Chapter 89

On June 16th, Luo Li did not go to the Demon Spider Forest with Old Wang and the others. Instead, he stayed at home to study a new offensive talisman. He wanted to create a talisman equivalent to the Foundation Establishment stage by fusing several Qi Condensation stage talismans, similar to the Purple Microcosmic Heavenly Armor Talisman.

Actually, there was a precedent for this. During the battle with Senior Sister Ruo Tong's clone, one of the Northern Dipper Sect disciples used a fusion technique to combine thirty-six lower-grade talismans, such as Wind Blade and Flame, into a Foundation Establishment mid-grade talisman called the Azure Lotus Purifying Fire.

The Azure Lotus Purifying Fire has the power to destroy all magical techniques and is especially effective against body-cultivating practitioners. If he had been hit by it, he would have certainly died.

Taking this as an example, Luo Li began to design his own talisman, drawing on his understanding of talismans over the past period. Using the knowledge from the Ten Thousand Questions of Kunlun as a foundation, he focused on Blood Talisman Technique, Fusion Talisman Technique, Transformation Talisman Technique, and Shamanic Curse Technique.

Gradually, countless ideas emerged, and numerous fusion methods formed in Luo Li's mind. However, if he were to test each one, it would take at least half a year to determine which one would succeed.

Fortunately, Luo Li didn't need to do this. He silently recited a spell: "Heaven above! Earth below! Good fortune is certain, and rewards follow!"

As he recited the spell, a strange essence energy began to dissipate from his body, merging with the heavens and earth. Attracted by this, a mysterious and powerful force from the sky infused Luo Li's body!

One of his fifty-four good deeds disappeared, and then the countless fusion methods in Luo Li's mind vanished, leaving only one!

Feeling this fusion method, Luo Li began to refine the talisman.

Following the steps of the Purple Microcosmic Heavenly Armor Talisman, he used special talisman paper made from large-leafed celery to draw nine types of talismans: Warding Evil, Great Sun, Lightning, Wind Blade, Flame Strike, Purification, Lightness, and thirty-one lower-grade Qi Condensation stage talismans.

Then, using the Blood Talisman Technique, he enhanced the power of some talismans and weakened others. He then used the Fusion Talisman Technique to combine them, but not all at once. He performed the fusion in five separate stages, ultimately creating a blood-colored lightning talisman.

This blood talisman contained boundless lightning, occasionally emitting a rumbling sound. Luo Li exhaled deeply; he had succeeded!

He then altered the appearance of the talisman, turning it into a golden circular talisman. With a wave, the talisman emitted a faint light, like a newborn sun, illuminating the surrounding area as bright as day.

Luo Li also made adjustments using the Shamanic Curse Technique, ensuring that the talisman's attack would not harm him, and the lightning would always bypass him.

Refining this talisman was several times more laborious than refining the Purple Microcosmic Heavenly Armor Talisman. After refining one talisman, Luo Li felt as if all his energy had been drained. It seemed he could only refine two talismans a day, no more.

After resting for a long time, Luo Li's true essence recovered, and he continued to refine. However, this time he failed. By then, it was already evening, and Luo Li began his daily Qi cultivation, which he never skipped.

The next day, he continued refining, but again failed during the fusion process. However, the second attempt was successful.

Refining twice a day, it took five days to refine five lightning talismans, with a success rate of about 50%.

Calculating the cost, Luo Li frowned. Each lightning talisman required at least 120 spirit stones, which was quite expensive!

Luo Li took the lightning talisman to the Martial Hall in the market. In the market, there was a place for paid cultivation of spells, the Martial Hall, where practitioners could cultivate any spell, and the Spider Spirit of the Heavenly Spider Sect would provide guidance, though the fees were not cheap.

However, Luo Li didn't mind. He had earned some spirit stones over the past few days and now had 15,000 spirit stones, so 100 spirit stones for guidance was not a problem.

After paying the spirit stones and entering the Martial Hall, Luo Li came to a large hall where a target automatically rose. This target was used for spell cultivation.

Luo Li looked at the target and silently activated the talisman he had refined. Instantly, he felt a true essence flow into the talisman, which immediately activated and transformed into a bolt of lightning, shooting out from his hand.

The lightning bolt shot straight and hit the center of the target. A loud explosion followed, and the target shattered, leaving a three-foot-wide crater. The power was immense; if he had been hit by this divine lightning, he would have certainly died.

After the talisman was shot, Luo Li waited silently. Soon, a Spider Spirit provided a commentary. Indeed, a voice rose in his ear:

"This is a Foundation Establishment lower-grade talisman, the Lesser Yang Divine Lightning. It has a range of thirty yards and is extremely powerful. Practitioners below the Foundation Establishment stage find it very difficult to resist such a talisman."

Gradually, the Spider Spirit gave its evaluation, and Luo Li calculated:

"A Foundation Establishment lower-grade talisman costs 33 spirit stones per talisman. My success rate is 50%, so the cost is at least 120 spirit stones per talisman. If I bought this talisman from others, I could get three for the same price."

"It seems this experiment failed. Refining Foundation Establishment stage talismans at the Qi Condensation stage is possible, but the cost is extremely high. The Purple Microcosmic Heavenly Armor Talisman is just an exception."

"It's a huge loss, but as I become more skilled in talisman refinement, the cost will decrease."

"However, this isn't a loss. In the Heavenly Spider Sect, Foundation Establishment stage talismans are hard to come by, even in other major places. You can't buy them even if you have spirit stones."

"From this perspective, it's worth it. I can't sell these talismans; I'll use them to practice my talisman refinement skills!"

Thus, the plan to refine offensive talismans failed, and Luo Li kept the four Lesser Yang Divine Lightning talismans for his own use.

By June 20th, Zhu Minghua and Old Wang came to find him. Old Wang was completely different from a few days ago, wearing a new robe, clearly having made a fortune.

Old Wang said, "Luo Li, you were really unlucky. On the 16th, you refused to go. That day, we struck it rich, finding a Thunder Essence Spider egg, and the Heavenly Spider Sect rewarded us with 10,000 spirit stones!"

Luo Li was surprised, "10,000 spirit stones? That's a lot!"

Zhu Minghua explained, "In name, it's 10,000 spirit stones, but it's converted into various rewards. For example, the qualification of an outer sect disciple is worth 2,000 spirit stones, inner sect qualification is 5,000, and the right to participate in the Heavenly Spider Sect's auction, as well as the rental rights for various robes, magical tools, spirit pets, and spirit fields."

Luo Li nodded. Spirit stones were valuable, and 10,000 spirit stones were not to be taken lightly. The qualifications for joining the sect were the sect's own, and the value of robes and magical tools was determined by the sect. However, for independent cultivators, these were valuable.

Luo Li said, "It's all about luck!"

Zhu Minghua said, "We came to see you mainly because Old Wang has two auction qualifications. These qualifications are useless to them. They are poor and have no spirit stones. Going to the auction would just be for the show, so we came to ask if you want to participate."

Luo Li asked, "Auction, bidding?"

Zhu Minghua said, "Don't get your hopes up. The grand auction is held every ten years by the Heavenly Spider Sect. This is just a quarterly meeting, not a bidding auction, but a fixed-price auction.

"Everyone puts up items, sets a minimum price and a fixed price. Within a day, the highest bidder gets the item."

Luo Li said, "I see!" He was a bit uninterested.

Zhu Minghua saw this and said, "Don't underestimate this auction. There are good things.

"Tomorrow is the quarterly meeting. It's said that someone will sell treasures found in the Sea Palace outside the Tranquil Fish Palace, and the Tranquil Fish Palace's Fish Swimming Shallow Water Technique will also be sold. Additionally, the Heavenly Spider Sect will put up a heaven and earth spirit object for sale.

"Next month, on the 3rd, 10th, and 15th, there will be additional temporary auctions.

"Next month, on the 1st, a flying boat from the Cangbei region will arrive, on the 7th, a flying boat from the Chunan region, and on the 12th, a flying boat from the Guanxi region. They will bring a large number of specialties from their respective sects, so there will be temporary auctions on those days.

"You will leave on the 7th of next month, so we'll sell you two auction qualifications. You can go and broaden your horizons. The auction qualification costs only 100 spirit stones, but without the opportunity, you can't buy it even if you have the spirit stones."

Luo Li was interested and thought about it. He took out 200 spirit stones and bought the two auction qualifications.

Old Wang left, grateful. For Luo Li, it was nothing, but for Old Wang, 200 spirit stones was a significant amount. Luo Li didn't expect to gain a good deed from this.

The next morning, Luo Li went to the auction, which was located in the center of the market, in a separate space.

At the entrance of a large hall in the center of the market, Luo Li placed a jade slip on the counter, which was the proof of his auction qualification.

Instantly, a magical array appeared in front of him. Luo Li placed twelve spirit stones in the array, and as soon as the spirit stones entered, they quickly dissipated like ice under the sun, emitting a spiritual light. Luo Li disappeared.

When Luo Li reappeared, he was in a small room, only five feet wide and ten feet high.

In one corner of the room, there was a set of black clothing and a black cloak. This set of clothing, from head to toe, could completely conceal a cultivator, and the cloak was so large that it completely covered the cultivator.

Luo Li put on the black clothing and cloak, pushed open the door, and entered a vast hall. This was the Heavenly Spider Sect's auction!

Luo Li immediately sensed a connection between the magical array in the hall and the black clothing and cloak he was wearing.

Luo Li's expression was solemn as he extended his divine sense to carefully examine his surroundings. He discovered that the black clothing itself had some ability to conceal a cultivator's aura.

However, this concealment was ineffective against cultivators with deep cultivation, especially those with special techniques for enhancing divine sense or unique eye techniques. The clothing could not prevent them from seeing through the disguise.

However, in this hall, there was a magical array that connected with each set of black clothing, creating a mysterious resonance. This allowed the cultivator to receive the full support of the array, effectively concealing their identity.

If someone still wanted to spy on others, they would have to face the entire array, which would be like an ant trying to shake a tree, a futile effort.

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