Luo Yuheng's shock

On the Star-Gazing Tower, the Supervisor had left the Eight Trigrams Platform at some point, his sharp gaze fixed on the carving knife in Xu Qi'an's hand.

Did you choose him too? At this moment, this "god" who had been sitting in the capital for five hundred years and was in the hearts of the people of Great Feng murmured to himself.

"Hahaha"

Emperor Yuanjing looked up to the sky and roared, his hands behind his back, standing in the tallest building of the Great Feng, listening to the jubilation of his people. This was a victory for the Great Feng, and also a victory for him.

The Buddhist School, this time, lay at his feet.

"What a fine example of not kneeling!" Emperor Yuanjing exclaimed. "How many years has it been since such an outstanding young talent appeared in the capital?"

"Ahhhhh."

Biao Biao let out a piercing scream, stomping her feet excitedly, "We won! Huaiqing, that dog slave won! He's mine, he's mine!"

Huaiqing gazed at the unconscious Xu Qi'an, her eyes brimming with a hint of infatuation.

She was an exceptionally outstanding woman, noble and proud. Even though she was the top scholar in the imperial examination, in Princess Huaiqing's eyes, she was only mediocre. There were countless outstanding talents in the capital, but only Wei Yuan truly earned Princess Huaiqing's admiration.

Dean Zhao Shou was a respectable elder, but not enough to inspire her admiration.

At this moment, Huaiqing recalled Xu Qi'an's various deeds, from his early days in the tax silver case to his secret plot to frame Zhou Li, the son of the Ministry of Revenue, thus completely eliminating the hidden danger.

He then joined the Nightwatchers, beheaded the silver gong, was imprisoned, and was ordered to investigate the Sangbo case. He almost single-handedly completed the investigation of the Yunzhou case, and then died in battle among four hundred rebel soldiers. He returned to the capital and was ordered to investigate the Fufei case.

During this period, a masterpiece was published every now and then, which Great Feng of Dafeng.

Now, he has taken over the role of the Bureau of Astronomy in fighting against the Buddhist School sects, and twice intervened, forcefully restoring the confidence of the people of the capital.

A single discussion transformed the old monk's obsession under the Bodhi tree, leading the dignified second-rank Arhat to sudden enlightenment and understanding of Mahayana Buddhism.

Then, a celestial being descended from beyond the heavens, and with a single strike, he shattered the Dharma image and destroyed the Arhat's Law Treasure.

Princess Huaiqing had never seen such an outstanding man before, never.

Amidst the cheers of the women and the laughter of the civil and military officials, Xu Pingzhi slumped into his chair, as if all his strength had been drained.

He almost lost his precious son, whom he had raised himself, to the Buddhist School.

Amidst the boisterous cheers and passionate shouts of the people of the capital, Xu Qi'an, the person in question, was completely ignored. Xu Erlang silently walked over and carried his elder brother on his back.

In the end, I bore it all alone, Xu Erlang thought to himself.

He carried Xu Qi'an on his back towards the group of Nightwatchers, his gaze catching the carving knife that Xu Qi'an was tightly gripping in his hand.

What is this? It looks like a carving knife?

Judging from its shape, it seems to be a "pen" used by scholars in ancient times. Back then, there was no paper, and words were written on bamboo slips. Scholars would hold carving knives and write down their extraordinary talents on the bamboo slips.

Where did this carving knife come from? I'll sneak it from my older brother when no one's looking! Xu Erlang was a little envious; such antiques were very tempting to scholars.

The Arhat Du'e stood there, dejected, not because he was heartbroken over the destruction of Law Artifact golden alms bowl, but because he regretted that such a naturally gifted Buddhist disciple had not taken refuge in Buddhist School.

"Grandmaster Uncle"

The monk Jingchen gazed at Xu Erlang's retreating figure, then at Xu Qi'an perched on his shoulder, and said in a deep voice, "Benefactor Xu is a genius bestowed upon Buddhist School by Heaven, the founder of Mahayana Buddhism. Your grand-uncle must bring him back to the Western Regions."

After pondering for a long time, the Arhat Du'e sighed, "So be it, our time has not yet come."

Monk Jingchen was unwilling to give up. He seemed to have thought of something, glanced back at the Star-Gazing Tower, opened his mouth, but ultimately chose to remain silent.

The contest between Buddhist School and the Bureau of Astronomy has ended, but the aftertaste of this magnificent event continues.

In a restaurant, a middle-aged man in a tattered blue shirt, carrying an empty wine jug, stepped over the threshold, entered the lobby on the first floor, and went straight to the counter.

"Shopkeeper, I heard that if I just talk to you about a magical duel, you'll give me a free pot of wine?"

The shopkeeper, sporting a goatee, smiled and nodded. "You can talk while you drink, and the shop will give you a complimentary dish of peanuts."

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment. He had originally intended to take the wine home to drink, but the shopkeeper had given him far too much. He said, "Alright, then I'll drink it here. Quick, get me some peanuts."

The shopkeeper beckoned to the waiter, who then served the middle-aged man in the tattered blue shirt a pot of wine and a dish of peanuts.

The middle-aged man in the blue shirt took a sip of wine, then picked up two peanuts and popped them into his mouth, saying slowly:

"The Buddhist School Arhat threw the golden bowl to the ground, and instantly the wind and clouds changed color, thunder roared, and a Buddhist realm appeared in the sky. There were four trials in this Buddhist realm. The first trial was called the Eight Sufferings Formation. This formation was extraordinary and was said to be used by Buddhist School monks to temper their Buddhist minds."

"This second challenge is called the Vajra Formation. Shopkeeper, do you know who the Vajra guardian is?"

The middle-aged man looked down at the shopkeeper.

"He's just that little monk from the south of the city," the waiter scoffed.

"Exactly, he's just a little monk," a customer at the next table chimed in.

"You all know that?" The middle-aged man in the blue shirt was taken aback.

"He was still easily killed by Xu Yinluo. What invincible Vajra? They're all paper tigers, ptooey!" The drinker who spoke was filled with the pride of a man from the capital.

Just a day ago, the mention of the young monk Jingsi had filled them with rage. "The Great Feng Dynasty is full of experts; surely they can't even handle a mere monk?"

Impotent rage.

But now, when that little Vajra monk is mentioned, even ordinary people in the city will proudly straighten their chests and scoff disdainfully. "Nothing special."

All of this was the face that Xu Qi'an gradually regained and the confidence that he gradually rebuilt during the battle.

The middle-aged man in the blue shirt looked at the shopkeeper in astonishment. "You already knew, so why did you set this rule?"

"Different people see different things; it's about filling in the gaps," the innkeeper said with a smile. "Today I was busy guarding the restaurant and couldn't watch the magic duel; what a regret in my life."

"You can only savor it afterward, perhaps with a little wine, and then the regret will turn into a pleasant experience."

The middle-aged man in the blue shirt nodded and continued, "After that Xu Yinluo came out, he recited a poem with every step."

"Wait a minute." The shopkeeper suddenly called out, "The sea reaches its end, the sky becomes its shore; at the pinnacle of Martial Dao, I stand as the peak? Are you sure there's such a line of poetry? Several people have mentioned this to me before, but none of them have said it."

The middle-aged man in the blue shirt nodded vigorously. "Yes, there is such a line. I read books from over ten years ago; how could I not remember a few lines of poetry?"

"Hiss, that's strange." The shopkeeper frowned.

At this moment, a man from the martial arts world coughed and whispered, "Shopkeeper, those who are telling you this are all wandering knights-errant, aren't they?"

The shopkeeper countered, "Is there a problem?"

"Hey!" The martial arts expert waved his hand. "It doesn't matter to you ordinary people, you can say whatever you want, but as martial artists, who would dare to say such things in front of an audience? They're either asking for death or a beating."

The shopkeeper suddenly realized that martial artists are fond of fighting and can't stand anyone being arrogant. They often draw their swords at someone for saying a few inappropriate words. Such things happen from time to time, even in the strictly regulated capital.

"We've found another fine poem! It's by Xu Shikui! Quick, get me paper and pen!" the shopkeeper exclaimed excitedly, instructing the waiter.

Hanlin Academy.

The Hanlin Academy was subordinate to the Grand Secretariat and was responsible for compiling books and history, drafting imperial edicts, serving as tutors to members of the royal family, and acting as examiners for the imperial examinations.

The three most prestigious and esteemed positions in the imperial court were: Censor of the Censorate, Supervising Secretary of the Six Ministries, and member of the Hanlin Academy.

In terms of status, the Hanlin Academy ranks first, because it also has another name: the training base for future Hanlin Academy.

All the Grand Secretaries of the Great Feng Dynasty came from the Hanlin Academy. In other words, only the most distinguished members of the Hanlin Academy could enter the Grand Secretariat, become Grand Secretaries, or even become Grand Secretaries.

The only exception was that nobles or princes could bypass the Hanlin Academy and directly enter the cabinet to wield the power of prime minister.

However, civil officials cannot do this. If a civil official wants to enter the Grand Secretariat, he must enter the Hanlin Academy. And only the first and second-class graduates of the imperial examination can enter the Hanlin Academy.

At this very moment, the eunuch on duty in Emperor Yuanjing's bedroom was standing in the main hall of the Hanlin Academy, reprimanding the nobles.

"Wasn't the victory in this contest due to His Majesty's meritocratic approach to personnel selection? Wasn't it thanks to the court's cultivation of Xu Yinluo? Look at what you've written; you're all top-ranking officials, yet you can't even write history properly."

The eunuch threw the book to the ground. "Rewrite it."

The faces of the nobles present changed. This was something they had written without even eating after returning to the Hanlin Academy, driven by sheer willpower.

This battle of wits will undoubtedly be recorded in history and passed down to future generations. But how to write it down is a matter of great importance.

Such momentous events that enhance national prestige are invariably recorded positively in history books, symbolizing honor and glory.

The person in power, Emperor Yuanjing, wanted to take advantage of the situation.

Of course, other emperors would have made the same choice as Emperor Yuanjing if they had been given such an opportunity.

A young compiler said in a deep voice, "The people were chosen by the Director of the Imperial Academy, and the contest of wits was carried out by Xu Yinluo. What does this have to do with His Majesty? As compilers of the Hanlin Academy, we are not only writing history for the court, but also for future generations."

The eunuch sneered and said in a sarcastic tone, "It is His Majesty's grace that you gentlemen have been able to enter the Hanlin Academy. It is only a matter of time before you enter the Grand Secretariat. You will be as bright as the sun and moon, and your future is limitless."

"If they displease His Majesty, he might send them out into the world. Tsk tsk, their bright future will be gone, not even the stars will shine."

"His Majesty's intention is to keep the length unchanged, focusing on the contest of magic and His Majesty's selection of worthy men. As for Xu Yinluo's praise, he is still young and will have plenty of opportunities in the future."

"My lords, do you understand?"

The young editor grabbed the inkstone and smashed it against the eunuch's chest. The ink stained his python robe black, and the eunuch let out a muffled groan and staggered backward.

"How dare you attack our family?" the eunuch roared in anger.

"I'm going to hit you." The editor pointed at the eunuch and cursed, "When the Western Regions delegation came to the capital this time, Vajra first sat in the south city and the Dharma Master in the north city gave a sermon; then the Dharma Image descended to earth and questioned the supervisor."

"Later, when the Bureau of Astronomy and the Buddhist School fought, Xu Shikui turned the tide and thwarted the Buddhist School's momentum. Without him, the court would have lost face. Why can't we sing his praises? Why should we reduce the amount of ink on his writing? He is a young hero, and I admire him. If he were a scholar, I would take him as my teacher."

"Get out of here! The Hanlin Academy is not a place for a castrated dog like you to run wild."

"Get out." The other nobles grabbed whatever they could find and threw it at him: pens, ink, paper, inkstones, books, and pen holders.

The eunuch fled in disarray, leaving the Hanlin Academy.

Lingbao Temple.

A woman dressed in magnificent palace attire, her skirt trailing on the ground, and adorned with precious jewelry, entered the inner courtyard. Her demeanor was dignified, and her voice gentle. She gave the order:

"You two may leave now. I have something to say to the Imperial Advisor."

The two maids who accompanied them left the courtyard.

The woman suddenly became lively, lifting her skirt and running into the quiet room, shouting, "Grand Preceptor, why didn't I see you during the magic duel today? Did you see it?"

In the quiet room, Luo Yuheng, dressed in a black Daoist robe and wearing a lotus crown, with her hair neatly combed to reveal her smooth forehead and stunning beauty, sat cross-legged on a futon, looking at the woman who had barged in so brazenly, and said calmly:

"Not interested."

"Then you'll miss out on a good show."

The veiled woman sat down at the table and said, "Today's magical duel was quite exciting, even more interesting than a theatrical performance. Let me tell you about it."

She chattered on and on, vividly recounting the entire battle of wits to Luo Yuheng.

"You're saying he broke the Eight Sufferings Formation with a single strike?" Luo Yuheng frowned.

"Yes, they're amazing. What's wrong?" the veiled woman asked.

The supervisor was helping him, even mobilizing the power of all living beings for him. Luo Yuheng pondered for a moment and said, "Continue."

The veiled woman then recounted how Xu Qi'an had shattered the Vajra Formation with a single strike. Luo Yuheng remained silent. Upon hearing about the Buddhist teachings shared with the old monk and how the Arhat Du'e had attained enlightenment, the woman sighed:

"Although I still don't understand what's so great about Mahayana Buddhism, it sounds really impressive."

He actually has such an understanding of Mahayana Buddhism? A look of shock flashed in Luo Yuheng's beautiful eyes.

"None of that matters. The most exciting part is the fourth level. When the Movement Method appeared and forced that lecherous man to kneel, that's when the most interesting scene unfolded."

The veiled woman's eyes sparkled as she gulped down a mouthful of tea.

Luo Yuheng laughed and said, "Drink slowly, Nanzhi, have you noticed something?"

"What's up."

"When you used to come to my temple, you always complained about being bored and wanted to go out and play. But now, you don't say you're bored anymore. In fact, whenever you talk to me, you bring up Xu Qi'an in every few words."

The veiled woman was taken aback. She stared at Luo Yuheng for a moment, then her lively demeanor vanished, replaced by that of a reserved and dignified noblewoman. With a hint of aloofness, she asked calmly, "What do you mean?"

Luo Yuheng smiled and shook her head, "I just wanted to remind you that you have a husband. Your husband is the Prince of Huai, a third-rank martial artist. He guards the border and is not in the capital."

"But he has many confidants and spies in the capital. Don't get too involved with Xu Qi'an, or you'll be harming him."

The veiled woman scoffed, her tone arrogant. "How could I possibly have anything to do with a lecherous man who frequents Imperial Academy of Music? Are you trying to insult me?"

"That's good," Luo Yuheng nodded and said, "Actually, even if you didn't tell me, I already know what happened next. It's nothing more than the Dharma Image shattering for no reason, or perhaps the Supervisor intervened?"

Just now, she sensed a surge of power from all living beings, after which everything calmed down.

Either the supervisor secretly helps, or he takes action openly and aboveboard.

After all, in the capital, Emperor Yuanjing's fortune was insufficient and his cultivation was weak. The only ones who could mobilize the power of the masses Warlock, and Warlock of the first rank were supervisors!

"No."

The veiled woman shook her head, her tone indifferent.

This petty woman, always putting on airs... Luo Yuheng smiled, picked up his teacup, and asked, "No?"

"It was a beam of clear light that descended from the sky, shattering the Movement Method and the Buddhist realm," she whispered.

"I was close enough to see it clearly; it was a carving knife."

Burin?!

As if struck by lightning, Luo Yuheng's hand trembled, spilling the warm tea. Her beautiful face froze instantly.

"It's impossible for someone who isn't the Director of the Imperial Academy to control the Confucian School carving knife," Luo Yuheng said in a deep voice. "The carving knife, where is the carving knife? What happened afterward? Tell me in detail."

Her tone was urgent, and there was an undisguised excitement in it. The veiled woman had never seen Luo Yuheng display such emotional fluctuations before, and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

"Speak quickly!" Luo Yuheng leaned forward and blurted it out.

"It's because the carving knife damaged the Dharma image."

"Did the carving knife escape after breaking the Dharma form, or was it left at the scene? Did Xu... Xu Qi'an touch the carving knife?" Luo Yuheng stared intently at her, as if this was very important.

"Yes, he stabbed the statue in the temple with a knife." The woman raised her right arm and made a "stabbing" gesture.

Luo Yuheng was stunned.

PS: There will be one more chapter before midnight.