After saying goodbye to the small mountain village, Chen Sheng, Xuanzang and Bai Jingjing continued their journey.
This place is not far from Chang'an.
Chang'an is now the capital of the Tang Dynasty. Since the fall of the Sui Dynasty, Xuanzang and Chen Sheng have never been to a city of this level.
Bai Jingjing wanted to see if a place like Chang'an was more lively and prosperous than the human cities she had passed through before.
Xuanzang wanted to go to the current capital to see if there were any new Buddhist concepts here.
Along the way, everyone was speechless.
Bai Jingjing has been unhappy since she heard Xuanzang's analysis when she was exterminating the bandits. She wanted to say something but couldn't.
According to the senior brother, because of the impact of turning around and participating in the general trend of the times, the departure of the master seems to be inevitable.
So where should they go from here?
From the day Master said he would give her a chance to change her ways, she secretly decided to follow Master all the time.
In this world, Bai Jingjing just wants to stay with her senior brother and master, silently enjoying the scenery along the way.
She wanted nothing more.
She wanted to ask Master if she could stay.
But when she looked up at the master who was walking forward silently, the countless words she wanted to say in her heart could not be said at this moment.
At this moment, she seemed to have turned back into the timid girl she was when they first met, feeling confused and helpless but not knowing what to do.
So, she just lowered her head and followed her master and senior brother.
Xuanzang also said nothing, and followed the master's footsteps that seemed very slow, but seemed to have a sense of urgency.
He maintained this thinking and low state for much longer than Bai Jingjing.
When Bai Jingjing became more lively because of his master's love and care, he, who had always been funny, became silent at every turn.
After all, junior sister Bai Jingjing only knew that Master might be leaving, but he had already guessed it.
After Xuanzang punched to death the corrupt official who embezzled disaster relief food that day, he understood something from the happy but helpless eyes of his master.
After that confrontation, he could never return to his old state of excitedly punching evil people to the flesh.
The possibility that his master will leave has been weighing heavily on his shoulders.
The possibility left him breathless.
He is clearly familiar with many Buddhist teachings and should understand the pain of separation better than anyone else. He should be able to see through all this better than anyone else.
But the fact is that he can't see through it.
Ever since Master asked his name in the Pure Land Temple's dining hall eleven years ago, Xuanzang could no longer forget this man who would influence his life.
In the past eleven years, Xuanzang, who had provided psychological treatment to many people with his profound Buddhist attainments, was now trapped in it himself.
He just followed Chen Sheng step by step without saying a word.
This look is very similar to when the master held his arm and led him to punch when he was a child.
Although he didn't know anything at that time, he would follow his master ignorantly and firmly.
A long silence lingered among the team of two people and one demon.
Chen Sheng also felt this atmosphere and understood that the two disciples had actually realized that he was about to leave.
Chen Sheng, who was not good at parting, said nothing, but silently quickened his pace.
In fact, the time and space disruption threshold is consumed too quickly. It is naturally best to reach Chang'an City before leaving.
Along the way, I just happened to think about what I wanted to tell the two of them.
Among them, Xuanzang naturally had the most to explain, but if you think about it carefully, it seems that there is no need to explain too much at all.
Xuanzang is excellent enough.
I still remember that I first wanted to find Xuanzang because Master Jiexian of Nalanda Temple needed a talented disciple who could reach the eighth consciousness and inherit the demon sealed in his body.
So he immediately thought of Xuanzang, the disciple of Master Jiexian in the original history.
When he came to Pure Land Temple eleven years ago, he made a decision to accept Xuanzang as his disciple and let Xuanzang join Yongzhou.
Then, everything changed.
In the original history, Xuanzang faced obstacles and frame-ups from evil people from all over the world, the oppression of irresistible natural disasters, and the torment of endless loneliness...
I still remember what is said in "The Records of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty": There are no birds on the Liusha River, no animals below, no water and no grass. During the day, the sky is filled with sand blown by strong winds, and at night, the sky is filled with will-o'-the-wisps, shining like stars, with spooky and terrifying shapes.
In addition to an old horse, Xuanzang was accompanied by endless phantoms of demons that disturbed his mind.
But today's Xuanzang is completely different.
No sights or hallucinations could shake his mind, and no strong wind or dust could move his body.
Not to mention the so-called demons in hallucinations, even if a real demon appeared, it would only be sent to the west by Xuanzang's two punches.
Xuanzang like this made Chen Sheng feel relieved.
The task of exterminating the last remaining monster can probably be left to him.
The monster seal inherited from Master Jie Xian can probably be handed over to him.
In silence, Chen Sheng thought about Bai Jingjing again.
The monster he gave his name found the meaning of his existence six years ago.
Then, in the company of him and Xuanzang, he changed from timid to lively and cheerful.
Chen Sheng's only hope for her is that she can always be happy.
It's a pity that now that he is leaving, Bai Jingjing will probably not be happy anymore.
In silence, Chen Sheng continued to move forward.
Crossing patches of green water and green mountains, the two people and one demon who came to the official road gradually met pedestrians.
The moisture in the air humidifies.
Looking around, it seems that a big river can be vaguely seen in the distance.
This is the Weishui River, the largest tributary of the Yellow River.
After arriving here, we were not far from Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty today, and the next journey was less than twenty kilometers.
The two of them and the demon continued to move forward. Although there were already pedestrians around, they did not show too much exaggerated foot power.
But even so, we arrived in Chang'an quickly before dark.
For Bai Jingjing, who had not been to a big city in the six years since she was born, what she saw in Chang'an City was really an eye-opener.
So much so that she, who had been feeling depressed because her master was about to leave, couldn't help but open her eyes in surprise.
Chang'an City in the Tang Dynasty was based on Daxing City in the Sui Dynasty.
The characteristics of the planning and layout of its construction system are unprecedented scale, creation of an imperial city, three-city ring, utilization of six slopes, symmetrical layout, wide streets, neat squares, uniform shape, criss-crossing canals, green shade covering the city, and surrounding sacrificial altars in the suburbs. .
The city is built like a sky, and the palaces, imperial cities, and palaces in the capital are laid out according to the positions of celestial phenomena and stars, embodying the mystery of the unity of heaven and man and the divine right of kings.
When Bai Jingjing's eyes widened, Xuanzang also looked around in surprise.
On the surrounding streets, the number of Buddhist disciples seems to be unusually large.
On their way to stay overnight at Xingshan Temple, the largest temple in Chang'an City, Xuanzang saw too many monks discussing Taoism on the spot.
Many shops even put up plain signboards to receive many monks who looked like they were tired of traveling and came from afar.
In silence, Xuanzang took his master and junior sister to a shop along the street, ordered three bowls of plain noodles and sat down.
"Are there so many monks in Chang'an City?"
Bai Jingjing looked around in surprise and said the first words along the way.
Obviously, she also discovered something unusual here.
"I don't know. Maybe I can ask the waiter."
Xuanzang said this, and there was a hint of curiosity and inquiry in his words.
Recently, I have been traveling around the Qinling Mountains in the mountains and rivers, and I don't have any good channels to obtain information from the outside world.
So, he doesn't know what's going on here.
However, Chen Sheng on the side raised a smile and looked at Xuanzang: "Today, there are indeed some special activities."
If Bai Jingjing wanted to come to the big city Chang'an to watch the excitement before finding out that Chen Sheng was leaving, Xuanzang wanted to come to Xingshan Temple in Chang'an to exchange Buddhist teachings.
Then Chen Sheng's purpose was to send his disciple Xuanzang to the place where he should be at the time of 626 AD.
In 626 AD, the monk Palapokaromitra who came from India gave a public lecture in Chang'an City of the Tang Dynasty.
Many Buddhists came to listen to his lectures.
Xuanzang in the original history had a new understanding of many concepts in Buddhism during this lecture, and he suddenly became enlightened.
It was also during this lecture.
Xuanzang in the original history understood what he had always been confused about, and what he had always wanted to do...
The monk from India gave him a revelation.
If in China, various Buddhist concepts are incomplete, and no correct solution can be found to save the world and help people.
So if we go to the Western Regions, can we explore the true meaning of various Buddhist concepts in the place where Buddhism originated?
While improving Buddhism, can we explore a correct solution that can save all sentient beings and save the world?
From then on, Xuanzang officially made up his mind to go to the Western Regions.
And Chen Sheng is now bringing Xuanzang to this destined place.
"Buddhist activities?"
Xuanzang heard Chen Sheng's speech and looked at Chen Sheng with more curiosity.
"Yes, a Buddhist from the Western Regions will give a lecture along the street."
Chen Sheng replied to Xuanzang.
Listening to this answer, Bai Jingjing pouted with obvious boredom, and then ate happily at the plain noodles served by the waiter.
She is not interested in anything about Buddha or Dharma.
Over the years, every time when her senior brother was studying Buddhism, she would sneak into the kitchen and eat all the food.
In this way, she could see the angry expression on her gluttonous senior brother's face after studying.
It was one of her favorite pleasures.
Compared to Bai Jingjing's disinterest, Xuanzang's eyes flashed with light.
Silently ignoring the hand that his junior sister extended towards his bowl of plain noodles, Xuanzang fell into silence.
"I know what you've been thinking."
"Since you were a child, you have always felt that there are too many mistakes in the many Buddhist dharma today, right? Since you were a child, you have always felt that there is no correct solution to save all sentient beings in Buddhism, right?"
"Now, is a new decision born in your heart?"
Chen Sheng looked into Xuanzang's eyes.
The series of questions made Xuanzang stunned, and then he gave a helpless smile: "Indeed, I can't hide anything from you, Master."
"Under my influence, you have actually known for a long time that there is an expert in Nalanda Temple in the Western Regions who I highly respect, right?"
"Why did you never tell me you wanted to go?"
Chen Sheng looked at Xuanzang and asked.
His time is running out, and he may have to start explaining everything now.
"I want to follow Master."
Xuanzang's answer was without hesitation.
This answer made Chen Sheng pause, and all the words he was going to explain about his funeral came to an abrupt end.
Bai Jingjing also raised her head in surprise, unable to even swallow the plain noodles in her mouth.
She was also a little surprised by her senior brother's performance.
That senior brother who has always known only gluttony and beauty, that senior brother who beats and kills at every turn, who is not like a Buddhist disciple, can actually say such sensational words.
For a moment, the table fell into a long silence.
After a long time, Chen Sheng slowly said: "Then I will leave soon."
Regarding Xuanzang's statement that he just wanted to follow him, Chen Sheng didn't say anything. He just went straight to the point and talked about a topic that he had never discussed with his disciples before.
He is leaving.
These words made the surrounding atmosphere even darker.
If it were just a bit awkward in the silence just now.
So now the silence is filled with reluctance and confusion.
This issue, which the two men and one demon had been silent all the way, neither daring to explain, was brought to light at this moment.
He didn't say anything when he saw his disciples.
Chen Sheng continued to speak: "Xuan Zang, your burden will be heavier in the future, and I will leave more tasks for you, my senior brother."
"You must find and solve the ray of life of the monster that I haven't finished destroying yet."
"Then, just as you want to go to the Western Regions, there is a second master I have arranged for you waiting for you at Nalanda Temple in the Western Regions."
"There, you have to learn to become stronger, inherit the monster vitality in Master Jie Xian's body, and destroy it in your lifetime."
When Chen Sheng said this, he saw that Xuanzang still lowered his head without saying a word, and then looked at Bai Jingjing, who had stopped eating:
"Xiao Bai, listen to senior brother more from now on."
"Then, within the best of our ability, try to destroy the ray of life of the monster that has not yet been found."
Saying that, Chen Sheng touched Bai Jingjing's head.
Bai Jingjing lowered her head and let Chen Sheng touch her, but she remained silent.
After Chen Sheng explained everything, the two disciples still bowed their heads and remained silent, as if they did not want to face such a situation.
"Okay, I'm leaving. Don't you have anything to say?"
Chen Sheng sighed and used the power of his spiritual cultivation system to raise their lowered heads.
"You have to go, right?"
Bai Jingjing asked tentatively, tears seemed to appear in the corners of her eyes.
In response, Chen Sheng nodded.
Bai Jingjing took a deep breath and said seriously: "I will go find you, Master!"
"It's a deal!"
Chen Sheng heard this and seriously hooked up with Bai Jingjing.
Xuanzang on the side watched this scene silently and said nothing for a long time.
He had known for a long time that his master would leave, and had been thinking about it for a long time.
Although it is still unacceptable at the moment, he understands that sometimes there is really nothing he can do about some things, so the more times like this he becomes calmer.
"A person's shadow cannot cover the entire earth, but some sounds can travel far."
"The unfinished business will be left to you."
Chen Sheng looked at the two of them seriously, with unprecedented seriousness and seriousness in his eyes.
In response, Xuanzang and Bai Jingjing nodded firmly.
(End of chapter)
