Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

Chapter 433: Professional Test Taker of Mount Shu

Chu Liang didn’t mind at all.

After all, the objective of the test was to recreate the talisman. By reducing the amount of foundational qi infused, Chu Liang had increased his chances of success. Especially considering that he was not familiar with these talismans, limiting the foundational qi infused made the drawing process more manageable. Naturally, he chose to sacrifice power to ensure success.

Had the test included a power evaluation, Chu Liang’s strategy would have been entirely different.

As for these fellow disciples who didn't understand his approach, he could only comment that these people had no idea of the charm of strategies for taking tests.

Next, Xu Ziyang stepped forward and activated his Talisman of Divine Lightning and Earthly Fire.

Boom—

The display was equally impressive, though it fell just short of Jiang Yuebai’s formidable power. This difference could be due to Jiang Yuebai having the Transcendent Spirit. In terms of talisman-making, Xu Ziyang was in no way inferior.

In this round, all three passed the test.

Aside from Chu Liang’s talismans, which unleashed underwhelming power, the other two demonstrated flawless proficiency.

"Very good," the Conservation Master praised.

Without further ado, he began the next round of testing.

He wasted no time and promptly activated another talisman.

The apparition of a golden-armored warrior descended from the sky, crashing down with imposing might and blazing divine flames!

"Calamity-Suppressing Talisman: Golden Armor?" someone nearby exclaimed in surprise, instantly recognizing the talisman.

The difficulty had suddenly escalated to an unprecedented level!

The Calamity-Suppressing Talisman: Golden Armor was a high-grade talisman, capable of summoning a divine being clad in golden armor to banish evil and suppress calamities.

This kind of talisman was capable of invoking the celestial spirits and was not something that could be created from a combination of just a few simple talismanic scripts. Its complexity rivaled that of an entire set of talismanic spells.

Looking at the expressions of Jiang Yuebai, Xu Ziyang, and Chu Liang, it was clear they were all deep in thought.

Obviously, none of them had encountered this talisman before—they were all mentally deconstructing the complex design they had just witnessed.

Could they really recreate this talisman?

After a moment of contemplation, each of the three began to draw once more, their focused expressions indicating that they were piecing together the insights they had gained.

The watching crowd was filled with awe and disbelief, their expectations rising as they witnessed this unprecedented display of skill. The level of ability on display had surpassed their wildest imaginations.

It took the three of them a bit longer to complete their talismans this time. Once they had finished, the crowd eagerly awaited the results.

With the yellow paper in hand, Jiang Yuebai stepped forward and gently activated the talisman drawn.

Boom! A projection of a golden-armored divine being crashed down with imposing force! While the projection was slightly less powerful than the one demonstrated by the Conservation Master, Jiang Yuebai's performance was still remarkable. Achieving this level of power was impressive in itself!

The golden-armored divine being lingered for a moment before vanishing, its presence lingering just long enough to make an impact.

Next, it was Chu Liang’s turn.

The crowd had very low expectations for Chu Liang's performance. Given his previous demonstrations of weak power, it was evident that he had reached his limit. It was only natural if he failed this round.

Yet, when Chu Liang activated his talisman...

Whoosh—

A flash of golden light burst forth, revealing a tiny, five-cun-tall[1] golden-armored divine being hovering in mid-air. If not for the sharp eyes of the onlookers, its presence would have gone unnoticed.

The little golden-armored figure wobbled for a few moments before vanishing.

"..." The crowd fell silent once again.

What was that?

A baby golden-armored divine being?

It was not only tiny but also appeared only briefly...

Nevertheless, Chu Liang did manage to recreate the talisman, which was very strange.

Then it was Xu Ziyang’s turn. He stepped forward, confidently throwing his yellow paper into the air.

Whoosh—

A projection of a golden-armored divine being materialized, but before it could fully manifest, it shattered in mid-air with a resounding bang.

It was clear he had failed.

Xu Ziyang shook his head slightly, not appearing too disheartened.

It seemed he had anticipated the possibility of this talisman failing.

With that, Xu Ziyang withdrew from the competition, leaving only Jiang Yuebai and Chu Liang competing with each other. The scene felt like a replay of the Mount Shu Summit, with these two once again standing as the final contenders.

Especially since these two were...

Teasing whistles and murmurs rose from the surrounding crowd.

Chu Liang smiled, and despite standing beside Senior Sister Jiang, he had no intention of holding back. For him, a competition deserved full effort—it was the greatest respect he could offer his opponent.

Jiang Yuebai felt the same. Having Chu Liang as her opponent only made her desire to win grow stronger.

The Conservation Master observed the two competitors and declared, "It seems that the candidate this time will be chosen between the two of you."

With that, he stepped forward again and launched a new talisman into the air.

Whoosh—

The power of this talisman was even more mystical. When it touched the ground, a burst of light erupted, giving rise to a vibrant and eerie flower. The plant seemed almost alive, its petals fluttering as though it were observing its surroundings.

"Spirit-Eye Flower Talisman?" A few in the crowd murmured. This time, fewer people recognized the talisman.

This talisman not only had to nurture a plant but also required that the plant be erected on the earth and act as the caster’s eyes and ears, relaying information back to its creator.

The difficulty of creating such a living entity was beyond most people's comprehension. Moreover, the plant had to possess mystical abilities, adding another layer of complexity.

Some spectators even began to doubt whether such a spirit plant could truly be conjured from a talisman alone. It seemed more like a talismanic spell!

Jiang Yuebai and Chu Liang stood before the challenge, contemplating for a long time. Chu Liang was the first to put his brush to paper, followed by Jiang Yuebai, who began to draw her talisman.

After a while, both of them had completed their talismans.

Jiang Yuebai stepped forward and activated her talisman. A divine light flashed, and a vibrant flower emerged from the ground. However, it remained stationary, quietly blooming without further movement.

She shook her head lightly, indicating her dissatisfaction with the result.

The Conservation Master didn't rush to declare a verdict. Instead, he said softly, "Let's see the next one."

It seemed that despite Jiang Yuebai's apparent failure, they would still evaluate Chu Liang’s attempt before making a final decision. If Chu Liang couldn’t even nurture the plant, Jiang Yuebai would still be considered the winner.

Among the onlookers, many still believed Jiang Yuebai was the more likely victor.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Chu Liang stepped forward slowly and carefully activated his talisman.

Whoosh—

A flash of light hit the ground, and a small plant sprouted from the earth. Though it was tiny, it swayed left and right as if imbued with a subtle spiritual nature.

He did it?

Immediately, the Conservation Master gave a slight nod and declared, "Chu Liang has won."

He actually did it!

The outcome was a shock to everyone. Despite the embarrassingly weak effects of his previous talismans, it turned out that Chu Liang was the best among them at talisman-making!

Regarding this, Chu Liang knew that it was absolutely not true. If they were all asked to draw a talisman, Senior Sister Jiang and Xu Ziyang would have performed better than him.

However, Chu Liang had frequently deciphered and deconstructed talismans before. When he first began practicing the Talismanic Sword Seal, he delved into talismanic scripts. To master various types of talismanic scripts, he often took a completed talisman and broke it down to understand how each script contributed to the whole.

Talismanic scripts were like fundamental knowledge points, and each talisman was akin to an exam question. He had practiced a variety of approaches to tackle these "exam questions," honing his skills in ways others might not have.

This was why Chu Liang could perform the Talismanic Sword Seal faster than others. He had a deeper understanding of individual talismanic scripts and he knew how to better combine them for a better result.

Although Senior Sister Jiang and Xu Ziyang were also highly skilled in the Dao of Talisman-Making, they had never practiced talisman-making in this manner.

Aside from Chu Liang, no one else in the world of immortality cultivators had studied the Dao of Talisman-Making as though they were preparing for an exam.

A few of his acquaintances gathered around, asking him how he had managed to achieve such a feat.

Chu Liang looked at their inquisitive faces and replied with a question of his own, "Have you never tried doing practice questions for exams?"

...

As Chu Liang turned around, he saw the Conservation Master approaching with a warm smile.

"Conservation Master," Chu Liang inquired, "can you tell me which hidden realm we are going to?"

"This is a hidden realm that the Penglai Supreme Sect, the Fog-Hidden Mountain of Immortals, the Buddhist Cloud Monastery, the Celestial King Sect, the Celestial Pivot Pavilion, and our Mount Shu Sect will be exploring together. Each sect will be sending only one disciple into this realm," the Conservation Master explained. "This hidden realm was left behind by the Celestial Talisman Master."

1. 5*3.33cm=16.65cm or 0.5 feet or 16.56 inch. ☜