In the next period of time, the Imperial Master sat on a big stone next to the tomb, stared at the name engraved on the tombstone, and talked about many things.
Among them are the current situation of the Daqi Dynasty, his own latest research results on the art of talisman and seal script, and the recent travel experiences of his junior brother He Yiqun.
However, the one he mentioned the most was Gu Xu.
"...Master, I wonder if you can believe it. The young man next to me can actually transform the first form of the 'Seven Burning Heaven Forms', 'Yingyan', into the form of runes. To break the spell used by 'fierce god'-level ghosts to shield the secrets of heaven..."
"...In addition, just yesterday, he also designed a method based on the Yin and Yang Bagua that can quickly calculate account expenses. Talisman array. It does not belong to the existing Talisman Dao system of the Daqi Dynasty at all, and it is not something that ordinary people can imagine..."
"...Perhaps, compared to this stupid student like me, there is the idler He Yiqun. The bastard, he is more worthy of being your successor..."
Gu Xu stayed aside, silently listening to the Grand Master of Qi talking to himself in front of Chi Yangzi's grave.
Normally, when he heard others praising him gushingly like this, he would definitely feel a little embarrassed, and then he would go up and say a few polite words, saying, "Thanks to the Imperial Master. "Guide" and "This is the result of the teachings of our predecessors."
But today, he stood still, motionless.
The hell that was covered with iron nets and burning with fire lingered in his mind, making it impossible for him to recover from it for a long time.
All kinds of questions continued to pop up in his mind -
If the wilderness is really a terrible prison, and humans are all prisoners in the prison, then ghosts and What role does the emperor play in this?
Are those monks who attempted to ascend equivalent to the prison escapees who were killed?
And where did the protective starlight on my body come from?
......
"Gu Xiaoyou, it's time for us to go back."
I don't know how much time passed, but the Imperial Master suddenly turned his head and said to Gu Xu, ending him Confused thoughts.
Gu Xu nodded, then grabbed the Imperial Preceptor’s arm as he had come, passed through the space crack, and returned to the Exorcism Department headquarters.
Everything in the Yamen remains as before.
The noise of officials and servants came from inside the door.
Those officials who were out on missions would enthusiastically come forward to salute Gu Xu and say hello.
But Gu Xu's mood still hasn't completely calmed down.
After bidding farewell to the Imperial Master, he crossed the threshold of the gate and walked along the winding corridor towards the "Qingxiang Pavilion" where he lived.
On the way, he saw two girls practicing martial arts in the courtyard.
One of them was tall, wearing a light green stand-up collared short-breasted shirt, waving a wooden sword in his hand, like a black hair with a wooden hairpin.The hair is tied into a simple and elegant bun at the back of the head. Only a few strands of hair at the temples hung down against her cheeks, stained with glistening beads of sweat.
The other one is petite and exquisite. The jet black "Qiyao suit" tightly wraps her slender and energetic body, which is in sharp contrast with her fair face as tender as ice crystals. Although her weapon is a one-meter-long machete, the way she swings the knife is as light and easy as a dancing bird.
At this moment, the sky is blue and the breeze is blowing.
Two beauties fighting in the early morning sun is undoubtedly a very beautiful scene.
But Gu Xu has no intention of appreciating beauty.
He couldn't help but wonder whether they were like the Grand Master of Qi, wearing a pair of invisible shackles, standing on the fiery metal ground, and suffering painful torture.
At this moment, Shi Xiaohan suddenly noticed Gu Xu's arrival.
She stopped what she was doing and inserted the heavy sword into the scabbard on her back. She opened her eyes wide in surprise, then slightly raised the corners of her mouth and said, "You are finally back!"
But when she noticed Gu Xu's eyes, she immediately stopped smiling, frowned slightly, put her hands on her waist and said, "Gu Xu, why are you always staring at my feet?"
Hearing her words, Gu Xu smiled awkwardly.
Of course he can't tell the truth.
So he immediately made an excuse and explained: "Xiaohan, your pair of embroidered shoes are very beautiful...are they new?"
With his gift of photographic memory, , he was very sure that Shi Xiaohan had never worn this pair of shoes before - they were a pair of exquisite black embroidered shoes with complex patterns embroidered with silver thread. Inside were spotless white socks, which were similar to the uniform of the Exorcist Department. It's a perfect match.
"My father sent it from Laizhou Prefecture yesterday," Shi Xiaohan replied, then she raised her tone and narrowed her big eyes slightly, "Then why are you still staring at Sister Shangguan?" What? She didn’t wear any new shoes!”
Gu Xu sighed helplessly: This girl’s eyes are too sharp!
He thought for a while and replied: "My footwork was first taught to me by Taoist friend Shangguan... Now that I have the honor to see her practicing martial arts, I naturally have to seize the opportunity to learn more from her. ”
Shangguan Jin himself didn’t seem to care about this.
Hearing Gu Xu’s words, she even smiled sheepishly, stretched out her hand to trim the strands of hair behind her ears, and said, “Gu Daoyou’s ‘popular walking on the moon’ footwork has been around for a long time. The blue is better than the blue. On the contrary, I have encountered many problems in practice, and I will need more guidance from fellow Taoist Gu in the future!”
At this moment, Shangguan Jin suddenly keenly caught the idea of Gu Xu. There were faintly complicated emotions in his eyes, which seemed different from the calm and calm expression in the past.
"Fellow Daoist Gu, you seem to be worried now," she asked cautiously, "Are you in any trouble? Do you need my help?"
GuXu Ben wanted to say, "I'm fine, don't worry."
But as soon as the words came to his lips, they turned into: "I have a question for you... Between 'beautiful illusion' and 'cruel reality', which one would you rather choose?" "One?"
"Choose truth of course! I hate it when people lie to me and treat me like a fool," as soon as Gu Xu finished speaking, Shi Xiaohan replied without thinking, "If the reality is really cruel, Yes, then just find a way to change it.
"As long as this heroine becomes strong enough and cuts off all those unpleasant things, wouldn't the world become a better place? Got up? "
When she spoke, she raised her little fists, and her almond-shaped eyes were clear and radiant.
Shangguan Jin lowered his head in deep thought, as if trying to figure out Gu Xu's thoughts.
p>
After a while, she slowly said: "Fellow Daoist Gu, the reason why monks like us choose to embark on the road to the underworld and live towards death is not just because we want to obtain something that can compete with ghosts and monsters. The powerful force is also due to the desire to explore the avenues of heaven and earth and understand the truth of this world.
"In my humble opinion, the moment we clear away the clouds and see the truth, no matter whether it is good or bad, our life will have no regrets.
" I believe that Daoyou Gu should also have this idea. ”
Gu Xu was silent.
He had actually expected the answers given by the two people.
He understood that only those who had seen that Only through the horrific hell scene can we truly understand the meaning behind his question.
Next, Gu Xu did not go to the dining hall with the two girls.
On the contrary, he Without wasting a minute, he returned to "Qingxiang Pavilion" alone and entered a state of cultivation.
If before this, he only practiced to seek immortality and to be comfortable after getting rid of the shadow of death. A carefree and wealthy idler
Then after today, he has a new reason to become stronger -
If one day, the disguise of this world is torn apart and exposed. The true and cruel side, then he hopes that he has enough power to protect himself and the important people around him
…………
After sending Gu Xu back to the Exorcism Department. After leaving the Yamen, the Imperial Master also returned to his home through the space rift.
He did not build luxurious courtyard houses among the neighborhoods on the south bank of Luoshui like other dignitaries of the Daqi Dynasty.
Instead, a remote and simple brick house was built in a sparsely populated area on the outskirts of the city.
The place is lush with vegetation and gurgling streams.
Especially. In summer, the air is filled with the chirping of birds and the chirping of cicadas.
Chi Yangzi, the former Imperial Master of Da Qi, was a simple man who did not like to be extravagant.
His. The apprentice undoubtedly inherited his temperament.
The master took off his boots and changed his clothes.I took it and sat at the desk by the window.
There is a piece of white paper placed in the center of the table, with the word "fire" written on it, which is upright, rich and thick.
Obviously, this is a "fire character".
It was drawn by the national master in an attempt to draw it by chanting specific incantations according to the method described by Hu Xu.
Although the national master has long known the magic of the "fire character".
But when he actually drew it himself, he still couldn't help but marvel at Gu Xu's creative thinking.
He felt that this young man's soul was unrestrained - he dared to think about anything, he dared to question everything, and he also dared to implement his own ideas.
"If Master is still alive in the world, we must have a lot in common with him!" The national master thought silently in his heart.
When Chiyangzi was alive, he was also an eclectic person.
He will study the inscription of runes on the curved shaft plow so that the curved shaft plow can automatically plow the ground instead of people and livestock; he will also try to design a formation on the loom so that it can Turn spontaneously.
He even tried to control the wind and rain and manipulate the weather, so that the weather in Daqi would be smooth and the farmers would avoid floods and droughts.
Of course, many of his attempts failed.
After all, many of his ideas would be difficult to implement nationwide on his own; and the Daqi court also believed that the number of Talisman Masters was extremely rare, and they should put more of them into practice. The energy should be focused on slaying demons instead of messing with these messy things, so it did not provide enough support to Chiyangzi.
But these actions of Chiyangzi left a very deep impression on the Imperial Master.
The Imperial Master clearly remembers that Chi Yangzi called him "elm-headed" and He Yiqun a "little piggy". He often felt that they were too stubborn and never produced any order. Wonderful ideas that surprise people.
The National Preceptor has always been deeply troubled by this.
After all, he was born in a poor family and lacked spiritual resources since childhood. To be able to achieve what he has now, Master owes him a lot of kindness.
He really wanted to be a student who satisfied his master and made him proud.
Until later, the master became possessed and abandoned his cultivation.
For the sudden change that happened to the master, the national master felt panic and uneasiness.
He felt that there must be a huge hidden secret behind it - even with the master's ability as an eighth-level monk, it would be difficult to deal with it.
But he did not dare to explore the truth.
He even felt that staying in the original world and continuing to live according to the original trajectory might be a good choice.
Beside Chi Yangzi’s grave today, he believed that Gu Xu might have really noticed some secret information.
But he did not have an in-depth conversation with Gu Xu, but interrupted the other party in time.
On the one hand, it is because heThe fear in his heart - Chi Yangzi's weak, helpless and depressed look after he abandoned his cultivation, left a deep psychological shadow on him.
On the other hand, it can be regarded as protection for Gu Xu - there are things that Chi Yangzi, as an eighth-level monk, cannot solve. Gu Xu's unauthorized contact will definitely be harmful and useless.
"Dong dong dong!"
At this moment, there was a knock on the door suddenly in the house.
With the powerful perception ability of the seventh-level saint, the national master sat next to the desk and knew the identity of the visitor.
However, out of respect for this guest, the Imperial Master still stood up, walked to the door, and opened the door himself.
The visitor is Princess Zhaoning.
She wore a dark red coat and skirt embroidered with gold patterns, and a snow-white fox fur. Her black hair like crow feathers was tied high on the back of her head, fixed by a golden hollow corolla. .
Because she is a mortal and cannot use her true energy to resist the cold like a practitioner, so at this moment, her fair cheeks are slightly red, and her long eyelashes can't help but tremble slightly in the wind. .
As "the most beautiful woman in Luo Jing", Princess Zhaoning has different styles in different environments.
When she was standing in the splendid Zichen Palace in palace attire, she was a graceful and noble ruling princess who controlled life and death; When it was raining, she had a somewhat elegant and bookish air about her; and at this moment, when she was wrapped in a fox fur and standing in the cold wind, she had the charming air of an ordinary girl in the city.
Of course, with the national master's current age and cultivation, he would no longer be tempted by beauty.
As for Princess Zhaoning, he actually has more of an appreciation attitude from a senior to a junior.
He remembered the experience of Princess Zhaoning going to Longmen Academy to study diligently. He remembered that the princess came to him with charcoal pencils and a small book as a student to ask for knowledge about spiritual practice. He also remembered that she was more than Once when I was dealing with government affairs late at night, clear red bloodshot eyes appeared in my eyes.
This mortal princess is far more hardworking and hardworking than her brothers.
He lamented more than once that God was really fair and ruthless - while giving her a beautiful face and a prominent life experience, he also took away her talent for cultivation.
Otherwise, the Imperial Master will definitely think that she is the most qualified among all the princes and princesses to inherit the "Tai'a Sword".