Chapter 61: All Things Unify, the Mystic Mirror Treasured Scroll

Yujing City, Zijin Mountain.

Amid the mountain’s emerald verdure, a canopy of splendor rises; faint incense smoke pierces the heavens—should a virtuous family dwell here, their blessings must gather from all ten directions.

The Shen family’s residence resembled a Daoist temple more than a villa or estate: eaves jutted sharply upward, ancient and unadorned; upon entering the gate, an incense burner stood upright, its smoke never ceasing.

“Sister, believe me… I really saw it last night…”

In the vegetarian hall, Shen Xiangdong recalled what he had witnessed last night at Yangshan Park in the university district: following a woman with long hair, clad in plain robes that hung loosely yet still revealed her graceful figure with every movement.

“That monster…”

Shen Xiangdong could not forget that eerie figure, wreathed in chilling black qi, eyes blazing with luminous white light; though he could not make out its features, it was undoubtedly a human…

“Little brother, have you gone mad?”

At that moment, Shen Qingli paused her actions, turned around, and her exquisite, delicate face glowed softly in the candlelight.

“True Daoist fire must stem from orthodox Daoist lineage… yet according to your account, that man’s cultivation method must belong to a heterodox branch—seemingly orthodox but not quite evil…”

“Moreover, the external manifestation he displayed—I’ve never even heard of it.”

Shen Qingli shook her head, raised her hand, and snapped her fingers against Shen Xiangdong’s forehead—a dull thud left a red mark.

“Damn… Sister, that hurts! You used the Lion Seal to snap me?” Shen Xiangdong clutched his head, feeling a large bump rising.

“Who told you to be restless and agitated, your conscious spirit in turmoil?” Shen Qingli’s beautiful eyes narrowed as she gazed at her unremarkable younger brother, her voice turning stern.

“Do you think I don’t know you distributed the [True Sight Talisman] to your classmates?”

At these words, Shen Xiangdong’s face twitched, and his wailing ceased instantly.

“You’ve completely lost yourself since entering university, thinking your family can’t control you anymore? Is your daily cultivation meant for showing off Daoist arts?”

Clearly, Shen Qingli was a strict elder sister; Shen Xiangdong fell completely silent.

“If you flaunt Daoist arts openly, you invite delusion and fall into demonic paths… Go copy the Shen family’s teachings one hundred times.” Shen Qingli said coolly.

“What? Sister, please don’t!” Shen Xiangdong wailed.

The family precepts left by his legendary ancestor ran over two thousand characters.

“Two hundred times.” Shen Qingli said coolly.

Shen Xiangdong fell silent, gazing at his sister with wary fear, utterly baffled why such a woman had so many suitors behind the scenes…

Were those people insane? “Should’ve never come back,” Shen Xiangdong muttered under his breath.

Dongda University lies on the outskirts of Yujing City, not far from Zijin Mountain, so he returns home every weekend.

It was a rule set by Shen Qingli.

“Since you’re back, stay a couple more days.”

“What? No way… Sister, I’ve got classes at school!” Shen Xiangdong’s face paled with dread, hastily protesting.

“Isn’t it summer break? Where are these classes coming from?”

“Uh…”

“These days, something major is happening at home. Don’t wander off. Stay put.” Shen Qingli said coolly.

“Major?” Shen Xiangdong’s expression changed: “Could it be…?”

“The [Mystic Mirror Treasured Scroll]… the dream of three generations of the Shen family…”

Shen Qingli murmured softly, her beautiful eyes shimmering with unusual radiance.

At that moment, the roar of an engine reached them; through the window, Shen Qingli saw the gate open and a Five-Spirit Rainbow vehicle drive in.

“A car that doesn’t turn on its lights… Is their company really this poor?” Shen Xiangdong glanced over, speaking dismissively. “No need to ask—it’s that Jiang Hu again…”

As he spoke, Shen Xiangdong glanced sidelong at Shen Qingli; he knew his sister had some complicated, unspoken connection with Jiang Hu of Yebuliang.

“Three hundred times.”

Shen Qingli uttered the words casually, stepped out of the vegetarian hall, leaving Shen Xiangdong howling to the heavens.

“Hu, what’s the Shen family up to?”

As soon as he stepped out of the car, Zhang Fan sensed something amiss: ritual flags lined both sides of the path; with his yuanshen perception, he could detect deep within the Shen estate, a faint but extraordinary firelight surging skyward.

“The Shen family is a talisman-making lineage; every year they forge vast quantities of talisman paper, talisman ink, talisman brushes…”

As he spoke, Jiang Hu’s gaze sharpened, fixed on the depths of the Shen estate: “They have ten furnaces, but one has burned continuously for nearly eighty years.”

“Eighty years? What are they refining?” Zhang Fan could not help asking.

“The [Mystic Mirror Treasured Scroll]!” Jiang Hu’s lips parted, uttering four words.

“What is that?”

“You’ve heard the story of Zhang Daoling’s enlightenment on Hemaoshan, haven’t you?” Jiang Hu changed the subject abruptly.

“Hemaoshan…” Zhang Fan pondered.

Though unremarkable among China’s many famous mountains and rivers, in Daoist circles it holds immense significance, known as…

“The Ancestral Seat of Daoism!”

Legends say that since the Warring States period, qi cultivators had secluded themselves here to attain Dao; the famed Guangchengzi ascended to heaven riding a crane from this very mountain; descendants of Laozi once dwelled here; later masters like Chen Tuan of the Northern Song and Zhang Sanfeng of the early Ming all cultivated here…

Yet the most renowned among them was the great Daoist of the Eastern Han, Zhang Daoling…

Legend says he received divine revelation from the Supreme Elder Lord on Hemaoshan, granted a secret heavenly scripture, founded the Zhengyi Mengwei Dao, composed talisman texts, and thus initiated the path of talismans, beginning the lineage of Daoism.

In other words, though Daoist traditions stretch far back, Daoism as an organized religion truly began with Zhang Daoling—and the art of talismans also originated from him.

Precisely because of this, Hemaoshan holds an extraordinary status in Daoist circles, called the [Daoist Celestial Capital]; every year, major Daoist mountains and temples send disciples there for pilgrimage and study, especially to learn how to actively integrate Daoist traditions into contemporary Chinese society and culture, strengthen Daoist talent development, and actively leverage the heritage roles of each mountain temple.

“Legend says that when the Supreme Elder Lord secretly bestowed the heavenly scripture upon Zhang Daoling, a great wind arose and swept away one page…” Jiang Hu said solemnly.

Great perfection appears flawed; the Dao must have its loss; all things under heaven follow this pattern.

“Eighty years ago, an ancestor of the Shen family encountered a mysterious figure who produced a single ancient scroll, claiming it was the very page lost by Zhang Daoling.”

“Such a thing exists? That’s too extraordinary!” Zhang Fan could not help exclaiming.

“Cultivation is inherently extraordinary.”

Jiang Hu spoke softly but firmly: “That ancient scroll contained the method for forging the [Mystic Mirror Treasured Scroll].”

“Mystic means Dao; Mirror means reflection.”

“The Mystic Mirror reflects all things under heaven; ten thousand talismans converge into one treasured seal.”

Here, Jiang Hu paused slightly, then spoke solemnly: “Zhang Daoling once said: ‘He who unifies all things into one is the True King of the Dao!’”

“He who unifies ten thousand talismans into one is the Supreme Sovereign of Talisman Dao.”

As he spoke, Jiang Hu looked up toward the depths of the Shen estate.

“Legend says that if the [Mystic Mirror Treasured Scroll] is completed, it will contain all ten thousand talismans within a single body!”

“That is the state of Pure Yang Without Limit!”

(End of Chapter)