Chapter 159 Funeral "Master!" "Master!" Many Taoists rushed into the Moving Mountain Hall. The old Taoist was seen sitting cross-legged. Apart from lowering his head, there was nothing unusual about him as usual. His hair and beard were clean, his face was ruddy and he seemed to be smiling, but his vitality and Taoist ability had quickly faded. "Master!" Everyone was originally happy, but suddenly this happened and they were unable to react and didn't know what to do. Only the eldest brother seemed to have known it for a long time. He was the calmest and said immediately: "Don't panic, fourth brother, please ask your friends to go to Xianyuan Temple and invite Taoist Wangjizi to come!" "Yes! Go and invite Taoist Wangjizi!" "it is good!" The fourth brother ran out quickly.
With the sound of a bamboo flute, a falcon came and flew to Xianyuan Temple with a letter. According to the local custom, when someone dies, the most respected person among relatives, friends, and neighbors is invited to preside over the funeral affairs. When the master passed away, the first person everyone thought of was Taoist Wangjizi. Looking at the Mountain Moving Hall at this time, the eldest brother had also learned the skill of recognizing people and knowing their fate. He probably already knew it, so he was the calmest. The second brother was calm by nature, and he also calmed down quickly. He just walked forward and tidied up the Taoist robe and appearance for the master. The third brother just sighed, and the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh brothers who walked back to the Mountain Moving Hall all felt it was sudden and stood there at a loss. The junior sister stood at the entrance of the hall with a dazed look on her face. Lin Jue couldn't help but sigh. "Brothers and sisters, there is no need to be sad. Master knew this would happen. You and I have also sensed it in our hearts. Why should we shed tears?" The eldest brother said, "It is time to act." Everyone turned to look at him. Lin Jue was in a trance and had some of the same feelings as when he first came up the mountain. At that time, he and his junior sister were restless and at a loss. The eldest senior brother was the same and found a lot of things for the two of them to do. It happens to be in this Moving Mountain Hall. Then I heard the eldest brother say: "Second Junior Brother, go write a letter and inform all the uncles and old friends of Master. Third Junior Brother, take some gifts and go to the mountains to ask the birds and spirits to help deliver the letter. The road is not easy to find, so please ask them to take care of it." The second and third brothers went out. "Fourth and fifth junior brothers, go and carry out the master's coffin and clean it. Sixth and seventh junior brothers, sweep the yard and decorate the Taoist temple." The eldest senior brother paused and said, "If you don't know how to decorate it, wait for Taoist Master Wangjizi to come and ask him when he comes." "it is good!" "Junior brothers and sisters, you guys will prepare the vegetarian meal." After the eldest brother finished speaking, he looked at the cat waiting outside, "I'll go and greet the fourth aunt first." "understood." Lin Jue patted his junior sister's shoulder. The junior sister turned around with a dazed look on her face, followed him, walked out of the gate of the Moving Mountain Hall, and turned back to look. However, after taking only two steps and passing the door, she could no longer see the scene in the hall. Lin Jue's mood was complicated and difficult to describe. This is my fifth year going up the mountain.
Since coming to this world, the elder with whom I have spent the longest time is undoubtedly this master, and his character and the way he treats me are impeccable. As for the relationship between me and him, it is probably better than that between my uncle, aunt, and cousin. However, in such a hurry, if I say that my heart was filled with sorrow, it was not like that. Instead, I felt more of a dull reluctance and regret. I don’t know if it was because I was prepared or if it happened so suddenly that I didn’t react. I don’t know what my junior sister is like. But what she knew was that the master was probably the first person in this world who was kind to her. "Canopy..." A fire started in the stove. Taoist Master Wangjizi of Xianyuan Temple arrived here in just a short time. Looking at the Taoist Master Yunhe who had already passed away, he did not say anything, but calmly directed the fellow brothers in the temple to follow local customs and Taoist rules, and made choices according to the Taoist's temperament, and took care of the funeral affairs for his master with all his heart. Other Taoists from Xianyuan Temple arrived later, followed by the Danding Sect Taoists from Jiulong Temple, whom Lin Jue had never seen before, and then the Taoists from other Taoist temples in Yishan, whom they had hardly ever seen before. Wild animals from the mountains came and stood at the gate or jumped onto the walls and eaves to watch the inside of the temple. Birds also came, most of them landed on the roofs, and some stood on the pines in the courtyard to see the Taoist off. There were also many mountain spirits and monsters coming. There is a cool breeze lingering around the beams, reluctant to leave for a long time. The eldest senior brother took care of them. No matter what they were thinking and feeling at the moment, they were all hidden in this small kitchen. The busy senior brothers in the yard, the guests who arrived one after another, the hurried footsteps and the different voices of conversation and discussion seemed to be blocked outside. Another colorful cat ran into the kitchen, jumped into the arms of the little sister and nestled in her arms, as if to accompany and comfort her. The fox was also beside Lin Jue. After a long time, he heard the junior sister call him: "Senior brother." Lin Jue was cooking vegetarian food. He looked up at her and saw that her expression was still dull, but her eyes were clear. She scratched her head and asked him, "Tell me, am I dreaming?" …… The wake lasts seven days. It is not for chanting sutras to pray for the soul to return, nor for following worldly etiquette to show outsiders the disciples' filial piety to their master, but simply to wait for the old friend to come. Within seven days, the seven uncles returned one after another. There was the second uncle that Lin Jue had met, and there were also six uncles that he had never met before. The farthest one was thousands of miles away, but he managed to rush back within a few days. Seven days later, the coffin was carried up the mountain. After leaving Fuqiu Temple and walking up the mountain, there is an inconspicuous path that does not lead to the top of the mountain, but to a forest on the back mountain. There are already many tombs here. The new ones can still be seen as tombs, but the old ones have long become an uneven ground. This is the burial place of the ancestors of Fuqiu Temple. A noisy mountain wind blew the clear sound of blowing and beating far away, and the disciples carried the coffin away. There were many pairs of eyes watching silently in the woods on both sides, and countless birds were perched on the treetops on both sides, accompanying them as they walked step by step towards this place. A dozen cats also followed in a long line behind them.
“This is it.” The eldest brother pointed to an ordinary grave mound covered with green grass in front of him. The mountain gate had been opened, and there was only a square hole inside. “This was built by Master himself.” Seeing his calm expression, Lin Jue couldn't help but wonder, will he build one for himself in a few years? "Drop the coffin!" Taoist Wangjizi shouted. Many disciples carefully carried the coffin over, but just as they were about to put it down, something strange happened - No matter what, the coffin could not be put down. "Ok?" "what happened?" "Master, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?" Everyone was a little confused. Lin Jue was also one of the people who were carrying the coffin. At this moment, he felt that the coffin weighed a thousand pounds and was also supported by a thousand pounds from the ground. He could neither lift it up nor put it down. "Puff puff..." A crow flew over and landed on the eldest brother's shoulder. Lin Jue recognized that it was the one that had led him and his junior sister to Xianyuan Temple. Just when everyone was puzzled, they suddenly heard movement in the forest behind them. Looking back, they saw an old monk in a dusty gray robe running towards them against the steep slope and stepping on the treetops. The old monk looked sad and tired, yet in a hurry. "My old brother..." As soon as he landed on the ground, he immediately held the coffin and cried, his voice extremely sad. With a bang, the coffin fell to the ground. "I see……" Lin Jue looked at the old monk and knew what was going on. This should be the old friend that Master traveled thousands of miles to see after attending the Qiyun Mountain Grand Ceremony and knowing that he did not have much time left, right? The old monk's voice became more and more sad. Everyone seemed to be infected by it, and emotions of sorrow and grief surged forth, with everyone shedding tears. …… The snow in Yishan melted away in just a few days. Taoist Master Wangjizi, his fellow Taoists from Xianyuan Temple, and Taoists from various Taoist temples in Yishan have left one after another, and the uncle masters are about to leave too. “Those of us who practice Taoism, although we have not yet achieved true enlightenment, can also transcend life and death. Coming and going are the same, the true nature is clear, the wind blows away the clouds, the moon is in the blue sky, but we die in a dream, there is nothing great about it.” The Second Uncle said to the young Taoists in a rough voice: "Brother, the important matter has been settled. We will not stay any longer and will leave. We have written down on paper where the uncles live and cultivate. I have been wandering for most of my life. Last year, I also found a Taoist temple and planned to accept a disciple to live there in peace until I die. When you settle down, you can send us a letter. At least we know where each other is. Even if we don't visit each other, we can help each other if there is something."
"understood." "You also need to practice well." said the second uncle. "Jiangnan is still fine, but the outside world has been in chaos for a long time. You must be careful and protect yourself." said the third uncle. "You must remember the balance of yin and yang, and don't follow your master's old path." Fourth Uncle warned. "Alas, why bother to strive for such a high level of Taoism? Live a good life, a hundred years is better than a thousand years, and it can also be considered as cultivation." The fifth uncle is a woman, and she said with a sigh. "..." Several uncle-masters came down the mountain one after another and gave some instructions. Finally, it was the good friend of the master when he was young, called Master Mingxiang. He put his hands together and said to the crowd, "I am living and practicing in Qingji Temple in Fuguang County, Lingnan. If you come to Lingnan, you can come and find me." "Senior, walk slowly." "Amitabha." The last guest left. Only the fellow disciples were left in Fuqiu Temple. "Ugh……" The eldest brother sighed and said, "My fellow brothers, don't be anxious. Stay with me for a while longer on the mountain. I will be the only one left here after you leave." "it is good." Many fellow disciples agreed. So I stayed with him on the mountain for a while, and when the temperature in the mountains gradually warmed up, it was finally time to say goodbye. "My fellow disciples, although it is difficult to go down the mountain, Master has prepared some ways out for you." The eldest brother looked lonely and took out some things that looked like deeds and letters. "Master and his uncles have found four Taoist temples and two monasteries, a total of six places, which can be used as places for cultivation, settlement, and to recruit disciples. You can choose and divide them among yourselves." Everyone took it and checked it silently. Taoist temples are generally larger, while Buddhist temples are smaller, and most temples have a specific deity as their main deity, so the choices are narrower, but it is also less troublesome. Taoist temples can accept disciples, temples are suitable for settling down, Taoist temples are suitable for spiritual practice, and temples are suitable for retirement. But there are only six in total. "You guys make your choice. I'm destined to follow Second Uncle's path and enjoy life in the martial arts world. After you make your choice, I'll make a note of it. When I'm near you, I'll come find you." Third Brother had long since gotten over his sadness and said in a carefree manner, "When you get there, write down all the good food, drinks and fun things to do there, so that when I get there, I won't leave you without a place to have fun." Lin Jue also stood there, with his hands hanging down and motionless. The junior sister was the youngest and didn't know what to do, so she could only look at him quietly. The eldest senior brother also looked at Lin Jue. (End of this chapter)