Most Taoist temples are built on mountains. Part of the reason is to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the world, so that they can pursue Taoism and nature, the unity of man and nature, and also pursue natural scenery. Part of the reason is to worship gods and collect incense. Some people think that building at a high place will cause trouble.

It is closer to the gods in the sky. Some people think that building it a little higher will help attract believers to absorb the incense.

Xuanlei Temple in Jingyu County is no exception.

The terrain of Hezhou is flat, and Pujun is even flatter. Xuanlei Temple just found a hill outside the city and built it on the hill. It is about two miles away from the county seat, which is really close.

A long bluestone staircase leads directly from the foot of the mountain to the mountain gate, with evergreen trees on both sides of the stone steps.

The Taoist had brought the calico cat and the swordsman to the mountain gate, stopped in front of the stone steps, and looked up.

Because there is a loess road ahead, it is inevitable that when it rains and the road becomes muddy, the people bring the mud and stamp it off or scrape it off with wooden sticks, leaving a thick layer of mud at the bottom of the mountain. However, even if

Even in this way, the mud on the shoes could not be cleaned, so when I walked up the mountain again, people came and went, starting from the first step of the steps, and there was a thick layer of mud.

The mud at the bottom level is the thickest. Every time you go up a level, the mud becomes thinner. Only after many levels does the original color of the bluestone appear.

Song You was not in a hurry and walked around the hill first, then walked up step by step.

It can be seen that the incense in the Taoist temple is very prosperous, and many people come to offer incense and worship on weekdays. However, nowadays, after all, the world is in chaos, demons are in chaos, and people are in chaos. No matter how peaceful Jingyu is, no one dares to walk outside the city at night. It is already

At dusk, the last group of pilgrims had already gone down the mountain to go home, and the doors of the Taoist temple had been closed, so naturally there were no other pilgrims.

Only two people and one cat went up the mountain alone.

“Bang bang bang!”

The swordsman stepped forward and knocked on the door.

The sound of footsteps soon came from inside.

"Who is it?"

A Taoist boy opened the door, looked at the swordsman outside, and narrowed his eyes slightly: "My hero, it's so late, are you still here to offer incense?"

The swordsman said nothing, only turned his head and looked back.

The Taoist boy followed his gaze and then looked at the young Taoist who was slowly walking up and the calico cat at his feet.

"The Taoist Master is..."

Song You also smiled at him, saluted and said: "Song You, from Fulongguan, Lingquan County, Yizhou, was traveling down the mountain and passed by Jingyu. I came to visit you. Please let me know."

"visit……"

"Yes, visiting."

"Hold on."

The Taoist boy had a strange expression, as if in these troubled times, it was rare to see Taoists from other places come all the way to visit, but he didn't say anything, closed the door, and ran in.

After a while, a loud welcoming bell rang inside.

"Boom..."

When the mountain gate opened again, the gates on both sides were pulled open.

There were a bunch of middle-aged Taoists standing inside, and the leader was an old Taoist with white beard and hair, and an immortal spirit.

"When a distinguished guest comes, he will be welcomed at a distance."

Yongyang Zhenren waved Fuchen with his right hand and said to Song You with a smile. He was born with a childlike face and a kind face.

The others also saluted and called out fellow Taoists for mercy.

This scene reminded Song You of the scene when he took Sanhua Empress to Qingcheng Mountain to visit the Taoist priests of Fuqing Palace when he was in Yidu. So he couldn't help lowering his head and looked at the cat at his feet.

Cat also raised her head to look at herself. I don't know if she also remembered that time, or if she just felt awkward in a strange place, so she subconsciously looked at familiar people for a sense of security.

Song You thought this way, but he returned the greeting and said, "I'm taking the liberty of visiting you. Do you want to disturb me?"

"If you are there, fellow Taoist please come in quickly!"

"Being respectful is worse than obeying orders."

A group of Taoist priests followed them into the Taoist temple.

Song You was calm and composed, watching as he walked, while the calico cat and the swordsman followed closely behind him.

Mr. Yongyang is hospitable and polite, with a smile on his face.

The middle-aged Taoist priests around him were all smiling, but they couldn't help but glance at the swordsman with strange expressions, and they would even exchange glances from time to time.

Song You didn't care, and the swordsman pretended not to know.

The Taoist temple is not small, and you can enter the courtyard several times.

The first thing you see when you enter is a huge incense burner. The incense seems to have not burned out during the day. There seems to be a layer of smoke floating in the sky above the Taoist temple, and you can smell the obvious scent of incense. Song You likes to smell incense, everywhere.

The ingredients of incense sticks are generally similar but slightly different. If you collect more of them, it can be considered part of your own knowledge.

Next to it is a temple dedicated to the gods.

Song You glanced casually——

There are more gods worshiped here than at Lei Qing Temple, but like Lei Qing Temple, except for the Lord of the Heavenly Palace, Fu Lei Gong, the chief officer of the Lei Department, is mainly worshiped, and the other gods have dim light.

Master Yongyang did not take him to worship the gods first, but led him through a side door and continued inside.

There are also courtyards and temples inside.

In the middle of the courtyard, instead of an incense burner, there are two statues of guardian gods over one foot tall, both made of stone. They stand on a stone platform, one holding a stone whip and the other holding a big gun, both with angry eyes.

Watching the group of people walking in from outside, Song You and the swordsman hit their knees when they walked between them.

The temple inside is only dedicated to Fu Lei Gong.

"Fellow Taoist, please!"

Hezhou is in poverty this year, Jingyu County is the administrative seat of a state, and most of the people in the city have yellow faces and thin muscles, but the Taoist priests in this temple all have rosy faces.

Other than that, I don't see anything special.

Including the master of Lei Qing Temple before entering Hezhou, because his practice was not correct, and most of the spells he learned were related to evil spirits and ghosts, so Song You could detect it almost as soon as he saw him.

Contaminated with the aura of ghosts and evil spirits, however, none of the Taoist priests at Xuan Lei Temple could be seen.

Master Yongyang is quite capable.

The swordsmen around him were very vigilant.

Song You smiled at him to make him relax, and then followed a group of Taoists to a main hall.

"Pindao seems to have heard of Fulongguan in Lingquan County, Yizhou before. He always thinks the name is familiar, but he is too old to remember it." Yongyang Zhenren, who was walking in front, said with a smile, "But

It can also be seen from the cultivation of fellow Taoists, it must be a famous cave heaven paradise."

"It's not very famous, not as good as Taoist friend's cave."

"Fellow Taoist, please don't be humble." Master Yongyang held a fly whisk in his hand and said with a smile, "It is said that when I was young, I once went to Yizhou and visited Qingcheng Mountain."

"Qingcheng Mountain is famous." Song You said truthfully, "But when it comes to magic skills, I'm afraid the most powerful temples on the mountain can't compare to Yongyang Shangxian."

"Hey! But I don't dare!"

Master Yongyang spoke quickly, with a very humble tone and wording: "It's just that the local people were troubled by demons and were panicking about medicine. Pindao happened to be a virtuous man, so he eradicated a few little demons. Only then did the people at the foot of the mountain give Pindao some help.

I was given the title of an immortal, but I couldn't afford it. In shame, I even said it several times, but the people were unwilling to change it."

When it comes to the latter part, I feel a little helpless.

"Is such that."

Song You nodded and agreed with him.

Master Yongyang hurriedly said to the people around him: "Go and prepare fine wine and delicacies. Today we have distinguished guests!"

"yes."

Several disciples and Taoist boys left immediately.

"please!"

Master Yongyang then looked at Song You: "Although I am in the observation room, I have already heard about my fellow Taoist deeds."

"oh?"

Song You looked at him with interest.

"I have heard it said several times that in Hezhou, there is an immortal master named Song, who claims to be from Yizhou. No matter how big or small the demons causing trouble in various places are, as long as this master passes by, everything will be at peace."

Master Yongyang said with a smile as he led him across the threshold, "I have already expected that Taoist friends will probably come to Jingyu, and today I finally got there."

"Fellow Taoist knows things like a god." Song You said, and then asked, "But did fellow Taoist know that it would be today?"

"Pindao doesn't have that ability yet."

After entering the door, the space is spacious, with futons and tables on both sides and above. It looks like a place where Taoists discuss and preach.

Master Yongyang sat at the top and asked Song You and Swordsman to sit on his left. Several middle-aged Taoists around him also sat down, as if they were entertaining distinguished guests.

Song You chatted with him while observing.

Master Yongyang had a very clever attitude and was humble and respectful towards Song You. I think it was because he had heard of Song You’s deeds and knew that many demons with good moral character were also eliminated by this Taoist. Especially among the folk rumors, they always liked to tell things apart.
To be continued...