I changed the world.

Page 222

"Hahaha, please, Abbot Li, this way please..."

"Please, Master..."

Leading the group were two elderly Taoist priests dressed in blue robes. One of them was none other than Abbot Dexuan of Puji Palace, and the other was Abbot Li Jingxin of Dinghai Yunxiao Palace.

Both men wore smiles as they walked. Master Dexuan described the scenery along the way to Li Jingxin, while a group of disciples followed behind them. Since both were abbots of major sects of the Xuanmen, it was inappropriate to distinguish their status, so they walked side by side, with the other disciples following behind.

Li Jingxin's main purpose in coming to the capital this time was to participate in this year's Spring Equinox Grand Ceremony, which was scheduled for March 20th, the day of the Spring Equinox. Generally speaking, before the grand ceremony, one must undergo rituals such as fasting and bathing. In addition, various social engagements are unavoidable. Therefore, Li Jingxin arrived in the capital about a week in advance.

Chapter 405 Li Jingxin's Heart Palpitation

As the largest temple in the capital and the main venue for the Spring Equinox Ceremony, Puji Palace had a certain status as the host temple. In addition, its special status as the imperial family temple made it a place where Li Jingxin could pay his respects immediately after arriving in the capital, even though he did not stay at Puji Palace directly.

As the abbot of Daguan, one of the three sacred mountains of Xuanmen and a pivotal institution in the south, Li Jingxin was naturally no ordinary visitor. Abbot Dexuan Zhenren of Puji Palace personally came out to greet him the moment he received the news. This was Li Jingxin's first visit to Puji Palace in the capital since taking over Yunxiao Mountain. He had previously visited once more than ten years ago, accompanying his master, Xiao Zhenren, to the capital as a disciple.

"When I saw Abbot Li this time, he was in excellent spirits. His complexion is no less than that of a young man!" De Xuan's words were not flattery. Although Li Jingxin was actually nearly seventy years old, he looked like a man in his forties with a steady gait and a vigorous spirit.

This change actually began subtly ever since Li Jingxin embarked on his cultivation journey. His disciples and Taoist priests might not have noticed it because they saw him every day, but those who were meeting him for the first time or hadn't seen him for a long time would have a very strong feeling about it.

"It's nothing more than self-cultivation and learning, and I dare not slack off in my practice..." As he spoke, Li Jingxin reached out and bowed slightly to the south: "I dare not forget the teachings of my teachers."

"Master Xiao is a grandmaster of his generation, and we admire him greatly... Abbot Li has served Master Xiao for many years. Now that he has come to the capital, we hope he will not hesitate to give us his guidance..." Master Dexuan said with a smile.

"You're too kind, Master. Puji Palace is a grand Xuanmen temple with a profound foundation. Your scholarship and cultivation are well-known throughout the land," Li Jingxin flattered. He secretly observed the people around him and felt that among Master Dexuan's disciples, two of them had a sharp aura that was not like that of ordinary Xuanmen disciples. On the contrary, they were more like well-trained officials.

However, given that this place is the royal family temple, there must have been some secret arrangements.

"The capital is not like the south; the climate is cold, and it snowed yesterday. I wonder if Abbot Li is used to living here."

"A monk is content with whatever comes his way and is therefore free from hindrance."

"Haha, come this way, please. Abbot Li, your arrival today is quite timely. The snow-covered Xiaodong Lake at Puji Palace is a beautiful sight. I have already had my disciples prepare tea, so let's enjoy tea and scenery together."

Led by De Xuan, the group walked along the garden behind Puji Palace toward Xiaodong Lake. About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the Guanhu Pavilion on the west side of Xiaodong Lake.

"This was inscribed by Emperor Taizu. In his spare time, he often came here to discuss metaphysics with Patriarch Kunwu," said Master Dexuan, pointing to the plaque above the main gate of Guanhu Pavilion that read "Discussing the Dao by the Lake." Although it does not have the long history of the Three Mountains of Xuanmen, in terms of imperial favor alone, Puji Palace is indeed a level above the other Xuanmen sects.

Since it was the calligraphy of the founding emperor of this dynasty, Li Jingxin straightened his clothes and led his disciples in a solemn bow to show their respect for the imperial family. Only then, under De Xuan's guidance, did they continue to admire the scenery of Guanhu Pavilion.

Because of the snowfall, the bronze tiles of the Guanhu Pavilion were covered with a layer of snow, and the surrounding trees had lost their leaves, with snow accumulating on their branches. The lake surface was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the gray and gloomy sky, displaying a desolate beauty.

After exclaiming their admiration, the group, led by Dexuan, stepped onto the wooden viewing platform next to the lake pavilion. The platform extended over the lake, offering a wide and open view, and they could even see schools of koi swimming back and forth below. These koi approached as soon as people drew near, clearly having been fed and cared for.

As Li Jingxin admired the scenery of the lake with Master Dexuan, he casually offered his praises. Just then, he suddenly noticed that Master Dexuan's heartbeat quickened a few beats. At the same time, the heartbeats of several disciples behind Master Dexuan also quickened. Even the two disciples he had noticed earlier, who seemed to be from the government, were intentionally or unintentionally focusing their gaze on him.

These subtle changes would have been completely imperceptible to Li Jingxin in the past. In fact, even now, apart from him, none of the three disciples accompanying him noticed these changes. They were all too busy smiling and looking around, admiring the scenery of the lake.

However, as a cultivator, Li Jingxin's five senses were far more acute than those of ordinary people, and these unusual details made him instinctively wary.

The next moment, Li Jingxin suddenly felt a strange palpitation. It wasn't intense, but it clearly made him realize that something bad was about to happen, and it was right before his eyes...

I faintly heard the sound of a wooden plank breaking beneath my feet. The sound was so subtle that my footing suddenly felt weak, and I felt as if I was about to step into thin air...

At this critical moment, Li Jingxin's internal energy, honed through tireless cultivation over the past few days, naturally flowed, and he subconsciously activated the techniques from the "Earthly Fiend Forbidden Technique: Floating"...

No sooner said than done, to those around them, the scene appeared perfectly harmonious. Abbot Li of Yunxiao Temple, accompanied by Master Dexuan, lingered on the viewing platform for a while, admiring the scenery of the lake and mountains, and nothing unusual happened.

Li Jingxin noticed that although Master Dexuan was still chatting with him, he was intentionally or unintentionally glancing at his feet, and he immediately made a guess.

His face remained expressionless as he chatted with Master Dexuan about the scenery for a while. As time passed and the wind began to pick up on the lake, the chill outside intensified. Master Dexuan decided it was inappropriate to leave his guests exposed to the wind for too long, so he suggested that everyone go to a nearby pavilion for tea.

"Does the Master seem to have something on his mind?" Master Dexuan appeared somewhat absent-minded, and Li Jingxin asked with a half-smile.

"Oh, perhaps I rested a little late yesterday, please excuse my poor manners... Abbot Li, this way please..."

Just as the two left the viewing platform, two disciples at the back of the group exchanged a glance and simultaneously slowed their pace. These two were Zhou Shiguan and Qian Shijin, disciples of Master Dexuan. They gradually fell behind the others and then, seemingly unintentionally, headed towards the spot where Li Jingxin had been standing…

"Is there something wrong with the medicine? Could it be that there's a problem with the medicine?" Zhou Shiguan lowered his voice, frowned, and whispered in Qian Shijin's ear.

“No way, we’ve done tests before, and there’s absolutely no problem with the results. Once the wooden board is corroded, it will definitely break if you step on it…” Qian Shijin said in a low voice.

Chapter 406 Digging a Hole to Bury Oneself

Zhou Shiguan recalled the experiments he had conducted to test the effects of the medicine and nodded slightly, saying, "The experiments were indeed without problems... That's strange..."

"Could it be that the medicine has an expiration date and just happened to expire, or that the wooden board is made of an overly sturdy material..." Zhou Shiguan frowned and continued to speculate.

"This...it shouldn't be..." After all, Qian Shijin had not studied materials science or chemical engineering. Although he thought it was unlikely, he could not completely deny the possibility of Zhou Shiguan's guess.

After all, a perfectly healthy person just stood on it for a while, and the floor didn't show any signs of loosening. The facts speak for themselves: since Abbot Li could stand on it without any problems, then something must have gone wrong during the tampering process…

Ultimately, neither Zhou Shiguan nor Qian Shijin considered the seemingly unremarkable elderly Taoist priest to be some extraordinary reclusive master. Zhou Shiguan, in particular, merely wanted to use this opportunity to suppress the recent prominence of Yunxiao Temple…

May the Heavenly Venerable grant boundless blessings! It seems that Abbot Li is truly blessed by the Heavenly Venerable…

However, this meant the test wasn't complete, and he wondered if he would be punished... Zhou Shiguan felt uneasy. After all, this mission was assigned by his master, and as a disciple, he roughly knew it must have been given by some important figure. Although he didn't know who it was, it wouldn't look good if he failed...

As he thought about it, Zhou Shiguan subconsciously stepped onto the area where Li Jingxin had just stood...

Immediately afterwards, a series of cracking sounds came from the wooden planks...

Accompanying this was a short, panicked cry of alarm...

In the instant he lost his balance, Zhou Shiguan's hands involuntarily and instinctively flailing, trying to grab onto something to maintain his balance. In that grab, he inadvertently grabbed Qian Shijin, who was standing next to him.

As Zhou Shiguan, who was falling downwards after stepping into empty space, grabbed Qian Shijin, who was already standing on the edge of the broken floorboards, causing him to stumble. Pulled forward by the unbalanced, free-falling Zhou Shiguan, they crashed into the broken floorboards...

After a series of cracking sounds and exclamations, there was a heavy thud as the water fell in, followed by a commotion among the people around.

"Senior Brother Zhou has fallen into the water!!!"

"Senior Brother Qian has also fallen into the water!!!"

"Help! Help! Help!"

..............................

………………

Poor Zhou Shiguan was a complete landlubber and couldn't swim. After pulling Qian Shijin into the water, he clung to him tightly out of fear. In his panicked struggle, he even tried to shout for help, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he was hit with several mouthfuls of icy water, which made him dizzy and even more panicked. All he could do was hold on to Qian Shijin as if he were his last lifeline.

Thus, although Qian Shijin could swim, and was quite a good swimmer, he was wearing heavy winter clothing. The Taoist robe, a typical traditional garment made mostly of natural materials, easily absorbs water. When wet, the robe became like heavy armor, placing a heavy burden on Qian Shijin. Even worse, Zhou Shiguan held him tightly, preventing him from stretching his arms and legs...

Immediately, the two of them thrashed about in the water, sinking to the bottom like two pieces of driftwood...

On the shore, the disciples shouted, but due to the cold winter water, none of the remaining people dared to jump in to save the person.

After a flurry of activity, someone brought bamboo poles and ropes, lowering them into the water in hopes that the two people in the water could grab them and be pulled ashore. However, by this time, both of them had already swallowed a lot of water and were too exhausted to hold onto the ropes and bamboo poles.

“Master, your temple’s facilities are so poorly maintained…hehe…” Li Jingxin glanced at Master Dexuan, whose face was somewhat embarrassed by the mess, and shook his head with a light laugh.

"I'm sorry to have troubled Abbot Li. I will personally look into this matter and severely punish those who have neglected their duties..." A barely perceptible hint of embarrassment flashed across Master Dexuan's face.

He gave his disciples a quick wink, signaling them to end the farce quickly, before lowering his eyelids and adopting a meditative posture.

After that, there was another commotion. Finally, two disciples who were good swimmers took off their clothes and jumped into the lake to rescue the people. When they were pulled out of the water, the two had already lost consciousness, swallowed a lot of water, closed their eyes, and stopped breathing. Then, some people rushed to press on their abdomens, hoping to make them vomit the water. Other disciples began to perform CPR on them, trying to restore their heartbeats.

A short while later, Qian Shijin suddenly started coughing, spitting out some clear water as he coughed. Then he caught his breath and his breathing returned to normal, and it seemed that he had been saved.

However, while Qian Shijin was able to swim, Zhou Shiguan, who was unable to swim, remained silent. At this time, a disciple was performing CPR on him, but as time passed, he still did not respond.

Because Zhou Shiguan was still undergoing emergency treatment, Puji Palace could not continue to entertain the guests from Yunxiao Temple. So everyone stayed near the viewing platform and watched Zhou Shiguan's emergency treatment.

By this time, many people, including other disciples of Yunxiao Mountain, realized that the spot where Zhou Shiguan and Qian Shijin had stepped down was exactly where Li Jingxin had just stood. Some disciples began to whisper among themselves, while Li Jingxin's attendant disciple, Yu Dezhao, intentionally or unintentionally moved closer to his master. As for the other two disciples from Yunxiao Mountain who had accompanied him, they all remained indifferent, standing by and watching.

The scene began to become somewhat strange and awkward...

Time ticked by, and more than ten minutes had passed, yet Zhou Shiguan still showed no signs of waking up. As religious figures, those present all possessed some basic first aid knowledge. Some of the Taoist priests even had considerable medical expertise, as in many remote areas, religious figures often served as doctors, making medical skills a required course for them.

At this point, everyone knew that as time went on, Zhou Shiguan's chances of survival were rapidly decreasing. The chest compressions had not yet stopped, and once they stopped, it would basically mean that the rescue had failed.

A disciple was anxiously contacting an ambulance nearby. The problem was that it would take at least 15 minutes for the ambulance to arrive, meaning that it would be too late to wait for it during the golden time for rescue.

Chapter 407 Abbot Li's Resurrection

If Zhou Shiguan were to die, it would undoubtedly be a scandal for Puji Palace and even for the upcoming Spring Equinox Grand Ceremony. Especially at this moment, when all the high-ranking Taoist priests from across the country are about to gather in the capital, there will be many people and much gossip, and it is unknown how the matter will spread.

At this moment, Master Dexuan's face was so gloomy that it seemed as if water was about to drip from it. However, due to the presence of the people from Yunxiao Temple, especially Abbot Li standing beside him with a leisurely demeanor, he could not lash out for the time being and could only stand aside and watch.

It had been about fifteen minutes, and a third disciple had taken over the CPR. This third disciple was also sweating profusely and kept glancing in the direction of Master Dexuan, as if asking if they should stop the compressions.

But how could Master Dexuan agree? After all, if he stopped now, he could simply declare Zhou Shiguan's life over. As a master of the Xuanmen sect, how could he make such a decision? So he could only remain silent and watch his disciple continue pressing the buttons, which seemed meaningless.

Just then, Li Jingxin, who had been standing silently to the side, suddenly moved and stepped forward.

Yu Dezhao, who was standing nearby, hurriedly followed behind his master. He saw Li Jingxin walk to the disciple who was still performing the massage and say, "Let this old man take a look..."

The disciple was clearly stunned. He knew exactly what it would mean if he stopped, and hurriedly reminded him, "Abbot Li, you can't stop pressing..."

"It's alright, just step aside." Li Jingxin smiled slightly, raised his palm, and gestured for the disciple who was still performing the massage to leave.

The disciple glanced uncertainly behind Li Jingxin. Master Dexuan, who had also followed, nodded subtly when the disciple looked at him, indicating that he should step back. He also wanted to see what Li Jingxin intended to do now that things had come to this.

“Master…” Yu Dezhao was getting anxious. Although he had noticed something was wrong, he was mainly just watching the show, since even if someone made a fool of themselves, it would be Puji Palace’s business. But now, Li Jingxin had told his disciple to stop performing CPR on Zhou Shiguan. If Zhou Shiguan died, Li Jingxin would share the responsibility.

Li Jingxin didn't answer, but stopped his disciple's advice by raising his hand. He bent down and gently placed his hand on Zhou Shiguan's chest...

Without any apparent extra movements, he simply extended two fingers and probed Zhou Shiguan's chest, pressing and turning them after a few breaths...

Suddenly, Zhou Shiguan, who had been motionless, opened his mouth and vomited a mouthful of murky water. He then began to cough intermittently, vomiting water as he coughed.

At this moment, everyone watching, whether disciples of Yunxiao Temple or Taoist priests of Puji Palace, was dumbfounded.