Chapter 374: Pointing to the stubborn stone without seeking a perfect method, coming to the talisman book to travel far

With a raise of his hand, the precious carved fragrant carriage turned into half the size of a palm and was taken into Gu Qingyuan's arms. With a sweep of his spiritual sense, he saw Qiuzhen still standing in the courtyard, muttering to himself. He must have been struggling for the whole night. Gu Qingyuan was of such a deep background that even though he looked righteous now, he still had strong evil thoughts. If those words were said by someone else, Qiuzhen might not have thought too deeply about it. With a slight struggle, he said the thoughts of Liuli Wuchen again. But now it was Gu Qingyuan who said it, and every word echoed in his heart, and every sentence fell into his heart, which was tantamount to the devil questioning his conscience. The evil roots were deep, and over time, they would turn into an impenetrable demonic obstacle that would hinder his cultivation.

"Although my fragrant carriage is wonderful, it still lacks a mount to pull it. I don't know where I can find some majestic and exotic beasts to decorate it," Gu Qingyuan thought as he pushed the door and walked out. He still had to take care of Qiuzhen to avoid any mishaps that would bring disaster to the future founder of Zen Buddhism.

The autumn dew was very cold, and Qiuzhen stood outside all night with his clothes soaked. He did not even know how to use his magic power to protect himself. If an ordinary person did the same, he would inevitably get a serious illness.

As a wandering immortal, Qiuzhen naturally had no external evil diseases, but his disease was internal, a mental illness. Gu Qingyuan's words had put him in a dead end. Fortunately, he had gotten rid of the root of his troubles early, otherwise he would have lost a lot of hair by now.

Qiuzhen is a kind-hearted person, an ambitious person, and a monk with great aspirations. Such a person thinks much more than ordinary people.

He has great ambitions and aspirations, so he is dissatisfied with many Buddhist temples in the world. He is determined to change the situation in the mortal world, cut off the obsolete doctrines, and re-clarify the orthodoxy. This dissatisfaction is different from Gu Qingyuan's innate aversion to Buddhism, his disgust for monks who only talk about the origin, and his dissatisfaction with the truth. It is more like pitying their misfortune and being angry at their lack of struggle.

Precisely because he lived so long, he had a better understanding of worldly affairs, worldly people, and worldly monks. Separation from life and death, pain, hatred, and failure to obtain what one desires are all commonplace to him.

Qiuzhen, who was in the midst of it, had a better understanding of the meanness among monks and the intrigues in the temples. He wanted to bring about change, to create a new doctrine, and to integrate Buddhism.

However, his kindness and Gu Qingyuan's words told him that if he did so, it would inevitably cause chaos. At the very least, the Taoist tradition would be disrupted and the two sides would fight each other. At worst, it would bring disaster to the common people and cause endless harm. Qiuzhen was not afraid of death. He could use his own death to exchange for temporary peace and it would be a worthy death. However, if he had to let countless people die because of himself, he would not be able to get over the hurdle of conscience and it would go against the way to become a Buddha.

There is no way to have the best of both worlds. Having both is just a dream. His pursuit of truth and goodness has led him into a dead end. His persistence will not turn back until he hits the wall. Some say that cause and effect are natural, while others say that one has brought disaster upon himself. It is nothing more than this.

"Master monk, you have been thinking about it all night, but have you figured it out?" Gu Qingyuan came to the yard and asked loudly.

"I have not yet found the true answer, so I hope fellow Taoist can help me solve my doubts." Qiuzhen stood there in a daze, but his calm eyes looked at the person who came.

Gu Qingyuan sneered: "Resolve doubts? What doubts do I want to resolve? Buddhist monks like you have too deep obsessions and cannot listen to others. Do you think you have to listen and obey me if I tell you a thing or two?"

"It's useless to ask. What is my identity? I want to answer questions for you, a great immortal." Gu Qingyuan took a few steps, his face full of sarcasm. "What is your identity as a monk? You always talk about the common people and salvation. You say you are dedicated to the welfare of all living beings, but you don't even ask whether those living beings are willing? Are they willing?"

He raised his finger and almost poked the monk in the face: "Any change of law or revolution will involve bloodshed and sacrifice. If millions of people don't die, where will the law come from? Where will the change come from? Can it be that it is all up to a monk like you to come up with it? Is that right?"

"You could have planned for thousands of years, calculated all sentient beings, trapped them in one place, and used Buddhism to deceive people's minds. Their words and actions were all controlled by you. Isn't this how your Buddhist sect has always been? I would be flattering you by calling you a wicked person who deceives people!"

"You want to make all living beings do what you say, let them not die, and determine everything. How much magic power and magical powers do you have? Do you want to be the god who controls all living beings?"

Gu Qingyuan spat: "Don't you see who you are? You are just a little monk, not even an arhat. You are worse than pigs and dogs. Do you really think you are a role model for all generations and the savior of all living beings?"

After cursing, Gu Qingyuan felt relieved. He didn't care about Qiu Zhen anymore. He threw out the precious carved incense carriage, got into the carriage, and activated his magic power. A little spark flowed out from the wheels on both sides, then circled around the wheels, turned into a rainbow, and flew away. Only two golden flame wheel marks were left in the sky.

Yuandi Qiuzhen was scolded to death, but he did not make a fuss or get excited. His calm eyes showed some fluctuations. After a long time, his chest rose and fell a few times, and he slowly exhaled a breath, as if he wanted to expel the depression in his heart.

Putting his hands together, Qiuzhen chanted the Buddha's name: "It turns out that I am just a small monk in the mortal world. I make trouble for myself and I deserve to be scolded. It's a good thing." After saying that, he laughed.

Gu Qingyuan maneuvered the precious carved scented carriage for a few circles in the sky as a way of getting used to it. He also hoped that some ignorant strange beast would volunteer to tow the carriage for him. Unfortunately, the surrounding area was silent and all the beasts were at ease. He had no choice but to stop the scented carriage in mid-air, try out the cultivation method, and then start his return journey.

Two crisp bell sounds were heard, and the precious carved incense carriage stopped steadily. Gu Qingyuan got out of the car and saw that Qiuzhen was no longer standing there like a dull old tree, but was cooking.

"Fellow Daoist, you came back a little early. The rice will be served later." Qiuzhen said with a naive smile.

Seeing that Qiuzhen was no longer in a daze, Gu Qingyuan naturally stopped scolding him and acted like an orthodox Xuanmen person: "Thank you, Brother Dao, for taking care of it."

"Of course, of course. I am deeply grateful for your words of enlightenment, fellow Taoist."

The monk bowed after he finished speaking, and Gu Qingyuan accepted the greeting without any politeness: "I just said a few truths. What you have gained is your own good fortune. I am just a thief who stole a few truths by pretending to be a saint."

Qiuzhen touched his big bald head, but did not say thank you: "I was confused all night, after all, I thought too much. Qiuzhen is just a small monk, how can I act on behalf of the people? I just do what I should do according to my heart, and it has nothing to do with others."

"It seems that Brother Dao has realized the truth overnight, strengthened himself, and has made some gains. This is cause for celebration." Gu Qingyuan nodded. He naturally saw that this pursuit of truth was not a retreat, but rather a strengthening of his belief in opening a new path for Buddhism. However, after his indoctrination, he dared not imagine what the doctrine would look like. It would probably be completely unrecognizable.

'Will this monk come up with a Buddhist path of socialism with Chinese characteristics?'

Gu Qingyuan knew how much private work he had been involved in. He reviewed all the shortcomings of Chinese and foreign religions over the past five thousand years. If he didn't take drastic measures, how could he shock Qiu Zhen to the point of developing a demonic barrier?

Qiuzhen smiled happily, took down the cooked spiritual rice, looked at Gu Qingyuan, and rolled his eyes: "I saw through the secrets of heaven last night and learned that I will be the leader of the revival of Buddhism thousands of years later. I see that you have a good affinity with Buddhism and have the potential to merge Buddhism and Taoism. How about you sit as the second ancestor of my new religion in the future?"

"Are you trying to become like the two saints of the Western religion? Unfortunately, I don't have the nerve to go around begging for alms, but the Second Patriarch..."

Gu Qingyuan was silent for a moment, then took the bowl and said, "We'll talk about the future someday. I'm doing well in this Taoist sect, how can I accept such a great Buddhist connection?" There was neither rejection nor agreement in his words.

Seeing Gu Qingyuan like this, Qiu Zhenben just mentioned it casually as a lead-in. Seeing that Taoism was about to flourish, who was stupid enough to agree to it at this time? This response might mean that a ray of Taoist luck would leave in exchange for a few strands of Buddhist fate, which would be a losing deal.

"Fellow Daoist, this palanquin is really dazzling." The big monk changed the subject. The precious carved fragrant carriage was covered in gold, as if it was made from gold mines. It was shining and fragrant. He wanted to say it was too luxurious, but then he thought about how easy it was for Gu Qingyuan's fire essence to come. He couldn't help but laugh at himself. Sure enough, I was not wrong to call him that. I am really poor and can't stand the sight of wealth. "It's also a helpless move. I don't have enough Taoism, so I use magic weapons to make up for it. It's a bit ostentatious. As a small family, I can't save any extra money, so I can only support the appearance first."

Gu Qingyuan said with a smile but refused to repent. How could something that was just for show be considered extravagant? He was still hoping that this precious carriage would attract a few ignorant bastards to serve as experimental samples. As long as others were greedy, even if Gu Qingyuan fought back in self-defense, it would not be affected by the cause and effect. After washing with his merits, he would be a pure and clean body without any worries. Now it depends on who will be the first to stand out. Once desire arises, disaster will come, and Gu Qingyuan will be his disaster!
Just as he was thinking, he raised his hand again, and the purple-gold marten on his wrist fell down and landed on the table. Gu Qingyuan prepared a bowl of rice and pointed at the little marten and said:

"This is the guardian beast of my temple. Before I became spiritual, it took care of me. Now it accompanies me in my cultivation."

Looking at the purple-gold sable that was less than an arm's length, Gu Qingyuan couldn't help but sigh. This small thing was fine to play with in the hand, but it was more than enough to use it to pull a cart. Even if it turned into a pig and ate a few more bowls of spiritual rice, it couldn't become a fat man in one bite.

"I don't know where I can find a beast with the right body and strong legs. Even if there are no dragons, a few four-legged beasts will do."

Qiu Zhen looked at the little thing chewing on it and couldn't help but put his hands together: "You reap what you sow, and good deeds will be rewarded. It's a blessing that this little beast can follow you."

"Monk, you are too long-winded. Can you not eat without talking about Buddhist principles?" Gu Qingyuan said jokingly. "Then let me ask you, it is often said that Buddha sees 84,000 insects in a bowl of water. If you do not recite this mantra, it is like eating the flesh of living beings. Why don't I see you recite the water purification mantra three times? Master, you have violated the precept of killing and eating meat!"

Qiuzhen shook his head, put down his Buddha's palm, and chuckled: "What a sharp-tongued Taoist, I think you shouldn't be practicing in seclusion here.

"What do you mean by this?"

"We should go to that bridge and set up a banner, mark the boundary, and write down the inscription on it, so that we can tell people's fortunes and marriages. I guarantee that you will make a lot of money and be wealthy."

Hearing this, the two looked at each other and laughed. Fellow Taoists, you must have similar personalities before you can be friends. Once you become friends, it won’t be too late to discuss Taoism later.

After chatting for a while, Gu Qingyuan was about to invite the monk to get in the car to try out the new treasure, when they both looked up.

He saw twinkling stars in the sky and a ray of light flying straight towards Qiuzhen. The monk stretched out his hand to intercept the light, and when he looked down, he saw a small sword that was less than the length of his hand, with a jade talisman attached to it.

He took off the jade talisman, held it in his hand, meditated for a moment, and when he opened his eyes he saw Gu Qingyuan who was somewhat curious.

"Someone invited me to a banquet, so I sent this Fei Shu Fu Jian."

Qiuzhen explained, his face full of joy: "That man is also a Taoist. His cave is located in the Laozhuang Temple at Biyuetan Lake, thousands of miles northwest of here. He is called Wufang Zhenren. I have met him a few times before. We talked about Taoism together. He has a gentle temperament and is a righteous person."

He fiddled with the jade talisman, made a few hand seals, and the real talisman dropped another small talisman. After Qiu Zhen had seen it, his face froze, "It's a troublesome matter. The Five Directions Immortal is good at regulating dragons and tigers, gathering herbs to make pills, and he is not a stingy person. He will give a few pills to those who ask for them. He also makes friends widely, and with his skills, all parties will give him some face."

Qiu Zhen held the small talisman and said, "I once gave him a transmission aura, which can only be used once, in order to prevent the enemy from catching me and asking me to face the calamity."

"The Five Directions Immortal filled the secret letter into the flying book, saying that he was at the critical point of alchemy and felt that a catastrophe was approaching. He was afraid that there might be demons spying on him, so he came to invite me to help him."

Gu Qingyuan nodded: "It's just a trip, how can it be considered a trouble."

"If it was just a normal alchemy, the Five Directions Immortal would not have come to me for help, nor would he have used that aura. He and I are not that familiar with each other, and we have only met a few times. If he came to me for help, I'm afraid the situation is not that simple, and the Immortal is desperate and seeking help from all directions."

"I see. What are your plans, brother?"

Qiuzhen touched the big bald head and said: "It's time to go. We are both on the right path. I'm afraid we will fall out if I don't go."

Gu Qingyuan saw clearly that this was not because he was seeking the truth and was afraid of exposing himself, but because his kindness was showing up. He was as clear-headed as a gentleman and deceived him with a trick. That was the reason. Presumably, the Five Directions Immortal knew the monk's temperament and that was why he did this.

"As the saying goes, when one is too still, one will want to move. I am sitting here in meditation, but I cannot expand my horizons. Why don't you let me come with you?"

Hearing Gu Qingyuan's words, Qiu Zhen was overjoyed. His difficulty was that he had planned to support him for a period of time, to be his protector and help him grow, but he didn't expect trivial matters to come to him. Gu Qingyuan had this idea, which was the best of both worlds, so he nodded quickly.

"If you have a wish, I will do the same."

"Brother, please get on my precious carved carriage and try out its quality. It will be here in a moment." Gu Qingyuan invited.

Qiu Zhen was not in a hurry: "There is no need to do that. Let's leave him alone for a few days. If you really think that I can't see the five parties' intentions, and want to control my temper, then kindness is not for nothing."

Gu Qingyuan nodded with a smile. Although Qiuzhen is a kind-hearted monk, he is not pedantic and is smart enough. It is said that in troubled times, the first thing to do is to kill the Virgin Mary. In this world, being kind indiscriminately will only bring trouble. Considering the temperament of Monk Qiuzhen, it is worth thinking about why he can live so long and remain immortal with a status similar to that of the Virgin Mary. The answer is obvious.

If they said there was no rush, then there was really no rush. The two of them got up, cleared the table, put out the fire, and cleaned the Fulong Temple. Gu Qingyuan solemnly locked the door of the temple.

Looking at the numerous restrictions and formations in the temple, Gu Qingyuan smiled and said, "It's done. I'll take my belongings with me when I go on a long journey."

With a wave of his robe sleeve, the precious carved carriage came down and said, "Come on, come on, Taoist brother, get on the carriage quickly. I will take you for a ride."

(End of this chapter)