The Blood Ritual Talisman Codex!
Like the Emerald Flame Demon Art, this was also a secret talismanic technique leaning toward demonic and heretical paths.
The book recorded numerous demonic talismans, most of which required living beings' blood, flesh, bones, and even their three souls and seven spirits as materials for inscription.
Some were indeed more powerful than ordinary talismans, while others had strange and unique effects. But judging from the required materials, it was clear the cost to create them was anything but small.
The talismans detailed in the book were primarily first-rank, with a few methods for crafting second-rank ones scattered throughout.
Li Ye wasn't particularly interested in these. Given his current skill and resources, he had already stockpiled a large number of talismans and did not need to pursue raw power through such means.
He only paid attention to a few with special or unusual effects.
What truly piqued his interest, however, was the core technique of this talisman codex a secret method that used blood rituals to enhance a talisman's power.
As long as one was willing to pay the price of a blood offering, a talisman's might could be increased by nearly half a tier.
This was roughly equivalent to upgrading a first-rank talisman to near-second-rank power similar to when Li Ye had previously used Sunfire Essence to craft a Sunfire Fireball Talisman that exceeded its normal tier.
Judging by its limitations, this technique seemed only effective for first- and second-rank talismans. No mention was made of third-rank talismans.
This also explained how Bi Huozi had managed to possess so many second-rank seal-breaking talismans he had used blood offerings to elevate first-rank ones.
This also clarified why, during his assault on Pingyang Mountain, Bi Huozi used only a single seal-breaking talisman against the outer Blazing Fire Flowing Flame Formation, but two when breaching the inner defenses.
The quasi-second-rank talismans were slightly weaker, but according to his intel, the outer formation lacked sufficient spiritual power, whereas the protective formation atop the mountain was significantly stronger hence the different allocation.
As for where he got all those quasi-second-rank talismans, the white bone spirit tool in his possession said it all...
"Still, the cost of these blood rituals is a bit much..."
After a brief contemplation, Li Ye frowned.
He didn't consider himself a good person he had compassion, but it depended on his mood.
Moreover, the blood ritual technique didn't require killing humans. Blood from demonic beasts could also be used, so it wasn't something that would trigger mass outrage.
However, based on the required amount, Li Ye couldn't help but feel the price was overly steep for merely boosting a talisman's power.
The blood offering needed to empower a second-rank talisman was, in his view, so high that even if it came from slaying demonic beasts, it would still involve a significant amount of killing.
Such actions could easily attract the attention of powerful beings within the beast tribes maybe even provoke a third-rank demon beast into pursuing him.
As he continued reading, though, he came across a more flexible method.
"If one possesses a talisman-based physique like the Blood Talisman Spirit Body or the Heavenly Talisman Dao Body, they can use this secret technique to consume their own blood essence or lifespan to draw higher-rank talismans and elevate their grade..."
"But anyone with that kind of rare spiritual constitution would probably be making money hand over fist just crafting talismans, tossing them like rain in battle self-defense wouldn't even be an issue..."
"Unless they were captured by a powerful faction before they had a chance to grow, or found themselves in some desperate life-or-death situation with no way out, what cultivator in their right mind would go that far?"
Li Ye shook his head. Although this method had its uses, it felt rather superfluous to him somewhat like chicken ribs: not entirely useless, but hardly worth the trouble.
But as his thoughts shifted slightly, his eyes suddenly lit up.
"Hmm… come to think of it, maybe it's not entirely useless. I could try using this method to blood-sacrifice a few talismans and elevate them to quasi-third-rank seal-breaking talismans..."
"If I then combine them with the compatible battle formation and disciple token mentioned in the Heavenly Craft Scripture, perhaps I really could break the restrictions on that seemingly ruined secret pavilion on the islet and explore inside!"
After all, the formation protecting that broken secret pavilion was primarily third-rank. Though there seemed to be traces of fourth-rank elements, that didn't necessarily mean seal-breaking talismans wouldn't have any effect on it.
Since discovering that place, Li Ye had never been able to get close. While he'd since let go of his obsession and regained a calm mindset, if an opportunity now presented itself and he was just sending in puppets anyway why not give it a try?
Seal-breaking talismans were advanced and required a high level of talismanic mastery to craft upper-tier proficiency at the corresponding rank, at the very least.
Had he not been forced to enhance his array-crafting skills for self-preservation, he likely wouldn't have had enough experience saved up to push his talisman mastery to upper-third rank.
And in the Four Kingdoms, Golden Core sects were already at their peak. Talismans of this level would never make it to the open market, making them impossible to acquire.
So he'd never even considered that route.
Who would've thought that an ambush by a demonic cultivator would end up giving him a glimpse of a potential path using third-rank seal-breaking talismans to carve open a way into that broken pavilion?
While second-rank talismans might still have low odds of success, collecting a few of them wouldn't be too difficult.
The real effort would be in the blood sacrifice part!
Considering how the experience cost had skyrocketed since reaching the third rank in all his auxiliary arts, this method was starting to seem quite practical.
Of course, possessing the skill alone wasn't enough Li Ye doubted even the materials he had painstakingly gathered from the various islets would suffice for crafting third-rank seal-breaking talismans.
But now that he was seriously considering it, the Blood Ritual Talisman Codex suddenly felt like an incredibly worthwhile acquisition!
"This Bi Huozi was generous showing up just to deliver himself as fertilizer, and even offering a gift like this on the side… how thoughtful!"
Li Ye smiled brightly and glanced in the direction of Tengyun Market.
He wasn't particularly worried about anyone else getting to the benefits of that broken secret pavilion before him.
Over the years of exploration, he'd gained deep insight into just how dangerous the magma dungeon was.
If he hadn't used puppets all along, he'd probably have died a dozen times already.
For other cultivators, unprepared as they were, simply finding a bit of treasure and getting out alive would be an achievement.
With how deadly that place was, unless a Golden Core expert got involved, there was no way a group of unprepared Foundation Establishment cultivators could break through those restrictions and gain entry!
"And considering how close that place is to the core of the magma dungeon… with such a massive secret realm right in front of them, even if a cultivator somehow stumbled upon the secret pavilion, why would they bother gnawing on such a tough bone instead of diving straight into the dungeon?"
Li Ye's gaze turned leisurely as he leaned back against the Voidrealm Tree.
"All I need to do now, besides hunting beasts for blood sacrifices to enhance my talismans... is wait."
Wait for those people to run headfirst into danger and get wiped out.
Wait for the Golden Core stage cultivators to be drawn in and suffer major losses.
Wait for the magma dungeon to turn into a forbidden zone no longer something others would be so eager to explore.
Wait for time to wear everything down until this place returned to quiet obscurity, and the flow of visiting cultivators finally ebbed.
Then he could bring everything he'd prepared, send his life-bound puppet in once more, and attempt to unearth the secrets hidden deep within that magma dungeon!
No matter what, as someone who'd just gained two extra years of life out of nowhere, Li Ye knew one thing for sure so long as he had the patience, time was most certainly on his side.
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