activa-t Chapter 80: The Ingenuity of Talisman Craftsmen
Chapter 80: The Ingenuity of Talisman Craftsmen
In the afternoon in Qingliu Lane, time seems to be soaked in beeswax, flowing out in an exceptionally thick and slow manner.
The autumn sun had already begun to set, losing its midday sharpness and transforming into a warm, amber hue, lazily spreading across the entire courtyard. The blue brick floor was warmed by the sun, and the velvety moss in the cracks gleamed a deep, glossy green in the slanting sunlight. In the southeast corner, the old pomegranate tree, its branches gnarled and twisted, had most of its leaves turned golden, with only a few remnants of green stubbornly clinging to the tips. When the wind blew, it rustled softly, scattering dappled sunlight across the ground. In the earthenware jar, the broad leaves of the aquatic plants stretched quietly, fine water droplets clinging to their edges, occasionally falling with a soft "plop" into the jar, creating shallow ripples.
Under the eaves of the main house, Lin Yan and Su Qingyao sat facing each other in two bamboo chairs.
The bamboo chairs are common in ordinary alleyways, their armrests and backs smoothed and warmed by the passage of time, gleaming with a dark honey hue. In the center sits a low square table, its surface clearly textured, upon which rests two plain white porcelain cups. The tea in the cups is still warm, wisps of steam rising faintly, swirling and ascending in the slanting beams of light before dissipating into the cool air, leaving only a faint aroma of tea, mingling with the fresh scent of the grass and trees in the courtyard, soothing and refreshing.
Lin Yan was not wearing his official robes today, only a slightly worn dark blue straight robe, with a matching silk sash around his waist. His figure was even more upright than when he first arrived in Qingzhou Prefecture. The toil and life-or-death struggles of the past few days had not left any trace of weariness on him; on the contrary, it was as if a piece of rough jade had been repeatedly polished, making his edges more distinct and his temperament more composed. He sat upright, one hand casually resting on his knee, the other holding a teacup, but his gaze was somewhat vacant, looking beyond the swaying old pomegranate tree in the courtyard to the higher, clear autumn sky, as if a thousand thoughts were flowing between his brows.
Su Qingyao changed into a light pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), over which she wore a moon-white half-sleeved garment embroidered with lotus blossoms. Her dark hair was loosely tied into a simple bun, adorned with a plain silver hairpin, and she wore no other ornaments. An old, yellowed book lay open on her lap, its pages thin and the ink stains varying in shades. She wasn't reading it carefully; her fingertips unconsciously traced the ancient characters. Her gaze occasionally drifted to Lin Yan beside her. Seeing his distracted state, she spoke softly, breaking the silence of the courtyard:
"Brother Lin, are you pondering the recent case?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yan's eyes flickered slightly. He slowly withdrew his gaze, focusing on the clear blue tea in his cup, and shook his head. "Now that Zhao Kun has confessed, Lord Zhou will take care of the rest. I was just... thinking about the battle at Black Wind Ravine."
Upon hearing this, Su Qingyao gently closed the book in her hands, placed it on her lap, and her expression became serious: "That battle was extremely dangerous. If it weren't for Brother Lin's quick thinking and courage, I'm afraid..."
"It's not a matter of being both wise and brave," Lin Yan interrupted her, his tone calm but carrying a sense of careful reflection after the fact. "It was just a desperate measure taken in a moment of desperation. Qingyao, the talismans you made did play a crucial role in turning the tide of the battle when they exploded at the entrance of the Black Wind Cave."
He paused, his fingers unconsciously tracing circles along the smooth rim of the porcelain cup. His gaze deepened again, as if he were back at the dark, damp, and murderous entrance to that cave: "But upon reflection, I realize that such a use was a waste of resources, and a last resort. The power of talismans, when activated instantly, is immense, but the power of a single talisman is ultimately limited. It might be sufficient against ordinary enemies at the early stages of Body Tempering or Profound Realm, but against opponents with profound cultivation, thick skin, or numerous enemies, using them sporadically is like scratching an itch through a boot; to detonate dozens of talismans simultaneously, as was done then, to cover damage and create chaos, is too extravagant, and such an opportunity often only comes once."
Su Qingyao nodded slightly, a thoughtful look on her beautiful face. "Brother Lin is quite right. The art of talismans, by using the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and cinnabar paper as a medium, seals the power of magic and activates it when needed. It is indeed convenient and quick, but its power is limited due to the thinness of the carrier and the difficulty in stacking spiritual patterns. On the other hand, the art of formations, based on formation flags and formation plates, connects with the earth's veins and celestial phenomena, gathering the spiritual energy of the universe. Its power is vast and can operate continuously, but its setup is cumbersome and its activation is slow, often proving insufficient in times of crisis." As she spoke, a glint of inspiration flashed in her eyes. "Brother Lin, are you thinking about how to combine the strengths of the two?"
A hint of admiration flashed in Lin Yan's eyes. He put down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, and spoke in a low but clear voice, each word carrying the force of a deduction and planning: "That's exactly the idea. Talismans are swift but their power is scattered, while arrays are heavy but slow. If we could find a sturdy and durable carrier that could hold complex spiritual patterns, and permanently engrave specific talisman patterns on it, or even... embed parts of miniature arrays into it, then when used, only a small amount of true essence would be needed to activate the power of the talismans or arrays pre-set within the carrier..."
His gaze swept across the courtyard, landing on the gleaming swords and blades on the weapon rack in the distance, and on a heavy iron-clad wooden shield leaning against the wall. He continued, "For example, shields. If one can engrave 'Earth Protective Talisman' and 'Earth Vein Spirit-Attracting Pattern' inside the shield using special materials, and then embed a small amount of earth-attribute spirit stone powder or earth vein crystal as a formation catalyst, then when facing an enemy, the shield-bearer only needs to insert the shield into the ground to activate the spirit pattern, which can quickly draw upon the surrounding earth energy to form a solid earth-element protective shield. Another example is swords. If one engraves composite patterns of 'Sharp Metal Talisman' and 'Fire Talisman' on the spine and blade, and inlays refined gold, fire crystals, and other materials along the patterns, then when activated when facing an enemy, the weapon will possess a sharpness and a burning effect. Even if the wielder's cultivation is not high, they can still exert considerable killing power."
He paused, looking at Su Qingyao with bright eyes: "We can even go further. We can inscribe simple 'array pattern guiding talismans' on specific locations on weapons or shields, and then fix the core materials needed to set up a certain array, such as spirit stones of different attributes, specific demon beast bone powder, and rare metal sheets, onto the carrier using a miniature inlay method. In battle, several team members holding specially made weapons and shields only need to stand in specific positions and simultaneously activate the 'array pattern guiding talismans' and inlay materials on their respective carriers to form a small combined attack array in a very short time! This is much faster than temporarily setting up array flags and adjusting positions, and it is also more suitable for the ever-changing battle situation."
Listening to Lin Yan's clear and logically structured plan, Su Qingyao was initially slightly surprised, but her eyes quickly brightened, like two obsidian stones immersed in a clear spring, reflecting astonishing light. Having studied arrays and talismans since childhood, she was intimately familiar with their intricacies and naturally understood that Lin Yan's concept was not a wild fantasy, but a groundbreaking deduction built upon existing principles of talismans and arrays! Every difficulty seemed to have a corresponding solution; every combination subtly aligned with some profound principle of the workings of heaven and earth.
She gazed at Lin Yan, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration and amazement: "Brother Lin, where...where did you get these ideas from? I've studied this path for many years, and I've never dared to imagine anything so bold! Combining talismans and formations, using artifacts as carriers...this...this is simply opening a completely new door for us cultivators! If it can truly be realized, ordinary soldiers wielding this weapon could contend with low-level demons; and elite squads cooperating in battle would see their power more than double!"
She grew increasingly excited as she spoke, a faint blush rising on her usually composed face. She abruptly stood up and paced back and forth in the corridor, her skirt swaying gently with her movements: "The carrier must be sturdy and able to conduct spiritual energy. Refined iron, hundred-refined steel, or alloys mixed with spiritually conductive metals are all worth trying. For engraving patterns, ordinary chisels and axes are insufficient for precision; a special spirit-corroding liquid is needed to create stable grooves. As for the talisman materials… cinnabar mixed with demon blood and spirit herb juice is standard, but for long-lasting adhesion to metal, perhaps some resins or mineral powders with adhesive and curing properties need to be added. The array guidance and micro-inlay are even more intricate, requiring repeated experimentation with material ratios, pattern direction, inlay points, and activation sequence…"
She abruptly stopped, turned to look at Lin Yan, her gaze intense, filled with the excitement and eagerness of a researcher encountering a completely new topic: "Brother Lin, this idea is incredible, yet it has great potential! Daydreaming is useless; why don't we... give it a try now?"
Seeing her reaction, Lin Yan was pleased. While his ideas were inspired by fragmented memories from his past life, they were primarily based on his personal insights from actual combat and his deep reflection on existing cultivation techniques. To receive recognition and appreciation from an expert like Su Qingyao, and for her to instantly apply these ideas to other situations and come up with numerous implementation details, demonstrated her profound expertise and keen intuition in this field.
"That suits me perfectly." Lin Yan also stood up and smiled. "Then let's start with the simplest one. Qingyao, what do you think, how about trying this shield first?"
"Alright!" Su Qingyao nodded without hesitation, her eyes gleaming with eagerness. "Let's start with this shield that draws on the earth's power to enhance protection. Brother Lin, could you please fetch a standard-issue shield? I'll go prepare all the necessary materials right away."
"Leave the materials to me," Lin Yan said. "The armory is currently under the supervision of Elder Zhou, so allocating some supplies shouldn't be difficult." The Elder Zhou he referred to was none other than Zhou Yunqi, the old clerk in the document room. After Wu Li, the original manager of the armory, was transferred for "ineffective work," Lin Yan recommended this elderly but experienced clerk, who was grateful to Lin Yan for his handling of Zhao Kun's matter, to Zhou Yan to take over both the armory and the document room. Zhou Yunqi, suddenly given this lucrative position, was naturally very grateful to Lin Yan and almost always granted his requests.
Upon hearing this, Su Qingyao immediately turned around and went back to her room. She took out her brush, ink, paper, and inkstone and quickly wrote down a long list on the low table under the corridor. The list included the names, specifications, and quantities of various materials, from basic red iron ingots and refined copper powder to rarer earth-attribute spirit stone fragments, earth vein stone powder, spirit-solidifying glue, and gold-corroding liquid, as well as various combinations of demon beast blood and spirit herb juices needed to draw talismans. There were no fewer than twenty or thirty kinds, many of which Lin Yan had never heard of.
Lin Yan took the list, glanced at it briefly, and without asking any questions, simply said, "I'll take care of it right away. Qingyao, you make some other preparations first."
About an hour later, Lin Yan returned, followed by two porters carrying two heavy camphor wood chests. Inside, neatly arranged, were most of the materials listed on Su Qingyao's inventory list. For some truly rare items, substitutes with similar properties were found, and the quality and quantity exceeded expectations, clearly the result of Zhou Yunqi's meticulous efforts. In addition, there was a brand-new, standard-issue iron-clad wooden shield from the Qingzhou Prefecture Demon Suppression Division. The shield's surface was covered with tanned cowhide, and the edges were wrapped with wrought iron strips about an inch wide. It was heavy and sturdy, standard equipment for ordinary soldiers.
Su Qingyao had already cleared out an empty room in the west wing to serve as a temporary workshop. The room was spotless, with a large cypress wood table placed by the window, covered with thick coarse linen. Upon receiving the materials, she immediately rolled up her sleeves, revealing two jade-white wrists, and began to sort and process them with focused attention. Her movements were skillful and efficient, like those of a seasoned craftswoman.
Lin Yan watched quietly from the side, not interfering, only occasionally handing over tools or materials as requested by Su Qingyao. She first placed the shield on the table, carefully inspecting the flatness of the shield surface and the integrity of the iron sheath. Then she took out a small jade bottle, uncorked it, and a slightly pungent, spicy smell wafted out. Using a small wolf-hair brush, she dipped it into a dark green, viscous liquid—the very "corrosion liquid" she had specifically requested—and carefully outlined intricate, crisscrossing lines on the area between the leather and iron sheath on the shield's front, following patterns she had already mentally rehearsed countless times.
The dark green liquid made a slight hissing sound and emitted wisps of very faint white smoke upon contact with the shield's surface. The areas depicted, whether leather or iron, were quickly corroded into grooves of even depth and clear edges. Su Qingyao was completely focused, her wrist extremely steady, the pen moving with fluid grace. The patterns formed by the grooves gradually emerged, vaguely forming the prototype of a strange rune array radiating outwards from the center. Nested within this array were several rune patterns that Lin Yan vaguely recognized, belonging to the categories of "Earth," "solidity," and "guidance."
After the etching was completed, Su Qingyao took out several kinds of finely ground powder. She first mixed a pale yellow, warm-to-the-touch "earth vein stone powder" with a little earth-attribute spirit stone powder, then mixed it into a semi-transparent "spirit-solidifying glue" and stirred it into a thick paste. Then, she carefully filled the etched grooves with a special jade knife, making sure that every groove was filled and filled completely without leaving any gaps.
After the "Earth Vein Essence" had slightly solidified, she began processing several other materials. She mixed a dark red "fire copper powder" and "red iron powder" in a specific ratio, adding a few drops of unknown demonic beast blood and spirit herb juice to create a dark red paste with a metallic sheen. This time, she used a finer brush to trace and cover certain key lines connecting the grooves. After each section, she paused briefly, condensing a wisp of extremely fine, pale blue true essence at her fingertips, and gently touched the paste. The paste then glowed faintly, quickly drying and solidifying, bonding tightly with the underlying Earth Vein Essence.
This process repeated itself, layer upon layer. Su Qingyao would sometimes furrow her brow in thought, sometimes work quickly, fine beads of sweat gradually appearing on her forehead, but she was completely unaware. Sunlight streamed in from the west window, illuminating her focused profile, her long eyelashes casting quiet shadows beneath her eyelids. She was completely absorbed in her work, as if she had become one with the shield before her, the materials in her hands, and the patterns under her pen.
Lin Yan watched in awe. What Su Qingyao was displaying was not only knowledge of array formations and talismans, but also a profound understanding of material properties, changes in physical properties, and energy guidance, as well as superb practical skills. Many steps seemed simple, but the control of heat, proportions, and timing could not be achieved with such precision and fluency without countless hours of practice.
More than two hours passed, and the sun had already set outside the window, painting the sky with a magnificent sunset. Su Qingyao finally put down her tools and let out a long sigh of relief. She raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead with the corner of her sleeve and carefully examined the shield on the table, which had changed drastically.
On the front of the shield, the once unremarkable cowhide and iron sheath were now covered with intricate, slightly raised patterns of deep color. These patterns radiated outwards from the center of the shield, the main patterns being a mix of dark yellow and earthy brown—the color of the earth's spiritual essence. Interspersed among these were fine, gleaming dark red lines, the core of the talismans and the energy pathways outlined by a mixture of fiery copper and red iron. The entire design was ancient and mysterious, with a faint spiritual light flowing deep within the patterns, exuding a calm and profound aura even before it was activated.
"It's done." Su Qingyao's voice carried a hint of weariness, but couldn't hide her excitement and anticipation. "Brother Lin, shall we give it a try?"
Lin Yan, who had been waiting anxiously, immediately stepped forward upon hearing this and carefully picked up the modified shield. It was still heavy in his hand, but it seemed to have gained a strange sense of "rooting," as if it had formed a faint connection with the earth beneath his feet.
The two entered the courtyard. Hearing the commotion, Lu Ling, Wang Dashan, Zhou Fu, Zhao Si, Li Tie, and others curiously gathered around. Although they didn't know what Lin Yan and Su Qingyao had been tinkering with in the room for most of the day, seeing Su Qingyao's excited expression and Lin Yan holding a shield with unusual patterns, they guessed that there must be something new and interesting.
"Li Tie, Lu Ling, Da Shan, you three come here," Lin Yan called out. The three of them had long since recovered from their injuries and were full of energy. Upon hearing this, they immediately stepped forward.
"The three of you, work together to hold this shield and plant it in the ground." Lin Yan handed over the shield. "When I tell you to activate it, slowly inject your spiritual power, however much, into the protrusion in the center of the shield." He pointed to the center of the shield's front, where the patterns converged to form a thumb-sized, slightly bulging circular node, which was the core hub of the entire "rune array".
Li Tie stood in the center, gripping the handles on the inside of the shield with both hands; Lu Ling was on the left, and Wang Dashan on the right, each of them extending a hand to hold the edge of the shield. All three were at the Body Tempering Realm cultivation level. Although they did not know any advanced spells, their internal energy and blood were abundant, and the spiritual power they contained should be sufficient to power the shield.
"Ready?" Lin Yan stepped back a few paces and stood still.
The three of them replied in unison, "Alright!"
"Infuse with spiritual power, activate!" Lin Yan shouted in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, Li Tie and the other two immediately composed themselves, mobilizing the not-so-rich qi and blood spiritual power within their dantian, and slowly channeling it into the shield through their palms.
At first, the shield didn't react. Just as the three were filled with doubt and thought they had failed—
"Buzz..."
A deep, resonant rumble, as if emanating from the depths of the earth, emanated from the shield! Immediately afterwards, the intricate patterns on the shield's front lit up one by one! First, a soft, earthy-yellow light shone from the central node, then spread rapidly like mercury along the dark yellow and brownish-yellow main patterns, making the patterns crystal clear and radiating a rich earth-elemental energy. The dark red lines also lit up, flowing like lava, infusing the entire pattern with a scorching and vibrant driving force.
In the blink of an eye, the entire front of the shield was covered by a complete, bright, and ever-flowing pattern of spiritual light! Even more astonishingly, as the shield's patterns were fully activated, a visible halo, about an inch thick, orange-yellow in color, and as solid as amber, expanded from the edge of the shield, firmly protecting the three shield-bearers and the shield itself behind them! The halo was not dazzling, but it exuded a solid, heavy, and unshakeable aura, as if it were one with the earth beneath their feet!
"It's done! It really is done!" Su Qingyao couldn't help but exclaim softly, her hands clenched tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white with excitement.
Zhou Fu, Zhao Si, and the others who were watching were dumbfounded. They had never seen such a magical sight before. An ordinary standard shield could actually emit such a stable spiritual light shield!
A glint flashed in Lin Yan's eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "Stand firm!" Before he finished speaking, he had already raised his right palm, with the gray-black Devouring Spirit True Essence flowing in his palm. However, he did not release any amazing aura. He only mobilized about 30% of his power and lightly struck the center of the orange-yellow halo from a distance.