After going down the mountain, the scenery changed. In the green hills, there were thick clouds and mist, and the air was moist and the temperature was suitable. However, in the north of the green hills, the climate changed drastically. The sun was blazing in the sky. On the endless plains, the naturally growing wheat withered before it matured.
As soon as Lin Xiaodong walked out of the forest, he was sweating on the tip of his nose. The wheat fields were all withered and yellow, as if they were suffering from a locust plague and drought. Under the scorching sun, the air in the distance was slightly fluctuating.
This is the way of heaven, and the merits of heavenly beings far exceed those of ordinary people. The weather should be smooth and the rain should be smooth and food and clothing should be worry-free. However, it is hot and dry here and the wheat will wither, so there must be something abnormal.
Lin Xiaodong muttered to himself: "Since I have bumped into this matter, I must take care of it."
The white crane soars into the sky and continues to rush north.
After flying above the withered wheat fields for a while, a village appeared in front of him, with about thirty households. Lin Xiaodong pressed his head on the clouds, came to the entrance of the village, and glanced around.
The houses in this village are well built, and it must have been a prosperous place before, but now, the doors and windows of every house are closed, many yards are unoccupied, and the roads are deserted. In some yards, there are old people walking around, and there are bicycles on the ground.
A dustpan holding unripe shriveled wheat grains.
Lin Xiaodong walked to a house and asked the old man in the yard: "Old man, why is this place so dry?"
The old man was thin and old, with dark skin. He walked up and saw that Lin Xiaodong was a Taoist and was riding on a crane. He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and look at it a few more times and said: "We don't know. It only happened half a year ago. Things were fine here half a year ago!"
When Lin Xiaodong heard that what happened only half a year ago, it was obvious that a monster was causing trouble, so he asked: "Have anyone come to the village in the past six months? Is there anything unusual?"
The old man shook his head: "It's nothing unusual, but after the wheat withered, a few Taoist priests came and said that there were monsters here, and the villagers didn't believe it. But it's not an option to keep doing this. The young people have all moved away."
"Then, what should you do with the water?"
The old man said: "The drought is only dry on the ground. There is still water in the wells. At my age, I can't eat much, so I can make do with the ungrown wheat."
Lin Xiaodong nodded, thanked him, and returned to the entrance of the village, thinking: "It's just drought on the ground, and it doesn't affect the underground water. It means that things on the ground or in the sky have become fine. When it gets cooler at night, we will know after some investigation."
After making up his mind, he sat down in the wheat field outside the village, closed his eyes and meditated, his body became translucent, and the white crane lay watching beside him.
In the middle of the night, with half a moon in the sky and silver frost everywhere, it was indeed much cooler.
Lin Xiaodong sensed his surroundings in concentration, his consciousness spread, and he quickly found a blazing place in the coolness. It turned out to be a bird's nest in a wheat field. It was as big as a bathtub, and there was a person lying inside.
A heron, huge in shape, all white, with a red hair on top.
It is not easy to find a bird's nest in the endless wheat fields. No wonder the Taoists who came before returned without success, and the villagers did not notice anything unusual.
Lin Xiaodong stood up, rode on the crane, and flew along with the heat. Soon he came to the bird's nest. The wheat had been roasted to dryness, and in the middle of the night it was just as hot as during the day.
The white crane folded its wings and fell down. The egret was awakened and jumped up into the sky with a rough bird song, scaring it away.
At the same time, there was movement in the wheat field. Lin Xiaodong looked sideways and saw two people, a man and a woman. The man was wearing a black monk's robe. He was also the same person and looked to be in his thirties.
The woman wears a white shirt and pink skirt, with a gold ingot bun. She is petite and thin, has a short three-headed head and a baby face.
The man was aggressive, walked up and pointed at Lin Xiaodong and yelled: "Who are you?"
Lin Xiaodong lowered his eyelids, looked at his fingers, and said calmly: "Kong Yunzi from Chonghua Palace in Yunlan Mountain."
The man shrank his neck, glared and shouted: "What?
Never heard of it! Junior sister and I have been lying in wait here for half the night, but when you came, we scared them away!"
Lin Xiaodong raised his head and realized that these two people were also here to deal with this monster, but he didn't expect him to disturb it.
The woman tugged on the man's sleeve and said, "Brother, don't be angry. At least we now know where this monster's lair is."
The man was still angry and shouted: "What do you know?
We are here, can it come back?
If I keep looking, I don’t know when I will find it again!”
The woman said softly: "Don't be anxious!"
Seeing that the woman's attitude was slightly better, Lin Xiaodong cupped his hands and said, "May I ask the fairy's name?"
The woman's big eyes flashed, she raised her head and said, "My name is Song Lingxue, and I am the second disciple of Wuya Palace in Wukui Mountain."
Lin Xiaodong learned about Wuya Palace in Wukuishan from Master Chongxiang, and was surprised: "Are you from Wuya Palace?"
Song Lingxue leaned over and saluted, and introduced the man to Lin Xiaodong: "This is Guo Hongwen, senior fellow of Shuohuai Ya Danxin Guan."
Lin Xiaodong glanced at Guo Hongwen and did not salute.
Guo Hongwen saw that he was rude and asked: "What sect did you just say you were from?"
Lin Xiaodong said again: "Yunlan Mountain Chonghua Palace."
Guo Hongwen looked at Song Lingxue: "How come I haven't heard of it?"
Song Lingxue had never heard of it and asked: "Where is Yunlan Mountain?"
Lin Xiaodong said: "In the green hills."
After hearing this, Guo Hongwen said angrily: "Are you lying?
How can there be a Yunlan Mountain in Congling?"
Lin Xiaodong said: "It turns out to be an unknown and uninhabited mountain. I built Chonghua Palace on the mountain and named it Yunlan Mountain."
When Song Lingxue heard Lin Xiaodong say that he founded a sect, she couldn't help but look at him from head to toe and said in surprise: "You, at such a young age, established a sect?"
Guo Hongwen said disdainfully: "So what?
It's all your fault for scaring the monster away, what should I do now?"
Song Lingxue grabbed Guo Hongwen and persuaded: "Brother, he didn't mean it. Let's go back."
Guo Hongwen pointed at Lin Xiaodong's nose and glared: "I can't wait to beat you! I squatted for half the night!"
Seeing Guo Hongwen like this, Lin Xiaodong turned cold and said, "Didn't I just scare it away? If I find it again, it will be over."
Seeing that Lin Xiaodong was slightly dissatisfied, Guo Hongwen curled his lips and squinted: "Wouldn't it be over if we find it again?
You said it lightly! Do you know how long Junior Sister Song and I have been looking for him?
Let him run away now, the wheat fields are endless, where can I find them?"
Lin Xiaodong stared straight at Guo Hongwen, bared his teeth and said, "Since I have the ability to find this place, I can find it again."
Guo Hongwen was angry and raised his fist: "Why are you so crazy about me?
You just erected the mountain gate, and you dare to shout at me?
Believe it or not, I will beat you?"
Song Lingxue hurriedly grabbed Guo Hongwen: "Senior brother, don't be angry!"
He turned back and asked Lin Xiaodong, "Can you really find it?"
Lin Xiaodong held his chest and head high: "Of course."
Guo Hongwen pointed behind him and said: "Then you go find it! I'll see if you can find it. If you can't find it, you're wasting my time. Don't blame me for being rude to you!"
Lin Xiaodong snorted with a crooked mouth, closed his eyes, and pointed in a direction: "It's over there."