The Great Seminary

Chapter 345 Lord of the Bullets
Shinto, Immortal Way; Immortal Way, Shinto.

Among the hundreds and thousands of sects, large and small, in the underground realm, on the surface, the East Wind prevails over the West Wind, and the Immortal Path crushes the Divine Path.

However, the purpose of the Immortal Path was actually to allow ordinary mortals to imitate the great supernatural powers of ancient gods and demons.

Therefore, many of the people who cultivate ancient techniques in the truly great sects are descendants of gods and demons who have awakened certain specific divine powers.

"But paradoxically, we disciples who cultivate divine essences through our physical bodies are all proud of our awakened divine essences in private."

Others envied us for this, thinking we were 'born extraordinary'.

But when they're in public, they have to hide their achievements in 'divine ways,' which is truly laughable and self-deceptive.

Amidst the crowd, Sun Chonghe deftly taught Zhang Gui some of the common rules of the sects in the underground world.

He got more and more excited as he talked.

When Zhang Gui saw that she was a pampered daughter of a high-ranking official and landlord in a feudal society born in the extraordinary world, he would simply gloss over the useful extraordinary knowledge she taught him.

They talk endlessly about these pointless, sentimental musings, finding this laughable and that pathetic, which is truly annoying.

He waved his hand with a forced smile, deliberately retorting:
“As the ancient sages said, ‘Existence is its own justification!’”
So, looking at what you've said more deeply, it's neither contradictory nor laughable.

Rather, it is a divergence between personal values ​​and public values.

I've heard that there's another world in outer space, where ordinary people are all greedy for money and want to get something for nothing.

However, the imperial court advocated, in a grand and respectable way, that wealth comes from labor and that more work leads to more rewards.

It is extremely difficult for ordinary people to secure a good future.

The sons of officials and powerful families, however, relied on their family background to wield power and influence, becoming officials whenever they wanted and seeking wealth at will, which was the envy of many.

But in broad daylight, those young masters and noble ladies take pride in earning their own living, and those who do not will surely suffer retribution.

Do you think this is hypocrisy? No, it's actually a kind of helplessness!
When a nation or society exists for a long time, it will develop its own 'life and rules,' and unless there is a complete overthrow and 'rebirth,' no one has the ability to control it.

For the general public, it's already a stroke of good fortune that even those at the highest levels of power, the "laborers of thought," can earnestly be "paperhangers."

Sun Chonghe listened in a daze, vaguely sensing that there seemed to be profound truths hidden within, but upon closer examination, he gained nothing.

For a moment, they were speechless, and their enthusiasm for conversation vanished.

By this time, the two had returned to the entrance of the "Denglouyan" restaurant.

Zhang Gui peeked inside and whispered:
"Miss Chonghe, the senior brother Chu who invited you to the banquet has already gone to the private room."

This time was too short, and the occasion wasn't right, so we didn't get to say many things clearly.

When you ask me for help, I'll take the time to talk about the whole story.

Hmm, if you have the jade talisman book that records the 'Compass Technique' with you, you might as well give it to me first.

I'll have more time to cultivate myself, so as not to delay accompanying you down to the underground cave.

And that extraordinary book you just mentioned, *Taiping Guangji*, if we were to find a good copy…”

"Who in the world would go out to eat at a banquet with a jade talisman and rare ancient books for no reason?"

You just wait and see.

Sun Chonghe watched him switch between a cat's face and a dog's face, yet remain completely composed. An inexplicable anger rose within him, and he said something with a stern expression.

After that, he ignored Zhang Gui and strode into the restaurant on his own.

Since the banquet at Guanyunzhai is named after "observing clouds," it is naturally located on the top floor.

The private room was quiet yet spacious, with walls draped in green gauze and beams covered in white silk. From the perspective of the grotto community's aesthetic, the arrangement was perhaps ingenious and exceptionally elegant.

But when Zhang Gui entered the room, he immediately saw the white silk hanging down and fluttering in the wind, and he felt that this was a very bad omen.

It was already past noon.

The host, Senior Brother Chu, and his cronies, including Wu Quezi, who were also there to entertain the guests, had all arrived.

There were a total of nine people: five men and four women.

They varied in height and build, but were all talented young men in their twenties and thirties.

When Sun Chonghe appeared, the group of people who had been chatting and drinking tea stood up one after another.

But before they could say anything, Sun Chonghe, who was already quite adept at social etiquette, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Senior brothers and sisters, I apologize for being late. Please forgive me."

"Oh, what are you saying, Junior Sister Sun? We just arrived ourselves."
"Haha, the Guanyunzhai restaurant for this banquet is not cheap. If it weren't for Junior Sister Sun, it would have been much better."

We're not even going to get a chance to 'rip off' Old Chu yet."
"Brother Niu She is truly witty. Now that you've married Elder You's daughter, your purse is certainly as big as Brother Chu's."

He's hosting a welcome dinner for Junior Sister Sun today; how could you possibly not join in a few days?"...

Regardless of whether it was genuine or not, everyone returned the greetings, and some even chatted for a few minutes to show their friendliness.

While the other sect members were having a joyous family reunion, Zhang Gui, standing to the side, couldn't help but feel slightly awkward.

Fortunately, the host, Senior Brother Chu, was quite polite. After greeting Sun Chonghe, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Zhang Gui.

"I am Chu Tianhezi, an inner disciple of the 'Three Saints Sword Northern Sect'. May I ask your guidance earlier?"

“Zhang Gui, a down-on-his-luck youth from the Ming Dynasty, greets Daoist Chu.”

Zhang Gui returned the greeting with a leisurely air, speaking in plain language: "I have traveled thousands of miles to reach your sect's gates, and find the scenery and customs to be truly delightful..."

Just as he was 'performing,' he was interrupted by Wu Quezi, who was directly opposite him, with a half-smile.
“Master Zhang, didn’t Junior Sister Sun just call you Lord of the Central Kingdom?”

When making friends, one shouldn't shy away from making connections based on one's social standing.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gui chuckled dryly and said, "The female Taoist priestess Wuque has misunderstood. It's not that I'm avoiding the important issues."

Instead, it was the "Stone Corpse" of a barbarian land passed down from my mother's ancestors. It is said that after the Ming and Song dynasties seized power, the territory was re-divided and the mountains and ridges stretched for thousands of miles.

But in reality, it was still just a port city that had only been open for five or six years, with an area of ​​only tens of thousands of acres and a population of only three to five thousand.

In these chaotic times, if they were not hidden deep in the mountains, they might cease to exist in an instant.

To claim to be a sovereign and powerful figure in such a tiny place is simply child's play.

So I really don't want to say it out loud and pat myself on the back.

"Why be so modest, Lord of the Kingdom of Chuanyang? Although the territory of the Stone Corpse Kingdom under your rule is not large, it is truly a kingdom that has been passed down from ancient times."

However, it is recorded in the "Records of the Wilderness Tribes of Dongsheng Continent," one of the official histories personally selected by our two supreme human emperors, the Great Qi Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West.

Who would dare deny the identity of this noble dragon's stomach?

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gui blurted out in surprise:
"Miss Chonghe, you actually know to leave a message in the <Records of the Barbarian Tribes of Dongsheng Continent>, even though you are from the mere Stone Corpse Kingdom!"

"Why is it that your sister Ciyun is allowed to be well-read, but my daughter from the Qingdou Sun family is not allowed to be both literate and martial?"

Sun Chonghe curled his lip and said in a grand manner.

(End of this chapter)