Chapter 82

Ye Wushuang said joyfully, "In the Northern Plateau, there are many places covered in snow and ice all year round, and there's also the Heavenly Mountain Jade Pool and volcanic hot springs..." There are so many interesting places to visit.

Bai Mu said, "The Northern Continent is a place where Buddhism and Daoism coexist, with many high monks and famous Daoists since ancient times. However, the Northern Continent is a country of strong rulers and poor people, with a tyrannical and debauched emperor, leading to a miserable life for the common folk. In the past ten years, hundreds of refugees have fled to the Green Continent. The Green Continent's emperor is benevolent and has accepted them as citizens, which has attracted even more refugees to flee the Northern Continent. The Northern Continent's court is very dissatisfied and has become hostile to the Green Continent, even considering military action. I've heard that the Green Continent's court is sending envoys to the Central Continent to seek an alliance."

The Dragon Seeking Palace's inspector, Zhang Chenglong, said, "When I came to the Central Continent, I heard that the Qingping Sect was hiding two women, which infuriated the Northern Continent's emperor, who sent 100,000 imperial guards to the Qingping Sect. Additionally, due to the turmoil in the Northern Continent and public discontent, there are rumors of a heretical cult spreading." This heretical cult is not an evil sect but rather a group that spreads absurd beliefs about gods and spirits to recruit followers. Historically, many such groups have emerged when the people are dissatisfied with the government. However, heretical cults can vary greatly. For example, the White Lotus Sect in the Qing Dynasty used the name of a holy mother and raised the banner of supporting the Qing and exterminating foreigners. The famous Zhang Jue's slogan was 'The world is dead, the year is Jiazi.' Not all heretical cults are entirely bad; for instance, the Ming Dynasty, which overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, was originally a religious group called the Ming Sect.

Speaking of heretical cults, the four people from Yunqing Sect immediately thought of the Ghost Sect. The disciples of the Ghost Sect don't need high cultivation, good roots, or talent; they just need to know the methods and receive a skull from the sect leader, and by killing some people, they can cultivate the Banner of Grievance. However, the Ghost Sect is unlikely to get involved in civilian wars because after cultivation, the disciples often lose some of their humanity and become bloodthirsty and selfish. But if the Ghost Sect gains enough followers and develops in the Northern Continent, it will be very difficult to eradicate in the future.

Zhang Chenglong had not received any news of the Ghost Sect's resurgence. After hearing the four people's words today, he frowned, "It seems we need to intensify our investigation in the Dragon Seeking Palace. The four of you, since the Purple Flute Hall has entrusted us with this task, we cannot refuse. Since I am the leader, I hope Yunqing Sect will send only one person."

Lin Fan asked curiously, "Why?"

Zhang Chenglong said, "This is also the intention of Purple Cloud Zhenren." Zhang Chenglong was very experienced and understood what Purple Cloud Zhenren was thinking. Purple Cloud Zhenren was worried that if too many people from Yunqing Sect or Leishan went, they might cause trouble and ultimately shift the blame to the Qingping Sect. From Purple Cloud Zhenren's attitude, it was clear that there was a lack of trust among fellow Daoists. This was not entirely unfounded; Yunqing Sect had no ambitions for supremacy, but the current leader of Leishan was a man of great talent and vision, who might not be content with just being a major sect. The Demon Lord had met and deeply conversed with the unappointed Purple Cloud Zhenren, finding him not a conservative leader but rather someone who was more inclined to the Demon Sect. The Demon Lord believed that the Purple Flute Hall was strong on the outside but weak on the inside, and due to its lineage and hierarchical system, even without external enemies, internal strife would inevitably arise within a hundred years.

Zhang Chenglong added, "You can choose one person, and I will inform the Southern Continent's Leishan and the Yunzhou Continent's Tiankun Sect." The Tiankun Sect, Purple Flute Hall, and Leishan Sect were the top three orthodox sects.

After Zhang Chenglong left, Ye Wushuang and the others looked at Lin Fan. The sect leader had instructed them to follow Lin Fan's judgment when encountering issues. Currently, all three wanted to go, but there was only one spot. Lin Fan smiled and took out three beans from his spatial ring: "Let's play a guessing game. Whoever guesses correctly gets to go, no using divine senses." If everyone wanted to go, they would decide by luck.

Lin Fan picked up the purple clay teapot on the table, put a certain number of beans inside, held it with his left hand, and shook it with his right hand for a while before placing it on the table: "Who wants to go first?"

"I will!" Ye Wushuang was not shy and said, "One bean." It was too obvious; only one bean made a sound.

"White Mu?" Lin Fan looked at White Mu and then pointed, "No using the copper coin divination."

White Mu quickly put away the copper coin and thought for a moment, "I was going to guess one, but since Wushuang guessed one, I'll guess two."

Gu Yan didn't wait for Lin Fan to ask and said, "Three."

"..." Lin Fan was stunned for a moment, "You can observe carefully and think about it. Why is there only one sound? If there's only one sound, wouldn't guessing two or three be incorrect?"

Ye Wushuang was delighted, "Then it must be one." He lifted the lid, "Oh, where did the beans go? Lin Fan, you cheated."

"I knew you would guess one, so I was just teasing you, but I didn't expect them to guess two and three." Ye Wushuang absolutely could not go. Based on past experience, her first move was always the Thunder Shocking Light Spell, which killed both enemies and allies. Despite being told countless times, she never changed. It was one thing if it was just her, but if it harmed or even killed her companions, how could they explain it? So Lin Fan deliberately lured Ye Wushuang into the trap.

Ye Wushuang glared, "You must have used magic."

Lin Fan, helpless, put one bean into the teapot, then shook it with his right hand. As he placed the teapot back on the table, a gap appeared in the lid, and the bean rolled onto his right hand. He placed the teapot back on the table and held the bean in his right hand.

Lin Fan said, "Since there was only one sound, I thought that without a better choice, Senior Brother Gu Yan and White Mu would think about why and see that I had two beans in my left hand and one in my right, so they could deduce that there were no beans in the teapot."

White Mu felt ashamed, "I only focused on the teapot."

Gu Yan seemed to understand, "Focusing too much on the details can make you miss the bigger picture. It seems to be the right path, but without the details, how can there be a beginning?"

Crazy, you can even have an epiphany from this? Lin Fan said, "Since that's the case, I'll have to go."

Ye Wushuang was indignant, "Why can't I go?" She realized that Lin Fan was deliberately eliminating her, and the other two could choose.

"Imagine you are traveling with companions from the Tiankun Sect and Leishan Sect, and suddenly a giant demonic eagle attacks from the side of a tree. What would you do?"

Ye Wushuang pulled out a spell scroll, "Thunder Shocking Light Spell... What's wrong? I can now pull out the spell scroll very quickly, ensuring the enemy doesn't get close and takes a hit first."

"The problem is your Thunder Shocking Light Spell. Originally, four or five people could handle a giant eagle, but now it's just you against a blind eagle."

"..." Ye Wushuang said helplessly, "Fine, I won't go."

White Mu smiled, "Wushuang, you can change this habit."

Ye Wushuang shook her head in distress, "I've tried, but when I get anxious, I always use the Thunder Shocking Light Spell first."

White Mu looked at Lin Fan; it was a psychological habit. Like an instinct, in sudden situations, people can't think and just react instinctively.

Gu Yan said frankly, "Then I'll leave it to you, Brother Lin Fan."

Lin Fan didn't really want to go, but since there was a decision, he didn't act pretentiously and replied, "I dare not."

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