Starting as a Talisman Master

The so-called "top-grade talisman" is an extremely rare treasure among those of the same level.

The runes on it are connected end to end, and the energy is uniform, which can lock the spiritual energy drawn in into the talisman paper to the maximum extent, so that it will not dissipate for years.

Once activated, it is not only 30-40% more powerful than ordinary high-grade talismans, but more importantly, it releases spiritual energy extremely quickly, almost instantaneously.

In the critical moment of a life-or-death struggle, even a mere half-breath's difference can be a cultivator's ultimate trump card for survival and turning the tide.

However, the requirements for the quality of the "talisman materials" are extremely demanding when it comes to drawing such talismans.

Ordinary yellow paper and inferior cinnabar simply cannot withstand the immense and pure spiritual pressure that arises when a top-grade array pattern is formed.

If you force the writing, the talisman will spontaneously combust the moment the spiritual energy is poured in, turning into ashes.

To carry top-grade runes, at the very least, one needs to use the essence blood of a high-quality demon beast to mix the rune sand, supplemented with specially made rune paper containing the aura of spiritual veins, or even directly use the hide of a high-level demon beast as the base.

"Demon beast essence blood, specially made talisman paper..."

Lu Chi's gaze shifted slightly as he looked at his storage bag, which was now mostly empty.

This means that he's going to start throwing spirit stones into the project again.

……

……

Suppressing his heartache over the spirit stones for the time being, he turned his gaze to the desk.

Where the [Mysterious Scripture Repository Talisman] was originally placed, only a small patch of pale blue, fine ashes remains.

After forcibly instilling the sealed information into his sea of ​​consciousness, the ancient talisman had completely exhausted its last bit of spiritual energy, returning to dust and ashes.

He calmed his mind, slowly closed his eyes, and let his consciousness sink into his sea of ​​knowledge, beginning to carefully sort out the massive memory that had been forcibly inserted.

The Classic of the Mysterious Waters of Taiyuan.

The ancient seal script text, thousands of characters long, shines brightly in my mind.

However, what made him frown slightly was that this ancient cultivation method was incomplete, consisting of only two parts: "Qi Refining Chapter" and "Foundation Building Chapter".

As for the subsequent Golden Core and even the Nascent Soul path, it is all a blank.

It's unclear whether it was because I forcibly repaired the damaged talisman with [Burning Thought], causing the array patterns to be incomplete and the follow-up lost, or whether the ancient cultivator originally only included these two layers of foundational techniques when sealing the talisman.

However, even though it was a fragment, after Lu Chi studied it word by word, his heart was still filled with turbulent waves.

He took out the scroll of "Mysterious Origin Foundation Transformation Technique" that Han Jingxing had traded to him in the past, and compared and contrasted the two.

The difference is immediately apparent.

Although the "Mysterious Origin Foundation Building Technique" can be considered a moderate and peaceful foundation building technique, it is as crude as a child's scribbles compared to the "Taiyuan Mysterious Water Classic".

This ancient water-based cultivation technique is far more complex in its practice and more domineering in its ability to refine spiritual energy than anything commonly understood in the current cultivation world.

Especially the introductory outline of the "Foundation Building Chapter" broadened Lu Chi's horizons.

The text states that those who cultivate this method do not need to search for a specific kind of spiritual energy, but can refine their foundation with the "energy of all waters under heaven"!

Whether it's the deep sea, the cold springs of the Netherworld, or the fiery springs of the extreme Yang land, as long as it's water-related energy, it can be devoured and refined like a vast ocean.

The quality of this foundation is not static, but depends entirely on the quality of the "water vapor" being refined.

If you find an ordinary spiritual spring, you will have an ordinary foundation for your Dao; but if you can subdue the ancient divine water, you can build a flawless and supreme foundation for your Dao!

"It's such a flexible and unpredictable technique, with no upper limit... Is this the difference between ancient arts and modern methods?"

Lu Chi opened his eyes, his pupils gleaming with an inexplicable light.

He had come into contact with both the ancient and modern formulas for the Foundation Building Pill.

Modern people are incredibly wise. They have replaced the rare and precious materials in ancient prescriptions with more readily available and easier-to-refine elixirs. Although the effects are similar, the threshold for achieving the elixir has been greatly lowered.

This is the ultimate optimization made by modern people to adapt to the great changes in the cultivation world.

However, judging from this "Taiyuan Xuanshui Jing", the ancient cultivators' profound knowledge and spirit are equally awe-inspiring.

Modern people's approach to Taoism seeks "stability," "ease," and to enable as many people as possible to cross the threshold.

The ancients' Taoist methods sought to seize the creation of heaven and earth, and to explore the ultimate connection between themselves and the Great Tao.

Lu Chi pondered to himself that his spiritual essence was exceptionally strong in water, and this "Taiyuan Xuanshui Jing" was practically tailor-made for him.

Moreover, this method of condensing the foundation is so flexible and inclusive that if one can find some rare and unusual spiritual water to incorporate into it in the future, its potential is simply unfathomable.

However... this method is ultimately incomplete, consisting of only two parts: Qi Refining and Foundation Building.

The ancient techniques have long been lost to time; the years have passed and the world has changed.

If I were to one day miraculously achieve Foundation Establishment, searching for subsequent chapters on Golden Core and Nascent Soul in the vast world would be like finding a needle in a haystack, an impossible task.

Lu Chi frowned slightly, but soon he shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.

He was merely a low-level rogue cultivator in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, who hadn't even reached the threshold of Foundation Establishment, yet he was already worrying about the extinction of the Golden Core cultivation method.

The scroll of "Mysterious Origin Foundation Transformation Technique" that Han Jingxing gave him could only be cultivated up to the Foundation Establishment stage before the path forward was cut off.

"The great path is like crossing an abyss; do not plan for what lies a hundred steps ahead, but only ensure that your steps are firm. The difficulties of the future will be overcome by me in the future."

Lu Chi silently recited a phrase in his heart, and the moment he thought of it, his previous anxiety vanished.

Let your future self worry about what's to come.

The most important thing right now is to seize this readily available foundation and lay a solid foundation for ourselves.

He calmed his mind and sat down in meditation with his eyes closed in the dimly lit hall.

Once the depleted spiritual energy within his body was completely replenished and the remaining fatigue in his sea of ​​consciousness was soothed, Lu Chi opened his eyes and made a decision in his heart: to switch to cultivating the "Taiyuan Xuanshui Scripture"!

Pushing open the door, the sky outside was gray and hazy, and a cold autumn rain had started to fall.

Lu Chi raised his hand and circulated his spiritual power. A flash of light appeared in front of him, and a faint light screen spread out, blocking out all the drizzle.

He stepped out, and raindrops fell on the light screen, quietly sliding away.

Switching to a different cultivation method is no child's play.

It is necessary to forcibly reverse and shatter the original circulation route of spiritual energy in the body, and then re-establish and reshape it according to the new cultivation method.

This process is extremely brutal; a slight mistake can tear the meridians or even cause one to suffer a qi deviation.

Therefore, before formally entering seclusion for cultivation, one must take a special elixir to protect the meridians.

As I stepped out of the alley, the drizzle pattered against the light screen, making a soft, rustling sound.

After a stick of incense had burned, he stopped in front of the "Huichun Dange" on West Street.

The store was bustling with activity, business was booming. He stepped inside and casually glanced around. It was a coincidence that Han Jingxing seemed to be out and not yet back; only a few appraisers were busy at the counter.

He walked straight to a slightly deserted counter, decisively took out spirit stones, and bought a bottle of first-level "Meridian Protection Pill" to stabilize his meridians.

There wasn't a single wasted word. After the money and goods were exchanged, they turned and disappeared back into the cold autumn rain.

Lu Chi cautiously returned to his residence deep within Qingque Mountain, locking the gate tightly behind him and maximizing all the defensive and soundproofing measures inside the house.

The room was dark and silent.

Lu Chi sat cross-legged on the futon, regulated his breathing for a long time, and after his mind had completely calmed down, he poured out a meridian-protecting pill and swallowed it.

The gentle medicinal power spread out, transforming into an invisible barrier that protects the body's meridians.

Without further hesitation, he changed his hand seals, guiding the original spiritual energy in his dantian along the complex pathways of the "Taiyuan Xuanshui Scripture," gradually reopening the circulation of Qi.

The process of switching to repair is tedious and lengthy.

With the blessing of the Meridian Protection Pill, there was no danger of any meridians being severed.

Only the dull pain from the constant shattering and reshaping of old spiritual energy, and a bone-chilling cold that surged from the depths of the dantian and permeated the entire body.

The temperature in the quiet room gradually decreased, and a thin layer of white frost spread outwards along the hem of Lu Chi's clothes.

This painstaking process lasted for five whole days.

On the morning of the fifth day, the stagnant spiritual energy in the quiet room began to ripple slightly.

Lu Chi slowly opened his eyes, a restrained, deep blue light flashing in his profound pupils.

He gently exhaled a breath of white mist carrying a chill, carefully sensing the spiritual energy flowing within his body.

The total amount of spiritual energy in the Qi Sea visibly shrank by nearly 30%, but the cold and pure quality was several times more refined than before, and it flowed through the meridians more smoothly than an arm or finger.

He also keenly sensed that his cultivation barrier had loosened slightly as his spiritual energy was purified.

At his current high level of Qi circulation, he should be able to break through the bottleneck and reach the fifth level of Qi Refining in no more than half a year.

Break through one level in half a year.

Such a cultivation speed might be insignificant compared to the geniuses of sects with heavenly or earthly spiritual roots.

But for someone with such dull and low-grade spiritual roots as him, this was already a terrifying advancement that ordinary people wouldn't even dare to dream of.

"Not only that..."

While pleasantly surprised, Lu Chi quickly noticed another unusual thing.

As the water-attribute cultivation technique was fully formed, some of the familiar Daoist auras within his body seemed to be undergoing a mysterious transformation under the influence of the azure spiritual power.

His eyes flickered slightly, and with a thought, he slowly raised his right hand.

With a soft "poof" sound.

A tiny flame flickered and leaped from the tips of his index and middle fingers, which were joined together.

What should have been a pure crimson flame, under the nourishment of the extremely cold spiritual power of the "Taiyuan Xuanshui Jing", actually had wisps of dark blue color peeled off from the depths of the flame's heart.

The flame burned quietly, and instead of feeling much heat, it emitted a chilling aura that could freeze even one's mind.

Water and fire should not be compatible, but this mysterious fire, nurtured by its own energy, actually bore the cold energy of the Taiyuan Mysterious Water Scripture and transformed into a chilling "cold flame".