"Sound-preserving conch," Yun Qi muttered to himself, listing the things he currently lacked.
Spirit iron and refined gold weren't an issue—he still had some rations left for "Autumn Water."
As for a brush and knife, "Autumn Water" could handle that too.
The only thing missing was the sound-preserving conch.
He turned the talisman arrow over and over in his hands, carefully examining the restrictions inscribed on it until he was certain he understood them.
Then, with his right hand, he formed a finger seal, and a small flame flickered to life at his fingertip.
Holding the talisman arrow in his left hand, its tail pointing downward, Yun Qi slowly brought the flame closer to the arrow's tail, as if lighting incense with a candle.
He was patient, keeping the flame at a distance at first, testing the heat.
When nothing happened, he gradually moved the flame closer, letting the tip of the fire gently lick the arrow's tail.
However, he soon realized his mistake.
The heat quickly became unbearable for his left hand, forcing him to rest the arrow on "Autumn Water" and hold the sword instead.
After about half an hour, Yun Qi noticed the tail of the arrow beginning to melt.
A faint smile tugged at his lips, but he remained calm, continuing to apply the flame with care.
Another hour passed, and the entire tail of the arrow had melted away.
Yun Qi extinguished the flame, waited for the arrow to cool, and then tilted it, pouring out its contents into his palm.
It was a talisman paper.
Yun Qi was slightly surprised.
He shook the arrow gently, but nothing else came out.
Leaning in for a closer look, he chuckled softly, as if he had discovered something interesting.
Next, he summoned the flame again, this time focusing it on the joint between the arrowhead and the shaft.
The arrowhead was surprisingly thin, and Yun Qi worked with increasing ease, managing to sever it in less than half an hour.
He picked up the arrowhead and examined it—it was hollow, and inside was a small conch.
The conch was nail-shaped, embedded entirely within the arrowhead, with its tail facing the arrowhead and its opening toward the shaft.
Upon closer inspection, Yun Qi noticed that the conch's opening was sealed with a grayish-white substance.
He sniffed it—it smelled fishy.
Closing his eyes, Yun Qi recalled the knowledge he had accumulated while constructing the Bright Palace in his mind.
He had memorized a great deal about spiritual materials related to metal, stone, earth, and wood.
Suddenly, it came to him—this was a type of earth-element spiritual material called "Flowing Mud Solid Earth."
This material seemed inherently timid.
If left undisturbed, it would remain as solid as a rock.
But if something disturbed it, it would immediately soften and turn into a puddle of mud.
Yun Qi smiled, understanding now.
He held the arrowhead carefully and turned his attention to the talisman.
Unfolding it, he chuckled again—it was a fire talisman he was all too familiar with, known as the "Fire Rain Melting Gold Talisman."
The talisman's ink was mixed with phosphorus powder and cinnabar, and its runes contained the principles of fire—dispersion, explosion, and scorching heat.
Once activated, it would transform into a rain of fire that, upon contact, would burn through clothing and skin, searing into flesh and bone.
Yun Qi thought for a moment, then went to his room and retrieved a piece of lake stone from his bag.
"Who would have thought these old stones would come in handy again," he muttered to himself.
He attached the fire talisman to the stone and tossed it into the lake.
As the stone began to sink out of sight, Yun Qi flicked the arrowhead with his finger.
"Ding~"
A crisp sound rang out, and the arrowhead trembled.
At the same time, the seal on the conch's opening dissolved, turning into a puddle of mud that fell to the ground.
"Disaster Dog departs, fire rain greets, burn!"
A spell chant emanated from the conch's opening.
The voice belonged to the skinny Daoist.
"Boom!"
As the chant echoed, the fire talisman beneath the lake exploded.
There was no loud noise, but Yun Qi watched as what looked like a firework bloomed beneath the water's surface.
The "Flowing Mud Solid Earth" that had fallen to the ground, now undisturbed, solidified back into a lump of earth.
Yun Qi picked it up gently and placed it back into the conch's opening.
The conch, undamaged by the talisman arrow, could still be used.
Yun Qi now understood how to craft such talisman arrows.
This technique wasn't widely recognized within the sect, considered a minor and unorthodox method.
It was also a relatively new invention, not mentioned in any of the crafting manuals Yun Qi had read.
Yet, he found it incredibly useful, especially for a low-level cultivator like himself, venturing out into the world.
It was a handy tool for self-defense and demon-slaying.
The next morning, Jiang Yuexing and his father arrived, accompanied by a woman.
It was clear they had come to express their gratitude.
Yun Qi invited them to sit in the main hall.
The young hero's mother had red, swollen eyes, clearly having been deeply worried the previous day.
His father, however, looked much more at ease, indicating that the young hero's injuries were no longer a concern.
The couple showered Yun Qi with praise, praising the Three Pure Mountains as a sacred sect and its disciples as extraordinary.
Yun Qi felt a bit embarrassed—after all, he had only recited a few words the day before.
But the parents were insistent, expressing their gratitude profusely.
Through their conversation, Yun Qi learned about the young hero's standing within the Jiang family.
The entire Golden Aspect Sect was dominated by the Jiang family, which had been divided into several branches over the centuries.
Each branch managed a portion of the sect's affairs, primarily overseeing the mortal population of the island nation and handling the sect's daily needs and expenses.
There was also a rule: any branch that produced a third-realm cultivator would have that individual automatically leave the branch and ascend to the Tai Xi Peak on the island to participate in sect affairs or focus on cultivation, severing ties with mundane matters.
Jiang Yuexing's branch was called the Bright Light Hall.
In his generation, the main line of the Bright Light Hall had produced two second-realm cultivators: himself and his older brother, Jiang Yanxing.
The hall was now under Jiang Yanxing's leadership, so the servants referred to him as the family head and Jiang Yuexing as the second master.
Jiang Yanxing had long declared that he had no interest in marriage or children, dedicating himself solely to the pursuit of the Dao.
Fortunately, his younger brother, Jiang Yuexing, was more sentimental, with one wife and several concubines.
However, to date, he had only one legitimate son—the young hero.
This child was born when Jiang Yuexing was still in the first realm, and the chances of having more children were slim.
This meant the entire main line of the hall rested on this one young man, explaining why they were so anxious about his safety.
After some conversation, the couple took their leave, urging Yun Qi to make himself at home and ask for anything he needed.
The young hero, however, stayed behind.
The two looked at each other and, almost simultaneously, exclaimed:
"Benefactor!"
"Young hero!"
The young hero's face flushed with embarrassment.
"If not for your rescue, I would have been fish food by now. How could I possibly be called a young hero? Let me introduce myself properly. I'm fifteen years old, and my name is Jiang Nanjing. My close friends call me Jiang Nan. You can call me Jiang Nan or Nanjing, as you prefer."
Yun Qi smiled.
"I'm a year older than you, so just call me Yun Qi. Jiang Nan, you're mistaken. A hero is defined by their heart, not their deeds. You have the heart of a demon-slayer, and you're so young. You are indeed a young hero!"
Jiang Nanjing shook his head repeatedly.
"You are my benefactor. How could I address you so casually?"
Before Yun Qi could respond, Jiang Nanjing interrupted, pulling out a small sandalwood box from his pocket.
It was tiny, like a jewelry box for bracelets or earrings.
"Benefactor, I can never repay you for saving my life. My family has prepared a small token of gratitude. Please accept it."
Yun Qi waved his hand.
"I told you yesterday, as fellow Daoists, helping each other is only natural. There's no need for thanks."
Jiang Nanjing's expression turned serious.
"You may say that, but my family cannot ignore such a debt."
He opened the box, revealing a piece of velvet cloth.
On it lay two items: a white cord bracelet with a small, glass-like bead, and in the center, a golden seal knob.
"This seal knob is my personal treasure. Today, I will carve it into a seal for you. The Tai Xu Cave Stone is a gift from my uncle and father to express their gratitude."
The young hero stood up and presented the box to Yun Qi with both hands, saying:
"Benefactor, no weight of gold or stone can adequately express our gratitude for saving my life!"
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(End of Chapter)