Chapter 6: Talismans

He knew that the other party was certainly not telling the truth, but he also understood that it would be futile to press for further questions

The three individuals sat in a circle around the campfire, and soon, a mouthwatering aroma of roasted meat wafted through the air

Little brother, do you wish to become a member of the sect? Once you become a disciple, not only will you possess the power to soar through the skies and traverse the earth, but your lifespan will also increase significantly, allowing you to live well beyond 200 years without any issues

Hehe, Guan is indeed a mid-level Qi Refining Master! Otherwise, how could he have discerned at a glance that the young man possesses a spiritual vein?" Naturally, Boss Guan would not mention that he originally intended to kill the boy casually, and he spoke with a smile on his face.

Very well, I can agree to this matter. However, I must be frank; this undertaking is undoubtedly fraught with peril. After assisting this time, I will consider it a repayment of the great favor of life-saving from both of you. Additionally, should I be required to go to that Barbarian Ghost Sect, I hope both of you can agree to two more conditions.

After a brief hesitation, Chief Guan also nodded his head

The young man slightly furrowed his brows

"Gu Laodi, come over quickly and meet this Brother Yang. He has actually cultivated his Yuanli entirely on his own without any guidance from a true Qi Refiner," said Guanda, as soon as he spotted Gu Laosan, waving his hand and speaking with great significance.

Liu Ming felt a chill in his heart, knowing that the items buried inside were definitely related to Boss Guan and his companion. They were likely not benevolent individuals, but their unexpectedly amiable demeanor towards him suggested that there was likely another motive at play.

This copper ring features an ancient design, with faint silver patterns engraved on its surface, imparting an exceptionally heavy feeling

"Alright, I will give you that talisman." After a moment of hesitation, Boss Guan readily agreed.

Alright, it is settled then. From now on, I will do my utmost to cooperate with both of you seniors on this m.hetushu.com. May I ask what your esteemed young master’s name is? I will be using this name for a while.

However, to become a spiritual apprentice, one must undergo the opening ceremony conducted by the sect, and each ceremony consumes rare spiritual herbs accumulated over many years. Therefore, apart from the disciples of the sect who are trained in the spiritual veins and can participate for free, those from the Qi Refining families who wish to join must pay an astonishing amount of resources to obtain the relevant quota. Soon, it will be the time for a sect in the Great Xuan Kingdom to hold the opening ceremony.

"Can the court decide to replace? The court controls the military of the nation; how could they agree to such a thing?" Liu Ming gasped and couldn't help but retort.

The so-called spiritual disciples refer to those who have successfully opened their spiritual seas through the spiritual opening ceremony. Once a spiritual practitioner surpasses the age of 15, their spiritual veins will solidify, and there will be no possibility of opening the spiritual sea again. Therefore, the spiritual opening ceremony has strict age restrictions. Only those who have opened their spiritual sea can convert primordial energy into magical power, enabling them to cast and activate spells and magical artifacts, thus becoming the true immortal beings as rumored. The sect is specifically dedicated to cultivating spiritual disciples, and ordinary people in the secular world are generally unaware of it, as it holds a transcendent status in various countries. Some powerful sects even possess the immense authority to determine the replacement of the ruling court in their respective countries with a single word. At this moment, Boss Guan paid no attention to the roasted meat before him, but instead spoke eloquently, revealing a mysterious world to Liu Ming.

The situation is as follows: both of us are servants of the Bai family, a clan skilled in Qi refinement. This time, we were ordered to escort the young master Bai Congtian to participate in the spirit awakening ceremony held by the Mangui Sect this year. Old Man Guan is also a clever person; he knows that Liu Ming has already begun to suspect them, so he immediately ceased any further concealment and recounted the entire sequence of events and the reasons behind the life-threatening calamity facing the two of them in detail.

Old Man Gu San further took a wild rabbit he had casually caught on the road, gutted it, and directly skewered it over the fire to roast.

The junior has paid respects to Senior Gu! Liu Ming did not dare to be negligent and slightly bowed in greeting.

I knew it would be like this, which is why I had you go buy it in person. By the way, this is not a place for conversation; let's find a quiet spot to discuss it properly.

"I can't believe such a thing exists, that is truly wonderful." Gu Laosan walked over a few steps, and upon hearing this, he could not hide the joy on his face

Since both of you seniors have said so, I shall listen attentively. Liu Ming's face showed no discernible expression, yet he slowly responded.

Liu Ming took the package and immediately opened it, glancing inside.

Liu Ming's expression shifted slightly upon hearing this

This opening ceremony should be quite dangerous; what will happen if it is not successfully completed

The younger generation was originally just an ordinary person, and only later did he realize that he was a spirit vein qi refiner. How could he dare to hope for such things? Moreover, the young man had never believed in the notion of free handouts from the heavens. Unexpectedly, Old Third from the Great Out Valley heard this and saw the youth shake his head in response.

Moreover, even if he wished to disagree, the two mid-level Qi Refinement practitioners before him would likely never consent to it

After all, since the other party has revealed such a secret matter, the only outcome for his non-cooperation is likely to be a single word: "death" to keep their secret safe

"And the picture book, haha, little brother, there is no need for such formalities. Brother Guan, I have purchased everything I wanted. This is also a skill I have mastered in traveling light; if it were someone else, making this round trip would likely take up most of the day." Old Gu San waved his hand repeatedly, and after giving a little shake of the package in his hand towards Brother Guan, he said with a hint of pride.

After spending many years on the Island of Death, the young man has long understood one thing: as long as one's strength is sufficiently powerful, one can accomplish anything one desires

As he passed by a nearby mound piled high with fresh earth, Liu Ming cast a fleeting glance at it.

The young master is named Bai Congtian. These are the items he used during his lifetime. Please take them first, little brother. With a swift motion of his three arms, Gula opened the large package he was carrying and took out a smaller white package from within.

Upon hearing this, Gu Laosan, although still showing a reluctant expression, ultimately refrained from saying anything further

This remark left Gu Laosan momentarily speechless

There was no other way; it was only after much deliberation that my companion and I devised a plan to have the young brother replace the young master to attend the Spirit Awakening Ceremony. As long as you go, not only can we avoid a grave disaster, but the young brother will also gain a tremendous opportunity. This kind of opportunity is something that countless scions of noble families have sought in vain. The young brother's predicament is likely not as simple as encountering bandits, but once he becomes an official spirit apprentice, there will be no worldly issue that cannot be resolved.

The first condition is easy to discuss; even if the younger brother does not speak, the two of us will willingly impart our knowledge. As for the second condition, that talisman possesses immense power, and I fear it is not something a beginner like you can easily control.

As long as the young brother is willing to replace the young master to attend the Opening Spirit Ceremony, no matter how many conditions and books are involved, both of us will agree to it. Upon hearing this, Gu Laosan was immediately overjoyed and said.

The younger generation did not expect that they themselves were also a Qi Refining practitioner Liu Ming murmured, a hint of bewilderment evident in his expression

The younger generation is willing to give it a try. Liu Ming showed no signs of backing down

Moreover, the several concerns that he has long buried in his heart can only be realized with sufficiently strong power

Seeing this, Gu Laosan became somewhat restless. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly spoke in a tempting tone:

Hehe, this is naturally determined by strength. Those who come to our door are different from us cultivators. No matter how powerful a cultivator becomes, when faced with a large army, they can at most kill a few more people, but it remains a dead end. In contrast, those spiritual disciples and masters possess incredible abilities such as summoning thunder and flames, as well as calling forth ghostly puppets. Moreover, they can traverse the skies and the earth, making it impossible for any army to confine them. On the other hand, the royal family and high-ranking officials, once targeted by those who come to the door, can only meet a dead end. " Gu Lao San said with a chuckle.

"Little brother, do you know that a Qi Refiner is merely the lowest existence among Spirit Vein practitioners? At your age, if you can open the Spirit Sea, you could even join the Spirit Sect and become a Spirit Disciple," Boss Guan suddenly said with a hint of intrigue upon seeing this situation

The two seniors are aware that although I possess elemental energy within me, I have no understanding of the other techniques of Qi Refiners. Therefore, I hope that you can impart to me a few life-saving methods during our journey. The second condition is that I wish to obtain the talisman of this young master. As the young master, the talisman he uses should not be of inferior quality. This way, if I encounter any issues in the Barbarian Ghost Sect, I will be able to handle them to some extent.

After contemplating the thoughts that had been buried in his heart for several times, Liu Ming finally reached a decision in his mind

To attain great opportunities, one must naturally bear certain risks. I believe that the younger brother will surely succeed. Even if he does not succeed, it is not a problem; it merely means he will have to stay for a few years and endure some hardships. Boss Guan remained unperturbed, yet his response was quite vague.

"Lingtu? Shangmen?" Liu Ming furrowed his brow, as these two names were naturally the first time he had heard of them

Inside, there were several pieces of clean clothes ready for change, along with a few small ornaments and a very conspicuous yellow brass ring

Little brother, you should have noticed something by now. To be honest, the two of us did have ulterior motives in saving you, but this is indeed a tremendous opportunity for you. If you miss it, you might truly spend the rest of your life in regret. Would you like to hear more about it?

This ... ...

An hour later, as the sky began to darken, three individuals appeared in an abandoned earthen temple and lit a pile of firewood to ward off the chill

I see! Liu Ming's eyes flashed with a hint of contemplation, but he did not respond.

Seeing his companion so anxious, Guan Laoda shot him a fierce glare. After a brief moment of contemplation, he finally spoke to the young man

Ordinary people are unable to detect any abnormalities, but the young man senses a faint smell of blood. Although it is very subtle, it cannot escape the notice of someone who has experienced countless bloody killings.

Old Master Guan smiled faintly, just as he was about to explain something further, when the sound of footsteps emerged from the grass in the distance. A small, thin figure approached, carrying a large bundle.

Liu Ming and Gu Lao San certainly had no objections, so the three of them tidied up their belongings a bit and immediately walked in the direction away from the riverbank

Most importantly, he was indeed moved by the prospect of participating in the opening ceremony.