Chapter 180 - 176: From Today, Beware of Snakes!
Jiang Cheng thought to himself.
If I always rely on watching the snake to draw talismans, wouldn’t I become useless in talisman drawing without it?
From today onward, I will quit relying on the snake!
No sooner had Jiang Cheng made the resolution than something soft, cool, and gently squishy suddenly crept into his palm.
This gentle piece, as if sentient, found a comfortable position and firmly grasped his hand.
Jiang Cheng was startled and looked at his palm, only to find that it was Liu Qing who had taken the initiative to hold his hand!
“Liu Qing? What, what are you doing?” he asked.
“Stimulating the brain,” she simply replied.
Jiang Cheng thought to himself, I was just kidding. Having inspiration from looking at you must be a coincidence. Though it’s happened a few too many times to be a coincidence, it doesn’t stop it from being one.
However, when he saw the serious look in Liu Qing’s eyes, he was dumbstruck, at a loss for words.
She reached out her hand, wanting to help me find inspiration for drawing talismans, out of good intentions.
Well then, since that’s the case, I shouldn’t repay kindness with ingratitude and let down her good intentions and efforts.
For now, let’s just assume “holding hands” really is effective.
Holding her hand isn’t about taking advantage of her, but rather to use a critical perspective to analyze the relationship between the snake and the inspiration for drawing talismans.
After fully preparing himself mentally, Jiang Cheng tremulously held Liu Qing’s small hand.
After all, Liu Qing was a Monster of the Mahayana Realm. The slightest bit of emotion from her was enough to send Jiang Cheng back to square one.
Ten minutes into holding her hand carefully, nothing untoward had happened. The only change was that Liu Qing’s small hand had become warm from his own.
The situation naturally made Jiang Cheng relax.
He began to carefully savor the feeling of holding the hand of a Cultivator from the Mahayana Realm.
Overall, Liu Qing’s hand felt like a piece of boneless, tender, soft jade. Her entire small hand was incredibly soft and silky, without a single rough spot to it.
Initially, her hand carried her unique body temperature, which was on the cooler side. After holding it for a while and as her temperature rose, the gentle coolness would temporarily vanish, turning into a soft, pliable little toy that one could freely knead in the palm of their hand.
By common understanding, the most sensitive parts of a person’s hand are the palm and the pads of the fingers.
But Jiang Cheng didn’t know if this was the same for Liu Qing.
So, the ever-practical Jiang Cheng flipped Liu Qing’s hand over and began to gently, slowly massage her palm with his thumb.
Liu Qing felt Jiang Cheng’s movements and slightly furrowed her brows.
Jiang Cheng realized then, at least in the structure of her hands, Liu Qing should be no different from a normal person.
Jiang Cheng was about to try some other ideas when Liu Qing spoke up:
“Jiang Cheng, inspiration?” she asked.
Jiang Cheng paused.
Inspiration? What inspiration?
Is there a part of the hand called inspiration?
Did I forget something?
Oh!
She wanted me to hold her hand to help me find inspiration for drawing talismans!
Jiang Cheng finally remembered his main task.
He began to think about what kind of talisman could improve the performance of Tongbao Pavilion’s products.
His mind, previously as blank as empty space, was now a swirling storm of ideas, crackling with the sparks of new thoughts.
Tongbao Pavilion had a wide array of products, including Magical Treasures, Formations, Elixirs, Talismans, Spirit Plants, etc.
Jiang Cheng was only proficient in Talismans, unfamiliar with the others—if he had to find a way to “improve” each kind of product, he’d exhaust himself before finishing any.
Therefore, it wasn’t possible to target the products for performance improvement.
Instead, the improvement should be targeted towards the people using the products!
The same gun could be in the hands of a sharpshooter with an impeccable aim or an artist skilled at outlining the human form.
Hence, improving the person is better than improving the tool!
Rather than enhancing the gun’s performance, it would be better to help the person make better use of it, to shoot more accurately.
Drawing from Jiang Cheng’s hand-touching experience, he realized when he was fully focused on touching the hand, he would subconsciously concentrate on the tactile sensations in his hand.
His body would follow his attention, greatly enhancing the sensitivity of his sense of touch while temporarily ignoring unrelated senses such as smell, hearing, and taste.
Thus, theoretically, it would be possible to enhance one’s physical potential through the concentration of willpower and attention.
Therefore, by focusing attention, one should be able to use talismans, absorb elixirs, and employ spells to an extraordinary degree.
Although Jiang Cheng had not yet thought of a way to help cultivators focus their attention, it did not prevent him from recording his thoughts first.
“Liu Qing, help me get some paper and a pen.”
“Hand.”
“Oh, sorry.”
Jiang Cheng reluctantly let go of Liu Qing’s hand, watching her as she went to fetch the items for him.
Right now, there was a strange feeling in Jiang Cheng’s heart. He had just gotten used to holding Liu Qing’s hand and the moment he let go, he was immediately struck with a sense of emptiness. It was as if he was reluctant to let go of her hand.
She is Mahayana, she is Mahayana, she is Mahayana…
After chanting the Enchantment of Devotion several times, the feeling of emptiness in Jiang Cheng’s heart subsided significantly.
Taking the paper and pen that Liu Qing handed him, Jiang Cheng bowed his head and began to record his inspiration for the talisman, not missing a single detail.
[Name: Willpower Empowerment Talisman
Rank: First Order
Type: To be determined
Effect: By concentrating willpower, one can stimulate the body’s potential, enabling better performance when consuming elixirs, casting spells, and using talismans.
Precautions: To be tested.]
After recording his inspiration, Jiang Cheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Now that he had a new design idea for a talisman, all that remained was to consider how to achieve this effect.
“Jiang Cheng, a text message,” Liu Qing reminded him.
A text message?
Jiang Cheng took out his communication talisman and discovered that fifteen minutes ago, President Li from the Taixu Sect had sent him a message.
Fifteen minutes ago, Jiang Cheng was in a state of enhanced touch and temporarily deprived of hearing. It was normal that he didn’t hear the communication talisman ringing.
Jiang Cheng opened the message.
Li Qingge: Do you remember how many times I blinked?
Jiang Cheng: Sorry, President Li, your eyes are very beautiful, but I don’t remember.
Li Qingge: …
Li Qingge: Remember to come alone tonight, don’t make me wait for you another night. Also, it would be best not to let outsiders know you’re coming to my house.
Li Qingge: Furthermore, remember to delete these messages. See you tonight.
Looking up at Liu Qing, Jiang Cheng said awkwardly, “Ahem, you’re not an outsider.”
Liu Qing nodded slightly and asked, “Together?”
Pointing to the communication talisman, Jiang Cheng said, “But she asked me to come alone…”
Liu Qing quietly stared at Jiang Cheng.
There were no words of threat, no threatening expressions, no threatening gestures.
Jiang Cheng, staying calm and with good sense, thought of a compromise: “I’ll go alone, but you can follow me. I voluntarily give up my right to privacy regarding your following me.”
After nightfall, Jiang Cheng and Liu Qing, one after the other, walked into a detached villa district.
The address Li Qingge gave Jiang Cheng was here.
Jiang Cheng first settled Liu Qing in a small pavilion in the villa district, then went alone to Li Qingge’s house for the meeting.
Outside the villa’s fence, Jiang Cheng rang the doorbell, and the gate opened immediately.
Jiang Cheng walked into the courtyard and directly approached President Li’s house.
He knocked politely on the door.
The door opened to reveal bright lights and a neatly dressed Li Qingge.
Li Qingge smiled at Jiang Cheng, “Please come in.”
Jiang Cheng politely responded, “I hope I’m not bothering you.”
“Take a seat on the sofa, I’ll pour you a cup of tea.”
A fourth-order Talisman Master and the President of the Immortal Sect Association pouring tea personally, Jiang Cheng dared not accept such an honor.
He quickly said, “There’s no need to trouble yourself, senior.”
Carrying the tea, Li Qingge placed it in front of Jiang Cheng.
She sat down on the sofa, crossed her long legs neatly, and leaned towards Jiang Cheng.
“It’s no trouble, I have something I need to ask of you. Have you heard about Emperor Liang appointing his heir?”