I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 432 Renouncing worldly life, forced to join the Liangshan bandits
With the year-end approaching, Xu Qing is undoubtedly the busiest person in Tianjin.

As the leader of the three religions and the all-powerful head instructor of the Mourning Sect in Tianjin, Xu Qing has taken time management to the extreme.

No sooner had the matchmaking hall at Baosheng Temple been built than Xu Qing immediately established two positions: "matchmaking" and "untying knots." One was for red threads, and the other for blue threads. Matchmaking was managed by "Aunt Tushan," also known as "Fox Fairy Aunt" or Daoist Yizhen.

As for untying the knot, Xu Qing will temporarily take on that responsibility.

Xu Qing might be a bit lacking as a peacemaker, but as a breakup master, he's better than anyone else at dismantling dilapidated temples that have already leaked holes!

Besides Baosheng Temple, the Da Luo Sect's Cat Immortal Hall also relies on him as its leader to distribute incense and formulate new plans for the next century.

The mortal world, and even the Three Realms and Six Paths, are facing unprecedented changes. Xu Qing must plan ahead, guide the disciples of the three religions, and prepare them for the future.

"This upheaval involves not only the grand scheme of things, but also the transformation of humankind. You must all remember our teachings and not say we did not warn you!"

The potential upheavals that the secular world may face in the future are considerable.

This transformation meant nothing to a true cultivator like Zhang Pingsheng, or to the elders of the Immortal Hall, but for the disciples who had only recently entered the sect, or those who were newly initiated and whose cultivation was not high, it was tantamount to a calamity.

Xu Qing was not as easy to talk to as the leaders of other sects. He directly established a rule that when the calamity of the human world was approaching, anyone who disobeyed the rules and entered the calamity without authorization would be dealt with according to the sect's regulations.

These are ironclad rules, like golden laws, and cannot be disobeyed in the slightest!
The regulations governing the supervisors and those overseeing the altars are the same for both the altar master and the hall master.

Xu Qing built his sect into an impregnable fortress, solely to lead his disciples through all tribulations and become the final survivors.

The immortals assumed it was the sect leader unleashing his power, but they had no idea of ​​Xu Qing's good intentions.

All they knew was that if someone truly broke the rules and was expelled from the mountain, it would mean facing a great calamity alone.

At the same time, they will lose the highest-paying job in the world.

It should be noted that Huang Laoxu, who only wanted to outlive the sect leader and did not choose to join the Cat Immortal Hall earlier, has now died and disappeared.

Violating religious rules and being expelled from the sect, without any backing, who can guarantee that they won't be the next Huang Laoxu?

The new regulations were immediately implemented simultaneously by all three schools of thought.

Zhang Pingsheng and Monk Xinyuan, those two cunning old foxes, immediately sensed that something was wrong.

It's one thing for the cult leader to be so concerned about future changes in the secular world, but how come even the Baosheng Temple has reached a consensus and jointly formulated a response plan?

The monk and the Taoist priest both admitted that their experience and insight in managing temples were no match for the religious leader and the deities of the Baosheng Temple.

What to do? If I can't solve the problem, surely I can copy the answer?
Thus, in the very first month after Xu Qing's established cultivation guidelines were implemented, Zhang Shufang's Celestial Master's Mansion and Chen Liuer's Gujue Temple simultaneously implemented the new 'Cultivation Law'.

The principles of spiritual practice are complex to explain, but they can be summarized in one sentence:

Assess the situation and act accordingly, or choose to remain inactive or withdrawn.

The worship of deities generally goes through two stages. One stage is when they are in the public eye, meaning there are temples and people come to worship them. However, very few people actually erect tablets in their homes to worship them as household gods, and this practice has not gained much traction.

In another stage, they are like the Kitchen God and the Earth God, who do not need to build temples outside, but can enjoy the incense offerings of thousands of families.

Since Xu Qing founded the Three Teachings, only the guardian spirits of Baosheng Temple and Maoxian Hall have touched the second threshold.

As for the Great Luo Sect, it still has a long way to go.

However, Xu Qing was not worried. The day when the Yin River nourished the twelve states would be the day when his three religions would prosper together.

At that time, even if the changes in the world become uncontrollable, his three religions and their temples can remain hidden in every household, undisturbed by calamities.

After arranging his affairs before and after his death, Xu Qing took advantage of the beginning of the sect's annual meeting to impart various techniques such as the Taiyi Heavenly Immortal Technique, the Earthly Palace Golden Chapter, and the Qi Gathering and Returning to Origin to the disciples in the sect who had accumulated enough virtue.

As the busiest man in Tianjin, Xu Qing was busy with the affairs of the three religions, and he also had to find time to go to the Shuimenqiao Villa to listen to Liu Su'e and Xiu Niang perform for him. He was exhausted!

Just as I finished listening to a scene from the opera, and was about to have the master and apprentice massage my shoulders and pour me tea, another urgent message arrived from the Mourning Gate.

Leaving the Water Gate Bridge, Xu Qing listened to the cawing of crows in the courtyard and hurried to Jingxia Street.

On the street, a fleeting figure could be seen pacing back and forth.

Xu Qing stepped forward, but before he could even speak, the other person bowed to him with his hands clasped.

"My name is Wang Liang, and I am the Duke of Zhenguo in this dynasty. I was an old acquaintance of your grandfather, young sir."

Xu Qing remained silent, listening quietly to what the other person had to say.

"Three days ago, I don't know why my soul left my body and couldn't return. During this time, the imperial physicians were helpless. Zhang Tianshi from the Celestial Master's Mansion came to examine me, but said that my life had come to an end. I asked the Celestial Master for a way to resolve this, but he was unable to help me."

"When I was young, I practiced martial arts and now I have reached the perfect level of Grandmaster. I am only one step away from becoming a Celestial. But I never thought that this step would be like an insurmountable chasm that I can't cross no matter what I do."

“I am filled with resentment, which is why I have come today to see the descendants of my deceased friend and beg for a way to resolve my inner conflict.”

Instead of answering, Xu Qing asked, "You've risen to the rank of king or marquis, reached the pinnacle of officialdom, and now you're ninety-nine years old. What is there to be dissatisfied about?"

"."

Wang Liang shook his head and said, "This is not what I wanted. If you ask me what I am unhappy about in my life, there are three things."

"Firstly, I left home as a young man and failed Mr. Xu's high expectations. Although I yearned for martial arts, I had no time to devote myself to cultivation, which is why I am unable to see the scenery above the heavens and the human world, let alone meet Mr. Xu."

"Secondly, the emperor entrusted his son to me. The late emperor had shown me great favor, and his sons, the monarchs Hongcheng and Changming, were equally kind to me. Without exception, all three monarchs entrusted the Zhu family's descendants and the Great Yan Empire to me. However, the current emperor is not a diligent ruler, and there are treacherous individuals in the Great Yan Empire who are eager to cause trouble."

"With the frequent and complex interactions of foreigners and barbarians, we must be on guard. At this time of internal and external troubles, I have run out of time and have failed to fulfill the monarch's entrustment. This is my second regret."

Wang Liang continued, "There is another regret I have, which is that I have not been able to repay your kindness. Even when I met you, I did not dare to acknowledge you as my teacher, but instead addressed you as my descendant. This truly makes me feel ashamed."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing knew perfectly well that Wang Liang had already guessed his identity.

However, he was not surprised. Of all the mortals in the entire Great Yan who had seen him in his youth, only Wang Liang remained.

The man Feng Xiaosheng saw back then was only middle-aged or elderly.

"Is there a way to have it all in this world? You want to be loyal to the emperor and serve the country, and you also want to cultivate yourself. You want both, yet you still say you're not satisfied!"

Xu Qing watched coldly until he saw Wang Liang bow down and bury his face in the ground, at which point he stopped talking.

The Wang Liang before him could be said to be the only surviving friend of his who was still immersed in the mundane world.

Now Wang Liang's life has come to an end, and all the old friends Xu Qing knew who did not embark on cultivation have turned to dust, existing only in his memories.

"I was born because of Mr. Liang. Even though I have a thousand regrets today, the biggest regret is that I have not been able to repay Mr. Liang."

"Today, Liang's physical body no longer exists, only a remnant soul remains. If I can be reborn, Liang is willing to serve as a pawn in return."

Xu Qing laughed, "I need no pawns, nor do I need your repayment. When I gave you guidance back then, it was just a casual gesture, like freeing a bird from a web I saw on the roadside." "However..."

Xu Qing shook his head, but still took out a drop of Three Lives Stone Dew from his hand.

"However, I will still untie you from your shackles one more time today, but remember, this time it's not for your sake, but for your sister's sake."

younger sister?

Wang Liang frowned slightly. Before he could react, Xu Qing had already flicked the stone dew onto his forehead.

When the stone dew touched the soul, it was like a raindrop falling into water, instantly dissolving.

The next moment, Wang Liang heard Xu Qing chanting sutras for salvation, and at the same time, a large, warm yet cool hand covered his head.

A zombie touched my head, chilling me to the bone.

However, the cold touch only lasted for a moment before turning into a sense of peace. That feeling made Wang Liang feel as if he had returned to the time when his teacher was imparting his skills to him.

The soul dissipated, and the underground street returned to silence.

If someone were to come here now, they would surely find themselves in a pine forest within a cemetery, feeling exceptionally peaceful.

Xu Qing looked at the reward Wang Liang had given him.

They are all Earth-level cultivation techniques, as well as some military strategies and tactics for commanding troops and books on military tactics.

These things weren't exactly useless to Xu Qing, but they were completely of no use!

The next morning, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was covered in white mourning clothes.

The current emperor, Zhu Qian, decreed that the Duke of Zhenguo be buried with the highest national honors, and on the day of the funeral, the emperor personally recited scriptures to pray for his soul's salvation.

His familiarity with Buddhist rituals for the deceased was so great that it was hard to believe he had never been a monk!
Everyone said that His Majesty was considerate of his subjects and could be called a benevolent and wise ruler, which was truly touching.

However, no one expected that this recognition would completely ignite Zhu Qian's interest in Buddhism, to the point that even the dragon hovering over the capital became Buddhist.

Meanwhile, outside the capital.

The big-headed boy, whose desires were not fulfilled and whose talents were not given a chance to be displayed, finally chose to leave Da Yan, a place that caused him so much heartache.

"The dragon lies dormant in the wilderness, while the deer in the Central Plains grow fat!"

"Although I have failed the exam today, I will come back one day!"

Above the capital, the dragon was still chanting sutras.

Jiangnan Road.

Following Xie Qiongke's return to his heart, Xu Qing traveled a great distance, bringing the four altar masters of the Great Luo Sect to Henglu Mountain, intending to visit another Yuan Shen True Person, Ge Hongwen.

Ge Hongwen lived in seclusion for many years, and ordinary people did not know his whereabouts. Even primordial spirit cultivators like Zhang Pingsheng did not know which immortal mountain Ge Hongwen cultivated on.

But ever since they entered the Jiangnan region, their leader has acted as if he were a compass incarnate, arriving directly at Songyun Temple on Henglu Mountain without any prior search.

Little did they know that Xu Qing had learned of Yang Chunfu's whereabouts back when he was still a lowly corpse-driver, through Yang's revolving lantern, a disciple of Ge Hongwen.

Upon seeing Master Ge, Xu Qing bowed deeply and began with his familiar words:

"Brother Ge, please! The heavens are shrouded in darkness, and calamities are imminent. Furthermore, demons in the Underworld are stealing spiritual energy from the world and causing harm to humanity. This is truly not a blessing for those who seek tranquility in cultivation."

"As the saying goes, a single tree cannot support a collapsing building. We cultivators, who share the same righteous spirit of heaven and earth, should unite as one, like branches and lips and teeth, so that we may seize a sliver of hope in the face of a cataclysmic disaster."

Xu Qing tried to reason with him and appeal to his emotions, but Master Ge remained silent.

Upon hearing that Xu Qing had eliminated the demons—Gui Lu, Shi Mo, and Wu Ji Wu Qi—who had plagued the mortal world and restored peace to the three prefectures, Ge Hongwen immediately agreed.

"With calamity looming, how can we remain unscathed? Fellow Daoist's grand aspiration is truly for the well-being of all living beings, and it is also a chance for me to seize a sliver of life. Moreover, Fellow Daoist has traveled thousands of miles to personally invite me, how could I refuse to join you in facing this calamity together?"

After that, Xu Qing led Zhang Pingsheng and other Yuan Shen Zhenren to the Lotus Cave on Jade Pool Mountain to visit Zhuang Tongsheng.

However, the disciples informed them that the other party had already gone on a journey.

Xu Qingqi asked, "In this chaotic world, why would your master choose to travel at this time?"

The disciple replied, “Master has been taken advantage of by external demons, and his mind is always uneasy. Master attempted to consult the oracle, but was struck by lightning instead. Master said he was afraid of being targeted by evil spirits and being implicated by unwarranted people, getting involved in unnecessary disputes. Therefore, he plans to go out and avoid trouble for a while, and will return when his mind is at peace.”

Xu Qing came here to recruit people to join the group, so how could he have made a wasted trip?
If Zhuang Tongsheng hadn't dodged him, it would have been fine, but the fact that he did dodge made Xu Qing take it very seriously!

They dared to call him a demon, and a baseless scoundrel; well then he'd show them what a baseless scoundrel could do!
Based on the idea that "the monk may run away, but the temple will not," Xu Qing immediately used his "Heavenly Mandate" supernatural power to preach to Zhuang Tongsheng's disciples.

After a string of eloquent words, Zhuang Tongsheng's disciples were filled with enthusiasm and immediately packed their bags, ready to represent their sect and join the Great Luo Heavenly Sect, follow Xu Qing to purify the demonic atmosphere, correct the yin and yang, and become the chosen one!

Master Fuluan, always eager for a good show, immediately and cheerfully performed the initiation ceremony for Zhuang Tongsheng's two disciples. Zhang Pingsheng, standing nearby, even offered a bad suggestion: "You two should learn well from the sect leader and your senior uncles. Once you've mastered your skills, come back and change the sect to a branch of the Great Luo Sect. I imagine your master will be proud of you when he returns."

The two disciples were already caught up in the moment and actually agreed to bring the entire sect into Xu Qing's cult.

Xin Yuan, watching from the side, felt his eyelids twitch. If he remembered correctly, Xu Qing had threatened him in the same way back then.

After resolving the matter of Lotus Cave on Jade Pool Mountain, Xu Qingfu led Zhang Pingsheng and others to Tiaoshan in Hengzhou, where they found Gu Yuanrang, who was unwilling to participate in the calamity.

Gu Yuanrang responded coldly, refusing to join the Great Luo Sect no matter what.

When Xu Qing saw that the soft approach wasn't working, he started making an example of someone, saying that anyone who didn't convert to the religion was already overgrown with weeds.

Master Fuluan, playing the good cop, said, "That's right. The sect leader's goddaughter is a disciple of the Great God Haihui. Who are the Great God Haihui and his disciples? They are people who can kill without breaking the law. Even if they accidentally kill you, it will be your time for calamity. At that time, which of the gods and Buddhas in the heavens will care about you? Fellow Daoist, please don't be confused."

Zhang Pingsheng, playing the bad cop, said, "Do you know about the Celestial Master's Mansion? It turns out that Celestial Master Lü of the Celestial Master's Mansion was killed because he disobeyed orders!"

Gu Yuanrang exclaimed in shock, "Fellow Daoist, aren't you a true disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion?"

Zhang Pingsheng snorted coldly and said, "So what if it is? In order to survive, I still joined the Great Luo Sect. Fellow Daoist, there's no need to reject me. Master Lu truly deserved to die!"

"When a great calamity is imminent, he only cares about stealing the world's spiritual resources, instead of thinking about resisting the disaster and becoming a parasite. He will die if he does."

"Now that I have joined the Great Luo Sect, my opinion has changed greatly. Our sect is truly the best sect. Not only does it have a strong background and a solid foundation, but the fellow Daoists within are all capable, speak eloquently, and engage in Daoist discussions from time to time, which greatly helps our cultivation."

Wait, I haven't agreed yet, how did it become our sect?
Gu Yuanrang finally understood that the issue now was not whether he agreed or not, but whether he wanted to live or not.

After a series of persuasive tactics, including both soft and hard approaches, Gu Yuanrang reluctantly joined the Great Luo Sect.

The reason was simple: the fact that the Great Luo Sect Leader, who was silently examining the axe and shield he had taken out at the cave entrance, was too eerie.

(End of this chapter)