In the long history of ancient China, the imperial examination system of the feudal dynasties was like a majestic golden bridge.

The story took place in a simple and ancient town called Qingping Town. There was a young scholar named Du Jianhua in the town. He was handsome, with a pair of eyes revealing his intense thirst for knowledge. Du Jianhua had been extremely intelligent since childhood, well-versed in the classics, histories, and various collections of literature. He was quite famous in the local area. However, the path to the imperial examination had never been a smooth and easy one. Instead, it was full of thorns and hardships.

In this year, Du Jianhua was full of ambition and decided to embark on the journey to the capital to participate in the metropolitan examination. He deeply understood that this examination was closely related to his future and destiny and carried the earnest expectations of his family. But whenever he thought of the long and arduous journey, with high mountains, dangerous waters, and a long distance, and often hearing about the presence of robbers, waves of anxiety would well up in his heart.

There was a quiet and secluded Taoist temple in Qingping Town. In the temple lived a highly respected old Taoist priest named Taoist Priest Xuanfeng. Taoist Priest Xuanfeng was proficient in Taoist classics and good at drawing all kinds of talismans. He often helped the surrounding people solve their problems and enjoyed high prestige in the town. Du Jianhua had heard that talismans possessed miraculous power, which could ensure safety and drive away evil spirits. After careful consideration, he brought gifts and went to the Taoist temple with a nervous heart to seek help from Taoist Priest Xuanfeng.

Stepping into the Taoist temple, Du Jianhua was immediately infected by the solemn and respectful atmosphere. The incense smoke curled up, and the bells and chimes rang out. The Taoist priests, dressed in Taoist robes, were either chanting scriptures or sweeping the floor. Everything seemed so peaceful and serene. Du Jianhua found Taoist Priest Xuanfeng and saluted him respectfully, explaining his purpose clearly.

Taoist Priest Xuanfeng looked at the young man in front of him with gentle eyes. Seeing the firmness and perseverance in his eyes, he secretly praised him in his heart. After a moment of pondering, the priest said, "In that case, I will draw a Vajra Talisman for you. This Vajra Talisman absorbs the strong and yang righteous qi of heaven and earth and gathers the spiritual power of the Taoist patriarchs. It can help you resist the hardships on the road and keep you safe."

With that, Taoist Priest Xuanfeng led Du Jianhua into the quiet room. The interior of the room was simply decorated, with only a table. On the table were placed the four treasures of the study and various Taoist instruments. The priest washed his hands and burned incense, his expression solemn and respectful, as if he had entered a transcendent state. He picked up a piece of tough yellow paper, spread it flat on the table, then picked up a wolf-hair brush, dipped it fully in cinnabar, and murmured incantations. The incantations were obscure and difficult to understand, but seemed to have a mysterious rhythm, echoing in the quiet room, like a secret language communicating with the gods of heaven and earth.

With the movement of the priest's brush tip, one by one, powerful runes that looked like the angry eyes of Vajra gradually emerged on the yellow paper. The runes were dazzlingly red, like burning flames, emitting a majestic and powerful aura, making people awe-inspiring. Soon, a Vajra Talisman was completed.

Taoist Priest Xuanfeng handed the talisman to Du Jianhua and solemnly instructed, "You must carry this talisman with you at all times and never leave it for a moment. If you encounter danger on the way, as long as you are sincere, it will manifest its supernatural power and help you out of trouble. But you must remember that you must never slack off because of relying on the power of the talisman. Your own efforts and moral character are the fundamentals."

Du Jianhua took the talisman with both hands as if it were a precious treasure, carefully tucked it close to his body, and thanked Taoist Priest Xuanfeng repeatedly before setting off on his journey to the examination.

In the first few days, the journey was fairly smooth. Du Jianhua rode a thin horse, carrying a simple luggage, and slowly moved forward along the official road. The scenery along the way was picturesque, with green mountains and clear waters, which made him feel relaxed and full of hope for the future. However, unexpected events happened. When he reached a mountain path, the sky suddenly became overcast with dark clouds, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and a downpour came in an instant.

The rain poured down, and the mountain road ahead instantly became muddy. The horse's hooves sank deep into it, and it was extremely difficult to take each step. Du Jianhua was extremely anxious. He had to take care of the horse and protect the books, stationery, and other things in his luggage from getting wet. Just when he was extremely anxious, he suddenly felt a warm sensation in his arms. The Vajra Talisman he carried close to his body gradually emitted a soft golden light.

Although the golden light was not very dazzling, it was like a bright lamp, illuminating his way forward. What was more miraculous was that under the cover of the golden light, the horse seemed to gain strength. The hooves that had been deeply stuck in the mud gradually pulled out, and its steps became steady. Seeing this, Du Jianhua was overjoyed. He knew that it was the power of the Vajra Talisman at work.

He quickly tightened the reins, murmured words of gratitude to the gods for their protection, and continued to move forward with difficulty in the rain. The rain soaked his clothes, and the cold wind whistled past, but he didn't feel the cold at all. Instead, he only felt a warm current surging in his heart. That was the protective power of the Vajra Talisman, which filled him with courage and confidence.

After finally getting through this heavy rain, Du Jianhua hadn't had time to catch his breath when he encountered a new crisis. When he reached a deep and secluded mountain forest, a noisy sound of people suddenly came from ahead, and faintly, there was also the sound of weapons clashing. Du Jianhua was startled and thought to himself that he might have encountered robbers. He quickly reined in his horse, hid behind a big tree, and carefully peeked out.

He saw a group of robbers in black clothes with fierce looks on their faces besieging a caravan on the mountain road ahead. Although the caravan members were fighting back bravely, they were outnumbered and the situation was extremely dangerous. Du Jianhua was very hesitant. He wanted to go forward to help, but he also knew that he was powerless. If he rushed forward rashly, he might not only be unable to help but also lose his life in vain.

Just when he was hesitating, the Vajra Talisman in his arms shone brightly. The dazzling golden light was like a barrier, enveloping him and his horse. The robbers seemed to notice the abnormality here. Several of them turned their heads and looked in the direction of Du Jianhua's hiding place. However, when their eyes touched the golden light, they showed frightened expressions as if they had seen something terrifying. They immediately stopped what they were doing and scattered and fled.

Du Jianhua breathed a sigh of relief. He understood that it was the Vajra Talisman that had saved his life again. After these two setbacks, he firmly believed in the miraculous power of this talisman. At the same time, he also had a deeper understanding of what Taoist Priest Xuanfeng had said. Although one's own moral character and efforts were important, in times of danger, this mysterious Taoist power could indeed provide people with protection and help.

After going through countless hardships, Du Jianhua finally arrived at the examination hall in the capital. At this time, although his face looked a bit haggard, his eyes were even more determined. During the examination days, he carried the Vajra Talisman with him, feeling at ease in his heart, and his writing was as if inspired by the gods. He freely displayed all the knowledge he had learned over the years on the examination papers.

On the day when the results were announced, Du Jianhua's name was prominently listed. He passed the imperial examination and became an official. For a while, he became the pride of Qingping Town. After returning to his hometown, he went to the Taoist temple at the first opportunity to report the good news to Taoist Priest Xuanfeng. Looking at the high-spirited young man in front of him, Taoist Priest Xuanfeng smiled slightly and said, "Congratulations on your success in the imperial examination. This is the reward for your own efforts and moral character, and also the result of the Vajra Talisman protecting you. I hope that in the future, when you become an official, you can uphold the right path and bring benefits to the people. Don't forget the hardships and gains along this journey today."

Du Jianhua nodded repeatedly. He deeply understood that along this journey, although the Vajra Talisman had made great contributions, what was more important was the belief and perseverance in his heart. Since then, he had been conscientious and honest in his official career. He often told this story to later generations, allowing the story of being protected by the Vajra Talisman to be passed down from generation to generation in Qingping Town, and also leaving a deep mark of the mysterious and profound Taoist culture in people's hearts.