Dao Qi Wu Zang Guan Guan: I became a Daoist Master in the 1990s

Chapter 135 What is Delusion!
As dusk approached, the setting sun painted the distant mountains a magnificent orange-red.

One hundred and twenty li is nothing to Qi Yun, but the old Taoist Song Feng is old and frail, and his cultivation is shallow, so his pace is slow.

As night fell and the stars began to appear, we had only covered half the distance.

The two stopped in a sheltered mountain hollow in the woods, gathered dry branches, and started a campfire.

The flames crackled, their flickering light dispelling the darkness and chill of the forest, but also lengthening the eerie shadows of the trees, like ghostly figures swirling around.

The night wind whistled through the gaps in the forest, and in the distance, the occasional howl of an unknown wild animal could be heard, distant and desolate.

The firelight reflected off Qi Yun's face, creating a play of light and shadow that made his calm expression appear somewhat profound and unfathomable.

Looking at the leaping flames, he couldn't help but recall the time he spent camping in the mountains with his martial uncle, Xuanqing.

The campfire was just as warm. My uncle would roast some wild game, occasionally explain the scriptures, but most of the time he would silently gaze at the starry sky, so relaxed and peaceful...

Thinking of this, I suddenly felt a pang of pain in my heart.

My uncle... must have already died and vanished by now, his remains buried somewhere unknown!

The moment this thought arose, the command between his brows seemed to tremble slightly again, and a hidden pain seemed to be about to arise once more!
Qi Yun was startled and immediately severed this thread of sorrow and longing, sinking his mind back into a state of calm and tranquility.

Delusional thoughts, delusional thoughts!
What is delusion?

It is the heart's clinging to the unchangeable past, the useless regret and emotional entanglement with established facts, and the ignorant wind that deviates from the tranquility of the present moment and disturbs the primordial spirit!

Under the Great Black Law, the mind of the one who upholds the law must be like a clear mirror and still water, reflecting all things without leaving a trace. Once attachment arises in the mind, it is a violation of the law!

This law is so strict that it completely eliminates even common human feelings, forcibly using the supreme standard of "pure mind" to define every thought and intention of those who uphold the law.

Can't do that? Then we'll cut off your lifespan! Cut it off until your lifespan is completely exhausted!

Even after death, when their soul returns to the underworld, they will likely face further reckoning!
This Great Black Law of Fengdu in the Northern Yin is indeed a burden that ordinary cultivators cannot bear!
Seeing Qi Yun's expression subtly darken again, Song Feng, who was standing to the side, assumed that Qi Yun's old illness had not yet healed and felt uneasy. He had originally wanted to ask some questions about cultivation, but now he could only swallow his words and silently sit down cross-legged, trying to circulate his meager true qi.

Although I know there is no hope of breaking through in this lifetime, accumulating even a little bit is better than wasting time.

Qi Yun also calmed his mind, abandoned all distracting thoughts, and began to meditate with his eyes closed, circulating the vast and mighty milky white true qi within his body to nourish his primordial spirit, which had just been slightly shaken by the touch of the law.

The mountains and forests were silent, save for the crackling of the campfire and the long, soft breaths of the two men. They did not speak again that night.

The next morning, before the mist had completely dissipated, birdsong filled the forest.

Qi Yun and the old Taoist priest Songfeng got up, extinguished the embers of the campfire, and set off again on the official road heading north.

By noon, the sun was high in the sky, and the two had already passed the boundary marker of Mingchang County by about twenty li.

The scenery suddenly opened up before us, and the official road became straight and wide, with fertile plains stretching as far as the eye could see on both sides.

In early summer, the wind blows through the fields, creating waves of green. It is the time when the rice is heading and filling out, a vibrant green that nurtures the farmers' hopes for the year ahead.

In the distance, villages are faintly visible, with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys, creating a tranquil pastoral scene.

As Qi Yun was walking, his ear suddenly twitched slightly, and he abruptly stopped.

Seeing this, the old Taoist priest Songfeng was surprised. Just as he was about to ask, he heard a rumbling sound like muffled thunder coming from the end of the official road behind him!

The earth seemed to be trembling slightly.

The two immediately retreated to the ridges of the fields beside the road.

A moment later, a cloud of dust rose up behind them, like a yellow dragon soaring into the sky, with the sound of hooves thundering and deafening!
A troop of cavalry, kicking up clouds of dust, galloped towards them with lightning speed.

The group consisted of about thirty riders, all dressed in standard light leather armor over dark red battle coats. Though travel-worn, their ranks were impeccably orderly, exuding a chilling, iron-blooded aura unique to the battlefield. Each rider was skilled and adept at controlling their horse, their bodies rising and falling with the gallop of their steeds, their sharp eyes scanning the distance ahead.

The procession arrived in an instant, led by a knight with a fiery red tassel on his helmet, clearly the leader.

He caught a glimpse of Qi Yun and his companion standing on the ridge of the field by the roadside. He was particularly struck by Qi Yun's tall and imposing figure and calm demeanor, which were still evident despite his simple clothes. A glint flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly raised his hand and shouted sharply, "Rein in your horses!"

"Shut up!"

The order was obeyed without question! More than thirty riders simultaneously tightened their reins while galloping, their horses rearing up and neighing, their hooves landing heavily before coming to a steady stop, demonstrating their exceptional horsemanship and discipline.

The formation instantly went from being extremely active to extremely quiet, with only the heavy snorting of the warhorses and the slight clattering of the armor plates remaining, and an invisible pressure spread out.

The leading captain sat upright on his horse, his gaze sweeping over the old Taoist priest Songfeng before finally settling firmly on Qi Yun.

His voice was booming.

"I am Zhang Xing, a captain of the newly formed 'Ruijian Battalion' of the Jingyu Army of Liangzhou!"

The nation is in peril, the Northern Chen have invaded, and war rages across the land!
A true man should wield a sword to defend his country. Seeing your robust physique and prime of life, I hereby conscript you into the army to serve your country, in accordance with military orders! Depart immediately!

Upon hearing this, Qi Yun raised an eyebrow slightly, but had not yet spoken.

The old Taoist priest Songfeng beside him stepped forward, bowed deeply, and hurriedly said, "May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings! Captain Zhang, please!"
This Master Qiyun and I are both practitioners under the Three Pure Ones, and are people outside the secular world. According to the edict issued in the first year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong of our Great Qianlong, monks and Taoists are exempt from corvée labor and military service.

"I implore the officer to investigate and grant me this favor."

"Hmm?" Zhang Xing's face darkened, and he snorted coldly, pointing his whip at the enemy. "Why all this nonsense!"

The situation at the front is critical, and we're short-handed! Rules are rules, but people are flexible! Someone come here!

The two cavalrymen behind him dismounted in response, drew their gleaming sabers from their waists with a clang, and were about to step forward to seize the man.

"Anyone who dares to disobey orders will be charged with treason and executed on the spot!" Zhang Xing's voice was icy, revealing his murderous intent.

Just then, a man in the cavalry shouted urgently, "Captain! Wait!"

A knight dressed as a lieutenant stepped forward quickly, carefully examined the old Taoist priest Songfeng, and hesitated before asking, "You...you are Taoist Priest Songfeng?"

Upon hearing this, the old Taoist priest Songfeng focused his gaze and saw that the man was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a capable-looking face. Although he was wearing a military uniform, he looked somewhat familiar.

He looked closely for a moment, then exclaimed in realization, "You...you are Chen Feng, the head constable of Changyuan County?"

Chen Feng gave an awkward, wry smile and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "It is indeed I."

Unexpectedly, I encountered a Taoist priest here. The former constable is no longer the same; he has now joined Captain Zhang's ranks, assisting him in recruiting soldiers and requisitioning provisions for the new army to support the front lines!

He then turned to Captain Zhang Xing and whispered a few words in his ear.

Zhang Xing listened, his brows furrowing. He glanced at Qi Yun twice more, his fierce expression softening slightly, but he still waved his hand impatiently: "Enough! Since you are a cultivator, let's call it a day! Military affairs are urgent, we don't have time to waste here! Target: Liujiaji, three miles ahead! Full speed ahead!"

Having said that, he didn't look at Qi Yun and the other two again, flicked the reins, and his warhorse neighed and charged ahead.

The cavalry immediately followed like a tidal wave, their iron hooves striking the ground once more as they thundered away into the distance.

Chen Feng, who was at the very back, clasped his hands in a fist salute as he passed the two men on horseback and said in a low voice, "Master Songfeng, in this world, there is chaos and war everywhere. Please be careful as you travel on the road."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer and spurred his horse to catch up with the group.

As the dust settled, the official road returned to silence, leaving only a jumble of messy hoofprints on the ground.

(End of this chapter)