Chapter 109: The Incarnation of Guan Di

“May the heavens heed, may the earth respond, let all gods and Buddhas descend…”

Mei Qing and the others were still far away when they heard the loud sounds of gongs and drums echoing from the village, creating a lively atmosphere. As they approached, they saw that in front of Dashan’s house, a stage had been erected at some unknown time. Colorful flags surrounded the stage, each adorned with various strange and unusual patterns. On both sides of the stage, tall magical banners had been erected; one inscribed with “Namo Amitabha,” and the other with “Taishang Laojun, swift as commanded by the edict.” The characters were neither purely regular script nor purely seal script, each character nearly the size of a ladle, outlined in golden threads against black ink, embroidered onto yellow satin, flapping loudly in the autumn wind.

Around the stage, numerous followers dressed in black robes stood like arrows, holding various magical instruments such as swords, staffs, measuring sticks, and seals, their eyes fixed straight ahead, their faces expressionless.

On the stage, a group of musicians were scattered about, dressed in colorful attire, playing gongs, drums, suonas, flutes, huqins, shengs, and xiaos with great enthusiasm.

In the center of the stage stood a large lotus dais made of pink silk, nearly half a man tall. On either side stood a boy and a girl; one holding a vase of purity, the other a palm-leaf fan. Their faces were painted bright red, making it difficult to distinguish which was male and which was female.

Seated properly atop the lotus dais was a man. On his head was a tall magical hat resembling a multi-eaved pagoda with nine layers and eight ridges, each layer decorated with gold foil and painted with red and green patterns. He wore a long robe embroidered with the eight treasures and lotus blossoms, the sleeves flaring in the wind, shimmering with golden light. In his left hand was a fly whisk, and in his right, a large seal. From afar, he looked like a Bodhisattva who had descended from a temple. This was indeed the leader of the incense sect, the one A-San had mentioned—the Master of Fragrance.

Beside the Master stood a dwarf dressed in a dark robe. Barely three feet tall, he was shorter than the two children, yet he wore a robe that dragged on the ground and a peculiar pointed hat on his head. In one hand, he held a large copper bell, shaking it while dancing, half singing and chanting:

“First I summon Guanyin, to descend and save the people;

Second I summon Laozi, his presence strikes fear into ghosts and spirits;

Third I summon Guan Shengdi, the first among the Five Tigers;

Fourth I summon the Three Holy Mothers, to protect the people and display their might…”

Though the dwarf’s body was extremely small, his voice was incredibly loud, almost making people’s ears ring. Mei Qing and the others watched clearly. The dwarf did not possess any true cultivation skills; his booming voice was likely a natural gift.

As his long chant ended, the Master on the lotus dais suddenly shuddered violently, then let out a strange cry—high-pitched and long-drawn, twisting twice like a wail at a funeral.

At this cry, the musicians on the stage, as if rehearsed, simultaneously ceased playing, quickly retreating to either side, leaving the center open. The Master, as if propelled by springs beneath his feet, “thrust” himself upward three feet high, landing with a “swish,” his body swaying wildly like willows in a storm or dancing butterflies. The fly whisk and seal in his hands moved up and down, left and right, creating a blur of afterimages.

After dancing for a while, the Master suddenly let out another long, piercing scream, the sound gradually fading as he slowly came to a stop, his eyes staring blankly, silent and unmoving.

“Which honored deity has descended here?” the dwarf, shaking his copper bell, asked in a booming voice that half sang, half chanted.

“I am the God Guan, sent by the Jade Emperor to tour the mortal world and protect all beings! Alas! This place is filled with evil spirits; let me perform my magic to slay demons and eradicate evil! Zhou Cang, bring me my sword!” The Master declared, swinging his fly whisk dramatically as he struck a pose.

“Here!” Upon hearing this, the dwarf immediately shook his copper bell furiously, then raised his other hand and, with a loud shout, conjured a gleaming large sword seemingly out of thin air.

This sword was over a zhang long, its entire body shining with a cold, blinding silver light. The dwarf planted the sword upright on the ground, where it towered over him by nearly eight chi. Bowing respectfully, he announced, “Your Majesty, the long sword is here!”

The villagers watching below thought the Master’s appearance was mighty and awe-inspiring, while the dwarf, impersonating Zhou Cang, had conjured a sword from nothing—truly displaying boundless magical power. They burst into loud applause. The musicians on the stage joined in the excitement, playing their gongs, drums, and suonas with all their might, while chanting phrases such as “With Guan’s procession, peace reigns under heaven” and “The Master’s divine power clears away evil spirits,” dancing and singing amidst the lively atmosphere.

From a distance, Mei Qing and the others could no longer contain themselves and burst into laughter. It turned out the Master was nothing more than a fraud, a charlatan posing as a deity.

The trick with the sword, it turned out, was nothing more than a magician’s sleight of hand—the sword hidden within the folds of the dwarf’s long robe, extendable and retractable at will. Though it appeared silver from the outside, it was in fact merely tin foil.

After laughing for a while, Mei Qing glanced at Zhang Shisan and whispered sideways, “Apprentice, it seems this Master is just a charlatan performing shamanistic tricks, only capable of deceiving ignorant commoners. However, those people standing around the stage seem to have some genuine skills?”

Zhang Shisan nodded with a smile, “It’s a Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams Formation, nothing particularly formidable. If you want to deal with the ‘Great Immortal,’ go ahead. I’ll handle the rest.”

Mei Qing smiled but had not yet spoken when suddenly the Master on the stage rolled his eyes and moved his hands, the fly whisk and seal vanishing. He grabbed the large sword, concentrated his energy for a while, then suddenly let out a loud shout, raising the zhang-long sword high above his head. He twirled it twice, then spun it around his head more than ten times, before shouting again and striking a pose as if dragging the sword behind him.

“Bravo!” The musicians on the stage cheered with extra vigor this time, blowing the suonas so hard they seemed about to burst, and beating the drums so loudly it was like the heavens were splitting. A tall, thin man stretched his neck and shouted at the top of his lungs: “The God Guan possesses the Master, performing divine magic; the Grand Master is invincible under heaven!”

Others joined in with flattery, chanting phrases like “Divine power reaching the heavens, capable of anything,” and “Capturing ghosts and eliminating demons, leaving a name in the world.” These were all common colloquial rhymes, but since the local dialect of Yongping was naturally melodic, everyone could chant a couple of lines of drum songs or lotus tunes. Now, each one sang their own tune at first, but gradually their voices unified, led by the tall man, until they were all chanting in unison: “Heaven and earth were created by the Master’s divine power; the Master’s martial prowess is unbeatable!”

The Master performed a few moves on the stage, struck a few poses, then slowly narrowed his eyes, tilting his head slightly to gaze at the sky. He raised his left hand, and instantly the stage fell silent. The Master then slowly and deliberately drew out his chant: “Let me open my divine eyes and see where the evil spirits hide? Ah… ah… ah…”

As Mei Qing watched the Master shrieking “Ah! Ah!” while gradually turning his gaze toward their group, he noticed the Master’s eyes narrowing suspiciously at Shi Mengzhu from the corner of his vision. Knowing the fraud was about to accuse them of being the evil spirits, Mei Qing gave a cold smile and decided to act first. With a thought, a small talisman already appeared in his hand.

Since his rigorous cultivation of talismans, Mei Qing had frequently sought Zhang Shisan’s advice on the art of talismanic combat. Zhang had once explained that once cultivators reached the Refining Essence stage, they could usually cultivate techniques like “Hidden in the Sleeve” or “Mustard Seed within the Cosmos,” allowing them to store objects attuned to their spiritual senses. The most common application was storing magical weapons within, so that when needed, they could be summoned with a mere flick of the mind. Some cultivators even used such techniques to create a separate space specifically for storing talismans, gaining a significant advantage in battle.

Mei Qing had learned the “Mustard Seed within the Cosmos” technique from the Bi Zhen sect, though he was not yet very proficient. Initially, he had only stored his escape talisman and a small inkstone within. It was only after Zhang Shisan observed and offered some guidance that he managed to expand the space several times over, becoming more skilled in its use and storing many talismans inside.

Later on, Mei Qing became even more creative, placing all the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone that Zhang had given him into the space. Zhang especially praised the addition of a water-element talisman on the inkstone and brush, not only allowing him to maintain a spiritual connection with them but also making them exceptionally convenient to use, keeping them moist and clean.

Now, facing this Master, Mei Qing happened to have some talismans he had painstakingly practiced in recent days. Unfortunately, these were all low-grade talismans of the first rank, not particularly powerful. However, he had already made plans. With a flick of his hand, a Fire Spirit Talisman appeared in his palm.

“Born in the year of Ren Shen, the Fire Spirit reigns—swiftly!” Mei Qing silently chanted the incantation, forming the hand seal by pressing his left thumb against the tip of his little finger while his right hand made a sweeping motion. The small talisman transformed into a streak of light, flying rapidly away and vanishing in an instant.

Mei Qing was no longer the inexperienced novice he once was. His talisman drawing skills had greatly improved, and his application of them had also become more refined. When using talismans, he always accompanied them with incantations and hand seals. The incantations were carefully timed with specific directions and precise attention to the hours of the day, as previously mentioned. However, the art of hand seals held even deeper mysteries, for it was said: “Through these seals, one communicates with divine beings, commands celestial generals, and subdues evil spirits—all through their wondrous power.”

“Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, all the deities and Buddhas, come forth and manifest your power…”

From a distance, Mei Qing and his companions could already hear the clamor of gongs and drums in the village, a scene of great festivity. As they approached, they saw that a stage had been erected in front of Dashan’s house, adorned with colorful flags bearing various strange and intricate designs. On either side of the stage stood tall ritual banners. The left one read: “Namo Amitabha Buddha,” while the right one proclaimed: “By the urgent decree of the Supreme Lord Lao.” The characters, neither standard nor seal script, were as large as buckets, embroidered in gold thread on black, set against a yellow satin background, fluttering in the autumn wind.

Surrounding the stage were disciples clad in black robes, standing as straight as spears, each holding ritual instruments such as swords, staffs, rulers, and seals, their eyes fixed forward, expressionless.

On the stage, a group of musicians dressed in vibrant colors played gongs, drums, suonas, flutes, huqins, sheng, and xiao, creating a lively and noisy atmosphere.

At the center of the stage stood a large lotus throne, crafted from pink silk, about half a person’s height. On either side stood a boy and a girl, one holding a purification vase, the other a banana-leaf fan, their faces painted red, making it hard to distinguish their genders.

Seated upright on the lotus throne was a man. He wore a towering ritual hat with nine layers and eight edges, adorned with gold foil and painted in various colors. His robe, embroidered with eight treasures and lotus patterns, shimmered with golden light as it fluttered in the wind. In his left hand, he held a horsetail whisk, and in his right, a large seal. From afar, he looked like a deity who had descended from a temple. This was none other than the Fragrance Sect Leader that Ah San had mentioned.

Beside the sect leader stood a dwarf in a black robe, no taller than three feet, shorter than the two children. He wore a floor-length robe and a pointed, peculiar hat. In his hand, he held a large bronze bell, which he rang while dancing, half-singing, half-chanting.

“First, I invoke Guanyin, to descend and save the people;

Second, I invoke Lord Lao, to strike fear into ghosts and spirits;

Third, I invoke Emperor Guan, the foremost of the Five Tigers;

Fourth, I invoke the Three Holy Mothers, to protect the people and display their power…”

Though the dwarf was extremely short, his voice was extraordinarily loud, almost deafening. Mei Qing and his companions could see that this man had no real cultivation; his booming voice was likely a natural gift.

As the dwarf’s chant ended, the sect leader on the lotus throne shuddered violently, then let out a strange, high-pitched cry that twisted and turned, resembling a wail of mourning.

At this sound, the musicians on the stage, as if rehearsed, stopped playing simultaneously and quickly retreated to the sides, clearing the center of the stage. The sect leader, as if on springs, leapt three feet into the air and landed in the center of the stage, his body swaying like a willow in the wind, his horsetail whisk and seal moving up and down, left and right, leaving only a blur of motion.

After dancing for a while, the sect leader suddenly let out another long, piercing scream. As the sound faded, he slowly came to a stop, his eyes staring blankly, silent.

“May I ask, which deity has descended?” the dwarf asked in his booming voice, half-singing, half-chanting, while shaking the bronze bell.

“I am Emperor Guan. By the command of the Jade Emperor, I have descended to protect the people! Ah! This place is filled with evil spirits. I shall perform a ritual to vanquish demons! Zhou Cang, bring me my blade!” The sect leader swung his horsetail whisk and struck a pose, twisting his waist and spreading his legs.

“Yes, my lord!” The dwarf immediately rang the bell loudly and, with a dramatic gesture, pulled out a gleaming, silver broadsword from thin air.

The broadsword was over ten feet long, its surface shimmering with a cold, metallic gleam. The dwarf planted the sword on the ground, making it tower over him by eight feet. He bowed and said, “My lord, the blade is ready!”

The villagers watching from below were awestruck, believing the sect leader to be a mighty deity and the dwarf to be Zhou Cang, capable of summoning weapons from thin air. They cheered loudly, while the musicians on stage joined in, playing their instruments with great fervor, interspersed with chants like “Emperor Guan descends, peace reigns under heaven” and “The sect leader’s divine power sweeps away evil spirits,” creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

From a distance, Mei Qing and his companions couldn’t help but laugh. This so-called sect leader was nothing more than a charlatan.

The dwarf’s trick of producing the broadsword was simply a sleight of hand, with the sword hidden in his floor-length robe. The gleaming surface was nothing more than a layer of tin foil.

After laughing for a while, Mei Qing glanced at Zhang Shisan, who nodded and said, “This sect leader is just a fraud, preying on the ignorant. But the people standing around the stage seem to have some skill.”

Zhang Shisan smiled and replied, “It’s a Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams formation, nothing too formidable. If you want to deal with that ‘great immortal,’ go ahead. I’ll handle the rest.”

Before Mei Qing could respond, the sect leader on stage suddenly widened his eyes, and the horsetail whisk and seal in his hands disappeared. He took the broadsword from the dwarf, took a deep breath, and with a loud shout, lifted the ten-foot blade above his head, twirling it rapidly and spinning it around his head more than a dozen times before striking a dramatic pose.

“Bravo!” The musicians on stage cheered with extra enthusiasm, the suona almost running out of breath, the gongs and drums deafening. A tall, thin man shouted at the top of his lungs, “Emperor Guan has possessed the sect leader! The great sect leader is invincible!”

The others joined in, chanting praises like “Divine power reaches the heavens, capable of all things” and “Vanquishing ghosts and demons, leaving a legacy in the world.” The local dialect, already melodic, made the chants sound like a grand opera. At first, each sang their own tune, but gradually, led by the tall, thin man, they harmonized into a unified chant: “The sect leader’s divine power opens heaven and earth; the sect leader’s divine skill is invincible!”

After performing a few more moves and striking a few poses, the sect leader slightly narrowed his eyes, tilted his head, and raised his left hand. The stage immediately fell silent. The sect leader then slowly intoned, “I shall open my divine eyes and see where the evil spirits hide. Ah… ah… ah…”

As the sect leader let out his strange cries, his gaze gradually turned toward Mei Qing and his companions, his eyes lingering on Shi Mengzhu. Mei Qing, realizing that the sect leader was about to label them as evil spirits, smirked coldly and decided to strike first. With a thought, a small talisman appeared in his hand.

Having diligently practiced talisman crafting, Mei Qing had learned much from Zhang Shisan about using talismans in combat. Zhang Shisan had mentioned that once a cultivator reached the Refining Essence stage, they could master techniques like “Sleeve Universe” or “Mustard Seed and Sumeru,” which allowed them to store items connected to their spirit. Most commonly, this was used to store magical tools, which could be summoned instantly when needed. Some even created a dedicated space to store talismans, giving them an advantage in battles.

Mei Qing’s “Mustard Seed and Sumeru” technique had been taught to him by Bi Zhen, though he was not yet proficient. Initially, he only stored his escape talisman and an inkstone. After some guidance from Zhang Shisan, he expanded the space and became more adept, storing all his talismans there.

Later, Mei Qing even stored the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone given by Zhang Shisan. Zhang Shisan particularly praised Mei Qing for adding a water spirit talisman to the inkstone and brush, not only connecting them to his spirit but also keeping them clean and moist, making them exceptionally convenient to use.

To deal with the sect leader, Mei Qing had prepared some talismans he had practiced recently. Unfortunately, most were low-level talismans of limited use. But he had a plan. With a flick of his wrist, a fire spirit talisman appeared in his hand.

“Ren Shen generates Li, fire spirit takes command, swiftly!” Mei Qing silently chanted the incantation, his left thumb pressing against the base of his little finger, his right hand making a sweeping motion. The small talisman transformed into a streak of light, flying away and disappearing in an instant.

Mei Qing was no longer the novice he once was. Not only had his talisman crafting skills improved, but his application of them had also become more sophisticated. Using a talisman required both incantation and hand seals. The incantation had to align with the time and direction, as previously mentioned. But the hand seals were even more profound, said to “connect with the divine, command celestial generals, and subdue evil spirits, all through their subtlety.”

The hand seals involved aligning the roots, joints, tips, and backs of the fingers with the heavenly stems, earthly branches, five elements, seven luminaries, eight trigrams, and twenty-eight constellations. Based on the interactions of the five elements, the seals could mimic the shapes of dragons, lotuses, or involve stretching, bending, hooking, and crossing. Each talisman had its specific use, and when applied, the hand seals could manifest the talisman’s power nearby, at a distance, with intensity, or with gentleness, all requiring flexible changes to unleash their divine efficacy.