In a remote corner of the Chinese land, there was a secluded and tranquil mountain village, hidden among the surrounding mountains like a paradise. The villagers here had lived by farming for generations, relying on the mountains, and leading a simple and industrious life. As the first rays of the morning sun peeked out, their busy figures could be seen in the fields; when dusk fell, wisps of cooking smoke rose from every household, painting a leisurely rural picture.

However, this tranquility and peace were as fragile as a mirage. Somehow, a shadow of gloom quietly enveloped the small village. Every night when it was dead silent, strange sounds came from the mountains, like the wailing of ghosts and howling of wolves, or the whispers of some mysterious creatures. Immediately after, the livestock in the villagers' homes would be inexplicably frightened and go missing, and the crops in the fields would be in a mess. At first, the villagers thought it was just occasional attacks by wild beasts. But as such incidents became more and more frequent, and some people even caught a glimpse of eerie, flickering black shadows darting through the forest when they were on the road at night. Only then did they realize that the village might have been targeted by mountain ghosts and monsters. Fear spread throughout the village like a plague.

There was an old Taoist priest in the village, whose Taoist name was Qingxuzi. He had entered the Taoist path since childhood and had been practicing painstakingly in the deep mountain Taoist temple for decades. He was well-versed in Taoist classics, proficient in the theories of yin and yang, the five elements, and the art of Qimen Dunjia, and had extensive knowledge of the supernatural events in the surrounding mountains and waters. Seeing that the villagers were being constantly disturbed by the mountain ghosts and monsters and their lives had fallen into hardship and despair, Qingxuzi was filled with compassion. He knew that if he didn't lend a helping hand, the village would probably be destroyed.

One day, Qingxuzi closed the doors of the Taoist temple tightly and set up an altar to perform a ritual in the quiet room. He was dressed in a Taoist robe, holding a peach-wood sword, and chanting incantations, praying for the protection of the gods. The curling incense smoke rose slowly, filling the entire quiet room, like a spiritual path leading to the heavenly realm. The ritual lasted for three full days and nights. During this period, Qingxuzi didn't eat or drink, relying solely on his firm belief and the spiritual power within him. Finally, late on the third night, a brilliant golden light descended from the sky, pierced through the roof, and shone directly on the altar. When the light faded, a gleaming talisman was quietly suspended in the air, with the runes on it flickering, emitting a mysterious and powerful aura.

Seeing this, Qingxuzi's face lit up with joy. He quickly knelt down and kowtowed to give thanks. It turned out that this was the legendary "Talisman of Taibai Jinxing", which was transformed by the celestial official Taibai Jinxing with his own immortal power. In the Taoist mythological system, Taibai Jinxing held a high position, was compassionate, and often patrolled the three realms, observing the sufferings of the mortal world and protecting the common people. This talisman carried his celestial might and had the supreme power to drive away ghosts and evil spirits and protect the safety of one place.

The next morning, Qingxuzi hurriedly rushed to the village chief's house with the extremely precious talisman in his bosom. At that time, the village chief's house was shrouded in gloom. The disappearance of the livestock had caused heavy losses to his family, and they were all sighing and didn't know what to do. When seeing Qingxuzi coming, a glimmer of hope shone in the village chief's eyes, and he quickly got up to welcome him.

Qingxuzi didn't stand on ceremony. With a solemn expression, he handed the "Talisman of Taibai Jinxing" to the village chief and said earnestly, "Village chief, this is the divine talisman transformed by Taibai Jinxing. I obtained it after meditating and praying sincerely in the Taoist temple for three days. You just hang it above your doorstep, and it will surely deter those mountain ghosts and monsters and keep the village safe." The village chief took the talisman with trembling hands, and immediately felt a warm force passing through his palm, dispelling the gloom in his heart for many days. His eyes turned red, and he choked and said, "Thank you, Taoist priest. If this talisman can really protect the whole village, you are the great benefactor of all the villagers!"

The village chief didn't dare to delay for a moment. He immediately found a newly made peach-wood pole and hung the talisman high above the front door of his house. Strangely enough, after the talisman was hung, the strange sounds in the village disappeared overnight. There was no more frightened screaming of livestock at night, and the crops in the fields regained their former vitality, growing vigorously and yielding bountiful grains. Those mountain ghosts and monsters seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier and didn't dare to approach the village any more.

Gradually, the village restored its former peace and prosperity, and smiles reappeared on the villagers' faces. After finishing farm work, everyone would sit together and talk about this miraculous change, and a sense of reverence for Taoism arose spontaneously. At the suggestion of the village chief, the villagers often went to Qingxuzi's Taoist temple in groups to listen to his lectures on the practice methods of Taoism.

Seeing that everyone was sincere in their pursuit of Taoism, Qingxuzi was very gratified. He then set up a preaching ground in the Taoist temple and regularly taught the villagers. He started from the most basic Taoist classics, explaining the profound philosophy of "Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things", teaching the villagers to conform to nature, be pure-hearted and have few desires, and to face all kinds of difficulties in life with a calm heart. The villagers listened spellbound, as if opening a door to a new world. Many of them embarked on the path of practice since then, sensing the Taoist principles in their daily work and cultivating their minds and bodies.

As days passed by, this once-troubled mountain village, under the protection and nourishment of Taoism, took on a different kind of vitality. The villagers supported each other and lived in harmony with the surrounding mountains and waters, like a present-day Taoist fairyland. And the story of the "Talisman of Taibai Jinxing Protecting the village" flowed slowly in the long river of time, passing down from generation to generation, becoming a legend praised by the local people. It enabled later generations to have a deeper understanding of the mysterious power and the spirit of helping the world of Taoism, inspiring people to pursue inner peace and the light of the right path in the hustle and bustle of the secular world.

Many years later, when an outsider accidentally stepped into this mountain village, he would surely be attracted by its unique peaceful atmosphere. Listening to the old people telling that thrilling yet hopeful past, looking at the curling smoke rising from the Taoist temple, it seemed that one could travel through time and space and quietly encounter the ancient Taoist wisdom, feeling the profound power that had protected the common people for thousands of years, and getting intoxicated in this pure land covered by the grace of Taoism and reluctant to leave.