Honghuang: Eat a Hunyuan Daluo

"Fellow Daoist Bai Jing is slightly inferior."

"Hiss~" As soon as Houtu finished speaking, Hongyun gasped.

If we were to say who among the saints had the best relationship with Bai Jing, it would definitely be Hong Yun. Precisely because of their good relationship, Hong Yun had a very clear understanding of Bai Jing's strength.

Bai Jing's current foundation is the Thirty-Sixth Grade Chaos White Lotus, and his cultivation level is the Heavenly Dao Realm. He wields the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe, and no one in the prehistoric world can rival him.

How could someone as powerful as Bai Jing be slightly inferior? Just what kind of being is that monster?
"I won't waste any more words. For the next few days, all of you and your disciples should stay home." After saying this, Houtu waved his hand, and all the saints disappeared.

For the next few hundred years, the primordial world was bombarded from time to time. At first, the sages were somewhat panicked, but after confirming many times that the primordial world was not affected in any way, the sages got used to it.

The scene shifts to the human realm, to the Southern Continent, within the territory of the Tang Dynasty. A winding stream flows downstream, and a monk is drawing water from the stream.

The monk was agile and quickly filled two buckets with water. Just as he was about to leave, a wooden basin suddenly floated downstream.

The monk reacted quickly and grabbed the wooden basin from the rushing water.

The monk originally thought that such a fine wooden basin, with excellent workmanship, must have been used by a wealthy family and could have been sold for at least 100 coins. Who would be so extravagant as to simply dump it upstream?

To the monk's surprise, when he carried the wooden basin to the shore and looked closely, he was astonished to find a chubby, white baby lying inside.

"How could there be a child in the wooden basin?" The monk was shocked. He waited nearby for a while, but when no one came to look for the child, he carried the wooden basin upstream to search for it, but still found nothing. Helpless, the monk had no choice but to take the child back to Jinshan Temple.

The old abbot of Jinshan Temple took the baby, searched him, and quickly found a letter written in blood.

The old host opened the blood-written letter, quickly glanced through it, and then fell silent.

After a long while, the old abbot sighed and quickly hid the blood-written letter. He looked at the sleeping baby, gritted his teeth and said, "The child is innocent after all, so let him stay at Jinshan Temple and be properly taught."

The monk, upon hearing this, was perplexed: "Abbot, our temple has never raised an infant before. We don't know how to care for this child. Perhaps we should send him down the mountain to a nearby farmer?"

"Absolutely not!" Before the monk could finish speaking, the abbot interrupted him directly: "If there is no milk, then raise a sheep to get its milk. If you don't know how to raise a sheep, then go to the women outside Jinshan Temple to learn how to take care of the baby. We monks are compassionate. This child has a difficult life ahead of him. If we send him away, he will probably not survive."

Upon hearing this, the monk lowered his head in shame: "It was my oversight, please forgive me, Abbot."

Everything has two sides.

Taoism can be divided into good and bad; there are virtuous and respected immortals, as well as thieving and despicable Taoists.

The same applies to Buddhism, and this old abbot is undoubtedly a truly enlightened monk!
The monk then went out and bought a sheep, which he kept in the temple. Every day, he milked the sheep, warmed the milk, cooled it down, and then fed it to the baby.

This method was taught to him by farmers at the foot of the mountain. Some babies would have severe diarrhea if they were fed goat milk directly. However, if the milk was warmed up and then cooled to a temperature that was just right for the baby to drink, the baby would be fine.

After the baby drank the milk, a satisfied smile appeared on its face, and it giggled, making the monk laugh heartily.

This baby was none other than Jin Chanzi, who had been reincarnated for the tenth time. In the previous nine times Jin Chanzi traveled west, he was swallowed by Sha Wujing every time he reached the Liusha River, leaving only his skull.

Time flies like water. In the blink of an eye, several years have passed. Jin Chanzi's reincarnation is now eight years old. The old abbot named him Jiang Liuer. During this time, Jiang Liuer learned a lot of knowledge. No matter what he learned, he learned it quickly and mastered it in no time. He soon became a well-known child prodigy.

Jiang Liuer did not become a monk, mainly because the abbot did not agree. In the abbot's eyes, Jiang Liuer was just a child who had never experienced worldly affairs, so how could he truly understand and choose to become a monk?
At this moment, on the back mountain of Jinshan Temple, Jiang Liuer held a homemade bow and arrow, nocked an arrow, and aimed at a pheasant not far away. The plump pheasant had bright and beautiful long feathers with colorful patterns.

Jiang Liuer showed no mercy. He released the bowstring, and the arrow flew out with a whoosh, hitting the pheasant. The pheasant flapped its wings a few times in mid-air before finally falling helplessly to the ground, lifeless.

Jiang Liuer was very excited. He ran over, skillfully picked up the pheasant, plucked its feathers, removed its internal organs, rubbed it with barbecue seasoning, and started grilling it skillfully.

Soon, the pheasant began to sizzle and drip oil onto the firewood below, making a crackling sound.

An indescribable, exquisite fragrance wafts towards you, making your mouth water uncontrollably.

After the pheasant was cooked, Jiang Liuer took a delightful sniff and then began to devour it. Before long, the entire pheasant, skin and all, was gone from Jiang Liuer's stomach, leaving only bones scattered on the ground.

Just then, a novice monk chopping wood at Jinshan Temple passed by and, seeing the pile of bones, angrily rebuked, "Jiang Liuer, you've gone too far! Although you're not a monk, you grew up in the temple. Don't you know the principle of not killing? You, on the other hand, eat fish and meat all day long. If it weren't for the abbot protecting you, you would have been expelled from Jinshan Temple long ago."

Jiang Liuer said nonchalantly, "Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but Buddha remains in the heart. As long as Buddha is in your heart, what does it matter if you eat some wine and meat?"

"A bunch of fallacies, like 'wine and meat pass through the intestines, Buddha flows in the heart,' are just excuses you make for your own gluttony."

Jiang Liuer shook his head casually: "Think what you want, whatever makes you happy."

After saying that, Jiang Liuer lifted his foot and walked towards Jinshan Temple, leaving only the novice monk standing there, gritting his teeth in anger.

On the other side, in Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, after the new emperor Li Shimin ascended the throne, he began to build the city on a large scale. Now, it is the most prosperous capital of the entire Tang Dynasty.

In the Taiji Hall of the Imperial Palace, Li Shimin finished reviewing memorials for the day, let out a long sigh, and his face showed a hint of unease.

Seeing Li Shimin's dark circles and listless appearance, Wei Zheng, who was below, said bluntly, "Your Majesty should prioritize state affairs and not indulge in pleasures, lest you neglect important matters of state."

Li Shimin was taken aback upon hearing this, then angrily retorted, "Obsessed with women? In your eyes, do I really look like that kind of person, Wei Zheng?"

Wei Zheng's expression remained unchanged, but his tone carried a hint of inquiry: "Then Your Majesty, tell me, what is the reason for your haggard appearance?"

Li Shimin sighed and said, "It's because I've been having nightmares lately, dreaming about my eldest brother and third brother."

The Xuanwu Gate Incident, in which Li Shimin killed his brother, imprisoned his father, and seized power, became a demon in his heart, troubling him day and night.

People only know that he imprisoned his father and killed his brother, but at that time, Li Shimin actually had no choice. His beloved eldest brother was afraid of him and suppressed him; his third brother saw him as a thorn in his side and wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible; his father, in order to ensure the stability of his throne, kept using the art of balancing; and his subordinates kept urging him to seize the supreme position.

Of course, no one would believe that Li Shimin didn't want to be emperor; otherwise, why would he bribe the palace guards?

Objectively speaking, Li Shimin was indeed influenced by external forces, so the two sides should be considered evenly matched.

Five years ago, the Xuanwu Gate Incident became a stain on his life, but Li Shimin did not regret it. If there had been no incident five years ago, no Xuanwu Gate Incident, then where would the prosperous Tang Dynasty be today, where would the tribute from all nations be, and where would the title of Heavenly Khan be? Wei Zheng, who had spent so many years with Li Shimin, knew him better than anyone. After listening to Li Shimin's words, he remained silent for a long time before speaking: "Your Majesty, please take care of your health. What happened five years ago was the will of Heaven. Do not dwell on it too much."

Wei Zheng was upright and incorruptible, and a retainer of the Crown Prince Li Jiancheng. Even he said such a thing, which shows how helpless the Xuanwu Gate Incident was back then.

Li Shimin rubbed his temples and said helplessly, "Alas! That may be true, but I have been dreaming of my eldest brother and third brother day and night lately, so I can't eat or sleep well. Do you have any suggestions, my dear minister?"

Wei Zheng thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, there is an abbot at Jinshan Temple in Jiangzhou who is quite capable. Why don't we invite the abbot to come to Chang'an to chant sutras and pray for Your Majesty?"

Li Shimin knew Wei Zheng's character; he never spoke without reason. Since Wei Zheng said that Wei Zheng had real skills, then this monk must be quite remarkable. So Li Shimin nodded and agreed: "You shall be in charge of this matter, my dear minister."

"The minister obeys the order."

Upon returning home, Wei Zheng immediately ordered someone to write a letter and send it to Jinshan Temple in Jiangzhou.

When Wei Zheng was an official in Jiangzhou, he was once saved by the old abbot. He knew that the old abbot was really capable. Over the years, the two have become close friends.

Half a month later, at Jinshan Temple in Jiangzhou, the old abbot received a letter from Wei Zheng, who had traveled a great distance from Chang'an.

He slowly opened the letter, read it carefully, and then said with a smile, "Old man, it seems you haven't forgotten this humble monk!"

But soon, the old abbot looked puzzled and muttered to himself, "Logically speaking, His Majesty is the Human Emperor, protected by the aura of humanity. Not to mention demons and monsters, even the legendary gods of Heaven cannot do anything to His Majesty. How could he keep having nightmares? Could it really be because His Majesty feels guilty towards the Crown Prince and Prince Qi?"

“Master, if His Majesty truly felt remorse, he wouldn’t have killed the sons of Crown Prince Yin and Prince Qi,” Jiang Liuer whispered upon hearing this.

The old abbot was taken aback. He thought Jiang Liuer was right, but he still scolded, "How dare you! How dare you speak ill of His Majesty? Are you out of your mind?"

Jiang Liuer stuck out her tongue and didn't say anything more.

The old abbot shook his head and stopped thinking about it. He really knew how to catch ghosts, and the scriptures he recited had a calming effect. He believed in his abilities and could help His Majesty solve his problems, while also earning some incense money for Jinshan Temple.

Three days later, the old abbot set off. Before leaving, he specially invited Jiang Liuer to accompany him to Chang'an.

Jiang Liuer was already tired of staying at Jinshan Temple, so he readily agreed without hesitation.

The old abbot then embarked on the journey to Chang'an with Jiang Liuer.

A month later, the master and his apprentice arrived in Chang'an.

Upon learning this, Wei Zheng immediately ordered his men to invite the master and his disciple to his residence for a welcoming feast, and prepared a grand banquet to warmly entertain them.

At the banquet, Wei Zheng and the old abbot exchanged ideas on literature and Buddhism, creating quite a lively atmosphere. Jiang Liuer, however, kept a close eye on Wei Zheng. Seeing that the two had finished talking, Jiang Liuer asked, "Lord Wei, have you been experiencing dizziness, blurred vision, alternating chills and fever, or weakness in your hands and feet lately?"

Wei Zheng was stunned for a moment, then his face showed shock. If the old monk had seen his symptoms, he wouldn't have been so shocked, but the child in front of him was only 8 years old!

Despite his surprise, Wei Zheng nodded and said, "I have indeed been experiencing these symptoms recently. Does the young master know the cause?"

"Evil spirits entering your body may mean someone wants to harm you, or it could mean you've been walking at night too much and encountered something unclean."

Wei Zheng was taken aback for a moment, then looked at the abbot, who nodded slightly.

Then Jiang Liuer took out a large, unattractive black pill from his bosom: "If Lord Wei doesn't mind, you can try this medicine. Don't be fooled by its appearance, its effects are definitely no worse than the abbot's carefully prepared medicines."

Wei Zheng nodded and ordered someone to take away the large black pill, while asking, "Young master, how much is this pill worth?"

"Lord Wei, please give me whatever you think is appropriate."

Upon hearing Jiang Liuer's words, Wei Zheng felt even more favorably disposed towards him and immediately said, "Someone, bring a hundred taels of silver and give it to the young master."

That night, Wei Zheng took the pill and slept soundly. The next day, he felt refreshed and full of energy. He couldn't help but sigh, "Truly, the student has surpassed the master! The old man certainly has a way of teaching his disciples, but why hasn't he shaved his head yet?"

After breakfast, Wei Zheng, accompanied by the old host and Jiang Liuer, headed towards the palace.

The palace was heavily guarded, with guards every three steps and sentries every five. After a strict inspection, the old abbot and Jiang Liuer were finally allowed to enter the palace.

Li Shimin personally summoned several people in the Taiji Hall.

At this point, a month or two had passed since Li Shimin last mentioned his poor health to Wei Zheng. Li Shimin's dark circles under his eyes had become more pronounced, and he had lost a considerable amount of weight.

Wei Zheng saw Li Shimin every day, but did not feel that Li Shimin had changed much.

However, the old abbot felt that His Majesty the Emperor was too thin.

Wei Zheng stepped forward and asked with concern, "Your Majesty, have you been having nightmares these past few days?"

Li Shimin nodded, pointed to the old abbot, and asked, "Is this the master of Jinshan Temple?"

The old abbot looked respectful and said, "This old monk pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Seeing this, Jiang Liuer also respectfully bowed to the old abbot.

Wei Zheng then turned to the old abbot and said, "His Majesty has been having recurring dreams lately, cough cough, dreams of evil spirits demanding his life. Master, please take a look at His Majesty!"

The old host nodded, stepped forward and asked a few questions, which Li Shimin answered one by one.

Then the old abbot walked around the entire Taiji Hall several times, and then said in a serious tone: "His Majesty is not being harassed by any wandering ghosts, but is probably just feeling uneasy."

“Master, you’re wrong. It’s clearly there!” Jiang Liuer couldn’t help but say.

(End of this chapter)