Chapter 2432: The State's Assessment What Is Light

Xiong Yinggeng obediently went to his outer grandfather's home to steal the *jiasha* – that, of course, was also a time when Xinyang Bo took sides.

Xinyang Bo's eldest son, Xiong Yinggeng's uncle Wu Zongben, was a good-for-nothing who didn't know the height of the sky or the depth of the earth. He actually pretended that the entire family's power was his own strength and even dared to publicly trample on the hopes of the common people. It was only right and proper that his life's hope was extinguished.

When besieging a city, you must besiege three gates and leave one open. Even exploitation cannot completely extinguish hope. If you leave no hope, you will face the most intense resistance born of burning lives. Just like the new policies in Chu, which drastically reformed court governance, they wouldn't be like Wen Jingxiu who exterminated families and killed indiscriminately. This prince, returning from prison, the goodwill he expressed, was the hope that the national dynasty was giving to the gentry class.

Xiong Yinggeng almost inherited that useless uncle's ignorance. He actually thought that the Eastern Palace was vacant and everyone had a chance. He thought his other siblings were just not ambitious because they were so law-abiding!

But even useless people have their value.

Just like good-for-nothings like Wu Zongben, who in the past caused huge court strife, almost tearing the court apart, making many people confront the chronic illness that Chu had suffered from since the time of Taizu for the first time. In a sense, he became the fuse for the national dynasty's reforms, followed by decades of crackling sounds.

And fools like Xiong Yinggeng are best suited to be caught and used as knives – it doesn't matter if they are sharp or not, as long as they are drawn out, they are useful.

Compared to Wu Zongben and Xiong Yinggeng, Wu Shoujing is a smart person. He may not possess great wisdom, but at least in the current situation, he can understand his own position.

This is enough.

With his imperial father's full support and control of the world's power, it wasn't an overly difficult task for Xiong Zidu. But he also had to do it beautifully, so that people couldn't find fault.

How was this not his spring examination?

He wasn't taking the exam for his father to see; he was taking it for the people of the world to see.

He wanted to prove that he was the most suitable person for that position. If everyone thought so, that was the public will, the people's mandate.

The Crown Prince of Great Chu and the National Teacher of Great Chu sat in the carriage without speaking.

The silence lasted for roughly the time it takes to silently recite a scripture.

The Crown Prince of Great Chu was thinking about his world, and the National Teacher of Great Chu was thinking about his home.

Ku Xing Shishu... what kind of person is that?

Jing Li had no impression of him in his mind.

When Ku Xing died, he could, of course, already remember things, but he hadn't yet been taken in by the master, hadn't yet walked onto that small hill called Sanbao Mountain. He had never seen this shishu who was said to be the closest to the master.

At Xuankong Temple, no one ever mentioned him.

Ku Xing died, as if he had never existed.

Master also never spoke of it.

It wasn't until after master died that Jing Li began to ask why.

Why did master take him in, why did he take in Zuo Guanglie, why did he take in the little junior brother?

Three questions, perhaps with one answer.

The little junior brother has a pitiful background, his hometown is gone. He himself is also an orphan. Only the one with the dharma name "Jing E", or there is a clue.

Thus he came to Chu, thus he investigated why master came to Chu back then –

Ku Xing Shishu died in the southern domain.

He died in the year Daoli 3899, on Jiaowu Mountain in Chu.

This clue was not easy to obtain.

Jing Li is not very good at investigating, so the process was particularly arduous – the little junior brother was once a very excellent green card catcher, definitely very skilled at this, but he didn't want the little junior brother to know about this matter. Because the little junior brother is already very hardworking. Also because of the claims of the Jing Tian Six Friends in Tianjing City.

But there was only this one clue about Ku Xing.

Jing Li alone followed this clue and investigated for a long time, but found no useful information.

It was as if no one knew why Ku Xing died, or who killed him. No one was clear about what happened on Jiaowu Mountain that year. The history related to Jiaowu Mountain that year was a blank, artificially erased.

Until he came to Fengdu Ghost Prison.

Xiong Zidu found the Chu royal family's hidden secret scrolls, detailing the Jiaowu Mountain incident that year – that was truly a very complex piece of history.

It involved the three hegemonic countries of Jing, Qin, and Chu, and later Nandong Hall, Xuankong Temple, and Shushan were also involved. It was a rare large-scale melee.

That was the second year after Jing's war against Wei.

Jing, with its hands freed, again laid out in the southern domain.

The Star Witch Zhuge Yi first fully acted on Jiaowu Mountain, strongly suppressing the situation, and directly repelling the Northern Heavenly Master Wu Daoyou. In the words of the Chu secret scroll, it was "frustrating Jing's conspiracy." It was also during that time that Ying Wu strongly displayed his skills, making Jing owe a favor...

Such matters, Jing Li couldn't understand, and wasn't willing to understand.

He only saw that Ku Xing was not killed by Chu people.

Nor did he die at the hands of any other force.

The one who killed Ku Xing was an answer he himself could never have thought of. Namely, the previous abbot of Xuankong Temple –

Bei Huai!

The previous abbot of Xuankong Temple, Grandmaster Bei Huai, had a total of five direct disciples, from eldest to youngest, they were –

Ku Ming, Ku Jue, Ku Di, Ku Bing, Ku Xing.

Ku Xing died, Ku Jue was confused, and the rest were the core of Xuankong Temple's contemporary generation.

One掌 Dragon Subduing Courtyard, one掌 Plucking Flower Courtyard, and another is the current abbot.

When Bei Huai was alive, he claimed to be the "contemporary Buddha ancestor," which didn't quite fit his name. At least this ability to take disciples and teach them was absolutely unique.

To this day, Jing Li still doesn't know why Bei Huai killed Ku Xing. The Chu side also couldn't understand it. The secret scroll only attributed the record to Xuankong Temple's "internal strife."

Even the purpose of the Xuankong Temple monks coming to Jiaowu Mountain was not the same as the Jing people. They were fundamentally not on the same path.

Their purpose was never revealed until the end.

Just like Ku Xing and Bei Huai came to Jiaowu Mountain one after another, just for a great battle to take place there, until one side killed the other.

Everyone else became spectators of this master-disciple mutual killing.

The *jiasha* that Ku Xing wore before his death, after several twists and turns, finally fell into Xinyang Bo's hands.

On it, perhaps, is the answer to Ku Xing's death.

Or at least, it's a thought.

After all, that was the person the master, whom he scolded as having "no regard for family ties," once cared about the most.

So Jing Li also cares.

"This younger brother of mine is too stupid," Xiong Zidu said suddenly.

Fan Shijue didn't make a sound; he was already accustomed to Xiong Zidu talking to himself.

"He also doesn't think. With so many brothers and sisters, how is it that only he dares to stand in front of me, jumping around?"

"Because he is the only one who is stupidest. He hasn't been beaten enough, so he still doesn't know pain."

"But in the Great Chu Empire where smart people are everywhere, fools are worth cherishing."

Xiong Zidu again said: "Today's Huangji Hall will see the final round of cleansing against the stubborn forces obstructing the new policies."

This simple sentence represents a storm of wind and rain, truly difficult to fully outline. Among the Zhou Tian great officials filling the hall, who knows how many stars will fall after today!

"Because I just got out of prison, and publicly indicated that I would temporarily not express my opinion on court politics, but listen and observe more before speaking, this matter has nothing to do with me. But being present is a stance, no matter what, it will be branded, so I left early."

Xiong Zidu was sitting there, as if already sitting in the court: "Next time in the great court, I will truly be present. As the Crown Prince in position, I must have a stance, must express myself. I will save some family forces that are worth saving – little monk, politics is the dirtiest game in this world. I dissect its essence for you, for you to reflect in your mirror. I want to see you become black glass, yet I hope you don't become so. Do you understand my feelings?"

Fan Shijue glanced at him: "We said we were both in cultivation."

He held his glass heart, and he held his world power. This pair of prison friends did indeed agree in prison to mutually verify each other's cultivation paths, to mutually help, and to move forward together. That's why Xiong Zidu would so seriously analyze these things with Fan Shijue.

Xiong Zidu looked at him for a while: "You are really serious!"

Fan Shijue did not speak.

Xiong Zidu was also long accustomed to this monk's occasional silence and continued on his own: "If Xiong Yinggeng were present, he would be branded, and he absolutely couldn't withstand the backlash of those stubborn forces. He might even stupidly express himself on the court – to win imperial father's favor, or gain political prestige."

"I am saving his life."

"I save his life, not because he is still useful to me. Using him to do something is just incidental. But because, this way, it will give my father a slight consolation."

"Very strange, isn't it?"

Xiong Zidu leisurely said: "My imperial father wants to kill him. He wants to help me kill him, and the knife has already fallen – but in his heart, he still hopes I will come and save him."

Fan Shijue thought for a moment and said: "He loves you, but Xiong Yinggeng is also his son."

Xiong Zidu said: "He loves this country. Everything compared to it is too light."

Fan Shijue said: "You don't need to compare with this country; you and this country are one."

Xiong Zidu laughed heartily.

He laughed for a long time, then said: "We are truly very suitable. My National Teacher adult!"

"Sister, sister... Shiniang sister." Such a voice was heard in his ear.

This voice was not the first time it had sounded.

This group of young prodigies of the new generation, except for Yu Xianyu, Lu Ye, and Gong Tianya, were still in the Youmai Realm of cultivation.

The Youmai Realm's power of transmitting sound was no different from shouting loudly in the Chaowen Dao Heavenly Palace where strong individuals gathered.

Of course, among the seekers in the hall, no one would pay special attention to children's whispers.

At this time, the grand voices in the hall were the collisions of Dao. The discernment polished by cultivators in their long arduous journey shone brightly in the eyes of the seekers – under the Bodhi tree, where is there leisure interest?

Yu Zhen was somewhat annoyed.

Others felt brilliant and bright, but she only felt noisy.

She didn't like children.

She really didn't like them.

Many people perhaps all feel that little children are innocent and lovely, pure and innocent. They are the most beautiful existence in the world.

Adults' pity for children is almost an instinct of life. This is necessary for the continuation of the race.

She, however, thought that children were the cruelest creatures in the world.

Because they were innocent, they were cruel.

"Shiniang sister –" Bao Xuanjing whispered.

Yu Zhen suddenly turned back. Because the action was too big, it inevitably caused several people around to look over.

Especially that armored person, who seemed very willing to see little Bao get a lesson.

Bao Xuanjing blinked his eyes: "I have some curiosity about Buddhist dharma, especially Xiyue Nunnery. What you cultivate is... Buddha..."

Logically speaking, for a peerless genius like him, once he showed interest in a certain field of knowledge, the predecessors in that field should eagerly come to preach. Xiyue Nunnery had already entered the world, seeking the third holy seat of Buddhism, and had begun to embrace human fireworks. Shouldn't they respect a renowned prodigy with a destined bright future like him?

If a peerless prodigy like him were to approach, or even convert, how could Xiyue Nunnery worry about not greatly prospering! Virtual Abyss back then even personally wrote a letter to have people pick up Zhong Xuan Zun.

But Yu Zhen just coldly looked at him, looking until his voice got smaller and smaller and he slowly closed his mouth.

Yu Zhen's eyes were clearly charming, but her gaze was cold. Her face was without makeup, her lips were bright, but her expression was blank. She transmitted her voice word by word: "Smelly brat, listen carefully – if you disturb Jiang Zhenjun's lecture, I will strip your pants and hit your buttocks, understand?"

Truly wonderful.

The Saintess of White Bone Dao threatening to hit the buttocks of the Honored God of White Bone!

"You don't believe me?" Yu Zhen asked again.

Bao Xuanjing honestly said: "I won't speak anymore, Shiniang sister."

Yu Zhen turned back and continued to look at the dharma image of the heavenly person.

The dharma image of the heavenly person didn't glance over here even once.

But she knew, he could see everything.

Jiang Wang had reached this point today, knowing many things, and also not knowing many things. The circle of what he knew was bigger, and the boundary of the unknown was broader.

For example, he knew Jing Li had achieved Dao, but didn't know where Jing Li had achieved Dao.

The Heavenly Dao tsunami continued to surge, and he had lost the most direct channel of sensing. He sent a letter to ask, and the little junior brother only said, I'll tell you next time.

For example, he knew that Mount Sumeru's Zen Master Pu En had also come to Chaowen Dao Heavenly Palace this time, but this great monk simply didn't come to the Discussion Hall and went directly to the Hidden Law Pavilion.

Pu En was similar to Cang Ming yet different. If he had to say, Cang Ming was "self-closed," and Pu En was "avoiding people." In any case, neither liked to stay in places with many people.

For example, he knew about the dialogue between Bao Xuanjing and Yu Zhen, knew that White Bone had already descended into the world, and Yu Zhen was White Lotus. But he didn't know that right under his eyes, the Honored God of White Bone and the former Saintess of White Bone had contact!

"Many things in the world are not as wished. Many things are not up to me."

Gong Tianya of Yue, speaking and acting not like a youth, prematurely matured by wind and snow. Standing there, respectfully bowing: "Jiang Zhenjun, in the past, the Yue monarch and Yue prime minister offended you greatly, and I, Gong, was unaware. Now, Jiang Zhenjun, you feel the pain in your body, will you transfer your resentment?"

Is this asking about Dao?

This is naturally Dao.

Because he is not only asking for himself.

The current Gong Tianya has lost a relatively strong and stable southern border great country as a firm backing, and has a homeland swaying in wind and rain, needing him to grow up early.

Of course, external peace is visible.

At least at the present stage, Yue has completely lost its threat and has no possibility of becoming a Wei of the Central Plains, with no need for Chu to launch a war.

"You speak of the pain of the skin. It is my White Jade Capital restaurant's manager, whose sword was almost shattered in the soil of Yue. However, the soil of Yue is Wen Jingxiu's home country, and also White Yuxia's hometown. Should I transfer resentment, or transfer love?"

Jiang Wang again said: "This heart has no resentment, how can it be transferred?"

"Husband says, carrying a sharp weapon, the killing intent arises on its own." Gong Tianya's sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes showed youthful demeanor, as he gazed at the absolute peak of wind: "Jun already has power, and self has fame. When the world cannot have those who offend me, moreover, the Yue monarch was shapeless and rude first! Why is Zhenjun without resentment?"

Jiang Wang said: "Carrying a sharp weapon, hide it in its sheath. We practitioners practice the sword for twenty years, and use the sheathed sword for a lifetime! We who enjoy fame and have power should know the weight of life. Although the treasured sword is sharp, it cannot be drawn lightly."

The dharma image of the heavenly person looked at the youth in front of him, knowing his burden, and again said: "The land of Yue has many heroes! Yue Zong Gao Xiang has the grace of guidance, and the years in Qiantang have the virtue of cleansing the body. Although I have ascended to the top, I do not forget past matters, and past matters are not just hate. The land of Yue owes me nothing. As for you, Gong Tianya, there is no involvement of others. This is today's fate of asking about Dao."

Gong Tianya's long body was like a jade tree, and he cupped his hand: "Thus, I truly understand Dao!"