Master chatted with me for a few sentences, then cleared his throat and straightened up.
He then said to me in a deep voice:
"Little Qin! Since you can use talismans, your master will teach you to use a sword."
Upon hearing this, my heart skipped a beat, and I was immediately overjoyed and extremely excited.
To others, it was just a peach wood sword.
Not sharp, something even a child could use.
But when I first became his disciple, Master had told me very sternly.
He said that without half a year to a year, I wouldn't even have the qualification to hold a sword.
Because peach wood swords were different from other cold weapons.
They were not for harming people, but rather spiritual artifacts used to deal with unclean things.
Nor could one simply swing it to harm spirits.
First, you had to have the ability.
You had to be able to control the sword.
If you were timid as a mouse and panicked in the face of adversity, holding a peach wood sword would be an insult to the patriarchs.
Therefore, since I became his disciple, Master had never let me touch any peach wood sword in the shop.
Even the peach wood swords sold for ordinary people to ward off evil, I hadn't touched.
Every trade had its own set of rules.
My Master was an orthodox Daoist priest with genuine skills.
He was extremely strict about these rules.
Since I had entered this profession, I naturally had to abide by these rules.
So, I had been diligently practicing drawing talismans during this time.
Thinking I could advance sooner and learn more useful skills.
I just hadn't expected Master to be so proactive in teaching me to use a sword so soon.
I hurriedly said:
"Thank you, Master!"
Master chuckled a few times:
"You can use the Town Evil Talisman, which means you already have the qualification.
Later, you go out and buy some offerings.
When night falls, you will ask the Patriarch to bestow a sword upon you."
"Understood, Master!"
I nodded, filled with joy.
Master was very traditional in this regard.
Everything was done according to the most original rules and procedures.
The method was also the same rule Master had followed when learning to wield a sword.
After agreeing on a time with Master, he told me to continue practicing drawing talismans in the shop.
Throughout the afternoon, apart from Ms. Zhang and her son, there were no other customers.
By evening, I didn't go home.
I went out directly to buy some fresh fruits and vegetables as offerings.
By the time I returned to the shop, it was already dark.
Master had tidied up the hall, set up the incense table, and brought out the ancestral tablet of the Patriarch.
I carefully placed the fruits and vegetables.
Then I heard Master say to me:
"Little Qin, go to the restroom and wash your face and hands clean. Your master will invite a sword for you shortly."
"Okay!"
I replied, then went to wash my face and hands three times each.
When I came out, Master had brought out a wooden box from somewhere.
The wooden box was covered in dust. He wiped it clean and then opened it.
Inside the box lay five peach wood swords.
Master wiped all five wooden swords clean with a damp cloth and placed them in front of the incense table, arranging them in a row.
From their appearance, these five peach wood swords had nothing special about them.
Some of the wooden swords even had nicks and cracks, giving them a very old appearance.
After arranging the five swords, Master picked up the incense and bowed to the Patriarch's ancestral tablet.
He chanted along:
"Patriarch above, your disciple Gu Hui, today seeks a sword for my disciple Qin Ze.
May he travel the heavens and earth, eradicating all evils.
Patriarch, who is all-knowing, bestow upon him the five elements!"
After speaking, he inserted the incense.
At the same time, he took out a talisman, lit it with the incense and candle.
He chanted incantations and fumed the five peach wood swords standing vertically in front of the incense table.
Finally, he threw them into the air, letting them burn out completely, turning into ashes.
Having done all this, Master turned around very seriously.
He said to me:
"Qin Ze, offer incense and kowtow to the Patriarch, and state your name."
I nodded, took the incense that had already been prepared, lit it.
In front of the Patriarch's ancestral tablet, I immediately knelt down:
"Patriarch above, disciple Yin Ze, the sixty-seventh generation, pays respects to the Patriarch."
After speaking, I performed a full kowtow to the Patriarch.
Strangely, as soon as I completed this kowtow.
The candlelight on the incense table clearly flickered a few times, emitting a "huhu" sound of flames.
Then, there were three "bang bang bang" sounds.
Three of the vertically placed peach wood swords directly fell to the ground.
Seeing three swords fall to the ground, I looked at Master next to me with some suspicion.
Did this mean the sword invitation was successful?
And my Master, Gu Hui, revealed an expression of shock.
His eyes widened, and he stammered:
"Th-this, this..."
"Master, is there something wrong with this?"
I didn't understand what this meant.
But Master swallowed hard, then said to me excitedly:
"The Patriarch has bestowed swords, and not just one, but three..."
"Master, is there a deeper meaning to this?"
I continued to ask, with confusion.
And my Master was immensely excited:
"Kid, you've received great fortune.
There's a lot to this.
The five peach wood swords represent the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.
Five elements, five methods, five methods, five swords.
Whatever sword the Patriarch bestows, learn that method, practice that sword.
Normally, one person learns one element, one method, one sword.
But for you, the Patriarch has bestowed three swords.
This means you are to learn three methods and practice three swords..."