"If you are intent on learning the Evil Warding Charm Art, as your master, I cannot let you be disappointed."

"Come, follow me to the Talisman Cultivators' Association!"

Master Zhang took Jia Ren and left Heavenly Arts Lane, arriving at the back courtyard of the Heavenly Talisman Shop.

This area was not open to outsiders, and the two were stopped.

"Master Zhang? I'll go inform them immediately."

The gatekeeper recognized Talisman Master Zhang and, after whispering to someone inside, received a response and let them through.

The backyard of the Heavenly Talisman Shop was immense. To be precise, the two shops adjacent to the Heavenly Talisman Shop belonged to the same owner, and the backyard, being interconnected, appeared especially spacious.

Talisman Master Zhang led the way, with Jia Ren following behind, slightly reserved.

As the door opened, seven or eight cultivators with profound auras, either sitting or standing, scrutinized the newcomers with assessing eyes.

They all had one thing in common: the scent of Talisman Ink on them, an effect of long hours hunched over making talismans.

All the people inside were Talisman Masters.

The many Talisman Masters shifted their gazes onto Jia Ren.

"Is this the new disciple taken by Master Zhang?"

"This is against the rules! Every Talisman Master has their quota for accepting disciples, and Master Zhang's disciple slot had already been internally assigned!"

This time, one of the Loose Cultivators was supposed to pass through the selection, a person preordained by the Talisman Cultivators' Association—not Jia Ren.

Many in the Talisman Cultivators' Association were dissatisfied. If it weren't for Talisman Master Zhang still diligently attending to his duties, they might have started a dispute long ago.

"My disciple Zhen Yi is extraordinarily talented; I simply cannot bear to let his talent go to waste."

Extraordinarily talented? Most of the Loose Cultivators present had heard whispers: he succeeded in creating a Cleaning Talisman on his first try and a Featherweight Talisman on his second. Just a beginner? What a joke! This was clearly a cultivator who had been practicing for a long time, playing the pig to eat the tiger. Poor Talisman Master Zhang, so foolish to be deceived.

"Where did you learn your talismans?"

True Talisman Crafting geniuses existed, their growth trajectories traceable, requiring a gradual process. When had there ever been one who couldn't yet walk but started running instead?

Like trying to explain ice to a summer insect!

Master Zhang had personally witnessed Jia Ren's growth.

"Heh heh, that's simply because you are ignorant. My disciple's talent is beyond your imagination! In the future, he will certainly become a Talisman Crafting Grandmaster!"

"Rules can't be broken. Only after the old one leaves can the new one come in."

"Your disciple must be expelled, and you should take a new one."

An unequivocal voice sounded from behind. A middle-aged man in his forties walked out from another room, and everyone who was whispering stopped immediately, scarcely daring to breathe.

"Chairman Meng, I am willing to cease making talismans, and Zhen Yi shall inherit my legacy," said Master Zhang, who seemed to have been prepared with this answer beforehand.

The old must leave for the new to emerge. Limited slots for each Talisman Master? Jia Ren listened quietly, a cold sweat breaking out all over his body. Has the Talisman Cultivators' Association already achieved such a level of control over Talisman Masters? This far exceeds my previous guesses. Perhaps there were Talisman Masters who didn't obey. They either had to leave the Great Wilderness Market, or their grave grass would be three feet tall. He had never expected Master Zhang to be willing to give up Talisman Crafting just to get him recognized by the Association.

"This new disciple you've found isn't bad. I approve of your choice to take him as a disciple, but the disciple bestowed by the Talisman Cultivators' Association must also be taken."

Talisman Master Zhang opened his mouth as if to speak but ultimately did not utter a word of rejection.

"Chairman Meng, I am here to let my disciple learn the art of crafting Evil Warding Talismans so that he, too, can sell them in the future."

At the mention of the Evil Warding Talismans, all eyes turned towards them at once.

What talisman held the highest importance in the Great Wilderness Market? It definitely wasn't the First Order high-grade talismans that Loose Cultivators could buy in large quantities. The Evil Warding Talisman was undoubtedly one of the best-selling talismans, bar none. During the spread of the Mist Bizarre incident, Evil Warding Talismans had sold for the exorbitant price of forty Spirit Stones each.

It was only natural that Master Zhang, having ceased making talismans, would pass the crafting of Evil Warding Talismans to his new disciple.

"Isn't this an obvious slip-up?"

"You've only learned the Featherweight Talisman a few days ago, and now you want to learn the Evil Warding Talisman? Master Zhang, you must be losing your sight! Do you still think he's a genius by now?"

A Talisman Master who was on good terms with Talisman Master Zhang spoke angrily, his tone clearly showing his disappointment, as if lamenting iron that wouldn't become steel.

Association Chairman Meng Changlin scrutinized Jia Ren a bit more, his eyes filled with mockery.

"I had heard some talk about a Talisman Crafting prodigy."

"The Talisman Cultivators' Association has high requirements for crafting talismans. If you want to learn the Evil Warding Talisman, you must pass a test."

"Which talismans do you have a grasp of? Are you willing to craft in front of many Talisman Makers?"

Zhen Yi's name as a Talisman Crafting genius had spread wide, causing much discontent among the Talisman Makers with this charlatan.

He could pretend to be a Talisman Crafting genius, but this was going too far! Those specializing in formations, alchemy, and artifact forging would likely scoff. With the barrier to entry for Talisman Crafting appearing so low, Talisman Makers would seem inferior by comparison. We can't let a mere charlatan tarnish the reputation of all Talisman Makers!

"Zhen Yi, show them what you've got! Let them see the gap between ordinary people and geniuses!"

"Heh heh, hopefully, it won't shake your confidence in crafting talismans!" Master Zhang, long displeased by the questioning of his judgment and his disciple, was inwardly boiling with indignation.

"I humbly follow my master's orders!"

"For now, I have only mastered the Cleaning Talisman, the Featherweight Talisman, and the Fire Bullet Talisman. Let's leave the Cleaning Talisman aside; I'll embarrass myself with the Featherweight and Fire Bullet Talismans!"

Jia Ren took out his Talisman Brush, Blank Talisman Paper, and the corresponding Spirit Ink.

In the face of the challenge, talismans made with matching Spirit Ink had better effects.

Unsure whether the White-Wolf Hair Brush he received from Elder Wu would cause trouble, Jia Ren took out a spare Talisman Brush, dipped it in Spirit Ink, and quickly began to draw the Featherweight Talisman.

His brush moved like a dragon or a serpent, each stroke vigorous and powerful. With a performance that exceeded his normal level, the quality of the Featherweight Talisman far surpassed his previous efforts. In just a moment, a nearly perfect Featherweight Talisman materialized.

All the Talisman Makers held their breath, looking at Jia Ren with disbelief.

With their keen eyes, they could naturally discern the extraordinary quality of this Featherweight Talisman.

It was of a master's standard; among those present, perhaps only one other could achieve such a level.

Even if this person was not a beginner, the fact that he could draw a Featherweight Talisman of such caliber was astonishing.

Next came the Fire Bullet Talisman. It was slightly less refined than the Featherweight Talisman yet still of a very high standard, comparable to the work of Talisman Makers immersed in the craft for decades.

It was unimaginable that both talismans were created by Zhen Yi, a beginner of less than seven days.

"How is this possible?"

"Did you really only study for less than seven days? It must be a lie!!"

"Learning a new talisman art? I don't believe he could pick it up so quickly!"

The Talisman Masters were in shock, unable to recover for a long time, their gazes on Jia Ren filled with complex emotions.

This achievement alone had proven his strength; his talent in Talisman Crafting was far beyond imagination.

Still, some voiced doubts, unwilling to accept that decades of their diligent practice in Talisman Crafting could be so easily surpassed.

This was a manifestation of jealousy.

Since they couldn't take such an exceptional Talisman Crafting prodigy as a disciple, crushing this genius's spirit would be a delightful prospect indeed.

"Let me teach you the Heart-Questioning Charm on behalf of your master!"

The Heart-Questioning Charm was the most complex among the First Order Low-Grade Talismans, even more so than the Demon-Spotting Talisman, totaling thirty-six Spiritual Power nodes.

The difficulty of crafting it was comparable to a First Order Medium-Grade Talisman. Even seasoned Talisman Makers couldn't guarantee a successful creation rate for the Heart-Questioning Charm.

This person's intention in choosing the Heart-Questioning Charm was clear.

Talisman Master Zhang's expression changed slightly as he spoke coldly, "Elder Mo, you're being too petty! Who doesn't know the difficulty involved in crafting the Heart-Questioning Charm?"

To use the Heart-Questioning Charm as a test was a malicious act.

The Talisman Master surnamed Mo chuckled sinisterly as he replied, "Since he wishes to learn the Evil Warding Talisman, how can he be afraid to try the Heart-Questioning Charm?

"Besides, who knows what other talismans he has secretly studied? The obscure Heart-Questioning Charm is the true test of Talisman Crafting talent.

"If he's a genius, what's there to fear from a test?"

Indeed, the Heart-Questioning Charm was obscure with very low practicality. However, within Sects, it was an indispensable talisman. Every disciple joining a Sect had to go through the Heart-Questioning process to detect spies.

"I just so happen to be very interested in the Heart-Questioning Charm. I hope Elder Mo will not be stingy with his teachings."

The Talisman Master surnamed Mo gave a dark smile and strode over to the stone table, taking out special Spirit Ink and Talisman Paper to begin drawing in front of everyone.

Learn by watching once? Wishful thinking!

Even Talisman Masters who had worked long on the Heart-Questioning Charm couldn't guarantee a successful outcome.

The Talisman Master surnamed Mo had helped the Five Elements Sect create many Heart-Questioning Charms, making his crafting technique quite proficient. Before long, a Heart-Questioning Charm was completed.

Jia Ren stared intently at the Talisman Crafting process, replaying all the details in his mind.

Without a doubt, the Heart-Questioning Charm was the most complex talisman he had ever seen; both the head and tail of the talisman had their peculiar elements, with different approaches to finishing the strokes.

The thought of learning it after just one or two viewings was daunting.

Jia Ren went over the details of the Heart-Questioning Charm in his mind again and again, trying not just to observe but also to put himself into the mindset of the Talisman Master surnamed Mo, to consider why he crafted the talisman in such a way.

His start in Talisman Crafting and the guidance from Elder Wu had left a profound impact on him.

Creating a talisman should be like creating life; one must learn not just the form, but also the intent! With both form and intent complete, cyclically and harmoniously flowing, only then could it be a true talisman.

This was different from his initial learning of the Seeking Demon Talisman Technique. Reaching Grandmaster Level proficiency in that made learning other talismans much easier.

"Why haven't you started yet, the unprecedented genius of the Path of Charms?"

The voice came with sarcasm. The Talisman Master surnamed Mo didn't miss any opportunity to strike at Jia Ren.

His intention was to distract him.

Talisman Crafting was a meticulous task; even minor differences could influence success or failure – a fraction of an inch off in talisman making could mean miles of difference in results.

"Old Fiend Mo, you're going too far!"

Talisman Master Zhang's voice was low, his anger palpable.

The expressions of the other Talisman Makers became odd; the complexity of creating the Heart-Questioning Charm was notoriously high, and it was likely to be a severe blow to the talented newcomer.

Jia Ren was unfazed by external factors; at last, he grasped a glimmer of the true meaning of the Heart-Questioning Charm.

He opened his eyes, reached for the special Spirit Ink and Blank Talisman Paper.

His fingertips caressed the paper, sensing the differences between it and normal Blank Talisman Paper.

Unfamiliarity with the talisman paper could increase the difficulty of Talisman Crafting; knowing your talisman paper was as important as knowing people. He attentively felt the differences between the papers, experimenting with the Spirit Ink, sensing the subtle variations.

After the experiment, Jia Ren wielded the Talisman Brush to draw the talisman. His intent flowed with his heart, his will guided the brush.

The Grandmaster-Level Talisman Crafting had bestowed upon him strong physical control and coordination. Before long, a Heart-Questioning Charm, identical to that crafted by the Talisman Master surnamed Mo, came into being.

The only difference was the lack of Spiritual Power Fluctuation.

A failed talisman!

The Talisman Master surnamed Mo opened his mouth but couldn't speak words of scorn.

To achieve such striking resemblance after just one observation already marked him as a genius.

Jia Ren closed his eyes to adjust for errors, then began crafting the talisman again.

Compared to the first try, his movements were more skillful.

At the final stroke, a Heart-Questioning Charm emanating spiritual light was born under the shocked gazes of all present!

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