Chapter 79: The Golden Light Mantra Talisman

Li Meng hurried back to his loft and entered the study. He settled into the chair behind the writing desk and opened the system’s “Treasure Pavilion.”

“There are quite a few third-grade talismans. Are there any good for offense?” he mused, browsing through the glowing list.

The standard Spirit Sword Talisman was acceptable, but the Divine Firmament Talisman was far more impressive—a hundred-zhang great sword equivalent to a full-force strike from a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

However, the Divine Firmament Talisman could not be revealed lightly.

Anyone who saw it had to be silenced. So far, only two people knew he could draw it: Junior Sister Qi Wei and Ancestor Nangong Wan. He had intentionally leaked that information to the latter to curry favor. Everyone else who had witnessed him using it was dead.

While the superior-grade Spirit Sword Talisman was also powerful, it couldn’t instantly kill a prepared Foundation Establishment opponent in a duel.

“Fireball Talisman? Iceball Talisman? Such rustic things should be first-grade, shouldn’t they?”

Li Meng wouldn’t have been surprised to find these among the basic inventory. After all, the Fireball and Iceball techniques were elementary spells every cultivator knew.

“Soul Stilling Talisman? This is good, perfect for ambushes and sneak attacks.”

The Soul Stilling Talisman could seal the soul, shut down the five senses, and immobilize the body. A silent killer.

“Sky Soaring Talisman? An advanced version of the Wind Riding Talisman? Useful for travel.”

“Eternal Rebirth Talisman? To guide departed souls to eternal peace…” Li Meng paused. “The Ghost Spirit Sect must fear this thing the most.”

A faint, cold smile touched his lips. He would need to prepare several Eternal Rebirth Talismans. Any future encounters with members of the Ghost Spirit Sect would leave them in despair. The thought of their painstakingly refined soul banners being utterly purified was immensely pleasing.

“Golden Light Mantra Talisman?”

Li Meng read the description.

“All dharmas are empty, all dharmas are real. Words become law—this is the Golden Light Mantra.”

“Sounds impressive. An offensive and defensive talisman?” The description made Li Meng’s eyes light up. It was grand and profound, giving a sense of vastness and all-encompassing power. “Truly a third-grade talisman. Its might far surpasses first or second-grade ones.”

He stood up and hurried out of the study, entering the adjacent Artifact Refining Room. Sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, he extended his Divine Sense into the storage pouch at his waist.

“Huh? Am I this poor?”

Li Meng suddenly realized his relative poverty. He had less than ten thousand Spirit Stones left. While he possessed a fair amount of pills and some unconcentrated pill liquids, those were reserved for his own cultivation. Some things couldn’t be bought with Spirit Stones alone.

He only had five pieces of third-grade demon beast hide. Materials from second-grade demon beasts and above weren’t common goods. Although he had purchased many rare treasures at the auction, they were too advanced; he’d need to reach at least fourth-grade in his Sub-professions to use them properly.

“Need to use them sparingly,” he thought with a pang of heartache. Third-grade demon beast hide was expensive. “Looks like I can’t rely solely on hide for Talisman Paper in the future.”

Many rare materials could make Talisman Paper, such as certain bamboo-type spirit plants. Hundred-year bamboo could produce second-grade paper, while three-hundred-year bamboo could yield third-grade paper. Bamboo spirit plants were relatively common; specimens over a hundred years old weren’t exactly everywhere, but anything purchasable with Spirit Stones wasn’t exceedingly rare.

Li Meng formed hand seals.

A piece of metal-attribute demon beast hide flew from his storage pouch and hovered above his head. Pointing a finger at it, he summoned his True Essence Fire, which surged forth and enveloped the hide. The cultivated flame began to refine the material, stripping away impurities.

The next morning. Moon Gaze Peak, inside the loft.

Li Meng sat behind the desk in his study, holding a talisman brush. He entered a state of selfless meditation as the intent of heaven and earth converged toward the tip of his brush.

His hand moved.

The brush flowed across the golden Talisman Paper with seamless grace, channeling mana into intricate patterns. The moment he lifted the brush, he emerged from that wondrous state. He opened his mouth and exhaled a turbid breath.

Picking up the completed talisman, he nodded in satisfaction and stroked his beard.

“Excellent. Mission accomplished.”

The golden characters on the paper emitted a faint aura of heavenly Dao rhythm. Merely looking at it evoked a sense of profound mystery, compelling one to delve deeper into its secrets.

Li Meng stored the talisman, stood up, and walked out.

At the entrance of the loft, a soft click sounded as the main door opened. Li Meng, now dressed in the yellow robes of an Inner Disciple, stepped out. He didn’t linger. Summoning his flying sword, he rode the wind and soared away from the peak.

Joyous Union Sect. Inner Sect, Masked Moon Peak.

Magnificent jade towers and pavilions blended seamlessly with the majestic mountain scenery.

In a tall loft at the peak, a graceful figure in a purple palace gown lay sideways on a bed, eyes closed in feigned sleep. A veil covered her face, hiding her features from the world.

“Go!”

A sudden Divine Sense transmission caused Ruoshui to open her eyes.

“No,” her lazy voice echoed in the room.

“He is your only disciple. If you don’t go as his protector, who will?”

Ruoshui’s eyes flashed with resignation. Her curvaceous form sat up gracefully.

“A Five Spirit Roots waste like you should stay within the sect refining pills and cultivating properly instead of running around recklessly!”

Her voice carried helplessness and melancholy.

Her master was truly something, not even letting her laze about during her final days. She didn’t know what her master expected. It was already a miracle her disciple had reached Foundation Establishment. Even with endless cultivation resources at his disposal, forming a Golden Core was utterly impossible for a Five Spirit Roots waste—essentially a mortal at their core. Struggling wouldn’t change that final outcome.

The next moment, Ruoshui transformed into a streak of light and shot out through the window. The azure beam soared into the sky and vanished into the clouds beyond the peak in an instant.

Joyous Union Sect. Foreign Affairs Hall, near the Spirit Herb Garden.

Li Meng arrived on his flying sword and descended gracefully, his yellow robes fluttering as he landed elegantly on the corridor outside.

He glanced at his Relationship List.

[Name: Yuan Baobao] [Luck: 30]

“Why is there only 30 Luck points left?”

Seeing Junior Sister Yuan’s Luck had dropped to 30 made Li Meng’s expression darken and his heart tighten.

She was indeed in trouble—likely grave danger. The moment her Luck hit zero would probably be her death.

He hurried into the Foreign Affairs Hall.

“Senior Brother Li… you… you’ve reached Foundation Establishment?”

Xue Lun, sitting behind the desk, looked at Li Meng with pleasant surprise as he rushed in. He never expected the old man, who was nearing his Lifespan Limit, would actually succeed.

This was truly an unexpected delight.

Li Meng chuckled lightly and stroked his beard.

“Just luck, mere luck!”

He took out a storage pouch and handed it to Junior Brother Xue, who had come forward to greet him.

“Junior Brother, your Senior Brother has urgent matters to attend to now. Your daughter should be approaching Foundation Establishment soon? Since she and I are both disciples of Masked Moon Peak… I forgot to give her a meeting gift last time we met. Consider this a belated one as I’m passing by!”