In a corner of the Chinese land, there hid a small village like a paradise, named Qingping Village. Surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, the fertile land here gave birth to vast fields of golden rice ears and clusters of rich fruits. The villagers lived a life of abundance and contentment, working from dawn to dusk with their diligent hands. During the busy farming seasons, laughter filled the fields, neighbors helped each other, and children chased and played in the village lanes, painting a harmonious and beautiful rural picture.

However, this tranquility was inadvertently broken. Whenever the night fell and everything was silent, a strange sound would quietly rise in the village. Sometimes it sounded like a low growl coming from the edge of the deep mountain forest, sending chills down people's spines; sometimes it resembled a sharp howl, echoing through the empty village paths, making people's hair stand on end. At first, the villagers just thought it was a false alarm and didn't pay much attention. But as time passed, the strange sounds became more frequent and even more eerie. The livestock began to be restless and neighing in fear at night; the household items often moved inexplicably, as if they had been fiddled with by invisible hands. Fear spread like a haze in the village, weighing heavily on the villagers' hearts. The former laughter was gradually replaced by worry.

There was a highly respected old Taoist priest in the village, whose Taoist name was Xuanfengzi. He had entered the Taoist temple to practice since childhood, delved into Taoist classics, and was well-versed in the theories of yin and yang, the five elements, and the art of Qimen Dunjia. He also had extensive knowledge of the supernatural events in the surrounding area. Seeing that the villagers were tormented by this inexplicable fear and were restless, Xuanfengzi was filled with compassion. He knew that if he didn't resolve this crisis in time, the peace of Qingping Village might cease to exist.

One day, Xuanfengzi 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 somewhat whitish Taoist robe and held a peach-wood sword engraved with mysterious runes, which glimmered faintly in the candlelight. Xuanfengzi chanted incantations, praying for the protection of the gods for Qingping Village. Wisps of curling incense smoke rose from the incense burner, like lively ribbons, winding and hovering in the air, trying to connect the mortal world with the heavenly realm. The ritual lasted for two full days and nights. During this period, Xuanfengzi didn't eat or drink, relying solely on his firm belief and the spiritual power within him. Finally, late on the second night, a soft light descended from the sky, penetrated the roof, and shone directly on the altar. When the light faded, several gleaming talismans were quietly suspended in the air, with the runes on them flickering, emitting a mysterious and peaceful aura.

Seeing this, Xuanfengzi's face lit up with joy. He quickly knelt down and kowtowed to give thanks. It turned out that these were the legendary "Protection Talismans of the Earth God". In Taoist belief, the Earth God is the deity who guards a certain area of land, in charge of bumper harvests and the safety of households, closely related to people's lives. He is like a silent guardian in the human world, protecting the living beings on every inch of the land. These protection talismans were obtained by Xuanfengzi through years of devout practice and sensing the will of the Earth God, carrying the divine might and protective power of the Earth God.

The next morning, Xuanfengzi hurriedly rushed to the village square with the extremely precious talismans in his bosom. By then, many worried villagers had already gathered in the square, looking solemn, whispering and discussing the strange things that happened last night, with fear and helplessness in their eyes. Seeing Xuanfengzi coming, the villagers seemed to see their savior and gathered around him.

Xuanfengzi didn't stand on ceremony. With a solemn expression, he distributed the "Protection Talismans of the Earth God" to the villagers one by one and said earnestly, "Dear fellow villagers, these are the divine talismans transformed by the Earth God. I obtained them after meditating and praying sincerely in the Taoist temple for two days. The Earth God took pity on us and bestowed these talismans. But everyone must remember that although the talismans have spiritual power, the key still lies in our sincerity. From now on, every night before going to bed, everyone should wash their hands and faces, face the direction of the Earth God Temple, and sincerely pray to the Earth God for peace, so as to ensure that these talismans can exert their maximum effect." The villagers took the talismans with trembling hands and immediately felt a warm force passing through their palms, dispelling the gloom in their hearts for many days. Their eyes turned red and they thanked Xuanfengzi one after another.

Since then, the villagers had strictly followed Xuanfengzi's instructions. Every night before going to bed, the whole family, young and old, would gather together. After washing their hands and faces, they would kneel piously in the direction of the Earth God Temple, chanting incantations, praying for the Earth God to protect the village. Strangely enough, since everyone put on the "Protection Talismans of the Earth God" and prayed sincerely, the strange sounds in the village disappeared overnight. At night, the livestock no longer neighed in fear and slept peacefully; the household items no longer moved inexplicably, and everything returned to its former calm.

The village regained its vitality, the children's laughter echoed in the village lanes again, and the villagers worked even harder during the busy farming seasons. The villagers' gratitude to the Earth God was beyond words, and they respected Xuanfengzi even more. To express this gratitude, every year after the autumn harvest, the villagers would spontaneously organize and prepare a grand offering ceremony.

On this day, the village was decorated with lanterns and festoons, bustling with excitement. The villagers, dressed in new clothes, carried rich offerings, including the fresh rice just harvested from the fields, the largest and sweetest fruits picked from their orchards, and carefully cooked delicious dishes. They marched in a mighty procession towards the Earth God Temple on the edge of the village. Although the temple was not large, it had been newly renovated, with red walls and black tiles, looking particularly solemn in the sunlight. Inside the temple, the statue of the Earth God was enshrined. The statue had a kind face and bright eyes, as if watching over the village and protecting the villagers all the time.

The villagers neatly placed the offerings in front of the temple, lit incense and candles, and then all knelt down. Led by the village elders, they kowtowed piously to the Earth God. After kowtowing, they would also tell the Earth God about all the big and small things that had happened in the village in the past year, whether it was the joy of a bumper harvest, the birth of a new baby, or the difficulties and setbacks they had encountered. They thanked him for his protection and prayed for continued good weather and peace and prosperity for the village in the coming year.

And Xuanfengzi, the old Taoist priest who had helped the village out of trouble, would also explain the doctrines and practice methods of Taoism to the villagers during the offering ceremony. He started from "Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things", explaining that all things in the world are born from Tao and have their own operating laws. He taught the villagers to conform to nature, respect the gods, and be grateful. He said, "The Earth God protects us because we love this land and are full of hope for life. We should treat all things with kindness and follow the way of heaven and earth. Only in this way can we communicate with the gods and continue to receive protection." The villagers listened spellbound, as if opening a door to wisdom. Many of them became even more devout in Taoism since then and incorporated its doctrines into their daily lives.

As time passed slowly, the story of the "Protection Talisman of the Earth God" was passed down from generation to generation in Qingping Village, becoming a warm and mysterious part of the village's history. It not only witnessed the deep roots of Taoist belief among the people but also enabled later generations to deeply understand that when facing the unknown and fear, with sincerity and faith, relying on the power of the gods, and following the way of nature, we can protect our peaceful homeland and feel the endless grace and mysterious wisdom of ancient Taoism.

Many years later, when an outsider accidentally stepped into this small village, he would surely be attracted by the thick atmosphere of peace and harmony here. Listening to the old people telling that thrilling yet hopeful past, looking at the curling smoke rising from in front of the Earth God Temple, it seemed that one could travel through time and space and quietly encounter the ancient Taoist belief, getting intoxicated in this pure land covered by the grace of the Earth God and reluctant to leave.