My enemies became my companions

Chapter 617 How is the Great Ming Venerable Buddha? (Part Two)

That night, it was late at night and the moon was high.

In late autumn, the weather in southern Xinjiang was not cool at all; instead, it was unusually hot and humid. Mushrooms grew wildly in the cracks of walls, and tangled bushes crowded the eaves.
Qin Jingde traveled far from Gaoliang Mountain, galloping through the night. After entering the city on horseback, he went home, took off his armor, and hurriedly went out again. It was already late at night, and all the households had already closed their doors and locked their windows. The guards patrolling the streets and alleys walked back and forth. They stopped Qin Jingde several times, but he only showed his Iron Scale Army waist badge, and the guards immediately fell silent and made way for him.

Contrary to the common sense of Confucian scholars in the Central Plains,
Nanwei Duoma.

Hence the existence of the Iron Scale Army.

Before the Duke of Chu took up his post in the southern frontier, Nanwei was already famous for producing many fine horses, which were called Yunnan horses or barbarian horses by the people at the time. These horses were hardy, adaptable, sturdy, agile, good at climbing mountains and crossing valleys, and capable of long-distance and long-term labor. The Dali horse was the best among them, and this was the kind of horse used on the Tea Horse Road. After the Duke of Chu took up his post in the southern frontier, he introduced the Ferghana horses in the army to crossbreed with them. Generation after generation, hard work paid off, and finally the unique Nanwei horse was bred.

The Duke of Chu once named these horses "Yunji," but this name was not commonly used and was not well-known. Therefore, they were generally referred to as Nanwei horses, and only the horses of the Iron Scale Army were called "Yunji" in writing.

The horses used by the Iron Scale Army are all the best of the best, selected from among the horses of Nanwei.

Just as with horses, so it is with people. Since taking up his fief, Duke Qin Xuzhi of Chu has established camps and guards for his personal soldiers, bestowed great titles upon meritorious officials, and strictly disciplined them. In addition to combining military and political power and uniting soldiers and civilians, he also selected elites from among them to form the royal guard, which is how the Iron Scale Army came about.

To this day, the Iron Scale Army is mainly composed of Han Chinese, with the majority being members of the Qin family. At the same time, it also absorbs civilians from other families to supplement its strength. It is this framework, coupled with continuous repairs and refinements by generations, that has made it the elite cavalry it is today.

It can be said that the Iron Scale Army was the most personal guard among the Qin family's personal guards.

However, Qin Jingde, a member of the Iron Scale Army, is plotting something big tonight.

Upon reaching the gate of a certain courtyard, the gate slowly opened a crack, and Qin Jingde slipped inside before the gate closed again.

Inside the hall, the people present were dressed in various styles. They were neither government soldiers nor bandits. Among them were martial artists with swords at their side, young men in brocade robes and turbans, and even practitioners of magic in cassocks and Taoist robes.

Upon closer inspection, they were all members of the martial arts world, and many of them were renowned figures.

If Chen Yi were present, he would certainly be familiar with this situation.

Qin Jingde stepped forward from the crowd, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Father."

A single candle flickered, and on the main seat in the hall sat an elderly man with silver hair, seemingly deaf and senile. After a long pause, he rubbed his eyes and said, "Jingde has arrived?"

“Father, I’m here. I was on patrol with my cousin Jingshan earlier when we received intelligence and rushed to his aid, so I’m late.” He paused, then added, “But it wasn’t a complete loss. I met a member of the White Lotus Cult, who at first glance appeared to be… a fourth or fifth-rank official.”

The old man, who had been indifferent, suddenly looked up, and everyone in the hall turned to look as well. If he was a fourth-rank expert, he would be one in ten thousand in the Central Plains, and even more so in the remote and uncivilized Southern Frontier.

Even a fifth-rank expert would be treated as an honored guest by the Qin family in the Southern Frontier region.

"Tell me more," the old man said.

Qin Jingde then recounted the situation in detail. The old man listened attentively. After Qin Jingde finished speaking, the old man fell silent, and the hall was completely quiet, with no other voice daring to interrupt.

This old man is named Qin Weinian. He is one of the few remaining members of the Qin clan with the character "Wei" in his name, and is undoubtedly the elder among elders.

"If we could win this person over, even if it's just to observe from the sidelines, that would be wonderful."

The old man stroked his beard and sighed a few times.

Qin Jingde replied, "Father, that's what I thought too, so I left a spies to contact him."

At this moment, a middle-aged man not far from the old man seemed to have an objection, but hesitated to speak.

"Go ahead."

After hearing Qin Weinian's words, the man said, "Uncle, at this critical juncture, do we still need to recruit more people?"

Qin Jingde's words of praise, which he was about to say, were stuck in his throat and he couldn't get them out.

Fortunately, Qin Weinian came to his rescue, saying, "Hehe, your nephew is just like your father, very cautious. But the worst thing is to be too cautious and have too many concerns. No matter how well you plan, man proposes, God disposes."

Besides, what we're about to do...is something big. You're not the only one who's worried.

After he finished speaking, the hall fell silent for a moment, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

A major event, referring to the murder of the ruler.

After a long silence, Qin Weinian spoke up, breaking the silence himself: "I know you all have your reservations, but things have come to this point, and there is no turning back."

After saying that, he looked around at everyone again and said:
"She, a woman, has seized the throne, which is illegal and disrupts the moral order. She only managed to stabilize the situation by relying on the divine religion and the Zhu family to cover up the truth. Today, we will execute her to set things right and reveal the truth to the world. Your bodies and names will perish, but the rivers will flow on forever."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone responded in unison.

He turned his head to look at Qin Jingde again and said:

"...Contact is fine, but don't rush into a deep relationship. Go and sound him out. If it's a good match, ask him to help clean up the mess and establish a connection. Consider it a way to win him over. You can't use it now, but you can later."

"Yes!"

...............

The long steps are hidden among the grass and trees, stretching endlessly into the dense forest.

After finding an inn to settle the women and leaving behind his sword intent to set up a barrier, Chen Yi chose to go up the mountain alone.

No matter how eloquently Zhu E spoke, the Demonic Sect was ultimately a dangerous place, and he could not place his hopes on it. Therefore, Chen Yi remained extremely vigilant.

"We've arrived at Gaoliang Mountain, old man," Chen Yi said.

Along the way, Chen Yi had conversations with the old saintess from time to time. The old saintess knew that he was impersonating a member of the White Lotus Sect, and now she knew that he was on his way up Gaoliang Mountain.

It was her idea to persuade Chen Yi to seek a way to reshape his physical body.

"Then hurry up the mountain. We'll talk when you get to the mountain gate."

"...Won't you introduce me to someone?"

“I don’t see ordinary disciples anymore. It’s been so long since I’ve been back. Even if I did see them, no one would recognize me.”

Chen Yi didn't quite believe the old saintess's excuse. It was true that she didn't recognize him, but if she said that this was the reason she couldn't introduce him, it was undoubtedly just an excuse.

That being said, Chen Yi had anticipated this, so he didn't care too much about it.

Why would a great saintess choose to hide inside a cauldron instead of going to the splendid Gaoliang Mountain? There must be a reason she doesn't want people to know.

As they walked, the old saintess released her divine sense, surveying the familiar scenery around her. Even her tone carried a hint of nostalgia. After a moment, she remembered something and said, "Young man, the method you are looking for is, in short, the method of physical body reconstruction. However, the entire technique is actually vast and profound, and it is a treasured method within our sect that cannot be easily passed on to outsiders."

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow and said, "So, you want me to join the sect?"

"Ha, if one could practice this method simply by joining the sect, wouldn't it have become commonplace long ago?"

After a sneer, the old saintess slowly said:
"Joining the sect is merely a stepping stone. Our divine sect has existed for a thousand years with strict rules. How could ordinary believers possibly have access to its core secrets? Even the elders and protectors of the sect must rely on fate, merit, and proof of their faith to learn these methods!"

Just by hearing the details, Chen Yi knew how difficult it was. Even for him, it would take at least ten years to enter the sect and cultivate through normal means.

In that case, it seems we'll have to go through some convenient channels.

The scenery along the way was picturesque, with ancient trees reaching for the sky and secluded valleys and deep ravines.

As she ascended the mountain path, the long trail passed beneath her feet. The old saintess had been taking in the scenery, but as she got closer to the mountain gate, she let out a soft "Eh."

Chen Yi was puzzled. The mountain gate was right in front of him. Even if there were ghosts inside, there was no reason for him to turn back now.

He took two or three steps and leaped across.

Upon landing, Chen Yi paused for a moment.

It wasn't because someone brazenly blocked it.
Instead,

nobody.

The afternoon sun, which should have been dazzling, appeared pale and weak in the vast mountain gate square, coldly spilling onto the empty and unsettling bluestone slabs.

At the edge of the square, the stone carvings of the sun and moon emblems, symbolizing the Church of Light and Darkness, are covered with a thin layer of gray, appearing particularly cold in the silence.

Chen Yi's gaze swept across the area like that of a hawk.

There were no towering figures of guards standing with their swords drawn, no hurried footsteps of stewards, and no noisy worshippers amidst the swirling incense smoke. Even the servants who should have been dozing in the corners of the square and sweeping fallen leaves were nowhere to be seen.

In the cracks of the stone steps, several clumps of wild grass grew rampantly, untrimmed, exuding a desolate atmosphere.

It was too quiet. So quiet that it didn't feel like the headquarters of a powerful and influential demonic sect; it felt more like an ancient ruin abandoned for centuries. The oppressive feeling brought by this emptiness was even more chilling than a forest of swords or the presence of powerful enemies.

It seemed as if they had known he would come; there was no one else there.

"..." The old saintess in the cauldron also fell into an unprecedented silence, the ease of her nostalgia long gone. Her divine sense, like invisible tentacles, spread wildly outwards, sweeping across every corner of the square.

She suddenly stopped.

Chen Yi also sensed something and looked up, only to see that there were lights burning brightly deep inside the hall.

A figure flickered in front of the lamp; it was a priest in white robes, circling the lamp again and again.

Chen Yi paused for a moment.

The flickering firelight illuminated the figure clad in a plain white priest's robe. The person moved slowly, carrying a begging bowl and torch, circling the enormous, seemingly eternally burning lamp in the center of the hall, step by step, repeating the cycle endlessly. The steps were steady, devoid of any trace of worldly activity, as if performing an ancient ritual that had continued for centuries.

The Cult of Light and Darkness originated from the Zoroastrianism, and at first glance, it seemed unremarkable. However, Chen Yi's eyes narrowed slightly, and the knuckles on his sword hilt turned slightly white.

That's not just a simple walk.

Each step he took seemed to be on some invisible rhythm. The moment his toes touched the bluestone, the surrounding light dimmed subtly, and when he lifted his foot, the light suddenly returned, even appearing somewhat brighter due to the instantaneous contrast. This alternation of light and darkness was so brief and subtle that it was almost imperceptible to the naked eye. If Chen Yi hadn't possessed exceptional perception and a highly focused mind, he would have almost mistaken it for an illusion caused by the flickering of firelight.

After a long while, the priest stopped and turned to look.

The old saintess paused, holding her breath slightly, and the identity of the priest before her became clear.

Chen Yi slowly asked, "Mr. Gongsun?"

Gongsun Guan, leader of the Light and Dark Cult.

Gongsun Guan smiled and asked in return, "Should I address you as a disciple of the Sword and Armor Sect, or as a commander of the Western Depot?"

Chen Yi smiled and replied, "How about the Great Ming Venerable Buddha?"

His tone suggested that he disliked the first two titles for not being famous enough.

Whether it's the Western Depot's commander or the Sword and Armor Disciple, these are all Chen Yi's identities, certain and irrefutable. The only thing missing is the title "Great Ming Venerable Buddha."

How utterly rebellious!

If those fanatical believers heard this, they would probably rush forward and kill this scoundrel in a fit of rage.

Unexpectedly, this blasphemous remark did not provoke the cult leader to strike fiercely and kill the blasphemer on the spot, nor did it make the cult leader bow down and pledge allegiance. Gongsun Guan simply slowly put down the alms bowl torch in his hand, as if avoiding the topic altogether.

He looked Chen Yi up and down and said, "You didn't bring the Holy Maiden of Purity."

Chen Yi knew he was referring to Yin Tingxue, so he gestured with his lips and replied, "Isn't there another one?"

He spoke casually, as if he were joking, while Gongsun Guan shook his head seriously and said, "Dali is not ready to come back yet. She has to guard the dead tree for thirty years."

Chen Yi was unfamiliar with the affairs of the cult, and therefore remained silent on the matter.

Right now, he wasn't concerned with the secrets of this religious sect, but rather with the leader of this demonic sect in front of him.

Having seen the blind archer at number ten, Zhou Yitang at number nine, and the swordsman at number six, and now seeing Gongsun Guan at number seven, Chen Yi has seen almost half of the top ten on the martial arts list. For an ordinary martial artist, this is a great honor, a life well-lived. But Chen Yi does not feel honored, he only feels troubled.

The top ten in the world are not only the ten people with the highest martial arts skills, Chen Yi believes, but also the ten people who are the most difficult to deal with in the world.

Gongsun Guan looked at Chen Yi in front of him. The middle-aged man's eyes were as deep as an abyss, or like an ancient well without waves. After a long while, he said with a little regret, "Somewhat similar, yet not quite similar."

Hearing these ambiguous words, Chen Yi waved his hand and said, "Let's not talk about these nonsense. Since you know I'm here through spirit writing, you must know what I want."

Gongsun Guan nodded and said, "I know, but I can't just give it to you like this." The flames from the alms bowl burned beside him, blurring his face. He continued, "The 'physical body reconstruction' method you seek is called the 'Rebirth Technique,' one of the core chapters of our sect's supreme scripture, the 'Proof of the Past Sutra.' It's not simply about reshaping bones and muscles; it uses the two energies of light and darkness as its foundation, seizing the power of heaven and earth to reshape the origin, and can even... touch upon a trace of the profound mysteries of yin and yang, birth and death. How could such a method be easily transmitted?"

After listening, Chen Yi looked at Gongsun Guan again, immediately grasped the key point, and said with a smirk:
"It's not something that can be easily passed on, which means it can still be passed on?"

"Exactly."

(End of this chapter)