After Jimo Shu moved the incense table, she stood quietly by the side without moving.
Of course, she wasn't that stupid. She must have used disguise to get in. It was just that her facial features were slightly changed. She no longer looked beautiful, but rather ordinary.
But Yun Xian was quite sensitive to all kinds of smells. In her eyes, everyone had a unique scent. If it wasn't Jimo Shu, she would have treated her head like a ball.
Telepathy is a complex matter. If the other party is unwilling to communicate with you, you can't reach them. That's why Zhang Heyan didn't dare to do it rashly. Yun Xian tried it and coughed, "Saint Lady?"
After a while, Jimo Shu's voice came coldly: "The people you brought are really mismatched."
Yun Xian said: "No way? Aren't they all good? Do you want to talk to them?"
Jimo Shu: "Who wants to talk to them?"
If you really count them this way, Ji Rongxue was the one who beat her against the wall in the four-sided battlefield and she could hardly get down, Qi Xingye was the most annoying bald donkey, there was an annoying medical cultivator who was not on her team, and three annoying and despicable people from the East Realm. Indeed, to Jimo Shu, none of them were very likable.
Yun Xian didn't care about that. She pulled Jimo Shu into the voice transmission array and said, "Everyone, welcome the newcomer to the group."
"Who is it?" Feng Ye asked blankly, "Welcome, welcome."
Xue Lingxiu asked, "Can you please let me know before you do anything?"
Qiao Lingshan asked, "Has it changed from discussion to notification?"
Qi Zhiye ignored him. Ji Rongxue was sleeping with her eyes open and hadn't woken up yet.
Yun Xian said, "The Saint Lady is here. She's right over there. Isn't that a coincidence?"
There was a sudden silence in the sound transmission array: "......"
I have to say, the first few times I got along with this witch were not pleasant experiences.
After a while, Ji Rongxue said slowly, "Jimo Shu is here? Where is she?"
"I'm not here to gossip with you." Jimo Shu held her breath and said, "It was the leader who asked me to thoroughly investigate the matter of the Smiling Buddha and to try to swallow her. It has nothing to do with any of you."
Feng Ye actually wanted to say that he could just name someone directly, but Yun Xian didn’t call him “anyone”.
Why do I always see Jimo Shu? It's easy to overthink things. For example, she really wants to play with Yun Xian, but she's too embarrassed to tell Yun Yun...
"Your cultivation methods are too bizarre. Is it the big fish eating the small fish?" Furthermore, the Smiling Buddha's cultivation was clearly higher than that of the Spiritual Disciple Stage. Yun Xian hesitated and said, "But it's still not certain whether she's possessed by a demon. All I can see is that she might have some connection to the Demon Cult..."
Jimo Shu said impatiently, "I followed the evil spirit to find her. Do you think she's possessed?"
In the silence, Ji Rongxue said coldly, "So, she subconsciously thought of you as her 'same kind,' and that's why you weren't discovered."
As they walked along, they found that the lotus seat relied on Buddha's energy, but Jimo Shu said that she relied on demonic energy.
Why is there such a big difference?
Just as everyone was about to say something, the Buddhist bell rang three times again, and it was time for breakfast. The old ladies and grandfathers began to drive everyone out of the hall like a flock of sheep, and then with a bang, they slammed the door of the Buddhist temple shut.
Jimo Shu was locked in the hall, and the six people were driven out of the hall and disappeared from sight in an instant.
Through the last sliver of space, Yun Xian caught a glimpse of the Buddha statue's transformation. It was a fleeting moment, its golden body peeling, its face in ruins, its desk littered with spiderwebs and scraps. But in a flash, it was a magnificent statue once again.
“…”
She stroked her chin and thought, things are getting more and more complicated.
As written on the straw paper left by Liu Jian, breakfast consists of vegetables and tofu.
Ji Rongxue didn't eat anything other than meat, so he gave the vegetarian meal to Yun Xian. Yun Xian took a bite and felt that his mouth was about to become bland.
What's in this? It feels like the vegetables were just picked from the field, washed, and eaten directly. It has a pure natural earthy smell.
You won't die if you don't eat, but you might die if you eat something unpalatable. Yun Xian pushed the bowl away and said to Zhang Heyan who was not far away: "Ahem."
The two groups had been under strict surveillance the entire time, and only then did they sit relatively close to each other. Zhang Heyan received her message and finally tried to send a message: "Find a way to escape. This mission is impossible."
Yun Xian: "What do you mean?"
"I and this group of hired experts arrived here six days ago."
Zhang Heyan's face turned pale. "That's right, they won't kill you. You feel like you're doing something boring every day, and at first you don't think you'll change your beliefs—who would convert to Buddhism in just a few days? But with each passing day, you'll clearly feel the changes in yourself. There are always those things that transcend common sense, and you can't tell whether they're real or fake. At first, I thought as long as I didn't make any mistakes, it would be fine. But we've been here for six days, and I still don't understand what they mean by 'wrong'."
His words were a bit disjointed, as if he had nothing to say, but at least his expression was clear. Yun Xian glanced at the expert next to him, who had already reached the stage where he couldn't eat without being beaten like a wooden fish. The other one was even more powerful, and he couldn't eat without being beaten like a wooden fish. It was hard not to say that this was a cycle of love and suffering. The two of them smiled happily, and it was very uncomfortable to watch.
"Scary, isn't it? Let me tell you something even scarier. This guy was a Taoist before he came here. He just came and spent the whole night scolding me, saying that all Buddhists are bald donkeys and that Taoism is the best in the world of cultivation." Zhang Heyan smiled bitterly and took out a small jade Buddha from his neck. The light on it, which should have been bright and lustrous, suddenly dimmed a lot, even emitting a bloody glow. "If I stay any longer, I will probably die soon."
Yun Xian saw the jade Buddha and immediately lowered his eyes.
On the chests of the people, the wooden Buddha statues given by Master Mingguang had unexpectedly developed a tiny crack.
Among them, Qi Zhiye's crack was obviously a little thicker than others.
"..." Qi Zhiye didn't take it seriously and sneered, "Buddha is merciful? You're still just as petty-minded."
"One more thing." Yun Xian transmitted his voice, "Do you know anything else about Master Jude's funeral?"
Zhang Heyan said, "I only know that the master died suddenly. He made a mistake, and because of that, he willingly accepted the heavenly punishment... Wait, what am I talking about?... Anyway, time is really running out. I haven't left yet because I have to hold on until at least tomorrow. I won't be willing to leave until I see the Smiling Buddha once."
The breakfast time was very short, and the two groups were separated again before they could communicate further.
Before leaving, Zhang Heyan told everyone that while he might not know the big mistakes, he knew the small ones: remember not to seek death, and never go against what the old ladies and grandpas say. A cultivator had a stomachache in the middle of the night and left the house. The next day, he was planting sweet potatoes at the village entrance. His smile was so innocent, revealing all twelve teeth.
The group of people who originally wanted to break down the door in the middle of the night to check on the body: "..."
Let's talk about it later.
Finally it's free time.
Yun Xian felt that if they stayed here for a few more days, their daily routine would become quite regular. The six of them split up and tried their best to explore the area.
Feng Ye shamelessly insisted on being in the same group with Qiao Lingshan, so Xue Lingxiu and Qi Zhiye went alone.
The village was still as peaceful and warm as before. The sun shone on the ground and the children were playing a game called hopscotch, their laughter filling the air.
Yun Xian walked over with his hands behind his back and said, "Huh?"
Ji Rongxue came over and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Miss, did you ever play hopscotch when you were a kid?" Yun Xian was trying to recall if there was something wrong with her memory. "Why do I remember the grid not being drawn like this?"
Generally, the number is from one to nine, and the larger the number, the farther. However, the grids that this group of children jumped on were not the same, and they used a small hydrangea to throw the grids instead of stones.
The hydrangea is decorated with delicate tassels, and when it rolls, it makes a silver bell sound. It looks very strange and has a very regional flavor.
"Shoes." Ji Rongxue also noticed the embroidered ball and said coldly, "Even if these and the embroidered shoes were not made by the same person, they were at least made by people from the same village. The patterns are too similar."
Yun Xian thought to himself that he would ask Xue Lingxiu to come over and see if the acupuncture techniques were the same. If they were, he could conclude that it was done by the same person.
Ji Rongxue said, "I always feel that this pattern is somewhat familiar."
"Me too." Yun Xian hissed, "Where have you seen it?"
"Also, that Lu Ban stool over there." Ji Rongxue looked at the wooden stool against the wall of the bungalow. It had an ingenious mechanism and could be folded directly. "This technique has long been lost. The last carpenter who could make a Lu Ban stool died more than ten years ago."
Yun Xian: "This place was built by the Smiling Buddha. Two things can be concluded. First, her knowledge is still stuck in decades ago. Second, this special place left a deep impression on her."
If only we could contact the outside world or if the team had an encyclopedia, we could tell where in the Western Territory this specialty originated. Alas, unfortunately, the team is full of smart people, so I can only rely on myself to shoulder the responsibility.
Knowing yourself and your enemy will ensure victory in a hundred battles. You must understand a little about the Smiling Buddha to avoid being so passive.
Yun Xian was so lost in thought that she nearly fell into the ditch. Ji Rongxue picked her up and put her away. She saw the hydrangea again, and an idea flashed in her mind:
"Hydrangea, Luban stool..." Yun Xian said excitedly, "An embroiderer relies on her eyes, a carpenter relies on her hands. And the old couple who brought people in, one is missing an eye, the other is missing a hand."
Ji Rongxue waited patiently for her to continue.
"That is to say," Yun Xianle said cheerfully, "there must be a connection between them!"
"..." What on earth was she expecting? Ji Rongxue turned around silently and said, "Let's go and take a look at the border."
It seemed Zhang Heyan's side hadn't given up either. Yun Xian and Ji Rongxue happened to pass by when they saw two people standing in a corner arguing. Their faces were red and their necks were thick. It was unclear what they were arguing about, but it looked like they were about to fight at any moment.
Seeing someone around, the two stopped and walked away quickly.
"Still arguing at this time..." Yun Xian was puzzled.
The Fenghua Land is still thriving.
Yun Xian and Ji Rongxue came to Liu Jian's home. The wind flower poison spread in the air, which was slightly pungent.
Liu Jian did not feel offended or unhappy about these two uninvited guests, who were new faces. Instead, he was extremely enthusiastic and poured hot tea for them, brought stools, and even went to the kitchen to help them cook.
"No, no, we just ate it." Yun Xian saw that Liu Jian's hands had begun to ulcerate and frowned, "This wind flower is poisonous, you..."
"I know." Liu Jian said, "Although it is poisonous, I am contributing to the Buddha's great cause. This is nothing."
Yun Xian confirmed that he was Liu Jian who wrote on the rough paper.
His cultivation level has decreased, but the meridians in his body are still the same as before, and his physical strength is also much different from that of the Foundation Establishment Stage. He was once in the Nascent Soul Stage.
Suddenly, a voice came from outside the door. Liu Jian looked up and said enthusiastically, "Brother Zhang! You're here! Come and help us entertain the guests. These two Buddhist friends are new here!"
Yun Xian thought that this should be his companion, but when he turned around, he found that it was not!
This person was an illusion. His smile was hollow, his lips stiff, and he lacked any spiritual energy. He greeted the two of them without any aversion, "Buddhist friends, what would you like to eat? My chives are just ripe!"
Yun Xian quickly exchanged glances with Ji Rongxue.
If this wasn't his companion, then where had they gone? If they were the same as him, they were probably nearby. The two of them had been walking for so long and hadn't seen anyone suspicious.
"This Liu Dao...Buddhist friend." Yun Xian saw something and said, "Can you let me see the paper on your desk?"
This is a rather offensive request.
It would have been fine if he had come uninvited, but he also inexplicably wanted to read the handwriting on someone else's desk. Any normal person would have thought he was rude, but Liu Jian's smile remained unchanged as he said generously, "Of course!"
Yun Xian touched it and asked inconspicuously, "What's written on it?"
"What's written on it?" Liu Jian suddenly got stuck and said blankly: "What's written on it... I can't seem to remember it all of a sudden... How strange."
There were only a few words written on the paper, sometimes frantic and sometimes neat:
Am I awake? Why am I here?
He is dead, really dead.
[At that time, his face turned into a bloody lotus, as if I was dreaming]
But I am sure
I saw murderous intent on his face.
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