I have a composite mirror

Bai Cailing's eyes lit up.

"Did it work?"

She picked up the talisman and examined it carefully.

Although the runes were somewhat clumsy, the overall structure was complete and the spiritual energy flowed smoothly.

This... it's actually a usable water-stabilizing talisman!

Although the quality is only the lowest grade and the effect will probably last less than ten breaths, it is still extremely rare.

You should know that for ordinary people who are just starting out, it's considered good if they succeed once out of dozens of attempts at drawing talismans.

Gu Shenyan succeeded on his first try!

"you……"

Bai Cailing looked at him, her eyes filled with surprise and delight:

"Your talent in talismans is even greater than I imagined!"

"Alright, after the gathering tomorrow, I'll go find you two more detailed books on talismans."

At this point, she thought for a moment and then added:

"Oh, right, there's one more thing I need to tell you."

"Please go ahead, senior."

"I've already discussed it with the president of the Xuanji Society."

Bai Cailing said, "We plan to hunt water monkeys as our next group activity."

"Water monkey?"

Gu Shenyan's heart stirred.

"That's good." Bai Cailing nodded.

"Recently, there have been frequent incidents at the docks, and the government has raised the reward to five hundred silver dollars."

"This sum of money, although it's not much for most members of the Xuanji Society."

"But the president himself intends to take this opportunity to train everyone."

She looked at Gu Shenyan:

"President Xiao Yichen has already graduated from the academy and is twenty-three years old this year. He is already a steward of the Xuanzheng Division."

"Although his cultivation level in the arts is the same as mine, he is only in the late stage of apprenticeship."

However, his martial arts have already broken through to the level of the Fiendish Qi Realm, making him a true Martial Master.

"With him in charge, the success rate of hunting water monkeys is extremely high."

"Thank you for letting me know, senior."

"Don't mention it."

Bai Cailing smiled and said, "Now that I've invested in you, we're practically allied, so naturally I have to tell you this information in advance."

She stood up and saw Gu Shenyan to the door:

"It's getting late, you should go back and rest."

"No classes tomorrow, it's the weekend. Remember to be on time for the gathering."

Gu Shenyan cupped his hands in farewell and turned to leave.

He had told Shi Quan before school ended today that he didn't need to pick him up.

As he walked slowly down the street after leaving the school, his mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts.

The art of talismans is a good approach.

If you can master it, you will not only earn money, but also gain more advantages in battle.

………………

As the sun set, the entire martial arts school was enveloped in a dim, yellowish light.

In the training ground in the front yard, several disciples were practicing their boxing, their shouts rising and falling.

He bypassed the front yard and went straight to the back yard.

As I passed by Gu Sidu's study, I heard voices coming from inside.

"...Qingyun, your progress is truly rapid."

It was Gu Sidu's voice, full of relief:

"It took me a full seven years to cultivate to your level."

"You only took a little over a year; you are truly a genius."

"Thank you for the compliment, Master."

Zhao Qingyun's voice rang out, humble yet tinged with a hint of pride:

"This disciple was just lucky; how could I compare to Master?"

"Hahaha, good!" Gu Sidu laughed. "Humility is a good thing, but one should not underestimate oneself."

"Your talent is evident to your teacher."

"Given time, we will surely bring glory to our Crane Style Boxing School!"

After exchanging a few more words, Gu Shenyan quickened his pace and left.

Back in his room, he closed the doors and windows tightly and blocked the doorway with a chair.

After doing all this, he took out the book "Introduction to Talismans" from his pocket.

Turning to the first page, on the title page, a passage was written in tiny, neat characters:

"The talisman is the command of Heaven and Earth. The register is the record of spirits and deities."

"The way of talismans connects heaven and earth and commands ghosts and gods. It is a side branch of magic, but it is also a lineage of its own."

"Those who study talismans must have a calm mind and focused spirit, and their brushstrokes must be like dragons and snakes, in order to sense the spirit of heaven and earth and gather the power of ghosts and gods."

Gu Shenyan continued scrolling down.

It contains detailed instructions on how to draw various basic talismans.

From the simplest peace charms to slightly more complex talismans for warding off evil and immobilizing the spirit, and then to higher-level talismans for dispelling evil spirits and suppressing demons...

Each talisman comes with detailed illustrations and textual descriptions.

Not only are the direction and pressure of each stroke marked, but the timing and amount of spiritual energy infused are also emphasized.

"I see……"

Gu Shenyan became more and more engrossed in watching.

The art of talismans may seem simple, but it is actually quite complex.

The same talisman can be used by some to suppress demons, but by others it can only be used as waste paper.

The difference lies in the control of spiritual energy.

If too little spiritual energy is injected, the talisman cannot be activated; if too much is injected, the talisman will collapse.

It must be done precisely, without the slightest error, to create a truly effective talisman.

And this is precisely where self-control is most crucial.

"fortunately……"

Gu Shenyan clenched his fist, feeling the water-elemental spiritual energy flowing smoothly within his body.

"After so many days of intensive training in my dream, I'm fairly proficient in controlling my spiritual energy."

"Drawing talismans is something I'm really good at."

As Gu Shenyan thought of this, a sudden inspiration struck him, and a water droplet slowly condensed in his palm.

The water droplets were crystal clear, shimmering under the light.

Gu Shenyan stared at the water droplet, the method of drawing talismans appearing in his mind.

If one were to incorporate their insights into water control into talismans...

He suppressed the thought as soon as it crossed his mind.

Now is not the time; we need to lay a solid foundation first before talking about innovation.

He continued flipping through the booklet.

Halfway through reading, I heard footsteps outside the window.

His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly put the book away.

"Young Master?"

It was Shi Quan's voice.

"Brother Quan, come in."

Shi Quan pushed open the door and entered, carrying a tray in his hand.

There were several dishes and a bowl of white rice on the tray.

"Young master, you haven't had dinner yet, so I've brought it to you."

"That's very thoughtful."

Gu Shenyan took the tray and looked at the dishes on it:

A plate of stir-fried greens, a plate of pickled radishes, and a small bowl of stewed meat.

Although simple, this was considered a decent meal in a martial arts school.

At least, it's better than what the ordinary disciples eat.

"Brother Quan, have you eaten?"

"I've already eaten," Shi Quan chuckled. "Young Master, please eat quickly, the food is getting cold."

Gu Shenyan nodded and picked up his chopsticks.

Shi Quan did not leave, but stood aside, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitating.

"Brother Quan, please speak your mind."