Chapter 37: Attempts at Alchemy/Talisman Making
The successful refining of the Jadeite Body Tempering Pill was like opening a new door for Ye Li. She was confident that the powerful medicinal power contained in the pill would help her break through the barriers of the Vein Condensation Realm in one fell swoop. However, she did not retreat immediately. Breaking through the realm required her to be in peak condition, and she could not afford any mistakes.
Before that, she needed to prepare more auxiliary means for herself, whether for protection during the breakthrough or for dealing with possible accidents. Although she had accumulated some contribution points, purchasing finished talismans and array plates was expensive and might not be completely to her liking.
Thus, her focus returned to "creation." With the insights of her previous life's Supreme Being, the subtle assistance of the Samsara Mirror, and the theoretical foundation laid by the Transmission Pavilion, she was no longer satisfied with simply using ready-made things.
She first turned her attention to the way of talismans.
In the quiet room, Ye Li held her breath and concentrated. Spread out before her was the incomplete leather book she'd found in the waste book pile at the market, along with the "Illustrated Guide to Basic Runes" and the newly exchanged "Compendium of Low-Level Talismans." The breath-concealing technique described in the leather book was quite unique. It didn't completely conceal aura, but rather simulated the aura of the surrounding environment, achieving a kind of "mimicry" effect, making it even harder to detect than ordinary breath-concealing techniques.
She didn't copy it exactly, but instead tried to improve it by incorporating the extreme cold properties of her own "Youhuan Emperor Scripture." She dipped her fingertips into the talisman ink made from monster blood and specific mineral powders and wrote on the cut talisman paper.
The pen moved with unstoppable speed, her spiritual energy flowing evenly through the tip of the pen into the rune lines. Her movements were smooth and steady, her precise control of power on full display.
On the first attempt, at the moment the rune was finally written, there was a conflict of energies, and the rune paper spontaneously combusted without wind, turning into ashes.
The second attempt, the rune formation was successful, but the effect of simulating the environmental atmosphere was not good, so it could only be considered a semi-finished product.
The third time...
She was not discouraged. After failing again and again, she adjusted the ratio of rune ink, the strength of spiritual power output, and the details of rune structure again and again.
Finally, after consuming more than a dozen pieces of talisman paper, a talisman with a faint blue luster that could blend perfectly with the surrounding light and aura was successfully made!
"Shadow Concealing Talisman." She named it.
Once activated, this talisman didn't render her completely invisible, but it could distort light to a significant degree, constrict her own aura, and simulate energy fluctuations that closely resembled those of the surrounding environment. Unless one's spiritual awareness was significantly superior to hers, or possessed special pupil techniques, it would be extremely difficult to detect. Its effectiveness far surpassed similar first- and even second-grade breath-suppressing talismans available on the market!
Next, she turned her attention to attacking talismans. Common fireball and ice cone talismans had fixed power and were difficult to create with great skill.
She recalled the battle with the Molten Earth Wolf and the properties of the spiritual power in the "Emperor's Scripture of the Netherworld." A thought occurred to her: could the extremely cold spiritual power be highly compressed, creating a talisman with an instantaneous burst and a strong freezing effect?
She once again devoted herself to research and experimentation. This process was even more difficult than refining the Breath-Suppressing Talisman, requiring extreme levels of spiritual power compression and control. During this process, she even experienced excessive spiritual power output, causing the talisman paper to freeze and crack into icy powder.
She failed more than twenty times and almost used up all the talisman paper in her hand. Just when she was about to give up, a talisman under her pen suddenly lit up with a dazzling ice-blue light, and then quickly retracted. A complex and sharp rune appeared on the talisman paper, emitting a heart-pounding chill!
"Mysterious Ice Explosion Talisman"! Success!
After activating this talisman, it can instantly release a ball of extremely cold ice explosion. The coverage area is not large, but the core power is amazing, enough to threaten the cultivators in the early stage of Condensation Vein, and it has a strong deceleration and freezing effect!
She carefully put away the two talismans with extraordinary effects and used them as her trump cards.
After refining the talisman, Ye Li turned his attention to the medicinal liquid. Although the elixir was good, it was time-consuming to refine, and in some special circumstances, the medicinal liquid was more effective.
She first improved the "Cold Marrow Quenching" technique. Using her newly acquired knowledge of medicinal properties, she added a small amount of "Ice Heart Grass" powder from the market, further purifying the medicinal power, reducing the pain of soaking, and increasing absorption efficiency by another half a percent. While only a slight improvement, the cumulative effect was significant.
Next, she began experimenting with a simple elixir recorded in ancient texts but long lost—"Boiling Blood and Burning Spirit Liquid." This liquid wasn't meant to improve cultivation, but rather to be used in desperate situations. It could instantly stimulate a cultivator's potential, unleashing power far beyond their current realm. However, the cultivator would subsequently suffer extreme weakness and damage to their meridians, effectively quenching thirst with poison.
She valued its reversal effect at critical moments. Based on her own meridian strength, which far surpassed that of an average person, she slightly adjusted the formula, reducing the damage afterward, but also weakening the power accordingly, making it more suitable for her current stage of use.
Refining this liquid required highly concentrated essences of spiritual herbs related to Qi and blood, and the temperature of the fire was extremely demanding. Ye Li failed several times, wasting a lot of materials, before finally succeeding in refining three small bottles of a red liquid that resembled molten amber and exuded a dangerous aura.
Having accomplished all this, she didn't intend to keep it to herself. Whether it was to accumulate more contribution points or to substantially enhance Yundan Peak's status, she decided to "cash in" on some of her achievements.
She divided the improved version of "Cold Marrow Quenching" into five small bottles, and drew five "Shadow Concealing Talisman" (simplified version) and "Mysterious Ice Explosion Talisman" (simplified version), which were slightly inferior to the version she used, but still far superior to ordinary quality.
This time, she did not go to Baibaozhai again, but found the outer disciple Zhao Xiaoyi.
"Xiao Yi, do you know any shops in the market that have good reputations and not too complicated backgrounds and are willing to buy some special-effect medicines and talismans?" Ye Li asked.
Zhao Xiaoyi was now completely devoted to Ye Li. Upon hearing this, he immediately said, "Senior Sister, there's a shop called 'Qiwuxuan' in the east corner of Wanxiang Hall. The owner is an eccentric old man. He only buys rare and extraordinary things. He gives fair prices and never asks about the origins of the items. He has an excellent reputation. However, he has a very picky taste and doesn't like ordinary things."
"Qiwuxuan? Take me to have a look."
Under Zhao Xiaoyi's guidance, Ye Li came to a small shop with old-fashioned decorations. The shop was deserted. An old man with white hair and beard, who was dozing off, sat behind the counter.
Ye Li walked to the counter and gently put down a jade bottle and a talisman.
Without even raising his eyelids, the old man lazily said, "What are you selling? Don't bring out ordinary goods."
Ye Li didn't waste any words. He pulled out the stopper of the jade bottle, and a pure chill spread out. At the same time, he injected a trace of spiritual power into the talisman on the table. The talisman instantly glowed, and the aura was almost perfectly hidden.
The old man suddenly opened his eyes, and two rays of light shot out from his cloudy eyes! He grabbed the jade bottle, sniffed it carefully, picked up the talisman, and looked at it repeatedly, even gently rubbing his fingers among the runes.
"This quenching □□... the medicinal power is pure, the coldness is restrained, and the absorption efficiency is extremely high. It has been improved? And this breath-suppressing talisman... wow, this mimicry effect is amazing! Where did it come from?" The old man looked at Ye Li with a burning gaze.
"I made it myself." Ye Li said calmly.
The old man looked at her deeply, as if trying to see something in her face, and finally chuckled, "Good stuff! You're quite capable, girl. This potion, one bottle is worth eighty contribution points! This talisman, one is worth a hundred points! I'll take as many as you have!"
This price far exceeded the market price of similar items, and was even close to some second-grade elixirs and talismans! This showed the old man's knowledge and generosity.
Ye Li was satisfied in his heart, but did not show it on his face. He took out four more bottles of medicine and four talismans (all simplified versions).
Without saying anything, the old man directly gave her 860 contribution points!
The transaction was completed, and Ye Li was about to leave when the old man suddenly called her: "Girl, if you have good things like this in the future, just bring them to me. If there are any strange materials that you don't recognize, you can also bring them to me and I will help you identify them for free."
"Thank you, senior." Ye Li nodded slightly, his mind moved, but he did not take out the mysterious animal skin immediately.
Leaving Qiwuxuan with a bountiful harvest, Ye Li's capital was even stronger. She didn't sell everything, naturally keeping the best for herself. But this model of converting knowledge into resources, and then using these resources to fuel her cultivation, was already running smoothly.
Rumors quietly spread within a small circle: a batch of superbly effective medicinal liquids and talismans had appeared at Qiwuxuan, suspected to be the work of a master, and they were quickly sold out. Many people inquired about their source, but to no avail.
Ye Li hid his achievements and fame and returned to Yundan Peak.
She used her newly acquired contribution points to exchange for a batch of higher quality refining materials - in particular, several types of metals that were cold and tough in nature. She had a bold idea that she needed to try.
Everything is ready and the condition has been adjusted to its peak.
Ye Li hung a wooden sign outside the quiet room in the courtyard that read "Retreat, Do Not Disturb" and activated all the protective formations.
In the quiet room, the optimized spirit gathering array slowly rotated, a thick stream of spiritual energy swirling. She sat cross-legged at the center of the array, before her were placed Jadeite Body Tempering Pills, several bottles of Cold Marrow Tempering Pills, and a newly drawn talisman.
She took a deep breath, her eyes determined.
During this retreat, I will not leave until my meridians are broken!
---
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
