Grandpa, times have changed.

Chapter 559 The sluggish talisman-making industry, supernatural foundation building?
No, no!

He couldn't hide his expression, and Xiao Zhao noticed.

"Hehe!" Chi Jiuyu scratched his head and said simply, "Actually, it's nothing, it's just that I've made a tiny bit of progress in my cultivation of talismanic arts recently..."

To prevent Zhao Ruohan from disbelieving, she raised her hand and gently pointed to the side.

hum!
Within the straight, shooting white beam, streaks of crimson-gold runes meandered through the void, accompanied by blazing flames.

Soon, a faint phantom of an ancient sword appeared amidst the crimson flames, and in an instant, it solidified, revealing even the ancient inscriptions etched on the sword.

The sharp edge, imbued with scorching heat, seemed capable of tearing apart anything in its path.

Snapped!
Chi Jiuyu casually snapped his fingers, and the firelight and sword shadows vanished.

"Wow! Pretty impressive, huh!" Chi Jiuyu said smugly to Zhao Ruohan.

For cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage, the power of this technique is only so-so.

However, what Chi Jiuyu wanted to demonstrate was not its power, but the realm of 'Fusing Talismans with Sword'.

This is not the "Scripture Sword Manual" that she forcibly created on the night she arrived, relying on her powerful swordsmanship and talent.

Rather, it was the result of studying the "Yanxu Chandao Fushu" over the past few days, gradually filling in the gaps in his foundation in talismanic arts, and finding a balance between swordsmanship and talismanic arts, thus achieving a state of perfect integration between the two.

The cultivation of the Talisman Sword lineage, apart from the initial basic stage of learning 'talismans' and 'swords', involves...

It can be roughly divided into several stages: sword reflecting talisman light, sword embracing talisman form, talisman fusion with sword, talisman scripture and sword weave, and sword and talisman ruins.

There was another phase that Chi Jiuyu found particularly abstract, yet undeniably cool—

A thousand talismans are contained within a single sword; the sword script refines the true essence of talismans.

According to Sister Qianqian, the reason why the last stage was named this way was purely to give people a mysterious and awesome feeling.

To put it simply, it's all about showing off...

Gee!

That's absolutely right!
Chi Jiuyu wholeheartedly agrees with this reason!
Moreover, she had already inquired and found that among the cultivators of the Supreme Dao Sect who practiced 'talisman swords,' no one had reached this level from scratch faster than her...

emm...

However, since she was a sword cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage, she couldn't be considered to have truly created something from nothing.

In short, she originally planned to continue hiding for a while longer.

But now that Xiao Zhao has doubts, and given the confidentiality regulations regarding the Ascension Messenger, they simply revealed it.

This would also dispel her doubts.

"..." Zhao Ruohan remained silent for a while.

Although after observing for the past few days, she has discovered that Chi Jiuyu is also secretly rolling around.

But regardless, to have reached the level of 'Sword Fusion with Talismans' in such a short time...

To be honest, it's a bit of an exaggeration.

"Congratulations."

"Oh! It's really nothing." Chi Jiuyu said casually. "It's just a little progress, but I'm still far from being able to actually use it."

She has only just begun to learn the art of 'Spellblade', and given her current situation, what she has learned so far is not even of any auxiliary function.

Even wildly slashing with a sword is more effective than these fancy-looking gadgets.

Only when her talisman skills improve and she truly comprehends the essence of the 'talisman sword' lineage can it become her means of attack and a killing move when facing enemies!
“But it should be useful in other areas,” Zhao Ruohan said.

She remembered that Chi Jiuyu was not practicing the art of talismans to enhance his combat power, but rather to make money by creating talismans.

"Don't even mention it," Chi Jiuyu said, pursing her lips.

She had just been full of enthusiasm, but now she lay down on the stone table, stretched out her arms and hugged half of it, looking utterly hopeless.

"I haven't sold a single one of the talismans I made before."

The talisman-making industry was even more depressed than she had imagined.

After studying for a period of time and gaining a certain foundation in talismanic arts, she went to the relevant institution of the Supreme Daoist Sect to take the talismanic master certificate exam.

Then I made some popular auxiliary talismans that sold well, and created a new account to test their effectiveness.

After so many days, not a single one has been sold...

"Ah~"

The essence of low- to mid-range talismans is to seal away extraordinary powers such as spells and supernatural abilities, and then release them with low or no loss when needed.

But nowadays, assembly line-style talisman-making factories are not only more efficient and produce more consistent results, but most importantly, they are also cheaper!

Furthermore, the current era is relatively peaceful, and most cultivators do not fight each other to the death at the drop of a hat, so the demand for talismans is even lower.

The talisman-making industry is naturally in a slump...

"You'll be able to make money eventually," Zhao Ruohan encouraged.

"Don't worry!" Chi Jiuyu sat up straight again. "We're not the kind of people who get discouraged easily. We've already made our choice, so we're going to keep going!"

There was nothing she could do; she had no choice.

Seeing that she seemed to have cheered up again, Zhao Ruohan didn't dwell on the topic and instead said:

The reason I came to see you today is that there's something I want to tell you.

Chi Jiuyu blinked: "What?"

But secretly, she was relieved that she had managed to keep it a secret.

Xiao Zhao has a keen eye for observation; these past few days he's even discovered what I've been secretly working on...

Fortunately, my disguise was clearly superior!
"What I'm about to say, you probably already know," Zhao Ruohan paused, "is about... the Ascension Messengers."

The third batch of ascendants has been selected, and some of the corresponding confidentiality regulations have been lifted.

At the very least, revealing one's identity to the third batch of Ascension Messengers is perfectly acceptable.
Ascension... Messenger?
Chi Jiuyu was a little confused and didn't react for a moment.

Then Zhao Ruohan continued:

"I'll be starting my mission tomorrow, so you'll probably have to manage your own time after that. I've prepared some information and I'll send it to you later; you can take a look when you have time..."

No!

Hearing this, Chi Jiuyu finally came to her senses.

"No, it's not you! But it's me! You're clearly not on the list of the third batch of Ascension Messengers!"

She even started to stutter a little.

"I'm in the second batch."

Chi Jiuyu: "..."

"In two more days, you should be able to get the lists of the first and second batches of Ascension Messengers."

Xiao Zhao... is he in the second batch?
"So, could it be that the selection of these ascension envoys is based on the Immortal Sect Grand Competition...?"

"Ah."

"..."

There was silence for a while.

Hey!
I should have joined the Nascent Soul group back then!

Why bother with the exceptional promotion to the Nascent Soul stage?!
……

……

Mission World 1.

Qixing.

On the boundless sea, dark clouds completely covered the sky, and waves surged endlessly.

It was drizzling, and lightning bolts kept moving through the dark clouds.

The oppressive atmosphere was chilling, and the towering waves, hundreds of meters high, seemed insignificant against the dark sea.

Beneath the heavy, dark clouds, several figures dressed in specially made pure white combat uniforms stood in mid-air, their uniforms adorned with eerie blue patterns.

The leader was tall and slender, with features that looked as if they had been carved by a knife, and bright eyes.

He held a straight horizontal sword in his hand, its crystal-clear blade resembling a gemstone, its entire body a deep blue.

The menacing blade light flickered and shimmered, filling the area beneath the dark clouds with a chilling aura. Behind the young man, a woman with a high ponytail, delicate features, and a curvaceous figure looked at him with eyes full of admiration.

'The captain's cultivation level is even more terrifying...'

She sighed to herself, checked the time, and then slowly flew forward.

"Captain, it's time."

"Ah."

The man nodded slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on the sea below.

It seems as if one can see the enormous creature hidden beneath the surface of the inky black sea.

'Deep Sea Whale King...'

'Judging by the time, he should be at the peak of Qi Refining by now, about to enter the Foundation Establishment stage.'

According to his memories from his previous life, Foundation Establishment consumes an extremely high amount of energy, which is why he devours blood and flesh on a massive scale, triggering catastrophic tsunamis.

'But his existence was also discovered by Heng during this process, who then launched a nuclear attack.'

However, the Deep Sea Whale King did not die; instead, it broke through its limits and achieved Foundation Establishment in one fell swoop!

"After recovering from his injuries, his confidence soared, and he even boasted that he would unleash a tsunami to completely submerge the land."

'But he underestimated the technology of the Apocalyptic civilization and was ultimately locked onto by an extraterrestrial orbital cannon and blasted to death.'

He recalled information about the deep-sea whale king in his mind.

He himself was only at the peak of Qi Refining, and the Deep Sea Whale King should have been his most powerful opponent at this stage, however...

The thought of a powerful figure at the peak of the Void Returning Realm sitting outside the planet made him feel no nervous at all.

Hey~
Zhou Xian looked up at the sky.

I couldn't help but recall what happened many years ago, and I still felt somewhat speechless.

At that time, he had just obtained his original talent and unlocked the cheat code that could refine and enhance his talent, and he was in a high-spirited stage.

He felt that he would definitely be able to stop the 'Destroyer's' plot in the future.

however……

The 'Destroyer of Worlds' then appeared...

He was completely stunned!

Fuck it!
Shouldn't the 'Destroyer of Worlds' be the ultimate boss that appears in the final stage?!

I've just spawned at the starting point and am still developing in the newbie village. Where would I find a boss that comes to block the newbie village right at the start of the game?

It's all so heartbreaking to think about!
I thought I would have to send it out right at the beginning of the process.

However, the "Destroyer of Worlds" solemnly explained that he was not a "Destroyer of Worlds" at all, but rather someone who came to guide the newly born Star People to enter the path of cultivation.

His so-called past life memories are also false; they were fabricated by the will of the world.

He also said that the new Star People were born thanks to his efforts.

Faced with the sincere explanation from the ultimate boss, the 'Destroyer of Worlds,' he naturally...

No news!

He vividly remembered all the experiences from his past life, and every hardship he endured was etched in his memory. How could it be fake?

However, at that time, circumstances were beyond our control.

If he chose not to believe, he feared he would be slapped to death by the enraged 'Destroyer of Worlds,' so he had no choice but to pretend that he believed.

As a result, he was killed once.

Of course, he came back to life later.

However, that incredibly realistic experience of death, and the feeling that all his heroic ambitions had vanished, brought him back to his senses in time.

Hey~
Zhou Xian sighed again in his heart.

Compared to the vague and ethereal memories of a past life, the threats of reality are more disheartening.

The ultimate boss is blocking the door!

What could he possibly do?

Could it be that he really killed me with one sword?

Anyway, he didn't want to die.

Fortunately, according to the Destroyer, his past life memories were calculated by the world's will based on everything that exists, and most of them can be used as a reference.

He wouldn't completely lose his advantage of 'foresight'...

Umm~!

Suddenly, a strange, ethereal, and deep sound emanated from beneath the inky black sea.

The air within a radius of dozens of miles spontaneously vibrated and distorted, and the flowing spiritual energy oscillated at a high frequency. The power contained within was enough to cause the spiritual power of cultivators below the third level of Qi Refining to surge violently and their spiritual sea to collapse.

Zhou Xian suppressed his turbulent thoughts and looked down at the churning sea once more.

Wow!
The inky black sea arched upwards, and a pale blue beam of light slowly emerged, tens of meters wide, extending hundreds of meters below the surface.

"Captain, a high level of psionic energy has been detected. It is 69 meters wide and 399 meters long."

Behind Zhou Xian was a man with a solemn expression. He wore a strange device that resembled a monocle, with lines of data constantly flashing on the lens.

Because it possesses Zhou Xian's past life memories, and is supported by Heng's powerful computing capabilities.

The Qixing civilization was not slow in its research on spiritual energy.

High spiritual energy generally refers to the high-quality spiritual power purified by the breathing of spiritual energy by cultivators at the seventh level of Qi Refining.

"The enemy's psionic reserves far exceed expectations. Should we request Level 3 weapon support?"

The weapon tiers of the Qixing Civilization are divided into five levels, with level five being the lowest and level one the highest.

Level 3 refers to nuclear weapons, which can cause widespread destruction.

A level one weapon can even detonate a planet!
Zhou Xian gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his expression grave:

"Need not!"

In his past life, he did not see the Deep Sea Whale King because his cultivation progress was not good.

Seeing that vast, unfathomable ocean of spiritual energy, far surpassing his own high spiritual energy reserves...

It's impossible not to be nervous.

but!

This is also an opportunity!
By using the primordial talent I acquired to devour him, and refining him with the help of the mysterious vortex in my soul, I will surely be able to surpass my limits in one fell swoop!
Devour, transform, utilize...

Once the foundation is established, this primordial talent with limitless potential can be solidified into a divine power, at which point...

With a thought racing, Zhou Xian swooped down, gathering his spiritual power on the horizontal blade in his palm.

A sudden, powerful strike!
Buzz~!

The dark blue blade of light tore the sea apart, revealing the enormous creature hidden beneath.

It was a super-large whale with a single horn on its forehead and its back covered with pale blue crystalline structures.

"Humanity!"

The grand, deep voice transformed into a tangible, distorted sonic wave. The Deep Sea Whale King stared intently at Zhou Xian, his eyes filled with longing.

He could sense it, sensed the immense energy within this human being that he craved.

Just swallow him!
Swallowing him will definitely allow me to cross that extremely difficult-to-surpass boundary!
……

……

"Divine power foundation building..."

Outside Qixing, Zhou Kongming was also watching the battle, a strange look flashing in his eyes.

This method of cultivating supernatural seeds and building a foundation with supernatural powers has too many limitations and is far less comprehensive than the mainstream foundation-building methods. Therefore, it has been eliminated in the Tai Xuan Realm.

However, this world is indeed uniquely blessed, with so many races possessing extraordinary talents. Perhaps it is possible to forge a cultivation system that truly belongs to this world...

"Let's take another look!"

　This chapter is 4,000 words long, and there might be another update later. It depends on whether I can finish writing it; if not, I'll post it tomorrow.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)