Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 574 The Prince of Shu

Chapter 574 The Prince of Shu

Looking down at the land, Qingwan gazed at the Hibiscus City nestled amidst a sea of ​​vibrant flowers. It was a truly magnificent landscape painting, leaving one utterly amazed.

After admiring the flowers for a while, Qingwan suddenly had a thought and asked, "Aren't you tired of seeing hibiscus flowers blooming here all year round?"

My first impression of this city of hibiscus was truly stunning.

But Qingwan felt that if things continued like this, even the most beautiful things would become monotonous and boring.

Upon hearing this, Yun Xiao smiled and said, "That's a good question... That's why the royal family has the best gardeners in the Great Shu. The hibiscus flowers and trees in Hibiscus City have a thousand different shapes and forms, and every once in a while, the hibiscus inside and outside the city will change their shape or move their positions..."

"This is what Furong City looks like now, but in ten days or half a month, it will be a completely different beautiful sight..."

Qingwan looked slightly surprised. From the sky, Furong City was even larger than the entire Kaiyang County, and the sea of ​​flowers stretched for hundreds of miles. It was being changed every now and then, which was quite a large project.

Qingwan couldn't help but say, "Wouldn't that be very expensive?"

Yun Xiao said leisurely, "It will take some manpower and resources, but he is the emperor of a country, so what is this little thing?"

Compared to the actions of some incompetent rulers, the current Shu emperor's actions are utterly insignificant.

Regarding the changes and renovations to Furong City, aside from some initial opposition from court officials, all civil and military officials have now become accustomed to them.

Looking at the nearby Hibiscus City, Yun Xiao added, "You all need to be careful, don't get sick from the change in environment..."

Yun Xiao's statement about not being accustomed to the local environment refers to the fact that Furong City is the capital of a country, and it possesses the aura of an emperor, making it the center of the nation's fortune.

Outsiders like Lu Zheng, who are also cultivators with higher levels of cultivation, are easily suppressed by the aura of this place.

In fact, Lu Zheng had already felt the pressure emanating from this world; it wasn't strong, but it was quite obvious.

Before long, Yun Xiao led Lu Zheng and the other two to land safely outside the city and entered the city through a tall city gate.

Upon entering Hibiscus City, Lu Zheng and his companions felt the pressure intensify, almost equivalent to the pressure of a major cultivation realm, and it would take them some time to adapt.

And that's considered good; if it were some chaotic evil spirits or demons from the fifth realm, they would reveal their true forms as soon as they entered the city.

The capital city is a strategically important place, not a place where demons and monsters can easily set foot.

Looking at the bustling streets, Yun Xiao remarked, "It feels like the city is even more lively than before, even after all these years."

Because Furong City is too big, it is impossible to walk around it all in a short time. The group spent half a day walking around, but they only managed to visit a very small part of the city.

After that, Yun Xiao thought about going to the Taoist temple to report and take over the temple's affairs temporarily from the disciples.

With a mere wave of his sleeve, Yun Xiao used his Taoist magic to bring Lu Zheng and the other two to the Qingyang Temple.

Even in the afternoon, there were still many worshippers coming and going in the temple.

Fortunately, the Qingyang Temple in the city is large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people and still feel spacious.

The Taoist temple receives tens of thousands of pilgrims every day, making it the most popular temple in Chengdu.

When Lu Zheng and his group suddenly appeared in the temple, many people moved around them, and the incense smoke swirled into mist.

Seeing so many people, Qingwan couldn't help but ask, "How much incense money do you collect here every day?"

The bustling crowds made it feel like a festival, yet this was just an ordinary day at Qingyang Temple.

Yun Xiao said leisurely, "I don't know, and the finances here are not under my control. Our Taoist temple does not collect money from the people; it's all voluntary... Those who have time to come here are mostly from wealthy families..." Yun Xiao paused, then said, "Let's go, I'll take you to the back hall and find you a place to stay first."

There is a guest room built in the back hall, which is specifically for receiving guests.

In the past, some high-ranking officials and nobles in the city would spend money to stay and cultivate themselves at Qingyang Temple, and absorb the spiritual energy here.

If you spend some more money, you can also listen to the Taoist priests in the temple preach.

As for wanting to hear a master of Yun Xiao's caliber preach, it's not simply a matter of spending money; it also requires connections or luck.

The four headed straight for the guest quarters. Because Yun Xiao was dressed plainly and not everyone recognized his face, he did not attract anyone's attention along the way.

At this moment, a noble-looking man dressed in fine clothes walked towards them, accompanied by guards and servants on both sides.

The young man paused for a moment when he saw Yun Xiao, then his eyes lit up and his face lit up with joy: "Master!"

He had previously spent some time in seclusion at Qingyang Palace and had received some guidance from Yun Xiao, so he immediately recognized this long-lost master.

As he spoke, the man glanced at Lu Zheng and the others out of the corner of his eye.

He immediately felt a sense of familiarity, then looked closer, his expression changing again as he exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Lu... Brother Lu Zheng?"

Lu Zheng quickly recognized the person in front of him as Wang Qianyang, the prince of Shu whom he had met at Yunmeng Sect.

At that time, Lu Zheng did not have much contact with this prince of Shu, but judging from his words and deeds, he was an easy-going person, and he never saw him have any conflicts with the pride of other countries.

Lu Zheng greeted him politely, saying, "Brother Wang, it's been a long time."

Encountering the prince of Shu in Chengdu, even if it was just a chance meeting at a Taoist temple, did not surprise Lu Zheng, who appeared calmer than Wang Qianyang.

Yun Xiao looked at Wang Qianyang and said with a smile, "So it's Qianyang! It's been a few years, and you've changed quite a bit. Your cultivation has improved. Not bad, not bad!"

Wang Qianyang bowed to Yun Xiao with the respect due to a junior and said, "It will happen naturally. Has the True Man emerged from seclusion?"

Wang Qianyang knew some of the details about Yun Xiao's seclusion and cultivation.

He had thought that Yun Xiao's seclusion would last a long time. After all, at Yun Xiao's level, it was normal for him to go into seclusion for decades. But it turned out that he had only been in seclusion for a few years.

Yun Xiao nodded slightly and said, "Having just emerged from seclusion, I will temporarily manage Qingyang Temple for a period of time."

Upon hearing this, Wang Qianyang said, "I have recently been living in seclusion at the temple, and I am afraid I have some questions I would like to ask the Master."

He has some problems with his cultivation, but he feels that now is not the time to ask for advice.

Yun Xiao chuckled and said, "Alright, I'll check on your progress when I have some free time. You seem busy, so go ahead and take care of that! I'll show Lu Xiaoyou and the others around this place..."

"Young friend..." Wang Qianyang was shocked. He never expected Yun Xiao to address Lu Zheng in such a way. Was their relationship a little too intimate?

In the vast city of Chengdu, Wang Qianyang did not see any young people become Yun Xiao's close friends despite their age difference.

He was filled with questions, unable to understand how the two of them had developed such a close relationship.

Even after Lu Zheng and the others left, Wang Qianyang was still a little confused. Since it involved a real person, he didn't want to ask about the details.

Wang Qianyang rubbed his temples, deciding to put the matter aside. He had been staying at the temple for quite some time, and it was time to return to the palace to pay his respects to his father and mother.

(End of this chapter)