CHAPTER 58: CHAPTER 58: SUPPRESSION TALISMAN SEAL SKILL!

"Indeed, it is a Magic Artifact beyond doubt."

Like a wraith, Qi Xiu glided home, moving in a series of spectral blurs. After locking the doors and windows, he turned his back to the window and pulled out the ink jade thumb ring.

This thumb ring’s design was simple yet exquisite, with a slightly raised, smooth, and warm edge on its outer perimeter. The entire piece was crafted from ink jade, deep in color with a gentle luster. Under the candlelight, the ink jade’s color appeared a rich, profound dark green. Engraved on the thumb ring’s inner band were ancient and mysterious patterns, faintly resembling some kind of script.

Turning over this thumb ring, a Magic Artifact, in his hand, Qi Xiu examined it curiously. From Yuan Baiyi, he had learned that most Magic Artifacts were forged from Demons or parts of Demons. This was also why Magic Artifacts were sometimes called Demonic Artifacts.

Without refinement incantations, how do I use this thing?

After pondering for a good while, he was still clueless. Qi Xiu rolled up his sleeves and gazed at the thumb ring reflecting mysteriously under the lamplight.

Using Magic Artifacts could be easy or difficult. Simple ones, like the Hundred Faces Mask and the Autumn Ebony Staff in Qi Xiu’s possession, only required the suppression of their ferocious nature to be used; no special incantations or Dharma Seals were needed. But complex Magic Artifacts, like the Jade Bodhisattva, required specific chants or scriptures to trigger their intrinsic Divine Marvel. This was similar to when Qi Xiu had been at the Qian Family’s estate, killing Wu Changqing. Wu Changqing had used the Corpse-Control Bell, along with chanted scriptures, to invoke a protective light. Qi Xiu had unleashed dozens of palm strikes but couldn’t create even a ripple in it. It was only after Qi Xiu disrupted Wu Changqing’s chanting that he managed to break that protective light.

And this ink jade thumb ring before him undoubtedly belonged to the latter type.

I’ll just keep it for now.

It was a Magic Artifact, after all. He took a sheet of oiled paper and wrapped the ink jade thumb ring tightly and seamlessly. Qi Xiu then picked up a brush, and his calligraphy danced across the paper like dragons and snakes as he inscribed ten Suppression Talismans. Ten beams of golden light transformed into chains, interlocking to form a cage. This was the same flash of insight that had come to Qi Xiu when he was trying to seal the Jade Bodhisattva, an insight he hadn’t fully grasped back then.

After his calligraphy entered the third realm, that Spiritual Light emerged once more and was successfully comprehended by Qi Xiu, who named it: Suppression Talisman Seal Skill!

The Suppression Talisman, being one of the earliest Innate Cloud Talismans, gained roughly three Divine Marvel characteristics after his calligraphy advanced to the third realm.

The first was Annihilation: all Demons and evil spirits would be exterminated by golden light.

The second was Suppression: to seal and suppress evil, ensuring they could never reincarnate.

The third was Protection: to bestow blessings and ward off all evil.

The principle of the Suppression Talisman Seal Skill was to utilize the suppression characteristic, one of the three current traits of the Suppression Talisman. Linking ten such Suppression Talismans together into chains to form a cage, its suppressive effect far surpassed that of merely stacking ten Suppression Talismans. Furthermore, if anyone tried to forcefully break the cage, it would trigger a counterattack, using its annihilating golden light to kill whoever tried to break the seal.

After applying the Suppression Talisman Seal Skill to the ink jade thumb ring, Qi Xiu tossed it into the secret compartment by his bedside, then stretched out and lay down on the bed.

Too many artifacts aren’t a burden. In a couple of days, I’ll try my luck on the ghost ship first. If that doesn’t work, I’ll write a letter and ask Old Yuan to help me find some refinement scriptures. Ugh, so tired. Another task. So annoying.

...

In wild mountains, desolate and rarely trodden by humans.

A few strangely dressed men, clad in red and green, with sallow faces and dark purple lips, chased a chipmunk into a dense, lush forest.

"The scent stops here," a man with a scar by his eye whispered, bending down to let the chipmunk climb from his arm to his shoulder.

"Search!" the leader of the men commanded lowly. Instantly, everyone dispersed, becoming like shadows.

Within the dense forest, the rustling sounds of their search drew ever closer. Their search area was steadily shrinking.

"Found it!"

A soft shout rang out. Seconds later, all the men gathered. All eyes fixed on a severed hand lying on the ground.

The red-eyed leader bent down, picked up the severed hand, and stared intently at its thumb. An ink jade thumb ring was supposed to be there!

"The item is gone."

His fingers clenched violently, crushing the severed hand into a pulp that oozed between them. The corner of his mouth twitched.

They had paid such a heavy price. Of their eighteen brothers, only six remained. And in the end, all their efforts had merely paved the way for someone else.

"Big Brother," the third brother, the one with the rosacea nose, spoke up. "When we were on our way here, I noticed a county town nearby. Could someone from there have accidentally picked it up?"

"It’s possible," the second brother, the one with the scar by his eye, chimed in. "Although this area is remote, occasional travelers might pass through. If they chanced upon the thumb ring and were overcome by greed, it’s highly likely they took it."

Listening to his brothers’ analysis, the red-eyed man slowly nodded, his gaze chilling and ruthless.

"Go to that county town! Even if we have to tear it apart, we *will* find that ring!"

...

The morning market gradually returned to its usual bustle. Qi Xiu settled into his usual seat at a roadside stall. The owner brought over a bowl of deep-fried tofu sprinkled with chive flowers and cilantro.

Qi Xiu wiped his chopsticks on his sleeve, picked up a piece of tofu with some cilantro, and took a bite. His brow furrowed immediately.

"Hmm? Boss, there’s no shrimp oil in this."

"You have a discerning palate, sir!" the owner apologized. "I’m truly sorry, but we’ve run out of shrimp oil for today."

"Never mind," Qi Xiu said. "Just make sure you have it ready for me tomorrow. This deep-fried tofu looks simple, but the seasonings are crucial. Miss one, and it’s like chewing raw beans—completely inedible."

As Qi Xiu and Old Liu were idly discussing the subtleties of deep-fried tofu, a group of men in bizarre, brightly colored attire walked past in silence.

Hmm? Lime powder, Cangming Grass, Half-Leaf Cinnamon Orchid... All poisonous and preservative herbs.

His nostrils twitched. Qi Xiu caught the scent of herbs on these strange men and glanced at them sideways. Something’s not right.

...

Night fell. The streets were deserted and empty.

Several figures leaped across rooftops, as agile as old mountain apes. These individuals slipped into one courtyard after another. At each residence, one of them would chant obscure incantations, as if trying to activate something.

However, the group failed to notice that a hundred meters away, a man in black crouched on a rooftop, his eyes, faintly glowing gold, silently watching them.

What are they looking for?

Watching this group, dressed as garishly as characters from a children’s tale, Qi Xiu was puzzled. From their actions, it was clear they were searching for something.

Just as Qi Xiu was pondering their objective, a low shout suddenly shattered the night’s stillness.

"Who’s there?!"

The door planks violently burst apart! A burly man, as tall and imposing as a mountain, burst out from an inner room. He moved with the powerful grace of a dragon and the pounce of a tiger. Suddenly, the phantom of a ferocious tiger leaped out from behind him, its roar deafening, and a fierce gust of wind swept out.

At the tiger’s roar, the expressions of the six garishly dressed men changed drastically. They all spat out arrows of blood, severely injured in that single instant.

A hundred meters away, Qi Xiu shot to his feet, his eyes flashing with intense light.

A True Intent expert!