Minglong

Chapter 261 Heading West

After crossing the Fengshan mountain range, we arrived at Xirong.

The Western Rong borders the Western Regions to the north, and its territory is extremely vast, but it is covered by hundreds of thousands of mountains and Gobi deserts, nine-tenths of which are uninhabited areas, so the living environment is only slightly better than that of the poor and harsh southern Xinjiang.

Limited by the natural environment, the Western Rong still maintain the custom of each tribe governing itself. According to official records, there were more than two hundred small tribes that once went to Luoyang to pay tribute and beg for alms. The exact number of tribes and fortresses scattered within them was unclear to the Daqian Emperor, who only referred to them collectively as the Western Rong tribes in the books.

At dusk, above the endless mountains.

Xie Jinhuan, with two beauties on either side of him, crossed the mountains and fields, observing the direction of the mountains and rivers.

Linghu Qingmo held a booklet in his hand, which contained various information collected by the Fengshan Society over the years, such as the location of tribes, the movements of demons and monsters, local treasures, etc. It also included a simple map with several red circles marked on it, which were Duan Yuechou's deductions based on his investigation of the possible locations where the last opportunity had occurred.

Because the distance from south to north of the Western Rong is roughly the distance across the Great Qian Dynasty, the territory is too vast. Even with a rough map, it is impossible to arrive in an instant, and the journey is somewhat tedious.

When the three of them came over yesterday, they would joke around and chat to pass the time, but today the three of them and the bird fell into an eerie silence.

Coal Ball was so angry last night that it didn't want to go to work at all. It just squatted on Xie Jinhuan's shoulder to hitch a ride and even spread its wings to try to increase drag.

After sobering up, Linghu Qingmo slowly recalled fragments of the previous night: sitting in the man's lap, feeding him grapes with her mouth, cupping her hands to her face, and having Ling'er pour wine into the ditch...

Linghu Qingmo couldn't believe that he himself could have done something that even a courtesan wouldn't do. He didn't know how he could face his teachers and elders after this.

Moreover, after falling asleep, she felt something strange, experiencing a state of extreme pleasure, as if this lecherous man was comforting her with his fingers. When she changed her clothes, she found that her pants were not very clean...

Ugh……

Linghu Qingmo didn't dare to recall the feeling of flying up into the clouds, feeling extremely embarrassed, and naturally didn't want to talk to Xie Jinhuan.

Zhao Ling's situation was similar. Although she tried to join in the fun of feeding her baby while they were drinking, she was chased away by her possessive best friend and didn't do anything outrageous, but in the end, the three of them were clearly lying together.

As soon as she woke up, she realized that her legs were wrapped around her best friend's boyfriend, and Xie Jinhuan was holding her chest. She didn't dare to think about what Xie Jinhuan had done in her sleep, but she felt that in her hazy state, someone was touching her, and she grabbed their hand.

If I actually touched it...

Zhao Ling was, after all, still an unmarried woman, and her relationship with Xie Jinhuan remained that of a young lady and her personal bodyguard. Her feelings were quite complicated. At this moment, she casually gazed at the mountains, pretending to admire the scenery, but secretly vowed to herself that from now on, she would give up Mo Mo! From now on, when drinking with handsome men, she couldn't drag her best friend along anymore. If it were just in private, it wouldn't be so awkward…

Xie Jinhuan, being the source of the problem, felt slightly embarrassed after seeing his own drunken antics on the ghost wife's screen. After a long period of silence, he took the initiative to start a conversation:

Are you tired?

Linghu Qingmo closed the booklet and glanced at Xie Jinhuan:
"You're the one doing all the moving, why are we tired?"

Zhao Ling looked down and asked, "We've been running around all day, where are we going to find the Golden Sand?"

The Golden Sand only grows near the location of the Divine Gift of the Guardian Soldiers. As long as you find the location where the last or next opportunity appeared, you can guide it out using the opportunity on Zhao Ling's body.

However, this particular time is special. Almost sixty years have passed since the last opportunity, and the remaining traces have long since disappeared. No new opportunity has appeared, making it difficult to find one by relying on celestial phenomena.

Therefore, this matter can only be solved by the omnipotent ghost, who must painstakingly search through mountains and rivers, unraveling the mystery step by step.

"Let's go check the place marked by Duan Yuechou first. If we can't find it, we'll just consider it a trip to clear our heads. When we get back, we'll talk to Wei Lu and see if we can get it from Xueying Ridge."

Zhao Ling nodded slightly, then looked at the unusually aloof Coal Ball and took out some dried meat from her small pouch:
"Are you hungry?"

"Gooji!"

Coal Ball tilted its head to the side, looking towards Linghu Qingmo, leaving Zhao Ling with only the back of its head.

Zhao Ling had completely forgotten about the rock-paper-scissors game from last night, and was naturally a little bewildered when she saw that Coal Ball suddenly wasn't craving it anymore.

Xie Jinhuan understood the reason and offered a suggestion:

"If you play rock-paper-scissors with it, it will be happy as long as you choose rock."

"is it?"

Seeing this, Zhao Ling gave it a try, and Coal Ball actually perked up, raising its wings and gesturing at her.

As the three chatted and laughed, they ventured deeper into the endless mountains and fields, and the sky gradually darkened.

Ye Hongshang had been floating nearby, observing the direction of the surrounding天地气气 (heaven and earth energy). Before even reaching the location marked on the simplified map, he spotted some firelight amidst the vast mountains.

Seeing this, Linghu Qingmo took out his telescope and looked around. He could see that the source of the fire was a large mountain stronghold, surrounded by mountains and difficult to spot from the outside. Wooden houses were scattered throughout the stronghold, and in the center was an open space with a bonfire burning, where many people were gathered.

Upon seeing this, Linghu Qingmo took out the booklet and compared it with the tribal distribution map provided by Duan Yuechou:

"This should be Zheluochuan. There are seven villages around it, which together form the Zheluo tribe. The total population is less than 10,000. Two years ago, they even paid tribute to the imperial court with some medicinal herbs, and the imperial court also gifted them a lot of seeds and ironware..."

On his way here, Xie Jinhuan passed through many villages and settlements. The larger ones could stretch for dozens of miles, while the smaller ones had only a few hundred people. Their appearances and customs were quite different from those of the Central Plains.

Because these indigenous tribes were wary of outsiders, Xie Jinhuan originally did not want to disturb them. However, when he passed above the village, he saw an old man with a cane standing outside a house on a high point of the village. He was dressed in very simple clothes, but he was quite old. His face was full of wrinkles and his hair was as white as snow.

Xie Jinhuan glanced down casually and saw that the old man was also looking up at the sky, watching them pass by the village.

?

Xie Jinhuan was slightly taken aback. To make it easier for the ghost to observe, he didn't fly very high, less than a hundred feet off the ground, which was within sight of a normal person.

But it was nighttime, dark and quiet, so it was quite unexpected that the old man could see him.

Realizing the other party was no ordinary person, Xie Jinhuan thought for a moment, then lowered his body while carrying the two girls, landing on an open space near the house. He cupped his hands and said:

“Akshasami, Uli Uli…”

Linghu Qingmo, who had been curiously observing the outsiders who had discovered them, turned his head in bewilderment upon hearing the words beside him:

"what are you saying?"

Zhao Ling was also taken aback for a moment, and then replied:

"It sounds like an accent from the Western Regions. You can do that too?"

Xie Jinhuan had a wide range of interests since childhood. In order to communicate with the Hu woman who was bigger than a baby, he did learn the dialect of the Western Regions. Since the Western Rong and the Western Regions are adjacent, their languages ​​are similar. That's why he tried to greet her.

The elderly man with the cane looked quite old and moved rather slowly, but he didn't panic when faced with the three people who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"Are you three celestial masters from the Celestial Empire, here to inspect for demons and evil spirits?"

The elegant and refined style of the Qianlong Emperor, with its clear and resonant pronunciation.

?

Xie Jinhuan opened his mouth, realizing his foreign language skills had been wasted, and took out the Demon-Suppressing Token from his robes:

"My name is Xie Jinhuan. I am here on patrol and training. I have no ill intentions toward the Zheluo tribe. Please forgive me if I have caused any disturbance."

The elderly man, leaning on his cane, nodded in greeting.
"I am a priest of the Zheluo tribe. Two years ago, I went to the capital to pay homage to His Majesty the Emperor of the Celestial Empire. I was blessed by your emperor. In previous years, immortal masters often came to visit me, but they were usually immortal masters from the Fengshan Association. This is the first time I have seen noblemen from Luoyang. Have the three of you come here because there are evil spirits in the mountains?"

"No, it's just a routine visit, and I'm looking for some opportunities along the way. Are you also a cultivator, sir?"

The old man, leaning on his cane, walked to the vicinity:

“I have followed the guidance of the Tiger God and protected this land for generations. I have learned some magic arts, but I cannot be considered a cultivator. It is winter now, and according to local customs, we cannot go into the mountains, otherwise we will suffer disaster. If the three of you want to find opportunities, it will be more appropriate to come in the spring.”

Xie Jinhuan knew the general customs of the Western Rong. It was true that one could not enter the mountains in winter, but the reason was that wild beasts lacked food in winter and would come out of the deep mountains to hunt. They were also more aggressive towards people, making it much more dangerous than normal.

He was clearly not afraid of the tiger in the mountains. He simply nodded and smiled at the advice, briefly discussed the situation of the tribe, and after confirming that there were no evil spirits or plagues, he prepared to take his leave.

But before leaving, Xie Jinhuan looked at a painting hanging in the room.

The calligraphy and painting are well-mounted, but they are clearly old; the paper has yellowed. It reads: "The sword's edge shines through the ages, leaving no trace in history; the ink's spirit lives on the plain paper..."

The calligraphy is extremely beautiful, showing the style of a master, but it is unsigned.

Xie Jinhuan had been immersed in calligraphy and painting for many years and knew the experts like the back of his hand, but he couldn't recognize whose calligraphy it was, so he asked out of curiosity:

"Was this calligraphy done by the old man?"

The old man glanced back, shook his head, and chuckled softly.
"No, it was an old friend. A hundred years ago, there was a young shaman who traveled between different tribes, learning the unorthodox techniques passed down by each tribe. He stayed in a mountain village for a period of time, teaching the tribesmen many medical skills. At that time, a strange child was born in the tribe, and the tribesmen wanted to drown him, but he stopped them and took him back to his sect to raise..."

Young witch doctor...

Freak...

Upon hearing this description, Xie Jinhuan felt that this witch doctor must have some story to tell, and inquired:

"This handwriting is so bold and spirited, it must be from someone of extraordinary talent. May I ask who this senior is?"

A hint of bewilderment flickered in the old man's cloudy eyes. After a brief silence, he shook his head and said:
"They went astray later and made some mistakes, so let's not mention their names. It's late now, and the three of you have come from afar. Why don't you rest in the village for the night before continuing your journey?"

"You're too kind, sir..."

Seeing that the other party was unwilling to talk, Xie Jinhuan naturally did not press the matter. Since he was unfamiliar with the place, he did not disturb them. After saying goodbye, he left with the two girls.

The old man watched from outside the door until the figure disappeared, then sighed slightly, leaned on his cane, and walked down the hillside to an old grave.

The grave, weathered by a century, appears to be nothing more than a mound of earth, though the weeds have been carefully cleared away. A stone tablet stands in front, inscribed with:

The tomb of Wei Shan's mother...

The characters, carved with a sharp tool, resemble a dragon rising from the land, exuding an invincible and heroic spirit...
-
Meanwhile, in Liangzhou.

Liangzhou borders the Western Regions. Although most of the area is barren Gobi Desert, Liangzhou City was as prosperous as the inland areas due to its location on a major trade route.

Jing'an Temple is located outside Liangzhou City. It is the second most famous temple in the northwest after Tiantai Temple. Although it is not the ancestral temple of the Chan school, it is no less impressive in scale. All the buildings inside are covered with golden tiles, and the three thousand Buddhas enshrined there are also gilded. At night, it looks like a golden palace.

The temple's grandeur is inseparable from the incense offerings made by merchants coming and going, and the abbot, Master Xuyin, is responsible for attracting so many worshippers.

The Zen school has strict precepts, requiring students to abstain from work and food for a day and to avoid contact with gold, silver, and worldly possessions.

However, without money, it is impossible to expand the sect. As a result, there have always been differences within the Zen meditation sect. The monks, led by Wuxin, belong to the traditional sect and insist on Zen meditation and detachment from worldly affairs.

The eldest disciple, Monk Fachen, was a reformer. Seeing that Buddhism was being suppressed by Taoism and was gradually declining, he launched activities such as the "Golden Scripture Change" to seize Taoist territory and develop followers.

Before the incident, Master Fachen had more supporters in the Chan meditation school than his master, Master Wuxin, since Master Fachen's approach was clearly more conducive to the development of Buddhism.

The monk Fachen's eventual betrayal of his master and his sect, setting aside family feuds, was partly due to his resentment towards his father's lack of ambition and his anger at the monk Wuxin's unambitious and unassuming lifestyle.

Although it has been proven that the monk Wuxin was superior, not everyone in Buddhism is like Wuxin. Countless temples have tens of thousands of disciples who need to eat, drink, and relieve themselves every day.

Therefore, the Chan meditation school is still dominated by reformists. For example, Fanyun Temple has been using various connections in the capital to open branch temples, which is the path it has taken.

Jing'an Temple was considered a leader of the reformists. For example, it trained warrior monks to take on escort services and other businesses. In name, it was free escort, but in reality, caravans had to donate money. It also recruited a large number of powerful and wealthy people as lay disciples, customized various funeral and wedding ceremonies, and lent money at exorbitant interest rates. It basically monopolized the highly profitable businesses in Liangzhou City.

Although the daily influx of money drew objections from many monks, Jing'an Temple was a major financial backer and had even more supporters for the revival of Buddhism, such as the "Golden Sutra Transmission". As a result, Tiantai Temple could not interfere in its internal affairs, but could only remind Jing'an Temple not to forget its roots.

Unfortunately, once one falls into worldly affairs, it means that one no longer has the heart of Buddha and has become a businessman instead of a monk. It is not easy to get rid of the desire for money.

As night deepened, in the abbot's room behind Jing'an Temple.

The portly monk Xuyin, wearing a kasaya embroidered with gold thread and inlaid with pearls and jade, sat behind a nanmu wood desk, tapping on an abacus. His left hand, which was holding scriptures, held an account book, calculating the month's harvest with a rapid-fire rhythm.

Just as he was completely focused, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door:

Tread...  

The monk Xuyin paused, looked up at the doorway, and saw a middle-aged scholar walk in. The scholar glanced around the resplendent room and quipped:

"As expected of a highly accomplished monk, even the sound of his abacus has a hint of the wooden fish sound."

Monk Xuyin frowned:
"Who are you?"

He Tianqi, with a calm expression, sat down at the table:

"He Tianqi, Fa Chen's superior."

"..."

The monk Xuyin's expression changed slightly. After staring at the other person for a long time, he put down the account book in his hand.
"I only obeyed Brother Fachen's orders out of respect for Tiantai Temple; I had no contact with you..."

"If you truly have a clear conscience, you should kill me now."

"..."

He Tianqi was not as strong as the monk Xuyin, but his aura was extremely powerful, and his eyes even carried a hint of condescension:

“At least Fa Chen’s initial intention was to wake up the monk Wu Xin. You’re different; you’ll do anything for money. We spent a lot of silver to get you on board back then, and you reciprocated by giving us a lot of intelligence over the years. Those henchmen under Xue Lao San were all rescued from death row with your help…”

The monk Xuyin, knowing what he had done over the years, paused briefly before asking:

"You want money?"

He Tianqi shook his head: "My Underworld God Sect is a legitimate sect. How could we do such a thing as extortion? I'm here to ask you to help me kill someone. Once it's done, I will pay you every penny."

"Kill who?"

"Thank you, Jin Huan."

"..."

Monk Xuyin's eyelids twitched:
"The Northwest branch, and your Luoyang branch, have all been wiped out by this boy. Lü Yan is still missing, and Zhang Yanzhou, who was born in Dragon Bone Beach, has also died at his hands. You want this humble monk to kill him?"

"Your information network is quite good. You're definitely not safe on your own, but this time you have help."

He Tianqi sized up the monk Xuyin's physique:

"This child possesses the divine gift of Lingguang. You should know that what you can obtain is yours. In addition, the sect will give you the 'Yingzhao Bodhi Sutra'. With these two things, you will be able to become the sect leader in no time, and it will be much easier to revive the Chan Meditation School than it is now."

The *Bodhi Sutra* is a sacred Buddhist text, kept at the Tiantai Temple, the ancestral home of the Chan (Zen) school. Only successive abbots have been allowed to study it. Abbot Xuyin was indeed tempted by the price and inquired:

"Fa Chen has not taken over as sect leader and cannot obtain this inherited item, so how do you have it?"

He Tianqi certainly didn't have any, but he also didn't intend to pay any.

After all, with such a promising talent as Xie Jinhuan dead, the righteous path will inevitably take its iron fist. The three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism will dig three feet into the ground to find the murderer, and someone will have to take the blame.

As a high-ranking monk of the Chan (Zen) school, Xu Yin committed such a heinous crime that it would inevitably implicate the entire Chan school. Wu Xin would also likely be angered by the new emperor and lose his position as deputy supervisor.

It not only killed Xie Jinhuan, but also drove the monk Wuxin out of the capital, killing two birds with one stone and making the most of everything.

Therefore, even if Monk Xuyin were to assassinate Xie Jinhuan and escape unscathed, they would still throw Monk Xuyin out and solidify the blame, making it impossible for him to return and ask for payment.

“Fachen and Monk Wuxin are like father and son. They can even borrow the Vajra Pestle. What’s so strange about them comprehending the scriptures ahead of time? Xie Jinhuan has already gone to Xirong. It’s not far from here. Once you’re ready, set off as soon as possible. The helpers have already left.”

After He Tianqi finished speaking, he didn't care whether Monk Xuyin agreed or not, and got up and left the house.

Monk Xuyin frowned, feeling that the matter was too risky. However, he was already on the wrong path, and if he wanted to back out now, he would be besieged by both the righteous and the evil, with almost no way out. After remaining silent for a long time, he finally sighed softly and leaned back in his chair...
-
It's been reporting 2 degrees Celsius here for almost a week straight. Even at night it's like a sauna! Everyone, please take precautions against heatstroke!
(End of this chapter)