Xie An felt a slight throbbing in his head.
The amount of information was too much, and too shocking!
However, Xie An quickly suppressed the shock in his heart and calmly analyzed the aforementioned information:
In the end, after peeling away the layers, Xie An discovered two key points:
First, was he really being targeted by Li Changchun? Xie An wasn't certain about this, but he did encounter a tug-of-war situation when he absorbed the undead energy of the silver corpse. After all, this matter concerned Xie An's future, and he couldn't be careless.
Second, this woman knew too much. Undead energy was another name for the Longevity fate, and the woman had also said these three words. Therefore, Xie An needed to first confirm: did she know that he possessed the Longevity fate?
After all, this was Xie An's greatest reliance.
Even if he cooperated with this woman this time, it would only be temporary.
So, Xie An sorted out his thoughts, "Undead energy?"
Su Yuqing gently sipped her tea, "Corpse energy is what ordinary people call it, but in reality, corpse energy is undying, also known as undead energy. Many martial arts grandmasters will try to absorb and refine undead energy in order to pursue higher methods and longer lifespans."
Xie An breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.
In that case, this woman didn't know that he possessed the Longevity fate.
Xie An began to ask questions according to his train of thought, "I am very curious, why would a plain and ordinary commoner like myself attract the attention of Director Su?"
Su Yuqing calmly brewed tea, without much concealment, "After the Chen Manor battle, Yuhe suspected that the Immortal Treasure had fallen into your hands. She then took the initiative to go to your side to serve you..."
The matter of the Immortal Treasure... was also calculated by this woman!
In that case, Yuhe wasn't from the Tang Family Fortress, nor was she from Chen Qinglang's side... From the beginning, she was Su Yuqing's person.
If that's the case, this woman has a very deep layout regarding the matters of the Great Yin Mountain.
In the grand game of Qingwu County's Great Yin Mountain, Su Yuqing had always been the one moving the pieces?
Although it was greatly beyond Xie An's expectations, Xie An wasn't too panicked. Perhaps it was because of Yuhe as an intermediary, coupled with Xie An's long-term attendance at the Martial Arts Academy, which led Xie An to have a not bad impression of this Su Yuqing.
"I would like to ask Director Su for clarification on one more matter."
"Speak freely."
"I killed two bronze corpses in the Gu Po Village camp, and I killed a silver corpse at the Zhao Village Chief's house... How did Director Su know these details?"
Su Yuqing softly said, "When I went to visit you at the branch hall earlier, I presumptuously took a wisp of your vital energy. Therefore, I know everything that happens to you."
Xie An: "..."
On one hand, he was surprised by the woman's long-term layout and meticulous thoughts. On the other hand, he was also shocked by the mystical methods of a grandmaster.
Before this, Xie An had only come into contact with low-level martial arts experts, who were at most stronger and faster, able to fight a dozen people.
But reaching the grandmaster level... it was clear that it was already a different level.
What made Xie An feel insecure wasn't Su Yuqing herself, but the various strange methods of a grandmaster... This stuff exceeded the logical understanding of ordinary people. But, it also gave Xie An anticipation.
One day, if he could master such mystical methods... wouldn't that be wonderful?
Su Yuqing was gentle and refined, and even took the initiative to pour tea for Xie An, "You don't need to overthink. I have no selfish motives, and I definitely don't want to use you. I just want to find someone to help me break this century-old deadlock. You can understand it as, I am inviting you... to work together."
"Twenty years ago, I came to Nanyang Demon Suppression Division from the capital to take office. At that time, I let the young Yuhe enter Qingwu County to set up a layout. In these twenty years, I basically know the major and minor events that have occurred in Qingwu County."
"Two years ago, when you killed Fang Baiyu, Yuhe knew in the Corpse Refining Hall that the High Priest and Li Changchun had cultivated the Bright Jade Skill. I was afraid that something would happen here, so I came to this place as a school teacher. It was to prevent the Corpse Refining Hall from acting recklessly."
Xie An listened quietly.
Yuhe not only lurked in the Tang Family Fortress, but also lurked in the Tiger Wolf Gate, and even lurked in... the Corpse Refining Hall!
The young lady is not simple, and the maid is not simple either.
Su Yuqing continued to explain in detail: "You may not know how big the turmoil caused by the Longevity Sect a hundred years ago was."
"In the capital alone, 100,000 people died. Later, the remnants of the Longevity Sect somehow fled to Nanyang Prefecture, causing the Nanyang Ten Massacres. The number of civilian casualties reached over 100,000."
"Qingwu County was also severely affected due to the arrival of the Corpse Refining Hall, and tens of thousands of people were massacred."
"At that time, the person in charge of the Nanyang Demon Suppression Division was He Nanfeng. It was clear that the imperial court had transferred elite forces to cooperate with him. However, he didn't completely wipe out the remnants of the Longevity Sect, nor did he destroy the Corpse Refining Hall. Instead, he reached a century-long agreement with the Corpse Refining Hall not to descend the mountain."
"I am a scholar and don't understand human scheming. But I also understand that this agreement... shouldn't exist in the world."
"I have been here for more than twenty years, only for one thing, which is to do what He Nanfeng didn't do well – to eliminate the remnants of the Longevity Sect and restore peace to this place."
She said it very calmly, without any emotional fluctuations. As if she was stating something that was perfectly normal.
Xie An, however, heard the grand ambition within it and couldn't help but have more respect for this woman.
Xie An didn't doubt what she said.
On the one hand, the information that Su Yuqing said matched the information that Xie An himself had obtained.
On the other hand, she had Yuhe set up a layout for twenty years, and she herself had also given up her high position, powerful influence and stable life to come to the Martial Arts Academy to teach for two years. There was no reason or need to lie to Xie An.
Compared to Su Yuqing's grand ambition, Xie An wasn't that excited.
He wasn't very interested in the affairs of the imperial court.
He only wanted to develop steadily and do what he could for the homeland where he had lived for more than thirty years.
But now that he seemed to be targeted by Li Changchun and the High Priest, he obviously couldn't continue to develop steadily.
Only by killing Li Changchun and the High Priest would he be able to?
Although Xie An hadn't made a decision yet, he felt it was necessary to ask clearly, "What can I do for Director Su?"
Su Yuqing pondered for a moment, tucking a few strands of hair that were blown out of place by the wind behind her ear, "The agreement that He Nanfeng signed with the Corpse Refining Hall back then was engraved on the large bronze bell in the ancient pagoda of the Corpse Refining Hall, and it was also affixed with the jade seal. As a member of the royal family, I am suppressed by the jade seal's national fortune and cannot break the large bronze bell. But you can."
Xie An: "..."
Breaking the contract affixed with the Imperial Jade Seal... Although it can't be said to be refuting the face of the royal family, it will definitely offend He Nanfeng.
You want me to do this kind of thing?
Xie An frowned and didn't speak. But his attitude was already very obvious.
Su Yuqing said: "A wisp of the jade seal's national fortune is mixed in the seal, but the inscription on the bronze bell is engraved with the Bright Jade Skill. Only those who have cultivated the Bright Jade Skill can break the bronze bell."
Xie An: "..."
You also know that I cultivated the Bright Jade Skill...
Perhaps because of Yuhe's sake, Su Yuqing showed great patience towards Xie An, took out a scroll, and handed it to Xie An, "You don't need to worry that breaking the bronze bell will offend He Nanfeng. This is the covenant personally passed down by the Taiyi Taoist leader of the National Teaching. If you help me break the bronze bell, you can enter the National Teaching and become a personal disciple. Even the royal family can't do anything to you."
"Moreover, you major in the Bright Jade Skill, which shows that you are not seeking martial arts, but seeking longevity. And the Taiyi Taoist specializes in the art of longevity, which is quite in line with you. Among them, there are many unique skills comparable to the Bright Jade Skill, and even higher-level longevity cultivation methods."
Xie An opened the scroll and saw a line of striking characters leaping onto the paper, full of grandeur, and also affixed with a seal, faintly containing an aura that Xie An couldn't imagine, not like a fake.
This Director Su is really considerate of me.
The previous dynasty respected the Longevity Sect as the national teaching, while the Jingtai dynasty respected the Taoist sect as the national teaching. The Demon Suppression Division was jointly established by the Taoist sect and the imperial court, which shows the power of the Taoist sect!
If he entered the Taiyi Taoist and became a personal disciple.
I'm afraid the Emperor probably can't do anything to Xie An.
But Xie An couldn't be happy.
The more Su Yuqing offered generous gifts, the more it showed that the matter of smashing the Great Bronze Bell… was not simple.
Su Yuqing said, "Of course, this is the worst-case scenario. After you smash the Great Bronze Bell, I will send everyone in the Corpse Refining Hall on their way. So… apart from you and me, no one will know that you broke the Great Bronze Bell."
Xie An asked: "Why must the Great Bronze Bell be smashed?"
Su Yuqing said, "The jade seal on the Great Bronze Bell contains the nation's destiny, which suppresses my strength. If the Great Bronze Bell is not smashed, it will take another ten years for the agreement to expire. I can afford to wait, but seeing the Corpse Refining Hall acting frequently now, I'm afraid the people of Qingwu County can't."
From this point of view, Xie An admired this woman.
However, Xie An still did not agree, "Allow me to consider this matter further. Is that acceptable?"
Su Yuqing: "Acceptable."
Xie An put down the scroll, got up to say goodbye, but was stopped by Su Yuqing after taking only two steps. Xie An had no choice but to walk back, cupping his hands and saying: "What other instructions does Chief Su have?"
Su Yuqing took out a piece of yellowed paper and handed it to Xie An, "Li Changchun has set his sights on you. Keep this sword on you, it can save your life."
Xie An took it with both hands and opened it to see that it depicted a sword. Although it was painted in ink, a extraordinary sword aura leaped out, capable of cleaving mountains and rivers, making people afraid to look directly at it.
He had long heard that some top swordsmen could condense their sword aura into external objects.
Now he had finally broadened his knowledge.
Regardless, the other party had good intentions.
"Thank you, Chief Su."
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Su Yuqing nodded, "In addition, strange things are happening frequently in Shuideng Town, and I can no longer stay safely in the county town. If Hall Master Xie doesn't mind, I would like to settle down in your White Feather Hall. And open a school outside the hall."
How could Xie An refuse?
Having a martial arts grandmaster by his side was safer than anything else.
"Of course I don't mind!" After speaking, Xie An felt it wasn't enough, and added, "Chief Su is concerned about the world!"
…
After leaving the Demon Suppression Bureau.
Xie An wasn't in the mood to ride his horse, so he held the reins and strolled along the street. In his mind, he replayed every detail of his conversation with Su Yuqing.
A dignified martial arts grandmaster, the current princess… Xie An was still very impressed by her gentle and refined attitude.
Joining the core lineage of the Taiyi Dao was good, Xie An felt, but not essential.
He only wanted to confirm one thing now: whether he was really being targeted by Li Changchun.
If so, then he would decisively cooperate with Su Yuqing, with no other choice.
If not, Xie An didn't want to have any involvement with this grandmaster. He still preferred to develop steadily on his own, and liked the feeling of controlling everything himself.
Even if the development was a bit slower, with the Longevity fate, he could endure.
If he was really being targeted, then there was no choice.
Although Xie An knew that Su Yuqing wouldn't lie to deceive him, this matter was too important after all, and Xie An hadn't personally seen Li Changchun attack him, so he always had a little trouble making up his mind…
It was afternoon, and the streets were exceptionally bustling. Countless hawkers were peddling their wares, and the air was filled with the atmosphere of everyday life.
Passing by a restaurant, Xie An tied his horse to the roadside, then went inside and ordered a pound of cooked beef and a spicy sheep's head.
In any case, he would fill his stomach first.
As he ate, Xie An had a flash of inspiration:
"I've really narrowed my path… Su Yuqing said before that the Corpse Refining Hall had spent a hundred years accumulating eight thousand strands of corpse energy. If I could gather these undead energies into my own hands… wouldn't I be able to fill up the fusion degree of the Longevity fate?
Currently, my fusion degree is only nine ten-thousandths, and cultivating the Bright Jade Skill is already progressing very quickly. If I absorb another eight thousand strands… wouldn't the Bright Jade Skill be maxed out directly?
At that time, I would naturally be comparable to a martial arts grandmaster, what would I fear from Li Changchun, the high priest?"
After this thought popped out, Xie An felt enlightened.
The Corpse Refining Hall's century-long attempt to accumulate ten thousand strands of corpse energy was, for him… an unprecedented opportunity!
The Corpse Refining Hall was a treasure!
With his current strength, he naturally couldn't covet the Corpse Refining Hall, but with Su Yuqing… wouldn't that work!?
Su Yuqing was using him, and he could also use this martial arts grandmaster in return!
In the end, his own strength was the foundation.
As long as his strength was strong enough, what was there to fear?
"Leaving aside whether eight thousand strands can be obtained, doesn't that Young Master Li have four silver corpses with him? One silver corpse has five strands of undead energy, so four would be… twenty strands. More than three times my current fusion degree. After Su Yuqing moves into the hall, I can rely on this big tree and first absorb the twenty strands of undead energy."
As his thinking opened up, Xie An's perspective also broadened.
For Xie An, nothing was more exciting than increasing the fusion degree of the Longevity fate.
If the fusion degree was maxed out, not only the Bright Jade Skill, but other longevity techniques could also be comprehended in an instant?
At that time, would he still need to fear the imperial court?
What would smashing a Great Bronze Bell be?
Although this sounded a bit whimsical, Xie An had deeply experienced the terrifying power brought by the increase in the fusion degree of the Longevity fate. He knew very well… that this was not a fantasy.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity… was right in front of him!
"This deal… can be done! And it's an earth-shattering deal!"
The more Xie An thought about it, the more excited he became.
Xie An, fearing that he would overlook any key dangers due to excessive excitement, suppressed his emotions and carefully replayed everything, and after confirming that there were no omissions, he finally made up his mind:
"There's no need to wait for Li Changchun to appear, I can go find Su Yuqing to cooperate now."
Eight thousand strands of undead energy…
How could he let it go?
Once he made up his mind, Xie An no longer hesitated, planning to go to the Demon Suppression Bureau to confront Su Yuqing after finishing his meal. And also take this woman to live in his hall. In this way, all problems would be solved.
Just then, a voice sounded.
"Brother."
Huh?
Xie An looked up and saw a teenager in his teens, wearing a well-fitting gray scholar's robe. Without waiting for Xie An's consent, he sat down beside him, "There are no seats around, I hope I'm not bothering you."
After speaking, the tall teenager called the waiter over to order food, and then ate it on his own after it was served.
Xie An glanced at him, not finding any obvious abnormalities, and since the surrounding area was indeed full, he let it go. However, after observing for a while, Xie An keenly noticed that this tall teenager was a bit strange.
For example, he was clearly very young and dressed very richly, but he seemed to enjoy the posture of a teenager very much, calling him "brother" affectionately, enjoying the delicious food, and even licking the oil stains from the bottom of the bowl after eating.
It was as if… he was living a second life.
It was very unusual.
The teenager then said, "I come from Shuideng Town, brother, where do you come from?"
Huh?
A fellow townsman?
Logically speaking, that shouldn't be. He had been the hall master in Shuideng Town for more than two years, and knew many wealthy villagers.
Xie An said: "I also come from Shuideng Town."
The teenager smiled and said: "That's really a coincidence, a fellow townsman. I heard that a rather famous Hall Master Xie An has appeared in Shuideng Town. I had seen him from afar before, and he looks very similar to you, brother. Are you Xie An?"
"That's me."
The teenager seemed to have taken a liking to this kind of communication, "That's a coincidence. I'm going back to my hometown in a while, can I travel with you, Hall Master?"
Xie An became vigilant.
Ordinary villagers would be respectful when they saw him, how could they be so familiar?
"I still have important matters to attend to, I'll take my leave first."
Xie An hurriedly paid the bill and left, taking his horse to the Demon Suppression Bureau.
However, after leaving the restaurant for a long time, Xie An discovered that the tall teenager had been following him.
