Chapter 25: Indulgence Part 2

“Here is a Hundred Talisman Chart for your reference. Just treat it as practice, a bit of fun. It’s also beneficial for cultivation. I’ll go attend to sect matters first. Starting tomorrow, I’ll begin removing your Positioning Talisman.” Moyi Guihua had originally wanted to observe Huo Zhi’s talent for talisman drawing, but seeing Huo Zhi’s utterly unprofessional approach made the corner of her mouth twitch. She told Huo Zhi to amuse herself by drawing and left to do her own work.

“Alright then, Sister Moyi, you go take care of your business,” Huo Zhi naturally didn’t try to keep her.

“Ungrateful little thing, didn’t even try to make me stay,” Moyi Guihua pinched Huo Zhi’s cheek, said this line, and, under Huo Zhi’s startled gaze, giggled charmingly and departed.

Huo Zhi rubbed her face, shook her head, and went back to her task.

The Hundred Talisman Chart Moyi Guihua had left for her contained the patterns of nearly a hundred common talismans, saving Huo Zhi the effort of recalling the original designs from memory. Now, she just needed to figure out how to trace a pattern that was exactly identical to her original design, ensuring the flow of spiritual qi remained unbroken while her mental power stayed fully focused.

For this type of pattern, Huo Zhi needed to draft it out, establish the correct proportions, and ensure it was exactly the same before beginning to draw.

After finishing her draft, Huo Zhi first tried drawing with an ordinary talisman brush. She failed quickly. Her brush strokes were unsteady, and the subsequent flow of spiritual qi couldn’t keep up.

Drawing this type of talisman required a fairly large amount of spiritual qi, and the flow needed to be even from start to finish. The ordinary talisman brush had too much “spiritual resistance,” causing a lot of Huo Zhi’s spiritual qi to be wasted in transmission. She hadn’t noticed it before when drawing basic talismans, but now, drawing a complex high-tier talisman, it was very obvious. Her spiritual qi flow kept disconnecting, making it extremely easy to fail.

Huo Zhi tried a second time, but still failed. However, she got a better grasp of the required flow and decided to first make a bristle tip from her tail fur and attach it to the small log.

She had learned how to make them in handicraft class and had used self-made brushes in her traditional Chinese painting class. She still remembered the process.

Putting on her artisan hat, she sorted the tail fur and crafted the brush tip, spending over an hour on it.

“You don’t seem to shed fur, so I can only use my own. Just make do with this,” Huo Zhi muttered to the small log as she attached the tip.

She could sense her own tail fur; when she channeled spiritual qi through it, the flow was exceptionally smooth, completely unlike other materials that always had a sense of resistance.

With her tools now suitable, Huo Zhi took the materials and began testing again.

Having already tested twice, her third attempt, aided by her draft and good tools, allowed her to concentrate fully. She actually succeeded.

After completing one talisman, Huo Zhi stopped. A sharp headache pierced her head; she had overused her mental power too much.

Looking at the talisman before her, its pattern flowing and forming a closed circuit, she exhaled.

This type of talisman exceeding her own cultivation level was indeed quite difficult.

She had expended her mental power to make a single Spirit Recovery Talisman, which was probably just enough to replenish her mental power loss. If she continued this cycle, she’d just be wasting materials and earning nothing.

Fortunately, her expenditure wasn’t excessive overuse; she hadn’t fainted like Linlang.

Huo Zhi rested for a moment, then went to Linlang’s side. She activated the Spirit Recovery Talisman and used it on Linlang.

The talisman flew above Linlang, emitting a soft white light that enveloped her body as it slowly rotated.

The Spirit Recovery Talisman’s effect was gentle and slow. Huo Zhi gazed at Linlang’s pale, sleeping face, her heart aching for a while, wondering just how much pain Linlang had felt in her head before passing out.

Huo Zhi recovered by Linlang’s side. When she felt her condition was roughly restored, she got up and continued drawing talismans.

Before the first Spirit Recovery Talisman was fully used up, Huo Zhi had already drawn a second one. The second drawing went slightly better, but her remaining spiritual qi and mental power were insufficient for a third. She had to rest and recover again before continuing. She repeated this process five or six times.

Linlang was restless in her coma, especially after the Spirit Recovery Talisman had been active for some time. She seemed to start having nightmares. Her brows were furrowed, her lips trembled, and her entire body looked like it was struggling against something.

Whenever this happened, Huo Zhi would hold Linlang’s head, gently stroking and softly comforting her.

In her coma, Linlang had been in darkness for the first stretch. Later, she dreamed of her previous life, of slaughtering in the Ghost Domain, and then of various events from this life.

Whenever the pain became unbearable, a voice always appeared. This voice was extremely gentle. She knew it very well. She knew who it was.

It was the person she would risk fainting and falling into danger to protect. It was the person to whom she could safely entrust her unconscious body…

Linlang didn’t know how long she slept. As she dreamed of falling into the Misty Black Swamp in the Ghost Domain and sinking into its depths, she felt a cool hand grasp hers. A soft, moist sensation brushed across the back of her hand. That gentle, almost powerless hand instantly pulled her out of that quagmire-like darkness.

Opening her eyes, she saw Huo Zhi.

Huo Zhi was still dressed simply and elegantly. She was holding Linlang’s hand, resting it against her cheek and lightly kissing it. Her other hand was pressed to Linlang’s hairline, gently stroking.

“Linlang, it’s alright, it’s alright. Shizun is here.” The consistent voice from her dreams sounded again.

Linlang felt as if her heart had finally landed on solid ground. It was comforting, soothing. Huo Zhi made her want to be close, intensely so.

In that moment, the Love Poison Talisman Seal in her Sea of Consciousness flickered faintly. Linlang ignored it, disregarded the Love Poison Talisman.

If it could always be like this, what did the Love Poison Talisman matter?

“Linlang, you’re awake! Wonderful!” Huo Zhi felt joyful seeing Linlang’s eyes open and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Linlang froze as if struck by a pressure point. No one else had ever done such an intimate gesture to her.

“Linlang, how do you feel?” Seeing Linlang’s expression, Huo Zhi quickly put her hand down, reining in her own expression a little.

Ever since Linlang had made her swear absolutely no physical relations during their master-disciple relationship, Huo Zhi had been very careful with her words and actions. She restrained her desire to be close to Linlang. Those previous dangerous situations were exceptions. Linlang had been unconscious for so long; just now, in a moment of emotion, she had kissed her.

“Shizun…” Linlang called out. Her gaze inexplicably lingered on Huo Zhi’s lips, and the phantom kisses from her hallucinations resurfaced…

“Yes, I’m here. If you’re uncomfortable anywhere, or if you want anything, just tell me,” Huo Zhi leaned closer to Linlang and said gently.

“Much better. Where are we?” Linlang came back to her senses and asked slowly. This time, the overuse of her mental power was truly excessive. Her head still ached, and even trying to probe with her spiritual sense felt sluggish.

“Linlang, I said this, but please don’t be angry. Qin Ceyi added ten thousand Spirit Stones to the bounty. We were being hunted by so many people outside. On the way, I ran into Moyi Guihua and followed her back to the Blissful Union Sect to take temporary shelter,” Huo Zhi said cautiously, afraid Linlang would be angry.

This was a decision she had made alone.

“Shizun, how could I be angry? Were you injured?” Linlang looked at Huo Zhi’s expression and asked with concern. In the face of Huo Zhi’s safety, how could she still insist on the issue of where Huo Zhi took her?

Huo Zhi thought her own combat ability was quite good, but within the Secret Realm, Linlang had actually been secretly helping her all along. Otherwise, Huo Zhi couldn’t have been so successful.

With people hunting them and Linlang unconscious, she didn’t know how Huo Zhi had survived.

As for that parasol wood perfectly suited as a roof beam and pillar… it was a pity to lose it, but as long as Huo Zhi was safe, it was fine.

“No, I’m Shizun, very formidable. I had Sister Moyi help me buy a lot of high-tier talisman materials. I’ll prepare more. Once you’re feeling better, we’ll leave. I’ll give Sister Moyi ten percent of the talismans as a thank-you gift, and also select two Profound-Grade talisman artifacts to give her, to repay their kindness,” Huo Zhi said.

Linlang instinctively felt a bit uneasy upon hearing this. Before she could say anything to Huo Zhi, a voice came from outside.

It was Moyi Guihua arriving.

“Stay lying down. I’ll go see Sister Moyi,” Huo Zhi told Linlang, then went out to open the door.

“How is your progress? Shall I have someone take the talisman materials away? I’ve already sent someone to look for a Spirit Recovery Talisman. They should be able to buy one by tomorrow,” Moyi Guihua said lazily after greeting Huo Zhi.

“Thank you, Sister Moyi, but I’ve already drawn several talismans. We have enough. No need to buy any,” Huo Zhi said.

“You drew them? Let me see,” Moyi Guihua was startled.

“This type of talisman is too difficult for me. I only drew five. Its effect is very slow; one hasn’t even been used up yet.” Huo Zhi handed several talismans to Moyi Guihua.

Huo Zhi intended to give some to Moyi Guihua as thanks. She also wanted to use Moyi Guihua’s help to sell some in exchange for Spirit Stones. She was in desperate need of them now.

Moyi Guihua looked at the talismans. Their brushwork and flow were excellent, the quality was top-tier, among the very best at the Profound-Grade.

Moyi Guihua’s expression gradually turned serious. She raised her eyes to look at Huo Zhi. A doting, ambiguous smile touched her lips, and a deep, keen interest sparkled in her eyes.

She had originally thought Huo Zhi was just a pretty little thing with a few secrets. It turned out she was a rare and precious treasure.

It seemed she would have to find a way to keep her here.