Traveling through time to cultivate immortality: a life and death test

Liu Xing, with his experience of numerous duels, knew that the sharpness of a magical weapon was crucial in combat. He had assumed that with two top-grade magical weapons—the Yunluo Umbrella for defense and the Bibo Sword for attack—he would be unbeatable. However, his recent study and expanded his knowledge had revealed his limited understanding. He had come across the term "talisman" in various sources, understanding that it was a powerful weapon suitable for cultivators in the Qi Condensation or even Foundation Establishment stages.

A talisman is a seal of power created by a Jindan-stage cultivator nearing their end, encapsulating a portion of their natal magical weapon's power within a talisman, leaving it for future generations to use in defense against enemies. Imagine the sheer power of a Jindan-stage cultivator's magical weapon: a single strike could annihilate even Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators. Of course, a talisman doesn't inherit the full power of a magical weapon; it has many limitations. First, a magical weapon can only contain three talismans, and this damages the weapon irreversibly. Unless their end is near, a Jindan-stage cultivator would never commit such self-destructive acts. Of course, once their end is near and their path to the Great Dao is hopeless, Jindan-stage cultivators are eager to leave talismans behind for their descendants or their sects. Therefore, some talismans still exist on the market, but they're incredibly expensive, making them unaffordable for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Secondly, a talisman's power is only one-third that of a magical weapon. Otherwise, a full-strength attack from a magical weapon would be enough to annihilate a Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment cultivator without even a fight; they'd simply surrender. Because of their limited power, Jindan-stage masters often disdain talismans. However, for Foundation Establishment and Qi-training cultivators, talismans are undoubtedly the ultimate killer weapon, countless times more powerful than even the finest magical instruments. Knowing about the existence of such a powerful weapon, Liu Xing naturally became particularly interested. Whenever he arrived at a market, he would search every shop to find it. He visited over a dozen markets along the way, but couldn't find any. It made sense, considering that such a rare weapon would inevitably sell out as soon as it appeared. Liu Xing remained patient and searched slowly.

That day, a prominent customer arrived at Tongbao Hall in Guanlan Market. Tongbao Hall was owned by another major chamber of commerce, the Tongda Chamber of Commerce, and also the owner of Guanlan Market. Liu Xing had visited numerous shops in the market, but ultimately found that the best items were best found in the big stores; finding a bargain in the smaller shops was nearly impossible, and he had never found one.

Liu Xing was incredibly adept at shopping. He changed his appearance, strolled leisurely, casually entered a store, said hello to the waiter, and went straight to the VIP room on the second floor to meet the owner for business. They usually drank tea, chatted, and explored each other's details, which of course was unsuccessful, before getting down to business.

"I came to Guibao Hall to buy some talismans. I wonder if your store has them in stock?" Seeing that the time was almost up, Liu Xing stated his purpose straight away.

"Fellow Daoist, what a coincidence you've arrived! I just received a shipment. Could you possibly be so good at predicting things?" the shopkeeper jokingly replied. Seeing Liu Xing's refined manner, calm demeanor, and extraordinary knowledge, he knew he was a disciple of a major sect. Naturally, he had no doubts about his purchasing power and even offered a teasing remark.

"It's just a coincidence. Fellow Daoist, please make fun of me." Liu Xing replied indifferently, neither surprised nor happy, pretending to be calm, but in fact he was ecstatic in his heart. Hard work pays off, and he finally came across something.

"Please wait a moment, fellow Taoist. I'll have someone get it for me right away." The shopkeeper observed Liu Xing's expression and saw that he looked calm, thinking that he was indeed from a prominent family.

A short while later, a master of the twelfth level of Qi Refining came into the VIP room with a brocade box. He opened the box and stood aside with his hands behind his back, his consciousness locked on the treasure and Liu Xing. Liu Xing smiled faintly, unconcerned.

Liu Xing looked up. Inside the brocade box was a talisman, the faint shadow of a hammer visible on it. His extensive knowledge of talisman crafting enabled him to discern its extraordinary power. Freshly forged, it was expected to be reused three to five times. His spiritual sense scrutinized the talisman's engravings and restrictions with remarkable ingenuity, leaving even an expert talisman maker with many inexplicable details. However, he could discern that as long as he injected sufficient spiritual energy into it, the talisman could be activated to strike the enemy. He silently estimated that it would take about half of his spiritual energy to activate its full power. Based on his current spiritual energy output, he estimated it would take half a quarter of an hour to activate the talisman. While this was a bit long, and the talisman might have been destroyed multiple times during activation, its power was still immense, capable of destroying an average cultivator in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment with a single strike. Liu Xing silently calculated and evaluated, feeling immensely satisfied.

"This Clear Sky Hammer is the magic weapon of a senior in the late Jindan stage. The talismans made from it are extremely powerful and can definitely be ranked among the top. However, with your current level of magic power, you may only be able to unleash half of its power. You must be especially careful when using it in the later stages, lest your magic power is insufficient and the enemy is given an opportunity to take advantage." The shopkeeper reminded.

"Thank you for the reminder, shopkeeper. I wonder how much this talisman costs?" Liu Xing began to ask the price.

"Talismans are in great demand, so we'll need at least this much," the shopkeeper said, extending a finger.

Although Liu Xing was prepared, he was still shocked by the price. Ten thousand spirit stones would bankrupt a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator; how could the average person afford it? However, the item was indeed a good one. While a bit pricey, it was essential for dealing with powerful enemies. Good things are hard to come by, so after a brief haggling with the shopkeeper, he was able to secure the talisman for nine thousand spirit stones.

Liu Xing couldn't let go of the talisman. With yet another powerful weapon, he felt more confident. However, his wallet was now emptying, and he had to draw talismans to make money. What a tiring life, he lamented. Activating the talisman took time. He needed to carefully study the tactical combination of how to protect himself and how to trap the enemy for a one-shot kill.

The Yunluo Umbrella's defensive power was no problem against ordinary attacks, but if the opponent also used talismans, it would be unstoppable. But don't worry, it takes time for the opponent to activate the talisman. To trap the enemy, either a top-grade trapping device or a forbidden formation was needed, so the next step was to stock up on these two treasures. Only a tactical combination of defense, trapping, and critical strikes could unleash the talisman's maximum power. Liu Xing silently calculated, and a new direction for his future purchases in the market was formed. Everything required money.

Activating talismans wasted too much time and energy. Against Qi Refining Stage opponents, he could simply use talismans and top-grade magical instruments, relying on speed and efficiency to defeat them. Only when encountering Foundation Establishment Stage foes, where a desperate battle was necessary, would he employ talismans for a single, decisive kill. Liu Xing had already made up his mind: talismans would only serve as hidden weapons, never to be used lightly.