The Heaven and Earth Society's Little Circle Speaks Frankly

"I'm not stupid, "Xu Qi'an said with a wry smile. "After returning from Jianzhou, I confirmed Jinlian's identity. But even before that, I already had my suspicions."

Zhong Li had told him that Master Jinlian's soul was incomplete, just like Fuxiang's.

The consequences of a damaged soul are nothing more than two: becoming mentally impaired or a vegetable.

Master Jinlian is from Daoist School Earth Sect of Daoism, and the Primordial Spirit is a field in Daoist School excels. Therefore, the incompleteness of her soul does not necessarily mean anything. It is also possible that she lost the other half of her Primordial Spirit in an accident.

However, as he spent more time with Li Miaozhen, he gained a deep understanding of Daoist School methods. Li Miaozhen helped him piece together his Primordial Spirit and also helped Zhong Li piece together Primordial Spirit.

Master Jinlian's cultivation was no weaker than Li Miaozhen's, so why didn't he piece together his own Primordial Spirit?

Where did the other half of the Primordial Spirit, which couldn't be pieced together, go?

This is one of the points of contention.

There are many other details, such as the fragments of the Earth Book and the Nine-Colored Lotus Root. Subordinate Second Rank Daoist master?

Of course, these are points of doubt, but they are not enough to prove that Jinlian is the leader of the Earth Sect.

It wasn't until he went to Jianzhou and witnessed the fusion of the primordial Primordial Spirit of Daoist Jinlian and the leader of the Earth Sect that he understood the truth. Even though the beautiful woman Bailian said that Daoist Jinlian was using Secret Method of the Earth Sect.

But at that moment, Xu Qi'an connected all the doubts.

Not to mention me, in the Earth Book chat group, apart from Lina, all the members who participated in the battle to protect the lotus seeds of Jianzhou probably have some degree of suspicion. Xu Qi'an looked at Luo Yuheng, whose features were exquisite and bright, and whose beautiful eyes were as clear as a mirror.

"Imperial Preceptor, do you know when Daoist Jinlian fell into demonic possession?"

Luo Yuheng pondered for a few seconds and said:

Six years ago, Jinlian failed to break through his cultivation barrier and fell into the demonic path. His soul split in two. His benevolent side held the fragments of the Earth Book and protected some disciples as they escaped, while his malevolent side affected the vast majority of the disciples. This split into the current Heaven and Earth Society and the Earth Sect.

"At that time, Jinlian's good intentions secretly infiltrated the capital and came to Lingbao Temple to ask me for help. I had only recently advanced to the second rank and my foundation was not yet stable. Moreover, the Earth Sect cultivates merit, and once one falls into demonic possession, one becomes the most wicked person in the world. The Human Sect's cultivation method involves being burned by the karmic fire of the mortal world, which is already walking on the edge of a cliff. If it is further corrupted by the Earth Sect, the only outcome will be death and the dissipation of one's cultivation."

Six years ago, Master Jinlian visited the capital. So, it was around that time that Huaiqing was given a fragment of the Earth Book by the master and became a member of the Heaven and Earth Society?

This was highly likely, and Xu Qi'an's mind raced with thought, "Then, did Daoist Jinlian seek help from the Heavenly Sect?"

Luo Yuheng scoffed, "Isn't that inevitable?"

Based on this, it can be inferred that Li Miaozhen also took over the fragments of the Earth Book at that time. However, she most likely did not know that Daoist Jinlian was the leader of the Earth Sect. And her master did not tell her either.

Will the Heavenly Sect agree?

"The Heavenly Sect cultivates the supreme state of detachment from emotions; disciples like Li Miaozhen are anomalies," she said calmly.

Xu Qi'an understood. The Heavenly Sect's leader hadn't agreed to help because Luo Yuheng was wary of the Earthly Sect's corrupt nature, while the Heavenly Sect's leader simply thought, "I'm emotionless, I won't get involved."

If he became possessed by demons six years ago, then our guess differs from my initial assumption.

Luo Yuheng glanced at him and said, "Was the prediction wrong?"

Xu Qi'an nodded, then shook his head, and said, "Grand Preceptor, was there anything unusual about Daoist Jinlian before he fell into demonic possession? Was the demonic possession in the Earth Sect sudden, or was it a gradual process?"

Luo Yuheng considered it for a moment and said:

"As far as I know, Jinlian went into seclusion to undergo tribulation, and that seclusion lasted for nearly thirty years. As for falling into demonic possession, although I do not cultivate the merits of the Earth Sect, a thousand-mile dike can be breached by an ant hole, and everything is subject to this principle. Falling into demonic possession is not something that happens suddenly."

Bang, bang!

Xu Qi'an heard his heart pound a few times, swallowed hard, and said:

"I think I understand what's going on, Imperial Advisor. Please listen to my explanation."

He paused for a moment, then began to explain, "I suspect that what Prince Huai and Yuan Jing truly encountered in Nanyuan was not the bear, but the leader of the Earth Sect. He already showed signs of demonic possession at that time. Perhaps he couldn't suppress his bloodlust, or perhaps he wanted to refine evil objects, so he chose Nanyuan to kill ordinary beasts. Because there was a supervisor and countless experts in the capital, he couldn't have carried out a massacre there."

"This explains why, in the autumn of the 26th year of Joan of Arc, the animals around the South Garden were almost extinct. At that time, the Prince of Huai and Yuan Jing went deep into the South Garden to hunt and accidentally encountered the demon-possessed Daoist Master Jinlian. All the guards accompanying them died. Ha, how could a bear kill so many masters? But if it was Daoist Master Jinlian, no matter how many guards there were, they would only face certain death."

"You just said that the leader of the Earth Sect secluded himself for nearly thirty years, failed to break through, and fell into the demonic path. And thirty years ago, it was almost exactly the same time that he returned from the capital. The timing matches up. In other words, he already showed signs of demonic possession when he was in the capital."

The more Luo Yuheng listened, the more solemn his expression became. He nodded and asked, "Why didn't Jinlian kill Yuan Jing and the Prince of Huai?"

Xu Qi'an thought for a moment, then shook his head:

"He must have a purpose, but the existing clues don't point to it, so I can't speculate. My guess is that they were both corrupted by Master Jinlian."

When he was in Chuzhou, he fought against the avatar of the leader of the Earth Sect. His biggest feeling was that the other party's malice that corrupted everything seemed to be able to corrupt all things in the world.

Even the national sword was corrupted, losing its spiritual power for nearly fifteen minutes.

Therefore, the pollution of Yuan Jing and Huai Wang is reasonable and makes sense.

These are not mere conjectures, but reasonable deductions made by Xu Qi'an based on existing clues.

"It could even explain the Prince of Huai's cold-blooded selfishness, and Emperor Yuanjing's almost irrational pursuit of immortality. They may appear normal on the outside, but they've long been half-mad, just like the Daoist priests of the Earth Sect."

Upon hearing this, Luo Yuheng asked, "What's the deal with the human trafficking organization? And what's the strange thing about the dragon vein?"

Xu Qi'an's expression stiffened slightly; he didn't yet have a reasonable guess about this.

After considering it for a moment, he said, "The leader of the Earth Sect has probably ulterior motives for corrupting Yuan Jing and the Prince of Huai, but I lack clues to the details, so I cannot speculate."

But Luo Yuheng suddenly realized what was going on and said, "I know what's happening now."

Xu Qi'an listened attentively.

"The Earth Sect's leader is proficient in the art of transforming one breath into three pure beings. Jinlian and the current Earth Sect leader represent two opposing thoughts: good and evil. If he once transformed one breath into three pure beings, where is the last one?" Luo Yuheng asked.

As if struck by lightning, Xu Qi'an blurted out, "In the underground dragon vein?"

"You think the same way I do," Luo Yuheng nodded in satisfaction, and said:

"Yuan Jing has been cultivating for twenty years, with the nation's resources poured into him, yet he still hasn't refined a Golden Core, which is quite puzzling. Of course, cultivation isn't just about resources; talent is also very important. I used to think he just had terrible talent, but after experiencing so much, if he has another avatar of the Golden Lotus behind him, wouldn't that make a lot more sense? Most of those Great Pills probably ended up in the Golden Lotus's mouth."

"His corruption of Prince Huai and Yuan Jing was likely for the purpose of cultivation, paving the way for his breakthrough to the first rank. He was waiting for the three of them to unite in the future, break through in one fell swoop, and become a terrestrial immortal."

"Of course, all of this is based on the premise that there is an avatar hidden beneath the dragon vein. Regarding this, the information you provided last time was too little to prove anything. In a while, I will create an avatar to explore the dragon vein with you and verify it."

"Heh, if there really is an avatar of the Earth Sect Master beneath the dragon vein, and if Yuan Jing has truly been corrupted by the Earth Sect Master, then I have no reason to worry about breaking ties with Yuan Jing."

Moreover, you don't need to confront the head of the Earth Sect directly, because once the matter is exposed, the Supervisor will no longer be able to turn a blind eye. Zhong Li said that the Dragon Vein is something that even the Supervisor cannot easily manipulate; hiding it within the Dragon Vein can indeed deceive the Supervisor's eyes. Xu Qi'an's eyes lit up, and at the same time, he remembered something and whispered:

"Grand Preceptor, if Yuan Jing has been corrupted and controlled by the leader of the Earth Sect, then his constant pestering of you for dual cultivation would also have a reasonable explanation."

The evil Daoists of the Earth Sect were obsessed with doing bad things and sleeping with women; he had a profound experience of this when he was in Jianzhou.

It's not because the Earth Sect's heretical sects are perverts, but because men are inherently perverts; lust is the root of all evil.

As for the possibility that Yuan Jing was an incarnation of the leader of the Earth Sect, Xu Qi'an did not consider it, because it was impossible. Yuan Jing was the ruler of a country, and he was burdened with the destiny of the nation. He could influence and corrupt, but he could never replace him.

Furthermore, good fortune isn't necessarily a good thing for those in high positions. The old patriarch of the Jianzhou Martial Arts Alliance, for example, didn't want good fortune because he genuinely wanted to live another five hundred years.

Luo Yuheng seemed extremely sensitive to the words "dual cultivation," especially when they came from Xu Qi'an's mouth. He stared at Xu Qi'an coldly for a few seconds before saying:

"Two weeks later, we will delve deep into the underground dragon veins to investigate."

Why half a month?

Xu Qi'an frowned; half a month was too long.

Luo Yuheng hesitated slightly, then chose to be frank, saying, "During this period, I will experience being burned by karmic fire."

"You'll be scorched by karmic fire within half a month? Please let me extinguish that fire for you!" Xu Qi'an thought to himself, but outwardly remained a gentleman, nodding and saying:

"Okay, I'll contact you again once you've recovered."

Luo Yuheng nodded gently, then vanished in golden light.

A dozen seconds later, the door was gently pushed open, and Zhong Li's head peeked in through the crack, silently observing.

"They've already left."

Xu Qi'an said.

As soon as he finished speaking, the Taiping sword suddenly flew up and slammed against the door with a thud, attempting to close it.

"Vomit"

Zhong Li gagged, experiencing a suffocating sensation like being hanged, and slowly, weakly, she slid down.

Didn't you say you were experienced and could protect yourself? An experienced prophet shouldn't be striking that pose. Xu Qi'an angrily summoned the Taiping Blade and questioned it why it was bullying Zhong Li.

The Taiping sword vibrated and hummed, conveying the thought, "I find this very fun."

"The exploration of the dragon vein will take half a month, at which point the whole truth will be revealed. I can then be honest with Huaiqing and the others." Xu Qi'an thought to himself, looking at Zhong Li, and said:

"I need to go to the Bureau of Astronomy to find my sister Caiwei."

He planned to have Chu Caiwei go to Huaiqing and invite him to the Xu Residence for a private meeting, rather than through the fragments of the Earth Book.

Because things had come to this point, he wasn't sure whether Master Jinlian was a wolf or a human. He asked Huaiqing to meet him last night because of this concern, but Huaiqing refused to meet the online friend.

Of course, he only asked Chu Caiwei to invite Huaiqing; he didn't say anything else.

Western Regions.

The sky over the Western Regions is a clear, azure blue, with few clouds. The land is mostly barren plains, lacking green vegetation and verdant peaks, giving one a sense of vast emptiness and desolation.

Mount Aranya is a sacred Buddhist School site, the core of many Buddhist kingdoms in the Western Regions, and a holy place in the eyes of countless Buddhist School believers.

It was on this mountain that the Buddha realized the Dharma, attained Buddhahood, and founded Buddhist School.

There are countless Buddhist temples surrounding the Daming Palace atop the mountain, and from time to time, chanting can be heard from the mountains, creating a majestic and awe-inspiring atmosphere.

As the most powerful force in the Nine Provinces, Mount Aranya is considered a forbidden zone among forbidden zones by cultivators of various systems. However, it is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhist School believers.

On the plains, one can occasionally see people from the Western Regions, dressed in simple robes with towels draped over their shoulders, their skin dark, bowing every nine steps as they head towards the sacred land in their hearts.

A white-robed Warlock, whose features were indistinct and whose presence was also vague, stood under the shade of a tree, gazing at Mount Aranya in the distance.

What brings you to Aranya?

A soft, melodious voice came through; it was the most captivating voice a woman could have.

Before the white-robed Warlock appeared a white-robed bodhisattva. Her skirt was layered and trailed on the ground. Unlike Buddhist School monks who shave their heads to remove worldly afflictions, her black hair was casually draped over her shoulders and fluttered in the wind.

She has typical Western Region features, with three-dimensional facial features and rare glassy eyes.

Clad in white, she was dashing and unrestrained, possessing a beauty that could topple kingdoms.

Barefoot, a pair of jade-like feet, untouched by the slightest speck of dust.

The white-robed Warlock gazed at Aranya, seemingly oblivious to the bodhisattva woman so close at hand, and sighed, "After the magical contest in the capital, the fortunes of the Western Regions have faltered; this is not a good thing."

The woman's eyes, like crystal, were devoid of emotion, cold and aloof, her voice soft and melodious.

"Du'e brought back Mahayana Buddhism from the capital and spent half a year discussing it in Aranda. More and more people chose to follow Mahayana Buddhism, and he denigrated it as Hinayana Buddhism, bringing about a split within Buddhist School."

The white-robed Warlock laughed, "Those petty thieves in the capital are utterly inhuman."

Prajna Bodhisattva's tone remained soft and pleasant as he said, "Du'e wishes to bring this child back and adopt him as a Buddha's son. Guangxian is pleased, but Gara Tree is displeased."

The white-robed Warlock asked, "What are the Buddha's thoughts?"

The female bodhisattva glanced at him, her tone turning cold. "The Buddha has been asleep for five hundred years."

The white-robed Warlock nodded and got to the point. "I have come here to borrow a divine artifact from Buddhist School."

The woman, with her crystalline eyes, gazed at him with neither joy nor sorrow.

"Don't rush to refuse, listen to my conditions," the white-robed Warlock said with a smile.

I have a message to exchange with you.

The female bodhisattva remained silent.

The white-robed Warlock's smile widened as he slowly said, "I know where the sealed artifact is beneath Sangbo."

After lunch, Huaiqing rode in an ordinary carriage and slowly pulled up outside the Xu Residence.

The coachman pulled a wooden stool from under the carriage to greet the princess. After stepping off the stool, Huaiqing frowned sharply, realizing that she was being spied on from a hidden place.

The Emperor had been secretly monitoring the Xu Residence, and Huaiqing entered the Xu Residence without making a sound.

Without disturbing the women of the Xu Residence family, she entered the inner courtyard led by the gatekeeper, Old Zhang. Xu Qi'an was sitting at the stone table in the inner courtyard, smiling and nodding at her.

Huaiqing nodded in response and followed him into the room.

His bright, clear eyes swept around and he noticed that Li Miaozhen was also in his room.

"I had Zhong Li set up a small soundproof array, because we can't let outsiders hear what we're about to discuss," Xu Qi'an said with a smile as he sat down behind his desk.

"Right, Your Highness, or rather, Number One!"

Huaiqing's usually aloof face suddenly stiffened, and his pupils contracted slightly.