Chapter 330: Chapter 239: 10,000 True Scrolls in the Mind, Mastering Half the Sky of the Civil and Martial

When Yuan Xiao’s gaze shifted toward the Grand Wei Treasure Palace, Fu Lizi’s heart lurched. ’Could it be that Daoist guiding him from the shadows again?’

The Life-Extinguishing Demon-Mara Banner had a formidable reputation, but it was an ancient Magical Treasure whose origins were obscure and impossible to verify.

Its roots could likely be traced back to the "Demon Buddha" who betrayed the Ximizhou Continent in ages past.

He was a monstrous talent on the level of a Daoist Monarch, who had once served as the abbot of Hongfa Monastery. Furthermore, at the "Unrestricted Dharma Assembly" held once every three hundred and sixty years, his rhetoric was so sharp and his speech so eloquent that he debated the assembled monks into stunned silence.

The reasons why the Demon Buddha betrayed the Buddhist Dao, abandoned its Daoist Lineage, and sought to establish his own sect remain largely unknown to this day.

The Ximizhou Continent once launched a campaign of burning books and destroying records to erase all traces left by this Daoist Monarch, sparing only Hongfa Monastery from being razed.

However, according to rumor, that same Demon Buddha, who was personally vanquished by the World Honored One, was also the key figure behind the westward spread of the Sword Dao.

Fu Lizi had found this treasure in an ancient grotto-heaven and had spent several Earth-element Spiritual Objects to nourish and mend it, only then restoring it to its original state.

He had poured countless hours of effort into it, intending to use it as a Dao-protecting instrument, but now he had been forced to relinquish it because of this Hongshui Dharma Assembly.

’What a double loss.’

Fu Lizi let out a long sigh. He didn’t humiliate himself by asking Yuan Xiao to return it.

For a member of the Demon Dao to lose in Magical Combat and then attempt to reclaim the Magical Treasure that was taken from them—if word got out, they would become a laughingstock.

’I’ll have to ask "Old Master Fu" to find me a few more Opportunities to rebuild my personal reserves.’

Fu Lizi cupped his hands in a brief salute, then transformed into a rainbow streak of light and flew out of the Xiangyun Heaven, landing in front of the other True Inheritance Disciples:

"I have made a fool of myself before you, my junior brothers and sisters. I thought I could use the Life-Extinguishing Demon-Mara Banner to suppress Yuan Xiao, but I never expected him to see through my plan and turn the tables, breaking my technique with a doppelganger spell."

Yu Changqing’s expression was grim.

During this Hongshui Dharma Assembly, aside from Gu Changling’s match, they had been on the defensive at every turn.

It was as if someone with divine foresight had known what was coming and prepared specific counters in advance.

"Senior Brother Fu, even I didn’t know about this high-grade Magical Treasure of yours; you’ve never used it before! How could Yuan Xiao have known? There must be foul play involved!"

The moment Yu Changqing finished speaking, Yue Ziqi and Xu Wan both nodded in agreement.

"Senior Brother Yu’s match is one thing; one could argue his opponent had simply studied the cycles of the Five Elements in depth and found a sliver of an opening."

"But there was something very strange about Senior Brother Fu’s match. The Life-Extinguishing Demon-Mara Banner is a relic from a bygone era, long vanished from the world. We didn’t even know its true nature, yet Yuan Xiao was prepared for it? Some True Monarch must have abandoned all martial decorum and orchestrated this from the shadows!"

Hearing the certainty in the voices of his senior brother and junior sister, Yue Ziqi said gravely:

"Senior Brother Fu, the Taifu Sect can accept defeat, but we cannot accept losing in such a baffling way, manipulated like puppets on a string! I implore you, Senior Brother Fu, to step forward and petition True Monarch Guangzhao Jinghai for a just ruling!"

Yu Changqing and Xu Wan chimed in, seconding the motion with one voice.

If they returned to the sect so disgracefully, they would have no way to explain themselves to the Sect Leader and the True Monarchs, and they would surely be punished.

Fu Lizi hesitated. He too found it strange, but then he thought of that Daoist, Jiang Yi. With the gaze of the Shao Yang upon him and a Gold-aspect integrated into his very fate, it was entirely possible he truly did possess some formidable hidden method.

"Ask a True Monarch for a ruling... If the result remains the same, the Taifu Sect will only become an even greater laughingstock. In the future, when our sect’s True Monarchs run into seniors from the Innate Sect, they will likely never hear the end of this."

Fu Lizi reminded them that if a True Monarch lost even a bit of face, the True Inheritance Disciples below them would have to risk their lives to earn it back.

This was the way of Upper Cultivators managing their subordinates.

It was a principle that held true across all the great Daoist Lineages!

Yu Changqing gritted his teeth and said:

"I’m willing to stake my position as a True Inheritance Disciple on it! The Innate Sect definitely used some despicable, underhanded tricks!"

While he was meditating to regulate his qi and stabilize the damage to his Dao Foundation, he had replayed and analyzed the match over and over, but he still couldn’t figure it out.

How exactly did Feng Yuan see through his killer move, "Jia Wood Reaching for the Heavens, Drawing on Fire to Prosper"?

Fu Lizi glanced at the others and saw that they were all filled with indignation, so he nodded and said:

"Since my junior brothers and sisters insist, I will make the trip."

With that, he gathered his Magical Power again and transformed into a flying rainbow, piercing through the clouds.

"A True Inheritance Disciple of the Taifu Sect wishes to see True Monarch Guangzhao Jinghai!"

...

...

At the Eight Peaks encampment, thunderous cheers erupted. To have let the Taifu Sect claim only a single Talisman Decree was, by all accounts, a resounding victory.

Aside from the Disciples of Gen Peak, the members of all the other peaks were clapping their hands in celebration.

According to custom, when a True Inheritance Disciple achieved great merit, their affiliated peak would also bask in the glory. Everything from the monthly stipend distribution to the concentration of the Spiritual Aura would be improved.

Therefore, no matter which grotto-heaven they were from, all Disciples hoped their own True Inheritance Disciple would be magnificent and unmatched, repeatedly achieving merits to improve their benefits.

Before the Hongshui Dharma Assembly, a top figure like Gu Changling was universally admired and extremely popular throughout his grotto-heaven.

It was for this very reason that if True Monarch Luo wanted to suppress Gu Changling, he had to ensure he suffered a major defeat and a loss of prestige; only then would he have sufficient reason to depose him.

When Yuan Xiao descended in his Escape Light, retracted his golden aura, and stepped into the spacious main hall of the Grand Wei Treasure Palace, Qu Liu’er was the first to congratulate him:

"Senior Brother Yuan, you were so impressive! You beat the Taifu Sect into silence! Fu Lizi was a figure whose position among the True Inheritance was solid and unshakeable, but now he’s lost to you... After this battle, your name will surely be known far and wide!"

Feng Yuan also came forward to greet him, his brow relaxed and a smile on his face:

"Junior Brother Yuan, by defeating Fu Lizi with your sword, you’ve achieved a merit no less than that of opening up a new blessed land. You’ve thoroughly humbled the Taifu Sect; the Sect Leader will surely be delighted and might even bestow another True Skill upon you!"

Gu Changling also stood up. Although he was the only one among the competing True Inheritance Disciples to have been utterly defeated, he now offered his sincere congratulations:

"Junior Brother Yuan, your swordsmanship has grown more profound. Having cultivated the *White Tiger Seven Killings True Skill* to the realm of sword intent like silk, you can now drop the ’half’ from the title ’half a Sword Cultivator.’"

Yuan Xiao returned their salutes one by one, then raised his head to look at Jiang Yi, who was seated in the place of honor.

In his eyes, this Daoist had become shrouded in an aura of mystery.

He took a few steps forward, respectfully presented the glittering golden Talisman Decree, and then asked:

"Thank you for your guidance, Daoist. If I hadn’t known in advance that Fu Lizi possessed the Life-Nourishing One Qi Gui and the Life-Extinguishing Demon-Mara Banner, I would have had no chance of winning this battle."

Jiang Yi waved his hand and said:

"True Inheritance Yuan, you are too modest. That *Three Marvels Origin-Separation Skill* is not easy to practice. Your ability to successfully master it in such a short time is a testament to your skill."

Hearing Jiang Yi bring this up, Yuan Xiao was even more astonished.

This Daoist was only in the Qi Cultivation Realm, yet his explanation of a Foundation Establishment True Skill was both profound and easy to understand, incisive and to the point. The depth of his insight was in no way inferior to that of a True Monarch. It was truly astounding.

"Daoist, your wisdom is unlike anything I have ever encountered! I am filled with the utmost admiration!"

Everyone in the hall was stunned to hear this.

After all, Yuan Xiao, who primarily cultivated the Gold-attribute, had always been proud and looked down on the world, rarely holding anyone in such high esteem.

Even when Gu Changling stood dominant over the Eight Peaks True Inheritance, he had only boasted that in another thirty years, when his Sword Dao reached Great Success, he would surely defeat him!

When had he ever looked so thoroughly convinced?

"Senior Brother Yuan, what riddle are you and the Daoist speaking?"

Qu Liu’er blinked and asked sweetly:

"Could it be that when you broke Fu Lizi’s Magical Treasure with your sword, Senior Brother Yuan, you also relied on the Daoist’s help?"

Yuan Xiao answered frankly:

"It was the Daoist who informed me of the details and also taught me an avatar-type True Skill to counter the Life-Extinguishing Demon-Mara Banner, that ancient Magical Treasure."

Feng Yuan frowned and asked:

"But the Daoist and you, Junior Brother Yuan, you clearly didn’t... that jug of Red Dust Brew?"

The corners of Jiang Yi’s lips turned up slightly as he slowly said:

"It was merely a private discussion with True Inheritance Yuan over a pot of good wine.

It was just a case of a blind cat finding a dead mouse—a lucky guess, that’s all.

It was precisely because I wasn’t completely sure that I didn’t announce it publicly."

This was not a lie.

In his haste, the Celestial Book hadn’t been able to reveal all of Fu Lizi’s secrets.

Jiang Yi could only ask what his opponent’s few most powerful Magical Treasures were, and he happened to luck out by guessing the Life-Extinguishing Demon-Mara Banner.

It could be considered Fu Lizi’s bad luck.

He had a total of three high-grade Magical Treasures on him, but of all things, he just had to use the Life-Extinguishing Demon-Mara Banner.

"The Daoist is truly a master strategist, settling the matter with a single, decisive move."

Feng Yuan and Qu Liu’er exchanged a glance. They then looked at the triumphant Yuan Xiao, a mutual sense of admiration dawning in their eyes.

’Sitting here in the Grand Wei Treasure Palace and secretly controlling the outcome of the Hongshui Dharma Assembly!’

If the Daoist hadn’t been overseeing things this time, it was unknown how many Talisman Decrees the Innate Sect could have won.

"Back then, the Sect Leader was known by the epithet, ’A library of ten thousand true books in his chest, with half the world of letters and war in his grasp.’"

Gu Changling’s feelings were complicated. He had never imagined that he would one day be unable to fathom a mere Qi Cultivation Cultivator.

"In my opinion, the Daoist is also worthy of that praise."