After the internet was disconnected, I connected to the magic world.

"The third option is to cooperate with the government."

Xuanqing tapped his finger on the table, his tone somewhat solemn.

"Don't think that cooperating with the government is shameful. You need to think clearly about the size of the government in reality."

That's a superpower that owns the entire country; it has the funds, the channels, and the manpower.

Even issues related to employment, identity, and all real-world problems can be resolved with a single sentence from them.

Putting aside everything else, just consider the pills and cultivation resources needed to break through to the Innate Realm. If the government were willing to put in the effort, we could avoid taking ten years of detours.

Even if we get into trouble in Kyushu in the future, the authorities will protect our families in the real world.

He paused, then changed the subject: "But the downsides of this path are also obvious."

Not free.

Once you've received benefits from the authorities and entered the system, you can no longer do whatever you want like you do now.

You'll definitely be assigned tasks, and you might even get told what to do.

Not to mention that in a superpower, factions are deeply entrenched, and those families that have been passed down for decades or even centuries have a nose that is sharper than a dog's.

As soon as they smell the benefits of Kyushu, they'll definitely try their best to get in, all wanting a share of the pie.

"At that time, people will be scheming against each other, and the trouble will be no less than in Kyushu."

After he finished speaking, the private room fell silent once again.

The group looked at each other without saying a word.

Xuanqing was absolutely right. This wasn't just about choosing a path; it was about everyone having to make a career choice after the "Innate Version" update.

They used to be immortal players, able to roam freely in Kyushu without any consequences. At worst, they would die and start over, without having to consider the consequences at all.

But now they have to go into battle in real life. They only have one life, and every choice they make will determine their future life or death. There is no room for carelessness.

Zhang Lei scratched his head and was the first to break the silence. He looked at the three people sitting in the main seat.

Xuanqing, Shimingyuan, and Zhao Hao are the three who have reached the threshold of the Innate Realm first among everyone, and they will break through in the next few days.

"Daoist Master, Grandmaster, Haozi, the three of you are the first to be able to enter the Nine Provinces in your true forms. What were your thoughts on this?"

He leaned closer, looking curious: "Should we report back to our respective sects first?"

Should we continue to stick together?

Or should I simply become a free spirit and venture out on my own to find opportunities?

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ming also looked over, clearly concerned about the issue as well.

The three of them exchanged a glance.

Xuan Qing first picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and slowly began to speak:

"There's no need to go back specifically to report; just send a message by carrier pigeon."

We are all guest elders in Qingyun Sect, so we don't need to abide by the sect's rules.

The local elders in the sect had long disliked us guest elders, feeling that we occupied the positions of elders without doing any work and were taking the sect's resources.

Going back specifically would only lead to them nagging, and they might even detain and interrogate me. There's no need to make things unpleasant.

He put down his teacup, his eyes filled with an unprecedented fervor:

"As for me, the Taoist temple in the real world was passed on to my eldest disciple long ago, so I have no ties in the real world."

I didn't even have any relatives. After breaking through to the Innate Realm, I directly entered the Nine Provinces in my true form.

I've wasted decades in the mortal world, meditating and reading scriptures in the Taoist temple every day, thinking that this was how my life would be. I never expected to encounter a predestined connection with the immortals in my old age.

Even if I throw these old bones into the mountains of Kyushu and feed them to demonic beasts, I'll accept it. It's better than wasting my life in reality, waiting to die, and finally being burned to ashes.

"Amitabha."

Master Mingyuan put his hands together, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and smiled peacefully: "What the Daoist says is true, and so does this humble monk."

With my nephew presiding over the temple, everything is peaceful, and I have nothing to worry about in real life.

"The Nine Provinces possess the true lineage of Buddhas and the attainment of Arhatship. This humble monk naturally intends to remain here, seeking the true Dharma and enlightenment."

"Hahahaha!" Zhao Hao suddenly slammed his hand on the table and burst into laughter, laughing so hard that tears almost streamed down his face.

He suddenly stood up, put one foot on the stool, pointed at several people, and looked very proud of himself.

"Excellent! This is the kind of person who is capable of great things! I have been waiting for this day for nine lifetimes!"

Once I break through to the Innate Realm and my true form enters the Nine Provinces, the first thing I will do is to regain the cultivation I accumulated through nine lifetimes.

"I will attain the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, achieving immortality! Then I will establish a Heavenly Court throughout the Nine Provinces and become the Heavenly Emperor!"

He pointed at Xuanqing: "You! Daoist Xuanqing, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Dao Ancestor, to rule over all Daoist sects under heaven!"

Pointing at Shi Mingyuan again: "You! Master Mingyuan, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Buddha, and appoint you to oversee all Buddhist sects under heaven!"

Finally, he gestured with his finger towards Zhang Lei and Zhou Ming, and waved his hand dismissively:

"And you two, I hereby appoint you as the Four Great Emperors, to guard the four directions for me!"

"Once my Heavenly Court is completed, you will all be founding heroes, and you will live forever!"

"Snapped!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Xuan Qing raised his hand and slapped him hard on the back of the head, making Zhao Hao stagger and almost fall off the stool.

"You little brat, can't you watch your mouth?"

Xuan Qing was so angry that he blew his beard and glared at him: "How many times have I told you? There really are immortals and gods in this Nine Provinces!"

"You dare to presume to establish a heavenly court and a new lineage? If the immortals find out, a single slap to the head would be the least of your worries. Don't drag us down with you!"

"Exactly!" Zhang Lei echoed, looking disgusted.

"Can't you be a little more mindful of the situation when you're being a chuunibyou? We want to live a couple more years, and we don't want to be dragged down by you and get struck by lightning."

Zhao Hao scratched the back of his head, chuckled twice, and wasn't angry at all; he was just indulging in a bit of banter anyway.

Seeing that he had behaved himself, Xuanqing snorted and reached into his pocket to take out a stack of yellow paper talismans, about twenty or thirty in total, which he neatly arranged on the table.

Zhang Lei was stunned. He reached out and picked up a piece of paper, flipping through it. It was yellow paper with red characters and crooked lines, much like the talismans sold in Taoist temples in real life.

"Master, what are you doing with this?" he asked, looking puzzled.

"We're already practicing martial arts, and you're still using talismans to exorcise ghosts? Do you think that stuff will even work?"

"You don't know anything."

Xuan Qing glared at him, then carefully took the talisman back, treating it like a precious treasure.

"Do you remember that tattered book full of line drawings that we found in the cave last time?"

I studied this for a long time, barely getting any sleep, before I finally figured it out.

That wasn't a martial arts manual at all; it was a fragment of an ancient runic tradition!