EFB Chapter 69 Same period
Chapter 69 Same period
She turned her head and looked at Gu Shenyan:
"The Four Elements Breathing Method?"
"Don't you have a better technique?"
The tone wasn't harsh, but rather carried a sense of unquestionable doubt.
In her understanding, any practitioner with a certain level of ambition would not choose the Four Elements Breath Regulation Method, a "mixed and unrefined" introductory practice.
Although this technique is easy to learn, progress is extremely slow.
Moreover, the four elements are mixed together, making it difficult to form its own path.
"This is the exercise taught in the school."
Gu Shenyan said calmly, "I don't have a better option for the time being."
"So that's how it's taught in school..."
Han Sushuang nodded and said no more.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly awkward, a servant pushed open the door and entered:
"Gentlemen, please come in, sir."
The three of them got up and followed the servant up to the third floor.
The main hall on the third floor is much more spacious than the second floor, and the furnishings are also more exquisite.
In the center was a rosewood desk, complete with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Behind the desk sat an old man in a gray robe.
His beard and hair were gray, his face was thin, and his eyes were half-open and half-closed, as if he were dozing off.
This is the "Master Lu".
The three men stepped forward one by one to pay their respects.
Lu Bingwen snapped out of his daze upon hearing the voice and glanced at them.
His gaze lingered on Han Sushuang for a moment.
This must be the daughter of the Deputy Director; she's quite talented.
Unfortunately... he's too arrogant, and I'm afraid he'll have a hard time settling down.
Then he looked at Jia Shouren.
The Jia family boy has no talent; he can barely condense his spirit core.
However, his father knew how to handle things; in addition to the apprenticeship fee, he secretly slipped in a lot of red envelopes.
Fine, I'll accept it then; it's just a bonus.
Finally, their gaze fell on Gu Shenyan.
Who introduced her to this...? That girl from the Bai family?
Lu Bingwen narrowed his eyes and carefully examined Gu Shenyan.
He had a decent appearance, but his demeanor was ordinary, and he didn't seem to have anything particularly special about him.
"Please sit down."
Lu Bingwen picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and then spoke:
"Since you're here, it must be fate."
"I'm sure you're all aware of my rules."
"The apprenticeship fee is two hundred silver dollars, no bargaining."
"After you start, there will be a three-month probationary period."
"During the assessment period, there will be a small test once a week, and a major test after three months."
"The quizzes determine the depth of the material taught later, while the major exams distinguish whether one can truly be accepted into my tutelage."
As he said this, he looked at the three of them:
"Did you understand?"
The three responded in unison:
"Disciple understands."
Lu Bingwen nodded and then said:
"The art of talismans emphasizes a righteous heart, steady hands, and sincere intentions."
"If the heart is not upright, the talisman will not be effective."
If the hand is unsteady, the talisman cannot be formed;
If the intention is not sincere, the omen will not be effective.
"Now that you have become my disciples, you must always keep these three rules in mind."
As he said this, his gaze, a stark contrast to the drowsy old man's earlier demeanor, sharpened like a sword:
"Over the years, I have taken in at least eighty to a hundred disciples."
"But only seven people have truly received my personal instruction and been accepted as disciples."
"If you want to stand out in these three months, you'll have to show your true abilities."
"otherwise……"
His voice deepened:
"I can only be a nominal disciple, and we'll have to accept our fate from now on."
These words were so blunt that the three of them could only nod in agreement.
"Alright, now that you all understand, I'll test your knowledge first."
"This will also give me a clear understanding of how to teach you in the future."
As Lu Bingwen spoke, he took out a sandalwood box from under his desk.
The box lid was opened, revealing neatly stacked talisman papers inside.
The talisman paper was made of dense material, with faint silver threads flowing through it.
Gu Shenyan knew at a glance that the talisman was quite valuable.
Ordinary talisman masters usually use ordinary spirit yellow paper to draw talismans, and a stack of it costs no more than one dollar.
These spiritual talisman papers cost one silver dollar each and are specifically used to draw advanced talismans.
This fortune teller Lu was quite generous, providing them with such fine paper for their entrance examination.
"The first challenge: drawing talismans."
Lu Bingwen took out three talisman papers and distributed them:
"Each person draws a 'mind-stabilizing talisman' for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."
"Don't be nervous, I just want to see your basic skills."
A talisman for calming the mind.
Gu Shenyan quickly searched his knowledge base.
He had also practiced this talisman specifically; it was one of the basic talismans, slightly more difficult than the exorcism talisman.
The main challenge lies in controlling spiritual energy and understanding the meaning behind talismans.
The term "calming the mind" means to calm the mind and guard the soul.
Ancient books say that a person has three souls and seven spirits. When one sleeps at night, the soul flies away, and when one walks during the day, the spirits dissipate.
If one is disturbed by evil spirits, one's soul will be restless. In mild cases, one will be unable to sleep at night or eat during the day; in severe cases, one will become mentally confused and emaciated.
The talisman for calming the mind is used to stabilize the soul and ward off evil spirits.
According to folklore, this talisman is often pasted under a child's pillow to prevent night crying, convulsions, and loss of spirits.
The three of them each took out their writing brushes and ink and began to prepare.
Lu Bingwen took out incense and lit it for each of the three men after they finished writing.
Han Sushuang was the first to put pen to paper.
She wrote very quickly, as if she already had the plan in mind.
The brushstrokes moved across the talisman paper, much like a silkworm spinning silk.
Spiritual energy flowed continuously from the fingertips into the tip of the brush, and then seeped into the talisman paper along with the ink.
She put down her pen after only half an incense stick's time had passed.
The moment the runes were completed, a soft light shone on the talisman paper.
The light was steady and persistent, like an ever-burning lamp.
The girl remained calm, as if she had expected this outcome.
Lu Bingwen stepped forward, picked up the talisman, and examined it for a moment.
"The brushwork is skillful, the control of spiritual energy is precise, and the artistic conception of the runes is also well grasped."
He nodded:
"Eighty points."
Han Sushuang bowed slightly: "Thank you for your guidance, sir."
Upon seeing this, beads of sweat began to appear on Jia Shouren's forehead.
He took several deep breaths before putting pen to paper.
Compared to Han Sushuang's flowing and graceful style, his brushwork appears somewhat restrained.
He hesitated slightly when putting pen to paper, as if repeatedly confirming the direction of each stroke.
The flow of spiritual energy was not as smooth as Han Sushuang's; it was intermittent, like a clogged ditch.
However, he succeeded by being steady and methodical, and did not make any major mistakes.
He finished writing just as the incense stick was about to burn out.
The runes lit up, though not as stable and bright as Han Sushuang's, it was still a success.
Lu Bingwen picked up the talisman and looked at it:
"It's decent, nothing major, but nothing particularly outstanding either."
"Seventy points."
Jia Shouren wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Thank you, sir."
When it was Gu Shenyan's turn, he began to mentally review before putting pen to paper.
As stated in "An Introduction to Talismans," talismans are divided into three levels:
The first is form, that is, the shape and trend of the runes;
Secondly, there is Qi, which refers to the flow and infusion of spiritual energy;
The third aspect is the meaning, namely the artistic conception and charm of the talisman.
Form can be learned, energy can be cultivated, but intention is the most difficult to grasp.
The essence of the calming talisman lies in the word "calm".
No matter how fierce the wind and waves, I remain steadfast and unmoved.
Gu Shenyan silently sketched the artistic conception of the talisman, and after a brief moment of contemplation, he made his first stroke.