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‘Have guts!’ Kou Zhong cried inwardly; moreover, he felt strange. Presently, the situation was disadvantageous to him, yet why did Ma Ji still want to stand on Bai Ziting’s side? According to reason, if his life was concerned, Ma Ji ought to be the kind of person who would sell even his father and mother.

“Ji Ye, hold on!” he shouted coldly.

Ma Ji stopped about seven paces from him. Without even looking back, he said with a sneer, “What else is there to talk about?”

Kou Zhong noticed that inside the hall, Bai Ziting was looking at their direction. He spoke softly, “Ji Ye ought to know that Huyan Jin already beat the retreating drum, he is using Shen Mohuan as the bargaining chip in a peace talk with me.”

Ma Ji’s fat body shook; he said, “What does Shen Mohuan have anything to do with me, Ma Ji?”

Kou Zhong knew he had hit Ma Ji’s weak point. Smiling, he said, “How could it be that he has nothing to do with you? If Shen Mohuan fails to get rid of us, I am afraid henceforth Ji Ye won’t have many good days to pass. Is it worth the trouble?”

Ma Ji’s amazingly nimble fat body swiveled around to face Kou Zhong. Laughing aloud, he said, “I have never seen anybody more arrogant and conceited than Shaoshuai, who are also an intolerable bully. Those who want to kill me, Ma Ji, are more numerous than the stars in the sky, yet isn’t Ma Ji still alive and well? Enough talking, my life is right here, if you have the ability, come and take it!”

Blurted out laughing, Kou Zhong said, “This is now, that was then. Before, you have Xieli as your backing; there are also Shen Mohuan, Huyan Jin, Han Chao’an, Du Xing, and the others ganging up with you, indeed not many people could do anything against you. It’s a pity that right now the situation is seeing a fast change of scene. First of all, Xieli no longer needs Shen Mohuan, this hunting dog, because Shen Mohuan has become the biggest obstacle for Xieli to establish friendly relations with various Shiwei tribes. Huyan Jin’s situation is not much better; the first person that Abaojia wants to get rid of is precisely he. As for Du Xing, Ji Ye, why don’t you think about it yourself?”

Listening to that, Ma Ji’s countenance changed several times, alternating between clear and dark; a sign that Kou Zhong’s remark has rendered a big blow and given him a big shock.

Kou Zhong spoke in a relaxed manner, “As for you, LaoGe, your current position is ambiguous, plus you are hopelessly muddled with Bai Ziting, you are showing no understanding of the times, fully aware that Xieli did not spare any effort in repairing broken relationship with Tuli, the purpose is to link all ethnic groups in the grassland for the invasion to the south against the Central Earth, yet they still have outward devotion but inner opposition [idiom: to agree overtly, but oppose in secret], while having their eyes and eyebrows come and go [idiom: exchanging flirting glances] with Bai Ziting. Didn’t Xieli tell you that no matter what, you must return the eighty thousand sheets of sheepskin to me? Yet you play tricks in front of Laozi; aren’t you really tired of living?”

Ma Ji’s countenance became more unsightly than being unsightly, his fat lips quivering, he wanted to say something but then hesitated.

Finally Kou Zhong dealt the last killer move; he revealed that he knew about Xieli’s order to return the eighty thousand sheets of sheepskin to him.

It should be noted that only last night Ma Ji received the order via Zhao Deyan, yet it was as if Kou Zhong already knew about this matter, certainly it could make Ma Ji suspect everyone, make him unsure about the current relationship between Kou Zhong and Xieli, so much so that he had a feeling that he was being betrayed, and no longer felt safe with Xieli’s support.

Finished playing hard, now he was coming soft. Several times Kou Zhong was sure that Shen Mohuan and Huyan Jin joining hands to deal with him, it was Ma Ji who threaded a needle between them; otherwise, there was no possibility that in such a short period of time both sides could meet and make an agreement. The only thing he did not understand was that Ma Ji was fully aware that the reason Xieli wanted to temporarily cease any operation to deal with him, Kou Zhong, was because he wanted to fix his relationship with Tuli, yet Ma Ji still dared to try to put him and Xu Ziling to death by all means.

Kou Zhong spoke softly, “Whatever I, Kou Zhong said, whatever thing I agree, I have never not kept my words. It is also because I respect Ji Ye that I wasted my time explaining it to you like this. Whether in the future we can be friends or enemies, Ji Ye can decide with one word.”

Ma Ji’s countenance gradually calmed down, his pair of eyes brightened considerably, and he flashed his signature fake smile, as he calmly said, “Shaoshuai has never been my friend, and in the future you will never be my friend, but I do not wish to become Shaoshuai’s enemy either. As to what Shaoshuai is thinking, I, Ma Ji, cannot do anything about it. The eighty thousand sheets of sheepskin no longer have anything to do with me. Excuse me, I must leave!”

And just like that he turned around and left.

Funantuo’s pair of eyes was flickering with rays of wisdom light, his intonation resounding, every word was powerful, but his demeanor was calm, as he said, “To understand what actually ‘I’ is, one must first understand the different levels of ‘I’. The lowest level is matter, referring to our body. Slightly higher than that is senses, while the mind is higher than senses. Intelligence is higher than the mind, and the highest level is spirit. The meaning of the five levels of ‘I’ is precisely the sum of the five levels of knowledge, using above to control below, using internal to control external. Spirit is the highest level, even more, it is the core.”

Shang Xiufang’s pair of beautiful eyes lit up, he nodded and said, “This is the first time Xiufang heard someone can make such a thorough analysis on the ‘I’. Guoshi speaking about spirit, isn’t that the Buddha nature’s Tathata that Xu Gongzi just mentioned?”

This moment, the calm-and-collected-faced Ma Ji returned inside the hall, and spoke to Bai Ziting, “Xiaoren must leave immediately, Da Wang, please forgive me.”

By saying so, none of the crowd was not aware that Ma Ji’s negotiation with Kou Zhong had failed, that they had shed all pretense of cordiality, no longer need to look at the other side’s face.

Bai Ziting’s gaze swept across Xu Ziling first, before casting it toward Kou Zhong who was on the platform some distance away, and finally it came back to Ma Ji. Nodding his head, he said, “Since Ma Ji Xiansheng is this resolute, Bai Ziting does not dare to urge you to stay; let we walk you out a bit.”

Ma Ji shook his head firmly and said, “I don’t dare to trouble Da Wang’s good self.”

And then he turned his fat body around and bowed with cupped fist toward Shang Xiufang, saying, “Unable to listen to Xiufang Dajia’s immortal song is indeed Ma Ji’s lifelong regret.”

Finished speaking, he hurriedly walked away without even looking back.

Everybody was stunned; no one knew what Kou Zhong and Ma Ji were talking about that made him act as if he had no choice but to flee from Longquan immediately.

Inwardly, Xu Ziling was greatly shaken; he was guessing that Ma Ji defied Xieli’s order and had delivered the batch of bows and arrows to Bai Ziting; otherwise, how could Bai Ziting allow him to go as soon as he said he would go?

Where in the world was Ba Fenghan?

Watching Ma Ji’s back disappearing outside the door, the atmosphere inside the hall turned strange. Kou Zhong returned to the hall in leisure demeanor. Standing between Xu Ziling and Shang Xiufang, he laughed aloud and said, “Wasn’t Guoshi in the middle of expounding the law? This kid is about to listen respectfully to benefit from the teaching.”

Funantuo smiled and said, “We were just chatting.”

Fu Junqiang laughed coldly and said, “Shaoshuai offends people more and compliments people less. The banquet has not even started, two guests already walked away because of Shaoshuai.”

Cupping his fist to her, Kou Zhong said, “Fu Da Xiaojie chides me well, however, the fact is that I did my very best to give thought to Ji Ye in all aspects, who would have thought that Ji Ye is worthy of the greatest admiration, he is unafraid to sacrifice his life? Thereupon Xiaodi is unable to do anything to him.”

Liexia blurted out laughing and said, “Shaoshuai’s talk is very interesting.”

Shang Xiufang cast a glance toward Kou Zhong in displeasure. Returning to the previous topic, she said, “Guoshi was talking about the true meaning of ‘I’ matter; he pointed out that ‘I’ constitutes of five levels, from the bottom to the top, these levels are: matter, senses, mind, intelligence, and spirit, and the spirit is the core ruling it all.”

Kou Zhong blurted out, “This idea is quite novel, but isn’t spirit varied from person to person? Why is it that some people’s spirit is grand and venerable, while in some others it is despicable and deceitful?”

Funantuo responded indifferently, “Spirit is like water, pure and clean. However, once it falls from the sky and touches the ground, it will become dirty. Spirit is just like that; human’s desire may make the spirit covered in filth.”

‘Formidable!’ Kou Zhong cried inwardly; he had just experienced Funantuo’s unhindered aptitude in debate, unafraid of difficult questions.

Bai Ziting said, “Let’s take the seat first before we continue talking.”

Although the warm atmosphere of the banquet has been obliterated completely, they had no choice but to go through the motions. Following the instructions, everybody took their seats.

Bai Ziting and Funantuo were sitting on the two hosts position, facing the others, on the round table’s north and south sides. Kou Zhong and Shang Xiufang sat on Bai Ziting’s left and right, respectively, while on Funantuo’s two sides were Xu Ziling and Fu Junqiang. Liexia was invited by Shang Xiufang, hence he was fortunate to sit by Shang Xiufang’s side; followed by Jin Zhengzong, who sat between Liexia and Fu Junqiang. On Xu Ziling’s other side was Han Chao’an. Ma Ji and Song Shidao’s bowls and chopsticks have been put away by palace maids, only Ke Dazhi’s set of bowl and chopsticks remained on the vacant position. Zong Xianghua was accompanying Kou Zhong on his right side.

The attendants served good wine and vegetable and meat dishes continuously like flowing water.

After three rounds of wine, while on the surface Bai Ziting was showing polite hospitality, the atmosphere returned to be blazing.

Perhaps because he deliberately wanted to anger Kou Zhong, from time to time Liexia whispered in Shang Xiufang’s ear; moreover, no one knew what string of witticism he spoke, it was enough to amuse Shang Xiufang that her flowery countenance was blooming, she was highly attentive, with ten thousand flirtatious expressions. Anyone of the male species could not help being jealous of Liexia.

Kou Zhong knew that he had brought this suffering upon himself; to Shang Xiufang, who held peace in esteem, his ‘conduct and deeds’ in Longquan was definitely unpleasant to the eye, hence he gave Liexia the opportunity to enter by exploiting a weak spot.

After some idle remarks, Fu Junqiang suddenly said, “I wonder if Guoshi could continue your discourse on the ‘Brahma and I as One’ principle?”

The crowd stopped talking. All attention was back on Funantuo.

Xu Ziling paid particular attention to Bai Ziting. Since the time he and Funantuo entered the hall together, Bai Ziting has never gone along with Funantuo; when the latter was expounding the law, he appeared to be preoccupied, unlike the rumor that he worshipped Funantuo. On the contrary, it had a little bit of the-appearance-of-unity-but-divided-at-heart impression, which made people wonder.

Funantuo cheerfully said, “It’s rare that Fu Xiaojie shows interest, how could Funantuo dare to value the broom as my own [idiom: to attach value to something because it is one’s own]? First of all, I want to explain clearly what exactly the spirit is.”

Liexia laughed and said, “Guoshi’s Han language is really good; I wonder if before you came to the prairie, you already spoke so well?”

Funantuo smiled and said, “Liexia’s guess is head-on. My understanding of Central Earth language and culture came from a Han man who changed his residence to Tianzhu.”

Liexia nodded with a smile on his face, but he did not continue the inquiry. However, everybody felt that his knowledge of Funantuo’s origin was deeper than anybody around the banquet table.

Without the slightest care, Funantuo continued, “Spirit is without any shadow, without any form, yet it is not something that cannot be felt at all. In fact, every night we all sensed the spirit’s existence. When we are dreaming, the body remains on the bed, but the ‘I’ goes to some other places, doing some activities that are fantastic oddities of every description. Thereby we make distinction between the ‘I’ and the body. At night we forget the ‘I’ of when we are awake. During daytime however, we forget about the ‘I’ of when we are fast asleep. Thus, it is inferred that the real ‘I’ is transcendental to the physical body. And this is precisely the spirit.”

The argument that Funantuo was speaking about was like the ancient great sage of the Central Earth Zhuang Zhou [same as Zhuangzi (369-286 BC)] said, ‘In the past Zhuang Zhou dreamt that he became a butterfly, vividly like a butterfly’. He referred to himself as having the aspiration of the butterfly. No longer aware of the Zhou. Suddenly he awoke, and was pleasantly surprised to be the Zhou. He wondered whether it was the Zhou dreaming of becoming a butterfly, or was it the butterfly dreaming of becoming the Zhou. The Zhou and the butterfly were definitely different. It could be said to be different tunes played with equal skill. But Funantuo explained it more real and easier to understand.

Funantuo continued, “Our body is changing continuously, from infancy to adulthood, and then growing old and rotten. But this ‘I’, from beginning to end, never changes, because spirit transcends above the matter, beyond the scope of our physical senses, beyond the limit of our wisdom and intellect; it cannot be touched, cannot be measured. Life and death is merely one kind of transformation, just like the transformation from being asleep to being awake. The death that makes people afraid is just a gate opening up to another life, crossing to another space, to another heaven and earth. It is not the end; rather, it’s another opportunity. The question is whether we can grasp the way of Brahma and I as One, which is also the way of life and death.”

Kou Zhong spoke in astonishment, “Guoshi’s discourse on the law is really pleasant to listen to; moreover, it makes people think deeply. Since I began to understand things, I have never thought about this issue, I even thought that it’s not good to think too much about it, just like the man of Qi fears the sky falling [idiom: groundless fears]. This whatever Brahma and I as One is even more like some kind of formidable martial art xinfa; I wonder if the martial art that Guoshi trained also have such grandiose name?”

Hearing that, everybody did not know whether they should laugh or cry; no one would think that after spitting out some words of praise, he suddenly changed direction to grope Funantuo’s foundation.

However, Xu Ziling shivered inwardly, knowing that Kou Zhong could not find any flaw in his argument, and thus he launched the verbal ‘Striking Strange’ in jest, to test Funantuo’s reaction. [Reminder: the word ‘strange’ here can also mean ‘sudden’, as in ‘sudden strike/ambush’.]

Aside from hostile relationship, the teaching Funantuo was speaking about was indeed like the bright light in the dark and angry sea of life, so that a man who was lost his way at sea was able to see the heaven and earth with his eyes, which originally, although the eyes were open, but it was like he was blind.

Laughing involuntarily, Funantuo said, “My martial art xinfa is not enough to be talking about. Moreover, Brahma and I as One has nothing to do with martial art; it is a little bit like ‘Oneness of Heaven and Humanity’ that your distinguished country’s famous thinker of antiquity Dong Chongshu was talking about, only the understanding of the Heaven is different. Brahma [fan] is ‘Lord Brahma’ [the Hindu Creator, fan tian (same ‘fan’ character), tian – sky/heaven; dictionary also says ‘Nirvana’], the power that creates various deities and the three boundaries in the void between the heaven and earth. Deities are not human, but some kind of force that transcends the material world but also has the power to control matter, the force to create, protect and maintain, but also to destroy. This thought originated from our country’s Vedas Sutra, which was passed on to Persia and developed into Da Ming Zun Jiao. As the head of Five Bright Sons of Huihe Da Ming Zun Jiao, Lie Gongzi ought to know more clearly about this matter than I.”

This was the first time that Shang Xiufang heard about Liexia’s identity, she looked at him in astonishment.

Liexia’s eyes revealed a sharp light, he met Funantuo’s gaze head-on, smiled and said, “Guoshi’s explanation missed something. Our Da Ming Zun Jiao has its origin in Persia. Zu Zun [venerable ancestor], Moni [Manes (3rd century AD), Persian prophet and founder of Manichaeism] founded the ‘Er Zong San Ji Lun’ [two-school, three-boundary theory], which talks about two kinds of ultimate power treating the light and the dark. The cultivation method is by means of two types of opposing forces. From light turning to darkness, from darkness going back to light. Only by going through the struggle between light and darkness will one be able to restore the respective independent existence of the equilibrium to the original state, the absolute beginning of before the light and darkness opened. It has no similarity with the Fantian theory that Guoshi is talking about.”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged a glance; they began to understand the struggle of religious ideology between Liexia and Funantuo. At the same time, their suspicion also grew; how did Da Ming Zun Jiao’s wolf-bandits’ Cui Wang become Bai Ziting’s subordinates?

Without taking any offense, Funantuo smiled slightly, revealing his extremely deep subtlety. Remaining calm and indifferent, he said, “Pure rainwater falling into different places will become different things, yet it did not lose the origin of the rainwater. The Brahma and I as One is referring to the extrinsic accomplishment of the ultimate universe of Fantian, which is identical to the intrinsic accomplishment of man’s essence or the spirit’s inherent quality. Therefore, only by going through the domination of matter, mind, senses and intelligence will we have the opportunity to point directly to Tathata, to go through the combination of spirit and Fantian. And the four levels of cultivation method under the domination of the spirit is precisely the Yoga cultivation. Apart from this, there is no other way.”

Although outwardly Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling did not show any emotion, the fact was that both felt that Funantuo’s discourse was extremely attractive. Because the process through which they trained ‘the Secret to Long Life’ was indeed different routes to the same destination [idiom] with the Brahma and I as One that Funantuo was talking about, only the system and transformation was not as orderly and clear like what he said. Furthermore, they knew that Huan Ri Da Fa was precisely one kind of Yoga cultivation style. From this, it could be inferred that very likely Funantuo was a martial art master of Shi Zhixuan’s level.

Liexia was about to speak when they heard footsteps. Everybody looked toward the door. Ke Dazhi, who left earlier, entered the hall, upright and unafraid; his expression was solemn and respectful, he was holding a long wooden cylinder in his hands.

Just by looking at his expression, the crowd knew that something unusual happened, they could not help stopping their gaze from landing on the wooden cylinder in his hands.

Coming straight to Bai Ziting’s side, he offered the wooden cylinder and said, “Just received diplomatic document from Great Khan and Tuli Khan, ordering Mojiang to deliver to Da Wang for immediate review.”

The crowd was emotionally moved, ‘Not good!’ they cried inwardly.

Bai Ziting’s expression turned somber and heavy; reaching out with both hands, he received the cylinder, rose up to his full height, and spoke in heavy voice, “Dare I ask Ke Jiangjun, has the Great Khan’s holy self arrived in Longquan?”

Ke Dazhi looked straight at Bai Ziting; he spoke slowly, “This diplomatic document was personally delivered by our humble country’s Guoshi Yan Shuai. After delivering the document, he left immediately, without disclosing any other details. Da Wang, please understand.”

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Bai Ziting slowly opened the cylinder and drew out a scroll.

The refined light in Funantuo’s pair of eyes flared out greatly, displaying a strong confidence.

Bai Ziting showed a hint of smile, he opened the sheepskin roll and examined it carefully.

The hall was so quiet that a falling needle would have been heard. Everybody held their breath and calmed their qi, they all tried to find the spider’s thread and horse track inside the sheepskin scroll from Bai Ziting’s expression as he was reading it.

In the heavy, suffocating atmosphere, Bai Ziting finally finished reading this sheepskin scroll, which nine-out-of-ten was a written declaration of war. He slowly rolled the scroll back, suddenly he looked at Kou Zhong and spoke heavily, “This letter is written jointly by the Great Khan and Tuli Khan, telling me that before sunrise the day after tomorrow, I must personally deliver the Five-Colored Stone to Jingpo Plain, twenty li south of the city, otherwise the Great Khan and Khan’s coalition army will raze Longquan to the ground.”

“Ah!” Shang Xiufang stood up and cried out in fear.

Hearing that, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling’s scalp went numb.

The Five-Colored Stone was the symbol of Bai Ziting founding his kingdom, and the sunrise of the day after tomorrow was precisely the moment of the great ceremony of the founding of the Bohai Kingdom. This diplomatic document was no more than an ultimatum to force Bai Ziting to abandon his desire to establish the Bohai Kingdom that could unify the Mohe tribes.

This matter of founding the country was like an arrow already on the bow. The stored-up momentum had nowhere to go but to be released. If Bai Ziting succumbed to the Tujue, he could forget about raising his head and conducting himself, let alone proclaiming himself hegemon and declaring his kingship.

The more serious matter was that the Five-Colored Stone was practically not in Bai Ziting’s hands.

Subconsciously Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling cast their gaze toward Funantuo. The former said, “Da Wang should not look at me. Just this morning, Meiyan, that lass asked the Five-Color Stone back from us.”

The harsh light in Bai Ziting’s eyes flashing, his gaze moved toward Funantuo.

Fu Junqiang, Liexia, and the others who knew the inside story also cast their gaze toward this demonic monk from Tianzhu, whose eloquence was unimpeded, to see how he would react.