Both Yu Ci and Bao Guang were exceedingly curious, wondering who this highly esteemed elder could be.
Murong Qingyan lightly brushed her temples, her fingertips touching the white flower adorning her hair. She spoke softly, "The first person I ever admired in this life was Sect Leader Ye Bin of Half Mountain Island. She managed to stand tall in a world surrounded by formidable forces, earning the respect of thousands. Whether it was her governance of the sect, her mastery in swordsmanship, or her dealings with others, she was truly peerless in her time. It's truly awe-inspiring."
"Ye Bin?"
Upon hearing this name, the emotions of Yu Ci and Bao Guang diverged sharply.
Murong Qingyan leisurely walked along the mountain path, lost in her thoughts. "In the past, Sect Leader Ye took over the legacy of Half Mountain Island due to her master's severe injuries. With her Unfettered Sword and her self-created Half Mountain Mirage Swordsmanship, she defeated countless powerful enemies using her Taoism Immortal body. Even grandmasters of the Earth Immortal level and those who had survived tribulations had to retreat in her presence. Her fame spread across the sea, hailed as the foremost among those below the Thunderbolt Tribulation Cultivators. Yet, considering her strength, how many within the Thunderbolt Tribulation Cultivators could rival her?"
The term "Thunderbolt Tribulation Cultivators" that the female cultivator mentioned is a collective term for the Thunderbolt Tribulation Cultivator and Earth Immortal Grandmaster, who are above the Realm of the True Being. These individuals possess earth-shattering cultivation levels, which often incite the jealousy of the heavens, attracting tribulations. However, with each tribulation they survive, their cultivation and divine powers progress significantly. Without a doubt, they are the most prominent figures in this realm. For instance, the Lichen Sect only has three Thunderbolt Tribulation Cultivators, yet it's considered a major power in the Central and Western regions, and is well-known throughout the world.
According to Ye Tu's theory, the three realms of "Taoism Immortal, Tribulation, Earth Immortal" are collectively referred to as the "Three Difficulties of Immortality". However, the so-called Taoism Immortal is merely a transitional stage towards the Tribulation realm. In this stage, the true form is shaped and the Yang Spirit is complete. Although one can achieve longevity, without experiencing the tribulation, one cannot be considered "immortal and indestructible". Compared to the Thunderbolt Tribulation Cultivators who have survived tribulations, there is a fundamental difference.
The fact that Ye Bin, a woman, could awe and intimidate enemies of the level of Thunderbolt Tribulation Cultivators with her prowess in the Realm of the True Being was undoubtedly a marvel. It was no wonder then that Ye Tu, when he spoke of Half Mountain Island, did so with such pride. Now, when Murong Qingyan speaks of it, she does so with genuine reverence.
"Sect Leader Ye's self-created Half Mountain Mirage Swordsmanship is considered to be the pinnacle of sword aura refinement since the calamity in the Cultivation World. Her governance of the Sect has led to the prosperity of Half Mountain Island and the emergence of numerous talents. As a person, she is of impeccable character. She dedicated herself to safeguarding the foundation of the island, willingly confining her transcendent cultivation within the Realm of the True Being to prevent interference from the Tribulation, thereby delaying her own progress. She is undeniably one of the most remarkable figures in our world and a role model for us female cultivators."
Bao Guang listened with admiration written all over his face, his thoughts drifting as he imagined what such a person would be like.
Yu Ci, however, didn't need to imagine anymore. He looked down at his hand, his heart beating slightly faster:
Half Mountain Mirage?
Was that the true name of the sword aura Ye Bin had gifted him? Yu Ci couldn't be sure if Ye Bin would be generous to such an extent, but he was deeply grateful even for the faintest shadow of that sword mantra.
But the mark he had engraved from afar, could it really reach such heights?
Just as he was lost in thought, he heard Murong Qingyan exhale: "Compared to her, whether it's me or Sister Tao, our management of the Sect has led to fragmentation. How unbearable is that?"
At her sudden change of topic, Yu Ci and Bao Guang looked at each other, speechless.
Of course, Murong Qingyan didn't expect a response. She shifted the conversation, turning her gaze to Yu Ci:
"Junior Brother Yu, you've been practicing hard recently."
"Huh?"
Yu Ci didn't know why she said this, but following her gaze, he realized that without knowing when, his hand had formed the Talisman of the Clear Mind Incantation, twirling fluidly between his fingers.
It had become second nature to him.
In recent times, in order to master the Qi Leading Method, Yu Ci had either been practicing the Star Connecting Secret Technique to train his Divine Soul and familiarize himself with the Talisman, or like now, playing with the Talisman, exploring its finer details. This had fostered two habits:
The first was to look at the stars in the sky and desire to connect them; the second was to contemplate issues, and whether consciously or unconsciously, they would solidify into a Clear Mind Incantation, to be toyed with between his fingers.
At this moment, Murong Qingyan, a woman, discovered him, and he said, "I apologize if I have caused you to laugh, senior sister."
Murong Qingyan replied with a smile, "How could that be? When I was practicing Talisman, I felt very diligent, but I am not as devoted as you. Regrettably, my Talisman cultivation is only average. However, Nan Songzi, despite being a lowly individual, is indeed the best in our sect in terms of Talisman. He is quite famous in the Three Lakes of the North."
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Yu Ci, a man, felt a jolt in his heart, "Nan Songzi?"
*********
Murong Qingyan had departed. According to her, she was visiting friends, touring mountains and rivers, planning to spend three to five years to take in the scenery of this realm.
Such behavior was indeed very free and easy. Yu Ci found it hard to imagine himself spending five years of his prime time calling on friends, touring mountains, and playing with water.
He had a very clear goal, and now, the time to achieve his goal was becoming more and more pressing.
After reuniting with the Red Yin Immortal, a woman, his desire became even more intense and realistic: he wanted to live forever, but before that, he would not allow himself to be an insignificant ant, casually crushed under the foot of a giant.
So, he continued to work hard, with even more effort and dedication than before.
It was already the tenth day after Murong Qingyan's departure.
Under the guidance of Bao Guang, a man, Yu Ci found an excellent place to practice. It was a quiet and small valley, only two to three acres in size, rarely visited by people. On the north side of the mountain wall, a spring seeped from the rock crevices and quietly formed a small pool in the valley. The pool water was deep green, clear and sweet, and there were even a few types of fish swimming in it, adding a touch of wilderness.
The serene environment was very suitable for thinking. According to Bao Guang, in the previous years, Old Daoist Yu Zhou, a man, liked to come here. He would sit for seven to eight days at a time. However, in recent years, he came less often, and this place became a sanctuary for young Taoists to steal some leisure time.
Now, the young Taoist had given it to Yu Ci, hoping that it could inspire him.
Indeed, a Divine Light was flashing in Yu Ci's mind.
This Divine Light was triggered by a casual remark by Murong Qingyan before she went on her journey, and was nurtured and nourished in this quiet little valley.
At that time, Murong Qingyan mentioned Nan Songzi, and Yu Ci thought of the time on Nanfrost Lake when Nan Songzi mocked his Talisman as a piece of junk. Before that, he had said a few vivid words:
Drawing Talismans if Knowledge Aperture, will scare the gods and ghosts. Drawing Talismans without Knowledge Aperture, will instead make the gods and ghosts laugh!
This was the true source of the Divine Light in Yu Ci's mind.
Yu Ci's hands never ceased their motion, his five fingers twirling, causing a Spirit Talisman in the void to roll back and forth. It was the Clear Mind Incantation. Meanwhile, three phrases were constantly revolving in his mind:
A talisman must possess spirit.
The spirit, is the key to the aperture.
With the apertures connected, the Divine Light shines brightly, and the Talisman is complete.
These three sentences were written in the summary of the "Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book". The last sentence was once put forward by Immortal Leader Xie Liang, alongside the other two, to discuss what a talisman is, where the key to a talisman lies, and how to draw talismans - a series of progressive concepts.
Yu Ci, following Elder Jie Liang's example, studied the Talisman Book for two full days. He finally extracted these three sentences from the summary of thousands of words, also establishing a progressive relationship. Then, everything became clear.
Apertures connected.
Yu Ci had always interpreted this as the need for the Divine Intent Energy to flow continuously when drawing talismans, with each stroke connecting to the next. This was not wrong, but now he felt that he had overcomplicated a simple issue.
According to Elder Jie Liang, drawing talismans was nothing more than arranging energy and drawing images to connect with nature. The "arrangement of energy" here referred to storing Divine Intent Energy on the talisman, but where should it be stored?
That was, as Nan Songzi had said, drawing talismans required Knowledge Aperture. The "energy", or the Primordial Qi driven by a cultivator's divine intent, should be stored in the "aperture".
Yu Ci released his hand, allowing the Clear Mind Incantation to float before his eyes, tracing it twice with his finger. Although he did not exert real force, as his thoughts flowed, he felt a slight sinking sensation at his fingertips.
If his feeling was correct, then after countless experiments over many days, he had found the "aperture"!
The so-called "aperture" in the structure of a talisman was the most crucial structural point of the talisman. It was like the turning point of the star connection in the use of the "Star Connecting Secret Technique". But when it came to the actual process of drawing talismans, it was purely a sense of connection, formed intentionally or unintentionally, where Divine Intent Energy converged. It was like a whirlpool formed by the collision of river currents, where the Divine Intent Energy would generate the most mysterious reaction.
In Yu Ci's understanding, "apertures" are akin to acupoints on the human body, interlinked, through which the Divine Intent Energy must flow unimpeded. The route of the Divine Intent Energy's circulation between these apertures forms the meridian framework of the Spirit Talisman. Thus, with the completion of the meridian points, the structure of a Spirit Talisman is truly established.
This is also the principle of the Talisman, which takes the form of the "human body", the leader of all creatures, hence the term "spirit" when the apertures are unblocked.
Take the simplest Clear Mind Incantation for example, within the curved strokes of the character "quiet", five apertures are formed. The Divine Intent Energy circulates within these, constructing the meridian framework of the entire Talisman. Once the Talisman is formed, it communicates with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The external spiritual energy also passes through these five apertures, following the circuit of the Divine Intent Energy, radiating over the entire Talisman.
Such internal and external communication, gathering energy and containing spirit, can be considered a true Spirit Talisman.
Yu Ci stared at the floating Clear Mind Incantation Talisman in front of him. Even after understanding the theory, it was not something he could immediately utilize. Over the past few days, he had failed countless times trying to grasp that extremely subtle sensation. At this moment, after a long period of accumulation, he felt he had entered an optimal state.
He flexed his fingers twice, finally starting from the beginning of the strokes.
It's hard to describe what that feeling was like.
The newly infused Divine Intent Energy, contained but not released, followed the path of the already formed "meridian framework", moving slowly but steadily, and delicately. It felt as if he was sailing a light boat on a great river.
In the beginning, he was going against the current, thinking about how to use the oars. But later, his hand, eye, and heart became one, undistracted and effortless. Regardless of the dangerous rapids and whirlpools, he let the boat fly with the current, gaining speed and using less force. Finally, he felt the river surge like a dragon, suddenly leaving the earth and soaring into the clouds.
Yu Ci was suddenly thrown out!
In his shock, he woke up to see his finger drawing the last stroke of the Talisman text. His index finger trembled, and the originally gentle stroke suddenly changed, like the surging river that turned into a dragon in his trance, as if it was about to break through the sky.
More than that, the friction between his fingertip and the spiritual energy gathered on the Talisman caused a clear ringing sound.
Like striking a jade bell, or hitting a bronze bell, the sound was both clear and powerful. It was hard to tell, but the sound echoed long and unceasing in the valley.
***********
Once again, thank you, brothers and sisters, for your understanding and support.
...
I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e