Controlling the Five Thunders and the Two Worlds

Chapter 22: Comparable to the Great Daoists of the Ancient Times
In Yuanfa Palace, a lot of people crowded into the small quiet room.

After listening to Huibin's story, everyone first looked at the seemingly ordinary yellow talisman in his hand, then looked at Taoist Master Yihong who was sitting beside him in silence, and no one spoke.

Although most of them are Taoists and they chant scriptures and practice cultivation on weekdays, it is a different era now and there are not many people who truly believe in metaphysics. They just think that Taoism is a philosophical and behavioral system for calming the mind, practicing qi and nourishing the body, which is a way of dealing with people and cultivating the mind and health.

They believe in the existence of internal strength, but at the same time they also think that internal strength is not that magical. In fact, it is just a kind of power in the human body that can make people healthy and long-lived, and at most assist with strength and agility.

Fortune-telling, physiognomy, and feng shui, which have been passed down to this day, actually all include sciences such as psychology, mathematics, geography, and meteorology.

As for the opening...

In their eyes, the so-called consecration is nothing more than a religious ritual, which enhances psychological suggestion through rituals and then influences materialism through idealism.

Just like maintaining a good attitude, symptoms will be alleviated or even heal faster.

Of course, they had indeed heard that some religious masters could truly consecrate magical instruments and make them have magical effects. However, they were actually half-believing and half-doubting this - because they could not do it and had not seen it with their own eyes.

But Taoist Master Yihong's performance today broke everyone's cognition.

Just by taking a look at Huibin, they knew that Huibin had a truly blessed amulet. This behavior was completely beyond their understanding. How did Taoist Yihong do it?
They dared to guarantee that Taoist Master Yihong and Huibin met for the first time today.

As for Taoist Master Yihong and Huibin colluding to deceive them... even the slightest thought would be disrespectful to Taoist Master Yihong!
This Taoist priest is of a very high generation in Baiyun Temple, the ancestral temple of Longmen in Yandu. He vowed to collect Longmen classics and traveled to Taoist temples of all sizes across the country, collecting Taoist scriptures one book, one piece of paper, and one torn page at a time. He is highly respected.

If that's the case, then there's only one explanation.

Everyone looked at Taoist Master Yihong with eagerness in their eyes.

But Taoist Master Yihong didn't notice these glances. He just asked in disbelief, "You said it was a college student who looked to be in his twenties, and he painted it in front of you?"

"Yes." Huibin nodded repeatedly.

"No burning incense and bathing? No calming of mind and spirit? No personal consecration?" Taoist Master Yihong asked, "Just drawing the talisman and giving it to you right there?"

"Yes." Huibin continued to nod.

"Hiss——" Taoist Master Yihong took a breath of cold air.

Seeing Taoist Master Yihong's shocked expression, everyone was inexplicably horrified. After a moment of silence, the middle-aged Taoist who was leading the group asked carefully, "Taoist Master Yihong, what's going on?"

"It's nothing, I just didn't expect that there are such amazing young people nowadays." Taoist Master Yihong said with emotion.

Everyone looked at each other, wanting to ask but not daring to. After all, everyone present was a well-known figure in the local Taoist community, and asking would mean that they knew nothing.

Taoist Master Yihong, on the other hand, didn't care at all and didn't mind. "It's not surprising that you don't know. After all, life is better now, and not many people practice seriously." Everyone felt a little embarrassed when they heard this.

"It's like the decline of martial arts with the advent of guns and cannons," Taoist Master Yihong said with a smile. "When a Taoist reaches the end of his training, the health and longevity he achieves are similar to the effects of elderly people maintaining a good attitude, exercising more, and taking more nutritional supplements."

Everyone smiled awkwardly again.

"Of course, training is always useful. For example, even though we have guns and cannons, people who practice martial arts are stronger, faster, and have sharper reactions than ordinary people. The most advanced ones can even transfer qi and blood."

Taoist Master Yihong continued, "We Taoists meditate all year round, breathing in and out to refine our Qi and open up the meridians. We can also feel Qi in our bodies, or we call it internal breathing and internal strength. This feeling of Qi can help us calm our minds and strengthen our bodies.

Consecration is the process by which Taoists infuse their inner energy into magical instruments or talisman paper. This magical instrument or talisman paper then takes on this energy, helping the holder to calm their mind and maintain their health..."

Taoist Master Yihong thought for a moment and jokingly said, "It's like carrying a stick of old sandalwood with you. It can soothe your irritability while working and help you sleep. It can also be considered a way to maintain your health."

Everyone laughed when they heard this, but after laughing they were all filled with envy. With the advancement of technology these days, who wouldn't want to live longer?

Everyone knows that Taoism teaches people to maintain health. Originally, they thought it was about maintaining a good state of mind and doing scientific exercises to unblock blocked meridians throughout the body, so as to maintain health and longevity, eliminate diseases and prolong life. As for the so-called circulation of qi, although they have heard of it, they have never experienced it.

Now, after listening to what Taoist Master Yihong said, is it really possible to practice qigong that can sense and control and has mysterious powers?
"Because we have the sense of Qi, our minds and bodies are more sensitive than ordinary people." Taoist Master Yihong looked at Huibin, "I just felt that energy on Huibin. Seeing the source was in his clothes, I guessed it was a talisman."

“But…” Taoist Master Yihong paused for a moment, “Even if it’s a high-level Taoist who is consecrating the Dharma, one must calm the mind and breath, carefully feel the internal energy in the body, carefully move the meridians, and inject it into the magic weapon.

This process will take at least several days or even months to allow the magic weapon to be charged with energy and maintain it for a period of time. Even so, I know that there are not many experienced Taoists in the country who have this ability. "

At this point, Taoist Master Yihong couldn't figure it out. "If it's true, as Huibin said, that this amulet was just a casual drawing by a young man, then his cultivation is probably comparable to that of the ancient masters."

The onlookers looked at each other in bewilderment. They had all been practicing for twenty or thirty years. The powerful ones included the abbot of Yuanfa Palace and senior officials of the Taoist Association, but this was the first time they had heard what Taoist Master Yihong said.

Although Taoist Master Yihong spoke lightly, they knew that this was not ordinary at all.

For example, there are many people who can run the 100 meters in 11 seconds, but the number of people who can run under 10 seconds can be counted on one’s fingers across the country.

Didn’t you hear what Taoist Master Yihong said? There are not many people in the country who have this ability. Even if there are some ancient Taoist masters living in seclusion in the deep mountains and forests that he doesn’t know about, their number will definitely not be too many.

Although Taoist Master Yihong used old sandalwood as a metaphor, they thought of many things they had heard before. Some events that they had previously heard as flattery, irony, or luck and miracles may now have other explanations.

There are many high-ranking officials in the world who believe in the mysticism. Are they all stupid and just seeking psychological comfort?

They are in the industry, but instead of practicing, they are blinded by confusion and have lost their sense of awe.

(End of this chapter)