September is full of flowers

In ancient times, temples have always been the only place where bright yellow can be used except the imperial palace.Throughout the dynasties, Buddhism flourished.But in the Feng Dynasty, Yin-Yang Dao gradually gained the upper hand, and in the end, the temples in the Feng Dynasty almost disappeared.Except for a few temples in remote areas where loyal believers offer a few incense sticks, the monks around the capital have completely lost their source of income, and have returned to vulgarity to fend for themselves.

Standing in front of the mountain gate, Shen Man looked up at this magnificent temple built on the cliff, half suspended and half next to the cliff, feeling a little moved by the magic of the craftsmen who built this hanging temple.The part hanging outside is supported by thick wood. These woods have been through many years and suffered many wind and rain damages, but they still support the large temple.

The top of the temple should have been covered with bright yellow tiles, but it has become dilapidated and dull due to the erosion of time and rain.The entire temple's original splendor can only be known by its size.Now all that is left is the dilapidated desolation.

"This is a temple, and there should be monks in the temple. People in the Yin-Yang Dao and Buddhists are not on the same path. Miss Nian Nian, did you bring me here to find a reclusive Onmyoji from this Buddhist school?" Shen Man stopped and asked.

Wu Niannian stepped on the stone steps to the door and said, "Actually, all schools and categories in this world belong to one family. Buddhism, Taoism, and Yin-Yang Dao originated from one family, and there is not such a detailed distinction."

Shen Man also felt that there was some truth after hearing this, but it seemed that someone had mentioned her remarks to herself before.

Qing Ning stared at her eyes and said with her tongue wide open, "The Tao of Yin and Yang is fundamental, how can other evil ways of outer sects be compared?"

Wu Niannian gave her a blank look, and wanted to argue, but firstly, she saw Shen Man standing beside her, and secondly, she didn't want to bully the "disabled people", so she pursed her lips and endured the imminent coming out of the mountain gate Debate Competition.

It was near the main gate of Kongtong Temple that Shen Man knew what it means to be "deserted and uninhabited" and "nice incense scattered".The Bodhisattva Buddha worshiped here is probably going to be hungry.Not only are there more and more moss and weeds on the stone steps, but the stone steps themselves are almost crushed into gravel.Leaving this way and that, I could barely walk.

If a pious old lady came up to offer incense, she would have to lose half her life.

After entering the empty door, there is a big cauldron full of incense ash in front of you.There were still a few broken incense sticks stuck in the cauldron, and it was unknown how long it had been extinguished.Although the bodhi trees planted on both sides are still alive, their branches and leaves are messy, and they almost grow into the windows of the side halls on the side.Moreover, this tree grows rather strangely, at first glance it looks a bit strange.

As soon as Shen Man came in, he stared at these bodhi trees, feeling a dull pain in his temple.There was another illusion in front of my eyes. Many people in ordinary clothes seemed to be escaping from something, and they were running around frantically.When they got to the tree, they fell down one by one. Some of them were still wrapped around the waist by the branches of the tree, and they were hung upside down again alive, struggling desperately.But the strange thing is that they just opened their mouths wide, but they didn't make a sound.The place in front of the temple was very quiet, except for the rustling of leaves and the collision of people running away, Shen Man didn't hear a word from anyone, not even the word "help".

Qing Ning turned around in a circle, and began to fumble for things in his pocket.

When Shen Man saw it, she asked her what she was touching. Qing Ning squinted and said, "I'll take something to defend myself." Then she took out a bamboo stick, she frowned, threw the bamboo stick away, and touched it again. When something came out, it was a delicate jade flute.This flute is very short, with only five holes, but it is crystal clear and carved with peony patterns.

"I didn't bring a piano, this is Su's sleeping weapon."

Shen Man hid behind her, looked around and said, "I saw some unclean things, there! There! And here! There are all around, you start playing the flute, killing all directions, at least you can exorcise evil spirits." ?”

Qing Ning rolled her eyes and said, "I didn't eat this morning."

"so what?"

Qing Ning rubbed her belly and said, "I won't have the strength to play the porridge flute soon."

Shen Man patted himself on the forehead and said sadly, "That's over, we are definitely going to be destroyed here." From the corner of his eyes, he glanced at the culprit, but Wu Niannian looked frank, "Where is the expert you mentioned, let's go Find him. This place looks very ominous, and the sooner we get the recommendation letter, the sooner we can go down the mountain."

Wu Niannian said, "Follow me."

The three of them walked a few steps, Wu Niannian stopped suddenly, folded her hands and said to Shen Man, "The girl next to you is extraordinary, may I ask if she is a person in the way of Yin and Yang?"

Shen Man smiled and said, "You see, she is just a flute player."

Qing Ning unconsciously clenched the flute in her hand, as long as this woman named Wu Niannian looked at her, she would feel goose bumps all over her body.At this moment, I thought it would be fine if the gate guard was here, and she wouldn't feel so insecure.

Wu Niannian slightly raised the corners of her mouth and smiled, "Buddhas like to be quiet, I hope the girl is fine and doesn't play the flute carelessly."

The corner of Qing Ning's mouth twitched, and she was about to throw the flute at the head of this arrogant girl, but Shen Man pulled her sleeve silently.

Shen Man smiled and said, "She doesn't know how to blow things up."

But there is no guarantee that it will not be messed up.

Wu Niannian stroked her chin and thought for a while, then said, "I can only take you in, that expert, and this girl can stay here."

Qing Ning shrank all over, always feeling that there was a monster wind coming from behind. "I don't—"

"If you insist, that's the only way to go." Shen Man turned his back and put his hands on Qing Ning's shoulders and lowered his voice, "Master Qing Ning, I always think this place is weird, and this opportunity is just right now, Wu Niannian and I will go , you stay here to investigate, maybe you can find out something."

Qing Ning rolled her eyes, and said helplessly, "Feng Linjue and Xiao Pei must stay safe, and if there is something to do, call loudly, do you know?"

Shen Man said with a smile, "You're more talkative this time, okay, then I'll go."

Qing Ning nodded and watched them walk into the corner gate and go to the apse.When the two of them left, the linden tree next to them suddenly shook its branches and leaves, and the shadows that fell on the ground seemed to be connected with spirits, turning into human eyes and noses, swaying everywhere.

"Hiss—" Qing Ning gasped, and said in a trembling voice, "Xiao Man!"

"Huh?" Shen Man paused, and listened carefully, she felt as if she heard Qing Ning's cry just now.Now she has followed Wu Niannian into the apse, where there is an ancient tripod standing in the middle of the courtyard as usual, but it is spotless and still has some high fragrance.

"What is the relationship between that girl just now and you?" Wu Niannian's tone was a bit strange, standing in front of a bunch of flowers, she raised her hand to twirl the fiery red flower branches.

Shen Man said, "It's a good friend who I met in Kyoto."

"What does that girl do? I look at her dress, she looks like a yin and yang."

Shen Man thought for a while, then smiled back, "She was murdered by an onmyoji." Shen Man's false statement is not completely deceiving the other party, Qing Ning was indeed murdered by someone, and was beaten This person is indeed an Onmyoji, but his rank is a bit exaggerated.

"So that's it." Wu Niannian murmured in a low voice, and with a little force on her slender hands, she folded the flower off.She herself seemed to be taken aback for a moment, and then saw the flower wither in an instant.And a little red liquid leaked from the broken part of the flower stem.

"Is that expert in the Great Hall of Great Heroes?" Shen asked calmly, as if he hadn't seen the fading of the flower.

Wu Niannian hid the flower behind her back, looked back and said with a smile, "Well, it's inside."

Just as Shen Man was about to open the door and go in, he felt a sudden sinking on his shoulders, and a rotten air rushed into his mouth and nose.Smelling this smell, she felt a nausea, which made people feel nauseous.Resisting the feeling of wanting to vomit, Shen Man turned around neatly, trying to shake off the thing on her shoulder, but the thing seemed to be extremely powerful, and it didn't move when she pressed her shoulder.

When Shen Man turned his head, he saw a skinny hand pressing on his shoulder, but it was not so much a hand as a skeleton with a layer of skin.

Then I saw its owner along the hand, a monk who didn't know whether it was a human or a ghost.Wearing a gray monk gown with holes everywhere, the top of his head is clean, but there is one more ring scar than others, seven in total.His eye sockets were sunken, and his face looked like a skull. His whole body was dry, and he looked quite old, probably in his seventies.

"Master, I'm Shen Man, I don't take the liberty to disturb you." Shen Man said with a slight bow towards him.

The monk stared at him with only a pair of sunken eyes.

"Master?" Shen Man repeated it once, thinking that this monk was very strange.

Wu Niannian was watching from the side, with puzzled eyes.

Shen Man continued, "Master, can you write us a letter of recommendation?"

The skinny monk finally opened his mouth full, but didn't make any sound.This is exactly the same as the illusory figures of common people that Shen Man saw in the front yard!Shen Man felt it was weird, so he bravely took a step forward, but saw that the monk's mouth was getting bigger and bigger, and the more it opened, the more rotten it became, and in the end it seemed that he wanted to stick out his tongue.

Shen Man felt even more weird, and watched carefully, but after seeing the next scene, he immediately jumped back, stood beside Wu Niannian and shouted repeatedly, "He only has half a tongue, he only has half a tongue!"

Unexpectedly, Wu Niannian said, "Who only has a half tongue? Who were you talking to just now?"

Shen Man was taken aback, only feeling a burst of cold rising from the soles of his feet.

"Didn't you see it?"

"See what?" Wu Niannian asked.

Shen Manxin's head looked like a stone weighing a hundred catties, "I saw a skinny old monk with only half a tongue..."

Wu Niannian was silent for a while, then said, "Do you still remember that I told you that this place used to be a very popular temple?"

"I remember." Shen Man nodded, "But you also mentioned that something unfortunate happened here."

So the monk would have something to do with this unfortunate incident?

"Well," Wu Niannian sighed, changed his teasing tone, and said seriously, "The thing is that anyone who has been to this temple, whether it is a monk in the temple or a pilgrim who came to pay homage, will be here soon. Afterwards, his tongue was cut off."