Chapter 128: A First Glimpse of Talismans

It was called a raft, but in truth Ding Huan had only found a plank of wood a little over a metre long to use as a foothold for leverage.

The thing was light and handy; the moment he released true essence beneath his feet, the plank would shoot forward at great speed.

For Ding Huan, this was far more convenient than a small boat.

Arriving at the defensive wall, what struck Ding Huan as strange was that there were still fierce beasts charging the line up ahead.

Was this a suicide run?

Just as Ding Huan had expected, before those fierce beasts could even reach the base of the steel defensive wall, they were all cut down by the Federation soldiers.

That didn't seem quite right. Fierce beasts had their own intelligence—how could they come here to die?

Ding Huan was baffled; there had to be something going on.

Just as he was thinking of finding someone to ask, he turned and saw a woman in a Federation military uniform striding quickly toward him.

Ding Huan knew this woman. Her name was Fan Yibing, a member of the Federation army, and in her hand she was also carrying a great halberd a full zhang long.

He didn't know what other identity she might have, but since this woman had been able to promise him the materials for forging a long spear, she must hold some standing.

Ding Huan's gaze, however, fell on the halberd in Fan Yibing's hand. He thought, could this woman's weapon be a halberd? That was rather similar to the long spear he wanted.

"Teacher Ding, are you planning to leave here now to go look for the demon dragon?"

Fan Yibing hurried over and asked at once.

Ding Huan nodded:

"Yes, I was just about to head down and have a look. I don't feel the chances of finding it are very high."

Fan Yibing said immediately:

"Teacher Ding, I was originally the commander of the Federation Army's Seventh Army. Now I am the acting commander-in-chief of the Human Corridor defensive line, and also the acting commander of the Human Corridor defensive line."

Everything was 'acting'—Ding Huan understood at once. So this woman had taken over Gu Zhong's old job.

Thinking of the Federation army's previous commander-in-chief, Hu Jiatian, Ding Huan felt that not everyone was like Gu Zhong.

The fact that Fan Yibing dared to agree to his request showed that this woman cared deeply about the Human Corridor defensive line, even about Earth's future.

A person like that was far better as commander-in-chief than Gu Zhong had been.

"Commander Fan, you stopped me—is there something you want to say?" Ding Huan asked.

Fan Yibing gave an "Mm":

"Teacher Ding, I suspect that in a while, a new beast tide will surge in.

And it will be led by that demon dragon—I'm ninety percent sure."

"Oh, let's hear it."

Ding Huan was immediately interested.

Fan Yibing explained:

"After the Human Corridor defensive line was breached the first time, almost no fierce beasts lingered here.

After all, this whole place is cast in steel; fierce beasts staying here can neither cultivate nor get supplies from the forest."

Ding Huan didn't interrupt—that was perfectly normal. Fierce beasts weren't stupid; why would they stay on a steel wall like this?

Since Fan Yibing was saying this, she must have a reason.

Fan Yibing went on:

"But after our Federation army built the Human Corridor defensive line a second time, everything began to change.

The first day was still fine; on the second day a dozen or so fierce beasts came to charge the line and die. By the third day there were over a hundred, and now there are over a thousand fierce beasts charging in.

I suspect these fierce beasts are all being directed here by greater fierce beasts, the purpose being to probe the true strength of the Human Corridor defensive line.

So I believe we have at most one week—around a week—before a massive beast tide erupts here, one even more powerful than the first."

Ding Huan looked down at the fierce beasts being slain and felt in his heart that Fan Yibing was right.

He had just been wondering why the fierce beasts were coming to die.

"You're right. In that case, I won't go down today. I'll wait here."

Ding Huan agreed with Fan Yibing.

Going down to search for the demon dragon, his chances weren't great—in fact, one could say they were next to none.

It was just as he could hide and the demon dragon couldn't find him.

Seeing Ding Huan agree with her, Fan Yibing was very pleased:

"Teacher Ding, twelve years ago, a piece of meteorite iron fell in the desert.

Later this meteorite was collected by the International Museum. This meteorite should be top-grade material for forging weapons, only it's very hard to smelt.

If Teacher Ding wants it, I can have someone send it here."

Ding Huan was overjoyed:

"Good, I want it. Please have it brought over."

Before obtaining a Sumeru space, Ding Huan wouldn't have dared say so.

Now that he had a Sumeru space, if he truly couldn't forge it into a long spear, he could just toss it into the Sumeru space for now.

"This halberd was found by Commander Hu at a ruin. Seeing you have no weapon right now, take it to make do for now."

Fan Yibing handed the halberd in her hand to Ding Huan.

After their brief exchange, Fan Yibing felt that Ding Huan was nothing like the difficult person Senior Zhong Chi had described.

On the contrary, he was very easy to talk to.

As long as Ding Huan stayed here, the Human Corridor defensive line was unlikely to be breached this time.

Ding Huan's strength was absolutely the strongest she had ever seen, bar none.

If even Ding Huan couldn't defeat the demon dragon, then it could only mean Earth's fate had run out; if humanity was to perish, then so be it.

Because using nuclear bombs against this kind of demon dragon was simply a joke.

Ding Huan hadn't expected Fan Yibing's spear was meant for him; he quickly took it and thanked her:

"Thank you very much—this is exactly what I need; I've been lacking a weapon."

Seeing Ding Huan accept it, Fan Yibing sighed in relief:

"Then it's settled, Teacher Ding. I'll arrange your lodging now."

Having accepted the weapon, Ding Huan could not simply leave.

"No need. I train aboard the Blue Star. If the frontline is in danger, I'll see it. Don't worry—I never break my word."

Ding Huan pointed toward the distant Blue Star, knowing what Fan Yibing feared.

Even if Fan Yibing hadn't given him the spear, Ding Huan would never let that demon dragon go unchecked.

Watching Ding Huan walk toward the Blue Star, Fan Yibing thought: Teacher Ding still cares for Earth—even his warship is named Blue Star.

And the Blue Star sits right atop the Iron Wall of the Human Corridor Frontline; any beast surge, Teacher Ding will be the first to spot it.

…

"Big Brother Ding, I'm leaving the frontline to return to Yanjing—I came to say goodbye."

Before Ding Huan could reach the Blue Star, he met Liu Aimei hurrying over.

Ding Huan had already planned to help Liu Aimei, but he'd been too busy; now that she came, it was perfect:

"Liu Aimei, wait two days before leaving. I'll make you a custom gene serum to enhance your cultivation potential."

The sheer surprise hit Liu Aimei like a hammer, leaving her dazed.

Who didn't know Ding Huan's students had bright futures? That she might become his student—was this even real?

"Thank you—I never dreamed I'd one day be your student," Liu Aimei said, trembling with excitement.

Ding Huan smiled:

"I won't take you as my student—we're friends, that's all."

"Just give me a drop of your eyebrow blood. I'll gather some herbs—I need to make gene serums for myself too."

Ding Huan had originally planned to find the demon dragon first, locate its lair, then return to brew the gene toxin mist.

But since Fan Yibing judged the demon dragon would come on its own initiative, he'd better make the gene serum first—and help Liu Aimei while he was at it.

…

The Human Corridor Frontline already lay within prime forestland; now that Ding Huan was going out to gather herbs, the resources here far surpassed those of Qianluo Mountain.

In just two hours, Ding Huan returned to the frontline's gene lab with more than enough herbs.

Liu Aimei had been anxiously waiting in the gene lab since before.

Ding Huan spent only half a day crafting Liu Aimei's gene serum.

While Liu Aimei went to fuse the gene serum, Ding Huan began brewing the gene toxin mist to kill the beasts.

If this toxin mist never gets used, all the better—if he can't defeat the demon dragon, then the toxin mist is his only option.

One day later, Liu Aimei returned to the Security Bureau's base.

On the surface, she tried to appear calm—but anyone could see from her actions that she was anything but.

Even back at the Security Bureau's base, she still felt as if she were dreaming.

Ding Huan hadn't just fused the gene serum for her—he'd also taught her the Qianluo Gene Scripture and four spells.

He'd also gifted her a hundred Zhan Shen crystals.

And he'd instructed her: after fusing the serum, return to Yanjing immediately to cultivate.

The Human Corridor Frontline was no place for her.

Even if Ding Huan hadn't warned her, Liu Aimei had no intention of staying here.

Though her nature was always cheerful and she never fought for anything,

wherever she went, she was always the leaf—others were always the flowers.

But every girl wants to be the flower, not the leaf—she too longed to bloom among the foliage.

From today on, perhaps all her dreams would become real.

Thank you, Ding Huan!

As Liu Aimei boarded a Security Bureau fighter jet bound for Yanjing, Ding Huan returned to the Blue Star.

"Big Brother Ding, you're back?"

Seeing Ding Huan return after only a day and change, Seeing Qu Yi was delighted.

When she first arrived on the Blue Star, she'd been stunned by the mountains of Zhan Shen crystals piled up.

People had fought over hundreds of Zhan Shen crystals to attack her and Master Zhong—here, there were mountains of them.

If those people knew, they'd go mad, wouldn't they?

"Director Fan said a beast surge might come here in a few days, and the demon dragon will likely join it to attack the frontline. I might as well wait here," Ding Huan explained.

He added:

"Yi Yi, you and Xinyue take some Zhan Shen crystals and cultivate in the living quarters. I'll sort through the ship's contents first."

"Big Brother Ding, I still have crystals," Seeing Qu Yi hurried to say.

The four hundred Zhan Shen crystals no one dared take had long been returned to her.

"Fine."

Ding Huan didn't mind—four hundred Zhan Shen crystals were more than enough for Seeing Qu Yi to reach Level Nine Gene Cultivator.

After Seeing Qu Yi and Qi Qi Xinyue went to cultivate, Ding Huan also found a living quarters—he would copy all the content from the bamboo slips in his Numinous Space.

For Ding Huan, this was no difficult task.

He had erased the array patterns on the Numinous Space pebble; his divine sense could now clearly see the content within the bamboo slips.

Soon, Ding Huan was absorbed by the content of the bamboo slips.

What of The Divine Continent Travelogue, The Primordial Chaos Records, Water Artifacts: Attack and Defense, Basic Interpretation of Talismans…

Ding Huan copied while diligently absorbing the ancient Daoist knowledge system, until he came upon Basic Interpretation of Talismans.

When he began studying its contents, it was as if a window long sealed had suddenly opened before him.

From here, he understood the power of talismans, and marveled at how great the ancestor who created them must have been.

The Concealment Talisman could render a person invisible, far surpassing the Concealment Technique.

The Earth-Traversal Talisman allowed one to walk through earth as if it were flat ground.

The Water-Avoidance Talisman, Wind-Blade Talisman, Fireball Talisman, Evil-Repelling Talisman, Little Spring Rain Talisman…

Here, Ding Huan saw tens of thousands of talismans—nothing was absent, only unimaginable.

When Ding Huan saw the talisman-making methods, he nearly held his breath.

He treasured this, and it was precisely what he longed to learn.

"In the Dao Fu. introduction, I have already explained the formation and carving of talismanic characters, as well as the materials used; today I will explain the most fundamental structure of talismans…"

Ding Huan froze.

Talismanic character formation? How could he know that?

Yes, the text above said it was explained in Dao Fu., so this must be Dao Fu. Lower.

Ding Huan's spiritual sense settled on the bamboo slip's cover, and indeed saw three characters: Dao Fu. Lower.

Please, please let Dao Fu. Upper exist, Ding Huan nearly clasped his hands in prayer.

His spiritual sense carefully searched through these bamboo slips; to his profound disappointment, he found no Dao Fu. Upper.

Ding Huan's earlier excitement vanished instantly; he sighed and took up his brush to carefully transcribe Dao Fu. Lower.

Though Ding Huan knew that after so many years had passed, unless he found the original author, obtaining Dao Fu. Upper was nearly impossible.

But Ding Huan still decided that once this matter was settled, he would return to the Kunlun Mountains and search the place thoroughly.

What if he found it?

One bamboo slip after another, Ding Huan recorded.

Ding Huan copied while reading, and it took him three full days before he had rewritten the entire contents of all the bamboo slips.

Aside from Dao Fu. Lower, most were descriptions of customs, human culture, and strange creatures.

These texts were equally invaluable to Ding Huan, at least allowing him to understand how the ancient Immortals and Gods lived.

In the future, if he wished to become a powerhouse and leave Earth, he must follow in the footsteps of these ancestors.

Once he entered the vast universe.

Perhaps he would perish in the boundless cosmos before finding even a trace of these Immortals who left Earth—but he did not care.

Having fulfilled his wishes on Earth, he would finally do what he had always longed to do.

Find where the ancient Immortals dwelled, and become one of them.

What secrets did the vast universe conceal? Was it, as many on Earth speculated, merely a string of characters?

Or, as some records from Chang Yi Continent suggested, merely a corner abandoned by the gods?

No matter which speculation, whether right or wrong, he had longed to know it in both his past and present lives.

No one would tell him the answer—he would find it himself.

As long as he did not die, as long as his strength continued to rise, one day he would unveil this secret.

(That's all for today's update, friends—goodnight! Still asking for monthly votes!)