6kv Chapter 76 The dragon is a symbol of emperors~
Chapter 76 The dragon is a symbol of emperors~
Chapter 76 The Dragon is a Symbol of Emperors~ (First Update 6600 words)
Songtao Pavilion, second floor, Tianzi Room, Snowfield Room.
The table was covered with steaming dishes, their aroma almost tangible, forcefully penetrating everyone's nostrils.
It smells so good!
The four people in the room remained silent, with only the crisp sound of chopsticks and bowls clattering together. They buried their heads in their food, eating voraciously as if they hadn't eaten in three lifetimes.
Lu Yuan did the same, shoveling rice into his mouth and eating the golden, crispy meat rolls, his mouth dripping with oil.
Song Yan's words just now did make him feel uneasy.
but!
In a flash, Lu Yuan understood.
That's not how it's done!
Song Yan may not have been lying; that so-called pre-selected list may actually exist.
Lu Yuan had no idea how Song Yan, a disciple of a Celestial Venerable, had access to such a highly confidential list.
Even if Song Yan is a disciple of Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable.
But—it shouldn't be something Song Yan could know.
Perhaps Song Yan saw it by chance while helping Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable pack his things?
Lu Yuan didn't know, but it didn't matter; Lu Yuan was still willing to believe Song Yan.
This senior brother is really fine except for talking a lot!
Furthermore, even if such a list exists, it doesn't mean that the people on the list cannot be changed!
The best example is Shen Shulan!
When Lu Yuan gave Shen Shulan this list, he directly mentioned the matter of the Heavenly Venerable.
Shen Shulan did not refute this, which made it very clear that she did indeed want to go after the Heavenly Venerable!
But you should know that before this, she was a young Taoist priest with little experience and had absolutely no chance.
A list compiled ten years ago would never have included a sixteen-year-old girl.
Therefore, the list can definitely be changed!
The irrefutable evidence is Shen Shulan's father, Shen Jizhou's, recent exertion of power!
They forcibly changed the timing of the Celestial Master Ceremony from before the Luotian Grand Ritual to after it.
This extra month is for Shen Shulan to eliminate more nurturing grounds and accumulate enough prestige!
All for the sake of running for the Heavenly Venerable!
Otherwise, there's absolutely no reason to reverse the order between these two!
Therefore, this list can still be changed!
It's not that once something is decided, it's decided!
Of course, Lu Yuan believed that Song Yan had not lied to him.
but----
Song Yan thought Lu Yuan was on the first level, while he himself was on the fifth level.
In reality, Song Yan was only on the second floor, while Lu Yuan was on the fifth floor.
After all, the root of all the current turbulent events in Fengtian City lies with Lu Yuan!
Lu Yuan knew and understood far more than Song Yan.
Once I figured this out, my appetite returned instantly.
Again!
Human determination can conquer nature!
Of the four, only Song Yan had eaten some dry food in the morning, while Lu Yuan and the other two had not eaten or drunk anything for a day and a night.
Faced with the delicious food at Fengtian First Restaurant, I almost swallowed my tongue.
In just over ten minutes, all the dishes on the table were gone.
Finally, each of them downed a bottle of orange soda and let out a satisfying burp.
"Dequan, settle the score!"
Lu Yuan greeted him.
Dequan, who had just entered the room, was stunned when he saw the spotless plates.
These guys are really hungry!
Lu Yuan was about to take out his money, but Song Yan stopped him, insisting that he pay for it.
The two were about to have a falling out over who should pay.
Dequan quickly came over, his face beaming with smiles.
-
"Oh dear, young master, how could I possibly accept your money!"
Lu Yuan waved his hand, his attitude resolute.
"One thing at a time, calculate it however you need to, otherwise you won't be able to account for it properly."
Song Yan, who was standing next to him, immediately straightened his back and loudly echoed.
"that is!"
"It's not like I can't afford such a small amount!"
"Hurry up, I'm from Tianlong Temple!"
Upon hearing this, Dequan immediately formed a plan in his mind.
Since it's not your nephew who's giving the money, there's no need to be polite.
He picked up the bill and glanced at it, then, in an extremely tricky and bizarre angle, bypassed Lu Yuan's outstretched hand.
He shoved the bill into Song Yan's arms with lightning speed.
"Yes, sir."
"Three hundred and eighty!"
Song Yan held the bill, his expression freezing.
"6
""
「イ亍」
Song Yan reluctantly paid the money, and the group got up to leave.
Upon seeing this, Dequan'er's heart skipped a beat, and he became anxious.
"?"
"Young Master, are you leaving already?"
"Why don't you rest here for a while? There's a genuine Errenzhuan performance in the lobby later."
"Let me get you some melon seeds and brew you a pot of good tea. We'll watch from the second floor; the view is fantastic!"
Those two ladies haven't arrived yet!
I just sent Fuquan to invite someone. If they arrive but my nephew has disappeared, I'll be skinned alive!
Lu Yuan, however, was completely unaware, waving his hand as he walked out.
-
"I'm not watching anymore, I have important business to attend to later."
Dequan'er became even more anxious, practically following Lu Yuan around asking questions.
"Young Master, where are you headed? Are you going home tonight?"
This question has crossed the line, but I can't not ask it!
When the lady arrived later, the young nephew was nowhere to be seen, and he couldn't say for sure where he had gone.
Then I'm truly doomed!
Lu Yuan didn't think much of Dequan's words, taking it as just a casual, enthusiastic question.
Lu Yuan casually replied, "Of course I went back, probably around ten o'clock at night."
What Song Yan just said did not discourage Lu Yuan at all.
On the contrary, it made Lu Yuan even more eager to try!
Lu Yuan originally planned to just leave for today, have a meal, take a bath, and then go back to Aunt Qiao'er's house for a long nap.
We'll talk about it tomorrow.
Now!
After taking a bath, I headed straight to the old city of Fengtian to investigate the true nature of that place of nurturing evil spirits!
Have someone buy it first thing tomorrow morning, and we'll go that evening!
It was a little after 8 p.m. at Huiquan Pool.
The group walked out in high spirits, their bodies radiating heat.
Lu Yuan bowed to Song Yan.
"Senior brother, farewell. You don't need to arrange accommodations; we have a place to stay."
"We have other things to do, so we won't keep you any longer."
Seeing Lu Yuan's eager and energetic appearance, Song Yan shook his head helplessly.
have to.
All my earnest advice just now was for nothing.
This junior brother didn't hear a single word.
Count the birds, count the birds.
Life and death are preordained, wealth and honor are determined by fate; let it be.
Song Yan only asked one last question out of curiosity: "Are you all busy again now?"
"Doesn't that mean there's a place for raising evil spirits within Fengtian City?"
Lu Yuan simply grinned at this, without saying a word.
Seeing his expression, Song Yan could only shrug.
"Alright, alright, junior brother, take care. Our Tianlong Temple is staying at Beihua Tower. If you need anything, come find us there."
"I apologize for any offense I may have caused in the past, but we are ultimately from the same origin, so let's not dwell on the past."
Lu Yuan still has a good impression of this senior brother.
after all----
Songtao Pavilion costs 380 yuan, Huiquan Pond costs 46 yuan, totaling 426 yuan. Tonight, all expenses will be paid by Young Master Song.
Especially the 380s at Songtao Pavilion!
damn it!!
Can Aunt Qiao'er's restaurant stay open or not?!
Damn it, is that eating dragon meat?!
They dare ask for 380?!
Thankfully, De Quanjing didn't hand the bill to Lu Yuan, but gave it to Song Yan instead.
otherwise----
Otherwise, Lu Yuan really wouldn't have been able to produce 380 yuan!
I only have about two hundred yuan in my pocket, and I still need to buy all sorts of things for my skills!
Lu Yuan immediately cupped his hands in greeting: "Take care, Senior Brother."
After watching Song Yan leave, Lu Yuan turned to look at Xu Erxiao and Wang Chengan beside him.
"How are you? Not sleepy anymore?"
The two were full of energy at the moment, patting their chests and drinking.
"Not sleepy, not tired!"
"After a day of sleep, a good meal, and a nice bath, I feel great!"
Lu Yuan grinned.
"Shall we walk?"
"Let's go!"
Beihualou, the largest hotel in Fengtian City, was originally built by Russian merchants and later acquired by the Bailu Chamber of Commerce, where it has been in operation ever since.
After returning from Huiquan Pond, Song Yan went straight here.
Tianlong Temple has leased an independent courtyard in Beihua Tower.
As soon as Song Yan stepped into the courtyard, before he could even speak, the indifferent voice of Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable rang in his ears.
"You're back?"
-
"Did you tell him about the list?"
The list of Celestial Venerables is definitely not something Song Yan could know.
Song Yan only learned about this from Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable today; he had never known such a thing existed before.
When Song Yangang found out today, he was also extremely shocked.
So the so-called Celestial Venerable of today was already determined ten years ago.
The whole process, the grand ceremony, was nothing more than a group of people putting on a show and going through the motions.
Song Yan was startled by the sudden sound.
Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw their master shirtless, holding a wooden sword in the freezing cold.
He was practicing sword moves at a leisurely pace, his body radiating heat.
"I told you, I told you."
Song Yan nodded repeatedly.
Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable could see that his junior disciple was a stubborn fool who wouldn't turn back until he hit a brick wall.
After all, he had already made it clear to Lu Yuan by the river today that this place of nurturing evil spirits was very dangerous, but Lu Yuan still had to go.
He didn't want to interfere anymore, but considering his one-in-a-million talent and that he was his junior brother's only disciple, he couldn't bear to do it in the end.
So, after thinking it over, Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable told Song Yan about it.
They wanted Song Yan to reveal the "heavenly secret" in the hopes that he would back down.
"However, Lu Yuan didn't seem to care at all. Before we parted, he went off to the next place to raise evil spirits."
Song Yan shrugged slightly, somewhat helplessly.
Upon hearing this, Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable sighed softly, shook his head, and continued wielding his wooden sword.
"Never mind, let him be."
"I have said all I need to say as your teacher, and I have a clear conscience."
Song Yan didn't say anything more, but simply took out two crumpled bills from his pocket and handed them over.
"Master, I spent five hundred yuan today!"
Crane-Patrolling Celestial Venerable: "????"
He stopped what he was doing, turned around abruptly, and stared wide-eyed.
"You fucking ate dragon meat?!"
Seeing his master's skill in this state, Er Yan held up a finger, shook it, and then shook his head, saying, "~".
"Master, you mustn't say such things!"
"The dragon is a symbol of emperors~"
Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable:
"???"
The next second, Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable, wielding a wooden sword, roared, "I'll whip you to death, you little brat!!"
Around 9 p.m., the snow in Fengtian City finally stopped.
The snow was thick and crunchy underfoot, making a particularly clear sound in the quiet old town.
Lu Yuan and his two companions did not ride horses on this trip.
The three fast horses belonging to Aunt Qiao'er's family were quietly led away by that old man, Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable.
Okay, actually, when Lu Yuan and the other two got out of the car, they forgot that their horse was gone!
We can only wait until tomorrow to find it.
After all, three fast horses cost a fortune.
After about nine and a half hours, the three arrived at their destination.
A dilapidated gatehouse stood in the snowy night; this was Chunmeng Garden.
Large patches of paint had peeled off the blue brick doorposts, curling up with charred edges, giving them a deathly appearance in the moonlight.
Lu Yuan looked up.
The three gilded characters "Chunmengyuan" on the plaque have long since faded and lost their luster, with the gold powder almost completely peeling off, revealing the rotten and blackened wood underneath.
Xu Erxiao squatted down three inches outside the threshold, following the rules.
He took out three sticks of specially made yin-testing incense, their fragrance tinged with a reddish hue.
This is the old rule; one must not directly enter the inauspicious land before thoroughly investigating it.
Of course, Lu Yuan already knew the real situation.
There was no red warning, meaning there was nothing inside that could threaten Lu Yuan.
Speaking of which, ever since Lu Yuan advanced to the Celestial Master realm, the whole world has felt much quieter.
I used to see things waving in front of my eyes all the time.
But now, there are far fewer.
However, we must not be complacent; even a lion will use its full strength when training with a rabbit.
Just like those seven fierce creatures at the bottom of the river today.
The system did not issue a red warning because their strength was not yet sufficient to pose a fatal threat to Lu Yuan.
However, even so, Lu Yuan's writing at an inappropriate time and without following the established rules was still quite dangerous.
Lu Yuan was simply more skilled, which is why he wasn't injured.
Xu Erxiao had just taken out a fire to prepare incense when his hand suddenly stopped moving.
"Huh?!"
He let out a suppressed gasp of surprise and immediately turned to look at Lu Yuan, who was observing his surroundings.
"Brother Lu!"
There was a hint of urgency in his voice.
"Come here, someone's already been here!"
Ok?
Lu Yuan's eyes narrowed, and he and Wang Cheng'an quickly stepped forward.
Outside the threshold, a small snowdrift had been piled up in an inconspicuous patch of snow.
On the snowdrift, three burnt-out incense buttocks were conspicuously stuck in the ground.
Lu Yuan squatted down and gently blew away the surface snow.
A fine layer of incense ash is clearly imprinted underneath.
Judging from the thickness of the floating snow, the person who made the incense must have done it before noon.
really.
Lu Yuan slowly stood up, pondering to himself.
Fengtian City today is truly a place where dragons and tigers dwell.
This is just the beginning.
So far, they have only arrived at the Taoist temples around Fengtian.
Over the next ten days or so, Taoist practitioners from the four provinces outside the Great Wall will all be present.
According to Zuo, most of the places left behind by the Wang family, which are said to be places for nurturing evil spirits, are hidden in extremely remote and secluded corners.
But now, in Fengtian, there are Taoist priests everywhere, to the point that they are practically omnipresent!
These places where evil spirits are nurtured are loosening, and the evil energy is emanating from them. They will definitely be noticed by the Taoist priests in the vicinity!
Lu Yuan had originally planned to stay at Aunt Qiao'er's house for a day.
But now that we're here, we absolutely cannot afford to be complacent in the slightest!
Lu Yuan snapped out of his daze, his gaze sharpening, his tone leaving no room for argument.
He looked at Xu Erxiao.
"Light incense."
Then, he turned his head and looked at Wang Cheng'an, who was carrying a heavy wooden box on his back.
"Unpacking, getting the gear ready."
"Let's do it tonight!"
We can't wait until tomorrow night. Someone's Taoist temple has already started burning incense to test for yin energy, which means they've already got their eyes on us.
If they haven't taken any action yet, it means they've gone back to prepare. If they come back tomorrow night, the bag will be empty.
even----
There's probably nothing left inside now; it's been broken into!
Xu Erxiao responded without hesitation, his fingertips brushing against the swirling flames. With a "sizzle," the flames leaped up, igniting three sticks of specially made yin-testing incense.
The incense stick exploded with a dark blue spark.
The rising wisp of smoke was originally a straight line.
But when it floated to the height of the lintel, it suddenly bent, as if it had been forcibly pulled into the yard by something.
The smoke split into three plumes in mid-air, each about the thickness of a finger, swirling and lingering.
What's even more puzzling is that a faint sound could be heard coming from within the smoke.
Intermittent gongs and drums, the mournful sound of the erhu, and a female lead's drawn-out, poignant singing.
The sound was extremely soft, as if it came from a great distance, yet it made the hairs on the back of one's neck stand on end.
But Lu Yuan was inexplicably delighted when he heard this.
The contents are still inside!
"Brother Lu, this is a case of 'three deficiencies gathering evil spirits'."
Wang Chengan's voice was kept extremely low.
The brass compass in his hand, with its magnetic needle worn smooth from being rubbed, was now trembling violently.
The needle tip bounced back and forth on the "Kun" position, making a crisp "clucking" sound that made people uneasy.
Wang Chengan moved closer, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
"No—there's a double image on the chart!"
Lu Yuan took the compass from him, and Wang Cheng'an immediately lit the tinderbox and brought it close to the flare.
In the dim firelight, the shadows cast by the compass needle were no longer one, but three!
A real shadow was firmly fixed on the "Kun" position.
A faint shadow vaguely points to the "Li" position.
There is also an almost invisible phantom that points to the "Dui" position.
Three shadows, in three different directions, staggered from one another, extremely eerie.
"The shadowy figure entangles the infatuated messenger, locking away the beauty in the mirror."
Lu Yuan read aloud the annotations on the Nourishing Killing Diagram regarding this place.
"The Wang family has created a troupe with an ominous aura."
"Open the altar!"
As soon as Lu Yuan finished speaking, Wang Cheng'an and Xu Erxiao immediately rummaged through their belongings, took out a folding table, set it up, and laid out a yellow cloth.
Next, incense burner, ancestral tablet, candles—all were taken out and placed on the altar.
While the two were busy behind, Lu Yuan walked straight to the faded, dilapidated vermilion gate.
Ok?
Is there a seal?
Lu Yuan stepped forward and took a look.
Wow~
There are so many coincidences in this world!
The seal on the Jade Temple!
Just moments ago, people from the Jade Temple were causing trouble at the Pine Wave Pavilion, and now they've seen the Jade Temple sealed off.
The words on the seal were domineering, and in plain language it meant: There is evil spirit inside. My Jade Temple has suppressed it. Unauthorized people are not allowed to enter.
This seal, on the surface, serves as a warning, but secretly it also represents an unwritten, eternal rule within the sect.
In plain terms, it means that our Jade Temple will accept these items, and other Taoist sects should not touch them.
These kinds of strips are still quite common.
Perhaps they came to scout the way and discovered that they hadn't brought enough of their skills, ritual implements, and other items, so they had to go and buy more.
Or perhaps they feel they can't handle what's inside right now and need to go back to the Taoist temple for help.
In places with such seals, people from other Taoist temples passing by will usually give them face and leave as soon as they see the seal.
As the saying goes, there is no order of precedence in slaying demons and eliminating evil.
But the problem is, if someone else takes the job first, and you try to steal it from them, that's not fair or proper!
It's so sharp!
A crisp sound.
Lu Yuan tore off the seal without expression and crumpled it into a ball.
The people at Biyu Temple are so unruly.
The unwritten rules that Lu Yuan just mentioned have a prerequisite.
That's the seal; only local Taoist temples are allowed to affix it!
The reason is simple, let me give you an example.
A local Taoist priest went to a household to do some work, but when he arrived, he found that he couldn't do it, so he put up a note first.
Then go back and prepare again, and come back.
At this point, if another group from a different Taoist temple arrives, they'll come up and finish your job.
What would happen if this got out?
There would be a lot of gossip then.
"Oh dear, look at this temple up ahead, it's completely useless. People came but couldn't handle it, so they went back."
It was the Taoist temple that came later that was really amazing; they fixed it in no time!
These kinds of rumors and gossip will spread, how can the local Taoist sects maintain their reputation in this area?
If we keep saying things like that, how will the local Taoist sects continue to receive offerings?
This is tantamount to cutting off someone's source of income.
Therefore, people generally adhere to the rules and will not change them.
After all, who can guarantee that their own Taoist temple won't be the subject of gossip because of this?
Even Wuqing Temple couldn't guarantee that every time a disciple went out to do chores, the problem could be solved on the spot.
However, only local Taoist temples can affix these seals; it would be ridiculous for someone from out of town to do so.
You're from out of town, what right do you have to put up notices on someone else's turf?
Of course, it's only natural that no one wants to find something first and have it taken by someone else.
It's like there's a hundred dollars on the street, you see it first, but someone else picks it up first.
Yes, as the saying goes, whoever picks it up first owns it.
But even though you've come here first, there's still something unsettling in your heart.
If it were Lu Yuan, he would definitely leave someone here to guard the place for a while.
For example, leave Xu Erxiao behind while Wang Chengan goes back to get his things.
That way, even if other Taoist temples come, there will be a way to argue between the two groups.
They just left a note at the Jade Temple and left, not even leaving a single person behind.
Well----
Perhaps they were quite confident in the reputation of their Taoist temple.
After all, this is the Taoist temple where the Celestial Venerable resides. Ordinary small temples cannot afford to provoke him.
but----
At Biyu Temple, they encountered Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan is someone who understands rules and regulations, and he doesn't tolerate those who break them.
"Brother Lu, the jar is ready!"
At this moment, Xu Erxiao and Wang Chengan behind them suddenly shouted in unison.
Lu Yuan turned around, his eyes calm.
"all!"
The three pushed open the slightly ajar vermilion door, the hinges creaking loudly.
It sounded like the displeased commotion of a sleeping behemoth being awakened.
The yard was more desolate than I had imagined; there were several small holes in the roof, and a layer of snowflakes drifted in.
The knee-high weeds were withered and flattened, and scattered among them were theater props. A blue and white porcelain teapot was broken into five or six pieces, each with its spout facing west.
A dozen or so copper coins, rusted to a bluish-green color, were arranged in a strange arc.
The most eye-catching items were three pairs of embroidered shoes, one pair of bright red satin shoes embroidered with mandarin ducks, and the fake pearls adorning the toes of the shoes had turned yellow.
A pair of soft green satin shoes, with lotus vines embroidered on the uppers.
A pair of moon-white shoes, with only a small plum blossom embroidered on the toe.
Three pairs of shoes were placed side by side in front of the stage, with the toes pointing towards the stage opening.
The soles of the shoes were clean, without a speck of mud on them, as if someone had carefully placed them there.
The stage also had a strange quality; amidst the overall decay of the garden, it appeared remarkably intact.
The vermilion paint on the dragon pillar is already faded, but the dragon's body is still clearly visible, with its claws gripping the pillar and its whiskers flying.
The two embroidered curtains at the entrance, labeled "General's Departure" and "Prime Minister's Arrival," have a light purple background with a white tinge, yet not a single thread of embroidery is broken.
Lu Yuan approached, his pupils slightly contracting.
Embroidered on the curtain were tiny characters in dense linen script, all lyrics from operas.
In the poem "The Drunken Concubine," it says, "The ice wheel begins to turn."
In the film "Farewell My Concubine," there is the line "His strength could uproot mountains, and his spirit could cover the world."
A fragment of the lyrics from "The Peony Pavilion" – "Originally, the flowers were in full bloom, a riot of colors."
The handwriting was extremely neat, and the embroidery thread used varying shades of red, making it look like a well of blood spilled on a curtain.
"Backstage."
Lu Yuan uttered two words, drew the wooden sword from his back, and took the lead in walking to the right side of the stage.
Xu Erxiao gripped the peach wood yin-probing ruler tightly in his hand.
Wang Cheng'an, on the other hand, took out a handful of incense ash mixed with silver powder from his pocket, ready to sprinkle it at any time.
In an instant, the three of them were on edge.
They crouched low, their footsteps as light as possible, about to silently creep to the eerie blue curtain leading backstage—
Sudden!!!
boom! ! ! !
A loud explosion rang out without warning!
The sound didn't come from the backstage of the opera troupe in front of them, but from behind Lu Yuan and his two companions!
Immediately afterwards, there was another sound of something collapsing outside the gate, crashing and banging!
Judging from the noise—it sounds like the altar that Lu Yuan and the other two set up outside has been kicked over!
Before Lu Yuan and his two companions could react, they heard a burst of angry curses, reeking of alcohol, coming from outside the gate.
"Fuck your mother!!"
"Get out of there, you inside!!"
"Is he blind?! Or are those eyes just two holes?!"
"Haven't you seen the notice from our Jade Temple?!"
(Waiting for the second watch tonight)
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