Chapter 8: Green Arrow Talisman

The Immortal Sect inherited many systems from the previous civilization on Dadi Star. For example, any elixir introduced to the market must list all its ingredients on the packaging. This means that for every elixir sold, its formula must be appended.

However, trying to refine a finished product solely based on the formulas listed in the elixir's instructions is practically a pipe dream. The combination of modern pharmaceutical processes and elixir refining involves complexities that could not be fully explained even in three days and nights. Therefore, while elixir formulas are public knowledge, the industry of refining and manufacturing elixirs remains a monopoly.

Nevertheless, every new elixir developed by the various universities and Daoist academies requires immense resources, so it's only right that they profit from it. Otherwise, relying solely on subsidies from the Immortal Sect, no one would be willing to invest in the pharmaceutical industry.

The Purple Fire Elixir from Chixia Academy is specifically designed for cultivators breaking through realms in the mid-Qi Refining stage. Among these, the success rate for breaking through from the fourth to the fifth level of Qi Refining with the Purple Fire Elixir is the highest, at about 60-70%. For breakthroughs from the fifth to the sixth level of Qi Refining, the success rate is more than halved, dropping to only 20-30%. Furthermore, if a cultivator possesses more water-attribute spiritual roots, the effect is reduced by another half. Conversely, cultivators with more wood or fire-attribute spiritual roots can see an additional 10% increase in success rate.

Despite this, the Purple Fire Elixir remains the most popular elixir at its level. Its mild medicinal properties and Chixia Academy's centuries-long refinement of its crafting process have led to a perfect, toxin-free elixir. After consumption, cultivators only need to use the common Qi Nurturing Art, practiced by the general populace of the Immortal Sect, to gently recuperate for ten days to half a month to resolve any after-effects of forceful breakthroughs.

Chen Mobai was quite fortunate. This was because the Purple Fire Elixir uses "Purple Sun Sunflower," unique to Danxia City, as its main ingredient, containing a trace of Yang Fire Purple Qi. If nurtured and dissolved with water spiritual energy, its effects could be doubled. Conveniently, this water mansion was built atop a second-tier mid-grade water-element spiritual vein, where water spiritual energy was most abundant.

Two days later, Chen Mobai opened his eyes, a look of pleasant surprise on his face. Feeling the spiritual energy within him move as easily as an extension of his will, without the slightest hindrance, he confirmed that his fifth-level Qi Refining realm was now completely stable. It took less time than he had anticipated, indicating he had underestimated the spiritual energy of a second-tier mid-grade water vein. However, he couldn't be blamed for this, as he was from an ordinary family and had never before cultivated in a spiritual location of the water mansion's caliber.

He took out the box of glass beads he had bought earlier. One, two, three... until the fifth bead glowed brilliantly and slowly floated up from his palm, Chen Mobai smiled happily. Now, he might genuinely be able to cultivate to the sixth level of Qi Refining before the college entrance examination.

He stood up and stretched. Chen Mobai began to survey the water mansion once more. It was still the same as usual, with no changes.

Over the past two days, he had again consulted Old Man Ding, using the excuse that his private tutor, seeing his rapid progress, had increased the difficulty of his assignments and posed this complex formation as a major challenge. Old Man Ding, believing his guidance had been greatly beneficial to Chen Mobai, felt immensely pleased. After inquiring more carefully about the characteristics of the complex formation, he combined his teaching experience and offered two methods for cracking it.

The first method was similar to what Chen Mobai had considered: using powerful formation-breaking talismans to strike the weakest point of the formation, thus breaking it by force. The second method was to use ingenuity to counter ingenuity. Although complex formations are powerful, they are a combination of multiple interlocking and precise spells. If just one of them is broken, the remaining ones, even if not fully disabled, will malfunction due to the disappearance of one spell. If the person who set up the formation was of average skill, the remaining spells might even conflict with each other and automatically disintegrate upon the breakage of one. Old Man Ding, being quite proud, provided Chen Mobai with the latter solution. This involved using an interdiction artifact to cut off the spiritual energy supply from the water mansion's spiritual vein. Once the complex formation was revealed, it could then be systematically broken using corresponding techniques.

However, Chen Mobai was penniless; his only artifact was the children's version of the Demon Subduing Sword hanging in his room. Due to being enchanted with a light spell, it barely qualified as a low-grade first-tier decorative artifact. He checked the Immortal Sect's online marketplace and found that the cheapest artifact meeting the requirements cost 500 merit points. Therefore, he could only revert to the first method of breaking the formation.

Chen Mobai took three talismans depicting green long arrows from his pocket, a pained expression on his face. These were "Green Arrow Talismans," mid-grade first-tier artifacts, each costing 35 merit points. After two days of consulting Old Man Ding, Chen Mobai learned that it was best to use wood-attribute spells, talismans, or artifacts to break unfamiliar water-attribute formations. Attacking water with fire was naturally the most effective. However, if the hidden power of a water-attribute formation far exceeded initial estimates, the violent reaction between water and fire spiritual energies could affect the breaker, potentially leading to immediate demise if they weren't careful. Wood also countered water, and its stimulation of water-attribute spiritual energy was not as violent as that of fire spiritual energy. Even if the formation's power was extraordinary, the aftermath would not be too intense.

The power of these "Green Arrow Talismans" was not significantly different from the "Water Sword Talismans" Chen Mobai had previously eyed and placed in his shopping cart. After being activated, "Water Sword Talismans" would manifest a transparent longsword made of flowing water, which could gather and disperse at will and last for up to fifteen minutes. "Green Arrow Talismans," when released, would condense green long arrows based on the caster's cultivation, with a maximum of six arrows able to be fired at once. Chen Mobai, being at the fifth level of Qi Refining, would be able to summon five such arrows.

Although somewhat wasteful, there was no alternative; these were the most suitable talismans for breaking the formation. To ensure success in one attempt, Chen Mobai not only exhausted all his savings but also took time to sell all the blank talisman papers he had cut and accumulated during his spare time, just barely gathering enough merit points to purchase these three "Green Arrow Talismans."

"If there's nothing valuable inside after I break this formation, I'll have lost money to the point of spitting blood," Chen Mobai muttered to himself. As he murmured, he gathered the spiritual energy within his body, even taking out his "Wood Armor Talisman" and injecting a stream of spiritual energy into it, pre-activating it as a precaution against unexpected mishaps or residual shockwaves during the formation-breaking process.

*Splish-splash!*

Just then, sounds of surging water echoed. To Chen Mobai's wide-eyed disbelief, the spherical light shield enveloping the entire water mansion opened a gap, and two figures descended. The two were one old and one young. The elder had graying hair, carried a black flag, and his eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence. The younger one had an ordinary face and wore a brown long robe. Upon landing, he immediately maintained a two-meter distance from the elder. The two, along with Chen Mobai, who stood in the front hall, formed a triangle, each gazing at the others.