Just in the spring of March, the warm wind gusts, the cold has gone, the heat is not enough, it is the most rare good time of the year. The bare sheepskin jackets that had been worn all winter had been packed up and replaced with lighter homespun coats and soft silk shirts.

People who wear long clothes should also be extra careful when walking around the streets at this time. The beggars in the Beitian courtyard in Zhuozhou, either in the dung cellar for warmth throughout the winter, or to get some dry and heavy tiger and wolf medicine to swallow indiscriminately, when the spring flowers bloom, those beggars who were lucky not to be killed by dung poison, they took small plugs, rusty scissors in the crowded places on the street, and cut other people's clothes.

If you change the boundaries of the Song Kingdom, you are a beggar, and you also love to ask for a few copper coins, but the Liao State does not mint coins much, and most of the local transactions are bartered. In this case, cloth was regarded as hard currency, and there was such a custom that could not be seen in the Southern Dynasties.

In the crowd, a long-bearded Taoist walked slowly towards the famous Liu Xianzhu Temple in Zhuozhou. This person wears an apricot yellow square silk scarf, wears a cyanotic large-sleeved Taoist robe, holds a green banana leaf fan in his hand, and hangs a green gourd on the silk around his waist. It's just that this person has a broad-edged long sword behind him, and the hilt of the sword is made of black and black Cizhou fine iron, which gives people a bit of the taste of a high-roller.

The broadsword was afraid that it would not weigh more than a dozen catties, but the Taoist priest holding the fan was easily carried on his shoulder, and there was no sweat on his head, and his steps were still walking easily. Those knowledgeable thieves and beggars, when they saw this sword, immediately understood that this person was not a good person, and they all honestly avoided him.

Zhuozhou Liu Xian main temple, enshrined in the year after the King of Zhongshan Jing Liu Liu Xuande, the famous Uncle Liu Huang was born in Zhuozhou Lousang Village, although at this time the Romance of the Three Kingdoms has not been popular, but the Song realm has begun to spread the Three Kingdoms Zhiping words, the Han people in Zhuozhou mentioned this Uncle Liu, but also the great sense of honor and Yan.

In this way, the incense of Liu Xianzhu's temple is very vigorous, regardless of the big temple fair in the year, every fifteenth day of the new year, the people who burn incense for the meeting are also indispensable, and the temple is spontaneously gathered in a large market.

However, in the spring season, the temple of Liu Xianzhu is sparsely populated, except for a few stalls selling incense and candles, a few mothers-in-law and old children watching, and even the blind man who tells fortunes is not seen. The door of the temple was even more closed, and only some idlers were lying on the door and looking inside.

The Taoist priest holding the fan was Xu Xuanling, he turned back to the mountain, originally wanted to come to Zhuozhou City to meet his junior brother and two apprentices, but he didn't expect to see this bleak scene like cold fire and autumn smoke in front of the temple of Liu Xianzhu. His heart moved slightly, but he still stepped forward, patted an idler on the shoulder and said, "This little brother is poor and polite." ”

The idler was slapped by him, full of impatience, and turned his head to look, but saw that it was a gray-haired Taoist, so he returned the salute: "It turned out to be a gentleman, what do you have to say to me?"

Xu Xuanling hugged his fists and asked: "Little brother, the poor Dao is a Taoist priest from Yizhou, and the resident of this Liu Xianzhu Temple holds the old, and he specially came from afar to place an order." It's just that Poor Dao remembers that this Liu Xianzhu Temple was originally a big jungle, and the good believers from all over the world who came to burn incense and repay their vows were endless all year round, why did I see it today, but it was deserted and deserted, and it was not a scene?"

The idle man listened, and said with a smile: "It turns out that Mr. is here to find an old acquaintance and a pending order, and this pending order is also similar to our villager's downfall and came out to join the family, and we must find a relative who has a family and a business, so as to eat a bowl of idle rice." If the relatives are also down, then there is nowhere to take refuge, so they have to be reduced to begging for food in the Beitian courtyard. Now I see that a group of Taoist priests in the main temple of Liu Xian are 'mud Buddha crossing the river, and it is difficult to protect himself', Mr. This is not a single hanging, and it is serious to find another big temple with strong incense. ”

Xu Xuanling heard that there was something in this idle man's words, and wanted to ask a few more words, so he heard a choked cry coming from the door for a while, as if he was an old man, his mouth was a little leaky, and he said while crying: "We have also presided over this temple for many years, and from the former Tang Dynasty to the present, it is also a career passed down from father to son, grandfather to grandson, how many lifetimes." Now I can't keep it in my hands, and I will close my eyes in the future, how to see my ancestors!"

The old man was crying and screaming, and he heard a few exclamations coming from inside: "Grandpa has made another phlegm!"

In the sound of footsteps, there are also strong men and boys, all of whom are called masters, uncles, and grandfathers, and they don't stop making trouble. I heard a burst of commotion, and suddenly there was a "poof" sound, and everyone shouted together: "Ah, it's not good, the old courtyard master has thrown himself into the well!"

Hearing the chaos inside, the idlers outside who listened to the temple gate also shouted: "It's really amazing, there is a death inside, how can this be good?"

There are also people who are familiar with the Taoist people in this temple, and they scream while banging on the door, wanting to go in to help the handle, but the temple door is bolted, and they can't get in even if they shoot and bump.

There was a hurry inside and out, but Xu Xuanling stepped forward, shook the Langfeng Xuanyun fan in his hand gently, and then pushed the door, only to hear the door latch, and the two temple doors were gently and skillfully pushed open by him.

He strode in, shouted, "Don't panic!", and walked to the edge of the stone well next to the temple in a few steps.

The Taoist priests in Liu Xianzhu's temple were in a hurry, when they saw a gray-haired Taoist come to them, and pointed at them with a banana leaf fan in his hand: "Don't panic, go find a piece of wood!"

A group of Taoists and Taoists were originally anxious and full of fire, but when he fanned them with banana leaves, they only felt a cool breath parting the yang bones on their heads, and they couldn't help but shudder, but they calmed down instantly. At that moment, there were two sturdy Taoists in their twenties, who ran out with their legs and carried a bowl of thick wood from behind the side hall.

These two sturdy men were carrying the wood while looking at Xu Xuanling vigorously, but they asked, "Dare to ask this master, how can this wood be used to rescue our uncle?"

Xu Xuanling didn't answer, pulled the wood with one hand, and threw it into the well. The Taoists, Daotongs, villagers, and idlers who came up around were all startled by his action. Before the two strong Taoists could react, they saw Xu Xuanling pressing hard into the well with one hand holding the wood, and they were all anxious, one pulled his legs, the other hugged his hands, and shouted loudly: "This master, you are so hard for no reason, you are not pressing our uncle to the bottom of the well, where is this saving people, it is obviously killing people!"

With one hand still pressed on the wood, Xu Xuanling shook his head and said: "Your uncle is bent on death, if you don't press down the wood like this, how can you get him out?" Don't worry, I will rescue the person who fell into the water like this, and never let him lose a hair!"

After that, Xu Xuanling held a sword trick in his hand, and suddenly wrote the word "勅" on the wood, and shouted: "Go down!"

The log snorted as he whispered, and then sank into the well as if it were made of iron. Immediately, he flipped the Langfeng Xuanyun fan in his hand upwards and shouted: "Come up!"

The crowd could only hear the sound of the water gurgling in the stone well, and then the log rushed up from the well with a man, and even the man and the wood fell to the ground.

I saw an old Taoist man soaking wet and paralyzed on the ground, having already held his breath.

Xu Xuanling didn't care about the surprised eyes around him, leaned over, and pressed the handle of the Langfeng Xuanyun Fan on the old Taoist's chest, and immediately heard a "cluck" sound, and the old Taoist spit out a stream of water in his mouth.

The two strong Taoists were still holding Xu Xuanling and didn't let go, and at this moment, seeing the old Taoist being pushed out by the wood, they couldn't help but shout: "This master, is our uncle still saved?"

Xu Xuanling nodded and said, "Your uncle is just choking on water, don't worry, just take a breath." ”

After saying that, he flicked the Langfeng Xuanyun Fan in his hand towards the old Taoist's face, and shouted: "Senior Brother Lu, this well is not a place to play, don't wake up soon!"

was swept by him, Lu Lao Daoren's eyelids moved slightly, but he opened his eyes, looked at Xu Xuanling, and said in a daze: "Brother Xu Dao, are you also in this netherworld?"

The two Taoists on the side finally didn't hold Xu Xuanling's arms and legs, and one ran over and picked up the old Taoist and said, "Uncle Shi, thanks to this master......"

Before he finished speaking, his companion on the side took his hand and said, "What is this master, take a closer look, isn't this the master in front of us who is worshipping in Longxing, and his old man is here!"

This time, the surrounding Taoists and Dao Tong heard that the gray-haired Taoist with a fan-backed sword in front of them was the senior brother of their old abbot, and they all came to kowtow and salute, which made Xu Xuanling in a hurry.

The idlers who watched the bustle on the side were also amazed: "The old abbot of Liu Xianzhu's temple is so old, how can there be such a young senior brother, if it is not for the pale beard, just looking at the skin and face, it looks like a descendant in his thirties." ”

Some people also flaunted their knowledge and said: "Where do you understand the subtleties of this cultivation, there are people who practice the Tao, and there are people who look a few years younger." Just looking at how quickly this old abbot woke up, it was enough to see that this master was a man with magical powers. ”

In such a chaotic commotion, it was the two young Taoists who wiped their tears and made a circle on the other hand: "There are so many disasters in our temple, all of which depend on the help of all good believers. Now that the old abbot has fallen into the water and his body is still weak, let us take care of the old man. Another day, we will have another table, wine and food, and thank the high friendship of the good faith. ”

The villagers shook their hands and said, "No, no, if there is no master with a banana fan here, there will be ten old abbots, and they will also drown." If it's all right, we'll take our leave. ”

After that, they all scattered in twos and threes.

The two young Taoists carried the old Taoist Lu into the back residence, and sent the fire workers to boil hot water and boil ginger soup, knelt down and kowtowed to Xu Xuanling and said: "Master said back then that he was going out to find immortals, but now he has really become an immortal? If it weren't for Master coming here, I'm afraid that Uncle Shi has become a ghost in the water now." ”

Xu Xuanling has been practicing in the Cave Light Spirit Ruins for more than ten years, not only has his appearance not changed, but his face is much more tender than back then, but his two apprentices have grown into two strong men. Although the silhouette is still there, there are many changes.

He sat down on the chair and nodded: "Although I have suffered a lot for the teacher back then, I have also had a great opportunity, and now although I dare not say the word 'immortal', but on the word Tao and Xing, I can still say a little bit or two for the teacher." ”

Speaking of this, he frowned, looked at Lu Lao Daodao, and said, "Senior Brother Lu, you and I are like brothers, and my two apprentices have also been taken care of by you." Why did I come this time and see that you were looking for a short view? What is the reason?"

Old Daoist Lu sighed, lay in the quilt and sobbed again, and cried with a whimper.

On the side, his two apprentices, the one who was half a year younger and named Shen Qingning hurriedly said: "Uncle Shi doesn't want to talk about it, so it's better for Uncle Shi to say it." Uncle Shi's abbot's temple of Liu Xianzhu is no longer in our hands, and even the temple has been bought. People have already come to the door and said that they want us to move out tomorrow, and this Liu Xianzhu Temple will be left to them!"

Hearing Shen Qingning say this, Xu Xuanling was a little relieved, no matter where Song Liao was, it was not a small number of people who were staring at the fat of the temple. Driving away Taoist monks and forcibly occupying palaces and temples, regardless of such strong beam means, the local local sticks are strong, and it is not uncommon to encroach on temple property.

As for traps, writing notes, and defrauding temple property, even if Xu Xuanling has never seen this kind of trick, he has heard similar things somewhat.

Thinking of this, he nodded and said: "It seems that such a person is nothing more than seeking profit, Senior Brother Lu did not go to find the old gentleman in Zhuozhou to help talk about one." Even if there is a little more money, there will always be a point where things will turn around. ”

Lu Lao Daoren was still lying on the bed with tears in his eyes and did not speak, and Cen Taizhen, Xu Xuanling's eldest apprentice on the side, sighed and said: "Master doesn't know, people's notes are so ruthless! Not only do we not have a penny, but we also have to post a lot of people!"

Speaking of this, Xu Xuanling also frowned, even if he is a subordinate character on the rivers and lakes, he will not be so unparticular about doing things, and he has no appearance at all!

He thought for a while and said, "Senior Brother Lu, what kind of person is he who wants to snatch the temple property of you, the temple of Liu Xianzhu's temple? ”

Old Daoist Lu sighed, then struggled up, took out a piece of paper, and showed it to Xu Xuanling.

Xu Xuanling took the paper and read it carefully, only to see that there was something else on it that was easy to say, but there was a sentence behind it, which made him slightly vigilant: "...... Sell this temple and the monks under the Pufeng National Teacher, and offer the holy fire to the Miaofeng Temple. ”