The greedy butterflies flew away, but Shi Jingzhi was unable to fall down after all.
He held his spine stubbornly, with a few greedy butterflies still hovering on his head. Feeling the other person's shaky breath, Yin Ci frowned and tightened his embrace.
Huilian Mountain has more than one mountain. Jianchen Temple is located on the main peak of Huilian Mountain, surrounded by three circles of lower peaks. Because of the layer-by-layer structure here, Huilian Mountain was called Huilian Mountain before Jianchen Temple moved in.
The group was climbing the outermost layer of low mountains, which was obviously guarded by the Greedy Butterflies. Shi Jingzhi finally stabilized his condition. They should leave this circle of mountains immediately to prevent them from attacking again.
Su Si and Yan Qing were still able to move. If they mustered up the strength to hurry, they might be able to escape before the sun set.
Yin Ci made a prompt decision: "I'll carry you on my back, and we'll leave here first."
But Shi Jingzhi did not move.
"No need, it's nice here, let's rest here."
Shi Jingzhi's voice was unusually steady. He tried to stand up straight and squeezed Yin Ci's hand comfortingly: "Besides, if I fall down like this, who will lead you?"
Resting here? In front of the Greedy Butterfly's nest
Yin Ci laughed: "Master, a person's state of mind is not always the same. You looked melancholy just now, and you don't look like you have achieved enlightenment. Your state is even more unstable. If you get stuck in a dead end, the greedy butterfly will build a nest on your head again... If this keeps going on, we won't be able to leave even if we want to."
Shi Jingzhi's myriad desires were only smoothed out by the smoothness, but they did not disappear. Moreover, this time Qingxin borrowed external forces, so no matter how he thought about it, it would not last long.
Shi Jingzhi did not respond immediately.
He first loosened his arms, took a half step back, and put one hand on Yin Ci's face, as if to replace his gaze with touch: "Are you not hurt? I remember I hit you several times."
"For the time being, I dodged it and was not seriously injured. Master's consciousness was confused, so he might have remembered it wrongly." Was this person trying to change the subject? Yin Ci couldn't help but frown.
Shi Jingzhi frowned and looked his apprentice up and down. Yin Ci's clothes were torn in many places, but there were indeed no obvious wounds or bloodstains on his body.
After a while, Shi Jingzhi changed the subject and said, "... Ah Ci, that formula is very useful. Where did you learn it from?"
"That formula is called 'Wu Chen Yan', which is an adaptation of the Buddhist stick and shout. It can be considered a somewhat unconventional method of purifying the mind. My family taught me this, so it should be spread outside as well."
This is indeed not a lie.
The adaptation is true, and the spread is also true. In order to fight against the state of being possessed, Yin Ci tried many mental methods, among which "Wu Chen Yan" was particularly effective.
However, what he gave Shi Jingzhi was his own personally adapted version. When he was guiding the little mute, Yin Ci modified the upright and stern mental method, making it gentler and more so, specifically for treating complicated desires.
Wuchenyan is not helpful for practicing martial arts. There are thousands of formulas for calming the mind in the world, and it is not the one that can "cure all diseases". It has been circulated in a general and confused way for hundreds of years, and countless versions have been derived, making it difficult to trace its origin.
As expected, Shi Jingzhi stopped asking questions. He just stuck the flag of cure into the ground, as if he was going to set up camp there: "Master was not in good condition just now, and I didn't remember all the acupuncture points. Ah Ci, please explain the method to me again in detail."
Yin Ci: “…”
Yin Ci: "Master, please move to another place first. It won't be too late to learn later."
Shi Jingzhi was silent for a long time, and finally sighed: "To be honest, I am ashamed to say that I have been on the run."
"What?"
"Since I became conscious, I have been on the run. It doesn't matter if I look ugly, I just take one step at a time and try to get by... Now that Ah Ci is by my side, I feel at ease. Suddenly I think it's not bad to move forward with dignity."
Shi Jingzhi's voice was very close, his tone was weak, but there was a hint of a smile.
"Master has lost control in the ghost tomb and in the forbidden area. Maybe I can get away with it with a momentary outburst, but Ah Ci, you know that if I just rely on brute force without any rules, I will definitely not be able to beat a true master."
"I don't want to escape anymore. All the desires are in my mind, and I must completely control them. Now it seems that there is no more effective training in the world than the greedy butterfly."
"Aci, love me, okay?"
Yin Ci didn't know what to say for a moment.
The reason why the Greedy Butterfly is so difficult to deal with is because of the human nature of chasing hope and indulging in euphoria. The more real the dream, the more desperate it is when you wake up. If it repeats over and over again, the gap is enough to drive people crazy.
Not to mention Shi Jing's "natural addiction", ordinary people would drink to relieve their sorrows, chasing that momentary vanity and liberation. Even Yin Ci himself was eager to move forward and escape from the darkness before his eyes.
But the man held his hand tightly, smiled and said he wanted to stay.
Stay and face the deepest fear and despair, and shape your heart with thousands of arrows piercing it.
"Let's take a break first and listen to Yan Qing and Su Si's opinions."
Maybe he didn't agree, or maybe he just couldn't bear it. Yin Ci subconsciously pushed the topic away.
Sure enough, not long after Shi Jingzhi sat down, Tan Die approached again. Yan Qing was wary of Tan Die, so he heated up the pancakes in his backpack, boiled snow water to make tea, and the four of them managed to make do with a meal.
Yan Qing and Su Si were quieter than ever before. Yin Ci couldn't see the expressions of the two servants, but the solemn atmosphere penetrated the darkness, making the air chilly and even the food a little cold.
"Has Sect Leader Shi ever had any contact with the Immortal Sect?" Su Si finally asked with a heavy heart when he was halfway through eating the cake.
Shi Jingzhi was a little surprised: "Immortal Sect? You mean Mishan Sect?"
The Mishan Sect is the only "immortal sect" recognized by the people in the Jianghu. Although the people in this sect wear fluttering clothes, they have little to do with "ascending to heaven". Compared with other sects, the Mishan Sect is particularly good at exorcising demons and monsters, creating arrays and weapons. There are many masters among them who have drunk immortal wine. Over time, people call it the "immortal sect".
Most of the strange array techniques circulating in the martial arts world were created by Mishan Sect, and the remaining one or two were also modified from Mishan Sect's works. This art is profound and it will take ten or twenty years to achieve success. As the saying goes, you can't have your cake and eat it too. The people in the martial arts world worship martial arts and are unwilling to waste their time on this.
In this way, the Mishan Sect became a sect of its own, clearly separated from other martial arts sects, and worthy of the name "Immortal Sect".
However, the Mishan Sect is located in the northernmost part of Dayun, in an extremely remote location. Its disciples like to pretend to be profound and elusive. Ordinary people can hardly see them.
Shi Jingzhi racked his brains but couldn't figure out when he had any contact with the people from the Immortal Sect. The only thing floating in his memory was the man in black.
After the greedy butterflies dispersed, Shi Jingzhi kept reminiscing. But memories were like quicksand, slipping out of his fingers uncontrollably and sinking into darkness.
Yin Ci was right, he was not able to break through the original wish.
He still couldn't remember the man's face or voice. But he knew how he smiled at him and how gentle his eyes were. The vague figure was hidden deep in his memory, casting a thin shadow over his true heart, and he couldn't see through it no matter what.
Could that be someone from the Immortal Sect? Who tampered with his memory
Although he was thinking about it, Shi Jingzhi still hid his thoughts and answered with a smile: "I have never seen anyone from the Mishan Sect. Why do you suddenly ask this?"
"The move made by the Sect Leader just now was able to generate the energy of heaven and earth. I thought it was some kind of magic and couldn't help but think of the Immortal Sect... I was thinking too much." Su Si forced a smile.
"Hmm." Shi Jingzhi did not ask further. "If you are not comfortable staying here, go for a walk around. Remember to bring back some meat, and save the dry food in your bag."
Su Si was surprised: "Aren't we leaving?"
Shi Jingzhi: "You two don't attract many greedy butterflies, so it's nothing. This leader can't swallow this anger, so I plan to fight them a few more times."
Su Si choked on the spot. After a while, he lowered his voice and poked his head in to ask: "... Third son, this Kushan Sect..."
Yan Qing: "... Don't say anything, I understand."
He stood up and picked up Su Si: "Master, Ah Si and I are going hunting."
Shi Jingzhi nodded approvingly, and dozens of butterflies landed on his head, making him look like he was wearing a tall hat full of spring light.
The sun is shining, the mountain breeze is as clean as snow, the pond water is clear, and the koi are still swimming leisurely.
There were only two people left in front of the pool.
Seeing that Shi Jingzhi was determined not to leave, Yin Ci sighed: "Aren't you going to continue asking Su Si?"
Shi Jingzhi said confidently: "I know, he must have seen something just now. What if I ask him too much and he runs away? Su Si knows the importance of things. When the time comes, he will tell me."
"Is this the reason you don't ask me?" Even if he could use the title of Su family's descendant to support himself, his aura in the fight just now, unlike that of an ordinary young man, was enough to make Shi Jingzhi notice something was wrong.
"Aci is naturally different."
Shi Jingzhi's smile became even more intense.
"Even if you are the Yama who takes my life from the underworld, I have no regrets for accompanying me until now. Since I have no regrets, why bother to get to the bottom of it?"
Yin Ci tightened his fingers, and all his considerations and temptations were suppressed.
The change of Shi Jing.
Compared to the scattered pieces when they first met, Yin Ci vaguely felt the outline of a person. What a pity, he thought. Now his eyes were dark and he could not see Shi Jingzhi's eyes.
"Well, I'll give you the "Wu Chen Yan". I won't help you this time. You can only use some acupuncture points as a supplement, which will be twice the result with half the effort. Do you have a plan?"
"Um."
…
The sunlight slowly crept over his body, and Yin Ci could calculate the passage of time. In addition, he could only hear the rustling of clothes, the sound of feet stepping on water and stones, and the fluttering of butterfly wings. Shi Jingzhi was using all his lightness skills and mental strength to fight against the group of greedy butterflies.
He will never intervene this time, Yin Ci thought. Since Shi Jingzhi is willing to suffer, he must learn to bear the consequences.
Yin Ci sat upright on the stone platform, with Shi Jingzhi's flag at his side. The flagpole was smooth to the touch, slightly warmed by the sun. On the other side were a teapot and cookies, and Shi Jingzhi had even prepared a cushion for him. The flames were dancing nearby, but he didn't feel cold at all.
These debris seemed to form a strange little magic circle. The smell of fireworks swirled around him, and the darkness in front of him did not seem heavy.
Unfortunately, the distance was too far and Yin Ci could not feel the subtle air currents and could not know the battle situation.
How is the cheap master doing? Is he distracted by the fickle desires, or is he still struggling
It would be nice to take a look.
Finally, the temperature around us slowly dropped, and the night's unique chill spread along the ground. From noon to sunset, several hours passed slowly, and at this moment, the afterglow of the setting sun should be all over the mountains and fields.
The sound of clothes rustling in the wind stopped. For the first time in several hours, Shi Jingzhi stopped moving.
Yin Ci moved on the spot, subconsciously trying to stand up. However, the coldness accumulated over a hundred years held him down, fixing him in place.
"Master?" After hesitating for a moment, he asked.
… I really want to take a look.
In just a moment, he forgot about the suffocation brought by the darkness. The greedy butterfly that landed on the tip of Yin Ci's hair moved its wings.
Before Shi Jingzhi could answer, the Buddha Heart Formation gave him an answer first. For some reason, in that brief moment, the darkness in front of Yin Ci's eyes suddenly dissipated.
Sure enough, the sun sets and the slanting light fills the ground.
The small pond reflects the sunset, the color is like melting gold. The Buddha head in the center of the pond has his eyes slightly closed, his eyebrows and eyes are full of tranquility and compassion. The white stone statue is dyed dark blue by the night, and there are many golden and red borders, which makes it look more solemn.
Shi Jingzhi was standing on the Buddha's head.
This time, his head was not covered with greedy butterflies.
All the greedy butterflies were flying in the air, gathering into a few thin clouds around Shi Jingzhi, flowing obediently with the man's movements. The sunset was bright and the evening glow was brilliant. The butterflies were dancing in this gorgeous world, like sparks flying on a huge flame.
It is also like the red leaves scattered in late autumn.
Hearing Yin Ci's call, Shi Jingzhi turned around. He had a bright smile on his face, his long hair slid in the breeze, and the ends of his hair were ruffled by a dozen greedy butterflies flying by. His gray clothes were covered with red clouds, turning into a warm red.
Yin Ci finally saw the other person's eyes clearly. Those eyes were full of joy and satisfaction, with no haze in them, only vitality.
Just as this noisy world is burning and hitting our eyes.
Yin Ci didn't know how long this light would last. He should have looked around, or at least looked back to see what the inner demon behind him looked like.
But Yin Ci couldn't look back. His throat felt slightly sore and his eyes were fixed on the other person.
So that's it, he thought.
The moment he let go of his heart, everything in front of him was once again enveloped in darkness. Yin Ci lowered his eyes, but ultimately failed to see the terrifying mountain of inner demons behind him.
Shi Jingzhi was unaware of it.
He floated in despair and pain for most of the day, and finally learned to restrain his desires and hold the madness firmly in his hands. Although they still made him suffer and unable to sleep, they could no longer take away his mind.
The turbid desires sank to the bottom, sleeping peacefully under the clear water of his heart. They rose and fell with his thoughts, and even the greedy butterflies could do nothing to stop him.
Shi Jingzhi was quite satisfied with this improvement. When he heard his apprentice's call, he turned around with a smile, stepped on the breeze, and quickly jumped in front of Yin Ci.
"Aci, you have done a great job. That formula is really useful. I can get rid of those butterflies! I thought it would take two days." He patted the other's shoulder, satisfied. "Rest here for another night, and then we will continue."
Yin Ci did not answer.
"Aci?"
“…Nothing, congratulations, Master.”
Yin Ci smiled - a smile that was not calculated and came completely from the heart.
Maybe he really is an evil creature from underground, but he will definitely not become the devil who takes lives.
He wanted this person to live well.
This time it was Shi Jingzhi who was stunned. When he saw this strange smile, the overwhelming momentum he had just had suddenly dissipated, and a little bit of uneasiness gradually arose in his chest.
Shi Jingzhi coughed twice and turned around: "Master, I will go and heat up some red bean cakes... Ah Ci, how many do you want?"
At the same time, Yidu.
Imperial Master Jiang Youyue was practicing calligraphy when suddenly there was a crackling sound behind him. He stopped writing and raised his eyebrows, only to see a bonsai on the shrine move slightly and burst into a few tiny flowers.
"That's interesting."
He ran his fingers over the buds.
"Even though his 'original desire' has been sealed, you still want to break free?... Master, you are right. I'm afraid that this kid named Shi will achieve great things."
"It's just that he has only been out of the palace for a short time, and he has made such progress. His little disciple must have something to do with it."