97: Kill Emperor Li, in the Shangqing Secret Realm, and encounter Wuxin again.

Three hundred miles away, Jiang Yan lay panting under a large tree.

It seemed like he was dodging into an alleyway, but in reality, it was a cover for activating an Escape Talisman. After all, no matter how he fled, he couldn't possibly outrun a Buddha's Son in the Core Formation Realm. Thus, the best way was to use his flight as a cover to activate the Escape Talisman.

'Good thing I prepared plenty, or else I really would have been dragged into the monkhood by that bald donkey.'

What Jiang Yan didn't know was that he would encounter the Buddha's Son of Dragon Elephant Temple every few days.

In the blink of an eye, another three days passed.

Jiang Yan's final assassination mission objective was very simple; he completed it without even needing any concealment methods.

On his way back to the Blood Cloud Sect, he made a special trip to the Great Li Imperial Capital.

What he was about to do next would definitely involve the Su Family, so the Su Family had to leave the Great Li Imperial Capital.

Su Zhantian was very grateful after hearing Jiang Yan's advice, but he could not let go of his hatred for the imperial family.

Seeing that he couldn't persuade Su Zhantian, Jiang Yan simply took the matter upon himself. After all, since it was a cause he had incurred, he had to see the effect through.

Upon hearing that Jiang Yan would help him kill the Emperor of Great Li, Su Zhantian knelt and kowtowed three times to Jiang Yan. Then, he arranged for his two pregnant concubines and other servants to leave the Great Li Imperial Capital.

Although Jiang Yan didn't quite understand Su Zhantian's actions, he didn't ask too many questions. After all, it was someone else's business, and as an outsider, he had no right to interfere.

After leaving the Su Estate, Jiang Yan concealed his figure and found a deserted spot to disguise himself as a passerby.

He didn't care about those two Foundation Establishment level one or two Enshrined Experts in the Great Li Imperial Palace. After all, they were from the Blood Cloud Sect, and their methods were just variations of the same tricks. With his concealment techniques, those two wouldn't be able to discover him at all.

Under the cover of night, Jiang Yan sneaked into the Great Li Imperial Palace.

Just as he arrived at the Zhengde Hall and was about to act, the conversation inside suddenly made him stop.

"Father, there's finally a clue about that century-old Secret Realm," Crown Prince Zhao Qing said.

"Oh?" Emperor Li put down the brush in his hand and asked in shock, "Is it the ruins of the Shangqing Immortal Sect?"

"It should be close. According to the news from Nanbo Lake in the Northern Region, it's eighty to ninety percent certain that the place belongs to the territory of the Shangqing Immortal Sect," Crown Prince Zhao Qing said.

"Good, that's wonderful!" Emperor Li was delighted, his voice even changing its tone. "Send people to guard it first. Remember not to let the word out. This time, I want to enjoy this heaven-sent Opportunity all to myself!"

"Father, that place is crawling with Yao Beasts. I'm afraid our soldiers won't be able to withstand them," Crown Prince Zhao Qing advised.

"What does it matter if a few people die? As long as I can obtain that heaven-sent Opportunity, even if all the people of Great Li die, I must have that chance for Immortal Ascension," Emperor Li said crazily.

Crown Prince Zhao Qing's expression was one of shock. He never expected his father to be so insane.

Had he known this information would turn Emperor Li into this, he would have suppressed the news even if it killed him.

"What are you still standing there for? Go and give the orders at once," Emperor Li said displeasedly.

"Father, please forgive your son for disobeying your decree." Crown Prince Zhao Qing kowtowed heavily three times and said sincerely, "Father, the Northern Region is already a dangerous place, and the soldiers guarding it do so with the intention of repaying the country. If Father is only acting for a moment of selfish desire, your son can only inform the world of the news."

"Zhao Qing, you unfilial son!" Emperor Li was furious. He drew the sword beside him and shouted, "Don't forget your status. Everything you have was given to you by me."

"Your son implores Father to cherish our Northern Region soldiers," Crown Prince Zhao Qing pleaded again.

"Unfilial son!" A flash of killing intent crossed Emperor Li's eyes. He didn't expect Zhao Qing to hinder him from obtaining that Heaven-Defying Opportunity. The sword in his hand trembled as he raised it and slashed down at Zhao Qing.

At that critical moment, Emperor Li's body swayed, and then a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed onto Zhao Qing's face.

"Father!" Zhao Qing was shocked and rushed forward to support Emperor Li.

But as he propped Emperor Li up, Emperor Li's eyes bulged, and his breathing had already stopped.

Seeing his father die so inexplicably, Zhao Qing was shocked but also found it unbelievable. He looked left and right; besides a Eunuch Attendant standing at the door, there was no one else.

"What are you standing there for? The Emperor has passed away!" Zhao Qing roared.

The Eunuch Attendant heard this, stumbled a few steps, and then ran out in a panic.

As for how the Great Li Imperial Palace mourned or how they arranged Emperor Li's funeral, Jiang Yan didn't care at all. After all, his mission was only to kill Emperor Li.

As for that Secret Realm in the Northern Region, to be honest, he was curious, but he wasn't foolish enough to head straight there.

After all, it was a Secret Realm, and one related to the Shangqing Immortal Sect at that; it wasn't a place one could just enter at will.

So he felt that after dealing with the Blood Cloud Sect matters, he would return to the Qingyun Sect to discuss it with his Cheap Master before heading to the Northern Region to take a look.

As for whether the information would leak, he didn't care. After all, Li Yi had told him that there were no secrets in the Cultivation World; if anyone wanted to investigate, a so-called secret was nothing but a joke.

Just as Jiang Yan returned to the Su Estate and entered the meeting hall, his expression froze.

Su Zhantian sat quietly in the main seat, dark red blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. His expression didn't look painful; rather, it was a kind of unprecedented liberation.

Jiang Yan slowly approached Su Zhantian, saw the envelope under the wine cup, and slowly opened the letter.

"I, Su Zhantian, have lived a life of integrity, seeking only a clear conscience. Today, Emperor Li is dead, and my heart is at peace. From now on, the Su Family of Great Li is no more. Su Zhantian's final words."

At this moment, Jiang Yan finally understood why Su Zhantian was unwilling to leave Great Li.

First, he wanted to tell the Great Li Imperial Family that he, Su Zhantian, had never done anything to betray the Zhao Imperial Family.

Second, he wanted to sever his connection with Jiang Yan. After all, as long as he, Su Zhantian, was alive, the Blood Cloud Sect would find a way to track him down. Thus, it was better to just die.

Jiang Yan folded the letter and placed it back under the wine cup. Then, he stepped back and kowtowed three times to Su Zhantian's body.

The next morning, Jiang Yan woke up in an inn in Lingxian Workshop.

Just as he boarded the flying boat, thinking of returning to the sect to take on the final hunting mission, the phrase "Amitabha" made his heart tremble.

"Benefactor, we meet again."

Jiang Yan's eye twitched, and he grumbled in his heart, 'Monk, I really don't want to see you.'

"This humble monk's dharma name is Heartless," Heartless asked with a smile. "May I ask for your honorable surname, Benefactor?"

"I'm your dad!" Jiang Yan replied casually.

Hearing Jiang Yan trying to take advantage of him, Heartless shook his head with a smile. "Benefactor, you are too attached. The so-called..."

"Stop!" Jiang Yan quickly waved his hand to interrupt, his tone full of resentment. "Monk, we're on a flying boat. I don't want to fight you. Please stay away from me."

"Amitabha." Heartless's smile remained, and his tone was as compassionate as ever. "Benefactor, everything is fate. If one has committed heavy sins and deeply blames oneself, repents and sins no more, one can uproot the fundamental karma."

Hearing Heartless's words, Jiang Yan said helplessly, "Monk, when suffering is upon the body, one should properly guard the heart, not be moved by external circumstances, and not let thoughts arise within. You are the one who is attached!"

Hearing this, Heartless's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected the person before him to understand such profound Buddhist Principles.

"Amitabha," Heartless smiled. "Awaken to the fact that the world is impermanent, the land is fragile, the four elements are empty and painful, the five aggregates are without self, birth and death are in constant change, all is false and without a master, and the heart is the source of evil."

Jiang Yan smiled and didn't answer. Instead, he pointed to the banner on the flying boat. "Monk, tell me, is it the wind moving? Or is it the banner moving?"

Heartless observed for a long time and remained silent. He already had an answer in his heart, but he could not speak it.

"Monk, tell me once you've figured it out." Jiang Yan smiled and patted Heartless on the shoulder, then turned and walked toward the stern.

"Amitabha." Heartless pressed his palms together and smiled.

He now felt that Jiang Yan was becoming more and more interesting, actually knowing how to use the human heart as a Buddhist Gatha to debate with him.

He knew that the answer just now was neither the wind nor the banner, but the human heart moving.

But it was this very sentence that he, as a monk, could not say. This only proved that he had precepts, while the other had none!

Jiang Yan reclined in a chair, enjoying the performance on the stage. But this good mood didn't even last an hour before it was disrupted by Heartless's arrival.

"Monk, why are you back again?" Jiang Yan asked helplessly.

Heartless pressed his palms together and smiled. "Benefactor, using that flickering candle flame to draw out This humble monk's precepts is not the principle of Zen Buddhism."

Jiang Yan rolled his eyes. He hadn't expected this monk to actually find such an answer.

Using the flickering candle as a metaphor for the wind and banner, drawing out the precepts was a manifestation of the monk's heart moving, but it was not a Buddhist Gatha.