Seeing Chen Xiao at a loss for words, Xi Yunqing realized he had unintentionally ended the conversation once again. Fortunately, that was not his intention, he had yet to express what he truly meant to say. In a soft voice, he explained, "I do not have nightmares, nor do I wake in the middle of the night in fright. It is not because I am fearless, but because I have confidence in my own strength. I know they cannot harm me. That is why I can sleep soundly."
In some ways, strength provides a sense of security. From a very young age, Xi Yunqing had known that he could only rely on himself. He had trained relentlessly in cultivation techniques, driven by an underlying unease. It was this very insecurity that had pushed him to surpass his peers by a great margin.
Chen Xiao pondered his words and found some truth in them. The reason he suffered from nightmares might very well stem from the endless dangers of the cultivation world. When faced with such threats, he was powerless, forced to endure them without any means of protecting himself.
He had faith that one day, he could create an entirely new cultivation method through Feng Shui techniques. However, the future of such a path was uncertain, and he had no assurance that it would be enough to safeguard his own life. Even cultivation techniques did not always guarantee survival, otherwise, so many cultivators would not perish along their journey to immortality.
He nodded and said, "Immortal Immortal Master Xi is right. If I had the strength to protect myself, perhaps I wouldn't be so afraid or have nightmares."
Xi Yunqing's lips curved slightly. "Then, what you lack now is strength." He reached into his robes and lightly tossed something toward Chen Xiao.
The object was small, its trajectory clearly visible under the flickering firelight. Chen Xiao raised his hand and caught it easily. When he looked at his palm, he was stunned. It was the very ivory plaque that Immortal Immortal Master Xi had purchased from Taxue Xunxian Pavilion!
Chen Xiao looked up in shock. "Immortal Immortal Master Xi, this is—?"
Xi Yunqing tilted his head slightly, the corners of his eyes curving in what seemed like a faint smile. "A gift for you."
Bought from his hands, only to be gifted back at this moment? What was that supposed to mean? Chen Xiao flipped the ivory plaque over in his hands, scrutinizing it carefully. It looked the same as before. What puzzled him even more was why Xi Yunqing had given it to him at this particular moment. It made him suspect that the plaque was somehow related to strength.
Unable to decipher Xi Yunqing's intentions, he could only ask directly, "Immortal Immortal Master Xi, does this plaque have some special significance? Is that why you're giving it to me now?"
Xi Yunqing replied, "Back at Taxue Xunxian Pavilion, I wasn't sure if your luck was good or bad. But now, it seems to be good fortune." He tapped Chen Xiao's hand, which was clutching the plaque. "This ivory plaque is an inheritance of an ancient mystical art. I believe it is well-suited to you."
Chen Xiao stared at the plaque in disbelief. He had once made up a story about inheriting his Feng Shui techniques from ancient immortal relics, never expecting to encounter such a coincidence, like a fraudster stumbling upon the real deal! The plaque in his hands actually contained a mystical inheritance!
Xi Yunqing continued, "This plaque holds the secret art of talisman magic. It involves using special materials as ink and meticulously crafted paper as a medium to draw various talismans, each with a unique effect. Once ignited, the talismans unleash their intended power, be it offensive, defensive, or otherwise. The variety is vast."
Chen Xiao's eyes widened as he clenched the plaque tightly. He was all too familiar with this technique, it was the signature skill of Daoist priests! Although it had been heavily suppressed in the turmoil of past decades, talisman magic had never completely disappeared. In fact, among Fang Gu's old acquaintances, there was a reclusive Daoist master who had once demonstrated talisman drawing right before his eyes.
His master, a scholar deeply versed in traditional Chinese studies, had primarily taught him Feng Shui but had never neglected calligraphy. Chen Xiao's calligraphy might not have been as refined as iron strokes or silver hooks, but it was fluid and dynamic, akin to flowing clouds and serpentine dragons. He had applied his calligraphy skills mostly to drawing Feng Shui case diagrams, which required outlining formations, directions, and advantages or disadvantages. Even in modern times, despite the abundance of digital tools, Feng Shui masters still preferred to use ink and brush for their work.
Given how much overlap there was between drawing Feng Shui formations and Daoist talismans, Chen Xiao had been deeply fascinated by that Daoist master's demonstration. The elderly master, with a long, snow-white beard, had even asked him if he wanted to learn the art of talismans.
But Fang Gu had immediately scowled, accusing the Daoist of trying to steal his disciple.
Fang Gu had always lamented that his remaining days were short and wished for more hours in the day to teach Chen Xiao. He would never let someone else take up his disciple's time. Thus, the matter was dropped. However, before they left, the elderly Daoist had given Chen Xiao a book on talismans, suggesting that he read it when he had spare time.
In the end, Chen Xiao had only skimmed through it, too preoccupied with other matters.
It never occurred to him that he might one day need talisman magic to protect himself. Had he known, he would have memorized that book from cover to cover rather than simply glancing through it. Now, all he could do was stare blankly at the plaque in his hand.
His emotions swung between excitement and frustration like a rollercoaster. Finally, he extended the plaque back toward Xi Yunqing. "This is too valuable, I can't accept it. Besides, I wouldn't even know how to use it. It would just be a collector's item to me." If he could actually use it, he would have taken it without hesitation. The plaque was worth ten spirit pearls—an expensive price, but one he could afford. If necessary, he could always repay Xi Yunqing with a gift of equal value in the future.
Xi Yunqing responded, "The plaque merely requires an infusion of energy to reveal its contents. Any form of energy will do. I sense that there is something unusual about you, you seem to have encountered many fortuitous events. You might be able to use it after all."
Chen Xiao's grip on the plaque tightened. He glanced at Xi Yunqing nervously, but the latter remained composed.
"Talisman magic is a rare art," Xi Yunqing continued. "Your Feng Shui techniques are just as extraordinary. If combined, who knows what kind of miracles they might produce?"
Chen Xiao stared at Xi Yunqing in shock and amazement. Once again, Xi Yunqing demonstrated his foresight, bold yet meticulous, unafraid to envision new possibilities. Using feng shui techniques in tandem with talisman arts… As someone well-versed in feng shui himself, Chen Xiao had never even considered such a combination!
Perhaps in his previous life, this would have been impossible, but in this world, there were already examples of compasses absorbing fortune as energy. If that could be done, then maybe this wasn't so far-fetched either. Just thinking about it made Chen Xiao's heart race with excitement.
After calming down, he asked curiously, "Immortal Immortal Master Xi, since talismans can be drawn on paper and used unexpectedly in battle to catch an opponent off guard, wouldn't that be an excellent technique? Why, then, has talisman crafting become a lost art among cultivators?"
Xi Yunqing replied, "It's the same reason your residential feng shui techniques are overlooked, cultivators simply don't value them."
Chen Xiao frowned. "Why is that?" Even if it wasn't widely used, shouldn't it at least be a niche practice like Tong Nuonuo's mechanism techniques? It didn't make sense for it to have completely died out.
Xi Yunqing explained, "Because the materials are hard to come by. The ink for drawing talismans must be made from spiritually-infused substances, such as sap extracted from spirit plants, the essence of ferocious beast blood, refined mineral marrow, or the cores of jade stones…"
Chen Xiao's face went blank. Now he understood why talisman crafting had become a lost art. If these were the required materials, then its extinction was anything but surprising. Mechanism masters struggled because their materials overlapped with artifact refiners. But talisman crafting? It clashed directly with artifact refining, pill making, and jade inscription all at once!
Xi Yunqing wasn't finished. "And that's only part of the problem. There's also the existence of jade talismans, which function similarly to paper talismans. The difference lies in the medium, paper for talismans, jade for jade talismans. The latter is far more cost-effective; a jade inscriber only needs to carve symbols into the jade and seal them with true essence in advance. Paper talismans, on the other hand, require special ink, paper, and precise inscription, making the process tedious and expensive. Since they achieve nearly the same effects, jade talismans naturally replaced paper talismans over time."
That was why, when Xi Yunqing first saw the inscriptions on the ivory plaque, he had muttered that he couldn't tell whether Chen Xiao's luck was good or bad. Time and again, Chen Xiao unearthed ancient techniques from so-called immortal antiques, only for them to be dismissed as useless in the eyes of modern cultivators.
Now, Chen Xiao fully understood. While talismans had their drawbacks, they were perfect for him. He didn't care if their materials overlapped with what other cultivators needed, was there any profession without competition for resources? Adding himself into the mix hardly made a difference.
He carefully tucked the ivory plaque and name register close to his body. From now on, these were his most precious possessions. At the moment, all the fortune he absorbed was being drawn into his compass. But once he accumulated more, he might be able to divert some and see if it could activate the plaque.
And even if he never managed to unlock its contents on his own, there was always another way, he could pay a cultivator in spirit pearls to transcribe the inscriptions for him. Where there was a will, there was a way.
Perhaps it was just psychological, but with the plaque now on him, Chen Xiao slept soundly that night, without a single dream.
Thanks to the good rest, his complexion and energy had noticeably improved by the next morning. Du Rong, completely unaware of the deep conversation from the night before, remained blissfully ignorant.
After breakfast, they continued on their journey, heading in the direction from which the ferocious beast had come. As they pressed forward, the forest grew increasingly dense, and the mountains became steeper. The difficult terrain cut their travel speed in half, where they had once been able to cross five or six peaks in a day, they now struggled to traverse even two or three.
Feeling guilty, Chen Xiao turned to Xi Yunqing and said, "Immortal Immortal Master Xi, I'm the one slowing you down. You don't need to worry about us, please go on ahead."
Du Rong chimed in as well. "That's right, Immortal Master. We're already incredibly grateful that you've accompanied us this far. If we continue at this pace, the rest of the journey could take another three to five days. We wouldn't want to delay you further."
Xi Yunqing was capable of floating in midair, whether by riding the wind or using a magic treasure, he could easily fly over these pathless mountains in no time. But because of them, he was stuck traveling on foot, wasting precious time.
Yet, Xi Yunqing had his own reasons for staying, though he couldn't exactly admit them. Instead, he pressed his lips together and said, "Since we agreed to travel together, how could I abandon you halfway?" After a pause, he added, "In that case, I'll lend you both a hand."
He extended a hand toward Chen Xiao, who was startled. "Immortal Immortal Master Xi, you're going to carry us?"
Xi Yunqing responded coolly, "This way, we'll move faster."
Du Rong was completely dumbfounded. He was beginning to question reality, when did Golden Core cultivators become so friendly? Not only was this one willing to travel with a mere mortal, but he was also offering to carry them along?
Du Rong let out an awkward laugh. "That… won't be necessary, but thank you for your kindness!" They were already overwhelmed by gratitude, how could they possibly accept such a favor?
Xi Yunqing frowned slightly, his obsidian-like eyes flashing coldly in the sunlight. Du Rong suddenly felt as if the cultivator's gaze was silently saying, You were the one complaining about being slow, and now that I'm offering a solution, you're refusing? The unspoken reproach made Du Rong swallow hard, he didn't dare turn down the offer anymore.
Chen Xiao, on the other hand, was both flustered and excited. The last time he had experienced flight, when they returned to the valley, it had been exhilarating, but he had been too preoccupied with Du Rong's injuries to fully enjoy it. Now that Xi Yunqing was offering voluntarily, he wasn't about to waste this opportunity.
Du Rong sighed in resignation as he was told to stay put and wait his turn. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had somehow annoyed Immortal Immortal Master Xi, but he had no idea how.
Meanwhile, Chen Xiao, carrying a small bundle on his back, was pulled close by Xi Yunqing. With a light step, they lifted off the ground, soaring effortlessly like a feather caught in the wind. As they ascended, the vast mountain range unfolded before their eyes.
Chen Xiao let out an exhilarated shout, his eyes wide as he eagerly took in the breathtaking view. The towering peaks stretched endlessly, majestic and imposing, their jagged ridges forming a magnificent tapestry of nature. Some mountains stood connected, others broke off abruptly. Among them, one ridge snaked through the landscape, rising and falling like the body of a dragon winding through the clouds. At its heart, nestled in an embrace, was a brilliant, jewel-like valley.
The very feng shui treasure land that Chen Xiao had been tirelessly searching for, had suddenly appeared right before his eyes!
Note:
Chen Xiao (excitedly): A fortune land! A treasure land!
Xi Yunqing (silently): …So I've been completely ignored.
Du Rong (dazed): Uh… when are you coming back for me?