In the warm hall of the courier station, heated by beast-gold charcoal, Xu Yuanshuang took out a sound transmission conch and activated the magical device using secret sorcerer techniques.

This sound transmission conch was an extremely precious magical device. Though her father, as a Second Rank sorcerer, possessed countless supreme-grade magical devices, he only had one pair of these devices capable of transmitting sound across ten thousand li.

Its preciousness lay not in the difficulty of its crafting, nor the grade of formations integrated within it. Rather, it was a matter of the most basic raw materials.

The sound transmission conch creatures were said to possess divine demon bloodlines, albeit extremely diluted ones. They could emit sound waves inaudible to mortals, allowing communication with their kind thousands of li away.

However, sound transmission conches were now on the verge of extinction. This pair her father possessed had been brought out from the Bureau of Astronomy and Calendar years ago. In the twenty years since he hadn’t found another living specimen.

“Senior Brother Ge…” she called into the conch’s opening.

After several breaths, Ge Wenxuan’s voice emerged from the magical device:

“Have you arrived in the capital? Give the conch to Ji Yuan.”

When sound transmission conches were refined into magical devices, special sound transmission formations were integrated. They could only communicate with other conches containing similar formations.

Simply put, it was an encrypted communication function – only conches from the same batch could communicate with each other.

Xu Yuanshuang tossed the conch to Ji Yuan beside her. He caught it clumsily while complaining:

“We only have two sound transmission conches in all of Cloud Province. What if it breaks…”

As he spoke, he held the device to his ear, his expression turning serious as he said:

“The delegation has arrived in the capital, but we haven’t seen Xu Qi’an.”

Ge Wenxuan pondered before saying:

“Given his personality, if he were confident and held the upper hand, he would have given you a show of force today.”

Ji Yuan smiled and said:

“I learned something interesting today – that Xu Qi’an had a falling out with the young emperor, seemingly over peace negotiations.”

Ge Wenxuan asked in surprise:

“How did you learn this?”

How could someone who had just arrived in the capital, with no foundation here, discover palace matters so quickly?

Had the Great Feng dynasty’s court become so unstable that it was on the verge of collapse?

Ji Yuan explained:

“Before sunset, Noble Consort Chen secretly sent someone to meet me, saying she was an old acquaintance of the National Teacher. She hoped he could show mercy during negotiations for the sake of their past relationship.”

After a moment of silence, Ge Wenxuan sighed:

“The National Teacher’s pawns are everywhere, truly omnipresent… Keep Noble Consort Chen stable and try to extract more intelligence from her.

“Additionally, peace talks are only one objective. The other is to find ways to drive a wedge between Xu Qi’an and the young emperor, adding chaos to chaos. During this process, remember to probe Xu Qi’an to see what cards he holds.

“Though the Divine Observer is sealed, no one can guess what contingencies he might have left behind.”

Ji Yuan snickered:

“I can’t wait to meet this Xu fellow and get revenge for my Seventh Brother.”

Ge Wenxuan said coolly:

“Mind your limits. The greater mission takes priority.”

Ji Yuan fanned himself with his silver-boned fan and smiled:

“I understand. Xu Qi’an will be meat on the chopping block sooner or later.”

…

Fifteen lie outside the West City Gate.

Asura… Xu Qi’an stared at the tall figure wearing red and yellow kasaya robes ahead. His mind raced with countless thoughts as sudden realizations struck.

He understood many things, yet simultaneously found more questions arising.

“You… are Number Eight?!”

He maintained a relatively safe distance while staring at the other party in shock.

Asura played with a jade mirror as he replied calmly:

“If I weren’t, do you think it would have been so easy to seize Shen Shu’s severed limb that day?”

He chuckled:

“If I had fought at full strength then, I could have taken your head within fifty moves, then sealed and slowly ground you to death.”

So he did hold back… Xu Qi’an silently exhaled.

After Luo Yuheng’s reminder, he noticed that Asura might have been holding back. Later, when discussing it with the Nine-Tailed Fox, they concluded that either this was a Buddhist trap, or Asura had other schemes, such as trying to seize benefits and advance to First Rank.

Now it seemed he did have other schemes, but not for advancing to First Rank – rather, it was to help his fellow group chat member.

How did Master Golden Lotus develop this guy as an underling? That’s too impressive. It’s as if I, Constable Xu, had developed the Divine Observer as an underlying… I thought he was just an unorthodox Daoist who fell in love with cats…

Xu Qi’an took a deep breath. With countless questions in his heart, he asked:

“Why would you do this?”

Asura played with the jade mirror while gazing westward. His expression remained neutral, but his tone suddenly turned heavy with history:

“The Buddhist sect killed your father, killed your clansmen, and brainwashed you into their most devout believer.

“If it were you, what would you have done?”

Damn them… Xu Qi’an carefully said:

“Once one enters Buddhism, all becomes void. How did you deceive them?”

Asura smiled:

“What if I told you that the Monster Nation Ruler deliberately killed me back then?

“She knew the history of the Asura clan. Although we Asuras were the most devout Buddhist believers at the time, as long as we could break free from the influence of ‘all is void,’ the Asura clan could rediscover ourselves.

“And death was the only way.”

Xu Qi’an pondered:

“And at that time, Bodhisattva Guangxian used the ‘Great Reincarnation Dharma Image’ to send fallen Buddhist masters to reincarnate and cultivate again. He certainly wouldn’t have let a peak Second Rank expert like you die.

“So you became a holder of the Earth Book fragment before returning to your original self.”

Asura nodded slowly:

“Master Golden Lotus could see the depth of a person’s fortune. He said I was someone with great fortune, so he gave me the Earth Book fragment.

“But I believe he must have guessed my connection to Buddhism.”

Xu Qi’an nodded at these words, then quickly shook his head:

“Not guessed – investigated. After giving you the Earth Book fragment, he probably investigated your ancestral line back eighteen generations.”

As he said this, he recalled how Master Golden Lotus had lurked in the capital to investigate and observe him after giving him the Earth Book fragment.

During his time in the capital, Master Golden Lotus had figured out about half of his background as a lowly constable.

The other half was blocked by the Divine Observer.

Xu Qi’an remembered Master Golden Lotus once saying – you are an important piece in the Divine Observer’s game.

If not for the Divine Observer’s interference, except for the matter of transmigration, Master Golden Lotus would have known everything about “Xu Qi’an” down to the color of his underwear.

Of course, a treasure like the Earth Book couldn’t be given away lightly. It was only natural for the orange cat master to observe and investigate its recipients.

Asura continued:

“Later I remained in seclusion to cultivate until I saw my true self and understood my past life. Then I returned to Buddhism.”

Xu Qi’an caught a bug in the story and asked in confusion:

“If that’s the case, how did you deceive the Bodhisattvas? In South Border, you deliberately let me take Shen Shu’s severed limb – the Bodhisattvas couldn’t have ignored that.”

Returning to Buddhism meant being brainwashed again.

Even if that hadn’t happened, when Asura played his part in South Border, the Bodhisattvas would surely have seen through it.

Hearing this, Asura revealed a slight smile:

“I mentioned earlier that Master Golden Lotus knew of my connection to Buddhism. So, do you think he would give the Earth Book fragment to a completely devout Buddhist believer?”

Xu Qi’an vaguely grasped something and pondered:

“You mean…”

Asura didn’t keep him guessing and said calmly:

“Before I returned to my original self, he taught me the Daoist art of One Qi Transforms into Three Clearnesses.”

As expected… Xu Qi’an’s pupils dilated slightly.

“The returned Asura was indeed the most devout Buddhist believer – once entering Buddhism, all became void. But the other Asura wasn’t. He was my truest self, the self that hated Buddhism. One person as three, when separated, I was the true Asura, a completely independent entity. Even the Bodhisattvas couldn’t detect anything amiss.

“Three as one, when I merged with the other Asura, he would help me see my true self and break free from the influence of ‘all is void.’

“Of course, the art of One Qi Transforms into Three Clearnesses is too profound. I can only create one avatar now, but it’s enough as a ‘coordinate.'”

Asura smiled:

“Do you understand now?”

So that’s how it is. This explains all the questionable points. Master Golden Lotus said a few days ago that he had confirmed Number Eight’s emergence. He must have known Number Eight’s identity and known that the last Demon Sealing Nail in my body was taken care of, yet he deliberately didn’t tell me, letting me worry for so many days. Was it because since his emergence, I’ve repeatedly made him question life, so he wanted revenge?

Some people appear to be kindly seniors on the surface but are petty orange cats behind the scenes… Xu Qi’an suddenly understood. He then probed:

“Then your purpose in coming to the capital…”

Asura raised his hairless eyebrow and said flatly:

“Naturally, it’s to remove your last Demon Sealing Nail.

“The Divine Observer has been sealed. If I don’t help, you and Great Feng will surely perish.

“Then my plans for revenge against Buddhism would certainly come to nothing. However, this means I can no longer lurk in Arantuo.”

Three years and three more years, you even reached peak Second Rank in Buddhism… Xu Qi’an silently complained, though his mood was quite good.

Asura suddenly remembered something and said:

“Oh right, when the Divine Observer was sealed that day, Arantuo manifested the Mahavairocana Dharma Image – the Buddha intervened.”

“You’re certain it was the Buddha?”

Xu Qi’an was shocked.

At the same time, he resolved a doubt in his heart – the Beyond Rank expert behind Cloud Province was the one from Arantuo.

The Divine Observer had it tough; his defeat wasn’t in vain.

“In that case, the Mahavairocana Dharma Image that appeared in the Demon Purge Battle five hundred years ago has an explanation.”

Asura continued the topic:

“After the South Border battle ended and we returned to Arantuo, ArhatDue and I secretly investigated and discovered some clues.”

He then told Xu Qi’an about the breathing sounds heard in the Demon Suppression Ravine and the cries for help from Chan Grove.

Damn… Xu Qi’an felt a long-absent tingling in his scalp.

Of the two locations, one must contain Shen Shu’s head, most likely the Demon Suppression Ravine. With the Confucian Sage statue destroyed, the seal was presumably gone as well.

So what were those cries for help from the Bodhi tree about…

Seeing him lost in thought, Asura waited patiently before asking:

“What’s your view?”

He knew Xu Qi’an had deep experience and talent in this area.

Xu Qi’an thought for a moment and said:

“First, according to our second hypothesis back then – the Buddha and Shen Shu are the same people, different aspects.

“The Confucian Sage statue is destroyed and the seal is broken – this matches what happened five hundred years ago.”

Asura nodded:

“You said if the Confucian Sage statue was destroyed, then the second hypothesis would be true. But how do you explain the cries for help?”

Xu Qi’an said word by word:

“Hasn’t Buddhism’s Bodhisattva Faji been missing for over three hundred years?”

In that instant, Asura’s pupils suddenly contracted, his breath slightly disturbed.

Xu Qi’an continued:

“Of course, this is just my baseless speculation, lacking evidence. We can’t confirm the second hypothesis is true yet. If the first hypothesis is true, then this matter becomes even more complex.

“But regardless, now is not the time to unveil the Buddha’s mysterious face.”

Asura agreed with his view:

“The time isn’t right.

“I’ve come all this way east but haven’t yet seen Master Golden Lotus. Let’s not waste time – after removing the Demon Sealing Nail, I must leave the capital.”

Xu Qi’an immediately summoned the Pagoda of All-Gathering and brought them both to the second level.

In the second level space, rows of wrathful Vajra statues created an austere pressure permeating the area.

Chai Xing’er sensed people entering and opened her eyes, curiously examining the nearly nine-foot-tall Asura.

This person was Buddhist, and despite his ugliness, gave off an impression of martial excellence.

“The last Demon Sealing Nail is in the Jique point of the Ren Meridian. This is one of the four nails I can remove – you’re very fortunate.”

Asura examined him and nodded slightly.

“Let’s begin!”

Xu Qi’an said.

He chose to remove the nail here mainly because the Pagoda Spirit Old Monk was watching. If Asura turned out to be a nested traitor, he and the Pagoda Spirit Old Monk could engage this young Asura King in battle.

Asura extended his right index finger and lightly touched the Jique point.

His finger lit up with golden lightning that connected with the Demon Sealing Nail.

Xu Qi’an closed his eyes as grand Buddhist chants rang in his ears while his Jique point stabbed with pain.

“Ha!”

Asura roared softly, his fingernails instantly thickening as muscles rippled across his powerful physique.

The Demon Sealing Nail was pulled out inch by inch… During this process, Asura gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, facial muscles twitching slightly.

Golden lightning bathed the entire second level in brilliant radiance.

Ding!

Finally, the Demon Sealing Nail was completely removed and fell to the ground.

Asura’s energy rapidly declined as his chest heaved with heavy breaths, showing massive exhaustion.

In this silence, Xu Qi’an slowly opened his eyes.

The energy gained through dual cultivation and painstakingly accumulated suddenly connected through the Ren and Du Meridians, fully awakening with no more suppression.

Like an ancient sleeping beast awakening, terrifying power filled the entire space in that instant.

Boom!

The Pagoda of All-Gathering shook violently as if containing a beast beyond its level.

On the third level, the Pagoda Spirit Old Monk narrowed his eyes and muttered:

“Such profound foundation…”

In the world-ending tremors, Chai Xing’er crawled on the ground, trembling. Her heart pounded harder and harder in her chest, feeling like it might burst at any moment.

Third Rank Grand Completion!