Deep in the long river of time, there hid an ancient and quiet village. Surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, it should have been a peaceful paradise. However, in recent years, it seemed to be quietly shrouded by a layer of haze, falling into a strange predicament.

The houses in the village were scattered in an orderly manner. Most of them were built with simple bricks, stones and wood, and the years had left mottled marks on them. But since no one knew when, every night when darkness fell, it was like thick ink slowly seeping into this village. The villagers were often haunted by evil spirits, and strange things frequently happened at home. For no reason, a chilly air would rise in the house. Even in midsummer, it made people shiver and break out in cold sweat. At night, inexplicable sounds often came out, like something heavy being dragged, or low whimpers, which made people panic and unable to sleep peacefully. Children always woke up crying from their sleep, and adults sat around under the dim light, looking worried and helpless.

One day, under the old elm tree at the village entrance, a dusty old Taoist priest suddenly appeared. He was dressed in a washed-out white Taoist robe, and the corners of his robe fluttered gently in the wind, just like a celestial being coming to the mortal world. The old Taoist priest had a thin face, but his eyes were as deep as an abyss, revealing the wisdom of seeing through everything. His silver hair was neatly tied up at the back of his head, and his beard was grizzled and fluttered gently in the wind, adding a bit more of an otherworldly air. He held an ancient peach wood crutch in his hand, and the crutch was carved with mysterious runes. Each texture seemed to tell an ancient story.

The old Taoist priest slowly walked into the village. Wherever he passed, the villagers cast curious or expectant glances at him. He nodded slightly as a greeting and walked straight to the open space in the middle of the village, where a group of villagers who had been tortured by evil spirits had already gathered. The old Taoist priest looked around, seeing the fear and helplessness in everyone's eyes, and a trace of pity arose in his heart. He cleared his throat. His voice was low and loud, like the ringing of a large bell, spreading to every corner of the village: "Don't panic, everyone. I'm here today to relieve you of this evil spirit disaster." After saying that, he calmly took out a stack of talismans from his backpack. The talismans were made of fine yellow paper, with a simple and ancient luster. They were carefully painted with complex and mysterious patterns in cinnabar. In the center, the three bold characters "House Protection Charm" were written with vigorous strokes, as if containing endless power. Around them were circles of flowing runes, as if communicating with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

The old Taoist priest held the talismans in his hand and murmured incantations as he started to deliver these precious "House Protection Charms" from house to house along the village paths. Whenever he arrived at a house, he would carefully examine the layout of the house to find the place where the yin energy was the strongest, and then solemnly stick the talisman there. When sticking the talisman, he would lightly tap it with his finger and softly recite ancient incantations. The incantations seemed to have a mysterious magic power, vibrating slightly in the air, causing the cinnabar on the talisman to flash, as if having a silent battle with the evil spirits in the house.

There was one family whose house had an especially strong chilly air. The child had been running a high fever for several days and was in a coma. The family members gathered around the bed, extremely anxious. When the old Taoist priest entered the house, his brows furrowed slightly. He keenly sensed a powerful negative energy lurking in the house. He quickly walked to the head of the bed, took out a "House Protection Charm", and gently stuck it on the headboard. Then he closed his eyes, and the recitation of the incantations became more rapid. After a while, something miraculous happened. The temperature in the house seemed to gradually rise, and the chilly air dissipated slowly like melting ice and snow. The child's complexion also gradually regained its rosy color and woke up weakly, calling out "Mom and Dad". Seeing this, the family members were overjoyed and burst into tears. They knelt down in front of the old Taoist priest with a thud, thanking him profusely. The old Taoist priest smiled and helped them up, saying softly, "Don't thank me. This is the power of the talisman and also the responsibility of Taoism to protect all living beings."

As the old Taoist priest delivered and stuck the talismans from house to house, the appearance of the village quietly changed. At night, the hauntings by evil spirits gradually decreased, those creepy sounds no longer rang out frequently, and the chilly feeling in the houses slowly disappeared, replaced by the long-lost warmth and peace. The villagers could finally sleep soundly. When they woke up in the morning, they were all full of energy, with smiles on their faces again. They respected the old Taoist priest even more and regarded him as the savior of the village.

However, the villagers were also full of doubts. Why did this seemingly ordinary talisman have such miraculous effects? One day, several villagers, with reverence and curiosity, asked the old Taoist priest about the reason. The old Taoist priest sat on the stone bench at the village head, stroking his beard and said slowly, "This 'House Protection Charm' is written with superior Taoist runes and contains the principles of heaven and earth, and the theory of yin and yang and the five elements. The runes and incantations echo each other, being able to mobilize the righteous qi between heaven and earth, help purify the space and clear the negative energy in the house. Evil spirits are afraid of the righteous qi and naturally don't dare to intrude wantonly. Only in this way can homes be peaceful and the people be worry-free."

After hearing this, the villagers nodded one after another, having a deeper understanding of the profoundness of Taoism. Since then, they cherished this hard-won peaceful life even more. Following the teachings of the old Taoist priest, they adhered to kind hearts and got along well with their neighbors. The village regained its former harmony and prosperity.

As the years passed slowly, the old Taoist priest stayed in the village for some time and then set off on his journey to travel around. But the "House Protection Charms" he left behind became the guardian treasures of the village. The villagers carefully framed the talismans and enshrined them in the main hall of their homes. On the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, the whole family would gather together and burn incense and pray piously in front of the talismans, giving thanks for the protection of Taoism and praying for the safety of their homes and the continuation of blessings. And the story of this village was like a seed in the wind, spreading in all directions with the travelers coming and going, letting more people know about the miraculous encounter of the Taoist "House Protection Charm" and the great power of protecting all living beings and upholding righteousness and eliminating evil behind it.

Many years later, the village was still beautiful with clear waters and green mountains, peaceful and harmonious. The children who had received the kindness of the old Taoist priest back then had grown up. They passed down this legendary story from generation to generation, allowing the spirit of Taoism to continue on this land for generations and never fade away. Whenever night fell and the stars lit up the village, those "House Protection Charms" still seemed to emit a faint glow, guarding this land, witnessing the changes of the years and the inheritance of life.