31: The secret technique is initially concealed, its true power revealed when all the talismans are destroyed.

"Brother Sheng, thank you and Xingyang so much today!"

Tian Xingxing smiled and raised her wine glass, the clear liquid rippling slightly under the lights.

Since they began to Cultivate, everyone's ability to break down alcohol had become several times stronger.

Now, alcohol only provided a slight stimulation, more like a flavored beverage.

"Xingxing, don't be so polite." Wu Xingyang drank a toast with her enthusiastically, the bottom of his glass tapping lightly against the table.

"It's settled then, in the future, we'll have to rely on you, our Alchemist, to look out for us."

"Oh right, Xingxing," Zhang Sheng put down his glass and asked with some curiosity, "Why are the Spiritual Artifact Pill Furnace used by Alchemists so expensive?

One costs ten or twenty thousand academic credits. Can't the Artifact Refining Academy make them?"

"Ah? Brother Sheng, you're talking about that." Tian Xingxing realized, then said seriously,

"Those are Spiritual Artifacts!

According to the data excavated from the Secret Realm, ordinary Cultivators cannot refine Spiritual Artifacts at all before breaking through to the Divine Breath Realm. Refining Spiritual Artifacts requires spiritual fire, and the requirements for Mental Energy are also terrifyingly high."

The current Artifact Refining Academy is just a facade.

She pinched her fingertips gently, and a bright yellow flame "popped" into existence, burning quietly at her fingertips and emitting warm heat.

"Brother Sheng, look. This is my Alchemist Talent—Yellow Flame!" She explained, "Unfortunately, my Mental Energy is still insufficient, so it's hard to drive the Yellow Flame to perform Alchemy for a long time. The Artifact Refiner Talent is much the same."

Looking at the leaping Yellow Flame, Zhang Sheng nodded thoughtfully.

In this way, all Spiritual Artifacts are limited items; one is sold, and there is one less. No wonder they are sold so expensively.

Tian Xingxing put away the flame, took two simple wooden boxes from her bag, and pushed them over.

She said softly, "This is the Low Grade essence food pill I refined, a gift for you two brothers."

"Brother Sheng, if you are interested in Alchemy, you can buy a copy of 'General Knowledge of Medicinal Pills' to build a foundation first."

Zhang Sheng did not decline; he thanked her and accepted the wooden boxes.

Returning to his slightly desolate apartment, Zhang Sheng immediately spent 10 academic credits to order 'General Knowledge of Medicinal Pills' on the school's official website.

The e-book's light screen unfolded before his eyes. As he read, Zhang Sheng truly realized the vastness and depth of the Dao of Alchemy.

The essence food pill he could refine was nothing more than bottom-tier, unranked goods.

Medicinal Pills are usually divided into Low Grade, Medium Grade, High Grade, and supreme-grade.

The higher the quality, the stronger the effect, and the less pill poison contained within. Among them, supreme-grade Medicinal Pills are the rarest; they have no pill poison and do not cause drug resistance.

Alchemists often perform specific Alchemy techniques. 'General Knowledge of Medicinal Pills' recorded the names of several common Alchemy techniques, such as the "Jade Folding Hand" for processing medicinal Materials, the "Synchronization Technique" for neutralizing medicinal properties, etc. Unfortunately, there were only names, not the content.

Common Alchemy methods include "Water-based Alchemy" and "Fire-based Alchemy." In addition, there are the rare "Spirit Body Alchemy" and the legendary "Heaven and Earth Power Alchemy."

The book also mentioned common cultivation and healing Medicinal Pills for Realms such as the Qi Sea Realm, Divine Breath Realm, and True Fetus Realm... Unfortunately, again, there were only names, no Pill Formula.

Closing the e-book, Zhang Sheng realized that there was such a vast cultivation world above his head.

He walked to the window and looked up at the night sky. Two moons, one white and one blue, hung quietly.

The cold radiance spilled down, silently reminding him of his insignificance.

Although the strongest Yao Beast in the currently opened Yellow-rank Secret Realm is only at the Qi Sea Realm, these data flowing out from the Secret Realm all warn of one thing:

Higher-Rank Secret Realms may appear at any time, and more terrifying Yao Beasts may already be lurking in the shadows.

Humanity is racing against time.

This seems to be a cruel test imposed on Earth.

Strength must stay ahead of the opening of the Secret Realms. Once the "Seven-Day Catastrophe" erupts and a flood of unstoppable Yao Beasts pours out, nothing awaits humanity but extinction.

Zhang Sheng took two white jade plaques from his storage space, both of which were spoils of war from the Secret Realm.

One was of ordinary texture, from a Stone Spider; the other, warm like suet jade, was taken from a Demon Serpent. According to the rules, whatever one gets in the Secret Realm belongs to whoever killed the beast; the school and the authorities will not interfere.

He first pressed the ordinary jade plaque to his forehead, and a stream of information instantly poured into his mind.

"Four Symbols Fist" — it is a fierce martial art. This method of inheritance is incredibly miraculous, as if the knowledge were branded directly into the depths of his consciousness.

Next, he pressed the warm jade plaque to his forehead.

"Breath Concealment Art" — it was actually a Spell! After Cultivating it, one can hide one's own aura, and the route of spiritual power circulation is surprisingly simple.

Zhang Sheng immediately thought of the Demon Serpents and Stone Spiders in the Secret Realm that had no aura, like dead objects. This "Breath Concealment Art" must be mastered well.

Whether running away or launching a sneak attack, it will be useful.

He immediately searched for these two Cultivation Techniques on the school's official website. If it was a new Spell that had not been recorded, he could even receive academic credit rewards.

"Four Symbols Fist" had already been recorded, but the search results for "Breath Concealment Art" made Zhang Sheng's heart jump — it was not in the school store!

This meant that the "Breath Concealment Art" in his hand was very likely the first one produced from this Secret Realm!

The school offers two benefits for contributing techniques:

First, a direct buyout, receiving 1000 academic credits; second, choosing a revenue share, where Zhang Sheng can receive 10% of the academic credits paid by every subsequent purchaser as profit. Whichever option is chosen, it means a buyout, and Zhang Sheng cannot pass it on privately.

After weighing his options, Zhang Sheng chose the revenue share method. He was not in urgent need of that small amount of buyout credits at the moment.

That night, relying on his own Talent, Zhang Sheng Cultivated the "Breath Concealment Art" to the "Proficient" level. The speed of progress surprised even him, so he stopped temporarily and did not forcibly push for a higher Realm.

If he were to push for a higher Realm, the time required would increase exponentially, and the cost-effectiveness would be too low.

Lying on the bed, the battle scenes from the Secret Realm replayed in his mind involuntarily.

Although his companions' Talents each had their own characteristics, they were limited by their weak Mental Energy, and their effectiveness in actual combat was limited.

Most Spells require cumbersome hand seals and incantations to cast, which is quite restrictive in fast-paced battles.

To quickly improve combat power, martial arts is one path, or like the "Spring Breeze Turning into Rain Technique," practicing a Spell to the "Perfected State" to achieve instant casting...

Wait!

Zhang Sheng sat up abruptly from the bed, lit up his personal terminal, and quickly entered the keyword "Talisman" into the search bar on the school's official website.

The search results popped up:

"Godly Movement Talisman: 300 academic credits; Rejuvenation Talisman: 500 academic credits; vajra talisman: 300 academic credits..."

The vajra talisman that Lin Xiaotian used!

If he had these Talismans on him, his safety would definitely increase greatly.

Lin Xiaotian's vajra talisman withstood the Demon Serpent's fatal blow; at a critical moment, that is a life! However, at 300 academic credits per sheet, the price is truly not cheap.

Perhaps... he could try drawing Talismans himself?

Once the thought arose, Zhang Sheng acted immediately. He first bought "General Knowledge of Talismans," and then gritted his teeth and bought "Detailed Explanation of vajra talisman Drawing." The former only cost 10 academic credits, but the latter was as high as 100 academic credits.

After downloading and browsing, Zhang Sheng realized he had thought of Talisman drawing too simply.

The Materials alone require Talisman paper, a Talisman brush, and spiritual ink; the drawing process is divided into three steps: drawing, spiritual infusion, and sealing.

Low Grade Talisman paper is cheap; the school mass-produces it using gold spirit rice stalks and the like, and the same goes for the Talisman brushes. But spiritual ink requires the essence blood of Yao Beasts or special spiritual liquid refined artificially. Yao Beast blood is expensive, and artificial spiritual liquid is nowhere to be found.

Zhang Sheng decisively invested his academic credits: 100 academic credits to buy 1000 sheets of Talisman paper and 10 basic Talisman brushes, then spent another 400 academic credits to buy two liters of Qi Sea Realm Yao Beast blood that emitted a strange, fishy fragrance — he didn't even know what kind of Yao Beast it was taken from.

With Materials ready, let's get to work!

Unscrewing the small bottle containing the beast blood, a fishy smell mixed with rust and a strange sweet scent permeated the air. Zhang Sheng laid the Talisman paper flat, dipped the Talisman brush into the thick dark red beast blood, held his breath, and focused his mind. Following the complex patterns of the "Detailed Explanation of vajra talisman Drawing" in his mind, he lowered his wrist steadily for the first stroke.

The brush moved like a dragon and a snake, completing the task in one go.

On the Talisman paper, the vermilion patterns wound and coiled, looking quite decent. However, when Zhang Sheng carefully guided a trace of spiritual power into the Talisman paper —

"Sizzle!"

The Talisman paper instantly turned into a pinch of charred powder and scattered on the table.

Failure!

The second sheet: the tip of the brush paused slightly, and he injected spiritual power — with a soft "pop," the Talisman paper shattered!

The third sheet: the end of the pattern was offset by half a millimeter, and he injected spiritual power — "Bang," it turned into fly ash!

Failure!

...

He didn't know if the brushwork was wrong somewhere, or if the timing and force of the spiritual power injection were incorrect. Zhang Sheng drew dozens of Talisman papers in a row, and without exception, they all turned into powder the moment he infused them with spiritual power!

A layer of black ash soon accumulated on the table.

The long-term concentration and the frustration brought by continuous failure made Zhang Sheng's eyes bloodshot, and fine sweat seeped from his forehead.

"Damn it!"

He slammed the Talisman brush in his hand onto the table.

No wonder almost no one in the school uses Talismans to fight; this thing is just a massive pit!