When Comparable to Ancient High Taoists

In the not-so-large quiet room of Yuanfa Palace, quite a few people were squeezed in.

After listening to Hui Bin's account, everyone first looked at the seemingly ordinary Yellow Talisman in his hand, then at Daoist Master Yihong, who was sitting aside in thought, and no one spoke.

Although most of them were Taoists and usually chanted scriptures and cultivated, in this day and age, not many truly believed in the metaphysical. They generally thought that Taoism, with its principles of calming the mind, soothing the spirit, cultivating Qi, and nourishing the body, was a philosophical and behavioral system for interacting with the world and cultivating oneself.

They believed in the existence of Internal Energy, but at the same time, they thought Internal Energy wasn't that magical. It was essentially a kind of strength within the human body that could lead to health and longevity, and at most, assist with strength and agility.

The fortune-telling, physiognomy, and Feng Shui that had been passed down to this day were actually sciences that encompassed psychology, mathematics, geography, and meteorology.

As for Consecration...

In their eyes, so-called Consecration was merely a religious ritual. It was a process that enhanced psychological suggestion through the ritual and then influenced the material world through idealism.

It was like how maintaining a good mindset could alleviate symptoms or even speed up recovery from illness.

Of course, they had indeed heard that some religious experts could truly consecrate Magic Artifacts, imbuing them with miraculous effects. They were actually in a state of half-belief and half-doubt about this – because they couldn't do it themselves, nor had they witnessed it firsthand.

But Daoist Master Yihong's performance today shattered their perceptions.

He had merely glanced at Hui Bin and known that Hui Bin possessed a truly consecrated Amulet. This act completely exceeded their scope of understanding. How had Daoist Master Yihong managed it?

They could guarantee that this was the first time Daoist Master Yihong and Hui Bin had met today.

As for Daoist Master Yihong and Hui Bin colluding to deceive them... the mere thought was disrespectful to Daoist Master Yihong!

This was a highly senior Taoist from Baiyun Temple of Longmen Ancestral Court in Yandu, who had vowed to collect Longmen classics and travel to Taoist Temples large and small across the country, collecting Taoist Scriptures one book, one page, or one fragment at a time. He was highly respected.

Given this, there was only one explanation left.

The gazes of the crowd towards Daoist Master Yihong involuntarily became fervent.

But Daoist Master Yihong didn't notice these gazes. He asked with a hint of disbelief, "You're saying a college student, who looked to be in his early twenties, drew it in front of you?"

"Yes," Hui Bin nodded repeatedly.

"Without burning incense and purifying yourself? Without calming your mind and spirit? Without personal Consecration?" Daoist Master Yihong asked. "You mean he drew the talisman and gave it to you on the spot?"

"Yes," Hui Bin continued to nod.

"Hiss—" Daoist Master Yihong gasped.

Seeing Daoist Master Yihong's shocked expression, everyone felt a strange sense of dread. After a moment of contemplation, the middle-aged Taoist leading the group cautiously asked, "Daoist Master Yihong, what's going on?"

"It's nothing, I just didn't expect there to be such a remarkable young person nowadays," Daoist Master Yihong sighed with emotion.

The crowd exchanged glances, wanting to ask but not daring to. After all, everyone present was a prominent figure in the local Taoist community, and asking would imply their own ignorance.

However, Daoist Master Yihong seemed unconcerned and unafraid. "It's not surprising that you don't know. After all, life is better now, and not many people seriously cultivate anymore."

Everyone present felt a bit awkward upon hearing this.

"It's like how martial arts declined with the advent of firearms," Daoist Master Yihong chuckled. "The effects of Taoist cultivation reaching its peak are similar to the effects of the elderly maintaining a good mindset, exercising more, and supplementing with nutrients."

The crowd felt awkward and forced a smile again.

"Of course, exercise is always useful. For example, even with firearms, practitioners of martial arts are still stronger, faster, and more agile than ordinary people. The formidable ones can even move Blood Essence and Internal Energy."

Daoist Master Yihong continued, "And our Taoists, through years of meditation, sitting, breathing exercises, and circulating Qi through the meridians, will develop Sensing Qi within their bodies, or what is called Internal Breath or Internal Energy. This Sensing Qi can help us calm our minds, soothe our spirits, and strengthen our bodies.

Consecration is the process by which Taoists inject their internal Sensing Qi into Magic Artifacts or talismans. Then, these Magic Artifacts or talismans carry this energy, which can help the holder calm their spirit, soothe their mind, and maintain their health..."

Daoist Master Yihong paused for a moment and joked, "It's like carrying a piece of old sandalwood with you, which can soothe irritability during work and help you fall asleep peacefully at night. It's also a form of health and wellness..."

Everyone chuckled at this. But after laughing, they couldn't help but feel envious. In this era of advanced technology, who wouldn't want to live longer?

They all knew that Taoism taught people how to maintain health, and they had originally thought it was just about maintaining a good mindset, exercising scientifically, and clearing blockages in the meridians to stay healthy and live long, warding off illness and prolonging life. As for the so-called circulation of Qi through the meridians, although they had heard of it, they had never experienced it.

Now, hearing Daoist Master Yihong's explanation, it seemed that one could truly cultivate a form of Qi Gong that could be sensed, controlled, and possessed mysterious power?

"Because we have Sensing Qi, our minds and bodies are also more sensitive than ordinary people's," Daoist Master Yihong said, looking at Hui Bin. "I sensed that energy on Hui Bin just now. Seeing its source was within his clothes, I guessed it was an Amulet."

"However..." Daoist Master Yihong paused here, appearing thoughtful. "Even for high-level Taoists consecrating an item, they need to calm their minds and spirits, carefully sense the internal Sensing Qi and Internal Breath, and cautiously circulate it through the meridians to inject it into the Magic Artifact.

This process takes at least several days, or even over a month, to imbue the Magic Artifact with energy and maintain it for a period. Even so, I know of very few old Taoists nationwide with this ability."

At this point, Daoist Master Yihong couldn't understand. "If, as Hui Bin said, this Amulet was just casually drawn by a young man, then his cultivation has likely reached the level of Ancient High Taoists."

The onlookers exchanged glances. They had all been cultivating for twenty or thirty years. Among them were the abbot of Yuanfa Palace and high-ranking officials from the Taoist Association. However, what Daoist Master Yihong was describing was something they had never heard before.

Although Daoist Master Yihong spoke casually, they knew this was no ordinary feat.

It was like how many people could run 100 meters in eleven seconds, but those who could run it in under ten seconds could be counted on one's fingers nationwide.

Didn't Daoist Master Yihong say that there weren't many people nationwide with this ability? Even if there were still Ancient High Taoists living in seclusion in deep mountains and old forests that he didn't know about, their numbers wouldn't be too great.

Although Daoist Master Yihong used the analogy of old sandalwood, they thought of many things they had heard before. Some incidents that were previously dismissed as flattery, sarcasm, or lucky breaks might now have other explanations.

Were all the powerful and influential people in the world who believed in the metaphysical fools, merely seeking psychological comfort?

They were insiders in the field, yet their cultivation was lacking, and they were blinded by illusions, losing their sense of reverence.