Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1028 White Lotus Ends the Story
Therefore, even a powerful general like him, who came from the central army, had to give this promising scholar a friendly welcome in advance and make a good relationship with him.

Who can say for sure that the political situation in the court might change in less than ten years, and there might come a day when I really need to act according to the other party's wishes?
Ironically, this talented scholar Xu was also unlucky, as he was caught up in the aftermath of the shocking event of the Liang King's rebellion.

If, by some chance, someone were to die in this turmoil, it would be a great regret and loss for the entire Southern scholar community.

As for the identity of that "monk"...

They're not even from the same circle; hardly anyone would pay special attention to them.

Even if some people find out, most don't care; it's just a trend among literati to "worship Buddha."

These days, Xu Xuan isn't the only official who uses the title of a monk to study Buddhist principles.

In contrast, there were more part-time Taoist priests who worked in government offices but practiced alchemy and cultivation at home while wearing Taoist robes.

Therefore, this dual identity as a Confucian scholar and a monk is not surprising at all in the North, where the atmosphere is open and Buddhism, Taoism and metaphysics are prevalent.

Didn't you see that the highest-ranking official in the court also studied alchemy with a Taoist priest for more than 20 years, causing the palace to be filled with smoke all the time?

This era is characterized by such unrestrained and even somewhat chaotic personal beliefs and identity choices.

These thoughts flashed through the general's mind quickly. He felt that he had already shown enough care and goodwill to this rising star of Confucianism, so he did not linger. He did indeed have a mountain of military and political affairs to deal with.

"General, please take care."

Xu Xuan remained composed and dignified, bowing slightly to the departing general.

Then... I felt lost.

The White Lotus Saint Father was bewildered.

Xu Xuan, who had prepared dozens of escape plans, felt a sense of unease at this moment.

No way, so all those backup plans I prepared were for nothing?
I'm the mastermind behind all this, standing right here. Can't you government officials at least show some respect for my "labor" and conduct a proper investigation?
While feeling a sense of absurdity at being "not valued," I couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

The water in Luoyang... is quite deep.

And the things in the deep water were very strange, extremely strange.

He realized that the same event, viewed from the bottom up from a lower perspective, was a story about destiny, evil magic, and conflict.

However, interpreting it from the perspective of the imperial court, from top to bottom, reveals a completely different political story about power struggles, legitimacy, and destiny.

Many of the conspiracies and charges fabricated were completely unexpected even by this "holy father," demonstrating an astonishing level of imagination.

It's so absurd, and so... brilliant, that even the ancient Chinese idiom "descending to give birth to the Shang dynasty" can be cleverly applied to it.

Because if we follow this theory, then the "quotient" that is "born" would refer to...

"The War God of the North," Prince Liang?!
Hiss~~~~
Xu Xuan couldn't help but gasp.

Horror!
There are truly extraordinary people in this imperial court!
"If the Grand Historian is still alive when I arrive in the capital, I must pay him a visit in person."

Xu Xuan made a decision in his heart, and developed a strong "interest" in this person.

As expected, the Liang Kingdom subsequently developed as predicted.

The "God of War of the North," Prince Liang, was "invited" to Luoyang, as if the imperial court truly intended to "test" whether he was the "chosen one" born from the reincarnation of the Black Bird.

The princess accompanied her son to Luoyang, where she naturally used her maternal family connections and various networks to try to smooth things over and rescue her husband and son.

After all, both of the breadwinners of the family have passed away; there's nothing we can do.

As for those things that can't be kept in their own strongholds, they might as well abandon them.

However, a large number of people from various factions remained within the Liang Kingdom, including those from the imperial court, other vassal kings, and local aristocratic families, making the situation still complex and delicate.

This world has never lacked intelligent people, especially those who are accustomed to thinking in the shadow of power.

Since King Liang was so patient and discreet, and so shrewd, having set up such a grand scheme as "Mars guarding the heart," why did his plan suddenly fail, and fail so thoroughly and so quickly?
Is there some force at work in the shadows that no one has noticed or that has been deliberately ignored?
It couldn't possibly be some nonsense like "Heaven blesses the true dragon emperor," could it?

This reason might be acceptable in the inner palace of Luoyang, but no one with discerning eyes would believe it.

Before leaving Liang, Xu Xuan also pondered the matter.

To avoid getting involved in any messy situations like "the truth coming out" or "settling scores later," I have to clean up this mess myself.

To give this grand conspiracy a "reasonable" ending, or rather, to muddy the waters so that no one can see the truth.

So he returned to his old ways, changed his appearance, and secretly reported the magistrate of Yu County to the imperial court.

This was the same county magistrate who, in a desperate move, helped spread the rumor that "the imperial court is about to reduce the power of the vassal states" and spread the story that "the Jin emperor lured and killed the vassal kings," ultimately prompting the imperial court to decide to "invite" the Prince of Liang to Luoyang.

There were no specific details, only a report alleging that the individual was suspected of colluding with the White Lotus Sect.

But as long as you investigate, you can get a core story.

The Great Compassionate Dharma King of the White Lotus Sect had long known of Liang Wang's conspiracy and intended to take advantage of him. Therefore, he secretly colluded with the magistrate of Yu County, instructing him to spread rumors and force Liang Wang to leave his stronghold.

Subsequently, the White Lotus Sect used a secret method to break the Liang Prince's Mansion's protective aura, causing the destiny of the stars to spiral out of control and ultimately exposing their conspiracy.

After the letter of denunciation was leaked, the magistrate of Yu County was almost instantly subdued by several groups of experts from unknown sources. After severe interrogation, it was indeed "confirmed" that the magistrate was colluding with the Great Compassionate Dharma King, and "authentic" White Lotus Sect magical power was detected on him.

This story has now come to light.

That makes sense.

Everything makes sense now!
Why was Liang Wang's plan unexpectedly exposed?

The White Lotus Sect is behind this!

Why was the Prince of Liang transferred away from his fiefdom?
The White Lotus sect colluded with the county magistrate to spread rumors!
Why was the fortune of the Liang Prince's Mansion broken?
The White Lotus Sect used mysterious methods!
All the inexplicable loopholes and doubts could now be perfectly patched up with the "White Lotus Sect" as a universal patch.

If anyone doesn't believe it, they can certainly confront them directly.

I ask you!
Who most wants the emperor to die, and who most wants the world to descend into chaos?

Aside from those ambitious vassal kings, the White Lotus Sect, which had been professionally rebelling for hundreds of years, was the first to be targeted!

Given the White Lotus Sect's "professional skills" and its extensive network of informants, could they have discovered the Liang King's conspiracy of "Mars guarding the heart" in advance?

Of course!
When it comes to causing destruction and flipping tables, they are the real experts, a true professional!

Reputation is a very important thing.

As for the flaws
Would the "Great Compassionate Dharma King" fabricated by Xu Xuan jump out to object and say, "We didn't do this"?

Certainly not.

Not to mention that Boqi has been eaten for a year, the White Lotus Sect itself would love for the world to think that they are omnipresent and omnipotent.

So, will the White Lotus Church officially refute these rumors?

The White Lotus Sect has always been keen on "taking on trouble" to increase its intimidation power, and would never take the initiative to "refute rumors" to reduce its mystique. This is a basic professional quality of a veteran rebel sect.

Besides, even if they really jumped out and vehemently denied the rumors, no one would believe them in this matter. Instead, they would think that it was just a cover-up and an attempt to conceal a bigger conspiracy.

In any case, the entire logical chain is now completely and perfectly closed at this moment.

Need witnesses? There's the Yu County magistrate who was interrogated and forced to reveal the "truth."

Need physical evidence? There's the "pure" aura of white lotus magic emanating from the county magistrate.

It's flawless, absolutely perfect!
The only one who felt uneasy was probably the White Lotus Sect itself.

It's not that no one has ever made them take the blame before, and they've usually been happy to use it to show their presence and strength.

But lately, isn't this frequency a bit too high?
How come all these earth-shattering events have ended up with people blaming us?

The two true Dharma Kings and the mysterious leader met again in a secluded place, but they couldn't reach a conclusion. They just felt that the world was becoming increasingly strange.

There were even seeds of mutual suspicion among the three of them.

The pure scent of white lotus cannot be faked.

Maybe they've been caught doing something wrong and just don't want to admit it now.

Leaving aside distant examples, does Your Majesty, the Great Wisdom Dharma King, acknowledge the magistrate of Qi County in Pei State?

I acknowledge the Great Wisdom Dharma King, but I don't acknowledge his subsequent actions. I can't recreate the scene of him appearing "day and night".

"There can't be another Dharma King wandering outside, right? Hahaha." The leader told a joke that wasn't really a joke to mock his colleague.

The main blame also lies with the successive Grand Astrologers, who used their lives and "professional" astrological interpretations to continuously mislead everyone.

Some imperial astronomers say that the "White Lotus Holy Mother has been reborn," some say that the person "came from heaven," and others have seen a goddess in white. The most recent one even gave the outrageous prophecy that "it will take ten years to grow up"...

This led even within the White Lotus Sect itself to have their research direction skewed by these false messages spread at great personal risk.

They never imagined that there would be such a profession in the imperial court, playing such a high-level and reckless game, risking their lives.

Back at Linji Temple.

After releasing the ultimate smokescreen of the "White Lotus Sect," Xu Xuan knew he really had to take his leave.

Before parting, Abbot Huiren solemnly took out a string of seemingly unremarkable, gray wooden prayer beads and handed them to Shi Wang, who was standing beside Xu Xuan.

He didn't look at Xu Xuan, but instead addressed the Stone King, calmly recounting the past:
"I was born with congenital deficiencies and weak constitution. When I first entered the Buddhist order, I was much thinner and smaller than my peers."

“My late master was afraid that I would be looked down upon or even bullied because of my appearance when I went down the mountain to travel and preach in the future, so he gave me this string of prayer beads.”

"It has no offensive capabilities, but it has a wonderful use. It can conceal most of the wearer's aura, making it difficult for others to detect, thereby... avoiding a lot of unnecessary trouble."

He stroked the prayer beads, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes:
"Who would have thought that later, by sheer chance, I would overcome my congenital defect and make rapid progress in the cultivation of the Arhat's golden body, and thus, my physique..."

He showed off his now massive, mountain-like physique and smiled helplessly.

"Therefore, my late master specially added the word 'Ren' (忍, meaning forbearance) to the Dharma name he bestowed upon me. This was both to remind me not to bully the weak because of my growing power, and to admonish me that forbearance and upholding the precepts are fundamental on the path of cultivation."

"These prayer beads have not been used by me for a long time. I will give them to you today."

"Remember, Luoyang is not like other places. It is the center of the Nine Provinces, where dragon energy gathers and countless talented people and extraordinary individuals reside. The rules are paramount there. Even a peerless demon must restrain its brilliance and not act recklessly."

Xu Xuan glanced at the prayer beads and understood.

These prayer beads are not as simple as the stories suggest, merely for concealing one's breath.

It exudes an extremely ancient and restrained Buddhist aspiration, and its material is not ordinary wood. It is most likely a treasure passed down through generations of the Linji Temple, and its true protective power probably far exceeds Huiren's understatement.

However, he still nodded slightly to the Stone King, indicating that he should accept it.

He understood that he had helped Linji Temple survive its impending collapse and avert a life-or-death crisis, and the karma he had created for this was immense.

Huiren gave away this treasure both out of gratitude and to slightly settle some karmic debts.

If I insist on not accepting it, it will make this abbot, who values ​​relationships, uneasy, and may even breed the inner demon of "unable to repay the debt."

At the same time, accepting this sufficiently "valuable" gift can, to some extent, alleviate the karmic entanglement between oneself and Linji Temple.

After all, Xu Xuan's own troubles were far more explosive and complicated than the little things that King Liang had caused.

After giving away the Buddhist treasure, Huiren felt a sense of relief and a relieved smile appeared on his face.

Then came the formal farewell to Xu Xuan. Almost all the monks in the monastery who could still walk came to the mountain gate to see him off, clasped their hands together and chanted sutras, their expressions respectful and grateful.

This scene truly reflects the immense popularity and reverence that "Zen Master Fahai" enjoys in this place.

After exiting the mountain gate, we walked down the steps.

The Stone King, who had always been rather unremarkable, became even more subdued after wearing that string of dusty prayer beads, almost blending into the background.

However, at this point, it still dutifully asked:
"Young master, where do we go next...?"

Originally a powerful figure in Dongting Lake, the confident Demon King now had eyes filled with unease and confusion about the future.

In its view, this journey to the North was truly fraught with peril, a perilous and nerve-wracking experience.

Therefore, the next route planning is of paramount importance to it, as it concerns its very survival.

Xu Xuan looked at the winding official road ahead, and he did have some hesitation in his heart.

From the monkeys of the Huai River to the day and night of the Pei Kingdom, and now to the Mars guarding the heart of Liang Kingdom... it seems that since heading north, I haven't had a single day of peace.

So, the next step is... to play it safe?
He looked in the direction of Luoyang.

The closer one gets to the empire's administrative center, the stronger and more powerful the aura of humane imperial power becomes, like an invisible ocean.

This place is like the foot of a sacred mountain; what kind of ignorant demons and monsters would dare to act recklessly?
Even if there were, they would probably be the mounts or pets that escaped from the home of some Buddha or Bodhisattva. Everything would be within a controllable range, much more "rule-abiding" and troublesome than those wild demons outside.

Thinking of this, Xu Xuan seemed to regain some confidence and reassured the worried Stone King:
"Let's go. After we get through this calamity in Liang, the road ahead should be fine."

Stone King: "..."

He silently lowered his head, with only one thought in his mind:
I really wish that your mouth... could have the power to make your words come true.

On the other side, in Luoyang.

The chariot of the Northern War God was also escorted by the General to the heart of the storm.

Countless people, both openly and secretly, were observing the heroic figure of the so-called Son of the Black Bird.

The story continues.

(End of this chapter)