Chapter 31: Fortune Favors the Foolish Bird Part 1

Linlang didn’t want to hurt Huo Zhi. Seeing Huo Zhi’s expression, she couldn’t bear to look and lowered her head. She took out the Talisman Artifacts and talismans Huo Zhi had previously given her from her Storage Bag and placed them on the table beside Huo Zhi, dividing their possessions.

“Linlang, you say dissolve and it’s dissolved? You rotten kid, I won’t allow it! If you dare mention another word, believe me, I’ll pluck all your feathers out right now!” Huo Zhi gritted her teeth.

“You’ve been wanting to pluck them for a long time, haven’t you? Then just try it! I’d rather destroy everything than be made into Talisman Materials for a Talisman Master!” Linlang looked at Huo Zhi.

Huo Zhi’s angry words were met with such a reply from Linlang, nearly making her faint from rage.

“Bastard! Linlang, do you really think I’d be willing to pluck your feathers?! Has all my kindness to you over this time been thrown to the dogs?! You have hostility towards the Immortal Talisman Sect, I understand. We go inside to learn, to strengthen our power! Do you understand what it means to use any means necessary, to exhaust every possibility? How can you achieve great things cultivating alone? Don’t you still want to find your family?” Huo Zhi suppressed her overwhelming anger and tried to reason with Linlang.

“Thank you for your concern, and thank you for your guidance during this time. I have relatives in Immortal Talisman City. It’s very safe there. I won’t trouble you anymore. I don’t wish to walk the path of a Talisman Master. As for my family, I have my own methods.” Linlang paused, then spoke. After finishing, she lowered her eyes, refusing to look at Huo Zhi, and without saying more, turned to leave.

Huo Zhi chased after her. With every step, she heard 006 report that Linlang’s Happiness Value was dropping.

It plummeted all the way down past negative eight thousand!

“Do you want me to transform into a Cinnabar Bird and fly away, exposing my identity?” Linlang said to Huo Zhi without looking back.

“Host, it can’t drop any further!” 006 reminded Huo Zhi.

“You wait! This thing is also yours!” Huo Zhi stopped her steps and took out the Talisman Brush made from the Small Log, which had been in her sleeve pocket. She threw it towards Linlang. Linlang, as if she had eyes on her back, caught it.

The object, which was very small to her Spiritual Sense, was extremely heavy once caught, almost making Linlang lose her footing.

“This Talisman Brush is made from that Parasol Tree Wood of yours that could be used as a crossbeam. I don’t know why it became this small. This is what you brought out of the Secret Realm. Since you’re leaving, take it with you. I don’t want to keep it.” Huo Zhi took a breath and said to Linlang.

Linlang didn’t look back at Huo Zhi. She clutched the abnormally heavy brush, which did not match its size, and once again strode away.

“Little bastard!” Huo Zhi was furious but dared not chase after her any further.

Linlang’s Happiness Value kept falling. How deeply unhappy she must be!

Most of the Talisman Materials used by Talisman Masters came from the bones, blood, and fur of Demon Beasts.

The Immortal Talisman Sect was one of the top sects, full of experts who had harmed the most of Linlang’s kin.

That place truly wasn’t a good one for Linlang.

Furthermore, if Linlang were seen through by those high-level cultivators inside, Huo Zhi couldn’t protect her either.

She had been inconsiderate.

What should she do now?

Huo Zhi had a headache. She didn’t know. She had given Linlang that Talisman Brush, the one she had dropped her blood on and made a Spiritual Sense Mark on. She could barely sense her position. She’d secretly follow her later to see which relative’s house she went to and if it was safe.

Huo Zhi hadn’t refined the Talisman Brush. If Linlang discovered its secret and let it recognize her as its master, it would at least be a protective item for her.

Huo Zhi’s Talisman Drawing success rate was inherently very high. The main use of this brush was to allow her to save Spiritual Qi and draw talismans beyond her cultivation stage, and even cross elemental attributes.

However, since it was ultimately something Linlang brought out, it was her destiny. Huo Zhi hadn’t refined it precisely because she wanted to leave it for Linlang.

“What happened between you two? Is she running away from home again?” Moyi Guihua walked over and patted Huo Zhi’s shoulder.

Just now, the two had been speaking via sound transmission, so Moyi Guihua had only seen their expressions.

“Sigh, yes. She doesn’t like the Immortal Talisman Sect. The enmity between Demons and human Talisman Masters cannot be resolved.” Huo Zhi smiled bitterly.

“That silly bird. What do those hatreds and conflicts have to do with being with you? In the end, she’s still young and single-minded!” Moyi Guihua shook her head.

“If only she could think like you, Sister Moyi,” Huo Zhi said.

“A disobedient little bird, just throw it away and don’t bother with it. Having just your sister here is enough.” Moyi Guihua said, stroking Huo Zhi’s hair.

“Elder Sister, it’s easy to say, but how could I really abandon her? Do you have a map of this place? I want to look at it. Can you tell me about the situation here? I’ll have to go find her later,” Huo Zhi said.

“This silly bird must have accumulated good deeds in her past life to have you treat her so well! It truly makes your sister jealous! You wouldn’t give up taking the Immortal Talisman Sect exam for her, would you?” Moyi Guihua said resentfully, taking out a topographic map.

“Of course not. The Immortal Talisman Sect has things I need. It’s the best place to level up and craft the Talisman Materials I want,” Huo Zhi said. She needed to get the item that would help Linlang smoothly absorb the Inherited Spirit Talisman as soon as possible.

“That’s good then. The Immortal Talisman Sect is one of the top sects across the entire continent. I don’t know how many aristocratic families are breaking their heads trying to get in. You are quite strange, going inside to learn how to make Talisman Materials! Your talisman drawing ability is good, but your foundation is poor. You don’t recognize many Talisman Materials. That will also be on the exam, and you need to make up for it. There are two months until the sect’s Grand Examination this time, so you need remedial lessons. Let’s talk about the map first.” Moyi Guihua said, pointing to the topographic map she had taken out.

“The power divisions in Immortal Talisman City are all on this. We are currently in the Outer City. Dividing from here, that is the Inner City, where the Spiritual Qi is even denser. This part at the mountain’s summit is the range of the Immortal Talisman Sect. The rest of these are the territories of the Five Great Clans. Don’t cross the boundaries. The City Lord is from the Shentu Family among the Five Great Clans, good at various soft talismans. The Wenren Family is ranked second among the Five Great Clans, skilled in embroidered talismans, like the Positioning Talisman on you. The embroidery shops here are basically all from the Wenren Family. The Beimen Family is third, skilled in Talisman Arrays. The Nanmen Family is… The Moyi Family I belong to is ranked fifth, mostly Water and Wood attributes, skilled in various healing and support talismans…” Moyi Guihua explained the power divisions and forbidden areas to Huo Zhi.

“The Exquisite Pavilion doesn’t belong to the clans. Its owner’s identity is unknown. You should have heard of this organization. By registering your identity inside, you can register as a Bounty Hunter and take on Bounty Missions. You can also buy and sell things there, relatively cheaply. Inside, there’s no distinction of family or status, only ability. Whether traders know each other’s identities is mutually decided. Quite a few cultivators register inside to take missions.”

“This area is called the Chaotic Block. It’s not under Immortal Talisman City’s jurisdiction and is extremely chaotic. Best not to enter.”

Moyi Guihua told Huo Zhi quite a lot about this place. Combined with what Huo Zhi remembered from the original plot, she formed a general concept of Immortal Talisman City.

“Thank you very much, Sister Moyi. I’ll have to trouble you again regarding the exam content from now on.” After Moyi Guihua finished speaking, Huo Zhi expressed her thanks.

“You’re always just verbally thanking me, not a shred of sincerity. Didn’t you want to increase your cultivation quickly? Why not Dual Cultivate with me? I’ll sacrifice a bit and supplement you more, guaranteeing your cultivation leaps forward by leaps and bounds daily.” Moyi Guihua said, extending her index finger to tap Huo Zhi’s forehead.

“…Elder Sister, two women, what Dual Cultivation! I need to go out for a bit.” The corner of Huo Zhi’s mouth twitched.

“Two women can Dual Cultivate too. It’s not like Plucking Yin to Replenish Yang, which only works between a man and a woman. You’re truly ignorant. Let me teach you!” Moyi Guihua lifted her chin slightly.

“…No, don’t, stop joking around. I consider you a friend, don’t be like this. I’m already very annoyed right now. Please!” Huo Zhi listened, surprised, and hurriedly waved her hands.

“Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. Do you really want to chase after her? Do you need me to accompany you?” Moyi Guihua looked at Huo Zhi’s expression and reined in her own demeanor.

“No need. I roughly know her direction. I’ll go see where she’s going. You don’t need to come, take care of your own matters. I’ve remembered everything you just said, I’ll be careful,” Huo Zhi said.

“Alright. Be careful then. Don’t get lost. I’ll leave you one Sound Transmission Talisman. Send me a sound transmission if anything comes up.” Moyi Guihua said.

Huo Zhi agreed, took a Spiritual Sense Isolation Talisman and activated it. She also changed the color of her outer garment, put on a veil, carefully probed outside, and quietly went out.

After Huo Zhi left, Moyi Guihua clutched her chest. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. She quickly sat cross-legged to cultivate and circulate her energy.

Huo Zhi went out, sensed the direction, and walked towards where the Small Log was.

On the other side, Linlang quickly arrived at a deserted alley and clutched her chest, which was unbearably uncomfortable. Even she didn’t know when tears had started falling.

What is this?

Linlang touched the wetness on her face.

Was she really this heartbroken?

Hundreds of years of being a Ghost Cultivator, long devoid of emotions and desires. Just merging with an eighteen-year-old’s Origin Soul makes one this fragile?

After leaving her, she would adapt soon, and it would be fine soon.

The Love Poison Talisman was gone; nothing was forcing her emotions.

She wouldn’t develop feelings for anyone ever again.

That terrifying feeling of being influenced by emotions was the real poison.

Linlang thought this in her heart, yet the inevitable pain still came.

It accumulated in her heart layer by layer, suppressed. Linlang felt a kind of suffocation; even breathing was difficult to maintain.

Why was leaving her, even more painful than staying by her side and seeing her be close to others?!

No!

“The Love Poison Talisman has been removed. Wake up! Don’t be fettered by these emotions! You still need to earn Spirit Stones, you still need to increase your cultivation, you still need to save your younger sister!”

Linlang warned herself, her hand covering her face.

Her breathing gradually returned to normal.

Only then did Linlang finally shift her attention to the very heavy Talisman Brush she had been clutching in her palm. Now, she pressed it against her face. A familiar scent drifted into her nose.

This was the Talisman Brush Huo Zhi had thrown to her at the last moment!

Linlang didn’t notice the brush shaft, only the brush tip.

This… was made from Huo Zhi’s fur!

Linlang’s hand brushed over the tail fur. It was fine, soft, and resilient, carrying a faint sweet milky scent.

Linlang pressed the tip against her cheek, touching those soft hairs. It felt like Huo Zhi’s tail sweeping across her face—comfortable, slightly ticklish, and bringing up unbidden thoughts…

Linlang paused for a long while before her eyes focused back on the Talisman Brush. She wanted to pull out the soft hairs and throw them away, but her hand stopped there, unable to do it.

Linlang closed her eyes. As her breathing evened out, she wanted to put this Talisman Brush into her Storage Bag, but for a moment, she couldn’t put it in.

Linlang opened her eyes and looked at the brush, her breath catching.

“She said this is that Large Log turned small! She used it to make a Talisman Brush! Since when could Parasol Tree Wood be made into a Talisman Brush?!” Linlang recalled what Huo Zhi had said. Unless it was very high-grade, the small branches she had picked up before were not suitable for making a Talisman Brush, their performance in conducting Spiritual Qi was too poor.

Linlang tried channeling her Spiritual Qi into the shaft of the Talisman Brush. Unexpectedly, it was incredibly smooth.

The Spiritual Qi flowed from the shaft to the tip with almost no loss.

This was a characteristic only found in top-grade Talisman Brushes.

The same feeling she had in her Previous Life when Huo Zhi obtained Mo Zhenfeng’s Talisman Brush.