7: Chapter 7 Second-Tier Rune Master (Part 1)

Ye Jiexin looked at his few Disciples and changed the subject to comfort them: "You all shouldn't feel too much pressure. Don't forget that this kid has been studying for two years longer than you."

Here, Ye Yisong was not the oldest, but he had been studying Talisman Making the longest. No one could guarantee they would make the right choice on the first try, so the Family gave everyone three chances, but only three.

Ye Yikang had come to the Talisman Hall on his third choice, and the other three had also chosen it on their second attempt. The young girl, on the other hand, was like Ye Yisong, having chosen the craft of Talisman Making on her first try.

"Little Thirteen, come with me. The rest of you, practice on your own according to yesterday's requirements," Ye Jiexin instructed. "Little Six, adjust yourself well today. Try boldly and don't be afraid to waste the Talisman boards on the racks. Practice the Sealing well."

After Ye Jiexin finished speaking, he walked away directly. The old man seemed fierce and menacing, but in reality, he had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Yesterday he wouldn't let them waste any Talisman boards, but today he had opened up permissions for Ye Yikang.

Watching Ye Jiexin walk into the small attic further inside, Ye Yisong immediately followed him in, closing the door behind him. This small attic was the true core of the Talisman Hall; all secrets were kept inside. Without Ye Jiexin's instruction, none of the Disciples were allowed to enter.

Watching Ye Yisong follow Ye Jiexin into the small attic, they all cast envious glances. They didn't know how many times they had envied Ye Yisong today.

Sigh! Same clan, different fates.

They knew that only by entering the small attic could one truly be considered Ye Jiexin's Disciple. The few apprentices were nothing; if a major issue arose, Ye Jiexin would likely not step in to help.

...

Ye Yisong cautiously walked into the small attic. Seeing the scene inside, he was stunned...

He saw that there were dozens of storage racks on the first floor. With a quick glance, he saw nine storage racks hung full of Storage Pouches containing spiritual Materials. Among them, three racks were filled with Fourth-Rank spiritual items, and there was even a fifth-rank storage rack;

There were also four storage racks displaying Storage Pouches containing finished Talisman boards, with labels for First, Second, Third, and Fourth-Rank Talisman boards respectively;

There were four more storage racks containing Storage Pouches with First to Fourth-Rank Talismans; the last and largest rack was filled with various books on Talismans.

The remaining storage racks were blocked, so he couldn't see exactly what was on them.

Now, Ye Yisong truly understood the powerful strength of a prefecture-level clan. How many Families could produce the dozens of racks on the first floor of this small attic alone? Not to mention that the Family had several other craft halls—the total amount combined was enough to make one excited just thinking about it.

Furthermore, when he saw so many finished Fourth-Rank Talisman boards, he gained a deeper understanding of Ye Jiexin's strength as a Fourth-Rank Talisman Master.

For a Talisman Maker, carving the Talisman board was the first and most important step. The subsequent Qi charging and Sealing were tasks requiring patient, grinding effort. As long as one's Comprehension Ability and talent were not poor, and there were enough resources, one could be "piled" up to success.

This was also why Ye Jiexin felt at ease letting Ye Yikang practice Sealing on his own. At this stage, there wasn't much he could teach; it was merely a matter of past experience and personal exploration. However, these were all clearly recorded in books, so he didn't need to explain them again.

"Kid, shocked, aren't you?" Ye Jiexin teased, then proudly stroked the rack closest to him. "These are the assets that allow our Ye Clan to gain a foothold in Cangjiang Prefecture."

"Thirteen, remember, this is the precious wealth left to our entire Family by our ancestors. What you see today must never be spread outside. Now that I have brought you here, you should understand the significance of it."

"When you have the ability, you must also learn to give back to the Family and replenish it with fresh blood. It is the passing of the torch from generation to generation that has created the nine hundred years of glory for our Ye Clan," Ye Jiexin continued earnestly.

Ye Yisong listened silently to Ye Jiexin's teachings. Although he had not personally experienced the cruelty of the outside world, he had understood a bit about it. The Fourth-Rank spiritual item, the River Turtle shell he had just seen, was exchanged for the life of a cousin of the Family.

Ye Jiexin sighed softly; evidently, he had also seen that turtle shell. "Alright, enough of that. Being old just makes one love to nag."

"Given your foundation in Talisman Making, and since you have achieved a Breakthrough to become a Warrior, you can start learning the production of Second-Rank Talismans starting today. I hope you will bring glory to the Family in the Martial Examination a few months from now."

"You still remember the knowledge about Second-Rank Talismans that I taught you, right?" Ye Jiexin suddenly looked at Ye Yisong sternly and said.

Ye Yisong felt the surrounding air grow cold, and immediately replied: "The Talisman board for a Second-Rank Talisman involves stacking three First-Rank runes together, balancing them to unleash greater power."

"When carving a Second-Rank Talisman board, one should first think about the placement of the three First-Rank runes based on the Materials. The Talisman Maker must carve all three runes simultaneously, and finally complete the carving of all three runes at the same time to achieve balance and prevent the Materials from being damaged."

"As for Qi charging, it is done from the outside in, step by step. Once all three runes are charged, the Sealing is complete."

"Hmm." Ye Jiexin nodded.

"Go to the third rack and get a Second-Rank Withered Vine. Start practicing the production of the Great Fireball Talisman today," Ye Jiexin said. "Follow the precautions taught in class; find the correct position before you make the cut."

Ye Yisong walked to the third rack, picked a Storage Pouch labeled 'Withered Vine', and took out a few sections of Withered Vine. He didn't think he could succeed on the first try, even though he had a Transmigration cheat.

After getting the Withered Vine, Ye Yisong sat on a low stool. Thinking about the pattern of the Second-Rank Great Fireball Talisman, he sorted out his thoughts and began to pick up the carving knife to trace on the Withered Vine. When he carved to the second layer of the pattern, he inexplicably completed one rune, which meant that this Talisman board could no longer achieve the balance of three runes. He failed.

Ye Yisong stared blankly at the Withered Vine in his hand, motionless for a long time.

"This is a normal phenomenon; who succeeds on the first try? Continue practicing. When I was learning, I ruined over twenty Second-Rank spiritual Materials before finally carving a Second-Rank Talisman board." Seeing him motionless after the failure, Ye Jiexin thought he couldn't handle the blow and comforted him with concern.

"Does this kid think it's a First-Rank Talisman board? Thinking he can succeed on the first try. It's good to hit him with a setback, so he doesn't get ahead of himself," Ye Jiexin thought.

What he didn't know was that what left Ye Yisong stunned was the fully formed Second-Rank Great Fireball Talisman board in his mind.

Now, a Talisman board with the pattern marked in sequence appeared in Ye Yisong's mind. It was like a GPS navigation; 798 treated the runes on the Talisman board as roads, indicating the order for Ye Yisong to carve the Talisman board.