Chapter 39: Losing Control Part 2

Wenren Sumian reached out, wanting to touch Moyi Guihua’s face but didn’t make contact. Instead, the discomfort in her chest made her want to cough. Not wanting to disturb Moyi Guihua, Wenren Sumian immediately disappeared from the room and reappeared outside, coughing violently.

“Head Seat Wenren, is your cough due to a meridian problem? The Supreme Clarity Meridian Sculpting Talisman will definitely succeed. It can reshape meridians and surely cure your illness.” Huo Zhi had just finished tidying up and said this when she saw Wenren Sumian come out coughing severely.

Cultivators wouldn’t contract ordinary mortal illnesses. Any such ailment was bound to have complex and difficult-to-explain underlying causes.

Seeing Wenren Sumian researching the Supreme Clarity Meridian Sculpting Talisman, Huo Zhi guessed she might be seeking a way to reshape her own meridians.

In the history of talisman arts in the original text, the golden age was several thousand years ago. Now, after several great wars between humans, devils, and demons, talisman arts had declined drastically. Many runes had been lost. The high-level talismans kept by some sects were mostly damaged, requiring significant manpower to research and repair.

Wenren Sumian choosing the Supreme Clarity Meridian Sculpting Talisman naturally had her own prioritized reasons.

“That’s not it. How do you think I reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage? So clever as to be foolish!” Wenren Sumian said displeased. The slight improvement in her attitude, which she had reluctantly shown earlier because Huo Zhi taught her how to complete the Supreme Clarity Meridian Sculpting Talisman, had now turned even fiercer.

“Uh, Head Seat Wenren, I didn’t manage to buy the materials earlier. I can go out and buy some now. You don’t need to give me Spirit Stones; I’ll find a way myself.” Huo Zhi said, not arguing with her, and continued.

“Useless waste! I’ve already sent a sound transmission to the manager of the Embroidery Institute, asking her to send someone to deliver them.” Wenren Sumian continued with a long face.

“…Alright. Then we can start drawing again from scratch. I’ll assist Head Seat Wenren.” The corner of Huo Zhi’s mouth twitched, but she still spoke kindly.

“…” Wenren Sumian didn’t say anything. With a flick of her hand, the talisman materials from her Storage Bag landed on the table. Huo Zhi quickly and consciously began organizing them.

Once organized, Wenren Sumian sat down, closed her eyes, and calmed herself for a moment. Her breathing gradually steadied. Only then did she dip her Talisman Brush in ink and start drawing talismans.

With the experience gained from the previous attempts, Wenren Sumian lived up to her reputation as a genius. The earlier parts were error-free, and she continued drawing.

Huo Zhi had already explained to Wenren Sumian the brush techniques required for the Supreme Clarity Meridian Sculpting Talisman, along with all the transitions and key points to note. Her comprehension was extremely high. After the earlier practice, Wenren Sumian now drew very smoothly.

Huo Zhi watched from the side, her heart in her throat, terrified of making another mistake.

After all, she had boasted earlier that the talisman she had repaired was correct.

Wenren Sumian applied the final stroke. The Spiritual Qi flow across the entire talisman formed its own self-contained circuit. It was extremely beautiful.

“It’s a success! Head Seat Wenren, congratulations!” Huo Zhi looked at the completed talisman with elation.

If Wenren Sumian didn’t need this talisman herself, they could try having Moyi Guihua use it.

“…” Wenren Sumian glanced at Huo Zhi without speaking. She just looked at the finished talisman, her eyes sparkling.

This damaged talisman was finally repaired!

“Head Seat Wenren, if you don’t intend to use it, could my friend try it? She happens to have suffered meridian injuries. It would verify to what extent this talisman works.” Huo Zhi carefully voiced her request.

The talisman rune pattern was designed by Huo Zhi herself. She had helped Wenren Sumian complete it successfully, so she knew it would definitely be effective.

But because Wenren Sumian and Moyi Guihua were at odds, she had to phrase it differently.

“And what if I refuse?” Wenren Sumian said coldly, her gaze at Huo Zhi less than friendly.

“Head Seat Wenren, please don’t be angry. This talisman also owes part of its success to me, doesn’t it? I’m not asking for it for free. Name your price in Spirit Stones, I’ll buy it.” Huo Zhi said.

“Buy it with your life!” Wenren Sumian stared at Huo Zhi and said.

“Wenren Sumian, why make things difficult for her? I don’t want the talisman you drew!” At that moment, a voice rang out. It was Moyi Guihua, coming out to speak.

While she was meditating, her old meridian ailment had flared up, jolting her awake from her meditative state. The pain was unbearable. Hearing the exchange outside, she came out.

She never expected that the child from back then, although arrogant, was also very well-mannered, would target Huo Zhi so specifically. Huo Zhi had helped her tremendously!

“If the talisman I drew could save your life, would you still refuse it?” Wenren Sumian looked at Moyi Guihua and asked.

“If you want Huo Zhi’s life in exchange, what use do I have for it? Huo Zhi, I can wait until your cultivation reaches the Nascent Soul Stage. I can afford to wait.” Moyi Guihua said coolly to Wenren Sumian, then smiled at Huo Zhi.

Huo Zhi held her forehead. This Moyi Guihua was usually so worldly-wise and adaptable, knowing when to bend and stretch. Why put on this act of being upright and unyielding now?

“Sister, can’t you just say something soft to appease her? Your smooth talk usually comes so easily.” Huo Zhi transmitted to Moyi Guihua.

“I only say those things to you. As for her, forget it. I can really endure it, it’s fine. As long as I’m alive, I can wait until you reach the Nascent Soul Stage.” Moyi Guihua said, not wanting to make things difficult for Huo Zhi.

As the two transmitted their thoughts, their expressions and voices clearly reached Wenren Sumian’s eyes and ears. For a moment, her expression shifted. A black mist reappeared in her previously clear eyes, and she began coughing violently.

“Moyi Guihua, have you forgotten everything? Who am I?” A hoarse voice came from Wenren Sumian’s mouth.

Huo Zhi and Moyi Guihua sensed something was wrong and looked at Wenren Sumian.

“Wenren Sumian, don’t you know who you are? As the Head Seat of the Immortal Talisman Sect, haven’t you recognized Huo Zhi’s ability yet? She can change the entire destiny of the Immortal Talisman Sect. Don’t go creating a hostile situation with her just because of me, all…” Moyi Guihua was speaking, then stopped abruptly. Wenren Sumian was becoming increasingly abnormal. The fluctuation of Spiritual Qi on her body was intense, and the surrounding Spiritual Qi was being frantically drawn towards her, swirling around her.

“…What is this?” Huo Zhi wanted to leave, but felt her body couldn’t move.

“…I don’t know! Wenren Sumian seems to have issues. She wasn’t like this before.” Moyi Guihua was equally astonished. Both of them were now immobilized.

The surrounding Water-Attribute Spiritual Qi gathered, becoming denser and denser, actually forming physical water. Wenren Sumian, Huo Zhi, and the others were all enveloped in this water.

What kind of water was this? Why was it so heavy and oppressive? And they couldn’t breathe…

Huo Zhi felt immense discomfort. Her vision was becoming blurry. She felt her entire body, her dantian, her Origin Soul were all being crushed by the water pressure from this water.

In this short time, the disturbance caused by the Water-Attribute Spiritual Qi vortex was perceived by others in the Embroidery Institute.

“Heavens! Head Seat Wenren has lost control again!”

“Aiyaya, I just said that attendant wouldn’t last three days. See? It’s only the second day, and this happens!”

“Good thing I just placed a bet of five thousand taels that the attendant wouldn’t last fifteen days. I should make a little profit.”

“Oh no, I saw Huo Zhi ranked tenth in the Grand Examination and thought she was quite capable, so I bet two thousand Spirit Stones on her lasting a month. Didn’t expect her to be this unlucky.”

A group of people in the Embroidery Institute discussed upon feeling the disturbance, yet not a single person went to Wenren Sumian’s place to check or find a way to resolve it, as if it were a routine occurrence.

At that moment, a figure—someone not a disciple of the Embroidery Institute—silently entered. Hearing the discussions, she urgently ran towards Wenren Sumian’s location.

This person was precisely Linlang, who had come looking for Huo Zhi after entering through Beimen Duoduo.

When Linlang arrived at Wenren Sumian’s courtyard, she also sensed the Spiritual Qi fluctuations emanating from within.

Linlang’s expression changed drastically. She recognized this type of Spiritual Qi fluctuation. It was Wenren Sumian’s Water Realm.

Wenren Sumian had absorbed an Inherited Spirit Talisman, something called the Black Tortoise Ren Water Talisman. After absorbing it, through cultivation, her own water attribute had reached the strongest grade—the legendary Extreme Water, the kind closest to the Origin Source.

Weren’t Wenren Sumian and Huo Zhi getting along well? What was going on?!

At this moment, Linlang couldn’t care about being cautious. She used her Nether Soul Thread to tear open a crack and squeezed into Wenren Sumian’s courtyard.

The front of the courtyard was already covered by a swirling mass of water. Linlang could vaguely see Huo Zhi inside, along with Wenren Sumian and Moyi Guihua.

Wenren Sumian was holding Moyi Guihua, but Huo Zhi was floating in the air, spinning along with the vortex.

Linlang took a sharp breath. She took out a talisman, formed a Spiritual Qi Rope, tied one end of the rope to a nearby pillar and the other end around her own waist. Then she plunged into the swirling water boundary, swimming towards Huo Zhi.

Going with the force of the vortex, Linlang quickly caught hold of Huo Zhi.

Huo Zhi didn’t know any internal breathing or breath-holding techniques and had already passed out.

Linlang held Huo Zhi, pulling on the Spiritual Qi Rope to drag them outward. At the same time, she pressed her lips to Huo Zhi’s and passed Qi to her.

The Water Realm was easy to enter but difficult to leave. With Huo Zhi in tow, Linlang reached the boundary but couldn’t break through momentarily. So she swam towards Wenren Sumian’s direction, using her maximum force to kick Wenren Sumian. Following the direction of the kick, they exited the Water Realm.

After Linlang’s kick caused Wenren Sumian pain, a trace of clarity returned to her eyes. All four of them were now completely out of the Water Realm. The swirling mass of water in the air also collapsed as if its power source was gone, splashing down.

Linlang helped Huo Zhi expel the water she had swallowed. Huo Zhi woke up, but her expression was one of intense pain. She grabbed Linlang’s clothes tightly and shivered uncontrollably. There was still some Ren Water Spiritual Qi within her body that Linlang couldn’t expel.

This could probably only be drawn out by Wenren Sumian.

“Wenren Sumian, can you help absorb the Water-Attribute Spiritual Qi from her body?” Linlang looked at Wenren Sumian and said.

Wenren Sumian’s eyes were currently bewildered, as if the person who had just gone berserk wasn’t her.

She was holding Moyi Guihua, frantically absorbing the Water-Attribute Spiritual Qi from Moyi Guihua’s body.

“I… I didn’t want to hurt you. Don’t… don’t… I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Wenren Sumian said shakily, then coughed violently again.

Linlang and Huo Zhi looked at the two of them. This didn’t seem like the attitude of an enemy towards Moyi Guihua at all?!

“Head Seat Wenren, her meridians were already injured. The water pressure you exerted worsened her internal injuries. If you truly are worried about her, use that Supreme Clarity Meridian Sculpting Talisman you just made.” Huo Zhi endured her discomfort and said.

“Shut up, don’t need you to tell me!” Wenren Sumian turned her head back towards Huo Zhi, her eyes murderous. She reached out, and a mass of white light struck Huo Zhi. Before Linlang could stop it, she just watched as the white light disappeared from Huo Zhi. Immediately afterward, Huo Zhi vanished from Linlang’s arms.

“Wenren Sumian, what did you do?! Where did you send Huo Zhi?!” Huo Zhi had completely disappeared from Linlang’s embrace, causing Linlang both fury and panic.

“I don’t want to see her, so she should just disappear!” Wenren Sumian said coldly, as the newly drawn Supreme Clarity Meridian Sculpting Talisman in her hand was activated and used on Moyi Guihua.

Linlang’s eyes instantly widened a fraction. She had heard this sentence before!

Wenren Sumian said it to Mo Zhenfeng in her previous life!

She teleported Mo Zhenfeng into the extremely dangerous Extreme North Region!

“Wenren Sumian! Did you teleport Huo Zhi to the Extreme North Region?!” Linlang approached Wenren Sumian, staring at her and questioning. Nether Soul Thread gathered at her fingertips.

“Who are you? Trespassing into my courtyard, no one would care if I killed you!” Wenren Sumian glared coldly at Linlang, looking as if she might kill Linlang at any moment.

The Nether Soul Thread in Linlang’s hand was somewhat unstable; it felt like it was leaning towards Wenren Sumian even without much force applied. When Linlang looked into Wenren Sumian’s eyes again, her heart jolted.

Wenren Sumian’s eyes were covered by a layer of black mist! This was Devil Qi, of the same lineage as Yin Baleful Qi!

No wonder the number one genius of the Immortal Talisman Sect could lose control like this!