Chapter 144 Old friend, what night is it today (there are still four thousand in the evening!)
The original Shiyuan County of Southern Xinjiang Prefecture of the Tang Dynasty is now Chixin City.
In this new and prosperous city in the south, you can vaguely see the scattered blue tiles and white walls in the misty rain.
Under the broad city wall, a rippling blue moat surrounds the city. A long bridge spans the river, reflecting the laughter of many pedestrians.
On both sides of the street, there are many shops, flags of various colors fluttering in the wind, and copper bells tinkling.
In front of the silk shop, gorgeous silks and satins hang like waterfalls, attracting passing merchants.
From spices to porcelain, from jades to gold and silver ornaments, as well as the constant shouting, these all reflect the wealth and prosperity of this new city in southern Xinjiang.
In the market, vendors carry burdens and shouts one after another. Fresh fish and shrimp jump in wooden barrels, sometimes splashing with water.
The tea shop is packed with seats, and the air is filled with the faint fragrance of melon and fruit tea.
As the sun sets, the golden afterglow falls on the blue tiles, and the reflected light seems to light up the sky.
The city gradually fell into tranquility, as night fell and the lanterns were turned on, another lively scene was slowly unfolding.
On the second floor of the tea shop, three young-looking Taoist priests, one man and two women, were drinking tea. Below them was a shadow puppet show.
Artists use animal skins or cardboard to make silhouettes of characters, and use lights to perform stories. The story performed today is:
Ten Miles Slope, Taoist Chixin broke armor twenty-four times with his sword!
Relief of the people hangs upside down.
"More than fifty years ago, our place was still called Shiyuan County. We had no clothes or food to cover our bodies. When the elderly reached the age of fifty, they would be carried to the python mountain by their children to feed the pythons. Every few years, there would be The doll was sent to the black temple, and her heart and liver were ripped out...
Because at that time, our place was occupied by a group of murderous demons who kissed blood. We endured it until one day a young elder Tang Taoist official came here.
He asked:
'Old man, how can I get to the local county government? '"
The shadow puppet show stall owner tells the story of Lu Chengchu, more than fifty years ago. Some things that happened at this time are no longer accurate due to the passage of time. For example, the four surnames Li, Tu, Zou, and You who occupied this place are now directly accused of being demons, grinding their teeth to suck blood, and killing people like hemp.
After the basic background of the story is explained, it is the performance of the shadow puppet show:
The cause, process, result, the layered drama, and after a climax fight, the shadow puppet representing Taoist Chixin will kill the last demon. Stabbed down, the audience around him burst into cheers.
This story has endured in Chixin City for a long time. It is the memory of the elderly, the memories of some middle-aged people, and the legends that some teenagers and children have heard since childhood.
“I have managed a piece of originally barren land to a point where today I barely pick up things on the road and never close my house at night. It is a great merit for me.”
On the second floor of the tea shop, a beautiful female crown is pouring tea for the man. Although she wore a gauze veil, she was dressed in the attire of a serious female Taoist priest. Her figure was slim and her appearance was so beautiful. At this moment, serving tea for Lu Cheng naturally attracted many people's attention.
However, the Tang Dynasty worshiped Taoism, and there were many cultivators living together with ordinary people, so they only looked sideways. Xue Yuzhen and Yun Ling'er had long been used to it.
"Erazing the four surnames to divide land and property is just a temporary solution but not the root cause. What really makes this place prosperous is the Chen family's construction of water conservancy, eliminating poisonous miasma, protecting trade routes, and keeping the place safe for decades. . But most people think "Okay, I'll kill all the evil cultivators recruited by the Li, Tu, Zou, and You families."
At this moment, some whispers came from the side, deliberately lowering their voices. , but Lu Cheng still heard it.
"Chixin Guan is really getting worse every year. It's just a scorpion monster causing trouble. It's been several years and it hasn't been dealt with properly. It causes trouble every once in a while and it's bound to die. Many people... "
"Yes, everything is peaceful and peaceful over at the Magic Mountain Villa in Xicheng Town. Compared with the sad old man and the cultivator Pei Fangxuan, the magic power of the three friends of Chixin Guan is too weak to support this family business. .”
Just as the monks at the table were whispering, a piece of spiritual stone fell on their table with a bang.
A few people at the table turned their heads in surprise, only to see a young man in Taoist attire sitting at the window of the teahouse, accompanied by two female cultivators on the left and right. He was young, handsome, and unfamiliar!
“If you have nothing to do, friends, would you like to have tea with me? I am new to Guibao, and I don’t know much about many local sects. Friends, can you help me clarify my doubts?”
< br>What the people at that table said was not a secret at all, it was just that it was difficult to speak freely in the local area. Lu Cheng was willing to listen to Hua Lingshi, so they naturally said what they said to each other and said whatever they knew.
It turns out that more than fifty years have passed, and the original Shiyuan County has become the current Chixin City. Many things have changed with time.
Because of the belief in Chixin God, the common people still worship Chixin Guan. They still only recognize Chixin Guan, and this recognition even exceeds that of the government.
But in the Tongxuan world, it doesn’t matter whether the output of Shiyuan City was divided among the four surnames Li, Tu, Zou, and You, or occupied by a few Qi-training realm monks.
But today, more than fifty years later, due to economic prosperity and population concentration, Chixin City has become the most prosperous and important city of the Tang Dynasty in southern Xinjiang.
Its taxes and spiritual product output cannot be occupied by three Foundation Establishment Realm monks.
Groups of cultivators gathered together, southern Xinjiang monks, and even the second and third ranks of the Xuanmen in China came here to develop their influence, but as a local landlord, the prestige of Chixin Guan was not very high.
"I heard that Master Lu Xian, the master of the Scarlet Heart Temple, is now practicing Taoism in the Palace of Incarnations of All Beasts and is quite famous. If not, then the position of Master of the Scarlet Heart Temple would not be the turn of the current Master Chen."
< br>"Well, Chen Guanzhu arranged formations here to resolve the miasma, built water conservancy, and managed the area, which was also meritorious." Hearing this, Lu Cheng couldn't help but defend his friend.
"What's the use of that? Emperor, those who have strong soldiers and horses should be the ones to be chosen. This sentence is the same in our practice world, not to mention the several formations arranged by Chen Guanzhu back then, and now just randomly select a few people , the same arrangement, what’s the problem?”
A Taoist’s words made Lu Cheng stop talking.
Now the monks in Chixin City are more interested in the Demon Suppressing Villa established more than ten years ago. The owner of the villa is Pei Fangxuan. He is impatient, righteous and has the demeanor of an elder. He has the fourth level of magic power. , His master, the sad old man, is an expert in the realm of refining.
It's just that Master Pei has a good relationship with Master Chen of Chixin Temple, otherwise he might have replaced him long ago.
“The red fire scorpion also caused trouble once in Xicheng, but was driven away by Master Pei’s flying fork and never dared to invade again, unlike Chixinguan where it was so troubled that it was difficult to live in peace. ”
Lu Cheng originally just wanted to take a look at the development and changes of the original Shiyuan County and the current Chixin City, but unexpectedly he learned about this incident.
On that day, he did not follow the original plan to visit his former friends, the Chen family brothers and sisters. Instead, he took Xue Yuzhen and Yun Ling'er to stay at a local inn.
"We have to solve the problem for Qingfeng Qingyun and the others. The third-level red fire scorpion regards this place as its lair. Don't want to go? In that case, there is no need to go."
After waiting like this for half a month, one afternoon, there was chaos in Nancheng. It was said that monsters had escaped to eat people.
The moment Xue Yuzhen and Yun Ling'er noticed this, they saw a sword rainbow soaring into the sky, but it was Lu Cheng who was in the room borrowing the Five Elements True Evil Gourd to condense evil spirits and rushed over quickly.
“Mother?”
Yun Linger looked at Xue Yuzhen.
"We will also go together. Your Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen took good care of us back then. If you can take action, you should do your best."
"Okay. But I'm afraid that by the time we arrive, dad will have already peeled off the shell and bones of the red fire scorpion."
Xue Yuzhen and Yun Ling'er also turned into two rays of light, wielding weapons go.
But when the two arrived, they were surprised to see the red fire scorpion still showing off its power.
After not seeing each other for more than thirty years, Chen Qingfeng, Chen Qingyun and Luo Peifang have each changed. At this moment, the three of them are working together to hunt down the red fire scorpion.
Flying swords, flying needles, flying cones, and even talismans, Chen Qingyun is the talisman maker, Luo Peifang is the weapon refiner, and Chen Qingfeng is good at formations. None of the three are weak. However, under the magic weapon, the red fire scorpion rushed from all directions, fighting until the house fell down, and there was chaos everywhere, but it was difficult to kill it.
“Huh?”
Xue Yuzhen let out a little doubt and was about to sacrifice the magic weapon. At this moment, she and Yun Linger were pressed by a hand on their shoulders. .
"Wait a minute, there is a problem with this red fire scorpion, don't take action yet."
But it was Lu Cheng who had already arrived, but was hiding with Tianyi Zhenjue.
After a while, when the red fire scorpion was still alive and kicking, Lu Cheng suddenly appeared and drew his sword.
The sword rainbow he sacrificed just passed by and stabbed the red fire scorpion, causing it to roll over in pain and want to burrow into the ground. The earth sword hidden edge slashed it and killed it again. Bounce out.
With Lu Cheng's sword power, he could kill this monster insect with one sword, but he just passed by with one sword after another, wounding but not killing.
After ten sword strikes, the red fire scorpion began to dig into the deserted earth and rocks without hesitation.
At this time, Lu Cheng did not kill the red fire scorpion again, but swung his sword and slashed it on the earth and stone. The wooden sword pharmacist, after the sword light slashed in, the dense sword energy penetrated through. Every inch of land.
"Ah!"
With a low cry, a man in black suddenly burst out of the earth and rocks.
His eyes were fixed on Lu Cheng.
"Boy, do you know who I am? Do you dare to interfere in the affairs of the Southern Demon Cult?"
"If you were the Yinshan Master coming in person, I would be a little more wary."< br>
Under a sneer, the fiery sword Chiyan slashed out. The sword light changed complicatedly, as if the sword was setting fire to the prairie fire. The man in black threw out a black iron flying shield, but the sword light flew so fast that it could not be blocked.
The extremely domineering red flame sword fire only passed by and sealed the mana in black. It fell to the ground. The red fire scorpion, which had been flying here regardless of the situation, suddenly turned its head when it saw this scene, flapped its wings and flew in the opposite direction to escape.
"Where are you going? Come back to me."
Lu Cheng moved with the light of the Five Elements Sword, and pulled the fourth-order red fire scorpion flying outward. Come back.
Then with a wave of the sleeves of the Taoist robe, a dark golden light came out. When the red fire scorpion shrank smaller and smaller, and when it was thrown into the Nine Li Cauldron, Lu Cheng could sense the connection between it and the name. The spiritual connection between the men in black was that the man in black had his magic power sealed by himself and had control over his life and death. This weak connection was abruptly severed.
When the red fire scorpion entered Jiuli Cauldron, Lu Cheng didn't like it and threw it directly into the world of Chongxiang where the poisonous golden silkworm Gu was entrenched.
"Thank you, Master, for your help. I am very grateful to Chixin Guan."
It was only then that Chen Qingfeng, who looked like a middle-aged scholar, flew over and said politely.
“Hahahaha, Brother Chen, you don’t recognize me now?”
Lu Cheng used the magic technique to pass in front of him, dispelling the ever-changing magic that he often cast when he was away from home. Appearance, showing true appearance.
"Brother Lu!"
The first person to react was Chen Qingyun.
"Brother Chen, sister Qingyun, sister Peifang, we haven't seen each other for many years, and you don't recognize us anymore?" Xue Yuzhen pulled Yun Ling'er and flew out.
Everyone was so happy to see each other.
"Just now? What happened just now? Who is this person?"
Chen Qingyun pointed to the man in black on the ground with some doubts. She also saw the scene where Lu Cheng collected the red fire scorpion that had caused them a headache for a long time.
“Someone is using a fourth-level monster to frequently cause trouble for you, in order to undermine the prestige of Chixin Guan. Ha, let’s not talk about it for now. I probably already understand what’s going on. It’s not important, let’s go back to Chixin Temple first.”
Although they have not seen each other for more than thirty years, everyone still trusts Lu Cheng as before. Only Chen Qingfeng looked at the man in black on the ground with a slight expression. Something strange seemed to occur to him, but he quickly suppressed it.
We haven’t seen each other for many years. Everyone’s Taoist cultivation has improved, especially Yun Ling’er who has already cultivated the foundation of longevity. This makes Chen Qingfeng, Chen Qingyun and Luo Peifang very happy. After all, this child is also It's like they grew up watching it.
"Brother Chen, your cultivation has progressed a little slowly. You don't have to worry too much about the matter of Chixin Observation. A monk must put Taoism as the most important thing after all."
The mana cultivation of Chen Qingyun and Luo Peifang have both reached the middle stage of the fourth level of foundation building. In comparison, Chen Qingfeng only has the mana of the second level of foundation building. Under the premise that the training resources of Chixin Temple are quite sufficient, such mana can enter the country. It is undoubtedly unsatisfactory.
It takes a lot of effort to run a force, but generally speaking, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. However, Chen Qingfeng's mana has almost stagnated.
“Alas, Lao Lu, you are a genius. You challenged all sentient beings with swords at the Eight Views and Eight Scenes Dharma Assembly, and you ranked among the top six young monks in the world. You have a future if you are dedicated to the Tao, even if it is the road to immortality. There may not be any chance, But I...haha, I made you laugh."
When Chen Qingfeng answered like this, Lu Cheng couldn't say anything more. Fellow Taoists could persuade each other, but Chen Qingfeng was obviously depressed. Losing one's will and destroying one's Taoist mind.
“Did Master Fan’s incident have such a great impact on him back then?”
They hadn't seen each other for many years, and they had a pleasant conversation, so everyone returned to Chixin Temple together.
He Lan, the former chief priest of Chixin Temple, has passed away at the end of her life and died of old age on her bed. However, her soul has entered the legal domain of Lord Chixin and practiced Taoism to accumulate merit. Lu Cheng has long known this.
The chief priest of Chixin Temple at this time is Ye Lan's son, Xu Sheng, who was rescued by Lu Cheng in Shilipo.
In recent years, by virtue of his status as the chief priest of Chixin Temple, he has married the daughter of a cultivating immortal family, had children, and lived a happy life.
But Xu Sheng also presided over the Chixin Temple very carefully and shared a lot of chores for Chen Qingfeng. He worked hard and got credit, so his position was naturally stable.
"View Master!"
When he saw Lu Cheng again, Xu Sheng was already an old man with gray hair on his temples. Although his body was still strong, looking at the Taoist who looked exactly like that of the past, he still felt as if he had lived in another world.
"Our family, no, the entire Chixin City has changed its fate because of your arrival. I never thought that I would be able to see you again before I die. I really have no regrets in dying."
Xu Sheng knelt in front of Lu Cheng, tears welling up in his eyes. When he was young, he had an extremely reckless and fierce temperament, but now that he is older, his temperament has softened.
“In the blink of an eye, we haven’t seen each other for thirty years.”
In this era, thirty years is almost a generation. Lu Cheng felt a little emotional when he saw Xu Sheng kneeling in front of him, crying constantly.
At night, Chixin Temple hosted a sumptuous banquet to entertain its former owners. The people who sang and danced gracefully at that time have changed for several generations, but those who were drinking and feasting on the high seats were still old friends. This It is the life of a monk.
(End of this chapter)