In the next period of time, the Imperial Master sat on a big stone next to the tomb, stared at the name engraved on the tombstone, and talked about many things.
Among them are the current situation of the Daqi Dynasty, his own latest research results on the art of talisman and seal script, and his junior brother He Yiqun's recent travel experience.
However, the one he mentioned the most was Gu Xu.
"...Master, I wonder if you can believe it. The young man next to me can actually transform the first form of the 'Seven Burning Heaven Forms', 'Yingyan', into the form of runes, which can be used to crack down on 'fierce god' level ghosts. The spell to block the secret of heaven..."
"...In addition, just yesterday, he also designed a talisman array based on the Yin and Yang Bagua that can quickly calculate account expenses. It does not belong to the existing talisman system of the Daqi Dynasty at all, and it is not something that ordinary people can do. Want to get..."
"...Perhaps, compared to me, a stupid student, and He Yiqun, that idle bastard, he is more worthy of being your successor..."
Gu Xu stayed aside, silently listening to Da Qi Imperial Master talking to himself in front of Chi Yangzi's grave.
Normally, when he heard others praising him gushingly like this, he would definitely feel a little embarrassed. Then he would go up and politely say a few polite words, saying "Thanks to the support of the national master" and "This is all." The result of the teachings of our predecessors.”
But today, he stood still, motionless.
The hell that was covered with iron nets and burning with fire just now lingered in his mind, making it impossible for him to recover from it for a long time.
Various questions continued to pop up in his mind -
If the wilderness is really a terrible prison, and humans are all prisoners in the prison, then what role do ghosts and emperors play in it?
Are those monks who are trying to ascend, equivalent to the prison escapees who were killed?
And where did the protective starlight on my body come from?
…
"Gu Xiaoyou, it's time for us to go back."
A quarter of an hour later, the Imperial Master turned his head and said to Gu Xu, ending his chaotic thoughts.
Gu Xu nodded, then grabbed the Imperial Master's arm as he had come, walked through the space rift, and returned to the Exorcism Department headquarters.
After bidding farewell to the Imperial Master, he crossed the threshold of the gate and walked along the winding corridor towards the "Qingxiang Pavilion" where he lived.
On the way, he saw two girls practicing martial arts in the courtyard.
One of them was tall, wearing a light green stand-up collared blouse, wielding a wooden sword in his hand, and tied his hair into a simple and elegant bun at the back of his head with a wooden hairpin. Only a few strands of hair at the temples hung down against her cheeks, stained with glistening beads of sweat.
The other one is petite and exquisite. The jet black "Qiyao suit" tightly wraps her slender and energetic body, which is in sharp contrast with her fair face as tender as ice crystal. Although her weapon is a one-meter-long machete, the way she swings the knife is light and easy, as if she is dancing.
The sky is blue and the breeze is cool.
Two beauties fighting in the early morning sun is undoubtedly a very beautiful scene.
But Gu Xu couldn't help but wonder whether they were like the Imperial Master of Da Qi, wearing a pair of invisible shackles, standing on the scorching metal ground, and suffering painful torture.
At this moment, Shi Xiaohan suddenly noticed Gu Xu's arrival.
She stopped what she was doing and put the big knife into the sheath behind her back. She opened her eyes wide in surprise, then raised the corners of her mouth and said, "You're finally back!"
But when she noticed Gu Xu's eyes, she immediately stopped smiling, frowned slightly, put her hands on her waist and said, "Gu Xu, why are you always staring at my feet?"
Hearing her words, Gu Xu smiled awkwardly.
Of course he couldn't tell the truth.
So he immediately made an excuse and explained: "Your pair of embroidered shoes are very beautiful...are they new?"
With his gift of photographic memory, he was very sure that Shi Xiaohan had never worn these shoes before - they were a pair of exquisite black embroidered shoes with complex patterns embroidered with silver thread. Moji's uniform is a perfect match.
"My father sent it from Laizhou Prefecture yesterday," Shi Xiaohan replied calmly, then she changed the topic and narrowed her big eyes slightly, "Then why are you still staring at Sister Shangguan? She doesn't I’m wearing new shoes!”
Gu Xu sighed helplessly: This girl's eyes are too sharp!
He thought for a while and replied: "My footwork was first taught to me by fellow Taoist Shangguan... Now that I am lucky enough to see her practicing martial arts, I naturally have to seize the opportunity to learn more from her."
Shangguan Jin himself didn't seem to care about this.
Hearing Gu Xu's words, she even smiled sheepishly, stretched out her hand to comb the broken hair behind her ears, and said: "Fellow Taoist Gu's 'Fashion Walking on the Moon' footwork has long been superior to his predecessors. On the contrary, I have encountered many problems in my practice, and I will need more guidance from fellow Taoist Gu in the future!"
At this moment, Shangguan Jin suddenly noticed with keenness that there were complicated emotions in Gu Xu's eyes, which seemed a little different from before.
"Fellow Daoist Gu, you seem to be worried now," she asked cautiously, "Are you in any trouble? Do you need my help?"
Gu Xu wanted to say, "I'm fine, don't worry."
But as soon as the words came to his lips, they turned into: "I have a question for you... Between 'beautiful illusion' and 'cruel reality', which one would you rather choose?"
"Of course I choose truth! After all, I hate it when people lie to me and treat me like a fool." As soon as Gu Xu finished speaking, Shi Xiaohan replied without thinking, "If reality is really cruel, then find a way to change it." It'll be just fine.
"As long as this heroine becomes strong enough and cuts off all those unpleasant things, won't the world become a better place?"
When she spoke, she raised her little fists, and her almond-shaped eyes were clear and radiant.
Shangguan Jin lowered his head and pondered, seeming to guess Gu Xu's thoughts.
After a while, she slowly said: "Fellow Daoist Gu, the reason why monks like us chose to embark on the road to the underworld and live towards death is not only because we want to obtain powerful power that can compete with ghosts, but also because Eager to explore the avenues of heaven and earth and understand the truth of this world.
“In my humble opinion, the moment we clear away the clouds and see the truth, whether it is good or bad, we have no regrets in life.
"I believe that Fellow Daoist Gu should also have such thoughts."
Gu Xu remained silent.
He had actually expected the answers given by the two of them.
He understood that only by witnessing that horrific scene of hell could he truly understand the meaning behind his question.
Next, Gu Xu did not go to the dining hall with the two girls.
On the contrary, he did not waste a minute and returned to "Qingxiang Pavilion" alone and entered a state of cultivation.
If we say that before this, he only cultivated to seek immortality, and after getting rid of the shadow of death, he could become a comfortable, wealthy and idle man.
So after today, he has a new reason to become stronger——
If one day, the disguise of this world is torn apart and the true cruelty is exposed, then he hopes that he has enough power to protect himself and the important people around him.
…………
After sending Gu Xu back to the exorcism department, the national master also returned to his home through the space rift.
He did not build luxurious courtyard houses among the neighborhoods on the south bank of Luoshui River like other dignitaries of the Daqi Dynasty.
Instead, a remote and simple brick house suitable for renovation was built in a sparsely populated area on the outskirts of the city.
Here there are lush vegetation and gurgling streams.
Especially in summer, the air is filled with the chirping of birds and the chirping of cicadas.
Chi Yangzi, the former Imperial Master of Da Qi, was a simple man who did not like extravagance.
His apprentice undoubtedly inherited his temperament.
The Imperial Master took off his boots, changed his clothes, and sat at the desk by the window.
There is a piece of white paper placed in the center of the table, on which is written an upright, rich and thick word "fire".
Obviously, this is a "fire character".
It was painted by the national master in an attempt to draw it by chanting specific incantations according to the method described by Hu Xu.
Although the national master has long known the magic of the "fire character".
But when he actually drew it himself, he still couldn't help but marvel at Gu Xu's creative thinking.
He felt that this young man's soul was unrestrained - he dared to think about anything, question anything, and practice his own ideas.
"If Master is still alive in the world, we must have a lot in common with him!" The National Master thought silently in his heart.
When Chiyangzi was alive, he was also an eclectic person.
He will study the inscription of runes on the curved shaft plow so that the curved shaft plow can automatically plow the ground instead of people and livestock; he will also try to design an array on the loom so that it can rotate spontaneously.
He even tried to control the wind and rain and manipulate the weather, so that the weather in Daqi would be smooth and the farmers would avoid floods and droughts.
Of course, many of his attempts failed.
After all, many of his ideas would be difficult to implement nationwide on his own; and the Da Qi court also believed that the number of Talisman Masters was extremely small, and they should focus more on killing demons. He should not mess with these messy things, so he rarely provides enough support to Chiyangzi.
But these actions of Chiyangzi left a very deep impression on the Imperial Master.
The Imperial Master clearly remembered that Chi Yangzi called him "elm-headed" and He Yiqun as "little piggy". He often felt that they were too rigid and never had any surprising ideas. .
The Imperial Master has always been deeply troubled by this.
After all, he was born into a poor family and lacked spiritual resources since childhood. To be able to achieve what he has now, Master owes him a lot of kindness.
He really wanted to be a student who satisfied his master and made him proud.
It was not until later that the master became possessed and abandoned his cultivation.
Regarding these changes in the master's body, the national master felt panic and uneasiness.
He felt that there must be a huge secret behind it - even with the master's ability as an eighth-level monk, it would be difficult to deal with it.
But he didn't dare to explore the truth.
He even felt that staying in the original world and continuing to live according to the original trajectory might be a good choice.
Today, when he was next to Chi Yangzi's grave, he believed that Gu Xu might have really noticed some key information.
But instead of having an in-depth conversation with Gu Xu, he interrupted the other party in time.
On the one hand, it was because of his own fear - Chiyangzi's weak, helpless and depressed appearance after he abandoned his cultivation left a deep psychological shadow on him.
On the other hand, it can be regarded as protection for Gu Xu - there are things that Chi Yangzi, as an eighth-level monk, cannot solve. Gu Xu's unauthorized contact will definitely be harmful and useless.
"Dong dong dong!"
At this moment, there was a sudden knock on the door in the house.
With the powerful perception ability of a seventh-level saint, the national master sat next to the desk and knew the identity of this visitor.
However, out of respect for this guest, the Imperial Master still stood up, walked to the door, and opened the door himself.
The visitor is Princess Zhaoning.
She wore a dark red coat and skirt embroidered with gold patterns, and a snow-white fox fur. Her black hair like crow feathers was tied high on the back of her head, fixed by a golden hollow corolla.
Because she is a mortal and cannot use her true energy to resist the cold like a practitioner, so at this moment, her fair cheeks are slightly red, and her long eyelashes can't help but tremble slightly in the wind.
?As "the most beautiful woman in Luo Jing", Princess Zhaoning seems to have different styles in different environments.
When she stood in the splendid Zichen Palace in palace clothes, she was a graceful and noble ruling princess who controlled life and death; when she wore simple and elegant men's clothes and stood in the drizzle of Longmen Academy, she had There was a bit of elegance and bookishness; and at this moment, when she was wrapped in a fox fur and standing in the cold wind, she had the charming and charming flavor of an ordinary girl in the market.
Of course, with the national master's current age and cultivation, he would no longer be tempted by beauty.
Regarding Princess Zhaoning, he actually has more of an appreciation attitude from a senior to a junior.
He remembered the experience of Princess Zhaoning going to Longmen Academy to study diligently. He remembered that the princess came to him with charcoal pens and a small book to ask for knowledge about spiritual practice. He also remembered that more than once, she had clearly visible red eyes because she was dealing with government affairs late at night. color.
He felt that this mortal princess was far more hardworking and hardworking than her brothers.
If God hadn't been unfair and took away her cultivation qualifications, he felt that she should be the most qualified and capable of inheriting the "Tai'a Sword" among all the princes and princesses.
At the same time, the Imperial Master also noticed that Princess Zhaoning’s carriage was parked several hundred meters away.
She left her entourage there and walked over alone.
This undoubtedly reflects her sincerity.
So the Imperial Master smiled and said to her: "Your Highness, please come in."
(Change first and then change)
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