Volume 3: Heavenly Tribulation Chapter 108: Wind and Rain

  The sky has unpredictable wind and cloud, dark clouds cover the sun, thunder and lightning strike together. In just a short while, a heavy downpour poured down from the sky. What a big rain!

  Even in the scorching summer, such a heavy rain is rarely seen. Now it happens in this cold season, which really makes people feel surprised.

  The carriage galloped, Ma Liu didn't bring an umbrella and was almost drenched to the bone, but he was experienced and controlled the carriage steadily; while Chen Jianchen had already taken shelter inside the carriage.

  Listening to the sound of raindrops hitting the top of the car, it was like a dense layer of rain hitting banana leaves. Chen Jianchen's face was solemn, although he knew that thunderstorms in winter were not impossible, but this sudden rain came at an unusual and coincidental time, making him have to wake up his spirits. Jiaona sat on the other side, her expression also somewhat unusual, as if thinking about something.

  "Sir, you are so knowledgeable, why did it thunder and rain today?" asked Xiaohua on the side.

  Chen Jianchen was stunned, this little girl asked so innocently, even if he had profound knowledge, he wouldn't know why it rains. He wasn't the Dragon King, nor a god in heaven, so he joked: "It's said that the rain of the four seasons is managed by the Dragon King, Xiaojie you should go to the Dragon King Temple and ask him why it's raining so heavily today." Jiaona said: "Where is this Dragon King in the world?"

  Xiao Ju asked: "Sister Xiao Qiang, how can there be no Dragon King in the world? Otherwise, where did so many Dragon King temples come from?" Jiaona hummed: "You don't understand."

  Chen Jianchen's heart skipped a beat as he asked: "Huangfu Xiaolong, you said there are no dragons in this world?"

  Jianna replied, "Father said that there are dragons in the world, but a dragon is just a dragon, and a Dragon King is a Dragon King. They're not the same thing. It's said that the dragon clan can ride the clouds and drive the fog, summon the wind and call the rain, but they're different from the legendary dragon god who controls the wind and rain."

  Although she was not good at reading books, she had been following her father for many years and had heard about many secret things.

  "What did the imperial envoy Huang Fu say about the dragon?" Chen Jianchen asked. Jiaona shook her head and said, "Dad didn't mention it, I think he hasn't seen one either."

  This is a big truth, although Huangfu is an old fox who has been practicing for hundreds of years and has seen countless things, it's hard to say whether he has ever seen a real dragon. Many people also believe that it's just hearsay. However, from Jiaona's words earlier, Chen Jianchen can infer many deeper things...

  What is called a god is simply the product of people's thoughts and worship; as for land and city gods, they are directly appointed by the underworld to be in charge of ghosts. Various legends about immortals are just the deeds of highly cultivated practitioners. Ordinary people see little but wonder much, not understanding the reasons, so they take them as gods to worship.

  Even if the dragon exists, it belongs to the category of monsters. Born with a strong body and long life, coupled with the ability to summon wind and rain, it will naturally be called "Dragon King" by the people. Therefore, Dragon King temples are everywhere, and every time there is a drought, they worship three animals and ask the Dragon King to bring rain.

  However devout they may be and however rich the offerings, it is doubtful whether the real dragon can hear them; to say nothing of whether, even if he hears, he will exert his magical power to send down rain.

  So droughts occur year after year, and people pray for rain year after year. When it finally rains, it's often just a few scattered showers. Even when it does rain, it's probably just a coincidence. And if it doesn't rain, some people blame the ones who prayed for rain, saying they didn't do it sincerely enough. The phrase "not sincere" is enough to kill all doubts; it's comparable to the three words "baseless accusations".

  The car started to shake, Chen Jianchen sat steadily, thinking in all directions, gradually integrating his thoughts about the world, trying to come up with a complete worldview, and thus gaining a clear understanding.

  "Little sister, sir, we're home."

  After a while, the carriage finally stopped outside the gate of Hu Zhuang. A servant with an oil-paper umbrella came out to greet them and led them in.

  "Where's Father?" Joanna asked as soon as she got off the car.

  The servant replied in a respectful tone: "Master left at noon and said he won't be back today." Yonna responded with an "oh".

  A Fu said, "The old master is really divine. When he went out, he told me that it might rain this evening and asked us to close the windows tightly. I didn't believe him, but then thunder and rain came, and everything happened just as he predicted."

  "What?" Joana's face suddenly showed tension. Father said today would be a stormy day with rain, could it be that he was the one who stirred up this rain?

  She thought of a possibility and her heart suddenly tightened, turning around to rush out.

  Chen Jianchen's eyes were quick and his hands were fast, he pulled her back with one swift motion. In a deep voice, he said: "Huangfu Xiaoyu sister, outside the wind is strong and the rain is heavy, where are you going?" Jiaona said: "I want to go find Father."

  Chen Jianchen shouted: "So soon you've forgotten what happened today?" Jiaona was stunned.

  Chen Jianchen said, "Old Huangfu doesn't even know where he is or what he's doing. Where can you go to find him?" In fact, after hearing Ah Fu's words, he also vaguely felt that Huangfu's words had a deeper meaning. However, the current situation was unclear, and it was impossible to make further inferences to prove it.

  He recalled the situation when he went out today, Chen Jianchen dared to determine that Huangfu was actually thinking of letting his daughter follow him to Suzhou and get rid of Jiaonan, so that he could do some things that might be dangerous alone.

  So Jiona is going out now, Chen Jianchen will certainly stop her.

  "Can be..." Yonna still seemed somewhat anxious.

  Chen Jianchen said in a low voice, "When things go wrong, one must suffer the consequences. Huangfu Xiaolou, don't you believe that your father will be safe and sound?"

  After a pause, she added another sentence: "Since the old man knows that there will be thunder and rain today, he must have made thorough preparations. If you act rashly, you will only make things worse." Yu Nuo hesitated for a long time before finally following Chen Jianchen's advice and staying at the villa.

  Chen Jianchen returned to the east wing, but did not enter the house. Instead, he stood with his hands behind his back on the covered walkway, looking up and around. The rain was like a curtain, making it impossible to see anything clearly, but in his heart, he knew that the direction he was gazing towards had a majestic mountain range standing serenely... Dongshan Nanling.

  Heavy rain poured down, the sky and earth were vast and hazy, but just as the rain curtain was about to lift, a monk appeared at dawn. He wore a pure white robe, his feet stepped on a three-foot-long board, and despite the muddy ground, not a single speck of dirt clung to him. He floated out of the dust, creating a wondrous sight. In his hand, he held an oil-paper umbrella, no matter how big the raindrops were, they were all blocked by an invisible force just a few inches from the umbrella's surface, dispersing in all directions without any resistance;

  "I come with the wind and rain, one boat ferries all living beings; let dragons and snakes dance, true body obtains eternity..."

  A three-foot wooden board made a boat, drifting away with the clouds and flowing water, as if it didn't touch the ground... The direction he was heading in was precisely East Mountain South Ridge.