Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

Over the past few days, my progress in mastering the Micro-Element Meridian Guiding Technique has increased significantly.

After mastering this skill, the speed at which one can open up micro-meridians is much faster than in the proficient stage. Previously, it would take quite a while to work up a single micro-meridian, but now, as long as the spiritual thread finds the entrance and pushes it in, it can usually be opened in just a few breaths.

The number of unopened micro-pulses is decreasing.

In the latter half of the night, Li Yuan sat cross-legged and circulated the Micro-Yuan Guiding Meridian Technique. Spiritual threads separated from the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of his right foot and probed towards an extremely fine micro-meridian on the outer side of the sole.

This tiny vein was ridiculously short; after the spiritual thread touched the entrance, it only took half a breath to pass through.

Next to it was another one, and then another one next to that.

The three micro-veins opened up one after another within a few breaths.

Li Yuan sensed a change—not a change in one place, but a very faint tremor that occurred throughout his entire body.

Those tiny veins scattered throughout the body, from the top of the head to the soles of the feet, from the fingertips to the depths of the spine, seemed to be pulled by the same string, and vibrated slightly at the same time.

Extremely short, extremely light, then returning to calm.

But the feeling after calming down was different from before.

Li Yuan closed his eyes, feeling the flow of spiritual energy within his body.

Previously, when circulating the Hundred Meridians Returning to Origin Technique, spiritual energy flowed through the main and branch meridians. Although most of the micro meridians had been opened, spiritual energy only passively seeped in and did not actively flow through them.

Now, spiritual energy originates from the dantian, travels along the main meridian, and then, without deliberate guidance, naturally permeates every branch and micro-meridian.

His entire body was permeated with spiritual energy.

It wasn't the feeling of being mostly soaked like before, but a thorough, complete soaking without any blind spots.

Previously, there were always a few dark spots, the locations of those unopened micro-channels, where spiritual energy would bypass them, like river water flowing around stones. Now, all the dark spots have disappeared, and spiritual energy flows wherever it goes, without detours or stagnation.

The panel then appeared.

【Technique: Subtle Yuan Meridian Guiding Technique - Mastery (498/800)】

But Li Yuan didn't pay attention to the progress of mastering it; his attention was focused on something else.

With a thought, he took out the meridian talisman he had made earlier from his sleeve.

Remove the Hundred Meridians Return to Origin Technique and equip the Meridian Expansion Talisman.

The conditions for permanent expansion of the meridian (white) have been met.

Is it permanent?

Li Yuan had a sudden thought.

Yes.

[Permanentization successful]

[Tuo Mai (white) has become a permanent entry]

[Equipment consumed]

The talisman turned into a faint light between his fingers and disappeared into his body.

The next instant, all the meridians in my body swelled slightly at the same time.

It's not the kind of expansion that's been forcibly stretched, but rather like a river channel that has quietly widened by an inch—the water flow is still the same, but it flows more smoothly and can hold more.

The spiritual energy circulated through the expanded meridians, at a slightly faster speed than before.

Li Yuan clenched his fist, feeling the spiritual energy flowing through his meridians.

Li Yuan put away the panel, didn't linger, and went to the table.

Several talisman papers were laid out on the table, the spirit ink bottle was placed in the corner, and the talisman brush was placed on the brush holder.

The materials for making talismans are almost gone. There are only a few thin sheets of blue-patterned paper left, and only half a bottle of spirit ink. There is still a stack of ordinary yellow paper talismans.

Li Yuan picked up the talisman brush, dipped it in spirit ink, and drew fireball talismans on the last few sheets of blue-patterned paper.

The first piece was completed in one smooth stroke, with precise wrist movements as the fire patterns overlapped, and the talisman's core was neatly and cleanly finished.

The second one is equally smooth.

The third one, as the last stroke was made, the spiritual patterns on the talisman lit up simultaneously, the light receding from the outside in and finally settling at the center of the talisman.

Compared to previous finished products, the spiritual patterns on this talisman are more even, the colors are more subdued, and the core of the talisman faintly exudes a restrained fire intent.

The panel appears.

Fireball Rune: Mastery (0/800)

I've mastered it.

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

Compared to the fireball talisman I drew when I first started, the difference is enormous.

The remaining sheets of blue-patterned paper were also finished, and three out of the four sheets were completed.

Li Yuan checked all the finished talismans.

The amount accumulated over the past few days is quite substantial.

There are twenty-three fireball talismans, forty or so cleansing talismans, thirty or so evil-repelling talismans, and a dozen or so warning talismans.

We've almost run out of materials, so it's time to make a move.

The market was less bustling than it had been a few days ago.

The stalls on both sides of East Street are not as crowded anymore. Several temporary sheds previously erected by itinerant vendors have been dismantled, and the passageway is much wider. However, the people are still there. Vendors selling herbs, minerals, and talismans are still in their respective positions, but their shouts are not as loud as before.

Those shops belonging to the Yuanyang Sect hadn't left; the doors were open, and shop assistants in pale yellow robes stood at the entrances, occasionally letting wandering cultivators go in for a quick look.

Don't get lost while following the story; bookmark it and read "Cultivation: I Can Solidify Equipment Attributes" anytime.

Li Yuan first went to Wu's Talisman Shop.

When the shopkeeper saw Li Yuan enter carrying a stack of talismans, he immediately stood up.

Li Yuan placed the cleaning talisman and the warning talisman in two stacks on the counter.

"Forty-three cleansing talismans and fourteen warning talismans."

The shopkeeper picked up the top cleaning talisman, flipped through it, and then took out a few more to examine the quality of the spirit patterns against the light.

"The quality is about the same as normal, some are better and some are worse," the shopkeeper muttered to himself, then neatly stacked the talismans.

"Ten yuan in total."

Li Yuan nodded and accepted the spirit stones.

After leaving Wu's shop, turn into the alley to reach Lu Fushi's residence.

Lu Fushi was drawing talismans at his table when he saw Li Yuan push the door open and enter, so he put down his pen.

Li Yuan placed the fireball talismans and evil-repelling talismans he had drawn over the past few days on the table.

Master Lu picked up the top fireball talisman and flipped through it, his gaze lingering on the talisman for a moment.

He flipped through several more pages, his fingers lightly tracing the spiritual patterns.

Master Lu placed the talisman back on the table, his gaze lingering on Li Yuan's hand for a moment, but he didn't ask anything.

"Fifty dollars in total."

Li Yuan did not bargain.

Fifty spirit stones were stacked on the table. Master Lu pushed them over one by one, and Li Yuan counted them and put them into his storage bag.

It was a substantial sum; this was the largest sum of money they had earned since they crossed over.

Of course, purchasing materials for making talismans also cost a lot of spirit stones, and the previous production was unprofitable, so now it's barely making a profit. In the end, I even lost some spirit stones.

But things will be different from now on; I can now earn spirit stones steadily.

After leaving Master Lu's place, Li Yuan didn't rush back to his residence. Instead, he strolled slowly along East Street towards North Alley.

We need to restock the materials for making talismans, and while we're at it, let's see if there's anything else we can use.

In the stall area in the middle section of East Street, Li Yuan walked around and looked at the items, his fingers occasionally touching the items on the roadside stalls.

Most of them did not react.

As Li Yuan passed a small repair stall selling miscellaneous goods, he paused for a moment.

The stall had a mixed bag of items: a few pieces of mediocre ore, two bottles of unidentified medicine, a pair of worn-out iron scissors, and a small, dark gray bowl in the corner.

The bowl was small, only about the size of a fist, and resembled some kind of container.

Li Yuan reached out and picked up the bowl.

The moment my fingertip touched the bowl, the control panel popped out.

[Equipable item detected: Gathering Evil Bowl (Complete)]

[Item Attribute Level: White]

[Note: Items not belonging to the user cannot be equipped, and detailed information cannot be viewed.]

White entries.

Li Yuan turned the bowl over and looked at the symbol on the bottom that was covered by dirt. He scratched it with his fingernail and revealed a crooked and twisted character for "evil".

"What is this?" Li Yuan raised the bowl in his hand to the stall owner.

The stall owner was a thin, rogue cultivator in his fifties who was dozing off with his head tilted to the side. Hearing the sound, he opened his eyes and glanced at the bowl in Li Yuan's hand.

"A bowl for collecting negative energy."

He sat up straighter and gestured towards the bowl.

"After infusing it with spiritual energy, place it in a place with malevolent energy, and the malevolent energy will be absorbed into the bowl. Once full, seal it and sell it to those who refine weapons or alchemists; it can be used as an auxiliary ingredient."

"How much?"

"Five spirit stones." The stall owner held out a hand. "This is a rare item. The person who made this bowl wasn't very skilled; the quality is mediocre, but it's usable."

Three pieces.

The stall owner smacked his lips and hesitated for a moment.

"Four pieces, no less."

Li Yuan stopped haggling and took out four spirit stones from his storage bag, placing them on the stall.

The stall owner accepted the spirit stones, and Li Yuan put the Gathering Evil Bowl into his storage bag.

After walking a few steps, Li Yuan turned into a quiet side alley and took the bowl out of his storage bag.

[Equipable item detected: Gathering Evil Bowl (Complete)]

[Entry Preview: Body Tempering with Malevolent Energy (White) - Can actively absorb malevolent energy to temper the body, increasing the body's resistance to various negative energies and slightly strengthening the physique]

[Preview of Permanentization Conditions: Accumulate absorption of malevolent energy from one side for body refinement; the amount will decrease as the quality of the malevolent energy improves (0/1)]

[Current equipment slots are full (3/3). Replace current equipment?]

Tempering the body with malevolent energy.

Use malevolent energy to refine your body, increase your resistance to negative energy, and strengthen your physique.

The condition for permanentization is absorbing the evil energy from one side.

One cubic meter is approximately equal to one cubic meter.

Li Yuan turned the bowl over in his hand, and the spiritual patterns on the bowl felt slightly cool under his fingertips.

The amount from one side is not small, but it's not too large either.

The problem is that it's a bit difficult to collect the malevolent energy; Old Sun's Malevolent Energy Pill probably provides too little.

Li Yuan put the Gathering Evil Bowl back into his storage bag, walked out of the side alley, and continued walking along East Street towards North Alley.

We need to buy another batch of talisman-making materials.