Yuan Mobai was usually gentle and easygoing, but when it came to teaching, he adhered strictly to method. At this moment, as he passed the Spirit Talisman techniques to Lei Jun, everything began from the very basics.
So Lei Jun followed his instruction, first bathing and changing clothes, then clearing his mind, hands, and mouth, arranging incense, candles, fruits, and tea as offerings, before burning incense and praying to Heaven and Earth.
Afterwards, he chanted blessings over the water and talisman ink, the brush and the talisman paper, and only then did he begin intoning incantations and drawing the Spirit Talisman with the brush.
Yuan Mobai started with a simple introduction, then demonstrated in person, followed by detailed guidance, and finally allowed Lei Jun to craft talismans himself, standing by to oversee the process.
Thus, Lei Jun straightened his robes, stepping up to the incense altar.
In the censer, incense sticks had burned into threads of blue smoke, swirling upward, enveloping the altar front and back.
Lei Jun lifted his Talisman Brush, dipped it in cinnabar to use as Talisman Ink, the brush tip hovering above the yellow talisman paper.
"With the first stroke, the world stirs..."
Lei Jun murmured, setting down his first stroke.
"With the second stroke, the Ancestor's Sword is called..."
Lei Jun circled around the altar, pausing with each step, and set down the second stroke.
"With the third stroke, all foul and evil spirits are banished a thousand miles!"
He circled the altar again, step by step, stopping with each step to make a stroke.
In this way—three stops, three strokes—the header portion of the talisman incantation was formed.
Strands of Spiritual Energy, plainly emanated from the yellow paper.
Lei Jun's gaze was focused, his spirit concentrated, his brush moving smoothly as he made several more strokes, rapidly completing the core and other parts.
At last, he wrote the talisman's base, and a Spirit Talisman was fully formed before him.
But the entire process was not yet finished.
Lei Jun reversed the brush so the handle pointed up and the tip down, striking the talisman paper three times.
"By my command!"
Lei Jun pressed his finger onto the talisman incantation.
The talisman was complete, fluttering despite the absence of wind, blue smoke gathering and dispersing.
Lei Jun happened to finish circling the altar, returning to his starting point, and stood firmly, solemnly setting the brush back upon the altar.
He next held the talisman respectfully and circled the incense censer three times.
On the yellow talisman paper, it seemed faint flickers of Spirit Light emerged.
Lei Jun extended a finger, channeling his own mana.
Threads of mana coalesced at his fingertip, vaguely forming a seal-like mark.
This so-called "seal" was stamped atop the yellow cinnabar talisman, causing the Spirit Talisman's light to draw inward, its divine charm hidden within.
Only then did Lei Jun finally exhale deeply, a smile appearing on his face.
*At the same time, he felt the mana he had just refined was nearly spent, and even his spirit was somewhat depleted.*
But he had successfully made his very first talisman!
"To succeed on your first try, Chongyun, you truly have talent for our Sect's Daoist Talismans," Yuan Mobai nodded with a gentle smile from the side.
Lei Jun said, "It was all thanks to your guidance."
He followed Yuan Mobai's teachings, sitting in meditation to recover for a moment.
Soon, some of the essence, energy, and spirit he spent making the talisman was restored.
Considering his current cultivation realm, Lei Jun found that he ought not craft talismans more than three times a day for now.
As his cultivation grew deeper, he would then gradually be able to make more per day.
Speaking of which, although he succeeded with his first Spirit Talisman, his later attempts did sometimes fail, yet overall his success rate was clearly rising.
From the ritual and procedural standpoint, crafting talismans in the Daoist Talisman Sect was far from simple—especially when the cultivator's realm was shallow and mana newly forged.
However, once the talisman connected with nature, invoking the laws of Heaven and Earth, with proper preparation, a written Spirit Talisman could often produce power far beyond the cultivator's current realm.
And as long as materials, mana, energy, and time were sufficient, the capable were free to craft and store multiple talismans for later use.
After a period of time, once Lei Jun had become familiar with most of the Celestial Master Mansion's basic Spirit Talismans, it was during one late session that Yuan Mobai lectured,
"Not only our Sect, but practitioners from every school can choose to cultivate their own life-bound magic art."
"Within our Sect, disciples choose the same or different Spirit Talismans to become their respective life-bound magic arts."
The Celestial Master Mansion's Talisman Scripture recorded myriad Spirit Talismans; one could learn as many as one was able and had time for, selecting one or several to serve as life-bound magic arts. This did not restrict the study or refinement of other talismans. Rather, when a cultivator crafted their life-bound Spirit Talismans, the process became swifter, more convenient, more powerful, less draining, and the chance of success higher.
This principle was shared by all cultivation practices in the world, including the Daoist Talisman Sect, when it came to choosing life-bound magic arts.
First, within the bounds of a single great realm, one could only forge a single life-bound magic art.
In other words, a cultivator at the Third Heavenly Layer could possess three life-bound magic arts, while a cultivator at the First Heaven Layer—forged in the Qi Refinement Realm—was limited to just one.
Second, as the saying goes, "movement techniques must be unified." When cultivating a magic art, it must harmonize with one's fundamental Taoist Law foundation; otherwise, the spell's potency will be lost, and for life-bound magic, it must be entirely consistent with the cultivator's root dharma.
Third, once a life-bound magic art was cultivated, it merged with one's very existence, and generally could not be swapped or altered.
While one's realm might be low and the spell correspondingly so, as cultivation advanced, the life-bound magic art would also evolve, its power increasing; so there was no need to worry about it becoming obsolete or outdated.
The requirement of "movement techniques must be unified" was also to facilitate the elevation of cultivated life-bound magic arts in the future.
"Usually, the transmission disciples of our Sect select among the following to serve as life-bound Talisman Skills: Golden Barrier Talisman, Divine Strike Talisman, Wind Riding Talisman, Thunderclap Talisman, Blazing Flame Talisman, Binding Body Talisman, Evil-Repelling Talisman, Purifying Heart Talisman, and Sealing Talisman."
Yuan Mobai smiled, "Now that you've attained the Second Heavenly Layer, you're able to refine two life-bound Talisman Arts. Which do you intend to choose?"
Lei Jun pondered, "Master, what are your thoughts?"
Yuan Mobai said, "My lineage emphasizes body and magic in concert, more so than our peers. As a result, both your senior brother and I chose the Divine Strike Talisman as our initial life-bound First Art."
From the day one entered as a Tao Boy, the Celestial Master Mansion's teaching in this world stressed training the body's vital energy and blood, imparting exquisite Taoist martial skills.
The Divine Strike Talisman further elevated a cultivator's comprehensive physical abilities atop that foundation.
Choosing the Divine Strike Talisman as a life-bound skill, one's results were extra pronounced.
Lei Jun replied, "I'd also like to select Divine Strike Talisman as my life-bound First Art."
Firstly, it synergized well with the Mansion's other peerless disciplines.
Secondly, enhancement of overall physical attributes improved one's capabilities to adapt, which would be key in handling unknown, complex, or sudden circumstances.
*Maybe this wasn't as targeted, but Lei Jun favored the philosophy of relying on oneself, of reinforcing his own strengths.*
"Then Divine Strike Talisman shall be your First Art."
Yuan Mobai said with a smile, "As for your Second Art, that's entirely your own decision. Every person is different, and when choosing life-bound magic, one should not only consider what fits one's Taoist law, but also one's temperament."
Lei Jun nodded.
*Still, from what he knew, among the most favored basic Spirit Talismans of the Mansion's disciples, the Golden Barrier Talisman ranked first. Many picked it, even if not as their First Art, at least as Second or Third.*
This was a talisman used for protection and defense; despite being a basic type, its defensive power was extremely formidable.
A disciple of the Celestial Master Mansion who chose the Golden Barrier Talisman as their life-bound skill could even withstand simultaneous attacks from multiple same-realm foes for a short time.
Truly worthy of the name: as solid as golden soup, a lone warrior guarding the pass.
Beyond the Daoist Talisman Sect, all major traditions admired the Mansion's Golden Barrier Talisman, regarding it as the finest defensive tool for low-realm cultivators.
Even if a Mansion heir had no use for it themselves, trading or gifting the Golden Barrier Talisman to disciples of other sects made it the most sought-after basic Spirit Talisman.
Living secluded in the family's ancestral land or within the sect's mountain gate was one thing; but out in the world, one's own life and safety were the most precious...
*As Lei Jun considered, unexpectedly, the orb within his mind suddenly pulsed and issued forth words,*
[Every magic art choice carries advantages and drawbacks, fortune and disaster are hidden within. Beware blindly following the crowd.]
Soon after, three lots flew out of the orb, their fate-grades displayed in Lei Jun's consciousness,
[Moderately good lot, choose Wind Riding Talisman as Second Art, matches your own studies. In cultivation, you gain an extra seventh-rank opportunity and face no future worries. Auspicious.]
[Perfectly neutral lot, choose a Second Art other than Wind Riding or Golden Barrier from the talisman arts, matches your own studies. No extra gains, but no loss or hidden danger. Average.]
[Moderately unlucky lot, choose Golden Barrier Talisman as Second Art, matches your own studies, but harbors concealed danger and hidden peril. Inauspicious.]