Yongxing

After weighing the options, Xu Qi'an analyzed the current situation and said:

"Tell her to keep our master calm. Leave the matter of the Holy Son to me. What she needs to consider now is not when I will go to rescue her, but how long she can stall for time."

Master Hengyuan said, "Understood. This humble monk will relay it to her word for word."

Xu Qi'an then asked, "How has your cultivation been lately?"

Master Hengyuan replied, "I am already studying the Vajra Divine Skill. In as little as half a month or as long as two months, I will be able to step into the threshold of the Vajra Divine Skill."

This means that Master Hengyuan's true combat strength is already no weaker than that of a fourth-grade cultivator, and he has the qualifications to cultivate the Vajra Divine Art and break through to the third-grade Vajra Realm. Xu Qi'an was overjoyed.

Before parting, he passed on the Vajra Divine Skill to Master Hengyuan. Cultivating the Vajra Divine Skill requires specific qualifications, but he believed that Master Hengyuan, who held the Arhat status, would definitely be able to master the Vajra Divine Skill.

There is no doubt about that.

"Mastering the Vajra Divine Skill is a prerequisite for entering the third-grade Vajra Realm. Master Hengyuan will be at least a third-grade Vajra in the future, which means that I will have a Vajra as my henchman. The investment I made in Master Hengyuan in the early stages is finally starting to pay off."

Xu Qi'an's mood immediately improved, and he asked, "Where is Chu Yuanzhen?"

"Benefactor Chu has not yet stepped out of his own path of swordsmanship," Master Hengyuan said.

Xu Qi'an sighed.

Sigh, this silly kid, he won't wear Pinru's clothes, he insists on wearing Metersbonwe instead—he doesn't follow the usual path.

Is it really that simple to forge a new path? If Chu Yuanzhen succeeds, he will probably be the most terrifyingly talented person among the members of the Heaven and Earth Society.

However, to be fair, the Secret Method of cultivating one's inner energy is indeed powerful. It indirectly accumulates power, and when the time is long enough, even a novice can unleash the combat power to kill a master.

Back then, Chu Yuanzhen unleashed ten years' worth of sword intent in a single strike, directly shattering the physique of a third-rank martial artist and causing considerable damage.

After ending the private chat, Xu Qi'an turned his back, put away the fragments of the Earth Book, and walked out of the cemetery.

Mu Nanzhi sat on the back of a mare, holding a little white fox in her arms. Xu Qi'an led the horse, walking side by side with Li Lingsu, while the puppet Hengyin walked in front.

What is the meaning of the "Supreme Forgetfulness" of the Heavenly Sect?

Xu Qi'an suddenly asked.

"Didn't I tell you this in your dream back in Pingzhou?" Li Lingsu thought to herself, then smiled and said, "Silent and unmoved, as if forgotten."

You'd better speak like a human being! Xu Qi'an glanced at him sideways.

"Actually, it's quite simple. According to the Heavenly Sect's Treasure Book and my own understanding, the essence of Supreme Forgetfulness lies in 'forgetting.' What is forgetting? Is it simply forgetting? No. Is it being heartless? No."

Li Lingsu spoke eloquently, "It is compassion, yet transcends compassion. It is not bound or trapped by compassion, reaching a level of detachment and overlooking. For example, would you choose to save all living beings or save one person?"

Suddenly, things got philosophical. Xu Qi'an thought for a moment but didn't answer, because he felt that answering would reveal his personality.

Li Lingsu waited a moment, but didn't receive a reply from Xu Qian, so she continued on her own:

"A normal person would naturally choose to save the masses and abandon one person. If that person is a close friend or loved one, then they would choose to save that person and abandon the masses. Why? Because when they make that choice, they are bound by 'emotion'."

"A truly detached person would choose to save all living beings, rather than just one person, even if that person is a family member."

Xu Qi'an pondered, "In that case, Li Miaozhen upholds justice and puts the common people first; isn't that precisely the epitome of detachment from worldly concerns?"

No, no, no!

Li Lingsu shook her head repeatedly. "Her chivalrous actions and meddling in other people's business are precisely manifestations of being 'troubled by love.' It is her sense of justice that drives her to eliminate evil. Besides, if my junior sister really falls in love with a man, I guarantee she will choose to save one person at the expense of the world."

"So, you've chosen the right path?" Xu Qi'an said with a smile.

"Of course!" Li Lingsu raised her chin.

Then, he noticed something was off about Xu Qian's gaze, and the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect felt a chill run down his spine. "Why is Senior looking at me like that?"

Xu Qi'an smiled without saying a word.

"Your gaze makes me very uneasy," Li Lingsu pressed.

Xu Qi'an remained silent, only smiling.

If the Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions were a math problem like 1+1 equals what, Li Miaozhen's answer would be "3," while the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect would laugh and mock, saying:

"Idiot, it clearly equals 9."

Little did they know that the math teacher behind them, holding a pointer, wore a benevolent smile.

Xu Qi'an's idea regarding how to rescue Li Miaozhen was to stall until the Seven Deadly Gu technique reached a higher level before considering how to save her.

As long as Li Lingsu is properly "controlled," it's enough to just play along with the experts of the Heavenly Sect. The Heavenly Gu's ability to "shift stars" is an even stronger means of concealment than shielding heavenly secrets.

Once he has sufficient strength and is well-prepared, he will throw Li Lingsu out as bait.

"If things go well, I might even be able to use the power of the Heavenly Sect to deal with Buddhist School, the Witch God Cult, and Xu Pingfeng."

Thinking of this, Xu Qi'an asked, "By the way, how is your master's cultivation level?"

"A third-grade Yang God," Li Lingsu said.

"Very good, "Xu Qi'an laughed.

As he walked, he suddenly saw a deep pit in the distance, and while suppressing his restless heart, he said:

"I have something to take care of. You guys go back to the inn first."

No one suspected anything or asked any further questions, and they continued forward.

The little white fox reached out from Mu Nanzhi's arms and waved its tiny paw.

Watching everyone's figures grow smaller and smaller until they disappeared, Xu Qi'an couldn't wait to dive into the deep pit, as if he had returned home, a satisfied smile on his face.

Guanghan County, a small town on the border of Qingzhou.

In a private room of Xiangshanju, the best restaurant in the city, Ji Xuan was enjoying a plate of deep-fried insect pupae.

"It's delicious! Although it doesn't look very appealing, it tastes surprisingly good. Yuan Shuang, would you like a plate?"

Xu Yuanshuang frowned slightly, and didn't touch her chopsticks for a long time, as if her appetite had been affected.

In the spacious private room, there were seven people: Xu Yuanshuang with bright eyes and white teeth; Xu Yuanhuai, who habitually had a stern and serious expression; and Ji Xuan, the core figure of the team.

Besides these three, the other four, from left to right, are: the old Daoist priest wearing a starched white robe, with a goatee, gray hair, and deep crow's feet around his eyes.

Master Banana Leaf is a wandering Daoist priest who is proficient in everything from medicine and divination to fortune telling. He has spent half his life on these "unorthodox" practices and his own cultivation level is not high.

However, in the martial arts world, a senior martial artist with diverse skills and rich experience is even more important than a martial arts master with profound internal strength.

Then came a gaunt man wearing a mottled, multicolored robe, named Qi Huan Dan Xiang. He was a wandering Gu master from the Heart Gu Clan. In Yunzhou, he encountered a local gentry bullying the people, so he manipulated poisonous insects to wipe out their entire family.

His extreme personality is evident.

Therefore, he was wanted by the Yunzhou government, but fortuitous opportunity chance he joined Qianlong City and became a guest minister in the city lord's mansion.

To the left of Qi Huan Dan Xiang was a stunningly beautiful woman with a delicate face, fiery red lips, and large, alluring eyes that seemed to beckon. In early winter, she wore a light gauze dress that revealed her shoulders, waist, and calves, fully displaying the captivating charm of a mature woman.

Her name is Liu Hongmian. She comes from Wanhua Tower in Jianzhou. She failed to compete with her junior sister Xiao Yuenu for the position of tower leader and left Jianzhou in anger. She was recruited by Qianlong City and became a guest elder of the city lord's mansion.

The last person has a special identity; he cannot be called human. Although he appears as a strong, powerful, and majestic man, his true form is a white tiger.

He was trained by the Imperial Advisor Xu Pingfeng and is one of the four leaders of the Twenty-Eight Constellations organization, known as White Tiger.

Each of these four individuals possesses extraordinary abilities and is highly skilled. With the addition of the Warlock Xu Yuanshuang, the entire team has virtually no weaknesses.

The Heart Gu Master, Qi Huan Danxiang, smiled and said:

"Qingzhou is located in the western part of the Southern Frontier, and this way of eating it came from the Southern Frontier. However, people from the Central Plains are more particular and know how to use frying and spices to remove the fishy smell. People in the Southern Frontier mostly eat this raw or boiled in boiling water, and at most sprinkle some salt on it."

Ji Xuan quickly finished a plate, picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and remarked:

"Layman Ziyang truly lives up to his reputation as Confucian School orthodox figure, governing Qingzhou with remarkable efficiency. If Qianlong City could gain the support of Confucian School orthodox family, what great undertaking could it not accomplish? Yuan Huai, why don't you suggest the Imperial Preceptor seek out Confucian School?"

Upon hearing this, the aloof and reserved young man frowned, pondered for a moment, and then shook his head.

Xu Yuanshuang said calmly, "Because the fate of the Great Feng has not yet run out. The Confucian School values fate the most and understands it the most. When the Confucian School takes action, it means that the fate of the dynasty has run out. For example, back then, the Qian Zhong smashed the dragon vein of the Great Zhou Dynasty, severing the last bit of fate of the Great Zhou."

"When Emperor Wuzong rebelled, the Confucian School neither helped nor stopped him. This is actually a good thing, proving that this time, Confucian School will also stand by and do nothing. Once my uncle ascends the throne and replaces the Great Feng, are we afraid that the Confucian School will not be of use to us?"

Ji Xuan gave a thumbs up. "If Yuan Shuang were a man, she could easily be the chief minister."

Xu Yuanshuang's expression was indifferent, and she did not respond.

Ji Xuan stroked his chin, chuckled twice, looked around at everyone, and said:

"Yesterday, we received a secret report from the Shadow Guards that the first trace of dragon energy appeared at Sanhua Temple in Leizhou, attaching itself to the Pagoda. Ten days ago, martial arts figures in Leizhou clashed with Sanhua Temple over this matter."

The Shadow Guards are a secret agent organization trained by Qianlong City, spread throughout the thirteen continents of the Central Plains, specializing in intelligence gathering, similar in nature to the Nightwatchers's undercover agents.

Xu Yuanshuang's eyes lit up, and she asked, "What was the result?"

Ji Xuan clicked his tongue twice and said, "According to the Leizhou warriors who were involved in this matter, the dragon energy was stolen by Sun Xuanji of the Bureau of Astronomy and a man named Xu Qian, along with the Floating Pagoda. Hmm, stolen right under the noses of the Vajra of Salvation and Irbu."

What Sun Xuanji erased at that time was the Floating Pagoda and the "existence" of everyone inside. As those martial arts figures left and were "exposed" to the public eye, the technique of shielding heavenly secrets was broken on its own.

Just like the day Xu Pingfeng appeared in the capital under the public eye, the technique of concealing heavenly secrets immediately failed.

Master Banana Leaf stroked his beard and said:

"Just as we expected, the Bureau of Astronomy is collecting dragon energy, and they are doing so much faster than we are, having already obtained one of the nine dragon energies. In addition, the Buddhist School is indeed also collecting dragon energy, and I suppose the Witch God Sect will not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity either."

"This water is very murky. Also, who is Xu Qian?"

Liu Hongmian, who came from the Wan Hua Lou brothel, said with a charming smile:

"Turbulent waters also have their advantages; when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits."

"The Red Cotton Maiden is right." Ji Xuan nodded in agreement, then replied to Daoist Banana Leaf:

The Shadow Guards couldn't find out anything about this person's background, only that he was skilled in poisons and should be a member of the Gu Clan.

Everyone immediately looked at Qi Huan Dan Xiang. The Heart Gu Master frowned. "This is clearly a name from the Central Plains. Appearance can also be disguised, but to be able to snatch dragon energy from two third-rank experts, this person is definitely not simple."

"So, can you guess his identity?" Ji Xuan asked.

Qi Huan Danxiang shook her head:

"Although the Gu Clan's Gu techniques are rarely passed on to outsiders, there are always exceptions. For example, the members of the Love Gu Clan like to provoke outsiders and forcibly keep them in the clan."

"Those afflicted by the love curse, whether willingly or unwillingly, remain with the Gu clan. Over time, they learn Gu techniques. Once they escape, the Gu techniques spread far and wide. Anyone below the fourth rank could be a member of the Gu clan; it's impossible to definitively say."

Baihu said calmly, "Could it be Xu Qi'an?"

Xu Yuanshuang and Xu Yuanhuai raised their eyebrows simultaneously.

Ji Xuan frowned. "Unfounded speculation will only affect our judgment."

Qi Huan Danxiang added, "Cultivating Gu techniques is difficult, requiring the implantation of a natal Gu from childhood. Xu Qi'an is a martial artist; it's impossible for him to switch to Gu techniques overnight and acquire a certain level of skill."

The white tiger nodded.

Liu Hongmian chuckled, "What a pity! I've heard that Xu Qi'an is a womanizer and a regular at the Imperial Academy of Music in the capital. If it were him, their honey trap would be a sure thing."

Xu Yuanshuang scoffed, "Foolish, is he the kind of person who can't walk past a woman?"

Liu Hongmian's smile remained unchanged, alluring and captivating. "I don't need to scheme against him; I just need to sleep with him. Hmm, Sister Yuanshuang seems indignant. I understand now; so you also have feelings for Xu Yinluo."

"Bang!" Xu Yuanshuang slammed her hand on the table and stood up angrily, "What did you say?!"

These guest retainers were unaware of Xu Qi'an's background.

Ji Xuan chuckled and joked, "If Miss Hongmian wants to sleep with Xu Qi'an, she can go to the capital to find him. But before that, we need to go to Yongzhou."

"Yongzhou?"

The old Daoist priest asked in return.

"A martial arts tournament will be held in Yongzhou soon. It is said to be jointly organized by the local powerful families, the Gongsun family and the Dragon God Fortress, to rank the masters of Yongzhou. Anyone who wants to make a name for themselves will go to Yongzhou," Ji Xuan said.

The old Daoist priest with banana leaves suddenly realized, stroked his beard and laughed, "At that time, we can distinguish those who are possessed by dragon energy among these people."

The Bureau of Astronomy) is located underground.

Yang Qianhuan stood in the doorway of a room, his back to Zhong Li inside, and said in a deep voice:

"Junior Sister Zhong, I can't stay with you any longer. The teacher has already agreed to let me out."

Zhong Li, her hair disheveled, was taken aback, and asked in a soft voice, "Senior Brother Yang has given up the idea of killing the emperor?"

Yang Qianhuan snorted, "Let the little emperor be smug for a few days. If he repeats the mistakes of Yuan Jing in the future, I, Yang Qianhuan, will definitely behead him in the Golden Palace in front of three million people in the capital."

He wouldn't admit that it was because he gave in that the supervising teacher made an exception and let him go.

Yesterday, the crown prince ascended the throne and changed the era name to "Yongxing".

"The common people in the capital can't see the Golden Palace," Zhong Li muttered under her breath.

"What did you say?" Yang Qianhuan didn't hear clearly.

Zhong Li shook her head and said, "Wouldn't that mean we'd lose our goal? What's the point of going out then?"

Yang Qianhuan stared intently at her from behind:

"I have already figured out how to make a name for myself and have a detailed plan. Xu Qi'an is not in the capital, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If I don't rise to prominence now, when will I ever get another chance?"

"When he returns to Beijing in the future, he will find that the people of the capital have long forgotten Xu Yinluo, and only have Yang Qianhuan in their hearts."

Senior Brother Yang's tone revealed a calm confidence.

Zhong Li asked curiously, "The detailed plan?"