Chapter 141: Seeking the Talisman

"Ah, they've come for a talisman!" Lu Jiangxian paused, his divine sense swiftly expanding to envelop the entire Li family. His spiritual perception range had greatly increased, allowing him to clearly observe even the nearby Manyue and Lu families.

Sacrifices were a major event for the people of the Four Towns. Even before the Li family rose to prominence, these towns had a tradition of performing sacrifices, though their timing varied. Under Li family rule, the timing was standardized, and the sacrifices were elevated to the highest status. Even roadside children knew to chant the couplet: "Of all matters, ritual and warfare are paramount."

The townspeople from various settlements brought out fruits and melons, erected wooden poles in their courtyards, and hung paper sky lanterns as they awaited the hour of sacrifice. Life in the Four Towns had become prosperous; even ordinary residents could now arrange several plates of sugar melons and sugar cakes. They also gathered all the medicines they had taken over the years and burned them together outside their doors, a practice called "Discarding a Hundred Ailments," which carried a beautiful meaning.

Below Lijing Mountain, crowds surged, with townspeople craning their necks to watch. The large deer, a Qi Condensation level beast, was tightly bound with iron chains and knelt on a circular bluestone platform. Its body was stained with blood, presenting quite a terrifying sight.

"That's the deer demon!""How terrifying!"Despite these exclamations, the residents of the Four Towns were not particularly afraid. The spiritual veins of Mount Dali had been recovering for almost forty years, and countless Fetal Breath level demonic beasts had trespassed into the towns over that time. The townspeople had witnessed such sights many times and were accustomed to seeing demonic beasts suppressed, so they felt no fear.

The circular platform was polished to a reflective sheen, its edges intricately carved with delicate patterns. The large, coral-like antlers, which had been severed, were lodged around the deer's neck. Li Tongya held the beast down with one hand, rendering it immobile.

At the head of the platform were several symbolic wooden and clay effigies. Behind Li Tongya stood disciples of the Li family's Xuanjing generation. Li Xuanxuan was one step behind Li Tongya, while Li Xuanfeng and Li Xuanling were on the step below the circular platform.

"By blood we sacrifice, to serve the gods and bring forth blessings."After the sacrificial prayer was recited, the surrounding townspeople immediately fell to their knees. The streets and stone bridges were filled with prostrate figures, each person devoutly closing their eyes. The entire town became eerily silent.

"This is the Li family's sacrifice..." Wan Tianchou had witnessed this ceremony more than once, yet each time, he was filled with profound emotion. He bowed respectfully below the platform, the thick scent of incense constantly wafting into his nostrils. The solemn atmosphere stiffened his limbs. He mused to himself: "This hardly resembles an immortal cultivation family that has only risen in the past forty years; it's more like a cultivation clan with a heritage spanning over four hundred years!"

When Wan Tianchou was with the Wan family, he had participated in some ancestral ceremonies, but they could not compare to the solemnity and grandeur of the Li family's rituals. Observing the Li family's strict management of its disciples, Wan Tianchou sighed softly, thinking to himself: "The speed of the Li family's rise over the past forty years is certainly not without reason..."

On the platform, the ritual blade in Li Xuanxuan's hand plunged directly into the brain of the large deer at the center of the circular platform. The demonic beast let out a cry of sorrow but was held firmly to the platform by Li Tongya, rendered immobile, and died instantly.

Under the guidance of Lu Jiangxian's divine sense, streams of vital essence gathered from the large deer's body. Along with its dispersing, deer-shaped soul, they converged and surged forth from the wound made by the ritual blade, like a beacon of vital energy. Faint golden mists, imperceptible to ordinary people, flowed out from every person below the platform and swarmed from the sky lanterns in every courtyard. Like swallows returning to their nests, they poured into the vital energy beacon, dyeing the smoke with a faint golden hue.

The smoke ascended for a few breaths, then dispersed into countless gray light particles, barely visible to the naked eye, and flowed towards Lijing Mountain.

The mirror surface instantly shone with divine light as an invisible, formless halo spread outwards. The people below felt their bodies lighten. Lu Jiangxian conjured a grey talisman, scanned it briefly, and then cast it towards Li Xuanfeng.

The grey talisman circled once, then flew into his Ascending Yang Abode. Lu Jiangxian's vision blurred momentarily, and several large characters appeared before him.

The topmost character was outlined in deep red brushstrokes, exuding a formidable, fierce aura: "Immense Strength."

This talismanic energy was similar to what Li Xiangping had received years ago. It could elevate the recipient's physical attributes to an extremely high level, allowing their vital blood to surge like smoke and empowering them with immense strength, akin to a demonic beast.

The second line was in light blue brushstrokes, exuding an aura of nimbleness and agility: "Chasing Clouds and Pursuing the Moon."

This talismanic energy granted the recipient the ability to ride clouds and winds, allowing them to soar through the air at several times their normal speed, which was quite practical.

The last option, "Longevity," granted the recipient an additional forty years of life. Lu Jiangxian discarded this option first, as the path of immortal cultivation was perilous. Li Xuanfeng might not even live long enough to use up his current lifespan; if he couldn't survive, longevity would be useless.

He deliberated between "Immense Strength" and "Chasing Clouds and Pursuing the Moon" for a while. Unable to decide, Lu Jiangxian lightly flicked his finger, and the light spot vanished into Li Xuanfeng's spiritual consciousness.

"Let him choose for himself... The Four Towns have gained many new residents, and this incense energy has not only condensed into one grey talisman but also left a small portion remaining."

After pondering for a few breaths, Lu Jiangxian suddenly recalled a secret art that had never been used since the mirror's restoration. Now, with this excess incense talismanic energy—though not enough to form another grey talisman—it could be perfectly utilized.

Years ago, when Li Xiangping killed an old Qi Condensation cultivator, he obtained a jade pendant that restored the mirror's ability to condense Talismanic Pills. This process involved combining excess talismanic energy with lunar essence. An immortal cultivator could only consume one such pill per major cultivation realm to break through bottlenecks and advance their cultivation. Its efficacy depended on the amount of talismanic energy within the pill; if abundant, it could even have remarkable effects on Foundation Establishment and Purple Palace cultivators.

Consuming this pill would also secretly leave a talismanic mark in the host's Ascending Yang Abode, the seat of their soul. This mark would increase the host's speed of absorbing spiritual energy. Upon the host's death, all their vital essence would be converted into talismanic energy and fed back to the mirror.

Although Talismanic Pills were not as efficient as Spirit Orbs or Talismanic Beads, they could still yield twenty to thirty percent of a cultivator's cultivation. However, when the Li family was weak, this secret method was never put to use. Only today could it finally be utilized.

"It would be best if several more of these Talismanic Pills could be condensed," he mused. "They could greatly accelerate the speed of magic power enhancement. If they could be circulated on the market and consumed by Foundation Establishment or even Purple Palace cultivators, and then retrieved after their death... wouldn't that be wonderful!"

After happily pondering for a while, Lu Jiangxian suddenly had a concern. He murmured, "I just don't know if these Talismanic Pills will be recognized by others, potentially leading enemies to our doorstep, which would cause great trouble... Never mind, let's just use them on these children of the Li family for now."

He activated the secret art. Instantly, the mirror surface flickered with light as moon-like radiance surged forth, circling and coiling above the stone platform. Like smoke and mist, it condensed, forming three gleaming pills. They were adorned with mysterious, winding lines, appearing quite beautiful.

After condensing the Talismanic Pills, Lu Jiangxian returned to the mirror and resumed his study of witchcraft.