Xiao Yi followed the Changqing Daoist out of the Void Palace, crossed the small square, went down the nine steps, left the original path, and chose another stone path to go down the mountain. The Changqing Taoist walked in front, without saying a word, and Xiao Yi was also well-behaved, not asking anything, just silently following.

There are many buildings and courtyards on this road, the further down you go, the more dense it becomes, and then down there are rows of small houses, most of which are the residences of ordinary disciples, although they are a little simple but also elegant, natural and quiet. At the same time, the number of Chongzhen disciples on the road gradually increased, and when they met on the road, most of them stood beside the road and greeted the Changqing Daoists. The Chang Qing Daoist always responds with a smile, without exception. Xiao Yi was honored at the beginning, and he couldn't help but feel a little complacent in his heart, but after a while, he saw something strange from the eyes of the disciples: the disciples were respectful, but they lacked respect from the heart.

After passing in front of a row of disciples' residences, the houses gradually became scarce, and there were a few low-walled courtyards scattered around. The Changqing Daoist still did not stop, until he reached a small courtyard on the very edge, and then pushed the door in. There are stone tables and stone piers in the courtyard, and nothing else. There are three rooms, one bright and two dark, the middle is the living room, the east is the bedroom, and the west is the study.

There are bookshelves on three sides in the study, Tao Te Ching, Nanhua Sutra, Qingjing Sutra, Chongxu Sutra, Huang Ting Sutra, Jade Emperor Sutra, Emperor Yin Fu Sutra, Taiping Sutra, etc., all kinds of Taoist classics, dazzling, everything. There is a lying bed under the bookshelf, which is supposed to be used by the Changqing monks to rest temporarily.

The Changqing Taoist pointed to the lying bed and said, "I don't have many visitors here, so you can put these books outside in your spare time, make room for them, and then go to the deacon's hall to get a pair of bed boards and bedding." These **** have something to do to go down the mountain, and you rest in my house. Xiao Yi hurriedly said: "If you can stay in Chongzhen, the kid is already satisfied, you can rest on this recliner, how dare you disturb the immortal chief's bedroom." The Changqing Taoist said: "People outside the party don't need to be rigid about the subtleties." Then he took out two pieces of clothing from the bottom of a wooden box and said, "This is the common clothes before going up the mountain, and you will wear them if you change them." Xiao Yi hurriedly thanked him and put it away.

The Chang Qing Daoist then sat down in the living room and said, "Although I have left you here, there are some things that need to be explained first. Xiao Yi said: "If the immortal chief has any orders, just explain." The Changqing Taoist said: "First, Chongzhen is strict in accepting disciples, although you stay, you are not considered a disciple of Chongzhen, and I am not qualified to accept disciples, so you can treat this place as your own home, but you can't call yourself a disciple of Chongzhen." Xiao Yi was stunned, but he didn't show the slightest sense of loss, and said: "The kid is self-aware, and he will never dare to call himself a disciple of Chongzhen." The Changqing Taoist nodded approvingly, and continued: "Second, although I have a small collection of books here, they are all Taoist classics, which are extremely precious. You can read it, but you must not hurt it. I will teach you some essence of the Tao and lead you into the Tao, but I will not teach you the slightest Tao technique. ”

Xiao Yi first nodded yes, and then couldn't help asking: "Dare to ask the immortal chief, what is the Tao, and what is the Tao?" Changqing Taoist said: "The Tao is the principle of the operation of heaven and earth, the cause of the existence of all things, and the practice of the Tao can reach the heavens and understand the earth, and know the advance and retreat of life." The so-called Taoism is to use the supreme power of thought, the power of heaven and earth for its own use, which can fly to the sky, escape to the earth, live forever, and be omnipotent. Although Xiao Yi was extremely envious of the ability to fly to the heavens and the earth, he also knew that the world could not be forced, and it was a great honor for him to be able to stay in the Immortal Mountain, and he no longer dwelled on this matter at the moment, and asked, "What else does the Immortal Chief command?"

The Changqing Daoist was overjoyed when he saw Xiao Yi's expression change, and asked rhetorically: "Why don't you ask me why I don't teach you Taoism?" Xiao Yi said: "If the immortal doesn't teach, there is naturally the truth of the immortal." Individuals have their own destiny, and the kid has already created extraordinary, so how can he not be satisfied. The Changqing Taoist shouted "good" three times in a row, and praised: "No desire and no contention, indifferent and quiet, conform to nature, the avenue is natural, it seems that you have entered the Tao, but there is no need for me to talk more." ”

Xiao Yi looked at the happy appearance of the Changqing Daoist, but he didn't know what he was talking about, and couldn't help scratching his head and said: "The kid is full of heartfelt words, which makes the immortal Changjian smile." The Changqing Taoist said: "The heart of a pure child is the most rare." Then he said, "My last request is that you are not allowed to call me Immortal Chief in the future." I'm just a person who sincerely seeks the Tao, you can call me the Taoist Changqing, or you can call me a Taoist chief, but the word immortal chief is absolutely unaffordable. Xiao Yi hurriedly said: "Then I will call you Dao Chang in the future." The Changqing Taoist said: "You are very clever, although you are a little older, but it is not too late to hear the Tao today, only the word "diligence" is willing to give you a chance to attain the Tao. ”

The Changqing Taoist explained some things in life, and then said that he would go down the mountain to do errands, and let Xiao Yi guard the gate of the courtyard and learn the Taoist treasure by himself. Xiao Yi was sent out of the hospital, and the Changqing Taoist did not forget to instruct: "The Chongzhen Sect building is cleverly constructed, the road is tortuous, and nothing can be messed around, so that it is lost. With that, he strode away. After passing the residence of the disciples, as soon as he turned onto the right road, he suddenly saw a female Taoist standing next to the road, and asked with a smile: "Is the virtuous nephew not at ease with the poor Tao?" The female Taoist shook her head and said, "Uncle Shi said that I laughed, I specially waited here to thank Uncle Shi." The Changqing Taoist smiled: "It's a trivial matter, how to thank you." This matter will be brought up again. As he spoke, he walked past the female Taoist and went straight down the mountain. The female Taoist stayed for a moment, then turned back to the mountain.

However, it was said that after Xiao Yi saw the figure of the Chang Qingdao Daoist disappear around the corner in the distance, he turned around and entered the house. Although the house was very simple, Xiao Yi felt never satisfied. In my vague memory, I can't remember what my home looks like, and I have more of an impression of just begging for food in the village and sleeping on the streets. Although this place is far less gorgeous than the guest rooms of the "Wendao Building", the words of the Changqing Taoist, "You can treat this place as your home", give this place an unusual meaning.

Xiao Yi sat on the wooden chair outside, carefully looking at everything in the room, feeling both satisfied and relaxed in his heart, and the appearance of "home" floating in his mind gradually merged with the scene in front of him and became one...... After a while, but seeing that the corners of his mouth were slightly raised, and the gentle snoring sounded rhythmically, he had fallen asleep.

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Maybe it's because the multi-day rush is finally over, or maybe it's because of the feeling of finding home, Xiao Yi slept unusually comfortably. When I woke up, the room was already dark, and only a ray of slanting sun shone through the window lattice on the wall, glowing yellow, and I could vaguely distinguish things. Xiao Yi looked around the room again, feeling strange and familiar, and for a while he couldn't tell whether he was happy or worried.

In a trance, I felt that I had seen the faces of my parents in my sleep, and I felt very clearly, but I couldn't remember it. When I wanted to try to remember it again, the Five Organs Temple had already cooed. At that moment, I had to clean up my mood, went out, and walked to the kitchen according to the route told by the Changqing Daoist.

When I arrived in the kitchen, the kitchen was already full of people, all of whom were the younger generation of Chongzhen disciples, the eldest was only seventeen or eighteen, and the younger one was only seven or eight years old, and there were almost thirty or forty people. When all the disciples saw that Xiao Yi was wearing tatters, not Chongzhen disciples, they all cast curious glances.

It was the first time for Xiao Yi to see so many peers, and he was a little excited and a little apprehensive. He smiled at the crowd and walked towards the two cauldrons inside. In charge was a forty-year-old big fat man with a round head, and when he saw Xiao Yi coming, he suddenly snorted heavily. Xiao Yi felt that someone had been beaten in his heart, and he was depressed for a while, and stopped walking. At this time, some Chongzhen disciples were already laughing and shouting. Xiao Yi only felt that his brain was chaotic, and he saw countless mouths moving, but he couldn't hear anything clearly.

Xiao Yi took a long time to recover, although his heart was already angry, he didn't speak, just looked directly at the big fat man in front of him, his eyes were firm. The big fat chef ignored Xiao Yi's eyes and snorted coldly: "This is a lesson for you: a bowl of rice was specially left for you at noon, but you didn't come, it was wasted, and dinner came so late." First, you're wasting food, and second, you're not punctual. Do you think this lesson should be?" Xiao Yi heard this, his eyes faded like a deflated ball, his head was lowered, and he said, "What the master taught is that the kid knows his mistakes." The big fat chef said: "It's good to know that mistakes can be corrected, this is just a small thing, but whether you can cultivate or not is to start from this little thing bit by bit." As he spoke, he picked up the bowl, filled Xiao Yi with a bowl of porridge, added two slices of pickles, handed it over, and said: "None of today's children are decent, I want to teach real people to do everything according to the times, and the meal time has never been bad, which is what we have today, look at your ......."

Xiao Yi muttered in his heart: "The master is really old, I'm afraid I won't have you when I eat here, right?" but he didn't dare to tell the difference, nodded yes, and left quickly with the meal. He saw that there was an empty seat on the edge of the long table inside, and just as he was about to sit down, a little disciple of twelve or thirteen had already shouted: "Sit outside, that is the position of our senior brother Yuansheng, you sit outside." Xiao Yi stopped and looked out, but saw that the long table was full of people, and only one gap was instantly divided.

The disciples had gloating expressions, wanting to see Xiao Yi's jokes. Seeing Xiao Yi smiling helplessly, he walked straight to the door, sat on the threshold, and lowered his head to eat. The disciples were in an uproar, and sarcastic remarks erupted. Xiao Yi ignored it and ate by himself. The big fat chef knocked it on the cutting board with a spoon and shouted, "I've all eaten and gone to dinner class, when is it still noisy?" and pointed at Xiao Yi and said, "You! Come and sit here." Xiao Yi raised his head and saw the big fat chef tap the edge of the cutting board with his chin, and dragged out a bench from behind him and placed it there. Xiao Yi was grateful, but he didn't say anything, and sat down obediently.

After a while, all the disciples left one after another, and when they passed by Xiao Yi's side, they couldn't help but point a little and say something teasing. Although Xiao Yi has a perception, he doesn't know how to do it, so he doesn't know it.

Xiao Yi finished eating and was about to leave, but the big fat chef said, "You wait, help me clean up before leaving." Xiao Yi was not annoyed, so he moved to put away the dishes and chopsticks on the table.

After the last disciple left, the big fat chef suddenly said: "Are you born with this cowardice, or do you keep the accounts first and calculate it later?" Xiao Yi smiled: "But they are all children, what kind of grudge do you have with children." The big fat chef said: "Then you mean that you want to settle accounts with me in the future?" Xiao Yi said: "The master can think whatever he likes, I don't have it anyway, boy." The big fat chef smiled and said, "I didn't see it, the kid entered the Tao quite quickly." Since you don't hold a grudge against me, help me in the kitchen from now on. Xiao Yi said: "It's no problem to help the master, but I have to explain it to the Changqing Daoist first." The big fat chef said: "Li Na Changqing has done a lot, and I haven't seen him for a year." You just said that I said it, and he didn't dare to disagree. ”

After washing the dishes and chopsticks, and tidying up, the big fat chef grabbed a bed board and a set of bedding from behind the door, and said, "You kid slept for a day, but let me help you get the bed, just by virtue of this, you have to wash my dishes for a year." Xiao Yi knew that he was joking, and thanked: "The kid is new here, thank you for taking care of the master." The big fat chef waved his hand and said, "Don't say those useless polite words, sincerity is the most important thing." ”

Xiao Yi carried the bed board and the futon for a while, but the big fat chef followed behind with a lunch box. Xiao Yi asked, "Is the master going to deliver food to anyone?" The big fat chef snorted: "This great immortal has to deliver food to the prisoner, it's really unlucky." Xiao Yi didn't hear clearly, but he didn't dare to ask again, so he changed his tone and asked: "Dare to ask the master?" The big fat chef actually said: "Forget it, the little Taoist priests now call me fat chef, you can also call me." Xiao Yi was stunned and said, "Then I'll call you fat master." The big fat chef said: "It's just a code name, just call it whatever you want." ”

When we reached the fork in the road, the fat chef said a few words and went down the hill along the main road. Xiao Yi looked at the funny posture of the fat chef and suddenly felt a trace of warmth.