Chapter 191 - 186: Divine Soul Attack Magic
The next morning, Li Yuan sat at his desk and took out the two new talismans he had made last night.
The Ice Cone Talisman was on the left, and the Wind Traveling Talisman was on the right.
He looked at the Ice Cone Talisman first.
His fingertip touched the talisman’s surface.
[Equippable Item Detected: Ice Cone Talisman (Intact)]
[Equipment Entry Preview: Cold Current Amplification (White) — Increases casting speed and power of Water Attribute spells by 10% each.]
[Permanence Condition Preview: Use Water Magic 200 times (0/200)]
[Current equipment slots are full (5/5). Replace currently equipped item?]
A White entry. A dual boost to the casting speed and power of Water Attribute spells, 10% for each.
The permanence condition was to use Water Magic 200 times.
The only Water Magic Li Yuan currently knew was the Ice Cone Skill, which was at the novice level.
Two hundred uses wasn’t a small number, but it wasn’t impossible either. If he really put in the time, he could finish it in a single day.
’However, achieving permanence would require a trip outside, and the entry isn’t very useful to me right now, so I’m in no hurry to make it permanent.’
His finger moved to the Wind Traveling Talisman on the right.
[Equippable Item Detected: Wind Traveling Talisman (Intact)]
[Equipment Entry Preview: Wind Riding Conservation (White) — Reduces Spiritual Power consumption of Wind Element spells by 10%.]
[Permanence Condition Preview: Reach mastery in the Wind Skill (0/1)]
[Current equipment slots are full (5/5). Replace currently equipped item?]
A White entry. It reduced the Spiritual Power consumption of Wind Element spells by 10%.
The permanence condition was to reach mastery in the Wind Skill.
Li Yuan hadn’t learned the Wind Skill yet.
’To make this entry permanent, I’d first have to find the cultivation method for the Wind Skill, then practice it until I reach mastery.’
’Mastery isn’t something that can be achieved in the short term.’
In the following days, Li Yuan focused most of his energy on Talisman Making.
The newly learned Ice Cone Talisman and Wind Traveling Talisman required repeated practice to increase his proficiency, and he also needed to continue honing his feel for the Breaking Charm.
Combined with the dozen or so talismans he already knew, which he crafted in rotation, his daily output was immense.
Switching between different types remained the most effective way to raise his overall Talisman Making Skill proficiency.
For every new talisman he mastered, the growth rate of his overall proficiency would jump.
His success rate with the Breaking Charm rose from 60% to 70%, and its quality was also steadily improving.
His progress with his other talismans was advancing in parallel.
The Armor Condensation Pattern and Solid Pattern of the Golden Armor Talisman were among the first Spirit Patterns Li Yuan had mastered, so his foundation with them was deep.
He had previously left them at the "skilled" stage without intentionally pushing further, but his progress soared as he rotated through them these past few days.
The panel flickered.
[Talisman: Golden Armor Talisman - Proficient (0/800)]
The Replenishing Talisman was next.
[Talisman: Replenishing Talisman - Proficient (0/800)]
Two days later, the Qi Gathering Talisman also reached that level.
[Talisman: Qi Gathering Talisman - Proficient (0/800)]
The proficiency levels for the Ice Cone Talisman, Wind Traveling Talisman, and Breaking Charm were also climbing steadily, all having surpassed the novice stage.
[Talisman: Ice Cone Talisman - Novice (127/200)]
[Talisman: Wind Traveling Talisman - Novice (101/200)]
[Talisman: Breaking Charm - Novice (112/200)]
His overall proficiency in Tier One Talisman Making Skill had been pushed forward by a large margin thanks to the intensive rotational crafting of the past few days.
That evening, just as Li Yuan finished drawing a Qi Gathering Talisman, a knock sounded at his courtyard gate.
The knocking was polite and evenly spaced.
Li Yuan put down his talisman brush and walked to the gate.
Shopkeeper Han stood outside, dressed in a dark gray robe that was more formal than his usual attire at the shop.
"Li Dao You, my apologies for the intrusion."
"Shopkeeper Han." Li Yuan opened the gate. "Come in and have a seat."
After Shopkeeper Han came in, he rubbed his hands together and began to speak.
"There’s something I’d like to discuss with you."
He glanced toward the gate, and after confirming no one was outside, he lowered his voice.
"It’s about that boy of mine. You’ve seen him at the shop, the one who’s always crouching by the counter drawing failed talismans."
Li Yuan nodded. He recalled Shopkeeper Han’s son, a boy of sixteen or seventeen. Every time he went to the Purple Abyss Trading Company to deliver goods, he would see him practicing talisman making at a low table, the basket of failed talismans always fuller than the one for finished products.
"He wants to learn Talisman Making, but I can’t teach him." Shopkeeper Han spread his hands.
Li Yuan glanced at him. "You don’t know how to make talismans?"
"I don’t."
Shopkeeper Han smiled, his tone frank.
"I’ve sold talismans and Spirit Grass at the Purple Abyss Trading Company for over twenty years. I’ve handled thousands upon thousands of talismans, so my eye for appraisal is not bad."
"But appraising is one thing, and creating is another. I’ve never drawn a talisman in my life; I just don’t have the skill for it."
He tapped his fingers on his knee twice.
"The boy is interested in Talisman Making. He’s been teaching himself from books for over half a year but hasn’t even managed to grasp the basics."
He looked at Li Yuan.
"I know your craftsmanship is excellent. I’d like the boy to learn from you."
After saying this, Shopkeeper Han paused.
"However, the next few days aren’t convenient. We’re rushing to fill a large order at the shop, so the boy needs to help mind the store. I’ll have him come over after we’re done. What do you think?"
Li Yuan thought for a moment.
’Teaching someone Talisman Making isn’t out of the question, but it depends on the terms.’
"What about payment?"
"I’ll pay you in Spirit Stones at the market rate."
Shopkeeper Han spoke decisively. "As long as it’s not too outrageous. In addition, the Purple Abyss Trading Company will increase its purchase price for your goods by another five percent."
The terms weren’t bad. Teaching someone the basic techniques of Talisman Making wouldn’t take too much time; a few hours each day would be enough, leaving him the rest of his day for his usual talisman making and cultivation.
Li Yuan didn’t lack the extra income from Spirit Stones; the real benefit was the five percent increase in the purchase price.
"Alright." Li Yuan nodded. "Have him come over in a few days."
The smile on Shopkeeper Han’s face relaxed a little.
"Thank you."
He stood up to leave, but paused at the courtyard gate and turned around.
"By the way, is there anything you need? The Purple Abyss Trading Company has fairly wide channels. I can keep an eye out for some hard-to-find items for you."
Li Yuan thought for a moment.
"Do you have any Divine Soul attack spells?"
’The permanence condition for the Spirit-Refining Talisman requires killing a Tier One Middle Grade ghost with a pure Divine Soul attack, and I’m currently lacking such a spell.’
’It would also be a good way to diversify my abilities.’
Shopkeeper Han’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
"A Divine Soul attack?"
He tilted his head, thinking for a few breaths.
"Spells like that are uncommon, but I seem to recall one or two of my old clients have something of the sort. Let me go ask."
"Alright."
Shopkeeper Han nodded and left, pushing the gate open.
Li Yuan closed the gate and returned to his desk to continue making talismans.
About two hours later, another knock came from the courtyard gate.
He opened the gate to find Shopkeeper Han had returned.
He was holding a bamboo scroll.
"Found it."
Shopkeeper Han handed the bamboo scroll over. "It’s from an old client. It’s called the Soul Stabbing Skill. It’s a Tier One Low Grade Divine Soul attack spell. You use Divine Soul power to condense a Spirit Needle and pierce the target’s Divine Soul."
"It’s not very powerful, but its advantage lies in its speed and the difficulty of defending against it."
He quoted a price. "Forty-five Spirit Stones."
Li Yuan took the bamboo scroll. The moment his finger touched the surface of a bamboo slip, the panel popped up.
[Equippable Item Detected]
[Item Entry Grade: White]
’A White entry.’
Li Yuan counted out the Spirit Stones and placed them in Shopkeeper Han’s hand, then put the bamboo scroll into his storage bag.
"Thank you."
Shopkeeper Han swept the Spirit Stones into his sleeve and waved his hand with a smile.
"It’s my pleasure. Don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything in the future."
With that, he turned and left.
Li Yuan closed the door, sat down at his desk, and unrolled the bamboo scroll.
The cultivation method for the Soul Stabbing Skill wasn’t complex. The core of it was to separate a small portion of Divine Soul power from one’s consciousness, condense it into an extremely fine Spirit Needle, and project it through the Divine Soul node at the center of the brow.
Li Yuan tried it, following the spell on the bamboo scroll.
A wisp of Divine Soul power surged from the depths of his consciousness, following a specific path to converge between his brows.
The long-term strengthening of his Divine Soul from the Soul Mirror’s soul-light tempering and his Alchemy insights became apparent here. The speed at which his Divine Soul power condensed was much faster than described in the spell, and the resulting Spirit Needle was also denser.
An extremely fine Divine Soul Spirit Needle formed between his brows. Li Yuan didn’t release it, instead slowly retracting it.
After practicing a few more times, his feel for the skill gradually stabilized.
[Magic: Soul Stabbing Skill - Novice (0/200)]
’I’ve reached the novice level.’
Li Yuan closed the bamboo scroll.
His fingertip touched the scroll’s surface.
[Equippable Item Detected: Soul Stabbing Skill (Intact)]
[Equipment Entry Preview: Soul Stab Backlash (White) — Reduces backlash from a failed Divine Soul attack by 30%.]
[Permanence Condition Preview: Cultivate a Divine Soul Skill to the novice level (0/1)]
[Current equipment slots are full (5/5). Replace currently equipped item?]
A White entry. Soul Stab Backlash.
It reduced the backlash from a failed Divine Soul attack by 30%.
Most Divine Soul attacks were a double-edged sword. The Soul Stabbing Skill was no different; if it hit, the target’s Divine Soul would be injured.
But if the opponent resisted it, the attacking power would rebound and injure one’s own Divine Soul.
A 30% reduction in backlash meant it was safer to use, lowering the cost of trial and error.
Of course, there were Divine Soul attack spells with no backlash, but they were rare.
The permanence condition was to cultivate a Divine Soul Skill to the novice level.
’A Divine Soul Skill.’
’Not a Divine Soul attack spell, but a Divine Soul Skill—a cultivation technique specifically for training and strengthening the Divine Soul.’
Li Yuan didn’t have anything like that at the moment.
The Soul Mirror and his Alchemy insights were entries that passively strengthened his Divine Soul, the Spirit-Refining Talisman was a single-use talisman, and the Soul Stabbing Skill was an attack spell. None of them were a systematic cultivation technique for the Divine Soul.
Li Yuan put the bamboo scroll into his storage bag and sat on his bed board.
’Now that I have the Soul Stabbing Skill, I just need to find a Tier One Middle Grade ghost and kill it with the skill to make the Spirit-Refining Talisman permanent.’
’No rush.’
Li Yuan sat cross-legged and began to circulate the Spirit-Introducing Skill.
Spiritual Qi surged into his body. Spiritual Power and Qi Blood flowed alternately through his meridians, their circulation growing smoother and smoother.