Chapter 9: Five Thunders Talisman

Young people love to show off and are often self-centered; when Elder Hui Bin was young, he even learned a bit of Tai Chi and went to a martial arts hall to challenge it, only to be suppressed by the other side in the end.

He is only in his thirties now, so he naturally understands the psychology of young people pretending to be cool; it is rare to meet one today, and he feels it is quite interesting.

"Junior Brother, did you encounter something dirty?" Elder Hui Bin asked playfully.

"Hmm?" Gu Zhao suddenly looked at Elder Hui Bin, feeling quite shocked in his heart; could there be demons and ghosts in the modern world? Is there actually an underground world in today's society?

But seeing the smile in Elder Hui Bin's eyes, he realized he had misunderstood; not only had he misunderstood Elder Hui Bin, but Elder Hui Bin had also misunderstood him.

He didn't expect this Daoist Priest to have such a good personality, even acting to cooperate with him.

Gu Zhao found it amusing in his heart, so he spoke the truth again, and said it very seriously, "Yesterday I encountered a female ghost; although I destroyed her, I am afraid I might meet someone even more powerful, so I want to draw some Five Thunders Talismans to prepare."

The onlooking tourists went, "Oh—"

Some with quick wits began looking around for cameras, wondering if they were filming a Duan Zi.

Those with even quicker wits had already taken out their phones and opened the video app, ready to record.

Elder Hui Bin also smiled, but at the same time felt a bit disappointed, thinking he was still young; he had laid everything out so clearly, leaving no suspense, and it sounded fake as soon as one heard it, too clichéd.

Even if you said someone used Evil Arts to prick a doll to harm you, and you wanted to use the Thunder Method to counter it, that would be more credible than meeting a female ghost!

If there really were a female ghost, would it be your turn?

The unmarried Daoist Priests from the various mountain gates would be howling and rushing up, wouldn't they!

Since Gu Zhao had laid everything out, Elder Hui Bin lost interest in acting anymore; however, the other party was at least a young person interested in the Daoist path, and some yellow paper and cinnabar were not particularly precious items.

"I see, then we need to prepare some talisman paper; wait a moment, I will go get some for you." Elder Hui Bin smiled, then turned and left.

Gu Zhao's eyes lit up; he clasped his hands in a bow and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Although the other party obviously did not believe his words, as long as they sold him cinnabar and yellow paper, he was a good Daoist Priest.

The staff member looked at Gu Zhao as if looking at a liar, but since Daoist Priest Elder Hui Bin had spoken, he naturally would not say anything.

The young man snorted, "Pretending," but when his girlfriend beside him tugged his sleeve, he stopped paying attention to Gu Zhao and accompanied his girlfriend to choose talismans.

However, that Miss Shuo Guo Young Lady cheerfully started a conversation with Gu Zhao, "What does a Five Thunders Talisman look like? Which are the Five Thunders?"

Gu Zhao turned around and realized she was not alone; standing beside her was a tall-legged Young Lady with long hair cascading over her shoulders, her expression somewhat shy yet unable to hide her amusement, but she also looked quite curious.

"There are different sayings about the Five Thunders, with several ways to classify them."

The Miss Shuo Guo Young Lady was cheerful and bright, while the tall-legged Young Lady was gentle and beautiful; Gu Zhao was willing to explain, "One says Heavenly Spirit, Dragon, Water, and Society; another says Wind, Fire, Mountain, Water, and Earth; and there is also Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, but all changes do not leave the root; all correspond to the Five Directions, Five Elements, Five Organs, and Five Qi."

The Miss Shuo Guo Young Lady nodded in confusion, not quite understanding.

Seeing Gu Zhao bluff the Miss Shuo Guo Young Lady, the young man went "Tch," "You just memorized some concepts and came out to pretend to be cool; Five Thunders Talisman? If you have the ability, demonstrate the Five Thunders Method!"

The Miss Shuo Guo Young Lady turned back and glared at him, retorting sharply, "I am talking to him; what does it have to do with you?"

People willing to speak in public are not the type to indulge others.

The young man pouted, glanced at the two women, a flash of jealousy passing through his eyes, but in the end, he said nothing more.

Mocking Gu Zhao was one thing, but arguing with a beautiful woman was another matter entirely.

Just then, Daoist Priest Elder Hui Bin returned, holding a stack of yellow paper and a small bottle of cinnabar ink in his hand, along with a new brush.

It had been relatively quiet here just now, so he had heard Gu Zhao's explanation from afar; now approaching, he asked with a smile, "Then which Five Thunders are in Junior Brother's Five Thunders Talisman?"

Gu Zhao replied, "It is Heavenly Spirit, Dragon, Water, and Society."

Elder Hui Bin nodded, "The Jade Pivot Five Thunders Method."

The surrounding tourists looked at Gu Zhao, then at Elder Hui Bin; even if they thought Gu Zhao was pretending, the fact that he could chat with a Daoist Priest from the Yuan Fa Palace without showing fear ultimately proved he had some skills.

Elder Hui Bin handed the items in his hand to Gu Zhao, "This is cinnabar and yellow paper; I will also give you a brush."

"Thank you! Thank you!" Gu Zhao hurriedly expressed his gratitude and accepted them, "Um, the cost..."

"I am giving them all to you; no need to be polite." Elder Hui Bin waved his hand, then smiled, "If Junior Brother feels uneasy, could you leave a Five Thunders Talisman for Senior Brother?"

Since the other party came here to pretend and even spoke of drawing a Five Thunders Talisman, he must have practiced privately for a long time and perhaps even prepared to draw a talisman on the spot; Elder Hui Bin did not mind fulfilling the other party's small wish.

"Of course!" Gu Zhao immediately agreed.

Every time he went home for the New Year, he would review what he had learned in previous years and even draw some peach talismans for blessings to hang on the door; the Five Thunders Talisman is a classic talisman of the Daoist path, and Gu Zhao was very familiar with it.

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

Elder Hui Bin kindly asked, "Right here, or shall we go to the quiet room behind?"

"Right here! Right here!" The surrounding tourists clamored in unison.

"Then let's do it right here." Gu Zhao was indifferent; after all, his Five Thunders Talisman drawing skills were superb, and he was sure he wouldn't fail.

Immediately, the staff member cleared the counter to make space for Gu Zhao and even gave up his own chair.

"No need." Gu Zhao waved his hand to refuse and said seriously, "Although the talisman paper is not large, drawing talismans is not like writing; it requires strength to flow through the whole body and Qi to circulate up and down, so it is not suitable to do while sitting."

The onlookers wore expressions of "You look so professional," while only Elder Hui Bin's face turned slightly red, because the Daoist Priests of the Yuan Fa Palace all sit when drawing talismans.

Seeing Gu Zhao pour a little cinnabar ink into the bottle cap and pick up the new brush, the onlookers were full of anticipation, but the tall-legged Young Lady beside them suddenly spoke up, "Don't you need to open the brush?"

Gu Zhao raised an eyebrow, and Elder Hui Bin also looked at the tall-legged Young Lady in surprise, nodding with a smile, "I was negligent."

While speaking, he walked into the adjacent Scripture Pavilion and soon came out holding a brush, which he handed to Gu Zhao.

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

The tourists gathered around the counter of the Dharma Goods Distribution Office again, all wanting to witness the process of the Five Thunders Talisman being drawn.

Gu Zhao did not disappoint everyone; he dipped the brush lightly into the cinnabar ink, then let it dance like a dragon and snake across the yellow paper.

First, he drew the Eastern Heavenly Thunder, making nine dots with the brush; then he turned to the Southern Divine Thunder, making three dots; next, he turned to the Central Society Thunder, making one dot; then he turned to the Western Dragon Thunder, making seven dots; finally, he turned to the Northern Water Thunder, finishing with five dots.

Using the brushwork of the Five Elements generating each other, he finished drawing the Thunder characters of the Five Directions, then connected them with cinnabar, and finally dragged the brush down to form a graphic-style character 【Chi】 at the bottom.

When drawing the final stroke, Gu Zhao's expression changed; he simply couldn't hold back, and his magic power flowed naturally, penetrating the tip of the brush.

"Swish!"