The bridge hole is still the same bridge hole.

But the wounds on Ying Wuji's body have disappeared, and the feeling of anger in his chest has long since vanished.

Li Caitan looked at Ying Wuji in surprise and doubt, "How did you know it was me?"

Ying Wuji stood up and said, "I smelled it, it smelled like a toilet!"

Li Caitan: "???"

The emotional bar surged again, but this time it only rose by less than eighty and quickly fell back down.

Ying Wuji curiously glanced at her. This person was so open-minded, but she cared so much about being called a toilet by others. Isn't that contradictory? She's really strange...

He snorted coldly, "You should be very familiar with my situation from the illusion. So you should also know what it means to put me in danger with the illusion. I have people from the royal faction protecting me. Aren't you afraid of death?"

"Of course not!"

Li Caitan giggled, "Because that person knows that I don't want to kill you, I just want to sleep with you. Otherwise, he would have made a move already."

Ying Wuji's mouth twitched, "You're really dirty and despicable!"

Li Caitan was not as angry this time, but instead licked her lips and smiled, "Young master, fulfill my wish! I heard from the accompanying guards that your body is quite talented. I've been wanting to taste it for a long time. Don't worry, Wu Dan won't know, I won't tell him..."

"Get lost! Disgusting!"

Ying Wuji kicked her away.

Li Caitan didn't expect him to kick so decisively. Caught off guard, she was kicked into the river.

She was stunned. Although the kick didn't hurt at all, her whole body was soaked and she looked like a drowned rat. How could there be any ambiguous atmosphere?

"Ying Wuji! Don't you want the opportunity that came to you?"

"Dirty!"

"After staying in the brothel for three days and three nights, you think I'm dirty?"

"..."

Ying Wuji choked for a moment. It was really hard to refute this. He could only spit and say, "Now I believe in love."

Li Caitan: "..."

She wanted to say something, but Ying Wuji had already walked far away.

Although the water in the river couldn't be considered dirty, there were still a lot of water plants and mud, which made her extremely annoyed.

But the anger on her face only stayed for a while, and then a trace of sly smile appeared.

She turned over and got ashore, mobilizing her scorching true energy. In the blink of an eye, her clothes were dried.

"Tsk! The Ji family's fierce fire true energy is really useful. It's just that this Ying Wuji is really difficult to deal with. Otherwise, it would be even more profitable to take a portion of the Ying family's origin true energy..."

She shook her head, climbed up along the river, and got on her own carriage.

The coachman was a middle-aged man with a dull expression. After she got on the carriage, he asked in a low voice, "Is it done?"

When he spoke, none of the muscles on his face moved except for his lips, making him look extremely eerie.

Li Caitan pulled out the weeds from her hair that she brought from the river and smiled triumphantly, "Of course it's done!"

The coachman asked again, "Did you leave any evidence?"

"Don't worry!"

Li Caitan impatiently waved her hand, "Even if someone finds out, I seduced him to sleep. It's normal to use illusions to seduce others to sleep, right? If it doesn't work, I'll just use the mixed yuan true energy. It's not a secret anyway."

The coachman asked again, "Are you sure the demonic seed has been planted?"

Li Caitan was a little angry, "Can you stop talking so much? Who can guarantee that the demonic seed will definitely succeed in our sect? I can only say that I am 99% sure. As long as he is Ying Wuji, he cannot be unaffected by the environment in the illusion. Being treated as a pawn by King Qian is his fatal weakness!

Don't worry, when Ying Wuque is crowned as the crown prince, Ying Wuji will definitely become one of us in our sect!

By then, I will arrange him under my command, and I will obtain the Ying family's origin true energy!"

"I hope so!"

After saying this, the coachman closed his eyes, as if he suddenly fell asleep, and his head suddenly dropped down and then woke up abruptly. He looked at Li Caitan curiously, "Miss, when did you come back?"

In the short time he slept and woke up, he seemed to have become a different person.

Li Caitan pursed her lips, "Why did you run so fast?"

The coachman asked curiously, "What do you mean by running so fast?"

Li Caitan waved her hand, "Never mind, let's go home!"

The coachman nodded, "Yes!"

...

Ying Wuji got on the main road and hurried towards the location where the carriage had stopped earlier, constantly replaying the situation just now in his mind.

There was no denying that Li Caitan's illusion was very powerful, and there were no flaws in the five senses.

If it weren't for being able to see the emotional bar and being able to detect the manipulation of emotions, he might not have noticed the bug that prevented him from breaking free from the imprisonment. Then she would have played with his emotions as she pleased and ultimately stolen the Ying family's origin true energy.

But after going around in such a big circle, does she only want the origin true energy?

Thinking from the perspective of the mixed yuan true energy, there was nothing wrong with doing so. After all, he was the legitimate son of the Great Kingdom Qian, and no matter his cultivation level, he must have been exposed to a lot of imperial aura. It would be beneficial to merge with it.

But if she really coveted this origin true energy so much, she should have stolen it from him when he was in the brothel a month ago. After all, her appearance was quite good, not extremely beautiful, but much stronger than an ordinary courtesan.

So... does she have other motives?

Wait!

The content of this illusion seems to be highly connected to the plot in the Qian Kingdom Embassy a few days ago. Does this mean that there is a spy among them in the Qian Kingdom Embassy, or did they find out through other means?

For a moment, Ying Wuji couldn't figure it out.In his contemplation, he had already arrived at the position of the carriage. The coachman seemed to have been knocked unconscious and had not yet woken up.

He shook his head and could only lift the coachman into the carriage, preparing to drive home himself.

But he didn't expect that there was another person in the carriage.

"Miss Wu, what are you doing here?"

Ying Wuji was shocked. He never expected to see Wu Shuangxu here.

Wu Shuangxu looked serious. "Young Master, did you finish with Li Caitan so quickly?"

Ying Wuji: "???"

His eyebrows furrowed, and in an instant, he understood a lot of things. His expression also became unpleasant. "You knew what happened just now?"

"I knew!"

"And you also know what Li Caitan's intentions are towards me?"

"I know!"

She answered honestly.

But the more honest she was, the more unhappy Ying Wuji became. "Since you know, why didn't you stop her?"

Wu Shuangxu replied, "Because I can't beat her! She has already broken through to the Embryonic Realm, suspected to be a third-grade Spirit Embryo!"

Ying Wuji: "..."

Damn it!

Why does a third-grade Spirit Embryo seem so worthless?

But if explained like this, it does make sense.

He took a deep breath and asked, "Have you been keeping an eye on Li Caitan?"

"Yes! I have been watching her for a long time!"

"Why are you watching her?"

"Because I suspect that she is a member of my sect!"

"A member of your sect!"

Ying Wuji's heart skipped a beat. Are the members of my sect finally going to make a move against me?

Wait!

He remembered the day Ji Su tried to kill him, and Ji Su happened to have that kind of relationship with Li Caitan. If Li Caitan is a member of my sect, then everything makes sense.

But why would a member of my sect only want to sleep with me and not kill me?

Wu Shuangxu looked serious. "Young Master, please tell me everything you saw and heard just now, without leaving out any details."

"Alright!"

Ying Wuji nodded and recounted the situation in detail.

Wu Shuangxu's expression became increasingly cold. "This person possesses the Primordial Qi and has a perfect excuse. But in reality, her true move is the first half of the illusion. Qian Wang sees you as a discarded pawn, which is your fatal weakness. Young Master, you are afraid that you have already been infected with the demonic seed!"

Fatal weakness...

Ying Wuji's mouth twitched. "No way... You're not being fair! Using me as bait for my sect?"

"You can rest assured, did you still wear the protective jade pendant I gave you that day?"

"Nonsense! In such a dangerous situation, I've been wearing it all the time."

"That's good! The demonic seed is unpredictable. It can only be sensed by the outside world the moment it is planted. This jade pendant can temporarily block the demonic seed for half an hour. As long as you break the jade pendant within half an hour, the problem can be resolved."

"Huh?"

Ying Wuji was truly amazed by her. "So that's how you guessed that they would come after me?"

Wu Shuangxu looked serious. "When you suddenly asked me about the demonic seed last time, it was definitely not a random question. And you are a potential victim yourself. Luckily, I happened to have a jade pendant, so I gave it to you!"

Ying Wuji: "..."

"Young Master, quickly take out the jade pendant. I also want to see if Li Caitan is really a member of my sect!"

"Alright, here you go!"

Wu Shuangxu took the jade pendant and found that it was still crystal clear and translucent. She furrowed her brows. "How is this possible!"

Ying Wuji: "..."

The jade pendant was flawless, without any trace of abnormality.

Wu Shuangxu stood there holding the jade pendant, her mind in a daze. She had analyzed Li Caitan's identity with great effort and had been staring at her day and night. How could this person not be a member of her sect!

If not, how could the illusion be explained?

She looked up and looked at Ying Wuji. "When you were in the illusion and found out that Qian Wang sent someone to kill you, what was your state of mind?"

Ying Wuji raised an eyebrow. In fact, he also believed that Li Caitan was a member of his sect. It was only after Wu Shuangxu pointed it out that he realized where the problem lay.

He took a deep breath and looked up at the night sky through the car window at a forty-five-degree angle, looking very melancholic. "Actually, I'm not that angry. After all, since the incident at the Yihong Pavilion, I have already given up on them."

"I see..."

Wu Shuangxu sighed, feeling a bit sorry for Ying Wuji, but also filled with strong unwillingness.

Ying Wuji's eyes flickered. "How about I testify for you and report the illusion to the Flying Fish Guards? Maybe they can arrest her!"

Wu Shuangxu smiled bitterly and shook her head. "No need! It would be easy to forcefully arrest someone without a background, but Li Caitan is the legitimate daughter of the Li family. Without sufficient evidence, you can't touch her at all. We can only wait for her to reveal her flaws again!"

"It's a pity this time!"

Ying Wuji was truly regretful. Since he crossed over to this world, he has always lacked a sense of security. But fortunately, someone from the Li Wang's side came to secretly protect him. Even though there have been many ups and downs in his career in the past month, his personal safety has not been affected.

Li Caitan was able to create an opportunity for herself to plant the demonic seed under the watchful eyes of that expert, and even had a perfect excuse to wash herself clean. This method was indeed quite extraordinary.

But this method was still caught by Wu Shuangxu.

However, he didn't expect that he himself was also a pawn, catching both of these people off guard.

Find the original at " pa𝑤read.com ".

What a pity...However, today's events made Ying Wuji feel even more threatened.

Wu Shuangxu put the jade pendant back into her pocket and said, "The internal communication within our sect is very efficient. No one will plant the demonic seed on you before they detonate the demonic species. I'll take back this jade pendant. I'll take my leave for now."

"Wait!"

Ying Wuji stopped her.

Wu Shuangxu sat back down and asked, "Do you have any more questions?"

Ying Wuji frowned, "I mentioned the incident with Ji Su earlier. We suspected that it was done by our sect. When we talked about it just now, it seemed like Li Caitan was the prime suspect. This person seems to have the ability to incite emotions.

But from the results, Li Caitan should be more inclined to develop me as a subordinate. In addition to the assassination attempt by Hu Qu, I feel like our sect has also divided into two factions."

"Because our sect itself is not united!"

Wu Shuangxu pursed her lips, "Instead of saying that our sect is a sect, it is more accurate to say that it is a collective term for a group of demonic beings. Their ideology originated from the Yang Zhu School of thought, with the central idea being 'for oneself and for the preservation of one's true nature.' In their hearts, they themselves are the most important. How could there be a so-called 'unified doctrine'?

From their perspective, it is not even necessary to harm you. Killing you would certainly provoke a war and create a large number of people devastated by the war, providing them with an opportunity to grow stronger. But these fanatics are only a minority. The external factors that drive them to do things to you are actually greater."

Ying Wuji furrowed his brows, "Are you saying that they are just pawns?"

Wu Shuangxu nodded, "That should be the case. Your identity is too delicate, and there are many forces that have their eyes on you. Our sect happens to be a sharp blade that can conceal your identity, and anyone could be holding the handle of that blade."

"Damn! So I'm such a hot potato!"

Ying Wuji felt a bit annoyed and rubbed his head, continuing, "Actually, there has been a question that has been bothering me for a long time. The drastic changes in my situation actually started when Ying Wuque appeared. But if we count carefully, our sect's small actions against me had already started before Ying Wuque appeared."

"Are you saying that Ying Wuque is connected to our sect?"

"Yes! Otherwise, it means that Ying Wuque was discovered before he appeared."

Ying Wuji subconsciously looked in the direction of Kingdom Qian. The reason why he was in such a predicament was inseparable from Ying Wuque.

Before Ying Wuque appeared, Kingdom Qian was united without any signs of internal strife.

Because Ying Yue was the only son of the king, as long as he could bring him back to Kingdom Qian, he would definitely be able to ascend the throne. Everyone just needed to be loyal to the king, and there was no need to flatter the future king.

But after Ying Wuque appeared, people had to take sides. In fact, they took sides very quickly. Except for those who had interests tied to Ying Wuji's maternal clan, everyone stood on Ying Wuque's side. But the problem was... Ying Wuji's maternal clan's influence was not that small.

Cracks in Kingdom Qian instantly appeared.

And the instigator of all this, Ying Wuque, seemed to have suddenly appeared. According to his mother, she became pregnant with Ying Wuque's child while Ying Yue was still a hostage in Kingdom Li. After discovering her pregnancy, she secluded herself in the mountains with all her wealth. Ying Wuque had been practicing with hermit experts since he was young and had never been in contact with the mundane world.

But now, it seemed that the mother and son not only managed to gain a foothold in Kingdom Qian, but also reached out to Kingdom Li through our sect.

Are you fucking calling this a white lotus?

At least one thing can be determined: this mother and son are definitely not simple country bumpkins who have been living in seclusion for many years. There must be some force behind them that is not visible.

However... Ying Yue, the king of Kingdom Qian, couldn't possibly not understand these things that I can clearly see.

He clearly knows, but he still allows Ying Wuque to act so recklessly.

Is it because his ancient bloodline is too powerful, enough to make him overlook these flaws?

Or is it because he has reached some kind of agreement with the force behind Ying Wuque?

Wu Shuangxu hesitated, "This involves national politics, and I'm not good at these things and don't want to get involved. I can only try my best to help you catch the culprit!"

Ying Wuji smiled, "Miss Wu, I'm already very grateful that you're willing to lend a hand."

"Oh, by the way!"

Wu Shuangxu stood up, "My senior brother wrote a letter. He will arrive in Jiangcheng tomorrow, and he asked me to give you a letter, inviting you to meet at the Drunken Immortal Tower at noon tomorrow!"

Ying Wuji's eyes lit up, "Great! I will definitely go to the appointment tomorrow."

After bidding farewell to Wu Shuangxu, Ying Wuji drove back to Shangmo Bookstore.

To be honest, he was quite looking forward to meeting this senior brother.

On one hand, this person killed the musician Hu Qu, and he might have already found some clues.

On the other hand, this person should represent the will of the Yang Zhu School of thought to some extent. Ying Wuji had always been curious about why Wu Shuangxu was willing to help him and what kind of role he played in the Yang Zhu School of thought.

These questions should be answered tomorrow.

When he returned to Shangmo Bookstore, it was already late at night. The printers from the Mo family had already left, and Hua Chao's room was quiet. Bai Zhi, the little girl, was still in seclusion.

Ying Wuji couldn't find anyone to tell stories, so he had to wash up and go to sleep.

He slept until the sun was high in the sky.

After waking up, he inspected the bookstore as usual. Business was getting better and better, and the borrowed workers from the paper shop had almost returned. After all, the paper shop was barely breaking even now, relying on these borrowed workers to make money.

Strangely, there was no sign of Hua Chao in the store.Ying Wuji went straight to Hua Chao's house and said, "Hua Chao, why are you slacking off today? You didn't even go to the accounting room!"

"No, it's nothing!"

Hua Chao wiped away the tears on her face and quickly closed the papers in front of her.

Why are her eyes so red early in the morning?

Ying Wuji's heart tightened and he quickly walked over, only to find that Hua Chao's eyes were as red as a rabbit's. Although she had wiped away the tears, her light makeup had already been ruined, making her delicate face even more charming.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing..."

"Move your hand and let me see!"

Ying Wuji pointed to the table, where her hand was tightly pressing on several half-open scrolls.

Hua Chao shook her head, but under his gaze, she hesitated for a moment and finally moved her hand away.

Ying Wuji opened the scroll and saw a wedding invitation lying quietly on top, with a woman painted on the scroll. Although the woman was wearing coarse clothes, her appearance was exceptionally beautiful, with a clear and gentle smile on her face. She looked somewhat similar to Hua Chao.

"What is this..."

He probably knew what was going on and opened the invitation to confirm his suspicions.

The invitation was personally written by Luo Yan, stating that on the 25th of this month, after the Baijia Festival, there would be a grand wedding held at the Minister's Mansion. Luo Yan would officially marry Hua Wanqiu as his wife and specially invited Hua Chao to attend.

"What a shameless old man!"

Ying Wuji felt disgusted and felt like this old man had been cursed. It would have been fine if he had just disappointed the mother and daughter, but now he found a young girl and forced his daughter to admit that she was her mother reincarnated?

Although Ying Wuji didn't have much resentment towards Luo Yan before, as their positions were different, and the prime minister had indeed implemented many policies that benefited the people, at least he was qualified as an official.

But now he realized that this person's private morality was really questionable.

What a despicable man!

He spat and said, "Luo Ming is such a bastard. On one hand, he doesn't want to hurt you, but on the other hand, he sends you this letter to provoke you. Next time I see him, I'll break his legs and make him a lackey!"

For some reason, every time Hua Chao heard Ying Wuji curse, her negative emotions would be relieved a little. "This time it wasn't Luo Ming who sent it. I guess he won't send it again in the future."

"He knows what's good for him!"

Ying Wuji smiled and picked up a stack of paintings, realizing that there were many portraits of the same woman.

From a bright-eyed young girl to a virtuous wife and mother, each portrait was vivid.

The paper had turned slightly yellow, indicating that they had been around for some time.

He couldn't help but be curious. "Did you paint these?"

Hua Chao shook her head. "Luo Yan painted them. Since I moved to Jiangcheng, every year on my mother's death anniversary, he would paint a portrait and have someone deliver it to me."

"This..."

Ying Wuji was also puzzled. These paintings were all lifelike, showing that the painter had deep feelings.

But this person had done such disgusting things. What the hell was going on?

After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Hua Chao, what are you going to do?"

"I'm not going!"

Hua Chao replied firmly.

"Okay!"

Ying Wuji nodded heavily, but in his heart, he was thinking about how to deal with Luo Yan. It wasn't a solution to let him continue to disgust people.

He packed up the portraits and chatted with Hua Chao for a while to make sure she was emotionally stable before leaving.

Looking at the time, there was still some time before noon, so he went to the Wu Kingdom Embassy.

Wu Dan didn't feel down because of Li Caitan. He seemed to be in good spirits and had been doing carpentry work since early in the morning. He said he wanted to make a giant crossbow for defending the city. He didn't want to waste his time and had already made up his mind to develop in the Mohist Guild. At the very least, he wanted to reach a middle-level position, which would be beneficial to both the Wu Kingdom and himself.

Ying Wuji finally breathed a sigh of relief and chatted with him for a while before leaving him alone to work on his equipment.

During this period, he had learned a lot about the Mohist Guild from Zhai Yun.

The members of the Mohist Guild could be roughly divided into three categories.

One category was involved in the administration of various countries, promoting the administrative philosophy of the Mohist School.

Another category traveled around, acting as heroes and righteous individuals, specializing in eliminating evil and demons. However, this side business had always been overshadowed by the disciples of the Daoist School.

The last category focused on researching various devices. Some of them were engaged in profound studies and were dedicated to understanding the world's rules, including epistemology, logic, mathematics, geometry... They had already formed a fairly mature system.

Many of the updates and iterations of Mohist spells were derived from these areas.

Ying Wuji was also considering that when he stabilized in the future, he might also develop in this direction. After all, he had learned so much knowledge in his previous life, and not using it would be a waste. Maybe in the future, he could even create a powerful immortal martial arts weapon. How cool would that be!

He relaxed his muscles and bones and saw that the sun was already close to the south, so he headed straight to the Drunken Immortal Tower.

The Drunken Immortal Tower was a famous restaurant in Jiangcheng, with a height of seven floors, making it look magnificent. Especially during this period, many out-of-town scholars came here, and anyone with some economic strength would gather here to meet like-minded people.

When Ying Wuji arrived, it was exactly noon, and the Drunken Immortal Tower was bustling with activity.

"Damn it!"

He felt a bit annoyed. Wu Shuangxu only said she was at the Drunken Immortal Tower yesterday, but she didn't say which table. How was he supposed to find her?Fortunately, as soon as he entered the hall, a waiter warmly greeted him, "Greetings, Young Master Wuji! The honored guest is already waiting in the private room on the seventh floor. Follow me!"

"The seventh floor!"

Ying Wuji raised an eyebrow. He knew that there was only one private room on the seventh floor, which offered a panoramic view of the city. The price was exorbitant. Even though his bookstore had earned a lot of money, he was reluctant to book this private room.

This senior brother seems to have an overly strong economic strength, doesn't he?

The waiter led Ying Wuji to the seventh floor and then left.

Before Ying Wuji even entered the room, he heard voices from inside.

"Old Zhai! It's been so many years since we last met. I'm treating you to a year's worth of salary with this feast!"

"That's quite generous of you, but I can't drink today. I've been eating meat and drinking every day recently, and the guild members said I violated the principle of 'frugality', so I have to restrain myself for a while."

"The Mohist Guild is just talking nonsense. Why don't you just quit and follow me, living a carefree life!"

"Hmph! You Yang Zhu disciples have no aspirations at all. What's the difference between you and wandering spirits? Forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I told you. The pursuit and ambition of us Mohists are beyond your comprehension."

"Stop pretending! Let's drink!"

"Sigh... good wine! If you ask me, the food at the Drunken Immortal Tower is delicious, the wine is good, and the scenery is great. Apart from being expensive, there are no other shortcomings."

"Tch..."

Ying Wuji pushed open the door and smiled, "Old Zhai, have you ever thought that the Drunken Immortal Tower's expensive price is not its flaw, but your flaw!"

Upon hearing this, the two people in the room turned to look at him.

Zhai Yun took a sip of tea and grumbled, "Damn it! Can't you speak without hitting the sore spot?"

Although he cursed, his emotional bar remained relatively stable.

Ying Wuji couldn't help but roll his eyes. In fact, he had been envious of Zhai Yun's non-attack domain for a long time. Although it didn't have much killing power, it was an incredibly useful tool for resolving conflicts.

So he had been trying to provoke Zhai Yun, but this senior brother had a very good temper. Except for the time when he discovered the printing technique and unleashed a non-attack sword technique, his emotional bar had never exceeded eighty.

In the face of this high-polymer ceramic piece, even the Great Li, the King of Ten Thousand Ceramics, would be helpless.

Ying Wuji turned to look at the other person, "Senior Brother, I've heard so much about you!"

He looked up and down at this senior brother. The man had a burly figure and a stubble on his face. His appearance was quite capable and bold.

"You're too polite!"

Senior Brother laughed heartily and poured a bowl of wine for Ying Wuji, "Ying Wuji, right? My junior sister has mentioned you many times in her letters. Today, when I saw you, you turned out to be quite interesting."

Ying Wuji smirked, "You're quite interesting too, Senior Brother. Are you from the Qi Kingdom?"

Senior Brother was taken aback, "Huh? How did you know?"

"I can tell, it's too obvious."

"Is it that obvious?"

"It's too obvious!"

Ying Wuji smacked his lips. Only the people of the Qi Kingdom could use inverted sentences so skillfully.

He looked at Zhai Yun, "Senior Brother, Old Zhai, do you know each other?"

Zhai Yun smiled, "I studied at the Jixia Academy when I was young. He entered a year before me..."

After listening to Zhai Yun's description, Ying Wuji roughly understood the relationship between the two.

Senior Brother's name was Jiang Taiyuan, a prominent figure in the Qi Kingdom. Because of his unruly personality, he was not favored by his family and was sent to the Jixia Academy. However, he was still a top-notch underachiever, unable to learn Confucianism, looking down on Mohism, and completely ignorant of the Dao. In the end, he was expelled by the academy's teachers and secretly started cultivating.

After staying at the academy for a few years, he didn't make many friends except for Zhai Yun, his drinking buddy.

Jiang Taiyuan felt quite nostalgic when he heard these past events. He raised his bowl directly, "I only found out after I arrived in Jiangcheng that you two also know each other. Since we have such a fate, let's get drunk tonight!"

"Sounds good!"

Ying Wuji and Zhai Yun also raised their wine cups.

The matter of the murderer could wait. It was better to drink and have a good time first.

However...

Jiang Taiyuan stared at Zhai Yun's bowl, "Why is there so much fish left?"

Zhai Yun was a bit embarrassed, "I really can't drink more, otherwise I'll definitely be scolded when I go back!"

Jiang Taiyuan couldn't hold back anymore, "Your Mohist Guild is just a bunch of dog shit! You've all reached the Embryo Transformation Realm, so why are you still living like beggars? No wonder the nobles don't join your Mohist Guild. It's no wonder you're being driven away!"

Zhai Yun was indignant, "Is there anything wrong with being frugal? If all the nobles practice frugality, there won't be any starving people in the world. Giving back to the country will only make the country stronger, which is a good thing for the nobles. It's just a pity that these people have narrow-minded views..."

Then followed a series of incomprehensible words like "governing for the people," "not distinguishing between the noble and the lowly," and "appointing based on talent," filling the private room with a lively atmosphere.

Zhai Yun felt a bit frustrated, "Wuji, do you think I'm wrong?"

Ying Wuji smiled, "Yes, and no!"

Zhai Yun curiously asked, "Why?"

Ying Wuji shrugged, "The reason why the nobles enjoy themselves is because of the feeling of being superior. If you don't let them feel superior, no matter how strong the country becomes, they won't care!"

Jiang Taiyuan slapped his thigh, "Wuji, you're insightful!"

The two clinked their wine bowls and drank them in one go.

Zhai Yun glanced at the two of them and silently drank a bowl of cold tea.

"Don't be upset, cheers!"Jiang Taiyuan casually put his arm around Zhai Yun's shoulder and said, "Your Mohist school was once a prominent school of thought. But after those countries became powerful through Mohism, which noble wouldn't want to kick you out? Look at the crumbling state of your school. If you don't make fundamental changes, when will the Mohist school be established?"

Zhai Yun turned his head to the side and remained silent.

After joining the Mohist guild for many years, how could he not see the essence of this matter?

The world is indeed unfair.

But most of those who complain about the unfairness of heaven are not actually hoping for a fair world.

They are resentful that they were not born into noble families where they could indulge in pleasure and luxury.

Ying Wuji was curious, "Brother Jiang, what is the difference between the Mohist school and the Mohist guild?"

He actually had a general understanding that each school of thought wanted to establish a school, but he knew very little about the details. Judging from Jiang Taiyuan's appearance, he should know something.

"It's simple!"

Jiang Taiyuan smiled, "Among the Hundred Schools of Thought, Confucianism, Mohism, Taoism, and so on, are all methods of understanding the world. 'School' is a means of educating the people. It... is a collective of people with the same beliefs.

So we have sects in Taoism, academies in Confucianism, and the Mohist guild in Mohism. These are all necessary steps to establish a school. After establishing a school, we can gather the faith of the followers, avoid martial arts, and form a unique cultivation system, achieving eternal glory."

"I understand now!"

Ying Wuji nodded slightly, but still had doubts, "But even with sects, academies, and guilds, these three schools still haven't established a school. Why is that?"

Jiang Taiyuan rubbed his stubbled chin and pointed at Zhai Yun, saying, "I'm not well-read, ask him!"

When Ying Wuji's gaze turned to him, Zhai Yun rubbed his head in frustration but still explained, "Because the three schools today are far from being able to educate the people.

Confucianism is for the nobles. Confucius and Mencius talk about benevolence and righteousness, and even said, 'The people are the most important, the state is second, and the ruler is the lightest.' But in the end, it is still a means for the nobles to rule over the commoners, and the commoners don't even have the opportunity to study Confucianism.

Mohism is for the commoners. Although we Mohists hope to be the Mohists of the world, the Mohist guild was once prosperous, but after its decline, it has never been able to reverse the trend. The countries that are rich in Mohism are guarded by their rulers and rejected by the nobles. Even the commoners who rely on the guild to turn their lives around have many who have abandoned the guild.

Taoism is the way of heaven and earth. There are many who have deep cultivation, but they focus more on personal enlightenment and transcendence. How can they educate the people?

As for Legalism, it is the legalism of the rulers. Harsh laws and strict regulations are restraints and discipline for the people, far from education.

Although the Mohist and Yin-Yang schools have produced many powerful individuals, establishing a school is out of the question."

"I see!"

Ying Wuji nodded. He usually saw Zhai Yun boasting when he was drinking, but he didn't expect him to have such profound insights into these schools.

But thinking about it, it made sense. Without a deep foundation, how could one comprehend such abnormal things as non-aggression?

Jiang Taiyuan sneered, "The Hundred Schools Conference is held every three years for each school to learn from each other and improve their methods of education. But don't expect the Legalists and the Yin-Yang school to establish a school. They have no intention of doing so. The Confucian and Mohist schools have taken different paths. The Confucian school has already decided to rely on the support of the emperor and lords, while the Mohist school still wants to go it alone in the form of the guild. They are simply seeking death."

Zhai Yun became annoyed, "Can you please stop talking!"

Ying Wuji, on the other hand, was curious, "What about the Taoist school?"

Jiang Taiyuan chuckled, "Just wait. Within fifty years, the Taoist school will definitely establish a school!"

Zhai Yun: "!!!"

Ying Wuji: "..."

Upon hearing this, Zhai Yun instantly became restless and grabbed Jiang Taiyuan's collar, asking him all sorts of questions. But Jiang Taiyuan didn't tell him the meaning behind his words.

Jiang Taiyuan changed the topic, "Ying brother, my senior sister told me that you also want to participate in the Hundred Schools Conference!"

"Yes, I want to learn!" Ying Wuji casually replied, but he was already thinking about how to make a name for himself.

Jiang Taiyuan clicked his tongue, "It might be difficult for you to get a spot."

"Huh?"

Ying Wuji frowned, "Brother Jiang, you're underestimating me."

Jiang Taiyuan waved his hand with a smile, "I'm not underestimating you. I heard from my senior sister that you are good at poetry. If it were in previous years, you might have had a chance. But many disciples of the Taoist school have come this time..."

"Are you saying that my literary talent is inferior to theirs?"

"It's not that. Their literary talent can't compare to yours..."

"Then..."

Jiang Taiyuan smiled, but his voice became serious, "Ying brother, do you know what it means to create a work that carries meaning and embodies the Tao?"

Ying Wuji nodded, "I understand a little!"

There are countless excellent works in the world, each with its own merits, making it difficult to judge which is superior or inferior.

But from the perspective of the Hundred Schools, there is a standard, which is the embodiment of meaning and the Tao. Any work that achieves this is awe-inspiring.

Confucius compiled the Four Books and Six Classics, laying the foundation for Confucianism and becoming the greatest sage throughout history.

Laozi's Tao Te Ching brought glory to Taoism.

Sun Tzu's Art of War became the standard for military strategists.

Although works that carry meaning may not be as exaggerated, they should still contain profound philosophical thoughts. There was a time when Zuo Qiuming interpreted Confucius's Spring and Autumn Annals and pointed out the "Three Immortalities" of literati: establishing virtue, achieving merit, and speaking out, which represents a higher level of works that carry meaning.

Anyone who creates a work that carries meaning, even if they cannot reach the level of establishing virtue, achieving merit, and speaking out, will be treated with respect by scholars from all schools.Ying Wuji roughly understood Jiang Taiyuan's meaning. If a work with profound meaning appeared at the literary meeting, it would be difficult for other works, no matter how good they were, to stand out.

Jiang Taiyuan lifted his wine cup and took a sip, his face contorted in delight. "Although our Taoist school did not participate in the Baijia Grand Meeting this time, we are still very interested in their luck. I can't say for sure if they will present a work with profound meaning. Although Brother Ying has outstanding literary talent, he is not a renowned teacher of the Baijia school after all..."

"It is indeed a problem!"

Ying Wuji pursed his lips. For Wen Chaogong, wouldn't it be easy to copy a few works with profound meaning? But it seemed a bit inconsistent with his own character to boast that he could definitely produce a work with profound meaning.

He smiled and said, "You don't have to worry about it, Brother Jiang. I earned a lot of money recently, so even if I have to buy it, I can afford it!"

Upon hearing this, Zhai Yun, who was beside them, suddenly twitched his mouth. "I advise you not to!"

Ying Wuji couldn't help but be curious. "What's wrong, Brother Zhai?"

Zhai Yun took a sip of tea and turned his head around with a pained expression, as if he had no intention of answering?

Jiang Taiyuan laughed mischievously. "Because creating a work with profound meaning will generate luck for the Baijia school, and those with deep cultivation can tell at a glance. When your brother Zhai was young, he was still an outstanding student. In order to participate in the Baijia Grand Meeting, he was persuaded by his elders to write a work with profound meaning.

Although the Master at that time saw through it, he didn't make things difficult for him. As a result, he didn't perform well at the grand meeting and even when other fathers and sons asked him about the work with profound meaning, he gave inconsistent answers. As a result, your brother Zhai was banned from participating in the grand meeting for life.

Since that day, the standards for works with profound meaning have been raised. Those who create works with profound meaning but do not generate luck are considered a disgrace to the Baijia school."

Ying Wuji: "..."

Does that mean copying Wen Chaogong's works won't work?

He felt a bit annoyed and turned to Zhai Yun. "Brother Zhai, do you have another name?"

"What?"

"Tianlin!"

"Ah!"

Zhai Yun was shocked. "How did you know my courtesy name? I haven't used it for many years!"

Ying Wuji: "..."

Wang Defa, it really is him.

Originally, he was quite happy to hear that works with profound meaning could generate luck, as he had many works to copy. Wasn't this equivalent to free benefits?

But... what is this?

In the first year of Tianlin, a plan for the extermination of Wen Chaogong's race began?

What is the boundary between copying and not copying? If I copy an article that doesn't exist in this world, does it still count as copying?

Ying Wuji felt a bit annoyed.

Zhai Yun was also annoyed. He stood up with a frustrated expression. "You guys talk, I'm leaving! Damn it, drinking with you guys only makes me angry!"

He flipped Jiang Taiyuan off and left without listening to any attempts to stop him.

Jiang Taiyuan sat down with a smug smile. "Finally, he's gone!"

Hmm?

Ying Wuji raised an eyebrow, feeling that this guy deliberately drove Zhai Yun away. Could it be that they were about to discuss something important?

However, Jiang Taiyuan did not change the topic. Instead, he patted Ying Wuji's shoulder. "Prepare yourself well. If you can't enter this Baijia Grand Meeting, you will regret it for the rest of your life."

"This time? Is there something special about this Baijia Grand Meeting?"

"Heh! It's quite special indeed."

"Tell me more!"

Ying Wuji became interested, leaning forward slightly.

Jiang Taiyuan spoke mysteriously, "Do you know who the powerful experts in the Wujin, Mohist, Legalist, and Military families sent this time?"

Ying Wuji had been paying attention to this matter all along and immediately answered, "The Confucianist is the Master of the White Horse Academy in the Li Kingdom, the Mohist is the Master of the Mohist Guild's Li Kingdom branch, the Legalist is the descendant of Guan Zhong, the Master of the Guan family in the Qi Kingdom, as for the Military family... I really don't know."

"Heh, I only found out a few days ago."

"Who is it?"

"The name of this person would make all the Lords in the world shudder."

"Who is it?"

Ying Wuji clenched his fists. This person was really good at building suspense.

Jiang Taiyuan took a deep breath and uttered a name, "Nangong Ling!"

"It's him!"

Ying Wuji was also taken aback. When he first crossed over, he would read historical books whenever he had time, so he was naturally familiar with the Nangong surname.

This world and the previous world were of the same origin, but there were also many differences. The most crucial event was the decline of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

At that time, there were external threats from the Rongdi, who killed King You of Zhou and plundered City Jing. The Lords established King Ping in the east, moving from City Jing to Luoyi. However, the Zhou royal family also established a King Xie in City Jing.

The situation of the two kings fighting should have resulted in the extinction of the King Xie lineage, completely causing the Eastern Zhou Dynasty to fall from its divine position.

But no one expected that a super powerful figure named Nangong Tuo would emerge from King Xie's side.

This Nangong Tuo was a descendant of Nangong Kuo, a founding minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty. However, he unexpectedly chose to cultivate the military arts and became the first Military Saint in history, single-handedly turning beans into soldiers and repelling a million fierce lions!

Such a major turning point led to earth-shattering changes in the events that followed.

Although the military power and influence of the Great Zhou Dynasty continued to decline, the Lords of the vassal states dared not underestimate it.

The vassal states fought and killed each other, but they still had to nominally obey the Zhou royal family, just like Jiang Taiyuan's motherland. Although the Tian family had marginalized the Jiang royal family for many years, they didn't dare to mention usurping the throne.

Nangong Tuo's lingering prestige was one aspect, and on the other hand, the Nangong Tuo lineage only had one descendant in each generation, and they all had at least reached the Enlightened God Realm. The family's inherited divine ability to turn beans into soldiers was the indestructible bottom line of the Zhou Dynasty.

And now, that bottom line was Nangong Ling.Ying Wuji was somewhat puzzled, "Hasn't the Nangong lineage always stayed away from City Jing? Why this time..."

Jiang Taiyuan lowered his voice, "Because the Zhou Emperor had a dream!"

"What dream?"

"He dreamt of being killed by a swordsman!"

"Having nightmares is quite normal, this..."

"Guess what sword it was!"

"What sword?"

"The King of Shang's sword!"

"This..."

Ying Wuji hesitated a bit. The war between Shang and Zhou was fierce and chaotic, yet the historical records were unusually fragmented, filled with countless grey areas.

After the war ended, the whereabouts of the three treasured swords of the King of Shang were unknown. Regardless of whether this dream was a coincidence or not, it was not a good omen.

Assassinating the Zhou Emperor, was this a prelude to upheaval?

Jiang Taiyuan's smile became increasingly intriguing, "After waking from the nightmare, the Zhou Emperor immediately summoned the divination officer to inquire about the identity and location of the swordsman. Guess what the divination officer said?"

"What did he say?"

"A descendant of Zhuan Xu, during the grand gathering of the Hundred Clans, will certainly be in the City of Jing!"

"..."

~~~~~

It's troublesome to release in parts, so from now on, I'll update with ten thousand words each time, so everyone can enjoy more.

(End of this chapter)