Walking down the tunnels alone, I turn the corner to see the room that I’ll create the talismans in.

A simple cavern area. Deep underground, where no creatures or people will come to disturb me.

I’ve already informed everyone, so I should have a good three days to handle this. And considering the reduced amount, that should be fine for me to finish this and deal with some elements in the city, too.

Moving to the center of the room, I take a seat.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

I gather the qi in and around me. Placing security talismans around me, that will prevent my qi from leaking out and potentially alerting anyone to my activities.

In the form of a shimmering dome, I see symbols stretch from the talismans and up the walls of the cavern, to end at the entrance, sealing it off as well.

After a moment or two more, I can feel the power of it settle in.

Most of the qi won’t be wasted, unlike with normal talisman creation, because of my scan. I’ll be able to see where waste would come into the process and head it off.

However, there will still be some. That’s because I’m no genius, just a man with information. I’m sure if this was Xing Xun or Da Xia, they’d be able to do it perfectly.

Ah well. I’ll do what I can do.

Focusing back on the matter at hand, I place the three empty talismans before me.

Unlike the other talismans I’ve been making, these will have to be done in a special way.

The other talismans, like the fireball ones, I’ve had to use knowledge of the techniques and stupid amounts of qi to compensate for the lack of personal ability with the cultivation technique itself. Even so, what is considered a stupid amount of qi is simply a drop in the bucket when compared to the total amount of qi I have.

Normally, I can only use a portion of the power of the original technique out of talismans, because of this. Even with my efforts.

But these talismans will be different. Not only do I have the original healing cultivation technique under my cultivation method, but I’ve mastered it via the scan. With the added benefits, I can draw the full version of my healing out. But that won’t mean that it’s easy to do.

The technique I’m engraving on it will have to be my normal technique. After all, my Fingers of Life technique is meant to be used over a distance and normally affecting up to ten people, which wouldn’t be appropriate for trying to heal one person extremely well. And if I want to have it heal her, I’ll need it focused.

Of course, I could always find a way to make it work, but that could always be a future bargaining chip… and one that is used when I have much more time to make something like that.

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Not only that…but I should make these for my people, as well, in case of an emergency.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

I look inward, drawing from my three dantians, letting the qi circulate around my body and meridians, as if I was going to use my cultivation technique. As I do so, I replicate the action on the talisman, drawing on it as I pour qi inside. Different movements, different locations, same technique.

Line by line, I carve my qi into the talismans, my technique floating on the surface in my mind’s eye as I draw on the empty sheet.

And then it’s done.

I open my eyes and realize…

It’s been three days.

…

…that’s terrifying.

That I just spent three days working on these talismans and it only felt like a few hours … no wonder cultivators can go years in cultivation without blinking an eye. When you don’t feel the need to eat, drink, or sleep, time passes quickly.

I slowly climb to my feet. Using my scan to observe the situation around me.

Huh. Nothing much has changed from what I can tell.

That’s part of the reason I didn’t notice how fast time was flying.

I head down to the city layer of Gong’s underground area, with only the three talismans in hand. Soon enough, I find Sister Nuan waiting for me down near the entrance to the city area.

“So… had a good nap?”

I can’t help but chuckle at her teasing.

“Yes, yes. It was great.”

I turn a little serious with my next words.

“…any updates?”

She responds with an equal amount of seriousness.

“Yeah. You probably should get moving toward Matriarch Crane’s place. I think your gift will be enough to please her, but you probably don’t want to push it.

“I’ll meet you there to smooth things over, if needed.”

“Thanks, Nuan. Looks like the timing was right.”

I nod and move to inform the others. She grazes my arm before I move past her.

“Prepare yourself. She’s brought a few guild leaders with her. Without a doubt, she’ll be asking for something. Maybe offering something. Be careful on what you promise or that she promised for you.”

I have a suspicion of what groups these guild leaders represent.

Two of them will be the Ascending Myriad Monsters group and the Eight Winds Alchemical Research society.

The only question will be, did she invite the Alchemy Guild, as well?

The Ascending Myriad Monsters group is the one I had temporarily stored my tamed beasts with and got the contracts from, with the Eight Winds Alchemical Research society being the alchemy group I truly wanted to get recognition from.

With this warning in mind, I check around me and keep an eye out for any spiritual senses as I make my way out of the cavern system. I send a message over to Ai, Lin, Shi, and the others through the communication jade slips, keeping them updated. I soon receive some good luck wishes.

Not only that, but I receive a tiny spider waddle over to me with a small bead. One that has a small note hidden inside it. Clearly, this is a note for Big Sis Crane, that Gong wants me to pass over to her.

I take it with me before heading through the tunnels out of the cavern system. Now sprinting out of it and across the alleyways of Monchon City.

And with my cultivation and stealth scan, not a single person here can track me.

…

…

Wait a second.

I pause in the shadows of the street. My scan is telling me that there’s someone that’s been following me.

Turning around, I look at the totally empty alleyway. And the scan telling me that there’s definitely something. Right. Here.

Every sense in my body is telling me I’m imagining it. Not in the intrusive sense, but in how you just naturally doubt yourself. Luckily for me, my scan is accurate and focused. Much more than when I first encountered them.

Big Sis Crane’s invisible cultivators. Those who can even trick the scan, if it isn’t calibrated correctly.

I stand in front of them, look them in the eyes.

“So… whatcha doin?”

They just stare at me.

I reach out a finger and gently poke their arm. They look down at my finger poking them. And give a sigh, before turning and walking in the other direction.

Well, that went well. I’m pretty sure that person was Nascent Soul.

Thank God my scan told me I wouldn’t die from this.

Probably.