Lantern: Reflection of the Peach Blossoms

Liulitian, Bihai Yunguang Palace.

The phoenix pushed open the palace gate several feet high, stepped over the gilded and jade-inlaid threshold, and opened up a very tall hall covered with cast copper and gold bricks. Majestic and towering, straight into the sky.

This tall, majestic and golden statue seems to be overwhelming at any time, and it makes people fearful just by looking at it, as if as long as you don't kneel and kneel down to convert wholeheartedly, the next moment, King Kong will descend into a thunderous wrath and kill you It was crushed to pieces, and the liver and brain were smeared on the ground.

Phoenix passed through the fearfully empty golden brick hall, stood in front of one of the statues of the venerables, burned incense and worshiped, and took half a step back.

The golden light suddenly appeared in front of the statue of the venerable, and a lotus platform one foot higher was slowly outlined in the void, on which sat the venerable Bhati with his hands clasped and majestic.

"You are finally here, King Phoenix Ming." The venerable sat down, bowed slightly and said, "I thought you would never return to heaven, so Zhou Hui is waiting for you outside?"

He didn't use "that monster" but called Zhou Hui's name directly, causing Phoenix's eyes to move slightly, and he also bowed back: "Yes. Some time ago, because King Asura was rude, I misunderstood the Venerable's will..."

Venerable Bati waved his hands to show that it was okay: "So His Highness came back to Liulitian to see me, is it because he discovered something strange about himself?"

Fenghuang was silent for a moment, it seemed a little difficult to speak.

"I've been short-tempered recently, suddenly lost my mind, and one day I even wanted to kill Zhou Hui..."

It was late at night on the bed, Fenghuang was unconscious in the fierce collision, suddenly a strong rage surged up in his heart without warning, instantly turned into a stream of fire and flowed through his limbs, causing him to suddenly open his eyes.

In fact, Fenghuang has a very high tolerance for pain. In the fiery embrace of skin to skin, he can endure severe pain silently, without even making a sound.However, at that moment, even he couldn't control the sudden outburst of anger, as if someone suddenly controlled his body and pushed Zhou Hui in an instant.

Zhou Hui didn't realize what was going on, and immediately rushed forward to grab him, and asked hoarsely, "Does it hurt? How much does it hurt?"

Fenghuang stared straight at him, trying to say something, but lost consciousness the next moment.

When he regained his sanity, he saw that the bed was overturned, the ground was in a mess, and most of the cabin was almost destroyed.And he himself was holding the knife in his hand, and Zhou Hui pressed him tightly to the ground and grabbed his wrist, his clothes were almost drenched in cold sweat.

"What... what's going on?" Fenghuang asked blankly, and then found several long scratch marks on Zhou Hui's chest to abdomen, where the bones were deep enough to see the bones, and almost pulled out his internal organs, and the blood mixed with the minced meat flowed out. one place.

Fenghuang suddenly turned over and sat up: "Zhou Hui! What's wrong with you? What's going on?!"

Zhou Hui covered his wound with one hand, held him in his arms with the other, and patted his back drenched in cold sweat tremblingly: "It's okay, you passed out just now... It's okay, it's okay..."

Afterwards, Fenghuang found out that after he lost consciousness that night, he suddenly started to attack Zhou Hui like crazy, with fierce moves and a blank face, like a doll being manipulated by others, all of which were done without consciousness.

If Zhou Hui had reacted a little slower, he would have become a corpse by now.

Zhou Hui healed his injury for a period of time, but he didn't say anything. Every day he changed his ways to make the dull Phoenix happy.He didn't seem to really take this matter to heart, he rebuilt the log cabin a few days later, and carried dozens of huge logs from the Red Devil Forest back to cut and saw and build, in order to prove the little injury to Phoenix It's nothing at all, and it's almost healed.

Under his performance like this, although Fenghuang was terrified inside, he could barely maintain calm on the surface.

Until late at night a few days ago, the same thing happened again.

Fenghuang was vague, and did not say under what circumstances each time he lost his sanity.Venerable Bati did not ask any further questions, and after pondering for a moment, he said: "The last time I told His Highness to return to Mount Sumeru, it was because I remembered related issues... If I guessed correctly, when your soul is weak to a certain extent, Mind can be manipulated by another person."

He didn't say who it was, but Fenghuang understood instantly, and his face changed suddenly: "He wants to kill Zhou Hui?"

Venerable Bati closed his eyes and did not answer.

"No, if Sakyamuni wanted to kill Zhou Hui, it would be as easy as pie. Why did he use this method?!"

The hall fell into silence, and the Venerable was silent for a while, as if he was about to speak.

"...I don't know," he finally admitted, "I have practiced Buddhism for thousands of years, and I deeply feel that I can understand the Buddha's heart, but since the last time the Buddha entered Buzhou Mountain and brought you back to the 33rd heaven, I feel more and more that there seems to be something wrong with the Buddha. It's getting more and more different..."

The Venerable paused, and said, "Especially...in matters related to Your Highness."

Phoenix was slightly taken aback.

The sandalwood in the Buddhist hall is lingering like invisible clouds.The Temple of Heaven and Buddha has always been resplendent and splendid, and the white mountains and black waters of the four evil realms cannot be compared with it. Zhou Hui's simple cabin on Buzhou Mountain, in front of such a rich and majestic pagoda, is probably not even qualified to be a hut. No.

However, when Fenghuang stood on the pure gold floor tiles covering the entire Buddhist hall, surrounded by rare and precious sandalwood, he felt chills all over his body.

"Forgive me," the venerable said gently, "Your Highness is moved by the mortal heart. Is it because he really loves the hell demon, or is it because he is separated from cause and effect and is your predestined person?"

What suddenly appeared in Fenghuang's mind at that moment was not the ancient snowstorm on the top of Xuebao Mountain, but the desolate flat ground of Buzhou Mountain, the simple hut full of red Shura flowers, and the fiery and real people who were in severe pain. hug.

"...I don't know," Fenghuang murmured, "I still...don't know."

His Holiness looked at the phoenix on the ground.Such a person with great wisdom and great consummation has always seen great enlightenment and compassion in his eyes, but at this moment, he is no less confused than Phoenix.

"Your Highness, if you insist on staying in hell, it may cause even more unpredictable consequences. If you are controlled again, you will probably kill Zhou Hui by mistake; and if Zhou Hui hurts you in self-defense, you will be directly hacked by the scourge of heaven." Become powder." The venerable said with a sigh, and said: "For the present plan, you might as well go back to Mount Sumeru to calm down this turmoil. If you really can't find a solution in the future, you can seal the six senses and isolate the soul. It can also eliminate the possibility of being controlled...how?"

Fenghuang stood blankly for a while, his heart was blank.

After a while he said softly, "Let me think about it again."

·

Outside the Blue Sea Yunguang Palace, there is a nine-foot-high platform.

Zhou Hui sat on the white jade steps, propping his forehead with one hand, leaning on a knife with the other, staring absent-mindedly at the sea of ​​clouds rolling under his feet.

The Snow Mountain Goddess in brocade clothes and silver hair came slowly from the bottom of the steps. When she passed Zhou Hui, her footsteps paused slightly, her eyes streamed, and she asked with a smile, "Are you waiting for King Phoenix Ming?"

Zhou Hui recognized her as the woman who stood on the city tower that day on the battlefield, and also knew that she was said to be engaged to Fenghuang, so he raised his eyelids lazily: "What's the matter?"

"It's nothing, just look at how the Hell Devil looks like." The Snow Mountain Goddess looked Zhou Hui up and down, her eyes lingering on his strong shoulders and arms, and said with a smile: "I have also been to Hell Blood Sea, and I know that Asura In the tribe, only women are enchanting and charming, and most of the men are ugly, but I didn’t expect the monster to be so handsome when he cultivated into a human body... Have you ever seen an Asura girl?"

"I've seen it, why?"

The goddess' tone was slightly provocative: "How is it compared to me?"

Having said that, anyone who doesn't understand is a fool.

Zhou Hui's first reaction was actually absurd, but then, the speculation and cunning in the monster's instinct made him think of an almost impossible plan.

"...The way of Asura is ultimately the way of demons." He paused, and said lazily, "You are a goddess of heaven, why are you compared with them?"

Snow Mountain Goddess Xian Xiansu touched the corners of her eyes, as if she had heard her most satisfying answer, she showed a charming and coquettish smile.

"You can talk, so it's no wonder that you have moved Phoenix Mingwang... Do you know? You have a good eye. Phoenix Mingwang's soul is really flaming and perfect, and he is very good at cultivation. Even a celestial being of my level is sometimes envious."

She leaned over and stared at Zhou Hui's eyes at a close distance, revealing a delicate breast from this angle, which was dazzlingly white: "Because of this, Mount Sumeru will not let King Phoenix Ming stay in hell for too long, you have to be prepared—— Hurry up and practice hard, handsome boy."

Zhou Hui's eyes changed slightly, but she winked at him provocatively, got up and passed by.

Zhou Hui's eyebrows twitched, and he turned his head suddenly, only to see that Venerable Bati in the Buddhist hall in the distance had disappeared, and Phoenix was looking back at all this.

There was no expression on his face, but he must have had a panoramic view of the scene just now.

The Goddess of the Snow Mountain walks Ena, steps over the high threshold of the Buddhist hall, and walks gracefully towards King Phoenix Ming.She seemed to say something with a smile, Fenghuang looked at Zhou Hui and shook his head.

The Goddess' expression remained unchanged, she continued to persuade with a smile, and after about half a cup of tea, Fenghuang nodded and replied briefly, and walked past her out of the Buddhist hall.

Zhou Hui looked behind him, just in time for the Snow Mountain Goddess to look over, revealing a confident, sexy and provocative smile.

"I was just..." Zhou Huiying stepped forward to explain, but was interrupted by Fenghuang: "I may need to go back to Mount Sumeru."

Out of the corner of Zhou Hui's eyes, he caught a glimpse of the Snow Mountain Goddess not far away, and his complexion changed slightly: "Why?"

His worry was actually very obvious, but Phoenix was so preoccupied that he didn't notice his reaction.

"...There are some things on Mount Sumeru..." He said softly, "I have to solve it before I can go back to hell..."

·

In the year that Phoenix returned to Mount Sumeru, many things happened.

In fact, for a person like Fenghuang who has been able to kneel for hundreds of years, there is no difference between a few days and a few years. For him, the years are chaotic and static.He often ignores the passage of time in meditation, since he is the only one in the temple anyway, even if he does not appear for hundreds or even thousands of years, no one will notice his disappearance.

However, for Zhou Hui, the smoldering smoke and all kinds of absurdities in that year are unforgettable.

The past between him and the Snow Mountain Goddess Shakti happened in this year, and he quickly achieved the result he wanted - Shakti proposed to King Jiang III to dissolve his engagement with King Phoenix Ming and remarry to the sea of ​​blood in hell .

Before King Jiang III could be furious, the news spread throughout the 33 heavens. King Phoenix Ming blatantly lowered real fire from the top of the glacier, burning down Shakti's temple.

——This is simply beyond everyone's expectations.

King Fenghuang Ming, this person who lives in the forbidden area on the top of the mountain, who only has a sense of existence when the hell is emptied; this person who is as silent, firm and indifferent as the ancient glacier in the legend, and often does not speak a word for hundreds of thousands of years; Because of this matter, he was furious, and without saying a word, he burned down the palace that symbolized the status of the Snow Mountain Goddess.

Afterwards, King Phoenix Ming descended to Mount Sumeru again and resolutely left the 33rd Heaven.

According to legend, when King Fengming left, Jiang III took the Snow Mountain Goddess to block him on the Tianyin Sea of ​​Zhaofu Poti Island.At that time, the sea was full of smoke and water, and the silver light was shining. The phoenix stepped on the lotus and confronted Jiang III and the Snow Mountain Goddess, and asked coldly, "What are your plans?"

Zhou Hui raised his foot and walked towards him, but Fenghuang stopped him by raising his hand: "It's none of your business."

When he said this, his face was cold and expressionless, Zhou Hui immediately stopped and said in vain, "I..."

——The Snow Mountain Goddess stared at Zhou Hui helplessly from the sidelines, her heart was filled with unexplainable anger.Even with her brain, she couldn't have imagined that this handsome, cold, moody man would look like this in front of King Fenghuang Ming, he seemed to be a completely different person!

Seeing that something was wrong, Jiang III immediately stepped forward to block the Snow Mountain Goddess, barely suppressed his anger and looked straight at King Fenghuang Ming: "Fenghuang! You burned Shakti's temple without authorization. I am here today to ask, how do you plan to explain this matter?" ? Do you think that the Phoenix Temple is located in a forbidden area, and our five great Ming kings of Tantric Buddhism can’t burn it back?!”

Zhou Hui wanted to say something again, but Fenghuang interrupted him: "Yes."

"you--!"

"I just burned it, so what about you?"

Fenghuang's tone was unscrupulous, almost completely different from his usual taciturn appearance.

Jiang Sanshi couldn't come down to the stage in front of Zhou Hui, he was short of breath, and immediately said angrily: "You left Mount Sumeru privately and destroyed the Snow Mountain Temple, it's impossible to just let it go! If you dare to resist the way of heaven and the Buddha's decree again, Today's situation must be absolutely unfavorable!"

"——Oh, why is it not good enough?"

Jiang III thought for a while and said, "Unless you go back to Mount Sumeru now and plead guilty to the Buddha for burning down the temple, I can also send down the sky thunder. At that time, the sky and the sea will be covered with charcoal, don't blame me for really—"

A light but slightly mocking smile flashed across Phoenix's eyes.

He stretched out his hand, the sky was covered with black clouds, lightning burst out, and layers of blood glowed from the suddenly darkened sea surface.In the deep sea, the phoenix from ancient times neighed throughout the world, and a huge black shadow slowly emerged from the bottom of the water, causing frightening and dull shocks.

"Really?" Phoenix asked.

Countless black shadows appeared under his fair skin, as if chains with magic power emerged vertically and horizontally in his body, and there was a faint green light in his eyes.

Zhou Hui had never seen Fenghuang like this before, and couldn't help revealing an expression of astonishment that was hard to conceal.

King Jiang III took a half step back.

"Extremely, extremely evil..." He said softly, with obvious disbelief at the end: "You are crazy, how dare you show an extremely evil...!"

"I tolerated it for so long that you all thought I was weak and could take my things without any scruples..."

Phoenix raised his head, his long hair broke free from the headband in the strong wind, and his broad robe was violently blown away like wings.Lightning shot down from the sky, stirring up huge waves in the sea around him. Countless electric currents in the white water were like tens of thousands of little snakes zigzipping, and covered the entire sea in an instant.

"What I deserve," Fenghuang raised his head slightly, with a stubborn expression, "It's mine."

He stretched out his hand and pointed forward, King Jiang III immediately pulled the Snow Mountain Goddess and flew back——

However, it was too late, Wanjun Lightning obeyed his pointing, like a ferocious dragon of light, pouring out of mountains and seas!

King Fenghuang Ming appeared extremely evil, and he was defeated in the East China Sea of ​​Zhaofu Potizhou. The tsunami even shook the foot of Mount Sumeru thousands of miles away.

Afterwards, Phoenix left the 33rd Heaven and descended to Hell Buzhou Mountain again.

·

When Fenghuang returned to the small wooden house in Buzhou Mountain, he had already regained his composure.His white robe was soaked by the sea water, and his black hair was tightly entangled with his body. He looked very thin, and only bones could be seen on his shoulders.

He sat on the bed with his knees bent, motionless, like a beautiful and lifeless statue as ice and snow.

Zhou Hui handed him a dry cloth, but he didn't respond at all.Zhou Hui then gently took off the wet robe on his body, and he did not resist, and put on the dry clothes submissively and silently.

It was Zhou Hui's gray coat, which looked particularly large on Fenghuang's body, and the neckline was left empty, showing a particularly protruding collarbone.Zhou Hui wiped his hair slowly with a dry cloth, being careful not to drag the strands of hair, and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Phoenix shook his head.

"You...have nothing to say to me?"

Fenghuang was silent for a long time, until Zhou Hui thought he would not speak again, he heard him ask softly: "Do you like Shakti?"

Zhou Hui put down the cloth, half-kneeled in front of Fenghuang, looked up at him and said seriously: "I hope you don't marry her, I love you, and I don't want you to go back to heaven..."

Fenghuang's eyes are very long at the end, a little bit upward, and they look very bright when they move around.But when he stared at something quietly, he was often very focused, as if nothing else existed in the world except this thing.

There is no smoke at all, and there is no murderous look at all.

With such a gaze, it is easy for people to forget that he has emptied the sea of ​​blood, leveled the hell, and shot the great Asura King to death with one arrow; with such a focused and quiet gaze, it is easy for people to fall into it involuntarily, as if Even the soul is drowning in it.

Zhou Hui stared at him intently, held those wet hands, as solemnly as when he proposed that day, and asked, "You...do you love me, my Highness?"

Do you love me?Phoenix thought.

How long can that kind of thing called love be kept in the bleak reality that is full of mess?

A kind of deep powerlessness suddenly hit his heart, just like before he knew Zhou Hui, in the lonely fate day after day, the lingering and lingering fatigue of fate was the same.

Phoenix gently closed his eyes.

In front of Zhou Hui, he made an extremely evil face to Shakti because he had the urge to break a pot. After waking up, he really wanted to test Zhou Hui's opinion, but suddenly, he felt that it was unnecessary.

Zhou Hui paid close attention to Fenghuang's expression, and finally couldn't help asking at this moment: "Do you still care about the Snow Mountain Goddess? If that's the case, I can go to Mount Sumeru right now—"

"...No," Fenghuang paused, then said in a low voice, "It doesn't matter."

It won't be mine forever anyway, he thought.

·

Fenghuang finally gave up the slow process of cultivating the soul. After coming to Buzhou Mountain again, he began to use the method of sealing the six senses to resist the mind control from the colorless sky.

Until a long time later, it was an unbearable memory in Zhou Hui's life.

It’s not that Fenghuang has no communication with him like a corpse. In fact, Fenghuang’s closed six senses are mostly on the bed. Although the altar is still there, the whole person is in a daze, like an obedient puppet doll at his mercy. .

Zhou Hui didn't say anything, but he felt very uncomfortable.

He didn't know why Phoenix agreed to him, why he descended from the high mountain temple to the four evil realms for him, and endured the scorching, chaotic and dark life in the sea of ​​blood and blood for him; just like today, he doesn't know why Phoenix would rather close the five senses, Silently and docilely, too, endure his apparently unwelcome intimacy.

The only thing that comforted him was that Phoenix was still very dependent on his embrace, even more eager for fiery skin-to-skin contact than before.

Sometimes seeing him sleeping with his eyes closed, Zhou Hui even had the illusion that he really wanted to be by his side.It seemed that he cherished even the little bit of pain he gave him.

·

Unexpectedly, the phoenix's extremely vicious appearance in the east sea of ​​Zhaofu Potizhou did not attract thunder and condemnation, and it didn't even startle a little splash.

After King Jiang III brought the Snow Mountain Goddess back to Mount Sumeru, it was as if the matter had been covered up suddenly, and there was no news at all.

However, Zhou Hui was not so naive as to think that this matter was over—he was even mentally prepared to take the Phoenix with him to the end of the world.But when he cautiously inquired about Phoenix's thoughts, he felt that he didn't really care much about the punishment he would incur.

He really didn't seem to care.

It wasn't until a long time later that Zhou Hui felt that Phoenix paid very little attention to the surrounding things, as if he had no special interest in anything, and was only immersed in his secret and peaceful inner world.He had doubts about it, was irritable, and tried to forcibly pull Phoenix out of the invisible world with very violent and even violent means, but the situation only slightly improved, and did not fundamentally solve the problem.

——He tried to recall when this situation started, and he thought of this time above.

After the brief outburst of Phoenix's emotions, it quickly turned into bleak ashes.It seemed that that one outbreak had burned all his enthusiasm, and I don't know how much was left, which was also properly hidden in a place deep in his heart that no one knew, and he was careful not to show it to anyone.

"God's punishment will come." Facing Zhou Hui's inquiry, he just lowered his eyes and said, "It's nothing more than beating me to death. I can still go to Nirvana, so...it doesn't matter."

However, Zhou Hui couldn't face this matter with such a negative attitude.

After Nirvana, the phoenix forms a jade womb, and is born and grown again. Everything in the previous life is turned into ashes, and he may no longer know who he is.

Zhou Hui tightly protected the Phoenix. No matter when his six senses were closed and muddled, or when he was conscious and capable of autonomy, he would forcibly tie him to his side, and immediately looked for him when he was out of sight, as if he was afraid that he would suddenly have an accident. Lost one day and never came back.

Fenghuang didn't object either. Most of the time, he would sit on the wooden platform at the door, tilt his head, watching Zhou Hui busy with this and that, and his gaze would quietly follow this man, sometimes he could even watch like this for a whole day.

Zhou Hui was afraid that he would feel bored. After all, the sky in Hell is hazy, the air is pungent, and Buzhou Mountain is close to the sea of ​​blood, and there are often ugly and strange monsters running up, biting bloody pieces of flesh; but Phoenix is ​​indifferent to all this, He was only attentive when looking at Zhou Hui, as if he was very interested in what he was doing.

Once Zhou Hui brought a roe owl back to roast, and Fenghuang sat on the side with his head propped up, and suddenly asked after a long while, "Why don't you eat raw food?"

Zhou Hui is still a hell devil in essence, and hell devils eat raw meat directly.But if the monster eats too much raw meat, the whole body will emit a strong bloody smell, which is very unpleasant like rust. Later, when Phoenix came to Buzhou Mountain, he learned how to light a fire and eat cooked food like in the human world.

"I've always roasted it," Zhou Hui lied, "Eating raw meat is something only low-level hell demons do."

Phoenix let out a silent oh, and nodded.

He looked at the rolling raw meat on the fire, seeming a little curious.Zhou Hui remembered that he hadn't had a sip of water or eaten anything since he came to Zhoushan, and suddenly he felt faintly worried, so he asked, "Do you want to try it?"

Phoenix seemed to be hesitant.

"The roe owl meat is very tender, it doesn't matter, just taste it, and spit it out if you can't swallow it."

Zhou Hui picked out a fat and thin piece of tender meat from the belly of the roe owl, cut a small piece with a knife and handed it to him.Fenghuang didn't reach out to pick it up, but sniffed it with the tip of his nose, as if he couldn't get used to it, he hesitated for a moment before trying to put it into his mouth with his teeth.

In the next second, he spit out the meat directly from his mouth, covered his mouth hard, and buried his face in his knees.

Zhou Hui rushed up to puff his face, fetched water to rinse his mouth, but was rejected by Fenghuang who was blushing and shook his head.It took him a long time to wait for the taste in his mouth to dissipate, then looked at the meat on the ground again, and said sadly: "I'm sorry, I can't get used to this..."

Zhou Hui's heart sank suddenly, but without saying anything, he leaned over and kissed Phoenix's sideburns.

We must move out of hell, he thought.

However, Zhou Hui has lived in hell for many years, and moving away is not something that can be done in a few days.What's more troublesome is that the environment of hungry ghosts and animals may not be comparable to hell. The human world is full of wars and people are struggling to survive. It is absolutely impossible for Asura to accept an unprecedented hell demon who has cultivated into a human body; place.

——Heaven.

There are many gaps in time and space at the junction of the heavenly realm and the four evil realms. For example, the lowermost layer of the 33rd heaven, the glazed sky, is deserted outside the Tiangong, which is a good place to hide.

Zhou Hui then made the decision to go north to Liulitian, and Fenghuang accepted it without any doubt.

Later, recalling this relocation, it should be the first step for Zhou Hui and Tiandao to reach a compromise with each other, and the thinking was not wrong; however, Zhou Hui regretted it very much at the time, because it almost caused Phoenix to die.

——Because the Snow Mountain Goddess Shakti came right after her.