Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 888 Carrying out folk activities

After the annual meeting ended, everyone returned to their seats.

As the year draws to a close, it should be a time for demons to lie low, but strange things have been happening more and more in recent years. The more prosperous the human world is, the more powerful demons and evil spirits seem to be committing crimes against the wind.

"Who knows what kind of trouble they might cause up north..."

Xu Xuan stood atop the city wall of Qiantang, gazing at the growing festive atmosphere of the New Year, and felt somewhat helpless.

Although the Great Exorcism and Plague Exorcism Ceremony last year was very successful, many people were still killed by plague demons during the journey across the Nine Provinces. After all, the world is too big.

To guard against unforeseen circumstances, Baoantang had made preparations in advance:
Yan Chixia was stationed in Wuchang, keeping an eye on the Dongting Lake area to prevent any unruly monsters from taking advantage of the situation.

The new Shushan swordsmen patrolled the main roads of Yangzhou in groups, while the Taihu Lake demons were responsible for guarding the waterways...

Meanwhile, a special "New Year's Customs Campaign" is unfolding in Jiangnan.

"A story is exchanged for a peachwood charm, an old object is used to invite door gods."

A new rule quickly spread throughout the city.

An old farmer brought his deceased wife's wooden hairpin to ask for a peace charm, while a young child offered a pretty stone he had found in exchange for an exorcism scroll...

Master Mao is not the same as before. In the past, he was a loner who could perform divination by setting up a simple divination stall at the entrance of the Ji Family Restaurant.

Now that the business has grown, it has seven or eight apprentices following behind it. Each apprentice is responsible for a step in the process: grinding cinnabar, cutting paper, drawing talismans, and interpreting them. It is like a talisman production line.

Therefore, the location was chosen at the entrance of each of the Baoantang branches.

The monks at Jinshan Temple offer each pilgrim a bowl of "peace porridge," with a hidden Buddhist seal at the bottom to ward off evil spirits.
Even a water-dwelling general like Yu Bai transformed into a traveling doctor, delivering sachets of warding off plague to fishermen...

As the incense of the peach wood charms spreads further and further, an invisible stream of human blessings gathers, nourishing the practitioners on this land.

However, no matter what activities are carried out, the folk activities are limited to the territory of Yangzhou.

It's not that they don't want to expand, but large-scale religious activities involving talismans and incantations have always been a sensitive issue for the imperial court.

This act of kindness, especially one that "doesn't charge money," is more likely to evoke memories of a certain Yellow Turban Rebellion.

“We must remember the lessons of the great sage teacher of the previous dynasty.” Xu Xuan flipped through the reports from various places and instructed Zhuge Yu beside him, “We can do whatever we want in Yangzhou, but Jingzhou… and” he pointed to the north, “we’ll talk about that next year.”

Even within Yangzhou, there were people who were wary.

It was only thanks to the prestigious reputation of "the unpredictable and divine physician Xu" that Baoantang's various transgressions over the years were not investigated by the authorities.

For anyone else, the mere act of privately providing disaster relief, distributing medicine and porridge would be enough to warrant ten closures. After all, according to the laws of the Great Jin Dynasty, private relief efforts without the court's permission are undeniably illegal.

But nowadays, walking the streets of Jiangnan, all I hear are these kinds of discussions:
"As expected of Doctor Xu's clinic, even the door gods exude an aura of immortality!"

"Of course! I heard that even the Prefect of Donghai County was cured of his brain ailment by Bao'antang..."

"Yesterday I even saw their Taoist priest split a millstone-sized rock in half with one palm!"

The high-ranking officials and nobles tacitly understood that it was perfectly normal for a divine doctor who could snatch people away from the King of Hell to know some talismans and magic; otherwise, how could his medical skills alone be so miraculous?

As for those thugs and ruffians who want to cause trouble...

"Ouch! Spare me, Taoist priest!"

In the West Market of Qiantang, three ruffians were kneeling and begging for mercy. Opposite them stood a young doctor dressed in a Baoantang Taoist robe, his right hand still in a striking palm position, a palm print about an inch deep clearly imprinted on the brick wall three zhang away.

"Remember this!" The doctor dusted off his sleeves. "Next time someone dares to extort money from people seeking talismans, this wall will be their example!"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Outside the crowd, Master Li stroked his beard and laughed, "Medicine and martial arts have always been inseparable. The doctor of Baoan Hall has received the 'Heaven-Shaking Iron Palm' personally taught by Hanwen. These rascals have messed with the wrong person."

Upon hearing this, a small vendor exclaimed in surprise, "Does Mr. Xu on Nanshan Mountain know kung fu?"
Passersby could tell at a glance that the vendor was from out of town.

Master Li smiled smugly. As Xu Xuan's first guide, he patiently told the outsider the story of how Xu Hanwen once held the town of Qiantang in three hands.

The story is full of twists and turns, and even Zhang San has a lot more screen time.

In any case, this palm technique, which originated from Confucianism, was remarkable and laid the foundation for Baoan Hall's business.

Even the young doctor had a sudden realization, realizing that what he had learned was such a miraculous skill.

In reality, this palm technique has absolutely nothing to do with Confucianism; it's an introductory skill that Xu Xuan derived from the Buddhist "Great Vajra Divine Power." Although it lacks the power of the original, it's easy to learn and master, and has now become standard equipment for Baoan Hall disciples.

On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, light snow began to fall in Qiantang.

New Year couplets were hung in front of the main building of Baoan Temple: "The elixir of immortality benefits all three thousand worlds" and "The wondrous Dharma spreads far and wide across four hundred states."

Horizontal inscription: "Medicine and Martial Arts to Suppress Evil"

Amidst the crackling of firecrackers, new peachwood charms replace the old.

Inside the small, warm room, the charcoal fire was burning brightly.

Xu Baiqing and the other two sat around the stove. On the table were a few simple New Year's dishes: West Lake Vinegar Fish, Drunken Crab, Steamed Assorted Cured Meats, and a pot of warm Shaoxing wine.

Since Xiaoqing completed her transformation and emerged from seclusion, Xu Xuan no longer felt like he was walking on thin ice when facing her.

They even used the pretext of the New Year holidays to "invite" people out of the West Lake Water Palace.

As for what methods Xiaoqing used, whether it was tantrums or a tearful offensive, he pretended not to know.

There's also my senior brother on Nanshan Mountain... He's used to being alone and is quite happy, so he declined the invitation to a small gathering during the Lunar New Year.

These monks are the most determined; you simply can't persuade them.

“There were three of us at the beginning…” Xu Xuan poured wine for the two of them, and suddenly felt a little emotional, “I hope that the three of us can still sit here together in the future.”

These words were barely out of my mind before I shut them down. Why am I even trying to plant a flag for myself?

Huh, it's started?

Each of the three possessed unique abilities, and at that moment they all looked towards the north.

Bai Suzhen's fingertips were entwined with starlight, deducing celestial secrets as easily as reading the lines on her palm. Xu Xuan's eyes reflected the vastness of the mortal world, resonating and trembling with the destiny of humanity. Xiao Qing's golden eyes flickered, occasionally catching glimpses of fragments of the future like lightning...

In their unique perspective, the surging power of humanity is like the Qiantang River tide.

The fortune of the old year dissipates like the receding tide, while the cycle of the new year is brewing in the depths of the void. That immense power, yet to take shape, already sends shivers down one's spine.

“You tell me…” Xiaoqing suddenly grinned, “Will the old emperor cause trouble again this year?” Her eager tone suggested that she was about to shout “Take his throne!”

Xu Xuan slowly picked out the fish bones: "Theoretically, no. Last year, the dragon's energy burned away all the plague demons in the Nine Provinces. Even if there are new ones this year, they won't amount to anything." He paused, "However..."

"But what?" Xiaoqing's eyes lit up.

"However, this emperor... might just find another way and come up with some new tricks."

Bai Suzhen remained silent throughout.

After failing to sever her emotional ties, she found herself increasingly unable to understand the turmoil of the world.

The reason I came here tonight is less to celebrate the New Year and more to keep an eye on Xu Xuan, so that he won't secretly cause another huge disaster.

At this time, Luoyang was shrouded in an eerie festive atmosphere.

This capital city, which should have been brightly decorated, felt unusually oppressive at this moment. Although red lanterns hung in the streets, no one was playing or laughing; although New Year's goods were displayed in the markets, few people were buying them. Even in the busiest East Market, the vendors had packed up their stalls early, leaving only a few lonely lanterns swaying in the cold wind.

At the altar in front of the palace, a grand exorcism ceremony is underway.

But anyone with discerning eyes could see that the "Emperor" dressed in imperial robes and holding a jade tablet was nothing more than a carefully disguised double.

The real Emperor Jin was currently huddled in a secret chamber engraved with Buddhist seals.

The gilded floor tiles were covered with demon-suppressing runes, and thirty-six evil-repelling banners hung on the four walls. Even the candlesticks were cast in the shape of a gluttonous beast devouring evil.

Inside this impregnable sanctuary, Emperor Jin's face was paler than the snow outside.

"Snapped--"

He subconsciously touched his left cheek. A year later, the invisible handprint still seemed to throb faintly.

"Imperial Preceptor," Emperor Jin suddenly spoke, his voice sounding as if squeezed out from between his teeth, "If that little thief comes again this time, I'll leave him to you."

(End of this chapter)