Chapter 264

Chapter 264: Two Junior Sisters

Eight days passed, and Li Hui mastered three Buddhist incantations. The Hell is Not Emptied Chant, which is specifically used to bind ghostly beings; the Fundamental Nectar Chant, which speeds up physical recovery; and the Diamond Zen Staff Chant for attacks.

Although Qinan carried many Buddhist chants recorded in his texts, most were geared towards controlling ghosts. After sifting through them, he could only settle for these three incantations, which could be strengthened as his cultivation improved. The real Qinan had become a puppet, taken away by the Ghost Blood Dress, heading toward the altar.

Li Hui chose a life of seclusion, as there were far too many monks outside. He didn’t know which monks Qinan was familiar with or which sect disciples he had connections with. To avoid being discovered, he decided to wait until the grand ceremony began to go out.

He wanted to avoid attention, but Qinan, as a disciple of the Earth Store Sect, was invited to participate in this grand event on Xuantian Road. He had the important duty of chanting scriptures and praying, requiring him to arrive at the altar a day early.

When the eunuchs couldn’t find Qinan, one shouted with all his might: “Please, Qinan of the Earth Store Sect, come to the left side of the royal road to await your orders and prepare to head to the altar to chant the scriptures!”

With no choice, Li Hui had to show up with his bald head, the scar on his scalp ready for display. Clothed in a flowing white robe, he walked gracefully toward the royal road. Su Qing’er’s disguise skills were indeed impressive. Although the Jade Heart of the Earth Court could suppress toxins, it could also control through the treasure cabinet, transforming his appearance into that of Qinan.

This method was quite unique; he didn’t know how the female cultivator from Aofeng Island figured it out, but it was remarkably lifelike, without a hint of abnormality.

“Is that Qinan? He’s flaunting his power just because he followed Master Lenghui around in the Earth Store Sect!”

“Ha ha! I’ve heard this young monk is greedy, lustful, and malicious. I wonder what the court is thinking, letting such a rotten fish lead the ceremony.”

Li Hui overheard the gossip, surprised to learn that Qinan didn’t have a good reputation. “He’s leading the ceremony? God knows how he’ll manage it—this fake has no clue!”

As he pondered, he suddenly heard a sweet voice call out: “Brother, where have you been all these days? Chan’er couldn’t find you!”

“Oh my! What kind of witch is this?” Li Hui thought frantically as he saw a young girl dressed as a nun, her heavy makeup so overwhelming it could make a person faint. She approached him, wrapping her arms around his, acting coyly, “Brother, I missed you so much!”

“Chan’er?” As he cautiously uttered her name, he felt breathless and thought, “Just the scent alone—this little nun makes the female cultivator of Aofeng Island look like nothing. How could Qinan resist? It turns out he’s actually a high monk, deeply unfathomable!”

“Ah! Why has your voice changed, Brother? Have you reached the age of voice change? Congratulations, Brother, congratulations! Once your voice changes, you’ve grown up!”

Li Hui adjusted his breathing as he practiced the Heavenly and Earthly Arrays to stabilize himself, not wanting to be overwhelmed. He touched his throat and said, “Yes! I’m starting to change my voice, feeling embarrassed, so I rarely go out.”

“Ha! Who would believe that? I heard someone brought gifts, and you just sent them away without showing up. You must have made a fortune!” The little nun’s eyes gleamed with greed; there was no doubt she was after wealth.

“Ha ha ha!” Li Hui laughed proudly, then whispered, “Junior Sister, I need to discuss this with you. Why do you think he offered such generous gifts? It’s just a small down payment to get a jade sword from the emperor through our Earth Store Sect. I know only thirteen businesses possess the emperor’s jade sword, and it won’t be easy! But the reward he promised is quite tempting.”

Li Hui had been looking for a breakthrough and couldn’t help but plot an idea related to the Earth Store Sect. With so many great monks chanting ghost scriptures outside, the texts seeped into the ground and floated into the air, praising the Grand Xuan Dynasty. Clearly, the Earth Store Sect had close ties to the Grand Xuan Dynasty.

“Foolish Brother, someone comes to request, and you just agree? I heard from my aunt that the emperor’s jade sword is extraordinary! Each one can sell for a fortune. Even my aunt, the Noble Concubine, finds it hard to acquire one for her family.”

Li Hui exclaimed internally, “Oh wow! This tastelessly dressed little nun is actually Noble Concubine Wan’s niece? She seems to be the only niece of the Grand Xuan Dynasty’s noble concubine. What’s going on? Are they planning a blood sacrifice with their niece? Isn’t she a direct relative?”

At that moment, someone nearby chanted the Buddha’s name: “Compassionate Buddha, shining upon all beings! You both, is this endless? Qinan, it’s time to proceed to the altar; you must pray step by step to reveal your true intentions.”

Turning to look, another little nun appeared.

Hey, this little nun was stunning, with fair skin and long lashes, her brows carrying a heroic air, and she was graceful and elegant. It seemed she was chosen as the “Jade Maiden” from the Earth Store Sect, while Chan’er truly was the niece.

Chan’er pinched Li Hui and whispered, “Pay attention! You were beaten badly by Rouran last time, didn’t you learn your lesson? Hmph! Even if you want her badly, I’ll be the one in charge.”

Li Hui felt a bit dizzy and wanted to say how chaotic the temple was.

“Junior Sister, please help your brother! Do you know what price they are offering? Even if you have to rob it, you must steal the emperor’s jade sword. They only need it once for urgent delivery.”

“Oh? Only once?” The smoky-eyed little nun became very interested, leaning in to whisper, “What benefits do we get? Don’t hide anything; tell me all about it.”

“Listen well! That treasure from the Moko Buddhist nation…” Li Hui charmed her with his words, following Guang Jin’s hints for a full explanation, adding, “Additionally, you can later go to the bank to exchange spiritual shells and Five-Color Fortune Coins, enough for us to establish our own business…”

This little nun named Chan’er was even greedier than Qinan; she bit her fingers, whispering, “Okay, I’ll go get it. I’ll borrow it once to test the waters.”

“Junior Sister, you are immensely virtuous!” Li Hui placed his hands together in thanks, delighted to see the little nun giggling as she walked away, her mood lightened. However, Rouran, who was nearby, now looked at Li Hui with disapproval.

“Why are you not moving? If you miss the timing, even Chan’er can’t protect you.” Rouran flicked her sleeve, walking ahead, golden halos gathering behind her hair, reciting scriptures from the Earth Store Bodhisattva’s Fundamental Vow sincerely.

Li Hui smiled with a serious demeanor, unleashing his lotus energy beneath, manifesting a Flickering Shadow behind him. He quickly caught up with Rouran, walking side by side, causing the little nun to be quite surprised.

“Qinan, what’s going on behind you?” Rouran, truly curious, continued reciting while secretly transmitting thoughts.

“Ah ha! I’ve gained some benefits and made slight changes. Junior Sister can speak to me, making me quite joyful!” Li Hui raised an eyebrow, pretending to be flirtatious.

Rouran glared at him, assuming this scoundrel was trying to attract her attention with tricks, increasingly frustrated with herself for falling into his trap.

Whether she was a nun or Daoist priestess, she couldn’t escape the limitations of perspective and age. Dealing with this little girl was no challenge at all for Li Hui!

The two navigated along the narrow path on the left side of the royal road, with Rouran not satisfied, channeling all her strength to chant scriptures as she hurried. Li Hui strolled casually, echoing the little nun’s chants, enjoying his leisurely pace.

Unexpectedly, this path began to present resistance, and it grew stronger. Rouran felt it was getting harder to proceed and couldn’t help but glance sideways, almost gasping in shock.