Chapter 27: Questioning the Dao Heart, Life Has Many Crossroads The wind does not end, the shower does not end. The violent storm in Liuxian County today was destined to not last long from the very beginning. Uncle Hui ran out of the house and ran from the North City District to the gate of the missionary house in the West City District in the wind and rain, just when the wind stopped and the rain stopped. What is a missionary house? The missionary institute was a place where the Dayong Dynasty taught literacy to the lower classes of the people and widely taught them the way of spiritual practice. The lower classes could enter and exit freely. Even though Uncle Hui was in a terrible state, soaked like a drowned rat, with a large hematoma on his forehead and bloodstains on his clothes, he was not stopped from entering the missionary house. The key point is that the missionary court is divided into the outer court and the inner court. The outer courtyard teaches literacy, while the inner courtyard is where students eat, live and study. There are only two ways for Uncle Hui to enter the inner courtyard. Either pay money and become a formal student; Or you can pass the message through the inner courtyard gatehouse and ask Tao Tie to come out to greet you. When Uncle Hui left home earlier, he was in a hurry and had no time to take the money.
Being a porter is a hard and laborious job. Even if they carry money with them, they usually only carry a few copper coins. It is impossible for them to carry a lot of money. Therefore, even if Uncle Hui wanted to pay the money now to become a formal student of the Missionary Academy, he couldn't do it. What's more, Uncle Hui doesn't have the mind to think about this right now. His whole heart was tied to his wife and children. So Uncle Hui could only pat the door of the gatehouse in the missionary academy, and stood outside without going in. He said in the calmest tone possible: "Hello, I'm looking for Tao Tie, a regular student." The gatekeeper at the missionary's inner courtyard was a fat man with a friendly face. After hearing Uncle Hui's request, he immediately asked back: "Who are you to him? What do you want from him?" Uncle Hui swallowed his throat, his voice a little dry: "I am his former neighbor. I came to him because my children suddenly became seriously ill and I wanted to ask him for help." "see a doctor?" The fat gatekeeper muttered something when he heard this, feeling quite puzzled, but didn't say much. He simply took out a blue stone tablet the size of two palms from the drawer, put his consciousness and magic power into it, checked Tao Tie's original information, and then asked without raising his head: "Where does he live? Where do you live? What's your name? How many people are there in your family?" Facing the fat gatekeeper's interrogation, Uncle Hui felt his throat and throat getting drier. He swallowed his saliva again, calmed down his emotions, and finally made his voice less trembling: "We all live in Niuma City, North City District, not far from Xiaomoqiao Wharf. My name is Zeng Qinghui, and there are four people in my family." "Ah." The fat gatekeeper responded vaguely, entered the information into the blue slate, and then said casually, "I'll notify him, you wait outside. Whether he is willing to see you or not, I will inform you as soon as I get the news." "okay!" Uncle Hui quickly agreed and immediately bowed and saluted, "Thank you very much! Thank you very much!" "It's okay. You're welcome." The fat gatekeeper accepted Uncle Hui's thanks calmly, but he also waved his hand and performed a "body cleansing technique" to dry the rain off Uncle Hui, who was soaked like a drowned chicken. As for the hematoma on the forehead and the mud and blood stains on the clothes, the fat gatekeeper left them on purpose. Otherwise, how can we truly present Uncle Hui’s eagerness? Those who can work steadily in the missionary system will not have bad character.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Upon realizing this, Uncle Hui bowed again to express his gratitude, then left the door, stood aside, and waited anxiously. When Uncle Hui attended the literacy class taught by the teacher in the outer courtyard of the missionary institute, he didn’t quite understand what the teacher meant by being extremely anxious. But now I understand. Not only did I understand it, I also experienced it personally. When a person feels very urgent about something, his heart really feels like it is about to be burned to ashes by a raging fire. Very uncomfortable! What made Uncle Hui most uncomfortable was that the fat gatekeeper promised to inform his friend, so why was he still sitting in the gatehouse without moving? Do these practitioners have some mysterious methods? Or was the fat gatekeeper just trying to fool him? Damn! I'm so anxious waiting! When he was young, he knew that he had no qualifications for cultivation, so he lived an ordinary life and never asked about matters related to cultivation. Uncle Hui didn't know that the protective magic circle of the missionary institute not only had a protective function, but also had a communication network function similar to Tao Tie's previous life. As long as the communication tools have been registered in the guardian magic circle, they can send messages to each other through a network similar to a local area network. Although the black stone slab in Tao Tie's hand was distributed by the Demon Slaying Department and the Demon Extermination Department after he became a "Monster Catcher", it was also given to Tao Tie through the channels of the Missionary Academy. During this process, this black stone slab has already been registered in the courtyard protection magic circle. Of course, the fat gatekeeper doesn't need to take bus No. 11 to find Tao Tie, or use the radio to find Tao Tie. You just need to find the registration number of Tao Tie's black slate in the local area network of the courtyard protection array to send a notification. Very convenient, saving time and effort. When Tao Tie received the notification from the doorman, he had just come out of the meditation room and was about to go to the cafeteria to eat a medicinal meal. After completing the daily routine of collecting herbs and practicing, you can have a nourishing meal of medicinal foods to strengthen your body, which is wonderful. "Uncle Hui is looking for me?" Taking out the vibrating black slate from the storage bag, Tao Tie read the message sent by the concierge through the courtyard protection array and couldn't help but wonder, "They also said that Jiaxuan and Minmin are sick, and asked me to help with the treatment?" To outsiders, such as the fat gatekeeper, this seems to be a very normal thing. Isn't it reasonable that the neighbor who used to be close to you becomes a practitioner, not to mention always trying to curry favor with you, but instead comes to you for help when you encounter trouble? Very reasonable! However, given Uncle Hui's character of living a simple life, even if Jiaxuan and Minmin fell ill, he would not have come to Tao Tie for help immediately. Unless Jiaxuan and Minmin's illnesses are so serious that ordinary doctors cannot cure them, or the medical expenses are so high that Uncle Hui has emptied his family's savings and is forced to borrow money for medical treatment. Therefore, Tao Tie's first reaction was that Uncle Hui really encountered this kind of trouble, or... I was threatened and had to come find him! He has always been willing to see the world with the worst malice, especially after being forced to serve as bait and go into the water to lure water ghosts.
But no matter what he thought, Tao Tie still had to go and ask about the situation. He turned around and walked towards the gatehouse in the inner courtyard. "Uncle Hui." Tao Tie was very fast and soon arrived near the gatehouse. He waved and greeted Uncle Hui from a distance. But his mood was not as relaxed as his tone. [Magic power: Clairvoyance (9th level)] [Information fragment 1: The supernatural power of the physical body can see extremely far and tiny objects.] [Information fragment 2: Within five miles, nothing can escape. Use it frequently and make good use of it to improve the level of your magical power.] Just like the Tiangang method and Disha method are artificially divided into nine grades, supernatural powers also have nine grades. Tao Tie's two physical magical powers, Clairvoyance and Superb Ears, have just been cultivated, and their initial grades are both ninth grade. The maximum effective distance is five miles. However, whether it is the ninth rank or the fifth mile, it is enough for now. Therefore, Tao Tie saw the hematoma on Uncle Hui's forehead, the blood stains on his clothes, and the complex look in Uncle Hui's eyes. With a careful observation and a quick glance, Tao Tie could identify emotions such as fear, worry, guilt and shame. The tip of his ear twitched slightly, and Tao Tie heard Uncle Hui's disordered heartbeat. He looked very nervous and self-blaming. Obviously, Uncle Hui was in trouble. This is no small matter. And it's about him. However, Tao Tie did not show it on his face. He quickly walked to Uncle Hui and said with concern: "Uncle Hui, you said Jiaxuan and Minmin are sick. What's wrong with them? Where are they now? Come on, take me to see them." A series of words came out of Tao Tie's mouth like a shuttle, not giving Uncle Hui too much time to think. As he spoke, Tao Tie did not stop, pretending to go see Jiaxuan and Minmin immediately, acting as if he cared deeply about Jiaxuan and Minmin. Uncle Hui looked up at Tao Tie, who had grown a lot taller during this period of time. His eyes flickered, and he immediately lowered his head and followed Tao Tie out of the missionary house. Tao Tie noticed Uncle Hui's change in time, but remained calm as he walked out, continuing to say with concern: "Uncle Hui, Jiaxuan and Minmin are sick, so you came to me. I'm practicing in the missionary institute, and I've learned all these skills, such as mountain climbing, medicine, fate, physiognomy, and divination. As for medical skills, I've only practiced for a short time, so I'm definitely sloppy, but I have teachers. Even if I can't cure Jiaxuan and Minmin's illness, I can still ask for help from my teachers." Listening to Tao Tie's caring words, Uncle Hui felt more and more guilty. But the lives of his wife and children were in danger at any time. What else could he do except to trick Tao Tie away as Li Zeyuan instructed? If there was no other way, he wouldn't want to do this! Catching a glimpse of the subtle changes in Uncle Hui's expression from the corner of his eye, Tao Tie became more and more certain of his judgment. It was definitely not normal for Uncle Hui to suddenly come to him for help. It is very likely that something happened to Jiaxuan and Minmin, and even the aunt may have been in trouble. The worry in Uncle Hui's eyes cannot be a disguised emotion. But it is definitely not as simple as being sick. So... who could have threatened Uncle Hui? Li Zeyuan? Tao Tie thought about it carefully. Whether it was his original self or him, the only person he had offended was Li Zeyuan, the wharf manager of the Shahe Gang.
If it was really Li Zeyuan who threatened Uncle Hui, what was the reason? Why did he have to trick him out of the missionary house through Uncle Hui? Discovered that three gold bars, ten silver ingots and seventeen strings of copper coins were stolen from the insurance vault? Or did you discover that the Five Ghosts once moved the statue of Wutong Evil God? Or because of something else? Thinking this in his mind, Tao Tie slowed down his pace little by little. There was no way he would leave the missionary house without finding out the details of the matter. The previous gesture of concern was to test what had happened to Uncle Hui and what he was planning now. The human heart is subtle and dark, difficult to understand. Fighting with fear, as if facing an abyss, as if walking on thin ice. Uncle Hui kept walking with his head down. He didn't observe Tao Tie's expression, nor did he notice that Tao Tie had slowed down his pace without making a sound. He has been immersed in his own emotions, worry, fear, mood, guilt, and panic! He didn't know if he would harm his best friend if he really did what Li Zeyuan told him! He didn't know that after doing something wrong against his conscience, not only would his best friend lose his life, but he would also be unable to save his wife and children! He didn't know if he would regret it for the rest of his life because he saved his wife and children but killed his best friend! He doesn't know a lot of big truths. But he knew that if he really did that, it would be wrong and he would definitely regret it! All of a sudden, a court regulation that a teacher had mentioned when he was taking literacy training in the outer courtyard of the missionary institute popped up in Uncle Hui’s mind. "Anyone who takes hostages shall be killed, and no one shall be allowed to redeem them with money or treasure, so as to open up a path for evil." So, if he really did this, even if he saved his wife and children, he would have killed his best friend, and his family would inevitably face the court's brutal accountability? Uncle Hui was never stupid. He took a deep breath, made a decision, stopped and said solemnly: "My dear, I'm sorry, I lied to you!" "Ok?" Tao Tie stopped and asked in confusion, "Uncle Hui, you lied to me? How did you lie to me?" Uncle Hui no longer pretended to be strong and calm, and completely exposed his vulnerability. His facial features were wrinkled into a ball, and his whole face was like a piece of paper that had been crumpled several times and then flattened. Tears rolled down his face, and he sobbed and cried: "Jiaxuan and Minmin are not sick! Jiaxuan was beaten half to death by that bastard Li Zeyuan, Minmin was kidnapped by Li Zeyuan, and your aunt is in a coma and her life or death is unknown. Li Zeyuan threatened me, saying that if I couldn't trick you into my house, he would kill your aunt, Jiaxuan and Minmin. If you dare to bring the missionary academy instructor to my house, he may not be able to kill your aunt and Jiaxuan, but Minmin who is taken away will definitely die! woo woo woo... My friend, I have no other choice but to come to you. My friend, help me, save them!" After he finished speaking, Uncle Hui couldn't hold it in any longer. He squatted down, put his hands on his knees, buried his head in his arms, and stopped sobbing, then burst into tears. Adults often collapse in a matter of moments. The helplessness and sadness of having no power to resist when his family was in trouble, and the guilt and remorse of having to go against his conscience and deceive Tao Tie to die for him, all of a sudden overwhelmed Uncle Hui, who had always been optimistic and serious about his life.
After listening to Uncle Hui's crying, Tao Tie was not surprised at all. At first, he thought there was something strange about this matter, but now it just confirms his guess. Li Zeyuan coerced Uncle Hui into tricking him into going there, and he insisted that he go alone. It was obvious that he wanted to kill him! What should I do? Be prudent and ignore it? The ancient Confucian sages said that a gentleman should not stand under a dangerous wall. According to this logic, there is no need to jump into the fire pit if we go to Uncle Hui's house now to save my aunt, Jiaxuan and Minmin, knowing that there will be great danger. Or should we ignore Li Zeyuan's threats, report the matter to the missionary academy, and ask the instructors there to intervene? If this is done, my aunt and Jiaxuan may be rescued, but Minmin, who was captured by Li Zeyuan, will most likely lose her life. Even if the subsequent instructors hunted Li Zeyuan to death, they could not get Minmin back. For a moment, faced with various choices, Tao Tie couldn't make up his mind. But time waits for no one. The longer it drags on, Li Zeyuan will definitely lose his patience, not to mention whether Jiaxuan, who was injured by Li Zeyuan and his aunt whose life or death is unknown in Uncle Hui's words, can hold on. Tao Tie must make a decision as soon as possible. Since Li Zeyuan dared to let Uncle Hui come to the missionary academy to deceive people, and required Tao Tie to go alone and not bring any teachers from the missionary academy, he must have some means to monitor the periphery of the missionary academy. Li Zeyuan would definitely be able to find out when Tao Tie left the missionary school and how many people left the missionary school. In this way, Li Zeyuan could push forward his trap and kill plan without having to face the teachers of the missionary academy, or if he found something wrong, he could immediately flee thousands of miles away and escape. Based on these circumstances, Tao Tie was caught in two human dilemmas. To go or not to go? Should I go alone, or should I ask the instructor to go with me? This is a problem. (End of this chapter)