Chapter 185

"Is someone plotting to harm the Prince's family? Who is so bold?" Xiao Yu asked in surprise.

When she first entered the Shu Kingdom, she still regarded the Prince of Qinghe as an ordinary prince of an ordinary vassal state.

Now she knew that Li Jingyu was the biggest boss in the Shu Kingdom, and even in the Western Sha domain, he was considered a ruthless character.

Sister Hong Qu had told her that even Dou Yilin was wary of Li Jingyu.

Besides Li Jingyu's own forces and subordinates, he himself was a personal disciple of an Earth Immortal on Mount Wan Shou.

Mount Wan Shou, Earth Immortal, personal disciple—Xiao Yu was bluffed.

Unfortunately, Sister Hong Qu, this native, didn't know much about Mount Wan Shou.

She only heard her father say that immortals often appeared on Mount Wan Shou, but she hadn't even heard of the Wuzhuang Temple or the Zhenyuan Daxian Zhenyuan.

Of course, Xiao Yu didn't know much about the Wuzhuang Temple or the Zhenyuan Daxian Zhenyuan either.

She just watched the TV series "Journey to the West" when she was a child in her previous life, and the plot of the ginseng fruit was deeply rooted in her heart and she hadn't forgotten it to this day.

But before Sister Hong Qu mentioned "Mount Wan Shou," she didn't know that the Wuzhuang Temple on Mount Wan Shou was actually in the Western Sha domain, "next to" her, and not far from Western Shu!

"I don't know, I'm just a messenger," Aunt Liu said.

Xiao Yu thought for a moment and said, "Then should I go back to Red Sleeve Workshop with you now?"

"The Heir is currently staying at Dharma Ability Temple," Aunt Liu said.

Xiao Yu frowned, "The Dharma Ability Temple of Master Chi Jiuluo?"

"Isn't there only this one Dharma Ability Temple in Tianmen Town?"

Xiao Yu asked, "Did the Heir ask me to go to Dharma Ability Temple to find him, or is he coming to Red Sleeve Workshop to see me?"

Aunt Liu said, "The Heir didn't say, but the Heir's status is noble..."

Xiao Yu realized, "That's right, the Heir's status is noble, and Red Sleeve Workshop should receive him grandly."

She wasn't very willing to go to Dharma Ability Temple.

That old monk Chi Jiuluo seemed to be able to read other people's thoughts.

Last time they just bumped into each other, and her Purple Mansion seemed to have been bumped by something, and a few thoughts (spiritual power with ideas) flew out.

She suspected that her heart's voice had been eavesdropped on by Chi Jiuluo.

However, Chi Jiuluo didn't seem to have succeeded—or not completely succeeded.

The Purple Mansion had directly blocked his prying.

Before taking the Nine-Turn Bone-Changing Pill, the Purple Mansion only occupied a small area in the core of the sea of consciousness.

After taking the Bone-Changing Pill, the Purple Mansion expanded rapidly, occupying the entire sea of consciousness; the Purple Mansion was the sea of consciousness, and the sea of consciousness was the Purple Mansion.

To steal her heart's voice was equivalent to stealing something from the Purple Mansion.

Even the Heavenly Emperor couldn't detect that the Purple Mansion had deduced the "Method of Killing Ge Qing" in advance; could Chi Jiuluo be stronger than the Heavenly Emperor?

But if she could avoid taking risks, she shouldn't take them.

Gambling on Heaven's will with the Heavenly Emperor was even riskier, but she had no choice.

The phrase "Even God can't save you" wasn't something she said on purpose either.

In a normal state, her words and deeds were very cautious.

It was just that before the blood-evil aura of the Investiture of the Gods was purified, she was too high, which made her "slip of the tongue" and say what was on her mind.

"I mean, the Heir's status is noble, so we should take the initiative to visit him," Aunt Liu said.

After a pause, she added thoughtfully, "But you're right; no matter how the Heir chooses, Red Sleeve Workshop should at least show a grand attitude of reception."

—That's not what I meant, but it's good that you think so.

Xiao Yu said, "If you intend to grandly entertain Heir Xianzhi, you must prepare two venues.

One public venue, so he can feel your attentive hospitality.

Another private venue, so I can have a quiet word with him."

"Hmm, you've considered it very thoroughly," Aunt Liu thought for a moment and said, "In that case, come back with me.

After returning to Tianmen Town, I will first go to Dharma Ability Temple to ask about the Heir's thoughts.

If he is willing to do us the honor, I will naturally do everything in my power to satisfy him.

If he doesn't want to be bothered, then you can go to Dharma Ability Temple to see him yourself tomorrow."

Evening, Dharma Ability Temple.

Li Xianzhi walked into the Zen courtyard and said with a smile to the monk with a crew cut who was flipping through Buddhist scriptures on a meditation cushion, "Master, Aunt Liu's hospitality is hard to refuse, and she insists on preparing a grand banquet for me. You should come with me to see it tomorrow."

Chi Jiuluo's expression was conflicted, "Heir, this poor monk considers himself to be unconventional, but isn't going to Red Sleeve Workshop going too far?"

He was not only a monk but also a famous high monk in the Shu Kingdom; appearing in Red Sleeve Workshop would really damage his reputation.

"It's not Red Sleeve Workshop; the banquet will be held on a pleasure boat on the Qingshuihe."

Li Xianzhi sighed and explained, "Lei Zhen of the Tianmen Society will also be there.

Master, you know that last year I recruited righteous men in Tianmen Town to form a 'Defense Group' to harass the grain transport teams of the Thirty-Six Nations Alliance.

Lei Zhen was the first to respond, unafraid of risk, and personally led his son and hundreds of disciples to follow me on the expedition.

Less than one in ten returned, and he himself had his 'Primordial Qi Elixir' broken by 'Purple-Faced Hammer Grand Guardian' Pei Youqing.

Originally, he still had some hope of impacting the Human Immortal realm, but now that his re-condensation of the Qi Elixir has failed, not only is the path to immortality hopeless, but his life is also... Sigh, I still don't intend to participate in the internal affairs of the Tianmen Society.

Now standing up to express my position and ensuring the safety of his son, Lei Tianyang, can be considered fulfilling our previous camaraderie."

Chi Jiuluo nodded slightly, "If it's just a gathering on a pleasure boat on the Qingshuihe, this poor monk can go."

After a pause, he hesitated again, "Heir, even if this poor monk goes, I don't have much confidence in listening to the heart's voice of Feather Little Fengxian.

Last time the heavenly soldiers descended to the mortal realm, this poor monk was also at the scene and had met her.

It seems there is a fierce tiger as the main god guarding her spiritual sea."

Li Xianzhi said, "But you also said that it was just an accidental touch of spiritual opportunity at the time, not an intentional use of the 'Heart-Reading Ability' to eavesdrop on her heart's voice.

If you are prepared, and she hasn't condensed the fierce tiger's divine intent in her spiritual sea, it should definitely be fine."

Chi Jiuluo said, "No one is willing to have their heart's voice eavesdropped on. She has already seen this poor monk's methods and must be extremely vigilant against this poor monk. She will only urge the fierce tiger's divine intent to the limit in advance; how could she possibly take the initiative to withdraw her defense and let this poor monk use her supernatural powers to pry into her heart?"

Li Xianzhi shook his head and said, "I haven't seen her in person yet, and I haven't talked to her, so I'm not sure about her thoughts. When the time comes, Master, just adapt to the situation."

"Adapt to the situation?" Chi Jiuluo frowned, "Does the Heir have no plan in mind? What does the Prince mean, and how did he instruct you?"

"Does the Master still not know about my father's situation?" Li Xianzhi asked.

Chi Jiuluo shook his head, "This poor monk only knows that the Prince is injured, but how he was injured, how serious the injury is, and what the injury has to do with Feather Little Fengxian, I know nothing about."

Li Xianzhi suspected that the old monk wasn't telling the truth.

The Prince of Qinghe being attacked was not a small matter in itself.

The root cause of the Prince of Qinghe's serious injury—the appearance of the "Heilonghe Immortal Mansion Treasure"—was an even more sensational event in the cultivation world of the Western Sha domain.

It was normal for ordinary people not to know, but the abbot of Dharma Ability Temple oversaw the affairs of Buddhism in the Western Shu domain; could he not know about such a major event?

"Master, the ancient Long Gong under Mount Nanping, you don't know about it?" Li Xianzhi asked with suspicious eyes.

Chi Jiuluo smiled bitterly, "This poor monk heard the legend of the ancient Long Gong under Mount Nanping decades ago.

I also know that the Prince has a connection with the ancient Long Gong.

At any other time, this poor monk would have received news related to it long ago.

But recently, with the descent of the Heavenly Court's angels, those who are interested have closed their doors and are only meditating at home, never caring about outside affairs."

Li Xianzhi realized and nodded, "The legend of the ancient Long Gong is true. Just two days ago, wisps of auspicious light and colorful clouds suddenly erupted from the stone caves of Mount Nanping, which connect to the underground water veins of the Heilonghe."

"So the Long Gong has appeared? The Prince has finally waited for... Uh, did the Prince get his own immortal opportunity?"

Chi Jiuluo originally wanted to congratulate the Prince of Qinghe on getting what he wished for.

But seeing the Heir's gloomy face and thinking of the Prince of Qinghe now seriously injured and lying in bed, he already knew that the ending wasn't very beautiful.

"To tell you the truth, Master, my father's blessings were insufficient, and he failed to enter the ancient Long Gong. As soon as he dived into the underground stone caves, he was washed out by a bone-chilling dark current and couldn't get in at all," Li Xianzhi said helplessly.

Chi Jiuluo was puzzled, "That shouldn't be. Your Li family... especially your father, indeed has a connection with the ancient Long Gong. It's not an ordinary connection; the Prince should be the master of the Long Gong, and even eventually command the water domain of the Heilonghe!"

Li Xianzhi stood up, bowed three times to the old monk, and said, "This time I came to Tianmen Town, seeing Feather Little Fengxian was just on the way; asking the Master to come out of the mountain to help my father is the main purpose."

Chi Jiuluo's eyes flickered, and he stood up to support Li Xianzhi, saying, "Heir, this poor monk has been in Tianmen Town for forty years, during which I have always been cared for and trusted by the Prince.

This poor monk has never dared to forget the kindness of the Prince and the Li family.

As long as the Prince gives an order, you can just speak directly; there's no need for such a grand ceremony."

Seeing the old monk agree so straightforwardly, Li Xianzhi didn't show any joy but felt a bit lost.

—Father, is it really good to seek medical advice in a panic like this? Mount Wan Shou is the Taiyi Xuanmen, not of the same path as Western Buddhism!

Li Xianzhi sighed in his heart, but with a smile on his face, he said a few words of thanks.

"Master, although my father didn't enter the ancient Long Gong, after bathing in the auspicious light of the Long Gong, he developed a sense—that he was missing an important item."

Chi Jiuluo pondered, "The Prince is missing an immortal opportunity that should have been in his hands long ago?"

Li Xianzhi nodded heavily, "It should be like that."

Chi Jiuluo understood; Li Jingyu knew he had "lost" an immortal opportunity but didn't know what the key opportunity was or where it was now, so he wanted him to help calculate it.

"Heir, have you been to Leisure Cloud Temple? In terms of calculation and divination, Daoist Yunqing is much better than this poor monk," he asked.

Li Xianzhi was still young and couldn't hide his thoughts; hearing this, he immediately revealed a trace of embarrassment on his face.

"I've seen him, and Daoist Yunqing said, 'Fate is determined by Heaven, do not force it.'"

Chi Jiuluo said slowly, "Nature originates from Heaven, and fate is achieved by man; it is also said, 'As Heaven's movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive.' How can one easily give up an opportunity that belongs to oneself?"

He was an old monk, but this "Nature originates from Heaven, and fate is achieved by man" was a famous saying from the Daoist scriptures.

A person's initial nature and talent are bestowed by Heaven, but a person's fate is determined by their own efforts and choices.

Daoism emphasizes quiet inaction, but Daoism never said not to strive.

"As Heaven's movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive" means roughly the same thing.

Of course, Chi Jiuluo quoted the Daoist classic not because he couldn't use Buddhist theory to say the same thing; he was just targeting the Dog-Meat Daoist's identity as a Daoist disciple.

"Master's words are reasonable!" This time, the joy on Li Xianzhi's face was very sincere.

"Is the ancient Long Gong still in the underground dark current within the stone caves of Mount Nanping?" Chi Jiuluo asked.

Li Xianzhi shook his head, "The Immortal Mansion only appeared for less than half an hour before the auspicious light converged and the auspicious signs dissipated.

However, my father is very certain that this is just the beginning, and it will appear frequently in the Heilonghe basin in the future."

Chi Jiuluo asked again, "Does the Prince have any feeling about what the missing opportunity is? Is there a general direction for searching?"

Li Xianzhi understood that the more useful clues there were, the easier the divination would be, and the precision would be higher.

He leaned close to the old monk's ear, his voice as faint as a mosquito's groan, "When he was washed out by the dark current, he vaguely saw a golden carp spitting bubbles at him."

"Is the golden carp an illusion or real?" Chi Jiuluo asked.

"Not quite sure, my father felt it was very real, but that situation was very much like a hint," Li Xianzhi said.

Chi Jiuluo silently operated his Buddhist supernatural powers, closed his eyes, and calculated secretly for a while, but gained nothing—it was as if Li Jingyu's connection with the ancient Long Gong... was broken?

That shouldn't be!

Li Jingyu should be the master of the Long Gong; this is Heaven's number, the blessing left by Li family ancestors!