Chapter 123: Fanaticism

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 profound and proficient business skills."

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 with 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 "pig-dip". The prisoner is put into the pig-cage, tied with a rope at the opening, and then put into the river to be submerged. For minor offenders, his head can be kept above the water. For serious offenders, he 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 just explained that they are all people who deserve to be soaked in the pig cage and deserve to die. As for targeting Liu Futong, it was just a matter of convenience. 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 decay of the inner soul always starts from the decay of the outer body, and the loss of moral precepts always starts from the unrestrained desire. Look at this city, look at these people, they are like maggots on a rotting corpse, destroying the foundation of this world, and one day, they will destroy this world and devour all living things until a new reincarnation begins."

"I know that no matter what I do, I can't change the world and people's hearts, but I still did it. Kill to stop killing, and fight poison with poison. I will slowly, with my Destroy 'Tianle Taoyuan' in the second half of my life and wipe out this stain left on Xuansheng's shoes. "

"Think about the targets I chose, a courtesan who wanders between men of all kinds, a prostitute who thinks she is noble and hates Taoism, an old prostitute who seduces married men, and Yue Lian who flatters her boss and degenerates herself, which one should not die?"

"They don't deserve to live, but their death can alert the living, deter the living, keep the living away from such a decadent place, and return to the fence of moral precepts. "

When speaking, Su Ran opened his hands, as if he was bathing in the glory of the Supreme Taoist Ancestor.

Qi Xuansu's response was brief, with only two words: "perverse reasoning."

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

Qi Xuansu crossed his arms and held the handles of the two swords at his waist with both hands: "Many people want to kill me, but most of them are already dead. I have killed many people, but walking in the rivers and lakes is a matter of life and death, and I never kill people indiscriminately, let alone innocent people. As for you, no matter how noble you think your ideas are, they are not a reason for you to kill."

Su Ran finally turned around, facing Qi Xuansu, with her back to the statue of the Supreme Taoist behind her.

She wore the furry white fox mask on her face. The fox's eyes were narrow and long, as if squinting, and the mouth was sharp, as if mocking.

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

"I didn't mean to convince you." The mask on Su Ran's face showed no emotion, only sarcasm. "This is just my own idea. It has nothing to do with others. I don't care whether others approve or agree with it. That's too much trouble. Instead of changing one person's mind, it's better to get rid of all those dissenters."

"Hopeless." Qi Xuansu slowly drew out his two swords.

With the infusion of true energy, the blades turned red, and then a blazing flame ignited, and the light and shadow were disordered in the dim warehouse.

There is no doubt that since the Taoist sect believes in the Supreme Taoist Ancestor and worships idols, there must be some fanatical believers in the Taoist sect. Even if the Supreme Taoist Ancestor's inaction concept has nothing to do with fanaticism, it is inevitable that some people will read the scriptures distortedly according to their own imagination.

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

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

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