Chapter 230: Replacing Tea with Wine, Discussing Taoism and Commenting on Mystery

Chapter 230: Replacing Tea with Wine, Discussing Taoism and Commenting on Mystery

Chapter 230: Replacing Tea with Wine, Discussing Taoism and Commenting on Mystery

"What a poem, what a poem!"

The old man in the crane cloak clapped his hands in approval, and the other two also nodded frequently.

And Zhaoli's head was already tilted up to the sky.

"I never thought that you have such profound magical powers and outstanding talents."

The old man in Hechang praised repeatedly.

Cheng Xinzhan waved his hands in embarrassment.
"But I wrote this poem when I was inspired by the beautiful scenery I saw in the mountains. The scenery is really beautiful, and the poem is not worth boasting about."

Seeing Cheng Xinzhan's modesty, the old man was more certain of his identity as an elegant hermit. He was very satisfied and said with a smile,

"Whether your poem is good or not, we will have our own opinions after some time. But now, I think you are qualified to pass the literary examination with this poem and enter the mountains to practice."

Cheng Xinzhan was delighted when he heard this.
"Thank you so much, Tao Changcheng!"

The old man heard this and said,

"I have a favor to ask of you, please help me."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded.
"The Taoist priest just said it doesn't matter."

The old man said,
“The Yaojing that Daoyou mentioned is actually made up of twelve high mountains from north to south. The outside world calls them the White Dragon Flag Mountains. In fact, each of these twelve mountains has its own name, and the boundaries are also very clear.

"The people in the mountains also choose the mountains to live in according to their own Dharma inheritance and their own preferences. As the number of people in the mountains increased, over time, these twelve mountains were truly divided into twelve peaks."

Cheng Xinzhan understood everything when he heard this, but he did not speak, waiting for the old man to bring it up himself.

"Generally speaking, the people in the South Mountain like martial arts. The hermits often go out and fight with others. Even in the mountains, they often discuss swordplay. The people in the North Mountain like literature. They like to build huts and sit in meditation, forget about the mysteries, and often hold Taoist gatherings to discuss the Tao.

"After the division into north and south, the mountain people lived in different places according to their own Taoist traditions and skills. Some followed the Xuanmen school, some followed Taoism, some followed Zen Buddhism, some liked alchemy, and some liked sword fighting."

Cheng Xinzhan frowned slightly when he heard this.

The old man noticed it immediately and explained,

"Of course, this is not absolute. Our snowy mountains are home to countless travelers from all over the world who stay and live together. They are not from any particular family or religion. The atmosphere in the mountains is very relaxed and free. You and I are good at writing, but we are often invited to watch swords in Nanshan. We practice Xuanmen Taoism, but we also have monk friends in the mountains where we live."

Cheng Xinzhan nodded upon hearing this, and his brows relaxed again.

"I'd like to let you know. These old Taoists are all living in the third mountain from the north, called Yanhuai Mountain. Many of the people in the mountain are from the Xuanmen of Shu. They believe in the Taoism of Laozi and Zhuangzi. They are very quiet. Since you are interested in practicing in the mountains, why don't you come to my Yanhuai Mountain?"

The old man looked at Cheng Xinzhan with a look of expectation in his eyes.

Cheng Xinzhan did not agree immediately after hearing this, but asked curiously,

“Please forgive me, Taoist priest. I came from the East and have long heard of the majestic beauty of the fairy mountains in Bashu. However, I have also heard that there are many disputes between the Xuanmen in Shu and the Taoist courts in the East. Therefore, I have never visited Shu, but took the route through Miaojiang and bypassed Shu to enter Kang.

"I don't know much about the Xuanmen in Shu, so I'd like to ask a few more questions. I'm from Dongdao, and the Taoist priest is from Xuanmen. Is it appropriate for us to live together in the same mountain? In addition, the Taoist priest is from Xuanmen, but he said he believes in Laozi and Zhuangzi, and is very peaceful. This is really different from the impression of Xuanmen that I heard from others."

The old man was stunned when he heard this, then he chuckled twice, which seemed to be a mockery. He poured tea for Cheng Xinzhan and said quietly,

"Emei has no moral integrity, which makes people misunderstand our Xuanmen."

Cheng Xinzhan thought he had come to the right place. He had gained something before he even entered the mountain. He asked,
"I don't know how to put this in detail."

The old man did not reply immediately, but started to announce the names. He said,

"I am from Chengdu, and have lived in Yanhuai Mountain for more than two decades. I call myself the drunken wanderer."

The other two people beside the old man also began to introduce themselves.

Both of them look younger than the old man He Chang.

A man wearing a jade-white linen robe with light mountain orchid embroidered on it, with a face of sixty years old, three long wisps of beard under his chin, elegant temperament, looking steady and proper, just heard him say,
"Thank you for your courtesy, fellow Taoist. I am Diebai Sanren, from Luzhou."

The other one was wearing a light blue robe with mottled bamboo shadows embroidered on it. He looked young, only in his thirties or forties, with skin as white as ice, but his face was obviously red from drinking, and he smelled of alcohol.

However, since Cheng Xinzhan was born in Meiji Mountain, how could he not smell the faint scent of bamboo in the wine? He only heard him say,
"Thank you for your courtesy, Taoist friend. I am Huqing Sanren, from Mianzhu."

Then the old man took over the conversation and said,

"To be honest with you, the three of us are all from Shuzhong, so we naturally understand this mysterious change."

Cheng Xinzhan bowed and also reported his place of origin and name.
"Hello fellow Taoists. I call myself Yunlai Sanren. I am from Yicheng, Qingzhou. I was born in Jianghuai and have traveled in the southeast for a long time. So I really don't understand the changes in Daoxuan mentioned by the Taoist priest. I hope you can help me solve my doubts."

The drunken man nodded.
"So you come from a secluded place. I have heard for a long time that Huangshan is beautiful and Tianzhu is tall. I have never seen it in my life and it has always been a pity."

"The East Mountain is beautiful, the West Mountain is stunning, both are great views."

Cheng Xinzhan replied.

"Yes Yes."

The drunken man nodded and continued,

"Speaking of the origin of Western Shu Xuanmen, it can actually be traced back to Guanghui Zhenjun in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties."

Cheng Xinzhan stopped shaking his whisk, frowned and thought seriously, then tried to test it.

"Master Guanghui, is that Master Zhaoyu?"

Cheng Xinzhan came to Xikang specifically to kill the demon and to learn about Emei, so he did a lot of research before coming. It is impossible for him to say that he did not know the relationship between Xishu Xuanmen and Zhao Zhenjun. However, there were three locals present at this time, and he had to pretend to know a little about it because he was a hermit.

But to be honest, Zhao Zhenjun became famous very early. He attained enlightenment when he was in his twenties and was a first-level god. Not long after he attained enlightenment, he encountered the second wave of immortals hiding from the world in the early Tang Dynasty. After that, he was never seen again. Therefore, there are indeed no detailed records about this gentleman in various Taoist scriptures, especially in Eastern Taoism.

Cheng Xinzhan only knew that this man loved swordsmanship and was known as the "Emei Sword Immortal". He was also famous for slaying dragons and controlling floods. He had done countless good deeds in the Bashu area. The Emperor of Sui and the Emperor of Tang had repeatedly sought to see him but to this day, temples dedicated to him can still be seen everywhere in the Minjiang River area.

There is another thing about this gentleman that Cheng Xinzhan also had a deep impression of. According to legend, this man and Erlang Xiansheng Zhenjun were sworn brothers, brothers with different surnames, and they shared the same incense in Bashu. They were legendary figures who shared the status of immortal and god.

Apart from these two things, Cheng Xinzhan knew little about this man's other deeds.

"good."

The old man nodded.

As if anticipating that they would have a long conversation, Cheng Xinzhan suddenly said,

"All of you Taoist priests have the word 'wine' in their names. Could it be that you are also immortals of drinking?"

The three of them brightened up when they heard this, and Hu Qing Sanren took the initiative to speak.

"Could it be that fellow Daoist would also like what's in this cup?"

Cheng Xinzhan laughed and nodded, as if talking about wine had turned him from a pure scholar into a madman. He said, "Since the drunk Taoist priest wants to discuss Taoism and comment on the mysteries, why not replace the tea with wine?"

The three of them looked at each other in surprise, then laughed out loud at the same time, and Drunk Sanren was even more overjoyed.

"When I first met you, I felt that we were destined to be together. Your poetry and wine surprised me even more."

As he spoke, the old man grasped Cheng Xinzhan's hand and said,
"After discussing the Dao and commenting on the Mysterious Dao, and after removing the tea and replacing the wine, you must promise me now that if you really want to join the White Dragon Banner, you must live in Yanhui Mountain. Otherwise, you will lose your fellow Daoists, so you may as well not drink this wine!"

The other two also looked over eagerly.

This time, Cheng Xinzhan did not disappoint the old man. Without thinking too much, he nodded and said,
"I also feel that I have a lot in common with you fellow Taoists. This is something I couldn't ask for more."

The drunk man smiled happily and said,

"Very good, very good!"

Then, he put away the tea set, looked at Hu Qing San Ren, and said,
"Huqing, pour wine for fellow Taoist!"

Then, Hu Qing Sanren took out four jade cups and placed them in front of the four people. After placing them, he smiled at Bai Long and Zhao Li and asked Cheng Xinzhan,

"Fellow Daoist, do you two boys want to have a taste as well?"

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and waved his hand when he heard this.

"Children are young, so it is better not to drink."

Hu Qing Sanren smiled and said yes, then took out a bamboo tube-shaped wine vessel and took the lead in pouring wine for Cheng Xinzhan.

Cheng Xinzhan watched as the wine poured out of the bamboo tube was as white as icy spring water, with a faint bamboo fragrance.

"Fellow Daoist, please try our Shuzhong wine. It's a strong wine called "Sword Throat". I wonder if you can get used to it."

Cheng Xinzhan smiled back,
"I love strong liquor the most in my life."

The three of them laughed again when they heard this. After all, there was no such thing as clear or sweet wine in Shu.

Seeing that Hu Qing San Ren wanted to pour wine for him, Cheng Xinzhan said,
"When drinking with friends, how can we drink our own wine? Come, boy, pour wine for the three Taoist priests."

Zhao Li responded sweetly, opened the "Red Gall" gourd, and poured wine for the three people one by one.

The three of them looked at the wine poured out of the gourd, which was emitting flames and spiritual energy. They knew that they had encountered an extraordinary nectar, and joy appeared on their faces.

"Raise the white!"

The four of them clinked their glasses and drank.

When Cheng Xinzhan drank this "Sword Throat", it was as if he had filled his mouth with the wind and snow from outside the mountains. Then the wind and snow turned into fire, entered the sword and pierced his throat. Finally, the fire in his stomach burned, producing the aroma of wine and making his mouth water.

"Good wine!"

He drank it all in one gulp and praised it.

Looking at the three people opposite, their faces were completely red, and even the breath they exhaled was fiery.

"My friend, this wine is so strong!"

Hu Qing Sanren was shocked.

"It tastes better than fairy wine, and is even more full of spiritual energy. This one sip is equivalent to ten days of food intake! Daoist friend is really willing to spend money, and let us take advantage of it."

The drunken man said, he thought to himself, what he was drinking was not wine at all, it was clearly real fire and yang essence!
Cheng Xinzhan just waved his hands as he listened.
“Wine tasting is all about the taste, nothing else.”

The drunken man was startled when he heard this, then he smiled and nodded.

"You are still free and easy, fellow Taoist."

At this time, after drinking a lot of liquor, Cheng Xinzhan began to show his crazy side and said,

"Fellow Daoist, that sounds a bit too formal, so just call me Yunlai."

A drunken man is quick to follow good advice.

"Yunlai, then don't call me Taoist priest anymore, just call me drunk."

Cheng Xinzhan pretended to be reserved, but said,

"The Taoist priest is older than me, so it's fine for him to call me by my first name. But I'm afraid it's inappropriate for me to call him by his first name."

Mingting Sanren saw that Cheng Xinzhan was pretending to be reserved, and he thought he had figured out Cheng Xinzhan's personality. He didn't take it seriously, but felt more friendly. He laughed and said,
"Good wine makes one forget about age, and what is the difference between old and young?"

Cheng Xinzhan smiled and said,
"Then respect is worse than obeying orders."

The drunken man nodded and returned to the topic.
"Who is the True Lord? His surname is Zhao and his given name is Yu. His Taoist name is Gao Ming. He has been called Xian Ying Hou, Sheng Hou of Shu, Ling Wang of Chicheng, and Guang Hui Zhen Lord.

"Zhenjun was a native of Emei in Shu. He was born during the Sui Dynasty. He was suspected to be the reincarnation of a god. He had supernatural powers since he was a child. When he was young, he was famous for his filial piety, kindness, and miraculous deeds. The Emperor of Sui heard that he was a virtuous man and went to Shu to pay homage to him, but Zhenjun hid himself and did not see him.

"When he was young, he had already achieved great success and often traveled between Mount Emei and Mount Qingcheng, practicing in seclusion and collecting herbs to make elixirs. It was at that time that he met Erlang Xiansheng Zhenjun, who was practicing at Guankou, Dujiangyan, at the foot of Mount Qingcheng. He was appreciated by Xiansheng Zhenjun and became their brother regardless of age difference."

"At the end of the Sui Dynasty, evil dragons were causing trouble in Shu, and demons were everywhere. The "Records of the Search for Gods in Bashu" says that the True Lord was collecting herbs on Mount Emei at the time. He heard the deafening cries from the people below the mountain, and he could not bear it. He immediately abandoned his medicine basket, picked up his sword and went down the mountain to save the people from the water and fire. The book contains the "Song of Entering the World" written by the True Lord as evidence:
Gathering herbs, the sky is full of clouds,
Suddenly I heard a mournful sound coming from the foot of the mountain.

The secret is not in the furnace.
And carry the green light to cross the world! "

After reciting the poem, the drunkard drank another full cup and then continued,
"The Guangji says: Zhenjun descended from Mount Emei, entered Jiazhou, waded across the Minjiang River, and submerged himself in the water with a sword. In a moment, the sky and the earth became dark, the river water was surging, and there was a sound of thunder. After a while, countless dragon heads floated on the waves, and the Minjiang River turned red, and the harm was eliminated. At that time, the people of the state bowed to him and worshipped him as a divine and true master. Zhenjun was only 26 years old at the time.

"From then on, whenever the water level in Bashu rose, people could see Master Zhao holding a long sword and appearing in the clouds and mist with his followers. Then the water level would drop immediately. The Buddha called him: "Sword Immortal of Emei." "

Cheng Xinzhan was so excited after hearing this that he also drank the liquor in his glass and sighed,
“A practitioner should be like this!”

When Mingting Sanren heard this, he couldn't help but smile knowingly. It seemed that all hermits in the world were the same. They all had great ambitions before choosing to leave the world. It was just that he avoided the world because of the overthrow of his master's sect. So why did this young man in front of him do the same?
However, since it involves personal privacy, Mingting Sanren naturally would not ask, but continued,
"Zhao Zhenjun gave up his elixir and took up his sword, saying that the secret of the great Dao was not in the mountains, but in the act of saving the world. This is the source of the word "Xuan" in the Xuanmen of Shu. Zhao Zhenjun built huts in Emei and Qingcheng to practice, and left letters to recruit disciples. This is the source of the Dharma lineage of the Emei and Qingcheng sects in Shu, so Emei and Qingcheng are actually of the same ancestor.

"Among them, because Qingcheng Mountain is close to Dujiangyan and overlooks Guankou, and the latter is the Taoist temple of Erlang Xiansheng Zhenjun, Zhao Zhenjun is respectful to his elder brother, so he sometimes lives in Qingcheng and often lives in Emei, so naturally, there are more disciples in Emei and fewer in Qingcheng.

“So, to this day, the people in Shu call themselves Xuan but not the real Xuan sect. The Xuan sect respects Emei and Qingcheng as the most respected sects, and Emei is the most respected sect. All these things originated from Master Zhao.”

Cheng Xinzhan nodded slowly, feeling that he had benefited a lot, and said,
"I see."

But at this point, the drunken man changed the subject and said with disdain,
"The True Lord has a kind heart and swift tactics, but the Emei sect he taught only learned swift tactics and forgot the ancestor's kind heart! As for the Taoist methods left by the True Lord, the Emei sect only learned the sword canon, and the rest were all shelved!"

Cheng Xinzhan's expression changed, and he filled the drunk man's glass with wine again and asked,
"how you said that?"

The drunk man picked up the wine glass and sneered twice.
"Oh, the mystery comes from the Tao, and it changes with the times. When people are suffering, they go out into the world, and when peace comes, they withdraw from the world. Emei doesn't understand such a simple truth, but instead regards itself as the orthodox lineage of the True Lord, and repeatedly interferes in the external affairs of Emei Mountain, like a local emperor in Shu!

"In the past hundred years, he has been forging his fate and claiming to be the ruler of Emei, misinterpreting the meaning of the Mysterious, using the Mysterious to replace the Dao, causing the confrontation between the Mysterious and the Dao, and completely ruining the reputation of the Mysterious School in Shu. He is truly a short-sighted person! A shameless person!"

(End of this chapter)