The Northern Song Dynasty returned south, seeking the truth of the Dao.

The Winged Fire Serpent, belonging to the fire element, is a serpent. It is one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions. It is the sixth mansion in the Southern Seven Mansions and the twenty-second star in the Twenty-Eight Mansions. Because it occupies the position of the wing of the Vermilion Bird in the constellation, it is named "Winged".

Wang Zhenhuan had only ever seen others use talismans before, but had never seen anyone draw one. This was the first time he had tried drawing one himself. The Zhou Tian Secret Manual clearly recorded the strokes and order of the talismans.

This is the source of his confidence to try. Talismans are the foundation of the five arts of Taoism: mountain, medicine, fate, physiognomy, and divination, and also the medium for communicating with the gods and immortals. A talisman is composed of five elements: the "talisman head," the "presiding deity," the "talisman body," the "talisman foot," and the "talisman core."

If we use a talisman as a metaphor for a person, the talisman's head, as the name suggests, is like a person's skull; the presiding deity is like a person's thoughts and consciousness; and the talisman's belly is naturally like the internal organs. This also indicates the location of the talisman's function.

The one Wang Huanzhen is drawing now is precisely the function of invoking and manifesting. The talisman's feet are like a person's two feet; the talisman's gallbladder is like the liver and gallbladder in the abdomen. Compared with other elements, it is more like a kind of protection.

The core of a talisman is the most important element. Only by drawing the core can the talisman be prevented from being used by evil people. Therefore, the core holds a pivotal position in the entire talisman.

Wang Zhenzhen wasn't sure if it would work. After all, both Xuan Yangzi and Ling Zhizi drew talismans on yellow paper when they used them, while he was drawing them on the ground.

However, the die was cast, and having made up his mind, Wang Zhenhuan no longer hesitated. While the blood on his fingers was still wet, he drew a talisman on the ground.

Then he took out the hand seal from his waist, smeared it with fresh blood, and pressed it onto the talisman drawn on the ground. He then rose, formed a hand seal, and silently recited the incantation:

"I beseech the true spirit of the Southern Constellation, to manifest your fiery form. Burn away the filth and impurities of mortal life, restoring peace to the world! Laozi, may this command be swiftly fulfilled!"

Because Wujiaozi was an ancestor of the Taiqing lineage, most of the magical techniques recorded in this Zhou Tian Mi Yao were used by the Taiqing lineage. The Taiqing lineage worships Taiqing Daode Tianzun, also known as Taishang Laojun in popular parlance.

The incantations used were naturally issued by the Supreme Lord Laozi, and Lingzhizi was granted the talisman by the Shangqing. Therefore, when Lingzhizi used the talisman before, she issued the incantation by the Supreme Lord Laozi.

The Supreme Dao Lord is none other than the Supreme Pure Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerable, and the Jade Pure Edict is the Primordial Emperor Dao Lord. All of this is recorded in detail in the Secret Essentials of the Zhou Heaven.

Because he had never drawn talismans before, he felt uneasy. However, the Zhou Tian Secret Manual had recorded that the function of talismans, mantras, and hand seals was to borrow the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to summon deities or transform them into powerful spells.

Theoretically, the talisman didn't necessarily have to be drawn on paper, but this was Wang Zhenhuan's first time drawing a talisman, and he wasn't sure what to do. So after the incantation was finished, he hurriedly opened his eyes and looked at the blood talisman on the ground.

Fortunately, the facts were consistent with what was recorded in the Zhou Tian Secret Manual. As Wang Zhenhuan finished speaking, the blood talisman on the ground suddenly reacted, transforming into a golden light and disappearing from the ground.

The golden light grew brighter and brighter, and Wang Zhenhuan instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes from the blinding glare. After the light dissipated, he lowered his arm, looked up, and was immediately stunned.

A young woman dressed in a long silk dress with a red sash around her waist, her red hair flowing down her shoulders, and holding a long sword, appeared before Wang Huanzhen. After appearing, she bowed respectfully to him.

Then, in a clear, slightly surprised tone, he said, "Zhang Nu'er, the Winged Fire Serpent of the Southern Constellation, has come to assist you by imperial decree. May I ask if you are the newly appointed head of the Misty Rain Courtyard, Zhen Huanzi?"

"It is indeed I, the humble Taoist. I humbly request that Miss Nu'er reveal her true form and dispel this mist," Wang Zhenhuan replied, blushing and bowing upon hearing the girl's question. Previously, he had been filled with grief and indignation, and therefore, when inscribing the document, he had not considered the seniority of the Taiqing lineage.

Looking back now, there were indeed some inappropriate aspects. However, what's done is done, so they had no choice but to let it go. The young girl, hearing Wang Zhenhuan's address, chuckled and glanced up at him.

He then bowed in return, saying, "Yes, sir!" With that, clouds rose beneath his feet, and he flew directly into the air, disappearing into the mist. After a while, a low hissing sound could be heard coming from the clouds.

Then the chill in the air vanished, and the clouds and mist were dispersed by the intense heat. Wang Huanzhen looked up and saw a huge fire serpent, nearly three zhang long and as thick as the mouth of a well, suddenly appear in mid-air.

This fire serpent wore a golden crown and was covered in red scales. Each scale was edged with golden patterns. Four wings made of flames sprouted from its back, from which the high temperature originated.

After revealing its true form, the fire serpent lowered its head and nodded to Wang Zhenhuan. Then it opened its blood-red maw and looked up at the sky. Flames billowed from its mouth, and the already scorching temperature around it rose even higher.

The mist was gradually dissipated bit by bit by the flames spewed by the fire serpent. Wang Zhenhuan's spiritual energy was also rapidly decreasing at an unusually high rate.

After the fire serpent exhaled its last flame, the mist shrouding the forest dissipated completely. The entire Mirage Realm collapsed without a fight, and the fire serpent transformed into a young girl who bowed respectfully to Wang Huanzhen.

Then, riding on auspicious clouds, he vanished into the sky. At this moment, Wang Zhenhuan's spiritual energy was completely depleted. Not far away, on the ground, lay a woman dressed in white.

Wang Huanzhen looked closely and realized that it was none other than Ling Zhizi.

However, finding no trace of the mirage dragon, Wang Zhen hurriedly stepped forward and helped Ling Zhizi up. He then dispelled the Yin-Yang Borrowing Technique, as he now had no spiritual energy within his body, rendering the technique ineffective.

Keeping him here would only waste his lifespan. He carried Ling Zhizi to the tree and leaned against the trunk, panting heavily. His spiritual energy was depleted, making him as ordinary as a mortal.

He checked Ling Zhizi's breathing; thankfully, she had only fainted due to excessive blood loss. Wang Zhen breathed a sigh of relief, then gave a self-deprecating laugh. He was truly at his wit's end.

The mirage dragon had vanished without a trace; if it were to suddenly appear before them, they would be utterly helpless. Although the cloud-shrouded mirage was broken, the illusion that enveloped the mountain remained.

Wang Zhenhuan couldn't think of a solution for the time being, so he closed his eyes and regulated his breathing. Fortunately, although the surrounding spiritual energy could not enter his body, the golden pill he had taken earlier was still working within him.

This wouldn't completely deplete his spiritual energy. Just as he closed his eyes to examine himself, he suddenly heard a sound in front of him. He opened his eyes and saw a mirage dragon, whose body had become transparent, appearing from the open space.

Its expression was ferocious as it revealed itself. Without hesitation, it reached out to grab Wang Zhenhuan, whose body was extremely weak and whose spiritual energy was depleted. Faced with this sudden attack...

He could only crouch down, clutching Ling Zhizi, hoping to dodge the attack. But after he lay down, the expected attack didn't come. He instinctively looked up.

A Taoist priest dressed in a blue robe stood before him and caught the mirage dragon's attacking hand in his palm...