Two Realms High Martial Arts: Gathering the Heavens to Become a Great Luo Immortal

Chapter 365 Opening the Heavenly Gate for the Common People

Filled with excitement and gratitude, Master Qingxu carefully put away the power of all beings' wishes, which was enough to be the treasure of Longhu Mountain. He bowed deeply to Li Xijun once again before sitting down again with great emotion. He felt that all his previous investments and expectations had been rewarded far beyond his imagination.

Li Xijun's gaze then turned to the Zen Master Ning, who was sitting upright to the side.

This Thunder Tribulation True Lord, who had diligently cultivated the "Dragon Elephant Bodhisattva Demon-Slaying View" at Dajue Temple and had earned a renowned reputation for killing three angels in the last East-West Continent War, involuntarily straightened his already ramrod straight back when he felt Li Xijun's gaze. His muscles tensed slightly, and even his usually heavy aura, like that of a dragon and elephant, showed a slight, imperceptible stagnation, clearly indicating that he was extremely nervous.

Seeing his tense expression, Li Xijun chuckled softly, breaking the slightly heavy atmosphere, and said gently, "Master Channing, there's no need to be so nervous. I summoned you both not only to fulfill my past promise, but also because I do indeed have something that requires the assistance of the Buddhist community."

Upon hearing this, Master Channing sprang up from his seat almost reflexively, his movements so swift that they were unlike those of a calm and composed high monk.

He strode to the foot of the imperial steps, then lifted the hem of his monk's robe, preparing to perform the full prostration. His voice was loud and earnest: "Your Majesty, whatever your command, this humble monk and all the monks of Dajue Temple are willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty, even unto death! The Buddhist community is willing to be Your Majesty's vanguard; whatever command you give, we will obey without hesitation!"

The sheer force and speed of this display of loyalty made Master Qingxu's eyes twitch. He thought to himself, "This old bald monk, who usually acts like a detached, enlightened monk, is so shameless when it comes to flattery. If I had known this, I should have been even more grateful!"

He couldn't help but regret his earlier "reserve," feeling that in terms of pleasing the most powerful person in the world, he had been outdone by this old rival of Buddhism.

Li Xijun was amused by Master Channing's reaction and chuckled again. He waved his hand and said, "Master, please rise. There's no need for such a grand ceremony, nor is there any need for any talk of going through fire and water. The matter I'm seeking assistance from Buddhism is not about war or bloodshed."

He gestured for Master Channing to rise and continued, "I wish to request the Buddhist community to send truly virtuous and accomplished monks to assist the court in governing the western region of the Great Snowy Mountains."

When the Western Regions were mentioned, Li Xijun's tone became slightly somber as he recalled what he had seen and heard: "In the past, I set foot in the Western Regions, killed those tyrannical slave owners, and also destroyed the Tashilhunpo Monastery, which had been causing havoc in the region."

"However, due to the compromise between the late emperor and the West, the Seven Gods Church was able to enter the Western Regions to preach."

"Although the situation under the rule of the Seven Gods Church is slightly better than the previous dark and hopeless slave system, their methods of spreading their faith and competing for believers are still harsh and exploitative, and the people of the Western Regions still live in poverty. Now that the Seven Gods Church has been destroyed, I wish to reorganize the Western Regions, implement benevolent governance, and enable the local people to truly live in peace and prosperity."

"However, the court has undergone a major change in its structure and is short of manpower. In particular, there are many complex matters in the Western Continent that require a large number of capable officials to handle. It is difficult to allocate enough manpower to go deep into the Western Regions in a short time. In addition, Buddhist thought has been prevalent in the Western Regions for a long time and is deeply rooted. The will of the people is not easily changed."

"Therefore, I hope that the Buddhist community can send a group of truly compassionate, well-versed in Buddhist teachings, and willing to speak out for the people to assist the newly established Western Regions Administration in the Western Regions. They will go to the Western Regions to assist the government in re-measuring and redistributing land, comforting displaced people, and guiding people towards goodness. With the compassionate spirit of Buddhism, they will cooperate with the benevolent policies of the court so that the people on that land can truly live a peaceful and prosperous life."

Li Xijun knew that the Refining Spirit System in this world had extremely high requirements for one's character, especially at higher levels, where the mind had to undergo numerous trials and tribulations.

Among the three religions, there may be different convictions, but there are indeed many people who truly uphold the core spirit of their respective doctrines.

Confucianism often has scholars and officials who govern the country and bring peace to the world, Taoism has practitioners who cultivate themselves by practicing tranquility and non-action, and Buddhism naturally has no shortage of practitioners who truly possess compassion and vow to save all sentient beings.

This is far better than what Li Xijun knew in his previous life about those fat, big-eared so-called high monks who lent money, got involved in real estate, went to nightclubs, and kept mistresses.

Upon hearing that they were not being asked to risk their lives, but rather to undertake this "lucrative task" that would both propagate Buddhism and accumulate merit, while also pleasing the emperor, Master Channing felt greatly reassured and quickly bowed, replying, "Your Majesty is merciful! Your concern for the people of the Western Regions is of immeasurable merit!"

"Your Majesty, rest assured, upon returning, this humble monk will immediately select virtuous and talented individuals from within the temple and other monasteries."

A community of monks, well-versed in Buddhist principles and compassionate towards all sentient beings, will wholeheartedly assist the Western Regions Department of the Imperial Court, and will certainly live up to His Majesty's trust!

Seeing that the other party agreed so readily, Li Xijun nodded in satisfaction.

Although he did not directly bestow upon the same high-quality spiritual power as that given to Longhu Mountain, he did draw a concrete "pie in the sky," saying meaningfully, "I am very pleased that the Master and Dajue Temple have this intention. Once the Western Regions are properly governed, people's livelihoods are restored, and all industries prosper, the power of gratitude gathered there will naturally become even purer and more powerful."

"At that time, I will consider allocating a portion of the stable share of the people's aspirations in the Western Regions to Dajue Temple, so that you, as the leader of Buddhism, can distribute the power of the people within it, as a reward for your efforts."

Li Xijun's words were quite clever; he emphasized that the "Dajue Temple" was used for the secondary distribution.

This undoubtedly enhanced the status of Master Channing and the sect he represented within Buddhism.

Upon hearing this, Master Channing's eyes lit up with surprise, and his gratitude became even more sincere and intense than before. He bowed deeply once more: "This humble monk—thanks to Your Majesty's great kindness! Dajue Temple will do its utmost to handle the affairs of the Western Regions well, to repay Your Majesty's trust!"

This was not just about completing a mission, but also about securing a cornerstone for the long-term development of his sect. How could he not be extremely excited?

Seeing the leaders of Buddhism and Taoism behaving so respectfully, even with a hint of flattery, Li Xijun knew that the time was ripe.

His expression remained unchanged, and he calmly steered the conversation toward a deeper level of strategic planning.

"Speaking of the governance of the Western Continent,"

Li Xijun tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne, as if he were pondering, "The territory has suddenly expanded several times, and the land is indeed larger, but now my Great Sheng, especially the Refining Spirit cultivators who are proficient in governance, is really stretched thin and inadequate."

His gaze swept over the two below, a hint of emotion in his eyes: "Nowadays, the three religions' cultivators have an orderly lineage and produce many outstanding talents, truly the pillars of the court. However, the court wishes to recruit more talented individuals, and it remains extremely difficult for ordinary people to embark on the path of refining spirits."

His words carried a hint of reminiscence, and his gaze seemed to travel through time and space back to those years in Tianjin: "Speaking of which, when I was just a minor cultivator at the Concentration stage, I had already heard of the illustrious reputation of Master Channing and your temple's 'Dragon Elephant Bodhisattva Demon-Slaying Temple'."

"At that time, when I was at the Contemplation Society in Tianjin, all I could come into contact with were the most common and basic inferior visualization methods. I was filled with envy for you, the true inheritors of the three religions, who possess the supreme visualization methods."

Li Xijun's voice carried a touch of warmth and nostalgia: "If it weren't for my mentor, Zhang Fuhu, the Martial Saint, who risked his life to seize a supreme Taoist meditation method from the Wusheng Taoist Temple for me as a foundation—I might not be able to sit here today and talk with you two."

At this point, he sighed softly: "These past few days, I have often thought of the old scholar who took care of me when I was at the Cunsi Society in Tianjin. He once said that if I ever achieve something, he hoped that I could help and support poor young people like him who are struggling to make a living and for their future."

"Now that I think about it, I am fortunate to have met a renowned teacher and to have been appreciated and promoted by Boyan Gong and the late Emperor. But there are countless commoners in the world who are of decent talent and have a strong will, but are limited by their birth and confined by sectarian prejudices, and have no way to seek the Way. Thinking of that old master's entrustment, I often feel a little ashamed."

Li Xijun's words were spoken in a calm tone, without any sense of accusation. They sounded more like an emperor expressing his thoughts on governing the country and his appreciation for talent.

However, to Master Qingxu and Master Channing, this was nothing short of a thunderclap!

His Majesty is clearly using this opportunity to make the three religions show real "sincerity," break down the existing barriers of tradition, and open up a new path for advancement for the court and for the poor families of the world!

This actually harms the interests of practitioners of the three religions, especially the Buddhist and Taoist sects.

But Li Xijun had already shown them great favor, and with the imposing presence of having previously slain the Seven Gods, he was now giving them face. How could they possibly refuse?

Master Channing reacted extremely quickly. Almost the instant Li Xijun finished speaking, he stood up again, put his hands together, and said with a solemn and earnest expression: "Your Majesty has the world in your heart and is compassionate. Your consideration for the difficulties faced by poor students in their pursuit of the Way is a blessing for all people and a model for us practitioners."

"This humble monk wishes to represent Dajue Temple and, with utmost effort, persuade all Buddhist sects to donate eighty-one intermediate visualization methods and twelve advanced visualization methods to the imperial court. This will allow the court to select talented individuals and provide guidance for aspiring practitioners throughout the land, illuminating their path and opening doors to spiritual practice!"

Not to be outdone, the Celestial Master Qingxu immediately rose, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty's benevolence and virtue benefit all living beings; this humble Taoist is deeply grateful."

"Longhu Mountain is willing to lead all sects of Taoism to donate seventy-two intermediate visualization methods and sixteen advanced visualization methods to the imperial court. We hope that this small contribution will help the imperial court to broaden the path of cultivation and cultivate more pillars of society for the great and prosperous era!"

Their statements were undeniably generous.

While intermediate and advanced visualization methods are not as precious as the supreme visualization method, they are still an important part of the lineage of a school. Such a large-scale donation demonstrates their determination and willingness to "surrender".

Looking at the two men below vying to pledge their loyalty, Li Xijun finally smiled with satisfaction and nodded slightly: "Good. I am very pleased that both Buddhism and Taoism have this heart and take the world as their responsibility."

He then outlined his plan: "At that time, I will distribute these visualization methods, along with some basic methods suitable for popularization, to the meditation societies in various prefectures and counties. The imperial court will send people to examine and select those poor children with excellent character and aptitude, giving them a chance to change their destiny."

"At the same time, these visualization methods can also be used as an assessment and reward for officials in charge of local meditation associations. If someone can be as diligent and conscientious as that old scholar in Tianjin back then, selecting talents for the country, they should be richly rewarded."

Upon hearing this, Master Qingxu and Master Channing immediately understood Li Xijun's profound meaning.

This is not only about cultivating cultivators from humble backgrounds, but also about taking this opportunity to further embed the imperial court's influence into the grassroots cultivation selection system, while also encouraging officials to work diligently.

Clearly, the other party had already made up their mind about this.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing understanding and a hint of relief in each other's eyes—relief that they had reacted quickly and maintained the proper attitude.

They dared not be negligent, and bowed deeply in a solemn ceremony, shouting in unison, "Your Majesty is wise! Your benevolence extends to all living beings, and you have opened the gates to spiritual cultivation—truly an unprecedented act of virtuous governance!"

"Your Majesty, we offer our congratulations! With this excellent strategy, the court will surely produce many talented individuals, the empire will be forever secure, and a prosperous era is within reach."

>