Chapter Three: Asking the Starry Sky

  (Woke up from a nap and found that I've been blocked, thanks for the show, going back to sleep with a bow)

  It was already late at night, and Zou Lelie refused Yi Tianxing's request to send her home. It could be seen that she still had some hidden fear towards the current Yi Tianxing. Yi Tianxing also knew that such things couldn't be forced, and he shouldn't rush into it, so he wasn't too heartbroken - after all, Zou Lelie asked him to bring his bird son back home to play, which was a very good sign.

  "I had a scare today, I'm really sorry. Be careful on your way back." Yi Tianxing looked at the lovely girl in front of him and couldn't help but think of the time six months ago when they were both hit by an assassin's car sent by Xue San'er, his heart filled with tenderness and concern.

  Zou Lerer lowered her head for a long time, then said quietly: "Thank you for coming back to tell me this, at least it shows... you care about me. But this matter, let me think..."

  "No rush, no rush." Yi Tianxing was eager to show his benevolence and pure kindness.

  "Well, I'll go first."

  "Don't hold onto it, it's too heavy now, let it fly and it will follow you." Yi Tianxing looked at the fat red bird that was lying comfortably in Lele's arms.

  The little sparrow chirped a few times, which meant both opposition and helpless acceptance.

  Zou Leran was about to speak but stopped herself, finally unable to bear her curiosity and asked: "Such a big bird, how did it drill out of your body?"

  Luckily Yi Tian Xing didn't drink water, otherwise he would definitely spit out a mouthful of water.

  Lailai giggled and let out two snorts of laughter, released the Vermilion Bird into flight, then stepped onto a sky-blue bicycle.

  "The little sparrow is really lovely, but its cry is unpleasant, like a chicken's call."

  This time it was Yitian Xing who chuckled, and after a while, he looked at Lele's small braid swaying gently in the night wind, and said softly: "Think carefully and tell me when you're ready. I know it's not easy, so whatever you decide, I'll agree."

  Lailai's legs, which were about to kick the car into gear, stiffened for a moment. After a long silence, she turned her head back and looked at the man who had always held a warm place in her heart with clear eyes: "If I've made up my mind, I'll come tell you..."

  The little girl spoke with a somewhat polite and reserved tone, while the young man looked a bit downcast.

  ……

  ……

  Watching the sky-blue bicycle gradually disappear in the night-colored high-rise buildings, Yitian Xing's heart suddenly felt a sense of clarity, just like the sky clearing up after a long rain, with a ray of sunlight breaking through the thick clouds and shining on his heart.

  Xiao Zhuque and he were the same, both having an indestructible body and the ability to spit fire. With it following Zou Leilei, Yi Tianxing was not worried about the girl's safety. And this time, the showdown seemed to have achieved a good result, which made the two big stones that had been weighing on Yi Tianxing's heart go away one by one, making him feel incredibly relieved and more determined to move the other stone.

  The old master still lived in that good Feng Shui house by the river and at the back of a mountain. Yi Tianxing borrowed the night color, slid down from the back of the mountain, very fast, but the sound was very light, occasionally encountering a ferocious stone tip that wanted to scratch himself, he would instead stabilize his body with a faster speed.

  The villa is surrounded by green trees, even in the cold winter days, the leaves have not fallen off, and the green color still lingers, guarding this unusually quiet manor.

  Yi Tian Xing slid to the back wall of the manor, his fingers exerting a slight force, and he drilled a hole in the concrete wall. Then, he slowly climbed up. The wall was topped with barbed wire, which should be electrified at high voltage. He didn't know if his body could withstand it; after all, when he had self-mutilated in the past, he hadn't been bold enough to play jokes on electric tigers. So, he slightly lowered his body and scanned the manor with sharp eyes, unsurprisingly discovering some guards patrolling in the corners.

  The floating clouds in the sky are just a few strands, it's impossible to expect them to block out the moonlight.

  Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, his eyes darting to the side to notice the movements of the big men. He waited until their gazes simultaneously left his position, then his fingers hooked into the wall and his toes lightly touched the surface before his entire body flipped over, drawing an arc in mid-air as if he were swinging a hammer, propelling himself inside.

  As soon as he landed, in an instant, Yi Tian's toes kicked against the wall and his entire body shot forward like a wisp of smoke, arriving at the windowsill of the small Western-style building. He crouched down, using the clump of shrubs to conceal himself.

  The security guards heard something fall to the ground, and they immediately turned their gaze over, but didn't find anything unusual. From the high wall of the villa to the front of the building was a distance of twenty meters, all of which was empty space with no place for anyone to hide. They simply turned their heads, thinking that there shouldn't be anyone in this world who could run out twenty meters in the instant they turned around, and so they put their minds at ease.

  Yì Tiān Xíng held his breath, starting to greedily absorb the air with his skin, like a hungry civet cat slowly climbing up the small villa, any tiny gap could be used by him as leverage, and his powerful muscles and finger strength made this climb seem especially effortless. In the dark of night, if someone could see someone slowly floating up the surface of the building, they would definitely think it was a ghost.

  He crept up quietly from the side of the balcony and came to the door of his study where he had once been shot. His index finger lightly conjured a very fine spark, which extended through the gap in the door. The spark touched the lock, and the metal could not withstand such a terrible high temperature, instantly melting into iron water, flowing down along the wooden door.

  Yitian quietly pushed open the door and entered, passing through the inner door beside the bookcase, and slipped into the bedroom.

  The furnishings in the bedroom are simple, and although the wooden antique furniture is certainly not cheap, it doesn't look out of place. An old man is sleeping soundly on the bed, his white hair scattered across the pillow, with an old-fashioned radio beside him.

  Yitian walked quietly past, like a ghost.

  He had just placed his fingers lightly on the old man's neck when he felt a cold metal object pressed against his armpit.

  "Who?"

  The light in the bedroom lit up, fortunately it was not too dazzling.

  The old man slowly turned his head, holding a silver-white Browning pistol in his hand, which had once fed Yitianhang a bullet. The old man saw the young man sneaking to the side of his bed, stunned for a moment, seemingly not thinking it was him.

  "You know this gun won't kill me." Yi Tianxing's index finger was still on the old man's neck, "And I can kill you at any time."

  "What are you doing?" The old man's face had eighteen folds like a steamed bun, but his tone was still very calm.

  "I want to ask you some things."

  "I don't understand why you're asking me in this situation."

  "Because I dare not be certain, unless life is threatened, in what situation you will tell the truth." Yi Tianxing smiled slightly.

  "Take your finger off the trigger." The old man also smiled, "You should know that there are many guns pointing at you outside, this is not a fancy toy used by the woman and the old man in my hands."

  As soon as the words came out, the bedroom door was pushed open and many people appeared at the window sill, all holding extremely powerful guns aimed at Yi Tianxing.

  Gu Er was still at home, wearing his pajamas and carrying a shotgun, he rushed in and saw it was Yi Tianxing, and he was stunned.

  "You're not in the provincial city, how did you come back?" The old master put away his gun.

  Yi Tianxing also withdrew his fingers.

  "Get out, it's Third Master." The old master ordered his subordinate.

  Except for Gu Er's hesitation, the rest of the subordinates responded and retreated in unison. For a while, the bedroom was left with only this old fox and a tender little fox.

  "How did you know I was coming in?" Yi Tianxing poured himself a cup of water from the tea table by the bed.

  "The doorbell rang." The old man began to put on his cotton pajamas, preparing to get out of bed. "I'm old and easily startled, besides there's an alarm device right next to my pillow."

  Yi Tian Xing only then realized that it was the sound of the melted iron water from the lock at the entrance falling to the ground that had startled this old fox. Thinking that such a slight noise could startle him, he couldn't help but feel a thread of admiration, and at the same time thought that since this old man took control of the province's underworld, his days were probably spent in such a state of high alert, and he couldn't help but add another layer of sympathy.

  He walked up and helped the old man tie his pajama strings, poured him a cup of warm water, and then sat down on the sofa opposite the bed.

  The old man took a sip of water and sat on the bed, starting to ask: "Speak up, how did you suddenly come back?"

  "Don't you know I'm back in town?" A hint of sarcasm appeared at the corner of Yi Tianxing's lips, he didn't believe that Yuan Ye hadn't informed him.

  The old man chuckled and said: "I thought you were just going back to the county town to see your little girlfriend, I didn't expect you to come in at midnight and give this old guy a surprise."

  "Go on."

  "Go on."

  Two people say the same two words one after another.

  "Tell me why you came back."

  "I came back to ask you, what's going on with all these things." Yi Tianxing sat on the sofa with his legs crossed.

  The old man was silent for a moment: "Aren't you afraid I'm telling lies at this time?"

  Yitian Xing smiled and said: "Choose one between life and truth." He said sincerely: "There is only one truth, I swear in the name of my grandfather."

  The old master tilted his head to one side, sizing up this young man with some interest, the one who had taken over the entire family business and yet still dared to come and discipline him.

  "I trust you so much, can't you just tell me what's on your mind?" He smiled, his calm eyes like an ancient well looking at the young man.

  "People always tend to set traps for themselves in their words when they're not at a critical juncture of life and death." Yi Tianxing shrugged.

  "Do you think you still have the ability to threaten me?" The old fox smiled slightly, with a cunning smile at the corner of his mouth. "If you hadn't moved your finger just now, perhaps there would have been that possibility."

  Yi Tianxing also shook his head and said indifferently, "Your gunmen are still outside the door. Even if they rush in, I'm afraid it will be too late."

  The old man said quietly, "Young one, you may have forgotten, I've lived until now, never relying on anyone else's power." The old man's withered hand hung lightly over the side of the bed, starting to move slightly, his fingertips seeming to emanate a faint chill.

  Yitian's eyes gradually closed.

  In an instant, the lights in the house dimmed slightly, and Yi Tianxing felt a certain power breaking through the air, brushing against his palm and striking the empty cup he had just drunk from.

  Ding ding sounds crisp, beautiful glass cup was cut into several transparent circles neatly.

  "It's much harder to break than I thought, the old man's skills are indeed impressive." Yi Tianxing still had a nonchalant attitude, but his face involuntarily floated with a hint of an eerie smile. "Unfortunately, I was severely injured by a young girl's Wind Blade in the provincial city, so I won't be too afraid of these things."

  As soon as his voice fell, he lightly flicked his finger, and a fire lotus with golden red color was spat out from the tip of his index finger, slowly drifting towards the old master.

  The old man's face showed extreme tension, and when the fire lotus was about to float in front of him, it suddenly disappeared into thin air.

  "If I wanted to, I could burn everything in this house to ashes in the blink of an eye." Yi Tianxing looked at him, "Believe me, I respect the elderly and love the young, I won't deceive you, old man."

  The old master naturally understood how high-minded Yitian's move was just now, and he also saw Yitian's true fire divine ability for the first time. He was stunned on the spot for a moment, and it wasn't until half a while later that he came back to his senses.

  ……

  ……

  "I don't think there's any misunderstanding between you and me." He looked at Yitianxing calmly and said, "If there is any misunderstanding, I hope we can resolve it."

  "It's not a misunderstanding." Yi Tianxing shook his head, "I just want an answer."

  "What answer?"

  "The reason you lured me into this situation."

  The old man's pupils contracted: "What do you mean by this?"

  "Do I need to spell it out any clearer?" Yi Tianxing looked at him, "Don't treat me like a fool, although I'm happy to pretend to be one. You're handing over the entire family business to me, and at first, I thought you wanted to use my abilities to help you conquer the world. But later, I realized you were actually planning to hand it over to me, why is that?" He stopped the old master from speaking, continuing, "The stories you told me, those tales of saving beauties in the provincial city, how much of them are true? How much of them are false? You're being deliberately mysterious, using the stories of the ancestors to lure me into going to the Temple of Return."

  "But when I entered the Guiyuan Temple, I found that things were completely different from what you said." Yi Tianxing sighed, "I was dragged in involuntarily and by the time I wanted to pull my legs out, it was already too late."

  He snorted coldly and said, "You said that because of your low cultivation, you didn't come to pick me up for three days. Now that I've cultivated the Heart Sutra, I can naturally see that your cultivation has long been a high-ranking expert in the sixth realm. There are only a few people stronger than you among the disciples of Tian Jiao."

  "Who are you?"

  "Why did you make up such a story and trick me into going to thank our ancestors, which led me to enter the Temple of Return to the Origin?"

  "What do you want to do? You led me into this struggle of cultivation, for what?"

  A string of questions, all were Yitian Xing's doubts over the past few days, came at the old master like a storm.

  The old man just listened quietly, and a faint smile slowly floated on his face: "Aren't all these things happening naturally? What does it have to do with this old man? Even if I lured you into the Return to the Origin Temple, could I order Master Bin Ku to teach you Buddhism? Could I calculate that exactly three days ago there would be a conflict at the Return to the Origin Temple? Could I calculate that you would take the great benefactor as your master? Could I calculate all of this?"

  "A plot, it can't be so intricate." The old man sighed: "You're still too young after all. I ask you, such a seamless, flawless conspiracy, apart from the gods, who else could weave it?"

  "Your words have already admitted that you lied." Yi Tianxing said coldly: "At least you are not as ignorant of the cultivation sects as you were six months ago, just a secular black way big shot who occasionally obtained spiritual powers."

  "Not bad, there are some things I have been hiding from you, but I don't have any ill intentions towards you." The old master said calmly: "That story is true, and I was indeed granted a divine power by my ancestors. Just like the saying goes, lies always contain nine parts truth and one part falsehood."

  "The reason, I just want to know why."

  "Even without me, you would still enter the Temple of Return, and you would still clash with Shang San Tian. All of this was predetermined from the start." The old master smiled faintly, "When you came before me, you were just an ordinary student, but what I had to do was guide your life's trajectory onto the curve it should have taken."

  Yi Tianxing closed his eyes, shook his head, and opened them again: "How I walk is my own business, I never believed in things like fate."

  "Do you still remember what I told you on the balcony outside? The old man's eyes had a hint of sadness as he looked at him, "At that time, I pointed to the starry sky and said to you, you are the eternal shining star in the universe, it is impossible to draw a piece of sky to stay, you will eventually become what you should be."

  "It's a very awkward way of speaking, and a very cheesy phrase." Yi Tianxing remained calm and unmoved, "You know I don't want to hear these empty and vague words, what I want to hear is something concrete."

  "Fate is originally a very illusory thing." The old master said solemnly, "But you must believe in this. That year, my benefactor saved the lives of my husband and me, and as soon as he left, an impression was etched in my mind, saying that a great figure from Buddhism would be reborn, and I should wait for his arrival and then send him to his side. Now I have finally done it, and it has also proven that what you call illusory things can happen accurately and flawlessly before my eyes."

  Yitian Xing's mouth suddenly turned into a hippopotamus mouth, and he couldn't close it for half a day: "Big shot? Are you talking about me?"

  The old man nodded: "I am repaying kindness, so when you were in junior high school, I returned to the county town to retire. On the one hand, I was indeed tired of the struggles on the road, and on the other hand, I was waiting for your growth."

  It turned out that this famous old man in the county town actually came back to Gaoyang County for himself!

  Yi Tianxing felt a chill rising up, thinking so thoroughly, must be a big plan, couldn't help but ask: "Was the matter of Xue Lao San arranged by you?"

  "Not bad." The old fox showed no signs of guilt: "Although your feud with Xue Lao San wasn't part of my plan, Xue Lao San was indeed arranged by me to hide in the city."

  "Just to see me?"

  "It's for a natural meeting with you. If not, I really can't think of any way to make you unsuspecting." The old master said: "You are a young man who is superficially careless but actually very cautious. If I suddenly tell you these stories, I believe there is no way to lead you into the Return to the Origin Temple."

  "Is going to the Return to the Origin Temple just for this series of things?" Yi Tianxing shook his head: "You should be able to find out that I applied to Provincial City University. With your influence in Provincial City, if you want to lure me into the Return to the Origin Temple, there's no need to go around in so many circles."

  "That story was also to leave a mark on your heart." The old master did not hide, "The most important thing for a cultivator is the state of mind. Maybe it's not much, but one thread is enough. As for what happened later in the provincial city, it's not something that a small cultivator like me can control. You know, I'm just a guide, leading you into the Return to Origin Temple, and the future blessings will depend on yourself."

  The old man looked at him with extreme seriousness: "Any religion is actually like a sect, all need to recruit disciples and win over people. The dispute between Buddhism and Taoism is not as clear-cut as the distinction between different rivers. The dispute between Buddhism and Taoism is only superficial, after all, it is still a conflict of interest. Since the Taoist sect gathered on the top three days 70 years ago, it has been entangled with secular society, compared to which this temple has declined somewhat. Now that you are involved, I advise you to plan carefully, not only to protect your own life but also to do something."

  "What should I do? Rush to Kunlun Mountain and destroy the upper three days?" Yi Tianxing said with self-mockery.

  The old man chuckled: "I've always been low-key, so that monk has never been willing to see me. But you're different, I believe it won't be long before these monks come to bother you."

  Yi Tian Xing bitterly smiled: "I knew things wouldn't be so easy."

  "Do I have any help?" He rubbed his hands and said: "You know, I have a very worldly side."

  The old man frowned and said: "This has to be asked of that monk Benku."

  Knowing that he wouldn't be able to get anything out of this old fox who was even more cunning than himself, Yi Tianxing stood up and prepared to leave.

  "I've decided to leave the provincial city matters to Xiao Xiao to handle."

  "It's a small matter, you decide." The old gentleman was very magnanimous.

  "Will I no longer have to take care of Peng Fei Gong Mao's affairs?" Yi Tian Xing said, "I'm going to become a full-time big monk."

  The old master sighed and said: "The rivers and lakes are bloody, but actually it's just helping you to cultivate in the world. If you really don't like it, I won't force you."

  "Bloodthirsty, entering the world?" Yi Tianxing smiled and said: "It turns out that the Buddhist disciple's entry into the world is just fighting and dancing."

  The old man scratched his head and thought that the young man's inference was quite simple, and muttered: "You can understand it this way, which is not bad."

  "My guide..." Thinking of the life and death struggles he had faced in the past six months, all thanks to this old fox in front of him, Yi Tianxing's tone carried a hint of chilliness. "Your task of guiding me is complete, what are you planning to do from now on?"

  "Eat mixed and wait for death." The old master showed great magnanimity.

  Yitian walked out of the manor, and along the way, those burly men all bowed to him. Thinking back to his previous conversation with the old master in the bedroom that didn't make any sense, he felt more and more ridiculous about his sneaky actions earlier. Then, at the door, he saw Gu Er with a sullen face.

  "Don't look at me like that." Yi Tianxing knew what this person was thinking, and said lightly: "Don't think I want to take over your family's business for the Gu family, don't think I want to bully you, it's your grandfather who forced me to be a villain."

  The town of Gaoyang was situated by the river, with a chaotic mess of rocks along its banks. The river breeze carried a faint smell of fish as it swept across Yi Tianxing's face. He gazed at the reflection of the moon in the middle of the river, rippling with the waves, and couldn't help but look up at the sky, hoping to find some clues from the vast expanse of the night sky. Tonight's conversation not only failed to lift the weight off his mind, but instead made him feel even more burdened. Although his exchange with the ancient fox had not achieved its intended purpose, it had at least allowed him to understand a few things that he hadn't before.

  Also some very important things.

  Behind the upper three days is the Taoist gate, behind the Yuanguan Temple is the Buddhist sect, want to fight or not? What about yourself? It seems like a big shot from the Buddha's family has been reincarnated, how mysterious...

  "Tell me, who else but a god or a Buddha could weave such an intricate and flawless conspiracy?"

  Gods and Buddhas?

  Ptoo! He spat a wad of phlegm into the river.

  "What can I do if the old man doesn't want to be saved?" Although he thought so unreasonably, in his mind, he involuntarily recalled the figure of the old monk who had once appeared in the thatched cottage, and that gaunt figure seemed to contain the greatest resentment and frustration under heaven.

  Yi Tian's heart skipped a beat, he knew that he really couldn't just abandon this old ancestor and master. Not to mention that he had saved his own life and the bird's son's life, but even the pain of being imprisoned for five hundred years seemed to make him feel sympathetic, extremely uneasy. And towards such a legendary heroic figure, he couldn't possibly imagine him as an evil person who would stop at nothing, a cunning and treacherous villain.

  Even if he really is a bad guy.

  Nor can anyone have the right to deprive another person of five hundred years of freedom.

  Even if it's the big aunt who is said by our ancestors, it won't work.

  When Yitian Xing first discovered his unusual physique, he once cursed at the starry sky.

  "I'm going!"

  At this time, he began to scold the starry sky again... until he had finished all his curses, and only then did he feel that his mood was slightly better. Then, against the dark blue starry sky, he coarsely gave a middle finger.

  A young man with his middle finger raised, shouted at the all-pervading gods in the universe: "I'm not having fun playing with you guys, be careful or I'll stop playing!"

  ………………………………………………………

  The next day, Yitian went to a desolate mountain outside the county town. He knelt down on the ground and kowtowed three times in front of a shallow grave mound.

  "Grandpa, your unfilial grandson has come to see you."

  A few small white flowers on the tombstone are waving in the wind, I don't know what kind of flower it is, but its vitality is so strong that it blooms silently even in the cold winter wind.

  After visiting his grandfather's grave, he returned to the county town and bought a train ticket, preparing to embark on the journey back to the provincial city. He had a tasteless meal at Zou Leran's home, then Leran saw him off at the door.

  "How's the consideration going?" Yi Tianxing had a vague idea of what he was about to face last night, and suddenly felt that his future prospects were bleak. At this moment, looking at the girl's pure face, for some reason, he had an impulse to hope that she would make a disappointing judgment.

  "Not yet." Zou Leran looked into his eyes, still seeming a bit timid, "You wait for me to think some more."

  "It's all right." Yi Tianxing smiled slightly, and the idea of secretly escaping with Wei Jue last night naturally became a daydream in the daytime.

  Everyone has their own life, and we have no right to make decisions for others.

  Even heaven can't help.

  This is Yitian Xing's life creed.

  (Still sleeping because I'm thinking about the plot, not because of my age... Brothers and sisters, I'm out of energy this week, sorry)