The Great Way to Truth, Starting from Jiazi Laodao

Chapter 69: Flying Swords Deliver Letters, Legalist Priests Trial at Night
Zangdao Peak, Daoyuan.

After waking up, Xuanming stretched himself, feeling refreshed. He walked out of the hut and looked into the distance.

Xuanxu faced the rising sun, stepped on the morning light, rode on the spirit crane, headed eastward, and descended the Zhenxuan Peak.

The spiritual crane was borrowed from Junior Brother Xuankong. Although the other three generations of Taoists have gradually raised birds and beasts and started to develop their leg strength, it still takes time to grow, so for now they still have to rely on the spiritual crane for transportation.

As for the reason why Xuanxu left the mountain today, Xuanming knew it after calculating the time with his fingers. It was the Chu family that officially launched an attack. Since they wanted to go to court, how could they let only the youngsters take the lead? Xuanxu, the head sect master, had to come out to lead the charge. He had the right status and position to represent the entire Qiuzhen Temple, and also showed the determination of Fuyun Mountain.

Xuanming stayed in the rear and continued to suppress the luck. After all, suing the eldest son of the Wang family is not an overnight task. The Wang family is a Confucian and Taoist family with the best tongue. It is unknown when this lawsuit can be won, so Xuanming cannot leave Fuyun Mountain for too long.

However, he was also prepared to go out. If needed, he would set off immediately and head straight to Fengyang County. At worst, he could go there and come back the same day. Although the Wang family was powerful, the Qiuzhen Temple could not be bullied.

Looking at Xuanxu who had already left Zhenxuan Peak, Xuanming felt that even if he had to wait for news, he could not do nothing. He walked to the desk, picked up the brush, splashed ink, and wrote sixteen big characters on the rice paper with his brush moving quickly and pouring out his magic ideas.

He rolled it up, put it into the axis box, and hung it on the peach wood sword. The sword flew out of the sheath, broke through the clouds and air, and caught up with Xuanxu outside the Floating Cloud Mountain.

The spiritual crane under his feet cried out, and Xuanxu's ears twitched slightly, receiving the message. Looking at his senior brother's sword, he took off the axle box and put it into the Ruyi bag. Then he turned around and saluted to Zangdaofeng, and continued on his way. His clothes fluttered, his wide sleeves waved, and compared with before, his back was straighter like a pine tree, and he looked very energetic.

The peach wood sword returned with a whooshing sound, circling around Xuanming, full of flattery and showing off, as if saying: Praise me quickly.

Stroking his beard lightly, Xuanming flicked the sword with his finger and praised: "Alright! You did a good job this time. I will reward you with a few thunderbolts later."

The peach wood sword was satisfied and returned to its sheath automatically, gathering its intelligence and edge, hiding the sword at its edge, waiting for the right time to strike.

After finishing this, Xuanming walked out of the Taoist Temple, entered the Sutra Library, and went up to the second floor. The incense was already burning, the tea was already brewed, and a new volume of Taoist scriptures had been placed on the clean and tidy table. The teacup was placed in the most convenient place for his left hand, half an arm's length away, exactly.

He looked with admiration at Chang Fengzi, who was reading "An Introduction to Formations" with relish on the first floor. He lifted up his skirt, sat down at the table, sipped his cup of tea, and read the scriptures.

I have gained something from reading the "Huangting Sutra" three times. Although this is due to the mysterious blessing of the sutra itself, my own accumulation of insights from reading the sutra for many years, observing nature, and comprehending qigong have also contributed greatly. Otherwise, it would be like water without a source and a tree without roots. Even if there are gains, their value will be greatly reduced.

Accumulated water forms a river, carrying both turbulent waves and clear water. It is for this reason that he will continue to read the scriptures and observe the Tao from the Taoist Canon.

Taoist practitioners have the concept of taking refuge in the Three Treasures, namely the Tao, the Sutra and the Master. The Sutra carries the Tao and is the tangible manifestation of the Tao. Using the Sutra as a path, one can gain the reasons and understand the Tao, absorb wisdom and cultivate one's own Tao. Xuanming has always done a good job.

Burning incense clears the mind, reading books concentrates the mind, and drawing the Huangting Qi increases one's understanding. Xuanming quickly enters the state, with a focused expression, a peaceful temperament, and natural charm.

Read the sutras in the morning and enjoy the scenery in the afternoon.

Xuanming changed his previous practice habits and no longer spent the whole day in the Sutra Library. As his practice became more advanced, he spent more and more time learning from nature, and now he has divided the Sutra with Guanyin in half.

---

In the evening, the setting sun was shining. In Fengyang County, the common people either went home or appeared in the night market, while the practitioners flocked to the Mingjing Hall of Guangfasi in an endless stream. Because the case involved the Yin spirit, the trial was held at night.

When the last streak of red on the horizon disappeared and darkness enveloped the earth, representatives of many cultivation forces gathered in Mingjing Hall. Practitioners of Qigong from Tiandiyuan, Qiankun Tower, Pantheon, City God Temple, Chu Family, Wang Family, Qiuzhen Temple, etc. were present. They sat on the left and right sides of the platform as chairs, and behind them were many solemn-looking armored and sword-wielding gods, all of whom were practitioners who had achieved perfect concentration.

On both sides of the upper table sat two Qigong practitioners, with the platform under their feet three feet higher than the other platforms. Each of them was a Jindan Zhenren, one was the on-duty priest of the Guangfasi Supervisory Pavilion, and the other was the Inspector of the Imperial Court.

The person sitting at the top was wearing a dark green official robe, with thick black eyebrows, a dignified face, and an upright posture. He looked around the whole place, and no one dared to look him in the eye, because he was the sixth-rank priest of Mingjing Hall: Hai Fengming, who came from a legalist family, was impartial and incorruptible, and could not tolerate any grain of sand in his eyes. He was specifically responsible for hearing this case.

Looking at Chang'anzi, Chu Yunfei, Wang Sheng, Qingming Zhenren, Wang Hai and others (gods) standing below, after they finished their introductions, Hai Fengming slapped the divine wood. With a snapping sound, his majesty was generated naturally, shocking the gods and clearing their minds. Everyone was shocked and dared not act rashly.

"The law is long and wide, and there is no loophole! I hope you will confess and not make false accusations or conceal anything. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless. I will punish you severely and punish you severely."

After Hai Fengming finished speaking, Chang'anzi and the others said they dared not, and then the plaintiff handed in the petition. Chang'anzi spoke first:
“Your Excellency, I am a disciple of Xuan Ye, a former Taoist official of Tiandiyuan. I am suing Wang Sheng, a priest of Guangfasi, for taking human lives and murdering my master.

Eleven years ago, Wang Sheng was still an official in Qiankun Tower, but relying on his status, he secretly communicated with the demon clan of Canglong Mountain, and colluded with Qingming, who was also a Taoist official at the time, and Wang Hai, who was still the owner of Sitong Shop at the time, to harm the human race, secretly trafficked in people, and exchanged treasures with the demon clan.

At first, she was just a beggar on the street, then an orphan, and later a single girl. After she broke through the realm, was promoted to Qi training, and took office as a priest of the Guangfa Division, she became even more outrageous, her appetite increased, and she set up a secret market inside a hill outside Fengyang County.

And Qingming set up orphanages and Anfa Hall in the name of charity, and was responsible for finding some of the targets; Wang Hai was responsible for hiding and transporting, and provided another part of the goods by purchasing slaves; the head of the City God Temple's Merits and Demerits Department and the Night Wandering God were responsible for suppressing the wronged souls and dealing with the aftermath.

With the endorsement of the Guangfasi, the protection of the Yin gods, the operation of the business, the reputation of Taoism, and the help of a large number of evil villains, and the help of the Wang family's invisible resources, the upper and lower levels are in collusion with each other. Over the past decade, countless innocent people and independent cultivators have suffered and died with their eyes open.

During this period, a few righteous people discovered their evil deeds. Some of them were murdered by the villains during their lifetime, and their souls were either suppressed or scattered after their deaths. My master Xuan Ye was one of them. On the surface, he was possessed, but secretly he was deliberately murdered.

The crimes committed by Wang Sheng and his gang are too numerous to list. There are the souls of the innocent who have been rescued and have not yet been silenced, the testimonies of the dark market managers who have been arrested, and the women, children and practitioners who have not yet been trafficked as evidence.

In addition, the more than 30 orphanages and Anfatang opened directly or indirectly by Qingming Zhenren would release a group of people every year, telling the public that they were either taken away by their relatives, or traveled to other counties, or learned a skill and found another way to make a living, or were placed in work at the Sitong Trading Company outside the county.

Master Qingming is meticulous. On the surface, some people are indeed arranged in this way, but they only account for a small number. Most people disappear soon after they go out. They are sent to the dark market and resold to the monster tribe. You can send local gods to check the population, and you will definitely find something.

In addition, Wang Hai, the owner of Sitong Trading Company, was afraid that he would be abandoned and murdered one day, so he secretly left behind an account book, which recorded in detail the number of people transported each year and the amount of rare materials and treasures delivered to Sitong Trading Company. Now the account book is in my hands.

We have both witnesses and evidence. I beg you to severely punish the thief and restore order to Fengyang County."

Chang'an Zi spoke sternly and passionately, and finally he knelt down and presented all the evidence with both hands.

Looking at Chang'anzi in the audience, the testimony, the account books, the soul-binding bag in front of him, and the trembling victims' representatives in the hall, Hai Fengming frowned slightly and his eyes fell on Wang Sheng and other defendants.

"Do you have anything to say?"

(End of this chapter)