Chapter 321: A Night at the Inn

Chapter 321: A Night at the Inn

Hui cleared his throat pointedly. Putting that aside

Its a lot to put aside, Bai Xue protested.

I reached out to you to ask about the forest, and the talisman is burning down. There isnt much time left, is there? If you cant remember anything, best to save the rest for later, Hui asked, looking at his own leaf. Already, only a quarter of the leaf remained. As far away as this voice transmittal spell is working, Im not surprised it burns up quickly.

Oh, dont worry about that. I showed it to my father, and he made a few copies for me. Is it a two-way spell, by the way, Xiao Hui? It might be more convenient for me to reach out to you.

Ah, thats right, his father is a talisman master. Since I, too, can make any number of copies, weve essentially got a walkie-talkie. Hmm, I wonder if I could connect it to the tree-net, somehow? Hui considered for a moment, then waved his hand. Later, later. You can reach me as well, but I am somewhat hiding that Im a cultivator, and currently, only this clone er, the others call me Mortalhas created any talismans. I can spread the information amongst the clones, but if you activate the spell, I cant be sure which clones talisman it would activate, and thats if any of the clones held talismans on their body.

Mmm. Well, in that case, contact me during the morning, if at all possible? Bai Xue requested. There was a pause. Late morning.

I understand, Elder Brother. No need to say any more, Hui replied, bowing at nothing.

In any case, ask me tomorrow. I can do some research in the clans library and get back to you, Bai Xue said.

Hui nodded. I wont have long tomorrow morning. I may have to contact you in the early hours.

Bai Xue purred, low in his throat. Hmm. Then you may have to put up with a few extraneous noises.

Bai Xue, you damn furnace! Hui pursed his lips, annoyed. He sighed. But he does have much more knowledge than me, and the ability to openly search in other clans libraries, which I currently lack. Even the me posing as a righteous cultivator is only a rogue cultivator, unable to get into those libraries. Thank you, Elder Brother. Ill contact you tomorrow.

There was a pause. Hui moved to snuff the talisman, but before he could, Bai Xue spoke, unusually serious. Xiao Hui are you alright?

Hui frowned. He rubbed his arms, uncomfortable. Hearing Bai Xue talk seriously is its not right. Eh? Im fine, Elder Brother.

I was joking earlier, but part of you just died. Are you able to accept that?

Im fine, Im fine! Hui assured him. Were all clones, after all. Were prepared to die.

Bai Xue hummed quietly. If youre sure. Xiao Hui, remember that you can always speak with me.

Hui nodded at the talisman. I I can handle it. Im still alive, after all.

The talisman burned out before Bai Xue could reply. Hui sighed and stared up at the sky, somehow completely lost. I just feel empty. I cant do anything. Im not

Wait. Hold on. I just talked to Bai Xue. I feel many things after talking to Bai Xue, but never empty. This isnt right. Hui circulated his qi, searching it for abnormalities. Almost instantly, he noticed traces of the strange rot energy clinging to his qi.

Huis eyes widened. He stimulated the death ducks and sent them charging through his qi. They quickly gobbled up the rot qi, and the empty sensation abated. Instantly, Hui felt energized, and he hopped to his feet and backed away from the forest, frowning.

Even the death ducks didnt automatically react to the rot energy. I have to keep an eye on it! At least theyre happy to eat it, but if Ying Lin gets infected with it, or the All-Heavens cultivators

Well, they use life qi. They probably have a method to counteract it. Probably. And anyways, theyd kill me if they knew who I was. Theres no need to worry about them.

Glancing at the forest one last time, Hui ran a hand over the back of his neck and hurried back to the inn. He shivered, just once. That forest is no good. Maybe I should just avoid it. Whats the chance benefactor is on the other side, anyways? Shes only a mortal.

Then again, if she was born on the other side of the forest maybe its this side thats mostly set apart from mortal civilization. I dont know enough about how the mortal world operates!

With that, the node fell silent.

Hui grew a leaf and drew out Bai Xues talisman formula. There was a gap in the middle of the formula where the element would go. Hui licked his lips. But what does the Lightning Palms talisman formula look like? I only know how to circulate the qi.

Hmm, if I adapt the qi circulation into a series of shapes would that work? Combining them into the fifth-stage elemental talisman will that make this low-tier attack a fifth-stage attack? Surely not. Not unless I adapt the Lightning Palm to become a high-tier attack. But how?

What makes a high tier attack? More qi, for one. The complexity of the formula, which adds extra effects, draws in more qi, or simply empowers the spell. However, adding to the complexity requires commensurate comprehension. To increase the power of the spell, I need to understand it as a fifth-stage spell. But what does that even mean?

Hui bit his lip, frustrated. Master did it. He could comprehend it at whatever tier he wanted, and empower it, as simply as that. I know I dont have Masters comprehension, but surely

Lets look closer at the new talisman formula. I can use it as an example of what a fifth-stage spell formula looks like. Maybe I can use that to adapt the Lightning Palm.

Hui set the talisman on the roof beside him. He grew another leaf and drew the circulation pattern of the Lightning Palm onto its surface with his green blood. The two sat side by side. The talisman lent by Bai Xues father stood empty in its center, a gap where the elemental formula was meant to be. Hui put his hand on his chin.

Looking at them like this, mine is clearly the work of an amateur. Look at those shaky lines! And those extra strokes. I dont even need half the radicals, and lets not talk about the bottom half or that weird spiral in the middle. In contrast, the elegant simplicity of Bai Xues fathers talisman, those smooth talisman marks and the clear gap in the center to slot in an elemental formula without losing any of the power or precision regardless of the element chosen

Wait, wait, wait, we arent counting style points or talisman elegance. Look at the power, at the formulas complexity! Come on, focus, focus!

He injected a bit of qi into the any-elemental talisman. It passed through the characters, the marks directing the flow of qi into the first steps of a spell. However, when the qi reached the center, it fizzled out, with nowhere left to go.

Hmm, I think I get it. He looked at the Lightning Palm formula hed sketched, then grew another few leaves. A few more iterations, and the formula slimmed down to a few marks, only a little too large to fit in the gap in the talisman. Hui twisted his lips, then shrugged. Ill make the gap a bit bigger. From what I understand about the any-elemental formula, making the gap a bit larger shouldnt hurt, as long as the spell is large enough to fill in the gap.

Growing another leaf, he snapped it off, though he winced a little as it broke free. Growing so many leaves in a row it gets sore. Like scratching the same place over and over again until it gets raw. Not too bad, but its annoying. Mmm, I guess in the end it doesnt feel good to rip off a part of my body over and over again, even if theyre leaves.

He scribbled down the full formula, both the original all-elemental formula and the Lightning Palm adaptation. He raised his hand and pushed a scrap of qi into the talisman, not enough to activate it, just enough to confirm it worked. The talisman glowed faintly. Lightning flickered around it, ready to burst out.

Hui deactivated the talisman and tucked it into his robes. Happily, he set about creating a full set, ignoring the pain of plucking leaves. When he had enough of the lightning palm, he swapped to his fire talisman, then wood, then ice, stepping through the entire set of elements he had available. Quietly, he hummed to himself, fully satisfied. I love talismans! Hmm, I really ought to sell them, but can I sell Bai Xues fathers hard work with a clear conscience? Argh. I shouldnt.

Oh well, its still incredibly useful for making a set of fifth-stage talismans!

He stacked the talismans in his robes, then closed his eyes and called out to the other clones. When they connected, he projected his thoughts into the node. The other clones jolted as the insights hed gained synced into their own heads.

Hui nodded, proud of himself. Aha, so it can be used to transmit data, too! I thought so. Its magical internet, after all.

The other clones instantly leaped on it, excited. A breakthrough!

Ah, I regret not spending time on it, now. What a wonderful technique!

I was busy healing patients, but now I wish I hadnt decided to get a job. Talisman studying for life!

Thank goodness. Youre a lifesaver, Mortal. You have no idea how rough being a rogue cultivator is! The damn All-Heavens Sect is working us poor rogue cultivators to the bone. It isnt worth it. Im giving up!

Keep going, Rogue! They havent picked up on this small miracle healer yet. Come on, idiots, take the bait! Im a miracle healer, dammit! Arent you the life qi sect?

As the others babbled, Hui retreated from the node, pleased with having contributed to the clones advancement as a whole. I cant do much for the others, given my objective, but at the very least, I have the free time to study talismans.

He turned, looking at the forest. What happened to the All-Heavens cultivators? Hasnt it been long enough to scout out the forest? They should have returned by now.