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Chapter 22: My Art Style is a Little Off
Chapter 22: My Art Style is a Little Off
Lei Jun gathered some plotlines from the novels he had read on the Blue Star before his transmigration and recounted them to Tang Xiaotang.
The tall girl persisted, making him narrate stories from the afternoon until after dinner.
It was only when Lei Jun had to leave for his evening lesson with Yuan Mobai that Tang Xiaotang reluctantly took her leave, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
As Lei Jun watched her retreating figure, he wondered what kind of efforts his little senior sister would make to become a story protagonist.
"Aside from Li Ying, who is neither here nor there, there's first Shangguan Hong, then Chen Yi..."
Lei Jun shook his head slightly, and several names immediately came to mind.
They all had the surname Li.
After organizing his thoughts, two names topped the list:
Li Ying's eldest brother, Li Xuan, the first son of Elder Ziyang.
Li Ying's second brother, Li Ming, the second son of Elder Ziyang.
"It must be one of them, right?" Lei Jun mused. "Perhaps a troublesome one..."
As he pondered, he made his way to his master's residence.
Yuan Mobai, upon learning about Tang Xiaotang gifting the Night Wind Stone to Lei Jun, also did not object.
That very day, under Yuan Mobai's guidance, Lei Jun refined the Night Wind Stone.
Night Wind Stone—stealthily infiltrating the night with the wind.
The Heavenly Master's Mansion's authentic Wind-Riding Talisman, which harnessed the breeze, was never meant to be fierce.
After combining the spiritual power of the Night Wind Stone with his own magical powers, Lei Jun drew the Wind-Riding Talisman anew. The wind remained undiminished but became even gentler, more covert, and utterly silent, even producing a certain degree of concealment and stealth effect.
This did not align with Tang Xiaotang's usual aesthetic preferences.
Instead, it surreptitiously met Wang Guiyuan's expectations.
Since Lei Jun, his junior disciple, preferred agility and speed over pure defense, he might as well maximize his potential in evasion and stealth...
Empowered by the Night Wind Stone, the Wind-Riding Talisman augmented Lei Jun's movements, making them swifter and stealthier, perfectly embodying the essence of stealthily infiltrating the night with the wind.
"My art style is a little off here..." Lei Jun thought to himself.
The Upper Clarity Golden Bamboo, resembling a club.
The God-Striking Talisman, which inherently enhanced physical agility.
The covert and swift Wind-Riding Talisman.
When combined, the most suitable combat style seemed to be... striking people from behind?
According to Lei Jun's gaming experiences on the Blue Star before his transmigration, the combat style of the Heavenly Master's Mansion, or the Taoist Talisman School, in the Dragon and Tiger Mountain range, resembled a dual cultivation of magic and martial arts, producing well-balanced warriors capable of both melee and ranged combat with magical enhancements.
The style could be further refined based on the chosen talismans and their respective functions.
Initially, Lei Jun had defined his style, augmented by the God-Striking Talisman and the Wind-Riding Talisman, as that of a highly mobile, versatile light warrior capable of both grappling and ambushes.
However, with the addition of the Night Wind Stone, the most suitable style seemed to veer towards the direction of an assassin or a thief...
"Well, this is just the beginning," Lei Jun thought. "Let's see what other choices lie ahead."
Nevertheless, now that the upper-middle sign of the seven-grade opportunity had come true, he wondered when the lower-middle sign's hidden peril regarding the Metal Barrier Talisman would manifest.
Lei Jun shook his head, reining in his wandering thoughts and refocusing on his upcoming cultivation journey.
Time flew by as he immersed himself in diligent training, oblivious to the passing days and months in the mountain.
Spring gradually gave way to summer.
One day, after the morning lesson, Master Yuan Mobai turned to Lei Jun and said, "Heavy Cloud, prepare yourself over the next two days. The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool is about to open, and you have been granted permission to enter and bathe in its waters, marking a significant step in your cultivation journey."
Lei Jun's curiosity was piqued. "Cloud Sea Immortal Pool?"
Yuan Mobai nodded. "Given the profundity of your Hidden Dragon Spirit Body, you should be able to advance to the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment after undergoing the ritual cleansing of the pool."
Although Lei Jun's Hidden Dragon Spirit Body cultivation progressed swiftly in the initial stages, the speed of advancement in cultivation was always advantageous as long as one's direction was correct and their foundation solid.
Lei Jun was currently twenty years old. Compared to the golden cultivation windows of Foundation Establishment dual-layered cultivators and triple-layered Law Altar cultivators, he still had about thirty years left.
This period might seem lengthy, but with the double hurdles of advancing from the second layer to the third layer and then from the third layer to the fourth layer, countless cultivators had their journeys halted halfway or even permanently.
As such, Lei Jun dared not underestimate these challenges, especially since he couldn't rely on his Hidden Dragon Spirit Body to surge through these stages as he had done in the past.
The more time he could afford himself, the better.
This was where the advantage of being in the Heavenly Master's Mansion, the sacred ground of the Taoist Talisman School, came into play. Various rituals, treasures, and trials were arranged for the disciples to enhance their cultivation journeys.
However, with limited opportunities and abundant disciples, competition existed even within the Heavenly Master's Mansion.
"Disciple will definitely apply himself," Lei Jun replied earnestly.
"The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool is ethereal and easily influenced by external factors, so the flow of spiritual energy tends to vary.
Yuan Mobai continued, "Apart from nourishing one's spiritual energy, the excessive intensity of the spiritual Qi can also be detrimental. The situation varies with time and is unpredictable. While you're there, pay attention to your cultivation and be mindful of your safety."
With that, he took out a spiritual talisman and handed it to Lei Jun.
It was a Golden Lock Talisman, something Lei Jun knew how to draw. However, as soon as he held the talisman crafted by Yuan Mobai, he felt that it contained myriad intricacies far beyond his current capabilities.
"This is a Golden Lock Talisman I drew in my spare time. Take it with you," Yuan Mobai said. "The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool can be chaotic, but it usually doesn't cause too much of a stir. This talisman is just a precaution."
This was one of the significant advantages of the Taoist Talisman Sect. Senior members of the sect could prepare in advance and bestow protective talismans upon their juniors.
However, the key to unleashing the full potential of these talismans lay in the junior disciple's own cultivation and mastery of spiritual power.
Just as it was with Yuan Mobai, he could have given Lei Jun a more powerful talisman, but considering Lei Jun's current realm, this Golden Lock Talisman was the most suitable choice.
Moreover, Lei Jun wasn't venturing out to gain experience; the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool was right there on Dragon and Tiger Mountain.
After the lesson, Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan chatted some more.
Like the Lingzhi Terrace from years ago, the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool was a spiritual vein that had been there since the early days of the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Sect.
The Immortal Pool itself wasn't located on the mountain but was a small ethereal realm formed by the intertwining spiritual Qi of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, akin to an alternate dimension, existing in conjunction with the mountain.
As Yuan Mobai had mentioned earlier, the spiritual Qi of the Immortal Pool was rather unstable and easily influenced by external forces. Thus, when the ethereal realm opened, only disciples with lower cultivation levels from the Celestial Masters Mansion were usually allowed to enter.
Within this ethereal realm was a wondrous pool, shrouded in mist and abundant with spiritual power.
However, the intense spiritual Qi could also scorch lower-realm cultivators, and there had been precedents of such occurrences.
"So, you mustn't be careless about the risks that Master mentioned, Brother Lei," Wang Guiyuan said.
"It's a pity that the environment in the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool often changes," Wang Guiyuan sighed. "If it weren't for these frequent changes, I could have helped you find out about the current environment in advance."
"Thank you for your concern, Brother Wang. I will keep Master's words in mind and adapt to the situation," Lei Jun replied.
Seven days later, the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool opened once again, and the Celestial Masters Mansion selected young true disciples to enter and receive its blessings.
Lei Jun arrived at the gathering spot and scanned the area. Most of the faces were familiar—they were the outstanding new true disciples from this year.
However, his gaze eventually landed on a young Taoist priest who appeared to be in his twenties or thirties.
It was Li Ming, the second son of Elder Ziyang and his personal disciple.
Having joined the sect earlier, Li Ming's spiritual power was more refined than that of the new disciples.
"The Cloud Sea Immortal Pool is about to open. Since this is everyone's first time entering, the sect has arranged for an experienced disciple to lead the way. This year, I will be in charge," Li Ming said in a calm and steady tone. "The effects of the Immortal Pool's waters are only effective the first time. You will have three days, so make the most of this rare opportunity and cultivate diligently."
He led Lei Jun and the others through the mountains until they reached a cliff.
Li Ming took out a talisman and affixed it to a boulder. Instead of the boulder opening to reveal a cave, the mountain rock began to glow, illuminating the air and forming an illusory portal in mid-air.
The opening of the portal signaled that the Cloud Sea Immortal Pool was officially welcoming Lei Jun and the others.
Li Ming was lifted into the air by his spiritual power and entered first, followed by the rest, who then entered the illusory portal one by one.
As Lei Jun took his first step, the sphere in his mind suddenly flashed again, and words appeared:
【Cloud Sea Immortal Pool, a blessed and wondrous realm, ever-changing and unpredictable. Embrace change, and be wary of seeking a sword in a boat.】
Lei Jun's expression remained unchanged as he watched four sticks appear in the glowing sphere in his mind:
【Upper-Middle Sign: The clouds above the Immortal Pool change, giving birth to treasures. With obstacles comes opportunity. Adapt and turn danger into fortune. Gain a six-grade opportunity. Auspicious.】
【Middle Sign: The middle Immortal Pool remains unchanged. Enter the water to soothe your body and mind. Calm without surprises, no extra gains, no extra risks. Neutral.】
【Lower-Middle Sign: Enter the upper Immortal Pool. Change brings forth treasures. Gain an eight-grade opportunity but be wary of great risks. Inauspicious.】
【Lower Sign: Enter the lower Immortal Pool. Change brings forth both treasures and dangers. Gain an eight-grade opportunity, but you will be trapped in a deadly situation with no way out. Great Inauspiciousness!】
(End of Chapter)
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