Thunder roared and rain poured down.
On this day, Hong Wei, the care officer responsible for sending and receiving management documents at the Exorcist Division headquarters, was much busier than usual.
Every few minutes, someone will come to him and ask him: "Is the latest Di newspaper here? Is there any news from Longmen Academy?"
To this, Hong Wei responded with a straight face: "No, he's not here yet!"
However, despite Hong Wei's calm expression on the surface, in fact he was more panicked than anyone else in his heart.
Because one night a few days ago, he got drunk, and then, under the instigation of a group of bad friends, he bet all his two months' salary in a gambling house.
Businessmen in Luojing City never miss any opportunity to make money.
They had already set odds on today's much-anticipated Fu Dao battle, attracting spectators to place money and place bets.
It can be seen from the ever-changing odds that at the very beginning, the person Luojing residents were most optimistic about was the long-famous Talisman Master Zhao Xinran, and the person they were least optimistic about was Gu Xu.
the reason is simple.
Although Gu Xu is in the limelight, he is still just a young man who has not yet been crowned.
In the eyes of outsiders, he is like an outstanding "other people's child" - maybe he has made some achievements in Taoism, but there is still a big gap between him and the real "authoritative person".
For a young man like him, it is enough to go to Longmen Academy to be a student, but to be a teacher is a bit outrageous.
However, later, with some information such as "The Imperial Master highly recommended Gu Xu", "Luo Chuan, the head of the Exorcist Department, personally went to the academy to see Gu Xu draw the talisman", "Gu Xu had already improved the talisman and seal script a few months ago" As the news gradually spread, and a group of exorcism officials who admired Gu Xu came to support him, it quietly affected the trend of the gambling house, and Gu Xu's odds began to gradually decrease.
Until the closing time this morning, Gu Xu's odds were only higher than Zhao Xinran, and much lower than Mo Li and Shen Qiu.
On this rainy day shrouded in black clouds, Hong Wei had been paying close attention to the competition, and he was probably much more nervous than Gu Xu himself.
After all, once Gu Xu wins, Hong Wei can also take this opportunity to get rich overnight - okay, "getting rich overnight" sounds a bit exaggerated, but at least the money won can allow him to go to restaurants a few more times. He bought his wife the rouge and powder that she had always dreamed of, and bought a few more kilograms of meat for his son.
But if Gu Xu loses... then he will have to live frugally and drink from the northwest wind for the next two months.
"Master Gu, my future fate will be decided by you," Hong Wei muttered in his mind over and over again while sorting out the documents on his desk, "You must let the people from Longmen Academy know it." You’re really capable, so don’t show mercy!”
…………
The different atmosphere in the yamen naturally affected Shi Xiaohan.
This morning, after watching Gu Xu's carriage drive into the distance, she planned to go back to her room to practice quietly and try to climb a few more stairs on "Homesickness Ridge".
As of now, Shi Xiaohan has stood on the 338th step - although her climbing speed is not small compared to that of a monster like Gu Xu, but among the monks of the same realm in the Daqi Dynasty, It is already considered outstanding, almost reaching the top 20% level.
Although she did not deliberately experience the smell of earthly fireworks and feel her own emotional fluctuations like Gu Xu did, her climbing process went smoothly beyond imagination and did not encounter much hindrance.
She once asked Shangguan Jin about this issue in a confused mood.
In response, Shangguan Jin smiled meaningfully and explained: "Because you are already in the mortal world, your heart has long been restless."
This sounds a bit mysterious.
Shi Xiaohan still can't fully understand its meaning.
But today, amid the rumbling thunder and the pounding rain, her heart really couldn't calm down.
She sat cross-legged on the mat and swallowed a "Du Erdan", but she was still unable to enter the dark world of the netherworld.
As long as she closes her eyes, the scene of Gu Xu boarding the carriage calmly will appear in her mind.
"The competition at Longmen Academy...is it about to end now?"
"How did that guy Gu Xu perform?"
"I heard that his opponents are very powerful."
"Although I believe in his level of Talisman... But now the monks in the entire capital are paying attention to him. Even the national preceptor, the chief minister and that annoying princess have gone to Longmen Academy to watch him. Will he feel any pressure? Will it be a bit big?”
"..."
Shi Xiaohan's mind was filled with messy thoughts.
It was like countless little bugs flying around in her mind, making it impossible for her to let go of her mind and enter a state of cultivation.
So she shook her head and chose to give up.
Then she walked out of the room and found that all the officials in the yamen were the same as her - neither the "Jingxin Pill", "Changming Pill", "Du'er Pill", or the specially made magic circle in the retreat room could do anything. Let them calm down and practice.
They all gathered in the corridor, discussing the talisman and Tao dispute far away in Longmen Academy.
"If Mr. Gu can win, I will go to Qianqian's house tomorrow to propose marriage!"
"I can't calm down to practice today. In order to prevent me from going crazy, I'll reward myself by relaxing a little... If Mr. Gu can defeat those powerful opponents, then I will go into seclusion tonight and will never leave until I break the second level. close!"
"Perhaps you don't know that I bet fifteen taels of silver on Mr. Gu... If he loses, my wife will definitely kill me tonight! Wait until tomorrow, and you will never see him alive again. Me."
"..."
…………
At the same time, Longmen Academy.
After Zhao Xinran left, the remaining three candidates were still sitting in the "Siqitang", silently thinking about the design of Fu Zhuan.
The sound of wind, rain, thunder and lightning, and people talking outside the house seemed to have nothing to do with them.
Another quarter of an hour passed, and Shen Qiu also started writing.
In the past period of time, more than ten ideas popped up in his mind, but he didn't feel satisfied with any of them.
However, as time passed by and Zhao Xinran's "handing in the paper in advance" gave him a strong stimulus, Shen Qiu took a deep breath, gave up the intention of continuing to pursue perfection, and chose a A plan with bright spots and flaws.
"Shen Qiu, Shen Qiu, if you don't start writing, I'm afraid it will be too late," he laughed at himself and said to himself silently, "Anyway, you will definitely not be able to defeat a genius like Gu Xu who transcends common sense, and there is a high probability that you will not be able to compare with Zhao. An experienced Fu Dao master like Xin Ran... Even if he tries his best, what's the use?"
As a concubine of a wealthy family, Shen Qiu often feels like a superfluous person and that his life has no meaning.
The clansmen had high hopes for his brother Shen Hua and strictly disciplined him, but they had no requirements or expectations for him. They allowed him to grow up freely and fend for himself... Only when they encountered trouble would they call him in to put out the fire. Tool man.
Whether it's cultivation, drawing talismans, reading, or doing business... in the beginning, for him, it was just something he did out of curiosity, and it wasn't really a career. Because he found that no matter how well he did, it was difficult to get recognition and attention from his tribe. Over time, I lost interest.
This time he traveled thousands of miles from Jinling to Luojing City because he was trying to find a new way out for himself after being completely disappointed with his family and looking for a stage where he could display his talents.
However, when he first arrived, he found a high mountain in front of him, blocking the road ahead.
The name of this high mountain is "Gu Xu".
Shen Qiu originally thought that he was quite talented in the art of Talisman and Seal Script—three years after he first started practicing Talisman and Seal Script, he was able to break away from books and create brand new talisman and seal script.
However, Gu Xu was only eighteen years old and was already able to sit down and discuss matters with the Imperial Master; but he could only get an understatement of praise from the Imperial Master.
This moment made Shen Qiu feel extremely frustrated.
But after resting for half an hour, his mood had calmed down a lot.
"Talk" is not his dream, nor is it his proudest skill.
If one road doesn't work, just try another.
He glanced at the rain outside the window, and then at Gu Xu, who was not far away and was thin and handsome with a straight waist. He couldn't help but sigh softly, and then thought: Actually... How can I see such a person in my lifetime? Not a lucky thing? If you look at it from another angle, maybe this majestic mountain is also a potential smooth road?
Immediately, the tip of his pen fell on the white paper, and the pen was full of ink, just like a leaping dragon and snake, a group of tigers playing in the sea, and a dancing crane flying in the sky.
After his mind became clear, his brushwork became swift and free-spirited. Its shape, its color, its thickness, dryness and wetness, its disconnection and twisting, the thickness and thickness of the brushwork are all variable, and the atmosphere is myriad.
…………
After some time passed, Mo Li also started writing.
Compared to Shen Qiu, his speed of drawing symbols was much slower and his brushwork was much stiffer.
His mind contains thousands of talismans in books - these talismans seem to be engraved in his soul. As long as he lifts the pen, they will appear in his field of vision, making him unable to put them away at all. .
There are many kinds of charms in the book that can help the weak deal with ghosts.
But now, the Imperial Master asked him to get rid of books and design his own.
His mood at the moment was like a copycat who was suddenly asked to write an original work, or a painter who was accustomed to copying and was asked to draw pictures out of thin air without reference.
This left him at a loss.
"How about I make some slight modifications based on the previous ones?" Mo Li thought silently in his mind, "This should be regarded as a reference, not a copy... As long as I can incorporate some of my own ideas..."
Just now, in the second session, he had already handed in a blank paper.
If he turns in a blank test again, I'm afraid his cousin Dean Li will be so angry that he wants to expel him from the house.
The talisman that Mo Li borrowed from was called the "Sneaky Talisman for Suppressing New Houses". The book describes it as "If there are ghosts in a newly built house, this talisman should be used to suppress it."
Of course, under normal circumstances, it can only suppress "wandering soul" level ghosts.
After Mo Li's modification, this talisman became the "Evil Ghost Entering the House and Disturbing Talisman" - compared to before, it can not only deal with "wandering ghosts", but also weaker "wild ghosts"; It is no longer just about "suppressing" ghosts, but directly destroying ghosts that invade people's homes.
As long as it is posted in the house, it can largely prevent the house from being attacked by ghosts - after all, even after the long night arrives, the most common ghosts in the wilderness are still "wandering spirits" and "wild ghosts"; and even higher It is impossible for a mere talisman to deal with the "evil spirits" and "fierce gods" of different levels.
However, after Mo Li made modifications to the "Zhenxinzhai Sneaky Talisman", the complexity of the talisman has greatly increased, and the amount of true energy required in the process of drawing the talisman has also increased significantly.
If the original talisman seal only requires a first-level beginner to draw it easily.
Then after improvement, you will need a talisman cultivator who is at least the second level and has certain experience to draw it.
Mo Li narrowed his eyes slightly.
He held the thinnest brush and carefully dipped it in ink. Every stroke he drew was extremely careful.
It's like walking on thin ice. If you are not careful, you will step through the ice and fall into a bottomless lake.
But his hand still shook and he drew a wrong line.
So he tore off the paper in his hand and started drawing the symbols again.
The second time, he dipped a little more ink into his pen tip and accidentally dropped two drops on the paper.
So he tore it up again and painted again.
The third time, the arc he drew was half an inch away from what he expected, causing the runes to not take effect.
So he tore it up again and painted again.
…
After repeated drawings and drawings for a total of fifteen times, Mo Li finally successfully designed his "talisman to prevent evil spirits from entering the house".
The white paper in front of him burst out with brilliant golden light.
At this moment, there are less than five minutes left before the time specified by the National Master.
Mo Li's right hand holding the pen was stiff and numb, and his palm was covered in sweat.
He put down the pen and shook his hand vigorously, trying to relieve the pain in his wrist.
At the same time, he raised his head and looked left and right, wanting to observe the performance of his competitors.
Shen Qiu's seat was already empty - the ugly dwarf had already drawn the talisman seal before him and left the "Siqitang".
Gu Xuze was still sitting at the desk, pondering.
Mo Li stood up quietly, walked to Gu Xu and took a look, and found that the paper in front of him was still blank and the tip of the brush was dry.
This obviously proves that Gu Xu has not yet started writing.
"The time is coming soon, isn't he in a hurry?" Mo Li felt a little strange, "Did he not come up with a solution to the problem yet?"
Mo Li looked calm on the surface, but deep down he was a little secretly happy.
Gu Xu's performance in the first two sessions was too outstanding and incredible, like a god shrouded in a halo, which put great psychological pressure on Mo Li.
But now, Gu Xu's aura seems to be extinguished - he is like ordinary people, helpless when facing the talisman.
The thing that people like to hear most is when a genius falls from the altar.
"You hand in a blank paper, I hand in a blank paper, and the two of us are on the same starting line again." Mo Li looked at the handsome young man in front of him, who was as still as a clock, and thought to himself, his mentality instantly balanced.
However, at this moment, Gu Xu suddenly raised the brush.
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