Chapter Five: Summoning Spirits and Dispatching Generals

The old Taoist stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Indeed, sowing beans to form an army does not amount to much; some Taoist temples are able to enshrine protective deities and generals, such as the Yellow Turban Warriors"

Li Ping'an nodded and said with a smile, "That's right"

Li Ping'an laughed heartily and said, "Do you like it?"

Qing Xue incredulously said: "Master, is this, is this our room?"

Li Ping'an led them to a room in the backyard, pushed open the door, walked in, and said: "This is your room."

Qing Xue nodded repeatedly and said, "Master, we will not run around."

A fragment suddenly appeared in my mind: inside an ancient Taoist temple, before the portrait of the Supreme Taoist Ancestor, an old Taoist priest was teaching a young disciple.

Qing Xue nodded repeatedly, feeling hesitant to go outside in such new clothes, fearing that the dust outside would soil them

Li Ping'an asked in confusion: "Do you not like wearing a robe?"

The two little girls nodded repeatedly, their eyes filled with longing and anticipation, saying, "We will also be powerful priests in the future, right! Just like those in the temple within the city, no one will dare to bully us anymore"

The old Taoist coughed and said: "As long as you cultivate with dedication, you too can reach that level. The higher your own cultivation, the more powerful the spirits you can command."

Jumping down from the bed, I turned my head to glance out the window; the sky had already darkened.

Qing Yu's eyes brightened as she asked, "Master, may I have the clothes?"

At the last Heavenly Daoist Conference, the summoning technique was officially renamed as the Binding Spirits and Dispatching Generals, becoming one of the minor divine arts of our Daoist sect

The wooden floor is spotless, and in the center of the room stands a table with a vase placed on it. Passing around the screen and through the hall leads to the bedroom, featuring a high bed with a soft quilt adorned with floral bed curtains

As the old master recited the incantations, Li Ping'an's cultivated magical power began to operate, gathering around his dantian and coalescing into a talisman, which ascended directly into the spiritual platform

Li Ping'an said, "Take your swords; from now on, they will be your protective weapons."

The old Taoist priest said: "I will recite the incantation for you once, so listen carefully. Preserve your spirit and focus your will to enter the heavenly palace, command the winds to summon all spirits, let the divine enter the elixir field and dispel the yin energy, I will lead the multitude of deities into the void..."

Qing Xue and Qing Yu hurriedly followed behind. As they walked out of the main hall, the two girls instinctively turned back to take a glance. The enormous statue of the Three Pure Ones stood majestically within the hall, exuding an air of dignity and tranquility, in stark contrast to the menacing deities found in the temples within the city

Qing Xue疑惑地问道: "What is Chang Xiang?"

Qing Yu shook her head and said, "No, it's just... it's just that this outfit is too new, and it doesn't have a single stain. I'm afraid of getting it dirty or tearing it."

The old Taoist began to speak: "The method of summoning spirits and dispatching generals is derived from the Taoist art of spirit invocation. In the past, fellow practitioners needed the assistance of ghostly entities, requiring the opening of altars, offering incense, and sprinkling ritual rice to summon the spirits of the dead. The ghostly entities would consume the incense and ritual rice, receiving orders to carry out tasks.

The young Taoist's eyes sparkled with anticipation as he looked at the old Taoist

Qing Xue and Qing Yu quickly caught up with Li Ping An

No matter how one puts it, these are the belongings left to them by their parents. Although the clothes are covered in patches, Li Ping'an does not discard them; instead, she carefully puts them away.

Li Ping'an joyfully spoke to himself: "I have finally learned my first spell; I can now be considered a true Taoist."

Li Ping'an said with a smile, "That is not a deity; that is the ancestor of Daoism, the founder of the Daoist school"

Li Ping'an said, "This is a sacrificial item of my Daoist sect, and I will teach you about it in the future"

Qing Xue Qing Yu, dressed in a small robe, stood in front of Li Ping An, her little face flushed, her hands fidgeting on her body, feeling somewhat at a loss.

Um um ~ Qing Xue, Qing Yu quickly took the magic sword in hand, unable to hide the look of affection on her face

Li Ping was taken aback, realizing that he had been cultivating for too long. He wondered if the two little ones had gone hungry.

In the hall of the backyard, Qing Yu cheerfully poked her head out and called out: "Master, it's time to eat!"

Afterward, Li Ping'an took them to the bathing area, allowing them to bathe and change into new Daoist robes, transforming the two delicate little Daoist boys into a fresh and refined appearance

Li Ping'an laughed heartily and said: "I believe that our sect does not require blood and flesh sacrifices; three long incense sticks and two candles are sufficient."

The young Taoist, full of vigor, said: "I will definitely work hard, read more Taoist scriptures, and strive to cultivate myself"

Li Ping'an's tray disintegrated and vanished in his hands. He straightened up and said, "Let's go!" He was the first to walk outside.

Qing Yu exclaimed happily: "Great! I will definitely learn my skills well from my master in the future, and then hunt a lot of game to present to the Dao Ancestor"

The two little girls nodded repeatedly

Li Qing'an laughed heartily and said: "It's nothing, it's nothing. How could the Grandmaster of the Three Pure Ones hold a grudge against you two little children?"

The young Taoist exclaimed enviously, "How impressive!"

Li Ping'an smiled, turned around, and walked outside. As soon as he stepped out of the room, his pace quickened, and he jogged a few steps into his own room, slamming the door shut with a bang. Magic, magic ~ here I come

Later, it was felt that this method was too cumbersome, and the summoned spirits varied in quality. Some practitioners began to provide sustenance for ghost soldiers within the temple.

Li Ping'an quickly walked to the bedside, leaped onto the bed, and sat cross-legged. Closing his eyes, he said in his heart: "System, extract the reward for summoning spirits and generals."

Qing Yu exclaimed excitedly: "Master, you are so wonderful!" She ran around the room joyfully, curiously observing everything.

Li Ping'an hurriedly opened the door and ran out, calling out loudly: "Qingxue, Qingyu ~"

Li Ping'an said, "I have helped you put it away"

Qing Yu exclaimed excitedly, "Does that mean the ancestral master will not treat us as sacrifices?"

Li Ping'an said, "Of course not"

Qing Xue exclaimed in surprise: "Really!"

After a long while, the images in his mind faded away. Li Ping'an opened his eyes and let out a long breath, feeling a sense of clarity rise within him. He had learned to summon and dispatch spirits, but it was merely a matter of having learned; to truly master it would require time for refinement.

Qing Xue's eyes sparkled; although I could not understand, I felt it was impressive

The young Taoist, filled with curiosity, asked: "Master, is your ability to turn beans into soldiers the same?"

Li Ping'an said with a smile: "That is only natural; the clothes and long swords in your hands are all bestowed by the Dao Ancestor"

Qing Yu's expression changed suddenly, and she hurriedly lowered her head and fell silent

The old Taoist gently nodded and continued, "Through generations of great talents in the Taoist sect refining the art of summoning spirits, this art has long since transcended its original form. It is no longer merely a summoning but rather a commanding force, possessing immense destructive power over ghostly entities.

Li Ping'an said, "If you want to play, then go ahead! But do not run out of the temple, as there will be dangers outside"

Qing Xue hesitated for a moment and eagerly asked, "Master, were you just speaking with a deity?"

Qing Xue looked up and asked expectantly, "Has the ancestor acknowledged us?"

When Li Ping'an first received the Daoist robe, he was quite curious and conducted many experiments, initially harboring serious doubts that this robe was made using the legendary nanotechnology

With a slightly relieved heart, Qing Xue took the clothes in hand, a look of fondness flashing in her eyes as she said: "Thank you, Master!"

Qing Xue slightly opened her mouth in surprise and said, "Wow ~ so beautiful, so clean"

Qing Yu looked up and asked, "Master, where are my clothes?"

Li Ping'an said with a smile: "No problem, this robe is called the Ruyi Robe, which is a type of magical garment. It is perfectly sized, free from dust, impervious to water, fireproof, and cannot be harmed by ordinary knives or swords"

Qing Yu also nodded and said: "Mm mm ~ It won't happen!"