C5 Suppress the Black Gas and Condense the Spirit River
This time, Xiao Yu refrained from cutting his finger. Instead, he bit his tongue's tip, allowing the blood to ooze out onto the Talisman Stone.
The tongue's tip is one of the rare places in the body that contains Essential Blood. Depleting it could harm one's very essence. An ordinary person might suffer a severe illness or, in extreme cases, death.
This was a unique Talisman Imprint technique Xiao Yu had devised in his past life, known as the Blood Guidance Technique. He was left with no choice, having exhausted all three hundred crystals; success was imperative.
With the Blood Guidance Technique, the Talisman Stone in Xiao Yu's grasp seemed to merge with him. He could distinctly sense the intricate patterns within the stone, identifying its vulnerabilities and the most effortless way to inscribe it.
Xiao Yu wielded his knife once more, his movements deliberate and measured.
"Weng!"
As the Talisman Imprint took its final shape, the Talisman Stone in Xiao Yu's hand vibrated gently, emitting a mysterious glow that hinted at immense power.
Filled with elation, Xiao Yu hastily retrieved the vial of Beast Blood he had purchased and poured it over the Talisman.
The stone served as a vessel, while the Talisman Imprint was infused with Great Dao Power. The stone vessel bearing the Talisman Imprint was the very definition of a Talisman.
Yet, the process was incomplete. Without stabilizing the Talisman Imprint's power, it would soon fade away. Hence, Xiao Yu used the Beast Blood to seal and preserve the imprint's potency.
The vibrant Beast Blood meandered along the grooves Xiao Yu had etched, eventually staining the Talisman Imprint a deep red.
At that moment, the Talisman Imprint on the stone shone brightly before the light swiftly withdrew, settling into tranquility.
"It worked!" Xiao Yu exclaimed in surprise. Leveraging his Talisman Imprinting prowess and his secret technique, he had at last succeeded in crafting the Talisman Imprint.
The revelation that he, a mere mortal, had inscribed a Talisman Imprint might astound many, but to Xiao Yu, it was all in a day's work.
After inscribing the Talisman Imprint, Xiao Yu wasted no time. He closed his eyes, sat cross-legged on his bed, and began to cultivate.
Strands of the Great Dao Power were drawn into his body. Simultaneously, the eerie black mist within him resurfaced, consuming the incoming power. With a cold snort, Xiao Yu swiftly activated the Talisman.
The Talisman he had etched was known as the Demon Sealing Talisman, designed to trap and suppress malevolent entities within the body. It radiated a soft glow, and the black mist inside Xiao Yu seemed to be drawn to it, coalescing towards the Talisman.
Before long, the light from the Demon Sealing Talisman began to fade, and the Talisman Imprint, stained with Beast Blood, took on a darker hue. Xiao Yu's body slowly regained its clarity as the black mist was fully absorbed.
This outcome did not surprise Xiao Yu. Even though the Demon Sealing Talisman was a mere Grade One Talisman, he had inscribed it and had also employed the Arcane Arts, infusing the Talisman with a drop of his Essential Blood. Had it failed to suppress the black mist, it would have been truly astonishing.
Having quelled the black mist, Xiao Yu didn't squander any time and resumed his cultivation. With the black mist's consumption halted and his memories restored, the Great Dao Power from his surroundings rapidly flowed into his body.
Who was he, after all? The once formidable Ninth Heaven Sovereign, whose cultivation speed was nothing short of terrifying!
In a short time, the Great Dao Power filled the first meridian in Xiao Yu's body, moving slowly like a mystical river.
"First transformation of the Spirit Origin Stage!"
Xiao Yu's eyes snapped open, emitting a brilliant light. The Spirit Origin Stage, Qi-transforming Stage, Hidden Void Stage, Four Extremities Stage, and Spirit Manifestation Stage represented the five major realms of cultivation.
The Spirit Origin Stage involved condensing the Great Dao Power within the body's twelve major meridians, transforming it into a Spirit River that constantly nourishes the meridians and fortifies the physique.
Having successfully condensed a Spirit River, Xiao Yu had achieved the cultivation level of the first transformation of the Spirit Origin Stage. The formation of two Spirit Rivers would signify the second transformation.
After sensing the changes within himself, Xiao Yu closed his eyes once more and proceeded to concentrate on forming the second Spirit River. With the absence of the black gas's consumption, his cultivation speed was alarmingly fast. The second Spirit River took shape visibly fast, and it wasn't long before it filled his second meridian.
As Xiao Yu was about to start on the third Spirit River, a faint crackling noise emanated from his chest. Reaching out, he retrieved the Demon Sealing Talisman. The Talisman Imprint on it had shifted from red to black, and the Talisman Stone was fractured, rendering it ineffective.
Upon inspecting his body again, the eerie black gas had reemerged. While it hadn't devoured the newly formed Spirit River, it swiftly spread throughout his other meridians.
"What is this black gas, and why is it so challenging to contain?" Xiao Yu wondered, recognizing the black gas was far from ordinary. It had managed to break through the Demon Sealing Talisman with alarming speed, halting his ability to cultivate further.
After some contemplation, Xiao Yu surmised that the Demon Sealing Talisman hadn't become ineffective; rather, as his cultivation level rose, the black gas seemed to grow stronger. The black gas now within him was significantly denser than before.
"Could it be that the further I advance in my cultivation, the harder this black gas is to suppress?" Xiao Yu pondered the troubling thought. Though he could still employ other methods to keep the black gas at bay, it was bound to become increasingly difficult, and he would need more valuable resources to manage it in the future.
Despite this, Xiao Yu wasn't overly concerned. With his memories restored, he was confident that a mere few strands of black gas wouldn't pose much of a problem.
Glancing at the table, he noticed four uncarved Talisman Embryos. After a brief moment of thought, Xiao Yu stood up and began to carve once again. This time, without resorting to the Arcane Arts, his carving was exceptionally fluid, and he successfully produced four Grade One Talismans. The rate of success was astonishingly high, a feat that would leave many in awe.
Typically, a Talisman Master's chance of successfully crafting a Talisman is not great, given the stringent requirements of the process. A Talisman Master might carve dozens or even hundreds of times without the assurance of producing even one successful Talisman.
After Xiao Yu advanced to the second level of the Spirit Origin Stage, his success rate in creating Talismans astonishingly soared to a perfect 100%. This was a testament to his formidable prowess in the Talisman Dao.
Xiao Yu was well aware that his high success rate was not only due to his cultivation level but also because the Talismans he inscribed this time were relatively straightforward. The Demon Sealing Talisman, though a Grade One Talisman, was challenging to inscribe due to its potent effects in sealing and suppressing all manner of malevolent entities within the human body.
"These four Spirit-gathering Talismans should fetch a decent price at Tianming Pavilion," Xiao Yu mused as he stowed the Talismans away, prudently planning for the future. Having exhausted all three hundred Talisman Stones that Lin Yurou had saved, he was in need of acquiring more for himself.
There's a saying that the wealthy excel in letters while the poor excel in martial prowess. Martial arts cultivation demands substantial resources. Even though Xiao Yu had regained his memories and possessed countless methods to rapidly enhance his strength, all such strategies hinged on the availability of resources.
Furthermore, to continue suppressing the dark energy and advancing his cultivation, he couldn't do without these resources. Glancing out the window, Xiao Yu noticed that the dawn had broken after a full night spent inscribing Talismans and cultivating.
Stepping out of his room, he was greeted by the sight of Lin Yurou, who had just placed a large bowl of soup on the weathered wooden table. The soup was rich with chunks of beast meat, emitting a tantalizing aroma.
"Mother, where did this beast meat come from?" Xiao Yu asked, taken aback. Given their dire circumstances, the luxury of beast meat seemed far out of reach.
"You're awake? Hehe, you've been too weak lately; you need to build up your strength. Come and eat," Lin Yurou said with a graceful smile, yet she offered no explanation for the origin of the meat.
Approaching the table, Xiao Yu watched as Lin Yurou ladled a bowl of the hearty meat soup for him, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. Lin Yurou had given him all three hundred Talisman Stones, and after their recent expulsion to the Outer Mansion, it was clear that this meat had not come easily. It was likely that Lin Yurou had sought help to provide this nourishment.
Xiao Yu bowed his head, concealing his emotions from Lin Yurou as he heartily consumed the meat soup. Despite having savored countless earthly delights in his past life, he had always felt the loneliness of his elevated status, without anyone close to share in those moments. Now, this simple meat soup seemed to him the most exquisite food in the world.
"Take your time, be careful—it's hot," Lin Yurou advised, her smile brimming with contentment. She was overjoyed to see her son regaining his strength so swiftly.
"Lin Yurou, it's late. Why aren't you on your way? What's taking so long?" An impatient voice called out from beyond the door. Xiao Yu looked up at Lin Yurou with concern. "Mother, who's looking for you?"
They were new to the Outer Mansion and knew no one there. The voice sounded unfriendly, and Xiao Yu felt a sense of unease.
"Don't worry, Yuer. Finish your meal; I'll be right back," Lin Yurou reassured him, her demeanor unchanged, her smile still graceful as she rose and stepped out.
Xiao Yu sensed something was off. He stealthily followed her to the door and peered outside. There stood a young man who had been part of their escort the previous day. As Lin Yurou approached, he berated her, "What's taking so long? Aren't you supposed to be in the laundry room working? Are you trying to renege on our deal after eating the beast meat?"
"I'm on my way now," Lin Yurou replied, her voice steady, her composure unshaken.
"Had you not pleaded with me before, offering to wash two hundred garments in exchange for a pound of beast meat, you wouldn't have any meat to eat at all! And now, after eating, you're dragging your feet!" The youth's face was marked with irritation as he continued to scold Lin Yurou, who listened with serene equanimity.
Xiao Yu's fists clenched tightly upon hearing this. The beast meat had come at such a cost. To hasten his recovery, Lin Yurou had humbled herself to make that plea. In his eyes, his mother had always been dignified and graceful, yet now she stooped to perform menial tasks, all for a mere pound of beast meat.
"If you ask me, now that you've been banished to the Outer Mansion, you should stop daydreaming about feasting on beast meat. Can you even afford it? Despite your fall from grace, you still see yourself as a direct descendant of the Lin Family. Isn't that pathetic?" The young man seemed to relish in his tirade, never pausing for a breath as he berated Lin Yurou.
The final remark was too much for Xiao Yu to bear. Unable to contain himself any longer, he burst through the door and exclaimed icily, "What gives you the right to insult my mother?"
Upon seeing Xiao Yu, the young man remained unflustered and scoffed, "Oh please, you're just a non-relative living off the Lin Family's name, and on top of that, a failure who can't even muster a Spirit River. You dare to question me?"
"Yuer, I'm alright. Please, go back inside!" Lin Yurou, who had maintained her composure until now, finally showed a ripple of emotion.
She still believed that Xiao Yu lacked any cultivation abilities. Now that he had arrived at the Outer Mansion, where his status had plummeted, it was inevitable that Xiao Yu would be at a disadvantage in any confrontation.
