A Powerful Skill Within the Buddhist Scriptures

"Justice is not about seeking personal gain, and understanding the truth is not about seeking personal credit," the man said quickly.

These words came abruptly and bluntly. Xu Bai frowned slightly, but the knife in his hand did not slow down at all, and continued to move forward without hesitation.

Sweat Sweeping Man.

"Etc!"

Just then, Liu Xu behind them suddenly shouted.

"Call..."

A gust of wind blew by, Xu Bai's knife stopped right in front of the Sweeping Man. At the same time, he turned around to look at Liu Xu.

"You know him?"

Liu Xu nodded, then shook her head, staring at the Sweeping Man in front of her, and abruptly said, "Yang Chang."

The Sweeping Man nodded vigorously. "I never thought that after so many years, someone would still know my name."

Xu Bai smacked his lips and winked at Wu Hua.

Wu Hua understood, released his grip, and stood aside.

They both turned their gaze to Liu Xu, waiting for Liu Xu to give them an answer.

Not long ago, Xu Bai was still studying Buddhist scriptures in his hands, listening to the sound of Wu Hua striking the Wooden Fish.

Not long after, there was a noise from behind the cabinet in the room, and then Liu Xu pushed the cabinet open and came out.

Then, Liu Xu said that she had encountered the Sweeping Man at the Spring Rain Pavilion. Xu Bai and Wu Hua didn't even think about it and rushed over with Liu Xu.

As a result, the scene from the very beginning was discovered.

Now that they've gotten into the swing of things and are really getting into the action, it wouldn't make sense to suddenly stop.

I've already taken my clothes off, and you want me to put them back on?

Let's see how Liu Xu explains it.

Based on Xu Bai's guess about Liu Xu, this person's identity must be extraordinary, otherwise Liu Xu would not have asked him to stop.

"Do you remember I told you before that there was a scholar at the Azure Cloud Academy who disappeared without a trace?" Liu Xu said.

"Is it that scholar who tried to assassinate the dean?" Xu Bai stroked his chin and looked at the Sweeping Man next to him.

Even the most oblivious person could guess the identity of the Sweeping Man, and combined with Liu Xu's behavior, he had figured out the reason.

The Sweeping Man seems to be the scholar.

"What he just said was something he once said to my teacher. He and my teacher were from the same era. Only my teacher knows what he said, but..." Liu Xu hesitated for a moment, but still said it, "Why is your strength so low?"

If he were from the same era as his teacher, his strength shouldn't be so low.

"Sigh... I've already become like this, how strong do you think I can be?" Yang Chang said with a bitter smile, "I haven't made any progress over the years, but I'm about to step into the sixth rank. I was almost killed by you just now."

Indeed, he still feels heart palpitations.

Although he hasn't made any progress over the years, he still has vision; after all, he was once a genius.

The monk seemed ordinary, but the purity of the Buddha's light was beyond imagination.

Liu Xu's abilities were even stranger; it was the first time I had ever seen such a strange and peculiar Righteous Qi.

As for the young martial artist carrying the knife, his initial use of hidden weapons had already amazed him, and his subsequent knife skills were even more powerful, subtly carrying the power to pierce armor.

These three individuals are promising talents, no matter where they are placed; their combined strength makes him feel that their potential is fully revealed.

"Why are you hiding here?" Liu Xu asked, her eyes filled with doubt.

I had long heard that the scholar from back then had disappeared without a trace, but now I have suddenly met him, and in such a remote little county town no less.

Add to that recent events, and it's hard not to connect the dots.

"I've come to return something." Yang Chang picked up the broom in his hand, held it with both hands, and handed it to Liu Xu: "Please help me return this to the dean, and tell him that I have already comprehended many things in the past few years and can't let go of them."

Before Liu Xu could even react, Xu Bai's eyes were practically glowing as he stared at the broom, eager to snatch it away.

Progress bar! Nothing could be more alluring to Xu Bai than a progress bar.

This broom is a good thing; at least in Xu Bai's opinion, it's the best.

But given the current situation, there's no way to openly rob it; we can only try to squeeze out as much progress as we can.

Xu Bai swept the broom from time to time, and the progress bar slowly increased.

"What is this thing? Why should I hand it over to the dean? I can't agree to this unless you explain the whole story clearly." Liu Xu didn't even take the broom.

"Sigh..." Yang Chang sighed, unsure how to express himself.

"It seems that your assassination attempt on the Dean is true," Wu Hua.

Yang Chang did not deny this statement. He organized his thoughts and asked, "You really want to hear it?"

The Liu Xu nodded.

Wu Hua nodded in agreement.

Xu Bai stared at the broom and nodded in agreement, pretending to follow suit.

At this point, Yang Chang knew in his heart that if he didn't explain the cause and effect, things would be really difficult to handle.

He thought carefully for a moment, organized his thoughts, and then slowly began to speak.

"Many years ago, I entered Azure Cloud Academy and was considered a prodigy by the Academy. I was very happy at that time because I felt genuinely delighted to be able to do my own thing."

"I read books every day, hoping to realize my ambitions after leaving the Academy, until one day, I met a woman."

"Back then, the Great Chu Kingdom was not as stable as it is now. There were still many evil sects and heretics, and that woman was a disciple of one of them."

At this point, Yang Chang touched the scar on his face, seemingly feeling a sense of nostalgia as he recalled the past.

"You really got involved with that evil sorceress?" Liu Xu's eyes widened.

Xu Bai found it exciting, glanced at the broom again, and said, "Don't interrupt, let him continue."

Liu Xu had also been unable to control her mouth earlier, but now she remained silent, waiting for Yang Chang to continue.

"Was she a heretical witch? Even now, many people probably still think so, but actually... she was brought to me by the Bureau of Surveillance." Yang Chang said slowly.

The Bureau of Surveillance? Wu Hua couldn't sit still when this was mentioned.

"The Bureau of Surveillance and a heretical witch?"

"Little monk, let me finish," Yang Chang said meaningfully. "Your mind is in turmoil tonight. I don't know if the scriptures of the Vajra Temple can calm you down."

These words came abruptly. Xu Bai and Liu Xu didn't understand them, but Wu Hua's expression changed, though she quickly returned to normal.

"The Bureau of Surveillance told me that she was not an evil sorceress, but an inside agent, whose purpose was to eliminate that so-called evil sect." Yang Chang's tone was tinged with a sigh.

"The purpose of the Bureau of Surveillance is to find someone to act as an inside agent, because that evil sect is very special. It was founded by former students of the Academy who defected."

"That student was dissatisfied with the Academy his whole life and wanted to overthrow Academy. Fortunately, my position gave me a lot of room to maneuver."

"You agreed?" Xu Bai asked.

Yang Chang turned around, and although he didn't say anything, the meaning in his eyes was clear.

Silence speaks louder than words.

"The assassination attempt on the dean was to demonstrate loyalty, wasn't it?" Xu Bai said.

If he really wanted to become an inside agent, then he would need a pledge of loyalty, and the pledge Yang Chang needed would have to be quite impressive; assassinating the dean would be a good choice.

"Yes." Yang Chang nodded without hesitation, his burned face showing helplessness and guilt. "The dean asked me at the time if I didn't want to do this, I didn't have to go. I just needed to study hard at the Azure Cloud Academy. After leaving the Academy, there would be more places for me to realize my ambitions. But I still agreed."

"That heretic was a defector from the Academy. In his mind, nothing was more gratifying than a talented disciple betraying the Academy."

"After that, the Bureau of Surveillance used various methods to help me infiltrate, and in the end, I was able to retire successfully, which can be considered as settling a major matter."

At this point, Yang Chang visibly relaxed, as if recalling a pleasant memory, his eyes filled with delight.

For him, the most exhilarating moment was when he destroyed the evil path.

"Retire gracefully after achieving your goal?" Liu Xu stared intently at Yang Chang and said, "Your face..."

If he had retired successfully, he wouldn't have ended up in this situation. The burns on his face and the lack of progress in his skills over the years both indicate that something is wrong.

If what Yang Chang said were true, this incident would not have happened. The legend of Yang Chang is probably still circulating in the Academy, and Yang Chang might not even be at his current level.

Of course, there was one thing that Liu Xu didn't understand: why did the Academy say that Yang Chang did not assassinate the dean, Wu Hua said he did?

Thinking of this, Liu Xu voiced her doubts.

"For the sake of authenticity," Yang Chang said with a wry smile. "If the dean is assassinated, the Academy will keep it a secret to preserve its reputation, and also ensure that anyone who wants to know will disappear. That makes it more believable."

The more this was mentioned, the deeper the guilt in Yang Chang's eyes became.

"Why don't you just say it directly? You were there to be an inside man?" Liu Xu frowned and said, "After you successfully retired, you should have been renowned far and wide."

The point remains the same: why did they end up like this after successfully eliminating the evil forces? This simply doesn't make sense.

"That's why." Yang Chang lowered his head and stared at the broom in his hand. "You know what? When a person's will is not firm, if they stay in another environment for a long time, they are easily assimilated. I am that person."

Yang Chang put the broom he was holding on the ground, gently touched the texture of the broom with his hand, and continued talking.

"This should have belonged to the Academy. It was something the dean used when he was young. Because he followed the dean for a long time, he also absorbed his Righteous Qi. Although it is not a priceless treasure, it is something that even a seventh-rank scholar would dream of."

"I liked this thing, so I hid it in the broom and pretended to be disappointed, but in the end someone found it, and she and I killed that person."

As Yang Chang spoke in detail, the broom in his hand underwent a change, with cracks appearing on it.

Immediately afterwards, the broom broke in the middle, revealing an old calligraphy brush.

There are still blurry characters on the brush, which are barely visible due to their age.

"This is... Spring Flower Brush? The pen that the Dean used when he was just an ordinary student?" Liu Xu asked in astonishment. "The Dean also said that he destroyed the pen."

"Of course not. The dean saw that my trip was dangerous, so he lent me this treasure temporarily. I was going to return it when I got back. At that time, I got greedy and said that I had dropped it." Yang Chang said with a wry smile, "The person who killed him was an official of the Bureau of Surveillance. In those days, His Majesty would severely punish such things, no matter how great the merit was."

"I remember His Majesty once said... merits cannot outweigh demerits; those who have merits should be rewarded, and those who have demerits should be punished. Even the Academy must not disobey this rule."

"So you ran away, disfigured yourselves, and went into hiding?" Xu Bai stroked his chin.

He's figured out some of the details by now, but... what does this have to do with the Extreme Life Sect they're dealing with now? No, it has to do with Xu Bai himself; this pen is too tempting.

Yang Chang shook his head.

"It's not that we ran away, but... the Ninth Princess pleaded with His Majesty, and I don't know what method she used, but His Majesty finally agreed. The result is... we have to disfigure ourselves, and from now on, we absolutely cannot let anyone know."

"The dean didn't take this Spring Flower Brush back. He said that when I understand the true meaning of the Spring Flower Brush, that will be the time for me to return to the Academy. But after thinking about it, I feel... I'd better not go back."

"I'm living a good life now."

As he spoke, Yang Chang handed Spring Flower Brush again.

After hesitating for a moment, Liu Xu finally took back the Spring Flower Brush.

"I will go and verify with the dean."

Yang Chang nodded, indicating that it was the proper thing to do.

"If that's the case, then that official from the Bureau of Surveillance died in vain," Wu Hua suddenly said.

Wu Hua hadn't spoken for a long time, but when he suddenly opened his mouth, everyone's attention turned to him.

"Little monk, are you seeking revenge for him?" Yang Chang sighed.

Wu Hua shook his head. "If it was tacitly approved by the Bureau of Surveillance, then this humble monk has nothing to say, but this humble monk still feels very uncomfortable."

This monk, when he gets angry, can be quite stubborn.

"Yes...it's unfair." Yang Chang added, "Actually, that clerk also wanted to embezzle the Spring Flower Brush. But let's not talk about it. Actually, my purpose in coming here wasn't just to return the Spring Flower Brush."

Xu Bai narrowed his eyes slightly.

The main event is finally here.

He had always been puzzled. These were secrets from back then, so why would Yang Chang reveal them here, in front of the three of them? Even if he were to tell them, he should have told Liu Xu alone. Why did he have to tell him and Wu? They had already been hiding their identities; wasn't this just admitting it?

It seems very contradictory, and it just doesn't make sense.

At this moment, Yang Chang suddenly said that he had another purpose, and Xu Bai felt that what had just happened was just a prelude.

What's the purpose? I don't know.

But for Yang Chang to lay the groundwork for so long is definitely not a simple matter.

Xu Bai had a vague guess in his heart, perhaps it was related to the Ninth Princess, or perhaps it was related to that person in the capital.

The three exchanged glances, none of them speaking, maintaining a tacit understanding as they waited for Yang Chang to continue.

After a while, Yang Chang seemed to have organized his thoughts and began to speak.

"The Great Chu Kingdom ... is no longer the Great Chu Kingdom of yesteryear." Yang Chang said with regret, "You were not in that era, so you don't know what happened back then. It can be said that at that time, everything was for the people of the Great Chu Kingdom."

"But now... His Majesty has changed, become very contradictory, very... puzzling."

When this was mentioned, Yang Chang's tone became very low, as if he had fallen from a high place to a low place in an instant. The huge sense of loss made him unable to control his emotions.

"His Majesty in the past was diligent in governing and loved his people. He kept the people of the Great Chu Kingdom in his heart and would never allow anyone to trample on the dignity of the people."

"But now, His Majesty has changed somewhat. He is still diligent in governing and loves the people, but he loves the majority of the people. The other minority of people have become his pawns in consolidating his power."

Yang Chang paused slightly at this point.

"What does this have to do with you coming to us? Are you just expressing your feelings to return a pen?" Xu Bai looked Yang Chang up and down and said.

"You want to deal with the Extreme Life Sect, right? Perhaps I can give you some information," Yang Chang suddenly raised his head, as if he had made up his mind, and said.

The Extreme Life Sect? Can he provide information? Wu Hua stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and tightened his fingers slightly. "Benefactor, what information can you give us?"

Everyone here wants to get rid of the Extreme Life Sect, but the one who most wants to solve the Extreme Life Sect is Wu Hua.

Wu Hua's purpose in making this trip to Sheng County was to resolve the Extreme Life Sect.

Does he want to solve it? Yes, he does.

After entering the Vajra Temple, he took it upon himself to subdue demons and monsters. In addition, he joined the Bureau of Surveillance. With these two factors combined, Wu Hua's mentality has already undergone a huge change.

If he cannot do his part to maintain the stability of the martial arts world, he has no face to stay in the Bureau of Surveillance.

Therefore, Wu Hua reacted more strongly than anyone else when he heard news about the Extreme Life Sect.

"My wife and I, the so-called evil sorceress you mentioned, have been staying here ever since the Ninth Princess rescued us," Yang Chang changed the subject and began to explain.

"The Ninth Princess's business empire is vast, and there are people like us in almost every place. Most of us have made mistakes but were protected by the Ninth Princess and are contributing to the wealth of the Great Chu Kingdom."

"But just recently, we received a message."

The night was quiet; apart from the four of them, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Yang Chang's next words stunned everyone, especially his recounting of what the Ninth Princess had done, which made the three of them twitch their eyebrows.

Xu Bai spoke only after Yang Chang had finished speaking.

"The Mysterious Person is the Ninth Princess's man."

The captured woman had said that the Immeasurable Dao Scripture of the Extreme Life Sect was given to her by Mysterious Person, and what Yang Chang is saying now matches what that woman said.

The Ninth Princess gave the Immeasurable Dao Scripture Extreme Life Sect to the Jisheng Sect, which then used it to make a Extreme Life Sect, leading to the events that followed.

"Why would she do that?" Wu Hua asked blankly.

He felt his mind being violently shaken, like a mountain being lifted up from the bottom by a giant and then turned upside down.

This feeling made him slightly dazed, as if something inside him had shattered.

The overwhelming sense of loss made Wu Hua feel extremely uncomfortable. If he hadn't been a person with innate Wisdom Root and a firm Buddhist heart, he would probably have been completely distraught by now.

"Why do this? This is the best way to eliminate the Extreme Life Sect." Yang Chang explained in detail, "The Extreme Life Sect has always been like a rat. Although it has little influence, it is very annoying. When His Majesty decided to eliminate the Extreme Life Sect, this idea came to him."

"What the Extreme Life Sect needs is something they believe can cause a great stir. The Immeasurable Dao Scripture just right, as it is both reasonable and beyond doubt."

"The best time to destroy the Extreme Life Sect will be once they come out into the open."

At this point, Yang Chang's tone became extremely dejected.

The room fell silent, and after a while...

"That would... kill a lot of people. Many civilians have already died by now." Liu Xu's gaze was complicated, and she didn't know how to describe it.

"In His Majesty's eyes, this is nothing compared to the people of the entire Great Chu. If the Extreme Life Sect were to cause trouble from time to time, that would be a long-term instability," Yang Chang said.

Liu Xu stopped talking; she felt she had learned a lot today.

Wu Hua remained silent, his face alternating between pale and flushed.

Both of them shared the same idea: their upbringing was contradicting their current thoughts.

Just then, Xu Bai reached out and patted Liu Xu and Wu Hua on the shoulders respectively.

This action startled the two of them, and they both turned their heads, wondering what Xu Bai was going to do.

"That's not something you should be thinking about," Xu Bai said. "The most important thing right now is to deal with the Extreme Life Sect in Sheng County."

These words calmed them down a bit, and they stopped thinking about what had happened before.

"So the Ninth Princess gave the Immeasurable Dao Scripture to the Extreme Life Sect. You must have found something out, otherwise you wouldn't be telling us so much," Xu Bai said slowly.

He recounted the whole story from beginning to end. Yang Chang couldn't possibly be just talking to them; he wouldn't believe it if there were no other purpose.

"I haven't found out much either. We were monitoring you when you killed that woman, but... we only know one thing: this matter is related to Shadow Courier Station in Sheng County," Yang Chang explained.

Xu Bai frowned.

He had heard Wu Hua mention Shadow Courier Station before.

This place is different from ordinary post stations; it is specifically for use by martial arts practitioners and Bureau of Surveillance.

It seems that the woman he arrested not long ago still had some vomit left.

"This is what our Bureau of Surveillance should do," Wu Hua. "It's probably not simple for the Ninth Princess to want to get involved."

Yang Chang shook his head without saying a word, but it was clear that they shouldn't ask too many questions about this matter.

This involves royal matters, so it's best for ordinary people to stay out of it and avoid getting involved, lest they bring trouble upon themselves.

"It was all a coincidence. That woman just happened to be using Spring Rain Pavilion as a cover. I'm telling you this news, and I hope you won't say that I told you." Yang Chang reminded him, "I only know that it's related to Shadow Courier Station in Sheng County, and I know nothing else."

"You've betrayed the Ninth Princess, haven't you?" Xu Bai said with a smile.

Yang Chang continued to shake his head, "Ninth Princess saved us, and we are guarding Sheng County's industries for her. But I always remember why I studied. I will not get involved in it anymore because I still want to live my own life with my wife."

Liu Xu held up the calligraphy brush and said, "I will give this to the dean, and I will also ask the questions that have been bothering me."

Yang Chang nodded, indicating that there was no problem.

It was already late, so he didn't linger and turned to leave the Liu Residence.

After Yang Chang left, the three fell silent.

The Liu Xu and the Wu Hua, in particular, are not in a good mood.

But they only paused briefly before suppressing their emotions and turning their attention to what they needed to do.

"It seems we need to go to Shadow Courier Station to investigate," Wu Hua said, clasping his hands together.

At this moment, Xu Bai suddenly spoke up.

"I need to do two things before I go."

As soon as Xu Bai spoke, Liu Xu and Wu Hua turned their gazes toward him, waiting for Xu Bai to continue.

Now they understand that Xu Bai is not just good at fighting on the surface; sometimes his way of thinking is also very unique.

"Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me."

Especially now that the situation is special, anyone's opinion can be taken into consideration, not to mention that Xu Bai is not a simple person in their eyes.

"Firstly, I need a few days to sort things out properly," Xu Bai said. "Too many things have happened recently, I need time."

On the surface, it seems like he needs to organize things, but actually Xu Bai wants to finish studying the Buddhist scriptures to have a better grasp of the situation.

And during this time, he wanted to verify something.

It concerns Yang Chang.

Wu Hua nodded.

Although he didn't understand what was being organized, Xu Bai explained that opinions should be respected.

"And the second thing?" Liu Xu asked.

Xu Bai's gaze fell on the Spring Flower Brush in Liu Xu's hand, and he said, "Secondly, this matter has exceeded my expectations; too many things have been involved."

He was telling the truth. Even the Ninth Princess was involved, and the Extreme Life Sect seemed to be more than just a simple entity, brewing a grand conspiracy that was becoming increasingly complex.

Given the current situation, the danger has greatly increased, so Xu Bai's thoughts have changed.

The combination of Buddhist scriptures and Human-Faced Ancient Tree was very tempting, enough to make him agree at the beginning, but now things are different.

After all, it's not even certain whether the progress Human-Faced Ancient Tree will be triggered at all.

If the Human-Faced Ancient Tree has already become strange, then the progress bar might disappear.

This is all about probability; the returns far outweigh the current expenses. Thinking about it carefully, it's not worth it.

Don't think he's raising prices arbitrarily. After all, this is risking one's life. If there's no significant profit, life wouldn't be worth much.

"What do you mean?" Liu Xu's big eyes held a hint of doubt.

Xu Bai cupped his hand to his mouth and coughed lightly before uttering three concise words. "It costs more."

After these words were spoken, Liu Xu and Wu Hua were both stunned, and Liu Xu also noticed Xu Bai's gaze.

She subconsciously looked down at the Spring Flower Brush in her hand, quickly put it behind her back, and refused very seriously.

This is a pen that the dean used in his early years. Although the dean was just an unknown scholar at that time, some things can still have their historical value realized.

Moreover, the Spring Flower Brush was carried by the dean for a period of time before being sealed away in a wooden box, where it has already been admired by many people.

This is especially beneficial for scholars.

Most importantly, it must be brought to the dean.

"I can give you anything else, as long as I can afford it, but not this pen, I can't give it to you."

Liu Xu felt that she had given a very clear answer and a righteous refusal, but upon observation, Xu Bai seemed not to have heard her and remained in the same state.

"I don't want this Spring Flower Brush. Give me the Spring Flower Brush, and I'll return it to you intact," Xu Bai said earnestly.

This thing came out of that broom. The tip of the broom was the tip of this pen, so you can tell the progress bar from it.

Don't underestimate this just because it's something the dean usually carries, and something he used when he was nobody. But now that it's in Yang Chang's hands and back at the Liu Residence, Xu Bai can't possibly let it go.

Liu Xu looked puzzled, not understanding what Xu Bai meant.

At this moment, Wu Hua's eyes lit up.

"Could it be... that besides his love for Buddhism, Benefactor Xu also enjoys the books of scholars?"

It has to be said that Xu Bai just happened to need a reason at this moment, and the thoughtful Wu Hua gave him an idea.

"Alas, I come from a martial arts background, and besides Buddhism, I am also extremely curious about the things of scholars. As the saying goes, there are golden houses in books, so of course I like them." Xu Bai pretended to be serious, his tone very solemn.

Liu Xu looked at Xu Bai strangely and said, "But... this is not a book."

I like reading, no problem, Liu Xu also likes reading.

But here's the problem: this is a pen, not a book.

How can you confuse a book with a pen? It's like comparing a cow to a horse—they're not the same thing.

But Liu Xu thought that if it was just a loan, she could consider it.

Thinking of this, Liu Xu picked up Spring Flower Brush and said, "As long as you can return it to me, there's no problem."

Xu Bai feigned a hurt expression. "In your eyes, am I that kind of person?"

Liu Xu: "..."

She just mentioned it casually and didn't say anything else.

Since things had come to this point, Liu Xu handed over Spring Flower Brush.

Xu Bai took it and examined it carefully.

The inscription on Spring Flower Brush is an article, crafted with exquisite micro-carving techniques, so fine that it's almost impossible to read without close inspection.

The articles above are mostly composed of tongue-twisting words, making them difficult to understand.

"Then wait a few days for me," Xu Bai said.

Since things have already come to this point, waiting a few more days won't hurt.

However, after playing with the Spring Flower Brush for a while, Xu Bai also made up his mind.

First, finish working on the Buddhist scriptures, then work on the Spring Flower Brush while simultaneously going to the Shadow Courier Station.

Coincidentally, Wu Hua also needed to go to Shadow Courier Station, mainly to deliver a message to the Bureau of Surveillance, which gave him a reason.

Shadow Courier Station is very likely a plot by the Extreme Life Sect, so it would be appropriate to go there to investigate.

Xu Bai originally wanted to finish writing Spring Flower Brush, but considering that time was running out, he made a second plan.

When you're paid to do something, you have to be trustworthy.

If I take the money and don't get things done, how am I supposed to survive in this world?

Once something happens, it will happen again. If you borrow and repay it, it's not difficult to borrow again.

Time is of the essence, and there's no time to Spring Flower Brush.

The investigation will take time, and I can finish working on the Spring Flower Brush while I'm at it.

With that thought in mind, Xu Bai made a decision.

"It's getting late, so I'll head back now." Xu Bai stretched.

Liu Xu nodded and went back to her room.

As soon as Xu Bai and Wu Hua entered the room, he noticed that Wu Hua remained silent, which was quite different from usual.

At this moment, Wu Hua looked utterly dejected.

"In some situations, instead of getting yourself into a dead end, you might as well go back and ask your master," Xu Bai patted Wu Hua on the shoulder.

Wu Hua was taken aback, then nodded and said, "This humble monk knows, but this mental hurdle is quite high. It will be over in a moment."

Xu Bai nodded without saying anything, and took out the Buddhist scripture in his hand to start working on the progress bar.

Meanwhile, Wu Hua gently tapped the Wooden Fish, but the sound of the Wooden Fish was somewhat disordered tonight.

As night deepened, apart from Xu Bai and Wu Hua, Liu Xu was also wide awake in her room.

At this point, the progress bar is steadily increasing, albeit slowly, but little by little it adds up.

Xu Bai was filled with curiosity about what skills could be gained from this sutra written by the abbot of Vajra Temple when he was young.

After all, this book has quite a background. It was written by the abbot of Vajra Temple when he was young. Although at that time, the abbot was just an unknown little monk, the fact that he could activate the progress bar meant that it was no ordinary book.

It was late at night, and Wu Hua was still striking the Wooden Fish, but the frequency and volume of the strikes gradually decreased until, after about an hour, the sound of the Wooden Fish finally stopped.

Upon closer inspection, Wu Hua's dejection had vanished, replaced by a renewed sense of composure.

Suppressing one's inner thoughts temporarily doesn't mean suppressing them forever; it's just that there are important matters at hand, so Wu Hua has to temporarily abandon some ideas.

The weather these days is strange; it's muggy in the mornings but gets slightly cool in the evenings.

Xu Bai put on a coat and continued working on it.

He repeated this action every day afterward, Wu Hua and Liu Xu stopped bothering him and waited patiently.

Time passed steadily until noon, when Xu Bai's progress bar finally reached its maximum.

A blue line of text appeared before my eyes.

[You contemplate the Nameless Buddhist Scripture and comprehend the Heart Demon Body.]

"Heart Demon Body? "Xu Bai was taken aback.

What kind of skill is this? This thing has nothing to do with temples, does it?

He was somewhat confused; despite his doubts, the words before him continued to change.

[Mergeable options detected, currently in process.]

[Vajra Body + Heart Demon Body = Vajra Demon Body.]

[Merger successful.]

A stream of information flooded into Xu Bai's mind, and Xu Bai quickly mastered the Vajra Demon Body skill.

The so-called "Heart Demon Body" is not like the Vajra Body, which is merely an external defense.

This world is teeming with capable individuals, many of whom will sabotage from within, and the Heart Demon Body is such a defense.

For example, if it directly erodes a person's brain consciousness, the mind, or the Heart Demon Body, it can resist it.

One protects the outside, the other protects the inside.

The Vajra Body the exterior, while the Heart Demon Body is the interior.

The updated panel appeared in front of Xu Bai.

[Name: Xu Bai]

[Realm Level: Eighth Rank Loose Cultivator.]

[Severing Armor One Style (Tier 2): Max Level]

[Inverted Chaos of the Four Directions Mind Technique (Tier 2.5): Max Level.]

[Kidney Hammering Technique (Level 1): Max level.]

[Maple Leaves Like Rain (Tier 2): Max Level]

[Four Xun Movement Technique (Tier 1): Max Level.]

[Four Xun Array Formation (Tier 1): Max Level]

[Vajra Heart Demon Body (Tier 4); Max Level.]

[Comprehension (Max Level)]

Fourth tier!

The only fourth-tier skill, although not a mental cultivation technique, is the highest level.

"It's no wonder it took so long." Xu Bai was very satisfied.

He tried to mobilize the True Yuan Power within his body, True Yuan Power surged forth, vast and mighty, like a tide.

He mobilized every bit of True Yuan Power, and he was like a fierce general commanding thousands of troops, with True Yuan Power at his fingertips.

Then, something unusual happened.

A faint dark light appeared on Xu Bai's surface, enveloping his entire body.

The dark light exhibited an eerie frequency, constantly shifting and sending chills down one's spine.

Xu Bai closed his eyes, and in less than two breaths, he withdrew from the Vajra Demon Body.

After the Vajra Demon Body was removed, his appearance returned to normal, as if nothing had ever happened.

Xu Bai frowned slightly.

It's a good thing to have a new skill.

But just now, he used it once and discovered that this skill has a serious drawback.

If we don't pay attention to it, problems will arise.

The strength of the Vajra Demon Body is undeniable; it is the highest level skill among all his abilities. However, its weaknesses are very prominent.

The so-called drawback is that his True Yuan Power is somewhat insufficient to power this skill.

He can use it, but once he activates the skill, his True Yuan Power disappears as if flowing away.

At his current speed, he could probably last for half an hour, which would already be considered quite impressive.

This only accounts for the cost of using this skill; it doesn't even include other skills, so it can only be used for half an hour.

If he uses other skills or is attacked, his Vajra Demon Body will consume even more True Yuan Power.

"It shouldn't be a drawback of the Vajra Demon Body, but rather that I'm now unbalanced in my studies," Xu Bai concluded after some thought.

It's definitely a case of being unbalanced in one subject, and quite severely so.

His cultivation technique is only at level 2.5, and his current strength is at the eighth rank, but he has to carry a level 4 skill. It would be abnormal if he could carry it.

A fourth-tier skill is equivalent to a sixth-rank skill, but it uses a fourth-rank cultivation method, so of course it can't be used effectively.

It's like trying to hang a full pound on a rope that can only weigh half a pound; the difference is too obvious.

"Looks like I need to find a way to get some mental cultivation techniques," Xu Bai thought to himself.

He knows very well what he lacks, so he needs to find a way to get it.

But clearly, this is not the time to do these things.

In Xu Bai's mind, the first thing to do was to see if he could get the progress bar in this operation, then the bookstore, and finally he would have to go out and find it himself.

There's also the Spring Flower Brush; I'll work on that later.

If Spring Flower Brush can release a mental cultivation technique, that would be best. If not, it's okay; he can add it later.

Thinking of this, Xu Bai felt a little relieved.

At that moment, the door was pushed open, Wu Hua walked in from outside.

During this time, Wu Hua continued to come and go as usual, since he entered the Liu Residence with a legitimate reason, unlike Xu Bai.

Aside from eating, Xu Bai spends almost all his time in his room.

Watching the progress bar increase is addictive, especially when you see it slowly grow. The process may be tedious, but the feeling of satisfaction is indescribable.

For example, if you are given a goal in advance, you only need to work hard, and you will definitely achieve that goal. Everyone would like to work hard.

If you were to install progress bars all over Xu Bai's room now, he could probably stay here for a year, or even longer.

When Wu Hua entered, it was the first time she had seen Xu Bai put down the Buddhist scriptures, and she was slightly taken aback.

After spending these past few days here, Wu Hua has truly broadened his horizons and now understands the real meaning of the phrase "forgetting to eat and sleep."

These four words perfectly describe Xu Bai.

Wu Hua never imagined that someone could spend their days reading Buddhist scriptures and simply eating.

Even at Vajra Temple, none of the fellow disciples he met had ever been so captivated.

"Alas... what a pity." Wu Hua sighed.

If only Benefactor Xu had some Wisdom Root...

Such a person's obsession with Buddhism is unparalleled in my Wu Hua.

But no one is perfect, and it just so happens that Xu Bai knew nothing about Buddhist scriptures.

"Perhaps this is the balance Master was talking about," Wu Hua thought.

At this moment, Xu Bai spoke up.

"You've come at the right time; our plan can begin."