Chapter 87, Dual Talismans in Hand

Translator: StarReader

 

Ah Chou, having made up his mind, could not be dissuaded.

 

Su Chen no longer tried to persuade him to return. Instead, he forcefully patted Ah Chou’s shoulder and pulled out a packet of medicinal powder from his robe, pressing it into Ah Chou’s hand.

 

“Ah Chou, this is Concentration Powder. It’s normally used to strengthen True Qi, taken in ten doses over three months to bolster first-rate cultivation. I found the formula at Medicine King Estate to help you advance faster. But now, it seems too late.”

 

This powder also had another special function: if taken all at once, it temporarily boosted inner strength by fifty percent within twelve hours.

 

“You’re already a mid first-rate expert,” Su Chen continued. “After taking this Concentration Powder, your inner strength will surge dramatically, putting you on par with peak first-rate experts, assuming you don’t encounter a Grandmaster.

 

“However, there’s a drawback: after twelve hours, the powder’s effect wears off, leaving you weak and causing your cultivation to drop by fifty percent over several days.

 

“So,” Su Chen instructed, “take it just before battle starts. Once eight or nine hours have passed, leave the battlefield immediately if you feel yourself weakening.”

 

“I understand!” Ah Chou responded, gathering his resolve and nodding solemnly as he took the Concentration Powder. “Brother Chen, this powder must be expensive. Thanks to your help these years, I’ve been able to cultivate to my current level. I owe you so much!”

 

“Don’t mention it.” Su Chen shook his head. “We’re brothers. If not for your help, I’d probably be starving on the streets. We once promised to study medicine and martial arts together, but now, my heart’s no longer in it.”

 

Ah Chou grinned broadly, unconcerned. “I can tell you haven’t been focused on martial arts these past years. You’ve been busy with your own affairs and have no interest in fame or fortune. But I’m different; I’m a martial artist through and through. My dream is to make a name for myself, earn loads of money, and fulfill my aspirations!”

 

The determination in Ah Chou’s eyes gleamed brightly, an insatiable hunger burning within. He yearned for martial fame, to fulfill the dreams and aspirations he’d harbored since childhood. To him, these were lifelong ambitions, not trifles as others might see them. His anticipation was palpable; he hoped to become the Wu Region’s celebrated hero in the impending battle.

 

Su Chen watched Ah Chou’s gaze, nodding thoughtfully. He considered a Concentration Powder insufficient for Ah Chou’s protection. Even with late first-rate skill, being surrounded by the Whale Gang could be perilous. So, Su Chen retrieved a Golden Warrior Talisman from his robes and pressed it into Ah Chou’s hand.

 

“Ah Chou,” he murmured, “keep this talisman close. If you find yourself unexpectedly besieged, facing certain death, tear it open. It will aid your escape.”

 

Ah Chou examined the gold talisman curiously. He didn’t believe Han Mountain Daoist Temple talismans held any real power, merely serving as ways of easing worries. Yet, upon closer inspection, he noticed this one differed slightly from those at the temple.

 

“Don’t ask questions,” Su Chen instructed gravely. “Keep it hidden; avoid showing it to the temple’s Daoists. Remember, use it only when your life is in danger.”

 

Ah Chou nodded resolutely, tucking away the talisman. He trusted Su Chen’s judgment, despite his uncertainty about the talisman’s origins.

 

“Alright, Ah Chou,” Su Chen began seriously, “I’ve got a crucial task to attend to immediately. I don’t know when trouble might strike tonight, so you must be vigilant. Don’t be reckless if battle breaks out; wait for my return.” He instructed.

 

“Not a problem!” Ah Chou laughed, thumping his chest. “I’m not stupid. I want to live long enough to become a true hero, not a martyr. I’ve worked too hard to die now!”

 

Su Chen nodded resolutely and left. Under the moonlit night, he rode his horse from Xikou Town towards Medicine King Estate, ten miles away, to attend to an urgent matter.

 

…

 

Reaching Medicine King Estate, Su Chen hurried back to his small dwelling in the Errand Hall. He retrieved all his spiritual materials hidden in the rafters, intending to craft Fireball Talismans that very night.

 

He had recently received a Scarlet Fire Stone from Iron Sword Group’s Han Pingshan, which completed his set of required materials. Initially, he hadn’t planned to rush into creating them during the Laba Festival. But now, it was imperative he did so immediately.

 

In his small study, Su Chen laid out his materials neatly: two sheets of fire sand talisman paper, a fire talisman brush, a vermilion inkstone, and the Scarlet Fire Stone gifted by Grandmaster Han Pingshan at last night’s banquet.

 

Su Chen ground the Scarlet Fire Stone into a deep red paste in the inkstone. He already possessed a Golden Warrior Talisman, providing formidable defensive power—even Grandmasters would struggle to penetrate it.

 

But Su Chen lacked a devastating attack that could threaten the lives of other Grandmasters. This time, he had learned from his previous failures in painting the Golden Warrior Talisman and started by practicing with an ordinary set of bamboo brushes and paper, following the instructions on the jade slip for the Fireball Talisman.

 

He painted hundreds of these practice talismans until he could create them effortlessly. Then, he switched to his true fire talisman brush and began attempting to paint Fireball Talismans on Fire Sand Paper.

 

He couldn’t practice on ordinary paper because as soon as the Fire talisman brush touched it, the paper would catch fire due to its inability to withstand the Scarlet Fire Stone ink’s spiritual energy.

 

Su Chen focused, his hand steady like a mountain, as he began painting the first Fire Talisman. The talisman’s aura was intense and volatile, like a flickering flame, making it challenging to control.

 

“I made it.”

 

When he completed it, Su Chen let out a breath of relief. He didn’t know if this success rate was high or if the Fireball Talisman was just easier to create than others.

 

He managed to paint one more before running out of materials. If each talisman could take down one Grandmaster, he now had the confidence to face two. But alas, he couldn’t make more due to limited supplies.

 

Initially, Su Chen hadn’t wanted to get involved in the impending great war or the complex feuds of the martial world. Apart from his focus on immortal books rather than martial pursuits, there was another reason.

 

But there was more to it than that. Su Chen might not have been interested in martial fame and fortune, but that didn’t stop him from lending a hand to Ah Chou, helping him achieve his lifelong dream.

 

The real issue was that Su Chen wasn’t confident he could face the seven Grandmasters of the Wu Region. In the treacherous martial world, you never knew who your true enemies were until they struck from the shadows.

 

Even someone as respected as Daoist Qinghe of Han Mountain Daoist Temple had been caught colluding with pirates to rob Gusu County’s wealthy merchants. Who was to say that other martial groups didn’t have their own hidden traitors?

 

As the youngest and weakest of the Wu Region’s eight Grandmasters, Su Chen’s potential enemies were limited to the seven ahead of him.

 

Yet, he was the youngest and least powerful among them. The others had achieved their status years before him—Li Shuo, leader of the Caravan Guards, had reached Grandmaster Stage a decade earlier. Some had even done so decades ago, honing their skills and accumulating powerful techniques.

 

No one knew Daoist Han Shan’s age, but he’d been leading Han Mountain Daoist Temple for twenty years and was widely regarded as Wu Region’s top expert.

 

Han Ya of the Heaven Falcon Group was known as the region’s second Grandmaster and a peerless assassin.

 

Li Shuo, leader of the Caravan Guards, was reputed to be a war god on the battlefield.

 

Han Pingshan, head of the Iron Sword Group, wielded an unstoppable greatsword.

 

Medicine King Sun Baihong, in his seventies or eighties, had been a Grandmaster for decades and was revered throughout the Wu Region’s martial world.

 

Lastly, Scholar Liu Hong from Whale Gang excelled in naval combat.

 

White Lotus Society’s Founder Mao, with his martial background, was renowned for his mastery of talisman arts. An air of mystery shrouded him, making him enigmatic and unpredictable.

 

These experts had weathered countless storms. Each was a force to be reckoned with.

 

Su Chen found it impossible to discern which ones might become foes. He chose not to bother trying, instead preparing for the worst. Regardless of which Grandmaster he faced, or even multiple enemies, he aimed to emerge victorious.

 

Advancing to the Grandmaster Stage required considerable time and effort. Short-term breakthroughs were unlikely. Su Chen had painstakingly gathered spiritual materials, cultivating immortal techniques to bolster his power. Recently, he’d crafted a Golden Warrior Talisman, primarily defensive, giving him confidence in facing Grandmasters without dying. Yet, it lacked offensive prowess, rendering direct victories against other powerful Grandmasters improbable.

 

Voluntarily entering the Whale Gang extermination battle meant facing unforeseen risks. The gang’s leader, Liu Hong, was a mysterious Grandmaster adept in aquatic combat, with numerous elite warriors under his command. If the Whale Gang were so easily defeated, they wouldn’t have lasted this long against official forces and other groups.

 

Under pressure from the Wu Region’s officials and martial groups, the Whale Gang not only survived but thrived in just decades, becoming the Wu Region’s leading group. They possessed exceptional capabilities that deserved Su Chen’s utmost caution.

 

Su Chen finished crafting two Fireball Talismans, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction. His perception revealed they were filled with intense, explosive spiritual energy. Upon activation, they would instantly release flames. These talismans felt like precious treasures he’d brought into existence himself.

 

Su Chen didn’t bother to test the power of the Fireball Talisman. He had too few left, and wasting one on a test run seemed unnecessary, given what he’d learned from the Golden Warrior Talisman.

 

The Fireball Talisman’s destructive force was terrifying, even more so than the Golden Warrior Talisman. Su Chen now had two intact Fireball Talismans and a lesser-quality one in his robe, along with a complete Golden Warrior Talisman, totaling four usable talismans.

 

With these powerful tools at his disposal, Su Chen felt confident he could match the skills of veteran Grandmasters. He might even rank among the top three. Such immortal power bolstered his resolve to challenge the Wu Region’s elite cultivators.

 

Yet, Daoist Han Shan remained enigmatic, his true strength unknown. Su Chen held him in awe, recalling that before possessing the Wanderer’s Journey immortal book, Han Shan had decoded its secrets and crafted several talismans.

 

Su Chen decided to avoid direct confrontation with Han Shan. The martial world was treacherous; one wrong move could ruin everything. While Su Chen admired Han Shan greatly, he couldn’t predict how Han Shan would treat him. After all, despite his respect for Li Kui, his former master remained cold and hostile towards him.

 

Su Chen felt a pang of dismay. Enmity seemed to come from every direction, impossible to anticipate.

 

Yet, Han Pingshan, the warm and genial head of the Iron Sword Group, treated Su Chen with unusual friendliness, presenting him with a rare Scarlet Fire Stone on their first meeting.

 

Su Chen had mentally prepared for any opponent. Only when confident of victory would he engage, ensuring survival in this treacherous martial world.

 

He crafted two fire talismans, then wasted no time leaving the Medicine King Estate. Under the moonlight, his young face bore a somber expression as he rode towards the shores of the Vastest Lake.

 

He pondered aloud, “Four talismans might barely place me among the top three of the Eight Grandmasters… But against two or three Grandmasters, it’s still not enough. I must grow stronger! Yet, what can I do now to boost my abilities?”