This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 450 Aside from Xiang, there's nothing good in the Daoist school.
Xiang Yuan remembered the title 'Wangji Daoren'. The truth was not hard to guess, but his primordial spirit was resisting the correct answer.

Brain: I understand!
Primordial Spirit: No, you don't know.

When Xiang Yuan first arrived at the Benxindao Mountain Gate in Northern Qi, the old Daoist Que Xin described the mountain gate as a place of outstanding people and abundant talents. Apart from his senior brother Hard Drive, who liked to rush around in the grove, there were also three Daoists of the same generation: Wangji, Wujiu, and Zhishui.

Forgetting is endless.

Next, he led Xiangyuan to visit the mountain peaks where his three senior uncles resided.

They've all run away; not one of them is home.

The old Taoist priest, who was rather dim-witted, led Xiang Yuan to kick down the door to collect a gift and to make a acquaintance. Since his three senior uncles were not home, it did not affect Xiang Yuan's ability to collect the gift. Under the instructions of the dim-witted old Taoist priest, Xiang Yuan collected the gift on his own.

Among them was a gift from Daoist Wangji.

The Benxin Dao sect has no sect leader. If there is one, it is the statue of the patriarch sitting in the Qinglingbao Hall on Ruyun Peak. The sects on different peaks each live their own lives. As time went on, the three Daoists Wangji, Wujiu, and Zhishui could no longer continue their lives.

We follow the path of true mind, not the path of illusion. Is this how you cultivate your mind?
This cowardly scoundrel thinks he's better off not staying!
The three Taoist priests followed their hearts, packed their belongings and fled overnight, never to return to the mountain gate.

The old Taoist priest didn't say exactly where he went, and Xiang Yuan didn't ask either. He never expected that his senior uncle, Daoist Wangji, was working for the mastermind behind the scenes and was doing quite well.

At this moment, looking at Wangji Daoren's bitter and resentful face, Xiang Yuan understood. From the deep furrows between his brows, the drooping corners of his mouth, and even the unbearable look in his eyes, he could read the heavy pressure of life.

This face is a testament to life!

Xiang Yuan subconsciously opened his mouth and blurted out, "Master Uncle, thank you for your hard work."

Upon hearing this, Daoist Wangji was taken aback, a hint of emotion flashing in his eyes. After a long while, he said, "Uncle-Master, you're not having a hard time. You're doing very well outside. It's you, Junior Nephew, who's having a hard time."

"Uncle..."

"Nephew..."

They stared at each other, both with teary eyes.

"..."xN
The people around were all stunned. They had seen all sorts of things, but this was the first time they had ever seen anything like it.

From the conversation between Xiang Yuan and Wangji Daoren, everyone could tell that although the two came from the same sect, they had gone their separate ways and were now on opposing sides, each serving their own master.

So why didn't you continue this friendly infighting? What's with all the tears in your eyes?
I'm bored. I want to see fellow disciples kill each other and blood flow like a river!
Aside from Xiao Chan frequently hearing Xiang Yuan complain about the lack of humanity of the Benxin Sect, everyone else present lacked a proper understanding of the Benxin Sect, only knowing that it was a sect of the Northern Qi Dynasty with a small number of disciples and an unusually low profile.

They have no true principles in eliminating demons and protecting the righteous path, nor do they have any true principles in stirring up trouble. They are neither righteous nor evil; they are a mountain sect that focuses solely on cultivating immortality behind closed doors.

Outsiders don't understand the true nature of the Way, but those who are close to it understand it all too well, because the pain points are rooted in their own lives, making it easy for them to empathize. When Xiang Yuan and Daoist Wangji first met, they both saw in each other the hardships of life and the spirit of perseverance.

"Nephew, this time, I..."

"Uncle-Master, please wait a moment. Let me introduce you to your wives."

Xiang Yuan waved to Xiao Lingyue and Chan'er, and introduced them: "Uncle-Master, this is Princess Xiao Lingyue of Western Chu, who has become a disciple of the White Master of Wushuang Palace, and this is Chan'er, the Holy Maiden of Huangquan, who has become a disciple of the Dao Master of Huangquan Dao."

The two girls bowed respectfully and addressed each other as "Master Uncle".

"A perfect match, a blessed union for the master and his niece."

Daoist Wangji stroked his long beard and nodded in praise. After a moment, he realized something was amiss, and with a pained expression, he reached into his sleeve and took out two gifts to give to Xiao Chan.

Seeing Xiang Yuan looking at him with an innocent expression, Daoist Wangji's eyes twitched slightly, and the vertical line between his brows, formed from years of frowning, deepened.

This face looks exactly like it did when he was a kid and he was a bit dim-witted!
Illusion?
Daoist Wangji originally wanted to say that Xiang Yuan's gift had already been given, and that Xiang Yuan had taken it himself at the Benxin Dao mountain gate. However, he changed his words to: "Nephew, do not believe false words. The Benxin you understand is not the true Benxin of the Benxin Dao. There are villains who maliciously tamper with the orthodoxy of the Benxin Dao. It is not too late for you to wake up now."

As he spoke, he took out a gift and reluctantly placed it in Xiang Yuan's hands.

“What my senior master says makes sense. I will keep it in mind.”

Xiang Yuan reached out to receive...receive...received several times before finally holding the gift in his hand.

Bring it to you!

Xiang Yuan knew how to interpret the "original heart" of the "original heart" doctrine, as evidenced by his interactions with Que Xinyan, Ji Boli, and Liu Che. As a victim himself, Xiang Yuan had suffered greatly at their hands.

Leaving aside their lack of common sense and the numerous pitfalls they caused, let's just talk about Ji Boli and Liu Che. One arranged Xiao Lingyan's marriage for him, while the other, together with his brother-in-law/sworn brother, arranged Jiang Yingjun's marriage.

Is this something that fellow disciples would do?

nausea!

Marriage is a serious matter and should not be treated as a joke. He never randomly arranges marriages for others, nor would he ever make fun of his own brother's marriage...

It was disgusting, and he kept the lights off!
Admittedly, the original mind as interpreted by Ji Boli and Liu Che is like a toad that doesn't grow hair—it all comes down to one thing, and the root of all evil lies in a lack of common sense. Wangji, Wujiu, Zhishui, and even Master Hard Drive's escape from the path of original mind are all caused by this root of evil.

Perhaps, as Daoist Wangji said, the true orthodox teachings of the Original Mind Path are not as the interpretation of the simple-minded. Rather, it is the simple-minded who went astray, misunderstood the Original Mind Path, and passed this method down, leading to Ji Boli, Liu Che, Xiang... taking the wrong path and leaving everyone else far behind.

But why go on and on? Let's just talk about who's in charge of the Path of the Original Mind now!
Who else could it be but a fool? Everyone else has run away.

Xiang Yuan's meaning is simple: regardless of whether bad money drives out good, only the result matters. The weak are eliminated and the strong are kept; the winner takes all. His simple-mindedness is what makes him so effective. He single-handedly drove away four of his senior brothers and even killed one of them.

Let's just talk about how strong this willpower is!
It's obvious that Xiang Yuan would call someone who's a bit dim-witted the strongest!
When Xiang Yuan first met Daoist Wangji, he received three gifts as a token of his appreciation. He was quite fond of this honest and principled senior master and invited him to sit down for a chat.

"What? Senior Uncles Wujiu and Zhishui are also at the Yuyang Sect?"

"What do you mean by saying that the two senior uncles haven't joined forces yet and didn't come because they were worried about being tricked and beaten by bad guys? I don't understand what my senior uncle is saying."

"So this wedding was orchestrated by you, Senior Uncle. The mastermind behind it all had no ulterior motives..."

Xiang Yuan, looking bewildered, gathered a wealth of information: the wedding was not a scheme orchestrated by the mastermind behind the broken sampan, but rather a scheme by Wangji Daoren, who lured him to Jiangdong through the Moon Return to the River.

Even your own nephew is scheming against you. Your true nature is clear, just as simple-minded as a fool. You just can't beat him!

Damn it, apart from Xiang, there's nothing good in the Path of the Heart!
Thinking about how he had worried about being plotted against by the mastermind, how he had persuaded the dilapidated boatman with all sorts of kind words, and how he had endured all kinds of humiliation and provided a one-stop service to appease the White House Master, only to find that all his efforts had been in vain, Xiang Yuan couldn't help but sigh repeatedly.

The Way of the Original Mind is the Way of the Original Mind. Even someone like Daoist Wangji, whom I've never met, is quite adept at tricking his own people.

Xiang Yuan frowned and looked at the bitter and resentful Daoist Wangji: "Senior Uncle, let's be frank. Don't play the trick of only telling half the story of the Original Mind Dao. Why did you call Wentian over?"

"Nephew Wentian, what do you think of the Original Mind Path?"

"..."

What are you saying? If you don't know what kind of person you are, just look at the victim's face in the mirror and you'll know.

"Nephew Wentian, what do you think of the Heavenly Sect?"

"..."

Apart from the young sect leader, it's just a makeshift team.

Seeing Xiang Yuan remain silent twice, Daoist Wangji smiled slightly: "Nephew, you know the truth. Right now, we are each serving our own masters. I know you have it tough, so I have come to invite you. If you are willing to go to the Yuyang Sect with me, His Majesty will not disappoint you."

"So, our eldest master is here as a mediator."

Xiang Yuan suddenly realized what was going on and, curious about the price the other party had offered, said disdainfully, "What benefits did the Heavenly Emperor that my senior uncle mentioned promise?"

"As the young sect leader of the Heavenly Sect, my nephew is very clear about the situation of the Heavenly Sect. You must be exhausted from running around like this, right?"

Indeed, in order to subsidize Tianzong, Xiang worked day and night at Wushuang Palace and Jianxinzhai, hoping to get the two strong women onto Tianzong's pirate ship. It exhausted me.

Xiang Yuan thought to himself, but his face remained disdainful: "Why does Senior Uncle always speak in such roundabout ways? Wentian doesn't understand what you're saying."

"Nephew, that's enough. If you bring it up directly, what will become of the Heavenly Sect Master's reputation?"

It's okay. He's a lazy bum. He won't leave without a good beating. His pride and ambition have long since sunk to the bottom.

"Although I am far away in the East Sea, I have never stopped paying attention to the Heavenly Sect. The Heavenly Sect has achieved what it has today thanks to my nephew's hard work. If it weren't for your private efforts, the Heavenly Sect would have disintegrated long ago."

Daoist Wangji sighed, "The Heavenly Sect is hopeless. My nephew is borrowing money everywhere, patching things up. It's not easy to shoulder such a heavy burden. How long can you hold on?" The two reincarnations of the Heavenly Emperors in the Qianyuan Realm each have their own power. The Heavenly Sect seems powerful, but it is actually a paper tiger. It is far inferior to the Jade Sun Sect, which has been established for many years and has a deep foundation. The latter can easily pull out the Book of Life and Death and throw out any cannon fodder to have the cultivation of the Integration Stage. If the time is not not right, the Heavenly Sect will have been taken over by the mastermind behind the scenes long ago.

The gap is too big; there's no comparison.

Those who eat food are heroes. Daoist Wangji advised Xiang Yuan not to insist anymore, saying that the Yuyang Sect's rice bowl is more delicious than the Tianzong Sect's, and it is a standard iron rice bowl.

At this point, Daoist Wangji raised his hand and tapped the table, saying in a low voice, "Nephew, the Qianyuan Realm will welcome its own Heavenly Court and its own Heavenly Emperor. Ji Wuzhou has no heart for the Heavenly Emperor and is definitely not a wise ruler. You should come with me to the Yuyang Sect now, and His Majesty will not mistreat you."

“Senior Uncle, since you’ve made yourself so clear, I’ll just be frank with you too.”

Xiang Yuan's expression turned serious: "The emperor you speak of has too many schemes and too many implications. I am not inclined to follow his path. We are not on the same page and cannot work together."

Upon hearing his true feelings, Daoist Wangji fell silent, then said, "Nephew, have you ever considered that your master is a master of scheming, and that your current situation and choices were all arranged in advance by him?"

"I thought about it."

Xiang Yuan nodded, and the topic returned to its original point: bringing an umbrella versus not bringing an umbrella.

Those with umbrellas reach Tianzong, while those without umbrellas reach Yuyangpai.

At first glance, it seems so, but Xiang Yuan asked himself honestly, whether he brought an umbrella or not, he was not on the same side as the mastermind behind the scenes. This question has always been a multiple-choice question.

Because he followed his heart, Xiang Yuan didn't think it was a scheme. It was an assessment, a trial that made him realize his true self.

As for the other calculations...

One should have self-awareness and know how to be grateful. If it weren't for the apprenticeship in Fengxian County, there would be no Xiang Yu, the Hegemon of Western Chu, today. A mere constable is nothing. What is there to complain about?

“Since you’ve thought about it, you should know that although your master isn’t in the Heavenly Sect, you are. If he succeeds, it’s because of his foresight; if he fails, it’s because you’re stubborn. Neither of that will affect his becoming an immortal ancestor, will it?”

"That's not the case; it was Xiang's own choice."

"..."

Wangji Daoist tried everything to persuade Xiang Yuan, but Xiang Yuan remained unmoved. He sighed and said no more.

He didn't speak; Xiang Yuan had something to say.

Curious about the mastermind behind the scenes, why they sent Wangji Daoren as an intermediary, or rather, why they allowed Wangji Daoren to act as an intermediary.

Xiang Yuan was never lacking in self-awareness. He knew very well that the mastermind's attention to him had nothing to do with his identity as the 'Young Sect Master of Tianzong,' nor was it because he had been busy for Tianzong, holding up half the sky for the sect when he was just a broken boatman and a salted fish.

The real reason is the Heavenly Emperor's Dao Seed within his body!
Since the Heavenly Emperor's Dao Seed is so important, why doesn't the mastermind just take action to seize it?

Xiang Yuan couldn't figure out the reason, and could only conclude that the time was not right. Perhaps the Heavenly Emperor's Seed had another purpose in the mastermind's series of plans, and now was not the time to seize it.

Simply put, there's more to the story...

Or perhaps, a stroke of incredible luck is on the horizon.

That's good. If you're capable, smash him to death. If you try to dodge, consider it a loss.

Xiang Yuan didn't ask what the mastermind's scheme was about the Heavenly Emperor's Dao Seed; it would be pointless to ask anyway, as Daoist Wangji certainly wouldn't know such a secret.

But there is one question that can be asked, and Xiang Yuan is very curious about it.

"Uncle, you've been talking for so long, but you haven't gotten to the point. It's not that I'm criticizing you, but you're really not the kind of person who can act as a persuader." Xiang Yuan's tone was somewhat teasing.

"Please speak, my nephew Wentian," said Daoist Wangji, puzzled.

"When your senior brother came, didn't that emperor you mentioned say anything?"

Xiang Yuan raised an eyebrow, stretched out her fair and clean little hand, and seeing that Daoist Wangji looked confused, she rubbed her fingertips together instead.

Stop pretending, who would do something for free?

Tell me quickly, what message did the Imperial Army ask you to convey, and what generous terms did they offer?

If you don't tell me, I can only assume that you, you old bastard, took a kickback from the benefits the Imperial Army gave me.

Daoist Wangji's lips twitched. He sighed that the Underworld Master had produced such a foolish disciple. Xiang Yuan had perfectly inherited the mind of the "stupid" lineage. He said speechlessly, "Nephew, since you are so determined, why ask about the benefits promised by His Majesty? If you can't resist the temptation, wouldn't I be ruining your reputation?"

Your sarcastic remarks are mediocre at best; they'd be beneath you even in the backyard of a powerful mansion. No wonder you were so rebuked back then that you were afraid to go home.

Xiang Yuan waved his hand: "Uncle, don't worry. Although I am very easily tempted, I have tasted good food and seen a bit of the world. Just tell me, I will definitely not be tempted."

Daoist Wangji remained silent and offered no comment. He dipped his finger in the wine in his cup, tapped the table with his fingertip, and wrote down the benefits promised by the mastermind behind the scenes in front of Xiang Yuan.

Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun!

Xiang Yuan frowned slightly. Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun was also known as Dongji Qinghua Dadi, one of the Six Emperors, a high-ranking leader at the deputy heaven level. It was clear that the mastermind behind the scenes was offering a very high price, showing a sincere desire to win people's hearts.

But that wasn't the point, and Xiang Yuan wasn't tempted. Recalling his first time in the Celestial Realm, he went to find King Frieza, who was the Old Mother of Lishan. The latter went to the Heavenly Court to ask the Heavenly Emperor for an official position for him, and the Heavenly Emperor immediately called him the Great Emperor of the Eastern Azure Flower.

Frieza refused, believing the karmic consequences would be too great and it would be difficult to extricate herself from the situation. She then chose the position of Zhenwu the Great as her alternative.

It's the Eastern Azure Emperor again...

Could it be that within the circle of the Heavenly Emperor and the reincarnation of the Heavenly Emperor, he is destined to be connected with the Great Emperor of the Eastern Pole Azure Flower?
"Is my junior disciple tempted?"

"To be honest, Uncle Master, I'm not just tempted, I'm absolutely regretting it. If you had told me about the benefits His Majesty promised earlier, whoever wanted to be the young sect leader could have done it. I certainly wouldn't have accepted it," Xiang Yuan complained repeatedly.

I wouldn't believe you!
Xiang Yuan continued, "There's no going back in life. Wentian can only insist that a person cannot stand without integrity. But don't be sad, Uncle-Master. Although I didn't go to Yuyang Sect with you, from the perspective of the overall situation of Benxindao, we've put our eggs in two baskets. We've bet on both sides. No matter who wins, Benxindao will win."

How could that be? Your foolish master has led you astray from your original path.

Daoist Wangji shook his head repeatedly, having said all he needed to say, and got up to leave.

"Please wait a moment, Uncle Master. You have shared so much important information today, and I have gained a great deal. I cannot let you leave empty-handed. I would like to offer you a promising future. Take this to the Yuyang Sect, and you may exchange it for a great fortune. If you achieve success in the path of immortality in the future, do not forget to lend Wentian a hand," Xiang Yuan said cheerfully.

Daoist Wangji's heart skipped a beat. He saw the shadow of a simpleton in Xiang Yuan's smiling face and suspected that Xiang Yuan was plotting against him.

Just as he was about to leave, he saw the future that Xiang Yuan had taken out and stood there stunned.

Senior Zombie!
Xiang Yuan walked back to his large round table where he was eating, lifted the red tablecloth, and pulled the squatting zombie senior out from under the table.

As the reincarnation of the Heavenly Emperor, not only was he denied a seat at the banquet, but he was also made to squat under the table. Only Xiang Yuan could do something like that.

"This, this, this..."

Senior Jiang's face bore a resemblance to Ji Wuzhou, and naturally, it also bore a resemblance to Zhang Tianyang. When Daoist Wangji first saw this face, he was immediately dumbfounded and could not speak properly.

"Uncle-Master, how is the future that Wentian has given you?" Xiang Yuan asked with a smile.

Not much!
Daoist Wangji was sweating profusely. Without needing to calculate, he knew from his intuition that the zombie in front of him was deeply involved in a huge scheme, and whoever got involved would be doomed.

But then I thought, such a big scheme, it would be even more unsafe to leave it in the Heavenly Sect than to bring it back to the Jade Sun Sect for strict supervision.

Coincidentally, Xiang Yuan thought so too.

Handing over the zombie senior to the mastermind might have a synergistic effect, equivalent to personally strengthening the opponent, causing the already precarious sampan to sink even faster.

But keeping him by your side is even worse. What if one day the lifelike zombie suddenly comes back to life and launches a sneak attack from behind? That would be a real mess.

It's too hot to handle, so let's just pass it on to the mastermind and give him a headache!
"Uncle-Master, say something!"

“I, this humble Taoist priest… am pondering.”

Daoist Wangji was sweating profusely, unsure whether he should accept this generous gift.

(End of this chapter)