Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 967 The True Nature of the White Lotus
At this time, Xu Xuan was unaware of these changes. He wrote in the butterfly message to Baoan Hall that he only needed two or three good fighters.

Although Chen Sheng is a historical figure, his military achievements, accomplishments, and legendary status are not particularly high in the present era.

Moreover, he didn't die for very long, didn't have any bloodline bonuses, and lacked Wu Guang's management skills, so this dungeon shouldn't be too difficult.

As for the Yin soldiers, he is a man with the power of the Earthly Branches of Calamity, so he is not short of troops at all.

Who knew that this would finally ignite Master Qing's boundless enthusiasm.

This might cause some trouble in hell.

The Holy Father, who was unprepared for this, was busy with "important matters" in Dazexiang.

For example, gain a deeper understanding of the internal organizational structure of the White Lotus Sect, which is considered their own "own business".

To my shame, his understanding of the vast legacy left by the Virgin Mary, as a theoretical "second-generation Holy Father," largely comes from the archives of the Pure Land School, a "hostile force," and from fragmented information obtained through physical rituals performed by Dharma Kings Da Bao and Da Ci. This understanding is rather one-sided and not "official."

Now that I've finally met Hou Sheng, a key member of the teaching staff who I can "peacefully" communicate with and who seems to know a lot about the inside story, I naturally want to seize the opportunity to fill in the gaps in my knowledge.

Of course, as the "Great Compassionate Dharma King," it would seem too suspicious and unbecoming of him to directly inquire about the basic structure of the religion.

Xu Xuan was well aware of this, so he adopted a more roundabout approach.

First, with a somewhat condescending scrutiny, he asked questions such as, "Besides those like you who oversee rituals, who else is a capable subordinate of the Great Wisdom Dharma King?"

Then came hurtful remarks like, "You've been a member of the church for quite some time now, how come you're still stuck with a job guarding a remote place?"

This not only fits the identity of a "Dharma King," but also provokes the other party to reveal more information in order to show off their achievements or defend themselves.

Of course, there were also classic empty promises like, "A small pond like Jixian can hardly raise a true dragon. Hou Sheng, have you... ever thought about taking it a step further?" or "If you handle this task well, I may recommend you to the main altar for a position where you can better display your talents." The carrot and stick were used together.

After a series of frank and friendly exchanges, we finally gained a clearer understanding of the strength and status of the White Lotus Sect in the North.

The conclusion is: It's indeed quite impressive.

It can be said that if the various scattered forces of the White Lotus Sect in the North could be truly united, their combined strength would make them the most powerful civilian group at present, without exception.

The highest-ranking figure within the church is undoubtedly the Holy Mother.

When the Virgin Mary is mentioned, even these old believers speak with an almost mythical reverence.

After all, he was a terrifying being who truly dominated an era and slaughtered the top masters in the world.

She not only created a bizarre and tenacious "monster" sect, but also nearly severed an important lineage of Buddhism. Her ultimate goal is to claim herself as the new "future Buddha" and create her own vacuum era.

Such spirit and such combat power are backed by a truly terrifying record of victories.

Hou Sheng revealed that many of the experts in the sect did not necessarily agree with the doctrine of "Vacuum Homeland" when they chose to join the White Lotus Sect.

More than anything, they were drawn to the Holy Mother's unparalleled strength and momentum, wanting to follow this seemingly "chosen one" and fight for a chance to rise to power, hoping that their entire family could ascend to heaven and become Buddhas and ancestors.

Next comes the position of the leader.

This position of leader was jointly elected by the remaining forces within the church after the Virgin Mary's "passing away," with the aim of handling daily church affairs on her behalf and preparing for the Virgin Mary's "return."

The first leader was also a remarkable figure.

Born into the long-extinct lineage of the Taiping Dao, he mastered the "Yellow Heaven Great Law" to an extraordinary degree, and once single-handedly shattered the mountain gate of the "Li Family Dao," a branch of the Daoist sect, earning him a fearsome reputation.

Unfortunately, thirty years ago, the White Lotus headquarters was betrayed by a traitor, which led to a joint attack by many powerful figures in the imperial court and heroes of the righteous path. In the end, he fought to the death and did not live to see the return of the Holy Mother.

The current leader is the second generation.

This second-generation leader... his style of doing things is completely different from his predecessor's, extremely secretive, and can be described as a dragon whose head is seen but whose tail is never seen.

It is said that they are extremely vigilant and will immediately move their headquarters at the slightest sign of trouble, never lingering in battle.

His reputation within the church doesn't seem to be very good. There are rumors that he is not as enthusiastic about "welcoming the return of Our Lady" as the first pope.

Since taking office, this person has not accomplished many truly earth-shattering events. Instead, he is keen on "claiming" all sorts of serious incidents, big or small, to bluff and demonstrate the White Lotus Sect's presence. His methods seem rather... underhanded.

Of course, Hou Sheng also admitted that even with his position as a branch leader, most of the information about the second-generation leader was hearsay, and it was difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

Below the leader are the four powerful Dharma Kings, all top experts standing at the pinnacle of their respective realms, each possessing unique supernatural abilities, and are the true backbone of the White Lotus Sect.

The Great Treasure Dharma King was known for his decisive and ruthless actions, disregarding the consequences of his deeds. He stirred up trouble within the White Lotus Sect, reaching the height of his power. Xu Xuan: Sadly, he died tragically on the banks of the Xin'an River, his ambitions unfulfilled.

The Great Compassionate Dharma King's dream-related supernatural powers are most consistent with the "White Lotus Sutra," and are mysterious and unpredictable. Almost no one has seen his true form, and his whereabouts are elusive.

Xu Xuan: My true form is a Burchi bird, and I've already taken over its account.

The Great Wisdom Dharma King is said to be the one with the closest relationship to the second leader of the sect. He has been stationed in the northern region for many years, secretly making plans. Many of the sect's conspiracies and long-term schemes were his work, making him the strategist of the White Lotus Sect.

Xu Xuan: This time it's all about cause and effect, I hope he can eat better.

The Mahayana Dharma King is the most mysterious, known only by name and never seen in person. Information about him is extremely scarce, as if he were merely a shadow existing only in doctrines and legends.

Xu Xuan: I hate this kind of shadowy character setting the most, because they always bring up some outrageous big events.

Hou Sheng was sharing, and Xu Xuan was complaining; they were quite in sync.

"Ahem, besides the four renowned Dharma Kings, there are actually many other hidden masters within the sect. However, most of them are eccentric or have other reasons, and they do not hold any specific positions."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan believed it.

The White Lotus Sect followers, like the Painted Wall Demon Monk, who were direct descendants of the Pure Land sect, were only recently killed by him. There are probably several other figures like him throughout the Nine Provinces.

I couldn't help but marvel at how the White Lotus Sect could endure for three hundred years without ceasing, and how it could repeatedly rise from the ashes after being besieged and suppressed. It truly had its extraordinary qualities.

There are probably seven or eight cultivators of the fourth realm who are known to be there on the surface, not counting those who are hidden.

If this power could be completely unified, ordinary sects and major factions would likely be wiped out in no time; this is no exaggeration.

As for the middle-level core members, such as the various incense masters and messengers, and the countless ordinary believers spread throughout the land, their numbers are even greater, forming a vast and intricate network.

More noteworthy is Hou Sheng's mention that the four Dharma Kings had actually established their own branches within their respective spheres of influence.

Although these sects all worship the White Lotus Mother as their highest faith, due to the different understandings of the "White Lotus Sutra" by the leaders, they gradually developed different ideologies and styles of conduct.

Hearing this, Xu Xuan felt it was quite normal, or even inevitable.

Even the orthodox Taoist sects are divided into many schools such as Daode, Xiantian, Lingbao, Zhengyi, Qingwei, Jingming, Yutang, and Tianxin, each with its own doctrines and lineages. Most of them claim to originate from the lineage of a certain celestial deity.

The same applies to Buddhism. Although there are eight major schools, such as Chan, Pure Land, Tiantai, and Huayan, each school has its own sub-schools, each with its own emphasis on Buddhist doctrines and practices, leading to different paths.

The path of spiritual cultivation is inherently like this.

"Reason" is the foundation, determining how far one can go; "power" is the branches, reflecting one's current strength.

The more comprehensive and thorough the reasoning, the more solid the foundation, and the more vast and powerful the magical power that can be supported and derived will naturally become.

The emergence of ideological branches within the White Lotus Sect precisely demonstrates that its doctrines possess a certain depth and room for interpretation, and are not merely simple deceptive rhetoric; rather, they have truly acquired some of the grandeur of righteous law.

The reason why Buddhism and Taoism have been able to firmly occupy the top position in the cultivation world and survive countless eons is fundamentally due to this.

First, by opening its doors wide and teaching without discrimination, it ensures the unbroken transmission of the Taoist tradition; second, by spreading the Tao throughout the world, its profound philosophy attracts the world's talents.

In addition, both schools of practice have extremely high requirements for the mind and character of their practitioners, emphasizing accumulating virtue and doing good deeds, and realizing one's true nature. Naturally, they have become representatives of the "right path" in the eyes of the world, carrying the expectations and fortune of humanity.

In this way, it receives both the recognition and blessing of Heaven for its orderly inheritance and natural way of life, as well as the strong support of human incense offerings, vows, and fortune.

The two companies' deep-rooted foundations and immense power naturally reached a level that is unimaginable to ordinary people.

Even though the traces of immortals and gods have become increasingly rare in ancient times, and dynasties have changed hands and power has been reshuffled many times, the transcendent status of Taoism and Buddhism has never been shaken in the slightest.

The White Lotus Saintess, a figure of extraordinary talent who intended to create her own religion and aspire to rival Buddhism and Taoism, naturally understood the intricacies of this matter.

One person's strength is ultimately limited. Only by encouraging subordinates to spread their influence, recruit and cultivate more and more talents, and continuously enrich and improve the White Lotus Sect's scriptures and general principles, can they gather immense fortune to compete for the destiny in the dark.

This is the only path to truly "becoming a Buddha and an ancestor" and establishing an everlasting legacy.

Therefore, with their tacit approval or even encouragement, the various Dharma Kings took action:
His Holiness the Great Compassionate Dharma King founded the "Dream Benevolence Society," which focuses on guiding people towards goodness through dream practice.

The Karmapa established the powerful and more direct "Tongshan Society" in the north.

The Great Wisdom Dharma King was skilled in planning and established the "Nine Palaces Path," which had a more rigorous structure.

(End of this chapter)