There were only four pieces of golden-edged bamboo leaves equivalent to second-order talisman paper left.

Chen Mobai planned to use them to draw the second-order talisman he had been studying hard for the past two years, the Yimu Divine Thunder Talisman.

This talisman was the one he was most proficient in, not only because he had used it before, but also because the Longevity Sutra he practiced was a wood attribute technique, which was a perfect match.

Although he hadn’t returned to Danxia City for a long time, he still had a deep impression of the talismans sold in the Wood Spirit Talisman Shop.

After all, the talismans from this shop played a significant role in his initial success in the Tianhe Realm, and even in his outstanding performance during the entrance examination.

After Chen Mobai passed the first-order talisman maker examination, he chose to specialize in wood talismans.

In the Dance Instrument Dao Academy, he found learning these talismans quite easy, except for the second-order Yimu Divine Thunder Talisman, which stumped him for two months.

In the end, when Chen Xinglan was establishing his foundation, Chen Mobai took a leave of absence to return to Danxia City and visited the owner of the Wood Spirit Talisman Shop. Under the latter’s careful guidance, he finally broke through the bottleneck of this talisman.

Now, the “Yimu Divine Thunder Talisman” is the one with the highest success rate and the most reliable among the three second-order talismans that Chen Mobai can draw.

Drawing talismans consumes a lot of mental energy and spiritual power.

Chen Mobai rested for a night before he started drawing the “Yimu Divine Thunder Talisman” again.

His condition was excellent, and he successfully drew three out of the four golden-edged bamboo leaves.

However, when he finished drawing, Chen Mobai found a barely noticeable fine line cracked on the bamboo pen.

After all, it was just a first-order superior talisman pen. After being used continuously for several days and used to draw second-order talismans, it was indeed a bit overwhelmed.

It seemed that he needed to find a way to get a better talisman pen.

As for how to get it, Chen Mobai had an idea.

He definitely couldn’t afford to buy one. The second-order finished magical instruments from the Immortal Gate were basically around a million Good Deeds.

However, because the talisman pen has a single function, it would be a bit cheaper. A regular second-order talisman pen only costs five to six hundred thousand, but even at this price, Chen Mobai found it a bit overwhelming.

On the side of the Divine Wood Sect, the price of a second-order talisman pen was about one to two hundred spirit stones.

Chen Mobai also felt it was too expensive and not worth it.

So he planned to buy the raw materials for making pens in the Tianhe Realm, and then go to the Immortal Gate to ask someone to help make it.

Among Chen Mobai’s circle of friends, there was a first-class refining talent from the same year.

“Brother, I want to order a second-order talisman pen. Do you know any refiners who are good at making pens?”

“Making pens? That’s a bit niche, I’ll have to ask around.”

In the refining department where Ming Yihua was, they mainly focused on combat and defensive magical instruments. For auxiliary magical instruments like talisman pens, no one had really studied them.

“Brother, thank you for your trouble. Help me ask around, and I’ll treat you to a meal another day.”

“Alright, but don’t get your hopes up too high. I doubt anyone in our academy has studied this.”

After hanging up the phone, Chen Mobai rested well for two more days. After recovering all the mental energy and spiritual power consumed by making talismans, he returned to the Giant Wood Ridge.

The sect competition was about to begin.

In the Divine Wood City, Chen Mobai, Qi Rui, and Xi Jinghuo sat at a window seat in a restaurant, watching the preliminary matches that began on the ten huge stages in the city center below.

As usual, the sect competition only required 1536 Qi Refining disciples to participate. After six rounds of competition, the remaining ones would be the twenty-four true inheritors.

However, because the Divine Wood Sect had recruited a bit too many people in recent years, the number of Qi Refining disciples participating in the sect competition exceeded the limit, but it was not enough to add another round.

Therefore, to ensure the pattern of twenty-four true inheritors after six rounds, the Divine Wood Sect would hold a preliminary match to eliminate some Qi Refining disciples.

Chen Mobai and the others, who were in the late stage of Qi Refining, naturally did not need to participate in the preliminary matches. Xi Jinghuo had also advanced to the seventh level of Qi Refining this year, which made things a bit easier.

The three of them watched the disciples at the third and fourth levels of Qi Refining compete below, but none of them were interested.

“Senior Brother Chen, you’re going to shine this year.”

Xi Jinghuo suddenly said something that Chen Mobai didn’t understand.

“Oh, Junior Brother Xi, why do you say that?”

“The Spirit Plant Department has applied for a second-order Divine Wood Sword for you. This news has already spread.”

Chen Mobai couldn’t help but laugh when he heard this.

“It must have been spread by Senior Brother Li Li.”

“The reason why the twelve departments can secure a true inheritor position every year is because the sect allows them to lend second-order magical instruments to promising disciples, which is also to maintain the face of the twelve departments. This is a well-known fact, so every year during the sect competition, people with connections will check what magical instruments have been lent out this year.”

Xi Jinghuo naturally belonged to the category of people with connections.

Qi Rui didn’t know about this. After hearing it, he suddenly realized and looked regretful.”Is the welfare in your Spirit Plant Department so good that you can borrow two second-order flying swords? In our Talisman Department, only Sister Ding Ying has a set of second-order talisman armor.”

Chen Mobai could only smile without saying a word. However, when Qi Rui mentioned Ding Ying, his eyes slightly changed.

She, the true disciple of the previous generation, like Yuan Chiyi, did not take the Foundation Establishment Pill because she practiced the Two-Phase Technique. Last year, she ranked sixth among the true disciples and was considered a genius who might succeed in Foundation Establishment.

“Because of your appearance, the struggle among the three Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Spirit Plant Department has become somewhat overt. If you can’t become a true disciple this time, you might be silent for a long time, probably not having the chance to borrow a second-order magical tool for the next ten years.”

Xi Jinghuo’s words were somewhat chilling. Chen Mobai hadn’t noticed it at first, but when he mentioned it, his face showed realization.

That was indeed the case.

In the Spirit Plant Department, the original true disciple Liu Guilong lost his position to Li Li due to his failure in Foundation Establishment last year.

And this year, Liu Guilong has recovered from his injuries. If he has a second-order magical tool, he is very likely to return to the position of a true disciple.

But obviously, Li Li won’t let it happen. Behind the two of them are the head and deputy head of the Spirit Plant Department, two Foundation Establishment elders. All of this needs an excuse to break the deadlock.

Whether Chen Mobai took the initiative to join in, or was chosen by Sun Gaochang as a pawn, under the tacit understanding of the three Foundation Establishment elders in the Spirit Plant Department, he got a second-order flying sword.

If he can’t become a true disciple this year, then the pattern of the Spirit Plant Department lending two flying swords next year is set, and the other one will definitely belong to Liu Guilong.

So, many people might be watching Chen Mobai’s performance in this sect competition.

“Thank you for the reminder, Brother Xi.”

After understanding the hidden circumstances of his borrowing this second-order Divine Wood Sword, Chen Mobai sincerely toasted Xi Jinghuo.

“This wine is not as good as the one you brewed.”

After finishing the drink, Xi Jinghuo shook his head and commented on the spiritual wine of this tavern.

“I finished drinking the one I brewed last year, but I brewed a hundred jars this year. When it’s time to open the jars, I’ll let you guys have a good drink.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Rui was overjoyed.

Time passed quickly, and the preliminary competition ended. The official competition of the sect was about to begin.

Chen Mobai met his first-round opponent, and it turned out to be someone he knew.