Chapter 60: A Supreme Technique—Its Only Flaw Is Its Difficulty!

High above Azure Cloud Sect, Yu Qingsong appeared in an instant, his eyes alight with excitement.

“Could it be that without the aid of the Azure Cloud Grotto, Junior Sister Yu has broken through to the Golden Core stage?”

Swish, swish—three other peak masters hurried over as well.

Master Yuan Dan murmured, “With such a massive talisman, there’s no doubt Senior Sister Yu is about to enter the Golden Core!”

Master Wang Tie fiddled quietly with the massive iron hammer in his hands. “Looks like it’s finally time to ask Senior Sister Yu to inscribe a talisman and forge my first true magical treasure.”

Only Li Zhiyun, arms crossed, cradling a great thunderbolt, said with some displeasure, “Senior Sister’s luck is really something. Is this a breakthrough in cultivation following her enlightenment after taking on an apprentice?”

“I was still hoping I might surpass her and become the first Golden Core cultivator among us.”

Though Li Zhiyun’s words carried some resentment, her eyes betrayed a hint of envy.

After all, a Golden Core cultivator enjoys five hundred years of life, with spells capable of reaching the heavens. What was once impossible might become trivial after forming the core.

This time, thanks to Little Uncle, they were certain to secure a spot in the Azure Cloud Grotto in the Central Province, and they’d already given it to Yu Wan.

But it didn’t mean they’d given up; if their disciples performed well enough, they might still earn the chance to enter the Azure Cloud Grotto themselves.

They were all at the peak of Foundation Establishment—Yu Wan had only advanced a few steps beyond them. Who would reach the Golden Core first was still uncertain.

Yet all these thoughts of competition melted away before the appearance of that talisman, replaced by a burning desire for the Golden Core stage.

Yu Qingsong’s eyes grew misty. “At last... I can finally set out and travel Yun Prefecture with my heart at ease!”

He was already mid-Golden Core, his life nearing its end; even closing himself off for a final attempt, he could never reach the Nascent Soul stage. A hundred years ago, he might have been unwilling to accept this, but now, he only wished to see once more the land that had nurtured him.

“Senior brothers, what are you discussing?” A clear, cool voice suddenly rang out among them.

“We were just talking about Yu... Hm? Junior Sister!” Yu Qingsong, tears still wet on his cheeks, looked rather absurd.

He glanced at the talisman in the sky, then at Yu Wan standing among them. “Wait, then that talisman in the sky...”

The group looked as though they’d seen a ghost, leaving Yu Wan utterly puzzled.

She replied matter-of-factly, “I was just about to go investigate myself, but I saw you all arrive, so I came to greet you first.”

At this, not only Yu Qingsong, but Masters Yuan Dan, Wang Tie, and Li Zhiyun all wore splendidly bewildered expressions at the sudden turn.

Feeling uncomfortable under their gaze, Yu Wan quickly changed the subject. “I suspect it’s that girl Li Yao—she must have mastered the ‘Sigil Cloud Formula’!”

“As you know, once the ‘Sigil Cloud Formula’ is perfected, one can condense a life-bound talisman, drawing in the essence of heaven and earth to nourish one’s foundation!”

She spoke with a touch of pride. “I was able to reach the peak of Foundation Establishment faster than you all precisely because of my life-bound talisman.”

“It seems Yao’er will likely break through to late Foundation Establishment before the Azure Cloud Gathering!”

“With that, we’ll have another quota for the Azure Cloud Grotto...” She glanced at the other peak masters, her meaning clear—they wouldn’t take advantage for nothing, would they?

Yu Qingsong stroked his beard and laughed. “If Li Yao actually snatches a spot in the Azure Cloud Grotto, rest assured, her uncles won’t let her go unrewarded!”

The group stood atop their flying magical instruments in the sky, watching as the talisman took shape.

“The spiritual energy is dense, containing the essence of the five elements. The intent behind this talisman is profound,” remarked Master Wang Tie, who rarely spoke.

As head of the Artifact Forging Peak, his insight into talismans was second only to Yu Wan, and in certain aspects—such as sharpness or resilience—he even surpassed her.

It was only after hearing Wang Tie’s comment that Yu Wan truly paid attention to the talisman.

Her brows furrowed in thought; she’d raised Li Yao herself and was intimately familiar with every talisman the girl had studied—yet this one was wholly unfamiliar.

Soon, though, her expression softened. “Chicks must leave the nest someday...”

“Master!” Suddenly, a startled cry came from below, followed by a respectful greeting: “Disciple Li Yao greets all my uncles!”

Li Yao had hurried back, and upon seeing her master in the sky, instinctively called out. Realizing the other peak masters were present as well, she quickly composed herself and bowed respectfully.

The scene was momentarily silent. The four peak masters, with Yu Qingsong, exchanged wide-eyed glances.

Internally, each thought, “Wait, then who in the world is it?!”

“Yao’er, come up here!” With things as they were, Yu Wan could only call her up.

As a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, Li Yao naturally had the ability to fly with a magical ribbon. She summoned her instrument and rose into the air.

Now, all they could do was look up, watching as the talisman in the sky continued to take shape.

None spoke further. Even Yu Wan was silently guessing which elder was responsible.

She never once considered Cao Xuan—no matter how talented, he had only received the ‘Sigil Cloud Formula’ today. Mastering it would take time; to perfect it and condense a life-bound talisman in a single day was simply absurd.

...

Cao Xuan sat cross-legged, focusing his mind.

With the system’s prompt, the perfected ‘Heavenly Talisman Codex’ began pouring into his consciousness, along with a flood of talismanic insights.

In that moment, he finally understood how he’d gained that extra mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation.

With innate talent converging and spiritual energy gathering, it would be harder not to break through.

The ‘Heavenly Talisman Codex’ was the supreme Foundation Establishment technique—not just in Yun Prefecture, but the entire cultivation world.

Aside from its difficulty to master, there were no other drawbacks to such a top-tier technique.

“Cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage means uniting essence, energy, and spirit. My foundation, built from the tenth layer of Qi Refinement, is already solid.”

“Now, the heavenly talisman is nourishing my essence and spirit with celestial energy; my foundation is now beyond mere talent.”

“Even those with earth-grade or heaven-grade spiritual roots cannot surpass me at this stage!”

“Only the legendary flawless spiritual root might, at Foundation Establishment, sense a trace of the Heavenly Dao and have a foundation to rival mine!”

Cao Xuan was not only absorbing the system’s knowledge, but working to fully digest and make it his own.

The system merely told him that one plus one equals two; he himself had to understand where to apply this, or even deduce subtraction from it.

Atop the Talisman Peak, the talisman grew from small to immense, as if built from blocks, growing ever more intricate, while the trickle of spiritual energy swelled into a surging tide.

“Look! What’s happening above Talisman Peak?”

“Could it be a Foundation Establishment elder creating a top-grade talisman?”

“Brother, have you ever seen such a gigantic talisman? This must be a grand array being set up for the whole sect!”

“No, I think...”

...

Unbeknownst to them, the phenomenon above Talisman Peak had already been noticed by the disciples of Azure Cloud Sect.

Even some Foundation Establishment elders were roused—some pondering, some watching from afar, some even flying straight toward Talisman Peak!