Chapter 91: Preparing for Battle

Chapter 91: Preparing for Battle

Hui collapsed beside the familiar hut on his Masters peak, exhausted. He sighed and patted the huts walls. Ive never been so happy to see this tiny place. Another day, another mob escaped!

Ive got to do something about the whole mob issue. Right now, I cant be seen in the sect with Li Xiang without getting attacked!

What can I do about it, though? Improve my reputation in the sect?

How am I supposed to do that? My reputation is in the garbage can!

Hui waved his hand, dismissing the problem for later. No, no, thats for later. For now, I need to figure out how to defeat my next opponent as heart-rendingly as possible to prevent my fellow cultivators from ever wanting to attack me again!

Eh? Somehow, I feel like this and improving my reputation are opposites

Oh well! Protecting this small cultivators precious life comes first!

He sat up and stretched, looking around. The hut sat atop the hill, as squat as ever, and the pill furnace sat to the side, awaiting him. He sighed. Feels good to be home.

Hui sent his consciousness into the storage ring and examined the talismans. A note sat atop the pile, so he called that out and examined it first, holding the new talismans loosely in one hand.

Weiheng Hui, New novel chapters are published on

The first two talismans are to help diversify your spell set. The top talisman is an ice attack at the third stage, and the second is a wood-elemental utility spell at the second stage. Both have done me well.

The rear two talismans are fragments of formulae I found in a secret realm but never had the time to decode. They should be between the second and fourth stage, based on their aura. If you can repair them, consider those formulae your own.

I look forward to your growth as a talisman-maker,

Bai Luoren

Hui examined the talismans. As promised, the first one responded with ice, and the second with a wooden sensation. The back two were harder to interpret. The text atop them was cut off and obscured. The qi inside responded sluggishly, resisting his efforts to investigate them. One he got no feeling from at all, aside from a faint tingle of qi, and the other had a strange, flat feel. He inserted his qi again, furrowing his brows. Cold, but not ice. Flat. Hard. Is it metal-elemental?

Mmm, first, lets focus on copying the ones I have the whole formula for. Once I have enough for a good fight, I can worry about exploring the other two.

The Boulder-Cutting Wind, the fire talismanTigers Burning Maw, the barrier talisman, and now the ice and wood talismans. Of the five, the wind, fire, and barrier talismans were all initially higher-level talismans, meaning I should be able to create a third-stage version of them, and even a fourth-stage version of the barrier, when I hit that level. The wood talisman is the only one thats initially a second-stage talisman, but its apparently a utility spell, so it shouldnt need to be high-stage if it isnt used in direct combat. The ice talisman is already a third-stage talisman.

Alright then! Its time to copy the talismans!

Hui lifted his arm, then paused. Er. With what brush? What ink? What paper?

Im almost out of gold. The Sect Masters almost certainly stolen my stipend to pay back my debt, and with the mob outside the peak, I cant go check, either.

Red berries at the edge of the clearing caught his eye. He jogged over and held his hand over the bush, feeling its aura. Surprisingly, the berries burned with qi, moreso than the rest of the bush or the background vegetation. Theyre spirit berries, wild spirit berries. Hui plucked a handful, scooping them into the pill furnace. He plucked the bush clean, moved onto the next, then the next, until the pill furnace was full.

Thumping the lid on the furnace, he again sent his qi inside, pounding at the berries. Ah, but dont whiten them this time! he ordered the qi.

When he opened the pill furnace, a red mush greeted him. Hui poked it and licked his finger. Sweet. Ah! I wasnt trying to make jam, though. Mmm I guess I have to strain the mush if I want ink.

Strain, strain

He looked at his hands, then touched his fingers together. Qi strung between his fingertips, forming five strings. Frowning, he focused. From the middle of the top string, a second string stretched, trembling, from one cross-string to the next, until it reached the fifth string. Again, and again, until the qi formed a net.

Hui breathed out, pleased with the results. Its not great, but its better than nothing! Setting the bucket from the well at his feet, he tipped the cauldron with his foot and slopped the berry slop into his qi net. Red liquid collected in the bucket at his feet.

Hui hummed to himself, pleased with his work. I did it, I did it! Huis paper and ink company, here I come!

Glowing eyes appeared out of the forest. A low growl met Huis ears.

Hui jolted. Whwhat?

The wolf from before lumbered out of the forest and lowered its head, growling. Its eyes locked onto the berry mush in Huis makeshift qi strainer, and it lifted its lips in a snarl.

You want the berries? Hui asked, confused. Dont wolves eat meat? I thought they were carnivores!

The wolf growled again.

Eh, well, its a spirit beast. It does what it wants, I guess. Hui glanced at the mush, then at the wolf, then smiled. Ah, elder brother, would you mind waiting a few minutes? Once I finish straining it, you can have all the berries.

The wolf considered, tipping its head. After a moment, it laid down, resting its head on its forepaws.

Gluttonous wolf, Hui muttered under his breath.

The wolf perked up. Its ears flew back, and it growled.

Apologies! Apologies, this small disciple wasnt thinking! Hui cried, bowing as best he could with his hands occupied with the straining net.

With a huff, the wolf settled back down.

Hui sighed out. I have to watch my mouth better in the future! Otherwise, this small disciple might say something that ends his little life. I dont want to die by being eaten Ah, that nearly scared my soul out of my body!

Huis body slumped, going weak. Around him, the world faded to monochrome.

Not again!