Taiyi Dao Fruit

During this period, the Heavenly Monarch surely had an identity and even managed to create a force.

And the cards that the Heavenly Monarch shows now are basically those cultivated after he became Gongsun Qi. For example, Zhang Zhixuan, a hundred years ago, was just a young prodigy of the Taiping Sect, even before the Taiping Sect reached its later glory.

"Mahayana Sect."

Tianxuan suggested a possibility, "A hundred years ago, the first eastward push of the Buddha Country was when a Bodhisattva from the Buddha Country brought the Dragon Flower Treasure Tree into Yong Province, established the Mahayana Sect, and widely spread the doctrine 'killing a person is saving a person,' which caused a great uproar."

"To kill one is to be a Bodhisattva, to kill ten is to be ten Bodhisattvas, to kill ten thousand is to become a Buddha immediately..." Jiang Li commented while stroking his leg, "It's the same kind of evil cult as the Taiping Sect."

Different doctrines, different beliefs, but essentially the same, both brainwashing followers and causing bloodshed.

But at that time, the Mahayana Sect failed miserably because Karma Tathagata made a dramatic appearance, and the Buddha Country, immersed in its own troubles, caused the Mahayana Sect to lose support and eventually be wiped out by the Mystic Sect.

And now, although the Taiping Sect has also failed, the Heavenly Monarch could be said to have succeeded.

So during those hundred years, was the Heavenly Monarch in the Buddha Country practicing asceticism?

Jiang Li pondered, his palm subconsciously stroking.

"Was the Dragon Flower Treasure Tree returned to the Buddha Country after the Mahayana Sect was wiped out?" he asked.

"He~"

Tianxuan exhaled like an orchid, holding her skirt, and said, "At that time, the Buddha Country was too busy dealing with its troubles. The Awakened and Karma Tathagata fought a great battle that affected almost half of the Buddha Country, with over two hundred thousand casualties. How could they spare the effort to reclaim the Dragon Flower Treasure Tree? This Dao Artifact probably got lost during the war and did not return to the Buddha Country."

But now, the Dragon Flower Treasure Tree was in the hands of the White Lotus Saint Mother, and the Dao Fruit within the tree was also carried by her.

"Does that mean that it was Tan Wuwei who returned the Dragon Flower Treasure Tree?" Jiang Li said.

"She, being an outsider, must have a considerable contribution to hold a high position in the Buddha Country," Gongsun Qingyue said, looking on, her heart filled with pleasure.

Seeing Tianxuan in such an informal state, she could hardly suppress her laughter.

Jiang Li sensed through his Sword Intent, feeling his senior sister was almost at her limit.

He subtly tilted his head, signaling Gongsun Qingyue to be cautious, and then added, "The Bodhisattvas of the Buddha Country all need to make great vows. Even if Tan Wuwei is an outsider, as long as she is willing to embrace the Bodhisattva Dao Fruit and make the great vow, she can also become one of them. It is indeed possible that Tan Wuwei used this to become part of the high ranks in the Buddha Country."

"But it's impossible that she obtained the Dragon Flower Treasure Tree directly from the Mahayana Sect."

Being of the same generation as Tianxuan, at her age, she couldn't have participated in the war where the Mahayana Sect was eradicated.

Before Tan Wuwei, there was at least one other person who handled the Dragon Flower Treasure Tree.

Jiang Li and Tianxuan exchanged glances, both having the same guess about this intermediary.

Among them, the Heavenly Monarch was definitely involved.

"But the Mahayana Sect was eradicated after the physical body of the Heavenly Monarch was destroyed; at that time, it would have been difficult for the Heavenly Monarch to act," Tianxuan said.

"And during that time, the Buddha Country was too busy dealing with its troubles; even if the Heavenly Monarch had subordinates in the Buddha Country, they would likely have been caught up in the conflict," Jiang Li added.

The two of them went back and forth, sketching out a rough outline.

With the Heavenly Monarch unable to act, and the Buddha Country unable to intervene, the most likely scenario to take away the Dragon Flower Treasure Tree without alerting the Mystic Sect factions involved in the war would be that the taker was among those who fought.

"This is just speculation," said Tianxuan, her pretty face blushing faintly under the veil.

"It's a speculation with a significant likelihood," Jiang Li smiled.

The premise of the speculation was that the Dragon Flower Treasure Tree had ended up in the hands of the Heavenly Monarch; if not, this speculation would be wholly overturned.

However, from the current intelligence, the likelihood of this speculation being correct is quite high.

Because the Upper Pure Sect was involved in that war, and they also participated in the earlier war that eradicated the Taiping Sect.

If it hadn't been for Jiang Li and Primordial Lord Rain Master ingeniously swapping roles, perhaps the Immortal-Slaying Flying Saber would have struck Jiang Li's neck.

"I will go ask my martial uncle; she was also involved in that battle," Tianxuan said, her face so flushed that not even the veil could hide it, forgetting herself in her words.

The "martial uncle" she mentioned was Primordial Lord Rain Master.

It was she who led the Dinghu Sect in the war to eradicate the Mahayana Sect.

At that time, the former Sect Leader of the Dinghu Sect went to the Buddha Country, setting numerous traps for the old third-grade and causing trouble for the Awakened.

As she spoke to this point, Tianxuan was already unable to stabilize herself, and Gongsun Qingyue's mouth was nearly breaking into a smile.

That was what she wanted to see.

Gongsun Qingyue had already prepared, remembering to take note of Tianxuan's upcoming look of embarrassment. She intended to extract this moment of memory afterward and store it in a magic artifact. Should the Old Demon ever think of rebelling, she could show this to her.

Tianxuan's ears were already coloring with a crimson hue, and Gongsun Qingyue was poised to act.

Then—

Tianxuan removed her veil, revealing her beautiful features, rose to her feet, leaned forward, and the fragrance was wafting through the air.

"Don't worry, she can't see."

Jiang Li heard Tianxuan's voice by his ear, then felt her lips soften.

No, no, no, she could see.

Jiang Li had not expected Tianxuan to be so bold; her initiative was simply astounding.

'I haven't cast an illusion...'

Jiang Li wanted to explain, but found it hard to articulate.

Such a daring act, if recorded by Gongsun Qingyue, would surely be mocked afterward. As a participant, Jiang Li felt he would likely be implicated as well.

He had originally intended to stop at a mere hint, but Tianxuan had full-on advanced.

'Is it still time to cast an illusion now?'

Jiang Li instinctively thought to repair the fence after the sheep were lost, but—

'There is an illusion!'

Someone had already cast an illusion.

Jiang Li widened his eyes, noticing almost imperceptible traces. Instinctively, Jiang Li's pupils focused, meeting a pair of eyes filled with laughter.

[Is it you?]

[It's me.]

Eyes locked, they confirmed the caster of the illusion, and as their lips entwined, they communicated through Divine Thought.

"Gongsun's acting skills have improved; even I couldn't spot the trick. But there's something she didn't anticipate."

"—I know you very well."

Tianxuan's Divine Thought fluctuated, carrying laughter, "You wouldn't cast an illusion on me and her without permission."

Using illusions with permission could be playful, but without it, the implications were different.

Using illusions now could lead to direct interference with Divine Thought in the future. Sometimes a bad outcome starts with a trivial beginning.

Although this possibility was minuscule, Jiang Li was someone who absolutely did not want such a possibility to exist. He was so cautious that he wanted to eliminate any factor that could affect the future.

Thus, Jiang Li would not deceive Gongsun Qingyue's perception with an illusion and then proceed to engage in exhilarating games in front of her.

Unless Gongsun Qingyue was willing.

"So, you used an illusion..." Jiang Li felt ironically speechless.

"Who told me to be a bad woman who steals disciples' affection?"

Tianxuan's Divine Thought playfully intermingled with Jiang Li's.

After nearly a quarter hour, Tianxuan finally helped Jiang Li up.

She put on her veil, brushed off Jiang Li's thieving hands, straightened her dress, all composed and undisturbed.

Thereafter, she dispelled the illusion, making it appear as if she had been helping Jiang Li suppress the alien energy all along.

"Disciple, you rest well. I will go ask the Primordial Lord what she thinks about this."

Saying this, Tianxuan gently patted Jiang Li's arm three times, then turned around with hands clasped behind her back, leaving unhurriedly just as she had arrived.

Gongsun Qingyue just felt her eyes blur; before she could witness the anticipated scene, Tianxuan suddenly stood up and walked away, leaving Gongsun staring at her retreating figure in confusion.

And Jiang Li thought back to the day he became her disciple...

'Is it again the third period of the night to find her?'