Three Gods Convergence, Dreaming of Demons, Preaching Paintings Secured!

(Third watch)

The Great Dream Spring and Autumn is a profound and secret method for cultivating the soul. As the state religion of the Great Li, this secret method has an extremely deep understanding of the essence of the soul.

The two souls of Heaven and Earth are always outside, while only the Fate Soul resides in the body.

When the Heavenly Soul, Earthly Soul, and Fate Soul come together, it is called the "Three Gods Convergence".

However, the "Three Gods Convergence" is very difficult to achieve. Even cultivators cannot control the Three Gods Convergence. The Heavenly Soul and Earthly Soul can only occasionally resonate with the Fate Soul.

To truly achieve the "Three Gods Convergence" and the unity of the Divine Soul, requires an extremely high level of attainment.

Zhao Xing is cultivating the introductory chapter of the Great Dream Spring and Autumn. His Fate Soul is constantly getting stronger, which is equivalent to cultivating his Fate Soul.

Although the Heavenly Soul and Earthly Soul cannot yet be considered to be "cultivating", their relationship with these two is also strengthening.

After realizing that he was restless, Zhao Xing immediately determined that his Fate Soul had been touched by the earth soul.

After practicing the introductory chapters, Zhao Xing closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep in the carriage, his breathing becoming calm.

He quickly Entering the Dream.

"Buzz~"

In his dream, Zhao Xing saw a horse-drawn carriage.

"Purple Horn Horse a carriage, Brother Shen has really made it big these days, you even have such a ride."

"Don't make fun of me. This is just a bred offspring, carrying only a bit of the bloodline of a strange beast."

The carriage traveled on the official road outside the city, a scene that perfectly replicated Zhao Xing's memory, including his conversation with Shen Zhui yesterday, and even every single detail.

"This is the Dream Storage Method."

"A perfect replica of every detail, preserved in the dream."

"From here, Shen Zhui leave the city and head towards Anping Town."

Zhao Xing quietly felt it.

This is not only a view from God's perspective, but also a feeling.

For example, Zhao Xing's emotions when teasing Shen Zhui, the happy mood Heavenly Timing with Shen Zhui, the relaxed feeling when petting the cat, and the sense of peace in his heart when he came to Anping Town and saw farmers working in the fields.

"Through the Dream Storage Method, one can recall everything in memory, including emotions, which are only the most superficial ones, and even extreme insights can be relived."

Zhao Xing used the Dream Storage Method to find the reason for his restlessness. If it was indeed the touch of the Earth Soul, Zhao Xing would be able to feel it again.

"Brother Zhao, hurry!"

"What's the rush?"

This is Zhao Xing using magic to control the East Lake Pearl to absorb the clouds and rain Anping Town.

At this moment, through the Dream Storage Method, Zhao Xing even relived the feeling of casting the spell.

Then they arrived at the village head's house in Anping Town, learned about Huang Silang's affair, went to the Niu Family Courtyard, encountered Huang Silang, and were then forced to work in the fields...

Throughout the entire process, Zhao Xing did not sense anything amiss.

The night passed peacefully, and the next day...

Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui hearing that Huang Silang had gone gambling again, rushed to the Niu Family Courtyard, only to have Niu Gui open the door...

"Um?"

Zhao Xing suddenly sensed a faint abnormality.

"Is it from this point onwards?"

"Is there something wrong with the Niu Family Courtyard? Or is it just that Niu Gui?"

Upon entering the gate, Shen Zhui smashed the gambling table.

Huang Silang woke up and tried to escape through the back door, Shen Zhui blocked his way. Zhao Xing, on the other hand, looked at the Rice Guest...

In the dream, a middle-aged man with prominent cheekbones was talking to me, while a woman with a barrel waist was standing next to him.

Throughout the process, the unusual sensation gradually intensified.

After going outside, the feeling gradually weakened, and it quickly disappeared after I walked away.

"Um?"

In his dream, Zhao Xing relived the experience again and again, and finally discovered that the peak of the abnormal sensation occurred in this scene:

"This humble man, Chen Deshun, is my wife, Wu Chenshi..."

After the middle-aged man finished speaking, the unusual sensation reached its peak, and then gradually subsided.

Although the overall feeling was very vague and difficult to discern, Zhao Xing's Fate Soul at this moment came into contact with the wandering earth soul.

A careful comparison reveals the difference.

After reviewing it several times, Zhao Xing discovered that the unusual activation of the Earth Soul actually occurred as soon as he arrived in Anping Town.

"If the abnormal activation of the Earth Soul from the city to Anping Town is within the normal range, then it is set at one."

"On the first day, I ran into Huang Silang outside the Niu Family Courtyard, and that was point one."

"The next day, we entered the Niu Family Courtyard and met Niu Gui, reaching a level of 1.5."

"And talking to that Rice Guest is just being silly."

Zhao Xing's comparative work.

He waved.

"Buzz~"

The scene in the dream changed, rewinding to the moment before entering the Niu Family Courtyard.

Zhao Xing immersed himself in the story this time, reliving it from a first-person perspective.

Unlock the "Dream Deduction" technique using the Dream Storage Method.

"Niu Gui, are you going to invite us in or not?" Zhao Xing asked. "We're just coming in now to take a look around. If we ask for permission before we come in, it won't be so easy to get away with it."

"Alright, gentlemen, please come in."

After Zhao Xing entered, before Shen Zhui act, he immediately looked at the group of Rice Guest squatting outside the hall.

At the same time, they identified the middle-aged couple.

"Thunderbolt Lasso!"

Without saying a word, Zhao Xing's palm crackled with lightning, which quickly coalesced into a Thunderbolt Lasso that locked onto the couple.

"Brother Zhao, what are you doing?" Shen Zhui was taken aback.

The seemingly simple and honest middle-aged couple also looked bewildered after being locked up.

"Thunderclap Palm!"

Zhao Xing then used his lightning magic to strike.

"Kill!" The seemingly simple and honest middle-aged couple suddenly turned ferocious, and then a blood-red figure burst forth from their bodies. This blood-red figure was covered with countless twisted arms and heads, as if many flesh and blood bodies were combined together. Then it exploded and fiercely attacked Zhao Xing.

"Bang!"

The entire Niu Family Courtyard was shrouded in this bloody light, completely engulfing everything.

"Ah!"

The dream suddenly shattered, and Zhao Xing's Fate Soul felt a tremor before he woke up.

"Meow!" Sensing its owner's palpitations, the Mountain Cat suddenly arched its body, its fur standing on end, as if it had encountered a life-or-death crisis.

"Brother Zhao, what's wrong with you?" Shen Zhui was startled because Zhao Xing's face was terribly pale, without a trace of color, and his breathing had also weakened considerably.

"I had a nightmare," Zhao Xing said with a smile, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "I guess I've been too tired these past few days."

"Nightmare?" Shen Zhui was puzzled. What kind of nightmare was causing such a strong reaction?

"I dreamt that my father was unwell," Zhao Xing said. "Brother Shen, I'm worried about home. Let's leave Huang Silang aside for now, just give the village head some instructions, and let's go back to the city first."

"Okay." Although Shen Zhui had some doubts, he didn't ask any more questions. Although the trip to Anping Town was ending prematurely because of a dream, it was understandable since Zhao Xing mentioned his family.

"Giddy up!" The carriage turned around and headed towards Gucheng.

In the Niu Family Courtyard, the Three Bays Hall, who goes by the alias Chen Deshun, and his deputy are heading to the Niu Family's fields with the Rice Guest to begin their afternoon work.

Sudden--

A red light flashed in Chen Deshun's eyes, and a tremor ran through his heart.

"Um?"

Chen Deshun's expression changed slightly, and there was some doubt in his eyes.

The woman beside them also stopped. The two exchanged a glance, then immediately made an excuse to leave and went to a shady locust tree.

"You felt it?" Chen Deshun looked at the woman.

"Yes." The woman nodded emphatically. "What happened? Why did His Excellency issue a warning?"

"Could it be that the spirits of the Gucheng Temple were patrolling, which triggered the warning?"

"I don't know." Chen Deshun's expression was solemn. "We need to go back and ask the Guardian Art. You and I should strengthen our protection first."

"Shall we do it, or shall we?" the woman asked.

"I'll do it," Chen Deshun said. "My cultivation is higher than yours, I can handle it."

"Good."

Facing the locust tree, Chen Deshun secretly unbuttoned his clothes, then cut open his chest with his fingertips, revealing scarlet blood.

The blood flowed out, but instead of falling down, it flowed on the belly, forming a pattern.

His gaze was vacant, his pupils lost focus, and as the pattern slowly coalesced into a ghost head, his eyes turned completely blood red.

On his stomach, a distorted, blood-red face appeared.

The woman immediately squatted down, put her hands on Chen Deshun's waist, and pressed her face against Chen Deshun's belly to suck blood.

A moment later, the blood completely disappeared, and Chen Deshun returned to normal.

"Cough cough... Why do you need so much this time?" Chen Deshun's face was pale.

"I think we should leave Anping Town first," the woman said, rising to her feet. "This place is not safe to stay any longer."

"Okay, I'll go and tell the Niu Family."

"Da da da~"

After the carriage entered the city, Zhao Xing, who was inside the carriage, let out a long sigh of relief.

When he used the Dream Storage Method in Anping Town, his Fate Soul was sensed by the earth soul and felt a tremor, making him feel terrified, as if something was spying on him.

But then he disappeared again, so Zhao Xing didn't dare to say anything more, let alone go back to the Niu Family to investigate. Instead, he rushed back to the city.

"Could this feeling be the Evil God Profound Heaven Sect?" Zhao Xing recalled the methods of the Profound Heaven Sect. Whenever the Profound Heaven Sect caused trouble in the Great Zhou, they would always carry the image of Evil God, with Yin Spirit clone hidden inside.

Just like when he went to find the River Scavengers, he ran into Meng Yun carrying the clone of the Earl of East Lake.

In his previous life, Zhao Xing had joined the Profound Heaven Sect and was very familiar with these methods. To evade Reconnaissance and surveillance, he needed this device in conjunction with the Profound Heaven Sect's concealment techniques.

However, he did not expect that sensing the earth's soul through the Dream Storage Method would actually allow him to discover some clues.

"The Great Dream Spring and Autumn is indeed a top-notch method. I have only just begun to learn it, yet I am able to detect anomalies through the Karma Soul."

"That middle-aged couple is definitely up to something!"

"And not just any ordinary believer! At least a sect leader!"

The believers, having only been brainwashed, do not practice the evil arts of the Profound Heaven Sect, nor could they be possessed by Yin Spirit.

If Yin Spirit is possessing someone, it must be the leader of the hall who is carrying out the mission.

What should you do if you encounter this kind of situation?

Of course, I can't do it myself.

After returning to the city, Zhao Xing immediately reported it to Old Chen.

Chen Shijie saw Zhao Xing rushing back, he was puzzled. "What happened? Why do you look so pale?"

"I suspect I've discovered traces of the Profound Heaven Sect."

Chen Shijie's expression turned serious. "What's going on? Tell me in detail."

Zhao Xing said, "I went to Anping Town to persuade farmers to stay. I went to a local courtyard and didn't feel anything at the time, but after I came out, I had a strange palpitation."

Chen Shijie asked, "Does the Evil Aversion Almanac offer any warnings?"

"No," Zhao Xing shook his head. "That's why I said I discovered traces of the Profound Heaven Sect, not its followers."

Chen Shijie nodded. Normally, it would be impossible to be discovered. If it were a hall master, even the Evil Aversion Almanac wouldn't be able to warn of it.

Otherwise, they would have been arrested long ago, and the government would have considered them a nuisance.

"Perhaps we received too much spiritual energy on the mountain, because both the little Mountain Cat and I felt palpitations. As soon as we came out, it told me that there were two bad people in that courtyard." Zhao Xing attributed the discovery to the Mountain Cat.

"Meow~" The little Mountain Cat tilted its head up. Was it praising me?

"Based on my memory, I drew what those two people looked like..." Zhao Xing handed over the finished portrait.

Chen Shijie took the portrait, glanced at it, and then put it away.

"You don't need to worry about this matter. I'll have someone investigate these two people."

After a pause, Chen Shijie added, "Right now it's just suspicion. Don't mention it to anyone else, firstly to avoid leaks, and secondly to prevent you from getting into any unnecessary trouble."

"I understand." Zhao Xing nodded. He only said this because he trusted Old Chen. He might not have been willing to make up this excuse for anyone else.

Otherwise, what if someone thinks the Mountain Cat is magical and wants to borrow it?

Therefore, Zhao Xing didn't speak completely, using words like "suspected" and "possibly".

Old Chen's attitude was also good; he even knew how to consider his feelings.

Regardless of whether he deserved credit or not, he believed that Old Chen would definitely exonerate him from this matter.

As for whether he believed it or not, and how he would use the information if he did, Zhao Xing didn't think too much about it.

He's too young and inexperienced; for important matters, we still need Old Chen to lead the charge.

The day after returning to the city, which was also the last day of September, Zong Shichang sent someone with good news: the Preaching Painting had been secured.

Zhao Xing rushed to the Zong Residence and met Zong Shichang and Steward Tang.

"Young Master Zong, is the matter of the Preaching Painting' settled?"

Zong Shichang waved his hand and said, "If it can be bought with money, what can't I handle? We're here, Uncle Tang."

Manager Tang brought over several long boxes.

Zong Shichang patted the box and said, "There are four Preaching Painting in total."

"One of them is the one I agreed on with you, you don't need to pay extra."

"The other two paintings were found for you by Lu Qian, and we've already paid for them."

"This is the last one; you need to pay for it."

Zhao Xing didn't waste any words. "How much?"

Zong Shichang said, "This fourth-grade superior-level Earthly Advantage Faction painting is one I acquired from the Cao Family. It's intact and can still be studied four times. I won't make money off you; the original price was three thousand two hundred taels, so you can just give me three thousand two hundred taels."

"Okay." Zhao Xing felt that although the price was expensive, it was worth it. After selling those treasures, he had nearly four thousand taels of working capital, so he paid the money immediately.

As for the other three sets, they were obtained by selling war songs and lyrics, so no additional money was needed.

Manager Tang accepted the silver notes, cupped his hands in farewell and took his leave, leaving Zong Shichang and Zhao Xing to chat privately.

"Lu Qian asked me to pass on a message. She said these two paintings aren't enough to repay your favor, and she'll find you a fourth-tier painting later. Brother Zhao, can you teach me how you managed to soothe that feisty girl so well?"

"When she talked to me and mentioned you, her eyes were so tender and loving, hehehe."

Zong Shichang was now in awe of Zhao Xing. He could even handle Lu Qian; Zhao Xing was practically a god!

"Don't make wild guesses," Zhao Xing said. "Like High Mountains Flowing Water seeking a kindred spirit, they're paying for art!"

"I see. It seems I'll have to learn some proper art in the future," Zong Shichang said thoughtfully.

"Alright, let's not talk about that for now. Let me use this space of yours to study the painting."

"Sure, you can choose any room in the Listening Water Pavilion." Zong Shichang pointed to the Mountain Cat and said, "May I pet this kitten for a bit?"

"Okay, just give it some food."

"No problem, I've prepared plenty of Big Yellow, I guarantee there will be enough!"

Zhao Xing rolled up the box, found a secluded room in the Zong Residence, and then put the box down.

"I saw the fourth-level Preaching Painting once before at my teacher's place. It was a rubbing of the 'All Things Growth Chart. I only had one chance to understand' Savage Growth's and 'Earth Veins Synthesis'."

"Back then, my spells were all very rudimentary, but now, most of them are at the Nine Turns, and some are even at the maximum level." Zhao Xing's eyes were filled with anticipation.

The interpretation of Preaching Painting varies depending on the time period in which it is viewed.

The less you accumulate, the less you gain from it.

The more you accumulate, the greater your gains will be!

"Hopefully, we can achieve a breakthrough this time."

Zhao Xing took a deep breath, opened the first box, and pulled the painting out of the scroll.