Drawing runes required completing the symbol in one stroke, demanding high mental strength, resilience, and Demonic Qi from the cultivator. Many would draw one talisman and then head to the adjacent rest room to meditate and recover.
In the corner of the Rune House, talismans for concentration and calm were posted, and soothing incense burned in the air. Everyone who entered subconsciously slowed their steps, and no one spoke.
When Xie Linlang entered, the on-duty cultivator set down the Talisman Compendium in his hand and extended a hand to Xie Linlang.
Xie Linlang handed over the token from Senior Brother Zheng. The cultivator glanced at it, somewhat surprised, then pointed to the back door of the Rune House, gesturing for them to go out together.
Xie Linlang understood and followed the cultivator to the back door. The central courtyard was a small garden. Beyond the garden’s rear was a row of rooms, and the innermost one, with the strictest protections, had a plaque reading “Le.”
“Senior Sister Le transferred you to serve under her shizun as a menial disciple. You just wait here for Senior Sister Le’s instructions.”
The on-duty cultivator’s face practically screamed ‘this guy’s a connection.’
Xie Linlang remained impassive. “Thanks.”
He slapped his Identity Token against the door of Le Qingping’s Rune House. With a click, the door opened. Xie Linlang greeted the on-duty cultivator and walked inside.
Le Qingping’s Rune House was spacious. In the center was a massive desk, flanked by bookshelves filled with scrolls and Restriction rune diagrams. Behind a side screen was a quiet meditation chamber, and diagonally behind was a small space that seemed for tea and rest.
Through the latticed door and window, one could see the central courtyard’s small garden while sitting in the chair drinking tea.
Xie Linlang pondered briefly. He went to Le Qingping’s bookshelf, found a scroll labeled Silent Night Palace Basic Talisman Compendium, sat in the rear chair, and slowly flipped through it.
Xie Linlang had only intended to pass the time, but as he read, his expression grew grave.
The first half of the Basic Talisman Compendium covered basic rune categories like protection, attack, soul soothing, and so on. These were very simple—even some strokes were identical to those used by immortal sect cultivators.
The great dao of heaven and earth returned to its purest essence; most were similar. However, the latter half introduced unique Silent Night Palace rune Restrictions.
For instance, one converted turbulent Demonic Qi into a formless qi. This qi had no attributes and could briefly soothe the madness and irritability caused by Demonic Qi in Demonic Cultivators.
There was also a Beast Controlling Talisman. Demonic Beasts born from devouring Demonic Qi were far more frenzied than Demon Beasts or even Spirit Beasts. Some low-tier Demonic Beasts had no intelligence at all. Sometimes, when cultivators were short on funds or unlucky, unable to find higher-grade, intelligent Demonic Beasts, they could only temporarily control these mindless ones as meat shields.
This Beast Controlling Talisman destroyed the Demonic Beast’s brain and spirituality, turning it into a special puppet.
Xie Linlang stared fixedly at this Restriction.
The pattern wasn’t complex—a very basic design—but with some special modifications, didn’t it resemble the patterns on the edges of the armor of the Black-Armored Cultivator who had attacked Senior Brother Fang?
Back then, Xie Linlang had hidden on the wall, thinking he was about to fight the Black-Armored Cultivator, fully focused, so the memory was etched deeply.
Xie Linlang read carefully. After finishing the Basic Talisman Compendium, he returned to the bookshelf and pulled out the Intermediate Talisman Compendium.
Outside, the sky had unknowingly darkened—it was already late at night.
A clanging sound came from outside the Rune House as Le Qingping opened the Protective Formation and entered.
“Eh? Senior Brother Xie?”
Le Qingping was very surprised. She hadn’t expected Xie Linlang to still be in the Rune House.
She had assigned Xie Linlang here essentially to give him an excuse not to work—just short of saying, big shot, do whatever, but stay away from me.
Xie Linlang smiled before speaking. “Senior Sister Le, I got absorbed in reading.”
He raised the scroll in his hand. “There’s no covering formation on the left side of your bookshelf. I thought it was okay to take one down and read.”
“Oh, of course. Every time I go out, I lend this exclusive rune-drawing room to other senior brothers and sisters. It’s quieter and more private than the main hall outside.”
Le Qingping’s gaze fell on the scroll in Xie Linlang’s hand. “Is Senior Brother Xie skilled at runes?”
“Not really. I’m good at pill refining.”
“Oh, pill refining… Wait, what?”
Le Qingping suddenly remembered something. When she and Xie Linlang had investigated the abandoned Nine Spirits Sect grounds before, this Xie Yu had identified the sect’s stored pills and Feed Pellets at a glance. What had she told Hong Kui back then?
There were no pill dao experts in the Rune House? Wasn’t there one right in front of her?
She immediately said delightedly, “Right, Senior Brother Xie, do you know the sect is holding a Grand Pill Competition soon?”
Xie Linlang refused without hesitation. “Junior Brother Shen told me, but I’m not interested.”
“Really? Do you know what the reward is?”
Le Qingping said confidently, “I only found out after asking around outside for a long time. Have you heard of Jiuxia Mountain in the True Realm? There was once a pill dao grandmaster there who could refine pills that even Mahayana Stage Cultivators coveted. Unfortunately, he fell last year.”
Xie Linlang’s brow twitched slightly. He smiled ambiguously. “Of course I’ve heard. Linlang Dao Lord, right?”
“Yes. They say Jiuxia Mountain is opening his Mustard Seed Realm to all cultivators, hoping someone inherits that grandmaster’s legacy.”
Le Qingping excitedly continued, “Who knows how the Palace Lord managed it, but he most likely obtained the key to enter the Mustard Seed Realm. That key is the prize for this pill master competition. You really don’t want it?”
Xie Linlang’s breath hitched slightly.
