Chapter 37 – The Blessed Stone Table

“It worked?” The light from Lynn Naya’s brush was seen by the other three as well. Talisman masters had been around for a while now, and they all knew that failed talismans would be destroyed. A successful talisman, however, would have light sink into it just as they had seen.

“Yep.” Lynn Naya’s face was filled with joy as she held the Cleanse Talisman in her hand. “It wasn’t for nothing that I practiced day and night for over a month. Today, I saw a blade of spring grass in the corner under the grapevine, and I felt something in my heart, and that’s how I managed to succeed. You could say it was pure luck.”

“It’s definitely not luck. You just have the talent. Otherwise, we’ve been practicing for a long time, so why haven’t we succeeded?” Zhou Yuan asked, her voice full of envy. “Healer Lynn, you’re hiding too much. You didn’t even tell us you had successfully refined a beast core. If we hadn’t accidentally run into you today, you would have kept it a secret forever.”

“Exactly,” Scarface Qing added. “Is it so hard to invite us for a celebration drink?”

They were all neighbors, and it did feel a little distant not to be told about such a big happy event. But Lynn Naya had already prepared for this. She gave Scarface Qing a helpless look. “I thought I had already hinted at it.”

“Hinted?” The four of them were confused.

“Yes. I borrowed the jade slip from Scarface Qing to hint at it. If I were a normal person, there would be no point in me borrowing it, so when I did, I was waiting for Scarface Qing to ask me why I was borrowing it. That way, I could tell him I had successfully refined a beast core. It would have been too hurtful to just go up to him and tell him that I had succeeded, right?”

“Do you think this hurts any less?” Scarface Qing couldn’t help but cry out. “I thought you were just curious.” In his heart, Healer Lynn had always been low-key. He subconsciously thought that if she wanted to do something, there was a reason for it. So he never even considered that possibility at the time.

Scarface Qing’s reaction made the other three smile knowingly.

Even if Healer Lynn had intentionally not told them, they wouldn’t have been angry over such a small thing. But knowing that she didn’t do it on purpose made them happier.

“Healer Lynn has succeeded in making a talisman. This is a happy occasion. We must celebrate tonight.” Xue Yong pulled Scarface Qing.

“We should celebrate.”

“Then I’ll go to the market and buy some fresh meat. We’ll have a good meal tonight.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Lynn Naya didn’t refuse her neighbors’ offer to celebrate. But the meal ended up being a comfort dinner for ScarfaceQing.

Of the five people present, the other four had all successfully refined a beast core. Scarface Qing, even though he had accepted his fate, couldn’t help but drink a few more cups. The other four took turns comforting him.

“I have a daughter, and I’ll have grandchildren in the future. I’m not in a hurry. I’m not in a hurry at all. I’m just a little thirsty and want to drink more water.” As Scarface Qing drank, he eventually collapsed onto the table. The wine wasn’t even strong.

Zhou Yuan leaned against her husband with affection, and Xue Yong patted him on the shoulder.

Knowing that he just needed some time to calm down, Xue Yong didn’t pay attention to Scarface Qing anymore. He started talking to Lynn Naya about his cultivation experience over the past six months, hoping to help her avoid a few detours.

Although Lynn Naya had already broken through to the fifth layer of Qi Condensation, she had been fumbling in the dark all this time and didn’t have much experience. Talking to Xue Yong could help her broaden her horizons.

After a long night of talking, Xue Yong gave her an iron sword as a congratulatory gift. Zhou Yuan gave her a beast hide, and Lin Qingwan gave her some cinnabar.

Lynn Naya knew they weren’t well off and guessed that they probably bought these things at the market on the spot.

“It’s always safer to have a weapon for self-defense,” Xue Yong said. “After the fourth month, don’t take on missions by yourself. Come with us. I’ll get the mission for you, and we’ll bring you along.”

The mission Xue Yong was talking about was a mandatory task assigned by the Dao Palace. Every mortal cultivator had to complete at least one outer sect mission starting from the fourth month after refining a beast core. If they failed or didn’t do it, they wouldn’t be able to buy a beast core for the next month.

The Dao Palace’s goal was simple: to force all cultivators to improve their strength.

Fortunately, the rewards used to be just contribution points, but after last year’s purge of the evil cultivators, it seems they’ve gotten a lot richer. Starting from New Year’s Eve, the rewards had become spirit stones. The simplest mission rewarded two spirit stones, and there was no cap on the most difficult ones.

Lynn Naya had already considered this issue before buying the beast core. However, she could choose which missions to accept. She would choose the simple ones, like those that required her to submit herbs. If there were none, she wouldn’t take any and would wait until the next month. After all, she didn’t rely on beast cores to sustain her cultivation. She only did the missions so she wouldn’t seem too special.

“We’ll see about that later.” Lynn Naya said, neither agreeing nor refusing.

“Alright,” Xue Yong assumed she had her own connections and didn’t push it. “One more cup. Congratulations on starting your path of cultivation just like us.”

“And from now on, Healer Lynn is a talisman master. We should celebrate even more.” Zhou Yuan also raised her cup.

“It was just luck.” Lynn Naya really didn’t think she had any talent. She knew how many talisman papers she had wasted. “I tried for a long time and couldn’t succeed. Today, I was sitting in the courtyard, and I suddenly felt something. Maybe the table in our courtyard has some special power that made me succeed.”

This was just a joke from Lynn Naya. She didn’t expect that later, when Xue Yong was talking to someone about her becoming a talisman master, he couldn’t say much and just repeated what she had said. The others also thought it was a joke and didn’t take it seriously.

But by chance, the words spread and were heard by a person who desperately wanted to be a talisman master. He had also failed repeatedly. One day, he passed by Xue Yong’s house and, on a whim, remembered the joke. So, he knocked on the door and asked to borrow the stone table.

Whether it was a psychological effect or something else, he happened to feel a certain something when he sat at the stone table, and then, a talisman was created.

A single stone table had made two talisman masters. This news inevitably spread. Everyone looked at Xue Yong’s courtyard and felt a sense of mystery surrounding it.

“Does this table really have something special?” Xue Yong was also curious and tried for a month. In the end, he failed and told everyone with a blank expression: “A calm mind can make any place calm, and a restless mind will be restless no matter where it is. It has nothing to do with the table.”

However, the words were somehow passed down as them having a treasure table that could calm a person’s mind.

It was impossible for everyone to believe such a strange thing. Most people just thought it was a coincidence. But after that, everyone who came to visit Lynn Naya’s courtyard would inevitably sit down at the table, even if they didn’t believe it.

One day, when Lynn Naya returned from the mountain, she saw that her courtyard was extremely lively. A group of unfamiliar faces were gathered around the grapevine stone table, chatting.

When they saw her return, a young man immediately came up to her and bowed.

This person was the one who had succeeded in making a talisman at the stone table. His name was Shi Zhonglang.

“Healer Lynn, you’re back. Come, let me introduce you. These are the members of our Talisman Master Association.” ShiZhonglang introduced them one by one.

Talisman Master Association?

Lynn Naya had never heard of it.

But when she saw that the cultivation of the people in front of her didn’t exceed the first layer of Qi Condensation, she figured they were probably the talisman masters from the mortal cultivators, and this so-called Talisman Master Association was a civilian organization they had formed.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Lynn Naya wasn’t arrogant. No matter how low their cultivation was, they were all truly talented people. And she was just a grinder who was willing to endure the hardship.

After exchanging greetings, Lynn Naya asked, “Why are you all here today?” Most importantly, I don’t think I have any connection with them. Even with Shi Zhonglang, I’ve only spoken to him three times at most.

“Our Talisman Master Association has just been formed. I was going to invite you to join by myself, but the seniors heard that the treasure table was at your house, so they came along to take a look.” While he was talking, Shi Zhonglang was still lovingly touching the edge of the table. “This table is really amazing. The moment I touch it, I feel completely at peace.”

Lynn Naya: “…”

“I feel it now. Everyone, move aside. I can definitely make the Light Body Talisman this time.” With that, Shi Zhonglangtook out his talisman paper, cinnabar, and spiritual brush from somewhere.

He put the things down and started writing. A flash of light passed by, and he actually succeeded again.

His action undoubtedly made the other talisman masters interested in the table. So, they all took turns, lining up to draw talismans at the table.

Invite Healer Lynn to join the Talisman Master Association? Haha, let me finish this talisman first.

Seeing how absorbed they were, Lynn Naya didn’t bother them and went back into her house.

When she put her things away, she saw a pale-skinned man in his twenties standing under her eaves, looking at the couplet hanging on her door. She remembered that this person was one of the members of the talisman master group.

Before Lynn Naya could greet him, he turned and looked at her. “That table is useless.”

Lynn Naya admitted, “It is. It’s all just a rumor.”

But the man didn’t mock her. “I’m very disappointed.”

“Why are you disappointed?”

“I’ve been trying to draw Spring Recovery Talismans for a while, but for some reason, I’m always just a little bit off. I knew your table was useless, but I still couldn’t help but come with a glimmer of hope.” The man was a little conflicted. “Maybe talisman cultivators aren’t supposed to rely on external things.”

“Spring Recovery Talisman?” Lynn Naya knew who he was now.

The Spring Recovery Talisman was a first-grade mid-tier talisman. After she couldn’t gain any more proficiency from the Light Body Talisman, she had been practicing the Spring Recovery Talisman. Not long ago, she had completely exhausted the proficiency she could get from the Spring Recovery Talisman as well.

She had to practice for so long to be able to draw a mid-tier talisman. How long has this person been practicing? I heard it’s been less than three months?

“Talent is truly something to be envious of.” But Lynn Naya couldn’t help him. The talisman insights she had in her hand would probably help him break through if she let him look at them. But these were things that couldn’t be shown to outsiders, including Yun Xian. “Maybe you just need an opportunity. Once the opportunity comes, everything will happen naturally.”

“Maybe.” the man said, lowering his eyes.

At that moment, Shi Zhonglang under the grapevine suddenly waved at Lynn Naya. “Healer Lynn, we haven’t seen your work yet. Why don’t you show us what you can do?”

“No, you all draw.” Lynn Naya refused without thinking.

When she refused, everyone looked up at her.

Lynn Naya: “?”

“Don’t be like that,” Shi Zhonglang insisted. “Healer Lynn, you’ve rarely shown yourself since you became a talisman master. Our Talisman Master Association sincerely wants to invite you to join, but we have to follow the procedures.” Finally, his expression became more subtle. “You have to… make us admire you, you know.”

Lynn Naya understood. This group was here to test her. After all, she hadn’t sold any talismans and hadn’t shown herself in front of people, so it was inevitable that some people would think she was a fake.

“I should be able to choose not to join.” Lynn Naya said.

“Uh…” This answer left Shi Zhonglang speechless.

“But if you join, you can buy high-grade talisman paper and beast blood from the Dao Palace at a 30 percent discount.” the man at the door said at this time.

High-grade talisman paper?

Lynn Naya immediately turned around. “Give me a brush!”

With 200 Light Body Talismans accumulated in her bag, Lynn Naya was now a master. She moved her brush as if a dragon was soaring and a phoenix was dancing, completing it in a single stroke without any hesitation. When the charm was finished, a light shone around it, and the surroundings were silent.

Her speed… how is it faster than all of us?

After the silence, Shi Zhonglang let out a shout. “I told you this table was a treasure table! Anyone who comes here succeeds! You didn’t believe me.”

“We believe you now, we believe you now.” everyone muttered, not sure if they believed in the table or that Lynn Nayawas a real talisman master.

Seeing that everyone’s doubts had been dispelled, Lynn Naya was about to take her talisman back when a hand reached out from beside her and took it.

Knowing it was the talented talisman master, Lynn Naya turned around and teased, “Could it be that my talisman gave you the inspiration to break through?”

“Your spiritual energy control is very stable. I’ve thought about that before, but it’s very hard to do. I thought no one could do it, but it turns out that was just my assumption.” The talented talisman master said, “If I can calm my mind, I might be able to try.”

“So?”

“I’d like to borrow your stone table.”

Lynn Naya: “…”

The talented talisman master borrowed the table for three days. During these three days, he didn’t eat or drink. He just sat at the stone table with his back to everyone.

On a certain morning three days later, he finally raised his brush, and the Spring Recovery Talisman was a success!

Lynn Naya’s only thought on the matter: That table needs to be thrown away.