**Chapter 33: Alchemy and Talismans**
Thanks to his work on the material sorting task in the lower-level storage and his tireless research in the mid-tier laboratory comparing “refinent concepts” and wizarding materials, Jie Ming’s knowledge of alchemical material properties and energy structures far surpassed his peers, rivaling so low-tier formal alchemy wizards.
This solid foundation made constructing his Alchemy witchcraft model remarkably smooth.
His first witchcraft model—Alchemy—ford faster than that of his fellow apprentices.
Taking advantage of the peak state of true essence and ntal energy after breaking through to the Third Layer of Qi Refinent, Jie Ming imrsed himself in his ntal sea, making final adjustnts to the nearly completed “Alchemy” witchcraft model.
This model, unique to him, was built on his understanding of wizarding materials, the integration of Great Dao Book Pavilion’s crafting principles, and a preliminary grasp of “concept” forces.
As it was newly ford, the core effect of his “Alchemy” model was similar to the standard Alchemy spell used by wizard apprentices: analyzing material composition and exerting a degree of control and reconstruction.
The greatest advantage at this stage was that he no longer needed external tools like alchemy disks or specialized workstations to perform Alchemy, unlike other apprentices.
With sufficient ntal energy, his “Alchemy” model allowed him to cast it barehanded, as ntor Clark had once demonstrated.
Though classified as a logistical spell, Alchemy wasn’t useless in combat.
Its essence was analyzing and controlling material composition.
In theory, with a high enough mastery, he could freely manipulate and distort the physical structure of living organisms!
If he also constructed the basic runic studies spell, Analysis, he could parse, control, and manipulate even powerful protective energies covering a living body!
Enemy energy shields and physical forms would beco toys in his hands.
At that point, whether elental, physical, or other special attacks, anything entering his Alchemy’s control range would have its composition and energy controlled by him.
As long as his computational power and ntal energy could keep up, no attack could breach his defenses!
It would be true “invulnerability to all thods”!
Of course, organic matter’s complexity required an exponential increase in knowledge, far beyond his current Alchemy model’s capabilities.
His newly ford “Alchemy” model could only easily control relatively simple tals.
For more complex inorganic materials, it required more ntal energy with limited control, and organic materials were out of the question.
As for runic studies’ Analysis spell, that was even further off.
“But… this level of Alchemy is sufficient for now.”
For what Jie Ming planned next, completing the Alchemy witchcraft model and reaching the Third Layer of Qi Refinent were both necessary conditions.
The Third Layer of Qi Refinent ant abundant true essence.
For Jie Ming, this wasn’t just a boost in strength but a milestone for unlocking new cultivation techniques.
According to the Great Dao Book Pavilion, only after reaching the Third Layer could one begin attempting another key cultivation art—talisman crafting.
Talismans consisted of two parts: the “lu” (registry), representing identity authentication, and the “fu” (symbol), a thod of solidifying spells onto a specific dium for rapid casting.
Its core comprised two components: the dium and the talisman seal (or rune).
The dium was the material carrying the seal, typically special talisman paper, jade, or tal. The seal was specific text or patterns forming the spell’s core, containing thods to channel and manipulate spiritual energy.
Following the Great Dao Book Pavilion’s guidance, Jie Ming began his first attempt at talisman crafting.
First, the dium.
In the cultivation world, talisman paper made from specific spiritual plants was common—light and ideal for holding spiritual energy. But in the wizarding world, he hadn’t found a suitable plant substitute.
However, Alchemy offered another option.
Jie Ming took out so refined gold and mixed it with extraplanar tal essences from the lower-level storage, chosen for their excellent conductivity and malleability.
Per the Great Dao Book Pavilion, tal diums were typically used for “lu” registries, not for special reasons but because refined gold was the base material for talisman crafting. However, as talism ans were consumables, using pure refined gold was too costly!
The Pavilion’s simplified crafting thods required at least late-stage Qi Refinent, so Jie Ming had to rely on Alchemy to refine and fuse these materials.
Fortunately, after deliberate practice, his Alchemy excelled at handling tals, allowing him to create a tal talisman paper with sufficient toughness and energy capacity.
Though heavier and costlier than true talisman paper, it solved the dium issue.
Next, the talisman seal.
Jie Ming initially had no intention of innovating. Following the Great Dao Book Pavilion’s records on fla talismans, he used true essence as a brush, ticulously inscribing the intricate seals onto the tal talisman paper.
Each stroke carried specific frequencies and rhythms, requiring precise infusions of true essence and ntal energy at varying intensities.
Thanks to the robust ntal energy from his ditation and Qi Refinent thods, Jie Ming, despite no prior practice, executed the strokes with near-machine precision, completing a talisman.
Upon completion, a faint glow emanated from the tal talisman paper.
Eagerly, he went to the laboratory’s testing area, designed to withstand blasts from third-ring wizards, giving him confidence to experint.
Activating the testing area’s recorder, Jie Ming took out the freshly made talisman, infused a trace of true essence as instructed, and activated the inscribed seal.
“Command!” he intoned softly.
He expected, as described in the texts, a roaring fla capable of engulfing a large wooden stake.
However, the tal talisman paper only trembled slightly, and then…
With a faint “pfft,” a thumb-sized fla flickered up, wavered twice, and extinguished.
Jie Ming: “…?”
What was that?!
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