The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 48 "The Big Rat" by Ding Shu

Li Qing rode the dragon and soared through the sky. The red dragon coiled and roamed, riding the wind and flying across the abyss, traversing mountains and passing through poisonous miasma. From that uninhabited forbidden zone, he projected his power for thousands of miles, directly into the heart of the southern sky.

This is Liuhuangzhou, the heart of the three prefectures and one county in the south!

Li Qing needs to find some alchemical texts, incantations, and talismans in that state to verify the strange technique of peeling skin to make paper.

Since we can obtain human skin paper and demon skin paper, can we refine jade books from Jiuhua spirit stones and Xuanji jade skin? Can we peel the bark of Qingyao spirit wood to make bamboo slips from the Qingyao spirit root? Can this paper bear the essence of the Dao...?

Once you have mastered a technique, you must naturally discover its most fundamental principles and grasp them in your hands. This is how various supernatural abilities come about!

In this Liuhuangzhou, there is a road that directly connects to the left corner of Jiangnan - Xiling Prefecture. This is the first stop that many precious books and scrolls from Jiangnan passed through when they were sent to the south.

"Zhu, rest here in the countryside for a while, and don't disturb the passersby. I'm going out for a bit, I'll be right back!"

After gently tapping the dragon's horn on the candle and receiving a resounding dragon roar in response, Li Qing landed on the imperial road and headed towards Liuhuang Prefecture...

Compared to other prefectures and counties in Tiannan, Liuhuang Prefecture was much more prosperous. The city was situated on a vast plain, with high and formidable city gates, well-organized soldiers, and colorful flags and lanterns hanging along the streets.

With a swift movement, Li Qing transformed into a deluge of paper scraps, falling to the ground. This was a secret technique from the Paper Spirit Manual, allowing him to briefly disappear into the sky full of paper scraps, thus avoiding most of the sword strikes and blunt impacts.

At this moment, Li Qing used this paper-transformation technique to directly transform into a series of paper pieces and escape to the front of the high pavilion in the city.

"Honorable guest, please!"

A gentle breeze blew a piece of white paper in front of the pavilion, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a Taoist priest. The attendants on both sides seemed to be used to it and showed no surprise. There were many Taoist priests coming and going here, and even those from the Purple Mansion were not uncommon.

As soon as the two maids saw Li Qing enter the pavilion, they immediately pulled back the screen and made a gesture of invitation.

Upon closer inspection, one would discover that the female attendant also possessed considerable spiritual power. In a prefecture or county, she would be considered a sorcerer, but in this Hanlin Academy, she was merely a female attendant.

Hanlin Pavilion is an industry of Hanlin Academy in Jinlin Prefecture. Hanlin Academy mainly studies the Six Arts of the Imperial Academy, which is the way to enter the world. Its students enter the court and naturally generate many industries that spread throughout the prefecture.

Li Qing has visited this place quite often over the years!

Familiarly, I entered the treasure pavilion from one side of the screen. The pavilion seemed to be a different world. From the outside, it was just an ordinary three-story pavilion. Only by stepping inside could I know its inner world.

The pavilion was spacious, resembling a pagoda with its layers surrounding it. Many scholars and cultivators came and went. The walls around the pavilion were adorned with the masterpieces of various masters, as well as their literary works. Li Qing stepped onto the white jade staircase and went directly into the talisman shop.

"Is there a tiger tally or imperial seal here?"

"The military tally from the previous dynasty is preferred, and it must be of the rank of General of the Central Army or Colonel or above. The seal of a great family is also acceptable."

Generally speaking, there are two main lineages of Dan Shu Zi Lu (丹书紫简). One is the Dan Fu Dao (丹符道), where talismans are the beginning of all arts and crafts. Ancient sages observed the heavens and the earth, and incorporated the ultimate principles of heaven and earth into a single stroke and talisman. The other is the Lu Tu (简图), which integrates the images of gods and spirits with talismanic characters, allowing for endless transformations.

As it has evolved over time, there are imperial edicts and decrees used to govern the world; there are also ghost registers and records that have their names recorded in the underworld; and there are pictorial registers and prophecies that foretell good or bad fortune...

The old scholar in the shop, seeing Li Qing's attire and hearing what he wanted, knew exactly what he desired.
"Heh heh, kid, what level of skill do you have? You think you can learn how to write petitions and set up altars?"

"Judging from your body, your Yin energy is so concentrated and doesn't dissipate, so it doesn't sink. Are you perhaps trying to summon Yin soldiers through cultivation? That's no good!"

He'd seen too many young Taoist priests like this in his line of work; some were seeking talismans to ward off evil spirits and wanting to write memorials, while others were starting to dabble in those ancient taboos of witchcraft and ghosts...

Li Qing raised an eyebrow, but before he could speak, the old man immediately took out a paperweight.

"Master Huang Hai, this three-hundred-year-old paperweight once used a poem to stabilize the sky, stop the mountain flood, and relieve the water vapor. If you were to repair the memorial, this item would be worth no more than thirty thousand zhu. The Four Books and their profound meaning are enough for you to enjoy every day!"

The inscription on it is profound and not easily dispersed; one can feel its unyielding spirit upon looking at it, making it no ordinary piece.

"I need the tiger tally or cauldron for summoning troops, to be used to make rubbings of the tally."

Li Qing immediately stopped the old scholar's incessant introduction and pointed out that the items to be copied were tiger tallies, heavy tripods, and other weapons of war.

Seeing that the young man showed no interest in talismans or the Dao, the old scholar was secretly annoyed, but he didn't forget his profession. "Where would you find a tiger tally from the previous dynasty? It was officially forbidden, and no fool would sell one today!"

"However, there is a three-legged ancient cauldron with an inscription of a poem on it, which implies a rebellious spirit."

"Big rat, big rat, don't eat my millet! I've served you for three years, yet you never care for me. I'm leaving you now, to go to that happy land..."

The old man chanted incessantly, and with his right hand reaching into his sleeve, he suddenly produced a three-legged bronze cauldron that was much larger than his entire body.

This large cauldron is about two feet tall and a little over a foot wide on each side. It stands on three legs and is covered with a patina of copper. It is engraved with ancient bronze inscriptions all over its body, as if it were naturally formed.

However, what surprised Li Qing the most was not how precious the cauldron was, but that the old man actually used a technique of retrieving objects from a distance, which was a superb skill!
"Oh? The poem 'The Big Rat' from the Book of Poetry?"

Li Qing raised an eyebrow slightly, but quickly lowered her gaze to the cauldron.

"Indeed, the nation's biggest rats fail to govern properly, are greedy and cowardly, and levy heavy taxes on the people, thus deserving to lose their people..."

“Young Li, for three consecutive years you have come to my treasure pavilion at the end of winter, lingered for a day, and then returned in a daze. I remember you.”

"How come you've amassed some wealth now? If you wish to cultivate alchemy, this three-legged cauldron is perfect for you!"

Such a well-preserved ancient artifact, having endured countless years, is the best talisman for warding off evil spirits. Moreover, this cauldron has quite a history.

"Big rat, big rat, stealing my grain..." This is from ancient history, when a clan that lived high in the sky was tyrannical and ungrateful, ruthlessly exploiting its people and causing a national catastrophe. This naturally aroused the wrath of the people, who slaughtered the clan as if killing a big rat, taking all the clan's heads. Each king's head was placed in this bronze cauldron, inscribed with the poem "Wei Feng - Big Rat", lamenting their tyranny and eternally cursing their blood and soul in this three-legged cauldron!
In that case, this thing is indeed somewhat bizarre and mysterious.

Is this small cauldron containing the curse and rage that has lasted for thousands of years? Li Qing examined the object with great interest.

"Only 49,000 Daozhu!"

No sooner had the old scholar finished speaking than the young man in blue abruptly withdrew his right hand, which was about to touch the bronze cauldron, and then turned and walked outside.

Is it necessary to study this alchemical text?

"Hey, kid, don't go!"

The old man suddenly darted out of the shop and blocked Li Qing's way.

"I'll state my price; you can try to negotiate!"

He handles every single one of these alchemical artifacts that are sold. People's hearts are not what they used to be, and there are fewer and fewer people who follow the alchemical path these days. With a customer like this, he can at least make a living.

“I can’t pay it back! How can I possibly pay such a price?” Li Qing shook her head; it was far too expensive.

"Try to bargain. What if you succeed? There are three thousand paths to enlightenment for you to choose from, but how can you achieve enlightenment without perseverance?" The old man pulled Li Qing back and said earnestly.

That makes sense. Li Qing is practicing the Way of Paper, so he should not neglect any aspect of it, including paper offerings, paper lamps, and cinnabar books.

"Then, five thousand... Daozhu?" Li Qing tentatively quoted a price.

"make a deal!"

The old man pushed with his palm, immediately clashing with Li Qing's right palm. In the blink of an eye, the sales contract was pulled out from the counter...

Waaah, I've lost out so badly! I only made two thousand Daozhu with tears in my eyes.

Since it's a classic tale of the supernatural and cultivation, it can't always be about fighting and bloodshed.

I arranged for the protagonist to use talismans and diagrams as a means.

You can understand it as a type of rubbing of divine texts or images in relief.

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(End of this chapter)