Please call me Huanxian

Chapter 361: Cultivate Yourself and Take Care of the World

Autumn comes and goes, flowers bloom and fall, and a year passes quickly.

In the early morning, a thin mist covered the top of the mountain.

Dong Xing followed the old abbot and walked out of the Taoist temple's main gate. The morning class had just ended and the aroma of food wafted from the dining hall and kitchen.

"Master, at 4 a.m. this morning, we caught a thief who sneaked up the mountain and tried to set fire. He is now tied up and imprisoned in the barn in the backyard. Please punish him."

Dong Xing took two steps forward, his face a little serious, and reported in a low voice.

Xu Yuanchang stopped and said with a smile, "You are the current abbot of Xishui Temple. You are in charge of all matters, big or small. Why are you here to discuss this with me? Is there anything special about the arsonist?"

"It's Chen Xiang... Junior Brother."

"Oh, it's him. How are you going to deal with this?"

"I am a little undecided. Chen Xiang's crime of arson... should be severely punished according to the law. He betrayed his master and ancestors, and failed to live up to his master's five years of teaching. He disregarded the lives of the Taoist priests, Taoist children, and servants in the Taoist temple, and took revenge out of his own selfish desires. He has fallen into the evil path of greed and cannot be forgiven."

Dong Xing stated in a low voice, hating him for not fighting back.

During the year he presided over the Taoist temple, he repaired the courtyard of the temple residence, built a mountain gate, recruited five servants, and recruited four new Taoist children. The small Xishui Temple began to prosper.

Some time ago, Chen Xiang quietly went up the mountain and begged to accept his seven-year-old son as a Taoist child in the mountain.

Dong Xing refused on the grounds that the child was too young. He insisted that the child should be at least nine years old and able to take care of himself. Furthermore, a series of tests had to be carried out and no personal favoritism could be made. However, Chen Xiang held a grudge against him and did something that made him extremely sad.

Xu Yuanchang put his hands behind his back and continued walking forward, saying, "Do you know what his family situation is like?"

"This is exactly why I am hesitant. Chen Xiang has one daughter and three sons. His family is very poor and has no extra money. His youngest son is less than one year old and is crying for food. His other two brothers are in a similar situation and can't help much. If I send him to the government for punishment, his wife and children..."

The more Dong Xing spoke, the lower his voice became.

The six Taoist children, who were of playful age and had just finished tidying up the hall, rushed out of the door excitedly.

When they saw the host and the old host still walking on the stone platform in front of the hall, they immediately stopped talking and slowed down their pace, walking along the corridor towards the dining hall in an orderly manner, without looking around.

"If you release him secretly, you're worried that he'll find a chance to burn down the temple. He's such a ruthless person, he's beyond redemption."

"Yes, Master, please make the decision."

"My path is different from yours, so I can't help you make a decision. This is just a test of your conscience, to see if you have truly understood the guidance that I and Mr. Mu have given you this year."

Xu Yuanchang said a few words and turned to walk towards the wooden pavilion in the back mountain.

He and Mr. Mu only had one or two fruits a day, and told Dong Xing that they were practicing fasting.

How could Chen Xiang go up the mountain and try to set fire without being detected by him and Mr. Mu?

The two were too lazy to pay attention and wanted to see how Dong Xing would handle the situation.

Life is full of challenges, and it is especially difficult for ordinary people to practice Taoism. If Dong Xing cannot "examine his conscience", there is no possibility for him to leave the mountains. He will have to guard Xishui Temple for the rest of his life.

Dong Xing could only smile bitterly, thinking that his master was going to roast him over the fire. He leaned on a wooden stick and went to the canteen to finish his meal. He then called one of the servants from the same village outside, whispered some instructions in his ear, and asked him to ride on a donkey to the town twenty miles away to ask Captain Shi to bring people to escort the arsonist, and to investigate the arson scene and evidence to bring the arsonist to justice.

Disrespecting teachers and destroying ancestors is an unforgivable crime.

In the past three days, Xishui Temple has had a new seven-year-old Taoist child.

As the host, Dong Xing announced new rules, including that all Taoist children would be given a monthly salary of thirty coins, which would be collected by their families. At the end of the five-year Taoist period, those who failed the assessment would be sent down the mountain.

Dong Xing looked around the temple but couldn't find the master and Mr. Mu. He was quite surprised and walked into the side hall on the left. There was a piece of paper on the table with the master's words on it: "Like a dream, follow your heart."

Dong Xing ran to the back mountain with the note, put down the wooden stick, and bowed towards the sea of ​​clouds in the distance.

He didn't know whether his handling of the matter would satisfy the old host.

I feel very sad, because my master will never come back.

……

"The Tao cultivates oneself and takes care of the world."

Xu Yuanchang was flying high in the sky and said, "He chose the road himself. It's not easy to walk on it."

Zeng Wanglou glanced at Taoist Xu who was a little fussy. Not wanting to say any nonsense, he closed his eyes slightly and continued to ponder Senior Ye's profound theory on "objects and images". He stayed with the Taoist in the hope of meeting Senior Ye again.

Taoist Xu and Senior Ye have a very close relationship.

Back when they were in the demon clan's territory, Senior Ye must have invited Taoist Xu to drink and discuss Taoism out of respect for him.

Speechless all the way.

Xu Yuanchang returned to the Demon-Catching Mountain in the sacred place of Xiyuan. Led by the mountain master Wu Sheng, they led a group of cultivators including Wu Zhe and Zhu Lang to hold a grand ceremony to welcome him. It took them half an hour to walk from the foot of the mountain to the main hall on the top of the mountain.

Mr. Mu would not join in the fun, so Chief Xu Yuan had him taken to his yard to rest.

At the welcoming banquet, Xu Yuanchang stated that he would only serve as the "Grand Protector" and would not be responsible for the specific affairs of the Monster Mountain, in order to dispel some of the thoughts and ideas of others.

"You are actually a lazy person who wants to be an idle person on the road of cultivation."

Zeng Wanglou always speaks to the point.

Xu Yuanchang was stunned for a long while, unable to find words to refute. Lao Zeng's words seemed to be scolding him, but also seemed to be praising him, and his skills were improving.

Back at Monster Hunting Mountain, naturally friends and relatives would come to visit.

His current cultivation level and status are different, and he is no longer comparable to the acquaintances he met on the street.

He had visited Meng Shanhe at the Taoist Temple that day, and on the way he went to the Academy to ask Yan Ruxing for a cup of tea. His cultivation and the divine platform of creation had both improved, so he could help Master Kou get rid of the troubles caused by the "ghosts" and fulfill his original promise.

"That day we met on the official road in Houqiu Town and formed a bond. In the blink of an eye, nearly 150 years have passed. Time flies. You have gone from being a small Qi-inducing cultivator to the pinnacle of Dingzhou's cultivation world."

Yan Ruoxing sighed, then changed the subject and said with a smile: "My vision of judging people, wow, even I admire myself. With the third level realm, I can see more than a hundred years later. So why doesn't the great guardian Xu leave a poem and calligraphy as a commemoration, so that I can have something to talk about in the future?"

He also didn't think the turn was too abrupt.

Fu Ying, who was serving tea in the main hall, started to make a noise: "Master often said that the great protector Xu was a man who cherished old times. Giving poems to old friends will become a good story in the cultivation world."

Xu Yuanchang waved his hand and said, "I am just a Taoist priest. I cannot keep stealing the jobs of you Confucianists. How can you save face? Being quiet, meditating, chanting scriptures and practicing is the duty of a Taoist priest. It is not right."

"Ha, what's the point of saving face in front of old friends?"

Yan Ruoxing was very resilient and was not discouraged. He was ready to continue to grind with a thick skin. Old Master Kou had been found by Liu Nayun from the depths of the school's library.

Xu Yuanchang stood up and saluted, shook hands with the old master, and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, he invited the old master to take a seat and said, "Master Kou, I am confident that I can help you cure your stubborn illness. When would it be convenient for you?"

Master Kou smiled and said, "I was so engrossed in reading that I only learned today that Yuan Chang had advanced to a higher realm. I have no way to congratulate you, so I am sending you a handwritten volume of the 'Fan' scripture as a gift."

He took out a scroll of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Xu Yuanchang who was sitting next to him.

After receiving the gift from the old master, Xu Yuanchang did not open it to look at it on the spot, but put it into his space first.

He saw that the cold aura on Master Kou had been suppressed to the point where it was almost unnoticeable, and said, "Thank you, Master Kou, for your generous gift. I am ashamed to accept it! Alas, I am not like some of my friends who hold high positions. They are so arrogant that they only say a light "congratulations" when giving gifts."

Yan Ruoxing laughed out loud. He was the friend who was ridiculed in person.

"Nayun, give your Uncle Xu the gift that I prepared for you, so that he won't be teased by some shameless guy."

"Yes, Master."

Liu Nayun took out a tray from his storage bag, on which was placed a set of green Taoist robes and a pair of boots.

They are all magic weapons that are customized with rare materials and with great care.

"You're welcome, you're welcome. Yan Jijiu is so polite."

Xu Yuanchang accepted the gift and said no need to be polite to Lao Yan.

Master Kou watched the verbal exchange between the two with a smile on his face. When it came to an end, he said, "Master Yuan, you don't need to spend your energy and cultivation to help me deal with it. I have found a way to use the noble spirit and the meaning of calligraphy to engrave the characters. With the help of the ancient brush, I can suppress and wear away the 'ghosts' bit by bit. Although the efficiency is very slow, it is also a way to hone my practice."

After hearing this, Xu Yuanchang did not force it. He drank tea and chatted, and left after half an hour.

After returning to talk about this with Zeng Lao, Zeng Wanglou was surprised to learn that the person he had killed was a seventh-level "ghost". He thought it was amazing that he could eliminate a seventh-level ghost with the cultivation of a sixth-level Confucian. He sighed: "What a strange man! I must get to know him next time!"

When Yu Fengwu of Wangjian Mountain broke through the barrier and came out, the Xiyuan Holy Land became bustling again.

As the matchmaker, Tang Yijian traveled back and forth many times to complete the subsequent ceremonies such as the betrothal ceremony, and set the wedding date of Zeng Shanlang and Meng Yiyi on the Lantern Festival and the location at the physical cultivation holy land, Heizhou Peak.

Zeng Shanlang is a rising star and the sixth-ranked fifth-level physical cultivator at Heizhou Peak.

How could Heizhou Peak allow Monster-Catching Mountain to host its wedding?

On the wedding day, all the dynasties and sects in Dingzhou sent their top masters to participate in the event. Meng Shanhe, Wen Yining, Xie Yunchuan, Yu She, Yu Fengwu, Master Kou and other masters gathered together, accompanied by Xu Yuanchang and Mr. Mu.

Other guests included Xu Shengtian, Bian Qiuyan, Song Shuqian, Nan Baolin, Zhuang Yixie, Zhao Jun, Lao Shi and others, as well as the physical trainer from Heizhou Peak.

The six-story masters of Juzhou, Hezhou and Laizhou sent their trusted disciples to congratulate in advance and presented valuable gifts on the same day.

All of this is done for the sake of Xu Yuanchang and Yu Fengwu.

It was not yet dusk when the auspicious time came. Xu Shengtian, who was running around as the receptionist outside, walked hurriedly into the back hall where the masters of the Sixth Floor were gathered with a roll of rice paper in his hand. He lowered his voice and said, "Third Uncle, Senior Ye sent a gift!"

The whole room was silent, and Zeng Wanglou stood up excitedly.

Xu Yuanchang took the paper and asked, "Where is he? Invite him in to have a drink."

"Senior Ye did not show up. He gave the gift to the disciples at the foot of the mountain. I just looked around and didn't see Senior Ye."

Xu Shengtian was quite annoyed. He had wanted to invite Senior Ye for a drink for a long time.

Zeng Wanglou's figure disappeared in a flash.

He couldn't wait to go out and look for Ye Changmeng, and was able to go there in person and bring a gift. This was a great gesture of affection.

Xu Yuanchang opened the paper scroll and saw four characters written on it: "A perfect match made in heaven!" He handed this unusual calligraphy to Yu Fengwu and said, "Hang it up. I'll go out and take a look and be back soon."

Yu Fengwu stood up as well. There was no time to frame Senior Ye’s calligraphy, so she arranged it herself and hung it in the middle of a high place.

Xu Yuanchang walked to a high place, clasped his fists towards the sky and said, "Take care, old friend, and may everything go well!"

He guessed that Lao Li greeted him in this way because he was going to find a place to quietly ascend to the upper realm. He felt a little melancholy in his heart that he couldn't even see him again.

A moment later, Zeng Wanglou appeared beside him, with a note in his hand, saying, "Senior Ye left this for you."

Xu Yuanchang took the note and found that there was a thin layer of seal on it. He wiped it off and opened the folded note. There were four simple pictures drawn on it.

The first picture was of an altar with a dark crow squatting on it. The bird looked stupid and rolled its eyes sideways towards the sky. No one knew what it meant and there was no text to explain it.

Next is a painting of an old, mottled bronze stele. It looks very majestic, with an old-fashioned style, three layers of eaves, and no inscription.

Below that is a painting of a stone dam, which appears to be a bay. On the right is the vast sea, and in the distance there is a small temple on the dam. A faceless ghost is sketched with a few strokes of the pen, floating above the small temple, gazing towards the sea.

The last part of the painting was a cluster of black flowers with two rows of sharp teeth like blades, which looked extremely exaggerated and ferocious.

"Did you see someone else? What does this painting mean?"

Xu Yuanchang was completely confused.

He is not a worm in Lao Li's stomach, so how can he guess what these weird drawings are?
Zeng Wanglou shook his head and said, "It was a physical training disciple who was receiving guests at the foot of the mountain. He handed the note to me and said that Senior Ye asked me to pass it on to you. You will know when you meet him. The secret cannot be revealed."

"Bullshit, just trying to be mysterious. He just likes to torment people in various ways."

Xu Yuanchang pointed at the black flower below and said, "It looks like the 'Stranger Flower' recorded in the classics. It's a pity that Jiao Teng and Liu Xianfeng went to the flower world, otherwise they would definitely recognize it."

Zeng Wanglou frowned and thought, nodding: "It looks a bit like Mo Hua, let's ask later... It's not appropriate. Since Senior Ye reminded us that 'the secret of heaven cannot be revealed', we can't let a third person know except you and me. Let's check the books ourselves and compare them."

He believed in Ye Changmeng's words without a doubt.

Xu Yuanchang saw Yu Fengwu appear at the entrance of the hall, looked over here, and said, "Let's go, the auspicious time is almost here, we can't keep the guests waiting for too long."

"When I have some free time, I'll try the ancient method of divination. Maybe I can solve the mystery."

Zeng Wanglou transmitted the message.

He was very interested in the four pictures that Senior Ye had given him, and he believed there must be some deep meaning hidden in them.

The two stepped into the hall, and the elaborate wedding ceremony officially began.

Solemn, festive and lively.

……

(End of this chapter)