Chapter 7, The Rainy Night Slaying of the Willow God
The violet-blue radiance faded, and Lu Bei suddenly discovered that it was actually a mirror. The mirror's surface was a deep blue, reminiscent of starlight, while the edges shimmered with a purple glow, akin to a dreamlike neon. The interplay of the two colors created a captivating spectacle that stirred the soul
The words of self-deprecation carry an indescribable sense of loneliness and helplessness, embodying a myriad of mixed emotions
This child has such a dim fate
"Husband..." A deep and tender call, akin to the blood weeping of the cuckoo, filled with sorrow and melancholy
The wild grass grows thickly, and the white snow lightly covers the graves. A middle-aged Taoist stands silently, his large sleeves flowing gracefully.
After a short while, Lu Bei stopped thinking about it, for no other reason than that it was too much to bear
A rich and fragrant aroma wafted in, and the middle-aged Taoist displayed a hint of nostalgia on his face. Unbeknownst to him, at some point, his eyes had begun to glisten with sparkling tears.
"You have exhausted your fate, Yu Daoren," an elderly man wearing a purple-gold Daoist crown said coldly
... ...
The middle-aged Taoist priest, with his hair disheveled and his robe stained with blood, knelt partially on the ground, coldly gazing at the surrounding enemies, his right hand tightly gripping a double fish jade pendant
"Chen Qingshan, what is it that you summon this deity for?" The hoarse voice, unclear in its emotions of joy or anger, echoed within the stone hall
The land of Bashu, Yuyang County
A series of doubts surged one after another in Lu Bei's mind
All the scenes transformed into slides, playing one after another before Lu Bei's eyes. To say it was playing would not be accurate; Lu Bei seemed to experience the life of another cultivator named Yu Qing as an observer.
"Do not even think about it..." A violent flash of light erupted, rocks shattered, and the sky darkened. As the smoke cleared, the middle-aged scholar and his companions wore grim expressions.
Although Lu Bei had no intention of seizing him, he still harbored the pedantic notion of accepting the consequences of his actions, yet ultimately felt a trace of gratitude towards the young man
ferry terminal
Lu Bei then donned a plain white garment to express his remembrance of his deceased parents
Well then, let's change our approach. According to the logic of a certain point in my past life, is it possible that there are unknown great powers at play, calculating everything behind the scenes
The mountain rain has fallen for three days, in the Bashan and Shu regions, the night rain is desolate
After a long while, in the Lu family's small house, Lu Bei opened his tightly shut eyes, his gaze unclear and murky, lost in thought.
Flowers bloom and wither, how shall eternity await me
An old Taoist shouted coldly, "Pursue him; he has shattered the great formation, and his spirit cannot escape far."
In front of the Lu family's window, a tall and elegant youth stands, clad in a plain white robe, with hair cascading diagonally over his shoulder, a green cord threading through his flowing locks, casually tied back.
Lu Bei raised his warm and jade-like palm, tilted his head, and gently drank the murky wine from the cup, then quietly gazed out at the night sky, lost in thought
As night fell and the rain gradually intensified, Lu Beiguan closed the window and intended to go to bed to rest. Suddenly, he felt a surge of unease in his heart, as if he were being targeted by a venomous snake
The boatman raised the slender bamboo pole, creating ripples that spread in circles, as the black awning boat silently drifted away into the misty distance
"Alright, alright, considering your years of devoted service to me, I will help you one last time. After this, I shall fall into a slumber for twenty years, and do not come to awaken me again." The deity interrupted Chen Qingshan with considerable impatience
The young man's delicate brows revealed a hint of reluctance, yet he ultimately steeled himself, stamped his foot, and commanded in a low voice: "Set sail"
"Hmm? This kind of thing again. Why don't you tell me, in the forty years since I arrived in Wuliu Village, how many times have I dealt with this for you?" the deity said in a low voice
Thank you, esteemed deity. This humble servant will devote himself to worship and gather incense for you. Chen Qingshan felt an overwhelming joy in his heart upon hearing the deity's response.
At the door of the room, a shadow of black mist writhed in the void, a ghostly figure with a hideous face, its gaping mouth wide open, a long tongue extending out, dripping with green slime
A gentle breeze swept by, as the deity sent Chen Qingshan's lingering soul out of the spiritual realm
"Respected deity, there is a young man from the village of Xilv with the surname Tong, who is arrogant and looks down on others. I implore the esteemed deity to take action and punish him." Chen Qingshan replied humbly with his head bowed
A long sigh escapes, the plum blossoms fall to the ground, trampled upon, scattered into the mud
The diamond-shaped crystal seemed to be stimulated by the white mist, spinning wildly, and then the twelve-faced crystal walls unfolded like the petals of a lotus flower, ultimately transforming into a circular object
"Father, do not leave me and mother..." A young girl with two horn-like braids waved her small arms, crying out to the back of a young man in his twenties, dressed in a linen robe and carrying a whisk.
Wuliu Village is named after the five willows, which is precisely because there are five towering weeping willows, lush and green, located by the banks of the Little Qing River at the eastern end of the village, near the Tu Shu.
barren mountain
The reason why Chen Qingshan is able to earn his current fortune is largely due to the guidance of this deity
Cemetery
What is the origin of this external tool, or rather, this spiritual treasure? How did it transform from a diamond-shaped crystal into a mirror? Is there also some reason for its ability to traverse here?
This deity was acquainted with Chen Qingshan during his youth, which can be attributed to the fateful connection of Chen Qingshan. By chance, while out, he found a double fish jade pendant in a river. After an unintentional prayer, he discovered that a deity had taken residence within it
In the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, the cold plum blossoms bloom beautifully. A middle-aged Taoist raises his finger, unleashing a sword qi, to pluck a branch of plum blossoms, and lowers his head to gently inhale their fragrance
This matter is unrelated to emotions; it is merely a form of reverence for life
The ghostly figure was also greatly astonished. However, it did not take it to heart; with a single leap, it charged towards Lu Bei with a speed that was as swift as lightning.
A beautiful young woman in a skirt made of coarse cloth tightly grasped the sleeve of the little girl, her eyes filled with tears, looking at the young man not far away with a gaze reminiscent of a pear blossom in the rain
Wuliu Village is situated by the mountains and water, characterized by its clear mountains and beautiful waters
Thus, with sincere offerings, the deities also bestow various supernatural phenomena.
It not only completely erases the soul of a ghostly immortal, transforming it into its original essence, but also extracts the memories from the obliterated soul layer by layer, imprinting the essence of its lifetime memories onto the host's mind in a projected manner
Lu Bei looked around more, and his mind became deeply immersed.
The intertwining of time and space creates a haze of uncertainty
I did not wish to trouble the esteemed deity, but this young man from the north of Lu is particularly detestable. Moreover, he has offended the county's chief clerk. If this old man does not remove him..." Upon hearing the displeasure in the deity's tone, Chen Qingshan hurriedly spoke to explain.
The deity sighed deeply and said in a hoarse voice: "A hundred years of ghostly and immortal existence ultimately amounts to nothing more than a mere struggle for survival. In the past, I sought the path of the sage in the mountains, yet now I find myself among mortals, seeking longevity, ha ha ... ... "
The emaciated old man called out three times in a low voice, and before him, a wave of black mist rose up. His body remained still, his mind in a daze, and his spirit had already appeared in a certain spiritual realm.
The mountain rain falls gently, creating small splashes on the surface of the Little Qing River. The hazy mist of rain drapes a thin veil over the tranquil Little Qing River, which remains still as if in a dream.
Then a chill of ominous intent surged towards his neck. Lu Beixin was startled, suddenly aware, and focused his gaze towards the direction of the door.
As one of the tributaries of the Mianshui River, the Xiaoqing River is particularly serene and tranquil, resembling a green jade belt entwining around Qinghe County
What kind of spiritual treasure is this? It is surprisingly domineering.
Two days ago, Lu Bei organized the clothing of his parents into a wooden box and built a grave for them in the form of a clothing mound in a wasteland to the west of the village
Not far away, an elderly woman with a stooped figure, supported by several young men and women, gazed complexly at the back of a middle-aged Taoist priest.
This is a small stone hall, spacious and tranquil within. A statue of a deity dressed in black sits high upon the table, its face obscured by a veil, making it difficult to discern its features
Lu Bei suddenly felt overwhelmed by a dazzling array of purple and blue light, causing a sense of dizziness.
Lu Bei instinctively closed his eyes, only to hear a tragic scream of "Ah." The ghostly figure, as if splashed with sulfuric acid, was enveloped in wisps of white smoke that rose, resembling the melting of early spring snow, gradually dissipating and disintegrating
As night fell, an old and stooped figure wearing a raincoat and a bamboo hat appeared by the Xiao Qing River, his eyes wandering and glancing around.
"Surrender the Jade Purity Talisman, and I shall allow your spirit to be reborn. Otherwise, both your form and spirit shall be annihilated," said the middle-aged scholar, lightly shaking his folding fan and smiling faintly.
Yuyang County is located at the confluence of the tributaries of the Yushui and Mianshui rivers. Due to abundant rainfall throughout the four seasons, the land within the county is extremely fertile. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it is a place of natural beauty and exceptional talent.
Snowflakes drift down from the sky, blanketing the earth. The world is vast and desolate, adorned in silver.
The middle-aged Taoist walked away through the snow, passing beneath a plum tree, stopping to conceal his light, and gazing up at the sky
A twelve-faced rhombic crystal appeared in an indescribable space, and three humanoid beams of white light uncontrollably directed towards the rhombic crystal, only to be crushed in an instant, transforming into swirling white mist
The five willow trees are approximately two to three hundred years old, seemingly existing since the establishment of Wuliu Village. Many elderly villagers, even in their childhood, played and frolicked under the willow trees.
Upon discovering that there was no sign of life in sight, I then slowly walked to the five large willow trees, cleared my throat, and softly called out: "Old man Chen Qingshan, I seek an audience with the esteemed deity"