This is the true immortal of the Taoist sect.

The news of the Dao Ancestor's return spread like wildfire, and the entire Qingxu Mountain knew about it.

In less than three days, the news spread throughout the martial arts world.

Meanwhile, Li Daoxuan was doing something else remarkable.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Outside the capital city of the Great Zhao Kingdom, there is a Chongwen Mountain in the Jingming Cave Heaven.

The mountain peak is not high, only a hundred feet or so.

The mountain slopes gently, and a large blue stone staircase leads from the foot of the mountain to the top.

A mountaineer can reach the summit in no more than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

There is a temple on the mountaintop, called the Temple of Literature.

The temple originally contained only one statue, which was the statue of the Confucian sage who founded the Confucian school in the past.

Later, following the Confucian sage, several of his disciples, who were highly respected by the world, were also granted divine titles by the imperial court after their deaths, and their statues were placed in the Confucian Temple, where they were honored as great sages.

Nowadays, scholars are mostly studying the teachings of Confucian sages.

The imperial examinations tested knowledge of the classics compiled by Confucian sages and their disciples.

Therefore, naturally, the Confucian Temple became the supreme sacred place in the hearts of scholars all over the world.

Every day, students flock to the mountain to pay homage to the Confucian sages and great sages, especially when the major exams are approaching, when the crowds are so large that they are shoulder to shoulder.

The person who managed the Confucian temple was one of the disciples of the Confucian sage. The scholars who came to burn incense and worship the gods admired his talent and would pester him with questions every time they burned incense.

Gradually, this disciple of the Confucian sage simply opened a school in the backyard of the Confucian temple, regularly answering questions for scholars who came up the mountain.

Over time, the school grew in scale, and the Confucian Temple School became a premier Confucian institution of higher learning.

Scholars from all over the country flocked here, all wanting to study here.

Because scholars who came from here almost always passed the imperial examinations.

In one year, all 139 successful candidates in the imperial examinations were scholars who had come from the Confucian Temple.

This made scholars from all over the world even more eager to enter the Confucian Temple.

Seeing that things were not going well, the Confucian disciple immediately announced a rule.

Anyone who studies at the Confucian Temple is not allowed to participate in the imperial examinations.

Furthermore, after graduating from the Confucian Temple, one must serve as a teacher in various parts of the country for ten years before seeking other paths.

As a result, eight or nine out of ten students immediately left, leaving only a few who were truly dedicated to their studies and willing to enroll.

Although the number of disciples at the Confucian Temple has decreased, it is widely known that the remaining disciples are the true great Confucian scholars who have made significant contributions to the field of Confucianism.

It's a real pity that I couldn't take the imperial examinations.

The spring imperial examinations are over, and Chongwen Mountain is noticeably quieter now.

The mountain steps were deserted, except for a young couple climbing the steps.

The visitors were none other than Li Daoxuan and his disciple Mingyue.

"Master, will we really be able to see Junior Brother Wang?"

Mingyue asked curiously.

Li Daoxuan smiled faintly and pointed to the mountaintop, saying:

Whether we can meet or not depends on whether he's willing to meet...

Mingyue chuckled silently.

"Since Master says so, we must be able to see him..."

Mingyue smiled.

Li Daoxuan shook his head.

"not necessarily..."

Mingyue was taken aback, somewhat puzzled.

Li Daoxuan explained:

"According to the rules of the Heaven and Earth of the Pure Netherworld, after death, the souls of people in this world return to the heaven and earth and enter the Netherworld to undergo reincarnation."

"Unless one harbors immense resentment in life and happens to be in an extremely yin place, nourished by yin energy, one can be called a wandering soul."

"Otherwise, no one can preserve their soul after death."

"Therefore, within the rules of the Heaven and Earth of the Jingming Cave, Yin and Yang are separated, and there is an insurmountable chasm between life and death."

"Your junior brother Wang is special. He founded Confucianism, and his literary tradition spread throughout the world. He is believed by hundreds of millions of people and has cultivated a strong sense of righteousness. Even if he dies, his soul will be protected by heaven and earth and will live on forever."

"But precisely because of this, he needs to abide by the rules of this world even more."

"Breaking through the barrier between Yin and Yang to meet us is, in a sense, an act against the will of Heaven."

"The renowned Confucian school emphasizes propriety and law, and he cannot make an exception for this."

After hearing Li Daoxuan's explanation, Mingyue couldn't help but frown and say:

"So, does that mean we came all this way for nothing?"

Li Daoxuan laughed heartily and said:

"That's not necessarily true."

"Oh? Master, are you going to force your way in?"

Li Daoxuan shook his head.

He opened his palm, and a unique power emerged from it.

The bright moon seemed to be pondering something as it carefully observed the scene.

"This is... magic power? No, it's not magic power, nor is it martial arts true energy. It seems to contain an extremely large spiritual power."

Li Daoxuan nodded and said:

"That's right, it can indeed be understood as spiritual power."

Mingyue asked in confusion:

"What is this?"

"It could be called—divine power."

The bright moon did not understand.

"Divine power?"

Generally speaking, the term "divine power" is usually used as a descriptive term, such as someone being born with divine power, or exclaiming that someone has boundless divine power.

But there has never been a specific physical object.

"This power was extracted by my master from the statues of the Heavenly Venerables enshrined in Taoist temples throughout Qingxu Mountain and across the world. This power should not be underestimated."

"If this power is strong enough, it can even achieve true 'wish fulfillment'."

"Of course, it's not without its limitations."

"First of all, this power is extremely difficult to extract. It comes from the faith of all living beings and the desires of countless people. As a cultivator, you should know very well how terrifying the poison of the seven emotions and six desires is."

"To acquire this power, one must adhere to oneself day after day, peeling away the poison of desire from among billions of beliefs, revealing it bit by bit."

"Secondly, divine power also represents a portion of the authority of the Heavenly Dao. If one acts against the Heavenly Dao, one will surely be punished by Heaven."

Mingyue suddenly realized.

There are also idols that belong to her in this world, and Mingyue has also sensed the prayers and desires of those believers.

But she never paid any attention to it.

I never imagined that such a chaotic mix of beliefs could contain such an amazing power.

"Could it be that Master intends to use divine power to help Junior Brother Wang break the rules of heaven and earth?"

Mingyue asked curiously.

As they spoke, the two had already arrived at the entrance of the Confucian Temple.

Looking up, the majestic temple features a golden statue of a deity, which appears exceptionally solemn against the backdrop of rising incense smoke.

The statue bears a striking resemblance to Wang Yangming in his later years.

As the master and apprentice looked at their old friend, a series of memories flooded their minds.

Li Daoxuan looked at the statue, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He spoke slowly, as if answering Mingyue's question, or as if speaking to the world at large.

"I'm not trying to break the rules, but rather... to establish a new order for all living beings..."

"This is... Shinto..."