20demayo Chapter 211 Arrival at Wuqing Temple
Chapter 211 Arrival at Wuqing Temple
Chapter 211 Arrival at Wuqing Temple (4400)
Lu Yuan thought about this matter.
We must go to Wuqing Temple.
I still absolutely have to go.
Firstly, the situation at Tianlong Temple is somewhat complicated, and they may not be able to provide full assistance.
Secondly, and most importantly, Lu Yuan still owes someone a favor.
It's not that I owe Shen Jizhou, but that I owe Shen Shulan.
After what happened last time, although Lu Yuan didn't think he had done anything wrong, he did feel somewhat indebted to Shen Shulan.
The current situation is similar to the previous incident involving the Wang family's nurturing ground for evil spirits.
Whoever can do this will have made a significant contribution.
This naturally means that Wuqing Temple should also receive a share.
This is a way of repaying Senior Sister Shulan. There's also something else, which is what Lu Yuan mentioned before.
Um----
Lu Yuan didn't want his relationship with Wuqing Temple or Shen Jizhou to become too strained.
Lu Yuan sat on the cold stone bench, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table, his brows furrowed, his mind racing as he quickly calculated the next steps.
Just as he was pondering this, a series of hurried and heavy footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, accompanied by Song Yan's unique voice, tinged with flattery and excitement: "Junior Brother!"
"Master summons me!"
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
Lu Yuan looked up and saw Song Yan peeking out from outside the moon gate. His pig-like face seemed to glow red with excitement, even the bruises on his face looked red.
Behind him followed two disciples of Tianlong Temple, dressed in yellow Taoist robes, with calm demeanor and solemn expressions, clearly having already received instructions.
Lu Yuan understood that Song Yan had already informed him of the matter, and that his senior uncle He Xun wanted to see him.
Lu Yuan took a deep breath and straightened his ill-fitting old cotton coat.
She glanced again in the direction where Tiger Sheep and Tiger Rabbit had disappeared, and only after confirming that they hadn't returned did she get up.
Following Song Yan and his group, they headed towards the "Tian Shu Hall," the most central building of Tianlong Temple.
The Tian Shu Hall, located atop the main peak of Tianlong Temple, is the heart of the entire complex.
The palace is majestic, with its frame made of black iron and its tiles made of glazed tiles, and it gleams with a cold and dignified luster under the winter sun.
The plaza in front of the palace is paved with a single piece of black jade, smooth as a mirror, reflecting the azure sky and the majestic palace, adding to the solemnity and grandeur.
At this moment, dozens of core disciples of Tianlong Temple were already lined up and waiting in the square in front of the main hall.
Each person stood with a heavy heart and their eyes were fixed intently on the hall.
Lu Yuan's appearance caused a slight commotion. Many people recognized him, and whispers surged like a tide.
There is curiosity, and there is scrutiny.
Song Yan ignored these stares and led Lu Yuan through the crowd, straight into the main hall.
The interior of the main hall is even more magnificent.
The dome is painted with constellations, the ground is engraved with mountain and river patterns, and in the very center stands a three-zhang-high white jade lotus platform.
An elderly man, dressed in a Taoist robe, with a dignified face and a long, flowing beard, sat upright on the throne.
It was none other than the Abbot of Tianlong Temple, Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable.
Wow, as expected, Uncle-Master Crane is still the most imposing in his own territory!
Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable, with a ruddy complexion and eyes like lightning, exuded a majestic and imposing aura even while seated, making the air in the entire hall seem to freeze.
When he saw Lu Yuan enter, his sharp eyes narrowed slightly, and then a barely perceptible hint of gentleness flashed across them.
But the voice remained loud and clear, carrying its usual unquestionable authority: "You little brat, when did you get here?!"
Although the words were scolding, there was a hint of intimacy in the tone.
"Disciple Lu Yuan greets Senior Uncle."
Lu Yuan stepped forward and bowed respectfully, adopting a very humble posture.
Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable gave Song Yan behind Lu Yuan a wink.
Song Yan understood immediately and turned around to close the door. Now, only Lu Yuan and the other two remained in the main hall.
At this moment, Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable didn't waste any time and went straight to the point: "Song Yan just rambled on for a long time, but it was all unclear. Now, explain yourself properly."
Lu Yuan immediately nodded in agreement, making no attempt to conceal anything, and recounted everything that had happened in the past few days.
Talking to Uncle Crane-Patrol is much easier, because there are many things that Heavenly Venerable Crane-Patrol knows, so there is no need to consider hiding anything.
Whether it's the Ghost-Controlling Liu family or the old man wanting to cause trouble for them.
Even the existence of Gu Qingwan was fully known to Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable; she was completely one of his own.
Therefore, Lu Yuan didn't need to worry about hiding anything and told Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable everything exactly as it was.
Liu Xuanyin colluded with Hu Huhu to set up the "Nine Netherworld Refining God Array" in an attempt to refine the old man's Pure Yang Dao Fruit.
Then Gu Qingwan took action, eliminating three super evil gods in one strike and purifying the core forbidden area of the Liu family.
Until Liu Xuanyin was executed and Hu Huhu died and his spirit was extinguished—
Lu Yuan spoke concisely and clearly, yet every word carried immense weight.
Inside the main hall, only Lu Yuan's calm voice echoed, and even the air seemed to freeze.
Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable initially sat upright on a lotus platform, his long beard remaining perfectly still.
But those lightning-like eyes, as Lu Yuan narrated, were sometimes as sharp as swords and sometimes flashed with cold light.
Upon hearing that Liu Xuanyin dared to scheme against his junior brother Li Xiuye, attempting to refine the Pure Yang Dao Fruit, he slammed his hand on the white jade armrest, causing the entire hall to vibrate, and roared, "That Liu Xuanyin! How dare he! He deserves to die!"
Upon hearing that Gu Qingwan had taken action and directly eliminated three super evil gods, Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable's pupils contracted slightly.
For the first time, a genuine look of shock appeared on his face.
Although he had long known that Gu Qingwan was no ordinary person.
However, the conceptual and almost rule-based approach of "erasing" still exceeded his conventional understanding of "power".
He remained silent for a moment before slowly exhaling and whispering, "That woman—she really is formidable—"
When Lu Yuan mentioned that the old man's soul was damaged and he was unconscious, the anger on Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable's face was instantly replaced by deep concern and anxiety.
He abruptly stood up, and from a distance, as if trying to see through Lu Yuan to understand the situation at Zhenlong Temple, he asked urgently, "How badly is he injured?"
"How damaged is the soul?"
Seeing his senior uncle He Xun like this, Lu Yuan felt a warmth in his heart.
Don't be fooled by the fact that these two old men look down on each other when they're together.
The relationship is only good when they first meet, but after a while, they immediately start arguing.
But in reality, both of them were thinking of each other.
"He has now returned to Zhenlong Temple to recuperate. His life is not in danger for the time being, but the injury to his soul will not heal in a day."
Lu Yuan naturally reported the truth.
Upon hearing this, Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable sighed deeply, sat down again, and his expression was much more relaxed than before.
Then, the Heavenly Venerable Crane's gaze sharpened again as he stared directly at Lu Yuan: "You brat, what brings you here to see me?"
"Could it be that the Ghost-Controlling Liu family still has unresolved issues?!"
Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable is not stupid.
After all, if it were just to reminisce or simply because of his junior brother's injury, Lu Yuan wouldn't have needed to come in person.
Since you've come, you must have something important to discuss.
Lu Yuan's expression turned solemn, and he bowed, saying, "Uncle-Master, you are wise."
"Although Liu Xuanyin was executed, most of the corpse-raising grounds, Yin-gathering pools, and evil god offering sites he had operated for hundreds of years still remain."
"Furthermore, without a leader and without anyone to protect them, each of these places is a potential source of disaster!"
"Just like the cursed land nurtured by the Wang family in the past, it could spiral out of control at any moment and cause a great disaster!"
"The purpose of this disciple's trip is to earnestly request my senior master to work together to eliminate these hidden dangers and prevent them from occurring in the first place!"
Upon hearing this, the Celestial Crane Patrol did not hesitate for a moment, nor did he even inquire about the specific locations of those places. He slammed his hand on the armrest and declared loudly, "That is only right!"
"Liu Xuanyin has committed numerous evils, and the troubles he has left behind must be dealt with immediately!"
Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable paused, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "Do you have any clues about the specific locations of those corpse-raising grounds and evil god sanctuaries?"
Lu Yuan shook his head and said frankly, "Reporting to Senior Uncle, this disciple does not currently have a definite location."
"However, I have asked Li Guanqi of the Du'e Li family and Fu Yuanshan of the Beiyin Fu family to gather information on the Liu family's outlying strongholds."
"They promised that they could compile all the known information within fifteen days."
Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Venerable Crane Patrol stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before nodding and saying, "Fifteen days—"
"Alright! Let's discuss it again in fifteen days!"
He stood up, paced back and forth in the main hall, his demeanor once again becoming profound and imposing: "Three days from now, I will personally set off for Zhenlong Temple."
After speaking, Crane Celestial Venerable came to his senses, looked at Lu Yuan, and couldn't help but say with some excitement, "Good nephew!"
"You've really saved our faction from a great crisis!"
Lu Yuan knew what Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable was talking about, but he didn't say anything.
Then, Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable looked at Song Yan, who was guarding the entrance of the main hall, and immediately said, "Take Lu Yuan to the back hall to rest, and provide him with good food and drink!"
"Three days from now, we'll set off together for Zhenlong Temple!"
Song Yan beamed and eagerly greeted Lu Yuan, "Alright!"
'
"Junior brother, come with me!"
Lu Yuan did not agree to this, but bowed and refused, saying, "Uncle-Master, I will not stay at Tianlong Temple. I need to go to Wuqing Temple now."
"This matter—"
"I also need to inform Wuqing Temple and ask them to cooperate."
Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable was taken aback by Lu Yuan's words, but quickly revealed a look of understanding.
At that time, during the Heavenly Venerable Ceremony in Fengtian City, Crane-Patrolling Heavenly Venerable was aware of everything.
Regardless of the situation between Lu Yuan and Shen Jizhou, or the relationship between Lu Yuan and Shen Shulan, Crane Patrol Heavenly Venerable knew everything.
Therefore, Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable naturally knew why Lu Yuan had said that.
Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable immediately nodded and said, "That's only natural; we should inform them."
after all----
Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable also knows about the situation between Lu Yuan and Shen Shulan.
You can't keep having a bad relationship with your father-in-law, can you?
Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable nodded in agreement, but Lu Yuan was not in a hurry to leave immediately.
Firstly, we planned to have lunch at Tianlong Temple before leaving.
Secondly, I also want to ask Uncle Crane to take Tiger Rabbit and Tiger Sheep with him when we set off for Zhenlong Temple in three days.
Going to Wuqing Temple is too far.
Wuqing Temple is not located around Fengtian City; it is quite far away.
It would take several days to travel by horse-drawn carriage.
In that case, there's no need to take the two little girls around; just let them stay at Tianlong Temple for three days.
Three days later, we will return to Zhenlong Temple with Senior Uncle Crane.
Anyway, with Uncle Crane-Patrol around, nothing bad is bound to happen.
Lu Yuan had originally planned to ask Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable to take a look at Tiger Rabbit's situation in the next few days.
But then he thought again, the Heavenly Venerable Crane Patrol is currently overwhelmed with the affairs of Tianlong Temple, so he'll talk about this later when he has more time.
Lu Yuan didn't say anything more.
In the afternoon, it was lunchtime at Tianlong Temple.
Inside the dining hall, however, it was warm and inviting, with dozens of long tables laden with steaming dishes.
It mainly consists of wild mushrooms, exquisite pastries, and stewed meats until tender.
The food at Zhenlong Temple was also quite good, especially during the time when Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin stayed there.
However, it is still far behind Tianlong Temple.
That makes sense, I suppose.
After all, Zhenlong Temple is a bit of a desolate, godforsaken place.
Unlike Tianlong Temple, which is surrounded by many towns and has all sorts of rare and unusual goods.
Lu Yuan was seated not far below Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable. Song Yan served him food attentively, saying, "Junior Brother, eat more to nourish your body."
Tiger Sheep and Tiger Rabbit were arranged at a slightly more distant disciple table, but Song Yan specifically instructed the young Taoist in charge to do so.
Give the two little girls extra brown sugar pastries and hot soup.
Tiger Rabbit sipped the hot soup, and a little color finally returned to her pale face.
Tiger Sheep remained silent, but ate much faster than at home, clearly hungry as well.
After a quick lunch, Lu Yuan bid farewell to Song Yan.
While rubbing his still slightly bruised cheek, Song Yan reluctantly escorted Lu Yuan to the magnificent mountain gate square of Tianlong Temple.
A more spacious and comfortable blue silk carriage, provided by Tianlong Temple, was already waiting in front of the mountain gate.
The horses pulling the carriage were tall and magnificent, and the carriage was covered with thick carpets, making it much more comfortable than the mule cart that had brought them there.
Lu Yuan first walked up to Tiger Sheep and Tiger Rabbit.
Tiger Rabbit was still holding half a piece of pastry in her hands, her big eyes blinking as she looked at Lu Yuan with obvious reluctance.
Tiger and Sheep stood quietly to the side, without saying a word.
Lu Yuan squatted down, trying to make his tone sound relaxed: "I have to go to another place. You guys will stay with Senior Brother Song for the next few days."
"Have fun at Tianlong Temple, don't wander off, and listen to Senior Brother Song."
Tiger Rabbit nodded, blinked its beautiful big eyes, but its voice still carried a hint of nervousness as it asked, "Taoist Master—when are you coming back?"
Although Tiger Sheep didn't speak, a barely perceptible hint of attention flashed in his calm eyes.
Lu Yuan reached out and gently patted Tiger Rabbit's little head, then patted Tiger Sheep's shoulder: "It's hard to say, but we'll definitely be back at Zhenlong Temple in fifteen days."
"Three days later, the Heavenly Venerable Crane Patrol will lead you ahead. You can follow the Heavenly Venerable Crane Patrol back to the True Dragon Temple first."
Hearing Lu Yuan's words, the two girls' eyes brightened slightly, and they nodded.
Lu Yuan stood up, glanced at Song Yan again, and said solemnly, "Senior brother, I'm entrusting these two children to you."
Song Yan patted his chest, his face contorted with embarrassment, and said, "Don't worry, junior brother! I've got it covered!"
"I'll make sure my two junior sisters are well taken care of, and I won't let them lose a single hair!"
Lu Yuan nodded, said no more, turned around, and boarded the blue silk carriage under the watchful eyes of Song Yan and the two little girls.
The carriage curtains fell, blocking out the cold wind and the outside view.
Lu Yuan leaned back on the soft chair cushion and closed his eyes to rest.
The carriage slowly started moving, creaking and groaning as it drove away from the magnificent gate of Tianlong Temple, heading down the mountain along the winding stone road.
The wheels rolled over the snow-covered road, making a monotonous yet rhythmic sound.
Lu Yuan pondered in his heart that Wuqing Temple was located in another blessed land outside the pass, which was extremely far away from the mountain range where Tianlong Temple was located.
Even the fastest horses at Tianlong Temple would probably have to travel day and night to arrive on the morning of the fourth day.
On the fourth day, just as dawn was breaking, the east began to lighten with the pale glow of dawn.
The carriage finally stopped in front of a magnificent mountain gate, imbued with a profound Taoist atmosphere.
The mountains here are steep and shrouded in mist. On the mountaintop, one can vaguely see palaces and pavilions hidden among ancient trees and pines, with flying eaves and brackets, creating a solemn atmosphere.
Above the mountain gate hangs an ancient plaque with three powerful characters written on it—
Wuqing Temple.