The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 1233 - 657: The End of Destiny?

Red Sect Master?

Zhao Douan was momentarily stunned, a vision of an old monk with a gaunt and devout face flashed in his mind.

He was the leader of the Western Regions Mission that came to the Capital then, who secretly sought allegiance with Zhao Douan, firmly believing him to be the "Worldly Venerate walking in the mortal world," an avatar of "Wisdom."

Several months ago, when Zhao Douan went to Hu Ting and redirected Xue Shence to Xiping Road, he handed Xue Shence a handwritten letter.

Informing him that the Red Sect Master was an undercover agent, instructing Xue Shence to use him as appropriate.

"Princess, there’s no need to rush, please take your time to explain," Zhao Douan held his breath, focused, and listened intently.

Princess Wen Zhu nodded, explaining sorrowfully:

"Actually, I don’t know the inner causation in detail. Before the Western Regions countries raised troops, I just sensed the signs and was then secretly imprisoned by the Buddhist Ancestor Court, which also stripped me of my authority.

After that, I knew very little about outside events until one day, the Red Sect Master suddenly visited and forced me to write a letter persuading Yu Country to surrender, to be sent to the Zhenguan in the Capital."

"I originally didn’t agree—how could I help the Western Regions Buddhism to invade our Yu Country?

But later, I changed my mind, thinking I might take this opportunity to communicate with Zhenguan.

So I pretended to write a letter of persuasion, but in fact, I hid a real letter within using special means..."

Zhao Douan realized: "It was that letter of persuasion..."

The Empress had mentioned the matter to him, referring to the secret letter Princess Wen Zhu used to warn against Buddhism.

Princess Wen Zhu said bitterly:

"At that time, it was a gamble for me too, worried that the letter would be noticed by Buddhism. But it seems I managed to deceive them successfully.

Not long ago, the Red Sect Master sent a disciple, Dan Che, to secretly contact me, and I learned that the mystery hidden in that letter had not escaped the Red Sect Master’s Dharma Eye, but he chose to ignore it."

"The Red Sect Master produced a handwritten letter of yours, indicating that Xue Shence had secretly contacted him, also providing Xue Shence with much intelligence.

The Red Sect Master also mentioned that their contact behavior had shown signs, and it might not be concealed much longer, so he intended to send me out of the Western Regions at the last moment."

Princess Wen Zhu recalled, saying:

"At first, I didn’t quite believe it, and still worried it was a Buddhist conspiracy.

But thinking a life at stake, I took the gamble. Subsequently, the Red Sect Master successfully used his power to bring me and my close guards out of Golden Tent to Xiping Road, then to the front lines.

Initially, the plan was to send me to Xue Shence’s camp, but unfortunately, we were exposed mid-way, and were pursued by Buddhist masters.

The Red Sect Master escorted us all the way, finally choosing to stay behind with trusted people to cover our retreat.

Only then did I escape from being captured."

"Afterward, the Western Regions army searched throughout Xiping for us, so we didn’t dare approach court troops, instead fleeing eastward all the way.

We were caught up with several times, the guards around me died one by one, and by the time we arrived here, it was only me and the head guard left."

When she recounted the heart-wrenching experiences, this princess, married far away for many years, shed tears.

Zhao Douan, not prone to such sentiments, quickly sorted the logic:

This piece with the Red Sect Master had indeed been used by Xue Shence, and before being expended, he had taken the risk to let Wen Zhu pass the message.

If all this were true, the message carried by Wen Zhu must not be trivial.

Princess Wen Zhu choked on her words, then forced herself to continue:

"When I entered the city, knowing I couldn’t enter the palace easily, I came to the Imperial Court to find you. I wanted to see Zhenguan, only to learn she had gone on a western expedition several days earlier; unfortunately, I didn’t encounter her on the way and had to wait for you to come."

There are many roads to Xiping Road, so missing each other was not surprising.

Zhao Douan asked solemnly: "What secret did the Red Sect Master want you to bring? Is it related to Xuan Yin?"

Princess Wen Zhu was surprised: "How did you know? He only asked me to bring you a message."

"What message?"

"Xuan Yin and the Dharma King are one."

Zhao Douan’s pupils suddenly narrowed!

What does that mean? Xuan Yin Monk and the Western Regions Dharma King are the same person?!

How could it be?

But then again, why couldn’t it be?

He and Zhenbao had once wondered why Xuan Yin could collaborate with the Dharma King, with the only reasonable guess being:

Back when Xuan Yin, yet to become a Heavenly Human, ventured west, he allied with the Dharma King at the Western Regions headquarters while retrieving two chests of scriptures.

However, this speculation posed a logical hurdle:

After becoming the abbot of the Divine Dragon Temple, Xuan Yin advanced to Heavenly Human.

Having become stronger than the Dharma King, why would he still be manipulated?

Thinking further, Xuan Yin had once created an "Avatar of the Magic God Sect Leader," which reached Half-step Celestial cultivation.

Then... is there a possibility:

That the Xuan Yin who ventured into the Western Regions years ago had already died, and his body was taken over by the Dharma King?

Or even deeper, could it be possible that Xuan Yin was a "Body Outside Avatar" created by the Dharma King?

Gradually growing in the Divine Dragon Temple?

Only thus could it perfectly explain why Xuan Yin, unscathed throughout two visits to the Western Regions, now joins forces with the Dharma King.

It could explain why Xuan Yin once secretly instigated a Da Jing Master to assassinate Zhao Douan and then fled to the Western Regions, fabricating the facade of "defection."

Because seemingly "divided" East and West Buddhism, in fact, share one leader all along.

"Lord? Lord?" Princess Wen Zhu called softly, seeing him lost in thought.

Zhao Douan snapped back to reality, dispelling his chaotic mind, taking a deep breath, gravely questioning:

"What else did the Red Sect Master say?"

Princess Wen Zhu recalled, saying:

"He also said that the current war on Xiping Road is precisely what the Dharma King, or rather Xuan Yin, wanted to see, not merely to seize territory, but this war itself seems to aid the Dharma King and Xuan Yin to merge into one."