National Division

Chapter 97 Shen Xian: As the Empress's strategist, how could he not know about the foreign troubles?

Sitting in Oblivion Peak, Azure Cloud Palace—

After the peak masters finished their discussion, Sima Zongxian, the head of the Shangqing Sect, looked at the young man in a scarlet official robe with his dark yet bright eyes, which were like two sharp swords, and asked, "Scholar Shen, my junior sister Murong and I are accepting you as a disciple on behalf of our master. What do you think?"

Shen Xian cupped his hands in greeting and readily agreed: "It is my wish, I dare not ask you."

The secret passage, I wonder if it's possible to cultivate the "Primordial Qi Gong" while simultaneously practicing the Shangqing Sect's techniques.

Sima Zongxian turned his gaze to Murong Yue beside him and said, "Junior sister, you should first lead Scholar Shen to Tianji Peak and explain to him the precautions for joining the sect."

Murong Yue nodded, then turned to Shen Xian and said, "Come with me."

Shen Xian responded and, along with Xue Zhihua, followed Murong Yue toward Tianji Peak.

Lin Xuanjian, the peak master of Taibai Sword Peak, raised his eyebrows and said in a deep voice, "Sect Master, the matter of accepting a disciple is a bit hasty. We are still unaware of the abilities of this Scholar Shen."

Although it was said that Sima Zongxian and Murong Yue could make the decision to accept disciples from Tianji Peak, it was still a bit strange that such a junior brother from the same sect had emerged.

Sima Zongxian said, "I will first designate him as a disciple on the list, and observe his future performance. As you all saw just now, he has already reached the rank of fifth grade official at such a young age. Moreover, the record stone that my junior sister gave me records his actions since entering the capital, for all of you to see."

As he spoke, he opened his palm, and the image-recording stone, enveloped by a celestial power, slowly rose before everyone.

The group exchanged glances and then used their divine senses to read the clips. In just a few breaths, they had finished watching the exciting montage of Shen Xian.

Although they were all practitioners of the immortal path, they were also impressed by the young man's shrewd and skillful demeanor in the imperial court.

He was full of vigor and had an unparalleled charm.

"The Flying Bear Physique?" Chu Ruoli frowned slightly, the murderous aura in her eyes dissipating slightly, and a look of surprise and doubt appeared in her eyes.

Isn't this a saying recorded in ancient Taoist texts? Are there really people who possess the body of a flying bear?
Sima Zongxian counted on his fingers again, but still found nothing. He frowned and said, "Although not the son of the great calamity, he is a wise minister who will assist the son of the great calamity."

The protagonist of the Great Calamity is a female lead like the Heavenly Empress.

Qixia Immortal Bao Hong and others nodded.

That makes sense. His image is etched on jade, and his talent for governing is rare in his time. Considering his age, the assessment of him as a wise minister in a dream is not an exaggeration.

……

……

Shen Xian and the Imperial Preceptor Murong Yue quickly fled towards Tianji Peak, landing on the blue stone square in front of the cliff. At this moment, a snow-white crane with a beautiful figure, a sika deer with antlers like tree branches and timid eyes, hopped and skipped over, and a panda came along, swaying leisurely.

"Is that a panda?" Shen Xian murmured, his gaze fixed on the strange beast with black and white striped fur, which was none other than the panda, the national treasure of later generations.

With its small, round black ears, two black eyes, and a black nose, and its head and face covered in white fur, it waddled over with its big belly, looking adorable.

In ancient times, Chi You's army fought riding iron-eating beasts. Pandas were fierce and did not rely on being cute to make a living like they do in later generations.

Upon hearing Shen Xian's voice, the panda's eyes revealed a wise look, and it said in a simple and honest manner, "My name is White Bear, and I am a tapir, not a cat."

Shen Xian looked at the panda who was speaking in a silly manner, feeling a strange sensation in his heart.

No wonder Chinese people love pandas; their silly, goofy, and fluffy appearance is simply adorable.

"Senior Sister." The crane flapped its wings and flew towards Xue Zhihua, speaking in human language.

Shen Xian looked at the graceful crane. Although he had seen the three-headed snake queen before and knew that there were demon cultivators in this world, seeing three auspicious beasts speak up at close range was still quite different.

“These are all spirit-possessed demon cultivators from Tianji Peak. Because they often listen to Senior Brother’s lectures, they have gained sentience and are considered Senior Brother’s disciples.” Murong Yue explained when she saw Shen Xian’s confusion: “This white bear has the bloodline of the ancient divine beast Zouyu. It is incredibly strong and can chew iron and stone, but it prefers to eat bamboo.”

Shen Xian nodded and said, "I see."

"Uncle-Master, who is he?" A crane with bright plumage and a long, sharp beak approached, its voice clear and melodious, like that of a child.

Both the panda and the deer looked at Shen Xian, but the latter had a gentle look in his eyes and was obviously timid and shy, clearly a female deer.

Xue Zhihua stepped closer, stroking the crane's little head. A bright smile appeared on her usually aloof and icy face: "This is your junior uncle."

"Senior sister touched my wings again, I'm not going to grow taller." The crane's voice was sweet and clear. Then it flew closer, its bright eyes darting around as it looked at Shen Xian and called out, "Junior Uncle, I am Ling'er, she is Youyou, and he is Daxiong."

The crane resembled a chattering little girl.

The panda said in a simple and honest voice, "My name is not Big Bear, my name is Zhuangzhuang, Zhuangzhuang."

"Your name will be Big Bear, your name will be Big Bear." The crane's voice was lively and melodious, like that of a child who never grew up.

Shen Xian, wearing a crane crown adorned with peach-red blossoms, greeted her with a smile: "Hello, Ling'er sister."

The crane stretched its slender neck and let out a soft cry, its voice sweet and endearing: "Brother."

Xue Zhihua frowned her beautiful, dark eyebrows, tugged at the crane's wing, and said, "You have no manners, call me Junior Uncle."

“Brother calls me sister, so of course I should call him brother.” Ling’er held her long, white neck and nudged Xue Zhihua’s chest.

Xue Zhihua snorted and pinched the crane's wing, saying, "If you cause any more trouble, I'll tie you up."

Upon hearing this, the crane fluttered its two red eyelashes and dodged to the side.

"Stop fooling around." A hint of embarrassment appeared on Murong Yue's fair face. She gave a clear shout, stopping the argument between the crane and Xue Zhihua. Holding a silver whisk, she said, "The Dao Palace ahead is the meeting place of Tianji Peak. Among the twenty-eight peaks of Shangqing, Tianji Peak has the fewest disciples."

Shen Xian nodded and said, "It seems that the cultivation methods of Tianji Peak are special and have requirements for cultivation conditions."

He could see that the name "Tianji" (Heavenly Secrets) on Tianji Peak likely required a high level of comprehension and aptitude from its disciples.

Murong Yue said, "You will come with me to the Dao Palace first to familiarize yourself with the situation of our sect. When the headmaster returns, we will set up an altar to connect with the ancestral tablets, and then record your certificate, confer your ordination, and transmit the Dharma to you."

Listening to Murong Yue's words, Shen Xian gained a deeper understanding of the statement that the Three Pure Ones sect monopolized the right to cultivate magic.

With the Shangqing Sect as a cover, he could use his cultivation of the Hunyuan Qigong to deceive others.

As they spoke, Shen Xian, Xue Zhihua, and the others followed the Imperial Preceptor Murong Yue into the [Dayan Hall].

"Scholar Shen, please sit down."

Murong Yue sat down on a pear wood chair, waved her sleeve to Shen Xian, and instructed, "Huiyao, Biluo, bring over the immortal tea from Luojia Mountain in the South China Sea, as well as the berries from Penglai Island."

Two beams of shimmering light, one red and one blue, appeared before the hall, from which two female immortals emerged.

A woman in a pink dress, with a beautiful face, and another in a blue dress, with a gentle demeanor, walked hand in hand into the hall, carrying fruits brimming with spiritual energy and tea leaves exuding fragrance. "These are my two senior sisters under Master's tutelage. They are Lingzhi and Cuizhu, who have attained enlightenment and possess profound cultivation and extraordinary abilities," Xue Zhihua explained to Shen Xian beside her, turning her head.

In fact, the two demon immortals were two celestial attendants who served Murong Yue. As time passed, they were taken in by Murong Yue as her nominal disciples. Of course, the only two people on the entire Tianji Peak who were already at the fourth level of the immortal path, the Dao Embryo realm, were at Murong Yue's command.

Shen Xian turned his gaze to the two female immortals and, seeing them offer him spiritual fruit and tea, politely said, "Thank you for your trouble, fairies."

Actually, he was quite curious about how these demon cultivators transformed into human form.
The female Taoist priest, with her pure and elegant face and refined demeanor, said in a clear voice: "The Shangqing lineage teaches without discrimination and does not fight and kill demon cultivators. Therefore, when you mentioned in your previous 'Public Security Policy' that demons are divided into good and evil, our Shangqing lineage agrees. Hence, you and I are kindred spirits."

Shen Xian picked up the spirit tea, took a sip, and asked, "What about the Yuqing lineage?"

Murong Yue said, "The Jade Purity Sect values ​​innate talent most when accepting disciples. They do not like demon cultivators, unless they are born as divine beasts or demon cultivators with extraordinary backgrounds. When accepting disciples, they mainly look at their spirituality, aptitude, talent, and even their origins."

Shen Xian looked thoughtful.

Xue Zhihua explained, "Yuqing Sect prefers to recruit sons of aristocratic families and nobles. Many young members of the Cui and Lu families have joined Yuqing. In addition, many sons of founding nobles have also joined the Yuqing lineage."

"Back then, Zhihua could have joined Yuqing, but she later joined Shangqing because of me. Not only that, she also brought her brother into Shangqing as well." Murong Yue mentioned the past and looked at Xue Zhihua beside her.

Shen Xian looked thoughtful and said, "The choice of a path depends on fate. Whether it is due to aura, disposition, ideals, or coincidence, people eventually come together and walk the same path."

At least he saw the Qing dynasty as harmonious and loving, but its inclusive education and open-door policy could easily lead to a mix of good and bad among its members, who might commit wrongdoing.

As for the Yuqing lineage, they are more likely to pursue a mid-level elite path.

"Scholar Shen is right." Upon hearing this, Murong Yue couldn't help but look at the young man in higher regard.

This is what makes her both happy and suspicious. If a young man who is not yet twenty years old possesses the skills to govern the world, it can be explained by reading the books of predecessors and being good at thinking.

But he can also make profound pronouncements on the Dao of Immortality, which makes people wonder where he learned them from.
This can only be attributed to the Flying Bear's physique, exceptional comprehension, ability to draw inferences from one instance to another, and keen observation.

Although his innate talent was somewhat ordinary, the Shangqing lineage adhered to the principle of teaching without discrimination and did not expect Shen Xian to have any great cultivation.

Whether there are dates or not, let's shoot a couple of times and see.

Shen Xian picked up the teacup and caught a fleeting look of surprise in Murong Yue's eyes.

This is the characteristic of people in later generations: they know a little about everything, but they are broad but not deep; they know one or two things, but not the rest.

These Taoist immortals are just making a fuss over nothing.

"Now that you have joined my sect, I will first introduce our sect's cultivation methods to you." Murong Yue's eyes flickered slightly as she said, "Our sect has a Daoist scripture that all direct disciples can practice to cultivate the foundation of the Dao. This scripture was passed down by Ancestor Qingxuan and is called the Shangqing Lingbao Tianjing. Disciples need to study it frequently. Tianji Peak has a special cultivation method, but this method may not be suitable for you."

Finally, Murong Yue carefully considered her words: "If you want to learn, you can give it a try."

Shen Xian said, "I understand. This method requires a high level of talent and comprehension of the Dao."

But... is he really that bad at talent?
Although it didn't have Tsinghua, Peking University, or the top five universities in its previous life, it was still one of the thirty or forty top universities.

Then there is only one possibility: only those at the level of Tsinghua, Peking University, and the top five universities can cultivate the techniques of Tianji Peak.

"This technique is called the Great Evolution Heaven-Reaching Divine Art." Xue Zhihua raised her beautiful eyebrows, her clear and bright eyes sparkling like water. She said, "I don't practice this technique either. I have a senior sister who does practice the Great Evolution Heaven-Reaching Divine Art, but she doesn't live in the grotto-heaven and has gone to travel in the world."

Shen Xian said, "That requires extremely high qualifications."

Even with Xue Zhihua's skill level, she hadn't mastered this technique, and judging from the name, it must be a subject comparable to advanced mathematics.

"There are very few disciples in the Tianji Peak lineage, and the reason lies here," Murong Yue said calmly.

Shen Xian asked, "Grand Preceptor Murong, do you know where the Shangqing Lingbao Heavenly Scripture is now?"

Murong Yue picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said in a clear and melodious voice, "This Daoist scripture is right here in my Sumeru bag. Once you have paid homage to the Qingxuan Patriarch and your name has been recorded on the jade register, the Daoist scripture will be officially bestowed upon you."

Shen Xian nodded and cupped his hands, saying, "Then I'll leave everything to Grand Preceptor Murong."

Murong Yue parted her pink lips slightly, her voice like flowing jade: "Our sect's Qingxuan Ancestor was an ancient immortal with cultivation that reached the heavens and the earth. He came to this world to pass on his lineage. When this dynasty was founded, he joined forces with the Taiqing and Yuqing families to support the Dragon Court and establish the Great Jing. Afterwards, they all ascended to the Immortal Realm."

Shen Xian sat upright, listening intently, not missing a single word.

He needs to quickly understand the world of immortals and acquire knowledge in order to make analyses and responses.

Murong Yue spoke slowly and deliberately, taking about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

It mainly covers the basic situation of the Shangqing Sect, which has twenty-eight peaks. The peak masters are mostly at the eighth realm [the Tribulation Transcending Realm], which is considered to be a loose immortal.

Lingzhi stepped forward to serve more spiritual tea and stood by with her hands at her sides.

After listening, Shen Xian praised, "Ancestor Qingxuan practiced education for all in Shenzhou, widely accepting disciples. To this day, he has passed down his teachings to twenty-eight peaks, ensuring the immortal path flourishes and grows lush and verdant. He has truly enlightened the world and his merits are immeasurable."

Murong Yue nodded, thinking to herself, "They are indeed kindred spirits."

Huiyao, dressed in pink and with a beautiful face, spoke up from the side: "How many living beings in the world live in a daze, desperately seeking a glimmer of immortality in ignorance, but Taiqing does not accept them, Yuqing does not inquire, only Shangqing opens the door to the Dao."

If Shangqing hadn't bestowed upon her immortal arts, she would probably have become a lingzhi mushroom used for alchemy.

Shen Xian fell silent for a moment, then turned to look at the graceful and slender crane in the hall, its eyes blinking brightly, as well as the cute and shy deer and the silly panda.

He thought to himself, "If these demon cultivators hadn't joined the Shangqing lineage, they probably wouldn't have had any hope of attaining enlightenment."

They might even become food for Taoist practitioners.

Murong Yue asked, "Is there anything else you want to ask?"

"I would like to ask about the enemy state, Great Rui," Shen Xian said.

On the way back to the capital, he didn't have time to ask about the enemy state of Da Rui. He asked briefly, but Xue Zhihua said that her cultivation level was too low and she didn't know much about Da Rui.

The Daoist school governed the world during the Great Jing Dynasty, but this does not mean that Confucianism was absent; it simply means that Confucianism was not the mainstream approach to governance.

So what exactly is the Great Auspiciousness of Confucian governance?
As the chief strategist of the Empress, how could he not know about the foreign troubles from the enemy?
Murong Yue remained silent for a moment, as if considering her words: "Da Rui, I don't know how to describe it to you. In this country, Confucianism governs the world, and cultivators mainly cultivate righteousness, or rather, literary talent. Poetry, songs, and even the doctrines of Neo-Confucianism can all be put into writing and become soldiers."

Upon hearing Murong Yue's words, Shen Xian's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

……

……

(End of this chapter)