The day was not only a topic of discussion among netizens, causing them to be unproductive, but various relevant institutions worldwide were also stunned by the continuous reports of bizarre incidents pouring in from different regions.
Their established worldviews and scientific understanding began to crumble.
However, they understood that this was not the time to ponder the scientific validity of these events. The priority was to quickly ascertain the cause and find solutions.
Reducing the occurrence of bizarre incidents and minimizing losses was paramount.
Following this, they naturally began to mobilize all available resources and gather suspected useful talents for focused research.
In essence, this meant bringing in previously undervalued experts in occult and metaphysical studies to investigate the problems.
These activities were conducted in secrecy, as they were unsure of the exact situation and saw no need to cause widespread alarm and unnecessary worry.
Furthermore, there had been past instances of the moon suddenly changing color, which ultimately led to no strange occurrences. Therefore, while last night's events generated some online buzz, they did not cause widespread panic.
Most people remained relatively optimistic about the future.
This optimism persisted until late at night, until the purple-blooded moon appeared precisely at midnight, as it had the previous night, and did not disappear with the end of the Ghost Festival. In an instant, everyone with a modicum of sense understood that something major was about to happen.
In the past, even if the moon underwent strange changes, such as turning red or appearing unusually large, these were mostly temporary, lasting from a few minutes to at most twelve hours, let alone occurring continuously.
But this purple-blooded moon was different.
It had appeared for two consecutive days.
This was no longer a bizarre event that could be explained away by science or sensationalized online posts. A single occurrence could be dismissed as a rare astronomical phenomenon, but two consecutive days? Was it an astronomical phenomenon that occurred every other day?
Even a fool wouldn't be fooled by such a pretense.
Or rather, no fool could be deceived.
The internet erupted. Discussions, worries, and even opportunistic scams and sales of fake talismans and magical artifacts flooded the online space.
Truly, no opportunity to make money was missed.
Of course, most people had no means to cope at this time. They could only gather their families, turn on all the lights, which was more comforting than being alone in the dark.
Ding Yun's family was no exception.
Yesterday, her sister's family of three, along with their mother, Wu Hua, had come to Ding Yun's residence. At this moment, apart from the sleeping child, the remaining four stood on the balcony, sleepless, gazing at the purple-blooded moon.
"Mom, wear this jade pendant, and you two should wear them too. This thing will help in the current situation and prevent you from getting hurt."
Upon seeing the purple-blooded moon appear again, Ding Yun immediately knew that the situation was developing in a dire direction. But no matter what, they had to face it.
Thus, in the next second, she turned into the house and retrieved a box of prepared Warm Spirit Jade. She gave one to her mother, and one each to her sister and brother-in-law, instructing them to wear it, and then put one on herself.
There was no need for explanation.
As the richest person in the country, it was natural for her to acquire some good items, and no one would question it. Her family would not doubt her ability to know things others didn't.
This was one of the benefits of her status.
A top scholar winning every competition, even international ones, was seen as natural. But if a poor student suddenly scored an extra hundred points, people would suspect cheating.
The status of a super-rich individual made it natural for others to accept that Ding Yun could produce extraordinary items, as money could make anything happen.
"Ayu, do you know something?"
After putting on the Warm Spirit Jade, Wu Hua asked Ding Yun with great curiosity and worry.
Ding Gui and his wife also looked at Ding Yun expectantly.
Faced with the unknown, who wouldn't be curious?
"I can tell you, but don't spread it around until the authorities make an official announcement.
This matter might be a bit… unscientific…"
What Ding Yun was about to say was certainly not the research findings of the relevant institutions, but her own understanding of the current events. Moreover, Ding Yun was confident that her understanding was far more accurate than any official research.
However, to avoid frightening them, Ding Yun's words were relatively restrained. She only mentioned that the nights would become unsettled, and bizarre incidents that only appeared in stories might become more frequent. Some tales from "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" might even play out in reality.
As for more terrifying possibilities, such as the Yin and Yang of the world becoming chaotic, mass human casualties, becoming prey for various strange creatures, or even the destruction of the world, Ding Yun did not mention them.
After all, with her present, these potential outcomes would absolutely not occur, and there was no need to frighten them.
Even so, Wu Hua and the others remained worried and kept asking questions, such as whether legendary sword immortals were real, if they could cultivate, whether they should buy handwritten Taoist and Buddhist scriptures from masters, or go to temples to get talismans and magical artifacts, or invite enlightened statues.
To ease their tension and prevent them from wasting money on useless items, Ding Yun could only reveal more information:
"What you're talking about is either useless or something you can't use. So, don't overthink it. I'll teach you some simpler methods.
When you encounter danger, quietly recite or loudly chant phrases like 'The Master said: spirits and the supernatural are not among the subjects of discussion,' 'Establish the heart for Heaven and Earth, establish life for the people, continue the lost teachings of the past sages, and bring peace to all generations,' or 'May evil be repelled.'
If you can't remember these, the Twenty-Four Character Mantra will also work.
In short, any sage's words that are widely recognized and lean towards positivity will be somewhat useful.
Oh, and the most important thing is acknowledgment. It must be something you acknowledge and believe to be true for it to be effective. If you don't acknowledge it, it's useless. And if you acknowledge it but have never acted upon it, the effect might also be diminished. I'm not entirely sure about the specifics, I just heard it from someone, and it will require gradual experimentation to understand."
Because the effectiveness of this practice varied greatly among individuals, Ding Yun couldn't provide a standard or specific outcome, only confirming its usefulness.
She couldn't say anything more.
Wu Hua quickly understood Ding Yun's meaning:
"Oh, I get it. You mean if a person is dishonest, unfriendly, unpatriotic, unprofessional, and usually causes trouble, reciting these won't help, right? You mean only good people can use this trick."
"Yes, your understanding is not wrong…"