The Descent Talisman

Chapter 600: Stirrings Overseas – The Descent Talisman

“What does Fellow Daoist mean by this?” Han Li glanced at the bone box but did not reach out to take it. Instead, he asked without changing his expression. Without knowing what was inside the box, how could he be so reckless as to accept it?

“Fellow Daoist need not worry. Inside is the refining formula for one of my Heavenly Talisman Sect’s three sect-guarding talismans, the ‘Descent Talisman.’ It has always been a technique that only the sect leader could cultivate. I have no other intention—I only hope that, if it is convenient, you might take this talisman refining method back to the sect for me. I do not wish for this ultimate art to be lost to my Heavenly Talisman Sect.” The red-faced man let out a long sigh. Then he opened the lid himself, revealing several bone fragments densely inscribed with tiny characters.

“Descent Talisman? Only the sect leader can learn it? Could it be that you are the sect leader of the Heavenly Talisman Sect?” Han Li’s face showed a flicker of hesitation.

“I am ashamed to say it, but I am indeed the fifty-seventh generation sect leader of the Heavenly Talisman Sect. Our sect is merely a minor, insignificant school in Huayun Prefecture of the Jin Kingdom. For someone of my mere Foundation Establishment cultivation to hold the position of sect leader is truly embarrassing, and I hope Fellow Daoist will forgive my presumption.” The old man admitted it with a slightly reddened face.

Hearing this, Han Li’s face flashed with surprise, but his brow furrowed slightly. After a moment, he looked steadily at the old man and spoke slowly:

“Since the refining method for the Descent Talisman is something only the sect leader can cultivate, it must have its unique qualities. Fellow Daoist entrusts it to me so easily—are you not afraid that I will learn the talisman-making technique as well? Moreover, although I have heard of the Jin Kingdom’s reputation, I have never been there. I do not even know if I will ever have the chance to go there. Isn’t Fellow Daoist being a bit too rash?”

The red-faced man did not look surprised at Han Li’s questions. Instead, a glint of approval appeared in his eyes as he said:

“Since I have chosen to entrust this to you, I am tacitly allowing you to learn this talisman-making method. Consider it an advance payment of your reward. And to be honest, after you truly read the method for refining this talisman, I suspect you will not find it very interesting. Although the refining method for the Descent Talisman has been passed down through the generations in our sect, aside from two or three ancestors during our sect’s prosperous era who actually managed to forge one or two, every other sect leader has simply treated it as an heirloom. No one has truly attempted to refine it. Now that our sect has declined to this state, it is even more of a pipe dream.”

“As for whether you will go to the Jin Kingdom to return this refining formula… that is up to you. I am merely doing this for my own peace of mind. After all, the Descent Talisman is a unique talisman-making art created by our sect’s founding ancestor. If it were to be lost to the cultivation world, I would have a hard time justifying myself. Even if this talisman-making method cannot return to the Heavenly Talisman Sect, preserving it in the hands of another is better than letting it vanish entirely. When I meet my sect’s ancestors in the underworld, I will at least have some excuse.” The red-faced man spoke with a wry smile.

Hearing this, Han Li was at a loss for words.

So this Heavenly Talisman Sect leader was merely seeking peace of mind. Looking at it this way, Han Li could only stand to gain and not lose.

If he never went to the Jin Kingdom, there would be no need to return the bone box. If he did go to this famously vast empire, leaving an object behind seemed like a trivial task.

Furthermore, what kind of miraculous talisman was this Descent Talisman, and why was it so difficult to refine? This piqued Han Li’s curiosity.

From his growing experience, he knew that aside from standard elemental techniques that could be made into talismans, the cultivation world indeed contained special talismans with incredible powers, collectively known as Secret Talismans.

These Secret Talismans were difficult to classify within the Five Elements arts, and each sect often possessed a unique refining method that was impossible for others to replicate.

For example, the Doppelgänger Talisman that allowed him to barely escape when he was ambushed by the Star Palace Elder in the inner hall of the Void Heaven Palace, and the Star Palace’s custom Teleportation Talisman, were two different types of Secret Talismans. Of course, the former was far more valuable than the latter.

After thinking for a moment, Han Li no longer hesitated. He reached out and took the bone box, then spoke in a solemn tone:

“All I can promise you is to do my best. Fellow Daoist Yun should not place too high of expectations on me.”

“Heh, that’s good enough! With Brother Han saying this, I am already deeply grateful.” The red-faced man seemed even more reassured by Han Li’s response, his face showing gratitude as he repeatedly thanked him.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he took his leave and departed.

Han Li stood at the door, watching his receding figure. He weighed the bone box in his hand. It was light and airy, not suggesting any hidden mechanism.

Mei Ning, who had been standing silently behind Han Li, finally couldn’t help but ask:

“This is the first time I have heard the name ‘Descent Talisman.’ Is it truly a very powerful talisman?”

“I don’t know, but I suspect it’s not ordinary.” Han Li glanced at the woman’s jade-like, smooth face and said with a faint smile.

Then he returned to the table, sat down, and picked up one of the bone fragments to examine.

“Huh!” After just two glances, Han Li let out a soft exclamation of surprise.

“What is it? Is there something wrong with the refining method?” Mei Ning sat down across from Han Li, her clear eyes shimmering with curiosity. Since the incident with the kiss, the two had unconsciously grown a little closer, and most of her earlier reservations had disappeared.

“Nothing. The materials needed to refine this Descent Talisman are truly absurd! No wonder the Heavenly Talisman Sect possesses the refining method but has never dared to hope of actually forging this talisman.” Han Li finished reading the bone fragment and placed it back into the box casually.

“What materials could be so absurd that even Brother Han thinks so?” Mei Ning was a bit puzzled.

“The other materials are manageable. But the primary material is something you cannot buy even with spirit stones. It requires the refined soul of a Transformation-level demon beast to successfully forge the Descent Talisman. What do you think—is that absurd enough?” Han Li picked up another bone fragment and said with a faint smile.

“The refined soul of a Transformation-level demon beast?” Mei Ning gasped sharply, her beautiful eyes wide with shock.

But she did not notice that while Han Li was examining the bone fragment in his hand, a mysterious, unusual expression flickered across his face…

After resting for a night, Han Li and Mei Ning left the village without informing anyone, departing under the puzzled gazes of several guards.

Standing once again at the edge of the rubble field, looking out at the yellow, hazy desert before them, Han Li briefly oriented himself, then led Mei Ning toward the nearest other village.

His reasoning was simple: if this woman’s elder brother had arrived safely to this area, he would surely be in one of the other villages. Once they found him, they could all leave together.

Mei Ning felt that Han Li’s logic was sound, and naturally had no objections.

In the blink of an eye, the two of them vanished into the endless yellow sands, disappearing from sight.

A month later, on a stretch of bizarre, blood-red earth, over a dozen men and women dressed in gray robes and holding bone spears were stealthily surrounding a mound-like hill.

At the top of the hill, several strange beasts with green, lumpy bodies and short, thick necks were curled up, sound asleep.

These were a type of yin beast known as the “Toad Beast.” Their bodies were covered in bumps, and they looked incredibly ugly, like oversized toads. But among the few types of yin beasts in the Netherworld Domain that were non-toxic and edible, the Toad Beast was one of them.

These people had naturally come to hunt these Toad Beasts to alleviate their village’s food shortage.

Their movements were nimble and silent. Just as they were about to completely close the encirclement, one of the Toad Beasts suddenly opened a pair of crimson eyes, instantly spotting the humans who were only twenty or thirty zhang away.

The shout of “Now!” from among the humans rang out at the same instant as the beast’s warning hiss.

In the blink of an eye, over a dozen gleaming white bone spears shot through the air toward the Toad Beasts.

Most of the beasts leaped up, but were immediately pierced through and fell. Only two of the most agile Toad Beasts managed to dodge the attack, though not entirely unscathed—the spears had merely grazed them.

Among yin beasts, the Toad Beast was nearly at the bottom of the food chain. Aside from spitting out a few bursts of yin energy, they had almost no effective attack methods. In exchange, however, their leaping speed was astonishing.

The two remaining Toad Beasts opened their mouths wide, spitting out two pitch-black spheres of yin energy the size of a human head. Then, kicking off with their hind legs, they leaped seven or eight zhang into the air, instantly escaping the human encirclement.

Several people frantically threw their spare bone spears, but they were clearly too slow and could not reach the fleeing beasts.

Just as the two Toad Beasts, after a few bounds, were about to disappear into a patch of strange rocks not far away—

A flash of green light.

Both Toad Beasts dropped from the air without a sound, crashing to the ground with a thud, unmoving.

Green blood instantly stained the earth.

The men and women, who had been feeling frustrated just a moment ago, were now utterly dumbfounded.