bookbashuk Chapter 10 Transmission of Scripture
Chapter 10 Transmission of Scripture
Zhang Xiu still smiled respectfully, while Yi Chuan remained expressionless.
"How did this master know I was looking for something?"
"I don't know that. I was quite surprised when I received Master's letter." Zhang Xiu shook his head. "Master's Taoist arts are probably so profound that he might have foreseen something."
Yi Chuan looked at Zhang Xiu's dark face.
Hmm, there were still bits of vegetable stuck in his teeth, so you couldn't see any change in his expression.
"These old fogies, they really are all empty-headed," Yi Chuan thought to himself. He suspected that the six volumes of "Taiqing Xuanyuan Lu" in his hand were a hook to lure him to Yangping Mountain.
"I understand." With his expression unchanged, Yi Chuan finished his rice porridge, ate his steamed bun in a few bites, and went back to his room.
At this moment, the disciples cautiously gathered around.
"Master, why don't you keep the real person in our Rokudo-ji...?"
One of the disciples spoke cautiously, explaining that since Yi Chuan had arrived this month, the standard of living in the administrative area had skyrocketed, and with an immortal residing there, it was quite prestigious to talk about.
"What do you know? This is esoteric divination; you have no right to interrupt!"
With a single glance, Zhang Xiu forced back the disciples who had surrounded him. He finished his rice porridge in two gulps, then strolled down the mountain with his hands behind his back like an old man.
Yi Chuan returned to his room, closed the doors and windows tightly, lit an oil lamp, and spread out the six volumes of "Taiqing Xuanyuan Lu" by the light.
Besides the "Six Qi Food Method," these six volumes also contain a minor supernatural power related to cultivation called the "Rain Prayer Technique," which Yi Chuan compiled, but he is not yet able to use it with his current level of Qi cultivation.
"Indeed, it is incomplete; the Six Qi Food Method is incomplete."
Yi Chuan tied the books together, then sat down and tapped his knuckles on the table.
He felt he had fallen into some kind of misconception, believing that the Dao Fruit had guided him to this Lutangzhi, and that what he was looking for was also in Lutangzhi, but now it seemed that the situation was not so.
However, having his secret revealed in a single sentence sent a chill down Yi Chuan's spine.
How did Zhang Heng, the Celestial Master from two thousand years ago, come to pass on such a seemingly plausible but ultimately ambiguous statement?
The feeling that his secret might be discovered made Yi Chuan very uncomfortable.
"But even if we don't aim for the Dao fruit, just the remaining two chapters of the Six Qi Nourishing Qi Method, 'Nourishing Qi' and 'Inscribing the Spirit,' are worth the trip..."
Gradually, Yi Chuan stopped what he was doing, having already made up his mind.
-----------------
Yi Chuan's arrival was sudden, and he didn't want to make a big fuss about leaving.
Anyway, this body is special, so it's fine if I don't eat or drink. After saying goodbye to Zhang Xiu, Yi Chuan wanted to leave quietly.
However, upon arriving at the gate of Lutangzhi Mountain, he saw a man in official robes and many local gentry and yamen runners waiting for him in the pavilion.
Upon seeing Yi Chuan, the man hurried over, followed by a dozen or so followers, all dressed in fine clothes.
"I am the prefect of this region, but I have been busy with official duties and have not had the opportunity to pay my respects!"
"I had long observed that there was purple aura surrounding the direction of Lutang in Mianzhu, and the stars were aligned, just like when Laozi traveled west at Hangu Pass. Today I have seen the immortal face, it is indeed an immortal saint descending to earth to save all directions."
The man spoke with such conviction that Yi Chuan looked up at the sky.
Yes, the sky was a clear, bright blue, and the sun hung high in the sky.
Anyway, Yi Chuan couldn't see any purple aura.
Yi Chuan glanced at the people behind the prefect. Most of them looked familiar; they were villagers and gentry who had received his talismanic water during the plague. Behind them was Fei Shi, the magistrate of Mianzhu County.
Fei Shi met Yi Chuan's gaze, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and cupped her hands in a gesture of apology from afar.
The prefect was naturally brought by him.
Because Mianzhu was one of the few counties that had not been affected by the plague, the number of able-bodied men had skyrocketed. If this continued, there would be no men left in the entire Mianzhu County.
So he could only embellish the story and report Yi Chuan's existence to the emperor, hoping to attract the prefect to come in person and reduce the number of able-bodied men that could be recruited into the army in Mianzhu.
"What business does the prefect have?"
Although he was facing a prefectural governor, Yi Chuan remained calm and composed, neither humble nor arrogant.
When the prefect first saw Yi Chuan, who looked like a young boy, he was initially skeptical of the so-called "immortal" legend. However, seeing that Yi Chuan could remain calm and composed in front of him, he gradually became more convinced.
The prefect rubbed his hands awkwardly: "Ahem, I heard from the Chief Priest Lutang that the Immortal will be leaving Mianzhu soon. I also wish to follow the example of Guan Yu Yin Xi and ask the Immortal to leave behind a half-volume of a classic, so that I may use it to educate the people and promote the Great Dao."
Yi Chuan immediately understood from the prefect's expression.
Well, this guy came here for fame.
In the past, Lao Tzu saw the decline of the Zhou Dynasty at Hangu Pass, rode away on a blue ox, and left behind the two volumes of the Tao Te Ching.
Along with the Tao Te Ching, the gatekeeper Yin happy is also known for his quest for the scriptures.
Moreover, this prefect was extremely clever. He wanted to be like Yin Xi, the gatekeeper, while also comparing himself to Lao Tzu. As the prefect of a prefecture, he was humble. Although his intentions were obvious, they were not offensive.
"The immortal burned talismans and transformed them into water, saving countless people. He possessed great supernatural powers and great merits. After passing down the Taoist scriptures, we will carefully copy them so that the immortal's name can be remembered for eternity."
Seeing that Yi Chuan was still hesitating, Fei Shi stepped forward. As the magistrate of Mianzhu County, she actually kowtowed to Yi Chuan in public, raising her head with pleading in her eyes.
Zhang Xiu, his face dark with anger, also knelt down upon seeing this. He was the one who relayed the news of Yi Chuan's departure to Fei Shi, so he clearly knew about the prefect's grand scheme all along.
"I beg the immortals to bestow scriptures!"
"I beg the immortals to bestow scriptures!"
The county magistrate and the chief priest both knelt down, as did the gentry of Mianzhu County and the Daoist priests of Lutangzhi. A dense, imposing mass of voices echoed through the mountains and forests.
Although the prefect did not kneel, he also cupped his hands again, his body almost bent at a ninety-degree angle.
"Fine, fine, consider this my food expenses for this month's stay..."
"If you wish to spread the teachings, then follow me."
Yi Chuan sighed, turned around and returned to Lu Tangzhi, then walked straight into Chongxu Hall.
Chongxu Hall was the central hub of Lutangzhi, occupying a vast area. Even with the prefect, magistrate, and a host of local gentry and Daoist people entering, it did not feel crowded.
The prefect was overjoyed. Several scholars were grinding ink, waiting for Yi Chuan to speak and impart the teachings. Their hands trembled slightly as they picked up their brushes.
His name will be remembered in history! His name will be remembered in history!
Thousands of years from now, those who copied the scriptures will surely be remembered by posterity, just like Guan Ling Yin happy.
Humans cannot live to be a hundred years old, so what they seek is nothing more than a name.
"Immortal, do you not need to fast for a thousand days and observe scriptures and precepts?"
The prefect below suppressed his excitement and cautiously asked a question.
"Need not."
"With no constraints on the body, the Way is boundless."
Yi Chuan waved his hand; how could he have time to accompany these people in their thousand-day fast?
At this moment, he was also in a dilemma: what scripture should he pass on to these guys?
Yi Chuan had a good memory. During his three years at Baiyun Temple, he was often forced by the old abbot to read scriptures. He could vaguely remember the "Huangdi Neijing", "Chongxu Jing", "Nanhua Jing" and "Taishang Ganying Pian".
However, the *Huangdi Neijing* and *Chongxu Jing* already existed in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
As for the "Seven Tablets of the Cloudy Bookcase" and the "True Scriptures," they didn't appear until hundreds of years later. I live in the real Eastern Han Dynasty. If I were to reveal these scriptures now, wouldn't that just cause trouble for future generations?