The Purple Lightning Talisman?
Everyone was slightly taken aback.
Although the grade of the Purple Lightning Talisman was not high, its inheritance was rare in the vast Central Continent, and only a few places possessed the knowledge to craft it.
Ouyang Mo smiled. "It seems earning the favor of the Heavenly Cloud Emperor has allowed you to acquire the inheritance of the Purple Lightning Talisman, Junior Brother?"
Fang Chen nodded with a grin. "How does Junior Brother Ouyang feel about that?"
Ouyang Mo smiled but said nothing.
Hua Miaoqing, sensing the tension, sighed lightly. "Junior Brother Fang, why not choose another talisman? Junior Brother Ouyang's mastery of the Purple Lightning Talisman ranks among the top five in the Talisman Department.
"Twenty years ago, Sir Zhao presided over a talisman duel, and Junior Brother Ouyang won the competition by using the Purple Lightning Talisman to overwhelm everyone. Few can surpass him when it comes to this talisman."
Ouyang Mo's smile widened. "Junior Brother Fang, I won't mislead you. Since Senior Sister Hua has spoken, perhaps you should pick another talisman. However... regardless of which talisman you choose, the outcome may be the same."
Hua Miaoqing smiled and explained, "Junior Brother Fang, you may not know, but a talisman duel is a major event for us. It must be officially announced to the entire Talisman Department."
"This is a rule set by Sir Zhao. Don't worry, even though we may speak to each other, it will not affect your duel," said Hua Yan, reassuring everyone.
Fang Chen nodded with a faint smile. "That's fine."
The group left the library and headed toward the duel arena.
By the time they arrived, there were many people at the arena. The people around ranged from those with the cultivation in the Lower Four Realms and those in the Middle Three Realms. There were even a few teachers of the Talisman Department like Teacher Hua Yan.
After learning of Fang Chen's background, their curiosity was piqued, and a hint of intrigue appeared in their eyes.
Hua Yan announced in a clear voice, "Since both of you are competing in a talisman duel, but Junior Brother Fang is not a member of the Talisman Department, to ensure fairness, all the materials used—such as the talisman pen, paper, and cinnabar—will be provided by the Talisman Department, and they will be of the same quality."
As she finished speaking, a disciple from the Talisman Department stepped forward and placed a set of talisman-making materials in the center of the arena.
Hua Yan said with a smile, "Both of you, please step forward."
Fang Chen nodded lightly and stepped to the center of the arena. As soon as he entered, he noticed a formation that enveloped the area, blocking any external sounds and distorting the images of those outside. This way, the talisman creators could focus entirely on their work without distractions.
"Junior Brother Fang, in a talisman duel, we compete in both speed and quality. Are you sure you don't need to think it over before starting? I can wait for you."
"There's no need for that. Let's begin," assured Fang Chen with a light smile.
He took the cinnabar and gently began to grind it. Under the flow of spiritual energy, the cinnabar slowly dissolved.
Seeing that, Ouyang Mo also began preparing his materials to create his talisman.
Outside the arena, more and more cultivators were arriving to watch the talisman duel. When they heard that Fang Chen, the newly admitted disciple from the Alchemy Department, was about to compete with Ouyang Mo in crafting the Purple Lightning Talisman, they were all quite surprised.
"Senior Hua Yan, is this duel truly fair? Junior Brother Fang probably hasn't had much experience with the Purple Lightning Talisman, right? Even if he has, how could he compare to Junior Brother Ouyang? Before Junior Brother Ouyang even entered the Wilderness Academy, he was already a master in this field," one cultivator remarked. ŗÅΝỒΒЕ𐌔
"Not many people in the Talisman Department can craft a better Purple Lightning Talisman than him. Just based on the Purple Lightning Talismans he crafts, he could easily rank in the top ten of the Central Continent," someone else said.
Hua Yan smiled lightly. "Miao Qing has already tried to persuade Junior Brother Fang, but since he insists on competing, we can't stop him. Everyone, just consider it a bit of entertainment. If Junior Brother Fang loses, please don't say too much."
"We understand," reassured a cultivator, nodding. "Although Junior Brother Fang is from the Alchemy Department, he's still one of us."
As their conversation quieted down, the focus shifted to the competition. Fang Chen and Ouyang Mo had already entered their respective zones and were beginning to sketch their first Purple Lightning Talisman.
Before entering, Hua Yan had already outlined the rules; they would each receive ten pieces of yellow talisman paper and would be required to create ten Purple Lightning Talismans. The competition would then be judged based on speed, the completeness of the talismans, and, finally, the quality and power of the talismans themselves.
As Fang Chen made his move, Hua Yan and the others immediately noticed something unusual.
Hua Miao Qing exclaimed in surprise, "Junior Brother Fang's hands are so steady and there is no slightest movement at all."
The biggest challenge in talisman crafting was controlling spiritual energy. Since talismans were considered to be items that went against the natural order, making them often resulted in wild fluctuations of spiritual energy. At such times, the crafter's control over their energy weakens. A small mistake could easily result in a ruined talisman or even damage to the brush.
Yet strangely, Fang Chen's movements were as smooth as flowing water, seemingly unaffected by any disturbances. His brush strokes were flawless, as if guided by some divine force.
Hua Yan nodded gently. "It seems his skill in crafting Purple Lightning Talisman is no small matter. He must have been practicing for many years."
The onlookers shifted their gaze toward Ouyang Mo. Although his movements were also precise, every so often, one could see that he was making a conscious effort to suppress the surging spiritual energy.
On one hand, Fang Chen's actions were effortless and natural; on the other, Ouyang Mo seemed to be struggling with all his might. This contrast immediately made the surrounding cultivators exchange looks of surprise and unease.
Some cultivators who were friendly with Ouyang Mo saw this and their expressions grew more and more odd.
"No way... would Ouyang Mo really lose against this person?"
"If this gets out..."
They exchanged uneasy glances, seeing the serious concern in each other's eyes.
About an hour later, Fang Chen had already completed most of his Purple Lightning Talismans. In contrast, Ouyang Mo's progress had clearly fallen behind.
"Junior Brother Fang really wasn't lying," Hua Miao Qing murmured softly. "He's indeed put in a lot of effort into the art of talisman crafting."
Teacher Hua Yan smiled and said, "When it comes to speed and control over spiritual energy, Junior Brother Fang seems to have surpassed Ouyang Mo. No wonder Master Ji values him so much. Alchemy also emphasizes control over the pill fire, which is very similar to our art."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "However, in talisman crafting, it's not just speed and control that matter. The quality of the talisman is also crucial. Even if you win in those two areas, if the talisman's quality suffers and you lose because of it, then you lose overall."
The crowd nodded lightly, agreeing with Teacher Hua Yan's reasoning.
She gazed quietly at Fang Chen, her thoughts seeming to drift.