“Did you hear the bell from the Imperial Academy last night?”

The next day, in the capital city of Great Shang, the people began to discuss the bell that rang last night. Whether they actually heard it or not, they were all very curious at this moment.

“I heard it. It is said that when the bell of the Imperial Academy rings, it means that the Divine Scripture is about to open.”

“The Divine Scripture? What is that?”

“I don’t know. No one has seen it, but it is said to be a stone tablet that knows all the affairs of the world, with the power to reach the heavens and the earth.”

“Really? Just a stone tablet can be so powerful?”

“Yes, you haven’t heard? In the past, the Temple Master of the Divine Oracle engraved his name on the Divine Scripture, and upon entering the Five Realms, he became a powerful figure second only to the Confucian Scholar.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. Does that mean if we can engrave our names on the Divine Scripture, we can also become great practitioners like the Temple Master of the Divine Oracle?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Every time the Divine Scripture opens, countless young talents will flock to it, and they must also pass the test of the Confucian Scholar. Let’s just watch the excitement.”

“Who do you think will be able to engrave their name on the Divine Scripture this time?”

“It’s hard to say, but every disciple of the Confucian School is outstanding among their peers, and the senior disciple of the Confucian School is said to be no less talented than the four great geniuses in the world.”

“I guess it will be Yan Xiaoyu. Now that the Divine Child of the Divine Oracle is in the capital city, who can stop him from seizing this opportunity?”

“You make a good point. I almost forgot about the Divine Child of the Divine Oracle. It’s not good. If the people of the Divine Oracle seize the opportunity to engrave their names on the Divine Scripture, the reputation of Great Shang will be ruined.”

“The Divine Child of the Divine Oracle is nothing. I guess the winner will be Li Ziye from the Li Family. Don’t you know? These days, even the senior disciple of the Confucian School has been following Li Ziye, supposedly under the order of the Confucian Scholar, to study with him. Just think, the person who can teach the senior disciple of the Confucian School must be an extraordinary figure.”

“Nonsense, is that true?”

“Of course, haven’t you heard? Li Ziye once said a very domineering statement, ‘If heaven does not give birth to me, Li Ziye, then the swordsmanship of the eternal night!’”

…

“Cough, cough, I never said that, I absolutely never said that!”

Li Yuan, Li Ziye, listened to the ridiculous rumors spreading among the people in the capital city and hurriedly defended himself.

These commoners are really boring, they can talk nonsense all they want, why do they have to involve him?

It’s like the pot calling the kettle black!

“It seems that even the commoners are rooting for Brother Li. Brother Li, you can do it. I believe in you too!”

In the west wing, Bai Wangyu looked at the young man beside him with an auntie-like smile and said.

“Get lost. Don’t you know that too much attention will lead to death?”

Li Ziye said impatiently, “This is the time to keep a low profile. I have to spend some silver to change the public opinion and make people criticize Yan Xiaoyu, and try to choke him with poisonous milk!”

“Milk?”

Bai Wangyu, listening to the nonsense spewing from the young man beside him, said in annoyance, “What do you mean?”

“It means praise.” Li Ziye said casually.

“Then I’ll praise Brother Li too.” Bai Wangyu smiled and said, putting it into practice.

“Get lost!”

Li Ziye almost choked on his own words and said, “Old Bai, you are really becoming more and more incorrigible!”

Bai Wangyu chuckled and said, “Brother Li, you have to work hard. This time, there are many people competing with you. Now that I think about it, Yan Xiaoyu’s arrival in the capital city is too coincidental. It must be because the scholar of the Divine Oracle calculated that the Divine Scripture was about to open early, so he sent Yan Xiaoyu to seize this opportunity.”

“If it weren’t for you, I would have no hope of winning.”

“So, Brother Li, you have to work hard. At least, before the Divine Scripture officially opens, you have to master the third move of the Flying Immortal Technique.” Bai Wangyu encouraged.

“It’s difficult!”

Li Ziye looked at the red line formation in front of him, feeling overwhelmed, and said, “I’ve only practiced the footwork to twenty steps. The last seven steps are getting harder and harder, and I can’t control my body every time.”

“Brother Li, take this.”

Bai Wangyu took out a white jade bottle from his pocket and handed it to Li Ziye.

“What is this?”

Seeing the jade bottle handed to him, Li Ziye curiously took it and opened it to ask.

“Return to Spirit Pill, a secret medicine of the Confucian School, can help Brother Li quickly restore the true energy consumed in the Divine Hidden Technique.” Bai Wangyu replied.

“Wow, there really is such a thing. Why didn’t you bring it out earlier, Old Bai?”

Li Ziye, upon hearing this, immediately held the jade bottle tightly as if he had obtained a treasure, his eyes shining. What a great thing!

“Because it’s expensive.”Bai Wangyu deliberately showed a pained expression on his face and said, “Such elixirs are scarce even in the Confucian School. I had to rely on my status as the eldest senior brother and forcefully snatch it from the junior brother in charge of guarding the elixir chamber. I reckon that junior brother has already gone to complain to the esteemed Master of the Confucian School by now.”

“Old Bai, you’re truly too righteous!”

Li Ziye burst into hearty laughter upon hearing this and said, “No worries, if the Confucian School doesn’t want you, I’ll take care of you!”

“I’ll remember Brother Li’s words.”

Bai Wangyu smiled and said, “Brother Li, now that you have the Revival Pill, you must show some spirit. I predict that in no more than ten days, the Heavenly Book will truly open. Before that happens, Brother Li must master the third stance of the Flying Immortal Technique!”

“No problem, just watch me!”

Li Ziye immediately stood up, picked up the Chunjun Sword beside him, and walked towards the red thread formation ahead.

In ten days, he must master the third stance of the Flying Immortal Technique, then inscribe his name in the Heavenly Book and become invincible under the heavens, hahaha!

…

In the southwestern border of the Great Shang, within a quiet pavilion in the middle of the water at the Southwestern King’s Mansion, San Zang sat cross-legged, quietly cultivating.

With a face as tender as a child’s and exceptionally fair skin, he was the contemporary Buddhist Disciple, known for his clear and pure nature, and hailed as a once-in-a-century Buddhist prodigy, highly likely to become the second Buddha in the mortal world.

“Monk, don’t you get bored meditating all day?”

At this moment, a crisp voice came from behind, and entering his view was an extremely beautiful young girl, naturally charming and stealing the essence of heaven and earth.

The girl was none other than Princess Qing Qing, who had recently returned to the mansion. After some rest, her mood had improved a lot. Apart from her memory not yet recovered, she was otherwise no different from ordinary people.

“Princess.”

San Zang opened his eyes and looked at the girl who approached, showing a serene smile on his fair face and said, “Cultivation is all about cultivating the mind. With Buddha in the heart, how could one feel bored?”

“I don’t understand.”

Qing Qing sat beside him, passed over some pastries, and said, “Monk, will you eat?”

“Princess, please eat. This humble monk is not hungry.”

San Zang replied with a smile.

“Oh.”

Qing Qing dangled her bare feet in the lake, kicking the water while eating pastries and said, “Monk, it’s so boring here. Why don’t you take me out to play?”

“Princess, the Queen has ordered that you are not to leave the mansion at will. Moreover, the Princess is now well, and it is time for this humble monk to return,” San Zang said with a smile.

“No, little monk, you can’t go!”

Upon hearing this, Qing Qing immediately became anxious, put down the plate of pastries, and grabbed his arm, saying, “I won’t let you go.”

San Zang looked at his arm being grasped, struggled a bit unnaturally, and said, “Princess, I descended the mountain on my master’s orders to subdue the demon troubling the villagers below. Now that the Princess is well, this humble monk must return to his duties.”

“No!”

Qing Qing held onto his arm tightly, refusing to let go and said anxiously, “If you leave, I’ll leave with you!”

“Princess, it was agreed upon arrival that once the Princess’s health was restored, the mansion would not interfere with this humble monk’s comings and goings,” San Zang said helplessly.

“It was that armored guy who said that, I never did.”

Qing Qing shook her head desperately, her gaze swept around and then settled on the lake in front of her, saying, “Monk, you can’t leave, otherwise, otherwise I’ll jump into this lake!”

“Amitabha.”

Upon hearing this, San Zang’s expression became even more helpless, and he could only patiently try to persuade her, “Princess, you saw that day, there was a demon in the village. If this humble monk does not subdue that demon, and it comes out to harm people again, the villagers will suffer.”

“There was no demon in the village, just a ferocious beast that ate people, and it’s already dead,” Qing Qing said anxiously.

However, after speaking, Qing Qing immediately covered her mouth, a glint of light flashed in her eyes as if she knew she had misspoken and dared not say more.

“Princess, what did you say?” San Zang frowned, puzzled.

“Nothing.”

Qing Qing forced a smile, still holding onto his arm, and said, “Anyway, I won’t let you go. If you’re worried about demons harming people, I’ll have the soldiers from the mansion help you subdue them. That way, you won’t have to rush back, right?”

“Princess.”

San Zang was about to say something else.

At this moment, a servant hurried over from behind and said, “Princess, the Queen asks for your presence.”

Upon hearing this, Qing Qing pouted and said, “Alright.”

After speaking, Qing Qing stood up and walked out of the pavilion.

“Monk, you can’t leave.”

At the water’s edge, Qing Qing turned back, looked at the little monk in the pavilion, and smiled sweetly, “Otherwise, I’ll jump into this lake. The Buddhist Sect does not permit the taking of life, so if you leave, you would be breaking your precepts.”

“Amitabha.”

San Zang heard this and showed a bitter smile, unsure of how to handle the situation.

Seeing this, Qing Qing left, satisfied.

Inside the mansion’s inner courtyard, a dignified and elegant woman sat in the hall. Seeing her daughter approaching, the worry on her face eased a bit, and she stood up saying, “Qing Qing, come sit by your mother.”

Qing Qing approached somewhat reluctantly and sat down next to the woman.”Your father, the king, has sent a letter, asking you to hurry to the Capital City. Ah, I really don’t understand what your father is thinking, agreeing to let you marry the eldest prince. Clearly, there are so many better options, yet he insists on choosing someone disabled.” The woman looked at the letter on the table, her face showing worry once again as she rambled on.

The Southwest Princess failed to notice that, at this moment, a chilling green light flickered in her daughter’s eyes.

“Demonic aura.”

Meanwhile, outside the Southwest King’s mansion, a monk approached, his gaze fixed on the mansion ahead, his expression solemn.