Chapter 698: Taking Effect

Chapter 698: Chapter 698: Taking Effect

"I’ve thought it over and feel this method might be worth a try. That’s why I came here today, to ask Master Huiyuan to bestow his calligraphy and preside over a consecration ceremony. Master, you are an enlightened monk with profound knowledge of Buddhist doctrine. With your involvement, my wife will surely believe without a doubt. That alone would mean we’re more than halfway to success."

Master Huiyuan listened quietly before remarking with admiration, "Amitabha Buddha. It seems Patron Cui has truly met a master this time."

"This master may not have used medicine, but he has a deep understanding of the essence of the ’Zuyou branch’ of traditional Chinese medicine. Judging from Patron Shen’s condition, this Zuyou Skill technique of ’shifting essence and transforming qi’ is indeed a supreme and perfectly tailored remedy."

The Zuyou Skill can be traced back to ancient times and shares its origins with shamanistic medicine.

It essentially involves using drawn talismans, chanted incantations, specific rituals, and language to treat certain psychological or mental illnesses.

In ancient times, people had a limited understanding of nature. When faced with sudden mental breakdowns, they often believed the person had "lost their soul" or been "possessed by evil."

In such cases, a sorcerer or a Daoist would perform a series of mysterious rituals to give the patient strong psychological suggestions, which could often produce miraculous results. This was the earliest form of the Zuyou Skill.

As times progressed, the feudal and superstitious dross of the Zuyou Skill was gradually discarded, but its core components of "spiritual therapy" and "psychological suggestion" were preserved as one of the thirteen branches of traditional Chinese medicine.

The method Li Xu used was a perfect modern application of the Zuyou Skill.

He cleverly leveraged Shen Wen’s love for calligraphy and her reverence for Buddhism to tailor a treatment plan of "self-hypnosis" and "gathering the mind."

"Since this master has already set the stage, I, this humble monk, will naturally lend a hand."

Master Huiyuan smiled faintly and agreed. "Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda. Curing Patron Shen is a good deed, one this humble monk cannot refuse. As for this Hundred Buddha Painting, I will bathe, change my robes, and burn incense before taking up my brush today. Tomorrow morning, I will consecrate and bless this work in the Great Hall of Heroes. I must ask Patron Cui to bring Patron Shen on time tomorrow." ℯℯ𝑙.

"Thank you, Master."

Cui Jianmin offered his thanks.

「...」

Golden Ray Monastery’s consecration and blessing ceremony was unprecedentedly grand, one might even say extravagant.

The Guangshun Group spared no effort to cure the boss’s wife.

Not only did they manage to invite all one hundred and eight eminent monks of Golden Ray Monastery to chant scriptures together, but they also had a massive ceremonial platform specially constructed.

Bells and drums sounded in unison, Sanskrit chants filled the air, and incense smoke shrouded the entire Great Hall of Heroes like auspicious clouds.

That day, the number of worshipers and tourists who went to Golden Ray Monastery to burn incense, pray to Buddha, and watch the ceremony was immense; it was a veritable sea of people, with everyone packed shoulder to shoulder.

These days, people just love a good spectacle.

In no time, the internet was flooded with all sorts of short videos about the Golden Ray Monastery’s consecration ceremony. It even shot to the top of the trending lists on Feng City’s local social media platforms, generating immense buzz.

Sitting in his clinic during a lull with no patients, Li Xu also came across videos of the scene while scrolling through his phone.

The scene was solemn, majestic, and grand. He nodded in satisfaction.

’The Cui Family’s execution is truly impressive,’ he thought. ’The atmosphere they’ve created is a perfect ten out of ten.’

On the day of the consecration and blessing ceremony, Shen Wen also attended in person, accompanied by her husband Cui Jianmin on one side and her son Cui Guanghui on the other.

After experiencing the deeply moving scene and returning home, Shen Wen’s condition showed a visible improvement.

A hint of color returned to her once paper-white face.

There was actually a scientific basis and a principle of traditional Chinese medicine behind this.

On one hand, it was the energy of the crowd.

There were a great many people at the blessing ceremony, so the Yang Qi was abundant.

Shen Wen’s condition could be described as "great shock and sudden terror, leading to a restless spirit." What she feared most was being alone and in silence; as soon as it got quiet, her mind would start to race with anxious thoughts.

Never mind the blessing ceremony; even if she just went to a bustling place like a wet market more often, letting the Yang Qi of others wash away her own gloomy energy, her condition would improve.

Timid or frightened people naturally prefer lively places. The more people there are, the safer they feel. This is just human nature.

Furthermore, the ceremony was held at Golden Ray Monastery, an ancient temple with a thousand-year history.

Moreover, there was an eminent monk like the kind-faced Master Huiyuan leading over a hundred other monks in chanting scriptures in unison.

The deep, powerful Sanskrit chants seemed to possess a frequency that could penetrate the soul. The solemn, sacred, and compassionate atmosphere of the event greatly soothed a person’s inner turmoil, allowing Shen Wen’s tense nerves to relax without her realizing it, and her mind gradually became peaceful.

In the subconscious of ordinary people, ghosts and demons fear Buddhist statues and sunlight.

A temple itself is a symbol of righteousness and a place that wards off evil.

Immersed in such a grand blessing ceremony, a sense of security—"With the Buddha’s protection, no evil can touch me"—welled up within Shen Wen, and her mindset underwent a fundamental, unconscious change.

Because the ceremony was so magnificent, and because the work was personally calligraphed and consecrated by Master Huiyuan himself, Shen Wen developed an attitude of extreme piety and reverence toward the "Hundred Buddha Painting."

After returning home, Shen Wen washed her hands, burned incense, and very solemnly hung the Hundred Buddha Painting in the most prominent spot in her study.

During the day, she would sit upright in her study, following Master Huiyuan’s instructions, and stare intently at the Hundred Buddha Painting, silently reciting and mentally tracing its characters.

When it was time to sleep at night, she had someone move the Hundred Buddha Painting and hang it directly opposite the head of her bed, ensuring it was the first thing she saw upon opening her eyes.

「...」

The next day, Li Xu received a call from Cui Guanghui bearing good news.

"Brother Li, it’s a miracle! An absolute miracle!"

Cui Guanghui said excitedly, "My mom had a good night’s sleep last night. It’s the first time she’s slept so peacefully since the car accident. Not only did she not wake up from any nightmares, but she slept soundly, barely even tossing and turning. She slept right through until dawn."

"That’s the power of psychological suggestion."

Li Xu said with a smile, "Because Aunt Shen was there yesterday and personally witnessed Master Huiyuan and the monks of Golden Ray Monastery blessing and consecrating the calligraphy. In her mind, the Hundred Buddha Painting is no longer an ordinary piece of art, but a magical artifact with supreme power to ward off evil. With such a powerful psychological suggestion and this underlying sense of security, her sleep was bound to show immediate improvement."

"Brother Li, does this mean my mom’s illness is completely cured then?"

Cui Guanghui asked hopefully.

"Not so fast. She needs to keep it up for a while to consolidate the effects."

Li Xu explained, "Right now, we can only say it’s shown initial success; we’ve pulled her back from the cliff’s edge. But that calligraphy is like a crutch for her right now. She needs to keep looking at it for a period of time. Once Aunt Shen’s mind has completely stabilized and her spirit has settled, then even without the Hundred Buddha Painting, even in an unfamiliar environment, she will be able to sleep peacefully just like before, no longer troubled by those fearful memories."