An hour later, they arrived at Wutai Peak. Wutai Peak is composed of five peaks in the east, west, south, north and middle. It is also the core area of Kongtong Mountain. It is about a thousand meters above sea level. It starts from Wutai Town in Kongtong Town at the foot of the mountain.
There are neat and wide stone steps to walk up the peak, which were built by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty when he came to Zixiao Temple to worship Laozi in the first year of Tianbao.
Therefore, most Taoist temples are built near Wutai Peak, in order to take advantage of the stone steps up the mountain. Currently, there are only two Taoist temples built in Xiangshan, Qingxu Palace and Jingle Palace.
Zixiao Temple is located on the middle platform, and the other Red Ape Palace, Xuanhu Palace, Qingniu Temple, Aries Temple and Yellow Crane Temple are located on the four platforms in the east, west, south and north respectively.
They came to the West Terrace. On the central flat ground of the West Terrace was the Xuanhu Palace, and there were several wild Taoist temples nearby.
From afar, Guo Song saw the tall black-tiled yellow walls and the cornices and brackets covered with gold foil. They shone with golden light in the sun, which was completely different from their dilapidated Qingxu Palace.
Gan Yu pointed to a magnificent building in the distance and said, "Junior brother, that is the Heavenly Palace of Zixiao Heavenly Palace. It is the most spectacular building in the entire Longyou."
Guo Song also saw a tall and magnificent hall standing high in the middle of Wutai, at least twenty stories high. It was extremely spectacular. It was said that it was specially approved by Emperor Li Longji and was built after the Linde Hall of the Daming Palace.
This kind of palace is the symbol of Zixiao Temple, called Tiandian, and it is also the most sacred place in Kongtong Mountain.
But today they are not going to Zixiao Tiangong, but to Xuanhu Palace on the west platform.
Xuanhu Palace covers an area of about 30 acres, with towering ancient trees, wide squares, and many buildings. More than a thousand Taoist priests practice here. It is one of the six orthodox Taoist temples, second only to Zixiao Tiangong and Chiyuan.
Third avenue view of the palace.
Guo Song followed Gan Yu as he approached the wall and heard neat shouts coming from inside. It felt like he was practicing martial arts.
Gan Yu said angrily: "They eat royal food, so of course they don't have to work hard to find food. Apart from eating and sleeping every day, they practice martial arts and get together to recite scriptures at night."
The two came to a small door with a sign on the door that read "Chai Yuan".
Gan Yu knocked on the door, and a middle-aged Taoist priest came out in a moment, wearing a red fine linen Taoist robe. He glanced at Gan Yu, frowned and said, "Why did it come before it was dried?"
Gan Yu said respectfully: "Hongyuan Warlock, the fog is heavy in spring and it is difficult to dry it. We will try our best to send pine firewood. Please forgive me!"
The middle-aged Taoist priest said arrogantly: "I can accept it. According to the rules, I will deduct 20%. Do you have any objections?"
"No objection!"
The middle-aged Taoist priest took out a few iron plaques from his arms, picked one and handed it to Gan Yu, "You can go pay the money or exchange it for salt and oil. Just bring the firewood in!"
Gan Yu said to Guo Song: "Junior brother, help me!"
The two of them carried firewood into the yard. They saw that there were piles of firewood in the yard. They were all wet firewood. There was no dry firewood. Only then did Guo Song understand that the other party was trying to find faults and cut the price, and then reduced the price by 20%, which was probably a kickback.
Already.
The two put down the firewood, and Gan Yu led Guo Song into the Taoist palace through another door. They met many Taoist priests along the way. They saw the two of them, each with eyes on their heads, and they looked down upon them.
However, Guo Song discovered that the colors of their Taoist robes were different. He pulled Gan Yu's sleeve and asked, "Brother, why are the colors of their Taoist robes different?"
Gan Yu pouted and said: "This is their level. The Taoist robes in five colors: black, green, red, yellow, and purple, respectively represent Taoist boys, Taoist priests, alchemists, real people and heavenly masters. Many wild Taoist temples also follow them.
"Study, it's very hierarchical. Our small Taoist temple doesn't pay attention to this, we all wear the same clothes."
Guo Song looked at his Taoist robe. It was a shabby gray robe that Gan Yu wore for ten years and then passed on to him. It had been washed and turned white. It had more than twenty patches on the front and back. It was worn out.
The cloth shoes were also torn, and the thumbs on both sides were sticking out.
Gan Yu's Taoist robe is not much better, it was passed down to him by his third senior brother.
Guo Song's previous secular clothes had only been worn for three years. They were new clothes with great use value. They had been cut into countless small squares and turned into candidate patches.
Guo Song understood a little bit. Everyone was wearing the same tattered Taoist robes, and they couldn't be particular about it even if they wanted to.
Guo Song scratched his head, "But isn't Master also a real person?"
Gan Yu snorted coldly, "Master, that's just self-effacing. You know who Master was before he became a monk. Telling them will scare them to death."
"Who was Master before he became a monk?" Guo Song asked curiously.
Gan Yu knew he had made a mistake and said in a panic: "We can't say this. You will know it later."
Guo Song rolled his eyes, but his heart was full of doubts. Is the master a famous person in the Tang Dynasty?
After walking through a round gate, they arrived at the main courtyard of the Taoist Palace. The terrain here is open and surrounded by towering ancient trees. In the middle is a high platform made of granite stones, surrounded by railings. The granite high platform covers an area of at least five acres.
It is very spacious. This should be the main square of the Taoist Palace.
In front of the main square is a magnificent hall, which is five or six feet high, with cornices and beams, decorated with gold and colorful paintings. There is a large silver-edged and black-backed plaque with three shining golden characters: Sanqing Palace.
I saw sixty black-robed Taoist boys practicing swordsmanship on the granite square. They were all wearing brand-new fine linen Taoist robes and new thick-soled boots. They had rosy faces and bright eyes. They held a long sword in their hands and followed.
A red-robed alchemist danced with a sword, his steps were graceful and his movements were uniform.
Guo Song was stunned. Aren't these little Taoist boys the same children who were with him in the reception hall? The tallest Taoist boy in the middle was Zhang Hu'er, who almost beat his predecessor to death.
Gan Yu smiled and said: "These are the new Taoist boys recruited this year. They will be trained in Xuanhu Palace for three months first, and then return to their respective Taoist temples. You should know them all!"
Guo Song nodded silently, and Gan Yu patted him on the shoulder, "Let's go! Master often said that the flowers in the greenhouse will bloom beautifully, but the trees in the greenhouse will not grow big."
……….
Gan Yu went to the kitchen to mix the salt. Outside the kitchen door, Guo Song was leaning against a big tree, waiting boredly.
Only now did he roughly understand the operation methods of the various Taoist temples in Kongtong Mountain. The Zixiao Temple and the five affiliated Taoist temples were at a high level. They had royal food supplied by the court and various abundant resources.
In order to survive, other wild Taoist temples had to provide firewood, mountain goods and various labor services to Zixiao Temple in exchange for daily necessities. Except for a small part of the firewood they chopped every day, the rest was exchanged for salt and oil.
However, Guo Song didn't understand. They could carry firewood or mountain goods to Pingliang County to sell them. I believe the price was much more reasonable than Zixiao Tiangong, and they could also buy some fabrics, shoes and socks.
Is there any agreement here?
While I was thinking wildly, a cold voice suddenly came from behind me, "It really is this stinky piece of shit!"
When Guo Song turned around, he saw a dozen Taoist boys in black robes appearing behind him, each holding a long sword. They were the same group of children who often bullied him in the reception hall. The leading Taoist boy was very tall and tall.
With a fleshy face and a hint of a sinister smile on his lips, he was Zhang Huer, who almost beat his predecessor to death.
Zhang Huer looked Guo Song up and down, turned around and smiled at everyone: "This kid really became a beggar!"
Everyone laughed, and someone shouted strangely: "I seem to have gained a little weight. Did you drink too much water?"
"Guo Cao, kowtow three times to the Taoist Master. The Taoist Master will reward you with a chicken bone later."
"Hahaha!"
The laughter of more than a dozen Taoist boys became even more unscrupulous, as if they were back to the time when they bullied Guo Song at will in the courtyard.
Guo Song couldn't bear it anymore and cursed in a low voice with great hatred: "A bunch of mad dogs!"
"What did you say?"
Zhang Huer's face immediately turned cold and he pushed Guo Song hard, "You little bastard, are you tired of living?"
"Senior brother, beat him! Break his nose!" The Taoist boys nearby encouraged loudly.
The hatred in Guo Song's heart suddenly burned. Although Zhang Huer hit his predecessor, the excruciating pain in his memory was unforgettable.
Zhang Hu'er had been practicing martial arts for a month, but he couldn't bear it any longer. Now that a 'sparing trainer' was coming to his door, he could only blame himself for what he deserved.
He laughed evilly, clenched his fists, and punched Guo Song in the face. The punch was so hard that if he was hit, the bridge of his nose would be broken.
The Taoist boys around him exclaimed, and everyone's eyes became excited. They were looking forward to a repeat of the scene more than a month ago.
Guo Song instinctively dodged back. This was the footwork taught to him by Gan Yu. Just like he was stepping back to chop firewood, his movements were extremely fast. Zhang Huer punched the air, but before he could react, Guo Song's fist was already in front of him.
Already.
'Bang!'
This punch hit Zhang Huer's nose firmly, as if Guo Song's knife had hit the firewood on the ground accurately, and the punch was extremely fast.
Zhang Huer screamed, covered his nose and fell to the ground, nosebleeds spurting out.