Heavenly Dipper Talisman

Elder He didn't know much, but he still shared a lot of information. After all, he had lived in Xiu Yue County for over a decade, and he knew quite a bit from listening to operas, reading books, and overhearing gossip on the streets.

The imperial court he spoke of was called the Great Ning Dynasty. He didn't know how vast its territory was or how long it had been established. He only knew that his small mountain village belonged to Xiu Yue County in Changping Prefecture, covering an area of two to three hundred li.

This world had ghosts and demons, gods and spirits. He heard that the Great Ning Dynasty had guardian deities and a state religion, and various mages patrolled the land, subduing demons and driving away ghosts.

"In the earlier years, life was quite peaceful," Elder He sighed. "But starting about thirty years ago, the county began experiencing frequent incidents, and there were several hauntings. This old man was timid and returned to the village, and I haven't gone out much since."

"Didn't you say there were mages patrolling the land?" Gu Zhao asked.

Elder He shook his head. "How many mages can the court have, and how many demons and ghosts are there in the world? Thirty years ago, I heard there was a river demon causing trouble in the neighboring Wuhe County, almost turning it into a wasteland."

Speaking of this, Elder He still felt a lingering fear. It was clear that the incident in Wuhe County had played a decisive role in his decision to return to the mountain village.

As the two chatted casually, it reached the middle of the si hour. Xiuniang had set out fragrant white rice and a clear stewed cabbage, radish, and cured meat pot on the low table in the courtyard. She also cut two apples into small pieces and set them aside.

"Young Master, this fruit is so sweet! It looks like a crabapple, but it's bigger and sweeter than a crabapple!" Xiuniang had just eaten the scraps from cutting the apples. She had never eaten such sweet fruit before.

Xiuniang's smiling face was very healing. Gu Zhao couldn't help but smile, "As long as it's delicious."

"The food is ready! Come and eat quickly!" Xiuniang had set out the food, bowls, and chopsticks, and called Gu Zhao and her grandfather to eat.

After the meal, the children from yesterday came again to find Elder He to read. He Xiuniang also took out some bamboo strips from the side room, and while listening casually, she began weaving bamboo.

Gu Zhao looked at the bamboo hats, baskets, and sieves under the eaves of the surrounding houses and asked Xiuniang, "How do you sell these things?"

Xiuniang raised her small face. "Uncle Zhang Er goes to the county once every ten days to sell all the bamboo woven items from the village and exchange them for food and daily necessities. Sometimes there's even money left over, and everyone gets a share."

According to Xiuniang, this mountain village wasn't completely isolated. Besides farming, they each had their own skills. For example, there were carpenters, stonemasons, and bricklayers. There was also a family skilled in bamboo weaving, who taught their craft to the villagers, enabling the women in the village to contribute to the household income.

"The official road isn't far from the village. Traveling merchants or guests who missed their lodging occasionally come into the village," Xiuniang explained.

Gu Zhao shook his head, "Aren't these people afraid of mountain bandits?"

Xiuniang didn't smile, but looked a bit worried. "Mountain bandits rarely appeared on the official road before. But last time Uncle Zhang Er came back, he said he saw two dead people on the official road. Less than two days later, the village was attacked by bandits."

Xiuniang looked at Gu Zhao with gratitude in her eyes. "If it weren't for you, Young Master, we might have been harmed by those mountain bandits."

"It shouldn't be that bad..." Gu Zhao shook his head and chuckled. "If they kill everyone in the village, who will they rob in the future?"

Xiuniang couldn't help but laugh. "You're so kind, Young Master. Those bandits live day to day, how could they worry about that?"

Speaking of this, Xiuniang did feel a bit scared. Although those bandits might not have slaughtered the entire village, and the bandit leader was only focused on that female ghost in green, she had noticed that several of the bandits were looking at her with ill intentions.

"Didn't that female ghost kill them all later?" Gu Zhao spread his hands and laughed.

Xiuniang was speechless. "The female ghost is even scarier!"

Thinking of how the villagers reacted when they learned the female ghost was going to absorb Gu Zhao's vital energy, Gu Zhao couldn't help but smile. When people face unknown power, their fear is amplified to the greatest extent.

Even Elder He's speed had broken through his limits.

Speaking of the female ghost, Gu Zhao remembered his achievements from yesterday. He reached into his bosom and took out two yellow triangular paper talismans, placing them in Xiuniang's hands.

"These are two talismans for protection. One is for your grandfather, and the other you should keep on your person. If you encounter demons or ghosts, they can protect you and save your life in a crisis," Gu Zhao said.

Xiuniang was startled and instinctively wanted to refuse. "This is too precious..."

Gu Zhao stopped her, holding Xiuniang's hand and clutching the two talismans in his palm. He then reached out and patted her head, teasingly saying, "Take them. There are so many demons and ghosts in the world. If you really encounter them next time, at least you won't be scared like rabbits."

These were Heavenly Dipper Talismans from the Upper Clarity Heavenly Heart True Method. They were talismans that could be activated independently without mana. Long-term wear could strengthen the body and prevent illness. In critical moments, they could eliminate evil and protect the wearer, but they primarily targeted Yin and evil energies and were not effective against weapons.

Unfortunately, among the Taoist scriptures Gu Zhao had learned, there were no such talismans or spells for now.

"It is said that cultivating a Golden Core can lead to an Indestructible Vajra Body. The Zhengyi sect has the Vajra Profound Talisman," Gu Zhao mused. "I won't mention the Indestructible Vajra Body. As for the Vajra Profound Talisman... should I go to Dragon Tiger Heavenly Mountain and exchange ideas with the Taoists there?"

Although the Taoist Canon could be found online, the versions varied, missing diagrams and characters. The versions were inconsistent. Who knew if the various sects had held back when presenting their secret methods to the court at the time?

For example, the three Taoist scriptures Gu Zhao had learned differed significantly from the content in the Tianxia Daoist Canon online, and they included many details about breathing, hand seals, and mana circulation.

Therefore, if he wanted to learn the Vajra Profound Talisman, he would likely have to go to Dragon Tiger Heavenly Mountain.

Gu Zhao wasn't worried about not being able to learn it, because...

Thinking of this, Gu Zhao couldn't help but smile gleefully. "If I publicly cast a Palm Thunder at Dragon Tiger Heavenly Mountain, would they directly bestow a Purple Robe upon me and ask me to be the current Celestial Master?"

Things like ghosts detouring, subduing demons and ghosts, and flying on swords were all internet memes. If someone could actually cast Thunder Magic in reality, it would definitely cause a national sensation.

Gu Zhao was smiling, but Xiuniang couldn't.

With Gu Zhao holding her hand, Xiuniang's face flushed. She was both shy and happy. But as Gu Zhao spoke, her face turned a little pale.

It wasn't that she found Gu Zhao's words unfunny, nor did she mind his teasing. It was that she heard another meaning in his words.

Xiuniang suppressed the panic in her heart and looked up with a happy smile. "I will carry it with me, always!"

Gu Zhao nodded. He didn't notice the stiffness at the corner of Xiuniang's lips because he suddenly realized he hadn't returned for a whole day.

He needed to hurry back, or he would become a missing person.

"I'm going to cultivate in the back mountain and will return tonight," Gu Zhao said to Xiuniang, then turned and left in a hurry.