Chapter 8: Rivals in Joy (Part 2)

Monier was stunned. Having spent so many years in the Chenxiao Sect, she had never seen a test tablet emit purple light—such a strong purple light, even with hints of blackness. Just then, the test tablet suddenly made a crackling sound; the purple light vanished instantly, and the tablet turned to powder, falling down along Guo Shier’s fingertips.
Guo Shier said awkwardly, “Master, Masteress, it’s broken…”
Startled, Monier suddenly heard these words and froze, thinking they meant, “Master and Masteress are asleep…”
Kumu didn’t mishear them. He said, “If it’s broken, so be it. It’s just a test tablet—nothing special.”
Hearing him say “asleep,” Monier almost jumped up. Then, upon hearing the next words, her face turned red as she realized she had misinterpreted them. She said, “Top-tier potential… You idiot! Where did you find Shier? He actually has top-tier potential…”
Kumu was pleased inwardly but kept a straight face. He said, “I found him by chance.”
Monier said, “You idiot! Please give me this disciple… okay?”
Kumu turned and walked away, saying, “Aren’t you already his Masteress? What more do you want?” Then he ran off in a flash, almost making Guo Shier laugh.
Monier cursed, “You idiot! You wretch! Shier…” She hugged Guo Shier tightly and said, “Shier, become my disciple, hehe.” Guo Shier was terrified by her laughter. He put on an innocent expression and pretended to be naive, saying, “Sure, as long as the master agrees.”
“That idiot! How would he agree… Sigh, why does that wretch always have such good luck…”
Monier gave Guo Shier a fierce kiss on the cheek and said, “Never mind. Just call me Masteress… hehe. We’re all one family anyway.”
Guo Shier groaned inwardly, “Ugh, I’m being taken advantage of again… I’m not really a child…”
Monier said, “Shier, stay with that idiot for now. In a while, the Masteress will come to pick you up. Don’t be afraid of that idiot. If he dares to bully you, tell the Masteress. Hehe, the Masteress will avenge you!”
Guo Shier thought, “If I really follow your advice, that’s when I’ll be in trouble.” He said, “Yes, Masteress. Thank you, Masteress.”

Monier said cheerfully, “Ah, how adorable this child is! I really like her.” She hugged Guo Shier again tightly, then stood up. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she reached behind her waist, took out a talisman pouch, and said, “Here, this is pocket money from your master’s wife for you.” She then pinched Guo Shier’s little cheeks before leaving with a smile.

Guo Shier no longer had the strength to complain. He held the talisman pouch and stood there in shock for about ten minutes before shaking his head with a bitter smile. After checking the pouch, he found it contained roughly a hundred thousand talisman coins and was amazed—this master’s wife was indeed wealthy.

Yu Jie saw Monier off and returned to find Guo Shier lost in thought. He said, “Young master, your room is ready. Hehe, it’s a bit simple and not very comfortable. Please forgive me for that.”

Guo Shier remained silent for a moment before asking, “Uncle Yu, what about my master and master’s wife?” He really couldn’t figure out their relationship.

Yu Jie replied, “The master and the young lady… Well, it’s complicated. The master is completely focused on practicing talismans, while the young lady wants a child. The master refuses stubbornly, so she left in anger… They’ve been at odds for a long time, arguing every time they meet. That’s why the master spends most of his time outside.”

“The master is cold-hearted and dislikes arguments. Every time the young lady returns, he hides in the talisman-making hall. She can’t get in, yells a few words, and then leaves. If it weren’t for you, young master, he wouldn’t have come out.”

Guo Shier began to understand why Ku Mu had such a high reputation outside—this guy vented his frustration on others after being bullied by his wife at home. He asked, “Uncle Yu, where is the room assigned to me? Take me there… Is Uncle Eagle Demon in the room?”

Yu Jie nodded. “Yes, your attendant is in the room. Come with me.”

It was a small courtyard with only two rooms. The rooms were very simple, empty, with nothing but thick animal skins on the floor and no furniture at all. Guo Shier smiled bitterly inwardly—how could a sage’s home be so sparse? It was obvious that Ku Mu didn’t care about this home or manage it at all. Guo Shier called for Eagle Demon and said, “Uncle Eagle Demon, we’ll stay here for now and settle down. Try not to cause any trouble.”

Eagle Demon smiled bitterly. “Only now do I realize how backward our place is. Well, Shier, don’t worry. I’ll be careful.”

A young servant came in and said, “Young master, Grandpa Yu, the people from the Talisman Hall have arrived. They brought clothes for you and this month’s allowance. They ask you to sign for them.”
Guo Shier said, “Okay, go take a look. Uncle Eagle Demon, come with me. There might be something for you too.”
In the front yard stood several servants in gray cloth robes, along with a disciple from the inner sect wearing a sapphire-blue robe. Upon seeing Guo Shier, he showed surprise, not expecting him to be so young. He said, “Young junior uncle, these are your things—four boxes in total. Please check them.” Though he was already quite old, he did not dare show the slightest disrespect toward Guo Shier.
Among the four boxes, one was for Eagle Demon, who was now a disciple of the inner sect. The three boxes were for Guo Shier—two contained clothes, and the third held about a hundred thousand Great Talisman Coins. From now on, he would receive ten thousand Great Talisman Coins every month, just like his salary in his past life.
After signing for the items, Guo Shier thanked them, and the man left with the servants.
As darkness fell, Guo Shier said, “Go to bed early. I’ll start studying from tomorrow. Uncle Eagle Demon, keep these items. Grandpa Yu, keep the Great Talisman Coins in this box… Arrange for the manor to be repaired, buy some furniture, and also give some Great Talisman Coins to my family… You take care of it all.”
Yu Jie was on the verge of tears—someone was finally in charge of the family. He repeatedly said, “Young master, rest assured. I will handle everything properly to satisfy you.”
There was no conversation that night. Guo Shier got up early in the morning to do his daily exercises.
During breakfast, Guo Shier asked Yu Jie to find his master. His master was elusive, never seen, and only Yu Jie could locate him.
A moment later, Ku Mu entered the room and said, “Shier, after breakfast, come with me to the Talisman Crafting Hall.”
Knowing it was time to study, Guo Shier became excited. At the Northern Talisman Sect, he hadn’t learned much. Though he had studied hard, he had only grasped the basics. He nodded and said, “Yes, master.”
After breakfast, the master and disciple went to the Talisman Crafting Hall. As soon as Guo Shier entered the hall, he was struck by its grandeur. The hall was built impressively, making one feel even more insignificant standing inside.
Ku Mu asked, “Shier, what do you know about talismans?”

Guo Shier only knew how to recite; he shared his understanding of talismans. Kuumu shook his head slightly and said, “Talismans consist of two parts: the talisman symbol and the incantation. The symbol is the foundation, while the incantation is the function. There are countless types of symbols, but in summary, they fall into two categories: real symbols and virtual symbols.”

“Real symbols are the ones you use, and they come in many levels—this is well-known, even in the Continent of Low-Level Talismans. But virtual symbols… you might not be familiar with them there.”

As he spoke, Kuumu drew a gesture in the air, and a golden talisman pattern appeared before vanishing after a few seconds. He said, “This is a virtual symbol. It is formed out of nothing by using one’s own power. Only those who have reached the level of Sage can learn to use them. Once you can use virtual symbols, your strength will soar dramatically, far surpassing your original level.”

Guo Shier exclaimed, “So… as long as one learns powerful talisman patterns, they can use countless symbols?”

Kuumu replied, “That’s different. Real symbols require little energy to activate, and with enough symbols, one can fight for a long time. But virtual symbols consume a great deal of energy. Only those with extremely strong strength can use them without restraint. Ordinary Sages can only use them carefully.”

Guo Shier nodded. “I see.”

Kuumu continued, “Next are talisman arrays. You probably don’t have the concept of talisman arrays there. In fact, a single symbol is already an array. Combining several symbols creates a talisman array. Talisman arrays are also divided into real and virtual types, with an equally vast variety. You’ll encounter many of them in the future.”

Guo Shier listened attentively. He asked, “Master, are there any books to study?”

Kuumu said, “Look over there in that corner. There are several rows of bookshelves, all filled by me… Well, come with me. I’ll point out a few sets for you to start learning.”

There were four rows of bookshelves, densely packed with shelves, each holding several talisman books, with talisman keys placed beside them. Guo Shier estimated that there were no fewer than three thousand talisman books in total. Remember, just one talisman book already represents a huge number.

Kuumu inspected them briefly and selected a dozen or so books, saying, “These are the basic books that must be learned.” Then he picked out another dozen, saying, “These are books on geography and figures, along with some legends and personal notes. You can browse through them in your free time.”

Guo Shier, who was already a book lover, was overjoyed at the sight of so many books, his face glowing with excitement.

Kumu was quite satisfied seeing Guo Shier’s expression. It was good that the kid liked reading. He said, “I don’t expect you to read everything, but I do expect you to understand each book thoroughly. Never skim through it carelessly—it’s useless that way.”
Guo Shier asked, “Are there any study books for those who specialize in spells?”
Kumu gave Guo Shier a deep look, making him break into a cold sweat. He said, “They’re on the shelf. Go find them yourself. Do not take them out of the Spellcraft Hall, understand?”
Guo Shier nodded obediently, thinking, “I’m not stupid enough to steal books directly, but won’t I still spend time copying them? Hehe.”
Kumu said, “I won’t leave the Chenxiao Sect in the next year. I’ll be in the Spellcraft Hall most of the time. If you have any questions, you can come to ask me anytime.”
Guo Shier quickly agreed.
Kumu said, “In a few days, I’ll take you to a place.”
Guo Shier wondered, “Where?”
A faint smile appeared on Kumu’s lips as he said, “A place that doesn’t exist in your lower-level Spell Continent… It’s a good place. You’ll know once you go.”
Guo Shier replied gloomily. He hadn’t expected his serious master to play such games.