Journey to the West: The Great Sage's Guide

Chapter 41 Did I draw the wrong symbol?

Faced with the incomprehension of others, who did not understand why he did not continue to try.

Zhong Xuan picked up the unfinished talisman and calmly explained, "My master and I are both lacking something, so there's no need to waste talisman paper—after all, a stack of forty-nine yellow talisman papers, plus pine soot ink and cinnabar mixed with spiritual herb juice, would probably cost several taels of silver, which is a pity."

The crowd remained puzzled.

The young nun frowned, her adorable face contorted in deep thought, "What exactly is lacking? Why are you and Master both lacking something?"

Zhong Xuan explained softly, "What the nun lacks is probably the true meaning of summoning the wind. The final step in making a wind-summoning talisman is to infuse the talisman with spirituality by expressing one's true understanding of 'summoning the wind'."

Master Jingyuan nodded with a smile, her eyes full of approval: "That's right. I didn't understand the true meaning of the wind in the Wind Summoning Talisman before, so I couldn't complete the third step of preserving the spirit. But even so, it is enough to show that you and Qingyue have the aptitude in this area. It is already rare that you can complete the outline and infuse the energy after only a few quick drawings."

She suddenly noticed that Zhong Xuan's expression shifted slightly, as if he did not completely agree with what she said.

Just as he was about to ask, Zhong Xuan humbly replied:

"Master, you flatter me. I've done a lot of drawing and sketching before, so being able to sketch the shape successfully on the first try doesn't make me a genius."

Zhong Xuan's words were not unfounded.

In his previous life, he was a Taoist priest who spent many years dealing with calligraphy and talismans, and his skills were already superb.

However, everyone present simply thought he was being too modest, and their respect for him only grew stronger.

Zhong Xuan saw it all, but still didn't want to say it outright.

What he lacks is not genuine intention, but a genuine reluctance to waste money.

I also don't want the talisman to become too dazzling and effective in one go—lest it dampen the enthusiasm of the young Taoist boy and nun for drawing talismans.

Zhang Chengming sneered: "Without a single spark of true divine intent in your heart, drawing a talisman is like adding the finishing touch—it lacks spirit and cannot become a true spiritual talisman! You still have much to learn; just this one true incantation of mine is enough for you to comprehend for a lifetime!"

Zhong Xuan ignored him and only glanced out the window.

The night was deep, and the moonlight grew increasingly cold.

Zhong Xuan then said to the two young Taoist disciples, "Through your demonstrations, I have roughly understood the key to drawing talismans. You two should go back to the hall to rest and remain secluded. I will deal with your mistakes tomorrow."

The two young Taoists nodded hurriedly, as if granted a pardon, bowed respectfully, and quickly left the back hall.

Just as the two were leaving, Abbess Jingyuan suddenly spoke, looking at Zhong Xuan.

Her tone was somewhat pleading: "Benefactor, this humble nun still has doubts about the true meaning of this Wind Summoning Talisman. May I go to the talisman room to practice for a while? That way, I can gain a deeper understanding of the mysteries of the talisman."

Zhong Xuan nodded with a smile: "Of course, if you don't mind, we can go to the talisman room, which is much quieter."

The two went together to the talisman room.

Master Jingyuan picked up her brush and ink and once again devoted herself to drawing the wind-summoning talisman.

She became increasingly focused as she wrote each stroke.

Even after trying her best and drawing dozens of pictures, she still couldn't infuse the true meaning into them and couldn't complete the final step of preserving the spirit.

The prolonged mental strain had made her face noticeably paler, and her eyes showed signs of fatigue.

Master Jingyuan put down her pen, gave an embarrassed wry smile, and turned to look at Zhong Xuan:

"I was once considered to have superior talent, able to create a talisman in just a few months of learning—but I never expected that with a new type of talisman, I could only manage to hook the shape and infuse it with energy. This hurdle of preserving the spirit is indeed the most difficult hurdle to overcome in creating a talisman, stumping countless cultivators."

She had intended to demonstrate to this young man her ability to be a teacher.

Little did I know that I would only make a fool of myself!

Zhang Chengming's spirit reappeared, mocking him fiercely: "Pshaw! You bald-headed female monk, trying to glorify yourself!"

"The art of talismans requires constant refinement, and its true essence depends on one's own level of understanding and comprehension. Only those who can truly innovate and even create their own talismans can be considered true geniuses and masters!"

The more he spoke, the more arrogant he became: "Even our current Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain, that amazing all-rounder, spent nearly half a day comprehending the basics before drawing his first true talisman. Although he didn't specialize in talismanic arts afterward, he remains the number one talisman master of Longhu Mountain, unmatched by anyone!"

Zhong Xuan listened quietly without saying a word, his expression calm.

He was just a little curious: was drawing talismans really that difficult?

How can the contemporary Dragon and Tiger Celestial Masters be so incompetent?

It takes half a day?

It seems like the mountain god incarnation has already learned it?

……

At this moment, the mountain god, in his incarnation, sat cross-legged on a large rock on the edge of a cliff near the mountain god's temple.

The mountain wind howled, making his robes flutter loudly.

Tiger Demon, Feng Lisheng, and the skinny Cao Jingjing stayed by his side, their eyes fixed on the wooden planks at the edge of the cliff.

The shape of a wind-summoning talisman was clearly visible on it, drawn with charcoal.

The tiger demon stared at the wooden board, asking curiously, "Wind Bringer, Skinny Clerk, you've already drawn this talisman, can you actually complete it? Can you summon the wind?"

The skinny clerk shook his head and said helplessly, "No, no, I don't have the aptitude. I tried to draw talismans before, but I couldn't even complete the hook shape, so I had to give up in the end."

Feng Lisheng raised his chin arrogantly and said, "This kind of talisman, a single-path loop, the simplest beginner-level talisman. I will definitely succeed within ten tries!"

The skinny clerk looked worshipfully at the mountain god who was still drawing in the air: "Master succeeded in drawing the talisman on the first try. He will definitely succeed in drawing the talisman this time too! In as little as three days, and at most no more than a month, Master will definitely be able to master this Wind Summoning Talisman."

The tiger demon scoffed and waved his hand, "There aren't even talisman paper or cinnabar here. How are we supposed to draw talismans? Even if you have the aptitude, you wouldn't know where to begin!"

Feng Lisheng shook his head and explained smugly, "What do you know! There are three levels to drawing talismans!"

"The most basic method is to draw it on the physical talisman."

"The second method is to draw in the air with your finger."

"The highest level is to use one's eyesight to create a talisman at a glance."

"Which level one can reach depends entirely on one's understanding of talismans, and has nothing to do with whether or not one has talisman materials."

Feng Lisheng explained it very clearly.

The tiger demon seemed to understand but not quite, and asked in a low voice, "Then, sir, can you reach the highest level? Can you create a talisman at a glance?"

Feng Lisheng chuckled and scratched his head: "I don't know, but I'm definitely better than you!"

As it spoke, it walked to the mountain god's avatar and extended its index finger as well.

Feng Lisheng slowly sketched in the void, while simultaneously circulating his magical power, leaving faint traces of spiritual light at his fingertips.

The tiger demon and the skinny clerk could see it clearly.

The traces drawn in the air were almost identical to the charcoal drawing of the wind-summoning talisman on the wooden board, without the slightest deviation.

The mountain god turned his head, a hint of surprise in his eyes: "Fellow Daoist Feng Lisheng is truly amazing. To be able to outline so accurately with just a finger drawing on your first attempt."

Feng Lisheng, with a sour face and an unwilling tone, said, "What's so great about it? It was my first time drawing it in the air. Although the shape was similar, it didn't really take shape. It's still a bit lacking. But you, Mountain God, must have secretly practiced this Wind Summoning Talisman, right? You drew it in the air five or six times along the way, and you managed to draw the shape successfully every time. You're much better than me."

It was clearly very dissatisfied.

The mountain god avatar smiled and did not argue: "That's true. With diligent practice, one can master the hook shape. But to make the magic power in the talisman connect and generate vitality, one needs to continuously inject vital energy and, more importantly, a calm mind. The only thing I can praise is my steady breath and calm mind."

Feng Lisheng nodded in praise, "Mountain God, you've already done remarkably well! The first two trials are merely a matter of patience and perseverance; with diligent practice, one can always succeed. Only this third trial, requiring the visualization and storage of divine intent from one's essence, energy, and spirit into a talisman, is the threshold that has thwarted countless geniuses. You've come to this clifftop, spending your days with the mountain winds; surely you've had the opportunity to comprehend the wind's essence?"

The mountain god incarnate nodded with a smile, without saying anything more.

He simply gazed at the distant mountain breeze, his expression calm.

Feng Lisheng picked up a few leaves and spread them on the stone table. He then used his fingertips to trace wind-summoning talismans on the leaves while chanting incantations.

However, dozens of leaves in a row either failed to form a hook shape or dissipated after being inflated.

Banging sounds rang out continuously as the leaves were blasted to pieces by the magic.

It finally succeeded halfway through, a flash of inspiration at its fingertips.

The wind-summoning talisman on the leaf took effect instantly, and a whirlwind surged out from the leaf, swirling around it, and could be controlled at will.

Feng Lisheng couldn't help but burst out laughing: "It's done! I've finished it!"

The tiger demon and the skinny clerk stared in amazement at the whirlwind that moved at will.

The tiger demon immediately became interested and exclaimed, "Amazing! Wind-born! Teach me quickly! I want to learn how to draw talismans and summon whirlwinds too!"

Feng Lisheng smugly taught the tiger demon how to draw talismans.

Although the tiger demon was reckless, it had some talent. After practicing for a while, it was able to barely sketch out the basic shape of the talisman.

However, all the dozen or so leaves were shattered by her magic, and she was still unable to precisely control the injection of energy.

The tiger demon tried several times but failed, and in frustration threw away the leaves: "Too difficult! Too difficult! I'm not learning anymore! What kind of broken talisman is this? I can't draw it at all!"

Still unconvinced, she suddenly took a deep breath, swung her arm three times, and shouted "Wind, come!" three times towards the open space.

Then three whistling sounds rang out one after another, overlapping each other.

A strong gust of wind blew continuously, causing the trees in the woods ahead, which stretched for nearly a hundred meters, to rustle and flutter, with large leaves flying and branches snapping off one after another.

The tiger demon turned his head, put his hands on his hips, and asked smugly, "How about that? Dragons follow the clouds, tigers follow the wind!"

"You may understand the wind, but since I gained spiritual insight, I can sense and summon it! I may not be good at drawing talismans, but I'm still a master of manipulating the wind!"

The skinny Cao clapped his hands in admiration and sighed, "It seems that I am the most shameful person by the side of the Mountain God."

Feng Lisheng patted him on the shoulder: "Don't be ashamed, don't be ashamed. Her claws are so clumsy they look like earthworms when drawing talismans. Everyone has their strengths."

The tiger demon stuck out its tongue slightly, looking like a little girl who was unconvinced but not angry.

Feng Lisheng grew increasingly smug and picked up a few more leaves to continue his experiment.

After failing more than ten times, he finally succeeded once.

Instead of being delighted, Feng Lisheng complained, "This hook-shaped infusion of qi, while simultaneously requiring the infusion of divine intent, is just too difficult! I've clearly grasped the essence of wind, so why is it still so hard to succeed?"

Just then, the mountain god's incarnation suddenly exclaimed "Oh!" and realized something.

The mountain god's avatar suddenly realized: "So, the meaning is to infuse divine intent while simultaneously channeling energy?"

Before he finished speaking, he casually flicked his wrist, and a large leaf drifted down from a nearby tree, landing steadily in his hand.

At this moment, the wind whistling through the mountains in his eyes was no longer just wind.

He could clearly see the flow of Qi:

The faint blue aura belonging to the wind moved and surged through the air, lively and vibrant.

At the same time, memories of his human form flooded back, recalling his dual cultivation with the Rakshasa woman...

How do the energies of wind, fire, mountain, and forest interact and flow continuously?

In an instant, a series of brilliant ideas flashed through my mind.

He firmly grasped the true meaning of this "breathing wind" and held it firmly in the inner landscape of his heart.

The divine intent of Tai Xuan transformed into the light of the bright moon, slowly outlining the true form of the Wind Summoning Talisman above the lake, while a gentle breeze quietly rose on the lake.

First, sketch out a Tai Xuan divine talisman in the lake of your heart.

Then, he moved his fingers slightly and slowly drew a wind-summoning talisman on the leaves.

The hook shape is formed in one smooth motion, and the spirit and energy are almost perfectly infused into the leaf with the movement.

The leaves first emitted a faint glow, then the glow subsided, becoming ordinary, just like a regular leaf.

At that moment, everyone clearly saw the leaf emitting a faint spiritual light.

Then an invisible breeze was drawn into the leaves and firmly sealed inside.

But if you pay close attention, you can perceive the essence of wind contained within it!

The talisman is complete.

The talisman has truly completed the three steps and is perfectly infused with genuine meaning!

The tiger demon was the first to break the silence, staring wide-eyed at Feng Lisheng and asking eagerly, "Feng Lisheng, this...this counts as a success? Is this the real Wind Summoning Talisman?"

The skinny Cao was utterly shocked. He opened his mouth but couldn't say anything. He could only keep swallowing and looked at the incarnation of the mountain god with awe.

He had never seen anyone draw a talisman so easily on their first try, especially with just an ordinary leaf.

Even the cunning monkey born in the wind, who overheard the head-repairing technique and learned a terrifying earthly Fiend technique, seems to lack the talent of the Mountain God...

The tiger demon's eyes lit up, and it exclaimed excitedly, "Didn't you say that even those monstrous geniuses need several days to draw a talisman on their first try?"

The skinny clerk was also proud: "But the Mountain God didn't create this talisman overnight; he succeeded on his first attempt on a leaf!"

The tiger demon disliked Feng Lisheng's occasional boasting and smugness, so he put his hands on his hips and laughed, "Even including drawing shapes on the wooden board and sketching in the air just now, it only took the time of a meal, not even as long as I ate a leg of lamb!"

Feng Lisheng's lips twitched, and he rolled his eyes helplessly, hands on his hips, complaining, "Do I even need to tell you? The Mountain God is playing a trick on us!"

The tiger demon and the skinny clerk immediately widened their eyes.

Feng Lisheng bluntly pointed out, "You two idiots! The Mountain God just drew the true form of the Wind Summoning Talisman on the wooden board with a single stroke, without the slightest deviation. How come you still haven't realized it?"

Zhong Xuan listened with a speechless expression, but did not want to argue.

Feng Lisheng, observing the expressions, became even more certain: "So we've been tricked. This isn't our first time using the Wind Summoning Talisman. We must have practiced it to perfection in private."

Upon hearing this, the tiger demon and the skinny clerk suddenly realized what was going on and both felt that this made sense.

They all looked at the mountain god's incarnation, their faces full of regret.

I was actually "tricked" and foolishly thought it was really my first time trying it!

The mountain god avatar chuckled and shook his head: "Then let's just say that. But don't flatter me too much. The mountain winds are strong here, and it would be troublesome if I fell down."

Feng Lisheng yawned, "I'm sleepy, I'm sleepy. I'm not going to worry about you guys anymore. I'm going back to eat the rest of the meat, and then I'll go to sleep!"

The tiger demon immediately yelled and chased after him, "Wait for me! You're not allowed to finish all the meat! We need to leave some good meat for the Mountain God to make tomorrow's breakfast!"

The skinny clerk quickly bowed to the incarnation of the mountain god to say goodbye, and then hurriedly caught up with the two.

The three figures gradually disappeared into the night.

The mountain god, in his incarnation, stood smiling on the edge of the cliff.

As he watched their retreating figures, the smile on his face gradually faded.

Because when I recall what Feng Lisheng said, "Injecting energy while simultaneously infusing divine intent,"

He frowned and muttered to himself, "So, the idea is to infuse spiritual power into the form while simultaneously channeling energy? Did I misunderstand?"

But he didn't do that just now. Instead, he directly used the Tai Xuan Divine Intent to stimulate his essence, energy, and spirit.

It's as if the mechanical stamping of a past life had a pre-set mold, allowing for direct one-time molding.

Why would you need to break down the process into various intricate steps? Feng Lisheng is lying.

Did you make something that's clearly simple seem complicated?

Zhong Xuan suddenly tossed up a leaf and channeled his magic power into it through the base of the talisman.

Suddenly, life arose from the ground, roaring and swirling.

It was a really strong wind, no doubt about it!