Led by Yang Bailao, the two arrived before the gates of an exquisite courtyard.

Yang Bailao bowed deeply at the entrance, his hands cupped in a respectful salute. "Uncle Li, I have brought Junior Brother Xu Changshou."

"Enter."

The voice was faint yet resonated directly in Xu Changshou's ears, making it feel as though the speaker were standing right beside him.

This was his first time meeting a Foundation Establishment grand cultivator. He felt a sudden surge of inexplicable nerves, tempered by a sliver of anticipation.

"As you command... Junior Brother Xu, let us go in."

Yang Bailao pushed the door open, ushering Xu Changshou into the residence.

The courtyard was a masterpiece of refinement, lush with various exotic flora that released a refreshing, soul-clearing fragrance.

Beyond the garden stood three grand halls. Their silhouettes were majestic and imposing, radiating a natural sense of overwhelming gravity.

Inside the main hall, a Daoist sat cross-legged upon a meditation cushion, his eyes narrowed into thin slits.

He sat in absolute stillness, yet he felt as immovable as an ancient mountain. To look upon him was to feel small, as if gazing up at a towering peak.

His body emitted a palpable Pressure that made Xu Changshou lower his gaze, unable to look him in the eye.

So this is a Foundation Establishment grand cultivator. What a terrifying presence.

Xu Changshou sighed inwardly. A master of the Foundation Establishment realm was truly on a different level of existence.

"Disciple Yang Bailao pays his respects to Uncle Li."

"Disciple Xu Changshou pays his respects to Uncle Li."

Seeing Yang Bailao bow, Xu Changshou hurriedly followed suit, maintaining a humble posture.

"First, we shall test your Spirit Root."

With a flick of his sleeve, Li Daotu sent a white jade disc flying out. The disc glided through the air, coming to a silent halt directly in front of Xu Changshou.

This Magical Artifact was significantly more refined than the one Liu Chuansheng had used.

Xu Changshou felt a moment of uncertainty and glanced at Yang Bailao for guidance. The elder disciple whispered, "Do not be nervous, Junior Brother. Simply grasp the artifact and channel your Spiritual Qi into your palm."

"Understood!"

Xu Changshou reached out with his left hand to take the jade disc.

He was careful to remain cautious. The hidden "Talisman" character was etched into his right palm; should he channel Qi through that hand, the mark might reveal itself.

To protect his secret, he relied solely on his left.

Hum...

The white jade disc trembled softly. A golden light flickered within, followed quickly by four more hues: deep green, light green, red, and yellow.

But it did not stop there. Five more colors erupted in succession-cyan, purple, white, black, and a translucent crystal.

Xu Changshou's heart hammered against his ribs. Liu Chuansheng had officially registered him as having a Five-Element Mixed Spirit Root, but this test had just exposed him as a Ten-Element Mixed Spirit Root.

If Li Daotu took offense at the discrepancy, the consequences would be dire.

"Heavens... a Ten-Element Mixed Spirit Root!" Yang Bailao stammered, his eyes wide with shock.

"A Ten-Element Mixed Spirit Root? Not bad," Li Daotu remarked with a slight nod. "You possess decent potential for the path of talisman drawing."

The master extended a hand. "Hand over your identity token."

"Yes, Uncle."

Li Daotu took Xu Changshou's yellow token and replaced it with a red one.

Xu Changshou noted that it was identical to the one Zhang Zhengyuan carried. This confirmed his suspicion: Zhang Zhengyuan was also a mere Miscellaneous Disciple.

He simply didn't know which peak his old "immortal" guide had ended up on.

Releasing a thread of Spiritual Qi to inspect the token, a string of information appeared in his mind: Xu Changshou, Male, fifteen years of age. Native of Laiyang, Song Kingdom. Ten-Element Mixed Spirit Root. Miscellaneous Disciple of Green Ink Peak, Green Immortal Sect. Qi Condensation, Seventh Layer.

Reaching the Seventh Layer of Qi Condensation made life much more convenient; the ability to project Qi externally simplified almost every task.

Li Daotu then tossed over a verdant spirit brush. "The shaft of this brush is forged from the branches of Small-leaf Nan Bamboo, incredibly resilient. The tip is fashioned from Blood Wolf hair. It will suffice for your current needs."

"From this day forth, you shall study the art of talismans under Yang Bailao. You have a six-month apprenticeship. Once that period ends, your formal quotas will begin."

"This disciple shall remember your words."

"Dismissed. If you require paper, fetch it from the supply room."

"Junior Brother Xu, let's go!"

Yang Bailao led Xu Changshou out of the courtyard. The moment they stepped past the gate, Xu Changshou felt a cold chill run down his spine; his inner robes were completely soaked with sweat.

The sheer tension of facing a Foundation Establishment master had been draining.

Next, Yang Bailao brought him to the residential quarters, gesturing toward a cluster of desolate, overgrown courtyards. "Choose any of these as your dwelling. Once you've settled, the disciples from Eight Trigrams Peak will come to reset the protective Formations for you."

"Go on then. I will seek you out tomorrow."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Yang."

After Yang Bailao departed, Xu Changshou surveyed the area and chose a remote courtyard as far as possible from Li Daotu's residence.

The place was choked with weeds.

Xu Changshou unsheathed his fine steel sword and made short work of the overgrowth, then spent the afternoon scrubbing the interior until the house was habitable.

At noon, he visited the Spirit Kitchen. There, he encountered several other disciples of Green Ink Peak.

Without exception, every one of them looked haggard. Their faces were pale, their eyes hollow and glazed with a numb, rhythmic exhaustion.

Looking at them, a seed of dread sprouted in Xu Changshou's mind. Green Ink Peak was no paradise.

The way others avoided this place, and the walking-corpse state of its residents, suggested they were being subjected to something far worse than simple labor.

The more he pondered it, the more suffocating the atmosphere felt.

After a quiet dinner, Xu Changshou skipped his nightly cultivation. He threw himself onto his bed and slept until the sun was high in the sky.

At his level, meditation could easily replace sleep, but the mental strain of the past few days demanded true rest. Constant tension was a slow poison to the soul.

At breakfast the next morning, he found Yang Bailao waiting in the Spirit Kitchen.

The senior brother looked as listless as ever. He glanced at Xu Changshou and said in a weak, thinned voice, "Junior Brother Xu, today we begin your training."

"I am in your debt, Senior Brother."

After the meal, Yang Bailao led him to his own quarters.

Every courtyard on Green Ink Peak featured a dedicated Talisman Room. Yang Bailao's was a disaster-scraps of ruined yellow paper were strewn across the floor like fallen leaves.

The room was a perfect reflection of its unkempt owner.

Entering the workspace, Yang Bailao picked up a sheet of paper. "Junior Brother, this is fashioned from premium yellow hemp wood. We call it Yellow Hemp Paper. Its texture is as tough as oxhide, making it the ideal vessel for spirit talismans."

"Green Ink Peak has a surplus of these. You can collect as many as you like from the supply room-there are no limits."

"But enough talk. Watch me first. Once you have grasped the flow, I will teach you the techniques."

Yang Bailao prepared his spirit brush and a box of cinnabar. "Usually, drawing a talisman doesn't require ink, but I'll use cinnabar so you can see the stroke order clearly."

"Thank you for your patience, Senior Brother."

"Watch closely! This first one is the Fireball Talisman."

Yang Bailao began the process, starting with the most basic of charms. He moved with practiced precision, stroke by painstaking stroke.

As the brush moved, Xu Changshou noticed the tip was constantly hemorrhaging Spiritual Qi into the paper.

By the time the single Fireball Talisman was complete, Yang Bailao's face had turned a shade paler. The Qi within his body had noticeably plummeted.

Xu Changshou's brow furrowed in realization.

No wonder Ye Shanhu called this an 'output' task.

No wonder nobody wants to come to Green Ink Peak.

No wonder these disciples look like they have one foot in the grave.

They weren't just drawing talismans; they were being bled dry, their very essence siphoned into the paper day after day.

Dammit. What kind of godforsaken hellhole have I fallen into?