The methods of drawing talismans are countless. Some require hand seals and visualizations of deities to guide the brush, while others involve stepping on celestial patterns while chanting incantations.
There are also simple, even hasty, ways of drawing talismans in folk traditions.
Talismans are a specialty of Daoist priests of the Zhengyi school. At this moment, Ji Xiang chanted divine incantations, channeled his spiritual energy, and guided the incense smoke to imbue the various yellow talismans. They gradually twisted, imbuing these talismans with the divine power of incense. Writing and reciting this incantation could ward off ten directions of water and fire calamities.
"The Great Yin gives birth, the essence of water's flow.
The celestial bodies of Xu and Wei align, the tortoise and serpent merge their forms."
"Traversing the six directions, aweing all spirits.
No darkness unobserved, no wish unfulfilled."
"..."
The Daoist Divine Incantation - You Sheng Mantra!
You Sheng refers to You Sheng Zhenjun, also known as Zhenwu the Great before his elevation. He is one of the Four Heavenly Lords of the North Pole. The Four Heavenly Lords originated in the Sui and Tang dynasties and flourished in the Song dynasty. By the Ming dynasty, Zhenwu the Great was bestowed the title of a great deity protecting the nation by Emperor Chengzu, leading to a significant rise in his status and the great prosperity of Wudang Mountain.
As a young Daoist from Wudang Mountain in his previous life, Ji Xiang knew the divine mantra of You Sheng Zhenjun by heart. Moreover, within the imperial palace, there were also statues of Zhenwu the Great for worship. Although they had been moved out of Longde Hall, they were not abandoned, merely relocated. The fact that Daoists from Wudang Mountain still worked in Longde Hall illustrated this point.
Talismans were plastered on doors and windows, and incense smoke filled Longde Hall. Ji Xiang sat down, placing his spiritual sword horizontally across his knees. This sword was named "Taiyi Sanyuan Sword." While it sounded formidable, it was actually the standard equipment for a Dharma Master of the lowest tier in the Dong Shen section of the Three Caverns.
The power of a Dharma sword depended on the practitioner's own nurturing. Ji Xiang's Taiyi Sanyuan Sword had very low power because his predecessor had not nurtured it. This sword was obtained from another branch of Wudang Mountain by his slovenly master when he came to the capital to report.
Therefore, since it lacked power, he had to find a way to imbue it with power himself.
Ji Xiang summoned another yellow talisman, calmed his spirit, and began chanting the divine mantra again, stirring up the incense smoke.
Time gradually passed.
The fifty years of incense smoke obtained from the fire monster Zheng Da was almost depleted.
The divine incantation characters burned onto the yellow talismans by the incense smoke. Following Ji Xiang's gesture, these yellow talismans, carrying the incense smoke, transformed into whirlwinds and adhered themselves to the Taiyi Sanyuan Sword, wrapping the entire sword securely!
The Yue Bei Mantra!
"The comet's might shakes the nine heavens.
The divine sword strikes, demons perish in the underworld."
"By imperial decree, linger not."
This mantra amplifies misfortune when facing misfortune and amplifies good fortune when facing good fortune. This allows one to further expand their advantage when in a dominant position.
Advantage is a subtle thing. For instance, if a fire god were to stumble upon entering, Ji Xiang would seize that advantage. He might believe that a mere stumble would be inconsequential, but this Yue Bei Mantra could capitalize on his weakness and claim his life.
"Although it's not a major mantra, it's fierce enough. And now that I am a deity of incense, sustained by Qi and not by death, how much fiercer can it be? I am not afraid of backlash. As long as this fire god takes one step inside, the advantage will be mine."
Ji Xiang made preparations for both eventualities and did not stop. He retrieved several wooden boards from behind the statues of the Three Pure Ones, channeled his spiritual energy with his finger, and carved characters onto them. He then hung them on the surrounding walls. These were called the Five Thunder Tablets.
He then picked up a string of prayer beads. In Daoism, prayer beads are not called prayer beads but "flowing beads."
The power is divided by the number of beads. Ji Xiang's flowing beads had the fewest, only twelve, representing the twelve Thunder Gates.
He also took out three Dharma artifacts: the Zhen Tan Mu on the left, the San Qing Ling on the right, and the Tian Peng Chi in the center.
After completing all this, it was past the hour of Wei (1 PM - 3 PM).
Having spent considerable time, while it was exhilarating to fling talismans with a sweep of the hand, as if being wealthy and generous, the creation of talismans was very time-consuming. Talismans with immense power could take days or months to create, though this naturally depended on the practitioner's own cultivation.
The next step was to wait. Ji Xiang needed to accumulate spiritual energy to unleash a powerful attack the moment his opponent arrived.
Ji Xiang stared at the incense burner before him:
"I offered you three sticks of incense, and yet you killed me. This is repaying kindness with enmity. How could I not return to seek revenge? I must ask for three more sticks of incense from you."
"Three sticks of incense, one life."
...
Zhu Changluo had returned to his residence in Jingyang Palace.
Jingyang Palace was located in the northeastern part of the Eastern Six Palaces, corresponding to the Gen position in the Bagua, which signifies "its way is bright."
"Jingyang" means to admire brightness.
However, this palace was now a veritable cold palace. Zhu Changluo's birth mother, Consort Wang Gong, resided here, suffering from illness and depression. Emperor Wanli never provided any care or visits to the mother and son in this palace.
Before Zhu Changluo, incense smoke curled upwards from a burner. Beside him, the eunuch previously sent by Consort Zheng to monitor him stood dazed and foolish, as if mentally impaired.
A figure in a red robe sat opposite Zhu Changluo.
"That young Daoist from Wudang Mountain, I had confirmed it. His cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, having just cleared his Qi sea and circulated it throughout his body, without even manifesting the Saint Embryo. How could he have survived being burned by the incense curse of the incense spirit in Longde Hall?"
"When Chi Zhi Tongzi informed me, I truly could not believe it."
Zhu Changluo sneered, looking at the figure in the red robe with great dissatisfaction.
"You righteous deities, you keep telling me to rest assured, and you did show me astonishing power at first. But I have been worshipping you, and yet you have not accomplished anything for me."
"Last year, the two fires did not harm the Emperor or Consort Zheng. You also said everything was handled then, and now something has gone wrong again."
The figure in the red robe retorted, "Last year's fire that burned Qianqing and Kunning Palaces, your father the Emperor was inexplicably saved because he was wearing a talisman from Zhang Jiugong of Longhu Mountain and escaped to Yangxin Hall."
"That young immortal is the son of the current True Master Zhang of Longhu Mountain. He was born with spiritual awareness and possesses great abilities. Our illusionary techniques were naturally ineffective. Under the imperial authority, we could not use magic to kill your father. This matter is not our fault."
Zhu Changluo's expression turned grim. Gloomily, he folded his sleeves and chided the figure in the red robe angrily.
"Do not call him my father. Call him Wanli, as he is about to die... All I want now is for him to die."
"Your Fire Lord, who boasted of his heavenly might, could not even deal with the son of True Master Zhang. He is just a child. No matter how much you brag, how powerful can he be?"
"She made such grand promises when she offered me!"
The figure in the red robe said, "You do not understand this, and you are truly wronged."
"Longhu Mountain commands all Daoist sects in the realm, but only Wudang is not subject to its control... The people of Longhu Mountain walk with their heads held high wherever they go. Do you know that besides the imperial family, there are the three noble families: the Kong family of Shandong, the Zhang family of Jiangxi, and the Zhu family of Fengyang? These three families are temporarily untouchable."
"Actually, it is because our influence near the capital is not strong enough. After last year's failed attack, we frequently set fires within the palace, and it has yielded results recently."
"Emperor Wanli repaired the Fire God Temple outside the city, and we these beings finally had stable roots. The Fire God Temple was indeed built on a grand scale. The larger the temple, the more incense smoke it can provide us."
Zhu Changluo covered his head and sighed with annoyance. "The repair of the Fire God Temple was indeed done well. However, this time, the Emperor even wants to move the statue of Zhenwu the Great back to Longde Hall to prevent fires. This will not do."
The figure in the red robe smiled. "Your Highness need not worry. Starting tonight, the fires will erupt in the front three palaces and back three halls; none will escape. As long as Emperor Wanli remains within the imperial palace, these fires will surely reach him."
"The 'Unmanifest Karma Fire' will be born from this great conflagration."
"You carry the incense smoke I gave you, and those fire spirits dare not approach you. All you need to do is enter the fire scene and rescue the corpse of the deceased Emperor Wanli. As for Consort Zheng, I have already dispatched the fire gods to deal with her; she cannot survive."
"When the ministers see that it was you who saved the Emperor's body, you will naturally ascend to the throne without any opposition. Then, as agreed, you will personally perform the sacrifice in Longde Hall, placing the statue of our Fire Lord there, and clearing out the Three Pure Ones and Zhenwu."
Zhu Changluo looked at him. "And that Daoist?"
The figure in the red robe grinned. "I will personally go and kill him tonight. I will ensure he does not live."