"So this is Shang Xiufang? Truly unexpected."
After Kou Zhong and Fulin's battle ended, Wang Bo finally had a chance to take the stage. However, no one was particularly interested in listening to his ramblings, as they were all eagerly awaiting the appearance of Shang Xiufang, the number one talented woman in the world.
When Shang Xiufang finally appeared, Daniel Davis realized he had underestimated her. No wonder she had such a reputation, even surpassing Shi Qingxuan. She was a beauty who combined the elegance of Shi Qingxuan with the mysterious charm of Wan Wan.
Her ethereal, fairy-like demeanor, coupled with her mesmerizing eyes and a slightly shy smile, captivated not only the men in the room but also many of the women. Shan Wanjing was one of them.
"Is she really not connected to the Ci Hang Jing Zhai?"
As Shang Xiufang danced and sang on the stage, Daniel Davis couldn't help but wonder. He had initially believed that Shang Xiufang had no ties to the Ci Hang Jing Zhai, but after seeing her demeanor, he began to doubt his earlier assumption. Her aura bore a striking resemblance to Shi Qingxuan's, and by extension, Shi Feixuan's. This was a trait cultivated by practicing the Ci Hang Sword Codex, something ordinary people wouldn't possess.
Daniel Davis didn't believe for a second that the Ci Hang Jing Zhai only had one disciple walking the world at a time. If that were the case, how did Fan Qinghui rise to prominence? Moreover, why would a sect recruit so many beautiful disciples if not to send them out into the world? Were they just keeping them in the mountains to grow old?
Given the Ci Hang Jing Zhai's usual practices, they were probably all out there "sacrificing themselves to subdue demons."
"Forget it. Even if she is a hidden agent of the Ci Hang Jing Zhai, it won't affect the overall situation."
Daniel Davis quickly dismissed his thoughts about Shang Xiufang's background and focused on enjoying her performance. He wasn't Kou Zhong; while he appreciated Shang Xiufang's beauty, it was purely from an artistic perspective, with no ulterior motives.
Moreover, based on the original timeline, Shang Xiufang didn't seem to carry any mission from the Ci Hang Jing Zhai. She was solely dedicated to music and peace. Even if she had some connection to the Ci Hang Jing Zhai, it was likely due to her personal history.
"Your Highness, Shi Feixuan pays her respects."
Just as Shang Xiufang's performance ended, there was a knock on the door, followed by a melodious voice. It was Shi Feixuan, the current representative of the Ci Hang Jing Zhai. Hearing her voice, Wan Wan couldn't help but smile.
"Come in."
"Greetings, Your Highness."
"It took you long enough to come see me. Your timing is a bit slow."
The figure who entered was dressed in a green robe, exuding a calm and profound aura. Her appearance was similar to Shi Qingxuan's, but upon closer inspection, the differences were clear. Shi Qingxuan's demeanor was more elegant, while Shi Feixuan's carried a sense of heroic determination.
Daniel Davis wasn't surprised by Shi Feixuan's appearance, but he was slightly taken aback by how late she had arrived. He had expected her to show up shortly after he took control of Luoyang.
"So it's Sister Feixuan. Why did it take you so long? I've been waiting for you." Wan Wan greeted Shi Feixuan with a smile.
For once, the Demon Sect had the upper hand over the Ci Hang Jing Zhai, and Wan Wan was thrilled. Of course, their rivalry would continue until the very end.
"Your Highness, may we talk?"
Shi Feixuan ignored Wan Wan, her gaze fixed on Daniel Davis. Her expression was calm, as if she didn't know that the man before her was the one who had dealt a heavy blow to the Buddhist sects. She had come on Fan Qinghui's orders to see if a peaceful resolution could be reached. Initially, Fan Qinghui had no intention of negotiating with Daniel Davis.
However, with the Song Clan's allegiance to the Great Tang, unifying the south was now a simple task. Not to mention, the Demon Sect had also pledged its loyalty to the Great Tang.
"Talk? A group of traitors who sell out their own country dares to talk to me? Did Fan Qinghui send you here thinking I'd fall for you and abandon the world for your sake?"
Daniel Davis scrutinized Shi Feixuan with a bold gaze, his lips curling into a mocking smile. His words were sharp and cutting, and even Shi Feixuan's composure wavered.
Although Shi Feixuan had only recently begun her journey in the martial world, thanks to Daniel Davis's interference, she had never encountered such blatant disrespect before.
"Your Highness, don't you think your words are too harsh?"
Before Shi Feixuan could respond, another figure entered the room. He was dressed as a scholar, tall and handsome, with a graceful demeanor. In his hand, he held a white fan. This was Hou Xibai, the "Romantic Prince."
"Harsh? I don't think I've said anything harsh. Hou Xibai, if you want to win over a beauty, being a simp won't help. You know what they say—simps don't get houses."
Seeing Hou Xibai enter, Daniel Davis sneered. Among the three great simps of The Great Tang Dual Dragons, Hou Xibai was one of them, and like Xie Hui, he was beyond redemption. Unlike Xu Ziling, who still had hope, Daniel Davis had never sought Hou Xibai out, even though he knew he was in Luoyang.
"Simps don't get houses? Brother Daniel, what does that mean?"
Of course, the only one who would ask this question was Kou Zhong. However, Shan Wanjing and Wan Wan also looked at Daniel Davis with curiosity, clearly wanting to know the meaning behind his words. As for the term "simp," while they didn't understand it at first, they quickly grasped its meaning from the context.
"It's simple. Simps die miserable deaths. Just look at Xie Hui. To be honest, Xie Hui was an idiot and a waste. If he had reached the level of Shi Zhixuan or Song Que, the Ci Hang Jing Zhai would have delivered Fan Qinghui to him on a silver platter."
"Delivered on a silver platter? That's quite the image." Wan Wan burst into laughter, clearly amused by Daniel Davis's blunt assessment of the Ci Hang Jing Zhai's methods.
"You—" Daniel Davis's words left Hou Xibai's face twisted in anger, his expression shifting like a kaleidoscope.
"So, Hou Xibai, instead of following her around like a simp, why not focus on your training? Learn from your master, Shi Zhixuan. That's how you win a beauty's heart."
"Your Highness, is this your attitude?"
Not only was Hou Xibai's expression grim, but Shi Feixuan's was as well. However, as a disciple of the Ci Hang Jing Zhai and someone who aspired to achieve the "Sword Heart Transparency," she quickly regained her composure.
"Impressive. You politicians really have a knack for swallowing insults. Most people couldn't do that."
"I have nothing to discuss with traitors like you. Honestly, you're quite bold to show up in front of me. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
Although Shi Feixuan was undeniably beautiful and captivating, the thought of the Ci Hang Jing Zhai's actions filled Daniel Davis with murderous intent.
"Feixuan, be careful!"
The intense killing intent made everyone in the room tense up. Hou Xibai immediately stepped in front of Shi Feixuan, ready to confront Daniel Davis.
"Brother Daniel." Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling looked at Daniel Davis with concern.
"Sorry, I lost control for a moment."
The Twin Dragons' voices helped Daniel Davis regain his composure. It wasn't that he couldn't bring himself to kill Shi Feixuan, but now wasn't the right time. If Shi Feixuan still stood against him when he finally destroyed the Ci Hang Jing Zhai, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate her.
For now, perhaps he could try to win her over. Shi Feixuan was different from Fan Qinghui. She genuinely believed that her actions were for the sake of the world, a belief instilled in her since childhood. This meant there was still a chance to change her mind.
Fan Qinghui had called Shi Feixuan back precisely because of this concern.
"Should we keep them here?"
Seeing Hou Xibai trying to lead Shi Feixuan away, Wan Wan's Heavenly Demon Slash appeared in her hands. At the same time, Dugu Feng stood beside her, ready to act.
If Daniel Davis gave the order, the two would strike immediately.
"Is this how the Tang King rules the world? Using the Demon Sect to govern? The Demon Sect is known for its cruelty and inhumanity. Do you think the people will accept that? Aren't you afraid the entire world will rise against you?" Despite Hou Xibai's attempts to lead her away, Shi Feixuan showed no intention of leaving. Her gaze remained fixed on Daniel Davis.
"The Demon Sect? The righteous path? What a joke. Unfortunately, in my eyes, there is no such thing as the righteous path or the Demon Sect. I only see good and evil. So far, I haven't seen much evil from the Demon Sect, but the evils of your Buddhist sects are too numerous to count."
"I'm sure you've read my newspaper articles about taxes. Putting aside other issues, your Buddhist sects have never paid taxes, while the Demon Sect has always paid on time. Your sects have seized vast amounts of land from the people, causing countless suffering. The Demon Sect, on the other hand, mostly engages in commerce to profit. Tell me, who has caused more harm?"
Seeing Shi Feixuan fall silent, Daniel Davis snorted. Of course, the Demon Sect wasn't entirely virtuous, but compared to the Buddhist sects, the difference was clear.
The Demon Sect's two factions and six paths included many who were involved in business. For example, An Long was the head of Hexinglong, and Rong Fengxiang was not only the head of a merchant guild but also a member of the Merchant Alliance. When it came to amassing wealth, the methods were vastly different.
"Why so silent? Nothing to say?" Daniel Davis continued, "And if we're being strict, the Ci Hang Jing Zhai itself is part of the Demon Sect. When you say the Demon Sect is cruel and inhuman, you're essentially saying the Ci Hang Jing Zhai is cruel and inhuman."
"Impossible!" Even Shi Feixuan couldn't maintain her composure. Everyone in the room, including Wan Wan, stared at Daniel Davis in shock. The idea that the Ci Hang Jing Zhai was part of the Demon Sect sounded utterly absurd.
"Your Highness, what do you mean?" Wan Wan asked eagerly, her eyes shining with excitement. The Twin Dragons and others also turned their attention to Daniel Davis.
"You all know that the Ci Hang Jing Zhai was founded by Di Ni, but do you know her background?" Seeing everyone shake their heads, Daniel Davis continued, "Di Ni had a childhood friend and lover named Xie Bo. Wan Wan, you should recognize that name."
"The first-generation Demon Emperor, Xie Bo." Wan Wan immediately responded, casting a teasing glance at Shi Feixuan.
"Exactly. The two of them founded the Holy Sect and the Ci Hang Jing Zhai. Under normal circumstances, the Holy Sect and the Ci Hang Jing Zhai should have had a good relationship, possibly even merging. Unfortunately, they eventually parted ways due to ideological differences."
There was no doubt that Xie Bo and Di Ni were both unparalleled geniuses. However, it was precisely because of this that they couldn't stay together, much like Fan Qinghui and Song Que.
"But that doesn't mean the Ci Hang Jing Zhai has any connection to the Demon Sect," Hou Xibai interjected. Because of Shi Feixuan, even he, a member of the Demon Sect, referred to it as such. In reality, the Demon Sect was originally called the Holy Sect.
"I'm not finished yet." Daniel Davis glanced at Hou Xibai and shook his head before continuing, "The reason I say the Ci Hang Jing Zhai is part of the Demon Sect is because their martial arts share the same origin. Di Ni's 'Other Shore Sword Technique' was created by referencing Xie Bo's 'Demon Path Musings.'"
"'Demon Path Musings'? What's that?" Wan Wan asked eagerly.
"It's the Demon Sect's supreme secret, said to lead directly to the realm of shattering the void. The ten volumes of the Heavenly Demon Scrolls are derived from it. However, after Xie Bo, it seems to have been lost."
Hearing that the 'Demon Path Musings' had been lost, Wan Wan's bright eyes dimmed. The Heavenly Demon Scrolls were already incomplete. If they could find the 'Demon Path Musings,' they could potentially restore them.
"This is just your word. Who can prove it?"
"Believe it or not, I don't have direct evidence, but I do have indirect proof. The fact that the Ci Hang Jing Zhai hasn't produced a single grandmaster in all these years is evidence."
"How is that evidence?" Shan Wanjing asked, puzzled.
"It's simple. After Di Ni failed in her closed-door cultivation, subsequent leaders of the Ci Hang Jing Zhai, in an attempt to erase this secret, altered the 'Other Shore Sword Technique,' removing all traces of the 'Demon Path Musings.' This turned it into the current Ci Hang Sword Codex. Without the crucial elements, the Ci Hang Jing Zhai's disciples could no longer advance to the grandmaster level.
In contrast, the Demon Sect has never lacked grandmasters. Even those who shattered the void were numerous. The most recent one, as you all know, was the Demon Emperor Xiang Yutian. If it weren't for the Ci Hang Jing Zhai's schemes, Shi Zhixuan would have become a grandmaster long ago. It's only because many of the Demon Sect's grandmasters knew of the connection between the Ci Hang Jing Zhai and the Demon Sect that they didn't destroy the Ci Hang Jing Zhai. Otherwise, they would have wiped them out long ago."
"The Ci Hang Sword Codex is one of the Four Great Mystic Arts, but it's nothing more than a boast by the Ci Hang Jing Zhai. Only a fool like Ning Daoqi would fall for it. If you want to shatter the void, borrowing the Demon Sect's Heavenly Demon Scrolls or the Taoist Yellow Sky Great Method would be far more reliable than the Ci Hang Sword Codex."
Strictly speaking, the Four Great Mystic Arts could be divided into three tiers: the War God Pictorial was in a league of its own, followed by the Everlasting Life Skill and the Heavenly Demon Scrolls, with the Ci Hang Sword Codex at the bottom.
This revelation left Shi Feixuan's face pale. She had never imagined that her sect's revered Ci Hang Sword Codex was flawed.
The disciples of the Ci Hang Jing Zhai all sought the so-called "Heavenly Path," the realm of shattering the void. Now that this path was blocked, Shi Feixuan's expression naturally darkened.
(End of Chapter)
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