On the top floor of the Observatory, the Bureau Chief had left the Eight Trigrams Platform at some point and was now staring sharply at the carving knife in Xu Qi'an's hand.

"Have you also chosen him...?" At this moment, the "god" who had been in charge of the capital for five hundred years, and was the heart of the Great Feng's people, murmured to himself.

"Hahaha..."

Emperor Yuan Jing looked up and let out a long roar, standing with his hands behind his back in the tallest building in the Great Feng. He listened to the cheers of the people, this was the Great Feng's victory, and his victory.

The Buddhist sect was now under his feet.

"He didn't kneel, not bad," Emperor Yuan Jing sighed, "How many years has it been? How many years has it been since a young hero like this appeared in the capital?"

"Ah ah ah ah..."

Biao Biao let out a piercing scream, excitedly stomping her feet. "I won, Huai Qing, the dog slave won, he is mine, he is mine."

Huai Qing looked at the unconscious Xu Qi'an, with a hint of infatuation in her eyes.

She was an outstanding woman, noble and proud. Even if she was the top scholar, in Huai Qing's eyes, she was just passable. There were countless outstanding young talents in the capital, but the only one that Princess Huai Qing truly admired was Wei Yuan.

The Dean Zhao Shou was a respected junior, but not enough to earn her admiration.

At this moment, Huai Qing recalled Xu Qi'an's various deeds, from the tax case to the secret plot against the son of the Minister of Revenue, Zhou Li, to joining the Nightwatcher, and investigating the Sangbo case... He almost single-handedly completed the investigation of the Yunzhou case, then died in battle among the four hundred rebels, and returned to the capital... to investigate the case of the Empress.

During this time, there were frequent questions about his literary works, which inspired the scholars of the Great Feng.

And now, he had replaced the Bureau of Heavenly Masters and fought against the Buddhist sect, twice taking action and restoring the confidence of the people in the capital.

In a debate, he converted the old monk under the Bodhi tree, allowing the second-tier Arhat to attain enlightenment and understand the Mahayana Buddhist teachings.

Then, a bright light came from the sky, and with one blow, he shattered the Buddha's image and destroyed the Arhat's treasure.

Princess Huai Qing had never seen such an outstanding man, never.

The women cheered, the officials laughed... Amidst the explosive cheers, Xu Pingzhi sat slumped in his chair, as if all his strength had been drained.

Just a little bit more, and he would have taken the son to the Buddhist sect.

Amidst the boiling cheers of the people in the capital and the passionate shouts, the true hero Xu Qi'an was ignored, and Xu Erlang quietly walked over and carried his elder brother on his back.

In the end, I was the only one who resisted everything... Xu Erlang thought to himself.

He walked towards the Nightwatchers with Xu Qi'an on his back, and caught sight of the carving knife that Xu Qi'an was tightly holding in his hand.

What is this thing, a carving knife perhaps?

Judging by its appearance, it seemed to be a "pen" used by scholars in ancient times when there was no paper, and they wrote on bamboo slips with a carving knife in hand.

Where did this carving knife come from... when no one was paying attention, he could just take it from his elder brother! Xu Erlang was a little envious, as this kind of ancient object was very tempting to scholars.

The Arhat Du'e stood in a daze, not because he was distressed about the damage to the Buddhist treasure, but because he regretted that such a naturally talented Buddhist disciple had not joined the Buddhist sect.

"Master Uncle..."

The monk Jingchen looked at Xu Erlang's back, at Xu Qi'an on his shoulder, and said in a deep voice, "Xu Shizhu is a genius bestowed upon the Buddhist sect by the heavens, the founder of the Mahayana Buddhist teachings. Master Uncle must bring him back to the Western Regions."

The Arhat Du'e pondered for a long time, then sighed, "Forget it, the time has not come."

Jingchen was unwilling, as if he had thought of something, he looked back at the Observatory, opened his mouth, but ultimately chose to remain silent.

The battle between the Buddhist sect and the Bureau of Heavenly Masters had ended, but the echoes of this extraordinary event continued.

In a certain tavern, a middle-aged man in a tattered blue shirt, carrying an empty jug, crossed the threshold and entered the ground floor hall, heading straight to the counter.

"Innkeeper, I heard that if I talk to you about the battle, you'll give me a free jug of wine?"

The innkeeper with a goatee smiled and nodded, "You can also talk while you drink, and the inn will also give you a plate of peanuts."

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment. He had originally intended to take the wine home, but the innkeeper had given him too much, so he said, "Alright, I'll drink here, quickly, bring the peanuts."

The innkeeper waved for the waiter to bring a jug of wine and a plate of peanuts to the middle-aged man.

After taking a sip of wine and picking up a couple of peanuts to eat, the man in the blue shirt said slowly:

"When the Arhat of the Buddhist sect threw the golden bowl to the ground, the sky changed instantly, thunder and lightning intertwined, and the sky transformed into a Buddhist realm. Inside this realm, there are four levels. The first level is called the Eight Sufferings Formation, which is said to be used by the high monks of the Buddhist sect to temper their hearts...

"This second level is called the Vajra Formation. Innkeeper, do you know who presides over the Vajra?"

The middle-aged man sneered at the innkeeper.

"Isn't it just that little monk from the Southern City?" The waiter at the next table chuckled.

"That's right, just a little monk." The customer at the next table echoed.

"You all know..." The man in the blue shirt was taken aback.

"He's the one who was taken down by our Xu Yinluo with one blow. What invincible Vajra, it's all just paper tigers, bah." The speaking customer was filled with the pride of the people of the capital.

Just a day ago, when the little monk Jingsi was mentioned, they gritted their teeth. "The Great Feng has many experts, can't even deal with a little monk?"

Helpless rage.But now, when it comes to that little monk, even the common people are proud and disdainful: "It's just so."

All of this is the face and confidence that Xu Qi'an has gradually regained during the process of fighting.

The middle-aged man in the blue shirt looked at the shopkeeper in amazement: "You knew about this a long time ago, so why set this rule?"

"People see different things, and there are always gaps to be filled," the shopkeeper said with a smile. "Today, I stayed at the restaurant and couldn't go to watch the fight. It's a great regret in life.

"Can only savor it afterwards, have a little wine, and turn regret into a joy."

The middle-aged man in the blue shirt nodded and continued, ".......... After Xu Yinluo came out, he recited a poem step by step........"

"Wait." The shopkeeper suddenly shouted, "Is there a line in the poem that says 'The sea comes to an end and the sky becomes the shore, the peak of martial arts is my peak'? Are you sure about this? Many people have mentioned this to me, but none have said it."

The middle-aged man in the blue shirt nodded vigorously, "Yes, there is this line. I read it in a book more than ten years ago. How could I forget a few lines of poetry?"

"Hiss....... that's strange," the shopkeeper frowned.

At this time, a martial artist coughed and whispered, "Shopkeeper, are the people who told you this all martial artists?"

The shopkeeper asked in return, "Is there a problem?"

"Hey!" The martial artist waved his hand, "It doesn't matter to you ordinary people, but as martial artists, who dares to say such things in front of a large audience? It's either looking for death or looking for a beating."

The shopkeeper suddenly realized that martial artists are brave and ruthless, and they can't stand anyone being arrogant. They often draw their swords because the other party said something inappropriate. This kind of thing happens even in the strict rules of the capital.

"Another good poem has been collected. This is a poem by Xu Shi Kui. Quick, prepare paper and pen for me," the shopkeeper said excitedly, instructing the waiter.

............

Hanlin Academy.

The Hanlin Academy belongs to the Cabinet, responsible for editing books, drafting edicts, serving the royal family, serving as examiners for the imperial examinations, and so on.

The three most prestigious positions in the court are the Imperial Censorate, the Six Ministries, and the Hanlin Academy.

In terms of status, the Hanlin Academy ranks first, because the Hanlin Academy also has another name: the breeding ground for future prime ministers.

All the prime ministers of the Great Feng Dynasty have come from the Hanlin Academy. In other words, only those who are prestigious in the Hanlin Academy can enter the Cabinet, become a grand scholar, or even be appointed as prime minister.

The only exception is that nobles or princes can directly bypass the Hanlin Academy and enter the Cabinet to take power.

However, civil officials cannot do this. If civil officials want to enter the Cabinet, they must enter the Hanlin Academy. And only those who pass the first and second level of the imperial examinations can enter the Hanlin Academy.

At this moment, the eunuch on duty in the sleeping palace of Emperor Yuan Jing was standing in the hall of the Hanlin Academy, reprimanding the prestigious officials.

"Isn't the victory in this fight the result of His Majesty's use of talented people? Isn't it the court's cultivation of Xu Yinluo that has contributed? Look at what you've written, all of you are first-class scholars, and you can't even write history," the eunuch threw the book to the ground. "Rewrite it."

The prestigious officials present changed their expressions. After returning to the Hanlin Academy, they hadn't even eaten, and they wrote with a sense of pride.

Today's fight will undoubtedly go down in history and be passed down to future generations, there is no doubt about that. But how to write it is very particular.

Any major event that enhances the country's prestige must be recorded positively in the history books, symbolizing honor and glory.

Those in power, that is, Emperor Yuan Jing, want to take advantage of this.

Of course, any other emperor would make the same choice when faced with such an opportunity.

A young editor said in a deep voice, "The person was chosen by the Bureau of Heavenly Masters, and the fight was the result of Xu Yinluo's efforts. What does this have to do with His Majesty? We, as editors of the Hanlin Academy, are not only writing history for the court, but also for the future generations."

The eunuch sneered, saying ambiguously, "The fact that you can enter the Hanlin Academy is a favor from His Majesty. It is only a matter of time before you enter the Cabinet. The future is boundless.

"If you provoke His Majesty and he assigns you to the outside, tsk tsk, this bright future will be gone, not to mention the sun and moon, even the stars will be gone.

"His Majesty's intention is to keep the length the same, to write in detail about the fight and the process of His Majesty choosing talents. As for Xu Yinluo's praise, he is still young and will have plenty of opportunities in the future.

"Do you understand, gentlemen?"

The young editor grabbed the inkstone and smashed it at the eunuch, staining his python robe with ink. The eunuch grunted and retreated repeatedly.

"How dare you hit me?" the eunuch was furious.

"I'm hitting you," the editor pointed at the eunuch and scolded, "When the Western Region envoy entered the capital this time, first there was King Kong sitting in the south city, and the monk preaching in the north city; then the Dharma descended and questioned the Bureau of Heavenly Masters.

"And then the Bureau of Heavenly Masters fought with the Buddhist sect, and Xu Shi Kui turned the tide, defeating the sharpness of the Buddhist sect. If it weren't for him, the court would have lost face this time. Why can't we praise him? Why should we reduce the amount of ink and paper? A young hero, I admire him. If he were a scholar, I would bow to him as my teacher.

"Get out of here, the Hanlin Academy is not a place where you eunuchs can run wild."

"Get out." Other prestigious officials grabbed whatever they could and threw it at him, ink, paper, inkstone, books, pen holders...

The eunuch fled in embarrassment, leaving the Hanlin Academy.

.............

Lingbao Temple.

A woman dressed in gorgeous palace attire, with her skirt trailing on the ground and wearing precious jewelry, came to the inner courtyard, dignified and gentle, and instructed:

"The two of you, go down first. I have something to discuss with the National Teacher."

The two maids accompanying her left the courtyard.The woman suddenly became lively, picked up her skirt, and trotted into the quiet room, exclaiming, "National Teacher, why didn't I see you at today's magical duel? Did you see the duel today?"

Inside the quiet room, Luo Yuheng, dressed in a dark Taoist robe and wearing a lotus crown, her hair neatly combed to reveal a smooth forehead and a stunning visage, sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. She looked at the woman who barged in and said indifferently:

"Not interested."

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"Then you missed a good show."

The woman with the veiled face sat down by the desk and said, "Today's duel was spectacular, even more interesting than a troupe's play. Let me tell you about it..."

She chattered on, vividly describing the process of the duel to Luo Yuheng.

"You're saying he broke the Eight Sufferings Formation with a single slash?" Luo Yuheng frowned.

"Yes, it was amazing. What's wrong?" the veiled woman asked.

Is the Supervisor helping him, even mobilizing the power of all living beings for him... Luo Yuheng pondered for a moment and said, "Continue."

The veiled woman went on to describe how Xu Qi'an broke through the Vajra Formation with a single slash. Luo Yuheng remained noncommittal until she heard about the conversation with the old monk on Buddhism and how it led to Du'e's sudden enlightenment. The woman sighed:

"Although I still don't understand what's so great about Mahayana Buddhism, it sounded very impressive."

Mahayana Buddhism... He has such insight? A look of shock flashed in Luo Yuheng's beautiful eyes.

"All this is nothing. The most exciting part was the fourth challenge... When the golden body appeared, it forced that libertine to kneel. That's when the most interesting scene occurred..."

The veiled woman's eyes sparkled as she took a sip of tea.

Luo Yuheng smiled and said, "Drink slowly, Nan Zhi, haven't you noticed something?"

"What?"

"You used to come to my temple and always complained about being bored, wanting to go out and have fun. But now, you no longer say you're bored. Not only that, but when you talk to me, you always bring up Xu Qi'an."

The veiled woman was taken aback. She stared at Luo Yuheng for a moment, her lively demeanor receding into a reserved and dignified lady, with a faint aloofness, her tone calm: "What do you mean?"

Luo Yuheng shook her head with a smile: "Just a reminder that you are married. Your husband is Prince Huai, a third-rank martial artist. He guards the border and is not in the capital.

"But there are many of his confidants and spies in the capital. You should not get too involved with Xu Qi'an, otherwise, you would be harming him."

The veiled woman scoffed proudly, "How could I possibly be involved with a libertine who frequents the Official Brothel Sector? Are you insulting me?"

"That's good," Luo Yuheng nodded and said, "Actually, you don't need to say it, I already know what happened next. Either the manifestation inexplicably shattered, or, the Supervisor made a move?"

Just now, she had sensed a surge of the power of all living beings, which then subsided.

Either the Supervisor was helping in secret, or he acted openly.

After all, in the capital, Emperor Yuan Jing's luck was insufficient, and his cultivation weak. The only one who could mobilize the power of all living beings was a sorcerer, a first-rank, the Supervisor!

"It wasn't."

The veiled woman shook her head, her tone cold.

This petty woman, always putting on airs... Luo Yuheng smiled, held her teacup, and asked, "Not?"

"It was a beam of clear light that descended from the sky, shattering the golden body and the Buddhist realm," she whispered.

"At that time, I was close by and saw everything clearly. It was an engraving knife."

An engraving knife?!

It was as if thunder struck beside her ear. Luo Yuheng's hand trembled, and the warm tea splashed out. Her beautiful face suddenly froze.

It wasn't the Supervisor... The Supervisor couldn't control the Confucian engraving knife... Luo Yuheng said gravely, "The engraving knife, where is it, what happened afterward, tell me in detail."

There was an urgency in her tone, and an excitement she couldn't hide. The veiled woman had never seen Luo Yuheng show such a range of emotions and asked curiously, "What's wrong with you?"

"Tell me quickly!" Luo Yuheng leaned forward, almost shouting.

"...It was the engraving knife that shattered the manifestation."

"Did the engraving knife flee after shattering the manifestation, or did it remain at the scene? Xu... Did Xu Qi'an touch the engraving knife?" Luo Yuheng's gaze was intense, as if this detail was of utmost importance.

"Yes, he stabbed through the temple's manifestation with a knife." The woman raised her right arm and made a forward "stabbing" gesture.

Luo Yuheng was stunned.

...

PS: There will be another chapter before midnight.