Zhang Xi looked up in confusion. The sky was clear and cloudless; the weather was clearly fine.
After a while, the old monk finally lowered his head and said to the young novice beside him, "Abstinence, give the things to this benefactor."
"Yes!" At this moment, the chubby young novice monk next to him handed over a jade token. "We were invited by the Imperial Preceptor to attend the ceremony."
Zhang Xi thought to himself, "This chubby boy has a rather kind smile, so why did he choose such a Buddhist name?"
Upon receiving the jade tablet, he was immediately filled with respect and bowed to the old monk, saying, "So you are Master Jianhuang from Wuyou Temple. I apologize for my rudeness."
The old monk put his hands together and said, "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Young benefactor, you don't know me, and I am not some great person. What crime have I committed?"
"Master is too modest." Zhang Xi bowed respectfully. Wuyou Temple was a very transcendent sect in the martial arts world. In terms of its foundation, Wuyou Temple was even above Zhengyang Sect.
Wuyou Temple is a legitimate Buddhist sect, but in the last hundred years, the Zhengyang sect has become the state religion, and the influence of Buddhism has declined, which is why its reputation is not prominent.
However, as the chief disciple of Guanxin Peak, Zhang Xi received instruction from the peak master and knew more secrets about the world than ordinary people.
This Master Jianhuang is the abbot of Wuyou Temple. His cultivation is unfathomable. At the peak of Wuyou Temple, there were four great monks named Zhenru and Yuanqi, and countless other disciples of the Jian generation. However, in the last hundred years, the imperial court was strong, and a great upheaval occurred in Buddhism. So many years have passed, and it is unknown how many people are still alive.
This time, the sect leader only brought a young novice monk with him, which shows that Wuyou Temple is truly suffering from a shortage of talent.
Next, Zhang Xi sent someone to escort them up the mountain, but they were politely refused, saying that "Buddhists should keep things simple."
The master and disciple then hiked up the mountain. Along the way, the young novice couldn't help but mutter, "Master, the Dharma name you gave me is really bad. Those Zhengyang Sect disciples who were sent to the gate to greet guests were obviously rigorously trained and wouldn't usually laugh unless they couldn't help it. But when they heard my name, they all laughed together."
The old monk solemnly said, “You’ve become attached to appearances when you abstain from sex. In Buddhism, ‘lust’ refers to all things that have form and occupy space, not the things that ordinary people think of, such as female lust, lewdness, or desire. There is a saying in Buddhism that form is emptiness and emptiness is form. The reason I gave you this Dharma name is to remind you to see through illusions in a timely manner.”
The chubby little novice looked at him suspiciously: "Then why can't you stop laughing now?"
"You're mistaken, I wasn't laughing." The old monk touched his face, smoothing out the wrinkles that had formed.
“You’re clearly laughing,” the young novice said angrily. “I know it’s because your master named you Jianhuang (meaning ‘yellow-screening’) back then, which led to you being ridiculed for many years. You’ve been holding a grudge ever since, so you’ve passed it down from generation to generation, causing us to suffer as well.”
"You're talking nonsense, I'm not, I didn't." The old monk reacted instinctively and immediately put his hands together. "Amitabha, I was attached to appearances."
...
Meanwhile, Zu'an and his group were taken to a secluded courtyard. Although the courtyard was not large, the pavilions and towers were exquisite and simple. There was a pond in the center, which was filled with all kinds of exotic flowers and plants. The rockery and trees on the side were lush and green. In terms of elegance and tranquility, it was no less than the imperial garden of the palace.
After the disciples of Zhengyang Sect left, Xie Daoyun couldn't help but pat her chest and say, "I was almost scared to death in the Reception Hall just now. Fortunately, the Imperial Preceptor's attention was on you. It would have been embarrassing if he had noticed me."
Zuan smiled and said, "It's all thanks to Master Yan's powerful talismans that your aura was concealed and you weren't detected by the Imperial Preceptor."
Zhang Zijiang asked with some doubt: "Why doesn't Miss Xie want the Imperial Preceptor to find out? Could it be that the Grand Master or Master Yan has some grudge against the Imperial Preceptor?"
“Of course not…” Xie Daoyun was speechless for a moment, unsure how to explain.
“Miss Xie must have a reason for doing this, General Zhang, there’s no need to ask further,” Zu An said, trying to smooth things over for her.
Zhang Zijiang chuckled: "I apologize for my abruptness. I'll go arrange my accommodations now."
After saying that, he gave Zu'an a knowing look, and then ran out with a radiant expression.
Zuan was baffled; what was this guy so happy about?
Xie Daoyun sighed, "The Imperial Preceptor is truly an exceptional person, his demeanor is captivating. It's really hard to imagine that such a person could have any problems."
"Are good-looking people necessarily good people?" Zuan chuckled. "But the Grand Preceptor is indeed very charming to women. I just heard many women outside the square going crazy for him. I didn't expect your little sister to like this type as well."
"I don't like his type at all!" Xie Daoyun exclaimed anxiously. "I'm just giving an objective evaluation. Besides, he's not the most handsome man I've ever seen."
"Oh?" Zu'an became interested. "I wonder who your little sister has ever seen is the most handsome?"
Xie Daoyun blushed: "I won't tell you."
Zu An chuckled, not caring. What troubled him now was the death of the seventh-ranked gold medalist, and whether the Daoist Grand Competition at Zishan had anything to do with the Emperor's Fengshan ceremony. Unfortunately, after pondering for a long time, he lacked enough information to proceed with either one.
By this time, the rooms for the group that had come up the mountain had been arranged. Zu An, being the highest-ranking official, was naturally arranged in the largest room in the center, while Zhang Zijiang and the other guards stood guard around him. A place was specially reserved for Wang Bolin, after all, it was still necessary to maintain appearances.
Of course, he also had a little trick up his sleeve, deliberately arranging for Wang Bolin to be in a room that was relatively far from Zu'an.
Xie Daoyun was left feeling awkward. After waiting for a long time and realizing that she hadn't been assigned a role, she had no choice but to ask, "General Zhang, what about me?"
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