Chapter 370

Gu Qing moved his body, immediately stepping forward. He cradled Bai Suzhen with one arm and Xiaoqing with the other, first checking Xiaoqing's condition. He saw that she was drowsy, but her physiological signs were very stable; even in her unconscious state, she showed no intention of revealing her true form.

It was as if she were merely asleep.

Afterward, Gu Qing looked toward Bai Suzhen.

"I don't know what's wrong either; a wave of weariness has arisen out of nowhere."

Bai Suzhen struggled to pull herself together, lifting her eyes to say to Gu Qing.

"Let's head back first."

Gu Qing, cradling Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing with his left and right arms, had already roughly handled the illness here. He instructed Xiaoqing to summon Bai Fu, one of the Five Ghosts, and told him to hire a carriage. Gu Qing then, with a beauty in each arm, brought Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing to the road, boarded the carriage, and headed urgently toward the Tianyun Temple.

Since Zhao Gou arrived in Hangzhou, there had been many temples in the city, and the incense offerings were very devout. This Tianyun Temple belonged to the Shenxiao Sect, and it was said that the Daoist priests inside were disciples of Lin Lingsu, practicing the Five Thunders Method. Gu Qing observed carefully and found nothing supernatural, but the Four Sages of the North Pole enshrined within the Tianyun Temple were quite efficacious.

These Four Sages of the North Pole were Marshal Tianpeng, Marshal Tianyou, Marshal Yisheng, and Marshal Yousheng. It is worth mentioning that this Marshal Yousheng was also known as Marshal Zhenwu, the Great Emperor Zhenwu. These four sages were all auxiliary ministers to the Great Emperor Ziwei. After the Ming Dynasty, the belief in the Great Emperor Zhenwu became increasingly exalted, and his position was moved upward, only then becoming equal to the Great Emperor Ziwei.

Gu Qing had the Five Ghosts watch over Xiaoqing, brought Bai Suzhen into the Tianyun Temple, offered incense and bowed to the Four Sages of the North Pole, and chanted the incantation.

"Disciple Bai Suzhen, with a sincere heart to save people, was careless for a moment and had her primordial spirit obscured. I ask the Marshals to point out the way through the confusion and resolve this disaster."

Bai Suzhen prayed with a sincere heart.

After Bai Suzhen decided to repay the kindness, she had once gone to Marshal Zhenwu to pray about this matter. At that time, she swore before Marshal Zhenwu that if she were to linger in the mortal world, she would die amidst the thunder and be buried beneath the mountain peaks. Marshal Zhenwu had also resolved the demonic aura for Bai Suzhen.

Now that she had encountered this suffering, Bai Suzhen naturally came here to pray.

"The way to resolve it is in your hands."

The statue of Marshal Tianpeng trembled, and a voice came naturally, which also caused the elixir in Gu Qing's chest to throb.

"Marshal Tianpeng."

Gu Qing hurriedly spoke, saying: "This elixir was bestowed by Lu Zu and can only save one person. Now Bai Suzhen and Cen Biqing have both encountered disaster. I ask Marshal Tianpeng to point out a method of resolution."

This time, the Four Sages of the North Pole all remained silent.

Gu Qing and Bai Suzhen requested here, but the Four Sages of the North Pole gave no further response.

In the end, Gu Qing offered incense here, burned paper, donated a sum of money, and supported Bai Suzhen as they left the place.

Inside the Tongren Hall.

Gu Qing had Xiaoqing lie on the bed, supported Bai Suzhen to sit on the side, and then Gu Qing looked into Bai Suzhen's eyes, took the elixir from his bosom, handed it to Bai Suzhen's hand, and said: "Keep this elixir for now. Do not swallow it unless it is a last resort. I must go out once to seek an antidote for you both."

Lu Dongbin had suddenly given an elixir, and then Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing both became drowsy. Combined with the attitude of the Four Sages of the North Pole, it made Gu Qing realize that this was forcing him to choose one of the two.

This single elixir—was it to be given to the White Snake or the Green Snake?

Gu Qing did not like this kind of "choose one of two" scenario at all; it made it seem as if Gu Qing were very fickle. But in fact, Gu Qing had always been a devoted person—devoted to liking beautiful people.

So Gu Qing had to take a gamble to see if he could take in both the White Snake and the Green Snake.

"No!"

Bai Suzhen pulled Gu Qing's hand and stubbornly said: "Seeing Fa Hai is still outside."

Seeing Fa Hai would no longer attack Bai Suzhen, but he would attack Gu Qing. If Gu Qing went out and encountered an accident...

"You forgot, the Buddhists have already begun the Summer Retreat."

Gu Qing comforted Bai Suzhen.

Seeing Fa Hai had to honestly chant scriptures and pray for blessings.

Hearing this, Bai Suzhen felt slightly relieved and turned her gaze to look at the drowsy Xiaoqing on the bed.

Gu Qing twisted incense in his hand, came before the statues of Shennong, Bian Que, Sun Simiao, and Wei Shanjun, inserted the incense, and prayed with a sincere heart.

Gu Qing had been worshipping these four Medicine Gods for a long time, and they could be considered half of Gu Qing's connections.

The incense was inserted, and the green smoke curled up, straight and upward.

"Is this... meant to go to the Heavenly Court?"

Gu Qing looked at the green smoke and pondered in his heart.

In the Legend of the White Snake, Xu Xian had once fed the Bai Niangzi realgar wine during the Dragon Boat Festival, forcing the Bai Niangzi to reveal her true form and scaring her to death. Afterward, the Bai Niangzi went to the Heavenly Court and down to the Underworld, finally saving Xu Xian's life. Now, seeing this curling green smoke, Gu Qing had a flash of inspiration and thought of the Heavenly Court.

But upon arriving at the Heavenly Court, whom should he visit?

While pondering, Gu Qing bid farewell to the four great Medicine Gods and set up an altar in the courtyard to pray to Marshal Ma.

"Master, what are you preparing to do by setting up an altar in this courtyard?"

At this time, Xu Xian came into the courtyard and, seeing Gu Qing setting up the altar in a proper manner, asked curiously.

"Worshipping the gods."

Gu Qing was concise and comprehensive. He looked at Xu Xian and thought of a matter in his heart, saying: "Recently, eggplants have all come into season, but the market price is quite high and the quantity is scarce, mostly purchased by the palace. Now you go to the street and find a way to purchase ten baskets of eggplants and send them to Lingyin Temple."

Master Abbot Yuan Kong of Lingyin Temple's words still rang in his ears, but the matters of Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing were undoubtedly more important. Therefore, Gu Qing prepared to let Xu Xian go in his stead.

When the master has work, the disciple serves.

"Ten baskets of eggplants..."

Hearing this, Xu Xian agreed first, but then felt it was very difficult.

Now that the eggplants had just come into season, they were not that easy to purchase.

"Go find Old Man Zhang."

Gu Qing pointed out a clear path for Xu Xian, saying: "He sells night soil in Hangzhou city. He knows clearly whose family buys the most fertilizer and whose family's eggplants grow well."

Old Man Zhang's daughter was Mingzhu, who was also the unlucky one forgotten in the original work. Gu Qing had helped her heal her spirit and had a great kindness to Old Man Zhang's family.

Hearing this, Xu Xian nodded repeatedly and said: "Yes, yes."

"Alright, go to the front courtyard."

After giving the instructions, Gu Qing thought of another matter and said: "Hanwen, south of the pier, there is a large village. If you have any spare time, go there and provide free medical consultations. Don't charge for the medicinal herbs; just give them to them."

Lu Dongbin had the intention of letting Gu Qing rebel, and Gu Qing prepared to first manage a basic foundation.

As for the future, he would talk about it later.

Xu Xian nodded, repeatedly praising Gu Qing for his kind heart, and then went to the front hall. Gu Qing, in this courtyard, prayed sincerely to Marshal Ma, saying: "Great Emperor Huaguang, Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing are in trouble. This humble Daoist cannot stand by and watch. Now I kowtow to Great Emperor Huaguang, asking Great Emperor Huaguang to bestow upon this humble Daoist a path to the heavens..."

Gu Qing had been to the Heavenly Court once before, but that relied entirely on the guidance of the Fairy of Hundred Flowers. With Gu Qing's cultivation, he could not enter the Heavenly Palace by flying.

This was a method only possessed by those in the "Tribulation Crossing Stage," like Seeing Fa Hai who could communicate with the Buddha, or Bai Suzhen who could reach the heavens and the earth.

After Gu Qing prayed sincerely, he sat on the meditation cushion, silently chanted the Daoist scriptures, and waited quietly for the response of Great Emperor Huaguang.

Until midnight, suddenly two flames appeared, turning into two fire wheels, hovering in front of Gu Qing.

Wind and Fire Wheels!

One of the magic treasures of Great Emperor Huaguang!

(End of chapter)