If Green Ink Peak possessed these ancient talismans, they wouldn't be the Sect's laughingstock; they would be the absolute overlords, grinding Danxia Peak into the dirt.

So why had Green Ink Peak declined into a miserable sweatshop?

Whatever. Their decline had absolutely nothing to do with him.

With this arsenal at his disposal, he was guaranteed to carve out a bloody rise in the Cultivation world.

Shaking off his scattered thoughts, Xu Changshou stepped toward the second stone door. The glowing characters etched into its surface swam into focus: The Great Dao Talisman Scripture.

Xu Changshou skimmed the text. It was a foundational cultivation method, fundamentally similar to his current Ten Daos Mantra, meaning it could only be practiced by those possessing a garbage-tier Ten-Element Mixed Spirit Root.

However, this scripture contained specialized Qi circulation routes specifically optimized for drawing talismans.

Since he had already built his foundation with the Ten Daos Mantra, transitioning to the Great Dao Talisman Scripture would be seamless, without any risk of Qi deviation.

Xu Changshou instantly decided to switch methods. This scripture was vastly superior, charting a clear, unobstructed path all the way to the Grand Perfection of Foundation Establishment.

Until he hit that ceiling, he wouldn't need to beg or steal for another manual.

In fact, Xu Changshou highly suspected the second stone door hid the subsequent volumes of the scripture.

Acting on instinct, he planted both hands flat against the second door and pushed.

Unfortunately, despite channeling every ounce of his newly acquired seventh-layer Spiritual Qi, the heavy stone refused to budge a single inch.

Suddenly, the glowing characters etched upon it flared to life. They peeled off the stone surface one by one, floating through the air and sinking directly into Xu Changshou's forehead.

In an instant, the complete Great Dao Talisman Scripture was violently branded into his memories.

Glancing one last time at the walls plastered with apocalyptic talismans, Xu Changshou willed his consciousness to return to reality.

Rome wasn't built in a day. He couldn't decipher this entire arsenal now; he would have to study them in secret, piece by piece.

Opening his physical eyes, Xu Changshou looked down at his palm. The brand was gone. But the moment he circulated his Qi to his hand, the burning "Talisman" character instantly flared to life beneath his skin.

Pressing his palm to his forehead, his consciousness was once again ripped into the misty void.

He repeated the process several times. Only after confirming he could enter and exit the hidden space at will did he finally relax.

He also confirmed that only his spiritual consciousness entered the void; his physical body remained comatose in the real world.

He would have to be incredibly paranoid about where and when he accessed the space in the future.

...

In exceptionally high spirits, Xu Changshou casually unsealed his room and pushed the door open.

The loud creak instantly alerted Jiang Xiaochuan next door. The young master practically teleported into the hallway.

"Hahaha! Junior Brother Xu! You finally dragged yourself out of seclusion!"

"Who exactly are you calling Junior Brother?" Xu Changshou retorted smoothly.

"You! You-wait..."

Jiang Xiaochuan's jaw hit the floorboards. "Impossible. Bullshit! You actually broke through to the seventh layer?!"

Xu Changshou smiled faintly. "Junior Brother Jiang, why wouldn't I break through?"

"Uh..."

Jiang Xiaochuan looked like he had swallowed a live toad. He had been so certain he could finally lord his seniority over the bumpkin.

But since Xu Changshou had also broken through, the tiebreaker fell to mortal age. Xu Changshou was older; therefore, he retained his title.

...

Word spread quickly. Ye Shanhu and the others flooded the hallway to offer their congratulations.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Xu!"

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Xu!"

"Hehe, Senior Brother Xu broke through after all. A Senior Brother remains a Senior Brother."

Xu Changshou sweatdropped. Thank the heavens he had stalled in seclusion to secure his breakthrough; otherwise, he would be the one bowing right now.

Jiang Xiaochuan was grinding his teeth so hard they squeaked. He knew exactly what Xu Changshou had done. The bastard had likely broken through days ago and simply hid in his room to secure his rank!

"Senior Brother Xu. Next time, I will definitely break through to the eighth layer before you. You won't escape calling me Senior Brother forever!" Jiang Xiaochuan hissed.

He was younger and had started cultivating later, yet he had caught up entirely. He was fiercely confident his superior Spirit Roots would blast him to the eighth layer first.

"We shall see about that," Xu Changshou replied, shaking his head with a serene smile.

With a literal vault of ancient talismans resting in his palm, he possessed a terrifying level of confidence.

"I look forward to it."

"Hehe."

...

A few days passed in a blur.

The decree finally arrived: in three days, they were to pack their meager belongings and report to their assigned peaks.

The news triggered a wave of bitter melancholy.

They had suffered together on Chuxiu Peak for three grueling years. The sudden reality of their permanent separation stung deeply.

The night before their departure.

Gengzi Courtyard was blazing with lanterns and reeked of cheap rice wine.

"Senior Sister Ye! A toast! Once we reach Danxia Peak, I'll be relying on your grace!"

"Hahaha! Drink up! Your Senior Sister will cover you!"

"Senior Brother Xu, cheers!"

"Drink, just drink! We leave tomorrow... I... damn it, it's all in the wine!"

"Come! Raise your cups! May the Heavens bless our Dao!"

"Senior Brother Xu, I don't want you to go, wuwuwu..."

"Senior Sister Ye, actually, I've always wanted to tell you..."

"Shut your mouth and drink!"

That night, the naive teenagers drank themselves into a stupor, shouting grand promises and swearing eternal brotherhood.

They genuinely believed they would support one another through the coming centuries.

They were blind to the suffocating cruelty, the backstabbing, and the cannibalistic nature of the true Cultivation world.

Years later, those who survived would look back on this night and weep at their own pathetic ignorance.

...

...

At dawn the next day.

Tearful farewells were exchanged as the disciples scattered to the winds.

Xu Changshou boarded the public flying boat, descending alone toward Green Ink Peak.

The peak was densely forested, smothered year-round in thick, dark-green vegetation that perfectly matched its gloomy name.

Unlike the other majestic peaks, the disciples of Green Ink Peak didn't reside on the mountain itself. They were shoved into a massive, sprawling valley at the mountain's base.

The reasoning was purely pragmatic: a primary Spirit Vein ran directly beneath the valley floor, making the Spiritual Qi there marginally thicker than on the barren slopes above.

Looking down from the deck of the flying boat, Xu Changshou saw dozens of dilapidated courtyards scattered across the valley.

Most were completely abandoned, choked with weeds. Only about a dozen showed signs of life.

The flying boat touched down heavily near a weathered stone pavilion.

Standing inside the pavilion was a burly man with a face full of unkempt stubble. His Daoist robes hung haphazardly open, exposing a thick mat of coarse chest hair.

The man's complexion was sallow, his eyes hollow and dead, as if he had spent a lifetime being drained by succubi.

His robes were coated in a thick layer of grime, reeking of stale sweat and cheap ink.

Xu Changshou quietly swept his spiritual sense over the man: Tenth layer of Qi Condensation.

Seeing Xu Changshou step off the boat, the haggard man spoke, his voice a raspy monotone. "Are you Junior Brother Xu Changshou?"

"I am. How may I address you, Senior Brother?" Xu Changshou asked, offering a deep, respectful bow.

"This penniless Daoist is Yang Bailao."

"Greetings, Senior Brother Yang."

"Follow me."

"Understood."

Xu Changshou fell into step behind Yang Bailao, carefully following him deeper into the gloomy valley.

Without turning his head, Yang Bailao muttered a warning. "Junior Brother Xu, I am taking you to see Martial Uncle Li Daotu. When you stand before him, keep your head down and guard your tongue."

"Understood!"

...

Barely a hundred paces into the valley, they crossed paths with a skeletal, middle-aged cultivator. The man was at the twelfth layer of Qi Condensation, his face heavily lined with exhaustion as he power-walked past them.

Noticing Yang Bailao with a stranger, the skeletal man offered a stiff, wooden greeting. "Junior Brother Yang. Is this the fresh meat for the year?"

"Indeed. His name is Xu Changshou," Yang Bailao replied, then aggressively yanked Xu Changshou's sleeve. "Junior Brother Xu, this is Senior Brother Niu Kunlun. Pay your respects immediately."

"Junior Brother greets Senior Brother Niu," Xu Changshou quickly bowed.

"Hmm."

Niu Kunlun gave a rigid nod, his dead eyes briefly focusing on Xu Changshou. "If I recall correctly... our Green Ink Peak hasn't received a new recruit in nine years. A rare thing indeed. Junior Brother Xu, being assigned to our peak is truly... uh... a profound stroke of luck."

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

"I have quotas to meet. Farewell."

"Farewell, Senior Brother Niu."

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