Chapter 561: The Slumping Talisman Industry, Divine Ability at Foundation Establishment?

Oh no, oh no!

She hadn't managed to keep her expression in check, and Little Zhao had seen right through her.

"Hehe!" Chi Jiuyu scratched her head and said bluntly, "It's nothing, really. It's just that I've made a tiny bit more progress recently while studying the Dao of Talismans…"

To prevent Zhao Ruohan from doubting her, she raised a hand and gave a light tap toward the side.

Hmm!

From the straight, shooting line of white radiance, crimson-gold talisman-scripts writhed through the void, trailing blazing flames.

Soon, within the crimson firelight, a faint phantom of an ancient sword emerged, and in the blink of an eye it grew solid—even the archaic inscriptions etched into the blade were clearly visible.

The biting edge, wrapped in scorching fire intent, seemed capable of tearing apart anything that stood before it.

Snap!

Chi Jiuyu casually snapped her fingers, and the flames and sword-shadow vanished on the spot.

"How about that! Pretty impressive, right!" Chi Jiuyu said smugly, looking at Zhao Ruohan.

For a Soul Transformation cultivator, the might of this technique was nothing special.

But what Chi Jiuyu wanted to show off wasn't its power—it was the realm of 'Talisman Art Fused with Sword.'

This wasn't the same as the 《Scripture-Recorded Sword Tome》 she had forcibly executed that first night by relying on her powerful sword-Dao realm and raw talent.

Rather, it was the result of these past few days of studying the 《Talisman Tome of Expounding the Dao from the Void》, gradually filling in the basics of talisman-Dao, finding the balance point between sword art and talisman art, and perfectly fusing the two.

The cultivation of the Talisman-Sword lineage, apart from the initial foundational stage of learning 'talismans' and 'swords,'—

could roughly be divided into several stages: Sword Reflecting Talisman Light, Sword Containing Talisman Form, Talisman Art Fused with Sword, Talisman Scripture as Warp and Sword as Weft, and Sword-Talisman Ruin Realm.

There was also one stage that Chi Jiuyu found especially abstract, but just a tiny bit cool—

A Thousand Talismans Govern One Sword, the Sword Tome Refines the Talismans' Truth.

According to Sister Qianqian, the reason the final stage was named that way was purely to give people a sense of mystery and awesomeness.

To put it simply—it was just for showing off…

Tsk tsk!

That was absolutely right!

Chi Jiuyu wholeheartedly endorsed this reasoning!

Besides, she had already inquired: among the cultivators of 'Talisman-Sword' in the Grand Supreme Dao Sect, no one had reached this realm from scratch faster than her…

Emm…

But she herself was a sword cultivator at the Spirit Transformation Realm, so it couldn't really be counted as a true 'from scratch.'

In any case, she had originally planned to keep hiding it for a while longer.

But now that Little Zhao was already suspicious, and the matter of the Ascension Emissary had confidentiality rules, she simply went ahead and showed it.

It was also a good way to dispel her doubts.

"…" Zhao Ruohan was silent for a moment.

Although through these past few days of observation, she had already noticed that Chi Jiuyu was also secretly grinding away.

But no matter how you looked at it, reaching the level of 'Talisman Art Fused with Sword' in such a short time…

Honestly, it was still a bit exaggerated.

"Congratulations."

"Aw, it's really nothing!" Chi Jiuyu pretended to be casual. "Just a tiny bit of progress. It's still a long way off from being actually useful."

The path of 'Talisman-Sword' had only just been entered; given her current situation, what she was learning now couldn't even serve a supporting role.

Hacking away randomly with a sword would be more useful than these flashy, fancy-looking trinkets.

Only after her talisman-Dao level rose in the future, and she truly grasped the essence of the 'Talisman-Sword' lineage, could it become a trump card in her combat!

"But it should be useful in other areas," Zhao Ruohan said.

She remembered that Chi Jiuyu's dual cultivation of talisman-Dao wasn't meant to boost her own combat power, but to prepare for making talismans to earn money.

"Don't even mention it." Chi Jiuyu pouted.

The girl who had just been bursting with enthusiasm immediately slumped onto the stone table, stretching her arms to hug half of it, her face a picture of utter hopelessness.

"Those few talismans I made before—I've still not sold a single one."

The talisman-making industry was even more depressed than she had imagined.

After studying for a while and gaining a certain foundation in talisman-Dao, she had gone to the relevant institution of the Grand Supreme Dao Sect to take a talisman-master certification exam.

Then she had made some of the more popular, best-selling auxiliary talismans, opened a side account, and prepared to list them to see how it went.

But after all these days, not a single one had sold…

"Sigh~"

The essence of low- and mid-grade talismans was to seal up supernatural forces like spells and divine abilities, so they could be released later with low or even zero loss when needed.

But nowadays, assembly-line talisman factories were not only faster and more stable in output, but most importantly, cheaper!

On top of that, the present era was relatively peaceful, and the vast majority of cultivators didn't just casually fight to the death with each other, so the demand for talismans was even lower.

The talisman-making industry was naturally depressed…

"You'll be able to earn money eventually," Zhao Ruohan offered an encouraging word.

"Don't worry!" Chi Jiuyu suddenly sat up straight again. "I'm not the kind of person who gets discouraged easily. I chose this path, so no matter what, I'll keep walking it!"

She had no choice—she simply couldn't pick anything else.

Seeing that she seemed to have perked up again, Zhao Ruohan didn't say more on this topic and instead said:

"The reason I came to find you today is actually because there's something I want to tell you."

Chi Jiuyu blinked. "What is it?"

In her heart, however, she was relieved that she had finally managed to get away with it.

Xiao Zhao's observational skills are incredibly sharp; these past days, she even discovered things I've been secretly working on…

But luckily, my disguise is clearly better!

"What I need to tell you, you probably already know," Zhao Ruohan paused, "it's about… the Ascension Envoys."

The third batch of Ascension Envoys has already been selected, and certain confidentiality protocols have been lifted accordingly.

At the very least, revealing my identity to the third batch of Ascension Envoys is completely fine.

Ascension… Envoy?

Chi Jiuyu was stunned, unable to react for a moment.

Then Zhao Ruohan continued:

"Tomorrow I'll begin my mission; you'll have to manage your own time after that. I've prepared some materials—I'll send them to you later; you can look at them when you have time…"

No!

Hearing this, Chi Jiuyu finally snapped back to reality.

"No, you! But me! Your name isn't even on the third batch of Ascension Envoys!"

She even stammered slightly.

"I'm from the second batch."

Chi Jiuyu: "…"

"In two days, you should receive the lists of the first and second batches of Ascension Envoys."

Xiao Zhao… is from the second batch?

"So the Ascension Envoy batches… aren't they determined by the Xian Sect Grand Competition…"

"Mm."

"…"

Silence stretched for a long while.

Fuck!

I should've just joined the Nascent Soul group from the start!

Why did I even enter the Soul Transformation group as a special case!

…

…

Mission World 1.

Qixing.

Above an endless ocean, ten thousand hectares of dark clouds completely covered the sky, waves crashing endlessly.

Rain drizzled continuously; lightning snakes slithered through the overcast sky.

The suffocating atmosphere sent shivers down the spine; the hundred-meter waves rising from the ink-black sea seemed insignificant.

Beneath the heavy clouds, several figures clad in specially designed pure white combat suits stood in midair, their garments adorned with deep blue patterns.

The leader was tall and slender, with features carved like stone, eyes bright and sharp.

In his hand he held a straight, horizontal blade, its crystalline edge resembling gemstone carvings, entirely deep blue.

A terrifying blade aura flickered and surged, filling the sky beneath the clouds with a chilling, deadly aura. Behind the young man, a woman with a high ponytail, refined features, and a curvaceous figure gazed at him, her eyes filled with admiration.

'The Captain's cultivation is even more terrifying…'

She sighed inwardly, checked the time, then slowly flew forward.

"Captain, the scheduled time has arrived."

"Mm."

The man nodded slightly, yet his gaze remained fixed on the sea below.

As if he could see through the ink-black waters to the colossal creature hidden beneath.

'Deep Whale King…'

'Judging by the timeline, he should now be at the peak of Qi Condensation, about to establish his Foundation.'

'According to my past-life memories, the energy required for Foundation Establishment is immense, so he will devour vast amounts of blood and trigger a cataclysmic tsunami.'

'But his existence was detected by Heng during this process, and he was attacked with nuclear weapons.'

'Yet the Deep Whale King did not die; instead, he broke through his limits and achieved Foundation Establishment in one stroke!'

'After recovering, his confidence soared, and he openly declared his intent to raise a tsunami and drown the entire continent.'

'But he still underestimated Qixing's technological prowess—he was ultimately locked onto by an orbital cannon from beyond the planet and obliterated in a single shot.'

He recalled the relevant information about the Deep Whale King.

He himself was only at the peak of Qi Condensation; the Deep Whale King should have been his strongest opponent at this stage—yet…

Thinking of the Supreme Master at Nascent Soul Completion sitting beyond the planet, he felt not the slightest tension.

Sigh~

Zhou Xian looked up at the sky.

He couldn't help but recall events from many years ago, still feeling a bit speechless.

Back then, he had just obtained his Primordial Talent and unlocked a golden finger that could refine and enhance talents, riding high on confidence.

He felt he would surely stop the "World Destroyer's" plot.

But then…

The "World Destroyer" appeared…

He was completely stunned!

What the hell!

Shouldn't the 'World Destroyer' be the ultimate big boss that only appears in the final stage?!

He had only just been born from the starting point, still in the newbie village in his development phase—how could there be a boss that comes to block the newbie village right at the start?!

Speaking of it brings tears!

He had thought he was done for right at the start of the game.

But that 'World Destroyer' seriously explained that he wasn't some 'World Destroyer' at all, but had come to guide the newborn Qixing person into the Dao for cultivation.

His so-called past-life memories were also fake, fabricated by the world's will.

He also said that the newborn Qixing person was born only thanks to his efforts.

Facing the sincere explanation of the 'World Destroyer,' this ultimate big boss, he naturally…

Didn't believe a word!

Every experience of his past life was vivid before his eyes, every step's hardship etched into his bones—how could it be fake?

But then again, circumstances were stronger than people back then.

If he chose not to believe, he was afraid the embarrassed and enraged 'World Destroyer' would swat him dead with one slap, so he could only pretend to say he believed.

The result was that he got killed once.

Of course, he came back to life afterward.

But that incomparably real experience of death, the feeling of all grand ambitions dissolving into bubbles, still made him 'sober up' in time.

Sigh~

Zhou Xian sighed once more in his heart.

Compared to the ethereal, elusive memories of past lives, the real threat was even more overwhelming.

The ultimate big boss was camping the door!

What could he possibly do?

Could it be that he'd really be killed by the guy's sword?

Anyway, he didn't want to die.

Fortunately, according to the World Destroyer's explanation, his past-life memories were deduced and calculated by the world's will based on everything that existed, and the vast majority could serve as reference.

He wouldn't completely lose the advantage of 'foreknowledge'…

Hmm~!

Suddenly, an ethereal, distant, low and deep strange sound reverberated from beneath the ink-colored sea surface.

The air for dozens of li around spontaneously trembled and distorted, the flowing spiritual energy oscillating at high frequency, the might contained within enough to cause cultivators below the third layer of Qi Refining to have their spiritual power run amok and their spiritual seas collapse.

Zhou Xian suppressed his scattered thoughts and looked once more at the surging sea surface below.

Splash splash splash!

The ink-colored sea surface arched upward, pale blue light beams slowly emerging, dozens of meters wide, extending several hundred meters beneath the surface.

"Captain, high spiritual energy reaction detected, 69 meters wide, 399 meters long."

A person behind Zhou Xian had a solemn expression; he wore a peculiar instrument like a monocle, rows of data flickering constantly on the lens.

Because of Zhou Xian's past-life memories, and the support of his immensely powerful computing power.

The Qixing civilization's research on spiritual energy was not slow.

High spiritual energy generally referred to the high-quality spiritual power refined from the spiritual energy breathed in and out by cultivators above the seventh layer of Qi Refining.

"The enemy's high spiritual energy reserves far exceed expectations. Should we request Level 3 weapon support?"

The Qixing civilization's weapon grade classification had a total of five tiers, Level 5 the lowest, Level 1 the highest.

Level 3 refers to weapons like nuclear bombs capable of causing large-scale casualties.

Level 1 weapons could even directly detonate an entire planet!

Zhou Xian gripped his saber hilt, his expression solemn:

"No need!"

In his past-life memories, because his cultivation progress was poor, he had never personally seen the Deep Sea Whale Emperor.

Seeing now that high spiritual energy reserve, as deep as an abyss, as vast as a sea, far surpassing his own…

It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous.

But!

This was also an opportunity!

Using his obtained Primal Talent to devour it, with the help of the mysterious vortex in his divine soul to refine it, he would surely leap across the limit in one bound!

Devour, transform, utilize…

Once he reached Foundation Establishment, he could solidify this Primal Talent of boundless potential into a divine ability, and then…

His thoughts flashing like lightning, Zhou Xian dove down, spiritual power gathering on the broadsaber in his palm.

He slashed fiercely!

Hum~!

The deep blue saber-light directly tore open the sea surface, revealing the colossal creature hidden beneath.

It was a super-large whale with a single horn on its forehead and pale blue crystal-like structures covering its back.

"Human!"

A grand, low voice materialized into tangible, distorting sound waves; the Deep Sea Whale Emperor stared fixedly at Zhou Xian, its eyes full of longing.

It could feel it—feel the vast energy hidden within this human that it longed for.

As long as it devoured him!

Devouring him would surely let it cross that exceedingly difficult-to-surmount threshold!

……

……

"Divine Ability Foundation Establishment…"

Beyond the Rising Star, Zhou Kongming was also watching this battle, a strange gleam flickering in his eyes.

This method of refining a divine ability seed and using a divine ability to build the Dao foundation had too many limitations, far less well-rounded than the mainstream Foundation Establishment methods, so it had already been phased out in the Grand Xuan Realm.

Still, the conditions of this world were indeed uniquely favored by Heaven — with so many races possessing extraordinary talents, perhaps a cultivation system truly belonging to this world could be carved out…

"Let's keep watching!" (End of this chapter)