Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 581 The Holy Monk and the Long-Eyebrowed Monk

"Are we the bad guys, and the countryside is full of innocent and simple people?"

Malice welled up inside me; since things had already gone wrong, I figured we'd all suffer together.

He pointedly stated that other crimes needed to be investigated by the state magistrate, while the county magistrate only had the right to report them.

The practice of worshipping snake demons was initiated by the common people, and the government simply failed to supervise it effectively.

This is true; officials from the county seat to Dongye County simply acquiesced.

These words made Zhou Ju freeze instantly, and he looked at the people outside the hall.

The villagers who had been excited while watching the spectacle all avoided his gaze, and Li's father also lowered his head and remained silent.

There are some unspoken rules here.

The magistrate, lying on the ground, fought with increasing ferocity, saying:

“The people of Jiang Le County are not so heartless as to sacrifice their own children. They can go to other counties and spend fifty taels of silver to buy a virgin girl. Even with the cost of strangulation, it is no more than a hundred taels.”

"But who knew that this snake demon was also stubborn, and told the shaman that it only wanted girls from the vicinity of Yongling. It remembered the birth dates of the old and young in Jianle County, but only its own children would benefit from it."

"Don't say that two or three hundred taels can't buy them anywhere, even tens of millions of taels can't buy children who are exactly the same and born in the same year."

"You're saying this is my fault?"

The magistrate's desperate rebound, filled with an incomparably fierce killing intent and the most vicious content, went straight into Zhou Ju's heart.

The raging fire in his eyes turned to deathly stillness, and he became unsteady on his feet.

Yes, the officials were just covering it up. The people surrounding the shaman were just like they were back then, silent.

The same thing happened in Donghai County back then.

After the execution, the blood, blue and yellow, flowed up the banner and down the bamboo, marking the spot.

Even though the blood flowed back up to the flagpole, no one stood up to say a word of justice. It was only after a three-year drought that she gained a reputation as a filial woman.

When a thought arises in a person's heart, Heaven and Earth know it all. If good and evil go unpunished, then Heaven and Earth must be biased.
In that instant, time and space overlapped, and he felt that he was the one who was sent to the execution ground back then, and now he was the one being sent to the altar.

The principles taught by Master Yu and his experience as an official for more than ten years were also interspersed in the text, including the story of praying for rain in Fengxian County that Xu Xuan gave some time ago.

Beliefs, principles, and humanity collided wildly at this moment, while the resentment from the East Sea, suppressed by the Qi Lü, also tried to tear open the gaps and escape.

For a time, the chaos was so intense it gave people a splitting headache.

Xu Xuan stood outside watching the magistrate's counterattack, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Ning Caichen, with a serious expression, said that Prefect Zhou was going mad.

Ordinary people can also fall into the demonic path. He himself fell into the demonic path because of love, and almost caused a great disaster.

It remains to be seen what changes the prefect will make at that time.

"Master Xu, why not lend a hand to Prefect Zhou?" Zao asked, somewhat puzzled. Although Zhou Ju was pedantic and stubborn, he was not a bad person at heart, and he was also Yu Gong's student.

This is the perfect time to intervene and restore the other person's confidence.

Ji Rui didn't think too much about it and released the white deer to rescue the people.

But Xu Xuan stopped him.

Perhaps this is an opportunity, an opportunity to break down the old and build anew.

The events in the East China Sea haunted him like a nightmare for half his life. This time, the Dongye snake sacrifice was another calamity, with the shadows of many important figures in the imperial court looming behind it.

With both internal and external pressures mounting, this is precisely the time for a wake-up call.

Ultimately, this court hearing ended hastily.

After everyone had left, Xu Xuan led his disciples into the inner hall and met a somewhat eccentric Zhou Ju.

At this moment, his eyes were gloomy, his face was flushed, and his originally black hair had turned slightly white, making him look as if he had aged ten years.

"Xu Xuan, you don't need to persuade me anymore!"

"I will explain things to Master Yu."

Prefect Zhou turned around with a flick of his sleeve, his tone resolute as iron, “What have the people done wrong? I doubt it! Those who stood by and watched this happen are all guilty! If they don’t pay the price, where is justice?!”

"Once I lead my men to slay that snake demon, I will definitely report this to the imperial court and severely punish the people of this place! Let them know that indifference and cowardice are also crimes!"

Well, to be so extreme is indeed to be on the verge of falling into demonic possession; one's Dao heart has truly been shattered under the combined influence of numerous factors.

They have forgotten the direction of governance that Confucianism most liked to advocate.

If you govern the people by laws and regulate them by punishments, they will avoid punishment but have no sense of shame. If you govern them by virtue and regulate them by rites, they will have a sense of shame and moreover become good.

Governing a country through political means and using punishments to restrain the people may exempt them from punishment, but it will also cause them to lose their sense of shame. Conversely, guiding with morality and regulating with etiquette will not only instill a sense of shame in the people, but will also lead them to consciously abide by the rules.

Although Xu Xuan didn't really believe in this, he didn't completely reject the underlying principles.

He sighed, then slowly gathered strength in his hand and raised it.

A startling statement must be matched with a startling action. This opening move targets both the Arhat above and the Ghost King below; as long as the subsequent reasoning is strong enough, its power can be amplified. "Zhou Ju! Wake up, huh?"

A butterfly flew in through the window. Xu Xuan caught it and, upon seeing it, was instantly enraged. He slammed his palm through the wall.

Damn it, how dare those two Tibetan devils be so arrogant!
When I arrive, I will destroy your sect and extinguish your incense offerings!
Overwhelmed with shock and anger, he ignored Zhou Ju's reaction and turned to leave.

This left Prefect Zhou somewhat bewildered. "It's not like you and I are going to leave without saying anything?"

Xu Xuan stopped at the door, suppressing his anger as he turned around and said, "The snake demon has been found. Now, let my three disciples help you exorcise it."

As for matters of education and kindness, let's talk about them later.

Young Master Xu now has no good intentions, only a surging frenzy of evil thoughts.

He returned to his room and summoned Sanqi.

"My soul left my body and wandered across the nine provinces."

"Ji Rui, stay here to protect the physical body. You two go and help Zhou Ju kill that giant snake in front of the people."

"Also, pay close attention to Li Ji's changes."

After speaking, the thirty-six petals of the pale-colored lotus appeared in the void and slowly closed, covering the Holy Father's body.

The soul then leaves the small world of the human body and flies directly into the dream, constantly leaping forward in the dream along the causal connection with Li Yingqi.

Fortunately, Boqi is a divine beast of the Great Nuo, which makes this Dream-Eating Technique of extremely high in rank, making it one of the most unique divine arts of the Nine Provinces. Only in this way can it travel through time like a fleeting shadow.

Finally, after expending a great deal of their divine power, they reached the Great Snow Mountain.

There was no time to communicate; they flew directly out of the dream.

Light and shadow emanated from between Li Yingqi's eyebrows, resembling a lotus flower, a flame, or a butterfly.

The sounds came from the illusory land.

"A single thought can illuminate the universe, and empty mountains and silent seas can turn into dust. The Buddha's kingdom in the palm of one's hand can turn the world upside down, and the lotus platform beneath one's feet can hold the sun and moon."

A figure, vaguely formed by light and shadow, emerged from the unknown, emanating a strange, dreamlike power. Golden light shone continuously, even intertwining with the ghostly blue flames.

Long-browed man's usually calm gaze turned serious. Was he summoning his spirit in a dream?
The Qi siblings remained bewildered, but a glimmer of hope appeared in Yan Chixia's eyes: They've arrived!

Meanwhile, the two unfortunate members of the Western Demonic Cult looked in that direction with hope. Whoever came wouldn't be any worse than the current situation.

"His magical power is boundless, startling even ghosts and gods; his supernatural abilities are vast, shaking the heavens. The mortal world is but a dream, an illusion; only the Pure Land can save humanity."

Accompanied by the second half of the poem, the visitor finally revealed his true form.

A golden light suddenly appeared, golden lotuses sprang from the ground, and boundless Buddhist principles surrounded him, forming a halo.

This time, it's the holy monk who makes his appearance!

"This humble monk is Fahai of the Pure Land School!"

"The Tibetan cult is truly enormous."

"Long eyebrows?!"

Xu Xuan remained expressionless, but inwardly he gasped, his breath warming the snow-capped mountain.

Li Yingqi, you unreliable guy, you didn't mention Changmei was here when you sent the message.

I emphasized countless times in the meeting, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated." If I had known this guy was here, I would have made more preparations.

Li Yingqi, upon waking, was also helpless. "The old man didn't appear when I was burning incense, and I never expected you to appear so coincidentally."

Information asymmetry thus emerged, demonstrating the ever-changing nature of the battlefield.

Of course, it's more likely that it was a calamity brought by Qi Lingyun.

With all three heroes and two clouds present, unexpected events are to be expected.

Long Eyebrows felt a sinking feeling in his heart. If he felt something was familiar, then he must have seen it before.

Recalling the memories before the divided soul disappeared, that domineering black sun?

Could it be him? A completely different feeling? Why is that?
"Have we ever met this Pure Land Zen master before?"

Xu Xuan's heart skipped a beat. Don't you recognize me?
Oh~~~ that's interesting, so he gave a knowing look.

Li Yingqi stood up, raised his small face, pointed at the old man, and said:

"Listen up, you old demon of Mount Shu!"

"My senior master is..."

Suddenly, Yan Chixia, inside the formation, unleashed a sword light that distracted Changmei. Meanwhile, outside the formation, Li Yingqi raised his hand, his sword energy traversing thirty thousand miles—a sneak attack!

I didn't lead the Shushan School of painting astray.

He then grinned maliciously and pounced on her!
(End of this chapter)