167: Chapter 167 Fireball Talisman, Successful!

"The rules have been explained." She raised her chin. "Now let's talk about serious business. Starting today, I will be teaching you for one month. The content includes guidance on basic Cultivation, an introduction to combat techniques, as well as the Zhao family's task system and the Contribution exchange system. After the month of training ends, you may Cultivate on your own and take on tasks yourself."

"Do you understand?"

"Understood!" the crowd replied in unison.

Immediately, a low murmur of discussion rose from the audience.

Zhao Chengfang did not give them time to continue discussing and directly began the first lesson.

"Today, we will first talk about Cultivation."

Two hours later, after the lecture concluded, two Zhao family Disciples walked onto the stage, each carrying a large wooden chest.

Zhao Chengfang waved her hand: "Come over to collect your items."

The queue formed a long line, and they went up one by one to collect their things.

When it was your turn, the Zhao family Disciple handed you two items: a three-inch square cyan jade tablet, and a neatly folded moon-white robe.

The jade tablet felt slightly cool to the touch. Its texture was not particularly refined, with some rough polishing marks at the edges. The front was engraved with the two characters "Guest Elder," and the back bore your name and a string of tiny Formation patterns. You probed it gently with your Qi, and a line of information appeared inside the jade tablet: "Lin Shuangwan, Qi Condensation Second Layer, Contribution: 5."

The robe was of a uniform standard. The material was better than Mortal silk, but compared to true magical garments, it was worlds apart. Its advantage lay in being lightweight and breathable, with the Zhao family's cloud pattern emblem embroidered on the left chest.

You put the two items away and stepped aside.

Jiang Xuechan held her own jade tablet, looking at it over and over, her face flushed with excitement: "Five Contribution points! Sister Shuangwan, can we go exchange for items now?"

"Let's see what we can exchange for first," you said.

After the training session dispersed, you, Jiang Xuechan, and Liu Ya walked together toward the Contribution Pavilion.

Along the way, many new Guest Elders were heading in the same direction; it seemed everyone was anxious to see the exchange catalog.

The first floor of the Contribution Pavilion was a spacious hall. In the center stood a jade wall as tall as a man, densely engraved with the exchange list. The characters were driven by Qi and would scroll slowly. Beside it were several tables where two Zhao family Disciples sat, responsible for processing exchange procedures.

You stood before the jade wall, scanning line by line.

Spirit Stone: 1 Contribution = 1 Low-Grade Spirit Stone.

Bigu Pill (one bottle of ten): 1 Contribution.

spirit gathering pill (one bottle of five): 2 Contribution.

Qi Condensation Mid-Grade Cultivation Technique (Water/Fire/Wood/Earth/Metal, one of each): 5 Contribution.

...

Your gaze paused for a moment on "Qi Condensation Mid-Grade Cultivation Technique: 5 Contribution."

Five Contribution points was exactly the total initial Contribution given to everyone upon selection. In other words, the Zhao family had set the threshold tight; as soon as you entered the door, they reclaimed all your Contribution, making you start working from zero.

Sure enough, several people around you were already walking toward the tables without hesitation.

"I'll exchange for a Fire-type Mid-Grade Cultivation Technique!"

"Me too, I'll exchange for a Water-type one!"

"Are there any dual-attribute ones... None? Then give me an Earth-type one."

Most people chose to exchange for Cultivation Techniques.

What Loose Cultivators lacked most were Cultivation Techniques. Most of them practiced Low Grade Cultivation Techniques, which resulted in impure Qi and slow progress. A single Mid-Grade Cultivation Technique was enough to make them bankrupt.

Jiang Xuechan stood on tiptoes next to you, looking for a long time, then turned back and asked: "Sister Shuangwan, what are you exchanging for?"

"Talisman paper and Spirit Ink," you said.

Jiang Xuechan's eyes widened: "You're not exchanging for a Cultivation Technique?"

"I don't need to."

You didn't explain further. Your Burning Heaven True Art was a High-Grade Cultivation Technique for the Foundation Establishment Stage. Let alone Mid-Grade Qi Condensation Cultivation Techniques, even if the Zhao family brought out a High-Grade Qi Condensation Cultivation Technique, it would be useless to you.

You walked to the table and said to the Zhao family Disciple in charge of exchanges: "I'd like to exchange for two stacks of Talisman paper, one bottle of Spirit Ink, and one bottle of spirit gathering pill."

The other person glanced at you—or more accurately, looked at you several times—then lowered their head to record in the ledger, took the items from the cabinet, and handed them to you.

"Five Contribution points deducted, balance is now zero."

You nodded and stored the items in your Storage Pouch.

The surrounding Guest Elders also heard the commotion and turned their heads to look.

"Is she crazy? She spent all five Contribution points on scrap materials for drawing talismans?"

"Does she think being a Talisman Master is that easy? Without the guidance of a famous teacher, one can't even draw one successful talisman out of a hundred sheets of paper!"

"She's pretty, but it's a pity her brain doesn't work too well."

You ignored the discussion behind you and turned to leave.

Jiang Xuechan exchanged for a Water-type Mid-Grade Cultivation Technique, and Liu Ya likewise exchanged for a Wood-type Cultivation Technique. The two of them each held their Jade Slips, their faces wearing expressions as if they had obtained a treasure.

After returning to the courtyard, you went straight into the east room and closed the door.

You spread out the Talisman paper on the table and poured the Spirit Ink into the inkstone. From your Storage Pouch, you took out that defective talisman brush you hadn't been able to bear throwing away—a cheap item bought previously at Qingyue Market. The spirit patterns on the tip had worn down by thirty percent, but it could barely still be used.

You took a deep breath, focused your mind and calmed your Qi, gathered your spiritual power at your fingertips, and drove the talisman brush to dip into the ink.

The moment the brush tip landed on the Talisman paper, your Divine Sense spread out like mercury pouring onto the ground, firmly locking onto every single streak of the flowing Spirit Ink.

You had already mentally simulated the patterns of the Fireball Talisman thousands of times: three turns and seven folds, gathered at the center, activated at the southern position.

On the first sheet, the brush tip shifted slightly when reaching the second turn; the Spirit Ink went out of control, and the Talisman paper turned into ash.

On the second sheet, you barely finished the whole process, but when finishing the stroke, there was a break in the connection of spiritual power; the Talisman paper was dull and lusterless—it was ruined.

The third sheet, failure.

The fourth sheet, failure.

The fifth sheet...

You closed your eyes, slowed your breathing completely, cast aside all distracting thoughts, and let your Divine Sense sink completely into that subtle flow of spiritual power.

The talisman brush fell again.

This time, your hand was as steady as a rock. The output of spiritual power was as even as drawing a silk thread. The three turns and seven folds were completed in one go. The brush tip fixed at the center position, and the Spirit Ink flowed along the patterns for a full three breaths. Then, with a soft "hum," a layer of pale red light appeared on the surface of the Talisman paper.

It was a success.

You lowered your head and looked at the First-Grade Low Grade Fireball Talisman in your hand, which was emitting a faint firelight, and the corners of your mouth slowly curled up.

The sixth sheet, failure.

...

Ten sheets of Talisman paper, one success—a ten percent success rate.

You leaned back in your chair, staring at the ceiling, and calculated the accounts.

One stack of ten Talisman papers cost one Contribution point, equivalent to about one and a half Spirit Stones. One bottle of Spirit Ink could draw about sixty talismans and cost one Contribution point. Calculating based on a ten percent success rate, fifty sheets of Talisman paper could produce five Fireball Talismans. The retail price of one First-Grade Low Grade Fireball Talisman in the market was about half a Spirit Stone...

It was still a loss.

"Still need to practice," you sighed, then put away the ruined Talisman paper.

In the following days, you attended classes during the day and drew talismans at night, repeating the cycle.

Zhao Chengfang's classes were packed, from Cultivation to combat, from common knowledge of Formations to the classification of Yao Beasts, and there was even an implicit lesson on "How to get along well in the Zhao family."

Of course, she wouldn't say it so bluntly.

Her original words were: "Among you, if anyone is willing to marry into the Zhao family, regardless of gender, the Zhao family holds an open attitude. Male Guest Elders may take a Zhao family daughter without a Spiritual Root as a wife; after marriage, the offspring will be raised by the Zhao family. If children with Spiritual Roots are born, the Zhao family will naturally reward you. As for female Guest Elders..."