Chapter 541: Dragon Script (Seeking Subscription)
Chapter 541: Dragon Script (Seeking Subscription)
Spirit shells were a unique currency in the East Sea Cultivation World.
Here, spirit stone veins were scarce and spirit stones were in short supply. Low-tier cultivators mostly used spirit shells or spirit pearls for transactions.
Only at higher tiers were various spirit stones used.
Fang Xi unconsciously touched his Mountain Sea Pearl, which now held spirit stones piled like mountains and seas. . .
'No, I'm just seizing an opportunity to make a quick buck. The ones truly making big money are probably Penglai Immortal Island and the Saint Fire Cult. . . After all, the Saint Fire Cult controls the ancient teleportation array, and to thrive in the East Sea, Penglai Immortal Island's assistance is indispensable. . . '
'Even for me. . . if not for the powerful secret art I cultivate, which can resist detection, I might have been discovered directly in the Bronze Palace and caused a huge commotion with the Saint Fire Cult. . . Where would I find such leisure to wander the streets and spend spirit stones? This is what they call "a skilled warrior leaves no trace of his mighty deeds"! '
His late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, coupled with various incredible secret arts, made Fang Xi unafraid even of Divine Transformation cultivators, let alone being detected in disguise by Nascent Soul cultivators.
These factors combined were the reason for his peaceful journey.
After sighing inwardly, he began to stroll around Yingzhou Island, enjoying its distinctive island charm.
"Mostly water-element spiritual items here. . . even spirit rice is rare."
He passed by a spirit rice shop and saw only a few types of spirit rice, with a greater abundance of various dried spirit algae beside them.
Land was scarce in the East Sea, so spirit rice was not widely cultivated, but spirit algae agriculture was extremely prosperous.
The spirit farmers here didn't need to master spirit rain arts like the Spring Wind Transforming Rain Art. Instead, because they frequently had to tend to spirit algae in the sea, they had to be proficient in various 'Water Repelling' arts. . .
As he thought this, Fang Xi didn't delve deeper.
He had only paid extra attention to the shop because of his own background as a spirit farmer.
He continued walking, heading towards the largest establishment, the Horizon Ocean Pavilion.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, his divine consciousness detected a signboard, and he immediately stopped.
"Three Talismans Hall?"
Fang Xi scrutinized the shop's signboard and found it was a talisman shop.
Beneath the plaque, there was a small cloud-pattern symbol, like a cypher, which upon closer inspection appeared somewhat incomplete.
As Fang Xi looked at this cloud pattern, his heart stirred, and he recalled the three Golden Cicada Exuviae!
'This cloud talisman pattern. . . is subtly similar to the patterns on the Golden Cicada Exuviae. . . If I hadn't broken through to late-stage Nascent Soul, and my divine consciousness hadn't grown, I might not have recognized it immediately. . . '
Could this be related to the Dragon Script?
Compared to the Phoenix Seal Script, the Dragon Script was clearly a rarer and more uncommon inheritance, extremely precious even in the Earthly Immortal World.
Fang Xi entered the shop, and a greeter immediately came forward. Sensing Fang Xi's cultivation, their expression instantly changed: "Senior. . ."
"Have your shopkeeper come out!"
Fang Xi waved his hand, instructing.
Not long after, an old Core Formation cultivator rushed out from the back room. His divine consciousness instinctively swept over Fang Xi, and his face immediately showed astonishment: "This old one, Yun Maozi, greets Senior! May I ask what Senior requires? Though my Three Talismans Hall is small, some of our special talismans are quite renowned. . ."
"Oh? Then introduce them all."
Fang Xi sat down calmly, taking a sip of spirit tea, as if speaking casually.
"Yes, Senior!"
Yun Maozi bowed and presented a tray on which lay three different talismans: one red, one yellow, and one white.
He first picked up the slightly sinister red talisman: "This talisman is called the 'Blood Escape Talisman. ' It can store a cultivator's essence blood in advance, so that when used, it doesn't consume one's own essence blood but rather uses the blood stored within the talisman to perform the 'Blood Escape Art. ' If enough essence blood is stored, even Core Formation cultivators would be left in the dust. . ."
While the Blood Escape Art was good, compared to a Nascent Soul's instant teleportation, it was nothing.
Fang Xi was merely interested in the talisman's structure and signaled Yun Maozi to continue.
"This one is the 'Water Dividing Talisman. ' Even ten thousand acres of seawater can be parted instantly for the duration of an incense stick. . . If one encounters sea demon beasts, using this talisman is exceptionally effective, allowing one to turn defeat into victory!"
Yun Maozi picked up the last white talisman: "As for this one, it's the 'Confusing Track Talisman. ' The illusory mist it creates can suppress a cultivator's divine consciousness. . ."
"These three talismans are good, but they are not what I seek. . ."
After listening, Fang Xi found them somewhat interesting, but that was all.
He stopped procrastinating and went straight to the heart of the matter: "The cypher beneath your shop's plaque seems to come from a certain talisman? Might I ask if this talisman exists?"
"Ah?"
Yun Maozi was clearly startled, then showed a bitter smile: "Is Senior perhaps here for that 'Secret Talisman'?"
"What? Is this Secret Talisman very famous?"
Fang Xi said frankly, "This Venerable One is visiting Yingzhou Island market city for the first time."
"So that's how it is."
Yun Maozi gave a bitter laugh and spoke candidly: "My ancestor also had a Nascent Soul cultivator, said to be a grandmaster of talismans, who passed down the art through our family. . . That 'Secret Talisman' was the very last talisman in my ancestor's inheritance, but unfortunately, even my ancestor himself failed to successfully draw it. . ."
"The family originally kept this talisman manual deeply hidden, but later encountered a great disaster and the inheritance became incomplete. . . We then had no choice but to present this talisman manual to 'True Monarch Nine Lotus. ' True Monarch Nine Lotus was a fourth-tier talisman master who, after obtaining the manual, also took one of our ancestors as a disciple, but he too stated that the final 'Secret Talisman' inheritance was incomplete and could not possibly be completed. . ."
Yun Maozi sighed: "Time flew by, and by my generation, I was infatuated with talisman-making, but helpless regarding that Secret Talisman. I long ago gave up on keeping it a secret; I've shown it to all fellow talisman masters for discussion, but still gained nothing. Even a senior from Penglai Immortal Island found it difficult to draw, only knowing that once it lands on talisman paper, or even beast hide or jade, it will immediately self-destruct. . ."
After hearing this story, Fang Xi showed interest: "May this one examine the talisman manual, just the last Secret Talisman will suffice."
"Since Senior wishes to see it, this one naturally has no objections!"
Yun Maozi respectfully handed a purple jade slip to Fang Xi.
Fang Xi swept his divine consciousness over it and indeed saw the method for drawing a Secret Talisman.
Its complexity gave him a headache, even with his current attainments in the Dao of Talismans.
'I can give this to Taiyi for analysis later. . . '
'However, this talisman. . . it really is somewhat incomplete. . . '
Fang Xi sighed inwardly.
He had never expected to achieve success in one go. If this talisman could be studied and verified against the Golden Cicada Exuviae, that would already be quite good.
"How is it?"
Yun Maozi looked at Fang Xi with anticipation.
"Gained nothing. . ."
Fang Xi sighed, casually tossing out a few superior-grade spirit stones: "I've looked at your family's talisman manual. These spirit stones shall be your compensation."
He let out a long laugh and walked to the entrance of Three Talismans Hall.
Yun Maozi, somewhat disheartened, saw him off, unable to shift his attention even with the superior-grade spirit stones.
'It seems this person truly has nothing to hide. . . '
Fang Xi thought to himself, a divine sense message entering Yun Maozi's ear: "This talisman. . . should be related to the Dragon Script. . ."
Dragon Script was a rarer script than Phoenix Seal Script; it was quite normal for a grandmaster of talismans to not have encountered it.
And Fang Xi even suspected that some of the talisman masters Yun Maozi had consulted might have known, but deliberately didn't say anything.
After all, in the cunning and deceitful cultivation world, holding something back was a very common practice.
"What?"
Yun Maozi's body trembled in shock, then he bowed deeply to the ground, his heart filled with gratitude towards Fang Xi.
'Although it's just a Secret Talisman, by studying it in conjunction with the Golden Cicada Exuviae, I might still gain something. . . '
Fang Xi felt a slight joy in his heart: 'Have I finally. . . found a hidden gem? '
He arrived before the Horizon Ocean Pavilion and walked straight in.
The next moment, a sensation of dizziness washed over him.
"A formation?"
Fang Xi was slightly surprised, then he saw crystal-like passages on both sides.
Outside the passages were countless azure blue waters, and amidst numerous spiritual herbs, a large sea turtle leisurely paddled its limbs past. . .
'It's somewhat like a crystal dragon palace. . . '
He commented inwardly, then saw a female greeter wearing a sky-blue robe with many slits, exposing large patches of skin, approach him: "Esteemed guest, welcome to Horizon Ocean Pavilion. May I know what you seek?"
"What I seek is extremely precious, not something a mere greeter like you can handle. Have your manager come out. . ."
Fang Xi smiled slightly.
"Esteemed guest, please proceed to the 'Sky Blue Pavilion'!"
The female greeter's expression changed, and she invited Fang Xi into a certain pavilion.
Not long after, a female Core Formation cultivator wearing hollowed-out blue armor entered the pavilion: "Lan Cai'er greets Senior. . . May I know what Senior requires? If the price is satisfactory, my Horizon Ocean Pavilion will do its best to procure it for Senior."
Fang Xi glanced at the female Core Formation cultivator. Her hollowed-out armor offered little protection, revealing her fair, ivory-like arms and thighs, exuding an aura of the sea.
He smiled: "What about a Nascent Transformation Pill?"
"A Nascent Transformation Pill? " Lan Cai'er was slightly surprised, then smiled: "Though this item is precious, our pavilion indeed has one in stock. However, the cost is quite significant; mere spirit stones will not suffice. . ."
'They even have a Nascent Transformation Pill in stock. It seems this pavilion's influence is indeed considerable. '
Fang Xi nodded: "What does the seller require? Let me see. . ."
Lan Cai'er smilingly handed over a jade slip, which contained demands for top-tier exotic treasures and various rare cultivation methods and secret arts. . .
One could say, their value was slightly higher than that of the Nascent Transformation Pill itself.
Nascent Soul old monsters were all cunning individuals; they wouldn't do anything without profit.
"The materials in this jade slip are indeed exceptionally rare. . ."
Fang Xi put down the jade slip and sighed.
"Precisely, Senior. . ."
Lan Cai'er was about to say more when she saw Fang Xi place two jade boxes on the table.
She opened the first jade box, and a ball of lightning burst forth. Within the lightning, astonishingly, was a fist-sized blue crystal!
"Six Extremes Thunder Crystal? ! And such a large piece?"
Lan Cai'er took a deep breath, then opened the second box, revealing a three-inch long purplish-red tree branch with faint golden, peculiar patterns on its surface.
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