Chapter 28
Baek U stared at Baek-Cheong’s fingertips, motionless like a frozen man.
His ten-year-old younger sister, who just moments ago had been clumsy even at pretending to hold a brush.
She was perfectly performing the Meridian Manipulation of the Fierce Fire Talisman - which he had never even shown her - and drawing it with red cinnabar.
Swish.
The moment the final stroke was drawn on the paper, a sweltering heat filled the Inner Hall.
The dense Fire-attribute Spiritual Energy spewing from the completed Fierce Fire Talisman heated the air.
It was a phenomenon comparable to the high-grade talismans that Baek U usually had to pour his heart and soul into Crafting.
“Th-This is…”
Baek U’s lips trembled.
Only then did father and mother snap back to their senses, cautiously approaching the dumbfounded Baek U.
Mother wrapped her hands around Baek U’s shoulders and spoke in a gentle voice.
“U. I’m sorry for startling you. Actually, while you were away, a great cause for celebration occurred in our Baek Clan.”
At this, Baek Mu-Jin cleared his throat and began to lay out the miraculous achievements Baek-Cheong had accomplished to his son.
How she had awakened the Five Elements Mutual Generation on her own and had now reached 4th-Stage Qi Condensation.
Even the way she had caught the eye of Yak-seon, receiving the Transmission of the Alchemy Art and concocting a High-Grade Medicinal Pill.
The hidden truths poured out like a burst dam.
Baek U listened to his father’s story, unable to close his mouth.
The fact that the Youngest, who he thought was born with the despair-inducing aptitude of Five Spiritual Roots, was actually a Peerless Prodigy who shattered all common sense of the Cultivation World.
Having seen with his own two eyes the results produced by that overwhelming comprehension, he found it impossible not to believe it.
“The heavens… The heavens must have been jealous of our Cheong’s comprehension to bestow the aptitude of Five Spiritual Roots upon her.”
Baek U let out a sigh and nodded.
However, his eyes were soon filled with deep relief and joy.
“But isn’t her comprehension great enough to overcome even that mixed spiritual root aptitude? Cheong, your Older Brother is truly happy that your fate is not so cruel.”
Baek U jumped up from his Seat and pulled Baek-Cheong into a tight hug.
As sincere congratulations and praise poured in, Baek-Cheong smiled bashfully as if she were embarrassed.
“Thank you, Orabeoni. But drawing talismans is really fun. Please teach me more of the other ones too!”
Completely captivated by the charm of the Talisman Crafting Art, Baek-Cheong’s eyes sparkled brightly.
Baek U laughed heartily and spread out new sheets of Talisman Paper on the table.
“Alright, today I will pass down all the essences of the 1st-grade talismans I learned from my Master. Since your Talent for handling energy and your comprehension are outstanding, you will catch on quickly.”
Baek U’s passionate, focused tutoring began.
Light body Talisman, Guardian Talisman, Stealth Talisman, and so on.
The diagrams and Meridian Manipulation methods for these basic yet practically useful talismans were transmitted to Baek-Cheong in full detail.
Utilizing her Divine Sense and concentration, Baek-Cheong absorbed Baek U’s explanations like a sponge without missing a single detail.
.
.
.
It was just a couple of shichen.
That was the time it took for Baek-Cheong to perfectly replicate all the 1st-grade talismans Baek U had shown her, infusing them with her own energy to produce results of mid-grade quality or higher.
“Haha… This father doesn’t even have the energy to be surprised anymore.”
Baek Mu-Jin clicked his tongue and shook his head.
Baek U also set his brush down with a blank expression.
“Cheong, you are truly… a Prodigy among Prodigies. The Talisman Crafting Art is something where even ten years of study makes it hard to build a foundation. You show an achievement surpassing a 1st-Grade Talisman Master in just a couple of shichen.”
Baek U wore a complex smile, a mix of bitterness and pride.
While he was deeply marveling at his sister’s monstrous comprehension, feeling his own Talent to be infinitely inadequate in comparison was an unavoidable instinct as a Cultivator.
However, the reaction of the person in question, Baek-Cheong, was quite different.
The interest and curiosity she had when she first picked up the brush had cooled completely after a couple of shichen of work.
The act of drawing lines and breathing energy into them was simple and yielded immediate results, which was fun, but ultimately it was nothing more than repeatedly drawing set diagrams.
It was easier compared to Pill Refining, but a mental boredom washed over her.
‘It’s getting boring. I should just go browse the forum.’
Thanks to Baek U’s rare visit, it was a day she was liberated from entering the hellish Pill Refining Room.
She couldn’t just blow this precious free time scribbling talismans.
Baek-Cheong quickly began to act, pretending to be tired.
“Mmm… Orabeoni, my wrist hurts now. I think I’ve used up all my energy, too.”
When Baek-Cheong put down the brush and massaged her small wrist with a pitiful expression, Baek U was startled and checked on his sister’s condition.
“Oh my, I pushed you too hard. You’re still only in the Qi Condensation Stage, so focusing on Talisman Crafting for Two Shichen must have strained your meridians. Hurry back to your Abode and get some good rest.”
“Yes, Orabeoni, you should get some good rest too before you head out on your long journey!”
Baek-Cheong gave a quick bow and darted out of the Inner Hall like an arrow.
She hurried her steps, leaving behind the worried gazes of her parents and Older Brother piercing the back of her head.
* * *
As soon as she arrived at her Abode, Baek-Cheong firmly locked the latch on her door.
Throwing herself onto the soft bed, she immediately connected her Divine Sense to the Nameless Forum.
A smile naturally spread across her lips at the thought of drawing aggro.
Fully utilizing the knowledge of the Talisman Crafting Art she had newly learned today, she began to write a Provocative Post.
『Dao Friend (913.14): The Talisman Crafting Art really isn’t much.』
[I mastered 1st-Grade Talisman drawing in Two Shichen. Isn’t it just putting spiritual energy into a brush and drawing lines? The Talisman Master profession is seriously overhyped.]
It was a vicious provocation that directly degraded Talisman Masters, one of the respected professions in the Cultivation World.
Not even ten seconds after posting, familiar red notifications appeared in a row.
[Dao Friend (88.4): It’s really not funny when an Old Monster of the Qi Condensation Stage does this.]
[Dao Friend (112.388): Where does a mere Qi Condensation Stage dare to harass juniors?]
[Dao Friend (221.111): Congrats on mastering 1st-grade talismans. Next time, please write a post about breaking through to the Core Formation stage, Old Monster.]
Instead of the anger and criticism she had expected, there were only lukewarm reactions mixed with resignation and mockery.
The Dao Friends of the Nameless Forum had long since confirmed Dao Friend (913.14) as a Vicious Old Monster of the Qi Condensation Stage.
No matter how much Baek-Cheong provoked them based on her amazing Talent, the dominant public opinion was to ignore it, treating it as the common trolling of an Old Monster of Qi Condensation Stage.
“Ah, this is seriously annoying.”
Baek-Cheong irritably slammed her fist onto the bed.
Enjoying the explosive reactions and criticisms of the Cultivators was her sole joy in forum browsing.
However, the cold indifference directed at her and her treatment as an Old Monster of Qi Condensation Stage severely scratched her pride as a Community Lurker.
She needed a groundbreaking turning point to revamp the terrible image that had been wrongly built up in the Nameless Forum.
“What do I have to do to make them believe I’m not an Old Monster of the Qi Condensation Stage?”
Resting her chin on her hand, Baek-Cheong fiercely pondered a method.
The safe method was to cut off her connection to the Nameless Forum and go off the grid until she was forgotten from people’s memories.
However, the Cultivators who used the Nameless Forum had long lifespans and excellent memories.
Even if she went off the grid for a few months - no, a few years - it was certain they would recall the memory of the vicious Old Monster of Qi Condensation Stage the moment they saw Interface Number (913.14).
Above all, Baek-Cheong herself had no confidence in giving up forum browsing, her only joy in life, for even a single day.
“Going off the grid is rejected.”
Another method was to once again pour in 15 zhang of Divine Sense to write a picture post.
If she visually verified her youthful face or her appearance containing the energy of 4th-Stage Qi Condensation, there was a possibility of overturning public opinion in a single breath.
However, this too was not a surefire method.
Even if she drew upon a massive 15 zhang of Divine Sense, the size of the image that formed on the Nameless Forum window was at best the size of a fist.
It was not easy to fully capture definitive proof of her identity on that small screen.
Furthermore, the Cultivation World was boundless, so there weren’t many naive Cultivators who would believe she was a real child just because she looked like one.
Above all, there was one ironclad rule that Baek-Cheong kept like a creed as a Community Lurker.
“Direct exposure of personal information is absolutely forbidden.”
In the sea of anonymity, the act of revealing one’s true identity was no different from throwing away one’s own life.
She knew that the Lower Realm Interface Number of 913.14 was extremely rare throughout the history of the Nameless Forum, but there existed the terrible variable of “just in case.”
There might be a hidden Cultivator belonging to the same interface as she who was just quietly lurking on the Nameless Forum.
Or, she couldn’t completely rule out the possibility that Soul Formation stage Cultivators or higher, whose eyes had rolled back from the numerous aggros she had thrown, might break through the restrictions and cross the interface Barrier to slit her throat.
“Selfie verification is also rejected.”
Baek-Cheong tore at her hair as she agonized over it again and again.
She had to shed the Old Monster of Qi Condensation Stage image, but exposing her personal info or going off the grid was impossible.
She needed a brilliant move to break through this dilemma.
“I can’t change my Interface Number either…”
Rolling around on the bed and blankly staring at the Nameless Forum, Baek-Cheong’s eyes flashed.
“…I guess I have no choice but to do that.”
Baek-Cheong stood up from her spot, displaying a sense of grim resolve.
Explaining that she wasn’t an Old Monster was pathetic and lacked persuasiveness.
Therefore, she planned to change her mindset and approach the Nameless Forum seriously.
“Sincere Forum Browsing.”
The basic skill of public opinion manipulation was one she had witnessed and executed countless times in the Internet communities of her past life.
It was the method of laundering one’s image by writing consistent, high-quality posts.