Chapter 145
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Chapter 145: Advancement of Cultivation Methods, the Frenzied Master Meng Rui
Under Master Meng Rui’s watchful eyes, Mu Lin swiftly drew his second Speed talisman.
As a puppet sect with an orderly inheritance, the talisman formations Master Meng Rui possessed all shared the same origin. Thus, their early-stage traits and effects were nearly identical.
This trait, called stacking, allowed beginners to barely sketch a basic version, proficient users to draw standard versions, experts to triple the effect, and masters to amplify it ninefold.
Of course, each talisman’s manifestation differed.
The Vajra Strength talisman stacked power and defense, Speed stacked velocity, Giant Spirit stacked size, and the mystical Sky-High Technique Spell stacked a connection to the heavens.
Despite these differences, one rule held true:
As the talismans’ potency multiplied, their complexity skyrocketed.
It wasn’t just intricate lines—spiritual energy flow, writing continuity, and prioritizing elements all mattered. Moving from three to nine layers meant intricate fusion, not mere repetition.
Yet none of this troubled Mu Lin.
His grandmaster-level painting skills let him effortlessly grasp structure, layering, and color balance. His keen eye for “beauty” revealed the pathways of spiritual energy. Combined, these allowed him to rapidly stack Speed to nine layers—proof that mastering fundamentals eases advancement. His grandmaster-level painting and master-level calligraphy formed the bedrock of his talisman studies.
Normally, even Mu Lin’s “quick” drawings required time. But now, he’d surpassed himself.
First attempt: basic Speed talisman.
Second assessment: three-layer Speed talisman.
Third attempt: nine-layer Speed talisman.
This shocking progress made Master Meng Rui massage her temples, her thoughts in turmoil.
Mu Lin shrugged it off.
“After creating a master-level Vajra Strength talisman, shouldn’t mastering Speed faster make sense?”
Master Meng Rui didn’t argue. The hardest step is always the first breakthrough. Once achieved, replicating it becomes simpler—which explained why Yan Yunyu had pinned her hopes on Mu Lin after just one master-level talisman. Even a fluke breakthrough, if remembered, could open countless doors.
Strong inheritances amplified this advantage. Sharing the same roots, mastering one talisman let Master Meng Rui quickly learn others in her field—reducing the difficulty tenfold compared to starting fresh.
By this logic, Mu Lin saw nothing odd in his rapid mastery.
Master Meng Rui countered quietly, “True, subsequent talismans come easier. But my first master-level talisman took seven years. The Speed talisman? Nine months.”
From seven years down to nine months, this was the difficulty Master Meng Rui considered reasonable.
Yet when Mu Lin encountered new talismans, he rose from novice to master in just three… attempts. Such progress seemed truly excessive.
Mu Lin didn’t feel pride in this. With his proficiency panel allowing permanent mastery, rapid advancement seemed natural.
Seeing Mu Lin’s casual demeanor, Master Meng Rui swallowed the words crowding her throat.
Curiosity flickered in her eyes.
"You’ve elevated Speed to master-level. Why do you appear displeased?"
Mu Lin answered plainly, "How could I rejoice? I’ve merely reached master-level Speed without achieving sublimation… My comprehension of wind’s essence remains lacking."
Though possessing Grandmaster-level painting skills allowed Mu Lin to imbue intent without tedious practice, observing true phenomena remained essential.
In his previous life, he’d seen storms through television screens, but pixels couldn’t capture nature’s fury. To truly resonate with heavenly might, he needed to stand amidst tempests – an opportunity denied in both lifetimes. Thus Speed remained earthbound, lacking wind’s perfect flow.
While Mu Lin brooded, Master Meng Rui gaped in astonishment.
"Sublimating skills? Such occurrences happen once a century! You’d need divine favor to experience it multiple times. Expecting more is like…"
Her voice trailed off as realization struck. Her gaze burned into him.
"Have you sublimated multiple cultivation methods?!"
Mu Lin responded with a strained smile.
That was answer enough. Master Meng Rui’s breathing quickened.
*Thud*
Her palms slammed the table. "Become my disciple! Learn my techniques! I’ll dedicate everything to your training!"
"Even if I never advance personally, I’ll make you surpass all!"
Her trembling hands gripped his shoulders painfully. That frantic intensity initially confused Mu Lin, but understanding soon dawned.
Her motives weren’t purely sect-related. Self-interest drove this desperation.
Though sublimated methods worked best for their creator, others could learn them. The Vajra Strength talisman of the Great Mighty Dragon exemplified this – multiplying ordinary versions’ power, granting dragon-like strength and defenses, even summoning phantom wyrms.
Having mastered Vajra Strength talismans herself, Master Meng Rui could easily replicate this enhanced version. The same principle applied to techniques. If Mu Lin adopted her methods then improved them, she’d gain upgraded cultivation paths without effort.
Yet Mu Lin remained unmoved. Compared to puppetcraft’s reliance on external mechanisms, he favored the Paper Folding Lineage’s secrets. Though both employed subordinate fighters, puppets represented complete external dependence – "the flesh is weak, machinery ascends" philosophy.
The paper figures’ true essence lay not in parchment servants, but in that vital breath of creation – the celestial spiritual energy promising immortality. One path meant abandoning mortality for clanking gears; the other united Essence, Qi, and Spirit through Three Flowers convergence and Five Qi Returning to Origin, ascending as complete being.
Moreover, his Paper Figure Secret Techniques had already transformed from sinister arts to underworld magistracy – recognized legitimate deities under Emperor of Lidu’s banner. This path might ultimately lead to becoming Emperor of Lidu or Lord of Mount Tai himself.
The choice required no contemplation.
