Great Chu, Imperial Palace.
“Your Majesty! More deaths!” A young eunuch scrambled into the Emperor’s presence.
“More deaths in the palace! This time, two palace maids and three eunuchs. All cultivators, seventh and eighth rank Foundation Building!”
Xiang Chong, seated upon the Dragon Throne, scowled.
“What in the world is going on? This is an imperial palace, not a graveyard! Why are people dying every few days? This is outrageous!”
The young eunuch, hearing the Emperor’s words, sighed inwardly. He knew the palace maids and eunuchs had died in vain. His Majesty cared little for the lives of his servants.
“Oh, right!” Xiang Chong suddenly remembered something.
“Where’s the Empress? These deaths… has she been frightened? If anything happens to the Empress, I’ll exterminate their entire families!”
The eunuch’s face paled. What? People had died tragically, and His Majesty, instead of investigating or offering condolences, uttered such callous words?
For a fleeting moment, the timid eunuch considered confronting Xiang Chong directly. But his courage failed him. He cursed the Emperor silently and retreated, trembling.
“Unlucky! So unlucky! If the Empress learns of this, she’ll be furious and return to Great Ci. I need her here! Empress Yao Guang favors me because of her. And Fan Li… he treads carefully because of her.”
Who said Xiang Chong was a fool? Bai Rong’s exceptional beauty was undeniable, but his favoritism stemmed largely from her powerful family connections.
Great Chu, Empress’s Bedchamber.
Bai Rong reclined on the phoenix bed, looking languid and seductive. She was covered in sweat, as if she had just weathered a storm.
However, this wasn't the case. Xiang Chong, lacking self-control, had lost his virginity long ago. Since ascending the throne, his indulgence in pleasure had left him depleted, despite his cultivation. His essence was thin and insufficient.
Bai Rong’s current state was due to her cultivation.
She talked to herself tenderly, looking very happy.
“Back when I… this Empress… was at the Wuyang Sect, cultivation was so arduous! No pills, no spirit treasures, no blessed lands… I suffered so much!
But look at me now! I am a Sage Ruler of Great Ci and Empress of Great Chu! I enjoy the privileges of both positions, the resources of both treasuries.
But the sweetest reward… is the power of life and death.
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Cultivating the Blood Sage’s secret arts requires a great deal of spirit blood. Fortunately, most of the palace servants are cultivators. They serve as my… elixir. Hehe… truly…”
Bai Rong’s gloating was abruptly cut short.
A chanting sound suddenly echoed through the Great Chu imperial palace.
“When the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara was practicing deep Prajnaparamita, he illuminated the five aggregates and saw that they are all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty.”
“Sariputra, form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness, emptiness itself form. So too are feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness.”
“Sariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they do not appear or disappear, are not tainted or pure, do not increase or decrease…”
“Pfft!” Bai Rong spat out a mouthful of blood, her rosy complexion turning deathly pale.
“Who?! Who is chanting? Why does this scripture resemble the Pure Land’s secret teachings? The Blood Arts… they abhor these accursed scriptures!”
Bai Rong shrieked, summoning the palace attendants.
Trembling, they explained, “Your Majesty, Duke Jin, having heard of the recent deaths in the palace, fearing ill omens, has personally instructed the Imperial Guards to chant scriptures he composed daily, claiming they ward off evil spirits.”
“Fan Li?! That treacherous…” Bai Rong’s initial fury quickly subsided. She knew Fan Li’s power in Great Chu. She couldn’t afford to antagonize him.
But could this be a coincidence? Several deaths in the palace, and Duke Jin, a high-ranking official, personally intervened? He had composed scriptures that just happened to counter her cultivation techniques?
Either she stopped him immediately, but could she do it alone? Or she abandoned her cultivation practices.
Within the Dragon God Palace, Fan Li held forth to Wu Gang.
“The Pure Land originated in the West. Their supreme cultivation method, the Holy Yin Scripture, describes three realms: Sea of Bitterness, Other Shore, and Supreme Bliss.”
“Supreme Bliss represents great compassion, the ultimate dream offered to all sentient beings by the Western esoteric arts.”
“Though infinitely beautiful, it is ultimately an illusion. Of the three thousand paths to enlightenment, only one leads to the true Dao. Even the Dao itself is imperfect, let alone these Western esoteric arts.”
“The grander the aspiration, the more theoretical it becomes, ultimately unattainable.”
Fan Li paused, parched from his lengthy discourse, and took a sip of tea. He had been inspired to discuss the Dao with Wu Gang and now looked at her expectantly.
But Wu Gang remained silent.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” he asked, curious.
“Master, I was just thinking…” Wu Gang hesitated, looking at Fan Li with a hint of embarrassment.
“There are no outsiders here. Speak freely.” Fan Li waved his hand dismissively.
“I was just thinking, Master, your cultivation may be lacking, but your knowledge is truly vast.”
“Cough! Cough! Cough!”
Fan Li sprayed tea and leaves across the table, choking and spluttering.
Wu Gang quickly approached, gently patting his back.
“You… you really should learn how to flatter me properly!” Fan Li gasped.
“Master,” Wu Gang replied with a serious expression, “I am a horse.”
Fan Li was speechless.
“Anyway! The Pure Land cultivates both the Western path of Supreme Bliss and the sinister art of refining human blood, relying on the Western esoteric arts to suppress the latter. Thus, the Blood Sage lineage is inherently subservient to the Supreme Sage Ruler.”
“The Heart Sutra I composed functions similarly to the blood-suppressing elements of the Holy Yin Scripture. Bai Rong, now Empress of Great Chu, believes she can act with impunity. She is dreaming!”
Fan Li finished, looking at Wu Gang expectantly.
She finally nodded. “Master is truly… awesome.”
Fan Li rolled his eyes. He would rather not receive such praise.
“Where… where did you learn to speak like that?” he asked, immediately regretting his words.
Who else could she have learned it from? Himself, of course! Occasionally, he slipped into the vernacular of his previous life. Others rarely heard it, but Wu Gang, constantly by his side, had absorbed his mannerisms.
Fan Li felt frustrated. He had simply wanted to show off, but Wu Gang didn’t know how to play along! He suddenly remembered a motivational quote from his previous life: If others don’t recognize me, I’ll recognize myself!
“This Heart Sutra I composed specifically to counter Bai Rong… it truly embodies the saying…”