Chapter 1

In the southern border, Songyan City.

As dusk fell and the sunset blazed like fire,

Chen Xi pushed open the door and walked into the Zhang family grocery store as usual.

The Zhang family grocery store was just an ordinary shop in Songyan City, not very large, and it maintained its business by making and selling talismans that cultivators needed in their daily lives. The most sold were first and second-grade talismans, which were the foundation of the Zhang family grocery store's survival. The business was not big, but it was steady, allowing them to barely stand their ground in Songyan City.

"Making talismans requires talisman paper, talisman pens, and ink, none of which can be missing. It seems simple, but the intricacies are quite complex. Starting today, you will first learn to identify talisman paper, use talisman pens, and understand the composition of ink. Once you have a solid foundation, I will teach you how to make talismans."

Chen Xi then noticed that the store had recruited about seven or eight new, young talisman apprentices. The owner, Zhang Dayong, was giving them a pep talk, his thin voice echoing in the grocery store.

"I will give you one month. If you cannot satisfy me by then, you might as well go back home and play with mud. Finally, remember, to become a qualified talisman master, diligent study and hard practice are your only paths. No one succeeds easily!"

The newly recruited seven or eight talisman apprentices were filled with excitement and eagerness, ready to give it a try.

"Hmm, Chen Xi is here."

Zhang Dayong turned his head and saw Chen Xi, greeting him with a smile.

"Uncle Zhang, here are today's thirty Fire Cloud Talismans." Chen Xi took out a stack of light green talismans and handed them over.

Zhang Dayong waved his hand. "No rush. Since you're here, help me teach these young ones first. I'll pay you separately, how about three yuan stones per hour?"

After a moment's thought, Chen Xi nodded. "Alright!"

Thirty Fire Cloud Talismans could sell for ten yuan stones, but it took him nearly five hours to make them. At this rate, the price was indeed generous.

Zhang Dayong smiled and turned to the new talisman apprentices, his expression turning serious. "The art of making talismans is profound and intricate. To help you get started, your senior, Chen Xi, will demonstrate how to make a first-grade Fire Cloud Talisman. I won't say much about other things, but when it comes to the basics of making talismans, no one in Songyan City is better than Chen Xi. Even I can't match him in this aspect. Pay close attention and learn well; don't miss this opportunity."

Brush!

The eyes of the seven or eight new talisman apprentices all focused on Chen Xi. However, when they saw that he was just a thin, pale-faced teenager, not much older than themselves, a hint of doubt appeared in their eyes. Is this guy really as good as Uncle Zhang says?

Chen Xi's expression remained unchanged, as if he didn't notice the subtle change in the atmosphere. He walked straight to the talisman-making table, picked up a sheet of light green talisman paper, laid it flat on the table, and then dipped the pen in ink, writing with a fluid motion.

His movements were smooth and effortless.

The young apprentices quickly gathered around.

Holding the talisman pen, Chen Xi's demeanor changed. His gaze was calm and clear, his wrist moved like a snake, and the pen tip was lively and agile. The delicate, deep red arcs spread across the talisman paper, like wisps of smoke rising, smooth and natural.

The new talisman apprentices watched with wide eyes, not blinking, as they stared at Chen Xi's wrist, the talisman pen, and the gradually forming talisman patterns on the light green talisman paper. A sense of shock began to well up in their hearts.

Talismans are divided into nine grades, and the first-grade Fire Cloud Talisman is just one of the most basic. The young apprentices originally didn't think much of Chen Xi, who was not much older than they were. However, when they saw him make the talisman, even though it was just a few movements, it was filled with graceful beauty and precise control, and they were instantly impressed.

Chen Xi was focused, completely immersed in the mystical and serene state of making talismans, his eyes fixed on the fine, intricate lines on the talisman paper.

Seeing the astonished expressions on the young apprentices' faces, Zhang Dayong couldn't help but smile. Not just the new apprentices, but even he himself was always amazed every time he saw it. As he said, in the basics of making talismans, Chen Xi had indeed reached an extraordinary level.

The pen tip moved, drawing, hooking, and swirling with sharp precision. The thin, light green pine-patterned talisman paper gradually formed a complex and intricate pattern under Chen Xi's skilled hand.

After a moment.

Huff!

The talisman paper suddenly glowed, as if breathing, and then returned to its original state.

Chen Xi put down the talisman pen, feeling as if his body was about to fall apart, his thin, handsome face pale and almost transparent.

Before coming to the grocery store, he had already made thirty first-grade Fire Cloud Talismans, and his true essence was already nearly depleted, not to mention the mental strain. Completing this talisman had completely drained his true essence and left him mentally exhausted.

The new young talisman apprentices didn't notice these details. Seeing Chen Xi complete the talisman so smoothly, they were instantly amazed.

"Amazing! The speed, flexibility, and precision of his pen movements are truly astonishing!"

"Wow, Senior Chen Xi made the talisman in one go. Such a success rate can only be described as perfect!"

"I must learn from Senior Chen Xi in the future. His pen skills are so proficient; I must practice until I can do it too!"

...

However, at that moment, a sarcastic voice suddenly rang out from the store entrance.

"Hmph, what's so great about making a basic first-grade talisman? Give you five years, and you could be like the expressionless Chen, playing with basic talismans. Why don't you ask the expressionless Chen when he can make a second-grade talisman? At his level, he can only fool you beginners."

At the entrance of the grocery store, a young man with a long, narrow face and crossed arms stood, his goldfish eyes full of disdain.

Upon hearing this, all the praise instantly disappeared, and the young apprentices' originally enthusiastic and respectful gazes were now filled with doubt and oddity.

Five years to only master a basic first-grade talisman?

What a terrible talent!

Expressionless Chen, ha, what a fitting nickname...

Wait, it's him!

The new talisman apprentices finally remembered who Chen Xi was, their gazes filled with oddity.

In Songyan City, the name "Expressionless Chen" was well-known, and he was the undisputed first black star.

On the day he was born, the Chen family, which had once been a first-rate clan, was destroyed by their enemies in one night, leaving only his grandfather, father, and mother.

At the age of one, his grandfather fell ill and lost his cultivation, becoming a cripple. The family of four was forced to move into the civilian area of Songyan City.

At the age of two, his younger brother, Chen Hao, was born, and his mother, Zuoqiu Xue, disappeared, rumored to have left the declining Chen family and eloped with a young, handsome noble.

At the age of three, his father, Chen Jun, left home and never returned.

At the age of four, the Southern Border's Su family sent over a dozen experts of the Huangting realm to stand in the sky, publicly tearing up the marriage contract in front of all the people of Songyan City, and then left.

For five consecutive years, one misfortune after another befell Chen Xi, each more shocking than the last. Songyan City, being not very large, quickly spread the name of Chen Xi as a black star, known to every man, woman, and child.

Due to Chen Xi's serious and cold demeanor since childhood, never seen to smile, and the propaganda of some troublemakers, the nickname "Expressionless Chen" became well-known throughout Songyan City.

"Uncle Zhang, I'll come back tomorrow."

The atmosphere was strange, and Chen Xi could feel it. In other words, he had grown up in such gazes and was already used to it. He nodded to Uncle Zhang and calmly turned to leave.

"Hmph!"

Not long after Chen Xi left, Zhang Dayong glared fiercely at the young man at the door and shouted, "Yunhong, come with me!"

"Cousin, I..."

The young man named Yunhong was taken aback, opened his mouth to argue, but saw that his cousin had already walked into the back room. He quickly ran after him, muttering, "What's the big deal? I just told the truth about Expressionless Chen. Why be so serious?"

As soon as the two left, the newly recruited talisman apprentices couldn't help but start discussing.

"Sigh, it's Expressionless Chen. If I had known, I wouldn't have come. Learning talisman-making from him, I might get bad luck."

"Oh no, I accidentally touched him when he was making the talisman... I have to go home and take a bath right away."

"Ha, look at you guys. I heard from my father that the black star Expressionless Chen only brings misfortune to his own family, not to us."

...

The night was dark, and the stars were twinkling.

In the cold wind, Chen Xi silently loosened his clenched fists, which had turned white at the knuckles, tightened his thin clothes, and quickly walked home.

As he approached the door, he suddenly saw a small, thin figure sitting in front of it. By the starlight, he could vaguely make out that it was his younger brother, Chen Hao.

"Brother, you're back." The twelve-year-old Chen Hao stood up and called out happily, but then seemed to realize something was wrong and quickly lowered his head.

"Look up." Chen Xi walked forward, his voice cold and stern.

Chen Hao, like a child who had made a mistake, stubbornly refused to look up, mumbling, "Grandpa is waiting for you to eat. Let's go in first." As he turned to go into the house, Chen Xi reached out from behind and grabbed him.

"Did you fight with someone again?"

Chen Xi lifted Chen Hao's chin and saw the red and swollen bruises on his little brother's face, his brows furrowing.

Chen Hao suddenly broke free from Chen Xi's hand, looked up, and his eyes remained stubborn. He shouted, "They called me a bastard, called my brother a black star, and said our whole family would die. Of course, I had to beat them up."

Chen Xi was taken aback, looking at his stubborn brother, seeing the anger and frustration on his young face, a pain he couldn't describe welled up in his heart.

——

New book uploaded, please follow, like, and click! Thank you all in advance.

Page flip AD starts

Page flip AD ends