The more Lu Yang thought about it, the more he felt the Emotion-Forgetting Pill’s value was beyond measure. This is a superb pill that sharpens focus and improves efficiency, and it is even capable of treating mental disorders. For cultivators, it can even help them enter a meditative state swiftly.

“By the way, Great Master, do you know why the Heartless Creed developed the Emotion-Forgetting Pill?”

“It seems that it’s because a Heartless Creed higher-up in our Buddhist Kingdom once happened to encounter your second senior brother, Benefactor Lu. That higher-up was so enraged that his cultivation was compromised, so he needed the Emotion-Forgetting Pill to stabilize his mental state.”

“What a waste of resources. The Emotion-Forgetting Pill is such good stuff, yet this is what they used it for?” Lu Yang shook his head.

This Heartless Creed higher-up’s mental state is lacking. First Shifu, now Second Senior Brother. Why is it that any random person could shatter their mental state just like that?

“Do the three-eyed ghost monk and the hollow shadow have the pill formula?”

Master Duanchen shook his head. “I have no idea. According to their memories, the Emotion-Forgetting Pill’s formula is a secret of the Heartless Creed. Even the Heartless Creed elder who issued them the missions probably doesn’t know it.”

Lu Yang sighed. What a shame. I’d wanted to seize the Emotion-Forgetting Pill’s formula, bring out its potential, and make money for the Heartless Creed, but they wouldn’t give me the chance. They truly have no respect for this young creed leader.

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy interjected. “I may not know the formula, but I know what herbs are needed to concoct the Emotion-Forgetting Pill.”

Lu Yang was genuinely surprised. “Immortal Fairy, you have such a skill?”

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy planted her hands on her hips, enjoying Lu Yang’s astonished expression. Her head tilted so far back it nearly touched the sky. “Of course. To perfect my peerless fist techniques, I had done extensive research on the medicinal properties of herbs.”

Lu Yang remembered now. The Immortal Fairy Fist Technique originated from the Health Maintenance Fist Technique, which includes Arhat Fruit Fist, Croton Fist, Paraquat Fist, and so on. Indeed, one can’t master it without a deep understanding of herb properties.

“Let me take a look. This Emotion-Forgetting Pill contains licorice, trilobed flower, bodhi leaf...” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy rattled off over a hundred herbs, even specifying the precise proportions.

“Though I can’t discern the concocting method.” She didn’t have much knowledge of pill concoction.

“That said, pill concoction and cooking are similar in principle, aren’t they? Both involve tossing stones, herbs, and whatnot into a pot and blasting it with fire. I can study the raw ingredients of this pill and stir-fry them into a dish. The effect should be the same—no, the effect will definitely be better.

“Although I don’t know how to make an Emotion-Forgetting Pill, I know how to make Worry-Forgetting Rice. The Heaven Mandate Immortal and the others would fall asleep right after eating a plate. When they woke up, they would forget whether they had eaten, so I would make them another plate. On days when their memory was bad, they could eat over a dozen plates.

“Forgetting emotions and losing memories are probably related. With my abilities, I should be able to figure it out by analogy quickly enough.”

“That’s enough.” Lu Yang broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly put a stop to the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s line of thought. This is enough help; any more help will be dangerous.

When we eventually catch the Heartless Creed higher-up who got angered by Second Senior Brother, we can feed him this Worry-Forgetting Rice. Giving him something good for his last meal before execution wouldn’t exactly be mistreating him.

An immortal’s cooking is a heaven-sent fortuitous opportunity that countless people can never obtain, no matter how much they beg. Although we still don’t know the pill’s formula, knowing which herbs went into it is indeed good news.

To concoct the pill, the Heartless Creed will definitely purchase or grow these herbs in large quantities. This may help Senior Brother Dai locate their whereabouts. But over a hundred herbs is quite a lot. How many times will I have to die to transmit that information?

~~~

Xitian Temple...

Master Mingyu, the monarch of the Buddhist Kingdom and the abbot of Xitian Temple, held his prayer beads as he regarded his visitors with a calm, distant gaze.

“Fellow Daoist Jiang Qun, our temple is already aware of the matter regarding the Heartless Creed. We will naturally dispatch monks to search the various cities and temples, locate the Heartless Creed’s scoundrels, and restore peace to the Buddhist Kingdom.

“Could it be that you doubt our Buddhist Kingdom’s ability to handle this matter, Fellow Daoist Jiang Qun?”

The officials accompanying the First Imperial Prince, Jiang Qun, frowned inwardly. It seemed that the Buddhist Kingdom considered this an internal affair and was unwilling to let the Great Xia interfere.

If your Buddhist Kingdom could handle it, would you have allowed our Great Xia cultivators to discover the Heartless Creed’s trail?

Our Great Xia cultivators discovered it in just a few days. How is it that your Buddhist Kingdom failed to notice anything for so many years?

Master Mingyu was also somewhat helpless. The Central Continent had seen three dynasties rise and fall, while the Buddhist Kingdom had remained standing throughout, relying on its secret support, which mustn’t be revealed. Collaborating with the Great Xia would risk exposing it.

Diplomatic dealings, especially those involving deep cooperation, had to follow protocol. Upon learning of the matter regarding the Heartless Creed, Great Xia had sent Jiang Qun as their representative to discuss plans of collaboration.

Unfortunately, they had already run into an obstacle at the first step.

They wondered how the First Imperial Prince would handle this. The officials watched him closely.

Jiang Qun smiled, as if he had anticipated the Buddhist Kingdom’s reaction.

This was within reason. To search for traces of the Heartless Creed would require using spiritual consciousness to scan the land, essentially turning the Buddhist Kingdom upside down. No one would agree to that.

“The Heartless Creed is naturally an internal affair of the Buddhist Kingdom. The Great Xia would be overstepping our bounds if we intervene. We, the Great Xia, have always respected rules, and we will definitely not cross the line. Therefore, we have come up with a good solution.”

He produced a sheet of paper from his storage ring and instructed someone to hand it over to Master Mingyu.

“This is an application letter written by Senior Meng Junzi. He says he has long wished to join the Buddhist Kingdom and convert to Buddhism, but never found the right opportunity. He now wishes to seize this opportunity and hopes that you can grant him this chance.

“I believe that once Senior Meng Junzi joins the Buddhist Kingdom, handling matters of the Heartless Creed will no longer count as us Great Xia overstepping our boundaries.”

~~~

“Wut?! Our whole Meng Family has joined the Buddhist Kingdom?” Meng Jingzhou was dumbfounded when he heard the news. He couldn’t even hold his spoon steady. It clattered into his bowl, and the vegetarian meal didn’t taste so good anymore.

How did I become a citizen of the Buddhist Kingdom halfway through my trip here?

I’m only here as a tourist!

“See? Told you there’s no such thing as a wrong nickname. You really do have an affinity with Buddhism, Buddha Scion Meng.” Lu Yang had been sitting on the edge of the bed. When he heard the news, he burst out laughing and rolled around on the bed.

After a while, Lu Yang was finally tired from laughing. Kindly trying to redirect Meng Jingzhou’s attention, he patted his shoulder. “Alright, alright. Stop thinking about the matter of joining the Buddhist Kingdom. Let’s go out for a walk and get your mind off it.”

As the Buddha Bathing Festival drew near, Kaihuang City was visibly growing more lively. Mortals and cultivators from other places streamed in, and portraits of Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou were even posted at the city gates as an advertisement.

Though Lu Yang couldn’t shake the feeling that it looked less like an advertisement and more like a wanted poster.

Regardless, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou were now widely recognizable. They would need to disguise themselves if they wanted to go out.

With thin masks adhered to their faces, the two took on entirely different appearances before leaving Kaihuang Temple.