Ten years passed in the blink of an eye. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

In the courtyard.

Han Dong was grinding ink for Jiang Feng.

In these ten years, apart from fortifying defenses and focusing on enhancing his cultivation, Jiang Feng has been honing his skills, often venturing into the underground palace in search of opportunities.

Two years ago, Xiao Zhan delivered a book titled "Rune Secret Spell Basics," which explained the techniques of talisman engraving. Jiang Feng had already incorporated it into his menu.

He is now at a proficient level.

Since it’s a basic study, Jiang Feng could only engrave the most elementary talismans. There’s no apparent effect yet, but whenever he’s free or agitated, he shifts his attention to talisman engraving, attempting to inscribe a complete rune secret spell.

Han Dong mixed cinnabar into the ink.

She handed Jiang Feng a wolf hair brush imbued with spiritual power.

A talisman master with profound cultivation can paint talismans in the void, even form ideas into seals, and in an instant, release dozens of rune secret spells.

However, for someone like Jiang Feng who hasn’t fully grasped the basics of rune secret spells, engraving talismanic spells requires the assistance of a wolf hair brush with magical artifact attributes, or special cinnabar ink, or even talisman paper soaked in demon blood to successfully inscribe a talisman.

Currently, Jiang Feng only has this wolf hair brush with magical artifact properties, which Xiao Zhan purchased from a loose cultivator and gifted to him.

As for special cinnabar ink and talisman paper soaked in demon blood, Jiang Feng has never seen them.

Resources are scarce in Central Earth.

It’s virtually impossible for anyone to become a talisman master.

True cultivators with talisman creation talent all moved away from Central Earth, crossing the Sea of Blood to cultivate in the Blood Domain.

Even the talisman papers and talismans on the Divine Sect disciples are left by the sect and awarded based on merit.

So even though Jiang Feng has mastered the basics of rune secret spells and possesses a wolf hair brush with magical artifact properties, it’s still difficult for him to successfully inscribe a talismanic seal.

But everything requires an attempt.

Jiang Feng picked up the wolf hair brush, fully focused, calm and composed, as the brush tip wavered over a piece of talisman paper soaked in animal blood.

Xiao Zhan, accompanied by a cultivator returning from the Sea of Blood, just entered the courtyard. Seeing this scene, the two of them stayed wisely in the corner, not daring to interrupt with a word.

"Puff!"

When the brush tip left the talisman paper.

The talisman paper made a puff sound and ignited on the table.

This is a sign of failure in talisman engraving.

"Hahaha!"

Yet Jiang Feng couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Because never before had such a scene occurred, the talisman paper suddenly catching fire means that there was a problem with the key to talisman formation, and the force couldn’t be contained, causing the talisman paper to ignite.

Previously, the talismans Jiang Feng engraved, although not spontaneously burning, were merely waste paper, entirely unusable, with no rune power infused, merely surface marks with no effect whatsoever.

But just now, he was a hair away from successfully inscribing the rune power, secret spell talisman on the talisman paper. Even if it were successful, it would only be a very ordinary talisman, with little power, incapable of harming even a strong primordial realm figure, but for Jiang Feng, it was a breakthrough.

"If you had qualified talisman paper, maybe that talisman just could have taken shape."

Having followed Jiang Feng for many years, Han Dong understood some things without need for Jiang Feng’s explanation. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she worked over the past ten years, her strength was always stuck at the primordial realm with no breakthrough in sight.

Even under the nourishment of the spiritual spring, her primordial power was comparable to celestial profound or even ruyi realm strong practitioners, but her cultivation showed no signs of advancing.

This troubled Jiang Feng deeply, always seeking a way to help Han Dong, hoping she could stay with him longer no matter what.

But alas, heaven doesn’t always grant one’s wishes.

In these ten years, no breakthroughs were found.

Time has also left its mark on Han Dong’s face, adding a touch more maturity to her than before, losing the vitality of a maiden.

From a high-ranking prison director, she turned into a housewife caring for Jiang Feng’s daily needs, and her figure is starting to show signs of change.

Jiang Feng felt helpless; this was unavoidable.

He chose not to use spiritual power to maintain Han Dong’s youth, instead employing the Thousand Faces technique to let the traces of time manifest on his own face as well.

Jiang Feng knew in his heart that Han Dong would eventually leave him, for she could not possess immortality like him. He could only ensure that during their time together, they could age slowly together.

"Hmm, let’s try again when the opportunity arises!"

Jiang Feng nodded, handing the wolf hair brush to Han Dong for cleaning.

"Greetings, Immortal Master."

At this moment, Xiao Zhan, leading the loose cultivator, approached Jiang Feng, both bowing in respect, a devout look on their faces.

In ten years’ time.

Xiao Zhan also made breakthroughs in martial arts, possessing divine realm cultivation, capable of smashing the heads of third and fourth-layer Qi Condensation experts with a punch, defeating cultivators in close combat.

At the same time, he was a smart man.

He knew he couldn’t defeat Jiang Feng.

Through these years, he consistently maintained his hierarchical relationship with Jiang Feng, dutifully handling whatever Jiang Feng entrusted to him.

At each meeting with Jiang Feng, he never dared to get too close, afraid of causing misunderstandings or offending Jiang Feng.

"What news did you gather this time from the Sea of Blood?"

Jiang Feng recognized the cultivator Xiao Zhan brought over.

His name was Lian Junmiao.

Third-layer Qi Condensation cultivation.

He entered the Sea of Blood three times; twice to inquire about the Blood Sea Immortal Venerable’s whereabouts, the first time his innate cultivation was thwarted by a storm when traveling to the Sea of Blood.