Immortality begins with meditation puppets

Chapter 267 Invoking the Five Thunder Gods, Dragon and Tiger Golden Elixir.

It's a Daoist pattern that has come to life!

The puppeteer has lost his mind!

Su Qing was also puzzled as to what this old Taoist Tong was.

Since he considers himself a Dao puppet, then let him be a Dao puppet!
He's quite worldly-wise.

He not only saw the Dao patterns that ordinary people would seek but could hardly ever see, but he also imprinted them on his body.

Among them, the "Sheshan Hai" pattern is no less impressive than the "Tianshi" pattern.

The Dao patterns of the Nine Li are only stronger, not weaker.

The Transformation Technique made him realize that there are still more good people in the world.

The phoenix boiled the sea, allowing him to recognize that the sea gave birth to a fiery phoenix.

The moment the flower blooms, it makes others like peach blossoms, feed lotus flowers, and ruthlessly destroy flowers!
He had seen many Dao patterns.

But this was the first time he had ever seen a puppet made from Dao patterns!

He had previously envied those puppeteers who could use Master Tong for their own purposes, as they could both fight and make money.

Now he actually envied Master Tong.

Born as a puppet, how fortunate must he be, and how extravagant must his master be to imprint a complete Celestial Master Dao mark on his body!
Although it is unknown why that great being did not let Master Tong know this himself.

So much so that he painstakingly pursued the Daoist patterns of the Celestial Masters and was always complacent about his talent for making talismans, attributing it to his own efforts.

Bah! He thinks this old Taoist Tong is like him, that everything he has is the result of his own hard work!

I never imagined he was just an ordinary second-generation puppet!

Out of reverence for the powerful being who could imprint Dao patterns on puppets, Su Qing did not reveal the Dao patterns on Old Dao Tong's body.

But you can just grab a handful at random.

Since that powerful being clearly instructed Master Tong to display this Dao pattern, he probably didn't mind others seeing it, right?
As expected of an ancient great being, he was willing to give up the puppet and others as well. The Dao pattern was exposed so openly and frankly, without any covetousness or attempt to hide it!

Su Qing secretly praised the magnanimity and broad-mindedness of the ancient great power.

First, he put the tiger eggs and other puppets into his storage bag to prevent them from seeing the treatment of other puppets and getting undue stimulation or developing undue delusions. Then, he focused intently on the Celestial Master's Dao patterns and diligently drew biomimetic runes.

He really used a lot of force, so much so that even Master Tong felt a bit of pain.

"Fellow Daoist Su, this feeling is not right. Why do I feel a tingling sensation like an electric current, a suffocating sensation like being submerged in water, a burning sensation like my eyebrows are on fire, and a stinging sensation like being pierced by a thousand arrows when I draw biomimetic runes?"

Tong Laodao groaned and complained, feeling that this time having runes drawn on him was the most painful experience of his life as a puppet.

Sigh, it makes sense. Who told him to be so greedy, insisting on fourth-order bionic runes? Even if Su Qing, a mere youth, has some talent, with such a short lifespan, how many days can he possibly have to hone his skills? He claims to know fourth-order bionic runes, but he probably hasn't even tried drawing them yet.

"You wouldn't use me, an old Taoist priest, as a practice subject, would you? That wouldn't be fair of you!"

"Fellow Daoist Tong, you've wronged me. Drawing biomimetic runes is indeed not this painful, but if it were you, Fellow Daoist Tong, then pain would be expected!"

In Su Qing's eyes, from the moment he began writing about Tong Laodao.

Countless familiar and unfamiliar runes on its body jumped up, trying to form a bond with the biomimetic runes, but they were all fiercely suppressed by the Heavenly Master Dao runes.

The Celestial Master Dao Pattern had no interest in establishing a bond with the bionic runes. Not only did it not allow other runes to befriend the bionic runes, it also compressed the bionic runes into subordinate runes, making them submit to it and understand who the master of this puppet was!

As one of the five talismans in the world, it is a bionic talisman that is actually a second-grade talisman. It has never bowed down to anyone before, so it was unwilling and struggled to resist the pressure of the Celestial Master's Dao pattern.

So, wherever Su Qing's talisman brush landed on Tong Laodao, thunder roared, water raged and fire blazed, and the Celestial Master's Daoist runes suppressed the bionic runes, which then drew down with sparks and lightning.

In this way, he, the puppeteer who drew the talisman, was alright. Realizing that something was wrong, he switched to the Dual-Handed Puppet. Although the Dual-Handed Puppet was blown black, at least he did not feel much pain.

As for Master Tong himself, he could only endure the torment of the Celestial Master's Daoist runes.

Although he was in pain, his pain was worthwhile.

For example, a prompt appeared on Su Qing's panel.

[By gaining insight into the techniques of ancient puppeteers, and comprehending the profound mysteries of rune combinations for rulers, ministers, assistants, and envoys.]

[A ruler with one minister and two subjects constitutes a minor system. A ruler with two ministers, three ministers, and five assistants constitutes a moderate system. A ruler with one minister, three ministers, and nine assistants constitutes a major system.]

[Before crafting the puppet, first determine the Sovereign Talisman, then the Minister Talisman, and finally the Assistant Talisman. The Sovereign Talisman is the core, governing all the other Talismans. Sovereign and Minister assist each other, upholding the orthodox while employing the unorthodox!]

Because he was still drawing talismans, Su Qing didn't look at the panel much, but after just one glance, he knew he had gotten a great deal.

This method of combining runes uses the Sovereign Rune as the core, combined with other runes, to maximize the power and effectiveness of the Sovereign Rune. Then, the Sovereign Rune governs the other runes, making them each take effect. This is a puppet-making method.

For example, when he refines the Divine Luwu, he can use divine beast runes as the ruler, biomimetic immortal runes as ministers, and material runes such as the Sky-Soaring Rune as assistants.

In this way, the fourth-tier divine beast runes may be able to exert an effect close to that of the fifth tier, greatly enhancing the rune's effect and also improving the puppet's rank and potential.

As for what constitutes a ruler, a minister, an assistant, and an envoy, that is a complex and profound subject that he will need to carefully comprehend in the process of refining puppets in the future.

Having received such a benefit, what does it matter if Old Master Tong grumbles a couple of times?

He didn't just hum in vain; he successfully drew his bionic runes, didn't he?
Because the fourth-order bionic rune was no match for the Celestial Master Dao Rune, which was a formidable force, after making a futile resistance, it eventually became a subordinate rune of the Celestial Master Dao Rune.

The talisman was successfully drawn. At this moment, the old Taoist's appearance was still mainly based on the Taoist patterns of the Celestial Master. Clouds and mist obscured the heavenly secrets, making the mountain appear as a mountain, yet not a mountain at all.

But when the old Taoist activated the Illusionary Heart Rune again, transforming into a human form.

His demeanor and aura changed, making him more like a human than before. In Tong Laodao's own words, he was more human-like.

Only he himself could make the judgment, because Su Qing could not see through the fifth-order Illusion Heart Rune. In his eyes, this old Taoist was no different from a human before, and now he was just more expressive.

Is it the difference between going from having a blank expression to becoming a master of facial expressions?
It doesn't matter if he can't understand the effects of the bionic runes, as long as the customer is satisfied.

Master Tong was quite satisfied. As soon as the runes were finished, he took out a stack of talisman papers from his storage bag and let Su Qing choose for herself. Su Qing gasped as soon as her eyes fell on the talisman papers. She thought to herself that the old man was incredibly generous, but she also secretly warned herself to stick to her professional ethics and not to do anything like murder, robbery, or plundering customers.

The reason for this is that the talismans that the old Taoist priest took out were all fourth-tier talismans!
Roughly speaking, this stack alone contains twenty or thirty sheets!
With just this stack of talismans scattered out, even if Su Qing and Hu Dan had several eggs, they wouldn't be enough for him to squeeze!

And who knows how many more talismans he can pull out of his storage bag!
······
"Fellow Daoist Su, please choose whatever you like, don't be polite with this old Daoist!"

The old Taoist priest has no other skills; all he's done these past few years has been drawing talismans. Alas, the low-level ones sell relatively well, but he doesn't dare sell the high-level ones carelessly, and not many people are willing to buy them. Some of these talismans are almost expired; it's such a waste to let them go to waste!

Seeing that Su Qing was stunned by the string of fourth-tier talismans and stood there motionless, Old Master Tong said in a hearty manner.

Su Qing's hands trembled slightly. Although talismans are used and then discarded, the value of a single talisman is far less than that of arrays, pills, puppets, and other items of the same level.

However, if used properly, a fourth-tier talisman can pose a slight threat to a Nascent Soul cultivator, making it even more valuable than a third-tier puppet.

One talisman costs a thousand spirit stones, and that's just the base price. If such talismans were to leak out, the Golden Core cultivators of the Cloud Mountain Sect might be willing to pay two or three thousand spirit stones!
Given the value of such items, Su Qing had previously thought that Master Tong himself might only possess one or two at most, so he had no choice.

But now, with dozens of talismans stacked together, he had to choose one from them. He had to question himself: was this the only chance he would ever have in his life?

"The fourth-tier Five Thunder Talisman summons the five thunders, driving away evil and wickedness; its power is overwhelming and its momentum is thunderous."

The fourth-tier summoning talisman summons a deity to possess the body, granting divine power and immense strength.

The fourth-tier Dragon-Tiger Talisman can help people form a Dragon-Tiger Elixir. When exhaled, it causes the dragon to roar and the clouds to rise; when inhaled, it causes the tiger to howl and the wind to arise. The wind and clouds combine to generate golden liquid, which then returns to form a great elixir, hence the name Dragon-Tiger Great Elixir!

The Fourth-Order Tranquilizing Talisman, the Supreme Star-Shaped Talisman, responds swiftly and continuously, exorcising evil spirits and binding demons, protecting life and body.

Su Qing looked at each talisman one by one, and each one was so beautiful and endearing that one wanted to touch one after another, wanting to touch each one and wanting each one.

However, he hadn't seen a single escape talisman he desperately wanted, and asked in bewilderment:
"I once obtained a Fire Escape Talisman from you, fellow Daoist. I imagine you must also have a high level of expertise in the Five Elements Escape Technique. Why is it that among the talismans here, I have not seen a single Five Elements Escape Talisman?"

Old Master Tong seemed to have anticipated his question, and answered without the slightest hesitation:
"I know that you want to escape this demon cave right now, but the fourth-order Five Elements Escape Talisman involves the wonders of Dao patterns. It cannot be drawn without the exquisite skill of the Five Elements Great Escape Talisman."

The old Taoist has traveled across mountains and rivers, searching for the Dao runes for over a thousand years, yet he has never seen their true form, a regret he still holds to this day. Consequently, he is unable to draw a fourth-order Five Elements Escape Talisman, which has disappointed fellow Daoist.

Su Qing was even more puzzled: "Does drawing fourth-order runes require the use of Dao patterns? But why don't I need to rely on Dao patterns to draw biomimetic runes?"

"All the runes in the world are derived from Dao patterns. If runes want to have supreme power, they cannot escape the shackles of Dao patterns."

The biomimetic rune is one of the five runes of the present world. It has not yet condensed into a Dao pattern, so it is not bound by Dao patterns. If one day you, fellow Daoist, nurture this rune to the level of a Dao pattern, then all cultivators in the world who wish to draw runes of the fourth rank or above will be subject to your control.

As for why the old Taoist could draw fourth-tier talismans like the Five Thunder Talisman, he remained puzzled to this day. The fourth-tier runes required to draw these talismans were all derived from the Celestial Master's Daoist runes, yet the old Taoist had never seen these runes before. However, drawing these talismans was as simple as using his own limbs, as if the Celestial Master's Daoist runes were inherently on his body. Truly wondrous and strange!

Because this mark is really on your body, isn't that amazing? Aren't you angry?

Su Qing glanced sideways at the old Taoist priest, her mind full of complaints, but she didn't know who to vent them to.

His gaze returned to the stack of fourth-tier talismans. Without a fourth-tier escape talisman, he could escape directly.

The remaining talismans had roughly the same effect on him.

The Dragon-Tiger Talisman can aid in cultivation. When breaking through to the Golden Core stage, attaching it to your body may result in the formation of a Dragon-Tiger Golden Core.

This Dragon-Tiger Golden Elixir ranks second among the nine grades of Golden Elixir, and is extremely rare and difficult to obtain.

At other times, he would naturally choose this talisman first.

But the timing is clearly not right now, or he might die before he can even use the talisman.

Besides this talisman, other talismans such as the Five Thunder Talisman, the Tranquilizing Talisman, and the Invoking God Talisman each have their own unique uses and can play a role in the escape from White Cloud Immortal City.

But who should we choose?
After a moment's thought, Su Qing tentatively asked Old Daoist Tong:

"Fellow Daoist just mentioned that some talismans were drawn a long time ago, and most of their spiritual energy has dissipated, making them nearing their expiration date. I wonder what happens to these talismans nearing their expiration date...?"

"Fellow Daoist, rest assured, I have always been honest and fair in my business dealings. I would never cheat you with expired talismans. This pile of talismans is all freshly drawn within the last hundred years, and there are absolutely no fakes or expired ones mixed in!"

When he heard this question, Master Tong glared and gave a stern guarantee.

"I trust your character, fellow Daoist. What I'm asking is, if I need some talismans that are about to expire, could I have a few more?"

It's almost expired, but it's not expired yet, right? As long as you use it up quickly, products nearing their expiration date are the most affordable!

Having experienced hardship in her past life, Su Qing had sold unsold dolls at rock-bottom prices and drunk milk nearing its expiration date. She had no aversion to talismans nearing their expiration date and only wanted more of them.

"That's fine, but not too much. I don't have many talismans left for the time being, so I need to prepare some to compete for the Immortal God Ice."

After hesitating for a moment, Master Tong nodded in agreement.

In the end, Su Qing obtained from him a Divine Summoning Talisman (expiring in three years), a Golden Light Talisman (expiring in two years), a Five Thunder Talisman (expiring in one month), and a Divine General Talisman (expiring in half a month).

"A fourth-tier talisman has a validity period of nearly a hundred years. The few I have combined don't even last ten years. By that calculation, I've suffered a loss. For the next few third-tier talismans, you'll need to bring out some better ones!"

Su Qing carefully placed the four talismans into a special talisman box to slow down the dissipation of their spiritual energy, and shamelessly said to Old Daoist Tong.

"Fellow Daoist, don't be ungrateful after getting a good deal. Logically speaking, the Summoning Talisman and the Golden Light Talisman should be enough. The Five Thunder Talisman and the Divine General Talisman are things that I really can't use in the short term, and it's inconvenient for me to exchange them with my fellow Daoists in the Heavenly Talisman Hall. That's why I'm giving them to you. Please remember this good deal. If I need your help again in the future, please don't hesitate to help me!"

While telling Su Qing not to be so shameless, Tong Laodao took out a stack of third-tier talisman papers from his pocket.

These talismans encompass a wide range of things, not limited to the runes of the Celestial Masters lineage.

Su Qing carefully selected the items, finally taking one of each of the Five Elements Escape Talismans, four more Evil-Suppressing Talismans, and one Thunder-Moving Talisman.

Seeing that he had a lot of talismans to ward off evil, Old Master Tong's eyes narrowed slightly, and he hesitated to speak.

Su Qing pressed him for an answer, and he only managed to utter one sentence.

"If you prepared these exorcism puppets and demon-suppressing talismans to deal with Gao Erqiang, it may be unnecessary. However, if you are not preparing them to deal with Gao Erqiang, but to deal with other evil spirits, then second-tier exorcism puppets and third-tier demon-suppressing talismans are far from enough!"

Although the old Taoist priest didn't say it explicitly, Su Qing understood and nodded with a smile:
"It's better to be prepared than not; it always makes me feel more at ease."

(End of this chapter)