Chapter 288: An Xianjing

An Xianjing said calmly, "In just over a year, you've made rapid progress. Your cultivation level is quite high now."

Li Weiyi tried hard to discern her cultivation level, but it was futile, leaving him restless. "With a lay practitioner's cultivation like yours, you were actually planning to kill a Fountain Realm martial artist like me for money back then?"

An Xianjing had no imposing aura of a powerful expert, nor was she cold or sharp. Her smile was gentle and exceptionally amiable. "Your appearance entered the 'Picture of All Sentient Beings,' but without cause and effect, without past or future. I was very curious then, so I went specifically to observe you. If you had posed a threat to the Rice People, I would have certainly killed you."

Li Weiyi gasped, filled with lingering fear.

Fortunately, he had taken pity on those children and treated them to noodles back then; otherwise, how could he have survived peacefully until now?

At that time, his Dao protector wife's strength was also very low.

The lay practitioner in white smiled, "You don't need to be so nervous! I am a Buddhist practitioner. To those who are compassionate, I return compassion. To those who are wicked, I grant them rebirth."

"Whether it's compassion or not, isn't it ultimately decided by the strong?"

Li Weiyi forced a stiff smile and added, "Your cultivation must be extraordinary, right? What exactly is the 'Picture of All Sentient Beings'?"

An Xianjing had no intention of explaining its mysteries to Li Weiyi. She said lightly, "Just think of it as a magical artifact capable of capturing heavenly secrets!"

"Are you here to find the Southern Venerable?" Li Weiyi asked.

"I've already met her! She's probably not at Nanqing Palace recently; she has important matters to attend to."

An Xianjing then said, "Li Weiyi, what are your thoughts on the Rice People?"

Li Weiyi knew she was not to be trifled with. One moment they could be sitting at a table smiling and eating noodles, and the next, she might strike to kill. Her unpredictability was what made her truly terrifying.

Li Weiyi answered honestly, "I know very little about the Rice People. I'm afraid I can't answer such a broad question with my limited understanding."

An Xianjing asked, "Then, what are the Rice People like, based on what you do know?"

"Do I have to answer?" Li Weiyi asked.

An Xianjing replied, "If you don't answer, you might die. Amitabha!"

"Don't threaten me!" Li Weiyi really wanted to test her strength. Someone who acted so profound might not actually possess true skill.

"If you want to fight, then fight! It's not too late to answer after we've had a match. Amitabha!" An Xianjing blinked, offering him an encouraging invitation.

Li Weiyi said, "You're truly confident! Do you want to hear the truth, or a lie?"

"Is there a difference?"

Li Weiyi replied, "The truth might be unpleasant and displease you. I can also say flattering words, given that I am in the Rice Sect's main headquarters."

"Then tell me the truth!" An Xianjing said.

Li Weiyi didn't particularly dislike the lay practitioner in white. At least she didn't indiscriminately kill innocents. So he said, "Most of the information I've gathered about the Rice People comes from others. It falls into two categories."

"One view is that the Rice People are a vulnerable group in this world, grown from cultivation, without parents or relatives, not accepted by mainstream society, sold, trained as loyal assassins or servants, or even raised as livestock."

"The other view... labels the Twin-Born Rice Sect as a cult, acting in extreme ways, harboring hatred for humanity, instigating many conflicts, and seeking to transform the entire Lingxiao living realm into rice fields."

An Xianjing asked, "Is there a difference between the Rice People and humans?"

"There doesn't seem to be any difference... but I truly don't know much, as I haven't had much in-depth contact. Why are you asking me specifically?" Li Weiyi replied.

An Xianjing said, "If there's no difference between us, why do humans enslave the Rice People? They grow the Rice People as if they were their parents, yet show no care whatsoever. We don't even ask for care; we only ask for dignity and fairness. Is that wrong? As for what you mentioned about wanting to turn the entire Lingxiao living realm into rice fields, that's nonsense. When have we ever harbored such a grand ambition?"

Li Weiyi said, "See, now you're displeased. I should have known not to tell the truth!"

An Xianjing uttered a Buddhist chant: "Amitabha!"

"It's normal to have emotions. I've always believed that opposing stances exist everywhere and at all times. But once one falls into fanaticism and extremism, that path is certainly a wrong one."

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 the Rice People are truly identical to humans... well, I feel it's pointless to say more..."

An Xianjing said, "Then perhaps you shouldn't say anything more! I feel you're just a child who hasn't grown up, a complete idealist. Where in this world is there freedom and equality? Even if they exist, one must rely on powerful cultivation to attain them."

Li Weiyi, eager to change the subject and avoid such profound discussions, said, "Your appearance seems different from before?"

An Xianjing's emotions completely calmed down. "I cultivate the 'Formless and Faceless Buddhist Scripture.' My appearance changes every day, fluctuating with my mood and will. Only when I reach the transcendent realm will it stabilize, my mind becoming as serene as a calm lake, and my appearance constant."

"You're not trying to scare me, are you? Are you making the Disguise Art sound so mystical?" Li Weiyi couldn't suppress his curiosity; he didn't want to be intimidated by her feigned profundity.

"Whoosh!" Li Weiyi shot out like lightning, striking with a palm. The palm wind rustled the surrounding vegetation and stirred ripples on the lake's surface.

An Xianjing shifted two feet sideways, evading the attack. "You can go all out; there's no need to hold back."

This lay practitioner in white seemed quite immature, changing expressions as quickly as turning a page. Her Disguise Art might conceal a very young face. Since she was likely a figure of the younger generation, what was there to be afraid of?

Li Weiyi's competitive spirit was ignited. He changed his palm to fingers, fully circulating the spiritual energy within him, and in a single breath, unleashed dozens of finger strikes. However, they were all blocked by the palm seals she formed. She stood rooted to the spot, like a Guanyin with a thousand hands, her eyes fixed on Li Weiyi.

Li Weiyi retracted his fingers and stepped back, his expression grave. "How powerful! What is your cultivation realm?"

An Xianjing smiled, "I've always been very interested in your Compassionate Voyage Enlightenment Finger; I find it deeply imbued with Buddhist essence. How about you try it on me?"

"Forget it! Your cultivation is too profound; I can't afford to provoke you." Li Weiyi waved his sleeve, turned, and started to leave. "But I can avoid you."

"You can't escape!" An Xianjing grabbed his arm, and with a flash, they instantly entered a formation within Nanqing Palace.

Li Weiyi landed on his feet, suppressing the shock and confusion in his heart. He glanced back at the still-oscillating light barrier of the formation behind him. This formation was the most powerful in Nanqing Palace, one that Li Weiyi couldn't even see through with his Celestial Eye. Yet, she had directly brought them inside.

Li Weiyi asked, "May I ask for the lay practitioner's esteemed name?"

"An Xianjing!" she replied.

"Boom!" Li Weiyi's mind reeled as if it would explode. Then, remembering that the Palace Master of Linggu Palace also seemed to have the surname An, he tentatively asked, "Are you Bodhisattva An from Coffin Mountain? The Palace Master of Linggu Palace?"

Inside the formation was an acre of paddy field. In the field was three-colored spiritual soil. The water was one inch deep, crimson blood. Only one three-foot-tall rice plant was growing in the field. It looked as if it were cast from gold, its leaves as sharp as swords, radiating dazzling golden light throughout, and possessing vigorous life energy, clearly extraordinary at first glance.

An Xianjing walked along the ridge of the field, one hand behind her back, her gaze fixed on the golden rice plant. "In your mind, Bodhisattva An and the Palace Master of Linggu Palace are not good people, are they?"

Remembering Yao Qingxuan's earlier warning, Li Weiyi immediately changed his demeanor. "How could that be? Since our parting in Jiuli City, I still remember Miss An's charming and gentle smile; she truly seemed like a Bodhisattva descended to the mortal realm."

An Xianjing frowned and gave him a cold glance, then continued, "When I saw you in Jiuli City, I didn't pay you much mind. But at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, you reappeared in my sight. Your cultivation speed is simply too fast; you achieved in one year what others couldn't in ten."

Li Weiyi quickly said, "Senior An, I truly have no particular opinion of the Rice People. I haven't had much contact with you all, and I'm not a threat. Moreover, my ancestral field... sigh, it's a long story. Why does everyone have to target me?"

"You've killed quite a few people from the Divine Sect, haven't you? At the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, a group of Five Seas Realm experts were killed by you," An Xianjing stated.

Li Weiyi replied, "I didn't know they were members of the Divine Sect."

"Were Wang Zhi and Wang Shouxin killed by you?"

Li Weiyi remained silent.

"Was Zuo Shi killed by you?"

Li Weiyi said, "That was self-defense."

An Xianjing said, "I won't kill you. You treated me to noodles, and we have no grievances. But if I were to throw you out of Nanqing Palace, how many people do you think would seek revenge on you?"

Li Weiyi was not intimidated by her; his mind raced. "Does Palace Master An mean that you, esteemed elder, intend to protect me?"

"I didn't say that, but if you are useful to me, I can certainly make use of you," An Xianjing replied.

Li Weiyi asked, "May I ask how Palace Master An plans to use me?"

An Xianjing's gaze returned to the golden rice plant in the center of the blood field. "About two years ago, the Rice Ancestor found four Golden Dao Seeds from the ancient Bogaloka Sect era in the Sacred Core Layer of the underground Immortal Mansion. They were given to the Palace Masters of the three halls and one Deputy Palace Master for cultivation."

"The Rice Ancestor believes these four seeds can grow into fetuses of extremely high innate talent."

"Whoever successfully cultivates one can study the Divine Sect's supreme scripture, the 'Jidi Hunyuan Sutra,' and gain the opportunity to reach transcendence."

"For two years, the Southern Venerable and I have alternately used our immortal blood to water and immortal spiritual energy to cultivate it. Yet, it has only managed to take root, sprout, and grow into a seedling. After reaching three feet in height, it stopped growing completely!"

Li Weiyi said, "Why don't you seek out the blood of a Transcendent being? During the chaotic battle ten months ago, the heavens and earth collapsed, and several Transcendent beings perished. Even more Transcendent beings' blood was spilled across the Lingxiao Continent. You should be able to find some."

It was unclear what had angered her, but An Xianjing's tone turned slightly cold. "In your view, the Benevolent Rice is a blood-sucking monster, isn't it?"

"I never said that," Li Weiyi replied helplessly, finding her overly sensitive.

An Xianjing said, "Most Benevolent Rice can grow simply by using water from the Sea of Blood or from underground blood rivers."

"Using the corpses of human martial artists as rice fertilizer is merely a means of retaliation and intimidating enemies. Although, I personally do not like this method."

"However, if human blood is used to intervene in the growth of Benevolent Rice, the resulting infants will inevitably carry the features of the blood donor in terms of appearance and personality, signifying a form of inheritance."

Li Weiyi said, "Like parents and children?"

"More or less," An Xianjing replied.

Li Weiyi nodded, saying, "This is indeed a troublesome matter; the karmic implications are complex."

An Xianjing said, "If Transcendent blood could cultivate it, why wouldn't the Rice Ancestor cultivate it directly instead of giving it to us?"

"The Golden Grain Seed must be an extraordinarily powerful seed, capable of nurturing infants with exceptional innate talent. Therefore, perhaps nourishing it with the blood and spiritual energy of someone with sufficiently high innate talent will allow it to continue growing. Your entire trace meridian is golden, and your physique and bloodline are certainly not ordinary."

Li Weiyi was stunned. "Palace Master An wants me to help you cultivate the Golden Rice?"

An Xianjing cut her wrist, and her blood spilled into the field. Instantly, a bloody mist spread throughout the entire paddy field.

"You've offended the Divine Sect and are being targeted by many. Even if I don't seek you out, others will. Zuoqiu Cangwu himself is thinking of you, let alone others?""If you help me cultivate this rice, I will protect your life.""Of course, the prerequisite is that your blood must truly be useful to it. I am merely trying this out of curiosity!"