Chapter 1775: Investiture Ceremony
alized that the stone wall here wasn't entirely black like the outside. Inside the wall, a faint white glow could be seen.The most striking feature, even a thumbnail-sized crystal outline can be seen...Outside of Fairy Lake.
The sky is clear and cloudless.
A white cloud raced south, its speed clearly abnormal. Any cultivator would recognize it as a fellow practitioner using magic.
Several dozen figures stood on the cloud, with a middle-aged Taoist priest at the front manipulating this white cloud.
Behind the Taoist priest stood people of all ages, with half being energetic young men and women. They gazed around in wonder on the clouds, like they had never seen anything like it before. When they saw the houses-sized hills below, they realized they were high in the sky and moved closer to their elders.
Looking at the Taoist's back, the young men and women all showed expectant expressions.
Qin Sang was also among them.
After meeting Master Qi, Qin Sang did not stop collecting information and would often visit Master Qi's residence to ask for advice.
After days of investigation, Qin Sang gathered more and more information and learned many secrets. A plan gradually formed in his mind, preparing to seize the high-level divine scroll of Lei Ting Zuofu!
According to his investigation, the Thunder Left Mansion and Thunder Right Mansion are the same kind of talismans.
Like the Tao Hengshan's "Liu" (scroll), the Gao Shang Shenxiao "Liu" of Lei Ting Zuofufu is also two ranks, namely the Taishang Tongzi Lingguan General "Liu" and the Liujin Huiling "Liu".
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No matter what kind of talismans, even those from the Daoist temples and academies, the initial level talismans are all the Talismans of Lingguan General, bestowed by the Taishang Tongzi.
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However, although the names of talismans are the same, their methods differ. Moreover, the corresponding spirit officials and generals also differ, so they should not be confused.
Due to the strained relations between the Left and Right Thunder Temples, if Qin Sang could successfully devise a plan, he could obtain two talismans from the Left and Right Thunder Temples respectively. This would allow him to quickly construct an ascension talisman altar for the Xuan-level position and then seek out the right of ascension from the Daoist sect.
From now on, at least before the union, I can practice peacefully without having to worry about talismans.
Ascending the ranks of Taoism is not easy. Qin Sang prepared to first seek guidance from Zhishjian Zhenren.
However, he has not yet visited the Sword Heart Island to see the Master Jianxin, planning to wait until after receiving the Gao Shang Divine Lightning Talisman before making the visit.
But before seeking the High Celestial Divine Decree, Qin Sang had one more thing to do.
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For him, the biggest threat right now is that he's afraid of being discovered as someone who hasn't received a formal initiation but possesses extremely high cultivation. He wouldn't be able to explain it.
According to Qin Sang's original plan, he would first possess a weaker force. If there were any accidents, it would be easier to deal with them.
If you have access to the talisman hall, you can go to famous sects and change your desired talismans. Then you won't have to worry about it anymore.
Through Qin Sang's investigation, it was discovered that things were not as simple as they seemed.
The term for changing one's talisman is called "jia lu" in Daoist circles. Some jokingly refer to it as a promotion or advancement, but it seems that the Shanji Zong sect lacks the ability to perform this ritual.
Moreover, the general public usually doesn't need to add talismans.
Here, the distinction between the realms of spiritualism and esoteric practices is important.
Especially outside of the Taoist tradition, practitioners receive talismans primarily to ward off the six celestial energies. Most of them still practice the methods passed down by their own masters.
Therefore, as long as the talismans and lineages of the masters are similar, there will be no conflict. After receiving a talisman, one generally doesn't have the idea of changing it.
If grievances arise with the power that bestowed one's own talismans, there is no need to change them. When one breaks through, one can fully choose another talisman with similar characteristics and ascend in a different sect.
For example, Tao Hengshan is a water-based talisman. If a disciple leaves the sect, they can hide their identity and wait until they break through before receiving another type of water-based talisman.
Thus forged, the Luodan altar may not be as stable as one passed down through generations, and there may be hidden dangers in the future. But nine out of ten will not live to see that day.
At least, Qin Sang has met quite a few masters, but so far he hasn't found out which sect in Xinjia Xianhu has the ability to bestow talismans.
According to the original plan, we might still have to go to Dao Ting in the end. It's better not to take this detour and settle it once and for all.
Therefore, Qin Sang needs to first participate in a ceremony of granting official rank, to confirm whether his cultivation level will be exposed during the granting ceremony.
If exposure is inevitable, Qin Sang wouldn't want to be targeted by the Daoist sect. The only way to keep the secret is to directly control that sect, which means he can no longer choose targets from those renowned sects.
Then Qin Sang found a sect outside the Star Island Fairy Lake and obtained the qualifications for receiving the Taoist ordination.
The Taoist priest who drives the clouds ahead, with the dharma name Yang Luo, is a cultivator of the Jindan stage and comes from the Sanyang Sect.
The San Yang Zong altar's bestowed San Yang talismans are fire-based talismans. Most importantly, this sect offers a portion of the bestowal qualifications for sale each time.
Qin Sang had already dispersed all his true essence at this time, his dantian was empty, and he disguised himself as a young man just starting his cultivation journey. He followed Yang Luo to the San Yang Gate to receive his Daoist mandate.
While others were accompanied by their teachers, he was alone. The other boys and girls secretly looked at Qin Sang with curious eyes.
However, even though Qin Sang came alone, Yang Lu Shangren did not dare to neglect him in the slightest, because Qin Sang's 'master' was a real person.
As youngsters, their minds were still developing. After a brief period of novelty and excitement, they started greeting each other in hushed tones. Initially, they were cautious, but once they realized there was no one watching, they began chattering away excitedly.
At that moment, Yang Luo, who stood on the cloud, suddenly turned his head.
Suddenly, all fell silent.
Yang Luoshang's eyes swept over the crowd of young men and women, and he said coldly: "The rules of the Luer ceremony should have been explained to you by your elders. This poor Taoist will emphasize them again! There are three masters attending the Luer ceremony. This poor Taoist is your recommender master, so offending this poor Taoist can still be tolerated. If you behave improperly and anger the Transmission Master and the Supervision Master, they will expel you from here. Even if your teachers are present, there will be no leniency. And the spirit stones will not be refunded!"
Yang Luoshang's expression was stern.
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Both boys and girls were frightened, some even trembling slightly.
Qin Sang and their master knew that Yang Luo Shangren's words were not false.
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The transmission master is the person who presides over the conferring of Taoist robes ceremony.
The master of the board holds a higher status and is served by a respected person, at least a senior member of the sect, responsible for overseeing the tribunal.
Both of them have the right to expel or even kill those who cause a disturbance during the conferring of Taoist ordination.
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It is said that there are also six masters of the altar protection who ensure that the entire ritual strictly follows Taoist procedures.
Then, Master Yang Luo spoke some rules again. The young men and women nodded their heads like pounding garlic, and they no longer had the heart to laugh or joke.
The clouds plummeted, and suddenly everyone felt the ground shake. As the cloud dispersed, they found themselves on a stone platform above a cliff face.
"Follow me."
Yang Luoshi walked up the stone steps towards the summit, and everyone hurriedly followed.
When there weren't many people in the street, a young man walked by.
Yang Lu Shangren stopped and smiled, greeting, "Third Senior Brother, where are you going"
“Oh, the ninth junior brother is back.”
The young man swept his gaze over the crowd behind Master Yang Luo, "Is the sect about to open another altar for conferring talismans How are the disciples your junior brother brought"
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Yang Luoshang shook his head slightly, "There are no disciples of my San Yang Gate in here. Their aptitude is none of our concern."
Qin Sang and the others all stood behind, watching the two talk.
Upon hearing Yang Luo's words, Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he glanced over the crowd.
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Since arriving in this world, Qin Sang discovered that there was no concept of "spiritual roots," but aptitude still varied in quality.
He had already quietly investigated these young men and women, all of whom possessed the fire spirit root. It was clearly related.
After a few words with Yang Luosheng, the young man was about to leave. Yang Luosheng hurriedly called out, "Brother, do you know which elder is in charge of overseeing this examination"
The young man pondered for a moment, then said, "This time it should be Master's turn."
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"Oh, it's Master."
Master Yang Lu was relieved. Not only was their relationship close, but Master Shi's reputation for being kind and compassionate was well-known throughout the land. There was no need to worry about being scolded.
Next, Master Yang Luo settled them in a hut and left in a hurry. It wasn't until seven days later that he returned, leading everyone to the San Yang Gate Daoist Initiation Hall.
This time, Qin Sang got to see the San Yang Men sect altar with his own eyes.
All those who were not involved were stopped outside the Lu Ceremony Hall.
They were first led into a courtyard, in front of which hung the plaque "Sanyangzong Altar".
In the courtyard there is a huge square, in the center of which stands a ear-shaped round incense burner. Incense rises slowly from the burner.
Behind the square stood a grand hall, its roof shrouded in purple qi. Above the entrance hung a plaque that read "San Yang Hall".
When they walked in, there were three groups of people on the square, all standing outside the incense burner, numbering in the hundreds. They were the three types of disciples who had come to receive the conferring of talismans this time.
One is a disciple of the San Yang Gate, two is an affiliate of the San Yang Gate, and three is an outsider like Qin Sang.
The gate of the Sanyang Palace was tightly shut. A few young Taoist priests stood sparsely in front of it, some holding flags and others pacing back and forth. The atmosphere was still solemn, but there was always a sense of crudeness to it.
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"Didn't father say that the investiture ceremony was very grand"
Next to Qin Sang, a young girl showed disappointment on her face as she looked at the young man beside her. He was her brother.
The young man held himself calmly, shaking his head slightly, “Father said it was the Daoist initiation ceremony. Father had the honor of observing it back then. It is said that not only was the ceremony grand, but there were also many rules and regulations. From setting up the altar to inviting water, performing rituals on the talisman platform, submitting written documents, offering incense, welcoming the divine carriage, inviting the masters, worshiping the gods, paying respects to ancestors, presenting petitions and making vows, culminating in a complete farewell to the holy… It was quite complicated. The Three Yang Gate is not the orthodox lineage of Daoism, unlike Daoism, which holds reverence in its heart. It keeps things simple. A few days ago, Yang Luo, the celestial being, explained the ceremony rituals to us from heaven, even the talisman platform ritual.”
The girl, clueless and innocent, nodded slightly.
At this moment, a disciple of the San Yang Sect walked over, scanned the crowd with his eyes, and shouted coldly, "Silence!"
Suddenly, all was silent.
Suddenly, a sound of a temple bell echoed through the air, and the San Yang Hall slowly creaked open.
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Qin Sang's gaze was slightly concentrated. Looking clearly at the scene inside the hall, there were two statues standing behind the main hall, which were the ancestors of the San Yang Men school.
There is a long bench in front of the statue.
The statue and the long camphor tree only occupy one-tenth of the space in the main hall. The most striking feature inside the Sanshi Hall is a sacrificial altar.
The shape of the dharma platform is similar to the talismans platform that Qin Sang has seen, both divided into three levels. The upper platform is circular, the middle platform is octagonal, and the lower platform is square, symbolizing the three heavens and three realms.
This platform is the San Yang Zong altar!
At this moment, disciples of the San Yang Gate exited holding divine banners, forming two lines in front of the San Yang Hall.
Only two Taoists remained in the palace. One old man was Sheng Xuan Zhenren, and the other high-bunned Taoist was also close to achieving the cultivation level of Sheng Xuan.
Two people stood before the eucalyptus tree, holding incense in their hands, respectfully bowed to the ancestral tablet, and recited scriptures.
Qin Sang listened carefully to a few sentences and realized they were reciting the Daoist incantation "Seeking the Scroll," but it had been altered in a bizarre way.
The Taoist school knocks on the doors of immortals for talismans, while the San Yang School attributes everything to their ancestral masters.
Then, Qin Sang and the others who were waiting to be bestowed with the Taoist robes also chanted the "Invocation Mantra" under the guidance of disciples from the Three Suns Gate. The content was nothing more than a plea for benevolence and a request to be granted divine talismans.
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The ceremony at the San Yang Gate was indeed simple. After reciting the "Please Talisman Sutra," one could be granted a talisman.
First to receive the transmission was a disciple of San Yang Men's true lineage.
The young people on the left side of the square walked forward in turn. At the front was a slender young man who, having received permission, entered the San Yang Hall with a nervous expression.
"Kneel down!"
The high-bunned Taoist priest stood before the altar, letting out a low bellow. He was the master of transmission for this initiation ceremony.
The old Taoist priest, who was acting as the officiating monk, stood beside the altar.
The young man trembled, and knelt on both knees.
The Transmission Master lightly raised his dustcloth, turned back to the sky and bowed deeply. Without any visible movement from him, the San Yang Sect altar suddenly burst into a brilliant golden light.
The golden light was dazzling, unbearable to look at. If it weren't for the San Yang Hall's restrictions, all the nearby peaks would have become resplendent with gold and jade.
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When the golden light subsided, Qin Sang saw a gold seal suspended above the altar of the San Yang Sect.
The golden seal seemed to have inscriptions, but they were constantly shifting and couldn't be deciphered.
The transmission master turned his head to look at the inspection master. Seeing the inspection master nod, he made a hand gesture.
Qin Sang's eyes flashed with surprise. Although he didn't dare to use his divine sense to directly investigate, he had a feeling that after this golden seal appeared, the ancestral altar seemed to resonate with some unknown power.
A talisman flew out from the ancestral altar and landed before the youth's brow, transforming into a blank golden amulet.
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"Awaken the divine spirit."
The transmission master uttered a soft command, while simultaneously using his brush to part the youth's palm and draw out a single drop of blood.
All those who came to participate in the bestowal of robes had already entered the Tao, but their divine consciousness was extremely weak.
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However, with the guidance of a transmission master, the young man successfully invoked a wisp of divine consciousness, which, along with a drop of blood essence, merged into the blank golden talisman.
The next moment, the golden talisman revealed an aura identical to that of the young man.
'Pop!'
The transmission master muttered a spell, and the golden seal on the altar shot out a beam of light that entered the gold talisman, leaving behind an imprint.
The golden talisman split in two. One half flew into the young man's brow, while the other returned to the ancestral altar and burned without fire, vanishing instantly.
This act is called burning the talismans, reporting to the divine court, and announcing it to yin and yang. Only after this step is the initiation of receiving the talismans complete. From then on, this disciple has the qualification to summon gods and spirits.
A look of joy appeared on the boy's face.
Before the talismans were even inscribed, he felt a sense of unprecedented tranquility as they entered his body.
After entering the Dao, he did not dare to continue cultivating, and finally, he could cultivate normally.
The young man bowed and withdrew, the second disciple entering the hall.
Thus, one by one, the disciples received their talismans. All the disciples of the San Yang Gate had completed their talisman bestowal ceremony. Then came the affiliated disciples of the San Yang Gate, and finally, the outer sect cultivators. Finally, it was Qin Sang's turn.
Qin Sang did not stand out. Like everyone else, he knelt on a cushion, gazing at the golden seal on the altar.
Being so close, the feeling was even more distinct. The Three Suns Sect altar and the golden seal emanated a strange vibration he had never experienced before.
'Whoosh!'
A blank gold talisman appeared before him.
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Qin Sang softened her palms and early on split off a strand of divine consciousness.
The Transmission Master remained oblivious, pouring his essence and spiritual awareness into the blank golden talisman, sealing it with his imprint. Qin Sang immediately felt a strange connection between himself and the talisman.
"No abnormalities..."
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Qin Sang focused his remaining gaze on the Daoist Master, noticing that the altar, the golden talisman, and those performing the ritual all appeared normal. He hadn't been discovered!
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The Transmission Master was just about to burn his scroll.
Qin Sang suddenly stopped him, "Wait!"
Everyone stared at him in astonishment.
"I'm not bound by the talismans anymore," Qin Sang shook his head and stood up.
"What did you say" The master was also stunned. He had never seen anything like this.
“I regret it, I don't want to be bound by the San Yang talismans,” Qin Sang said.
"You insolent brat!"
The assessor flew into a rage, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.
Initiating a ceremony to bestow Taoist robes and talismans consumes a large amount of spirit stones and spiritual materials. Furthermore, there is a limited number of places available for each bestowal, and once confirmed, it cannot be changed, resulting in a wasted opportunity.
Outside the palace gate, Yang Luo was crowded with people, and everyone looked anxious. He hurriedly sent a voice transmission to his master, explaining this child's background.
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The examiner's face twitched, he angrily crushed the golden talisman and with another palm strike towards Qin Sang, roared: "Get out!"
"Bang!"
In a multitude of gazes, Qin Sang spun and flew out of the mountain.
>ds proudly.That cliff face faced east and seemed unchanged.But Qin Sang had some concerns. He wasn't sure if he could still pass through the dense ancient prohibitions and climb to the top of the moun...