Fellow Taoists, please respect yourself.

Chapter 436 Leveraging Cause and Effect
"You love me, I love you, Mixue Ice Cream is so sweet..."

"Mom, I want to eat Zhengxin Chicken Cutlet!"

On the bustling pedestrian street, Jiang Lin walked into a coffee shop.

He casually ordered a latte and sat down, his eyes filled with contemplation.

Jiang Lin felt something was wrong from the very beginning, and this trip to Chaos confirmed his suspicions.

Within the chaos, there are countless heavens and realms; this is a figurative number, and the actual number of worlds is far more than ten thousand.

But in all these myriad realms, there is no such existence in the mortal world.

Even the Yin and Yang realms, which are as stable as a rock in the chaos and are mirror images of each other, are on the same level from the macroscopic perspective of chaos.

But the present world is different.

Within the myriad realms of chaos, there is no existence of the mortal world.

This suspicion arose from the very beginning when Jiang Lin saw the Great Celestial Venerable in the mortal world.

The battle between the two Heavenly Emperors was so powerful that even Chaos could not interfere. With such immense power, why was the Great Heavenly Venerable so certain that the Yin Heavenly Venerable could not detect the existence of the mortal world?

The myriad realms within the chaos were, in the eyes of the two Heavenly Emperors, nothing more than a matter of turning one's hand over and observing the patterns on the map.

But Yin Tianzun just couldn't discover the existence of the mortal world.

Jiang Lin has now confirmed this.

The existence of this world is more special than that of the Yin and Yang realms.

How special is it?

At least with Jiang Lin's current cultivation level, when he was in the chaos, every world that appeared within his divine sense range was imbued with extraordinary power.

The only difference is the quantity.

But reality is different. Jiang Lin is certain that there is no supernatural power in the world, and there are no gods or ghosts.

All the so-called gods on this entire earth are merely products of ancestor worship, nature worship, and the like.

The problem is, Jiang Lin has already seen all these so-called gods.

He even personally killed several people of extremely high status.

"Is it primarily based on the land of China?"

Jiang Lin muttered to himself.

In this so-called Earth, he has never seen any Western gods, and even in the East, he only knows the gods of the Chinese mainland.

Either the deities shared by the Three Realms and the present world are only found in the land of China, or there are other worlds that also border the present world, which is why there are other deities.

Jiang Lin prefers the former.

In the latter case, within the chaos, the Yin and Yang realms are exceptionally powerful, so much so that even the Yin Heavenly Venerable cannot find reality. What merit do other worlds possess?

Jiang Lin could even reasonably suspect that he himself had once helped in the legends of the gods and spirits that bordered the Divine Continent and the Pure Yang Three Realms.

Otherwise, even the Three Realms would not be able to affect the present world.

It can be said that the present world is a true Shangri-La, a land of peace and tranquility on a macro level.

The reason Jiang Lin came to the mortal world is also very simple.

On the one hand, it's to verify one's own conjecture; on the other hand, after confirming this conjecture, it's to explore why reality is so unique.

There must be something crucial hidden here.

This is Jiang Lin's only option now.

Jiang Lin has fully explored the potential of the Three Realms of Extreme Yin, elevating the entire Three Realms of Extreme Yin to the highest level of cause and effect, thus propelling Jiang Lin to the position of the number one person below the Heavenly Emperor.

However, trying to interfere in the battle between the two Heavenly Emperors is still a bit of wishful thinking.

Therefore, only in the present world, and only in the present world, does Jiang Lin still hold the possible secrets that exist.

Uncovering this secret, or rather, finding something he himself had arranged, and becoming qualified to stand before Yin Tianzun in the shortest possible time—that is what Jiang Lin needs to do.

But where should we begin?
Jiang Lin has now awakened many of his past lives' wisdom, but the most profound memories are still from his past life in this world.

This is definitely a hint.

Moreover, when Jiang Lin came to the mortal world last time, he had already determined that as long as there is extraordinary power, certain things in the mortal world can also unleash power belonging to the mysterious and extraordinary level.

That dazzling sea of ​​stars is enough to make countless astronomers scratch their heads.

Fortunately, there is only one extraordinary person like Jiang Lin in the present world. His ability to reverse Yin and Yang on a large scale is enough to cover up all unscientific phenomena. Otherwise, who knows how chaotic things would have become.

Jiang Lin had no desire to change the present world, let alone to promote the revival of spiritual energy.

He doesn't have the time or energy for that right now.

Moreover, no one has stipulated that science is not a path to success.

Given time, it's hard to say whether so-called rule-based weapons and mathematical weapons will actually emerge.

If it really comes to that...

Jiang Lin's thoughts were somewhat scattered. The familiar yet long-lost world and environment allowed Jiang Lin to relax for the first time.

"Hello, may I get to know you?"

Just then, a sweet voice rang out beside Jiang Lin.

Jiang Lin looked up and saw a typical urban woman with bright, sparkling eyes full of confidence.

At this moment, the beautiful woman stood in front of Jiang Lin, raising her hand gracefully.

"My name is Lü Weiwei."

Jiang Lin's expression shifted, and he raised his hand to shake hands, saying, "Jiang Lin...please sit down?"

Lü Weiwei smiled, sat down in front of Jiang Lin, ran her hand through her hair, and said with a smile, "I'm very curious."

"What are you curious about?"

"Why am I the first one to strike up a conversation with you?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Lin laughed and said, "I'm not a celebrity, so it's normal that no one talks to me, right?"

That would be strange.

Jiang Lin didn't deliberately hide himself, but the difference in their life levels alone was enough to make ordinary people subconsciously ignore his existence.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that the beautiful woman in front of you is the odd one out.

"That's true, but if I were a talent scout, I wouldn't let you get away with it."

Lü Weiwei sized up the man in front of her.

He was about the same age as me, in his early twenties, wearing a jet-black fitted suit without a single blemish. It was an outfit that most people would find difficult to pull off, but on Jiang Lin, it somehow looked like the clothes didn't suit him.

Needless to say, his appearance was stunning. Even though Lü Weiwei considered herself to have some experience, she had never seen anyone as handsome and elegant as the man before her.

His skin, in particular, was even better than hers, which made Lü Weiwei a little jealous.

"Is the young lady's surname Lü?"

Jiang Lin suddenly asked.

"Wow, what an old-fashioned way to address me. The last time someone called me 'girl' was by my grandfather."

Lü Weiwei nodded in agreement with Jiang Lin's question.

Jiang Lin smiled. Having spent so much time in the Three Realms, he still couldn't get used to some of the titles.

However, he didn't mind and continued to ask, "If the young lady's family has a genealogy, it should be possible to trace it back to Jiang Lüwang Gong?"

Lu Weiwei was taken aback for a moment, and subconsciously asked, "How did you know?"

It's because you noticed me, of course...

Jiang Lin smiled but did not answer.

The legend of Shennong Yandi is well-known in the modern world, and he was a real ancient sage.

The descendants of Shennong have multiplied to this day, branching into thirty-six surnames, with Jiang being the first, followed by Lü.

The progenitor of the Lü surname was Jiang Shang (Jiang Ziya), who helped King Wen of Zhou establish his dynasty and rule for eight hundred years.

In the modern world, he is considered the progenitor of military strategists and a highly renowned sage.

Although Jiang Lin had never met him in the Three Realms, he knew that among the sages of the Fire Cloud Cave, there was such a person as Jiang Taigong.

Whether it's the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, or Jiang Shang and Guan Yu, they are all exemplars of humans becoming gods, ultimately products of ancestor worship. The Lü Weiwei before us is clearly a main branch of Jiang Taigong's lineage, though of course, these distinctions aren't so strictly observed nowadays.

It was precisely because of this, and with the blessing of some mysterious ancestor, and the extremely thin connection between their bloodlines, that Lü Weiwei was able to notice Jiang Lin's existence.

This does not mean that there are supernatural beings in the present world.

It was because Jiang Lin appeared in the present world that some extraordinary theories came to fruition.

For example, cause and effect, or bloodline.

To be honest, Jiang Lin and Lü Weiwei in front of him were actually from the same family two thousand years ago.

"You haven't answered me yet."

Seeing that Jiang Lin didn't speak, Lü Weiwei asked him a question.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Lin laughed and said, "I can tell fortunes, do you believe me?"

"It's a really old-fashioned way to get a girl's attention."

Lü Weiwei remained unmoved, even though she knew very well that no matter how old-fashioned the method was, it would be very attractive when used by the man in front of her.

Jiang Lin looked around, took the coffee from the waiter, and smiled at the beautiful woman in front of him, saying, "You're going to Baiyun Temple to burn incense later."

Lü Weiwei's eyes widened.

But he quickly realized what was happening and asked, "You probably can't do something like stalking, and I know that myself, so..."

"Are you a friend of one of my close friends? Or are you someone my parents arranged for me to go on a blind date with?"

"No, neither of them makes much sense. If it were the former, my friends wouldn't have hidden you until now if they knew someone like you. If it were the latter, my parents wouldn't have gone to such lengths."

"But I still don't believe you can really tell fortunes."

She herself denied her own guess.

"It's a very boring thing to ask too many questions."

Jiang Lin stood up and gestured to Lü Weiwei.

"what?"

Lu Weiwei asked subconsciously.

"Of course, we'll go to Baiyun Temple."

Jiang Lin didn't care whether Lü Weiwei would follow him or not. After saying a few words, he walked out of the coffee shop.

After thinking for a moment, Lü Weiwei followed after him.

Neither of them spoke in the taxi.

Lü Weiwei stared at Jiang Lin without any attempt to hide her gaze, as if she could see right through him.

Jiang Lin looked calm and collected as he gazed at the scenery outside the window.

Lü Weiwei was able to notice him because his very existence triggered the realization of the extraordinary theory, thus giving Lü Weiwei a tremor from the level of her bloodline.

But what about cause and effect?
Why are cause and effect also affected?

Jiang Lin was deep in thought.

Perhaps we'll find out the reason soon.

Jiang Lin looked up and saw that Baiyun Temple was already in sight.

Baiyun Temple is undoubtedly a major Buddhist temple open to all, far superior to Jiang Lin's small family temple in the Three Realms.

This is the ancestral home of the Quanzhen Longmen sect, whose history can even be traced back to the Tang Dynasty.

Its history is undeniably long.

“I am here to offer incense on behalf of my grandfather. He is a devout believer in Taoism and reveres Leizu. When he heard that I was in Kyoto on official business, he asked me to offer incense at the Leizu Hall of Baiyun Temple.”

After buying tickets for 50 yuan each at the entrance of Baiyun Temple, Lü Weiwei followed the navigation and said to Jiang Lin beside her.

"What a coincidence, I also need to go and pay my respects to Lei Zu."

Jiang Lin answered with a smile.

Lu Weiwei couldn't tell whether it was a spur-of-the-moment decision or something she had planned in advance, but in any case, having such a handsome man by her side meant she wasn't at a loss.

Baiyun Temple is very large, divided into three sections: east, west, and central.

The central route has the most temples and scenic spots, followed by the western route, and the eastern route has the fewest.

Leizu Temple is located at the deepest part of the eastern route.

Lü Weiwei moved quickly, not stopping at any other temples, and went straight to the Leizu Temple. In her view, this was just a task.

She is an atheist.

Jiang Lin didn't say a word the whole way, just followed in Lü Weiwei's footsteps.

After passing the Sanxing Hall, Cihang Hall, and Zhenwu Hall, you will reach the Leizu Hall.

Further on is the backyard of Baiyun Temple, where the Taoist priests live, and it is generally not open to the public.

Inside the Leizu Temple, Jiang Lin looked at the statue that was a full three meters tall.

The deity had a majestic face, wore a purple-gold crown, held a sword in his left palm, and held a clean cup in his right hand at his chest. He sat cross-legged on a nine-headed phoenix.

Lei Zu, the supreme ruler of Shenxiao Yushu, is said to be the ninth son of Yuqing Yuanshi Zhenwang. Some say he is an incarnation of Yuqing Yuanshi Zhenwang. Others say that Lei Zu and Jiutian Yingyuan Leisheng Puhua Tianzun are the same deity, but they have diverged due to different doctrines of various sects.

However, according to what Jiang Lin saw and heard in the Three Realms, Lei Zu does have a name, but his origins are shrouded in mystery, and his specific background is unknown.

However, it can be confirmed that he and the Nine Heavens Responding to the Origin of Thunder and Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable are both among the Nine Emperors of the Divine Firmament and the holders of the Divine Firmament Jade Pivot.

However, this Thunder Ancestor rarely appears in public; the Divine Firmament Jade Pivot is managed by the Heavenly Venerable of Universal Transformation.

It should be noted that even the Longevity Emperor, who established his own residence and established the Divine Firmament Jade Pivot, would occasionally visit the Divine Firmament Jade Pivot, but this Thunder Ancestor has never shown his face.

This is why Jiang Lin has seen most of the Great Emperors and Immortal Venerables of the Heavenly Court in the Three Realms, but he has never seen this Thunder Ancestor.

Perhaps the only chance to meet this Thunder Ancestor Emperor is at the grand court assembly presided over by the Great Celestial Venerable, but Jiang Lin obviously doesn't have that opportunity.

Mysterious and powerful—that's the impression the gods of Heaven had of this Thunder God.

"What are you looking at?"

Lu Weiwei had already finished offering three incense sticks when she saw Jiang Lin staring intently at the statue of Lei Zu, looking thoughtful.

She couldn't help but remind him, "Although you may be an atheist like me, since you're on someone else's turf, you should at least respect their rules. Looking directly at the gods seems a bit disrespectful."

"It doesn't matter, Lei Zu won't blame me."

Jiang Lin said with a smile, as if he had discovered something. He stepped forward, picked up the offering fruit on the shrine, and ate a peach.

"Hmm, it tastes good. It's not grown in a greenhouse. Would you like to try some?"

Jiang Lin waved to Lü Weiwei.

"you……"

Lü Weiwei glared at her helplessly.

There were many worshippers at the Leizu Temple, all staring in disbelief at Jiang Lin's actions. The Taoist priest on duty was at a loss, clearly encountering this situation for the first time as well.

“Layman, you can’t eat these offerings… Oh, no, you can’t eat them now. We have a special place to distribute the offerings for the day to the laymen, but it’s not time yet… You…”

The Taoist priest on duty snapped out of his daze and hurriedly went up, but he didn't know whether to stop him or not.

Taoism advocates non-action, and even the Quanzhen School, which has many rules, does not impose any restrictions on worshippers and believers. However, Jiang Lin's behavior was quite offensive.

Jiang Lin ignored him, finished eating a peach, and went to get another one, but was stopped by the Taoist priest with a bitter face.

These days, no family is short of fruit to offer to guests, but one shouldn't be so unruly.

"Don't worry, Lei Zu won't blame me."

Jiang Lin chewed on a peach and raised his chin.

"Look, even Lei Zu has agreed."

The Taoist priest subconsciously looked at the statue of Lei Zu, only to find that the statue seemed to have come to life, with incredibly vivid expressions on its face.

The statue of Lei Zu came to life amidst the stunned gazes of the Taoist priests and the crowd of worshippers.

Lei Zu stretched his body slightly, casually put down the cup in his hand, raised his hand, pointed at Jiang Lin, and silently shook his head.

Judging from his expression, he seemed rather helpless, a bit like he didn't know whether to laugh or cry...

(End of this chapter)