CHAPTER 1017: CHAPTER 804: ANCIENT SECRETS, DI NI’S CONSPIRACY!

The spire of the tallest building in Cihang Jingzhai, the "Cangdian Tower," gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight amidst the forest at the mountain’s end.

Beneath the Cangdian Tower lies the main hall "Cihang Hall" behind the Seventh Gate of Cihang Jingzhai!

When Jiang Dali arrived, the "Seven Layers Gate" of Cihang Jingzhai was open for him.

When he and Wan Wan, who had recovered with the aid of thousand-year-old yellow ginseng juice, went in search of Di Ni, the Seventh Gate remained unclosed.

They traversed through the increasingly deep mountain gates, reaching a long corridor leading to the Seventh Gate of Cihang Jingzhai, as if heading to a truly secluded world cut off from the secular world.

But Jiang Dali never believed in such claims; just like the Pure Thought Zen Sect, Cihang Jingzhai had influenced the power dynamics of countless vassal states both openly and covertly.

A monastic place claiming seclusion, yet never truly isolated from the world.

Wan Wan, performing an elusive and mysterious movement technique, step-by-step said, "Actually, my Yin Gui Sect, since the founding by Wei E’s Ancestor, never initially thought of planting influences in the vassal states to sway or control the dynasty."

When Wei E’s Ancestor fought the ’Desolate Sword’ Yan Fei, she died under the ’Little Three Harmonies,’ leaving the sect’s inheritance almost severed as she lay in the border wilderness.

Later, when we reconnected our heritage, it was under a grandmaster named Xuanji.

That was the time when the Holy Dynasty was newly established, and all the vassal states had just been suppressed.

Grandmaster Xuanji at that time advocated struggling against Cihang Jingzhai, which later evolved into undermining Cihang Jingzhai’s influence in the vassal states and began imitating Cihang Jingzhai by planting agents within the vassal state’s imperial families, seeking to influence the dynastic duties, trying to control the national apparatus.

Unfortunately, for so many years, our sect has never succeeded, yet Cihang Jingzhai succeeded in supporting Ming Country ahead of everyone during the chaotic times, reaping enormous benefits, which became unstoppable later.

My master once said that helping a dragon ascend to the throne would lead to grand merit, obtaining immense Qi Fortune or even Dragon Energy, which is crucial for sect development and even affects cultivation beyond the Returning Essence Realm. Thus, Grandmaster Xuanji led us to frequently clash with Cihang Jingzhai, which later turned into a conflict of interests affecting generations."

"Dragon Energy, Qi Fortune... indeed, it’s a good thing; perhaps they are not merely pursuing Qi Fortune, but Life Charts. This kind of thing, starting as a mountain bandit, it’s quite difficult for me to access and understand, and I know very little about it."

Jiang Dali slightly nodded and said flatly, recalling the two stone carved dragon pillars he had players escort back.

Those two stone carved dragon pillars contained almost half of Ming Country’s Dragon Energy.

If they were to be brought back to the mountain village and erected on the mountain, what changes would they bring to the mountain village?

As for matters involving Qi Fortune and Life Charts beyond the Returning to Truth Realm, Jiang Dali has not yet reached that level, and it’s hard to imagine Dragon Energy’s impact on future power realms. He only knows that during the Heavenly Human Realm, Dragon Energy can indeed fend off disasters and overcome tribulations.

Those two stone carved dragon pillars might serve as miraculous treasures to help his friends overcome heavenly tribulations and earthly difficulties, rapidly enhancing their power realm.

"How many bandits like you are there in the entire Martial World? Almost none,"

Wan Wan looked at Jiang Dali with a somewhat amused expression, "Even Fang La from the past Ming Country couldn’t compare to you, and in my Yin Gui Sect, apart from Blood Hand Li Gong and the grandmaster Xuanji who first contended with Cihang Jingzhai, no one else could compare to you. Why belittle yourself?"

Jiang Dali faintly smiled, "Your master once said that anyone joining the Yin Gui Sect must make a poisonous oath not to divulge any internal matters. What you just told me about your ancestor’s secrets, isn’t that breaking the rules?"

Wan Wan let out a sweet, bell-like laugh and said, "Right now, I belong entirely to you, and even if the Yin Gui Sect were to be given as dowry to the village chief, your Black Wind Village, how does that count as breaking the rules? Even my master, before she passed, entrusted me to you, indicating her tacit approval."

As they talked, they had reached the Seventh Gate, both instinctively falling silent as they observed ahead.

Seeing the long corridor, the Seventh Gate was open, and the door rings with lotus patterns hung quietly.

Behind the doors, in the vast, empty square, stood a nun with a sacred, serene face and a dignified statue, hands forming a lotus Dharma Seal, the robe pure white as snow, with the only discord being a few startling cracks now visible on the golden body statue.

Behind the nun stood the grand, rectangular hall Cihang Hall, appearing solemn and dignified amidst its grandeur.

The cold and solemn look on Wan Wan’s face couldn’t hide her mixed feelings and reverence as she softly murmured, "Di Ni!"

Jiang Dali gazed at Di Ni calmly and said, "Buddha is not far to seek in Lingshan; Lingshan is in your heart. Everyone has a Lingshan Tower in the heart; just cultivate under it. Do you think if there were truly a Buddha in this world, would Buddha care about the world’s peace?"

Wan Wan looked at Jiang Dali in surprise, momentarily unsure whether Jiang Dali was questioning her or asking the seemingly dead yet not-dead Di Ni.

Jiang Dali also did not wait for her reply, smiled faintly as he gestured, "If the world were peaceful, surely Buddha wouldn’t care about worldly peace, but humans are different. People don’t have a Buddha Heart, and even if someone pretended to be Buddha and blocked the way before this village chief, this chief would still cut them down with a knife!"

Buzz!!