"Do you have a handwritten letter from Master?"
Li Xiangxue asked in a deep voice.
"There are only oral commands, no handwriting."
Qingwu answered indifferently.
Li Xiangxue had a bad feeling in his heart and asked again, "Master asked you to take me back, it shouldn't be just to learn about the Spring and Autumn Tomb, right?"
"You just need to obey the Taoist master's orders."
Qing Wu looked at Li Xiangxue coldly.
“…”
Li Xiangxue's heart sank suddenly.
In Taiping Township, the Taoist master is like a god.
Those who have lived in Taiping Township for generations will spontaneously protect the person who becomes the Taoist master.
Maybe it wasn’t the Taoist Master who did anything for them, but they knew that without the Taoist Master, they wouldn’t be able to live so leisurely and comfortably.
After Ji Qingzhi became the Taoist master, he also enjoyed the same treatment.
Like previous Taoist masters, he recruited experts in Taiping Township and formed his own guards.
There are nineteen people in total, named Qing Yi to Qing Jiu Shi.
The Royal Guards can also be seen as the Taoist master's personal death squad, who do not participate in normal affairs and have no real rights.
Without power, naturally there is no high status, at least not as high as the position of protector.
Not to mention, compared with Li Xiangxue, the Taoist master's personal disciple.
Before in Taiping Township, even Qingyi had never shown such a tough attitude towards him, and even had to salute him when he saw him.
But right now, Qingwu was actually speaking to him in an imperative tone...
It is obvious that Ji Qingzhi must have some purpose!
Li Xiangxue's expression changed, and he continued, "My realm is not high enough, and I can't find the location of Taiping Township... Is there someone waiting outside to escort me back?"
"No."
Qing Wu shook his head, reached into his bosom and took out a small copper plate and handed it to Li Xiangxue, "The Taoist master wants you to hold the traction plate and return to Taiping Township on your own."
"Return on your own..."
Li Xiangxue looked at the plate in his hand, a trace of surprise flashed across his face.
I thought Qingwu’s appearance was aimed at me.
But now it seems that it is obviously not.
Otherwise, he would never be allowed to return to Taiping Township on his own, but would arrange for an expert to pick him up outside the Chunqiu Tomb.
So here comes the question.
If it's not directed at yourself, then who is it directed at?
At this time, the entrance to the tomb opened and Fang Shuyue walked in.
"Patriarch Fang, just send him out."
Qingwu spoke first.
The indifferent and even impatient tone made Fang Shuyue stunned, and he couldn't help but look at Li Xiangxue.
This expression...
Don’t you want to give up the hundred times more years you’ve spent at Chunqiu Hall?
Fang Shuyue seemed to be thinking about something and raised his hand and waved.
"I……"
Li Xiangxue only had time to utter one word before he was wrapped in the breeze and flew out of the tomb without any chance of resistance, all the way to the edge of the grave mountain.
Soon, it passed through an invisible barrier and disappeared into the Spring and Autumn Tomb.
When I came to my senses, I was already on a small boat.
Li Xiangxue's face instantly became extremely ugly.
Through the sea water, you can see the pitch-black coffin moving away in one direction.
Theoretically, if he burst out at full speed, he could still catch up now.
But the problem is, he can't get in... Even if he gets in, he can't stay in there without means like Xu Chong.
Li Xiangxue just stood on the boat, staring at the coffin until it completely disappeared from his sight.
After a while, he gradually calmed down.
"If it's not directed at me, then it must be directed at someone in the Spring and Autumn Tomb."
"Otherwise, there wouldn't be such a sudden change."
“Who will it target?”
"Uncle Xu?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Uncle Xu is in the Spring and Autumn Tomb. No one should know about it."
"If it's not Uncle Xu... could it be the Fang family?"
“That’s not right either.”
“Although Qing Wu is a first-grade Dharmakāya, he definitely cannot take on the entire Fang family by himself.”
"Yes, how did Qingwu come about?"
"I was brought out of Taiping Township by Fang Manya, then went to the Fang family ship, and finally entered the Spring and Autumn Tomb."
"As for Qingwu, without someone to lead us, we will never be able to enter the Spring and Autumn Tomb... I understand!"
Li Xiangxue suddenly understood.
He remembered what Xu Chong said, that the Fang family was planning to take over Ji Qingzhi's Baicao Garden.
"It must be Fang Shuyue who went to Taiping Township and brought Qingwu back."
"Also, Qingwu wants me to go back and report what I saw and heard in Taiping Township... Ji Qingzhi wants to know the situation inside the Spring and Autumn Tomb?"
"He is so eager. It is very likely that Fang Shuyue has used some method to impress Ji Qingzhi and make him want to enter the Spring and Autumn Tomb."
"Although I don't know what this method is, the fact that Ji Qingzhi asked Qingwu to replace me proves that he doesn't really trust Fang Jiuyue..."
Li Xiangxue's eyes flickered, "As long as I don't return to Taiping Township, or even lose contact with him completely, Ji Qingzhi will definitely be alert and will never risk entering the Spring and Autumn Tomb!"
After some deduction, Li Xiangxue guessed most of the truth.
For him, because of the existence of his inner demon, it is most advantageous to actively cooperate with the Fang family and lure Ji Qingzhi into the Spring and Autumn Tomb.
But he didn't intend to do that.
Whether it is to get rid of the inner demon or to take revenge on Ji Qingzhi, in his opinion, Xu Chong's safety is more important.
Once Ji Qingzhi enters the Spring and Autumn Tomb, Xu Chong will most likely be in danger.
This was something he couldn't accept.
"Instead of doing this, it is better to let the inner demon exist and deal with Ji Qingzhi, and then think of another way."
Li Xiangxue made a decision and steered the boat in the opposite direction of the towing disk.
His idea was good, but unfortunately...
Unfortunately, he didn't know that Ji Qingzhi had never thought of entering the Spring and Autumn Tomb, and he didn't need to enter the Spring and Autumn Tomb at all.
Just like Lou Youzhi's every effort to save Yongzhou, the outcome of this matter was doomed from the beginning.
The other side.
Fang Shuyue brought Qingwu to the top of the mountain and handed over the blood talisman that Li Xiangxue had used before.
"This is the Spring and Autumn Hall with a hundred times more years."
Fang Shuyue pointed to the tombstone with words engraved on it and said, "With the blood talisman, you can enter and exit at will, and open and close the stone chamber inside."
Qing Wu put away the blood talisman, but he had no intention of entering the tomb. Instead, he turned to look at Fang Shuyue and said, "The Taoist Master has something to tell the elders of the Fang family."
"Well?"
Fang Shuyue was stunned. "What?"
"Please ask Patriarch Fang to convene a meeting of the elders."
Qing Wu said calmly, "I want to say this in public... It concerns the arrangement of the Taoist master, so it must be done secretly, and we must not attract the attention of the Yongtai Emperor's clone."
“…”
Fang Shuyue frowned tightly and subconsciously glanced towards the mountainside.
That is where the Xuanjie Tomb is located, including the Xuanjie training hall where the 'Emperor Yongtai's clone' is located.
In fact, he didn't need to use his eyes to see. From beginning to end, he had been paying attention to the hub of the cave.
As long as there are signs that the training hall is about to open, he can take Qing Wu and disappear instantly before it opens to avoid being noticed by the 'Emperor Yongtai's clone' that may come out.
In other words, Qingwu's worries were completely unnecessary.
But here’s the thing…
What does Ji Qingzhi have to say that he must tell all the elders?
Fang Shuyue retracted his gaze and nodded somewhat dissatisfiedly, "Okay, let's go to the meeting hall first, and I will notify the rest one by one."
As soon as he finished speaking, without waiting for Qing Wu to respond, Fang Shuyue summoned the breeze, forcibly wrapped Qing Wu up, and flew towards the meeting hall on the mountainside.
One is deterrence, the other is testing.
On the way back to Chunqiu Tomb from Taiping Township, Fang Shuyue already knew that Qing Wu was in the Dharma Realm, but he was not sure of his specific level.
And now, his strong power was violently drilling into Qing Wu's body and penetrating into the Huangting.
"you!"
Qing Wu glared at Fang Shuyue.
"It's just a routine."
Fang Shuyue responded casually and continued to do as he pleased.
After a moment, he knew all about Qingwu.
The Dharmakāya is at the first level, and its potential is about to be exhausted, it can only be at the third level at best.
To put it bluntly, it's garbage.
Fang Shuyue was completely relieved.
Although Qingwu's request is a bit strange and his motives are unclear, his strength is real.
Any elder of the Fang family is not afraid of Qing Wu.
It can be said that there is no threat at all.
"Let you live a few more days."
Fang Shuyue said coldly in his heart.
After all, he is the patriarch of the ancient clan. If it weren't for the fact that the Taoist's guards had life lamps that always reflected life and death, he would never have allowed Qing Wu to be so presumptuous in front of him.
I'm afraid that Qing Wu had died the moment he entered the Spring and Autumn Tomb.
In this way, the two of them entered the meeting hall.
Under Fang Shuyue's surveillance of the Xuanjie Training Hall, it didn't take long before ten elders of the clan gathered one after another.
Including Fang Manxia, ​​everyone looked confused, not knowing why the clan leader suddenly called everyone together.
In fact, long before Fang Lezhong sent back the news that the Wuxiang Clothes could no longer be obtained, all the Dao Realm cultivators in the Fang family, including the clan elders, had been informed of the two events: 'the fake Lin Kuang, the real Yongtai', and 'the imminent decline of the Chunqiu Tomb'.
During the time when Fang Shuyue was away from the Spring and Autumn Tomb, these people were making intensive preparations.
The rule of three places in Chunqiu Hall, one for each generation, was temporarily shelved, and all were given to clan members who still had hope of making further progress after cultivating the Tao.
Among those who have exhausted their potential, those who have mastered secret martial arts will enter the Earth-level training hall and intensify their training in the hope of upgrading their secret martial arts to side skills before the war.
It’s not that I’m afraid of Ji Qingzhi.
In the eyes of all the Fang family members, Ji Qingzhi is just a small character.
Even if Ji Qingzhi brought all the men in Taiping Township into the Spring and Autumn Tomb, they could still be taken over by the Fang family.
What they were really wary of was the clone of Emperor Yongtai.
"This is Ji Qingzhi's personal guard Qing Wu, who has come to discuss how to deal with Emperor Yongtai's clone."
Fang Shuyue explained, and then said to Qing Wu: "If Ji Qingzhi has something to tell you, you can say it now."
Qing Wu snorted coldly, his eyes swept across the faces of the elders, and frowned, "There are twelve seats here without distinction of priority, which means that the Fang family should have twelve elders under the patriarch. I wonder where the other two are?"
"I'm out doing chores and won't be back for half a year."
Fang Shuyue showed an impatient look.
“…Whatever.”
Qingwu nodded, feeling a little regretful.
The task that Ji Qingzhi gave him was divided into two steps. The first step was to spread the demon seeds, and the second step was to wait for an opportunity to lure them out.
He only had two months.
Because for the other party's family, from the time Li Xiangxue left the Chunqiu Tomb, returned to Taiping Township, to the time Ji Qingzhi decided whether to participate, it could only be delayed for two months at most.
Originally, considering the speed at which the demon species were spreading, Qing Wu thought that two months would be more than enough.
At that time, his knowledge of the Spring and Autumn Tomb came from Ji Qingzhi - the two names of the Spring and Autumn Tomb and the Spring and Autumn Hall, as well as the rule of the passage of time that is a hundred times the length of time.
Apart from this, I know nothing else.
It was not until he entered the Spring and Autumn Tomb, observed from his own perspective, and gained a preliminary understanding that Qing Wu was stunned.
The Chunqiu Tomb...is actually a grave mountain?!
The environment is unique, and it’s ok, but the Fang family’s habits are also so unique?
Tens of thousands of members of the Fang family are scattered throughout the countless tombs of the Spring and Autumn Tomb.
If they are not from the same family, there will be almost no communication or contact on a daily basis.
Under such circumstances, spreading the demon seed to the entire Fang family is not something that can be done in two months.
Therefore, Qing Wu decided to take a second choice and start spreading the demon seeds from the top level of the Fang family.
So there was the scene before, where he took a risky move and asked Fang Shuyue to convene a meeting of clan elders.
Why is it a risky move?
Because once Fang Shuyue became suspicious or alert enough, he would definitely refuse outright and be on high alert against him.
In this case, he would have no hope of completing the task at all.
Fortunately, the result was smooth.
Fang Shuyue was indeed a little wary, but at the same time he was more arrogant and did not think that he could pose a threat to the Fang family.
Now, the ten elders of the Fang family have been gathered together, and it is time for him to spread the demon seeds.
"Fellow elders of the Fang family, the Taoist master ordered me to ask you a question on his behalf."
Qing Wu clasped his fists and bowed, "What is the relationship between the Fang family and the Taiping Dao?"
As soon as he finished speaking, all the elders frowned and their eyes turned cold.
This question doesn't sound right.
It was just like Ji Qingzhi was trying to differentiate between the subordinate status between the Fang family and the Taiping Dao.
subordinate?
After thousands of years, isn't the subordination between the ancient tribe and the Taiping Dao clear enough?
What does Ji Qingzhi want to do?
Just because the Fang family asked him to join them in dealing with Emperor Yongtai's clone, he wanted to use this to overturn the long-standing subordinate relationship?
"There are records left by the first Taoist master in Taiping Township, which mentioned the Fang, Zheng, and Lin families many times."
Qing Wu did not wait for the crowd to respond, and continued, "According to the first Taoist master, the three families were all virtuous and great families who helped Taiping Dao many times when it was first established. Taiping Township can have the peace and prosperity it has today, thanks to the help of the three families."
Hearing this, the elders looked much better.
After all, everyone likes to hear compliments.
And judging from Qingwu's intention, he doesn't intend to subvert the subordinate relationship.
"The Dao Master means that the three ancient clans can either be superior to the Taiping Dao, or use the Taiping Dao, or coexist with the Taiping Dao on an equal footing."
Qing Wu smiled and said, "As long as the three ancient clans and Taiping Dao still have that common goal, that's fine."
A common goal?
Everyone looked at each other, unable to understand the meaning of this sentence.
"I wonder if the elders still remember the words of the founding of the Taiping Dao?"
Qingwu suddenly asked.
The Words of the Tao...
There is peace and order in the world, and no suffering?
These eight words flashed through the minds of the elders, and then they understood. They all had a joking look on their faces, and no one opened their mouths to answer Qing Wu's question.
In their view, whether it was Qing Wu or Ji Qingzhi, it was obvious that they had been bewitched by the words left by the first Taoist master, and they could be said to be fanatical believers.
Qing Wu did not wait for a response, and quickly said to himself: "There is peace and order in the world, and there is no suffering."
"You've gone to all this trouble, and this is what you want to say?"
Fang Shuyue frowned and asked in confusion.
"Exactly."
Qing Wu nodded and chuckled, "The Taoist master said that whether it is the Taiping Dao, the six major families, or the three ancient families, no matter if they gather or unite, no matter if they are the master or the servant, as long as they can maintain this common goal, then one day, it will be truly achieved."
"Is that so..."
Fang Shuyue narrowed his eyes.
"That's all the Dao Master asked me to say. Thank you all, seniors of the Fang family."
Qingwu clasped his fists and bowed.
"In that case, let's all go."
Fang Shuyue waved his hand and walked towards the exit first.
Qingwu stood up and followed.
After leaving the meeting hall, Qing Wu once again clasped his fists and bowed to Fang Shuyue and the other elders, then turned around and climbed the steps to the top of the mountain.
Fang Shuyue's eyes were always fixed on Qing Wu until he entered Chunqiu Hall.
“It’s totally incomprehensible.”
The elder from the fourth clan shook his head with disdain.
"Who says it's not?"
Fang Letian walked down the mountain, saying as he walked: "He must be sick just to make everyone listen to his nonsense."
"It's not a disease, it's evil spirits."
The elder of the Ninth House twitched his lips and said, "He was bewitched by the first generation Taoist master."
The elders of the tribe either complained or showed disdain, and went down the mountain one after another.
"You are so lax. Have you forgotten that there are still beings in the cave that we need to be wary of?"
Fang Shuyue said coldly.
As soon as the words fell, everyone paused, then showed their skills and went down to the foot of the mountain as quickly as possible and returned to where they should go.
When there was nothing left outside the mountain, Fang Shuyue turned his attention to Chunqiu Hall.
To be honest, he was always a little skeptical about Qingwu's actions.
Is it really such a simple statement of righteousness that he has to summon the elders to say it?
Is there no other purpose here?
Fang Shuyue thought about it for a long time but still couldn't figure it out. Finally, he could only return home with confusion.
…
…
Spring and Autumn Hall.
When the stone door was completely closed, Qing Wu finally felt relieved and breathed a sigh of relief.
The supernatural power of Taoism can plant demons in the heart. Those who have achieved it can condense a mark of the Demon Lord, and use words, actions, or even expressions as carriers to form demon seeds, and plant them in the souls of others.
The Demon Lord's Seal condensed by Ji Qingzhi is based on the Taiping Dao's founding motto, "When there is peace and justice, there is no suffering in heaven and earth."
Under the Demon Lord, there are three different levels of demons.
Minister, slave, and evil.
The control effect of these three kinds of demons on people gradually decreases, and the difficulty of planting them also gradually decreases.
To become a minister-level demon species, the recipient must have wholehearted faith in the Demon Lord, and the conditions are extremely harsh.
Of course, the effect is also extremely powerful.
Before planting the demon seed, they still need a belief to support their faith.
Once the demon seed of a minister is planted in one's body, there is no need for any reason or belief to support it. Everything one says, does, thinks and wishes will completely follow the will of the demon lord.
Like Qingwu, Qingyi, Qinger...all the other guards are of the lower-level demon species.
On the surface, they were Ji Qingzhi's guards.
In fact, they are Ji Qingzhi's loyal demon ministers.
In addition to his words and actions, the Demon Minister also has the ability to plant and attract lower-level demon species to others.
Take Yongzhou for example. It was Qing Er and Qing San who were responsible for staying there. Once the disaster relief from the imperial court arrived, they would stimulate the demons in the bodies of millions of refugees.
As for the slave-level demon species, the required conditions are relatively simple.
All you need to do is mobilize the power of the demon seed and lure others to repeatedly place the demon seed in its carrier so that it can be planted.
However, the degree of control over the demon slaves at this level is not as complete as that of the demon ministers... Only when the demon seed is planted, the demon slaves will be completely controlled in their words and deeds like a puppet.
Before, Fang Shuyue was in Taiping Township and was lured by Ji Qingzhi to repeat those eight words, which planted the slave-level demon seed.
When it came to Qing Wu, with his weak strength, facing the elders of the Fang family, it was obvious that he did not have the conditions to spread the slave-level demon species.
These old guys are all very aloof and arrogant, and it is impossible to guarantee that everyone will answer.
So he chose the evil-level demon species.
Compared to the slave level, the conditions for planting the evil level demon species are simpler.
It can even be said that it is so simple that it is almost overbearing - as long as he mobilizes the power of the demon species, he only needs to think of the carrier of the demon species in his mind.
However, no matter how domineering he is, there is still a problem here.
When the demon seed is successfully planted, the demon will not be controlled.
Just like just now, the people of the Fang family did not even appear stunned, they were just stunned for a moment.
For Qingwu, the real danger lies here.
Once someone repeats Li Dao's words and becomes a higher-level demon slave instead of a demon, he will be completely stunned and fall into a state of being controlled.
This will surely serve as a wake-up call for others.
If that happened, let alone what would happen afterwards, he would probably be torn to pieces by the Fang family on the spot.
Therefore, he did not dare to pause for too long. After asking the question, only a few breaths later, he rushed out those eight words in order to block anyone who might want to answer.
As for whether it is successful...
Qingwu had no doubt about this.
Because after that, he had clearly sensed the existence of the demon species in the bodies of those ten elders.
Fang Shuyue had a slave-level demon seed in his body earlier, so he would not be planted again.
As for the others, they were blocked from speaking because of his quick answer, and they only became evil-level demons.
"The Dao Master estimates that, apart from the elders of the Fang family, there should be no one in the third realm of the Dao... In this case, if one demon slave and ten demons are all in the third realm, it is barely enough."
Qingwu thought silently, "But how should I use it..."
By arousing the demon species, Fang Shuyue and the ten clan elders will have a certain desire infinitely magnified, and then they will act according to this desire until they die.
This state is completely irrational. Apart from instinct, it will abandon many means and techniques that could have been used.
All secret skills, conspiracies, tricks, and material possessions cannot be used.
Just like just now, if Qing Wu mobilized the evil thoughts in his heart and then attracted the demon species, those people would attack each other frantically.
Of course, the first one to die would definitely be himself, because he was the weakest.
And the patriarchs and elders of the Fang family will die until only the last one is left.
Even if this last person accidentally walked out of the meeting hall, it would not cause much damage to the rest of the Fang family.
This does not conform to Ji Qingzhi's plan.
"The main thing is that the Fang family and Lin Kuang perish together."
Qing Wu muttered to himself, "As for Lin Kuang, the Fang family won't let me contact him for the time being, but this is not the case. Lin Kuang is only at the Yang God Realm. As long as he can't get out of the Spring and Autumn Tomb, he will die sooner or later in the chaos."
"As for the Fang family..."
"If only they could get together..."