Chapter 7: Cultivating Talismans (Part 1)

“Uncle Luo, you guys go. I’m safe here,” Guo Shier said voluntarily. He understood that in such a dangerous place, they had to stick together without any selfish thoughts—only then could they defeat the wildlings and survive. So he didn’t hesitate to ask Luo Zhan to help, as a Talisman Warrior was extremely valuable.

Xu Zai Kun also said to his followers, “You go too!” He had ten followers, two of whom were Talisman Warriors. The two leading Talisman Warriors left one behind to guard the carriage while the rest charged at the wildlings.

Guo Shier glanced at the chaotic fighting crowd and said, “Next!”

It was a Talisman Warrior whose chest and abdomen had been torn apart by claws; he was barely breathing. Guo Shier skillfully picked up a Blood Talisman Pill, forced open the man’s mouth, and quickly activated it. The pill turned into a liquid that flowed into his throat through his mouth. In just a few seconds, a faint blush appeared on the man’s pale face.

“Clean the wounds!”

Guo Shier asked Huo Bao and the others to clean the wounds while he moved on to treat the next injured person. Xu Zai Kun was also busy treating others. With one more person helping, there was more fighting power, so the old man worked tirelessly. His treatment speed was at least three times that of Guo Shier, and not only was it fast, but the results were also excellent.

After treating all the wounded, Guo Shier was so exhausted that his face turned pale. Xu Zai Kun felt heartache—after all, he was just a nine-year-old child. Shaking his head, he took out a translucent Talisman Pill and said, “Shier, don’t move.” He placed the pill on the top of Guo Shier’s head.

A cool sensation spread from his head to his heart, and the extreme comfort to his soul made Guo Shier moan. He couldn’t help but curse, “Damn… What kind of talisman is this? Why is it so comfortable…?” In that instant, all his fatigue seemed to vanish.

Xu Zai Kun was amused by Guo Shier and said, “This is a Calming Talisman, also a type of Talisman Pill. It can calm the mind, nourish the spirit, and cleanse the soul. It’s not difficult to make, but few people do.”

Guo Shier wondered, “Why?”

Xu Zai Kun replied, “This talisman can only relieve fatigue; it doesn’t increase attack power. Moreover, it’s very expensive, and only those in the Talisman Master profession can afford it.”

Guo Shier thought of many poor Talisman Warriors and nodded silently. “Grandpa Xu, I want to learn how to make Calming Talismans.” He realized how beneficial this talisman was for the soul and resolved to learn how to make it at any cost. With such a talisman in hand, it would be a powerful weapon.

Xu Zai Kun wasn’t very old, but his appearance resembled that of a centenarian—kind-faced with many wrinkles and large age spots. He was a man of great kindness; he had chosen to become a potion master because potions could save lives. In terms of combat strength, he probably couldn’t even defeat a martial artist, but when it came to saving people, he could surely rank among the top ten in the Northern Potion Sect.

“Ah, Grandpa will teach you. Don’t worry—if you want to learn, Grandpa will definitely teach you!” Xu Zai Kun agreed repeatedly. He couldn’t refuse Guo Shier; in just over a month, he had already treated Guo Shier as his own grandson. How could a grandfather refuse something his grandson wanted to learn?

A calming potion was made from four ingredients. The main ingredient was a resin from the Black Withered Wood. This wood grew in cold places, reaching only two feet in height, with the longest-lived specimens living up to ten thousand years—though it was extremely rare. More commonly found were the hundred-year-old trees. If cultivated by a potion grower, it could be grown artificially.

The resin from Black Withered Wood was also used to make precious potions and served as a famous neutralizing agent, making it extremely expensive.

The other three ingredients were quite common and could be found easily.

The method of production wasn’t difficult either. After Xu Zai Kun explained it once, Guo Shier understood immediately. After asking a few questions, Guo Shier closed his eyes and pondered in his mind, quickly concluding that he could produce the potion himself.

Guo Shier asked, “Grandpa, can I buy Black Withered Wood inside the sect?” The way he called him “Grandpa” sounded very natural. The old man’s kindness and care for him filled him with warmth. In return, he naturally regarded Xu Zai Kun as his elder.

This “Grandpa” made Xu Zai Kun extremely happy. He said, “You can buy it. One jin of Black Withered Wood resin… costs about eight hundred to a thousand Great Potion Coins, enough to make two potion cores for calming potions.”

That was incredibly expensive. Guo Shier once again thought about making money. With a pained expression, he asked, “Is the Black Withered Wood grown inside the sect?”

Xu Zai Kun didn’t understand why Guo Shier cared so much about the calming potion, but since he liked it, he would support him. Smiling and shaking his head, realizing Guo Shier thought the resin was too expensive, he took out a potion the size of a matchbox and handed it to Guo Shier, saying, “This is a cultivation potion. It contains twelve plants of Black Withered Wood, enough for you to extract resin to make calming potions.”

The cultivation talisman is a talisman passed down from the Southern Talisman Sect, specifically used for growing plants. By utilizing the principle of this talisman, a small talisman space is created within which specific plants can be planted. Each cultivation talisman is different, allowing for the growth of various plants. The cultivation talisman that Xu Zai Kun gave to Guo Shier was designed specifically for growing Black Withered Wood.

Guo Shier examined this rare cultivation talisman carefully. Such talismans were very uncommon in the Northern Talisman Sect; it was said that in the Southern Talisman Sect, there were numerous cultivation talismans available for trade.

The translucent talisman contained extremely tiny plants, meticulously detailed like microsculptures, extremely beautiful. Guo Shier knew that by activating the cultivation talisman, its size could be rapidly enlarged to form a large planting area, and it also required special incantations to be retracted. It was essentially a small piece of land that could be carried around.

After playing with it for a while, Guo Shier asked with a smile, “Grandpa, is this from the Southern Talisman Sect?”

Xu Zai Kun smiled and replied, “Yes. Apart from the Southern Talisman Sect, no other sect can create such exquisitely crafted cultivation talismans. Hehe, this one was custom-made for me. I obtained quite a few seeds of rare trees and exchanged them with a plant talisman master from the Southern Talisman Sect. He made this cultivation talisman for me in exchange for some of the seeds.”

“There are actually places in the Inner Sect that sell cultivation talismans as well. Hehe, Shier, if you get the chance in the future, you can buy some. Especially those for growing ingredients—they aren’t expensive, and then you can grow talisman food by yourself.”

Guo Shier was surprised and excited. “Ah? So talisman food is grown by oneself? Where can I buy it?”

“At the Talisman Masters Hall in the Inner Sect… Hehe, don’t worry. I’ll give you the exact address at the Branch Talisman Pill Pavilion there. It’s not far from the talisman zone where you live. I live there too; you can come visit when you have time.”

Guo Shier said happily, “Great! I definitely will!” He had already understood the importance of connections in his past life, and he truly wanted to build a sincere relationship with this elder who cared for him so much.

The carriage began to speed up. Luo Zhan returned with three talisman warriors, and Xu Zai Kun’s followers also came back. Those over eighty fierce wildlings had been completely wiped out.

Luo Zhan said, “A total of eighty-four fierce wildlings were killed. On our side, six talisman warriors died, eleven were seriously injured, and over twenty were lightly injured. But at least they were all killed.”

“Speed up! Speed up!”

Someone gave a loud order, and the entire group began to speed up. It was a rapid march; they didn’t stop even at the supply point. Only designated people collected food to distribute among everyone, as the group continued to move faster. Even when resting, they only took a few short hours before setting off again immediately.

It took eight days to reach Ye Guan City, while it only took four and a half days to return to the Inner Gate. Along the way, they killed hundreds of wildlings and finally arrived safely at the Inner Gate. Once inside, everyone knew they were safe. The Inner Gate had extremely powerful military forces, especially with the masters stationed there—who were truly top-tier combatants.

This journey left the apprentices exhausted. Even those who were martial artists felt utterly drained. But they couldn’t rest for long. After staying for just one day, they regrouped and headed back to Ye Guan City to support the second group. According to the plan, Ye Guan City was to undergo a city-wide evacuation—not just a few hundred or thousands of people, but hundreds of thousands, many of them ordinary citizens.

But none of this concerned the apprentices anymore. Guo Shier, along with Huo Bao and three others, finally returned to their home.

When Aunt Lan saw Guo Shier, she hugged him excitedly, repeating, “I heard something happened in Ye Guan City. Oh, I was so worried! All kinds of rumors have been circulating these days… Shier, are you okay?”

Aunt Xin rushed out almost running, saying happily, “It’s great that you’re back… Shier, go take a bath and change clothes. Aunt Xin has prepared some delicious braised meat.”

Guo Shier felt warm inside. This already felt like home. Although he was young, as the head of the family, he had to support it. Smiling, he said, “Aunt Lan, Aunt Xin, I’m fine. Everything’s okay… Aunt Lan, put me down.”

Aunt Lan wiped away her tears happily and said, “Go take a bath quickly. Aunt Xin has everything arranged for you. Little Bao, Shi Tuo, Xiao Bing, and Xiao Hong—go take baths too… Come out and eat after you finish.”

The five of them went to their respective rooms to bathe and change clothes. Guo Shier soaked in the large wooden tub, the warm water helping him relax completely. It felt wonderful, and his mood improved. He had gained a lot from this experience, especially by learning basic talisman alchemy. Most happily of all, he had met the elderly Mr. Xu Zai Kun, who left a very good impression on him.

After soaking for half an hour, Guo Shier changed into clean clothes and stepped out of the room.

A large basin of braised meat in sauce, a big pot of meat broth, several baskets full of steamed buns and flatbreads, and some side dishes like pickled radishes. While taking a bath, Guo Shier’s stomach started growling loudly. He really couldn’t understand why such a small child could eat more than even the strongest adults in his past life. With such an enormous appetite, he would have been highly likely to starve in his past life.
The five kids ate terrifyingly fast—everyone, including Chen Hong, devoured their food eagerly. As the first basin of braised meat disappeared, another was brought in, and then a third, before the five of them finally slowed down. Aunt Lan and Aunt Xin watched smilingly, delighted to see the kids eating happily.