Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 130 The Precious Sutra of India: The Departure of an Old Friend

"Fellow Daoist Zuo, Fellow Daoist Zuo"

In the center of the Coffin Forest in Champion City, Old Zhou was patting a dark coffin, while Emperor Ding was holding the coffin lid beside him.

Inside the coffin lay an old Taoist priest with skin as smooth as a baby's.

Moonlight streamed through the window, making the old Taoist priest's face appear even paler.

Looking at the old Taoist's neatly trimmed sideburns, Emperor Ding showed a pleased expression. When Zuo Youxian was placed in the coffin, his clothes were tattered and his hair was disheveled.

It was only after he took care of it that it was properly sorted out.

You can't wake someone who's pretending to be asleep, especially one who's lying in a coffin.

Old Zhou sighed and continued to pat the coffin, but Zuo Youxian closed his eyes peacefully, as if he hadn't heard him.

Jin Huanzhen suddenly said, "The white-robed swordsman has come to our door with his sword. He says he will kill you with one strike."

Upon hearing this, Zuo Youxian, who had been sleeping, opened his eyes wide. His whole body stiffened, and without any movement of his feet, he stood up straight from the coffin.

He looked around, but there was no white-clad swordsman to be seen, so he lay back down.

"Fellow Daoist Zuo, what happened to you?"

You Niaojuan slapped his palm with the back of his hand, unable to figure out Zuo Youxian's state.

Old Zhou also stared at Zuo Youxian, lost in thought.

Back then, his methods of nurturing evil spirits were mostly flawed, as they were methods used to address mental problems in people who had lost their minds and were inherently incomplete.

Later, he used the spirit and methods of the Great Ming Venerable Teaching to control the evil spirit, and used the remnant of the Dao to cultivate the true Dao and the true demon. He then combined this with his own body to complete the alternative method of cultivating others and practiced the great method of cultivating demons in the Dao heart.

After his trip to Jiangdu, he also obtained the secret of immortality.

After trying it out according to the training diagram, I finally understood the difficulty.

This Taoist book is so dangerous that practicing it will lead to demonic possession; you can't master it on your own.

However, he possessed great wisdom and came up with the absurd and strange method of "planting seeds for external cultivation," allowing a pure-hearted true demon to practice the Longevity Technique to replenish his Dao foundation and Dao heart.

Although this method is not yet perfect, it can nurture demons with the Dao, making the true demonic energy even purer.

According to the calculations of the Dao Heart Demon Seed Great Method, the period before the ninth stage of becoming a demon is called "Demon Summoning".

The Daoist heart and the demonic seed should be gradually integrated.

Although his method deviates from the Daoist heart and demonic cultivation, he should still find a way to make the two different kinds of true energy blend together.

At first, there was no way to get in touch with him, but suddenly a monk named Bu Tan appeared.

There is a precedent for the idea of ​​Buddhism and demons going hand in hand, with Shi Zhixuan as an example. He deduced from the example of the monk Bu Tan that "Taoism and demons go hand in hand".

Zuo Youxian's Ziwu Gangfa has the key principle of separating Qi and Shen, and the final sword Qi flow is the separation and reunion of Yuan Qi and Yuan Shen.

Isn't this method of merging the Dao and the Demonic Path corresponding to the spiritual harmony of the Great Ming Venerable Sect?
Old Zhou sighed and scrutinized Zuo Youxian, clearly valuing him highly.

Although he had the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique as a reference, he was still wading forward step by step in muddy waters, relying on constant exchanges and discussions with his fellow disciples, combining various approaches, and not daring to miss any inspiration.

Therefore, he lived in the coffin palace for a long time, practicing diligently every day, immersing himself in the supreme pleasure of exploring martial arts.

Zuo Youxian is an anomaly, but an anomaly to an extreme.

One of the eight great masters of the Demonic Sect, who had devoted his life to arduous cultivation, was almost killed by a single sword strike in front of so many people.

Therefore, this guy has an extremely strong obsession in his heart.

As a result, after only a few days of cultivating the "True Demon's Random Thoughts" in the coffin palace, he transcended it and, like Qiu Qianbo, was no longer disturbed by mental disturbances.

But instead of escaping from the coffin palace, he spent his days practicing martial arts.

He has no interest in anything else.

This is similar to those true demons. For example, when they went to Longxing Temple for a big battle, Zuo Youxian had no interest at all.

The only difference is that as soon as he hears "the white-clad swordsman has arrived," he bristles like a cat.

As Old Zhou was pondering this, You Niao'er, standing to the side, glanced at Zuo Youxian and uttered a complaint that echoed the sentiments of everyone present:

"This old monster at the gate has really caused a lot of harm."

"but."

You Niao'er changed the subject: "Brother Zuo, you're being really unfair. We called you, and you clearly heard us, so why didn't you respond?"

Zuo Youxian lay in the coffin, muttering as if in a dream: "I am currently lost in thought, and besides, I really have no interest in knowing the cause and effect of the Battle of Longxing Temple."

Emperor Ding was surprised: "The person you're thinking about is right there."

"Oh, him."

Zuo Youxian took a deep breath: "Qingliu's sword killed me completely, body and soul. Now, my body has been revitalized and I am alive, but I don't want to face him yet."

With the help of several people, I have grasped the intricacies of the sword energy flowing together, and with the wondrous technique of True Demonic Contemplation, I now only wish to cultivate diligently in peace. When we meet again, I will surely defeat him with a single sword strike.

And through this, he severs his death wish and completes his second transformation.

"By severing both body and mind, and recreating them, shedding the old shell, the three flowers bloom anew, and one ascends to the true pinnacle of martial arts."

His words touched the hearts of the people beside the coffin.

Zuo Youxian's mortal thoughts were dispelled by the True Demon's Thoughts, and Old Zhou sighed with a hint of appreciation.

He also offered a very pertinent reminder: "Your opponent's true energy is extremely pure, even I cannot compare to it. It is basically impossible for you to defeat him with one sword."

"Not necessarily. Once I achieve my goal, I will surely surpass the Long-Browed Ancestor. Just wait and see."

Zuo Youxian said calmly, "I have received great kindness from you all. I am willing to share anything related to martial arts with you without reservation, even sword energy. If anyone breaks into the Coffin Palace, I will also take action. As for other matters, you don't need to tell me."

He glanced at the crowd, his meaning clear.

Emperor Ding stepped forward, holding the coffin lid: "Brother Zuo has been in the coffin palace the whole time. You should have noticed the movements of the person in the coffin next to you, right?"

Zuo Youxian replied:
"He broke out of the coffin and did not linger here. It seems that he had seen through the true demon's thoughts. As soon as he came out of the coffin, he completely concealed the demonic aura, and even I could not sense it."

Seeing that Old Zhou looked enlightened, Zuo Youxian ignored him.

The emperor then closed the coffin lid.
……

Inside the Nanyang Gang, Zhou Yi was talking to Yang Zhen when a gang member suddenly came to report a message.

Although the city was now safe, more spies had been planted in the streets and alleys to guard against the Ming Dynasty's venerable religion.

No matter what happens in the city, it will not escape their notice.

The henchmen greeted him twice with clasped hands, then spoke rapidly:
"A monk from out of town came in today. He speaks with a northern accent. I wonder if he is related to a cult in the north."

Yang Zhen asked seriously, "Is there anything unusual about him?"

The messenger replied:
“Several brothers went forward to test him, and the monk casually said something, and everyone automatically made way as if they had lost consciousness. They didn’t get any other information, only that he was looking for the abbot.”

Zhou Yi dared not be careless and quickly asked, "Where is this monk right now?"

"At the Yuelai Inn, which is located to the south, I asked the innkeeper, and he said he had only paid for one day's room."

After the messenger finished speaking, he heard the gang leader instruct him, "Don't test them anymore," and he withdrew in response.

Zhou Yi had planned to go to Xiangyan Temple today.

Upon suddenly learning of this person, I had a feeling that something was amiss, so I delayed for another day.

Ten days after the Battle of Longxing Temple.

As dawn broke, Zhou Yi walked south of the county town, having breakfast at a roadside stall on the left side of the road.

I had just finished eating the wontons and didn't even have time to drink the soup before I got up to pay the bill.

Near the Yuelai Inn, I happened to encounter a monk wearing a wide orange-yellow robe.

This monk was tall, thin, and dark-skinned. His hair was tied in a bun and wrapped in layers of white gauze, which made his nose appear even higher and his eyes deep and unfathomable.

Zhou Yi recognized him at a glance; he was dressed as an Indian monk. He walked towards him.

The monk noticed Zhou Yi immediately and walked towards him.

Soon, the distance between the two was less than ten feet.

"Guanzhu."

The Indian monk uttered two words softly, radiating a spiritual charm.

However, in Zhou Yi's eyes, a monk is still a monk, no different from an ordinary passerby.

"Master, are you from India?"

The thin, dark-skinned monk said, "This humble monk is Fu Nanda, and I come from India. I have come to Nanyang to meet the abbot."

Upon hearing the name Fonanda, Zhou Yi, observing his demeanor and aura, became extremely wary.

This man was one of the top martial arts masters in India, proficient in the extraordinary spiritual skills of the yoga of non-duality between Brahman and Atman, and a spiritual mentor to the Mohe people.

"May I ask what business you have with me, Master?"

Fu Nanda countered, "How does the contemplator view life and death?"

Zhou Yi moved a few steps to the left, pretending to think, and slightly increased the distance between them.

Vonganda followed him like a shadow, his gait was very strange, as if his legs and feet were not moving.

However, he followed Zhou Yi perfectly.

Zhou Yi pretended not to see it and patiently said, "Life and death are things that everyone must go through. No matter if you are a king or a general, wise or foolish, you will eventually turn into dust."

"That's true."

When Vonganda spoke, strangely, his voice seemed to precede his lip movements, as if it originated from his spirit, giving a sense of disorientation.
"It is almost impossible for us to imagine death, and we even have the illusion that we will be the exception and will not die, so we turn a blind eye to the death that will eventually come."

If you want to master the way of life and death, you must first change this ridiculous idea. Do you agree?

Zhou Yi shook his head: "Master's Zen insights are too profound. They should be discussed with the holy monks of Xiangyan Temple. I can't think of so many things."

"Hahaha"

The mad monk chuckled a few times: "You are too modest. This humble monk has come to listen to the secrets of longevity because I heard that the abbot is proficient in the arts of Yin and Yang and has the ability to transcend life and death."

"Oh? May I ask where you heard this from, Master?"

“On my way to Luoyang, I passed through Xingyang. A man named Li Mi pointed me to this place and said that the abbot possessed the Taiping Hongbao, which could not be obtained without a special opportunity.”

His smile deepened on his gaunt face:

"This humble monk comes from India in the Western Regions and has traveled thousands of miles to the Great Sui Dynasty in the East to seek immortality. With such sincerity, I wonder if the Abbot could grant me this opportunity?"

Zhou Yi remained silent, lost in thought.

This evil Indian monk is not to be trifled with right now.

This person possesses extraordinary martial arts skills and acts even more wickedly than the Great Ming Sect. We must find a way to get rid of him.

On the surface, Fu Nanda smiled, but as Zhou Yi remained silent, a hint of malice slowly crept into his smile.

"Master, have you ever heard that the Dharma should not be given lightly?"

The mad monk nodded: "The secret teachings of all schools follow the same principle, but for those who sincerely seek the truth, we should break with convention and not hoard our own knowledge."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Zhou Yi said no more: "Master, please follow me."

Fu Nanda smiled kindly and followed Zhou Yi.

Although he was walking on someone else's turf, the mad monk had no worries whatsoever.

Any conspiracy or scheme within the city is ineffective against him.

The world is vast, and he can go wherever he wants.

Zhou Yi led Fu Nanta to a teahouse not far from the Nanyang Gang, ordered fine tea in a private room on the second floor, and asked him to wait a moment.

After confirming that the mad monk had not followed him, he quickly returned to the courtyard.

First, I took a booklet, and then I found two pieces of waste paper in the trash heap.

"Cousin, what are you doing?"

The girl was very curious, but Zhou Yi didn't even look up: "There's a crazy person outside, I'll go and get rid of him."

After drinking half a cup of tea, Fu Nanda saw Zhou Yi return.

"Master, this is what you've been looking for."

Zhou Yi gave him a copy of "Huainan Honglie", which contained two pieces of paper with training diagrams drawn on them. These were the two diagrams from the Longevity Manual.

Fu Nanda glanced through the scriptures briefly, his eyes fixed on the two training diagrams.

He remained focused and motionless, but after a short while, a strange expression appeared on his face.

His previously steady aura began to fluctuate rapidly, and the spiritual energy that had been surging through his body dissipated in an instant.

'You're practicing an immortality technique using unorthodox Indian Buddhist methods; you're lucky if you don't die from it.'

Zhou Yi sneered inwardly, seeing him instantly regain his composure and abandoning his idea of ​​a sneak attack to kill him.

"Indeed profound, please explain further, Abbot."

After Fu Nanda finished speaking, his eyes were fixed on the four characters "Huainan Honglie".

Zhou Yi, of course, guessed what he was thinking:
"Master, the so-called Taiping Hongbao is based on Huainan Honglie, and then cultivates this Longevity Chart, studies the scriptures and practices Qi, in order to prove longevity."

Our Taoist practice emphasizes non-action and naturalness, understanding it as flowing naturally like a stream, rather than forcibly creating a channel. It doesn't demand absolute precision, but rather seeks to experience the profound meaning of "the greatest sound is silent, the greatest form is formless."

Zhou Yi then gently reminded him:
"The Li Mi you mentioned earlier owes me a large sum of money. He is deliberately trying to confuse us and incite us to fight. Master, do not believe him."

The Taoist secrets I just mentioned, along with these Taoist scriptures and Qi cultivation diagrams, are likely to be easily distinguished as genuine or fake.

A smile reappeared on Fonanda's gaunt face.

"Thank you for your gift, Abbot. I will exchange this sutra for another."

After speaking, he took out a manuscript from his bosom and handed it over.

Zhou Yi picked it up, glanced at it briefly, and then put it into his pocket: "Thank you, Master, for gifting me this precious Indian scripture."

Fu Nanda seemed not to hear his words of thanks and continued to peruse Huainan Honglie.

Zhou Yi then ordered tea to be served.

After drinking three cups of wine, Fonanda finally put the book away in his bosom.

"If you are interested in the martial arts of my Eastern lands, Master, go west after leaving the city. Perhaps you can find some inspiration there."

"Where does the inspiration come from?"

“Recently, during the great battle at Longxing Temple, a monk named Bu Tan appeared. He once spoke of the non-duality of Buddha and demon.”

The words "Buddha and Mara are not two" reached Fonanda's ears and immediately caused his eyes to light up.

I can't wait to verify how this non-dualistic Buddha and Mara differs from my own non-dualistic Brahman and Atman.

Fu Nanda glanced at Zhou Yi and saw that he looked calm, as if he had just said it casually.

"Master, where is Master Bu Tan?"

"He was captured by the Grand Master of the Great Ming Sect. If we inquire along the way, we should be able to find him. Master Bu Tan is wearing a black kasaya, which is very conspicuous."

The Great Ming Sect was his adversary; how could Fu Nanda not know this?

He banned all religions in Balhae, and thus massacred many followers of other religions, with the Great Ming Zun religion suffering the most casualties. Therefore, Balhae was known as the Land of Darkness. His master, Fu Nanda, was considered by the Great Venerable to be his primary enemy.

For a moment, Vonganda naturally wondered if the Great Master had captured this monk who had practiced "Buddha and Mara are not two" in order to deal with him.

This made him even more interested.

Great Venerable Mother, he, the mad monk, is not afraid.

She glanced at Zhou Yi with a cryptic look, wondering if he was using her.

But that's impossible.

This was only their first meeting; how could he know his origins, let alone the secrets of Bohai?

"The abbot is here; this humble monk will take his leave now."

"Take care, Master."

The eccentric monk from India left the teahouse and headed west.

Zhou Yi breathed a slight sigh of relief as he watched the man's figure disappear; the unpleasant guest was finally gone.

If he causes trouble in Nanyang, the consequences will be uncontrollable. It would be best if he and the Great Ming Emperor fought like dogs.

Zhou Yi went down from the teahouse to settle the tea bill.

The shopkeeper repeatedly declined, saying, "It is an honor for our shop to have the abbot come for tea. We cannot accept your money."

"Then wouldn't I also become a bully and tyrant?"

Zhou Yi smiled and settled the copper coins.

He thought to himself, "This evil Indian monk owes me a huge sum of money for tea."

There's also the old creditor, Master Mi. If it weren't for the fact that now is not the right time to head north, I would definitely go to Wagangzhai to settle accounts with him.

On second thought, Li Mi was probably also very anxious at this moment after hearing so much bad news about him.

It's good to suffer for a while.

After leaving the teahouse, Zhou Yi headed to Xiangyan Temple, as it was still early.

As soon as I arrived at the temple gate, I saw an old monk sitting on a big tree. He had long white eyebrows that reached past his ears and a long white beard that reached past his belly. He looked very old, but his face was smooth and youthful.

Despite being plump, he is not bulky and gives people a kind and approachable feeling.

"When the people of Bishan come, their cups are full of clear wine. Their creation is a marvel of nature, but who can match their skill?"

Zhou Yi looked up, and the old monk smiled at him, then raised the wine pot and drank deeply, shaking the pot as if he had drunk it all.

Zhou Yi returned to the market, carrying two gourds of wine. He leaped up to the treetop, threw one gourd of wine to the old monk, who caught it and drank it without any hesitation.

"Why is the master in such a good mood?"

Master Daoxin said, "The abbot has said the exact opposite. This old monk was scolded by the two old bald men, so he came out to drink alone."

Zhou Yi knew what kind of person he was, and wasn't surprised by his tone of voice.

He raised his gourd of wine, drank a few sips with him, and then asked:

"Is it because you don't crave Vajra?"

"That's not it."

The old monk said leisurely, "Shi Zhixuan was the one I led into the sect. Although he is an evil king, he is not lacking in Buddha-nature. Otherwise, how could he understand Zen? So it was not a mistake to take him as a disciple in the first place. Those two old bald men have been arguing about it."

After speaking, he stared at Zhou Yi with both eyes:

"Actually, the abbot is not lacking in Buddhist nature, but the abbot's status is too great. This old monk is not capable of taking on disciples. I can only sigh and feel sorry."

He took a sip of his drink and then said:
"If I had known that Yongqiu had someone like you, I would have gone there twenty years earlier to wait and try to take you as my disciple before the old Celestial Master did."

"Master is joking; I am not fortunate enough to have that."

Zhou Yi smiled slightly and stopped making polite remarks:

"So what should we do now? Should we try to bring back Master Bu Tan, or continue attacking the Coffin Palace?"

"Save people first, but also keep an eye on the situation in Champion City."

Master Daoxin then went on to explain the specific arrangements.

He and Venerable Dixin continued to pursue Shi Zhixuan, while Master Zhihui first recuperated at Xiangyan Temple before sending someone back to the Sanlun School to find Master Jiaxiang.

Among the four great monks, Master Jiaxiang had the highest martial arts skills.

Zhou Yi sensed the importance the Buddhist sect placed on him, probably because they didn't want to give Shi Zhixuan a peaceful opportunity to practice his skills.

If he were to revert to the flawless evil king, he would be difficult to deal with.

He was actually quite pleased, because these people were so busy that they didn't have time to think about him.

He then sat down and talked with Master Daoxin, finishing the entire gourd of wine.

Having gathered enough information, he took his leave.

As soon as I climbed down from the big tree, I saw a fairy standing gracefully at the temple gate.

I heard someone call out "Brother Dao".

Master Daoxin, perched atop a tree, lowered his white eyebrows, drinking wine as he observed them as they entered the temple.

It's the same house, the same tea table.

The saintess's posture as she poured tea remained as elegant and unparalleled as ever.

"Feixuan is about to return to Jingzhai and will not be able to see her fellow Daoist for a long time."

She poured tea as she spoke, her ethereal tone carrying a hint of reluctance.

"Should we report this matter to Master Fanzhai?"

"Not only that, I will also be going into seclusion for a period of time."

Zhou Yi swirled his tea and asked with some curiosity, "Should we tell Master Fan about what happened to me?"

"Ah."

Shi Feixuan looked up, somewhat puzzled: "Does Brother Dao find this inappropriate?"

"No, you can tell me anything about me, but you'll need to be more careful about some of the things that concern you."

Which ones?

Zhou Yi smiled enigmatically: "Even if you use me to practice your skills, Master Fanzhai might not understand it, since everyone's state of mind is different."

His bluntness caused Shi Feixuan to pause slightly.

Her face flushed slightly, as if her secret had been discovered, and her expression was captivating.

"Are you concerned about me, fellow Daoist?"

"Well, I actually think Miss Qin is a pretty good person. She can draw her sword and she knows a lot about tea. I don't really mind if you use me to practice your skills."

He looked completely indifferent, which drew a glare from the saintess.

It was as if he knew he was thinking of him deeply, yet he remained calm and unwavering.

“Brother Dao is different from everyone Feixuan has met before.”

The saintess looked away, not daring to delve into the topic.

He let out a soft breath and said:
"When I return to Dongdu this time, I will tell my master in detail about Master Bu Tan and the Evil King. My master and Master Liao Kong may ask Ning Sanren to intervene."

Zhou Yi wasn't surprised; this was the Evil King's unparalleled ability to attract hatred.

"You need to explain the Great Ming Zunjiao in more detail. Oh, and there's also Fu Nanda. This evil monk has his eye on the world's rare books, which may be detrimental to your Cihang Jingzhai."

The saintess looked puzzled.

Zhou Yi exaggerated the story of the evil monk from India, which attracted the attention of the sacred martial arts world.

Shi Feixuan's attention slowly shifted to his face: "Funanda came to see you and even exchanged scriptures with you?"

"good."

"Could I see that precious Indian scripture?"

Zhou Yi swirled the tea, his tone a little strange: "The evil monk's scriptures have demonic properties; I advise you not to read them."

Shi Feixuan remained silent, her eyes filled with curiosity.

With her mindset, she naturally wasn't afraid of so-called demonic nature.

"You really want to see?"

The saint nodded.

Zhou Yi hesitated for a moment, then satisfied her curiosity by handing her the scriptures of Vonganda from his bosom.

Shi Feixuan opened the scripture, and soon she closed it, using the book to shield her face from Zhou Yi's gaze.

Zhou Yi smiled and reached out to tug at the Indian Buddhist scriptures.

Shi Feixuan tried to pull him away, but he couldn't.

But after lifting it twice more, Shi Feixuan let go of his hand, allowing him to take it away.

After reading the precious scripture, her fair and beautiful face was flushed with a rosy glow, and her eyes shimmered with a shy and charming allure that was never seen under normal circumstances.

"The precious scriptures of the heretical Indian monks are like this."

Zhou Yi took back the Kama Sutra, which contained all the teachings on male-female love that Vonganda liked.

It aligns with the spirit and wonders of yoga, but once you learn it, it's easy to fall into its trap.

It contains many Sanskrit characters and is accompanied by illustrations.

The saintess had never seen such an Indian classic before, and blushed, remaining silent for a long time.

However, Zhou Yi felt that the Holy Maiden was deliberately testing him.

As the most indifferent man in the Sui Dynasty, he remained calm even when the Holy Maiden had alluring eyes and a rosy complexion.

Sure enough, Shi Feixuan glanced at him, took two light breaths, and composed herself.

As she poured the tea, she softly murmured, "Brother Dao."

These two words not only implied blaming, but also showed her looking up and giving him a disgruntled glare.

Zhou Yi admired the beautiful scene that was rarely seen in the world.

He picked up the teacup and suddenly asked, "Miss Qin, would you be my enemy?"

Shi Feixuan's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly.
"Brother Dao, why do you ask this?"

"Just asking."

Zhou Yi finished his tea, but then, wondering when he would be able to experience the saintess's tea ceremony again, he asked her to pour him another cup.

After drinking some more, he suddenly got up and walked towards the door.

Goodbye, see you next time.

Hearing him leave those words, Shi Feixuan knew he was a man of few words, never one to mince words, so she took two steps to catch up and said:
"Brother Dao, may I call you by a different name next time we meet?"

"What's wrong with calling me Miss Qin?"

Shi Feixuan said, "We're a little distant."

"If life were always like the first time we met, I think that would be wonderful."

Zhou Yi noticed her slight displeasure and smiled.

“Miss Qin, you should practice your skills diligently. When your skills have greatly improved, you can draw your sword against me.”

Shi Feixuan's heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to speak, she heard what sounded like a loud laugh in her ear, and the white figure had already disappeared into the distance.

I felt a slight sense of disappointment.

The sense of loss is even greater when you don't have the chance to say what you want to say.

She stood at the doorway, waiting for the figure in white to return.

But this time he never returned, and there was nothing left behind in the house.

"Zhou Yi."

Shi Feixuan uttered a soft murmur in a voice only she could hear.

If you meditate and cultivate your mind at this time, you will definitely make great progress.

Master's cultivation of the sword manual stopped at the level of telepathy, but her talent was higher, and she had already reached that level, even seeing a path to a clear understanding of the sword heart.

But this path is not the one Master described.

I cannot learn from my master's love story with Lingnan Tiandao.

Cihang Saintess rebelled for the first time, choosing not to practice martial arts at this time.

She thought about her first visit to Nanyang, and then about everything she experienced in Nanyang this time.

Shi Feixuan went inside and poured herself a cup of tea.

The clear tea reflected her eyes, just as the goddess Luo stood on the banks of the Luo River, seeing her own hesitant gaze reflected in the water.

However, my desire to return to Tokyo grew stronger.

"Brother Dao, will Fei Xuan be able to forget you this time?"

……

The sixteenth day of the Longxing calendar.

Within the Nanyang Gang, Zhou Yi drank with fellow Daoists such as Chen Changgong and Song Yinzi once again.

This meal is to bid farewell to all our friends.

They should have left immediately after the chaos in Nanyang ended, but they were worried that the people of the Great Ming Sect would come back to kill them, so they stayed for another half a month.

The sentiments involved need not be explicitly stated.

The old Taoist priest with white eyebrows had drunk quite a bit of wine, but his face showed no signs of alcohol; instead, it still radiated a precious glow.

"Fellow Daoist Yi, this old Daoist is somewhat curious."

Zhou Yi laughed: "Fellow Daoist Chen, if you have any questions, just say them directly. There's no need to hold back."

The old Taoist priest with white eyebrows nodded slightly:

"If Fellow Daoist Yi were to become the number one Daoist, what would you most like to do?"

Zhou Yi considered it carefully:
"I don't care much about titles like 'the foremost figure in Taoism,' but if I have the time, I will definitely organize the Taoist classics. I have benefited greatly from them and do not want to see them lost."

"At that time, you may invite your friends to read the scriptures together."

"Next, we will collect the Taoist traditions, and if the opportunity arises, we will compile them into various Taoist canons."

Zhou Yi, still slightly drunk, said:
"If I gain any insights, I would like to compile a Taoist classic that incorporates the essence of martial arts."

Halfway through his sentence, Zhou Yi, now completely sober, waved his hand and said:

"That's wishful thinking. Please take this as a joke. I am far from having that ability."

Chen Changgong, Song Yinzi, Ji Xun, and Ji Shou all sighed.

Even Mu Daoren showed a strange expression.

Song Yinzi stroked his beard and smiled: "This old Taoist will definitely practice his internal skills diligently and try to live a few more years."

Chen Changgong said, "Although we are away from Nanyang this time, if Master Yi needs any help, just send someone to deliver a letter, and I will come from Yingchuan immediately and invite my Taoist friends."

"good."

Ji Xun said, "Let's return to Mount Song for now, and after some time we'll go back to Fellow Daoist Song's place, then it will be easier to meet again."

These Taoist elders asked for nothing, and Zhou Yi felt even more indebted. He had only intended to borrow the power of the Taoist sect, but it turned into a bloody battle.

I'll keep it to myself for now and not say much more.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and raised his glass, saying, "Thank you all, friends."

After everyone had a drink, Chen Changgong said with a smile, "Just don't complain about us bothering you in the future."

"How could this be?"

Zhou Yi frowned, while the white-browed old Taoist laughed heartily.

After lunch, I escorted them all the way to the east of the county town.

The turbulent waters flow ceaselessly around the city, while the old Taoist priests wander further and further away.

Three days later, the short, stout Taoist priest arrived at the Nanyang Gang:

"Zhou Yi, I'm leaving too."

Zhou Yi pulled him down to sit: "Brother Mu, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

"If you wanted to find that crow, you should have left a few days ago."

The wooden Taoist said irritably, "Compared to your situation, those three unlucky dragons are actually doing quite well. Look at the kind of people you're dealing with. If it weren't for helping you, I would never have messed with them."

Damn it, this makes me feel so insecure. You'd better hurry up and practice your skills so you can become invincible soon.

As he spoke, he threw another longsword over.

Zhou Yi examined it closely—a cold iron blade!
"When did you forge it?"

"Just these few days."

Master Mu waved his fat hand: "Your opponents are all fierce. I think your sword will break sooner or later. I'm preparing a new one for you in advance so you won't have trouble finding me. It's just that the blacksmith shops in Nanyang are far inferior to those of the Dongming Sect, which has wasted so much of my time."

Zhou Yi beamed with joy: "Next time you come, I'll treat you to the best wine."

"And what about this time?"

"Naturally, there will be no shortage."

Zhou Yi had already made preparations. He took out a package containing not only travel expenses but also a full gourd of fine wine.

"Wonderful!"

Master Mu was overjoyed, took the package, and turned to leave.

"Haha, no need for all this fuss about seeing me off, I'm off now."

He carried his nine-toothed rake and went to find the Misty Temple on Crow Mountain.

When Zhou Yi reached the entrance of the Nanyang Gang, the short, stout figure was no longer in sight.

Looking at the cold iron blade in Zhou Yi's hand, Yang Zhen smiled sincerely and said, "Those who follow the Way receive much help, while those who stray from the Way receive little help. The Celestial Master has friends all over the world."

"Big Boss, my enemies are all over the world."

Zhou Yi chuckled and drew half of his gleaming sword: "However, with this sword, I have no fear of any enemy."

Yang Zhen sensed his imposing presence, stroked his long beard, and smiled.

Most of the Buddhist monks had left, with only Master Zhihui and a few eminent monks remaining at Xiangyan Temple.

Master Daoxin and Venerable Dixin continue to track down the whereabouts of Shi Zhixuan and Monk Butan.

The Holy Maiden Cihang drifted away and returned to the sacred land of martial arts.

The mad monk from India followed the Ming Dynasty's Zun Sect, and these mortal enemies were entangled together, leaving no time to care about Nanyang City for the time being.

Champion City and Xiangyang City have been living in peace lately.

Zhou Yi felt at peace and decided to go into seclusion.

That afternoon, before going into seclusion, he wrote a letter and had it delivered to the Dangyang caravan.

At night, lights are lit.

Thinking of the girl in Jiangdu, he couldn't help but laugh.

He wrote many pages, describing things in Nanyang as if they were everyday occurrences in his letters.

Finally, it was written that...
“Xiao Feng, a friend recently gifted me a precious blade of cold iron. Its blade is frosty and cold, like a chilly night in Langya. Seeing the sword reminds me of him, and I cannot let go of the memory. So I asked the rivers of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers to carry it to Yangzi Ferry.”

……

(End of this chapter)