Chapter 151: Talismans for the Dead

Chapter 151: Talismans for the Dead

Hui passed by Xixing on his way out. She hacked away at the large cicada, happily butchering it for parts. Translucent and purple ichor splattered over the ground around her. He walked up beside her. Elder Sister, Im heading out now. Will you be safe here?

Yi Ping gave him a fierce glare, which he ignored.

Mmm. Its more relaxing to concoct pills here, without those imbeciles breathing down my back, she said. I told them Id make their pill faster here, so they let me stay.

Only until Xi Guping returns, Yi Ping reminded her, glaring.

Ah, right. Xi Guping, Xi Guping. Xixing waved her hand, sending purple blood flying. Yi Ping flinched back, snatching his black robes out of the way.

Ill enjoy lording it over you once youre nothing but a puppet, Yi Ping snarled.

Are you sure youre safe here? I can ask Fa Chuyou to look after you, Hui asked, giving Yi Ping an uncertain look.

Xixing shook her head. I dont want to end up an undead, either. Ill be fine. Im much older than you, you know? Dont look down on the previous generation!

My apologies, Elder Sister! Hui said, bowing deeply.

She snorted. Hurry back. The body-strengthening pills wont take too long to create.

Hui bowed again and hurried off, down the Corpse Refining Valley. He peered around at the entrance to the valley, checking for any troublemakers, then sprinted across the dark plains and up the snakes skeleton.

As he ran up the skeleton, a disciple in a black robe with green hems strode down toward him from a much higher vertebra. Hui glanced up, then bowed and stepped aside for the disciple to pass him.

The disciple halted directly beside Hui. For a long moment, he stood there, only his shoes visible in Huis vision.

Hui snuck a peek upward.

Fierce phoenix eyes glared down at him. A narrow face and thin, long mouth gave him a snakelike appearance. He scowled at Hui. You reek of blood.

Hui stumbled back, as if struck. I of blood? Of corpses, Id understand, but He lifted his hand and sniffed it, brows furrowing.

The disciples hand flickered out, so fast Hui didnt see it. Gripping his neck, the disciple hauled him upward. You were in the Blood Mist Valley.

Er, er, Elelder Brother, I Hui gripped at the disciples hand, hauling upward to sneak a breath of air.

The disciples eyes narrowed. What happened to Xi Guping?

Hui sat bolt upright, eyes wide. The two cultivators arguing over his loot jumped back. One let out a shrill shriek.

Ignoring them, he stared at his hands. Sweat broke out down his back, and he began to pant. Wait, wait. Xi Guping has an elder brother? Oh no, oh no! I bet he also practices those awful puppeteering arts! And hes stronger than Xi Guping? Oh no. Oh no. This is why this small cultivator doesnt kill! Killing leads to killing, More importantly, killing leads to more scenarios where bloodthirsty, dangerous cultivators come after this small cultivators neck! No, no, no!

He stared in the direction Xi Guanxi had vanished to, the direction of Blood Mist Valley. Hui shivered. He glanced at Jin Xian, then sprinted up the vertebra, pushing the two cultivators out of the way. They stepped to the side, too flabbergasted to get in his way. Jin Xian chased after him, sprinting nearly as quickly as he could. When he reached his vertebra, he dashed directly inside and huddled there, staring at the floor.

Okay. Okay. I need to get stronger. I need to get stronger, fast!

First! I make Jin Xian a jiangshi. It wont make her a realm stronger, but itll make her stronger. Sturdier.

Then then, dammit, I need to practice replacing my body with hers. Even if I get grabbed, I need to be able to put her in my place. Ah, getting grabbed is such a problem. Shedding my skin doesnt help me escape, dodging has already failed, defenses will only work on cultivators around my level. What can I do? There has to be something, some technique. Turning to mist, maybe? Mmm, but that sounds like such a high level skill Theres got to be something easier. Something

He touched his neck, and the rapidly-healing bruises there. Touch. If Im grabbed, Im touched. Then

Bent over in his cave, Hui pressed his fingers to his wounds and began to write. Bloody characters crawled across the floor. His eyes blurred, and his mind wavered. Extreme fear propelled him into a state of enlightenment, unlike any hed experienced up to this point. Unknown to him, Jin Xian moved and stood guard by the door, preventing anyone from disturbing her creator.

In this manner, a month passed. The bloody characters ran into one another, scribbled so densely on the floor as to be unreadable. At last, Hui sat up, his eyes cleared. Not only the floor, but the walls, and even his skin were covered in writing. It was as if hed dyed the entire space in his blood. He stretched out his hand, gathering all the qi in this place, then pressed it into his chest.

The bloody characters burned to life, gleaming with red-white light. They squirmed, devouring not only the qi but the blood qi in this place. Suddenly, they swirled toward Hui, rushing in toward him.

Although Hui had no way of knowing, the spell resonated beyond the borders of the vertebra. The entire snakes skeleton resonated with the spell. It drew qi from the entire skeleton, pouring it into the spell array. The skeleton began to glow as well, a brilliant, red-white light. Deep within the skeleton, a fragment of will came to life. It watched the qi gathering and silently gave its blessing to this spell.

Atop the skeleton, a young man with straight-cut shoulder-length hair blinked. Erlan rushed toward him, shouting something, but he ignored Erlan. He glanced down, then smiled. Black Asp, you wish to see him grow, as well? Then I wont interfere.

He raised a hand toward Erlan, and Erlan stuttered to a stop, salt-and-pepper hair settling around him. Erlan bowed deep and retreated without another word.

Inside the vertebra, Huis eyes glowed with the same red-white light. His hand clenched into a fist. My body as the talisman paper, my blood as the ink, my will as the spell. Like this, I myself become the talisman. By burning my lifespan, I can unleash power beyond my tier and use escape techniques beyond my realm!

The spell contracted, vanishing into Huis forehead. For a moment, a red-white talisman formula glowed on his forehead, but then that vanished, replaced by a single red petal-like mark.

While the light of enlightenement still burned in his eyes, he gestured toward Jin Xian. She leaped to his side unquestioningly. Hui lifted his finger and drew the jiangshi talisman formula over her face. It too burned red-white, then faded into her skin. Rather than a petal-mark, a black slash, almost like the cut of a blade, appeared between her brows.

Ah its beautiful, isnt it? Hui asked, smiling.

Jin Xian looked at him. Emotionless white eyes stared into oblivion. For a single moment, her stiff face twisted into a smile.

Thats good, thats good. With that, Hui sagged to the floor and shut his eyes, exhausted. Enough work. Its time to sleep.