Only after unifying the world did I realize that immortals existed in this world.

Chapter 113 The Sect Master and the King

Daxia is truly a magical place.

Qin Song left the four continents of immortals and demons, abandoning his status as sect leader, and came to the Great Xia, treating himself as an ordinary traveler, traveling with Zhou Xin.

He observed the expressions of every commoner on the street, in restaurants, and in shops—observing the grandeur of this royal city.

That evening, he and Zhou Xin talked for a long time.

The young nation of Great Xia is truly unique. They do not revere aloof cultivators, but only admire Great Xia and its monarch who led them out of the chaos of the world.

They possess a unique spirit: high-spirited, resilient, and passionate about life.

The entire capital was prosperous and well-ordered.

Uplifting and full of vitality.

This is a very unique power. Qin Song had a vague idea that Xie Cangrong's power, the power of the Great Xia Dynasty—could it be related to the unique spiritual temperament here?

There is no such city in the four continents of immortals and demons.

This has nothing to do with the strength of a nation.

Even in the most prosperous and powerful region of the Zhengyu Immortal Sect, the people do not possess this kind of temperament.

The four continents of immortals and demons were not without people who were rescued from the chaos, but those people merely worshipped and prayed to the cultivators.

How was such a country established?

Could the dynasty to which Jinglan belong also possess such a temperament?

Qin Song seemed to realize something: the格局 (geju, a concept encompassing the four continents of immortals and demons) was already old and worn out. Now, resources were scarce, foreign enemies were invading, and internal strife was constant—perhaps they needed to learn and make changes.

The next day, the sun rose as usual, and it was another day full of hope.

Qin Song had no political needs or any other frivolous thoughts. He still wanted to go out for a stroll and heard that a restaurant called Baiwei Restaurant was hosting a storytelling event, which sounded quite interesting.

Just as he and Zhou Xin finished preparing, a capable-looking guard entered the room, cupped his hands in greeting to the two of them, and said, "I wonder if the Immortal Master has any free time? My lord wishes to grant you both an audience."

"Oh?"

Qin Song and Zhou Xin exchanged a glance, then Qin Song smiled and said, "Please!"

The other person extended their hand and said, "Please!"

The guards led the two to a quiet courtyard.

"Please come in, esteemed immortals. Our lord has been waiting for you for some time."

The guard paused outside the gate, reached into the courtyard, and spoke to the two men.

Qin Song and his companion nodded and stepped into the courtyard.

A gentle breeze ripples across the tranquil lake, willows sway gently, and in the central pavilion, plum wine is brewed. The host has already taken his seat, seemingly having been waiting for some time.

Seeing this, Qin Song narrowed his eyes slightly.

He was new to the area and didn't know anyone; he only knew a few names based on intelligence.

Now, standing at the entrance of the courtyard, looking at the person sitting in the pavilion from afar, even before they had spoken, he already had a guess about the other person's identity.

He sat there, his aura as dazzling as the sun, as if the entire world was protecting him.

"Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar?"

As you step into the pavilion in the lake, the aroma of wine wafts towards you, and the wine itself is steaming hot.

The handsome young man stood up. He was dressed in a spotless white robe and had a warm expression. He cupped his hands and smiled at Qin Song and the other man, saying, "Esteemed immortals, I, Xie, have been waiting for you for a long time."

It was Xie Cangrong.

The monarch of a country, meeting privately in this pavilion, did not display much majesty or domineering manner.

On the contrary, she is warm, natural, and poised.

Such politeness, yet with an air of confidence and positivity, is exceptionally endearing.

A gentleman of modesty and refinement.

It's truly hard to imagine that this is the same monarch who slew the Buddha with his sword and publicly berated the Emperor Taihua.

With just one glance, Qin Song guessed the identity of the person in front of him.

Despite having some suspicions, Qin Song was still quite surprised when he actually met him in person.

Qin Song had many speculations about this monarch he had never met.

Domineering and imposing? Sharp and ruthless? Flamboyant and unrestrained? Arrogant and self-centered?

Now that he had met Xie Cangrong, all his guesses were overturned. This person could not be easily described with a single adjective.

The side he is showing now is completely different from what we know.

It's hard to imagine that such a young and dignified person is the monarch of the Great Xia.

Qin Song returned the greeting to Xie Cangrong, his voice clear and melodious: "Jinglan Qin Song greets Your Majesty."

Xie Cangrong wasn't there to play a guessing game with Qin Song, and he didn't say much when the other party recognized him.

He simply smiled and said, "Please take a seat, Immortal Venerable!"

"Your Majesty is too kind."

During this private meeting, Xie Cangrong brought only Ji Qu with him. Xie Cangrong sat in the main seat, while Ji Qu sat to the side.

Qin Song smiled at the two of them and sat down with Zhou Xin.

While Qin Song was observing Xie Cangrong, Xie Cangrong was also observing Qin Song.

This person was dressed in a blue robe with a wine gourd hanging from his waist. He had a similar air of mystery and was somewhat lazy and carefree.

It's really hard to imagine that this person is the leader of a major immortal sect.

However, unlike Xuan Gu's unkempt appearance, this person possesses a carefree and unrestrained temperament from the inside out, with a bold and unrestrained spirit as if he were free to roam the world.

He was more powerful than any cultivator Xie Cangrong had ever seen.

Can this person withstand an imperialist iron fist?

Suppressing his thoughts, he raised his wine cup and smiled at Qin Song, saying, "I was unaware of the Immortal's presence and have failed to greet you properly. I hope the Immortal will forgive me."

Qin Song's arrival in person was unexpected by Xie Cangrong.

Even after communicating with Taihua so many times, their mysterious sect leader still hasn't shown up.

Jinglan and Daxia had only just met and expressed their goodwill when this sect leader arrived, acting so discreetly.

Does this mean they really value the Great Xia Dynasty?

Isn't Jinglan being a little too open?

Xie Cangrong couldn't fathom the other party's intentions, so before summoning all civil and military officials for a formal meeting, he wanted to meet with him privately first.

Xie Cangrong has always supported holding meetings, big or small, to discuss important matters.

Qin Song is the sect leader and the supreme leader of Jinglan.

His words were far more valuable than Gao Yilang's.

In formal settings, every conversation and every contract between Xie Cangrong and Qin Song is a responsibility to Jinglan and Daxia.

Both sides are supreme leaders, representing each other's face and status. What they say in the hall means there is no turning back and no room for regret.

However, these problems don't exist when meeting in private.

The needs and conflicts of both parties should be discussed and resolved properly to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control and irreversible. The contract should be finalized privately now, and then made public in a formal setting, where the ministers can point out minor issues. This will ensure the success of the project.

Although Jing Lan's attitude is likely positive, there is a possibility of cooperation with Da Xia.

However, the two sides have different views after all. Xie Cangrong doesn't know if the other party's friendliness is the friendliness he expects, so he needs to figure out the other party's intentions first.

Qin Song smiled and waved his hand, saying, "I only did it on a whim, Your Majesty, there's no need for you to trouble yourself."

The initial meeting between the two sides went well.

Green plums danced in the wine as Xie Cangrong smiled and asked, "Your Majesty has been here for several days and has witnessed the scenery of my Great Xia. What do you think of my Great Xia?"

Qin Song thought for a moment and said, "It has the grandeur of a great nation, truly unique."

He didn't know where this dynasty would go, but it was bound to be special.

There is no such human dynasty in the four continents of immortals and demons.

This evaluation can be positive or negative.

Xie Cangrong then asked, "I have never left the Great Xia Dynasty. I wonder what the dynasties on the Four Continents of Immortals and Demons are like?"

"Hmm—the atmosphere of dynasties differs under the protection of different sects. I don't know much about others, but I can tell Your Majesty about the Great Li Dynasty to which I, Jinglan, belong, and the Qian Yuan Dynasty—"

Like the Taihua Sect, the Jinglan Sect also has two secular dynasties.

He didn't hide anything, telling Xie Cangrong about the secular country to which Jinglan belonged, including its land area, population, customs, and culture.

After all, this isn't anything particularly special.

Xie Cangrong paused upon hearing this, then asked, "May I ask, Immortal Venerable, how does the dynasty to which the Immortal Sect belongs compare to my Great Xia? Are their people more prosperous and stable than those of my Great Xia?"

"Forehead----"

Qin Song smirked upon hearing this: "Some places are prosperous, while others are chaotic. Your Majesty, the four continents of immortals and demons are plagued by demonic invasions and destruction, so it's not really fair to compare them."

Will national order truly improve under the protection of the Immortal Alliance?

To be honest, Qin Song was also searching for the answer to this question.

Even the dynasty to which the Jinglan Sect belongs has many problems.

Compared to other sects, Jinglan Sect has actually tried its best, but it hasn't been very effective and it always ends up being thankless.

The people seem to have been spoiled by them, becoming somewhat lazy and even more prone to falling into the evil path of indulgence and debauchery.

"I see—"

Xie Cangrong toyed with the wine cup in his hand and asked again, "May I ask, Immortal Venerable, what do cultivators seek? What do immortal sects seek?"

Qin Song replied, "Cultivation is about forgetting oneself, comprehending the Great Dao, and transcending the mortal realm."

"At the same time, we, the righteous ones, must also fulfill our responsibilities to protect the weak and drive out the evil."

Xie Cangrong was not surprised by this answer, and continued to ask, "Immortal Venerable, if there were no more intrusions from the Demonic Sect, no more evil cults, would the cultivators of the Immortal Sect only pursue transcendence and the Great Dao?"

Qin Song frowned upon hearing this, but still nodded and replied, "Yes!"

"Hasn't the Immortal Venerable noticed a contradiction in this?"

"Um?"

Meeting Qin Song's gaze, Xie Cangrong smiled calmly and spoke in a clear voice: "Immortal Venerable, cultivators pursue transcendence, they pursue the Great Dao. A cultivator's Great Dao is their own Great Dao, which includes the nation and its billions of people, doesn't it?"

"Are cultivators so busy with their cultivation that they have time to manage the people and govern the country?"

"What cultivators pursue is transcendence, the path to immortality. When the demonic sect appears, they protect the people; when the demonic sect disappears, they return to the immortal sect. But we mortals have always been here. We do not pursue the path of transcendence; we pursue reality, the prosperity and flourishing of the dynasty."

"May I ask, Immortal Venerable, is it more suitable for sects to govern a country, or for us?"

"I've always believed that, regardless of who you are, fulfilling your responsibilities in your position is what's best for everyone."

Xie Cangrong is a very good negotiator and talker.

Everyone who followed him in his uprising knew of his talent.

Once he takes action, he can always conceal his side's disadvantages and weaknesses, and persuade his opponents to act according to his ideas.

During the latter half of the chaotic period, in the conflict between Xia and Jin, the leader of Jin once said: "I would rather let the traitor Xie draw his sword than let him speak."

"Capture the thief Xie, and first cut off his tongue."

Unfortunately, Qin Song was unaware of this.

Of course, the dynastic management system also had its drawbacks, such as corruption among the powerful and wealthy, land annexation, and incompetent monarchs—but Xie Cangrong obviously wouldn't mention these issues.

Of course, Xie Cangrong wasn't trying to fool the other party. After all, he was the founding monarch of a nation, and he had enough power to do his best to minimize the impact of these drawbacks and promote the development of the country.

After he died—well, it seems he doesn't have to die now.

Qin Song followed Xie Cangrong inside.

He was really thinking carefully about what Xie Cangrong had said.

It seemed that he couldn't find any words to refute it.

It seems that Xie Cangrong is right.

The Immortal Sect merely protects the country in their spare time from cultivation; how can they compare to those who diligently and wholeheartedly seek prosperity for the nation?

Specialized matters should be managed by specialized people.

Why should one be single-mindedly pursuing immortality and meddle in worldly affairs?

If the world is at peace, shouldn't the sects also return power to the people?

This liberated both the monks and the secular dynasty.

The order of the four continents of immortals and demons has existed for a long time, with sects taking on all responsibilities and managing everything.

Does the fact that something exists indefinitely mean it's right?

Qin Song had always had this doubt, and now, seeing the spirit and demeanor of the Great Xia Dynasty, and with Xie Cangrong's words hitting the nail on the head, his old thoughts seemed to be changing little by little, giving rise to new ideas.

Qin Song frowned slightly, quietly looking at the wine in his cup, and simply said, "Your Majesty is right."

Jing Lan did come with sincerity.

The sect leader's attitude was in stark contrast to the arrogant Gao Yilang.

Mutual respect and a willingness to listen to Xie Cangrong are the foundations for genuine cooperation.

Xie Cangrong smiled, then shook his head, seemingly troubled: "Immortal Venerable, to be honest, no immortal cultivators have ever appeared in our Great Xia. Since ancient times, we have relied on our own hands and wisdom to obtain food, and on our own strength to resist enemies and protect ourselves."

"I firmly believe that I should protect myself."

"I truly do not understand why the Taihua Immortal Sect is always so insistent on interfering in our country's sovereignty? Why does it always try to impose protection that our country does not need?"

Xie Cangrong seemed to remember something, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes: "And that Zen monk, who dared to use bewitching techniques on me, truly deserves to die."

He looked into Qin Song's eyes, his voice carrying a strange air of authority: "I'm a little curious, do all members of the Immortal Alliance think this way?"

Qin Song shook his head: "Your Majesty, others may not dare to say it, but I, Jing Lan, don't have that kind of thick skin."

"Great Xia has the ability to protect itself, so we will not interfere rashly."