Chapter 1776: High Supreme God Xiao Talisman

The Human World

Flying boats arrived one after another.

Disciples from the Thunder Left Prefecture stood at the front, followed by disciples from the subordinate sects, while Qin Sang and others stood outside the main queue.

Qin Sang looked around; only about a dozen people were with him, all outer disciples like himself. Over a thousand disciples had come for the conferment ceremony, but only a handful of spots were allotted to outsiders. This clearly showed how rare and precious the High-Rank Divine Firmament Talisman was.

The last flying boat landed.

Just then, the handsome youth who had brought Qin Sang here walked over, clouds forming under his feet. He addressed Qin Sang and the others, saying, "You should follow me to the Talisman Conferment Hall first."

A youth beside Qin Sang, unable to contain his curiosity, pointed to the large group ahead and asked, "Aren't they going?"

Qin Sang was also unclear about the reason. During the days he had waited, the Thunder Left Prefecture had already organized talent assessments for all the disciples who had come for the conferment. Because he held a thunder talisman, he was exempt from the test. Could there be several more hurdles to overcome?

The handsome youth glanced sideways and said, "They are disciples from the main sect and subordinate sects, and they must undergo another trial before the conferment. Although generally not many people are disqualified, if anyone thinks they can relax once they're here, well..." The handsome youth chuckled meaningfully, "However, since you are not disciples of our sect, you don't need to go through the trial. You just need to wait three days at the Talisman Conferment Hall."

Hearing this, the other youths visibly relaxed. Qin Sang, meanwhile, realized that the purpose of this trial was likely to observe the disciples' temperament, comprehension, and similar qualities.

The handsome youth then led everyone into the sky.

As the disciples of the Thunder Left Prefecture watched them pierce through the thunderclouds, their expressions were complex, and many felt uneasy. The waters around the island were covered by dense thunderclouds. Upon entering the thunderclouds, it first became pitch black, then roaring thunder echoed in their ears, and streaks of lightning snaked around them. They had only just embarked on their cultivation journey and had never experienced such a scene. Their faces paled, and their eyes showed panic.

"CRACK!"

A bolt of lightning shot directly towards them, immediately eliciting gasps of alarm.

"Don't be afraid."

The handsome youth calmly raised his palm, snatched forward, and remarkably caught the lightning bolt in his hand, playing with it. The violent lightning became incredibly docile. Witnessing this scene, the other youths felt a mix of fear, envy, and anticipation. They hoped that once they received the High-Rank Divine Firmament Talisman, they too would possess such divine abilities.

Qin Sang observed clearly. The moment he caught the lightning, the handsome youth used some kind of thunder talisman. However, he didn't pull out a spirit talisman, nor did he summon a Talisman Altar or draw a talisman in the air. A talisman was generated simply by his will.

As they spoke, the handsome youth flew higher and higher, with countless thunderclaps exploding wildly around them. Then, a massive dark silhouette emerged from the depths of the thunderclouds. Only when they drew closer did they realize it was a magnificent hall. This hall actually floated within the thunderclouds, surrounded by lightning. There seemed to be an invisible protective barrier around it, preventing the lightning from entering.

The words 'Talisman Conferment Hall' were inscribed above the main hall. In front of the hall, a jade staircase descended, its end out of sight.

"We're here. Wait here and don't wander off."

The handsome youth set them down, then with a flash of light, turned and flew back.

The group exchanged glances and found places to settle. Qin Sang discreetly scanned his surroundings before sitting down cross-legged.

Three days passed in a flash.

Starting from noon on the second day, people began to ascend the jade staircase, gradually increasing in number. Just as the handsome youth had said, over ninety percent of the disciples had passed the trial.

"BOOM!"

The sound of bells and drums reverberated throughout the heavens.

The main gate of the Talisman Conferment Hall opened, and a Daoist priest in a tall crown emerged. Next, Qin Sang witnessed the elaborate rituals that were absent in the Sanyang Sect. The Daoist priest in the tall crown spent half an hour just announcing the rules of the ceremony before finally permitting everyone to enter the Talisman Conferment Hall. Two lines of Thunder Left Prefecture disciples, carrying ceremonial banners and pennants, filed out and guided everyone into the Talisman Conferment Hall.

The internal layout was similar to that of the Sanyang Sect. In the vast square, a tall incense burner stood, from which smoke curled upwards. The smoke dissipated invisibly as it rose from the burner, but the disciples felt an unprecedented clarity in their minds, indicating that a spiritual incense was burning within.

What was different were the characters on the plaque above the main hall of the sect's altar.

"Thunder Ancestor Hall!"

Seeing these three vigorous, ancient characters, Qin Sang's pupils constricted slightly, and he looked inside the hall. The main gate of the Thunder Ancestor Hall was open, revealing the interior. A Dharma Altar stood in the center of the hall, and behind it, instead of a statue, a divine painting was hung. The painting depicted a divine being whose aura was lofty, solemn, and majestic, clearly the work of a master artist.

Heavenly Lord of Universal Manifestation of Thunder and Sound, Supreme Emperor of Nine Heavens!

Qin Sang felt that this divine painting was likely not a magical artifact but an ordinary depiction. Yet, for some unknown reason, as he gazed at the divine being, he involuntarily dismissed any disrespectful thoughts and adopted a solemn expression.

"CLANG..."

The sound of a chime echoed, and silence fell over the courtyard as everyone reverently welcomed the three grandmasters: the Conferring Master, the Supervising Master, and the Recommending Master. Following them were six protecting masters: the Talisman Guarding Master, the Dharma Protecting Master, the Scripture Protecting Master, the Altar Protecting Master, the Precept Protecting Master, and the Dao Protecting Master.

Lighting incense, offering respects, invoking deities, venerating ancestors, performing rituals, activating the altar... Although not as meticulously strict as some Daoist rites, the entire sequence still took a full three hours. The disciples being conferred, having only just begun their cultivation, possessed no spiritual power whatsoever. They were all aching and sore but dared not show the slightest negligence.

Before the final conferment, they even had to perform a repentance ritual. The so-called repentance ritual involved communicating with the deities, confessing sins, and seeking forgiveness. Under the guidance of the High Master, everyone chanted the "Heavenly Treasury Repentance Scripture." While others sincerely performed the repentance, Qin Sang secretly sneered. He had cultivated to this point with blood on his hands; if the repentance text were truly accurate, how could divine beings tolerate him?

Finally, the ceremony reached its most crucial step—the Talisman Conferment!

The Recommending Master stood before the Thunder Ancestor Hall, reciting the names of the disciples. Those called entered the hall to receive their talismans. Naturally, the outer disciples were still at the very end of the line. By the time it was Qin Sang's turn, only a few disciples remained in the courtyard.

Qin Sang stepped forward quickly, bowed, and entered the main hall. The Conferring Master was a white-bearded elder with cultivation at the early Nascent Soul stage. He merely glanced at Qin Sang before withdrawing his gaze. Since Qin Sang was not a disciple of the Thunder Left Prefecture, the Conferring Master naturally offered no guidance. Without a word, he directly activated the Dharma Altar.

Above the Dharma Altar, a golden seal hovered. A blank Dharma Talisman manifested before Qin Sang. As his essence blood and divine sense merged into it, and a seal impression was added, the Dharma Talisman split into two. One merged into Qin Sang's glabella, while the other, guided by the Conferring Master's hand, flew back to the Dharma Altar and spontaneously ignited without flame.

"SWISH!"

In an instant, the Dharma Talisman burned to ashes, the flames extinguished, presenting itself to the divine beings. Among cultivators, some figuratively called this step 'establishing a covenant talisman,' signifying that one would henceforth have a name in the Celestial Court.

Qin Sang knelt on the meditation cushion, eyes closed and motionless, seemingly sensing something. If he were a disciple of the Thunder Left Prefecture's main sect, he would also need to receive the Daoist Three Refuges and Nine Precepts after the conferment. Thunder Left Prefecture disciples generally chose three of the Nine Precepts, at least strictly adhering to precepts at the Orthodox Unity Dharma Rank. This was the initial voyage into the faith and a ladder to the Dharma, requiring utmost caution. Since Qin Sang was not a main sect disciple, he was exempt from these formalities.

The Conferring Master flicked his whisk, and the Recommending Master outside the hall called out the next person's name loudly. Qin Sang, as if startled awake, lowered his head, rose, and retreated towards the hall exit. As he stepped out, someone approached with a wooden tray. Disciples of the Thunder Left Prefecture were granted robes, spiritual artifacts, and other items. When it was his turn, he only received a plain jade slip. Qin Sang thanked them, picked up the jade slip, and was then guided out of the Talisman Conferment Hall.

After all the conferment ceremonies were completed, someone escorted Qin Sang and the other outer disciples back to Guest Welcome Island. Qin Sang had no intention of staying and immediately boarded a treasure ship, departing from the Thunder Left Prefecture. Standing at the stern, Qin Sang gazed at the increasingly distant Thunder Left Prefecture, a contemplative expression on his face.

The conferment process was smoother than he had imagined. The Thunder Left Prefecture showed no suspicion towards him, and the Dharma Altar didn't exhibit any unusual changes due to his cultivation.

Not long after leaving the Thunder Left Prefecture, Qin Sang disembarked on a small island, rented a cave dwelling, and eagerly checked his Dharma Talisman!

"High-Rank Divine Firmament Talisman!"

Inside the cave dwelling, Qin Sang sat cross-legged, his mind sinking into his Purple Mansion. At this moment, a golden talisman shimmered within his Purple Mansion. Whenever Qin Sang perceived the golden talisman, he felt a deep connection, as if it had merged with his very being! This was precisely the Dharma Talisman he had received—the Grand Orthodox Unity Youth Spirit Official General Talisman.

The Dharma Talisman was not a physical entity but an ethereal one, composed of enigmatic runes, resembling a transparent spirit talisman. Next, Qin Sang's task was to forge his Talisman Altar. Once the Talisman Altar was forged, the Dharma Talisman would manifest within it as a seal.

However, even before forging the Talisman Altar, Qin Sang already sensed a difference. A few wisps of faint true essence had returned to his empty Qi Sea. Qin Sang did not suppress it with his divine sense, experiencing the long-lost sensation of stable true essence. Moreover, this true essence was obtained by refining the essence of heaven and earth. There was no need for any cumbersome steps; within a certain limit, he could directly draw the essence of heaven and earth into his body. Upon entering, it seemed to be filtered, returning to its normal state. He flipped his palm, took out a spirit stone from this realm, and was also able to directly absorb spiritual energy.

Qin Sang immersed himself in comprehending the Dharma Talisman. In the ethereal realm, a mysterious power seemed to shield him, isolating him from the chaotic energies of heaven and earth, thus protecting his true essence from external influences. Qin Sang didn't know the origin of this mysterious power. As his mind delved into the Dharma Talisman, he felt a vast and distant emptiness, as if he were in the nine heavens, yet also a profound and weighty depth. These contradictory sensations left Qin Sang puzzled. For now, he decided to believe the Daoist legends.

Of course, the Dharma Talisman's protective effect had its limits. When the true essence in his body surpassed the Foundation Establishment stage, exceeding the talisman's capacity, the chaotic energies of heaven and earth would still affect his true essence. Generally, cultivators in this world would receive a second-tier Dharma Talisman upon reaching the peak of the Moral Dharma Rank, which is the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, before attempting to break through further. Otherwise, without the protection of a Dharma Talisman, external influences could cause their true essence to go out of control. Even if they managed to break through, they would have to suppress their cultivation to the Foundation Establishment stage.

After carefully experiencing it, Qin Sang did not rush to forge the altar. He took out the jade slip he had received at the Thunder Left Prefecture and began to examine it. The contents of the jade slip consisted mainly of three parts.

Firstly, various key points for forging the altar. It listed some spiritual materials suitable for forging a Golden Seal Altar, mostly lightning-attributed spiritual objects, with almost no mention of Soldier-Horse Altars. After all, outside the Daoist sects, most cultivators lacked the ability to raise soldier-horses, and among the core disciples of the Thunder Left Prefecture, very few cultivated Soldier-Horse Altars.

Secondly, it contained a "Myriad Gods Thunder Department Immortal Guide." The Immortal Guide depicted the sacred images and divine names of various thunder deities, to be used for 'contemplation of gods.' Forging the altar and inviting the gods were both necessary steps after the conferment.

Jade Maiden Holding the Banner, Jade Light Youth, Lightning Jade Maiden, Thunder Master Youth, Hail Master Youth, Western Terrace Wind and Rain Official, Wind Chasing Cloud Spreading Official, Lightning Striking Thunder Roaring Cloud Messenger, Flying Cloud Messenger, Hail Bringing Warrior, Evil Slaying Warrior...

One sacred image after another flowed through Qin Sang's sea of consciousness. After viewing all the sacred images, Qin Sang noticed that the Thunder Left Prefecture primarily venerated thunder deities, and the deities in the Immortal Guide were all of the Jade Maiden, Youth, Messenger, or Warrior types. This was normal; each tier of Dharma Talisman required contemplation of a deity of the corresponding rank. If one exceeded the rank, it would be impossible to invite a Dharma Altar Guarding General. Even if one genuinely succeeded in contemplating a higher-ranked deity, the Talisman Altar might not be able to withstand it, leading to its collapse.

In the Myriad Gods Thunder Department Immortal Guide, most of the sacred images were grayed out, with only three lit up: the Purple Light Jade Maiden, the Wind Chasing Cloud Spreading Official, and the Water Thunder Lightning General. This indicated that contemplating these three deities was the easiest. Contemplating other deities would likely consume vast amounts of time and energy, ultimately failing to summon a Dharma Altar Guarding General. Contemplating deities was also not guaranteed to succeed; it required prolonged visualization of the sacred images and sensing the will of heaven. The higher the deity's rank, the more difficult it became.

The entire Immortal Guide listed only three deities. Qin Sang wondered if the Thunder Left Prefecture was withholding information. Qin Sang felt that the Thunder Left Prefecture had no reason to hide anything. It was likely that outsiders, who didn't cultivate the Thunder Left Prefecture's techniques, weren't compatible with the Dharma Talisman and could only contemplate these three deities.

Continuing to read, the third part was a spell called the "Jade Talisman Incantation of Paying Homage to the True Divine." When contemplating the Dharma Altar Guarding General, one needed to cultivate this spell.

"Should I contemplate a deity?"

Seeing that most of the jade slip's content pertained to deity contemplation, Qin Sang held the slip and fell into deep thought. He was very curious whether deities truly existed. Were Dharma Altar Guarding Generals truly manifestations of divine will, or merely mental projections generated during the visualization of sacred images? If they were mental projections, why could some deities be successfully contemplated while others failed?

However, Qin Sang always felt uneasy about actively inviting a deity. Ultimately, this stemmed from the jade Buddha. The origins of these so-called deities were unclear, and to protect the secret of the jade Buddha, Qin Sang instinctively resisted foreign deities entering his body.

In truth, contemplating deities was not mandatory. Years ago, after seeing a demon talisman on a serpent demon, Qin Sang learned that one could also contemplate an 'inner truth' to serve as a Dharma Altar Guarding General, also known as an 'inner god.' As far as he knew, demon talismans always contemplated inner truths, which was one of the biggest differences between demon talismans and Daoist Dharma Talismans. Among cultivators who practiced Ju Shan Zhi, this situation also occurred. For various reasons, some sects' Dharma Talismans, whether their principal deities or other deities, would not respond, making it impossible to invite a divine general. In such cases, one could only contemplate an inner truth. However, it was said that inner truths were not as stable as deities. Cultivators who practiced such Dharma Talismans faced an arduous and precarious cultivation path, making it a reluctant choice.

With the jade Buddha, he didn't need a Dharma Altar Guarding General. However, he still wanted to use the Talisman Altar to protect his Celestial Eye Butterfly and Fiery Jade Centipede. After weighing his options, Qin Sang decided it would be better to contemplate an inner truth. Perhaps, because of the jade Buddha, the inner truth he contemplated would be more stable than others'.

With this thought, Qin Sang simply skipped over the Myriad Gods Thunder Department Immortal Guide, memorized the "Jade Talisman Incantation of Paying Homage to the True Divine," withdrew his divine sense, and prepared to forge the altar.

Before forging the altar, the most important task was to comprehend the Dharma Talisman. Qin Sang recalled the various methods he had gathered and once again immersed his mind into the Dharma Talisman. Gradually, a talismanic shape emerged in his mind's eye.