My dreams can simulate the future.

Chapter 3 Escaping One Calamity

Thinking of this, Jiang Chen considered going to see the Dream Butterfly Painting. As soon as the thought arose, his consciousness once again entered his sea of ​​consciousness.

"Because of this painting, I'm now able to visualize my inner consciousness ahead of time."

Jiang Chen used his divine sense to probe the Dream Butterfly Diagram, and another surge of information flooded into his consciousness.

……

Number of Dream Butterflies: 1

Second Dream Butterfly Condensation Progress: 0.1% (affected by divine sense strength)

【Dream Butterfly Energy: 15%】

[Current number of dream visits: 0/1]

[Maximum time for simulating the future in a dream: one day (affected by the total amount of spiritual consciousness)]

Sure enough, Mengdie's condition has improved a lot. Once she recovers to 100%, she should be able to enter the dream again to simulate the future.

Three hours of meditation can restore Mengdie's condition by 15%, which means that twenty hours of meditation can raise Mengdie's energy to 100%.

I used to meditate for four hours every day. If I did that, it would only take me five days to enter a dream state without affecting my daily life.

If I spend all my time, except for eating, drinking, and relieving myself, practicing the Nourishing Spirit Technique, I can simulate entering a dream in less than two days.

With the enhancement of divine sense, the condensation progress of the Second Dream Butterfly also changed.

"I should be able to get through that hurdle tomorrow. I'd better start making some talismans."

I just bought a batch of raw materials at a low price yesterday, which is perfect for making talisman paper.

With that in mind, he immediately pulled out the materials and got to work.

He took out two animal hides, boiled them in water with several ingredients, and then removed the hair, remaining grease, and flesh.

Then stretch the hides taut and dry them over a fire.

Then, using scrapers and whetstones, the animal hides were processed to achieve a uniform thickness and a smooth surface before being cut into the size of talismans.

A special medicine is also applied to prevent insect infestation, mold, and rot.

Finally, it is nourished with magical power to better support the talisman's restrictions.

This final step is the most demanding, requiring adjustments to the nurturing technique based on the internal structure of the talisman paper.

If something goes wrong, the magic power may not flow smoothly on the talisman paper. Drawing talismans with such paper has an extremely high failure rate.

Even if the talisman is successfully drawn by chance, its power will be greatly reduced.

Each step of the process has its corresponding magic and tricks.

Therefore, although talisman paper is not expensive, not everyone can make it well. Without a lineage and long-term practice, it is impossible to make qualified talisman paper.

The raw materials for first-grade talisman paper are roughly divided into two categories: one is plants and trees, and the other is animal hides.

Blackstone Mountain is surrounded by endless forests, teeming with demonic beasts. Many cultivators hunt these beasts, making animal hides very cheap. Therefore, talismans are made entirely from animal hides in the market.

After a lot of trouble, it was finally possible to process all the materials.

A total of sixty-five talismans were made, which could be sold for six and a half spirit stones.

After deducting the three spirit stones for purchasing two animal hides, as well as miscellaneous expenses such as potions and spirit charcoal, there is a profit of about three spirit stones.

Of course, this was just good luck; it happened that a rogue demon hunter was in urgent need of money and was selling animal hides at a low price.

Under normal circumstances, those two animal hides could sell for four to five spirit stones, and his profit would be less than two.

It was already late at night, and Jiang Chen was extremely tired after working for most of the night.

He immediately returned to his bed, sat cross-legged, and entered a meditative state to continue practicing the Nourishing Spirit Technique.

-----------------

The next morning, Jiang Chen was awakened again by a knock on the door.

He quickly got out of bed and ran to open the courtyard gate.

Three burly men stood outside the courtyard gate, dressed in black official uniforms. The scarred man in the lead had a patrol badge hanging from his waist.

The three people looked exactly the same as the ones I had seen in my dream, both in appearance and attire.

Jiang Chen was overjoyed: 'The dream simulation was indeed real.'

He smiled broadly and bowed to the guard, saying, "Greetings, sir. May I ask what brings you here in person?"

The scarred, burly man smiled slightly: "You little rascal, you know how to talk."

The guard's next words were exactly the same as those in the previous dream simulation.

After he finished speaking, Jiang Chen immediately took out ten spirit stones: "Sir, I am willing to pay ten spirit stones to be exempted from conscription."

Upon hearing this, the one-eyed cultivator beside the scarred, burly man exclaimed, "Impossible! You just paid your taxes a few days ago, and the day before yesterday you spent three spirit stones on animal hides. How could you possibly produce ten spirit stones?"

Hearing him say that, Jiang Chen was a little confused.

In my previous dream, I saw that this one-eyed cultivator was quite arrogant, having blocked all my escape routes.

Finally, he even used his magic to damage the meridians in his calves, making it difficult for him to even walk.

I don't know him. If this person wants to impress his boss, there's no need for him to go to such lengths. There's definitely something fishy going on here.

"May I ask you, senior swordsmith, how did you know that I bought animal hides the day before yesterday, and how did you know that I couldn't gather enough spirit stones?"

The so-called "ghostwriters" are actually unofficial patrolmen. They have no official status, only receive a meager salary, and enjoy tax-free treatment.

They usually lord it over the patrolmen, but when danger comes, they become the patrolmen's scapegoats.

Of course, those who can become ghostwriters are mostly quite capable or have special skills.

Ghostwriters are poorly paid, so they try to earn extra money on the side.

Jiang Chen had some guesses in his mind: "Judging from the reaction of this person who was handling the case, he was probably bribed to frame me."

The rogue cultivator who sold me the animal hide the day before yesterday sold it at a low price not because he was in a hurry for money, but to deplete my spirit stones, making it even less likely that I would be able to gather ten spirit stones.

"The swordsman and the rogue cultivator selling animal hides in front of us are just lowly errand boys; there must be someone else behind them."

In this marketplace, I'm nothing more than a lowly Qi Refining Level 3 henchman, unable even to draw a mid-grade first-rank talisman. Who would scheme against me with such ulterior motives?

Could it be that they're after Grandpa?

Whether this one-eyed knife-wielding man was bribed or was originally a member of that gang.

Now that he's attacked me, even in a simulation, a grudge has been formed. I won't be satisfied until I kill that bastard.

The scarred guard glanced at the one-eyed man holding the knife: "Disgraceful wretch."

Ghostwriters take on countless private jobs to prank people, but these things can't be made public.

The one-eyed swordsman realized what was happening and, with a flustered expression, explained, "I only asked this because I heard from some fellow Daoists that Young Friend Jiang is a notorious spendthrift."

The guard snorted coldly: "Watch your words and actions in the future, or you'll embarrass the patrolmen."

After saying that, he immediately took out a piece of animal skin paper, wrote and drew on it, and finally stamped it with his seal.

"This is the document proving your exemption from conscription by paying spirit stones. Keep it safe. If you lose it, your ten spirit stones will have been wasted."

Blackstone Mountain Market has a history of five or six hundred years since its establishment, and has always been directly managed by the Golden Tripod Sect.

Therefore, many systems were established within the market town. Orders issued by the garrison headquarters had to be documented. Payments of money and taxes also required receipts and other similar documents.

After accepting the document, Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

"The simulation of the future in dreams is indeed real; you can even come up with countermeasures based on the simulated future and change the original future."

This method has enormous potential; it can be extremely useful whether it's speculating on various resources or exploring dangerous places.

If used properly, even with my low talent, reaching the Foundation Establishment stage wouldn't be difficult.

Then, the patrolman knocked on the gate of Hou Ming's house next door.

With Jiang Chen's reminder, Hou Ming naturally prepared ten spirit stones.

After paying spirit stones to avoid being conscripted, the two exchanged a glance, understanding each other without saying a word, and returned to their own courtyards.