Volume One: The Divine Kingdom of Endless Night - Chapter 47: The Wall-Breaking Divine Talisman!

West City Alley.

Tao Tianshi was earnestly drawing talismans in his own courtyard.

A sudden knock echoed on the door.

"Who is it?" Tao Tianshi asked, putting down his talisman brush and walking behind the door. Receiving no reply, he opened it out of curiosity, only to see a young man standing on the threshold, while an old man leaned against the wall at the corner opposite, covered in cold sweat.

Tao Tianshi's expression changed drastically. "You... You are Mr. Xiao?!"

The man surnamed Xiao frowned and asked, "You recognize me?"

Tao Tianshi replied, "I heard that someone was searching for a male born in the Yin year, Yin month, Yin day, and Yin hour. This matter is only whispered among entry-level Tianshi. If successful, there would be a generous reward granting a Tianshi the greatest resources. He is surnamed Xiao and carries a rather peculiar sword—he could be recognized at a glance."

The man surnamed Xiao nodded. "Tao Tianshi enjoys quite a reputation around Huncheng. I didn't expect word of this to have reached you. Since I happen to be passing through Huncheng, I intended to ask for Tao Tianshi's assistance anyway. It is indeed a coincidence."

Tao Tianshi chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Those are merely empty reputations. May I ask if Mr. Xiao's promise holds true?"

The man surnamed Xiao said, "Naturally it is true."

Glancing into the courtyard, he smiled again, "Tao Tianshi borrows demon essence to draw talismans; that is an inferior path. If you become tainted with too much demonic Qi, I fear it will invite no end of trouble."

Tao Tianshi awkwardly replied, "Even a clever housewife cannot cook a meal without rice. I am truly making a fool of myself before Mr. Xiao."

Standing outside the courtyard gate, Feng Linghuai looked somewhat nervous. Mr. Xiao was speaking so much at this moment; it must be a matter of great importance. Would she be allowed to listen?

Yet the man surnamed Xiao showed no intention of avoiding her. He asked, "Does Tao Tianshi have any clues?"

"As for that..." Tao Tianshi wore a deeply hesitant expression.

The man surnamed Xiao smiled slightly. "Then let me offer Tao Tianshi a token of goodwill."

He extended his index finger and lightly traced a line across the ground, causing glowing patterns to manifest. In an instant, the primordial Qi of heaven and earth converged within those lines.

Following that, he beckoned once more toward the talisman paper in the courtyard. A blank sheet of talisman paper flew over, the pattern imprinted upon it, and it drifted slowly down into Tao Tianshi's palms.

The man surnamed Xiao said, "This talisman concentrates a massive amount of heaven and earth Qi, and its power is sufficient to severely injure a cultivator of the Insight Realm."

Tao Tianshi was utterly shocked.

He had never witnessed such a method of drawing talismans!

And the grade of this talisman...

"This can truly be called a flawless Realm-Breaking Divine Talisman!"

A Realm-Breaking Talisman was a potent talisman that only genuine senior Tianshi could craft.

When all was said and done, a Tianshi remained a mortal. This talisman could breach the boundary between heaven and humanity, allowing a mortal vessel to contend with "divine beings"!

Depending on the Tianshi's capability and the amount of Qi stolen when the talisman detonated, on a smaller scale it could annihilate malevolent spirits and heavily wound third-realm martial artists, while on a larger scale it could suppress demons of the Aoyin class. Just as Mr. Xiao claimed, with this talisman in hand, one could face peak Insight Realm cultivators without the slightest fear.

Although this Realm-Breaking Divine Talisman was not truly flawless, to Tao Tianshi, it was already a divine object.

It was a talisman he could never hope to draw in his entire lifetime.

***

"Is Mr. Xiao also a fellow practitioner of the Dao?"

Looking at such a young man surnamed Xiao, Tao Tianshi dared not jump to conclusions.

Although there were rumors of talismans that could cause people to return to an unadorned state of simplicity, he had never seen one with his own eyes. Judging solely by Mr. Xiao's talisman-drawing methods, he likely stood at the very pinnacle of the Tianshi realm, so appearing somewhat young might be normal.

The man surnamed Xiao said, "Though I know how to draw talismans, I am not a Tianshi."

Tao Tianshi did not press for details and said solemnly, "I do indeed have some clues, obtained purely by coincidence. The young marquis of the Xunyang Marquis Estate in Huncheng is precisely the person Mr. Xiao is looking for. His Eight Characters match the criteria perfectly."

"Jiang Wang?" The man surnamed Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly.

He produced a book from his robe and said, "This records several steps for drawing talismans, along with my... own insights. It differs slightly from ordinary talisman-drawing methods, yet it is far more powerful. As long as Tao Tianshi can master it, a place of prominence in this world is guaranteed."

Tao Tianshi was immensely excited. With trembling hands, he reached out and accepted the book. Inscribed upon the cover were the words: *Compendium of Formations and Talismans*.

Departing West City Alley, the man surnamed Xiao turned his back on the bustling City God temple fair, gazing fixedly at the Marquis Estate on Qixia Street as he murmured softly, "Though a suitable person has been found, his character must also be carefully weighed. If he proves unworthy, I shall have to seek another path. I can never settle for second best."

Feng Linghuai followed the man surnamed Xiao like a servant.

Her astonishment was beyond measure.

With a single sword strike, he had defeated Xie Wuxing, the true successor of Sword Pavilion; he possessed miraculous medical skills; and he was even proficient in the Dao of talismans—Mr. Xiao was practically omnipotent!

***

Jiang Wang lay in his rattan chair, looking toward Xie Wuxing, and asked, "Do you recognize that person from just now?"

Because the man surnamed Xiao had vanished without a trace so abruptly, Xie Wuxing was feeling quite vexed. Hearing this, he shook his head and said, "I only know his surname is Xiao, and his cultivation is extremely high. Aside from my teacher and martial uncle, I doubt anyone in the Sword Pavilion is his match."

Xie Wuxing strongly suspected that the man surnamed Xiao was a supreme cultivator of the Bathing Snow Realm.

Jiang Wang frowned, inevitably feeling that Xie Wuxing was exaggerating somewhat.

"Brother Jiang, do you know of a person named Liu Pian?" Xie Wuxing leaned closer, lowering his voice as he spoke.

Jiang Wang silently raised his saber, propped it against Xie Wuxing's head, pushed him further away, and said indifferently, "Speak freely if you have something to say. Do not lean so close to me."

Xie Wuxing blushed with embarrassment and annoyance. "I don't have that sort of inclination! How many times do you need me to explain that?!"

"Liu Pian?" The old housekeeper wore a solemn expression. "Is that the legendary recluse who made a great name for himself in Longchan?"

Xie Wuxing turned to look at him and said, "Liu Pian is an eccentric figure of the Sui State. He appeared suddenly ten years ago, completely unheard of in previous years. Without ever forging a Yellow Court, he possesses immensely profound cultivation. That man surnamed Xiao also lacks a Yellow Court—though he explained that his Yellow Court is located elsewhere, I still harbor deep suspicions."

The old housekeeper glanced sidelong at his young master.

Because hundred-day foundation-building relied purely on willpower, unless one was born with a forged Yellow Court, it was actually quite difficult to discern someone's aptitude at a glance.

However, when cultivators built their foundation, the moment they perceived Qi, they could also draw Qi into their bodies, thereby determining whether they possessed the qualifications to become a cultivator.

Those whose Qi adhered to the surface of their skin were martial artists; those devoid of personal Qi who could borrow Qi to draw talismans were Tianshi. As long as one came into contact with Qi, corresponding traits would naturally manifest.

Those who circulated Qi merely possessed the qualification to become cultivators; those who moved external scenes to forge Yellow Courts were judged by the quantity to determine their aptitude.

The upper Yellow Court is in the brain, the middle Yellow Court is in the heart, and the lower Yellow Court is in the spleen. Ordinary cultivators could generally only forge the lower Yellow Court; anyone who could perceive the middle Yellow Court was an absolute genius.

***

As for those born with pre-forged Yellow Courts, it meant possessing all three Yellow Courts simultaneously. While others were merely taking their first steps, such people were already lounging at the finish line.

Facts had proven that Jiang Wang possessed only a single Yellow Court, and it was the upper Yellow Court. Under normal circumstances, not only could it not be probed, but there was not even a shred of Qi within his body.

The old housekeeper guessed that Jiang Wang must have encountered some extraordinary fortune. If the rumor of Liu Pian having no Yellow Court was untrue, and he was actually like his young master, then he had every reason to suspect that Jiang Wang's sudden embarkation upon the path of cultivation was related to Liu Pian.

He calmly said, "Although the Yellow Court is the foundation of a cultivator, it is also the most mysterious aspect. Perhaps someone has forged a fourth Yellow Court—that cannot be entirely ruled out. The matter of Liu Pian can only represent his extraordinary talent. Ancient texts record the concept of the Dantian, proving that ancient cultivators did not necessarily cultivate the Yellow Court."

Xie Wuxing was very surprised. "Did Liu Pian discover an ancient method?"

The old housekeeper said, "Although the Qingxuan Bureau failed to track down Liu Pian's whereabouts, they must have researched his situation thoroughly. If there were truly something miraculous about it, why would they stop searching simply because they couldn't find him?"

"Not to mention that modern cultivation methods are all refined based on ancient ones, even if some secret techniques were lost, they are not necessarily all that superior. Even if one doesn't need to forge a Yellow Court, the foundation must always be laid properly. Otherwise, no matter how fast you run, you will drop dead the moment you stumble against something. What use would that be?"

Xie Wuxing fell into deep thought.

He felt that, after all, he was still somewhat young.

Even if there were truly only one Liu Pian in this world, the great figures would certainly consider countless possibilities. Should there be even the slightest sliver of possibility, the people of the world would stop at nothing to find Liu Pian.

Even so, Xie Wuxing remained intensely curious about the man surnamed Xiao.

Over the next few days, the City God temple fair proceeded as scheduled, and the immortal seekers launched a large-scale operation, making Qixia Street exceptionally lively.

Cultivators skimming across the skies above Qixia Street had already become an everyday occurrence.

At that moment, Jiang Wang was wandering around inside his divine kingdom. Ever since his battle with Dong Chongyang, a mountain had risen from the ground within the divine kingdom, accompanied by some flowers, grass, and streams, allowing him to enter the divine kingdom directly with his consciousness.

Climbing to the summit of the mountain and overlooking the divine kingdom, apart from this mountain, everything else within his line of sight resembled an abyss, just like the primordial chaos before the birth of heaven and earth.

He raised his hand lightly, and a wave of wind rose; he lowered his hand, and the wind ceased.

Jiang Wang stroked his chin, marveling, "I am practically a god here."

The Night Wandering Deity lay sprawling on the grass, four paws facing the sky, and sneered, "Look at that unworldly look on your face. When you reach the point where you can bring outsiders into this place, you will truly be invincible. If you want someone to die, they die; if you want someone to live, they live. No matter how much you summon wind and rain right now, you can only put on a show for yourself. It's utterly useless."

Jiang Wang ignored it, figuring that day would come sooner or later.

He lay down directly on the soft grass, feeling as though even the air was sweet.

Then, a trace of melancholy suddenly washed over him. Sidong his gaze toward the Night Wandering Deity, he said, "There is a very serious problem here. I haven't truly cultivated yet. If I cannot become a cultivator, I won't be able to increase my lifespan. Once the divine kingdom grows even more powerful, won't I be drained completely dry?"

The Night Wandering Deity kicked its legs merrily and snapped, "You are destined to become an immortal! Can't you broaden your perspective? If you were just like ordinary cultivators, what would be the point of having a divine kingdom?"

Jiang Wang patted the grass and said, "Elaborate."

The Night Wandering Deity executed a carp-like spring to its feet, paced around with tiny steps, and declared grandly, "Cultivators either forge a Yellow Court or are born with one, and you belong to the latter. Although you possess only a single upper Yellow Court, your Yellow Court conceals a divine kingdom."

It turned to face Jiang Wang. "To put it simply, you bypassed hundred-day foundation-building entirely. You were born at the Insight Realm. Do you even need to cultivate?"

"It is precisely because you are not a true immortal yet that the divine kingdom requires your lifespan to maintain stability. If you weren't born a cultivator, the lifespan demanded by the divine kingdom would have hollowed you out the moment you were born. How could you possibly have lived until now?"