Chapter 239: Shi Feixuan's quandary

is inconsolable!

Zhu Yuyan was completely paralyzed after reading Ye Xiu's diary.

How could she not have known that she had joined forces with Pang Ban? How could she not have known that it was Pang Ban who had helped her become a Grandmaster? How could she not have known that it was the intelligence she had obtained from Wanwan that had led her to follow Ye Xiu?

Zhu Yuyan felt so frustrated that she wanted to vomit blood.

She clearly had no ill will towards Ye Xiu; at most, she was just trying to gain his favor.

She truly had no intention of harming Ye Xiu; at most, she was simply seeking his guidance.

Inexplicably, Ye Xiu had mistaken her for Pang Ban's lackey.

Zhu Yuyan was practically going crazy. She hadn't expected things to turn out this way.

If she had known this would happen, she would have been crazy to send someone after Ye Xiu. Couldn't she have simply waited outside the Jingnian Zen Sect and waited for Ye Xiu to steal the Heshi Bi?

Now Zhu Yuyan didn't know what to do. Sending people after him would only deepen Ye Xiu's misunderstanding. And most importantly, Ye Xiu could disguise himself, so Zhu Yuyan had no idea what he looked like to the public.

But she felt a little reluctant to just let Ye Xiu go. She

felt completely helpless. Finally, she decided to wait outside the Jingnian Zen Sect. If Ye Xiu wanted the Heshi Bi, he'd definitely go there.

If he managed to snatch it, Zhu Yuyan would recognize him. If someone else snatched it, like Kou Zhong or Xu Ziling, she could just take it, snatch it from them, and give it to Ye Xiu, potentially boosting his favorability.

Zhu Yuyan's thoughts were etched in this way, and when she saw Ye Xiu's favorability towards her drop from 20 to 10, her heart ached.

With this level of favorability, if she didn't change Ye Xiu's mind quickly, she'd be hard-pressed to receive the reward. And when would her cultivation reach another breakthrough?

Zhu Yuyan wasn't the only one distressed by her favorability; her disciple, Wanwan, was also heartbroken.

"How could this happen?"

Wanwan looked at Ye Xiu's favorability rating, as displayed in her diary.

Initially, Ye Xiu's favorability rating for her was higher than that of the other women who had been with him long-term, but not lower than that of Shi Feixuan and the others. It was 46 points. But now, Ye Xiu's favorability rating was only 20.

A drop of 26 points in a flash.

It was because Ye Xiu misunderstood that Wanwan had leaked news of Ye Xiu's departure from Huashan to Zhu Yuyan, and so Ye Xiu's favorability rating plummeted.

Wanwan had never dreamed that things would turn out this way.

Just when Wanwan was about to die, someone knocked on her door.

Hearing the knock, Wanwan subconsciously frowned, and her immediate thought was Shi Feixuan.

"Miss Wanwan, are you asleep?" Shi Feixuan's voice came from the doorway.

After hearing that it was indeed Shi Feixuan's voice, Wanwan's pretty face darkened.

"Miss Wanwan, are you okay?"

"I'm fine!"

"Are you really okay? I saw in the diary that Ye Xiu mistook you and your master for Pang Ban's men. Are

you really okay?" "It's okay, go back to sleep."

"Feixuan is just concerned about Miss Wanwan. After all, being misunderstood by Ye Xiu is a big deal. Especially when it comes to his favorability. Miss Wanwan, I'm afraid Ye Xiu's favorability towards you has dropped a lot right now, right?" "

That's not the case."

"Are you really okay, Miss Wanwan?"

"Master Nun, you bastard, go to hell!"

Wanwan was truly furious this time. She didn't even open the door, but directly slapped it.

Bang, the door exploded, and Shi Feixuan, who was outside, stepped back to avoid the shattered door fragments.

Wanwan, following the fragments, lunged at Shi Feixuan. Her tiny hands grasped the Heavenly Demon Twin Slash, transforming into a ray of cold light as it descended upon Shi Feixuan.

Shi Feixuan deftly countered with her Sekong Sword. Before the Sekong Sword could even be unsheathed, she immediately made a blocking motion, blocking Wanwan's Heavenly Demon Twin Slash. Then, with a clang, the sword was unsheathed, unleashing a stream of sword energy at Wanwan without hesitation.

Ping-pong, the Sekong Sword repeatedly clashed with the Heavenly Demon Twin Slash.

Dongfang Bubai, Yaoyue, and the others heard the sounds of Wanwan and Shi Feixuan fighting outside, but paid them no mind.

After all, they, as the owners of the diary, understood the origins of their conflict.

Yesterday, it was Wanwan who had troubled Shi Feixuan; today, it was Shi Feixuan who was the one causing trouble.

Any slight disagreement between these two would inevitably lead to a quarrel and a fight.

…

Far away in the Sui Dynasty, Shi Qingxuan was stunned upon seeing today's diary. She hadn't expected the diary to spontaneously produce an entry in her hand.

"This diary is right next to me, and besides Zhu Yuyan stopping me once before, there was no physical contact. So this diary couldn't have been written by her."

"But if it wasn't written by Zhu Yuyan, then how did this diary appear?"

"The diary's appearance before was already subtle, and now there's another entry out of nowhere. This is too, too unbelievable."

"And, is the content of this diary true?" Shi Qingxuan thought, frowning, a hint of worry creeping into her expression.

She hadn't expected Zhu Yuyan to have defected to Pang Ban and, with his help, become a Grandmaster.

While Shi Qingxuan was surprised, she wasn't unbelievable.

Shi Qingxuan had some knowledge of the Demon Sect, though it wasn't extensive. But she also knew that its members were mostly selfish. To achieve a breakthrough in their cultivation, even resorting to the demonic sect's Pang Ban, even to the most extreme, seemed perfectly normal.

Shi Qingxuan was at most mildly surprised that Pang Ban, a mage from the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, would interfere in the affairs of the Sui Dynasty. She

was also somewhat concerned. After all, the Sui Dynasty was already in turmoil; if the Mongol Yuan Dynasty intervened, the situation would only worsen. However,

the borders of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty and the Sui Dynasty did not intersect, so Pang Ban's actions were likely a precautionary measure.

Unaware of the diary's true purpose, Shi Qingxuan felt more confident about Ye Xiu's predictions about Zhu Yuyan achieving Grandmaster status with Pang Ban's help.

However, she thought of her father and couldn't help but shake her head slightly.

Shi Zhixuan was, after all, Shi Qingxuan's father, and she felt a certain amount of worry about him.

"Forget it. If he is killed for this, he deserves it." Shi Qingxuan shook his head and decided not to worry about it anymore.

Thus, Shi Qingxuan began to focus even more on the diary. Beyond its contents, the diary itself was a truly fascinating existence, filling her with curiosity.

…

"Hahaha!" Tianshan Tonglao was incredibly delighted. She hadn't expected Ye Xiu to come up with such a bizarre idea.

Zhu Yuyan was perfectly fine, yet Ye Xiu had mistaken her for having taken refuge with Pang Ban, achieving Grandmaster status only with his help.

"Now, Zhu Yuyan must be about to cry," Tianshan Tonglao said, a look of gloating.

This was a strange maneuver she had never encountered before, and she found it truly hilarious.

Tianshan Tonglao had no desire to explain Zhu Yuyan's actions; after all, this was a source of immense amusement in itself. Furthermore, she was currently protecting Ye Xiu from the shadows; if she were to reappear now, who knew what else Ye Xiu might think.

...

In Jingnian Zen Temple, Ye Xiu had assumed an ordinary appearance. Yet, within that ordinary face, a certain piety shone through, making him look like a truly devout Buddhist.

In reality, Ye Xiu was silently surveying Jingnian Zen Temple.

Jingnian Zen Temple encompassed a vast expanse of ground, with imposing buildings towering above. The ground, paved with large bluestones and smooth, was a sight to behold.

What truly captivated Ye Xiu was the colossal brass Buddha statues within the Buddhist halls. They were truly breathtaking.

Each statue weighed several or even dozens of tons.

Even the copper coins from that brass alone could support an army.

And that was just what Ye Xiu saw. Before this, Ye Xiu had never seen a temple this magnificent.

In fact, even the Shaolin Temple of the Ming Empire couldn't match the extravagance of Jingnian Zen Temple. Furthermore, Jingnian Zen Temple openly displayed these brass Buddha statues, completely unreserved.

This demonstrates the sheer arrogance of Buddhism, or rather, Cihang Jingzhai and Jingnian Zen Temple, during the Sui Dynasty.

Ye Xiu's impression of Jingnian Zen Temple, Cihang Jingzhai, and even Shi Feixuan, a Cihang Jingzhai alumnus, has soured considerably. Even Qin Mengyao, a member of the Cihang Jingzhai of the Ming Empire, has become less impressed.

Of course, Ye Xiu's inner thoughts were hidden from outsiders. He maintained a pious expression.

In his heart, however, he was silently memorizing the architectural layout of Jingnian Zen Temple.

Furthermore, there was a large hall entirely cast in brass, one that was not accessible to seemingly ordinary Buddhists like Ye Xiu.

Four elderly monks sat cross-legged outside the entrance to the brass hall.

Ye Xiu could sense the immense energies within the four old monks. These were four Grandmaster-level masters, each reaching a late Grandmaster level.

Ye Xiu could sense their Qi circulating as they leaned against the brass hall, as if fighting against something, yet also adapting to it.

Ye Xiu understood that they were fighting against the mysterious radiation released by the He Shi Bi, and in the process, they were slowly adapting to it.

If they were given enough time to adapt, they would be able to unleash even greater power under its influence.

Seeing this, Ye Xiu was certain that the He Shi Bi was indeed already within the Pure Mind Zen Temple.

...

"I've finally seen the luxury of Jingnian Zen Temple!"

"Yes, it's luxury!"

"I've never seen such a luxurious Buddhist temple."

"Look at those Buddha statues, the whole body is filled with the smell of copper. Buddha statues made of pure brass, how luxurious it is. These monks simply have too much money and nowhere to spend it." "

That's right, they really have nowhere to spend it."

"So many people donated money and materials to the Buddhist temple, making the monks' pockets full, and their mouths are full of food."

"And the areas around Jingnian Zen Temple for miles are all monks' fields, and those who farm in the fields are all tenants of the monks!"

"Monks don't farm but have a lot of land, and they don't have to pay taxes."

"These monks, except for not being able to marry and have children, their lives are simply too comfortable."

"No, monks are not allowed to marry and have children on the surface, but in fact, who knows if they have married and had children behind the scenes?"

"In short, I really hate these monks."

"There should be some good monks among the monks, but the vast majority are not good people."

"Especially the monks from the Sui Dynasty."

"Look at these monks, each of them eats so much and has such a big waist. Look at the disaster victims outside, each of them is pale and skinny, and some even eat their own children. But these monks have never thought about helping the victims, but are still trying to make money."

"The Demon Sect is bad in the open, and the monks are bad in secret - that's not right. In fact, anyone with a discerning eye can see it at a glance. After all, there are those Buddha statues in Jingnian Zen Temple. It's just that no one dares to say anything."

"After all, who made Jingnian Zen Temple the right way, and who made Cihang Jingzhai, the real leader, a Buddhist sect."

"Hehe, a group of monks eat with oil in their mouths, and a group of nuns choose the emperor on behalf of heaven. This is still the right way, and this is still the leader of the right way."

"Alas, it's just that I'm not strong enough. If I were a grandmaster - no, if I were a celestial being - well, if I were a land immortal, hehe, after all, Buddhism is powerful, who knows if there are any big guys at the celestial level in Buddhism. After all, this world of Zongwu is so big, who knows if that monk is hiding somewhere. So to be on the safe side, if I became a land immortal, then I would definitely deal with all these monks." "

Forget it, let's not talk about this."

"There is a hall made entirely of brass in Jingnian Zen Temple. Outside the hall, there are four old monks guarding the door. Each of these four old monks has almost the cultivation level of a late grandmaster. They should be the four Vajra of Jingnian Zen Temple." "

They are guarding outside the hall, so I think the Heshi Bi should be in this hall."

"In addition, with my keen perception developed from practicing the Changsheng Jue, I didn't detect any danger in Jingnian Zen Temple. I think there is no grandmaster in Jingnian Zen Temple, so I feel relieved."

"I'll spend a day investigating tomorrow. If nothing else happens, I'll take action the day after tomorrow. Grab the Heshi Bi."

"After we get the Heshi Bi, we'll leave the Sui Dynasty immediately."

"Damn it, even though we didn't encounter any danger, the chaos along the way is still exhausting!"

"Damn it, Pang Ban's tentacles are so long. Pang Ban, just wait for me."

After Ye Xiu finished writing his diary, his cultivation level increased by another month. Sensing his daily growth, Ye Xiu was filled with anticipation for the future. Especially under the pressure from Pang Ban, Ye Xiu had recently been practicing daily, a rare occurrence.

However, the results of his daily practice were so negligible compared to the rewards he received for writing his diary that Ye Xiu had lost all interest in practicing.

"Forget it, even a little effort is still worthwhile. I'll just practice and treat it as a way to strengthen my will," Ye Xiu muttered, then sat cross-legged and continued his practice.

...

"Master Nun, what do you think? Look, Ye Xiu truly despises you Buddhists! He even plans to eliminate all of you temples and nunneries once he becomes a terrestrial immortal. What do you think, Master Nun?"

Yesterday, Shi Feixuan had approached Wanwan, leaving her furious. Today, Wanwan returned the favor, looking amused.

"This is Ye Xiu's misunderstanding of our Buddhist sect. Once he truly understands our Buddhist sect, the misunderstanding will naturally be resolved." Shi Feixuan clasped her hands together, looking misunderstood.

"Hehehe... Master Nun, do you really not understand, or are you pretending not to understand? Ye Xiu wrote it clearly. The Great Sui Dynasty is in chaos, yet you monks and nuns live so comfortably, your mouths dripping with savory food. Not only are you wealthy and well-fed, but even the Jingnian Zen Temple, a Buddhist temple, houses so many brass Buddha statues. You monks have absolutely no regard for the lives of the people. This is the key reason why Ye Xiu hates you. Unless you can correct this problem, it will only make Ye Xiu disgusted. Even when he becomes powerful, he will use the monks and nuns as a target. Unless you can correct this situation, there will never be a reconciliation between you and Ye Xiu." Wanwan saw it clearly. Shi Feixuan lowered

her head and remained silent.

Before she left the mountain, and even before she met Ye Xiu, Shi Feixuan had been proud of her position as the heir of Cihang Jingzhai.

Furthermore, she had never felt that Cihang Jingzhai, or even the Buddhist sect, had done anything wrong.

But now, she felt that her thinking might be flawed.

She had visited Jingnian Zen Temple before, and at that time, she had simply considered it a worthy Buddhist sacred site, capable of constructing so many magnificent Buddha statues and attracting so many worshippers.

She hadn't seen anything wrong with Cihang Jingzhai's role in electing the emperor; after all, that was how she had been raised.

But now, reading Ye Xiu's diary, she felt as if a revelation had occurred.

Putting aside the diary's claim that the Great Sui Dynasty's current state was deliberately orchestrated by Cihang Jingzhai, the Jingnian Zen Temple's brass Buddha statues alone could have fed countless victims of the disaster. Yet, Jingnian Zen Temple focused solely on casting gilded Buddha statues, never once considering providing relief to the victims.

Was this truly the right approach? This was clearly wrong, clearly against the will of Buddhism. So, were Buddhist leaders like Jingnian Zen Temple and Cihang Jingzhai completely wrong?

Shi Feixuan thought again about the diary, and then about how, with Ye Xiu's potential, becoming a land immortal was inevitable.

Rather than waiting until Ye Xiu became a land immortal and then disposing of all the monks and nuns, it would be more straightforward for her to do it herself.

At least if she did it herself, she could avoid going too far and damaging the reputation of Buddhism. Another point was that doing this would earn her favor.

Favorability was extremely important to the diary's holders, especially since Ye Xiu's negative feelings towards Jingnian Zen Temple had ignited negative feelings towards the entire Buddhist community, implicating even Shi Feixuan, whose favorability rating had dropped from 45 to 36.

As for eliminating Ye Xiu now, before he matured, to prevent him from attacking Buddhism once he became stronger?

That wasn't to mention the faction already had significant problems. The mere fact that Ye Xiu had several Grandmasters around him was more than Cihang Jingzhai and Jingnian Zen Temple could handle.

Of course, if possible, she could inform Pang Ban and have him take action against Ye Xiu.

But collaborating with the Demon Sect? Shi Feixuan, who had just left Cihang Jingzhai, was absolutely unwilling to do such a thing.

Furthermore, if Ye Xiu survived, and his favorability towards her increased, she might even become a Grandmaster, a Celestial Being, or even a Divine Immortal.

Shi Feixuan's inner selfishness made her unwilling to give up such an opportunity.

After all, with her talent and the potential of Cihang Jingzhai she had cultivated, it would normally be difficult for her to become a Grandmaster, let alone a Divine Being or even a Divine Immortal.

Anyone faced with such a temptation would probably find it difficult to resist.

Shi Feixuan was no exception. Even if she hadn't yet considered this idea, subconsciously, she wouldn't want to give up such an opportunity.