Immortal Mystery Sequence: I Establish a Divine Duty for Heaven and Earth

At an infinite height.

Jiang Tu looked down at the five great cities where Ruixue Hall was located, his heart churning with emotions.

Luo Jin, from an ordinary slave boy on the land of Rui Tu, to quietly awakening his innate wisdom and teaching people the way of farming with trepidation, to the rise of the Old Farmer's Hall and the disastrous defeat of the serf rebellion, to living in seclusion in Shennong Valley for more than ten years, and now to the 150,000 members of Ruixue Hall.

Every single event was vividly remembered; he had personally witnessed how this person had been gradually transformed by the chaos of the world into a powerful ruler.

During the bloody crackdown in the council hall, Luo Jin, holding up his head, looked around and quelled the internal strife. The imposing figure he displayed at that moment was completely different from the boy he was forty years ago!

Chaotic times can indeed forge people, but they can also lead them further and further down a path of no return.

Jiang Tu couldn't really say... whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. But if a leader always adopts a conciliatory strategy, how can he survive in a chaotic world?

A compassionate leader cannot command an army, and a righteous leader cannot manage finances; this principle holds true throughout history!

Reaching the limit of the seventh rank, he possessed a total of four extraordinary techniques. He originally thought that he was already quite remarkable for mastering the Pill-Pinching Technique and the Grass Man Technique, but he never expected that the Bean Scattering Soldier Technique and the Dragon Root Technique would be so amazing and have such extraordinary effects.

The four techniques encompass four dimensions: survival, production, support, and combat.

The appearance of the Panlong Root, in particular, has allowed agricultural cultivators to go beyond simply farming... adding the possibility of battle and warfare.

Currently, the maximum activation can only be performed once a year, but this at least indicates that the sequence is moving towards a balance between offense and defense.

He once again yearned for the sixth rank and harbored considerable ambition for the future of agriculture.

In the past, the agricultural path was powerless against the tyranny of Buddhism and Taoism. However, starting from the seventh rank, the agricultural path's abilities should not be underestimated. The same applies to the real world. The seventh-rank herbalist is no longer a fish to be taken and castrated at will by the Taoist sect. They have gained a certain ability to resist.

What about the future?

Perhaps one day, the path of agriculture will clear away the clouds and break through the gates of chaos!

Having entered the city, Luo Jin's inner demons were less than one-tenth gone, but the real test was yet to come... What if Ruixue Hall clashed head-on with the Buddhist and Taoist sects in the future? It was truly hard to say whether he could maintain his Dao heart's stability then...

He had a premonition that a direct conflict between the two sides might not be far off!

……

……

[Sequence Evolution Log]

[Year 67]

In February, the chill of early spring had not yet dissipated.

Ruixuetang's Insect Spirit Intelligence Network operates tirelessly, with information from all sides quietly converging into the various halls of the five cities.

After months of piecing together and summarizing, Luo Jin has roughly figured out the root cause of the dispute between Buddhism and Taoism!

The cause and effect are exceptionally clear.

According to multiple sources, the so-called ancient inheritance that Buddhism and Taoism are fighting over is the only remaining path to immortality in the Dharma-ending Age after the collapse of the heavens.

Its name, "Immortal Path," has an unknown origin. Legend has it that it comes from an extremely ancient immortal mountain and sect, but unfortunately, this immortal mountain has remained obscure and low-key throughout history, and its origins have never been revealed.

This lineage is completely different from all the ancient paths of immortals and Buddhas. It does not seek to defy the heavens in this life, break through the limits of realms, and climb higher step by step. Instead, it emphasizes living towards death, and requires experiencing death in life after life, going through tribulations in the mortal world.

Each time a person completes a lifetime and successfully overcomes the tribulations of the mortal world, their cultivation level increases dramatically. If they fail to overcome the tribulations, their cultivation level drops drastically until they perish completely after experiencing multiple failures.

To seek immortality for generations, one must first seek death in order to achieve eternal life.

It is precisely because it needs to continue its lineage through reincarnation and survive tribulations that it was able to survive the backlash from the collapse of the heavens and the destruction of the immortal path. All other immortal paths perished due to the severance of their lineage, but this path, even if it is broken in one lifetime, will have another, and has never been severed.

Those who heard the news in Ruixue Hall were all shocked and couldn't believe it.

"To live towards death? A hundred lifetimes of reincarnation? This...this...this isn't cultivation, it's clearly crashing into a death trap! Others only have one life, one lifetime of cultivation, but the Immortal Path involves hundreds and thousands of lifetimes of reincarnation, enduring countless tribulations. Truly worthy of the name Immortal!"

"Inconceivable! Absolutely inconceivable!"

"It seems like a journey to life through death, but in reality, it is a lifeline that cannot be sought on the path to immortality! A rebirth from the brink of death! When the heavens collapsed, countless immortals and Buddhas perished, but its lineage continued unbroken... Doesn't this mean that if one can obtain this lineage, even if the heavens collapse again in the future, one can survive by reincarnating and undergoing tribulations?"

"In that case, it's understandable that Buddhism and Taoism are fighting tooth and nail. After all, who wouldn't want a way to save their life? That's true immortality... Even if it means going through hundreds of kalpas of reincarnation, it's still much better than being reduced to ashes! After the collapse of the heavens, even the Buddhist and Taoist sects, which have been passed down for tens of thousands of years, wouldn't be afraid of death?!"

"This Immortal Path is indeed an unprecedented opportunity! Could our Ruixue Hall... perhaps try to seize it as well?"

Xu Lin was not surprised by the astonished discussions in the hall.

She was equally astonished when she learned of this, but she could not agree with the claim that they wanted to seize the inheritance of the Immortal Path.

"Our agricultural tradition is called the Great Way of Life, which seeks the spiritual light of heaven and earth. How is it any less than that? Moreover, we farmers should not easily get involved in this conflict between Buddhism and Taoism, otherwise we will surely bring about our own demise."

Luo Jin ranked first, and her attitude coincided with Xu Lin's.

"The Immortal Path has its own mysteries, but it is an opportunity for the Buddhist and Taoist sects, not for us. Our agricultural lineage is rooted in the earth and grows on the earth. Every bit of cultivation is nothing more than digging for food in the ground, working tirelessly. This Immortal Path may seem good, but it is not our path. We must not be greedy for it."

"Or rather, not only should we not be greedy for it, but if we have the opportunity, we should also destroy it, so as not to let Buddhism and Taoism obtain such an opportunity!"

"Xu Lin, continue to thoroughly investigate the details of the Buddhist and Taoist sects, understand the immortal destiny of the Immortal Path in detail, and look for opportunities to mediate. The Immortal Path is not something to be pursued, but if we can create some trouble and sabotage for the Buddhist and Taoist sects, that is a feasible approach."

Xu Lin responded.

After that, everyone at Ruixuetang gained a clearer understanding of the conflict between Buddhism and Taoism.

For the sake of a path to immortality that allows for reincarnation and the continuation of life, the two families clashed fiercely in every city, almost to the point of bloodlust, having long since cast aside any notions of compassion and tranquility.

In their frenzied state, provoking them is tantamount to courting death!

As the two sides fought fiercely, they had no time to worry about someone quietly developing underground behind the scenes, which led to Ruixuetang experiencing an unprecedented momentum of development.

October.

Ruixue Hall has established a firm foothold in the five cities, with dozens of branches nested within each other in each city, providing mutual protection.

From the lowest-level slaves and farmers to the middle-level merchants, large households, and small landlords, and even the servants and laborers outside Buddhist temples and Taoist monasteries in various places, all were turned into informants for Ruixuetang.

People from Ruixue Hall can be seen everywhere in the five cities.

Ruixuetang did not take this opportunity to expand outwards, but instead guarded its foundation in the five cities and began to consider a strategy of relocating and developing in the rear, avoiding the limelight of Buddhism and Taoism.

November.

The conflict between Buddhism and Taoism has intensified, reaching a fever pitch and almost reaching a boiling point.

Conflicts erupted everywhere in the five cities. What started as mere verbal sparring in the streets and alleys gradually escalated into bloodshed. Various minor Taoist and Buddhist practitioners clashed fiercely with each other, their golden and white lights intertwined, and blood and flesh flew everywhere. Countless innocent civilians were caught up in the chaos.

Many people died on the spot, their bodies lying in the streets... Those who survived were seriously injured and barely breathing.

The saying "when the city walls catch fire, the fish in the moat suffer" perfectly illustrates this point; when gods fight, innocent people inevitably get hurt.

Taking advantage of the chaos, the people of Ruixuetang moved the wounded out of the city overnight and made arrangements to treat them with high-quality elixirs. Those who had lost loved ones, whose homes had been destroyed and who had nowhere to go could not refuse the treatment and accommodation provided by Ruixuetang and joined in one after another.

Gradually, more and more wounded civilians were willing to join Ruixuetang, and Ruixuetang became the heart of the people in the five cities.

As more and more people were relocated, Ruixuetang used the Great Earth Escape Technique to move them to a more remote, deep mountain forest. This place, surrounded by cliffs and isolated from the outside world, was the best hiding place.

Moreover, this place is surrounded by natural defenses, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Even if it is discovered, it can be held. Ruixuetang reclaimed the land, built houses, cultivated terraced fields, and laid the foundation, starting to build a new city from scratch!

The city was named "Taiping City," symbolizing the simple wish for peace and tranquility in the hearts of the people of Ruixuetang.

The city lord of Taiping City was none other than Luo Dazhuang, who had volunteered to stay behind and pave the way for Ruixuetang. He managed the newly built agricultural city in an orderly manner, properly resettled the people, and safeguarded the rear for Ruixuetang, earning praise and admiration from the people.

With people gathered in one city, the flame of agricultural development has begun to burn brightly.

[Year 69]

March.

A letter arrived from Taiping City.

Luo Jin looked at the letter and saw that it was written by Luo Dazhuang.

"Master, a strange and unusual event has recently occurred in Taiping City!"

"When the city was building foundations and digging irrigation canals in early spring, some farmers unearthed a blue stone slab. The slab was carved with a seven-colored divine deer, its appearance strange and unlike any ordinary mountain deer! At the time... no one paid any attention to it, simply thinking that there was some special mystery about this place!"

"But the very next morning, the people in the city saw a white deer standing proudly in the square. It was more than two people tall and its whole body was pure white, with its tail stained with seven colors... It was not afraid of people, and stood there quietly, watching the craftsmen and farmers working hard, without making a sound."

"At first, everyone was a little panicked, mistaking it for some kind of ferocious beast. But then they saw that it not only didn't harm people, but was also gentle in nature and quite beautiful in appearance. It would even bow its head in return to those who bowed to it..."

"When children fed it grass, it would eat it slowly with its head bowed; when the elderly knelt in worship, it would bow its front knee in return... Since its appearance, all the other land spirits have gathered in Taiping City. Insect spirits, carp spirits, rat spirits, bird spirits, snake spirits, rabbit spirits, butterfly spirits, and so on, all kinds of land spirits have appeared in the houses and streets of the city, extremely excited and lively, each one restless, yet they are all well-organized around the white deer, each performing their duties, as if under its control!"

"Everyone in the city says this is an auspicious omen. Some call it the Deer Spirit God, others call it the Auspicious Deer Spirit, and they worship it as a local deity... It comes and goes without a trace, and may appear in any corner of Taiping City... If you have the opportunity in the future, Master, you might as well go back to Taiping City to see for yourself."

Seeing this, Luo Jin couldn't help but ponder the deeper meaning behind it.

Auspicious Deer Spirit!

It can command all land spirits... it understands human nature... and it even reciprocates gifts?

This is indeed an auspicious sign!

Perhaps with the establishment of the City of Agriculture and the unprecedented prosperity of the Fire of Agriculture, the hearts of the people are at peace, and the earth's guardian spirits are born, so such a mysterious and special auspicious deer spirit is born!

The title "Deer Spirit God" is quite fitting... Just how many unimaginable mystical abilities does the agricultural path still hold?

April.

New Apple City.

Luo Jin tried hard to sense the sixth-grade gate and pondered how to break through, but he made no progress for a long time.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Tatata!

Xu Lin, her face ashen and her breathing unsteady, burst in and reported, "Master! Something terrible has happened!"

"What is it?"

"Today, the Buddhist and Taoist sects clashed again in the east of the city, and the two sides fought fiercely! In the midst of the melee, they inadvertently stumbled upon one of our underground strongholds, where a group of wounded civilians were being transferred. They were caught red-handed... Although the Buddhist and Taoist sects were only focused on fighting each other at the time, after this incident, they must have realized that someone was secretly rescuing civilians with ulterior motives."

"This is not a good thing!"

Luo Jin's gaze darkened.

"If the Buddhist and Taoist sects take this opportunity to continue their investigation, the consequences will be unimaginable... Although our various branches in the five cities have been scattered and hidden for many years, once they are targeted and traced, we risk being wiped out...! Master, this place is not safe to stay any longer! Please leave the city immediately to avoid disaster!"

"Summon all the herbalists immediately for a meeting tonight."

"Master!"

"obedient."

"yes--"