If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1172 Xiangyin Divine Path
The path of immortals and gods requires "immortal essence" far more than the path of humanity.

Human emperors would research methods to refine living people into elixirs of immortality.

Immortals will only become more fanatical in their pursuit of methods to obtain the essence of immortality.

In fact, the "Modern True Immortal Method" originating from the Taiyi Xuanmen, whether it is the Heavenly Immortal Method, the Earthly Immortal Method, or the Celestial Master Method for the Ascension of the Primordial Spirit, inherently possesses the method of refining the essence of immortality.

There is no need to specifically study or practice a particular method.

The method for refining the essence of immortality is hidden in the fundamental chapter on "refining Qi and preserving spirit".

As long as an immortal is willing to endure hardship and loneliness, day and night in his cave, he can cultivate his essence, refine his qi, preserve his spirit, harmonize the dragon and tiger, and capture the Kan and fill the Li trigrams. When he is tired, he can recite Taoist scriptures, especially the Huangting Scripture.

They don't need to eat peaches of immortality, nor do they need to eat people, yet they can still achieve immortality.

A few years ago, Xiaoyu encountered a group of wandering immortals celebrating the Queen Mother's birthday at Kunlun Garden. They basically lived such a carefree and uncontested life.

I wake up at a set time every day, meditate and practice breathing exercises for a few hours, then leave my cave to stretch my limbs and do things that cultivate my mind, such as music, painting, planting, raising animals, or alchemy. After a peaceful day, I return to my cave to continue my evening prayers, and finally fall asleep in a state of "emptiness, stillness, and clarity".

I woke up at the same time the next day to do my morning prayers.
Some people genuinely enjoy this kind of life, so they become hermits.

Some people find this kind of life too boring, and even feel physically and mentally exhausted.

They tried every means to get a position in the Heavenly Court or other celestial organizations, and took on celestial or divine posts.

Or they could simply change careers, transforming from pure Taoist immortals into "deities" with divine positions.

Once you get a formal position and join the official ranks, you can receive a bottle of "Peach Juice" from the Heavenly Court.

Yes, the kind of juice that contains a few tenths of a liter of peach flesh.

They could only get "peach-flavored drinks".

The juice is made by diluting a drop of peach juice with water into a whole vat. As for the "flavor," well, that comes from technology and hard work.

Actually, it's already pretty good to have a peach-flavored drink to satisfy your craving.

Most deities of lower or middle ranks have a term of office.

Just like products have an expiration date, it's like graduating from a company at the age of thirty-five.

For example, the celestial soldiers and generals are eliminated at an extremely fast rate. It's already very rare for them to live in the Heavenly Court for a few hundred years; they don't even live to see their "expiration date."

For example, officials like the Gongcao and Fushi would certainly not be able to eat the peaches of immortality. They frequent the Heavenly Palace every day and would never have the opportunity to become demonic. Before becoming demonic, they would definitely break the Heavenly Laws, and if they did, they would naturally be banished to the mortal realm to be reincarnated.

Reincarnation is the "peach of immortality" for the general public.

Of course, relying solely on meditation and breath control, or solely on a fixed salary from the Heavenly Court, are both too extreme.

Immortals and gods are not people with extreme personalities.

For example, the immortals Xiaoyu encountered, such as the Fairy Jiangxiao, in Kunlun Garden.

Didn't they also curry favor with the Queen Mother?
Every year on her birthday, the Queen Mother would share the leftover fruit from the Peach Banquet with them.

Those immortal fruits are certainly not as good as the peaches of immortality, but they contain some substances that promote longevity and the essence of immortality.

It can save them a lot of hardship.

The time saved is entirely at their own disposal, allowing them to truly live a carefree life.

The same applies to immortals and deities.

Besides their fixed salaries, they can also dedicate their spare time to cultivating the orthodox methods of Taoism.

Breaking through to a higher level is out of the question.

At least if you cultivate, you will definitely increase your spiritual power, which will help you prolong your life and achieve immortality.

"If being a god is considered hard, then are ordinary people living in hell?"

Wang E was of high status; he was the "King of Guangfu." Yet, he refused to devote himself to cultivation and study the profound teachings of the esoteric schools, which led to his moral decay and depraved behavior. He deserved to be punished.

"If he finds it too hard, he can leave and give up his position. There are plenty of people who will take his place," Xiaoyu said.

Immortals meditate in stillness, adjusting the balance of Qi and refining their spirit. In their own eyes, this is indeed very arduous.

But their hard work is like that of some big stars in their past lives, who felt that making two million a day filming was so hard.

Grey Crane Master said, "Grand Tutor and Zhang Songzhi, the Divine Mace Protector, are good friends. Grand Tutor must know about Zhang Songzhi's situation."

He cultivated for several lifetimes but failed to become an immortal. In the end, he could only become a spirit official. Was it because he didn't work hard enough?
Sometimes, if you lack natural talent, no amount of effort will help.

In terms of cultivating one's Daoist heart, Wang E is not as good as Zhang Songzhi.

Expecting him to cultivate qi and preserve spirit, and adjust the Kan and fill Li trigrams, might work for a day or two, but he won't be able to sit still for long.

If you can't calm your mind, even forcing yourself to meditate and practice breathing exercises won't be effective; it's a waste of effort.

"The real person has repeatedly spoken up for him, could he be a relative of his?" Xiaoyu asked.

Grey Crane Master's face darkened slightly. "How am I speaking up for him? Every word I've said is the absolute truth."

If I had any selfish motives, it would only be that I was worried you might act rashly and kill King Guangfu, thus once again antagonizing the Heavenly Court.

It wasn't just that they had fallen out with the Heavenly Court.

"The Prince of Guangfu has a divine mandate; killing him now would greatly harm the Grand Tutor's plans to establish his power in the Central Plains, offering no benefit whatsoever."

“That makes sense. Go and retrieve his documents. I will act cautiously, depending on the situation. If he truly intends to die, I will certainly kill him.”

"But there are many ways to kill someone. I will investigate in detail and then determine the sentence," Xiaoyu said.

The Grey Crane Immortal asked, "What if he has any merits? He has ruled Huaiyin for 100,000 years and has a destiny bestowed upon him, which speaks volumes."

“I will investigate this in detail,” Xiaoyu said.

After Grey Crane Immortal left, she called Iron Eagle Warrior Sima Tie to her side and asked, "Commander Sima, your family is a family of historians. In your early years, you even helped the Emperor of Great Zhou compile history."

"How much of the ancestral skills have been preserved in your generation?"

Sima Tie's full beard revealed a look of reminiscence and pride. "Grand Tutor, the Sima family began recording history as early as the reign of Emperor Zhuanxu."

My family still has three tortoise shells the size of bathtubs, with ancient characters on them recording the deeds of Emperor Zhuanxu in his conquest of the Gonggong tribe!
Unfortunately, many of these great immortals attained enlightenment even earlier than Emperor Zhuanxu.

"Some things are more effective when asked directly by a spiritual master than when researching ancient history."

His pride was replaced by helplessness. "There's no future in compiling history! In the early years, before His Majesty the Emperor passed away, there were several court historians who were responsible for recording His Majesty's daily life. However, they violated some taboo and were executed along with their entire clans."

It offers no future and could easily lead to your death.

My family hasn't done this kind of work for generations.

After joining the army, his family immediately produced a famous general, Sima Cuo, who became rich and famous throughout the country.

Xiaoyu said, "Even if you don't work in this industry, you should at least understand the situation inside, right?"
I now need to summon historians to write the history of the Qin Dynasty and the late emperor. Do you have anyone you can recommend?

Sima Tie's eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "Since the Grand Tutor wants to compile the history of Qin, why find outsiders? My Sima family specializes in this, and we will certainly not fail in our mission."

Xiao Yu said, "Haven't you stopped being historians for several generations?"

Sima Tiedao: "I have not been a historian for many years, but my skills as a historian have never become rusty."

Xiao Yu looked doubtful. "General, are you planning to lay down your sword and pick up your pen again?"

—Are you sure you can do it? Looking at your burly appearance, how many books have you read? How many drops of ink and how many liters of fat are in your belly?
Sima Tiedao said, “This humble general certainly cannot meet the Grand Tutor’s needs, but my grandson Sima Tan is a good-for-nothing since childhood. Cough cough, what I mean is that he does not like martial arts, but prefers to study the ‘classics, histories, philosophical works’ and can become a historian.”

If Xiaoyu knew that Sima Tan was Sima Qian's father, and that Sima Qian was taught by Sima Tan, she would not have hesitated at all.

But Sima Tie in front of him seemed too unreliable. "Grand Tutor, this is Wang E's document." At this moment, Grey Crane Master, who had gone to Xianyang to retrieve the investigation files, returned.

Xiao Yu took the document and stuffed it into his sleeve, then asked, "General Sima, where is your grandson Sima Tan now?"

Sima Tie looked excited and said, "He's in the mansion. If the Grand Tutor wants to see him, I'll summon him immediately."

Xiaoyu said, "No need, let's go to the Sima residence."

She only needed to meet Sima Tan once to judge whether he was a good-for-nothing or a hidden gem based on his appearance and demeanor.

Grand Tutor Yu, carrying Sima Tie, moved with such speed that it was as if he were teleporting.

Sima Tie was momentarily confused before he arrived at his own front door.

"General Sima, you weren't exaggerating after all. Your family's ancestral skills haven't been wasted!"

Grand Tutor Yu stood with his hands behind his back at the gate, gazing at the "family atmosphere" of the Sima family.

It was actually a column of air, shimmering green like a bundle of bamboo slips.

It not only exudes nobility, but also has the aura of a great writer.

"Despite producing several renowned generals, your family tradition remains steeped in scholarship, lacking much of the fierce spirit of a warrior. Besides martial arts training, you have truly dedicated yourselves to your studies; no wonder your family has been able to maintain this tradition for so many years."

Sima Tie was stunned for a moment before he realized that Grand Tutor Yu was observing the qi.

Then a look of joy appeared on his face. "How could I dare to lie before the Grand Tutor? Please wait a moment, I will call them out to pay their respects to you."

He planned to open the main gate wide and have his whole family kneel at the entrance to welcome Grand Tutor Yu.

"No need for that trouble." Xiaoyu led him through a side door into the main hall and told him to just call Sima Tan over.

Judging from the atmosphere surrounding the household, many members of the Sima family at this time were qualified to compile the history of Qin.

Sima Tie didn't hesitate much and immediately recommended his grandson.

If it weren't for selfish motives, Sima Tan must have had extraordinary abilities.

"Your subject, Sima Tan, pays his respects to Grand Tutor Yu!"

A short while later, Sima Tan rushed into the main hall with a nervous expression. As soon as he entered, he knelt down and performed a full-fledged kneeling ceremony from a distance.

Xiaoyu was somewhat surprised; Sima Tan was even younger than she had imagined.

She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a slender build and bright, spirited eyes, yet she couldn't hide the panic in them.

Xiao Yu woke him up first and got straight to the point: "Sima Tan, I want to revise the history of Qin, and your grandfather recommended you. Do you think you are capable of taking on this important task?"

Upon hearing that it was about compiling the history of Qin, Sima Tan's panic and unease vanished, and he became energetic.

"Grand Tutor, I dare not boast that I can compile a perfect history, but I will certainly dedicate my life to completing this mission."

"To dedicate one's entire life to it, good! With such determination, there's no fear of failing!"

Xiaoyu was very satisfied with his attitude.

Skills and experience can be learned and increased; the real problem is the lack of firm belief.

"Sima Tan, I hereby appoint you as the Grand Historian, responsible for compiling the History of the Great Qin Empire."

I only have one requirement: authenticity!

You don't need to hide anything; you can write about anything that actually happened.

For example, the late emperor, or this Grand Tutor, can all be written about, written in detail, and even negative evaluations from outsiders can be written about.

You are free to consult the imperial archives.

—At least give this Grand Tutor a "Basic Annals", otherwise you'll be letting down the Grand Tutor's kindness in promoting me!

Sima Tan was overjoyed and immediately bowed, saying, "Thank you for your trust, Grand Tutor. The History of Qin is my only mission in this life."

If I cannot complete it, my sons and grandsons will surely follow in my footsteps until a fair and impartial history is published.

The next morning, in Xiangyin, more than 20,000 li away from Xianyang.

The sky was overcast, and it was drizzling.

Xiaoyu walked along the banks of the Xiang River, holding an oil-paper umbrella.

Behind the high, green willow-lined embankment lies a hundred miles of fertile farmland, mostly rice paddies.

The rice is lush and green, growing vigorously.

Although it was raining, many farmers were still busy in the fields.

Some villagers, wearing straw hats and barefoot with their trousers rolled up high, were repairing the field ridges to allow more water to flow from the ditches into the fields.
Some farm women, their hair still wet, bent over, searching intently for insects on the rice stalks.

There were no pesticides in this era; catching insects could only be done manually.

People were working in almost every field.

"Girl, what are you looking at? Are you from out of town?"

Xiaoyu watched the people in the fields from the embankment, and the people in the fields could see her too. When she reached the intersection, she met an old man squatting on the edge of the field.

The old man, his face wrinkled, leaned against a carrying pole and smoked his pipe.

Xiao Yu's eyes flickered slightly, and she smiled as she said in the local Xiangyin dialect, "Dad, you have a good eye!"
Even if I dress like a woman from Hunan and speak the Hunan dialect, you can still tell I'm from out of town.

The old man lowered his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing in them. "Hehe, girl, apart from dressing like a Hunan woman, you don't resemble one at all."

Then he asked, "What are you looking at? You seem so engrossed. What's so interesting?"

"Dad, you have such good eyesight, so tell me, what is my identity and what is my background?"

"Now that you've guessed who I am, you naturally know what I'm looking at," Xiaoyu said with a smile.

The old man raised his head slightly, and his aged eyes, hidden beneath his straw hat, gleamed with wisdom.

"Girl, you look like a noble lady from the Central Plains. Could you be from an official family, visiting the countryside to observe the people's conditions?"

Xiao Yu gave a thumbs up, "Grandpa, you have insight! I am an imperial censor personally appointed by the Second Emperor, and I have come to the countryside to observe the implementation of the 'Ten-Year New Policy'."

"It's actually a high-ranking official! I'm so sorry for my disrespect." The old man quickly stood up and bowed to her.

Then he grinned and said, "Your Excellency, the news of the new policies issued by the court has indeed reached Xiangyin these past two days. We common people all know about it and are grateful for the Emperor's boundless grace!"

"Sir, can you promise to comply with the imperial decree and exempt land tax starting this year?" Xiao Yu asked.

The old man said, "The county magistrate would certainly not dare to disobey the imperial edict from the court."

"Why wouldn't they dare? Corrupt officials are incredibly audacious!" Xiaoyu said.

A smug look flashed across the old man's deeply lined face. "Your Excellency, you may not know this, but in Xiangyin, no matter how bold the officials are, they dare not act recklessly."

Reckless behavior will inevitably arouse public resentment, and once public resentment arises, it will surely alarm the gods.

"What people do, Heaven is watching, and the gods are in charge!"

"Oh, so the gods here are so powerful."

Xiaoyu nodded slightly. "No wonder. They dare to come up to me on their own initiative. How could they not be impressive?"

(End of this chapter)