Five Thunder Talisman

Young people loved showing off and tended to make everything about themselves. When Hui Bin had been young, he had learned a couple of Tai Chi moves and gone to challenge a martial arts gym, only to be suppressed with a backhanded move.

He was only in his thirties now, so of course he understood the show-off mentality of youngsters. It was rare to encounter one today, and he found it rather amusing.

"Did Martial Brother encounter something unclean?" Hui Bin asked playfully.

"Hm?" Gu Zhao abruptly looked at Hui Bin, his heart filled with shock. Could demons and ghosts exist in the modern world too? Was there actually an underground world hidden beneath modern society?

But when he saw the amusement in Hui Bin's eyes, he knew he had misunderstood. Not only had he misunderstood Hui Bin, Hui Bin had misunderstood him as well.

He had not expected this Daoist to have such a good personality. He was actually playing along with him.

Gu Zhao found it amusing, so he told the truth again, his expression utterly serious. "Yesterday, I ran into a Female Ghost. Although I destroyed her, I'm afraid I might encounter something even more powerful, so I want to draw some Five Thunder Talismans and prepare myself."

The surrounding tourists went, "Oh—"

Some quick-witted ones began looking around for cameras, wondering whether someone was filming a skit.

Those even quicker on the uptake had already pulled out their phones and opened their cameras to record.

Hui Bin smiled as well, though he was also somewhat disappointed. Still young. He spilled everything in one go. Not only was there no suspense, it sounded fake the moment you heard it. What a tired routine.

You could at least say someone had used sinister magic to prick a doll and curse you, and that you needed thunder magic to fight back. That would be more believable than running into a Female Ghost!

If there really were Female Ghosts, would it ever be your turn?

The unmarried Daoist brothers from every mountain sect would be howling as they charged forward!

Since Gu Zhao had laid everything bare, Hui Bin lost interest in continuing the act. Still, the other party was, at the very least, a young man interested in the Daoist path. A few sheets of yellow paper and some cinnabar were not particularly valuable.

"I see. Then you'll need some talisman paper. Wait here a moment; I'll get some for you." Hui Bin smiled, then turned and left.

Gu Zhao's eyes lit up. He cupped his hands in salute. "Thank you, Martial Brother!"

Although the man clearly did not believe him, as long as he was willing to sell him cinnabar and yellow paper, he was a good Daoist.

The staff member looked at Gu Zhao as though he were looking at a con man, but since Daoist Priest Hui Bin had spoken, he naturally said nothing.

The young man snorted, "Putting on airs," but his girlfriend tugged at him, and he stopped paying attention to Gu Zhao, accompanying her as she chose talismans instead.

Miss Shuoguo, however, cheerfully struck up a conversation with Gu Zhao. "What does a Five Thunder Talisman look like? And which five thunders are they?"

Gu Zhao turned around and realized she was not alone. Long-legged Miss stood beside her, her beautiful hair cascading over her shoulders. Her expression was somewhat shy and somewhat on the verge of laughter, though she too looked quite curious.

"There are different explanations for the Five Thunders, with several ways of dividing them."

Miss Shuoguo was bright and forthright, while Long-legged Miss was gentle and beautiful, so Gu Zhao was willing to explain. "One says Heavenly, Divine, Dragon, Water, and Earth Thunders; another says wind, fire, mountain, water, and earth; and there are also metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. But though they change ten thousand times, they never stray from their root—they all correspond to the five directions, Five Elements, Five Viscera, and Five Qi."

Miss Shuoguo nodded blankly. She did not quite understand.

Seeing Gu Zhao bluff Miss Shuoguo, the young man could not help but sneer. "You memorized a few concepts and came out here to show off. Five Thunder Talisman? If you've got the skill, why don't you perform some thunder magic?"

Miss Shuoguo turned back and shot him a glare, snapping, "I'm talking to him. What business is it of yours?"

Anyone willing to speak up in public was not the type to indulge others.

The young man curled his lip and glanced at the two women. A flicker of jealousy passed through his eyes, but in the end, he did not say anything more.

Mocking Gu Zhao was one thing; arguing with a beautiful woman was another.

Just then, Daoist Priest Hui Bin returned, carrying a stack of yellow paper, a small bottle of cinnabar ink, and a new brush.

It had been rather quiet here just now, and he had heard Gu Zhao's explanation from afar. As he approached, he smiled and asked, "Then which five thunders are in Martial Brother's Five Thunder Talisman?"

Gu Zhao replied, "Heavenly, Divine, Dragon, Water, and Earth Thunders."

Hui Bin nodded. "The Jade Pivot Five Thunder Method."

The surrounding tourists looked at Gu Zhao, then at Hui Bin. Even if they thought Gu Zhao was putting on a show, the fact that he could chat with a Daoist from Yuanfa Palace without showing any timidity proved that he had some real skill.

Hui Bin handed the items to Gu Zhao. "Here are the cinnabar and yellow paper. I'll give you a brush as well."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Gu Zhao hurriedly accepted them. "Um, the cost..."

"They're all for you. No need to be polite." Hui Bin waved a hand, then smiled. "If Martial Brother feels bad about it, could you leave your Martial Brother one Five Thunder Talisman?"

Since the other party had come here to show off and could even say he wanted to draw Five Thunder Talismans, he had likely practiced for a long time in private. Perhaps he had even prepared to draw talismans on the spot. Hui Bin did not mind granting him this small wish.

"Of course!" Gu Zhao immediately agreed.

Every time he returned home for the New Year, he reviewed what he had learned in previous years and drew some peachwood talismans for blessings to hang at the doorway. Five Thunder Talismans were classic Daoist talismans, and Gu Zhao knew them like the back of his hand.

Seeing Gu Zhao agree, even more tourists gathered around to watch the excitement.

Hui Bin even thoughtfully asked, "Here, or in the quiet room in the back?"

"Here! Here!" the surrounding tourists all clamored.

"Then here it is." Gu Zhao did not mind. His Five Thunder Talismans were slick as could be; there was no way he would embarrass himself.

The staff member immediately cleared off the counter, making space for Gu Zhao and even offering up his own chair.

"No need." Gu Zhao waved him off, his expression solemn. "Although talisman paper is not large, drawing talismans is unlike writing. Strength must course through the entire body and qi must flow above and below, so it is not suitable to sit."

The onlookers all wore expressions of, You sound so professional, while only Hui Bin's face reddened slightly, because the Daoists of Yuanfa Palace all drew talismans while sitting down.

When Gu Zhao poured a little cinnabar ink into the bottle cap and picked up the new brush, the onlookers were all filled with anticipation. But Long-legged Miss suddenly spoke up. "Don't you need to prepare the brush?"

Gu Zhao raised an eyebrow. Hui Bin also gave Long-legged Miss a surprised look, then nodded with a smile. "That was my oversight."

As he spoke, he walked into the scripture repository beside them. Before long, he came back out carrying a brush and handed it to Gu Zhao.

Gu Zhao took the brush and gave it a light shake, discovering that it had just been moistened and was perfectly suited for writing.

The tourists gathered around the counter of the ritual goods shop once more, all wanting to witness the process of a Five Thunder Talisman being drawn.

Gu Zhao did not disappoint them. He lightly dipped the brush into the cinnabar ink, then let it dance across the yellow paper like a dragon flying and a phoenix soaring.

He first drew the Eastern Heavenly Thunder, placing nine dots. Next, he turned to the Southern Divine Thunder and placed three dots. Then he turned to the Central Earth Thunder and placed one dot. After that, he turned to the Western Dragon Thunder and placed seven dots. Finally, he turned to the Northern Water Thunder, ending with five dots.

Using brushwork in which the Five Elements generated one another, he completed the thunder script of the five directions, then connected them with cinnabar. At last, he dragged the stroke all the way down, forming beneath it a diagram-like [Edict] character.

As he reached the final stroke, Gu Zhao's expression changed. He truly could not hold it back any longer; Mana moved on its own, Spiritual Light piercing through the tip of the brush.

Whoosh!