93: Chapter 93 Cultivation Under the Shadow of War

In the Tianzhu Mountain Range during the depths of winter, even the wind felt as sharp as a knife.

The bamboo leaves had long since fallen, and the bare stalks swayed in the wind and snow, emitting a wailing sound. Snow piled up on the branches, occasionally breaking with a "crack" and crashing to the ground, kicking up a spray of snow.

When Lin Xuan pushed open the courtyard gate, the biting cold air rushed at him, causing his breathing to falter slightly.

The white mist he exhaled stretched into a long trail in the morning light, only to be instantly torn apart by the cold wind.

The stone table and stools in the courtyard were covered in thick snow, and only a few withered branches of the wild jasmine stubbornly poked out from the snow surface.

It had been exactly four months since he was conscripted into the Hundred Talisman Hall.

From late autumn to mid-winter, there was no sign of the war ending; instead, like the weather, it grew colder and harsher.

Lin Xuan activated the Wind Control Technique, wrapping himself in Spiritual Qi, and flew toward Thousand Talisman Peak.

Looking down from the air, all the peaks of the Sanyang Sect were covered in white snow, except for the production areas that operated day and night—Thousand Talisman Peak, Artifact Refining Peak, and Danding Peak—which remained brightly lit with chimneys billowing smoke, standing out starkly against the pure white.

In front of the Hundred Talisman Hall, the snow on the bluestone steps had been cleared to the sides, piled into waist-high snow walls.

Lin Xuan stepped into the hall entrance.

A warm atmosphere rushed to meet him.

The constant temperature array inside the Hundred Talisman Hall was always active, maintaining a spring-like temperature, forming a sharp contrast with the severe cold outside. However, the atmosphere inside the hall was even colder than the weather.

Cubicle Ding-Wei 73.

Lin Xuan activated the soundproof Restriction and spread out the purple-patterned paper.

For these four months, he had repeated the same actions every day: spreading paper, regulating his breath, and crafting Talismans.

The quota was still four Medium Grade Tier 1 Talismans, but he now produced five to six daily with stability, and his success rate for the Thunder Shield Talisman was nearly ninety percent. Occasionally, he would attempt to draw the Thunder Spear Talisman, and his success rate had also improved to fifty percent.

But he still only submitted the Thunder Shield Talismans.

The excess one or two were quietly hoarded; now, his Storage Pouch contained nearly a hundred Thunder Shield Talismans and over thirty Thunder Spear Talismans. These were reserves he prepared for himself, not recorded by the Sect.

As the tip of his brush fell, Thunder Spiritual Energy flowed.

When the fourth Thunder Shield Talisman was completed, the jade tablet showed it was just noon.

Lin Xuan put down his brush and flexed his wrists.

Through the transparent light screen, he could see the surrounding cubicles.

Junior Brother Zhao in Bing-Wu 12, diagonally opposite, was now a veteran with the Golden Light Talisman, producing eight daily with stability, an excess of four.

Although the profit per Talisman was meager, the advantage lay in the large and stable volume, allowing him to save up quite a few contribution points each month.

It was just that the anxiety between his brows never dissipated—it was said that one of his elder brothers was in a combat unit at the front line and had been severely injured last month, urgently needing Medicinal Pills to sustain his life.

Junior Brother Zhao was crafting Talismans desperately to exchange for contribution points, all of which were used to redeem healing Medicinal Pills to send over there.

Senior Sister Su in Ding-Chou 41, directly opposite, was still drawing the Rejuvenation Talisman.

But her current state was even worse.

Her face was pale, there were dark circles under her eyes, and the hand holding the brush trembled occasionally.

A few days ago, Lin Xuan had seen with his own eyes that after she finished a Talisman, she suddenly covered her mouth, dark red blood seeping between her fingers, which she quickly wiped away with a handkerchief before swallowing a Medicinal Pill and continuing to craft.

It was said that the combat unit where her Dao Companion was located had been ambushed by the Xuanyin Sect last month, suffering over fifty percent casualties.

Although her Dao Companion had survived by luck, his natal Magical Artifact was damaged and required a large amount of rare Materials to repair. Each of those Materials was worth dozens or hundreds of contribution points.

In the Hundred Talisman Hall, everyone had their own story, and everyone was struggling desperately.

Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze and began drawing the fifth Talisman.

This time, he attempted to push the micro-control ability of his "Thunder Gathering" talent to the limit—allowing the Thunder Spiritual Energy to flow through the Talisman patterns while reducing unnecessary loss, enhancing the durability of the Talisman.

As the brush tip tapped lightly, the Talisman patterns extended.

The moment the Talisman was formed, the silver light on the surface was exceptionally pure and restrained, and the circulation of the Thunder Spiritual Energy was nearly perfect.

The quality of this Talisman was already approaching the limit of a Medium Grade Tier 1 Talisman.

Lin Xuan put it away; he would not submit it.

This was the result of his practice, and also his trump card.

At 5:45 PM, the bell for knocking off rang.

Lin Xuan submitted the four quota Thunder Shield Talismans, and 88 contribution points were credited to his account. He then went to the exchange office to replenish two stacks of purple-patterned paper and a jar of thunder-patterned cinnabar.

Contribution point balance: 1,830 points.

In these few months, he had earned a lot, but he had also spent a lot.

Medicinal Pills, Talisman paper, hoarded Mid-Grade Spirit Stones (he now had fifty), and those three Tier 2 Talismans... every item was a large expense.

But it was worth it.

When he returned to the small courtyard on Emerald Bamboo Peak, it was already dark.

It had started snowing again; fine snowflakes drifted in the twilight, and the world was a scene of Chaos.

Lin Xuan did not enter the house immediately.

He stood in the courtyard, wearing only a single layer of clothing.

The cold wind was like a knife, cutting into his skin. But as he activated the "Thunder Body Refining Technique," pale purple thunder patterns flowed beneath his skin, isolating the cold.

He began to practice boxing.

"Lightning Flash," "Thunder Moves Nine Heavens," "Thunderbolt Across the Sky"...

The nine basic boxing styles of the Qi Refining chapter of the "Thunder Body Refining Technique" were unfolded one by one in the snow.

Each punch launched caused the Qi and blood in his whole body to surge, and the Thunder Spiritual Energy traversed his tendons and bones to temper them. The wind from his fists stirred the snowflakes, forming a small vortex around him.

After months of hard training, the third level of the "Thunder Body Refining Technique," Tendons and Bones Like Jade, was nearing Perfection, and he was now advancing toward the fourth level, "Thunder Tempering the Five Viscera."

This was a slow process of grinding, not to be rushed.

But he could feel that his internal organs were becoming stronger day by day under the nourishment of the Thunder Spiritual Energy. His breathing was more prolonged, his Qi and blood were more vigorous, and even his five senses had become three times sharper.

After finishing the set of boxing, steam rose from his whole body, and the snowflakes that landed on him melted instantly.

Lin Xuan finished his practice and exhaled; the white mist shot out three feet away like an arrow.

He wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, put on his dharma robe, and entered the house.

In the Quiet Room, he first took a "peiyuan pill"—this was a commonly used auxiliary Medicinal Pill for the Middle Stage of Qi Refining, which could improve cultivation and nourish the Meridians.

During wartime, it was rationed, and he could only buy eight bottles per month, but fortunately, it was enough.

Once the Medicinal Pill entered his abdomen, it turned into gentle medicinal power that dispersed into his limbs and bones.

Lin Xuan sat cross-legged and circulated the "Purple Heaven Divine Thunder Art."

Inside his Dantian, the Qi vortex of his Qi Refining Level 4 Thunder Spiritual Energy rotated slowly.

Months had passed, and although his cultivation was still far from a Breakthrough to Level 5, the vortex was more solid, and the tiny purple thunder seed at the core was becoming increasingly brilliant, resonating with every breath he took.

Under the shadow of war, time was severely compressed.

With five hours in the Hundred Talisman Hall every day, plus travel, handling miscellaneous tasks, eating, and resting... the time truly available for Cultivation was less than three hours.

But Lin Xuan had the Spirit-Taming Tower Space.

The flow of time in the space was the same as the outside world, but the concentration of Thunder Spiritual Qi was several times higher than the outside. Even when outside, he could draw the Spiritual Qi from within the space to Cultivate.