Yet, for now, he didn't have many grand ambitions, nor a clear goal in mind. He was still somewhat bewildered, adopting a take-one-step-at-a-time approach.
I should first observe and explore the Destiny Panel for a while, striving to fully understand all its functions and discover its various uses, Shen Mo mused. During this time, I might as well start a side venture, study Alchemy, and the art of talisman making, to accumulate skills for securing future cultivation resources.
According to his understanding of the cultivation world, the so-called path of cultivation was a voracious one, akin to devouring heavens and earth. One had to consume countless spiritual medicines and resources to have any hope of advancing one's cultivation. Therefore, earning money and mastering methods to do so, achieving a balance between income and expenditure, was the foremost priority in cultivation.
As the sun began to set, Shen Mo and Cao Ren's shift ended. Two peripheral disciples replaced them for the night watch duty at the mountain gate. After leaving the mountain gate, the two went straight to the square. Shen Mo urged Cao Ren to fetch the elixir recipes and talisman scrolls, while he himself waited in the square for Cao Ren to return.
Not long after, Cao Ren arrived as promised, carrying several thick volumes he had found in his father's dwelling.
"Here are the items, check them out!"
Shen Mo accepted the elixir recipes and talisman scrolls from Cao Ren, briefly looking them over. Cao Ren had brought four volumes in total: two of talisman scrolls and two of elixir recipes.
The elixir recipes were for the Qi Restoring Pill and Yang-strengthening Powder. Shen Mo had some knowledge of these two elixirs. The Qi Restoring Pill could quickly replenish a cultivator's depleted vital Qi and was the most commonly consumed elixir for Qi Gathering Realm cultivators. The market price for five pills was approximately one Lower Grade Spirit Stone. The main ingredient for this elixir was Orchid Heart Grass.
The Yang-strengthening Powder, on the other hand, had the effect of consolidating one's foundation and cultivating vital essence. It was specifically used by Body Tempering Realm cultivators to aid their cultivation and temper their Qi and blood. The main ingredient for Yang-strengthening Powder was Blood Tiger Grass, a medicinal herb that was quite common and inexpensive. Thus, its market value was not high; about ten doses of Yang-strengthening Powder could be exchanged for one Lower Grade Spirit Stone.
As for the talismans, the scrolls detailed the creation of the Lightness Talisman and the Mind Concentration Talisman. The Lightness Talisman, as its name implied, could grant the user Swallow's Grace, speeding up travel. The Mind Concentration Talisman was specifically for cultivators with restless minds to use during cultivation, providing a calming effect.
According to the classifications in the cultivation world, elixirs and talismans were graded from Grade I to Grade IX. Grade I was the lowest, and Grade IX was the highest. These two elixir recipes and talisman scrolls were ungraded; they were just very basic items. However, for Shen Mo, who was new to these things, they were perfectly suitable.
"Alright, I'll take these," Shen Mo confirmed, then took out a Jade Vase from his robes and carefully poured out a Qi Gathering Pill. "I'll trade you this elixir for them."
"Thank you." Cao Ren accepted the Qi Gathering Pill, grinning from ear to ear, and cupped his fist towards Shen Mo in salute.
The two quickly parted ways, and Shen Mo hurried back to his dwelling along the stone steps without stopping.
Upon returning to his dwelling, Shen Mo began to rummage through his belongings, pulling out all his possessions. After a careful inventory, he found that the original owner had left him six Lower Grade Spirit Stones, seven and a half kilograms of spiritual rice, two bundles of Class I demonic beast meat weighing about ten kilograms, forty taels of gold, twenty-four taels of silver, and an ungraded but very sharp Longsword.
Besides these, there was a brush for making talismans, over fifty kilograms of beast blood, nearly forty kilograms of Sandalwood Ink, and a pile of yellow paper for talismans that stood half as tall as a person. The brush, beast blood, and Sandalwood Ink—these tools for talisman making—did not belong to the original owner but were left by his parents. It was a sort of inheritance.
After taking stock of his possessions, Shen Mo thought, I don't have the raw materials for Alchemy. I should start with making talismans first.
Actually, the medicinal ingredients required for both the Qi Restoring Pill and the Yang-strengthening Powder were extremely cheap. A couple of Spirit Stones would buy a large quantity at the Market. What really made Shen Mo abandon the idea of learning Alchemy first wasn't a lack of ingredients, but rather—he didn't have a cauldron!
Although Orchid Heart Grass and Blood Tiger Grass were easy to procure, a cauldron was quite expensive. Even a cauldron of barely passable quality, just sufficient for Alchemy, would cost at least thirty Lower Grade Spirit Stones. The sum total of Shen Mo's wealth was insufficient for a single cauldron. Therefore, compared to making talismans, the entry barrier for Alchemy was much higher.
Of course, not all cultivators who practiced Alchemy purchased their own cauldrons. Some poorer cultivators who couldn't afford one would often go to the Market at the foot of the mountain. There, an Alchemy Pavilion had been established specifically for those who were hard-pressed for funds and couldn't afford a cauldron. By paying a rental fee, they could borrow a cauldron from the Alchemy Pavilion to perform Alchemy.
Creating a Lightness Talisman...
Shen Mo placed the talisman scroll for the Lightness Talisman on the desk before him and leaned over it, reading it carefully several times. Only after he had memorized it thoroughly did he begin his attempt.
SQUISH. SQUISH.
He picked up the brush, dipped it in a suitable amount of Sandalwood Ink, and began to draw the outline on the yellow paper. This process required extreme care; any mistake would ruin the talisman, rendering it ineffective. Shen Mo drew very slowly, taking a full hour just to complete the outline.
Next, he began to dip the brush into the demonic beast blood to perform the spirit enlightenment for the Lightness Talisman. Only after completing the spirit enlightenment would the talisman possess its mystical effects.
HUM!
As the beast blood dripped and traced runes on the talisman paper, the talisman began to emit a faint humming sound. Soon, a message appeared before Shen Mo's eyes.
[You attempted to create the talisman: Lightness Talisman. Failure.]
"It didn't work." Shen Mo tossed the brush aside, feeling quite frustrated. An hour of effort had been wasted just like that.
But soon, new information arrived.
[Your Talisman Path experience +2]
[Your Lightness Talisman proficiency +3]
"Talisman Path experience? Lightness Talisman proficiency?" Shen Mo paused, surprised, and quickly opened the Destiny Panel to take a closer look.
Indeed! He was surprised to discover two new entries in his data: [Talisman Path] and [Lightness Talisman].
Currently, under the data display, Shen Mo's attributes were clearly visible.
[Talisman Path (Grade V) 2/500]
[Lightness Talisman (Unfamiliar) 3/100]
Talisman Path should refer to the overall ability to create all talismans. Improving this stat will greatly benefit my creation of all talismans!
And the proficiency in this Lightness Talisman should increase my success rate and speed when creating Lightness Talismans.
Shen Mo quickly made his assessment, a smile spreading across his face. His initial frustration instantly vanished, replaced by a surge of motivation!
Who could resist a life with a progress bar?
In fact, many people couldn't persist not because of laziness, but because they saw no feedback. But Shen Mo, spurred on by the progress bar, naturally wouldn't slack off.
He immediately began his next attempt at creating the talisman!