521: I'm here to clear up any misunderstandings.

Reporting to Your Majesty, there is a nun outside the palace gate asking for an audience!

A guard suddenly ran over in a hurry and knelt before the few big shots.

Li Chengqian frowned slightly: 'Do you have no sense of discretion at all? If I had to see everyone who came, wouldn't this Daming Palace become a vegetable market?'

'Uh... I think Your Majesty should see this person...' The captain of the guards hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, 'That nun has a kind of Aura on her that is... very similar to the Holy Monk's, which is why your subject dared to come and report it!'

?

Li Chengqian was startled: 'The same Aura as the Holy Monk? Are you talking about Buddha Light?'

'Yes, it's Buddha Light!'

The captain of the guards thought for a moment, then immediately said, 'Originally, I did not want to pass on her message, but she said that as long as I reported her name, Your Majesty would surely see her. That is why I acted on my own initiative. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!'

Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes slightly: 'Playing mysterious... Heh, what is her name?'

'She said her name is Miaoshan!'

The captain of the guards said.

Li Chengqian couldn't help but be stunned, then frowned and said: 'Why does this name sound familiar, but I can't quite recall it? Holy Monk, you... uh... what's wrong with you?'

Tang Ku and Pigsy were both looking towards the palace gate, and the two of them indeed saw bits of Buddha Light slowly radiating out. Even Xuanji Zi was looking in that direction with a puzzled expression, seemingly pondering something.

'Your Majesty... let her in!'

Tang Ku said helplessly, 'Actually, you should know this person!'

Old Pig couldn't help but exclaim in surprise: 'Master, is it really her? Could the matter at Huichang Temple really be related to the Buddhist sect?'

Li Chengqian was confused: 'Although this Miaoshan sounds familiar, I have never met her. Could she be a high-ranking member of the Buddhist sect?'

'You may not have met her, but you must know who she is. Anyone with even a slight understanding of the Buddhist sect should know who she is!' Tang Ku said, 'Think carefully, there was once a Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Bodhisattva who went by this name before becoming a monastic!'

Li Chengqian still couldn't recall, but he waved his sleeve and let the captain of the guards call her in.

Before long, a long-haired nun, with a kind and benevolent appearance, arrived before them, her feet barely touching the ground. She pressed her palms together to salute Li Chengqian: 'Greetings, Tang King, Your Majesty. Poor Monk Miaoshan pays her respects!'

Li Chengqian looked a bit dazed, feeling that this nun was very familiar, but he couldn't recall where he had seen her. However, maintaining his imperial demeanor, he also pressed his palms together and said: 'This... Great Master, may I ask why you have come?'

'Poor Monk has come for Sanzang; there are some things that need to be explained clearly to him!'

The nun chuckled.

Tang Ku snorted coldly: 'Has the Bodhisattva come for the matter regarding Huichang Temple? You aren't going to tell me that what happened in that temple has nothing to do with the Buddhist sect, are you!'

Taken aback by Tang Ku's sharp retort, the nun was actually slightly embarrassed, then she straightened her expression and said: 'There is nothing that cannot be spoken of to others. The events at Huichang Temple, as well as the plague in the capital, while not directly caused by the Buddhist sect, do have some connection!'

Beside them, Pigsy actually bowed respectfully: 'I ask the Bodhisattva to enlighten us. What exactly happened in Huichang Temple? Why does it seem to be vaguely and strongly connected to the plague in Chang'an City? Are those... Gu, originating from Huichang Temple?'

Before the nun could answer, Xuanji Zi over there suddenly bowed to the nun, his expression serious: 'Xuanji Zi of the Daoist sect pays respects to Guanshiyin Bodhisattva!'

The nun was stunned, then couldn't help but smile and return the salute.

Li Chengqian's head buzzed instantly. After a long while, he finally remembered that the name Guanyin Bodhisattva used when walking the world before attaining her fruit position was indeed Miaoshan!

'No wonder it was so familiar. It turns out this temperament is exactly the same as the Guanshiyin Bodhisattva enshrined in the Buddhist hall...'

Li Chengqian said helplessly, 'Since the Bodhisattva has come, there is no need to hide your identity in this way; it has left this King puzzled for quite a while!'

'The current situation is unclear, so it is better for Poor Monk to be cautious... Hmm, Sanzang, you have already gained some insight into this Gu, is that right?' Holy Heart Guanyin asked.

'That's correct. This news was brought by Fellow Daoist Xuanji Zi, and it seems a solution has also been found!'

Tang Ku narrowed his eyes slightly and said, 'But for this matter, I need an explanation!'

'The things occupying Huichang Temple are not members of the Buddhist sect, but they are related to the Buddhist sect!' Guanyin said in a deep voice, 'Or to be more precise, these things should be enemies of the Buddhist sect!'

Tang Ku said indifferently: 'I would like to ask for enlightenment!'

Guanyin sighed and said: 'Sanzang, actually, you should be very familiar with this enemy. When you were Golden Cicada, you and we all fought against his subordinates, and you even personally met their leader. In order to stop the Buddha from attaining Buddhahood, he once sent Demon troops to harass and intercept, even transforming into the appearance of Buddhist Disciples to lure mortals into harming the world, eventually framing the Buddhist sect for the evil consequences!'

Tang Ku instantly gasped: 'Hiss, are you talking about... the Great Freedom Heaven, Papiyas?'

'Correct, that is exactly it!'

Guanyin smiled bitterly and helplessly: 'Actually, when we learned about the Gu plague in Chang'an, I had already guessed that it was very likely that these monsters had returned. We originally wanted to notify you so you could prepare early, but unexpectedly, you had already entered Purgatory at that time. The Disciple I sent was killed by the Devil King Papiyas on the way, and the letter I wrote to the Emperor of Great Tang was also destroyed by Papiyas... Therefore, I have come to Chang'an in person to inform you of this matter, hoping you will not misunderstand that it is my Buddhist sect targeting you from the shadows!'

Tang Ku frowned slightly: 'Why do you think it is Papiyas when it comes to Gu?'

'Back then, in order to frame the Buddhist sect, the footprints of the Devil King Papiyas spread throughout the world. Outside the southwest border of Great Tang, the Yin God Sect that worships him regards the Devil King Papiyas as their Ancestral Master. The Jiangtou sorcery and Gu techniques they Master are all superficial arts passed down by Papiyas, so when they are used, they appear very eerie and terrifying... After all, few people like snakes, insects, rats, and ants!'

Guanyin said, 'Now, this Huichang Temple has become the lair of the Devil King Papiyas. Almost all the monks inside are of the Demon Race. We do not yet know what they are plotting, but it definitely won't be anything good!'

'This is truly one wave after another!' Old Pig smiled bitterly, 'Are we making enemies on all sides? Why does everyone want to get involved in this muddy water in Chang'an?'

Tang Ku suddenly furrowed his brows tightly and said in a deep voice: 'I'm afraid they aren't just getting involved, but are acting under someone's instructions to deal with Great Tang. And this person has a good grasp of my whereabouts, even knowing what I have done. Otherwise, they would never have chosen to come out and cause trouble just when I left Chang'an!'

Guanyin frowned slightly: 'But who would use the lives of the common people as a gamble? Could it be the Heavenly Court, or...'

'Extraterrestrial Gods and Demons!'

Tang Ku said in a deep voice.