Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

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That night, Li Yuan opened the first jar of body-refining medicine in the low house.

Iron Bone Liquid.

As soon as the wax seal on the mouth of the jar was lifted, a pungent medicinal smell immediately wafted out, so strong it was irritating.

The liquid is dark brown and viscous. When poured into a wooden basin, it clings noticeably to the sides and flows very slowly.

Li Yuan poured the medicine in, then added water, took off his clothes, and sat inside.

The medicinal liquid covered the waist and abdomen, and the temperature was not high; it was even a bit cool when the medicine was put into the water.

But after three breaths, the coolness disappeared.

The medicine began to seep into the skin.

It's not the feel of water when you're taking a bath; it's a kind of penetrating sensation with a sense of pressure.

The medicine penetrates through the pores on the skin's surface, passes through subcutaneous fat, and acts directly on the muscle layer.

Li Yuan's forearms were the first to react. The muscles tensed, and a layer of fine red dots appeared on the skin, as if something was pushing them out from the inside. Next, similar red dots appeared in patches on his chest, abdomen, and back.

It wasn't painful, but the soreness was intense, like all my muscles were being kneaded forcefully at the same time.

The permanent effect of the refined medicinal properties was working in secret. The active ingredients in the medicine were absorbed more efficiently, while impurities and residue were pushed to the skin's surface, forming a layer of grayish-black grime.

Two hours later, the color of the medicinal liquid changed from dark brown to light yellow, indicating that the medicinal effect had been almost completely absorbed. Li Yuan stood up from the basin, and the layer of grayish-black grime on his skin was easily swept away with a cleansing spell.

The muscles have indeed become firmer.

It wasn't the dull, compressed feeling of tempering the body with malevolent energy, but rather a more even and dense sensation, as if the gaps between muscle fibers were being filled with a layer of medicinal power.

On the second day, they used Xuanjia Decoction, and on the third day, they used Chisui Paste.

The three medicinal solutions offer different experiences. Xuanjia Decoction is quite warming; after soaking in it, the whole body feels like it's being roasted on fire, and the skin turns bright red. Its medicinal effects are mainly concentrated in the bones and joints. Chisuijiang is the mildest of the three, with no noticeable discomfort, but it penetrates the deepest, with its medicinal power drilling into the bone marrow along the bone joints.

The permanent attainment of the Iron Wall Body Tempering Technique requires each of the three different formulas to complete a full tempering cycle.

One soak is just the beginning; a complete cycle requires continued soaking. Furthermore, it necessitates subsequent exercise, digestion, and physical adaptation.

But at least, all three formulas have already started their first round.

In the days that followed, after reequipping the Soul-Illuminating Mirror, Li Yuan focused most of his energy back on talisman making.

The Fireball Talisman has been steadily accumulating in the mastery stage, with a success rate maintained at around 70%.

The other types of talismans are catching up rapidly.

The Rejuvenation Talisman was drawn the most, and the progress of the Vajra Talisman was also increasing. The spiritual patterns of this talisman are more complex than those of the Fireball Talisman, and the success rate is slower, but the experience points for talisman making are much higher for each one than for basic talismans.

[Rejuvenation Charm: Proficient (7/400)]

[Vajra Talisman: Proficient (3/400)]

Each breakthrough in a talisman would bring a surge in overall proficiency, and switching between different types would increase proficiency faster than specializing in one. Drawing the six talismans in turn, the talisman-making progress bar advanced at a visible speed.

On the sixth night.

Li Yuan spread out a piece of blue-patterned paper, dipped it in spirit ink, and drew a fireball talisman.

The feeling of this talisman is different from the very first stroke.

It's not that a specific aspect has improved, but rather that the overall feeling has changed.

In the past, when drawing talismans, there was a very short "confirmation" process between each spiritual rune—after finishing the previous one, I would quickly go through the position and force of the next one in my mind before putting pen to paper. This process was so short that it was almost imperceptible in normal times, but it did exist.

This process has now disappeared.

The moment the previous line is finished, the wrist automatically moves to the starting position of the next line, and the flow of spiritual energy is adjusted in sync, without needing to think about it.

It's like going from drawing stroke by stroke to writing in one breath.

The six spiritual patterns were completed in one go. When the core of the talisman was gathered, the spiritual power was contained within, and the crimson luster that rose on the surface of the talisman was more stable than any other one before.

The panel popped up.

[Tier 1 Runecrafting: Proficient (0/800)]

Li Yuan picked up the fireball talisman and looked at it twice.

The arrangement of the spirit runes was almost flawless; the thickness, depth, and spacing of each line were just right. This was not the result of his deliberate pursuit, but rather a natural outcome that came naturally after his hand had reached this level.

proficient.

The threshold mentioned by Master Fu.

Li Yuan placed the talisman on the corner of the table, put down the talisman brush, and stood up.

When I stepped out of the low house, it was just getting light.

Manager Liu was squatting under the wooden shed boiling water. The iron kettle was placed on a blackened stone, and white steam was coming out of the spout.

Li Yuan sat down on the stone stool opposite him.

There's something I want to tell you.

Manager Liu poked at the embers under the fire with a tree branch and glanced up at him.

"explain."

"I'm going to the Talisman Hall to take the assessment."

Manager Liu paused for a moment while holding the branch.

He didn't reply immediately, but tapped the branch on the ground twice to knock off the charcoal ash from his head before slowly speaking.

He used a tree branch to draw a circle around the mine.

"With three of us looking at this huge area, and two mid-level first-tier monsters coming at us, the three of us can't even run away properly."

"But once you leave, they'll most likely send two more people to replace you. Mines can't be left unattended, even if the output isn't large."

Manager Liu picked up the iron kettle and poured a bowl of water for each of them.

"Besides, even if you get into the Talisman Hall, it doesn't mean you can sit in the back and draw talismans peacefully."

Manager Liu pushed the bowl of water in front of Li Yuan.

"In the current situation, most of the talisman masters have been sent to the central area to guard against monsters and the Li family while making talismans."

He took a sip of water and pointed at Li Yuan with the rim of the bowl.

"Especially someone as capable as you. The higher-ups can't just leave you in the rear and waste your potential. They might send you back again."

Li Yuan picked up the bowl and took a sip.

The water is a little hot.

"Then I'm leaving."

Manager Liu waved his hand.

"Let's go, let's go. If you should go, then go. Stop dawdling."

He spoke impatiently, but his hand reached into a wooden box next to him and pulled out a cloth bag, which he then handed over.

"The spirit stones from the mine, plus your daily wages for guarding the area and the rewards for killing monsters, are all included here."

Li Yuan took it, didn't count it on the spot, and put it into his storage bag.

"Where are Lao Zhou and Sun Liang?"

"Old Zhou is mining inside the cave, and Sun Liang has gone on patrol." Manager Liu leaned back. "If you want to say hello, wait until they return."

"No."

Li Yuan stood up.

"Just tell them for me."

Manager Liu grunted in agreement and then picked up his bowl to drink some water.

"Go."

The next morning, Li Yuan packed all his belongings and left the mine.

Head along the gravel slope towards the Wang family headquarters. Manager Liu had roughly mentioned the location of the Talisman Hall; it's in an area north of the Wang family headquarters, not in the same direction as the Treasure Pavilion.

After walking for most of the day, the number of cultivators on the road gradually increased.

After passing several checkpoints, a fork in the road appeared ahead. The left path led towards the Wang family headquarters and the treasure pavilion, while the right path turned into an area that Li Yuan had never been to before.

There is a stone tablet at the intersection with two characters engraved on it: Fu Tang.

Li Yuan walked forward along the road on the right.

Less than a mile later, under an old tree by the roadside, a man was squatting on the ground examining a roll of animal hides.

He wore a gray-blue cloth robe, and his fingers were stained with cinnabar.

Yu Fushi.

Upon hearing footsteps, Master Yu looked up, recognized Li Yuan, and stood up.

Why are you coming this way?

"Go to the Talisman Hall."

Master Yu was taken aback.

"What are you going to the talisman hall for?"

"Participate in the assessment."

Master Yu's gaze lingered on Li Yuan for a few moments, his lips twitching slightly as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he simply nodded.

"Then go ahead."

He bent down, picked up the animal hide from the ground, rolled it up, and dusted himself off. The two parted ways at the crossroads, with the talisman master walking in another direction.

Li Yuan continued along the road.

The trees ahead gradually grew denser, and the stone path became smoother. The outlines of several courtyards could be vaguely seen, hidden among the trees.