Ten states

A high-ranking person has come to Hongjing County recently, and he wants to accept disciples in this Hongjing City.It took only three days for this matter to spread widely, and everyone knew about it.

This tall man is an old Taoist priest with sloppy clothes, desolate appearance, and a tattered Taoist robe. He lives in an abandoned monastery outside the county town. He looks like a wandering wild Taoist with nowhere to go.In fact, everyone thought so at the beginning. Two beggars who also used the dilapidated Town God's Temple as their den spoke ill at him, spit at him, and poured dirty water on him, but he didn't care.Until a few days later when a group of robbers ambushed a escort team near the monastery, he happened to pass by and killed the robbers with a few magic spells. He didn't say much to the rescued escort team, but Still alone, he went back to live in the ruined temple.The head of the bodyguard was also a discerning person, knowing that he had met a real expert, he brought a heavy gift and asked all the way before he came to the ruined temple to thank him, but that person ignored him.The beggar who lived in the ruined temple was still thinking about how to drive this man out, but seeing the bodyguard coming to thank him, he was so frightened that his legs went limp, and he even crawled over to kowtow to make amends, but the man also didn't care.The escort had no choice but to leave behind his thank you gift, and the beggars also respected this strange man like a god.

This matter spread to the county town that day, and then Xie Dahu in the county town took his hysterical son to beg the old Taoist priest.His son has some mental problems since he was a child, and he has visited many famous doctors and monks and priests for many years, and he has lost a lot of gold and silver money because of this, but there is no improvement. Try, but unexpectedly the old Taoist just waved and drank a few times, the son who had been drowsy suddenly woke up, he could say that he could jump and run around, and Xie Dahu was so happy that he passed out immediately.

There were quite a few people who followed to watch the excitement, and when they came back, they passed on the old Taoist priest ten times and hundreds of times.Immediately, the ruined temple was besieged by an endless stream of people, but the old Taoist cast a few spells casually, and those people could only wander around the gate of the temple, but they couldn't turn into the ruined temple.

The next one who heard the news was the master of the Tianshi Taoist temple in the county seat and the abbot of the branch temple of the Pure Land Temple.Naturally, they would not be subject to the kind of magic that hinders ordinary people, or they all came to meet this sloppy old man in accordance with the etiquette, or in accordance with the rules of the world.How the exact process is of course no one knows.But after coming out, they are all full of praise for this old Taoist, especially the master of the Tianshi Temple, who almost admires this sloppy old Taoist. When talking with others in private, they say that this old Taoist is casual about classics and Taoism. The explanation is still the profound and mysterious aspects of Taoism, which he has never seen even when he was practicing on Longhu Mountain. He is indeed a master of Taoism who plays games in the world.

But why did this expert suddenly show up and stay near this small Jingbei town?Both of them naturally asked this question, and the old man's answer was indeed very inexplicable, which is unique to an expert. In fact, after careful consideration, it seems to have a deep meaning in it: Before he became enlightened, he joked that he had promised a If the old man was young, if he achieved success in cultivating the Tao, he would take the heir of the dead man as his apprentice to teach him a spell.But the old man died long ago, and he did not leave any heirs.He only knew that the old man's ancestral home was in the area of ​​Hongjing City, but the details could not be verified for a long time, so he planned to come here to select ten disciples to complete his childhood jokes.

As soon as the news came out, it immediately caused a huge commotion in Hongjing County.Especially for some young people who are unwilling to be ordinary, this is simply ecstatic.Although both the Pure Land Temple and the Tianshi Teaching have opened up a wide range of doors, it is naturally impossible to worship any eminent monk or Taoist priest to practice under the sect of an eminent monk or Taoist priest without a particularly outstanding aptitude or background, not to mention that those who count are not in the world. How can a top-notch person compare to this kind of mysterious expert who has unpredictable origins, weird behaviors, and can subdue both Buddhism and Taoism with a single gesture?I don't know how many legends and knight-errants' words have long praised this kind of master as unparalleled in the world.It makes people fascinated leisurely, and now this great opportunity bestowed by God is in front of everyone, how can we not make people extremely excited?

So in just three days, hundreds of people gathered outside the ruined temple and waited for the master to come out to choose disciples. Some sat cross-legged without saying a word to show their strength, endurance, and extraordinary mind, and some recited Buddhist scriptures aloud. Daozang shows that he has a solid foundation.There are a few brave and ruthless ones who have fought several times. In short, people of all colors have shown their special abilities.Followed by small vendors selling steamed buns, cakes, and drinking water, as well as renting tents and bedding, making the entrance of the dilapidated temple as lively as a market.And this is only exposed on the surface, and there are not many people who are recharging their energy and looking for ways in the dark.

I don't know if the time has come somewhere.Still, he couldn't stand being annoyed by these ordinary people at the door. Today, the expert finally walked out of the ruined temple accompanied by Master Yun Daochang, the master of the Tianshi Temple, and announced that he would choose disciples today.

This is the first time most people here have seen this legendary tall man. He is over half a century old, with a stooped figure, messy gray hair and beard, and his old face is full of wrinkles. It was criss-crossed, and a worn-out Taoist robe was so rotten that it was almost impossible to tell whether it was randomly found in a garbage dump. If it was placed in other places, even if it entered a teahouse, it would only be thrown out. In the eyes of hundreds of people who have been waiting outside the temple for a long time, this is exactly what an expert outside the world should look like.Especially some of them who have keen eyesight and keen senses can vaguely sense a strangeness from the sweeping gaze of this expert. It is a kind of gaze that combines indifference and vicissitudes, as if overlooking the common people from above, which is even more impressive. I was so impressed.

When the expert spoke again, the calm and indifferent voice seemed to ring in everyone's ears, and it spread directly within a hundred feet: "Old Dao Lingshanzi, I came here specially for the appointment of all the old friends in the past. Jingcheng selected ten disciples to practice Taoism with me. The old Taoist wanted to do things in secret, but he accidentally leaked the Xingzang, which attracted so many people. Then the old Taoist didn’t care, so he asked you directly here, would you like to practice Taoism with me Is it?"

"Of course I am willing!"

"I would like to practice Taoism with the Taoist master!"

"May the elder follow the immortal elder to serve you wholeheartedly, like a cow or a horse!"

All kinds of answers merged into a tsunami-like sound wave. Some people, especially those standing outside, were afraid that their voices would not reach the ears of this extraterrestrial expert, and they wanted to shout out their voices.

Standing next to this Lingshanzi, Master Yuntong was also in a daze under the huge sound waves, not because of the loudness of the sound, but standing on this high place and feeling the echoing feeling, the longing cast from all directions, fanaticism.The gaze of worship really makes people feel elated, and no matter how silently reciting the "Qing Jing Sutra" in their hearts, they can't erase the bursts of longing that popped up from the bottom of their hearts.He stole a glance at Ling Shanzi beside him, but saw the cold indifference on the old Taoist's face.It's like watching a group of ants and mosquitoes roaring.

Sure enough, this is the real demeanor of a master, and he has truly reached the state of freedom that is world-renowned without persuasion, and the world is condemned without being discouraged.The old Taoist Yuntong couldn't help but feel sincere admiration. He had already experienced the profound cultivation of this expert in Taoism, so he took the initiative to ask to come and observe the expert's acceptance of disciples. In a state of shock, the admiration in my heart went from ten points to twelve points.

"But the old Taoist here also makes it clear to you that the so-called heaven is ruthless, and the heaven without Tao treats all things as dogs. The road to cultivating immortals and proving the Tao is not smooth. The old Taoist line is more about natural selection. There is a chance of life and a chance, and if you are not careful, you will be in danger of death. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is a narrow escape if you can reach the level of the old. If you want to live a more stable life, it is better to go back and work honestly. . Follow the old way to cultivate immortals, and your lives may not be up to you."

Lingshanzi's old-fashioned words cooled the enthusiasm of the surrounding people somewhat, and many people looked at each other in blank dismay. They had only heard that Jianghu was dangerous, but they had never heard that cultivating immortals was also dangerous.Regardless of whether it is the Pure Land Temple or the Tao of Heavenly Masters, even if it is a little harder to get into the door and a little harder to pass on the truth, but no matter how much you dawdle, you will not necessarily lose your life.But after a while, someone shouted: "The elder fairy's words are very good! This is the subversive and unbreakable truth in the world! In this world, the weak eat the strong. The strong are born and the weak die. Killing, being bullied and ravaged by those powerful and powerful people with martial arts, it is better to fight and fight with others. Fight with the sky!"

What he said seemed to make sense, and it even resonated in the hearts of the people who gathered here waiting for the opportunity of birth. The people around couldn't help but cast their eyes on the person who spoke, and saw that it was a sixteen-year-old man. A seven-year-old boy in shabby clothes.His expression is jumping and his eyes are flexible, but he looks shrewd and intelligent, but when he speaks, there is a sense of injustice and hostility in his voice and expression on his face.The old Taoist Lingshanzi who was standing at the gate of the temple also nodded slightly, and said, "Okay, this young man's heart and wisdom are just what I want."

After finishing speaking, the old Taoist Lingshanzi stretched out his hand and pointed, a ball of golden light fell on the young man and turned into a set of golden armor, and then the young man floated up in the air and flew towards him.The young man still had an ecstatic look on his face as if he was in a dream, and he still had a bit of wit in his mind, he quickly knelt down and kowtowed to the old Taoist of Lingshanzi: "Master, please accept my disciple's bow. "

The old man Lingshanzi didn't speak, he didn't even smile on his face, he just waved his hand slightly to let the boy stand aside.The others stared dumbfounded at the great opportunity that fell on this young man. Some were envious and jealous, and more stumbled to regret that they hadn't thought of responding to the words of the fairy just now, and why they hadn't realized it. When the truth of heaven and earth came out, many people immediately frowned and racked their brains to see what amazing and extraordinary words they could come up with to make themselves stand out.

It's a pity that the old Taoist Lingshanzi didn't intend to continue talking to these people. With a wave of his hand, the crowded crowd was separated by an inexplicable force. Walking out of the circle surrounded by hundreds of people, only one sentence was left: "I have already said that, there are those who are not afraid of death, and those who want to worship the old Tao as teachers, follow them."

The young man who was selected by the old Taoist of Lingshanzi also jumped up suddenly, wearing a golden armor and sprinting behind the old Taoist in big strides.Hundreds of people gathered into a human dragon, not big or small, and followed the old Taoist and galloped in one direction, and many servants who were waiting for others scattered to inform their masters.

In an instant, the entrance of the overcrowded dilapidated temple was empty, and Yuntongren who was standing alone at the entrance looked at the people and dragons going away with a strange expression.The words of the old man of Lingshanzi just now seemed to make sense at first glance, but they gave him a faint feeling that he was extremely inappropriate. Shocking words to frighten these rash seekers.Looking at the crowd gradually going away, Yun Taoist could only recite mantras and perform supernatural actions, and also followed behind.

The old Taoist of Lingshanzi seems to be just walking in front of him at a leisurely pace, but in fact the speed is so fast that ordinary people can barely keep up by running.It didn't take long before half of the people following behind couldn't keep up.They stopped and slumped on the ground, only those with martial arts skills could continue to run, and from time to time, some people rushed to join the team from other places.Suddenly there was a sound of horseshoes, and someone came up on horseback.Moreover, there were also many vacant horses with them, which seemed to be sent to the masters in the team by those servants and servants.

"A lot of cunning people! Everyone uses their legs, what are you riding horses?"

"Don't pay attention to these people. This road is undoubtedly a test for us by the elders. Even if these opportunists and bullies follow, they can only be spectators. What the elders accept as disciples is to test their temperament and aptitude, not their family's wealth. .”

"Follow tight, keep tight, don't block the way in front, get out of the way if you can't run!"

No matter how the people behind him toss about, the old Lingshanzi in front still seems to be walking at a very fast pace, seemingly unhurried.The walking route also began to deviate from the road, heading towards the wilderness.The road gradually became more and more difficult, and in some places, horses could not run. It was difficult for ordinary people without martial arts to keep up, and more and more people fell behind.The rest are either those who have martial arts, or those who are light in body and strong in will.And the young man who was selected by the old Taoist of Lingshanzi was able to follow the old Taoist closely all the time. It didn't take much effort for him to turn his head to look behind him from time to time, as if the golden armor was leading him to run. This situation also motivates the people who follow behind.

Finally, before walking out of a valley more than 30 miles away, Lingshanzi Old Road stopped.At this time, there were only hundreds of people who could follow behind him.The experienced gaze swept over the more than 100 people who were out of breath, and nodded slightly.

"I can persist all the way to this point. Your blood and will is not bad. However, the old Taoist said that only ten people will be selected, and there will be a test set by the old Taoist here. In this valley, there is a strange mountain surrounded by thick fog. The nine people who climbed up first are disciples of the old Taoist." The old Taoist of Lingshanzi stretched out his hand, and everyone found that the valley was full of thin mist, and one of them was not too big.There are only five or sixty feet of hills looming in it. "However, the old Taoist still has something to say. The fog in this mountain is thick, and the danger is unpredictable. It is more likely that someone will kill people secretly when they are fighting for the ranking, and the old Taoist will never intervene in the process. No matter what method, as long as it can The one who climbs to the top first is the winner. So once you enter this mountain, life and death are unpredictable. Whether you want to go or not, you should think carefully for yourself."

Those who can follow all the way here naturally have already decided on this road in their hearts, not to mention the boy who was exceptionally included was still standing not far away. Immediately, someone replied angrily: "Don't worry, Immortal Elder, we have a firm heart to seek the Tao. What's the mere danger? If you want to be safe, then go back to farm~! If you can't fight in life, you deserve to be killed." Rotten in the mud and feed the bugs!"

One person opened his mouth, and then he followed up with the clamor, and the sound was full of fighting spirit and enthusiasm, but this follow-up didn't make Lingshan old man have any intention of accepting disciples outside the rules, he just waved his hand and said lightly: "Then You go, I will wait for the first nine people to climb to the top of the mountain below."

These hundreds of people rushed towards the misty valley in a swarm, leaving only a dozen or so scattered people with apprehensive and hesitant faces.Most of these are rich kids who are leading horses, so it is natural to have to spare their lives.

He didn't even look at these people left behind, but he followed them into the valley, and the young man in golden armor followed closely behind.As soon as they stepped into the valley, their figures disappeared into the mist, and those hesitant people wanted to follow up to have a look in the valley, but found that as soon as they walked into the seemingly thin layer of mist, Get lost for no apparent reason, and then find yourself walking out again after not taking a few steps.Knowing that the Immortal Chief had set up a formation restriction here, these people stood in place and complained dejectedly, so they could only retreat in resentment.

Not far away, Yuntongren, who saw all this in his eyes, had an increasingly weird expression.He couldn't understand the behavior of this senior Lingshanzi more and more. If he said what he said before, it was just a joke, but now it seems that this behavior really reveals a bit of unusual taste.

This valley is not too far from Hongjing County, and he has been here a few times. Of course, there are no weird hills in it. An ominous aura was revealed, the thick and gloomy flesh and blood essence mixed with a cold fishy smell - it was the evil aura emanating from monsters.

Could it be that this senior Lingshanzi tamed some kind of monster in this valley?Is he going to use monsters to select and test disciples?Could it be true that he said that his life was in danger?After hesitating for a while, the Yuntong people still stepped into the mist of the valley.