Gathering winds and surging clouds

The little fox is exquisitely small, with a miniature leather bag hanging around its neck.

Can speak human language? A fox demon. Knowing my true identity Xu Qi'an almost unleashed a "Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon" palm strike on it. He glanced around the window and said:

"Come in and talk."

With a "hee-hee," the little fox leaped from the windowsill into the house with a powerful kick of its four short legs.

Xu Qi'an's gaze followed the little fox demon as it gracefully moved its limbs to the table, leaped with all its might, but failed to land on the tabletop, and bumped its belly against the edge of the table.

"Oops!"

It cried out in pain, kicked its hind legs wildly, and finally climbed onto the table, squatted down, and observed Xu Qi'an with curiosity and excitement in its dark eyes.

"He's too bad," Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

"It was Her Majesty who sent me."

The little fox uttered a silvery, childlike voice.

As expected! Xu Qi'an thought to himself, a fox demon who knows his identity is most likely a demon from the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons, which is why he restrained his impulse to kill the demon just now.

"So?"

He stood on the table, looking down at the fluffy, adorable little fox.

"You sneaked in here without being discovered?"

The little fox chuckled and said, "Speed and stealth are my strengths, otherwise why would the Queen send me here? Sister Ye Ji said that Xu Yinluo is incredibly insightful and perceptive, how come he can't even understand such a simple principle?"

"Because reasoning requires enough clues and an understanding of things. For example, I don't know you, so I can't judge whether you're a reckless little fox demon. Or, for example, you're young, so I'd suspect you're not very capable and not careful enough."

Xu Qi'an said casually.

The little fox suddenly realized, her black pearl-like eyes sparkling. She raised her hand, slapped the table, and said in a sweet voice:

"I see. As expected of Xu Yinluo, what you said makes perfect sense and is very well-organized."

"Who is this Sister Ye Ji you mentioned? Does she know me?"

Xu Qi'an sat down at the table and poured himself a pot of tea.

"Quickly, get someone else a drink too."

The little fox slapped the table, urging them on.

Amidst the soft sound of water, Xu Qi'an poured her a full glass. The little fox brought its pink nose close, stuck out its little tongue, and licked and licked.

"Can't you transform into human form?"

Xu Qi'an asked in surprise.

"I don't know how yet," the little fox said sweetly.

"I was wrong, you're not just bad, you're utterly hopeless. What did Princess Wan Yao send you here for?" Xu Qi'an thought to himself.

After taking a few sips, the little fox said, "Sister Ye Ji is my third sister. She's incredibly powerful. She was born 376 years before me."

So who exactly is your sister, Yoru-hime?

"She used to work in Beijing and just got back recently. She told me a lot about you. Xu Yinluo is really amazing!"

Fu, Fuxiang Xu Qi'an's face froze, unable to distinguish whether he was happy, disappointed, or angry; his feelings were very complicated.

He was overjoyed to hear news of his old flame again, saddened that their reunion seemed far off, and furious because she had turned the dignified night Nightwatchers of the Great Feng Great Feng into a mummy.

She's Fuxiang's younger sister? So Fuxiang's real name is Ye Ji. Xu Qi'an's expression softened slightly as he asked:

What did your mistress send me here for?

"Here comes to deliver a message."

The little fox said happily.

"Why don't you report it already?" After waiting for a while, Xu Qi'an saw that she still didn't speak and was looking at him with longing.

Therefore, he could only emphasize. "Report a message?"

"Her Majesty sent me to tell you about the situation in Buddhist School."

As she spoke, the little fox glanced at the table; she was looking at the osmanthus cake, having already caught a glimpse of it several times out of the corner of her eye.

"Eat if you want," Xu Qi'an sighed.

The little fox let out a cheerful cry, hugged a piece of osmanthus cake, and began to nibble on it.

Xu Qi'an judged the little fox in his mind as a novice, immature, reserved, and with an air of nobility, someone who would cry for a long time if he punched her.

Patiently waiting for her to finish eating, Xu Qi'an asked, "Would you like some more?"

"Okay, okay, thank you Xu Yinluo."

"Let's finish conveying what Her Majesty asked you to tell us first."

Glutton! Xu Qi'an added another label to his mind, but it's not surprising that all children are greedy.

The little fox reluctantly withdrew its gaze, obediently squatted down, and said:

"Starting from the highest to the lowest, the most powerful in Buddhist School is the Buddha of the highest rank, followed by the Four Great Bodhisattvas. There are four Bodhisattvas in the present era: Kalachakra Bodhisattva, who controls the Vajra form and the Acala form; Vimalakirti Bodhisattva, who controls the Great Samsara form and the Great Compassion form; Dharmaraksha Bodhisattva, who controls the Great Wisdom form and the Pharmacist form; and Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva, who controls the Practitioner form and the Colorless Lapis Lazuli form."

"Nine Bodhisattvas have appeared in the history of Buddhist School. Seven were present five hundred years ago, five more appeared after the Jiazi Sixty-Year Demon Purge Extermination, and one was beheaded by the first Supervisor when Emperor Wuzong usurped the throne. Now only four remain."

"Then came the nine great Arhats, of whom only two remain in the world: the Stream-Enterer (Sotapanna) who liberates sentient beings, and the Arhat who liberates from suffering. The Goddess said that once a state of enlightenment is attained, it cannot be changed. Therefore, over the long course of time, many Arhats chose to be reborn and begin their Buddhist practice again."

"However, Arhats experience the confusion of being in the womb, and Bodhisattvas experience the delusion of being separated from the dead. Most Arhats perish in the cycle of reincarnation. In Buddhist School history, there were eighteen Arhats. Some of these Arhats were reincarnated, while others died in the Sixty-Year Demon Purge."

"Finally, there are the Dharma Protectors. Only two remain: the Vajra of Salvation and the Vajra of Salvation. The Empress has never counted how many Vajras existed at the height of Buddhist School. She said that during the Sixty-Year Demon Purge, even the third-rank Vajras were merely cannon fodder."

Xu Qi'an's mouth was agape, wide enough to fit an egg, and he stood there dumbfounded, like a statue.

At its peak, it had nine Bodhisattvas, eighteen Arhats, and numerous Dharma protectors—this was simply outrageous.

No, you can't think of it that way. It just happened in history; it was accumulated over time. The number of third, second, and first-rank masters in the Central Plains throughout the dynasties was also quite considerable.

However, the fact that there are currently four Bodhisattvas, two Arhats, and two Vajras is quite absurd.

However, if the Great Feng had not suffered the calamity of Emperor Yuanjing and had not had its fortune extracted by Xu Pingfeng, there would definitely be more than just the Prince of Zhenbei at the third rank. At the very least, the Duke Wei would have been a top-tier second rank expert. Of course, there might have been other masters as well.

In contrast, Buddhist School flourished after the Battle of Shanhai Pass, reaching an alarming level of power.

The little fox continued, "The one leading this group to Sanhua Temple is the Vajra of Salvation, accompanied by two fourth-rank monks, named Jingxin and Jingyuan. Jingxin is a Zen master, and Jingyuan is a martial monk. Just keep an eye on these two."

"Oh, right."

She squatted down and reached a hand into the small leather pouch hanging around her neck. "Her Majesty asked me to give this to you."

She pulled a bracelet from her claws, with six rusty brass bells hanging from it, giving it a vintage feel.

"Bracelet?"

The little fox corrected, "The Queen said it's an anklet."

Xu Qi'an took the anklet and asked, "What's your name?"

The little fox said, "Take a guess."

"I can't guess."

"Hmph, you're useless. Here's a hint: my name is the exact opposite of Sister Ye Ji's."

"Sun-dried chicken?"

"Yes, it's Hakuhime!"

The little fox raised its front paw and slammed it on the table, indicating that it was very angry.

"One last thing, the Queen said she hopes you will keep your promise and find the remains of Master Shenshu. For this, she sent me to monitor you. Let me tell you, I am very fast, able to travel thousands of miles a day. Moreover, I am skilled in stealth, and I am very useful."

The little fox stood up on its hind legs, hands on its hips, looking smug.

"Traveling thousands of miles a day"

Xu Qi'an's eyes lit up, and he asked, "Can you carry people?"

The little fox was taken aback, looked at its own small frame, then at Xu Qi'an's large frame, and hesitated, "Is... is it okay?"

Xu Qi'an happily picked up the little fox, put it on the ground, and plopped down on it.

The little fox was bewildered.

"Hey, don't cry, you said you could."

Xu Qi'an sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the fluffy fox lying on the pillow, sobbing softly, and made a defense.

Tears welled up in the little fox's eyes. "I'm going back to tell the Queen that you bullied me! Waaah, my back hurts so much! Waaah, hiccup!"

She's never been bullied in her entire life.

Xu Qi'an was skilled at coaxing women, and he was also quite adept at coaxing foxes. He managed to fool the little fox with a combination of coaxing and deception, and the little fox forgave him with tears in her eyes.

Sure enough, a punch can soothe someone for a long time. Xu Qi'an blew out the candle and said, "Then, shall we go to sleep?"

The little fox got up and looked at him warily in the darkness. "No, Sister Night Princess said you're a pervert, I can't sleep with you."

Xu Qi'an glanced at the tiny fox body and silently covered his face.

No, no, it's not that bad.

In Wenren Qianrou's boudoir, the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect stood by the window, holding a wine cup, and said:

"Senior Xu and his wife didn't stay in the same room?"

Wenren Qianrou combed her hair in front of the mirror, smiling faintly as she murmured "Mmm."

She wore a white undergarment, with rounded hips, a slender waist, and full breasts; from her appearance to her figure, she was an exceptionally beautiful woman.

He muttered to himself, "Why bother with this room assignment?" Then he added, "Rou'er, remember to be respectful to Xu Qian."

"I've already treated him like a benefactor."

Wenren Qianrou felt very wronged.

"No, that's not what I meant." Li Lingsu paused for a few seconds, then lowered her voice. "Xu Qian is an old monster, an old monster who has lived for hundreds of years."

"Third rank?"

Wenren Qianrou felt a chill run down her spine.

Li Lingsu shook her head and chuckled:

"I used to think so too, but a small thing happened at Sanhua Temple yesterday that changed my mind. Well, he gave me a brocade pouch full of cannons and crossbows, enough to arm a battalion of soldiers. Your Leizhou Chamber of Commerce racked your brains and spent countless sums of money to get some crossbows and muskets from the government."

"But to him, these were just trivial trinket."

Wenren Qianrou asked incredulously, "He's from the imperial court? The imperial court has several third-rank masters, including the Prince of Zhenbei and Xu Qi'an. Besides them are the Warlock from the Bureau of Astronomy. Who is this Xu Qian?"

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect shook his head. "He shouldn't be a member of the imperial court. According to him, the cannons and crossbows were just trinket he won while playing chess with the Supervisor. Ha, there's no need for someone like him to lie to me, right?"

Wenren Qianrou, who had won the game against Jianzheng, began to breathe rapidly.

The Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect glanced at his young lover out of the corner of his eye, and seeing her lost in deep shock, he immediately said, "Ah, my cultivation is sealed. I should break the seal as soon as possible. Rou'er, I'll go back to my room to cultivate first."

Wenren Qianrou suddenly came to her senses, her eyebrows furrowed, she grabbed the shawl on the table and flicked it with her hand.

The long shawl, like a whip, wrapped around Li Lingsu's neck and dragged him back.

"Li Lang, you've been in Leizhou for two days, yet you haven't touched me. Have you already grown tired of me? Or perhaps you have someone else in your heart?"

No, no.

"Hmph, I don't believe it."

"Really, no, what's mine will always belong to Rou'er."

"Then we'll see how you perform tonight."

The next day, early morning.

Xu Qi'an, carrying the little white fox, led the princess to the inner hall, where he saw Li Lingsu sitting alone, enjoying breakfast.

"You seem to have aged considerably overnight."

Xu Qi'an glanced at the table; breakfast was fine: white porridge, steamed buns, and delicate side dishes.

He sniffed and, before Li Lingsu could react, lifted the tea lid.

The teacup was filled with goji berries.

Pfft. Xu Qi'an almost burst out laughing.

"Oh, my damn charm."

Li Lingsu sighed and asked, "Senior, when shall we set off for Sanhua Temple?"

"No rush, more people will likely come looking for us in the next few days. Continue pretending to be Li Miaozhen and spread the word. By the way, you gave yourself away yesterday."

What flaw?

Xu Qi'an placed three steamed buns in front of him, tearing one of them into two equal halves and placing it with the other two.

Then, he pointed to the steamed bun, and then to Li Lingsu's chest.

He meant that the size of the steamed buns I used yesterday was wrong; there should have been one and a half buns on each side. Li Lingsu was stunned for a moment, then understood what Xu Qian meant.

"I see."

Li Lingsu lowered her head and drank her porridge, saying, "Remember to keep this a secret. If my junior sister finds out, she'll kill me."

As he drank, he looked at the steamed bun and felt that something was off.

Just as he was about to delve deeper into his thoughts, his attention was suddenly drawn to the little white fox, and he asked in surprise, "Where did this little fox come from?"

"The younger sister of an old friend."

Xu Qi'an said.

Li Lingsu, the younger sister of an old friend, scrutinized him, as if she had thought of something, and tentatively asked, "A fox demon?"

"Um!"

The little white fox nodded to itself and said crisply, "Yes."

"It can talk?"

Mu Nanzhi, who was standing nearby, was taken aback, then became interested. She reached out to hug the little white fox, but then withdrew her hand and asked cautiously, "Will it bite?"

"Yes, I'll be super fierce. Don't touch me."

The little white fox waved its paw, threateningly.

She wasn't a domesticated pet. Only domesticated pets like to be touched; real wild animals are averse to being touched.

At this moment, the steward of the Wenren residence hurried in, his tone slightly rushed, and said:

"Master Li, the Commander-in-Chief has arrived and requests an audience with you."

The Commander-in-Chief of Leizhou, one of the three most powerful figures in the entire Leizhou region.

Li Lingsu remained expressionless and said, "Please invite him to the main hall and tell him I'll be there immediately."

He and Xu Qi'an exchanged a glance, and he smiled, "They're here."

The martial arts figures are merely decorative; within this entire prefecture, there are only a handful of fourth-rank masters in the martial arts world. How much of a threat could they pose to the Three Flowers Temple?

What they really wanted to catch was a fourth-rank expert from the military.

And this Commander of Leizhou was one of the most prominent figures among them.

A quarter of an hour later, Yuan Yi, the commander of Leizhou, met the legendary Flying Swallow Heroine.

This renowned Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sect was indeed a rare beauty, full of heroic spirit and with exquisite features. She seemed to have suffered a serious injury, her pretty face was slightly pale, and her neck was wrapped in gauze.

With dark skin and a burly build, Yuan Yi nodded and said, "Master Li's reputation for chivalry is widespread; it is my honor to meet you today."

Leizhou is adjacent to the Western Regions, with 100,000 troops stationed there. It is a military town everywhere. The local commander-in-chief is one rank higher than those in other prefectures, both in terms of position and combat strength.

"Li Miaozhen" asked bluntly, "Commander-in-Chief, have you come for the rare treasure of Sanhua Temple?"

Yuan Yi didn't nod, but held his teacup and said leisurely, "How can Daoist Li be so certain that the treasure can help a fourth-rank cultivator break through to the extraordinary realm?"

He didn't quite believe the rumors from Leizhou, but considering Li Miaozhen's reputation and his own desire for the third rank, he came with the attitude of "better safe than sorry."

Li Miaozhen smiled and said, "My lord, you misunderstand. Breaking through to the extraordinary realm is merely the most insignificant effect of that treasure."

"Can this be explained?" Yuan Yi asked.

"Does Your Excellency know the details of the massacre in Chuzhou?"

"It is common knowledge throughout the world that the Prince of Zhenbei massacred a city to refine a blood elixir."

"That explains it. The pagoda suppresses the masters captured during the Battle of Shanhai Pass, all of whom are of the third rank or above, including Nalan Tianlu, the former city lord of Jingshan City and a second-rank rain master."

"What does Master Li mean?"

"Now, those peerless masters have all been refined into Blood Pills and Soul Pills. That's why Sanhua Temple has closed its doors to visitors and forbids anyone from entering the Floating Pagoda."

Yuan Yi squinted and remained silent for a long time.

The next day, news of Yuan Yi's visit to the Wenren Mansion to inquire about the rare treasure was spread by the Leizhou Chamber of Commerce.

This caused a further sensation and provoke those who were waiting to see what would happen.

Leizhou Double-Blade Sect.

The sect leader, Tang Yuanwu, sat in the hall, with two swords, one long and one short, standing quietly on his left and right sides.

The Double Blade Sect is a powerful force in the martial arts world that has stood in Leizhou for many years. All its leaders have been fourth-rank officials, and they are respected wherever they go. At the beginning of the year, during the battle between Celestial Person and Man, Tang Yuanwu led his disciples to the capital to participate in the "grand event".

Liu Yun, a disciple of the sect, became famous in the capital city with her beauty and strength, and was ranked as one of the four beauties alongside Rongrong of Wanhualou.

Regarding the "extraordinary treasure" of Sanhua Temple, the elders of Shuangdao Sect had differing opinions. Some believed that the Buddhist School was not to be trifled with and suggested waiting and seeing. Others believed that this was a great fortuitous opportunity for the sect leader and also a great fortuitous opportunity for Shuangdao Sect.

As a member of the martial arts world, one should not be timid in pursuing fortuitous opportunity.

He glanced around at the elders and disciples below and said in a deep voice:

"There's no need to argue anymore. Regardless of whether this matter is true or false, it's worth investigating. Although Buddhist School is powerful, there are many outstanding figures in the martial arts world of Leizhou, and many experts in the military towns. They may not be unable to contend with Buddhist School."

"Yun'er, you will lead thirty skilled fighters from our sect to accompany me to Sanhua Temple tomorrow."

The spirited Liu Yun, carrying two swords on her back, stepped forward, clasped her hands in a fist salute, and said, "Yes, Sect Master."

A military town.

A lone rider charged out of the camp, pursued by a group of soldiers.

The rider who left everyone else in the dust was a young man clad in armor, riding a magnificent black steed.

Behind him, the pursuing soldiers shouted, "Commander, leaving the camp without permission is a serious crime! Quickly return with us and plead guilty to the Commander!"

The young man in armor laughed loudly:

"Please, my foot! If I manage to snatch the treasure, I'll be a third-rank martial artist. Who would dare punish me? If I fail, I'll just be dismissed. I'm a fourth-rank martial artist; I can thrive anywhere."