In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed since we were separated from Ye Zhiqiu.
For more than a month, Wu Ming occasionally thought of the corpse king who destroyed the city, and also thought of Ye Zhiqiu who returned to the mountain gate.
However, what I think about most is the Shangqing Palace in Qingcheng Mountain and my possible future.
The distance is getting closer and closer, and it is difficult to calm down.
Wu Ming didn't know what was waiting for him in the Shangqing Palace, let alone whether his expectations could be fulfilled in the Shangqing Palace.
"The world outside is getting more and more chaotic, so it's better to live here. Although the house is not open at night, there are no monsters and ghosts causing trouble. It is a good place."
"Of course, don't look at where this place is. This is at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain, and the old gods live on the mountain!"
Listening to the words of the two passers-by, Wu Ming looked at the distant green mountains and whispered: "Qingcheng Mountain has arrived. Hey, the weather is getting colder and colder. It is estimated that there will be a few more autumn rains and it will almost snow!"
"Yes, we have been away from home for more than two months, and I don't know if my mother and the others are okay. Fortunately, we have arrived at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain. Brother, we succeeded!" The little Narcissus looked very happy, not worried at all.
Worry about the road ahead.
Wu Ming smiled and touched the little Narcissus' head, took a deep breath, and walked towards the mountain.
Different from Qingcheng Mountain in later generations, Qingcheng Mountain appears taller and more mysterious in the Liaozhai world.
Wu Ming took the little Narcissus' hand, walked through the stone steps, and walked toward the mountain together.
After walking for a full two hours, I saw a Taoist temple towering among the clouds and mist, with the three characters "Shangqing Palace" written on it.
"The great road is invisible, giving birth to the heaven and the earth. The great road is ruthless, moving the sun and the moon. The great road is nameless, and it nourishes all things. I don't know its name, so I call it Tao..."
In the Taoist palace, Taoist priests were doing morning prayers and reciting the Jingjing Sutra.
Wu Ming stood outside and listened quietly until the sound of scriptures stopped and the door of Shangqing Palace opened.
The palace door opened, and hundreds of Taoist priests walked out with their heads lowered. No one glanced at Wu Ming.
Wu Ming looked inside through the gap and found that there was another Taoist priest in purple sitting on the main seat and did not leave.
"Since you want to come in, then come in!" The purple-robed Taoist, who was in his thirties, holding a whisk in his hand, saw Wu Ming's plan.
Upon hearing the invitation from Taoist Ziyi, Wu Ming bowed three times to the Shangqing Palace before respectfully walking in.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" The purple-clothed Taoist spoke slowly and asked Wu Ming softly.
Wu Ming lowered his head slightly and replied in a deep voice: "This disciple has longed for the Shangqing Palace for a long time and wants to worship in it and learn Taoism!"
"Where are you from and how did you get here?"
"The disciples came from Liuzhou and walked all the way through mountains and rivers."
The purple-clothed Taoist counted his fingers and frowned: "No, you have two donkeys in front of you, so why did you come here on foot?"
When Wu Ming heard this, he quickly replied: "Disciple, I dare not lie. I bought my first donkey in Liuzhou City. My sister Shuixian rode it all the way until a zombie bit it to death in Anning Town."
I picked up two donkeys outside Yong'an County. The donkey's owner was killed by a zombie. I buried its owner and then took the donkey away. Along the way, the disciple did not ride even for a moment. The whole process was for
My sister prepared it!"
The purple-clothed Taoist calculated carefully with his fingers. The more he calculated, the more he nodded and said with a smile: "Yes, you didn't lie. You are still a sincere person. Then tell me, what have you encountered along the way?"
The female ghost who deceives corpses, the shepherd who drives the sheep, the unscrupulous corpse king, and Ye Zhiqiu, who is devoted to human affairs.
Wu Ming spoke in great detail, recounting all the local customs, customs, monsters and monsters he saw on the journey of more than a thousand miles.
"Giving up your family wealth and walking more than a thousand miles to come to Shangqing Palace is enough to prove your sincerity. However, I, Shangqing Palace, pay attention to fate. The little girl next to you is destined to my Shangqing Palace and can be my direct disciple.
.However, I cannot take you in until your destiny has come..."
The purple-robed Taoist spoke very slowly, but it seemed as if he was hitting Wu Ming with a sledgehammer.
Wu Ming looked at the confused little Narcissus, and then at the purple-robed Taoist with his eyes closed and silent, his heart filled with bitterness.
After a moment of silence, Wu Ming spoke with difficulty: "Taoist Master, the fact that I have been able to walk all the way and see you in the Shangqing Palace shows that I and the Shangqing Palace are still destined. For the sake of my wholehearted devotion to the Tao, you
Just let me stay and give me a chance!"
"Taoist Master, please give me a chance. My eldest brother is here to learn Taoism. If he doesn't stay, I won't stay either!" Little Narcissus also spoke, holding on to the corner of Wu Ming's clothes.
.
The purple-clothed Taoist sitting on the futon looked at the resolute little Narcissus, then at Wu Ming, who looked bitter, and waved the fly whisk in his hand: "Let's go down the mountain..."
The next second, the fly whisk hit Wu Ming's body, and in the blink of an eye he was at the foot of the mountain, only missing the little narcissus.
Looking up at the disappeared Shangqing Palace on the mountain, Wu Ming was speechless for a long time.
He never expected that he would be driven down the mountain because he had no destiny, but that Little Narcissus would be accepted as a direct disciple by Taoist Ziyi.
"What should I do? Just leave like this? No, I can't leave, and where can I go if I leave!" Wu Ming made up his mind that he could never leave like this.
After wandering around the foot of Qingcheng Mountain for a long time, Wu Ming found a thatched hut, and he didn't know who left it.
Seeing that there was a house to live in, Wu Ming settled here and had no intention of leaving.
In the blink of an eye, three days passed, and the little narcissus also came looking for it.
After Wu Ming asked, he found out that the Taoist who wore purple clothes and accepted the little narcissus as his disciple was the current headmaster of Shangqing Palace.
"Brother, I'm here to see you."
Pushing open the door, Little Narcissus looked inside and saw the figure of Wu Ming in Taoist uniform, holding the Tao Te Ching in his hands.
Seeing Wu Ming's back, Little Narcissus had tears in her eyes. She couldn't help but hugged his shoulders and choked up: "Brother, I have been begging for three days, but that bad Taoist priest in purple just refused to accept it."
You, why don't we go, let's go back to Liuzhou City and live a peaceful life."
Speaking of Liuzhou City, the little Narcissus showed nostalgia and looked at Wu Ming with tears in her eyes.
Wu Ming could only smile bitterly when he heard what Little Narcissus said.
The disciple of Master Zhenren of Shangqing Palace, which was the identity Wu Ming longed for, but in the eyes of Little Narcissus, it was nothing more than that, and there was nothing more than a bitter smile.
"Narcissus, please go back quickly, big brother will not leave." The firm words showed his mentality. Wu Ming was like an ancient well without waves.
Little Narcissus refused to leave until she stayed with Wu Ming for an entire afternoon before being taken back by two disciples from Shangqing Palace.
After seeing off the little narcissus, not long after, a strong wind suddenly broke out outside, and an autumn rain came as expected.
It was raining heavily and it got dark very early.
Wu Ming looked at the shaky thatched house, put down the Tao Te Ching in his hand, covered his head and fell asleep.
There was nothing to say all night, and the heavy rain continued the next day without any let-up.
When Wu Ming woke up, he found that the house was full of water and many people were shouting outside.
"There is an urgent warning from the government. The dam upstream will no longer be able to block it. Everyone, hurry up and pack your things. Let's get out of here!"
"Follow me, follow me, everyone, let's go to a safe place!"
Wu Ming lay at the door and looked out, finding many people walking in the wind and rain.
At this time, the water outside had already covered the insteps, and everyone was shouting as they walked, as if the government had prepared a resettlement site.
"Young man, what are you looking at? Hurry up and follow me!" In the crowd, an old man waved his hand, signaling Wu Ming to leave the house quickly.
After hearing this, Wu Ming shook his head vigorously and replied: "I won't leave. I want to study Taoism in Shangqing Palace. I won't go anywhere until I learn Taoism!"
"Nonsense, if you stay here after the flood comes, will you still be alive? Don't be stupid, it's more important to save your life. At worst, you can just come back after the flood dissipates." When the old man's words came to his ears, Wu Ming
But he still shook his head.
Shangqing Palace is not a shelter. How can you express your feelings when you come back after leaving?
Wu Ming waved his hand and did not answer, closed the door of his room, and planned to stay here to the end.
An hour later, the water had risen to his knees. Wu Ming sat on the table and read the Tao Te Ching.
Three hours later, the flood flooded the table, and Wu Ming sat on the wardrobe, still immersed in reading.
Six hours later, the flood had submerged the closet, and Wu Ming could only stay on the rafters.
At this time, the rain outside was getting heavier and heavier, and the wind was getting stronger and stronger.
Wu Ming, who was on the beam, could clearly feel the pulling force coming from the outside world.
It seems that under the impact of the flood, the thatched house is already in danger and will collapse at any time.
"Young man, are you still in there?"
There was a shout from outside, which sounded a bit like the old man in the morning: "If you are in there, just tell the old man. I am worried about you, so I took down a board and came to save you!"
Upon hearing this, Wu Ming, who was standing on the beam, dug through the straw above his head.
When he saw it, it was the old man who had talked to him in the morning, driving a boat made of wooden planks, wandering outside his thatched house.
"Old man, go back, I won't leave!" Wu Ming answered loudly, even though the wind and rain hit his face, he didn't feel any fear.
The old man was furious and shouted: "You have thought about it carefully. If you don't leave now, when you want to leave later, no one will come to save you!"
"If I don't leave, I'm going to Shangqing Palace to learn Taoism. How can a little wind and rain stop my desire to follow Taoism!" Wu Ming answered affirmatively, making the old man leave helplessly.
More than an hour later, the water had reached the roof beams. Even if Wu Ming was standing, half of his body was still submerged in the water.
Feeling that he was in danger, Wu Ming still had a firm gaze and read aloud the contents of the Tao Te Ching.
In this way, after soaking in the water for a full day and night, the flood gradually dissipated.
When Wu Ming walked down the beam, his legs were weak, but his eyes did not change at all.
In the blink of an eye, another month has passed, and the flood seems to have become a memory.
At this time, the outside world has also turned from late autumn to early winter, and the wind is really biting in some drafty thatched houses.
"Dong dong dong... Is anyone here?" There was a knock on the door, accompanied by a sweet voice, as clear and crisp as an oriole singing.
Wu Ming opened the door and looked outside, and found that the person who came was a beautiful girl. She was wearing many expensive jewelry. She looked like she was rich or noble at first glance.
"What's up?"
"I am a foreigner who came here to offer incense. I heard that there is a very interesting Taoist priest at the foot of Qingcheng Mountain. A month ago, even a flood could not stop his Taoist heart, so I came here specially to see this Taoist priest.