Confucian and Taoist scholar

Lu Zheng watched the Yan envoy leave, then went to find Gongyang Ming.

Lu Zheng said, "I will be in semi-seclusion for a period of time. It's not a very important matter, so you can discuss it together. Also, organize someone to write an article. The gist of it is to advocate that all forces in the world, whether they are great powers, imperial courts, cultivation sects, or foreign forces, should act uprightly in the future and jointly create a peaceful and prosperous world."

Lu Zheng paused, then said seriously, "I want to see their attitude."

Gongyang Ming nodded solemnly upon hearing this.

Lu Zheng gave him a few more instructions before he went into seclusion with peace of mind.

Gongyang Ming quickly went to the propaganda department to find someone to write an article, and printed it out as quickly as possible and sent it to places outside the new country.

During this period, Gongyang Ming also exchanged views with representatives of some forces in the region.

The Wei Kingdom was the first to receive the initiative issued by the Xin Kingdom.

The day after receiving the news, the Buddhist community of Wei issued a unified statement, stating that Buddhists have always followed the Buddha's original intention, strived to save all sentient beings, and created the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, which is in line with Lu Zheng's ideals. They openly supported the advocacy of the new country and clearly expressed their attitude.

Under the instruction of Emperor Yuan Tao, the Wei court also publicly expressed its willingness to strengthen cooperation with the Xin Kingdom and jointly create a peaceful and prosperous world.

Initially, many places received the advocacy articles from the new country, but they did not pay much attention to them.

After all, similar journal articles were always published before the new nation was established.

However, seeing the public statements issued by both the Wei court and the Buddhist community, some dynasties and spiritual forces realized that things might not be so simple.

Looking at the petition and two statements that had been delivered, An Taixuan couldn't help but ponder them.

He was not surprised that the State of Wei openly supported such an initiative.

He was well aware that the current state of Wei was closely related to Lu Zheng.

An Taixuan stroked his chin and muttered to himself, "I remember he sent similar appeals to the various tribes in the Northern Region before, right? It seems many forces didn't pay attention, and then, those great demons just disappeared..."

An Taixuan felt that this was a sign that Lu Zheng was about to do something big again.

He couldn't help but have someone write a statement to announce to the world his support for the new nation's initiatives.

This prompted both dynasties to express their stance.

Many forces have already realized that remaining silent on this matter is itself a form of expression.

Some forces believe that the new country, or rather Lu Zheng, is overstepping its bounds and is trying to gain the recognition and support of the entire world.

But to be honest, Lu Zheng really does meddle in other people's business.

They were able to go to other dynasties and wipe out the sage families, and some cultivation forces said they couldn't afford to offend them.

Even forces that have little to do with the new country, or even those separated by vast distances, still issue public statements.

Of course, not everyone expressed their support; some powerful figures simply pretended not to see it.

The State of Chu, in particular, had just been exposed by the propaganda of the State of Xin not long ago, and now this kind of advocacy is being used against them.

……

The Yan Kingdom's envoy team returned safely to their homeland.

The young envoy presented the wooden box to the seventh prince, saying, "Your Highness, I have fulfilled my mission..."

The envoy recounted his conversation with Lu Zheng in the new country, naturally omitting some private details.

The Seventh Prince was overjoyed upon hearing this, "Excellent! This item..."

The seventh prince looked at the wooden box in front of him, his eyes gleaming.

He never expected the trip to go so smoothly, and he even received a treasure from Lu Zheng.

The envoy said, "This item must not be touched without permission. Your Highness, the most important thing now is to restore discipline and take advantage of the situation to expand..."

The Seventh Prince said, "What you say is quite right. During your absence, quite a few people have come to seek refuge with us!"

He simply borrowed a name and claimed to be Lu Zheng's student, which unexpectedly worked well and won the hearts of many people in the surrounding area.

Even the Seventh Prince and his subordinates were surprised.

This title is far more useful than being the late emperor's eldest son.

After all, the local people don't care about things like the emperor's eldest son.

They knew more about Lu Zheng, that great philanthropist who was comparable to a saint.

And since the Seventh Prince was actually that person's student, he couldn't be too bad, could he?

In addition, the Seventh Prince promised a series of benefits, which naturally won everyone's hearts.

The seventh prince excitedly described the recent situation.

The young man said solemnly, "Your Highness is Mr. Lu's student. From now on, you must always remember this and not make any mistakes, otherwise Mr. Lu will really punish you."

Upon hearing this, the Seventh Prince's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly nodded, saying, "I understand."

The Seventh Prince then said, "You have rendered a great service this time. From now on, you will stay by my side and work for me, constantly supervising me to prevent me from making mistakes... In addition, I will appoint you as the Commander-in-Chief of the Three Armies to help reorganize military affairs..."

The young man accepted the appointment without batting an eye.

The news that the Seventh Prince was Lu Zheng's student quickly spread throughout the Yan Kingdom, along with some slogans.

What about Yan Qi becoming emperor and not paying taxes?

The policy included equal distribution of land and exemption from taxes, and the principle of great harmony among the people.

With some people secretly fueling the flames, such slogans have not diminished but increased, becoming increasingly intense and stirring up restlessness among people in various places.

Even a prince stationed in the capital of Yan was shocked and furious. "When did my seventh brother become that person's student? He's never even left Yan. With his abilities, does he even deserve to be..."

One minister said, "He's probably just patting himself on the back. In the new kingdom of Taiping, who doesn't respect him as 'Master'? Outside the new kingdom, there are many others who also call him 'Master'..."

The prince thought it made sense; if he were to meet that person, he would likely treat him with the utmost respect.

Therefore, he can also be considered one of that person's students.

He slapped his thigh, thinking to himself how come he hadn't thought of this move before.

Ironically, the previously mediocre seventh brother, by leveraging his fame and influence, actually became a major threat in the struggle for the throne.

"such a pity……"

The prince thought that if he were allowed to do it first, the overall situation might be settled.

To imitate this now would be a step backwards.

Moreover, if things escalate too much, it might attract the attention of that person, and the consequences are uncertain.

"I don't think my seventh brother can cause trouble for long. Right now, I mainly need to guard against my uncles."

……

Within Lu Zheng's small world, the winds and clouds in the sky were constantly changing.

The power of the laws of the Great Dao of the Sages intertwined, radiating an extremely powerful pressure from heaven and earth.

Lu Zheng was enveloped in it, sensing the changes in the Daoist aura.

After an unknown amount of time, Lu Zheng finally realized something.

He took a step and appeared in the outside world.

Immediately afterwards, Lu Zheng transformed into a streak of light and shot straight into the heavens.

Arriving in the void, Lu Zheng stood in the sky, emanating a vast and boundless aura, attempting to communicate with the Great Dao of the Sages.

"May all saints help me..."

Lu Zheng's thoughts quickly spread in all directions.

Before long, the surrounding space began to ripple.

A surge of pure Confucian and Taoist power poured in and permeated Lu Zheng.

On the other side, the phantom of Buddha appeared, his vast Buddha light enveloping Lu Zheng. In the distant void, the phantoms of ancient gods appeared and disappeared, offering up their remaining divine essence.

The thoughts of Taoist sages and ancient demon saints emerged, and the faith of countless beings in the world converged upon them...

This time, the surging and vast numbers of all living beings under heaven came even more dramatically than when the new nation was established.

……

"This is?"

Somewhere in the new country, Yun Fuyao looked up at the sky, her bright eyes sparkling with an unusual light.

She vaguely sensed a powerful aura, an aura that surpassed the Great Dao.

It seems that something powerful has appeared in this world.

Even she instinctively sensed a kind of suppression.

Qingwan, who was standing next to her, blinked her big eyes and whispered, "Could it be that Lu Zheng is breaking through?"

Her intuition told her that this invisible abnormality originated from Lu Zheng.

Yun Fuyao thought for a moment, then did some calculations with her fingers, only to find that she couldn't even foresee Lu Zheng's existence.

This means that Lu Zheng is probably going through something.

At the same time, many highly accomplished practitioners throughout the world also sensed a sense of oppression.

The oppressive feeling has no clear source, and it seems impossible to get rid of it.

The vital instruments that carried the fate of the dynasties also began to show unusual activity, and the celestial fortune they contained was constantly changing and had been going on for some time.

Even the officials of the imperial astronomers of various countries could not find the reason.

Xu Shou observed the national treasures of Anguo and offered only one deduction: an anomaly in the celestial order.

As for what kind of celestial anomaly it was, Xu Shou didn't know either.

Hearing Xu Shou's speculation, An Taixuan was surprised. "Is the matter very serious? There didn't seem to be such a big reaction when the new country was established..."

He also instructed his men to keep a close eye on the situation in Singapore, but no important intelligence came back for the time being.

Xu Shou said, "This humble Taoist dares not make a definitive judgment. However, matters concerning heaven and earth cannot be reversed; it is best to let nature take its course. Whether it is a blessing or a curse is hard to say..."

In any case, Xu Shou did not feel any trouble affecting him.

However, a sense of oppression also enveloped him, and the source of which could not yet be traced.

Xu Shou assumed it was a major shift in the destiny of the world that had affected the entire world.

An Taixuan couldn't help but mutter, "It couldn't be that he did something, could it?"

Xu Shou thought for a moment and concluded that no one should be powerful enough to have such a great influence.

But Lu Zheng seems to be an exception; if the other party is really doing something, then there's nothing he can do.

As time passed, the oppressive atmosphere in the world did not disappear, and no one heard of any major events happening anywhere. People gradually got used to it and went about their business as usual.

Taking advantage of his rising power, the seventh prince of Yan swept through the land and occupied many territories.

Other independent princes and dukes have encountered various changes, and their advantages have gradually diminished.

Seeing that the situation was not right, the forces in the Yan region, which were closer to the west, even took the initiative to surrender to the new country and declared their willingness to join the new country, which surprised many forces.

There was still a large, desolate area between the Xin Kingdom and the Yan Kingdom.

Singapore did not respond immediately, but it did send people to investigate the actual situation.

……

In the unseen heavens, Lu Zheng was enveloped in a vast aura of profound Daoist energy.

That aura was somewhat similar to the principles of law, but even more unusual.

Lu Zheng once again borrowed the Dao of the Sages, almost integrating all the Daos into it, and elevating the Dao of Law and Principle to a higher level.

Now, the Dao he created has completely transcended the Dao of all living beings, and has imposed constraints and limitations on all other Daos.

"Taipingtiandao..."

Lu Zheng murmured softly, referring to this newly born Great Dao as the Great Dao of Peace.

As soon as Lu Zheng had a thought, the Dao principles that enveloped his body quickly dispersed.

It spread throughout the world at an extremely fast speed.

This nascent Way of Peace will exist in the world and gradually grow.

Compared to the previous Dao of Law, the Great Way of Peace imposes more severe restrictions on cultivators of all races.

Because Lu Zheng added the Heavenly Tribulation rule to it.

Whenever a living being breaks through a major realm, it will attract a heavenly tribulation. The law will fairly judge good and evil, with the thoughts of the saints as a supplement.

Those who commit the most heinous crimes will suffer heavenly calamities, resulting in their physical death and the dissipation of their spiritual essence.

When the power of the Taiping Heavenly Way spread throughout the world, its oppression of all living beings disappeared, or rather, it merged and disappeared into the world.

A strange feeling inexplicably flashed through the hearts of the powerful figures in the world.

In a way, they sensed that the world had changed.

But he couldn't quite put his finger on what was different.

It wasn't until later, when some practitioners encountered unprecedented events, that they vaguely understood.

"He succeeded..."

Qingwan's eyes sparkled as she looked up at the sky.

Although she couldn't see Lu Zheng, she felt that he was there, doing something extraordinary.

She had been somewhat worried lately, but just now, she had a sudden feeling.

Upon hearing this, Yun Fuyao asked, "What did you succeed in?"

Qingwan shook her head and said, "I don't know. There are some things he won't tell me before they happen. I'll just ask him when he gets back."

Yun Fuyao couldn't help but smile, her jade hands forming a hand seal as she calculated.

"I see……"

Soon, Yun Fuyao calculated some things based on the changes in the world.

Not long after, Lu Zheng arrived in front of the two of them.

Qing Wan excitedly ran up to Lu Zheng and carefully examined him, "Have you become a saint? And..."

Lu Zheng nodded and smiled, "The Taiping Heavenly Way has been achieved."

Lu Zheng gave a brief explanation, which amazed Qing Wan.

Qingwan said excitedly, "Now, those people will have to behave themselves and follow the rules."

Yun Fuyao couldn't help but say, "To merge all the Daos and even achieve a Dao upon them, you truly surprise everyone."

Lu Zheng asked curiously, "Has no one tried this before?"

Yun Fu shook his head and said quietly, "No one is powerful enough to merge all the Daos for their own use. Nor can anyone persuade the will of those sages of heaven and earth to dedicate so much power... Now, you are the only one who has done the latter."

Lu Zheng looked calmly at the clear sky and said slowly, "Actually, I had this idea a long time ago, and I told them that as long as I can do it to a certain extent, they are willing to help me."

"The previous attempt to establish the principles of law was an experiment; this time, it is the true goal. Fortunately, we have the recognition and assistance of the sages; otherwise, it would have been extremely difficult..."

Yun Fuyao smiled and said, "It is indeed very difficult. The amount of power of the Great Dao consumed is considerable. You invited the Buddha to descend to earth, the Confucian sage to return to heaven, and you brought peace to the Northern Region... Each of these deeds was for the sake of all living beings, and also gathered the fortunes of all the Dao in the world, making them the furnace for your Dao forging. This is something that no one else can do." (End of this chapter)