Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1016 Universal Punishment
They had no choice but to focus their attention on the conspiracy itself.

As a truly knowledgeable and experienced person, he quickly deduced the core plot of the other party based on all the clues provided.

"Indeed, it was done by using the bloodline of close relatives as a guide and taking advantage of a specific time of day to forcibly draw the destiny of the star 'Great Fire Star' into the body, and then using the body as a cauldron and the soul as chains to forcibly imprison it."

She paused briefly, a knowing glint in her eyes.

"In the past, when the laws of heaven were clear and order was well-maintained, this method would never have succeeded and would have been punished by heaven, resulting in the destruction of both body and soul."

"But now, the secrets of heaven are in chaos, the situation is reversed, and the dragon energy of humanity is also wavering... In addition, a powerful vassal king has mobilized the entire country's resources, using secret methods, resources, and even luck to cover up and assist him, so... there is a slight chance of success."

Then, her tone turned cold, with a hint of barely perceptible contempt.

"Of course, even at such a huge cost, the star destiny forcibly obtained in this way is ultimately just a defective product. It is impossible to truly control the star destiny, obtain its protection and power. At best... it is just a 'martian evil energy' that is enough to wreak havoc on the world and cause war."

"If the goal is simply to achieve a specific and narrow objective, such as... stirring up trouble or profiting from a crisis, it might still be feasible."

The analysis is incisive, well-organized, and demonstrates profound knowledge.

At the same time, she was clearly well-prepared for the “creative” evil that humans could display under the drive of their lust for power, and did not show much surprise.

Over the past seventeen hundred years, many people have wanted to do this.

Xu Xuan then compared his previous guesses with Bai Suzhen's analysis, and the last trace of doubt in his heart dissipated.

"Just as I thought..." he muttered to himself, then revealed a smile that mixed with amusement and inquiry, posing a more crucial question, "I understand the logic now. But... I'm a little curious, is it really possible for the destiny of the stars to be so easily disrupted and stolen? How was this 'loophole' opened?"

Bai Suzhen nodded slightly, her gaze fixed on the dimly lit horizon outside the window, her tone carrying a calm wisdom that seemed to understand the ways of the world:

"Because this era... is very special in itself."

"Immortals and Buddhas have disappeared, and gods have vanished. The invisible shackles that maintain the order of heaven and earth have loosened. The old rules still exist, but the enforcers are absent. As long as a loophole is found, there will be an opportunity to exploit it."

He paused, lowering his voice slightly, as if stating some established fact.

"Moreover, the three stars that stir up the world's affairs, namely Kill, Break, and Wolf, have already been confirmed to be reincarnated and descend to the mortal realm. The ominous sign of Mars guarding the heart of the sky was also manifested in the heavens three years ago."

"Given this background, it is not surprising that other stars may experience deviations in their trajectories or have their malevolent energy stirred up."

She looked at Xu Xuan and gave a more impactful example, “You should know that in the far more distant late Eastern Han Dynasty, the reincarnation of the Star Lord descended like a meteor shower. That was the true brilliance of the stars, and also the beginning of a chaotic era.”

Xu Xuan paused for a moment after hearing this.

He naturally knew that the three stars of Kill, Break, and Wolf had descended simultaneously.

The name of this group was so prestigious that it instantly reminded him of titles such as "Three Wonders," "Three Outstanding Figures," or even the three great academies of the time, since the number "three" was all too common in numerology and the division of power.

Subconsciously, I started to identify with the person in question, and Ji Rui's somewhat foolish face immediately popped into my mind.

"To say that guy was the reincarnation of the Greedy Wolf... doesn't seem impossible?"

I quickly reviewed the records about the Greedy Wolf Star in my mind: The Greedy Wolf Star is the master of fortune and misfortune, and also governs romantic relationships. Those with it in their Life Palace are strong-willed, preferring activity to stillness. If in an unfavorable position, they are deep-seated in their thoughts, calculating, with extreme likes and dislikes, difficulty in judging right and wrong, a volatile temperament, unpredictable mood swings, and a tendency to indulge in sensual pleasures…

Thinking about it this way, Ji Rui does seem to have some merit?
He acts unconventionally, his fortunes and misfortunes are intertwined, and he has no shortage of women of all kinds... if throwing away Yu Yu counts as such a method.

But then, he realized something was wrong.

While there are some traits in Ji Rui that can be roughly matched, it is more of an "abstract" similarity.

True astrological reincarnations are often deeply hidden, wrapped up by layers of later encounters and personal character. If one applies a few astrological pronouncements, what is the difference between that and the horoscope manuals that were popular online in the past, which could be interpreted in any way?

Xu Xuan rubbed his chin, pondered for a moment, and finally shook his head.

"Alright, there are still too few clues right now. The characteristics of the Three Wonders... no, the Killing Wolf, are not yet clearly manifested in the known individuals. Let's put them aside for now and wait and see."

However, the train of thought then slid in another dangerous direction along that "loophole".

"On the contrary, this kind of pirated version like the Prince of Liang is quite promising... As long as one is not afraid of the so-called divine punishment from the Star Lord, the price doesn't seem unbearable..."

A bold idea began to take root in his mind.

So, can I also...?

The thought had barely surfaced, and before it could even take shape, when a clear, cold cough came from the side.

Bai Suzhen merely glanced at him indifferently, her gaze seemingly able to penetrate his skin and see directly into the ripples that had just stirred in his heart.

She accurately guessed that the man was trying to lower his standards on the edge of morality, and hurriedly spoke up, her tone resolute:

"The Li Gongfeng who is in charge of this matter must be from a famous sect of Xuanmen, and has long since betrayed his sect!"

"Because any righteous sect with even a slight lineage would never tolerate such a perverse person who steals the destiny of the stars! If his evil magic succeeds by chance and incites the celestial evil to wreak havoc on the world, even if no one punishes him at the moment, the divine backlash and karmic entanglement in the dark will never let him go!"

"At that time, if they dare to leave the protection of the Prince's mansion, or lose the cover of the Liang Prince's fortune, they will have nowhere to hide and will attract..."

She paused, her gaze piercing Xu Xuan like an ice pick, each word carrying a chilling killing intent:
"The entire world shall condemn him!"

The last five words sent a chill down Xu Xuan's spine, making the hairs on his neck stand on end.

He clearly realized that these words were meant for Xu!

You woman... how dare you look at me like that!
He knows me so well, he's getting harder and harder to fool. "Ahem," he cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly, deciding to change the subject that was putting him at a disadvantage, otherwise he would lose face.

"Um... Miss Bai is very insightful. So, in your opinion, what should we do now?"

Seeing that he had restrained his dangerous thoughts, Bai Suzhen stopped pursuing him and simply opened her palm.

The "Starry Night Flame" given to her by Xu Xuan floated quietly in her palm, her eyes deep, reflecting the boundless night sky and the glittering stars outside the window.

“Easy.” Her tone was calm, yet carried an absolute confidence. “No matter how many schemes or methods he employs, they are all underhanded tricks, riddled with shackles. We don’t need to get bogged down in the details; we just need to…”

Her five fingers slightly closed, and the spark in her palm shone even brighter.

"Use force to overcome skill, and directly break all the shackles he has set up."

At this moment, his words naturally revealed the composure and domineering presence of a great demon cultivator.

Xu Xuan had to admit that Bai Suzhen at this moment seemed to be enveloped in a cold yet powerful aura.

It's kind of nice.

He made an objective assessment in his mind.

But, that's about it.

Xu Xuan, with a heart of steel, told himself that this was merely a pure appreciation of immense power and absolute confidence, and nothing more.

With the plan set, the two did not delay any longer and immediately set off for Ebotai, the primordial land that was the best place to communicate with the stars and hold rituals.

Bai Suzhen prepared to set up an altar here and perform a complete ritual to ward off evil spirits.

The so-called "praying to the stars," also known as "offering sacrifices to the stars" or "following the stars," is essentially about warding off the calamities brought by inauspicious stars while praying for the protection of auspicious stars. It is an extremely ancient and core ritual in Taoism.

She had long seen through Li Daoren's scheming nature.

What the other party did was actually a wicked application of this core Taoist ritual.

He had completed the first four steps—setting up the altar, inviting the gods, chanting scriptures, and offering food—but he was stuck on the last and crucial step: sending the gods away.

Xiao Song's special bloodline is the 'guide' used in the ritual to receive the destiny of the stars. However, the secret technique he cultivated for ten years is not for receiving, but for 'locking the spirit'.

King Liang poured all his resources and energy into that small courtyard and the process of 'locking in the stars' destiny'.

Therefore, Bai Suzhen's plan hit the nail on the head.

Simply do the opposite: reopen the ritual here, "invite" the star that has been forcibly imprisoned from the Liang Prince's Mansion, and then, following the orthodox ritual, respectfully "send" it back to heaven.

The only difficulty lies not in the spells themselves, but in dealing with the inevitable and furious counterattack from the Liang Prince's forces.

All of this external pressure will be coordinated and addressed by Xu Xuan.

He acted decisively, first transforming himself into a masked villain and taking control of the original temple priests and guards of Ebotai with swift and decisive measures.

Some of those who aided and abetted the evildoers and knew the inside story were knocked unconscious and locked in a dark room; a few who were just trying to make a living and didn't know the truth were given some money and told to get away from this place of trouble immediately.

The grand events that followed left no room for ordinary people like them to interfere.

Meanwhile, Abbot Huiren, leading three hundred monks from Linji Monastery, had arrived several miles away from Ebotai, as arranged by Xu Xuan.

They were not the main attackers, but rather protectors, separating unauthorized personnel and preventing external forces from impacting the ritual site.

This move was not only to help break the deadlock, but also, in Xu Xuan's view, a good opportunity for these monks to atone for their past exploitation by the Liang Prince's Mansion.

Of course, before this, Xu Xuan held a brief mobilization meeting for this group of temporarily recruited "protectors".

Since he didn't have many forces at his disposal that could be openly used, he had to make this group of hastily assembled monks understand the seriousness of the situation.

He stood on high, his gaze sweeping over the monks below, whose expressions varied. His voice was calm yet possessed a strange penetrating power, and he began with a verse:
"Buddha-nature is inherently one, so why distinguish between you and me? Just generate Bodhicitta, and we will all return to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss."

This opening remark, imbued with Zen philosophy and aspirations for the Pure Land School, calmed the monks' minds somewhat.

"As you all know, this action is not just a matter for Linji Temple alone, but a joint effort between Pure Land and Zen Buddhism."

Many of the monks who came to carry out the mission looked bewildered.

They were truly unaware of the inside story, only knowing that after the abbot and this Zen Master Fahai went to the Liang Prince's Mansion, they suddenly ordered a gathering to carry out this seemingly protective action of the Dharma altar.

Some people vaguely felt that it was for some kind of "justice," but they had no idea what it was.

"Many people don't know why this operation was carried out. Even those who do know might just assume it was out of a sense of public duty."

Xu Xuan's voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of sharpness, "Then, besides public-spiritedness, have you ever considered why it is precisely your Linji Academy that has been dragged into this monstrous vortex?!"

A slight commotion immediately arose in the room, and doubt spread among the monks.

Xu Xuan took in everyone's reactions and then let out a cold sneer.

"It seems many people are still in the dark. In that case, I might as well speak frankly!"

(End of this chapter)