The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 282 Xu Ziling's Changes, Song Que's Gift of Sword

Zhang Changqing's calm face showed a trace of thought, and the other two looked at each other without saying much. The ambitions of the Song clan were almost known to everyone in the south, but the north was a mixture of Hu and Han people, and the national dynasty inherited the Hu regime, so it suppressed the Song clan's forces that adhered to the imperial Han ideology.

The world was changing drastically, and it was not surprising for the Song clan to have such changes. It would have been strange if the Song clan had not made changes, as they could not just turn a blind eye to the power of the northern Hu people.

Then, he stared at Su Ming and continued, "As far as I know, the Song clan has never wanted to fight for the world before. I'm afraid that the Heaven Sword can make such a decision without your advice. I wonder if my guess is right?"

Few things in the south can be hidden from the Tianshi Mansion. They have been rooted in this area much longer than the Song clan.

Su Ming smiled casually, "Your guess is absolutely right. If you don't take what God has given you, you will suffer the consequences. For the Song clan, this is the best opportunity. If it weren't for me, the Song clan would have risen up sooner or later."

Zhang Changzhen was a middle-aged man with a handsome face and a solemn temperament. Hearing this, he asked again in confusion, "Excuse me, fellow Taoist, there are so many forces in the world, why did you choose my Taoist sect?"

Su Ming's eyes narrowed. This question went straight to the core. Among so many forces in the world, the Song family chose to cooperate with the Taoist sect. It was hard to believe that they had no other intentions.

"It's very simple, because among the three religions of Buddhism, Taoism and Demonism, Taoism is the weakest!"

"you!"

"How dare you, fellow Taoist!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Changzai and Zhang Changzhen glared at him. It was true that the power of Taoism was weakening, but it was not the turn of others to comment on it, just like no matter how bad one's own home was, it was not the turn of outsiders to say anything.

Su Ming's words were also blunt, "Am I wrong? Cooperation is a matter of mutual benefit. The Taoist sect is weak. If they want to start a dispute between Buddhism and Taoism and compete for faith, they must support a regime. Is there any better choice than the Song clan in the world?"

"The Song clan's roots are in Lingnan, and the Tianshi Mansion is rooted in the south. We have common interests. If you want to wait until the dust settles in the Central Plains, then just pretend I have never been here. There are already enough stupid people in this world, and I don't want to be stupid to death by you."

The almost mocking words made the two embarrassed. Just as they were about to say something, they were stopped by Zhang Changzai, "Changzai! Chang Zhen, shut up!"

They showed unwilling expressions and could only call him "Senior Brother" in a low voice.

Zhang Changzai knew what kind of ability the man in front of him had, and he immediately stood up to apologize to him, "Daoyou, my Tianshi Mansion is a big family with a great business. In addition to the affairs of the previous dynasty, we have not set foot in the Central Plains for a long time, let alone supporting a force to fight for the world. My fellow clansmen have many concerns, so please forgive me."

Su Ming shook his head, his expression calm, "It doesn't matter. How can a sparrow know the ambition of a swan? The Song clan is not targeting one family or one surname, but all Han people in the world. The Hu people have been ravaging the Central Plains for hundreds of years. The Sui Dynasty inherited the Hu people's old dynasty. If another Hu regime is established, the glory of the Han Dynasty will no longer exist. This is not the outcome that the Song clan wants to see."

"The Li, Dugu, and Yuwen families have inextricable ties with the Hu people, which can be traced back to the Eight Pillars of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, which was a completely Hu regime. In my opinion, the Han people should integrate the Hu people and rule the Hu people, rather than the Hu people integrating the Han people and ruling the Han people. This is the premise."

"As for the sect, I think that is what you are most concerned about."

After these words were spoken, the three of them looked at each other in silence.

This is indeed what the Tianshi Mansion is eager to know. The world is bustling with people, all for the sake of profit. The Tianshi Mansion is a big tree with deep roots, and it is absolutely impossible for it to pull in the chariot with empty words.

Su Ming's eyes swept over them, and his voice was very serious, "I am in charge of the military affairs of the Song clan, and I can fully replace the clan leader. If Taoism helps the Song clan fight for the world, when the Song clan establishes a country in the future, Taoism should be made the state religion, and the roots should be rectified, customs should be changed, and Han customs should be rebuilt."

This sentence made them all feel relieved. If the Song clan promised to make Longhu Mountain the state religion, they would not believe it. Only Taoism could be considered sincere. After all, Longhu Mountain was not worthy of this important task.

The two great families of the later generations, Nan Zhang and Bei Kong, had not yet truly taken shape, and Longhu Mountain was not worthy of the title of state religion. If it really took it over by force, it would be tantamount to becoming a target for other sects.

Then the three of them bowed to Su Ming and said, "Thank you for clearing up our confusion."

Su Ming never thought that he could get Longhu Mountain to cooperate with just empty words. He smiled lightly, "It's okay. Cooperation must always show sincerity. It should be so."

The three of them stayed here for a while, then said goodbye and left. Looking at their backs, Su Ming thought to himself: It seems that Ziling has to go again. Then he wrote a letter and asked the Taoist priest of Longhu Mountain to send it to Shu.

……

Shu region, Qingcheng Mountain.

The Taoist temple in the mountains is quiet and peaceful. Xu Ziling sits cross-legged on a large bluestone under an ancient pine tree, holding a Taoist scripture in his hand. His aura becomes more simple and natural, empty and clear, and he seems to be integrated with the heaven and earth.

A voice came from a distance, "My dear friend, the master has sent a letter."

The person who came was Taoist Mingyun, holding a letter in his hand.

Hearing this, Xu Ziling calmly put down the Taoist scripture in his hand, took the letter and read it, his eyes full of thought, without saying anything. Taoist Mingyun asked enthusiastically, "My young friend, does the master have anything to trouble me with at Qingcheng Mountain?"

"That's not the case. My master asked me to go to Longhu Mountain."

Taoist Mingyun was extremely surprised. "What? You want to leave?"

Xu Ziling was surprised by his attitude and nodded calmly, "Thank you for your hospitality, Master, for bothering me these days. I have to obey your orders, Taoist Mingyun, so I'll take my leave now."

Taoist Mingyun looked at Xu Ziling, his eyes full of pity, and sighed, "You, ah... why did you leave?"

Before Su Ming left, he asked Xu Ziling to practice in Qingyang Temple and Qingcheng Mountain. Although the Song family had scriptures and books, they could not compare with the Taoist sect with a long tradition like Qingcheng Mountain. The Song family was not suitable for practice, so he asked him to go into the mountains to practice.

At the beginning, the two families treated Xu Ziling with great courtesy just because he was Su Ming's apprentice. However, as they got to know each other better, the old Taoists discovered Xu Ziling's aptitude. Xu Ziling could understand all Taoist classics at a glance, and he could even draw inferences about other situations and come up with new ideas.

They wished they could treat him like a treasure. If they hadn't been concerned about Su Ming, they would have just snatched him away. Which force wouldn't be jealous of such a disciple with excellent comprehension? Before Su Ming left, he left Xu Ziling a topic to study the secret of longevity.

To this end, he read many Taoist scriptures and books in Qingcheng Mountain and Qingyang Temple, and studied the secret of longevity. Even though he memorized all seven pictures in the secret of longevity, he could only practice one set now.

Knowing the facts but not the reasons behind them is a description of his current situation. And because he is eager to unearth the mystery of the secret of longevity, he has to study the method of refining Qi.

The art of internal Qi training has a long history, and can be traced back to the period of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors in ancient times, when Guangchengzi broke the void in the Temple of War God and passed down the secret of longevity. Then during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the art of Qi training became popular. By the time it was passed down to the Qin and Han Dynasties, the Taoists, Yin-Yangists, military strategists, doctors, alchemists, Guiguzi, and other traditions all involved some techniques of nourishing Qi, inhaling Qi, training Qi, and breathing.

Later, Emperor Wu of Han abolished all schools of thought and respected Confucianism alone. Most of the Qigong practitioners from the various schools of thought merged into Taoism, a few became doctors or military strategists, and the rest hibernated in the mountains, barely surviving until the Heavenly Demon Cangqiu searched the world for rare books and compiled the essence of all the theories of the hundreds of schools into a classic, consisting of the ten volumes of "The Heavenly Demon's Strategy", which was listed as one of the four great books.

There is actually only one of the four great books, and that is the Atlas of the God of War. The remaining three are more or less closely related to the Atlas of the God of War.

Among them, no one has successfully cultivated the Art of Immortality, the Atlas of the God of War is too mysterious, and the most people only practice the Heavenly Demon Strategy to Break the Void. As for the Cihang Sword Classic, it is better not to mention it.

By reading historical and Taoist texts, Xu Ziling guessed that the secret of longevity was too difficult to learn, so it was simplified by successive generations, which led to the way of practicing qi. In addition, Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty abolished all schools of thought, and the Taoist method of practicing qi became popular. Taoists were also obsessed with the pursuit of immortality and cultivating immortals, and countless techniques were summarized, perfected, and passed down to the world. The method of practicing qi could not have come out of thin air, and its source can be traced back to the secret of longevity.

But whether it is practicing Qigong or practicing internal skills, the essence is undoubtedly to cultivate the three treasures of human body, namely, essence, Qi and spirit. At this time, he found that the longevity tactic that he and Kou Zhong practiced actually skipped the acquired stage and directly absorbed the innate vitality.

At this time, he finally understood why the Art of Immortality was hailed as a treasure of Taoism. He had tried to teach it to others in order to find out what was different, but unfortunately, except for him and Kou Zhong, no one else could circulate their true Qi according to the practice route of the Art of Immortality.

Xu Ziling smiled faintly, his handsome face showing a carefree attitude, "My master once said that all good things must come to an end. See you later!" After saying that, he clasped his fists towards him, put down the scriptures, and his figure flashed, and he disappeared from Taoist Mingyun's sight several feet away.

Seeing this scene, Taoist Mingyun’s eyes almost popped out. When did he learn the light skill?

It was he who led Xu Ziling to Qingcheng Mountain. At that time, he didn't know how to do Qinggong. These days, he read the scriptures but didn't see him practicing Qinggong. He knew all this clearly.

He didn't know that there are people called geniuses in this world. Su Ming did not teach Xu Ziling the Qinggong skills. He learned them from Taoist scriptures himself.

In the mountains, Xu Ziling's sleeves fluttered in the wind, and his Taoist robe fell naturally, with an extraordinary temperament. He tapped his toes lightly in the woods and leaped several feet away. His aura was in harmony with the heaven and earth, as if the wind was carrying him to fly.

His heart was filled with joy, and he felt that there was an endless supply of Qi in his body, which circulated over and over again, and he laughed loudly, "I can ride on the six Qis to control the changes of heaven and earth and travel endlessly. Zhuangzi really didn't lie to me."

In less than an hour, he came down from Qingcheng Mountain and entered Chengdu Prefecture. He concealed himself from many people along the way until he entered the governor's mansion, where he was discovered by Song Zhi and others.

The elders of the Song family were so shocked that they were speechless when they saw Xu Ziling, who had an extraordinary temperament and Taoist demeanor. A few months ago, Xu Ziling was still a taciturn young boy, but now, he had such a transformation, which was truly amazing.

If you read a book a thousand times, its meaning will become clear. Xu Ziling read the Taoist scriptures thoroughly, and with his extraordinary understanding, he was easily infected by the wisdom left by the Taoist sages in the books. It is normal for his temperament to change. Just like what ordinary people call bookish aura, it is difficult to develop such a temperament without long-term cultivation and reading enough books. Bookish aura and nerd are completely different things and cannot be lumped together.

Suddenly, a gentle voice came from the inner courtyard, "Everyone is gone, Xu Ziling, come in."

When everyone heard Song Que's words, they had to disperse. Xu Ziling restrained his breath and walked towards the courtyard where Song Que was. But even so, he still attracted many people's attention along the way.

As soon as he stepped into the room, Xu Ziling saw Song Que's tall figure, like a mountain stretching before him, difficult to climb. "Meet the Lord."

"No need to be polite." Song Que turned around and looked at Xu Ziling, with a hint of admiration in his eyes, "Not bad, your efforts are worth it, you are indeed suitable for cultivation."

In his eyes, Xu Ziling's spirit, energy and spirit have been completely controlled by himself, and there will be no leakage of mental power. What is even more rare is his state of mind, which is like a well of water, free of thoughts and obstacles, reflecting the natural world. Compared with his martial arts, his clear and flawless Taoist heart is the most rare.

"Zi Ling thanks the clan leader and master for their teachings."

Song Que's face was full of smiles. "It's okay. This is your personal destiny. You don't need to thank me. Your master sent a message asking you to go to Longhu Mountain. You should leave as soon as possible and don't delay."

"Zi Ling understands." Xu Zi Ling nodded slightly.

"You will learn sword from your master in the future, so you will need a handy weapon. My Song family has gathered famous craftsmen from Lingnan and Shuzhong, and spent three months to forge two swords, which will be presented to you and your master." As he said this, Song Que took the wooden box on the table and placed it in front of Xu Ziling.

Hearing this, Xu Ziling's calm heart was filled with deep gratitude, "Thank you, Master!" After saying this, he raised his hands above his head and took the box from him.

Song Que patted him on the shoulder as if he was looking at a promising junior, "Go down and pack your things, and get on the road quickly."

Xu Ziling's mind was as clear as a mirror. Before he left, he asked again, "I am going to Longhu Mountain this time. Does the clan leader have any message for me to pass on to Master?"

"I'm confident in your master's actions. I'll leave everything to him. No need to bring any messages."

Xu Ziling's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but his eyes inadvertently swept across the screen. When the words came to his lips, they only turned into one sentence, "Master, Ziling takes his leave." After bowing, he turned and left.

After he left, a figure walked out from behind the screen and looked in the direction Xu Ziling left with a complicated look.

This person was none other than Kou Zhong. After not seeing him for several months, his temperament had changed greatly. His gaze was as cold as a knife, and he exuded an iron-blooded aura. His eyes were indifferent, which was chilling.

"You two brothers haven't seen each other for a long time, why didn't you see him just now?"

"Xiao Ling and I each have our own paths to follow. I feel relieved to see that he is doing well. It is enough for him to know that I am here and that I am safe." Kou Zhong's voice was flat, no longer as lively as before.

Seeing this, Song Que smiled and said nothing more.

(End of this chapter)