Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 927 It’s on fire
The situation is now clearer.

This was a meticulously planned conspiracy, executed step by step.

That wandering Taoist priest did not appear by chance.

He accurately captured Fu Tianchou's intolerant and upright nature, and used a seemingly ordinary "selling peaches" trick as bait, then successfully provoked and lured away the retired official with a few witty and rebellious remarks.

Their purpose was clear: to make Fu Tianchou "disappear".

As for whether the Taoist priest and the people behind him had entirely malicious intentions...
After all, anyone who could openly say things like "The Later Sage Emperor leads the people, peace turns into emptiness, and we support the Later Sage Emperor" in front of court officials is despicable, and it is no exaggeration to regard them as potential rebels.

The key issue is that the very fact of "disappearance" is enough to push Fu Tianchou into an abyss of no return.

Imagine a high-ranking official of the imperial court who mysteriously disappears after having a secret conversation with a charlatan who is suspicious of his actions and speaks eccentrically...

This matter cannot withstand investigation, and there is absolutely no need to investigate it.

Once the news reaches Luoyang, no one will care whether he is a victim or whether he was coerced.

Perhaps the memorial impeaching Fu Tianchou for "associating with evil people, harboring ulterior motives, and fleeing to avoid punishment" had already been prepared on some people's desks.

Once this "east wind" arrives, they can immediately go through the process of labeling him as an accomplice of traitors, dismissing him from his post and investigating him, or even issuing arrest warrants all over the country.

Perhaps from the emperor to the ministers, and even the Censorate where he once fought, deep down they did not really want this stubborn and inflexible "Fu Qingtian" who often embarrassed his colleagues and superiors to actually come back.

His very existence disrupted a certain unspoken understanding within officialdom.

For many, his disappearance was perhaps a welcome relief, a release from the gloom that everyone had been hoping for.

Once stripped of their official rank by the imperial court, the protective aura of the dynasty, though weakened, will completely dissipate.

At that time, Fu Tianchou will truly be left with no one to turn to, his misery compounded.

In retrospect, the opponent's tactic of "trapping without killing" is far more sophisticated, insidious, and vicious than direct combat.

Killing someone is just a matter of beheading them, but this kind of operation is meant to completely ruin Fu Tianchou's reputation for life, making him infamous and disgraced for eternity, and possibly even implicating his family.

Inside the Buddhist hall, the fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air, yet it could not dispel the invisible aura of conspiracy.

The "Three Wonders" and their companions took the initiative, feeling as comfortable as if they were in their own study.

They somehow found some tea leaves and had the timid little monk boil water. Now they were sitting around enjoying the tea.

They took turns discussing and analyzing this speculation in a logical and well-organized manner, making it sufficient to write a policy essay entitled "On the Political Game and Conspiracy Behind the Disappearance of Fu Tianchou".

He truly deserves to be called a talented scholar who has undergone three years of instruction from Xu Xuan and has read many historical books.

He could casually rattle off one, two, three, four, five, and deduce all sorts of possibilities.

They might even have deduced insidious tactics that their hidden enemies wouldn't have thought of, making them incredibly vicious.

Hearing this, Fu Qingfeng turned pale and his hands and feet went cold. He felt dizzy and his ears were ringing.

Father... Father, is there really no hope for me?
Not only are people trapped, but their posthumous reputations are also being trampled on and slandered in this way?
Meanwhile, the young monk Xinsheng, who was responsible for boiling water, was trembling with fear as he listened, and he could barely hold the water ladle in his hand.

Stealing glances at the three "scholars" leisurely sipping tea and discussing matters that could stir up a bloody storm in the imperial court, I felt a chill run down my spine.

What exactly are these three evil stars?
How could someone be so full of bad intentions... no, so full of unfathomable cunning and scheming!

When it comes to conspiracies, framing, and infighting in the court, his thinking is so clear and his perspective so ingenious that he is even more skilled than the treacherous ministers in the storybooks!

Is this the true value of being a Yangzhou scholar, a student of Chongqi Academy, a guest of Baoan Hall, and a future official of the imperial court?
The young monk subconsciously shrank his neck, feeling as if the temperature in the Buddhist hall had dropped several degrees.

Finally, the topic returned to the mysterious Master Longtan.

The abbot of Longtan Temple, the main executor of the house arrest of a high-ranking official, is suspected to be a high-ranking monk from the Pure Land School, and the owner of that strange mural...

The mystery surrounding him seemed even thicker than the mountain mist.

What is his purpose?

Was he acting on someone's behalf, or did he have ulterior motives?
What was his relationship with that wandering Taoist priest?
However, Ji Rui expressed strong "approval" of the fact that Master Longtan came from the Pure Land School.

"Heh, the Pure Land Sect, I wouldn't be surprised if some demons and monsters appeared." Ji Rui smiled somewhat strangely.

“I told you last time that I’ve been to the ancestral temple.” There was a subtle atmosphere in his tone. “Master Xu’s sect is quite extraordinary.”

"Actually, even Master Xu himself sometimes..." He stopped mid-sentence, his courage faltering as he looked around, afraid that someone might suddenly appear and strike him again.

Seemingly realizing that these actions were somewhat inappropriate, he lost his courage and abruptly stopped looking around.

The two friends, of course, understood perfectly, and laughed heartily.

Ji Rui coughed twice and waved his hand, "Anyway, this pool of water is deep and murky, it's hard to say, hard to say."

As for his experience of falling into the mural at the Donglin Temple ancestral hall, Ji Rui had vaguely mentioned it to his two companions.

Of course, he omitted all the sentimental details about inner fragility, struggle, and despair.
It was simply summarized as "a rather perilous experience for this young master who was still very naive at the time."

Those were indeed unbearable memories. The illusions in the murals pointed directly to the deepest desires in people's hearts, weaving a gentle trap that makes people intoxicated and unwilling to wake up.

Just a tiny bit more, just a tiny bit more, and I was about to completely lose myself, to fall into the abyss of endless splendor and delusion, to become yet another fallen lustful demon in the painting. Every time I think of it, I feel a chill run down my spine.

As for now...

"Ha...haha...hahaha!!!"

Without warning, Ji Rui suddenly covered his face and let out a burst of uncontrollable, complex laughter!
That laughter was mixed with too many emotions.

There's anger over past humiliations, pride in current strength, a sense of accomplishment in avenging past defeats, and perhaps even a touch of sadness for those years of struggle...

A mix of emotions churned and intertwined within him, ultimately transforming into this uncontrollable, manic laughter.

His face rapidly switched between various expressions like a carousel, sometimes ferocious, sometimes joyful, sometimes gloomy, making the viewer's heart pound with fear.

The young monk, who was already terrified, cried out "Oh my god!" and immediately crouched behind a pillar, covering his head and trembling. He thought that this evil star was finally going to go completely mad and start attacking indiscriminately.

Fu Qingfeng also paled, instinctively shrinking behind Ning Caichen. Her beautiful eyes stared in disbelief at the seemingly deranged Ji Rui, completely bewildered by this sudden turn of events.

Only Zao Tongxue and Ning Caichen, these two good brothers, exchanged a glance and roughly guessed the reason.

He probably remembered the great loss he suffered in the painting, and now that he felt he had mastered his skills, he could finally go back and show off, slap people in the face, and avenge his previous humiliation. The feeling of satisfaction was naturally overwhelming.

Or perhaps it is precisely because he has a 'hidden ailment' at this moment, and his heart is ashen, that he has become a person who is invincible and impeccable because he is without desires, and is able to confront his greatest weakness from the past.

When several extreme emotions are mixed together, a moment of madness is understandable.

In short, Ji Rui is now a complex being stimulated by a combination of old and new grudges, his dark past, and the special buffs he currently faces.

He laughed for a while before slowly lowering his hand, taking a deep breath, and trying to calm his violently heaving chest.

But those eyes burned with an unprecedentedly intense light.

"go!"

"Let's go inside this mural and meet that Master Longtan, and while we're at it, we'll fish Old Man Fu out!"

Ji Rui waved his hand, his tone resolute and imposing.

The three were closely connected, having gone through countless life-and-death situations together.

I'm not afraid of venturing into the netherworld or causing trouble in the underworld, let alone this mere mural illusion.
Naturally, no one hesitated for a second.

Moreover, the three of them are now far more formidable than before.

One is Ning Caichen, whose music moves the netherworld and whose strings bind demons. The other is Zao, whose strength can lift a monument and whose sword can vanquish hordes of demons.

Add to that Ji Rui, who, despite having a "hidden ailment," possesses "penetrating" thoughts, abnormally sharp senses, and outrageously luxurious equipment...

The destructive power of this combination has been proven in numerous real battles, with a proven track record of brilliant victories!
The three men suddenly stood up, their movements perfectly synchronized, and began their final preparations for battle.

Ning Caichen carefully wrapped and tightened the specially made strings around his wrist and tested the sound.

Zao silently wiped the ancient longsword with its eye-shaped hilt, and his aura began to subtly rise.

Ji Rui examined the short knife "Keji" hidden in his sleeve and the bulging leather pouch at his waist, which was filled with an unknown amount of "good stuff".

Even Fu Qingfeng, who was standing to the side, was caught up in the sudden pre-battle atmosphere. Before he could fully react, Ji Rui stuffed a bunch of things into his arms.

A jade bottle that felt warm to the touch and was clearly of extraordinary quality; a stack of cinnabar talismans brimming with spiritual energy; and a robe as thin as gauze yet shimmering with a faint glow.

"What are you standing there for? There's a life-saving elixir in the bottle. You can stick the talisman on your sword or throw it away. Put on your robes yourself!" Ji Rui spoke rapidly. "Check your sword!"

Fu Qingfeng: "...Oh, oh!"

She instinctively gripped her sword and hurriedly put on her robes.

Although he was still worried about his father, he inexplicably felt a strong sense of confidence and security, and... a hint of indescribable excitement.

The whole scene instantly ignited!
A sense of solemnity and fervor coexisted, as if an invisible war song was being played!
If it were paired with some rousing background music, the effect would probably be earth-shattering!

With everything ready, the three men escorted the pale-faced little monk straight to the eerie mural in the backyard.

Tactics still need to be rigorous.

Upon reaching the mural, Zao's large hand, imbued with terrifying power, pressed down unceremoniously on the little monk's bald head.

The force was so great that his face almost made direct contact with the wall.

Ji Rui then added a sinister explanation from the side, his voice not loud, but carrying a chill:

"Look carefully and search thoroughly. Don't try to be clever."

"I forgot to tell you, we've already planted a secret medicine called 'Ten Thousand Poisons Soft Red Sand' from the Tibetan Demonic Sect in your body."

"This poison is invisible and odorless, and you will be unharmed under normal circumstances, but if you harbor malicious intentions or try to do something underhanded... hehe."

He let out a series of chilling chuckles: "I guarantee you'll die in an extremely creative way, and very, I mean very ugly."

(End of this chapter)