Longevity through Upgrading Buildings

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Talisman Room Level 0

Pill Array Talismans, Corpse Puppet Ghost Beast, Feng Shui Divination, Face Reading and Qi Observation…

All of these are part of the Hundred Skills of Cultivation.

As a matter of fact, even Ji Yuan’s pig and chicken farming, or Luo Tong’s butchery, can be considered part of the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, just not as famous as those four.

Of course, their status isn’t as high as those, and they don’t earn as many Spirit Stones either.

During this period, Ji Yuan has also understood that in the Cangluo Continent, the highest status belongs to Array Masters.

Arrays differ from other fields; even in alchemy and artifact refining, as long as you don’t spare expenses and practice diligently, you might see some effects.

But arrays are not like that.

This field… relies purely on talent.

After understanding this, Ji Yuan feels arrays are like mathematics from his previous life.

With other subjects, if you put in some effort, you might learn them, but mathematics is something you simply can’t do if you don’t have the knack.

Arrays are the same.

Scarcity makes things precious; places like Zengtou City hardly have any Array Masters.

Next is artifact refining and alchemy, both extremely resource-intensive, especially artifact refining, where each failure leads to significant loss.

On the other hand, talisman painting consumes fewer resources.

Though talent matters, even with lesser talent, you can still build up experience.

Take Lu Wan, for example, who purely has high talent. It’s said she started with drawing a Water Ball Talisman after seeing a few, which led her father to find ways to get her a master.

Ji Yuan thinks deeply that if he has to choose one skill from the Hundred Skills of Cultivation,

it would definitely be talisman making.

But one must also learn alchemy and artifact refining, especially for crafting Foundation Establishment Pills or Lifebound Magical Treasures later, which surely needs to be done personally.

Moreover, the panel provides such good conditions, there’s no reason to waste them.

For now, he plans to make more talismans to gather Spirit Stones and increase his strength… Also, upgrades for the future Fish Pond and Pigsty require rune engraving.

Learning in advance is also paving the way for the future.

After deciding, Ji Yuan begins to plan whether he can upgrade the Talisman Making Room.

If it can be upgraded, everything is possible.

If not, start anew.

But how can he make a Talisman Making Room? Or, to be precise, how can he make the panel recognize he has such a room?

With some thought, Ji Yuan takes out paper and pen in the room, writes “Talisman Making Room” in large characters, and uses rice paste to stick it at the door.

After waiting a bit, the panel shows no response.

’It shouldn’t be like this.’

Ji Yuan turns the paper over, changes “Talisman Making Room” to “Talisman Room,” then changes it to “Talisman Painting Room,” changes back and forth, and finally, when he sticks “Symbol Room” at the door, the panel changes.

[Symbol Room lv0]

[lv1: Spirit Effect: Level One Talisman success rate +20%, Tier Two Talisman success rate +5%]

Upgrade conditions: Low-grade Spirit Stones×10, “Introduction to Talisman Dao”×1, successfully paint one “Calm Heart Talisman” (not achieved)

Finally got it!

Ji Yuan looks at the effect of Level 1 Symbol Room, just four words… Simple yet direct!

Unlike the Chicken Cage and Pigsty with various auxiliary effects, the Symbol Room’s effect is exceedingly simple, merely increasing the success rate of drawing talismans.

Furthermore, it directly raises the success rate of Level One Talismans by 20%, even for the Foundation Establishment Stage’s common Tier Two Talismans, it raises by 5%.

Go for it!

Definitely go for it!

Ji Yuan can easily afford the 10 Spirit Stones, and “Introduction to Talisman Dao” is cheap, plenty available for sale in Zengtou City, at just 1 Spirit Stone per copy.

The Calm Heart Talisman is merely a Level One low-grade talisman, on par with the Water Ball Talisman, shouldn’t be difficult to draw… At worst, try several times.

The day is still young, Ji Yuan, just back from Zengtou City, turns and goes again.

First, he buys the cheap “Introduction to Talisman Dao,” which has introductions to commonly used Level One Talismans in the Qi Cultivation Stage.

Next are the three essentials for talisman painting: Talisman Paper, Talisman Brush, and Talisman Ink.

As for Talisman Paper, the first-grade paper sold in Zengtou City has three types, from lesser to premium: Cyan Hemp Talisman Paper, Cloud Pattern Talisman Paper, and superior Sharkskin Talisman Paper.

Ji Yuan, yet to start, naturally buys the cheapest Cyan Hemp Talisman Paper.

Spirit Stone for 100 sheets, made from ten-year-old Cyan Hemp Grass and Black Spirit Fish Blood, each can bear Spiritual Power up to twice, but tends to ignite spontaneously.

The Talisman Ink is also the lowest-grade, Scarlet Black Ink, which can be universally used for basic five-element talismans.

To draw high-level talismans, corresponding attribute ink must be prepared.

This ink is also inexpensive, costing Ji Yuan only two Spirit Stones.

The only costly item is the Talisman Brush.

No matter what, the talisman brush is of magical artifact level, even Ji Yuan’s beginner brush costs him a full 22 Spirit Stones.

Regarding this, he has just one thought.

Recover the cost! Must recover the cost!

Anyway, he’ll rely on talismans to earn back those thirty-something Spirit Stones before continuing.

The brush is named “Cyan Bamboo Spirit-Guiding Brush,” made from fifty-year-old Fog Spirit Bamboo, engraved with Spirit Gathering Patterns inside.

After purchasing these, Ji Yuan is left with only 24 Spirit Stones.

Still having quite a few, he follows Qiu Qianhai’s method and prepares a set of itch toxin solution and Water Ball Talisman, costing him five Spirit Stones.

In the end, he recalls the valuable Corpse-Dissolving Water.

He thinks, since here, might as well buy it together.

Shortly after, after much searching, Ji Yuan finds the Xue Nine Room in the northwest corner of Zengtou City as mentioned by Qiu Qianhai.

Except for being at the alley end, the room has no special features.

Ji Yuan steps forward, knocks on the door, then steps back and waits patiently.

Soon, the door opens, and a middle-aged man with greying hair and uneven eyes looks out.

“Who are you looking for?” The man examines Ji Yuan up and down, unfamiliar with him.

“May I ask if Daoist Li is here?”

Ji Yuan slightly bows.

“No, you’ve got the wrong person.”

The man slams the door shut.

“It’s not…”

Ji Yuan can only step back and check the name plate again, confirming he didn’t err, he knocks again.

“I said not! Can’t you just…”

Before he finishes, Ji Yuan lowers his voice to speak a name.

“Qiu Qianhai.”

The man pauses, “Fine, come in.”

Even though Ji Yuan doesn’t quite trust this man, he trusts Qiu Qianhai.

However, upon entering, he detects an indescribable scent, partly the freshness of herbs, partly some concealed stench.

His eyes involuntarily glance at a closed room on the right; this man… turns out to be an Alchemist.

The man is indeed crippled, walking with a limp.

Finally, in the room, he pours Ji Yuan a cup of tea.

“Where’s Qiu Qianhai?”

Ji Yuan takes the tea but doesn’t respond.

The man chuckles, “No need to tell me, I know, he’s probably escaped to another market… that chap has guts, dared to kill Liu Laizi.”

“To kill in Zengtou City, so many capable of killing him, could it be him?”

“It’s all fear of the Qin Family behind.”

Ji Yuan sets down the tea, sighing, “Exactly.”

“Alright, since he directed you here, you’re likely after this, right?”

The man casually pulls out a bottle of Corpse-Dissolving Water from his waist, “Just a trinket, inexpensive, 1 Spirit Stone per bottle.”

Ji Yuan immediately stands, “I need four bottles.”

He hands over four Spirit Stones.

“There you go.”

With four bottles of Corpse-Dissolving Water in hand, Ji Yuan feels somewhat relieved, though he hesitates and chooses to ask: “Might I inquire, Daoist, your relation to Qiu Qianhai?”

“I’m his uncle.”

The man doesn’t hide it, saying plainly.

Ji Yuan is slightly surprised; Qiu Qianhai previously introduced him as calling him with a nickname… Normally, one wouldn’t do that to their uncle.

Ji Yuan doesn’t know what occurred between them, nor does he care; he bows and takes his leave.

Just as he nears the door, he hears the voice behind once again.

“Qiu Qianhai trusts you enough to send you to me, if you see him again, tell him… tell him I agreed.”