Chapter 685: Dharma-Appearance and Compassion
This was the first reaction of the three stunned Qiu, but then they realized that it was not the statue that came alive, but the real deity himself.
Because no matter how extraordinary the statue is, it is not even a fraction as good as Master Gong himself.
Gong Mengbi looked back at his statue, waved his sleeves, and the statue disappeared on the altar.
Seeing Kang Wen's puzzled look, Gong Mengbi said, "My true self is here, do I still need to worship the statue?"
Kang Wen laughed, revealing a girlish joy. Not only her, but Kang Yunu, several other fox prisoners, and even the other foxes secretly peeking through the windows to watch over the altar, all showed unconcealed cheers and excitement.
Gong Mengbi is undoubtedly the mainstay of Fox Academy and a guiding light on Fox Academy's path of cultivation.
Kang Wen said, "Master Gong, did you hear everything?"
Gong Mengbi said, "I heard you all burning incense and praying, complaining and making wishes."
Kang Wen's face showed embarrassment. He said, "It's just some nonsense. It's not worth distracting yourself."
Gong Mengbi smiled and said, "You are speaking to the statue, not to me, so there is no need..." When he said this, he suddenly seemed to think of something, turned around and glanced at the statue of Mount Tai, thinking: That shouldn't be the case.
The Queen commands the immortals and gods, and her spirit responds to all the nine provinces. Not to mention her busy official duties and daily affairs, just the fact that there is a heavenly separation between her and humans makes it impossible for her to listen to everything.
Gong Mengbi couldn't laugh anymore.
Kang Wen saw his expression change and asked curiously, "Master, what's wrong?"
Gong Mengbi blinked at her and said, "It's nothing, don't tell anyone."
Kang Wen became even more embarrassed.
Fortunately, Gong Mengbi quickly changed his target and looked at the three little things staring at him in a daze. He said, "Stand up and talk."
He stretched out his hand and pointed, and three sets of clothes flew out from a room not far away and covered the three hills. The clothes began to swell up as if they were inflated, and were soon filled up. Hands, feet and heads popped out from inside, stretching them into three young men with dusty faces and big tails.
Kang Yunu reminded him, "Why don't you come and pay your respects to the Fox Fairy of the Heavenly Fox Court, the Fox Master of Dongyang County, and Master Gong, the head of the Fox Court?"
The three hats frightened the inexperienced fox, Er Huang, so much so that he was stunned. He stepped forward timidly to pay his respects, prostrating himself before the master, saying, "Greetings, Master."
Gong Mengbi extended his hand to support them, not asking them to lie flat on the ground. He said, "I am only a seventh-rank official practicing under the Heavenly Fox Academy, a teacher in the academy. There is no need for such great courtesy."
Daqiu, Erqiu and Sanqiu were lifted up by this gentle force. Listening to Gong Mengbi's soothing tone, their eyes were filled with tears.
Although Gong Mengbi said he knew, Kang Wen still reported the matter again in front of the fox and the two yellows, saying, "These three guys came to study today, concealing their identities. At night, their true forms were discovered, and I don't know what to do with them."
Gong Mengbi looked at Daqiu and asked, "Do you remember what you just said?"
Daqiu hesitated and asked, "Are you asking the commander to keep Erqiu and Sanqiu with him?"
Gong Mengbi shook his head and said, "That's not it."
Daqiu's eyes met Gong Mengbi's, and he couldn't help but blurt out "I just hope I can be born into a good family in the next life, and not be hindered by my birth and category."
Gong Mengbi asked Kang Wen, "What do you think?"
Kang Wen bit his lip, struggling fiercely in his heart, and said, "Fox Court is Fox Court after all."
Gong Mengbi asked Kang Yunu again, "Yunu, what do you think?"
Kang Yunu, encouraged by his gaze, said, "I don't know. I only know that Yu Niang and I depended on each other for survival. We were no different from them. One was a wild demon who stole essence, and the other was a village prostitute who made a living by selling her smiles. If it weren't for the Master, we might still be alive today, or we might be dead."
Gong Mengbi laughed, as if asking them, but also as if questioning himself: "People have different backgrounds, some high and some low, and their categories are different. But are those of high birth more noble or sacred than those of low birth? Are there differences in life and spirit between people of different categories?"
Gong Mengbi said softly, "Not necessarily. The first step in cultivation is to create a 'self' from the appearance of all living beings. Only then can one maintain a clear mind and not be lost in the world."
"Seeking immortality, shedding one's body and soul, cultivating one's nature and refining one's spirit, is essentially about abandoning the mundane world. Having already climbed out of the barriers, why would one still need to use them to confine oneself?"
"The heavens are above, the avenues are below, and all living things are but dust. Is there really any difference between dust and dust?"
"If there is a difference, is it one of origin and category?"
Seeing Kang Wen and Kang Yunu's increasingly confused eyes, Gong Mengbi shut his mouth. If he continued, he would inevitably be suspected of disturbing the Taoist mind.
Gong Mengbi has mastered the Tongtian method and can feel all kinds of Qi and glimpse all spirits and gods. He has gradually developed his own insights, but for these little foxes, it is still too early.
Kang Wen didn't quite understand what he was saying, but he understood what Gong Mengbi meant and asked, "Master, do you mean to accept them?"
The three Qiu immediately showed expectant eyes.
Although such an expectant look was hard to refuse, Gong Mengbi still denied it: "I was just expressing my opinion. I've already told you whether to accept it or not."
Kang Wen followed his gaze and saw the statue of the Goddess of Mount Tai with her head bowed and a smile on her face in the night, her appearance of compassion.
"Ask the Queen?"
Gong Mengbi smiled and placed his small golden incense burner on top of the large incense burner on the altar. The sun bead was spinning in the incense burner, and the smoke from the small golden incense burner and the large incense burner merged together, producing a strange fragrance that made people feel peaceful and calm.
Gong Mengbi looked at the three hills and said, "Why don't you come and kowtow to the Queen?"
The three Qius hurried forward and bowed down. This time, Gong Mengbi did not stop them. He handed each of them a handful of fragrant herbs and told them to put them into the incense burner. The ceremony was exactly the same as when they first arrived, the difference being that Gong Mengbi could invoke the spiritual response within him.
He said softly, "If you have any questions, just ask the Queen. The Queen's kindness is as great as the mountains and the sea, and she will respond."
Daqiu, Erqiu, and Sanqiu prayed devoutly and asked, "I wonder if I can join the Fox Monastery to practice cultivation?"
Kang Wen and Kang Yunu couldn't see it, and neither could Daqiu, Erqiu, and Sanqiu. But in Gong Mengbi's unsurprised eyes, he could clearly see that the three of them were covered with a soft glow.
Gong Mengbi laughed sincerely, and facing the puzzled looks of Daqiu, Erqiu, and Sanqiu, he said, "Your incense goddess has accepted it. What do you think?"
Daqiu, Erqiu, and Sanqiu were overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly: "Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Gong Mengbi stood beside them, sighing slightly.
Kang Wen stepped forward, his eyes filled with worry, and said, "Master Gong..."
Gong Mengbi comforted him, "You don't have to think so much. If the sky falls, there will be someone tall enough to hold it up."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
