Chapter 6 The Charm

• The crisis within the Weiss family had temporarily subsided, leaving behind a chaotic mess.
• Wallace ordered his subordinates to treat Skylar with utmost hospitality.
• Maxim led Skylar into an elegantly decorated room. The room was furnished entirely with valuable mahogany furniture, and the air was filled with the scent of expensive incense.
• Skylar was quite pleased with the living conditions here. He discarded his worn-out robe and entered the bathroom to bathe and change his clothes.
• When he was in the mountains, Skylar would draw water from the well behind the monastery to cleanse himself. Regardless of the weather or season, he would always use cold water to wash his body, considering it a part of his cultivation.
• Faced with the large bathtub before him, and the pool filled with hot water, Skylar felt an unprecedented sense of comfort.
• After soaking for a whole hour, Skylar felt as though he'd scrubbed off almost a pound of grime from his body. The sensation was so invigorating, it was as if he had undergone a complete transformation.
• He stood up, facing the mirror, carefully trimming his hair with a razor.
• Gazing at his handsome face reflected in the mirror, Skylar nodded in satisfaction. Only then did he wrap a towel around his waist and open the bathroom door.
• Almost at the same moment, Bianca also pushed open the door from outside, holding some brand new clothes.
• The man and woman, who were both betrothed unexpectedly bumped into each other at that very moment.
• Skylar's entire demeanor underwent a complete transformation after he took a bath and tidied himself.
• She stared at the strikingly handsome man before her and was instantly smitten, her face flushed red. His bare body sported well-proportioned muscles, brimming with raw strength. He was, in essence, a walking embodiment of charisma.
• Skylar stood there, stunned, his mind momentarily blank. He had spent over a decade on Mount Dragonia, and apart from his sixth master, Seraphina, he'd hardly seen any other women, let alone spent time alone with them.
• The awkward atmosphere lingered for several seconds before Bianca finally regained her composure. “Oh, Skylar, I'm here to bring you clothes...”
• Once Bianca had finished speaking, she promptly tossed the clothes she was holding onto the chair and turned to run, disappearing from Skylar's sight in an instant.
• “Oh my, how embarrassing...” Bianca covered her flushed face, her heart pounding wildly. Before that, no man had ever made her heart flutter like this.
• After she had come of age, Wallace informed her that he had already arranged her marriage.
• Bianca was repulsed by this idea. Just a few hours prior, when she heard that this beggar of a friar was her betrothed, she was completely flabbergasted.
• Yet, it was this man who once again saved his grandfather, pulling the Weiss family back from the brink of collapse.
• Bianca had made up her mind. Even if she didn't harbor any affection for this man, she was going to marry him. It was to repay his kindness and to fulfill her grandfather's wish.
• To her surprise, during the awkward encounter when she came to deliver clothes, she experienced the kind of heart-throbbing feeling often depicted in romance movies and novels.
• After sharing a hearty dinner with Wallace, Skylar requested some materials from him. Wallace promptly arranged for it, and in no time, the items Skylar asked for were delivered to his room.
• Charm papers, a brush, red ink, gold dust, and various powders from medicinal herbs and minerals were spread out on the expansive desk in front of Skylar.
• Skylar inspected the materials before him, nodding in satisfaction. These were no ordinary materials.
• He placed various materials into the pharmaceutical glass, grinding and mixing them together. Then, using strong liquor as a medium, he created several different colored pigments.
• Following this, he spread out the charm paper. After dipping his brush in the pigments, he began to sweep it across the paper.
• What he was working on at the moment was a charm symbol, essentially a medium for a charm.
• This wasn't just a simple act of painting. As he was creating the charm, the vital energy within him circulated. His innate power continuously flowed through the brush, converging onto the paper.
• The patterns drawn on the charm paper with the brush were in fact, unique formations. These formations had the ability to store the innate power fed into them, which could then be released in various ways. This was how charms were used.
• Throughout this process, Skylar had to remain intensely focused. Each stroke of his brush had to be consistent in thickness and evenly inked. He had to complete the task in one go, as even the slightest mistake or deviation would render the entire charm useless.
• As the first charm was nearly complete, a surge of excitement welled up within Skylar. He moved his brush a bit too quickly, causing disorder in the energy of the charm symbol.
• Crackle!
• The charm paper suddenly ignited without any warning, then turned into ashes. This charm was ruined, failed to create.
• With a wry smile, Skylar shook his head. He sat cross-legged, steadying his mind, and then continued creating another charm.
• Finally, after more than an hour and three failed attempts, Skylar managed to craft his first charm. By this time, over half of his vital energy had been depleted.
• Skylar meditated for a while longer, waiting for some of his vital energy to recover. Then, he began creating charms again.
• The following morning, Skylar met Wallace once again. By then, Wallace's condition had improved a lot. He seemed much more vibrant.
• “Old Mr. Weiss, how are you feeling?”
• “Sky, don't call me like that. You make us sound like strangers,” said Wallace, looking amicably at Skylar, his face brimming with a gentle smile.
• “Um... Grandpa Wallace, how are you feeling?” Skylar corrected himself.
• “Haha, I'm doing well. Without the parasite, I feel much better. After consuming the medicine you prescribed for me, I can feel my strength returning.”
• “That's good. Old Mr. Weiss, this is a charm I've crafted. Please keep it with you at all times.” Skylar handed over a charm, folded to the size of a palm, to Wallace, then gave another one to Bianca. “Bianca, this is yours!”
• Bianca's cheeks flushed faintly as she quickly took the charm, tucking it safely away.
• Wallace observed his granddaughter's bashful antics, laughing heartily. “Sky, is there anything special about this charm?”
• “Old Mr. Weiss, this here is an Unbreakable Charm, adorned with the Unbreakable Formation. This charm has the power to defend against the invasion of all forms of evil entities, such as parasites, black magic, and curses. If evil entities launch their attacks, the charm will explode, unleashing an extremely potent energy that will obliterate these filthy things!”
• Wallace nodded. “When your mentor saved me years ago, he used this very charm. I still remember it clear as day. Looks like you've truly mastered your mentor's teachings.”
• Just as Skylar was about to utter some polite remarks, Maxim barged in with a sense of urgency. “Old Mr. Weiss, Gordon, the patriarch of the Burton family is here! He brought a group of people with him. Looks like they've come to confront us!”
• Wallace slammed his hand down on the table. “The audacity! How dare they come knocking at my door when I haven't settled the score with the Burton family yet! Take them to the parlor. I want to meet them in person!”