Pawn Crossing the River

Since it is a warehouse, it is naturally not small. So after the deacon Taoist priest gave a general direction, Qi Xuansu easily found the specific location.

From the outside, the warehouse looks as high as two stories, but once inside, you will find that the second and first floors have been opened up, and wooden boxes placed against the walls are stacked up to the roof.

However, there were not many wooden boxes, making the vast warehouse feel a little empty.

There was only one person in the warehouse at this time, wearing the chief crane cloak, with his back to Qi Xuansu who was standing at the entrance. It was Su Ran, the chief Taoist priest in charge of the Huasheng Hall branch here.

Qi Xuansu closed the door of the warehouse and his nose twitched slightly: "Mr. Su, what kind of sachet are you using? Or is it the perfume from the West? The smell is really special and makes people dizzy."

Su Ran did not turn around and said calmly: "It's not spices or perfume, but the unique incense of our Huasheng Hall. It was first used to deodorize corpse odor. Later it was used to cover up various odors. After all, in Huasheng Hall Mr. Tang has to come into contact with all kinds of strange things, and it is inevitable that he will be exposed to strange smells. The smell of this incense is a bit pungent, but it is not too unpleasant. "

"I see." Qi Xuansu said clearly, "So, this kind of incense can also cover up the smell of the Thunder God Pot."

"This is natural." Su Ran's voice was still calm, "There are many Thunder God Pots in Huashengtang, because the stems and leaves of Thunder God Pots can be used as medicine, mainly the sac-like body at the tip of the leaves. Harvest in autumn, cut into sections and dry in the sun. It has a sweet and cool taste, clears the lungs and moisturizes dryness, promotes water circulation, and detoxifies. It can treat lung dryness cough, whooping cough, jaundice, stomach pain, dysentery, edema, carbuncle, and insect bites. Take one to two liang of the decoction orally, or crush it and apply it externally. ”

Qi Xuansu stroked his palm and said, "Master Su is worthy of being from Huashengtang. He is admirable for his proficiency and proficiency in his business."

For some unknown reason, there is a statue of Taishang Daozu about two feet high in this warehouse. It is facing the entrance of the warehouse, with wooden boxes stacked on both sides. Su Ran always raised his head while aligning his back to Xuansu. Looking at Taishang Daozu, he said calmly: "You are going around here and there just because you want to ask me whether the Thunder God Pot in the chests of those who were killed has anything to do with Huasheng Hall."

Qi Xuansu was silent.

Su Ran said: "I can answer you, it is related, not only related, those Thunder God Pots stuffed into the chest to replace the heart originally came from Huashengtang."

Qi Xuansu took a deep breath and asked: "Why is it a Thunder God Pot? Does it have any special meaning?"

"Let's take it as a metaphor." Su Ran said calmly, "Thunder Pot also has a name, called 'Nepenthes', because the leaf cages at the end of the leaves look like pig cages. And in the south of the Yangtze River, there is a kind of lynching called 'Nepenthes'. It is called a "pig-dipping cage". The prisoner is put into a pig-cage, tied with a rope at the opening, and then placed in the river to be submerged. For minor offenses, the head can be kept above the water. For serious offenses, the prisoner can be submerged for a certain period of time. Submersion and drowning to death are usually the punishments for those who commit adultery, regardless of whether they are men or women."

Qi Xuansu understood somewhat: "The people who died were all people related to the 'Tianle Taoyuan', and they were all subjected to a disguised form of immersion in a pig cage."

"It can be said that even if I don't explain, you can figure it out." Su Ran still turned his back to Qi Xuansu, "I have to admit that I underestimated you. You almost caught me on the spot and saw through me. The purpose of framing Liu Futong."

Su Ran paused for a moment: "But... I think you haven't made a final conclusion yet, nor have you fully speculated on the cause and course of the matter. If you knew, you wouldn't come to see me alone."

Qi Xuansu's body gradually became tense: "Who are you?"

"I am Su Ran, the Taoist priest in charge of Huasheng Hall." Su Ran said calmly, "A genuine fourth-grade wine-sacrifice Taoist priest, not a fake like you."

Qi Xuansu was startled, then calmed down and said in a deep voice: "Did you kill so many people just to deal with Liu Futong? I think with your city government methods, Liu Futong is no match for you."

"You are complimenting me." There was a hint of smile in Su Ran's voice, "But women always like compliments. In this case, let me say more. After all, wealth does not return to its hometown, just like walking in brocade at night. . It would be very frustrating if I couldn’t tell others about what I had done.”

Qi Xuansu asked: "Why did you kill people? Cruel these innocent people?"

"Are they innocent?" Su Ran's voice gradually turned cold, "I have already explained that they are all people who deserve to be dipped in the pig cage and deserve to die. As for targeting Liu Futong, it was just a matter of convenience, and it was not a crime. He was wronged, the things he did were enough to kill him several times."

Qi Xuansu frowned and said: "If you say that killing people is for power and gain, I don't approve of your behavior, but I can understand your thoughts. It is nothing more than using every possible means. But now you say that targeting Liu Futong is just a matter of convenience, and killing is the I can’t understand your true purpose.”

Su Ran explained patiently: "This is also very simple. I don't recognize the 'Tianle Taoyuan'. This is a city without sun, a city that never sleeps, and a completely fallen city. The people here have never been From the high-ranking Taoist priests to the lowest common prostitutes, they have all forgotten morals and rules, so I have to remind them and impose appropriate punishments."

"Worldly pleasures and the sins of desire are always the enemies of morality. The corruption of the inner soul always starts from the corruption of the outer body, and the loss of moral discipline always starts from the unbridled desire. Look at this city Well, look at these people, they are like maggots on a rotting corpse, destroying the foundation of this world. One day, they will destroy this world and devour all living creatures until a new reincarnation begins. "

"I know that no matter what I do, I can't change the world's people, but I still do it. Use killing to stop killing, and use poison to fight poison. I will slowly and for the rest of my life destroy 'Tianle Taoyuan' and erase this The stain left on Xuan Sheng’s shoes.”

"Think about the targets I have chosen, a courtesan who walks among all kinds of men, a courteous man who thinks he is noble but hates Taoism, a good old prostitute who seduces a married man, and a man who flatters his boss and is willing to fall. Yue Lian, who doesn’t deserve to die?”

"They don't deserve to live, but their death can alert the living, frighten the living, and allow the living to stay away from such a fallen place and return to the barriers of moral precepts."

While speaking, Su Ran opened his hands, as if he was bathing in the glory of Taishang Daozu.

Qi Xuansu's response was very brief, with only two words: "Unreasonable."

Su Ran retracted his hands and laughed: "As for you, you have no moral precepts in your eyes. Your murderous aura also shows that you are a person who floutes the rules. People like you should be cut to pieces with a thousand swords."

Qi Xuansu crossed his arms and held the handles of the two swords at his waist: "There are many people who want to kill me, but most of them are already dead. I have killed many people, but walking in the world is about life and death, and I I never kill people indiscriminately, let alone kill innocent people indiscriminately. As for you, no matter how noble you think your thoughts are, it is not a reason for you to kill."

Su Ran finally turned around, facing Qi Xuansu, with his back to the statue of Taishang Daozu behind him.

She wore the furry white fox mask on her face. The fox's eyes were narrow and narrow, and its mouth was sharp and sarcastic.

The last time the two of them fought, there was no winner, and neither of them tried their best.

"I didn't want to convince you." There was no emotion or anger in the mask on Su Ran's face, only sarcasm. "This is just my own idea and has nothing to do with others. I don't care whether others recognize it or agree with it. That would be too troublesome. . Rather than changing one person’s mind, it’s better to get rid of all those who have dissent.”

"It's hopeless." Qi Xuansu slowly pulled out his two swords.

With the injection of true energy, the blade turned red, and then ignited into a raging flame, and the light and shadow were chaotic in the dim warehouse.

There is no doubt that since the Taoist sect believes in Taishang Taozu and worships idols, there must be some kind of fanatical believers within the Taoist sect. Even if Taishang Taozu's idea of ​​inaction is not related to fanaticism, some people will inevitably read the sutras incorrectly according to their own imagination.

Instead of debating scriptures, it is better to use weapons to make the most direct criticism.

On this point, Qi Xuansu and Su Ran had similar views.

.