Chapter 92

In the warm pavilion, Zhang Hao sized up the woman opposite him, who appeared to be in her early twenties, with a beautiful and refined appearance, marveling in his heart.

This woman was the wife of the Jisi of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect, or the Celestial Master Dao, the mother of Zhang Lu of Hanzhong.

This woman was known for her mystic abilities in both history and folk legends, such as traveling a thousand miles a day, passing through walls, and commanding ghosts.

In Yizhou, the Five Pecks of Rice Sect could have the current influence largely due to the great contributions of this Jisi's wife. Even Zhang Lu benefited greatly from his mother's help, enabling him to lead the sect and become an official.

Of course, some folk legends also emphasized the romantic rumors between this woman, who was nearly forty, and Liu Yan.

It was unknown whether it was because of the sudden emergence of the Great Qian, or because Liu Yan had just stabilized his position in Yizhou and did not have time to act, but in any case, the intelligence officers of the Zui Feng did not hear any scandal about this Jisi's wife, Yao Shi, in Yizhou.

It had to be said that this woman indeed had a certain charm.

She looked no more than twenty, with no sign of having been married or even having an adult child. Perhaps due to her Daoist cultivation, she not only had an outstanding appearance but also exuded a sense of ethereal lightness, like a fresh rain in a clear mountain.

Zhang Hao was truly looking forward to this at this moment. Without discussing whether the other legends about Yao Shi were true, just from her ability to maintain her beauty, it was clear that she possessed some mystic knowledge.

In the warm pavilion, besides Yao Shi, there were other people, including an old man who was also very eye-catching.

It was not quite accurate to call him an old man, as although his hair was completely white, his face was like that of a baby, with smooth, wrinkle-free skin.

More astonishingly, his eyes and beard faintly glowed with a greenish light, giving a sense of vitality and vigor.

He was not an ordinary person and was quite famous in Jiangdong.

This was Yu Ji, who was historically killed by Sun Ce's men and was said to have cursed Sun Ce before his death.

Zhang Hao had started in Jiangdong, and at that time, he had searched for Yu Ji, but this man had deliberately avoided him and was never found.

However, after Zhang Hao ascended the throne, Yu Ji came to him voluntarily.

Besides these two, Hua Tuo, Zhang Zhongjing, Zhao Yun, Zhang Liao, and Ma Teng were also present.

Ma Teng had surrendered directly when Huangfu Song attacked Liangzhou. Zhang Hao did not treat him harshly, punished him a bit, and then incorporated him into the system. As long as he served loyally in the future, Zhang Hao did not mind giving him a future. Ma Teng was very aware of this, showing no resentment towards the punishment and being very serious about learning the laws of the Great Qian and improving his martial arts.

Zhang Hao gathered these people to discuss the Daoist guiding techniques and various Daoist methods.

Whether it was Daoism or medicine and martial arts, the guiding techniques played a crucial role. Zhang Hao wanted to understand the mysteries of the guiding techniques and even develop more advanced methods, so he gathered all kinds of extraordinary people.

In this regard, Zhang Hao had already sent people to gather and study, but now he just wanted to hear the opinions of these people in front of him.

As for why he invited Zhao Yun, Zhang Liao, and Ma Teng, it was because they each had their own traditions. Although there were many experts in guiding techniques on Zhang Hao's side, such as Lü Bu, Dian Wei, and Huang Zhong, they either obtained the techniques by chance or were naturally gifted.

Zhao Yun had a master, and Zhang Liao and Ma Teng had family traditions, which might provide deeper insights into the guiding techniques from their family records.

"Thank you, Jisi's wife and Daoist Yu," Zhang Hao said, looking at Yao Shi and Yu Ji with a smile.

"It is an honor to serve His Majesty," Yao Shi, who was more involved in secular affairs, replied with proper etiquette. Her voice was like a mountain stream, making people feel very comfortable.

Yu Ji also showed humility. Clearly, even they, who were considered transcendent beings, needed to show sufficient respect to Zhang Hao, the ruler of the human world.

"Both of you, I am very curious about the differences between the Daoist traditions and the guiding techniques of the military. I have heard that Daoists have various incredible abilities. During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Zhang Jue also seemed to have some mystic powers. However, in direct combat on the battlefield, they could not compare to true generals. Could you enlighten me on this? Also, I would like to know if you have any incredible abilities," Zhang Hao asked, looking at the two.

Speaking of Zhang Jue, Zhang Hao had heard from people like Lu Zhi and Sun Jian, who had fought against him.

It was said that Zhang Jue indeed displayed certain mystic powers, summoning strong winds and dense fog on the battlefield, and some of his Yellow Turban soldiers were not ordinary, feeling no pain and being very strong.

The initial contact caused the imperial army to suffer some losses, but after becoming familiar with these techniques, they could deal with them. Moreover, Zhang Jue seemed unable to use these techniques frequently, and he died suddenly later, so the matter ended there.

These accounts made Zhang Hao more interested in the *Taiping Jing*, but unfortunately, he had never seen it. Even when the Black Mountain Army led by Zhang Yan was defeated, it was not found.

Now, seeing two Daoists who seemed to have similar mystic abilities, Zhang Hao naturally wanted to witness them personally.

"According to the records, the guiding techniques originally came from the same source, naturally derived from Daoist methods. However, due to different pursuits and needs, they gradually diverged. Daoists pursued immortality and mystic powers, delving deeper into the guiding techniques. Compared to the guiding techniques of the military, Daoist techniques are more gentle, with less emphasis on physical enhancement, but they can delve deeper into the body, developing human potential and thus acquiring some mystic powers," Yao Shi said thoughtfully.

"I do not have the same tradition as Jisi's wife. I accidentally obtained my tradition when I wandered into the deep mountains as a young man, so I do not know much about this. However, the difference from the military is as Jisi's wife described," Yu Ji said frankly, facing Zhang Hao's gaze.

Listening to Yao Shi's detailed explanation and flipping through the Celestial Master Dao records she presented, Zhang Hao had some insights.

It seemed that Daoist guiding techniques were gradually moving towards the internal martial arts in wuxia, but was this progress or regression?

Zhang Hao suddenly realized he was being too narrow-minded. What did it matter? Moreover, it was unknown whether it was due to the abundant primordial energy or other reasons, but the internal martial arts he knew did not seem capable of the mystic powers displayed by Zhang Jue.

It was clear that Daoist guiding techniques were significantly different from the internal martial arts he knew. For one, Daoist techniques used a gentler form of qi to refine the body's internal organs without passing through the meridians.

According to Jisi's wife, there was also an internal breath within the human body. Combining this internal breath with the qi resulted in a more mystic energy.

Listening to the explanations of Jisi's wife and Yu Ji, and hearing about their cultivation processes, Zhang Hao gained more understanding of Daoist guiding techniques.

Jisi's wife and Yu Ji also specially demonstrated their mystic powers for Zhang Hao.

Yao Shi took out cinnabar and other materials, writing a talisman. Although the success rate was low, she managed to write one after about ten attempts. When she activated the talisman with her qi, it transformed into a greenish mist, creating a breeze in the enclosed warm pavilion.

Although the wind was not strong, this ability already caught the attention of Zhang Hao and others, including Zhao Yun.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I do not have a natural talent for talismans, and they are more effective when they match one's qi attributes. I am more skilled with earth-based talismans. Your Majesty may have heard some rumors; my legs are indeed faster than ordinary people's. I can draw strength and enhancement from the earth beneath my feet, increasing my stamina and speed. However, it is not infinite. For example, the speed-enhancing talisman I wrote can double an ordinary person's speed and triple their stamina, which is the limit."

Yao Shi wiped the sweat from her face, clearly showing that drawing talismans was not an easy task.

Seeing the imperial guard's speed significantly increase after applying the speed-enhancing talisman and hearing his description of feeling no effort, Zhang Hao was pleasantly surprised.

He was not thinking of applying these talismans to military use, as it was unnecessary. He was simply delighted that these mystic powers truly existed, especially in this world he had already mastered.

Jisi's wife, Yao Shi, seemed to be a treasure trove. Besides the talismans, she had other mystic abilities. She could manipulate illusions, but only on targets with weak willpower and mental strength. She was powerless against everyone present, including the imperial guards.

Zhang Hao specifically called a young palace maid to demonstrate. Hearing the maid's trembling and sweating description of the hellish ghosts she saw, even Zhang Liao and Ma Teng, who usually did not pay much attention to Daoism, could not maintain their composure.

Zhang Hao understood this ability, which was similar to hypnosis but more advanced, directly affecting others' minds and even altering the signals sent from the eyes to the brain. It was very powerful!

Although it was ineffective against Zhang Hao and others, that was because they were not ordinary people.

In this world, ordinary people had much higher physical strength than those in the modern world, so Jisi's wife's abilities would likely be even more effective in the modern world.

It seemed that the Daoist guiding techniques practiced by Jisi's wife had a refining effect on mental strength and explored its use.

Afterward, Yu Ji also demonstrated his abilities. Although he did not have the detailed tradition of Yao Shi, the talisman he wrote and burned dissolved in water, actually having a healing effect, even on external injuries, and left no ash. The originally clear water faintly glowed green.

Just this ability of Yu Ji made Zhang Hao fully understand why he had such a high reputation in Jiangdong.

PS: Thank you to the readers ￥Liu Li￥ and Yan Wang Tian Xia for your support. Also, I'm announcing the opening of a group. The number is in the introduction and review section. Everyone is welcome to join. Good friends for life!

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