In the quiet Taoist temple surrounded by green mountains and shrouded in mist lived a young Taoist named Qingyu. He had entered the Taoist sect since childhood and followed his master in this temple to study Taoist classics and practice Taoist techniques. Qingyu was kind-hearted by nature, held a heart full of awe for everything related to Taoism, and was intelligent and eager to learn. He was quite favored by his master among his fellow apprentices.

One day, while tidying up the old items in the Taoist temple, Qingyu accidentally found an ancient talisman in a dusty wooden box. The talisman looked rather old. The paper had turned slightly yellow, and on it were drawn some strange and mysterious runes and patterns with vermilion pigment, as if hiding endless mysteries. The moment Qingyu's hand touched the talisman, a weak yet distinct warm current spread throughout his body along his fingertips, and an inexplicable throbbing arose in his heart. It seemed that a mysterious power was telling him in the dark that this talisman was no ordinary thing.

It turned out that this talisman was a family heirloom passed down in Qingyu's family. It was said that whoever held this talisman could resolve difficulties and bring good luck and prosperity by simply presenting it when in danger. After learning about the miraculous effects of this talisman, Qingyu was both excited and a bit doubtful. He wondered if there really was such a magical thing in the world that could easily change a person's fortune.

Before long, Qingyu faced a test. A senior apprentice in charge of managing the herbal fields in the Taoist temple accidentally made a mistake while mixing herbs, causing a batch of precious herbs to be almost completely ruined. When the master learned of this, he was furious and ordered the apprentices to cultivate enough herbs within a limited time, or they would face severe punishment. Qingyu couldn't bear to see the worried looks on his fellow apprentices' faces, so he decided to use the ancestral talisman to help everyone.

He returned to his room, carefully took out the talisman, held it in both hands, and began to try to use the power of the talisman according to the method passed down in his family. However, to his disappointment, no matter how he tried, the talisman didn't respond at all, and the crisis in the herbal fields remained severe. Qingyu was deeply confused. He repeatedly thought about what went wrong but couldn't figure it out.

On a quiet night, Qingyu came to the courtyard of the Taoist temple alone. The moonlight was like water, shining on his rather youthful face. He looked at the talisman in his hand and silently prayed in his heart, hoping to get some inspiration. Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew by, and the talisman swayed gently, as if responding to his inner plea. Qingyu was moved. He remembered the emphasis on "Sincerity brings spiritual response" in Taoist classics. He realized that perhaps he had only used the talisman mechanically before and lacked a truly sincere heart.

So, Qingyu decided to try again. He washed his hands, put on clean Taoist robes, and knelt down piously in front of the statue of the Taoist patriarch. Holding the talisman in his hand, he closed his eyes, got rid of all distractions in his mind, and wholeheartedly prayed to the gods. His heart was filled with the longing for the herbal fields to regain their vitality, the wish for his fellow apprentices to avoid punishment, and a firm belief in the Taoist faith.

When he opened his eyes again, something miraculous happened. The runes on the talisman began to emit a faint light, and the light gradually grew stronger, illuminating the entire room red. Qingyu could feel a powerful yet gentle force gushing out of the talisman, spreading along his arms throughout his body, and then spreading out, seeming to envelop the entire Taoist temple.

The next morning, when the fellow apprentices came to the herbal fields, they were all surprised to find that the herbs that had been on the verge of death had miraculously regained their vitality. The tender green shoots were shining with the luster of life in the morning light. Everyone cheered and expressed their gratitude and admiration to Qingyu. Qingyu just smiled and shook his head. He knew that this was not his own credit but the result of the mysterious power behind the talisman and his sincere prayer.

After this incident, Qingyu had a deeper understanding of this ancestral talisman. He began to understand that the talisman was not just a physical existence. It was more like an inspiration for the soul. It reminded people that when facing difficulties and challenges, they couldn't rely solely on external forces but should also look for the source of strength deep within their hearts.

In the ideological system of Taoism, concepts such as "Harmony between Man and Nature" and "Emptying the Mind and Forgetting the Self" have always been emphasized. The so-called "Harmony between Man and Nature" advocates the harmonious unity between humans and nature, as well as between humans and gods. When Qingyu prayed sincerely, his heart reached a kind of resonance with the gods and connected with the natural forces between heaven and earth. This connection enabled the talisman to exert its due power and thus resolved the crisis in the herbal fields. And "Emptying the Mind and Forgetting the Self" requires people to eliminate distractions and selfish desires in their hearts and perceive the world and understand the Great Tao with a pure and empty mind. When Qingyu prayed piously, he exactly achieved this. He forgot his own troubles and confusion and concentrated all his thoughts on praying for the herbal fields, which made the talisman take effect.

As time went by, Qingyu experienced many more things. Once, the Taoist temple encountered a rare rainstorm, and many buildings were damaged to varying degrees. Qingyu took out the talisman again. This time, without hesitation, he prayed sincerely. Once again, the talisman worked its magic. After raging for a while, the rainstorm gradually subsided, and the damage to the Taoist temple was minimized.

Another time, a pilgrim who came to the Taoist temple to pray accidentally fell and was injured on the mountain road, and his life was in danger. Hearing this, Qingyu rushed to the pilgrim's side and took out the talisman to pray for him. Under his sincere prayer, the pilgrim's injury miraculously stabilized and gradually recovered during subsequent treatments.

Through these experiences, Qingyu understood more and more deeply that fortune and good luck didn't come out of thin air, nor could they be easily obtained just by relying on a talisman. They always favored those who were sincere, hardworking, and held a heart full of awe and belief. Just like on the path of Taoist cultivation, Taoists needed to undergo long-term cultivation, self-reflection, and unremitting pursuit of the Great Tao to reach a higher realm and obtain the sublimation of body and mind as well as the favor of fate.

Qingyu knew very well that although this ancestral talisman was miraculous, it was just a guide, a tool that urged him to understand Taoist thought more deeply and explore the inner world. He couldn't become slack just because he had the talisman. Instead, he should take it as motivation to keep moving forward.

In the days that followed, Qingyu still studied Taoist classics hard and practiced Taoist techniques diligently every day. He actively helped others in the Taoist temple. Whether it was answering questions and solving doubts for pilgrims or participating in the daily affairs of the Taoist temple, he did his best. His reputation gradually spread among the surrounding villages. People all knew that there was a young, kind-hearted, and wise young Taoist in the Taoist temple.

And that ancestral talisman was treasured by Qingyu in a specially made sachet and worn on his chest. It always reminded Qingyu to adhere to the sincerity and belief in his heart and firmly walk on the path of Taoist cultivation. Because he understood that true luck didn't come from external things but originated from a pure, kind-hearted, and respectful heart, as well as the sincere efforts made under the guidance of this heart.

As time passed, Qingyu gradually grew into a highly respected Taoist in the process of continuous growth and enlightenment. He used his own experiences to interpret the profound connotations of Taoist thought and the subtle yet close connection between fortune and the soul to people. His story, like the ancient talisman, spread in this land and became a much-told tale, inspiring generation after generation of people to pursue the sincerity and strength within their hearts when facing the challenges of life, believing that as long as they held their beliefs and worked hard, good luck would come quietly.