Volume One: The Emperor's Sword Chapter 100: The Master of Formation Arts, Marquis of Yanmen

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It turned out that the water-avoidance talisman mentioned by Yu Qingfu was merely an excuse; he had another purpose in inviting Yun Que. Upon entering the quiet room, Yu Qingfu asked Yun Que to wait a moment, then turned and left. When he returned, he held a small wooden box in his hands.

The box was rectangular, palm-sized, containing a talisman inside. The talisman was quite old, clearly showing signs of age, with its spiritual energy dimming, nearly at the point of becoming useless.

Yun Que had never seen the talisman inside the box before and couldn’t fathom why it was connected to him. However, he could tell that this talisman’s design was far more intricate than those sold outside.

The runes were densely arranged, and upon closer inspection, they gave the impression of a military formation, as if the runes themselves were arrayed in battle lines, ready to strike at any moment.

A talisman brimming with murderous intent!

Yun Que said nothing and looked to Yu Qingfu, waiting for him to explain.

“This talisman is called the Thousand Army Talisman. When activated, it can conjure an illusion of a thousand iron cavalrymen, who can fight in midair with unparalleled power,” Yu Qingfu said, his gaze complex as he spoke.

“These thousand cavalry souls are warrior spirits I collected and refined over many years on the battlefield. It took several more years to forge them into this talisman. It represents my lifelong effort and is the highest-ranked talisman in the entire Qingfu Manor.”

“I was once ambushed and nearly killed by three cultivators of the same rank. It was this Thousand Army Talisman that saved my life. I managed to kill two of them and severely wound the third. Without this talisman, my life would have ended then.”

“However, the forging process of the Thousand Army Talisman was far from smooth. In the final stages, I encountered a problem: no matter what I tried, I couldn’t engrave a thousand warrior souls to manifest simultaneously in one place. I sought advice from many, but no solution was found until a master of formation art intervened. Only then was the talisman completed.”

Yu Qingfu looked up at Yun Que with a sigh and said, “That formation master was your father, Lord Yanmen, Yun Changji.”

Yun Que was astonished.

He had never expected that Yu Qingfu’s talisman forging would have called upon his father’s assistance. He himself had no idea that his father was skilled in formation art.

Lord Yanmen Yun Changji was famous throughout Yan Kingdom. When people mentioned him, they thought first of a master strategist, the kingdom’s top war god, undefeated in all battles except the Battle of Hanshui City.

No one ever associated Yun Changji with mastery of formation arts.

“A master of formation art?” Yun Que murmured.

“War is the art of deception. Commanding troops is commanding formations. A single soldier is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot—no matter how strong, they cannot withstand it alone. But when thousands of skilled soldiers arrayed in formation march together, they become ever-changing and invincible,” Yu Qingfu explained, noticing Yun Que’s confusion.

“A great strategist must have profound expertise in formation art. Especially the kingdom’s top war god.”

Yun Que quickly understood.

He never doubted his father’s capabilities.

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Yu Qingfu pushed the wooden box toward Yun Que and said, “Without your father’s help, this Thousand Army Talisman, which saved my life, could never have been completed. Consider this a favor repaid. Although most of its power has been spent, it can still be used once. Keep it with you; it may prove useful.”

Yun Que took the box with both hands, his expression serious as he thanked him.

The Thousand Army Talisman, engraved with his father’s formation power, stirred a tumult of emotions within Yun Que, making it hard for him to remain calm.

He felt an even stronger urge to enter Hanshui City and uncover the truth of the past.

Formation art...

From these two words, Yun Que recalled why his father had sealed himself inside the city for so long—was it related to formations? Could it be that his father had laid formations within Hanshui City? But then, where was the enemy?

The more he thought, the more confused he became. In the end, his thoughts were tangled like a knotted ball, so Yun Que set them aside.

After some casual conversation with Yu Qingfu, Yun Que learned that the two men shared a gentleman’s friendship. Since talisman forging and formation art were naturally connected, they knew each other, but their relationship wasn’t deep.

It was this gentlemanly bond that allowed them, without any conflict of interest, to collaborate on creating such a rare talisman as the Thousand Army Talisman.

“I wonder who commissioned the locust crystal you accepted on behalf of the shop. I have a friend who seems to have some locust crystals. I’ll ask him if he’s willing to sell,” Yun Que shifted the topic, trying to glean information about the locust crystal.

“Information about the client cannot be disclosed lightly by any shop. If your friend wishes to sell, he can come to Qingfu Manor. Rest assured, the price will satisfy him,” Yu Qingfu smiled.

Yun Que made a troubled face and said, “My friend is very cautious. For any transaction, he insists on dealing directly with the buyer or seller. He refuses to meet intermediaries.”

“I see...” Yu Qingfu glanced at Yun Que with meaning, then pondered for a moment before saying, “The buyer who collects locust crystals is known to many large shops in the market. They call her the ‘Wealthy One.’ She’s very mysterious, always wearing a mask when coming and going. The only certainty is that she is a woman; her face is never seen.”

Upon hearing it was a woman, a name immediately surfaced in Yun Que’s mind.

Si Ruonan!

Si Ruonan’s urgent purchase of locust crystals, coupled with the clues Yu Qingfu subtly revealed, made it almost certain that the ‘Wealthy One’ was Si Ruonan.

What puzzled Yun Que was how Si Ruonan could be connected to the Barbarian tribe.

As a recluse for many years and an old acquaintance of Hu Tieshan, the blacksmith, she shouldn’t be involved with the Barbarians.

Could he be mistaken?

Was the ‘Wealthy One’ buying locust crystals in the market someone else entirely?

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Yun Que pondered for a moment, then asked, “Do you know where one can meet this wealthy person?”

Yu Qingfu shook his head. “Her movements are mysterious—like a divine dragon seen only by its head, never its tail. No one has found her. However, she has a habit: every three months, she attends an auction.”

Yu Qingfu paused, then got up to brew some hot tea. He murmured as if to himself, “It seems she hasn’t come for two months now. Ah, getting older makes one forgetful; the time’s too long to remember clearly.”

No further explanation was needed. The shop owner had already given Yun Que plenty of clues.

Coming to the auction every three months, and having missed two months, meant that at the next Qingfu Manor auction, Yun Que would definitely encounter the famous ‘Wealthy One’!

Yun Que did not press further. After putting away the Thousand Army Talisman, he thanked Yu Qingfu again.

Regardless of whether the wealthy person was Si Ruonan, he would keep investigating. This matter concerned the Barbarians’ hidden agenda in the imperial city.

Other matters Yun Que could ignore, but the Barbarians were the sworn enemies of the Great Yan and of his father. Their conspiracy might well be linked to his father’s death.

Back in the main hall on the first floor.

Han Jiao and Luo Xiaoyu each selected a low-grade talisman.

Han Jiao chose the Lightness Talisman, which enhances speed, while Luo Xiaoyu picked the Fire-Attracting Talisman, which can ignite into a small fire at any time.

Both talismans cost ten spirit stones each, totaling twenty, but after a half-price discount, Yun Que bought them for just ten spirit stones and gifted them to the two.

Ten spirit stones was a mere trifle to Yun Que, who now carried over a thousand.

Han Jiao’s choice made sense—enhanced speed and agility gave cultivators a natural advantage in exploring dangerous terrain and would certainly be useful in the upcoming Sword Contest.

But Luo Xiaoyu’s Fire-Attracting Talisman was of questionable use. Beyond igniting fire, it had no offensive or defensive capability. It was basically like a long-burning matchstick.

The only convenience was that the talisman could burn for a very long time, serving as a long-lasting torch.

Yun Que expressed his puzzlement, only to receive an even more baffling reply.

“Barbecue! Senior Brother Yun, don’t you think the Fire-Attracting Talisman is perfect for roasting meat?” Luo Xiaoyu said confidently. “When we explore dangerous places, we can roast meat anytime, anywhere!”

Yun Que wanted to slap her on the head but feared only making her dumber.

Buying a fire talisman just to roast meat—this girl’s thinking was indeed unique.