Li Mu flipped through the "Golden Talisman Treatise" several times from beginning to end, roughly understanding its content and also discovering important missing parts.
Li Mu tried to use the knowledge granted by the Rank 4 Talisman Art to digest and analyze it.
The Rank 4 Talisman Art was equivalent to the general outline of Spiritual Charms Drawing, providing Li Mu with comprehensive knowledge of Spiritual Charms Drawing, but not giving him the Talisman formulas.
According to the Rank of Symbol Making Art, with sufficient Divine Sense and Cultivation, Li Mu could even draw Fourth-Order Spirit Talisman, yet he suffered from not having the Talisman formulas.
Unlike "Thousand Machine Puppet Art," after Li Mu learned it, he acquired Puppet refining techniques and also learned seventy-two Puppet refining formulas.
Now, the three Golden Talisman Drawing formulas Li Mu learned from "Golden Talisman Treatise," though partially incomplete, provided important formula clues.
With the enhancement of Rank 4 Symbol Making Art, Li Mu was confident in analyzing and restoring them.
Li Mu began to try drawing the first Second-Order Golden Talisman: Golden Sword Talisman.
Taking out a blank Talisman paper, dipping the wolf hair brush in Spirit Ink, Li Mu's hand holding the brush began to condense Golden Spirit Power, his Divine Sense fully invested, and he began to draw Spirit Runes on the Talisman paper.
A pale golden spiritual light condensed on the Talisman paper as the tip of the wolf hair brush moved.
"Snap!" A soft sound.
The Talisman paper could not bear the large amount of Golden Spirit Power; a puff of black smoke shot out from the Talisman paper, instantly igniting into black ash.
Li Mu had expected this and pulled back in advance, unaffected.
Second-Order Spirit Talisman, as expected, was not so easy to draw successfully.
However, Li Mu would not give up; he had already found the trick, took out a blank Talisman paper, and tried again.
Time passed bit by bit, and in the blink of an eye, three hours went by.
After dozens of failures, a Golden Sword Talisman, shining with golden light and emitting terrifying Spiritual Pressure, was finally born in Li Mu's hands.
Li Mu was overjoyed, yet also felt it was natural.
With Rank 4 Symbol Making Art, plus powerful Golden Spirit Power, drawing the Golden Sword Talisman was a matter of course.
With the Golden Sword Talisman drawn, Li Mu did not stop and continued to draw the Golden Armor Talisman.
The Golden Armor Talisman and Golden Sword Talisman belonged to the same series; with the successful experience of the Golden Sword Talisman, Li Mu was confident he could draw it in a shorter time.
First drawing failed, second drawing failed, third drawing failed, ...
Dozens of consecutive failures left Li Mu bewildered, and for a moment, he could not find the reason for the failures.
Li Mu forced himself to calm down and carefully analyze the reasons for the failures. Although the Golden Armor Talisman and Golden Sword Talisman belonged to the same series, they had essential differences: one was for attack, the other for defense. The spiritual path of the Spirit Rune transformation should be different, and the spiritual power attribute should change from sharp to sturdy, ...
Understanding this, Li Mu suddenly saw the light and prepared to try drawing again. However, his hand reached into empty air; he had used up all the Talisman paper on the table.
Li Mu suddenly realized, looked outside, the sun was just rising, and dew hung on the branches.
Unconsciously, Li Mu had drawn Talisman all night, completely unaware of the passage of time.
Li Mu laughed at himself mockingly, tidied up, cooked a pot of Spirit Rice and Meat Porridge for Crimson Wolf, left the courtyard, and cast the Green Wind Summoning Rain Art on the Spirit Field to irrigate it.
After Cultivating, his Physique meant that a sleepless night was nothing to Li Mu; normally, Li Mu spent his nights Cultivating.
Now, with the talent of Plant Spirit Absorption, Li Mu had not Cultivated at night for a long time.
After finishing his morning farm work, Li Mu rose on his sword and flew to Qing'an Town, preparing to buy a batch of Talisman paper at the Spirit Talisman Shop.
In the early morning Qing'an Town, figures were sparse, and shops along the street were opening.
"Shopkeeper Liu, I'll take ten reams of Talisman paper and two bottles of Spirit Ink," Li Mu called out to Shopkeeper Liu, who was opening his shop.
"Dao Friend Li, so early! Alright, I'll get them for you now," Shopkeeper Liu was delighted to see Li Mu and began to prepare his order.
"By the way, Shopkeeper Liu, do you sell better quality Talisman paper here? For drawing Second-Order Spirit Talisman!" Li Mu remembered something and quickly asked.
The difficulty of drawing Second-Order Talisman was much greater; unlike First-Order Spirit Talisman, Li Mu was no longer 100% confident in success and hoped to improve the success rate through other means, such as higher-grade Talisman paper and Spirit Ink.
"Yes, to draw Second-Order Spirit Talisman, you must use Second-Order Yao Beast Talisman paper. I happen to have a batch of Second-Order Ape Talisman paper in my collection. Also, it's best to use higher quality Essence Blood Spirit Ink, paired with a Golden Bristle Talisman Brush," Shopkeeper Liu nodded cheerfully, took out a pile of Advanced spiritual items, and recommended them.
"These will cost a lot of Spirit Stone, won't they!" Li Mu asked, looking at the Materials before him with a hint of desire.
"Haha, this is a necessary investment. If you can draw a single Second-Order Spirit Talisman, it's worth it. How about it, can your father draw Second-Order Spirit Talisman now?" Shopkeeper Liu laughed heartily, looking at Li Mu and asking with concern.
"How many Spirit Stone do these spiritual items, plus ten reams of Talisman paper, cost in total?" Li Mu did not answer Shopkeeper Liu's question, going straight to the point.
"Ten reams of Talisman paper: 240 lower spirit stones, one ream of Second-Order Talisman paper: 900 lower spirit stones, one bottle of Second-Order Essence Blood Spirit Ink: 300 lower spirit stones, one Golden Bristle Brush: 2000 lower spirit stones, Total: 3440 lower spirit stones. Dao Friend Li, just give me 3400 lower spirit stones! I wonder, will you pay with Talisman this time, or with Spirit Stone?" Shopkeeper Liu looked at Li Mu with a joyful expression.
Hearing this, Li Mu frowned. He couldn't afford this batch of spiritual items.
"Shopkeeper Liu, I sell Talisman to Wanbao Pavilion for 12 lower spirit stones each! The price you're offering is quite a bit lower," Li Mu said to Shopkeeper Liu with a hint of dissatisfaction.
Hearing this, Shopkeeper Liu's smile immediately froze, and he quickly pleaded, "Dao Friend Li, you've misunderstood! Wanbao Pavilion is a big store with many customers, so they can sell at a higher price. Unlike me, a small shop, I can only sell to some Loose Cultivator, so the price can't go up! For example, this batch of spiritual items, the Second-Order Talisman paper, if you buy it at Wanbao Pavilion, the price will definitely be much higher."
After listening to Shopkeeper Liu's explanation, Li Mu could understand that Wanbao Pavilion bought things expensively and sold things not cheaply either.
However, understanding was one thing; it didn't mean Li Mu was willing to sell Talisman to him at a low price.
"Dao Friend Li, if the Talisman quality is stable, I am willing to buy them at the same price as Wanbao Pavilion," Seeing Li Mu's unmoved expression, Shopkeeper Liu gritted his teeth and decided.
Li Mu couldn't help but smile, and tentatively asked, "What price do you buy Second-Order Spirit Talisman for?"
What!
Shopkeeper Liu's mind reeled, as if he hadn't heard clearly. After a while, he recovered and asked excitedly, "You, you, can your father refine Second-Order Spirit Talisman now?"
"Yes, what price do you buy Second-Order Spirit Talisman for?" Li Mu reiterated.
"It depends on the Talisman's quality and type. Lower Grade Second-Order generally goes for 15-20 medium spirit stones. Medium to High Grade Second-Order: around 30 medium spirit stones. If it's a Top Grade Second-Order Spirit Talisman, its value is: 40 medium spirit stones. Dao Friend Li, could I inspect the Second-Order Spirit Talisman your father refined?" Shopkeeper Liu introduced excitedly, then asked pleadingly.
Li Mu nodded and took out the Golden Sword Talisman he had just drawn that morning from his bosom.
Seeing the Golden Sword Talisman with its extremely strong Spiritual Pressure, Shopkeeper Liu's heart trembled. It really was a Second-Order Spirit Talisman! Having run a Spirit Talisman Shop for so long, the Second-Order Spirit Talisman he had seen were few and far between. This thing was rarely seen in a small place like Qing'an Town!
"Dao Friend Li, would you be willing to part with this Talisman!" Shopkeeper Liu licked his dry lips, asking tremblingly.
"How much is Shopkeeper Liu willing to pay for this Talisman?" Li Mu asked with a smile.
"This Talisman uses First-Order Talisman paper, so the spiritual power it can bear is limited, only Lower Grade Second-Order. However, it is a Golden attack-type Spirit Talisman. I am willing to buy it for 25 medium spirit stones," Shopkeeper Liu quoted a price.
"Hmm! How about exchanging this Talisman for this batch of spiritual items?" Li Mu suggested, pointing to the items on the table.
Shopkeeper Liu couldn't help but hesitate, looking at Li Mu with a bitter smile and saying, "Dao Friend Li, you're cutting the price too harshly."
"Yes or no, in one word. If not, I'm going to Wanbao Pavilion," Li Mu said indifferently.
"I'll exchange!" Shopkeeper Liu sighed, nodding helplessly.