Cyber ​​Daming

Chapter 687: Worshipping God in Dreams
West of Tianjin, Tianhou Temple.

This place was originally a Taoist territory, but the people of Tianjin were martial artists and few were interested in praying to gods or Buddhas.

In addition, the local sects and gangs were very powerful and would come to cause trouble from any distance. The Taoists, who could not bear the harassment, had to pack up their belongings and flee, leaving only a half-dead old man to guard the door.

Logically speaking, the area where the Tianhou Temple is located is close to the pier and is a Feng Shui treasure land that people from the south and the north cannot avoid. It is naturally a coveted spot by all forces.

Either turn it into a brothel or a casino. No matter what business it is, it is not difficult to make a fortune.

But for some reason, after driving away the Taoist priests from the Tianhou Temple, the various parties in Tianjin had no intention of taking advantage of the situation.

Some people say that it is because the reputation of Wudang Mountain, the ancestral home of Taoism, is still there, and the officials in Tianjin do not want to make things too ugly, so as not to completely anger Wudang and put themselves in a difficult position.

You have to know that when Taoism was in internal strife, Longhu Mountain gathered a group of big and small mountain leaders, determined to compete with Wudang. In the end, they were defeated by Wudang Mountain alone, and killed all the way from the foot of the mountain to the Tianshi Mansion. Not to mention the people, even the clay sculptures of the gods did not escape the fate of being beheaded.

After this battle, Wudang firmly established itself as the leader of Taoism, and there was no more Heavenly Master coming down from Mount Longhu in the world.

However, some people also said that this Tianhou Palace had long been favored by Tianque's Master Zou, but he had never made the time to take it over. However, the news had already been spread that anyone who dared to take over the Tianhou Palace would be in trouble with Tianque.

There are different opinions and no consensus.

But no matter what the real reason is, since the Tianhou Temple withdrew from the disputes in the martial arts world, it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise and the incense has become much more prosperous.

Many laborers who make a living from the water and beg for food at the docks like to come here to burn a stick of incense before starting work. It’s not because they are religious, but they just want to feel at ease.

Of course, there are also many low-level thugs who have learned a few fake tricks and are good at bullying the weak and fearing the strong. They gather here and rely on the popularity of this place to specifically target some unfamiliar faces and squeeze some money out of them.

Today happens to be the birthday of the Queen of Heaven. Not only is the temple crowded with people and bustling with activity, but even under the old wall across the street a group of ruffians with tattoos of dragons and tigers have gathered early in the morning.

Although they were thin and looked listless, their arrogance was terrifying. They bared their teeth and glared, ready to attack anyone who dared to look them in the eye.

It was still early at this moment, and the activities and ceremonies at the Tianhou Temple had not yet begun. Most of the people who came in to burn incense at this time were locals, so it was not easy to take action.

The bored rascals gathered together, and no one knew who had made a fortune, but they actually distributed a lot of barbarian cigarettes that many people had never seen before. Everyone held a spark in their mouths and puffed out smoke, while sighing that although those barbarians were smelly, some of their gadgets were really good. At the same time, they were discussing the recent major events in Tianjin with great excitement.

"Brothers, have you heard about this? A lot of people have died in Tianjin recently."

Suddenly someone started a conversation in a low voice, and the mystery on his face immediately attracted the attention of the people around him.

"What did you hear? Who died?"

The person who spoke ignorantly immediately attracted a lot of disgusted looks.

In their line of work, one can be weak in fighting but cannot be without information.

The former is bad, the worst thing is starvation. If you can't figure out the latter, you don't know when your life will be taken away.

"You want to talk about Tianque?"

Someone understood what was meant and spoke up to take over the conversation.

"Of course not, but it's really rare. How many years have we not seen such a ferocious dragon crossing the river? It's incredible that it can fight back and forth with Tianque."

"What's so incredible about this? The people in the Donghuang Society are not good people. I heard that they are a well-known assassin organization in the Criminal District. Every one of them is highly skilled in martial arts. Many powerful people have died in their hands."

"What big shot can be as big as our Master Zou? Tianque is the only big gang in Tianjin, with many brothers under his command. How can a dragon crossing the river stir up trouble in front of Tianque? If you ask me, it's only because Master Zou showed mercy, otherwise he would have wiped out the Donghuang Society long ago."

It was obvious that the person who spoke was a die-hard follower of Tianque, and his words revealed his admiration for Tianque.

"If I ever get the chance to join Tianque, I'll be so happy that I'll have to give my old man two more wives to make him happy."

Someone asked curiously, "I remember your father committed suicide because he couldn't do that thing. How come, can you stand up after you go down?"

"Get out of the way! If you dare to talk nonsense again, I will get angry with you!"

"Don't talk nonsense. If you ask me, it may not be so easy for Tianque to pass this level."

In the chaos, someone spoke in a deep voice: "Don't underestimate Tianque's power. No matter how many swords and guns you have, it will be a waste of effort if you can't find the enemy. Otherwise, how could so many people die in Tianque during this period? Rumor has it that even Mengchong and Aohu from Mingguitang under Master Zou were almost killed!"

"This is not just a rumor. The Xin'an warehouse outside the city was burned down not long ago. You all heard about it, right? Let me tell you, I was there at the time. I saw with my own eyes that Meng Chong was disemboweled by a woman, and even Ao Hu was chopped into a bloody man!"

A hissing sound of people gasping for air suddenly came from under the mottled old wall.

"But Tianque was not someone to be trifled with. He was hacked to death by that woman on the spot. Before she died, I heard the woman yelling something. It sounded like she was incompetent and couldn't avenge her husband or something like that."

"What about that woman? She has a real name. Her name is Tianyue, and her nickname is 'Yanjun'. Her husband was also killed by Tianque. His name is 'Shajun' Lu Hu."

Everyone was shocked when they heard this and looked at the man who interrupted in horror.

The man was originally standing at the outermost edge, and no one paid attention to him. But when he said something shocking, the idlers who were blocking his way immediately made way.

"You know such a secret so clearly. Brother, you are not an ordinary person. I wonder who you are?"

No matter what circle it is, as long as there are people involved, there will be a leader.

In the middle of the crowd, a man with the largest build and muscular arms looked at him warily.

The man who spoke just now was not strong but not weak either. He had a strange-looking mask hanging around his waist, which made him look evil.

He smiled modestly and said, "I am Zhao Yin, not a big shot. I just have someone in my family doing some odd jobs in the government office, and I happened to hear some more news. I have just arrived in this precious land, so I don't have anything to honor you. I can only use some worthless gossip as a greeting to you. I hope you brothers will take care of me in the future."

"Okay, okay. We are all fallen people in the underworld. We all make a living based on our own abilities. There is no question of whether we should take care of each other or not."

The presence of strangers made the originally lively atmosphere suddenly become deserted.

Some cautious people immediately shut their mouths, fearing that they might accidentally say something sinister and bring themselves unnecessary trouble.

Some people were careless and didn't care about the other party's background at all. They asked curiously: "Brother, is your news true or false?"

"The person is dead, so my relative shouldn't lie to me. Although the Donghuang Society is a group of assassins, they are out there for fame and fortune. If they are famous, they can do better business in the future. Don't you agree?"

"Brother, you see clearly that the fighting and killing in the martial arts world is ultimately for fame and fortune. Otherwise, who would be born to like to tie their head to their belt? I don't know when the conflict between Tianque and Donghuanghui will end."

Someone said with emotion: "In my opinion, it is better to shake hands and make peace. Harmony brings wealth. The world is peaceful now, so we don't have to worry so much."

"How can we make peace? We all know what kind of temper Master Zou of Tianque has. How can he swallow this anger? Besides, both sides have seen blood and people have died. This matter cannot be solved by money alone."

Someone immediately retorted: "If Tianque doesn't skin and pull out the tendons of this dragon that crossed the river, they will never have a peaceful life in Tianjin."

"The Donghuang Society will definitely be uprooted!"

The man who had been praising Tianque all along shouted, "Just wait and see. It won't be long before Master Zou arrests all the members of the Donghuang Society, sells the women and castrates the men!"

Zhao Yin narrowed his eyes and asked, "This brother is so confident, does he have some exclusive inside information?"

"Tianque is the best in Tianjin. Do you think anyone can mess with him?"

The man looked rude and unreasonable, and then he changed the subject: "But if you want to tell me the inside story, I do know some."

"Okay, who wins and who loses is a matter of heaven, and has nothing to do with us on earth."

The leading man frowned and suddenly interrupted the other party in a harsh voice.

"The Queen's Birthday event is about to begin. Stop gathering here and talk nonsense. Think about where to get food."

The man waved his hand to disperse the crowd and bowed to Zhao Yin.

"Brother Zhao, we are just lowly people picking up leftovers on the street. We don't have many tricks and rules. If you have any fat sheep you like, just go for it. We say goodbye now and will see you later."

"I'm sorry for disturbing you so abruptly. See you later." Zhao Yin could naturally see that the other party was quite wary of him, and smiled gently.

The man breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he did not pester him too much, but just as he turned around, a flash of cold light suddenly burst out and pierced the back of his neck.

bark.
Not only him, but everyone around him who were preparing to disperse were stunned where they were.

A strand of hair-thin wire was inserted into their necks, and the other end was wrapped around the five fingers of Zhao Yin's right hand.

Qimen martial arts and silk-pulling theater.

Zhao Yin raised his five fingers and the crowd gathered again. The old and dilapidated courtyard wall became lively again.

Just at this moment, a carriage drove over from afar and stopped in front of the gate of Tianhou Temple.

Before the car came to a complete stop, two figures rushed out of the car, circled around the rear of the car, and stood guard on both sides of the rear door.

"Mongolian Insect. Aohu"

Zhao Yin, who was surrounded by a group of idlers, took in everything and muttered to himself.

At this moment, a handsome man with long hair walked out of the car.

"Shen Li."

Shen Li bent over and opened the car door. The figure who came out was wearing a long gown, but had a shiny slicked-back hair. It was a sunny day, but he was holding a black umbrella. There was a smile on his lips, but his gaze revealed a majesty that made people dare not look directly at him.

"Zou Sijiu is here too. Today is indeed a good day. There are fat sheep everywhere."

Zou Sijiu was the first to enter the Tianhou Palace, followed closely by Meng Chong and Ao Hu.

Shen Li, who was at the back, cast his gaze across the street, looking at the group of thugs who were "sitting in wait" here.

"We are closed today, everyone, get out of here."

Shen Li waved his hand, and the crowd immediately dispersed. Zhao Yin also mixed in with the crowd and left with fear on his face.

After these annoying garbage completely disappeared from his sight, Shen Li turned around and entered the temple with a restless look.

There are many varieties of peonies planted in the Tianhou Temple, and they are in full bloom now.

The two varieties, Crowning Black Jade and Purple Spot, are competing for beauty, but it is already late May, and the Purple Spot Peony, which blooms later, is already catching up.

In another half month, the entire Tianhou Palace will surely present a spectacular scene of "Only the peony is the true national beauty, and the capital city is moved when the flowers bloom."

After entering the temple, Zou Sijiu did not rush to burn incense before the Queen of Heaven. Instead, he wandered around the temple and enjoyed the scenery.

"Master Zou, we didn't find any suspicious targets."

Meng Chong, who was following behind him, said softly.

"Don't worry, the people who are supposed to come will eventually come. It's just a pity that there are so many flowers and plants. I don't know how many will be left after today."

Zou Sijiu replied nonchalantly, leaned over and took a deep sniff of a blooming peony, then walked contentedly to the door of the main hall.

The hall was filled with densely packed incense sticks hanging from the main beams and was packed with worshippers. The incense was so intense that one could not even see the Queen of Heaven sitting on the altar.

Zou Sijiu seemed to have no interest in entering the room and jostling for position with the others. He stopped and stood under the overhanging eaves of the main hall.

"Master Zou, if people like us want to burn incense, shouldn't we go to worship Guandi? Why do we have to come to the Tianhou Temple?"

Ao Hu spoke in a muffled voice, still full of energy, not at all like what the rumors said, that he was almost hacked to death.

"I had a dream yesterday. I dreamed that our world is actually a dream."

Zou Sijiu's words were so incoherent that even Meng Chong, the smartest of the three, looked confused, not to mention Shen Li and Ao Hu.

"Master Zou, what do you mean?"

"Don't worry about what it means. It's just that I met this Queen of Heaven in my dream, and I had to call her Sister. My sister told me that the immortal she was fighting with was very powerful, and she could hardly hold on any longer. She asked me to get rid of the people from the Donghuang Society as soon as possible, otherwise there would be big trouble."

Shen Li looked disapproving: "Master Zou, have you been under too much pressure recently? That's why you have these weird dreams? How about I find someone to relieve your stress behind my sister-in-law's back?"

"Don't talk nonsense to me. If you want to die, don't drag me down. I've given up long ago."

Zou Sijiu stared at the deity in the incense and clasped his hands together.

"Whether it's a dream or a prophecy, we're using someone else's territory to kill someone this time, so we have to greet the owner first. Follow me and pay our respects."

"Yes."

Zou Sijiu was in front, and the other three followed side by side behind him. They clasped their fists in the traditional martial arts etiquette and bowed to the immortal from afar.

The moment the ceremony ended, the sky outside the eaves inexplicably darkened.

The heavy rain came without warning and with such force that there were screams in the temple.

At a fortune-telling stall in the square in front of the temple, the fortune teller who was feeling the bones of a pretty young girl suddenly had a changed look on his face.

He no longer cared about taking advantage of the situation, but suddenly jumped up from his seat, hurriedly packed up the things on the stall, and finished the interpretation of the fortune in one breath. He also said that the sudden change in the situation was a warning from God, and that if he wanted to avoid disaster, he would have to spend money.

But after he had been talking for a long time, there was no movement in front of him. When he looked up, he found that the young lady had already run away without a trace.

"Hey, hey, hey, give me money, give me money!"

The fortune teller covered his head with his hands, jumped up and down and cursed.

"You dare to cheat people even for fortune-telling money. How vicious people are. Be careful that the gods will come down to earth and take your life!"

Many people who wanted to take shelter from the rain flocked to the front gate of the temple, including some thugs who had been waiting to rob people on the opposite street.

They huddled in a corner, not daring to look at Shen Li who was standing under the eaves.

"It's really unpredictable that the rain comes out of nowhere. Luckily I brought an umbrella with me this time."

Shen Li spoke with a smile, looking at the dark sky in the distance.

"There is a god above us. If you keep your mouth shut like this, aren't you afraid that God will strike you to death with a thunderbolt?"

The voice that sounded was full of teasing.

Zou Sijiu turned his head and saw a man in his fifties standing two meters away. He had noticeable white hair on his temples, sharp eyebrows and a high nose. His eyes were particularly strange, like a deep well leading to the abyss. After a brief eye contact, Zou Sijiu felt a sense of drowning and suffocation.

"What is your name?"

Zou Sijiu raised his hand to stop Shen Li and others who were about to step forward, and asked with a smile.

"Donghuang Society, Zhai Chong."

"So you are 'Shangguan'. No wonder your eyes are so strange. This must be the martial art called 'Pai Yan Tian Fang'. It's really amazing!"

Zou Sijiu suddenly realized, "Why, you Donghuang Society are not going to use a sneaky approach this time, but are going to use a hard approach? Or are even your gods getting anxious?"

"Now the gods are all fighting, and they have no time to pay attention to what we are doing. Zou Sijiu, if you have also woken up from the dream, why don't we talk about it..."

Zhai Chong smiled slightly: "Tell me the truth."

(End of this chapter)