Hidden moth

Chapter 255: True Knowledge Seeks All Things

Similar remarks are actually not new. Fabre had said the same thing to Zou Tianjin before, but it was not as ridiculous as the above because the two people's identities and cultivation were different.

Zou Tianjin is a high-ranking member of the Shumen. As a deacon, he represented the Ruweimen in charge of Guanshu Dongtian during his shift. Not only did he experience the second inheritance, he also presided over or witnessed the second inheritance ceremony of others.

The so-called tracking mark theory, as well as the claim that the sect's leaders not only forced their disciples to serve them but also deliberately controlled the number of cultivators to ensure sufficient spiritual energy, were pure fabrications in Zou Tianjin's view.

As a sixth-level great cultivator, Fabre could not openly spread rumors or say things that contradicted his self-awareness, so he could only mention the so-called "secrets" and emphasize the "fact" that certain remarks had been circulating for thousands of years.

The so-called facts mean that these rumors do exist, but it has nothing to do with the truth or falsity of the content of the rumors.

But for the audience, what is truly convincing is things that have actually happened or are happening and can be verified. So which events meet this requirement? At least two!
One of them was the Qiyuan Yinmo incident more than a year ago, which eventually led to the clan hall issuing a public announcement.

The second was the large-scale census of disciples subsequently conducted by the sect, and the Zongfatang took the opportunity to implement a comprehensive information management system.

This is all evidence, real-life, living proof! It proves the intentions and methods of the sect to control freedom and deprive of privacy... I won't go into detail about the specific analysis, but it's still the same theory.

The moderator has been constantly instilling that theory in the "Cultivation Chat Group" in recent years, but it's hard to say what it means because there's a lack of empirical evidence. I can't cite a single concrete, real-world example. Even if I could find one, it would be fine!
Now that there is finally such an example, how could the moderator not publicize it?

No matter what happens, as long as this conspiracy theory is promoted, there is one person's name that cannot be avoided, that is He Kao. His identity and work unit are no secret.

After listening to Zhang Jingui's explanation, He Kao asked again: "So that's what you heard, but why did you come to me?" He hadn't said some subtexts yet. Since the moderator's analysis was so scary, how could Zhang Jingui dare to come?
Zhang Jingui said excitedly, "Because I have to find out whether you are a real person in reality..."

This answer is interesting, but upon closer inspection, it does make sense. Although Zhang Jingui has known the "moderator" for five years, he is just a virtual account on the Internet, without even a real personality.

Zhang Jingui was not sure whether there really was a person named "moderator". The person who sent messages and emails using that account might be a completely different person.

His understanding of the world of magic cultivation was completely that of a novice. His only source of information before was the moderator and the cultivation chat group he created.

But in real life, he is knowledgeable, good at seeing people's hearts, and not so easily fooled.

Zhang Jingui is a fourth-level flower boy, and what he is best at is dealing with people, but the moderator is just an online virtual account to him, and He Kao is a real person in reality.

After waiting for so many years, he finally found a real disciple of the Shumen, who was said to be a secret disciple of the elder of the Zongfa Hall. This was the only clue that Zhang Jingui wanted to contact and understand the Shumen. How could he miss it?

On the other hand, if he didn't want to join the moderator's organization but wanted to learn about high-level techniques, he could only come to He Kao. Being able to endure secretly for a year was already his limit. In fact, he had come to Qiyuan two months ago.

This matched what He Kao knew, because he had seen him at Qiyuan Railway Station two months ago.

Zhang Jingui arrived at an unfortunate time, as He Kao happened to be on a business trip to Nanhua. He did not follow him to Nanhua for a simple reason: he did not yet understand what kind of person He Kao was. Although he mustered up the courage to go to Qiyuan, he was still very nervous.

So he did not reveal his identity, nor did he conduct any tracking or surveillance. He has been doing background checks for the past two months.

If you were to ask who in the world knows He Kao best, the first person would definitely be Jiang Daozhen, who watched He Kao grow up, but Zhang Jingui would at least be in the top ten.

Zhang Jingui thoroughly investigated He Kao's life, from birth to elementary school and his postgraduate work experience. He sought information from neighbors, classmates, teachers, and colleagues, using every possible means to understand He Kao's situation.

But he did it very cleverly and covertly, carefully selecting the people and places he contacted, and none of them were those closest to He Kao. For example, he did not contact He Kao's eldest aunt's family at all.

Sometimes, what “acquaintances” with whom you have a more distant relationship are more credible.

He Kao has lived in Qiyuan since he was born. Zhang Jingui can find many people to inquire about his situation, but many of them may not even remember He Kao.

He never dealt with He Kao's former neighbors in the Pugang Town area; he never came into contact with his colleagues near their workplace.

Meet at the right occasion, skillfully guide the other party to actively bring up relevant topics during the conversation, and even make the other party unaware of it afterwards... As a fourth-level flower girl, it is not difficult for Zhang Jingui to do it as long as he is willing to spend time and energy.

Besides, what he was asking about was not any secret information, and had nothing to do with the art of magic or the practice of magic. It was just various situations that he had known among his acquaintances since childhood. His purpose was to investigate what kind of person He Kao was.

The investigation results show that this is a good child with a pitiful background, but he is also excellent in character and academics, humble and motivated!

He Kao recently invested six million to acquire 10% of the shares of Nanhua Huishi Brands. Zhang Jingui also found out because there was a record of changes in the industrial and commercial registration.

This doesn't mean He Kao has financial problems. Many people know that he received a large "inheritance" last year, but it proves that he has strong financial strength. After getting rich, he didn't spend it on luxury and continued to work hard...

Just then, He Kao returned from his business trip, and Zhang Jingui finally decided to come see him in person. Since they were strangers, there shouldn't be any conflict. Furthermore, as a fourth-tier sorcerer, he was confident he could protect himself.

Only through face-to-face communication can he make a true judgment, and his expertise in the art of raising spirits can be put to good use.

Zhang Jingui finally said, "I'm sorry. I investigated your situation privately because I was really unsure. I decided to come to you because I really have many questions to ask you, but I can't go to Elder Mei.

I know nothing about Elder Mei, nor can I find out anything about him. If you have any questions that you can't answer, could you please ask Elder Mei again if you have the opportunity and it's convenient?
Please don’t laugh at my wild imagination, this is what I really think…”

He Kao interrupted him with a wave of his hand: "Wait, wait, why did you mention Elder Mei again?"

Zhang Jingui: "I only heard about it after I came to Qiyuan. The moderator mentioned it in the group. She said that Elder Mei from the Shu Sect had also come to Qiyuan. He works in the same unit as you, but he's using the identity of an employee to hide his identity. I don't know what his intentions are..."

He Kao interrupted him again and said, "You don't even know Elder Mei's name or what he looks like?"

Zhang Jingui: "How would I know? I only heard the moderator mention it once in the group, but she didn't explain it very clearly... Is this true?"

He Kaogang was about to say something else when he suddenly shook his head and said, "This is not something you should ask, nor is it something I should say. Let's not talk about Elder Mei anymore, let's talk about yourself. Now that you've found me, you can ask anything you want to ask now."

At this moment, He Kao finally realized why someone leaked the information inadvertently. It might not be intentional to violate the clan hall's gag order.

He was just about to say that Elder Mei was not an old man but a young girl, but fortunately he suddenly realized it - in fact, he shouldn't have said it, and he shouldn't have mentioned any information about Elder Mei.

"Elder Mei is actually a very young girl." On the surface, this sentence does not violate the clan hall's gag order, but when it is said in this context, those who hear it can analyze a lot of information.

How did He Kao know this? If he hadn't prefixed his statement with "I heard" and instead used a very assertive statement, it would mean he had most likely met Elder Mei in person!
So when and where was he most likely to have met Elder Mei...combined with the rumors, it was enough to speculate some things.

Even an ordinary person without any cultivation could make inferences as long as they were good at observation and analysis, let alone a high-level sorcerer like Zhang Jingui who was proficient in the art of awakening the spirit. Even if what Zhang Jingui said was true, he was a direct disciple of the Jianji Palace lineage and had only been deceived before, so He Kao should not have revealed this to him.

If Li Xiuyuan had not confirmed with his divine sense that Zhang Jingui's self-proclaimed master was from the Jian Ji Palace lineage, he should be Li Xiuyuan's direct nephew. When He Kao mentioned the news about Elder Mei just now, he should have considered how to take action to capture him.

Even if He Kao was not sure of capturing Zhang Jingui, this was not a suitable place to take action, and he had to notify Li Xiuyuan in time - try to take this person away first, and then investigate the source of his information.

Now that Li Xiuyuan was sitting outside, He Kao didn't have to worry about anything else. It was he who almost said the wrong thing.

Zhang Jingui said even more wrong things, such as "I heard that you are the secret disciple of Master Dishi." It seems that he really has no experience. Any serious disciple of the sect would not ask such a question to his face, not even a knowledgeable casual cultivator would.

He Kao was very considerate and remained friendly and patient, only reminding the other party at the right time.

Zhang Jingui also realized something and quickly said, "Sorry, I spoke out of turn. I really shouldn't have asked!"

He Kao: "I see you're a little uneasy. Don't be nervous. Just ask whatever you want to ask."

Zhang Jingui: "Over the years, I've actually had a lot of doubts."

He Kao: "Then let's take it one by one. I can't say I can solve your doubts, but let's discuss it together."

Zhang Jingui: "What do you think of what the moderator said?"

He Kao laughed and said, "It's really difficult to find loopholes in a sieve. Apart from the cave heaven inspiration after breaking through the fourth level, which allows you to go to various cave heavens to receive secondary inheritance, the rest are all fabricated."

Zhang Jingui: "Why is there such a secondary inheritance ceremony? This is what I really can't understand."

He Kao looked at him in surprise and said, "You went to school too, from junior high school to high school. There was a graduation ceremony when you registered. Is that strange?"

Zhang Jingui quickly waved his hand and said, "That's not what I meant. I heard that the secondary inheritance ceremony of the major cave heavens is not about the elders passing on the law, but about obtaining the law directly from the cave heavens."

He Kao: "Indeed, that is called the Divine Mind Seal. It was left behind by the founder of the sect when he created the cave. Disciples of later generations can inherit the magic formula by worshipping it according to the ritual in the cave... How do you know this?"

Zhang Jingui: "That's what the moderator said, mainly to introduce the dispute between the new law and the old law..."

What are the new and old methods? He Kao was also confused, but only understood after listening to Zhang Jingui's explanation. The so-called old methods, as the moderator said, are the ancient methods left by the ancestors of the magic school, obtained through the Dongtian inheritance ceremony.

This was the case with all the high-level inheritances received by the sect's disciples over the past millennia. This became a symbol of the sect's stubborn conservatism, its clinging to flaws, and its gradual decay—in this day and age, they were still clinging to things that were thousands of years old!
The so-called new methods, of course, refer to the techniques passed down by contemporary teachers outside of the martial arts world, without the need for a traditional ceremony. Specifically, they refer to the techniques and skills inherited by the organization represented by the moderator.

It has undergone continuous revision and summary for thousands of years, representing the direction of development and progress. It is a truly vital technique that meets the requirements of the times.

He Kao was amused by what he heard and asked, "Brother Zhang, do you believe this?"

Zhang Jingui smiled bitterly and said, "I don't believe it either, but I don't know the details, so I'm asking you to explain it."

He Kao: "Do you know that after reaching the sixth level of cultivation, there are no more classics to speak of. The inheritance is only the enlightenment of the mind and the guidance of the realm. Everyone's understanding is different, so how can it be unchanging?"

He Kao himself also experienced the cave inheritance ceremony in Piaocai Cave, and thus obtained the advanced technique of Hidden Moth Technique, but there were some mysteries that he didn't quite understand. Fortunately, Li Xiuyuan was here today.

Elder Li sent his divine thoughts again, and He Kao once again turned into a mouthpiece to answer Zhang Jingui's questions, which was equivalent to him learning on his own.

In the eyes of Elder Li, the cave summoning mechanism and the secondary inheritance ceremony should no longer be regarded as just "knowledge", but in a sense should be regarded as a "phenomenon".

When the founder of the magic school completed the opening of the cave and left behind the idea of controlling the gods, as long as a specific ceremony was held, the corresponding magic method could be inherited...it would have the meaning of a phenomenon.

This is like plants, animals, ice, frost, fire, wind, clouds, rain, snow, mountains, rivers, sun, moon, stars in the universe... It is equivalent to a part of nature, and it itself can become a research object.

What is gained through observation, analysis, and summary of phenomena is what everyone calls knowledge; otherwise, it is just simple cognition. "Seeing with the eyes" is cognition, and "receiving in the mind" is also cognition.

The inheritance of the cave heaven is a phenomenon created by the ancestors, but through this phenomenon, one can obtain the knowledge summarized by the ancestors and turn it into one's own understanding in the form of divine thoughts and mind seals.

What is the significance of the ancestors leaving behind this phenomenon? First of all, it can ensure the continuity of the inheritance of the magic, reminding people that there is such a path of practice and transcendence. Even through the turmoil of the world and the internal strife of the magic, the magic is still passed down.

The content of Dongtian inheritance is indeed "ancient methods", but what the magic school teaches is not just ancient methods, but also various advanced rituals, applied magic methods, elixirs, tools, talismans, etc. that have been explored and summarized by later generations over thousands of years.

High-level techniques do not have to be passed down through cave rituals. For example, the complete techniques of the seven major techniques obtained through the examination were taught by Jiang Daozhen using the seal of his divine mind.

This alone was not enough. Later, several elders taught He Kao many other things... There was no need to tell Zhang Jingui all the inside stories.

How can one describe the ancient method that Jiang Daozhen passed down? To use a somewhat inappropriate analogy, although the cutting-edge frontiers of science have remained fraught with unknowns for decades, the content of elementary school textbooks has remained largely unchanged.

Elementary school textbooks teach basic common sense and logical tools, at most adjusting the teaching and learning methods. From a higher perspective, the advanced techniques inherited from the Cave Heavens are actually just equivalent to those in the old elementary school textbooks.

The current tradition of the Shumen School is a system of techniques developed on this basis, and it is still under development. Therefore, the moderator's attack on the Shumen School as the backward "old method" and the claim that what he has learned is the advanced "new method" is completely unreasonable.

After listening to He Kao's explanation, Zhang Jingui stood up and bowed, saying, "Thank you for clearing up my doubts today. There are so many things in this world that cannot be understood without instruction!"

He Kao quickly stood up to return the greeting. He felt a little embarrassed because he had just been speaking for Elder Li.

After sitting down again, Zhang Jingui offered another glass of wine, then said thoughtfully: "Actually, since I was a child, I have always had a big confusion, and it has nothing to do with that moderator."

He paused, lowering his voice, and said, "I wonder if you feel the same way, but there's something wrong with this world. Many things can't be explained. Perhaps there's a big secret hidden somewhere that no one has discovered!"

Looking at his appearance, He Kao couldn't help but think of Wu Yanjun. He remembered that when he first met Wu Yanjun, Xiao Wu had said something similar.

At this time, Zhang Jingui took out another book and asked mysteriously, "Have you read this book?"

He Kao took a quick glance and found that he had actually read the book. The title was "Spiritual Journey".

**
(End of this chapter)