Luo Yuheng was stunned, her beautiful eyes flashing with light. She looked at Chu Yuanzhen, pursed her lips, and said, “Xu Qi’an intervened in the Heaven and Human contest and defeated both you and Li Miaozheng?”
Chu Yuanzhen nodded, giving a bitter smile: “I don’t know why he suddenly took action.”
He had some guesses in his heart. It was Golden Lotus Daoist secretly encouraging it, with the reason of avoiding members of the Heaven and Earth Society fighting to the death, but he couldn’t tell Luo Yuheng this guess.
“Tell me in detail, how did he defeat you?” Luo Yuheng glanced at him, then turned her gaze to the colorful flower bed.
Chu Yuanzhen felt that the Imperial Preceptor suddenly became radiant, like the flowers competing for beauty in the yard, no longer as heavy as before.
“When he defeated me and Li Miaozheng, he relied on external forces. He has a Confucian book recording many spells. But swords and magical tools are also external objects. A loss is a loss,” Chu Yuanzhen said magnanimously.
Luo Yuheng pondered: “Confucian spells alone are not enough to defeat you and Li Miaozheng.”
Her tone was very certain.
Hearing this question, Chu Yuanzhen’s expression suddenly became strange. Looking at Luo Yuheng’s peerless beauty, he said in a low voice, “About this matter, I was just about to ask the Imperial Preceptor…”
After a pause, he said in a tone of incomprehension and disbelief: “Xu Qi’an has pushed the Vajra Skill to the small accomplishment stage. Without drawing my sword, I couldn’t break through his defense at all.
“But Imperial Preceptor, how could he achieve this level after cultivating the Vajra Skill for just over a month?”
This situation couldn’t be described simply as “heaven-sent talent”. Chu Yuanzhen thought hard and believed that when Arhat Du’e claimed Xu Qi’an was a Buddhist child, it might have another layer of meaning.
For example, he might be the reincarnation of a high-ranking Buddhist monk.
Luo Yuheng smiled and said, “A few days ago, a cat came to me asking for a Green Pill, saying it could help me delay the Heaven and Human contest.”
A cat… a cat demon? No, demons can’t enter the imperial city, let alone Lingbao Temple… To enter the Lingbao Temple in a cat’s body and discuss the Heaven and Human contest with the Imperial Preceptor, the other party must either be an old friend of the Imperial Preceptor or someone from the Daoist sect…
Chu Yuanzhen was very smart and good at analysis. He immediately locked onto a suspicious figure: Golden Lotus Daoist.
Extending this thought, the reason for Xu Qi’an’s forceful intervention in the Heaven and Human contest could be easily explained – he was encouraged by the Golden Lotus Daoist.
Chu Yuanzhen knew the effects of the Green Pill. He couldn’t help but recall how during the battle, Xu Qi’an had smugly said that it was he and Li Miaozheng who had helped temper his body…
Everything became clear. Golden Lotus Daoist and the Imperial Preceptor had reached some kind of deal. The former helped delay the Heaven and Human contest, and the latter paid the corresponding price.
And this price was certainly not just the Green Pill. The Green Pill was given to Xu Qi’an; Golden Lotus Daoist had other intentions.
So, the reason for Xu Qi’an’s rapid progress in his golden body was due to taking the Green Pill.
Hearing that Xu Qi’an had defeated me and Li Miaozheng, the Imperial Preceptor’s surprise wasn’t feigned… Hmm, it shows she didn’t have full confidence in this deal… Chu Yuanzhen bowed and said:
“Li Miaozheng won’t initiate the Heaven and Human contest again before breaking the golden body. The Imperial Preceptor can rest assured.”
Luo Yuheng nodded.
Chu Yuanzhen didn’t stay long and took his leave.
Not long after he left, an orange cat jumped onto the wall, its amber eyes gazing at Luo Yuheng.
“I didn’t expect he could achieve this,” Luo Yuheng sighed lightly.
“This proves my guess is correct. He’s hiding a secret in his body,” the orange cat said in a deep voice:
“When we escaped from the great tomb that day, he told me that he could defeat the ancient corpse because the Supervising Censor had left a trump card in his body. Heh, he thought I was an ordinary Earth Sect Daoist, so I pretended to believe his nonsense.
“That day, I happened to see his golden body progressing at an astonishing speed, which deepened my suspicion. So I took the opportunity to encourage him to take action, wanting to see how strong his physical body was.
“I didn’t expect him to actively ask for the Green Pill and absorb its power without any obstacles, pushing the Vajra Skill to the small accomplishment stage.”
Luo Yuheng’s eyes moved, her expression serious as she stared at the orange cat, “What’s your guess?”
The orange cat pondered and said: “Based on my observations of him and the Supervising Censor’s arrangements, I suspect the secret in his body is related to the Buddhist sect. Don’t you think it’s strange that the Supervising Censor specifically named him to participate in the duel? It’s as if he deliberately wanted him to enter the Buddhist realm and cultivate the Vajra Skill.”
“It’s not that strange, but when combined with what you’ve said, all these things together become very strange and not simple,” Luo Yuheng looked at the calm surface of the pool, her pupils dilating, her gaze scattered, immersed in thought while saying:
“Is the Buddhist sect also getting involved?”
The orange cat chuckled: “The Supervising Censor’s pawn, the Buddhist sect’s child, and that strange fortune accompanying him. Little sister, if you don’t make a decision now, he might not be willing to dual cultivate with you in the future.”
Luo Yuheng looked up and glared at the orange cat, her posture coquettish.
“You seem very happy,” she said.
“Of course. The more secrets Xu Qi’an has, the more it means he’s not an ordinary person, and the greater the chances of him helping me slaughter demons in the future,” the orange cat said leisurely.
Luo Yuheng’s mouth curved up, and she snorted, “Heh. Those gifts on him all come with a price to pay. Elder brother, you’re being optimistic too early.”
Hearing this, the orange cat’s expression stiffened, then sighed: “His body is full of muddled accounts. When it’s time to settle them, I hope he can get through it safely. At that time, as his Dao partner, little sister, you should help him.”
“Of course I…” Luo Yuheng said instinctively, then realized and angrily said, “Get out.”
…
In the Imperial Palace.
An old eunuch ran into the Emperor’s bedchamber, excitedly shouting: “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, great news…”
Emperor Yuan Jing, who was sitting cross-legged in meditation, immediately opened his eyes. He didn’t blame the old eunuch for his rudeness but didn’t show any joy either. Instead, he sighed and said, “Chu Yuanzhen won, right? Heh…”
What’s the use of winning? It’s just giving the Imperial Preceptor a three-move advantage. The gap between second and first rank can’t be bridged by three moves.
“No, no,” the old eunuch said excitedly, “Your Majesty, the Heaven and Human contest didn’t start. It was stopped by Xu Yinluo.”
Emperor Yuan Jing’s pupils contracted slightly, shocked by the sudden news. He leaned forward slightly and asked, “What happened? Tell me the truth.”
The old eunuch immediately reported the news brought by the guards truthfully.
This included Xu Qi’an’s appearance, Xu Qi’an’s awkward poem, Xu Qi’an agreeing with Li Miaozheng and Chu Yuanzhen in front of the crowd, the battle process, etc.
The old eunuch smiled fawningly: “This way, Your Majesty doesn’t have to worry about the Imperial Preceptor’s matter. Oh my, Xu Yinluo is amazing, he inexplicably makes people feel at ease.”
Just like the previous duel, just like the series of major cases that appeared in the year of the imperial examination, as long as Xu Yinluo was there, everything could be perfectly resolved.
After speaking, the old eunuch noticed that Emperor Yuan Jing was staring blankly, lost in thought.
“Your Majesty?”
Emperor Yuan Jing’s pupils moved slightly, regaining his spirit and breaking free from deep thought. He seemed to be talking to the old eunuch, but also muttering to himself: “I remember, even the Northern Marquis in his prime wasn’t as good as him…”
The old eunuch immediately lowered his head, not daring to express an opinion.
…
Meanwhile, the golden gong bearers with complex emotions returned to the night watchmen’s office. Jiang Luzhong thought for a moment and said, “Why don’t we go together to see Lord Wei and inform him of this matter?”
Nangong Qianrou sneered, “To curry favor for Xu Qi’an?”
Yang Yan, whose expression remained as unchanging as a sculpture year-round, said coolly, “There’s no harm in talking about it.”
Only matters related to martial arts could arouse interest in this expressionless man. For Yang Yan, if there was a warm harbor in the cold world, it definitely wouldn’t be the abyss that men yearn for, but the two words “martial arts”.
The eight golden gong bearers entered Haoqi Tower.
In the tea room, Wei Yuan held a scroll, with tea and pastries placed beside him, leisurely reading in the brilliant morning sunlight.
“You’re back.”
Wei Yuan didn’t raise his head and continued saying: “Let me guess who won. Hmm, Li Miaozheng has just reached the fourth rank, and her foundation is not stable. Chu Yuanzhen’s cultivation path is unconventional, the two should be evenly matched, but I heard Xu Qi’an say that Chu Yuanzhen had created a method to nurture sword intent, keeping his three-foot green sword sheathed for years without drawing it. If he were to draw his sword…”
As Wei Yuan talked to himself, like a strategist analyzing the result of the Heaven and Human contest, Yang Yan wanted to speak up several times to stop him and tell his adoptive father:
Don’t guess blindly, things are not as you imagine.
But he was stopped by the glances or gestures of Jiang Luzhong and the other golden gong bearers.
“So I think…” Wei Yuan noticed his subordinates’ small actions and saw Yang Yan’s pained expression. He frowned and asked:
“Is something wrong?”
Yang Yan immediately nodded and said solemnly: “Adoptive Father, Xu Qi’an won the Heaven and Human contest.”
Saying this, Yang Yan felt relieved, no longer having to awkwardly watch his adoptive father’s performance.
“???”
Wei Yuan was rarely stunned, stunned without expression, then said in surprise: “What did you say?”
“This morning at the Mao hour (5-7 am), Xu Qi’an forcibly intervened in the Heaven and Human contest, challenging the two outstanding disciples of the Daoist sect alone, agreeing with them that to initiate the Heaven and Human contest, they must first defeat his golden body…” Nangong Qianrou knew Yang Yan didn’t like long speeches, so she took over and told Wei Yuan about the battle process.
“Although he won against Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozheng using Confucian spells, it’s undeniable that Xu Ningyan’s golden body has already become as strong as a fourth-rank warrior’s physical body,” Jiang Luzhong sighed.
The other golden gong bearers sighed in unison. Before today, when they discussed Xu Qi’an, they still had a condescending mentality. But after today, Xu Qi’an’s status in their hearts had risen from a promising junior to someone slightly inferior to them but would inevitably catch up.
Wei Yuan couldn’t calm down for a long time. Then, remembering his earlier analysis, he explained: “Oh, this is something I didn’t anticipate.”
The golden gong bearers laughed secretly in their hearts, but they had received professional training and wouldn’t easily laugh.
Wei Yuan swept his gaze over everyone and said: “You may withdraw now. I need quiet to read.”
As the golden gong bearers turned to leave, Wei Yuan picked up his brush and quickly wrote several notes. Then he summoned a clerk and said: “Send these to the golden gong bearers.”
…
“Hehe, it’s rare to see Lord Wei make a fool of himself. It feels oddly satisfying,” Jiang Luzhong laughed as he walked down the stairs.
“It’s all Yang Yan’s fault. He can’t hold anything in and be noticed by Lord Wei,” Zhang Kaitai blamed Yang Yan.
Nangong Qianrou also showed a slight smile.
He also felt that occasionally making his adoptive father look foolish was something that brought joy to both body and mind.
“Hahaha.” All the golden gong bearers laughed at the same time.
“Boring,” Yang Yan commented coolly.
Just as Jiang Luzhong, Yang Yan, and the other golden gong bearers reached the bottom of the stairs, they heard the clerk calling from behind: “Golden gong bearers, please wait. Lord Wei has notes for you.”
The golden gong bearers bewilderedly accepted the notes, opened them, and looked. Each of them was stunned, frozen in place.
“I… I have to increase my night watch duty by one month because I often leave the office at midnight without permission… But it’s not often, I just snuck out to the courtesan quarters once,” Jiang Luzhong said, dumbfounded.
“I’m fined three months’ salary for torturing a death row prisoner to death,” Nangong Qianrou’s mouth twitched.
“I’m fined two months’ salary because Chu Yuanzhen was defeated by me back then, but now has combat power no less than mine. Lord Wei thinks I’ve been lazy in my cultivation… But I’m already at the peak of fourth rank, without opportunity, it’s impossible to advance to third rank.”
“I’m fined one month’s salary. What’s yours? My reason is that I step out with my left foot first when leaving. Lord Wei thinks I’m disrespectful to him…”
Then, the golden gong bearers all looked at Yang Yan. His hands were empty, without a note.
“Interesting!” Yang Yan commented coolly.
“…” The other golden gong bearers were speechless.
In the tea room.
“Vajra Skill comparable to a fourth-rank physical body, Vajra Skill comparable to a fourth-rank physical body…” Wei Yuan’s fingers tapped the table as he muttered.
Xu Qi’an, oh Xu Qi’an.
Wei Yuan sighed lightly, stood up, and walked out of the tea room with his hands behind his back, saying, “Prepare the carriage. I’m going to the Astronomical Bureau.”
…
At the Xu residence.
When Xu Qi’an woke up, it was already past lunchtime. He opened his eyes, and then his brain was filled with a surge of pain, causing him to groan involuntarily.
“Oh, you’re awake,” Su Su sat by the bed, smiling at him.
Xu Qi’an nodded, holding his forehead as he sat up, groaning, “I didn’t sleep for too long, right… Ouch, my head feels like it’s about to split open. But the after-effects of the Confucian spell aren’t too bad.”
Hearing this, Su Su snorted, “Do you know that you’ve died once again?”
Did I die once again? Why don’t I know about this… Xu Qi’an gave the female ghost a confused look.
“To be precise, your soul left your body. If it doesn’t return within seven days, you’ll really die,” Su Su wrinkled her nose and said, “It was my master who retrieved your soul, returning kindness for enmity, how noble. Look at you, she treats you as a friend, but you stab her in the back. Pfft, despicable.”
Xu Qi’an forcefully poked Su Su, and with a “poof” sound, the paper-like form was pierced.
Su Su was shocked, covering her chest and running out the door whimpering, “Master, Xu Ningyan pierced my chest! Come quickly and patch me up.”
A few minutes later, Xu Lingyin ran in, came to the bedside with a half-eaten chicken leg in her hand, and offered it to Xu Qi’an, saying, “Big brother, eat the chicken leg.”
“Where did you get this chicken leg?” Xu Qi’an was a bit disgusted, “It’s covered in your saliva.”
“I saved it from lunch.”
The little bean jumped up and down, saying loudly, “Eating the chicken leg will make you feel better, my master told me so.”
She then raised her little eyebrows and explained, “But I wanted to eat it, so I secretly took a bite. Just pretend you don’t know, okay?”
Seeing Xu Qi’an not responding, she shouted again, “Okay?”
Only then did Xu Qi’an take it and start eating. The little bean stood by the bed, watching eagerly and swallowing.
When Li Miaozheng entered with the maid ghost, she saw the siblings sitting on the bed, taking turns biting the chicken leg. She was slightly taken aback, her cold expression softening a bit.
She had finally changed out of her Daoist robes, wearing a light pink cross-collared long dress, with a matching ribbon cinching her small waist. The cloud patterns on the cuffs were intricate and beautiful. With her full chest and slim waist, it should have been an extremely beautiful outfit for a proper young lady.
But her overly sharp temperament ruined her image.
Xu Qi’an thought she would be more suited to wearing light armor, or camouflage, police uniforms, and other such attire. That would better highlight her sharp and capable temperament.
The Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sect sat at the round table, with a stern face, and said coldly, “I need a reason.”
Do I need a reason? Do I need one… Xu Qi’an’s mind flashed to Star’s lines, but he didn’t dare say it out loud, fearing he might be beaten to death by Li Miaozheng if he went too far.
“Golden Lotus Daoist asked for my help, offering a Green Pill as payment. I had no reason to refuse,” Xu Qi’an said.
“You knew the Heaven and Human contest couldn’t be stopped, so why did you still get involved? Is the Green Pill more important than your life?” Li Miaozheng said angrily.
You don’t understand, I have too many secrets, and strength is my confidence… Xu Qi’an smiled and said, “If the Heavenly Sect ordered you to kill me, would you do it?”
“I wouldn’t.”
Li Miaozheng didn’t bother with excuses about disobeying sect orders, but very seriously told Xu Qi’an, “If I can never defeat you, the elders of the sect will take action. Believe me, they won’t actively kill people, but when they do kill, they have no psychological burden.
“Let alone killing you, if necessary, they wouldn’t even flinch at massacring a city. Of course, they disdain doing such things.”
Damn, it feels like the Heavenly Sect is even scarier than an evil cult. At least evil cults know they’re doing bad things, or have reasons for doing bad things. The Heavenly Sect truly has no emotions… Xu Qi’an pondered and said:
“Will you become like that in the future?”
Li Miaozheng was stunned. She saw concern in those tired eyes, concern without any other components.
After a few seconds of silent eye contact, she nodded, “I will.”
Xu Qi’an smiled bitterly, “That’s truly a sad thing.”
Afterward, there was a quarter-hour of silence. Neither of them spoke. Xu Lingyin lay in her big brother’s arms, intently sucking on the chicken bone.
“I’ll help you manage things with the sect. If it comes to a point where there’s no other choice, you can just admit defeat in time. Our Heavenly Sect never holds grudges.”
Is that because they immediately bash out the brains of those who offend them?… Xu Qi’an nodded, “Alright.”
After Li Miaozheng left, Xu Qi’an stroked Xu Lingyin’s head and said softly, “Help big brother call Lina over. I have something to ask her.”
“Oh.”
Xu Lingyin stuck out her little bottom, jumped off the bed, and holding the chicken bone, waddled out with her chubby body.
Soon after, the little dark-skinned girl from the Southern Wilderness entered with light steps, lively and bright, her eyes always curved in a smile before she even spoke.
“What did you call me for?” she asked in a genuine Southern Wilderness accent.
“Lina, you’ve been living in my home for quite a few days now. Is there anything you’re not satisfied with?” Xu Qi’an asked with a kind smile.
Lina tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said, “No.”
The food here is much better than in the Southern Wilderness, even vegetable dishes are cooked so deliciously. The streets are so wide, the houses so big, and the beds so comfortable… To be honest, Lina didn’t want to go back to the Southern Wilderness at all.
As long as this family didn’t chase her away, she could live here until the end of time.
“I’m glad you’re satisfied. We people of Great Feng are very hospitable,” Xu Qi’an said. After a pause of a few seconds, he looked at Lina’s face and said:
“There’s a question I’ve been wanting to ask you. How did you know it was me who picked up the silver? What else do you know? Who told you?”