I built the Jade Capital with the Netherworld

Chapter 192 Students Ascend the Steps, and the Headmaster Ascends the Steps as well.
Outside Baichuan Temple, on a hillside forest, a gentle spring breeze was blowing. The four rogue cultivators who were welcoming Ding Ran's return watched him intently as he spoke animatedly. When he got excited, they couldn't help but become animated as well.

They had only intended to gather information about the Celestial Court's movements, but unexpectedly, they heard that the Celestial Court planned to build a Dao Academy.

Everyone was equally excited upon hearing this.

However, Cao Chang, who was always cautious, said in a deep voice, "Regardless of immortals, mortals, spirits, or monsters, or their aptitude... That's a good point, but what if there are other conditions? After all, the world's resources are limited, and the academy can't possibly accept everyone, can it?"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt as if they had been doused with cold water, and their excitement immediately diminished by three-tenths: "That makes sense!"

Du Ruyun said, "It's certain that the Daoist academy has requirements for accepting disciples, but this is still an opportunity for us! Otherwise, at our age, there would be no possibility of us entering the Xuanmen."

"Yeah yeah!"

When various temples and monasteries recruit disciples, they consider not only talent but also character, especially loyalty.

Therefore, which of the core disciples wasn't cultivated from a young age?

Even if these rogue cultivators are exceptionally talented, they have no hope of entering the Xuanmen (Taoist sect).

Now that the Celestial Court has opened a Taoist academy, it is finally an opportunity.

Ding Ran said, "Old Du is right. And have you all considered that those who can enter the Dao Academy are either independent cultivators or independent cultivators? Would those powerful families allow their disciples to enter the Dao Academy?"

Du Ruyun slapped her thigh: "That's exactly what I mean! When the time comes, our competitors won't be those famous disciples. Everyone will be independent cultivators, relying on their own abilities. If we're still rejected, then we can only say that we're not destined for such a fate."

"That's right, that's right!"

Everyone nodded in agreement, and their faces lit up with smiles once again.

At this moment, similar discussions are rising and falling in various places across the Nine Paths, although everyone realizes that the Dao Academy cannot accept all comers.

But in the end, it opened a door to cultivation for independent practitioners.

Little did they know, besides the independent cultivators, there was another group that was also greatly excited.

Su Zhiyuan, the abbot of Langming Temple, has been enjoying great success since the establishment of the Celestial Court.

He was close to Duan Lan, the leader of the Shenxiao Sect, and thus became one of the elders of the Celestial Court. Currently, he serves as the head of the Zhenyue Academy of the Taiyi Division, in charge of the nine mountain ley lines, making it one of the most powerful departments in the Taiyi Division.

In the past, famous mountains and rivers were occupied by whoever had the power.

Now that there are more celestial courts in the world, there are also more celestial rules. What happened before is beyond the control of the celestial courts, but in the future, it will be based on property rights.

This process of surveying the world, dividing property rights, and dealing with numerous disputes, while giving him a headache, also provided him with plenty of lucrative opportunities.

I've truly experienced the exhilaration of being a high-ranking official!

However, with power and money at their disposal, ambition inevitably arises.

However, looking up, there was nowhere to go.

The reason is simple: Langming Temple has a considerable reputation among the nine sects, and all the abbots of the temple have been top-ranked masters, with a clear and unbroken lineage.

At its peak, there were even instances of three top-three players sharing the top spot.

He was considered a local tyrant.

Despite its magnificent appearance, it has an untold regret – the legacy of Langming Temple is limited to only the top three.

It was better before, after all, there were very few cultivators at the fourth rank, and those who reached the third rank were considered exceptional individuals.

However, now that he sits in the position of head of Zhenyue Academy, although the mountain gods submit when he bows his head, the Nine Departments hold the power of life and death when he looks up, and above them are the Five Heavenly Masters, and even the mysterious and unpredictable Yin Emperor of the Central Plains.

In comparison, the cultivation levels of the top three are no longer impressive.

Therefore, when Su Zhiyuan heard that Lu Wujiu wanted to build a Taoist academy and pass down the complete Netherworld Path, no one knew how excited he was.

He thought to himself, since the Taoist academy doesn't discriminate between immortals, mortals, or spirits, it shouldn't be a problem for him to get it, given his status.

As he secretly anticipated, a celestial official from the Celestial Master's Mansion filled him with astonishment:

"Master Su, my Celestial Master requests your presence."

"Master Lu?"

Su Zhiyuan was taken aback and quickly asked, "I wonder if the Celestial Master has summoned me for something important, so that I can make some preparations?"

The newcomer, who was less than sixty years old, faced Su Zhiyuan, a third-rank official, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I am but a lowly servant boy, how would I know anything about the Celestial Master?"

Seeing this, Su Zhiyuan realized what was happening and quickly handed over something without making a sound, saying, "Immortal boy, you have come from afar. Please accept this small amount for tea."

The celestial official smiled and accepted the gift, saying, "The Celestial Master recently summoned people from the Listening Bureau. I wonder if it has anything to do with the Abbot."

"Thank you for the guidance, Immortal Child!"

Su Zhiyuan was startled, cupped his hands in thanks, and felt a slight tremor in his heart.

With a heart full of trepidation, Su Zhiyuan hurriedly followed the celestial official to the Celestial Master's Mansion, where he met Lu Wujiu in the study.

"Your humble servant, Su Zhiyuan, pays respects to the Celestial Master!"

Upon seeing the figure, Su Zhiyuan quickly stepped forward and bowed.

"No need to be polite, take a seat!"

Lu Wujiu sat behind his desk, flipping through a roster, never looking up from the beginning.

"How do you feel since taking charge of Zhenyue Academy?"

"I am deeply grateful for the Heavenly Master's kindness. Since taking office, I have been dealing with a lot of things. Although I have worked day and night, I have tried my best, but I still have to worry about neglecting some things."

"Tell me about the nine mountains."

"Yes! Currently, there are six main veins and nineteen branch veins in the nine paths, with thirty-one earth dragons..."

After a moment's thought, Su Zhiyuan began to speak eloquently, readily recounting information about the nine mountains.

Lu Wujiu occasionally asked questions, and the answers were always fluent, prompting Lu Wujiu to nod frequently and praise him:
“When the Celestial Court was first established, Fellow Daoist Duan Lan recommended you to me many times. Now, the Celestial Court has only been established for a few months, yet you have already compiled a book on all the mountains and rivers in the world and know them by heart. It seems that Fellow Daoist Duan did not misjudge you.”

Su Zhiyuan quickly replied, "You flatter me, Celestial Master. It's all just my duty."

Lu Wujiu: "I wish to establish a Taoist temple. What do you think?"

Su Zhiyuan was shocked and quickly said, "Cultivators throughout the world have long suffered from the lack of a lineage. The establishment of the Dao Academy by the Celestial Master to transmit the Dao is a great blessing for the Nine Paths, and the whole world applauds it!"

Lu Wujiu sneered, "Is that so? I'm afraid the Nine Great Mystic Sects hate it to the bone."

Su Zhiyuan quickly shut his mouth, not daring to respond.

Lu Wujiu had no intention of letting him off the hook, and asked again, "And what about you? What do you think?"

Su Zhiyuan gritted his teeth and said, "This humble servant also feels that this is a blessing for all living beings!"

"Well said!" Lu Wujiu praised, "I wish to establish a Taoist academy in each of the nine realms, and I am currently lacking a master for the academy. Would you be willing to take on the position?"

Su Zhiyuan was dumbfounded.

Is the head of the Taoist temple comparable to the head of Zhenyue Temple?
How could a group of independent cultivators possess the wealth of a prestigious sect associated with famous mountains and rivers, or even mountain gods and spirits?
The answer is obvious!
Most importantly, the master of the Dao Academy is now far from the Celestial Court, which means he is now far from the center of power.

Given his current level, it's unlikely he'll reach another level.

However, it is still quite possible that some lucrative positions will be arranged for the disciples of the sect.

Most importantly, by controlling such a crucial department as Zhenyue Academy, it is easier to accumulate merit and exchange it for a chance at reincarnation.

"I am honored by the Heavenly Master's favor, and I am willing to go!" Despite his initial reluctance, Su Zhiyuan gritted his teeth and agreed in a flash.

There's no particular reason; perhaps it's just a gut feeling.

"Very good! I've heard that your sect's lineage ends at the top three?"

"The Celestial Master's insight is indeed profound."

"The Dao Academy is far from the Celestial Court, a tranquil place, and the perfect time for cultivation. This is the Netherworld Path, which allows one to ascend to the fifth rank or even higher. Please accept it."

As Lu Wujiu spoke, he flicked out a Yin talisman with his finger.

"This humble servant thanks the Celestial Master for bestowing upon me the Dao!"

Su Zhiyuan quickly took it and carefully put it into his body. Zuo Qian's psychological disappointment immediately eased a lot.

"This path is to ascend through merit, to preside over the academy, and to educate the people—that too is merit! I can tell you frankly, your merit lies with the students of the academy. Whenever someone ascends to the second rank through the Netherworld Path, you will also ascend to the second rank, and so on. If someone ascends to the fourth rank, you will not only ascend to the fourth rank as well, but you will also be able to return to the Immortal Palace and choose any of the nine supervisory positions."

Upon hearing this, Su Zhiyuan was visibly shaken.

He looked at Lu Wujiu with disbelief: "Does the Celestial Master mean that the students of the Taoist Academy are the ones who performed the ascension ceremony for me?"

Lu Wujiu said, "It's not just that! A teacher for a day is a father for life. All disciples of the Dao Academy, even after leaving the academy, their cultivation will still be counted as your merits. Of course, this only applies to those ranked in the top four."

Su Zhiyuan gasped upon hearing this.

This kind of ritual is practically cheating!
Training a single fourth-grade cultivator is incredibly difficult, but what if you train a group of them?
Just as he was thinking this, Lu Wujiu added fuel to the fire: "There is no limit to the number of students the academy can recruit! In principle, all who should be admitted will be admitted, regardless of whether they are immortals, mortals, or spirits."

"what!"

Su Zhiyuan exclaimed in shock, "This, this... Celestial Master, if this is the case, won't the number of cultivators in the world become an overwhelming disaster? If that happens, who will still farm, and who will still support the Xuanmen?"

A smile appeared on Lu Wujiu's face: "These are the responsibilities of the Agricultural Department of the Taiyi Bureau. So you've got your eye on the position of the Agricultural Department?"

Su Zhiyuan realized it was a joke, but still replied meticulously, "I wouldn't dare to overstep my bounds."

Upon hearing this, Lu Wujiu shook his head somewhat boredly and said, "This world clearly contains the Great Dao, yet it is controlled by a few. How unfair is that? Since I have established the Immortal Court, I am determined to shatter this injustice and establish a new life for the people! From now on, all farmers in the fields will be cultivators, and all their products will be spiritual objects. Wouldn't such a wonderful scene be amazing?"

Upon hearing this, Su Zhiyuan's breathing became rapid without him realizing it.

He felt something was wrong.

This contradicts the educational and cognitive understanding he received from childhood!

When he was still a child, his master said that the primordial energy in the world is limited, and favoring one over the other, but Master Lu wanted everyone in the world to become a cultivator.

This is absolutely insane.

He cried out in his heart that it was impossible, but said aloud, "What the Celestial Master wishes for is what this humble servant will do!"

Who cares if Master Lu is crazy!

Opening up the Daoist gates would be entirely beneficial to him. By devoting all the land of the Dao, he would surely be able to cultivate four-class cultivators. At that time, he would also be able to ascend to the fourth class and be ranked among the immortals.

Perhaps, as a result, he will have countless students and wield immense power.

As for the future?

Su Zhiyuan didn't think about it. He convinced himself that his master was only a third-tier cultivator, and might not be right. Lu Wujiu was a disciple of the Jade Emperor and had witnessed the prosperity of the Central Plains. Perhaps the theory that the primordial energy of heaven and earth is finite was simply false.

The theory that primordial energy is finite might just be a means for cultivators to maintain their status!

In his excitement, Lu Wujiu gave him many more instructions.

It mainly involves the construction of Taoist temples.

He demanded that the Taoist academy be built on a plain, preferably near a metropolis for easy access to learning, and that it should not be built in the secluded mountains and forests like the Taoist sects.

In addition, although the Celestial Court will allocate funds to the Taoist academies, the academies must also gradually develop ways to generate revenue, and the profits should be handed over to the academies as merit for the disciples.

Under Lu Wujiu's repeated instructions, Su Zhiyuan complied without question. Finally, Lu Wujiu handed over the letter of appointment. As Su Zhiyuan accepted it, Lu Wujiu suddenly said:

"Humans are made of flesh and blood, and are naturally inclined to the left. The 1.5 million immortal coins, which is equivalent to 1.5 million merits, will be attributed to the Dao Academy. I hope you will take care of yourself."

Upon hearing this, Su Zhiyuan's face turned deathly pale.

The figures Lu Wujiu mentioned were precisely the ill-gotten gains he received while surveying famous mountains and rivers across the land.

He couldn't remember the exact amount.

But it's very clear that it's definitely around 1.5 million sen coins.

Has the Listening Bureau investigated this thoroughly?

In a flash of inspiration, he instinctively reached out to kowtow in gratitude, but an invisible force pulled him up.

"No one is perfect, who can be without fault? Go forth, and do not forget where your merits lie!"

"I accept my order from my humble position!"

Su Zhiyuan trembled violently, bowed deeply, took several steps back, and then turned and left.

As soon as he left the Celestial Master's Mansion, a fierce wind blew in, chilling him to the bone. He then realized that his official robes were already soaked with cold sweat.

Only after careful consideration did he realize with horror that if he did not agree to take up the position in the Dao Academy, the 1.5 million immortal coins would not be a matter of "who can be without fault," but rather a severe punishment from the Celestial Court!
Thinking of this, Su Zhiyuan subconsciously turned around and glanced at the Celestial Master's Mansion, his heart filled with even greater awe.

When Su Zhiyuan returned to Taiyi Division to hand over his duties, it immediately caused a stir throughout the entire division.

People above and below cast sympathetic glances.

Even Duan Lan, the Lord of Taiyi, hurriedly returned from the mortal realm and found him, saying, "What happened? What could have caused such a severe punishment? Don't hand over your duties yet; let me go to the Celestial Master's Mansion first."

Su Zhiyuan quickly stopped Duan Lan, saying, "This is a joyous occasion. Are you trying to ruin my plans, fellow Daoist?"

Duan Lan asked in surprise, "A happy occasion?"

Su Zhiyuan lowered his voice and whispered a few words in Duan Lan's ear, causing Duan Lan's expression to change drastically: "Is this really true?"

Su Zhiyuan smiled and nodded.

On this day, the entire Celestial Court was shaken.

However, it was Master Lu who urgently met with more than ten celestial officials in one day and decided on the master of the Nine Paths Earthly Academy.

The news that the academy's master was using the academy's disciples as a means of merit could not be kept secret and quickly spread throughout the Immortal Court, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

"The Nine Great Mysterious Sects are in grave danger!"

The Director of the Treasury, Yi Wenyan, slumped in his official seat, his face drained of color.

The leaders of the nine major sects who had come to the meeting remained silent.

The masters of the nine Daoist academies are all cultivators of the Remnant Dao, and they must be primarily cultivating the Netherworld Dao. Their ascension ceremonies are also for cultivating Netherworld Dao cultivators. If this continues, I'm afraid the whole world will become a Netherworld Dao cultivator.

How could the Nine Great Mysterious Sects not be in danger?

Having lost the support of the nine major sects, can they still hold their positions in the Nine Departments?
Unless they can also reach the top five!

Even so, the Celestial Court's sweeping influence across the world through the Netherworld Path will be overwhelming and unstoppable.

Suddenly, Si Yebai, the Lord of the Heavenly Crafts, spoke up: "This humble Taoist has a method that may be able to slightly reverse the decline!"

(End of this chapter)