"The hidden dragon has yet to become a dragon, elusive and without a trace, impossible to find..."
Qin Yu stared once again at the water bucket in front of him, recalling the descriptions of hidden dragons in the Zhuge Neijing. To see a hidden dragon, one must go through the process of luring it, enticing it to come forth. That's why Qin Yu had made the preparations earlier.
The water in the bucket came from the river within the Jingxiu District, the very place where hidden dragons resided. Hidden dragons were intangible, but their presence could be sensed in this water. As for throwing the jade carving fragment into the water, it was because the dragon resentment lines on the jade carving were manifestations of the hidden dragon's grudge. With the presence of the hidden dragon's aura, it would be even easier to attract it.
The third step was to invite the Earth Dragon God from all four directions to guide the way. There were numerous hidden dragons in the world, and Qin Yu estimated that there were at least ten within the Jingxiu District alone. To prevent the Dragon God from guiding the wrong hidden dragon, Qin Yu had to provide the birthdate and eight characters of his future father-in-law, informing the Dragon God of the matter. Only then could he ensure that the Dragon God would lead them to the hidden dragon entangled with his future father-in-law.
"The enmity between you and the master of this place is nothing more than him obstructing your opportunities for growth. Today, I will help you soar, resolving this grudge. After you soar, you must not come back to trouble the master of this place. If you agree, let the water turn left."
Qin Yu shouted towards the water bucket. As soon as he finished speaking, the water, which had been rotating to the right, abruptly stopped and began rotating to the left. Evidently, the hidden dragon had agreed to Qin Yu's request.
"However, there is still some time until the Chen hour. It would be better for you to go back for now. I will assist you in soaring when the time comes."
In a day, there were twelve earthly branches, and only during the Chen hour could a hidden dragon soar. This time period was the most prone to fog. The hidden dragon wouldn't be visible to humans, and it was during the foggy Chen hour that it could ascend to the sky. Hence, there was a saying among the people: "The divine dragon shows its head but not its tail," referring to the hidden dragon's soaring, where it becomes difficult to see its entire body as it rises into the clouds.
After Qin Yu finished speaking, a fierce wind rose once again, sweeping past him, instantly rushing towards the entrance, and then disappearing without a trace.
"Alright, finally reached an agreement with the hidden dragon. As long as I help it soar, this matter will be concluded." After seeing off the hidden dragon, Qin Yu turned around and spoke to Meng Feng, who was beside him.
"Meng Feng, the hidden dragon truly arrived just now?"
Meng Feng's face still bore a deep sense of astonishment. Although the special claw imprints on the dragon-welcoming carpet already spoke volumes, he wanted to hear it directly from Qin Yu's mouth.
"Yes, the hidden dragon did indeed come just now. Hidden dragons are intangible, invisible to our human eyes," Qin Yu nodded in response.
"Then, Master Qin, how can we assist the hidden dragon in soaring? I remember reading in some ancient books that the hidden dragon's soaring is like a silkworm breaking free from its cocoon or a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate. It can only rely on its own efforts and cannot depend on external assistance."
Upon discovering that his own dragon-turtle jade carving hindered the hidden dragon's soaring, Meng Feng had taken the initiative to research some information after Qin Yu and the others left. Some books mentioned the phenomenon of hidden dragons soaring. It was stated that the hidden dragon's soaring relied solely on its own efforts. If successful, it would ascend into the clouds, roam the four corners of the world, but if it failed, it would dissipate like a gentle rain, nurturing all living things.
"Yes, it is true that the hidden dragon's soaring cannot be aided by others. No one can help in this regard."
"Then why did you mention assisting the hidden dragon in soaring, Master Qin?" Meng Feng was puzzled and didn't understand the meaning behind Qin Yu's words.
"The hidden dragon's soaring is about timing. Its opportunity for soaring was disrupted by Secretary Meng, and all I have to do is provide it with another opportunity. Whether it can succeed or not will depend on its own destiny."
"I see now. I understand. I wonder if there's anything I can help you with, Master Qin. Feel free to let me know," Meng Feng said, enlightened, and then asked again.
"I need to build a platform here, one zhang high, capable of accommodating two people sitting cross-legged. It needs to be completed before tomorrow's Chen hour."
"A one zhang high platform?" Meng Feng pondered for a moment and turned to the security guard, Xiao Zhang, speaking to him. "Xiao Zhang, go and fetch two parallel bars that you usually use for training. Also, find a few wooden boards."
Meng Feng's words made Qin Yu's eyes brighten. His future father-in-law's reaction was quick. He had just mentioned the need for a platform, and he had already figured out how to build it. The height of the parallel bars was roughly one zhang, which was perfect for constructing the platform. No wonder his future father-in-law had been able to hold such a position. His adaptability surpassed Qin Yu's expectations.
"Additionally, find a quiet room for me. I need to draw a few talismans," Qin Yu spoke again.
"Drawing talismans?!" Zhang Hua, who was nearby, heard that his cousin wanted to draw talismans and his face lit up. He had witnessed the magical effects of his cousin's talismans before and was curious about how he drew them.
"Let's go to my study. It's the quietest place," Meng Feng thought for a moment and decided to take Qin Yu to his study. Although his villa had many rooms, apart from his own living quarters, the other rooms were empty. His children and wife were all in the capital city and rarely stayed here. As for the guest rooms, to be frank, it was rare for anyone to stay in his villa even once a year.
"Why are you following me, cousin? If you have nothing to do, go help with building the platform," Qin Yu naturally understood the intention behind his cousin following him into the study. Drawing talismans required a calm and focused mind, and it would be difficult to achieve that with someone watching closely.
"Hey, Xiao Yu, I'll just watch from the side and won't disturb you. Hey, don't close the door!"
Qin Yu shook his head and spoke to his cousin through the closed door, "What's so interesting about watching someone draw talismans? You better prepare yourself, and when the Chen hour arrives, there will be plenty of amazing things for you to see. Just don't be so astonished that your jaw drops."
After persuading his cousin to leave, Qin Yu placed a stack of yellow paper, which he had bought earlier, on the desk. His gaze then fell upon a picture frame on the table. He picked it up and looked at the girl in the frame, with her hands around Secretary Meng's neck, radiating a youthful charm.
"I never expected to meet your father in such a situation. I have put in a lot of effort for your father's sake. How will you thank me when the time comes?"
Qin Yu could imagine Meng Yao clinging to his neck and pouting, saying, "Isn't my dad your dad too?"
After laughing foolishly for a while, Qin Yu put the picture frame back in its place and picked up the Langhao brush. He dipped it in cinnabar and was about to write when his gaze involuntarily swept back to the picture frame.
"It seems that Meng Yao's influence on me is indeed significant. Just looking at a photo makes me lose focus. If she finds out, she'll definitely mock me with delight."
Qin Yu decided to cover the picture frame and stood quietly in front of the desk. After a while, he felt completely free of distractions. He then lifted the wolf hair brush once again and swiftly painted on the yellow paper.
With a single stroke, he raised his hand. A yellow glow emanated from the point where his brush had touched the paper, moving along the strokes until it reached the place where he lifted the brush. Finally, the entire sheet of yellow paper glowed for a moment and then returned to its original state.
"Entering the realm of a second-grade fortune teller has significantly improved the success rate of drawing talismans," Qin Yu remarked, satisfied with the talisman on the table. Of course, the success rate also depended on the grade of the talisman he was drawing.
The talisman before him was the lowest-grade talisman called the Calm Mind Talisman, which naturally helped the user calm their mind. Qin Yu had drawn this talisman to prepare for the next talisman he was going to draw.
The opportunity for the Hidden Dragon to soar only occurred once every ten years. Missing it meant waiting for another ten years. Qin Yu had only one way to make the Hidden Dragon soar at tomorrow's Chen hour: to advance the timing of the next ten-year opportunity. After thoroughly studying the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, he found that there was only one talisman that could achieve this—the Heaven-Thieving Talisman.
Although the name "Heaven-Thieving Talisman" sounded imposing, its purpose wasn't to steal from the heavens. Instead, it deceived the heavens, tricking them into bringing forward the Hidden Dragon's next soaring opportunity.
According to the records in the chapter on talismans in the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, the Stabilizing Spirit Talisman, Suppressing Evil Talisman, and Warding Talisman were second-grade talismans. As for the Heaven-Thieving Talisman, it belonged to the third-grade talismans, requiring the corresponding level of a third-grade fortune teller. Qin Yu, as a second-grade fortune teller, wasn't entirely confident that he could successfully draw it.
A first-grade fortune teller, with enough effort and multiple attempts, had a certain possibility of drawing a second-grade talisman. However, for a second-grade fortune teller to draw a third-grade talisman, the chances were ten or even a hundred times lower than a first-grade fortune teller drawing a second-grade talisman.
"In the future, I need to spend more time at the Xuanxue Association in Guangzhou and strive to break through to become a third-grade fortune teller as soon as possible." Qin Yu felt frustrated that his fortune teller level couldn't progress. He knew many techniques but couldn't fully utilize them, which was the most vexing thing for him.
After pasting the Calm Mind Talisman on his back, Qin Yu felt a cool breeze spreading from his back. The sensation gradually expanded and reached his mind, making him feel refreshed and clear-headed.
"If I paste a Calm Mind Talisman on my back during the summer, it would feel like having a portable air conditioner."