Chapter 56: Chapter Fifty-Six: Yi Hong Daochang

Yi Guan Daochang and Yi Hong Daochang stared at each other in silence.

Although Su Lei had no intention of disrespecting them, her words implicitly still doubted the existence of true qi, talismans, and Aperture Opening.

But they did not mind—this was not something ordinary people could ever encounter; Yi Guan Daochang had cultivated for decades without ever generating internal true qi, which was why he had invited Yi Hong Daochang to perform qi circulation for Xiao Yanhua.

So it was natural for Su Lei to disbelieve, and if Xiao Ya had indeed been deceived, their generation as elders bore some responsibility—after all, Xiao Ya’s deep faith in Daoists and Daoism stemmed entirely from their own words and example.

Yi Guan Daochang asked, “Can you describe it in detail?”

Su Lei then relayed Xiao Ya’s account: she described the events of that day and added, “Xiao Ya said this shouldn’t have been told to us, but Grandpa insisted on hanging the talisman in his study, so she had no choice but to reveal the truth.”

Yi Guan Daochang looked at Xiao Yanhua. “And then? Did you agree?”

“Of course I agreed,” Xiao Yanhua chuckled bitterly. “This was the first time Xiao Ya stood so firmly on her own. How could I refuse her good intentions?”

“But Xiao Ya asks about your condition every few days. Once she saw improvement, she became convinced it was due to that Peace Talisman,” Su Lei said gently. “That’s how I noticed something was off with Xiao Ya.”

“What was the young man like?” Yi Guan Daochang asked next.

“They’ve only met three times!” Su Lei emphasized. “He saved her once, delivered the talisman once—I don’t even know what he told her to have so captivated her. Xiao Ya has always been a well-behaved girl.”

“Where is Xiao Ya?” Yi Guan Daochang asked.

“She’s traveling with Shishi. Shishi is her college classmate and best friend,” Su Lei said. “She’s been exhausted from touring with the folk music ensemble, so they went out to clear her mind.”

Yi Guan Daochang turned to Yi Hong Daochang.

Yi Hong Daochang shook his head. “I went to Qingcheng Mountain, but I never met Daoist Yan Song. Still, the Qingcheng Mountain Daoist temple wouldn’t act recklessly.”

Su Lei sighed, looking at Yi Guan Daochang. “When Xiao Ya returns, please help me persuade her—expose that fraud’s tricks, don’t let her be deceived. After all, you’re a senior of the Daoist path; even that fraud would have to kowtow to you.”

Yi Guan Daochang said nothing in reply, but still said, “I’ll talk to her.”

Yi Hong Daochang seemed to remember something. “The talisman the young man drew—may I see it?”

“It’s under my pillow,” Xiao Yanhua told Su Lei. “Go get it and show it to Brother Yi Hong.”

After giving the order, Xiao Yanhua turned to Yi Hong Daochang. “The protective talisman was drawn quite well, but I don’t recognize the pattern.”

Yi Hong Daochang nodded and smiled. “On my trip to Yangcheng, I saw another talisman—said to be drawn by a young man as well. But that one was no ordinary talisman.”

“What made it extraordinary?” Yi Guan Daochang asked.

Before Yi Hong Daochang could answer, Su Lei arrived with a yellow paper talisman folded into a triangle and handed it to him. “I checked—it’s just ordinary yellow paper and cinnabar. Probably worth no more than a few…”

“Hmm?”

The moment Yi Hong Daochang took the talisman, his expression changed instantly.

When Su Lei first brought it in, he felt nothing. But the instant he held the yellow talisman, he sensed a faint layer of spiritual energy clinging to its surface.

The spiritual energy was extremely limited—less than a foot in radius—and vanished completely beyond that, which explained why he had noticed nothing earlier.

“Highly refined… This is…” Yi Hong Daochang unfolded the talisman and saw the inscribed runes.

Though he did not recognize the specific talisman, he knew with certainty, his voice low and grave: “This is a genuinely Aperture-Opened spiritual talisman—with spiritual energy so internally contained, its efficacy lasts far longer than ordinary Aperture-Opened talismans!”

“What?” Yi Guan Daochang was stunned.

“The one who drew this talisman is a true high Daoist of the Complete Reality!” Yi Hong Daochang exclaimed, turning to Xiao Yanhua. “Brother Xiao, your health improved within the past month?”

Xiao Yanhua felt a wave of disbelief surge within him. “Yes.”

“This talisman was brought back by your granddaughter exactly one month ago?”

Xiao Yanhua nodded again. “Yes.”

Yi Hong Daochang sighed in awe, raising the yellow talisman. “Then you must truly thank your granddaughter for bringing you a genuine spiritual talisman. Your recovery has nothing to do with rest or sunbathing—it is entirely due to this talisman’s power.”

“What?” Su Lei’s face was filled with disbelief.

Yi Hong Daochang refolded the talisman and returned it to Xiao Yanhua. “Put it in a sachet and wear it around your neck—it will be far more effective than keeping it under your pillow.”

Xiao Yanhua took the talisman, his voice trembling slightly. “This… could it be…”

Su Lei refused to believe it, but Xiao Yanhua and Yi Guan Daochang were close friends, and she knew Yi Hong Daochang possessed real abilities—though she herself was not of the Daoist path and had never experienced anything like this before.

Yi Hong Daochang turned serious, addressing both Xiao Yanhua and Su Lei: “That young man is no fraud—he’s stronger than I am. I could never create a protective talisman with spiritual energy this internally contained.”

Yi Guan Daochang was stunned again. “Stronger than you?”

Yi Hong Daochang nodded, sighing. “On this journey, I met many high-level cultivators—and several young ones stood out remarkably. It shows our nation’s fortune is flourishing.”

…

Yangcheng, hotel.

“Did you really argue with your mom?”

“Mm.”

“Are you really staying in Yangcheng with me?”

“Mm.”

Jiang Shishi’s expression was complex. “My dad doesn’t care, my mom doesn’t love me—I can go anywhere. But you have so many obligations. I can’t stay in the Yan Capital Folk Music Ensemble, but if you want to stay, all it takes is one word from your mom.”

Xiao Ya nodded. “We promised we’d always be together.”

Jiang Shishi laughed bitterly. “Let’s be honest—I’m here for Gu Zhao. Are you here to accompany me… or to compete with me?”

“There are so many pursuing you in the folk music ensemble—many of them outstanding,” Xiao Ya bit her lip. “You’ve only met Gu Zhao three times—why did you chase him all the way to Yangcheng?”

“Because he gives me security,” Jiang Shishi’s eyes sparkled. “He’s handsome, kind-hearted, emotionally stable, protects people when it matters, never lets you down—treasure boys like him are rare. If you find one, you grab him.”

Xiao Ya murmured, “And he has extraordinary abilities—unlike anyone else.”

“Looks like you’ve thought about this too,” Jiang Shishi smirked, half-warning, half-pleading. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you—you told your mom you were traveling with me. If you don’t go back, be ready for her to come after you.”

“Let her come. At least I’ve got you,” Xiao Ya glanced at Jiang Shishi. “Besides… you told me back then to team up with you, to… absorb…”

“Aaaah!” Jiang Shishi completely broke down, tackling Xiao Ya. “You’re always so quiet and demure—you’re the real tomboy! I was just joking with you!”

Xiao Ya giggled. “I took you seriously. We swore—we’re sisters for life, never apart.”

…

Neighborhood, bedroom.

Gu Zhao lay in bed, torn between Jiang Shishi and Xiao Ya, and asked Yan Song Daochang, “Why did I gain another wave of dark energy? Did you go out hunting?”