Feng Shui - Chapter 30
"Great!!" Fan Daoai snatched the car keys from Feng Shui's hand, took the driver's seat, and excitedly started the car.
Yu Duotian put the luggage in the trunk of the car with Zhou Feiliu in her arms, and happily sat in the back seat. Feng Shui looked up and looked towards the room where Chen Feier was. He saw Chen Feier waving to him affectionately from the window. Feng Shui smiled helplessly, nodded to Chen Feier, and turned to walk towards the passenger seat.
"It's best not to see her again. My girlfriend is a million times better than that little Jiang turtle who harmed you." Feng Shui muttered to himself as he got into the car.
Fan Dao'ai drove the BMW SUV, carrying Feng Shui and the others, speeding away on their way home.
Part Two: Cultivation Array
Chapter Eight: Hanging Coffins of Sichuan and Chongqing
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After driving out of Chongqing, Zhou Feiliu calculated the company's financial gains and, considering the company's current situation, arrived at an accurate figure that even excited him: following Feng Shui really does lead to a lot of money.
This trip to Sichuan not only included accommodation and meals provided by the client, but also generated two million yuan in revenue. Now the company has acquired a BMW SUV worth nearly one million yuan, and Zhou Feiliu is absolutely thrilled.
In the lobby of the Chongqing Hilton Hotel, before the feng shui had settled, Zhou Feiliu was in Chen Feier's room. He had already spoken with Yu Duotian and Fan Dao'ai; Chen Feier had paid for their travel and accommodation expenses. It seemed the business deal was successfully completed, but their client, Chen Feier, showed no intention of leaving with them. Therefore, if they continued to stay in Sichuan, the "Land of Abundance," all four of their expenses would be charged to the company's finances.
Furthermore, Zhou Feiliu had noticed the feng shui and Chen Feier exchanging glances, suggesting they'd had a one-night stand. And men are like that; they wouldn't talk about money with a woman they'd already slept with. Therefore, considering all of this, it was highly unlikely they'd receive the final payment for this deal. If that happened, the company's finances would be in a precarious situation. So, Zhou Feiliu threatened Yu Duotian and Fan Dao'ai to stop talking about continuing the affair; as soon as the feng shui changed, they would all say they wanted to go home.
However, to Zhou Feiliu's surprise, Chen Feier actually gave them the car. Moreover, while in the car, Zhou Feiliu heard Feng Shui say that the final payment for the deal had been deposited into the company's account. Zhou Feiliu immediately checked the transaction through the bank's mobile phone and confirmed that two million yuan had indeed been transferred into the company's account. Now, with Chen Feier generously giving them the car, it was truly a double blessing.
Therefore, Zhou Feiliu suggested that 10% of this money should be used to improve relations among the shareholders, meaning that public funds should be used for personal expenses. He proposed that Yu Duotian and Fan Daoai, the two "shareholders," be given a comprehensive tour of Sichuan.
In Zhou Feiliu's words at the time, "This is to improve the cooperative relationship among all shareholders and is a major strategic means to promote the better development of the company."
Yu Duotian and Fan Daoai wholeheartedly agreed to the proposal. Feng Shui, seeing this, felt awkward saying anything, after all, they were his good brothers, and they were the ones who contributed 98% of his company's funds. Therefore, Feng Shui nodded in agreement and put Zhou Feiliu in charge of all expenses for the trip.
In truth, Feng Shui isn't particularly concerned with money. Since regaining all his memories on Goddess Peak, he's become quite detached from worldly affairs. After all, he's someone with millions of years of cultivation; how could he possibly take mere worldly troubles too seriously?
“Okay, we’ll do it your way. I still have some things to take care of. You can take me to Yibin City, where I have an old friend I want to meet. Then you can drive around and have some fun. We’ll see each other again when we get home,” Feng Shui said.
"I've never heard of you having friends in Sichuan?" Yu Duotian asked, puzzled.
"Ah...ha...those are old friends from before, of course you don't recognize them. Never mind that, Xiao Liu, deposit 300,000 yuan into each of their accounts as this company's bonus, and also deposit 400,000 yuan into your own account as your annual salary for this year. After you've had your fun, go back on your own. I might not be back for a long time," Feng Shui said generously.
"Shui Shui, I love you." Fan Dao'ai stopped holding the steering wheel and excitedly gave Feng Shui a kiss on the face.
"Haha, good buddy, be loyal." Yu Duotian also stepped forward and gave Feng Shui a kiss on the face.
"Thank you, boss. When are you going back?" Although Zhou Feiliu was very excited, she didn't forget that she was working for someone else.
"You don't need to worry about this. Just have fun. After you've had your fill of Sichuan, you can go and explore other provinces. Xiao Liu, take another 300,000 yuan from the company account for your travel expenses. If that's not enough, take more. Xiao Liu, these two are my good brothers, so don't neglect them. Don't try to save me any money, understand?" Feng Shui instructed Zhou Feiliu with an air of wealth and power.
"Yes, boss." Zhou Feiliu could no longer contain his excitement and said cheerfully.
"Shui Shui, don't say anything more, it's all tears... good brother." Yu Duotian stepped forward and hugged Feng Shui, saying with emotion.
"Aduo, help me apply some more perfume, I can't free my hands right now," Fan Daoai said excitedly while driving.
So, Yu Duotian kissed Feng Shui's face again on Fan Dao'ai's behalf, and the carriage was filled with a warm atmosphere of brotherly affection.
In Yibin City, Sichuan Province, Feng Shui got off the bus at the Jiudu Hotel. Yu Duotian and Fan Dao'ai wanted to have a farewell drink with him, but Feng Shui refused, telling them to leave Yibin for Jiuzhaigou as soon as possible. He didn't explain why. Seeing his serious expression, his two good friends didn't press him further, simply telling him to take care before driving away.
Seeing that his two good brothers had left, Feng Shui couldn't help but sigh, his eyes filled with helplessness.
※ ※ ※
It only takes four hours to travel from Yibin through Changning to Gongxian, but Fengshui doesn't want to take the car because he dislikes the crowded environment.
2004-12-08 22:54:00
Gongxian and Xingwen counties border Yunnan Province and were located in the heart of the ancient southwestern Yi region. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, when he opened up Yelang and established Jianwei Prefecture, it belonged to Jidao County. Throughout history, ethnic minorities such as the Ji people have inhabited this area, resulting in numerous hanging coffins. However, the areas with the largest and most concentrated collection are Matangba in Luobiao Township and Sumawan in Caoying Township of Gongxian County. Matangba in Gongxian County is long and narrow from north to south, with towering peaks on its east and west sides. More than 160 hanging coffins remain on its cliffs.
Located more than 10 kilometers from Matangba, in Sumawan, Caoying Township, 48 hanging coffins are scattered on steep limestone cliffs. Most of the coffins are 26 to 50 meters above the ground, with some reaching 100 meters. The cliff faces surrounding the coffins are adorned with numerous red murals, rich in content, bold in lines, simple in composition, and lifelike in imagery. The hanging coffins and rock paintings possess significant historical and aesthetic value, and also serve as valuable material for studying the historical development of ethnic minorities in southern Sichuan. It has become a center of attention for researchers of hanging coffin burials worldwide, while also attracting countless tourists.
Feng Shui was visiting this place for the first time and only had a superficial understanding of the history of the Thorn People, as their time in this realm was extremely limited given the vast span of millennia. The person he was waiting for hadn't arrived yet, so Feng Shui joined a tour group for a boat trip in Suma Bay.
There wasn't much to see originally, but Feng Shui noticed a very young and pretty girl on the boat. She kept muttering to herself while looking at the hanging coffins on the distant cliff. As for what the girl was saying, Feng Shui couldn't understand it, because it was a Japanese tour group, and the little girl was naturally Japanese, speaking in a lot of Japanese.
Feng Shui, among this group of people, naturally exuded a transcendent and refined aura. Although the clothes he wore were not designer brands, he still appeared to be full of elegance and grace.
As the saying goes, when a person has good looks, it's not the clothes that match the person, but the clothes that match the person.
The pretty Japanese girl noticed the feng shui. Although she was a "girl," it was only because Japanese people are generally short. The girl looked to be around eighteen or nineteen years old. She was carrying a large backpack, wearing white Adidas sweatpants with three stripes, and white Nike sneakers. She wore a low-cut pink tank top, and her fair skin and 34B figure made her look particularly petite and delicate, perfectly embodying the characteristics of a Japanese woman.
"Hello, sir." The young Japanese woman walked up to the feng shui master and spoke softly in broken Chinese.
"Hello to you too," Feng Shui said with a smile to the young woman.
"My name is...Aya...Ueto. Nice to meet you." The young Japanese girl stammered, a slight blush appearing on her face.
"My name is Feng Shui, it's a pleasure to meet you," Feng Shui said with a smile.
"Excuse me... why... is the coffin hanging on the cliff?" The young Japanese girl, who called herself Ayako Ueto, asked gently with innocent eyes.
Feng Shui knew that the young Japanese woman was intentionally trying to strike up a conversation with him, because the tour guide had just given a detailed explanation of the hanging coffins in Japanese.
"Hehe, I'm sorry, actually I don't know much about this either." Feng Shui didn't want to continue chatting with her and politely declined.
"Oh... thank you," Ayako Ueto said, sounding somewhat aggrieved.
Feng Shui ignored her. The boat had already docked, and Feng Shui disembarked and walked towards the passageway along the cliff edge. The passageway was built right next to the cliff, winding its way to the location of the hanging coffins on the cliff face. Feng Shui followed the passageway up, and after walking for about ten minutes, he reached the location of one of the hanging coffins. Bored, he looked around casually and suddenly realized that Ayako Ueto had been following him the whole time, while the rest of the tour group hadn't come up. In other words, only Ayako Ueto hadn't come with the group; she had come up here alone with him.
"Is there something you need?" Feng Shui found the young Japanese girl quite interesting and couldn't help but turn around and ask.
"Excuse me for bothering you, but I'd like to know if the people buried here can truly ascend to the Western Paradise." Ayako Ueto's Chinese was much more fluent than before, and a strange glint flashed in her eyes as she asked with curiosity.
"Those are all lies. There is no such thing as a Western Paradise in this world. In the West, there are only foreigners," Feng Shui joked.
"What do you mean by 'bullshit'? Why are these people hanging here after they've died?" Ayako Ueto asked.
"Oh, well...hehe. Actually, it's just that the feng shui here is quite good. Ancient people had a deep understanding of auspicious feng shui sites. They calculated that this was a place that would bring good fortune to their descendants, so they buried their ancestors here." Knowing that he couldn't understand his hometown dialect with the Japanese, the feng shui master explained casually.
"Auspicious feng shui location? Then, feng shui master, is this your home?" Ayako Ueto asked, puzzled.
Feng Shui was both amused and exasperated by this question, because Ayako Ueto didn't understand that this "Feng Shui" was not the same as the other "Feng Shui." It just so happened that Feng Shui's name was rather unique, which is why Ayako Ueto asked this question.
"Hmm... This isn't my home, let me explain it to you in detail! In China, there's a science that uses the topography to determine whether a location is good or bad; this science is called 'Feng Shui.' And this location, with its topography, is a very auspicious Feng Shui site," the Feng Shui expert explained.
"Why is this a place considered auspicious in Feng Shui?" Ayako Ueto asked.
"The natural landscape and pastoral scenery in this area are exceptionally beautiful, with towering peaks that appear and disappear amidst the vast misty mountains. It is truly a natural masterpiece to use this place as a burial site. Moreover, the area above is the position of the Vermilion Bird constellation, and the area below is the position of the Black Tortoise. As the saying goes, Vermilion Bird in front, Black Tortoise behind, Azure Dragon on the left, and White Tiger on the right, this place perfectly occupies the natural placement of these four constellations. Therefore, this place is a top-grade treasure site in Feng Shui, called 'Overlord Unarmored'." The Feng Shui master explained with emotion as he looked at the surrounding Feng Shui.
2004-12-08 22:55:00
"The Overlord Removes His Armor?" Ayako Ueto asked in shock.
"Have you heard of this feng shui site before?" the feng shui master asked curiously.
"Ah...no, no. I was just curious. By the way, what's the meaning of 'Overlord Removing His Armor'?" Ayako Ueto calmed herself down and asked, puzzled.
"The 'Overlord's Departure' is an extremely auspicious burial site in Feng Shui. If you are buried here, your descendants will enjoy great fortune and longevity. Those buried in such a Feng Shui location will have descendants who are exceptionally intelligent, incredibly wealthy, and hold high-ranking official positions," the Feng Shui master continued.
“Then this is it, this is the place.” Ayako Ueto murmured to herself in Japanese, as if she had realized something.
Feng Shui couldn't understand her words and assumed she didn't understand him. However, he noticed something strange: Ayako Ueto took something that looked like an urn from her backpack, then pulled out a small shovel and started digging in the ground. Feng Shui found it somewhat amusing, because he now understood why women on the street liked to carry bags—the contents were often unexpected by men.
"What are you doing?" the feng shui master asked, feigning concern.
"I want to bury my grandfather's ashes here," Ayako Ueto said, digging forcefully into the ground without looking up.
"Hehe, you're too naive. Doing this won't work," Feng Shui said with a laugh.
"WHY?" Ayako Ueto's Chinese was really limited. In her anxiety, she forgot what to say in Chinese, so she had to use English to answer.
"The feng shui of this 'Overlord's Armor Removal Site' is also very particular about the method of burial. If you think that simply burying the ashes here will have an effect, then you are wrong. Chinese feng shui is very profound and extensive," the feng shui master said with a smile.
"Then...then...what else do we need?" Ayako Ueto asked in surprise.
"I won't tell you, hehe." Feng Shui teased Ayako Ueto.
Ayako Ueto nearly exploded with anger upon hearing Feng Shui's words. She had assumed that her pretty face and gentle, sweet voice would be able to bewitch the man before her. However, she hadn't anticipated that Feng Shui now had absolutely no interest in ordinary women. If it were the old Feng Shui who hadn't regained all his memories, he might have had some feelings for this foreign "friend." But times had changed, and so had his perspective.
“Go now, take your grandfather’s urn back to your hometown. This will be a sign of respect for the deceased and a comfort to his soul,” the feng shui master said solemnly.
"I...I...I can't. I...I have to do it!" Ayako Ueto said, her expression blank, as if she were possessed.
"If you still insist on doing this, then go ahead. But you'll bear the consequences yourself. If your entire family dies mysteriously, and all your relatives, friends, colleagues, and so on also suffer misfortune, don't blame me for not warning you," Feng Shui said coldly.
Upon hearing this, Ayako Ueto was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground, the shovel in her hand falling limply to the ground beside her.
"Why...why is this happening? Please...please...teach me." Aya Ueto crawled on her knees to Feng Shui's front, hugging his thighs with both hands as she spoke.
"A person's fate in life is predetermined by destiny, already arranged in the dark. If you deliberately try to change it, the result may be contrary to your wishes. Although you may gain some things, you will lose more." Feng Shui said some vague words, then ignored Ayako Ueto, shook off her hand, and walked towards the cliff.
As Ayako Ueto watched Feng Shui's retreating figure, she began to sob, clutching her grandfather's urn in her arms, her eyes filled with disappointment and pain.
When Feng Shui reached the halfway point of the cliff, a white figure suddenly fell from the location of the hanging coffin above. Feng Shui clearly saw that the figure was Ayako Ueto. Feng Shui wanted to rush forward and catch her, but then dismissed the idea. Just as he said, a person's life is preordained and cannot be forced. If one deliberately tries to change it, the result may be contrary to one's wishes.
Ayako Ueto fell off the cliff, and everyone below was stunned by the sudden tragedy. After a long while, someone shouted, "Help! Help!"
Looking at the scene below, Feng Shui shook his head helplessly, closed his eyes, and murmured, "Even if you die here, it won't help. The feng shui here has long been destroyed by human development and turned into an ordinary place. You were too foolish. You did this rashly without fully understanding Chinese feng shui. This is entirely your own fault. Human greed is often the harbinger of self-destruction."
With a gentle dance, Feng Shui, like a crane, flew towards the distant, verdant pines and cypresses, amidst the swirling clouds and mist of the mountains.
2004-12-08 22:57:00
Part Two: Cultivation Array
Chapter Nine: Drunk on Emei Mountain
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Emei.
Since ancient times, it has been known as a place for immortals to cultivate, and legend has it that the Golden Summit of Mount Emei is the closest place to the celestial realm. Before dawn, climb to the Golden Summit of Mount Emei and gaze into the distance. In the east, the sky is a deep purple, heaven and earth are one color. Gradually, a line opens up on the horizon, and wisps of red clouds float up, carrying a few golden-edged colorful clouds. A glorious day is about to arrive. Below the colorful clouds, on the vast purple-blue sky, for a moment, a point of purple-red appears, slowly rising, gradually becoming a small arc, a semicircle; turning orange-red, golden-red; then with a slight leap, trailing a fleeting trail of light, a round red sun is embedded in the horizon.
Today is a beautiful, clear day. With the rising sun, the sky is ablaze with golden light, and clouds drift lazily, creating a breathtaking panorama. Mount Emei appears to be gradually draped in a golden cloak, revealing its full beauty. At this moment, heaven and earth transform into a golden world, symbolizing the saying "morning is gold." "Without climbing to the high and cold places, how can one know the vastness of heaven and earth?"
Bathed in the morning sun and sea of clouds, Gui Eting felt a profound sense of joy. It had been so long since she had visited this fairyland of Emei; memories of her previous trip were still vivid, though she couldn't quite recall how many years ago it had been. The sky was high, the clouds were light, and the breeze was gentle. Being close to the nature of Emei Mountain, she naturally merged into the beautiful state of harmony between humanity and nature. From the sweet rain of the morning sun to the lingering warmth of the evening sunset, the sun, moon, rivers, mountains, and water—Gui Eting's entire being was embraced by nature. She cast aside worldly troubles and forgot her desires, experiencing nature with a carefree spirit and understanding its profound essence. After watching the sunrise at the Golden Summit, Gui Eting felt refreshed and walked through the Emei Mountain scenery again, appreciating the poetic sentiments of Li Bai, the autumn winds of Baishui, and listening to the clear sounds of the Twin Bridges. In the primeval forest behind Emei Mountain, she fully enjoyed the unadorned beauty of nature.
Before we knew it, night had fallen. Under the bright moonlight, amidst the mountains and forests, we listened to the symphony of nature. The mountain breeze rustled through the forest like silkworms chewing mulberry leaves, or like ten thousand horses galloping...
The travelers who had journeyed through Emei Mountain had long since returned to their comfortable homes, but Gui Eting still wandered alone in the mountains and forests.
Drawing her longsword from behind her, Gui Eting stood before herself, her eyes slightly closed, her cherry lips parted slightly, her left hand clenched into a fist, her middle and index fingers extended and placed on her chest, and she began to silently chant some incantations that were impossible for anyone to hear.
After about a minute, Gui Eting suddenly opened her eyes, pointed her finger at the ground, and swiftly used her longsword to draw a summoning array on the ground where her finger had pointed, forming the character "地" (earth) in ancient seal script. A faint layer of white smoke appeared on the "地" array. The smoke quickly dissipated, revealing a handsome but petite young man. In his hand, he held a wooden cane nearly half a meter taller than himself. The material of the cane was indistinguishable, but at its very top hung a white paper lantern that shimmered with a faint blue light.
"I apologize for disturbing you so late at night, Immortal. Gui Eting, the thirty-eighth generation head disciple of the Illusion Sect, greets you." Gui Eting sheathed her longsword and respectfully greeted the petite man she had summoned.
In fact, what Gui Eting just used was a summoning technique, a secret passed down only to the head disciple of the Illusion Sect. The so-called "lower immortals" are not true immortals at all; they are merely scattered immortals who failed to achieve immortality and disintegrated through spiritual transformation. Because these cultivators who became scattered immortals through spiritual transformation used different cultivation methods during their tribulations, their types of scattered immortals also differ. There aren't many scattered immortals like this petite man in this realm, and this man is the Earthly Treasury Scattered Immortal of this place, essentially the "land manager" of this area. The Illusion Sect respectfully refers to all scattered immortals in this realm as "lower immortals."
"It's been a long time since I've seen a medium from this realm. The Illusion Sect is the orthodox sect of cultivation in this realm. May I ask what brings you here?" the Ksitigarbha Immortal asked with emotion.
“In ancient times, a senior named Feng Yi Lengfeng forged a magical artifact and sealed it within Emei. However, due to the long period of sealing, I cannot find the correct location of this artifact, so I humbly request your guidance,” Gui Eting said respectfully.