At noon, Emei, Zhaixingfeng Restaurant.
"After being chased into the desert by the Invincible Bones, I met those manta rays again. They had a very fierce fight with the Intransformable Bones. Among them was a manta king, who led countless manta rays to attack the Intransformable Bones. I was in the desert at that time and was overwhelmed by a very wide range of impact. When I woke up again, I came to a mysterious place called Wangchuan."
In the largest wing of the dining hall, Lin Xiaolu quietly recounted his experience, and everyone else listened in amazement. Even Xiao Yu'er, who was beating his legs next to him, looked confused.
"Brother, what is that... manta ray you are talking about?"
"Yes, Brother Lu, what is that Wangchuan River? Have you really stayed there for four hundred years?"
On the round table filled with all kinds of delicacies, countless friends rushed to ask questions. Lin Xiaolu did not shy away and responded with a smile:
"Manta rays are a kind of cartilaginous fish, which are very rare in China. I didn't know they were manta rays at first. It wasn't until I left Wangchuan and saw fishermen selling them in the market of Tianji Continent that I realized Get up. They have a lot of manta rays there, which are edible. Of course, the ones they sell are ordinary manta rays. The one who saved me was a manta ray monster that had been cultivated into a Nascent Soul monster, a huge, flying manta ray monster.
As for Wangchuan, in fact, I still don’t know what Wangchuan is. The only thing that is certain is that I left Wangchuan after I successfully realized the Tao. As for how I escaped, I don’t know. "
Hearing this, everyone in the room was a little amazed, because the Wangchuan that Lin Xiaolu described to them was too bizarre. It sounded a bit like an outsider, but it was completely different from an outsider.
At the dinner table, the well-informed handsome duck thought about it and said:
"The Forgotten River actually has corresponding legends in various places. Not only in our country, but also in other places. Although the legends in different places are slightly different, they are very different on the whole. They are all said to be the only way for all things to pass through after death. Earth, after all, is a product linked to death. You can ask Luo Wujin about this, she is the head of Houtu, so she might know something about it."
Hearing Luo Wujin's name, Lin Xiaolu became interested and looked at Shuai Shuaiya curiously:
"Where is Master Luo now?"
"This... I'm not sure." Handsome Duck said awkwardly, "Boss, she seems to have been retired for many years."
"Yes, Brother Lu, you have disappeared for so many years, and earth-shaking changes have already happened outside."
Ah Yi gnawed on the chicken leg and said vaguely: "Since you are back, just stay in Emei first. Don't think too much. When I get back, I will tell the world and tell everyone the news of your return. Everyone comes to Emei to see you."
As soon as these words came out, everyone at the dinner table burst into laughter, and Lin Xiaolu also laughed. He raised his wine glass and smiled at everyone:
"Being able to come back this time is already a blessing among misfortunes for me. I really miss you all. Come, let's have a drink."
"Cheers, cheers."
"Come on, come on, it's all done. Everyone welcome Brother Lu home."
…
…
Sinan Continent, an unknown mountain range somewhere in the mortal world.
Outside the two tombs close together is a clear river. The river is sprinkled with several pink petals blown by the breeze. They come from the peach blossom forest next to them and are friendly guests of the river.
On the edge of the river, an old Taoist priest was drinking wine with a wine gourd. He was sitting cross-legged on a natural bench made of wooden piers. In front of the Taoist priest, there was a larger wooden pier with a wider area and larger size. Chessboard, tea, this wooden block is very big, even if there are so many things on it, it is not full, and the growth rings are faintly visible.
Opposite the Taoist priest, there was an old man taking a nap, also sitting on a wooden stool, half asleep and half awake playing chess with him.
At this moment, the Taoist priest stole a glance at the old man who was napping across from him, and then... tiptoed to steal the black stones on the chessboard.
"Mingru, you are already your age, can you show some respect?" The old man who was dozing suddenly opened his eyes and glared at Li Mingru in front of him angrily.
Li Mingru's face froze when he was discovered, and then he showed a confident and polite smile.
"Oh, Mr. Zhongni, don't worry about these details. If you think that our friendship for so many years is not worthy of me cheating once in a while, then I won't play chess with you."
"But you have cheated dozens of times." Kong Zhongni looked helpless: "And do you have to be so blatant in cheating? Are you afraid that I can't see the old man?"
"Then what should we do?" Li Mingru sipped the wine gourd and said confidently:
"Sir, I am a Confucian sage. If I had not lied, how could I have been with you till now? I would have lost my pants long ago. And if I didn't let you see the lie, wouldn't it be deceiving you? I don't dare to lead someone who doesn't respect you. So it’s great now that I cheated on you and didn’t deceive you until now. How harmonious it is.”
Kong Zhongni:......
What this little saying says really makes sense.
He took a sip of tea, dropped a sunspot lightly, then looked at the old and new graves on the other side of the river, and said:
"In the past, when Wu Xin was around, he could still play chess with the old man. His Dharma was profound and he could occasionally beat me a few times. Now that he is gone, it's hard to find an opponent on the chessboard. Tsk tsk, it's not easy~"
"Why are you in a hurry? Wugu will be here soon, isn't he?"
As Li Mingru said this, he secretly used blatant and lame techniques to clothe the child twice.
Kong Zhongni didn't say anything, he turned a blind eye and said:
"Wugou's Buddhism has reached the state of returning to its original nature, but when it comes to playing chess, it is still a little immature. Besides...I can't wait that long, old man."
In the field, the young Kong Zhongni was playing chess while looking kindly at Li Mingru in front of him and said with a smile:
"Mingru, after this game of chess is finished, my time will come."
As soon as those gentle and jade-like words came out, Li Mingru's pinched hand trembled slightly. Then, he smiled slightly unnaturally and said:
"Sir, there's no need to be in such a hurry, right?"
"Hahahahaha." In front of the chess table, Kong Zhongni laughed heartily and said with a smile:
"Aren't you in a hurry? I have lived for almost two thousand years. All the saints of my generation are gone, and I am the only one left."
Hearing this, Li Mingru also smiled, and his smile looked very reluctant.
"How about I give it to you, junior?"
"No, you still have things to do, don't waste your time on a bad old man like me."
In the picturesque scenery, beside the stream surrounded by mountains and rivers, Kong Zhongni fumbled for the last sunspot and said with a smile:
"All knowledge in the world serves people, and the same goes for Confucianism. Although I am a sage, I have only read more books.
Mingru, from now on... I'll help you walk a little further. "
After saying that, he threw down the sunspot in his hand and winked at Li Mingru:
"I won."
Li Mingru:......
"Where do you want to be buried after your husband leaves?" Li Mingru asked.
"It's okay, you decide, it doesn't matter." Kong Zhongni put his hands on his knees, took a deep breath, then looked at Li Mingru for the last time and said with a smile:
"I'm sorry, Xiao Mingru, I entrusted everything to you."
After saying that, the old man stopped breathing completely.
The atmosphere instantly became quiet, and Li Mingru also sat in silence.
"Junior brother, Mr. Zhongni, it's time to eat."
In the wooden house in the distance, Ye Qingluan, whose face was dark from cooking, walked out, holding a plate with rice and vegetables in his hand.
"I made vegetables and tofu today, Mr. Zhong Ni, can you see if they suit you?"
Just in the middle of her words, Ye Qingluan, who was originally in high spirits, was stunned on the spot. Looking at the old man who had lost his breath, the dinner plate in her hand fell to the ground along with the bowls and chopsticks.
"Junior brother, Mr. Zhongni, he"
In the middle of the field, Li Mingru nodded, then lightly sprinkled the remaining wine in the gourd on the chessboard, sighing with tears in his eyes:
"Mingru...congratulations sir!"
