87: Chapter 87 Wartime Talisman Making

He did not immediately begin drawing the Talisman for today's task.

Instead, he first activated the spirit-gathering array, sat cross-legged to regulate his breath, and adjusted his state to the best.

Then, he spread out the second Talisman paper.

This time, he drew a bit slower, focusing more on the precision and control of each stroke.

Since time was ample, why not use this opportunity to further temper the stability of his Talisman making.

The second Thunder Shield Talisman was finished, with quality similar to the first one.

For the third one, he started trying to fine-tune the Thunder Spiritual Energy output at several non-critical nodes, testing the Talisman's endurance limit — this was the "tactile expansion" exercise that Talisman Master Xu had mentioned in class.

The Talisman was completed, the quality was still superior, but the internal Thunder Spiritual Energy circulation was slightly different, the defensive strength increased slightly, but the duration was half a breath shorter.

"There are gains and losses." Lin Xuan noted the feeling.

For the fourth one, he returned to normal drawing, and the quality of the finished Talisman returned to stability.

The quota of four was completed in less than three hours.

Lin Xuan did not stop.

He put away these four Talismans, spread the paper again, and began to draw the fifth one.

Since there were contribution points for excess, and what he lacked most now were contribution points — although the final payment for the cloud-piercing shuttle had been paid off, in wartime, preparing more contribution points to exchange for life-saving Materials would never be wrong.

For the fifth one, he changed his approach, trying to integrate the Thunder Gathering talent's subtle control over Thunder Spiritual Qi into the Talisman-making process.

The Thunder Spiritual Energy under the pen tip was more docile, and the violent "resistance" during the drawing of the Talisman pattern was greatly reduced.

At the moment of completion, the silver light on the Talisman surface was exceptionally pure.

"Quality... is close to perfect." Lin Xuan picked up this Talisman and could clearly feel the stable and pure Thunder Spiritual Energy circulation within it, which was better than the previous ones.

He put down the Talisman and flexed his wrists.

Continuously drawing five Medium Grade Talismans consumed quite a bit of Divine Sense, but it was still within the bearable range.

He glanced at the time displayed on the jade board; it was just past the Shen hour.

There was still more than an hour left.

Lin Xuan got up and walked out of the cubicle.

In the corridor of the hall, Disciples were coming and going.

Some had relaxed expressions, obviously having completed their quota; others were frowning, clutching ruined Talisman paper in their hands, rushing to the Materials exchange point — that was because the quota had not been completed, but the Materials were not enough.

Lin Xuan first went to the Talisman submission point and handed in the four quota Thunder Shield Talismans.

After the deacon inspected and recorded, 88 contribution points were credited on the spot to his identity jade token.

Then, he also handed over the other excess Thunder Shield Talisman.

"One excess, superior quality, a total of 25 contribution points."

The jade token lit up again, and the balance of contribution points increased.

113 points credited.

Lin Xuan calculated in his heart: The daily quota is completed, with a guaranteed minimum of 88 points; one excess is 25 contribution points, if he exceeds two a day, it is 138 points.

After a month, it is more than four thousand points, deducting costs, there is about 1700 or 1800 a month.

This income is more stable and generous than when he takes tasks himself and sells Talismans.

Of course, the price is being fixed here for five hours every day, and the Material cost needs to be borne by himself.

But considering the rise in Material prices during wartime and the difficulty of procurement, the Sect provided exchange channel actually implicitly subsidizes part of the cost.

"No wonder so many people are fighting to get into the production sequence." Lin Xuan thought to himself.

He went to the Materials exchange point to take a look.

purple-patterned paper, one stack is 175 contribution points, 10 points higher than the market price.

Thunder-pattern cinnabar, one jar is 90 points, also rose.

"Materials are all rising..." A Qi Refining Level 4 Disciple next to him smiled bitterly, "I have to draw eight Golden Light Shield Talismans to earn back the money for one stack of Talisman paper, and that's not even counting the cinnabar."

"Be content, it's better than going to the front line." Another person said in a low voice, "I heard that the first batch of Disciples from the War Department set off yesterday, and there are several people who joined at the same time as us..."

The atmosphere became dull.

Lin Xuan didn't listen much, exchanged two stacks of purple-patterned paper and a jar of cinnabar, spending 440 contribution points.

The 132 points just earned, in a blink of an eye, went out and even lost 308.

His expression did not change — this is a necessary investment.

Without Materials, where would the output come from?

Returning to the cubicle, Lin Xuan did not continue to make Talismans.

Instead, he activated the spirit-gathering array, sat cross-legged to regulate his breath, and recovered his Divine Sense.

At the same time, his mind sank into the Spirit-Taming Tower Space to check the status of the spiritual plants.

The buds of the thunder essence fruit tree had swollen a bit more, and it was estimated that it would bloom in a few months.

The fruit on the thunder-attracting vine was close to maturity, and thunder light flowed faintly under the blue-purple skin.

The Herb-Seeking Mouse was gnawing on the leaves of a thunder-pattern grass — after this little guy broke through to Qi Refining Level 2, its appetite grew, especially liking spiritual plants with Thunder Spiritual Energy.

The Pangolin was curled up in the burrow, its breath stable, and it seemed to be Cultivating as well.

Everything was normal.

Lin Xuan exited the space and continued to regulate his breath.

An hour later, most of his Divine Sense had recovered.

He opened his eyes and spread out the Talisman paper.

Since there was still time, why not...

The tip of the pen was dipped in cinnabar, Lin Xuan did not draw a Thunder Shield Talisman, but recalled another First-Grade Medium Grade Talisman recorded in the "Elementary Talisman True Interpretation" —

Thunder Spear Talisman.

A single-target attack Talisman, powerful, but more difficult to draw than the Thunder Shield Talisman, with more stringent requirements for spiritual power compression and control.

He had practiced it a few times before, and the success rate was less than 30%.

But right now, in the absolutely quiet and focused environment of the Hundred Talisman Hall, perhaps he could try again.

Putting pen to paper.

Thunder Spiritual Energy condensed and compressed at the tip of the pen.

The first stroke, the second stroke...

By the eighth stroke, the Talisman paper trembled slightly — this was a sign that the Thunder Spiritual Energy was too violent and about to lose control.

Lin Xuan turned his pen, taking the opportunity to guide that violent force to a "vent point" in the Talisman pattern structure.

This was a technique he had figured out after many failures before.

The Talisman paper stabilized.

The sixteenth stroke, the twenty-second stroke...

The twenty-fifth stroke, reaching the most critical "spear tip condensation" node.

Thunder Spiritual Energy needed to be extremely compressed here to form a point of highly penetrating thunder light.

Lin Xuan held his breath, the tip of the pen lightly tapped, rotated, and hooked back.

"Hiss —"

A wisp of blue smoke rose from the edge of the Talisman paper.

However, it didn't burn.

The entire Talisman pattern was presented completely, with a point of silver light in the center that was exceptionally piercing.

Thunder Spear Talisman, success!

Lin Xuan picked up this Talisman and could clearly feel the penetrating power contained within it.

Although the quality could only be considered medium, but... he succeeded.

He smiled, put away this Thunder Spear Talisman — this was an excess beyond the excess, no rush to hand it in.

Looking at the time, it was nearly the You hour.

It was time to go back.

Packing up his tools, Lin Xuan walked out of the cubicle.

Outside the hall, the sky was approaching dusk, and the autumn sunset dyed the Thousand Talisman Peak square into a warm golden color.

Many Disciples were walking out of the Hundred Talisman Hall, everyone looking tired, but their eyes were somewhat steady — at least today, the quota was completed, the contribution points were obtained, and there was no need to worry about punishment.

Lin Xuan activated the Wind Control Technique and flew towards Emerald Bamboo Peak.

Looking back, the Hundred Talisman Hall stood towering in the twilight, and the Talisman plates on the eaves rang softly with the wind.

The light screens in the hundreds of cubicles in the hall flickered, like a silent star.

War had come, but life had to go on.

Talisman making, Cultivating, saving contribution points, improving strength... these things would not change because of the war.

It was just that the rhythm was faster and the pressure was greater.

Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze and accelerated towards Emerald Bamboo Peak.

In the small courtyard, the night grew thicker.

He entered the Spirit-Taming Tower Space and began tonight's Cultivating.

The "Purple Heaven Divine Thunder Art" operated, and Thunder Spiritual Energy surged.

In this little world that belonged only to him, the war bells, conscription orders, and quota tasks from the outside world were temporarily far away.

Only Cultivating was the eternal theme.

Outside the window, the autumn moon rose in the east.

The cold moonlight spilled on the bamboo leaves, reflecting a mottled ground.

In the direction of Thousand Talisman Peak in the distance, the Hundred Talisman Hall was brightly lit and would remain so until the Zi hour.

In wartime, production never stops.