Starting From A Son In Law To Build An Long Lasting Family Chapter 7: Making Talismans!

Lu Changsheng felt a flicker of surprise upon hearing those words.

Even though the system had granted him the second-level talisman crafting technique, he remained unaware of the actual difficulty involved in the craft.

He had only just realized that the art of creating talismans was far more challenging than he had anticipated.

For a beginner, thousands of practice attempts were required just to cross the threshold and become a first-tier low-grade talisman master.

The label “first-tier low-grade talisman master” specifically denoted a first-tier practitioner. These masters were further categorized by the complexity of the talismans they could produce, ranging from first-tier low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade, to first-tier top-grade masters.

This same hierarchy was applied to second-tier talisman masters as well.

Since Lu Changsheng had received the second-level talisman crafting technique at its peak proficiency, he was effectively a second-tier top-grade talisman master.

The amount of time, mental energy, and wealth a novice would need to reach the second level was practically immeasurable. It was a goal that might take a lifetime of dedication without any promise of fruition.

At that moment, Lu Changsheng realized that the second-level talisman crafting technique was far more valuable than he had initially believed.

“Shopkeeper, I still wish to give it a shot,” Lu Changsheng declared, his face set with resolve.

Regardless of the difficulty, the harder it was to master the craft, the more sought-after his skills would eventually be.

“Very well, if you are determined to buy them, I cannot refuse to sell them to you.”

Observing Lu Changsheng’s stubbornness, the Shopkeeper stopped trying to talk him out of it.

Offering those few words of caution was already a gesture of goodwill. Young people often refused to change course until they ran headfirst into a wall.

“Standard wolf hair brushes are twenty spirit stones each; they last for about two hundred uses.”

“First-tier ordinary talisman paper is one spirit stone per stack, with ten sheets in each.”

“First-tier ordinary spirit ink is one spirit stone per box, lasting roughly fifty uses.”

As the Shopkeeper listed the prices, Lu Changsheng nodded. He produced his flying sword and said, “Shopkeeper, please give me an appraisal for this flying sword.”

“Is this not the sword bestowed upon you by the Family Head?”

The Shopkeeper was quite taken aback; he hadn't expected Lu Changsheng to trade his flying sword just to fund his talisman crafting.

However, considering his status as a son-in-law, he likely had no other way to raise funds without selling the blade.

“It is,” Lu Changsheng confirmed with a nod.

“I won't let you lose out on this sword. Fifty spirit stones,” the Shopkeeper offered, reaching out his hand.

“It’s a deal.”

“In that case, please provide one wolf hair brush, ten stacks of talisman paper, and two boxes of spirit ink,” Lu Changsheng said, nodding as he placed the flying sword onto the counter.

The Shopkeeper didn't try to haggle. Reselling the flying sword would only net him a few extra spirit stones anyway.

Recalling that Lu Lanshu was pregnant and that Lu Zier and Lu Qinger were also nearing their time to give birth, Lu Changsheng added, “I also need one catty each of ginseng, licorice, angelica, astragalus, and wolfberry.”

These were spirit plants cultivated by the Lu family, specifically used to nourish essence and replenish Qi.

“Alright, that comes to thirty-seven spirit stones in total. I will return thirteen spirit stones to you,” the Shopkeeper stated.

After putting the flying sword away, the Shopkeeper turned to gather Lu Changsheng’s requested items and handed him the remaining thirteen spirit stones.

“My thanks, Shopkeeper,” Lu Changsheng said gratefully before departing with his purchases.

Back in his study, Lu Changsheng organized the brush, paper, and spirit ink neatly across his desk. Beside the materials lay the manuals “Introduction to Talismans” and “Complete Guide to Basic Talismans.”

The knowledge granted by the system included many types of talismans, but appearances had to be maintained.

One couldn't simply become a Talisman Master without ever cracking a book, after all. It would be far too suspicious.

To ensure his cover remained intact, Lu Changsheng had made a public appearance at the Lu family library, spending a spirit stone to rent those two talisman guides.

“The materials for a hundred talisman attempts cost roughly twenty-two spirit stones.”

“A single first-tier low-grade talisman sells for 1 or 2 spirit stones. If I succeed with every sheet, the profit is at least fivefold, reaching nearly ten times the cost.”

“If I produce first-tier mid-grade talismans, the returns could exceed twenty times!”

“Tsk, the margins are truly incredible.”

“With my maxed-out second-level skills, turning these materials into first-tier mid-grade talismans will be effortless.”

Lu Changsheng mentally ran the numbers while skillfully grinding and blending the spirit ink.

Different tiers of talismans required different grades of materials. The wolf hair brush he had purchased was a basic tool meant for novices, suitable for basic, low-grade, and mid-grade first-tier talmsmans.

While it wasn't impossible to draw top-tier first-grade talismans with it, the success rate would suffer significantly, and the brush would deteriorate rapidly.

Typically, talisman masters who could produce mid-grade or top-grade first-tier talismans would not be stingy with their tools, choosing better materials to ensure success.

Talisman paper and spirit ink were similarly ranked as ordinary, advanced, or top-grade, each matching different levels of talismans.

Once the ink was ready, Lu Changsheng laid out the paper and gripped the brush. He took a deep breath to settle his mind and began his first attempt.

A true beginner would have needed to bathe, change clothes, and perform rituals to harmonize their body, mind, and breath.

However, Lu Changsheng was already a master and had no need for such ceremonies.

The brush dipped into the ink. Spiritual energy surged from his palm, through the pen, and into the tip. The ink-laden bristles began to glow faintly.

The brush glided across the blank paper with grace, tracing complex patterns with zero hesitation. The entire movement was fluid and flawless.

Lu Changsheng pulled the brush away.

A soft light flickered on the paper, radiating a subtle spiritual aura as the ink began to set rapidly.

Moments later, the ink solidified and the glow pulsed through the patterns before slowly fading into the paper.

A first-tier low-grade Fireball Talisman was finished!

“Phew!”

Watching the successful result, Lu Changsheng let out a long breath, a grin touching his lips.

Possessing the skills via the system was one thing; actually crafting the talisman with his own hands was another entirely.

“Talisman crafting drains a significant amount of spiritual power. At my current first level of Qi Refinement, I can probably manage two or three low-grade talismans at most.”

“If I try for a mid-grade one, I suspect I can only manage one before I'm empty.”

Lu Changsheng scrutinized the Fireball Talisman in his palm.

With just a spark of spiritual power, the talisman would ignite and launch a fireball. Its destructive force was roughly equivalent to a Fireball Technique cast by someone at the third level of Qi Refinement.

Such was the advantage of talismans.

At the first level of Qi Refinement, casting a single Fireball Technique would exhaust all his energy. Yet, with that same amount of power, he could create several talismans, each packing the punch of a third-level practitioner!

Moving quickly, Lu Changsheng also produced a Lightness Talisman and a Healing Talisman.

Both were first-tier low-grade.

Sensing that further attempts would not only drain his Qi but also leave his mind fatigued, he stowed the three talismans away and began to meditate.

The following day, Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.

A night of meditation had fully restored his spiritual power and vitality. It seemed that the exhaustion from the previous day's crafting had actually made his cultivation session more productive than usual.

“So, crafting talismans consumes energy but also acts as a form of cultivation training?”

Lu Changsheng was mildly surprised by this discovery.

However, he didn't dwell on the minor boost for long. He returned to his desk, picked up the wolf hair brush, and prepared to attempt a first-tier mid-grade talisman.

He dipped the brush and began to draw without a second thought.

The strokes were nimble and light, flowing across the paper without a single error.

Yet, the moment the final stroke was completed, sweat beaded on Lu Changsheng’s brow. His complexion turned ghostly pale, and he felt as though every drop of energy had been sucked out of him. He slumped into his chair, utterly spent.

After a long recovery, Lu Changsheng finally managed a deep breath, sat upright, and inspected the new talisman.

A first-tier mid-grade Golden Light Talisman.

Once activated, it would manifest a barrier of golden light, capable of blocking a strike from a cultivator at the sixth level of Qi Refinement.

“Mid-grade talismans are still quite a burden for me at this level,” Lu Changsheng mused as he hid the talisman away.

In the days that followed, he integrated talisman crafting into his daily cultivation routine. Every day, he would produce either two or three low-grade talismans or a single mid-grade one.

He kept these creations tucked away in his study’s bookshelf, waiting for the right moment to reveal them.