Chapter 2, Talismans (Part 2)

Guo Shier curiously leaned in to take a look. Chen Chunzai was not too concerned, casually opening the wooden box. As his gaze swept over it, his expression changed: "Hmm? Natural bone patterns!" This was a piece of residual bone, only the size of an adult's palm, with a snow-white texture, faintly revealing a light blue pattern on its surface.

Chen Chunzai was very happy, and even his voice became much softer: "Don't tire yourself too much. During your leisure time, you can relax on the deck. We will be staying on the ship for about three months." After saying this, he left the cabin.

For example, a type of wild beast recorded in the Beast Examination—the wolf—bears a strong resemblance to the wolves of the original world. However, the wolves here are divided into many varieties, among which the formidable Bloodfang Wolf is as large as a calf. According to the descriptions in the texts, its strength is such that even the Rune Warriors are no match for it. Nevertheless, this type of wolf is not numerous; the majority are ordinary wolves. Ordinary wolves are also quite formidable, possessing great speed and sharp teeth and claws, making it very difficult for an average person to escape upon encountering them.

Guo Liang saw them off as they walked out the door, standing at the entrance and watching them leave into the distance

Although Guo Liang is a spellcaster, as a low-level spellcaster, his knowledge and experience are woefully limited, and he is unaware of just how remarkable his son is

Chen Chunzai's expression was very serious as he asked, "Shiyi, can you perceive the bone patterns within the remains? Are they clear?"

A black dot appeared on the horizon, moving at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, Guo Twelve recognized it as a large bird resembling an eagle. Having studied the beast examination, he immediately identified it and could not help but shout, "Thunder Eagle! Quickly hide!" He dashed towards the cabin.

How vast is this world? Even the spellcaster Chen Chunzhai cannot articulate it clearly. Guo Twelve is filled with curiosity and awe towards this new world.

After walking a long distance, Guo Twelve accidentally turned back and discovered that his father in this life was still standing at the gate. A question arose in his mind: why does the affection among the people here appear so indifferent on the surface? His father in this life may not be unconcerned about him; it is just that his feelings are deeply concealed. Guo Twelve's soul is not that of a child, and he is still able to discern this.

Guo Shier picked up a book, and saw two large characters on the yellow-brown cover—"Beast Examination". The two books on the desk were titled "Secret Wood" and "Record of Precious Jade".

The Guo family built a city to reside in, adjacent to a great river named Qingchang River

A month has passed, and Guo Shier lives leisurely and comfortably, showing no signs of impatience or anxiety. His life experiences from a previous existence have left him devoid of any childish restlessness. He not only finished reading three books but also memorized them completely. Due to his powerful soul, his memory is exceptional; although he cannot remember everything at a glance, he can retain information after reading it several times.

Guo Twelve gazed at the remains in his hand. This had completely surpassed his understanding from his previous life. In that life, information was extremely advanced, yet no similar bone patterns had been discovered on animal skeletons. However, the remains in his hand, with a bone quality akin to jade, were crystal clear and warm to the touch. In certain areas, they had already become glazed, resembling naturally formed stone, exuding a unique aesthetic.

Guo nodded and said, "I know a little." He did not dare to guarantee that the characters here were exactly the same as in his previous life, so he spoke with some reservation

Chen Chunzai exclaimed, "You can read?"

Despite the incredibility of it all, he has come to understand that he has entered a peculiar world of spells. In this world, spells serve as the driving force that propels it forward, much like the technological powers of a previous life. Only by mastering the power of spells can one establish a foothold in this world and ascend to its higher echelons

As for the Record of Precious Jades, it documents the stones and jade materials, which are also used as materials for making talismans

The Qichang River has a wide expanse, with gentle water flow, making it very suitable for navigation. Along the way, numerous fleets can be seen passing by, and on both banks of the river, wild beasts occasionally come to drink water, their peculiar appearances greatly astonishing Guo Twelve

Guo Shier could not wait to open the Beast Examination. This is a book that certifies wild beasts, and the system at https://mhetushu.com introduces the wild beasts of this world. He found that the animals here bore some resemblance to those from his previous life, with names that were even quite similar, yet the two were not comparable.

The weather gradually became colder, and the trees along the riverbanks shed their leaves in abundance. Guo Shier stood on the deck wearing a fur robe. This robe was a gift from Chen Chunzhai, as he had not found suitable clothing in the willow box, which mostly contained single garments. According to Chen Chunzhai, if he wore only single garments, he would surely freeze to death by the time they reached their destination

This is a talisman pouch, which can be used by talisman practitioners, talisman masters, and spellcasters. However, it cannot be used by talisman warriors; only those who have reached the level of talisman masters can utilize it. It is designed to hold talismans or small miscellaneous items, but cannot accommodate larger objects. In the future, you can create your own.

Chen Chunzhai brushed his waist, and a few yellowed books appeared in his hand. Guo Shier was secretly astonished and couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa Chen, where did you keep these books? How did they appear all of a sudden?"

Guo Liang said: "In the future, I hope Master Chen will take good care of him; this child is very honest"

Guo Shier secretly smiled wryly; his father in this life was so materialistic that he could not muster any feelings of resentment, merely smiling indifferently.

Upon hearing this, Guo Twelve nearly burst into laughter. To be honest, in his first life, he was a lama, and during that time, he was quite honest, spending his days reciting scriptures and living over sixty years without venturing more than a hundred miles from the temple. In his second life, having endured countless hardships, even if he wished to be honest, he found it impossible to do so

He also imitated Chen Chunzai by pressing the remains against his forehead. Soon, the remains emitted a faint glow. Chen Chunzai opened his mouth wide, astonished; this little fellow could actually, like himself, activate the bone patterns on the remains, which was a capability of a talisman master

Guo Liang apologized to Chen Chunzhai and quickly returned to the inner room. After a moment, he came out holding a wooden box. He said: "Master Chen, this is a piece of a relic I obtained a long time ago during my training, haha, I have always wanted to sell it for a good price, but unfortunately, there has been no one who appreciates it. It is of no use to me, so I will give it to you, Master Chen."

Chirp... ... Crackle!

Seeing Guo Shier's curious expression, Chen Chunzai smiled as he handed him the remains, saying: "I am not certain what beast this bone belongs to, but I can assure you it is from an ancient beast. Modern beasts rarely have such intricate bone patterns."

The examination of beasts recorded over fifty species of animals, most of which are terrestrial, with a few being birds. Guo Shier was greatly astonished by what he saw

Chen Chunzai felt a tremendous wave of emotions within him; such potential was truly formidable. It was the first time he had encountered such an outstanding child, and this child had an immeasurable future ahead.

That night, Guo Twelve did not return to his original small house but stayed at the Guesthouse with Chen Chunzhai

At that moment, Guo Shier felt his father's concern. Although the amount of money was not much, he still smiled and nodded, saying: "Thank you, Father"

Guo Shier was deeply shocked; there truly existed a storage treasure. In his previous life, such things only appeared in novels, yet they actually existed in this world, and could even be crafted by hand. He couldn't help but develop a yearning for becoming a talisman master.

On the second day, Clan Leader Guo Daguan brought several parents to send off their children. This time, a total of fourteen children are certain to leave, including four with the potential to become talisman masters, nine with the potential to become spell masters, and Guo Twelve's potential for talismans. As for the children with the potential to become talisman warriors, only twenty-six with relatively better potential were selected. In total, there are forty eight-year-old children.

Chen Chunzai said: "These are all the subjects that a talisman master needs to learn. Since there is free time on the ship and you can read, you might as well take a look. If there is anything you do not understand, feel free to ask me. Hmm, I am staying in the cabin next door."

Guo Twelve often went to Chen Chunzai for guidance, as he was still quite unfamiliar with this world. Since he had the free time, why not make good use of it? His diligent attitude towards learning once again impressed Chen Chunzai. Unbeknownst to him, Guo Twelve acquired a wealth of information from him. While other children were still playing on the deck, he had already begun to understand this world.

The Secret Records of the Mystic Woods document many rare tree species, many of which share names with those from the previous era. However, the rare trees here are not used for making furniture; rather, they serve as materials for talismans. Many of these are essential materials for talismanic practitioners and sorcerers.

Chen Chunzai collected the remains, summoned a talisman warrior to carry Guo Twelve's willow box, and then took his leave from Guo Liang, departing with Guo Twelve

Here, apart from using special means to travel, the most convenient and safe option is to take a boat. Traveling by land is very dangerous, while boats are both fast and safe; as long as one can take a boat, no one would choose to travel by land

Guo Li hardly spoke, and like the other five women, she retreated to the inner room after sitting for a while. Guo Twelve felt puzzled: could it be that the mother-child relationships here are all so indifferent

The bone patterns on the remains are extremely intricate. In just a moment, Guo Twelve became utterly disoriented. He hurriedly set down the remains, shook his head vigorously, and said, "Alas, such complex lines..."

Guo Liang was overjoyed, for this was a talisman crafted by a talisman master, which was of a much higher grade than those made by ordinary talisman practitioners. The power of a talisman from a talisman master was significantly greater. With this Fire Moon Talisman, his strength would at least double. He expressed his gratitude repeatedly and carefully placed the Fire Moon Talisman into his bag, looking at Guo Twelve with an intense admiration.

Chen Chunzai pondered for a moment and said, "I really like this child, No. 12. He has great potential. Well, I have a Fire Moon Talisman here, which I will give to you... Consider it a gift. This fire-type talisman can be activated six times, after which it must be replenished with talismanic energy. If it is activated continuously for eight times, this fire talisman will become a useless talisman."

There are a total of three large sailing ships. Chen Chunzai is aboard one ship with fourteen children, along with about ten talisman warriors. The ship leading the way is manned by Hong Changfeng, who also has around ten talisman warriors and an ice spellcaster with him. The remaining twenty-six children boarded the last sailing ship

Guo Twelve was unlike other children; he appeared very quiet. Chen Chunzhai was inwardly astonished. While the other children were excited after boarding the ship, most of them ran to the deck to play, but Guo Twelve followed him into the cabin and, after sitting down, asked, "Grandpa Chen, are there any books to read here?"

Chen Chunzai pressed the fragment of bone against his forehead, and the faint blue patterns on the bone suddenly emitted a greenish glow. After a moment, a hint of joy appeared on Chen Chunzai's face as he said, "Indeed, it is a complete natural bone talisman, a very fine gift. I did not expect you to have such a treasure in your collection."

Soon, the servant brought in two willow boxes. Guo Liang, holding a small cloth bag, approached Guo Twelve and whispered, "Twelve, keep this bag of talismans for your pocket money. Count it when you get back; there are a total of 60 black talismans, 100 silver talismans, and some green talismans. The willow boxes contain some spare clothes and a quilt. If it's not enough, you can add more yourself. Do you understand? Keep the talismans safe and do not place them carelessly; be careful not to let anyone take them."

There are a total of three books

Guo Shier did not understand why Chen Chunzai was so serious, and said: "Yes, it's very clear, it's just too complicated. Following the lines around, I am almost getting confused."

Guo Shier was overjoyed and repeatedly expressed his gratitude, saying: "That's wonderful, thank you, thank you, Grandpa Chen"

Guo Twelve carefully took the fragment of bone. Chen Chunzhai smiled and said, "There is no need to be so cautious. The intricate and elaborate bone patterns indicate that this piece of bone is very hard. It is a pity that it is too small; only one complete bone pattern remains. If it were a bit larger, the value of this bone would be significantly higher"

During more than a month of study, Guo Shier deeply understood this point. The world is harsh; one must not only contend with beasts but also with the savages of the wilderness. There are also some secret realms here, filled with many strange entities and numerous rare materials for crafting talismans, thus those who enter the secret realms must also engage in conflict