Li Xin felt that he finally understood why the other members of the Xu Clan had failed to complete Demonic Beast Talismans.

  Even when drawing the same stroke, the result changed depending on how it was drawn. When they drew Demonic Beast Talismans, they focused solely on the Five Elements rather than on ‘yin and yang.’

  Is the Demonic Beast Talisman Crafting Method passed down in the Xu Clan incomplete?

  Of course, their approach was not entirely wrong. If one could draw strokes using purely yang energy alone, there would be no need to understand the principles of yin and yang. The problem was that this was exceedingly difficult. To load the brush tip with pure yang energy—devoid of even emotion—was by no means easy.

  But Li Xin was different. Others learned about strokes, but Li Xin had internalized those strokes as his own. Because of that subtle difference, Li Xin was able to naturally imbue strokes with the principles of yin and yang, completing the Demonic Beast Talisman.

  There’s no need to tell the Xu Clan about this, is there.

  The change that came when Li Xin completed the Demonic Beast Talisman was nothing short of upheaval. A talisman infused with the essence of a demonic beast had been assimilated into a body that had been weak to the point of frailty, so the process inevitably triggered an enormous reaction.

  “Good… let’s check the talisman’s effects.”

  Even without directly using the completed talisman, part of the assimilated effects could be confirmed firsthand. Li Xin closed his eyes and began to examine the newly gained power.

  He regulated his breathing and circulated his energy. To his surprise, part of the spiritual power flowing through his body began to turn black and viscous.

  …Demonic qi?

  Li Xin immediately recognized the nature of that energy. Normally, this process should have manifested through a talisman, so experiencing it directly through his body felt strange. The moment he operated the demonic qi, he was seized by an uncanny sensation, as though he were standing somewhere between demonic beast and human.

  Startled by the chilling feeling, Li Xin immediately withdrew the demonic qi and reverted it back to spiritual power.

  “This… isn’t something I can handle carelessly.”

  He had never heard of humans wielding demonic qi. At least, as far as he knew, such a power did not exist. Fortunately, under normal circumstances his spiritual power maintained its original form. As long as he did not forcibly draw out the demonic qi, there should be no major issue.

  Wait a moment…

  At that point, Li Xin realized something astonishing. The path through which the demonic qi had just flowed. Along that trace, the fatigue that had accumulated in his body from operating the Demon Blood Tempering Steel Art vanished cleanly.

  The Demon Blood Tempering Steel Art he had cultivated so far was divided into two stages. First was absorbing the poison within demonic blood to temper the physical body. Second was digesting that absorbed poison and energy through seated meditation and making it his own. Most of the cultivation time was consumed by the second stage. Demonic qi exerted a significant influence on this process.

  If I can shorten the digestion time, my body-tempering cultivation will advance greatly!

  His heart began to pound violently at this unexpected gain. But then, Li Xin realized another chilling truth.

  My Origin True Qi has decreased…

  The energy that had left his heart did not return. Li Xin instinctively knew that the price he had paid for completing a single talisman was nearly a year of his lifespan.

  …This exceeds my expectations somewhat.

  The records left behind in the crafting method stated that the weaker a talisman practitioner’s essence, the more lifespan was required to draw a talisman. Because Li Xin’s body had been extremely weak, the consumption of lifespan had been correspondingly high.

  The solution was simple. As his corporeal shell strengthened through cultivating the Demon Blood Tempering Steel Art, his essence would naturally become abundant as well. And someday, when Li Xin’s essence far exceeded the standard required by the Demonic Beast Talisman, he would be able to draw talismans without consuming his lifespan.

  To reach that point… I need to make full use of this demonic qi.

  Li Xin quickly made a decision. He abandoned without regret the original plan of drawing many talismans at once to assimilate their abilities. That would have been nothing more than a foolish act that gnawed away at his lifespan.

  Instead, he chose the path of gradual growth. He would temper his body to its limits with the Demon Blood Tempering Steel Art, then borrow the power of Demonic Beast Talismans to raise those limits step by step.

  Even if it’s a bit less efficient, the most important thing for a cultivator is lifespan.

  Fortunately, demonic blood was among the lower-value byproducts of demonic beasts. Simply selling the completed talismans would allow him to secure a sufficient supply.

  To do that, I need to balance talisman crafting and body-tempering cultivation without leaning too far to one side.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  His excitement faded, and Li Xin clearly recognized that he could not afford to neglect drawing talismans either.

  This is the same as before. In the end, the foundation of my strength comes from talismans.

  For now, he could not draw Demonic Beast Talismans anymore. Then what should he draw next? Li Xin did not deliberate for long. A clear answer already sat firmly in his mind.

  All talismans are ultimately applications of the sixty-four Mother Strokes.

  Having experienced the true essence of the ‘stroke-based talisman method’ through this Demonic Beast Talisman, Li Xin realized that rather than drawing another high-powered talisman, mastering all sixty-four strokes came first. It was like learning consonants and vowels before memorizing words when studying characters. If he fully understood and internalized all sixty-four strokes, he would reach a realm where he could freely draw any talisman.

  This would go beyond merely increasing the variety of talismans—it would be the true path of a talisman practitioner who grasped the essence of talismans.

  Of course, raising my cultivation realm is important too… but with my mental strength having increased so much from this enlightenment, it won’t be an immediate issue.

  Li Xin was not overly fixated on advancing his realm itself. Even if he reached Tier One perfection quickly, moving beyond that would still require further accumulation and tempering of power. Rather, he judged that solidly building his foundation from a low realm would make him a vessel capable of bearing far greater power in the future.

  Moreover, cultivators often gauged an opponent’s strength by their visible realm. Keeping his apparent realm low would attract less vigilance from others. What mattered most to Li Xin now was concealing his gained power and new cultivation methods so they did not leak out.

  Why had the Xu Clan supported him so generously all this time? It was because they were confident they could control him. While they highly valued Li Xin’s talent and potential, they were convinced he would never escape their enclosure.

  But what if Li Xin tried to slip from their grasp? What choice would the Xu Clan make then? They might try to coax him with honeyed words, threaten him, or even attempt to suppress him by force.

  In this harsh world, the only person I can truly trust is myself.

  To prepare for all such possibilities, Li Xin planned to quietly cultivate his strength.

  ***

  Returning to his lodgings on time, Li Xin spotted Xu Yul waiting in front of the door. Standing there with a rigid expression, Xu Yul exuded a seriousness different from usual.

  “Did you obtain your demon hunter qualifications?”

  At Xu Yul’s question, Li Xin nodded and showed the Merit Token hanging at his waist. After checking the token, Xu Yul slowly looked Li Xin over. Soon, his brow furrowed slightly.

  “...You smell of demonic beasts.”

  Despite Xu Yul’s words, Li Xin showed no sign of panic. He already knew that the abilities assimilated from the Concealing Fragrance Talisman alone could not completely deceive Xu Yul’s perception.

  “I plan to face demonic beasts today, so I looked over some byproducts in advance to understand their traits.”

  At his words, Xu Yul let out a small chuckle.

  “Well, that does suit your temperament. But it’s hard to gain true enlightenment from dead demonic beasts. Only by facing them and fighting them directly can you truly grasp their essence.”

  “That seems to be the case.”

  “It’s time. Let’s go.”

  Xu Yul did not ask any further questions. Li Xin quietly followed behind him.

  This is… outside the Immortal City?

  The world beyond the Immortal City was completely different from what Li Xin had imagined. There were no ruins, no stench of blood. Instead, small houses were scattered about, and in their courtyards people cultivated spiritual crops and raised spiritual livestock. The atmosphere was no different from an ordinary rural village.

  “If the area near the Immortal City were so overrun with demonic beasts, Qingshan Immortal City would have already fallen long ago.”

  As if reading Li Xin’s thoughts, Xu Yul spoke matter-of-factly.

  “But that doesn’t mean the outside of the Immortal City is safe.”

  Beyond the Immortal City lay land beyond the Daejin Sect’s control. Demonic beasts, humans—anything could prey upon the weak, and danger always lurked for the powerless. That was why most people tried to obtain at least low-grade demon hunter status to live within the Immortal City. Only those to whom even that was denied continued their lives under the city’s shadow like this.

  The world outside Qingshan Valley was far broader than Li Xin had imagined. Endless mountain ridges stretched beyond the reach of sight, and countless demonic beasts and unknown spiritual creatures dwelled within. Qingshan Valley was merely a small part of the vast Qingshan Mountain Range.

  “Qingshan is wide and deep. Especially Tier Two great demons—they each have their own territories, so be careful.”

  Xu Yul’s tone was sharper than usual. The darkness of the mountains seemed to instill tension even in a cultivator like Xu Yul.

  “Fortunately, most demonic beasts are solitary by nature, so they rarely form groups. Occasionally there are those that gather, but information about such creatures spreads quickly among demon hunters, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

  Li Xin nodded, committing Xu Yul’s explanation to memory. He too had heard that demonic beasts instinctively preferred to act alone. That fact alone was a blessing from humanity’s perspective.

  If demonic beasts ever began to move in organized groups, humanity would never be able to withstand the threat. But there were no absolutes in the world, and there were cases where powerful demonic beasts led groups. In such situations, all demon hunters had to unite to subjugate them. If left unchecked, they would become a calamity.

  The Demon King that destroyed Daejin Immortal City was a prime example. Before long, the two arrived at a hut located at the entrance of the mountain range.

  Xu Yul opened the door without hesitation and stepped inside, tossing a brief remark toward Li Xin.

  “I’ll rest here. Go around the area and find a suitable demonic beast to secure your low-grade demon hunter status.”

  “By myself?”

  “If things get dangerous, channel energy into the identity token I gave you. I’ll know your location immediately and come to help.”

  Xu Yul had no intention of hovering over Li Xin and protecting him. He believed that without personally facing danger, one could never truly understand the terror of demonic beasts. But to Li Xin, this was an opportunity. Having always had to remain conscious of Xu Yul’s gaze, Li Xin had been hoping for a chance to fully test his strength.

  “Understood.”

  Li Xin replied briefly and bowed his head. Xu Yul said nothing more, quietly turning and disappearing into the hut. Li Xin watched his back for a moment, then slowly turned around. And took his first step toward Qingshan.

  The mountain shrouded in darkness wore a completely different face from the daytime. Giant trees cast ominous shadows, and an eerie stillness settled so deeply that even the sound of insects felt distant. Yet Li Xin’s steps did not waver in the slightest. This was a land of danger, but also a land of opportunity. In the deep darkness, his two eyes gleamed like those of a ferocious beast.