Mr. Changqing looked into the distance. It was not bright yet in the early morning, but his newly recovered eyes could still bear it.
"If you are not in a hurry to leave, I would like to advise fellow Taoist Changqing to continue to rest." Xie Zhihe handed a green glazed porcelain cup to the other party and said at the same time: "This is the anti-condensation ointment. Taoist fellow Taoist massage acupuncture points every day to guide Qi.
When bleeding, apply it on both eyes and forehead to protect the meridians."
"Thank you for your hard work, fellow Taoist." Mr. Changqing took the porcelain cup. Inside was a well-prepared ointment, which was like mutton-fat jade. It had a clear smell and felt that the nose was unobstructed.
Mr. Changqing's eyes have been able to see normally under Xie Zhihe's treatment, but he still has some wind and photophobia.
Following Xie Zhihe's footsteps, Mr. Changqing came to a quiet courtyard, surrounded by the fragrant fragrance of elixirs. It is conceivable that ordinary medicines, stones, knives and needles are useless to heal the sick and injured here, and they must rely on fumigation to harmonize the Qi and pulse.
.
After opening several gauze curtains one after another, Mr. Changqing came to a large couch, on which lay an old man. Most of his face was covered with burn scars.
"Master Zhou, Mr. Changqing is here to visit you." Xie Zhihe softly woke up the old man on the couch, and then took the initiative to leave.
The old man struggled to open his eyes. Mr. Changqing hurried forward and said in a respectful tone: "Disciple pays homage to Master."
"It seems that Junior Brother has not forgotten Zhonghuang Temple after all." The old man's voice was hoarse, and there was a trace of relief in his eyes.
Mr. Changqing's expression was solemn. From just these words, he could tell that the old man's chest Qi veins in front of him were seriously injured. Taoist cultivation is based on refining Qi to preserve the spirit. Damaged Qi pulses made it difficult to breathe in and out, and even the breath regulation was not possible.
His Taoist foundation was completely ruined.
"Master asked me to come down the mountain now because of the matter of Star Essence." Mr. Changqing comforted him: "Master, please rest in peace and recuperate for the time being. Don't worry."
"I know my situation very well. The foundation of Taoism is exhausted, and the medicine and stone are ineffective. Now I am just relying on the smoke of the elixir cauldron to hang on to my remaining life." Master Zhou sighed softly: "I am arrogant and arrogant now, even though it was vague at the time.
I expected that someone would be able to set up a barrier to cover the Western Region, but I still forcefully activated the magic, which eventually caused the magic to backfire, which is irreversible."
Mr. Changqing was speechless. Wasn't he like this at the beginning? He had clearly noticed something strange, but he still refused to believe in evil, thinking that he would be able to overcome obstacles based on his past practice. This may be the unique arrogance of Taoists.
Conceit, no one can escape it.
"I heard from others that the Protectorate has found the blessed land cave where the demon activates the barrier. It is in the Tianchi in the mountains in Tingzhou?" Master Zhou asked.
"It's not certain yet. I will leave to investigate later." Mr. Changqing immediately asked for advice: "I wonder if the master has anything to entrust to the disciple?"
"I have heard about the Tianchi in the mountains for a long time, but I have not had time to go and check it out in the past." Master Zhou said: "If it is just an ordinary lake in the mountain, even if it is connected to the surrounding water veins, it is actually not enough to activate a vast barrier to cover the Western Region.
"But I once read through the history books and learned that hundreds of years ago, a troop of troops from the Northern Dynasty conquered the Western Regions. They met a black dragon near Quzhi City. Its eyes were like lightning, and it followed the wind and rain, and then disappeared.
"I guess that most dragon species prefer to live in places with abundant water. The Western Region is vast, but most of it is Gobi desert. Only the Tianchi in the mountains is suitable for the black dragon to occupy. If that Tianchi is really the black dragon's lair, it may be used as a launch pad
The blessed land spiritual cave of the barrier."
Mr. Changqing couldn't hide his surprise: "Is it possible that the demon is colluding with a black dragon?"
Today's world is no better than in ancient times. Real dragons are rare and hard to see. Even some aquatic monsters who have become climatic have no difficulty in cultivating some dragon shapes.
Compared to the star marrow that has attracted competition from all parties, the appearance of a black dragon is probably even more shocking.
"It's hard to say." Master Zhou shook his head slightly: "The true dragon is unruly and untamable. It cannot be made to serve by force alone. You still need to investigate more carefully."
"Disciple understands." Mr. Changqing then asked: "Now that the Western Region is shrouded in a barrier, does Master have any way to deal with it?"
"Most of the Taoist spells can only be executed by attracting the energy of heaven and earth. There are also mantras in Buddhism to welcome the Tathagata Sun and the various garlands and other bodies for blessing. But now in the barrier, these spells cannot be used."
Master Zhou had talked too much and was a little tired. Mr. Changqing brought him warm water and asked him to take a sip. He took a breath and continued:
"Besides that, divination is also in chaos. I guess it's because when the barrier is activated, it becomes so majestic and difficult to cover up, so we have to add such a layer of means to the barrier as a precaution."
"But... judging from the disciple's experience, the demon seems to have been paying close attention to the movements of the star marrow, so that he can guide the demons and thieves in the desert." Mr. Changqing asked: "This seems to be something he can do.
We can't do anything."
Master Zhou thought deeply for a long time and said solemnly: "The emperor controls the heavenly gates and controls the earth by transporting the cardinals. The gods control the earthly taboos and praise the rules and regulations to carry the sky. The demon did not simply activate the barrier, but outlined the longitude and latitude and made the law. This is by no means unusual.
generation."
Mr. Changqing also felt a little uneasy now: "Could it be that like the ancestor of the heavenly master, he set up the twenty-four Futing ghost prisons in Shu to contain the true energy and transform all things into being, so that he could collect the evil spirits in the world and ban them?
?”
"Although it is not the same, it is somewhat similar." Master Zhou Lian said: "Being able to activate such a barrier, the demon has the air of a master in magic. I never thought that such a person could appear in Zoroastrianism."
Mr. Changqing informed in a low voice: "Baochang Society once fought with this person and forced him to retreat. They also learned that this demon was not of Zoroastrian origin."
"Baochang Society?" Master Zhou looked surprised: "Even if there are masters among them, how can they force such powerful people to retreat?"
"It is said that it was Cheng Sanwu who forced the demon away with his punch," Mr. Changqing said.
"Cheng Sanwu? I've heard of this person, but I didn't expect..." Zhou Lianshi muttered: "To deal with demons nowadays, perhaps you really need to rely on people with high martial arts skills and violent energy to suppress spells.
Odds of winning.”
"But the premise is that we can fight the demon face to face." Mr. Changqing said helplessly: "This is the most difficult thing right now."
If you want to deal with magicians, the difficulty is usually not to fight head-on, but to know where the opponent is. Even those unscrupulous magicians can play tricks on wealthy people without showing any signs of it.
At present, except for Cheng Sanwu and the others, no one has ever seen the monster with their own eyes. If the ordinary soldiers of the Protectorate met him head-on, they would still not know why, and they would be unable to guard against him.
"If the Tianchi in the mountain is really the blessed land spiritual acupoint that activates the barrier, the demon should be nearby to guard it, but will not stay away easily. In my current state, I can't help you." Master Zhou reluctantly gestured to the couch, and saw the wooden frame.
A small brass bell is placed on top, with talismans and seals arranged on the surface, and a five-color silk ribbon on the top, which is mysterious and extraordinary.
"Take it," Master Zhou said.
"This...this is the Twelve Yellow Bells, the treasure of Zhonghuang Temple. How could..." Mr. Changqing was also stunned.
"No matter how precious the magic weapon is, it must be used by others in order to be effective. Otherwise, it will be like dung." Master Zhou struggled to regain his energy: "Back then, my junior brother and I were at odds with each other and left the Huangguan Temple in Kongtong Mountain alone.
"I was annoyed that he was arrogant and conceited, but later I heard that he opened another school in Songyue and preached Taoism, which was highly praised. I was also very pleased. I have entrusted the Twelve Taihuang Bell to you for the time being. I can rest assured. I will wait for you.
Once the matter is over, you can just send him back to Zhonghuang Temple."
Mr. Changqing was both excited and sad in his heart. He didn't know that Master Zhou was explaining the funeral arrangements, so he immediately stood up and thanked him. Master Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and slowly closed his eyes: "You go ahead, I'm tired."
When Mr. Changqing walked out of the courtyard with the Twelve Taihuang Bells, he happened to see Xie Zhihe counting the medicines. The tall Cheng Sanwu looked around with curiosity as if he were visiting a market.
"You finally came out. I've been waiting for a long time." Cheng Sanwu saw Mr. Changqing and said bluntly: "Qi Daduhu came to us to discuss something, let's go."
Mr. Changqing put away the Twelve Taihuang Bells, said goodbye to Xie Zhihe, and then left with Cheng Sanwu.
Cheng Sanwu stared at Mr. Changqing for a while, then glanced sideways: "How are you doing?"
"Your eyes are red, is it because your eyes are not healed?" Cheng Sanwu asked.
Mr. Changqing took a deep breath, suppressed his tears, and said with a straight face: "No."
"Oh, that's why I'm crying." Cheng Sanwu's face looked like he was laughing.
"Can't I cry?" Mr. Changqing also lost his temper. He stood still and retorted: "What do you know, you ignorant and reckless man? Do you know what this means when a cultivator's foundation of Taoism is ruined?"
How could Cheng Sanwu understand this, so he could only shrug his shoulders and give up.
The two of them arrived outside the Protector's Mansion. After the briefing, they took off their weapons and headed to the main hall. In addition to being heavily guarded by soldiers along the way, there were also talismans that had never been seen before on the walls and doors, and red paint was even hung outside the main hall.
The knot is wrapped three times.
Mr. Changqing could tell that someone had set up a barrier to prevent magical prying eyes, and he would definitely be discussing confidential matters later.
Entering the main hall, in addition to the father and son of the Protector Qi, as well as Su Wangting and Afu who had arrived in advance, there were several other people, including monks, who were obviously magicians from the Protectorate.
"Everyone is here." Protector Qi motioned for everyone to sit down and said straight to the point: "The purpose of gathering everyone this time is to discuss the next arrangements. At present, our government has found the blessed land spiritual cave where the demon is suspected of activating the barrier, but it will take a few more days.
Please go there in person. If you have any suggestions, you can speak freely and don’t feel restrained."
Su Wangting was the first to speak: "Although we have found the general direction, we have met the demon in person, and the demon seems to be able to spy on our every move with magic. If we go there rashly, it may not be possible."
"This is not a problem." Qi Protector looked to the other side: "Daoist Master Shang, have you brought anything?"
I saw a fat black Taoist with a general's belly handing Su Wangting and his party several wooden plaques with cinnabar drawings on them.
"This is the Beidou Soul Hiding Talisman. Wearing it on your body can block spells from detecting." Shang Dao said: "If the demon really uses spells to detect your position, the talisman will also be sensed and the light will shine spontaneously."
Mr. Changqing looked at it for a while and asked: "I'm afraid this thing alone is not enough. We must go with the soldiers and horses of the Protectorate. With a large number of people, the momentum is significant. Even if we don't use magic to predict, we can only rely on scouts and cavalry." You can also detect movements.”
"So in addition to you, our government will dispatch dozens of troops to various places, not only to eliminate the remnants of the remnants, but also as a cover." Qi Dadu defended his words: "And I will also personally go to the court in the name of inspecting various places. state."
"Go directly to Tingzhou? Won't it arouse the demons' alertness?" Mr. Changqing asked.
"I just want him to be on guard so that he can fish out all his remaining men." Qi Dadu defended: "This demon has a far-reaching layout and will definitely pay attention to every move of my house. If his lair is really in Tingzhou, then he won't There may be no action, the best thing is to send a team of people to lure our troops away."
Su Wangting immediately answered: "And we can use the trick and go directly to Tianchi."
"Exactly." The Great Protector of Qi looked at an old monk in shackles next to him: "Master Shanzhi, the demon is causing trouble in the name of Zoroastrianism, and I need to trouble you to help him."
Although there are Taoist masters like Zhou Lianshi in the Duhu Mansion, the Taoist sect is far from prosperous in the Western Regions. To serve in the Duhu Mansion, they are either sent by the imperial court or recruited by the Grand Protector of Qi himself.
However, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism are the real conflict between the two religions in the Western Regions. Some Zoroastrian believers openly smashed Buddhist temples and destroyed Buddha statues, which aroused dissatisfaction among the monks. In turn, they broke into the Zoroastrian Temple with sticks and weapons to extinguish the sacred fire.
The conflict between the two religions has been going on for a long time, to the extent that no one can explain the cause, even before Daxia conquered the Western Regions. In order to protect their respective sects, both families were trying to win over the kings and princes of the Western Regions, and they fought fiercely.
Although there was only one monk present, Master Shanzhi, he had more than 300 monks and disciples. Some of them were magic monks who practiced the mantra, and the rest were warrior monks who were not taboo on meat and vegetables. They were ruthless characters who could really fight and fight.
"The old monk has been worshiped by Daxia for many years, and he deserves to be repaid." Master Shanzhi put his hands together and said: "When we go to Tingzhou, the old monk will lead his disciples to Tianchi alone, recite mantras, sing Buddhist chants, and save the souls of the dead. , the Sanskrit sound spreads, shakes the mountains and rivers, and can loosen the foundation of the heretic barrier."
"Very good." The Great Protector of Qi then looked at Cheng Sanwu: "If you can really find the demon in Tianchi, are you sure you can deal with him?"
Although Cheng Sanwu had been practicing martial arts in recent days, he still couldn't use his powerful fists. However, facing Qi Dadu Protector, Cheng Sanwu was so heroic that he had no intention of backing down. He crossed his hands and said, "Please Dadu Protector." Don't worry, I promise to beat that monster to death!"
The Protector of Qi nodded slightly, but he would not place his hopes on one person, and then said: "Does Mr. Changqing also want to accompany us?"
"That's natural." Mr. Changqing took out the Twelve Yellow Bells and said, "Master Zhou has given me many instructions, and I will do my best to rectify the chaos!"
The Great Protector of Qi looked at Afu for the last time, stood up and raised his hands and asked: "I have made all arrangements. I wonder if the envoy has any other instructions?"
"I'm with Cheng Sanwu and the others." Afu added: "This time the demon slaying was all thanks to the work of the Protector, and I will report it truthfully."