Please call me Huanxian

Chapter 458 The result is unexpected

The Taoist priest, carrying a bamboo basket on his back, walked on the streets of Jiuzhu City, which had hardly changed. Everywhere was still a mess, with rubble and garbage scattered everywhere. As he walked, he reached the end of the road and had to pass through the dirt slope or forest blocking the way. A black cat followed behind him, as if it had not woken up yet.

The appearance of a man and a cat immediately aroused tension and attention from all parties on the island.

The city of mobs seems loose and disorganized like a pile of loose sand, but in fact there is an invisible hand controlling it secretly or stirring up the storm.

Some spiritual consciousness fell on foreign Taoist priests with bad intentions.

However, all the monks who tried to spy fell into great confusion.

Some people flew out from the top of a street shop, stripped naked and demonstrated their unrestrained "majesty", some people talked nonsense in the air and slapped themselves hard, some people grinned and shouted "Hey, I am the reincarnation of a fairy, you ants, why don't you kneel down to welcome me".

All kinds of ugly things hidden deep in people's hearts were exposed, causing waves of booing and excitement.

Everyone looked at the Taoist priest and the black cat walking on the street, whispering to each other and revealing expressions of awe and fear.

Xu Yuanchang looked at the shops on the street with a calm expression. Faced with the spies who were rudely spying on him with their spiritual sense, he used his magical powers of "nothingness" and "elephant" to give them a little punishment.

Wherever he went, there was no one flying in the sky.

They all tried to avoid him, fearing that they would offend this Taoist master with bad temper and powerful means.

Those vanguards who made a fool of themselves were pulled and dragged away by their companions.

After going around three dead-end roads, Xu Yuanchang stopped and looked at a handsome man in white clothes who was flying in front of him.

The man in white smiled warmly and saluted elegantly, saying, "I am the monk from Lingbo Tower. I wonder if you would do me the honor. My shopkeeper, Madam Qi, has prepared some wine and I respectfully invite you to Lingbo Tower to have a chat."

The words were spoken politely and the etiquette was very respectful.

Xu Yuanchang returned the greeting and refused, saying, "I have always been a Taoist and never go to places of romance. I appreciate your kindness, shopkeeper, and I forgive you!"

He disliked the evil aura that the man in white could not restrain, and he hated the whole thing. That Madam Qi was not a good person either.

Back then, Lingbo Tower was Pineapple's property. Pineapple invited Zuidilong to plot against him but failed, so he escaped to the Great Wilderness Mountain Area.

According to the rules of Jiuzhu City, he obtained Lingbo Tower, but Wuliu Mountain was too weak to afford several shops, so Senior Brother Cao negotiated with Si Shaoqiu of Liuyun Sect and, through exchange, gave Lingbo Tower to Liuyun Sect and another large demon clan force.

The smile on the white-clothed man's face froze in embarrassment. In his opinion, how many monks in the world were not lustful?

The Taoist in front of him actually didn't give Liuyun Sect any face. He was simply ungrateful.

Xu Yuanchang walked away with the black cat. He didn't need to give face to a brothel madam.

At noon, we walked to Xipin Mountain, where we had been before.

The winding corridor was bustling and noisy, and the bustling crowd made way for a man and a cat.

In less than half a day, the news about the Taoist priest carrying a basket on his back had spread everywhere.

Which cultivator who can survive in Jiuzhu City is not a smart guy with eyes in the back of his head?
A huge fat man in a wide robe, with the flesh on his face trembling, hurried over from the mountain path. From a distance, he was smiling so much that his eyes could not be seen. He bowed in a friendly manner and said, "You are a distinguished guest. I am late in welcoming you. How rude, how rude!"

"Fellow Daoist Qiu, nice to meet you, nice to meet you!"

Xu Yuanchang greeted them with a smile and after a while of being polite, the two of them walked up the mountain side by side.

Arriving at the Yage Pavilion on the top of the mountain, Xu Yuanchang ordered a pot of "Purple Ganoderma Flower Tea" and two plates of "Green Bubble Fruit" with ease. He had a fascinating chat with the fat man Qiu about the mountains and mist, listening to the gurgling water and admiring the exotic flowers and plants.

After sitting for half an hour, he said goodbye and left.

Fatty Qiu sent his guests down the mountain and watched the strange Taoist priest and the black cat disappear among the crowd on the street.

He did not dare to test the Taoist priest with the word "profit" in business. He could not afford to offend him and it would bring him trouble.

Xu Yuanchang casually walked into several shops of varying lengths, and when he wandered to the lotus pond, it was getting dark.

The sky is filled with sunset glow, and the weary birds chirp as they return to the forest.

He noticed someone was spying on him, so he turned around and made a specific gesture towards a small courtyard three hundred feet away.

A woman's gentle voice transmitted: "Wen Yining greets the Sect Master."

Xu Yuanchang smiled and nodded slightly, then walked to an old courtyard with a millstone embedded in the wall. He raised his hand and knocked three times, and soon heard Nie Xiaomeng's clear voice: "Who is it?"

With a "squeak", Nie Xiaomeng revealed half of her face and looked warily at the strange Taoist priest who was dusty outside the house. She saw a black cat peeking out from the Taoist priest's feet. Her eyes lit up and she recognized that the black cat was not a cat.

"Your master asked me to bring you a letter. Why don't you invite me in for a cup of tea?"

"Um... Taoist Priest, please come in quickly!"

Nie Xiaomeng met the eyes that had regained their familiarity and almost blurted out "Master". She reacted very quickly and was extremely happy. She extended her hand to invite the guest into the yard. After the black cat walked in slowly, she quickly closed the door.

There was a formation blocking the way, so no one could spy on them. Nie Xiaomeng bowed to her master, busy making tea and serving spiritual fruit, and said with a smile, "I didn't expect you to come. I'll get some good wine and food tomorrow to welcome you."

I reached out to touch the black cat's head, but the cat easily dodged me.

Xu Yuanchang looked at his apprentice for a few times and sighed secretly. If his heart is not calm, how can he become a mortal? He said, "You have lived in the ancestral house of Jiuzhu Island for almost thirty years. Your wish has been fulfilled. What are your thoughts next?"

Nie Xiaomeng hesitated for a moment, a trace of bitterness on his face, and said, "I thought that becoming a mortal was simple at the beginning. I thought that I could complete that level just by being like a mortal, working from sunrise to sunset, growing vegetables, fetching water, and cooking. But who knew... the opportunity gradually faded away and was finally lost. I became more and more sober, so I wanted to wait for you, Master, to come and ask you in person."

"You've wasted an opportunity."

After giving you a few mild criticisms, Xu Yuanchang continued, "'The sweet dew cannot moisten the rootless grass'. Your teacher will give you four words: illusory life. Tomorrow you will set off to return to Liuyun Continent, disguise yourself, take out your livelihood instrument, the huqin, and go to the mortal world to make a living. When you are immersed in it and forget about your identity as a cultivator, and then walk out of the mortal world in a daze, that will be the time for you to break through and advance. The process may be tortuous, so be prepared." This girl didn't like sitting down to read since she was a child.

Having suffered from the lack of education and missed an opportunity, it became much more difficult to become a mortal later.

He used his own experience to teach his apprentice a path that was suitable for him, hoping to continue the opportunity.

Nie Xiaomeng silently recited "Illusionary Life into Subtlety", remembering what her master had taught her. She felt that going to the mortal world to play the huqin to earn money was a feasible way. She had to think carefully about what kind of appearance she would use to make it easier for her to travel around the world. She bowed and said, "Thank you for your teachings, Master. I know I was wrong."

Pour the prepared tea for the master.

Xu Yuanchang picked up the teacup and took a sip, then said, "Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. It is a great honor to know your mistakes and improve them. On the road to becoming a mortal, act according to your character's heart and do what you want. Leave the rest to fate."

He didn't dare to say too much and knew when to stop.

After drinking three cups of tea and staying for less than quarter of an hour, he walked out of the old courtyard when it was getting dark.

"Go back. No need to see me off so far."

Xu Yuanchang said with a smile, and he turned and left with the black cat.

I have been here, seen it, and given instructions. The disciple needs to make his own way on the road to becoming a mortal.

Nie Xiaomeng bowed and said goodbye: "Take care, Taoist priest!" After her master had gone far away, she closed the gate and sat alone in the darkness, lost in thought, tears streaming down her face.

She had disappointed her master, and she could sense it from her master's subtle expressions.

Next time, she will definitely give it her all.

After leaving Jiuzhu City, Xu Yuanchang met Wen Yining in a forest of ancient trees. The two talked secretly for half an hour, and then parted ways. Xu Yuanchang continued his journey.

Things change with each passing day, spring goes and autumn comes.

Xu Yuanchang has climbed mountains, waded across lakes and seas, and walked on the road every day, trying to master the various uses of "Dongxu Yiji", understanding the way of emptiness and tranquility of heaven and earth, deciphering secret texts and taboo words, experiencing different exotic customs, tasting the ups and downs of life, and meeting all kinds of cultivators in the world of cultivation.

Walk from Liuyun Domain to Dongyou Domain, and then to Zhoushan Domain which features Thousand Buddha Temple.

One day, when passing by the foot of Gudui Mountain, a young monk came from an ancient pagoda and saluted with his hands folded: "Excuse me, are you Mr. Xu? Master Sanzhou wants to see you!"

Xu Yuanchang returned the greeting. He had heard the name "Master Sanzhou" from Senior Wu several times and knew that he was a mysterious master. He had never expected that Master Sanzhou was practicing in an inconspicuous secular temple. He said, "It is me, thank you for troubling me, little master."

The man and the cat followed the little monk around the front hall and walked from the side corridor to a dim meditation room at the innermost part.

"Master Sanzhou asked the donor to go in directly without being polite."

The young monk bowed, turned around and walked along the corridor.

Xu Yuanchang left the black cat outside the door. He stepped over the threshold and walked into the Zen room filled with the faint scent of sandalwood. He bowed to the old monk who was sitting cross-legged in the middle with his back to the door and said, "I am a junior and a student. I pay my respects to Master Sanzhou."

The old monk sitting cross-legged on the cushion slowly turned around, a smile appeared on his ugly face, and he stretched out his hand and said, "Sit down, now that you are in my place, feel free to do as you please, there are not so many rules to worry about. Old Man Wu said you are good."

Xu Yuanchang bowed and said, "Mr. Wu, thank you for your compliment."

He sat cross-legged on the cushion opposite, and the old monk in front of him really surprised him. Although it is said that one cannot judge a book by its cover, Master Sanzhou looked more like a bandit than an enlightened monk, both in his words and appearance.

The old monk seemed to know what the Taoist was thinking and said, "We met in the lower world. Do you remember who I am?"

Xu Yuanchang took a closer look at the monk, and suddenly he remembered his identity. He clasped his fists and said, "It turns out to be Master Yuan Zhu in person. I am so short-sighted that I almost didn't recognize him."

There are very few masters who can go down to the upper realm. Apart from his master and Wu Luo, the only one he knows is the three-legged turtle.

"Sanzhou" is a homophone of "Sanzu" (three feet).

The old monk chuckled and asked, "What did you say to Old Man Wu? Can you tell me about why the old man wanted to go to the underworld and reincarnate?"

Xu Yuanchang was shocked. He thought that Senior Wu had gotten out of his predicament and was about to ascend to the fairyland.

I never thought that Mr. Wu would realize that he would go to hell from his master's advice.

It was totally beyond his expectation.

He recalled and selected some key points to tell the old monk.

The old monk was silent for a long time, nodded slightly, and said: "Old man Wu is indeed 'hopeless'. Your master is very good at persuading him to 'great enlightenment'. 'If the heart is not dead, the truth will not be born'. I admire you very much!"

The Taoist Master Yanshan he knew was naturally different from the one he knew others, so he understood the choice made by his old friend.

As long as there is a glimmer of hope, Old Man Wu will grab it like a life-saving straw.

Xu Yuanchang asked, "Master Sanzhou, how is Mr. Wu?"

"I sent him to the underworld, and he had a good conversation with the person down there. I didn't ask about what happened next, or whether he has been reincarnated. I don't know."

The old monk said lightly.

He just needs to fulfill his friendliness and does not need to pay too much attention to it, let alone involve other families in their cause and effect.

……

(End of this chapter)