Volume 1: Zhao Shanhe Chapter 36 The Strange Scholar
"I wonder where in the city Fellow Daoist Zhao sensed that there was something evil hiding there?"
On the street, Ji Yuan, who was walking in front, suddenly asked without warning.
Zhao Yuansong smiled hoarsely. After all, he had been to the Jianghu a few times and was not a new disciple in the sect. Naturally, he could understand the caution in the other party's words, so without thinking, he reported the names of several places in the city.
There are three places where evil spirits are suspected to be hiding.
One is the Xiyu River that runs through the county. The evil spirit in it is not obvious and adheres to the bottom of the river, making it extremely difficult for fellow monks to detect clues.
The other is a few remote residential streets in the west of the city. There is a faint smell of blood, and it is difficult to determine whether it is a ghost or an evil spirit.
As for the last place, it is in several districts near the county government office. I heard that people often disappear in recent days.
"In the places where those people disappeared, I have felt a mysterious energy many times, which is somewhat similar to the magic method."
Zhao Yuansong told everything he knew in detail without reservation.
After listening to the description, Ji Yuan only felt a little pain in his head. There were three places where evil spirits were suspected to be hiding. Just listening to it, he could feel that it was not an ordinary trouble.
The evil spirit at the bottom of the river, the blood evil in the village, and the evil spirit near the county government office.
Ji Yuan suddenly felt that this county was a bit strange. Why did so many evil spirits suddenly appear?
"What did the little Taoist seek after he embarked on the path of spiritual practice?"
Zhao Yuansong's eyes flashed and he looked at the little Taoist priest beside him with deep meaning.
Hearing this, Ji Yuan couldn't help but be startled. He didn't understand why the other party suddenly asked such a question. After thinking about it for a while, he replied: "It's just to ask about immortality."
He shrugged inadvertently, not even noticing the hint of helplessness in the context.
After reading a few Taoist scriptures and becoming a monk by accident, everything seemed to fall into place naturally.
A brochure on the great road left by his ancestor appeared in front of him, and the mysterious principles of alchemy, talisman making, etc. that appeared in it appeared in it.
From then on, he made alchemy, made talismans, meditated and practiced martial arts every day, and sometimes practiced swordsmanship and body skills in the house. Naturally, he accumulated a fairly solid family fortune.
But if you really ask him if he has any pursuits after embarking on the path of spiritual practice, he really can't think of it at the moment.
Because the road ahead seems to have been paved, he only needs to walk forward step by step, and he can easily reach a distance that is difficult for ordinary monks to reach in their lifetime.
"I heard that a young Taoist priest became enlightened on his own by just reading a few Taoist Bibles without having any enlightenment instructions."
Zhao Yuansong asked curiously: "However, with such talent, why has the little Taoist priest still stayed in the early stage of enlightenment for more than a year?"
He originally thought that the other party lacked the resources needed for practice, but while wandering around the city yesterday, he unexpectedly learned that the Taoist Priest of Xuantian Temple was one of the best alchemists in Qianyu City.
The elixirs he refines, both in terms of quality and variety, far exceed those of other alchemists within hundreds of miles.
Among the monks, the alchemist was the richest, and there were often instances of a single elixir being sold for a sky-high price.
"Fellow Taoist asked too many questions."
Ji Yuan said casually, and his tone suddenly became colder.
Beside him, the fifth senior brother silently moved a few steps sideways, blocking between the two.
Seeing this scene, Zhao Yuansong's expression moved slightly, and a faint smile flashed in his eyes, but he did not continue to ask, as if he had already gotten the answer he wanted.
There was no more conversation among the seven people. After about half an hour, they stopped in front of a simple courtyard.
This is the most remote place in the east of the city, mostly home to poor people. At first glance, there are not a few intact houses in sight. People lying on the roadside are like bones and in ragged clothes.
It must be the first time for the two boys and girls to see such a scene, especially the stench that filled the air, which made them almost bend over and retching.
The arrival of the group of people did not cause any disturbance. The people around them mostly glanced at it and continued to sit slumped, or even lying on the ground, trying not to move as much as possible.
“Will the local government just ignore it?”
The girl named Xu Qiqi finally couldn't hold back and asked the senior sister beside her.
Hearing this, several people had complicated expressions on their faces, and they didn't know how to answer this question for a while.
On the other hand, young Jiang He's eyes suddenly flashed with anger, and he said angrily: "For those officials, it is business to immerse themselves in studying how to get promoted and make money. Who will take care of this in a thankless manner?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang He felt his brain collapse. The young man was so hurt that he almost burst into tears. He couldn't help but look at the senior brother in front of him with aggrieved eyes.
At this time, Zhao Yuansong withdrew his palm, glanced at the people around him with yellow faces and emaciated figures, and then whispered: "It's not that the government doesn't care, but it's useless even if they do."
As soon as he said two words, he shook his head and let out a sigh. He didn't know how to explain this situation. He not only wanted his junior brothers and sisters to not misunderstand, but also wanted them to still have a positive attitude towards the world after knowing the truth.
hope.
Ji Yuan glanced at Zhao Yuansong, pondered for a moment and said: "These are people who are unwilling to work, but want money to run into their own arms. The government has also worked hard for them, but in the end they attracted a lot of scolding.
"
Among the endless scoldings, there are those who want to get something for nothing and would rather starve to death than find some work, and there are also kind-hearted people who respond to the government's call and are willing to provide some help.
The former is to scold the officials for not directly giving themselves hundreds or thousands of taels of silver, so that they can have a lot of money from now on without having to sweat a drop of hard work.
The latter also scolded the officials and blamed the whims of the big shots sitting in the high halls, causing them to do good deeds with good intentions, but in the end, their own family was in a mess caused by such useless people. It is not an exaggeration to say that they are restless.
After going back and forth several times, the government gave up completely. The most they could do was contact the wealthy gentry, donate some money to buy some grain and rice, and occasionally open a porridge shop to ensure that most people in the area could keep their spirits up.
In fact, everyone who stays here is bringing their own fault. Even if they starve to death, no one with knowledge of the matter will show any sympathy.
Because people who really want to live a good life, or are unwilling to fall like this, have already left this place and found a job to support themselves.
Those who are left behind are truly hopeless.
But even though they have given up on themselves, there is still a stupid scholar who is still unwilling to give up on these people.
The scholar was once a talented scholar from Qianyu City. After studying hard for more than ten years in Hanchuang, he passed the county examination with great success and even easily won the first place in the county.
But when he was about to go to Beijing to take the exam, he seemed to have a brain convulsion for some reason. He gave up the official career that was easily available and turned around and walked into this almost forgotten corner.
The scholar spent all his money trying to change the people here, but in the end this talented guy wasted several years amidst the sighs of outsiders.
"Here we are, right here."
Ji Yuan led a group of people to a neatly maintained courtyard surrounded by wooden fences.
The fifth senior brother Guo Tao on the side stepped through the unclosed courtyard door in a few steps, came to the front of the house, knocked on the door and shouted.
"This scholar is really a pity."
Zhao Yuansong sighed with emotion.
A Confucian scholar who won the first place in a county was enlightened early and embarked on the path of spiritual practice. In the future, he could at least become an official of one of his parents, or study knowledge in a certain academy.
It's a pity but I don't know why, I have to give up those things that are readily available, and voluntarily fall into the mire of evil.
"Everyone has different ideas. Maybe for him, the fame and fortune that is so easy to obtain smells even more unpleasant."
Ji Yuan said helplessly, without commenting on whether what the scholar did was right or wrong.
Not long after, Guo Tao returned quickly and said that no one was in the house. Instead, there was a piece of paper pressed by a stone in front of the door, which said that the owner of the place was out for business and could come back another day.
"Looks like the trip was in vain."
Ji Yuan looked at the people behind him: "I'll make another trip later, but now let's go to Baiyun Temple."
A group of people visited Bai Bai, and they didn't have the slightest complaint in their hearts. Instead, they showed a bit of regret because they didn't see the scholar.
The expressions of the five members of the Jiuxuan Sect were naturally noticed by Ji Yuan. They were also from well-known and upright families. These people were much better than Li Mufeng and the others from Tianhe County in terms of character and self-cultivation.
After just over an hour of contact, he even had some changes in his view of Jiuxuanmen, and silently, he felt a lot of closeness in his heart.
If the entire sect is composed of disciples like this, even if there are only half of them, they will already be worthy of the name of an upright sect.
After another hour or so, the group arrived outside Baiyun Temple in the west of the city.
This temple is built next to a busy city, and it is very lively with people coming and going. There are countless vendors on the street outside the door, selling various kinds of incense, candles and Buddhist gadgets.
From a distance away, you can see thick incense rising from the temple, mixed with a few strands of gold thread.
In terms of the popularity of incense here, not to mention the Xuantian Temple, which has very few pilgrims, even the City God Temple cannot compare with it. I wonder if the City God who was granted the title of the imperial court would occasionally feel envious?
"I didn't expect that the incense here would be so prosperous."
When Zhao Yuansong saw this situation, he couldn't help but be stunned.
The Dayu Dynasty advocated Taoism, and there were many Taoist temples in the territory. Even the state religion was the same, coming from a strong lineage of Taoism.
Even the people of Dayu were influenced by the imperial court and naturally became close to Taoism, making it difficult for other sects to develop.
The current situation in Baiyun Temple is not only unique within the Dayu Dynasty, it is definitely extremely rare.
"Baiyun Temple is not only a Buddhist temple, but also a place of spiritual practice."
Ji Yuan explained in a low voice to several people.
In Buddhism, there is no concept of a sect of practice. Even if two monks practice different Buddhist dharma, they can still practice together. It is often found in a temple that there are different monks from all over the world. This chapter has been completed!
