Chapter 22 Second-rank Talisman

In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed.

Life on Qiongbi Peak was still free and joyful, with Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer energetically transplanting the latest batch of rice seedlings.

At that moment, a Sound Transmission Talisman suddenly flew into the Small Cloud Mist Array.

The talisman came from Han Bing, containing only a brief message,

"Senior Brother Lin has been seriously injured and brought back. Hurry here."

Ning Daoran quickly cleaned the mud from his hands and, summoning a green bamboo leaf, rushed with Big Stupid Deer straight toward the Inner Sect.

His Identity jade token faintly glowed, passing through the protective array of the Inner Sect, and soon he arrived at Lin Sheng's residence.

True Yang Peak, one of the four main peaks of the Chaotic Sect.

Though Lin Sheng was a Deacon of Fire Feather Hall in the Inner Sect, he was ultimately only a Registered disciple of the Great Elder Gongyang Yan, which is why his dwelling was situated halfway up the mountain, rather humbly in a tile-roofed house.

The First-tier Middle-grade array that had been set around the tile-roofed house was now deactivated, with several sect brothers and sisters lingering at the entrance.

"Senior Brother Ning!"

Han Bing walked out, her pretty face full of urgency, and immediately pulled Ning Daoran by the hand into the residence.

Several senior brothers were astonished. This junior sister Han Bing had innate Sword Heart Clarity and was the apple of Third Elder Ning Qing's eye, bound to become a True Inheritor of the Sect. How could she know an Outer Disciple?

...

On the bed, Lin Sheng lay unconscious and severely wounded.

His chest was charred and tattered, as if he had first been scorched by flames and then struck heavily by a blunt object. Many of his ribs were broken, and his entire chest cavity was nearly torn open.

The most fatal was the damage to his heart meridian, which seemed to be on the verge of death.

"Senior Brother Lin..."

Ning Daoran's heart sank, unable to help feeling a chill; Lin Sheng had been the kindest to him in the entire Sect, and now he had ended up like this.

"What exactly happened to Senior Brother Lin?"

"He..."

A flower-like Inner Sect senior sister bit her red lips and said, "A few of us accompanied Senior Brother Lin deep into the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range in search of First-tier top-grade demon beasts, but unexpectedly we were attacked by a Second Order Lower Grade demon beast. To protect me, Senior Brother Lin..."

Han Bing's beautiful eyes were filled with anxiety, "The Foundation Establishment Elder has already examined the injuries and applied medicine, but he said the injuries were too severe. It's hard to say whether Senior Brother Lin can last through tonight."

Ning Daoran glanced at her.

Han Bing was naive. The Foundation Establishment Elder's words were meant to be reassuring, but in reality, it was as good as declaring that Lin Sheng was beyond help.

At this time, Lin Sheng remained unconscious and grievously wounded...

Ning Daoran furrowed his brows, intending to try the seventh-layered Evergreen Technique to see if it could heal the injuries.

The jade scroll of the Evergreen Technique noted that when the technique was sufficiently profound, the rich Wood attribute spiritual power could also be used for healing.

"Junior sister, and senior sister..."

Ning Daoran looked at them and said, "My Evergreen Technique, though only a Small Accomplishment, might be able to provide some modest help. Could you please watch the door for me? I want to try. Perhaps it could increase Senior Brother Lin's chances of survival by ten or twenty percent."

"Junior brother, you..." The senior sister seemed to have little trust in him.

"Sister, let's go out first."

Han Bing said, "Senior Brother Ning and Senior Brother Lin are as close as brothers, and now that Senior Brother Lin is in such a state, there's no harm in letting Senior Brother Ning try."

"Alright."

That beautiful senior sister gave Lin Sheng one more reluctant look before she left.

...

In a blink, only Ning Daoran and Lin Sheng were left in the room.

He first used his Divine Sense to carefully inspect the other's injuries, then gently grasped Lin Sheng's charred wrist, saying helplessly, "Senior brother, have you run into trouble with your courageous and diligent advances?"

With that, the robust power of the seventh-layer Evergreen Technique flowed into Lin Sheng's wrist like a soft trickle.

For a time, life force began to emerge on the severely burned wrist, as if layers of lush greenness were continuously healing the severe wounds.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, although there were no significant changes on the surface of Lin Sheng's injuries, the blood vessels and flesh underneath the charred wounds had already begun to regenerate, continuously nourishing the body.

The Heart Meridian!

The heart meridian, critically damaged by the Second Order Demon Beast, was the real fatal injury!

Ning Daoran dared not be too hasty. His mana strength was actually firmly above Lin Sheng's, and the Seventh-layer Evergreen Technique provided rich Wood Spirit Power, so if the Wood attribute spiritual power burst in like a flood, Lin Sheng's already precarious body might not be able to withstand it.

Thus, the delicate strands of Wood attribute spiritual power, like streams in a creek, slowly flowed into the body, protecting Lin Sheng's heart meridian and then continuing to pour in, bit by bit, reconstructing the life force of Lin Sheng's heart meridian.

Through this process, Ning Daoran felt a dizzy spell. The cost of the Evergreen Technique's power was too much, and he had already damaged his own Primordial Qi.

Specifically, it had cost him Life Span.

In just half an hour, Ning Daoran's life span had diminished by nine months, but Lin Sheng's internal life force was constantly rising.

Although there were no significant external changes, under the desolate wasteland of his body, endless life force was already rekindling.

"Creak!"

Ning Daoran pushed the door open and staggered out, leaning on Big Stupid Deer's neck for support.

"Ow~~~"

Big Stupid Deer whimpered softly, clearly worried about Ning Daoran.

"I'm fine."

Ning Daoran looked at the people around him, "I've used my shallow Evergreen Technique to give Senior Brother Lin a bit of healing. As for its effectiveness, I'm not certain. I will head back now..."

"Uh-huh, thank you, Junior Brother!"

Returning to Spiritual Field Courtyard No. 77, Ning Daoran slept continuously for three days. When he awoke, his lifespan had already recovered.

Good news came through: Lin Sheng had finally woken up, and now he was in the midst of recovering from his severe injuries.

Several times, he'd thought of visiting Qiongbi Peak to personally thank Ning Daoran for saving his life, but each time, he was stopped by that sister who was as lovely as a flower and as exquisite as jade.

It seemed... that after the battle with the Second Order Demon Beast, the sister had taken a particular liking to the "courageous and diligent" Lin Sheng.

Indeed, since ancient times, fairies have loved the brave...

...

A full half-month later, Lin Sheng's injuries were mostly healed.

He knew Ning Daoran had saved him using some method, a matter of great consequence, and naturally, Lin Sheng would keep it a secret.

Therefore, Lin Sheng told everyone that it was the Elder's exceptional medical skills, coupled with his own luck, that had brought him back from the brink of death.

He couldn't be unaware of the need for such reciprocation.

One day, fully recovered, Lin Sheng came to Qiongbi Peak with that sister to express his gratitude.

Ning Daoran didn't even have to leave home, excessive showiness could easily impact his plan to "spend a hundred years cultivating in the Sect and tending the fields."

"Junior Brother Ning, Junior Brother!"

Lin Sheng knocked on the courtyard door, then turned to the woman beside him with a smile, "Ruyan, there's no need to support me. I'm fine now."

"Senior Brother Lin!"

Ning Daoran immediately disabled the Small Cloud Mist Array and let his brother and sister inside.

Lin Sheng, exuding the robust aura of the True Yang Furnace Technique, scanned the courtyard with his unrestrained gaze as he stepped in; aside from the addition of a potted plant under the window sill, everything was as before!

How wonderful.

The sister as lovely as a flower and as exquisite as jade seemed quite interested in the Small Cloud Mist Array. Her gaze landed precisely where the Array Plate was buried—she seemed to be quite an expert.

"Senior Brother, since you're here today, why don't you stay for dinner at Qiongbi Peak?"

"Sure, I haven't tasted the cooking skills of Junior Brother Ning and Junior Brother Lu in so long, my cravings have seriously flared up!"

"Old Lu!"

Ning Daoran nodded with a smile, "Go on, stir-fry a couple of dishes. Later, I'll go cook a fish and a chicken."

"Junior Brother, I haven't introduced you yet."

Lin Sheng turned towards the woman beside him with a smile, "This is a fellow Junior Sister from the Inner Sect, Liu Ruyan. We were companions on this trip into the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range."

Liu Ruyan blushed slightly, "It's all thanks to Senior Brother risking his life to badly injure that demon beast, otherwise I'm afraid Ruyan's life would have been claimed by the Foundation Establishment Demon Beast."

"Why does Junior Sister Ruyan speak so formally and distantly to me?"

"Oh my..."

Ning Daoran was somewhat speechless, thinking why he suddenly had to deal with a display of affection while peacefully at home.

"Nice to meet you, Senior Sister Liu!"

"There is no need for such formalities, Junior Brother Ning."

Liu Ruyan turned to look at the Small Cloud Mist Array and smiled, "Junior Brother's Array must have been in place for some years now. Although its concealing effect is still present, its soundproofing has seriously deteriorated due to damage, hasn't it?"

"Ah? Senior Sister, you're an Array Master?"

"Not exactly."

Liu Ruyan shook her head with a smile, "I am a Talisman Master, and since first-tier Talismans include small arrays, I was able to discern the deficiencies in this Small Cloud Mist Array."

As she spoke, she took out a Talisman brimming with spiritual power from her storage bag and said, "This low-grade soundproofing Talisman is a gift for you, Junior Brother. You can just install it within the Array Plate, and its soundproofing effect should last at least ten years!"

"Oh?"

Ning Daoran received the gift as if finding a treasure, "Thank you so much, Senior Sister!"

"Junior Brother, to tell you the truth, Ruyan here is a genius Talisman Master, already a First-tier High-Grade Talisman Master, a rarity even in the entirety of the Chaotic Sect."

Lin Sheng said proudly, "Our group ventured deep into the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range, and if not for her powerful Talismans for protection, we would have encountered much trouble."

Ning Daoran's eyes lit up.

A First-tier High-Grade Talisman Master, that status alone was already incredibly impressive.

Talismans were items that could amplify one's combat abilities. The strength of a First-tier High-Grade Talisman was equivalent to a strike at the Qi Refining Ninth Level!

And once one's drawn Talismans reached Second Order, even a low-grade Second Order Talisman would be equivalent to a full-on strike from someone at the Early-stage Foundation Establishment!

Looking at the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range, some cultivation families might not have a Foundation Establishment, but the power of a few Second Order Talismans allowed them to hold their own against Foundation Establishment families, which shows the value of Talismans.

This national beauty before him who was Senior Sister Liu, turned out to be a First-tier High-Grade Talisman Master, truly meriting admiration.

"Senior Sister is really impressive..."

Ning Daoran sincerely exclaimed, "I wonder if Senior Sister is capable of creating Second Order Talismans?"

In theory, a First-tier High-Grade Talisman Master, without considering the cost, success rate, or materials wasted, could have a chance to produce a few Second Order Lower Grade Talismans.

"Heh, Junior Brother, why do you ask such a question?" Liu Ruyan smiled faintly, her beautiful face composed.

But Ning Daoran had a powerful Divine Sense as a Late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, and he instantly sensed a slight fluctuation in her emotions.

Gotcha!

This Senior Sister Liu Ruyan was not as she appeared; she definitely could produce Second Order Talismans.

"Junior Brother, what do you need Second Order Talismans for?" Lin Sheng asked.

"Cough, cough..."

Ning Daoran felt a bit embarrassed, "The past few years have been smooth, with abundant yields of Spirit Rice. I often go down the mountain to trade Second-tier Spirit Rice for some Spirit Stones.

But I've heard that the area around Yellow Dragon Square has been rather unsafe, with multiple incidents of murder and robbery occurring in the past half-year, so I was thinking of taking some precautions.

I figured that if I had a Second Order Talisman for protection, I wouldn't need to be so nervous."

Liu Ruyan looked directly at him with eyes as clear as water, "Do you really want a Second Order Talisman, Junior Brother?"