Chapter 292 - 207: Plant Vitality, Semi-finished Talisman
Chapter 292: Chapter 207: Plant Vitality, Semi-finished Talisman
"That is the first step."
"Second is Drawing Talisman. This requires precisely sketching the Runes, using a technique that melds them with the Talisman Embryo until they are one. The longer it is nurtured, the more seamlessly integrated it becomes."
"Third, of course, is the nurturing. The longer, the better. This nurturing must be done meticulously and cannot be rushed. The longer it’s done, the greater the power. If it can be nurtured for several decades, or even a century, it can become a threat to even High Tier Cultivators."
"Of course, the nurturing process is outside the scope of my Refining. However, the first two steps still require high-quality Tier Three Materials to create the Talisman Embryo, and they consume a vast amount of my Heart and Spirit, and Energy."
The woman in purple spoke in great detail. She wanted Lin Changheng to understand the value of a Treasure Talisman and finalize their deal.
After all, having seen the Solid Face Pill he had refined, she was even more interested in the so-called Youthful Appearance Pill.
This interest, however, was exclusive.
After all, an item like the Youthful Appearance Pill was valuable precisely because of its rarity. The first pill was always the most effective; taking more offered limited additional Utility and was unnecessary.
Therefore, Lin Changheng’s appearance had made her abandon her plans to attend the Auction at Extreme Mountain Immortal City, the Song’s First Immortal City.
Not only would she have to endure the inflated prices of the Auction, but the journey was long, a waste of time, and potentially dangerous.
It just wasn’t worth it.
It would be much better to wait for Alchemist Lin’s Pill.
Her mind made up, the smile on the woman in purple’s face widened, and the look she gave Lin Changheng changed.
"I am willing to make this deal with you, Elder. The problem is that the main ingredient for the Youthful Appearance Pill is difficult to find. I’ve spent over a decade gathering the components, but I’m still missing a key ingredient called the Cyan Flower Moon Lotus. To find it, I may have to journey into the Wilderness and try my luck. However, I lack a proper Guardian Dao method and thus cannot make the trip."
"That is why I came to ask you, Elder, to refine a Treasure Talisman for me. I need it to add to my means of protection."
A troubled look crossed Lin Changheng’s face. He sighed, appearing to lay all his troubles bare at once.
"Alright, alright, Alchemist Lin, there’s no need to play the victim."
The woman in purple was exceptionally shrewd; how could she fail to understand the meaning behind Lin Changheng’s words?
’If he really manages to refine a Youthful Appearance Pill,’ she mused internally, ’Core Formation Cultivators might take an interest. If one of them casually offers him an item from their collection, the Treasure Talisman I’m offering will lose much of its appeal.’
’A Treasure Talisman is valuable, but it takes a very long time to nurture. Without sufficient nurturing, its power is barely greater than that of an ordinary Talisman.’
’Compared to a normal Treasure, its limitations are significant.’
Considering this, the woman in purple wondered if she should offer a deposit and have him sign a Magic Contract. It would prevent any future "accidents" and would also serve to bind him.
After all, so-called character and promises were as flimsy as paper in the face of immense profit, easily torn to shreds. A Magic Contract, however, was different. It was the physical manifestation of a Daoist Oath, its binding power was absolute. He wouldn’t be able to sell the pill to anyone else.
...
Lin Changheng gave a wry smile. "You see things clearly, Elder, but I assure you, I’m not trying to play the victim."
Then, he heard the woman in purple’s tone soften unexpectedly:
"However, I’m not an unreasonable person. You’ve made your case, Alchemist Lin, and you even generously gifted me a Solid Face Pill. If I remained unmoved, it would seem far too heartless. Therefore, I intend to pay a deposit in advance to finalize this transaction. What do you think, Alchemist Lin?"
"That would be excellent. It would allow me to search for the ingredients and perform the Alchemy with peace of mind."
"Then I thank you for the Treasure Talisman, Elder."
Lin Changheng nodded in approval, immediately specifying what the deposit would be. He then bowed with a joyful expression, giving the woman no room to maneuver.
’If she were to offer Spirit Stones or ordinary Talismans as the deposit, he couldn’t possibly accept, but it would also be awkward to refuse. He would be the one in a difficult and troublesome position.’
’Leaving the problem for her to solve was the right move.’
"When did I say I was going to give a Treasure Talisman?"
The woman in purple froze, a thought springing to her mind.
But seeing Lin Changheng’s expectant face, she found she couldn’t bring herself to mention the "deposit items" she had originally considered.
She felt as if she’d been backed into a corner.
This woman clearly valued her dignity. To be seen haggling endlessly with a junior... what would be the difference between her and a common stall vendor in a Loose Cultivator’s marketplace?
Besides, she truly needed him to refine the Youthful Appearance Pill. It wouldn’t do to make the situation too tense.
And so, after a moment’s thought, she said, "I don’t have a Treasure Talisman on me right now..."
"...but I do have a Treasure Talisman Semi-Finished Product I made for practice. I wonder if it would be to Alchemist Lin’s liking?"
As she spoke, with a flick of her delicate fingers, a palm-sized Treasure Talisman, gleaming with a cyan light, appeared between them.
Hearing the first part of her sentence, a flash of displeasure crossed Lin Changheng’s mind, though he didn’t let it show. Her second half, however, felt like a ray of hope breaking through the clouds. Still, he asked cautiously, "May I ask, Elder, what exactly is a Treasure Talisman Semi-Finished Product?"
"What are its drawbacks or flaws?"
Lin Changheng had to be clear on this point. If it couldn’t be nurtured effectively, or if its power would leak, then what use was it?
"It’s called a semi-finished product only because of its materials. In terms of its construction, it is highly complete. It has drawbacks, but no flaws."
The woman in purple’s red lips parted as she explained briefly,
"As I said before, the Talisman Embryo of a normal Treasure Talisman uses Tier Three Spiritual Materials as its base, which is too expensive for practice. So, I used Tier Two Upper Grade Spirit Wood Skin for my attempts, and eventually succeeded."
"Its main drawback is that it’s limited by its materials. It cannot be nurtured indefinitely, so its potential is capped. In other words, even if you nurture it for a hundred or a thousand years, its power might only be equivalent to a normal one nurtured for thirty. In all other respects, it’s no different from a regular Treasure Talisman."
’Oh?’
Lin Changheng was immediately relieved. ’Even if its potential is a bit lower, that’s still better than nothing,’ he thought. ’If I run into danger, I’ll just use this one first.’
"Thank you for the explanation, Elder. This Treasure Talisman is more than enough for my needs."
He immediately agreed.
"Excellent."
The woman in purple flicked her silk fan, and a gentle breeze precisely delivered the Treasure Talisman to him. "When you return with the Youthful Appearance Pill, Alchemist Lin, you won’t be receiving this Treasure Talisman Semi-Finished Product. You’ll receive a true Treasure Talisman, refined from Tier Three Materials!"
Even as she finished, she couldn’t resist making him another promise.
"I understand."
Lin Changheng drew the glittering cyan Treasure Talisman into his hand. It felt warm and smooth to the touch, not at all like the papery texture of an ordinary Talisman. Instead, it was more like holding a thin slice of wood or a leaf carved from Warm Jade. Within, he could feel Spiritual Power circulating slowly, like a gentle, flowing stream.
The surface of the talisman paper wasn’t painted with a Cinnabar Talisman Seal. Instead, the wood’s natural grain had been carved and refined to form a profound circuit. When his Divine Sense brushed across it, he could feel minuscule pores, like tiny one-way channels, likely for the nurturing process.
When Lin Changheng extended his Divine Sense a little deeper into it, he immediately sensed a resilient yet accommodating aura.
’The Treasure Talisman!’
’It’s finally mine!’
Lin Changheng was secretly overjoyed and promptly placed it in his Storage Bag.
"Then I must trouble you to sign this Magic Contract, Alchemist Lin." Seeing him put it away, the woman in purple covered her lips with her fan, her eyes glinting as she produced the Magic Contract, prepared in duplicate.
"Of course."
Lin Changheng nodded; this was beneficial to him as well. After briefly verifying that the terms were correct, he impressed his Magical Power Mark upon it.
The core term was that the very first Youthful Appearance Pill from the first batch Lin Changheng refined hereafter must be given to the woman in purple.
In return, the woman in purple would provide five complete Treasure Talismans, not semi-finished ones.
With the agreement settled, Lin Changheng didn’t linger and took his leave.
"Oh, and when you’ve succeeded and need to find me, you can ask Lü Tong for the location of my manor."
As a Maid escorted him out the main gate, the woman’s ethereal voice echoed quietly in his ear.
"Please inform Elder He that I understand."
He said to the Maid who had shown him the way, then shot into the sky and departed.
...