# 182. Number One's Identity?
After the Sangpo case concluded, no one, not number Six, who was directly involved, or Three, One, and Nine all in the capital ever said anything about the sealed item under Sangpo lake.
To say that they weren’t curious would be completely wrong, but after paying a visit to the Nightwatchers Constabulary, and having gained a deeper understanding of the case, Six refused to say anything more.
Everyone thought that the Buddhist-raised Six made a promise with the Nightwatchers.
In reality, Six just didn’t want to relive the trauma.
As for Jinlian Daozhang, he was always a spectator, rarely starting conversation, only making quips here or there.
One liked to lurk, and they were a schemer, the others did not hold any hope for them. Silence from them made sense.
But today, finally, Number Three was willing to talk openly about this matter.
*…The Sangpo case was dealt with by the Nightwatchers, and even in the Nightwatchers it must be a top classified secret. Perhaps the reason why Three only wanted to talk now is that he only recently received information on the case.* Four instinctively started analysing him.
*…Three is someone who likes to share information, he’s a scholar with a magnanimous heart. The reason why he suspects Yang Chuannan is purely drawn from his analysis of the information, and not because of any personal likes or dislikes.* The little bit of annoyance in Two’s heart disappeared.
【FIVE: What do you want in exchange for this information.】
Number five instinctively asked.
*… you idiot!*
Four and Two thought simultaneously.
【THREE: None needed. As a member of the Heaven and Earth Society, it would be unbefitting of me to haggle gains and losses all the time, this piece of information is free for everyone.】
*Especially considering that I brought this matter up, and I want to ask about Shenshu’s identity, if I make another round of profit off that, it feels kinda scummy… mn, next time I have any precious information, I’ll have to take payment.* Xu Qi’an added on mentally.
*Wow, Three’s really generous, makes me feel bad about thinking of selling information all day…* Five thought shamefully. Soon after though, a doubt cropped up in her mind:
*Wait, isn’t this the model that Three started off?*
Xu Qi’an raised his head, glancing towards his sleeping colleagues, making sure they were ok, before continuing to message: 【THREE: It’s a severed hand, a severed hand of a legendary expert.】
*A severed hand!?*
This piece of information had a huge impact on the members of the Heaven and Earth Society. They had talked about the sealed item under Sangpo Lake in the past, and had deduced that the sealed item was a figure from five hundred years ago.
And from these associations, they had hypothesised that the mysterious expert who was sealed up had to be at least second rank.
*A severed hand? How could a hand be sealed for five hundred years…* Number Five’s heart screamed out that it was impossible, and she was about to send a message in rebuttal, before suddenly remembering the revelation she had from the exploration into the abyss to see the Gu God, and thought of something:
【FIVE: If it’s really a severed hand, then, it’s owner must be incredibly powerful. All those who have been sealed are entitles which are impossible to kill.】
The Nanjiang barbarian girl’s words were like a ray of enlightenment striking everyone square in the head.
Indeed, anything that has been sealed must be unable to be killed. Otherwise, why go to all the bother?
【THREE: Maybe. Even the Nightwatchers Constabulary don’t know the real identity of the severed hand; it was taken by the Yao people. I only know this much.】
*But what did you mean by “true” identity then…* The others in the Heaven and Earth Society criticised silently.
【TWO: We can list out all the legendary figures we know, and eliminate them one by one, perhaps we can deduce which one of those does this arm belong to.】
Just then, Jinlian Daozhang appeared. After lurking for so long, conversation about the sealed item finally piqued his interest:
【NINE: We can immediately exclude the Daoists.】
Without waiting for anyone else to ask, he explained: 【None of the three Daoist sects cultivate the body. If hypothetically it was some senior in the Daoist sects that was sealed, their spirits can remain for years and years, but their body must wither away. However, that severed hand’s blood and qi are surging like a torrent, its demonic flames rising to heaven — this is not Daoist cultivation.】
Xu Qi’an butted in: 【THREE: The arcanists can also be excluded.】
*Eh, Three is a Confucian disciple, so why has he first excluded the arcanists, and not the Confucians?* Xu Qi’an’s response confused Two and Four.
【FIVE: Shamans can also be excluded right? There’s not been a first rank in our Shaman clans for hundreds of years.】
Only then, Xu Qi’an added: 【THREE: Similarly the Confucianists can be excluded, I am absolutely confident about this.】
*Indeed, absolutely confident, since the owner of the hand is a monk, is a Buddhist.*
【FOUR: Alright. Then this only leaves Martial artists, Yao, Warlocks, and Buddhists. The warlocks also do not focus on cultivating the body. Furthermore, I remember Three saying that the magical seal under Sangpo Lake had buddhist runes on it.
【From this we can deduce that the Buddhists participated in the sealing. I tend towards saying it is one of the Martial artists, the Buddhists, or the Yao race.】
*A well justified analysis, Four is certainly one of the more intelligent ones in the Earth Book Group Chat…* Xu Qi’an did not continue leading them, rather looking quietly from the side.
【FOUR: I’ve read a lot of history records, and of the famous figures five hundred years ago that also were allied with the Great Feng, there is only a first-generation Jianzheng.】
The vast majority of resources from that long ago have been hidden away, or destroyed, making it difficult to verify anything. However, there was something to be sure of: Five hundred years ago, even if the Great Feng did not lack talent, it was surely at the bottom of a steep decline, otherwise how could the Wuzong Emperor usurp the throne.
Given that case, the crown back then was unlikely to have two first ranks.
Thus martial artists were excluded for now…
One, who always liked lurking, broke their silence: 【Five hundred years is a time that cannot be overlooked. Apart from the coup of the Wuzong Emperor, everyone should not forget another event that happened.】
Four immediately responded: 【The sixty-year extermination?】
【ONE: The Buddhists contributed to the magical seal under Sangpo Lake, the remnants of the Wanyao Kingdom were behind the Sangpo case, if we link them together ever so slightly, one can deduce that the owner of the severed hand is very likely to be the Empress of the Yao — the nine-tailed fox.】
*This…* Xu Qi’an was speechless. After all, One’s analysis was backed by iron-clad evidence, and made a very convincing case. If he did not know the real owner of the hand, he would likely think that it was indeed the right answer.
*…you’ve completely gone astray, it’s not the nine-tailed fox, it’s a damn monk!*
*Wait!*
Xu Qi’an sharply caught a detail: *How did Number One know that the Wanyao Kingdom remnants were behind the case?*
From beginning to end, he had never said anything about the Wanyao kingdom remnants in the Earth Book Group Chat. Quite the opposite, Xu Qi’an had always thought that it was the Zhenbei King conspiring with the northern Yao.
After he had discovered the truth, he hadn’t discussed it at all in the Heaven and Earth Society. After all, he needed to consider his character, a student of the Cloud Deer Academy had no reason to know such fine details.
And since the Sangpo case became a “criminal-less miscarriage of justice”, the case details were never announced, the dossier was stored in the Nightwatchers Constabulary, and Wei Yuan had only reported it to Emperor Yuanjing.
*There are four possibilities from which One could have gotten this data. One: they heard it from Emperor Yuanjing’s mouth. I’m not sure who the old Emperor would talk to, but undoubtedly it would only be those closest to him.*
*Two: they heard it from me. I’ve only told this to three people, being Wei Yuan, Jinlian Daozhang, and Princess Huaiqing.*
*Three: they heard it from these three people. One is someone high up in court, as well as Heaven and Earth Society member, so all three are a possibility.*
*Four: they learnt it from the dossier in the constabulary.*
Xu Qi’an thought about this, simultaneously trying to lead the conversation on. He couldn’t let them continue walking off the wrong path, otherwise all his hard work and hinting would be completely for nought.
【THREE: Why can’t it be a Buddhist?】
*A buddhist?* Seeing this, everyone instinctively frowned, thinking hard.
【FIVE: Why would it be a buddhist?】
Five helped ask everyone else’s question.
【THREE: Ha, I’m just guessing. I don’t know much about the Buddhists. Even though there’s a Qinglong Temple in the capital, it has no high rank Buddhists. That said, the Buddhists should have some arts which cultivate the body.
【Furthermore, I don’t understand; if it really is the nine-tailed fox, why is she sealed under the Great Feng’s Royal Sangpo Lake?】
The latter question was a secret hidden in history, none could reply, but the former could be answered by someone.
【SIX: The Buddhists have the warrior monk path, which aren’t weaker than martial artists. Or we could say that they are the Buddhists’ unique martial artists.】
Number Six, who had been silent for a long time since the death of his sect brother Henghui, finally surfaced again.
*The Buddists do have two systems…* Xu Qi’an already understood that somewhat.
【FIVE: Warrior monks are the Buddhists’ unique martial artists?】
【SIX: Indeed. There are two systems under the Buddhist house. One of them starts at rank eight, Warrior Monk. Warrior Monks do not need to read texts and study, they don’t even need to keep their monastic vows, and only need to cultivate strength, and not a Buddhist heart. However, as to what comes after an eighth rank warrior monk, I do not know.】
*A Buddhist disciple that doesn’t need to keep vows, doesn’t need to read texts?* The other members’ heads were filled with fog.
*Don’t need to keep their vows? Does that mean they can sleep with people? That’s a new piece of trivia…* Xu Qi’an knew about the existence of the Warrior Monk path, but this was the first time he had heard that they did not even need to keep vows.
*Next time I can try to invite Hengyuan to the Jiaofangsi, and get him a chick…*
Xu Qi’an continued to prod along the conversation: 【If the person that had his hand sealed was a Buddhist, then, we only need to look at the Buddhist histories five hundred years ago to find his true identity, right. I’m personally rather interested in this, so if anyone has relevant information, you can sell it to me.】
Everyone in the Heaven and Earth Society expressed that they would keep an eye out for him.
*Whew… Master Shenshu, I’ve tried my best.* Xu Qi’an let out a long breath. For the mystery that is Shenshu’s identity, Xu Qi’an was currently laying out the foundations, and not in a hurry to investigate further.
At a conservative estimate, Shenshu’s rank should be first rank, but as to how strong a first rank master really is, Xu Qi’an had absolutely no reference point. Perhaps even the well-read, experienced Jinlian Daozhang would have no idea, as after all the Earth Sect’s leader is only second rank.
That said, even though his body was split up, even though he had been sealed for five hundred years, his vitality and spirit were still not extinguished. This miraculous ability to Xu Qi’an was already in the realm of gods and demons.
He might as well be a natural disaster in human form.
Thus the eighth rank Refining Qi Xu Qi’an, was certainly not in a hurry to investigate further.
*On that note, the members of the Heaven and Earth Society come from all four corners of the world — except for the western realms. Is this just a coincidence, or does Jinlian Daozhang have some other reason for it?*
After a while, seeing that no one else was talking, number four messaged: 【Talking about the Buddhists reminded me of some interesting matters. THREE, this concerns your Confucianists. 】