Chapter 240: Father and Son

At night, Ye Xiu once again visited Jingnian Monastery.

This time, Ye Xiu had no intention of simply taking the Heshi Bi, knowing that such a move was unrealistic.

Instead, he came solely to investigate Jingnian Monastery's defenses.

He needed to first understand the temple's defenses so that he could formulate a plan to counter them and secure the Heshi Bi.

The sky was overcast; today was a rare day without a moon, and naturally, without any moonlight. The night was pitch black, making it virtually impossible for an ordinary person to see anything.

Thanks to the Changsheng Jue, Ye Xiu's vision remained relatively clear. While his vision was still limited, it didn't affect his movements.

Ye Xiu practiced the Changsheng Jue, concentrating his Qi.

With the Changsheng Jue in action and his Qi contained, anyone who wasn't watching would be completely unaware of Ye Xiu's presence. Even a Grandmaster wouldn't be able to detect Ye Xiu unless they were observing him. In the Grandmaster's perception, Ye Xiu was like a stone or a tree.

This was the Art of Immortality, the unity of man and nature in the Art of Immortality.

After Ye Xiu gathered his energy, he quietly arrived outside the walls of Jingnian Zen Temple.

With the Art of Immortality at its peak, Ye Xiu's hearing increased dramatically, allowing him to hear everything going on in the courtyard even from outside the walls.

Perhaps because of the Heshi Bi's presence in Jingnian Zen Temple, Ye Xiu discovered that the temple's defenses were quite strong.

At least Ye Xiu could hear, in addition to the patrols that appeared in the open almost every two minutes, he could also hear a few faint breathing sounds in the dark. Clearly, these were probably covert attacks.

With such tight defenses, infiltrating Jingnian Zen Temple was truly a difficult task.

"I'm still not strong enough!"

Ye Xiu couldn't help but sigh inwardly. "If I were a Grandmaster now, I wouldn't have to do what I'm doing now. I could just charge in, eliminate everyone who stands in my way, and finally obtain the He's Jade. Instead of being so hesitant and afraid to act directly, I'm afraid to act directly."

Trying to infiltrate and successfully obtain the He's Jade using this method was clearly impossible, or at least not that easy.

After all, the He's Jade was no ordinary object. It inherently radiated. Once near the He's Jade, the Qi within the body would surge. The higher the martial arts skill, the more profound the impact.

Even the most skilled in infiltration would be exposed and discovered if they encountered the He's Jade.

At that point, Ye Xiu would face a siege by every expert in Jingnian Zen Temple.

"Sure enough, there's no way to obtain the Heshi Bi by sneaking in alone. We have to create some noise, using a diversionary tactic to distract some of the masters at Jingnian Temple. Only then will the resistance be reduced once we obtain the Heshi Bi." "

It seems my previous thoughts were correct."

Ye Xiu finally gave up on the idea of sneaking in alone to steal the Heshi Bi.

Ye Xiu activated the Changsheng Jue to its fullest potential, then maximized his senses, especially his hearing. He focused his hearing in the direction of Jingnian Temple to ensure maximum effectiveness. Naturally, Ye Xiu would be somewhat oblivious to any activity outside Jingnian Temple.

Relying on his powerful hearing, Ye Xiu continuously collected all information about Jingnian Temple. He

knew the patrol routes, patrol durations, when the patrols changed shifts, and the hidden forces lurking in the shadows. Did they remain hidden all night, or did they rotate shifts to ensure sufficient energy?

This was all the information Ye Xiu needed to gather, as it could potentially determine his chances of obtaining the Heshi Bi.

Ye Xiu spent nearly the entire night at Jingnian Zen Monastery, gathering some information.

However, to be on the safe side, he visited three nights in a row, comparing the intelligence he had gathered. Only after confirming the correct information did he stop.

...

"I have been secretly collecting information about Jingnian Zen Temple for three whole days. During these three days, I would disguise myself during the day and go to Jingnian Zen Temple with different faces, observing everything about Jingnian Zen Temple, whether it was the buildings, the paths, or the monks in Jingnian Zen Temple."

"At night, I would quietly lurk outside Jingnian Zen Temple and collect intelligence at different locations. By collecting and comparing intelligence on patrols, covert installations, etc., I have obtained this information." "

The preparations are probably complete. Next, we will take action."

"First, I need to leak the news about the Heshi Bi."

"Leaking the news that the Heshi Bi is in Jingnian Zen Temple will attract the attention of many people, and even the attention of many forces, to Jingnian Zen Temple." "

But as one of the leaders of the righteous path and an ally of Cihang Jingzhai, Jingnian Zen Temple naturally has a very strong deterrent power."

"A single warrior, or even a single force, dares not offend Jingnian Zen Temple easily, let alone snatch the Heshi Bi." "

So, in the end, the forces that received the news about the Heshi Bi will definitely join forces, and then one day, probably one night, they will unite and take action against Jingnian Zen Temple."

"And I, at that time, can be a bird waiting for the opportunity. After those forces have attracted the attention of the monks and even the Four Vajra from Jingnian Zen Temple, I can sneak into the brass hall where the Heshi Bi is placed and snatch the Heshi Bi from Monk Kong." "

This speed must be fast. Before others have time to react, after grabbing the Heshi Bi, turn around and leave without stopping."

"Uh--why do I suddenly feel that this plan seems a little, a little familiar?"

"By the way, it seems that in the original book, the actions of Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling seem to be similar to my plan, right?"

"It was other forces that attracted most of the attention of Jingnian Zen Temple, and finally they broke into the brass hall and snatched the Heshi Bi--"

"Damn, I didn't think about how the two of them stole the Heshi Bi before. Now that I have made a plan, I remembered that they also used this kind of plan."

"If I had known that my plan was so similar to their way of action, why would I bother thinking about it? Why not just copy it?"

"My brain is still a little insufficient. I can't think of many things and details. After I racked my brains to make a plan, I found it familiar."

"However, will Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling be attracted by this news?"

"After all, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling are not stable people. They will definitely be tempted when they hear about the Heshi Bi."

"After all, there is a rumor in the Sui Dynasty: If you get one of the Heshi Bi and Yang Gong's treasure house, you can change the dynasty and become the emperor."

"Let's see what happens first. I'm cultivating the complete Changsheng Jue, while they've only cultivated one of the seven chapters. I'm their superior. If they appear here, I can easily spot them, but they won't be able to sense me."

"At worst, I'll just be a hidden gem after Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling." After

Ye Xiu finished writing in his diary, he felt the zhenqi within him grow even stronger, and a smile crossed his face.

Tomorrow, he would find a way to spread the news that the Heshi Bi was at Jingnian Zen Monastery, and then wait for the other forces to take action.

After Ye Xiu finished writing in his diary, Zhu Yuyan, who was also in Luoyang City, couldn't help but frown.

Because of Ye Xiu's diary, Zhu Yuyan knew of Ye Xiu's whereabouts.

Knowing was one thing, but being able to find Ye Xiu was another.

In fact, Zhu Yuyan had known since Ye Xiu's first day at Jingnian Zen Monastery.

But knowing didn't mean she could find Ye Xiu.

As mentioned before, whenever Ye Xiu visited Jingnian Zen Temple at night, he did so under fading moonlight, almost to the point of near-missing.

Furthermore, the Changsheng Jue (Eternal Life Art) that Ye Xiu practiced was highly effective at concentrating one's Qi.

Especially with the help of his diary, Ye Xiu had cultivated this art to an extremely high level. Even Grandmaster Zhu Yuyan, intent on concealing his whereabouts, couldn't detect him.

After all, in the dim night, the naked eye could barely see the surroundings. As a Grandmaster, Zhu Yuyan habitually used her Qi to locate her target.

However, the Changsheng Jue was particularly adept at concentrating Qi, so using this method, Zhu Yuyan had no way of finding Ye Xiu's Qi.

Fortunately, Zhu Yuyan was a Grandmaster.

Furthermore, to prevent any unforeseen circumstances, she hadn't even brought along any other members of the Yingui Sect; she acted alone.

With her Grandmaster's cultivation, concealing herself from detection was a possibility.

Even someone like Ye Xiu, who had cultivated the Art of Immortality and possessed a highly perceptive aura, couldn't detect Zhu Yuyan's presence when she was determined to remain hidden and harbored no ill will towards him.

However, since Zhu Yuyan didn't want Ye Xiu to discover her, she couldn't make too much noise. Without making a fuss, finding Ye Xiu was incredibly difficult.

So, for three days, Zhu Yuyan remained in hiding while searching for Ye Xiu, but couldn't find him.

Furthermore, because Zhu Yuyan was hiding herself, Ye Xiu focused most of his attention on the Jingnian Zen Temple. Furthermore, since Zhu Yuyan harbored no ill will towards him, Ye Xiu wasn't able to develop any sudden telepathic connection, which ultimately prevented him from detecting Zhu Yuyan's presence.

Consequently, neither of them could find the other.

...

The next day, Ye Xiu began to change his appearance once again. With a new, yet still ordinary, and inconspicuous, face, Ye Xiu began to travel around, spreading the news that the Heshi Bi was in Jingnian Monastery.

Ye Xiu even used a different face each time he spread the news to different people and different forces.

In just one day, almost all of Luoyang City, any force with a little bit of power, had naturally learned of the Heshi Bi's presence in Jingnian Monastery.

Wang Shichong, the local tyrant and the most powerful force in Luoyang City, was ecstatic.

"You said that Cihang Jingzhai was going to use the Heshi Bi to choose an emperor on behalf of Heaven, and give it to whoever they chose as the emperor. And this Heshi Bi just happened to appear in Jingnian Monastery outside Luoyang City. Does this mean that the emperor chosen by Cihang Jingzhai is me?" Wang Shichong's eyes were filled with joy.

"This..." Wang Shichong's men looked at each other, and then congratulated in unison: "Congratulations, my lord, congratulations, my lord, you have been favored by Cihang Jingzhai. I am afraid that the world of the Sui Dynasty will become yours."

"Hahaha! The monks and nuns of Cihang Jingzhai and Jingnian Zen Temple are quite insightful. They know that the world will eventually belong to me, Wang Shichong." Wang Shichong laughed heartily.

But at this moment, someone whispered: "But it is rumored that Cihang Jingzhai intends to give the Heshi Bi to someone from the Li family of the Tang Dynasty..."

Wang Shichong's smile stopped abruptly, and then his face darkened: "The Li family of the Tang Dynasty? Humph! It's just a rumor. If they didn't want to give the Heshi Bi to me, why would it be in Luoyang?"

"Tomorrow I will go directly to Jingnian Zen Temple and ask them to hand over the Heshi Bi to me." Wang Shichong said domineeringly.

"But, my lord, what if—"

"There are no what ifs. The Heshi Bi is mine, no matter what. No one can change this outcome. If the monks of the Jingnian Zen Sect don't know what's good for them, hmph!" Wang Shichong snorted coldly, murderous intent filling the air.

"My lord, the monks of the Jingnian Zen Temple are not simple, especially the Four Great Vajras and the abbot, Lekong. They are all incredible masters. They cannot be provoked easily, not to mention that the Jingnian Zen Temple has a close relationship with Cihang Jingzhai, and Cihang Jingzhai is the leader of the righteous path. Once we go too far with the Jingnian Zen Temple, I'm afraid we will be hostile to the righteous martial arts of the Sui Dynasty." Wang Shichong's subordinates frowned and advised Wang Shichong, not wanting him to go too far.

"You can't provoke the Jingnian Zen Sect? Then I am easy to provoke? My hundreds of thousands of troops in Luoyang are easy to provoke?" Wang Shichong sneered.

"My lord, the monks of the Jingnian Zen Sect are highly skilled in martial arts. Although you are not afraid of them, if they resort to underhanded tactics, they could still impact us. My lord, we must prioritize our cause and avoid provoking too many powerful factions."

"So you don't want the Heshi Bi? Okay, stop talking. As long as the Jingnian Zen Monastery hands over the Heshi Bi, I will naturally not make it difficult for them. If they refuse to acknowledge their gratitude, then my hundreds of thousands of troops are no match for them. If the Jingnian Zen Monastery doesn't want to be besieged by a siege force, I believe they will obediently hand over the Heshi Bi." Wang Shichong's tone was laced with dominance and arrogance.

Ye Xiu, lurking in Wang Shichong's residence, listened to Wang Shichong's words with a smile on his face.

The previous sentence, 'But it's rumored that Cihang Jingzhai intends to give the Heshi Bi to someone from the Tang Dynasty's Li family—' had been uttered by Ye Xiu through telepathy, effectively making the relationship between Wang Shichong and the Jingnian Zen Monastery clear.

Once Wang Shichong went to Jingnian Zen Temple, other forces would also take action accordingly.

At that time, Jingnian Zen Temple would become the focus of many forces, and naturally chaos would follow.

Ye Xiu could take advantage of the chaos and get the Heshi Bi.

Just when Ye Xiu was thinking that the plan was going smoothly.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling unexpectedly came to Luoyang City at this time.

Or, in other words, these two were actually here for the Heshi Bi.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, how should I put it, are ambitious, and their strength is barely there.

However, Kou Zhong only thought about becoming a general and letting Xu Ziling become the prime minister.

As for the specific approach, or what preparations are needed? They didn't have a clear idea.

In reality, their developments in the original novel were more passively driven. In the end, they simply walked away during the decisive battle with the Li clan, leaving the Song clan and their followers devastated.

This time, they hadn't originally intended to come to Luoyang, at least not yet. However, upon hearing rumors of the Heshi Bi appearing in Luoyang, they changed course and headed for the city.

Ye Xiu sensed their arrival the moment they arrived.

After all, both Ye Xiu and the other two practiced the Changsheng Jue (Eternal Life Art).

Ye Xiu's was the complete Changsheng Jue, while Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were only practicing one of the seven chapters.

In a sense, Ye Xiu was their superior.

Furthermore, Ye Xiu had met the two men at Wang Tong's birthday banquet and had a familiar impression of their aura.

Therefore, upon their arrival in Luoyang, Ye Xiu keenly detected their aura.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, on the other hand, were completely unaware of Ye Xiu's presence.

On the one hand, Ye Xiu was practicing the complete Changsheng Jue, and his abilities were stronger than theirs. On the other hand, with the help of the diary, Ye Xiu's Changsheng Jue practiced very deeply. Apart from Guangchengzi, who created the Changsheng Jue, I'm afraid no one would know Changsheng Jue better than Ye Xiu.

In this case, Ye Xiu and Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were just like father and son, with almost a generation difference between them.

Naturally, without Ye Xiu's permission, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling would never be able to discover Ye Xiu's existence.