Chapter 6: Master Li

After Master Li finished explaining a section, the three young men raised some questions, and Master Li answered them all in detail.

It is said that Master Li was originally not a cultivator of the Jian family, but rather a solitary practitioner without any sect affiliation. In his youth, he happened to meet a female cultivator from the Jian family, and the two quickly became close, soon forming a dual cultivation partnership to comprehend the path of immortality together. As a result, Master Li came to the Jian family. Unfortunately, not long after, his partner tragically fell during a family mission. From that point on, Master Li became disheartened, finding it difficult to continue his cultivation, and remained in the Jian family to teach the younger generation, spending the rest of his life in this manner.

Zhao Di specifically went to the Transmission Pavilion today because he knew it was Master Li's turn to oversee. He even chose the afternoon when there were fewer people, but unexpectedly, there were still three other young men present.

Isn't a talisman just drawing a few random symbols? I am sure I can draw it well

In theory, the creation of talismans is quite difficult, so there should be very few talisman makers. However, in reality, among the four most sought-after professions, the number of talisman makers is the largest.

More than two hours later, the three young men reluctantly bid farewell to Master Li and returned to practice individually

He has now paused his diligent training, and finally has some time. However, with only one year to learn several types of spells and also to attempt practicing the creation of talismans, he is uncertain whether he will be able to keep up. Zhao Di is also not confident about this; he can only do his best.

Only Zhao Di and Tu Shu are aware of their own talents, which can at most be considered ordinary. While others study spells, they typically practice their Qi refining alongside their spell studies, unlike him, who completely halted his cultivation to focus entirely on mastering a single spell. Although he has only practiced for one month, the number of times he has practiced is certainly greater than that of others, and never less.

It is uncertain whether this incident has enlightened Zhao Di, but his subsequent practice has become increasingly smooth, and he is able to ignite flames, whether large or small, almost every time. Finally, after nearly a month of studying the Fireball technique, Zhao Di successfully released a complete small fireball. Although it was only a little over one inch in diameter, it marked the fact that he had finally grasped the basics of this spell.

The "Fire Serpent Technique" is a mid-level spell of the Qi Refinement stage that can only be mastered by cultivators at the seventh or eighth level or above. It is not Zhao Di's goal for today. However, Zhao Di wisely stood quietly to the side, listening attentively and not daring to disturb in the slightest

To create a talisman, one must first learn the corresponding spells, which is beyond doubt

Upon hearing of this matter, Master Li expressed even greater appreciation for Zhao and often used his example to encourage those junior members who were less talented.

Thank you, Master Uncle, for your encouragement. As you suggested, I will start learning the Fireball spell. Zhao has been in the Jian family for quite some time, and it is rare to hear someone speak to him without mockery, which moved him quite a bit.

Uncle Li's reputation among the younger generation regarding books is exceptionally good. Not only does he possess a profound and unique understanding of the fundamental five-element spells, but he is also very patient, always demonstrating repeatedly until the juniors can comprehend and apply the knowledge. He never scolds or reprimands the younger generation. Every time Uncle Li appears in the Transmission Pavilion, there are always many people who come to listen to his lectures

After Zhao Di obtained this information, he felt that he had a certain opportunity. In his previous life, he was quite talented in many areas, especially during his studies when he had a particular fondness for drawing and painting

Subsequently, Master Li instructed Zhao Di to return and begin practicing, and he mentioned that if there were any doubts, he could come to find him at any time

It seems that Master Li's character is indeed as good as everyone says

Master Li, however, did not take it to heart. After inquiring about Zhao Di's spiritual root attributes and other basic information, as well as his intentions, he encouraged Zhao Di: "Learning spells is quite different from cultivating spiritual power. The former is about how to use spiritual power, while the latter is about how to gather spiritual energy and transform it into one's own spiritual power. Generally speaking, the use of spells is a skill that improves with practice; the more you practice, the better you will become, and it is not significantly related to the attributes of your spiritual roots. As long as you compensate for your shortcomings with diligence, you can quickly master one or several low-level spells. As for mid-level spells and above during the Qi Refinement stage, your cultivation level is insufficient, and you do not have enough spiritual power to use them, so you cannot learn them at this time. What spell do you wish to learn now? You possess all five types of spiritual roots, so you can learn low-level spells of the five elements. However, I suggest you start with the simplest Fireball Technique, as a gradual approach is more suitable."

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Zhao Di quickly made up his mind to become a self-sufficient junior talisman maker

Zhao expressed his gratitude to Master Li after returning to his quiet chamber, eagerly beginning to practice the Fireball Technique according to the incantation.

It is said that Jian Kun, who had exceptional cultivation talent, took three months to learn just two of the simplest spells. If Zhao Di's aptitude for practicing spells is as poor as his spiritual root quality, he might not even be able to master a single spell in a year

In the pavilion, a middle-aged cultivator with thick eyebrows and big eyes, possessing a square face, was explaining some techniques and intricacies of the "Fire Serpent Technique." Three young men, around seventeen or eighteen years old, were seated around the square-faced cultivator, listening attentively, completely unaware of Zhao Di's arrival.

Therefore, the vast majority of talisman makers can only proficiently create a limited number of talismans

This is because there are simply too many types of talismans, and the methods for crafting each type are quite different. Even for master talisman makers who have achieved a high level in refining certain talismans, when they attempt to create a different type of talisman, although it cannot be said that their success rate is as low as that of an average novice, it is not significantly better either

Zhao originally had the opportunity to learn magic several years ago, but he felt that although those techniques were magnificent and incredibly powerful, they did not contribute to his own cultivation. If he had ample time, he would certainly have been willing to learn a few practical spells, but at that time, he was diligently practicing for seventeen to eighteen hours a day, leaving no time to study magic.

The first spell took only one month to master. Although it cannot be considered earth-shattering, it still startled many who underestimated Zhao.

After trying more than ten times in succession, Zhao Di felt that his spiritual energy had been significantly depleted and he was somewhat fatigued. Therefore, he dared not attempt any further. He calmed his mind and meditated for an entire night to fully restore his spiritual energy.

In the Jian family, there are designated elders responsible for teaching children at the Qi Refinement Stage, level three and above, how to use some basic elemental spells.

In the following days, Zhao Di continuously attempted to channel his spiritual energy out from his fingertips according to the incantation, yet he found it difficult to achieve. Every day, apart from practicing, he would meditate and rest, maintaining this routine for seven or eight days. Just as he was becoming increasingly frustrated and considering giving up on his practice, intending to seek guidance from Master Li, a casual practice session unexpectedly brought about some changes.

This mnemonic is not very long; after Zhao Di listened to it attentively once, he firmly memorized it

He distinctly felt a trace of spiritual energy surge from his fingertips, forming a small spatial fluctuation above them. Then, with a "zzla" sound, a small flame about an inch long appeared, as if the nearby air had been ignited. Although this small flame lasted only a few breaths before the spiritual energy was exhausted and it vanished, it still brought Zhao Di considerable delight, prompting him to practice his spells with even greater diligence.

Before leaving, one of the youths recognized Zhao Di and teased him: "Oh, isn't this Brother Wu Gen? Are you going to learn magic too? Just don't waste too much of our Master Li's time."

Zhao Di arrived at the "Transmission Pavilion" with a feeling of trepidation. This was a vast courtyard spanning hundreds of feet, with very simple furnishings. In the center stood a hexagonal pavilion, and in the eastern corner was a small pond, surrounded by various shapes and sizes of stones scattered across the ground.

Even with over thirty years of experience in Zhao, upon hearing this mockery, he still felt a slight flush on his face

He effortlessly mobilized a trace of spiritual energy from his dantian, directing it through certain meridians in his body to the tip of his right index finger as required by the incantation, but found it quite difficult to release the spiritual energy from the tip of his finger.

Next, under the guidance of Master Li, Zhao began to practice the Fireball Technique. Master Li first provided a brief and concise explanation of how to utilize the spiritual energy within the dantian, and then recited the incantation for the Fireball Technique.

For a time, Zhao became the subject of much discussion among people, with some saying that although his spiritual roots were extremely poor, he might possess a high talent for practicing spells. Of course, this discussion only lasted for a brief period, soon to be overshadowed by the astonishing progress of some talented younger members of the family.

This square-faced monk is one of the few disciples from the Jian family responsible for teaching the basic spells of the Five Elements, yet he does not bear the surname Jian; instead, his surname is Li. The children, including Zhao, all refer to him as Master Li.