Taoist Master Xuanhuang

"I didn't expect I had this kind of talent. Oh well, I can't favor one side. Since the Confucian Temple has agreed, the Martial Temple has also agreed."

Wei Qiancheng received a request to act as a go-between and bring the high-ranking members of the Martial Arts Alliance in the main world, just like the high-ranking members of the Confucian School, to the Divine Kingdom's Heavenly Network for a meeting.

Wei Qiancheng knew without thinking that the Martial Temple and the Martial Alliance had noticed the changes in the Confucian school and had begun to take action.

He agreed.

Things went smoothly. On a clear, moonlit night, with his help, the Martial Arts Alliance's top leaders were brought to the same hall.

The military generals are difficult to deal with, and so are the martial artists of the Martial Arts Alliance.

Overall, none of them were as easy to deal with as the Confucian scholars and the sacred figures of the Confucian Temple.

The opening remarks were all pretty much the same, and the high-ranking members of the Martial Arts Alliance were quite impressed by the sheer number of historically renowned figures among them.

However, he remained neither humble nor arrogant.

In terms of relationships, the combination of the Martial Arts Alliance and the Martial Temple is not as good as the combination of the Confucian Temple and the Confucian School.

The Confucian school, after all, inherited the thoughts of the sages in the Temple of Literature, and thus belonged to the same lineage.

The members of the Martial Arts Alliance know their origins; they are neither descendants of martial generals nor descendants of military strategies.

They were 'ancestors' who, after seeing the actions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, forced themselves to claim ancestral titles in order to keep up with the three schools.

How can a mere martial artist claim to be a strategist or military expert?

But fate is so strange. They were looking for outside help, and the Martial Temple was also looking, hoping to find their own people from the main world.

A collaboration that was a perfect match.

Unexpectedly, the cooperation went very smoothly, and the more we cooperated, the more pleasant it became.

They weren't very close at first, but as they collaborated, their relationship grew increasingly intimate.

They are a very successful example.

However, it must be said that the Martial Arts Alliance is even more proud than the Confucian School.

The reason is simple: the Dao Lord comes from the Martial Arts Alliance, which can be considered the headquarters of the entire cultivation world.

Although the Confucian school is the leading force, the martial arts alliance is still recognized as the main body of the cultivation world.

Because the Dao Lord comes from here.

Even though the three religions continued to add their own elements, it is not important where the Daoist Master came from. What matters is that the Daoist Master is the Daoist Ancestor, the Sage, and the Buddha.

Remove Xuanhuang from its exclusive status within the Martial Arts Alliance and assign it a larger identity.

Gradually, everyone accepted it.

Even so, when it comes to the main body and the authentic tradition, the Martial Arts Alliance is still the first choice.

This pride made them neither humble nor arrogant in the face of anyone, not even the holy figures of the Martial Temple.

There are several Dao Master disciples among the most esteemed members of the Martial Arts Alliance. Don't talk to me about noble status; who can be more esteemed than us?

After some polite exchanges, the three unusual beings attracted the attention of the Martial Arts Alliance's deities.

It was immediately obvious that these three were not human, radiating the power of a fourth-order being. It was hard to imagine that the Martial Alliance actually had three fourth-order beings.

Not to mention them, even the three super-experts only have a superficial understanding; they know a little, but not much.

"Lord Jiang, let me introduce you. These three are Mr. Pen, Mr. Paper, and Mr. Chair. These three seniors usually don't show up unless it's a matter of life and death for our Martial Arts Alliance. The three gentlemen have come this time to plan for the future of our Martial Arts Alliance."

The three men, addressed as Mr. Paper, Mr. Chair, and Mr. Pen, politely bowed.

"These three fellow Daoists are truly extraordinary!" Jiang Shang exclaimed.

Well, firstly, one cannot surpass the second level within the Divine Kingdom Heavenly Network, since the current Divine Kingdom Heavenly Network is only at the second level, although this second level is quite extraordinary.

However, the rule that one cannot exceed the second order is a rule that even Wei Qiancheng would find difficult to surpass.

These three individuals demonstrated fourth-order traits, albeit very subtly. But fourth-order is fourth-order; it cannot be faked.

This is quite unusual; who can break the rules of the divine kingdom's heavenly net?
"There's nothing special about it. It was just a stroke of luck that when our lord was in the Martial Arts Alliance, he used the three of us brothers. As our lord changed, the three of us brothers accumulated immense fortune and merit. When our lord reached the fourth level, the three of us brothers simply took human form by chance."

Mr. Paper spoke up.

Although he spoke casually, his pride and arrogance were undeniable.

Especially when speaking of our Lord, he expressed deep reverence.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shang and the others immediately understood that these were the pen, paper, and chair that the Dao Master had used when he was in the Martial Arts Alliance.

Having been imbued with the aura of the primordial chaos, it received considerable karma and fortune, thus giving birth to spirituality and taking on physical form.

This vividly illustrates the saying "when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven."

The pen, paper, and chair used by the Xuanhuang Dao Master all transformed into spirits.

"I see. Congratulations to the three of you! You are truly a rare find. You are all blessed with good fortune!" Jiang Shang said congratulatoryly.

"Hehe, it's all thanks to our lord. We were just lucky," Mr. Paper replied.

“The three seniors were worried about us, after all, the Martial Arts Alliance is the foundation of the Dao Lord, so they came together,” Sun Hui explained.

It's less of an explanation and more of a price gouging tactic.

Don't try to cheat us. We are the foundation of the Dao Lord's enterprise, the Dao Lord's homeland.

If you dare to bully us, think about the consequences.

“That’s right, no one can let our lord suffer a loss, and the three of us brothers will not allow it,” said Mr. Paper.

Goodness, one plays the bad cop and the other the good cop.

The Martial Temple deities are in a difficult position. Fortunately, they didn't follow the path of Confucius, otherwise these three might not have agreed.

"Do the three fellow Daoists know that the split of the Four Superpowers, or rather, the division of the Four Superpowers into ordinary people's homes, is the Dao Lord's intention?" Sun Wu asked.

They're no pushovers either; when it comes to scheming, they're not afraid of anyone.

He immediately stated that the division of the four superpowers was the will of the Dao Lord, so that the door hinge would not rust and the flowing water would not stagnate.

So that the swallows that once graced the halls of kings and nobles may now fly into the homes of ordinary people.

By splitting up the four superpowers that have dominated more than half of the land, resources and cultivation civilizations can penetrate deeper into the grassroots, driving a new round of vigorous development.

This is the reason why the Martial Temple believes that Xuanhuang was split into four super-powers.

I wouldn't say it's all correct, but it's at least 80% right.

Xuanhuang did indeed have this idea. The Four Superpowers were too stable and no one could shake them. The resources, techniques, and unique thoughts and combat power within the Four Superpowers needed to be dispersed.

It needs to be addressed, or, to use a phrase that later generations will understand well, to solve the problems of large corporations and the cyclical nature of dynasties.

The goal is to unleash the true potential of the four superpowers.

The reason for saying this is to tell the three special beings that it is not our intention to split them up, but the Dao Lord's will.

So don't try to scare people with the idea that you can't afford to lose out.

Who dares to split up the Martial Arts Alliance? It's the Dao Master's idea, not ours.

You all understand that this is the Dao Lord's intention, so you came to us for cooperation. No one has suffered a loss, so don't make it seem like you're the ones who have.

This is a game of negotiation before conditions are agreed upon.

"That's true, but it's possible for us not to split up, and it's possible to maintain that for a long time. We can act according to the situation. We will naturally not go against our Lord's will, but we can wait. We can wait for the best time and the best way."

Mr. Paper wasn't one to be trifled with either. He indicated that although it was my master's will...

But we are not in a hurry. We can wait for Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism to separate and then make a planned layout according to the situation. We can afford to wait.

"To be honest, we can wait. It's just that we don't know if the Martial Arts Alliance has the ambition to catch up with the other three. After all, it's not good to always be at the bottom. You may not care, but it's really embarrassing for the Dao Master!" Sun Tzu provoked.

"you……"

"Hehe, alright everyone, we're here to discuss things, not to argue, right?"

Sun Hui spoke up at this moment.

He realized that those he couldn't win arguments with or who couldn't out-debate the other side were simply not on the same level.

They had hoped to gain the upper hand before the exchange, but found that the other side was too difficult to deal with. One military strategist had angered the three gentlemen on their side who were playing the good cop as soon as he opened his mouth.

What do you mean we're not in a hurry? What do you mean the Dao Master's intention? What do you mean the Martial Arts Alliance is at the bottom? Especially that last point, you can't hit someone in the face, that's really going too far.

“That’s right, debating doesn’t suit our personality,” Jiang Shang immediately said.

After saying that, he looked at the three special beings with innocent eyes and said, "You three fellow Daoists are not angry, are you? If you are angry, tell me and I will teach my disciple a lesson."

"Cough, no, no, I was just kidding, I wouldn't be angry," Mr. Paper said speechlessly.

You can play the good cop or the bad cop, but others can too, and they use them better than you can.

“I apologize, it was my fault. I didn’t really mock you all, I really felt sorry for you. We are fully capable of surpassing the other three families. This is not only your wish, but ours is too. We are one family,” Sun Wu said.

This immediately eased the previous tense standoff.

However, it wasn't a direct confrontation. No one was angry about what was said earlier; everyone knew it was just a pre-exchange exchange, a contest to gain an advantageous position.

“Yes, yes, we are one family, one family… We want to hear the thoughts of our seniors on how to elevate our Martial Arts Alliance… What Venerable Sun Wu said earlier is right, it is indeed a bit embarrassing, and we are also very upset, but… it’s a long story.” Sun Hui.

“It’s very simple, I have a way to solve this!” Jiang Shang said immediately.

"Is Lord Jiang the same as Lord Kong?" Sun Hui asked.

"Oh? Do you fellow Daoists know what Venerable Kong is thinking?" Jiang Shang asked tentatively.

“We don’t understand, but the three gentlemen know a little bit. After all, it is due to the blessing and karma of the Dao Lord, just as the three gentlemen can be free and unrestrained in the Divine Kingdom’s Heavenly Net.” Sun Hui said.

Just because they don't know doesn't mean the three special beings don't know.

These three special beings have a great karmic connection with Xuanhuang, so the cultivation world poses almost no obstacles to them.

The Divine Kingdom's Heavenly Net is special; it can be made of Xuanhuang (a type of ancient Chinese material). As long as it is made of Xuanhuang, they can thrive in it.

Even disregarding the monks' feelings, one should still consider the Buddha's. Given the immense karmic connection between Xuanhuang and these three special deities, they are truly the darlings of Xuanhuang's cultivation world.

In terms of perception, nothing can be kept from them, as long as they want to know.

Therefore, from the True Self Lord's refinement of the Yellow Springs to the actions of the Venerable Master Kong, the three of them were able to perceive it.

The reason why Sun Hui and others behaved differently from Yan Lai was because the organizations that constituted their forces were different.

The Confucian school cultivates essence, energy, and spirit in three aspects, but they specialize in body refinement; it's different.

The Confucian School is a combination of countless Confucian disciples. They originated from the Nanshi Martial Arts Hall and their composition is also different.

The Confucian school only had one disciple, Yan Lai, from the Daoist master, but they had four or five, which is also different.

Also, how should the assistance that the Dao Lord once provided to the Martial Arts Alliance be divided?
Therefore, the Confucian school can agree to the request from Master Kong, but not the Martial Arts Alliance.

Just to give one example, how are the three special beings divided?
Don't find it unbelievable. The three special beings themselves believe that they are the property of the Martial Arts Alliance, the legacy left by their master in their hometown, and that they must be loyal to the Martial Arts Alliance for life.

This is their innate nature and the foundation of their existence, and it cannot be changed.

Once the value of these things is denied, they will also disappear.

Furthermore, Xuanhuang used more than three things in the Martial Alliance, so why were only those three transformed into living beings? This is also inseparable from the Martial Alliance's offerings and worship over the past hundred years.

The three of them are deeply bound to the Martial Arts Alliance.

“Since you all understand, that’s good. I can say that what we want to do is completely different from the Confucian school.” Jiang Shang gave a direct 180-degree answer.

Sun Hui even strained his back.

"Completely different?" Wu Gang, Jin Ning, Song Hongliang, and others were all puzzled.

“Yes, we are different. The saying goes, ‘Those who learn from me will live, those who imitate me will die.’ How could we submit to the Confucian school? If we did, how could we have the face to say that we have surpassed them?” Jiang Shang replied.

"Our plan is this: it will begin with a new Investiture of the Gods..."

Jiang Shang gave a detailed explanation, elaborating on their ideas.

This is really different. The three special beings' eyes lit up. They thought it was similar to the Confucian sect, which needed to rely on the Martial Alliance to become subordinate cultivators.

The results were completely different.

The fact that they were subordinate to the monks was also a reason why they were unwilling to accept it.

Although the split within the Confucian school of spiritual cultivation is part of a larger plan, it does not mean that they are truly becoming subordinate cultivators of Confucius.

But even in name only, even for the sake of a grander plan, the Martial Arts Alliance was unwilling.

After all, we are the hometown of the Dao Lord, the headquarters of cultivation.

How could I possibly become someone else's subordinate monk?

We may not care about our reputation, but we cannot lose face for the Dao Lord. To lose face for the Dao Lord is worse than death.

The Confucian approach simply doesn't work for them.

This is one of the key differences between the four super teams.

"This is great, this is great!" Sun Hui exclaimed, jumping for joy.

At the same time, they understood why Sun Wu dared to challenge them earlier; it turned out he really could do without relying on them.

Unlike the Confucian Temple, it doesn't need to rely on cultivators who refine spirits as subordinates.

That's their confidence, that's why they dare to compete with us.

I understand now, I understand now.

However, a problem has arisen.

This plan is excellent, excellent because it is grand, excellent because it is meticulous, and excellent because it has a broad perspective.

The only downside is that it seems there aren't many people like myself who can participate, which makes things difficult.

No, I absolutely have to get involved.

This was the shared thought of Sun Hui, along with the high-ranking members of the Martial Arts Alliance and three special individuals.

We need to get involved.

……

P.S.: Fellow readers in East China, Northeast China, North China, and South China, is it cooked yet?

It's so hot! It's consistently above 35 degrees Celsius, sometimes even 40 degrees! My God!

Moreover, this high temperature seems endless, and it's humid and stuffy. The lowest temperature of the day is 31 degrees Celsius. Please help the children, they're dying of heat.

Everyone, please be well and avoid heatstroke.

...(End of chapter)