Section Eighteen Road

  From a distance, he saw lanterns in the Taoist temple, and Zhao Guo's heart was filled with joy, and he quickly walked over.

  Outside Ximen, this section looks very desolate, and there are no other buildings except for this Taoist temple.

  "Master, you've returned from your travels?" As soon as he entered the gate, Zhao Guotang smelled the familiar aroma of roasted chicken. "Where did you steal the chicken from this time?"

  "You little rabbit, you dare to slander your master? Don't you know who your master is? Do I need to steal? Others willingly offer it to me, and I reluctantly accept it, not wanting to hurt their intentions." The old man with white hair and beard said this without even lifting his head, while turning the spit on the grill.

  Zhao Guodong secretly praised him, Master is getting more and more understanding of the principle that people dress like Buddhas and want to be dressed in gold. A Taoist robe washed white, a head of silver hair tied into a Taoist bun, a face as ruddy as a young man, sleeves fluttering, just like an immortal among mortals, wherever he goes, this appearance is also very impressive.

  "Where are you going to cheat people again?" Zhao Guotang smiled and sat cross-legged by the bonfire, adding two pieces of firewood.

  "Hmph! If it weren't for fellow Daoist's sincere invitation, I wouldn't have bothered to move. This old Daoist said proudly, turning his head to glance at Zhao Guo Dong, "Looks like your luck isn't too good, kid."

  "Master knows I've been transferred back to Jiang Temple?" Zhao Guotang asked in surprise.

  "The horizon is just a foot away, why be so anxious about it?" The ancient man said with a carefree tone.

  "Master's teachings are indeed effective, it seems I've made some progress." Zhao Guo said with a smile, "Getting closer to Master is just right."

  "You've come less often, I don't have much left to teach you. You only need to persist in what I previously taught you and that will be enough for a lifetime." The old Taoist said with a hum of energy.

  "Impossible, I remember every time Master goes on a long trip, he always brings back something that benefits me for life. How come this time Master has become so stingy?" Zhao Guodong said with a thick face, "Let me take a look at what new things are in Master's package."

  "Little rabbit, you've got me figured out for the day." The old Taoist laughed and scolded, "There's nothing in your bundle, just a volume of Esoteric Joy Zen Method, superficial yet profound. It's still somewhat useful for esoteric purposes, but at your young age, you can't use it yet. Let me ponder on it for a few years before teaching it to you."

  "Oh? That's also true. Even if Master takes eight or ten years to thoroughly master it, it won't be too late." Zhao Guocong nodded.

  "Hmm, looking at your aura, it's not bad, the gloom is clearing up, and the purple energy is flowing smoothly. These two years have been eventful but you've navigated them safely, taking steady steps." The old Taoist finally took down the whole chicken from the grill, applied some special seasonings to it, and a strange fragrance wafted through the temple.

  Zhao Guotong didn't stand on ceremony either, first tearing off a large piece of chicken leg and handing it to Gudao Ren, then slowly chewing on another piece himself.

  "Guo Dong, I see that there seems to be some unusual change between your eyebrows, have you encountered something?" Gu Dao Ren said casually.

  Zhao Guodong's movements paused for a moment, and he raised his eyes. "Master, did you see something?"

  "There's nothing, your aura is good, you should be fine, but I saw more in your eyes. It's been a few months since we last met, and it's impossible for you to change so much on your own, there must have been external factors that prompted this change." Gu Dao said calmly while chewing his chicken, "However, this doesn't change your fundamental nature."

  "Master, I've encountered some strange things and I'm not sure what to make of them." Zhao Guotang thought for a moment before recounting his bizarre dream, leaving out the specific details.

  "Reality and illusion are relative, you ask me if the things in my dreams are real or fake, I can't answer. Dreams are a reflection of reality, but they don't truly represent the real world. Maybe it reflects history, maybe it foretells the future, this is something only you can experience in your later life. But I remind you that the operation of this world has its own rules, don't think you can change the whole world."

  "The whole world? I've never had such an idea, but what about a part of it? A small detail?" Zhao Guotang shook his head and asked back.

  "That can only be felt and understood by yourself, I can't give you any answers." The ancient Daoist replied resolutely, "Opportunities fall on each person's body are opportunities, it just depends on how you recognize, understand and grasp them."

  Zhao Guodong fell into a long period of contemplation, while the old Taoist paid no attention to him and continued eating on his own.

  Zhao Guoding looked at his master who was sleeping soundly, and his thoughts surged like a tidal wave, memories rising one by one in his mind.

  He started following the old Taoist priest in elementary school, from practicing martial arts to strengthening his body and practicing qigong. Even when he went to Jiangkou Middle School, he would come back every weekend and still run away for a while to practice hard. No matter how strong and brave Zhao De-shan was, in front of him, he always ended up losing miserably. Long-distance running, swimming, wrestling, and fighting, Zhao De-shan could only watch from afar.

  If it were just this, Zhao Guoding wouldn't have had so much feeling. More importantly, this person taught himself a kind of calm and positive attitude towards life, which is what touched Zhao Guoding the most.

  Although the young man's blood is boiling and cannot be avoided, the master told himself that the fun of life lies in having too many unpredictable variables, don't be too bound by worldly dogma, dare to hate, dare to love, dare to do, and dare to be true to oneself. Of course, this requires grasping a degree.

  A huge black hole seems to have appeared on the road in front of him, with heaven above and hell below, everything is unknown, but one thing is clear, he can no longer follow the normal routine, seize every opportunity, don't regret. Zhao Guotang didn't want to be a hesitant regretter, so he walked towards his desired direction.

  The crackling of the bonfire seemed to make Zhao Guotang's spirit wander even further, and some fragments of his dreams were linked together again without him realizing it. The night color of the ancient temple was so enchanting.

  It wasn't until much later that Zhao Guozhen returned from his trance, took a glance at his master, who was already snoring loudly on the stone bed, and saw the duster hanging in mid-air, its shadow twisting and changing shape with the flickering flames of the torch.

  He quietly stood up, Zhao Guotang looked around, the starry sky was vast, the grass was long and the insects were chirping, the world seemed to have unfolded its most serene side at this moment.

  Zhao Guo Tong took a deep breath, his entire body feeling extremely relaxed and refreshed. He walked quickly over to the stone bed, bowed deeply and said, "Master, Guo Tong has left."

  The snores on the stone bed were still shaking the sky, Zhao Guotang smiled and turned to leave, but at the moment he walked out of the temple gate, he heard a voice like a murmur on the stone bed: "Go, people enter the red dust, their hearts are like clear moons, happy and free, traveling through life."

  Zhao Guo's eyes widened as he raised his head to the sky, and suddenly remembered a Polish proverb: people have two kinds of lives, one is rotting, the other is burning, and he had no choice but to choose the latter.

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