Chapter 4: Supernatural Prowess
To be able to remain in the village stably until now, Daoist Master Qingyi must belong to the latter.
The villagers who survived chaotic times are not easily fooled; one must maintain their persona to gain benefits.
This is not the first time Daoist Master Qingyi has dressed like this and performed rituals outside the village.
As long as his persona remains intact, he can continue to receive preferential treatment from the villagers.
Not only did Wen Gu's eyes light up, but the collective gaze of the villagers, looking at a celestial being, proved how enthusiastic they were at the moment!
As Daoist Master Qingyi walked along, he appeared indifferent, but he was actually paying attention to the villagers' movements.
Upon seeing Wen Gu, his eyes revealed nothing, but his heart stirred—
He had originally thought this frail scholar wouldn't survive, but unexpectedly, he pulled through!
He disliked dealing with these scholars who were full of schemes.
Keeping this in mind, the Daoist Master remained outwardly calm and composed.
The ritual began with lighting incense to worship heaven.
Daoist Master Qingyi stated that this ritual was to subdue evil and overcome disaster.
On the altar, he placed a straw effigy, crudely and ferociously made.
Because of this, the villagers could immediately understand what the effigy represented.
It resembled a human form, yet it was not a human form—was it not someone possessed by an evil spirit?
It couldn't even be called human; it was an evil creature! Not one of us!
Then, the Daoist Master chanted scriptures and set up formations. His robes fluttered, and his hands moved so fast that only afterimages were visible. In a flash, the effigy was covered in talismans.
Under everyone's gaze, the Daoist Master stomped in a **罡步** (Gāng bù - a Taoist walking pattern), wielding a long sword with sharp and exquisite skill. He formed hand seals and pointed towards the effigy on the altar, following the direction of the sword. Fire suddenly appeared in his hand!
The effigy, at a distance, exploded with a bang, and the talismans attached to it began to burn.
It was as if the flames transferred from the Daoist Master's hand to the talismans.
The surrounding villagers let out gasps of amazement.
Setting aside the significance of this ritual, even in times of peace, it would have been an exciting spectacle.
Wen Gu, watching the classical ritual up close, was even more excited. If the occasion were different, he would have applauded enthusiastically.
The Daoist Master, busy with the ritual, still kept his senses sharp, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before subtly returning to glance at Wen Gu.
???
This scholar… his gaze seemed a little too intense.
After a while, his gaze swept over again, and Wen Gu's expression no longer showed any abnormality.
The ritual, with its dancing and chanting, consumed a great deal of physical energy. However, until the very end, Daoist Master Qingyi maintained his previous demeanor, with wisps of smoke drifting around him, adding to his ethereal aura.
Once the important part of the ritual passed, the Village Chief quietly asked Wen Gu, "Were you startled just now?"
When the Daoist Master was performing the ritual, the Village Chief had noticed Wen Gu raising his hands.
Back then, when Daoist Master Qingyi first arrived at their village, this move had made many people kneel.
Now that they had seen it many times, although the shock was not as strong as the first time, they couldn't help but feel a sense of awe each time.
It was Wen Gu's first time seeing it, and he might have been awestruck.
Hearing the Village Chief's question, Wen Gu bowed elegantly and said, "The Daoist Master followed the celestial order, summoned the five thunders, and his supernatural skills are superb!"
Daoist Master Qingyi's ears twitched slightly. He didn't believe this scholar's praise was sincere! He was putting on a show, but his intentions were sinister!
However, Wen Gu genuinely felt that the Daoist Master was very capable.
First, the Daoist Master's movements were very skillful.
The ability to feign mystique and deceive others was not something an ordinary person could learn!
Whether the magic was profound or not remained to be seen, but his every move was indeed impressive. The seemingly flashy actions were actually full of hidden intricacies, and it wouldn't be possible to achieve such fluidity without at least ten years of practice.
Second, this Daoist priest possessed extensive knowledge of chemistry and pharmacology; he was a talented individual!
Wen Gu observed and analyzed that Daoist Master Qingyi's sleeves were dusted with medicinal powder or sprinkled with medicinal water. As he walked, there was a peculiar scent of herbs, minerals, and metals.
In addition to the effect of exorcising "evil," given his cautiousness to avoid being touched, the medicinal powder and water on his robes might even be toxic to people.
It could be said that, at this moment, the Daoist priest was a walking furnace of medicine.
And the herbs used to make the effigy, beyond the obvious ones, must have included others. The talismans attached to it were also undoubtedly treated beforehand, leading to the seamless execution on the altar.
Truly, fifteen minutes on the altar required years of practice off it!
Third, he understood how to read the celestial phenomena. He could adjust the location and timing of the ritual based on real-time weather, sunlight, wind direction, wind force, and other factors.
Wen Gu felt a wave of emotion—
Why would a good research seedling turn to fraud!
He was on the wrong path!
On the altar, the flames from the burning talismans quickly engulfed the effigy and then turned into ashes.
The ritual didn't last long; there were dangers outside the village, requiring swift action and a quick resolution.
After completing the sacrificial procedures, the Daoist Master finished his work. He then had the villagers collect the ashes from the burning talismans and effigy and put them into a vat of pre-boiled water. A few stirs later—
Wen Gu understood; this was talisman water!
However, this vat of talisman water was not for drinking. It was for the villagers to portion out and sprinkle in various places around the village to ward off evil energy.
The rituals Daoist Master Qingyi had performed in the village before seemed to have a similar step. He had also specifically emphasized that this was a highly yang substance, specializing in countering evil spirits, and difficult for ordinary people to endure, thus it must never be drunk.
During his illness, Wen Gu had heard the villagers mention that the talisman water given by the Daoist Master was indeed effective. It could be sprinkled on the ground or used on clothes. Those who had patrol duties or went out on missions liked to sprinkle this medicinal water on their clothes.
After some thought, Wen Gu had an epiphany. This was medicinal water prepared through unconventional means, used for repelling insects and disinfection!
In this era, it was a highly sought-after commodity!
If possible, he would also like some.
The villagers naturally wanted to grab more for themselves, but with the influential figures in the village keeping order, they could only follow the rules: only those whose names were called could go and get a little.
It was basically distributed based on contribution, openly presented to all, with those who contributed more receiving more.
A village elder held a small ladle, distributing the water to everyone. This elder had high seniority and was trusted by the villagers, handling matters fairly. Anyone who didn't follow the rules would face his scolding.
Wen Gu initially thought he wouldn't get any, as he didn't have any outdoor duties, didn't participate in village patrols, and hadn't finished drawing blueprints yet. To his surprise, the Village Chief mentioned his name.
It was his first time attending such a ceremony, and he hadn't brought a container to hold the blessed water.
Old Liu the Hunter gave him a bamboo tube. It had a small lid, and a hemp rope was tied around the body for carrying.
Others also brought bamboo tubes to collect talisman water, but the diameters of the bamboo tubes varied, so the amounts they could hold also differed.
Wen Gu looked at the bamboo tube in his hand and walked over.
The village elder, busy distributing the talisman water and looking down, paused when he saw the thick bamboo tube being handed over. He was about to scold some impudent youngster for not following the rules, but when he looked up and saw it was Wen Gu, he silently scooped a ladleful. Their fortress had to rely on this person.
"Thank you," Wen Gu said softly.
Some unaware villagers who saw this were confused and felt indignant, but glancing at the leaders of the village, they swallowed their resentful words.
The world had descended into chaos, and those who were still alive, not necessarily wise, were certainly pragmatic.
Daoist Master Qingyi, who was tidying his robes, listened to the Village Chief talking about newly dug medicinal herbs, while his eyes still scanned their surroundings. His attention also briefly shifted to Wen Gu, and he saw the scene.
He mused: That kid is indeed deeply cunning. It's only been a few days since he recovered from his illness, and the village leaders are all siding with him!
After the talisman water was distributed, the villagers around them knelt piously on the specially treated straw mats where the medicinal water had been sprinkled. Yet, they were reluctant to leave, all pondering how to find an opportunity to speak with the Daoist Master and absorb some of his divine aura.
One must seize the moment when the incense is still burning to worship the gods!
The incense on the altar was still burning, and the smoke from the burning talismans had not completely dissipated. Gaining more of the Daoist's divine aura now would surely be beneficial!
A few abrupt whistles interrupted everyone's plans. It was a warning from the guards, informing them of the appearance of evil creatures nearby.
The villagers who had been dawdling and unwilling to leave suddenly ran home as if they had gained super speed.
Wen Gu's feet left the ground as his cousin carried him back like a candied haw, his arms around him.
Also, thanks to the height of being carried and the slightly elevated terrain, Wen Gu's gaze passed over the wild grass and obstacles, catching sight of blurry shapes in the distance.
With dry fat and muscle, large patches of purplish-brown markings on their exposed arms, they moved with a peculiar gait through the ground covered in shrubs and wild grass, their approach accompanied by guttural roars like those of wild beasts, moving towards the village.
These were people possessed by "evil spirits," transformed.
Commoners called them monsters, demons, mountain spirits, evil creatures, and other names associated with demons and ghosts.
Initially, the village had various names for them, but after Daoist Master Qingyi arrived, they followed his lead and adopted his terminology.
From his memories, Wen Gu knew that the noble families outside seemed to prefer the term "evil creatures," avoiding words like "demon" or "ghost." He wasn't sure if they knew the inside story or if it was a matter of linguistic taboo.
In the current situation.
The abundance of living beings naturally attracted the evil creatures.
Evil creatures crave flesh and blood. They eat both humans and other animals. But if you were to create a menu for them, humans would surely be at the top.
The ritual at the village entrance had gathered almost the entire village. The presence of living beings was even stronger, thus attracting nearby evil creatures.
Compared to the panic of the villagers, those in charge of the village remained relatively calm.
The Daoist priest, who had just completed his ritual, also appeared composed.
Wen Gu felt a little relieved.
Since they could remain calm, it seemed like a minor matter. Liu the Hunter had already strung his bow, but he wasn't flustered; the village's defenses could handle it completely.
However, Daoist Master Qingyi should be reliable in this matter. He had just performed a ritual in front of all the villagers; he couldn't be proven wrong so quickly.
As expected, the two evil creatures that appeared slowed their approach, then, as if sensing an unpleasant odor, changed direction, lingered for a moment, and then gradually moved away.
There was no need for the village defense personnel to intervene.
The Daoist Master's professional capability was indeed strong, and his persona was once again solidified.
Wen Gu pondered how to guide this Daoist priest back to the right path. As he was being carried back, he saw the Daoist Master looking over. He adjusted his upper body and bowed respectfully from afar with a scholarly air.
The Daoist Master's face twitched slightly, but he quickly regained his composed and dignified appearance, returning a slight bow.
Wen Gu: What an expert! His psychological fortitude is truly strong!
Daoist Master: "Dog scholar"! Even while being carried away in escape, he doesn't forget to put on a show!