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

Chapter 1307 Too Useless

Upon hearing this, the old gatekeeper's eyes flashed with wariness, and he asked, "Old Taoist priest, you are not a local, nor even a Qin native. Where did you come from?"

Old Taoist Baihe was taken aback for a moment, then said, "This humble Taoist is indeed from out of town, what's wrong?"

The old gatekeeper took two steps back, his wariness growing stronger, and he even opened his mouth as if to shout.

The old Taoist priest Baihe was startled, not knowing where he had gone wrong.

He immediately added, "You are the gatekeeper, so you need to check my ordination certificate?"

"This humble Taoist priest is preparing to travel west to Guanzhong to visit a friend in Xianyang."

"You're going to Guanzhong?" The old gatekeeper first took the travel permit and looked at it carefully. Then he asked a few questions to the soldiers next to him before returning it with a big smile, holding the permit in both hands and bowing.

Then he placed his broken chair behind the old Taoist priest Baihe and vigorously wiped it a few times with his sleeve.

"Master, please have a seat. I was ignorant and offended you." The old gatekeeper was extremely respectful.

The old Taoist priest Baihe was surprised, but he sat down without showing any emotion and asked, "Why were you so arrogant at first and so respectful now? Why did you call me 'Immortal Master'?"

The old gatekeeper crouched down beside him, his face full of obsequiousness.

“If the Taoist priest doesn’t even know this ‘Letter to the People,’ he must have just entered the Central Plains today.”

It has only just come under the rule of my Great Qin, at least today.

Therefore, the villain is wary, thinking you are a cultivator from the Fulong Court.

Now that we've confirmed your identity, we're guessing you probably just arrived in the Central Plains today.

I then understood that you are a celestial master who can fly and traverse the earth, descending directly from the heavens to the gate of Chenliu.

It's probably just arrived.

The old Taoist priest Baihe was alarmed: This fellow has already lost five spirits, how can he still be so clever and quick-witted?
Then he realized that this chess piece was arranged by the ancestor, and he felt relieved.

—The patriarch was truly a saint! To be considered by the patriarch to have "some potential" must mean one possesses extraordinary talent.

It's just that this guy is such a disappointment; he wasted such a good background in the mundane world.

"You guessed right. I am actually an immortal. I just came down from heaven and am preparing to help a few people with affinity," said the old Taoist Baihe with a smile.

The old gatekeeper was so excited that he was about to kneel down and kowtow, but the old Taoist priest Baihe raised his hand to stop him, saying, "Don't make a fuss! It's your good fortune that you can recognize me."

You've invited too many people to share this good fortune, leaving yourself with almost nothing.

The old gatekeeper immediately realized what was happening, and still squatting on the ground, he pleaded in a low voice, "This disciple is devout in metaphysics and pays homage to the Three Pure Ones. Please, Master, guide this disciple."

— Dog shit's devout metaphysics, paying homage to the Three Pure Ones.

You've lost all five divine powers, your immortal aura has been completely worn away, and even your immortal bones have been corroded by the allure of wine and women.

The old Taoist priest Baihe muttered to himself, then casually asked, "Why didn't you drink today?"

The old gatekeeper instinctively smacked his lips a few times and said, "I've been holding back for a long time, but I have to recite the 'Proclamation to the People' later, and I can't be late for my job!"

The old Taoist priest Baihe pointed at the "proclamation to the people" and asked, "Where did this proclamation to the people come from? What is its purpose?"

The old gatekeeper explained, "The immortals have long lived in heaven and never set foot in the mortal world. They are unaware that the court has now added a new minister named 'Xinwen' to its 'Nine Ministers' list."

The news bureau even established a special "Propaganda Department" to enlighten the people and promote the right path.

This proclamation to the people came from the Ministry of Literature and Propaganda and was a famous work by a renowned author.

For example, this article, "The Fall of the Great Immortal Yinzi," comes from Lu Jia, a great Confucian scholar from Guanzhong.

The great scholar wrote a famous article, which was quickly typeset and printed by the government office.

In half a day, thousands of copies of the "Proclamation to the People" can be photocopied.

Previously, the proclamation to the people had to be sent from Xianyang to every county under the rule of the Qin Dynasty.

Now Chenliu also has a 'Propaganda Department'.

All we need is for the Xianyang Cultural Office to send us the text via Taoist magic, and we can engrave and print it ourselves, then distribute it to nearby small counties.

Efficiency has increased more than tenfold compared to before.

The old Taoist priest Baihe asked dryly, "A gatekeeper like you, after receiving the proclamation to the people, would you read it aloud in public?"

The old gatekeeper nodded and said, "When evening comes, once the people have finished their work, they will bring their rice bowls and come to the city gate to listen to my storytelling."

I can improvise freely; I don't have to follow the script exactly.

But I can't just make things up; I have to read the proclamation to the people carefully several times.

The old Taoist priest Baihe felt a little dizzy. "From the time the Xianyang court wrote the first story to when you were giving it a sermon at the city gate, how long would it take?"

"It won't be long. The Xianyang court supports hundreds of scholars. They can write articles without even having to think about them in their minds; half an hour is more than enough."

Then the Azure Phoenix messenger flew over the Chenliu County government office and dropped a scroll of books, which I could then preach to the people that very day.

The whole process will only take two or three days at most.

"If it needs to be urgent, even the major case that happened in Xianyang last night can be told to the people this evening," the old gatekeeper said.

—That damned Yu Fengxian, she's already flipped the table!

While cursing inwardly, the old Taoist priest Baihe also felt a sense of wariness and fear.

—Yu Fengxian is too ruthless. I have to be careful. I can't leave any evidence that could cause the name "White Crane Boy" to be passed down through the ages and be despised and cursed by millions of people.

"Li Shiqi, what are you doing? The notice was posted on the wall this morning, and the sun is about to set. Why don't you hurry up and tell us the ending of 'The Rebel Yinzi'?" someone shouted from not far away.

The old Taoist priest turned his head and saw a man with his sleeves rolled up, holding a ceramic bowl, shoveling rice into his mouth.

After taking a bite of rice, he irritably tapped the rim of his bowl with his chopsticks, "Clang, clang, clang, clang~~"

As he tapped, he kept urging, "Li Shiqi, stop dawdling and start lecturing!"

Just as the man was shouting a few words, a number of more people arrived one after another.

Some people come empty-handed, just waiting to hear the story.

Some people carried teapots, some smoked pipes, and many more carried bowls like the men.

There was also a woman, who was tall and strong, carrying a heavy carrying pole, and ran out of the city using her light-footed skills.

As she ran, she shouted, "Dinner's ready! Dinner's ready! Neighbors, Gao Yang the Drunkard is about to start his talk, come and eat!"

Freshly braised pork broth over rice, only five copper coins! A big bowl for just five copper coins!

The old gatekeeper stared at the old Taoist priest with the white crane and whispered, "Immortal, please take me away. I am willing to abandon everything and follow you to learn the Tao."

The old Taoist priest Baihe came to enlighten him, but he didn't want to do it in public and make it known to everyone.

Moreover, he only enlightened him, not took him away.

If he is taken away, who will uphold the true dragon?

"Finish what you're doing right now. We can talk privately when you have some free time," said the old Taoist priest Baihe.

Helpless, the old gatekeeper could only take the "Announcement to the People: The Hidden Secrets of Yin Zi - The Final Chapter" and climb onto a rickety wooden table at the foot of the city wall.

He simply cleared his throat, and the once noisy city gate immediately fell silent, with only the sound of chewing audible.

Before I begin to tell the story of the traitor Yin Yinzi's fate, I have something to announce.

The old gatekeeper, with a solemn expression and a voice as loud and authoritative as possible, said: "Our great Qin state's Lord Wei has unfortunately passed away. The mountains and rivers grieve, and heaven and earth weep."

The Jade Emperor, the Great Heavenly Venerable, issued a divine decree: "The Imperial Commandant, throughout his life, has been loyal and devoted, working tirelessly for the nation's revitalization, day and night in his public service. His foresight, strategic vision, and plans for national stability (followed by two hundred words) are thus bestowed upon him the title of Great Emperor of Hengshan, one of the Five Sacred Mountains." "Ah, even after being murdered by the traitor Yin Yinzi, the Imperial Commandant has received a divine decree from the Heavenly Emperor! Truly, good deeds are rewarded."

The death of Guowei Liao was hardly news.

However, the appointment of Guowei Liao as the Lord of Hengshan was indeed officially announced to the people of the Central Plains this time.

The local people simply remarked that Guowei Liao was a good person who was rewarded, and they did not wonder why he was named the Great Emperor of Hengshan or where the original Great Emperor of Hengshan had gone.

Well, obviously, the old gatekeeper had told the story of "Chong Heihu neglecting his duties, accepting bribes to accumulate millions of merits, and finally being punished by heaven."

"Stop making noise, everyone be quiet and listen to me!" the old gatekeeper shouted, quieting everyone down again. He continued, "That was just a decree from Heaven, that is, a holy decree issued by the Jade Emperor of Heaven."

Regarding the passing of the late Grand Commandant, the second emperor of the dynasty also issued an imperial edict.

The Second Emperor announced that the State Military Commander had reformed military tactics and formations, creating 3,479 different formations throughout his life, along with 72 sets of training methods and authoring 36 volumes of military treatises.

His representative work, "Wei Liao Zi," was praised by the Grand Tutor as the foremost classic of military strategy.

With such great talent and unparalleled merit in protecting the land, he should be honored as the 'Saint of Humanity'!

"The old Grand Commandant has long been known as the 'Sage of War,' and now that he has received the imperial decree, it is well-deserved."

Many ordinary people just took it for granted and didn't feel it strongly.

The old Taoist priest Baihe was deeply shocked.

Upon hearing the old gatekeeper read out the imperial edict bestowing the title of "Sage of Humanity and Military Strategy" upon the Imperial Guard, he was immediately seized by a powerful impulse and felt a very strong connection.

First, he directly felt the power of this imperial edict—by borrowing the power of humanity, it conferred the second divine office upon the State Commandant.

The imperial edict of the Great Qin Dynasty was not an empty promise, nor was it a self-indulgent act.

The divine position of "Humanity's Sage of War" already exists and has been recognized by humanity and the Way of Heaven.

It wasn't that "Great Qin" recognized it, but rather that humanity accepted Great Qin's imperial decree.

Even if the Qin Dynasty falls, even if the new emperor dislikes Guowei Liao and announces the revocation of the imperial edicts once issued by the Qin court, Guowei Liao's divine position as the "Sage of Humanity and Military Strategy" will still exist.

Immediately afterwards, the old Taoist Baihe suddenly realized the direct reason why Yin Yinzi had failed his tribulation.

He killed a "human saint" recognized by both humanity and the will of Heaven, and he did so twice.

Their sins are heinous, they deserve divine punishment.

In the eyes of the Heavenly Dao of the Pangu world, there is no such thing as "equality for all".

Killing a mortal state military officer, killing a military officer of the three ducal states of Qin, and killing a human saint—the crimes and their significance are completely different.

Just like Xiaoyu's killings, when she killed the Xiongnu generals, she even gained a lot of merit in secret. But when she killed Zuo Guli Wang Xiuge, her sins became heavy. When she killed Jin Xian, her crimes were even more heinous.

The different identities of those killed lead to different judgments of sin from Heaven.

Yu Fengxian's bestowal of the title "Humanity's Military Saint" upon Guo Weiliao was not merely a reward, but a means to kill Yin Yinzi!
By bestowing the title of Military Sage upon the State Commandant, the Qin Dynasty under the Ying clan undoubtedly suffered a significant loss of imperial fortune.

She would rather suffer eight hundred casualties herself than lose a thousand enemies—to make Yin Yinzi guilty of heinous crimes and deserving of death.

"Yu Fengxian is too ruthless. The Great Qin Dynasty is about to perish, yet she still wastes the dynasty's fortune by insisting on taking Yin Yinzi down with her."

The effect that Grand Tutor Yu wanted was achieved.

Even the old Taoist priest Baihe was startled by her courage and determination.

Although everyone knows that the Qin Dynasty has little fortune left, even if Yu Fengxian goes mad, she can only drag a limited number of great immortals down to hell with her.

But nobody wants to be one of the "limited few".

For example, Yin Yin Zi.

If given the chance to choose again, he would definitely not use his own annihilation to consume a portion of the Qin Dynasty's fortune.

It's not worth it at all.

"It is now 5:45 PM, everyone should go home. The rest of the 'Proclamation to the People' will be delivered tomorrow or the day after, according to the old custom."

As the old gatekeeper struck the gavel, tonight's "Evening Storytelling Session" came to a close.

Many people, carrying empty bowls, walked back with satisfied expressions.

Many people walked along discussing the matter of "the sinful immortal Yinzi" with those around them.

"Master, I have finished my errands for today. You haven't eaten yet, how about I invite you to a restaurant for a couple of drinks?"

After get off work, the old gatekeeper sought out the old Taoist priest Baihe once again.

He said he wanted to invite the "immortal master" for a drink, but actually he couldn't hold back any longer.

Now that the word "alcohol" is mentioned, a look of longing appears on his face, and he keeps swallowing.

Old Taoist Baihe knew that he had drunk so much that his five spirits had wandered away, so naturally he would not go drinking with him anymore.

He shook his head and said, "This humble Taoist does not drink with the dead."

After saying that, he turned and walked out of the city.

The old gatekeeper was startled and quickly chased after him, asking, "Old Immortal, what do you mean? I am clearly alive, not dead."

As the old Taoist priest Baihe strolled eastward, he said calmly, "Humans have five spirits, which reside in the five internal organs and are called 'soul, spirit, will, and will'."

To attain the Great Luo, one must cultivate Qi and nourish the spirit, refine the spirit to return to emptiness, and refine the five spirits into 'the ever-flowing five Qi'.

You may appear to be able to speak and run, but you are devoid of spirit; you are a living dead.

"In a few more days, when your vital energy and spirit are completely depleted, you won't even be able to remain a living dead."

The old gatekeeper was horrified. He grabbed the sleeve of the old Taoist priest Baihe and pleaded, "How can I avert disaster? Please, old immortal, give me some guidance."

The old Taoist priest Baihe shook his head, said nothing, and kept walking forward with his head down.

The old gatekeeper followed behind him, pleading incessantly.

After walking thirty or forty miles, the old gatekeeper was panting heavily and was about to give up. His pace slowed down, and he fell far behind the old Taoist priest Baihe.

The old Taoist priest Baihe sighed and said, "You can't even withstand this little test. You've really exhausted your good fortune."

If you don't pass the test, you can forget about getting any magical opportunities from him.

The old gatekeeper, bewildered, ran to the old Taoist priest again, knelt down, and kowtowed repeatedly, pleading, "Gods, have mercy and save me!"

The old Taoist priest Baihe lost interest in lecturing him and said bluntly, "The Primordial Heavenly Venerable commanded you to assist the Holy Emperor in establishing an imperial dynasty and saving the common people. Why are you indulging in wine and willingly degenerating yourself?"

He used Taoist mantras, similar to the Buddhist lion's roar.

But after he shouted, the old gatekeeper was still confused and didn't understand.

The old Taoist priest Baihe grew increasingly disappointed, and along with that disappointment came a genuine anger.

—This fellow is utterly useless. He's going to ruin Grandmaster's important plans and make Grandmaster lose face in front of Uncle Master!
That's absolutely heinous.

"Your spirit is now scattered, your righteousness is waning, and death is imminent. Yet you still refuse to repent?"

The old Taoist priest Baihe activated his own Dao imprint, his eyes shining like the sun, and his booming voice resounded directly in the depths of the old gatekeeper's soul.

"Old sage, what are you saying? I don't understand," the old gatekeeper stammered.

"Slap!" The old Taoist priest Baihe could no longer bear it and slapped the old gatekeeper, sending him flying seven or eight feet.

"We've used the Voice of the Great Dao on you, and you still haven't awakened even a trace of your innate wisdom! What use is such a piece of trash?!"

(End of this chapter)