Chapter 128 Qingdi Temple Prayer
Shu Village, Sangu Temple.
As the name suggests, this is the temple of the Third Lady.
In the center of the altar stood the three goddesses, and around them were many statues of gods, large and small, with the smallest less than a foot tall. Since there was only one temple in the village, it was natural that the three goddesses were the main deities, but anyone who wanted to worship any god could move into the temple.
Lin Jue was burning incense sincerely below.
"Thank you for seeing me off, and thank you Third Aunt for protecting the peace of the village during this turmoil."
Lin Jue burned incense and then turned around.
There were some exclamations coming from outside the temple.
Lin Jue walked to the temple gate and took a look——
Under the tree covered with red ribbons, my junior sister was still wearing her Taoist robe, holding a sword in one hand and pushing out a palm with the other, suddenly pushing out a pillar of fire, and a group of children from the village were surrounding her.
These children had only heard some stories about Taoism and immortals from the village elders, and had never seen any real magic, so they naturally exclaimed in surprise.
"anything else!"
The junior sister cast another spell, turned around, and transformed into a stone sculpture.
"Wow……"
The children were even more surprised.
The stone sculpture turned back into a human form, and the junior sister also smiled, as if she could share some of the joy and innocence of these children.
I just looked up and saw that my senior brother had come out.
"We're leaving."
Junior sister had no choice but to say goodbye to these children.
In just a short while, not only did the children treat her as a deity, some even knelt down to ask her to be their apprentice, and naturally they were reluctant to let the deity leave.
However, Lin Jue had already stayed in the village for three days.
Three days is neither too long nor too short. If it is too short, it would seem too rushed, and if it is too long, I am afraid that the master in the temple would worry, so it is time to leave.
Although the people in the family had no talent for cultivation, Lin Jue still taught them the simplest breathing method. If they could persevere, not to mention prolonging life, it would be no problem to live comfortably in old age. If they encountered some ghosts or evil spirits that brought illness to people in troubled times, they would still be able to resist them.
In addition, on the way from Gong Village to Shu Village, Lin Jue and his junior sister subdued demons and earned some money. Lin Jue also left his share at home to supplement the family expenses.
After paying respects to the third aunt and saying goodbye to the children, he walked out.
His cousin still came to see him off, reluctant to leave.
"You don't have to send me off, cousin."
"Okay."
"Live a good life and have children. If the world becomes chaotic, don't leave Shu Village easily. If a war comes here, run to the mountains."
"understood."
"Since I have come to the mountain to cultivate Taoism, there is not much I can do to help my fellow villagers in this secular world below the mountain. However, if you encounter a monster and cannot deal with it, you can come to Fuqiu Peak of Yishan Mountain to find me."
Lin Jue left the last sentence and turned away.
Take out the paper donkey and chant a spell, and it turns into a gray donkey.
The brother and sister rode away on donkeys.
"Senior brother, it seems that everyone in your village is very nice to you." The younger sister couldn't help but feel a little envious.
"There is a school in the village, and they advocate Confucianism, so they are very particular about what they do." Lin Jue said, "They have been very kind to me."
"Hey! There is a willow tree at the entrance of the village!"
"what?"
Lin Jue was confused for a moment.
The little sister then said to him, "Have you forgotten the poem that Sixth Senior Brother asked the spirit medium to write for us the first time?"
Lin Jue then remembered.
At this time, there is also a gentle breeze swaying the willows.
The donkey gradually walked away.
……
In just a few days, the journey back was completely different from the journey here.
On the way here, there were countless demons and ghosts causing trouble, most of them were following orders from the Demon King, or imitating crimes to gain profits. Even though the offensive and defensive battle between the God and the Demon King had ended, they did not stop immediately.
At this moment, they probably heard the news of the Demon King's defeat. Knowing that the Demon King ordered them to start a riot not because the time had come and he wanted to establish a demon kingdom, but to support the Demon King, they naturally stopped. Those who didn't stop were probably wiped out.
Therefore, in a trance, there was a sense of peace.
Especially in autumn when the weather is clear and the mountains are golden, walking on the quiet mountain road, listening to the birds singing and the voices of my junior sisters, it feels like going on a trip, beautiful and leisurely.
This leisurely atmosphere lasted until the last few days.
Seeing that they were not far from Fuqiu Peak of Yishan Mountain, and that donkeys were faster than humans, they could return to the mountain in about a day or two to see if their fellow brothers were injured, whether they were worried, or how hungry they were. Unexpectedly, they encountered an autumn rain, and the weather became a bit chilly.
They were also caught in the rain.
Second Uncle Master said that the paper donkey had undergone additional treatment, so it wouldn't matter if it got a little rained on, but the two of them naturally cherished such a treasure, so they put it away as soon as it started to rain.
The autumn rain fell on the mountains, thin smoke rose from the colorful forest, and two Taoists were walking in the rain with a white fox.
Not far away, we saw a city ahead.
However, there is a temple outside the city, standing in the mist and rain.
The two walked over to take a look.
"Qingdi Temple."
There is a couplet below the door plaque:
Flowers are always there all year round;
Spring is always here with a riot of colour.
There were a few pedestrians on the road, but they were all wearing straw raincoats. Unlike the two men, they were not in a hurry to take shelter from the rain, so they all hurried towards the city.
"Fellow villagers! Is Luosu County ahead?"
"Exactly!"
"Thank you!"
Lin Juexin thought, as expected.
This Green Emperor is not the Qinghua Emperor, but is much older. He is the God of Spring and Flowers in mythology and legends, and his divine authority and position only resides here.
It is said that in ancient times, he had served as the main god for hundreds of years. However, with the change of dynasties, the status of gods fluctuated, and he lost his status as the highest main god and was demoted to a supporting god.
There are very few incense burners now. This place is the Taoist temple of Emperor Yujian. There will be statues of Emperor Qinghua in larger palaces and temples, but there will never be a temple dedicated to Emperor Qinghua. Instead, this Qing Emperor has his own temple. He should be the god that Second Uncle mentioned, who is honored as an emperor but has lost the power of ancient might.
But there are very few temples dedicated to him.
Lin Jue had only heard of one, which was located in Luosu County.
At that time in Danxun County, the Wei family came here to ask for the Qing Emperor's talisman to save the peach monster. When I was in Li Village a few days ago, I also heard that someone from Li Village came here to seek refuge.
I think this place is not far from Li Village.
"Brother, the rain has stopped."
"Although the rain has stopped, the road is still muddy." Lin Jue said, "I have some fate with this Green Emperor and the Green Emperor Temple. It just so happens that we have to pay to stay overnight in the city, so let's stay overnight in this temple."
"Okay."
The junior sister looked towards the small temple.
The temple is really small and may not have any accommodation.
But my brother has already knocked on the door.
"Tuk tuk..."
"Who?"
Soon someone came to open the door.
He was a rather fat middle-aged man with a dark complexion, but there was a hint of joy in the corners of his eyes. He was surprised to see two Taoists outside the door.
"you……"
"Temple priest, hello." Lin Jue bowed. "We are Taoists practicing in Yishan. It rained on the way back to the mountain. We happened to have heard of the Qingdi Temple and the temple priest before, so we wanted to come to the temple to burn incense for the emperor and ask for a place to shelter from the wind and rain to spend the night."
"You're just here to stay overnight, right?"
The temple keeper was not polite and was quite cheerful.
"I did have a connection with the Emperor, and I would like to burn a stick of incense for him." Lin Jue said truthfully.
"No problem, no problem! Usually there are a lot of people who come to our Qingdi Temple to stay overnight. Some time ago, there was a monster outside, and many villagers came. The temple is almost crowded." The temple keeper opened the door. "Normally, I charge fifty cents a night for staying here. You can also get some of the emperor's spiritual energy. If not rejuvenation, you can at least be a few years younger. Today I'm in a good mood, and you're Taoists, so you're also considered practitioners, so I won't accept you."
"Then thank you very much, temple priest."
As expected, Lin Jue thanked him.
The little sister opened her eyes wide.
Fifty coins? It's not that expensive to stay in an inn in the city with a bed and a quilt. They also give you a bucket of hot water to wash your feet.
The two of them finally entered the temple.
The Qingdi Temple and Sangu Temple are about the same size and have a similar layout. There is a small courtyard at the entrance with trees planted, fish and turtles raised. There are some copper coins scattered inside and some red cloth strips hung on the trees.
Directly opposite is the main hall, which houses the statue of the Green Emperor. There are two side halls on the left and right, which house the gods that people often worship these days. There is also a small house outside the courtyard, which is where the temple keeper eats and sleeps.
It had just rained and it was muddy outside, but the inside of the temple was paved with bluestone slabs. When the rain stopped, water accumulated, reflecting the sky, the branches, and the two Taoists and a temple priest who were walking by.
The Taoist is polite, and the temple priest is heroic.
"If you want to burn incense, just go ahead! The incense in my temple costs ten cents a stick. Even though you are Taoists, you still have to pay. Put it in the box yourself!"
The little sister was shocked again when she heard this——
Ten cents for a stick of incense?
Not to mention that in many Taoist temples with real gods, ordinary Taoists make their own incense, which is free of charge and only depends on the voluntary donations from pilgrims. Even if you buy it outside, an ordinary incense stick will not be so expensive.
"If you stay overnight tonight, don't sleep in the main hall in the middle, so as not to disturb the peace of my ancestor, the Emperor. The two small halls on the left and right have doors and windows, and they won't leak in the wind or rain. You can sleep anywhere."
The temple keeper said, as if he had just noticed the fox behind him:
"Huh? What is this?"
"It's the white fox I raised at home."
"It's snow-white, with brown legs and a red tail. It must be something extraordinary!" the temple keeper said, taking a closer look at them. "It looks like you guys are practicing as well!"
After hearing this, the fox lowered his head, looked at the mud on his feet, and shook it off with his feet.
Lin Jue said, "We came down the mountain to get rid of the monster."
"Ouch?"
The temple keeper was a little surprised, but he didn't care. He seemed to be really happy. When he was happy, everything else was no longer a big deal. He just waved his hand and said, "Forget it, we are all practitioners. I will waive your money for buying incense, but you should be frugal and sincere. Just take care of this fox and don't let it poop or poop."
"Thank you."
Lin Jue first thanked him, then stared at his face and asked curiously, "Could it be that fellow Taoist is also a cultivator?"
"Sincerely worship the gods, but practice recklessly."
"I see."
Lin Jue couldn't tell what kind of spiritual practice he had, but the door was black with a metallic luster, and there was a faint smell of elixir on it, which made him feel somewhat familiar.
He frowned and thought about it before he figured it out.
That’s right——
He looks a bit like the monk in Songyin Temple!
Is there anything in common?
Lin Jue glanced at the Green Emperor statue again and felt puzzled: "I wonder what the happy event the temple priest just mentioned is?"
"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you, so why bother saying more?"
"That's wrong. Although we are not very advanced in Taoism, we practiced in Yishan, which is an orthodox tradition. We have seen gods, monsters, and many strange things. What is there to disbelieve?"
"You have also seen gods?" the temple keeper was surprised.
"Of course. The scenery and charm of Mount Yi are unrivaled in the world, and its mysterious and ethereal aura is unrivaled among all the mountains. The god of Mount Yi is an extraordinary being, no less than Lord Yili. We are protected by him, so we can practice peacefully in Mount Yi, and we often offer him sacrifices. We are fortunate to have seen the true appearance of his body."
Lin Jue smiled and said to the temple priest:
"Besides, if there is any happy news, it will be less if it is kept in the heart. If it is spoken out, not only will it make us happier, but we can also share the happiness."
That's true.
If there is a happy event, how can it be suppressed? If there is a happy event and you don't tell others, isn't it like walking in the night in fine clothes?
“That Lord Yili is just a True Lord under Lord Yujian. How can he compare to my Lord? Haha! But since you are knowledgeable, it’s okay for me to tell you!” The temple keeper said to him with a smile, “I will soon seek immortality, cultivate my true body, and become an immortal. From now on, when you worship gods, maybe there will be a statue of me in the corner, hahaha!”
"Ok?"
Lin Jue looked at him and became more convinced.
Is this person also taking the "elixir of life"?
But the demon king has already...
At least it was a defeat.
(End of this chapter)
