Knife splashing

Chapter 205 Zhenwu "Three Mysterious Realms"

"Friend Li, I am honored to be here!"

Gu Hanzi stepped into the room, waved his sleeves, bowed, and had a smile on his face, looking very friendly.

"I've met the Taoist priest."

Although Li Yan was confused, he still smiled and nodded in response.

Most of the Taoists of Taixuan Orthodox Sect in Ezhou come from Zhenwu Palace on Mount Wudang.

They are good at martial arts, which is somewhat similar to Chunyang Palace, and they are the main force of Xuan Priest Law Enforcement Hall.

Although Li Yan had fought alongside them, they had little friendship. How could he not be suspicious of such warm hospitality?

Seeing the defensive look in his eyes, Gu Hanzi smiled slightly and said without hiding anything, "When I went to Shangjin Town, I saw that you Taoist friends were very skilled. I have contacted the Chang'an City God Temple and checked some information."

"The evaluation in Shanzhou is very high. Whether it is the Chang'an and Xianyang City God Temple, or the Dou Mu and Chun Yang Palaces, they all praise you."

"Plus as fellow Taoists, we can be considered as one of our own."

"You are too kind, Taoist priest."

Li Yan said this modestly, but he didn't agree in his heart.

He was able to deal smoothly with the Taixuan Orthodox Church in Shanzhou, and most of the time, it was Luo Mingzi who helped him.

Also, at Mount Hua, if it weren't for chance that we were able to prevent the drought, I'm afraid our treatment after going up the mountain would not be much better than that of the people at the side gates.

He also knew something about the history of Taixuan Orthodox Sect.

This matter involves the dispute between Buddhism and Taoism. There has been constant feud for thousands of years. Even when the Three Wus destroyed Buddhism, Taoism was still loose.

At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the world was in turmoil, Taoism was fading and evil was growing.

However, the Taoist sects in different parts of China are independent of each other, and sometimes even fight over the control of blessed places.

In order to cope with the chaotic times, Taoists from all over the world gathered at Mount Tai, and Taixuan Orthodox Sect was thus established. Since the Song Dynasty, it has completely become the leader of the Taoist sect.

Even so, there are many factions within.

Even though he had some connections in Shanzhou, they were completely useless in Ezhou. He was lucky to be treated equally and not cause trouble.

With such attentiveness, it would be a lie to say I'm not worried.

Gu Hanzi smiled and poured tea for them. "Fellow Daoist Li, don't worry too much. In fact, when a sorcerer like you who is on good terms with the Taoist sect and has extraordinary skills comes to Ezhou, we will treat you with courtesy."

"After all, we still need your help in many things. Zhenwu Palace will also open up many tasks of the Law Enforcement Hall to you."

"The Taoist priest is joking."

Li Yan frowned, "The martial arts of Zhenwu Palace are world-famous. We are just a side sect. Why do you need our help?"

Gu Hanzi sighed and shook his head, saying, "No matter how strong our Zhenwu Palace is, how many people do we have? Besides, the situation in Ezhou is far more complicated than you imagined."

"Ezhou connects the north and the south, and is also an important town for the Taoist sect. Further south, the Dharma lineage is prosperous, and there are countless sects of all sizes."

"Therefore, the Xuanmen of Ezhou is a structure of the north, the south, the law, the east, the Zen, and the west. In order to ensure the stability of the Xuanmen of Shenzhou, many caves and blessed places will be handed over to the Dharma lineage for suppression."

"Also, the situation in Wushan is complicated and is not under the control of the Orthodox Church. In addition, the natural barrier of Shennongjia, the roof of Central China, separates the Orthodox Church in Shuzhong from my Zhenwu Palace. It is difficult for one person to support it."

"Oh, I see..."

After hearing this, Li Yan's expression remained unchanged, but he was startled in his heart.

My goodness, the dispute between Buddhism and Taoism, the cause and effect of orthodox religion and Dharma lineage, no matter which one, it is a huge whirlpool.

This guy...does he want to drag them into this?

Thinking of this, Li Yan's face turned serious and he said in a deep voice: "Master, we are just nobody, traveling around the world to practice, we dare not get involved in these things."

Gu Hanzi was stunned, then laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist Li is wrong. Although the situation in Xuanmen is complicated, there are rules."

"What should we do? Not to mention you, even I am not qualified to participate. That is something that higher-level monks should consider."

"Oh?"

Li Yan was curious after hearing this, "Except for these, will your sect still have troubles with its power?"

Gu Hanzi nodded, "Not only is there one, it's also very big."

"The situation in Ezhou is very special, especially in Yunyang Prefecture. It involves mountain people, the Tiansheng Sect, various chieftain offices, and some secret witches in the Jingchu mountain area."

"Of course, the main issue now is still the mountain people's problem."

"Mr. Yuan, the governor of Yunyang, advocated a gradual approach. Although the progress has been slow over the years, it has shown results, and many mountain dwellers have chosen to move out."

"But there are several imperial guards stationed in Yunyang. The military has the support of the Ministry of War and is more willing to follow Taizu's example and directly close the mountains to suppress and expel the rebels, so as to avoid stationing troops for a long time and consuming national strength."

"Since last year, the Governor Yuan has been in poor health and has been bedridden for a long time. He is no longer able to control the situation..."

"Right now, the mountain people and the Tiansheng Cult have committed another major crime, which also involves black market gunpowder in various states. Your Majesty is furious, and the Ministry of War has urgently dispatched guards from various places. A major chaos is inevitable..."

"The Yunyang City God Temple and the troops on Mount Wudang are the basis for suppressing the four directions and preventing the Xuanmen forces from participating on a large scale. Our Zhenwu Palace has issued a summons to withdraw forces to deal with this matter..."

"Because of this incident, some places cannot be taken care of, especially Jingzhou and Yichang where strange things happened one after another. We can only assign the tasks of the Law Enforcement Hall to other cultivators."

"Everyone, rest assured. These missions do not involve disputes between sects. Most of them are about exorcising evil spirits. After all, protecting the country and the people, warding off disasters and exorcising evil spirits are our primary responsibilities."

"If evil spirits are rampant in the territory, it is also the fault of our Zhenwu Palace."

"Oh…"

Li Yan also became interested after hearing this, "I wonder how difficult these tasks are and how the rewards are calculated?"

They spent nearly half of their fortune on Mount Huashan, spending money along the way. Even if they took on some small jobs to exorcise evil spirits, it was only enough for daily expenses.

It would be extremely difficult to save enough money for practicing Buddhism.

After listening to this, Gu Hanzi replied seriously: "The reward is naturally related to the difficulty of the task. My Zhenwu Palace cannot offer too high a price, but after completing the task, you can be rewarded with items for cultivation."

"If your merits are sufficient, I will even open the 'Three Mysterious Realms' to you during the Wudang Dharma Assembly."

"what?"

Wang Daoxuan had been silent at first, but when he heard the words “three great mystical realms”, his expression changed slightly.

Seeing Li Yan's confusion, he quickly explained: "The 'Three Mysterious Realms' are the three extraordinary spiritual orifices in Wudang, namely the 'True Martial Dragon Cave', the 'Thunder Fire Refining Palace' and the 'Purple Sky Divine Lamp'."

"I heard that practicing there will bring extraordinary opportunities."

"Magic lamp, chance?"

Hearing this, Li Yan had bad memories in his heart.

The Huashan magic lamp brought him the blessing of the White Emperor, and extinguished a soul fire. Although it was a mistake due to a combination of reasons, the benefits were average.

The pillars of the Cunshen Tower have all turned metallic, making the tower more stable, but that's all.

He has Luofeng Mountain as his foundation, and the tower itself is stable, so this advantage is a bit useless...

Also, with the blessing of the White Emperor, there is a bonus when using swords, but except for the moment when the Dust-Breaking Sword was forged, there is no more...

Li Yan had some vague guesses in his mind.

Originally, when absorbing the blessings of the White Emperor, there is no need to resist at all. Huashan's innate Gengjin energy will be integrated into the mind.

The only drawback is that one has to endure the pain of a sharp blade piercing one's soul.

Ordinary cultivators can just hold on for a few breaths.

However, he relied on the "Luofeng Sutra" and the Daluo Dharmakaya to get through it, without allowing the innate Gengjin energy to merge with his spirit, and he persisted for more than an hour.

This massive force has nowhere to go.

Nature and the building are integrated. It becomes even more difficult to mobilize them.

Nowadays, when we hear about “magic lamp” and “good fortune”, we naturally doubt their effectiveness.

"Master Wang is very knowledgeable."

Gu Hanzi praised it and said with a smile: "The Zhenwu Dragon Cave is located under the Five Dragons Palace. It was built during the Zhenguan period and was the first of the nine major palaces in Wudang Mountain at that time."

"It is said that there was a severe drought at that time, and the people of Xuanmen were ordered to pray for rain. Five dragons fell and turned into a dragon pond, and the Five Dragon Palace was built because of this."

"The 'Zhenwu Dragon Cave' is below the Dragon Pond. If you enter it to meditate, you can gain insights into martial arts if you have the chance. The ancestor of my sect, Sanfeng Zhenren, gained enlightenment in the 'Zhenwu Dragon Cave'..."

"The Thunder and Fire Refining Hall was built at the end of the Song and Jin Dynasties. It can draw the power of heavenly thunder. It is used to suppress evil spirits and practice the method of thunder and fire..."

"As for the Purple Sky Divine Lamp, it is placed in the Purple Sky Golden Palace and is kept burning all year round. It is very beneficial to concentrate your mind and practice in it!"

"These three realms correspond to the art of magic, the law, and the martial arts respectively. They are the foundation of our Zhenwu Palace and are rarely open to ordinary cultivators. If it weren't for the current situation... Fellow Daoist Li, you can't miss it."

Li Yan was also somewhat tempted after hearing this, especially the "Zhenwu Dragon Cave" and the "Thunder Fire Refining Palace", but he shook his head and said: "Such an opportunity will definitely not be released casually, the mission is probably not simple..."

"Friend Li is right."

Gu Hanzi said solemnly, "Storm is coming to Ezhou, and some evil spirits are ready to make a move. Some of them are indeed dangerous."

"For example, Qinglong Mountain, which is not far from Yunyang, has recently been rumored to have strange beasts appearing and people often disappearing inexplicably. Now no one dares to go to the mountain. The Law Enforcement Hall sent disciples to investigate, but found nothing."

"There are many things going on in Yunyang Prefecture, and we can't have someone guarding it all the time, so a fellow Taoist from the Meishan Fajiao took on the task."

"They are hunters in the mountains, and they are best at dealing with strange beasts, but this time, they disappeared without a trace."

"After all, Qinglong Mountain is not far from Yunyang, and this mission has been upgraded. After completing it, you will be rewarded with 2,000 taels of silver and a token to enter the Three Great Mysterious Realms."

"With this token, you can choose any of the three profound realms and comprehend them once."

When Li Yan heard this, he lost interest.

All the hunters of Meishan Sect have disappeared. You can imagine how dangerous it is. What's more troublesome is that they have to wait in the mountains, and they don't have time to stay there all the time.

There are also these three mysterious realms. They sound mysterious, but it is difficult for ordinary cultivators to enter. The disciples of Zhenwu Palace and those who are related to them may have vomited from practicing.

Whether or not you can get the opportunity are two different things.

With these imaginary objects, plus two thousand taels, the masters of the Dharma sect were forced to risk their lives, and there would be no return. It was almost a no-cost business.

Thinking of this, he asked, "What other tasks are there?"

Gu Hanzi was obviously well prepared. He took out a booklet from his bosom and said, "All the tasks reported are written in the booklet. No matter which one you complete, you can go to the local City God Temple to report it, and someone will naturally check it."

After hesitating for a moment, he said, "I do have a mission, and I hope you can help me."

"Taoist Master, please speak."

"In Dangyang County, Jingzhou, there is Zigai Mountain, one of the 72 blessed places. It is jointly managed by the Zhushan Sect, the Vinaya Sect, and the Taixuan Orthodox Sect, each of which occupies one side."

"Since last year, Taoists have been dying in the Zhenwu Palace of Zigai Mountain one after another. They reported that they died of natural causes, but one of my junior brothers, Feng Lingzi, sent me a secret letter saying that there was something strange in the palace and he was secretly investigating."

"It has been nearly a month, and no secret letter has been sent back. I am very worried, but I can't leave."

"Besides, there are three parties co-governing the place. If the Law Enforcement Hall enters with great fanfare, it might cause misunderstandings. I would like to ask fellow Taoists to help us find out what happened."

"Jingzhou Dangyang?"

Li Yan seemed to be thinking about something, and nodded, "Okay, I'm going to Yichang right now, and I can take a look after I'm done, but if I find any danger, I'll evacuate."

Gu Hanzi nodded and said, "Of course, we just need to find out what happened and we will deal with it later."

With this relationship, Lu San’s matter will not be a problem.

Gu Hanzi agreed that as long as the Duwei Division withdrew the wanted order, the certificate could be issued on the same day without having to wait.

After leaving the City God Temple, the two went towards the Duwei Office.

Somewhat different from Chang'an, the Yunyang Duwei Division was mainly aimed at mountain people since its inception. In order to facilitate mobilization, its address was near the Yunyang government office.

The Yunyang government office is located in the center of the city.

Not long after, the two arrived at the gate of the government office, but saw a large number of people gathered in the square.

They all had black scarves on their heads and wore coarse printed blue cloth clothes. Some of them even had silver bracelets on their hands and feet. They were either sitting or lying, staring at the officers and soldiers around them without fear.

Many people from Yunyang have gathered in the surrounding streets.

They whispered to each other, their eyes full of gloating.

"Lost again?"

"Of course it must be lost. It has been lost for several years..."

Li Yan was puzzled, but after asking around, he found out the reason.

These are the Tujia people from western Hubei. In order to facilitate management, the previous dynasty Daxing established the Tusi system, in which the imperial court appointed Tusi and local officials, and they managed the country themselves.

This is basically the way ethnic minorities in China and its border areas treat each other, and it has continued to this day.

The local chieftains were not only responsible for collecting taxes, but also for paying tribute regularly.

These people in front of us are all local people under the command of Tangya Tusi Tan. They were responsible for transporting tax grain to Yunyang, but they were robbed by pirates on the way.

But the strange thing is that they have been robbed for several years in a row, and even the tribute shipped to the capital has been looted.

Everyone can see that this is the thief crying "stop thief".

The root of this matter is a policy proposed by the current emperor a few years ago, "Reforming the Tusi System", which ended the Tusi system and was managed by people sent by the court.

Because of this incident, local chieftains were outraged and wrote letters to the emperor to beg for mercy, as well as bribing court officials with large sums of money to intercede for them.

In short, it was procrastinated and never got done.

The robbery of tax grain was clearly an expression of dissatisfaction.

"This Yunyang Prefecture is full of complicated matters..."

Wang Daoxuan and Li Yan looked at each other, shook their heads slightly, and walked towards an alley near the government office.

That is where the Duweisi Yamen is located.

The Duwei Division had a terrible reputation, and even ordinary people were unwilling to live in the surrounding restaurants and teahouses, let alone in the surrounding areas. Most of the properties were owned by members of the Duwei Division.

When he arrived at the door, Li Yan asked someone to report on his behalf.

Soon, a tall, strong, red-faced man strode out and said solemnly, "Greetings, Young Master Li."

Li Yan had also seen this man. He was Captain Wang under Captain Huang. He was from Jiaozhou, was good at using double swords, was extremely brave, and was considered Captain Huang's confidant.

Li Yan leaned over and took a look. "Captain Huang is not here?"

Captain Wang shook his head and said, "Master Qianhu caught a cold in the mountains and is now sick at home, not in the government office."

"But don't worry, the Qian Hu has already ordered your matter to be handled. I have checked with Chang'an and it can be rescinded. It will be done tomorrow, and the official document will be sent to all places."

"Thank you!"

Li Yan immediately clasped his fists to express his gratitude, and then asked casually, "Is the captain okay?"

Captain Wang said meaningfully: "It's not a serious illness. Maybe it will get better after this period of time."

"Oh."

Li Yan understood instantly and left with a fist salute.

(End of this chapter)