My enemies became my companions

Chapter 618 The King Enters the Temple (Part 2)

“Exactly.” He paused, then added, “I sent them away ahead of time just to see you.”

Perhaps sensing that Chen Yi disliked too much empty talk, Gongsun Guan gave a direct answer.

Chen Yi didn't waste any more words with him and asked directly, "Then, how can I transmit it?"

"No need to rush. Let me tell you a story first, and then I'll make a decision."

Since he needed a favor, Chen Yi didn't refuse. Moreover, in their short interactions, he actually had a fairly good impression of the Demonic Sect leader.

Gongsun Guan Gui, as the leader of the Demonic Sect, appears mysterious and unpredictable in his actions, but his words and deeds are not arrogant, nor are they sinister or eerie. On the contrary, he is quite patient, or rather, he has an extraordinary sense of peace.

It makes sense, because it is precisely because of people who act mysteriously yet speak and behave peacefully that the Cult of Light and Darkness, no matter how much it is contemptuously called a demonic cult, continues to attract believers.

Gongsun Guan slowly opened his mouth and said, "What I'm telling you is a story from a Buddhist scripture."

"Buddhist scriptures?" Chen Yi raised an eyebrow.

Having memories of his past life, Chen Yi had some understanding of the scriptures and stories of the Ming and An Divine Sect and knew the answers to the stories. Therefore, he was not afraid of Gongsun Guan's questions. However, he never expected that the leader of the demonic sect would ask about a Buddhist scripture story right away.

“You are an outsider, so naturally I won’t be asking about stories from within the church,” he said.

After considering for a moment, Chen Yi agreed and said, "Then ask away."

“There was a venerable monk in Buddhism named Nagasena. A king of India asked him whether a person is reborn into another world after death. Nagasena used the analogy of a lamp to ask a counter-question: If someone lights another lamp from a first lamp, can we say that the flame of the first lamp has reached the second lamp?”

Gongsun Guan paused here, as if he were Nagasena in the story, awaiting Chen Yi's reply.

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow slightly, then said calmly, "No."

Whether it's one's own inherent nature or the sword intent one has come to understand, both will give a negative answer, and this answer was given long ago.

The Bodhisattva Medicine Buddha once advised himself, amidst a state of utter ignorance, to transcend and attain enlightenment. The cycle of the six realms of reincarnation is endless; everyone will die, and so will he.

He said that even though everyone else would die, he would not, because he was unique.

Gongsun Guan then asked, "Then, can we say that this is a completely different kind of flame?"

Upon hearing this, the old saintess wanted to offer a hint, but hesitated before she could speak.

Chen Yi answered without hesitation, "Yes."

Gongsun Guan looked up at him, his gaze showing no surprise or astonishment, only understanding. He slowly said, "You have given an answer that is different from that in the Buddhist scriptures."

In this obscure Buddhist story, the Indian king's response was two denials: the lamp was not the same as the previous one, and the flame was not a completely different flame.

Chen Yi's first answer was the same as his, while his second answer was the opposite.

One negation and one affirmation reveal the true nature of a person's martial spirit; this can offer a glimpse into their intentions.

The flickering firelight illuminated Gongsun Guan's eyes, and he nodded slightly. Suddenly, a voice proclaimed in praise: "Only the Great Sage, the most revered in the Three Realms, is the compassionate parent of all beings, the great guide of the Three Realms, the great healer of all spirits, the wondrous void that can encompass all forms, the all-encompassing Heaven… the one who dwells in death and eternal life, the one who illuminates the true nature of all beings, and the gateway to liberation from the imprisonments of the Three Realms."

No matter how confused Chen Yi was, he could tell that these were words from the cult praising the Bright Venerable. After Gongsun Guan finished speaking, he paused and looked directly at him, saying, "Tell me, is the Bright Venerable in this scripture really you?"

"I think it's me."

Do you remember the story I just asked you about?

Chen Yi looked slightly stern.

“You believe that it’s not the same lamp, nor the same flame,”

Gongsun Guan slowly said:

"Therefore, the Venerable One may not necessarily be you."

Even if you were the Venerable One in the past,

You may not necessarily be the Wise One.

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

Chen Yi went down the mountain.

When I came to Gaoliang Mountain, it was covered with grass and trees, and when I left, it was still covered with grass and trees, without any change or difference.

As he walked, he pondered Gongsun Guan's words.

Even if he was once the Venerable One, the Venerable One is not necessarily him... This sentence seemed inexplicable at first, but it was like a sharp sword piercing him, not at him personally, but at his sword intent.

Chen Yi firmly believed in his own sword intent, believed that he was unique, and therefore believed that he was different from the swords of the living or the swords of the dead, and that he would forge a new path where the sword could conquer the world.

Therefore, because he firmly believed that he was unique, he was only himself. Just like the question and answer in his Buddhist story, there is no same lamp or the same fire. He is no one but himself, and therefore he is not the Venerable One.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Chen Yi seemed to have discerned the unspoken meaning behind the Demonic Sect Leader's words: if he believed that Chen Yi was the same flame and that the Bright Venerable was himself, then everything would have a perfect answer.

Three years ago, Chen Yi might have been tempted.

just,

Kendo is a belief; if you don't believe in it wholeheartedly, you will only die.

The old saintess remained silent the entire way. She had overheard their conversation but seemed completely detached, offering no comment or remarks.

Chen Yi also noticed this situation.

It's truly a case of...being at a complete loss.

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

Not long after descending the mountain, Chen Yi was walking through the town when he suddenly stopped.

The newcomer did not conceal his aura, but walked straight through the crowd, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture.

It was Qin Jingde.

This time, he was dressed in casual clothes and said with a friendly smile, "It's been a long time, sir."

Chen Yi remained noncommittal and asked, "It wasn't a coincidence, was it?"

"...Could we have a brief chat?" Qin Jingde gestured for them to enter, pointing to a simple shop on the street that was still lit up and had a sign that read "Tea." "It's quieter over there."

It was quite a strange thing that the Qin family took the initiative to invite him. Chen Yi lowered his eyes slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

The two headed to the tea shop, where only an old waiter was dozing off. Qin Jingde ordered two bowls of the most ordinary coarse tea.

"May I ask your honorable surname, sir?"

"My surname is Long."

"So it's Mr. Long. I've heard so much about you."

"You don't know my name, so how can you say you've heard so much about me?" It was a tricky question, but Qin Jingde didn't make things difficult for him and quickly replied, "From today onwards, I've heard so much about you."

The response was appropriate. Chen Yi lowered his eyes, wondering if this was Qin Jingde's way or if all the other members of the Qin family were like this.

"Just say what you have to say."

“Sir, you are a straightforward person, so I won’t beat around the bush.” Qin Jingde got straight to the point, his smile unchanged but his tone becoming more serious: “Protecting refugees for thousands of miles, sir, I admire your virtue.”

Chen Yi picked up the rough earthenware bowl, but didn't drink from it; he just stared at the murky tea in the bowl.

“Alright.” Qin Jingde lowered his voice and looked sincere. “Sir, you must have come to Southern Xinjiang for some reason. My Qin family has been operating here for many years. We dare not say that we can control everything, but we always have some connections. If you encounter any difficulties, we may be able to do our part and make a good connection.”

He observed Chen Yi's reaction and continued, "Of course, I wouldn't dare to make empty promises. There is a small matter that I might need to rely on your skills, sir. Once it's done, I will reward you handsomely. Consider it... a small gift?" He left a loophole in his words, not mentioning the specific matter, only pointing out that it was a "small matter" and that Chen Yi had "skills."

Chen Yi looked up at him, his eyes calm and unwavering: "The Qin family's Iron Scale Army is renowned for its prestige, why would it need to rely on outsiders for anything?"

Qin Jingde's smile remained unchanged, and he responded with ease: "Dragons have their way, and snakes have theirs. Some things are better done openly than by friends in the martial arts world. Besides, it's not easy to make friends with someone like you, sir. This matter is nothing more than a small favor for you, but it will save my Qin family a lot of trouble."

It turns out they were using this incident to curry favor.

Although neither of them were considered江湖人 (jianghu people, martial arts practitioners) in their two lifetimes, they had been through it a few times. As the saying goes, "If someone is being overly solicitous for no reason, they are either a scoundrel or a thief." Therefore, people with some江湖 experience are very wary of inexplicable solicitation. But what if someone is being overly solicitous for a reason?

The devil may be one foot tall, but the righteous are ten feet tall. Those who understand human nature and are good at building relationships are well aware of the guarded hearts of those in the martial arts world. Therefore, when asking someone for a favor, a relationship is formed in the process.

Chen Yi's purpose in returning to the southern border was clear. He could easily see through Qin Jingde's actions and, knowing it was better to avoid trouble, was about to refuse.

Qin Jingde quickly said, "Sir, you might as well listen first, as this matter is related to the fate of my Qin family."

"...Then please speak."

Seeing that he did not refuse directly, Qin Jingde felt slightly relieved and immediately said, "Back then, my Qin family's ancestor was highly meritorious and was granted the title of king, and built five temples and five chambers. Now that the autumn sacrifice is approaching, the matter of ancestor worship cannot be neglected. We must be extremely careful and attentive. My Qin family has governed Nanwei for many years, and we have devoted ourselves to protecting the land for the court. As a result, we have made many enemies. During the autumn sacrifice, it is inevitable that some villains will try to sneak into the ancestral temple with ulterior motives and treacherous intentions."

The autumn sacrifice is one of the major sacrifices of the year. At this time, the imperial relatives and nobles in the capital would worship at the ancestral temple and pay homage to their ancestors.

The Qin family ancestral temple... Chen Yi gleaned something from it. Coincidentally, he was very interested in Qin Qingluo's ancestors, even though their marriage was in name only.

Chen Yi, who was about to refuse, paused for a moment, then tapped his finger: "What is it? Where? When?"

"We only need you to disguise yourself as a guard and watch over the outer gate of the ancestral temple to prevent thieves from sneaking into the temple and penetrating the inner gate. The location is in Dragon Tail City. As for the time... it will be as short as three to five days. You only need to wait a few days and wait for news. As for the specific details, someone will tell you in detail when the time is right."

"Once this is accomplished, whatever you require, sir, as long as it is within the Qin family's capabilities, we will do our utmost to provide it."

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow and paused in his tea-serving motion. Guarding the outer city gate of the ancestral temple sounded like a simple task, but it was also too trivial and an overreaction.
Unless there are other hidden reasons
Chen Yi's gaze narrowed.

He put down his teacup, the bottom of which made a slight clinking sound against the table.
"understood."

He stood up, leaving only these three words, then turned and walked out of the teahouse, his figure quickly disappearing into the deep autumn night.

Upon receiving this reply, Qin Jingde knew that his mission was accomplished, and he picked up his bowl of coarse tea and drank it all in one gulp.

………………

The first day of the eighth month of the Jiaxu year, the Gengxu day.

It is auspicious to pray for blessings and pay respects to ancestors. It is inauspicious to move or break ground.

"Boom"

At three-quarters past dawn, a pale flash of lightning tore through the sky, and in a flash, thick, dark clouds could be seen covering the sky.

A blinding flash of lightning illuminated the city gate and stung a pawn standing beside it.

Shuo made Chen Yi's face turn pale, then dimmed.

Having lived two lives, Chen Yi was no stranger to the autumn sacrifice. Every year at this time, the young emperor would personally lead the officials to offer sacrifices to the Heavenly Emperor and the ancestral temple. This was one of the few times in a year that the young emperor could appear before his court officials, so it was especially grand.

Even though the Empress Dowager ruled as regent and tried her best to avoid the young emperor appearing in front of the public, "the sacrifices at the suburban temples are the affairs of the Son of Heaven," and such a major ritual event still required the puppet emperor to come forward to perform the sacrifices.

This is why Chen Yi agreed to this matter. You must know that no matter how powerful Empress An is, as long as she is still in the position of Empress Dowager, she cannot preside over the sacrificial rites. At most, she can only serve as the second offering during the grand sacrifice. Therefore, Qin Qingluo will definitely appear on this day.

The relationship between the two was never clear. Even on the day of their separation, they still regarded each other as enemies. No matter how much Chen Yi missed her, he would not act rashly. He was even cautious about contacting Zhu E.

However, it might not be impossible to take this opportunity to meet them, even if it's just to catch a glimpse from afar, that would be enough to put one's mind at ease.

Moreover, Qin Jingde's words were somewhat suspicious, and it was unclear whether he had any ulterior motives.

Chen Yi gave himself many reasons.

The distant sky was a hazy gray, with only a faint glimmer of light visible, squeezed out by dark clouds.

At that moment, the sound of bells and drums suddenly rang out, solemn and deep.

The soldiers lined up along the way stood upright, and even though they were tired, they still showed solemnity and seriousness.

Chen Yi ignored the sound of bells and drums, turned to the side, and waited quietly.

Behind the dark city gate, a crowd surged in from afar like sheep.

The procession was extremely long. Looking up, one could see the Ironscale Knights leading their horses into the city in an endless line. The rustling of their armor gave a sense of solemnity. Most of them were members of the Qin family, serving as ceremonial guards in this era.

The soldiers were now completely still, and a magnificent stillness filled the surroundings. Chen Yi also remained still, but turned his eyes to the side, staring intently into the depths of the crowd.

The honor guard seemed to come in an endless stream, followed by members of the Qin family clan, civil and military officials of Nanwei, as well as Taoist priests, monks, and musicians. Almost the entire core of Nanwei was gathered here.

The queue was long, and for some reason, he felt a little impatient. His palms were sweating. Although Chen Yi tried to hide it, he was surprised by his own anxiety.

Did I really think about her that much?

Maybe so.

The two had indeed been apart for far too long; in the past three years, there had been no reunion that felt like a second honeymoon… and there shouldn’t have been. Thinking of this, his emotions were unusually difficult to calm.

In a daze, it seemed as if she had returned to yesterday when they parted. Amidst the bleak wind, an arrow pierced the air and arrived. She spurred her horse and galloped away, the golden armor and iron horses clashing through the snow, disappearing into the desolate wilderness...

Chen Yi stared at the arrow in his palm for a long time, the prophecy inexplicably echoing in his mind.
The Sun in the Spouse Palace is afflicted by a negative influence, indicating a marriage in name only...

Chen Yi suddenly awoke as the sound of bells and drums rang out, as if to welcome someone into the city.

In the midst of the unbearable heat, a vast shadow suddenly descended.

It turned out that a tall horse was slowly walking through the city gate. Chen Yi turned his head and looked up. The prince in the python robe was already looking down at him.

"—The king enters the temple!"

The master of ceremonies stood below the steps, his voice as clear and resonant as metal, solemn and lingering.

The king entered the temple.

(End of this chapter)