The Three Teachings Converge into One: The Path of the Mortal and the Saintly is the Same

Poetry:

Misty mountains conceal bandits who harass Jiangnan; a man in a green robe soothes the chaos and releases the wicked.

A chivalrous figure suddenly appears in the mortal world, and the benevolent spirit of the three religions breaks through the barriers of evil.

In the midsummer of the tenth year of Jinghe, Qingxi was revitalized after a devastating disaster. An ancient spiritual tree, rooted in the earth's veins, flourished like a canopy reaching the sky, with an ancient bronze seal hanging from its branches, its sacred aura protecting the region. Golden waves of rice rippled across the fields, merchants thronged the market, white walls and black tiles reflected in the clear waters of Qingxi, and willows and painted bridges restored the gentle charm of Jiangnan. The people lived in peace and prosperity, and everyone said that Su Qingxuan was a living saint descended to earth, his merits in saving the world through the three religions spreading far and wide throughout the Wu region.

Since the miraculous manifestation of the sacred tree, Su Qingxuan has devoted himself even more to the cultivation of the three religions. By day, he governs the country and brings peace to the people; by night, he meditates and regulates his breathing. He cultivates his noble spirit with Confucianism, nourishes the spirit of heaven and earth with Daoism, and transforms the violence of the world with Buddhist nature. His cultivation has become increasingly profound. The ancient bronze seal and the ancient sacred tree share a common spiritual energy. The seal and the tree, the Dao and the Buddha, complement each other and have become the foundation of Qingxi's protection. He knows that although the natural disasters have been resolved, the man-made calamities have not been eliminated. The remnants of the Shen family have not been wiped out, and there are powerful figures in the court eyeing the Central Plains. The Di barbarians in the north are also eyeing the Central Plains with ambition. Jiangnan may seem peaceful, but in reality, dangers lurk beneath the surface. He dares not slacken his vigilance in the slightest.

At dawn that day, as the first light of day appeared, Su Qingxuan was reviewing the registers for the resettlement of displaced people in the main hall of the county government office when he suddenly heard the rapid sound of horses' hooves outside. A bailiff from the Pingjiang Prefectural Government, dressed in an oilcloth and drenched in sweat, rushed in, knelt on one knee, and presented a sealed official document with wax seals. His voice was hoarse: "Magistrate Su! This is an urgent official document from the prefectural government. Bandits are rampant in Huangfeng Mountain in the northwest of Pingjiang Prefecture. They have broken into three villages and robbed countless merchants. Your Excellency has repeatedly sent troops to suppress them, but due to the treacherous mountains and fierce bandits, you have suffered repeated defeats. We hereby request Your Excellency Su's assistance in suppressing the bandits and rescuing the people from this dire situation!"

Su Qingxuan took the official document, lightly brushed the sealing wax with his fingertips, unfolded it, and read it carefully, his brows furrowing slightly. The document stated that Huangfeng Mountain, more than a hundred miles northwest of Pingjiang Prefecture, was a place with steep cliffs, dense forests, and treacherous roads, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. In the mountain lived a bandit leader named Zhou Hu, nicknamed "Mountain Tiger," originally a deserter from the northern frontier. He was fierce by nature, possessed the strength of a thousand pounds in his arms, and wielded a mountain-splitting axe, making him invincible. He had also gathered the remnants of Shen Wanshan's gang, Shen Biao, scattered soldiers, and disaster-stricken refugees, gathering more than five hundred people to occupy the mountain and establish Huangfeng Village as their king.

Half of this band of bandits were displaced people driven to desperation by natural disasters that destroyed their homes, left them with no land to cultivate, and forced them into the mountains; the other half were remnants of the Shen family gang who colluded with local ruffians and thugs, committing atrocities and instigating robberies. For half a month, the Huangfengzhai bandits had frequently descended the mountain, plundering the towns of Qingfeng, Luoshi, and Huaxi, burning, killing, looting, raping women, and stealing countless grains and valuables, leaving the people displaced and suffering immensely. The Pingjiang prefect dispatched three hundred soldiers to suppress them, but due to the narrow mountain paths and numerous hidden sentries, the soldiers were ambushed as soon as they entered the mountain, suffering more than half their losses. They were forced to retreat to the prefectural city and, in desperation, had to seek help from Su Qingxuan, who was known for his saintly reputation and ability to bring peace to the people.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Shitou and Zhou Laogen, who were standing below the hall, immediately clasped their hands and volunteered for battle: "Your Excellency, we are willing to lead our local militia to wipe out Huangfeng Village, kill all the bandits, and avenge the people!"

The local militia echoed in unison, each rubbing their hands together, their eyes filled with resentment.

Su Qingxuan slowly shook his head, raised his hand to suppress the anger of the crowd, and said in a gentle and clear voice: "Most of the bandits are refugees who have suffered from disasters and have been coerced by villains. They are not inherently evil. If we simply kill them, we will be killing innocent refugees and creating deep-seated hatred. This is not the way to bring peace to the people. Confucianism says 'education for all,' Taoism says 'purity and tranquility transform violence,' and Buddhism says 'compassion saves people.' In this campaign to quell the bandits, we should try our best not to kill. We should use the benevolent spirit of the three religions to transform their violence, calm their hearts, and atone for their sins. This is the fundamental solution."

Zhou Laogen hesitated, "Your Excellency... I've heard rumors that Zhou Hu is extremely fierce, and Shen Biao is a remnant of Shen Wanshan, ruthless and vicious. I'm afraid they're difficult to reform!"

"Everyone has a good heart. Even the most wicked can have a time when they realize their mistakes and turn back." Su Qingxuan tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his eyes clear. "I intend to travel light, taking only ten capable local militiamen, along with you two, Xiao Shitou and Lao Gen. We will first go to Qingfeng Town to appease the people and investigate the bandits' situation, and then find an opportunity to enter the mountains to persuade them to surrender. Weapons are instruments of death, and we will never use them unless absolutely necessary."

Su Wenyuan happened to enter the hall and, upon hearing his son's words, nodded in praise: "My son's words deeply capture the true essence of Confucianism's philosophy of saving the world. The principle of the unity of the three teachings lies in helping people, not in killing. You can go ahead with peace of mind. I will oversee the affairs of Qingxi for you, and the sacred tree will also protect the territory and ensure the safety of the people."

Liu also helped Su Qingxuan pack his luggage, stuffing dry food, water pouches, and medicine into his bag, and gently instructed him: "Be careful on your journey, don't be reckless. The people are important, but your own safety is also important."

Su Qingxuan bowed and bid farewell to his parents. That afternoon, dressed in a simple blue robe, with an imperial jade pendant and bronze seal hanging from his waist, he took Xiao Shitou and Zhou Laogen with him, led ten local militiamen, and rode away from Qingxi towards Qingfeng Town at the foot of Huangfeng Mountain. The closer they got to Huangfeng Mountain, the more desolate the scene became: fields lay barren, houses burned down, and refugees along the roadside, young and old, were emaciated and weeping bitterly—all victims of the Black Wind Bandits' ransacking. Seeing this, Su Qingxuan felt a pang of pity and could not bear it.

As dusk fell, they finally arrived at Qingfeng Town. This once bustling Jiangnan town was now almost deserted; shops were closed, streets were littered with rubble and bloodstains, and tattered rags and flags fluttered among the ruins. The occasional bark of a dog added to the desolation. The surviving townspeople huddled in their dilapidated houses, trembling. Upon hearing of Su Qingxuan's arrival, they struggled to crawl out, kneeling and weeping as they recounted the bandits' atrocities.

Su Qingxuan helped the people up one by one, comforting them with gentle words. He immediately ordered the local militia to open the provisions they had brought and set up a soup kitchen in the town square to distribute porridge and provide disaster relief. He also found the doctor who had accompanied him to treat the injured people. He personally visited the remaining villages to investigate the bandit situation and reassure the people. The people of Qingfeng Town already knew that Su Qingxuan was the living saint of Qingxi. Seeing him arrive in person, distributing food and treating the wounded, their fear gradually faded. They knelt down and kowtowed, calling him "Su Qingtian" (a title of high-ranking official).

As night fell, Su Qingxuan set up a temporary council in the dilapidated City God Temple in the town, summoning local militia and elders of Qingfeng Town to discuss countermeasures. According to the elders, the five hundred bandits of Huangfeng Village were divided into three camps: the front camp consisted of about three hundred refugees who had been coerced into joining the bandits. They were all ordinary people with little martial arts skills, only responsible for chopping wood and transporting grain, and never actively robbed; the middle camp consisted of about one hundred and fifty of Zhou Hu's close followers, all of whom were deserters and local ruffians, fierce and good at fighting; the rear camp consisted of about fifty remnants of the Shen family led by Shen Biao, the most cunning and vicious, who repeatedly instigated Zhou Hu to go down the mountain to rob, and were the main culprits of the banditry.

"Shen Biao intercepted the prefect's letter of surrender and even killed the messenger, threatening to raze Qingfeng Town to the ground and seize all the grain," the elder said in a trembling voice. "Shen Biao hates you for confiscating the Shen family's property and punishing Shen Wanshan and Shen Wanjiang. This time, he must be trying to use the bandits to take revenge on you!"

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Su Qingxuan's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "These Shen family members are truly incorrigible. Shen Biao... you'd better not dig your own grave! Zhou Hu... if you've taken a life, I won't spare you either!" Su Qingxuan immediately ordered, "Tomorrow morning, I will personally write a letter and send it to Huangfeng Mountain, persuading Zhou Hu to surrender. I promise that if he sincerely repents after surrendering, his life will be spared; if he resists stubbornly, he will bear the consequences!"

The following morning, Su Qingxuan personally wrote a letter of persuasion to Zhou Hu, his words earnest and his arguments clear, urging Zhou Hu to repent and stop harming the people. He selected a brave and careful village militiaman to take the letter into the mountains, repeatedly instructing him: "Just deliver the letter, do not argue. If the bandits become angry, return immediately. Do not act rashly."

The local militia accepted the order and headed towards Black Wind Mountain with the letter. Su Qingxuan, meanwhile, stayed in Qingfeng Town to reorganize the militia, appease the people, and await a reply. However, as dusk fell, the militia he had sent still hadn't returned, and everyone's hearts sank.

As night deepened, a blood-soaked figure stumbled into Qingfeng Town—it was the village militiaman who had carried the book. Covered in knife wounds and barely breathing, he collapsed before Su Qingxuan, struggling to pull half a torn surrender letter from his robes. He sobbed, "My lord… Shen Biao withheld the letter… and said… that he would lead his bandits to raze Qingfeng Town to the ground at midnight tonight, and take your head… to offer as a sacrifice to Shen Wanshan…"

Before he could finish speaking, the village militiaman died.

Little Stone's eyes widened in fury, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white: "You filthy bandits! How dare you kill my brothers! Sir, give the order! We'll lead our local militia up the mountain and slaughter them all!"

Zhou Laogen's eyes also reddened, and all the villagers were filled with righteous indignation, wishing they could immediately rush up Huangfeng Mountain.

Su Qingxuan supported the dead village militiaman, his eyes filled with grief and indignation, his voice as cold as ice: "Shen Biao, you deliberately provoked me, trying to force me to use force, to trap me in a bloody battle and shatter my Dao heart. Tonight, I will wait for you to come and see if you really want to dig your own grave."

He immediately ordered: the local militia to guard the north gate of Qingfeng Town, using wood and stone as barriers and bows and arrows as defenses, only driving away and not killing; set up a repentance platform in the town square, burn incense and chant scriptures, using an ancient bronze seal as the base of the formation, and he personally set up the Three Teachings Purification and Evil Transformation Formation, waiting for the bandits to arrive.

As night deepened and the cold wind howled, the howls of wolves echoed from the direction of Huangfeng Mountain, mingled with the shouts of bandits and the clashing of weapons, growing ever closer. At the third watch of the night, a dark mass of bandits surged like a tide outside Qingfeng Town. Leading them was a man eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and burly, with a face as black as charcoal, wielding a mountain-splitting axe—this was the bandit leader, Zhou Hu. Beside him was a man with a pointed snout and monkey-like face, his eyes gleaming with ferocity, holding two swords—this was Shen Biao.

"Su Qingxuan! Come out and face your death!" Shen Biao roared as he rode his horse to the front of the formation, "Today we will raze Qingfeng Town to the ground and avenge my Shen family! Brothers, charge in, burn, kill, and loot! Gold, silver, and women are all yours!"

Upon hearing this, the bandits' faces hardened with rage, and they charged towards the north gate of Qingfeng Town with shouts. The town's militia, following orders, fired arrows, but only at the bandits' feet, sparing no lives, using their bows and arrows to drive them away. However, the bandits were numerous, powerful, and fierce, and it seemed they were about to breach the gate. At this critical moment, a clear, resonant clang of swords and spears suddenly echoed from the mountains north of the town. A figure in red leaped out like a swallow, followed by dozens of martial arts heroes in close-fitting attire, each wielding a weapon, their dashing figures charging straight at the bandits!

The leading girl, about fourteen or fifteen years old, was dressed in a crimson outfit, a jade belt around her waist, and soft boots. Her long, black hair was tied in a high ponytail, with wisps of hair fluttering in the night breeze. Her face was like a lotus blossom, her eyebrows like distant mountains, and her almond-shaped eyes shone like stars, exuding a commanding presence. She held a red-tasseled spear, its tip gleaming coldly in the moonlight. Her movements were agile, her spear technique fierce, yet she held back in every strike, only targeting the bandits' pressure points without taking their lives. In no time, she had brought down dozens of the most ruthless bandits at the forefront, rendering them unable to move.

"What kind of demon dares to obstruct the affairs of my Yellow Wind Stronghold!" Upon seeing this, Shen Biao was both shocked and furious, and charged towards the girl in red with his sword.

The girl sneered, flicked her red-tasseled spear, and the tip shot out like a meteor, accurately striking Shen Biao's wrist acupoint. Shen Biao felt the pain, his two swords fell from his hands and landed on the ground, where he was kicked by the girl and fell to the ground in a sorry state.

"You bandits, plundering the people, utterly devoid of conscience, yet you dare to act so arrogantly here?" The girl's voice was like a silver bell, yet carried a chivalrous and heroic spirit. "I am Chi Ying, today I protect Magistrate Su and the people of Qingfeng! If you know what's good for you, then don't resist stubbornly. Otherwise, I will act on behalf of Heaven and take your dog's life!"

Chi Ying led a group of chivalrous heroes into the bandit ranks. These heroes were all skilled martial artists with a strong sense of justice. They targeted the bandits' weapons and pressure points, restraining them without killing or slaughtering them. The bandits, a disorganized mob, were caught off guard by the sudden appearance of these chivalrous warriors, and their formation fell into chaos. Zhou Hu brandished his axe, attempting a counterattack, but Chi Ying entangled him, her spear skills agile and forcing him to retreat repeatedly, leaving him powerless to fight back.

Standing atop the East Gate tower, Su Qingxuan admired the red-clad girl's dashing figure, exquisite marksmanship, and kind heart. Upon closer inspection of her face, he felt a sense of déjà vu, as if he had seen her somewhere before.

Chi Ying repelled Zhou Hu, then turned to look at the city wall. Her gaze fell on Su Qingxuan, and her almond-shaped eyes instantly welled up with a myriad of emotions—joy, longing, heartache, and a touch of girlish shyness. She leaped onto the city wall, stood before Su Qingxuan, sheathed her spear, bowed respectfully, and her voice trembled slightly: "Brother Qingxuan, you…do you still recognize me?"

A cry of "Brother Qingxuan" struck him like a thunderclap, causing Su Qingxuan to tremble and stare blankly at the girl in red before him. His memory instantly flashed back to several years ago, to the banks of the Qingxi River, where a little girl with pigtails and delicate features, clutching a bunch of rapeseed flowers, skipped and hopped up to him, calling out "Brother Qingxuan" in her sweet, childlike voice, bringing him the warmth of spring.

"You are... Atao? Zhang Atao?" Su Qingxuan's eyes were filled with disbelief, and her tone was excited.

Chi Ying, also known as Zhang Atao, reddened upon hearing this. She nodded vigorously, tears welling up in her eyes, but she held them back. "It's me, Brother Qingxuan, it's Atao! I left home to study martial arts, and now I'm back. I heard you were an official in Qingxi and came to Qingfeng Town to quell the bandits, so I led the righteous warriors of the martial world to help you!"

Years ago, Su Qingxuan was jilted by the Shen family and made a humiliating vow. Young Atao, oblivious to the harsh realities of life, only felt sorry for her Qingxuan brother and secretly shed tears for him. Later, she encountered a reclusive female knight-errant from Jiangnan, became her disciple, and learned martial arts. Her master bestowed upon her the alias Chiying, instructing her to uphold justice and help the people. For years, she traveled throughout the land, upholding justice, but never forgot her Qingxuan brother by the Qingxi River, never forgot her childhood vow, "I will always be with Qingxuan brother." Now, they meet again. The innocent girl has become a righteous magistrate, and she, too, has grown from a naive girl into a valiant female knight-errant. After so many years, their childhood feelings have transformed into a deep and unforgettable love.

Looking at the girl before him, Su Qingxuan saw that she had shed her childhood naiveté and gained a more chivalrous and forthright air. Her eyes and brows were full of heroic spirit, yet she still retained the innocence of her youth. He was filled with joy and emotion: "Atao, it's been so many years. You've grown up to be like this and have even mastered excellent martial arts. It's really... wonderful."

The words "That's wonderful" brought Chi Ying to her breaking point. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away and smiled. "I've practiced martial arts since I was a child, all for Qingxuan-gege. As long as I can be with Qingxuan-gege and protect him, Atao will be... completely satisfied."

The girl's eyes held a burning, pure affection, like the warm sunshine of spring in Jiangnan, direct yet comforting. Although Su Qingxuan devoted himself to saving the world and cultivating his spiritual practice, he was rarely proactive in matters of romance. Yet, when Chi Ying's intense gaze met his, his heart was struck like lightning. Just like when he first met Lin Wanqing, an involuntary sense of closeness and love surged within him, indescribable and inexplicable. Su Qingxuan knew very well that this wasn't promiscuity, nor a lack of spiritual resolve, but rather… he was swept up by a powerful sense of destiny, a deep-seated intimacy. He couldn't ignore it, couldn't escape it, couldn't let it go… The same was true for Lin Wanqing, and for Chi Ying as well.

Su Qingxuan didn't want to think too much about it, so he pretended to be calm and said gently, "With your help this time, the people of Qingfeng Town are much more at ease. Thank you."

Chi Ying quickly shook her head, her eyes full of determination: "Brother Qingxuan, you don't need to be so polite with me. You fight for the people, and I will clear the way for you."

Before he finished speaking, the bandits below the city became restless again. Zhou Hu, who had been defeated by Chi Ying, was unwilling to accept defeat and was instigated by Shen Biao. He roared and led his men to attack the city again.

Su Qingxuan composed himself, stood atop the city tower, formed hand seals, and activated the righteous energy within his dantian, drawing upon the sacred energy of the ancient bronze seal to resonate with the ancient spirit tree far away in Qingxi. A wisp of warm sacred energy overflowed from the ancient seal, drifting out from his fingertips and enveloping the entire Qingfeng Town, instantly activating the Three Religions' Purification and Evil Transformation Array.

The Dao's tranquility transforms violence. Wherever the sacred energy passed, the ferocity, greed, and restlessness in the hearts of the bandits gradually dissipated. Their hands, which had been brandishing weapons, slowly lowered, and the fierce light in their eyes faded, replaced by confusion and exhaustion. Those bandits who had been coerced into fleeing homes, remembering their destroyed farmland and dead relatives, all wept bitterly, collapsed to the ground, and cried out in anguish.

The Buddha's compassion atones for their sins. Su Qingxuan recited the compassionate verses of the Buddhist scriptures in a clear and gentle voice, which pierced through the night and reached the ears of every bandit: "All sentient beings possess Buddha-nature. If one realizes their mistake and returns to the right path, that is the other shore. Lay down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot. The sea of ​​suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore."

The Confucian principles of benevolence and righteousness bring peace to one's heart. After reciting Buddhist scriptures, Su Qingxuan, using Confucian principles, loudly admonished: "You are all citizens of the Great Xia, some displaced by disaster, others ordinary people. You should be cultivating the land and living in peace and prosperity. Only because of the instigation of wicked people have you gone astray, robbing the people and harming yourselves and others. Now, as the magistrate of Qingxi County, and with the promise of a true man: all those who have not committed murder, lay down your weapons, surrender and submit. Your past transgressions will be forgiven, you will be given land and tax exemptions, your families will be settled, and you will return to farming. If you remain obstinate and unrepentant, the laws of the land and the ways of Heaven will not tolerate it!"

Su Qingxuan circulated his inner energy, spreading the benevolent influences of the three religions layer by layer, like spring rain nourishing the land, seeping into the hearts of the bandits. He was skilled and daring, and walked straight down the city wall, heading into the midst of the bandits... Chi Ying, Xiao Shitou, and Zhou Laogen hurriedly followed.

The displaced bandits were the first to lay down their weapons, kneel down, and kowtow, weeping and pleading: "We are willing to surrender! We are willing to surrender! We have never killed anyone, please, sir, give us a way to live!"

When Zhou Hu's close bandits saw the refugees surrender and were calmed by the tranquility, their ferocity dissipated, and they put down their machetes and spears, kneeling down to beg for mercy.

Only Shen Biao, consumed by resentment and still harboring treacherous intentions, flew into a rage upon seeing the bandits surrender one after another. He picked up a long knife from the ground, and taking advantage of the crowd's inattention, secretly circled behind Su Qingxuan, then swung the knife and slashed, shouting, "Su Qingxuan! I'll fight you to the death!"

"Brother Qingxuan, be careful!" Chi Ying reacted swiftly, leaping in front of Su Qingxuan to shield him. Her red-tasseled spear swept across, deflecting Shen Biao's longsword. The spear tip pointed directly at Shen Biao's throat, but ultimately didn't strike, only subduing him. She shouted fiercely, "You villain! You dare to commit such a heinous act!"

Upon seeing this, Xiao Shitou and Zhou Laogen immediately rushed forward, tied Shen Biao up tightly, and brought him before Su Qingxuan.

Seeing that all was lost, Zhou Hu threw down his axe, knelt down with a thud, kowtowed, and wept bitterly: "Lord Su! I, Zhou Hu, know I was wrong! I was originally a deserter from the northern frontier, only wanting to live, but I was instigated by Shen Biao to plunder the people and commit heinous crimes. I beg you, my lord, to punish me!"

Su Qingxuan stood before the bandits, dressed in a simple blue robe, exuding an aura of sainthood, like a living sage. He helped Zhou Hu to his feet, then helped the kneeling bandits to their feet, and said gently, "To know one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue. The ancient sages taught that one should not blame the past. From now on, abandon evil and do good, return to farming and live in peace, and this is the way to atone for your sins. However..." Su Qingxuan paused, then continued, "You may be spared the death penalty, but you cannot escape punishment. You and your followers, those with blood on your hands, will be imprisoned for six years to reflect on your mistakes. Do you accept this or not?" "We accept it, we accept it, thank you for sparing our lives, sir!" Zhou Hu and the other bandits kowtowed repeatedly.

Immediately, Su Qingxuan issued another order: Shen Biao and more than ten other ringleaders who refused to repent should be imprisoned and brought back to Qingxi to be punished according to the law; the remaining bandits should all be included in the Qingfeng Town refugee resettlement register, given land and tax exemption, and provided with grain, seeds and farming tools to return to farming; those who wish to join the local militia should be included in the Qingfeng militia to maintain local security; those who do not wish to stay should be given travel expenses to return to their hometowns and settle down.

Upon hearing this, the bandits were all moved to tears, knelt down and kowtowed, calling him "Saint Su" and "Lord of Justice." The former mountain bandits and enemies had now become peaceful and prosperous people, and the malevolent spirit of Huangfeng Mountain had been completely cleansed by the benevolent influence of the three religions.

The following day, Su Qingxuan led the Red-Tasseled Army and local militia to escort Shen Biao and other ringleaders to Huangfeng Mountain. They demolished the Huangfeng Village fortress and renamed Huangfeng Mountain Qingfeng Ridge, meaning that the wind of benevolence would prevail and evil would be eradicated. They also erected a stele on the ridge, inscribed with the principles of the three religions for saving the world, to warn future generations to abandon evil and do good, and to abide by the righteous path.

Chi Ying led the righteous warriors to stay in Qingfeng Town, assisting Su Qingxuan in settling the bandits, reorganizing the local militia, and repairing houses. She stayed by Su Qingxuan's side every step of the way, tidying his clothes, serving him tea and water, and personally guarding him at night to protect his safety. The affection in her eyes grew stronger as she silently protected Su Qingxuan.

That afternoon, Su Qingxuan stood before the Qingfeng Ridge Stele, pondering the principles of the three religions in helping the world. Chi Ying quietly walked up behind him, took out a handful of golden rapeseed flowers from her bosom, and handed them to him. Just like when they were children, her eyes were curved, and she had a girlish shyness: "Brother Qingxuan, look, the rapeseed flowers on the ridge are blooming. I'll pick some for you."

Su Qingxuan accepted the rapeseed flowers, looking at the bright smile of the girl in front of him. His memories returned to the time in Qingxi Courtyard, and his heart was filled with warmth: "Atao, thank you so much. After all these years, you still remember me."

"I will always remember." Chi Ying lowered her head, her ears slightly red, her voice barely audible. "Brother Qingxuan, I have never forgotten the vow we made as children. I want to stay with you forever, whether you are Brother Qingxuan or Magistrate Qingxi, I want to protect you."

Faced with Chi Ying's sincere feelings, Su Qingxuan could not refuse against his conscience. However, with his ambitions unfulfilled and his future uncertain, it was not the time to indulge in romantic feelings. He could only say gently, "Chi Ying, you are a chivalrous woman. You should travel the world, uphold justice, and not be confined to one place because of me."

Upon hearing this, Chi Ying felt a slight pang of disappointment, but she still smiled and said firmly, "Wherever Brother Qingxuan is, that is where the world is. By protecting you, I am protecting the world, and protecting my path."

Su Qingxuan sensed that the girl's infatuation seemed to manifest as a predetermined entanglement of emotions and the root of a love tribulation. The path of cultivation, meant to save all beings, is most difficult to overcome one's own love tribulation. Is this wisp of worldly affection the gentlest bond or the most perilous calamity on his path of cultivation, a path where mortals and saints coexist?

Deep within the dense forests of Qingfeng Ridge, a figure dressed in black silently disappeared. Who else could it be but a spy from Di Man? He continued to meticulously record everything about Su Qingxuan's reformation of the bandits through the Three Teachings and Chi Ying's assistance in a secret letter, which he then sent by fast horse to the northern frontier under cover of night. Di Man King, learning that Su Qingxuan was gaining increasing popularity and possessing supernatural powers, regarded him as a major threat to his southward expansion and secretly mobilized troops, preparing to strike at the opportune moment.

In the imperial court of Luoyang, Prime Minister Zhang Congyao and the Emperor's brother-in-law Liu Chengye received intelligence that Su Qingxuan's reputation had soared after converting bandits through his three teachings, and that he had also gained the assistance of chivalrous figures from the martial arts world. Enraged, the two secretly contacted Xiao Jing, the Prince of Heluo, and devised a treacherous plan. They intended to use the Shen Biao case to impeach Su Qingxuan for "allowing bandits to wreak havoc, colluding with the martial arts world, and harboring treacherous intentions," strip him of his official position, and then secretly send assassins to eliminate him completely.

Su Qingxuan stood atop Qingfeng Ridge, gazing upon the verdant hills of Jiangnan, where the people lived in peace and prosperity. The ancient bronze seal in his arms felt slightly warm, and a figure in red robes with a crimson tassel accompanied him. The spiritual energy of the sacred trees wafted from afar, and the benevolent spirit of the three religions surrounded him. He knew that the transformation of Qingfeng Ridge from bandits was merely a small step on his path of saving the world in the imperial court. The hidden arrows of the court and the iron cavalry of the north were drawing ever closer... The great path of unifying the three religions and embracing both the mortal and the sacred remained fraught with thorns.

But he was determined and ambitious, dedicated to saving the world, and committed to the unity of the three religions. He remained true to his original aspiration and would forge ahead no matter what storms lay ahead.

It is:

The benevolent spirit of the three religions subdued the bandits, and the chivalrous spirit met for the first time, with a thousand thoughts swirling within.

The young man in green robes, unaware of the trials and tribulations of worldly love, has already sown the seeds of longing amidst the misty rain.