Chapter 182: Sitting With Desire To Seek Enlightenment
Zhang Duanjing arrived at the back door of the Hou Mansion, where a white-haired old man was waiting as expected.
"How is Zhao Mi's condition?" Zhang Duanjing asked.
"It's still the same, sitting in silence facing the wall all day long." The white-haired old man laughed a few times: "That look is almost exactly the same as that of you after Zhao Ziliang died. You want to dig a hole and bury yourself."
Zhang Duanjing kept a straight face and said nothing, and walked quickly to the backyard. The place was deserted and lonely, with overgrown weeds among the bricks and stones, and the flower beds were both withered and flourishing, as if no one had taken care of them for a long time.
"Don't look at me." The white-haired old man was stared at by Zhang Duanjing and defended: "Zhao Shu did not allow his servants to enter the backyard. He faced the wall day and night and did not know what magic he was practicing. The flow of Qi caused the vegetation in the courtyard to grow.
It’s been like this in a few days.”
Zhang Duanjing sighed silently. He sensed that the main house in the backyard was shrouded in a restriction, and the talisman on the door was looming. He raised his hand and wrote a letter, like a mortise and tenon fit, and held the key to unlock it, accurately breaking the restriction.
"Reverse the Five Elements Lock?" The white-haired old man marveled: "That means you two masters and disciples like to do this."
"Go outside and watch, don't let anyone get close." Zhang Duanjing said.
The white-haired old man walked with a stick, his feet were not dusty, and his steps were windless. He reached the outside of the courtyard in a flash.
Zhang Duanjing slowly opened the door, and after entering, he saw Zhao Mi sitting on the ground with disheveled hair, facing an empty wall. His breath was deep and almost paused, making people mistakenly think that he was a dead body sitting cross-legged on the ground.
"It is useless to sit stubbornly and dry up your heart." Zhang Duanjing looked at Zhao Shu's back with a hint of rebuke in his tone: "Even if you sit there until the sea is dry and the rocks are rotting, the dead cannot be resurrected, and the mistakes made cannot be undone."
Zhao Ming's voice was low: "Teacher, every time I close my eyes, the dead always appear in front of me, and they can't go away. They cry out as hard as they can, asking me why I failed to save them."
"When the Xuanzhu rises from Jianggong to Niwan, it will give rise to all kinds of illusions that disturb the mind." Zhang Duanjing said: "You have practiced Dharma for the fallen soldiers. If they have spiritual responses, they will also come with their wishes to protect their lives and save their lives."
There is no reason for mischief.”
"I would rather they don't die and live well." Zhao Shu said: "Teacher, do you know? The refining ritual of the Officer of Praise is not only to settle the souls, but the souls of the dead are even turned into the materials to maintain the laws and regulations. Isn't this a kind of
Torture?”
Zhang Duanjing was silent for a long time and asked: "Are you sure this is true? Zhao's collection of books has no record of this matter."
"I reflected on the rituals and rituals I had learned in the past, and then I realized the truth." Zhao Shu said: "I'm afraid my grandfather may not know it. The predecessors of Zan Li Guan may have deliberately concealed it, or future generations may have misinterpreted it."
"I don't think this is torture." Zhang Duanjing said: "The souls of the dead are transformed into disciplines and laws to suppress evil spirits, which is precisely to protect the living in the world."
Zhao Shu asked back: "Teacher, why do you believe that the dead want to bless the living? If the ghosts and ghosts in this world ignore it and channel spirits over the years to do evil, maybe this is the true face of all living beings in the world.
The fights are endless, the killings are endless, and in the end everyone becomes the enemy of everyone. Everyone is divided and defends himself. When others show weakness, they will swarm up like a pack of wolves and eat them all."
Zhang Duanjing frowned and said solemnly: "How could you have such an idea? If everyone is separatist, let alone other things, how can we do the hard work in this world? It is precisely because of the limited manpower in this world that we must gather everyone.
,cooperate."
"Thousands of people worked together, but they were still defeated by the evil god." Zhao Shu said: "I have been thinking about how to deal with the evil god Youzhu these days. But no matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn't think of any way. If it weren't for the evil god,
My mind is like a child's and I am deliberately making trouble. I'm afraid I would have died a long time ago. How can I wait for others to save me?"
"You are wrong, very wrong." Zhang Duanjing's words were resounding: "The so-called working together does not mean that tens of millions of people fight with blood and flesh and blood, but that everyone can show their strengths and perform their duties. If
When demons and evil spirits emerge, it is naturally up to the masters to deal with them, rather than driving the common people away to waste their lives!"
"But what if an expert cultivator causes trouble for the world? Who can restrain it?" Zhao Shu asked again: "What's more, if the Immortal Family interferes in the mortal world for their own desires and spreads the Dharma, implicating countless living beings, what should they do?
"
Zhang Duanjing did not answer, and there was a rare look of confusion and loss on his face.
"I don't know." Zhang Duanjing finally confessed to Zhao Shu: "You are confused now, but I have also experienced it."
"Did the teacher find the answer?"
"Still looking." Zhang Duanjing said with a sigh of relief: "But I never expect to find the answer. I always have to do everything myself, instead of just sitting around and dreaming, as if some great truth has really fallen from the sky."
"I understand." Zhao Miao stood up slowly, tied up his loose hair casually, turned around, revealing a thin face. Although the mustache around his mouth was neatly trimmed, the white hair on the temples was vaguely visible, which was the first time he had seen it.
Decline.
Even though his heart was as strong as iron, Zhang Duanjing still felt a trace of intolerance. He suddenly regretted letting Zhao Shu out of Huaiying Hall and could only ask:
"You have been back in Dongsheng Capital for more than a month, and you sit facing the wall every day. Why do you suddenly think of these things? People who are successful in cultivation know how to deal with the world. Even if they have a surly temperament, they will not cause trouble for no reason."
"What if there is a reason?" Zhao Shu asked back: "I have been facing the wall for many days, and what I am thinking about is not other people, but myself. The teacher came here, presumably because something happened to Duke Gao Ping."
Zhang Duanjing looked at his student and did not expect that the experience in Jianjia Pass would cause him to undergo such a drastic change.
"Gaoping Gong and his son turned into demons and devoured each other, was it really you who did it?" Zhang Duanjing asked.
Zhao Shu simply admitted, nodded and said: "That's right. I predict that after this happened, the news will be spread back to Dongsheng Capital, and it will be difficult for others to detect it. Only you, teacher, can see through it at a glance."
"Why?" Zhang Duanjing asked: "You are not the king's temple guard in Chengyang County. Killing Gao Pinggong will not do you any good."
"I'm not willing to accept it!" Zhao Shu said with a cold expression: "In those days, letting people like Gao Pinggong take charge of Jianjia Pass led to the dereliction of military affairs and the decline of people's livelihood. It can be said to be a disaster for the country and the people! Now that Jiuli has withdrawn its troops, it is even more important to work hard to govern, but the king still ordered
Gaoping Gong sits in charge of Jiangjia Pass? I cannot tolerate this, let alone sit back and watch the soldiers and people in the border towns suffer further."
Zhang Duanjing said: "Do you know what the consequences will be if this matter is investigated by an expert?"
"I will bear all the blame for any crime." But Zhao Shu then snorted coldly: "So what if we find out? An incompetent clan member will die if he dies. Without him, the people of this country will be lucky."
"Such thoughts should not be indulged." Zhang Duanjing seriously dissuaded him: "I understand that you don't like Gao Pinggong, but the conspiracy and assassination are not enough to change the situation. They are nothing more than venting temporary private anger."
Zhao Shu didn't understand this truth. There were some things that he couldn't change by himself. In the end, all he could do was vent his personal anger.
Originally, Zhao Shu planned to realize some of his ideas in Jianjia Pass, but he was defeated by the evil god Youzhu first, and after being transferred back to Dongsheng Capital, he was impeached by hundreds of officials in the blink of an eye. Zhao Shu was really exhausted physically and mentally, and felt powerless. .
Different from Zhao Mi's depression, Lingxiao believed that Zhao Mi should carefully appreciate this powerlessness and sharpen his mind with the help of illusions, so he asked him to thank guests behind closed doors and sit facing the wall until he was unmoved in the face of illusions. Improved.
But this process was so torturous that Zhao Shu felt like his mind was like a piece of red-hot iron billet, being placed on the anvil and forged countless times, so that his appearance looked haggard.
"Your skills are superb, which shows that your brain is bright and your perception is sharp. But if you are too sharp, it will not be conducive to Qing Xiu. Once you encounter something big, you will be deeply shocked and your mind will be overwhelmed." Lingxiao said bluntly: "The so-called ordinary people are Zhao Zhao. , I am alone in a coma, and if all the seven orifices of chaos are opened, I will die. The rise of the mysterious pearl will cause internal disturbances in the illusion, and the person being tested is inside but not outside. Your tranquility skills are greatly lacking, and you cannot remove the serious illness without using strong medicine."
Having said that, when it comes to practice, Zhao Shu works hard every day, as if he has been walking on a cliff, unable to relax even for a moment, but he can't see the end.
If Zhang Duanjing had not come to lift the restriction today, Zhao Shu would probably have continued to endure the illusion. The torture that reached the most vulnerable part of his heart was impossible to avoid, tearing the scars in his heart open over and over again, declaring Zhao Shu's incompetence countless times.
"I'm afraid you are thinking more than just yourself." Zhang Duanjing said.
Zhao Shu slowly walked out of the main room, looked around the courtyard with messy vegetation, and sighed: "I have gradually realized recently that the real cause of Liang Guoshi's troubles in the world is that his human country does not care about the common people. Although he has grand plans and great wishes, It was just Liang Guoshi’s personal wish.
If sentient beings benefit from this, it is nothing more than a temporary fluke. If it does not follow their will and is not in their interests, there will be no chance of survival. This is not the merit of the divine way of benefiting people, but also loses the true spirit of the immortal way of being carefree and letting things go."
"Did you realize these words yourself?" Zhang Duanjing was dubious.
Zhao Shu thought about it again and again and said, "I have indeed received guidance from an expert."
"who?"
"A blindfolded old man." Zhao Shu looked at Zhang Duanjing with bright eyes.
Zhang Duanjing showed a look of surprise, but he did not pursue the question further. After a few more instructions, he hurriedly left the Hou Mansion.
"Are you testing Zhang Duanjing?" Lingxiao asked.
"There are some things that the teacher didn't explain clearly. I can't ask directly, let alone ask others to find out." Zhao Shu sighed with his hands behind his hands: "I just didn't expect that you would deduce it before me."
"Huaxu Junior High School, Huaiying Hall is good at refining magic weapons, and can easily access a large amount of Yunjin to refine the Gangfengyi flag, so his identity is ready to be revealed." Lingxiao said: "I didn't point it out at the beginning, I just wanted to make you think. .You won’t believe this kind of thing if others say it openly. Only by figuring out the joints yourself can you eliminate your doubts.”
"So, the person who conspired with Yang Liujun to refine the divine sword must be the teacher." Zhao Shu was not shocked at this time, but felt relieved.
At the beginning, Jianjiaguan was busy with military affairs and did not allow Zhao Shu to think about these things. Now that he has calmed down and reflected on the past, Zhao Shu became aware of some key points that he had ignored in the past.
"Zhang Duanjing forged the divine sword without a doubt to kill Liang Tao, but this matter should not be taken lightly." Lingxiao said: "In Xingluo County, you set up a prayer ritual to suppress the divine sword, causing Yang Liujun to fall short.
You yourself are valued by Liang Tao. Now that Zhang Duanjing agrees with the great plan of the Tao Kingdom in the world, it seems that he was arrogant and allowed Liang Tao to do it, and finally fell into his plan."
"Now I finally understand why the teacher didn't let me leave Huaiying Hall in the past." Zhao Shu couldn't help but feel regretful in his heart.
Lingxiao said: "Regret is of no use now."
"I understand." Zhao Shu smiled bitterly: "It's just that when I know that I have failed my teacher's kindness, I can't bear to look back at my past arrogance when I go back. If I could do it all over again..."
"This is the most useless thought." Lingxiao simply interrupted: "If you can look back and come back again, you will be gone today, and today's achievements will be reduced to nothing. The biggest delusion in the world is to imagine starting over again."
"Yes." Zhao Shu had a vague understanding, but always felt that there was a layer of window paper that prevented him from breaking through.
Lingxiao noticed Zhao Mi's thoughts and asked instead: "Can you guess how Zhang Duanjing forged the divine sword?"
Zhao Shu fell into memories: "Teacher is good at refining magic weapons, but the sword is so sharp that it cannot be made by ordinary means. Illumination stone, dragon blood fat... I guess the teacher uses rituals and magic to summon specific qi.
This is the sacrifice to refine the divine sword."
"You have also practiced magic sword, but it is not as sharp as this." Lingxiao said.
Zhao Shu thought about it for a long time: "Then it is estimated that the sword embryo of the Divine Sword has an extraordinary origin. The teacher's intention of practicing rituals may not be to make the sword, but to sharpen the edge of the Divine Sword. But this kind of Divine Sword is sharp enough to counterattack the sword wielder.
Man. I just don’t understand why the teacher asked the Nuo-faced swordsman to show up to save me?"
Now that Zhao Shu knew that the Nuo-faced swordsman was not assigned by Chiyun Sanlao, his appearance must be related to the teacher.
"When the evil god comes to the mortal world, even Zhang Duanjing may not be able to defeat him. He arranges the divine sword at his side just to have a backup plan." Lingxiao said.
"Don't you know what happened back then?" Zhao Shu asked.
"Don't forget, my true spirit resides deep in your brain, and I want to use your eyes and ears to detect foreign affairs. You are unconscious, and I don't know what the Nuo-faced swordsman did." Lingxiao explained: "But logically speaking,
Your actions in Xingluo County almost overturned Chiyundu's actions there, so this Nuo-faced swordsman may not have much good intentions towards you."
"Regardless of good intentions or bad intentions, this Nuo-faced swordsman is the final means to deal with Liang Tao. If he insists on avenging Yang Liujun, he should wait until he kills Liang Tao." Zhao Shu waved his hand, and the foehn wind roared out of thin air.
The weeds in the courtyard were swept away, but other things did not burn or catch fire.
Lingxiao asked: "Are you determined to deal with Liang Tao? Didn't you still have some recognition of his Taoist country in the world?"
"What he plans is not to benefit the common people." Zhao Shu said unceremoniously: "How many times have I been plotted by him? If I don't learn a lesson, then I am truly ignorant! Didn't the teacher say that I vented my personal anger?
?Then vent your anger!"
"But with your cultivation, how can you deal with Liang Tao?"
"I'm waiting." Zhao Shu's expression became colder: "I've been closing the door to thank guests recently, not only waiting for the news of Gao Pinggong's death, but also waiting for Liang Tao to come to the door. He still needs my help in arranging rituals and rituals. Since
If you have someone to rely on, then I can take advantage of it."