They've all become top scholars in the imperial examinations, and you're telling me this i

Chapter 63 Kui Mulang

Leaving Yuan Shoucheng's fortune-telling stall and walking through the bustling crowds of the West Market, Chen Guangrui felt as if a stone was pressing on his heart.

The blue-haired lion had been captured, and Wei Zheng had laid his cards on the table; things seemed to be moving in a positive direction. But upon closer reflection, a new doubt lingered.

Since Wei Zheng already knew that the blue-haired lion was sent by the Buddhist sect, why did he still try to capture it?
More importantly, Wei Zheng captured it, but neither executed it immediately nor reported it to the Heavenly Court and asked the Jade Emperor to make a decision, as Chen Guangrui had hoped!
Capture him but don't kill him, keep it a secret... What exactly is Wei Zheng up to?

Chen Guangrui grew increasingly anxious. He had risked his life to stir up trouble, to force the lion demon out, and to "force" Wei Zheng to confront him. Wasn't his ultimate goal to use the official in charge of the arsenal to expose the secrets of Buddhism to the heavens?
Only if someone in heaven notices the anomalies in Chang'an on earth, or the secret machinations of the Buddhist sect, could they possibly notice this insignificant figure.

Only in this way could he have a glimmer of hope and find a chance to escape from the grand scheme of Buddhism.

But Wei Zheng... was too cautious! Or rather, too hesitant!
The longer the Green Lion Demon remained in his hands, the greater the risk of being discovered by the Buddhist sect. What exactly was Wei Zheng worried about? As a so-called official in the Ministry of Personnel, did he truly side with Buddhism or Taoism in the Heavenly Court?

Chen Guangrui tried hard to recall his understanding of the Heavenly Court structure in the "Journey to the West" world.

The Jade Emperor sits in the center, seemingly impartial. However, in recent years, the influence of Buddhism has been growing, showing a growing trend of rivaling Taoism.

Wasn't the Jade Emperor's tacit approval or even encouragement of such a momentous event as the Journey to the West? Could the Jade Emperor have used Buddhism to balance power relations amidst all this intrigue?
Considering the time when Journey to the West was written, Chen Guangrui felt that such a possibility was possible.

The more Chen Guangrui thought about it, the more confused he became. He even thought pessimistically:

If all else fails, try sneaking into Lao Jun Temple to kowtow, burn incense, and file a complaint, hoping to get lucky?

But who knows if Lao Tzu will know when he burns incense?

At that time, Laozi would be unaware that those people in the Buddhist sect had also taken notice of him.
Anyway, when you're desperate, hiding in Lao Jun Temple is definitely safer than leaving Chang'an.

As he walked briskly with his head down, feeling troubled and contemplating his future plans, a gentle yet strangely magnetic voice suddenly stopped him.

"Greetings, sir."

Chen Guangrui subconsciously looked up.

Before him stood a young man, tall and slender, around thirty years old. He wore a dark blue brocade robe, well-tailored, made of fine material but not the most luxurious style. His face was extremely handsome, with sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose, and a naturally upturned mouth, giving him an air of composure, reliability, and refined scholarly elegance.

"May I ask, sir, do you know how to get to Wei Zheng's residence?"

The man cupped his hands in greeting and asked the question with composure and impeccable manners.

A warning bell rang in Chen Guangrui's mind. This man's eyes and demeanor were definitely not those of an ordinary person! Why was he looking for Wei Zheng? And why did he have to appear at this moment?
But he remained outwardly calm, even deliberately revealing a hint of naiveté and the eagerness of gossip circulating in the marketplace, and answered naturally,
"Oh? Are you looking for Wei Zheng, the Right Chancellor? In Chang'an these days, who doesn't know Wei Zheng's name and where he lives? You must be from out of town."

The man nodded. "Since everyone in Chang'an knows his name, then it must be this person."

Chen Guangrui casually pointed and said, "Go along this street, towards the west of the city..."

The man nodded slightly, appearing quite satisfied.
"I see. Thank you for clearing up my doubts, young master. It has saved me a lot of trouble."

Before he finished speaking, he reached into his robes and pulled out a gold leaf! The gold leaf was exquisitely crafted and shimmered with an alluring luster in the sunlight.

"This is just a small token of my appreciation. Please, sir, pour me a pot of wine."

Without waiting for Chen Guangrui's reaction, she flicked her finger, and the gold leaf landed steadily in Chen Guangrui's hand.

Immediately, the man turned around, his robes fluttering slightly. His steps seemed ordinary, but in just a few steps he quickly blended into the crowd and walked in the direction Chen Guangrui pointed out.

The gold leaf felt heavy in his hand, but its cool touch burned Chen Guangrui like a branding iron.

He held the gold leaf in his hand, and the doubts in his heart exploded instantly, replacing all the worries from before! Asking for directions, and he just casually handed over a gold leaf?

This gesture, this style... and then, considering the deep aura hidden in that person's eyes...

"A deity? Or..."

Chen Guangrui was almost instantly certain:
This man was no ordinary person! He turned around quickly and, without saying a word, headed straight for Yuan Shoucheng's fortune-telling stall!

Yuan Shoucheng was still slumped in his broken bamboo chair, frowning as he pondered the connection between the "Third Prince of the West Sea Dragon King" and "Two Realms Mountain," and whether Chen Guangrui was reliable or not. Seeing Chen Guangrui rush back like a gust of wind, he nearly jumped out of his chair.

"Oh dear? My sir, what... what are you up to now? Could you perhaps give me some more for the Third Prince's matter...?"

Yuan Shoucheng was interrupted by Chen Guangrui before he could finish speaking.

"Enough with the nonsense!" Chen Guangrui said directly, without any beating around the bush. "Old Yuan! I just met a 'person' on the road who asked me for directions to Wei Zheng's residence! He was a young man wearing a dark blue brocade robe!"

He quickly described the man's physical features, especially his deep eyes that seemed to hold the stars, and said, "I asked for directions, and this is what he gave me."

He slammed the gold leaf onto Yuan Shoucheng's table and asked urgently,

"Quick! Calculate it for me! Did some celestial being from heaven descend upon Chang'an City again today? Was he heading straight for Wei Zheng? What's his background?"

Yuan Shoucheng looked at the conspicuous gold leaf, then at Chen Guangrui's tense and anxious face, and his heart skipped a beat.

What trouble has this kid gotten into this time? He dared not delay, and even less dared to ask about the clues again.

Judging from the situation, if we don't help, we probably won't get any more clues.

He sighed, resignedly took out a few more ancient coins, and then picked up the gold leaf that Chen Guangrui had slapped on the table, carefully touching it to feel its aura and the faint residual energy fluctuations.

He closed his eyes, his fingers flew across the keyboard as he muttered incantations, his expression shifting between confusion and shock.

A moment later, Yuan Shoucheng suddenly opened his eyes, a look of disbelief flashing in them, and even his voice carried a hint of awe and trembling:

"Hiss... Your luck... I don't know if it's too good or too bad! We found it, it's Kui... Kui Mulang!"

“Kui Mulang? Who is that?” Chen Guangrui was unfamiliar with the name.

One of the Twenty-Eight Mansions!

Yuan Shoucheng lowered his voice and leaned closer to Chen Guangrui, as if afraid that the heavens would hear.

"The first of the Seven Mansions of the Western White Tiger! Kui Star! He also wields great power in the Heavenly Court! It is said that..."

He hesitated for a moment, then continued.
"It is said that he has a close relationship with the Tushita Palace! This time he descended to the mortal realm... the divination is vague, but it seems to be related to a predestined relationship from his previous life? To settle his karmic ties?"

Lao Tzu! Tushita Palace!

These words exploded in Chen Guangrui's mind like a thunderclap. After waiting for so long, he had finally found someone with a clear connection to the Taoist sect!

Chen Guangrui felt a surge of heat rush to his head.

He realized who this Kui Mulang was. He was the palace maid who had descended to the mortal realm. He was one of the Twenty-Eight Constellations who followed her down to the mortal realm. He was the most affectionate person in Heaven, but he hadn't been called on for roll call several times.

When Chen Guangrui first saw this passage, he mocked the Heavenly Court for its lax management. Now, looking back, it's clear that Kui Mulang had extensive connections within the Heavenly Court.

An opportunity! This might be a better opportunity than having Wei Zheng report the information to the Jade Emperor!
"Got it! Thanks!"

Chen Guangrui had no intention of explaining anything, nor did he care about Yuan Shoucheng's eager eyes and the "I helped you, where are the clues?" look in his eyes.

He grabbed the gold leaf, turned around, and sprinted towards Wei Zheng's residence with all his might! He moved so fast that he created a small whirlwind in the crowd.

Yuan Shoucheng was so anxious he jumped up and down, shouting at Chen Guangrui's disappearing figure:

"Hey! Scholar! Wait a minute! What about the clue you mentioned? Give me another hint! Just one more sentence!"

Only two words, spoken decisively and without hesitation, echoed in the wind:

"west!"

(End of this chapter)