I have a composite mirror

Chapter 108 Identifying Symbols and Arrays

"when--!"

A deep, resounding gong echoed through the sky.

The previously noisy crowd in the square in front of Tingtao Pavilion instantly fell silent.

Thousands of eyes turned to the center of the square.

There, a towering white marble platform, three zhang high, is slowly rising.

Liu Wenyuan stood on one side of the high platform, hands behind his back, his robes fluttering.

"The first round was incredibly realistic, with a hundred talismans mimicking the real thing."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly through his spiritual power.

"It tests your observation skills, but also your experience."

Before he could finish speaking...

Countless points of light suddenly lit up in the void above the high platform.

The light spot quickly elongated and spread out.

In the blink of an eye, a hundred illusory talismans of various shapes floated in mid-air.

It was dazzling and spectacular.

Some talismans were as red as fire, some as black as ink, and some shimmered with golden light.

At first glance, it looks like an inverted Milky Way.

"Within half an incense stick's time."

Liu Wenyuan held up one finger.

"Find the ten hidden ancient talismans or unorthodox talismans."

"Identify its location and name on the jade slips in your hands."

"Those who make the wrong selection will have points deducted."

Those who fail to select a candidate will not receive any points.

"start!"

At the command, the fifty contestants on the field quickly closed their eyes and released their spiritual senses.

Gu Shenyan stood in the center of the crowd, his expression calm.

He closed his eyes as well.

But in his view, the world looks completely different.

"System, activate panoramic scan mode."

[Command confirmed.]

[Loading talisman pattern database ————]

Comparative analysis has been initiated.

In Gu Shenyan's mind, the phantom images of the hundred talismans were quickly disassembled and reassembled.

Countless blue streams of data cascaded past his eyes like a waterfall.

"Third row, second from the left, Crimson Flame Burst Talisman," a common talisman, can be ruled out.

"Fifth row, fourth from the right, 'Thick Earth Protection Mantra,' poorly written, excluded."

His screening speed was astonishingly fast.

Only ten breaths had passed.

Gu Shenyan's eyebrows suddenly twitched slightly.

[WARNING! An abnormal texture variant has been detected.]

[Target: The sixth item in the seventh row, possibly a calming and tranquilizing talisman.]

[Analysis of subtle differences: At the point where the talisman ends connect, there is an extra hook, and the spiritual energy circulation is a reverse spiral.]

Gu Shenyan sneered inwardly.

There was definitely something fishy going on.

This is hardly a calming and tranquilizing talisman.

This is clearly a "mind-capturing talisman" mixed with Southeast Asian "soul-guiding magic"!

If it were an ordinary disciple, seeing the familiar general pattern, they would definitely assume it was just a regular mind-clearing talisman and skip it.

Or perhaps it was mistakenly chosen as some kind of ancient calming talisman.

Either way, it's a trap.

"Good tactic."

Gu Shenyan thought to himself.

This alteration was extremely subtle; if he hadn't specifically studied the fragment of the "Blood Pact" he had obtained from the secret compartment of the altar, he probably would have missed it.

"System, marked as 'Southeast Asian Mind-Controlling Variant,' attribute: Evil."

Without hesitation, he marked it in his consciousness.

Time passed by, bit by bit.

The atmosphere on the field grew increasingly tense.

Many contestants already had beads of sweat on their foreheads.

Han Sushuang was frowning deeply at this moment.

Her fingers were subtly calculating inside her sleeve.

"This one—although it resembles a 'Fire Talisman,' its fire spirit energy is contained within and does not emanate, yet it has a faint metallic sound."

"This is an ancient 'Melt Gold Talisman'!"

A hint of joy flashed in her eyes, and she quickly recorded it in the jade slip.

On the other side...

Jia Shouren was holding a folding fan and fanning himself vigorously.

His chubby face was covered in oil and sweat.

"What's this? And what's this?"

"Why do they all look like scribbles?"

He was so heartbroken.

I should have memorized more books; I was too busy figuring out how to sell the talismans for a high price.

Sudden.

His gaze settled on an inconspicuous gray talisman in the corner.

The talisman's patterns were winding and twisting, like dried-up riverbeds.

"what?"

Jia Shouren's small eyes lit up instantly.

"Isn't this an ancient rain-praying talisman?"

"When I was a kid in my rural hometown, that old Taoist priest who swindled people out of food and drink drew this thing!"

"Back then, I even mocked him for drawing it like an earthworm crawling."

"I didn't expect to run into you here!"

He was so excited he almost jumped up, and quickly imprinted his divine sense on it.

"The incense has burned out!"

With a clear shout.

The countless runes vanished instantly.

On the high platform, several judges began to review the papers in real time.

A moment later, Liu Wenyuan stepped back into the spotlight.

His self-aura swept faintly in the direction of Wang Daolin, the vice president of the Talisman Guild.

"First round of marking complete."

"Gu Shenyan recognized ten of them, including three variant talismans of Southeast Asian sorcery, all of which were correct."

This statement caused an uproar throughout the room.

"What? A variant of evil magic?"

"Isn't that something that only exists in legends?"

"How did he figure that out?"

Wang Daolin, who had been slightly closed, suddenly opened his eyes, a shadow of gloom flashing across them.

He originally planned this move to give that substitute disciple from the Song faction a chance to shine.

Unexpectedly, Gu Shenyan intercepted the deal.

"Han Sushuang, knows nine characters."

"Jia Shouren knew six Zhangs."

Upon hearing this result, Jia Shouren breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest.

"Thank goodness, passing is all that matters."

The substitute disciple on whom Wang Daolin had placed high hopes was now as pale as paper.

He only recognized five of them.

Moreover, he regarded that "mind-controlling talisman" as an ancient method of calming the mind and wrote a long, eloquent praise for it.

They've completely lost face.

"Next."

Liu Wenyuan didn't give everyone much time to process what was happening.

"The second item is the restoration of the ancient battle formation."

He waved his sleeve.

Three incomplete array discs appeared in mid-air.

"These three formations are all remnants of ancient formations."

Choose one and complete it.

"And explain your reasoning."

Gu Shenyan looked up.

The first array was flashing with lightning, but the patterns were broken and discontinuous, clearly indicating that it was a defective product.

The second formation appears to be a defensive formation, but a murderous aura is faintly emanating from its base.

The third one —

Gu Shenyan's gaze lingered on the last formation.

It was an ordinary-looking spirit-gathering array.

The patterns are simple and even somewhat crude.

It keeps running, but its efficiency in absorbing spiritual energy is shockingly low.

It's like a leaky bucket.

"Let's choose this one."

Gu Shenyan's mind raced.

"System, analyze the structure of the third formation."

[Modeling in progress————]

[Analysis result: The core of the formation is intact, but it lacks the pivot for the transformation of the five elements.]

[Due to the lack of a conversion mechanism, the inhaled chaotic spiritual energy collided with each other, resulting in the loss of 90% of the spiritual power.]

Gu Shenyan's lips curled up slightly.

This is a typical "easy point" question.

But this point can only be earned by those who understand "harmony".

Without further hesitation, he transformed his divine sense into an invisible pen and directly probed into the illusory array.

They didn't bother to repair those seemingly damaged edges.

It was at the very center of the formation, in that seemingly empty place.

I drew a circle lightly.

Then, within this circle, five interconnected lines were drawn.

Metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, and earth generates metal.

A very simple cycle of the five elements.

"Buzz"

Just as the last stroke was made.

The once lifeless formation suddenly burst forth with a dazzling blue light!

The originally dissipated spiritual energy, like iron filings attracted by a magnet, surged wildly into the center of the formation.

After being transformed by that Five Elements Ring, it became incomparably pure spiritual energy.

Efficiency has increased by more than tenfold!

On the judges' panel.

The retired senior official of the Gensei Division, who had been half-closing his eyes, suddenly sat up straight.

"Brilliant!"

The old temple keeper couldn't help but clap his hands in admiration.

"Without pruning the branches and leaves, go straight to the essence of the heart."

"This kid has figured out that this formation is a prototype test of the ancient 'Primordial Chaos Formation.'"

"The key is not in gathering spirits, but in transformation."

"What a brilliant example of using minimal force to achieve maximum effect!"

His gaze toward Gu Shenyan was full of admiration.

Meanwhile, Wang Daolin's expression grew increasingly grim.

He gave a cold snort, turned his head away, and pretended to look at the lightning array that Han Sushuang had completed.

"Round 1 is over."

Liu Wenyuan announced loudly.

"Currently ranked first: Gu Shenyan."

Second place: Han Sushuang.

"Eighth place: Jia Shouren."

A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd.

Jia Shouren was so excited that his face turned red, and he bowed to the surroundings.

"That's right, that's right."

"Don't you even know who I'm associated with?"

Gu Shenyan, however, did not relax in the slightest.

The gaze from Wang Daolin had changed from cold and sinister to naked killing intent.