บท 5: Chapter 5: Talisman Project
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In the rental house, Cao Wang watched Jiang Cheng, who was writing furiously, with an unreal feeling.
Did Jiang really fall out of love with Lin Yao?
How could he act like nothing was wrong after a breakup?
Jiang was both borrowing money and earning it through part-time jobs; was he actually planning to save up and continue pursuing Lin Yao?
Cao Wang didn't care whether Jiang Cheng used his money to buy a house or something else. Two thousand Spirit Stones were not a small amount, but not so much that losing them would be a crippling loss.
Cao Wang was just worried that Jiang Cheng's breakup had caused him to become mentally unstable.
He looked at Jiang Cheng's calm and composed demeanor and thought something was off.
A man who has been through a breakup, even if he cries without dignity, that's normal.
But Jiang Cheng seemed like nothing had happened. That was strange.
It couldn't possibly be that he was the one who had dumped Lin Yao, right?
"Jiang, you really don't plan to chase after Lin Yao anymore?"
While drafting a contract, Jiang Cheng replied, "Mhm."
"You really don't like her anymore?"
"Mhm."
"You fell out of love just like that, so easily?"
"Mhm."
Unable to bear Jiang Cheng's perfunctory replies any longer, Cao Wang lost his patience and said, "Jiang, say something! Please, say something!"
Jiang Cheng looked up, puzzled. "Say what?"
"Lin Yao."
"Lin Yao?"
"Do you still plan to continue chasing her?"
"I haven't planned on it."
"You're really done chasing her?"
"I'm done."
"I don't believe it."
Jiang Cheng: ?
Jiang Cheng frowned as he looked at Cao Wang, pondered for a moment, and then decided to humor him.
"Alright, you guessed right."
Cao Wang showed an "I knew it" expression and patted Jiang Cheng on the shoulder with brotherly concern.
"Jiang, no offense, but you haven't seen the bigger picture. Women are nothing but obstacles on our path to cultivating immortality; they do nothing but slow us down. But I can understand why you like Lin Yao, for she really is beautiful."
Although Cao Wang had never been in a relationship, he had plenty of experience acting as Jiang Cheng's emotional coach.
"Jiang, take my advice, the prettier the woman, the less you should indulge her. You were spoiling Lin Yao before, always revolving around her just like that thing—what's it called?"
"A bootlicker?"
"Right, a bootlicker!"
Jiang Cheng finished the contract in his hand, stood up, and said, "Cao, it's getting late. I'm heading home to sleep. I'll visit a client's house tomorrow, then come to see you afterwards."
Cao Wang waved him off.
"Go, go."
Cao Wang sighed softly as he watched Jiang Cheng's retreating figure.
They say it's easy to change a state, but hard to alter one's nature.
Cao Wang knew Jiang Cheng very well. Hence, he didn't have much hope that Jiang had stopped being a bootlicker.
"Hopefully, Jiang will soon come to terms with reality. Lin Yao is beautiful, talented, and has a pleasant, clingy personality. Indeed, she's out of his league."
...
The next morning, Jiang Cheng arrived at the entrance of Pan He Garden in the west of the city.
Pan He Garden is a rather high-class residential area in Wuyue City.
Each household in the garden is equipped with its own Spirit Gathering Array, which greatly enhances a cultivator's efficiency in training with abundant spiritual energy—an essential feature for any self-proclaimed upscale residence.
The real estate prices here are naturally steep.
It's much more expensive than the place near the wasteland that Jiang Cheng covets.
However, the price difference only stands for now. Once the Spiritual Spring emerges, the real estate prices around the wasteland will skyrocket, leaving Pan He Garden no match for it.
Jiang Cheng hesitated briefly at the entrance to Pan He Garden but eventually stepped in.
It wasn't that he was afraid of meeting the client; he merely didn't want to run into Lin Yao since she also lived there.
```
People shunned the Demonic Tao Enchantress at all costs, and anyone entangled with Lin Yao never met a good end.
Hope I don't run into her.
Jiang Cheng prayed silently.
Perhaps the prayer was effective, for Jiang Cheng arrived smoothly at the commissioner's doorstep.
The issuer of the commission for an "Immobilization Talisman" was a youth of fifteen or sixteen, named "Huang Wutong".
Standing seven feet tall, with a face like Buddha and chubby from too much nutrition, one could tell at a glance that he was well-fed.
Entering the commissioner's home, Jiang Cheng felt immensely comfortable surrounded by the rich spiritual energy from the Spirit Gathering Array. Being enveloped in the dense spiritual energy was like taking a hot bath in the dead of winter, a pleasure only those who have experienced it could understand.
Jiang Cheng even felt that, even without meditating and cultivating, his cultivation level was slowly increasing.
A residence conducive to cultivation, after all, was one of the many benefits it brought to a cultivator and came at a steep price.
Before the dominion of the Five Great Immortal Sects over the mainland, locations advantageous for cultivators could only be seized by force, but after the Sects took control, these places required Spirit Stones to purchase.
"Can you really make a 'Powerful Immobilization Talisman'!?"
Just as Jiang Cheng entered, he was eagerly grasped by Huang Wutong.
Jiang Cheng gestured for Huang Wutong to calm down, and then methodically said, "If what Huang friend needs is an enhanced version of the first-order control-type Talisman, the 'Immobilization Talisman', then Jiang cannot make it."
"Ah?"
Disappointment visibly washed over Huang Wutong. He clasped his head with both hands, as if fearing some extremely horrible event.
Jiang Cheng immediately added, "However, if Huang friend merely wishes for a talisman that can temporarily impede someone's movements, Jiang is confident he can draw one."
"Really!?"
Hope reignited in Huang Wutong's eyes.
"Really. But before that, please explain to Jiang your motives for needing this talisman and the scenario in which it will be used."
Huang Wutong was somewhat embarrassed: "Can I not say?"
"You can. But if you don't, the talisman's effect might not be maximized because Jiang needs to consider your usage scenario and optimize the talisman accordingly. Of course, Huang friend will also need to sign a contract to ensure the talisman's proper use in legitimate circumstances, Jiang holds no responsibility for any illegal or rule-breaking use."
After some thought, Huang Wutong decided to be honest with Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng took out a Memory Sphere, signaling that Huang Wutong could speak.
Seeing Jiang Cheng's meticulous manner, Huang Wutong grew more confident in him.
He looks so professional! Definitely not his first commission as a Talisman Master. Maybe he really can draw the "Powerful Immobilization Talisman."
"I'm a student at the Tianheng Sword Cultivation Academy. I'm graduating in half a month. To graduate from our Sword Cultivation Academy, there are three thresholds: Sword Debate, swordsmanship, and real combat. I'll have no problem with the first two assessments, but I have little confidence in the third, the real combat..."
The more Huang Wutong spoke, the more uneasy he felt.
Truthfully, his desire for a "Powerful Immobilization Talisman" stemmed from a wish to cheat.
Because the "first-order talismans" allowed during exams at the academy couldn't achieve the effect of "immobilizing for one minute". Using a talisman much more powerful than the academy's rules allowed during an examination was, in essence, a form of gaming the system or cheating.
Huang Wutong feared Jiang Cheng would refuse to draw it for him because of this.
Observing Jiang, by all accounts, he was a rule-abiding, justice-minded exemplary young man.
Unexpectedly to Huang Wutong, not only did Jiang Cheng listen intently, but he also enthusiastically helped summarize, "So, you want a first-order talisman that complies with the school's exam regulations and can temporarily prevent your target from taking effective action, correct?"
Huang Wutong nodded vigorously!
Jiang Cheng understood that to comply with the rules, he needed to know what the rules were.
He would avoid the Demonic Tao Enchantress at all costs, let alone engage in illegal activities for a bit of money.
In this world, no one understood the power of the Five Great Immortal Sects better than Jiang Cheng.
Those who follow the Immortal Sects prosper, those who oppose them perish—this saying was no joke.
"Do you have a copy of your school's examination rules and regulations with you?"
Huang Wutong was taken aback.
Do you need to consider school regulations even when designing a talisman?
And does anybody even read that stuff?
"Wait a moment."
Huang Wutong went back to his bedroom and dug out a booklet. It was the set of school regulations issued to him when he first enrolled.
"This is the rulebook, the exam rules are posted on the school bulletin board, I'll copy them for you tomorrow."
"I've registered my name at the entrance of your school, so I should be allowed access, right?"
As far as Jiang Cheng recalled, most academies seemed quite open.
Huang Wutong nodded without surprise: "Mhm."
"Great," Jiang Cheng stood up, "there's no time to lose, I'd better go see for myself. I'll quickly provide you with a design proposal for the talisman, and if you find it satisfactory, we can sign the contract."
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