Chapter 189 (1/2)
Sixth Brother looked at Ning Que and said, ”If you change the arrow shaft into one made of mixed silver, you'd have to redesign your talisman. I'll bring you a few pieces of mixed silver to try out later.”
Ning Que thought of the little handmaiden floating about in the Old Brush Pen Shop in the middle of the night. He scratched his head and said, ”Sixth Brother, could you please help to prepare more of these materials. The previous talismans I tried were all very light. I think I need to make them heavier this time.”
Seventh Sister gave the wok lid in her hands to Chen Pipi. She clapped her palms together and asked the two who were deep in discussion curiously, ”Why don't you ask Master Yan Se to carve the talisman on the arrow shaft? Wouldn't a carving by a Divine Talisman Master be better?”
A normal talisman master could only activate talismans written by himself. However, this rule did not apply to a divine talisman master in the enigmatic state. Master Yan Se was a divine talisman master of this caliber. Divine talisman masters of his caliber could seal the Qi of Heaven and Earth in their talisman and the user of this talisman could simply activate it with their psyche power.
This was why divine talisman masters were important to the country's military and religious sects. However, the status of these divine talisman masters was sky high and regular martial arts cultivators would not dare to invite them to craft weapons for them. Furthermore, to have a divine talisman master carve on their armory would require them to have armor and weapons made of precious materials that could withstand immense power from the talisman. These precious materials were very expensive, which was why divine talisman weapons were very rare.
Ning Que was about to ask Seventh Sister to explain the difference between the two when Fourth Brother who had been silent in a dark corner of the room spoke up. ”The power behind the symbols a divine talisman master carve is immense. However, it is still a talisman made by others. It is better for him to carve his own symbols for a weapon he has to keep close to himself. This is so that they will be irrevocably linked and might even be able to sense changes in their surroundings. It is very beneficial in raising one's state and give them a boost in battle.”
He continued after a short pause. ”Someone like Younger Brother here, who has an affinity with great opportunities can ask for Master Yan Se's help anytime. However, that is also why he shouldn't. He will find it hard to improve once he becomes reliant on a fixed divine talisman. Furthermore, where is he going to get the weapon fixed should it be damaged if he isn't the one who drew the talisman on it?”
Ning Que had once thought of asking the master to carve a talisman on his weapon. Master Yan Se's reply then was similar to Fourth Brother's. He nodded furiously when he heard Fourth Brother's words. He suddenly thought of the incident Chen Pipi mentioned when he first entered the Back Mountain of the Academy. He looked at Fourth Brother and asked curiously, ”Fourth Brother, General Xia Hou's armor...”
Fourth Brother replied, ”The talisman on his divine talisman armor was designed by Professor Huang He. Sixth Brother and I merely did the carving and metalwork. All we did was some art.”
Ning Que was silent as he thought of the man wearing the divine talisman armor who had killed in the borders of Yan for more than ten years. His smile was filled with complicated emotions as he sighed, ”This general of the Tang border is indeed someone to have Professor Huang He design his divine talisman armor and senior brothers work on it.”
Fourth Brother shook his head, his face devoid of expression. ”The Four Great Generals of Tang have no effect on any of our actions. I might not be a divine talisman master, but if I do not wish to, not even General Xu s.h.i.+ can get me to do anything. In the end, it's about giving Professor Huang He ”face”. We did not reject since he asked us to.”
”Are Professor Huang He and General Xia Hou close?” Ning Que asked nonchalantly.
Fourth Brother looked up at him. There was a slight pause before he answered, ”Professor Huang He is a visiting professor at the Imperial Center Administration. He has helped our empire's army in raising their standards. This is just part of his job.”
Ning Que thought of the token hidden beneath his robes when he heard the mention of the Imperial Center Administration. He had not visited it since he was granted the token by His Majesty. He only knew that it was a bureau of the country that managed cultivators. He couldn't help but wonder if he could gain any benefit from his position in the Imperial Center Administration.
He had walked by the stream and gave those arrows a shot by the lake. Time in the back mountain of the Academy seemed to pa.s.s by faster than anywhere else. The sun was already falling, glowing red and gradually darkening. Ning Que took over the silvers wrapped in leather from Sixth Brother. He bowed at the seniors and left the mountain.
Chen Pipi escorted him down. He stopped suddenly in the fog, with bewilderment written all over his face. ”Did Master Yan Se really say that you will be one of the greatest three in history with your talent in Talisman Taoism?”
Ning Que patted his shoulder in consolation. ”Are you feeling a little dejected now that you've discovered that there is some aspect of cultivation that I'm better at than you are? Well, be more open-minded. Why would you want to compare when you can never enter the Talisman Taoism? Think of Liu Bai, the Sage of Sword. He will never be equal to me in this aspect.”
Chen Pipi's expression did not lighten when he heard Ning Que comparing himself to the strongest cultivator on earth. Instead, he replied sarcastically, ”I am a cultivator who is in the Knowing Destiny State. Will I be jealous of you, who are only in the No Doubts State?”
”You can't put it that way.” Ning Que reb.u.t.ted. ”I have only been cultivating for a year and have jumped straight into the No Doubts State from the Initial State. That's skipping three whole levels. Who knows when I'll be able to enter the Knowing Destiny State?”
”You have only ten clear acupoints in the Snow Mountain and Ocean of Qi. You have to admit you don't have much potential.”
Chen Pipi looked at him pityingly, ”However, so what if the Headmaster forcefully trains your wooden block of a brain into the Knowing Destiny State? You'd only be a wooden block that knows destiny.”
Ning Que wrinkled his forehead, ”It is true that my Snow Mountain and Ocean of Qi is blocked, but that doesn't mean I'm a wooden block.”
Chen Pipi stood before the mountain trail in the fog. He looked at Ning Que and smiled, ”Anyway, I'm not sure if you really have the potential to be one of the top three in Talisman Taoism history. But I'm sure that you'll be the weakest cultivator in the Knowing Destiny State even if you entered it. You can only affect the Qi of Heaven and Earth no more than three feet away from you. Would you dare claim that you are a Grand Cultivator then?”
Chen Pipi said this with an emphasis on the words ”Grand Cultivator”.
Ning Que's ability to let words roll off his back had long been trained in the Min mountain and the frontier fortress. He did not mind the sarcastic jibe at all. Instead, he thought about how it was a pity that he hadn't seen the Headmaster of the Academy and the eldest Senior Brother even though he had been on the Second floor of the academy for months. His progress in cultivation might be even faster if the Headmaster of the Academy would guide him personally.
”When will teacher and Senior Brother return?”
”n.o.body knows.”
”They've been traveling around the world... Surely there must be a time where they will return to this country? It's been more than a year.”
”They've been traveling, taking in the sights and meeting friends. They would, of course, be happier out there than cultivating in the boring back mountain. If I were them, I wouldn't want to come back either.”
Ning Que smiled and asked, ”I heard that the Headmaster brings only Eldest Brother when he travels. Why does he not bring you along? You used to brag that you are his most favored disciple back in the old library. It doesn't seem like it.”
Chen Pipi shook his head and lamented. ”You don't understand. The world admires and respects the Headmaster. No one would dare to disrespect him, especially his students. But no one can be like Eldest Brother who can serve the Headmaster in a way he likes. If it were you, would you bring a spoilt daughter on a trip or a woman who can cook?”
This was such a ludicrous statement, but Ning Que stood in the fog and considered it seriously. After a long deliberation, he answered, ”I'll bring Sangsang. She can not only cook but serve as well.”