Chapter 9: Palmistry Storm

  Apart from the ritual sword, magical tools are also indispensable. After being ordained by their master, all formal Taoist priests will have magical tools, such as the Heavenly Canopy Ruler or the Qiankun Circle, but I don't have any. If my master were here, he might say that it's not allowed to be true and could send me some top-grade equipment, but I really don't have any, so I can only go out and buy some.

  The things I want to buy are also very common, this book sometimes I think it's more like a collection of Feng Shui methods, and there is a difference with the orthodox Taoist rituals. The tools used to drive out evil spirits include willow branches, glutinous rice, rooster blood, peach wood branches, copper eight trigrams mirror, copper cow, etc. These are also things that people who have watched movies should know about, and some I had never heard of before, such as moxa sticks.

  Moxa is a thing used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diseases. It includes acupuncture, moxibustion and decoction. The materials used are mugwort and wormwood hung during the Dragon Boat Festival. The fire ignited by moxa stick is also a kind of yang fire. The smoke produced can be used to drive out evil spirits, especially for some poisonous insects and sorcery, which has a good effect. In terms of Western medicine, it can be disinfected.

  Peach wood sword, Bagua mirror, and Ai Tiao are easy to buy, but things like Golden Sword are not that easy. Magical instruments aren't just something you can get anywhere, they need to be imbued with spirit. Of course, these objects themselves have spiritual properties, but they're not pure enough. I need to use the method in the book to infuse them with spirituality so they can achieve their maximum effect.

  Of course, the ritual is not that easy. I have been practicing with the peach wood sword for several days. First, I cast a spell on it, then put it on the altar, and burn three incense sticks every morning and evening. The ritual must last at least seven days, or up to forty-nine days, in order to achieve its strongest effect.

  "I invoke: Pay respects to the Peach Wood Sword Spirit, descend to the mortal world to patrol heaven and earth. Everyone harms me, you are not afraid, use a small spell to sacrifice the flying sword, kill the evil person's life is gone, I obey the Flying Sword Ancestor's order, divine soldiers urgent like law."

  Of course, in the past few days, I not only studied painting symbols but also learned some ghost-driving techniques and emergency measures on it. Incidentally, I also knew the origin of this book, which looked like a myth no matter how I looked at it.

  This book starts with a preface, but at the time I translated it as an introduction according to my habit. Now that I carefully read it again, I realize that this book was originally written by someone who had grasped the great Tao. The title of the book is "Cheng Tian". The techniques in this book can be used by anyone who has a sense of reverence for heaven and earth, without distinction of sects.

  Inside, it records a lot of content in the five techniques. These technical categories also contain greater secrets, and only those who are destined can understand them from within. If you just use the technique, don't forget that heaven and earth are not benevolent, treating all things as straw dogs. Heaven and earth view all things as equal. Those who use techniques and those who do not understand techniques are actually the same in the eyes of heaven and earth. It's not the same at the same time, but it's the same in the past, present, and future. What you gain will be lost, and what's more important when communicating with ghosts and gods is to experience the principle of communication.

  The last sentence on it said, "Gain, loss, loss, gain." Although I didn't understand what it meant, I still had a very powerful feeling. Anyway, from that day on, I became a Taoist, mainly practicing Taoist magic, seeking spiritual powers. I don't know if my life was predetermined, but it's like being stuck in the mud, unable to extricate myself.

  I drew sixteen talismans that night, six positive spirit talismans and ten fire talismans. As I went on, my technique became more skilled, of course there were also failures in between. No need to verify specifically, just a moment's distraction and the talisman is ruined. Must be focused and complete in one breath. It was actually the effect of that previous positive spirit talisman, I couldn't sleep no matter how hard I tried, tossing and turning on my bed, finally had to silently count sheep. My dreams were chaotic but I felt very clear-headed.

  The next morning, I was exhausted to death. I had no choice but to use a Zhēng Líng Fú (a kind of talisman). In an instant, my spirit was like it had been injected with dog blood - it was incredibly refreshing! At first, I didn't have any concept of using talismans, and I felt like I had grasped some special ability. I was excited and proud, always thinking about when a ghost would come so I could catch one.

  By noon, Old Zhao finally arrived. These are all old customers here, and it doesn't matter if there's anyone to watch the place or not. Also, because they've been closed for a few days, even those old customers didn't come much, only a few elderly people who live nearby, who have nothing to do every day, got into the habit of getting up early, running a lap, eating something and then coming to drink tea.

  I pulled Old Zhao aside and asked him: "Have you talked to Director Zhu? Does he have any business?"

  "Don't be in such a hurry, also make me a cup of tea and let me take a good rest, okay?" Old Zhao said with a bitter smile.

  "I'll just have a casual cup of tea, I'll go make it for you right away." I pressed him down there and was about to go back to make the tea.

  He pulled me and shook his head: "I was just kidding, I went to find Director Zhu, he said he's busy for the next two days, so he didn't have time to come visit, he gave me 10,000 yuan, I took it to give to Old Wang as medical expenses first, I don't even want to go see what Feng Shui is."

  "No way, I have to give it a try! I've been preparing for several days and I was also hoping to buy a new phone. You're not working either, are you? This way, we'll have money and experience the thrill of being superheroes, how cool is that?"

  "Alas, the Buddha taught that one cannot be greedy for supernatural powers; dharani and such are just expedient means, the most important thing is to give rise to bodhicitta. However, I promised Director Zhu and won't go back on my word. I asked if there's anything we can help with, he said a relative's family is having some trouble, and if we have time, we can go take a look. I agreed, what time do you have? We'll go stay overnight." Old Zhao scolded me very seriously.

  I don't care about that, just a rumor? Actually, most young people, if they really have the opportunity to learn skills, will do the same as me. They won't deliberately go out of their way to learn something, first out of curiosity, and then it becomes a tool. At this point, who still cares about other things?

  "Alright, let's make it this weekend then. Some of my equipment is not ready yet and needs a few more days. You go back and prepare well too. Hopefully we can have a grand opening this time."

  Lao Zhao perhaps knew that continuing to speak would be useless, so he simply said: "Alright then, you'd better get ready. Where's my tea? Hurry up and brew some for me, I'm exhausted from running around all day."

  I saw Old Zhao's exhausted face and knew he had been tired for several days, so I took him to the front, made him a cup of Longjing tea, and then went back to secretly get excited.

  At noon, I didn't expect that two people came to my teahouse. One of them was a familiar face, Director Zhu, and the other was a stout man with a big belly, looking like a middle-aged man, with a greasy face. Although I haven't learned it yet, I basically know that when it comes to physiognomy, you mainly look at the three stops, five officials, and twelve palaces.

  Three stops divide the entire face into three parts, deducing the fortune of three periods in one's life. The five senses are used to infer a person's overall destiny, and the twelve palaces are divided into the most detailed aspects. It can be seen that a person's current fortune status can also be inferred, as well as a specific aspect of their fortune. A skilled physiognomist can see a person's past and future from their face, and understand their temperament.

  Of course, I don't have this ability, but looking at this person, although his face is full of fat, he also has a plump and upright appearance. However, there is a slight depression, which suggests that his early years were not very good, but now he has a high social status. The middle part of his face has flesh and is slightly raised, which is an absolute sign of wealth and nobility. But the lower part of his face has some defects, this person's luck is insufficient, there is a feeling of stinginess, and his lifespan will not be particularly long.

  It's just that the five senses are still quite dignified, but the nose is slightly crooked, and between the eyebrows and eyes, there is a hidden cunning and evil spirit. As the saying goes, "the face is born from the heart", how a person's face looks is more important than being related to their heart. To see more of it relies on a kind of intuition, and this intuition requires a complete three views.

  Lao Zhao saw Zhu Changzhang and the other person, and hurried over to my counter. I figured it out in my heart, and asked the fat man: "Zhu Changzhang is fine, who is this gentleman?"

  That fat man smiled and handed over his business card. He was an entrepreneur, I had seen him in the newspaper before, a boss with a huge fortune. He asked with a smile: "Two masters are good, my surname is Zeng, single name Huan, there were some small achievements in the past, it's inevitable to encounter some opponents on the business scene, today Director Zhu introduced me, I came to trouble you two masters."

  Director Zhu looked down on me, so he just smiled and then was very polite to Old Zhao: "Director Zeng, this Mr. Zhao is the one I introduced to you, a man with real skills. I encountered some trouble in the mountains and almost didn't make it back, thanks to Mr. Zhao for saving me from the jaws of death."

  That fat boss, with a smirk on his face, stretched out his hand to shake hands with Old Zhao. I roughly understood that our first client was this fatty. Seeing how they looked down on me, I also had a youthful temperament and wanted to compete for the lead. I smiled and said: "Boss Zeng, I've seen you in the newspaper, don't be modest, what's this small business? Moreover, it can be seen that you are the result of hard work in the past, compared to the past, you have eaten a lot of bitter heads, right? Now it's also a case of 'suffering ends and happiness begins', naturally, good fortune will follow, great auspiciousness!"

  These people in the business circle are all masters of observing words and expressions. After hearing my words, they looked puzzled and asked with a hint of surprise: "Mr. Jiang, what makes you say that?"

  I boiled the water and poured it into a cup, then said: "Mr. Zeng's facial features have a good fortune, with a dignified appearance and some concave areas above the eyebrows, which can be seen that although he has wealth, it is not inherited from his parents. The five senses are also slightly offset, which can be seen as both rich and noble, but many convenient things have been used, right?"

  Mr. Zeng was taken aback, and with a fist in his hand, he said: "So Mr. Jiang is indeed a master of physiognomy, one glance and you saw through me, Zeng. Indeed, I am the child of a worker, from a young age I relied on myself to struggle and have become what I am today, I also did some unrighteous things in the past, but now I understand and repent, every day I don't forget to do good deeds, only that there are many people whom I wronged in the past, now with a heart full of remorse, I hope Mr. Jiang will give me more guidance." Even Director Zhu was somewhat surprised.

  On the surface, I kept declining, but in my heart, I was triumphant, so triumphant that it's hard to put into words. As the saying goes, "my tail is wagging all the way up to heaven." However, I still knew how to restrain myself. I hastily pointed at the tea table below and said: "No need, Old Zhao, you bring the two of them to sit down first, I'll pour some tea for everyone, and then we can chat leisurely."

  Lao Zhao nodded in understanding and led them to sit down at the table.

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