Bai Xuanling's remark about being "overjoyed" was clearly just a passing comment.
She waved her hand slightly, signaling the Tianyan Sect elders on both sides to stop what they were doing. The elder on the left wanted to speak but was silenced by a single glance from Bai Xuanling.
Bai Xuanling took two deep breaths, suppressing the spiritual energy roiling beneath her skin:
"What's the situation at Zhengyin Temple? Was what was suppressed beneath the Buddha statue actually a demon?"
Xu Jin shook his head slightly: "Most likely it was the loser from the Buddhist Debate back in the day, suppressed by the Buddhist sect."
"Whether there are other issues is impossible to verify now—they've already escaped. That massive power of vows over there can only be used to suppress the Buddha."
Bai Xuanling's gaze shifted. She didn't press further on why the two of them couldn't stop a Buddha who'd been suppressed for a thousand years:
"Were there any other gains? With that much power of vows, surely they raised some lesser demons?"
"Naturally there were." Chu Xingchen answered first, then pulled a pill from his robes and held it out to Bai Xuanling.
"This is a Tranquil Heart Pill I refined. The effects are quite good. Would you like to try it?"
This pill was one of Chu Xingchen's many experimental formulations. The original intent was to use the clarity provided by the Tranquil Heart Pill to suppress the strange medicinal effects of his other pills.
However, according to his pill-testing volunteer Yuan Kong—taking this thing had roughly the same effect as alcohol hitting the brain. There was also the impotent frustration of having taken a virility pill but being unable to perform below.
The intense repulsion made one feel despair and irritability, yet the pill's effects were excellent—every time those feelings of despair and rage surged, the medicinal effect would smooth them right back down.
An endless cycle of despair and calm.
It was the kind of pill Yuan Kong would rather die than eat again.
This was not merely torture for the body and divine sense, but a top-tier pill for tempering the spirit.
Chu Xingchen had thought long and hard before deciding to bring out this pill. Given Bai Xuanling's cultivation level, he figured these minor side effects... should be manageable.
After all, good medicine is bitter—that was an undeniable truth.
Bai Xuanling instinctively glanced at the pill in Chu Xingchen's hand. She reached out and took it quite naturally, but instead of swallowing it, she slipped it into her spatial ring.
She herself was a master alchemist. She had originally planned to use pill refinement to temper her state of mind, but the results had been less than ideal.
Now, with just a quick mental review, Bai Xuanling could tell this was no ordinary Chu Xingchen pill.
This was absolutely a new generation of top-tier torture pills. She'd find someone to test it later, and if the effects were outstanding, she'd stop taking the Ten-Completion Elixir and switch to this Tranquil Heart Pill instead.
Besides, the Tranquil Heart Pill was a basic formula, so the ingredients would be much cheaper.
Only Chu Xingchen could casually throw together ingredients and produce the most excruciating pills imaginable.
Bai Xuanling's expression remained composed, showing not a trace of awkwardness:
"I accept your kind gesture. Now tell me about the gains you mentioned."
Chu Xingchen: "..."
Looking at Bai Xuanling, whose poker face rivaled his own, Chu Xingchen could only steer the conversation back to business. He nudged Yuan Kong, who had been gawking at the surroundings.
Yuan Kong stumbled forward. He naturally knew what Chu Xingchen meant by "gains."
Silently, he retrieved the golden relic from his robes.
Bai Xuanling's eyes narrowed. "You tore down Ten Thousand Buddha Temple's pagoda? Whose relic is this?"
"Doesn't holding it feel inauspicious?"
"Only the main hall is left over there. Everything else has been reduced to scorched earth." Xu Jin explained.
"This was hidden beneath the main hall. Most likely it was stashed by the suppressed Buddha."
Bai Xuanling hooked her fingers slightly, using spiritual energy to draw the relic toward her. She didn't touch it directly but held it aloft with spiritual energy, examining it carefully while channeling a trace of spiritual power into it.
A moment later, Bai Xuanling tossed the relic back to Yuan Kong.
Yuan Kong had already reached Foundation Establishment, so his reflexes were quick enough. He reached out and caught it easily.
Bai Xuanling spoke in her usual calm tone: "It's likely the Mahayana teachings left behind by the Buddha. He probably knew he couldn't escape, so he wanted to preserve the doctrines in his heart for a destined successor."
"But for a suppressed Buddha to leave something like this behind without being discovered is no easy feat. And to hide it for so long inside Zhengyin Dharma Temple, which is directly administered by the Buddhist sect."
"The Buddhist sect may not be the cleverest, but they're not that foolish either. There must have been at least a high-ranking monk at Zhengyin Dharma Temple helping him conceal it."
"We can at least learn what happened back then from him. Whether that Buddhist Debate was a pure debate, or whether it was tainted with things that shouldn't have been involved—that remains to be determined."
Xu Jin nodded slightly. The world called Bai Xuanling a brainless butcher, but from actual interaction, Xu Jin felt that many rumors in this world simply couldn't be trusted.
Not only was Bai Xuanling not a brainless butcher, but her insight into matters was remarkably clear, and her operational plans were extremely thorough.
When first taking on this mission, Xu Jin had worried that Bai Xuanling might simply draw her sword and declare—What plan? Follow me as we slaughter our way into Zhengyin Dharma Temple and interrogate those bald donkeys one by one.
Looking back now, that had been rather shallow. This brute's reputation might well have been a façade Bai Xuanling used to mislead others.
Xu Jin spoke up: "Then we can continue investigating along this lead. It's just that Zhengyin Dharma Temple is now nothing but scorched earth. If the Buddhist sect relocates..."
Bai Xuanling shook her head slightly: "They won't. If the Buddhist sect leaves, it means they've chickened out. Face is something we of the Mystic Path can take or leave—it doesn't matter much to us either way."
"But the Buddhist sect can't afford that. It's the very foundation of their existence."
"The Buddhist sect will rebuild Zhengyin Dharma Temple on the original site."
Chu Xingchen hadn't been in touch with this kind of information for a while. He hadn't actively sought it out either—he'd look at it if news came, and let it go if it didn't.
At least for now, his energy couldn't be fully devoted to this matter.
He glanced at Yuan Kong beside him and noticed the monk looked conflicted, as though unsure whether he should speak.
Chu Xingchen said: "If you have something to say, just say it."
Yuan Kong looked back at Chu Xingchen, and with everyone's eyes now upon him, he sighed softly:
"If we're really going to investigate... we could actually go ask the abbot of Zhengyin Dharma Temple."
Under the puzzled gazes of the others, Yuan Kong briefly recounted his initial encounter with the abbot—what the abbot had said and what he had revealed.
Bai Xuanling immediately made the call: "We can ask. However, subsequent actions will be handled by other Tianyan Sect members. I need to return to Tianyan Sect first."
Xu Jin didn't say much. After all, Bai Xuanling's condition was clearly not right. He said:
"As soon as there's news, I'll notify Senior Bai immediately."
Bai Xuanling nodded, first instructing the Tianyan Sect members still present to halt operations and wait for new replacements.
Then she turned her gaze to Chu Xingchen:
"Are you planning to stay and help, or going back to handle your own affairs?"
"I need to go back first." Chu Xingchen answered.
Bai Xuanling strode forward, heading straight for the exit: "Then travel with me."
Chu Xingchen pulled Yuan Kong along and followed behind Bai Xuanling.
Bai Xuanling had always been strong-willed and preferred to operate alone. For her to voluntarily suggest traveling together was essentially an offer of escort.
Given her current condition, things were probably even more serious than Chu Xingchen imagined.
The King of Hell of yesteryear had, in the end, lost her former glory.
[
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