfully forming a complete symbol.
The disciple did not expect that someone would complete the preliminary construction of the Sea of Knowledge talismans so quickly, far surpassing those recruited in previous years. In a moment of oversight, I failed to pay attention to the detection of the celestial disk. I ask the elder for forgiveness
The elder in the green robe at the center of the grand hall let out an extremely impatient cold snort, and the youths all fainted silently at once
The blue-haired woman who spoke earlier saw Zhu Jiu rise and asked with an expression of displeasure
The woman with blue hair fixed her gaze on Zhu Jiu for a moment, her expression softening slightly, before turning to the recording personnel and giving instructions
They represent the various factions under the banner of the Corpse God Sect. Those new disciples who perform exceptionally well will become the targets of competition among the different factions once all assessments are completed
In his previous life, he studied the peculiar art of corpse transportation, which naturally involved the intricate carving and depiction of talismans. There were indeed more complicated ones than this, and at that time, under his grandfather's coercion, he practiced reluctantly, harboring quite a few grievances. Little did he expect that at this moment, it would have a miraculous effect on changing his fate
Fortunately, I did not hide it just now; otherwise, if someone found out, it would be quite troublesome. It seems that while I was unconscious and absorbing the memories of the soul, others took blood and made a mark. I must pay more attention during the upcoming assessments and avoid hiding, lest I attract unnecessary trouble.
The woman with blue hair, upon hearing the elder's reprimand, immediately changed her expression and turned around to explain
The strength of this green-robed old monster is surprisingly well-controlled; those who can generate talismans in their minds are unaffected, while the rest cannot withstand it
How is it? Is there anything unclear? Please be aware that each question asked will result in a deduction of five points. Asking two questions indicates a lack of aptitude and understanding, leading to immediate elimination
Zhu Jiu's inner age is no longer that of a child, and naturally, he will not be deceived by such superficial kindness. The reasons behind these people's friendliness towards him can also be guessed with some degree of certainty.
All remaining individuals are deemed unqualified and will be eliminated
As the sea of consciousness regained its calm, Zhu Jiu subsequently opened his eyes and glanced around at the numerous young men and women seated on the ground in the great hall. He noticed that, at present, no one had yet completed the engraving of the talisman in their sea of consciousness like he had, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth
Once the talisman was completed on the green copper block, it emitted a brilliant red glow, dazzling to the extreme, illuminating the surrounding space for over ten zhang in a vibrant red hue
Zhu Jiuhe, following the instructions of the *Book of Images*, reached into the box and took out two items. With his left hand, he gently held a small green bronze block between two fingers, while in his right hand, he grasped a blood-red brush. With a focused expression, he began to carve on the bronze block.
According to the description on the paper inside the box, as long as the talisman is completely suspended in the mind and can be clearly sensed, it can be considered complete, and the disciple is certain of this
Upon following the gaze of the elder, Zhu Jiushun noticed that a stone circular disk, approximately one zhang in size, had appeared on the central floor of the grand hall at some unknown time. The gray disk was divided into many small squares, and at that moment, one particular small square stood out, having transformed into a bright golden color
Please stand aside and wait
Zhu Jiu possessed his black box and quickly approached the blue-haired woman, faintly sensing that many examiners' gazes were shifting along with him, consistently focused on him.
As the young woman's voice fell, many of the boys and girls who had not passed imagined the tragic fate of elimination, and immediately, wails erupted, with cries and lamentations continuing incessantly
When this talisman finally took shape, a loud sound echoed in Zhu Jiu's mind, and suddenly, a brilliant light illuminated his consciousness. A faint, ethereal melody resonated, as countless runes alternated between shattering and reassembling. This process repeated numerous times before finally solidifying and coming together.
The message within the jade tablet consists of six illustrations, all conveying the same content, which together form an exceedingly intricate talisman
The reason for dividing a talisman into six parts is to simplify the complex talisman, making it easier to memorize and learn
He has indeed completed the engraving of the Sea of Knowledge talismans with *Tu* Book. Even if I sensed incorrectly, it is clearly marked on the celestial disk that among the more than 800 people, one has already completed the talisman assessment. Did you not notice this? How can you serve as the assessment supervisor in this manner? Do you wish to be dismissed and investigated?
At this moment, the old man in the green robe, sitting upright in the center of the grand hall, spoke in an extremely cold tone:
Although the other numerous examiners in the grand hall did not dare to leave their posts, their attention was clearly focused on Zhu Jiu's performance.
As Zhu Jiu's words fell, the more than ten examiners scattered throughout the grand hall all turned their attention towards him. The woman in charge of the examination, surprised to hear Zhu Jiu say that he had completed the Sea of Consciousness talisman, grew even colder in tone and questioned him doubtfully
The disciple has completed the engraving of the Sea of Consciousness talisman, please instruct the examiner on the next stage of the assessment steps
Of course, only a select few among them may have the opportunity for special training.
Zhu Jiu also felt a jolt in his mind, but the newly formed talisman in his sea of consciousness gently swayed, and the discomfort immediately receded like a tide
Come here
The blue-haired woman looked coldly at Zhu Jiu and commanded:
Wishing you composure in all your actions, and may your voice resonate clearly in your reports
Upon seeing the golden grid on the disc, Zhu Jiu's expression changed, and he thought to himself:
The voice of the blue-haired woman echoed again in the grand hall
Zhu Jiu lowered his head in agreement, put away the green bronze of soul-restraining and the evil spirit pen, and silently walked back to the spot where he had just sat on the ground. He felt that many examiners' gazes were still following him. He looked up and saw that most of the owners of these gazes were smiling, gently nodding at him.
After flickering repeatedly several times, it gradually faded away, and the surface of the green copper block returned to its original state, as if it had never been engraved. However, this piece of green copper subtly established a mysterious connection with the talismans floating in Zhu Jiu's sea of knowledge.
The old man let out a cold "hmph" and closed his eyes again. The blue-haired woman sighed softly, turned around, and glared fiercely at Zhu Jiu, speaking in an icy tone:
For the first time, Zhu Jiu felt a slight tension as he inscribed the talisman on such a small object. Unexpectedly, the talisman in his mind suddenly came to life, transmitting its vibrant energy through Zhu Jiu's arm to his fingertips. Using the blood spirit pen as a medium, it swiftly inscribed the talisman onto the green copper block with remarkable speed, as if it were a vivid imprint.
Zhu Jiu replied with neither arrogance nor servility
Suddenly sensing that someone was watching him, he turned his head to look back, and was startled in his heart. The old monster in the green robe was sitting upright in a chair, his slightly squinted eyes were slowly closing again
The third round of assessment involves entering the realm of the demon corpses to communicate with the demon corpses. Those who successfully return with a demon corpse within three days will be considered qualified
Zhu Jiu took a deep breath to steady his emotions; this path of cultivation is indeed exceedingly harsh.
Indeed! The understanding is remarkable, the spiritual power is exceptional, and when calculated as a percentage, it adds an extra ten points, which can be considered a speed enhancement far exceeding the ordinary.
At first, Jiuqi did not successfully receive the message contained in the jade tablet, but he remained unhurried, continuing to strive for calmness, with a clear mind, free from distracting thoughts