Page 212
Wang Kaixuan swallowed a dumpling in vinegar and chili oil, muttering, "Why, you want to go to Longhu Mountain to join in the fun of the Luotian Grand Ceremony too?"
"Wait two more days, and we'll go together. It's still early anyway."
Although he doesn't participate much in the affairs of the alien world, Wang Kaixuan likes to read news and gossip about the alien world on the websites of Jianghu Xiaozhan and Yaoxing Society.
He was naturally aware of the grand event of Luotian Grand Ceremony, but unlike Hu Xiuwu, he did not go to Longhu Mountain to participate in the Luotian Grand Ceremony. He knew his own importance, and he just wanted to be a spectator and watch the fun.
The scene of strange people fighting against each other is rare in this era. Many strange people have the same idea as him and gather at Longhu Mountain from all corners of the world to participate in this event.
Hu Xiuwu took a sip of tea and said, "I am planning to attend the Luotian Grand Ceremony, but I have to go somewhere else first, a place I haven't been back to for a long time."
Shangqing, Maoshan.
Chapter 304 Return to Shangqing
Late at night, Maoshan Mountain finally returned to silence without the bustling crowds of people that it had during the day, and the hustle and bustle of human voices.
The empty and solemn palace was deserted, with only the bright moon reflected on the pond-like ground in the courtyard, the flickering candlelight, the leisurely rising green smoke, and the tall statue of Laojun sitting on the top of the mountain, which had also been busy all day.
At this moment, Maoshan finally had some of the tranquility of a Taoist temple, without the noise of stringed instruments and the fatigue of paperwork.
Yang Ming, the head of Shangqing, was patrolling the Taoist temple with a flashlight and wearing a Taoist robe, to see if there were any naughty Taoist children who were disobedient and wandering around in the middle of the night, while also enjoying this rare quietness.
Nowadays, Maoshan is well-known, with constant incense burning and many believers, but it has also lost some of its tranquility. People from the Qianyuan Tourism Bureau are planning to hold a light show at the Chongxi Wanshou Palace next year, and to organize a night tour of Shangqing.
In fact, Yang Ming didn't have much of an objection. It was all for the sake of making a living. It was not easy to maintain the style and appearance of the Maoshan Taoist Temple.
The Shangqing Sect is made up of a bunch of otakus. As long as they are not disturbed from their meditation in the back mountain, they don’t bother to care about anything else.
Moreover, the worldly troubles in Qianshan can actually temper the Taoist heart of the Shangqing disciples.
Outside the door is the prosperous world with bright lights; inside the door is the secluded mountains with simple meals.
If you can walk from outside the door to inside the door, then your character can be said to have been fully honed.
"Head!"
Yang Ming wandered around the halls and met two Shangqing Taoists wearing Taoist robes who were patrolling.
The two Taoists did not find it strange to see Yang Ming. As long as they had worked the night shift a few times, they knew the habits of the headmaster. They saluted Yang Ming calmly but respectfully.
Yang Ming nodded: "Fa Kui, Chi Kui, you have worked hard tonight. If you find anything special, go back and rest early."
"Yes,"
Originally, Shangqing did not arrange people to patrol at night, but ever since the incident twelve years ago when the Three Corpses of Quanxing and Tu Junfang broke into Maoshan and searched the list of disciples, Yang Ming arranged for disciples who had been granted at least fifth or sixth grade talismans, the Gaoshang Shenxiao Baolu and the Taishang Dongyuan Milu to patrol to ensure the safety of the young disciples.
After the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Zhengyi Dao's "Temple of Heaven Jade Code" divided Taoist priests into nine grades according to their cultivation and moral character.
The Heavenly Master receives the highest grade, the Shangqingdong Zhenbaolu, and the first one to enter the sect is granted the ninth grade, the Taishang Sanwudu Gongzhilu.
According to the orthodox view, Lingyu is a high-level master of the Three Caves and Five Thunders of Shangqing, a fourth-grade master. As the head of Shangqing, Yang Mingling is the second-grade Shangqing Xuanzhen Baolu.
The teachers of each sect will judge whether the disciples are qualified to receive the ordination, which usually takes several years.
Being able to receive the ordination certificate means that the teacher believes in his moral character and ability. When he is promoted to the first grade of ordination certificate, he also obtains the qualification to learn more advanced techniques of the sect.
Unfortunately, there are no gods in this world, and there is no heaven. The idea that the so-called receiving the ordination certificate means obtaining the preparation organization from the gods is also nonsense.
From Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace to Yuanfu Wanning Palace, after strolling around like an old gatekeeper, Yang Ming staggered to the last stop with a flashlight.
Behind Yuanfu Palace, on the top of Jinfeng Mountain, in front of Qianshen Temple, there is a nine-story ancestral temple.
It’s a pity that this ancestral temple was newly built on the original site, and not the original building, as the original building was destroyed in the war.
The Zongtan Temple is not as luxurious and solemn as the Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace in the front yard. It is a majestic building and a palace, meticulously carved.
On the contrary, it is very simple.
Green bricks and ancient tiles, and copper bells on the eaves.
The ancestral temple does not need any external decoration; the heroic souls enshrined within it make it sacred enough.
During the war years, Maoshan was once used as a pre-war command center, so the ancestral temple enshrines the ancestors of Maoshan, including the heroic souls who died in the war.
After strolling around the courtyard every day, Yang Ming would go to the ancestral temple to burn a stick of incense for his fellow disciples before going to rest.
Sniff!
Before entering the courtyard of the ancestral temple, Yang Ming discovered something was wrong. Although he was practicing the "Shangqing Dadong Zhenjing", in terms of physical training, he was not as good as his fellow disciples who were practicing the "Huangting Sutra".
But he was the head of a sect after all, with profound skills. Even when he was less than ten meters away, he could still sense the abnormality in the sect temple.
Yang Ming smelled a new smell in the house besides the scent of candlelight and sandalwood.
It tastes like beef noodles.
Outsiders have entered the ancestral temple!
Although Yang Ming was a little surprised, he was not worried.
Although the ancestral temple is very important to Shangqing and is one of the spiritual symbols of Shangqing, there are no other precious items in it except the seats of ancestors and heroes.
Even the list of disciples that was originally placed here was placed in Yang Ming's own study for personal safekeeping after the incident of Tu Junfang breaking into the mountain gate.
The other party broke into Maoshan and did not go anywhere else, but came to the ancestral temple. I'm afraid he has other plans like Tu Junfang.
Guessing this in his mind, Yang Ming secretly held the yellow talisman on his sleeve in his hand, just in case, and then he pushed the door and entered the ancestral temple as usual, as if he had discovered nothing.
However, he didn't expect that the situation in the house was different from what he thought.
There were no thieves rummaging through drawers, nor were there any conspirators waiting leisurely, pretending to be mysterious, for Yang Ming to push the door and enter.
There was only one young man who looked familiar to Yang Ming. He knelt respectfully in front of the cushion on the altar. In addition to three incense sticks, there was also a bowl of beef noodles in clear soup on the table.
"You are Shugo?!"
Looking at the appearance, Yang Ming did not recognize who it was, but observing his aura, Yang Ming guessed who the young man in front of him was.
Hu Xiuwu kowtowed three times to Wu Dechang respectfully, then stood up and greeted Yang Ming with the Ziwu ceremony: "Master, long time no see."
"I wanted to visit you after offering incense, but I didn't expect to run into you here."
Looking at the handsome, energetic, vigorous and unfathomable young man in front of him.
Yang Ming couldn't help but sighed: "Senior brother is a genius. He actually made the impossible possible and allowed you to survive successfully."
"Xiugo hasn't been back to the mountain for a long time. How long do you want to stay this time?"
Yang Ming's tone was very kind, but his psychology was actually very complicated. He hoped that Hu Xiuwu could come back, but he was also worried that once Hu Xiuwu came back, it would inevitably bring a storm to Shangqing.
He had also heard about Zhang Chulan and the origin of the Qi body. Hu Xiuwu had always abided by the agreement with his master and kept a distance from Shangqing. There must be a reason for his sudden return to the mountain this time.
Hu Xiuwu said casually: "This is not my first time to come back to the mountain. In the past two years, every time on the anniversary of Master's death and the Zhongyuan Festival, I would come to burn incense for Master."
Judging from Hu Xiuwu's tone, this seems to be a trivial matter, but it is actually very difficult to accomplish.
You should know that the last time he tried to sneak into Shangqing, he was discovered and almost beaten to death by Quan Xing’s well-known master, Sanshi Tu Junfang.
However, Hu Xiuwu sneaked into Maoshan several times to burn incense for Wu Dechang, but it was like a wisp of breeze passing by, and no one noticed.
Especially during the Ghost Festival every year, a large number of believers and lay Buddhists will come to Maoshan to burn incense, pray, and worship the deceased. To prevent accidents, Shangqing will be on high alert at this time every year, and work with secular patrols to ensure the safety of pilgrims.
But even so, no one has discovered Hu Xiuwu, which means that his perception is far superior to that of anyone on the mountain, and he can slip away before anyone discovers him.
Yang Ming knew very well that if Hu Xiuwu had gotten rid of his own shortcomings by possessing the "Huangting Sutra", then Hu Xiuwu's cultivation might have surpassed his.
Hu Xiuwu had not shown up in the previous few times, but he suddenly showed up this time, which must be a plan.
Hu Xiuwu said respectfully: "I came back to the mountain this time to ask for something."
Yang Ming smiled and said, “What? You don’t want to ask the four treasures to go back.”
Maoshan was once granted eight treasures by the Emperor of Song, but due to the war, only four treasures remained: the jade seal of the Nine Elders, the jade sceptre of the ancestral altar bestowed by the emperor, the Ha inkstone, and the jade talisman of the Heming Emperor.
These four treasures are all rare magical instruments, and their status in Maoshan is comparable to that of Zhang Tianshi's Three-Five Male-Female Evil-Slaying Swords in Longhu Mountain.
Hu Xiuwu shook his head: "Of course not, what I want to ask for is the True Spiritual Karma Map."
Chapter 305: Tour of the Underworld
As the five words "True Spirit Position Chart" were uttered, the ancestral temple fell silent. The two men seemed to have turned into two other statues on Mount Mao, and remained silent.
Yang Ming's face behind the flashlight flickered due to the flickering candlelight, and he was sometimes angry and sometimes frightened. But when he turned on the bright light in the room, it was as calm and bright as before, just like the stable incandescent light.
After all, he is the headmaster of Shangqing and has sufficient skills in cultivating his Qi. Although he was startled by Hu Xiuwu, Yang Ming quickly calmed down.
Before the thin incense in the incense burner fell with ashes, Yang Ming squinted his eyes, not revealing any brilliance, and said with a smile:
"Xiao Xiuwu, if you want the True Spiritual Position Map, why bother coming to me? It's 30 yuan a copy online, you can buy as many as you want. If you're really in a hurry, I remember there's one in the supermarket in front of the Taoist temple, but the price there may be a little higher."
Hu Xiuwu had expected this: "You are joking. I am not talking about those vulgar things. I am talking about the mysterious and infinite magic weapon, the True Spiritual Karma Map, compiled by Patriarch Tao Hongjing and produced by Patriarch Yuan Tiangang."
Brother, brother, how come you are so careless with your words? You tell everything to a child.
Yang Ming, who usually admired Wu Dechang very much, couldn't help but feel a little resentful at this moment.
"Xiuwu, you may not be very clear..."
"Uncle Master."
Yang Ming was about to speak and try to explain to Hu Xiuwu the importance of the True Spiritual Karma Map. It was not something that could be given to anyone casually.
But Hu Xiuwu interrupted him directly. He didn't like such roundabout temptation.
Hu Xiuwu took a step forward, and when he stepped on the bluestone slab, it was as if he was stepping on a clear blue lake, causing circles of black ripples, or like a circle of ink spreading out.
The black mark continued to expand, and before Yang Ming could react, it had already extended to the entire ancestral temple.
Afterwards, the bright light in the ancestral temple suddenly became distant; the candlelight, the lamplight, the red dots on the incense coils and the thin incense sticks all gradually faded away, as if absorbed by the deep darkness beneath the feet.
The sky was dim and it was impossible to tell up from down; the fog was thick and it was unclear in all directions, making Yang Ming feel like he had fallen into an endless hell.
"This is the Earthly Demon Order! No, although the Earthly Demon Order can command the Earth's Qi, it does not have the ability to transform into clouds and mist."
The surroundings turned into deep and endless darkness, and Yang Ming's first reaction was that he had fallen into Hu Xiuwu's strange formation.
During the time he was away from Shangqing, could it be that Xiuwu was learning some strange magic?
Yang Ming was amazed in his heart, but calmly put the yellow talisman with a figure holding a sword, stepping on thunder and fire, and runes glowing with golden light, back into the talisman bag.
Forget it, forget it. After all, he is my own child. There is no need to be so harsh. If he is naughty, just give him a beating. There is no need to kill him.
Yang Ming also lived through that turbulent era, and he developed very good habits. He always carried his own talisman bag with him, never leaving it for a moment, even when he slept, he would put it under his bed.