Eternal Life by Dual Cultivation

Chapter 247 - 175: Ling Qiyue: Can You Fight 10?

「In the Inner Study.」

Ling Changqing sat upright at the Golden Silk Mingtan Wood table, a Talisman Pen in hand. He was meticulously drawing, stroke by stroke, on a blank sheet of talisman paper before him.

He could easily handle a fierce one-on-two battle with his stamina. This was just a brief intermission.

’If I really went all out,’ Ling Changqing thought, ’taking on ten or twenty at once would be no problem at all.’

Of course, Ling Qiyue and the other women didn’t quite believe him, and there was currently no opportunity to test his claim.

After all, there were only a handful of Female Cultivators in the family that Ling Changqing had been with, so he had yet to discover the true limits of his stamina.

Following the sound of soft footsteps, Qin Yun glided into the room. She was dressed in a thin, translucent Snow Silk Long Dress, pure white and soft to the touch. Her lustrous, jet-black hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, making her appear at once elegant, enchanting, and utterly bewitching.

She leaned against Ling Changqing, her beautiful, clear eyes watching her husband’s every subtle movement.

In just a few moments, a Rank One Low Grade Water Repelling Talisman began to take shape under his pen.

Ling Changqing was completely focused. The Talisman Pen in his hand moved slowly and steadily, tracing the complex network of Restriction patterns.

It was his first time attempting to create a Talisman, so his movements were inevitably a bit stiff and slow. Fortunately, with Qin Yun’s attentive guidance, he didn’t become flustered.

Of course, after his... exertions for the past day and night, Ling Changqing was certainly not in his Peak condition. It was only natural that his performance on such delicate work would be less than perfect.

A moment later, just as the Talisman was about to be completed, Ling Changqing’s wrist trembled for an instant, leaving a minute flaw on the talisman paper.

The Restriction patterns on the Talisman flickered once, then dimmed, signifying that his attempt had failed.

Ling Changqing sighed with a hint of regret and set down the Talisman Pen.

’Unlike the Alchemy Dao, I’m a complete novice when it comes to Talisman Making,’ he thought. ’And since this is my first try, failure is to be expected.’

Qin Yun picked up the ruined talisman paper with a delicate hand and examined it for a moment. A charming light danced in her beautiful eyes as she smiled softly and said, "There’s no need to be upset, my dear husband. Even veteran Grade One Talisman Masters can’t guarantee they’ll never slip up!"

Ling Bingyun, having just emerged from the bedroom, was clad in nothing but a sheer, transparent gauze. Her enchanting, creamy-white body was on full display, and her lovely face was flushed a rosy red. Her voice was soft and silky as she said,

"You’ve done wonderfully for a first attempt, my dear husband. When I first started, I failed so many times in a row, wasted a mountain of materials, and even got scolded by my mother for it!"

Qin Yun smiled. "That’s perfectly normal. Practice makes perfect. You just need to keep trying, my dear."

Ling Changqing nodded. ’This isn’t any harder to learn than Alchemy,’ he mused. ’As long as I’m willing to put in the effort, becoming a Grade One Talisman Master shouldn’t be a problem. Even reaching the second rank doesn’t seem like an unattainable goal.’

After a moment’s thought, he picked up another blank sheet of talisman paper, lifted his Talisman Pen, and prepared to try again.

’Besides, this Early Grade Water Repelling Talisman is only a Rank One Low Grade Talisman. The materials are extremely cheap, making it perfect for practice. It’s no great loss even if I fail.’

Qin Yun and Ling Bingyun leaned in, one on his left and one on his right, watching Ling Changqing’s movements with rapt attention.

Generally speaking, Foundation Establishment Cultivators had limited Lifespans, so they could only focus on raising their Cultivation. It was impossible for them to dabble in too many Art Skills; specializing in one was usually more than enough.

Only Cultivators who had reached the Pseudo Core Realm or higher, with their more ample Lifespans, could consider attempting more than one Art Skill.

Among the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, achieving mastery in any single Art Skill required an enormous investment of time and energy, not to mention a vast consumption of resources.

These were costs that low-level Cultivators could not easily bear. If they wasted too much time on such secondary pursuits, it would hinder their Cultivation progress, and the losses would far outweigh the gains.

When Qin Yun had first learned the art of drawing Talismans, aside from possessing a certain degree of natural talent, her main motivation had been to earn some Spirit Stones to aid her cultivation.

This was the path chosen by the vast majority of low-level Cultivators. After all, relying solely on fighting and killing was not only incredibly dangerous but also an easy way to make enemies everywhere.

Those fierce, death-defying Tribulation Cultivators were, in the end, a minority.

Among Ling Changqing’s Dao Companions, Ling Qiyue had already reached the Late stage Golden Core Realm and was on the cusp of becoming a Rank Three Middle grade Alchemist.

Ling Yuzhu was currently at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment and was also a Second Rank Low Grade Mechanical Puppet Master.

Ling Yulu was at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment and was a Rank One High Grade Array Master.

Each of them had only cultivated a single Art Skill, and the same was true for Ling Bingyun and Ling Xueyu.

As for Tang Qiu Yao, Xue Qingtan, and Ling Zhiqing, they all focused solely on their own cultivation and had not pursued any of these Supporting Art Skills.

Of course, this didn’t mean they were without their own talents. Tang Qiu Yao was quite adept at managing the family’s internal affairs, while Xue Qingtan’s ability to rise to a mid-level position within the chamber of commerce proved she was also exceptionally capable.

Ling Changqing himself was currently a Middle Grade Second Rank Pill Master, and his potential was far from exhausted. Once he successfully broke through to the Golden Core Realm, becoming a Third Rank Alchemist wouldn’t be a problem either.

With the Golden Core Master Realm within reach, a Lifespan that far exceeded that of ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and no lack of resources, Ling Changqing had decided to start studying the art of Talisman Making ahead of time.

And so, Qin Yun had happily taken on the role of his teacher.

The chance to instruct her own husband was, for her, a novel experience that brought a great sense of accomplishment.

「Half an hour passed in a flash.」

As his Talisman Pen glided steadily across the talisman paper, Ling Changqing smoothly reached the final step. A complete Early Grade Water Repelling Talisman was on the verge of completion.

However, on the very last stroke, a tiny error occurred, causing the Talisman to fail at the cusp of success.