Chapter 64 – The Status Of Talisman Masters
“The Talisman Master’s Association is a special organization in the southern territory. Compared to the six great powers, their members could be said to be pitiably few. Even though their members were very scarce, their strength is extremely formidable. Even if it’s the Grand Qin Empire or the Origin School, they wouldn’t rashly offend them! Not only would they not rashly offend the Talisman Master’s Association, the Grand Qin Empire and the six great powers provided the Talisman Master’s Association with all sorts of special authority!” On the way to the Talisman Master’s Association, Ma Nan smiled as he explained to Yang Ye. Even though he was slightly curious about why Yang Ye would ask him about the Talisman Master’s Association, but he didn’t ask about it.
Yang Ye asked curiously. “Didn’t you say that besides the six great powers and the Grand Qin Empire, it’s another formidable power?”
Ma Nan nodded and said, “It can be considered to be a power, but it’s very much unlike the other powers because its members have their own freedom. The members of the association can join the various great powers, but it wasn’t permanent, and it was a form of a contract instead. For example, strictly speaking, the Talisman Peak in our Sword Sect doesn’t belong to our Sword Sect, and it’s only cooperating with our Sword Sect!
“It isn’t just the Sword Sect, even the Grand Qin Empire and the various other great powers have Talisman Masters. These Talisman Masters are mostly contracted by various powers, and they don’t belong to those powers. For example, after a Talisman Master joins a sect, even if that sect is annihilated, the Talisman Master would be fine because he belonged to the Talisman Master’s Association. Anyone that touched him would suffer the revenge of the entire Talisman Master’s Association!”
“The revenge of the entire Talisman Master’s Association?” Yang Ye asked with surprise.
Ma Nan nodded and said, “The conditions to become a Talisman Master are extremely harsh. So, there are very few, pitiably few Talisman Masters. Because there are so few of them, the Talisman Masters are extremely united! They had no choice but to be united because they were already few in number, and if they didn’t remain united, then they would have probably ceased to exist since a long time ago!”
Yang Ye went silent when he heard up to here. In the past, he knew that the status of a Talisman Master was extremely exalted, yet he’d never expected that it would be so exalted. It was exalted to the point all the large powers had to give face to the Talisman Master’s Association. Now, he finally understood why those outer court elders were afraid of offending Bao’er’s grandfather. It turned out that Bao’er and her grandfather weren’t members of the Sword Sect at all!
Ma Nan continued. “The status of Talisman Masters in the entire southern territory is truly aloof. For example, if Talisman Masters themselves commit any crimes, then the Grand Qin Empire wouldn’t punish them, and they would allow the Talisman Master’s Association itself to deal with the Talisman Masters. Of course, the precondition is that the crime isn’t especially severe.”
Yang Ye was shocked once more, and he said, “The laws of the Grand Qin Empire are useless against Talisman Masters?”
Yang Ye had grown up in the Grand Qin Empire, so he was naturally clearly aware of how strict the laws of the Grand Qin Empire were. The Grand Qin Empire ruled the empire by law, and the law could be said to be the foundation of the empire. After all, even if the disciples of the Origin School or the other sects committed crimes in the Grand Qin Empire, they would still be punished by the Grand Qin Empire!
Ma Nan shook his head and said, “It’s not useless, and it’s a special privilege given to the Talisman Master’s Association by the Grand Qin Empire. Moreover, the Talisman Master’s Association would usually not protect Talisman Masters that truly committed crimes. If a Talisman Master committed an extremely serious crime, then that Talisman Master would be stripped of his identity as a member of the association. Once that person’s identity as a member of the association was stripped away, it represented that the Talisman Master wasn’t protected by the Talisman Master’s Association any longer and didn’t enjoy the various special privileges provided to members of the Talisman Master’s Association!”
“So that’s how it is!” Yang Ye nodded. This was comparatively normal and acceptable because the Grand Qin Empire would absolutely not allow a power to stay above the law. Because in this way, not only would it cause the Talisman Master to become insufferably arrogant, the authority of the Grand Qin Empire would be affected! So, how could the Grand Qin Empire allow such a thing to occur?
Ma Nan said with a smile, “Even though there are still some restraints, the status of Talisman Masters is extremely aloof. With their identities as Talisman Masters, they’re welcomed and highly valued throughout the southern territory. No matter where they go, others would have to be courteous to them!”
Yang Ye smiled and nodded. Now, he really desired to thank Bao’er because it was Bao’er who allowed him to become a Talisman Master. With the identity of a Talisman Master, he didn’t have to worry so much about the things he intended to do this time!
Without them realizing it, they’d already arrived at the branch of the Talisman Master’s Association in Rising Sun City.
The branch of the Talisman Master’s Association in Rising Sun City was situated in the most flourishing area of the city, and the association’s building itself was extremely luxurious and grand.
As he gazed at the building that stood before him, Yang Ye couldn’t help but sigh with emotion about how wealthy Talisman Masters were. Even a branch of the association had six levels, and it was even completely built from diamond. After all, a palm sized piece of diamond had a value of 10 gold coins! Moreover, 10 gold coins were sufficient for an ordinary family to live for a year.
When he noticed Yang Ye being shocked by the branch that was built from diamond, Ma Nan said with a smile, “Talisman Masters are famous for being wealthy. After all, any random talismans of theirs can be sold for a few tens of thousands of gold coins.”
Yang Ye nodded, and then he looked at Ma Nan and said, “Brother Ma, I’ll be going in to take care of some affairs. If you’re not in a hurry, then please wait here for me.”
“Senior Brother intends to go in?” Ma Nan was shocked, and then he hurriedly said, “Senior Brother, we can only look at the Talisman Master’s Association from the outside.”
He’d originally thought that Yang Ye had come to look around the Talisman Master’s Association, and he’d never imagined that Yang Ye actually wanted to go in. This had utterly exceeded his expectations.
Yang Ye smiled. He was just about to say something when a carriage rushed over swiftly from the street on their right. The carriage was extremely swift and slightly reckless, and it terrified the crowd on the street to the point of fleeing hurriedly to the sides.
“Looks like the Xiao Clan’s Third Young Miss has come to take the exam to become a Talisman Master again!” As he gazed at the carriage, Ma Nan spoke in a low voice.
“The Xiao Clan?” Yang Ye was slightly curious.
Ma Nan nodded and explained. “The Xiao Clan is a large clan that has just risen in Rising Sun City this year. The Patriarch of the Clan is a Spirit Realm expert, and this clan has a huge amount of authority in Rising Sun City. It’s probably the Xiao Clan’s Third Young Miss who’s sitting within the carriage. The reason the Xiao Clan was able to rise wasn’t just because it possessed a Spirit Realm expert, and it’s also because of this Third Young Miss!”
As he gazed at the carriage, Yang Ye smiled and said, “This Third Young Miss is a Talisman Master, right?”
Ma Nan smiled and said, “Actually, she can’t be considered to be one. She only possesses the qualifications to become a Talisman Master!”
“She possesses five element Profound Energy?” asked Yang Ye.
Ma Nan shook his head and said, “No, it’s a type of mutated Profound Energy. She….”
“One can become a Talisman Master without possession Profound Energy of the five elements?” Yang Ye interrupted Ma Nan and asked with surprise because Bao’er had told him that only possessors of five element Profound Energy could become Talisman Masters.
Ma Nan was already accustomed to Yang Ye’s ignorance, and he immediately explained. “Actually, it isn’t just possessors of five element Profound Energy who can become Talisman Masters. So long as one’s Profound Energy doesn’t disperse upon leaving the body, then that person can become a Talisman Master, and some mutated Profound Energy can accomplish this. Of course, it’s much more inferior to the five element Profound Energy! So, no Talisman Master has taken this Third Young Miss of the Xiao Clan as a disciple until now!”
Yang Ye nodded. Now, he finally understood that his Profound Energy, that wasn’t the Profound Energy of the five elements ,could allow him to become a Talisman Master because it was a form of mutated Profound Energy in the end. However, this mutated Profound Energy of mine seems to be more formidable than the Profound Energy of the five elements!
Yang Ye shook his head and smiled, and then he said, “Brother Ma, if you have something else to do, then you can return to the inn first. I’ll be going in now!” As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Ye walked towards the Talisman Master’s Association.
Ma Nan hesitated for a moment, yet he didn’t stop Yang Ye in the end. Even though this Senior Brother Yang didn’t know many things, he wasn’t an idiot. So, since Yang Ye intended to enter the branch, then Yang Ye was probably not courting death and really had affairs to attend to!
“Stop right there!” Yang Ye was just about to walk through the door of the association when a young man obstructed his path.
Yang Ye glanced at the man and was slightly surprised because the man was actually a First Heaven Realm expert. Moreover, such a First Heaven Realm expert was actually just a guard? Yes, the young man was a guard, and Yang Ye had directly overlooked the young man at the beginning.
“This is the Talisman Master’s Association. Outsiders should leave at once!” The young man spoke in a low voice.
“I want to take the exam to become a Talisman Master!” Yang Ye spoke in a flat tone.
The young man was stunned when he heard this, and then his expression softened slightly as he said, “Do you have a letter of recommendation?”
“A letter of recommendation?” Yang Ye frowned slightly, and then he shook his head and said, “I can’t take the test without a letter of recommendation?”
When he heard Yang Ye, the young man’s expression turned cold once more, and he said, “Of course not! How busy are the Talisman Masters every single day? If just anyone could come to take a test, then would they have any time to study the Dao of Talismans? Alright, I won’t waste my breath on you. Quickly leave this place, otherwise, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!”
Yang Ye frowned once more. He’d never expected that this exam actually required a letter of recommendation, and he didn’t know any other Talisman Master besides Bao’er! That master of mine probably has the qualification to provide me with a letter of recommendation, but where would I go looking for him?
“Let him enter with me!” Right at this moment, a clear, melodious, and pleasant voice resounded from behind Yang Ye!