The typhoon came as soon as it came, and it was still cloudless in the afternoon. At night, the rain fell from the clouds and pattered on the eaves. It rained all night, and by the early morning of the next day, it still didn't seem to be getting any lighter. Even the wild dogs were hiding under the house, afraid to poke their heads out. Liu Banxian pushed open the door, tucked the black cloth umbrella under his arm, and glanced at the gloomy sky. "got windy." "Yeah, it's going to be windy soon." Liu Banxian murmured, turned around, and saw Yin Xiu and Ma Xiaoyu also holding an umbrella, standing under the eaves on the other side. "Brother Yin, are you going to have breakfast?" "I've already had breakfast, I just went for a walk." "walk?"
Liu Banxian stretched out a hand, which was immediately wet by the pouring raindrops. After a pause, he smiled and said: "Brother Yin, Miss Ma, this is my family matter. I'm sorry that you are so concerned." "Are you embarrassed too?" Ma Xiaoyu glanced at him and said, "I thought Liu Banxian was the most shameless in the world." "It doesn't seem like you're scolding me." Liu Banxian scratched his head, "Then you two really went with me? I am determined to get back my Liu family's ancestral magic weapon, the [Mountain and River Splendid Ruler] on this trip." When he stayed at the inn before, Liu Banxian had determined that the treasure was indeed the Liu family's demon-suppressing ruler through the seal's ability to gather information. Yin Xiu grinned, "I will gain more knowledge." "how about you?" Liu Banxian looked at Ren Qi who had followed him out at some point. "Join in the fun and watch the fun." Ren Qi said. …… Tianshi Dao, it seems, is similar to those local sects and altars, and is not valued by orthodox Taoists. This kind of organization is sometimes just the belief of a dozen families in a small town or even a village. The leaders of such organizations may be called Taoist priests, or they may be mysterious figures such as witches and divine men. However, Tianshi Dao is really not a small organization in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas. On the contrary, the local monks and Dao have been greatly suppressed by them and have become a niche existence. It is said that there are three heavenly masters in Tianshi Dao who are responsible for rescuing people in danger and educating the people. "Even the Maoshan Sect has only one Celestial Master, but there are actually three Celestial Masters." Speaking of this, Ma Xiaoyu couldn't help but feel a little funny, her shoulders shook, and she pushed Yin Xiu on one side out into the rain.
Yin Xiu wiped the raindrops on her shoulders, "How else can we say it is the Celestial Master's Way? I thought they must at least be Celestial Masters from top to bottom to be majestic." "With so many people, can they be conferred?" Ma Xiaoyu blinked. "What's so hard about this?" Yin Xiu smiled and said: "Some people can be masters of mahjong, and some can be masters of sweeping floors and masters of cooking. Is it difficult?" "So, you are the Umbrella Master?" Yin Xiu was helpless, "Who told you not to hold an umbrella when you go out?" "Ho?" Ma Xiaoyu grabbed the pendant by her ear and glanced at him, "Why, I asked you to hold an umbrella, but you don't want to?" Yin Xiu pursed her lips, "I definitely wouldn't want to do it in the past, but today is the day when you, the Ma family Celestial Master, go to meet those three pheasant Celestial Masters. It would be too shameful if the Celestial Master had to hold an umbrella by himself when he went out. .” "Hmph, count you acquainted!" Ma Xiaoyu got closer to him again. They were not the only ones on the road in the pouring rain right now. In addition to walking separately and pretending not to know them, Liu Banxian and Ren Qi were walking in front. There were already three or five people on the street, some holding umbrellas or wearing raincoats. They were not in any hurry in the rain. They just walked slowly, obviously not in a hurry to take shelter from the rain. From time to time, carriages wrapped tightly in tarpaulins passed by on the road, causing a flurry of panicked footsteps and curses. It seems that there are many devout believers going to Tianshi Dao. The few people no longer had to look for or ask for directions, they just followed the crowd slowly and walked forward without any hurry or delay. No need to look around, they just looked like local believers now, no longer causing suspicion or curiosity to others. After walking for a while, an archway appeared in front. Several people were wearing Taoist robes and holding umbrellas to welcome the believers under the archway. Most of the people are already familiar with those "Taoist priests", and when greeting each other, both parties will say a few common things, and the atmosphere is quite warm. When Yin Xiu and Ma Xiaoyu walked forward, several Taoist priests couldn't help but froze for a moment and cast their gazes at them. This was unexpected by Yin Xiu. When Liu Banxian and Ren Qi came forward, the Taoist priest seemed to want to question them. However, Ren Qi gave them a cold look and Liu Banxian behaved like a rich man, so the other party thought it was a rich man from out of town who came to visit with his bodyguards, and did not dare to stop them. Obviously, the young couple Yin Xiu and Ma Xiaoyu are quite out of place here. It is not that there are no young people here, but there has never been a pair as outstanding and eye-catching as them. A Taoist priest came forward, his words polite but his eyes wary.
"You two, is this your first time here?" Yin Xiu nodded, "This is my first time here. I thought that the way of the Heavenly Master is quite effective, so I wanted to come and admire the demeanor of the Heavenly Master." "So, you two are no longer members of our religion?" Another Taoist priest also came up and looked at Yin Xiu. At this time, Ma Xiaoyu had moved her face slightly towards Yin Xiu and asked him with her eyes without anyone noticing. Yin Xiu shook his head slightly, and then said to the Taoist priest: "Actually, we came here because we heard that the Celestial Master of Celestial Master Tao can eliminate disasters and cure diseases for people, which is quite effective." "What's the disease? I see you two are radiant." Another person added: "I think brother, you are a little short of energy and blood, and your feet are floating. It is obviously kidney water..." Before the Taoist priest could finish speaking, he was stopped by his companions, and several of them cast understanding looks at Yin Xiu. "Ugh!" Yin Xiu sighed and hugged Ma Xiaoyu's shoulders, "Actually, to be honest with the immortal masters, we have been married for several years and have been childless. As for me, I am a single descendant of the sixth generation. I work day and night and work hard. I haven't made any progress in several years, so how can I not feel sad and heartbroken?
There are three kinds of unfilial piety, the greatest is not having an offspring! How can I be worthy of my ancestors and fellow villagers? " Yin Xiu said that her eyes were red and she was about to burst into tears. Ma Xiaoyu clenched her teeth on one side, clenched her fists, her face turned pale, and she looked very sad. “Oh, we all understand, we all understand!” Several Taoist priests were moved by this, nodded repeatedly, and quickly gave way to the way. "You two, please come in, the Heavenly Master will definitely solve your problems. If you worship the Heavenly Master this year, next year you will have two children in three years, and you will have hundreds of children and thousands of grandchildren!" "Thank you!" Yin Xiu wiped the corners of her eyes, nodded to several people, hugged Ma Xiaoyu and walked in. "Hey, you poor man." The Taoist priests shook their heads repeatedly. "It's a hard life, is it hard? I think you were quite happy just now." Ma Xiaoyu suddenly laughed softly, revealing a smile that sent shivers down Yin Xiu's spine. Yin Xiu quickly pretended to comfort her and grabbed her elbow, "I also have my own reasons. I can't help myself when I come out." "You can't help yourself," Ma Xiaoyu squeezed out the words through her teeth, "Next time, how about changing the excuse?" "What's the reason?" "It's just that you're dying and you're here to ask for some magic medicine?" Ma Xiaoyu said. Yin Xiu grinned, "But I don't look like the kind of short-lived person." "Not like that? If you keep making things up like this and running off the train with your mouth full, it will be true soon." Ma Xiaoyu said with a smile. In this way, the two of them followed the flow of people into the altar in a rather warm and pleasant atmosphere. It is said to be an altar, but it is actually just a courtyard similar to an ancestral hall. There are screen walls, high walls, and several platforms raised at the corners, with water flowing down.
In the front hall, there are several girls who are quite exquisitely dressed and wearing yellow flowers on their heads. They are giving flowers to people. It was some kind of small yellow flower that resembled a morning glory or a chrysanthemum, just like the ones those girls wore on their heads. This is probably some kind of mark, not decoration. Women wear it in their ears, while men wear it on their chests. "I wonder if there will be any problems with these flowers?" Ma Xiaoyu whispered. Yin Xiu didn't take it seriously, "You don't like flowers?" "In Malaysia, yellow flowers are only used when visiting graves." Ma Xiaoyu rolled her eyes. "It's not just Malaysia that's like this." Yin Xiu grinned. The two of them followed the flow of people to another place and finally entered a lobby. The hall is quite large and looks like a martial arts arena that can accommodate hundreds of people. There are no other decorations except the gods, Buddhas and immortals carved on the walls. Even the feet are just loess instead of bluestone. As soon as they entered the door, several people in robes motioned for everyone to sit by the walls on both sides, leaving a large space in the middle. Yin Xiu and Ma Xiaoyu pretended to be casual and sat down behind Liu Banxian and Ren Qi. "This girl, the man is on the left and the woman is on the right, please sit over there." A Taoist priest said. "Then why didn't they sit over?" Ma Xiaoyu pointed to the women sitting next to the men here. "They are husband and wife, and husband and wife can sit together." "So are we." Ma Xiaoyu hugged Yin Xiu's arm. "Okay, excuse me then." It wasn't until the Taoist priest walked away that Ma Xiaoyu straightened up and sat down with satisfaction. "I'm not taking advantage of you this time." Yin Xiu said. "Why, do you think you have suffered a loss?" Ma Xiaoyu glanced at him. "No, my grandma told me that for a man, suffering is a blessing." Yin Xiu spread his hands. After the four of them sat down, the others probably sat in the positions designated by the Taoist priests, splitting up left and right, either crossing their legs or kneeling on their knees, which was quite pious. "Okay! Is everyone here?" With a strong male voice, the man who accosted them on the pier yesterday appeared again. He did not wear a Taoist robe like others, but only wore a linen vest, showing his strong muscles, and a necklace hanging around his neck. Like the pattern on the back, it was an inverted Bagua. This is the emblem of Tianshi Dao, which gives off a strange and extremely uncoordinated feeling. As soon as he appeared, everyone called him "Senior Brother Chen", and some people whispered his real name - Chen Tianyou. "Lower your head." Yin Xiu said from behind Ren Qi.
"Why?" Ren Qi turned his head over, his face full of confusion. Yin Xiu glanced at him and said, "Why else? Yesterday I had such an argument with someone on the pier that it almost reached heaven, but today I can repent and become a Buddha immediately?" "But isn't this the case in Buddhist stories? Yesterday, he was full of evil and murderous people, but this morning he became a good person. These deeds are everywhere." "Do you believe those stories?" "Yes, I read them all as novels." So Ren Qi lowered his head and pretended to think seriously so that Chen Tianyou wouldn't recognize him. At this moment, Ren Qi had wrapped all the six swords he always carried in a package, which looked more like a bamboo mat or pillow. He lowered his head. Not to mention that they had only met him once, but even if they knew him, I'm afraid He's good enough to be able to pick him out from the crowd. After settling Ren Qi, Yin Xiu sat back and listened carefully to Chen Tianyou's words. After hearing everyone greeting him one after another, Chen Tianyou looked calm and just waved his hands to signal them to quiet down. "Everyone, today is the sacred day of our Celestial Master Tao every month. It is a big day when the three Celestial Masters give blessings and lectures to the congregation, believers, and disciples. Please pay attention to it, actively participate, and treat your illnesses. , clear your doubts, otherwise if you miss this opportunity, you may not be able to catch it next time." These words sparked another commotion in the crowd, and someone was obviously ready to step out of the crowd to ask for help. Chen Tianyou signaled everyone not to worry, then took out a name card from his pocket and read it loudly. "I respectfully invite you to take charge of the Heavenly Thunder, the great heavenly master who rewards good and punishes evil, the great master Zhang Tianling of Lingbaoshan!" "I respectfully request the Great Celestial Master who is invulnerable to water and fire, who can move mountains and fill the sea, and the Great Master who looks up at Qingcheng Mountain!" "I respectfully invite the Great Celestial Master of Yin Yang Yuxing, who can penetrate the sky and the earth, the Great Master Zhang Fengyang of Mingjing Mountain!" As soon as the words fell, sharp suona sounds sounded everywhere, followed by intensive drum beats and huqin sounds, mixed with the low tones of copper bells, forming a magnificent and sacred music sound that made people's hearts beat wildly and their eardrums tremble. Amidst the sound of music, three Taoists wearing apricot-yellow robes appeared in the clouds and mist. In fact, what is even more surprising is that these three people are not standing, but sitting on a Taishi chair. And they are not alone. Behind them, there is a boy holding a canopy as big as a millstone, and two virgins holding cattail fans, each of them has the style of an immortal and the style of a god. They came floating in the clouds, and the believers below went crazy, kowtowing and worshiping them. Beside Yin Xiu, several old men kowtowed their heads loudly, repeatedly murmuring spells they learned from nowhere, and they were very excited. "What kind of trick is this?" Liu Banxian asked in surprise. "I don't know." Yin Xiu shook his head. Ma Xiaoyu was also watching in a daze. Even the priests in Kunlun did not act like this. (End of chapter)