He spent the rest of the time practicing his illusions. He had proficiency over the basic set of illusions that had been described in the text but there was more. The text just left a hint of the rest. There were the concepts of Anchoring, Mirroring, Layered Constructs and Lucid Illusions. However, he didn’t know how to even create them. He needed manuals.

He took out the [Basic Illusions for Anyone] manual. He scanned it and came down to its author’s name. Good as Gold. It might be a pseudonym, most conventional cultivator’s weren’t known for spreading their methods.

He flipped through it. It was a little odd how effective these illusions had been. He read through it a few times, it was a breeze with his increased reading speed but he still couldn’t find anything new.

He placed the manual back into his pouch, grabbed the little leopard and went home. It was nightfall, he’d spent the entire day cultivating.

His cultivation was increasing at a rapid pace now but he still didn’t feel prepared. He’d

been relying on his illusions a lot. They were a staple for him but she would be prepared for them.

He cultivated a bit more and fell asleep no closer to an answer to his predicament.

…

..

.

The next two days were spent in extensive cultivation. He broke through the seventh stage upto the eighth in essence cultivation. It resulted in an overall boost to his capacity. It hadn’t been easy or without cost. He was down by a 1000 spirit stones.

The astronomical amount of stones indicated one thing to him: his physique was below lack-luster. Efficiency was one of the more reliable indicators of there being a useful physique. It wasn’t that he couldn’t acquire one or even customize one for himself but his hands were full with a basic art at the moment.

He made sure to go down to the market for the little leopard’s food. He made sure to look through the stalls but he hadn’t stumbled on anything in two days. He was on his third obligatory run of the day.

He did decide to buy a new staff. It was different in that it had two sharp spearheads on its ends. He could utilize the slashing and piercing aspects of his staff art now. Maybe I can combine it with the Wind Blade manual. He made a mental note to go back to Wind’s abode. It would be a little surprise for Treasure and good practice in terms of combining arts.

What about talisman’s? He spotted a little wooden board on the ground with some talisman’s.

“What kind of talisman are these?”

“Smoke.”

“What about these other ones?”

“This one is for warding off ghosts. These ones are for wounds and lacerations.” He grabbed a yellowed piece of paper and wrapped it around his wrist. “Just activate it and it’ll stop the bleeding.”

“How effective is it?”

The owner shrugged, “Depends on the wound. I saw it stop blood flowing out of a slashed throat.” Sure you did. He had to be exaggerating. Small-sized wounds seemed to be the limit for talisman like these.

“What else do you have?”

“Are you going to buy them or not?” The owner huffed like this was above him.

“I’m looking at them. What else do you have?”

He rolled his eyes, and grabbed a different set of sheets. “These aid in cultivation. They calm the heart and soul.” Soul. That word. It haunted his every thought and step these days.

“How much do they cost?”

“Which one?”

“One of each.”

“400 stones.” Musnuf looked up at him. “Are you joking with me?”

“We can work something out.”

Musnuf just tsked and walked away. “I knew you weren’t going to buy anything.” He heard it behind him and ignored it.

He got the same set of talisman’s from a different stall for fifty stones. He found another type of talisman as well, it was meant for creating a flame dagger. Little did he know, this off-hand purchase would be the key to getting rid of his soul lantern. For now, he was unaware and trapped in an untenable maze.

…

..

.

In the next five days he cultivated the Green Dragon Mantra to the seventh level, the Blue Tiger Mantra upto the sixth and his essence cultivation was on the cusp of the ninth stage, just a step away.

He’d gotten the Wind Blade manual and it’d resulted in an interesting new mixture of an art. It would be of a tremendous help. The things you brush off can be so vital.

He’d tested the talisman’s and had a nice little pile of them tied up and ready to go. Smoke and Stop Bleed were the useful ones. The flame dagger one, he’d tested but it didn’t result in much other than a perpetually burning dagger that wouldn’t go out until it exhausted his reserves. It hadn’t burned him which had been a plus but it would be useless in the fight. He still decided to keep it, better safe than sorry.

He’d gone down to the platform and made note of the dirt’s color. It would help in his illusion camouflage.

He’d exhausted his spirit stones. He was down to his last hundred. It’d been inevitable after he’d started breaking them down for the leopard.

He did have three essence recovery potions which he kept in his pouch. They would be useful.

He was about to step out, ready to face Treasure and the hoards of spectators when the little leopard bit his robe, stopping him in his tracks.