Starting as a Talisman Master

Chapter 274 Supreme Mind-Stabilizing Pill, a New Talent for Array Masters (5.6k)

Lu Chi sat upright on the cloud bed, calmly recalling the various moments of his journey on the path of cultivation.

For him, the thing he feared most in his life was nothing more than death and the loss of immortality.

"If this inner demon tribulation is merely to make people relive this despairing experience in an illusion, it sounds quite simple."

This thought is nothing more than self-consolation and self-excusing.

Such a deadly barrier, which has blocked the path of many Golden Core cultivators, is not something that can be easily overcome by a few mere illusions.

The Heavenly Demon has no form, pointing directly to one's true nature, and surely conceals a great danger that is difficult to fathom.

"I've only just entered the Golden Core stage, so it's really too early to worry about the Nascent Soul's inner demons." Lu Chi let out a long breath, suppressing all his complicated thoughts.

Discovering these key points for the formation of the infant is sufficient for now.

The primary task at present is still to accumulate magical power and hone various skills.

Regarding the means to resist inner demons, Li Qianyou had previously asserted that there was no other way, but that was due to her limited knowledge of Huanyun Continent.

The cultivation world of Qingming Continent is vast and rich in resources; perhaps it contains miraculous elixirs or rare spiritual objects that can stabilize one's mind and spirit.

True Person Xuanchen has already reached the late stage of Golden Core cultivation, and the Luoxia Sect has inherited the lineage of Nascent Soul True Monarchs. The sect must have kept records of the inner workings of Nascent Soul formation.

We should find a suitable opportunity another day to take the chance and find out more.

The next morning.

Lu Chi walked to the back of Qingxu Peak, and with a wave of his sleeve, his magical power surged, leveling out a few dozen acres of open land and turning it into a spiritual field.

He made a hand seal, and in a moment, water vapor condensed in mid-air, turning into a continuous spiritual rain that moistened the soil.

With a slight thought, more than a dozen dark figures flew out of the storage bag and landed steadily in the field, transforming into lifelike beast puppets that began to loosen the soil and marble according to his divine sense commands.

In the preceding months, he had been traveling incognito throughout the Great Li Kingdom. He had secretly visited the territory of the Demonic Path Heavenly Extreme Sect and, after much effort, managed to collect a large quantity of Xuan Yin Iron, which he then used to refine these dozen or so second-tier beast puppets.

"The puppetry techniques I currently possess are only at the second level. For a Golden Core cultivator, they can only help with such miscellaneous tasks. Moreover, the techniques I obtained from the Cangming Secret Realm are all methods related to birds and beasts."

"But I wonder if there are even more profound and exquisite puppetry techniques passed down in the cultivation world of Qingming Continent?"

Lu Chi watched the puppets busily working in the field, his gaze shifting slightly. Suppressing his thoughts, he took out another batch of spirit seeds.

Whether it was the spiritual herb seeds he brought from Taiqing Palace years ago, or the third-order spiritual wood and grass seeds he obtained from Luoxia Sect yesterday, he categorized them and planted them carefully.

Once everything was arranged, he waved his sleeve, and a thick array barrier rose out of thin air, completely enveloping and isolating this spiritual field along with the inner area of ​​the entire cave.

"The matter of healing Xuan Chen cannot be stopped for now. Only by making this favor real can we legitimately borrow the sect's power in the future to help me find methods for crafting magic weapons, as well as higher-level puppets and talisman inheritances."

As Lu Chi stepped out of the cave, a beam of light descended from the sky, revealing Song Ming's figure.

Upon seeing him emerge, Song Ming hurriedly stepped forward to greet him respectfully: "Disciple greets Martial Uncle Lu. Yesterday, thanks to Martial Uncle's guidance, disciple has come today to renovate the outer array base in order to enhance the array's effectiveness."

His expression was calm as he nodded in approval, saying, "Go ahead and do it."

Given Song Ming's level of cultivation, there was absolutely no way he could have detected the various methods he had set up inside the cave.

Lu Chi emitted a mysterious light from beneath his feet, then leaped into the air and flew straight towards the main hall of the Luoxia Sect's main peak.

As the light faded, he finally landed on the white jade plaza outside the main hall of the main peak.

Looking up, one can see that some new decorations have been added to various parts of the sect.

Beneath the eaves and brackets, several radiant jade palace lanterns hang, and on both sides of the wide stone steps, many blooming exotic flowers and auspicious plants are also placed.

Amidst the surrounding spiritual energy, there was a hint of the festive atmosphere that ordinary people would have during a holiday.

The disciples of the sects he encountered along the way, upon seeing his unfamiliar elder's robes, all stopped and stepped aside, bowing respectfully in deep reverence.

It seems the news spread extremely quickly.

The news of his becoming the newly appointed Second Elder spread throughout the entire mountain sect overnight.

In the cultivation world, those who have reached the highest level are valued above all else. He has now reached the Golden Core stage, and his status is naturally very different from before.

When the Foundation Establishment disciples in the sect saw him, they all bowed respectfully and addressed him as "Uncle-Master"; the lower-level Qi Refining disciples even prostrated themselves and kowtowed, shouting "Grandmaster".

Hearing the greetings around him, Lu Chi remained calm, secretly sending out a wisp of his divine sense to investigate.

Although the people's cultivation levels differed, most of them had upright energy and clear eyes, with very few having weak foundations or strange demeanors.

"The peaceful atmosphere of the Sunset Sect is indeed genuine."

"Since I hold a senior position and have received such great courtesy from everyone, I cannot remain completely indifferent."

With this thought in mind, Lu Chi flicked his sleeves slightly and released his magical power. Dozens of fine spiritual lights immediately flew out from his storage bag, transforming into a gentle breeze that landed precisely in the arms of each disciple who bowed along the way.

The spiritual light faded, revealing only elixirs and spirit stones for strengthening the body's foundation and nourishing the vital energy. Although they weren't considered particularly valuable treasures, everyone who saw them received a share, and they were treated equally. For these lower-ranking disciples, they were already extremely useful rewards.

"Consider this a token of our meeting; may you diligently cultivate yourself."

Accompanied by a calm voice, the disciples were flattered and overwhelmed, their faces beaming with joy as they kowtowed in gratitude. Lu Chi, however, did not linger. He crossed the wide plaza and strode into the main hall of the summit.

Lu Chi's divine sense stirred slightly, and he realized that Elder Qin Zheng was not present today. Only Sect Leader Xuan Chen was sitting on the futon at the head of the table.

Master Xuanchen had already sensed Lu Chi's aura. Seeing him enter the hall, a gentle smile appeared on his face as he asked, "Junior Brother, did you settle in properly at Qingxu Peak last night? Did that brat Song Ming, who has no sense of propriety, offend you with his chatter?"

Lu Chi smiled slightly and replied calmly, "Senior Brother Sect Leader, you've gone to great lengths. The cave dwelling is filled with spiritual energy, and all the furnishings are perfectly arranged. Junior Nephew Song acted with propriety and didn't say much."

He added, "Junior brother came today to continue removing several fragments of bone and blood evil for our senior brother, the sect leader."

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Master Xuanchen's eyes. He did not refuse and immediately placed his wrist flat on the side of the table, nodding and saying, "Then I will trouble you, Junior Brother."

Lu Chi extended two fingers and firmly placed them on Xuan Chen Zhenren's pulse.

Following yesterday's method, he circulated the "Guiding Evil and Transforming Essence Technique" with his fingertips, channeling a wisp of Xuan Shui magic power along the meridians to reach his heart meridian, and began to slowly guide and dissolve the entrenched Yin poisonous evil energy.

Two hours passed slowly.

Lu Chi calmed his magical power and withdrew his two fingers.

This time, when Xuan Chen Zhenren performed the spell, he did not cough up black blood as violently as he had the night before. However, as another trace of blood evil was stripped away, the ashen look on his face faded a little, and his breathing became smoother.

Master Xuanchen carefully examined the energy within his body, smiled heartily, stroked his beard, and said, "Junior brother, you've gone to a lot of trouble."

"Since you have just formed your Golden Core, you also need to go into seclusion to meditate and improve your magical power. From now on, you don't need to come here every day to heal yourself. Just do it once every ten days or so. Don't delay your own cultivation."

"I appreciate your kindness, Senior Brother Sect Leader."

Lu Chi withdrew the magic power from his fingertips, his expression becoming slightly serious, and said, "To be honest, Junior Brother has come here today because there are still matters he wishes to ask Senior Brother for advice on."

Master Xuanchen gave a soft "Oh," stroked his beard, and said with a smile, "We are brothers, why stand on ceremony? Junior brother, if you have any doubts, please speak freely."

Lu Chi pondered for a moment before explaining his purpose: "Junior brother has just entered the Golden Core stage. Although he is still far from the Nascent Soul stage, he would like to know some things about the path ahead as soon as possible. Therefore, he would like to ask senior brother about the many key points of a Golden Core cultivator breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage."

"Junior brother, you've also heard that during the process of shattering the core and forming the nascent soul, a demonic tribulation that strikes directly at one's very heart is bound to descend, extremely dangerous and difficult to overcome. But I wonder if, in this world of cultivation, there are any rare and precious spiritual objects that can stabilize the mind and help resist this demonic tribulation?"

Master Xuanchen paused slightly in stroking his beard, then chuckled softly, "Heaven and earth interact, and all things are mutually generating and restraining. Our Qingming Continent's cultivation world has a long and profound heritage, so naturally we have spiritual objects that can stabilize one's mind and help cultivators resist inner demons."

Upon hearing this, a subtle glint of light flashed across Lu Chi's usually calm eyes.

It seems that Qingming Continent truly possesses extraordinary potential. Just because Li Qianyou failed to find such an opportunity in Huanyun Continent back then does not mean that it is not possible here.

He leaned forward slightly, half an inch, clearly intrigued.

"I hope Senior Brother Sect Leader can enlighten me on what kind of rare and precious item it is?"

Master Xuanchen pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly: "If righteous cultivators wish to increase their chances of victory in this inner demon tribulation, they will often seek out a fourth-tier elixir called the Supreme Mind-Stabilizing Pill."

"This elixir is extremely difficult to refine; its main ingredient is a fourth-tier spiritual plant called the Pure and Subtle Heart-Clearing Lotus. This lotus can only survive in extremely pure spiritual springs, and it takes a thousand years to produce even a few lotus seeds."

"If a cultivator takes this pill, he/she can protect a trace of clear mind deep within his/her sea of ​​consciousness. Even if he/she is trapped in the illusion of inner demons, he/she will not instantly lose all his/her sanity and go completely insane."

Such a precious elixir actually exists.

Lu Chi remained calm and secretly memorized the names of the pills and spiritual plants.

He immediately discerned a hidden meaning in Xuan Chen's words and pressed on, "Sect Leader Brother just mentioned that this pill is sought after by the righteous path. Could it be that those demonic cultivators have a different method for overcoming their inner demon tribulations?"

Master Xuanchen shook his head slightly and sighed, "Junior brother, you may not know this, but demonic cultivation methods are inherently extreme, and they easily breed mental obstacles during practice. Their way of overcoming this tribulation is naturally different from ours on the righteous path."

"The demonic cultivators within the territory of my Great Li Kingdom, though they do not commit heinous acts such as slaughtering mortals and sacrificing souls, are still ruthless and unpredictable in their methods. They are ruthless to others, but even more ruthless to themselves."

"If they want to form a Nascent Soul, they will often delve into the extremely Yin Eye of the Earth's veins to find a kind of Yin and filthy spiritual plant called the Netherworld Heart-Stealing Grass, and then forcibly extract more than 30% of their own life essence blood to refine it into a Demon-Devouring Blood Pill."

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"This method is actually using poison to fight poison. When a demonic cultivator takes this pill, another extremely ferocious bloodthirsty aura will spontaneously arise in his sea of ​​consciousness."

"This bloodthirsty aura will tear and devour the descending formless demon. When the two are exhausted and their energy is weakened, the demonic cultivator will then use his magic power and divine sense to forcibly suppress and erase the remaining demonic thoughts."

Master Xuanchen picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and then said, "This kind of method doesn't seek clarity of mind or protection of the heart; it relies entirely on a ruthless determination to burn one's bridges. But the danger involved is even greater than that of righteous cultivators like us."

"Once one's magical power is insufficient, or one's own will wavers slightly and one is unable to suppress those two chaotic energies, at best one's sea of ​​consciousness will collapse and one's cultivation will be destroyed, at worst one one will be devoured on the spot and turned into a mindless walking corpse."

Lu Chi listened quietly, his heart stirring slightly: "This kind of unorthodox approach of using poison to fight poison may seem like a desperate gamble, but it is actually far too dangerous."

The magic power of the "Taiyuan Xuanshui Jing" that he mainly cultivated was upright and enduring, and it was most harmful to the internal energy to be chaotic.

This demonic method is absolutely unacceptable.

However, the "Supreme Mind-Stabilizing Pill" can protect his clear mind, which truly matches his cultivation foundation.

If I have the opportunity in the future, I will definitely keep a close eye on the whereabouts of the "Pure and Serene Lotus".

Seeing that Lu Chi remained silent, Master Xuan Chen knew what was on his mind. He smiled slightly, took out an ancient jade slip from his sleeve, and handed it to Lu Chi.

"Sect Leader, this is—"

Lu hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took it. He sent a wisp of his divine sense into it, and his expression froze.

The jade slip contained the complete formula for the "Supreme Mind-Stabilizing Pill".

It not only lists in detail the proportions of main ingredients such as "Qingwei Chengxin Lotus" and hundreds of auxiliary ingredients, but also includes extremely complicated refining tips and fire control techniques.

Master Xuanchen stroked his long beard and said slowly, "My Luoxia Sect was originally founded on alchemy. The formula for the Supreme Mind-Stabilizing Pill was passed down by the founding patriarch and has been refined and improved by the many predecessors in the sect through countless efforts."

"Now that Junior Brother Lu has joined the sect and holds the position of Second Elder, he should be aware of such profound knowledge. Even if I do not give this item to you today, you can still retrieve it yourself when you go to the Scripture Pavilion in the future, based on your status."

Lu Chi's expression turned solemn as he carefully put away the jade slip and said in a deep voice, "Thank you for your generous gift, Senior Brother Sect Leader."

The generous treatment he received from his two senior brothers from the Luoxia Sect stirred a few emotions within him.

This scene reminded him of his days at Taiqing Palace, when his sect was just as kind and harmonious, and they treated him with utmost care and respect.

"Such generous treatment is not something I can accept without giving it to them. I also need to improve my skills in weapon crafting and alchemy, so I might as well take on some tasks from the sect as a way of returning the favor."

Thinking of this, he composed himself and spoke slowly: "Senior Brother Sect Leader, when I joined the sect before, you made it clear that I didn't need to handle worldly affairs, but I am cultivating in seclusion on Qingxu Peak and have nothing to do in my spare time."

"In my early years, my junior brother traveled extensively and gained some knowledge in alchemy, weapon crafting, and talisman making. If the sect ever experiences a shortage in these areas, I can prepare a few, as a small contribution to the sect."

Back in the Taiqing Palace, Lu Chi's cultivation was still shallow, and he acted with extreme caution. Because it involved the professional panel, he never revealed any of these various cultivation skills to anyone.

It’s different in the past.

His current public identity is that of a Golden Core cultivator who has lived for over a hundred years.

Ordinary Golden Core cultivators will always learn a few skills to assist their cultivation over the long years, but most of them focus on improving their magical power, and it is difficult to achieve great success in miscellaneous studies.

It makes more sense that he is showing some skill at this moment.

Naturally, he had already set a rule in his mind: he would never reveal everything.

For example, although his current skill in talismanic arts has enabled him to draw second-tier top-grade talismans, the ones he will hand over to the disciples of the Falling Clouds Sect in the future will at most be second-tier low-grade. Concealing his brilliance and reserving his strength is the way to ensure his long-term survival.

Even though Lu Chi spoke modestly, only saying that he had "some knowledge" of it, a hint of surprise still flashed in Xuan Chen Zhenren's eyes upon hearing this.

It is extremely difficult for ordinary cultivators to be able to focus on one skill, but Lu Chi is able to cultivate alchemy, artifact crafting, and talisman crafting simultaneously.

Master Xuanchen's smile deepened, and he felt more and more that the sect had bet on the right person at all costs.

He stroked his beard and agreed, saying gently, "Junior Brother's wealth is truly a blessing for our Luoxia Sect. In that case, I will instruct the Internal Affairs Pavilion to regularly deliver all the spiritual herbs and minerals needed for the future furnace operation, and I will never let you waste your own resources in vain."

Lu Chi cupped his hands slightly and replied calmly, "Senior Brother Sect Leader, you're too kind."

After finishing their business, the three chatted casually in the hall about the current situation of the cultivation world in the Great Li Kingdom and their cultivation experiences.

During the conversation, Master Xuanchen changed the subject, recalling the pill formula he had just given to Lu Chi, and a hint of regret appeared on his face.

"Although the formula for the Supreme Mind-Stabilizing Pill has been passed down in our sect, the main ingredient, the Pure and Subtle Heart-Clearing Lotus, is extremely difficult to obtain."

"Such rare and precious creatures of heaven and earth have extremely demanding requirements for the spiritual springs in which they grow. Our Great Li Kingdom is still a remote and isolated place, and we have not heard of such a creature appearing in the world for hundreds of years."

"I wonder if we Golden Core cultivators will ever have the chance to see one in our lifetime."

Lu Chi remained calm and said in a flat tone, "The path to immortality is long, and opportunities are inherently unpredictable. Senior Brother Sect Leader, please rest assured. In the long years to come, we may still find this item."

Master Xuanchen took it as a word of comfort, smiled and nodded, and said no more.

Spring goes and autumn comes, seasons change. In the blink of an eye, Lu Chi has been a member of the Luoxia Sect for a year.

Throughout the year, he rarely left Qingxu Peak, spending his days in seclusion cultivating his magical powers.

Aside from going to the main hall of the main peak every month to use his magic to remove the bone-dissolving blood evil for True Person Xuanchen, he rarely walks in public.

The dozens of acres of spirit fields outside the cave were well-maintained under the day and night care of more than a dozen beast puppets. The many spirit herbs and third-order spirit trees that were planted had all sprouted and turned green, and were growing quite well.

In his spare time, Lu Chi would either refine pills or craft weapons, or draw talismans.

He acted with great discretion, only delivering a batch of second-grade low-level pills, talismans, and even spiritual artifacts to the Imperial Household Department each month as per usual.

Even so, everyone in the Luoxia Sect was extremely amazed, saying that this newly promoted Second Elder was erudite and had a profound foundation.

When disciples or stewards from the sect came to him for advice, he would occasionally show kindness and offer a few words of guidance on cultivation and various arts, thus making his position as an elder even more secure.

However, there is one thing that seems a little strange.

Since the day he entered the sect, Elder Qin Zheng has never shown his face in the sect again.

For a whole year, there was no trace of its vital energy, as if it were not even within the gate.

Master Xuanchen remained silent on the matter, offering no explanation whatsoever. Lu Chi was curious, but never asked any questions.

He lived a peaceful life on Qingxu Peak. This leisurely life, where he could breathe in the sun and moon and wield his sword to traverse the heavens, was like that of an immortal. It was the state of mind he had longed for most when he was still struggling at the bottom of society.

At sunrise, I regulate my Qi; at sunset, I find peace. I devote myself to medicine and the study of talismans. I remain untouched by worldly troubles and unconcerned with worldly affairs and grudges.

This morning.

Lu Chi awoke from his meditation and stepped out of the cave.

Song Ming was waiting outside the formation, holding a scroll of formation diagram in his hands. After respectfully greeting him, he explained an obstacle he had encountered while comprehending the outer formation protecting the peak.

Lu Chi glanced at the array diagram and immediately saw through its deception. However, he pretended to ponder and said slowly, "Nephew Song, I have no knowledge of array formations. It's just that I had a close friend who was an expert in this field when I was traveling in my early years."

"The sluggish flow of magical power in your array diagram is quite similar to a principle of array he mentioned in a casual conversation in the past."

C

He pointed to a spot on the array base and, in a few words, revealed the key to its success.

The so-called "closest friend" was nothing more than a pretext fabricated by Lu Chi.

Although Song Ming was over a hundred years old, his mind was still quite pure. He not only believed this excuse without a doubt, but also firmly believed in his heart that it was because his Uncle Lu was introverted and disliked showing off that he was giving him guidance in private.

For this reason, Song Ming had previously made a solemn vow that he would never reveal a word of the guidance he received from Uncle Lu to his master or the elders of the sect.

Lu Chi was only trying to accumulate array master experience on the panel, so seeing how tight-lipped Lu Chi was, he readily agreed to the favor.

After that, whenever Song Ming came to seek his advice, he would use the name of an old friend to offer a few words of guidance.

At this moment, Song Ming pondered Lu Chi's guidance again and felt enlightened. His eyes shone brightly, and he thanked him profusely as if he had found a treasure, then took his leave.

As Lu Chi watched Song Ming's departing light disappear into the distance, he was about to turn around and return to his residence when suddenly some words appeared before his eyes.

[Profession "Array Master" Experience +1]

[Array Master: LV.2 (0/50)]

[Talent: Boundless]:

[The place where one stands becomes the core of the formation. Completely breaking free from the constraints of the formation, one forcibly connects their own energy with the surrounding天地 (heaven and earth). Without casting spells, an invisible force field naturally arises around them.]

Those who enter this area will find their magical power repelled by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, while they themselves will thrive, their every move carrying the power of heaven and earth—a method of controlling heaven with man.

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