The immortal is beside me

Chapter 86 The Arrival of the Heavenly Master (asking for monthly tickets)

Liangzhou, Jianguo Road Sub-district Office.

"Come on, come on, here are the cake cards given by the company as welfare. One for each person, everyone gets a share!"

In the office, Qin Hongmei held a stack of cards and placed them on her colleagues' desks one by one: "These are all just brought by Director Liu. Hurry up and say thank you to the Director!"

Liu Jianhua, the director of the neighborhood office standing nearby, pushed his glasses and said, "No need to thank me, these are all given by the higher-ups. Our unit was recently upgraded, and the higher-ups specifically instructed us to ensure employee benefits. These were all specifically approved by the higher-ups."

Zhou Qing, sitting at the table, picked up the cake card and examined it briefly. The card had a face value of 200 yuan and could be redeemed at several specific bakery shops. It was a very common company benefit.

In the past few months, the various welfare benefits of the Jianguo Road Sub-district Office have suddenly become more frequent. Physical benefits such as shopping cards, grain and oil are no big deal. Various subsidies have increased several times, and there are many inexplicable bonuses. Going to work every day seems like a lottery.

This is just the attention that can be seen directly. In secret, adjustments to various personnel policies and work policies are endless, for fear that there will be any problems with the working environment here. It is as if this street office has become a flower pot, and an invisible big hand is strictly watching the growth of the flowers in the pot.

The employees may not feel this, but the veteran Liu Jianhua knows it very well.

At first, he wondered if this was some second-generation worker who had come to the grassroots level, with the higher-ups providing him with protection. But as the demands for reform became increasingly outrageous, far exceeding the level of protection for a single individual, he gradually began to have new suspicions.

Perhaps one or more important figures had taken notice of this place and were looking for an opportunity to conduct a surprise inspection. This sort of thing couldn't be stated explicitly in a notice; it could only be reflected in action. All these regular arrangements were now in preparation for that unpredictable "surprise" that might arrive at any moment.

This was the most convincing explanation at the moment, and Liu Jianhua was therefore on edge, ready to give everyone in the office a good scolding.

"The fact that things are being delivered in place reflects the attention paid to us by the higher-ups. We must also do a better job of doing our work and respond to their attention."

Liu Jianhua said, looking aside: "Like a while ago, Xiao Fu's work was outstanding. Both his attitude and methods are worth learning from. We should all learn from him."

These words drew everyone's attention to Fu Chenghao, who was waving his hands and speaking humbly, "This is all thanks to the leadership's guidance."

Everyone in the office was secretly shocked.

Since coming to this street office, Fu Chenghao has always been a role model among the employees, especially after the unit received "special attention". Anyone with a discerning eye can see that he is seizing the opportunity to perform hard. He has begun to work overtime intentionally or unintentionally in such an idle position, and this performance has indeed earned him the deserved recognition.

In every aspect, he perfectly fits the profile of a selected top student: highly capable, sociable, daring and hardworking, and with a good sense of opportunity, he has proved to everyone with his strength what it means to "be better than you and work harder than you."

"Brother Fu, you are too stubborn. Leave us some room to survive!"

After Liu Jianhua left, Li Jie, who was standing next to him, shouted, "It's fine if he's well-educated and good-looking, but he's so arrogant! He's killing me!"

"I'm not really involved." Fu Chenghao waved his hand. "I just have nothing to do anyway, and I feel like doing something will make me feel more fulfilled."

"Hey, isn't this just a scroll? For mortals like us, the first part is idle and the second part is not fulfilling." Li Jie said as he turned his head to look at Zhou Qing behind him, "Isn't that right, Brother Zhou?"

Under the glory of being a top student, he, a second-generation student, would occasionally feel a little pressure. Whenever this happened, he would go to see Zhou Qing, who was also a poor student, and then the pressure would immediately disappear.

Zhou Qing took a sip of tea and said, "Everyone has their own way of living. There's no need to force it."

"That's right, Brother Zhou is more open-minded." Li Jie was very happy.

Having a hardworking person in front of you will not necessarily make you work hard as well; but having a lazy comrade around you will definitely make you feel at ease when lying down.

Today, Zhou Qing lived up to expectations and adhered to his creed of never working a minute longer. As soon as five o'clock arrived, he had already stepped out of the office.

He walked down the street, putting the cake card in his pocket. He wasn't interested in welfare bonuses or anything like that, but this one really pleased him.

Nowadays, the variety of food in the world is much richer than in the past, and tasting all kinds of food has always been one of his hobbies. In particular, the "cake" introduced from the West, which is sweet and soft, and also contains an ingredient called cream, really amazed him when he tasted it for the first time.

People's ability to create a better life is always beyond imagination.

Walking out of the door, he went to get the thrush's cage as usual. The moment he picked up the cage, it seemed as if a pair of dark eyes glared at him fiercely.

At Phoenix's strong request, Phoenix would follow him every time he walked the bird. Although it did not actually show up now, it was undoubtedly hiding its body and spying in the dark, always on guard to see if the immortal would be interested in the third bird.

He was holding the cage and was about to take a walk along his usual route when inspiration suddenly struck him and a familiar aura appeared within the range of his consciousness.

Turning around, I saw a young man holding a folding fan standing at the end of the road with a smile on his face.

He was dressed in casual clothes, looking like an artistic young man. He would blend seamlessly into the crowd of students on the street. Except for Zhou Qing, no one noticed this sudden appearance.

"Brother Zhou, how are you?"

Zhou Qing raised his eyebrows slightly: "Why are you here?"

"As I said before, come and see how Brother Zhou works."

Yuan Tiangang fanned himself with a folding fan. He looked up at the neighborhood in front of him and exclaimed in amazement, "Brother Zhou now lives in this place. Seeing this is truly an eye-opener."

Zhou Qing folded his arms and looked at him. Within the range of perception, there was indeed only Yuan Tiangang's spiritual aura, which meant that he came alone.

For Yuan Tiangang, this is not a normal state.

As the official master of Yishu, Yuan Tiangang was almost like a walking piece of Tang Monk's meat when he walked on the street. Just going out would attract the attention of countless demons and monsters.

Normally, he always had numerous guards by his side whenever he went out. It was extremely rare for him to appear alone in such a swaggering manner, especially when he came alone to Liangzhou in another province. Under normal circumstances, this would be enough to make everyone in Tianji Academy's blood pressure explode.

But right now, he clearly didn't need an escort on this trip. "Besides visiting, I also have some other matters I'd like to discuss with Brother Zhou in person."

Under Zhou Qing's gaze, Yuan Tiangang slowly fanned himself and said calmly, "It's about Buddhism."

The air pressure seemed to drop suddenly for a moment, but then calmed down again in an instant. The caged thrush tilted its head and looked at its owner, confusion written in its small eyes.

Twelve hundred years ago, one day when he was still in the Jiuli Immortal Alliance, Yuan Tiangang suddenly found him and mentioned Buddhism. At that time, he only said two sentences.

The first sentence is "The way of heaven changes, and Buddhism rises."

The second sentence is "The Immortal Alliance will perish."

That was the future he deduced, and later these two sentences became history.

"Let's talk while we walk." Zhou Qing said.

The two walked along the stone path in the community, still communicating in their usual Chang'an dialect, and their pace was so casual that it seemed as if they were taking a stroll together.

"Brother Zhou should be able to see that the spiritual will of heaven and earth has changed recently. All major forces are undercurrents, especially those who hold the inheritance of powerful people. They are all looking for opportunities."

Yuan Tiangang said, "Recently, I've been observing the celestial phenomena at night and have noticed some unusual movements in the Buddhist sect's energy. It seems they also want to recreate the Buddha's legacy."

Zhou Qing listened to him without much change in expression.

After the Sakya Rebellion broke out, he regarded Buddhism as his mortal enemy for a long time. At the most extreme time, he would kill the Buddha without asking any questions if he saw him. But now, more than a thousand years have passed, and the old emotions have long been smoothed out by time. He no longer has much fluctuation when he hears this name.

At least he won't be as murderous as he was in the past when he heard something.

"According to the Tianji Academy's spies in various locations, the Buddhist sect is currently dispatching personnel throughout China to search for historical materials and heritage left behind. Meanwhile, the various Cangtian sects have also made contact with them. This time, they're likely coming in force."

"If the current situation continues, the Buddhist sect will revive the Buddha's legacy and return to its peak. By then, no force in the world of immortal cultivation will be able to rival it, and the Buddhist sect will replace the immortal sect and become the dominant force in the world of cultivation."

If it were put twelve hundred years ago, this would have been an appalling and terrifying prophecy for the people in the immortal sect, but now when he said this, he still had his usual faint smile on his face, as if he was just telling an insignificant fictional story.

"This is the result I deduced based on the laws of nature, and it will surely become the established future."

"However, the current Heavenly Dao should not include Brother Zhou's karma."

As he spoke, he slowly turned his head and looked at the old friend beside him.

As a cultivator of Yishu at the Spirit Transformation Realm, his spirit and soul are in harmony with the heaven and earth. The causes and effects of ordinary people are as clear as his facial features in his eyes, and even powerful cultivators can be seen through at a glance.

Zhou Wuqing was once among those who were seen through by him, but now Zhou Wuqing has become a faceless man.

This meant that his cause and effect were not within the Five Elements. Even someone as powerful as Yuan Tiangang could not include a cause and effect that did not exist within the Five Elements into his deductions, and naturally could not predict his future.

According to the existing cause and effect, the result of the deduction is the rise of Buddhism, but if an existence that does not belong to it is added, how will the result of the deduction change?

The answer seems self-evident.

"Shakyamuni Buddha is indeed quite charming. He has been lingering in the minds of Buddhists for over a thousand years."

Zhou Qing still had that calm expression: "But, it's time for them to give up this idea."

Hearing the words, Yuan Tiangang smiled slightly and put away the folding fan in his hand.

"It seems that my Yishu skills are about to be broken by you, Brother Zhou."

As he was speaking, he suddenly turned his head and changed the subject.

"For example, right now, I didn't expect to meet other Yishu practitioners in this place."

During the conversation just now, they were still walking along the street. Now they have walked out of the community and strolled to the residents' activity square.

By this time, the square was deserted, with few people playing chess or dancing. All the people had gathered in the center, a clamorous scene. Needless to say, it was the fortune teller Liu Guishan who had arrived.

Seeing Zhou Qing coming, Uncle Wu in the crowd immediately stood out and enthusiastically sold things to him as always.

"Hey, Xiao Zhou is here! Master Liu has introduced a new fortune-telling method today. You really need to come and take a look."

He was halfway through his words when he seemed to notice that there was someone beside Xiao Zhou. "Huh? You brought a friend here today. Perfect, let Master Liu show you both! Don't keep skeptical, this Master Liu is really capable!"

"It's okay, it's okay, I can show you everything."

Faced with such a warm welcome, Liu Guishan in the crowd responded with a smile. While preparing the copper coins for divination in his hand, he turned around very naturally to look at the two people who were approaching.

With a click, the copper coins in his hand fell to the ground.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Liu Guishan, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly stood up and looked at Yuan Tiangang over there. The corners of his mouth twitched and his eyes almost popped out.

"Grandmaster, Grandmaster?!"

(End of this chapter)