Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 124 A Gift of Opportunity
The book "Baopuzi" records: "Some people use jujube heartwood to make flying chariots, and tie cowhide to make rings and swords to drive the mechanism. Others visualize five snakes, six dragons and three oxen, intertwined and ride them, ascending forty miles, which is called Taiqing. In Taiqing, the energy is very strong and can overcome people."

It sounds very high-class and sophisticated, yet it's also very clear and seems to rise forty miles, but it's actually just a children's toy.

"Master, is this feasible?"

This is their youngest son's favorite toy. Although it is made of bamboo leaves, the emotions associated with it are exceptionally strong.

It is pure joy and curiosity about the world.

The couple had no other choice but to come here today to ask for peach wood charms.

A few days ago, my child had a cold and was barely breathing. The doctor only told us to pray to the gods and Buddhas for protection.

It is said that peach wood charms can ward off evil spirits, and since the Taoist priest does not accept money, I could only take one out to try.

Master Mao took it in his hand, closed his eyes to ponder, and then opened them.

"can."

Place the bamboo dragonfly on a plate to the side.

He took a peachwood charm from the servant; it was six inches long and three inches wide, and laid it flat.

He picked up the talisman brush, took a deep breath, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

The brushstrokes are vigorous and flowing, and the characters "Shen Tu" and "Yu Lei" are inscribed on the calligraphy.

A pair of peach charms was thus completed.

The couple were extremely grateful and hurried home with the peach charms in their arms.

Xu Xuan saw that at the moment the other party started writing, the power of heaven and earth seemed to be enhancing it, and at the moment the names Yu Lei and Shen Tu were formed, an inexplicable power of rules attached to them.

Minor illnesses and ailments are generally not considered suitable to be treated after the Peach Blossom Festival.

So that's how it is, borrowing the name of God.

On Mount Dushuo in the East Sea grows a great peach tree, its branches stretching for three thousand miles. Its lower branches, pointing northeast, are called the Ghost Gate, through which all ghosts enter and exit. There are two gods there, one named Shentu and the other Yulei, who oversee the entry and exit of these ghosts, capturing them to feed tigers. The Yellow Emperor then modeled his image upon them, thus establishing the system of peachwood tablets. Since this originated with the Yellow Emperor, later generations often placed images of gods on the branches, inscribing "Shentu on the left, Yulei on the right" below them, and placing them on doorways on New Year's Day.

This is yet another story related to the Yellow Emperor. This ancestor left so much for humankind.

Of course, this Taoist priest meant well.

With the blessing of the primordial energy of heaven and earth, it is equivalent to an object that has been consecrated.

Gathering incense and creating good karma is the conduct of a righteous person.

Perhaps because the Taoist priest's attire and demeanor were not ordinary, many people came to ask for talismans afterward.

You can't buy one with money or valuable items.

Master Mao naturally looked down on it. He disliked money and valuable items, which were either blank and devoid of emotion or entangled with evil causes and effects.

People's hearts are so wicked.

This talisman cannot be obtained without a special connection and good fortune.

Xu Xuan watched the spectacle for a while, then realized he was just missing a peach charm, so he stepped forward.

"Greetings, Daoist Master. We meet again."

"I don't know if this will work."

Master Mao naturally knew this famous figure from Qiantang, and this wasn't the first time the two had dealt with each other.

The impetuous scholar then produced a paper butterfly.
It took several attempts to figure out what it was that was being torn.

Driven by curiosity and disbelief, I accepted it anyway.

Looking at the strangely shaped paper butterflies in his palm, his lips twitched slightly.

I was going to refuse outright, but even if you're a celebrity in the county, I can't just say no, right?
and many more!

Let me take a closer look!
Just as he was about to retreat, he sensed the extraordinary nature of this object; if he left, he would lose an opportunity.

This sudden urge occurred three times.

The first time was when he obtained a fragment of a cultivation technique and embarked on the path of cultivation; the second time was when he was plotted against and on the verge of death, he met Master Ji and resolved the crisis; this is the third time.

Looking at the crowd around him, he suppressed his excitement.

"Young Master Xu, would you mind coming into the inner hall for a chat?" "Of course."

In the backyard, Master Mao carefully placed the paper butterflies into the tray, then grabbed a piece of dust and performed a cool backflip to create some distance.

With a flick of his finger, a gust of wind arose from the ground, causing the Taoist robe to flutter loudly.

Stepping with the left foot, a sound like wind and thunder is produced. Starting from the Kan trigram, step to the Li position; all the Tianying, Tianren, Tian, ​​Tianxin, Tianqin, Tianfu, Tianchong, Tianrui, and Tianfeng.

With each step, a blessing must be recited.

"The essence of the Dipper lies in the twelve earthly branches, riding the Heavenly Dipper with majestic grandeur, its energy as fleeting as floating clouds. The movement of the Seven Stars corresponds to the heavens, revealing the changes and their auspicious or inauspicious aspects. Entering the Dipper constellation, passing the Heavenly Gate, following the six musical scales, holding the Jia and Yi. Treading the Heavenly Heroic path, ascending the Heavenly Responsibility, pure and cold."

Although there are no special lighting effects, the movements are handsome and graceful, and there is a natural order to the actions.

This is: Stepping the Dipper and Treading the Stars.

This step is a movement used by Taoist priests to worship the stars and summon the gods, which is an enhanced version of "Hurry, hurry, as the law commands".

Xu Xuan watched with great interest. This Taoist priest, Mao, was not highly skilled but had many tricks up his sleeve, and his Yu Bu (a martial arts technique) was quite impressive.

He looked very much like the kind of ghost-catching Taoist priest I had in mind.

After Master Mao took the final step, his cultivation was greatly enhanced, and he could actually see something in the paper butterfly.

A butterfly, seemingly dreamlike and ever-changing, dances gracefully. Within the cascading colorful light, it appears that a Buddhist master is expounding the profound truths of heaven and earth, while a Taoist sage is contemplating the mysteries of the universe. The height of their realm is unimaginable.

Just one glance was enough to almost exhaust all of my magic power.

The Taoist priest put down the whisk, picked up the paper butterfly, and remained motionless, his heart filled with a fierce internal struggle.

It's clear that the scholar doesn't understand either; keeping it in his hands would only leave the treasure gathering dust.

If you keep it, you can slowly comprehend its principles, and perhaps even have the opportunity to enter the Tao.

That's what fate brings.

Can.
He opened his eyes, his vision clear, and handed the butterfly back.

"Young Master Xu may not understand, but this item is too valuable and should be kept close to your body from now on."

Xu Xuan naturally understood that this was the improved version of Butterfly No. 1, which he had carefully torn out; there were also No. 2 and No. 3.
After incorporating insights from the Heart Sutra, this item possesses its own magical power and mental enhancement, which can be activated proactively when encountering danger.

The concept is indeed sophisticated; the senior brother uses Zhuangzi's dream of a butterfly to create a method, while the White Maiden uses the Heart Sutra to manifest it.

For these two, it was just a piece of cake, but for ordinary cultivators, it was already a divine object.

Master Mao's cultivation level is not high, but his virtue is very high.

Even when faced with temptation, one can still stay true to oneself and remind the other party to keep the item close to their body.

"The Taoist priest is a person I truly admire."

"Do not be swayed by profit, nor be coerced by power. Never forget your original aspiration, and you will achieve your goal."

This remark seemed to enlighten the Taoist priest; it seemed that Young Master Xu had a great understanding of cultivation.

Xu Xuan naturally insisted on giving it to the Taoist priest, granting him an opportunity.

Just like when Senior Brother Ruoxu enlightened me.

Despite the Taoist priest's repeated refusals, he couldn't stop someone who was determined to give him a gift.

I accepted it with a joyful heart.

"Young Master Xu, this is a peach charm, isn't it?"

"You wait."

He ran into the side room and took out a piece of very old peach wood board, which was originally prepared for the Ji family, but now it seems that Young Master Xu needs it more.

Moreover, this time they didn't write words, but drew images of gods.

He washed his hands, burned incense, and used all his strength to attract the surrounding vital energy to begin drawing and sketching.

Shen Tu was dressed in colorful armor, with a majestic face and a powerful posture, holding a golden halberd; while Yu Lei was on the right door, wearing a black battle robe, looking relaxed and at ease. He had no divine weapons or sharp objects in his hands, but simply stretched out a palm to gently stroke the huge golden-eyed white tiger sitting beside him.

(End of this chapter)