Chapter 638: Re-establishing the Daoist Scripture Hall?

Chapter 638: Chapter 118: Re-establishing the Daoist Scripture Hall?

Western Continent.

On the mountainside of a colossal peak that seemed to connect heaven and earth, a small grass hut was nestled amidst dense vegetation. Near the cliff’s edge, oriented toward the sun, sat a Go board carved from rock. The black and white stones upon it were locked in a tense struggle, the game clearly in its final stages.

Beside the board was a set of simple, ancient-looking tea implements. Two cups of clear tea steamed gently, but there was no one to be seen drinking.

A mountain breeze swept past, rustling the thick vegetation around the hut. A figure materialized from thin air, followed by another. They sat on cattail cushions beside the tea table, sipping their tea and studying the unfinished game on the board.

Half an hour later, a streak of light descended from the sky and landed before the grass hut. The man wore a blue, narrow-sleeved Daoist robe and a wooden hairpin. A Jade Gourd hung from his waist, and a three-foot-long beard rested on his chest.

It was True Monarch Yuan Wu!

As he appeared, one of the two men at the tea table flicked his sleeve. An invisible ray of light flashed, and Chengxi’s figure materialized before True Monarch Yuan Wu.

After two breaths of dazed confusion, Chengxi remembered everything that had happened. He met True Monarch Yuan Wu’s gaze and felt every Spirit Vein in his body tremble. He immediately fell to his knees in a grand bow, crying out, “Exalted True Monarch!”

True Monarch Yuan Wu said coldly, “I’ll give you two choices. First, worship me. I will condense a strand of my consciousness to help you obscure the celestial mechanisms, allowing you to ascend to the Fourth Realm.”

Chengxi kept his head bowed, his pupils shrinking. ‘This is the method of ascension that Taiyan Cultivators are most unwilling to accept,’ he thought. ‘It would turn me into a puppet of the one I worship.’ So, he did not rush to choose, but quietly awaited the second option.

“The second choice: fend for yourself and face your own demise!”

True Monarch Yuan Wu’s cold voice made Chengxi’s body tremble uncontrollably.

The man on the left side of the tea table reminded him with a chuckle, “The moment you finished drawing the Heaven-Covering Talisman, you were locked onto by the Celestial Dao. The only reason you’re still alive is because we are shielding you. But if you take a single step out of this grass hut, you will be dead within three breaths, without a doubt!”

He laughed out loud at this. “The *Taiyan Talisman* is truly fascinating. Its practitioners cultivate puppets and delight in toying with the consciousness of others. Who would have thought that in the end, they would toy with their own consciousness and refine themselves into puppets as well!”

The cultivator on the right side of the table also looked at Chengxi, though his expression was colder. “As a failure, you should have the awareness of one. You’ve been given a chance, so you should cherish it. You have ten breaths to consider. If you don’t agree, get out.”

His voice was bone-chillingly cold.

Chengxi felt his teeth chattering. On the third breath, he said in a low voice, “I choose the first path!”

“Excellent!”

True Monarch Yuan Wu’s tone was slightly less cold. He waved a hand for Chengxi to rise and said, “This is a fortunate opportunity for you as well. Under normal circumstances, I will not restrict your actions. You can continue to pursue your ideals and expand your lineage. However, there is one thing you must do…”

“The South Sea Islands have become somewhat chaotic since they lost Wu Ma’s oversight. Your future duty is to watch over the Southern Sea Region. Without my permission, you are not to take a single step out of the Southern Sea Region. Do you understand?”

“Yes, this junior understands!”

True Monarch Yuan Wu nodded, a satisfied look on his face. He then cupped his hands in a salute to the two tea-drinking cultivators. “Thank you, Fellow Daoists. This humble Daoist has urgent matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now.”

“Very well!”

The cultivator on the left nodded, while the other silently cupped his hands in a gesture of farewell.

Then, True Monarch Yuan Wu took Chengxi and transformed into a streak of light, disappearing over the horizon.

“You lose this time. The wine-brewing duties for the next two hundred years are all yours,” the cultivator on the left said with a triumphant laugh. “I told you Changqing would win. You can tell at a glance he’s a person of great destiny. Chengxi, on the other hand, is just a timid yes-man. He doesn’t have the fate to ascend to the Fourth Realm.”

“Changqing’s future is full of too many variables. It’s hard to say whether winning this contest is a blessing or a curse for him!”

“I think it’s for the best. Too many of the rules set in the past were wrong. Change is good—it lets us fish in troubled waters!”

“I still prefer stability…”

The cultivator on the right said in his cold tone, looking up toward Zhongzhou. His gaze seemed capable of piercing through thousands of rivers and mountains.

Zhongzhou.

「Five days later, at the Qianmu Mountain Peak Dojo.」

Today, the place was bustling with excitement. Dozens of Third Realm Cultivators were gathered together, laughing and talking around Wang Ping as if they had endless topics to discuss. A few Daoist Children moved cautiously among them, pouring wine and serving tea for these Great Cultivators who held sway over entire regions.

In the front hall of Qianmu Temple, Xia Wen Yi, Hu Qianqian, and Guangxuan were presiding over a magnificent Dharma assembly. All the sects and Daoist Temples of the south had sent cultivators to attend; for some of the smaller sects, even their Sect Leaders had come in person.

On the second day of the assembly, Vajra Temple also sent a delegation of disciples from thousands of miles away. Their leader was none other than Monk Mingxin, an acquaintance of Wang Ping’s. Accompanying them was Liu Shibin, the junior brother of Zhi Gong Daoist.

「On the third day.」

Amidst the clamor of the Mountain Peak Dojo, someone suddenly spoke up: “In the past, the five seniors Yun Que, Yingfu, Huode, Zhiyuan, and Mingjing established the Daoist Scripture Hall during a time of chaos to expel evil and bring peace to the common people. Now that we are all gathered here, why don’t we follow their example and establish the status of the Daoist Palace, helping Zhongzhou stabilize the Divine Artifact sooner and put the people’s minds at ease!”

The boisterous noise instantly vanished. Everyone followed the sound of the voice and saw that it was Liu Huai’en, who had been in a corner, who had spoken.

Many people frowned slightly upon seeing it was Liu Huai’en. They had been preparing that line for a long time, waiting for the right opportunity to say it, but now someone had beaten them to it.

“A fine idea!”

Ruan Chunzi, standing beside Wang Ping, immediately agreed. “The world is in turmoil today, mostly due to strife between cultivators. If a Daoist Palace existed to maintain order in the Cultivation Realm, the common people could also live in greater peace.”

“The Saint is merciful!”

Monk Mingxin immediately declared his position. “There has been too much senseless slaughter in recent years. There should indeed be some constraints.”

Daoist Hua Yun of the True Yang Sect looked at Wang Ping and asked, “I wonder what your thoughts are on this, Fellow Daoist?”

Wang Ping smiled and replied, “My opinion isn’t important. What matters are your opinions. After all, the Daoist Palace is already relatively stable throughout the Southern Four Roads.”

Nearby, Jiangcun and Yang Shu exchanged a glance. Then, Jiangcun spoke up. “Lishui Prefecture agrees in principle. The slaughter in the world has indeed been too severe in recent years. Even some disciples from our orthodox Mystic Sects have set up altars to absorb spiritual nature. If this continues, I fear it will lead to an even greater disaster. It’s just that…”

“It’s just that, I hope the Southeast Sea Region can be designated as a major district, to be governed autonomously by my Lishui Prefecture…”

“The Southeast Sea Region doesn’t just belong to your Lishui Prefecture! My Taiyin Sect is there, along with thousands of Loose Cultivator sects!” an Artifact Cultivator from the Taiyin Sect interjected before Jiangcun could finish. His was the first major sect to pay a formal visit to Qianmu Temple after Wang Ping’s war with Lishui Prefecture had ended.

In other words, among the Five Profound Sects and the two Heavenly Gate Sects, only the Yuqing Sect had failed to send a representative. The other six all had delegates present in this small dojo.

The moment the Taiyin Sect representative spoke, the rifts between the various factions were instantly ignited. Arguments inevitably broke out, but Wang Ping did not intervene, for this was exactly what he wanted to see.