[Fantasy] Li Benfeng's Three Palaces and Six Courtyards (Complete) - 1-3

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-28

[Synopsis] What others don't have, I have; what others have, I have even more alluring and skillful. An honest, unassuming doctor who spent twelve years studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) repeatedly failed in his job search. Unfortunately, he transmigrated and found himself enjoying farming and cultivating the land, yet his home was filled with the fragrance of beautiful women…

Volume 1: After Transmigration

Chapter 1: The Ordinary Li Benfeng

Li Benfeng was very busy today. He was a doctor, a genuine TCM practitioner. He had been pounding herbs since he was four years old. This uninterrupted exposure for over a decade, coupled with his early university studies spanning twelve years, resulted in more than ten internationally acclaimed papers—genuine works, almost all filling gaps in TCM theory.

He worked at a relatively unknown clinic in a coastal city called Sunshine Community. Although he had only practiced medicine for a little over two hundred days, he had already gained a reputation. Two elderly women in their nineties constantly referred to him as "Dr. Li the Divine"… Although Li Benfeng felt it was a bit of an overstatement, he was happy to accept it.

After years of hard study and countless hours spent immersed in medicine, he deserves some praise.

However, most of the time, Li Benfeng is distressed—he's marginalized. Although his medical skills are recognized by other non-mainstream doctors in the clinic, he's been deprived of his right to see a doctor by the clinic's female owner.

The owner says Li Benfeng is brainless and inflexible in his prescriptions. Initially, when she saw the bewildered and helpless Li Benfeng at the talent center, knowing he was a PhD from a Traditional Chinese Medicine university and hearing his asking price of only 1200 yuan a month, she thought she'd struck gold. But after letting him see patients for a few months, one problem after another arose.

Li Benfeng's medical skills were phenomenal. With just a needle, a dose of Banlangen (Isatis root) and a few tablets of oxytetracycline, he miraculously cured over eighty elderly patients who had been spending years in herbal remedies, leaving them refreshed and invigorated. They started practicing Tai Chi in the mountains and even secretly engaging in hormonal extramarital affairs. Meanwhile, for the clinic, where patients were treated like royalty, the drastic drop in patients led to a 70% decrease in revenue.

Therefore, for the clinic's long-term benefit, the female owner resolutely refused to let Li Benfeng practice there anymore, only paying him a monthly affiliation fee of 600 yuan. Furthermore, she secretly had a persuasive nurse remind Li Benfeng: "This clinic is too small; it's too much of a burden for Dr. Li. If a larger clinic offers you a position, don't hesitate to ask. Don't be shy.

"...

Li Benfeng had encountered similar situations more than a dozen times. The clinic owner in Sunshine Community was relatively polite to him.

It wasn't that Li Benfeng didn't want to leave; rather, he simply couldn't find an ideal place where he could practice medicine and save lives. He decided to swallow his anger and take it one day at a time, content to live peacefully as long as he didn't go hungry.

When he arrived at work today, he saw no doctor at the clinic and couldn't bear to leave the elderly women waiting outside looking miserable. He felt uneasy… Taking advantage of the female boss's absence, he steeled himself and began his diagnosis using

the traditional Chinese medicine methods of observation, listening, questioning, and palpation. The aunties in the neighborhood all liked to see "Li Benfen" (they habitually called him by this kind and respectful name—a title of honor for a scion of a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners). Sometimes, without spending a penny, Li Benfen could cure minor ailments like backaches, shoulder pains, and leg cramps with just a few presses of his thumb on the relevant areas—his backaches would disappear, his leg pains would subside, and even belly dancing wouldn't cause him to strain his back—truly a cure-all, with immediate results.

As soon as he sat down, Li Benfeng skipped lunch, immediately examining and dispensing medicine to nine elderly women and seven elderly men (rumored that Dr. Li was practicing medicine, the elderly residents of the neighborhood flocked to the clinic like newly-made fighter jets after a successful test flight, lining up to wait).

He was busy until dinnertime when he called in his last female patient. She was a regular—a prominent figure in the neighborhood, a still-attractive female dancer who often came to Dr. Li for bone-setting.

Today she said she had twisted her back and wanted Dr. Li to give her a good massage. Li Benfeng performed a back massage using massage and acupuncture. At this moment, the clinic owner returned.

Seeing Li Benfeng sweating profusely, the owner didn't say anything, went into the back room, checked the consultation and medication fees, and, thinking she had made a mistake, checked again. It was accurate—only five yuan and thirty-eight cents—only Li Benfeng could write a prescription with such a monetary value.

"Li Benfeng, come in!" The clinic owner glanced at the examination bed and saw the still alluring dancer humming comfortably. She then heard the woman intimately telling Li Benfeng, "Come back tomorrow, just for Dr. Li to massage your back." Her temper flared instantly, and she shouted, "Li Benfeng, have you lost your mind? Come in, I need you!"

Li Benfeng replied politely, "Coming right away, three minutes, almost done!"

The female owner yelled, "I want you right now, immediately!"

"Boss, this... I have a patient here, this... the patient is paramount... this..." Li Benfeng wasn't good at using tactful language to persuade the owner, but he didn't want to abandon his basic medical principles and leave his patient on the bed unattended.

The female boss lifted the curtain and walked out from the inner room, her eyes wide as a bull. "Wow, Li Benfeng, you're really something! You have such high medical ethics, treating patients like gods! You should be a Lei Feng, a national model worker! I ask you, whose livelihood do you live on?!"

Li Benfeng sensed something unpleasant was about to happen and quickly stopped his massage. "This... I, boss, you're flattering me. I'm just here to earn a living under your tutelage..."

"No, no, don't say that. You're a great doctor filling that international gap, and my clinic is far too small. But to be honest, Li Benfeng, you're still an intern, not qualified to see patients. If there's any medical malpractice, our little clinic can't afford it. So, if any of the patients you saw today have any aftereffects..."

"You're the one suffering from the aftereffects! How dare you bully an honest person like that? You disrespect traditional Chinese medicine, you even cut off your own breasts! You... this is immoral!" The female dancer suddenly sat up in bed, defending Li Benfeng.

However, she was a bit too ruthless, actually touching the female boss's most painful wound!

The female boss was furious, her hands trembling. She pointed at Li Benfeng, then at the dancer, "You...you're the one who's shameless! Seducing married men, dancing nude, you're promiscuous!"

The dancer sneered, "So what if I seduce a married man? It's better than some women spending a fortune on gigolos, better than some women going abroad specifically to find foreigners' 'big toys

.' So what if I dance nude? Nude dancing can prolong life and improve one's morals! Humph, it's better than some immoral, uneducated women getting 'plastic breasts' and hormone injections!" The two women revealed each other's secrets, arguing fiercely. Their non-mainstream language had strayed from the scope of Li Benfeng's traditional Chinese medicine treatment, shifting to distorted descriptions of women's private parts and their kinship.

Li Benfeng knew his fourteenth job was unsustainable. He shook his head, sighed deeply, quickly packed up inside the clinic, picked up his things, and left.

He waved to the nurses who came to see him off, a sudden melancholy settling in.

The melancholy stemmed from a gentle and charming girl named Shahua—a recent nursing graduate who had come to work at the Sunshine Community Clinic with Li Benfeng. While they hadn't experienced the intense, throbbing of first love, a subtle, unspoken connection had blossomed between them. This departure meant the end of their tangled web of feelings for each other.

In this bizarre society, being in a subordinate position always brings unexpected heartbreak!

Farewell to his first stirrings of attraction to the opposite sex; farewell to this place of constant contempt… Li Benfeng turned, his eyes welling with tears… He wandered aimlessly through several residential areas, finally reaching the seaside road.

Beep beep beep! Beep beep beep!

A red sports car slowly approached Li Benfeng. The driver was the witty female dancer who had infuriated the clinic owner with her eye-rolling antics.

It has to be said that this staunch advocate of celibacy was more attractive than those young girls in their prime. Her tight-fitting dance costume accentuated her alluring curves, her eyes were seductive yet not vulgar, and her every move exuded the captivating charm of a woman in her prime.

If judged by conventional fantasies, this woman was a genuine mature woman…

“Dr. Li, you just left without a word? Get in, I’ll take you for a drive, to relax.” Without allowing Li Benfeng any further explanation, the enthusiastic woman stopped her sports car and pulled him into the high-end vehicle reserved for the elite.

The female dancer blew the horn, started the engine, and sped off.

Li Benfeng was initially a little reserved, but as his hair was blown around, his mood lifted considerably. As he felt a surge of youthful exuberance, he stood up, grabbed the safety bar of the sports car, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Damn it, why—I'm broke! I'm going to make a fortune—I'm going to be a rich man!"

The bright red sports car circled the S-shaped coastline for over a hundred li. Li Benfeng, with an air of imperial grandeur, gestured wildly, surveying the land and scorning the high-ranking nobles. As

dusk settled, a female dancer, as if escorting him, led Li Benfeng into a luxurious five-star hotel, where they booked a five-room room in the water park.

"Dr. Li, did you enjoy yourself today?" the female dancer said affectionately to Li Benfeng, then turned and ordered the waiter standing in the room like a servant: "A 'Dreamy Hollywood' platter, bring 1863 Louis XIII red wine, and you—all of you, go outside! Don't come in unless I tell you!"

And so, Li Benfeng began drinking with a woman who seemed to have a special interest in him. For the first time in his life, Li Benfeng stopped worrying about the constraints money placed on the poor, opening his heart and deliberately getting drunk, drinking glass after glass of this aristocratic wine from some century ago.

By midnight, Li Benfeng was completely drunk. He stood up and staggered to the bathroom. In his drunken haze, he saw a flowerpot fall from the windowsill. Then, he felt the whole building shaking.

Someone was shouting in panic, "The building is collapsing! The building is collapsing!"

Boom! Boom! Boom! A series of loud crashes!

Li Benfeng searched for the woman he had been drinking with, but saw nothing. Suddenly, everything went black, and he felt as if he had fallen into a bottomless abyss, his body plummeting downwards!

Chapter 2 You've Got It Wrong

When Li Benfeng woke up, he was sitting on a boat sailing on the sea. Surprisingly, blood-red flowers were growing in the sea.

Truly red, an eerily strange red!

A very alluring woman sat beside Li Benfeng—Li Benfeng glanced at her and felt she looked familiar, like that still-charming female dancer. However, she looked younger, more seductive, and more captivatingly beautiful.

"You are…?" Li Benfeng asked, rather unsettled.

"I am...hehe, Manzhu, the guide from the other side...Dr. Li, we're old acquaintances. You massaged my back at the clinic in Sunshine Community, and I took you for a drive and drinks. Have you forgotten?" The woman warmly kissed the somewhat dazed Li Benfeng's forehead. "Congratulations, you've been chosen by two guides at the same time. Look, over there, on that boat, is the person you most want to see."

Li Benfeng turned his head and saw a very white boat with a graceful woman on it. The woman's skirt fluttered, like a goddess untouched by worldly affairs. Beside the goddess were clusters of pure white, flawless datura flowers, just like the goddess herself.

Seeing the datura, Li Benfeng learned that those blood-red flowers had a very frightening Chinese name—Ghost Fire.

Li Benfeng smiled bitterly to himself: he had actually lost his life and been taken to the ship of reincarnation by a messenger from hell—most people who study traditional Chinese medicine are theists who worship gods, believing that the existence of gods explains the miraculous healing effects of traditional Chinese medicine, and of course they know that life and death are a difficult-to-explain cycle of reincarnation.

That statement was so true; there is a will of heaven in the dark—Li Benfeng had wondered why the girl who worked at the clinic with him was named Shahua, assuming it was because her ancestors' surname was Sha, and she chose a neutral name for ease of raising her. Little did he know that the one he secretly favored was a guide to death.

Manzhu and Shahua appearing at the same time was truly a stroke of luck; he wouldn't encounter such a grand and auspicious pair of guides even after several lifetimes! Moreover, this wasn't Old Yan's underground company; it was a messenger of death from the West.

He had been so proud of his mastery of the Inner Canon of Traditional Chinese Medicine that he believed he had achieved some proficiency, enough to cure some difficult and complicated diseases, making him a kind of spiritual being. Little did he know, he hadn't even scratched the surface... The messenger of death was right in front of him, yet he felt nothing, even experiencing that inexplicable melancholy towards the messenger. He

was practically courting death!

"Dr. Li, why are you unhappy? What's wrong? Look at your gloomy face, are we really that 'annoying'?" Manzhu pouted, nudging Li Benfeng like a little girl, her eyes subtly trying to win him over.

Li Benfeng shifted his position, deliberately distancing himself from Manzhu, and said with a wry smile, "It's better if we keep some distance. Sigh, I've already shown great restraint by not bursting into tears when I saw you... Right now, I don't want to waste any more time. I just want to properly recall my not-so-long but rather unpleasant life in this world before seeing Old Yan or Hades..."

"No, I want to learn traditional Chinese medicine from you. You have to teach me how to listen to a pulse, how to use my hands to make someone feel comfortable, and you have to take me on as your apprentice." Manzhu seemed to be intentionally disturbing Li Benfeng, leaning her body against him. Her alluring eyes glanced intentionally or unintentionally at Shahua standing on the other boat.

Li Benfeng couldn't stand it anymore. He stood up and carefully examined this strange reincarnation passage that could only be seen in legends—the vast passage was boundless, yet clearly divided into red and white. Manzhu's side was red, and Shahua's side was white, absolutely keeping to themselves.

Suddenly, Sha Hua spoke up, "Brother Benfeng, it's great to see you again! The ship will dock soon, I'll go make some preparations for you. We'll meet again, good luck!"

As Sha Hua's voice faded, the white ship and the white mandala also vanished—leaving only a pure white passage and Sha Hua's fair figure.

Manzhu playfully jumped onto the white passage, beckoning seductively to Li Benfeng, "Alright, stop thinking about unpleasant things, come here quickly. I have to make it clear to you—you're going to a shore you've always dreamed of. As for what earth-shattering events you'll experience, I don't know… Don't look so sad, jump over here!"

Li Benfeng jumped over, but still didn't want to say anything—his heart was too agitated; he couldn't express his current shock in his usual words!

He was the lowest of the low, what good would it do to speak? He could only leave it to fate.

Old Li, without any expectation, jumped onto the passage, somewhat numb. The person stood in the middle of the pure white and blood-red passage, moving at a constant speed—without any sense of time or swaying. In the blood-red passage, patches of blood-red flowers, the guides to the afterlife, bloomed in a flurry!

...

Just as he was resigning himself to fate, Li Benfeng vaguely watched the two exceptionally beautiful girls disappear, muttering a weak, long sentence, "You've got it wrong. How can you not even distinguish between East and West? I'm a purebred yellow-skinned person. If I'm going to report to the underworld, I'll go to Old Yan's place, under the guidance of the Black and White Impermanence. You probably really have made a mistake," before closing his eyes.

Surrounded by a wondrous, film-like replay of his life experiences, whether he saw it or not became irrelevant. Scenes he usually ignored, like moments from the past, flowed back in time, filling his senses with unparalleled clarity. He could only accept it, watching his past—from childhood friends to his 28th year—replay with lightning speed.

…A few moments, seemingly long yet fleeting, passed. Li Benfeng suddenly felt reborn—a very clear feeling…

Li Benfeng was sitting on a mountain.

On the mountain was a Taoist temple. Opposite was another mountain, with a temple on it.

The undulating peaks between the two mountains gave the impression of a fairyland from a mythological drama, shrouded in mist, with occasional crane-like birds flying among the clouds.

Li Benfeng almost forgot himself completely; even a breath felt incredibly refreshing, a true unity with nature, transcending the mundane world. However, what he didn't know was that he was now the appearance of a twelve or thirteen-year-old child.

He wasn't thinking about anything else now, just enjoying the fresh air and dew, experiencing the wonder of being a celestial being.

...

After the wonder, it was time to take care of his stomach. His stomach was already protesting vehemently.

Hunger struck, and Li Benfeng craved steamed buns, devouring a dozen or so in one go before he felt satisfied.

Fortunately, the mountain had many kinds of fruit trees, bearing large and plentiful fruit, enough to satisfy his hunger. Li Benfeng saw several peach trees on the nearest hill with particularly large peaches, and he skipped and hopped over.

Just as he reached out to pick one, someone suddenly shouted, "You audacious brat! This mountain is mine, these trees are mine! Want to eat for free? Pay up!"

Li Benfeng was startled: were there bandits or mountain robbers in this sacred mountain?

Looking around, he saw a Taoist priest dressed in black robes. Seeing the priest, Li Benfeng's heart relaxed. The chances of a Taoist priest being a bandit were slim; eighty percent of Taoist priests were there to help others and accumulate merit.

"Boy, why stand instead of kneeling!" The young Taoist priest, whose face was somewhat kind and whose attire was acceptable, held a peach in his left hand and a wooden sword in his right. He skillfully sliced a peach, took a bite, and

displayed a down-to-earth, approachable demeanor. The priest sat in a tree, his eyes fixed on the nearly cooked game beside him. A tattered monk's staff was wedged between two bluestone stones, and a rabbit and a pheasant hung on it, roasting. Below, firewood burned, the flames glowing red from the dripping oil from the game. It seemed this was the young Taoist priest's soon-to-be-complete feast.

The aroma of the game on the rack completely captivated Li Benfeng's attention. He ignored the young Taoist priest's words; his stomach rumbled, and he longed to devour a rabbit and a pheasant in one hand.

"Want some? You'll have to become my disciple first." The young Taoist priest lightly landed from the tree, reached into the fire, and examined the game. "I never teach my skill in roasting game. Today, my divination is auspicious; I think your hands are perfect for learning my most prized Taoist technique... Kneel down and kowtow, and our master-disciple relationship will be established." After all that,

the Taoist was looking for a disciple to provide him with his daily meals.

Li Benfeng stood there like a wooden statue, not uttering a single word. He thought to himself: A hungry man doesn't appreciate charity, and kneeling to become a disciple is a serious matter. If he were truly a virtuous and accomplished master, he wouldn't need to beg for such a title.

The young Taoist priest saw through Li Benfeng's thoughts and chuckled, "Food and sex are human nature; people need to eat when they're hungry. You're not rushing to join the army, are you...? At your age, you're barely suitable to be a warrior. However, if you really intend to join the army, I might as well tell you, you should join the Sui army now. Chen Shubao's dynasty, built on empty rhetoric, is about to come to an end. He Ruobi and Han Qinhu, those two butchers in the Sui army, are both worthy of your service. If you know a few martial arts skills, you might even become a centurion or a commander."

"May I ask, Taoist priest, what year and month is it now? I'm new to this place and don't know anyone. I'm completely lost and hope you can guide me. My name is Li Benfeng. May I ask your Taoist name?" Li Benfeng spoke.

His tone was definitely not that of a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy.

"Huh!" The young man was slightly surprised. "You're a bit strange, kid. Why do you speak in such an old-fashioned tone?" The young Taoist priest glanced at Li Benfeng, then glanced at him again.

Seemingly not satisfied, he put down the peaches and wooden sword he was holding, walked over to Li Benfeng, and looked him up and down, front and back.

After looking him over, he shook his head: "What a pity, not destined for greatness."

While the young Taoist priest was sighing, Li Benfeng had already swallowed two peaches. His original intention was to get a chicken leg or a rabbit leg, but even after mustering his courage, he didn't dare to reach for it—he worried that this Taoist priest wasn't a kind person. If, because of a moment of greed, the Taoist priest forced him to learn the art of grilling and cooking, wouldn't he become a lowly, unemployed, and subservient servant again?

Chapter 3 Royal Questions

With food as the starting point, there was room for discussion, and an exchange of information about each other's circumstances.

Li Benfeng learned that the young Taoist priest's name was Yuan Zhengxi. He wasn't a Taoist priest; he was an ambitious young man who wanted to learn some advanced martial arts, join the army, earn a living, and hopefully get a minor official position.

From Yuan Zhengxi, Li Benfeng learned about the general situation of the dynasty he lived in. The Later Chen Dynasty was already teetering on the brink of collapse, while the Sui Dynasty had amassed an army of 500,000, with its armored ships and cavalry heavily fortified, already poised to strike Jiankang.

The season was approaching the Spring Festival. The officials of the dying dynasty and the eunuchs and palace maids were busily preparing for the New Year, adding an indelible stroke of brilliance to the extravagant and decadent Later Chen Dynasty.

Hearing that Li Benfeng knew medicine, Yuan Zhengxi didn't insist on a master-disciple relationship with this strange man who looked like a child but was mature and knowledgeable, and instead addressed him as a brother.

“Brother Benfeng, we’re brothers now. We’ll share joys and sorrows, and speak frankly. I’m an orphan, and I don’t know my origins, yet I have lofty ambitions. What I just mentioned about joining the army to seek advancement is only a temporary measure. What I truly desire is to study Taoism,” he said, pointing to the temple on the opposite mountain, “or perhaps to enter the Buddhist order. That’s the true way to live as a superior person. As the saying goes, ‘Only by enduring the bitterest of hardships can one rise above others.’ We poor people shouldn’t dream of eating white flour buns and chicken, duck, and fish every day, just to wait for death.”

Getting emotional, Yuan Zhengxi stood up, picked up the wooden sword on the bluestone, and with a forceful movement, broke it in two. “Brother, I see you’re not a person of great potential, but you’re not one to be bogged down in the mud either. Today, you’ve broken your sword to show your resolve. If we both make progress in the future, we’ll meet here again to broaden our horizons!”

Li Benfeng, however, was slightly disappointed. His own journey through transmigration and rebirth, filled with romantic entanglements and tragic love affairs with the messenger of death, had been fraught with hardship and the tribulations of reincarnation. At the very least, he should have had some extraordinary encounters, acquiring some miraculous skills or rare books. But instead… he encountered someone just like himself, poor and of lowly fate, lacking any inherent potential.

Li Benfeng had already discussed the concept of "great potential" with Yuan Zhengxi. Yuan Zhengxi explained that those with great potential possess extraordinary innate abilities. He had heard from the wise monk staying at the temple that someone with great potential could understand a thousand things upon hearing them—a rare find indeed. And those who could achieve profound enlightenment overnight without a teacher were of the highest caliber. The Buddha, Shakyamuni, sacrificed himself to serve a tiger, making the vow, "I came for the Buddha"—that was truly beyond the reach of ordinary people.

"Is it so difficult to sacrifice oneself to serve a tiger?" After the two finished their feast of chicken and rabbit, they sat on a towering bluestone more than ten meters high, feeling the gentle, warm south wind. As Yuan Zhengxi began to recount the story of the great Buddhist master who achieved enlightenment through great sacrifice, Li Benfeng interrupted, somewhat bewildered.

"Could it be that Brother Benfeng has already tried it?" Yuan Zhengxi was quite surprised, his eyes gleaming as he examined Li Benfeng again using his understanding of Buddhist and Taoist methods of judging character.

“I think that to be a good person, one must first go through the stages of life, experience the nuances, and then gain enlightenment amidst confusion and ignorance. This leads to wisdom and gradually builds a solid foundation, eventually achieving a comprehensive understanding before striving for the pinnacle of cultivation. If one doesn't understand these stages and rashly tries to feed a tiger or an eagle, it might backfire and harm oneself…” Li Benfeng, knowing Yuan Zhengxi's impoverished background, spoke frankly and directly.

“Brother, you… unfortunately, my actions have come true. Three months ago, I really did feed a tiger… alas, the result… is predictable…” Yuan Zhengxi spoke the truth without pretense. His face was somewhat embarrassed, but he intended to recount his near-death experience of feeding a tiger with his own flesh.

“Xizi, it’s time! Hurry to the Martial Arts Cliff!”

A burly monk came running down the mountain path, calling out from afar.

Yuan Zhengxi turned and looked up at the mountain path, then said to Li Benfeng, "Brother, we'll part ways here. I'm going to practice martial arts with that drunken monk Dazhi for half a month. If I gain any insights, I'll definitely consult with you, Brother Benfeng."

With that, he leaped down from the bluestone and strode off towards Dazhi along the mountain path leading to the back of the mountain.

Watching the two disappear into the distance, Li Benfeng grabbed the rope Yuan Zhengxi had tied with vines and slowly slid down the bluestone.

It was midday. The fog had dissipated, and on a wide path halfway down the mountain, one could vaguely see people walking. Li Benfeng strolled down to the mountainside and onto the shoulder-width stone path.

He needed to think about how to make a living. Li Benfeng pondered: Yuan Zhengxi's suggestion of joining the army might work out. In the army, his knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine could come in handy. As for the fighting and killing, let someone like Yuan Zhengxi, willing to risk his life, do that. He could brew medicine and practice medicine, enjoying a carefree and leisurely life, and his military pay wouldn't be too bad. A life of bloodshed, no matter the dynasty, was never the most promising profession.

Saving the lives of soldiers might one day bring him good fortune and a meteoric rise in luck.

Old Li's thoughts were still in turmoil, or rather, he was still caught in a state of excited fantasy. Having lived a poor and unambitious life in a rather idealized, prosperous era, Old Li had suddenly transmigrated to the dynasty he once studied under the lamp, and even shared a chicken and rabbit picnic with a young man aspiring to Taoism and potentially a promising future, engaging in a relatively deep exchange on certain aspects of Taoism and Buddhism. This could certainly be considered a fortuitous encounter.

If, as history records, the Later Chen Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties, led by the lovable but overweight Emperor Wen of Sui, who only knew how to sing praises of the Jade Tree and the Southern Dynasties, were to perish swiftly and decisively, and if the diligent and capable Emperor Wen of Sui were to historically unify China, then the common people would live comfortably, all industries would flourish, and the ambitious would achieve their goals—a golden age indeed.

I, a future PhD in Traditional Chinese Medicine, would certainly have a place to use my skills—judging from the current situation, this shouldn't be a problem.

However, while thinking this, Old Li couldn't help but shake his head repeatedly: imperial power is a tool for the enjoyment and happiness of a few, an adventure playground for those who wield power. Even if some ordinary people are exceptional, they will only occasionally glean their brilliance.

Although Li Benfeng's family's knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine falls within the scope of TCM, he has also learned a great deal about imperial power—things that would ignite a man's passion for a while.

The history of dynastic changes is nothing more than the victors and vanquished, military violence and political intrigue; what does it have to do with the actual interests of ordinary people? The villagers at the foot of Tianlai Mountain, where his childhood friend lived, had been tilling the land for generations, supporting themselves. Even counting back eighteen generations, most of them were still toiling in the fields, scraping by. They had endured countless dynasties of rise and fall, suffering and hardship, yet remained lowly commoners. Those who could be self-sufficient and not worry about money were considered incredibly lucky.

In short, the lives of the common people had never been blessed by emperors; to live freely and comfortably, they had to rely on themselves.

Studying and pursuing education to change one's fate? That's pure bullshit! My twelve years of arduous study, Li Benfeng's efforts, are less valuable than a street vendor selling counterfeit medicine.

These idle strolls and random thoughts failed to give Li Benfeng a clear plan for his post-transmigration life.

"I might as well just go with the flow. If Yuan Zhengxi's duel with that wise monk really leads to a substantial breakthrough, I'll join him in the army and at least have a place where I don't have to worry about food." Li Benfeng inexplicably felt that Yuan Zhengxi could bring him good luck.

If he could have another extraordinary encounter like with Manzhu and Shahua, those two underground messengers, it wasn't impossible for him to turn his life around—after the initial shock, he even felt a vague, indescribable longing for Manzhu and Shahua, and he even reminisced about the time he spent with Manzhu on the ship of reincarnation.

As he walked, without realizing it, Li Benfeng looked up and found himself on the mountain with the temple, standing at the temple gate.

There were no worshippers offering incense inside. It was terribly deserted.

Li Benfeng circled the temple, but didn't see any abbot or welcoming monk to speak to him.

The temple door was open. Inside the temple was a Buddha statue; upon closer inspection, it became clear that it was a golden statue of the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Great Freedom.

"Where did this wild child come from, acting so mischievous and disorderly, messing around and looking at things everywhere?" A woman's voice rang out behind Li Benfeng.

"I...I'm just here for sightseeing," Li Benfeng stammered.

"What nonsense! Lying at such a young age without blushing?" With another clear voice, stern yet gentle, a girl in plain clothes carrying a broom stepped into the temple.

Li Benfeng glanced at the girl in plain clothes, then quickly bowed and cupped his hands in greeting. "My name is Li Benfeng. I'm new to this place and don't know the proper etiquette, so please bear with me, young lady."

"Bear with me, bear with me. Seeing you so earnestly discussing Buddhism with that boy Yuan Zhengxi, I've decided to be lenient with you." The girl in plain clothes handed Li Benfeng a broom. "Here, from now on, as long as you clean the temple for me every day, you can come and visit my Pure Land Mountain.

" Li Benfeng took the broom and muttered under his breath, "You're still so young, and it's embarrassing for you to be a grown man's nun for no reason."

Judging from the tone of the girl in plain clothes and her familiar conversation with Yuan Zhengxi, he immediately understood that this woman was probably a maidservant of a noble lady, paving the way for her upcoming visit to the temple. If

this temple were frequented by noble ladies, how could it be so deserted?

"Little rascal, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and sweep the courtyard; the lady will be here soon." The girl in plain clothes gently tapped Li Benfeng's forehead with her slender, white fingers.

Li Benfeng felt a slight tremor in his feet. As the girl's long sleeves fluttered, his keen sense of smell detected a faint, imperial fragrance.

Such incense, if not used by the royal family, would not contain more than seven expensive Chinese herbs. He had

truly underestimated this girl in plain clothes. Could she be a personal maid of a concubine who frequently visited temples to worship Buddha?

With this royal question in mind, Li Benfeng happily obeyed his junior nun's orders and began sweeping the courtyard.

The girl in plain clothes pointed and gestured beside him . She directed Li Benfeng, making him run around as if he were the rightful master. Her gaze towards Li Benfeng grew increasingly kind, saying that if he behaved well, she would teach him a basic form of light-body skill, the "Flying Swallow Skimming Water," after the lady finished offering incense and chanting sutras and left.

The prerequisite, of course, was that Li Benfeng would address her as "Master" three times in a proper manner.

Chapter 4: The passageway

was swept and cleaned for over an hour, but the so-called royal lady did not appear.

Two men in tight-fitting clothes, whose light-body skills were already quite proficient, rushed up the mountain, whispered a few words to the girl in plain clothes, and then hurried away.

The girl in plain clothes looked rather melancholy. She waved down the mountain, and immediately, a group of monks dressed in high-class robes appeared in a flurry, each taking their positions with practiced ease.

Li Benfeng whispered to the young monk at the temple gate, "What's going on with this temple? Why isn't there any incense burning? Why is a little girl with blond hair in charge?"

The young monk clasped his hands and chanted, "Young benefactor, hurry down the mountain. Don't ask what you shouldn't ask. It's getting late. Pure Land Temple never accepts male benefactors overnight. Amitabha."

Li Benfeng was left speechless.

He could only think to himself: This temple has shady origins; they're either thieves or criminals. The girl in plain clothes looked only thirteen or fourteen years old, but she had a rather江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and outlaws) air about her. The two men in tight-fitting clothes, if not seasoned soldiers, were probably bandits who frequently traveled at night. Looking at the monks' high-class attire, it was indeed very luxurious, but it felt awkward, as if they had just put it on.

The reason Li Benfeng used the term "high-class" was that he felt these monks lacked the kind and compassionate demeanor expected of monks, instead displaying a strong aura of violence.

This place was dangerous; he needed to get away quickly.

Having made this judgment, Li Benfeng didn't even greet the young nun he felt a slight affinity with, nor did he try to find his way back. He hurried along the temple wall, rushing about in a panic.

In his haste, he didn't even notice the sky, and in one breath, he covered about twenty miles of mountain path.

Only when he heard the whistling wind and the particularly frightening cries of carnivorous animals did Li Benfeng stop.

He was now deep in the mountains.

This time, there weren't just two mountains; it was a continuous mountain range, with mountains everywhere he looked. The moon hung high, its pale crescent shape like an eyebrow, and the surrounding stars twinkled charmingly.

If it weren't for the incessant howls of carnivorous animals, this moonlit, starry night could have been filled with a hazy, romantic atmosphere, perfect for reminiscing.

The path—he couldn't find the path. All around him were chillingly white stones—a white that reminded him of the bloodless, deathly face of a female ghost in horror movies, a figure whose demise was unclear, whether by hanging or wrist-cutting.

Li Benfeng gasped for breath.

He sensed something alive behind him. Turning around, he saw four small lanterns gleaming with a bluish light.

Ah! Wolf eyes, two of them!

Run!

Only run. Li Benfeng ran for his life.

When he was utterly exhausted, his running turning into heavy panting and staggering, he finally found a path. The path was incredibly white, like…the white dress and mandalas of Sister Shahua on the ship of reincarnation.

To be precise, it seemed he was once again standing on a pure, unblemished white path of reincarnation.

Was this—was he destined to be tossed and turned in the cycle of reincarnation again?

Li Benfeng felt himself collapsing, and his hand reached out, landing on something hard.

He was holding onto the stone wall at the cave entrance.

Looking inside, he saw two women he had once felt a pang of sorrow for—Manzhu and Shahua.

Seeing these two messengers, Old Li's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Did this mean he had returned to the starting point of his death? Thinking in reverse, was it possible that he would still return to that seaside city that wasn't truly his, still wandering around the job market with a thick stack of award-winning papers, carefully holding his rice bowl, watching the boss's face to earn a living…

No! I'd rather die than go back!

Old Li used up all the latent energy he had in his womb, shouting at the top of his lungs.

After shouting, Old Li collapsed limply to the ground.

He was too tired. The combined physical and mental exhaustion left Old Li sprawled out like a noodle.

To hell with it, the worst outcome was death anyway, I need to rest now. With so many things to think about, Old Li suddenly stopped thinking about anything, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

In this deep sleep, Li Benfeng slept completely relaxed, without any worries. Wolves, ghosts, messengers of death—to hell with them all—he just wanted to sleep. As

Old Li slept soundly, something on his person suddenly changed. The object was a copper lock that Old Li always carried, its surface showing signs of age. Old Li's family had been practicing traditional Chinese medicine for generations, and some of their belongings had been passed down for over a dozen generations—he was the heir, and the most valuable copper lock had been around his neck since birth. It was a

heart-protecting lock.

The heart-protecting lock resonated with the celestial bodies. Several stars orbiting the moon flashed with strange light, engaging in communication with a different dimension that stubborn humans would never believe in, a communication that defied even the most ardent human dreams.

Li Benfeng had once said in an unpublished paper on traditional Chinese medicine that what is a god? A god should be a "person" in a different dimension that cannot be felt by normal human senses—if a person wants to communicate with a god, there must be a medium, a necessary channel. Many methods in Traditional Chinese Medicine can allow these seemingly intelligent bipedal creatures to achieve a return to a state of spiritual connection, reaching a state of communion with the divine—of course, those stubbornly condemning the gods as deadly beings can be excluded from this category; they can continue their utterly wicked deeds, continuing to plunder their fellow humans based on their instincts.

When Old Li, who firmly believed that the existence of gods was the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, awoke, the mysterious communication between the celestial bodies and his heart-protecting lock had just ended, and Old Li knew nothing.

However, he felt a change within himself. He felt completely relaxed, and the changes in his visual system astonished him—in the dimly lit cave, he could see Manzhu and Shahua's expressions relatively clearly.

He moved closer, thinking about how to start the meeting, to lighten the mood for this second encounter, and then sit down to catch up with the two envoys. His biggest question was why the Western rulers had chosen him, an ordinary, even somewhat pathetic, Eastern person; what ulterior motives did they have in choosing him?

As he approached, he realized something was amiss. Manzhu and Shahua's postures seemed a bit too much.

It was like a performance. Manzhu had the air of a thinker, very profound. As Li Benfeng approached, she didn't even lift her eyelids, her focus as intense as someone contemplating the ultimate direction of humanity.

Shahua remained like a goddess, standing on a pure white, flawless stone, her eyes gazing at the starry sky. The cave wasn't completely enclosed. Above Shahua's head was a very round, perforated opening.

There seemed to be swirling clouds around it.

Li Benfeng childishly climbed onto the stone, looked up, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Eh!" The perforated opening above seemed like a passage.

The passage was only faintly visible. If he hadn't felt his eyesight was sharper than before, he wouldn't have been sure if this pipe leading to the heavens truly existed.

Another intriguing question arose.

If he were still living in that despised city, Li Benfeng would have simply considered it a natural phenomenon. However, after several encounters with the two guides of death, his ambitions rose.

Celestial bodies and the human body are both universes. One seems so vast that its edges are nowhere to be found, the other so small that it can be ignored. Yet, someone can use some mysterious channel to connect these two seemingly incomparable universes.

He needed to have a deep conversation with Manzhu and Shahua, to discuss the external and internal worlds of Eastern traditional Chinese medicine philosophy, and to hear their understanding of the many legends of Eastern gods, ghosts

, demons, and immortals. "Greetings, two divine sisters, this humble one greets you."

"Sister Manzhu is so profound, this humble one wishes to worship her."

"Sister Shahua, this humble one must look up to her."

Old Li's words received no appropriate response.

Logically, they were old acquaintances, their friendship had been well cultivated, and they were no longer strangers; the atmosphere should have been warm and friendly.

However, the beauty remained unchanged.

This wasn't right.

Li Benfeng had to move closer, to the same ambiguous distance he had with Manzhu on the Reincarnation Ship. "Sister, it's getting late, time for a midnight snack."

After saying this, Li Benfeng didn't ask any more questions. He looked closely; Manzhu was completely motionless, like a statue.

A warm feeling suddenly spread through his chest. After a moment's hesitation, he felt as if a beam of light emanated from some part of his body, shining on a stone pillar deep within the cave. Although the light was faint, with Li Benfeng's current ability to discern details, he could still see it relatively clearly.

An image of a god appeared on the stone pillar. A young man without a beard. Looking up, he saw a figure wearing winged shoes, a short-sleeved, belted, thin armor, and a fashionable headdress that was half concealed helmet and half sun hat. He held a staff inlaid with blue crystal.

Li Benfeng was well-versed in traditional Chinese medicine and knew the gods of the Eastern continent like Fuxi, Nuwa, the Jade Emperor, and the Queen Mother like the back of his hand, but he could only name a few of the Western gods.

He didn't know that the figure on the stone pillar was Hermes, the god of mythology, the protector of thieves and merchants.

Li Benfeng stared blankly at the flickering image. He tried desperately to see or hear more. But besides the image, the two guiding statues, there was only the sound of the wind outside the cave.

The howling wolves that had been audible were gone.

Soon, the wind stopped, and the world around him seemed completely quiet.

Old Li bent down and sat cross-legged on the spot, just like he would meditate and practice the internal arts of traditional Chinese medicine every midnight. He needed to enter a state of tranquility. Whenever he felt so oppressed that he wanted to argue or even resort to violence, Old Li would kindly force himself to meditate peacefully, detached from worldly affairs. The

internal arts he practiced didn't involve guiding qi or breathing exercises, nor did it employ the qi cultivation techniques of Taoism or Buddhism; it was purely for self-cultivation.

After entering tranquility, he would experience a feeling of lightness and complete liberation—Old Li had practiced for many years without experiencing any miraculous sensations like a nascent soul entering the body or the three flowers gathering at the crown of the head. He simply calmly followed his own habits to normalize his internal circulation, which helped his medical skills, and curing more patients was considered a success.

This time, from his initial eagerness, he slowly eliminated distracting thoughts and entered a state of non-action and non-seeking…

Chapter 5 The Mysterious Shepherd

Li Benfeng's non-action and non-seeking perfectly aligned with the path of cultivation, thus allowing him to advance and glimpse the Dao.

Having just begun to understand the mysteries, Li Benfeng, in his tranquility, was still merely an unfettered observer. Like a four-legged creature that can roam freely across the vast grasslands, he joyfully followed his first awakening of the wisdom of his own mind, slowly approaching the hidden other shore within the microcosm of humanity.

On that other shore, there is no time, no limitations imposed by the flesh; the vastness of a thousand years of the mind's power is but a fleeting moment. Even the so-called thick, bittersweet five thousand years of history of the Eastern Yan and Huang people is merely a few pages of prosperity and a few pages of sorrow turned over.

On that other shore, little Benfeng's greatest joy was splashing around naked in the Qinhuai River, a place steeped in the splendor of the Six Dynasties, accompanied by his two guiding envoys, Manzhu and Shahua.

Amidst the splashing water, Benfeng grew up, and with the fall of the mighty Han Dynasty and the chaos of the Three Kingdoms, he drifted into the turbulent Northern and Southern Dynasties, a time when scholars and poets wrote extensively about the intoxicating elegance of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, yet also witnessed the constant changes of power. The Northern Dynasties, the Sixteen Kingdoms, the Southern Dynasties, the Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen—each dynasty had its emperor, and subjects knelt in obeisance.

But after the emperor's reign, all that remained was a fleeting dream, a blanket of yellow earth. Amidst the collapse of dynasties like falling petals, Benfeng donned the armor of a palace guard, leading his men on a grand tour of the Northern Zhou capital, exuding an air of authority.

As dusk approached and the royal banquet was about to begin, a palace maid, her jade pendants jingling, secretly slipped out of the Empress's chambers and went to a bright red plum tree in the Imperial Garden, softly calling, "General Li…General Li…".

Benfeng reached out from among the plum blossoms and gently embraced the maid. Lowering his head, he met her expectant lips with tender affection.

Amidst soft moans and sweet whispers, Benfeng and Zhu'er, the closest maid to Lihua, daughter of Empress Yang Jian of Northern Zhou, boldly engaged in a passionate lovemaking session among the flowers.

Unexpectedly, Sha Hua, a Buddhist nun with the Dharma name Zhi Xian, discovered their affair and offered her advice, emphasizing that form is emptiness and emptiness is form. Empress Li Hua, kind-hearted by nature, guided them with Buddhist principles, ultimately leading Zhu'er to shave her head and become a nun.

Ben Feng, heartbroken and resentful, angrily shaved his own head outside the Yunhua Nunnery where Manzhu and Sha Hua had become nuns, becoming a monk who neither abstained from killing nor from lust, a monk who seemed to have a penchant for antagonizing nuns.

Later, the second emperor of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Yuwen Yun, seeking to enhance his virility, ingested an elixir offered by the Shangqing Sect, the foremost sect of the Northern Dynasties, and suddenly died. The blame fell on Ben Feng, who frequently entered the palace to lecture on sexual techniques.

Ben Feng cried out to heaven and earth for justice. However, the Yuwen family, being royalty, issued an edict to the imperial guards: "Leave no future trouble."

The imperial guards then escorted Ben Feng into the deep mountains and forests. He Daoyang, the Grand Commander of the Shangqing Sect and a top-tier master, placed his hand on Benfeng's skull, asking him to give his last words.

Benfeng, his face contorted with rage, cried out, "You...you Shangqing Sect's dirty deeds are being pinned on me! You're cowardly rats! I'll wipe you out sooner or later..."

Before he could finish, he felt a chilling, malevolent energy strike his head, causing his entire body to tremble violently!

"My life is over!" Benfeng's mind raced, his body arched backward, and he felt his three souls leave his body.

His death was gruesome; He Daoyang's Yin Sha Hand had shattered him into pieces, scattering them like rags across the valley. He Daoyang, still not satisfied, personally descended into the valley, gathered the scattered fragments, lit a fire, and burned them completely.

Benfeng's three souls, bound together by unwavering will, drifted and, guided by a mysterious being, arrived at Yunhua Nunnery.

The Yunhua Nunnery was devoid of Manjusaka and Shahua, but instead, crimson and pure white spider lilies bloomed.

That mysterious being, still invisible beyond the reach of Benfeng, left behind a scepter inlaid with blue crystal and coiled with a serpent's body—the object held by Hermes.

...

Hearing the cry of a deer, Benfeng opened his eyes.

Surprised, he stretched lazily and got up to walk to the cave entrance. Not far from the entrance, a shepherd gently waved his whip, driving a herd of deer across the grassy slope. Several fawns frolicked behind him.

Benfeng held the serpent-coiled scepter in his hand, pondering how to find some branches and stones to block the cave entrance, to prevent unrelated people from disturbing his Manzhu and Shahua, and then find some food and drink to satisfy his stomach, which hadn't tasted meat in who knows how long.

The surroundings were completely exposed; not to mention finding a long branch, even a few movable rocks were out of the question. The cave entrance was surrounded by towering boulders, all connected rock formations, smooth as a mirror to the touch, impossible to move without the power to split mountains and shatter rocks. Perhaps

the only option was to seek help from the shepherd who herded the deer. He could give the seemingly kind-looking shepherd some food, then return to the cave, conceal the entrance, and continue his meditation.

However, he worried that the shepherd might see what was happening inside the cave.

Just as he hesitated, he suddenly saw the shepherd's whip emit a soft light, heading straight for the cave. The stone walls on both sides of the cave, affected by the light, gently closed like two stone doors.

Benfeng was somewhat mesmerized. The shepherd was clearly dressed as a man, yet Benfeng felt a maternal glow emanating from him.

He couldn't help but speak, half-talking to himself, "May I ask your esteemed name, Great Master? I am a commoner, not knowing why I came here or where I will go. Because... because of a group of people dressed in fine robes but looking like bandits, I was terrified and fled here. Just now, in the cave, by chance, I saw myself as a monk, indulging in wine and women, framed and tragically killed by a group of evil Taoists. I don't know why I was reborn and found myself here in this dynasty. I have so many questions, and I... don't know who to ask. Now, I want to go back to that cave and see if what was there really existed."

The shepherd turned his head and looked at Li Benfeng.

The shepherd's eyes were like those of a great master looking down upon all living beings. Li Benfeng suddenly felt as if he were naked, enveloped by a maternal light without any sense of distance.

He felt so comfortable that he wanted to sleep in the halo formed by the gradually strengthening light.

At this moment, more than a dozen royal guards suddenly appeared in front of and behind him. Upon seeing the shepherd, they hastily knelt but silently retreated.

After about half an incense stick's time, the halo around him gradually dissipated.

The shepherd smiled slightly at him and spoke in a clear, chanting voice, "Alright, someone will answer your questions. Now, someone needs your help. There's a dangerous cliff ahead, and two children are practicing martial arts there. They're injured. Go and rescue them."

As he spoke, a packet of medicinal powder appeared in Li Benfeng's hand.

"Go." Before the shepherd's clear voice had even finished, Li Benfeng was involuntarily lifted up by a gentle breeze, his feet treading on the rocks as if on clouds, soaring up the cliff like lightning.

On the cliff, someone was risking their life. It

was none other than Yuan Zhengxi and the monk Dazhi. The two had been fighting for fifteen days straight, eating and sleeping on this cliff. The wounds on their bodies were countless.

Their swords and staffs clashed fiercely, and in the violent impact, they nearly fell off the cliff several times, but they paid no heed, their swords and staffs clashing like sworn enemies. Yuan Zhengxi's black iron sword was speckled with frost, while the broken bronze staff of the monk Dazhi was blazing hot.

After another clash, Dazhi had a wound on his left arm. Yuan Zhengxi sullenly groaned, "Flowery monk, quickly drop your staff and jump off here. This time next year, I, Yuan Zhengxi, will come back to see you!"

"Hey!" Dazhi roared, sweeping his staff horizontally with great force towards Yuan Zhengxi.

Yuan Zhengxi's eyes gleamed, and he shouted, "Take this! Thirteen Thunder Strikes!"

As soon as he spoke, his sword moved, and Yuan Zhengxi leaped into the air, thrusting twelve times in quick succession. Dazhi retreated repeatedly, until he reached a cypress tree at the edge of a precipice, so thick that it would take two people to encircle it. There, he miraculously leaped backward, using his staff as support, and landed on a branch five meters high.

“Xi Zi, your skill ends here. Draw your sword and commit suicide! My sister Tianxiang and I will ensure your peaceful end.” The monk Dazhi gripped his staff in his right hand, tearing a piece of his robe with his left to wrap around his bleeding left arm.

Li Benfeng had never witnessed such a fierce fight. After a moment of shock, he cried out, “You two, stop immediately! If you continue, you will both be severely injured!”

“Go!” Yuan Zhengxi seemed not to hear, his body spinning rapidly like a top towards the monk Dazhi in the tree. Just as their bodies touched, a thunderous roar erupted: “Thunderous Three Turns!”

Dazhi and Yuan Zhengxi focused their attention on their staffs, lowered their bodies, and with a single tap of the staff against a branch, suddenly propelled their muscular bodies into the air. Their hands moved in rapid succession, creating a dazzling staff dance.

A few breaths later, the two separated.

Yuan Zhengxi’s sword was broken in two, and the monk Dazhi held only half of his staff. Several more bloody holes appeared on their bodies.

Upon landing, the two slumped down like fallen geese struck by arrows.

Yuan Zhengxi let out a long sigh of relief, saying with a sense of satisfaction, "Brother Benfeng, let's heal our wounds. If that Flower Monk really died, his sister who serves the Empress would have torn me to pieces... Hehe, Flower Monk, your bandit father's food-stealing stick technique almost killed me."

"That's the real food-stealing sword technique! My good-for-nothing brother beat you half to death with a yellow-painted wooden stick." The plain-clad girl, who had always wanted to become Li Benfeng's aunt, gracefully floated onto the cliff.

Seeing Li Benfeng, her eyes flashed, and with a tiger pounce, she grabbed Li Benfeng's pulse point. "You little brat! Sister Tianqin and I have been looking for you day and night, and you've been hiding here watching them fight to the death!" *

Smack!* Li Benfeng received a blow to the forehead.

"Hurry up and treat my brother and that dying Xizi's wounds!" The girl in plain clothes snatched the medicinal powder from Li Benfeng's hand, knelt down beside Yuan Zhengxi, and carefully lifted his clothes to sprinkle the powder on his wounds.

At this moment, another girl in plain clothes appeared on the cliff. The girl held a wooden zither in her left hand. This girl was also dressed in plain clothes.

However, her plain clothes were quite different. As her skirt fluttered, it seemed as if the strings of the zither were vibrating, and a clear note would rise.

"Tianyin, the madam has sent an order. There has been a change in the capital. Return quickly." As soon as the voice was spoken, she had already floated away.
Chapter 6 of 10-06

: The Girl in Plain Clothes—Da Zhi Monk's Younger Sister—Tianxiang simply sprinkled some medicine powder on Da Zhi Monk's wounds again, then turned to Li Benfeng and said, "Help me take care of my brother and your fellow disciple... Lan Xizi. If their injuries heal quickly, I'll teach you an even more powerful Flying Cloud Step. Remember, no slacking off."

Tianxiang still treated Li Benfeng the same way she had when they first met. However, she already had doubts in her heart: How could this kid have grown from eight or nine years old to a teenager in just over ten days? She was only fourteen or fifteen years old, and she tended to look younger than people. In fact, Li Benfeng's current appearance was already similar to Tianxiang's at fourteen or fifteen. After the different years in the cave, Benfeng's various changes had only just begun.

She didn't have time to ask; she had to hurry back to the palace. The Sui Dynasty's eight armies had already crossed the river and surrounded the capital. The palace was in a state of panic, and the concubines and palace maids had lost their backbone.

Li Benfeng remained silent, busy treating the injured.

Yuan Zhengxi and the monk Dazhi were both seriously injured; without timely treatment, they would suffer long-term effects, at the very least. If they contracted a cold and internal injuries, their lives would be in danger.

He sat cross-legged and regulated his breathing, sealing their acupoints using his ancestral method of closing acupoints. Then he cleaned the filth from their wounds.

He took out a few snake-leaf hemostatic herbs he had picked in the cave, giving one to each of them to chew and swallow. He then washed his hands with Yuan Zhengxi's water pouch, crushed the remaining hemostatic herbs in his palms, and applied them to the still-bleeding wounds on their chests.

Tianxiang, who was about to leave, looked at Li Benfeng's skillful technique and exclaimed in surprise, "Where did this kid learn his tricks?"

Yuan Zheng said smugly, "Brother Benfeng, that's a genuine family tradition, a miraculous doctor. You don't need to worry about this. Hurry back to the capital and watch over your soon-to-be-destroyed palace. Those two butchers, He Ruobi and Han Qinhu, are not to be trifled with."

"What are you talking about? I'll deal with you when I get back." Before Tianxiang finished speaking, she had already floated down the precipice, landing a hundred meters away. It was clear that she had extraordinary skills.

Li Benfeng looked at the two men's wounds and shook his head. "You two lie down and don't move around. I'll go gather some herbs. Judging from your injuries, it won't be healed for at least two or three months."

After saying that, Li Benfeng tore off a few vines, tied them around his waist, and prepared to climb to an even more dangerous cliff next to him to gather some medicinal herbs to treat injuries and reduce inflammation.

Good things don't come easily. When he was a child, Benfeng would gather herbs in Tianlai Mountain, always going to remote places, with a rope tied around his waist, traversing the rocky cliffs, specifically looking for rare herbs. For example, the medicinal effects of *Agrimonia pilosa* (dragon-bodied crane grass) are several times stronger than ordinary *Agrimonia pilosa*. The medicinal properties of *Cercis chinensis* (purple pearl grass) growing at altitudes of several thousand meters are unmatched by those growing on slopes a few hundred meters high.

If traditional Chinese medicine practitioners use inferior ingredients, they can deceive people to death without consequence.

Old Li spent about an hour finding four *Agrimonia pilosa* plants. He also dug up *Sanguisorba officinalis* and other herbs from the hillside for preparation, and casually picked up a stone pot by the mountain path and a few porcelain bowls in an abandoned graveyard.

Returning to the training cliff, he found a sheltered spot, gathered some dry firewood, and began methodically brewing the medicine. Although the tools were rudimentary, the procedure had to be followed step by step. Just like the martial arts training methods Old Li and Yuan Zhengxi described, it had to be done step by step, one by one.

Yuan Zhengxi, enduring excruciating pain, watched Benfeng bustling about, preparing soup and water, then turned to Monk Dazhi and said, "See? This is what you bandits lack most. You only know how to kill and burn, but you don't know how to heal the wounded."

"Bullshit!" Monk Dazhi was most annoyed when people mentioned his bandit past. "We, the Hua family, only kill those who deserve to be killed, only set fires where necessary. We do righteous deeds on behalf of Heaven. How dare you say we don't know how to heal the wounded? Buddha said, killing is also for the sake of saving lives!" Monk Dazhi was so agitated that he aggravated his wounds, wincing in pain.

...

The medicine was ready. Benfeng carefully helped the two bickering strongmen, each drinking three bowls. Although they protested, they couldn't resist Old Li's patient and persuasive explanations based on the principles of medicine. After about two cups of tea's time, they finally successfully swallowed the medicine.

Exhausted, the two men drank their medicine and fell into a deep sleep on the dry grass Old Li had laid out.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Old Li sat cross-legged, trying to enter a state of tranquility and the wondrous realm of the other shore, but he couldn't achieve it.

As darkness fell, Benfeng got up and looked around. The cliff was extremely steep, with barely any path visible. It would be quite difficult for him to carry two seriously injured men down. Looking at the steep cliff with its jagged rocks, he grew anxious. Tianxiang should send some people to take Dazhi Monk and Yuan Zhengxi back to Pure Land Mountain.

That should be the arrangement. Benfeng was a doctor; he had to take good care of these two "meritorious officials" with royal connections, creating the best possible treatment conditions, according to medical standards.

Having roughly learned that Tianxiang was a personal maidservant of the Empress of the Southern Chen Dynasty, Li Benfeng naturally assumed that at the very least, there should be a few skilled royal guards patrolling the area. Even if they didn't want to show their faces, their duty of protecting the person in secret was unavoidable.

Therefore, it was only natural to send several sedan chairs from the palace to bring them back.

Thinking about it, Benfeng looked at the increasingly dark sky and had no choice but to make two simple stretchers himself. Holding Yuan Zhengxi's broken sword, he vigorously chopped away with the sword, feeling a significant increase in strength.

In the past, chopping down branches as thick as an adult's wrist, even a hundred or so, would have taken at least half a day. Now, it didn't take that long; not even half a cup of tea's time. One strike was enough to kill instantly, and after finishing, he wasn't tired or sore; instead, a surge of inner strength welled up within him.

Remarkable progress.

Progress—hehe, I, Li Benfeng, have made some truly remarkable progress. Old Li didn't dwell on whether his progress came from Buddhism or Taoism. The most important thing was this progress itself. With progress, once he passed through the stages of cultivation, he would naturally enter the inner sanctum and glimpse the mysteries of the inner universe.

In fact, if Old Li had carefully observed, a dark star had already formed within his microcosm—that night, while he slept soundly, regardless of his parents, the interplay between the protective lock and the star was a precious foundation-building process. His body, his microcosm, entered the dark abyss.

A single spark can start a prairie fire—the truth someone spoke of irreversibly occurred to Old Li.

Ordinary Old Li, perhaps, probably, might thus enter the innate realm that those who cultivate Taoism or seek enlightenment dream of but struggle with.

...

Old Li waited in vain for Tianxiang, so Benfeng had to resort to a clumsy method, forcibly binding Yuan Zhengxi and the monk Dazhi to a stretcher. He then tied two long vines together and slowly, as gently as possible, lowered the two onto the ground.

Then, with a vine slung over each shoulder, they dragged the two towards the Pure Land Mountain.

Benfeng didn't know that the Pure Land Mountain was just something Tianxiang had casually mentioned. The temple on Pure Land Mountain was merely a facade. Its facade was a gesture of goodwill from the Hua family, a notorious bandit clan in the Yangtze River basin. Tianxiang's father, Hua Chunshan, always considered robbery a matter of course. They conducted their business openly and brazenly. The time Tianxiang's father was caught, they had targeted a wealthy family north of the Yangtze River known as He Kegu. The Hua family had gone under the guise of robbing the rich to help the poor, intending to make a fortune and then rest for a while. Unexpectedly, they failed; they encountered Tianqin, a maidservant of Empress Shen.

Tianqin, fiercely opposed to evil, single-handedly fought Hua Chunshan and the three Hua brothers, Hua Dazhi, Hua Daxin, and Hua Dayi. The Hua family valued martial arts, and their training had certain rules. However, after switching from martial arts to literary combat, the Hua family suffered a crushing defeat, losing every single match. They were forced to shave their heads and become monks by Tianqin.

Tianxiang, who was studying Taoism elsewhere, heard of the Hua family's crushing defeat and was naturally indignant. She fought Tianqin all night on Pure Land Mountain but was unfortunately defeated. Even her name was changed from Hua Baixiang to Tianxiang—she was no longer allowed to use the Hua surname, and was forced to take the surname Tian. Tianqin also forced Tianxiang to become her junior sister in studying Buddhist scriptures, requiring her to memorize three scriptures every day.

The reason the monk Dazhi practiced martial arts so desperately was, of course, related to the Hua family's collective defeat by a woman, and his desire to endure hardship and bide his time to avenge their humiliation. He would often secretly eavesdrop with Yuan Zhengxi on the walls of the Sanzhen Taoist Temple on Sanqing Mountain, opposite Pure Land Mountain, watching Tianxiang's superior Taoist practice—the Three Yang Sword Control Technique. Tianxiang's newly appointed nominal master was the wandering Taoist Master Sanyang, who was staying at Sanqing Mountain.

How Tianxiang entered the palace and became Empress Shen's personal maid is another story altogether.

Benfeng listened innocently to the banter between the two martial artists. Both were tightly bound, forced to fight with words. Their martial arts were unconventional, a blend of Taoist, Buddhist, and Hua family traditions, though not entirely seamless, they were quite practical. Yuan Zhengxi's self-created Thunder Thirteen Strikes, incorporating the strengths of all three, already showed signs of surpassing its predecessors. Initially, Dazhi, relying on his already mastered Hua family staff techniques, used a wooden staff to counter Yuan Zhengxi. Later, as Yuan Zhengxi's skills matured, he no longer wanted to be complacent and switched to a solid bronze staff.

...

A wind picked up, threatening rain. The already gloomy sky thickened with even more rain clouds.

Benfeng grew anxious. "Brothers, stop arguing! Let's find a way to get back to Pure Land Mountain as soon as possible. If it rains, your wounds will fester."

"No need for such trouble. I'll do a good deed and send that brat to the Western Paradise!" A sinister voice rang out from behind a clump of trees. "You stupid donkeys of the Hua family, you father and son are of one mind, you can't lose one of you!"

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Hua Chunshan and his two other brothers were thrown out. All four of them had rags stuffed in their mouths. Old Man Chunshan's face was flushed red, his eyes wide with desperate, helpless rage. He glanced at Dazhi lying on the stretcher, then his gaze swept over Benfeng standing to the side, and his eyes suddenly lit up with joy.

Benfeng had become Old Man Chunshan's lifeline. He rolled his body toward Benfeng with all his might, glancing at his two sons lying helplessly on the ground before finally fixing his gaze on Dazhi. His eyes clearly conveyed, "Even if I die, the Hua family line must continue."

Three figures emerged from the bushes. The leader, in a sinister voice, beckoned to Benfeng: "Hey kid, if you know what's good for you, leave that stupid donkey of the Hua family behind and disappear... I, He Zaiyang of the Shangqing Sect, disdain to lay a hand on nameless nobodies."

Upon hearing "Shangqing Sect," and hearing the sinister man mention He Zaiyang's name, Benfeng's blood boiled: Shangqing Sect, imperial guards, He Daoyang, Yin Sha Shou—my ass!

Chapter 7: Transforming Intent Externally and Integrating Matter Internally.

"Good, very good! Finally, we've seen chivalrous people who help those in distress! This band of bandits has caused me so much trouble!" Seeing the current unequal and overwhelming situation, Benfeng had a flash of inspiration and shouted a rather premeditated sentence in a high-pitched, childish voice. While fetching water from the mountain spring to brew medicine on the Martial Arts Cliff, he finally saw the true face of the young girl Tianxiang had described. This facade, ironically, proved useful in this critical moment.

The eternal being of the vast universe truly possesses wondrous creation; I, a mere drop in the ocean, am but a clay figure molded by that hand that can turn clouds and rain, into a tree, then into grass. A single thought can create countless mountains and rivers; a single thought can extinguish the world. A person's life and death are but a

fleeting moment, a blink of an eye. Benfeng looked at the three shadows standing among the desolate graves, a death wish forming in his heart. He knew it was futile, yet he did it anyway. The youngest of the three opposite him was over thirty. Though they were a hundred meters away, the oppressive aura they exuded made Benfeng's breathing difficult.

These three so-called Taoist masters, who had never known chivalry, felt a warmth in their hearts upon hearing Benfeng's words, lessening the oppressive pressure on him.

Benfeng's mind suddenly cleared. He looked at Old Man Chunshan, whose eyes had dimmed. Hearing the agonizing cries of the crows perched on the ancient locust tree in the graveyard, Old Man Chunshan closed his eyes in despair.

Before him lay five living men; the slightest mishap would mean certain death. Benfeng, calculating in his mind, wanted to minimize any unprofitable deal.

Sacrificing his own life to save Yuan Zhengxi and the Hua family father and son was a worthwhile trade. Making them lose even more would be worth it, even if it meant shattering his skull.

A thousand thoughts raced through his mind, and Benfeng suddenly made up his mind. He removed the rattan from his right shoulder and pushed the stretcher carrying Yuan Zhengxi towards the side of the mountain path. Beside the path was a deep ditch, overgrown with weeds and trees, making escape easy.

He sighed inwardly: "Brother Zhengxi, Old Man Chunshan, and my three brothers, Dazhi, Daxin, and Dayi, it wasn't me, Li Benfeng, with my mere strength to cut down trees, who saved your lives; it was the ravines and gullies of nature itself."

Laozi, relying on the wisdom accumulated over generations and the raw courage of every man, and fueled by the hatred of having his skull shattered, vowed to exchange his life for his own.

Seeing Yuan Zhengxi about to speak, he quickly grabbed a handful of weeds and stuffed them into his mouth.

But the monk Dazhi's mouth couldn't be shut up: "You spineless coward! Losing your life isn't the worst thing; you've lost your manly spirit! You piece of trash! The men of my Hua family have followed you...you piece of trash, die! Die a pathetic death!"

By the end, Dazhi was roaring hoarsely, his eyes almost spitting blood, and he made a move to snap the ropes in a desperate fight!

Benfeng originally intended to grab a handful of grass and stuff it into Dazhi's mouth, but seeing his furious and violent state, he feared Dazhi wouldn't be able to control his temper, so he let it go. Instead, he adopted a childlike tone, saying aggrievedly, "I have no relation to your Hua family. Would it be stupid to throw my life away for nothing? I'm not even alive yet! I'm hoping to marry a beautiful wife and have a son to carry on the Li family line. When things come to this, if I only care about brotherly affection and act like those heroes who risk their lives and lose everything..." "That's too stupid, I can't do it..."

While speaking, Benfeng gave Old Man Chunshan a wink, bent down, and lunged at him, shouting, "You old stubborn donkey, are you going to curse me too?"

Old Man Chunshan wasn't stupid; he understood immediately and retorted, "You treacherous, opportunistic brat! You've wiped out my Hua family line! My Hua family will never forgive you!" Benfeng and Old Man

Chunshan echoed each other, but Benfeng's actions were equally ruthless. He brandished Yuan Zhengxi's broken sword at Old Man Chunshan, cursing as he did so, then with a flick of his wrist, severed the ropes binding the old man. He then turned to Yuan Zhengxi and Dazhi.

Having done his work, Benfeng didn't hesitate, kicking the stretcher and the man into the ditch in a flash. Once freed, Old Man Chunfeng was even more anxious. He untied his two sons' ropes and, in the same manner, kicked them off the

ropes. Fearing they wouldn't understand, he cried out, "Run! Run for your lives! May the ancestors of the Hua family protect us! May Heaven not abandon the Hua family!" He Zaiyang gave a long and rambling speech, making arrangements. He already considered Benfeng and the others trapped, wanting to see his disciples play a cat-and-mouse game and give his newly arrived disciples some experience.

What tricks could a teenager possibly pull?

Realizing the danger, He Zaiyang shouted "You!" and leaped into the air, charging straight at Benfeng. Rocks flew from his feet, clearly showing his genuine rage! While

he was in the air, a dark, sinister, will-o'-the-wisp-like cloud of energy pressed down on Benfeng.

"Get past me first!" Old Man Chunshan had somehow produced a long log, leaping into the air and crashing into He Zaiyang along with it.

He Zaiyang, of course, dared not underestimate Old Man Chunshan's desperate attack. He had captured Hua Chunshan earlier, not through direct confrontation, but by impersonating a royal guard and using deception. Hua Chunshan dared to raise the banner of robbery and gather followers in the mountains entirely through his own skill, earned step by step. His defeat in the battle against Empress Shen's maid, Tianqin, was a glorious defeat—Tianqin's mysterious lineage was unmatched by ordinary sects—even though she had stubbornly destroyed the infamous Huajian Sect by herself, breaking the precept against wrongful killing and being expelled from her sect, she was still a figure revered by Buddhists and Taoists.

Old Man Chunshan's combined attack and collision forced He Zaiyang back more than twenty steps.

He Qingfeng and He Qinggai, rising stars of the Shangqing School, seeing He Zaiyang fail, suddenly sprang into action, launching a series of deadly attacks. Amidst flashes of blue light, Old Man Chunshan was struck in the shoulder by He Qingfeng's sword.

"Father, I'm here to help you!" Benfeng, usually so reserved, suddenly unleashed his fighting spirit. Though he didn't even know the simplest sword techniques, he charged into the fray, aiming directly for He Qingfeng's vital point.

As a scion of a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, his accuracy in identifying acupoints was unparalleled.

"You cunning brat, you'll die soon enough!" He Qinggai and He Qingfeng, their swords striking simultaneously, were quite pleased with themselves. They glanced at their uncle, who was now launching a palm strike, and brandished their longswords, slashing across the ground with a showy air. Amidst the billowing dust, the sword's edge hovered over Benfeng's throat.

Benfeng had no time to react; his momentum remained unchanged, his broken sword still aimed at He Qingfeng.

Only then did the old man realize that Benfeng's resources were extremely limited. Unwilling to let Benfeng die by He Qinggai's sword, he roared and endured He Zaiyang's Yin-Yang palm strike, turning and punching He Qinggai's sword.

He Qinggai was struck as if by lightning, his body flying backward, crashing into a tree, his face ashen as he fell to the ground.

The old man smiled bitterly, plunging the long wooden stick in his hand straight into the wood, barely managing to stand. "Brother, we've only just met today, we don't even know each other's names, yet we've done this losing proposition together. Don't you regret it?"

"No regrets!" Benfeng's broken sword hadn't gained much advantage, only leaving a bloody mark on He Qingfeng's arm. He, however, had been pierced by He Qingfeng's jade sword, leaving a bloody hole. Though the pain was excruciating, he gritted his teeth and endured it.

At this moment, the outer members of the Shangqing Sect were pressing towards the battle, and several members were searching along the ravine for Dazhi and Yuan Zhengxi's group.

In his haste, Benfeng suddenly pulled out two medicine packets from his pocket. Dragging his injured leg, he ran while shouting, "Five Poisons Soul-Severing Powder... It seals the throat upon contact with blood. Those who are about to die, all of you, obediently lie down!"

He ran and shouted, circling around, heading towards the cave where he had once meditated.

He Zaiyang, however, assumed this unknown youth was showing signs of fear and was about to slip away. He snatched a longsword from a nearby disciple and unleashed his signature sword-wielding technique, the sword's energy piercing the air and firmly enveloping Benfeng.

Seeing Benfeng's life in danger, Old Man Chunshan frantically wielded his long wooden staff, sweeping away the Shangqing disciples who rushed towards him. He Zaiyang scoffed disdainfully and summoned two more flying swords.

He Zaiyang didn't want to waste any more time; he needed to quickly deal with this unknown youth and Hua Chunshan, kill the three Hua family brats, and then go to the nameless mountain to wipe out Hua Chunshan's henchmen. That would fulfill the sect leader's secret order.

The Shangqing School, since the fall of the Western Wei Dynasty to which it had once been allied, had been left without a patron. It had worked diligently to rebuild its strength, and after more than twenty years of effort, while not outstanding among the dozen or so Daoist schools of the Northern Dynasties, it was still a respectable one. However, its nature remained unchanged, clinging to the Northern Zhou Dynasty like a leech. Even before the fall of the Northern Zhou, it had crossed the Yangtze River and become a lackey of the Later Chen Dynasty. Now, seeing that the Later Chen was doomed, the over-sixty-year-old He Daoyang, following the orders of his sect leader, bribed the Yuwen family with a large sum of money, hoping to join the Sui Dynasty under Yang Jian and continue serving as a loyal servant at the threshold of the new dynasty.

With the money, he indeed obtained a palace order from Empress Dugu to eliminate a thorn in the side of the Southern Chen—Empress Shen of the Later Chen. Empress Shen was a profound Buddhist practitioner, seen by ordinary people as a virtuous lay Buddhist who widely opened the doors of good deeds. Her sermons attracted a large following. In the hearts of true Buddhist practitioners, he was already the undisputed holy ruler of the Southern Dynasty's Buddhist sect. Even Master Kuye, the mentor of Emperor Yang Jian of the Sui Dynasty, could only barely be considered his equal.

He Zuyang, the current leader of the Shangqing Daoist sect, personally led He Daoyang and his top disciples, residing in the Southern Chen imperial palace, monitoring Empress Shen's every move. These watchdogs, adept at changing their stance in times of turmoil, were already in a state of panic and paranoia even before the Sui army arrived.

He Zuyang and his disciples were also relentlessly pursuing their goals, subduing those scattered sects within and outside Jiankang City that they could, and slaughtering those that couldn't. If it weren't for the days of slaughter, even with Old Man Chunshan's cultivation level, he would likely have been unable to withstand their onslaught.

Even so, He Zaiyang unleashed his renowned Heavenly Net Sword Control technique, and Old Man Chunshan was already struggling to break free from He Zaiyang's malevolent sword energy. He could only watch helplessly as the deadly sword headed straight for Benfeng's life. Knowing that he

was doomed, Benfeng suddenly stopped, raised his sword with both hands, and with a clang, met He Zaiyang's sword's malevolent energy head-on!

A penetrating chill! His limbs and bones felt as if they had fallen into an extremely cold place, and in an instant, he became like an ice statue, unable to even breathe!

Just as he was suffocating, a warmth gradually rose in his chest, and suddenly a starlight flashed before his eyes! Then, he heard a warm and enveloping voice in his ears: "Transform intention outward, merge things inward."

Instantly, the broken sword in his hand seemed to gain a spirit, emitting a dazzling sword aura... In a daze, the broken sword became the whip held by the deer shepherd... or perhaps it was the golden snake-wrapped staff left behind by the mysterious guide from the other side.

Benfeng let out a long shout! He actually broke through the envelopment of He Zaiyang's sword energy. The short sword he held shone brightly with a yellow light, and in the split second when Old Man Chunshan was about to die, he thrust the sword at He Zaiyang!

Chapter 8 The Three Yang True Man's

sword thrust suddenly brightened the dark sky around him! Benfeng and the broken sword were inseparable, spinning rapidly, and unconsciously used Yuan Zhengxi's Thunderous Three Turns.

"One more!" Yuan Zhengxi sprang up from the ditch like a mad bull, holding half of Dazhi's staff in his hand. The three brothers, Dazhi, Daxin, and Dayi, jumped out of the ditch as one, their voices shaking the heavens: "The Hua family has no descendants who live on!" Each holding a long piece of wood that Benfeng had cut, they followed closely behind Yuan Zhengxi, ready to fight He Zaiyang to the death.

Just then, a golden light suddenly appeared in the gloomy sky, and like lightning, three flying swords flashed with dazzling golden light and swept into the sky above the battle circle.

A casual voice drifted over: "Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless, the sun and moon waxed and waned, the stars and constellations were arrayed..."

The person appeared with the voice. A Taoist priest, bald on top of his head, with a large, smooth belly and bare, spotless feet, gracefully landed on an ancient locust tree that would take two people to encircle.

He Zaiyang's mind trembled violently. Li Benfeng's sudden display of this unprecedented sword technique alone left He Zaiyang at a loss for how to deal with it. His Heavenly Net Sword Control Technique was a remote pointing sword, not a unified control of the sword with his mind. The Three Yang True Man's Three Yang Swords, on the other hand, were entirely at his command; the two were worlds apart.

With He Zaiyang's current cultivation level, encountering the Three Yang True Man was simply bad luck.

*Sizzle!* Benfeng's Thunderous Triple Strike broke through He Zaiyang's protective sword aura. A flash of sword light, and it had already made contact with He Zaiyang's flesh. He Zaiyang tried to retreat, but unexpectedly, Old Man Chunshan, nearly exhausted and slumped to the ground, coughed up a mouthful of blood. Several jets of blood shot upwards, sealing He Zaiyang's lower body.

Yuan Zhengxi, rushing forward at lightning speed, held a broken staff aimed at He Zaiyang's back.

With nowhere to retreat, He Zaiyang suddenly unleashed the full power of his Heavenly Net Yin Sha technique, unleashing three Crimson Flame Swords in a desperate attack.

"Hmph! You think the Hua family has no one to rely on?" A sharp shout rang out above He Zaiyang's head.

Tianxiang gracefully arrived, wielding the Heavenly Yang Sword, a weapon of the Three Yang True Man. Knowing a formidable enemy was approaching, He Zaiyang had no choice but to withdraw the Crimson Flame Sword he had aimed at Old Man Chunshan and instead confront Tianxiang's Heavenly Yang Sword.

Too late! Benfeng's broken sword, undiminished in its momentum, pierced a bloody hole in He Zaiyang's chest. With his protective inner energy shattered, He Zaiyang's physical body was utterly vulnerable.

Blood spurted from his chest… and he suffered another fatal blow to the head! As his skull shattered, a swaying bronze staff appeared on his back.

He Zaiyang, lying on the ground, his eyes wide open, a large question mark etched on his contorted face as his thoughts extinguished: What kind of evil magic did this unknown brat use?!

This was the first time Benfeng had killed anyone, and the myriad emotions swirling within him were overwhelming. Moreover, the Heavenly Net Yin Qi, cultivated by He Zaiyang for many years, had entered his body, causing his blood and qi to churn. He couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood, his face flushed as he sat down on the ground.

When the Three Yang Master caught him, touching his still-intact skull, he asked as if in a daze, "Senior, did I kill someone... did I kill that treacherous He Zaiyang?"

Yuan Zhengxi said solemnly, "That's right, Brother Benfeng, from now on, the Shangqing Sect and we are mortal enemies!"

...

The three Dazhi brothers slaughtered in all directions, the Shangqing Sect members screamed and howled, those with quick legs had already crossed ravines and disappeared without a trace. The most unlucky one was He Qinggai, who was severely injured by a punch from Old Man Chunshan, and then had no choice but to be beaten with a stick.

The three Hua brothers had a good beating. Tianxiang glanced at the dying He Qinggai and said, "Leave him alive, I want to take him back to the palace to settle accounts with that old bastard He Zaiyang.

" ...

Benfeng sat for a while, feeling better, blinked and looked carefully at the Three Yang Master, and even playfully touched the Three Yang Master's shiny belly, "It's true, flying with a sword, and even defeating opponents without using moves." "If it weren't for your appearance, I, Li Benfeng, would have had to be reborn from the womb."

The Three Yang Immortal laughed heartily, "The credit doesn't belong to me. The person who helped you has already picked peaches on Pure Land Mountain and is waiting for you." With that, he gently patted Benfeng's head, got up, and swayed away.

Tianxiang watched the Three Yang Immortal's departing figure, stamping her feet on the ground, and said coquettishly, "Master, you're going to steal wine from the palace again… You promised the Empress that you would perform the apprenticeship ceremony tonight."

"Good disciple, it won't be a mistake, it won't be a mistake... My heart has its refuge, my floating dust root... Dust root, dust root, the shadows of two..." The Three Yang Immortal chanted, his voice still lingering, yet he vanished without a trace. Old

Man Chunshan was also seeing the Three Yang Immortal's true face for the first time. Hearing the Three Yang Immortal's words, he felt his life force gather, and he could speak again. "Today's battle has made Chunshan realize that a frog at the bottom of a well cannot see the heavens. How ashamed I am! All my life's learning has been insufficient even for self-preservation."

Tianxiang said, "Father is still recovering from his serious injuries. He should go home and rest properly. Don't talk too much."

Old Man Chunshan nodded and glanced at Benfeng. His eyes already regarded Benfeng as a celestial being: at such a young age, with a broken sword, he managed to snatch my worthless life from the jaws of death. My Hua family line will continue. How can I ever repay such a great favor...?

Dazhi and the others tidied up the stretcher that Benfeng had made, let the old man and Benfeng lie down, and slowly carried them back to Pure Land Mountain. Tianxiang, along with a group of palace maids trained by Tianqin, escorted He Qing back to the palace.

The scenery on Pure Land Mountain remained unchanged.

Benfeng sat on the stretcher and looked around, but felt something was amiss. He suddenly realized that it was already deep winter. Even if the Jiangnan region was humid and warm, there shouldn't be peaches, apricots, plums, or dates. However, on Pure Land Mountain, the branches were laden with fruit, and a few trees were still just beginning to bloom.

Just as he was wondering about this, he heard the clattering sound of horses' hooves on the stones.

Yuan Zhengxi whispered in Benfeng's ear, "Emperor Shubao is here. He's probably here to cause trouble again."

"You lot, announce my arrival and tell the Empress to come out and see me!" A yellow horse galloped up in front of the group. The rider impatiently cracked his whip.

Before anyone could speak, the cavalry was already arrayed before and behind them.

The imperial majesty was indeed extraordinary.

Benfeng glanced at the bloated man and guessed he was the emperor of the dying dynasty.

"Long live the Emperor of Great Chen! This humble subject is injured and unable to greet Your Majesty… This humble subject has some medical knowledge and sees that Your Majesty's health is still seriously ill; it is not advisable to agitate. Does the imperial physician have any medical advice?" Benfeng disliked Chen Shubao's condescending and imperious manner, and spoke sarcastically.

"You are all injured; are you all going to die? Quickly go and call the Empress to come and greet Your Majesty!" Chen Shubao merely glanced at Benfeng, and seeing that the speaker was a teenager, simply snorted coldly.

A few deer cries rang out.

Empress Shen Wuhua emerged from the peach grove, carrying a plate of peaches and a plate of plums. Behind her, a little deer, its mouth watering, circled around her, blinking its adorable, almost human-like eyes, looking at the menacing Chen Shubao with some confusion.

"We're about to become slaves of a conquered nation, and you still have the leisure to pick peaches and plums, farm, and feed deer? I ask you, the Sui Dynasty is already forcing us to sign a surrender document, are you going to do anything about it!"

Chen Shubao was furious. He rode his horse into the peach grove on the hillside, whipping it wildly: "Usually, I've always been lenient with you, unwilling to argue with you, thinking you could truly protect my empire. Who knew that in the end, your three thousand Buddhist followers were too scared to even breathe, and Yang Jian, that ruthless butcher

, listed all my crimes. You... Hmph, aren't you all great debaters? Why didn't you defend me!" Empress Shen, neither angry nor pleased, bowed gracefully to Chen Shubao: "Your Majesty, I have seen you. I am weak and powerless, not capable of saving a collapsing empire... I am powerless even to help the few plants under Your Majesty's whip."

Wherever Chen Shubao went, chaos ensued. Peach trees rolled to the ground, trampled to pieces by his hooves.

"Even you say my empire is doomed? Fine, doomed! Doomed! Doomed! I'll burn down the palace right now, so those beasts from the Northern Barbarians won't get away with it!" Chen Shubao glared at Empress Shen and whipped his horse away.

Empress Shen watched Chen Shubao's retreating figure: "A single thought can traverse mountains and rivers; a single thought can extinguish the world... Our fate is sealed, only the suffering of the common people remains!"

Her words lingered, and the faint sound of temple bells drifted from the horizon. With

a gentle flick of her jade hand, several broken peach branches slowly rose, showing signs of life again.

Only then did Benfeng's mind return, and he realized that the herding deer was none other than Empress Shen.

"Are you thirsty? Here, have some peaches." Empress Shen, carrying a jade plate, moved gracefully, giving each person a peach. "I borrowed peach seeds from Tianxiang, so I'm returning a peach to each of you."

"On this mountain, it's hard to see peaches in the dead of winter anymore." A fleeting sadness crossed Empress Shen's face. "When people die, all things are over, and the empty mountain is hard to remain in. One tree in full bloom, another tree withered, each day old stories come to an end."

...

After the clear voice, the rain that had been accumulating for a long time poured down.

Benfeng and the others went to a temple to take shelter from the rain. But they saw Empress Shen already standing on the top of Pure Land Mountain.

Streaks of lightning pierced the sky!

Thunderclaps followed one after another!

...

Amidst the thunder and lightning, top figures from Taoism and Buddhism were gathering at the foot of Pure Land Mountain. Master Kuye, the abbot of Prajna Temple, whose prestige in the Great Sui Dynasty was growing, stood on a rocky hill, his brows furrowed.

Destroying the Southern Chen Dynasty was not difficult, but finding a Buddhist Pure Land with its own kind of spiritual lineage was rare. If Empress Shen were merely an empress of the Southern Dynasty, Master Kuye wouldn't be standing here gazing at the sky today.

"Senior Brother Kuye, look, those deer, can you tell which are from Jiangnan and which are from Jiangbei?" Empress Shen stood in the rain, yet not a single raindrop touched her.

"Junior Sister Shen is so detached. I won't do this arduous task of persuasion. What difference does it make whether I come or go? I might as well borrow the spiritual energy of Pure Land Mountain and eat a peach myself." Master Kuye turned to leave.

"Coming and going, going and coming, Senior Brother, Wuhua is waiting for someone, waiting for someone she can't bear to part with." Empress Shen's eyes were filled with autumn water as she watched the hurried people arriving below through the misty rain.

"Shen Wuhua, stop your pretense. Even if you are a genius, you cannot stop this bloodshed. If you truly understand the times, disband your sect immediately, reduce the number of wronged and resentful souls, and allow the people to live in peace and prosperity sooner." The speaker spoke with a righteous air, but his face was sinister.

This person was Ling Wuxing, the sect leader of the Five Thunder Sword Sect, secretly cultivated by Empress Dugu. Ling Wuxing once challenged the Buddhist sect's undisputed number one expert, Master Kuye, to a seven-day battle at Tianlai Mountain. Master Kuye narrowly won with the resilience of his supreme cultivation method, but his handsome face was injured by Ling Wuxing's Five Thunder Sword. Ling Wuxing, being a full sixty years younger than Master Kuye, dared to confront him head-on, so his potential should not be underestimated. He strictly disciplined his disciples, never causing trouble, but secretly he was ruthless and merciless, and he had never failed to carry out the secret orders from the Dugu family.

The Dugu family sending such a person meant they were determined to succeed.

Chapter 9 A Single Blow, and the Garden's Fragrance Fades.

Tianqin escorted He Qinggai back to Jiankang City. The city was in a state of panic, with merchants and wealthy families leaving the city in droves under cover of night.

Back at the palace, eunuchs and palace maids rushed in and out, frantically inquiring about news from outside and quickly reporting to their masters.

Only Empress Shen's Phoenix Palace was brightly lit, and the guards and eunuchs standing at the gates remained calm, as usual.

Tianqin had already invited Princess Leyi, Chen Wan, to the Phoenix Palace. Princess Leyi, seeing the dignified Empress Shen, happily joined her maid, Tianyin, in chanting Buddhist scriptures and striking a wooden fish. Tianyin, who had just turned ten, had been brought into the palace by Empress Shen at the age of four and raised as a little princess. Apart from the Empress, no one knew her origins.

She was incredibly skillful, a natural master of disguise. When Empress Shen was not in the palace, the lifelike Empress Shen statue on the throne was her masterpiece—Tianyin would often climb into the statue she had sculpted and give orders in a very convincing manner—even palace maids like Tianqin and Tianxiang, who were by Empress Shen's side all day, would be tricked by her.

During the war, Tianyin's ingenuity baffled the spies sent by various factions to secretly monitor Empress Shen.

The palace maids and guards who went to the Prince Consort's residence to fetch Princess Lechang returned—only Princess Lechang was found on the way. Prince Consort Xu Deyan had become separated from the princess while fleeing the Sui army that had reached the city walls.

Looking at Chen Zhen, whose eyes were filled with tears, Tianyin innocently said, "Life and death are determined by fate. The Empress said that when the Sui army comes, everyone should stay in their respective palaces. If there are those who burn, kill, and loot, they will be sent to the Western Paradise."

Chen Zhen, unaware that Empress Shen was not in the palace, glanced at the motionless statue on the seat and said with a touch of sorrow, "Empress, the Sui army will breach the city tonight. The country will fall and our families will perish."

Tianyin tiptoed and whispered in Chen Zhen's ear, "There are even more difficult people to deal with on Pure Land Mountain. That's the most dangerous place." She winked mischievously at Tianqin, turned around, and confidently put her hands behind her back, facing the palace gate, "Sister Tianqin said that even if the sky falls, there are ways to deal with it. We don't need to do anything in the palace, just keep chanting scriptures."

Chen Zhen finally understood her meaning, took a futon, sat down next to Chen Wan, closed her eyes slightly, and silently chanted... "With intention, without intention, the ground of hearing, the ground of thinking, the ground of cultivation, the ground of the Arhat, the ground of the Pratyekabuddha, the ground of the Bodhisattva, the ground of the dependent..."

When the news of the Sui army breaching the city reached the palace, the concubines could no longer sit still. They each found their close sisters to discuss a way out. Inside and outside the palace, chaos reigned. Unrestrained by their masters, the bolder palace maids and eunuchs absconded with palace treasures and valuables, fleeing or hiding.

Tianqin and Tianxiang had no time to interrogate He Qinggai. They busied themselves bringing the anxious concubines to Fengque Palace.

Fengque Palace had become the most reassuring place in the palace.

…

Around Pure Land Mountain, the atmosphere was even more suffocatingly tense. Ling Wuxing had replaced Master Kuye as the leader in the campaign to eliminate Empress Shen.

Besides Ling Wuxing's Five Thunder Sword Sect, almost all the comparable sects—Qingque Sect, Xuanqing Sect, and Mingxu Valley—had their sect leaders personally present. He Zuyang of the Shangqing Sect, upon receiving the news, rushed there with his followers, openly raising the banner of rebellion against Chen. Dozens of other previously unknown Daoist sects also sent their most outstanding members to participate.

Amidst the numerous sects, over thirty powerful, solitary figures, both righteous and wicked, remained hidden, their identities blurred.

Such a formidable force, yet it faced only one person—the long-planned Bloodbath—seemingly losing its balance. The extraordinary figures atop Pure Land Mountain never anticipated such a one-sided outcome.

The Valley Master of Dark Void Valley, Golden Saint Dharma King, could no longer contain himself. He shouted at the lone Empress Shen, "Considering you are but a delicate woman, this battle is unnecessary. Come back with me and become my devoted female disciple. You can cultivate both body and soul in peace and comfort—wouldn't that be wonderful?" This man spoke with a halting Southern accent and had an odd appearance. His nostrils flared upwards, and his long face resembled that of a deep-sea flounder.

His words were met with laughter from the crowd.

Master Kuye, already standing a hundred miles away in Yunhua Temple, shook his head, slowly walked into the temple, sat cross-legged, straightened his palms, and facing the immortal Buddha body of his junior sister Zhixian, whose body had been sculpted into gold, silently recited four words: "Worldly ties are severed." Then he entered a state of quiet meditation, entering the realm of inner contemplation.

...

Empress Shen held only a deer whip in her hand, seemingly oblivious to the commotion of the people below the mountain.

In the pouring rain, she lightly raised her jade arm, swung the whip, and with a crisp sound, the deer on the slope reared up, their hooves creating a shimmering trail of gold.

Instantly, thousands of golden threads illuminated the mountains and forests. Empress Shen, amidst the golden threads, played a zither-like motion, enveloping the nameless mountain temple halfway up the mountain in radiant light. Then , she

gently opened her mouth and asked, "Li Benfeng, are you willing to fight for the deer for your master?" Hearing the chanting, Benfeng stood up, his voice trembling, and said, "Master, this disciple is willing! This disciple is so happy!" Then, overjoyed, he knelt down and kowtowed three times. As if that wasn't enough, he kowtowed six more times. In Benfeng's heart, he was a thousand times, ten thousand times willing—those valley masters and sect leaders down the mountain, exuding murderous intent, were nothing but rubbish in his eyes. Don't think that just because you have more people, you can subdue them. Even if there were ten times more, I, Li Benfeng, would accept them as my master. What do I care if the sky cracks, mountains collapse, or hellfire rages! Benfeng, as if moving on clouds, stepped on golden threads, took his master's shepherd's whip, and, like a child learning to drive a horse-drawn carriage, crisply cracked it in the air. Hearing the crack, the herd of deer frolicked and ran joyfully to the cave where Benfeng had once meditated and gazed inward at the other shore. The cave opened instantly, then closed in an instant—as if nothing had happened. The herd of deer simply vanished. … Ling Wuxing's patience had reached its limit. He shouted, "Three sect leaders, please!" The sect leaders of Qingque, Qingcheng, and Baigu, one strong and two weak, rushed towards Li Benfeng from the back peak of Pure Land Mountain. Empress Shen softly uttered, "Yes!" With a flick of her finger, a wave of light carrying ethereal chanting crashed into the five upright stone pillars in front of the cave. The stone pillars collapsed in response, pressing the three sect leaders down the mountain. "Disciple, meditate with your master. Do not harbor any murderous thoughts!" Empress Shen moved swiftly, already sitting cross-legged beside Benfeng, her hands holding a leaf, forming the lotus hand seal of the starting posture. Benfeng focused his mind, his eyes slightly closed, only a faint light shining as he watched his master's hand gesture. He slowly turned his palm, forming the first immovable fundamental seal of binding the mountain and guarding the earth. Do not move rashly. Benfeng remained completely still—yet, a thought arose, and a dark star reflected light—he actually saw the withered leaf master meditating in stillness a hundred miles away. Frustrated by his initial attack, Ling Wuxing stood enraged for a moment before leaping up and charging towards the Martial Arts Cliff, the place Yuan Zhengxi and Dazhi had chosen as a place of desperate struggle for survival. The Martial Arts Cliff was about five li (approximately 2.5 kilometers) from the cave. Such a distance would be more suitable for those with rudimentary cultivation to shout encouragement. However, the sect leaders and masters who dared to show their skills at Pure Land Mountain today were all top-tier figures capable of manipulating water, moving stones, controlling swords, and flying sand. This distance was perfect for using their will to create objects and point their flying swords at distant targets. Even if their most accomplished disciples hadn't yet mastered the art of shrinking the earth to an inch, with their own strength, a distance of several li would only take a few breaths. Ling Wuxing's choice of the Martial Arts Cliff was, of course, a calculated move with both retreat and advance. Between the Martial Arts Cliff and the cave were towering cliffs and several valleys hundreds of meters wide, making it an ideal place for command and control. The Martial Arts Cliff was over a hundred meters higher than the surrounding low peaks, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. However, despite his advantageous position, fear had already crept into his heart—a sense of defeat. His seven-day battle with Master Kuye had instilled in him a fierce, youthful vigor, surpassing even his predecessors. Yet now, he found himself unable to discern or apply any leverage to Empress Shen's attacks. Was his opponent truly beyond comprehension? Ling Wuxing had clearly heard her tell Master Kuye that she was waiting for someone; how could she be free from such hindrance? Why had she chosen a seemingly clueless youth, completely ignorant of superior techniques, to deliver Buddhist mantras in this perilous situation? Ling Wuxing was filled with bewilderment, his previous arrogance plummeting to rock bottom. Yet this person was no ordinary individual; even in this predicament, a faint smile remained on his face as he calmly waited, his long robes billowing. Several young talents from Qingcheng Sect exclaimed, "Sect Master Ling's wisdom is truly extraordinary! Let's meet stillness with stillness and see who can outlast him!" Only Ling Wuxing knew the bitterness in his heart; this act of meeting stillness with stillness was a desperate measure. The Golden Saint Dharma King, growing impatient, shouted, "Taoism emphasizes seeking truth through truth. Even against a Great Luo Golden Immortal, it's just a cycle of life and death. Only after fighting will you know the difference!" He released a pair of golden wheels, and the Golden Saint Dharma King's rolling body suddenly sprang up, sweeping across the Martial Arts Cliff, enveloping Benfeng, and a torrent of blazing energy swept down. This man appeared crude and unintelligent, yet he knew how to pick the weakest opponent. Benfeng felt as if he were trapped in a raging inferno. His entire body felt as if thousands of steel needles were piercing him, the pain almost unbearable. Yet, his mind remained clear, like a mirror reflecting the sun, a single moment of clarity never leaving his master. In the midst of this agonizing struggle, he heard his master's clear voice again, still uttering the single word "No." Then, his master's jade-like image appeared in his mind like a seal. His master's jade hand gently extended, forming a second lotus mudra. At this point, Benfeng could only barely imitate it. Upon hearing the third "No," the excruciating pain lessened slightly, and he suddenly felt his mind open up, his senses resonate, and his thoughts become clear and vivid, manifesting in the void, as if another version of himself were bathing in a cool, gentle rain.

The starlight on his chest, circling his body like the moon, gradually absorbed the blazing flames around him.

Only after hearing the ninth "Yes" and forming the ninth lotus hand seal did Benfeng feel the seal connect to his heart, bringing him complete comfort.

In the sky, golden light pierced the clouds, and a bright sun shone brightly, illuminating the surrounding peaks.

Hearing Ling Wuxing's scream, Benfeng, who felt as light as a cloud and completely at one with the mountains and rocks, finally opened his eyes.

The Martial Arts Cliff had been leveled. Ling Wuxing's face was ashen, kneeling on one knee, a pool of thick black blood before him.

A dozen or so people lay sprawled around him.

Seeing this scene, Benfeng couldn't help but shout at Ling Wuxing, "Do not harbor murderous thoughts! The vast universe has layers of heavens. Humanity follows its own nature, but the way of heaven cannot be defied. However, heaven has the virtue of cherishing life, and even the most vicious and wicked have countless paths to cultivation... Go now, and do not harbor hatred. If worldly thoughts are completely eradicated, you will be able to enter the inner sanctum and the gates of heaven will open."

After Benfeng finished speaking, he saw his master reveal a smile as delicate as a flower, and his heart felt as sweet as drinking dew. "Master, your disciple is dull-witted. Just now, I was in so much pain that I could hardly bear it. It seems that all the techniques I learned have been forgotten." "

The heart follows nature, and thus there is opportunity." Empress Shen gently stretched out her jade hand and took Benfeng's hand. "Let's go, the person your master is waiting for has arrived."

The two stepped on the gravel, crossed several iron chain bridges in the valley, and slowly walked to Sanqing Mountain.

On Sanqing Mountain stood a fairy.

The fairy standing on the blue stone, her veil fluttering and her sword raised, pointed in the direction of a certain place in the East Sea. When I was a child, I would sit on Tianlai Mountain and listen to the old storyteller say that there was a fairy mountain in the East, a mountain in the misty void.

There was Yingzhou in the sea—but Li Bai, who sought immortality, said that such a place was shrouded in mist and waves, hard to find.

The fairy's seven-colored gauze dress seemed to have been seen in a painting. The East Sea rippled, and the fairy emerged from the waves.

"Senior sister, why did you bring such a silly goose? Look at him, still staring at me." The fairy spoke, her voice as mesmerizing as Empress Shen's chanting.

"You, in your eyes, all the men in the world are silly geese. Where is Yunqing?" Empress Shen, like a tired peasant woman, sat on the stone slab outside the Sanqing Taoist Temple, gently taking off her straw sandals and emptying the pebbles from them.

"Senior sister, you are injured... Who is it?" The fairy reached out and grasped Empress Shen's hand. 10-06
Chapter 10 The Change at Qingxi

Chang'an City, the New Year celebrations were in full swing. On the third and fourth days of the first lunar month, people on the streets, dressed in new clothes and hats, rode donkeys and busied themselves visiting relatives. The soldiers guarding the city gates wore joyful expressions, constantly glancing at the official road outside the city, awaiting new reports of victory.

Inside the imperial city, however, a different scene unfolded. After court, Emperor Wen, Yang Jian, not seeing Empress Dugu waiting for him, strode confidently to the West Inner Garden.

He looked at the ironwood tree hanging horizontally from the South China Sea. A red-headed eagle often perched on it. Since Yang Jian became emperor, the red-headed eagle had followed him, carrying top-secret messages.

The faint sound of flapping wings reached Yang Jian's ears—the red-headed eagle had returned.

The red-headed eagle landed on the ironwood. Yang Jian turned and instructed the eunuch behind him to present the red-headed eagle with a dish of tribute oats. He then reached out and removed two bamboo tubes from the eagle's legs.

Opening the bamboo tube, Yang Jian saw the message presented by his personal guard, Zhao Ying: In the Battle of Pure Land Mountain, Ling Wuxing was defeated, and Master Kuye passed away. Jiankang City fell; Han Qinhu entered first, and Princes Su and Jin were about to enter the city.

Yang Jian glanced up and sighed softly, "Heaven's will is hard to defy."

...

In a secret room of Empress Dugu's palace, a white-headed vulture was tearing at a wild camel's leg. Hearing someone approach, it alertly raised its head.

A palace maid, who had only been transferred to the Empress's palace a few days prior, carefully placed a bucket of freshly delivered Cangyan water on the ground and gently pushed it towards the vulture with a pole. The

white-headed vulture was a meritorious servant; half of the Empress's secret orders and messages from her subordinates were relayed by it. The message it brought back from Jiankang City was similar to the message Yang Jian received from the red-headed eagle.

However, two more points were added: Shen Wuhua's lineage came from the Zhexing Pavilion of Yingshui Island in the East Sea; and Master Yunqing of the Sanqing Taoist Temple returned from Lingnan.

Dugu Jialuo fell ill. Not seriously ill, just a slight cold. Lying on her bed, she frowned as she drank a bowl of bitter soup.

"Where is the Emperor?" Dugu asked listlessly. A palace maid hurriedly replied, "His Majesty is in the Western Inner Garden."

"Useless!" Dugu slammed the bowl of medicine to the ground. A surge of anger welled up inside her, but she didn't know where to vent it—a victory, yet a defeat. With a woman like Shen Wuhua in existence, how could the Sui Dynasty ever be at peace?

What she feared most had come to pass. Master Kuye had mentioned that Shen Wuhua was nominally a Buddhist, but her true teacher was Fangshan, a place highly revered by both Buddhism and Taoism overseas.

Yingshuizhou Zhexing Pavilion—a name the common people had never even heard of. Even Dugu, who was about to unify the North and South and truly become Empress, had only heard of it—if it weren't for the news relayed by her personal guards, she would still have dismissed it as nonsense.

A woman, with remarkable composure, commanded a teenager, causing the most prestigious Buddhist and Taoist sects across the land to bow in submission.

A seemingly certain victory had become a suspenseful game of chance.

...

Yang Jian, hearing from a eunuch that the Empress was ill, rushed from the Western Inner Garden to the Central Palace.

Seeing the broken bowls on the floor, Yang Jian asked with some surprise, "What happened to the Empress? Should we summon the imperial physician again?"

The Empress leaned forward slightly on the couch, "I am only slightly ill, no need to trouble yourself. You still have so many memorials to review... I was overjoyed to hear the good news, and wished for another year of peace for our dynasty."

"There was another report just now; Guang'er has entered the city and is forcing Chen Shubao to write a letter of surrender." Yang Jian's face lit up with delight.

"Very well... However, Your Majesty, I am thinking that the Southern Dynasty has always valued civil affairs over military matters, and there are many scholars here. We must persuade Guang'er to enforce strict military discipline and not kill indiscriminately... Your Majesty, what should be done with Chen Shubao?"

Yang Jian pondered and said, "Bring him to court and treat him with courtesy."

...

In fact, most of what Yang Jian and Dugu said was nonsense. Yang Jian and Dugu had invited Master Kuye of Prajna Temple to travel thousands of miles as an envoy, with the only condition being that the royal family should not be exterminated, especially that it was not advisable to use force against Empress Shen.

Perhaps Yang Jian and Dugu, these two shrewd strategists with a grand vision for the country, misunderstood Master Kuye's good intentions and actually sent out all the leading figures of the Buddhist and Taoist sects under their control, intending to use their power to intimidate others.

The result was not what they expected.

Now, the Sui army has entered the city, seemingly forcing all sorts of people in Jiankang to gather on Pure Land Mountain.

...

The Hua family, a family of carpenters, is busy building beams and laying thatch on Pure Land Mountain. After the breathtaking and perilous battle on New Year's Eve, starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year, people from Jiankang City, with their children in tow, flocked to Jingtu Mountain and Sanqing Mountain.

The Sui army was fierce, and too many civilians were wounded. Old Man Chunshan was busy with resettlement, while Benfeng was busy from morning till night treating the wounded, never having a moment's rest. After more than ten days of this, he finally had a moment's respite when Tianxiang escorted a group of imperial physicians from the palace out.

Prince Yang Guang of Jin entered the city.

Chen Shubao, unable to escape the disaster in the well, tremblingly wrote a letter of surrender, marking the end of the Southern Chen Dynasty.

Princesses Chen Zhen and Chen Wan, who had arrived at Jingtu Mountain and were living in a thatched hut, couldn't help but shed tears upon hearing of Shubao's capture. Their weeping immediately filled the thousand thatched huts on the mountain with cries of grief.

Tianqin, feeling irritated, called to Tianxiang, who was boiling water to prepare for the Empress's bath, and they trekked across ditches and valleys to the foot of the mountain. Seeing Benfeng and Dazhi pushing several wooden buckets in a wheelbarrow along the official road, she called out, "Where are you going!"

"To fetch water from Qingxi. Little Sister Tianyin wants to water the flowers." Benfeng had a good sleep, and before he was even fully awake, Tianyin had pestered him to go see her golden chrysanthemums on Tianlai Mountain. Mentioning Tianlai Mountain stirred up Benfeng's homesickness. He told Tianyin many things about his childhood a thousand years later. Tianyin blinked and said that when she passed by Tianlai Mountain, she saw several houses like the ones Benfeng had described, surrounded by a clear stream, and beside the stream grew golden chrysanthemums.

And so, Tianyin mentioned fetching water from the clear stream outside Jiankang City to water the golden chrysanthemums, and the chrysanthemums quickly bloomed. What I'm thinking of is a famous anti-poem: "When autumn comes on the ninth day of the ninth month, my flowers bloom and all others wither, their fragrance fills Chang'an, and the whole city is adorned in golden armor."

I don't want to kill anyone, I only desire a piece of land. Just like now, on Pure Land Mountain, by my master's side, I can be a kind and compassionate doctor, reciting Buddhist scriptures. Perhaps, I could even discuss swordsmanship with Sister Yi Xuan, the fairy from Zhexing Pavilion who has returned to the mortal world, practicing the art of dual swordsmanship. Then, when the time is right, I can ask my master to grant me a marriage, acquiring several beautiful wives and concubines, living a carefree life like an immortal. That would be enough for me.

But as I think, I know it's impossible. Once that scoundrel Yang Guang has stabilized the capital, he'll be sending troops to Pure Land Mountain to flaunt the might of the Sui Dynasty's unification of the world.

These little pleasures are a rare moment of relaxation.

"I didn't expect you, you silly goose, to be so good at charming people." Tianqin followed behind Benfeng, carrying her sword-zither on her back, and leisurely picked some wildflowers and stuck them in Benfeng's hair. "Tell me, who injured Master that night?"

Benfeng knew nothing about the fierce battle on New Year's Eve where he used the lotus hand seal to defeat the masters invisibly. All he could remember was that when he made the ninth lotus hand seal, it seemed that several black lotus seats flashed by in front of him. He didn't see what his opponent looked like at all.

“Senior sister, you know my capabilities. Back then… I only understand Master’s intentions now. Master didn’t want to act personally. Think about it, Master is spotless, so he used me to extinguish the ambitions of those self-important sect leaders and valley masters who are actually worthless, sending them back for retraining so they wouldn’t bluff around anymore… As for Master’s injury, I… actually, I think Master did it for certain people, or perhaps Master had a deeper meaning. Think about it, given Senior Sister Yi Xuan’s status, no one would doubt what she said. If Master were truly injured…” Benfeng paused, glancing around, “Wouldn’t someone be eavesdropping on our sect’s secrets?”

“What an idiot! Senior sister doesn’t even have this much investigative skill. How could she be by Master’s side?” Tianqin retorted, then turned to Tianxiang, who was busy weaving flower baskets, and said, “Give that silly goose a name, one that will teach him a lesson. I’m really worried he’ll bring trouble to the sect.”

"That's your sect's business, I'm not worthy to be a part of it." Tianxiang chuckled and hung the newly woven flower basket on Benfeng's shoulder. "Look, the new bride's gone back to her parents' home." Benfeng

was delighted—this kind of life was beyond his original imagination. No pressure, beautiful company, freedom to do as he pleased, and the ability to utilize his expertise and gain recognition—it felt like a real man's strength.

Dazhi, standing nearby, occasionally boasted about the breathtaking events he had witnessed at the temple. To have been fortunate enough to witness the battle at Pure Land Mountain was already an asset that others couldn't ignore.

...

The four of them arrived at Qingxi, chatting and laughing as they filled the wooden buckets with water.

Before they were full, Tianqin issued a warning.

Three groups of Sui soldiers were approaching, kicking up dust. Soon after, the sound of a woman crying could be heard.

"Those beasts of the Sui army are about to commit another atrocity!" Tianqin drew her sword. Tianxiang, however, said, "The Empress instructed us not to clash with the Sui army."

The three groups of Sui soldiers stopped when they were about a mile from the bank of Qingxi.

A dozen burly soldiers escorted a woman toward the riverbank.

"It's Consort Zhang!" Tianxiang whispered.

Tianqin had already seen her. She had no liking for Zhang Lihua, who only knew how to flatter, and turned her back to the Sui soldiers. "Junior Brother Benfeng, this credit is yours. I'm going back to boil water for Master." Tianqin

told Dazhi to fill the last bucket of water, pushed the wheelbarrow along another path on the riverbank, and quickly left. Benfeng

was stunned when he saw Zhang Lihua: she was clearly a carbon copy of Shahua—the goddess he had once longed for, within reach, yet distant like a green meadow on the other side of the water…

The Shahua sister in the cave and the disheveled Zhang Lihua before him even wore the same clothes, both with long, flowing hair. Benfeng's heart pounded. Could it be that Heaven, with its capricious hand, had arranged such a destined opportunity for him to be a hero and save a beauty?

"Are you going to kill someone? What right do you have to kill someone!" Benfeng's question was somewhat superfluous. The military commander wielding the ghost-headed saber was clearly a seasoned, ruthless executioner.

His question stumped the other commanders.

In battle, killing a few people needed no reason; a swift stroke of the blade, and a head was severed.

Chapter 11 Skin to Skin Intimacy

. Ben Feng, step by step, raised his serpentine staff and walked towards the commanders.

With his current cultivation, killing a few commanders was a piece of cake. However, his posture wasn't one of killing; he held the staff as a solemn declaration.

What he wanted to declare to the commanders, he didn't know.

"Let me tell you, you can't kill her today, not even a thousand, not even ten thousand." Ben Feng's confident and resolute demeanor truly intimidated the commanders.

Suddenly, the staff in his hand emitted a strange cry. This cry attracted a flock of crows. The crows perched on branches and walls, soon plunging the Seven Mile Bank into darkness.

Upon seeing this scene, Benfeng recalled a self-portrait by Shahua with a background of crows flying around—the scene at that time was filled with the melancholy of ancient trees and broken hearts—Shahua asked Benfeng: How much courage does it take for a man to kill the woman he loves most, a woman of unparalleled beauty who ruined a man's empire?

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!" At that time, Benfeng just chuckled twice, and with the honesty of a silly goose, he boldly and suddenly grabbed Shahua's hand and kissed it. Then, he rushed out of the room, ran to the beach like a headless fly, and without even taking off his clothes, plunged into the sea, releasing all the heat in his body into the ocean.

To be honest, at that time, Sha Hua was like a pearl covered by a layer of something; no one recognized her natural, unadorned beauty. Only I knew the captivating allure in her bones. For three months, besides doing her assigned work, Sha Hua spent all her time painting—she seemed to be rushing to finish. Unfortunately, before she could complete her portraits of virtuous empresses and favored concubines from various dynasties using Western techniques, I had to start over. I

didn't know that if a man harbors feelings for a woman, no matter how much he tries to hide, suppress, or pretend not to care, it won't work. Sha Hua's timeless question suddenly turned this honest, timid man, who dared not have anything to do with women, into a desperate, desperate knight-errant, leading him to have an intimate encounter with a woman… albeit a fleeting, symbolic one.

"I'm telling you, she's my wife, in my past life, in this life, and in the next life, she's always been my wife... A city full of crows, a scene of sorrow; a clear stream, green with tenderness; if only there were no sorrow of parting in our eyes, who would allow white hair to grow old in this world!" Benfeng blurted out everything he had been holding back, everything he had wanted to say to Shahua, and the adapted love poem Shahua had recited to her.

A military officer, clearly an experienced man, hung his knife at his waist, walked up to Benfeng, and smacked his lips. "Kid, go on, don't cause trouble here. Save your energy for running away. I won't kill you today, hurry up!"

Tianxiang stood on a broken wall, saying slowly and deliberately, "He is Li—Ben—Feng, the new disciple of Empress Shen on—Jing—Tu—Mount!"

A burly old military officer recognized Tianxiang; a sword wound Tianxiang had given him still lingered on his face. "Survival is the priority!" he muttered, pulling his drinking buddy along and burying his face in the sand on the riverbank. The

officers, who had been wondering what was going on, reacted surprisingly quickly upon hearing Tianxiang's words, immediately burying their heads in the sand like ostriches. Fortunately, the sand on the riverbank was soft enough, and the dozen or so seasoned officers each played their roles convincingly.

Tianxiang laughed, "You old officers, you're a disgrace to the Sui army!"

A centurion a mile from the riverbank sensed something amiss and quickly spurred his horse, ordering his cavalry to charge in three columns.

The cavalry's hooves stirred the ferocity of a dark cloud of crows. These long-beaked crows swooped down and pecked at anyone they saw. The centurion, who had been ordered to kill Consort Zhang, brandished his long sword and charged forward on horseback, shouting, "What kind of demon are you, trying to save this damned Daji who has brought ruin to the country, condemned

by all!" Benfeng ignored him, picked up the pitiful

Consort Zhang, and leaped into the river. He was quick-witted; only by staying submerged could he avoid the swarms of crows that blotted out the sky. But as soon as he jumped into the water, the beautiful woman in his arms cried out in anguish, "You want me to die..."

"No, I won't let you die!" Benfeng, fearing the woman in his arms would perish, held her tightly.

"You fool, if I don't die, will you and I... be forever separated by death?" This cry was clearly Shahua's sobbing. Benfeng's hands trembled as he released her.

The moment he released her, a graceful jade arm flashed before his eyes, followed by a cold light…

Blood splattered, and the captivating beauty, her chest pierced by a broken sword, lay scattered like fallen leaves. The clear stream surged, engulfing the jade-like figure.

Benfeng reached out to grab it, but only grasped a dark yellow jade belt.

Tianxiang, standing on the broken wall, saw Benfeng standing in the water, being torn apart by crows, amidst the overlapping dark clouds. She swung her sword and floated down, carrying Benfeng on her back amidst the falling broken wings, and flew back to Pure Land Mountain.

Benfeng clung to Tianxiang's back, clutching the jade belt tightly. "You, I won't let you go. No matter where you are, even to the eighteenth level of hell, I will find you!"

"Why am I so unlucky? Why did these good days end like this!" Benfeng completely ignored what Shahua meant by her words. He only felt that this back-and-forth had been too difficult. In that monstrous society, neither of them dared to show their truest vulnerability.

Now, they could finally act freely, yet they were separated by death.

How could Heaven be so cruel? It had already trampled on the weak once, and now it had to do it again. Why was it destined that I, Li Benfeng, would sing this heartbreaking, timeless lament?

...

Only after Tianxiang carried him to the thatched hut did Benfeng realize that his outpouring of emotion had completely soaked Tianxiang's back.

He quickly buried his face in the dry grass.

Tianxiang went out, brought a wooden basin, poured in snow water, took her own handkerchief, carefully placed it down, gently closed the wooden door, and left.

The precocious Tianyin, carrying a golden chrysanthemum, peeked out from outside the door. She saw Benfeng holding Tianxiang's handkerchief, constantly shrugging his shoulders, and cautiously gestured to Tianxiang, mimicking Benfeng's movements with her little hands, shrugging left and right.

Tianxiang swiftly pulled Tianyin aside, saying, "Don't look! Don't imitate him. If a grown man sees that, it'll be embarrassing."

"Brother Benfeng is a grown man! Even a grown man can shuffle left and right when he's sad!" Tianyin tugged at Tianxiang's clothes. "Sister Tianxiang, did you two do something just now?" Tianyin deliberately tilted her head, looking Tianxiang up and down.

"Nonsense, we didn't do anything." Tianxiang, worried that Tianyin would see her back, wet from Benfeng's touch, deliberately tossed her cloak aside, tapped Tianyin's forehead, and hurried to Old Man Hua's room.

Tianyin, still childlike, tiptoed to the crack in the wooden planks to see if Benfeng was still shrugging left and right inside.

She had just settled down when she suddenly heard the wooden door slam shut. Benfeng burst out, running wildly towards the back of the mountain.

"Sister Tianxiang, quick, something terrible has happened! Brother Benfeng is going to commit suicide!" Tianyin rushed to Old Man Chunshan's house, calling out anxiously.

Upon hearing this, Tianxiang crashed through the wooden wall and chased after Benfeng.

Benfeng suddenly remembered the secrets of the cave. He worried that his poignant lament had been misplaced—entering the cave, he plopped down on the giant rock where the goddess Shahua had once stood, her face radiant with beauty, and tears welled in his eyes, wetting his handkerchief.

The cave was empty; the pensive Manzhu had vanished.

Benfeng felt like the biggest fool in the world, watching helplessly as a woman of unparalleled beauty, with whom he could have held hands, was gone—Benfeng stared blankly at the empty skylight, unblinking, filled with melancholy.

...

He sat there until sunset. Tianxiang brought him rice cakes steamed by his master and a dish of stir-fried delicacies cooked by Old Man Chunshan. Only then did Benfeng slowly slide down from the boulder.

"Sister Tianxiang, you don't know how stifled I, Li Benfeng, used to be. I was almost thirty and didn't even have a woman. That Consort Zhang, that's Sister Shahua I met in my transformed society. I always thought it was nothing. We're lowly, poor and humble. Even if we fantasized about a woman, we could only keep it to ourselves. We didn't have the means, we couldn't be too ambitious. We didn't dream of a long and happy life together. Just having that thought in our hearts was enough. But I can't watch a woman, a woman I can't erase or suppress, leave me with blood on her hands. It's too cruel. I... I'm heartbroken!"

Benfeng put his hands on the ground, wanting to bang his head against it, but Tianxiang gently pulled him into her arms.

Tianxiang couldn't fully understand what Benfeng was saying. She only felt that this big boy in front of her had a lot on his mind and a lot of suffering, especially his lingering feelings for a woman who somehow got involved with Consort Zhang. This had awakened her heart, which had never been moved before. She also had no experience of being alone with a man, but with a woman's innate gentleness, she made Benfeng, who was as weak as a little deer, lean into her arms.

"I came to this dynasty, met Zhengxi, Dazhi, Sister Tianxiang, Old Man Chunshan, and my master. Right here in this cave, I saw my own comings and goings like a frog in a well. I know that in my past and future lives, there is a woman I can't live without, or rather, two women. I originally thought that by following my master, my cultivation would gradually increase... I forgot to mention, in this cave, right there on that rock, there was a woman who looked exactly like Consort Zhang. In my heart, they were one person, completely one person... But Sister Shahua stood there, a statue, motionless, unable to speak. I'm preparing... preparing..." Benfeng nestled in Tianxiang's warm, soft embrace, saying this as he slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Tianxiang silently watched Benfeng... her heart trembling slightly, she lowered her head and slowly pressed her pretty face close to Benfeng's, murmuring, "From now on... I'll be a good... woman for you."

Chapter 12 A Dragon, A Worm [Part 1]

When Benfeng woke up, he was already in bed. A very elaborate and large bed with a canopy. Old Man Chunshan sat on a stool beside the bed with a joyful expression, smoking tobacco mixed with wild ginseng that Dazhi had picked from Zhongshan Mountain. To make up for the Hua family's heavy-handedness and lack of healing abilities, Dazhi had been following Benfeng into the mountains and had learned about many medicinal herbs.

When Old Man Chunshan saw that Benfeng was awake, he quickly made arrangements: "Prepare the meal, quickly prepare the meal."

Daxin and Dayi carried the table, and Tianxiang shyly brought in two plates of food. She glanced at Benfeng, then quietly went to the bedside and placed a new handkerchief on the bed.

Benfeng threw off the covers to get out of bed, but Old Man Chunshan waved his hand, "Lie down, lie down for

a couple more days. You've been busy these past few days, you must be tired. Take a good rest." "Old Man, I... I need to go out for a walk." Benfeng sensed something strange about Old Man Chunshan's family. Tianxiang, unusually out of character, hid to one side, meticulously sewing new clothes for someone.

"You have to eat first." Old Man Chunshan gave a wink, and Dazhi quickly brought water for washing his face to the bedside. Unable

to refuse their hospitality, Benfeng washed his hands and face, ate a few steaming buns, finished two plates of vegetables, and drank a bowl of hot soup before leaving the house. It

was still quiet outside. It wasn't dawn yet, and the refugees in the thatched huts were still asleep.

"It won't be long before Pure Land Mountain is unrecognizable," Benfeng sighed. With each

change of dynasty, even if the entire family wasn't exterminated, the previous dynasty's royal family was never allowed to remain in their original location. When Yang Jian destroyed the Northern Zhou, his own grandson ascended the throne, and thousands of members of the Yuwen family, the royal descendants, perished under the guise of a so-called magnanimous and righteous leader.

It chilled him to the bone! Benfeng thought of Shahua again—where would Old Yan send Shahua?

At that moment, he suddenly remembered Shahua's words: if they didn't die, they would be separated by the divide between the living and the dead—if they died, they would return to the cycle of reincarnation—this was worth pondering. Shahua and Manzhu probably wouldn't follow Old Yan's underworld procedures step by step, crossing the Bridge of Helplessness, drinking Meng Po's soup, and then being reborn, growing up slowly.

—Having seen the living sculpture in the cave, Benfeng had doubts and grumbled inwardly, but he couldn't trace its origins or understand its meaning.

He should go see his master. He hadn't memorized the lotus hand gesture he'd copied; his master had to explain and demonstrate it for him. Was the lotus hand gesture Buddhist or Taoist? Benfeng was bewildered.

Upon entering the room, only Tianyin was seen. Tianyin sat on a prayer mat, hands clasped together, frowning as she recited: "Why not avoid inequality and die? As the World-Honored One said, there are nine causes and nine conditions... not knowing whether it is beneficial or harmful to oneself. Not practicing at the right time, in the wrong measure, not practicing pure conduct...

" "Where is Master?" Benfeng asked.

"Brother Benfeng is here! That's great! You can recite it for me. Who would bother to write so many incomprehensible scriptures? Sister Tianqin won't let us copy them by hand. Reciting them over and over, my head is throbbing!" Tianyin slapped the ground and jumped onto Benfeng's back. "Master and the two sisters went to Tianlai Mountain—Master is so biased, leaving the two of us at home to recite scriptures."

She mentioned Tianlai Mountain again.

Benfeng saw the shepherd's whip hanging on the wooden wall and reached out to take it down. "If only I could be with Tianyin on Tianlai Mountain, herding cattle, sheep, and deer, picking wildflowers and gathering herbs, that would be wonderful," Benfeng said, carrying Tianyin out of the house. He looked at the east, where the golden rays of dawn were already appearing. "When I was little, my favorite thing was to run up the mountain early in the morning, pick wild fruits, and run to the monkey cave to tease those monkeys who love to steal food."

"When Master comes back, I'll ask him to bring everyone here, young and old, to settle down on Tianlai Mountain. Then, we'll recruit soldiers and horses, capture all the murderous tyrants of the Sui Dynasty, and put them in the monkey cave to be monkeys." Tianyin jumped off Benfeng's back and asked him for the whip. "Senior brother, let's go herd the deer. These days, we've been so busy rescuing people; Master's deer will be hungry."

"Alright." Benfeng saw Tianxiang coming this way and shouted loudly, "Let's release the deer!"

The Three Yang Immortal had brought over a dozen jars of aged wine from the palace and had drunk with Old Man Chunshan several times. In their joy, he finally formally recognized Tianxiang as his disciple.

In Taoism, only one true disciple is chosen.

Tianxiang's entry into the inner circle was a great honor for the Hua family—Old Man Chunshan was doubly happy.

...

Benfeng and Tianxiang sat on the grassy slope, watching Tianyin pick handfuls of February blueberries and feed several deer. To avoid suspicion, Tianxiang kept a distance from Benfeng. Thinking of her impetuousness that night, her heart pounded like a deer's; even more embarrassing was that she had actually said she would be a good woman to Benfeng.

"I heard that the Sui army is taking the Emperor to Chang'an, and the sisters in the palace are going to suffer with him... Alas, Her Majesty the Empress doesn't want us to have any murderous thoughts..." Tianxiang lowered her head, slowly rubbing a three-chaste grass in her hand.

"When the emperor loses his power, the women are the first to suffer. Heads hang before horses, women ride in carts… bones lie exposed in the wilderness, a thousand miles without a rooster's crow. One tree blossoms, another falls; the past events of each dynasty come to an end! If I hadn't met my master, I'd probably be one of those bones in the wilderness too." Benfeng lamented, reflecting on the so-called unified Sui Dynasty, which was nothing but a fleeting cloud.

"Benfeng, someone's selling Zhengxi's broken sword on Mao'er Street!" Dazhi shouted to Benfeng from the mountain.

"Really?" Benfeng jumped up immediately upon hearing about the short sword. He desperately wanted to know anything about Shahua.

"Absolutely! Zhengxi and Daxin are keeping an eye on it. Let's go!" Dazhi waved and rushed down the mountain.

Benfeng clasped his hands in a fist salute to Tianxiang, then rose and followed Dazhi, hurrying into Jiankang City. The Sui army guards in Jiankang City weren't strict in checking those entering.

Entering Mao'er Hutong, Benfeng saw a steamed bun vendor arguing with Zhengxi.

Upon closer inspection, Benfeng overheard the vendor demanding a hundred taels of gold. Zhengxi pretended to snatch it.

The vendor, however, remained unfazed. "This is the Sui Dynasty now! These steamed buns are for the military! You bunch of brats dare to mess with us!"

"Is it really a hundred taels of gold?" Benfeng's face was frosty.

"A hundred taels of gold, not a penny less," the vendor said defiantly.

"Is that the only condition?" Benfeng asked again.

The vendor looked at Benfeng. "There's another condition: whoever goes to Jingtu Mountain and brings back this Li Benfeng, I'll give you five taels of silver."

"That's me," Benfeng said.

"Huh?" The vendor hesitated, glancing at Li Benfeng. "How can you prove you are him?"

"Because I am Li Benfeng!" Benfeng saw the portrait on the wall, the official wanted poster for him and Tianxiang.

Upon seeing the arrest warrant for him and Tianxiang, Benfeng's anger flared. "I am Li Benfeng!" He finally found an outlet for his frustration; he had been annoyed by the Sui army's looting and plundering outside the city for the past few days.

His shout, sure enough, was heard by Sui soldiers.

Two patrols of spearmen, working in perfect coordination, surrounded him.

A centurion, leading the group, shouted loudly, "If you know what's good for you, surrender!"

"Surrender my foot!" Dazhi roared, charging towards the centurion and delivering a powerful punch.

The centurion fell to the ground, his face contorted in pain.

"Get up! You ate Wang Dama's chicken for nothing!" Zhengxi approached, grabbed the centurion, and punched him again.

These two had finally snapped. Zhengxi's original plan was to wait for the Sui army to arrive, then follow Sui Xian and become a centurion or chiliarch for a stable livelihood.

He hadn't expected Han Qinhu to be so utterly unrestrained by the atrocities committed by his soldiers. The soldiers who entered the city committed atrocities, burning and killing without restraint.

The centurion was punched by Da Xin again and was completely paralyzed.

The steamed bun seller remained defiant. "What's this? I asked you for a hundred taels of gold, and you refused, showing off. You think you're tough guys, daring to fight the soldiers? Fine, I don't want the hundred taels of gold. You bring that dog emperor Chen Shubao here, let everyone in the neighborhood see what kind of person he was back then. He ate my steamed buns without paying, and even exiled my father, who froze to death! This is an irreconcilable hatred! If you're tough guys, bring Chen Shubao here and make him confess to the neighbors. I won't take a single penny from your broken swords."

"It's a deal!" Benfeng looked at the crowd of onlookers. "Can any of you tell me where Chen Shubao is imprisoned?"

"At Jilong Mountain," someone in the crowd shouted confidently. "Back then, that dog emperor ate my steamed buns without paying, and even wrote some bullshit about being a dragon. Today we'll see if he's a dragon or a worm."

"Yes, take a good look at this damned emperor! The Sui army has already entered the city, and he's still doing that shameless thing with that shameless concubine!" someone chimed in, adding fuel to the fire.

Benfeng Chaoda said, "We'll guard this place." He then said to Dazhi and Zhengxi, "Let's go get Chen Shubao. This hundred taels of gold is worth it!" Zhengxi,

familiar with the route, led the way, and the three of them swiftly reached Jilong Mountain.

On Jilong Mountain, Han Qinhu sat imposingly in a wide-backed chair, his eyes fixed on the foot of the mountain. Upon receiving the news, he immediately strengthened the defenses.

These three young lads were truly audacious.

Seeing Benfeng, Dazhi, and Zhengxi rush forward, Han Qinhu laughed loudly, "Listen up, you three! If you can take Chen Shubao from me, Han Qinhu, today, I, Han Qinhu, will call you brothers from now on!"

"Nonsense! Do you think we care!" Yuan Zhengxi, wielding a cold iron sword, thrust forward, and the soldier in front of him bled from the chest, dying instantly.

Dazhi swung a wood-chopping axe, cleaving the soldier on the left in two, sending him to his death.

Benfeng, empty-handed, was about to throw both fists when suddenly his mind clicked, and the word "Yes" escaped his lips, instantly unleashing a Great Vajra Wheel Seal.

Instantly, rocks flew, walls collapsed, and trees fell!

Chapter 13 A Dragon, A Worm [Part 2]

Tianlai Mountain Jinglian Nunnery. A night of snowfall made this nunnery, nestled deep in the mountains, even more serene.

The young nun Miaolian added fuel to the stove for Master Huadao, who was meditating at dawn. She softly said, "Master, it snowed all night," and then went out of the house, picked up a broom, and slowly swept, passing the White Plum Garden, turning past the chanting hall, and arriving at the front gate of the nunnery.

She pulled down the long bolt and slowly pushed open the door. Looking up, she saw two people standing in the snow.

The two stood in the falling snow, yet left no footprints. Miaolian was surprised and clasped her hands together, saying, "May I ask why you two nuns have come?"

"Coming as fate dictates, leaving as fate dictates," Shen Wuhua replied. She had come because of the royal feud of the Northern Zhou Dynasty.

Three empresses of the Northern Zhou resided in the Jinglian Nunnery. After the sudden death of Yuwen Yun, the self-proclaimed emperor of the Northern Zhou, four of his five empresses had spent their lives in the Jinglian Nunnery. Empress Zhu Manyue, who entered the imperial harem as a maid, had already passed away.

"Amitabha, this humble nun, Hua Dao, greets Abbess Wu Hua." Yu Chi Fan Chi, though dressed in grey, could not conceal her striking beauty, and spoke softly with her head bowed.

"The temple's green lamp, the knot tied, the bell untied; Wu Hua's worldly heart is not yet severed. Today I've come to invite you to Haotian Peak to settle a past affair of the imperial dynasty." Shen Wu, dressed in simple white clothes and straw sandals, took Yi Xuan's jade-like wrist and walked slowly through the snow, past Jinglian Temple, gracefully landing at the foot of the seventeen-story stone pagoda on Haotian Peak.

Two people were already standing at the foot of the pagoda. Emperor Wen, Yang Jian, and his eldest daughter—Princess Leping—Empress Yang Lihua of Northern Zhou.

Yang Lihua's face was filled with sorrow. Seeing Shen Wu Hua, her eyes welled with tears. "Abbess Wu Hua, Lihua is willing to exchange her life for Yin'er's… My poor Yin'er is so grateful for your care… I know my father owes you, I'll serve you as a maid, sweeping the courtyard and carrying water… Please release Yin'er, okay?"

Hearing his daughter's words, Yang Jian's heart skipped a beat. He had long heard rumors that Abbot Yunqing of the Sanqing Taoist Temple had a daughter with Lihua, but her whereabouts were unknown.

Shen Wuhua was indeed fearless—Yang Jian's greatest difficulty in dealing with his daughter Lihua was after executing the Northern Zhou Yuwen royal family. His daughter had pleaded to spare the Yuwen lineage, and Yang Jian had agreed at the time, but then, heeded Empress Dugu's iron-fisted advice of "the matter is settled, we are now in a position of power," and ruthlessly eliminated them all.

However, he could wrong his daughter once, but could he risk losing her flesh and blood again? Lihua valued her daughter with Yuwen Yunzhong, who had become the abbot of the Sanqing Taoist Temple, more than her own life. Hearing Lihua's heartfelt words, Yang Jian's resolve to kill wavered. With

the Southern Dynasty still unsettled, Yang Jian summoned Shen Wuhua, not for tea or Buddhist discussions. Empress Dugu, filled with fear and hatred for Shen Wuhua, a thorn in her side, was restless and unable to eat or sleep. Shortly after the New Year, she sent her father, Dugu Xin, to the Western Regions to use the Black Lotus Pearl of the Daoist sect to expel the Black Lotus

Sect. The Black Lotus Pearl originated from the Western Regions' sea and was a sacred object used by the Black Lotus Sect to cultivate their Holy Light essence. Only two of these pearls existed: one held by the Black Lotus Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect, and the other by Dugu Xin. Dugu Xin, while pursuing members of the Netherworld Valley, mistakenly entered the Plum Blossom Valley of Tianlai Mountain and obtained this object from the Netherworld Stone where the sea and river meet. The two Black Lotus Pearls could not meet; if someone outside the sect possessed the pearl, the Black Lotus Saintess would kill three hundred people of the Three Yang level, using the malevolent energy of their spirits to shatter the pearl and fuse it into the Black Lotus Seat she cultivated, thus preserving the sacred object.

The Dugu family was taking a tremendous risk in this endeavor. If any member of the Dugu family possessed a person of the Three Yang level, the Black Lotus Saintess would show no mercy. It must be known that in this world, let alone those with three yang energies, even possessing only one yang energy is extremely rare.

The Black Lotus Sect, before its members even emerged, had already released their lotuses.

Three black lotuses swirled endlessly around Shen Wuhua, their black and green light growing ever denser.

"Princess Leping, you pity Tianyin, but Wuhua is also doing so for her disciple. You must see that these black lotuses are extremely yin and poisonous magical artifacts. Once released, they will steal the yang energy of living beings as easily as drinking from a gourd. Even with the Sui Dynasty's power, they can only secure one chamber, how can they secure the world! Wuhua must first end this karmic entanglement." Shen Wuhua slowly flicked her cloud-like hand, a sword condensing in the air. As her body spun, a long, entirely crimson sword appeared in her hand.

“Senior Sister, Yi Xuan is reminded of practicing swordsmanship on the shore of Lishui ten years ago. You must let Yi Xuan have her way.” Yi Xuan, a disciple of the Zhexing Pavilion, her sash fluttered as she flicked her left hand. A dull, unadorned Three Lotus Spirit Immortal Sword unfolded like ripples on water, piercing the black lotus’s dark green halo.

“Naughty, still calling me Senior Sister.” Shen Wuhua truly acted as if she were practicing swordsmanship with Yi Xuan. She flicked her wrist, revealing the Teng Huo Sword she had used when she first arrived at Ying Shui Zhou, and with a flick of her wrist, the tip of the sword clashed with Yi Xuan’s Spirit Immortal Sword.

The two swords touched, water and fire mingled, and the light and shadow of fire actually dissolved the earthly yin light of a black lotus.

The Black Lotus Saintess appeared, her cold voice rang out: “The head of Ying Shui Zhou is truly something, so humble that he dares not fight one-on-one?” The Saintess snorted coldly, her fingers spread wide, releasing three more black lotuses.

The six lotuses reflected each other, and the air suddenly turned cold.

Yang Jian and Princess Leping, who were already a mile away, couldn’t help but shiver.

A figure reappeared on Haotian Peak. A woman played a zither in her left hand and held a sword in her right. Behind her stood three kind-faced nuns.

The zither player was undoubtedly Tianqin.

At this moment, Tianqin remained silent, lost in thought. Her heart stirred, and with a flick of her finger, a wave of sound was released.

Instantly, the sound waves swirled, refreshing the otherwise chilling Haotian Peak.

The black lotus heart burst forth, initially radiating red light, then erupting with raging earth-core fire, a sudden chill followed by a blazing summer heat. The Black Lotus Saintess inverted in mid-air, the black lotus she held cawing several times. Ten giant birds with red beaks and black bodies flew out of the forest, their black wings flapping, instantly filling the air with a nauseating stench.

Earthly Yin Flame Birds!

The Black Lotus Saintess, possessing an extremely Yin body, wielded a black lotus that was the epitome of Yang within Yin, radiating earthly flames and raging firebirds.

A moment later, crackling sounds echoed through the dense forest of Haotian Peak; tree trunks, as thick as a person's embrace, had evaporated their moisture and were on the verge of ignition.

Shen Wuhua frowned angrily: "Black Lotus Saintess, is this the progress you've made in ten years of secluded cultivation? All you know is to set fire to the forest!" As her rebuke rang out, a mystical light shone above her head, and her right hand spread wide. With the sound of her zither, ten Ying Shui swords surged forth like waves, drenching the raging firebirds in the forest. Yi Xuan's figure shifted, the Three Lotus Spirit Immortal Swords blooming like water lilies in a pond, their silken sword energy enveloping the earthly flames spewed by the black lotus.

"Nine Lotuses Open!" The Black Lotus Saintess's pale face turned a deep green.

The black lotus flew from her hand.

The zither music suddenly intensified! Tianqin pressed down with her five fingers, her right hand unleashing a long sword that drew a brilliant light, forming a curtain of light before the three kind-faced nuns.

At this moment, Shen Wuhua sat cross-legged, her left hand flipping over and her right hand rising, forming a lotus flower blooming in a pond, or a swaying willow branch.

The black lotus slowly swirled in the air, its body already enveloped in a dazzling green mist. The green mist grew thicker and thicker, the black lotus layer upon layer, and with a resounding explosion, nine girls controlling the black lotus emerged from the dark space. At this moment, the Black Lotus Saintess's signature technique had reached its limit.

Clang! Tianqin released her right-hand sword, a beam of light condensing in the air, her ten fingers pressing down, and the music stopped.

Yi Xuan flew up, standing in the condensed light, and thrust out her sword!

The sword energy was silent, a speck of starlight drifting by.

Shen Wuhua closed her eyes and focused her mind, her body floating like clouds, landing on the starlight. She chanted, "Limitless emptiness, the furnace of heaven and earth. Wisdom fire and spiritual spring, the Taiji ring complete."

Clouds drifted across the sky, stars appeared in the bright sunlight, and the starlight beneath her gradually expanded, scattering into nine white lotus seats. Mysterious light emanated from her head, gradually forming a sword shape.

Yi Xuan and Tian Qin cried out in unison, "Nine Lotus Heavenly Sword!"

The heavenly sword appeared, and the earth's yin energy dissipated.

The black lotus seat of the Black Lotus Saintess fell piece by piece, becoming a dull green piece of wood.

...

Stars appeared in the bright sunlight, the Nine Lotus Heavenly Sword. Ben Feng also saw it, but he had no time to pay attention. Zheng Xi and Da Zhi advanced from the left and right, while Ben Feng, in the center, broke through three guards and, under an old peach tree, saw Chen Shubao locked in a large iron birdcage. "

I am a dragon." At this moment, Chen Shubao was a veritable worm.

A pitiful worm who had to lower his head even to look at ordinary people.

Benfeng, carrying the chicken coop, watched as Zhengxi and Dazhi turned around, their cold iron swords and wood-chopping axes flashing, carving a bloody path through the crowd. Benfeng roared, "I'm having a blast!"

Then, with a "Yes, sir!" he sprinted down the mountain.

Han Qinhu panicked, leaping to his feet, only to find a Taoist priest standing beside him. His head was bald, his belly was bald, and his feet were bare—it was none other than the Three Yang Immortal.

"Calm down, watch the children's magic tricks, just for fun." The Three Yang Immortal even carried a steamer of buns. "General Han, these are imperial buns bestowed by the Dragon King, have a taste..."

Han Qinhu waved his hand to refuse, but two juicy buns suddenly appeared in his mouth.

...

Benfeng carried the iron chicken coop to the street. A few daring children, seeing that the Sui army hadn't followed, took off their worn-out shoes and threw them at the chicken coop.

"I'll smash you to death, you dog emperor!

Give me back my sister's life!" "You dared to write such lousy poems, you worthless traitor! Die!"

"I'll skin you alive, use your skin as a whip for my father, and drive you, you dog emperor, to the East Sea to haul salt!"

More and more children gathered, and some of the bolder stall owners joined in.

Shu Bao shrank back in fear, repeatedly begging for mercy: "I deserve to die, I deserve to die..."

"Bullshit, can't you speak like a human being? What country's emperor are you now?" A tall, thin rice shop assistant cursed Chen Shu Bao, but gave Ben Feng a thumbs up. "Brother, well done! You've brought honor to the people of the Southern Dynasty!"

"Chen Shu Bao, you're a man! Stand up straight! Don't slouch!" Ben Feng opened the chicken coop and dragged Chen Shu Bao to the steamed bun shop.

As soon as Benfeng let go, Chen Shubao fell to the ground. "Don't hit me! I'm a useless emperor, a good-for-nothing! Spare me! I'll be your slave in my next life!"

"Brother, stand up! Please, stand up like a man!" Chen Zhen suddenly squeezed out of the crowd, ran to Chen Shubao, and cried out.

"No! They'll beat me if I stand up. I'd rather stay down." Chen Shubao covered his head with his hands, not even having the courage to look up at his sister.

Chen Zhen suddenly knelt before Benfeng, pleading, "Li Benfeng, you're a true man! Please, save my imperial brother, save my sisters who, like me, are to be given to the Sui people to be defiled!"

Chen Wan also struggled to squeeze through the crowd and knelt on the ground, "Brother Benfeng, I... I'll be your woman. I know you can save them... I know... you will!"

Chapter 14: Departing as a Lotus.

Benfeng was filled with melancholy again... He could hardly contain the surging passion within him—the desire to plead for the people and to win a woman's smile. He wanted to take the two gentle and beautiful princesses of the Southern Dynasty and raise his voice: "I, Li Benfeng, have been appointed in this time of crisis. I will strive for the well-being of the people of the Southern Dynasty, to contend with the powerful Sui for the Central Plains, and to achieve a prosperous and lasting dynasty."

But did Li Benfeng have the means to do so?

Those who achieve great things are invariably ruthless, capable of taking thousands of lives without flinching—this is something I, a humble commoner, could never achieve, simply by acquiring a piece of farmland, a few beautiful wives, and in my spare time practicing swordsmanship with my senior sisters to alleviate the melancholy of gazing at the heavens.

If I were like Yang Jian, who proclaimed himself the father of all people but couldn't even protect a woman he desired, what would be the point of unifying the world?

It would be better to act according to my capabilities, seize a lull in the chaos, find a secluded farmland far from the Sui army, let the two princesses tend the garden, and enjoy a few days of peaceful bliss in the bedchamber of this humble couple.

…

I helped Chen Wan and Chen Zhen up, speaking gently with empathy: “Princess, please don't be anxious or angry. I have already made a plan. Let's return to Pure Land Mountain and discuss this further.”

A gentleman is slow to speak but quick to act…Chen Zhen silently recited this in her heart. Chen Zhen, now a married woman, had experienced the full spectrum of life's joys and sorrows. During her time on Pure Land Mountain, she watched Benfeng busily tending to the wounded and rescuing the dying, assigning tasks to Daxin and Dayi, among others—

each task concise yet organized, busy but not chaotic.

Suddenly, shouts erupted from the crowd: "We can't let him off so easily! Parade him through the streets!" "Let everyone see what kind of debauched, incompetent ruler he is now!"

The crowd stirred again, and suddenly, men wielding sharp weapons rushed in, attempting to assassinate Chen Shubao. Two of Han Qinhu's hidden henchmen, concealed within the crowd, swiftly beheaded the man.

Another life lost!

Fearing a major calamity, Han Qinhu dispatched over a dozen of his trusted lieutenants to Mao'er Hutong. He himself led 500 elite cavalry, marching in formation through the streets.

Benfeng waited until Han Qinhu drew near before loudly proclaiming, "A gentleman's word is as good as his bond! General Han, do you still stand by your word?"

"Hahaha, am I, Han Qinhu, a man of my word? I'll call you brother now! Tonight, I'll treat you to drinks and music, how about it?" Han Qinhu, seeing Chen Shubao already stuffed under an iron chicken coop by his men, bowed to Benfeng. "Brother, at Yixiang Tower in Longcangpu, I've prepared a feast for you. Tonight, drink to your heart's content, drink to your heart's content!"

Benfeng clasped his hands in agreement. The soldiers, following Han Qinhu's orders, made way for Benfeng. Zhengxi and Dazhi led the way, while Benfeng brought up the rear, protecting Chen Zhen and Chen Wan as they headed towards the city gate.

As they neared the gate, they found it heavily guarded. A general on the gate tower stared fiercely at Benfeng and the two princesses. Beside him, another general also watched them with piercing eyes.

Another bloody battle was inevitable.

Benfeng really didn't want to leave the city wading through the blood of soldiers. These soldiers were all born and raised by parents; some were just trying to earn a living, yet they died needlessly, their bodies lying in a foreign land, leaving their elderly parents to suffer.

Ideally, the two generals in their gleaming armor on the gate tower could, like Old Han, arrange a time to drink together, listen to the lamentations of the Jinling courtesans, discuss the current situation, and cultivate a future friendship based on mutual exchange.

Standing atop the gate tower were Yang Guang and Yang Su.

Such a grand display of troops at the city gate wasn't aimed at Benfeng, but at Princesses Chen Zhen and Chen Wan. It's natural for men to be lustful. Yang Guang had long admired the beauty of Jiangnan and secretly sent Gao Jiong into the capital to seduce her—Gao Jiong was a man of great importance to the nation's stability. Upon seeing Zhang Lihua, he was so captivated by her beauty that he, with the courage of someone beheading Daji while masked, ordered her execution.

Yang Guang was furious but could only suppress his anger. This military campaign was for the future ascension to the throne; if he couldn't bear this, his future ambitions to become crown prince and ascend the throne would be virtually impossible.

If he couldn't have Lihua, he could seek the princesses. Yang Guang had already disguised himself and tried it out at a brothel; the women of Jiangnan possessed a unique, elegant, and gentle charm.

When Benfeng and his two companions were slaughtering their way through Jilong Mountain, Yang Guang's men learned that the two princesses had also arrived in Jiankang City. Yang Guang and Yang Su then ascended the city wall to deploy their troops.

Sending troops for a woman is often an unspeakable yet irresistible reason.

From the moment Yang Guang entered Jiankang City, his entourage frequently mentioned the name "Li Benfeng" and the Pure Land Mountain. What merit did this unknown young man possess to be favored by the saintly Shen Wuhua? Whenever Empress Shen was mentioned, regardless of the dynasty, people generally looked up to her, and even members of the royal family were no exception.

Old Li, having received his master's teachings, was unaware that he had become the talk of the town, with busybodies racking their brains to find out Benfeng's true origins. Tianxiang, on the banks of the Qingxi River, called out the name "Li Benfeng" to the dozen or so old military leaders who wanted to kill Zhang Lihua, causing them to cower like ostriches on the sand—this was the first sign of his involvement.

"Who are you, brat, daring to disregard my Sui army?" Yang Guang roared. Inwardly conflicted, Yang Guang looked at Li Benfeng with utter contempt.

Benfeng, having heard Da Zhi's words, realized that the two men on the gate tower were the ruthless figures who would later wreak havoc on the Sui Dynasty. He couldn't help but look up, scrutinizing the two men with the eyes of a physician examining a patient.

Yang Guang was imposing, but his eyes gleamed with contemptuous arrogance, his gaze somewhat unfocused, his face weary, clearly from frequent nighttime activities. He had no serious illness, but if minor ailments had accumulated over the years, coupled with the allure of killing and women, the sudden chill of winter would surely have caused him to develop a high fever and be weak for a while.

Yang Su, though tall, possessed an excessively heavy yin energy. Although he deliberately concealed it with a gentle demeanor, a sinister aura still emanated from his inner hall and between his brows—truly a treacherous villain—the distorted historical records and anecdotes still hit the nail on the head regarding people like Yang Su.

Talking about friendship and mutual exchange with two people like these seems too extravagant.

Benfeng turned to Chen Zhen and Chen Wan and asked, "Are you afraid?"

Chen Zhen shook her head, while Chen Wan hesitated slightly before reaching out her small hand and tugging at Benfeng's collar. "Following Brother Benfeng... I'm not afraid."

"Good." Benfeng then looked at Zhengxi and Dazhi, who were ready to charge. "Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life, but some self-righteous fellows, once they have troops, always try to subdue others. We can only repay them in kind, just as Tianyin said, let them pass on!"

Zhengxi and Dazhi were about to draw their swords and axes when they heard a Buddhist chant rang out from outside the city gate: "Amitabha, Yang Guang and Yang Su, listen up! The flying cavalry carrying the imperial edict pardoning the Chen royal family has arrived. What are your plans? Do you intend to disobey the edict?"

Shen Wuhua waved her whip, driving a dozen golden-hoofed deer. Dressed in a light blue men's robe, she walked leisurely on the bluestone road.

Seeing his master, Benfeng felt relieved. He waved to Yang Guang and bowed slightly. "This humble subject greets His Highness Prince Jin, a member of the Imperial Family of the Great Sui Dynasty, and General Yang, the Grand Marshal of the Expeditionary Army against Chen. I, Benfeng, came to the capital for a personal matter and took the two princesses out for a stroll. May I ask, have I violated the laws of the Sui Dynasty? You two are not going to use the city gate guards to detain the princesses, are

you? You should know that the two princesses are not prisoners who were captured when the city fell. Hahaha, I've been busy all day and my stomach is rumbling. I need to go back to Pure Land Mountain for a meal." Before Benfeng could finish speaking, a whip cracked, and a dozen golden-hoofed deer appeared as if they were in an empty field, their hooves flying as they forced the city guards to make way.

Now was the perfect time to leave. Taking advantage of the guards' momentary lapse in concentration, Benfeng, along with the two princesses, swiftly slipped out of the city gate. Dazhi and Zhengxi followed closely behind.

"Amitabha, well said, well said! Saving a life is worthy of building a seven-story pagoda." Shen Wuhua gently flicked her whip, and a dozen golden-hoofed deer joyfully ran out of the city gate again.

Benfeng met up with his master and they returned to Pure Land Mountain together. After comforting the two princesses for a few moments, Benfeng followed his master into his room. He was eager to hear about his master's experiences on Tianlai Mountain.

Upon entering the room, his master suddenly laughed, "Amitabha, senior brother, I almost laughed out loud when I heard you reprimanding Yang Guang."

Only then did Benfeng realize that what had just happened was Tianyin's doing.

"Senior brother, let's find some carriages and take the princess and everyone from Pure Land Mountain, young and old, to Tianlai Mountain to find Master. That scoundrel Yang Guang will definitely come to the mountain to demand her return." Tianyin's expression was very solemn. "Senior brother, I heard from Sister Tianxiang that Master used the Nine Lotus Heavenly Sword... Something terrible must have happened at Tianlai Mountain... Amitabha, Master has turned misfortune into good fortune."

...

Tianyin didn't know that her own mother, Princess Leping, was currently suffering agonizing pain at the foot of Haotian Peak: Yang Jian, stubborn as ever, led 30,000 elite troops to besiege Tianlai Mountain—after being defeated at Pure Land Mountain, he invited the Black Lotus Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect, but was defeated again. Yet, he was still unwilling to give up and was determined to trap Shen Wuhua to death at Tianlai Mountain.

Yang Jian knew his own suffering. The passing of both Abbess Zhixian and Master Kuye was a devastating blow to Yang Jian, who was devoted to Buddhism and seeking the Dao. In the darkness, he sighed, "A person is but a body that lives no more than a hundred years. Even if one's Buddhist teachings are profound, one will still return to the dust after death. Why bother with solitary meditation and toiling under a dim lamp? Unifying the country and residing in the imperial court is the ultimate goal for a person!"

Shen Wuhua looked at the soldiers surrounding the mountain below and calmly said to Yang Lihua, who was weeping uncontrollably, "Your father's heart is as firm as iron. Wuhua's refusal to go is already a hindrance to the unification of the Sui Dynasty."

"Yi Xuan, Tian Qin, come and practice your swordsmanship with me... The Black Lotus Sect will need another twenty years to help you achieve the state of perfect enlightenment. In twenty years, you will find it lonely at the top." Shen Wuhua spoke, her eyes filled with autumn water as she gazed at the Pure Land Mountain. "From Buddhism to Taoism, the stars reflect the heart, the seventeenth master's land, the stone pagoda of Haotian." As

Shen Wuhua's voice fell softly, she pointed to the top of the seventeen-story stone pagoda on Haotian Peak. Five wind-riding swords appeared in her left hand, and as she leaped to the top, seven thunder-striking swords appeared in her right hand.

With both hands, she manipulated the wind and thunder, and twelve flying immortal swords, accompanied by thunder and the wind of Haotian, slashed down. Yi Xuan's Three Lotus Spirit Immortal Sword and Tian Qin's Qin Yin Frost Flower Sword, their light reflecting the sun, collided with the twelve flying swords, creating a dazzling golden light.

Shen Wuhua uttered "Yes" repeatedly, and thirty-three golden Buddha figures appeared in the void. Golden light shone forth, the Buddha's form reclining, and heavy clouds loomed in the sky.

The twelve flying swords suddenly ceased, like fish swimming in a lotus pond, blooming and solidifying into water.

The thirty-three golden Buddha figures spun faster and faster, enveloping Yi Xuan and Tian Qin within them. The two focused their minds, achieving stillness and unity, and the swords in their hands vanished instantly.

But then Shen Wuhua uttered a soft, melodious voice: "My heart is Zen, all transformations are in harmony with the Dao."

The sky became clear.

As the people on the peak looked up, the stone pagoda was now empty.

After a short while, twelve golden lotus seats, gradually brightening, spiraled down from the top of the seventeenth-story pagoda, then flew back up, reaching the top of Haotian Peak, where they solidified into nothingness.

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