"Is your man not at home?" Chen Yuan Shan inquired, stepping out of the girl's room and addressing the middle-aged woman.

"My husband is a sailor, often adrift at sea. He rarely comes home, and I haven't dared to tell him about my daughter's situation," the middle-aged woman replied, her eyes welling with tears.

Without dwelling on the emotional moment, Chen Yuan Shan gestured for a brush, cinnabar, and yellow talisman paper. In the midst of the woman's home, he crafted three protective talismans.

"Affix these three home-guarding talismans on your daughter's doors and windows," Chen Yuan Shan instructed me, handing over the completed talismans.

"Do you have any glue?" I asked the woman, taking the talismans from Chen Yuan Shan.

"No glue, but I have tape," she responded, ready to fetch it for me.

"These talismans carry a magnetic field; they have inherent adhesion. Just stick them above the doors and windows," Chen Yuan Shan explained to me.

As I attached the talismans, Chen Yuan Shan hung a brass bell on the clothesline in the courtyard, its gentle chime resonating with a soothing melody.

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"Mrs. Tian, does it work?" I asked, looking at the talismans.

"Truly magical," I mumbled as I observed the talismans adhering effortlessly to the door frame.

Mrs. Tian's daughter's room had a door and two windows, and I affixed a talisman to each.

While I worked on attaching the talismans, Chen Yuan Shan picked up a copper bell, securing it with a red string on the clothesline. A gentle tap produced a melodious sound, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

"Chen Dao Chang, who was that chubby guy we met when checking the Feng Shui for Mrs. Zhang? It seems like you have some history with him," I inquired as I finished affixing the talismans.

"That man is Fang Canghai, a disciple of the Alchemy Sect. The Alchemy Sect is divided into Outer Alchemy and Inner Alchemy. Outer Alchemy involves refining minerals and herbs into elixirs, while Inner Alchemy utilizes one's essence and vitality for spiritual cultivation.

Fang Canghai practices Outer Alchemy, knowledgeable in the art of crafting spiritual elixirs. However, his focus is solely on accumulating wealth. If you're poor, he won't give you a second glance, but if you're wealthy, he'll treat you differently.

Although we haven't had any major conflicts, we share a mutual dislike. Each encounter is a façade of civility," Chen Yuan Shan explained with a slightly displeased expression.

As we spoke, Mrs. Tian approached with a basin of washed fruits, engaging Chen Yuan Shan in casual conversation. Mrs. Tian, forty-four years old, had no steady job. During agricultural seasons, she tended to her land, but during lulls, she sought odd jobs to make ends meet.

Her husband earned a living as a fisherman, making two hundred and forty yuan a day. The story unfolded, weaving together the lives of ordinary people caught in the tapestry of a changing era.