Limitless Cultivation: I Can Master Every Profession!-Chapter 58: First Victim of the Test

Chapter 58: First Victim of the Test

.

Paper talismans were very common in the cultivator world, and also widely used.

Thanks to the fact that they were small and easy to use, their usefulness was undeniable.

No matter what kind of formation was inscribed on them, it only took a small trigger from the cultivator to activate them.

They were quick to use, and depending on their grade, could easily become real life savers.

So, creating a paper talisman during the test wasn’t anything shocking, in fact, it was relatively common.

The reason why the examiner was a little taken aback was because, unlike Zhu Rong, everyone else had chosen to use more difficult materials.

Even those who had come before this batch had done pretty much the same thing.

In fact, he hadn’t seen anyone today make a paper talisman.

As simple as it was to make one, it was enough to pass the test,

but the score given for it would naturally be a bit lower, especially if the runic formation inscribed on it wasn’t anything impressive.

The purpose of this test was to evaluate the participants’ practical skills,

so even this type of object was enough to get through.

But almost nobody chose to use it unless they were really struggling.

In other words, making a paper talisman was like admitting your skills were at the bare minimum.

Not only would you get a lower score compared to the others, but the rank you’d normally get for using this kind of material would be the lowest possible,

the basic stage Adept.

Even the others, while focusing on their creations, couldn’t help but occasionally glance at the people beside them to see what they were working on.

And soon, the guy closest to Zhu Rong noticed the little rectangular piece of paper sitting on the table.

For a moment he froze, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him.

’Did someone seriously decide to make a paper talisman?’

In disbelief, he took another quick glance, but nothing had changed.

In the end, he decided to ignore it.

He figured the other guy probably didn’t have very good skills and went for something simple instead.

It wasn’t his problem, so he shrugged it off and refocused on his piece of jade.

He had already started carving and so far everything was going smoothly.

He knew he still had more than half the allotted time to finish his inscription, so with a clear mind, he went back to work.

The examiner too decided to leave Zhu Rong alone for now and turned his attention to the others,

especially those working with the trickier, more problematic materials.

’Hmm... not bad. The overall level of this group is higher than the others.’

He thought this while noting the already prepared runic matrices everyone was now inscribing onto their chosen objects.

He could tell just by looking at them, based on their complexity, that they were at an advanced phase.

In other words, if they succeeded, all of them except one, had the potential to be certified directly as advanced stage Adepts.

Whether it was pills, cultivation techniques, or any other object, the basic classifications were the same,

but when it came to physical objects like weapons, pills, or talismans, each rank was divided into three sub grades.

In the case of these talismans, being spiritual Qi based items, they were already classified as Grade 2 Mortal rank.

The Mortal rank could vary slightly depending on the type of object, but as a rule of thumb,

anything above Grade 1 required the use of Qi.

A Grade 2 Mortal rank pill might contain Qi, and depending on the effect of the pill, it might vary.

Some held pure Qi, like a Qi refining pill, to help cultivators improve theur cultivation ad a much faster pace, others held Wood Qi for healing properties.

It was the same for weapons and other objects.

In this case, the talismans were considered Grade 3 Mortal rank because of the materials being used.

If the runic formation was well made, they could become Grade 2 objects,

but using higher grade materials would naturally increase the quality and power, raising the grade further. frёeweɓηovel_coɱ

This wasn’t an absolute rule though

It was true that sometimes talismans made from cheap materials could still be high grade,

but that would depend heavily on the inscription carved onto them.

And as far as the examiner knew, no Adept level Engraver could make a talisman so powerful that,

even with poor base materials, it could rival higher grade talismans.

Even he, a Master level Engraver, would struggle to significantly boost the rank of a talisman made from trash materials.

Which was normal.

Everything needed to be balanced.

If the formation was too strong and the material too weak, it wouldn’t work.

In the best case scenario, it would break.

In the worst, it could explode or cause other unpleasant effects that might kill the user outright.

Time passed, and soon four minutes had gone by.

The examiner had spent the whole time watching the others with growing interest.

So far, everything was going well, until,

Crack!

A faint sound of something shattering rang out, followed by a heavy silence.

Everyone seemed to pause for a moment, even the examiner’s expression was unreadable as his deadpan gaze landed on the guy with the jade tablet.

’Haa... to think he was so close to finishing it.’

He shook his head, leaving the poor guy to wallow in his despair in silence.

The other participants had different reactions, some struggling to hold in their laughter, others showing a bit of pity.

But no one dared say a word, leaving the poor guy to mourn his loss in peace.

Well, no one except one person.

Footsteps echoed out, and some of the participants, sensing something off, turned their heads.

Only to see one of the participants step forward toward the examiner.

The old man, noticing him, looked over with a hint of curiosity.

He remembered this was the only one who had picked a paper talisman, so he immediately figured the guy had probably finished already.

Which didn’t surprise him.

Paper talismans were easy and quick to make, especially if the formation on them wasn’t particularly complicated.

He watched as the kid approached and, sure enough, the other handed him what looked like a slip of paper.

The examiner nodded and reached out to take it.

’Let’s see if you at least managed to draw the formation properly.’

He thought while grabbing the paper talisman and looking it over.

Even though a paper talisman, if made properly, was enough to pass,

he’d already decided to be a little more strict this time.

If he saw even a single flaw, big or small, he planned to fail him immediately.

His reasoning was simple, if a participant chose to go for the easiest option, he had better do it properly.

He would not tolerate even the smallest mistake.

There had already been a first victim of the test, who had overestimated himself and failed; he would not hesitate to add another one.

That was the plan, at least...

His eyes landed on the formation drawn on the slip of paper, and for a moment, he was surprised at how precise the lines appeared.

’hmm, not bad’

He was about to reconsider his judgment, but then his eyes widened, and he shot up from his seat.

"This... this is impossible."

Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnovel(.)com