Chapter 357: Turning over Old Almanacs, Comparing the Real and the Fake
"Change of times? The secret of immortality!?"
The expressions of several people present changed. As they looked at each other, some murmured and their eyes flickered.
"Isn't this a bit exaggerated?"
The man in his forties, with a vicissitudes of life and an unlit cigarette in his mouth, raised his head after reading the content on the first page and said: "The great trend is driven by the convergence of countless fates and opportunities. Behind the scenes, How can there be a pusher? Besides, this is an unfamiliar name, I haven’t seen it in any books.”
This man's name was Xiang Nan, and he had a natural aura of power when he spoke. He was also the only one in the congregation who could rival Lin Changsheng's status.
He does not serve in the Security Service, but is also in charge of a large agency, but it is affiliated with the military.
When the others heard this, they all nodded silently, obviously deeply agreeing with it.
"It is precisely because it is difficult to understand that it appears to be 'strange and confusing'."
Lin Changsheng sighed and said with a melancholy expression: "You should read on and make your own judgment. Understanding this person's life will help analyze his purpose. If it is really difficult to eliminate..." He glanced at Zhuge Lu, "Then we have to find another way."
"Can someone like that be recruited by you?" Zhou Lin muttered and looked down.
Of course, with Xiang Nan's intervention, the discussion on the secret of immortality came to an abrupt end, and everyone understood it tacitly and did not say much.
More than 900 years ago, the Ning Dynasty, which had continued to weaken for more than 200 years, leaving only half of the country in the south, came to the end of the dynasty.
Dakun's cavalry from the north moved southward with overwhelming force. Nanning's soldiers and horses retreated steadily, and the cities were lost one after another. The court was in chaos, traitors were in power, and loyal and good people were scattered. Since the rise of the North, who defeated the Northern Jin and Beiliang in just ten years and unified the north, the Ning Dynasty ended its 260-year-old reign in just five years.
What's interesting is that at the same time, the Xuanluo Empire, known in the West as the "Millennium Empire" and the "True Human Empire", also soon declared its demise.
The demise of Nanning and Xuanluo was considered the end of the Middle Ages in Zhuxia, and in the West it was called the extinguishing of the afterglow of the classical era.
In the history of the world, this represents the end of the cold weapon era, land power, and the relatively independent development of various regional countries.
In history, this also has extraordinary significance. In the East, it represents the demise of the "method of immortality" that is the greatest pursuit of practitioners; while in the West, it means that those gods have severed contact with the earth and will no longer Begin by responding to believers.
This period of time is extremely important whether it is for ordinary historical entry or its significance on a transcendent level. Almost every one or two hundred years in later generations, there will be a wave of research on this period.
The most recent one ended thirty years ago.
"These are commonplace things. We all knew it when we were in the Monk Academy." Yi Qing, a girl in sportswear, read a page or two of information and muttered softly: "But what does this have to do with that Chen Fangshi? Can such a huge historical process be controlled by others?”
He obviously doesn't have much patience to read these academic files.
Lin Changsheng noticed that there was more than one person with the same expression as her.
"I definitely want to briefly introduce the general context, but if you want to see the main points directly, you can turn to the third page and start from the last three or four paragraphs..."
When everyone heard it, most of them "followed the good example" and turned to the corresponding position, and then everyone's expressions changed.
Judging from the available information, Chen Fangshi was probably born in the Northern Jin Dynasty, at least his main place of activity was in the Northern Jin Dynasty, and he was probably from the "Da Tong School [Note 1]" which had declined in the north at that time.
Before he was twenty years old, he ran a medical clinic, which was inherited by the family. At this time, Chen Fangshi devoted himself to treating the sick and treating people. During this period, he participated in the imperial examination twice but failed.
During this period, there is no evidence that he was a monk. Perhaps he had not yet embarked on the path of spiritual practice.
Of course, it is also possible that someone has already practiced cultivation, but has hidden his identity and wants to join the world of mortals.
Note 1: During the Ning Dynasty, especially the Nanning period, due to the decline in the control of the imperial court, many literati schools with their own opinions emerged. They often started from a certain Confucian scholar or famous scholar. They recruited disciples to teach knowledge and opinions, and then Let his disciples pass the imperial examination and become officials in the court to promote political ideas.
The Datong School, which advocated "university under heaven", originated from the three sons of Dingguo in the early Ning Dynasty. It was later carried forward by a generation of scholar Tianji laymen. However, later disciples were involved in the rebellion in Beining in the late years, so they were suppressed by the court. By the end of Nanning, it was almost There are no traces. The few recorded disciples are mostly active in the north. Most of them changed their appearance to become officials and were recognized through their political opinions.
After reading the last note on this page, Yi Qing said again: "You didn't practice before you were twenty? How can you judge this? Didn't ancient monks pay attention to less work? Look more at qualifications. If you don't lay the foundation when you are young, you will end up getting older. It’s too late. It’s too late to practice, how can you still interfere with history?”
This time, before Lin Changsheng could speak, a trembling old voice sounded out——
"Calm down, little girl."
The one who spoke was the oldest among the people, at least that's what he looked like on the outside. He had white beard and hair, wearing a long gown, squinting his eyes and smiling: "There are so many exceptions in the world. If you live a long time, you won't be surprised, maybe. You will also feel that many commonplace things can be considered bizarre.”
This person's name is Xu Bai, and he is the oldest captain in the Security Bureau. Now he has been converted into a priest. Before the rise of Zhuge Lu, he was the undisputed number one in combat power. When he was young, he was ranked among the best in the world. The top three are now old and frail, but still unfathomable.
At the same time, he is also the patriarch of a large aristocratic family. He has great personal influence and is highly respected in the monk circle. When he spoke, others could not refute, so they lowered their heads to read the information in their hands.
As a result, everyone's eyes widened when they saw it.
Because the ancestral medical center was destroyed in the war, Chen Fangshi was at the bottom of the imperial examination for the third time. He first entered Zuotai in the Northern Jin Dynasty as a scholar for three years. During this period, he seemed to have offended the powerful officials of the dynasty and experienced several dangerous situations. , almost lost his job, but in the end he saved the day.
In the fourth year after becoming an official, he was sent to serve as an official. He should have been an official in a county on the western border (the information is missing and has not been determined yet). During the four years, he led the people to resist bandits and Hu horses, reclaimed farmland, and went to the imperial court. The more the better.
But four years later, he abandoned his official position and left.
In the same year, as the northern countries sent troops to the south, the situation in the northern two countries and Nanning in the south became increasingly chaotic. Chen Fangshi chose a family to assist the rebel soldiers, and the leader of this army was the famous Huangli in history. .
Huang Li was a scholar. After failing the imperial examination for fifteen years, he was angry and killed officials. At first, he was wanted in the Middle East and hid in Tibet. Suddenly he raised an army of soldiers and horses one day, and then he became unstoppable, shaking the foundation of the rule of the two northern countries. , and even killed many monks, many of which were difficult to explain, which have always attracted the attention of historians.
Now, through horizontal comparison of information about Chen Fangshi, there may be an additional explanation.
"Because of Chen Fangshi's assistance, the murderous demon king Huangli suddenly rose up and stirred up the world?" Yi Qing raised his head and asked.
"The information is missing, and there is no record after Chen Fangshi joined. However, the historian who was a consultant in the bureau was very excited at the time and felt that he had found a new research direction. He told me that with this reminder, the subsequent The information will be easier to sort out, but for now, it’s just a guess.”
Lin Changsheng answered like this, and then changed the topic: "But if this inference is correct, Chen Fangshi had a great influence on Huang Li. I think many of Huang Li's later actions were related to him, such as killing officials and nobles. , Kill the generals, kill the monks! The key to this is why Chen Fangshi abandoned his official position in the first place! What did he see in those four years!"
Ma Li, who was wearing a suit, asked, "What do you think it is?"
Lin Changsheng did not answer, but said: "You can continue to read below."
Huang Li was eventually suppressed, but the vitality of the two northern countries was severely damaged, giving the newly rising Kun Kingdom further north a chance to finally unify the north.
There is no information about Chen Fangshi during this period, but five years later, the Black Lotus Sect revolted, and its leader claimed to have obtained the three volumes of the Book of Immortality, participated in creation, and suppressed him for the rest of his life!
The original practice structure was disrupted as a result, many practicing families and sects were destroyed by Black Lotus, and the entire Ning Kingdom was in chaos. Even after Da Kun destroyed the enshrinement building of Emperor Ning Tui, he continued to fight with Black Lotus for several years. It was only until the leader of the Black Lotus became obsessed and his soul collapsed that the disaster was finally put to rest.
But even so, the Black Lotus Sect and its branches followed the nobles of the two northern countries who fled westward to the Lotus Worship Sect (also known as the 'Shenhuo Sect') in the west, shockingly almost annihilating all the classical cultivating sects and aristocratic families on the entire continent. Once again, a large number of classics were destroyed.
During this period, these nobles who fled westward gradually formed a team for the Western Expedition, which eventually impacted the structure of the Western countries and pushed them into the Xuanluo Empire. They also destroyed many temples and churches and polluted the Western belief system.
Because of this, the current historians believe that the activities of Black Lotus not only destroyed the old world structure, but also accelerated the connections and exchanges between civilizations and countries in various regions of the world, which is one of the direct causes of modern history. .
The spiritual world believes that the Black Lotus Sect's crazy and crazy actions directly caused the annihilation of many Taoist traditions and the loss of immortality.
"Didn't you introduce Chen Fangshi? Why did you mention the Black Lotus Sect? I remember that the source of many previous incidents could be pointed to this sect. Even the Strange God No. 4 incident was related to this sect." Zhou Lin thought thoughtfully, "Could it be that this Chen Fangshi later joined the Black Lotus Sect, or became the leader of the sect..."
As she spoke, she looked down. When she saw the analysis article at the back, she was stunned.
"The leader of the Black Lotus has obtained three volumes of the Heavenly Book of Immortality. After practicing two volumes, he can dominate the world and become invincible! If he hadn't forced himself to cultivate the third volume, he might not have died!" Lin Changsheng spoke at this time, "Similarly, the Black Lotus Cult's The influence runs through the past and the future, at home and abroad. Not only are there many strange events, but even the eight-nation cooperation three years ago was aimed at the legacy of Black Lotus."
"That's right." Xiang Nan also nodded in agreement, "Generally, the danger level related to Black Lotus is at least second level." Then, he raised the information in his hand, "You suspect that the three volumes of the Heavenly Book are from Chen Fangshi For that Black Lotus Cult Leader?”
Lin Changsheng nodded and said: "A silk scroll unearthed from the tomb of Marquis Haiming last year recorded that it was Venerable Qianlong who gave the Black Lotus Leader the Three Strategies Heavenly Book."
Hidden Dragon Master?
Zhou Lin, Yi Qing and others turned forward in unison.
"Chen Fangshi, nicknamed Qianlong layman. Could it be that..."
Suddenly, many people looked surprised, and then they turned to the next few pages, but then there were some scattered examples, which were not as specific as the previous ones. They seemed to have been sorted out in a hurry and handed over in a hurry. result.
"Considering the eras in which the two lived, this Venerable Qianlong is most likely Chen Fangshi's pseudonym." Lin Changsheng answered everyone's questions.
"But there is a high probability that it is just the same name. After all, you have no other evidence for reference." Xiang Nan followed up and said: "After all, judging from the years of practice, even if Chen Fanshi did not start practice after abandoning his official position, he Starting from a young age, it will take at least several decades to reach a higher level, let alone teach others the Book of Immortality."
"There are indeed serious problems due to the lack of many details." Lin Changsheng nodded and admitted, "But the follow-up information is still being collected and organized, and will continue to be improved. Putting aside these, I think it provides a direction that we can work on Use the existing information and try to contact that person. In fact, communicating with him is also a way to verify and collect information from the side. "
"Sure enough, this is your plan." Xiang Nan was not surprised. He leaned back and leaned against the chair, "Who is going?"
"In order to ensure that this matter doesn't get out of control, I called everyone together." Lin Changsheng took a deep breath and glanced at everyone, "No matter how powerful that person is, he has so many super-grade and special combat forces, and he cooperates with the base's Special facilities can at least ensure that the situation does not get out of control.”
As he spoke, he looked at Zhou Lin and added: "Of course, maintaining the seal is the prerequisite for everything."
"I can control it from a distance," Zhou Lin said immediately. "If there is danger, run away as soon as possible. This is written in the employment contract, and you cannot use this as a reason to deduct bonuses and performance!"
Lin Changsheng nodded.
"I won't get involved in this matter, old man." Xu Bai, the oldest, was the second to express his stance.
Lin Changsheng frowned and said, "Mr. Xu, you are the oldest and the most knowledgeable. We need you right now..."
Xu Bai interrupted him directly, shook his head and said: "Life is like a train bound for the grave. The scenery along the way should be viewed from a distance, and should not be touched close. Once it derails, it will be too late to regret."
Sighing, Lin Changsheng nodded and said, "It's okay. After all, Mr. Xu has worked hard for the country for half his life, so he won't be involved in this matter." Then, he glanced at the rest of the people, "But the rest Gentlemen, we have enjoyed many privileges on weekdays, but at this critical moment..."
"Isn't it interesting?" Suddenly, the silent woman in a fiery red coat and heavy makeup laughed, "Communicating with an ancient heroic spirit, understanding the secrets behind him, and exploring the dusty history. There is nothing more interesting than this. Is it okay? Now, there’s only one question.”
She raised her head and looked at Lin Changsheng: "Where and when can I see him?"
"I can't wait to see what the people who are likely to promote the changes of the times look like." The ninth person, who had also been silent, was a thin, smiling young man. He leaned casually against On the chair, he said with a smile: "I don't know how high this person's cultivation is, and whether he was the best in the world in an era."
As he said that, he looked at Zhuge Lu with provocative eyes and said with a smile: "Brother Zhuge, you and I didn't have time to fight last time. The position of Zhu Xia's top master in the Security Bureau has not yet been decided..."
"Sima Jiang, I advise you to be honest and don't get sick as soon as you hear that you are an ancient person! You have read this pile of information, and you are still so conceited!" Zhou Lin interrupted the person, "What if you say it later? Make your own decisions and seek your own death, don’t drag me down!”
The thin young man smiled and pointed at himself with his thumb: "I'm not like this because the other person is an ancient spirit. I was born like this!"
When Zhuge Lu heard this, he grinned and shook his head slightly, as if he saw his past self.
"Okay, let's stop talking."
Lin Changsheng intervened decisively and immediately pressed a button on the desktop.
The green communication jade talisman flickered, projecting a figure.
Chen Dao put on a restraint, his hands and feet were tied, and he was chained to a metal chair, with a look of horror on his face.
Looking at this figure, Lin Changsheng said in a deep voice: "If you are ready, you can start at any time."
"Then what are you waiting for?" Sima Jiang jumped up, "Let's go!"
I have to go to bed early today...