Chapter 114: Moon‑Worshiping Scripture

One, two, three or four…

Time slipped by unnoticed, and Wang Ping'an diligently crafted Talismans in his little world: Lightning Talisman, Ping'an Talisman, Concealment Talisman, Golden Light Talisman—four Talismans that formed in his hands in turn, and none failed.

It's unclear whether his drawing skill was upgraded to Mastery level, or the four Talismans themselves were upgraded to Mastery level, that accounts for their highly efficient completion without any failure.

Or perhaps both!

What a pity.

The little world is too small and already filled with rice seedlings, so he cannot test the effects of the four Talismans.

The final Lightning Talisman formed in his hand; Wang Ping'an looked at the Talismans in his hand and in his storage bag, his face full of unhidden delight, and said happily:

"I originally hoped to make money with the Reviving Pill, but now it seems these Talismans are enough!"

He says that, but he knows that to earn money he still has to grow a few more years, learn to speak and walk; even if he wraps his whole body and pretends to be a dwarf, no one would pay much attention.

At this moment.

It's only by exploiting the quirks of the little world that he can walk and run inside, yet still cannot speak—how could anyone possibly make money this way?

Just as Wang Ping'an was pondering how to deliver this stack of Talismans to his family, his peripheral vision caught the Paper Person in the storage bag; its eyes lit up, and it said thoughtfully:

"Why not try the Paper Person?"

The newly acquired skill, Divine Attachment, is one of the abilities the Evil Cultivator used to control Paper Persons before he died at his hands.

"Ding! You spend ten Merit to upgrade skill: Divine Attachment, Entry Level→Proficient!"

As a mechanical, cold voice rang in his mind, Wang Ping'an still wanted to keep upgrading the skill Divine Attachment, imagining it like the newly obtained artifact Paper‑Making Art, to raise Divine Attachment to Mastery level.

Unfortunately...

During this period, through Hei Mao Bu Tou, he did acquire a large amount of Merit, but he spent it all; a host of talents, skills, techniques, and so on were upgraded to Mastery level.

There is no surplus Merit left to upgrade the skill Divine Attachment!

Wang Ping'an can only regretfully abandon the idea of further upgrading Divine Attachment.

He hopes that the Proficient level of the skill Divine Attachment is enough for him to control the Paper Person!

Wang Ping'an focused his mind, took a Paper Person from the storage bag, and immediately used the skill Divine Attachment, separating a spirit from his body and seeping it into that Paper Person.

The next moment.

Wang Ping'an felt as if he had obtained a new body!

The Paper Person on the ground slowly crawls up!

Walking, running, Crawling...

Under Wang Ping'an's control, the Paper Person performed one motion after another in mid‑air, feeling as natural as moving one's own arm, with no hint of awkwardness.

It's not that he doesn't want to act on the ground, but the ground is covered with row after row of rice seedlings, leaving no extra space for testing.

After a long while, Wang Ping'an, using the Paper Person, performed almost every possible action, his face full of unhidden excitement.

He had been fretting about how each day passed so slowly, as if counting years, wondering how long it would take to grow enough to walk and speak; now he has this Paper Person.

It's certainly much more convenient!

Although.

The Paper Person still has many flaws, but it's far better than him spending countless times lying in his mother's arms, or in his grandfather's cradle, or in a baby crib.

A long while.

Wang Ping'an had his fill—*ahem*—after testing the Paper Person enough, he focused, and as his own spirit returned to his body, the Paper Person emerged from the little world, first placing a stack of Talismans and a sheet of paper on the table in his family's hall.

The paper was taken from his father—no, from that despicable creature's study, wrapped with ink brush and inkstone.

Inside is a short piece of text; he is reluctant to use Spirit Paper to convey a simple message. The Spirit Wood in the storage bag is limited; one sheet of Spirit Paper, he doesn't know how many Talismans it can produce.

The Talismans left on the table are for his family's protection, with a brief note on the paper.

Fearing his family might misunderstand!

It's not that he doesn't want to leave more words, but the more he says, the more flaws appear.

Later.

Wang Ping'an again controlled the Paper Person, carrying a stack of Talismans, and walked around his family's courtyard, placing a Talisman in almost every corner.

Soon.

The huge number of Talismans he produced in one night were all placed in his family's courtyard.

Wang Ping'an recalled the Paper Person and thought smugly: 'With so many Talismans, I'd love to see who dares to do mischief at our house!'

Talismans, being extraordinary, need not worry about being ruined by weather such as rain; even a mouse's sharp teeth might not damage them.

What a pity.

This novel, you...

These four Talismans still have major flaws, as he discovered repeatedly by testing them with his own body.

It's actually three Talismans; unless faced with an attack, they cannot take effect.

This conclusion comes from him abducting Aunt Li, the Evil Cultivator's fierce ghost that controlled Aunt Li, and the Paper Person's snatching.

'Even though the Talismans have flaws, they're still better than having none!'

Wang Ping'an shook his head, scattering countless thoughts from his mind; his peripheral vision caught the bright moonlight, and he suddenly recalled a cultivation method he had obtained from the Evil Cultivator not long ago.

'Moon‑Worshiping Scripture'!

"Ding! You spend ten Merit to upgrade cultivation method: Moon‑Worshiping Scripture, Entry Level→Proficient!"

Wang Ping'an focused, and a mechanical, cold voice rang in his mind; he has no hundred Merit to upgrade the Proficient level to Mastery level.

But he does have the ten Merit to upgrade from Entry Level to Proficient level.

He still has them!

The next moment.

Wang Ping'an cleared the few scattered thoughts from his mind, regained clarity, and immediately began cultivating the Moon‑Worshiping Scripture.

Besides drawing in the spiritual energy wandering between heaven and earth, the moonlight shining on the ground also seemed to turn into threads of energy, seeping from his whole body into his body.

How could it be this cold?

Wang Ping'an shuddered all over, giving him a sensation of falling into an ice cellar; his whole body was icy cold.

In an instant, a warm current surged from his artificial dantian, spreading to his limbs and bones, dispelling the cold within his body.

Only then did Wang Ping'an recover from the endless cold!

Wang Ping'an silently sighed: 'Indeed, the Evil Cultivator's things are not so easy to obtain; they have side effects!'

Similar to the Moon Worship Classic, the Ziyang Classic he cultivates can also absorb solar energy, but unlike the Moon Worship Classic it does not produce side effects; his whole body felt like falling into an ice cellar.

This cannot be the difference between heterodox and orthodox cultivation methods!

Nine out of ten, the difference lies between the Ziyang Classic and the Moon Worship Classic; the Ziyang Classic originates from the Ziyang Palace of the Prefecture Capital's Great Teaching, even if the Ziyang Classic is merely an ordinary Qi-refining method practiced by the Ziyang Gong Disciples.

Moreover, how could an ordinary Evil Cultivator's text, especially one that even a lowly Evil Cultivator could obtain like the Moon Worship Classic, be compared to it?

(End of Chapter)