I excitedly arrived at the home of the yin-yang master,carrying another kind of medicinal mushroom that had just been picked.Knock knock knock—a series of knocks on the door broke the yin-yang master's slumber.It was now the dim dawn,and the moon had already climbed into the sky."Who is it?What's the matter at such a late hour?I've just fallen asleep and am woken up again!""It's me,I've come to deliver the medicinal ingredient.""Oh,it's you.Come in quickly."I carefully placed the mushroom on the yin-yang master's table.To his surprise,I had found it so quickly.The yin-yang master took it in his hand and examined it carefully."Yes,that's right.It's this very thing.Fortunately,you didn't mistake it."At this moment,the yin-yang master was wide awake.He stepped out of the door,looked around,and then slowly closed the old wooden door."Listen,I don't allow you to make any noise now.I'm going to start making the medicine."The yin-yang master led me to his bedroom,which was filled with all sorts of ritual instruments.There was also an ancient sandalwood table,and each of the four corners of the table was carved with the Bagua pattern.On the other side,the cabinet was neatly arranged with various thicknesses of physiognomy books...
Follow me,and watch as he lifted the quilt and the bedsheet.Underneath was a bed frame made of wooden planks.Creak creak—the yin-yang master wiggled the middle plank and with a firm push,it turned out to be hollow underneath!"Have you brought both medicinal ingredients?"I had already placed the two ingredients in my pocket."Yes,I've brought them.""Good,listen carefully.Now you follow me down to my secret chamber and don't get lost.""Secret chamber?It's under this bed frame?""Young man,don't underestimate this bed frame.Underneath it lies a whole new world.It's a secret chamber I built years ago.I usually don't let others know about this place.Once you go down,you must keep it a secret!"The yin-yang master told me that he didn't have such a secret chamber before.It was only after one time when he was casting a spell and making medicine,and was interrupted by a knock on the door from a villager,causing the spell to be disrupted and suffering some backlash,that he decided to build this secret chamber to avoid further disturbances.
Leading to the secret chamber below was a wooden ladder,which connected to the entrance under the bed frame."Be careful,the lighting in the secret chamber is dim.Don't miss a step when going down the stairs.""Yin-yang master,how high is this ladder?How deep is the secret chamber?""I haven't measured it.You'll find out once you go down."I cautiously followed behind the yin-yang master,carefully stepping down the wooden ladder one step at a time.After more than ten minutes,we finally reached the bottom of the secret chamber.To my surprise,the chamber was over ten meters high.The inside of the secret chamber was even more spacious than the room above where the yin-yang master lived.There were no light bulbs;instead,the walls were lined with oil lamps.An oil lamp was placed every two meters,but the shapes of these lamps were different from the usual ones I had seen.Their bases were peculiar,each corresponding to the animals of the Chinese zodiac,all made of copper.
In the middle of the secret chamber stood an altar table.On the table were not the ancestors of the yin-yang master,but three statues resembling deities.The table was covered with a large piece of yellow silk,on which was a big talisman pattern.In the center of the table was a bronze ding,filled with a lot of incense ash and three partially burnt incense sticks.On the far right of the table was a sword adorned with copper coins,which were woven with red strings.On the left was a Bagua compass with a wooden base and a copper face,about eighteen centimeters in diameter.
"Yin-yang master,who are these three figures on the altar?I don't recognize them.""It's normal for an outsider not to know.Look:the one on the far left is Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun,the one in the middle is Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun,and the one on the right is Taqing Daode Tianzun.""So you are a Taoist practitioner?""Yes,I learned Taoism from a master in my early years and only came down the mountain to help those in need after I had achieved some proficiency.The reason I exclusively worship these three deities is that they have great significance.They are of great origin!"
Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun:Also known as Yuanshi Tianwang,he is one of the"Three Pure Ones,"the supreme deities in Taoism,symbolizing the origin and initial state of the universe.He is usually depicted sitting on a lotus throne,holding a treasure bead or a ruyi,which are symbols of auspiciousness.Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun:Ranking second among the Three Pure Ones,he represents the evolution and development process of the universe.His image is often described as holding a sword or a fan,symbolizing wisdom and decisiveness.Taqing Daode Tianzun:Also known as Laozi or Taishang Daojun,or Hunyuan Emperor,he is the third deity among the Three Pure Ones.In traditional culture,he is regarded as the embodiment of morality and a symbol of wisdom,as well as one of the founders of alchemy and Taoist doctrine.He is often portrayed as an old man with white hair and a long beard,riding a blue ox or a crane.These three deities are revered as the"Ancestors of the Tao"in Taoism,and their status is supreme.They are considered the creators and rulers of the Taoist world!
"Do you understand now,young man?""Yes,these three deities are truly remarkable.""Indeed,now I am going to start the spell to combine these two medicinal ingredients so that we can create the medicine to cure the girl's illness.You go to the side for now to avoid affecting the effectiveness of the spell later."