Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"No need, thank you. Leave this bowl here, I'll wash it later. I'm a little tired, you can go back now. I will thoroughly investigate the matter of the traitor in the inn." Wenxiang waved his hand listlessly, his face showing utter exhaustion.

"Okay, I understand. I'll head back now." Li Xiuchen nodded, gave Wenxiang a slight bow, and then turned and walked out the door.

Wenxiang didn't speak again, but turned his head to look at Li Xiuchen's back without saying a word until Li Xiuchen disappeared from his sight. Only then did Wenxiang turn back. After standing quietly for a while, Wenxiang realized that he was still holding a bowl in his hand.

Wenxiang placed the bowl in his hand on the table next to him, then sighed softly and turned to check on Wenchong's condition.

"Chong'er..." But as Wenxiang turned around, before he could finish his sentence, his eyes widened in horror and disbelief. Then, everything went black, and he lost consciousness.

Li Xiuchen had experienced too much in this short day, and he felt a little tired and listless.

After Li Xiuchen pushed open the door to his bedroom, he turned around and gently closed it. After a day of commotion, dusk was falling, the sun was slowly setting behind the western mountains, and the bright moon, along with the stars, was gradually filling the entire sky.

After closing the door, Li Xiuchen walked straight to the tea table in the center of the room, then lit the oil lamp on it, instantly brightening the room. Looking at the flickering candlelight, Li Xiuchen took a deep breath and then exhaled the pent-up frustration in his heart.

After standing quietly for a while, Li Xiuchen looked at the candlelight in front of him and couldn't help but smile slightly, then shrugged helplessly. He turned around, taking off his long robe as he walked towards the bed. But when he took off the robe and held it in his hand, his gaze fell on the bed. His expression instantly changed.

A person sat silently on Li Xiuchen's bed. If Li Xiuchen hadn't seen the person and the shadow cast on the bed, he would have thought he was seeing a ghost. Although Li Xiuchen was stunned for a moment, he quickly recovered.

His gaze turned icy, and a faint murderous aura emanated from him. He didn't recognize the person sitting on his bed. But since this person was now in his room, he figured this person was either there to kill him or had something to discuss. Li Xiuchen thought to himself.

"Relax, I'm not here to cause you trouble. How about we sit down and talk?" Just as Li Xiuchen was lost in thought, the person sitting on his bed spoke.

"I think... we don't know each other, sir." Li Xiuchen chuckled upon hearing the figure's words, then answered him calmly.

"Practice makes perfect. We don't know each other at first, but we'll get to know each other after chatting, right? Hahahaha." The person didn't seem embarrassed at all; on the contrary, this was like his own room.

"But what if I don't want to know you?" Li Xiuchen shrugged indifferently, spreading his hands as if to say, "I don't want to and don't care to know you."

"Don't be so sure of yourself. Let's chat first. How will we know if you want to get to know me if we don't talk? Besides, I think you would really like to get to know me." The person sitting on the bed seemed to completely ignore Li Xiuchen's expression and what he had just said, and stretched on his own.

"Oh, not bad. So confident. Well then, I'd better listen carefully to your reasons, otherwise it would be a real pity to miss such a good opportunity to meet an expert." After listening for so long, Li Xiuchen felt that the person sitting on the bed wouldn't do anything to him, so he temporarily relaxed.

Then Li Xiuchen casually turned around, pulled a stool out from under the tea table, sat down, crossed his legs, tilted his head back slightly, and looked at the person opposite him with a smile.

"Hahaha, you don't have to act like this. If I wanted to hurt you, I would have done it already. Why would you deliberately leave a flaw for me?" Seeing Li Xiuchen's actions, the person sitting on the bed couldn't help but burst into laughter, as if he had seen some earth-shattering joke.

"Hahaha, I knew I couldn't hide it from you. I'm so ashamed. But aren't you going to introduce yourself?" Li Xiuchen looked at the person sitting on the bed and laughed heartily as well.

"Me? No need. I know who you are. As for calling me, it's up to you. A name is just a label to me; it's not important." The person sitting on the bed pointed to themselves and asked in confusion. Then they waved their hand, looking quite nonchalant.

"This doesn't seem like a conversation you're having. Isn't it incredibly impolite to not even tell the person you're talking to your own name?" Li Xiuchen's gaze turned cold as he looked at the man. He leaned forward slightly, staring intently at the stranger opposite him.

"Who told you that you need to know the other person's name to chat? Have you forgotten that nobody cares about other people's names where you are?" Seeing Li Xiuchen's change in attitude, the person sitting on the bed couldn't help but lean forward and stare intently at Li Xiuchen.

Li Xiuchen was initially taken aback by the man's words, momentarily failing to grasp their meaning within his own context. But once he understood, he was immediately shocked. Although deeply shaken, Li Xiuchen skillfully concealed his astonishment. Little did he know, the person opposite him had witnessed everything.

"I'm so sorry, I'm rather slow-witted and don't know what you mean by 'my side.' I hope you won't beat around the bush and will just say it directly." Li Xiuchen took a deep breath quietly, pretending to be calm and composed as he looked at the other person and said lightly.

"Li Xiuchen, you don't need to pretend anymore. Everyone knows perfectly well where you're from. What, do you really need me to spell it out for you to remember your identity?" The person sitting on the bed gently touched his face and chuckled, but there was a lot of teasing and mockery in his voice.

"Hahahaha, what are you saying? Of course I know where I come from; one should never forget one's roots. But I am very curious how you found me." Li Xiuchen ignored the man's threatening tone and attitude.

“After all, that place is not easy to find.” As he said this, Li Xiuchen’s eyes suddenly became as sharp as a hawk’s, staring straight at the person as if a thousand knives were about to pierce him.

"Do you think it matters whether it's easy to find or not? There's a saying that goes, 'Nothing is impossible for a willing heart.' Whether it's easy to find or not, just put in more effort." The person ignored Li Xiuchen's threat, turned around, pulled the blanket from the corner, placed it behind him, and comfortably leaned against it.

"Hmph." Li Xiuchen didn't answer the person's question. He just looked at the other person with cold eyes, hummed twice, then tilted his head and stretched his neck.

"Alright, enough nonsense. You came here not to kill me, but just to chat. I don't really believe you. Tell me your thoughts." Seeing that he hadn't gotten any answers after talking for so long, Li Xiuchen decided not to get entangled with that person over these trivial questions anymore.

"I already told you I came here to chat, why won't you believe me? What about the most basic trust between people? You can't look at me with prejudice." The person chuckled twice, his tone was complaining, but his expression was full of sarcasm.

"I said, get to the point. Either kill me or just tell me your purpose. Then get the hell out of here, I'm going to sleep." Li Xiuchen frowned at the man's words, grumbling and waving his hand impatiently, not wanting to listen to his rambling anymore.

"But what if I said I came to see you for no reason?" The man suddenly changed his tone, sat up abruptly, and looked at Li Xiuchen with a smile in his eyes.

"Nothing wrong? If nothing's wrong, then why are you here? Are you sick? Fine, then please leave right now, I'm going to sleep." Upon hearing this, Li Xiuchen jumped up from the stool.

"Hahaha, this is boring. I'm leaving now. I'll come find you to play again later." With that, the person jumped out of the window and disappeared into the darkness.

"Colored glasses..."

Chapter 1253 Possible

"But what if I said I came to see you for no reason?" The man suddenly changed his tone, sat up abruptly, and looked at Li Xiuchen with a smile in his eyes.

"Nothing wrong? If nothing's wrong, then why are you here? Are you sick? Fine, then please leave right now, I'm going to sleep." Upon hearing this, Li Xiuchen jumped up from the stool.

"Hahaha, this is boring. I'm leaving now. I'll come find you to play again later." With that, the person jumped out of the window and disappeared into the darkness.

“Colored glasses…” Li Xiuchen looked at the window where the person had left and couldn’t help but repeat the word, a hint of doubt and confusion on his face.

"Xiuchen, this person is a bit strange." Before Li Xiuchen could even ask, the Holy Buddha spoke. Li Xiuchen could tell that the Holy Buddha's voice sounded a bit odd, which further confirmed his suspicions.

"You mean... he's from that place too?" Li Xiuchen asked after a moment's hesitation, but it was clear he was also unsure.

“No, he’s not from that place. He doesn’t have that smell. It’s just… I feel that the person’s scent is really strange, but I can’t quite put my finger on it right now.” Saint Buddha shook his head, denying Li Xiuchen’s guess.

"But if he's not from that place, how does he know the word 'colored glasses'? I don't think that word exists in this world." Li Xiuchen frowned, unsure how to express his meaning more accurately.

"I know what you want to say, and I understand what you mean. But Xiu Chen, you also need to know that there are too many things in this world that cannot be understood by common sense. For example, you come from that place, but I want to tell you that you are not the first one." After thinking for a long time, the Holy Buddha seemed to have made a decision.

"I'm not the first..." Li Xiuchen couldn't process the information after hearing the Holy Buddha's last words. Although it was just a simple sentence, it couldn't be denied that it contained too much information, so much that one dared not delve into the existence and rationality of the issue.

"But... if it's not just me, then..." For a moment, Li Xiuchen didn't know what to say, and seemed a little incoherent.

"Yes, I know this is hard for people to understand and hard to digest. But... that's the reality. And you should be aware that if you come from that place, there is a chance to go back, but the possibility is extremely slim. Also, if you are killed in this world, there is no such thing as reincarnation or waking up from a dream." The Holy Buddha nodded and continued.

"In other words, if you really come to this world from that place, you either have to find that slim chance yourself, or you can only wait to die. Of course, when I say wait to die, I don't mean wait to be killed. You might eventually become very powerful in this world, but the most important thing is that there is no such thing as immortality in this world. Nor is there the kind of ascension to heaven that you imagine."

"You can only wait to die. No matter how powerful you become in the end, if you can't find that possibility, no one can kill you. You can only wait for the years to erode you step by step, just like the birth, aging, sickness and death of ordinary people." After speaking for a while, the Holy Buddha paused and continued to say these words.

"This..." While the Buddha was speaking, Li Xiuchen had already closed the open window, sat back down at the tea table, poured himself a cup of water, and brought the cup to his lips. But Li Xiuchen was clearly lost in thought; he had stopped what he was doing, and the teacup remained frozen in his hand, motionless at his lips.

"But... Holy Buddha, how did you know about these things?" After a long pause, Li Xiuchen finally regained some composure. He hesitated for a moment and then softly asked the Holy Buddha.

“Someone told me this, and you guessed right, that person is also from that place.” As he said this, the Holy Buddha’s expression darkened considerably.

"Then where do I come from..." Li Xiuchen asked hastily, as if grasping at a straw.

"You don't need to ask where to find him, it's useless, he's already dead." Before Li Xiuchen could finish speaking, the Holy Buddha shook his head, interrupting him.

Hearing the Buddha's words, Li Xiuchen was stunned again. Indeed, this last straw had vanished. Li Xiuchen moved his lips, unsure what to say next, and finally could only let out a long sigh. As expected, this was a path he would ultimately have to walk alone.

Li Xiuchen's mood plummeted instantly. She lowered her head and slowly put down her teacup. After another long sigh, she slowly stood up and walked to the bedside. Lying down quietly, Li Xiuchen closed her eyes. She didn't want to think about these things anymore; she'd just take it one step at a time.

"Xiuchen," after a while, the Holy Buddha's voice suddenly rang out again. But he seemed very hesitant.

"Hmm? What do you want to say, Holy Buddha?" Li Xiuchen still had her eyes closed, but she could still hear the hesitation in the Holy Buddha's tone.

"There's something else I want to tell you. It's just..." The Holy Buddha hesitated again, unsure whether he should continue.

"It's alright, Holy Buddha. Say whatever you want to say. There's no need to hide anything. What's meant to happen will happen anyway." Li Xiuchen kept his eyes closed, his tone calm and composed at this moment.

“Alright, that’s it. The time you spend here is different from the time you spend there. One day here is a week there.” The Holy Buddha nodded and took a deep breath as he spoke.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiuchen immediately opened his eyes and sat up abruptly in bed.

"In other words, it's highly likely that my parents died before I even found that possibility..." Li Xiuchen seemed a little lost in thought.

“Yes, it’s very possible that your parents… passed away before you even found that possibility.” Saint Buddha nodded, his tone sounding somewhat lost and dejected.

"How...did you calculate this time?" Li Xiuchen rubbed his face and let out a long sigh.

"This time was passed down by a senior who returned a day after accidentally discovering that possibility." The Holy Buddha closed his eyes.

"Is that senior also no longer alive?" Upon hearing this news, Li Xiuchen couldn't help but chuckle, directly stating this possibility.

"No, he is still alive, it's just... no one knows where he is." The Holy Buddha shook his head, rejecting Li Xiuchen's statement.

“Alive...but nobody knows where he is...isn't that the same as being dead?” Li Xiuchen shook his head with a wry smile, showing no inner turmoil at the news from the Holy Buddha.

"That's true... but... sigh..." Saint Buddha also sighed deeply. For some reason, Saint Buddha's mood became much lower when this topic was mentioned.

"Alright, let's not worry about it for now. Like I said, what's coming will come. It's fine, we'll face whatever comes our way. You can't escape what's coming no matter what." Li Xiuchen smiled.

"Hmm...it's late. You should go to sleep first. We can talk about these things later." The Holy Buddha nodded.

Li Xiuchen closed his eyes again, lay down, and stopped talking.

"Do you think Uncle Wenxiang's defection from the Wen family was a coincidence? It's really hard to say for sure. You know, the Wen family is not what it used to be." Wen Long paused for a moment, then continued.

"I know, Your Highness, but you also know this. Taking this step could be a step to heaven or a step to hell," Han Hu still reminded him.

“I know, but whether it’s heaven or hell ahead, I’ve taken this step and there’s no turning back. I think it’s time for a major purge of the Wen family.” As Wen Long said this, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.

"Alright, if you've really thought it through, then go for it. I'll support you unconditionally." Han Hu nodded. Since Wen Long had already made up his mind, Han Hu didn't say anything more. After all, Han Hu wasn't particularly concerned about the dangers of the situation.

Han Hu's only concern was that nothing unexpected would happen to Wen Long, and he also didn't want anything else to happen to Wen Long in the future.

"Han Hu, go and make the arrangements. We'll find some time... um... the day after tomorrow, we'll set off for Linghai City." Wen Long paused for a moment, then looked at Han Hu and gave the order.

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away." Han Hu nodded in agreement. This matter wasn't urgent, so Han Hu didn't leave immediately, but simply nodded in agreement.

"Your Highness, tell me, what path should we take next?" Han Hu sat for a while, then poured himself a glass of water and took a small sip.

"The road ahead... is hard to say..." After hearing Han Hu's words, Wen Long narrowed his eyes, gently shook his head, and slowly spoke.

"By the way, um. Did you manage to take care of Uncle Wenxiang's family and servants as planned?" Wenlong suddenly turned around and asked Han Hu, as if he had just remembered something.

"Yes, everything has been taken care of. The family members were not found, but Elder Wenxiang must have secretly arranged for them to be moved elsewhere beforehand. As for his servants, they have all been released, and each of them has been given some travel expenses. As for where they go in the end, that's up to them." Han Hu put down his teacup.

"Family members? Uncle Wenxiang's family members... Hmm... Let's not worry about him for now. I think Uncle Wenxiang will have his own methods. Let's just stick to the original plan." Wenlong murmured for a while, then nodded and stopped thinking about it.

"Your Highness, there's something I've always wanted to ask you. But... I don't know if I should ask it, because I'm just an outsider, and there are some things..." Han Hu seemed a bit conflicted; he did have his concerns.

"You want to ask what kind of relationship I have with Uncle Wenxiang now, right?" Wenlong couldn't help but laugh when he heard Han Hu's words.