novel bin Chapter 76 Teaching
Chapter 76 Teaching
Chapter 76 Teaching
The next morning, before dawn.
Gu Shenyan got up, quickly washed up and had breakfast, then took the notes he had reviewed the night before and headed towards the main building through the morning frost.
The mist in the bamboo forest had not yet dissipated, and dewdrops clung to the branches of the locust trees, shimmering in the morning light.
When he arrived, Han Sushuang was already sitting in the front row.
The young girl wore a moon-white long dress with a jade tassel tied at her waist. Beside her was a scroll of "Comprehensive Explanation of Talismans," which she was reading with her eyes lowered.
Jia Shouren, who was huddled in the back corner, saw Gu Shenyan come in and his eyes lit up. He quickly waved for Gu Shenyan to sit down.
Chen An and Zhao Xiaoman, one fat and one thin, each occupied one side.
The former was still holding a yellowed ancient book, while the latter held a wolf-hair brush, practicing something on the paper.
Before 9:00 AM, Shen Qingyi had already stepped into the room.
She was carrying a sandalwood box today, and her expression was more stern than yesterday.
Gu Shenyan was very familiar with that look in his eyes. After all, the thing a teacher should avoid most is laughing and joking with students.
No matter how things are normally done, you must set the rules during class.
[High-value lessons detected, about to begin!]
[Assessment: This apprenticeship assessment is crucial to the host's future and is of extremely high importance]
[Panel Decision: Actively optimize the auxiliary training mode!]
[Optimization solution: Reduce source consumption rate and extend duration]
Gu Shenyan felt a warmth in his heart.
This cheat code is really getting more and more "thoughtful".
[Additional Note: Although the optimization slightly reduces the effectiveness, it is more durable.]
[The money saved can be used for the host's nighttime cultivation!]
This optimization is indeed timely.
If we can save on consumption while ensuring the effectiveness, that would be ideal.
With a thought, he quietly activated the [Assisted Cultivation] mode.
In an instant, the whole world became clear.
"Gentlemen."
On the podium, Shen Qingyi placed the wooden box heavily on the table: "From today onwards, Senior Brother Cao and I will take turns teaching."
"Every morning for two hours, I teach basic talismans and material identification, while Senior Brother Cao teaches the application of spiritual energy and advanced techniques."
"Study on your own in the afternoon. If you have any questions, you can come find us."
As she spoke, she took out several stacks of talisman paper and a few small porcelain bottles from the wooden box: "Today's first lesson will begin with the most basic spirit mortar ratio."
Shen Qingyi's teaching was extremely meticulous.
She opened the porcelain bottles one by one, revealing spirit sand of different colors: some were as red as blood, some were dark purple and almost black, and some shimmered with gold.
"Spiritual sand is the blood of talismans."
She picked up a pinch of cinnabar and placed it in her palm: "Ordinary cinnabar can be used to draw talismans, but it can only capture the form, not the spirit."
"Only by grinding spirit stones and soaking them in specific medicinal herbs can true spirit sand be refined."
"This spirit sand can be divided into nine grades according to its color depth and spiritual energy concentration."
She pointed to the porcelain bottles: "The top three grade, the color of which is like a blazing flame, one coin of which is equivalent to half a pound of ordinary spirit sand, and is mostly used to draw high-level talismans."
"It's a mid-grade talisman, with a warm and lustrous color. It's the most commonly used one, and most of the talismans you're drawing right now are made using this one."
"The lower three grades, although of slightly inferior quality, are cheap and are most suitable for beginners to practice on."
Han Sushuang listened very attentively, occasionally jotting down notes in her notebook.
Jia Shouren found the explanation completely incomprehensible and could only try to memorize it by rote.
Gu Shenyan listened and pondered at the same time, noting that the method of preparing the spirit cinnabar was somewhat similar to the purification principle in chemistry.
Shen Qing then took out several medicinal herbs and explained them one by one: "To grind the spirit cinnabar, you need to use the Spirit-Stabilizing Grass as a guide. This grass grows in damp, shady places and is specifically designed to lock in spiritual energy and prevent it from dissipating."
"During soaking, you also need to add 'Blood-Activating Vine,' whose sap is like blood, which makes the spirit sand blend more easily with the talisman paper."
"If you want to improve its quality, you need to add scattered starstone powder, but this stuff is rare and ordinary people can't afford it."
She spoke in great detail, and everyone listened intently.
Even Chen An put down his book and listened intently.
After speaking for about half an hour, Shen Qingyi took a sip of water and moved on to the next step: "Talking is useless. Each of you should try to prepare a dish."
"Sister Su Shuang, you go first."
Han Sushuang got up and walked to the desk.
She clearly knew all about these things beforehand. With practiced ease, she took the Spirit-Stabilizing Grass and the Blood-Activating Vine, added water in the correct proportions, and began grinding them.
In no time, a batch of spirit cinnabar with a uniform color was prepared.
Shen Qingyi nodded: "Not bad, the timing is just right."
"Shouren, come here."
Jia Shouren stepped forward cautiously, and then fumbled around for a while.
The spirit mortar produced was of varying shades, clearly indicating that the proportions were not properly controlled.
"Go back and practice more." Shen Qingyi's tone became somewhat indifferent.
"Be careful what you say, you try it."
Gu Shenyan stood up, and as he walked to the desk, a thought stirred within him.
In the [Assisted Cultivation] mode, the patterns of the Spirit-Stabilizing Grass, the concentration of the Blood-Activating Vine's sap, and even the size of the Spirit Sand particles—all details are displayed in exquisite detail.
He followed Shen Qingyi's instructions step by step.
The grinding process is performed with even force, the soaking process is timed precisely, and the proportions are kept exactly as they should be.
As the last drop of the Blood-Activating Vine juice was poured in, the spiritual sand suddenly emitted a faint glow.
A look of surprise flashed in Shen Qingyi's eyes: "This—"
She picked up a pinch and examined it closely, a hint of surprise on her face: "It has actually reached the middle grade three quality."
"Be careful what you say, have you studied that before?"
"Replying to Senior Sister, I have never learned it."
Gu Shenyan respectfully replied, "I simply took notes carefully while listening to Senior Sister's explanation."
Shen Qingyi gave him a deep look, then looked at Han Sushuang: "Although Sushuang's technique is not bad, it is ultimately just practice."
"Be careful what you say about this—"
She carefully chose her words: "It's as if she's figured out the trick."
Han Sushuang's grip on the pen tightened slightly.
In the second class, Cao Wenjing took over from Shen Qingyi.
This senior brother's teaching style is completely different from that of Senior Sister Shen.
Shen Qingyi spoke in great detail, as if she wanted to break down and explain every single detail to you.
Cao Wenjing, however, placed greater emphasis on rules and principles.
-
He wrote four large characters on the blackboard: "Fu Fen San Jing".
"The art of talismans is about cultivating the hands, training the mind, and comprehending the intent."
He turned around, his eyes piercing: "Those who are just beginners only know the form, and drawing talismans is like copying calligraphy, just imitating what they see."
"Only those who have achieved a little understanding can grasp its meaning, know why it is painted this way, and what the reason is behind each stroke and line."
"The ultimate master—"
Cao Wenjing tapped the table: "Then one can integrate and harmonize seemingly conflicting talisman meanings, and even create one's own talismans."
"You are all currently at the stage of beginners and minor proficiency. If you want to go further, you need to understand one principle."
"The most difficult part of the art of talismans is never drawing talismans with a single effect."
"But—"
He wrote two words on the blackboard: "harmony".
"All things in heaven and earth have the principle of mutual generation and mutual restraint."
"Water overcomes fire, fire overcomes metal, metal overcomes wood, wood overcomes earth, and earth overcomes water."
"The same applies to talismans."
"You may now draw water-fixing talismans and water-avoiding talismans."
Although both talismans are water-based, one focuses on suppression while the other on channeling; seemingly contradictory, they actually complement each other.
"If one can integrate the two into one talisman, one will have entered the realm of minor accomplishment."
Jia Shouren's eyes lit up.
He had been pondering how to break through to the beginner level for a long time, and now, after hearing what Senior Brother Cao said, he had a vague understanding in his heart.
"But----"
Cao Wenjing's voice turned serious: "What if we wanted to reconcile three, four, or even five completely antagonistic attributes and fuse them all into one talisman?"
The classroom was completely silent.
Five mutually restraining attributes? Doesn't that encompass all five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth?
"Senior Brother Cao."
Han Sushuang couldn't help but raise her hand: "Is this... even possible?"
"Of course it's possible."
Cao Wenjing smiled and said, "However, this is already a technique at the peak of mastery."
"Even I wouldn't dare to try it easily on a normal day."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the crowd: "Since we've come this far, I'll—try to demonstrate."
"Please look carefully, everyone."
Shen Qingyi raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
She stood by the door, looking at Cao Wenjing with some concern. Why was her senior brother in such a high spirits today?
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