Chapter 122: The Apprentice of the Talisman Master

Chapter 122: The Talismansmith Apprentices

“Their family backgrounds are all impeccable. As for their innate aptitude, I’m not well-versed in that. I’ve been spending time with them these past few years; their lineage is unquestionably pure. I can vouch for them, and so can Ning Qian—he grew up alongside them,” Sun Yang said, pulling Ning Qian forward.

“I can also guarantee that Anan and the others are indeed from this town, and their family backgrounds are beyond reproach,” Ning Qian said gently to Jiang Yan.

“Since their backgrounds are clean and if their aptitude meets the standard, I approve of their apprenticeship with Mount Hua,” Jiang Yan waved his hand, ready to dismiss the gathering. After the ordeal in the demon-hunting battlefield, he was quite fatigued.

Sun Yang suddenly sprang up, beaming with excitement. “Sect Leader, Master Senior Brother, they’re already waiting outside. I’ll call them in for you to assess their aptitude.”

Jiang Yan glanced at the joyous Sun Yang, then at Ning Qian’s hopeful expression. Reluctantly shelving his plan to rest, he motioned Sun Yang to bring the disciples inside.

Before Sun Yang had even left the hall, Yun Ying leapt up from her cushion, tugging at Jiang Yan’s robe excitedly. “Senior Brother, you’re going to take disciples again! Soon, someone will call me ‘Uncle’!”

Tang Wan reached out and gently pressed Yun Ying’s rosy cheeks. “Alright, sit properly. See how you’re acting in front of Senior Brother.”

Yun Ying stuck out her tiny tongue, made a silly face, then settled back onto the cushion beside Jiang Yan, her eyes eagerly fixed on the temple’s entrance.

“Senior Brother, what do you think of those white-robed cultivators from Qingyang Town? Are they friends or foes to Mount Hua?” Nanmen Luo asked suddenly, looking at Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan and Tang Wan exchanged a glance, both surprised and silently arriving at the same conclusion. Within Linqing Prefecture, only disciples of the Tianshan Sect wore white robes. Those white-robed cultivators must be from Tianshan. It seemed Lu Tiannan had escaped with his life, and his wounds had healed; otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared attack Mount Hua so soon.

Upon hearing Nanmen Luo’s words, Zisu stepped forward respectfully. “Uncle Nan, I know their identities. They are definitely from the Tianshan Sect. In Linqing Prefecture, only Tianshan’s disciples wear white robes.”

Lin Ke suddenly stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Zisu, tears shimmering in his eyes. “I’m willing to be at the forefront to annihilate Tianshan.”

“Tianshan, huh? They will certainly be destroyed, but there’s no need to rush these next few days. You will need to endure for a while,” Jiang Yan dismissed Zisu and Lin Ke. The highest cultivator of Tianshan was only Lu Tiannan, who had mastered the Foundation Establishment stage. With Tang Wan’s intervention, Tianshan could easily be swept away. What Jiang Yan worried about now was the Jin Yan Sect. After eliminating Tianshan, they would inevitably provoke Jin Yan. Though Mount Hua’s protective array could withstand Jin Yan’s three Foundation Establishment cultivators, the sect was not a prison. Disciples had to leave the mountain, and the sect needed to maintain communications with the outside world.

At that moment, Sun Yang entered the hall, followed by several youths, all brimming with excitement. As they reached the entrance, Sun Yang quietly pointed to Jiang Yan seated on the main throne, signaling the youths. They each stepped forward and knelt before Jiang Yan’s elevated seat with sincere bows, their foreheads striking the floor with dull thuds.

“Greetings, Young Master Jiang.”

“Greetings, Sect Leader.”

Though these three youths—one girl and two boys—had never met Jiang Yan before and addressed him somewhat haphazardly, their bows were filled with earnestness.

Jiang Yan’s gaze fixed on the youths as a transparent information interface appeared before him.

Name: Gao Wei
Sect: —
Position: —
Cultivation: —
Weapon: —
Talisman Technique: —
Merit Points: —
Innate Aptitude: 45
Attribute: Metal

Name: Jiang Anan
Sect: —
Position: —
Cultivation: —
Weapon: —
Talisman Technique: —
Merit Points: —
Innate Aptitude: 72
Attribute: Wood

Name: Fan Fen
Sect: —
Position: —
Cultivation: —
Weapon: —
Talisman Technique: —
Merit Points: —
Innate Aptitude: 52
Attribute: Fire

Among the three, the girl had an aptitude of 75, which, though not comparable to Mount Hua’s prodigies, was unquestionably exceptional within Linqing Prefecture. The other two had aptitudes of 45 and 52—respectable, if not prodigious, comparable even to the monk Wukong from the Huasheng Temple.

After assessing their aptitudes, Jiang Yan decided to accept them as disciples. “Your innate aptitudes are commendable. I hereby permit you to join Mount Hua’s outer sect as probationary disciples. You will undertake sect duties while I instruct you in foundational cultivation techniques. Whoever reaches the third level of Qi Refinement within one month may enter the inner sect directly and become an apprentice under a first-generation disciple. Those who fail must reach the sixth level of Qi Refinement and pass the sect’s trial grounds before entering the inner sect.”

Sun Yang stared blankly at his sect leader, his mind filled with confusion. Third level Qi Refinement, sixth level Qi Refinement, trial grounds—since when did the sect institute these rules?

...

Jiang Yan entered Mount Hua’s training arena. Today, he was to instruct three newly admitted disciples. All had decent innate aptitude, but only Jiang Anan might reach the third level of Qi Refinement within a month, and even she would need to train diligently to enter the inner sect under a first-generation disciple.

As for Fan Fen and Gao Wei, their aptitudes were average. Reaching the third level of Qi Refinement within a month was unlikely, but achieving the sixth level and entering the inner sect remained a possibility. Beyond that depended on their own efforts; aptitude alone did not determine everything.

Using his spiritual awareness, Jiang Yan communicated with the thousand-illusion crystal ball in the talisman array training hall, observing the situation within a hundred miles around Mount Hua. Today, Tang Wan led a team of second-generation disciples to Qingyang Town to assert their strength and capture Tianshan disciples. Though his junior sister had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, Jiang Yan still felt uneasy. It was her first mission without his direct guidance, and he hoped for its smooth completion.

As Jiang Yan’s spiritual perception guided the crystal ball, it slowly rotated, revealing the ever-changing scenery of Mount Hua and its surroundings. When it displayed the mountain’s gate, he noticed several cultivators kneeling outside, and his brows furrowed deeply.

These were the talismansmith apprentices from Linqing Prefecture. They had been startled by Jiang Yan’s overwhelming spiritual pressure during his spiritual scan of the region. They had followed him all the way to Mount Hua, kneeling at the gate, pleading to become his disciples.

There were many talismansmith apprentices in Linqing Prefecture, mostly self-taught. Due to favorable treatment, many relied on a comprehensive talisman manual to cultivate their spiritual awareness, reaching the level of pseudo-apprentices. However, their innate aptitude varied greatly.

Those with better aptitude, given sufficient resources, could reach spiritual awareness levels comparable to the Qi Refinement stage. Yet, to gain fame as a talismansmith within Linqing Prefecture, they needed the favor of a great sect like Jin Yan.

Those with poorer aptitude, lacking talisman techniques to cultivate their spiritual awareness, relied on tedious daily practice. Approaching old age, they still could not raise their spiritual awareness enough to manipulate objects, remaining forever stuck at the pseudo-apprentice level.

The ones kneeling at Mount Hua’s gate were not of poor aptitude, but their skills were rudimentary at best. They could only craft basic talismanic lantern pillars, incapable of creating more advanced talismanic lanterns, let alone detaching their spiritual awareness to form offensive talisman techniques.

After reviewing these persistent apprentices’ aptitudes, Jiang Yan had initially sent them away, citing his own inability to instruct talismansmith apprentices. Yet, their resolve was unwavering. They were determined to learn from him and refused to leave, even with Nanmen Luo’s golden-flowing greatsword hanging overhead.

When Jiang Yan had first returned to Mount Hua, exhausted from the demon-hunting battlefield and the establishment of the realm gate, his patience had worn thin. After issuing a single order, he left the apprentices kneeling at the gate. They would leave only when they had knelt long enough.