Mother's Request

"Is this Five Thunder Talisman blessed?" someone asked.

Hui Bin instinctively tightened his grip on the talisman paper.

Daoist Master Yihong nodded, "Yes, but its effectiveness isn't great anymore. It'll probably lose its effect in another month or two, which is why I thought a master had given it to him a year or two ago."

Hui Bin breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a bit disappointed.

"Blessed magical artifacts only last a year or two?" someone else asked.

Daoist Master Yihong pointed at him, "Greed knows no bounds. One or two years is already quite good. Perhaps ones made of peach wood, jujube wood, bronze, or jade can last longer, but blessing them takes more time and effort, hindering one's cultivation."

The man lowered his head in shame, not daring to ask further.

Even so, many people's minds began to stir.

Although this protective talisman's effect only lasted a month or two, it didn't mean the young man wasn't powerful. He had simply given the talisman to Hui Bin casually after drawing it.

If he had seriously blessed it, making the protective talisman last for one or two years would have been easy, right?

Daoist Master Yihong, being old and wise, swept his gaze across the crowd and knew what they were thinking. He regretted explaining things in too much detail and praising the young man too highly.

"I've been lonely for too long," Daoist Master Yihong sighed inwardly. He then instructed, "This young man is close to nature and has a high level of cultivation at a young age. He's a natural talent for Taoism. If you find him, be sure to notify me immediately."

"Of course, of course."

"Definitely, definitely."

"A young man like this might be from a famous family."

"Seeing how skilled he is at drawing Five Thunder Talismans, perhaps he's a Taoist ordained by Dragon Tiger Heavenly Mountain."

"If he comes to Yuanfa Palace again, we'll call you right away."

Although some people thought about checking the surveillance footage, they quickly gave up the idea.

Why? Even if they found out what the person looked like from the surveillance, they didn't have the manpower, resources, or information to track him down. Were they going to ask the security officers for help finding someone who could bless magical artifacts and was a natural talent for Taoism?

Nowadays, even religious figures talked about traditional culture and believed in science; they couldn't spread feudal superstitions, could they!

"That's good," Daoist Master Yihong chuckled. "We've had tea and told stories. Now, let's go to the Sutra Depository to read some books."

"Yes, yes!"

"Please, go ahead!"

Gu Zhao, of course, didn't know what was happening at Yuanfa Palace, let alone that his ineffective Five Thunder Talisman, which had residual cinnabar and yellow paper, was being treated as a protective charm.

After finishing his phone call with Zhang Hang, he was about to cross into another world to continue his cultivation when he received a call from his mother.

"Son! Have you found a job yet?"

"No."

"Are you still looking?"

"Not anymore."

"That's great!" a cheer came from the other end of the line.

Gu Zhao: ???

"Accompany me back to Rongcheng this weekend." Gu Zhao's mother, Li Man, had a decisive personality.

Gu Zhao couldn't help but ask, "Is something wrong with Grandpa and Grandma?"

"No," Li Man replied. "A friend of mine's son is getting married, and she invited me to the wedding."

"Isn't Dad going with you?" Gu Zhao asked instinctively.

"If your dad goes, why would I bring you?" Li Man snorted. "Don't we have our own world for two?"

Gu Zhao: "..."

"Tidy yourself up nicely. Aim to outshine the groom!" Li Man instructed. "Showing off to me every day about how tall, fair, handsome he is and how he married a beautiful and rich woman. Hmph!"

"That's your friend..."

"A fake friend! My son is much better than her son. He's taller, fairer, and more handsome than her son, but..."

Li Man couldn't help but sigh here. "He's always cultivating Taoism. If I hadn't found normal study materials on your computer, I would have thought you were influenced during your summer vacations in Rongcheng all those years."

Gu Zhao was stunned. "You went through my computer? How did you know my password?"

"79531, metal, wood, water, fire, earth. What's so difficult about that?" Li Man said dismissively.

Gu Zhao: (⊙_⊙)

Li Man ignored Gu Zhao's embarrassment and continued, "Oh, right. You know those 'rent-a-girlfriend' services online? Why don't you take some time to interview a few and pick one who's good-looking to bring back? If you're shy, I can help you pick one."

"If you help me pick, I'm not going!" Gu Zhao said angrily.

"Then you pick yourself?" Li Man asked.

"What if I don't bring a girlfriend and seduce the bride at the wedding?" Gu Zhao said fiercely.

"Hiss—" Li Man was also shocked. "I think I saw a similar question in your study materials!"

Gu Zhao felt his face was burning and his hands were trembling. "You saw all of it?"

"Not yet," Li Man replied truthfully. "There's too much."

As she spoke, Li Man's playful tone held a sliver of worry. "Looking at your study materials, you have more 2D problems than 3D ones. You can't be like those otaku from Sakuragōkoku!"

Gu Zhao took a deep breath and honestly said, "Mom, I'm normal. I'll definitely find you a normal daughter-in-law."

"That's good. I was saying, your grandfather and your father also married normally. Your lineage isn't immune to this stuff!" Li Man also breathed a sigh of relief, then reminded him, "Make sure it's soon. I can't wait to go shopping and get my nails done with my daughter-in-law."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Zhao couldn't help but wipe the faint cold sweat from his forehead.

Talking to Mother felt more tense and exciting than fighting the ghostly creatures a few days ago.

"No wonder Dad is so completely under her thumb," Gu Zhao sighed. "It's not easy to freeload these days!"

With a sigh, Gu Zhao checked the time, then went to the tea restaurant downstairs to buy a pound of braised beef and a braised pork knuckle.

Gu Zhao noticed that perhaps due to a lack of oil and fat for a long time, Elder He's family and the white fox seemed to have heavier palates, preferring northern-style meat dishes. The five-spice roasted chicken was more popular than the white-cut chicken.

And perhaps influenced by his Mother's hometown flavors, Gu Zhao had a particular fondness for Sichuan and Hunan cuisine.

Gu Zhao, having traveled to another world, emerged from the forest carrying two portions of food. He saw Xiuniang standing by the large tree at the village entrance, occasionally standing on tiptoe and looking in his direction.

A pure white fox lay on her shoulder, its tail flicking and stirring the girl's hair. It also let out a bored yawn.

The sun was setting behind the village, casting myriad golden rays. They shone through the wisps of cooking smoke rising from the scattered houses and the gaps in the tree branches, illuminating the girl. She was enveloped in an orange halo, like a warm, two-dimensional painting.