In the long, profound, and mysterious river of Taoist culture in the Chinese land, the legends of the Eight Immortals shine like dazzling stars, illuminating the spiritual paths of countless believers and the common people. Among them, Lu Dongbin, a highly legendary figure, has deeply engraved his image of being unrestrained and saving the world in people's hearts, leaving behind many popular and astonishing stories that have been passed down through generations.

Lu Dongbin was originally a scholar in the late Tang and Five Dynasties period. His original name was Lu Yan. Born into an official family, he was extraordinarily intelligent since childhood, well-versed in poetry and books, and full of ambition. He longed to one day rely on his knowledge and strategies to assist the country and bring benefits to the people. However, during that chaotic era, treacherous court officials held power, politics was corrupt, society was in turmoil, and the common people lived in dire straits. Although Lu Dongbin tried many times to enter officialdom and fulfill his aspirations, he was repeatedly frustrated. With all his enthusiasm but no way to serve his country, he became disheartened after countless setbacks and disappointments. Eventually, he resolutely embarked on the path of seeking the Tao.

One day, Lu Dongbin was wandering and reached a remote border town called Qingping Town. Surrounded by mountains, the town boasted beautiful scenery. But due to its remoteness and inconvenient transportation, its economy was rather backward. Most of the people there lived a poor life, relying on the mountains and waters. Lu Dongbin, dressed in a worn yet clean Taoist robe and holding a horsetail whisk, strolled along the streets and alleys of the town. With gentle eyes, he observed the lives of the people around him, secretly pondering how he could do something for these suffering folks.

As he walked, he suddenly noticed a ragged young man huddled on the street corner. The young man looked haggard, with empty and despairing eyes, as if his soul had been sucked away. Filled with pity, Lu Dongbin stepped forward and asked softly, "Young man, why are you in such a state? Have you encountered any difficulties?" The young man slowly raised his head, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes, seemingly grasping his last straw. In a hoarse voice, he began to pour out his story.

It turned out that the young man was named Zhao Xuan. He was the son of a diligent and kind hunter in the town. Since childhood, he had followed his father to learn hunting skills and acquired excellent abilities. He had planned to use his own hands to provide a good life for his family. But fate seemed especially cruel to him. In recent years, a series of misfortunes had befallen him. First, his father accidentally slipped and fell into the valley while hunting in the mountains and died unfortunately. The pillar of the family collapsed, leaving him and his frail, sick mother to depend on each other. Then, the few acres of thin farmland at home suffered a rare drought, and the crops failed completely, plunging their life into a desperate situation. To treat his mother's illness, Zhao Xuan had to borrow usurious loans from the local bully. Unexpectedly, the bully deliberately made things difficult for him, not only doubling the interest but also falsely accusing him of theft and reporting him to the authorities. Although Zhao Xuan tried his best to defend himself, with no one to testify for him, he was thrown into prison and suffered a lot. Fortunately, the villagers pooled their money to bail him out. But by then, he was penniless and heavily in debt, completely losing faith in life.

After listening quietly to Zhao Xuan's tragic story, Lu Dongbin couldn't help but sigh deeply. He felt sorry for the young man's fate and was indignant at the injustice and suffering in the world. He closed his eyes slightly, meditated for a moment, and then opened them, looking firmly at Zhao Xuan. He said, "Young man, don't be disheartened. Everything in the world has its own destiny. Although you are now in deep trouble, your fate is not unchangeable." As he spoke, he took out an ancient inkstone, a wolf-hair brush, and a special piece of yellow paper from his bosom.

Lu Dongbin spread the yellow paper on a flat stone and gently ground the cinnabar ink. His movements were skillful and elegant, as if performing a sacred ceremony. Then, he took a deep breath, held his breath, and dipped the wolf-hair brush full of cinnabar. With vigorous strokes, he began to draw an extremely mysterious talisman on the yellow paper. The lines of this talisman were strong and forceful, and the runes were complex and mysterious. Each stroke and mark were infused with Lu Dongbin's profound understanding of heaven and earth, yin and yang, and the five elements, as well as his powerful spiritual power as a Taoist master. The moment the drawing was completed, the cinnabar on the talisman seemed to come alive, flashing a strange red light, blending with the surrounding air and emitting a mysterious and majestic aura.

Lu Dongbin gently picked up the talisman and handed it to Zhao Xuan, saying solemnly, "This is the 'Tribulation-Transcending Talisman'. Wear it close to your body and never take it off. It contains the mysterious power of Taoism and can help you overcome all the tribulations in your fate and turn danger into safety. But you must remember, keep a kind heart and conform to the way of heaven, only then can you exert the maximum power of the talisman." Zhao Xuan took the talisman with trembling hands, his eyes full of gratitude and awe. Although he was somewhat skeptical about the talisman's miraculous effect, he had no other choice at that moment and could only place his hope on it.

Zhao Xuan followed Lu Dongbin's instructions and carefully wore the Tribulation-Transcending Talisman close to his body. Immediately, a warm current surged in his heart, and his originally despairing and cold heart seemed to be injected with a glimmer of vitality. From then on, his life quietly began to change.

One day, Zhao Xuan went hunting in the mountains as usual, hoping to catch some wild game to exchange for money to buy medicine for his mother. When he reached the depths of the mountain forest, he suddenly heard noisy footsteps and shouts. He was startled and thought to himself that something was wrong. Probably, he had encountered mountain bandits. Sure enough, a moment later, a group of fierce bandits with sharp weapons sprang out from the surrounding bushes and surrounded him. The bandit leader, with a ferocious look, laughed loudly and said, "Boy, hand over all your valuables, or today is your death day!"

Zhao Xuan was extremely frightened and subconsciously reached out to touch the talisman on his chest, silently reciting Lu Dongbin's instructions. Just as the bandits were about to make a move, something strange happened. A dazzling golden light burst out from Zhao Xuan's chest, instantly illuminating the surrounding mountain forest. The bandits were taken aback by the sudden golden light. Thinking that the gods were angry, they all showed terrified expressions, and their hands trembled, unable to hold their weapons steadily. Seeing this, Zhao Xuan summoned up his courage and shouted, "You evil thieves, you're really unlucky to meet me today!" With that, taking advantage of the bandits' panic, he used his agile skills acquired from hunting and quickly broke through the encirclement, running madly down the mountain. When the bandits came to their senses and wanted to chase after him, the golden light seemed like an invisible barrier, preventing them from approaching. They could only watch helplessly as Zhao Xuan escaped.

After this encounter, Zhao Xuan firmly believed in the power of the Tribulation-Transcending Talisman. However, the test of fate was not over yet. Not long after, seeing that Zhao Xuan had returned safely, the local bully in the town became furious and came up with another scheme. He bribed the magistrate's clerk and once again falsely accused Zhao Xuan of a serious crime, intending to put him to death. Upon receiving the complaint, the authorities, without distinguishing right from wrong, immediately sent people to arrest Zhao Xuan.

Zhao Xuan was extremely anxious when he got the news, but he didn't panic. Remembering Lu Dongbin's words, he firmly believed that the talisman could help him through this difficulty. When the officers and soldiers arrived menacingly at his door, Zhao Xuan stood calmly in the yard, waiting for the verdict of fate. Just as the officers and soldiers were about to step forward to arrest him, suddenly the sky became overcast, lightning flashed and thunder roared. A thick bolt of lightning, like a sharp sword, struck the open ground in front of the officers and soldiers, emitting a deafening roar. The officers and soldiers turned pale with fright, thinking that it was a warning from heaven. They didn't dare to act rashly anymore. At this time, the county magistrate also heard about this matter. Sensing something strange, and fearing to offend the gods, he ordered a reinvestigation. After a careful examination, the truth finally came to light, and Zhao Xuan was cleared of the false charges.

As time passed, Zhao Xuan's life gradually returned to normal. Having shaken off the entanglement of bad luck, he relied on his excellent hunting skills and often caught some precious wild game to sell in the town, earning a good income. Not only did he pay off his debts, but he also invited a better doctor for his mother. With careful care, his mother's body slowly recovered. As days went by, his life got better and better. He opened a small hunting shop in the town, and the business was booming. He also took in several apprentices to pass on his hunting skills.

And the story of Lu Dongbin and the Tribulation-Transcoding Talisman spread like spring breeze in Qingping Town and its surrounding areas. The common people widely praised Lu Dongbin's miraculous Taoist methods and compassionate heart, and developed a deeper admiration and yearning for Taoist culture. Whenever people encountered difficulties and setbacks, they would think of this story, draw strength from it, and firmly believe that as long as they kept a kind heart and conformed to the way of heaven, they could find the lighthouse of hope in the torrent of fate, overcome numerous tribulations, and embrace a beautiful future.