The Demon-Slaying Grandmaster

Chapter 545 A Discussion Beyond Time and Space

If Laozi were to accept Li Jingxiao as his disciple, it would actually be a worthwhile deal for him.

For Li Jingxiao, confirming his master-disciple relationship with Laozi would mean having a sage as his backer.

In the future, the upgrade speed of "Taiqing Daodao Zhenjing" and "Bajiu Xuangong" will definitely be much faster.

The way Laozi treats his disciples in Investiture of the Gods is quite different from that in Journey to the West.

In Journey to the West, the Three Pure Ones are the ancestors of Taoism, and they have no external enemies or competitors.

Therefore, Laozi in Journey to the West appears somewhat lazy and conservative.

In the Investiture of the Gods, the Three Pure Ones appear to be brothers, but there is still considerable competition between them.

After all, both the Chan Sect and the Jie Sect were major sects, and while they were competing for resources, they were also competing for the faith of the human race.

Otherwise, the Jie Sect wouldn't have had so many disciples who entered the world and served as officials in the Yin Shang Dynasty.

Wen Zhong, a direct disciple of the Jie Sect for three generations, was not only a veteran of three dynasties but also held the official position of Grand Tutor.

While holding the top position among civil officials, he was also able to command a large army on expeditions.

He would lead troops in the field and stay there for ten or more years without returning to the capital.

It can be said that when he went out to serve, he was a commander-in-chief, and when he returned to court, he was a prime minister.

He was truly the foremost minister of the Yin-Shang dynasty.

The Jie Sect also had many disciples who served as generals in various parts of the Yin Shang Dynasty.

Most of them were generals who controlled a city or region, and they held a great deal of military and political power.

The interests between them and the Shang Dynasty were deeply intertwined.

To put it bluntly, these disciples of the Jie Sect were indulging in the worldly pleasures, wealth, and power.

To some extent, this also helped the Jie Sect win over the faith and incense offerings of the human race.

This is not a good thing for Laozi.

Therefore, in the struggle between the Chan Sect and the Jie Sect, Laozi would inevitably side with the Chan Sect.

So that in the future, the human race will only know the Tongtian Sect Master and the Jie Sect, but will not worship or worship Laozi, the human sect master.

Moreover, besides the Chan Sect and the Jie Sect, there is also the Western Sect, which is hiding in the west, eyeing us covetously.

Among the human race, there are some promising talents who have good fortune.

Many were misled by Western religions and the Taoist master Zhunti to go to the West.

It's no wonder that Laozi would use Duobao Daoren to sow discord among the Western Religions and create Buddhism to take away their faith and authority.

However, Laozi believed in 'quietude and non-action,' so he had very few disciples.

At this time, his only direct disciple was Grand Master Xuandu.

At the same time, Xuandu is the only disciple they can be proud of.

Doing everything personally doesn't suit his saintly image.

Li Jingxiao had already defeated many second-generation disciples of the Chan and Jie sects, leaving them speechless.

Acknowledging that Li Jingxiao came from the Taiqing School would indeed bring Laozi many benefits.

As long as Li Jingxiao doesn't cause public outrage in his future actions, he can truly act with impunity and no one will dare to provoke him.

With this in mind, Li Jingxiao became more willing to become Laozi's disciple.

However, Li Jingxiao was not without regrets.

If only I could become a disciple of Hongjun, it would be wonderful. Unfortunately, after being in the world of Investiture of the Gods for so many years, I haven't even had the chance to meet the Dao Ancestor.

Moreover, Li Jingxiao asked himself, and he really didn't have any outstanding benefits to offer to Hongjun Patriarch.

There's no need for them to take him as an apprentice.

After all, Hongjun Laozu had already taken the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa as his disciples, and even the Daoist Master and Zhunti Daoist were his nominal disciples.

With six sages as his disciples and himself being the Dao Ancestor, no matter how optimistic one is about Li Jingxiao's talent and future.

At most, it would just be another saint.

If Li Jingxiao were Hongjun Daozu instead, he might be more willing to have Li Jingxiao as his grand-disciple to protect the interests of the Daoist sect.

After all, the six saints were confined to their homes after the Investiture of the Gods.

Although they can still leave their own dojo and move around within the Three Realms.

However, the Dao Ancestor clearly stated that unless the safety of this world is threatened, the six of them are not allowed to get involved in anything that happens in the Three Realms.

Therefore, if we want to carry forward and protect the Taoist sect, we will have to rely on the third and fourth generations of disciples and grand-disciples.

Therefore, the more powerful Li Jingxiao is, the more beneficial it is to the Taoist Ancestor and the Taoist sect to a certain extent.

Thinking of this, Li Jingxiao suddenly had an idea.

He possessed the Chaos Bell as his trump card, yet dared not actually use it.

Therefore, if one can make significant contributions to the Taoist sect, one can take the opportunity to visit the Zixiao Palace to pay respects to the Grandmaster.

Perhaps the Dao Ancestor would be willing to acknowledge that the Chaos Bell was a pot he bestowed upon Li Jingxiao.

At that time, the Chaos Bell will be usable whenever we want.

Anyone who dares to snatch it is slapping the face of the Dao Ancestor.

Not to mention, with Laozi as their master, anyone who dares to steal the Chaos Bell has to be wary of Laozi's retaliation.

Moreover, to be honest, the only five sages besides Laozi truly had the ability to seize the Chaos Bell.

It's highly unlikely that Yuanshi Tianzun would do that, as the Pangu Banner in his hand is no less powerful than the Chaos Bell.

Moreover, both of these innate treasures are offensive magical artifacts.

Adding one more item would only be icing on the cake, but the consequence would be offending Laozi, or even the Dao Ancestor.

This deal is really not worth it.

The Tongtian Sect Leader would be even less likely to do so; the Four Swords of Zhuxian and the Sword Formation Diagram are the world's most outstanding offensive treasures.

Moreover, the Tongtian Sect Leader was much more straightforward and open-minded than the Primordial Celestial Lord.

Although the Goddess Nuwa possessed many magical treasures, she did not have a single one of the innate supreme treasure level.

Their strength is weaker than that of the Three Pure Ones. Even if they steal the Chaos Bell, they will most likely not be able to stop Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun from forcing them to come and demand it back.

Therefore, the only ones who would actually have the intention to do so, and who might actually take action, are the Western Buddhist monks Jieyin and Zhunti.

Jieyin always remained behind the scenes; it was usually Zhunti Daoist who actually took action.

But Li Jingxiao is not like Kong Xuan, who is strong in offense but weak in defense.

Kong Xuan was so famous and his record was indeed brilliant, but he couldn't defend against Deng Chanyu's 'Five-Colored Stone'.

He was hit and injured by the 'Five-Colored Stone' again and again.

It is evident that Kong Xuan's defensive capabilities and physical strength are indeed ridiculously weak.

Zhunti Daoist easily suppressed Kong Xuan by simply using the 'Seven Treasures Tree'.

However, Li Jingxiao possessed numerous defensive magical artifacts, and once he placed the Chaos Bell above his head for defense...

It won't be so easy for Daoist Zhunti to defeat him.

If Li Jingxiao cannot be captured in a short period of time, he will have plenty of time to ask Laozi for help.

They could even seek help from the Primordial Celestial Venerable.

Even if the Tongtian Sect Leader were to help Li Jingxiao, he would most likely take the opportunity to teach Zhunti Daoist a lesson.

Thinking about it this way, Li Jingxiao couldn't help but feel secretly pleased.

By tricking Sanxiao, Caiyun, and Shiji, Tongtian Jiaozhu not only gained both "people and money," but also became Li Jingxiao's father-in-law.

That's why Li Jingxiao dared to say that as long as he didn't do anything that would anger both heaven and man, he could indeed live freely and without restraint in the Three Realms. After the Investiture of the Gods, Li Jingxiao himself would be a patriarch-level being comparable to Buddha.

Even within the Taoist sect, there are very few people who would give him face.

However, Li Jingxiao couldn't think of a way to make contributions to the Taoist sect in a short period of time.

There was no reason for him to meet Hongjun Daozu, so he could only suppress these thoughts and follow Grand Master Xuandu into the 'Eight Views Palace'.

Upon seeing Laozi, Li Jingxiao immediately sensed that the old man's aura was remarkably similar to that of Laozi from Journey to the West.

The only difference is that, in terms of imposing presence, it is much stronger than Laozi in Journey to the West.

Li Jingxiao was not surprised by this.

Laozi in Journey to the West is the third among the Three Pure Ones.

With two older brothers who were more powerful than him above him, Lao Jun, as the third son, naturally had a more amiable and even weaker demeanor.

However, in the world of Investiture of the Gods and the prehistoric world, Laozi is the eldest of the Three Pure Ones.

It's perfectly normal for the eldest brother to have a strong personality and presence.

Moreover, among the six saints in the Investiture of the Gods world, Laozi is indeed the strongest.

He also possesses the Taiji Diagram and the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda, two innate treasures and merit treasures.

The other five sages either possessed only one innate treasure or had none at all.

How can one compare to Laozi?
Of course, the Four Swords of Zhuxian and the sword diagram of the Tongtian Sect Leader were used to set up the Zhuxian Sword Formation.

That's really too impressive.

The rule that it could not be broken by anyone other than the Four Sages meant that other sages would always feel as if there was a thorn stuck in their throats.

If given the chance to seize the Four Swords of Zhuxian and the array diagram, even Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun, who are brothers, would definitely take action.

Once the Zhuxian Sword Formation is broken, we can tell from Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun's attitudes toward the Four Zhuxian Swords.

As long as the four immortal swords and the sword formation are not in the hands of one person at the same time.

Those four simple immortal swords were nothing special in the eyes of a sage.

After Li Jingxiao bowed, Lao Jun observed him carefully for a while before he was truly certain that this guy was indeed cultivating the Dao of Taiqing.

As for where it came from, with Laozi's knowledge and cultivation, he could probably guess a thing or two.

But even Laozi himself shouldn't ask about this matter, lest it cause any trouble or accidents.

However, even though Li Jingxiao's identity was confirmed, Laozi was still somewhat worried about Li Jingxiao's character.

At the same time, he also wanted to personally examine Li Jingxiao's true cultivation and strength.

So Laozi didn't stand on ceremony with Li Jingxiao and started preaching right away.

But while ostensibly preaching, they actually ask questions at the same time.

Li Jingxiao naturally answered fluently, but as Laozi's questions became more and more profound.

When Li Jingxiao answered, he was not so relaxed and at ease.

Fortunately, he had already cultivated the Taiqing Great Dao True Scripture to the seventh level.

Moreover, back in the Journey to the West world, during the breaks when he accompanied Laozi in refining elixirs, the old man would still tell him a lot about the great principles of the Taiqing lineage.

Therefore, even though the Taoist practices of the two Laozi are slightly different, they are still very similar in essence.

Although answering became increasingly difficult, the occasional responses even caught Laozi's eye.

To put it bluntly, it's like using the Taoist teachings created by a Taoist patriarch-level being in Journey to the West to debate with the sages in Investiture of the Gods.

For Laozi in the Investiture of the Gods, they are equivalent to two beings of the same level and lineage, mutually verifying each other's learning and thoughts.

Therefore, the more Laozi listened to the Investiture of the Gods, the more excited and delighted he became.

Li Jingxiao, of course, also benefits greatly.

To a certain extent, this is equivalent to providing him with enough and exquisite raw materials for the "Taiqing Daodao Zhenjing" he is learning.

To supplement and upgrade what they have learned in the "True Scripture of the Great Dao of Taiqing".

Proficiency is something that increases with each level of skill.

In just one day, it increased by nearly 14, reaching the seventh level (17/1000 million).

Unfortunately, the questions Laozi asked later proved increasingly difficult for Li Jingxiao to answer.

Seeing that Li Jingxiao was taking longer and longer to think, Lao Jun simply stopped testing him.

For him now, the most important thing is to acknowledge the master-disciple relationship with Li Jingxiao and keep the kid under control.

So Laozi interrupted Li Jingxiao's thoughts and asked, "Disciple, how many years has it been since I took you as my disciple?"

Li Jingxiao was taken aback, and even the Grand Master Xuandu, who had been listening nearby, became surprised and curious upon hearing this.

But Master Xuandu simply didn't believe that Li Jingxiao wasn't his junior brother, even after listening to him for so long.

He even felt that his junior brother's understanding and cultivation of the Taiqing Dao were more profound than his own.

After regaining his senses, Li Jingxiao quickly understood Laozi's meaning.

This is an inquiry into how many years he has been cultivating the Dao of Taiqing under the tutelage of Laozi, the master of Journey to the West.

Think carefully, in which year in Journey to the West did you become the only direct disciple in the Tushita Palace?

After silently calculating in his mind, Li Jingxiao was somewhat surprised.

Back then, I fought with Sha Wujing at Liusha River.

Suddenly, the tortoise and snake generals descended to earth and read out the decree of the True Martial Emperor, thus obtaining the True Martial Emperor's swordsmanship.

It had been a full 25 years since I left the world of Journey to the West.

But in just over twenty years, he went from someone who would be crushed if he encountered Sun Wukong.

He transformed into someone who, upon leaving Journey to the West, could actually overwhelm Sun Wukong.

This short period of time is enough to make any cultivator extremely envious and jealous.

If we include the seven years or so since entering the world of Investiture of the Gods, it's only been 31 years.

As for the time it took for him to become Laozi's disciple in Journey to the West, it was only 23 years.

Li Jingxiao looked at Laozi in front of him with some hesitation, feeling that if he really only said 23 years...

Not only would Laozi himself be surprised, but the Grand Master Xuandu standing beside him would most likely be so astonished that his jaw would drop.

So Li Jingxiao thought about it and decided to include the seven years he spent in the world of Investiture of the Gods as well.

He then bowed and said, "Reporting to Master, I have been performing the disciple's ceremony and have received your teachings on the Great Dao for 30 years now."

Upon hearing the terms "teacher" and "master," Lao Jun knew that Li Jingxiao was giving him an implication.

He did indeed become an apprentice to learn the Way of Taiqing, but the master who taught him was not himself.

However, Laozi, the founder of the Investiture of the Gods, was already prepared and naturally did not care about Li Jingxiao's title.

Furthermore, Li Jingxiao was speaking the truth, and in Laozi's eyes, he was respecting his teacher and valuing the Way, and not forgetting his roots.

From now on, all I need to do is treat him well and teach him, and naturally I will also be Li Jingxiao's master.

At the same time, there's no need to worry that this kid will learn the skills but then do something ungrateful.

But the Grand Master Xuandu, standing to the side, was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth.

In just thirty years, this junior brother in front of me has already surpassed me?

Even Xuan Du, who was always 'unsettled and focused on meditation', felt envious and even jealous of this talent and opportunity.

Fortunately, he was indeed a 'true cultivator of the Way,' and the turmoil in his heart lasted only a moment before he became happy.

In the future, not only will I have a more capable junior brother, but I might also be able to learn more from Li Jingxiao and improve together.

(End of this chapter)