Wielding the Thunders Across Two Worlds-Chapter 32: Meeting 2 Young Ladies Again

’So, a Talisman drawn on Vermillion Yellow Paper is a one-time use item, but if you engrave the Runes onto wood or jade, it becomes a Magical Artifact?’ Gu Zhao mused, extending his line of thought.

He could sense that the Spiritual Power stored in the bracelet was quite strong. Besides the long-lasting nourishing effect of its Spiritual Qi, it could also activate the Celestial Spirit Talisman’s Gang Qi at least three or four more times. And after that...

’...could I just channel my Magical Power along the stroke order of the Runes to reactivate this Celestial Spirit Bracelet?’

’It’s a shame it can’t automatically absorb the Spiritual Power of Heaven and Earth, otherwise it would be a bona fide Magical Artifact.’ Gu Zhao felt a twinge of regret, then immediately shook his head to cast the thought aside. ’Blessed Infinite Celestial Venerable, one shouldn’t be too greedy!’

"Not bad, it’s quite beautiful," Gu Qi said, looking at the bracelet in his hand.

The three bracelets were all different sizes.

The one he had made for Li Man had small, 8mm beads for an exquisite and elegant look. The one for his son had medium, 12mm beads to highlight his personality. And the one for himself had large, 15mm beads, giving it a grand and stately appearance.

Small-leafed Purple Sandalwood truly lived up to its reputation as a top-tier wood. Its grain was clear and distinct, its purple hue tinged with red, and if you sniffed it closely, it carried a faint, fresh fragrance.

On the string of purplish-red beads, one was slightly larger than the rest. Its surface was engraved with vermillion Taoist Runes that shimmered as the light hit them from different angles, looking both mysterious and noble.

"Here, go play with it!" Gu Qi tossed one of the bracelets to Gu Zhao. He then took an exquisite gift box from a nearby cabinet, carefully placed the bracelet meant for Li Man inside, and even arranged it artfully.

"Was that really necessary?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Presentation is everything!"

Gu Qi ignored Gu Zhao, holding the gift box in his hand. "Let’s go! Time to head home!"

...

"Thank you, honey! Mwah!" Li Man gave Gu Qi a kiss, then put on the bracelet and admired it from all angles, beaming with delight. "It’s gorgeous! You can’t buy something like this on the market. It looks so high-class."

Gu Qi smiled smugly. "Of course! This is a work of art, hand-carved by a Gu Family grandmaster. It’s much better than those machine-engraved things!"

Li Man shifted her gaze and asked Gu Zhao, "What kind of Talisman is this? I need to know so I can show it off to my friends!"

Gu Zhao snapped his fingers. "It’s the Celestial Spirit Talisman from the Taoist Sect’s *Shangqing Heavenly Heart Righteous Method*. It cures illnesses, dispels misfortune, can bring the dead back to life, and exterminates evil, leaving no trace. That’s why the bracelet is called the Celestial Spirit Bracelet."

"Got it. So it’s for health, longevity, and warding off petty people," Li Man said.

Gu Zhao nodded, speechless. "More or less."

"A Celestial Spirit Talisman? Then why didn’t you carve an Earth Evil Talisman to go with it?" Li Man asked. "Aren’t Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends supposed to be a pair?"

Gu Zhao didn’t even need to answer. Although Gu Qi hadn’t practiced Cultivation with Gu Zhao’s grandfather, he had read the Tao Scriptures. "The scriptures only mention a Celestial Spirit Talisman, not an Earth Evil Talisman. There is a Xuanwu Black Fiend Talisman, but that’s for Exorcising Demons and Evil Spirits. It’s not like you’d have any use for that!"

"Oh, alright." Li Man had only asked casually. After all, in today’s information age, the terms "Celestial Spirit" and "Earthly Fiend" were always linked. ’Who knows,’ she thought, ’maybe the ancient person who wrote this Tao Scripture only knew about Celestial Spirits and hadn’t heard of Earthly Fiends yet?’

At this thought, she glanced down at the Celestial Spirit Talisman on her wrist and silently chanted, ’Blessed Infinite Celestial Venerable. I was just thinking out loud! I don’t mean any disrespect to the Ancestor Master, really!’

"Alright, off to bed with you. We have a plane to catch tomorrow morning!" Li Man sent Gu Zhao to his room, then pulled Gu Qi towards the second floor.

Gu Zhao was left speechless. "..."

...

On Friday, Gu Zhao and Li Man flew back to Rongcheng. The first thing they did was visit Gu Zhao’s maternal grandparents.

Gu Zhao’s paternal grandparents had been quite old when Gu Qi was born and had since passed away. His maternal grandparents, however, were not that old yet and were still quite hale and hearty.

After Gu Zhao secretly drew a Celestial Spirit Rune on the boards of their bed, he was sure they would become even more robust.

The wedding the next day went off without a hitch. Li Man and her "frenemies" all had a wonderful time, and Gu Zhao didn’t actually end up snatching the bride and taking her home.

"I’m going shopping with my girlfriends. You’re free to do whatever you want!"

Since it was a rare trip back to Rongcheng, Li Man naturally wanted to meet up with her old friends. By now, everyone’s children were either adults or nearly adults, so it was a leisurely time for them. Plus, since they weren’t too old themselves, it was the perfect time for shopping and get-togethers.

Now free from his "duties," Gu Zhao wasn’t bored either. His first stop was the Cyan Yang Palace, hailed as the number one Taoist Temple in Shu Xi.

It wasn’t summer break yet, so there weren’t many tourists. Gu Zhao showed his student ID, paid the five-yuan entrance fee, and stepped through the mountain gate. The first thing he saw, as was customary, was the Wang Spirit Official.

Unlike the solid gold Divine Statue in Yuanfa Palace, the Wang Spirit Official in Cyan Yang Palace was a painted sculpture with jeweled armor, crimson hair, and a wrathful gaze brimming with Divine Power. The upper line of the couplet flanking him read, "His Edicts stir the Thunderbolt; the Profound Tao magnificent, the Cyan Yang solemn," while the lower line read, "The Divine Monarch purges all evil; Heaven’s Inspectorate upholds the sanctity of the Law."

Gu Zhao looked up and saw the four large words on the plaque: "Chief of Thunder Fire."

’Not bad,’ Gu Zhao thought with a smile. ’Although the title "Chief of Thunder Fire" isn’t from the original texts, it suits his identity. At least they didn’t use a title from *Journey to the West*. It doesn’t break the immersion right off the bat.’

The Cyan Yang Palace was a bit classier than Yuanfa Palace, but not by much.

This wasn’t Gu Zhao’s first time at Cyan Yang Palace. He remembered that the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect were enshrined in the Three Pristine Hall further back!

’Speaking of which, I wonder if *Investiture of the Gods* and *Journey to the West* will become orthodox Daoist Scriptures in the future?’ Gu Zhao wondered internally as he bowed three times to the Wang Spirit Official. He then walked around the Divine Altar and picked up three free incense sticks from the side.

Ignoring the commentary from a nearby volunteer guide, Gu Zhao carried the incense sticks out of the entrance hall, walked down a rather long path, and arrived at the Primordial Hall.

Gu Zhao wasn’t in a hurry to offer the incense. After all, the Primordial Hall only enshrined Taishang Laojun. It was much more efficient to offer the incense at the Three Pristine Hall later and pay respects to all three patriarchs at once.

Gu Zhao: (•̀ω•́)✧

After bowing to the Primordial Ancestor Master in the front hall and then to Ci Hang Master in the rear hall, Gu Zhao passed by the Eight Trigrams Pavilion without disturbing Laojun again, heading straight for the Three Pristine Hall to offer his incense.

Gu Zhao lit the incense, first bowing to The Three Pristine Ones, then paying respects to the four cardinal directions. Just as he placed the three sticks into the Incense Burner, he sensed someone approach him. "Hey there, handsome. What a coincidence, it really is you! What brings you to Shu Province?"

Gu Zhao turned his head, and his vision was immediately filled with a pair of bountiful fruits.

He took a step back for a clearer view, then raised his gaze and finally saw a face. It was the same Miss Shuo Guo who had spoken up for him at Yuanfa Palace.

The other shy, long-legged young woman was still with her.

"What a coincidence," Gu Zhao replied. "My maternal grandparents are from Shu Province. I just happened to be back for some family matters. What about you two...?"

"We’re in Rongcheng for a performance and decided to stop by the Cyan Yang Palace to pray for blessings," Miss Shuo Guo said with a smile. "It was the same back in Yangcheng. I can’t believe we ran into you again. You’re not here to buy more Cinnabar and Yellow Paper, are you?"

"Of course not." Gu Zhao shook his head and chuckled. "I’ve been to Cyan Yang Palace many times. This time, I’m just revisiting an old haunt."

Miss Shuo Guo’s eyes lit up. "You’ve been here many times?"

"I have," Gu Zhao nodded.

"Then let’s look around together! You can be our guide, and we’ll treat you to a vegetarian meal," Miss Shuo Guo said with a grin.

Gu Zhao looked at the two of them. They were quite a pleasant sight, so he readily agreed. "Sure!"