This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 390 is finished; the identity of the Original Heart Path has been exposed.
"What a great way to spread the teachings throughout the world! Dajue Temple is truly full of living Buddhas, and golden statues are no better than dogs. I admire you."

“What a great Bodhisattva Guanyin! You dare to speak ill of the Bodhisattva in front of a monk! You are incredibly audacious. I am filled with admiration.”

Both of them had their own complaints, but Lingxiu was even more disgusted. She tore the note to shreds and mocked, "Is the benefactor perhaps mistaken for a celestial demon by the Bodhisattva and converted on the spot?"

"If that's what you say, I won't argue with it."

Xiang Yuan shrugged. "It may be outrageous, but that's the truth. He's just telling the whole truth."

In contrast, Lingxiu always spouts off about moral high ground and mentions Buddhism...

Oh, Buddhism, then that's fine.

The two stared at each other, both feeling disgusted; they had never seen such a shameless person.

There was no point in saying more than necessary. Xiang Yuan turned to leave, but as soon as he stood up, his heart skipped a beat. He turned back, looked Lingxiu up and down, and came up with a somewhat outlandish, yet not impossible, guess.

The mastermind behind it all... is Abbot Huixing of Dajue Temple!
Unable to find a way to divine the truth, Bai Wuyan told Xiang Yuan that the mastermind was hiding in the East, which, according to the map of Qianyuan Realm, was located within the territory of Southern Jin.

Considering that Bai Wuyan ended up vomiting blood from all the divination, her predictions should be taken with a grain of salt and not taken seriously.

Although the simple-minded old Taoist didn't reveal who the mastermind was, his early escape and refusal to tell them in person could be considered a hint, indicating that the mastermind was highly skilled, and the simple-minded old Taoist couldn't directly expose their identity.

In this way, the suspicion immediately arose that the gambling match had won against the dim-witted Abbot Huixing.

Looking at Dajue Temple's completely different, worldly attitude, which happened just before the chaos in Western Chu, Xiang Yuan didn't believe there wasn't something fishy going on.

Tell me quickly, your Dajue Temple is the mastermind behind this!

"To benefactor Xiang?"

Lingxiu felt a chill run down her spine from Xiang Yuan's strange gaze, sensing that he intended to frame her and slander her reputation as a proper Buddhist practitioner.

"I suddenly remembered something. Your secular name was Liu Xiu, right?"

“This humble monk did indeed say that.”

"It's a coincidence, isn't it? I know someone named Liu Che, who calls me 'elder brother.' According to him, he has a son named Liu Xiu."

With one hand behind his back and his head held high, Xiang Yuan asked, "Given this relationship, what should my nephew call me?"

Lingxiu's eyes twitched violently, and he put his hands together and said, "This humble monk is a Buddhist monk."

"Do monks also have godfathers?"

"To spread the Dharma."

“Alright, let’s do it according to our relationship in spreading Buddhism. You and I are both adopted sons of King Zhao, so I, as your elder brother, should address you. What should you call me, my virtuous brother?”

"..."

Lingxiu refused no matter what he said. He was told to call Xiangyuan "brother," but that was impossible, and calling him "uncle" was even more out of the question.

I'd rather lose my hair than let a shameless person take advantage of me.

"Can't take it or put it down, and you call yourself a monk?"

Xiang Yuan snorted twice and left, walking with the gait of an uncle and elder brother, his shoulders swinging back and forth, looking particularly irritating.

Not long after he left, he hesitated for a moment, then went to the courtyard where Xiao Lingyan was. They glared at each other for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before he left politely and gracefully.

Regardless, the marriage contract still exists. He should greet Xiao Lingyan when he arrives at the Prince Zhao's residence. Otherwise, the young lady will lose face and be gossiped about by busybodies in the Prince Zhao's residence.

Xiang Yuan didn't mention Cheng Yuling's name as the one who was stirring up trouble.

After performing the routine of burning an incense stick, he returned to Xiao Lingyue's courtyard, only to receive two eye rolls in return.

She saw it all!
Xiang Yuan pretended not to see the lady's eye roll, leaned in and kissed her, and got straight to the point, suspecting that Dajue Temple was the mastermind. This left Xiao Lingyue helpless, and she had no choice but to change the subject.

Even if Dajue Temple is not the mastermind, it has another purpose in coming here.

Xiang Yuan pondered for a moment, then shook his head slightly: "There's no point in saying these things now. In a while, someone from the Divine Capital will come and bring together the princes on the list to a table..."

He explained the outrageous actions of the capital city, leaving Xiao Lingyue speechless.

Whoever rises to prominence unexpectedly and has the most backers is likely a puppet supported by the mastermind behind the scenes. According to the logic of the Xiao family of Shendu, the case is already solved without any investigation; the Zhao Prince's Mansion is the suspect.

Xiang Yuan raised his hand and pressed it against Xiao Lingyue's chin, nodding emphatically. "No doubt about it, your Xiao family is just that unreliable."

What surprised Xiao Lingyue was not the Xiao family's approach to solving the case, but Xiang Yuan's excellent information network; he knew everything, both what he should and shouldn't know.

"Having connections is like this; I can really make a difference in the capital city."

Xiang Yuan winked at Xiao Lingyue, then took her soft hand and kissed it: "Hehe, my wife, you wouldn't want your father to fail to become emperor because you neglected your husband, would you?"

Xiao Lingyue spat lightly, "Where did you learn those words? How could they be so vulgar!"

……

Just as Xiang Yuan had said, people from Shendu did indeed come.

The visitor was Xiao Yin. He told Xiao Yan to make preparations, take a few personal guards, and accompany him to the capital. The clan had summoned him, so everything should be done quickly and without delay.

Xiao Yin didn't say what the matter was, but Xiao Yan followed the instructions and quickly gathered five attendants.

The eight sons, He Yuanzhi, the nineteenth son, Fang Qixian, and the thirty-fourth son, Gu An, are all unremarkable, fitting the stereotype of the Zhaowang Mansion's nouveau riche lacking in foundation.

The appearance of Xiang Yuan and Ling Xiu made Xiao Yin's scalp tingle. Putting aside the possibility, he couldn't defeat either of these two grandmasters.

Xiao Yin had met Xiang Yuan and knew that he was already bound to the Zhao Prince's Mansion, so it was not surprising that he was protecting Xiao Yan. But what about the master of Dajue Temple? What happened to the six senses?
Xiao Lingyue did not accompany them. At present, the Zhaowang Mansion must have a Grandmaster in charge. While setting up a spatial restriction, Xiang Yuan also told Xiao Lingyue that if a powerful enemy came, there was no need to worry. Just beat them to death.

Also, just borrow Silver Moon Wheel directly. We've been best friends for a lifetime, so there's no need to be polite with Chan'er.

Presenting the facts and reasoning with them, I wasn't polite to their faces that night, so there was even less reason to be polite behind their backs.

With the three grandmasters leading the way, the journey from Zhen Dian Prefecture to Shen Du was only a short while. Xiao Yin led the way, and the Zhaowang Mansion group did not directly enter the Shen Du Imperial City, but stopped at a temporary palace in the eastern suburbs.

This palace was built deep in the mountains and concealed by a formation, with the main feature being its transparency.

Green tiles and white walls are hidden among the lush greenery, and flying eaves and brackets are half-hidden in the clouds. The words "Qiyun" are hung on the main gate, and the gold paint has long been mottled, showing the accumulation of time.

Inside the palace compound, numerous chairs were arranged. Looking into the distance, one could vaguely discern five camps. Based on the list of names circulating in recent rumors, it became clear which five camps these were.

Aside from the Xiao clan representing the capital, there are four princes who are most likely to reach the top.

King Zhao, Xiao Yan.

King Jing, Xiao Ning.

Xiao Lei, the King of Music.

Kang Wang Xiao Jia.

The Xiao family generally did not bestow titles upon princes, and even if they did, they rarely granted them real power.

Of these four princes, apart from Xiao Yan who had a special mission related to the position of Grand Administrator of the Mountain Road, the other three princes inherited their titles from their ancestors and experienced ups and downs, achieving success in this generation.

Prince Jing, Xiao Ning, studied with the old emperor since childhood, shared a study room with him, and even shared spoils with him.

Whether there was anything more to it is hard to say, but their friendship, like playing in the mud and peeing together, is definitely real. When the elder brother became rich, he bestowed wealth upon his younger brother. Xiao Ning was the top imperial merchant of the Xiao family, handling countless sums of money every day, and was a master at burning down warehouses.

There are also rumors that the two brothers are so close they're practically inseparable, and that Xiao Ning's eldest son is actually the son of the old emperor and the princess.

As we all know, rumors are not to be taken seriously. After the old emperor's sons passed away, the heir of the Prince Jing's mansion was still alive and well, proving that the two were not related by blood.

Unfortunately, the young master caught a cold and hasn't appeared in public for several days.

The answer is: he's sick!
Asking again would be ungrateful!
These things are not important. The key point is that Xiao Ning is a master at doing business. Because he can't keep an eye on the warehouse, he often commits dereliction of duty by causing fires. Therefore, he has a good relationship with his clan and people greet him warmly wherever he goes, calling him "Brother Ning".

Compared to Xiao Ning, the three princes, including Xiao Yan, were nobody in the capital, with no connections whatsoever.

What does it mean to be safe?

Tactical fadeaway.JPG
The group from Prince Zhao's residence arrived first. Xiang Yuan and Ling Xiu sat on either side of Xiao Yan, while He Yuanzhi and the other two were quite proper. They did not sit on the chairs, but stood upright like pine trees, lined up behind Xiao Yan.

The second person to arrive was Prince Kang, Xiao Jia. He was fair-skinned and beardless, with graying hair at his temples. He looked older than the old emperor in the freezer and exuded a sense of gloom. Moreover, the three guards accompanying him were all at the Nascent Soul stage.

This kind of display already shows their intention to just be a runner-up.

Xiao Ling led the way into the Kangwang Mansion, and after bringing the people there, he sat down with Xiao Yin in the seats reserved for the Xiao clan.

Next was the Prince Jing's residence. Xiao Ning was dressed in a dark, elegant robe, which accentuated his noble status without being ostentatious. His appearance was impeccable; like Xiao Yan, he had grown a beard in middle age and had a dignified and upright face.

It's hard to imagine that such an upright and righteous face had raised the old emperor's illegitimate son for over twenty years.

Xiang Yuan showed little interest in Xiao Ning, only glancing at her casually. However, when his gaze swept past Xiao Ning's side, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

A man and a woman, both grandmasters!

The male master was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit. His figure was as straight as a spear, his eyebrows were sharp as lightning, and his eyes were so sharp that they seemed to pierce through people's hearts.

The female master was dressed in purple, with exquisitely beautiful features and crimson lips that shone in the sunlight. She exuded a captivating charm from the very core of her being, and her mastery of seductive arts was truly extraordinary.

Xiang Yuan didn't know any male grandmasters, but he was very familiar with this female grandmaster. She was Qu Rou, Yue Huanjiang's master, and also his sister-in-law.

Qu Rou's presence here indicates that Baiyun Manor has invested in Xiao Ning and is here today to show their support.

Xiang Yuan frowned. According to Zuo Lengxie, Prince Jing, Xiao Ning, was very close to Wangjian Manor, and most of the male Grandmasters were probably from Wangjian Manor.

The question is, since Wangjian Manor and Baiyun Manor have significant business disagreements and are willing to suffer small losses themselves to prevent the other from making a profit in order to seize market share, when did they become so close and start supporting Xiao Ning together?
Even if Xiao Ning becomes emperor, he can't change the market share of Western Chu. These two companies will continue to offer discounts and promotions in the same way they did before. What's the point of them teaming up?

Xiang Yuan was puzzled and asked Xiao Qiushui, who was leading the way, through telepathy.

"Brother, I'm here today representing the clan, I can't take sides." Xiao Qiushui hadn't even glanced at Yuan since entering, but she still got caught.

"Alright, let's have a fight later." "..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qiuguo realized that she had been joking and honestly told him that Wangjian Manor and Baiyun Manor had indeed supported Xiao Ning at the same time.

When asked further, Xiao Qiushui didn't know either. She could only say that Xiao Ning was the top imperial merchant of the Xiao family and had business dealings with both families. Since Xiao Ning had the potential to become emperor, it was not surprising that the two families would give their full support to him in order to gain the credit for his ascension to the throne.

After all, we still need to do business in the future!
The last to arrive at the Prince Yue's residence was Xiao Feng, who led the way and made a grand entrance, leaving Xiang Yuan completely bewildered upon his appearance.

Xiao Lei, the King of Music, needs no introduction. He's a handsome middle-aged man, and the Xiao family genes have always been strong. The key lies in his entourage; the three masters are certainly wealthy and powerful.

If it were just three grandmasters, that would be fine, but the key issue is that Xiang Yuan saw a sickly man with kidney deficiency among them.

Gibranches!
No, senior brother, you're actually standing right in front of me!

What happened to the promised marriage alliance with Prince Zhao's family?

Because of you, I, your junior brother, went against my conscience and got engaged to two beautiful women from the Zhao Prince's mansion. I was scorned for sharing a husband with my sisters, suffered endless scorn in front of the madam, and endured all these injustices. I don't know how wronged I was. But you, on the other hand, just patted your butt and stood on the opposite side.

You're really something, treating your own brothers like this, huh!

Ji Boli probably saw Xiang Yuan, or perhaps he didn't. After taking his seat, he slumped down, looking dejected and on the verge of death. His spirit was withdrawn, and he didn't receive any external messages.

Sorry, the user you dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.

Bah, traitor!

Xiang Yuan glared at Ji Boli, indicating that this matter was not over today and that they would make things clear later.

The two grandmasters accompanying Ji Boli were like swords in their sheaths, their eyes slightly closed as if they were resting, but their bodies were surrounded by an extremely sharp sword intent, as if as soon as they opened their eyes, a cold light that could cut through everything would appear in the world.

A figure with a sheathed blade, a robust build, and bulging muscles, clad in a dark red martial robe, his eyebrows like fire, blood-red, exuding a murderous aura, his blade's power forming an invisible net, as if with a wave of his hand, he could cut down everything in the world with a single stroke.

Although the two did not speak, they had already revealed the origins of their sect.

Heavenly Sword Pavilion.

Heavenly Blade Sect

Even more unbelievable than the alliance between Baiyun Manor and Wangjian Manor has occurred: the three families of Tianzong have joined forces to fully support King Xiao Lei.

As expected of the prince who appeared last, he unleashed a powerful move that stunned the entire audience.

Everyone possessed remarkable composure; apart from Xiang Yuan, who stared intently at Ji Boli, the others remained unmoved, as if they had not witnessed the sudden alliance of the three Tianzong families.

"Brother, I have information to report."

Xiao Feng, who led the way into the venue from the Prince of Yue's residence, didn't even glance at Xiang Yuan, demonstrating his stance of fairness, impartiality, and absolute indifference. Only after taking his seat as the clan's referee did he begin to communicate privately.

"put!"

"Brother, something's not right at the Prince Le's Mansion. The three families of Tianzong have suddenly united. There's something seriously wrong here," Xiao Feng said quickly.

As everyone knows, the people of the martial arts world in Western Chu are unruly and defiant. To put it bluntly, the three families of Tianzong have always been at odds with the Xiao family of Shendu, making them a major threat to the Xiao family.

Xiao Feng never expected that Xiao Lei, the Prince of Music, would quietly integrate the three families of Tianzong and gain their full support.

It's certain that Xiao Lei doesn't possess the kind of personal charisma that would make the three Tianzong families bow down in obeisance with a single call to arms.

Unless he is a reincarnation of Yan Xuanhe, it is absolutely impossible.

The possibility that Xiao Lei is the reincarnation of Yan Xuanhe is basically zero, while the possibility that he was supported by the three families of Tianzong is extremely high. Xiao Feng can't understand why the three families of Tianzong stood together.

Furthermore, no matter who becomes emperor, it is absolutely impossible for Xiao Lei, who is supported by the three families of Tianzong, to succeed. The Xiao family of Shendu will be the first to disagree.

After fighting for so many years, the three families of Tianzong suddenly have the merit of supporting the emperor. What does this mean? Is it a whitewash or a formal recognition?

Rather than seeking redemption, Xiao Feng prefers to believe that the three families of Tianzong have extended their reach into the capital, intending to use methods to change fate!
"Brother, there's no need to think about it anymore. The three families of Tianzong are the mastermind behind everything!"

Xiao Feng argued confidently: "Think about it, when the Northern Qi princess arrived in Western Chu, we all thought that the three families of Tianzong would secretly take action, kidnap the Northern Qi princess, and provoke conflict between the two countries. But what happened? The only one who took action, the Wuxiang Sword Master, was controlled by someone else."

The fact that the three families of Tianzong are too peaceful is the greatest instability!
At the time, Xiao Feng didn't think much of it, but now, seeing the three families of Tianzong join forces, he immediately realized that the three families weren't unwilling to take action, but were busy forming an alliance. They needed to keep a low profile at this crucial moment, which is why they didn't make a big fuss.

This speculation was indeed plausible, and Xiang Yuan thought it made sense. He continued to call Ji Boli, asking him to reveal some information.

The effect was mediocre; Ji Boli's soul seemed to have wandered off into the distance, out of service area.

You wait, kid, another day I'll get that idiot to poke your kidneys!

When the four princes arrived, Xiao Ling, representing the Xiao clan, stood up and said a few words.

Just two sentences.

The first sentence is "A country cannot be without a ruler for a day," and the second sentence is "Only the talented are appointed." Then, more than ten key points are elaborated around these two sentences, dozens of elements are summarized, and the central theme of family, country and world is reiterated. He talked on and on for half an hour.

Xiang Yuan was surprised to learn that this guy was actually so eloquent.

After speaking for a while and consolidating his status as a clan referee, Xiao Ling took his seat and said no more, letting the four contestants perform on their own.

Do as you please. Today is just a meeting. We're all family behind closed doors. Feel free to speak your mind, as long as it's not a personal attack.

In this situation, whoever speaks first is the one who takes the lead.

Conversely, taking the initiative can also give you an advantage.

Kang Wang Xiao Jiachun was a runner-up, remaining calm and uninterested in expressing his opinion. He said that no matter who spoke next, he would just say, "I'll do the same."

King Zhao Xiao Yan and King Yue Xiao Lei both chose to remain still. The first to speak was King Jing Xiao Ning. He did not speak himself, but spoke on behalf of Qu Rou.

Manager Qu was renowned for his beauty and eloquence. When mentioning Xiao Ning's merits, his dedication to the Xiao family, and his hard work and great achievements, no one in the room was more qualified than him.

Xiao Feng and the other three nodded repeatedly, indicating that Qu Rou was right.

Judging from the way the four of them were acting, it was clear that they were also on Commissioner Xiao's list.

Then, Qu Rou changed the subject and looked at the Zhao Prince's residence: "Of course, His Highness the Zhao Prince is also a person of outstanding merit. In recent years, he has been plotting against the three families of Tianzong. Although he has not yet gained power, he has still worked hard."

He smiled slightly and sat down gracefully.

Xiao Feng and his companions shook their heads repeatedly. When did the Zhaowang Mansion start plotting against the three families of Tianzong? How could the Xiao family of Shendu not know? Let's not talk about such jokes anymore.

After Qu Rou finished speaking, Ling Xiu stood up with a smile, put his hands together and said, "Amitabha, I am Ling Xiu from Dajue Temple. As everyone knows, monks do not lie, so I will speak a few words of truth."

Lingxiu glanced at Prince Jing, Xiao Ning: "The Princess Consort is pregnant with a prince, but he is not Prince Jing's biological son, which is quite puzzling to me."

Regardless of the livid faces of the Jingwang Mansion group, he then looked at Le Wang Xiao Lei: "The three families of Tianzong have always been troublemakers. Your Highness Le Wang is a prince of the Xiao family, yet you are a pawn of the three families of Tianzong. This is quite puzzling to me."

After speaking, he slowly sat down.

As expected of you monks, you said no personal attacks, but you didn't listen to a word and started stabbing people in the back.

He looked into the distance with a smile, revealing his back molars.

He soon stopped laughing.

On King Le's side, the Grandmaster of the Heavenly Blade Sect stood up with a strange smile and said loudly, "The three families of the Heavenly Blade Sect are the cultivation sects of Western Chu, and their ambition is for the people of the world to live in peace and prosperity. However, some people are not even Chu people, yet they dare to spout nonsense here."

“You brilliant and intelligent one, I have come to ask you, what is your secular name?”

"..." x2
Lingxiu's expression changed slightly, and she stared at Yuan with wide eyes, realizing that something bad had happened.

"If you won't tell me, I will. Although you are a practitioner at Dajue Temple, you are not from Chu. Your secular name is Liu Xiu, and your father is Liu Che, the current emperor of Northern Qi!"

His words caused a huge stir. Not to mention others, even Xiao Yan, who was nearby, gasped and stared wide-eyed.

The undercover agent was right next to me!
Is Dajue Temple here to help Prince Zhao's Mansion or to harm it?

“The Prince Zhao’s mansion is a traitor supported by the Northern Qi. What face do they have to sit at the same table with us? Leave quickly and don’t bring shame upon yourselves.”

The Grandmaster of the Heavenly Blade Sect laughed loudly, but before he could finish, he dropped another bombshell: "And this son-in-law of the Prince Zhao's Mansion, the world may not know your name, but I do. You are the Left Envoy of the Yellow Springs Path, 'Heavenly King Laozi' Xiang Wentian!"

Xiang Yuan blinked, looked over curiously, and asked doubtfully, "The Yellow Springs Path is a reputable and righteous sect, officially certified in black and white. Why are you bringing this up? Do you think I'm some kind of heretic?"

"Haha, I haven't finished speaking yet!"

The Grandmaster of the Heavenly Blade Sect pointed his fingers into a sword at Xiang Yuan: "You are a successor of the Northern Qi's Original Heart Dao, surnamed Xiang, named Yuan, with the Daoist name 'Asking the Heavens.' You are the senior brother of Emperor Liu Che of Northern Qi, and a true member of the Liu clan!"

Xiang Yuan's eyes narrowed sharply. It was over; Benxindao's identity had been exposed.

However, how did the Heavenly Blade Sect find out about such a secret information?
Beside him, Xiao Yan felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't breathe anymore.

The undercover agent was right next to me...

No, I'm surrounded by the Northern Qi!

At the seats of the Xiao clan, Xiao Feng and his three companions stared in disbelief, finally understanding where Xiang Yuan's identity as a member of the Liu clan came from.

This guy really treated Emperor Wu of Han like a brother!

Xiang Yuan glanced across the room, realizing something was wrong, and looked at the undercover agent Ji Boli.

Senior brother, since you're not human, then don't blame me for not being human either!

You also bear part in this matter, so I can't be the only one to suffer the infamy!

boom!
Xiang Yuan slammed his fist on the table and stood up, pointing at the Grandmaster of the Heavenly Blade Sect, saying, "Nonsense! Nonsense! I, Xiang Yuan, have always acted uprightly and honestly. How could I allow you to slander me and use such foul language!"

"..."xN
He only said you followed his true nature, he didn't insult you! xN
"I do know that one of your three Heavenly Sect families is a genuine successor of the Original Heart Path!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

10,000 words, please vote with monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)