Starting as a Talisman Master

Another failure!

Five talismans were wasted!

Lu Chi stared at the few talisman papers on the table, their ink still wet and the stitching broken, and remained silent for a moment.

The room was extremely quiet, except for the slight swaying of the pen holder, which made a very soft sound.

He lowered his eyes for a moment, then finally let out a soft breath.

Before truly embarking on the path of talismans, relying solely on these days of accumulation and imitation to think one can draw complete and usable talismans without talent is ultimately wishful thinking.

He sat down to regulate his breathing, closed his eyes to calm his mind, and after a long while, he opened his eyes again and raised his hand to guide the movement.

Deep within his consciousness, a burning, fiery thought suddenly arose. In a flash of inspiration, the talisman's heart ignited, indicating the activation of the [Burning Thought] technique.

"Since I have tried several times without success, there is no need to force it. I will wait until I am more familiar with the way of talismans or my cultivation level has improved before I can try again."

Lu Chi muttered to himself, his expression calm, and in the blink of an eye, he had forgotten his boastful words.

It would be foolish not to use a talisman, as these talisman paper and ink are real spiritual materials consumed!

Moreover, since Zhou Jinyan has already agreed to act as matchmaker, someone will likely come to his door asking for a talisman in a few days.

Therefore, the most important thing right now is to prepare enough talismans to meet the needs.

He didn't know if this path of "selling talismans" would really work, but having already taken the plunge, he couldn't leave empty-handed.

A glimmer of inspiration gradually gathered on the paper, but the meaning of the symbol was still uncertain. Lu Chi's gaze was fixed, and his brushstrokes continued uninterrupted.

For the next few days, he drew two talismans every day without any slackening.

It wasn't until dusk on the fourth day that he finished writing a spirit-gathering talisman. Just as he was about to get up and rest, he suddenly felt a faint spiritual energy tremble from his sea of ​​consciousness.

Immediately afterwards, a line of text quietly appeared before my eyes:

[Spirit Gathering Talisman Proficiency Increased: Minor Success]

The Spirit Gathering Talisman was originally only at the beginner level 1 on the panel. To advance to a minor level, one needed to accumulate 100 proficiency points.

Each completed talisman adds ten points, and I have been drawing them every day for the past few days, and now I have just accumulated enough.

Before Lu Chi could think it through, a strange feeling quietly crept over him.

His consciousness was gently tugged, as if pulled away from himself, and in an instant, he found himself standing in an old, dusty house.

Inside the room, a flickering lamp illuminated a white-bearded old man sitting at a desk, writing talismans with a brush. His expression was serene, and his breathing was deep and even.

It was no stranger. In a daze, he felt as if he were the old man himself, experiencing firsthand the rise and fall of his brush, the flow of spiritual energy, and the outlining of talismans.

Outside, thunder and rain raged, thousands of talismans were rolled up, the hand never stopped writing, the breath was steady, and the talismans were formed like flowing water, one after another, all of which were methods of gathering spirit talismans.

This scene lasted for an unknown period of time, yet it also seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye.

When he came to his senses, he was still sitting in the same room. The spiritual light had not yet dissipated, the talisman brush was slightly hot, and there were traces of sweat on his palms, but his mind was much calmer than before.

He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing for a moment. When his spirits had recovered, he had an idea and took out a new talisman paper, which he then spread out on the table.

This time, he did not use [Burning Thoughts].

Dipping his brush in ink and focusing his mind, he slowly began to write, following the method demonstrated by the "old talisman master" in his mind. In the transitions and turns of the strokes, there was a subtle sense of fluency that came from long practice.

As the final stroke sealed the talisman, spiritual energy was poured in, and the talisman trembled slightly, light patterns appeared, and the talisman core remained firmly in place.

Become!

Lu Chi stared at the Spirit Gathering Talisman, which he had created himself without relying on any talent, and remained silent for a long time.

Although it can still only become a first-grade low-level talisman, it has already taken the first step. Compared with the five talismans that were all destroyed a few days ago, it is no longer comparable.

"In this way, even if my talent as a talisman master is ordinary, it doesn't matter. I can slowly accumulate proficiency with the help of [Burning Thought] and eventually be able to draw talismans on my own."

"If I use [Burning Mind] to draw the Spirit Gathering Talisman again now, will I be able to draw a mid-grade talisman directly?"

Although Lu Chi was somewhat tempted, he was not in a hurry to try.

Having used his talent today, he had expended a great deal of energy, so he put down his brush, sealed the talisman, and sat quietly for another night.

As his mind gradually calmed down, he got up, glanced out the window, and then took out a cloth bag from the table. Inside, he found that all nine spirit-gathering talismans were sealed.

After tidying up the house, Lu Chi brought his talisman to entertain guests, not to set up a stall, but at someone's invitation.

Zhou Jinyan came by yesterday during the day and mentioned the Spirit Gathering Talisman. He had already spoken to several of his spirit farmer friends about it privately.

The group all agreed that the quality was excellent. Since the spirit fields were about to be expanded and they were in need of this product, they decided to send one of them out for a face-to-face meeting.

If things go well, you can come to collect the talisman regularly in the future... The agreed time is right now.

Time passed slowly, and soon footsteps could be heard outside the courtyard.

There was a light knock on the door twice. Zhou Jinyan pushed the door open and came in first. He stepped aside and followed the middle-aged cultivator who was tall and strong with dark skin, a straight back, and a cold and solemn expression.

Zhou Jinyan stepped aside and introduced the middle-aged cultivator, saying, "This is Lu Chi, Brother Lu, the newly promoted talisman master I was talking about."

The middle-aged cultivator nodded slightly and cupped his hands in greeting: "I am from Caozhen. I have come here to take a look at the place at the request of several fellow Daoists."

His tone was low and his words were respectful yet cautious; though he was polite, his expression lacked warmth.

Cao Zhen glanced at Lu Chi briefly, without saying much, clearly indicating that Lu Chi was a cautious, quiet, and reserved person.

Qi Refining Level 5, are farmers this capable nowadays...? Lu Chi returned the greeting with a cupped hand and said calmly, "Fellow Daoists, you are too kind. Please, Brother Cao, come inside."

Cao Zhen neither agreed nor disagreed, only nodded, secretly examining the furnishings in the room. His eyes and brows showed a probing intent, which was measured but not trusting.

The three took their seats, the aroma of tea wafting through the air, their voices low and gentle. Though the atmosphere between them was calm, a subtle undercurrent of tension was present.

Cao Zhen said, "Among the talisman masters in the workshop, we have never heard of Fellow Daoist Lu. Since you say that this talisman was made by your own hand, please explain clearly. We do not wish to be tainted by things of dubious origin."

Zhou Jinyan, standing to the side, smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Cao is overthinking it. This talisman was indeed drawn by Lu Chi himself, and I can vouch for it. It's just that he only recently comprehended the method of creating talismans, and his reputation hasn't yet risen."

Cao Zhen nodded slightly and said, "Seeing is believing. If Fellow Daoist Lu still wants to complete the transaction, why not draw one on the spot so that we can feel at ease?"

"Fellow Daoist Lu need not worry about the materials for the talismans; I have already prepared my own writing materials."

He reached to his side and took out a long, narrow wooden box from his storage bag, followed by an inkstone and ink stick, and finally a stack of neatly cut talisman paper.

Once the box was opened, several talisman brushes were clearly arranged inside, their tips glossy and smooth, indicating that they had been kept for many years.

There was also a small porcelain bottle next to it, its seal still intact, with a faint spiritual aura emanating from it.

It turns out that Cao Zhen had prepared all of this long ago. He wasn't just trying it out casually. Today's challenge was specifically designed to help him create the talisman on the spot.

Zhou Jin opened his mouth, but the situation had clearly gone beyond what they had discussed before. He couldn't suppress his concerns and said, "Fellow Daoist Cao... I'm afraid this is inappropriate."

He didn't doubt Lu Chi, but he knew in his heart that Lu Chi had only recently become a talisman and was most afraid of being in the public eye like this.

The moment the brush touches the paper, if the mind is slightly disturbed, the talisman's pattern will veer off course.

If a worthless talisman is placed on the stage, the business deal may not be able to continue, and you will lose face for nothing, which is not worth the loss.

Lu Chi met Cao Zhen's gaze without getting angry; instead, he smiled.

When cultivators walk through the market, they should be wary of things of unknown origin. If the talisman is not made by themselves, it will involve the source, which may cause trouble at best, or even make them a target.

Especially items stolen from cultivators and sold off are often circulated and sold through talismans and pills. Once they come into contact with the original owner, or are misunderstood and implicated by others, it is an undeserved disaster.

Cao Zhen's actions were not due to excessive suspicion, but rather to cautiousness. Most cultivators who could establish themselves securely in the market understood this principle.

He cupped his hands slightly and said in a flat tone, "It's alright. I understand that Fellow Daoist Cao is being cautious. Since you want to verify it, I will do as you say and give it a try."