Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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“Alright, we can cast the spell at noon tomorrow.” Sa Shoujian finished checking and said, then calculated with his fingers, and laughed loudly, “A good day! Today is the Six Ding Day, come with me!”
He led the two down to a place with bamboo and told them to cut down some bamboo.
Sa Shoujian then said, “I’ll teach you how to make a magic fan.”
Xie Lingya’s eyes lit up.
Although Taoist arts cultivate the mind, many times, ordinary disciples still needed magical tools to assist them. After the Three Treasure Sword of Baoyang Temple was destroyed, it could not be rebuilt, and the temple had no sacred artifacts to protect it.
However, Master Sa possessed a very famous artifact called the Five Brightness Demon-Subduing Fan, which could both subdue demons and heal the sick.
He and Wang Shan each took a piece of bamboo back to use as the fan handle, boiled it in yin-yang water for two hours, then dried it and wove the fan surface with palm fiber.
Then, they recited incantations and used secret methods to create the fan, writing the Jade Emperor’s name on it. As for the front…
Master Sa said to Wang Shan, “I will teach you another talisman, the ‘Good Life Talisman,’ taken from ‘Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life.’ You must remember this talisman as you write it, and take it as your oath to save all living beings from now on, without fail!”
Wang Shan almost trembled, solemnly writing the two characters “Good Life” in cursive script in the middle of the fan. After it was written, a golden light shone from the characters, clearly corresponding to Heaven, the oath was fulfilled, and the magical fan was successfully completed.
Xie Lingya quickly handed his fan to Wang Shan.
Wang Shan: “What are you doing?? Can’t you write it yourself??”
Xie Lingya coughed, “I think yours is better.”
What a joke! This legendary Five Brightness Ghost-Subduing Fan, the oath in the middle only came about because of the Spirit Ancestor. Later generations who imitated it also had to write the oath properly. But, could the later generations write it as well as the original? The Sa Ancestor guided the making, and the Spirit Ancestor inscribed it. This is practically the original!
Wang Shan gave him a disapproving look, but only after Sa Shoujian’s tacit approval did he write it again.
Xie Lingya hugged the fan, feeling like the happiest person in the world.
Sa Shoujian smiled faintly: “Xiao Xie, you must remember, only with good intentions in your heart will this magic fan have miraculous effects.”
Xie Lingya was stunned, then straightened his hands and bowed, replying: “I will follow the Master’s teachings.”
….
In the blink of an eye, it was noon the next day, and Sa Shoujian set up an altar to perform a ritual to pray for clear skies.
Xie Lingya and Wang Shan assisted on either side, while a light drizzle continued to fall, having drizzled all night.
Many people had come to watch, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Even in modern times, let alone ancient times, people struggled greatly with natural disasters like droughts and floods; only now, the suffering was greater, the impact of these disasters more widespread and severe.
Fortunately, there was still the formidable Celestial Master Sa Shoujian, who differed from ordinary Taoist priests. While most Taoist priests would write prayers, begging for divine intervention to avert the flood, Sa Shoujian wrote a document informing Heaven that he would set up an altar and perform a ritual, then personally communicate with Heaven and Earth to alter the celestial phenomena!
“Yang Jing, Yang Jing, flying net of fire wheels. Sunlight shines brightly, sweeping away the dark clouds. Fire train, fire train, the home of thunder. Whip the fierce horse, swiftly descend the crimson clouds. Yang God Zhu Ming, swiftly summon the fire crows. Hasten, hasten, as the law commands!” After Sa Shoujian finished chanting, the dark clouds in the sky seemed to be parted by an invisible hand, quickly dispersing to reveal a clear sky. The sun shone brightly, and in an instant, the weather changed dramatically, warming people’s bodies and evaporating all the dampness from the rain.
The people cheered and many brought gifts. Sa Shoujian was surrounded, so they stuffed them into the hands of Wang Shan and Xie Lingya. These two were protectors of Sa Shoujian, so in everyone’s eyes, they had also helped.
Wang Shan was forced to eat a handful of vegetables and eggs, and his body stiffened.
He hadn’t interacted with humans for many years, always sitting high on his altar. Things like these were never even allowed on his altar before. People knelt before his statue, praying for his blessings, and when giving thanks, they knelt with profuse gratitude.
Now, surrounded by a crowd of people thanking him, Wang Shan was bewildered, a little embarrassed, and felt a bit indescribable. “This, this… I don’t want this…”
In contrast, Xie Lingya was more composed. He just tugged at Wang Shan’s sleeve, “Run!!”
Wang Shan: “…”
The two took off running, and as they passed a nearby chair, Xie Lingya casually hoisted Da Bao and Xiao Bao onto his shoulders.
“Master Sa should be able to handle it, he’s very knowledgeable,” Wang Shan muttered.
“It’s alright. We’ll take a couple of laps back, and it should be fine,” Xie Lingya said.
Wang Shan looked at Xie Lingya and suddenly said, “You little rascal, you’re quite annoying at first glance, but you seem alright after a while.”
Xie Lingya replied, “It’s your own mindset that has changed, isn’t it? Look at you now, you find those mortals much more agreeable.”
Wang Shan was taken aback, but didn’t refute him.
When they returned, Sa Shoujian, having finished dealing with the people, was utterly exhausted, and his clothes were disheveled, even more disheveled than after performing a three-day, three-night ritual. Seeing them, he said resentfully, “Where did you all go? Wang Shan, what happened to the promised protection?”
Wang Shan: “…”
Sa Shoujian took a sip of water and said, “Xiao Xie, come here, let me try to cast the spell again to send you back.”
“Back? Back where? Why cast a spell?” Wang Shan was baffled. “Who exactly is he?”
Sa Shoujian glanced at Xie Lingya and said, “I think he must have a close relationship with us…”
Wang Shan was completely confused; he still didn’t understand what “close relationship” meant.
Upon hearing this, Xie Lingya quickly kowtowed to Sa Shoujian and Wang Shan, saying, “This junior thanks you two True Lords for your teachings these past few days. When I return, I will certainly carry forward your spirit of subduing demons and saving the world.”
Sa Shoujian smiled with satisfaction and nodded, saying, “Come on!”
Wang Shan was startled and reached out to pull Xie Lingya, who was about to step onto the altar, saying, “Something doesn’t sound right to me. Aren’t you Sa Zhenren’s son from before he became a monk…?”
Before Xie Lingya could even have a moment of exasperation, he stepped on the rain-soaked moss, and with his arms holding the children, he lost his balance and fell.
“Wah wah!” Here Da Bao and Xiao Bao waved their hands, grabbing Wang Shan’s hair and clothes.
“Ah—” Wang Shan screamed and fell down as well.
Xie Lingya only had time to instinctively shield Da Bao and Xiao Bao with his body. The last thing he saw was Sa Shoujian’s speechless face and Wang Shan’s terrified expression. Then he felt Wang Shan’s heavy body crash down on him, and everything went black before he lost consciousness.
“Ah! Master, you must have done it on purpose! You delivered them at the wrong time!”
“Ugh, a mistake, really a mistake.”
“How could it have taken so long? You should have just sent him to see how the Five Brightness Ghost-Subduing Fan is made!”
“Sigh, you know how embarrassing it was back then, and you were afraid others would see it.”
“…………It’s my birthday today!!”
….
“Lingya, Lingya?”
A familiar voice rang in his ears. Xie Lingya struggled to open his eyes. “Senior brother?”
Shi Changxuan helped him up and said, “You’ve been unconscious for half an hour, and we couldn’t wake you up. Are you alright?”
“I, I’m fine. I think I had a very long dream…” Xie Lingya rubbed his head vigorously. Everything in the dream seemed veiled, except for the method of making the magic fan, which was still very clear.
In his half-awake state, he seemed to hear Ancestor Sa and Ancestor Ling talking, but it was all a bit blurry.
Was it all just a dream, or had he really returned to the late Northern Song Dynasty? Or perhaps, was it another world?
Xie Lingya rummaged through his clothes and found that he indeed didn’t have Sa Zu’s calligraphy or the inscription “Five Bright Ghosts Mountain” personally written by Ling Zu. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss. But no matter what, he had to thank Sa Zu for his teachings. He would always remember Sa Zu’s teachings: to follow the laws of the innate Dao, to command his primordial spirit, to have a kind heart, and to save all living beings.
Of course, Ling Zu’s dark history was also really funny…
Shi Changxuan touched Xie Lingya’s face and, seeing his dazed look, asked softly, “I’ll go call Hai Guanchao.”
“No need.” Xie Lingya held his hand. “I’m fine. Hey, where are Da Bao and Xiao Bao?”
“They’re unconscious too.” Shi Changxuan led him to see them. Da Bao and Xiao Bao were sleeping head to head on the sofa bed. He asked, “What happened to you…?”
“I think I had the same dream as them.” Xie Lingya smiled. Seeing Da Bao’s clenched fist, he had a sudden thought and gently pried open his little fist, revealing a tuft of bright red hair inside.
Shi Changxuan asked with a hint of doubt, “What is this?”
“Well…” Xie Lingya realized this was a bit difficult to answer, and stammered, “Well… just… keep it as a statue…”
Shi Changxuan: “???”
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