Chapter 5: Wanxiang Fu Jing!

  Early winter, heavy snow falls.

  The rear courtyard of the Pure Yang Martial Arts Hall, however, had not frozen over, and the Winding Dragon Pool was like a warm spring, emitting wisps of hot air. Tang Lin held four sandbags in his hand, pinching the tip of a small knife blade as he carved characters on the artificial hill beside the pool.

  It has been a month now.

  He can carve forty or fifty characters on the artificial hill every day. His originally white and smooth fingers have become as hard as steel, and the strength of his two arms is enough to lift a hundred-jin stone!

  This is already close to the level of an elementary martial artist!

  However, Tang Lin could only hold on for a short while and couldn't sustain it like a true elementary martial artist. Although his arm strength was sufficient, his legs were unable to support him, and his spine hadn't developed enough strength yet. If he forced himself, he might even break his spine!

  In just one short month, being able to make progress to this extent, Xiao Hui was already very satisfied. Tang Lin's hard work and diligence were all seen by him. This past month, Tang Lin almost hadn't rested every day; sometimes he would even fall asleep while reading books in the academy. Due to his excellent grades and solid foundation, the teacher didn't scold him, only slightly advising him.

  "The weather has turned cold, can't stay outside for too long." Tang Lin ran back into the house with a stone in his arms, saw Xiao Hui curled up in her quilt and sighed: "What a pity I'm not like Father and them, who can wear only a thin short-sleeved shirt in the heavy snow without fearing the cold at all."

  "What's difficult about that." Xiao Hui hummed, saying: "Your current finger strength is already qualified, barely able to carve the simplest basic talismans. Today I'll teach you how to carve talismans!"

  "Really?" Tang Lin's eyes lit up.

  He can finally engrave talismans! He has taken another big step on his path of martial arts!

  "Father, elder brother, sister!" Tang Lin clenched his fists, "You wait and see, I will definitely work hard and won't let you down!"

  "In my town of Youzu, there is a book called 'Wanxiang Fuyin', which covers four major categories of talismans, from beginner to sacred level!" Xiaohui hid in the quilt and explained the common sense of talismans to Tanglin. "It's just that I don't have enough strength now, and the soul power released can't directly transmit this 'Wanxiang Fuyin' to you through spiritual power. With this small dog body, I can only draw basic talismans and first-level regular talismans."

  "Although it's just a basic symbol, its function is also very significant." Little Gray smiled and said: "Among the four categories, special symbols are the most complicated, followed by auxiliary symbols. The attack and defense symbols are relatively simple. I'll teach you the defensive symbols first, as well as the sensing foundation symbols from the special symbols category."

  "Hmm!" Tang Lin looked at him expectantly.

  "The use of talismans is vast, whether it's for offense or defense, they have different effects. In the 'Wanxiang Fu Jing', there are 180,000 kinds of defensive foundation talismans, among which 1,200 are relatively practical. I'll teach you a set of 'Moon Clock Talisman' first. Once this talisman is opened, a layer of moonlight essence will envelop your body, and any minor demon-level creatures within half an incense stick's distance won't be able to harm you, enough for you to escape danger."

  Xiao Hui jumped up from the bed, shaking her body, "Follow me." She said, running to the door, rolling in the snow for a while, and then flattening the soft accumulated snow.

  "You block the snowflakes, look carefully." Xiao Hui ordered, then lifted up the small dog's paw and used a sharp claw tip to draw on the accumulated snow.

  One minute passed, and a delicate, intricate pattern appeared on the snow.

  "It's been a long time since I've practiced, and it's the body of a small dog again, it feels somewhat unfamiliar." Little Gray gazed at the talismans on the snow, letting out a soft sigh.

  Tang Lin couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise.

  The intricacy and complexity of this pattern is breathtaking, he thought to himself that it would be impossible for him to draw it out in one breath, yet Xiao Hui was able to carve it out with her small dog body in just a short minute!

  What kind of powerful control and proficiency is this?

  Tang Lin secretly assessed Xiao Hui's strength and only heard Xiao Hui continue to say: "You quickly remember, go back and practice according to this."

  Tang Lin concentrated his thoughts and hastily gazed at the pattern, carefully looking at it for a while before firmly remembering it, then followed Xiao Hui back into the house.

  Take out a white paper and dip the pen in thick ink.

  Tang Lin stood on the desk, his eyebrows furrowed, a thoughtful expression on his delicate face, as if he was repeatedly savoring the pattern. After a few minutes, he finally picked up his pen and began to write.

  With a flourish of his brush, the strokes were bold and powerful like a knife edge, flying swiftly across the white paper.

  One hook, one stroke, one dot, one curve!

  Tang Lin's expression was focused, every stroke of the brush was extremely serious, his fingers were firm, not shaking at all, and his arm was also very stable.

  Five minutes later, the talisman on the snowy ground appeared on Tang Lin's white paper.

  "Hmm." Little Gray praised: "Not bad, the first time carving, you can carve close to perfection, your memory and finger strength are quite good."

  "Almost complete?" Tang Lin was taken aback.

  The pattern on the white paper looked exactly the same as the snow to him.

  "That's right." Xiao Hui lay on the desk, her paws pointing at the white paper. "The curvature here is not strong enough, which will affect the flow of spiritual energy on the talisman. This place lacks a small dot, don't ignore it. And here, the ink is too thick."

  Tang Lin looked at where it pointed and thought back in his mind, only to find that he had indeed overlooked something.

  "Could it be that once this pattern is carved, it will exert its power?" Tang Lin asked curiously, voicing the doubts in his mind.

  "Of course not." Xiao Hui said proudly: "It's not that simple, you're just a beginner now, using pen and ink, when you really start drawing, you'll use dog blood, and the paper will be cinnabar paper, only then can you bring out the power of the talisman."

  "Fu Lu is a very profound subject, our Fu Lu ancestor, legend has it that he was an immortal who studied the energy patterns and operating laws of the entire world, only to discover that by using patterns combined with certain special factors, one can tap into mysterious and unfathomable powers."

  "This special factor is like dog blood, peach wood and so on. Peach wood can attract thunder from the sky, it has a special energy inside, dog blood contains rich energy, eating dog meat is very nourishing, when you become a warrior, your flesh will be even more nourishing than dog meat, using your blood will do."

  "However, the talismans drawn with your blood are mostly curses and belong to the category of ominous symbols. Human blood contains too much killing energy! The best materials are the juices of plants and trees, which are even purer than rootless water and won't affect the changes in the talisman itself."

  Xiao Hui said softly, glancing at Tang Lin, "Just this basic symbol in front of you, every stroke is the result of countless attempts by our ancestors to find the most successful way to run energy, don't underestimate it."

  Tang Lin stuck out his tongue.

  Peach wood and dog blood, he had heard of it before. The old folks said it could ward off evil spirits, but he never thought it was true. As for things like energy circulation, he didn't understand a word.

  As for Xiaohui's mention of the immortal, he couldn't help but feel curious. Could it be that there really are immortals in this world who can live forever?

  "Keep practicing." Little Gray said lazily: "Looking at you like this, even if you write it a thousand times, you might be able to succeed."

  "A thousand times?" Tang Lin furrowed his brow, a hint of discontent flashing in his eyes, and immediately dipped the brush again, writing with swift strokes.

  Once! Twice! Thrice!

  "This isn't right, not enough force, this turn isn't smooth enough."

  Ten times! Twenty times! Thirty times!

  "Close to perfection, this point here cannot be directly written, it must be crossed over."

  Two days later.

  "Ah!" Tang Lin let out a breath, put down the pen in his hand, and admired the perfect pattern in front of him. Every stroke was impeccable.

  "Hmm, it only took 300 repetitions to pass, progress is very fast." Little Gray comforted: "You have already learned the 'Moon Clock Symbol', tomorrow you will prepare dog blood and cinnabar paper, as well as wolf hair brush, then you can start making real talismans."

  Tang Lin smiled and said, "I've been ready for a long time." As he spoke, he pulled out a box from behind the bed, inside which was a small bottle sealed with dog blood. In addition, there was a large stack of pale red cinnabar paper, as well as an expensive wolf hair brush!

  "All these were bought with the money I borrowed from my father. This wolf-hair brush alone cost three taels of silver, and this hundred sheets of red paper only two strings of cash. The dog's blood was obtained from Old Woman Song, who ate a dog the day before yesterday."

  Tang Lin recalled that when he borrowed three taels of silver from his father to buy a wolf hair brush, his father didn't think twice and handed it over directly.

  Although our family was very poor, as long as I asked for it, Father never refused me.

  "When the magic symbol is successfully made, I will definitely earn it back double!" Tang Lin secretly thought to himself. He put down the wolf hair brush and cinnabar paper, as well as the dog blood on his desk and said: "I'm starting now."

  Xiao Hui nodded slightly.

  Tang Lin grasped the wolf-hair brush, this brush was light and unparalleled, the tip of the wolf's howl was fine as hair, dipped in a bit of dog blood from the bottle, and began to engrave on the vermilion paper.

  One stroke, one stroke!

  Tang Lin's thoughts were fully concentrated, his expression calm and solemn, his arms and fingers steady and powerful, without a single tremble.

  Two minutes passed——

  When the last hook was lifted, Tang Lin slowly withdrew the wolf hair brush and carefully looked at the talisman, asking Xiao Hui: "Is this okay?"

  Xiao Hui glanced over and nodded, "Not bad, the engraving is very successful. You only need to use flames to ignite this symbol, and you can stimulate the patterns above, releasing a powerful force."

  Tang Lin's eyes lit up, and he asked eagerly: "How much can a talisman like this sell for?"

  "This...," Little Gray thought for a moment, "I haven't sold such low-grade symbols in ages, I almost forgot the price. But at least four or five taels of silver should be available."

  ……

  There will be another update at 12 midnight tonight, it's weekend today, seeking recommendation votes and clicks.

  Brothers who are still awake after 12 o'clock, help me vote and rush down the chart ^_^