Others follow advice and imitate celebrities, but you start by pretending to be a god?

"Great Harmony, Equality, Humanity, Status..."

One of the scholars murmured to himself, deeply moved, as if he had seen the ideal world described by Fang Han, which was the true realm of Great Harmony.

"Is such a society really possible?" someone asked incredulously.

Fang Han nodded firmly: "Of course we can do it. As long as we work together and continue to develop more like-minded people, we will be able to achieve this goal sooner or later."

"Moreover... as far as I know, in the far west, there is a country called 'Chech' that has already made initial progress in this regard."

"There really is a place of great harmony in the world?" Upon hearing this, the other scholars immediately showed expressions of disbelief.

"That's right, Chechi has already achieved the initial goal of Datong."

"Moreover, the so-called 'divine delicacies of the Tang Dynasty' that we consume now actually all originated from Chechi, only they have been repackaged and given the name of the Tang Dynasty in order to win over the hearts of the people!"

Fang Han further revealed this fact.

Fang Han was originally a "seed" brought from the modern world by Lin Nan, and he grew up with Jia Ri's companionship. Back then, when he was in dire straits, he suddenly awakened his memories, as if he were in hell.

However, after overcoming the initial hardships, Fang Han, as a mere "house slave," quietly accumulated experience and gradually grew to where he is today.

Fang Han is now a "xiucai" (a scholar who passed the imperial examinations at the county level), and a young xiucai at that, making him an outstanding figure even among his peers.

It was precisely because of this change in identity that Fang Han began to embark on his "great undertaking." This so-called great undertaking was to change society, step by step, first by quietly spreading his ideas and attracting and developing groups of like-minded people.

Fang Han deeply understood the principle that many hands make light work and the importance of unity. Therefore, he decided to start by spreading his ideas.

As he grew up, Fang Han gradually discovered that this world was different from the Tang Dynasty he remembered. Initially, he noticed the unusual nature of this Tang Dynasty when he saw things like sweet potatoes and corn.

Later, after making inquiries from various sources, he finally confirmed that he was indeed in the Tang Dynasty, but this Tang Dynasty was the Heavenly Tang Dynasty described in Journey to the West!
When Fang Han first discovered this, his faith nearly crumbled, and his long-held beliefs almost went to waste. After all, in a normal, ordinary Tang Dynasty, there was still an opportunity for change; but in a Tang Dynasty filled with immortals, Buddhas, demons, and monsters, how could change be achieved?
Moreover, the emperor here is said to be ordained by Heaven; and many things in the world are also predetermined...

In this situation, Fang Han couldn't think of any way to change things, and almost lost his composure.

Fortunately, he later learned of the existence of "Che Chi". As he explored more and more information about Che Chi, Fang Han became increasingly certain of Che Chi's special nature.

After learning about Chechi, Fang Han's mindset gradually stabilized. In his view, if a small country like Chechi, dominated by a demonic national advisor, could be changed by a time traveler, then why couldn't the Tang Dynasty be changed?

From that time on, Fang Han inquired about Che Chi's whereabouts while gradually strengthening his own beliefs.

Just like this "Great Harmony" theory, he borrowed it from Chechi and used it to establish his own "Great Harmony Society," often using "Chechi" as a pretext to attract people to join the society.

The concept of "equality for all, dignity and personality" proposed under the framework of "Great Harmony" was specifically put forward by Fang Han in response to the concept of Great Harmony. In this way, Fang Han's ideas spread even more rapidly.

This is partly due to the appeal of modern equality systems, and partly due to the historical significance of "Chechi".

Chechi was not unknown in the Tang Dynasty. On the contrary, the story of the Grand Preceptor of Chechi riding a dragon was still circulating throughout the Tang Dynasty.

As some palace guards returning from Chechi spread the word, the strange sights within Chechi also began to circulate in a small circle.

It is no secret that the so-called "divine objects" of the Tang Dynasty actually originated from Chechi. Anyone with a certain level of exposure to the local culture would know this, and that those crops bearing the name of the Tang Dynasty were merely self-aggrandizement by the Tang court.

It was precisely because of Che Chi's reputation that Fang Han was able to spread his "Datong Society" ideas much more smoothly.

Today, Fang Han's Datong Society has secretly recruited hundreds of impoverished students! Moreover, this number is growing rapidly.

The ideals of universal harmony and equality for all are indeed applicable to countless farmers and the poor.

Fang Han was waiting for the Datong Society to grow stronger and for a suitable opportunity to truly emerge from the shadows and develop openly.

……

“In Chenjia Village outside Chang’an, there was a child prodigy named Chen Maosheng. He could speak at the age of one, read at the age of two, and compose poems at the age of three. He thus gained the appreciation and attention of the Tang Emperor, but gradually faded into obscurity!”

—Wannian County Annals

As the child prodigy's fame gradually faded, such a record appeared in the county annals of Wannian County, outside Chang'an City.

Chen Maosheng, the child prodigy who was once famous and whose name even reached the imperial palace in Chang'an, has now faded into obscurity and his fame has faded.

Even poets who visited Chen Maosheng in the county eventually wrote an article about him.

"The Prodigy: The Tragedy of Maosheng." "Chen Maosheng, a resident of Wannian, came from a family of farmers. When Zhongyong was one year old, his family had seen writing materials, and suddenly he cried out for them. His father was surprised and borrowed some from a neighbor. Maosheng immediately wrote a four-line poem and even wrote his own name. He used the poem to support his father..."

The Tang emperor was moved by the poem and subsequently stopped blindly following and paying attention to so-called "child prodigies".

This article, lamenting that a child prodigy had become just an ordinary person, quickly spread and even reached the ears of the Tang Emperor.

Chen Maosheng's name gradually faded from public memory.

So, what exactly happened to Chen Maosheng?
"Master, why didn't you take me with you when you went to Chechi?"

Chen Maosheng looked at the Taoist priest in front of him, his words tinged with resentment.

The Taoist priest before him was none other than Li Chunfeng, a former Taoist official of the Tang Dynasty who later went to Chechi to "seek the Tao" and then resigned in a state of panic upon his return.

Li Chunfeng became Chen Maosheng's master.

At this moment, Li Chunfeng looked at Chen Maosheng and shook his head slightly, saying, "Maosheng, you have not yet severed your worldly ties. Moreover, the reason I took you as my disciple was to leave behind a lineage in the Tang Dynasty. If I take you with me to Chechi, wouldn't the lineage in the Tang Dynasty be broken?"

Li Chunfeng said, "My disciple, you should stay here in the Tang Dynasty. Or you can take on disciples later and then go to Chechi to find your master."

Li Chunfeng came to see Chen Maosheng specifically because of his reputation as a child prodigy.

After meeting him, he found that Chen Maosheng was somewhat unfathomable, and since Chen Maosheng still had worldly ties, he had no intention of taking Chen Maosheng as his disciple and turned back to Chang'an.

Who could have predicted that Chen Maosheng would do such a thing? He turned around and persuaded his father to leave the peasant register and move the whole family to Chang'an to start a business. In Chang'an, fate arranged for him to meet Li Chunfeng again.

This time, upon their reunion, Chen Maosheng pulled out all the stops. He knew Li Chunfeng's prowess well and was determined to become his disciple. To achieve this goal, he racked his brains and tried every possible way to please Li Chunfeng.

Moreover, Chen Maosheng also mysteriously revealed some information. He claimed that he had some connection with the "Grand Master Chechi," and his eyes flickered as he spoke, his tone exuding mystery, as if he were hiding some great secret.

Looking at the persistent and somewhat mysterious young man before him, Li Chunfeng's heart wavered. Furthermore, Chen Maosheng's relentless pursuit and undeniable intelligence—a mind seemingly brimming with boundless wisdom, radiating a vibrant energy as if his very being were emanating a divine light—ultimately led Li Chunfeng to accept Chen Maosheng as his disciple.

Chen Maosheng was once renowned as a child prodigy, but why did he gradually fade into obscurity? It turns out that after becoming a disciple of Li Chunfeng, Chen Maosheng secluded himself behind the scenes, devoting himself entirely to seeking enlightenment and spiritual cultivation. He was diligent and hardworking, immersing himself daily in the world of spiritual practice, completely indifferent to the worldly struggles and fame.

His father, a simple and honest man, began trading in Chang'an City at Chen Maosheng's behest. Initially, business was not smooth, but the father and son worked together, and with the father's diligence and Chen Maosheng's occasional guidance, the business gradually improved. As time went on, the business flourished, not only solving their livelihood problems but also providing them with a considerable amount of money to support Chen Maosheng's pursuit of Taoism and spiritual cultivation.

During this time, Chen Maosheng devoted himself to Taoist cultivation under Li Chunfeng's guidance. Time flew by, and he gradually grew from an ignorant toddler into a young boy. Dressed in a Taoist robe, he stood tall and straight, with delicate features, a truly handsome and dashing young Taoist novice. Walking down the street, he always attracted the attention of many.

Days passed, and Li Chunfeng felt he had imparted all his knowledge to Chen Maosheng, giving him more than enough. At this moment, a thought arose in his mind—to leave the Tang Dynasty and return to Chechi. Moreover, he intended to stay in Chechi forever, never to return.

Upon hearing this news, Chen Maosheng was filled with reluctance. After all, Li Chunfeng was his master, who had given him a second chance at life. Moreover, going to Chechi offered the hope of seeking refuge with that mysterious "time-traveling senior." It was said that the environment in Chechi was far superior to that of the Tang Dynasty, and that cultivating there might lead to greater breakthroughs. This thought swirled in his mind, making him somewhat tempted.

However, Chen Maosheng also harbored his own pride. As a "time traveler," he had always possessed his own sense of arrogance. He thought to himself, if his predecessors, who were also time travelers, were to do so well, wouldn't it be too shameful and make him seem too greedy for personal gain? This thought took root in his mind, ultimately causing him to abandon the idea of ​​following Li Chunfeng.

So, after Li Chunfeng left, Chen Maosheng remained in the Tang Dynasty. But soon, he encountered new troubles.

"Alas, my cultivation has been so slow these past few years!" Chen Maosheng couldn't help but sigh. He recalled what his master had once said: "In Chechi, the rules are perfected, and the Grand Master even established a separate Daoist court. Under the protection of the Daoist court, all cultivators naturally achieve twice the results with half the effort."

But looking at himself, his progress in cultivating in the Tang Dynasty over the past few years had been slow. After careful consideration, he felt that while his limited talent might be a factor, the bigger reason was related to his surrounding environment. Although the Tang Dynasty was prosperous, it still lagged far behind Chechi in terms of cultivation resources and support.

Amidst his distress, Chen Maosheng's thoughts began to drift away. He pondered to himself, "To put it bluntly, if I were to devote myself entirely to secluded cultivation, even if everything went smoothly, it might take hundreds of years to have any hope of becoming an immortal. But such a 'humble immortality' is not what I desire. When I emerge from seclusion, the world will have undergone tremendous changes, and everything will be different. Where will I go then?"

He then thought, "No wonder my master and my senior brother Yuan Tiangang both entered the court as officials at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty. It turns out they used their official careers to cultivate, which naturally led to their perfect merit. And that senior Grand Master, as the Grand Master of Chechi, must have also benefited greatly in his cultivation."

"In truth, aside from unorthodox and demonic methods that can lead to quick success, those methods are too risky, and a slight misstep could lead to utter ruin. If you want quick success without going down the wrong path, another way is to enter the world and truly get involved in worldly affairs. Perhaps, one day you can ride the wind and achieve a leap in your cultivation."

Chen Maosheng had been cultivating under Li Chunfeng for many years, and Li Chunfeng regarded him as a true successor, imparting all his knowledge to him. Therefore, although Chen Maosheng's cultivation level had not yet increased, his knowledge had grown considerably. He learned many unknown secrets, knew many methods and techniques, and had some understanding of all sorts of strange and unusual knowledge.

"Now that the Tang Dynasty has passed through its original period of turmoil and the situation has become more peaceful, it is difficult to borrow the fortune of supporting the emperor for cultivation. What should we do?" Chen Maosheng became more and more worried as he thought about it, feeling as if his path of cultivation had reached a dead end.

At this moment, feeling his cultivation progress was extremely slow, Chen Maosheng couldn't help but have other thoughts. He thought, "Why don't I learn from that great master and change the appearance of the Tang Dynasty again?" Once this thought appeared, it grew wildly in his heart like weeds, and was difficult to suppress.

Of course, he didn't even consider methods of evil or unorthodox cultivation. After all, while such methods might lead to rapid advancement in the early stages, they were inevitably flawed and hindered the attainment of the Great Dao. He didn't want to sacrifice his future path of cultivation for the sake of temporary speed.

Besides this type of method, another way to achieve the Great Dao and potentially ascend to heaven in one step is to rely on the nation's fortune and the luck of humanity. The more Chen Maosheng thought about it, the more feasible this direction seemed, and the stronger his resolve became.

In truth, Chen Maosheng was a modern man and had never had any fondness for the feudal era. On the contrary, as time went by, his nostalgia for modernity grew stronger, and his memories of it became clearer. The longer he stayed here, the stronger his "impulse" became—to change this era and steer it in the direction he envisioned. (End of Chapter)