Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

"It seems this method is more suitable for talismans of a lower rank than their own."

For talismans of the same rank, the benefits are limited, and the cost is quite high, making it inefficient.

Lin Zhao understood and stopped insisting.

He changed his hand seals, forming hand gestures and swiftly casting several radiant spirit-sealing spells that precisely entered the talisman.

"Buzz"

A soft tremor resounded, and the talisman on the table suddenly emitted a solid golden halo.

It shone brightly in the dimly lit room, like a golden lamp in the dark night.

After several breaths, it slowly receded, leaving only faint golden patterns on the surface of the talisman, its spiritual power contained and not revealed.

Become!

Lin Zhao gently exhaled a breath of stale air and handed the successful [Diamond Talisman] to her father.

Lin's father took the talisman and carefully sensed the stable and profound spiritual energy fluctuations within it, examining it for a long time.

She raised her head, looking at her son with a complex expression, and sighed softly.

His tone was filled with undisguised satisfaction: "I didn't expect your talent and comprehension in the art of talismans to be even more outstanding than I anticipated."

At this rate, it might not be long before I'm no longer able to offer you any guidance with my meager skills.

"Father, you flatter me," Lin Zhao quickly shook his head, his expression sincere. "I only gained some understanding by chance."

I still have a lot to learn, and I will need my father's guidance in the future.

Upon hearing this, Lin's father smiled with relief and pointed to several other talisman diagrams that had been prepared on the table:

"In that case, let's go all out."

He introduced them one by one, "These are the first-tier mid-grade talismans that the demon-hunting team needs the most:

【Rejuvenation Talisman】is used for healing, 【Thick Earth Talisman】focuses on defense, 【Golden Blade Talisman】is mainly for offense, 【Wind Control Talisman】increases speed, and 【Blazing Fire Talisman】burns enemies.

Only by mastering and integrating all of them can one be considered a truly qualified first-tier mid-grade talisman master.

Time flies like water, and three months have passed in the blink of an eye.

Late at night, Lin Zhao's door was gently pushed open. Lin Zhao's face was slightly pale.

They emerged with barely concealed exhaustion.

For several consecutive months, he intensively drew talismans.

Even with his spiritual awareness comparable to the sixth level of Qi Refining, he felt dizzy and his spiritual power was almost exhausted.

A cool night breeze brushed against his face, and he took a deep breath of the crisp air.

It was as if he wanted to vent all the frustration and exhaustion in his heart.

Looking up at the pale, waning moon on the horizon, he murmured to himself, his voice hoarse and filled with relief:

"It's been three months. I've finally mastered all the commonly used mid-grade first-tier talismans. It's time to take a good rest."

As night deepened, Lin Zhao was preparing to turn off the lights and rest when a faint, rustling sound came from the roof.

He looked in the direction of the sound and, in the cold moonlight, saw Zhao Ziming sitting alone in the shadow of the roof's eaves, tilting his head back and drinking a jar of wine that had been opened.

This sight is truly rare.

Zhao Bo's family has always been strict in its upbringing. Except when he is in front of Lin Xuan, Zhao Zimo is always proper and polite in his dealings with others.

At this moment, his hair was slightly disheveled, his clothes were in disarray, his face was flushed, and his eyes were unfocused and dazed.

His body reeked of alcohol mixed with faint fluctuations of spiritual energy, clearly indicating that he was quite drunk.

Lin Zhao sighed softly, and with a slight movement, she leaped onto the roof as lightly as a falling leaf.

"You've come," Zhao Ziming said, his eyes blurry with drunkenness. He grinned, a hint of self-mockery in his expression.

"Cousin? No, no, your cultivation is higher than mine now, and you're a direct descendant of the Lin family. I should be calling you cousin. Come on, cousin, let's drink!"

He haphazardly handed over the wine jar, the murky liquid inside sloshing about.

"Brother Zimo, you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk!" Zhao Ziming suddenly reached out and grabbed Lin Zhao's shirt, the force so great that the fabric deformed slightly.

He moved closer, and a strong smell of alcohol hit him.

But his eyes held a clear-eyed pain. "I know, you all, you've always looked down on me."

I am neither a true member of the Lin family nor do I have such poor talent. Among the three of us, I am the one with the lowest cultivation level and the most useless!

She took me to those parties, and I could read the looks people gave me!

He tightened his grip a bit more. "You're the same, Lin Zhao. You seem gentle, but deep down you look down on everyone."

You never bother with those boring parties.

You're too lazy to care about the gossip and disputes outside; your heart has always been cold.

"You have great talent, you are willing to work hard to cultivate, and your parents have devoted themselves to your upbringing. You are qualified."

His voice suddenly lowered, choked with sobs.

"But what do I have? I have a pseudo-spiritual root, and my talent for talismans is low."

You became a mid-grade first-tier talisman master in just six months, all the while.

I've practiced talismans for five whole years, but I haven't even gotten to the basics and have accomplished nothing!

I have no connections; my biological parents were just ordinary people. I was originally an adopted child.

Finally, he abruptly released his grip, as if he had exhausted all his strength, and buried his face deeply between his knees.

His shoulders trembled violently, and his suppressed sobs were particularly clear in the silent night wind.

Lin Zhao looked at him silently.

Uncle Zhao had no children; Zi Mo was an orphan he brought back from outside many years ago, whom he treated as his own son.

This young man, who always tries to appear strong on the outside, is actually sensitive and fragile on the inside.

He knew that Zi Mo had been practicing talisman making, but had never been able to become a talisman master.

Lin Zhao becoming a mid-grade first-tier talisman master seemed to be the last straw that broke the camel's back.

"Perhaps he's right, my heart is indeed cold."

Lin Zhao remained silent, picked up the jar of strong liquor beside him, tilted his head back and slowly took a sip, the spicy liquid burning his throat.

Having experienced death and rebirth

During those years when he carried memories of his past life but was trapped in a childlike body, the extreme incongruity between his adult consciousness and his infant body nearly drove him to the brink of collapse.

His family only knew that he was exceptionally gifted, with a naturally powerful soul.

Only his parents in this life stayed by his side day and night, patiently teaching him to cultivate the "Taihe Yangyuan Gong".

It helped him calm his mind and quell the turmoil in his consciousness, which helped him get through that difficult period that almost drove him crazy.

It was this unique experience that made him much calmer than his peers, even appearing somewhat aloof and cold, making it difficult for him to truly get close to others.

In this lifetime, the number of people he can hold in his heart without reservation is very small.

Father must have already seen this out.

That's why they named him "Zhao," meaning bright and distinguished, like the light of the rising sun.

May he have a bright future and a heart turned towards the light.

They even took him away from the protection of his family and brought him to this chaotic market to gain experience.

Let him set up a stall to trade, meet all sorts of people, and experience the ups and downs of life.

This is how Lin Zhao gradually became the somewhat insightful person she is today.

To be precise, he and Zhao Ziming weren't actually that familiar with each other.

On the contrary, Zhao Ziming, being of similar age, loved to stick close to Lin Xuan and play with her since childhood.