Chapter 278: Lin Zhongxian

A circular pavilion, square wooden shelves, upon which were placed books and bamboo slips, a heavy smell of dust, and a young Daoist priest.

Lin Jue held a bamboo slip, murmuring as he read aloud:

"In Qin Zhou, there is a great yaoguai named Yao Hua, born in Qingyan, attained the Dao in the south, and achieved the rank of Yaosheng. Yao Hua possesses an innate ability to seize the magical powers and spells of others, hence her powers are vast, and gods and Buddhas can do nothing about her..."

"... Once there was a True Person called Lin Zhongxian, who had a deep friendship with Yao Hua and was gifted a fox pelt, which was crafted into a book to record the spells of the world."

Jun Niangniang Yao Hua was born in Qingyan County, attained the Dao in the south, became a great power and great sage among yaoguai, and had the talent to seize the magical powers and spells of others...

These all matched what Lin Jue knew.

It was enough to prove that this was not a false record.

The latter part stated that there was a True Person named Lin Zhongxian who had a very good relationship with Jun Niangniang Yao Hua, obtained a fox pelt from her as a gift, and made it into a book to record the spells of the world.

According to Lin Jue's understanding and his previous analysis, Jun Niangniang Yao Hua should truly know about his ancient book, truly know the first author of the ancient book, and have a connection with the ancient book. Moreover, she seemed to be able to sense the existence of the ancient book from far away. These also confirmed that this latter sentence was also true.

And what other book could this be?

Naturally, it could only be the one in his own hands.

"Lin Zhongxian..."

Lin Jue obtained this name and also grasped it.

"Huizhou..."

Lin Jue still decided to start searching from Huizhou.

Although the collection of books in the Lingtai Pavilion was not as large as that of the Biluo Pavilion and the Yujian Tower, and most of them were bamboo slips with low information density, there were still many, so Lin Jue had to search slowly.

Fortunately, his line of thought was correct.

Soon, he found "Lin Zhongxian" in a book slip recording the gods and spirits of the Yue State region, but it was not specifically recording Lin Zhongxian; rather, it was more direct, focusing on recording this wordless ancient book.

"Lin Zhongxian, a True Person of ancient times.

"Before achieving the truth, his surname was Lin. He was learned in both ancient and modern times, traveled all over the world, loved to travel through mountains and forests, visited all kinds of wonders, and was therefore called Lin Zhongxian.

"Lin Zhongxian also loved to collect the magical powers and spells of the world and record them in books. Yao Hua saw this and said: 'You have so many spells, how much paper and books do you need to record them?' Thus, she gifted him a pelt to make a book.

"In ancient times, there were sages who wrote scriptures, and their pens would startle the wind and rain, and the books would move when completed. The book written by Lin Zhongxian gathered the essence of magical powers and spells, and over time, it gradually developed spirituality. During his lifetime, no anomalies appeared, but when he reached the five decays of an immortal, the words on the book suddenly disappeared, and the book flew away. Later generations rumored that someone obtained this book, learned the spells within, and added to it after achieving the Dao."

Lin Jue muttered to himself.

"Surname Lin..."

He did not know if it had anything to do with his own Lin.

However, this world was indeed mysterious, and many things had spiritual resonance. Not only could a stone sculpture gain spiritual resonance after years of wind and rain, but some objects could also gain spiritual resonance after being stained with the aura of a prosperous dynasty, and they could also gain spiritual resonance after being stained with the blood and evil aura of a battlefield. Things on the altar could also gain spirituality if they were sincerely worshipped by too many people. If an object was used by a sage or immortal during their lifetime, even if the immortal did not make any changes to it, it might simply develop spiritual resonance because it was stained with the aura of the sage or immortal.

Belief and willpower could even create gods.

There were also the original copies of the "Yin-Yang Scripture" and the "Five Elements and Five Qi Scripture," which were originally ordinary books, stone slabs, or bamboo slips, but because the sage waved his pen and wrote the first cultivation classic here, they became extraordinary.

Others said that because they witnessed the thoughts of the sage when he picked up and put down his pen, and knew the sage's hesitation and deliberation, every expression, and every sigh, they had a spiritual resonance that fit the Dao better than copied texts. If one could read the scriptures from the "original," it would be like the sage telling you personally.

If there was a book that truly recorded too many magical powers and spells and was written by an immortal, let alone becoming extraordinary, it would not be impossible for it to become a spirit itself and be able to speak.

And what was recorded on this bamboo slip was the same as what he guessed—

This ancient book had more than one author.

After Lin Zhongxian, others obtained this book, first learned spells from it, and after achieving the Dao, wrote more spells in the ancient book.

It was just that he did not know what happened to the later authors, whether they passed away for various reasons, or whether the book was of little use to them after they reached a certain level, so they put it back into the world so that other fated people could also obtain this fate.

He also did not know why it found him.

Lin Jue memorized these two passages and continued to read.

For the next few days, the Guanxing Palace remained lively, but this was already the backyard of the Guanxing Palace, only adjacent to the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Hall of the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Baosheng, so people came and went in the outer courtyards of the Guanxing Palace, which was very lively, but the Daoist priest was seriously reading books in the Lingtai Pavilion not far away, and except for eating, he was in the pavilion.

Only at night did he return to the small courtyard to copy the "Five Elements Spiritual Method" for his junior sister.

Unfortunately, no matter how he searched, he could not find the annotations for the Five Elements Scripture and the Yin-Yang Scripture, and naturally, there was no sign of the Great Yin-Yang Spiritual Method.

Perhaps it could only be found in the Cangzhen Pavilion.

Lin Jue thought about it and felt it was reasonable.

During the Yu Dynasty, the gold content of the Juxian Mansion was extremely high, and it truly collected many capable people and experts, but now, nine out of ten people in the Juxian Mansion were loafers, and it was very easy to get a bronze or silver medal, so naturally, books with extremely high value had to be placed in the last Cangjing Pavilion.

On the day of the Lantern Festival, the Guanxing Palace reached its most lively time, and even when reading in the pavilion, he could hear the faint, noisy human voices coming from afar.

Lin Jue put back the bamboo slip, went downstairs, and went out.

Originally, there should have been two armored soldiers and a Guanxing Palace Daoist priest waiting for him at the door, but now there was an old Daoist priest.

The old Daoist had a grizzled beard and hair, and wore a magnificent Daoist robe; at a glance, one could tell he held a high position and an extraordinary status.

"Daoist friend, compassion."

The old Daoist priest first performed a Daoist salute to him.

"Daoist friend, compassion."

Lin Jue did not know him, but he also returned the salute.

"Poor Daoist is Ling Xiuzi." The old Daoist priest said, "Recently, I have often heard the great name of Daoist friend Lin, and I have heard that Daoist friend Lin has been coming to the Cangjing Pavilion every day to read books, so I could not help but come to see the true face of Daoist friend."

"Senior, you are too polite."

"Daoist friend is truly studious. In the past, few people in the Juxian Mansion came to the Cangjing Pavilion so diligently. They often came once or twice at first, and when they found they couldn't find what they wanted, they rarely came again. Even if they came again, they came with a strong utilitarian heart. Poor Daoist remembers that the only one who ran to the Cangjing Pavilion like Daoist friend is that Master Fan Tian."

"Senior, you are overpraising." Lin Jue did not know what he was looking for, but his intuition was bad, and he did not want to entangle with him too much, so he looked up at the sky, "It's getting late. There is a junior sister, a fox, and a cat at my residence waiting for me to go back and cook. I don't know what senior is looking for me for?"

"I heard that Daoist friend once subdued two stone horses that had attained the Dao on the street before the year. Haha, I don't know if Daoist friend has heard that those two stone horses were originally placed at the gate of our Guanxing Palace?"

"Of course I have heard of it."

Lin Jue thought to himself, as expected, but answered with a smile.

At the same time, he thought to himself.

"Alas, the Daoist priests of our Fulu Sect study Daoist scriptures, worship gods, can cultivate a free body, and can subdue demons and monsters, but they cannot subdue those stone horses." The old Daoist sighed and said, "Since Daoist friend has subdued them, I wonder if you can ask Daoist friend to send them back to our Guanxing Palace?"

"Send them back to Guanxing Palace?"

Lin Jue showed a look of embarrassment: "I didn't take them into my mansion, or put them at the gate of the Juxian Mansion's office, so how can I send them back to Guanxing Palace?"

"Naturally, I am troubling Daoist friend to find them and send them back." The old Daoist said to him, "Guanxing Palace will be very grateful."

"I'm afraid that won't work."

"Why won't it work?"

"I am now affiliated with the Juxian Mansion, so naturally, I should ensure that the people are not harmed by demons and monsters. Some time ago, it was because those two stone horses were running on the streets in the city and hurt people, which was very dangerous, so I took action to subdue them, but they no longer run in the city and no longer hurt people, so how can I go and find them again?"

"Please, Daoist friend, do me a favor." The old Daoist saluted.

"I cannot comply." Lin Jue returned the salute and shook his head, "Senior, I heard that those two stone horses left the Guanxing Palace on their own. If they want to come back, they should come back on their own. I don't have this ability."

"..."

The old Daoist was silent for a moment, looked at him carefully, suddenly smiled, and said: "Daoist friend, you haven't kept them for yourself, have you?"

"Senior, aren't you joking? The stone horses have spirituality, and even the Guanxing Palace couldn't stop them from running. Could I still tie them up with iron chains?" Lin Jue also smiled and said, "Or does senior think that if I call them back, they will come back? Or does senior want me to force them back?"

"Daoist friend, you mean..."

"I don't mean anything else. I am not an immortal True Person, nor am I Master Fan Tian. I really don't have the ability to call them back."

Lin Jue was also telling the truth.

Obviously, they were unwilling to return to the Guanxing Palace, and Lin Jue now just found a place they liked and were willing to accept, which was why he let them stay on Mount Feng, not that they obeyed Lin Jue after he subdued them once.

Lin Jue only had the ability to beat them to death and carry them back, but not the ability to persuade them back.

The old Daoist still looked at him, smiling: "Daoist friend, you really don't have the idea of keeping them for yourself?"

"The stone horses already have spirituality and have their own destination in their hearts. For two years, the Guanxing Palace hasn't found them back, so it's hard to say they still belong to the Guanxing Palace. Why does senior have to make things difficult for me? If senior has the ability, you can invite them back. When senior finds them, you will know that I definitely didn't lie."

Having said this, there was nothing more to say.

"It's late, goodbye."

Lin Jue still performed a salute and walked away.

At this time, the old Daoist's voice came from behind:

"Daoist friend, stay."

Lin Jue had to stop and turn around:

"What's the matter?"

He thought this old Daoist would keep pestering him about the stone horses, but he only heard him say:

"Daoist friend, you misunderstood! They are just two stone horses. Even if they have attained the Dao and become spirits, we cannot drive them to run. Even if we find them back and put them at the gate, what is the difference from two ordinary stone horses? I came to find Daoist friend this time because I have more things to talk to Daoist friend about."

"Please keep it short."

"Then I'll keep it short." The old Daoist's expression was calm, "Daoist friend just said that you are affiliated with the Juxian Mansion and should ensure that the people are not harmed by demons and monsters. I don't know if it's true or false?"

"What do you mean?"

"Originally, there were three great demons in Qin Zhou. The Tu Long Wang had the lowest cultivation and caused the least harm, the Northwest Jin Hua Wang was second, and in the northeast corner, there was the Dong Wang Mu. Many Daoist friends and experts from the Juxian Mansion went there, but even if they had the heart to eliminate demons, they could not fight these two demon kings. At this time, the people of Qin Zhou need experts like Daoist friend who are good at fighting."

Lin Jue looked at him, narrowed his eyes, and thoughts flashed in his eyes.

Immediately, he did not answer, but asked back:

"The Guanxing Palace is built in Qin Zhou and enjoys the incense offerings of the people. Shouldn't it be like the Profound Heaven Sect of Mount Qiyun in Huizhou, taking the protection of the local people as its own responsibility? I see that the incense of the Guanxing Palace is so prosperous, why don't the Daoist priests of the Guanxing Palace invite the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Dharma King and Celestial Soldiers and Generals to eliminate these two demon kings? If the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun descends, just like the Fu Chi Shen Jun in the north who beheaded the demon king with a sword, and the Three Sages in the south who eliminated the Corpse Tiger King, wouldn't it be easy to eliminate these two so-called demon kings in Qin Zhou?"

"This..."

The old Daoist's face suddenly looked a bit ugly.

Fortunately, his skin had a long growth cycle and was thick enough, so he soon wore a look of helplessness:

"This place is the capital after all. Just like all the scholars in the world want to drill here, there are the most demons here. Relying on the Guanxing Palace alone, we can't cope with it, so there is the Juxian Mansion. Moreover, the gods in the sky now have their own things to do, so we can only rely more on the Juxian Mansion."

After speaking, he also sighed.

Lin Jue just smiled and then asked:

"I will come to the Guanxing Palace tomorrow and enter the Cangjing Pavilion. The Daoist friends of the Guanxing Palace shouldn't refuse to open the door for me, right?"

"Eh?"

The old Daoist was suddenly surprised. He did not expect that Lin Jue would ignore him at all, not take his words, but said something that had nothing to do with what he said before, but he had to answer with a smile:

"Of course there is no such reason."

"Then I'll say goodbye first."

Lin Jue said this and left directly. ===== CHAPTER 279 =====