The date set for Guan Luoyang is the fifteenth.
But since the afternoon before, there has been some unusual atmosphere around Tuoshan.
Ordinary rebel soldiers, and even most of the leaders of the Twenty-eight Villages in Qingzhou, may not be able to detect this change, but for Fang La, he can clearly feel every unique aura passing by from the surrounding area. .
It must be that the rebel masters from other places were surveying the terrain in advance to see if there was any ambush.
Some people only came once, and seemed to feel Fang La's presence, so they completely hid themselves. Some people were wandering around, apparently deliberately testing the attitude of the locals.
Of course, no matter whether they were cautious or pretentious, releasing their momentum to provoke, none of the dozen or so waves of people showed up in an upright manner.
Until the crescent moon rose and gradually moved towards the west in the sky, there was finally the sound of horse hooves that was not concealed, and it slowly approached the Thousand Buddhas Cave.
Both horses are tall maroon horses with fine fur and sturdy builds. The saddles are equipped with a bird's wing ring and a winning hook on one side.
Qiongying's Qionghua broken jade white tassel gun, the tail end is pierced through the bird's wing ring, and the front end is hung on the victory hook. When the horse's hooves are heard, the gun tassel is blown slightly by the wind, which matches her apricot-colored body. The elegant outfit and silver cape complement each other.
As for Lu Junyi's horse, in addition to a large gun hanging on one side, there is also a carved bow and quiver on the other side. He is dressed in an ocher red military robe, his beard and hair are dyed like ink, and he has a majestic and unstoppable aura.
"The eight scenic spots in Qingzhou are famous all over the world. I have seen them one by one in the past, and I still have a deep memory of Tuoling Qianxun. Between the Thousand Buddha Grottoes, there is a steady flow of people, and the smoke is stained with the rocks. It can be smelled from miles away. The smell of sandalwood floating in front of the Buddha does seem very different now."
Lu Junyi held the reins with one hand and stroked his beard with the other, looking at the scenery on the mountain. Suddenly he put his legs under the horse's belly and walked around the foot of the mountain to the southeast.
Although there are stone statues everywhere on Qianfo Ridge, the ones on the cliffs in the southeast are the most numerous.
The southeast face of this mountain is extremely steep. At first glance, it looks like a high and smooth wall created by giant spirits chopping the mountain and using miraculous craftsmanship. The ancients dug caves on this cliff and carved the huge rocks in the caves into statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
From the top of the cliff to near the foot of the mountain, the large Buddha statues are more than ten feet tall and the smaller ones are about a foot tall, totaling about six hundred statues.
When the wind blows over this cliff, it becomes slow and solemn. The sound of the wind is high and low, just like ancient Buddhist music and continuous Zen singing.
Lu Junyi pointed to the heights with a smile and said: "Look, the second Buddha statue in the highest row from the right was originally a statue of Guanyin with a basket. Because it was in disrepair and the stone basket was damaged, I personally knitted a bamboo basket and sent it to replace it. .”
The stone statue of Guanyin high up is gray-white, and the basket in its hand is also gray-white. But if you look closely, you can find that there is some bamboo texture in it, and it is indeed made of woven bamboo.
However, Lu Junyi must have poured a lot of magic power into the bamboo basket, making the material of bamboo and wood stronger and more stable than ordinary iron and stone. After wind, frost, rain and snow, the texture is still clear, not only has it not been worn or deformed, Not even a trace of mold or moss.
Qiongying looked up and shook her head secretly.
Her adoptive father could suddenly be a little leisurely and elegant at any time.
After receiving Guan Luoyang's letter, it was Lu Junyi who took the initiative to attend the meeting alone.
The reason why Qiongying decided to follow him was to show her sincerity, but also because she was worried about Lu Junyi's temperament.
But anyway, the official time was after sunrise, it was still early, and Qiong Ying didn't interrupt Lu Junyi's interest.
They walked around the foot of the mountain again, and after admiring the Thousand Buddha Ridge from all directions, they found a gentle slope to go up the mountain.
"Three miles away from the east, under the dense forest stream, there is a master who practices demonic skills. He is full of coldness and responds to water vapor."
On the way up the mountain, Lu Junyi suddenly spoke, with a calm tone and a little joy, just like when he commented on the scenery before.
But this time, what he named were all the masters hidden around him.
Not only did he roughly circle the hiding places of those people and tell Qiong Ying about them, he also pointed out the characteristics of these people's skills.
"Five miles east by south, on the low hill...next to the small waterfall in the south and the deep pool...inside the mountain village in the far southwest..."
Qiongying was also paying attention to her surroundings, but she was far from being as knowledgeable as the palm of her hand. Listening to Lu Junyi's words, she realized that Lu Junyi had not forgotten the business while admiring the scenery along the way.
She couldn't help but smile, and with some thought, she said: "The man from Zhengdong should be from Gaotuoshan in the south of the Yangtze River. It is said that the sailors under him are all men with broken hair and tattoos. They are the sailors inherited from the pre-Qin, Wu and Yue periods." It is a battle magic, so it has a distinct aura, with characteristics that are almost wild and rough."
"The others I can guess include Shi Sheng, Wu Hu, Liu Dagu, and Prince Li. When they rebelled, their methods were unique and easy to identify. I can't guess the others."
As soon as Qiong Ying finished speaking, Lu Junyi's face became much more serious.
"That's all. The most noteworthy one is the one in Haotian Palace to the north."
Lu Junyi emphasized his tone and said, "That person's aura is like light and dust, mixed with the moonlight and night wind. It is thick enough to cover the mountains, but it is difficult for people to detect it."
Qiongying turned to look at Haotian Palace. Even though she had been reminded, she still couldn't see anything strange. It was obvious that the person in Haotian Palace was far stronger than herself.
"Could it be..."
Qiongying guessed, "Is that the big leader of Liangshan?"
"That's Fang La!"
A gentle breeze blows from the mountains. Wherever the wind blows, the grass is clear and green, and thousands of dewdrops instantly become turbid, flying up in the air, turning into curls of smoke, and steaming up to the sky.
A yellow-robed Taoist priest with thorny hair, carrying a wooden staff, walked to the foot of the mountain, followed by five strong men carrying bamboo baskets on their backs.
Wherever they walked, the grass and leaves seemed to have been cleaned, and the air was extremely fresh and pleasant. Some fist-sized stone statues of Bodhisattvas and Arhats, which had been hidden by weeds and covered in mud, were now washed away from dust. , revealing his true appearance.
Lu Junyi looked back, his face suddenly changed, and he praised: "The wind and smoke are all clear, the grass is new, and the heart of heaven is clear and dew. How can you practice left-handed magic to such a vibrant state? This brother is really a master." Unparalleled talent."
Taoist Priest Jingji responded with a smile: "I'm a poor Taoist, Zhang Wanxian. Could you please give me your names?"
After signing up for the number, Qiong Ying asked: "Just now, the Taoist priest said that the one on the mountain to the north is Fang La. Is he the same Fang La who called himself Holy Duke in Muzhou, failed in his conspiracy, and fought with the Taoist officials?"
"Exactly this person."
Zhang Wanxian said, "When I traveled around the world, I once heard about this man's reputation in Muzhou and had a conversation with him. I will never be wrong about the artistic conception of his Heart Sutra of Precious Sun and Moon Luck."
"There are rumors in the world that he has died at the hands of Wang Laozhi, but today it seems that his cultivation level is much higher than back then."
Qiong Ying drew inferences and said: "So, at this time, those who arrange the gathering seats on the top of Qianfo Mountain are not necessarily people from Liangshan, but people from Fang La."
Lu Junyi said: "You'll know if you go up and take a look."
Several people went up the mountain together, and sure enough they saw hundreds of men wearing coarse cloth and narrow sleeves waiting at the top of the peak. Seats on wooden and stone tables, melon and fruit kettles, wine cups and cakes, etc., were all arranged.
The view here is wide. If you come during the day, you will feel empty and far away, and you can relax your feelings. However, if you come at night, it will feel windy, wet and cold.
However, when they set foot on the top of the peak, they found that the strong wind in the mountains suddenly calmed down here, and the breeze came slowly, dry and refreshing, without any moisture from the night.
Zhang Wanxian and the others could see that these hundreds of people all had a certain level of magic cultivation. At the same time, they silently used magic spells to slightly change the climate on the peak.
However, when they saw them coming up the mountain, about twenty of the hundreds of people immediately bowed to them and then jumped up and down the mountain.
Zhang Wanxian smiled and said: "It seems that this is to avoid suspicion, so as not to be thought that these people are here to ambush us. Fang La's methods of doing things are slightly different from those back then."
Lu Junyi said loudly: "We came early, and they prepared it early, so just take a seat early."
Zhang Wanxian nodded in agreement, and they each found their seats, not far apart, and sat down safely.
It was still quiet on the summit.
Everyone here, whether it is a girl under twenty like Qiong Ying, an old Jianghu like Lu Junyi, or the five followers around Zhang Wanxian, all have enough concentration to calm down and taste a little water and wine. Enjoying the wind and the moon, you won’t feel bored at all.
Their behavior made others a little restless.
Not long after, a heavy fog filled the dense forest to the east. Gao Tuoshan, wearing dark gold armor, led people to the mountain.
Breastplate, shoulder armor, wrist guards, cloak, and golden boots were all in stock. He just took off his helmet, and with this armor on, he sat down on the ground, found a low table, and considered himself.
Not long after, people from all over the mountains and fields showed up and arrived at Qianfo Ridge.
Shi Sheng, the leader of the rebels on the Liangzhe Road, is a young man who looks young but has rough hands and feet, like a farmer in the fields.
Tao Zongwang, the "nine-tailed turtle" following him, looked like an older farmer and even held a square-headed shovel in his hand.
Although the two of them also occupied a seat, their faces were tense and they refused to touch the things on the table. In this situation, they showed a little awkwardness.
Wu Hu from Guangnan Road has a hooked nose, pale complexion, but a rather majestic appearance. He holds a wine jar in one hand and walks while drinking.
He came together with Liu Dagu, another rebel leader who was also on Guangnan Road. They each brought many entourages, and they found a seat in an area to sit down.
After that, several groups of people rushed up the mountain one after another. With each group of people coming, the men who were originally responsible for preparing seats at the top of the mountain would leave.
Soon all those people were gone, but rebels were still arriving one after another from the eight sides of the wilderness.
A rough count of the current rebel forces in the Song Dynasty is close to thirty groups. Even if some of them received Liangshan's letter, they did not come due to various concerns.
Even so, on the top of the Thousand Buddhas Cave, a gathering of heroes and a mingling atmosphere quickly gathered.
When there are more people, the silence cannot be maintained. The voices of each other chatting and discussing are like a swarm of bees, circulating among the venues.
Time passed by, and the crescent moon was still hanging high on the top of the mountains in the west, but the sky was slowly getting brighter.
There were more calls of birds in the forest, and they were suddenly disturbed by the sound of a gong, and they flapped their wings and flew away.
"The prince has arrived!"
The people who were ringing the gongs were shouting at the top of their lungs, and at the bottom of the mountain they could see gongs and drums, trumpets and shengs being played. Some people were riding horses, some were riding tigers and leopards, and eight people were carrying an apricot-yellow soft sedan, coming up the mountain.
Two large flags were erected in this team, each with four words on them, "Prince of the Li family, destroy the Song Dynasty and restore the Tang Dynasty"!
The name of the prince made everyone on the mountain a little surprised, but when they saw the flag clearly, the surprise on their faces quickly dissipated, leaving only contempt, indifference, and jealousy.
The banner was Prince Li from Xichuan Road, and everyone had heard of this force.
He claimed to be a descendant of the Tang royal family. On the day his mother gave birth to him, she dreamed of a golden dragon holding a sword and throwing it into her belly. When he was three years old, he had already read poetry and books, could scare away tigers and leopards, and could recite poems and compose poems. , and there were immortals who taught him the Dharma.
In the ancient caves deep in the mountains of Xichuan, there are often mountain people cutting wood and tired miners. They hear the song "Prince Li, save the common people, kill corrupt officials, and become a god" coming from caves everywhere.
Qiongying looked at the team and sneered, but Lu Junyi let out a chuckle.
"Father, what's wrong?"
Lu Junyi pointed to the two men riding tigers and leopards in the team and said, "I have met these two people several times."
"The one riding the black tiger with red eyes is Optimus Prime Bao Peisong, and the one riding the one-horned spotted leopard is Cui Daocheng, the pig iron Buddha. The two of them, along with Yizhou guard Shi Wengong and frontier general Luan Tingyu, were on the rivers and lakes back then. Also known as the Four Strangers."
After Prince Li and his party arrived at the mountain, the sound of playing and beating did not stop.
Among the many rebel leaders, some could not stand Prince Li and warned him.
"As the leader of a rebel army, your Excellency is traveling far away alone. It is a bit inappropriate to show such a big fanfare."
Prince Li and his party turned a deaf ear, Cui Daocheng patted the spotted leopard.
The big leopard shook its head, took two steps forward, and roared, and a fishy wind suddenly spread to the surrounding area.
"The people from Liangshan invited us to come here for a meeting, why haven't we come out to welcome them yet?"
Cui Daocheng's voice was like a big copper bell, resounding throughout the mountaintops, "Leaders, don't blame me for being rude. In fact, all of you here are busy people. Where can you find the time to accompany the people of Liangshan to engage in mysteries?"
"In my opinion, it is better for the Liangshan people to come out and hand over the divine Gu, and everyone here can discuss how to divide it up, or return to their respective armies as soon as possible to avoid extraneous matters. Do you mind this?"
Everyone was already very dissatisfied with this team, but after hearing these words, they all fell silent again.
Indeed, they will come here and talk a thousand words and ten thousand just for the mother body of the divine Gu mentioned in Liangshan's letter, and other things can be put aside completely.
It's just that the people from Liangshan didn't show up before the agreed time, so everyone had to keep their business in mind and wait anxiously.
However, now that Prince Li and his group are taking the lead, others can intimidate Liangshan as long as they silently support them. Why not?
Among the people present, a voice suddenly echoed: "That's true. It's already getting dark, so it's time for the people from Liangshan to show up."
The crowd was talking a lot, and gradually they were all shouting, and their words were directed at Liangshan.
"Everyone, please be patient. It's still half an hour before the promised sunrise. How can it be a big deal if it's so uncertain?"
From the Haotian Palace to the north, a gentle and hoarse voice came. As the words came closer, they became layered and seemed to be pervasive and everywhere.
Prince Li's subordinates who were playing the flute all broke their strings and lost their breath, their faces turned red from holding back, and they couldn't produce any music for a while.
Many of the leaders at the peak were still able to maintain their composure, but their eyesight was inexplicably blurry.
Fang La, in white robe, has led a line of people to the top of the mountain.
There was silence on all sides, and everyone couldn't help but stop talking and wait quietly for the sunrise.
The sound of water in the distance is still there, and the sound of wind nearby is low.
When the sun rises in the east, it illuminates the shallow waves in the fields and the faint sky across the sky.
The mountains are crowded together, the water is flowing, and the clouds in the sky are rolling, and suddenly they are all covered with cyan from the mountains to this side.
Several figures descended from the blue clouds.
Guan Luoyang landed smoothly, looked around, and said with a smile: "The military regulations prepared for you were repaired again last night. I have thanked you for your long wait."
