172 Talisman Taoism (1/2)

Chapter 172: Talisman Taoism

Translator: TransnEditor: Transn

The black horse carriage sped across the main street. The speed was so fast that the green pastures outside seemed like an endless large green block from the window of the carriage. Ning Que stared outside the window and admired the view. He was feeling complex. The sight of the arrogant goose and weird people in the mountain behind the Academy made him felt as though he was starting his life in a brand new and mysterious world, and somewhat, it was rather unbelievable to him all of a sudden.

As for the most mysterious Talisman Taoism which the legend had spoken of, other than seeing an old taoist doing tricks and burning a piece of talisman outside a Taoist temple in Chang'an city, Ning Que knew nothing about it. However, sitting in this steady horse carriage made of Stainless-steel, he could almost felt that he was already in the world of Talisman Taoism. No matter how fast the horse carriage was moving, the passengers in the carriage could not sense any discomfort. As for the lonely horse in front of the carriage, it did not seem to mind the weight of the carriage at all.

Yan Se watched the expression on his face and added, ”You seem to have some questions on your mind.”

Ning Que turned around and looked at the old taoist, who was dirty all over. He hesitated for a moment before asking, ”I am wondering if what kind of talisman is carved on this horse carriage, making it seems so light, just like dark magic.”

Instead of asking if there's talisman carved on the horse carriage, he directly asked what kind of talisman was carved. This question made Master Yan Se rejoiced, but the choice of word Ning Que used at the back made him frowned as he said unhappily, ”Talisman is talisman. Why relate it to the dark side?”

Ning Que had only subconsciously categorized such extraordinary things and experience as dark magic, and had never thought that to the Minister of Offerings at South School of Haotian Taoism, the word 'dark' was so displeasing to their ears.

The gentle trampling sound of the horse gradually slowed down and came to a halt. The black horse carriage stopped on the street at the northern part of Chang'an. Master Yan Se led Ning Que off the horse carriage before he took a glance at the nearby pavilion and the skinny-looking poplar trees outside the pavilion. He then turned around and told Ning Que, ”Since you know that there's talisman carved on the carriage, go ahead and feel it.”

Ning Que was slightly taken aback, but he followed the words and went to the side of the horse carriage. He gazed at the black carriage surface seriously and carefully. He confirmed that the carriage was indeed made of stainless-steel and the complicated scribblings were cut deeply on the surface by a type of sharp weapon. It was then covered by another light layer of paint, making it looked extraordinary beautiful and slightly peculiar.

Those scribblings were overly complicated, to the extent that it had betrayed the principal of beauty. He spent a long time watching them but to no avail, and he gradually had a new thinking in his mind. Talisman inscription that is really useful should not be this complicated, and those complex scribblings that looked like twigs were probably distractions used to camouflage the real talisman inscription.

He had read a few books on Talisman Taoism in the old library, but those were all introductions. He had not grasped any basic knowledge on talisman inscription yet and to search for the true Talisman inscription in this messy scribblings was practically impossible for him.

However, since Master Yan Se wanted him to feel it, then it must be a kind of test for him.

He thought for a while as he slowly shut his eyes and raised his arm to feel the inscription that was carved deep into the metal surface with his fingertip.

Suddenly, he frowned his brows.

Initially when he saw it with his eyes, he could not see anything strange about the inscription on the carriage. The moment he closed his eyes, with the help of his psyche power to control the Qi of Heaven and Earth, he started to perceive and discovered another faint layer of thing at his fingertip. That layer of thing was extremely thin, as if it was an invisible membrane that prevented his finger from touching the carriage.

In a split second, that layer he perceived disappeared instantly.

Ning Que kept silent for a while and went into his meditation state, a state which he was best at. He once again used his psych power to perceive the tiniest changes in the Qi of Heaven and Earth, and indeed, that layer of invisible thin membrane was back to the space between his finger and the carriage. This time, he was well prepared and he could perceive even deeper, to the extent that he could vividly felt a gradual movement in that thin membrane.

The voice of Master Yan Se rang by his ears. ”What did you feel?”

Ning Que focused on the feeling and kept silent for a long while before he replied seriously, ”A very light feeling of the movement in Qi of Heaven and Earth.”

Master Yan Se continued, ”What kind of movement? What does it feel like?”

Ning Que replied peacefully, ”It's like water, yet lighter than water...emptier than water. It's more like wind, but it can't be wind.”

Master Yan Se watched Ning Que who stood beside the carriage, as he gradually frowned and asked, ”Why can't it be wind?”

Ning Que kept quiet for a moment and answered, ”Because...the primordial Qi on the Talisman inscription moved in an orderly manner, as though it is instructed to move along a pre-set path within some completed system. Wind is the movement of air, so it can't be moving in such orderly manner.”

The frowns on Master Yan Se's brows were relaxed. He gazed at Ning Que's back and tears welled up his eyes. He felt both praised and amazed, because at this moment, Ning Que's performance was way better than he had expected.

Ning Que's finger left the carriage as he turned around and said to Yan Se worriedly, ”Master, I am just saying based on my feeling.”

”Feeling. That's the most important quality to have in pursuing talisman taoism.”

Master Yan Se gently touched his sideburn as he watched Ning Que in a fatherly manner. His husky and strange laughter sounded like an old farmer who had dug out an antique at his backyard. He said, ”You're very sensitive, more sensitive than I am. I like it.”

Ning Que did not know how to answer him.

”The movement in Qi of Heaven and Earth which you felt is the feeling of wind. The talisman I've drawn on this carriage is a Wind Talisman.”

Master Yan Se looked at him as he added, ”As for why the wind will move in a fixed line and in an orderly manner, like what you've said...within a complete system, the logic is simple. That's because the talisman sets a fixed direction for the wind.”

”Come with me.”

Master Yan Se swung his sleeve gently as he placed his hands at his back and slowly walked towards the poplar trees beside the nearby pavilion.

Ning Que walked to the front of the carriage and stood beside the horse. He looked at the big black round eyes of the horse as he smiled and said, ”You must be the world's most comfortable horse.”

That horse breathed out gently as it lowered its head and munched on the dry leave in the bag. Its silence had represented its agreement to such saying.

Ning Que watched Master Yan Se's back and hurriedly followed his steps.

...

...

Master Yan Se folded his legs and sat in the middle of the pavilion, with a small charcoal oven and a tea set at his side. Ning Que entered the pavilion and seeing that the Master was preparing the tea by himself, he quickly pounced forward to snatch over the task. Though that day it was this Divine Talisman Master who cried to have him as his disciple, but he would never be arrogant and missed any chance to please his teacher.

The fragrance of the tea leaves was out the moment they were placed into the boiling water. Master Yan Se watched the quiet Ning Que who was busily pouring the tea and nodded his head in approval. He then used his index finger to gently knock on the plate of the teacup, reminding him to sit properly and added, ”There are many ways to cultivation, such as swordsmanship, stamina training and formation. Pursuers like us who can write talismans are commonly known as Martial Arts of Talisman. However, we don't address ourselves as that, we would name it as Talisman Taoism.”

Ning Que respectfully placed the cup of hot tea in front of the Master, kneeled properly and listened attentively to the Master.

Master Yan Se lifted the cup of tea and gently sipped a mouthful before asking, ”Do you know what Talisman Taoism mean?”

Ning Que thought for a while and asked carefully, ”Is it using talisman to cultivate taoism?”