Sun Xuanji?

A disciple of the Director?

The officials scrutinized Sun Xuanji with surprise and confusion.

Not everyone knew the low-profile Senior Brother Sun. Among those present, only Xu Xin Nian and the three great scholars from Cloud Deer Academy knew who Sun Xuanji was.

Thus, Guardian Yuan’s “explanation” served a crucial purpose.

How can this person know my thoughts… Xu Xin Nian forcefully “coughed” as he stood up and walked toward Sun Xuanji, saying:

“This is Second Senior Brother from the Astronomical Bureau, the Director’s second disciple, Sun Xuanji.”

“So it’s the Director’s disciple—our apologies for not welcoming you earlier!” The officials nodded in acknowledgment.

Xu Xin Nian added: “A Third Rank Artificer.”

There was a uniform scraping of chairs as the civil officials led by Yang Gong and the military officers led by Zhou Mi hurriedly stood up.

“Senior Brother Sun, I’ve long admired your reputation!”

“Senior Brother Sun, you should have notified us of your visit to Qing Province so we could prepare a proper feast.”

“When I was in Qing Province, I heard that Senior Brother Sun was a genius of this generation in the Astronomical Bureau. I’ve admired you for so long, and now my wish to meet you has been fulfilled—I can die without regret!”

The atmosphere in the council hall instantly warmed. The officials and military officers’ faces beamed with eager smiles.

Yang Gong raised his hand, and the hall fell silent. The Purple Yang Scholar stroked his beard with a smile and said:

“Brother Sun has come to aid Qing Province?”

Although Sun Xuanji was a Third Rank Artificer, he was many years younger than Yang Gong. As a Confucian scholar with principles, he truly couldn’t bring himself to call him “Senior Brother Sun.”

Sun Xuanji nodded.

Seeing this, the assembled officials’ expressions grew even more joyful. Just moments ago, they had been fretting about combat power and worried about the Buddhist sect’s strength.

In an instant, they had gained a Transcendent Realm artificer on their side.

Though the assembled officials weren’t cultivators themselves, they understood artificers well. The massive destructive power that artificers skilled in Qi cultivation and formations could unleash on the battlefield was incomparable to crude martial artists.

Yang Gong immediately ordered chairs brought over, having Sun Xuanji sit beside him. As for Guardian Yuan, he tactfully stood beside his Senior Brother.

After everyone was reseated, Yang Gong asked:

“How are things with the Director?”

Sun Xuanji glanced at Guardian Yuan, who understood immediately. After examining them with his clear blue eyes for a moment, he spoke in broken Great Feng official language:

“Master will contain the Garan Tree Bodhisattva and Senior Brother. You only need to hold Qing Province.”

The others didn’t ask further questions. That level of combat was beyond their ability to interfere—knowing the Director could hold back the rebel army’s Transcendent experts was enough.

This Sun Xuanji is too arrogant… Instead, Sun Xuanji’s attitude drew private criticism from Qing Province’s high officials.

However, Zhang Shen’s brow furrowed:

“The Director can contain the Garan Tree Bodhisattva, but he can’t contain Arantha’s other Bodhisattvas and Arhats. When the Western Region army arrives, the situation will be worrying.”

The civil and military officials’ faces fell, their smiles fading.

They weren’t afraid of fighting—they feared battles without hope or those whose outcome they could already see.

Hearing this, Sun Xuanji immediately looked at Guardian Yuan.

The latter was also looking at him, and after catching his thoughts, said:

“Don’t worry about the Buddhist sect. They have their hands full. Even if they send troops to attack Great Feng, the numbers won’t be large, and they certainly won’t deploy Transcendent Realm experts.”

Yang Gong turned to look in surprise.

Zhang Shen and Li Mubai also frowned—what did these words mean?

The high officials around the table looked at each other, momentarily unable to understand Guardian Yuan’s meaning.

After a few seconds, the Qing Province Governor tentatively asked:

“Did you just say we needn’t worry about the Buddhist sect?”

Guardian Yuan nodded.

Commander Zhou Mi added:

“They have their hands full?”

Guardian Yuan nodded again.

The council hall fell silent. For a brief moment, no one spoke as the officials’ faces showed strange and complex expressions—the kind that desperately wanted to ask follow-up questions but feared being too hasty and frightening away the answer.

The Qing Province Governor couldn’t help but lower his voice, asking in slightly trembling tones:

“What do you mean by this?”

Zhang Shen suddenly said:

“Come to think of it, why does Brother Sun have a demon race member with him?”

Guardian Yuan turned his head to look at Sun Xuanji again, and after catching his thoughts, said:

“I just returned from the Southern Border, where I worked with Xu Qi’an to break the seal on the Buddhist sect’s great enemy. The Southern Demons will take this opportunity to raise an army and attack the Ten Thousand Mountains to reclaim their territory. If the Buddhist sect sends a large army east, they’ll play right into the Southern Demons’ hands.”

Just returned from the Southern Border…

Worked with Detective Xu to break the seal on the Buddhist sect’s great enemy…

The Southern Demons are about to restore their nation and reclaim their old lands, leaving the Buddhist sect with their hands full…

The assembled officials were stunned by this heaven-sent good news, their faces blank as they failed to react for a long while.

“So that’s it!”

Yang Gong suddenly understood, sighing:

“I wondered why Xu Ning Yan hadn’t come to defend Qing Province—it turns out he had already made plans and secretly slipped away to the Southern Border to set fire to the Buddhist sect’s backyard. Using the Demon Nation to contain the Buddhist sect—brilliant, brilliant!”

Zhang Shen shook his head slightly: “Ning Yan truly deserves his reputation as a master of military strategy, with a profound understanding of tactics. Most admirable. This solves Great Feng’s greatest crisis.”

Li Mubai sighed: “Wei Yuan has a worthy successor.”

At this point, Qing Province’s high officials finally fully grasped the situation. The military officers excitedly slapped the table, while the civil officials’ faces filled with smiles. Everyone felt an inexplicable lightening of their shoulders, as if seeing light through the darkness.

Big Brother has quietly accomplished another great deed… Xu Xin Nian hurriedly asked:

“Was my brother injured? Why didn’t he come with you?”

Guardian Yuan spoke for Sun Xuanji:

“He’s still in the Southern Border. He won’t come to Qing Province anytime soon.”

Detective Xu must ensure the Southern Demons’ uprising succeeds… The officials nodded.

After speaking, Guardian Yuan said: “Why do you only mention Xu Qi’an, and not…”

Suddenly he couldn’t speak, his face turning red as he couldn’t breathe. He clutched his throat, appearing on the verge of death by suffocation.

The White Ape Guardian shook his head vigorously at Sun Xuanji, indicating he wouldn’t speak out of turn.

“Huff… huff…”

Only then did his breathing return as he gasped for air, his chest heaving violently.

The others didn’t understand this scene but tactfully didn’t ask. Yang Gong smiled and said:

“Let’s inform the troops of this news to raise morale. I’ve heard the frontline soldiers have all been hoping for Ning Yan to take command in Qing Province.”

The legend of Xu Qi’an at Yuyang Pass, where he single-handedly drove back the Witch God Cult’s army of 200,000 with just his blade and took the enemy general’s head, had deeply impressed people, especially battlefield soldiers who revered him like a deity.

Qing Province’s soldiers also yearned for Detective Xu to come, believing he could drive back a mere 60,000 rebels single-handedly with his blade.

“Yes, quickly!”

The Qing Province Governor smiled: “The rebels’ occupation of our nine border counties has greatly damaged our troops’ morale. This is the perfect time to spread this news to boost military spirits and stabilize civilian hearts.”

The importance of ideological construction cannot be ignored when the war situation is unfavorable.

…

In White Sand Prefecture.

In a garden behind a three-courtyard mansion.

In a pavilion, at a stone table, a white-robed artificer sat drinking tea with a Bodhisattva wearing kasaya robes that exposed half his chest.

“I never expected that even with Great Feng’s national power so weakened, Master Director would still have such strength. I never underestimated him, yet I still underestimated him,” Xu Pingfeng’s face was slightly pale.

The Garan Tree Bodhisattva held his teacup, his voice deep:

“Years ago, the first Director could fight three opponents at once without losing ground. Only when the Martial Emperor broke through to the capital and killed the degenerate emperor did his position become untenable, and we were able to kill him.

“That we two can now deadlock with him without victory or defeat is already cause for celebration. You should know that the Buddhist sect cannot spare another Bodhisattva to assist you. Bodhisattva Guangxian believes the Southern Demons will take this opportunity to rise and reclaim the Ten Thousand Mountains of the Southern Border.”

Xu Pingfeng slowly nodded:

“It’s true that the Southern Demons’ destiny is not yet exhausted. However, without territory, they are like castles in the air. Just wait another five hundred years, and the Southern Demons’ destiny will end.

“When will the Buddhist sect begin their eastern campaign against Lei Province?”

The Garan Tree Bodhisattva said:

“Once ArhatDue has finished mustering troops, he will contact me. When I entered the Central Plains, the Western Region countries were already preparing supplies and military provisions. It should be in the coming days.”

Xu Pingfeng nodded: “Excellent. With our armies coordinating from a distance, we can reach the capital within three months. By the time I arrive at the capital after refining destiny along the way, Master Director will be powerless to change anything.”

He smiled and took a sip of tea, asking:

“Is everything arranged in the Southern Border?”

The Garan Tree Bodhisattva nodded: “With Asura guarding the Ten Thousand Mountains, even the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox herself could do nothing against him.”

Xu Pingfeng laughed.

At this moment, the Garan Tree put down his teacup and extended his right hand, palm up.

A golden light rose from his palm, transforming into a golden bowl that projected a soft golden screen of light.

Within the light screen sat a young monk with red lips and white teeth, his expression solemn:

“Garan Tree, something has happened in the Southern Border.”

The young monk’s voice was ethereal and vast, as if coming from the horizon, impossible to tell if male or female, young or old.

The Garan Tree Bodhisattva’s expression remained unchanged: “What happened?”

The young monk said:

“Xu Qi’an and Sun Xuanji joined forces to defeat Asura, broke open the Sealing Tower, and took away Shen Shu’s limbs.”

Xu Pingfeng narrowed his eyes, causing ripples in the tea in his cup.

The Garan Tree Bodhisattva slowly asked: “How did he manage that?”

The young monk didn’t answer, continuing instead:

“I’ve already ordered Due to return to Arantha and deploy troops along the Southern Border to guard against the Southern Demons’ return.

“Shen Shu’s right arm sealed in Lake Sang escaped during the Lake Sang incident. The left arm sealed in the Pagoda has been taken by the Buddha’s Son. The torso fell into the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox’s hands long ago. Now with the legs also lost, except for the head, the body is complete.

“If I’m not mistaken, reclaiming the Ten Thousand Mountains is only the Southern Demons’ first step. They will take advantage of your absence from Arantha to attack it.

“The eastern campaign plan is canceled. I can only send twenty thousand elite troops to attack Lei Province as a diversion.

“Take care of yourself.”

The young monk’s image disappeared from the golden light screen.

The Garan Tree Bodhisattva and Xu Pingfeng fell silent.

…

Inside the fortress on the city wall, the assembled commanders received a reporting soldier.

“General!”

The soldier bowed with clasped hands and said: “The Divine Teacher sends word that the Western Region will send two elite armies to harass the Lei Province border as a diversion, but will not coordinate with us in attacking Great Feng.”

The various camp commanders’ expressions froze.

Qi Guangbo asked in a deep voice: “Why?”

The soldier said: “Xu Qi’an will join with the remnants of the Demon Nation to attack the Southern Border and Arantha. The Buddhist sect has deployed troops in preparation and has no attention to spare elsewhere.”

“What?”

“The Xu fellow is going to attack Arantha?”

“What makes him think he can? A mere Third Rank martial artist, attack Arantha?”

“The Buddhist sect is taking him too seriously.”

The various camp commanders were shocked and discussed angrily.

Xu Qi’an… Ji Xuan’s face darkened as he clenched his fists.

…

After the meeting ended, the starving Xu Xin Nian headed straight for the inner hall.

The lunch hour had already passed, and he hadn’t even had breakfast today, having attended the meeting with his teacher Zhang Shen to discuss military matters with Qing Province’s high officials.

Now his stomach was empty.

Crossing the threshold into the Administrative Office’s inner hall, what Xu Xin Nian saw was a table of messy dishes, with the plates licked completely clean.

From a table full of dishes, they hadn’t even left him a drop of soup.

This sister isn’t worth keeping… Xu Xin Nian silently turned and left.