Chương 6: Chapter 7: The Yellow Talismans

"Phew..." Reyn exhaled a long breath of turbid air, his eyes slowly fluttering open. Within his body, a strand of True Essence no thicker than a single hair was circulating sluggishly through his meridians. Despite the infinitesimal size of this energy, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He had not slept a wink throughout the night, yet his spirit was remarkably vibrant.

The numbness in his legs, a byproduct of his long meditation, had long since been washed away by the rhythmic flow of that miraculous True Essence. Though this power was currently weak, it provided him with a profound sense of encouragement. Every beginning is difficult, but once he had successfully sensed the ambient spiritual energy, Reyn became obsessed. For several days, he did nothing but eat and sit in a meditative trance.

Progress was agonizingly slow, yet that sliver of spiritual power within him continued to grow, tempered by his relentless will. On this day, just as Reyn completed a full cultivation cycle and opened his eyes, a Transmission Talisman materialized in the center of his room. It ignited spontaneously, dissolving into a swirl of spiritual fire. From the flames, Dan Chenzi's voice echoed with calm authority: "Reyn, come to my quarters immediately." A flash of envy crossed Reyn's eyes.

To utilize a Transmission Talisman required a cultivation base of at least the Foundation Establishment stage—a level of power he could currently only dream of. He quickly gathered himself, nodding to a few familiar faces as he hurried through the sect grounds toward Dan Chenzi's residence.

"Master, your disciple Reyn seeks an audience," he called out respectfully from outside the door.

"Enter," came the flat, emotionless reply from within. Reyn pushed the door open and stepped inside. Dan Chenzi sat cross-legged upon a prayer mat, his eyes half-closed. For some reason, Reyn felt an invisible, suffocating weight pressing down on him—a subtle spiritual pressure radiating from the old man's body. Feeling a sudden surge of restraint, Reyn stood at the foot of the room, his posture stiff and formal. Dan Chenzi opened his eyes. A flicker of surprise danced in his gaze as he studied Reyn.

"You have been practicing the Myriad Wood Life-Transformation Art for some time now. Have you made any progress?" A look of shame colored Reyn's face. He lowered his head and whispered, "Your disciple is dull-witted. My spiritual roots are inferior. After ten days of cultivation, I can only faintly sense the external spiritual energy and draw a meager amount into my body." Dan Chenzi nodded slowly, though a silent sigh echoed in his heart.

The boy possessed a tenacious spirit; to comprehend the Myriad Wood Life-Transformation Art and produce a strand of True Essence within ten days indicated exceptional comprehension. It was a tragedy that such a promising mind was trapped in a body with such wretched spiritual roots. Feeling a sudden wave of irritation at the unfairness of the Heavens, he waved his hand dismissively.

"This is your identity token. Go to the Outer Sect office to register. Claim two Haste Talismans and then follow your senior brothers back to your home. Remember, you must return within five days, or you shall be punished according to sect law. Go now." Joy surged in Reyn's heart. He carefully accepted the jade identity token and turned to leave. As he rounded a corner, a flash of white entered his vision. He was moving too fast to stop.

Startled, he tried to veer to the side, but the other figure was far more agile. The person retreated several steps with a fluid grace, glaring at him with a face clouded by irritation.

"Senior Sister Ji," Reyn stammered, his face flushing with embarrassment. In his haste, he had been walking with his head down. During the collision, he felt his forehead brush against something remarkably soft. Seeing Ji Yueli's face redden with anger, his eyes involuntarily drifted downward for a split second.

"Hmph!" Observing the young man's wandering gaze, Ji Yueli's anger flared. She let out a cold snort of pure disdain.

"Ah! Senior Sister, please forgive me!" Reyn took a hasty step back, his expression full of apology.

"Master has granted me permission to register with the Outer Sect and return home with the escort party. I was simply too excited at the prospect of seeing my family again. My actions were reckless; I hope Senior Sister can find it in her heart to overlook my clumsiness."

"It is fine," Ji Yueli replied, her expression softening slightly, though she maintained her icy demeanor. She did not realize that the 'excitement' Reyn spoke of was not the warmth of a reunion, but a cold, blood-red anticipation for vengeance.

"Uh... in that case, I shall take my leave," Reyn laughed awkwardly and beat a hasty retreat. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Only after he had put a significant distance between them did Reyn finally exhale in relief. He couldn't help but offer a bitter smile at his own stupidity. Ji Yueli was a cultivator with top-tier spiritual roots; offending her was a recipe for future disaster.

However, judging by her reaction, the situation wasn't as dire as it could have been. Comforting himself with this thought, he made his way toward the Outer Sect Manager's office. Along the way, he passed numerous Outer Sect disciples. They were a frantic lot, hurrying through their chores to squeeze out every possible second for cultivation, all dreaming of the day they might become True Inheritance Disciples.

"Is Senior Brother Liu in? Reyn seeks an audience." The Outer Sect Manager was a man named Liu Shengsheng. Despite being an Outer Sect disciple, he had reached the 6th level of Qi Condensation, ranking him among the top three in the Outer Sect. It was this strength that had secured him his administrative position. Though Reyn's status as a Registered Disciple was technically higher than that of an Outer Sect member, he didn't dare put on airs.

The gap in their cultivation was a chasm; Liu Shengsheng could likely crush him with a single finger.

"Junior Brother Reyn? Oh! You must be the disciple of the Fifth Martial Ancestor from Hundred Herb Valley! Please, come in, come in!" A middle-aged man with a jovial, welcoming face rushed out to greet him.

"Senior Brother," Reyn greeted him with a respectful bow.

"Nonsense! With a master like the Fifth Martial Ancestor, your future is bound to soar to the heavens. I wouldn't dare claim the title of Senior Brother. If you don't mind, just call me Liu Shengsheng in private. We are equals here," Liu Shengsheng said warmly, ushering Reyn into his office with practiced hospitality.

"What brings you to my humble office today, Brother Reyn? If you need anything at all, just say the word. If it's within my power, I won't hesitate to help," Liu Shengsheng declared, slapping his chest. Within moments, he had made it seem as though the two were lifelong friends. Reyn understood perfectly well that this warmth was entirely due to Dan Chenzi's reputation. He remained humble, refusing to let the flattery go to his head.

"Senior Brother Liu is too kind. I've come to register for the journey home. If I miss this chance to follow the escort party, I'll have to wait until next year to see my kin." Liu Shengsheng nodded inwardly. If Reyn had been an arrogant brat, Liu would have been polite on the surface while despising him in his heart. But since Reyn was so tactful, Liu decided to invest more effort into the relationship. Dan Chenzi controlled the sect's pill supply; befriending his disciple was a strategic move.

"Haha, so that's it! No problem at all. How many days do you need? My maximum authority allows me to grant you a ten-day leave."

"That won't be necessary. Master ordered me to return within five days. However, before I depart, I would like to request the two Haste Talismans for my return journey," Reyn said with a smile.

"Of course, wait just a moment." Liu Shengsheng disappeared into his back room and returned shortly with five yellow talismans in his hand.

"I wasn't sure how far your home is, so I brought a few extra. Slap these on your legs, and you can cover a thousand miles a day. Each talisman lasts for two thousand miles—this should be more than enough for your trip," Liu Shengsheng said, forcing the five Haste Talismans into Reyn's hand. He then reached into his robes and pulled out another, more intricate talisman.

"This is a Grade 1 Fireball Technique Talisman. It contains ten charges. Just channel a bit of spiritual energy into it to trigger an attack equivalent to a blow from a 5th level Qi Condensation cultivator. The road can be dangerous; take this as a small meeting gift from your Senior Brother for your protection." Though he spoke casually, a flicker of pain crossed Liu's eyes. Clearly, this Fireball Talisman was a valuable asset even for him.

"I cannot! How could I accept such a precious gift?" Reyn's expression changed as he moved to decline.

"Don't be so modest! When you reach the top in the future, just remember to give old Liu a little nudge. If you refuse, I'll take it as a sign that you look down on me!" Liu Shengsheng said, feigning offense. Reyn could only offer a wry smile. It seemed his Master's status in the Xuanxiao Sect was even higher than he had imagined if a 6th level Qi Condensation cultivator felt the need to curry favor like this.

Looking at the Fireball Talisman, which was far more complex than the Haste Talismans, he could feel a faint, chilling vibration of energy radiating from the ink. He tucked the talismans into his storage bag and cupped his fists.

"In that case, I thank Senior Brother for his generosity." Leaving Liu Shengsheng's office, Reyn didn't dare linger. He hurried to the valley where the spiritual root testing had taken place. A group of about a dozen Xuanxiao Sect disciples were already waiting.

"My apologies for the delay, Senior Brothers. I had some business to attend to," Reyn said, bowing to the group.

"Haha, no need for formalities, Junior Brother Reyn. We only just arrived ourselves. Since you're here, let us depart," the leader of the group said with a friendly wave.

"I entered the sect four years before you. If you don't mind, you can call me Senior Brother Wang. I'll be personally escorting your group back. What do you think?"

"I would be honored, Senior Brother Wang," Reyn replied, now accustomed to the 'Golden Signboard' that was his Master's name. Nearby, the youths who had failed the trial watched Reyn with eyes full of burning envy. Not long ago, they had all been in the same position, yet now Reyn was conversing with the 'Immortal Masters' as an equal. Among them, the youths of the Lei Clan looked on with particularly complex emotions. Lei Tianqi clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white.

He had been disqualified after Reyn nearly killed him during the test, but his father had spent a staggering fortune bribing a certain sect elder. That elder had healed him and brought him in as a Registered Disciple as well. However, the status of their respective masters was worlds apart. He could not fathom how he, the proud Young Master of the Lei Clan, had been surpassed by a lowly branch-member. Though he seethed with hatred, he dared not show it.

He had a sinking feeling that with Reyn's rise, the Lei Clan was about to face a violent, earth-shattering upheaval.