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Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Crafting the Protective Talisman

Song Changsheng took out a bronze cauldron with three legs and two handles. With a wave of his right hand, the "fire" character in his palm flashed, and an orange flame immediately ignited beneath the cauldron, roaring to life. 

He tossed in the jade pendant, about the size of a chicken egg, and muttered, "If I'm going to do this, I have to do it right. But this jade is too brittle I'll need to add some Hidden White Clay to enhance its strength." 

As he spoke, he took out a jade bottle and poured in some white powder, then channeled more spiritual energy to intensify the flames. 

Soon, the bronze cauldron glowed red under the tongues of fire. The jade pendant inside began fusing with the Hidden White Clay, forming specks of white on its green surface. 

Song Changsheng added several more types of mineral powders, making the once fragile jade pendant significantly sturdier. About an hour later, the reforged pendant was complete. 

Next came the inscription of formation patterns. There's an old saying: formations and artifacts go hand-in-hand. A skilled artifact refiner must also be well-versed in formation techniques. Likewise, a great formation master must understand artifact crafting. The two disciplines are deeply intertwined. 

Special magical tools require formation inscriptions to enhance their power. Likewise, setting up a formation often demands the creation of foundational items and flags being able to craft them personally is ideal. 

Thanks to his years of studying Daoist scriptures, Song Changsheng's comprehension far exceeded the average cultivator's. He wasn't just a first-rank high-grade artifact refiner he was also a first-rank high-grade formation master. A rare dual cultivator. That was why Song Changming had turned to him for help. 

"Even though this talisman is for a mortal, it should focus on defense. Otherwise, it could cause more harm than good to Song Xi in the future." 

After a moment's thought, Song Changsheng held the pendant and began channeling his spiritual power, etching formation patterns into the jade. 

"To gather spiritual energy, I'll need to inscribe a miniature Gathering Spirit Array, along with a Sensing Array to activate the protection when it detects killing intent. 

This is the first time I'm attempting a chain formation like this. I'll have to stay sharp." 

His spiritual energy acted like a carving blade, swiftly inscribing intricate patterns into the pendant's core. Before long, the two basic formations were complete and successfully linked. 

The moment the formations were finished, he felt a small vortex form inside the pendant, slowly drawing in spiritual energy from the surroundings. 

"For the defensive array, I'll use the Spirit Shield Formation full 360-degree coverage without blind spots. Only then can I rest easy," he murmured as he carved the third array. 

Originally, that was supposed to be the final step. But recalling the Water-Fire Manipulation Art he had just comprehended, he hesitated for a moment. Then he picked up the pendant again and infused a sliver of fire energy into it. 

Thanks to the secret art, his control over fire spiritual energy had become extremely precise. The infusion was seamless, and the once-cool jade pendant now emitted a gentle warmth. 

Admiring his work, Song Changsheng chuckled. "If I had this skill in my previous life, I could've mass-produced warm jade pendants and made a fortune." 

He hadn't planned to add any offensive features, but he knew that passive defense wouldn't always be enough. This pendant might be Song Xi's last lifeline. 

If she were ever attacked by a cultivator, she could smash the pendant to unleash the hidden fire energy. In a surprise attack, even a Qi Refining stage cultivator could be severely wounded or worse. 

"Whew… Finally completed my brother's request. I'll deliver it to him tomorrow," he muttered, glancing at the evening glow outside the window. 

After cleaning up, he made some spiritual rice porridge to fill his stomach. As a Qi Refining cultivator, he hadn't yet reached the point where he could live off spiritual energy alone he still needed to eat regularly. 

Of course, he could've used Fasting Pills, but those were reserved for the family's Foundation Establishment elders and could only be exchanged with contribution points. Those were far too valuable, and few were willing to spend them on something so basic. 

After eating, he strolled over to the pond in the backyard to begin his nightly cultivation. 

The scripture he practiced, the Scripture of Yin-Yang Essence, was quite special. He had to absorb the sun's essence during the Mao and Chen hours (early morning), and moonlight essence during the Xu and Hai hours (evening). 

Sun and moon essence one yin, one yang would merge into Primordial Qi, which he stored in his dantian. 

The uses of Primordial Qi were endless. Balancing his fire and water elements was just one of its benefits. Even after all these years, he had only accumulated a single mouthful of it… 

....... 

The next morning, after finishing his cultivation, Song Changsheng set off down the mountain. 

Within the Song clan, residential areas were strictly divided by cultivation level. The mountain peak, where spiritual energy was the most concentrated, was reserved for the clan leader or cultivators at the Purple Mansion stage. 

However, ever since the passing of the clan's last Purple Mansion cultivator Song Yungui, a hundred years ago no one in the family has reached that level again. 

Currently, the strongest cultivator in the clan was the clan leader, Song Xianming, a late Foundation Establishment cultivator and a third-rank low-grade formation master the spiritual pillar of the entire family. 

He was also Song Changsheng's biological grandfather, so people often said he inherited his talent for formations from him. 

The mountainside was home to the higher-ranking members of the clan and a select few others. Song Changsheng had the right to live there only because he was recognized as a Foundation Establishment seed by the family. 

The rest of the clan members lived at the foot of the mountain or on a few nearby spiritual peaks. Though the spiritual energy there wasn't as abundant as on the mountainside, they were still rare cultivation grounds. 

Song Changming's courtyard was situated next to a field of spirit crops. It was early spring, and the green spirit wheat swayed gently in the breeze as if dancing in a grand celebration. 

A little girl in a green dress with two high pigtails was happily running between the rows of crops, like a butterfly flitting gracefully through the fields full of life and energy. 

Standing by the field, Song Changsheng smiled warmly and called out, "Xier, come here." 

The girl, who had been chasing grasshoppers, turned around at the sound of his voice. When she spotted him, a sweet smile appeared on her slightly chubby face, and she immediately threw open her arms and ran toward him. 

Song Changsheng scooped the little girl into his arms and chuckled, "Xier, where's your father?" 

"Daddy went out to take care of something," Song Xi replied in a voice as clear and sweet as silver bells, making it impossible not to adore her. 

"I see. Do you still remember who I am?" The timing of his visit wasn't ideal, but since little Song Xi was here, he could give her the item directly. 

"You're Little Uncle!" she called out sweetly. 

Song Changsheng's face lit up with a fond smile. He took out the jade pendant and fastened it to her waist, saying, "Your father asked me to give this to you. Don't lose it, and don't touch it randomly, alright?" 

Song Xi nodded her little head. "Got it, Little Uncle!" 

With a flip of his hand, Song Changsheng produced a spirit fruit filled with spiritual energy something he had specifically exchanged for at the Contribution Hall before coming down the mountain. For a mortal, eating one could grant a lifetime free from illness. 

It was a small gift for his little niece. 

Song Xi happily munched on the fruit while nestled in Song Changsheng's arms. She snuggled close and asked sweetly, "Little Uncle, tell me a story." 

Although Song Changsheng had only met this little girl a few times, each time he'd told her a story. It had quietly become a tradition between them. 

"Alright, how about Uncle tells you the story of our family's history today?" Song Changsheng said as he walked over to a large tree and set the girl down. 

Song Xi's eyes curved into little crescents as she smiled and quickly sat down beside him. 

A hint of nostalgia flickered in Song Changsheng's eyes as he began, "Our Song Clan traces its lineage back to an ancient Golden Core family. 

"Our founding ancestor, Song Taiyi, was exiled for a crime and wandered until he came upon the Wangyue Mountains. With his mighty strength at the Purple Mansion stage, he slew a great demon and took possession of the only third-grade spiritual vein in the entire Ling Prefecture. 

"With that, he established our clan and used the mountain's rich mineral resources to develop rapidly, eventually becoming the dominant power in the region. 

"Later, he trained Ancestor Yungui to become a Purple Mansion cultivator too, and our family enjoyed a period of unmatched prestige. 

"But fate is ever-changing. Less than a century after Ancestor Taiyi passed, Ancestor Yungui also perished in battle against a powerful demon. From that point on, the clan began to decline. We had to give up much of our territory and split Ling Prefecture with five other Foundation Establishment factions. 

"Even so, others continued to covet our lands especially the Lieyang Sect, rulers of the neighboring Yang Prefecture. They used every trick in the book to oppress us. 

"To resist their exploitation, your great-grandfather secretly went into seclusion ten years ago in an attempt to break through to the Purple Mansion stage. But his efforts were betrayed, and the Lieyang Sect launched a full-scale attack. 

"With the clan on the brink of destruction, your great-grandfather had no choice but to abandon his breakthrough and activate the clan's defensive array, barely repelling the Lieyang Sect's invasion..." 

When he finished, Song Changsheng looked at Song Xi and asked, "Did you remember all that?" 

Song Xi nodded hard, then clenched her little fists and huffed, "The Lieyang Sect is so mean! Why do they have to bully us?" 

Song Changsheng didn't answer. Instead, he gently patted her head and murmured, "You must never forget this. Ever." 

No one in the Song Clan could afford to forget. This history was their root. 

And in that battle ten years ago, five Foundation Establishment cultivators and over a hundred clan cultivators perished. Song Xianming, the clan head, had to abandon his breakthrough and sustained internal injuries that forced him into long-term seclusion to suppress the damage. 

Song Changsheng had witnessed his father fall from the sky, bleeding, and watched countless beloved uncles and elders die in pools of blood. That scene would haunt him forever. 

After the battle, the clan was plunged into mourning. Every household wore white, and every family grieved. This deep hatred had to be etched into the bones of every Song clan descendant. 

Especially Song Xi if not for that war, her grandfather would still be alive. Her father wouldn't have been forced to leave the mountain due to a lack of manpower, separating them from each other. 

Perhaps sensing something in his tone, Song Xi fell quiet and sat beside Song Changsheng in silence for a long while. Finally, she looked up with wide eyes and asked, "Why do people have to fight? Can't they just be friends?" 

"Friends" is such a luxury in this world. Human desire is endless, and everyone wants more resources. 

Back in the Song Clan's heyday, when they ruled over Ling Prefecture, they made many enemies. So he had no answer for her. In the world of cultivation, the strong devour the weak that was the iron law, and it had nothing to do with right or wrong. 

The two figures, one tall and one small, sat silently beneath the tree. 

But children are children emotions come and go like the wind. Before long, she had perked up again and pulled Song Changsheng away to chase butterflies. 

It wasn't until the evening when Song Changming returned, that Song Changsheng took his leave. 

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