Minglong

Chapter 204 Everything Has a Cause and Effect (9.5K)

"Gu~Gu..."

The coal ball hovered in the air, watching the giant dragon circling around it, its gaze filled with longing yet also tinged with fear.

Below, in the mountains and fields, dozens of demon bandits and even captured cultivators all looked bewildered.

As the monk Fachen sat in the Demon-Suppressing Tomb, he heard an unexpected voice. His sorrowful expression turned to bewilderment as he looked towards the Demon-Suppressing Coffin in the center.

Hula~
Soon, a figure sat up from inside the coffin.

The figure was dressed in a tea-green Taoist robe, with a jade crown on her head. Her face was round and smooth, like a charming girl of sixteen or seventeen. Her big eyes were very bright, but her full head of white hair added a touch of maturity.

Having just woken up, the woman was clearly a little dazed. She turned her head to look outside and then looked at the monk on the ground:
"Who are you? What are you doing digging up my cave dwelling?"

Her voice was very lively, sounding exactly like a vivacious young girl venturing into the world alone...

Although Fa Chen had never seen the Corpse Ancestor, this girl didn't seem like the person they were looking for. His expression stiffened.
"Your...who are you?"

"You don't even know who I am, yet you dare to open the Demon-Suppressing Coffin?! You... oh! You're the Corpse Demon's men!"

The white-haired woman's eyes lit up when she saw dozens of henchmen practicing demonic arts kneeling outside the Demon-Suppressing Tomb. She slightly raised her right hand and formed a hand seal.

Call ~
The giant red umbrella suspended in the sky began to rotate in mid-air, and an invisible suction force appeared on all the demon bandits.

The suction force seemed to originate from the depths of their souls. Many of the demons, their eyes filled with astonishment and suspicion, didn't even have time to resist before blood gushed from their skin, causing them to let out screams comparable to those of vengeful ghosts.

"what--"

The many cultivators who had been brought here were terrified at the sight!
Monk Fachen felt this method was somewhat like that of a demonic cultivator, and upon discovering that the other party was 'indiscriminately killing friendly forces,' he quickly said:
"Senior, wait! We're on the same side..."

Huhu~
Boundless blood energy surged into the air and converged, triggering a soaring blood demon that transformed into blood lines, like two red snakes, spreading towards the tomb chamber.

The white-haired Taoist nun leaped and landed on the edge of the demon-suppressing coffin. Though not tall, her aura was four and a half meters high. Her Taoist robe fluttered in the eerie wind, and a strange excitement shone through her chubby, round face as she grinned maliciously:
"Killing is for the sake of protecting life; cutting off karma is not killing people! Today you assist our path in cultivation, and your past mistakes will be redeemed by our slaying of demons and monsters..."

The words were spoken with extreme fluency, and it was impossible to tell how many times they had repeated them...

? !
Monk Fachen was initially a little confused, but upon hearing these words, which were filled with intense 'desire,' and hearing the masterful 'blood sacrifice' technique, he suddenly realized—this was a cultivator who had gone mad with demonic possession!
What redemption? This is purely for blood sacrifice to practice martial arts, and incidentally to slay demons and monsters!

Realizing that he had unearthed a madman ancestor, Monk Fachen was no longer afraid. After all, they were all the same; this demon seemed capable of wreaking havoc on the world.

Unfortunately, when the Corpse Ancestor emerged from seclusion, no one present could restrain him, but this old lady could be controlled by someone.

Just as the boundless blood energy surged towards the hands of the person on the coffin, a clear voice suddenly rang out outside the Demon-Suppressing Mausoleum:
"The Purple Palace constellations, the Jade Pivot Cavern, the Five Emperors holding the balance, all energies uniting into form..."

Stab la la...

A flash of lightning!

The blood mist that was spreading into the tomb chamber vanished into thin air under the lightning, the raging yin wind also stopped, and the world instantly returned to clarity!
Monk Fachen turned his head and saw that there were more Taoist figures outside the Demon-Suppressing Tomb.

The figure was tall and straight, his white robe fluttering in the wind. He held his sword upright in front of him with his right hand, and pressed his left hand's sword fingers on the blade while chanting an incantation.

Under the control of thunder magic, the three-foot sword transformed into a deep blue-green color!

The two characters "Zheng Lun" shone with golden light, like a "supreme decree," causing the blood and qi of the many demons on the periphery to feel blocked!
"This……"

Monk Fachen recognized it at a glance as the Daoist immortal artifact 'Zhenglun Sword' and the 'Five Thunder Purification Spell'!
These two items are rarely seen in modern times, but during the chaos of the witchcraft cult, they terrified countless evil sects—this was the standard equipment for the appearance of the previous leader of the Dan Ding Sect, Master Qixia!
Stab la la——

Lightning illuminated the mountains and fields. Although the demons on the outer perimeter had escaped their predicament, they dared not even reveal the bloodthirst within them under the suppression of the lightning curse. They simply scrambled backward.

Xie Jinhuan used the inverted candle to convert nearly 50% of his energy, and with the Zheng Lun sword doubling that, he was able to unleash a thunder spell of the same level.

At this moment, the power of the 'Five Thunder Defilement Spell' was not diminished in the slightest. Coupled with the evil-suppressing effect of the Zhenglun Sword, it was even stronger than the suppression power of Zhang Guan and others!
The white-haired Taoist nun's madness vanished as the lightning struck, her eyes regained their clarity, and after a brief glance at the handsome young hero outside, she quickly adopted the stance of an old patriarch with one hand behind her back.

"Hmm... I was just trying to scare these demon bandits. Young friend, you still dared to step forward and suppress evil spirits even when facing a demon-transformation cultivator. Your character is truly extraordinary. May I ask which school you belong to?"

Xie Jinhuan appeared calm and composed, but she was indeed quite frightened by the appearance of this crazy white-haired little Taoist nun.

Seeing that the other party was awake, Xie Jinhuan breathed a sigh of relief, but did not stop the incantation:

"Junior Xie Jinhuan is under orders from his master to guard this tomb. Please ask Senior Qixia to enter the coffin herself so as not to harm innocent people."

"Thank you, Jinhuan..."

Master Qixia jumped down from the coffin, his robes swaying a few times. Ignoring the little Buddhist ants at his feet, he came closer to examine it:
"Are you Xiaoyezi's successor?"

Xie Jinhuan didn't know whose successor he was, and after thinking for a moment:

"It is now the eighth year of Jingning, almost a hundred years since the founding of the dynasty. Ye Sheng went on a journey decades ago and never returned..."

"century?"

Master Qixia frowned, took out a mirror from his sleeve, and examined his radiant face, clearly checking if he had aged...

Xie Jinhuan was genuinely afraid that this old lady would go mad, so he raised his lightning sword and approached her:
"Senior won't be out of seclusion for a while, so you absolutely mustn't move around carelessly now, lest your old illness relapse..."

"It's alright, I know what I'm doing!"

"Uh... Are you sure, senior?"

Master Qixia, finding no change in appearance, put away the bronze mirror and continued his inquiry:
"Only Xiao Yezi and Xiao Lu know the location of this place. You, a martial artist with thick eyebrows and big eyes, could be Xiao Yezi's successor or Xiao Lu's disciple?"

?

Xie Jinhuan was taken aback: "Sect Leader Lu knows the location of the Demon Suppression Tomb?"

Master Qixia nodded: "He is the next sect leader personally appointed by me. He is in seclusion and his location is not disclosed. If other sects' old demons attack, how can the Dan Ding Sect ask the patriarch to come out of seclusion and resolve the matter?"

"..."

Xie Jinhuan frowned slightly, feeling that this seemed unreasonable, but upon closer examination:
A blood-red aura suddenly appeared on Zihui Mountain, clearly the manifestation of a supreme demon. However, all the people searching the mountain were from Danyang. The Imperial Observatory, which was supposed to be a divine punishment iron fist, didn't have a single celestial official present from beginning to end...

The He family was completely wiped out, and the accounts between good and evil have caused major problems. Lu Wuzhen is still busy fighting against the Buddhist sect and hasn't mentioned the Blood Fiend of Ziwei Mountain at all...

If Lu Wuzhen knew that the Blood Fiend Qi originated from the Demon Suppression Tomb, would he know that it was he who dug up the grave?
Xie Jinhuan felt this matter was a bit complicated, and turned to look at the monk in the tomb:
"Where did you get the location of the Demon-Suppressing Tomb?"

At this moment, Monk Fachen had already realized he had fallen into a trap, but since he hadn't unearthed the Corpse Ancestor's Tomb, his plan could still continue. He calmly responded at this point:
"I am Fachen from Tiantai Temple, my master is Zen Master Wuxin, and I am the Deputy Director of the Imperial Observatory."

Xie Jinhuan understood the meaning—the monk Wuxin had leaked the secret!
But this is an internal secret of the Dan Ding Sect's patriarch. How could the deputy supervisor know the location of the Corpse Ancestor's Tomb?
Could it be that Lu Wuzhen is setting a trap, luring the monk Wuxin to his death...?

……

Master Qixia had no interest in the infighting among the younger generation. He made a hand seal with his right hand, and ripples appeared on the red umbrella in the sky:
hum-

The shockwave that struck straight to the soul pressed down from the sky, and all the conscious cultivators, demons, and even the monk Fachen immediately fainted.

Xie Jinhuan was not surprised at all that the white-haired Daoist nun had such methods. Seeing that everyone was lying down, he asked:

"Why don't you go into the coffin and rest first, senior, while I take these people to the yamen?"

Master Qixia had no intention of obediently returning home. He took Xie Jinhuan and rode the wind towards the main peak of Zihui Mountain.
"I'm going home to check on my descendants. These people will be dealt with later, so there's no need to pay them any attention."

"..."

This was Xie Jinhuan's first time using the wind. He noticed that the mountain valley and the figures below were gradually shrinking, and he didn't know how to control his position. For the time being, he could only follow behind, pondering the cause of the matter...

And all of this started more than a month ago!

On the night of the ninth day of the eighth month in the eighth year of Jingning.

Boom——

Thunder rumbled in the sky, and the seven-hundred-mile-long Zihui Mountain was shrouded in a torrential downpour.

Bloodthirsty energy surged skyward from the depths of the mountains, throwing the Pill King Pavilion into chaos. The Pill King, still in his pajamas, rushed to the Eight Directions Illumination Array:

"What's going on? What kind of monster has appeared?"

"Hmm...it seems to be a top-grade demon..."

"Super high quality?! Quick! Quick! Notify all the teachers at the Imperial Academy and Zihui Mountain, as well as the Imperial Observatory..."

Since the founding of the Great Qian Dynasty, no super-grade demon has ever appeared in the territory.

Such an enemy situation was no less serious than an invasion of the border by an enemy country. Almost the instant the movement occurred, countless experts rushed north to investigate.

As the head of the academy, one of the representatives of Confucianism, and the strongest cultivator in Danzhou, Mu Yunling could not possibly be oblivious to what was happening outside. He would wield a weapon and walk through the air, searching the seven-hundred-mile-long Zihui Mountain.

Although the rain was pouring down and there were no stars or moon, the lightning illuminated the mountains and fields brightly. After searching for only half an hour, they found a small tent in a remote mountain valley, with a corpse lying on the ground.

Mu Yunling's scholar's robe fluttered in the wind, hovering in the rain, as he looked down at the tents that were faintly lit.
"Who are you, fellow Daoist?"

Inside the small tent, several makeshift beds were set up around the perimeter, and a booklet lay on the ground.

A figure dressed in a black and white Taoist robe, head held upright in a lotus position, holding a yin-yang ruler, half-squatted inside the tent, flipping through a tomb raiding manual. Hearing the noise in the sky, he responded calmly:

"I."

"Lu Jianzheng?"

This place is only three hundred miles from the capital, so it's not surprising that Lu Wuzhen could come here after sensing the signs of evil. However, the evil in Danzhou is monitored by the academy and Zihui Mountain. As the supervisor of the country, it is indeed inappropriate for Lu Wuzhen, who is in charge of the academy, to come here in person instead of guarding the capital.

Mu Yunling landed outside the tent, sword in hand, examined the corpse on the ground, and then looked at the pit:

"What is this place?"

Lu Wuzhen read through the records in the Tomb Raider's Notes and learned that four tomb raiders accidentally discovered the Demon-Suppressing Tomb, and were subsequently killed by the tomb guardian.

The reason they were certain that the tomb keeper was the demon-suppressing coffin, which was not broken open by brute force. Four tomb raiders studied it for a whole day but could not come up with a way to pull out the Zheng Lun sword.

After arriving, this person first killed the tomb robbers, and then, without damaging the main body of the coffin, broke the seal and took the Zheng Lun Sword.

The purpose was simple—Master Qixia was about to emerge from seclusion, so they came over to unlock the 'door lock' and leave the door closed so that Master Qixia could come out on her own later.

However, this person was a bit careless and, I don't know what he was doing, he didn't close the door properly, leaving a crack...

……

When Lu Wuzhen arrived, the place was already deserted, and he didn't know who the visitor was. When Mu Yunling asked him, he stood up and replied:
"This is where the immortal Qixia secluded himself for cultivation. To prevent outsiders from disturbing his peaceful practice, we hope that Mr. Mu will keep his mouth shut."

Mu Yunling was not surprised by this, and looked at the corpse again:
"Master Qixia is in seclusion here, and my master is traveling. Who is this person who killed the tomb robbers?"

Lu Wuzhen was also very puzzled, after all, only he and Ye Sheng knew about this place and even the solution to the Demon-Suppressing Coffin. Logically speaking, apart from Ye Sheng, no one would come to guard the tomb.

This person is clearly not Ye Sheng, so he must have some connection with Ye Sheng. Even Mu Yunling, as his disciple, doesn't know, so Lu Wuzhen naturally can't be sure either. After thinking for a moment, he said:

"Everything has a cause and effect. Mr. Mu will understand in the future."

"?"

Mu Yunling thought this was nonsense, but not wanting to confront the old Taoist priest directly, she asked:

"What should we do next?"

Lu Wuzhen guessed that this person was related to Qixia Zhenren and Ye Sheng. Since Ye Sheng hadn't informed him, anything he did could backfire. He replied:
"The government offices will continue their routine patrols and observe the situation."

Seeing that it was a 'false report of military intelligence,' Mu Yunling didn't pursue the matter further and flew back to the academy.

After surveying the area, Lu Wuzhen put everything back in its original place and left the deep mountain tomb...
-
Two days later, at the academy.

As usual, Mu Yunling was in his office at the academy, reviewing the essays of the top students from Chongwen Academy.

Just as they were busy, Li Jing, the instructor, suddenly walked in, looking somewhat surprised.

"Old Mu, a young man named Xie Jinhuan has come to the city. He seems to be a great talent. At such a young age, he has already reached the fourth rank. Yesterday, he showed up and killed three bandits. This morning, he killed the wanted criminal Fu Dongping in the street. At noon, he killed the bandit Li Shizhong. He has killed five people in two days..."

Mu Yunling's eyes flickered, and he asked:

"Did this kid show his face yesterday?"

Li Jing sat down opposite the desk:

"Yes, I've never heard of him before. He only appeared yesterday at noon. He went too far in slaying demons and monsters and was arrested by the authorities. Fortunately, he has a clean background. His father was the former magistrate of Wan'an County. Three years ago, he followed a master to Fengling Valley of the Hidden Immortal Sect to learn martial arts... By the way, has Elder Mu ever heard of this place?"

"Hidden Immortal Sect, Wind Spirit Valley..."

Mu Yunling paused for a moment, then continued flipping through the files:

"The older generation of the Hidden Immortal Sect are so afraid of being disturbed in their cultivation that they practically want their names to be fake; I've never heard of them. This young man must be a disciple of one of the elders, just starting his journey down the mountain..."

"Most disciples of the Hidden Immortal Sect are low-key, so it's truly rare to see someone act so boldly. I reckon this young man will achieve great things..."
-
Three days later, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Dan Hospital ward.

The young man, covered in wounds, lay unconscious on the hospital bed, while the woman with glasses carefully wiped his arm beside him, her cheeks flushed.

Mu Yunling stood in the distance in the corridor, a hint of admiration in his eyes: "The younger generation is truly formidable."

"As expected of a disciple of the Hidden Immortal Sect, I feel that the elders sent this young man out of the mountains to help us incompetent juniors put out the fire. If it weren't for his courage today, more than three hundred people would have died."

Lu Wuzhen, dressed in a Taoist robe, stood beside him and nodded slightly.
"He is willing to sacrifice himself for the common people; this is the man who truly embodies this spirit."

"This child is neither a direct disciple of Master Qixia, nor a disciple of Ye Sheng or Bodhisattva Yu Nian. Who else in the Great Qian Dynasty could teach such a high-achieving student? Stop with the cryptic talk and give me a straight answer."

Lu Wuzhen didn't know!

There are only a few elders on the mountaintop. Sikong Shitang taught a Corpse Ancestor, so he can't possibly teach another Xie Jinhuan.

If that's true, then the teaching staff is far too strong...
-
Six days later, on August 21st.

The Eight-Sided Pagoda, and the Tea Room.

Fan Li, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, sat opposite the tea table, his eyes filled with amazement:

"Old Lu, look at this for yourself. It's only been a few days. He caught a bandit that the yamen hadn't been able to catch for eight months in just four hours. The next day, he competed with my student in a contest of willpower at the Golden Pavilion, won, and then killed the commander of the Red Scale Guard. You can't even be sure if Zhou Ming'an did this or not."

"That's not all. Last night, at the banquet in the palace, the calligraphy was so beautiful that I thought it was from my master's apprentice. But then, a supernatural power from the Zhuji Sect appeared at the banquet, defeating the Northern Liang envoy. After the banquet, they didn't forget to deal with that wicked bandit Ye Shirong..."

"Compared to this kid, we old righteous folks are nothing but good-for-nothings. Just who is Xie Jinhuan's teacher? Give me a straight answer, we've known each other for decades..."

Lu Wuzhen held the teacup, even more shocked than Fan Li.

After all, Xie Jinhuan has become far more powerful than imagined. He is not only omnipotent, but also evil!

With such great influence, sect leaders and elders from various regions are actually inquiring about Xie Jinhuan's background.

However, Lu Wuzhen really didn't know who Xie Jinhuan was, nor could he seize Xie Jinhuan to torture him for a confession.

After all, the other kid was just doing his duty, helping those in need in the capital. If he bullied the younger generation, the elders might come knocking on their door demanding an explanation. Therefore, the only response was to remain tight-lipped.
"Everything has a cause and effect. Mr. Fan will understand this in the future."

Fan Li genuinely admired Xie Jinhuan's calligraphy, even fantasizing that Xie was his Confucian disciple. Seeing that Old Daoist Lu was about to launch into another cryptic exchange, before he could speak, his grand-disciple Jing Wu Niang entered, carrying a letter of denunciation.

"Grandmaster, take a look at this."

Lu Wuzhen took the envelope, and the contents were like a bolt from the blue—Xie Jinhuan was Empress Guo's concubine!

This news is truly outrageous; any normal person would just laugh it off.

But Lu Wuzhen felt a slight unease, sensing that something was amiss.

There were only a few elders in the Great Qian Dynasty, and he knew them all. It was impossible for him to have taught Xie Jinhuan as a disciple, whether in terms of time or space. Therefore, Xie Jinhuan was very likely from an elder from outside the Great Wall.

Empress Dowager Guo herself has a somewhat mysterious background. Even if she couldn't teach him herself, as the ruler of a country, she knew just as many powerful figures from various sects as he did. If Xie Jinhuan was taught by the Northern Zhou...

While Lu Wuzhen was pondering this, Nangong Ye, the head of Zihui Mountain, came again, asking to borrow the Jiazi Lotus!

Xie Jinhuan and Zihui Mountain are very close, there must be some connection between them. Therefore, after Lu Wuzhen retrieved the Jiazi Lotus, he went to the plaza outside the tower and subtly asked his junior sister Nangong to inquire about it, adding:

"Those old fogies of the Hidden Immortal Sect are always scheming about 'playing a grand game,' and nine out of ten of them are terrible at it. It's not hard to defend against powerful demonic opponents, but it's impossible to guard against righteous fools who keep quiet!"

This was indeed the truth. Lu Wuzhen was genuinely afraid that some hidden immortal elder had been secretly plotting something behind everyone's back, and in the end, just like Sikong Shitang, had raised a 'Corpse Ancestor.' Xie Jinhuan was no less capable than the Corpse Ancestor in every way...

……
-
Four days later, on August 25th.

The assassination attempt on the Emperor Qian in the capital, the incident at the imperial mausoleum, and the discovery of the He clan's collusion with the rebels shocked the entire court.

Emperor Qian was so angry that he coughed up blood on the spot. Lu Wuzhen was equally frustrated. After checking the health of the Crown Prince and Empress, he sat alone in the Eight Directions Bright Pagoda, gazing at the lights of thousands of homes, wondering if he had gone to the wrong place.

As the chief supervisor of a nation, one should think of the well-being of all people, not the interests of any particular sect or faction.

Emperor Qian was actually more like a righteous cultivator than him. He only had the Daoist sect in his heart, while Emperor Qian truly cared about the world. Before the world was at peace, he was willing to kill even his beloved wife and children.

Under heaven, all are ordinary people; the elders on the mountaintop are like this, he is like this, and so are the masses outside.

Even Ye Shengdu couldn't protect the entire Great Qian Dynasty by himself. He's not even a sage, so what gives him the right to think that the Great Qian Dynasty is enough with him and the Daoist sect?

Emperor Qian was right to allow Buddhism to enter the Central Plains, but the world is a treacherous place and can't accommodate too many people. If the monk Wuxin is willing to talk, a co-governance of Taoism and Buddhism is not impossible...

……

On the first day of the ninth month, Emperor Qian issued an edict of self-reproach and summoned Buddhist monks to the Central Plains.

On the third day of the ninth lunar month, Huguo Temple was officially established, and Lu Wuzhen was formally demoted to deputy supervisor.

On the fourth day of the ninth lunar month, the monk Wuxin did not contend, but those in the Buddhist community with ulterior motives were not prepared to reconcile. They began to stir up trouble in the Taoist territory, spreading rumors about mistresses and illegitimate children...

On the fifth day of the ninth month, Emperor Qian fell critically ill and summoned his younger brother, Prince Dan, to the capital.

This was a very special meeting!
The next morning, it was raining heavily outside the palace.

Emperor Qian lay pale on his sickbed, dismissing all the palace servants, including Cao Fu'er.

King Dan traveled a long way to get here. He sat before the sickbed, his face filled with sorrow, yet he was speechless.

Lu Wuzhen stood to the side, puzzled as to why the Emperor Qian had summoned him for this meeting, but the Emperor Qian quickly provided the answer:

"Now, I can no longer trust anyone in the entire capital. Even if the Crown Prince, the Empress, and the Prince of Dan have not found any problems, I am still not at ease."

“The evil Taoists will stop at nothing. The He family has been rooted for twenty years, and they have been with me, the Empress, the Crown Prince and the evil Taoists day and night. How could they only think about helping me to ascend the throne and prolong my life?”

"If I can't find out who is at fault, then I can only start with 'gains and losses'. After the He family incident, the Crown Prince gained the country, and the Buddhist sect and Ye Sheng's lineage gained power. The 'loss' is Master Lu, and in the future, it may be the entire Great Qian Dynasty."

"The Underworld Cult has been plotting for so long, they must have obtained what they sought, so Master Lu can be trusted. However, the Crown Prince, the Buddhist sect, and Ye Sheng's lineage may still have problems."

"Master Lu must thoroughly investigate this matter. If there are no problems in the end, then all three families should be eliminated. The emperor holds the lives of hundreds of millions of people in the country in his hands, and cannot afford to make the slightest mistake. It is better to kill the wrong person than to take chances..."

Lu Wuzhen was indeed shocked to hear these words.

Emperor Qian then looked at the Prince of Dan sitting beside him:

"You are my own brother. We went through thick and thin together. I know you are upright, but you are not very bright and are sentimental. To put it simply, you are not very shrewd and have no ambition."

"I can trust you, but I cannot trust the people around you, nor do I think you can be a capable ruler."

"But if the Crown Prince finds out there's a problem, or if none of the three families have any problems, then to prevent the Zhao family from falling, this chair can only be taken by you."

"If you really get to that point, remember to be a 'lone wolf,' don't trust anyone, and don't harbor any desires. Without desires, you are invincible."

"Otherwise, my fate might very well be your fate as well."

"But your son, sigh... I used to feel at ease with him, but now I really hope he's hiding his talents. At least my brother and I would have another option..."

With tears welling in his eyes, the Pill King didn't say much from beginning to end, only nodding. After waiting to leave, he went straight to the palace, took out his python robe and jade belt, and had the Pill King's heir hung up and severely beaten...

……

On the ninth day of the ninth month, the emperor died.

Lu Wuzhen and Monk Wuxin had a talk, but unfortunately, Monk Wuxin remained obsessed with his own mind and they couldn't reach an agreement.

That night, Lu Wuzhen entered the Qian Yuan Underground Palace and opened the secret chamber beneath the Qilin mural.

The secret chamber contains the national treasures, which contain information concerning the fate of the nation and even the survival of the world.

What the Underworld Cult seeks is nothing more than the Tomb of the Corpse Ancestor and the Cauldron of the Human Emperor, and to incite war between the two countries and even among various religions.

The Secret Scripture of the Nation contains most of the information, which the Underworld Cult could not possibly not want!
However, apart from the few founding elders who personally suppressed the ancestral tomb, only two people in the contemporary era were qualified to know about this item—the emperor and the supervisor.

Lu Wuzhen took out the secret manual and then placed an identical golden disc inside, but the contents of the disc had been changed.

The Qilin Cave was moved to a cave below the Taiyin Palace, and the Human Emperor Cauldron was changed to suppress the Corpse Ancestor.

As for the location of the Corpse Ancestor's Tomb, we can't just make up an imperial tomb. It just so happens that last month, bloodthirsty energy appeared on Zihui Mountain, and there is also a 'True Demon-Suppressing Tomb' there.

Only he, Ye Sheng, Xie Jinhuan, and Mu Yunling knew the location of this place.

Before the Demon-Suppressing Coffin was opened, the demonic cultivators could not possibly have suspected its authenticity. If the Underworld God Sect had discovered it beforehand, the problem would inevitably lie with Mu Yunling of Ye Sheng's lineage.

If the Underworld Cult really went to dig, Ye Sheng's lineage is not a suspect; the problem lies with the Buddhist sect and the Crown Prince!
As for what happens after it's opened, even if the leader of the Underworld Cult were to personally arrive, Master Qixia is confident he could wipe them all out.

He could use the Yin-Yang Ruler to invite this ancestor back to rest...

……

The next day, night.

Lu Wuzhen led Crown Prince Zhao Jinghuan, his teacher Fan Li, and the monk Wuxin into the Qianyuan Underground Palace.

Wu Zheng held the position of Director of the Imperial Observatory, but he listened to his senior brother Fan Li in all matters, who was also the Crown Prince's mentor.

Therefore, the "Secret Book of the State," which should have been reviewed by Wu Zheng, the supervisor, was handed over to Fan Li for inspection.

But Fan Li knew the significance of this thing; once he saw it, he would have to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the safety of the entire Great Qian Dynasty. So he went in and started admiring the various famous artifacts.

Lu Wuzhen invited Monk Wuxin to examine the matter again. Monk Wuxin, though a follower of his own mind, was indeed unambitious and chose to unconditionally obey the imperial court's order regarding what needed to be examined.

Then, among all the nations in the world, including the elders at the mountain peak, only Crown Prince Zhao Jinghuan saw this 'Secret Book of the Nation'!
……

For the next few days, Lu Wuzhen waited, waiting for a change in the course of events.

Everything seemed normal, both in the government and among the people.

Wei Wuyi was causing trouble at the confluence of the three rivers, and Xie Jinhuan had gone there. Most of the sect leaders and experts from various places who were good at making a fuss also went to join in the fun.

Like the Buddhist sect, he dispatched Zihuishan to Sanjiangkou to monitor the situation.

The crown prince observed the mourning period in an orderly manner and summoned prominent Confucian scholars to discuss national policies; many Confucian scholars flocked to the meeting.

Everything was perfect, but Kelantan was empty!

Even the headmaster and top disciple of the neighboring Jinghua Manor in Weizhou have left.

The only remaining experts in Danzhou are a handful from the Prince's Mansion and the Academy. If Xie Jinhuan were to risk his life, he could slaughter all the experts in Danzhou at this time.

Since these were all normal transfer orders involving multiple incidents, it seemed very much like a coincidence. Lu Wuzhen dared not be certain and continued to argue with the Buddhist sect step by step.

Until September 18th, the Beginning of Winter.

That variable has arrived!

The Qide Hall was completely silent, and the leaders of the various sects present had their brows furrowed.

Zhao Jinghuan was still discussing national policies when he noticed everyone's solemn expressions and couldn't help but wonder:

"What is this all about?"

Li Yanru suddenly stopped speaking because he heard a voice:
"Little Lu, isn't this the disciple of the heartless little monk? He's rebelled..."

The voice was sweet like a young girl's, and it seemed to come from nowhere, but it was probably meant for Lu Wuzhen.

Li Yanru looked at the Taoist and Buddhist leaders opposite him, his eyes asking what was going on.

Lu Wuzhen knew that this was the voice of Qixia Zhenren. The last time he heard it, he was a teenager, and now he heard it again. He was a hundred-year-old man. He felt a strong sense of difference between immortals and mortals.

Lu Wuzhen first looked at the monk Wuxin, whose brows were furrowed, but in the entire world, the only person who could cause such trouble was the Crown Prince of Daqian sitting above.

Lu Wuzhen looked at the Crown Prince, who had always been highly regarded, and considered for a moment:
"Your Highness, that imperial secret manual is fake."

"Ok?"

Zhao Jinghuan looked bewildered.

Lu Wuzhen continued, "I marked a fake tomb of the Corpse Ancestor in the Secret Book of the State, and it was just dug up."

? !
The leaders of all the sects present changed color upon hearing this and all turned their gazes toward Monk Wuxin.

After all, according to the rules, only the emperor and the supervisor can see the Imperial Secrets. Monk Wuxin is qualified, and judging from what he just said, he specifically named Monk Wuxin!
If things proceed as planned, it will indeed be as Abbot Fachen thought: even if Abbot Wuxin cuts open his stomach, it will be difficult to clear his name of suspicion, and the entire Chan meditation school may be ruined.

Unfortunately, whether or not the monk Wuxin had seen the secret scriptures of the state, he could not tell others about them.

Regardless of whether Fa Chen is related to the demonic path or not, he would never ask Wu Xin, a monk, about such an imperial secret!
Monk Fachen simply assumed that his master had seen it!

Fan Li rubbed his fingers, remained silent for a long time, and then looked at his student:

“Master Wuxin has never seen the Imperial Secrets, so whether it is true or false, he does not know its location. I have not seen it either. The Crown Prince may need to explain the situation.”

Zhao Jinghuan's face showed genuine bewilderment, but after a moment, a strange light appeared in his eyes. He shook his head, his gaze unfocused, then suddenly stood up and staggered forward, his voice filled with terror:

"What...what happened to me?! I..."

? !
The eminent figures from various sects present sensed something was amiss and immediately stood up.

Li Yanru took out a jade slip, which emitted a white light and filled the hall with a righteous aura.

Lu Wuzhen took out the Yin-Yang Ruler to suppress Yin.

Even though all the religious leaders in the hall displayed their supernatural powers and pulled out all sorts of magical treasures, they could not suppress the signs of being invaded by evil spirits.

The monk Wuxin cleared his mind of distractions, observed for a moment, then rose and stood in front of Zhao Jinghuan. He placed his left hand, holding prayer beads atop his head, and his right hand, palm facing forward, transformed into a wrathful Vajra, golden light emanating from his body.

"upbraid--"

The sound was like thunder from the heavens, and the sound of shattering cups echoed from inside the Linde Hall.

A ring of golden waves spread from the cassock, reaching the entire imperial city and even the inner city. As far as Bu Hanying in Xiaoyao Cave, he heard a booming sound that sounded like the low chanting of gods and Buddhas, which startled all the poisonous rats in Xiaoyao Cave into fleeing in terror.

Zhao Jinghuan, standing just inches away, faced the wrathful Vajra directly. His eyes were initially filled with terror, but the moment the thunder roared, it was as if a sudden enlightenment had struck him, and his pupils instantly became clear.

Then, deep within the pupil, something seemed to shatter, revealing a spiderweb-like pattern of cracks.

Click~
Yanglin Temple is located near Yugeng Mountain.

The figure wearing the Asura Mask fled south at full speed, enveloped in ghostly mist.

As the Buddhist chant resounded directly from inside the skull, blood spurted from the figure's mouth and nose as he ran, and he crashed into the leafy forest. He desperately suppressed the bloodthirsty evil that had spontaneously awakened from his severe injury, tumbled and crawled to his feet, and disappeared into the endless night...

……

The thunderous sound subsided, and the Linde Hall returned to its deathly silence.

Zhao Jinghuan's eyes became dull, staring blankly ahead. Although there was no sign of being possessed, he had lost all his spirit.

Fan Li quickly stepped forward to help the student, and, not knowing what had happened, asked:
"Master Wuxin, what's wrong with the Crown Prince?"

Li Yanru held the jade slip and remained silent for a moment:
"It seems there's something wrong with his three souls and seven spirits."

The monk withdrew his left hand, his expression solemn:
"It is He Tianqi."

Everyone frowned upon hearing this.

The name He Tianqi is not entirely unfamiliar. He was the eldest son of He Xiu, the father-in-law of the emperor, and the biological father of He Man and He Hai.

In previous years, when she was studying at the Imperial Academy, she was a good friend of Emperor Qian. Emperor Qian and Empress He fell in love, and it was when Emperor Qian visited her home that they met.

Twenty years ago, during the Jian'an Incident, the Second Prince hunted down his brothers and their relatives. Dozens of members of the He family were trapped in Yanglin Temple. In the end, only He Xiu escaped with the pregnant Empress and his two grandsons.

The remaining children and grandchildren all died in the temple while covering the evacuation. He Tianqi's body was found at that time.

Lu Wuzhen frowned: "If it is He Tianqi, the events of twenty years ago are more complicated than I thought. At that time, he should have been a ghost cultivator who could be reborn by possessing a body. The He family began to make plans when the late emperor was still a prince."

Li Jing was somewhat puzzled: "What kind of spell did this person use to influence the Crown Prince?"

The monk Wuxin responded: "It seems that when the prince was in the womb, this person took one of his souls and swapped his spirit. Although the soul and spirit are intact and there is no abnormality, their spirits are intertwined and will influence each other. The secret manual of the country should have been obtained by He Tianqi giving hints in his mind when the prince was in a dream or drunk."

Lu Wuzhen continued, "He Tianqi should have had very little activity and no emotional fluctuations over the years. The Crown Prince is born this way, so he would get used to it if something is a little different. But just now, the Crown Prince felt fear and unease, and He Tianqi sensed it and risked his life to escape, which is why the Crown Prince lost control of his body."

Everyone understood what he meant—the two souls were connected and influenced each other. The monk Wuxin shattered the soul and spirit that originally belonged to He Tianqi. Although the connection was broken, a person cannot function normally without a soul and spirit.

Fan Li had taught the Crown Prince for twenty years, and it was inevitable that a teacher-student relationship would develop between them. He inquired:
"Is it possible to get it back?"

Lu Wuzhen paused for a moment: "If we capture He Tianqi, we might be able to find him, but with our level of cultivation, it's very difficult to separate his soul and restore him to his original state."

The difficulty of Fan Limingbai's task is roughly equivalent to splitting two people's heads in half, swapping them, and then putting them back together. Splitting them apart is simple, putting them back together is simple, but whether the person would survive is another matter.

As for it remaining perfectly intact without any noticeable abnormalities, that's magic.

Li Yanru put one hand behind his back, frowned, and said:
"Even the two sect leaders found this technique difficult to perform. It's impossible that He Tianqi did it on his own. Who was behind it back then?"

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, while Lu Wuzhen frowned deeply.

Ghost cultivators only refine souls to enhance themselves; they primarily use the Five Elements techniques.

When it comes to the art of controlling souls and ghosts, the strongest is the witchcraft sect, and there is even a ghost witch sect that specializes in controlling ghosts and souls.

If anyone possesses such abilities, the only one publicly known is Ancestor Sikong, but there might also be some evil cultivators operating in secret.

According to Grandfather He, the Grand Ancestor Sikong supported the Second Prince twenty years ago, but now it seems that not a single word of Grandfather He's dying words can be believed...

After a moment of silence, Lu Wuzhen turned and walked out of the hall.

"I'm going to protect Dan Wang. Zen Master Wuxin, you can handle the aftermath yourself."

Mu Yun ordered Li Jing and others to accompany him.

The monk Wuxin remained silent, leaning on his staff, and slowly walked away...
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