Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 147 Drawing Talisman
Heavenly Spirit Root Seeds!
Upon hearing this news, Li Xiangming was shocked.

Although he had studied in Hao County before, Hao County was the seat of Zhangning Prefecture and was full of cultivators, including many rumored to be cultivators with Heavenly Spiritual Roots.

But those were all rumors; this was the first time he had ever seen a cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root in reality.

Moreover, a sixteen-year-old at the eighth level of Qi Refining is just too astonishing, isn't it?

It was only after acquiring the evil green robe that he advanced to the eighth level of Qi Refining at the age of twenty-three.
Thinking of this, Li Xiangming's gaze turned envious.

Although he had some extraordinary experiences, he was still far from being a true genius.

Xu Ci was exceptionally talented, but he was not arrogant. He not only answered Li Xiangming's questions but also acted like a close friend.

Li Xiangming couldn't help but feel a good impression of him.

At this moment, Shen Fengyu said, "You two have each inscribed three grass patterns. Now let's go to the Demon Sealing Pavilion together."

The Demon Sealing Pavilion is a forbidden area where the Shen family inscribes runes. As a family specializing in runes, the Shen family has established itself through this method. Therefore, the Demon Sealing Island does not actually seal away any demons or monsters; it merely shares the same name as the Demon Sealing Pavilion.

Led by Shen Fengyu, Li Xiangming and Xu Ci also met Shen Pingnan, the eldest elder of the Shen family.

Shen Pingnan not only has Foundation Establishment cultivation, but is also an experienced second-tier rune master.

The two quickly bowed.

Shen Pingnan said calmly, "The remaining two grass patterns are crucial. You two should stay at the Demon Sealing Pavilion."

"This"

Shen Fengyu hesitated, as the Demon Sealing Pavilion was the most central place in the Shen family.

"Don't worry, I'm here."

Upon hearing this, Shen Fengyu immediately took his leave.

Not to mention Shen Pingnan, there are four Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Demon Sealing Pavilion. I doubt that Li Xiangming and Xu Ci, the two Qi Refining cultivators, could possibly uncover the secrets of the Demon Sealing Pavilion.

Li Xiangming would not dare to offend the Shen family, and he obeyed their every word. With Shen Pingnan's help, he quickly finished carving the fourth grass pattern.

"The Grand Elder is quite easy to talk to."

"Let's stay nearby," Xu Ci said.

Li Xiangming glanced at him but didn't say anything.

This kid is still young and doesn't know the difference between a person's heart and their belly.

If the Shen family can raise a patriarch as deep and thoughtful as Shen Qiushui, then the old man at the top must be no simpleton either.
Of course, he wouldn't speak ill of the Shen family in front of their grandson.

"It is said that the Liu family intervened to mediate the conflict between the Qin and Geng families. How is this progressing?"

Looking at Xu Ci, Li Xiangming thought of Liu Xianyi and the Liu family.

"I'm not very clear about these things. It seems that a treaty has already been signed, and they've reached a truce."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming nodded. He actually knew about this news, but he was just using it as a pretext to inquire about the Liu family.

Having grown up in the Liu family, Xu Ci naturally knew a lot of inside information.

Although Xu Ci had reservations and didn't say everything, even a small detail can reveal a lot of important information once it accumulates.

After their conversation, Li Xiangming left satisfied.
-
half a month later.

Inside the Demon Sealing Pavilion, the flickering candlelight illuminated the tense faces of Li Xiangming and Xu Ci.

After preparing five grass patterns and carefully adjusting their breathing for several days, the two were finally ready to inscribe the Return to Nothingness runes.

There are many options for where to place the runes, and Xu Ci chose to have them engraved on his back.

Li Xiangming chose to have it engraved on the inside of his left forearm.

The arms are much thinner than the waist, which naturally increases the difficulty of depicting them, but Shen Pingnan didn't say anything.

After all, they've survived five grass patterns.

He held a talisman brush made of thousand-year-old cold jade in his hand, with a touch of vermilion flowing at the tip, and a faint but pure spiritual light emanating from the vermilion.

"The Ruins of Return to Nothingness are extraordinary. I can only inscribe one for one person at a time. Who wants to go first?"

Li Xiangming and Xu Ci exchanged a glance.

"Please go first, Xiangming-ge."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming stepped forward without hesitation.

Inscribing runes was the Shen family's livelihood, so he had no doubt about the other party's abilities. "Sit down, calm your mind and meditate, do not move around."

Shen Pingnan glanced at Li Xiangming and gave the order.

"Yes!"

Once Li Xiangming was seated, Shen Pingnan's aura suddenly changed. His powerful magic pulled at the surrounding energy field and then directed it to the talisman pen in his hand. Xu Ci, who was next to him, didn't dare to breathe.

As the talisman brush touched his arm, a cold, stinging sensation made Li Xiangming's body tremble involuntarily. Then the coldness disappeared, replaced by an agonizing burning sensation.

Li Xiangming gritted his teeth; this was completely different from the comfort he felt when carving grass patterns.

But he also knew that the coldness and burning sensation brought by the talisman brush were normal accompanying phenomena of the Ruins of Return, and for now, the only thing to do was to endure it.

"Good, keep the posture."

Shen Pingnan had been observing Li Xiangming's reaction. He knew that talismans weren't something that could be drawn at will. The medium for these things was supposed to be specially made talisman paper, and now that they were being drawn on the human body, the difficulty was unimaginable.

It's difficult not only for the talisman master, but also for the recipient.

Given the special nature of the talismans, the recipient cannot even use magic to alleviate the pain. The higher the level of the talisman, the greater the suffering. Many cultivators with weak wills have succumbed to the torment of drawing talismans.

Shen Pingnan's movements were slow and precise, each stroke seemingly etching an eternal mark beneath Li Xiangming's skin.

As time went by, the runes gradually took shape, with a deep vortex at the center surrounded by intricate meander patterns, each line full of mystery and beauty.

Li Xiangming even felt a warm power flowing through his arm, which aroused his curiosity and excitement.

"Is this the Ruin Rune?"

As he silently chanted, the runes suddenly burst forth with dazzling light, and a violent power was released from Li Xiangming's arm, as if to tear his flesh apart and devour him.

"Elder, this..."

Xu Ci screamed in shock, her eyes filled with terror.

"Don't panic."

Shen Pingnan chanted in a deep voice, his hands quickly forming hand seals, releasing a nearly tangible, light blue fluid of magical energy that enveloped Li Xiangming's arm.

"The concept of the Guixu Rune is excellent, but it had countless problems from the very beginning. Our Shen family has been perfecting this rune generation after generation. It can now be used normally, but its stability is slightly insufficient compared to other runes."

"This is why I asked you to inscribe five grass patterns. These grass patterns were specially made by my Shen family. Although they have dissipated, their power, which is compatible with the Guixu talisman, will remain in your bodies, which is exactly what we need to do now."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Pingnan let out a low shout, and light blue magic power continuously surged into the Guixu Rune.

After an unknown amount of time, the light on the Ruins of Return faded completely.

Li Xiangming watched this scene, his forehead beaded with cold sweat.

He never expected that inscribing runes would be so dangerous. If Shen Pingnan hadn't suppressed the rampaging power of the Guixu rune, he would have been turned into a pile of shattered corpses.

"Alright, the Return to the Void rune is complete. Don't use magic to stimulate it yet, and wait for a three-day adaptation period."

Shen Pingnan withdrew his hands and magic power, and said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming nodded and bowed in thanks.

"Xiao Ci, it's your turn."

Shen Pingnan's attitude towards Xu Ci was much better.

Li Xiangming was not surprised by this, after all, Xu Ci had the blood of the Shen family flowing in his veins.

Xu Ci responded and came over, also sitting down to receive the inscription of the Returning to the Void runes.

During this time, it was almost torn apart by the rampaging Guixu runes.

Li Xiangming was deeply moved by what he saw.

The Ruins of Return can store magical power, which sounds wonderful, but the process of carving it is extremely dangerous.

Without the Shen family's extensive experience, even if an outsider obtains it, it would be useless, right?
Moreover, the foundation-building magic power is especially important throughout the entire talisman-drawing process.

No wonder this rune is so rare.

Li Xiangming estimated that, apart from himself and Xu Ci, there were probably very few people in the entire Shun'an Prefecture who possessed it.

I just don't know the specific effects of the Return to the Void rune.

Touching his still-hot left arm, Li Xiangming was filled with anticipation.

(End of this chapter)