A Message from the Imperial Preceptor

The moment the dragon vein separated from its host, Jingxin seemed to sense it and looked up at the roof beam.

The others looked up and saw the semi-transparent, semi-real dragon energy. Unlike the scattered wisps of dragon energy, the nine crucial wisps of dragon energy were visible.

When the dragon vein was pulled from the ground in its complete form, countless people in the capital witnessed it.

However, once a host is found, the dragon's energy becomes invisible.

Xu Qi'an was prepared. Through his robe, he gently tapped the fragment of the Earth Book hidden in his lower abdomen, and with his lips parted, he chanted a spell.

The dragon energy that tried to break out of the house and leave this place was pulled in by an invisible force, letting out a silent roar, and unwillingly burrowed into the fragment of the Earth Book.

To outsiders, it seemed as if the dragon energy had automatically chosen Xu Qi'an as its host.

Chai Xian's dragon energy penetrated the fragment of the Earth Book and immediately merged with another dragon energy inside. His body length remained unchanged, but he became more solid.

At the same time, Xu Qi'an's "radar" range has also increased exponentially, and it can now cover one-third of the area of Xiangzhou City.

"It would be great if it could cover one-third of Xiangzhou."

He muttered something unrealistically, then looked at Chai Xian and sighed.

For Chai Xian, the truth of patricide and the killing of innocent people, especially Er Ya and her family of three, was too cruel. When he realized that he was the one who had done it all, he was filled with a desire to die.

For Xu Qi'an, split personality is not a subjective crime and cannot be taken lightly. However, the massacre of the entire family in the small village was committed by Chai Xian. Even if someone is mentally ill and commits murder, the harm caused will not change.

He did not forgive Chai Xian because of his mental illness.

Based on this complex psychological state, Xu Qi'an did not stop Chai Xian from committing suicide.

Chai Lan collapsed onto Chai Xian, her sobs hoarse.

Good and evil are rewarded accordingly; cause and effect are cyclical. Xu Qi'an then looked at another culprit and asked:

"Xing'er, who is your superior?"

Chai Xing'er shook her head:

"I don't know. Subordinates don't know the identity of their superiors. This is the rule of Tianji Palace. Superiors and subordinates communicate by letter. If there is an emergency, they will send a message by carrier pigeon."

"There are carrier pigeons at your residence. If you want to know who your superior is, you can track them. I haven't tried to find out your superior's identity, but I suspect the pigeons' destination is most likely not your superior's residence."

Subordinates are unaware of their superiors' identities, but superiors usually know the identities of their subordinates and which area they are responsible for gathering intelligence on. Xu Qi'an pondered:

"No other emergency contact methods?"

Chai Xing'er shook her head.

This is to prevent any spies from falling into enemy hands, which could lead to their complete eradication and widespread repercussions. The downside is that it can easily cause intelligence delays. Xu Qi'an continued:

"Tell me about the situation at Tianji Palace."

"The agents of the Heavenly Secrets Palace are divided into nine ranks. I am a fifth-rank agent. Below me are two fourth-rank agents, both in Zhangzhou. I don't know the ranks of their subordinates. This is also a rule of the Heavenly Secrets Palace; we can only know the identity of our immediate subordinates."

Chai Xing'er did not hide anything and, under the influence of the precepts, truthfully revealed the information.

They're just small fry, not worth wasting energy and time searching for. It's Chai Xing'er's superiors who are worth my attention. Thinking of this, Xu Qi'an glanced at the Buddhist School monks.

No, we must leave Zhangzhou as soon as possible. The Vajra of Salvation could come at any time, and there might even be Arhats. We should not stay here any longer.

How did you become a spy for the Heavenly Mystery Palace?

Xu Qi'an asked one last question, mainly out of curiosity about how secret agents were trained and how to subdue those who were willing to commit suicide.

In this respect, both Duke Wei and Bu Bu Ren Zi are industry leaders.

Duke Wei is already dead, so there's no way to ask him anymore. This unfilial son would rather he ask, and take the opportunity to deliver a cruel blow, like "a loving father's sword slashing at his wandering son."

Xu Qi'an had no choice but to resort to this roundabout method.

Hengyin clasped his hands together and said, "I will not lie."

The time for the precepts has passed; it is time for him to re-enact them.

Chai Xing'er inwardly resisted, but her mouth remained honest. "That was ten years ago, before I was married, just the eldest daughter of the Chai family. That summer, I was cultivating in the courtyard when I suddenly heard someone laughing and saying: 'Little girl, you have good potential.'"

"That was the first time I saw the Palace Master. He was dressed in snow-white robes, standing grandly in the courtyard, while the maids around him ignored him."

Unfilial?

Xu Qi'an frowned. It was illogical for Xu Pingfeng, given his status and position, to visit a powerful figure like the Chai family. It was even less likely that he would show up to speak for them just because Chai Xing'er was talented.

Chai Xing'er continued, "I questioned him about who he was, and he said he was there to search for treasure."

"Treasure hunt?"

Chai Xing'er nodded:

"The ancestors of the Chai family were originally slaves in the Southern Frontier. When he was young, his Lineage was wiped out, and his enemies sold him to the Southern Frontier as a slave. Later, he mastered his skills and returned to Xiangzhou, which led to the Chai family we know today."

"To this day, few people know why the Chai family was wiped out, or why their ancestors were sold to the Southern Frontier."

After a pause, Chai Xing'er said with a serious expression:

"The Chai family were originally tomb keepers, guarding a large, ancient tomb. Later, for some unknown reason, they gave up their role as tomb keepers and established their Lineage in Xiangzhou. The reason they were tragically wiped out was because someone wanted to take over that large tomb."

"Logically speaking, the identity of the tomb keeper of the Chai family should not be known to the outside world. Perhaps there was a traitor in the Lineage who leaked it. This happened more than a hundred years ago, and I don't know the details."

A giant tomb?!

Xu Qi'an's fear of tombs is about to flare up again.

The underground palace outside Yongzhou City left him with a deep psychological trauma.

"And then what happened, Xu?"

Xu Qi'an cleared his throat and asked, "Did that man in white enter the great tomb?"

The Buddhist School monks seemed to be very interested in this matter as well, listening patiently.

Chai Xing'er shook her head. "The Chai family only has half of the map of the Great Tomb; the other half is in the hands of the Corpse Gu Tribe in Southern Frontier. The Palace Master only took the Chai family's portion of the map, and I don't know what happened after that."

"After that, I became a spy for the Heavenly Mystery Palace. My achievements and cultivation today are all thanks to the nurturing I received from the Heavenly Mystery Palace over the years."

The tomb that Xu Pingfeng was interested in must contain something extraordinary. Half the map was in the hands of the Corpse Gu Clan, so Xu Pingfeng hadn't entered the tomb yet?

Furthermore, the fact that the map is in the possession of the Corpse Gu Clan suggests that it was in the hands of a young ancestor of the Chai family back then.

If that's the case, how could he have been sold into slavery in the Southern Frontier? That doesn't make sense. Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment and then asked, "What else do you know about the Great Tomb?"

"The existence of the great tomb was known only to the head of the Chai family. If it weren't for the Palace Master, I wouldn't have known this secret either."

Why did he tell you this secret?

"The palace master said that to open the great tomb, the blood of the tomb guardian is needed as a medium."

Therefore, Xu Pingfeng cultivated Chai Xing'er of the Chai family as a hidden pawn, using her as a piece on the chessboard. Xu Qi'an didn't ask any further questions, but turned to look at Jingxin and Jingyuan, saying:

"Soon, superiors from the Heavenly Mystery Palace will be visiting the Chai residence. Masters, please take care of yourselves."

He summoned the Floating Pagoda, held it in his palm, and the door of the first floor opened, releasing a swirling vortex that sucked Chai Xing'er into it, trapping her on the second floor.

Then, he pressed down on Li Lingsu and Hengyin's shoulders, and disappeared into the shadows as he left the Chai residence.

The inner hall fell silent.

Jingxin gazed at the deep night outside the door, clasped her hands together, and chanted a Buddhist prayer.

We Buddhist School monks breathed a sigh of relief, feeling both fortunate and confused that they hadn't been killed.

"Brother Jingxin, what should we do now?" a monk asked.

Jingxin glanced at the unconscious Jingyuan and said slowly:

"Junior Brother Jingyuan needs to rest and recuperate, so he should stay at the Chai residence and wait for Senior Uncle Dunan to arrive."

After saying that, he glanced at Chai Lan. He still had to protect the Chai family; this was the condition the Buddha had for letting them go.

This is just an unspoken understanding among intelligent people; it doesn't need to be said aloud.

Outside the city, in the pitch-black night, Xu Qi'an, Li Lingsu, and the puppet Hengyin walked onto the official road, facing the biting cold wind.

The Holy Son lowered his head, deep in thought, and remained silent.

Xu Qi'an stared straight ahead and sneered:

"To be unfettered by love, unburdened by love, to reach a transcendent level of detachment—that is true detachment from emotions. You say Li Miaozhen has walked Evil Dao, that she would abandon the world for one person—but what about you?"

Li Lingsu suddenly raised her head, opened her mouth as if to refute or explain, but ultimately fell silent.

After a moment, he said in a low voice, "I don't know."

Xu Qi'an put himself in his shoes and realized that he would be in the same predicament, so he stopped mocking him.

Li Lingsu asked, "What does Senior intend to do with Xing'er?"

Xu Qi'an bluntly asked, "Looking back at the case from the beginning, why do you think Chai Xing'er invited heroes from all walks of life, as well as the government, to hold a demon-slaying conference?"

Li Lingsu was a clever woman. "Control Chai Xian and thwart the murder case."

"That's right. She provoked Chai Xian to kill Chai Jianyuan. Chai Xian's subsequent escape from the Chai Mansion and his rampage in Xiangzhou were mostly unexpected and unplanned."

"Whether she wanted to salvage the situation or didn't want things to escalate, that's why she convened the Demon-Slaying Conference. In other words, the Demon-Slaying Conference wasn't part of her original plan."

Chai Xing'er's plan was actually quite simple: use the secret of her birth to provoke Chai Xian into killing Chai Jianyuan, thus avenging her husband's death. Then, she would use Chai Lan as a threat to control Chai Xian.

But that night, Chai Xian stormed out of the Chai residence. Although Chai Xian was stopped, the subsequent murders had exceeded Chai Xing'er's plans. In order to prevent the situation from deteriorating, she convened a demon-slaying conference.

This case is more complicated than any of the cases Xu Qi'an has investigated before.

"I'd like to learn more about the Heavenly Mystery Palace. Also, I'll have to explore that great tomb someday," Xu Qi'an said.

Li Lingsu waited a moment, but when she didn't hear anything more, she frowned and asked, "So?"

I sentenced her to death with a two-year reprieve Xu Qi'an said, "Your mistress won't die for now."

That large tomb must be very dangerous. Chai Xing'er can be used as a tool in the future. If she dies inside, it's her fate. If she doesn't die, he will cripple Chai Xing'er's cultivation and have Li Lingsu take her back to the Heavenly Sect and imprison her for life.

Li Lingsu let out a complicated sigh and changed the subject, "Although Buddhist School is annoying, it still has its bottom line. The Chai family should be fine."

Xu Qi'an grunted in response. He suddenly stopped and, with a strange expression, reached into his robes and pulled out a talisman.

The talisman emitted a faint glow in the darkness.

Immediately afterwards, Li Lingsu heard a soft and melodious voice:

Where are you?

At the border of Qingzhou and Yongzhou, in a small town, the cold wind swept through the streets and alleys, emitting a mournful howl.

Dressed in brightly colored clothes and with dark skin, Qi Huandanxiang walked into the dirty alleyway, which reeked of urine. He bent down and spread his palms out at the entrance of a hole in the wall.

A large, gray rat scurried out of a hole in the wall and jumped into his palm.

Qi Huan Danxiang tilted her head, listening intently. After a moment, she put the mouse back in the hole in the wall, raised her head, and said:

"My friend told me that the kid just walked by here."

Under the moonlight, six figures stood on the eaves of the houses on both sides of the alley.

In the center is a smiling young man who gives off a gentle and humble impression.

He laughed, "As expected of a dragon vein host, his luck is boundless; he always manages to escape from us. Sister Yuan Shuang, see which way he runs."

Xu Yuanshuang's pupils flashed with a clear light as she gazed intently into the distance, where she saw a flash of golden light disappear in the far southeast.

"It's in the direction of Yongzhou," she said calmly.

The old Daoist priest, squinting as if gazing into the distance, chuckled:

"That kid isn't very strong, but he's proficient in all sorts of underhanded tactics. Hmm, he's a rogue Rogue Cultivator's been making his way in the martial world. There's a martial arts tournament being held in Yongzhou right now; they're probably trying to use us as a pretext to eliminate us."

On their way to Yongzhou, they encountered a dragon energy host. The young man's cultivation was not strong; he was only at the seventh-grade Spirit Refining Realm.

Their intuition is incredibly sharp, and they have so many tricks up their sleeves that it's a real headache; they always manage to escape from their clutches by the narrowest of times.

Liu Hongmian of Wanhua Tower swayed her hips and said with a smile, "Isn't that perfect? The trip to Yongzhou might yield even greater rewards than we imagined."

She noticed that Ji Xuan was deep in thought and silent, seemingly preoccupied, and smiled charmingly:

"Young lord, why do you seem so troubled? Why don't I help you resolve your worries tonight?"

Ji Xuan smiled wryly, "Good sister, don't tease me. Everyone knows your reputation as a venomous beauty, Liu Hongmian. Yuan Huai, on the other hand, is still a virgin, perfect for you to train."

Xu Yuanhuai's expression was stern.

Liu Hongmian's gaze swept over the beautiful young woman, and she covered her mouth with a soft laugh, "I'm just afraid someone will tear me apart."

Xu Yuanshuang snorted coldly.

Ji Xuan said, "I was just wondering if the Imperial Advisor has any other tricks up his sleeve."

Everyone looked over.

"Whether it's Buddhist School, the Bureau of Astronomy, or even the Witchcraft Cult, all of them have third-rank experts involved in this collection of dragon energy. Only we are absent. With the Imperial Preceptor's wisdom, could he not have foreseen this?"

Ji Xuan stroked his chin. "I don't believe he has no backup plan."

Xu Qi'an grasped the talisman and replied, "We're on our way to Yongzhou."

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he remained silent.

"Arrive in Yongzhou City in three days."

"Good"

The talisman's light went out.

"Here he comes, the Imperial Advisor is here to sleep with me," Xu Qi'an thought with mixed feelings.

"Senior, who was that just now?"

Li Lingsu was surprised by how beautiful the woman's voice was.

"Just an ordinary-looking woman."

Xu Qi'an also performed a Versailles before the Holy Son.

It's a pity. It seems Xu Qian has rather unique tastes; he doesn't love beautiful women, but only women of average appearance. Li Lingsu said "Oh," and didn't ask any more questions.

Why isn't this guy asking any more questions? I haven't even started showing off yet! Xu Qi'an also hummed in response and buried himself in his journey.

Forcing an explanation doesn't fit Xu Qian's character.

Anyway, the Imperial Advisor will arrive in three days. It's not too late to show off in front of everyone then, so that the scumbag from the Heavenly Sect can see what a high-quality beauty is.