Chapter 59: Spirit Symbol Techniques

Li Chijing circled the cave dwelling, tracing the pale golden array patterns in the center with his finger. He spoke with some uncertainty: "My master only taught me some talisman arts, and within the sect, I primarily focused on practicing sword techniques. I don't know much about arrays. These patterns don't seem like the mainstream ones in Yue; they appear to be mainly for gathering and nourishing spiritual energy."

"As for this gushing spiritual spring, it should be naturally formed. Later inhabitants added a magic array on top to maintain its shape. With the spring's blessing, the spiritual energy in this cave dwelling is forty to fifty percent higher than outside."

Li Chijing carefully copied the array diagram and inspected all the furnishings in the cave dwelling. Finding no secret passages or rooms, he then walked to the stone table and looked at the white cloth on its surface.

"Chi Wei bows: That person has reached Moonlit Lake. The sect has dispatched people to intercept them. Please act quickly, fellow Daoist... If you encounter that person unexpectedly, please fly towards our Green Pond Sect and notify us immediately."

Li Chijing read it for a moment, pondered for a few breaths, and then spoke with a complex expression: "It seems this person was one of the cultivators invited to surround and kill the immortal mansion's successor back then. They must have felt that going there would be extremely perilous, so they thoroughly cleared out everything in the cave dwelling..."

"That great battle took place at the foot of my Great Li Mountain. After I joined the sect, I often looked into it. There are many secrets, but the sect's records only contain a few sparse words."

Li Xiangping became very interested and eagerly asked in return: "What did the Green Pond Sect say?"

Li Chijing frowned and said in a deep voice: "In the seventh month of autumn, the rogue cultivator Li Jiangqun obtained the true method of the Moon Essence Primordial Mansion, and arrogantly claimed that the Immortal Mansion was destroyed. The Three Sects and Seven Gates were ordered to surround and kill him above Moonlit Lake."

As soon as these words were uttered, while Li Tongya and the others had not yet reacted, Lu Jiangxian, who was secretly observing them with his spiritual sight from Mount Lijing, felt a shock in his heart. He was dazed as if struck by lightning, the moonlight illuminating his true body flickered erratically, and his mind went blank.

"Li Jiangqun..." This name exploded in Lu Jiangxian's ears like a series of piercing shrieks. In an instant, his six senses emptied, and patches of blinding white light appeared before his eyes. "This person sounds so familiar!"

In a dazed state, he saw sword light, magic incantations, talisman arts, and flying arrows—the gleam of these magical artifacts and spiritual tools flashed back and forth before his eyes, shocking him into a miserable cry, and he immediately fainted. The magic mirror floating in the air also swayed unsteadily and slowly fell onto the stone platform.

In the Eyebrow Peak Mountain cave dwelling, Li Xiangping, however, frowned, looking very puzzled. "If it's said that Li Jiangqun obtained the true method of the Immortal Mansion, then why would he claim the Immortal Mansion was destroyed? If he was the legitimate successor, who ordered him to be surrounded and killed above Moonlit Lake?"

Li Chijing shook his head: "That's why the situation is deep and complex. There are likely dirty dealings involving the Three Sects and Seven Gates. I'm afraid that if we delve further, it could bring disaster upon our family, even leading to our annihilation!"

"Let's not talk about that!" Li Chijing interrupted the conversation, saying softly: "Does our family have any cultivation arts inheritances?"

"No, we don't," Li Tongya shook his head and explained. "Such inheritances are hard to find. Only the Wan family was willing to trade a set of array inheritances, and that would require our family's magic mirror to be involved."

Li Chijing pondered for a few breaths, then took out a jade slip from his storage bag and said in a deep voice: "The talisman art passed down in the sect is called the Six Ren Talisman Art. I have sworn a Profound Scenery Spiritual Oath not to divulge it, so I cannot use it for the family. Fortunately, when my master taught me talisman arts, he also gave me a rogue cultivator's inheritance as reference, which you can study."

Li Tongya and the other immediately rejoiced, taking the jade slip from Li Chijing's hand. "This inheritance is called the Spirit-Infused Talisman Art. It contains the methods for making twelve qi-circulation realm talismans, and three qi-refinement realm talismans. They are not considered profound, just some common items."

Li Chijing smiled, then took out a stack of talisman paper from his storage bag and explained: "Drawing talismans requires three spiritual items: talisman paper, a talisman brush, and spiritual ink—none can be missing. Talisman paper is usually made from spiritual plants. It's best if the family can find some seeds to grow their own, so you don't have to buy blank talisman paper from the market."

"Talisman brushes are also a type of magical artifact. I don't have any spares on me. The family should look for one in the market."

"As for talisman ink," Li Chijing patted the brocade pouch at his waist, took out a small jade box, and said in a deep voice: "I still have some here; take it for family use. If you run out, you'll likely have to get more from the markets, though it can be quite expensive. If you can't afford it, cinnabar mixed with some spiritual blood can also be used to draw talismans."

Li Xiangping took the small jade box and said with a wry smile: "Drawing talismans costs a lot. I'm afraid our family doesn't have the funds for it right now."

Li Chijing waved his hand, pointed at the white jade bottle, and smiled: "This Fiery Malice is quite rare in Yue. Our family can't use it right now, but selling it will definitely provide enough funds for many items, with a significant surplus besides."

Hearing this, Li Xiangping nodded and said: "I heard there's a market right on Moonlit Lake, which is very convenient."

"Fiery Malice is valuable; if our family members go, it will certainly attract covetous attention. Tomorrow is the full moon, so I will go personally as a Green Pond Sect disciple to buy all these items."

The group carefully discussed and finalized the arrangements. Seeing that Li Chijing was pressed for time, they immediately set off for Moonlit Lake.

***

Li Tongya and Li Xiangping applied a Divine Speed spell to their legs, walking with a gust of wind. Li Chijing, however, was even more agile, gliding effortlessly on the wind, moving even faster than the other two, which filled Li Tongya and Li Xiangping with envy.

After walking for a while, the shimmering Moonlit Lake appeared before their eyes. Li Xiangping hadn't been to this place in over ten years. "When I came here with Second Brother to get that jade stone on Moonlit Lake back then, you and I were still just fifteen or sixteen-year-old children. Now, we've settled down, started families, and even have our own children."

Li Xiangping sighed, looking at the twinkling stars in the night sky. A dreamlike, ethereal feeling suddenly arose in his heart, as he looked back at the past decade, which felt like traversing through clouds. It was as if, the next second, he would open his eyes and be back in that bright, starry night, anxiously waiting for Li Tongya to return amidst the reeds by the lake.

"Time flies so fast!" Li Tongya responded softly.

The three searched along the lake for a while. Li Chijing and Li Tongya repeatedly used their spiritual senses, finally finding a section of the shore that subtly emanated magical energy fluctuations, similar to the description in the Lixia Secret Scroll. Following the method for entering the market mentioned in the Lixia Secret Scroll left by Si Yuanbai back then, they picked up a small stone by the lake, affixed a Golden Light spell to it, and threw it towards the center of the lake.

The small stone flew for a moment, then suddenly dropped. The hidden array in the air, activated by the magical energy, revealed streaks of silver light before quickly disappearing. "The array has been triggered; a large boat should arrive to pick us up soon."

Li Tongya and the other two waited quietly by the shore for a while. As time slowly passed and it grew later, a hint of anxiety crept into their hearts. "If we miss this opportunity, dealing with this Fiery Malice will be troublesome."