Chapter 9: True Motive?

Huo Zhi recalled more of the original plot, which gave her substantial basis.

In the original story, after Qin Ceyi sealed the mountain, Mo Zhenfeng and Linlang were also trapped inside. At that time, Linlang hadn’t yet given her Inherited Spirit Talisman to Mo Zhenfeng, and her Fire-attribute talent was still excellent.

Under the guidance of the Fortune Guiding Talisman, Mo Zhenfeng found Huo Zhi’s original body, who was resisting Qin Ceyi and trying to escape. Mo Zhenfeng, along with Linlang and Huo Zhi’s original body, fought against Qin Ceyi together. Among them, Linlang’s Fire-attribute spiritual power played a main role, such as breaking the mountain-sealing Talisman Array. That was how the three of them later used a Teleportation Talisman to escape Sky Mist Sect together.

The Teleportation Talisman had a long range, beyond Qin Ceyi’s perception. The Positioning Talisman on Huo Zhi would also lose its effect, allowing them to escape that calamity. Later, their cultivation increased, and when they met Qin Ceyi again, they finally joined forces to kill him.

The current situation already had some deviations from the original plot.

But the fundamentals hadn’t changed. To leave, Huo Zhi needed to ally with Linlang.

Moreover, Linlang was an Avian Demon Beast—she could fly. If her injuries fully healed, she could even carry Huo Zhi in flight. Even without a Teleportation Talisman, they might be able to escape Qin Ceyi’s perception range.

The prerequisite was that the two needed to establish a certain level of trust and cooperation. Huo Zhi herself naturally had no problem. It was just uncertain whether Linlang would trust Huo Zhi.

When Huo Zhi looked at Linlang, Linlang was also looking at her.

Linlang wanted to find a trace of falsehood on this face, but Huo Zhi’s expression was even calmer than her voice. Long-term cultivation of the Dao of Ruthlessness Technique had given her an innate, transcendent aura. Ethereal with a celestial charm, now staring with earnest, pure, clear eyes, she gave the impression of absolute sincerity, incapable of deception.

Linlang knew of Qin Ceyi from her past life only as the master of Huo Zhi’s original body. After Huo Zhi’s original body had followed Mo Zhenfeng, Mo Zhenfeng had killed Qin Ceyi. She hadn’t known there were these complicated details involved.

So, Huo Zhi wanted to cooperate with her, instead of seeking Mo Zhenfeng’s help like in the past life?

Was this Huo Zhi’s true motive?

“Heal my wounds? It would take years for my injuries to recover naturally. Besides, the moment Qin Ceyi’s barrier is touched, he’ll likely detect it immediately. Given his speed, do you think we can escape?” Linlang asked after a moment of silence.

“I drew a few Healing Talismans just now. Let me treat your wounds first so you can feel the effect,” Huo Zhi said, not immediately answering Linlang’s question. She took out the talismans she had drawn from her Storage Bag.

Linlang knew Huo Zhi had been drawing talismans all morning. Hearing her call them Healing Talismans, Linlang was inwardly surprised. Healing Talismans were a relatively difficult type, with a low success rate, high price, and excellent sales.

Huo Zhi could draw such talismans?

Linlang raised her eyes to look at Huo Zhi.

She saw Huo Zhi take out a stack of Basic Talisman Paper, pull one sheet, and activate it, aiming it at Linlang, letting the Healing Talisman’s effect work on her body.

Basic Talisman Paper could be used to draw a Healing Talisman?

“Sorry, I only have Basic Talisman Materials right now, so I have to draw on these. The stored Spiritual Qi is very little. From a distance and through clothing, its effect will be very weak. Let’s start with your arm. Roll up your sleeve. I need to be a bit closer to you. Is that okay?” Huo Zhi said.

Listening to Huo Zhi, Linlang noted her words were exceedingly polite and cautious, as if afraid she might misunderstand or offend her…

The typical attitude of human cultivators towards Demon Beasts was always arrogant and domineering, eager to kill them immediately for Spirit Stones.

Linlang paused, then pulled back her sleeve, revealing the wounds on her arm, extending it to Huo Zhi.

Almost pressed against Linlang’s arm, Huo Zhi activated the Healing Talisman, its effect settling on Linlang’s arm.

Linlang felt a wave of coolness over her arm, the burning pain of the wounds easing considerably. As she was marveling, Huo Zhi activated Healing Talisman after Healing Talisman. She used thirty talismans in a row on that arm, and several small wounds on the arm healed at a visible speed.

“Ding! Linlang’s Happiness Value: Negative 8600.”

“Ding! Linlang’s Happiness Value: Negative 8520.”

“Ding! Linlang’s Happiness Value: Negative 8460.”

006 continuously announced updates. As the pain from the wounds lessened and gradually improved, Linlang’s Happiness Value finally saw a significant increase.

When one arm was mostly healed, Huo Zhi used the remaining talismans on Linlang’s other arm.

It took about ten minutes to use up the fifty-plus talismans. The wounds on both of Linlang’s arms were completely healed.

As she felt talisman after talisman used on her, her body’s pain decreasing, Linlang’s heart grew increasingly shocked.

Had Huo Zhi drawn all of these?

When did her Talisman Drawing ability become this powerful?!

Furthermore, from the memories of her past life, Huo Zhi hadn’t had much talent in Talisman Drawing; she was only strong in combat.

“It looks like fully healing your injuries will require several hundred talismans of this type,” Huo Zhi estimated, looking at Linlang after using the Healing Talismans.

“You drew all these just now?” Linlang looked at Huo Zhi and asked. The talismans just now had truly shocked her. If Huo Zhi had indeed drawn them, then her talent was astonishing.

“If you don’t believe me, I can draw another one right in front of you,” Huo Zhi immediately brought over her ink, brush, and paper and drew one right before Linlang’s eyes.

After resting for a bit, Huo Zhi’s Mental Power had recovered slightly. Plus, she had already drawn the Healing Talisman over fifty times, so it was ingrained perfectly, done in one smooth flow.

After drawing it, Huo Zhi directly used the Healing Talisman on Linlang.

“An Ice attribute is fine for drawing Healing Talismans. But some other talismans have limitations. You’re Fire attribute, so you’re stronger in attack power and have a restraining effect on barriers and Qin Ceyi. Since you can Shapeshift, your cultivation must be equivalent to a human cultivator’s Foundation Establishment Stage. In a while, I’ll teach you the simplest method for drawing a Fire Bullet Talisman. You can try practicing it first. If you can draw several hundred, throwing them out all at once might break the barrier, and could even stall Qin Ceyi temporarily,” Huo Zhi said.

“You want to teach me to draw talismans?” Linlang was taken aback.

“Yes. I’ll take you as my disciple, teach you to draw talismans. Combining our two strengths, we’ll fight for our lives to escape together. What do you think?” As Huo Zhi heard Linlang’s question, it suddenly struck her that she could take Linlang as her disciple. Then she could teach Linlang everything she knew.

Otherwise, selflessly giving everything away would make Linlang suspect her of having ulterior motives again.

Confirming that Huo Zhi had indeed drawn the talismans, Linlang was inwardly shocked. Hearing Huo Zhi wanted to take her as a disciple and teach her Talisman Drawing, she looked at Huo Zhi.

Human cultivators kept their Talisman Drawing methods secret, guarding them closely even among their own kind. Each sect had extremely strict rules. One universally acknowledged rule was that one must absolutely never take a Demon Beast as a disciple.

“Watched over by Qin Ceyi, how did you learn to draw talismans?” Linlang paused, then asked.

Talisman Drawing was highly difficult, making Talisman Masters very rare. There were practically no self-taught Talisman Masters; one had to have a teacher’s lineage. Some people studied for decades and could only make a living drawing basic talismans.

“That is my own opportunity and also my secret. Qin Ceyi doesn’t know. You’re the second person besides me to know. You call me Shizun, and I’ll teach you Talisman Drawing, without holding anything back. You guarantee not to reveal my secret and help me escape from Qin Ceyi. What do you say?” Huo Zhi said.

Having developed a shadow from calling Qin Ceyi ‘Master’, Huo Zhi felt it was more appropriate for Linlang to address her as ‘Shizun’.

Linlang looked at Huo Zhi and believed seventy to eighty percent of her words.

In her past life, Huo Zhi’s original body couldn’t draw talismans. In this life, she actually had such good Talisman Drawing talent.

Successfully drawing a Healing Talisman on Basic Talisman Materials in one go—that couldn’t be faked.

Perhaps Huo Zhi was the greatest variable besides herself.

But even if Huo Zhi’s Talisman Drawing ability was very strong, how sincere was she in teaching her?

Based on past life experience, among human cultivators, most disciples who apprenticed themselves to learn Talisman Drawing were essentially laborers, treated like recruited underlings. To truly learn the skill required years of grueling effort, let alone when she was a Demon Beast.

And whether in the human or demon beast world, a master-disciple relationship implied a hierarchical bond, forming an invisible constraint.

Having spent hundreds of years in the Ghost Domain, to have Linlang acknowledge Huo Zhi, this little girl not even a hundred years old, as her master, to call her Shizun?

Linlang refused.