Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

Li Yuan temporarily set aside the bamboo slip containing the Spirit Gathering Array Talisman and picked up the booklet on Micro-Controlling Spirit Techniques.

The booklet is not thick, and the content is not complicated.

The key is to break down spiritual energy into multiple independent streams at the fingertips, and the density, direction, and speed of each stream can be controlled individually.

For most cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, this is a refined skill that requires long-term practice.

However, Li Yuan's talisman-making skills had already reached a minor level of mastery. He practiced the operation of distributing spiritual energy through each of his ten fingers every day. The requirements of micro-controlling spiritual arts and the manipulation of spiritual energy during talisman-making highly overlapped; the only difference was that the spell framework systematized these scattered techniques.

Li Yuan followed the instructions in the booklet several times.

The spiritual energy split into six thin streams from the fingertips, each operating independently without interfering with the others.

The panel popped up.

[Spell: Micro-Control of Spirits - Beginner (0/200)]

With such a solid foundation, getting started required almost no effort.

Then, Li Yuan took out the bamboo slip containing the Spirit Gathering Array Talisman and began to look through it.

A typical first-tier low-grade talisman consists of six linearly connected spiritual patterns. One pattern is drawn before the next one is drawn, and the direction of spiritual power is always unidirectional—from the beginning to the end, it follows a single line to the very end.

The spirit-gathering array talisman is different.

Nine spiritual runes, connected end to end, form a closed loop. The spiritual energy doesn't end at the starting point, but continuously circulates within the closed loop.

This means that when drawing the final stroke of the spirit rune, the spiritual energy must perfectly align with the starting stroke of the first spirit rune. Even the slightest deviation will cause the connection to fail, the spiritual energy to dissipate at the closing point, and the entire talisman to be ruined.

The structure itself is not particularly complex, and it shares similarities with the spiritual runes commonly found in talisman-making techniques. However, the combination methods are completely different.

The spirit runes of ordinary talismans are independent, and each spirit rune only needs to perform its own function. The spirit runes of spirit gathering array talismans are interconnected, and any change in the parameters of any spirit rune will affect the other eight.

Like a battle formation.

Li Yuan had previously been equipped with the Bamboo Slips on the Basics of Array Formations, leaving him with some basic concepts of array formations. The core of an array formation is to connect multiple spiritual energy nodes into a network through specific routes, with the nodes influencing and supporting each other to form an overall effect.

The nine-pattern closed loop of the Spirit Gathering Array is essentially a miniature array compressed onto a single talisman.

Li Yuan closed the bamboo slip, spread out a sheet of herbal talisman paper, dipped it in spiritual ink, and picked up the talisman brush.

First one... second one... third one...

Li Yuan finally succeeded on the sixth card.

Li Yuan put down the talisman brush and picked up the talisman paper.

Nine spiritual runes were clearly visible on the rune's surface, with spiritual energy circulating smoothly within them. The flow of the halo was neither too fast nor too slow, indicating that the deceleration function of the second auxiliary spiritual rune was working properly.

The panel popped up.

【Talisman: Spirit Gathering Array Talisman - Beginner Level (3/100)】

At the same time, another panel popped up.

[First-Tier Array Dao - Beginner (4/100)]

The panel showing proficiency in array formations.

The process of creating the Spirit Gathering Array Talisman triggered the panel of the Array Dao system. The structure of the Nine-Patterned Closed Circuit and the basic configuration of the array do have a lot in common. The techniques of connecting spiritual power, interconnecting nodes, and stabilizing the circuit used in the process of creating this talisman are themselves basic operations of the Array Dao.

Li Yuan placed his finger on the talisman.

[Equipable item detected: Spirit Gathering Array Talisman (Complete)]

[Equipment Attribute Preview: Spiritual Energy Gathering (White)]

[Effect: Increases the speed and range of spiritual energy absorption by 10%]

[Preview of conditions for permanentization: Learn both Spirit Gathering Talisman and Spirit Gathering Array, and reach the beginner level in both (0/2)]

White label. The effect isn't particularly strong, but the support for cultivation is continuous.

Permanentization requires both things to be met at the entry level.

Spirit Gathering Talisman and Spirit Gathering Array. One is a talisman, and the other is an array; they belong to two different systems.

The Spirit Gathering Array Talisman is a product of the intersection of the Way of Talismans and the Way of Arrays, but the Spirit Gathering Talisman and the Spirit Gathering Array are two independent things.

Li Yuan carefully put away the talisman; he had no equipment.

There's no rush for white attributes, and the conditions for permanent status can't be met in a short time. Right now, let's practice making Spirit Gathering Array Talismans and improve our proficiency with other talismans at the same time.

In the days that followed, Li Yuan maintained a rapid pace of talisman-making.

I draw three to five spirit-gathering array talismans every day. The success rate is not high, only two or three out of ten are successful, mainly due to the difficulty in handling the closing points. But each failure is an opportunity to accumulate experience, the transition of spiritual energy at the closing points becomes smoother and smoother, and the speed of drawing the spiral structure also increases.

The remaining time was allocated to the rotating production of various first-tier low-grade talismans.

The Meridian Opening Talisman and the Golden Armor Talisman were the first to break through. Li Yuan had already thoroughly mastered the spiritual rune structures of the two talismans; all he lacked was the accumulation of proficiency. After the Micro-Control Spirit Technique improved the precision of spiritual power manipulation, the success rate of these two talismans increased significantly, and the failure rate dropped to less than 10%.

【Talisman: Meridian Opening Talisman - Proficient (0/800)】

[Talisman: Golden Armor Talisman - Proficiency (0/800)]

The Returning Origin Talisman followed closely behind.

[Talisman: Rejuvenation Talisman - Mastery (0/800)]

The progress of the detoxification talisman, breath-gathering talisman, and heart-locking talisman is also steadily advancing. There is still a distance to go before mastering them, but we are making progress every day.

The skill level of the Qi Gathering Talisman increases the fastest.

The spiritual patterns on these talismans are somewhat similar to those of spirit-gathering array talismans, both involving the gathering and guiding of spiritual energy. Drawing the spirit-gathering array talisman before drawing the energy-gathering talisman feels like a smooth, intuitive process.

[Talisman: Qi Gathering Talisman - Proficient (0/400)]

The making of the Divine Refining Talisman is interspersed among daily talisman making.

The spiritual energy consumption of a first-tier high-grade talisman far exceeds that of a first-tier low-grade or mid-grade talisman. Each time a Spirit Refining Talisman is drawn, it requires half an hour of rest to recover spiritual energy. However, the function of the Spirit Refining Talisman is irreplaceable.

Each successful activation of a Divine Refining Talisman releases light that flows into the soul, continuously strengthening its power and resilience.

The entries related to alchemy insights are operating in sync, increasing the strength of the divine soul based on the proficiency of the first-tier alchemy technique. Although Li Yuan hasn't officially started alchemy yet, the basic enhancements from his equipment are already taking effect.

With the soul light tempering provided by the Soul-Illuminating Mirror, the speed of soul strengthening is much faster than relying solely on the Soul-Refining Talisman.

Li Yuan used two Spirit Refining Talismans every day, once in the morning and once in the evening. When activated, the talisman emitted a silvery-white light, which entered his brow. His soul trembled slightly under the light's cleansing influence, then stabilized, becoming slightly thicker than before.

The days passed by.

The overall proficiency in talisman making continued to rise with the rotation of various talismans. The success rate of spirit-gathering array talismans improved from two or three out of ten to four or five out of ten. The handling of the closing point was no longer the biggest challenge; instead, the spiral precision of the second auxiliary spirit rune became the new bottleneck.

But this bottleneck is being worn down day by day.