Chapter 290: An Xianjing
An Xianjing said: “Over this year and more, you’ve progressed at an astonishing speed. Your cultivation isn’t low now either.”
Li Weiyi tried hard to see through her cultivation realm, but it was in vain, and his heart couldn’t calm: “With the Hermit’s cultivation, you were actually prepared to kill a Spring Gushing Realm Martial Cultivator like me to make money?”
An Xianjing showed no strong practitioner aura, nor was she cold and stern; her smile was gentle and full of affinity: “Your appearance entered《All Beings Diagram》, but there was no karma, no past or future. I was very curious at the time, so I went specifically to take a look at you. If you posed a threat to Rice People, I definitely would have killed you then.”
Li Weiyi drew in a sharp breath, feeling lingering fear.
Fortunately, he had pitied those poor children back then and treated them to noodles; otherwise, how could he have survived safely until now?
At that time, the strength his Guardian Wife could exert was still very low.
The White-Clad Hermit smiled: “You don’t need to be so nervous! I am a Buddhist cultivator, one who embodies compassion. To those who repay with compassion, I give compassion. To those who do evil, I grant rebirth.”
“Whether it’s compassion or not, isn’t it up to the strong practitioner to decide?”
Li Weiyi forced a stiff smile and said again: “Your cultivation shouldn’t be simple, right? What is《All Beings Diagram》?”
An Xianjing had no intention of telling Li Weiyi its mysteries and said indifferently: “Just think of it as a magic tool that can capture heavenly secrets!”
“Are you here to find the Southern Venerable?” Li Weiyi said.
“I’ve already met her! She probably won’t be at Southern Clear Palace recently; she has important matters to handle.”
An Xianjing said: “Li Weiyi, what do you think of Rice People?”
Li Weiyi knew she was not to be trifled with; one moment they could be smiling together at a table eating noodles, the next she might strike to kill.
The inscrutable was the most terrifying.
Li Weiyi answered honestly: “I know very little about Rice People, so I’m afraid I can’t answer such a broad question with my narrow perspective.”
An Xianjing said: “Then what are the Rice People you do know like?”
“I have to answer?” Li Weiyi said.
An Xianjing said: “If you don’t answer, you might die. Amitabha Buddha!”
“Don’t threaten me!”
Li Weiyi really wanted to test her skills; acting profound didn’t necessarily mean she had real ability.
“If you want to fight, just fight! It’s not too late to answer after. Amitabha Buddha!” An Xianjing blinked her eyes, issuing him an encouraging invitation.
Li Weiyi said: “So confident! Do you want to hear the truth, or lies?”
“Is there a difference?”
Li Weiyi said: “The truth is harsh and might upset you. I can say flattering words too, after all, I’m at the Rice Sect Main Altar.”
“Then tell the truth!” An Xianjing said.
Li Weiyi didn’t particularly dislike the White-Clad Hermit before him; at least she didn’t kill innocents indiscriminately, so he said: “The information I’ve learned about Rice People mostly comes from others’ accounts. It divides into two kinds.”
“One kind says Rice People are the vulnerable group of this world, planted and grown without parents or relatives, not accepted by mainstream society, sold, trained into dead soldiers or servants, even raised like livestock.”
“The other kind… calls Twin Rice Cult an evil cult, with extreme actions, hostile to humans, the instigators of many contradictions, wanting to turn the entire Lingxiao Life Realm into a rice paddy.”
An Xianjing asked: “Is there any difference between Rice People and humans?”
“There doesn’t seem to be much difference… but I don’t know much, haven’t had deep contact. Why ask me specifically?” Li Weiyi said.
An Xianjing said: “Since there’s no difference, why do humans enslave Rice People? They plant and raise Rice People, like their parents, yet show not a shred of care. We don’t seek care, only dignity, a share of fairness— is that wrong? As for what you said about turning the entire Lingxiao Life Realm into a rice paddy, that’s utter nonsense; when did we ever have such great ambition?”
Li Weiyi said: “See, now you’re upset. I knew I shouldn’t have told the truth!”
An Xianjing chanted a Buddha’s name: “Amitabha Buddha!”
“Having emotions is normal. I always believe that opposition due to stance exists at any time, any place. But once it falls into fanaticism and extremism, it’s definitely the wrong path.”
Li Weiyi thought of the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and said: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. If Rice People are really identical to humans… forget it, I feel it’s pointless to say…”
An Xianjing said: “Then you’d better not say it! I think you’re just a child who hasn’t grown up, a complete idealist. Where is there any freedom or equality in this world? Even if there is, it requires powerful cultivation to fight for it.”
Li Weiyi was more than happy not to discuss such profound issues with her: “Your appearance seems different from before?”
An Xianjing’s emotions completely calmed: “I cultivate《Formless and Faceless Buddhist Canon》; my appearance changes every day, varying with mood and mindset. Only upon reaching the Transcendent realm does it stabilize, heart like a calm lake, form unchanging.”
“You’re not trying to scare me, are you? You make Disguise Art sound so mystical?”
Li Weiyi couldn’t suppress his curiosity, unwilling to be intimidated by her feigned profundity.
“Swish!”
Lightning-fast, he rushed out, striking with a palm.
The palm wind made the surrounding grass and trees sway, waves rising on the lake surface.
An Xianjing shifted her body two feet sideways, dodging: “Go all out; no need to hold back.”
This White-Clad Hermit before him had an immature mentality, flipping faces faster than turning a page; under Disguise Art might be a very young face.
Since she was of the younger generation, why fear her?
Li Weiyi was spurred to competitiveness, changing palm to finger, fully circulating his magic energy; in one breath, he pointed out dozens of finger shadows.
But all were blocked by her palm seals; she stood in place like a thousand-armed Guanyin, eyes fixed on Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi retracted his fingers and retreated, expression grave: “Impressive! What is your cultivation realm?”
An Xianjing smiled: “I’ve always been interested in your Ci Hang Kai Guang Finger; it feels full of Buddhist essence. Why not try it on me?”
“Forget it! Your Excellency’s cultivation is profound; I can’t afford to provoke you.”
Li Weiyi flicked his sleeve and turned to leave: “But I can afford to hide.”
“You can’t hide!”
An Xianjing grabbed his arm, her figure flashing; in the next instant, they crashed into a formation inside Southern Clear Palace.
Li Weiyi’s feet touched ground; he tried hard to suppress his shock and doubt, glancing back at the still-shaking formation light screen behind him.
This formation was the most powerful in Southern Clear Palace; even with Heavenly Eye, Li Weiyi couldn’t see through it.
Yet she had directly crashed inside.
Li Weiyi asked: “May I ask the Hermit’s esteemed name?”
“An Xianjing!” she said.
“Boom!”
Li Weiyi’s head nearly exploded; then he thought of the Hall Master of Spirit Valley Hall, who also had the surname An, so he probed: “The An Bodhisattva of Coffin Mountain? Hall Master of Spirit Valley Hall?”
Inside the formation was an acre of paddy field.
In the field was three-colored spirit soil.
The water was an inch deep blood water.
In the field grew only one three-foot-tall rice plant.
It was like golden cast, leaves sharp as swords, the whole body emitting dazzling golden radiance; its life energy was so vigorous it was clearly extraordinary.
An Xianjing had one hand behind her back, walking on the ridge, gaze fixed on that golden rice: “In your heart, An Bodhisattva and the Hall Master of Spirit Valley Hall aren’t good people, right?”
Li Weiyi recalled Yao Qingxuan’s earlier reminder, so he changed his attitude: “How could that be? Since parting in Jiu Li City, I still remember Young Lady An’s enchanting smile, so gentle, truly a Bodhisattva descended to earth.”
An Xianjing frowned, gave him a cold look, then said: “When I saw you in Jiu Li City, I didn’t take you seriously. But at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, you reentered my sight; your cultivation speed is too fast, covering in one year what takes others a decade.”
Li Weiyi hurriedly said: “Senior An, I really have no special opinions about Rice People; I’ve had little contact with you all, I’m no threat. Moreover, my Zu Tian… alas, it’s hard to explain in a few words; why does everyone target me?”
“You killed quite a few from the Divine Cult, right? At the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, you killed a batch of Five Seas Realm masters.” An Xianjing said.
Li Weiyi said: “I didn’t know they were from the Divine Cult.”
“Wang Zhi and Wang Shouxin—you killed them?”
Li Weiyi said: “…”
“Zuo Shi—you killed him?”
Li Weiyi said: “That was self-defense.”
An Xianjing said: “I won’t kill you; you’ve treated me to noodles, and we have no grudges. But if I throw you out of Southern Clear Palace, guess how many people would seek revenge on you?”
Li Weiyi wasn’t scared by her, his mind racing: “Does Hall Master An mean that Your Excellency intends to protect me?”
“I never said that, but if you’re useful to me, I could use you.” An Xianjing said.
Li Weiyi said: “May I ask how Hall Master An plans to use me?”
An Xianjing’s gaze fell back on the golden rice at the center of the blood field: “About two years ago, the Rice Ancestor found four golden dao seeds from the Ancient Bhakara Sect era in the sacred heart layer of the Underground Immortal Mansion and gave them to three hall masters and one deputy hall master to plant.”
“The Rice Ancestor believes these four rice seeds can grow fetuses of extremely high talent.”
“Whoever succeeds in planting it can contemplate and comprehend the Divine Cult’s supreme codex《Ji Di Hunyuan Sutra》, gaining a chance to impact the Transcendent realm.”
“Over two years, the Southern Venerable and I have alternated using our longevity blood to irrigate it, nurturing with longevity magic energy, yet it only rooted, sprouted, and grew into a seedling. At three feet tall, it stopped growing!”
Li Weiyi said: “Why not seek Transcendent blood? The melee ten months ago was earth-shattering, with several Transcendents falling; even more spilled their blood across Lingxiao lands—surely some could be found.”
Unclear what offended her, An Xianjing’s tone turned slightly cold: “In your view, Benevolent Rice are just blood-sucking monsters, right?”
“I never said that.”
Li Weiyi felt helpless, thinking she was too sensitive.
An Xianjing said: “Most Benevolent Rice need only blood sea water or underground blood river water to grow.”
“Using human martial cultivator corpses as rice fertilizer is a form of revenge and a means to deter enemies. Though, I don’t like this method.”
“Once human blood is used to influence Benevolent Rice growth, the resulting child will carry the blood donor’s traits in appearance and personality, representing a kind of inheritance.”
Li Weiyi said: “Like parents and children?”
“About the same.” An Xianjing said.
Li Weiyi nodded: “This is indeed a headache; the karma is complex.”
An Xianjing said: “If Transcendent blood could cultivate it, why wouldn’t the Rice Ancestor do it directly instead of giving it to us?”
“Golden grain seeds must be extremely powerful seeds, able to nurture supremely talented children. So, using blood and magic energy from someone with sufficiently high talent might allow it to continue growing. Your veins are all golden; your physique and bloodline are extraordinary.”
Li Weiyi was stunned: “Does Hall Master An want me to help you nurture the golden rice?”
An Xianjing sliced her wrist, spilling blood into the field. Instantly, vitality spread, enveloping the entire paddy in a layer of blood mist.
“You’ve offended the Divine Cult and are targeted by many; if I don’t find you, others will. Zuo Qiu Cang Wu has his eye on you, let alone others?”
“Help me nurture the rice, and I’ll protect your life.”
“Of course, on the premise that your blood is actually useful to it. I’m just trying it out!”
