The so-called Tianxi Yu Nu, also known as the Twelve Stream Nymphs of Heaven, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia spirits. Both are guardian deities summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical techniques. It is said that the Tianxi Yu Nu reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in Furong City, hovering 3,600 miles above the earth. Each commands divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds when dispersed and rain when united.
However, there is one key difference between the Tianxi Yu Nu and the Six Ding and Six Jia: while the Tianxi Nymphs are somewhat less powerful than the Dingjia spirits, they excel in battlefield command. Therefore, among cultivators, it is rare for someone to choose the Twelve Stream Nymphs as their guardian deities.
Mei Qing had once witnessed the might of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen through magical seals, and had long admired such techniques, even seeking advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly replied that for Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, attempting to summon the Six Ding and Six Jia was utterly pointless.
“That girl’s techniques are all top-notch,” Zhang Shisan had commented at the time. “What use would an ordinary disciple’s Six Ding and Six Jia have? These guardian spirits might be useful when a cultivator is just beginning their path, but now you’ve reached the Qi Cultivation stage—you’re practically a minor immortal. Why bother with such outdated methods? They can only be summoned once a day, and they’re a hassle to use, consuming a lot of energy for little practical effect.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t stop at criticism—he also explained the methods and drawbacks of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia in detail, and even mentioned the Twelve Stream Nymphs.
The methods for summoning both the Six Ding and Six Jia and the Twelve Stream Nymphs are largely similar. They require crafting magical seals or other talismanic objects, burning incense, and performing specific rituals to invoke the spirits. Once summoned, the spirits can be recalled using the appropriate seals and incantations, though offerings are still required for each summoning.
According to Zhang Shisan, the greatest drawbacks of these guardian spirits are threefold. First, they are difficult and cumbersome to summon. In the heat of battle, victory or defeat is often decided in an instant—there’s no time to go through lengthy rituals. By the time the spirits arrive, you might already be dead. Second, the process consumes significant resources, yet the summoned spirits can only remain for a short time. Third, the spirits themselves are not necessarily immensely powerful. In fact, most of these guardian deities have their own limitations and flaws. To truly accomplished cultivators, they offer little practical value.
“These summoned guardian spirits can only be summoned once a day, and their duration is limited. Besides requiring offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s simply not worth it. When a novice cultivator knows nothing else, these spirits might seem impressive, but once you reach a higher level, no serious practitioner continues to study such techniques. If you ever encounter such a summoned spirit, if you can fight it head-on, do so. But if it seems particularly dangerous, just one strategy—delay. Drag out the fight until the opponent’s energy is exhausted and they can no longer sustain the summoning. That way, you can win without a fight,” Zhang Shisan had explained simply, advising Mei Qing to rely on the tactic of delay.
After all, these summoned spirits are merely manifestations of the original deity, and their strength depends entirely on the summoner’s cultivation level. Regardless, their combat effectiveness is significantly reduced. According to Zhang Shisan, unless they are summoned by an expert on the verge of ascension, Mei Qing could safely ignore them.
But now, in the sky before him, two Tianxi Nymphs hovered in midair. The one on the left was five chi tall, wearing a golden crown adorned with flowers, and dressed in a green robe decorated with pearls. She held a silver bottle engraved with magical runes in her hands. The second nymph was five chi and three fen tall, her head adorned with fresh flowers, wearing a pale yellow immortal gown, and holding a dizi flute.
Mei Qing furrowed his brow. Based on their appearances, these two should be the First Stream Nymph, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Nymph, Zhou Qiongji. However, the hazy mist around them was filled with countless soldiers and weapons moving back and forth—an image quite different from what he had previously known of the Stream Nymphs.
Although the Tianxi Nymphs are known for commanding battle formations and leading divine troops, very few cultivators in the world possess the ability to summon them along with their armies. Typically, summoning the Nymphs would only bring forth the main spirits themselves, which was already difficult enough. Yet here, these two Nymphs had actually brought their divine soldiers with them—something that made Mei Qing deeply uneasy.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, and are also guardian spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that the Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and summoning rain with a wave of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ slightly from the Six Ding and Six Jia in that their magical power is not as formidable as that of the Ding and Jia deities, but they excel in leading battle formations. Therefore, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian spirits.
Having witnessed the might of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by the seal in Bi Zhen’s hand, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such magic and had even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-tier. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan commented at the time. “These guardian spirits might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’re in the Qi Refining stage and can be considered a minor adept, why bother with that? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle, consuming a lot of your cultivation energy with little real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just talk; he also explained in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their drawbacks, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar, both requiring the creation of magical seals and other ritual objects, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the spirits can be called forth again using the seal and incantations, but additional offerings are still necessary.
According to Zhang Shisan, the biggest drawbacks of these guardian spirits are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In most battles, victory or defeat is decided in moments, leaving no time for lengthy summoning rituals. By the time the spirits arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is extremely resource-intensive, and the duration of their presence is limited. Third, the summoned spirits are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most of these guardian spirits have their own weaknesses and limitations, making them of little use to truly advanced practitioners.
“These summoned spirits can generally only be called once a day, and their presence doesn’t last long. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem useful for beginners who know nothing, but no serious practitioner would bother with such methods once they reach a higher level. If you encounter such spirits, fight if you can, but if they prove troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning, allowing you to win without a fight.”
These summoned spirits are, after all, only manifestations of the original deities, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang Shisan put it, unless the summoner is a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore such guardian spirits.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens were hovering in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden headdress adorned with chaotic floral patterns, dressed in a large green pearl robe, and holding a silver bottle covered in talismans. The one on the right was slightly taller, her head adorned with fresh flowers, wearing a pale yellow celestial skirt, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Tianxi Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons moving around them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, summoning them to the point where they bring their troops is a feat few in the world can achieve. Therefore, summoning the Stream Maidens usually only brings forth a few main deities, which is already difficult enough. But today, these two Stream Maidens had actually brought their divine soldiers with them, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens were already on the move. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a shower of rain that sprinkled over the soldiers around her. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously shadowy figures in the mist began to solidify, and with the swirling clouds and mist, a troop of soldiers descended from the sky. The leading general, wielding a large sword, charged straight at Mei Qing.
The general was dressed in a brocade robe, with two pheasant feathers on her head, eight protective flags behind her, riding a peach blossom horse, and wielding a jade sword. She was, in fact, a female general. Behind her, several other riders charged forth, some wielding double swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them were female warriors.
Unable to discern the true nature of these soldiers, Mei Qing extended his spiritual sense but found their auras quite vague and indistinct. However, with soldiers charging at him, he couldn’t just stand there and wait to be attacked. With a thought, Mei Qing produced a small paper talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted, “Break the Diamond, subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman flashed and burned, and as Mei Qing guided it with his hand seals, a massive Vajra Pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle is a Buddhist ritual object used to destroy demons and evil spirits, capable of crushing anything. Over the past few centuries, the blending of Buddhist and Taoist practices has become common, and the Vajra Pestle has been adopted by some Taoist masters, who have turned it into talismans to combat evil spirits, often with remarkable results. Seeing that his opponents were not of the righteous path, Mei Qing decided to test them with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s level of cultivation, using it was no problem. Although he was naturally talented, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their pitch-black mouths, revealing gleaming white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled out from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. Accompanied by this demon-subduing sound, the massive pestle began to spin, forming a whirlwind that smashed into the charging troops.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra Pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Maidens in the air. When the pestle appeared with its demon-subduing roar, the First Stream Maiden’s expression became more serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and chanted an incantation. The previously charging troop suddenly changed formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements circular array.
By this time, the Vajra Pestle was already bearing down on the five soldiers. The leading female general raised her jade sword in a fiery skyward stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the names of the Five Elements, and a burst of elemental light formed a massive Five Elements array, thrusting towards the Vajra Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. If he hadn’t studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, he might have been flustered by this Five Elements array. But with his knowledge of formations, this simple Five Elements array was no challenge.
Mei Qing clasped his hands together, assuming an immovable mountain stance, and shouted, “Ma!”
At his shout, the five generals suddenly froze, as if pulled by invisible strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its spinning trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull head straight into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array is formed by the elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, with Earth at the center, serving as the array’s focal point. Earth is inherently heavy and solid, making it the most defensive element, but once the array is formed, it relies on the other four elements for support, making it the weakest point in the overall formation.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the flow of the Five Elements, causing a momentary stagnation. Then, with the Vajra Pestle, he delivered a straightforward, crushing blow to the array’s focal point.
With a loud “bang,” golden light exploded, and the entire Five Elements array shook violently. The figures of the five generals became blurry, and the female general at the center, wielding double hammers, was reduced to a wisp of smoke, her horse and hammers disintegrating into shreds of paper that scattered like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Changchun Palace. Could these troops actually be the same paper soldiers? But if they were just paper soldiers and horses, they should be the product of some minor sorcery, typically used to deal with mundane troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form arrays and possess such combat power?
Though puzzled, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. Seeing the paper shreds flying, he immediately raised the Vajra Pestle for another strike, while silently sending out another talisman.
“Thief, how dare you!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle talisman, shouted angrily. Her sharp voice had barely sounded when she threw her silver bottle into the air. Several streaks of cold light flashed, transforming the sweet dew into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down on Mei Qing and the opposing troops.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra Pestle, which had been poised to strike the Five Elements array, suddenly turned, spinning a golden light to meet the rain arrows. The Vajra Pestle, being just a paper talisman, had little remaining power after colliding with the Five Elements array. This strike against the rain arrows caused it to shatter into a shower of cold stars. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, were deflected away from Mei Qing, veering off into the distance.
As the dew spread, the hazy figures of soldiers and weapons gradually solidified. Amid swirling clouds and mist, a cavalry unit descended from the heavens. At the forefront, a female general wielding a large blade charged straight toward Mei Qing.
Dressed in a brocade robe, adorned with two pheasant feathers on her helmet, and flanked by eight protective banners, she rode a pink horse and wielded a jade sabre. Behind her, several other female warriors followed, some wielding twin swords, others swinging meteor hammers—each a fierce female warrior in her own right.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, being protective spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a mere gesture.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: while their magical prowess may not match that of the Ding and Jia, they excel in leading battle formations. Consequently, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their protective deities.
Having witnessed the formidable power of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bizhen’s talisman, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such magic and had even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, attempting to summon the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-tier. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan remarked at the time. “These protective deities might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but you’re already in the Qi Refining stage, practically a minor immortal. Why bother with such things? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a cumbersome process that consumes a lot of your energy with little real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just talk; he also explained in detail the methods and drawbacks of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of ritual tools like talismans, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the deities can be called forth again using the talisman and incantations, though additional offerings are necessary.
According to Zhang Shisan, the main drawbacks of these protective deities are threefold. First, the summoning process is complex and time-consuming. In a real battle, victory or defeat is often decided in moments, leaving no time for elaborate summoning rituals. By the time the deity arrives, you might already be dead. Second, the process is resource-intensive and the summoned deity’s presence is short-lived. Third, the summoned deities are not omnipotent. In fact, most have their own limitations and weaknesses, making them less useful in the eyes of truly advanced practitioners.
“These summoned deities can generally only be called once a day, and their presence is fleeting. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem impressive to beginners, but no advanced practitioner would waste time on such methods. If you encounter such deities, fight if you can, but if they prove too troublesome, just stall them. Wait until they exhaust their energy and can no longer sustain the summoning, and you’ll win without a fight,” Zhang Shisan advised, emphasizing the strategy of “stalling.”
These summoned deities are merely manifestations of their original forms, their strength dependent on the summoner’s cultivation level. Regardless, their combat effectiveness is significantly diminished. As Zhang Shisan put it, unless the summoner is a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore such protective deities.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens hovered in mid-air. The one on the left, standing five feet tall, wore a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe, holding a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right, slightly taller at five feet three inches, was adorned with fresh flowers and wore a pale yellow celestial dress, holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons surrounding them were quite different from what he knew of the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, summoning them to such an extent is a feat few in the world can achieve. Normally, summoning a few main deities is already challenging. Yet, today, these two Stream Maidens had brought their soldiers with them, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens took the initiative. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, releasing a drop of celestial dew that transformed into a shower of rain, sprinkling over her soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously misty figures of the soldiers and weapons began to solidify. Amidst swirling clouds and mist, a troop descended from the sky. Leading them was a female general wielding a large sword, charging straight at Mei Qing.
The general wore an embroidered robe, with two pheasant feathers on her helmet, eight protective flags behind her, and a peach blossom steed beneath her. She wielded a jade sword, and behind her, several other female warriors followed, some wielding twin swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them redoubtable heroines.
Uncertain of their true nature, Mei Qing probed with his spiritual senses but found their auras indistinct. Nevertheless, he couldn’t just stand there and take the hit. With a swift motion, he produced a small paper talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted, “Shatter the Diamond, Subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman ignited instantly, and as Mei Qing guided it with his hand seals, a massive Vajra Pestle materialized in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle, originally a Buddhist ritual tool used to vanquish demons and destroy all obstacles, had been adopted by some Taoist masters in recent centuries, who crafted it into talismans to combat malevolent entities with remarkable effectiveness. Sensing something amiss with his opponents, Mei Qing deployed this talisman as a test.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation level, using it was well within his capabilities. Though naturally gifted, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t yet explored higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their dark, gaping mouths, revealing sharp white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. Accompanied by this demon-subduing resonance, the massive pestle whirled into a spinning vortex, crashing toward the oncoming troops.
The appearance of the Vajra Pestle immediately caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. The First Stream Maiden’s expression grew serious as she heard the pestle’s roar.
With a swift motion, she formed hand seals and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly shifted formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements circular array.
As the Vajra Pestle descended upon the five soldiers, the leading swordswoman raised her jade sword in a fiery upward slash, shouting, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also wielded their weapons, chanting the Five Elements, and a burst of elemental energy formed a massive Five Elements array, thrusting toward the Vajra Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. Had he not studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, he might have been flustered by this Five Elements array. But with his newfound knowledge, such a basic formation posed no challenge.
With a clap of his hands, Mei Qing assumed an immovable stance and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five generals froze as if pulled by invisible strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its spinning trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull directly into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array, composed of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, places Earth at the center as the array’s core. Earth, being heavy and boundless, is the most defensive element, but once the array is activated, it becomes the weakest point as it supports the entire formation without reinforcement from the other elements.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first disrupted the array’s flow with a secret Hua Yan technique, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra Pestle’s crushing force, he delivered a direct, unadorned blow to the array’s core.
With a resounding “Boom!”, golden light erupted, and the entire Five Elements array shook violently. The figures of the five generals blurred, and the one at the Earth position, wielding twin hammers, was reduced to a wisp of smoke, her horse and hammers disintegrating into scattered paper fragments.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper figures he had seen in the Evergreen Palace. Could these soldiers be the same? But if they were mere paper soldiers, a common trick of minor practitioners to mimic real troops, how could they form such a formidable array under the command of the Stream Maidens?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. As the paper fragments scattered, the Vajra Pestle rose again for another strike, while Mei Qing silently released another talisman.
“Impudent fool!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle, angrily threw her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes of light emerged as the celestial dew transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, hurtling toward Mei Qing and his troops.
Mei Qing smirked. The Vajra Pestle, originally aimed at the Five Elements array, suddenly turned and spun into a golden vortex, intercepting the rain arrows. Though the pestle, being just a paper talisman, had little energy left after clashing with the array, it managed to scatter the rain arrows into a shower of cold sparks. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, veered off course, flying harmlessly into the distance.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, being guardian spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a mere gesture.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: while their magical prowess may not match that of the Ding and Jia, they excel in leading battle formations. Consequently, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian deities.
Having witnessed the formidable power of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s talisman, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and had even sought advice from Zhang Thirteen. However, Zhang Thirteen bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, attempting to summon the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-tier. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Thirteen remarked at the time. “These guardian deities might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but you’re already at the Qi Refining stage, a minor adept. Why bother with such things? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a cumbersome process that drains your energy without offering much practical benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Thirteen didn’t just criticize; he also explained the methods and drawbacks of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia in detail, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar, requiring the creation of ritual artifacts like talismans, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the deities can be called forth again using the talisman and incantations, though additional offerings are necessary.
According to Zhang Thirteen, the main drawbacks of these guardian deities are threefold: first, the summoning process is complex and time-consuming. In a battle, victory or defeat is often decided in moments, leaving no time for elaborate summoning rituals. By the time the deity arrives, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is resource-intensive, and the summoned deity’s duration is limited. Third, the summoned deities are not omnipotent; they often have their own weaknesses and limitations, making them less useful in the eyes of truly skilled practitioners.
“These summoned deities can generally only be invoked once a day, and their duration is short. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem useful for beginners, but no advanced practitioner would waste time on such methods. If you encounter these deities, fight if you can, but if they prove too troublesome, just stall them. Wait until they exhaust their energy and can no longer sustain the summoning, and you’ll win without a fight.”
These summoned deities are merely manifestations of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang Thirteen put it, unless the summoner is a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore such guardians.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens hovered in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe, holding a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right was slightly taller, her head adorned with fresh flowers, dressed in a pale yellow celestial gown, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons surrounding them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, summoning them to such a level of military command is a feat few in the world can achieve. Typically, summoning the Stream Maidens only brings forth a few main deities, which is already challenging. But today, these two Maidens had arrived with their soldiers, leaving Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens took the initiative. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, releasing a drop of celestial dew that transformed into a rain shower, sprinkling over her soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Soldiers, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the dew fell, the previously indistinct figures in the mist solidified, and with the swirling clouds, a troop of soldiers descended from the sky. Leading them was a female general wielding a large sword, charging straight at Mei Qing.
The general wore a brocade robe, with two pheasant feathers on her head, eight protective flags behind her, riding a peach blossom horse, and wielding a jade sword. Behind her, several other female soldiers followed, some wielding double swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them fierce female warriors.
Uncertain of their true nature, Mei Qing probed with his spiritual senses but found their auras indistinct. However, he couldn’t just stand there and wait to be attacked. With a thought, he released a small paper talisman, forming hand seals and chanting, “Break the Diamond, subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman flashed and burned, and as Mei Qing guided it with his seals, a massive Vajra Pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle, originally a Buddhist ritual tool for vanquishing demons and destroying all obstacles, had been adopted by some Taoist masters in recent centuries, who crafted it into talismans to combat malevolent entities, often with remarkable effectiveness. Seeing the unusual nature of his opponents, Mei Qing decided to test the waters with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation level, using it was well within his capabilities. However, despite his natural talent, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their dark, gaping mouths, revealing sharp white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. With this demon-subduing resonance, the massive pestle swung around, forming a whirlwind that crashed into the oncoming troops.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra Pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. When the pestle appeared with its demon-subduing roar, the First Stream Maiden’s expression grew serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly shifted formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements Circle.
By this time, the Vajra Pestle was bearing down on the five soldiers. The leading female general raised her jade sword in a skyward thrust and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the Five Elements, and in an instant, a radiant Five Elements array formed, thrusting toward the Vajra Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. Had he not studied formations under Zhang Thirteen’s guidance, he might have been flustered by this Five Elements array. But with his newfound knowledge, such a simple formation was no challenge.
With a clap of his hands, Mei Qing assumed an immovable stance and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five generals froze as if pulled by strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull directly into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array, composed of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, has Earth at its center, the core of the formation. Earth, being heavy and boundless, is the most defensive element, but once the formation is activated, it relies on the other four elements for support, making it the weakest point in the overall structure.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the Five Elements’ flow, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra Pestle’s crushing force, he delivered a straightforward blow to the formation’s core.
With a loud “bang,” golden light erupted, and the entire Five Elements array shook violently. The figures of the five generals blurred, and the female general at the Earth position, wielding double hammers, was reduced to a wisp of smoke, her horse and hammers disintegrating into scattered pieces of paper.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Eternal Spring Palace. Could these troops be the same? But if they were mere paper soldiers, created through minor spells like “scattering beans to form an army,” they should only be effective against ordinary troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form a battle array and possess such combat prowess?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. As the paper fragments scattered, the Vajra Pestle rose again, poised to strike. Meanwhile, he silently released another talisman, which vanished in a flash.
“Impudent fool!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Talisman, shouted angrily. Her sharp voice had barely sounded when she hurled her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes of light shot out, as the celestial dew transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down on Mei Qing and his troops.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra Pestle, originally aimed at the Five Elements array, suddenly turned, spinning a golden light to intercept the rain arrows. The pestle, being just a paper talisman, had little energy left after colliding with the Five Elements array. This strike against the rain arrows shattered it into a shower of cold sparks. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, veered off course, flying harmlessly away.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, being protective spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that the Jade Stream Maidens reside in the void of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a wave of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: their magical power is not as formidable as that of the Ding and Jia, but they excel in leading battle formations. Therefore, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their protective deities.
Having witnessed the might of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bizhen’s magical seal, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-notch. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan commented at the time. “These protective deities might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’ve reached the Qi Refining stage and are considered a minor adept, why bother with such things? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a cumbersome process that consumes a lot of your energy without any real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just talk; he also explained in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their shortcomings, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of magical seals and other ritual tools, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the deities can be called forth again using the magical seals and incantations, but additional offerings are still necessary.
According to Zhang Shisan, the biggest drawbacks of these protective deities are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In a real battle, victory or defeat is often decided in an instant, leaving no time for elaborate summoning rituals. By the time the deities arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is highly resource-intensive, and the time available for their use is limited. Third, the summoned deities are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most of these protective spirits have their own flaws and limitations. In the eyes of truly advanced practitioners, they are of little use.
“These summoned deities can generally only be invoked once a day, and their duration is short. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem useful for beginners who know nothing, but at higher levels, no practitioner would bother with such methods. If you encounter these deities, fight if you can, but if they prove troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning. Then you can win without a fight.”
These summoned deities are merely manifestations of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang Shisan put it, unless they are summoned by a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore them.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens were hovering in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe, holding a silver bottle covered in talismans. The one on the right was five feet three inches tall, her head adorned with fresh flowers, dressed in a pale yellow celestial skirt, holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Tianxi Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons moving around them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, few practitioners have the ability to summon them with their full entourage. Summoning even a few of the main deities is already a challenge. Yet today, these two Stream Maidens had arrived with their divine soldiers, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens were already on the offensive. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a shower of rain that sprinkled over a group of soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously indistinct figures of soldiers and weapons in the mist began to solidify. With clouds and mist swirling, a troop descended from the sky. The leading general, wielding a large sword, charged straight at Mei Qing.
The general wore an embroidered robe, with two pheasant feathers on her helmet, eight protective flags behind her, riding a peach blossom horse, and wielding a jade sword. She was a female general. Behind her, several other riders charged forward, some wielding twin swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them were female warriors.
Mei Qing, unsure of their true nature, probed with his spiritual senses and found their auras quite vague, making it hard to discern their true forms. However, he couldn’t just stand there and take the hit. With a thought, he produced a small paper talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted, “Break the Diamond, subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The paper talisman flashed and burned. As Mei Qing guided it with his hand seals, a massive Vajra Pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle, originally a Buddhist ritual tool used to destroy demons and evil spirits, had been adopted by some Taoist masters in recent centuries and turned into talismans for combating malevolent entities, often with remarkable effects. Seeing the unusual nature of his opponents, Mei Qing decided to test the waters with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, using it was well within his capabilities. However, despite his natural talent, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their black, gaping mouths, revealing sharp white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. Accompanied by this demon-subduing resonance, the massive pestle swung around, creating a whirlwind that smashed into the charging troops.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra Pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. Seeing the pestle’s appearance and hearing its roar, the First Stream Maiden’s expression grew more serious.
With a flip of her hands, she formed seals and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly changed formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements Circle.
By this time, the Vajra Pestle was already bearing down on the five soldiers. The leading female general raised her jade sword in a skyward thrust and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the names of the Five Elements, and a burst of elemental energy formed a massive Five Elements Array, thrusting toward the Vajra Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. Had he not studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, he might have been flustered by this Five Elements Array. But with his newfound knowledge, such a simple formation was no challenge.
With a clap of his hands, Mei Qing assumed a motionless stance and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five generals froze as if pulled by strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull directly into the center of the Five Elements Array.
The Five Elements Array is based on the elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, with Earth at the center as the array’s core. Earth is inherently stable and defensive, but once the array is activated, it relies on the other four elements for support, making it the weakest point in the overall formation.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the array’s flow with a single shout, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra Pestle, he delivered a straightforward, crushing blow to the array’s core.
With a loud “bang,” golden light exploded, and the entire Five Elements Array shook violently. The figures of the five generals became indistinct, and the female general at the center, wielding twin hammers, was reduced to a wisp of smoke. Her horse and hammers disintegrated into shreds of paper, scattering like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Eternal Spring Palace. Could these troops be the same? But if they were just paper soldiers, they should be the product of some minor, unorthodox spell, typically used against mundane forces. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form arrays and possess such combat power?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. Seeing the paper shreds fly, he raised the Vajra Pestle for another strike, while silently releasing another talisman.
“Impudent fool!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle, shouted angrily. Her sharp voice had barely faded when she hurled her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes of light shot out as the sweet dew inside transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down indiscriminately on Mei Qing and the opposing troops.
Mei Qing smirked. The Vajra Pestle, originally aimed at the Five Elements Array, suddenly turned and spun into a golden whirlwind, intercepting the rain arrows. The pestle, being just a paper talisman, had little energy left after colliding with the Five Elements Array. This strike against the rain arrows shattered it into a shower of cold sparks. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, were deflected away from Mei Qing, veering off into the distance.
This talisman was already considered mid-level. For Mei Qing’s cultivation level, using such a talisman was well within his capabilities. Though a prodigy, his foundation was still shallow, and he had not yet mastered many high-level talismans. This one was among the most powerful he had mastered.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, being protective spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a wave of their hands.
However, there is a slight difference between the Tianxi Jade Maidens and the Six Ding and Six Jia deities. While their magical power may not match that of the Ding and Jia, their strength lies in their expertise in leading battle formations. Therefore, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their protective deities.
Having witnessed the formidable power of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s talisman, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such magic and had even sought advice from Zhang Thirteen. However, Zhang Thirteen bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s tools are all top-notch. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Thirteen commented at the time. “These protective deities might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’re in the Qi Refining stage and can be considered a minor adept, why bother with that? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle, consuming a lot of your cultivation energy for little practical benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Thirteen didn’t just talk; he also explained to Mei Qing in detail the methods and drawbacks of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding deities and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of ritual tools like talismans, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the deities can be called forth again using the talisman and incantations, but additional offerings are still required.
According to Zhang Thirteen, the biggest drawbacks of these protective deities are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In most battles, victory or defeat is decided in moments, leaving no time for elaborate summoning rituals. By the time the deities arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is extremely resource-intensive, and the duration of their presence is limited. Third, the summoned deities are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most of these protective spirits have their own flaws and limitations. In the eyes of truly advanced practitioners, they are of little use.
“These summoned deities can generally only be called once a day, and their presence is short-lived. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem useful for beginners, but no advanced practitioner would bother with such methods. If you encounter these deities, fight if you can, but if they prove too troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning, allowing you to win without a fight.”
These summoned deities are merely manifestations of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang Thirteen put it, unless they are summoned by a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore them.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens hovered in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe. In her hand, she held a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right was slightly taller, her head adorned with fresh flowers, dressed in a pale yellow celestial skirt, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Tianxi Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the countless soldiers and weapons moving around them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, summoning them to the point where they bring their troops is a feat few in the world can achieve. Therefore, summoning the Stream Maidens usually only brings forth a few main deities, which is already difficult enough. But today, these two Maidens had brought their soldiers with them, leaving Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens were already on the move. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a rain shower that sprinkled over the soldiers around her. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Soldiers, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously indistinct soldiers and weapons in the mist began to solidify. Amid swirling clouds and mist, a troop descended from the sky. At the forefront was a female general wielding a large sword, charging straight at Mei Qing.
The female general wore an embroidered robe, with two pheasant feathers on her helmet, eight protective flags behind her, and a peach blossom horse beneath her. In her hand, she held a jade sword. Behind her, several other female warriors charged forward, some wielding twin swords, others brandishing meteor hammers—all of them were fierce female warriors.
Mei Qing, unsure of their true nature, probed with his spiritual sense but found their auras indistinct. However, he couldn’t just stand there and wait to be attacked. With a thought, he produced a small paper talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted, “Shatter the Vajra, subdue the demons!”
The talisman flashed and burned, and as Mei Qing guided it with his hand seals, a massive Vajra pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra pestle, originally a Buddhist ritual tool used to destroy demons and evil spirits, has been adopted by some Taoist masters in recent centuries, who have incorporated it into talismans for combating malevolent entities, often with remarkable results. Seeing that his opponents seemed somewhat unorthodox, Mei Qing decided to test the waters with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation level, using it was well within his capabilities. Although he was a prodigy, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their pitch-black mouths, revealing rows of white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. Accompanied by this demon-subduing roar, the massive pestle swung around, creating a whirlwind as it smashed toward the charging troops.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Maidens in the air. When the pestle appeared with its demon-subduing roar, the First Stream Maiden’s expression grew more serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly shifted formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements circular array.
At this moment, the Vajra pestle descended upon the five soldiers. The female general leading them raised her jade sword in a “fire reaching for the sky” stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the Five Elements, and a burst of elemental energy formed a massive Five Elements array, thrusting toward the Vajra pestle.
Mei Qing smiled inwardly. If he hadn’t studied formations, encountering this Five Elements array might have flustered him. But with Zhang Thirteen’s careful guidance, he had gained considerable insight into formations, and this simple Five Elements array was no challenge for him.
Mei Qing clasped his hands together, assuming an unmovable mountain stance, and shouted, “Ma!”
At his shout, the five generals suddenly froze, as if pulled by invisible strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra pestle abruptly changed its horizontal spin, standing upright with its skulls facing forward, and struck directly at the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array is based on the five elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—with Earth at the center, serving as the array’s core. Earth is inherently stable and defensive, but once the array is activated, it becomes the weakest point because it supports the entire array without receiving support from the other elements.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the array’s flow with a single shout, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra pestle, he delivered a straightforward, heavy blow directly to the array’s core.
With a loud “bang,” golden light exploded, and the entire Five Elements array shook violently. The figures of the five generals became indistinct, and the female general at the Earth position, wielding twin hammers, was reduced to a wisp of smoke. Her horse and hammers disintegrated into scraps of paper, scattering like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Eternal Spring Palace. Could these troops be the same paper soldiers? But if they were paper soldiers, they should be the product of some unorthodox “sowing beans to create soldiers” technique, typically used against mundane troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form arrays and possess such combat power?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. As the paper scraps scattered, the Vajra pestle was already rising again for another strike. Meanwhile, he had silently sent out another talisman, which disappeared in a flash.
“Impudent fool!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra talisman, shouted angrily. Her sharp voice had barely sounded when she threw her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes of light shot out—the sweet dew inside the bottle had transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down on Mei Qing and the opposing troops.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra pestle, which had been poised to strike the Five Elements array, suddenly turned, spinning a golden light toward the rain arrows. The pestle, being just a paper talisman, had little power left after colliding with the Five Elements array. This strike against the rain arrows caused it to shatter into a shower of cold sparks. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, were deflected away from Mei Qing, veering off into the distance.
Waves of sound rippled outward from the club, vibrating the air with a deep hum. Accompanied by this sound of divine destruction, the club spun like a whirlwind, hurtling toward the charging cavalry.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, being guardian spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a wave of their hands.
However, there is a slight difference between the Tianxi Jade Maidens and the Six Ding and Six Jia deities. While their magical powers are not as formidable as those of the Ding and Jia, their strength lies in their expertise in leading battle formations. Therefore, it is rare for practitioners to choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian spirits.
Having witnessed the might of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bizhen’s magical seal, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and had even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s tools are all top-notch. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan commented at the time. “These guardian spirits might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’ve reached the Qi Refining stage and are considered a minor adept, why bother with such things? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle. It consumes a lot of your cultivation energy without providing any real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just talk; he also explained in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their drawbacks, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding deities and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of magical seals and other ritual tools, followed by incense offerings and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the spirits can be called forth again using the seals and incantations, but additional offerings are still necessary.
According to Zhang Shisan, the biggest drawbacks of these guardian spirits are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In most battles, victory or defeat is decided in moments, leaving no time for lengthy summoning rituals. By the time the spirits arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is highly resource-intensive, and the duration of their presence is limited. Third, the summoned spirits are not necessarily all-powerful. In fact, most of these guardian spirits have their own weaknesses and limitations. In the eyes of truly advanced practitioners, they are of little use.
“These summoned spirits can generally only be called once a day, and their presence doesn’t last long. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. When you’re just starting out and know nothing, they might seem impressive, but as you progress, no serious practitioner would bother with such methods. If you encounter these spirits, fight if you can, but if they prove troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning. Then you can win without a fight.”
These summoned spirits are, after all, only manifestations of the original deities, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang Shisan put it, unless they are summoned by a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore them.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens were hovering in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden headdress adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe. In her hand, she held a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right was slightly taller, her head adorned with fresh flowers, dressed in a pale yellow celestial gown, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons moving around them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, summoning them to the point where they bring their troops is a feat few in the world can achieve. Therefore, summoning the Stream Maidens usually only brings forth a few main deities, which is already difficult enough. But today, these two Stream Maidens had actually brought their troops with them, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens were already on the move. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a shower of rain that sprinkled over the soldiers around her. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously hazy figures of soldiers and weapons in the mist began to solidify. With clouds swirling and mist churning, a troop of soldiers descended from the sky. At the forefront was a female general wielding a large sword, charging straight at Mei Qing.
The female general wore an embroidered robe, with two pheasant feathers on her head, eight protective flags behind her, and a peach blossom horse beneath her. In her hand, she held a jade sword. Behind her, several other female warriors followed, some wielding twin swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them redoubtable heroines.
Unable to discern the true nature of these soldiers, Mei Qing extended his spiritual senses but found their auras indistinct and unclear. However, he couldn’t just stand there and wait to be attacked. With a thought, he produced a small paper talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted, “Shatter the Diamond, Subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman flashed and ignited. As Mei Qing guided it with his hand seals, a massive Vajra Pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle, originally a Buddhist ritual tool used to destroy demons and evil spirits, had been adopted by some Taoist masters in recent centuries and turned into talismans for combating malevolent forces, often with remarkable effectiveness. Seeing that his opponents seemed somewhat unorthodox, Mei Qing decided to use this talisman to test the waters.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s level of cultivation, using it was well within his capabilities. Although he was naturally gifted, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their pitch-black mouths, revealing rows of white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. Accompanied by this demon-subduing sound, the massive pestle began to whirl, creating a vortex that smashed into the oncoming troop of soldiers.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra Pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. When the pestle appeared with its demon-subduing roar, the First Stream Maiden’s expression grew more serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and muttered an incantation. The previously aggressive troop of soldiers suddenly changed formation, with five of them taking positions to form a Five Elements Circle.
By this time, the Vajra Pestle was already bearing down on the five soldiers. The female general leading them raised her jade sword in a “fire to the sky” stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the names of the Five Elements. In an instant, a radiant Five Elements diagram formed, thrusting upward to meet the Vajra Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. If he hadn’t studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, encountering this Five Elements formation might have flustered him. But with his newfound knowledge, this simple formation was no challenge.
Mei Qing clapped his hands together, assuming an immovable mountain stance, and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five soldiers froze as if pulled by invisible strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its spinning trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull end straight into the center of the Five Elements formation.
The Five Elements formation is based on the elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, with Earth at the center as the formation’s core. Earth is inherently stable and solid, making it the most defensive element. However, once the formation is activated, Earth, being the pivot, loses support from the other elements, making it the weakest point in the overall formation.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the Five Elements’ flow with a single shout, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra Pestle, he delivered a straightforward, heavy blow to the formation’s core.
With a loud “bang,” golden light erupted, and the entire Five Elements formation shook violently. The figures of the five soldiers became indistinct, and the female general at the center, wielding twin hammers, was reduced to a wisp of smoke. Her horse and hammers disintegrated into shreds of paper, scattering like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Changchun Palace. Could these soldiers before him be the same? But if they were just paper soldiers, created by some unorthodox method like “scattering beans to form an army,” they should only be effective against mundane troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form a battle formation and possess such combat power?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. As the paper shreds scattered, the Vajra Pestle was already rising again for another strike. At the same time, he silently released another talisman, which vanished in a flash.
“You dare!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle talisman, shouted angrily. Her sharp voice had barely risen when she hurled her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes of light shot out as the celestial dew inside transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down indiscriminately on Mei Qing and the opposing soldiers.
Mei Qing smirked. The Vajra Pestle, which had been poised to strike the soldiers in the Five Elements formation, suddenly turned and spun into a golden vortex, intercepting the rain arrows. The pestle, being just a paper talisman, had already expended most of its power in the collision with the Five Elements formation. This time, it shattered into a shower of cold sparks upon impact with the rain arrows. The arrows, though not destroyed, were deflected away from Mei Qing, veering off into the distance.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia, and are also guardian deities summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that the Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and summoning rain with a wave of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ slightly from the Six Ding and Six Jia in that their magical power is not as formidable as that of the Ding and Jia, but they excel in leading battle formations. Therefore, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian deities.
Having witnessed the might of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s magical seal, Mei Qing has always been fascinated by such spells and even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-notch. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan commented at the time. “These guardian deities might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’ve reached the Qi Refining stage and can be considered a minor adept, why bother with that? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle. It consumes a lot of your cultivation energy without any real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just talk; he also explained in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their drawbacks, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of magical seals and other ritual tools, the burning of incense, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. After the initial summoning, if the deities need to reappear, they can be called forth using the magical seal and incantations, but offerings are still required.
According to Zhang Shisan, the biggest drawbacks of these guardian deities are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In most battles, victory or defeat is decided in moments, leaving no time for elaborate summoning rituals. By the time the deities arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is highly resource-intensive, and the duration of their presence is limited. Third, the summoned deities are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most of these guardian deities have their own flaws and limitations. In the eyes of truly advanced practitioners, they are of little use.
“These summoned deities can generally only be called once a day, and their presence doesn’t last long. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem useful for beginners who know nothing, but at higher levels, no serious practitioner would bother with such methods. If you encounter these deities, fight if you can, but if they prove too troublesome, just drag things out.” When discussing how to deal with them, Zhang Shisan was quite straightforward, emphasizing the tactic of “dragging things out.” By exhausting the opponent’s energy and making it impossible for them to sustain the summoning, you can win without a fight.
These summoned deities are, after all, only manifestations of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. According to Zhang Shisan, unless the summoner is a super-expert on the verge of ascension, Mei Qing can safely ignore these guardian deities.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens hovered in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden headdress adorned with chaotic floral patterns, dressed in a green pearl robe, and holding a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right was slightly taller, her head adorned with fresh flowers, wearing a pale yellow celestial skirt, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Tianxi Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons surrounding them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are known for leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, few practitioners have the ability to summon them with their troops. Therefore, summoning the Stream Maidens usually only brings forth a few main deities, which is already quite challenging. But today, these two Stream Maidens had arrived with their troops, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens were already on the move. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a shower of rain that sprinkled over the soldiers around her. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Soldiers, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously indistinct figures of soldiers and weapons in the mist began to solidify. With the swirling clouds and mist, a troop of soldiers descended from the sky. Leading them was a female general wielding a large sword, charging straight at Mei Qing.
The female general wore an embroidered robe, with two pheasant feathers on her head, eight protective flags behind her, and rode a peach blossom horse. She wielded a jade sword, and behind her, several other female soldiers charged forward, some wielding double swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them were fierce female warriors.
Mei Qing couldn’t discern their true nature. His spiritual senses detected that the auras of these soldiers were quite vague, making it hard to see their true forms. However, he couldn’t just stand there and wait to be attacked. With a thought, Mei Qing produced a small paper talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted, “Shatter the Diamond, subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman flashed and burned. As Mei Qing guided it with his hand seals, a massive Vajra Pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle is a Buddhist ritual tool used to destroy demons and evil spirits, capable of breaking through anything. Over the past few centuries, Buddhist and Taoist practices have often blended, and the Vajra Pestle has been adopted by some Taoist masters, who have turned it into talismans to combat evil spirits, often with remarkable effects. Seeing that the opponent’s forces seemed unusual, Mei Qing decided to use this talisman to test the waters.
This talisman was considered a mid-level one, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation level, using it was well within his capabilities. Although he was a prodigy, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-level talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls simultaneously opened their black, gaping mouths, revealing rows of white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. Accompanied by this demon-subduing sound, the massive pestle swung around, creating a whirlwind that smashed into the oncoming troops.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra Pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. Seeing the pestle appear and hearing its demon-subduing roar, the First Tianxi Maiden’s expression grew more serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop of soldiers suddenly changed formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements circular array.
By this time, the Vajra Pestle was already bearing down on the five soldiers. The female general leading them raised her jade sword in a “fire reaching the sky” stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the Five Elements, and instantly a Five Elements aura emerged, forming a massive Five Elements array that thrust toward the Vajra Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. If he hadn’t studied formations, encountering this Five Elements array might have left him flustered. But with Zhang Shisan’s careful guidance, he had gained considerable insight into formations, and this simple Five Elements array was no challenge for him.
Mei Qing clapped his hands together, assuming an immovable mountain stance, and shouted, “Ma!”
At his shout, the five soldiers suddenly froze, as if pulled by invisible strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its spinning motion, standing upright with the skulls facing forward, and slammed directly into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array is based on the five elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, with Earth at the center, serving as the array’s core. Earth is inherently heavy and boundless, making it the most solid defensive element. However, once the array is formed, Earth, being the core that drives the entire array, doesn’t receive support from the other four elements, making it the weakest point in the overall formation.
Mei Qing had a clear understanding of formations, so he first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the Five Elements’ flow with a shout, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra Pestle, he delivered a straightforward, heavy blow directly to the array’s core.
With a loud “bang,” golden light exploded, and the entire Five Elements array shook violently. The figures of the five soldiers became indistinct, and the female general at the center, wielding double hammers, was reduced to a wisp of smoke. Her horse and hammers disintegrated into pieces of paper, scattering like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Changchun Palace. Could these soldiers before him be the same paper soldiers? But if they were paper soldiers, they should be the result of some minor magical trick like “scattering beans to create soldiers,” typically used to deal with mundane troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form arrays and possess such combat power?
Though puzzled, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. Seeing the paper fragments flying, he immediately raised the Vajra Pestle for another strike, while silently sending out another talisman.
“You dare!” The First Tianxi Maiden, seeing her troops being shaken by Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle talisman, angrily shouted. Her sharp voice had barely risen when she threw her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes of light shot out, as the sweet dew inside transformed into rain arrows, faintly accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down indiscriminately on Mei Qing and the opposing troops.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra Pestle, which had been poised to strike the Five Elements array, suddenly turned around, spinning with golden light, and met the rain arrows. The Vajra Pestle, being just a paper talisman, had little energy left after colliding with the Five Elements array. This strike against the rain arrows caused it to shatter into countless cold stars, scattering in all directions. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, were deflected away from Mei Qing, veering off to who knows where.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia, being guardian deities summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that the Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and summoning rain with a clap of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: their magical power is not as formidable as that of the Ding and Jia, but they excel in leading battle formations. Therefore, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian deities.
Having witnessed the might of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s magical seal, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and had even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-notch. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan commented at the time. “These guardian deities might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’ve reached the Qi Refining stage and are considered a minor adept, why bother with such things? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle, consuming a lot of your cultivation energy with little real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just talk; he also explained to Mei Qing in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their shortcomings, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar, requiring the creation of magical seals and other ritual objects, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, if the deities are needed again, they can be called forth with the appropriate seals and incantations, though certain offerings are still required.
According to Zhang Shisan, the biggest drawbacks of these guardian deities are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In a battle, victory or defeat is often decided in moments, leaving no time for elaborate summoning rituals. By the time the deities are summoned, one’s life might already be forfeit. Second, the cost is significant, and the time they can be used is limited. Third, the summoned deities are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most of these guardian deities have their own flaws and limitations. In the eyes of truly advanced practitioners, they are of little use.
“These summoned deities can generally only be called once a day, and their duration is short. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. When you’re just starting out and know nothing, they might seem useful, but at higher levels, no practitioner bothers with such methods. If you encounter such deities, fight if you can, but if they prove troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning, allowing you to win without a fight.”
These summoned deities are, after all, only manifestations of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. According to Zhang Shisan, unless they are summoned by a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore them.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens were hovering in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns, dressed in a large green pearl robe, and holding a silver bottle covered in talismans. The one on the right was five feet three inches tall, her head adorned with fresh flowers, wearing a light yellow celestial skirt, and holding a flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearance, these two Tianxi Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and horses moving around them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, few in the world have the ability to summon them with their full retinue. Therefore, summoning the Stream Maidens usually only brings forth a few main deities, which is already difficult. But today, these two Stream Maidens had arrived with their divine soldiers, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens were already on the move. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a shower of rain that sprinkled over a group of soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin, by decree!”
As the rain fell, the previously misty figures of the soldiers and horses gradually solidified. Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, a troop descended from the sky, led by a general wielding a large sword, who charged straight at Mei Qing.
The general was dressed in a brocade robe, with two pheasant feathers on her head, eight protective flags behind her, riding a peach blossom horse, and wielding a jade sword. She was, in fact, a female general. Behind her, several other riders charged forward, some wielding double swords, others flailing meteor hammers, all of them redoubtable heroines.
Unable to discern the true nature of these soldiers, Mei Qing probed with his spiritual sense but found their auras indistinct. However, he couldn’t just stand there and wait to be attacked. With a flick of his wrist, he sent out a small paper talisman, forming hand seals and chanting, “Shatter the Diamond, subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman flashed and burned, and as Mei Qing guided it with his seals, a massive Vajra Pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle is a Buddhist ritual object used to destroy demons, capable of breaking through anything. In recent centuries, the blending of Buddhist and Taoist practices has become common, and the Vajra Pestle has been adopted by some Taoist masters, who have turned it into a talisman for dealing with malevolent entities, often with remarkable effects. Seeing that his opponents seemed somewhat unorthodox, Mei Qing had decided to use this talisman to test the waters.
This talisman was considered mid-level, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation, using it was no problem. Although he was a prodigy, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-level talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their pitch-black mouths, revealing gleaming white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled out from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. Accompanied by this demon-subduing sound, the massive pestle whirled around, forming a whirlwind that smashed into the oncoming troops.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra Pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. When the pestle appeared with its demon-subduing roar, the First Stream Maiden’s expression grew serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly changed formation, with five soldiers taking up positions to form a Five Elements Circle.
By this time, the Vajra Pestle was bearing down on the five soldiers. The leading swordswoman raised her jade sword in a skyward thrust and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the Five Elements, and instantly a burst of Five Elements energy formed a massive Five Elements Diagram, thrusting horizontally at the Vajra Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. If he hadn’t studied formations, encountering this Five Elements Formation might have thrown him into confusion. But with Zhang Shisan’s careful guidance, he had gained considerable insight into formations, and this simple Five Elements Formation was no challenge for him.
Mei Qing clapped his hands together, assuming an immovable mountain stance, and shouted, “Ma!”
At his shout, the five generals suddenly froze, as if pulled by strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its horizontal spin, standing upright with the skulls facing forward, and smashed directly into the center of the Five Elements Formation.
The Five Elements Formation is based on the Five Elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, with Earth at the center, serving as the formation’s eye. Earth is inherently stable and solid, making it the most defensive element, but once the formation is activated, it relies on the other four elements for support, making it the weakest point in the overall formation.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the Five Elements’ flow with a shout, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra Pestle, he delivered a straightforward, heavy blow directly to the formation’s eye.
With a loud “bang,” golden light erupted, and the entire Five Elements Formation shook violently. The figures of the five generals became indistinct, and the female general at the center, wielding double hammers, was reduced to a wisp of smoke, her horse and hammers disintegrating into scattered pieces of paper, vanishing like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Changchun Palace. Could these troops be the same paper soldiers? But if they were, they should be the product of some unorthodox spell like “scattering beans to create soldiers,” typically used to deal with mundane troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form a formation and possess such combat power?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. Seeing the paper fragments scatter, he raised the Vajra Pestle again for another strike, while silently sending out another talisman, which disappeared in a flash.
“Impudent thief!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle, angrily shouted. Her sharp voice had barely faded when she threw her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes of light shot out, as the sweet dew inside transformed into rain arrows, faintly accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down indiscriminately on Mei Qing and the opposing troops.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra Pestle, which had been poised to strike the Five Elements Formation’s generals, suddenly turned, spinning a golden light to meet the rain arrows. The Vajra Pestle, being just a paper talisman, had little energy left after colliding with the Five Elements Formation. This strike against the rain arrows caused it to shatter into cold stars, scattering in all directions. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, were deflected away from Mei Qing, veering off into the distance.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, both being guardian spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a mere gesture.
However, there is a slight difference between the Tianxi Jade Maidens and the Six Ding and Six Jia deities. While their magical powers may not match those of the Ding and Jia, their strength lies in their expertise in leading battle formations. Consequently, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian spirits.
Having witnessed the formidable power of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s magical seal, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and had even sought advice from Zhang Thirteen. However, Zhang Thirteen bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s arsenal is filled with hardcore items. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Thirteen commented at the time. “These guardian spirits might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’ve reached the Qi Refining stage and can be considered a minor adept, why bother with such things? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a cumbersome process that consumes a lot of your energy without any real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Thirteen didn’t just talk; he also explained in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their drawbacks, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding deities and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of magical seals and other ritual tools, followed by incense offerings and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the spirits can be called forth again using the seals and incantations, but additional offerings are still necessary.
According to Zhang Thirteen, the biggest drawbacks of these guardian spirits are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In most battles, victory or defeat is decided in moments, leaving no time for elaborate summoning rituals. By the time the spirits arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is highly resource-intensive, and the duration of their service is limited. Third, the summoned spirits are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most of these guardian spirits have their own flaws and limitations, rendering them less useful in the eyes of truly advanced practitioners.
“These summoned spirits can generally only be called once a day, and their duration is short. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem impressive to beginners, but no serious practitioner would bother with such methods at higher levels. If you encounter such spirits, fight if you can, but if they prove too troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning. Then you can win without a fight.”
These summoned spirits are, after all, merely manifestations of the original deities, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. Regardless, their combat effectiveness is significantly diminished. As Zhang Thirteen put it, unless the summoner is a near-ascension-level super expert, Mei Qing could safely ignore such guardian spirits.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens were hovering in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden headdress adorned with chaotic floral patterns, dressed in a green pearl robe, and holding a silver bottle covered in talismans. The one on the right was slightly taller, with her head adorned with fresh flowers, wearing a pale yellow celestial skirt, and holding a dongxiao flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Tianxi Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons surrounding them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are known for their expertise in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, few practitioners have the ability to summon them with their full retinue. Summoning even a few of the main deities is already a significant achievement. Yet, today, these two Stream Maidens had arrived with their divine soldiers, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens were already on the offensive. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a shower of rain that sprinkled over her soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously indistinct figures in the mist gradually solidified, and with the swirling clouds and mist, a troop of soldiers descended from the sky. The leading general, wielding a large saber, charged straight at Mei Qing.
The general was dressed in an embroidered robe, with two pheasant feathers on her helmet, eight protective flags behind her, riding a peach blossom horse, and wielding a jade saber. She was, in fact, a female general. Behind her, several other riders surged forward, some wielding double swords, others brandishing meteor hammers—all of them were female warriors.
Mei Qing, unsure of their true nature, probed with his spiritual senses and found the auras of these soldiers to be quite vague and indistinct. However, he couldn’t just stand there and wait to be attacked. With a flick of his mind, he produced a small paper talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted, “Shatter the Vajra, subdue the demonic grievances!”
The talisman flashed and burned, and as Mei Qing guided it with his hand seals, a massive Vajra pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra pestle is a Buddhist ritual tool used to destroy demons and is said to be indestructible. Over the centuries, Buddhist and Taoist practices have intermingled, and some Taoist masters have adopted the Vajra pestle, crafting it into talismans to combat evil spirits, often with remarkable effectiveness. Seeing that his opponents seemed somewhat unorthodox, Mei Qing decided to test the waters with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s level of cultivation, using it was well within his capabilities. Although he was a prodigy, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their dark, gaping mouths, revealing their white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled out from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. Accompanied by this demon-subduing sound, the massive pestle swung around, creating a whirlwind as it smashed toward the oncoming troops.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. When the pestle appeared with its demon-subduing roar, the First Tianxi Maiden’s expression grew more serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and muttered an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly changed formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements circular array.
By this time, the Vajra pestle was already bearing down on the five soldiers. The leading female general raised her jade saber in a “lifting fire to the sky” stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the names of the Five Elements, and a burst of elemental light formed a massive Five Elements array, thrusting toward the Vajra pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. If he hadn’t studied formations, encountering this Five Elements array might have flustered him. But with Zhang Thirteen’s meticulous guidance, he had gained considerable insight into formations, and this simple Five Elements array was no challenge for him.
Mei Qing clapped his hands together, assuming an immovable mountain stance, and shouted, “Ma!”
At his shout, the five generals suddenly froze, as if pulled by invisible strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra pestle abruptly changed its spinning trajectory, standing upright with its skulls facing forward, and struck directly at the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array is based on the five elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, with Earth at the center, serving as the array’s core. Earth is inherently stable and solid, making it the most defensive element in the array. However, once the array is activated, Earth, being the pivot, receives no support from the other four elements, making it the weakest point in the overall formation.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the Five Elements’ flow with a single shout, causing a momentary stagnation. Then, with the Vajra pestle, he delivered a straightforward, heavy blow to the array’s core.
With a loud “bang,” golden light erupted, and the entire Five Elements array shook violently. The figures of the five generals became blurry, and the female general at the center, wielding double hammers, was reduced to a wisp of smoke. Her horse and hammers disintegrated into shreds of paper, scattering like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Eternal Spring Palace. Could these troops be the same paper soldiers? But if they were, they should be the product of some unorthodox “scattering beans to form soldiers” technique, typically used to deal with mundane troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form arrays and possess such combat prowess?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. As the paper shreds scattered, the Vajra pestle was already raised for another strike, and he had already sent out another talisman, which vanished without a trace.
“You dare!” The First Tianxi Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra talisman, angrily shouted. Her sharp voice had barely faded when she threw her silver bottle into the air. Several streaks of cold light flashed, as the sweet dew inside transformed into rain arrows, faintly accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down indiscriminately on Mei Qing and the opposing troops.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra pestle, which had been poised to strike the Five Elements array, suddenly turned around, spinning a golden light to meet the rain arrows. The pestle, being just a paper talisman, had already expended most of its power in the collision with the Five Elements array. This strike against the rain arrows caused it to shatter into a shower of cold stars, scattering in all directions. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, were deflected away from Mei Qing, veering off into the distance.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, being guardian spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in Furong City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a wave of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: while their magical power is inferior to that of the Ding and Jia, they excel in leading battle formations. As a result, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian spirits.
Having witnessed the formidable power of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s magical seal, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly redundant.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-tier. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan commented at the time. “These guardian spirits might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but you’re already at the Qi Refining stage, practically a minor immortal. Why bother with that? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle, consuming a lot of your energy with little real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just talk; he also explained to Mei Qing in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their drawbacks, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are largely similar, requiring the creation of magical seals and other ritual tools, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the spirits can be called forth again using the seals and incantations, though offerings are still necessary.
According to Zhang Shisan, the biggest drawbacks of these guardian spirits are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In a real battle, victory or defeat is often decided in moments, leaving no time for elaborate summoning rituals. By the time the spirits arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is highly resource-intensive, and the spirits’ usable time is limited. Third, the summoned spirits are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most of these guardian spirits have their own flaws and limitations, making them of little use to truly advanced practitioners.
“These summoned spirits can generally only be called once a day, and their duration is short. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem impressive to beginners, but no advanced practitioner would bother with such techniques. If you encounter these spirits, fight if you can, but if they prove troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning. Then you can win without a fight.”
These summoned spirits are merely manifestations of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang Shisan put it, unless the summoner is a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore such guardian spirits.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens were hovering in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe, holding a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right was slightly taller, her head adorned with fresh flowers, dressed in a pale yellow celestial gown, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Jade Maidens should be Han Renji, the First Stream Maiden, and Zhou Qiongji, the Sixth Stream Maiden. However, the misty figures and the countless soldiers and weapons moving around them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, few practitioners have the ability to summon them with their full retinue. Summoning even a few of the main deities is already a challenge. Yet today, these two Stream Maidens had arrived with their divine soldiers, leaving Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens took the initiative. Han Renji, the First Stream Maiden on the left, shook her silver bottle, releasing a drop of celestial dew that transformed into a rain shower, sprinkling over the soldiers around her. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the dew fell, the previously indistinct soldiers and weapons in the mist began to solidify. Amid swirling clouds and fog, a troop descended from the sky, led by a female general wielding a large sword, charging straight at Mei Qing.
The female general wore an embroidered robe, with two pheasant feathers on her helmet, eight protective flags behind her, and a peach blossom steed beneath her. She wielded a jade sword, and behind her, several other female warriors followed, some wielding twin swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them redoubtable heroines.
Uncertain of their true nature, Mei Qing extended his spiritual senses but found the soldiers’ auras indistinct. However, he couldn’t just stand there and take the attack. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a small paper talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted, “Shatter the Diamond, subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman flashed and ignited. As Mei Qing guided it with his hand seals, a massive Vajra Pestle materialized in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle, a Buddhist ritual tool used to destroy demons and evil spirits, has been adopted by some Taoist masters in recent centuries, who have crafted talismans based on it to combat malevolent forces, often with remarkable results. Seeing the unusual nature of his opponents, Mei Qing decided to test the waters with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and Mei Qing’s cultivation level was sufficient to wield it. Though he was a prodigy, his foundation was still shallow, and he had limited exposure to higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their gaping black mouths, revealing sharp white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. As the demon-subduing sound echoed, the massive pestle swung around, forming a whirlwind that crashed into the oncoming troop.
The appearance of the Vajra Pestle immediately caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. Hearing the pestle’s roar, Han Renji, the First Stream Maiden, grew more serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and muttered an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly shifted formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements Circle.
As the Vajra Pestle descended upon the five, the lead female general raised her jade sword in a fiery stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the names of the Five Elements, and a radiant Five Elements array formed, thrusting upward to meet the Vajra Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. Had he not studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, this Five Elements array might have flustered him. But with his newfound knowledge, such a simple formation posed no challenge.
Clapping his hands together, Mei Qing assumed an immovable stance and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five generals froze as if pulled by strings. Meanwhile, the Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull directly into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array, composed of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, places Earth at the center, the array’s focal point. While Earth is inherently solid and defensive, as the array’s pivot, it lacks support from the other elements, making it the weakest link in the overall formation.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first disrupted the array’s flow with a Hua Yan secret technique, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra Pestle, he delivered a straightforward, crushing blow to the array’s center.
With a resounding “bang,” golden light erupted, and the Five Elements array wobbled violently. The figures of the five generals blurred, and the female general at the Earth position, wielding twin hammers, faded into a wisp of smoke. Her horse and hammers disintegrated into scraps of paper, scattering like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper figures he had seen in the Changchun Palace. Could these soldiers be the same? But if they were mere paper soldiers, a common trick of minor practitioners to mimic armies, how could they, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form arrays and possess such combat prowess?
Though puzzled, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. As the paper scraps scattered, the Vajra Pestle swung again, poised to strike. Meanwhile, he silently released another talisman, which vanished in a flash.
“How dare you!” Han Renji, the First Stream Maiden, furious at seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle talisman, hurled her silver bottle into the air. Several cold rays shot out, transforming into rain arrows that whistled with the sound of wind and thunder, raining down on Mei Qing and the opposing troops.
Mei Qing smirked. The Vajra Pestle, originally aimed at the Five Elements array, suddenly turned, spinning a golden light to intercept the rain arrows. The pestle, formed from a single talisman, had little energy left after clashing with the array. It shattered into fragments upon hitting the arrows, which, though not destroyed, veered off course, flying harmlessly into the distance.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, both being guardian spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that the Jade Stream Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a wave of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: their magical prowess is not as formidable as that of the Ding and Jia, but they excel in leading battle formations. Therefore, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian spirits.
Having witnessed the might of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bizhen’s magical seal, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang bluntly stated that given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-notch. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang commented at the time. “These guardian spirits might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’ve reached the Qi Refining stage and can be considered a minor adept, why bother with that? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle, consuming a lot of your cultivation energy with little real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang didn’t just talk; he also explained the methods and drawbacks of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia in detail, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of magical seals and other ritual objects, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the spirits can be called forth again using the magical seal and incantations, but additional offerings are still necessary.
According to Zhang, the biggest drawbacks of these guardian spirits are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In most battles, victory or defeat is decided in moments, leaving no time for lengthy summoning rituals. By the time the spirits arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is highly resource-intensive, and the time they can be summoned is limited. Third, the summoned spirits are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most of these guardian spirits have their own flaws and limitations. In the eyes of truly advanced practitioners, they offer little practical use.
“These summoned spirits can generally only be called once a day, and their duration is short. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem useful for beginners, but no advanced practitioner would bother with such methods. If you encounter these spirits, fight if you can, but if they prove troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning, allowing you to win without a fight.”
These summoned spirits are merely manifestations of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang put it, unless they are summoned by a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could afford to ignore them.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens were hovering in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe, holding a silver bottle covered in talismans. The one on the right was slightly taller, her head adorned with fresh flowers, dressed in a pale yellow fairy skirt, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and horses surrounding them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are known for leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, few practitioners have the ability to summon them with their full entourage. Summoning even a few of the main deities is already challenging. Yet, today, these two Maidens had arrived with their soldiers, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens took the initiative. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of divine dew floated out, transforming into a shower of rain that sprinkled over her soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously indistinct figures of soldiers and horses in the mist began to solidify. Amidst swirling clouds and mist, a troop descended from the sky. The leading general, wielding a large sword, charged straight at Mei Qing.
The general was dressed in a colorful robe, with two pheasant feathers on her helmet, eight protective flags behind her, riding a peach blossom horse, and wielding a jade sword. She was a female general. Behind her, several other female warriors charged forward, some wielding double swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them were fierce female warriors.
Mei Qing couldn’t discern their true nature. His spiritual senses detected that their auras were vague and unclear. However, he couldn’t just stand there and take the attack. With a thought, he produced a small paper talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted, “Shatter the Vajra, subdue the demons!”
The talisman flashed and burned. As Mei Qing guided it with his hand seals, a massive Vajra pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra pestle is a Buddhist ritual object used to destroy demons and evil spirits, capable of breaking through anything. Over the past few centuries, Buddhist and Taoist practices have often blended, and the Vajra pestle has been adopted by some Taoist masters, who have turned it into talismans to combat evil spirits, often with remarkable effectiveness. Seeing that the enemy’s forces seemed unusual, Mei Qing decided to test them with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-level, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation, using it was no problem. Although he was naturally talented, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-level talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their black, gaping mouths, revealing sharp white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. Accompanied by this demon-subduing sound, the massive pestle swung around, creating a whirlwind that smashed into the charging troops.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. Seeing the pestle appear and hearing its roar, the First Stream Maiden’s expression grew serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly changed formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements circular array.
By this time, the Vajra pestle was already bearing down on the five soldiers. The leading sword-wielding general raised her jade sword in a “fire reaching for the sky” stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the Five Elements, and a burst of elemental light formed a massive Five Elements array, thrusting toward the Vajra pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. If he hadn’t studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, he might have been flustered by this Five Elements array. But with his knowledge, this simple array was no challenge.
Mei Qing pressed his palms together, assuming an immovable mountain stance, and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five generals suddenly froze, as if pulled by strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra pestle abruptly changed its spinning trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull directly into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array is based on the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—with earth at the center, serving as the array’s core. Earth is inherently stable and defensive, but once the array is activated, it becomes the weakest point because it supports the entire array without receiving support from the other elements.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan secret technique to disrupt the array’s flow with a shout, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra pestle, he delivered a straightforward, heavy blow directly to the array’s core.
With a loud “bang,” golden light erupted, and the entire Five Elements array shook violently. The figures of the five generals blurred, and the one at the center, wielding double hammers, became as faint as a wisp of smoke. Her horse and hammers disintegrated into pieces of paper, scattering like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Eternal Spring Palace. Could these troops be the same? But if they were just paper soldiers, they should only be effective against mundane forces. How could they, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form arrays and possess such combat power?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. Seeing the paper fragments scatter, he raised the Vajra pestle for another strike, while silently releasing another talisman.
“Bastard!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra talisman, shouted angrily. Her sharp voice had barely faded when she threw her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes of light shot out—divine dew transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down on Mei Qing and the battling soldiers.
Mei Qing grinned. The Vajra pestle, originally aimed at the Five Elements array, suddenly turned, spinning a golden light to intercept the rain arrows. The pestle, being just a talisman, had little energy left after colliding with the Five Elements array. This strike against the rain arrows shattered it into cold shards, scattering in all directions. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, veered off course, flying away in an unknown direction.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, being guardian spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and summoning rain with a wave of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: while their magical prowess may not match that of the Ding and Jia, they excel in leading battle formations. As a result, few cultivators choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian spirits.
Having witnessed the formidable power of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s talisman, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly redundant.
“That girl’s talismans are the real deal. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan commented at the time. “These guardian spirits might be useful for beginners in cultivation, but now that you’re in the Qi Refining stage and can be considered a minor adept, why bother with that? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle. It consumes a lot of energy without much practical benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just talk; he also explained in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their shortcomings, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of talismans and ritual tools, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the spirits can be called forth again using the talisman and incantations, though certain offerings are still required.
According to Zhang Shisan, the biggest drawbacks of these guardian spirits are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In a battle, victory or defeat is often decided in an instant, leaving no time for elaborate summoning rituals. By the time the spirits arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is extremely resource-intensive, and the time available for their use is limited. Third, the summoned spirits are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most of these guardian spirits have their own flaws and limitations. In the eyes of truly advanced cultivators, they offer little practical value.
“These summoned spirits can generally only be called once a day, and their duration is short. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem impressive to beginners, but no advanced cultivator would waste time on such methods. If you encounter these spirits, fight if you can, but if they prove too troublesome, just stall them. Wait until they exhaust their energy and can no longer sustain the summoning, and you’ll win without a fight.”
These summoned spirits are, after all, only avatars of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang Shisan put it, unless the summoner is a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore these guardian spirits.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens hovered in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden headdress adorned with chaotic floral patterns, dressed in a green pearl robe, and holding a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right was slightly taller, her head adorned with fresh flowers, wearing a pale yellow celestial gown, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Tianxi Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the countless soldiers and weapons moving around them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, summoning them to the point where they bring their troops is a feat few in the world can achieve. Therefore, summoning the Stream Maidens usually only brings forth a few main deities, which is already difficult enough. But today, these two Stream Maidens had actually brought their troops, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens were already on the move. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a shower of rain that sprinkled over her soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin, command!”
As the rain fell, the previously shadowy figures in the mist began to solidify, and with the swirling clouds, a troop of soldiers descended from the sky. At their head was a female general wielding a large sword, charging straight at Mei Qing.
The female general wore a brocade robe, with two pheasant feathers on her head, eight protective flags behind her, and rode a peach blossom horse, wielding a jade sword. Behind her, several other female warriors charged forward, some wielding twin swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them redoubtable heroines.
Mei Qing, unsure of their true nature, probed with his spiritual senses but found their auras indistinct. However, he couldn’t just stand there and wait to be attacked. With a flick of his wrist, he sent out a small paper talisman, forming hand seals and chanting, “Shatter the Vajra, subdue the demons!”
The talisman flashed and burned, and as Mei Qing guided it with his seals, a massive Vajra pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra pestle, originally a Buddhist ritual tool used to destroy demons and evil spirits, had been adopted by some Taoist masters in recent centuries and turned into talismans for combating malevolent forces, often with remarkable effects. Seeing the unusual nature of his opponents, Mei Qing had decided to test the waters with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation level, using it was well within his capabilities. However, despite his natural talent, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their dark, gaping mouths, revealing sharp white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. With this demon-subduing resonance, the massive pestle began to spin, forming a whirlwind that smashed into the charging troops.
The appearance of the Vajra pestle immediately caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, grew more serious as she heard the pestle’s roar.
With a flip of her hands, she formed seals and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly shifted formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements circle.
By this time, the Vajra pestle was already bearing down on the five soldiers. The female general at the head raised her jade sword in a “fire reaching for the sky” stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the names of the Five Elements, and a burst of elemental energy formed a massive Five Elements array, thrusting toward the Vajra pestle.
Mei Qing smiled inwardly. If he hadn’t studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, he might have been flustered by this Five Elements array. But with his newfound knowledge, this simple formation was no challenge.
With a clap of his hands, Mei Qing stood firm and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five generals suddenly froze, as if pulled by invisible strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra pestle abruptly changed its trajectory, standing upright and driving straight into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array, composed of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, had Earth at its center, which was the array’s focal point. Earth, being heavy and boundless, was the most defensive element, but once the array was activated, it received no support from the other elements, making it the weakest point overall.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the array’s flow with a single shout, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra pestle, he delivered a straightforward, crushing blow directly to the array’s center.
With a loud “bang,” golden light exploded, and the entire Five Elements array shook violently. The figures of the five generals blurred, and the female general at the center, wielding twin hammers, became as faint as smoke, her horse and hammers disintegrating into scattered pieces of paper that vanished like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Changchun Palace. Could these troops actually be the same paper soldiers? But if they were, they should be the product of some minor, unorthodox technique like “scattering beans to create soldiers,” typically used to deal with mundane troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form arrays and possess such combat power?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. As the paper fragments scattered, the Vajra pestle was already rising again for another strike, while another talisman silently flew out from his hand.
“You dare!” The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, furious at seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra talisman, shouted sharply. As her voice rang out, she hurled her silver bottle into the air. Several streaks of cold light flashed, and the sweet dew inside transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down indiscriminately on Mei Qing and the opposing troops.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra pestle, which had been poised to strike the Five Elements array, suddenly turned and spun into a golden whirlwind, intercepting the rain arrows. The pestle, being just a paper talisman, had little energy left after colliding with the Five Elements array. This strike against the rain arrows caused it to shatter into countless cold sparks, scattering in all directions. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, were deflected away from Mei Qing, veering off into the distance.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianxi Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia, both being guardian deities summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a mere gesture.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: while their magical prowess may not match that of the Ding and Jia, they excel in leading battle formations. Consequently, few practitioners choose the Twelve Tianxi Maidens as their guardian deities.
Having witnessed the formidable power of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s talisman, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-tier. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan commented at the time. “These guardian deities might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’ve reached the Qi Refining stage and can be considered a minor adept, why bother with such things? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle. It consumes a lot of your cultivation energy with little real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just talk; he also explained in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their drawbacks, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianxi Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia and the Twelve Tianxi Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of ritual implements like talismans, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the deities can be called forth again using the talisman and incantations, but additional offerings are still necessary.
According to Zhang Shisan, the main drawbacks of these guardian deities are threefold. First, the summoning process is complex and time-consuming. In a real battle, victory or defeat is often decided in moments, leaving no time for lengthy summoning rituals. By the time the deities arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the summoning consumes a significant amount of resources, and the deities’ presence is short-lived. Third, the summoned deities are not necessarily all-powerful. In fact, most of these guardian deities have their own weaknesses and limitations, making them less useful in the eyes of truly advanced practitioners.
“These summoned deities can generally only be called once a day, and their presence doesn’t last long. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem impressive to beginners, but no advanced practitioner would bother with such techniques. If you encounter these deities, fight if you can, but if they prove too troublesome, just stall them. Wait until they exhaust their energy and can no longer sustain the summoning, and you’ll win without a fight.”
These summoned deities are merely manifestations of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang Shisan put it, unless the summoner is a near-ascendant super expert, Mei Qing could safely ignore these guardian deities.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens hovered in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe, holding a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right was slightly taller, her head adorned with fresh flowers, dressed in a pale yellow celestial gown, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Tianxi Jade Maidens should be the First Tianxi Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Tianxi Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the countless soldiers and weapons surrounding them were quite different from what he knew of the Tianxi Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, few practitioners have the ability to summon them with their full retinue. Typically, only a few main deities are summoned, which is already a significant achievement. But today, these two Tianxi Maidens had arrived with their divine soldiers, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Tianxi Maidens took the initiative. The First Tianxi Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a rain shower that sprinkled over her soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously misty figures of the soldiers solidified, and with a surge of clouds and mist, a troop descended from the sky. The leading general, wielding a large saber, charged straight at Mei Qing.
The general was dressed in a brocade robe, with two pheasant feathers on her helmet, eight protective flags behind her, riding a peach blossom horse, and wielding a jade saber. She was a female general, and behind her, several other female warriors charged forward, some wielding twin swords, others brandishing meteor hammers—all of them redoubtable heroines.
Mei Qing, unsure of their true nature, probed with his spiritual senses and found their auras quite indistinct. However, he couldn’t just stand there and take the hit. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a small paper talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted, “Shatter the Diamond, subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman flashed and burned, and with a gesture from Mei Qing, a massive Vajra Pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle, originally a Buddhist ritual implement used to destroy demons and evil spirits, had been adopted by some Taoist masters in recent centuries and crafted into talismans to combat malevolent forces, often with remarkable effects. Seeing that his opponents seemed somewhat unorthodox, Mei Qing decided to test them with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s level of cultivation, using it was well within his capabilities. Although he was a prodigy, his foundation was still relatively shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their dark, gaping mouths, revealing rows of white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. With a whooshing sound, the massive pestle spun into a whirlwind and smashed toward the charging troops.
The appearance of the Vajra Pestle immediately caught the attention of the Tianxi Maidens in the air. Hearing the pestle’s roar, the First Tianxi Maiden’s expression grew serious.
She formed hand seals with both hands, chanted an incantation, and the previously aggressive troop suddenly shifted formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements Circle.
As the Vajra Pestle descended upon the five soldiers, the leading female general raised her jade saber in a “lifting fire to the sky” stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the names of the Five Elements, and a burst of elemental energy formed a massive Five Elements Array, thrusting toward the Vajra Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. Had he not studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, he might have been flustered by this Five Elements Array. But with his newfound knowledge, this simple array posed no challenge.
With a clap of his hands, Mei Qing assumed an immovable mountain stance and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five generals suddenly froze, as if pulled by invisible strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull directly into the center of the Five Elements Array.
The Five Elements Array, composed of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, has Earth at its center, which is the array’s focal point. Earth, being heavy and boundless, is the most defensive element, but once the array is activated, it becomes the weakest link because it supports the entire array without receiving support from the other elements.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the array’s flow, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra Pestle, he delivered a straightforward, crushing blow to the array’s center.
With a loud “bang,” golden light exploded, and the entire Five Elements Array shook violently. The figures of the five generals blurred, and the female general at the center, wielding twin hammers, became as faint as smoke. Her horse and hammers disintegrated into pieces of paper, scattering like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Evergreen Palace. Could these troops be the same paper soldiers? But if they were, they should be mere illusions created by minor practitioners, typically used to deal with mundane troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Tianxi Maidens, form arrays and possess such combat power?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. Seeing the paper fragments flying, he raised the Vajra Pestle for another strike, while silently flicking out another talisman.
“You dare!” The First Tianxi Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle, shouted angrily. Her sharp voice had barely echoed when she hurled her silver bottle into the air. Several streaks of cold light shot out, transforming into rain arrows that whistled through the air with the sound of wind and thunder, heading straight for Mei Qing and the opposing troops.
Mei Qing grinned. The Vajra Pestle, originally aimed at the Five Elements Array, suddenly turned and spun into a golden whirlwind, intercepting the rain arrows. The pestle, being just a paper talisman, had little energy left after colliding with the Five Elements Array. When it struck the rain arrows, it shattered into a shower of cold sparks. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, veered off course, flying harmlessly into the distance.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, being guardian spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wushan in Furong City, located 3,600 miles above the earth. Each commands divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds or conjuring rain with a wave of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: while their magical prowess may not match that of the Ding and Jia, they excel in leading battle formations. Consequently, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian spirits.
Having witnessed the formidable power of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s talisman, Mei Qing had always harbored a deep fascination for such magic and even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-tier. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan commented at the time. “These guardian spirits might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but you’re now at the Qi Refining stage, practically a minor immortal. Why bother with such things? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle, consuming a lot of your energy with little real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just criticize; he also explained in detail the methods and drawbacks of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar, requiring the creation of ritual tools like talismans, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the spirits can be called forth again using the talisman and incantations, though certain offerings are still necessary.
According to Zhang Shisan, the main drawbacks of these guardian spirits are threefold: first, the summoning process is complex and time-consuming. In a battle, where victory or defeat can be decided in moments, there’s no time to leisurely summon spirits. By the time the spirits arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the cost is high, and the duration of their presence is limited. Third, the summoned spirits are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most have their own weaknesses and limitations, making them of little use to truly advanced practitioners.
“These summoned spirits can generally only be called once a day, and their presence doesn’t last long. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem impressive to beginners, but no advanced practitioner would waste time on such methods. If you encounter these spirits, fight if you can, but if they prove troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning, ensuring your victory without a fight.”
These summoned spirits are merely manifestations of their original forms, their strength dependent on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang Shisan put it, unless they were summoned by a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore them.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens hovered in mid-air. The one on the left stood five feet tall, wearing a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe, holding a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right stood five feet three inches tall, her head adorned with fresh flowers, dressed in a pale yellow celestial gown, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons surrounding them were quite different from what he knew of the Stream Maidens.
While the Tianxi Jade Maidens are known for leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, few practitioners have the ability to summon them with their full retinue. Typically, only a few main deities are summoned, which is already a feat. But today, these two Maidens had brought their divine soldiers with them, leaving Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens took the initiative. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, releasing a drop of celestial dew that transformed into a shower of rain, sprinkling over her soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin, by decree!”
As the rain fell, the previously shadowy figures in the mist solidified, and with a surge of clouds and fog, a troop descended from the sky. Leading them was a female general wielding a large sword, charging straight at Mei Qing.
The general wore an embroidered robe, with two pheasant feathers on her head, eight protective flags behind her, riding a peach blossom horse, and wielding a jade sword. Behind her, several other female warriors followed, some wielding twin swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them redoubtable heroines.
Unable to discern their true nature, Mei Qing probed with his spiritual senses but found their auras indistinct. Nevertheless, he couldn’t just stand there and take the attack. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a small paper talisman, chanting, “Shatter the Vajra, subdue the demons!”
The talisman ignited in a flash, and as Mei Qing gestured, a massive Vajra pestle materialized in mid-air.
The Vajra pestle, originally a Buddhist tool for vanquishing demons, had been adopted by Taoist masters over the centuries, who crafted it into talismans to combat malevolent forces, often with remarkable effectiveness. Seeing the unusual nature of his opponents, Mei Qing decided to test the waters with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation level, wielding it was well within his capabilities. Though he was a prodigy, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t yet explored higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced in his repertoire.
The massive Vajra pestle had a skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their gaping black mouths, revealing sharp white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate. With a whooshing sound, the pestle spun into a whirlwind, crashing toward the oncoming troop.
The appearance of the Vajra pestle immediately caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens. Hearing its roar, the First Stream Maiden’s expression grew serious.
She flipped her hands, forming mudras, and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly shifted formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements circle.
As the Vajra pestle descended upon them, the leading female general raised her jade sword in a skyward thrust, shouting, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also brandished their weapons, chanting the names of the Five Elements, and a radiant Five Elements array formed, thrusting toward the Vajra pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. Had he not studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, he might have been flustered by this Five Elements array. But with his knowledge, such a simple formation posed no challenge.
Clapping his hands together, Mei Qing stood firm and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five generals froze as if pulled by strings. Meanwhile, the Vajra pestle abruptly changed its trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull directly into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array, composed of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, places Earth at the center, the heart of the formation. Earth, being heavy and stable, is the most defensive element, but as the pivot of the array, it lacks support from the other elements, making it the weakest point.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first disrupted the array’s flow with a Hua Yan secret technique, then delivered a straightforward, crushing blow to its core with the Vajra pestle.
With a resounding “Boom!”, golden light erupted, and the Five Elements array wavered. The figures of the five generals blurred, and the one at the Earth position, wielding twin hammers, faded into a wisp of smoke, her horse and hammers disintegrating into scattered paper fragments.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, recalling the paper figures he had seen in the Changchun Palace. Could these soldiers be the same? But if they were mere paper constructs, typically used by lesser practitioners to mimic mundane armies, how could they form battle arrays and possess such combat prowess under the command of the Stream Maidens?
Though puzzled, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. As the paper fragments scattered, the Vajra pestle rose again for another strike, while he silently released another talisman.
“You dare!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra talisman, angrily hurled her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes shot out as the celestial dew transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down on Mei Qing and his opponents.
Mei Qing smirked. The Vajra pestle, now a mere paper talisman, spun into a golden whirlwind, intercepting the rain arrows. Though it shattered into cold sparks upon impact, the rain arrows were deflected, veering off course.
—
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, being guardian spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a wave of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: while their magical prowess may not match that of the Ding and Jia, they excel in leading battle formations. Consequently, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian spirits.
Having witnessed the formidable power of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s magical seal, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and had even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang Shisan bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly redundant.
“That girl’s arsenal is filled with hard-hitting items. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Shisan remarked at the time. “These guardian spirits might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’ve reached the Qi Refining stage and are considered a minor adept, why bother with such things? You can only summon them once a day, and the process is cumbersome and energy-draining, with little practical benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Shisan didn’t just talk; he also explained the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia in detail, including their drawbacks, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar, requiring the creation of magical seals and other ritual tools, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the spirits can be called forth again using the seals and incantations, though additional offerings are necessary.
According to Zhang Shisan, the main drawbacks of these guardian spirits are threefold: first, the summoning process is complex and time-consuming, making it impractical for sudden battles where decisions are made in moments. By the time the spirits arrive, one’s life might already be forfeit. Second, the cost of summoning is high, and the duration of their presence is limited. Third, the summoned spirits are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most have their own weaknesses and limitations, rendering them of little use to truly advanced practitioners.
“These summoned spirits can generally only be invoked once a day, and their presence doesn’t last long. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s simply not worth it. They might seem impressive to beginners, but no advanced practitioner would waste time on such methods. If you encounter these spirits, fight if you can, but if they prove troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning. Then you can win without a fight.”
These summoned spirits are merely manifestations of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. As Zhang Shisan put it, unless they were summoned by a near-ascendant master, Mei Qing could safely ignore them.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens hovered in mid-air. The one on the left, standing five feet tall, wore a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe, holding a silver bottle covered in talismans. The one on the right, slightly taller at five feet three inches, was adorned with fresh flowers and wore a pale yellow celestial dress, holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons surrounding them were quite different from what he knew of the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, summoning them with their full retinue is a feat few in the world can achieve. Thus, summoning the Stream Maidens usually only brings forth a few main deities, which is already difficult enough. But today, these two Maidens had arrived with their divine soldiers, leaving Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens took the initiative. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, releasing a drop of celestial dew that transformed into a shower of rain, sprinkling over her soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously indistinct figures in the mist solidified, and with the swirling clouds, a troop descended from the sky. At the forefront was a female general wielding a large sword, charging straight at Mei Qing.
The general wore a brocade robe, with two pheasant feathers on her head, eight protective flags behind her, and a peach blossom horse beneath her. In her hands was a jade sword. Behind her, several other female warriors charged forth, wielding double swords or meteor hammers, all of them redoubtable heroines.
Unable to discern their true nature, Mei Qing extended his spiritual sense but found their auras indistinct. Nevertheless, he couldn’t just stand there and take the attack. With a flick of his wrist, he sent out a small paper talisman, forming hand seals and chanting, “Shatter the Diamond, Subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman ignited instantly, and as Mei Qing guided it with his seals, a massive Vajra Pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle, originally a Buddhist tool for vanquishing demons, had been adopted by Taoist masters in recent centuries, who crafted it into talismans to combat evil spirits, often with remarkable effects. Seeing the unusual nature of his opponents, Mei Qing decided to test the waters with this talisman.
This talisman was considered mid-tier, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation level, using it was well within his capabilities. However, despite his natural talent, his foundation was still shallow, and he had limited exposure to higher-tier talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their black, gaping mouths, revealing sharp white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the Pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. With this demon-subduing resonance, the massive Pestle swung around like a whirlwind, crashing toward the oncoming troop.
The appearance of the Vajra Pestle immediately caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens. As the Pestle let out its roar, the First Stream Maiden’s expression grew serious.
She formed hand seals and chanted an incantation, causing the previously aggressive troop to suddenly shift formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements Circle.
As the Vajra Pestle descended upon them, the lead female general raised her jade sword in a “lifting the sky” stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the Five Elements, and a burst of elemental energy formed a massive Five Elements Diagram, thrusting toward the Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. Had he not studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, he might have been flustered by this Five Elements Formation. But with his newfound knowledge, such a simple formation was no challenge.
Clapping his hands together, Mei Qing stood firm and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five generals froze as if pulled by strings. Meanwhile, the Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull directly into the center of the Five Elements Formation.
The Five Elements Formation is based on the interplay of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, with Earth at the center as the formation’s core. While Earth is inherently stable and defensive, in the formation, it becomes the weakest point as it supports the entire structure without reinforcement from the other elements.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first disrupted the Five Elements’ flow with a secret Hua Yan technique, then delivered a straightforward, crushing blow to the formation’s core with the Vajra Pestle.
With a loud “bang,” golden light exploded, and the entire Five Elements Formation shook violently. The figures of the five generals blurred, and the one at the Earth position, wielding twin hammers, faded into a wisp of smoke, her horse and hammers disintegrating into scattered paper fragments.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Eternal Spring Palace. Could these troops be the same? But if they were mere paper soldiers, typically used by minor practitioners to deal with mundane threats, how could they, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form a battle array and possess such combat prowess?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. As the paper fragments scattered, the Vajra Pestle rose again, poised to strike, while he silently sent out another talisman.
“Impudent fool!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle, angrily hurled her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes of light shot out as the celestial dew transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down on Mei Qing and his opposing troops.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra Pestle, originally aimed at the Five Elements Formation, suddenly turned, spinning a golden light to intercept the rain arrows. Though the Pestle, being a mere paper talisman, had little energy left after clashing with the formation, it managed to scatter the rain arrows into a shower of cold sparks. The arrows, though not destroyed, veered off course, flying harmlessly into the distance.
Paper figures? Mei Qing was stunned. Suddenly, he recalled the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in Changchun Palace. Could it be that these warriors were nothing more than paper figures brought to life by some minor sorcery, like the “Bean Soldiers” technique? Such techniques were usually used to mimic ordinary soldiers and were not considered powerful. Yet how could these paper figures, under the command of the Stream Nymphs, form formations and fight with such strength?
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia, and are also guardian deities summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that the Jade Stream Maidens reside in the void of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and summoning rain with a wave of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: their magical power is not as formidable as that of the Ding and Jia, but they excel in leading battle formations. Therefore, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian deities.
Having witnessed the might of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s magical seal, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and had even sought advice from Zhang Thirteen. However, Zhang Thirteen bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly redundant.
“That girl’s tools are all top-notch. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Thirteen commented at the time. “These guardian deities might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’re in the Qi Refining stage and can be considered a minor adept, why bother with that? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle. It consumes a lot of energy without much real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Thirteen didn’t just talk; he also explained in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their shortcomings, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of magical seals and other ritual tools, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. After the initial summoning, if the deities need to reappear, they can be called forth with the seal and incantation, but certain offerings are still required.
According to Zhang Thirteen, the biggest drawbacks of these guardian deities are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In a battle, victory or defeat is often decided in an instant, leaving no time for elaborate summoning rituals. By the time the deities arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is highly resource-intensive, and the time they can be maintained is limited. Third, the summoned deities are not necessarily omnipotent. In fact, most of these guardian deities have their own flaws and limitations. In the eyes of truly advanced practitioners, they don’t offer much utility.
“These summoned deities can generally only be called once a day, and their duration is short. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem useful for beginners, but no advanced practitioner would bother with such methods. If you encounter these deities, fight if you can, but if they prove troublesome, just drag things out.” When discussing how to deal with them, Zhang Thirteen was quite straightforward, advocating a strategy of “delaying” until the opponent’s energy is exhausted, making it impossible for them to sustain the summoning, thus achieving victory without a fight.
These summoned deities are, after all, only manifestations of the original spirits, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. According to Zhang Thirteen, unless they are summoned by a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could safely ignore them.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens were hovering in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden headdress adorned with chaotic floral patterns, dressed in a large green pearl robe, and holding a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right was five feet three inches tall, her head adorned with fresh flowers, wearing a light yellow celestial skirt, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Tianxi Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures around them, with countless soldiers and horses moving about, were quite different from the typical image of the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are known for leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, few in the world have the ability to summon them with their full entourage. Therefore, summoning the Stream Maidens usually only brings forth a few main deities, which is already difficult. But today, these two Stream Maidens had arrived with their divine soldiers, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens were already on the offensive. The First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a rain shower that sprinkled over a group of soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously indistinct figures in the mist began to solidify, and with the swirling clouds, a troop of soldiers descended from the sky. The leading general, wielding a large sword, charged straight at Mei Qing.
The general was dressed in an embroidered robe, with two pheasant feathers on her head, eight protective flags behind her, riding a peach blossom horse, and holding a jade sword. She was a female general. Behind her, several other female warriors charged forward, some wielding double swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them redoubtable heroines.
Mei Qing, unsure of their true nature, probed with his spiritual sense and found their auras quite indistinct. However, he couldn’t just stand there and take the hits. With a flick of his mind, he sent out a small paper talisman, forming hand seals and chanting, “Break the Vajra, subdue the demons!”
The talisman flashed and burned, and as Mei Qing guided it with his seals, a massive Vajra pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra pestle is a Buddhist ritual tool used to destroy demons, capable of breaking through anything. In recent centuries, Buddhist and Taoist practices have often blended, and the Vajra pestle has been adopted by some Taoist masters, who have turned it into talismans for dealing with malevolent entities, often with remarkable effectiveness. Seeing that his opponents seemed somewhat unorthodox, Mei Qing used this talisman as a test.
This talisman was considered mid-level, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation, using it was no problem. Although he was naturally gifted, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-level talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their dark, gaping mouths, revealing sharp white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. With this demon-subduing sound, the massive pestle swung around, creating a whirlwind as it smashed into the charging troops.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. When the pestle appeared with its demon-subduing roar, the First Stream Maiden’s expression grew serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly changed formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements circle.
By this time, the Vajra pestle was bearing down on the five soldiers. The leading swordswoman raised her jade sword in a “fire reaching the sky” stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the Five Elements, and instantly a Five Elements diagram formed, thrusting toward the Vajra pestle.
Mei Qing smiled inwardly. If he hadn’t studied formations, encountering this Five Elements array might have flustered him. But with Zhang Thirteen’s careful guidance, he had gained considerable insight into formations, and this simple Five Elements array was no challenge.
Mei Qing clasped his hands together, assuming an immovable mountain stance, and shouted, “Ma!”
At his shout, the five generals suddenly froze, as if pulled by strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra pestle abruptly changed its horizontal spin, standing upright and driving its skull directly into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array is based on the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—with earth at the center, serving as the array’s focal point. Earth is inherently stable and defensive, but once the array is activated, it relies on the other four elements for support, making it the weakest point overall.
Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first used the Huayan secret method to disrupt the array’s flow with a shout, causing a momentary pause. Then, with the Vajra pestle, he delivered a straightforward, heavy blow to the array’s center.
With a loud “bang,” golden light exploded, and the entire Five Elements array shook violently. The figures of the five generals blurred, and the one in the central earth position, wielding double hammers, faded into a wisp of smoke, her horse and hammers disintegrating into scattered paper fragments like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Changchun Palace. Could these troops be the same paper soldiers? But if they were, they should be the product of some minor, unorthodox spell, typically used to deal with mundane troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form arrays and possess such combat power?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. Seeing the paper fragments scatter, he raised the Vajra pestle again for another strike, while silently sending out another talisman, which vanished in a flash.
“Impudent fool!” The First Stream Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra talisman, shouted angrily. Her sharp voice had barely risen when she hurled her silver bottle into the air. Several cold flashes of light shot out—the celestial dew transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down on Mei Qing and the opposing troops.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra pestle, which had been poised to strike the Five Elements array, suddenly turned, spinning a golden light to meet the rain arrows. The pestle, being just a talisman, had little energy left after colliding with the Five Elements array. This strike against the rain arrows shattered it into a shower of cold sparks. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, veered off course, flying away in an unknown direction.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia, both being guardian deities summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that the Jade Stream Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and conjuring rain with a wave of their hands.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: their magical power is not as formidable as that of the Ding and Jia, but they excel in leading battle formations. Therefore, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian deities.
Having witnessed the might of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bi Zhen’s magical seal, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and had even sought advice from Zhang Thirteen. However, Zhang Thirteen bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-notch. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang Thirteen commented at the time. “These guardian deities might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but now that you’re in the Qi Refining stage and can be considered a minor adept, why bother with such things? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a hassle. It consumes a lot of your cultivation energy without any real benefit.”
Of course, Zhang Thirteen didn’t just talk; he also explained to Mei Qing in detail the methods of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia, their drawbacks, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar. Both require the creation of magical seals and other ritual tools, followed by incense offerings and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the deities can be called forth again using the magical seals and incantations, but additional offerings are still necessary.
According to Zhang Thirteen, the biggest drawbacks of these guardian deities are, first, the difficulty and complexity of the summoning process. In a real battle, victory or defeat is often decided in an instant, leaving no time for lengthy summoning rituals. By the time the deities arrive, your life might already be forfeit. Second, the process is highly resource-intensive, and the time they can be summoned is limited. Third, the summoned deities are not necessarily all-powerful. In fact, most of these guardian deities have their own flaws and limitations. In the eyes of truly advanced practitioners, they are of little use.
“These summoned deities can generally only be called once a day, and their presence doesn’t last long. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s just not worth it. They might seem useful for beginners who know nothing, but for advanced practitioners, no one bothers with such methods. If you encounter these deities, fight if you can, but if they prove too troublesome, just drag things out.” When discussing how to deal with them, Zhang Thirteen was quite straightforward, emphasizing the strategy of “dragging things out” until the opponent’s energy is depleted and they can no longer sustain the summoning, thus achieving victory without a fight.
These summoned deities are, after all, only manifestations of their original forms, and their strength depends on the summoner’s cultivation level. However, their combat effectiveness is always significantly diminished. According to Zhang Thirteen, unless the summoner is a near-ascension super expert, Mei Qing could safely ignore any guardian deities summoned.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens were hovering in mid-air. The one on the left was five feet tall, wearing a golden crown adorned with chaotic floral patterns, dressed in a green pearl robe, and holding a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right was five feet three inches tall, her head adorned with fresh flowers, wearing a pale yellow celestial skirt, and holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two Tianxi Jade Maidens should be the First Stream Maiden Han Renji and the Sixth Stream Maiden Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons surrounding them were quite different from what he knew about the Stream Maidens.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are skilled in leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, few in the world have the ability to summon them with their full retinue. Therefore, summoning the Stream Maidens usually only brings forth a few main deities, which is already quite difficult. But today, these two Stream Maidens had arrived with their divine soldiers, which made Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Stream Maidens were already on the offensive. The First Stream Maiden Han Renji shook her silver bottle, and a drop of celestial dew floated out, transforming into a rain shower that sprinkled over her soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the rain fell, the previously indistinct figures of soldiers and weapons in the mist began to solidify. Amidst swirling clouds and mist, a troop descended from the sky. The leading general, wielding a large sword, charged straight at Mei Qing.
The general was dressed in a brocade robe, with two pheasant feathers on her helmet, eight protective flags behind her, riding a peach blossom horse, and wielding a jade sword. She was a female general. Behind her, several other female warriors charged forward, some wielding twin swords, others brandishing meteor hammers, all of them fierce and formidable.
Mei Qing couldn’t discern their true nature. His spiritual senses detected that the auras of these soldiers were quite vague, making it hard to determine their true strength. However, he couldn’t just stand there and take the hit. With a thought, Mei Qing sent out a small paper talisman, forming hand seals and chanting, “Break the Diamond, subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman flashed and burned. As Mei Qing guided it with his hand seals, a massive Vajra Pestle appeared in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle is a Buddhist ritual tool used to destroy demons and evil spirits, capable of breaking through anything. In recent centuries, Buddhist and Taoist practices have often blended, and the Vajra Pestle has been adopted by some Taoist masters, who have turned it into a talisman for dealing with malevolent entities, often with remarkable results. Seeing that the enemy seemed unusual, Mei Qing decided to use this talisman as a test.
This talisman was considered mid-level, and given Mei Qing’s cultivation, using it was no problem. Although he was naturally talented, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t had much exposure to higher-level talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he had mastered.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone rod. As soon as it appeared, the two skulls opened their dark, gaping mouths, revealing white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled out from the pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate and hum. Accompanied by this demon-subduing sound, the massive pestle swung around, creating a whirlwind as it smashed into the charging troops.
As soon as Mei Qing unleashed the Vajra Pestle, it caught the attention of the Tianxi Jade Maidens in the air. Seeing the pestle appear and hearing its demon-subduing roar, the First Tianxi Maiden’s expression became more serious.
She flipped her hands, forming seals, and chanted an incantation. The previously aggressive troop suddenly changed formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements Circle.
By this time, the Vajra Pestle was already bearing down on the five soldiers. The leading female general raised her jade sword in a “lifting fire to the sky” stance and shouted, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the Five Elements, and a burst of Five Elements energy formed a massive Five Elements array, thrusting toward the Vajra Pestle.
Mei Qing chuckled inwardly. If he hadn’t studied formations, encountering this Five Elements array might have flustered him. But with Zhang Thirteen’s careful guidance, he had gained considerable insight into formations. This simple Five Elements array was no challenge for him.
Mei Qing clapped his hands together, assuming an immovable mountain stance, and shouted, “Ma!”
At his shout, the five generals suddenly froze, as if pulled by strings. Meanwhile, the massive Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its spinning trajectory, standing upright and driving straight into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array is based on the five elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, with Earth at the center, serving as the array’s focal point. Earth is inherently stable and solid, making it the most defensive element. However, once the array is formed, Earth, being the pivot, doesn’t receive support from the other four elements, making it the weakest point in the overall formation.
Mei Qing had a clear understanding of formations, so he first used the Huayan Secret Method to disrupt the Five Elements’ flow, causing a momentary stagnation. Then, with the Vajra Pestle, he delivered a straightforward, heavy blow directly to the array’s focal point.
With a loud “bang,” golden light exploded, and the entire Five Elements array was shaken. The figures of the five generals became blurry, and the female general at the center, wielding twin hammers, was reduced to a wisp of smoke. Her horse and hammers disintegrated into pieces of paper, scattering like snowflakes.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper soldiers and horses he had seen in the Changchun Palace. Could these soldiers before him be the same paper soldiers? But if they were paper soldiers, they should be the product of some minor, unorthodox spell like “scattering beans to create soldiers,” typically used to deal with mundane troops. How could these paper soldiers, under the command of the Stream Maidens, form an array and possess such combat power?
Though puzzled, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. Seeing the paper fragments scatter, he raised the Vajra Pestle again, preparing to strike. At the same time, he silently sent out another talisman, which disappeared in a flash.
“Thief, how dare you!” The First Tianxi Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle talisman, angrily shouted. Her sharp voice had barely sounded when she threw her silver bottle into the air. Several flashes of cold light emerged as the celestial dew inside transformed into rain arrows, accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, raining down indiscriminately on Mei Qing and the battling soldiers.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra Pestle, which had been poised to strike the Five Elements array, suddenly turned around, spinning a golden light to meet the rain arrows. The Vajra Pestle, being just a talisman, had little energy left after colliding with the Five Elements array. This strike against the rain arrows caused it to shatter into a shower of cold stars. The rain arrows, though not destroyed, were deflected away from Mei Qing, veering off into the distance.
The so-called Tianxi Jade Maidens, also known as the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens, are similar to the Six Ding and Six Jia deities, being guardian spirits summoned by Taoist practitioners through magical rituals. It is said that these Jade Maidens reside in the ethereal realm of Mount Wu in the Hibiscus City, 3,600 miles above the earth, each commanding divine soldiers, capable of transforming into clouds and summoning rain with a mere gesture.
However, the Tianxi Jade Maidens differ from the Six Ding and Six Jia in one aspect: while their magical prowess may not match that of the Ding and Jia, they excel in leading battle formations. Consequently, few practitioners choose the Twelve Stream Maidens as their guardian spirits.
Having witnessed the formidable power of the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by Bizhen’s talisman, Mei Qing had always been fascinated by such spells and even sought advice from Zhang Shisan. However, Zhang bluntly stated that, given Mei Qing’s current level of cultivation, summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia would be utterly futile.
“That girl’s artifacts are all top-tier. What use would the Six Ding and Six Jia summoned by an ordinary disciple be?” Zhang remarked at the time. “These guardian spirits might be useful for beginners in the Taoist path, but you’re already at the Qi Refining stage, practically a minor adept. Why bother with such trivialities? You can only summon them once a day, and it’s a cumbersome process that consumes a lot of energy with little practical benefit.”
Of course, Zhang didn’t just talk; he also explained the methods and drawbacks of summoning the Six Ding and Six Jia in detail, and incidentally mentioned the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens.
The methods for summoning the Six Jia and Six Ding and the Twelve Tianyou Stream Maidens are quite similar, requiring the creation of ritual implements like talismans, incense offerings, and specific ceremonies to invoke them. Once summoned, the spirits can be called forth again using the talisman and incantations, though additional offerings are necessary.
According to Zhang, the main drawbacks of these guardian spirits are threefold: first, the summoning process is complex and time-consuming, making it impractical in the heat of battle where decisions are made in moments. By the time the spirits arrive, one’s life might already be forfeit. Second, the cost is high, and the duration of their presence is limited. Third, the summoned spirits are not omnipotent; they often have their own weaknesses and limitations, rendering them less effective in the eyes of truly advanced practitioners.
“These summoned spirits can generally only be called once a day, and their presence is short-lived. Besides the offerings, they also drain the summoner’s vital energy. It’s simply not worth it. They might seem impressive to beginners, but no seasoned practitioner would bother with such techniques. If you encounter these spirits, fight if you can, but if they prove troublesome, just drag things out until they exhaust themselves and can no longer sustain the summoning, allowing you to win without a fight.”
These summoned spirits are merely manifestations of their original forms, their strength dependent on the summoner’s cultivation level. Regardless, their combat effectiveness is significantly diminished. As Zhang put it, unless they were summoned by a near-ascension-level master, Mei Qing could afford to ignore them.
At this moment, two Tianxi Jade Maidens hovered in mid-air. The one on the left stood five feet tall, wearing a golden headdress adorned with chaotic floral patterns and a green pearl robe, holding a silver bottle covered in talismanic inscriptions. The one on the right stood five feet three inches tall, her head adorned with fresh flowers, clad in a pale yellow celestial dress, holding a bamboo flute.
Mei Qing frowned. Based on their appearances, these two should be the First Stream Maiden, Han Renji, and the Sixth Stream Maiden, Zhou Qiongji. However, the misty figures and the numerous soldiers and weapons surrounding them were quite different from the descriptions he had heard.
Although the Tianxi Jade Maidens are known for leading battle formations and commanding divine soldiers, summoning them with their full retinue is a feat few in the world can achieve. Typically, only the main deities are summoned, making it already a difficult task. Yet today, these two Maidens had arrived with their divine soldiers, leaving Mei Qing uneasy.
Before Mei Qing could act, the Maidens took the initiative. The First Maiden, Han Renji, shook her silver bottle, releasing a drop of celestial dew that transformed into a rain shower, sprinkling over her soldiers. She then shouted, “Sweet Dew Generals, array to slay the Profound Yin. Command!”
As the dew fell, the shadowy figures in the mist began to solidify, and with a surge of clouds and fog, a troop descended from the heavens. Leading them was a female general wielding a large sword, charging straight at Mei Qing.
The general wore an embroidered robe, two pheasant feathers on her head, eight protective flags behind her, and rode a peach blossom horse, wielding a jade-hilted sword. Behind her, several other female warriors followed, some wielding twin swords, others flailing meteor hammers—all of them formidable women.
Uncertain of their true nature, Mei Qing probed with his spiritual senses but found their auras indistinct. Nevertheless, he couldn’t just stand there and take the attack. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a small paper talisman, chanting, “Shatter the Diamond, Subdue the Demonic Resentment!”
The talisman ignited instantly, and as Mei Qing gestured, a massive Vajra Pestle materialized in mid-air.
The Vajra Pestle, originally a Buddhist implement for vanquishing demons, had been adopted by Taoist masters over the centuries and crafted into talismans to combat malevolent forces, often with remarkable efficacy. Seeing the ominous nature of his opponents, Mei Qing decided to test the waters with this talisman.
This talisman was of intermediate grade, well within Mei Qing’s capabilities. Though he was a prodigy, his foundation was still shallow, so he hadn’t yet mastered higher-level talismans. This one was among the more advanced ones he knew.
The massive Vajra Pestle had a human skull at each end, connected by a bone shaft. As soon as it appeared, the skulls opened their gaping black mouths, revealing rows of white teeth, and let out a piercing roar.
Sound waves rippled outward from the Pestle, causing the surrounding air to vibrate. With a whooshing sound, the Pestle spun into a whirlwind, crashing toward the oncoming troops.
The appearance of the Vajra Pestle immediately caught the attention of the Tianxi Maidens. Hearing the Pestle’s roar, the First Maiden’s expression grew serious.
She made a series of hand gestures, chanting an incantation, and the previously aggressive troop suddenly shifted formation, with five soldiers taking positions to form a Five Elements Circle.
As the Vajra Pestle descended upon them, the lead female general raised her jade-hilted sword in a skyward thrust, shouting, “Metal!”
The other four soldiers also raised their weapons, chanting the names of the Five Elements, and a radiant Five Elements array formed, thrusting upward to meet the Pestle.
Mei Qing smiled inwardly. Had he not studied formations under Zhang Shisan’s guidance, this Five Elements array might have flustered him. But with his newfound knowledge, such a basic formation was no challenge.
Clapping his hands together, Mei Qing assumed a steadfast posture and shouted, “Ma!”
At his command, the five generals froze as if pulled by strings. Meanwhile, the Vajra Pestle abruptly changed its trajectory, standing upright and driving its skull directly into the center of the Five Elements array.
The Five Elements array is centered on Earth, the most stable element, but also the most vulnerable when the array is in motion, as it lacks support from the other elements. Mei Qing, well-versed in formations, first disrupted the array’s flow with a secret technique, then delivered a straightforward, crushing blow to its core.
With a resounding “Boom!”, golden light erupted, and the entire array shook violently. The figures of the five generals blurred, and the one at the Earth position, wielding twin hammers, faded into a wisp of smoke, her horse and hammers disintegrating into scattered paper fragments.
Paper soldiers? Mei Qing was startled, suddenly recalling the paper figures he had seen in the Evergreen Palace. Could these troops be the same? But if they were mere paper soldiers, typically used by minor practitioners for mundane battles, how could they form such a potent array under the command of the Stream Maidens?
Despite his confusion, Mei Qing didn’t hesitate. Seeing the paper fragments scatter, he raised the Vajra Pestle for another strike, while silently flicking out another talisman.
“Impudent fool!” The First Maiden, seeing her troops falter under Mei Qing’s Vajra Pestle, shouted in anger. Her sharp voice echoed as she hurled her silver bottle into the air. Several streaks of cold light shot out, transforming into rain arrows that whistled toward Mei Qing and his troops.
Mei Qing chuckled. The Vajra Pestle, now a mere paper talisman, had little power left after clashing with the Five Elements array. It shattered into fragments upon hitting the rain arrows, which, though deflected, veered off course and disappeared into the distance.
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