Lei Ting spent the entire night tossing and turning in bed, piecing things together bit by bit.
It must have been the **Zhenling Pearl** that protected his soul and transported him into this body.
As for the surging magical energy—that was likely the pearl's doing as well. Back on Dragon-Tiger Mountain, an overwhelming amount of spiritual energy had flooded into his body, not only boosting his cultivation but also expanding his meridians many times over.
Unfortunately, the people of this world had slightly different internal structures compared to those on Earth. Spiritual energy couldn't be stored as **zhenyuan** (true essence) and had instead transformed into **magic power**.
Did that mean he could no longer cultivate? Lei Ting lay in bed, his lips twisting bitterly. No matter how hard he trained in the future, any spiritual energy he absorbed would turn into this strange **magic power**! Here, spiritual energy was known as **magical elements**.
This was the **Atlantis Continent**, and the country he found himself in was the **Duchy of Ceylan**.
In Ceylan, any **mage** was a respected, unofficial noble!
But that still couldn't compare to his grand path of cultivation!
After what felt like an eternity, Lei Ting's stomach growled, and exhaustion weighed heavily on him.
The little maid, **Tifa**, brought him a bowl of something black and unidentifiable. Lei Ting forced it down, the taste like chewing wax.
Tifa seemed to want to say something, but seeing Lei Ting as still as a corpse, she hesitated several times before holding her tongue.
After three days of rest, Lei Ting's injuries had mostly healed. Though his **zhenyuan** had turned into **magic power**, he found that with careful control, it could still aid in recovery.
By the third day, he had made peace with his situation. **Surviving against all odds meant fortune would follow!** Though his current home was shabby, this body's innate talent was excellent—even better than his previous one. Back in the **Dragon-Tiger Sect**, his master and elders would have fought to take him as a disciple. And with the **Zhenling Pearl**'s transformation flooding him with vast spiritual energy, calling him a **genius** wouldn't be an exaggeration.
**A mage it is, then!** Since he couldn't change his fate, he'd adapt. Besides, mages held high status here.
He had no idea how his magic power measured up. The original **Colin** had been deemed unfit for magic due to weak spiritual strength, so Lei Ting had no reference point.
**"Tifa!"** he called out. The little maid immediately pushed the door open and stepped inside.
**"Get me some cinnabar—uh, no. A quill, ink, and some paper."** He had almost slipped up.
Bored and curious, Lei Ting—once a disciple of the **Dragon-Tiger Sect's Talisman Branch**—wanted to test whether **magic-powered talismans** would still work. Since both systems absorbed surrounding spiritual energy (or **magic elements**) into the body, they had to share the same origin.
He wasn't sure if cinnabar even existed in this world, but he could look into that once he recovered.
Soon, Tifa returned with the requested materials.
The best medium for talismans was **yellow paper**, but since none was available, Lei Ting had to make do with what he had.
**"Parchment?"** He pinched the material, frowning. The bloody scent would severely weaken the talisman's power.
**"It's all we have at home,"** Tifa whispered timidly.
**"Fine, it'll have to do."** This world did have paper, but it was expensive—far beyond Lei Ting's current means.
Taking a knife, he cut the parchment into neat rectangles, set them aside, then spread one out and dipped the quill into ink. With practiced ease, he began drawing.
Talisman crafting demanded **uninterrupted strokes**—a single slip would ruin it.
Tifa watched on tiptoe, fascinated. The little maid had noticed that ever since her master woke up, he'd changed—though she couldn't quite put her finger on how.
**"If you want to watch, just watch. No need to sneak around. I'm in a good mood today—I won't hit you."** Finishing in minutes, Lei Ting set the quill down, then blinked at his own words. **Colin's memories must be influencing me.**
**"N-no…"** Tifa quickly averted her gaze, standing stiffly—but soon peeked back at the talisman.
Infused with magic, the parchment emitted a faint, invisible ripple. Lei Ting clicked his tongue in satisfaction. Given the subpar materials and the unfamiliar quill, this was a decent result.
**"This, my dear, is the *Shake-Your-Head-in-Fear Thunderbolt Golden Light Talisman*. One strike, and it'll blast a hole right through you. Impressed?"**
Tifa let out a sudden giggle before catching herself and schooling her expression.
**"That's more like it. Smile more. Who wants to see you scowling all day?"** Lei Ting tossed the talisman aside and started another.
The second one turned out better—probably because he was getting used to the quill.
**"Master, I'll go make dinner."** Bored, Tifa found an excuse to leave. Lei Ting waved her off without a word.
After several talismans, his magic power finally ran dry.
He was pleased with his current reserves. Back in his old life, he could only craft two talismans in one go—now, his capacity had grown. Picking out three decent-looking ones, he was about to head out and test them when **Old Oke's desperate cry** rang from outside:
**"You can't do this—let Tifa go!"**
**"Piss off, old man!"** A rough voice snarled, followed by a heavy thud. Oke's hacking cough and Tifa's sobs pierced the air.
Lei Ting threw off the blankets, leapt from the bed, and stormed outside.
A group of familiar faces had invaded the estate. Oke lay on the ground while Tifa stood protectively in front of him, her frail body trembling but upright. Tears streamed down both their faces.
**"Stop hurting Oke! I'll go with you!"** Tifa's tears fell like beans, her eyes burning with hatred.
**"Should've said so earlier,"** sneered a thug, spitting in disgust. **"We gave you a chance, but you had to make this difficult."**
**"Heh, Tifa, you won't regret coming with me!"** Behind the thugs stood a **portly, greasy middle-aged man**—**Angus**, the local landowner who'd tried to buy Tifa days ago. He was the one who'd ordered his men to beat Colin half to death. His gaudy clothes starkly contrasted the crumbling house.
**"Here's the contract!"** Tifa pulled out a yellowed parchment with shaking hands. **"Ten gold coins—not a copper less! Pay Oke, and I'll go!"**
**"Ten gold coins?"** Angus shook his head, feigning reluctance. **"I'll give you five. But whether you agree or not, I'm taking you today—even if I have to drag you!"**
Will Lei Ting's talismans be enough to stop them?