There was no discernible change in his expression.
It seemed that the only person standing before him was Zheng Yao, the leader of Yashan, but not his first wife, to whom he had once promised to be together till old age and to whom he had nearly killed her tragically.
It seemed that Xie Buchen maintained basic courtesy, but the rest of his behavior made people feel quite indifferent.
But the strange thing is that this attitude, which would be considered rude and arrogant in others, seems extremely natural to him.
It seems like it was meant to be this way, as if it was destined to be this way.
Not only was he not dead, he was alive and well.
He survived the "catastrophe" brought by Jianchou to the hidden world of Qingfeng Temple and wasted sixty years of his life, but he is still the favored child of heaven, Xie Buchen.
Once he formed the elixir, he went from having no cultivation at all to being the first on the third level of the heavenly monument, the legendary "Tao Zi"...
Jianchou just stared at him like that, but the expression on his face seemed even calmer than his.
Sometimes, hatred is like wine.
When it is first brewed, it tastes bitter and choking, and it is filled with unbearable murderous intent. Once you are angry, you will draw your sword and fight to the death.
But after one or two times, over time, the wine gradually settled down, and the taste of the wine became stronger, but it was more and more hidden, never released.
Only when the tip of the tongue touches it will it burst out violently...
Time did not smooth out her edges, but it taught her to be tolerant and become more patient.
Even in front of Zheng Yao, who knew a little about the inside story, Jianchou disguised himself very well and did not reveal any clues.
It was as if there had never been any deep hatred between her and Xie Buchen, and she had never been cruel to him.
There are some things that everyone knows, but they will never talk about them openly.
This was the case with the incident at Yashan eleven generations ago, and it is also the case with the ongoing feud between Jianchou and Xie Buchen today.
Zheng Yao is an experienced person, so what is there that he doesn’t understand
He also acted as if he knew nothing about the inside story, and just smiled at Xie Buchen: "You Kunwu people have too many red tape, and there is no need to be so polite. But speaking of it, nephew Xie has formed the elixir in one day and is listed on the heavenly tablet. It can be said that Kunwu has a successor, which is a cause for celebration."
"Master Zheng, thank you for your compliment."
Xie Buchen used to be the third son of Marquis Xie's mansion. He was a man of great intelligence and good at socializing. Such polite exchanges were no problem for him, and he remained calm.
"I am a junior and a fool, and I dare not compare myself with Senior Sister Jianchou."
Jianchou heard this and the smile on his lips finally disappeared: "Thank you for your extraordinary talent, why are you so humble? I passed by Kunwu a few days ago and returned the sword you lost. I borrowed this sword when I was in danger. Now you are using it, is there anything wrong with it?"
I borrowed it once in times of emergency.
Even though he had expected it, when he heard her say it with his own ears, a sense of awe still slowly emerged in Xie Buchen's heart.
The Sword of the Human Emperor, the sword without an owner.
There is only one person in a million who is capable of driving it.
His eyelids drooped slightly, then slowly raised again.
Xie Buchen's gaze finally fell on her - her tall and straight figure, compared to her former gentleness and calmness, now looked a little more indifferent and cold.
However, this figure gradually overlapped with the one in his memory.
But what echoed in his ears was the words spoken by the demon girl Hongdie when he passed the Red Dust Thousand Lights in the hidden world of Qingfeng Temple...
"There is more than one path for her in the world... but you still chose her..."
"You people are really complicated."
"Poor thing..."
"You're in love with her again."
…
In fact, where does the so-called "again" come from
As long as she lived, he loved her.
The word "love" is too deep and too heavy to be cut off or eliminated.
From the very beginning to this moment, the only person he could kill was Jianchou.
Now that this person is gone, this relationship naturally ends.
Now, after the battle at Qingfeng Temple, seeing her standing in front of him alive again, Xie Buchen couldn't tell whether he felt more sad or happy, more fortunate or more regretful...
Because of love and desire, he was glad to see her safe;
Because of the desire to kill, I felt regretful when I saw that she was safe.
When the two are combined, it becomes a demonic obstacle.
All sorts of thoughts flashed through his mind at once, but they disappeared in an instant, without affecting his calmness and rationality in the slightest.
When Xie Buchen spoke, there was not a single flaw.
"Thank you for returning the sword, Brother Jianchou. There is nothing wrong with the Human Emperor Sword."
"That's good."
Jianchou raised his brows slightly. Seeing Xie Buchen's flawless appearance, he finally became annoyed with such hypocrisy, so he ended the greeting directly.
A meeting was going on in the Great Hall of the Heavens, so Zheng Yao did not delay and invited Jianchou to go in with him as usual.
Xie Buchen was not as tactless as Gu Qingmei. Seeing this, he didn't say a word.
Just like this, Jianchou followed Zheng Yao and Xie Buchen into the hall.
This is the tallest and largest temple in the entire Kunwu.
After entering the hall, there is a flat ground below, high steps in front, and a huge round platform above.
At this moment, the leaders or elders of various sects who came for the small meeting were all sitting high up.
Zhenren Hengxu and Fudaoshanren were in the middle, sitting with their backs to the stars, truly two giants. The first seat to the lower left of Fudaoshanren was still vacant, and Zheng Yao greeted everyone after arriving and sat down.
At the bottom of the stairs some distance away, several disciples of Master Kunwu Hengxu gathered and stood next to the column on the right.
Just as Jianchou walked in, he heard a rather soft voice coming from the other side: "Daoyou Jianchou, this way."
This voice is also familiar.
Jianchou looked over and saw five people standing over there. Wu Duan, the third true disciple of Master Hengxu, was standing next to his junior brother Wang Que.
He was still wearing the snow-white robe, and there was a hint of smile between his handsome brows. He seemed to be happy to see her and was waving at her.
Jianchou then walked over and smiled softly: "Long time no see, Taoist Wu Duan. And..."
She looked towards Wu Duan and smiled again.
"Fellow Daoist Wang Que."
The king was right next to Wu Duan, how could he not have seen Jianchou
Originally, he was thinking that he and Jianchou were acquainted with each other in Tomorrow Star Sea, so when he saw someone coming in, he wanted to say hello first.
Who would have thought that Wu Duan would get there first.
It's really strange.
Wu Duan had mentioned to him that he knew Jianchou and they had a brief exchange of words, but his tone at the time didn't sound so attentive.
What a clear-minded person the king is!
Just by looking at this detail, he understood about 70% of it, and his heart was like a mirror. He was not very happy with Wu Duan's hiding his feelings, but after all, he valued the friendship between fellow disciples, so he held back and did not tease him.
When he heard Chou talking to him, the only thing he remembered was the battle that caused him to lose the first place in the Fourth Heaven Monument.
So, with a bit of helplessness, he also smiled: "Daoyou Jianchou is here too."
Then he turned his eyes and saw Xie Buchen who was lagging behind. He also nodded: "Xie Junior Brother."
Xie Buchen came in with Jianchou.
But he and Wu Duan didn't get along very well, or more precisely, Wu Duan didn't like him. So he had expected Wu Duan not to talk to him, and it didn't stir up any waves in his heart.
He just nodded to Wang Que, then stopped beside the column, watching with the others without saying a word.
Who among those present didn't know about such a major event as the replacement of the first person in the Fourth Heaven Monument
Not to mention, the king who was involved had already returned to Kunwu. Although he did not reveal the details of the battle that day, he spoke highly of Jianchou.
When Jianjianchou arrived, the other three also cast curious glances at him.
In addition to Wu Duan and Wang Que who were familiar with Jianchou, Zhao Zhuo and Yue He, the eldest disciple under Zhenren Hengxu, were also present. There was also a rather thin young man at the very edge, who was also looking at Jianchou.
His left eye was dark red and his right eye was deep blue, which was a rare heterochromatic pair of pupils.
Jianchou had heard before that Situ Xing, the fifth disciple of Zhenren Hengxu, was like this.
Wu Duan then introduced them to her one by one, and they all matched.
Because she was familiar with Wu Duan and Wang Que, after a few words, they naturally stood closer to each other, huddled together, and talked in low voices.
From this perspective, it seems that she is very close to them.
Compared to Xie Buchen who remained silent, people who didn’t know the situation might think she was the disciple of Kunwu.
The atmosphere inside the hall and under the steps is actually quite subtle.
Jianchou noticed it, but just sneered in his heart and didn't take it seriously at all.
While she was whispering with Prince Wu Duan about the current situation, she was also pricked up her ears and listened attentively to the discussions of the people in the hall.
When Zheng Yao came, some things had already been discussed.
But because he already knew the situation, he had no problem listening. When it was his turn, he explained everything he had learned from the Snow Region over the past sixty years.
"In this case, the information we seven sects have discovered is basically the same."
After hearing this, Master Hengxu's brows slowly furrowed and he became more serious.
"The two factions of the Tantric Buddhism, the New Tantric Buddhism and the Old Tantric Buddhism, were fighting each other, so the New Tantric Buddhism set up an altar and performed a ritual to invite the Holy Son Jiye out from the reincarnation of a hundred generations. Unexpectedly, Jiye, who was invited out by the New Tantric Buddhism, sided with the Old Tantric Buddhism in the fight, and even carried out a bloodbath. The fighting was not stopped until only three of the eight Dharma Kings of the Old Tantric Buddhism remained..."
This was the situation before the people sent out from Yashan and Kunwu sects got into trouble.
It can be said that during the struggle between the New Mi and Old Mi factions, the entire Snow Region was in great chaos, and disputes of all sizes were endless in the major temples.
The situation was not reversed until the Holy Son Jiye appeared.
The core of the Old Esoteric School's practice is closer to the old Buddhist heritage in the Central Region, and its practices are closer to Zen.
It is undoubtedly a good thing for everyone that the old secrets have the upper hand.
But now, the people sent out by Yashan Kunwu have encountered accidents one after another, which has become an ominous sign.
"Since the war between the Yin and Yang worlds, Buddhism has not been eliminated from the cycle of reincarnation."
"Especially now, among the two sects of Zen and Esoteric Buddhism, the Esoteric Buddhism has a close connection with the Extreme Region; among the Esoteric Buddhism, the New Esoteric Buddhism is the worst at harboring filth and corruption. According to common sense, the Old Esoteric Buddhism acts mildly, and even if they encounter cultivators from our Central Region, they will not kill them."
"So, the perpetrator is either some other evil spirit or the Xueyu Xinmi sect."
Having practiced for many years and having had contact with Buddhism in the past, Zhenren Hengxu was well aware of the split in Buddhism at that time, and was also familiar with the practices of the two sects of Tantric Buddhism in detail.
Therefore, this inference had already been in his mind.
It was only today that it was clearly stated in front of everyone.
Those sitting on both sides were all the heads or elders of the "top five" sects in the Central Region. After hearing his judgment, they couldn't help but gasp.
Longmen elder Pang Dian has always been a man who can't keep secrets.
He thought carefully about Master Hengxu's conclusion and couldn't help but gasp and shudder.
He blurted out, "But according to what we have learned before, the Xinmi sect has been seriously injured in the internal strife, and they have retreated to recuperate and dare not start a dispute without authorization. How dare they make such a big fuss and do such a vicious thing to the Yashan and Kunwu sects?"
"That's the problem..."
If he could think of it, how could Master Hengxu not think of it
In fact, as the leader of the righteous path in the Central Region, he can think deeper, broader, and farther.
For example, the aura of the great demon that suddenly appeared in the West Sea sixty years ago, the fierce aura that rose to the sky in the Tomorrow Star Sea sixty years later, and the unusual movements in the Extreme Region...
The Nineteen Continents today are truly experiencing turbulent undercurrents.
Any tiny spark that accidentally splashed down could potentially start a prairie fire. And the anomalies that he learned about intentionally or unintentionally were these sparks.
No one knows whether the fire in the snowy area has anything to do with them; nor can anyone know which spark caused the fire.
"In the past two days, Brother Fudao and I have used the Imperial Mirror to try many times. We have tried our best, but we are still unable to penetrate the barrier outside the snow region. Even divination and calculation are like spiritual consciousness, unable to see even a little bit of it."
As Zhenren Hengxu said this, he let out a long sigh, turned around and looked at Fudao.
Fudao Shanren was sitting next to him. There was no expression on his face. He just nodded, proving that Hengxu's words were true.
Everyone was suddenly horrified.
Who doesn't know that Zhenren Hengxu is one of the few "bounded" powers in the Nineteen Continents today
When Fu Dao Shanren, who possessed the Imperial Heaven Mirror, was only at the Out-of-Body Realm, he was able to fight against the Return-to-Void Great Power. Not to mention that after coming out of seclusion, he jumped across two realms and now he is a Return-to-Void Great Power.
Even with these two people working together, they are unable to see through the barrier and get a glimpse of the current situation in the snowy area
The barrier of Tantra...
What kind of terrifying existence is this
Was it some mysterious formation? Or was it the legendary Saint Jiye who took action? Or was it some other existence that intervened
There are many doubts.
The more everyone thought about it, the more frightened they became. Those who knew each other looked at each other and remained silent for a while.
Zhenren Hengxu then said, "The matter of the Esoteric Sect involves the Extreme Domain, and it is indeed a matter of tethering. Now is a time of trouble, and we cannot ignore it. So after discussing with Brother Fudao, we decided to gather the forces of the left three thousand in the Central Domain and send someone to investigate as much as possible."
"But all the disciples of Kunwu Sect of Yashan have been killed. Although the disciples of the Upper Five Sects like us are also considered elite, we cannot compare with them. How can we investigate this?"
The one who raised the objection this time was Luo Xingyuan, the leader of the Demon Sealing Sword Sect, who was a big man with a full beard.
What he asked was what everyone wanted to ask.
So all eyes immediately fell on Master Hengxu.
"I have considered this matter myself." Zhenren Hengxu was well prepared and said, "Although Buddhism has been divided for a long time, the two sects of Zen and Esoteric Buddhism have the same origin after all, and they have been secretly competing for more than 600 years. There was a dispute over preaching on the isolated island in the human world, and in the end, Zen had the upper hand. I have no solution in the Central Region, but Zen may not be."
“Great!”
Hearing this, Pang Dian already understood what Heng Xu meant. He immediately slapped his thigh and shouted.
"What the Immortal meant is that we can take a detour and send someone to the Zen sect to ask!"
"That's right."
Zhenren Hengxu nodded, but his next sentence changed the subject.
"It's not enough to just ask for advice from Zen Buddhism. For some things, seeing is believing. People can enter and exit places where spiritual consciousness cannot enter. So I have to send people to the Central Region to take a two-pronged approach."
At this moment, Pang Dian’s eyes suddenly widened.
The others also frowned, apparently thinking of the losses suffered by the Yashan and Kunwu sects this time.
It’s not that they are unwilling to send people, but the lessons of the past are right before them.
No one’s disciples are born from grass, so how can you not feel sorry for them
It is unreasonable to go there knowing that you will die.
Only Master Shuangran, the head of the White Moon Valley who had been sitting alone for a long time without speaking, was thoughtful. He raised his clear eyes and looked at Hengxu, then spoke slowly: "Since the Immortal and the Hermit have reached this decision, I believe they must have a plan in mind and have found a solution, right?"
So Fudao Shanren suddenly turned his head and looked at her, and for some reason, he couldn't help smacking his lips.
Zhenren Hengxu knew what his reaction was without even turning around, and he also knew the reason.
In his early years, he participated in small gatherings. He was conceited about his extraordinary talent and looked down on everyone.
But unexpectedly, in the penultimate game, he encountered Master Ran Shuang, who was also a new disciple of Baiyue Valley at that time.
She was clearly a delicate and beautiful woman, and her cultivation level didn't seem that great, but Fu Dao actually suffered a great loss at her hands and nearly failed halfway.
This is because Ranshuang is a very thoughtful person and good at guessing things.
Fu Dao had always been a straightforward person, and after her calculations, he had already understood most of the situation, so naturally, he would not be able to do anything smoothly if they continued fighting.
So after that competition, he said that Ran Shuang had at least a thousand tricks in her mind.
Ran Shuang was young and hot-headed at the time. It would have been fine if she had just lost a game, but she was scolded by him like that. She was so angry that she sneered, and they had a grudge against each other since then.
Thousands of years have passed, and the feud has not yet collapsed.
Ran Shuang, who is now the head of a family, made such a guess, which undoubtedly reminded Fu Dao of what happened in the past, so he smacked his lips.
But Hengxu just pretended not to hear.
He smiled at Master Ran Shuang and nodded: "I do have some plans and arrangements."
Everyone suddenly became curious.
Zhenren Hengxu did not keep the secret, and his eyes turned to the bottom of the stairs, and then fell on Xie Buchen. With a slight smile on his face, he called out, "Buchen—"
"The disciple is here."
Xie Buchen was actually a bit surprised to hear his name being called suddenly. But he was always good at hiding his thoughts, and when he came out to answer, there was no surprise on his face.
Jianchou, who was standing next to the column, immediately raised his eyebrows.
Obviously, she didn't expect that Xie Buchen would be called out when the conversation came to this point. Even Wu Duan and the others seemed to have not known about this in advance, and they all showed some surprise and doubt.
The several sect leaders and elders who were sitting high up were even more confused.
They could all see that although Xie Buchen was highly gifted, his cultivation was only at the peak of the Golden Core stage.
"Isn't it possible that the Master wants to send Junior Brother Xie to go there?"
"That's right." Master Hengxu admitted it immediately, and said, "The situation in the Snow Region is special now, and there must be something unusual. I'm just afraid that too many people will go there with high cultivation levels, and they will be discovered before they get close, causing trouble. I have a very high character and talent, and my cultivation level is suitable, so you can go and take a look."
“How can this be possible?!”
The first person to oppose was neither the other Kunwu elder standing beside him, nor the disciple of Zhenren Hengxu standing below, but the Longmen elder Pang Dian.
He stood up immediately, his skinny body tensed, his long eyebrows furrowed, his face full of disapproval, even a hint of condemnation.
"The situation in the Snow Region is still unclear. Even the Immortal and the hermit are unable to find out what is going on. This shows how dangerous it is! Even though this kid is only a disciple of Kunwu and a disciple of the Immortal, he is also a cultivator from the Central Region! The Immortal's decision is so trifling. Isn't it a disregard for human life?!"
This is a bit too serious.
For a moment, the entire Hall of the Heavens was filled with silence, and no one dared to speak.
Only Fudaoshan was sitting crookedly on the seat, and suddenly he laughed.
The pair of eyes hidden in the messy gray hair were staring at Hengxu, as if they had discovered something interesting.
It's obvious that he is gloating.
Zhenren Hengxu stared at Pang Dian.
Under normal circumstances, if others were to see such a look in his eyes, they would not dare to look directly at him and would retreat timidly.
But at this moment, Pang Dian just looked at him with a red face and wide eyes.
Then, Master Hengxu laughed and said, "You take human life lightly? I know the safety of my disciples from Kunwu. My spiritual consciousness cannot penetrate the Snow Region, but I did not say that I cannot guarantee the safety of my disciples. Kunwu has its own way, why bother Elder Pang to worry about it?"
After just these few words, Pang Dian was already furious.
But Hengxu's words did make sense. Kunwu was a famous family, and Hengxu was a powerful person. He must have at least a thousand hidden tricks. How could he know all of them
But no matter how I thought about it or how I held my breath, I just felt like something was not quite right.
But he couldn't refute it, so he had to listen.
Zhenren Hengxu had not yet finished his words.
"not to mention-"
He paused and stood on a high place in the Hall of All Heavens. His dark green Taoist robe was blown by the wind and the originally kind expression on his face slowly faded away. There was a kind of indifference and arrogance that was almost like the law of nature.
His eyes only fell on Xie Buchen below.
"He is the son of destiny, the chosen one of Kunwu. He can turn misfortune into fortune and turn disaster into blessing. How could he get into trouble?"