touchnovel Chapter 93 Undercurrents
Chapter 93 Undercurrents
Chapter 93 Undercurrents
After returning to the city, life in the tenement seemed to return to normal.
But only those who experienced it firsthand know that the horror of that night at the mass grave and the brilliance of Chen An's single finger strike have left an indelible mark on the hearts of the three.
Chen An remained as disheveled and half-dead as ever, spending his days engrossed in books and basking in the sun under the old locust tree.
Gu Shenyan felt a sense of awe towards him, an instinctive respect for the strong.
These past few days, Gu Shenyan has been staying at home and rarely going out.
He was processing what he had learned from that night's battle, while also awaiting some inevitable changes.
The morning mist had not yet dissipated.
Gu Shenyan had just finished a round of breathing exercises and was preparing to grind ink and draw talismans.
Suddenly, an indescribable feeling of palpitation struck without warning.
It was as if they were being targeted by a predator at the top of the food chain.
The birdsong outside the window suddenly stopped.
Even the noisy chirping of insects in the courtyard disappeared completely in that instant.
Gu Shenyan felt a chill run down his spine, and the talisman brush in his hand suddenly stopped, the ink spreading into a glaring black stain on the rice paper.
coming!
[Warning: High-intensity spiritual scan detected!]
[Source: Direction of the main entrance.]
[Strength Assessment: Mid-stage or higher in the Casting Realm.]
[Nature: Exploration, assessment, accompanied by slight counterfeit detection] type of spell fluctuation.
[Recommendation: Remain natural, calm your mind, and avoid actively activating your spiritual core to prevent provoking hostility.]
On the panel, red warning text flashed wildly.
Gu Shenyan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his instinct to mobilize his spiritual energy to fight back.
He slowly put down his pen, adjusted his breathing, and tried to make himself look like an ordinary disciple who was annoyed by ruining a talisman.
"Squeak"
The door opened by itself even though there was no wind.
A tall, slender figure appeared silently at the doorway.
The newcomer wore a blue brocade robe, a jade belt around his waist, and had a handsome and refined face with a faint smile on his lips.
However, the spiritual pressure emanating from him, though not deliberately released, was still as heavy as a mountain, instantly making the small room feel cramped.
Gu Shenyan's pupils contracted slightly.
He had seen this person before; he was in the portrait album of the inner disciples.
True disciple, Liu Wenyuan!
One of the most outstanding geniuses of Fu Feng's generation, he is said to have entered the Forging Law Realm many years ago and is highly regarded by the elders.
Why would such an important person suddenly appear in this remote tenement?
"Disciple Gu Shenyan greets Senior Brother Liu."
Gu Shenyan quickly stood up, bowed, and greeted the crowd with a respectful yet not servile demeanor.
Liu Wenyuan remained silent.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sharp as lightning, scanning Gu Shenyan from head to toe.
That gaze seemed to possess a tangible penetrating power, as if it wanted to see through Gu Shenyan's internal organs and even the depths of his soul.
Gu Shenyan felt a chill run down his spine. The panel in his mind was running wildly, constructing layer after layer of virtual disguise.
"No need for such formalities."
After a long silence, Liu Wenyuan finally spoke, his voice gentle and warm, yet carrying an air of aloofness that kept people at arm's length.
"I've heard that a promising young talent has emerged from the outer sect. Not only is his theoretical knowledge solid, but he can also draw a top-grade Fiery Sun Talisman with his water-elemental body."
He stepped into the room and casually glanced at the discarded talisman on the table.
"It can even set up the Three Powers Fixing Light Array in places like mass graves."
Gu Shenyan felt a chill run down his spine.
Sure enough, what happened that night couldn't be hidden from those who were interested.
"Senior brother, you flatter me. I was just lucky. I just like to overthink things."
Gu Shenyan lowered his head and answered cautiously.
"luck?"
Liu Wenyuan chuckled lightly, his tone playful.
"In the path of talismans, even the slightest error can lead to a huge mistake; there is no such thing as luck."
"Whether it's just wishful thinking or not, you'll know once you try it."
Before he could finish speaking, Liu Wenyuan suddenly raised his right hand.
He pointed his index finger in the air.
"Buzz!"
The air seemed to freeze instantly.
A crimson line of fire and a dark blue line of water appeared out of thin air.
Two lines of spiritual energy intertwined and entwined in the air, but they could not merge. Instead, because their attributes clashed, they made a teeth-grinding "sizzling" sound.
The spiritual energy is surging and could explode at any moment!
This is an incomplete runic structure.
"This is the prototype of the 'Kan-Li Confluence'."
Looking at the precarious rune, Liu Wenyuan casually said, "Water and fire are incompatible; this is a fundamental principle of the universe."
"If it were you, how would you make them coexist?"
This is a test question.
It was also a show of force.
That extremely unstable energy was hovering just three feet in front of Gu Shenyan. If he couldn't answer or handled it improperly, it would explode. Although it wouldn't kill him, he would inevitably end up looking disheveled and miserable.
Gu Shenyan stared intently at the ball of light.
Time seemed to slow down at that moment.
[Assisted training mode, fully activated!]
Gu Shenyan roared inwardly.
In an instant, the world before my eyes changed.
Those two originally violent and disordered lines of spiritual energy were instantly disintegrated into countless tiny energy nodes in his eyes.
[Analyzing the target rune structure —]
[Structure: Kan-Li (Water and Fire) in the state of unfinished (未济).]
[Status: Extremely unstable, expected to collapse in 3 seconds.]
[Retrieve database: Basic Five Elements Theory, Water and Fire Harmony Chapter, Simulation of the Abyss's Ambience ————]
[Deduction begins.]
A massive stream of data swept across Gu Shenyan's retina like a waterfall.
The core computing power of the panel was pushed to its limit.
Almost in the blink of an eye, three dotted lines of different colors overlapped on the incomplete rune.
[Option 1: Forcibly suppress the repulsive force with strong spiritual power. Success rate: 30%. (The host's spiritual power is insufficient, so this option is abandoned.)]
Option 2: Introduce metal elemental energy. Metal generates water, which weakens fire. Success rate: 50%. (Prone to structural imbalance, not recommended)
[Option 3 (Optimal Solution): Introduce a trace of the Wood element's vitality. Water nourishes Wood, and Wood nourishes Fire, transforming the conflicting elements into a mutually supportive one, thus creating a buffer hub!]
On the panel, a bright green line is highlighted, marking the perfect connection point!
It's now!
Gu Shenyan did not hesitate at all, and his eyes instantly became incredibly clear.
He suddenly raised his hand, but instead of using the talisman brush, he used his finger instead.
The wisp of "Dark Abyss" life fire within his body flickered slightly, drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy.
"Wood forms bridges, symbolizing endless life!"
Gu Shenyan gave a low shout and pointed his fingertip at the center of the rune that was about to explode.
A touch of emerald green light, like spring rain nourishing all things, instantly blended into the scene.
A miracle happened.
The originally violently clashing water and fire energies became incredibly docile the moment they came into contact with that bit of wood elemental energy.
The moisture nourished the little bit of greenery, and the greenery, in turn, fueled the fire.
The original "buzzing" sound disappeared, replaced by a smooth and harmonious rhythm.
A perfect Tai Chi symbol slowly rotates in the air.
Although it only lasted for a few breaths before dissipating into the air, the atmosphere it evoked was enough to move people.
Liu Wenyuan's originally indifferent gaze finally changed.
The nonchalance in his eyes vanished, replaced by an undisguised look of surprise.
"Using wood to transform energy, the five elements circulate—"
He murmured softly, giving Gu Shenyan a deep look.
"This is not something that can be figured out by self-taught methods."
"Even within the inner sect, there are no more than five people who can achieve this at this age."
Gu Shenyan withdrew his finger, a fine layer of sweat already seeping from his forehead.
That single finger strike had taken a tremendous toll on his mental energy.
"Senior brother, you flatter me. This disciple simply—feeling intuitively that this is the right thing to do."
Gu Shenyan remained humble.
Liu Wenyuan was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
That smile held a greater sincerity and a deeper meaning.
"Intuition? What a wonderful intuition."
"It seems that the idiot from the Song family has really bitten off more than he can chew this time."
He did not inquire about Gu Shenyan's lineage, because in the cultivation world, everyone has their own secrets.
As long as it is a righteous cultivation method and does not harm the sect, then it is an opportunity.
"You have a solid foundation and good comprehension."
Liu Wenyuan waved his sleeve and turned to walk out.
"Next month is the outer sect competition, and the top ten will have the opportunity to enter the inner sect."
"I'm really looking forward to seeing you at Zhenchuan Peak."
As he reached the door, he paused slightly, but did not turn around. Instead, he left behind a profound statement: "The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind."
"But if the tree is strong enough, then the wind can only be its whetstone."
After he finished speaking, his figure blurred and turned into a streak of light, disappearing into the horizon.
Only after confirming that the terrifying spiritual pressure had completely disappeared did Gu Shenyan let out a long sigh of relief and plop down in his chair.
My back was already soaked with cold sweat.
Too dangerous.
If the panel had reacted a fraction of a second slower, or if my finger had been slightly off-target, I'd probably be a corpse by now.
Liu Wenyuan appeared gentle, but in reality, he was testing his true abilities.
If he were mediocre, the moment that rune exploded would probably have been the moment he was "accidentally" seriously injured.
[Target: Liu Wenyuan (True Disciple)]
[Assessment report being generated —]
[Strength: Unfathomable; extremely high level of mastery over talismans.]
[Purpose: To assess comprehension, potential, and whether the individual has received guidance from a mentor.]
[Result: Aroused interest (positive).]
[Risk Warning: The host has come under the watchful eyes of higher-ups, rendering the original strategy of "low-key development" ineffective. Future observations and challenges will increase exponentially.]
At the same time, the panel's database was updated again.
[Included: High-order talisman structure sample—1 (complete version of Kan-Li intersection).]
[Recorded: Liu Wenyuan's spiritual energy rhythm fluctuations (extremely high precision).]
Gu Shenyan looked at the data on the panel, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
Risk always coexists with opportunity.
We've passed this hurdle.
Moreover, he also got the structure of a high-level rune for free, as well as the artistic flair of a true disciple's brushstrokes.
This is a treasure that no amount of spirit stones can buy.
Night fell, and the moon and stars were few.
"Bang bang bang!"
A series of urgent knocks broke the silence of the night.
"Senior Brother Gu! Is Senior Brother Gu there?!"
It was Jia Shouren's voice, sounding extremely panicked.
Gu Shenyan frowned slightly and waved to open the door.
Jia Shouren rushed in, covered in sweat, clutching a brocade box tightly in his arms as if it were a time bomb.
"Something terrible has happened! Something drastic!"
The fat man locked the door as soon as he entered, then plopped down on the floor, panting heavily.
"Don't rush, tell me slowly."
Gu Shenyan poured him a cup of tea. "Who wants to kill you?"
"No, it's not about killing me—it's about harming us!"
With trembling hands, Jia Shouren pulled a letter from his pocket and handed it to Gu Shenyan.
"This is an urgent, confidential letter that my father just sent."
"They say that yesterday, a mysterious big customer came to my family's fabric shop."
"That person was extremely generous, directly handing over a deposit of one thousand spirit stones."
"But he didn't want the cloth, nor the finished talisman."
"He only wants one thing."
Jia Shouren swallowed hard, his face turning pale. "He wants me to buy a batch of talismans drawn by Gu Shenyan himself, but with flaws!"
"Is it flawed?"
Gu Shenyan narrowed his eyes and took the letter.
The letter contained very simple information: an order.
Requirements: Thirty Blazing Sun Talismans and twenty Freezing Ice Talismans.
It must be Gu Shenyan's handwriting and spiritual energy fluctuations.
But the key point is that these talismans must be "useless talismans".
In other words, it has to be a substandard product that looks usable but actually has extremely unstable spiritual energy, which could self-destruct at any time or be completely unactivatable.
"My dad felt something was off. Although the man was masked, the scent of incense on him was very similar to that of a middleman my dad had met before who specialized in selling counterfeit goods."
"So he didn't dare to agree, and only said he would come back and ask me."
Jia Shouren looked at Gu Shenyan with a terrified expression: "Senior Brother Gu, what are they trying to do?"
"What can you do with a useless talisman? Burn it as firewood?"
Gu Shenyan held the letter in his hand, a cold smile curving his lips.
"In this world, there is a way to kill without shedding blood, called framing someone."
He silently recited in his mind: [Panel, Analyze Task: Abnormal Acquisition Request.]
[Currently conducting deductions by combining "A Comprehensive Explanation of Talismans" with market intelligence —]
[Possibility 1: Causing an accident (20%). Distributing unstable talismans to outer disciples, causing training injuries or fatalities, with the source traced back to the host.]
[Possibility Two: Framing (75%). During a critical mission or assessment, this talisman might be mixed into the host's supply pack, causing malfunctions at crucial moments, or even injuring fellow disciples, thus leading to accusations of "harming fellow disciples" or "lack of skill," resulting in expulsion from the sect.]
[Possible mastermind: Song Qingyuan (90% correlation)]
The conclusion presented on the panel coincided with Gu Shenyan's suspicions.
"What a vicious plan."
Gu Shenyan sneered.
If it were normal business competition, he would consider it normal even if Song Qingyuan hired someone to beat him up.
But this method is intended to completely ruin his reputation and cut off his path!
Once accused of "manufacturing and selling substandard talismans to harm people," one would not only be barred from entering the inner sect, but probably wouldn't even be qualified to stay in this tenement.
"Then—what should we do?"
Jia Shouren stamped his feet in frustration, "Did I ask my father to refuse?"
"No."
A dangerous glint flashed in Gu Shenyan's eyes.
"If we refuse, they'll just find someone else and come up with other dirty tricks."
"Since they want the flawed symbol, then we'll give it to them."
"However, it's up to me to decide what kind of flaw it is."
Let's play along!
Instead of guarding against thieves for a thousand days, it's better to just chop off the thief's hand.
"Brother Jia, tell your father that you've accepted this business deal."
"But the price will be doubled, because Senior Brother Gu is very protective of his reputation and will only release rejected drafts if he pays extra."
Gu Shenyan's voice was eerily calm.
"Okay! I'll go right now!"
Although Jia Shouren was afraid, he had blind trust in Gu Shenyan.
Since Senior Brother Gu says it can be done, then it definitely can be done!
After seeing Jia Shouren off, Gu Shenyan immediately spread out paper and pen.
He wants to draw a talisman.
Draw a "fake useless talisman" that is so realistic it's hard to believe.
This is even more difficult than drawing a top-grade talisman.
Because it requires you to have perfect control over spiritual energy, deliberately leaving hidden dangers at a certain point, but without making it obvious to others that it was intentional.
[Assisted training mode, reverse simulation activated.]
[Retrieve historical data: Records of failures with the Blazing Sun Talisman during the host's Qi Refining Stage 3 (324 times in total).]
[Analysis of reasons for failure: spiritual energy disruption, impurity intrusion, and talisman tremor]
[Generate a forgery scheme.]
Gu Shenyan picked up his pen, and inspiration flowed from the tip.
He began drawing according to the plan provided on the panel.
The first one.
As he was outlining the talisman, he deliberately flicked his wrist, momentarily interrupting the flow of spiritual energy.
"puff!"
The talisman spontaneously combusted.
"No, that's too deliberate."
Gu Shenyan shook his head.
the second one.
He added a trace of impurities to the talisman's core.
The talisman was drawn, but its mixed aura was too obvious; anyone with a little knowledge could tell at a glance that it was just a piece of waste paper.
"It still doesn't work."
"When masters clash, they do it subtly and silently."
"This kind of clumsy forgery might fool laymen, but it won't fool an old fox like Song Qingyuan, not to mention that he might have a mastermind behind him."
Gu Shenyan ruined more than a dozen drawings in a row, but he still couldn't find that "just right sense of failure".
Just when he was getting a little irritable.
A faint aroma of wine suddenly wafted in from outside the window.
Immediately following was a lazy voice, accompanied by the rustling sound of a broom sweeping across the ground.
"It's easy to draw the skin of a tiger, but difficult to draw its bones; even a forgery needs genuine intent."
"If even you think it's fake, how can you fool others?"
"It's so fake, so fake!"
That's Chen An!
He seemed to be sweeping the floor, or perhaps he was just passing by.
The voice was elusive, yet it exploded in Gu Shenyan's ears like a thunderclap.
Even when fabricating something, there must be genuine intent!
Gu Shenyan was suddenly taken aback.
Yes!
The reason he couldn't draw it well was because he kept thinking, "I want to draw a bad one."
But a true beginner, at the moment of drawing a flawed symbol, must be thinking, "I want to draw it well," only failing because they lack the skill.
That feeling of helplessness—the frustration of trying your best but still losing control—is the most authentic "flaw."
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Chen!"
Gu Shenyan bowed deeply towards the window.
However, there was no one outside the window, only a few fallen leaves swirling in the wind.
[Receiving external advice: Deception must be genuine.]
[Reassess the forgery scheme —]
[Introducing a variable: the logic of a master like Liu Wenyuan in identifying counterfeits.]
[Original plan risk: 40% chance of being detected.]
[Optimization suggestion: Abandon the physical breakpoint of spiritual energy. Instead, simulate a tiny ripple of spiritual energy caused by a mental fluctuation at the connection point of the talisman.]
This flaw is extremely subtle and cannot be detected by routine inspections. Only under specific activation techniques (non-standard) will it trigger a chain reaction of energy circuit collapse.
This is the perfect trap!
Normally, it looks like a mediocre but acceptable talisman.
But whenever Gu Shenyan wants to, or when the other party wants to use it to harm someone, that hidden "ripple" will become a deadly fuse.
Gu Shenyan closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing.
He stopped thinking about how to fake it.
He simply recalled the trepidation, the caution, and the anxiety he felt when he first drew a talisman.
I pick up my pen and begin to write.
Spiritual energy flowed like a gentle stream across the talisman.
As he was about to finish the last stroke, a slight thought struck him, as if he were disturbed by some emotion, and his wrist trembled very slightly.
That tremor was almost imperceptible.
However, it sealed a barely perceptible trace of "chaos" within the talisman's core.
"It's done."
Gu Shenyan looked at the Flaming Sun Talisman on the table, its spiritual light subdued, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.
Even if Liu Wenyuan were here, if he didn't carefully examine the internal structure with his divine sense, he would probably only think that this talisman was an ordinary good one.
But in reality, it was a bomb that only Gu Shenyan possessed the detonator for.
[Mission Complete: The "Special Flaw" talisman has been successfully crafted.]
[Currently compiling recent intelligence]
On the panel, a complex web of relationships slowly unfolds.
The three characters 【宋清源】are located in the very center, and are so red they appear almost black.
Lines extended out from his body:
Connecting to [the mysterious buyer of Jia Family Cloth Shop].
Connect to the [Outer Gate Materials Management Office].
[Recent rumors about Han Sushuang]
[This is] linked to Chen An's sudden reminder.
Although there are still many blank spaces in this network, the overall structure is already clearly visible.
Song Qingyuan wanted to completely eliminate his rivals before the upcoming "Outer Sect Competition".
He used the talisman merchant as a springboard to try and get "handle" on Gu Shenyan, and then deliver a fatal blow at a crucial moment.
"Since you want to play, let's play for high stakes."
Gu Shenyan put the specially made Flaming Sun Talisman into the jade box and sealed it.
The night breeze blew into the room, ruffling the hair at his temples.
The boy's eyes had long lost the naivety of his early days; instead, they held the coldness and composure of a hunter watching his prey fall into his trap.
The net has been cast.
It all depends on when the fish bites the hook.
"Brother Jia."
Gu Shenyan called out to the neighbor next door.
"They're here!"
Jia Shouren pushed open the door and entered.
Gu Shenyan placed the jade box heavily in Jia Shouren's hands.
"Send this batch of goods to your father."
"Tell him, 'Be careful,' to let the buyer know that this is a failed piece I created in my haste to improve my chances of winning a prize in the competition."
"It must be done discreetly, and you must appear very unwilling."
Jia Shouren hugged the box tightly, nodding vigorously, his fat face trembling, but his eyes were unusually firm.
"Don't worry, Senior Brother Gu! I know what's important!"