16: Scarlet Blood Talisman Delay Mechanism

The blood of a cultivator, infused with spiritual energy, is far more effective than ordinary cinnabar, though it depletes one’s vital essence and hinders cultivation, so it is rarely used. But at this moment, Yi Fan could not afford such considerations. He ground the blood into ink, dipped his brush in it, calmed his mind, and with a focused spirit drew a small Talisman of Evil Banishment upon the wall, then another at the window.

When this was done, he turned and bowed to Yan Chixia. “Elder Yan, I must ask for your assistance.”

With a resonant hum, Yan Chixia’s sword leapt from his embrace, swimming through the air like a fish before embedding itself into a beam above, where it emitted a faint, silvery glow.

Yi Fan’s face lit up with joy. As expected, Yan Chixia had reserved a trump card. With defenses now in place on all sides, the question was how long they could last.

Outside the hall, a rustling could be heard—the thick roots of the tree demon writhed along the exterior, probing and agitating the talismans on the wall, causing them to shine intermittently.

Moments later, the increasingly frantic roots suddenly slammed against the structure, shaking it violently. The talismans on every side ignited, wisps of blue smoke curling upward, and Yi Fan’s heart leapt to his throat.

Suddenly, a noise came from the rooftop. With a metallic ring, the sword quivered, its radiance flaring, and the disturbance above ceased instantly. Next, the walls in all directions were struck in turn, as if searching for a weakness.

This pattern repeated, the talismans burning up one after another.

“Young Daoist, I shall remember you.”

Dawn was near. Yan Chixia could return at any moment, so the tree demon dared not linger. It left behind these words, and all activity outside vanished.

Yi Fan let out a long breath—he had endured at last.

At this point, Yan Chixia opened his eyes and sniffed the air. “Tree demon?”

With a sudden movement, he burst through the door and vanished into the night sky. In the distance, his voice echoed: “Sword, come!”

The sword trembled fiercely, then transformed into a streak of cold light and shot out. Before long, Yan Chixia returned, sword in hand.

“It still managed to slip away with a fragment of its spirit, but I dealt it a grave wound. Without decades of cultivation, it will never recover.”

Yan Chixia’s gaze fell upon the blood talismans arrayed around him, and his expression changed. He bowed deeply. “Thank you, young friend, for your valiant defense. Without you, the consequences are unthinkable.”

“There’s no need for thanks, Elder,” Yi Fan replied with a smile. “This place is in ruins and unfit for rest. Let us return to the temple for respite.”

“No need. The matter here is settled, but the demon remains at large—I must continue my pursuit.” Yan Chixia hesitated, then said, “I have been tracking a powerful demon all this way. Its soul has fled into the underworld. I was caught in its scheme—it meant for the tree demon to destroy my physical body. Little did it expect your presence, and so its plan failed.”

Yi Fan was startled—there was an even greater demon lurking nearby? “What sort of demon could be so formidable?”

“It is a corpse demon that has cultivated for a thousand years, calling itself the Grand Patriarch of Black Mountain. It haunts the region around Shadow Mountain, preying on all living things. I have battled it for three years, yet never managed to slay it. This time, its avatar emerged for some great purpose, but I discovered it and chased it here,” Yan Chixia said coldly. “No doubt the tree demon’s escape from its seal is the handiwork of that old fiend.”

Grand Patriarch of Black Mountain?

Yi Fan’s heart skipped—so the legends were true. “Elder, I assume you vanquished this demon in the underworld?”

“If only it were so easy. The old fiend’s power shakes the heavens. Unless an elder of the Sword Sect of Mount Shu intervenes, it is nigh impossible to eradicate him.” Yan Chixia sighed and waved his hand. “But enough of this. There is another matter I must ask of you.”

“Please speak, Elder. If it is within my power, I will do it.”

“It’s nothing major. Though I failed to slay the old demon in the underworld, I gathered some intelligence that must be sent to my sect for the elders to decide upon. I cannot deliver it myself, so I must entrust this task to you.”

Yan Chixia took a brocade pouch from his robe and handed it to Yi Fan. “Simply deliver this to the Sword Lodge on Cloud Mountain in Hangzhou. The disciples there will understand once they open it. There’s no rush—deliver it after the spring.”

Hangzhou? Yi Fan’s heart stirred. He had been in this world for years but never traveled afar—this was a perfect reason. Journeying would benefit him as well.

“Rest assured, Elder, I will see it safely delivered.”

“Then I leave it in your hands. I see you practice a secret art of the Supreme Purity Sect, but without the true inheritance—likely from a branch lineage. I have a rare secret technique that I will gift to you.”

With that, Yan Chixia took up his wine gourd and, bathed in the light of dawn, leapt away.

…

After this event, Lanruo Temple, once a renowned monastery between the rivers and lakes, fell into utter ruin. No one dared visit any longer, and it soon became known in rumor as the Ghost Temple.

Even Guobei County grew more dilapidated than before. Merchants and travelers would rather take a detour than pass through these parts. The wealthier families packed up and moved to nearby Jinhua to settle.

Thus, Jinhua began to prosper.

But none of this concerned Yi Fan. At present, he was seated cross-legged in Yitian Temple, back against the statues of the Three Pure Ones, eyes closed in meditation. After a while, he exhaled softly.

It had been over a month since the battle at Lanruo Temple, and his depleted blood had finally been replenished.

Yi Fan opened the system interface.

“Taoist Immortal System”

“Host: Yi Fan”

“Divine Power: Small Talisman of Evil Banishment (Level 1) (Upgrade?)”

“Realm: Purity Heart Sutra (Level 1) (Mingqiao, First Stage) (Upgrade?)”

“Refinement: 176”

“System Message: Good harvest this time—keep up the effort.”

The gains were indeed considerable. After Yan Chixia left, he refined the remaining demon corpses, and the tree demon’s root avatar yielded a vast amount of energy.

After some thought, he chose to upgrade his cultivation realm first. The battle at Lanruo Temple had shown the importance of strength.

It felt as if decades of cultivation passed in an instant—a surge of power flooded his body, clearing hidden meridians and strengthening his channels. Soon, everything stabilized.

“At last, the second stage of Mingqiao.”

Yi Fan exhaled, feeling a hint of excitement. He checked the system; there was not enough energy to upgrade the Small Talisman of Evil Banishment, so he set it aside.

He stood, and on a whim, picked up brush and ink, dipped it in cinnabar, and drew a Small Talisman of Evil Banishment. His strokes flowed smoothly; he repeated the process four or five times before feeling fatigued.

His strength had grown more than twofold, and the talisman’s power had increased as well—each one shimmered with a faint glow, and in his hand, felt almost tangible.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Yi Fan put down his brush and opened it to find a servant standing outside.

“Master Daoist, young master sent me to inform you that a boat to Hangzhou will depart early in three days. Everything has been arranged.”

The servant bowed hastily at the sight of Yi Fan.

Yi Fan nodded. He had asked the Chen family to keep an eye out for a vessel, and was surprised to receive news so soon.

Though the year’s end was near, it would take over a month to reach Hangzhou—a long and arduous journey. Any delays would make it even longer. Best to set out early and not miss the deadline for delivering the pouch.