79: Chapter 79 Talisman Test

Thursday, 6:00 AM, Chen Zhen opened his eyes on time.

He sat up, his gaze sweeping across the room.

Cleaning Spell.

1 point of Spiritual Qi consumed, an invisible ripple swept across.

The Cleaning Spell infused with Stellar Energy had become a habit.

The room was instantly clean, the air crisp and cold, and the leaves of the two spiritual plants stretched out.

But he was not in a hurry to go out today.

He took the talisman scripture from Shen Mo's grandfather out of his Storage Space and flipped to the page he had marked last night.

This chapter discussed "Talisman Testing"—a method to test the quality of a Talisman.

Ordinary Talisman masters used the naked eye, experts used Spiritual Qi to perceive it, and true inheritors used the "Talisman Eye."

He now had the [Talisman Eye] ability, which allowed him to see the quality and type of a Talisman at a glance.

But the book also recorded a more ancient testing method.

Using the leaf of a spiritual plant.

Take a spiritual plant leaf and stick it on the back of the Talisman.

If the leaf changes color within three breaths, it means the Talisman is effective.

The faster it changes color, the higher the quality.

If the leaf withers, it means there is a problem with the Talisman.

With a thought, he took a Mint leaf from his Storage Space.

He also took out the Top-Quality Calming Talisman he had drawn yesterday.

He stuck the leaf onto the back of the Talisman.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

The edge of the leaf began to change color—from deep green to pale gold.

After five seconds, the entire leaf turned pale gold, emitting a faint, refreshing fragrance.

[Talisman Testing Result: Top-Quality]

[The leaf is absorbing the lingering charm of the Talisman, quality is increasing...]

That Mint leaf, after absorbing the lingering charm of the Talisman, had its own aura strengthened by a fraction.

Chen Zhen was stunned for a moment.

Can a Talisman also nourish a spiritual plant?

He picked up the leaf and observed it carefully.

Using [Internal Vision], the flow of Spiritual Qi inside the leaf was more active than before, and those tiny "plant meridians" had also thickened a bit.

[Mint leaf (Nourished by Talisman)]

[Effect: Refreshment effect +10%, lasts 24 hours]

He thought for a moment and put this leaf away separately.

He would study it later.

At 7:20, Chen Zhen stepped into the classroom.

Zhang Meng was making up his homework in the back row. Seeing him walk in, he shouted as usual: "Help! Lend me your math homework to copy!"

Chen Zhen threw his homework notebook over.

Zhang Meng caught it and buried his head in copying frantically.

Chen Zhen walked to his seat and sat down.

Su Xiaoya, who sat in front of him, turned around, her eyes bright.

"Chen Zhen, my mom used that Talisman again last night, and she slept even better!" She lowered her voice, "She said the Talisman was so divine and wanted to ask if you have any more; she wants to buy some."

Chen Zhen shook his head.

"Not for sale. We'll see when you're done with it."

Su Xiaoya nodded and turned back.

Chen Zhen scanned the classroom.

Chen Hao was in good spirits today and was bowing his head to solve problems.

Li Yang was lying on the desk but wasn't sleeping; he was holding a pen and drawing something on his draft paper.

Wang Xue was talking to the girl next to her, her smile more natural than yesterday.

In the corner by the window, Zhou Rui was reading a book with his head down.

But the seat next to him was empty—Shen Mo hadn't come today.

Chen Zhen withdrew his gaze and opened his book.

The first class was math.

Old Zhao was lecturing on comprehensive functions, and the blackboard was full of formulas.

Chen Zhen listened for a while, then began to zone out.

His mind was filled with the talisman scripture from last night.

Of the thirty-seven Talisman ink recipes recorded in it, three used spiritual plants.

The calming flower was one.

The refreshment grass was another.

There was also one called "Ningxin Vine," which the book said grew in deep mountain caves and was very hard to find.

He currently had calming flower and Mint leaves, but he had neither refreshment grass nor Ningxin Vine.

Could refreshment grass be replaced by Mint?

The book didn't say.

He thought for a moment, tore a piece of paper from his notebook, and began to draw a Talisman.

This time, he didn't use Spiritual Qi, only a pen. He was drawing a new Talisman rune he had memorized last night—the "Spirit Gathering Talisman."

The effect of the Spirit Gathering Talisman was to gather the surrounding Spiritual Qi and improve cultivation efficiency. It was simpler than the Spirit Gathering Array he was currently using, but more convenient.

It could be used just by sticking it on the wall.

After drawing it, he looked at the piece of paper.

Ordinary paper, ordinary pen, no Spiritual Qi, no Talisman ink.

It was just an empty shell.

But he could feel that the Talisman rune itself carried a special kind of "structure."

Just like a math formula, if used in the right place, it could solve the problem.

He stared at the paper for a few seconds and suddenly had an idea.

If... he used ordinary paper and ink to draw a Spirit Gathering Talisman and then stuck it next to the spiritual plants?

Would it have any effect?

He folded the paper and put it in his pocket.

He would try it in the afternoon.

At noon, after school, Chen Zhen went to the cafeteria.

Just as he sat down, someone walked over with a tray.

It was Shen Mo.

He sat down opposite Chen Zhen and began to eat.

He ate very slowly and elegantly, his chopsticks not making a sound.

Zhang Meng watched from the side, looking vigilant: "Why didn't you come this morning?"

Shen Mo raised his head and glanced at him.

"I had something to do."

Zhang Meng rolled his eyes and continued eating.

Halfway through the meal, Shen Mo suddenly spoke: "Chen Zhen, did you read those books?"

Chen Zhen nodded.

"I did."

"Are they useful?"

"They are."

Shen Mo smiled and didn't ask any more.

After finishing his meal, he stood up and walked away with his tray.

Zhang Meng watched from the side, looking confused.

"What are you guys talking about?"

Chen Zhen didn't answer.

The third period in the afternoon was PE class.

Today was free activity; the boys were playing basketball, and the girls were chatting in the shade.

Zhang Meng dragged Chen Zhen to play ball.

"Come on, come on, we're playing against Class 3 today, and their transfer student is playing too."

Chen Zhen glanced at the court.

On the Class 3 side, Shen Mo was changing into his sportswear.

He took off his school uniform jacket, revealing a lean, muscular frame.

It was a completely different person from his usual scholarly, weak appearance.

Zhang Meng saw it too and was stunned for a moment.

"Damn, this guy looks thin, but he's actually quite well-built."

The game began.

Shen Mo was playing point guard. The ball seemed to stick to his hands; no matter how he dribbled, he wouldn't lose it.

Dribbling past people, passing, shooting—his movements were as smooth as if he had practiced for ten years.

Zhang Meng was so completely outplayed he began to doubt his life.

Chen Zhen stood outside the three-point line, watching Shen Mo.

In [Internal Vision], Shen Mo's aura was no different from an ordinary person's.

But in his movements, there was an indescribable sense of "coordination."

It was as if every step was in rhythm, and every shot was just right.

This wasn't Spiritual Qi; it was talent.

Pure physical talent.

Shen Mo dribbled to break through, passed two people, and drove straight to the basket.

Chen Zhen moved.

One step, two steps, three steps—he appeared directly in front of Shen Mo.

Shen Mo was startled, but his reaction was extremely fast; he switched the ball from his left hand to his right, trying to break through from the side.

Chen Zhen moved with him, always blocking in front of him.

The two stood in a stalemate under the basket for three seconds.

Shen Mo suddenly smiled.

He passed the ball to a teammate, stepped back two steps, and looked at Chen Zhen.

"Not bad."

Chen Zhen didn't speak.

But he was a little surprised in his heart.

This guy's reaction speed was much faster than an ordinary person's.

It wasn't Spiritual Qi; it was pure talent.

If he had a Spiritual Root...

After school, Chen Zhen packed his bag to leave.

Shen Mo walked over from behind and stood next to him.

"That defense of yours in the afternoon," he said, "how did you do it?"

Chen Zhen looked at him.

"I run fast."

Shen Mo smiled and didn't press for more.

The two walked out of the school gate side by side.

After walking a few steps, Shen Mo suddenly said: "In my grandfather's notes, there is a passage."

"What passage?"

"He said that there is a kind of person in this world who is born to be able to feel those things." Shen Mo looked ahead, "They don't need to practice, they don't need to learn; they just can feel it."

He turned his head and looked at Chen Zhen.

"Are you that kind of person?"

Chen Zhen didn't answer.

Shen Mo smiled and turned to leave.

7:00 PM, Secret Base.

Chen Zhen sat cross-legged in the center of the Spirit Gathering Array, with six pots of spiritual plants surrounding him.

He took out the Spirit Gathering Talisman he had drawn in the afternoon.

Ordinary paper, ordinary ink, no Spiritual Qi.

Then he stuck it on the side of the pot of the largest calming flower.

Three seconds.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

No reaction.

He frowned and was about to tear it off when he suddenly felt an extremely faint ripple.

In [Internal Vision], the concentration of Spiritual Qi around that piece of paper was a little bit higher than elsewhere—less than 1%, but it definitely existed.

It had an effect?

He stared at the paper, pouring Spiritual Qi into his eyes.

[Talisman Eye] activated.

On that ordinary paper, those ordinary ink marks now presented another form in his eyes.

It wasn't ink; it was "structure." The structure of that Talisman rune could itself draw in Spiritual Qi.

It was just too weak.

So weak it was almost negligible.

But if... he used Talisman ink?

If he used Talisman ink prepared from spiritual plants to draw this Talisman and stuck it on the wall...

He immediately took out the anshen flower powder, prepared the Talisman ink, and drew a real Spirit Gathering Talisman.

Just as the ink dried, the Talisman paper lit up with a pale purple halo.

He stuck this Talisman on the wall.

Instantly, the concentration of Spiritual Qi in the entire Secret Base began to rise.

1%, 2%, 5%—

Ten seconds later, it stabilized at 15%.

[Spirit Gathering Talisman (Star Radiance Version) effective]

[Range: 10 square meters]

[Effect: Spiritual Qi concentration +15%, lasts 12 hours]

Chen Zhen looked at the Talisman, the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

It worked.

He sat cross-legged and began to Cultivate.

The Dantian spiritual bead rotated slowly, and the Stellar Energy and ordinary Spiritual Qi intertwined, pouring into his meridians.

The cultivation efficiency was 15% higher than usual.

[Cultivation Progress: Qi Refining Level 4 180/1800]

At 11:00 PM, Chen Zhen ended his cultivation.

He stood up and looked at the few pots of spiritual plants.

There were four calming flowers left, and they would all bloom next week.

There were more than thirty Mint leaves left, enough for a while.

There were three purple ginseng fruits, and he hadn't decided how to use them yet.

He glanced at the Spirit Gathering Talisman again.

The purple light on the Talisman paper had dimmed a bit; it was estimated that it could last for another ten hours.

Tomorrow, he would replace it with a new one.

He packed his things and walked out of the Secret Base.

Outside, the night was deep.

The city lights were like stars.

He touched the key in his pocket.

In Shen Mo's grandfather's Old House, there were more things waiting for him.