The Heaven and Earth Society Members Gather (Part Two)

A lonely crescent moon hung in the sky, and few cold stars shone in the pitch-black night.

A dark shadow swept down from the sky, passing over the majestic city of Yongzhou, and flew towards the mountains thirty miles to the south.

As it approached the mountains, the dark figure began to slow down, hovering gently at the mountainside, near the entrance to a tomb raider's tunnel.

"It seems I'm the first one to arrive."

Chu Yuanzhen looked around but didn't see any members of the Heaven and Earth Society. So he landed lightly, sat cross-legged on a boulder with his sword in his arms, and waited silently.

Half an hour later, Chu Yuanzhen's ears twitched slightly as he heard a faint tremor in the ground.

He glanced to his left and saw a figure soar into the sky, leap into the air, and then crash down to the ground with a loud thud.

It was Hengyuan, a burly martial monk dressed in a blue robe.

Because the crude monks, like martial artists, could not fly through the clouds or ride swords, and their brief moments of air travel could not sustain them on long journeys, he had come all the way by running.

Traveling hundreds of miles in one night fully demonstrates the extraordinary endurance of the warrior monks.

"Master Hengyuan, it seems you're not far from Yongzhou," Chu Yuanzhen said with a smile.

"Amitabha!" Hengyuan clasped his hands together in prayer.

"Benefactor Chu possesses a profound aura, and your cultivation has improved. Have you reached the threshold of the third rank?"

Chu Yuanzhen pondered for a moment, then said frankly:

"If my combat strength is only comparable to a third-rank, then I can become a transcendent within three months."

"But my path has serious side effects. I have extraordinary combat power, but not the lifespan of a Transcendent Realm expert. Therefore, I am trying to consolidate my strength and seek a more perfect path instead of making a breakthrough."

"Terrible," Hengyuan silently commented in his mind.

He knew that Chu Yuanzhen's Martial Dao was based on martial arts and he practiced the Human Sect Sword Technique, which made his path very strange, neither martial nor Daoist.

If we must force a categorization, Chu Yuanzhen is already a sword cultivator!

"Why not focus on breaking through first? Once you reach the extraordinary level, you can try to complete your cultivation methods. Perhaps, Benefactor Chu, you can create a new system," Hengyuan said.

Once you've reached a certain level of understanding, it's easier to work backwards from the cultivation system than to try and create a new system when you're weak.

Chu Yuanzhen stroked his chin and said:

"Since we're on the topic, there's something I find quite strange."

"Among the major systems of the world, Dao Zun is the culmination of the Daoist School system. Although Wu Shen created the Sorcerer System, there are many Daoist School influences in the Law Technique of the Sorcerer System."

"From this, we can infer that the God of Witchcraft also first cultivated Daoist arts, and after reaching a high level, he took a different path and created the Sorcerer System."

Hengyuan nodded and continued the conversation:

"Martial Dao have existed since ancient times, Gu techniques originated from the Gu God, Warlock evolved from wizards. Only Confucian School and Buddhist School created something from scratch."

The Law Technique of Confucian School and Buddhist School are completely different from other systems and have no similarities to them.

Chu Yuanzhen held his sword across his knees, stroking the spine of the blade, and corrected him:

"Master Hengyuan, what I want to say is that among the major systems today, only the founder of the Warlock System —the first Supervisor—can be confirmed to have explored and developed the Warlock System step by step from its humble beginnings."

"He is the most unreasonable of all the system's creators."

Although the first generation came from the Sorcerer System, he was still a nobody when he fought alongside the great emperor and did not have the qualifications to have a commanding viewpoint.

"I also tried to explore a new path of cultivation. It was only through this that I was able to truly understand the extraordinary talent and unconventional nature of the first supervisor."

"I really want to know how he created the Warlock System back then."

Chu Yuanzhen sighed.

As they were chatting, they both turned their heads at the same time and looked towards the northeast.

In the deep darkness of night, a dark figure rode a sword, whistling like the wind, and slanted towards the mountainside.

The person on the sword's spine, clad in light armor and wearing a scarlet cloak, carrying a silver spear, with a high ponytail, looked dashing and heroic.

Li Miaozhen reverted to her former attire from when she suppressed bandits in Yunzhou, appearing as a valiant female general.

Red-robed female general!

The Bureau of Astronomy, the bedroom.

Xu Qi'an opened his eyes, stretched out the quilt with his right hand, and flicked it with his finger.

"Laugh!"

The candle lit up instantly, casting a dim, yellowish glow.

He withdrew his hand and pinched Mu Nanzhi's soft yet firm peach-shaped buttocks, unnoticed by the sleeping Flower Goddess.

Xu Qi'an took out the fragment of the Earth Book, summoned the Floating Pagoda, and released Bai Ji.

"You stay here with her, I'm going out to run some errands."

Xu Qi'an patted the fox cub on the head and gave the order.

Bai Ji stood at the edge of the bed, her dark eyes watching Mu Nanzhi's reclining figure, and she snorted softly:

"Spineless!"

She had clearly agreed not to pay him any attention, but Xu Yinluo persisted, kissing and hugging her, so she half-heartedly gave in.

She even pretended to lie down on the bed, saying she needed to rest and shouldn't be disturbed.

Isn't this just blatantly asking her to sleep with him?

"Auntie, you have no backbone." Bai Ji pounced on Mu Nanzhi's side and gave her a series of wild punches with her little paws.

Mu Nanzhi was sleeping soundly, so she couldn't hear its protests.

Xu Qi'an, dressed neatly, said:

"I'm going to Yongzhou. There's a fierce battle to fight today. You stay at the Bureau of Astronomy and take good care of yourself. If you have free time, go for a stroll in the city or visit the Xu Residence."

But don't reveal our relationship, or you'll be turned into a shadow and disappear by Xu Qi'an, who is fighting alongside Lingyue and her aunt.

As soon as he left, Mu Nanzhi woke up immediately, tapped Bai Ji on the head, and scolded:

"What do you know? Auntie is punishing him, making him serve me and make amends for his mistake."

Bai Ji stared intently at the Flower Goddess who wasn't wearing a bracelet.

Li Miaozhen leaped off the sword's spine, glanced around, and knew that only Hengyuan and Chu Yuanzhen were there.

"Brother Chu, Master Hengyuan!"

She did not perform the proper salute, but instead clasped her hands in a fist salute.

After exchanging greetings, the three waited patiently. In less than a quarter of an hour, a clear, bright light shone from a spot not far away, and Li Lingsu and Yang Qianhuan arrived.

"Hey, they're over there!"

With a slight sense, Li Lingsu easily located the positions of Chu Yuanzhen and the other two.

The location he pinpointed was the spot where he and "Xu Qian" entered the tomb that day, with Miao Youfang and the Imperial Advisor also present.

This is some distance from the location of the thief's mouth that Chu Yuanzhen and Hengyuan pinpointed.

Wearing a silk veil, Yang Qianhuan stepped forward, and the two of them vanished instantly, reappearing in front of Li Miaozhen and the other two.

"I've brought a powerful ally to the Heaven and Earth Society. With Brother Yang backing us up, we won't have any worries."

Li Lingsu smiled and looked around:

"Huh, Xu Qi'an and Daoist Jinlian didn't come? Daoist Jinlian might be far away, and as for Xu Ningyan, he's probably still having a good time in some woman's bed."

He sat cross-legged with a relaxed demeanor, took out several jars of wine from the fragments of the Earth Book, and laughed:

"It's still far before dawn, and we've all finally gathered together, how can we not have some wine?"

Chu Yuanzhen, a lover of wine, accepted the gift with a smile. Master Hengyuan, a martial monk, neither abstained from meat nor vegetables.

They lit a bonfire and sat around it drinking.

Only Yang Qianhuan stood motionless not far away, stubbornly determined to present everyone with an unfathomable back view.

Li Lingsu took a sip of wine and brought up a topic that everyone was quite interested in:

Does anyone know Number Eight's identity? Is he male or female?

"You'll find out soon enough!" Li Miaozhen glanced at her senior brother and chuckled.

Even rabbits don't eat the grass near their burrows, so if it's a girl, you'd better not get your hands on her.

Why can you be ambiguous with Xu Qi'an, but when it comes to me, it's like a rabbit not eating the grass near its burrow? Li Lingsu thought to herself, he was just curious about Number Eight's identity.

"What a joke! Brother Li has three beautiful women by his side, living a life of revelry every night. How could he be the kind of lustful man who has never seen a woman before?"

Yang Qianhuan, who was not far away, stood up for her brother.

Li Miaozhen and the other two all turned to look at Li Lingsu, their thoughts flashing through their minds:

"As expected of you," "No wonder you also cultivate Martial Dao," "Does the Heavenly Sect really cultivate the Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions?"

Li Lingsu gave a dry laugh:

"I am neither knowledgeable in military strategy nor skilled in managing an army, so I sought the help of several close female confidantes who possessed such talents."

This is absolutely bizarre. Xu Ningyan said that the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sect had many confidantes throughout the Central Plains, and I thought that was an exaggeration. But now it seems that it's not an exaggeration at all. Chu Yuanzhen was full of complaints.

Li Miaozhen knew what Virtue her senior brother was, so she wasn't surprised at all, and continued the previous topic:

"Number Eight's cultivation level shouldn't be too high."

Master Jinlian wouldn't give away fragments of the Earth Book to people of too high a rank, as they would be neither worth cultivating nor easy to control. Therefore, he chose those who had the potential to become regional "lords" in the future.

Based on this, it can be inferred that when Number Eight obtained the fragment of the Earth Book, his cultivation level, like that of the other members, must not have been high.

Li Lingsu laughed loudly:

"If he hasn't reached the fourth rank, then he can go back. However, since Daoist Jinlian didn't stop him, it means that Number Eight is quite formidable."

Chu Yuanzhen agreed with the Holy Son's view:

"Only those with at least a fourth-grade combat strength are qualified to participate in the operation to suppress the Earth Sect's demonic path."

"If this plan is successfully completed, our promise to Daoist Jinlian will be fulfilled, and the fragments of the Earth Book will become our Law Artifact."

Li Miaozhen pouted:

"However, this is meaningless; Daoist Jinlian has gotten something for nothing."

As they were talking, the five people present seemed to sense something and looked towards the northwest sky.

Under the cover of night, an old Daoist priest descended from the sky. With each step he took, a lotus flower formed from golden light supported his feet, creating lotus blossoms with every step.

When he lifts his foot, the lotus flower dissipates into light fragments.

"Master Jinlian!"

Li Miaozhen and others greeted them loudly.

At the same time, everyone sighed inwardly: This is the kind of presence that extraordinary powerhouses should have.

Master Jinlian landed slowly, with golden fragments still scattering behind him, highlighting his otherworldly and otherworldly demeanor, exuding the air of a highly accomplished person.

"Gentlemen, it's been half a year since we last met, and you're even more radiant than before."

Master Jinlian said with a smile.

"I get the feeling you're bragging." This thought tacitly crossed the minds of the members of the Heaven and Earth Society.

"Master, Xu Ningyan and Number Eight haven't arrived yet."

As soon as Li Lingsu finished speaking, Daoist Jinlian looked at the distorted shadow cast by the campfire at Li Miaozhen's feet and laughed:

"He arrived early."

The shadow suddenly expanded, transforming into a pitch-black figure, and then its features became clear, revealing Xu Qi'an, dressed in a magnificent blue robe.

"Gentlemen, it's been a long time."

Xu Qi'an smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

Li Miaozhen was startled. She looked down at her shadow, a blush rising on her fair cheeks, and said angrily:

Why are you hiding in my shadow?!

It's better to emerge from the shadow of a pretty girl than from the shadow of a rough man. Xu Qi'an turned to look at Yang Qianhuan:

"Senior Brother Yang is here too."

Yang Qianhuan hummed in agreement, speaking in a casual, nonchalant tone:

"I heard you helped the eldest princess ascend the throne? Well done."

Li Lingsu thought to himself, "I'm so envious I could practically bang my head against the wall." Then, he looked up at the sky and said:

"It's already past dawn, why hasn't Number Eight arrived yet?"

Master Jinlian and Xu Qi'an said at the same time:

"He's here."

As the two voices faded, a giant nearly nine feet tall slowly emerged from the dense forest beside them, dressed in a red and yellow robe and with prayer beads around his neck.

He was ugly, with prominent brow bones and a sharp, hidden gaze.

Despite its ugliness, it also gives people a sense of heroism.

When Li Lingsu saw the figure, which was much taller than an ordinary human, she knew that Number Eight could not be the high-quality beauty she had imagined, and she was somewhat disappointed.

When Number Eight stepped into the area illuminated by the campfire, Li Lingsu was shocked to see his face clearly:

"The Asura race?!"

While in Yongzhou, Li Lingsu had met the Asura Vajra Dufan, and her familiarity with the Asura race far surpassed that of Li Miaozhen and others.

"People from Buddhist School?"

Li Miaozhen, Chu Yuanzhen, and Master Hengyuan were all stunned when they saw the kasaya worn by Number Eight.

Li Lingsu took out the fragment of the Earth Book, waved it, and said:

"Number eight?"

The burly monk also took out a small jade mirror to show off his status.

It really was number eight. Li Miaozhen and the others had given up hope and had no choice but to accept reality.

To be honest, they didn't expect that Number Eight was Buddhist School disciple.

The Buddhist School and the Great Feng are now at odds, and Number Eight is actually a Buddhist School disciple. I can't even tell if he's friend or foe. Li Miaozhen frowned repeatedly.

Chu Yuanzhen had the same concerns. After Li Lingsu identified the other party as a member of the Asura clan, he dismissed his guess that the other party might be like Master Hengyuan and concluded that the other party was from the Western Regions.

Because the Asura race only exists in the Western Regions.

Trusting Master Jinlian, he suppressed his concerns and subtly glanced at the others, discovering that they all shared similar worries.

"Sit!"

Xu Qi'an waved to Asuluo.

Asuluo sat down by the campfire without any hesitation, took the wine jar handed to him by Xu Qi'an, took a swig, looked around at everyone, and laughed:

"This is the first time I've met you all since I left the pass. I hope you'll take good care of me."

Perhaps because of his friendly attitude and gentle speaking style, Li Miaozhen and the others lowered their guard.

Chu Yuanzhen carefully considered and said:

"Number Eight, you understand the struggle between the Great Feng and the Buddhist School, and you also understand the significance behind the siege of Black Lotus."

"Since you are Buddhist School disciple, why are you involved in this matter?"

Chu Zhuangyuan was always an open and honest person; he spoke frankly and explained the pros and cons.

Seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, Asura said calmly:

"Although I wear monk's robes and a kasaya, I do not consider myself a disciple of Buddhist School. All of you here are well aware of the long-standing feud between Buddhist School and the Asura race."

Upon hearing this, the members of the Heaven and Earth Society felt slightly embarrassed and sighed, as they had previously revealed the connection between Buddha and Asura King to Number Eight.

He offered numerous comments on the chaotic relationship between the Asura King, Asura, and the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox of Southern Frontier.

Finding out out of the blue that Number Eight was actually a member of the Asura clan was inevitably a bit awkward.

"That's good!"

After confirming that they were friends and not enemies, Li Lingsu picked up the wine jar and said:

"I've had some dealings with the Asura race, but you're the most unique Asura I've ever met."

"The Asura Vajra Dufan, the Asura King, and his youngest son Asura all became the most devout believers in Buddhist School."

"That Du Fan Jingang perished in Jianzhou, and Asuluo was suppressed one after another by Xu Qi'an of our Heaven and Earth Society."

"Only if you retain your true nature will you not be converted by Buddhist School."

The members nodded slightly, believing that this was why Master Jinlian had chosen number eight.

Based on their observations, they could roughly determine that Number Eight's cultivation level was not high, somewhere between the fifth and fourth ranks.

But it does have something special about it.

After Li Lingsu finished speaking, she took a sip of wine and asked again:

"By the way, I still don't know your name."

Asuro glanced at the crowd, a slight smirk playing on his lips:

"Asuro!"

P. S.: The physical copies of "The Great Feng Nightwatchers" (volumes 7-12) are now officially available for pre-order on Tmall, JD. com, and Dangdang.