Chapter 244 Punishment
end of August.

The sunset is about to fade away, the dusk is getting thicker, and the setting sun on the horizon is emitting its last light and heat. Red clouds are rolling in the sky, forming a continuous piece, and from a distance it looks like it is painted with a layer of deep blood.

The afterglow slanted in from the corridor under the hip roof, shining onto the couch in the dormitory, and then the last ray of light, which was almost gone, fell on Li Xingyun's ruddy but thin face.

So, under this light that still carried a little residual heat, Li Xingyun took a deep breath and forced his eyes open. After exhaling the foul air that had been hidden for many days, his consciousness slowly regained consciousness.

However, when he stood up dazedly and a little weakly to look around, he could only see that the antique interior was simply furnished. The bed he was lying on was not like the bunk bed in Sichuan, but a "kang" from the north. The bedding was navy blue, and there was a faint scent of sandalwood in the air, but upon closer inspection, it sounded like the scent of incense.

Have I been saved by Buddha and ascended to heaven?

Obviously, Li Xingyun still remembered the last impression before he became unconscious. A handsome monk actually asked him if he wanted to become a Buddhist?

He was about to die at that time, so how could he remember how he answered? He thought about it for a long time but still couldn't remember it. So he could only stagger out of the bed and walk out of the room in confusion.

Just at this moment, the door was pushed open from the outside, and a dazzling white light came in, causing Li Xingyun to subconsciously raise his hand to block it.

"Senior Brother!?"

Lu Linxuan, who was holding a vegetarian meal, was overjoyed. He put the bowl on the table and pulled Li Xingyun's arm to look up and down.

"You finally woke up!"

Li Xingyun was still confused. She looked up and down at the nun's robe on Lu Linxuan, and then looked at the steaming vegetarian meal on the table. Her mind became more and more confused. She pulled Lu Linxuan's clothes and asked, "Why are you wearing this?"

After that, he finally came to his senses and said belatedly, "I slept for a long time?"

"Oh, what are you doing?" The monk's robe was obviously ill-fitting and a little too big. Lu Linxuan pulled at the corner of his robe embarrassedly and said angrily, "You've been unconscious for thirteen days. I was scared to death. Fortunately, Master Huijue healed you and used his inner strength to drive away the corpse poison in your body. Now you are safe..."

As she spoke, her eyes turned red, as if she had finally calmed down after all the worry and fear she had endured for the past thirteen days. However, as soon as she felt relieved, she was filled with fear again. She couldn't help but add in a tearful voice, "Don't lie to me again."

Li Xingyun was speechless for a long time. He supported his forehead and thought for a long time. He could only comfort Lu Linxuan a little while his head was swelling: "Where am I lying to you? I can really understand it. It's not in time. If it was in time, why would we need Huijue... Who is Huijue?"

Lu Linxuan also knew that Li Xingyun had just woken up and it was not appropriate to disturb him, so he wiped his tears and said, "I don't know either, but he calls himself that. The monks here also call him Elder Huijue. He looks quite powerful."

Li Xingyun recalled the handsome bald monk, frowned, and looked up and down at his condition. After confirming that he was fine, he looked nervously at Lu Linxuan in a monk's robe: "This Huijue didn't do anything to you, did he? Why did he save me?"

"What do you mean, how can I..." Lu Linxuan rolled his eyes at him, then blushed and said, "It's you. When Master Huijue asked you if you wanted to become a Buddhist, you said..."

She seemed a little shy, and hesitated for a while before continuing: "You said, 'As long as you can protect my junior sister, let alone become a bald monk, I can die eight hundred times...'"

Li Xingyun was stunned when he heard this.

The next moment, he ignored Lu Linxuan's surprised look and hurried to find the bronze mirror. At the same time, he scratched his head with both hands: "Damn it, is it true? Did they really shave my head bald? Did they really shave my beautiful flowing hair? Did they really make me a bald donkey?"

As he spoke, he did not find the bronze mirror, but fortunately he saw a jar of water in the corner. He leaned over to take a look, then scratched his hair as if to confirm, and then he breathed a sigh of relief.

God knows he would actually say such words in his daze. Even if he really said that, I would rather die eight hundred times than let him become a bald donkey!

Blame it on him, it must be because he talks too much and said those words subconsciously.

Looking back, Lu Linxuan was still in shock.

Li Xingyun didn't care. He picked up his washed and dried clothes hanging on the bedside, put on his boots, and called out to Lu Linxuan: "Quick, quick, pack up, let's get out of this troubled place quickly, otherwise when they find out that I'm awake, they will really leave me here like a bald donkey."

Lu Linxuan hesitated for a moment before he whispered, "Brother, this is Taiyuan... We are unfamiliar with the place, where else can we go if we leave here..."

"Taiyuan?!"

Li Xingyun's head froze, and he raised his head abruptly while holding a boot: "Isn't that the bald donkey we met in Shu?"

"It was in Shuzhong, but after you fell into a coma, Master Huijue treated your injuries while bringing us to Taiyuan." Lu Linxuan was a little embarrassed: "You were unconscious at the time, and I didn't know what to do, so I had to let him bring you to Taiyuan..."

"Taiyuan..."

Li Xingyun was already confused. When he followed Li Huan to wander around the world many years ago, the Central Plains and the North were in chaos. It was a time when the war was fierce. Relatively speaking, the South was safer, so Li Huan took him all the way south. He only knew that Taiyuan should be in Hedong and was the capital of Jin. Apart from that, he didn't even know where Caozhou was in Taiyuan...

But even though he was confused, he didn't think twice, he put on his boots and stood up: "No matter what, follow me, Senior Brother, I guarantee you won't starve. Master's whereabouts are unknown, we can't really stay here and pray to the Buddha... Is there any news about Master?"

Lu Linxuan shook his head dejectedly.

"Then don't think about it. Go pack your clothes and stuff... Forget it, let's just go." Li Xingyun considered himself a man of action. He wanted to find his master, and it was also true that he wanted to leave this place of trouble. With this thought in mind, he dragged Lu Linxuan away, and before leaving, he did not forget to pocket a small piece of cake from the vegetarian meal on the table.

Fortunately, it was almost time for dinner and there were no monks outside the dormitory. Li Xingyun was secretly happy and even changed his mind. He asked Lu Linxuan to change his clothes so that he would not be mistaken for the one who kidnapped the little nun when he went out.

"Where are you going, Mr. Li?"

But before he could feel happy for a moment, an ethereal and gentle voice suddenly came slowly to his ears.

Li Xingyun's scalp stiffened, and then under Lu Linxuan's constant glances, he forced a smile and turned to look.

Sure enough, a handsome monk in a cassock suddenly walked out from the corridor that was apparently empty. This so-called monk was none other than Huijue mentioned by Lu Linxuan.

The man had a slender figure, handsome features, a white spot between his eyebrows, also known as a red mole, and a warm face, with an aura of Buddha that emanated from him from afar.

"Master Huijue." Lu Linxuan clasped his hands together politely.

"So Miss Lu is here too. The vegetarian meal is just starting in the dining hall. Didn't you go to have the vegetarian meal?"

"Thank you Master Huijue for your concern. I have already taken it."

"Ahem..." Seeing the two talking as if they were old acquaintances, Li Xingyun's heart suddenly soured, but he also knew that this bald donkey was his savior, so he could only laugh dryly and put his hands together in a pretentious manner and said, "So it was Master Huijue in person. When I just woke up, Junior Sister told me that it is really difficult to repay your life-saving grace. I wonder if the master can use me in any way. Li will definitely do his best."

Huijue smiled slightly, as if in the spring breeze: "Donor Li has just recovered from a serious injury, so it's time for him to rest well."

Li Xingyun laughed and said, "Master Huijue, you are too kind. I have been lying in bed for thirteen days. Why do I need to rest..."

After that, he clasped his hands together again and said, "Master Huijue may not know that the reason why I escaped from the pursuit of Xuanming Sect that day was because my master might have been captured by Xuanming Sect for no reason..."

"I know about this." Huijue said warmly, "Just as I know that Mr. Li will be hunted down and poisoned, and my master's whereabouts are unknown, I also know this."

Li Xingyun was stunned at first, and then became alert in an instant.

He only just realized it belatedly now. When Huijue appeared, he opened his mouth and said "Donor Li"...

Thinking about it this way, it is really weird.

He secretly protected Lu Linxuan behind him and asked calmly, "I wonder what Master Huijue means by this?"

Huijue chuckled, holding one hand in front of his chest, and said, "Mr. Li may have many doubts, but I cannot explain them at this moment. Mr. Li only needs to know that it is your destiny that you will have this disaster, and you will also be saved by others. As for the changes in it, whether it is me or others, I cannot explain it."

Li Xingyun frowned, not understanding the meaning, and just said: "Master, do you know where my master is?"

"Mr. Li has just said that our master might have been captured by the Xuanming Sect. Apart from this, I don't know of any other possible outcome." Upon hearing this, Li Xingyun's pupils shrank, and Lu Linxuan behind him involuntarily clutched the back of his collar.

He did not ask any more questions, but just bowed slightly and turned to leave: "In this case, I can only thank you for saving my life first. Now that my master is in danger, it is time for me to go and save him as soon as possible, and I will not bother your temple any more."

After saying that, he took Lu Linxuan's hand and left.

"Junior sister, let's go."

Huijue was still smiling behind him, and didn't seem to stop him. But when Li Xingyun walked a few feet away, he suddenly asked softly, "Mr. Li, even if you find the master, can you and Miss Lu save him with your martial arts?"

The two of them paused, or rather, Li Xingyun's steps suddenly paused, and Lu Linxuan, who was being held by him, had to stop as well.

"What do you mean?" he turned around and asked with a stern face.

Huijue walked down the steps and said, "Donor Li should know that Xuanming Sect is the largest sect in the world, with many masters and Liang soldiers to mobilize. It is difficult to find people, and it is even more difficult to save them. With your current strength, can you compete with the Ghost King and Meng Po of Xuanming Sect? Can you move freely among thousands of troops?
If Master is really trapped in Xuanming Sect, and Donor Li leaves rashly, will Master fall into greater danger because of Donor Li?"

"Brother..." After hearing this, Lu Linxuan hurriedly pulled the back of Li Xingyun's clothes and said, "Yes, even a master like Master would get into trouble. Let's go..."

Li Xingyun raised his sword-like eyebrows and took a step forward: "Then according to Master Huijue, what should I do?"

Huijue calmly put his hands together and said "Amitabha", but he did not see any next move, and suddenly a book flew into Li Xingyun's hands.

Li Xingyun hurriedly caught it, and then he and Lu Linxuan looked at it carefully.

"The first twelve moves of Longquan Sword Technique?"

He looked up in shock.

Huijue did not answer. Instead, he took out two more volumes of books from his sleeve and threw them to the two men respectively.

The two of them looked at each other, and Lu Linxuan was stunned for a moment, muttering to himself: "Wu Liu Heart Sutra?"

"Dragon Elephant Prajna Sutra?" Li Xingyun was stunned again.

Huijue said calmly, "If you want to leave this temple, you need to practice your own skills to the entry level, and then enter the Four Noble Truths Cave of this temple and pass the second level. At that time, I will let you leave the temple."

"What do you mean!?" Li Xingyun's face changed: "Do I need your consent to leave here?"

"Just as Mr. Li said when he was seriously injured that day." Huijue replied calmly: "At that time, the donor asked to convert to Buddhism, but now he doesn't want to become a monk. If he wants to leave, he should accept some punishment."

"I...!" Li Xingyun was speechless, so he could only angrily ask: "What if I can't learn it in a short time?"

"When you have finished your studies, you can go there."

"What about my master's life or death!?"

"Amitabha, the world is impermanent. We should only seek our original mind. If our original mind is good, all things will come naturally." Huijue was calm and said, "Since Mr. Li wants to save the Master, this is the right thing to do."

"Fuck." Li Xingyun couldn't help but curse.

Even Lu Linxuan who was standing behind him was stunned and didn't know what to say.

Huijue just smiled faintly and extended his hand to lead them: "If there is nothing else, I will arrange for someone to lead Mr. Li and Miss Lu to the place where they can practice martial arts tomorrow."

"and many more!"

Seeing that he was about to leave calmly, Li Xingyun suddenly shouted: "I have something to do!"

"Please speak, Mr. Li."

"You just said that I didn't keep my promise to convert to Buddhism, so you punished me. Then, I just want to ask one question: was this punishment given by you or by the Buddha?"

Huijue paused, then turned around and bowed: "The Buddha does not punish the world, it is this humble monk who gave it to me."

"Since you gave it to me." Li Xingyun suddenly smiled and raised his head and said, "Does that mean that as long as I defeat you, I can leave here immediately?"

The former thought for a moment, then nodded and replied, "Of course it's possible."

"Okay then." Li Xingyun took a step forward and raised his hand, posing as if ready: "Let's meet for a while."

Huijue nodded, and raised his hands under his robes, then stepped back and showed a serious attitude.

The two of them faced each other, the atmosphere was tense, Lu Linxuan didn't know what to do, he could only whisper before dodging to the side: "Senior Brother, be careful..."

"rest assured."

Li Xingyun responded confidently, his eyes sharp as he stared at Huijue opposite him. After a moment of hesitation, he suddenly stepped forward, as if he was going to chop him with all his strength.

Suddenly, Huijue's face remained calm, and he just gently received the palm.

"boom--"

A burst of energy, or rather, a calm energy, was released so suddenly. The palm wind passed by, and Li Xingyun's whole body suddenly stiffened, and he just stood there.

Behind him, the leaves swayed gently, and a few leaves occasionally fell.

Further back, on the pink wall, a five-finger handprint as wide as the wall suddenly condensed, but in just a moment, it quietly dissipated in the wind, leaving no trace.

Right at that moment, Huijue smiled faintly, closed his palms, and bowed eleven times.

"Thank you, Mr. Li."

There was only silence in the field. Li Xingyun swallowed his saliva in shock, his mind going blank.

"Senior brother, Master Huijue has left..." After a long time, Lu Linxuan stepped forward cautiously and reminded in a low voice.

"practice……"

Li Xingyun swallowed again, his face turned pale and blue, and he was silent for a long time before he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Practice!"

------

At the same time, nearly a hundred miles outside the Dharma Court of Gaya Temple in Fangshan, in Taiyuan City.

A scarred man wearing a fu hat knelt on one side and bowed before a tall figure in his backyard. After a moment's silence, he finally spoke respectfully.

"Subordinates, I pay my respects to the Marshal."

(End of this chapter)