National Division

Chapter 96, Shangqing Sect Leader: This is... a great calamity is about to begin. (Two chapters, 9,000 words each, please vote!)

Qingxuan Cave Heaven, Zuowang Peak, Bixiao Palace
In the center of the palace, there is a portrait of the Shangqing Patriarch, riding on a huge whale, holding a whisk in his arms, and carrying a long sword with a blue scabbard on his back. His face is ancient and simple, his expression is ethereal, and his face is shrouded in mist, making it difficult to see his features clearly.

This is the Shangqing portrait that Zhao Wang Yang Youxing could never forget, painted by Wu Daozi, the painting sage of the Zhenyuan era.

Sima Zongxian, the Immortal Yunqiao, the leader of the Shangqing Sect, sat on a rosewood chair. He wore a Taoist robe with water, fire, eight trigrams, and cloud patterns. He looked to be in his early forties, but his snow-white hair was tied into a Taoist bun with a pine hairpin. He did not wear a Taoist crown, and his appearance was clean and neat.

This immortal, Yunqiao, who is in charge of the Shangqing Great Sect, has delicate eyebrows and phoenix eyes, and a handsome face. Although he is hundreds of years old, there are no wrinkles on his cheeks, and his skin is rosy and translucent, almost like that of a baby.

Seated on two rows of chairs facing each other were six male and female cultivators of different ages and genders, dressed in different clothes and with different temperaments, some cold, some indifferent, and some lazy.

They were all peak masters of various peaks of the Shangqing Sect, teaching disciples and preaching within their peaks, and leading their respective lineages.

Sima Zongxian, the Immortal of Cloud Wood, spoke in a voice as pure as unpolished gold and jade: "Esteemed Peak Masters, my master and I, along with Taiqing's senior brother, have divined that the Buddhist teachings of the Buddhist sect will spread eastward and enjoy a sixty-year period of good fortune; this is already a foregone conclusion."

Xuanqiong Immortal Ge Chuan, dressed in a gray Taoist robe, with an ancient and dignified face, carried a sword on his back. His face was full of worry as he asked, "Sect Leader, once Buddhism takes root in Zhongzhou, it will be difficult to expel them in the future."

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, their faces showing seriousness.

They clearly recalled the scene of the flourishing of Buddhism in the previous dynasty, while Taoism was forced to hide in the mountains. At that time, although the two Wu emperors and the Great Emperor Taizu of the Great Jing Dynasty had suppressed Buddhism, Buddhism was like weeds that could not be burned out, and it did not take long for it to flourish again.

Originally, he intended to establish a great kingdom, destroy mountains and temples, and completely expel Buddhism, but unexpectedly, a female ruler came to power, and the fate of the world changed.

"The universe has shifted, yin and yang have been disordered, Taoism has declined and Buddhism has risen. This is the will of fate. Even if we try to suppress it, it will only bring about a greater backlash from fate." Immortal Yunqiao, Sima Zongxian, spoke with an ethereal and otherworldly air.

Tao Ping, the immortal of Nanshan, with a thin, clear-cheeked face and a worried expression, stroked the three strands of his beard and said, "The Buddhist sect has made a comeback, building Buddhist temples all over the Central Plains and gathering believers. Once they bewitch the emperor and implement a national policy of promoting Buddhism and suppressing Taoism, what should we do?"

Plum Blossom Fairy Chu Ruoli, her brows furrowed with a faint chilling aura, picked up the teacup she had just put down and said coldly, "Back then, it was nothing more than another round of rehearsals to seize a sliver of heavenly secrets!"

This Taoist nun was in her thirties, dressed in a blue robe. Her face was unadorned, but she was beautiful, with phoenix eyes and peach-blossom cheeks. Her sharply defined eyebrows were raised, and a chilling murderous aura rose from her jade-like face, making people overlook her unparalleled beauty.

Lin Xuan, the peak master of Tianjian Peak, was a young Taoist priest dressed in white robes as white as goose feathers. His brows were adorned with a cold and arrogant air as he said sternly, "Junior Sister Chu is right. It was nothing more than a show!"

"War has broken out again in the land, causing immense suffering and harm to all living beings, which is against the natural order." Bao Hong, the Qixia Immortal and master of Dan Ding Peak, frowned slightly, his voice deep and resonant.

“The Confucianists are pressing forward relentlessly, while the Buddhist sects are taking risks. I wonder what the patriarchs of the upper realm have to say?” Wang Ji, the peak master of Yuanfu Peak, looked at Sima Zongxian with a calm expression.

Sima Zongxian remained silent for a moment, then communicated with the others through divine sense: "It has been half a year since we were able to contact Ancestor Qingxuan."

Upon hearing this, the other six peak masters exchanged glances, their minds filled with various speculations.

“There is no need to worry. Our ancestor’s cultivation was boundless. Before his ascension, he left a message that the two-realm passage was sometimes blocked and it was normal that we could not make contact.” Sima Zongxian said calmly, comforting his fellow disciples in the hall. “Do not spread this matter to the other peaks.”

The Shangqing Great Sect has twenty-eight peaks in the Qingxuan Cave Heaven, each in charge of a peak's Dao lineage, but only seven peak masters have come to the hall today.

Because the Shangqing lineage is led by the successive peak masters of Tianji Peak, and there are six executive peaks below to assist the leader in handling the daily affairs of the Shangqing sect.

Unless it is a grand sect ceremony, the election of the six peaks or peak masters, or a major event concerning the safety of the sect, the twenty-eight peak masters will generally not be present.

Just as the peak master of Tianji Peak was talking with several other peak masters, Sima Zongxian sensed the fluctuations of the magical restrictions on the entrance to the cave. His divine sense caught a familiar aura, and a smile appeared on his handsome face: "Junior Sister Murong is back."

Upon hearing this, all the peak masters in the hall were moved.

Because the Empress was a woman, in order to facilitate communication, the Shangqing Sect sent Murong Yue, a rising star from Tianji Peak, to assist the Empress and serve as the Imperial Preceptor, as a sign of their strong support.

At this moment, Shen Xian, Xue Zhihua, and Murong Yue were traveling on clouds and mist, and had already entered the Qingxuan Cave Heaven.

Within the cave, verdant peaks rose abruptly from the ground, their waists hidden in swirling clouds and mist. Daoist palaces and immortal buildings were nestled among the peaks, stretching as far as the eye could see.

The palaces were densely packed, shrouded in an ethereal aura, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, cranes spread their wings, auspicious clouds abound, divine light shines brightly, bamboo groves rustle, waterfalls cascade down like the Milky Way, fragrant herbs and lingzhi mushrooms bloom in vibrant colors, and mythical beasts soar and roam the cliffs.

"Is that a dragon?" Shen Xian looked at a blue dragon with shimmering scales and a dragon's head in the distance, his eyes narrowing as he asked.

"It is merely a coiled dragon, not a real dragon," said the Imperial Advisor Murong Yue, her expression as calm as still water.

Shen Xian looked at this scene and sighed inwardly.

This is a celestial paradise!
It was like a small world in itself, and this was the headquarters of the Shangqing Great Sect.

Only now did he realize that this world should have this style of art.

They encountered a three-headed snake earlier, and now they've seen a dragon.

His true pursuit was immortality and the path to becoming a celestial being.

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but focus my divine sense on the Yin-Yang millstone in my spiritual platform, and found that the merit value column had suddenly increased by 400,000.

This...this is unbelievable.

Previously, it was only an increase of ten or twenty thousand, but this time it was a direct increase of four hundred thousand.
Hmm, it must be related to the dismissal of Prime Ministers Cui and Lu in the imperial court. It seems those two traitors have committed quite a few sins!
The message from the Yin-Yang Millstone confirmed Shen Xian's guess.

The memorial urged the removal of Cui and Lu from their positions as prime ministers. Since the prime ministers were involved in the rise and fall of the nation, and were from powerful families like the Cui and Lu clans, the memorial would naturally receive a great deal of humanitarian merit in return.

"Let's go to Zuowang Peak." The voice of the Imperial Preceptor Murong Yue rang in Shen Xian's ears, and then the auspicious clouds beneath his feet shot like arrows, flying towards a mountain peak that was clearly a hundred feet higher than the others.

Shen Xian looked through the spiritual energy barrier at the distant immortal mountain. His eyes suddenly lit up. It was a mountain peak shaped like a giant sword, and on it sat a series of Taoist palaces with flying eaves and carved beams and painted rafters.

Meanwhile, disciples dressed in white feathered Taoist robes were practicing swordsmanship, their swords flashing and their white robes fluttering.

“Those are disciples of Taibai Sword Peak,” Xue Zhihua explained when she saw Shen Xian’s gaze fall. “They are the two major forces of the sect, along with Tongming Sword Sect.”

Shen Xian nodded, his gaze falling on the mountain peak shrouded in seven-colored light, where he saw the golden phantom of a large cauldron, seemingly appearing and disappearing on the mountaintop.

Xue Zhihua said in a clear voice, "That is Dan Ding Peak, which contains a spirit cauldron that can be used to refine immortal pills. It is said that Uncle-Master Bao and Grandmaster Yao Sou can refine nine-pattern immortal pills, but no one has ever seen them."

Shen Xian nodded and said, "Nine-Patterned Immortal Pill? Can it grant immortality?"

"Immortality? How easy is that?" Xue Zhihua's eyes sparkled with laughter as she said, "If only eating this could make one an immortal."

Shen Xian did not press further, his gaze falling on the dragon and the mountain it was on.

“That’s Beast Taming Peak. The dragon is Master Hua Chi’s mount,” Xue Zhihua said.

Shen Xian's gaze was deep, and he didn't say much. He was assessing the power of the Shangqing Great Sect in his mind, and then assessing the number of people in the entire Great Jing Immortal Path.

This is sampling statistics used in later statistical studies.

One peak represents one lineage. It can be said that the Shangqing Great Sect encompasses all things, gathers all arts of cultivation, and has tens of thousands of cultivators.

Of course, there should be quite a few disciples of the Yuqing Sect as well.

There might be fewer Taiqing, since it places more emphasis on comprehension. In any world, there are always far fewer geniuses with high IQs.

Shen Xian wondered to himself, "I wonder if there are a million cultivators?"
A million cultivators is probably unlikely, considering how many households the entire Great Jing Dynasty has. However, the aristocratic families, martial arts sects, and servants attached to the Immortal Sect and the Three Religions might number in the millions.
This is not a cultivation universe based on resources. Since it values ​​the enlightenment of cultivators, it means that heaven and earth have screened cultivators who can seek the Dao and achieve immortality based on their intelligence.

Shen Xian then put his preliminary analytical skills to use.

Of course, that's not necessarily true.

It's a bit like estimating how many billionaires there are in the country based on a bank's savings report; it might not be accurate.

Lost in these random thoughts, Shen Xian landed in front of Zuowang Peak with Xue Zhihua and her disciple.

Before the Sitting in Oblivion Peak—

An elderly Taoist priest dressed in a blue cloud-patterned robe approached and greeted Murong Yue with joy upon seeing her cloud-like figure: "Uncle-Master Murong, the Master sent me to welcome you."

Murong Yue nodded, descended from the clouds, and said calmly, "Lead the way."

Shen Xian and Xue Zhihua exchanged a glance, then followed Murong Yue into the palace.

【Bixiao Palace】

Shen Xian looked at the three characters on the plaque and secretly memorized them. He then followed Murong Yue up the clean, white stone steps and entered the hall.

The palace is magnificent and imposing, with beams and pillars carved with mythical beasts such as dragons, phoenixes, and blue luan birds, making it even more splendid than the Qianyuan Palace and possessing an extraordinary grandeur.

Or is this the real reason why the Queen wanted to build the Palace of Ten Thousand Images?
With this thought in mind, Shen Xian entered the hall.

"Murong greets the Sect Leader." Murong Yue, holding a whisk, took a few steps closer and bowed to Sima Zongxian, who was seated at the head of the table. "Junior Sister Murong, there's no need for such formalities." Immortal Yunqiao, Sima Zongxian, smiled warmly, "Zhihua has also arrived."

Xue Zhihua stepped forward and performed a Daoist curtsy: "Zhihua greets Master Uncle."

Sima Zongxian nodded slightly and said, "The radiance of the crimson clouds has subsided, and the third realm has been consolidated."

Xue Zhihua said, "It's all thanks to Master's effective teaching."

Sima Zongxian laughed heartily, then his gaze fell on Shen Xian beside Xue Zhihua, and he asked, "Junior Sister, who is this?"

Murong Yue said, "Senior brother, this person is the Empress's newly appointed scholar of the Zhaowen Hall. He is proficient in testing and just impeached the two prime ministers, Cui and Lu, in the court."

As he spoke, he transmitted his thoughts, saying, "Senior brother, it seems to be the Flying Bear Body."

Upon hearing this, Sima Zongxian's smile faded slightly, and two deep vortexes appeared in his eyes as he scrutinized Shen Xian. His fingers clenched together, but his brows furrowed more and more tightly.

Seeing this, Immortal Xuanqiong asked in confusion, "Sect Leader, what is this?"

"The secrets of heaven are becoming increasingly obscure, as if shrouded in mist. This is... a great calamity is about to begin." Sima Zongxian exhaled deeply and said quietly.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the scattered immortals in the hall changed slightly, and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

When the great calamity began, countless immortals perished within it.

Murong Yue's fair face, with its smooth skin and delicate bones, showed a cloud of worry. She said, "Senior brother must have been busy with teaching affairs recently and has not been able to make a divination. Several days ago, the secrets of heaven were already as obscure as a swamp and difficult to predict."

Sima Zongxian's tone became somewhat serious as he asked, "What do the fellow Daoists of the Heluo Sect have to say?"

"The aura of calamity is heavy, and the fortune is clouding the mind. It may be related to the invasion of the enemy country, or it may be related to the rampage of demons and evil spirits." Murong Yue's gaze was cold, but her tone was unusually solemn.

Sima Zongxian remained silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "Just like a hundred years ago."

How long has it been? Another great calamity is about to begin.

Moreover, with the female protagonist in power, the order of Yin and Yang is disrupted, and the universe is turned upside down, so who knows how many more people will be dragged into this mess.

As Shen Xian listened to the group, he thought to himself, "These few immortal giants are talking nonsense, but I think I understand some of what they're saying."

A great calamity is imminent, and fate is shrouded in uncertainty, making it impossible to predict much.

Actually, when the Shangqing Sect Master was doing the divination just now, his heart skipped a beat. Could it be that he had figured out that he possessed a great treasure?
But since Murong Yue hadn't noticed it before, he actually thought that the Shangqing Great Sect couldn't see it either.

Murong Yue said, "Just now, the Heavenly Empress has agreed to allow the Buddhist sect to build the Stupa for the Amitabha Buddha and hold the Ullambana Festival."

Sima Zongxian thought for a moment and said, "This matter is settled."

As she spoke, she looked at Shen Xian beside her and said, "I heard from my junior sister that Scholar Shen just dismissed Prime Ministers Cui and Lu."

"The two traitors, Cui and Lu, are incompetent and idle, watching as demons and evil spirits harm the people. Out of a sense of justice, I impeach them." Shen Xian's voice was clear and righteous.

Sima Zongxian nodded and said, "Mr. Shen, please take a seat."

With a wave of his hand, a streak of azure light appeared, and a chair in the distance landed beside Shen Xian.

Shen Xian cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Master Shangqing."

Without any hesitation, they sat down.

There is a difference between the mortal and the immortal. Although his cultivation in the immortal path is zero, he represents the Great Jing Dynasty and the Empress Dowager, and cannot be inferior to others.

Sima Zongxian turned to look at Murong Yue beside him and asked in a telepathic message, "What is your intention in bringing this Scholar Shen to the sect?"

His junior sister is incredibly intelligent and shrewd; she must have a scheme behind this move.

Murong Yue's expression remained as serene as an ancient well, her voice clear and cold, like ice and jade colliding: "Senior brother, I would like to ask you to accept this person as your disciple, or I may accept him on behalf of our master, in order to enhance the fortune of our sect and prepare for the great calamity."

If it truly is a great calamity, then they will surely seize talented individuals from the human realm to increase the fortune of the immortals.

However, because the fog of fate obscured the river of destiny, even the leaders of the three religions could not distinguish which one was Jiang Ziya and which one was Shen Gongbao!
Sima Zongxian glanced at the tall, slender youth and immediately saw through his cultivation level: seventh level of the Acquired Realm, with only mortal eyes. He frowned slightly and transmitted his thoughts through divine sense, asking, "Junior Sister, are you sure this person possesses the Flying Bear Physique?"

"Regardless of whether he is or not, this person is a national hero with the talent to govern the country and bring peace to the nation. He has already gained the Empress's trust and should be brought into my Shangqing sect first." Murong Yue replied with divine thought.

It only costs a few pills and some Taoist techniques to bring a national hero under one's wing; nothing could be more worthwhile.

Moreover, after Shen Xian impeached and brought down the two prime ministers Cui and Lu at the first court meeting, Murong Yue was already seventy percent certain of Shen Xian's "Flying Bear Physique".

Sima Zongxian glanced at the upright-looking young man with a face as dark as water and said, "This matter still needs to be considered."

Murong Yue transmitted her thoughts, saying, "I have recorded this person's actions since entering the capital on the image stone. Senior Brother can view it with your divine sense."

As he spoke, the jade in his palm was enveloped in spiritual light, and he handed it to Sima Zongxian, the head of the Shangqing Sect.

So, in the eyes of outsiders, the two senior and junior siblings exchanged pleasantries and communicated with each other through their spiritual senses for a moment before Murong Yue handed something to Sima Zongxian.

"Junior Sister, please have a seat. Please have some immortal tea." Sima Zong gestured for Murong Yue to sit down.

Sima Zongxian was highly skilled in cultivation. With just a sweep of his divine sense, he had already viewed all the images related to Murong Yue's meeting with Shen Xian in a single breath.

From the moment Shen Xian presented the "Policy on Governance" to the Empress Dowager upon entering the capital, until the first court assembly where he impeached and brought down the two prime ministers, Cui and Lu, everything that Murong Yue witnessed was recorded on the jade slip.

Sima Zongxian was a member of the imperial family of the previous dynasty. He abandoned his royal title to pursue immortality. Although he was not a great political figure, he was not completely ignorant of the art of governing the country.

How could one not see the talent of this young man before them?
A peerless strategist, capable of both planning and decisive action!
No wonder my junior sister wanted to take this boy into the Shangqing Sect. Regardless of whether it's a sure thing or not, we should take a chance. What if he has the Flying Bear Physique?

Then Shangqing will be able to gain the upper hand in the great calamity to come!
The Shangqing sect is inherently inclusive and teaches without discrimination; one more or one less makes no difference.

Sima Zongxian thought for a moment, glanced at Shen Xian, and pondered, "Since Junior Sister Murong strongly recommends him, then let's accept him as a disciple on behalf of our master and list him as a disciple of Tianji Peak. We'll grant him a Daoist title after we contact the Ancestral Master using the Jade Tablet for Transmission Between the Two Realms."

This time, he didn't use telepathy to communicate, but spoke to Shen Xian in person.

I don't expect Scholar Shen to achieve much in the Dao of Immortality. If he can become a strategist for the Empress, he can become another bridge between Shangqing and the Empress.

Upon hearing this, Xue Zhihua's cool and aloof expression faltered slightly, and she was somewhat dumbfounded.

What's going on? Shen Xian is going to become her senior uncle?

The other peak masters in the hall looked at each other, their faces full of doubt as they looked at Shen Xian.

What is the background of this child? The headmaster and junior sister Murong, in just a few words, actually wanted to accept him as a disciple on behalf of their master.

Although somewhat puzzled, he refrained from publicly refuting the authority of Yunqiao Immortal Sima Zongxian.

But the communication through divine thoughts had already begun.

Xuanqiong Immortal Ge Chuan, being straightforward, asked through divine thought, "Sect Leader, this Scholar Shen is a member of the imperial court. Even if he is taking on disciples, he shouldn't do so in the name of the Ancestral Master. This matter should be handled with caution."

"Senior Brother Ge, there's more to this than meets the eye. This person is suspected to be of the Flying Bear Physique," Sima Zongxian explained through telepathic communication.

Then, several peak masters also joined the discussion via telepathic communication.

“How is that possible?” Ge Chuan asked.

"The Buddhist sect's eastward spread of the Dharma coincided with the reign of the Empress, making the secrets of Heaven increasingly obscure. A great calamity is about to begin, dragons and snakes will rise from the land, and the child of calamity will also appear." Sima Zongxian's tone was not without worry as he said, "Otherwise, how could someone so young possess the talent of a prime minister and be treated as an honored guest by the Empress?"

You say something, I say something.

“Even if they aren’t, it doesn’t matter. They’re just nominal disciples. Once we contact the patriarch and inform him of this matter, that will be fine,” Sima Zongxian advised the several peak masters.

Shen Xian watched as the Taoists of the Shangqing Sect suddenly fell silent, but their eyes met frequently. They would glance at him from time to time, their eyes sometimes scrutinizing, sometimes puzzled, and sometimes enlightened.

The secret passage: those Taoist priests from the Shangqing Sect must be crickets chirping at him!

For some reason, seeing the title of a nominal disciple bestowed upon him by the Shangqing lineage gave him a sense of déjà vu... that he was Shen Gongbao.

Regardless of the reason, being a registered disciple is still being a registered disciple, and at least within the Shangqing Sect, it makes one a special case.

(End of this chapter)