Chapter 281: Chapter 249 Farewell_l
“Thank you both for your hard work.”
Within Wu Wan’s workshop in Red Sandstone City, Chen Mobai puts down his Rank-2 Talisman Brush and expresses his gratitude to Luan Jingsheng and Wu Wan.
“Oh no, not at all. We are quite happy to lend you a hand.”
Wu Wan began to tidy up the scattered bits of paper in his workshop with a smile.
On the other hand, Luan Jingsheng seemed to be immersed in a state of deep comprehension, his eyes closed as he sat in his spot.
“This Five-Phase Umbrella might even evolve into a Rank-2 Magic Artifact in the future.”
Picking up the wooden umbrella on his workbench, a product of the combined efforts of the trio, Chen Mobai couldn’t help feeling sentimental.
He was a man of nostalgia.
Having been through numerous battles with him during the demonic beast invasion on Green Light Island, this Five-Phase Umbrella had suffered considerable damage, both to the umbrella surface and talismans drawn on it.
If any other Foundation Establishment True Cultivator in the Tianhe Realm had encountered this, they would have discarded it and replaced it with a better defensive magic artifact.
But Chen Mobai instead considered whether it could be repaired.
Although he now possessed a Rank-2 Green Scale Arm Guard, this simple Rank-1 intermediate grade defensive talisman wasn’t of much use to him. Yet, it was a very nice gift for his disciples.
With his family’s backing, Liu Wenbo already had one attacking and one defending Rank-1 magic artifact. But as a Loose Cultivator, Zhuo Ming couldn’t even afford a storage bag with a lifetime accumulation of Spirit Stones, let alone a magic artifact.
Fortunately, he still had quite a few artifacts that he was no longer using. He thought to sort them out and give them to his two disciples.
He had all planned out: sharing evenly.
The Needle Box and the Five-Phase Umbrella would go to Zhuo Ming, and the Green Kerchief and Casting Sword Ring would go to Liu Wenbo. That way, each disciple would receive two items, a Rank-1 intermediate grade, and a Rank-1 superior grade.
The Five-Phase Umbrella was previously degraded and just a Rank-1 intermediate grade, but Chen Mobai was not deterred.
As a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator and a registered Rank-1 Talisman Maker of the Immortal Sect, he was more than capable of redrawing the defensive talismans on the Five-Phase Umbrella.
However, casually redrawing wouldn’t upgrade a talisman artifact, it required precise preliminary design and calculations.
To repair the Five-Phase Umbrella and upgrade it to Rank-1 superior grade, Chen Mobai specially invited its original creator, Luan Jingsheng.
Wu Wan, a treasure appraiser, was also invited by Chen Mobai for assistance.
With more hands to help, they quickly designed an upgrade plan for the Five-Phase Umbrella based six revisions on Luan Jingsheng’s original blueprint.
Luckily, Wu Wan had his own Artifact Refining and Treasure Appraisal workshop, so Chen Mobai started the formal work there with new paper and ink for talisman making.
However, when they started, they encountered some issues that were not reflected on the blueprints.
Nevertheless, with Chen Mobai being a Foundation-Based True Cultivator and a student of the Dance Tool Daoist Academy, he overcame all difficulties after consulting with his talisman drawing teacher, Xu Xiu, and the artifact refining genius, Ming Yuhua. He successfully upgraded the Five-Phase Umbrella after seven days of work.
During the process, Luan Jingsheng, who was assisting, greatly benefitted and seemed to have entered some realization state.
Not disturbing him, Chen Mobai and Wu Wan decided to wait for him in the tea room outside.
When Luan Jingsheng finally emerged, he thanked Chen Mobai heartily.
“I was the one who taught you the basics of talisman drawing. No need for formalities,” Chen Mobai replied, which evoked overwhelming emotions for Luan Jingsheng.
Back in the old days at Red Dawn Institution, the student who received even the three basic sets of talisman drawing from him, was now a successful Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
Upon realizing that Chen Mobai was a student of the Dance Tool Daoist Academy, everything made sense to Luan Jingsheng.
After all, he was a genius.
The three enjoyed a meal together in the evening. Although Chen Mobai initially intended to pay, Luan Jingsheng insisted on covering the bill.
Having learned so much from assisting Chen Mobai this time, he believed that he could pass the Rank-1 Talisman Maker’s exam next year.
Subsequently, Chen Mobai met up with Shen Juanxiu and Chan Si again.
Shen Juanxiu didn’t look too well. Her attempt at the Foundation Establishment this year had ended in failure again.
Besides, she had over-exerted herself, causing a downgrade in her cultivation state and decline in her vitality. As a result, she’d have to wait another ten years before attempting the Foundation Establishment for the third time.
“Maybe I genuinely don’t have any talent for cultivation,” lamented Shen Juanxiu, looking at Chen Mobai, who had successfully reached the Foundation Establishment stage, his skin glowing. She took another sip of her drink with a bitter smile.
“Chan should be preparing for her attempt at the Foundation Establishment soon, right?” Chen Mobai consoled Shen Juanxiu and added after a short chat with Chan Si, who subtly nodded.
She had also prepared a full set of ‘Foundation Treasure’, but Shen Juanxiu’s setback made her lose her courage to take the next step.
“There’s a cultivation technique called ‘Threshold Method’ in the National Library. It might help.”
As Chen Mobai shared the cultivation technique that could enhance the success rate of Foundation Establishment, the two women listened with awe.
“Such cultivation techniques exist in the Immortal Sect; how come we were unaware of it?”
“The ‘Threshold Method’ is highly demanding; about 70-80 percent of the students in the Four Great Daoist Academies can master it. Only the top students of the Ten Colleges can achieve it.”
Chen Mobai didn’t mention the success rate of Foundation Establishment students practicing the ‘Threshold Method’ because the sample size was too small to make a general conclusion..