Chapter 177 A Rain in Midsummer

"I scared you to death. Where can I go to find the successor?"

"The problem is that this doesn't sound real no matter how it sounds."

"Where is not true?"

"Chang'an City, the God of Shocking Array, hand it over to me? Why? Why?"

"Because there are too few divine talisman masters in the world who are qualified to preside over the God-Shocking Formation, there are fewer people who can absolutely trust the empire. The only three secluded divine talisman masters in the academy, Xiao Huanghe is my native of the Tang Dynasty, and your uncle Gongsun is also in good health. There was a big problem, and Ning Que, you are the Master's student and my apprentice. Why can't the court trust you? Why can't you hand it over to you? "

"Who can agree?"

"I agree."

"Master, is it enough for you to agree?"

"Your Majesty has agreed. He told me that he once told you that you will take you to see something after you officially step into the talisman path."

"Your Majesty did say...but...what does this have to do with what we are talking about at this time."

"When you see that thing in the future, you will understand."

...

...

It is of course a very happy and glorious thing to be able to become a divine talisman master with a high status. However, if the security of the entire Chang'an City and even the entire Tang Empire after becoming a divine talisman master will be handed over to you, then this A kind of happiness and glory will be strengthened countless times, but the glory will eventually become a responsibility like a mountain and a pressure like a sky.

Thinking that when I stood on the Chang'an city tower in decades, I could no longer feel as if I could leave with the wind, but would carefully observe the more than one million people of the Tang Dynasty living there, and always be ready to be for Yanzuo. Ning Que felt a little difficult to breathe and was in a dull mood as the survival of the Tang Dynasty court made a choice that ordinary people could never make.

If we objectively evaluate, any young man who has just been in the world of cultivation for less than a year and is still in a state of inconsistency suddenly learns that the empire's great men's arrangements for their future are so important, and he will be scared to death.

Ning Que is no exception, but after all, he has experienced too many shocks and shocks in his life, and he is brave enough to be wild enough, especially after entering the second floor of the academy, his mentality becomes more stable, and it can even be called calm. Be calm and lazy.

So after returning to Lin47 Alley, his mood quickly returned to normal.

An old cat from the entrance of the alley, who was lying on the stone slab, squinting his eyes and basking in the sun lazily.

...

...

In fact, Ning Que was not lazy. In the days that followed, in order to avoid the enthusiastic Chang'an people and officials of various governments, he still got up before dark, went out early in the morning, went to the back mountain of the academy to practice swords, swords and fine needles, and listen to the wind. Listen to music and chess. After leaving the academy, I continued to visit the scenery around Chang'an City and visit the ancient temples of Taoist temples everywhere. However, there is no master to accompany me now, I am just alone on the road.

Chang'an City finally came to the most difficult period of the year, a hot and stuffy summer. Ning Que also traveled to more than ten Taoist temples and finally arrived at Wanyan Pagoda Temple in the south city. Unfortunately, spring has passed, and the geese have already gone north and went to Xunyang Lake, Gushan County to spend the heat, so he couldn't see it. The shocking scene of thousands of geese flying around the ancient tower.

Fortunately, places like Taoist temples and Buddhist temples have always liked to steal the most beautiful scenery in the world to serve as backgrounds, so Taoist monks were forced to repair some good scenery to avoid being scolded too much by the world. Therefore, Wanyan Pagoda Temple is here Although there were no geese to see at that time, at least a pagoda with moss marks left by ancient bricks, as well as the exquisitely carved stone statues of the Venerable in the Buddhist temple.

Ning Que looked up at the pagoda for a while and found that he had not seen any realization of the talisman or the beauty. He shrugged and walked into the temple, and was suddenly slapped by those venerables with smooth lines but particularly solemn lines. It seemed to attract attention.

The world is shrouded in the brilliance of the Haotian. The Buddha Sect is silently guarding the corner of the moon wheel. Although some temples have been built around each city, it is not mainstream. Most of the Buddhist monks practice hard in the wilderness, which has an impact on the secular people. The force is also very small. Like most people, Ning Que does not have a good understanding of the doctrines and scriptures of the Buddhist sect. He only knows that the so-called Venerables have a position in the Buddhist sect roughly equivalent to the saints mentioned by ordinary people. They are all ancient myths similar to those of myths. A legend has happened.

The stone statues of the Venerable are placed in the quiet Buddhist temple in turn, with yellow paper covering the window. The filtered light falls on the stone statues, emitting a quiet yellow luster. The statues of the Venerable are of different shapes. Whether smiling or speechless or bitter, his hands naked outside the monk's robes are also different, either holding them lightly or scattering their fingers in a strange way.

Ning Que guessed that this should be the handprint of the Buddha Sect. He subconsciously imitated it according to the image of Master Shi, stretched out his hands outside his sleeves and slowly closed it, then spread his fingers and crossed it, or leaned his fingers and sank his wrists like lotus flowers, gradually, and there was a hidden feeling in his heart. What I feel, but I can't tell what it feels.

Walking out of the Buddhist temple, the world was once again shrouded in bright and hot sunlight. He blinked and shook his head in disappointment. Just as he was about to leave, a middle-aged monk walked out of the Wanyan Pagoda and smiled slightly at him.

...

...

A shabby room on the top of the tower.

The middle-aged monk put a cup of tea in front of Ning Que and said calmly, "You can call me boxwood."

Ning Que took the tea and thanked him. He felt that the name was a little familiar, as if he had heard from Master Yan Se.

"I guess you are a little confused, why do I ask you to go upstairs and talk about it."

The middle-aged monk looked at him and smiled and said, "I was invited by someone and I want to say a few words to you."

Ning Que held the slightly warm tea and felt a little puzzled and wondered who would ask you what you want to say to me? At this moment, he finally remembered the identity of this boxer monk and the rumors he had heard in the past. He was suddenly shocked, and quickly stood up and bowed to the ground, saluted and said, "I have seen... I have seen the master."

The monk Wang Yang smiled and said, "Many people find it a little trouble for me. In the eyes of the people, I am the so-called Yudi, and I often call myself the Lord of the Idi, but I am not the Lord of the Idi, but I am just a Lord of the Idi. Monk."

Ning Que smiled, not knowing how to answer the conversation.

The monk Box Yang pointed to the Buddhist scriptures like a hill on the desk behind him and said, "These are the Buddhist scriptures I have retrieved from the wasteland. I want to translate them into plain words so that I can tell the true meaning of the scriptures to the world, but I can only learn them briefly. It took so many years to complete, and there were still many volumes that were not completed, so please don't mind that I started telling you directly."

The middle-aged monk sitting opposite was the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, the most respected master of the Buddhist sect in the empire. Although he had not guessed who was invited to speak to him so far, such a master let go of this. The Dover Sutra does not translate and annotate, so I made a special trip to take time to talk to myself. It is extremely important to think that what I need to say is extremely important, and Ning Que would not have any opinions.

"I don't know much about the way of runes, so I can only start with the practice process I have experienced. The Buddha School emphasizes enlightenment and enlightenment. Being able to maintain the Buddha's heart is the Buddha. In our opinion, the heaven and earth surrounding it is the essence of heaven and earth. It can be said that it is a gift given to us by Haotian, or it can be said that it is some brilliance that has existed since ancient times. Does Haotian have the will of human beings? Whether it is the Taoist Buddhist sect or the academy predecessors, they have always existed. We won't mention the argument today."

The monk Boxer spoke directly, without any noise or any ups and downs, and directly said a huge proposition, but after a little explanation, he ended abruptly and quickly got to the point.

"The practice of Buddhism is asceticism. The so-called suffering is not about suffering, but about walking between heaven and earth, and having close contact with cliffs and streams for many years. One day, a splash of water appeared in the cliffs and streams, and perhaps you could sense the sky and the earth. The vitality between them."

"Cultivation requires understanding the operating rules of the world's vital energy, and perceive the flow and static of the vital energy. The disciples of the Buddhist sect also need to learn, but our learning depends more on the accumulation of years, and suddenly we think of these things, which we call Enlightenment."

Even if a truly good student faces Einstein, he will not wait passively for being fed by the geese like the fish on the back mountain of the academy. Instead, he will ask questions bravely and in a timely manner. Ning Que is undoubtedly Good student, so after Boxer monk finished saying this, he frowned and asked, "By the extreme familiarity of the objective existence of things, he can recognize all the attributes of things?"

"You summarized it very well, no wonder you can enter the second floor of the academy."

The monk Boxer was slightly stunned and said with appreciation: "This is roughly the truth, but the Buddhist sect thinks that these heaven and earth vital energy have existed before us and will exist forever after us. This is a kind of transcendent experience or even The objective existence of survival experience, so we live in it, more about perception than mastering, and we should not think about controlling it."

"So, like the general practice school, the Buddha school does not divide the realm by understanding and controlling the laws of heaven and earth. There is no confusion. How can one not be confused by the endless world with a life of one's own life? Since it is the mystery of heaven and earth, How can you understand it?"

Ning Que thought about this passage seriously and felt that these views of the Buddha Sect were a bit too rigid, at least not very positive.

"The Buddha Sect only emphasizes enlightenment. If you realize it, you will realize it. If you do not realize it, you will not realize it."

The monk Box Yang looked at him and said calmly, "I have been practicing asceticism in various places in the world since I was a child. After my master passed away in old age and weak, I heard that there was a holy land of Buddha sect at the west of the wasteland, so I went to Yuelun Kingdom. I followed the caravans of Yuelun Kingdom into the wasteland. In seven years, I followed seventeen different caravans into the wasteland. Some caravans stayed in the barbarian tribe and did not come back, and more caravans led them with me. I returned to Yuelun Kingdom with great rewards, but I never found the legendary Buddha Sect holy land."

"A caravan entered the wasteland four times, and I also went in and out with them four times, familiar with the merchants and coachmen guards. One day, a sandstorm came, and the caravan was trapped in a certain place in Qiucheng. At night, A team of horse thieves who came to avoid the sandstorm also entered the earth encirclement, and then there was a killing poke for no reason. "

Listening to the word "Ma Thief", Ning Que's eyebrows were raised purely and subconsciously, a bright light shone in his eyes, his body suddenly stiffened in instinct, full of murderous intent, and said in a deep voice: "Master, what happened later? "

He knew that this sentence was unnecessary. He knew the cruelty of the wilderness horse thief better than anyone else. The master is still sitting here for sure. I think something happened in it, and even the master is very likely to be enlightened that day.

Sure enough, the monk Boxer said, "The horse thief was a little afraid of the disciples of the Buddha Sect. He only surrounded me after killing everyone. It was at that moment that he followed his master to practice asceticism for twenty years and entered and out of the wasteland for seven years. I was finally enlightened."

Listening to the master's story, Ning Que seemed to be able to see the cruel scene of the night surrounding the wasteland. His mind shook slightly. He looked at the opposite side of the table and asked subconsciously: "Master, what happened to you after you are enlightened? What happened to those horse thieves afterwards. ? "

The monk Boxer smiled slightly, did not answer this question, but just slowly poured some tea into his cup.

Ning Que smiled and knew that he had asked another meaningless question. Although the Buddha Sect emphasizes compassion and saving, he read the introduction of Venerable Gurgling in the Buddha Sect before, and then he knew that the Buddha Sect would be thunderous when he met a wicked person. , the horse thieves died naturally.

The monk Box Yang said, "As for how I was enlightened at that time, I still don't understand. I only remember that my body was soaked with blood from my familiar companions. I felt that the blood was very hot, and my skin was burning, as if it was about to burn. It's average. "

Hearing this sentence, Ning Que gently rubbed his fingers under the table. He felt that the blood stains left when he was young were still so sticky. Although it has become much lighter now, it still makes him feel a little uncomfortable.

The monk Boxer looked at him and said, "For many years, I have been in pain and confusion. Since I want to be enlightened, why can't I be enlightened earlier? Even half a day in advance, my friends in the caravan will not be killed by horse thieves. It took me a long time to finally understand this truth. Everyone has different reasons for enlightenment. The opportunity comes when it comes. If the opportunity does not come, you cannot force it."

Ning Que understood that the master said this to him.

The monk Boxer continued, "Blood is not fire, it should not be spicy, and it is even more impossible to burn. However, for me at that time, blood is spicy, and it can burn, and my clothes, body and even the heart of Buddha. Burn it clean. If enlightenment is the perception of the laws of heaven and earth's vitality, then everyone's enlightenment should be different. Only what you feel is real, and what others teach you are fake, so you don't have to worry , take your time, you will always realize it."

Ning Que thought silently for a long time, then bowed to the ground and walked down Wanyan Pagoda like this.

A moment later, the national master of the Tang Dynasty, Li Qingshan, walked in from somewhere, looked at the monk Wang Yang and said, "I am so grateful."

The monk Boxer shook his head and said, "In such a short time, aren't you worried that he will have problems?"

Li Qingshan said calmly: "A divine talisman master who is already standing in front of the threshold, Master Gaode Yudi of the Buddha Sect, and those strange people on the second floor of the academy, use this lineup to lead a young man who has just entered the world of cultivation. , If he can avoid problems, then the future will be promising. If this still doesn't work, then... he can only wait for the Master to return to China."

The great practitioners who stood at the highest point of the Tang Empire were all devoted to the education of Ning Que. As the national teacher Li Qingshan said, I dare not say that there will be no future in such a lineup, but I believe that it is extremely difficult to appear before.

After a moment of silence, the monk Box Yang smiled and said, "I hope he can live up to your expectations in the future."

"The Military Department and the Tianshu Department have also investigated him in detail, and his loyalty to the Tang Dynasty is beyond doubt. Being able to enter the second floor of the academy means that he has enough potential, and may even grow into a divine talisman master in the future. The most important thing is Yes, he is not as ignorant as other practitioners, and he walks in the clouds. Instead, he acts calmly and ruthlessly. He dares to kill people when he encounters an enemy and can use any means."

"How could Your Majesty miss a young man like this? What's more, the fate of that book?"

"It is not that we old guys expect him to grow up in the future and to give us a shine, but that the future of the Tang Empire requires young people like him."

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...

Since having a meal of the exquisite and unfilled imperial banquet of Lenghuoqiuyan in the palace that day, Ning Que sent some books through the guard office, but he had never entered the palace again, nor had he met the Emperor of Tang Dynasty. , so he did not know that he had become the most important candidate in the talent training program of the Tang Empire. However, today he had a conversation with Master Box Yang on Wanyan Pagoda. He more or less guessed something that could allow this Tang Dynasty brother to come forward in person. In addition to Master Yan Se's face, he must have some face in the palace.

Even if he guessed a little, he was not shocked, especially compared with the master pointed at Ruhuajiangshan on the South City Tower a few days ago and said that the safety of this world-class city will be left to you, but of course he will be moved. mood.

After talking about Wanyan Pagoda one by one, he had been recalling and thinking about Master Boxer, especially the word "Wu".

The more he thought about it, the more he confirmed the Buddha's sect's intensive understanding. If it is put into the system of ordinary practice methods, it is actually a mysterious and a preliminary grasp of the operating rules of the heaven and earth's vitality.

At this time, Ning Que's realm was still at ease, and there was only a small distance left from the lower realm of Dongxuan. The same was true for the Talisman. He was only a little bit away from drawing the Talisman. This seems to be a little distance left, but it is the most difficult part.

Seeing that it was only one step away from climbing the dangerous peak, but that step was just not enough to take it. No matter who it was, it would inevitably feel anxious and impatient. A few days ago, Ning Que did calm down, but deep down he was Of course, I have been looking forward to that day. It was not until he heard what Master Huang Yang said about Wu on Wanyan Pagoda that he suddenly realized that these seemingly peaceful expectations were also an anxiety and an obstacle to practice.

After thinking deeply for a night, Ning Que stopped thinking about these things, and he threw all the cave mysterious and talismans behind him. He would still go to the back mountain of the academy to listen to the song and gossip, and would still walk around the famous scenic spots in Chang'an City, but he never thought about which day he would be able to be mysterious, and he never thought about which day he would be in that Bai The first stroke fell on the paper, looking at the eaves of scenic spots and buildings, I no longer wanted to feel anything from it, but just purely appreciate the beauty in it, reflecting those lines into my eyes.

A day in midsummer.

The old Bizhai in the afternoon was shrouded in the unbearable sultry and humid mood. Ning Que leaned against the bamboo chair under the tree, staring at the sky divided by branches and leaves above his head, and was dazed, and he picked up the wet from the basin next to the chair from time to time. I patted the towel on my body twice, and washed away the greasy sweat and heat on my body with well water.

"Change the water quickly, the water in the basin is hot again. What a ghost weather, hurry up and dig some fresh cold well water to come up."

He was not anxious about his practice, but was anxious about the heat and shouted loudly to the front.

In order to resist the endless admiration and the officials of various government officials, Lao Bizhai is now happy in the two days. Sangsang was really bored during the day, so he wiped the tables and chairs in the front shop over and over again. Listening to Ning Que's annoyed shouting in the yard, she quickly ran out, poured the old water from the basin under the tree, and then walked to the well to fetch new water.

At this moment, a rain that had not been waiting for a long time fell down, hitting the eaves and leaves, and then quickly turned into a magnificent rain. The rain was like thunder, but it could not cover up the neighbors coming from the back alley. He shouted ecstasy.

"Young Master, hurry up and hide."

Sangsang threw down the basin and hurried to close the window.

Ning Que lay on the bamboo chair without moving. He looked at the rain falling from the sky, felt the crispy cracks of the raindrops hitting his naked skin, and the wetness covering the streets and alleys, his expression looked a bit strange. .

Sangsang looked at him from the window and shouted, "Why haven't you come in yet?"

Ning Que opened his eyes, looked at the increasingly dense rain, and suddenly shouted loudly, "Look, it's so beautiful."

Sangsang thought to himself that the young master was talking nonsense again. She waited for a long time and found that Ning Que was still lying foolishly on the bamboo chair. Although she was not worried that he would catch a cold in the hot weather, she was very worried that he would become a fool in the rain. She walked out of the door with her thin eyebrows frowned and walked out. Go to the bamboo chair, and follow his appearance and look up at the sky.

Ning Que looked up and felt a little difficult, and reached out to put his hand around her waist and carried her into his arms.

The master and servant lay side by side on bamboo chairs, lying in the heavy rain, looking into the sky with their eyes open.

Sangsang looked at the rain lines that were rushing towards him like arrows and said in surprise: "It's really good."

Ning Que wiped the rain from her face and asked, "Do you think we are very much like the rain eaves under the storm of thousands of years?"

Sangsang shook his head and said, "I don't think so. I feel like it's a city wall, and it's being shot by many arrows."

Ning Que sighed, "What a romantic girl."

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...

At night, the rain gradually stopped.

Sangsang started cooking. After Ning Que dried his body, he came to the desk in front of the window again.

He poured water into the inkstone, grinded ink and picked up the pen, just as it was as natural and ordinary as every time in more than ten years.

The white paper on the desk was still the same one. After being placed for dozens of days, the edge was rolled up, but it was still snow-white on it.

His eyes moved away from the page of the water part of the rune classic, and he looked at the raindrops dripping under the eaves.

Then he calmed his wrist and wrote.

The plump pen tip is like a treetop sucking in rain, falling gently on the snow-white paper.

One line, two lines, three lines, and six lines.

The six lines are finished.

Ning Que took a deep breath and put his pen down.

Sangsang walked in with two large bowls of soy sauce rice, put it aside, and walked to the desk and looked curiously.

Then she looked up at the roof, frowned slightly, and said unhappily: "It's actually leaking? Didn't it mean that this is a new house in the fourth year of the Apocalypse? You have to tell Master Qi Si that you must reduce the rent. "

Ning Que shook his head helplessly and said, "When did we pay the rent? Besides, the house has not leaked."

"This is called "no leakage"? Young Master, are you confused by the rain and fever? Do you want me to go to the pharmacy..."

Sangsang pointed to the white paper on the desk and asked with concern.

However, before she could finish her words, Ning Que hugged her thin body into her arms.

Sangsang felt that the young master seemed very excited today, so he had to open his arms helplessly and let him hold him in confusion.

Ning Que hugged her tightly, and after a moment of quietness, he said with a smile in her ear: "Tell those in Chang'an City who want to treat me to dinner, starting today, I have time to go to their mansion for dinner."

Sangsang heard this, his body stiffened slightly and looked at the desk again.

The six ink marks on the snow-white paper on the desk have long disappeared.

There is only a large pool of water marks.

Not rain.

It's water.