Lu Yurong was silent.
Chu Li continued, “No matter what, you can’t just wait and watch King An grow in power. I don’t know whether it’s because you’re blinded by personal vendettas to just sit by and watch the fight between Ren Public House and King An, but it’s still unacceptable.”
Lu Yurong gave him an ice-cold stare when he said this.
Chu Li sighed. “My house against King An is like an Innate Master against a Grandmaster. It poses no threat to King An. If Ren Public House misses this opportunity and watches King An grow stronger, then in the future the political climate will be in King An’s favor whereby the Ren Public House will stand no chance to fight back!”
“He’s not that great!” Lu Yurong snorted.
Chu Li shook his head. “Two months ago when I first met King An, his influence was so-so, but things have changed now. There’s a major surge in his influence and now, the Titanium Temple is actually helping him!”
The four major sects would not participate in royal internal affairs, something the Titanium Temple had always respected.
He pointed this out to gain Lu Yurong’s attention, which went according to plan.
The foundation of the Titanium Temple was in the Outland. Even if they destroyed the Titanium Temple, they could go back to the Outland and return a hundred years later to rebuild it.
These new generation of novice Buddhist monks were very much an unknown variable. However, even if they hadn’t mastered the divine powers yet, they would still return to the Outland after death.
These little novice Buddhist monks were not reincarnations of senior monks but the real first generation of the sparse, so they could just cultivate without a care in the world.
“There are really monks from the Titanium Temple assisting him?” Lu Yurong frowned.
She knew this was big news.
The monks of the Titanium Temple did not meddle with worldly affairs and were disillusioned with the mortal world, rarely leaving the temple.
It was head scratching to find out the motive behind them helping King An.
The monks that left the Titanium Temple were equipped with divine powers and would not bow down to power and influence. She just could not think of a reason why they would bother helping King An.
“Revered Kukei also tried to have the Second Lady and I killed in Horse Racing Town.” Chu Li added, “It was a grand show of martial prowess!”
Lu Yurong stood up and leaned forward as she fell deep in thought.
Chu Li continued, “Not to mention, King An must be also sitting on the sidelines, watching our Public Houses fight!”
Lu Yurong turned and frowned. “We should first clip his wings. Feng Huang Mountain and Green Hill pledged allegiance to him, so we must get rid of them!”
“They’re rank one sects. It’d be too difficult,” Chu Li shook his head.
He could more or less estimate where Snow Lunar Pavilion’s strength lay and knew that they were a force to be reckoned with. He would imagine that Green Hill and Feng Huang Mountain were around the same level.
“Have them have a go at each other until they’re incapable of helping King An.” Remarked Lu Yurong.
Chu Li nodded.
It was doable. With Lu Yurong’s cunningness, it was not too difficult to make happen.
Lu Yurong stared at him coldly. “Maintain the usual high-tension situation between our two Public Houses to throw off King An. If necessary, my house can deploy six Grandmasters to assist you. But if you play us a fool, don’t blame us for what’s to come!”
Chu Li nodded. “Lady Lu, you’re overthinking this. I would never do such a thing.”
“That better be true!” Lu Yurong snapped.
Chu Li closed fist saluted. “In any case, I’ll now excuse myself.”
Lu Yurong spoke with an icy tone. “There’s no rush. First, let me have a go against Chief Chu’s martial arts!”
As she said this, her large robe fluttered in the wind as her porcelain hand reached his chest.
Chu Li sidestepped to evade her attack and reappeared on top of the wall ten feet away. “I’ll take my leave!”
Lu Yurong stepped onto the wall to chase after him but soon saw that he was nowhere to be found.
Lu Yurong frowned angrily. Chu Li’s Light-body Technique was even more terrifying than the rumors.
——
It was already midnight by the time Chu Li returned to the Titanium Temple.
The house was illuminated with lamps when he saw Xiao Shi sitting under the light, sewing an outfit. Chu Li’s jaw dropped when his eyes fell on her.
Chu Li stood in front of an adobe and pointed at the cowl. “Young lady, this is…”
Xiao Shi lifted her head and glanced at him. “A cowl!”
“Whose cowl is that? Are you going to wear a cowl?” Chu Li asked.
“It is for little monk Xu An.” Xiao Shi lowered her head and continued with her work. Her delicate fingers were constantly moving as a silver needle shuttled between her fingers at amazing speed.
Beside her were three pieces of middle wear in pale blue. One large, one medium, and one small.
Chu Li smiled. “Why the sudden urge to make this for Xu An?”
Xiao Shi answered. “Little monk Xu An is an orphan. He’s such a pitiful child. Other little monks have parents that would send over clothing at times, but he doesn’t have anyone.”
“He too was hit with the Vitality Sealing Finger, which is why you could relate to him and feel pity for him.” Chu Li smiled.
Xiao Shi glared at him unpleasantly. “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
Chu Li laughed as he sat on a chair. “Why so many, though?”
“One piece won’t be enough.” Xiao Shi snorted. “Kids at this age grow fast. It’ll only be a few days until the first set is too small. I’m making another two larger sets so that he can wear in the future as well.”
“Young lady is always understanding.” Chu Li smiled.
Xiao Shi rolled her eyes at him. “So, did Lu Yurong agree?”
Chu Li let out a sigh and slowly nodded.
Xiao Shi was surprised. “Was she really convinced?”
Chu Li explained, “She is an intelligent person and, by pointing out the pros and cons, she naturally understood that benefits of teaming up as opposed to staying divided.”
“Could she be trying to trick you?” Xiao Shi was still in disbelief and remained dubious.
Lu Yurong was a scornful and petty woman. How could she be so easily convinced? Could Chu Li have been fooled by her?
“No.” Chu Li shook his head.
He knew that the enmity between the two houses over all these years could not be vanquished immediately. As such, Lu Yurong may very well be plotting against the Yi Public House.
But the most important step had been taken and they can take things slow now.
“You better be careful.” Xiao Shi snorted.
“Of course… Anyway, I’m heading to Qing Yun Town for an overnight trip.” Chu Li said.
“I’m going too!” exclaimed Xiao Shi as she suddenly got excited.
Chu Li smirked. “Wait, I changed my mind. I think I’ll stay here. I’ll be outside, cultivating the All-Seeing Divine Power.”
Xiao Shi made a wringing motion with her hand when she heard this and yelled, “Get out!”
Chu Li laughed as he exited the room.
He walked under a pagoda to mediate. The lamps on the pagoda were peaceful and unmoved by the night winds.
His mind slowly lulled into a state of trance as the Omniscient Mirror activated, envisioning the All-Seeing Divine Power.
Grasping the God’s Limbs was beneficial in understanding the All-Seeing Divine Power.
The All-Seeing Divine Power was breaking through the shackles of space, similar to the God’s Limbs but one was going beyond the physical body while the other was going beyond the senses.
Before he realized it, a night had passed whereby he had remained under the pagoda, unmoved.
At the break of dawn, a group of little novice Buddhist monks came running out to cultivate.
They did a round of fist technique before starting to fool around in groups of two, three, five or seven.
Seeing Chu Li sitting there as still as a Buddhist statue, they did not disturb him and ignored his existence. This phenomenon was common in the temple, so it was not out of place.
“Little monk Xu An, come over here!” Xiao Shi pushed the door open. She was wearing a face veil, revealing only her beautiful eyes that were as deep and affectionate. She gestured at him to come over. “Come over for a bit.”
Xu An ran over. His face blushed as his eyes turn away out of shyness. He looked down and greeted her, “Almsgiver Siao.”
“You really don’t want to take me as your mother?” Xiao Shi was all smiles as she joked.
Xu An lowered his head.
“All right, little monk. Take that cloth wrap on the adobe. It is for you,” Xiao Shi gently laughed.
Xu An quickly waved his arms in the air and gestured a definite ‘no’.
Xiao Shi’s defined brows were in a slight knot and she frowned. “Oh, disobeying me already?”
Xu An was in a tight spot and asked, “How can I just take things from you?”
“How noisy. Take it as I told you to!” Xiao Shi snorted impatiently. “If you don’t want it, I’ll just toss it into the river.”
“Okay, thank you Almsgiver Siao.” Xu An said with palms closed.
“Quickly take it and go now!” Xiao Shi waved her porcelain arm dismissively.
Xu An took the cloth wrap and left in a hurry.
Xiao Shi smiled and walked to the front of the pagoda. Seeing how Chu Li remained in the position unmoving and as solemn as a statue of Buddha, she had a feeling that he may have now mastered the All-Seeing Divine Power.