On the vast land of ancient China, there was a quiet and peaceful small town where countless young talents with dreams were nurtured. Among them was a young scholar named Tingyun. Since childhood, Tingyun had been obsessed with ancient classics, history, philosophy, and literature collections. With his own diligence and intelligence, he stood out among his fellow students. At a young age, he was already extremely learned and renowned both inside and outside the small town.

In that year, the imperial court issued an edict announcing that a grand imperial examination would be held in the capital city. The purpose was to select outstanding talents from all over the country to inject fresh blood into the prosperity of the nation. Once this news spread, it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating thousands of ripples everywhere. Upon hearing this, Tingyun's heart was ignited with a fierce fighting spirit. He deeply understood that this was an excellent opportunity to change his fate and fulfill his ambitions. So, without hesitation, he decided to embark on this long and arduous journey to the capital for the examination.

On a sunny and breezy morning, Tingyun, carrying a backpack filled with books and dry rations, bid farewell to his family and friends and teachers, and set out towards the capital city full of anticipation. Along the way, he endured hardships, eating and sleeping in the open, traveling day and night. Although the journey was tiring, there was always a firm glimmer in Tingyun's eyes, and he was full of hope for the future.

However, unexpected events often occur. When Tingyun reached a stretch of towering mountains, the originally clear sky suddenly became overcast with dark clouds, and a fierce wind howled and swept in, as if it wanted to devour everything in the world. Immediately after, large raindrops like broken strings of beads poured down, instantly soaking him through. The mountain path became muddy and extremely difficult to traverse under the scouring of the rainstorm. Every step required a great deal of effort.

Tingyun groped his way forward with difficulty on the mountain path, secretly praying in his heart that the rainstorm would stop as soon as possible. But it seemed that fate had no intention of sparing him. Just as he turned around a mountain col, a deafening roar came from the distance. He looked up and saw a turbulent flash flood rushing down like a fierce beast. Everywhere it passed, huge boulders were easily swept away, and trees were uprooted. The scene was extremely terrifying.

Tingyun was terrified, and his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, unable to move. At this moment, his heart was filled with despair. He knew deeply that he was about to be swallowed up by this merciless flash flood, and all his years of hard study and beautiful visions for the future would vanish in an instant.

At this critical moment, Tingyun suddenly felt a warm sensation in his chest. Subconsciously, he reached out and touched his chest. It turned out to be the "Peace and Safety Talisman" given to him by a wandering Taoist priest before his departure. The priest saw that he had an extraordinary appearance and great ambitions, and also took pity on him for the hardships of traveling far for the examination. So, he specially took out the talisman from his bag and gave it to him, hoping to protect him throughout the journey.

At this time, the ordinary-looking yellow talisman on weekdays actually emitted a soft glow. Among the glow, those mysterious runes seemed to come to life, slowly swimming in the air, emitting a powerful and mysterious aura, as if it was contending with the violent flash flood.

Strangely enough, after the talisman glowed, the flow rate of the flash flood gradually slowed down, the originally surging waves gradually subsided, and the deafening roar also gradually weakened. Tingyun's eyes widened. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. He knew deeply that it must be the miraculous "Peace and Safety Talisman" that had played its role, protecting him from disaster at the critical moment of life and death.

When the flash flood had completely receded, Tingyun let out a long sigh of relief. His legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the ground. The joy of surviving the disaster and his awe of the talisman surged into his heart, making his eyes moist and filled with emotion. He slowly stood up and bowed three times and kowtowed nine times in the direction where the Taoist priest had left, to express his deep gratitude.

Tingyun knew deeply that without this talisman, he might have lost his life today, let alone rushed to the capital to take the examination and fulfill his ambitions. He remembered this life-saving grace in his heart and vowed to promote the compassion and wisdom of Taoism in the future, so that more people would know about this miraculous power.

After going through many twists and turns, Tingyun finally arrived safely in the capital. In the imperial examination, relying on his solid knowledge and calm state of mind, he performed outstandingly and was successfully selected as a Jinshi. When he was standing in the imperial palace, wearing magnificent official robes and a black gauze hat, and receiving the emperor's award, the thought of that life-saving "Peace and Safety Talisman" never left his mind.

After returning to his hometown, the first thing Tingyun did was to go to the Taoist temple to look for the Taoist priest who had given him the talisman. Unfortunately, the priest had already wandered off to other places, and his trace was hard to find. In desperation, Tingyun had no choice but to place offerings piously in the temple and burn incense to worship. He told his gratitude to the gods of heaven and earth and the unknown Taoist priest.

Moreover, Tingyun also shared his miraculous experience with his classmates. He knew deeply that on this long life journey, everyone might encounter various unknown dangers. If this "Peace and Safety Talisman" could bring them a little peace and comfort, it would be a great kindness. So, he carefully made several copies of the "Peace and Safety Talisman" given by the Taoist priest and distributed them to his classmates, and told them in detail about the miraculous effects of the talisman and the precautions for wearing it, hoping that they could also be protected when traveling far for study or traveling around.

In the small town, Tingyun's story spread quickly, and people praised the miraculous power of Taoist talismans one after another. For a while, people who went to the Taoist temple to ask for talismans and pray for blessings came in an endless stream, and the Taoist temple became very prosperous because of this. What the "Peace and Safety Talisman" carried was not only the miraculous power of saving lives but also the profound connotation of conforming to nature and protecting the common people in Taoist culture. It was like a single spark that quickly spread in the small town and its surrounding areas, igniting the fire of people's admiration and yearning for Taoist culture, allowing this ancient and mysterious culture to be passed down and carried forward among the people, generation after generation.

As the years passed, the small town remained the same. But the legend of the "Peace and Safety Talisman" was passed down from generation to generation, becoming a much-told tale. It inspired generations of students to bravely pursue their dreams and not be afraid of difficulties and dangers, because they knew that between heaven and earth, there was always a mysterious and powerful force silently protecting them. That was the compassion and protection from Taoism.