Huyan Monk was not foolish; he didn't believe in Xiang Qianqiu's empty promises and had no desire to become a National Preceptor or establish any Taoist orthodoxy.

Over two hundred years ago, there was a great upheaval at Mount Spirit. Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva fell into demonic ways and was suppressed beneath Mount Spirit. Huyan was one of the Arhats closest to Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva.

He once had the opportunity to be promoted to Bodhisattva and had received guidance from Kshitigarbha many times.

After Kshitigarbha was suppressed, he harbored doubts and wanted to see Buddha to plead Kshitigarbha's case, but was reprimanded by Manjushri Bodhisattva and was only forgiven after chanting scriptures for thirty years.

However, the thirty years of chanting scriptures did nothing to quell his thoughts. Seeing that he was incompatible with Mount Spirit, he left, transforming into Huyan, meaning "false words," and has not returned since.

His only desire in this life is to be free and unfettered, and he cannot be subjected to any restrictions again.

"You can tell as many people as you want, as long as you agree, I will definitely fulfill my promise." Who said there can only be one National Preceptor? It's just a meaningless title.

As long as the Dragon Subduing Arhat is willing to work for him, the position of National Preceptor is nothing.

This person was once an Arhat and has made further progress in his centuries of cultivation. His strength is not weak, and he must be won over.

"This humble monk seeks only freedom. Benefactor Xiang, please dismiss this thought." Huyan shook his head in refusal.

Xiang Qianqiu stared at him for a moment, then sighed.

"Very well, think about it carefully. My promise is always valid. Since there's nothing else, help me with one more thing."

"Not recently. This humble monk has something else to attend to."

"I'll add money."

"How much?"

"How much do you want?"

"Just kidding. This humble monk really has something to do and can't get away recently. Benefactor Xiang, please find someone else. We may meet again in the future."

Huyan Monk laughed heartily and turned to leave.

He took out a wine gourd from his sleeve. Although it contained ordinary wine, it was a rare, strong liquor that tasted much better to him than any spiritual wine.

"Wine and meat pass through the intestines, Buddha remains in the heart..."

Huyan Monk shook his head and hummed, gradually disappearing into the distance.

Xiang Qianqiu continued to stare at him, and only frowned when he was completely out of sight. However, he did not press the matter and instead disappeared into the void.

The surroundings were completely calm, just as before.

......

......

Qingzhou City.

Chen Yuan, dressed in a plain blue robe, arrived in Qingzhou City, which he had been away from for nearly half a year, in just over a day. As the most prosperous place in Qingzhou, the flow of people was still very large.

Government yamen and Martial Guards of the Sky Survey Division were seen everywhere, and practitioners of the Ninggang Realm and Foundation Establishment Realm were also common. Only practitioners of the Tongxuan Realm were fewer in number.

Compared to the capital, this was clearly two levels lower.

However, this was best for Chen Yuan.

His cultivation had reached the Huayang Realm, but in the capital, he was only average and not considered top-tier. However, in the states and prefectures below, he was a strongman who could fight those in the Refinement Realm, and was already considered top-tier.

Even establishing a top-notch sect would not be a problem.

However, that would be a slap in the face to the imperial court, which was almost impossible. Once a Sky Surveyor, always a Sky Surveyor, unless Chen Yuan's strength could intimidate the imperial court, forcing them to sit back and watch him get away with it.

There was no reason to stay in Central State. After meeting Princess Pingyang that day, he did not stop to rest along the way, and there were no disturbances.

Having left the capital, Chen Yuan, with his current status and strength, could truly say that the sea is wide for fish to leap, the sky is high for birds to fly, a latent dragon leaves the abyss, and a roc rises with the wind.

Passing through Qingzhou, he would naturally do as he had done before, first meet with Jiang He, convey Lihongshuang's words, and then ask about the situation in the Shuzhou region.

At this moment, inside the Qingzhou Sky Survey Division.

Gold Envoy Jiang He, two Dan Realm Deputy Envoys, and eight Sky Survey Green Envoys without assignments had gathered a large array, preparing to welcome the upcoming new Heavenly God Envoy.

If Jiang He hadn't stopped them, even the Prefect and the general from the military would have come.

Overseeing all matters of the Sky Survey Divisions of three states, Qingzhou, although not directly under him, must still respectfully welcome the arrival of the lord. A third-rank official of the imperial court and also holding the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households was basically equivalent to a crushing presence in the states and prefectures below.

Apart from the Duke of the Realm and the princes with different surnames, no one had a higher title than Chen Yuan.

Just ask, who would dare disobey?

Having climbed to his current position in less than two and a half years, many people were truly in a daze. The two deputy envoys and several green envoys were all people who had interacted with Chen Yuan before.

In the blink of an eye, they were still standing in the same place, while that person had already become an important official in the court. The sense of disparity was truly great.

During the welcome, many people were subtly stealing glances at the Gold Envoy Jiang He at the front, their eyes filled with meaning. They all had such a disparity.

What would Jiang He, Chen Marquis's former superior, be like?

It would be good to see him well, but his heart must not be feeling good.

Unfortunately, they were wrong. Jiang He did not feel any disparity at all, his expression still extremely calm, as if he was only welcoming a God Envoy.

The only thing that felt different was the address.

In the past, when Chen Yuan met him, he would always refer to himself as "subordinate," "humble official," or "lower official." Soon, he would have to address him in the same way.

It was quite interesting.

Before long, Chen Yuan arrived at the Sky Survey Division. He had notified the local officials when he arrived in Qingzhou City. This time, he was not carrying out any mission, so there was no need to hide his whereabouts.

He was returning home in glory, having been ordered to guard the three states!

If you were to speak of vanity, then there was certainly a bit of it, but not much. Essentially, it was still announcing his arrival in the south, laying the groundwork and building momentum for future events.

Everywhere he looked, there were eyes filled with respect and reverence.

Jiang He's gaze was calm as he bowed and clasped his hands.

"This humble official Jiang He greets God Envoy!"

"This humble official..."

"This humble official..."

As Jiang He moved, a group of people behind him simultaneously bowed, their expressions respectful.

Once upon a time, Chen Yuan had seen Jiang He in such a scene for the first time. Now, it was quite interesting. He smiled and nodded slightly.

With a thought, an invisible force of heaven and earth supported everyone present.

"You are all old acquaintances. There is no need to be so polite."

"Thank you, Lord."

"Thank you, Lord."

The voices rose and fell in succession.

Jiang He welcomed Chen Yuan into the Sky Survey Hall. This time, Chen Yuan sat at the head, while Jiang He and the Sky Survey Envoys of various levels sat obediently below.

Chen Yuan didn't really have anything to say to these people. After offering some words of encouragement, he dismissed them, leaving only Jiang He behind.

In an instant, the Sky Survey Hall was shrouded in an invisible barrier, blocking the detection of outsiders. Jiang He, who had been somewhat respectful, quickly regained his original demeanor.

Still cold and unruffled.

Unable to discern joy, anger, or sorrow.

"Good that you've come."

Jiang He's words were still concise.

"Leaving the sea of ​​misery that is the capital is a fortunate thing."

"Heh." Chen Yuan smiled faintly.

"This time, my sister-in-law asked me to convey a few words to you."

"What words?"

"She wants you to go to the capital quickly. If it doesn't work, she'll secretly leave."

"There's no need for that. She's a daughter of the Li family. How can she elope? It wouldn't look good if the word got out." Jiang He shook his head, disagreeing.

"It's good that you have a plan. After all, this is your personal matter. There's nothing wrong with eloping. There's no need to care about what others think. However, from my point of view, I don't agree with such a thing.

We agreed to go to the capital together to snatch the bride. That's real courage."

"Your strength is not enough. Cultivate as soon as possible."

Jiang He lightly sipped his spiritual tea.

"Can't wait too long. You can start preparing now. By the way... Has a conclusion been reached on the cause of Lu Renjia's death? I don't think it was the people from the Unborn Sect who did it." He didn't need to hide anything from Jiang He.

"What makes you say that?"

"Based on my guess, the Unborn Sect may be related to Jingtai."

Chen Yuan told Jiang He this somewhat outrageous guess.

Jiang He frowned and looked at Chen Yuan with a strange expression.

The emperor of a nation colluding with demonic cultivators?

It sounded like a joke.

"Brother Jiang doesn't believe me?"

"First, tell me the source of your speculation."

Seeing that Chen Yuan's words did not seem like a fabrication, Jiang He was now half-convinced. Chen Yuan would occasionally crack harmless jokes, but he clearly wouldn't at such a time.

"I have three sources for my speculation. First, we made a scene in the imperial city before..."

Chen Yuan told Jiang He everything he knew, including the previous imperial ancestral sacrifice and the strangeness about Jingtai.

Jiang He was one of the most trusted people among the several Taoist masters of the Taoist Shrine, except for Su Ziyue. He understood his character, and he would never spread such a thing.

The reason why he said it was also because he had his own plans.

He didn't say it before because he couldn't be sure if he would clash with Jingtai. If they were to fight directly, there would be no point in saying anything.

Now that he hadn't completely broken ties with Jingtai, he naturally had to start planning for the future.

Jiang He had the strength of the Yang God Realm and was extremely powerful in battle, so he could definitely help him a lot.

After hearing Chen Yuan's account, Jiang He, who had been half-convinced, now gradually turned serious, his eyes flickering, obviously shocked by the news.

The monarch of a nation, the supreme ruler, the nominal sovereign of the entire world, was involved with the Unborn Sect, a demonic force that did all kinds of evil, extracted souls, and was denounced by everyone. Anyone who heard this would be shocked.

He was no exception.

After a long time, Jiang He looked at Chen Yuan and said solemnly:

"This matter may not be true. You know that the imperial court has always had a policy of extermination towards the Unborn Sect. If the Unborn Sect is involved with Jingtai, why would they suppress them so extremely?"

Chen Yuan naturally knew this. After all, when his cultivation was weak, whether it was in Ping'an County or Nanling Prefecture, the government would kill all the demonic cultivators of the Unborn Sect that they encountered.

Better to kill the wrong person than to let one go.

A posture of iron and blood.

But who said that being hostile means being enemies?

"The more it is, the more it can clear suspicion. You also know that if Jingtai's identity and the identity of the demonic cultivators of the Unborn Sect are revealed, it will definitely be a scene of disgrace and universal condemnation.

Jingtai is also somewhat clever. How can he not know the advantages and disadvantages?"

"What you said makes sense."

Jiang He affirmed Chen Yuan's statement.

Good and evil are distinct. If he were Jingtai, he would definitely make a clear statement and exterminate this kind of demonic force that extracts souls and condenses blood pills.

"Moreover, if I'm not mistaken, the Unborn Sect has become one of the top demonic sects in the world only in recent decades.

In just a few decades, how could it have developed so quickly without a large force behind it providing support?"

The first demonic cultivator Chen Yuan encountered was from the Unborn Sect, so he naturally had some understanding of this force. It developed very quickly, and in just a few decades, it became a famous demonic sect.

Its power spread throughout the south, and the imperial court had suppressed it many times to no avail. In fact, it seemed to be getting stronger the more it was suppressed. No one could figure out who the true body of the Unborn Sect's leader was.

They only knew the slogans shouted by the demonic cultivators of the Unborn Sect, such as the Unborn Mother and the Unborn Ancestor.

There were many Dan Realm grandmasters alone, and there had even been powerhouses at the Huayang level appearing.

"You mean..."

"Jingtai is now in his fifties and has been in power for many years. He was just a prince who was not favored. If we calculate it that way, his rise coincides with the time when the Unborn Sect began to appear in the pugilistic world."

Chen Yuan had thought about this problem in detail not long ago, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt there was a problem.

"But what is his purpose in doing this?"

This was very puzzling. Jiang He only had some doubts in a short period of time.

After all, the emperor controlled the four seas, his power spread throughout the world, and he possessed the richest cultivation resources in the world. What couldn't he get? Why would he cooperate with the Unborn Sect?

If this matter were to be revealed, the world would be shocked, and his throne would be impossible to sit on.

A normal person would never do such a dangerous thing.

Chen Yuan smiled mysteriously and stared at Jiang He and said:

"The world knows that after the founding of the Great Jin Dynasty, the emperors could not achieve longevity. The national destiny suppressed the emperor, making it impossible for him to cultivate, unable to sense the heaven and earth's spiritual energy, let alone form a Dan or transform into Yang.

Jingtai is known as the number one genius of the Sima imperial family, and he relied on his own talent to cultivate to the Heavenly Dan, gaining three Jiazi of lifespan, but... if his talent was truly unparalleled, how could the Sima imperial family's clan not know?

They would definitely guide him towards martial arts, rather than making him a mortal emperor. After all, having another Yang God True Monarch would make the Sima family's throne more stable.

Therefore, I suspect that Jingtai's Heavenly Dan cultivation may be related to this matter!"

Although Chen Yuan's voice was calm, it contained power, causing Jiang He to frown and think about this matter.

"There is a possibility."

"I think the possibility is not small."

"Why are you telling me this?"

Jiang He's eyes flickered, vaguely guessing Chen Yuan's purpose. When he was still in the capital, they had exchanged ideas on this matter using the Heavenly Book.

But at that time, Chen Yuan didn't say much, it was just a guess.

Now, he was bringing up so much because of this one question, which was clearly not right.

"Brother Jiang should have guessed it."

Chen Yuan smiled. Although Jiang He didn't talk much and was relatively cold, he had many thoughts. He was a character with a cold exterior and a warm interior.

"Since you've come to me, you should make it clear."

Jiang He lightly sipped his cold tea, looking straight at him.

"I hope that Brother Jiang will take advantage of this time, as well as the other Taoist masters of the Taoist Shrine, to help me investigate this matter with all their strength. The Unborn Sect has a strong presence in the south, and its lair is very likely in the south.

The Taoist Shrine's power is not weak either, and there is an opportunity to investigate the truth."

"And then?"

"And then?" A cold smile appeared on Chen Yuan's lips.

"Then I will have a handle and a reason. As long as I reveal this matter, this old thing Jingtai will definitely step down. As long as I push it along, chaos will come to the world!

Our Taoist Shrine's opportunity will also come."

"I'm afraid it's more than that, right?"

"I want to kill Jingtai and start an uprising to give the world complete peace. These require a legitimate excuse, so this matter must be investigated clearly."

"A year's time, haven't you thought about returning to the capital?"

News from the capital spread quickly, and he naturally knew about this matter.

"Return."

"Hmm?"

"Didn't we say it before? We're going to the capital to snatch the bride and take care of the big things along the way, wouldn't that be good?"

"What courage."

"Hehe..."

"After revealing this matter and killing Jingtai, what do you want to do?"

"It's not what I want to do, it's what the Taoist Shrine wants to do. You've joined the Taoist Shrine longer than I have, and you also know the meaning of the other Taoist masters and Senior Moro.

If we want to counterattack Mount Spirit, this strength is not enough, unless we gather the power of the world, and only the supreme ruler has the qualifications to mobilize the strong people of the world."

"You want to ascend to that position?"

Jiang He looked at him.

"Who doesn't want to? To become the supreme ruler of the world, speaking the law, with words followed by law, possessing thousands of miles of land, with the world daring not to disobey." Chen Yuan said in a deep voice.

This was also the first time he had fearlessly revealed his thoughts in front of Jiang He.

"You think Jingtai has this ability?" Hearing Chen Yuan say speaking the law, with words followed by law, with the world submitting, Jiang He felt amused.

A throne cannot do these things, only strength can.

"That's because he's too useless, and the restrictions from the Sima family are too many. If he wants to centralize power, he can only slowly take back the rights. The major immortal sects are not afraid of the imperial court at all. He truly does not have that prestige."

"Then your meaning is... you can?"

"How would I know if I don't try? In this lifetime, one should not stay under others for long, but should climb to the top and truly control one's own destiny."

Chen Yuan's eyes were deep, and at this moment, his body seemed to be shrouded in great majesty.

"You also covet the power of the mortal world?"

"If heaven gives it but one does not take it, one will be blamed instead. When that step comes, it will be impossible not to sit on that position."

"You've also seen the fate of Jingtai and the emperors of the Sima family. Being an emperor will be suppressed by the national destiny. Don't you want to enjoy longevity and freedom?"

Jiang He asked in return.

"Do you know Chu Taizu Yu?"

"I know."

"When he became the supreme ruler of the world, there was no influence at all. It's not that simple."

"Have you decided?"

"I decided long ago. Otherwise, why do you think I'm accumulating private soldiers in Tangshan? Why do you think I risked my life to gain fame in Liangzhou?"

Jiang He didn't speak, his eyes were thoughtful.

"Old Jiang."

"Hmm?"

"Help me."

"Good!"