The Northern Song Dynasty returned south, seeking the truth of the Dao.

On the way back, Wang Zhenhuan didn't speak again. His heart was heavy; the split of the three lineages was more serious than he had imagined. It had even reached the point where each lineage was worshipping its own patriarch.

Previously, Daoist Xuan Yangzi had told him that the three lineages of the Daoist sect were interconnected, but now it seems like nothing more than a joke. Or perhaps only the Daoists of the Taiqing lineage believe this.

And the first to be abandoned were the Taiqing lineage. When Ao Shuang recounted the descent of immortals to the mortal realm, something struck him. Since he had chosen to descend to the mortal realm voluntarily...

So why did the Patriarch send him to this mortal realm? He didn't know before, but now he does. He definitely needs to figure it out; only by clarifying his goal can he avoid taking detours.

According to Ao Shuang's previous statement, the reappearance of the Zhou Tian Secret Manual and the Five Thunder Orthodox Method in the mortal world is not accidental. We are currently in a chaotic era, with dynasties changing and the nation in turmoil.

Throughout the Song Dynasty, fear gripped the people, and they suffered immensely. Large numbers of southerners even fled their homes, heading south to escape the chaos. All sorts of demons and monsters suddenly appeared.

And this thunder magic is the nemesis of ghosts and monsters. Could it be that he is going to sweep away all evil spirits in the world? Because Master Xuan Yangzi mentioned earlier that in order to attain enlightenment and ascend to heaven, one must have accumulated merits.

Sweeping away all evil spirits from the world—is that a great merit? Yes! And not just a little. Wang Zhen estimated that if it were to succeed, one would at least become a deity, or even a celestial being.

But is it difficult to do this? Yes! Extremely difficult, not just ordinary difficult. He was originally a self-taught cultivator, and he has only just begun to cultivate to the True Seeking Realm.

To do this, one would need at least a Blue Qi cultivation level to ensure their safety. Thinking this, Wang Zhenhuan said to Ao Shuang, who was walking ahead, "Brother, since this Wujiaozi left me the original Thunder Technique, do you think he wants me to exorcise demons?"

Upon hearing this, Ao Shuang stopped and turned around. He looked at Wang Huanzhen and said, "I said before that the original purpose of this thunder magic was to accomplish something."

Since you've discovered this, it means this matter must be related to you, perhaps even closely related. Your cultivation level is currently too low; forget about exorcising demons, you can barely even defend your own path!

Wang Zhenhuan blushed a little at Ao Shuang's words, and stubbornly retorted, "Cultivation is not static. Besides, the Taoist priests I met before all said that I am a deity descended to earth and have an affinity with the Tao."

"Oh, I didn't know that until you told me? Wow, so being a deity descended to earth makes you special? Then tell me, what makes you think you're special? Is it that you cultivate faster than others? Or that you have better luck than others?"

"Don't think about it. No matter how high your status was in your past life, that's still your past life. If you don't even know what you're here to do in this mortal world, forget about ascending to immortality, you'll find it difficult to even attain enlightenment. The most valuable thing about a person is self-awareness." Ao Shuang patted his shoulder and said.

"So, brother, you've lived a long life, so give me some advice. What do you think is the purpose of my coming to the mortal realm?" Wang Zhenhuan was doused with cold water by Ao Shuang, and suddenly became much more sober.

Although Ao Shuang wasn't particularly strong, his greatest asset was his longevity. He was an ancient relic, having lived since the Qin and Han dynasties. His knowledge and experience naturally far surpassed that of ordinary people, so Wang Zhenhuan trusted his assessment.

Ao Shuang was the same; her encounter with Wang Zhenhuan was due to Chen Ruoruo. Initially, he didn't think much of this newcomer to the Dao, after all, her strength was inferior to his own.

However, as he spent more time with Wang Zhenhuan, he gradually became convinced of Wang Zhenhuan's wisdom. Wang Zhenhuan was sincere and exceptionally intelligent; when he encountered a situation, he could often deduce the cause from the details he discovered.

Having spent so much time together, the two had developed a mutual respect for each other. Wang Zhenhuan's earlier statement about wanting to become sworn brothers with Ao Shuang was a heartfelt expression of his feelings.

"Actually, little brother, you don't need to worry about these things. Heaven and earth are the chessboard, and all living beings are the pieces. It's all predestined, so why bother to agonize over it?"

As the saying goes, the Tao is always inactive, yet nothing is left undone. Inactive means following the natural course of things, acting according to their inherent nature. Only in this way can the Tao naturally accomplish everything in the development and changes of all things in the world.

This is the philosophy of my Taoism, called: "The Tao follows nature." Do you understand? Ao Shuang looked at Wang Huanzhen and finished speaking with a smile. She turned around, hands behind her back, and walked away down the steps.

Wang Huanzhen stared at his retreating figure, frozen in place. Ao Shuang's words echoed in his mind. "The Way follows nature," what a beautiful phrase! So that's how it is? So that's how it is!

He hurried forward, catching up with Ao Shuang, and came to his side, saying, "Brother, do you mean I shouldn't get caught up in weighing the pros and cons? I should just go with the flow?"

"Indeed, our Daoist school emphasizes governing by non-action, that is, allowing all things in the world to develop and change naturally. We do not interfere or forcibly intervene. Only by following the laws of nature can we achieve harmony between humanity and all things."

Don't worry about the future, and don't dwell on the past. Let things take their natural course; everything is preordained. The Three Pure Ones are omniscient and omnipotent; since this black horn can leave these things to you,

That means all of this was done with the tacit approval of the Patriarch. So why don't you think about it? Since the Patriarch gave you these things, is it because what you're about to do is related to this?" Ao Shuang turned to look at him.

"What do you mean? Could it be..." Wang Zhenhuan was taken aback, then thought of the true scripture he possessed, and his eyes widened. He said with some disbelief:

"Does this mean they want me to return this seal and the original to the Taiqing Sect?"

"It is very likely that the Taiqing Sect has been in decline for many years, and it will be difficult to prosper again without the help of external forces. The owner of this cave was once the leader of the Taiqing lineage, and the item he gave was a key item that the Taiqing Sect had lost."

Moreover, I suspect you have some connection with the Taiqing Sect. It's even possible that you were a member of the Taiqing lineage in your previous life, an ascension to immortality. Do you remember me?" Ao Shuang clapped her hands and said.

"No, I only have some scattered memories, and they're very fragmented. I don't remember any people or events at all. To be honest, I'm not even sure if it's a memory or a dream," Wang Zhenhuan said, shaking his head.

"That's it. We can even boldly speculate that the reason for the split of the three sects of Taoism was that the Taiqing lineage lost the sect leader's seal and could not be granted the title of Taixuan."

The disciples were unable to ascend, the bamboo slips fell into disuse, and gradually the three sects split apart. Now, if you return this seal and the original, could you end the division of the three sects?" Ao Shuang asked, pointing at him.

"Brother, do you mean that my purpose in descending to the mortal realm is to revitalize the Taiqing lineage and end the division among the three sects? This..." Wang Zhenhuan's eyes widened as he muttered to himself.