People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 397, Why not ask Donghuang Taiyi if he fears me?
Taiyi Mountain, in a bamboo garden.

The courtyard gate, adorned with verdant old bamboo, was pushed open, and Qingfeng Daotong led Xu Qing into the courtyard, where Chisongzi was waiting on a stone stool, with two cups of tea placed on the table in front of him.

Upon seeing Xu Qing arrive, a smile appeared on Chi Songzi's usually calm face.

"Teacher, Uncle-Master has arrived," Qingfeng said, bowing to Chisongzi.

"Senior brother," Xu Qing said, cupping his hands in greeting.

"Qingfeng, you may go down now. You should study yesterday's 'Treatise on the Equality of Things' carefully when you get back," Chisongzi said to Qingfeng.

"Yes."

After bowing to Chisongzi and Xu Qingyi, Qingfeng turned and left.

"Senior brother, is there something you need that you suddenly called me here for?" Xu Qing looked at Chi Songzi and asked in confusion.

"No rush, sit down and we'll talk slowly."

After seeing Xu Qing sit down, Chi Songzi's aged face showed a hint of worry, and his gaze towards Xu Qing became somewhat strange.

Xu Qing, who had just sat down, was even more puzzled when he saw Chi Songzi looking so worried. He couldn't understand what could possibly make Chi Songzi look like that.

"Senior brother, please just tell me what's wrong. Seeing you so worried makes me really uneasy," Xu Qing asked nervously.

Chisongzi glanced at Xu Qing, sighed softly, and stroked his beard before speaking.

“Junior brother, although our Heavenly Sect emphasizes tranquility and inaction and follows the path of ruthlessness, it is not truly heartless and unrighteous, nor does it restrict the marriages of our disciples.”

Xu Qing listened to Chi Songzi's words with a look of surprise. Why did they suddenly start talking about marriage? Was he trying to pressure him into getting married?
Just as Xu Qing was completely baffled, Chi Songzi's next words made him understand what Chi Songzi meant.

"You are in the prime of your life, and it's understandable that you're restless. But there are plenty of decent women in the world who are suitable for you. There's no need to get involved with the Yin-Yang School, is there? The Yin-Yang School is no benevolent group."

Upon learning what Chisongzi meant, Xu Qing was both amused and exasperated. Chisongzi was afraid that the Moon Goddess and the Eastern Lord would steal his soul away.

“Senior brother, are you misunderstanding something? There’s nothing like that between me and Dongjun and Yueshen of the Yin-Yang School right now,” Xu Qing said.

"Just because it's not happening now doesn't mean it won't happen in the future. There are old grudges between our Heavenly Sect and the Yin-Yang School. These two have only been on the mountain for three days and they've already come to your side one after the other. It's hard to say that they don't have some ulterior motive."

"Tianzong has already lost two disciples to the Yin-Yang School, and you are the disciple of Master He Guanzi, and you also bear the heavy responsibility of reviving the Guixu School. You must be careful of them."

Chisongzi looked at Xu Qing with concern. At this moment, he was no longer the calm and indifferent sect leader of Tianzong. Instead, he was like a nagging elder, patiently giving Xu Qing advice.

Upon learning that the Yin-Yang School had only sent two young men, Dongjun and Yueshen, to observe the ceremony, Chisongzi, adhering to the principle that guests are always welcome, did not pay much attention.

However, yesterday I learned from my disciple that Xu Qing and Yue Shen went to the bamboo forest on the mountainside one after the other, and the two stayed alone until dark before parting ways. Today, Dong Jun took the initiative to find Xu Qing again, and after a few words, he left with Xu Qing.

This forced Chishongzi to re-examine the purpose of the two coming to Taiyi Mountain. Last year, he learned from Qingxiaozi that the Yin-Yang School wanted to capture Xu Qing.

Now that the two of them had moved closer to Xu Qing, Chi Songzi began to worry that Xu Qing would not be able to resist the honey trap, after all, Xu Qing was no saint either.

Now, Xu Qing is not only related to the covenant between heaven and man, but also affects the future entry of Taoist scholars into Qin. If Xu Qing is poached by the Yin-Yang School, the Heavenly Sect will lose all face and dignity.

That's why he thought of reminding Xu Qing, lest Xu Qing really fall into the trap.

"Senior brother, you're overthinking it. Aren't you worried that I'm the one who poached the two of them from the Yin Yang School to our Heavenly Sect?" Xu Qing said somewhat indignantly.

When the Moon Goddess and the Eastern Lord approached him one after the other, he naturally realized that they had ulterior motives. He wasn't afraid that their intentions were not pure; he was just afraid that they wouldn't give him a chance to get close.
The Yin-Yang School has a beauty trap, so is Xu Qing's male beauty lacking?
The one who should be afraid is Donghuang Taiyi!

"Senior brother, you're afraid I'll be lured away by the Yin Yang family's honey trap, why don't you ask Donghuang Taiyi if he's afraid I'll turn the tables and recruit the two of them to our Heavenly Sect?" Xu Qing said with considerable confidence.

Feiyan and Yueshen naturally wouldn't switch allegiance to the Heavenly Sect, but as the saying goes, "a woman follows her husband wherever he goes," meaning they would become members of the Heavenly Sect if they followed him.

Upon hearing Xu Qing's words, Chi Songzi was taken aback at first, then seemed to understand something and looked Xu Qing up and down seriously, as if he were comparing something.

"Are you really confident?" Chishongzi asked with some doubt.

"Senior brother, just watch. Back then, the Yin-Yang Clan kidnapped a disciple from the Heavenly Sect, and another disciple also defected to the Yin-Yang Clan. Although I don't know why you didn't let the Heavenly Sect and the Yin-Yang Clan go to war back then, you can swallow this insult, but I can't."

“If the Yin-Yang School steals someone, I will not only take that person back, but I will also make them pay five times over.”

Xu Qing looked at Chi Songzi and said with a firm expression.

He wasn't acting out of lust; he was sacrificing himself for the sake of the Heavenly Sect's reputation, offering himself up to the tiger.

“If that’s the case, I won’t ask any more questions. But safety should be the top priority. Remember that you have the Heavenly Sect behind you.” Chisongzi nodded slightly and said.

When the Yin-Yang School forcibly took Xiao Yi away, he, as the head of the Tianzong Sect, naturally wouldn't tolerate it. However, sometimes, for the sake of the bigger picture, he had to put some things aside for the time being.

Since Xu Qing is confident in recruiting members of the Yin-Yang School to the Heavenly Sect, he will definitely support him.

"I'm relieved to hear your words, Senior Brother," Xu Qing said solemnly, nodding.

Alright, everyone, now I'm ordered to flirt with girls. It's not that he's a womanizer, but something he has to do.

"Go back and prepare well for the Covenant between Heaven and Man. People from various countries will be arriving in the next few days. Don't worry about the outcome, just do your best," Chisongzi said, pushing the tea in front of Xu Qing.

Entering the Celestial Master realm from the first-rate level is neither difficult nor difficult.

Easy ones are like the threshold of a palace, which can be crossed in one step, while difficult ones are like an insurmountable chasm, which one may never be able to cross in one's lifetime. If one tries to cross them, one will only fall to one's death.

Xu Qing's path was one that the Taoist sages had never trod before; he was forging a new path, incorporating the theories of heaven and man, yin and yang, medicine, and so on. This path was destined to be difficult.

Chisongzi would rather Xu Qing not reach the Celestial Master realm now and be no match for Xiaoyaozi on the Guanmiao Platform than let Xu Qing rush to break through.

"I understand, senior brother. I will do my best." Xu Qing picked up the teacup, took a sip, put it down, and turned to leave.

As Chishongzi watched Xu Qing's departing figure, his calm gaze turned complicated, and in the end, he could only let out a soft sigh. The green bamboos around the courtyard swayed gently, as if responding to the sigh.

Taiyi Palace is a pavilion used for entertaining guests.

"Bang!" The tightly closed door was suddenly pushed open, and the Moon Goddess walked into the room with a cold expression. Her eyes, full of coldness, scanned the room from behind her veil, and finally saw Fei Yan's figure by the window.

The moon goddess, Feiyan, remained calm and composed, her dark golden eyes meeting the icy gaze without the slightest fear.

Seeing the Moon Goddess's expression, Fei Yan understood that the other party already knew about her approach to Xu Qing, and she did not intend to hide it from the Moon Goddess.

"What exactly do you mean?" The moon goddess asked, her rose-red lips moving, her voice devoid of any emotion.

"It doesn't mean anything, it's just what you see."

Feiyan turned to look at the Moon Goddess, placed her hands on her lower abdomen, and said calmly.

"This is pointless. You should know how important this matter is to the Yin-Yang School. You should still remember what His Majesty the Eastern Emperor said. Are you now acting in defiance of His Majesty the Eastern Emperor's orders?"

The Moon Goddess spoke coldly, and invisible waves of energy rippled out from beneath her feet. Clearly, she had reached her limit of tolerance regarding Fei Yan's approach to Xu Qing.

"His Excellency Donghuang said that we should help each other and prioritize the Yin-Yang School's grand plan. Is there anything wrong with what I'm doing?" Feiyan replied in a cold voice.

"you"

The Moon Goddess looked at Fei Yan, speechless and unsure what to say.

Donghuang Taiyi did indeed encourage them to help each other. Feiyan contacted Xu Qing in order to speed up the mission. Even if she reported the matter to the sect, Feiyan would not be punished.

“This is Taiyi Palace. If you make a move, you will definitely regret it,” Feiyan said.

"I am the one tasked with getting close to Xu Qing. Your target is Prince Ji Dan of Yan. Don't overstep your bounds," the Moon Goddess said coldly.

“You can also get close to Ji Dan to help me; I won’t object,” Fei Yan said nonchalantly.

Ji Dan was just a regular mission target; even if you couldn't get close, you could just kill her. But Xu Qing held a very complex significance in the Moon Goddess's heart, far surpassing the importance of someone as insignificant as Ji Dan.

"You will regret it!"

After leaving a message, the Moon Goddess turned and walked towards her room.

Seeing the angry moon goddess, Feiyan realized that her behavior might have gone too far, so she spoke up.

"I will be going to see Xu Qing for a pulse diagnosis tomorrow morning. If you would like to come, you can come with me."

Upon hearing Fei Yan's words, Yue Shen's pretty face showed a hint of embarrassment. She clearly took Fei Yan's invitation as a provocation, and entered the room without looking back, slamming the door shut behind her.

Feiyan glanced at the door that was shaking from being slammed, then turned and walked towards her own room.

She had already said what she wanted to say. As for whether the Moon Goddess would go with her tomorrow, that was not her concern. Even if the Moon Goddess got angry and wanted to report her to Donghuang Taiyi, she was not afraid.

Her approach to Xu Qing did not affect the Moon Goddess's plans, but only the Moon Goddess herself.

As Feiyan entered the room, the previously tense atmosphere instantly calmed down. Warm sunlight streamed through the window, making everything seem so peaceful, as if the tense atmosphere from before had never existed.

After chatting with Chisongzi, Xu Qing plunged back into the I Ching, and another day passed in the blink of an eye.

The next day, outside Xu Qing's residence.

Fei Yan came to see Xu Qing for a pulse diagnosis as promised, and the two sat under the same big tree as yesterday.

Xu Qing closed his eyes, placed his hand on Fei Yan's wrist, and carefully took her pulse.

"After drinking the herbal medicine yesterday, the injury that was on the verge of flaring up has subsided. Your medical skills are truly miraculous," Fei Yan said, looking at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing opened her eyes, withdrew her hand, and shook her head slightly.
"My medical skills are just average, not as miraculous as people say. It's good that the medicine works. Judging from her pulse, Miss Feiyan's injuries have indeed stabilized a lot. Besides the medicine, it's also because Miss Feiyan has profound internal strength, which has suppressed her injuries."

"Have you found a way to treat my injuries?"

As Feiyan spoke, she glanced out of the corner of her eye at the tree not far away.

Xu Qing also turned to look at the big tree by the roadside. Although the person behind the tree was well hidden, Xu Qing still sensed the other person's presence and a smile appeared on his face.

"It seems you did not come alone. Why does the Moon Goddess refuse to show herself? Is it because you do not wish to see me?" Xu Qing asked in a low voice.

"No, you can ask her yourself why she won't show herself."

A glint of light flashed in Fei Yan's calm eyes as she withdrew her hand and looked at Xu Qing.

At this moment, behind a tree not far away, the Moon Goddess concealed her aura, leaning against the tree with an exceptionally cold expression, her eyes behind the veil flashing with complex emotions.

Yesterday, Fei Yan asked her to come along to see Xu Qing, so naturally she wouldn't go along and risk humiliation.

This morning, after Feiyan left her residence, Yueshen didn't know what she was thinking. Perhaps it was to keep track of Feiyan's progress in getting closer to Xu Qing, or perhaps she was curious about what the two of them were doing. In the end, she still quietly followed them.

When she saw Xu Qing and Fei Yan taking each other's pulses while talking, a complex feeling welled up in Yue Shen's heart.

It felt like a treasure you'd kept hidden away, usually admired only by yourself, was suddenly seen by others one day—a mix of unhappiness, disappointment, and a touch of fear.

Upon hearing Fei Yan's words, Xu Qing glanced at Fei Yan, then at the Moon Goddess hiding behind the tree, and muttered to himself.

He was naturally aware of the relationship between Feiyan and Yueshen, and he had gained a clearer understanding of their competitive relationship from Yueshen's words.

However, after learning the list of attendees from various countries, Xu Qing realized that the Moon Goddess might be there to get close to her, while Fei Yan was there to get close to Ji Dan, just like in the original story. However, she didn't know why the two of them were now both eyeing him.

Moreover, Feiyan and Yueshen are not working together; on the contrary, there are signs of internal strife.

"Are all people from the Yin-Yang School so strange in their thinking?"

Xu Qing muttered to himself, but thinking of the power struggles between Fei Yan, Yue Shen, and Xing Hun in the original work, it seemed that such internal strife was not surprising for the Yin Yang School.

Who made the Yin-Yang school, in addition to Zou Zi's Yin-Yang and Five Elements, also accept Yang Zhu's ideas.

(End of this chapter)