As if he realized something, Pei Wende, who was meditating under the waterfall in the back mountain, suddenly woke up.
The three looming snake gods behind him disappeared instantly, replaced by a power of faith that could not be described in words.
That is the worship of Mohu Luojia by the eight heavenly beings...
That is the belief of those refugees who have settled in Tanzhou and have thousands of families living in Buddhism...
That is the merit Pei Wende has accumulated over the years by doing good, punishing evil, and slaying demons...
However, Pei Wende no longer has the energy to care about this.
"Old monk?"
With a low cry from Pei Wende, the skinny Zen Master Lingyou suddenly appeared near the "workshop" next to the waterfall.
As if sensing the arrival of Zen Master Lingyou, the weapon iron Gus on the weapon racks trembled one after another, trying their best to show their "good" side.
"Speaking of which, it seems like I haven't come here for a long time."
The "workshop" next to the waterfall in the back mountain was originally the meditation room of Zen Master Lingyou.
Before Pei Wende officially entered Taoism, Zen Master Lingyou had been meditating near the back mountain. He planted many flowers, plants and trees nearby.
However, I don’t know since when, Zen Master Lingyou’s scope of activities was limited to the backyard of Miyin Temple, and Pei Wende became the new resident of the back mountain.
"The last time I came here, there probably wasn't so much here."
Picking up a dogleg knife that Pei Wende had often used before, Zen Master Lingyou waved it twice with some difficulty, and then turned his attention to the strange-looking iron Gu beside him.
After noticing Zen Master Lingyou's gaze, the spiritual iron Gu took the initiative to fly up and land on his shoulder without even being greeted by the other person.
"Old monk, why are you here?"
Pei Wende, who already had some ominous signs, was silent for a long time, and then he asked hesitantly.
Pei Wende knew that he was selfish, so selfish that even though he knew that Zen Master Lingyou was in pain, he still insisted on letting him live.
At this moment, the skinny Zen Master Lingyou suddenly appeared in front of him, which was tantamount to unabashedly revealing the truth that he had never wanted to face.
"Don't blame yourself so much. You and I both know that this day will come sooner or later."
Gently touching the iron Gu on his shoulder, Zen Master Lingyou had never shown such a gentle expression.
"Life and death are destiny, and my destiny was long overdue."
"It's just that I don't trust you, so I've been going against destiny until now."
A tear slipped unconsciously from the corner of Pei Wende's eyes, and the ominous signs in his heart were verified by Zen Master Lingyou's words.
"Now you are able to take charge of your own business, and your senior brother no longer needs me to worry about you."
"It's time for me to go to the Pure Land of the West to meet the Buddha..."
He lowered his head silently, and Pei Wende's voice became unusually deep.
"Master, I will always be your disciple, that Pei Wende who will never grow up."
"Senior brother, too. With his current behavior, sooner or later he will be liquidated inside and outside the court..."
"So you can't leave yet, we still need you."
Hearing this, Zen Master Lingyou unexpectedly smiled again.
"Haha, I can't control those things. You can't let me control you for the rest of your life, right?"
It was clearly a question sentence, but Zen Master Lingyou's words were full of ridicule.
As if he was just joking with his favorite disciple, Zen Master Lingyou tried his best to downplay the sad atmosphere of farewell.
Unfortunately, Zen Master Lingyou's efforts did not achieve any significant results.
"Master, I don't want you to leave..."
Without looking for other excuses or reasons, Pei Wende raised his head again and could no longer control his tears.
From the first moment he came to this world, Pei Wende saw Zen Master Lingyou.
It was Zen Master Lingyou who took him throughout half of China and finally settled in Tanzhou.
It was Zen Master Lingyou who took great care of him. No matter how big trouble he got into, he would just laugh it off.
It was Zen Master Lingyou who introduced him to Taoism. Even though he knew that he was the incarnation of the "earth dragon disaster", he did not have any prejudice.
The most important thing is that nearly thirty years of getting along and raising him have made Pei Wende unconsciously regard Zen Master Lingyou as his father.
Not biological but better than biological, not blood related but better than blood related...
Pei Wende simply couldn't imagine that without Zen Master Lingyou's careful teaching and upbringing over the past thirty years, he could have grown up so smoothly to where he is today.
Perhaps just like Hei Wuchang's comments when he first met Pei Wende, without Zen Master Lingyou's care and guidance, he would sooner or later become an evil dragon causing trouble to the world.
"Wende, this day will come sooner or later."
No longer hiding his emotions, Zen Master Lingyou finally showed a little sadness.
"My life has been so eventful, and I have taken on such an outstanding disciple as you. I have no regrets at all."
"If it weren't for you and your senior brother, I should have gone to see the Buddha long ago."
Before he finished speaking, Zen Master Lingyou suddenly opened his palm, revealing a finger bone that glowed with glaze color.
That is the finger bone of Sakyamuni, and it is also the Buddha treasure pursued by countless people in the outside world.
It is precisely with the blessing of this phalange that Zen Master Lingyou, who has long been exhausted, can persevere to this day.
But from this moment on, Zen Master Lingyou decided to voluntarily give up the power of this phalanx and give it to those who need it more.
"I don't need this!"
Some anger, some sadness...
Today, Pei Wende just wants Zen Master Lingyou to continue to live, and for this reason he doesn't even care about the other person's own wishes.
In addition to being the python god, Mohu Luojia is also a symbol of ignorance.
This kind of ignorance is not reflected in wisdom, but in character.
Once the stubborn Pei Wende reaches a dead end, even the King of Heaven will never be able to pull him back.
However, although Zen Master Lingyou is not the Heavenly King, he is Pei Wende's only master.
"Don't be willful, Wende."
Seeing this situation, Zen Master Lingyou just looked at Pei Wende under the waterfall with the same nostalgia and continued to comfort him.
"You are no longer a child, and you are no longer young as a teacher."
"I know that you have never believed in the theory of reincarnation. You firmly believe that after a person is reincarnated, everything in the previous life has nothing to do with this life."
There was a slight pause in his tone. Zen Master Lingyou did not deny Pei Wende's view. He just explained his views to the other party from another angle.
"Perhaps things are indeed as you said. The past life and this life are two completely different individuals."
"But as long as you are alive, the traces of my existence will never disappear..."
"I will always live in your heart in another way, in the stories you tell future generations."
——Monthly Ticket/Recommended Ticket——
