Hidden moth

Chapter 327 The wind stirs the banners on the roadside

Erji stood up and bowed: "I'll leave you a mobile phone number. I usually practice at the Jing She Temple on Qixia Mountain... Is there anything else you need from the sect leader?"

He Kao: "Since you became a monk at Nanhua Temple back then, is it possible for you to return to Nanhua to practice now?"

Without asking why, Erji hesitated for a moment before answering, "Yes."

He Kao: "Then you should try to go back to Nanhua first, and I'll come find you again in a month."

After giving his instructions, He Kao watched Er Ji leave, his thoughts in turmoil. He felt as if there were some things he hadn't figured out, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what they were.

Elder Li had already given He Kao some pointers on how to handle this matter, and that's what he did, but he still felt uneasy. Was Zhang Yanfei problematic? Definitely, and quite a few at that!
First, he tricked the Dan Ding Sect by not showing them the real "Tan Xian's Staff Painting". But strictly speaking, this did not violate any of the sect's rules.

Because Zhang Yanfei himself never publicly stated that what he produced was the "Tan Xian's Staff Picture" recorded in the Dan Ding Sect's classic texts. Wan Zhongle saw it and believed it was likely a relic of the sect's founder, so he took it away directly.

Zhang Yanfei had anticipated this possibility and therefore took preventative measures. Moreover, that painting had been lost for a thousand years and could not truly be considered part of the Dan Ding Sect's collection today.

The Dan Ding Sect wanted to retrieve it, and Zhang Yanfei couldn't stop them; since he didn't offer it up voluntarily, it wasn't considered a violation of the rules.

However, he concealed the truth after all, and later obtained the inheritance of the Hidden Moth Technique and the secrets of the Hidden Moth Sect from the painting. He did not tell anyone, but instead wanted to use the painting to lure out the Hidden Moth.

He couldn't have done this without ulterior motives, but who doesn't have ulterior motives? If it were someone else, they would probably do the same, just without such sophisticated imitation skills.

After the scroll fell into He Kao's hands, He Kao did not "return" it to Dan Ding Sect, and the reasons for this were more complicated.

Because the scroll is not actually from the Dan Ding Sect, but rather the Piao Cai Cave Heaven that has been passed down from ancient times by the Yin E Sect. It's just that Lei Dunzi, the founder of the Dan Ding Sect, used his great supernatural powers to add a portrait of Tan Zu on it and disguise it.

However, He Kao couldn't possibly be without resentment towards Zhang Yanfei's actions, because they truly posed a threat to the Yin'e. Later, many people analyzed that the Yin'e roamed the Qiyuan region, and the Zhang Yanfei case was an important clue.

Both He Kao and Gao Xue'e were, in effect, victims.

Zhang Yanfei wanted to find Yin'e, but what would she do after finding Yin'e, and whether she also harbored thoughts of replacing her? He Kao couldn't help but think about these questions, but he couldn't judge them because they hadn't actually happened.

Zhang Yanfei also paid the price for his selfishness, not only facing imprisonment but also having to relinquish his original identity. As for today's events, it wasn't that Zhang Yanfei found Yin'e, but rather that Yin'e actively summoned him.

Of course, He Kao's impression of Zhang Yanfei wasn't entirely negative. For example, even in the detention center, he still harbored good intentions. Despite his own life being at its lowest point, he didn't forget to help the innocent Wu Yanjun. And teaching magic techniques is no simple matter.

This only shows that human nature is very complex.

But should we really open the Floating Color Cave to such a person? The secret of the Floating Color Cave is unknown even to the other disciples of the Hidden Moth Sect, apart from the three elders. Could this bring about any hidden dangers?
Even ignoring everything else, let's just consider one hypothetical scenario: Erji won't betray the sect, but if he breaks through to the sixth-order Great Perfection cultivation level before He Kao, will he turn the tables and become the master?

The phrase "turning the tables" is inappropriate, because at that time they were all disciples of the Hidden Moth Sect, and there was no distinction between host and guest. However, Zhang Yanfei was in the right to assume the position of sect leader and could also demand that He Kao hand over the identity of the Hidden Moth Sect...

This possibility is small, but not impossible.

Don't blame He Kao for thinking so much; anyone would inevitably have wild thoughts in their heart, because Zhang Yanfei's appearance was just too unexpected! But from another perspective, given He Kao's status, he couldn't deliberately refuse Zhang Yanfei's return to the sect because of these personal feelings.

He Kao really wanted to seek advice from an elder, but Elder Li had already given him a hint, Elder Gu was presiding over the Immortal Pot Cave Heaven, and Elder Jiang was in seclusion undergoing tribulation... For some reason, he suddenly thought of another senior from the magic sect.

The situation of Patriarch Zhao Sanjin of Huailin is somewhat similar to that of Master Zhang Yanfei of Erji. Both of them abandoned their past identities and completely changed their identities to cultivate in the world.

The last time we met, Zhao Sanjin, who was clearly over 140 years old, was described as a 15 or 16-year-old boy, wearing a middle school uniform with the school's name on his chest!
At that time, only He Kao could see the school uniform clearly. This was obviously Zhao Sanjin's way of hinting at something, and he even pulled He Kao into the scene of divine thought for a private conversation.

Thinking of this, He Kao suddenly wanted to check on Zhao Sanjin's condition. He could ask him about cultivation, without mentioning the Yin'e Sect and Erji.

The thought came out abruptly, but once it appeared, it was irresistible, like a seed that had been planted long ago finally taking root and sprouting...

He Kao is cautious by nature and doesn't like to cause trouble, especially with so many things going on lately... Well, actually they're all just things that aren't urgent, and with Yin E's abilities, they won't take up much time.

We can check on Zhao Ci regularly. There's still no news from Mr. Mi, and we'll have to wait a month for your illness. Qian has been granted a half-month leave, but there are still five days left. So let's go visit Zhao Zu.

Once the decision was made, He Kao's previously somewhat chaotic thoughts inexplicably calmed down.

Finding Zhao Sanjin isn't difficult, given the school name on his uniform. Traveling from Qiyuan to the city where Zhao Sanjin lives requires a two-hour flight followed by a one-hour high-speed train ride, taking about half a day.

On the surface, He Kao went there without leaving any trace. But in reality, the night before he set off, he had already gone to the school, secretly checked the student records, and confirmed Zhao Sanjin's enrollment status.

Baicang is a third-tier prefecture-level city in a southwestern border province. There are twelve high schools in the city, one of which is a public school and one is a private school, which are considered the best. The other two are also considered key schools, while the other eight are ordinary high schools.

Baicang No. 9 Middle School's college entrance examination results in recent years have hovered between ninth and eleventh among twelve high schools, making it a bottom-tier ordinary high school. The academic atmosphere is generally poor, and apart from the elite class, other classes in the first year of high school dismiss students at the normal time.

Liu Jingze, a student from Class 5 of Grade 1, walked out of the school gate in the crowd. He did not take a car but chose to walk home. The journey was about two kilometers, which was not far.

He is fifteen years old this year and will turn sixteen in two months. He is already about 1.7 meters tall, but he is rather thin and looks very quiet and easy to bully.

His mother was going to work overtime again tonight, so he planned to grab dinner on his way home. There was a secluded old alley on his way home, as well as an old factory district nearby, which he usually avoided, as it would add ten minutes to his walk.

But today, perhaps because he was in a hurry to get back to do his homework, or perhaps because he was taking a chance, he took a shortcut into the alley. Unfortunately, he was stopped by three thugs before he even reached the alley entrance.

"Hey, isn't this Xiao Liu? It's been half a month, haven't we met? What a rare guest!" The tallest of the thugs stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and pinned him against the wall.

Another mischievous boy said, "You can't hide forever. When are you going to pay back the money you borrowed last time?"

Liu Jingze: "I, when did I borrow money from you?" As soon as he said this, he was punched hard in the stomach and couldn't help but bend over.

"You owe me money, how dare you default on your debt!"

Send me a 200 yuan red envelope with the words "repay the money" written on it, and I'll let the matter drop.

Liu Jingze: "I didn't bring my phone."

"You're kidding me! Who doesn't carry a cell phone these days?"

Liu Jingze: "Our teacher won't allow it..."

The three thugs didn't believe him, but he really didn't have his phone with him. They only found thirty yuan in cash on him. The thugs beat him up, but they didn't hit his face, they just punched his body. Finally, they kicked him twice after knocking him to the ground before leaving.

Liu Jingze got up, and in the blink of an eye, all the dust on his body was gone, showing no sign of having just been beaten. With a gentle shake, his schoolbag, which had been ransacked, was restored to its original state.

Then he picked up his fallen glasses from the ground. The frame was twisted and deformed, and a piece of the lens was broken. He gently blew on it, and the frame returned to its original shape, while the crack on the lens slowly disappeared.

This is a technique for refining artifacts; its application in repairing eyeglasses is nothing short of miraculous.

After putting his glasses back on, Liu Jingze finally spoke, "Brother He Kao, I'm sorry you had to see this!" He paused, then added, "Sigh, I thought you would be a hero!"

The way he was addressed as "elder brother" made He Kao's legs go weak. He could no longer hide and watch the show, so he came out from the other end of the alley and said somewhat awkwardly, "I don't know what the deeper meaning of your actions is, Zhao Zu, so I didn't dare to interfere rashly."

Liu Jingze: "Don't call me Zhao Zu, just call me Xiao Liu."

He Kao: "I dare not."

Liu Jingze: "I'm not acting; I'm experiencing it."

He Kao: "Then don't call me 'Big Brother' either, it sounds kind of scary."

Liu Jingze smiled and said, "Then let's just call each other by our first names. My name is Liu Jingze now, and I'm from Class 5, Grade 1 at Baicang No. 9 Middle School... Why did you come looking for me?"

He Kao: "Student Liu, you yourself guided me here."

Liu Jingze looked at him thoughtfully and said, "When the evil wind comes from the outside, it stirs up restless thoughts. If one has a blessed land and fellow disciples to protect them, and has completed the fourth stage of cultivation and can glimpse the path to the gate, it is not difficult to overcome the evil wind and attain the fifth stage of cultivation."

However, the so-called tribulations of lust, physical suffering, cinnabar fire, inner demons, and wind evil are not tests that can be taken at one time. The affairs of the world are complicated and often unexpected. Sometimes, even if we know what we should do, we find it difficult to do it. Unclear desires and wishes also belong to wind evil.

I left you a spiritual guide; it will be triggered when your mind is troubled and restless. It was indeed I who guided you here.

He Kao: "Why did you bring me here?"

Zhao Sanjin had plenty of ways to find He Kao; he could simply convey his thoughts with a single divine thought. However, deliberately leading him to Baicang City and meeting him in this manner must be related to Liu Jingze's identity.

Liu Jingze replied, "Leaving aside other matters for now, I'd like to ask you for a favor, a favor that even an ordinary passerby could do."

He Kao: "How can I help you?"

Liu Jingze: "You just saw what happened to me."

Liu Jingze asked He Kao for help, but it turned out to be dealing with a few thugs? Although he was a middle school student, his supernatural powers hadn't changed, and He Kao had just witnessed it with his own eyes.

Even if he can't openly take action, it would be easy for him to deal with a few thugs in secret, and no one would know it was him. Why would he need to find outside help?
He Kao didn't speak, but looked at him with a questioning gaze. Liu Jingze sighed: "Many of the ways of the world are beyond the capabilities of the current Liu Jingze. Now that you've encountered me on this road, how can you help me?"

He Kao: "I'm sorry, I overthought things and didn't help in time, but don't worry, I will definitely try my best to resolve this in the best way... Could you tell me what's going on with your current identity as Liu Jingze?"

Liu Jingze gave an irrelevant answer: "My dinner money was stolen."

He Kao: "It's my treat, let's eat and chat!"

**
(End of this chapter)