Chapter 30: Human Talisman Part 1

Although the Immortal Path Rankings had many types, they were roughly divided into eight: spirit cultivation, sword cultivation, body cultivation, demon cultivation, pill cultivation, array cultivation, artifact cultivation, and talisman cultivation. Of course, there were more subdivisions, such as beast cultivation, which was only passed down in the Beast Taming Sect, and some non-righteous path demonic cultivators and harmonious union cultivators. However, the righteous path in the Cultivation World mainly focused on these eight Immortal Path Rankings. These eight paths were essentially divided into two types: one that enhanced one’s own attack power, and the other that relied on external objects as auxiliary cultivators.

Spirit cultivators, sword cultivators, body cultivators, and demon cultivators all prioritized enhancing themselves. In particular, those who achieved great success in body cultivation would temper their bodies to the point of being impenetrable by blade and spear, invulnerable to all things. They could heavily injure opponents just with their mass of flesh and blood, and their physiques were far stronger than those of cultivators at the same level. Sword cultivators refined their sword hearts and sword bones mainly for killing; once refined to a high level, their bodies themselves became sharp swords, and their combat abilities surpassed those of other cultivators at the same level. Spirit cultivators focused mainly on gathering spiritual qi, possessing far more spiritual qi than other cultivators at the same level, enough to support them in using multiple spell arts simultaneously. Demon cultivators were a path that only half-demons and half-spirits could take. Half of their strength came from innate talent, and the other half from inheritances of non-human bloodlines. They often surpassed those at the same level and possessed hidden abilities.

Pill cultivators, array cultivators, artifact cultivators, and talisman cultivators mainly relied on external objects. They themselves did not have super-strong physiques, nor speeds as sharp as blades. Their spiritual qi was mostly just enough to break through, and they certainly did not have bloodline inheritances. However, they could refine treasures that made the major sects go crazy scrambling for them.

In the major sects, they often served auxiliary roles and rarely went into battle to kill enemies. Yet their status in the sects was only high, never low. Pills, spirit arrays, spirit tools, and the life-saving talisman paper provided to disciples were all things that cultivation sects could not do without. The stronger the sect, the more willing they were to support these people skilled in external objects—the more, the better.

Although most cultivators in the Cultivation World would choose additional methods from other paths for self-preservation after selecting their main path, or even multiple methods, a person’s talent and energy were limited. The additional methods were merely for survival and could hardly be mastered to a high degree.

People like Shen Yanting, who ranked on the Tianxiu Catalogue in four Immortal Path Rankings, were exceedingly rare.

Bo Xuenong, as Shen Yanting’s direct disciple, was not like her master in being proficient in high-level array and talisman methods as well as beast taming. Over these years, she had only learned some rudimentary techniques. Although Shen Yanting had not had time to teach her much yet, the main reason was that she simply could not multitask and excel in everything.

This was not a big deal. It was easier to achieve immortality by taking one path to the extreme.

Moreover, Bo Xuenong was far stronger than Feng Yingbo, who had also been raised by Shen Yanting. She knew some basic spell arts and arrays, and understood some talisman cultivator methods.

As for Feng Yingbo, she not only lacked other methods—she even reacted slowly upon hearing about human talismans, far worse than Fu Aoqing.

Although there were demonic cultivators and harmonious union cultivators who openly walked crooked paths, the other Immortal Path Rankings were not without villains.

Words like vicious and ruthless had always varied by person and were not fixed to any particular path. There were always those with ill intentions who would stop at nothing for power, which was why the Cultivation World had so many forbidden techniques. Human talismans were one such forbidden technique of talisman cultivators.

A human talisman was made from a living person’s body, and the refining process was divided into three steps: first the skin, then the bones, and finally the five viscera and six bowels. The person was hammered like an object. The process could be described as extremely cruel, and the most brutal part was that the skin, bones, five viscera, and six bowels all had to be refined separately.

Refining the skin required flaying it first, ensuring not a single bit was torn. After flaying, the person had to still be alive to be nourished with spiritual medicines to keep the talisman body from dying, waiting for the skin to be refined and sewn back on before digging out the bones. One by one, the bones were broken and extracted. The talisman body was kept alive only by the talisman skin and spiritual medicines. The refined bones had to be pulverized and poured under the skin, enduring the agony of shattered bones for a hundred days until they grew back to their original positions. Finally came digging out the heart and lungs… The refining process was exceptionally cruel, and the talisman body felt uninterrupted pain. Very few could truly be refined into human talismans.

This was also why even with Shen Yanting’s experience, she could not identify it at first glance.

The talismans made by talisman cultivators were mostly one-time spirit treasures. Even the top talisman cultivators could only use a single piece of talisman paper up to seven times. Human talismans were different.

Once a human talisman was successfully refined, it gained an indestructible and immortal body. Not only could it be used repeatedly, it would also autonomously absorb spiritual qi and grow stronger over time. This was why, even after the Divine Pavilion issued a kill order explicitly banning them, talisman cultivators kept attempting to refine them.

The human talismans Shen Yanting had seen before were all failed products. This was her first time seeing a successfully refined one, and unexpectedly, it was in a place like Mistlongevity Village, from someone who had raised Fu Aoqing.

Even the Divine Pavilion’s people probably would not have thought that a cultivator would hide a human talisman in such a remote little village.

Shen Yanting rarely got angry, but she was furious the moment she realized Gui Nianqin was a human talisman.

She took out a healing pill and fed it to Gui Nianqin. Although a human talisman’s injuries would heal on their own, she still hoped to reduce the pain Gui Nianqin felt.

At this point, Feng Yingbo also understood. She gritted her teeth. “Sister, we must kill that vicious talisman cultivator who refined the human talisman!”

Bo Xuenong could not empathize with Shen Yanting and the others’ anger, but she clearly saw Shen Yanting nod in approval of Feng Yingbo’s words. Her mind turned slightly, and she immediately had an idea. “Wife, then let me go kill them! I can definitely help Granny Gui kill that talisman cultivator!”

The talisman cultivator’s evil deeds had little to do with Bo Xuenong.

But Shen Yanting felt that the damn talisman cultivator had to die by her hand.

Shen Yanting did not want to hear the word “kill” from Bo Xuenong’s mouth, but that talisman cultivator who refined human talismans truly had no reason to live.

She could not nod and encourage Bo Xuenong’s killing intent, nor did she want to shake her head and deny Bo Xuenong’s rare enthusiasm.

Bo Xuenong took Shen Yanting’s silence as approval. She felt a surge of joy in her heart and quickly squatted down, softly asking Gui Nianqin, “Granny Gui, tell me who the talisman cultivator who harmed you is. I’ll go kill them!”

“Thank you.”

Gui Nianqin thanked her but showed no intention of speaking.

She quietly gazed at Fu Aoqing, whose eyes were swollen from crying. The resentment in her had long vanished. “Aoqing, you all should leave quickly.”

“Granny Gui, I’m not leaving.” Fu Aoqing grabbed Bo Xuenong’s wrist and said extremely seriously, “Granny Gui, if you’re worried my strength is insufficient, Xuenong… Xuenong is at golden core peak. She has the strength…”

Fu Aoqing’s tears still fell nonstop. Just thinking about what Gui Nianqin might have endured made her heart ache like it was being cut by knives. The people of Mistlongevity Village were family to her. Although their time together was not long, it held laughter and warmth she had not felt in centuries at the Imperial Serenity Sect.

She did not cultivate an emotionless path and could not sever family ties. This place held her most precious memories and her most beloved kin.

Gui Nianqin had always been extremely good to her. She could not turn a blind eye.

Seeing Gui Nianqin still hesitating, Fu Aoqing tugged at Feng Yingbo again. “Granny Gui, if golden core realm is not enough, my junior sister… my junior sister is at nascent soul. She definitely…”

She took a breath and finally pointed at Shen Yanting. “My senior sister is also… is…”

Fu Aoqing was momentarily stunned. Even in the Imperial Serenity Sect, no one knew Shen Yanting’s exact cultivation level—only that she was formidable.