After careful consideration, Xu Qi’an analyzed the current situation and said:
“Tell her to keep our master calm. I’ll handle the Holy Child matter. What she needs to consider now is not when I’ll come to rescue her, but how long she can delay.”
Venerable Heng Yuan replied, “Understood. This poor monk will relay your message word for word.”
Xu Qi’an then asked, “How’s your cultivation coming along recently?”
Venerable Heng Yuan answered, “I’m in the process of comprehending the Vajra Divine Skill. It will take between half a month to two months before I can step into its threshold.”
This meant that Venerable Heng Yuan’s true combat strength was already not far from the Fourth Realm, and with the Vajra Divine Skill, he was qualified to challenge the Third Realm Vajra State… Xu Qi’an was delighted.
Before parting, he had taught the Vajra Divine Skill to Venerable Heng Yuan. Cultivating this skill required specific aptitude, but he believed that Venerable Heng Yuan, bearing the fruit of an Arhat, would be able to master it.
This was beyond doubt.
“Mastering the Vajra Divine Skill is a prerequisite for entering the Third Realm Vajra State. Venerable Heng Yuan will be at least Third Realm in the future, which means I’ll have a Vajra as my enforcer. The early investment in Venerable Heng Yuan is finally showing signs of paying off…”
Xu Qi’an’s mood immediately improved, and he asked, “What about Chu Yuanzhen?”
“Benefactor Chu has yet to forge his path of the sword,” Venerable Heng Yuan said.
Xu Qi’an sighed.
Ah, this foolish child, refusing to wear Pin Ru’s clothes and insisting on wearing Meters/bonwe — not taking the conventional path.
Is it so easy to forge a new path? If Chu Yuanzhen could succeed, he might be the most terrifyingly talented member of the Heaven and Earth Society.
However, to be fair, the secret technique of Nurturing Intent was indeed powerful. It was an indirect way of accumulating power. Given enough time, even a novice could burst out with enough power to slay a master.
Back then, Chu Yuanzhen’s decade of sword intent, unleashed in a single stroke, directly broke through a Third Realm warrior’s physical defense, causing significant damage.
Ending the private conversation, Xu Qi’an turned his back, carefully put away the Earth Book fragment, and walked towards the cemetery exit.
Mu Nancun sat on the little mare, holding the small white fox in her arms. Xu Qi’an led the horse, walking side by side with Li Lingsu, while the puppet Heng Yin walked in front.
“What’s the deal with the Celestial Sect’s Supreme Detachment?” Xu Qi’an suddenly asked.
Didn’t I already explain this to you in your dream back in Ping Province… Li Lingsu thought to himself, then smiled and said, “Tranquil and unmoved by emotions, as if forgotten.”
You’d better speak plainly! Xu Qi’an gave him a sidelong glance.
“It’s quite simple. According to the Celestial Sect’s sacred texts and my understanding, Supreme Detachment is rooted in ‘forgetting.’ What is forgetting? Is it simply forgetting? No. Is it being emotionless? Also no.”
Li Lingsu expounded, “It’s having emotions, yet transcending them. Not being bound by emotions, not being trapped by emotions, and reaching a level of detached observation. Let me give you an example: if you had to choose between saving all the people in the world and saving one person, how would you choose, senior?”
Suddenly turning philosophical… Xu Qi’an pondered for a moment but didn’t answer, feeling that his response might reveal too much about his personality.
Li Lingsu waited for a moment, but when no answer came from Xu Qian, he continued on his own:
“Normally, people would choose to save the masses and abandon the individual. If that one person were a loved one, they might choose to save the individual and abandon the masses. Why? Because when making the choice, they’re trapped by ’emotion.’
“Those who have achieved Supreme Detachment would choose to save the masses rather than the individual, even if that person were a family member.”
Xu Qi’an pondered, “In that case, isn’t Li Miaozhen’s upholding of justice and putting the world’s people first exactly Supreme Detachment?”
“No, no, no!” Li Lingsu shook his head repeatedly. “Her heroic deeds and meddling in affairs are precisely manifestations of being ‘trapped by emotion.’ It’s her sense of justice driving her to eliminate evil. Besides, if Sister Li Miaozhen truly fell in love with a man, I guarantee she would choose to save that one person and abandon the masses.”
“So you’re saying your approach is correct?” Xu Qi’an asked with a smile.
“Naturally!” Li Lingsu raised his chin proudly.
Then, he noticed something off about Xu Qian’s gaze. The Celestial Sect’s Holy Child felt a chill in his heart. “Why are you looking at me like that, senior?”
Xu Qi’an smiled without speaking.
“Your gaze makes me very uneasy, senior,” Li Lingsu pressed.
Xu Qi’an continued to smile silently.
If Supreme Detachment were a math problem asking what 1+1 equals, Li Miaozhen’s answer would be “3,” while the Celestial Sect’s Holy Child would laugh and say:
“Fool, it equals 9.”
Little did he know that behind him, the math teacher was holding a pointer and smiling ominously.
Regarding how to rescue Li Miaozhen, Xu Qi’an’s idea was to stall, to delay until the Seven Absolutes Gu advanced another level, before considering how to save her.
As long as he could “control” Li Lingsu well, they could keep the Celestial Sect experts running in circles. The “Star-Shifting” ability of the Celestial Gu was an even stronger concealment method than blocking heavenly mechanisms.
Once he had enough strength and adequate preparation, he could then use Li Lingsu as bait.
“If handled well, I might even be able to use the Celestial Sect’s power against the Buddhist sect and the Shaman Deity Cult, as well as Xu Pingfeng…”
Thinking of this, Xu Qi’an asked, “By the way, what’s your master’s cultivation level?”
“Third Realm Yang Spirit,” Li Lingsu replied.
Very good… Xu Qi’an smiled.
As they walked, he suddenly noticed a deep pit that had collapsed in the distance. While suppressing his itching curiosity, he said:
“I have some business to attend to. You all head back to the inn first.”
The others didn’t question him and continued on their way.
The little white fox peeked out from Mu Nancun’s arms, waving its small paw.
Watching their figures grow distant and eventually disappear, Xu Qi’an eagerly dove into the deep pit, as if returning home, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
…
In a small city on the border of Qing Province, Guanghan Commandery.
In the best restaurant in the city, “Xiangshan Residence,” Ji Xuan was happily eating a plate of deep-fried insect pupae in a private room.
“Delicious! Though it looks unappealing, it has a unique flavor. Little sister Yuan Shuang, want to try a plate?”
Xu Yuanshuang’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she hadn’t touched her chopsticks for a while, which seemingly affected her appetite.
In the spacious private room, there were seven people in total: the bright-eyed and beautiful Xu Yuanshuang; Xu Yuanhuai, who habitually maintained a cold and serious expression; and the core figure of this team, Ji Xuan.
Besides these three, the other four from left to right were: Old Daoist Jiao Ye, wearing a starched white Daoist robe, with a goatee, graying hair, and deep crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes.
Daoist Jiao Ye was a wandering Daoist priest, skilled in medicine, fortune-telling, and divination. He had spent half his life on these “unorthodox practices,” and his cultivation wasn’t high.
But in the jianghu, an experienced elder with diverse knowledge was often more valuable than a warrior at the Transformation Stage.
Next was a gaunt man wearing a colorful, patchy robe named Qi Huan Dan Xiang. He was a wandering Gu master from the Heart Gu Sect. While in Yun Province, he encountered a local gentry bullying commoners and used his poisonous insects to exterminate the entire family.
This incident clearly showed his extreme personality.
As a result, he was wanted by the Yun Province authorities. Later, by chance, he joined the Hidden Dragon City and became a guest official at the City Lord’s mansion.
To Qi Huan Dan Xiang’s left was a ravishingly beautiful woman with a delicate face, flame-red lips, and large, alluring eyes that seemed to captivate people. Despite the early winter, she wore a thin gauze dress that exposed her fragrant shoulders, waist, and lower legs, fully displaying the allure of a mature woman.
Her name was Liu Hongmian. She came from the Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion in Sword Province. After losing the competition for the position of pavilion mistress to her junior sister Xiao Yuenu, she angrily left Sword Province and was recruited by Hidden Dragon City, becoming a guest official at the City Lord’s mansion.
The last person was of special status; he couldn’t be called a person. Though his outward appearance was that of a strong, imposing man, his true form was a white tiger.
He was one of the Four Leaders of the Twenty-Eight Constellations organization, cultivated by Imperial Tutor Xu Pingfeng – the White Tiger.
Each of these four possessed unique abilities and exceptional skills. With Xu Yuanshuang’s presence as a mage, the team had virtually no weaknesses.
Qi Huan Dan Xiang, the Heart Gu Master, smiled and said:
“Western Qing Province borders the Southern Frontier, and this way of eating came from our region. However, the Central Plains people are more particular, knowing to use deep-frying and spices to remove the gamey taste. In the Southern Frontier, people mostly eat these things raw, or boiled in water, at most with some salt sprinkled on top.”
Ji Xuan quickly finished a plate, picked up his wine cup and took a sip, then sighed:
“The Purple Yang Hermit truly lives up to being an orthodox Confucian, governing Qing Province so orderly. If Hidden Dragon City could gain the support of orthodox Confucianism, how could our great cause not succeed? Yuanhuai, why do you think the Imperial Tutor doesn’t seek out the Confucians?”
The stern and cold young man frowned at the question, pondered briefly, then shook his head.
Xu Yuanshuang said coolly: “Because Great Shang’s destiny is not yet exhausted. Confucians value and understand destiny the most. When Confucians take action, it means the dynasty’s fate is at an end. For example, when Great Scholar Qian Zhong shattered the Great Zhou dragon vein, cutting off Great Zhou’s last thread of destiny.
“When Emperor Wuzong plotted rebellion, the Confucians neither helped nor hindered. This is a good thing, proving that this time, the Confucians will also stand by. Once Uncle ascends the throne and replaces Great Shang, do you think we’ll have trouble using the Confucians?”
Ji Xuan gave a thumbs up: “If little sister Yuanshuang were a man, she’d make a fine Prime Minister.”
Xu Yuanshuang’s expression remained cold, and she didn’t respond.
Ji Xuan stroked his chin, gave a dry laugh, looked around at everyone, and said:
“Yesterday we received a secret report from our Shadow Guards. The first dragon vein appeared in the Three Flowers Temple in Lei Province, attached to the Pagoda of Buddha. Ten days ago, jianghu figures in Lei Province clashed with the Three Flowers Temple over this matter.”
The Shadow Guards were a spy organization cultivated by Hidden Dragon City, spread throughout the thirteen provinces of the Central Plains, specializing in intelligence gathering, similar to the Nightwatchmen’s undercover agents.
Xu Yuanshuang’s eyes lit up, and she asked: “What was the outcome?”
Ji Xuan clicked his tongue twice and said: “According to a Lei Province martial artist who participated in the event, the dragon vein was taken by Sun Xuanji of the Ministry of Astrology and someone called Xu Qian, along with the Pagoda of Buddha. Hmm, right under the noses of Dunan Jingang and Yierbu.”
Sun Xuanji had erased the “existence” of the Pagoda of Buddha and everyone inside it at the time. As those jianghu figures left, “exposing” it to public view, the heavenly mechanism concealment technique naturally broke.
Just as when Xu Pingfeng appeared in the capital in full public view, the heavenly mechanism concealment technique immediately failed.
Old Daoist Jiao Ye stroked his beard and said:
“This is just as we expected. The Ministry of Astrology is collecting dragon veins, and their progress is faster than ours. They’ve already obtained one of the nine dragon veins. Moreover, the Buddhist sect is indeed also collecting dragon veins, and the Shaman Deity Cult surely won’t miss this once-in-a-millennium opportunity.
“The waters are very muddy. Also, who is this Xu Qian?”
Liu Hongmian, from the Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion, laughed coquettishly:
“Muddy waters have their advantages too. When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits.”
“Miss Hongmian is quite right,” Ji Xuan nodded in agreement, then answered Old Daoist Jiao Ye:
“Our Shadow Guards couldn’t uncover this person’s background. They only know he’s skilled in poisons, likely someone from the Gu Clan.”
Everyone immediately looked at Qi Huan Dan Xiang. The Heart Gu Master frowned: “This is a Central Plains name, and appearance can be disguised. But to snatch a dragon vein from the hands of two Third Realm experts, this person is certainly no ordinary individual.”
“So, can you guess his identity?” Ji Xuan asked.
Qi Huan Dan Xiang shook his head:
“Although Gu techniques are rarely passed outside the clan, there are exceptions. For instance, people from the Love Gu branch like to entangle outsiders, forcibly keeping them in the clan.
“Those afflicted by Love Gu, whether willingly or helplessly, stay with the Gu Clan and, over time, learn Gu techniques. Once they escape, these techniques spread to various places. Anyone below the Fourth Realm could potentially know them, so we can’t be certain it’s someone from the Gu Clan.”
The White Tiger said coolly: “Could it be Xu Qi’an?”
Xu Yuanshuang and Xu Yuanhuai both raised their eyebrows simultaneously.
Ji Xuan frowned: “Baseless speculation will only affect our judgment.”
Qi Huan Dan Xiang added: “Gu cultivation is difficult and requires implanting a natal Gu from childhood. That Xu Qi’an is a martial artist; he couldn’t possibly switch to Gu cultivation overnight and achieve a certain level of proficiency.”
The White Tiger nodded.
Liu Hongmian giggled: “What a pity. I’ve heard that Xu Qi’an is a romantic playboy, a regular at the capital’s teaching houses. If it were him, my feminine charms would be almost guaranteed to work.”
Xu Yuanshuang snorted: “Foolish. Is he the type to lose his way at the sight of a woman?”
Liu Hongmian’s smile remained unchanged, alluringly charming: “I don’t need to scheme against him for anything. I just want to sleep with him, that’s all. Oh? Little sister Yuanshuang seems displeased. I understand now, you also fancy Bronze Gong Xu.”
“Bang!” Xu Yuanshuang stood up, slamming the table, and shouted angrily: “What did you say?!”
These guest officials didn’t know about Xu Qi’an’s background.
Ji Xuan joked with a smile: “If Miss Hongmian wants to sleep with Xu Qi’an, you’re welcome to go to the capital to find him. But before that, we need to make a trip to Yong Province.”
“Yong Province?” Old Daoist Jiao Ye asked.
“A martial arts assembly will be held in Yong Province soon. It’s said to be jointly organized by local jianghu powers, the Gong Sun family, and Dragon God Fort, to rank the top martial artists of Yong Province. Anyone looking to make a name for themselves will go to Yong Province,” Ji Xuan said.
Old Daoist Jiao Ye suddenly understood, stroking his beard and laughing heartily: “At that time, we can identify those possessed by dragon veins among these people.”
…
Ministry of Astrology, underground.
Yang Qianhuan stood at the doorway of a certain room, his back of the head facing Zhong Li inside, and said in a deep voice:
“Junior Sister Zhong, I won’t be staying with you anymore. The teacher has agreed to let me out.”
The disheveled Zhong Li was startled, her soft voice asking: “Has Senior Brother Yang given up on the idea of regicide?”
Yang Qianhuan snorted: “Let that little emperor enjoy himself for a few days. If he follows in Yuan Jing’s footsteps in the future, I, Yang Qianhuan, will behead him in front of the three million citizens of the capital in the Golden Palace Hall.”
He wouldn’t admit that it was because he had submitted that the Astrology Director had shown leniency and let him out.
Yesterday, the Crown Prince had ascended the throne, changing the era name to “Yongxing.”
“The capital’s citizens can’t see the Golden Palace Hall…” Zhong Li muttered softly.
“What did you say?” Yang Qianhuan didn’t hear clearly.
Zhong Li shook her head and just said: “Then haven’t you lost your goal? What’s the point of going out?”
Yang Qianhuan’s back of the head stared at her intensely:
“I’ve long thought about how to make a name for myself and have detailed plans. That scoundrel Xu Qi’an isn’t in the capital, it’s a rare opportunity. If I don’t rise now, when will I?
“When he returns to the capital in the future, he’ll find that the capital’s citizens no longer remember Bronze Gong Xu, only Yang Qianhuan in their hearts.”
Senior Brother Yang’s tone exuded calm confidence.
Zhong Li asked curiously: “What good method does Senior Brother Yang have?”