Chapter 11: 11: Talismans Never Lie—If You Lack the Spark, You Just Lack It
Chapter 11: 11: Talismans Never Lie—If You Lack the Spark, You Just Lack It
Xie Xuan steadied Chu Yunmian as she disembarked from the Mayfly, her legs still trembling. The moment her boots touched solid ground, she let out a long, ragged sigh of relief. It felt as though her physical body had arrived minutes ago while her soul was still desperately playing catch-up across the sky. It took several minutes of lingering vertigo before the world stopped spinning. Beside her, the young man watched with concerned, eager eyes. "Are you alright, Senior Sister?"
Chu Yunmian reached out to pat his head, only to realize with a start just how tall the boy had become. He was barely two years older than her—what on earth were they feeding him to trigger such a growth spurt? Since the morning sessions had already commenced, the cluster of pavilions within Tianshui Hall felt remarkably serene. From a distance, the rhythmic drone of instructors lecturing on cultivation theory drifted through the air, while beyond the furthest pavilion, a dozen disciples were visible, their silhouettes moving in synchronized perfection as they practiced their sword forms. As Chu Yunmian watched, her mind began to wander. 'I see... so this is the lecture hall, and that over there is the training field. Literature and P.E., then.'
Led by Xie Xuan, she was guided into a modest pavilion at the edge of the grounds. Inside, a middle-aged cultivator stood at the front, clutching a jade slip as he lectured on the complexities of the Talismanic Arts. Because they had arrived late, the only available seats were in the very back row. Xie Xuan sat with impeccable posture, his attention fixed on the instructor with meticulous focus. Mimicking him, Chu Yunmian blinked and tried to stare dutifully at the master. Half an hour later, her head was lolling. Her mind had become a dizzying blur of labyrinthine lines and incomprehensible sigils. Finally, her forehead hit the desk with a soft thud.
[Oh, heavens... is this a calculus seminar or a geometry nightmare?] [One hour of this is more soul-crushing than six hours of manual labor...] [Zzzzz...]
At the front of the room, the instructor’s gaze landed on the slumbering girl, and his lip twitched. "...That will be all for today. Xie Xuan, bring your companion and follow me."
Looking thoroughly embarrassed, Xie Xuan nudged her awake, whispering urgently, "Senior Sister, wake up! We have to go see the instructor!"
Chu Yunmian jerked upright, her eyes snapping open with a clarity so sharp it was as if she had never been tired at all. A few seconds later, she turned a hazy, vacant gaze toward Xie Xuan. [Oh. Right. Right.] Xie Xuan watched her dazed expression, his eyelid twitching slightly.
When they entered the private chamber behind the pavilion, they found Master Zhao—the instructor from the lecture—reviewing the disciples' talisman assignments. He looked up and smiled warmly, two small dimples appearing on a face that resembled a jovial Maitreya Buddha. He radiated an approachable, kindly aura. After Xie Xuan offered a formal greeting, the two of them stood quietly. Master Zhao chuckled heartily, his gaze lingering on Chu Yunmian. "By order of the Sect Master, the only instructors within Tianshui Hall qualified to teach the Archery Arts are myself and Master Qi. However, I am also well-versed in the Talismanic Arts. If you have any interest, Yunmian, you are more than welcome to learn a few things from me."
Chu Yunmian maintained a mask of stoic indifference while her heart hammered in panic. [I can learn anything except math. Math is the one thing where if you don't get it, you just don't get it...] Xie Xuan glanced around the room, looking confused. "Where is Master Qi?"
No sooner had the question left his lips than a shrill, frantic honking erupted from the distance. From the Lotus Pond on the outer perimeter of Tianshui Hall, a massive white goose burst into the air, squawking at the top of its lungs. Its broad wings thrashed against the lotus blossoms, scattering withered leaves across the water as a furious man chased it. "You damned bird, stand still!" "Honk! Honk! Honk!"
Chaos ensued as feathers and man blurred together, a spectacle that immediately drew a crowd of curious disciples. An incense stick’s length later, Chu Yunmian stared at Master Qi with profound doubt. He was covered from head to toe in white down, holding a rolling-eyed, unconscious goose by the neck. Master Qi glanced lazily at the two small figures before him, crossing one leg over the other. "You've arrived. Later on, I’ll treat you both to some goose eggs."
Xie Xuan leaned in close to Chu Yunmian’s ear, whispering, "He’s making that up. That goose is a male, and it’s the only one in all of Tianshui Hall. There isn't a female goose for miles."
Chu Yunmian’s expression became indescribable. [Sigh. I knew sword cultivators were prone to being chronically single, but I didn't expect the sword cultivator's goose to suffer the same fate...] Xie Xuan: "..."
Master Zhao burst into a booming laugh. "Heh-heh-heh! Old Qi, stop teasing the children."
Chu Yunmian froze. [Wait. That laugh... can this guy actually be a protagonist?] According to the universal laws of fiction, that specific 'heh-heh-heh' belonged exclusively to the villains. Her gaze grew increasingly suspicious. [I don't want to pick either of them. Master Zhao is giving off major antagonist vibes, and Master Qi clearly isn't playing with a full deck...]
Under her scrutiny, Master Zhao’s laughter cut off abruptly, leaving him staring at her in bewilderment. Xie Xuan instantly straightened his posture, his gaze sweeping sharply across Master Zhao. Meanwhile, Master Qi looked thoughtfully at Chu Yunmian before stepping closer to examine her. "Why not study the sword?"
[Because sword cultivators come with a built-in bad luck debuff.] Xie Xuan didn't know what a 'debuff' was, but he understood the concept of misfortune. Pretending he hadn't heard her inner voice, he explained, "Master Qi, my Senior Sister is currently unable to speak."
Chu Yunmian nodded in agreement. A flash of disdain crossed Master Zhao’s eyes, though it was gone in an instant, replaced by his jovial mask. "Yunmian’s constitution is delicate; she would be better served specializing in spiritual energy as a Talismanist."
Caught in a dilemma, Chu Yunmian exchanged a look with the cross-eyed, unconscious goose. Weeping internally, she finally pointed toward Master Qi and offered a formal bow. The matter was settled. Master Qi stretched lazily and rose. "Then follow me."
Xie Xuan remained behind, offering her a faint, encouraging smile. "Senior Sister, go on with Master Qi. I have some personal matters to attend to."
He needed to investigate Master Zhao’s background immediately. According to their Master’s instructions, every word Senior Sister 'uttered' had to be taken seriously. Noticing that Master Zhao’s expression had darkened significantly since the choice was made, Xie Xuan’s gaze turned cold. As for Master Qi—well, the man was eccentric, but everyone knew that.
Master Qi led the way, yawning as he brushed a stray feather from his robe. Behind him, Chu Yunmian dragged the white goose she had been forced to carry, her face a mask of deadpan misery. Locking eyes with the bird, she felt a profound sense of mutual despair. She called out in her mind, 'Little Jian, Little Jian.'
The Abyssal Profound Compendium replied at a leisurely pace, 'I am here.'
'Help me identify what kind of beast this goose is.'
The book sounded confused. 'It is... a big white goose.'
'I can see that.'
Chu Yunmian gave the goose’s wing a small tug, earning herself a vicious peck. Startled, she checked her arm, but there wasn't even a scratch. 'I mean its breed within the cultivation world.'
The compendium’s tone turned inexplicably irritable. 'It is just a big white goose! Even in the mortal realm, it would be a big white goose! Even though it has reached the Foundation Establishment Stage Stage Stage realm, it is merely a Foundation Establishment Stage Stage Stage big white goose! Are you trying to pick a fight with me?'
Chu Yunmian: "..."
Why was the book so high-strung? Its personality seemed to flip on a dime. She wondered if its previous owner had been some cranky old hermit with a short fuse. Master Qi suddenly halted. "We’ve arrived."
Pointing toward a distant archery target, he tossed an ordinary longbow to her. "Shoot a few arrows. Let me see what you can do."
Chu Yunmian released the goose, noticing the bird looked utterly dejected, too lazy to even lift its head. Ignoring it, she gripped the bow and tested the tension of the string. Nearby, Master Qi cast a casual glance at his goose, looked away, and then snapped his head back. The white goose raised its neck to stare at him. At the very tip of its orange beak, a faint crack was slowly splitting open, healing visibly under the flow of spiritual energy.
Master Qi: "???"
He gave the bird a light kick. "Where did you get hurt? You never stay out of trouble for a single day."
The big white goose honked angrily in protest. It charged toward the lotus pond, plunged its head into the water to gulp down several mouthfuls, and then began frantically slurping up river snails, channeling its indignation into a feeding frenzy. The ring that had just managed to crawl back to the edge of the goose’s beak, only to be washed back down into its gullet: "..."