Splitting the Heavens

Chapter 1233: Peak-State of Talisman Crafting

“True Immortal Huang, I really need to meet with True Immortal Shang, please...” Shen Chongshan of the Wanyun Association begged with a face full of worry. Even his clothes were drenched in his perspiration.

They were both in the second tier of the Martial Void Realm, but Huang Jinghan used the Illusion Talisman to look like he was at the peak of the third tier. In order to maintain his image, Huang Jinghan casually savored the cup of tea in his hands before nodding slowly, “True Immortal Shen, the spirit tea you brought is really amazing... It really relaxes me...”

A light flashed in Shen Chongshan’s eyes as he nodded quickly, “Since True Immortal Huang likes it, I have 2 more taels of it back in the warehouse... I’ll bring it when I come in the future!”

Huang Jinghan waved his hand and chuckled, “There is no need to be so polite. It’s not that I am unwilling to let you meet with True Immortal Shang. However, he specifically told me to not let anyone disturb him now that he has entered seclusion. Unless this Star Beast Nest is on the verge of destruction, I won’t annoy him...”

“This...” Shen Chongshan panicked before muttering to himself, “What am I supposed to do now...?”

Huang Jinghan could see that Shen Chongshan didn’t seem to be faking his anxiety and he asked, “Did you run into a problem? Why are you so flustered?”

He didn’t wait for Shen Chongshan’s reply and he continued to speak, “Oh. Please don’t misunderstand. I am merely curious about the reason. If it’s not convenient to tell me, you don’t have to.”

Shen Chongshan’s expression fluctuated slightly before he eventually sighed helplessly. “It’s nothing I can’t say... Actually, many people in my Essence Xing World also know this. My Wanyun Association ran into a bit of a problem... I need to make a large number of high-level talismans in order to make up for the shortfall, but with the time constraint, our Talisman Grandmasters aren’t able to fulfill the order. I had no choice but to look for True Immortal Shang...”

“So that’s it...” Huang Jinghan nodded slowly in understanding before he continued, “From what I know, you had an agreement with True Immortal Shang. You should be able to collect the talismans in half a year. However, if you wish to change them to Formation Talismans now... He might not be able to complete your request...”

Before Huang Jinghan could finish, Shen Chongshan added hastily, “The agreement before will be voided! We will change them all to Formation Talismans, and we need to quickly...”

A voice boomed from a certain direction in the Star Beast Nest before he could finish. “True Immortal Shen, why are you here? Do you think I made them a little too slowly and wish to rush me?”

Shang Xia’s tone was one of jest, but Shen Chongshan didn’t dare to show any disrespect. He quickly leaped to his feet and bowed, “Of course not! I had no choice but to come here again and I hope you can forgive me...”

Hearing that Shang Xia had arrived, Huang Jinghan heaved a sigh of relief. Naturally, his expression didn’t change in the slightest.

Shang Xia seemed to be walking over slowly, but he arrived before them after taking a few steps.

Huang Jinghan also got to his feet when Shang Xia arrived and he chuckled, “True Immortal Shang, you emerged from seclusion earlier than I thought!”

“I apologize for troubling you...” Shang Xia smiled at Huang Jinghan.

Bowing slightly, Huang Jinghan found a reason to take his leave.

When they finally sat down again, Shen Chongshan raised his request to only craft Formation Talismans, and explained the reason to Shang Xia.

Actually, Shang Xia heard a good portion of their conversation earlier.

After hearing Shen Chongshan change his request, Shang Xia agreed. After all, Formation Talismans were usually easier to craft compared to talismans of the same rank. Shen Chongshan’s change of request would make his job a lot easier.

However, Shang Xia couldn’t help but ask, “With the 20 rank six talisman paper and 70 rank five talisman papers you sent... Do you want me to craft rank five Formation Talismans first, or rank six ones?”

Without hesitation, Shen Chongshan answered, “Please make rank six Formation Talismans first.”

After he spoke, he took out another sealed spiritual case. There were another 10 sheets of rank six talisman paper within the case and he muttered, “With the 20 sheets of rank six talisman paper I brought over in the past, there are 30 sheets of rank six talisman paper. True Immortal Shang, please craft 10 rank six Formation Talismans as soon as possible...”

“Since you need it quickly, come back in 2 months.” Shang Xia replied after thinking for some time.

“2 months?” Shen Chongshan gasped in shock as he stared at Shang Xia with a face full of shock.

Shang Xia looked at Shen Chongshan with a strange expression and muttered, “What’s the matter? Is 2 months too long? If you really need it earlier, I should be able to reduce it by 10 or so days... I need 50 days at the very least. I can’t do it any faster...”

“No, no, no...” Shen Chongshan waved his hand and yelled, “2 months is fine! It’s perfect!”

After he spoke, he didn’t dare to relax and he asked carefully, “True Immortal Shang, is it really possible to complete the talismans in 2 months? Thats...”

Shang Xia chuckled and interrupted him, “If it’s any other rank six talismans, 2 months is really too short. However, if you only want Formation Talismans... Hehe...”

Shen Chongshan cupped his fists towards Shang Xia and gave a deep bow. “True Immortal Shang, thank you!”

He hastily bid his farewell and even though he received a huge surprise, he couldn’t soothe his emotions completely.

Not too long after Shen Chongshan left, Huang Jinghan came back. Because of Shang Xia’s return, there was no need for him to pretend to be at the peak of the third tier Martial Void Realm any longer.

“The Wanyun Association probably don’t need so many Formation Talismans because their grand formation ran into some problems... They might have been attacked!” Huang Jinghan muttered the moment he returned.

Shang Xia might not have turned his head, but he raised his eyebrow and muttered with a slight sense of shock, “Oh? How can you tell?”

“I once heard that the first time he came to look for you was because you had a run-in with another high-level True Immortal of the Wanyun Association... Right?” Huang Jinghan asked.

Shang Xia smiled in response. “You can say that.”

“If their grand formation really ran into some problems, he wouldn't be as anxious as he was. More importantly, changing the terms of your agreement isn’t a small matter. How can he request to change the talismans after you already accepted his commission? At the very least, they should send someone important to renegotiate the terms of agreement. That guy’s martial uncle, Gong Zhuo, should be the one to come. However, they sent him instead... Don’t they know how disrespectful it is to a rank six Talisman Grandmaster to send a mere second tier True Immortal to renegotiate your terms? The only reason is that the high-level True Immortal of the Wanyun Association cannot leave because of a very specific reason and can no longer bother with such formalities...” Huang Jinghan explained.

Shang Xia nodded slowly. “This might be a guess, but it’s really possible that you’re right. However, the Wanyun Association is a great power in the Essence Xing World that is only second to the great dynasties! Moreover, they should have maintained pretty good relations with the Dachen Dynasty. Under such circumstances, how can they come under attack?”

Huang Jinghan shook his head and sighed, “There is too much we don’t know about the Essence Xing World. We can’t determine anything for sure.”

Shang Xia mumbled helplessly, “It’s not that we don’t understand them. We don’t have any avenues to understand them better... We haven’t even left the chaotic space around the Star Beast Nest...”

Huang Jinghan nodded in agreement, but he quickly discovered what Shang Xia wanted to do. “Don’t tell me you wish to leave the Star Beast Nest to search for the Essence Xing World, right?! I’m not going to pretend to be a third tier True Immortal to watch over this place for you!”

“Haha...” Shang Xia chuckled softly. “Of course not... I’m going to stay here to continue crafting talismans. I won’t have time to head out even if I wanted to...”

Huang Jinghan bid Shang Xia farewell and was sent back to the Spirit Luxuriant World by him.

After all, he needed to be there with Kou Chongxue for the negotiations with the Spirit Thistle World.

Since the plan for the second Star Beast Nest was carrying on as per usual, Shang Xia didn’t need to do anything else.

He quickly entered seclusion for real in the Star Beast Nest and decided to focus on crafting talismans rather than handling other matters. After all, he had sensed how urgently Shen Chongshan needed them.

Shang Xia was a freakish expert who could even come up with a rank six Six Direction Teleportation Talisman. Crafting Formation Talismans was far easier...

Reality proved him right. Even though he hadn’t crafted talismans in a long time, he was still able to wield his Silver Branch Star Splendor Brush with ease.

He completed 3 rank six Formation Talismans in less than half a month, without messing up even once.

Taking a rest for 3 days, he quickly continued again. Another half a month passed and this time, he completed another 3 rank six Formation Talismans in 5 attempts. He had another month to complete the last 4 talismans required.

With another half of a month passing, Shang Xia completed the eighth Formation Talisman, but he used up 4 sheets of talisman paper.

In the final half a month, Shang Xia felt a little tired even with his foundations as a high-level True Immortal. He stopped for 5 days to take a proper break before restoring his condition to its peak state before attempting the final 2 Formation Talismans. He managed to complete them 2 days before the deadline of 2 months.

He used a total of 14 sheets of rank six talisman paper to craft 10 rank six Formation Talismans, and the rest naturally entered his pockets.

Right on schedule, Shen Chongshan tore through the chaotic streams and arrived at the Star Beast Nest on the last day of their agreement. It was his third visit to Shang Xia.

Seeing 10 rank six Formation Talismans neatly placed in front of him, Shen Chongshan felt as though every other rank six Talisman Grandmaster he knew was a liar and a fraud.

Actually, when Shen Chongshan arrived, he was prepared for Shang Xia to not be able to produce all 10 talismans. He even thought that if Shang Xia had made 8 rank six Formation Talismans, he would be extremely grateful. In fact, he was willing to accept if Shang Xia only made 6 or 7 of them.

However, reality proved to him that Shang Xia was true to his word. Shen Chongshan carefully inspected every Formation Talisman and saw that all of them were created the same way, and they were definitely made by the same person!

He couldn’t help but feel terrified at how accomplished the other party was in the dao of talismans.