Behind the scenes, Xi Yunqing handed Chen Xiao a jade talisman. He told him that if he ever found himself in danger, he should give it to Du Rong to crush. This way, Xi Yunqing would receive the message and hurry over to assist. As for why he didn't give it to Du Rong directly, in Xi Yunqing's mind, Chen Xiao seemed to be a bit closer to him. Although Tong Nuo, who was at the Foundation Building stage, should logically be more trustworthy, his tendency to get lost caused his trustworthiness to drop in Xi Yunqing's eyes.
Though Chen Xiao was deeply grateful, he still felt that Xi Yunqing was being a bit too serious.
They were already in a relatively safe area near Hanshan City. There were no dangerous beasts nearby, and large animals were rare. Given that their journey had been ten days without incident, Chen Xiao didn't think there would be any danger unless another vicious beast suddenly appeared. Still, he kept the jade talisman close, knowing that it could save his life at a crucial moment.
Xi Yunqing, leading the team with Ah Shou, set off ahead. Wu Qing had stopped his diarrhea today, though his complexion was still poor. Du Rong decided to catch some fish and make a soup to help him recover. Du Rong had spent many years training in the wild and knew various herbs and home remedies. While he wasn't an expert in combining herbs to create pills, he was adept at using them to make health-boosting broths.
Thanks to Tong Nuo, who often got lost in the wilderness, they had cooking utensils in their supplies. His cooking skills were average, just enough to make meals that wouldn't kill anyone. But his cooking tools and seasonings were complete, much to the delight of Chen Xiao and the others.
Tong Nuo stayed behind to care for Wu Qing while Du Rong took Chen Xiao to catch fish and gather herbs nearby.
It was a hot summer day, and the weather was scorching. The mountain was covered in bushes and wild grass that reached almost waist height. The mosquitoes in the grass were relentless, and Chen Xiao kept swatting at them as they attempted to bite his face. Fortunately, his clothing was made of strong fabric, resistant to the mosquitoes' bite. His pants were tucked into his boots, his collar was tightly fastened, and his sleeves were secured with wrist guards. He was well-protected, though the heat was unbearable, and he sweat profusely. In no time, his collar was drenched, and his greenish-blue shirt was soaked with sweat.
Du Rong, wielding a knife, cleared the bushes and scared away any snakes that might be hiding. He reassured Chen Xiao, "Boss, just hang in there a little longer. We'll be at the creek soon, and it'll be cooler there."
Just then, a colorful wild pheasant flew up from a nearby bush. It fluttered its wings and landed on a tree branch.
If it were just Chen Xiao, he might have only sighed in admiration. But with Du Rong there, Chen Xiao's eyes lit up, and he pointed at the pheasant, saying, "Uncle Rong, catch it alive!"
Du Rong straightened up, stepped forward, and jumped. He used the tree as leverage to leap higher and quickly reached the branch where the pheasant had perched. The frightened pheasant squawked and flapped its wings, trying to fly away, but Du Rong swiftly grabbed its neck and pinned its wings.
When he returned, Chen Xiao, still standing in the same spot, gave him a thumbs up. "Uncle Rong, great skills."
Du Rong laughed heartily. "This is nothing. So, you want to eat the pheasant? We've got cooking tools and seasonings now. How do you want it prepared?"
Chen Xiao smiled. "Eating it isn't the main thing. I want the pheasant's blood."
Du Rong looked at him in confusion. "...Making blood sausage?"
Chen Xiao chuckled. "Not for food. I have a greater use for it."
Seeing that Chen Xiao wasn't going to elaborate, Du Rong didn't ask further. He tied the pheasant with a grass rope and hung it upside down on his waist. No matter how much the pheasant struggled, it was futile.
Soon, Du Rong found some herbs and caught a few fat fish. The two of them hurried back to camp, where it was still early, but they began preparing the ingredients. Du Rong scaled the fish, removed the guts, and handed the cleaned fish to Tong Nuonuo. Of all the people, only Friend Tong could lend a hand. Du Rong would never ask the employer to do such work.
Then, Du Rong took the pheasant, twisted its neck, and swiftly slit its windpipe. Chen Xiao hurriedly took the container that Tong Nuonuo had provided and quickly collected about half a basin of chicken blood.
Du Rong watched curiously. "Boss, what do you need this blood for?"
Chen Xiao didn't even look up as he said, "I want to try using it to help Wu Qing recover faster with a talisman technique."
Tong Nuo, intrigued, asked, "You can draw talismans? The kind with those runes on jade talismans?"
Chen Xiao shook his head. "No, it's a different kind of talisman."
Not everyone was as knowledgeable as Xi Yunqing, so neither of them had heard of this kind of talisman. They guessed it must be some obscure form of magic. Given that Chen Xiao was familiar with something as obscure as residential magic, it wasn't too surprising that he knew another technique.
Tong Nuonuo offered his mechanism box, and Chen Xiao set up a cloth on top. He arranged the cut grass paper and a small bowl of the prepared drawing material. The minerals and cinnabar used for the painting had been collected in the village, but at the time, it was with the blood of a village-raised rooster. The information Chen Xiao had gathered mentioned using blood from wild birds, so he had tried substituting rooster blood, but the talisman didn't work.
Upon reflecting on his actions, Chen Xiao realized that cutting corners wasn't right. He had been too eager to succeed, and his impatience had clouded his judgment. Whether drawing talismans in this world or any other, the key was always to calm the mind and focus.
Chen Xiao sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and pushed aside all distractions. This time, although the materials weren't top-notch, they were still suitable. It all depended on whether his mind could stay calm.
Seeing him sit in a seemingly meditative posture, even Wu Qing, who was resting nearby, couldn't help but become curious. Tong Nuonuo and Du Rong, both mindful of not disturbing him, moved quietly.
After a while, all that could be heard was the gentle rustling of tree branches in the breeze, the soft chirping of birds, and the occasional distant call of monkeys perched in the trees.
Chen Xiao sat in silence for about half an hour, and gradually, he felt his energy fully focused. He opened his eyes, picked up the soft brush, dipped it in ink, and began to draw on the rice paper. With a swift stroke, he finished the talisman in one smooth motion. His movements were elegant, and even as the brush moved across the paper, it seemed to flow effortlessly, as though the strokes were part of a natural rhythm.
The three onlookers were stunned. They had never seen anyone draw talismans with such momentum before.
Once he finished, Chen Xiao immediately felt a wave of exhaustion. It wasn't physical fatigue, but rather mental weariness. It felt as though the energy he had gathered while meditating had been entirely depleted in that single act. He hadn't expected that drawing talismans would have such an effect. But this fatigue told him that this time's result was very different from the last.
Although it was still the same piece of rice paper, it now looked much brighter. The inked lines of the talisman seemed to glow faintly, giving it a distinct and extraordinary appearance.
Seeing that he was done, Tong Nuonuo approached and leaned down to inspect it. "This is a talisman? It's completely different from a jade talisman."
Chen Xiao sighed contentedly. He set down the brush, pinched the edges of the talisman paper with his fingers, and lifted it to the breeze to speed up the drying process. "Of course, it's different. Talismans are composed of characters derived from pictograms. Jade talismans are not like this. Plus, talismans have been lost for many years, while jade talismans have continued to develop and evolve. It's completely normal for them to be so different."
Tong Nuonuo nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. So, what does this talisman do, and how is it used?"
Chen Xiao handed the nearly-dried talisman to Tong Nuonuo and began packing up his things. He didn't have the energy to draw another one. The prepared ink was left unused, but since it wouldn't stay fresh for long, he had to discard it. He realized that just practicing this stage alone would require quite an expense. For example, he had to use fresh wild bird blood each time.
While thinking this, he answered Tong Nuonuo's question, "This is a Spirit Summoning Talisman. The method of using it is simple; you just carry it on your person and it will take effect." The talisman method passed down from the jade plaque was similar to past life practices; it could be carried, swallowed, or even ignited. This gave Chen Xiao a strange feeling of familiarity, as though there was an invisible connection between this world and the one from his past life.
"A Spirit Summoning Talisman?" Tong Nuonuo thought for a moment. "Does it draw spiritual energy?"
Chen Xiao cleaned up his things, taking the talisman back in one hand while handing the mechanism box to Tong Nuonuo. He nodded. "Exactly, it draws spiritual energy for the wearer. This kind of talisman was created to help cultivators in the Body Refining stage. It helps them sense spiritual energy and aids in their advancement to the Foundation Establishment stage."
Du Rong overheard and couldn't help but approach. "If it really has such an effect, may I dare ask for a few?"
Chen Xiao smiled. "Of course, but this one is for Master Wu to use first. The spiritual energy drawn by the talisman is gentle and nourishing, which can also improve the body. Although it doesn't have the powerful effects of a healing pill, it can still aid in recovery."
Tong Nuonuo said, "If this Spirit Summoning Talisman really works as you say, not only will high-level cultivators demand it, but even those who can't afford healing pills will be knocking on your door."
Du Rong nodded eagerly. "The master is truly insightful. In such a short time, you've found another profitable venture!"
Chen Xiao hadn't yet considered the market potential of the Spirit Summoning Talisman. For now, he was focused on understanding its true effects. He humbly replied, "Let's talk about that later. For now, let's let Master Wu try it out. If it helps him recover, that would be the best outcome."
Wu Qing, who had been listening intently nearby, had already come to understand that Chen Xiao was an ordinary person with no cultivation ability. However, because Du Rong led the group, and Tong Nuonuo was a friend of his, and it seemed Immortal Master Xi held him in high regard, Wu Qing treated him with a respectful attitude, without any hint of disdain.
When he saw that Chen Xiao was taking such care for him, he spoke before Chen Xiao could say anything. "No matter what the effects are, I will remember Brother Chen's kindness."
Chen Xiao walked over, handing Wu Qing the completely dry talisman. "Master Wu, you don't need to be polite. We are companions now, and this is what I should do." Helping others and practicing talisman drawing was a win-win situation. Chen Xiao didn't seek credit; after all, Wu Qing's cooperation was just as important in the process.