The Divine Dynasty on earth, the enfeoffment of the divine position.
According to this plan, the control of the imperial inheritance and the capture of the empire's Qi Luck are mere pretenses.
The real goal is to utilize the mobilization capability of the empire, set up a grand array, stimulate the Essence Qi of heaven and earth, and only then can the gods be enfeoffed.
According to Pei Xuanjing's understanding, this method should be a combination of the ways of Immortals and the Earth Immortal Path. He had no idea where the Shenxiao Sect got these clues from?
What surprised him most was that since they were able to obtain these secrets, why didn't they know about the cultivation of the Spirit Realm, and instead wanted to ascend to immortality in one step without considering methodical progression.
Could it be that there are parts missing in these records, or that the clues they originally received were incomplete?
This was a doubt in his mind, but he did not speak of it to anyone for the time being.
The revelation of this truth undoubtedly angered Qingxu and Bai Xiaosheng. Even though they had been prepared for it, and knew that the Shenxiao Sect wouldn't easily reveal the core secret of the Longevity Plan to them. But now, having this secret laid bare before them, they finally realized how deep the Shenxiao Sect's deception had been.
"Hmph, I had some suspicions from the beginning, I didn't expect it to become reality." Bai Xiaosheng said leisurely, seemingly not as angry as Pei Xuanjing had anticipated.
"Speaking of these matters now is useless; the key is that we already know about them, what should we do moving forward." Qingxu regained his calm and spoke to Bai Xiaosheng.
This undoubtedly disrupted his plan. If they had followed the method originally suggested by the Shenxiao Sect, using the empire's Qi Luck to enfeoff the gods, then with the abilities of the True Martial Sect, they could have implemented this plan and enfeoffed a god to at least verify the veracity of this method.
But now, their plan had become elusive as a flower in the mirror, or the moon's reflection on the water. Even with the great power of the True Martial Sect, they couldn't achieve these things in a short period of time.
In the entire territory of the Great Ming, setting up such an unparalleled array requires immense human and material resources. It's beyond what the True Martial Sect alone could bear. Even with the support of Bai Xiaosheng, it would be like trying to extinguish a burning cart of firewood with a cup of water, or a drop in the bucket.
"What to do? What can we do? Do you think we can accomplish this plan with our current strength? I believe this is nothing more than a fool's dream. Those of the Shenxiao Sect, who were annihilated, deserved it. They were madmen." Bai Xiaosheng spoke without anger but there was a touch of helplessness in his tone.
Even with his extensive knowledge and experience, he had never imagined anyone would come up with such a plan. It was a thousand times, even ten thousand times more difficult than their initial plan to control the imperial inheritance. It seemed like an almost impossible task.
While he prided himself on being in the know on everything under the sky and having solutions to any problem, he felt a sense of helplessness towards this particular issue, feeling utterly powerless.
This plan reminded him of a similar situation in his memories.
Pei Xuanjing stood silently on the side, not joining the conversation. He knew very well that compared to the other two, he was a newcomer. Regardless of the outcome, it didn't have much to do with him. He viewed himself more as an observer in this matter.
However, clearly, Qingxu did not want him to stand by idly. He spoke to Pei Xuanjing, "May I ask what your opinion on this matter might be?"
Upon hearing his question, Bai Xiaosheng couldn't help but turn his gaze towards Pei Xuanjing.
Seeing their actions, Pei Xuanjing knew that he had to say something. After pondering for a moment, he slowly began: "Although this plan may sound absurd and like a fool's dream, I feel that there might be some merits to it."
"Oh?" The two looked at each other with bright eyes, waiting for Pei Xuanjing to continue.
Pei Xuanjing had no intention of keeping them in suspense and laid out what was on his mind, "Both of you, it might be difficult to set up such a formation within the entire territory of Great Ming, but what if we reduce the scope? What if we set it up within a province, a county, a town, or even a mountain?"
The two seemed to have an epiphany after his reminder and became enlightened.
Yes!
Given their strength, it would indeed be difficult to fully complete this plan. It was an almost impossible task.
But if they were to take a different approach and significantly reduce the scale of the plan, they might be able to accomplish the task.
"Taoist friend, deep wisdom!" Qingxu praised.
Bai Xiaosheng also had a smile on his face, praising, "Brother Pei is truly talented!"
Pei Xuanjing waved his hands repeatedly in denial, "You flatter me too much, gentlemen. I'm only seeing it from a different perspective. I believe that even if I hadn't spoken out, your wisdom would have led you to the same conclusion soon enough. Besides, we are allies, and I'm just fulfilling my responsibilities by sharing my thoughts."
"Hahaha, Taoist friend, you're absolutely right," Qingxu laughed.
Recalling his previous doubts, Pei Xuanjing turned to them and asked, "As far as I know, the Three Realms and Nine Grades of our current Martial Arts cultivation were referred to as the Mortal Realm a long time ago, and there is a major realm called the Spirit Realm between Immortality and Mortal Realm. Have either of you heard of this?"
Was the First-grade of Martial Arts that they have been cultivating merely the Mortal Realm? Was there a whole major realm, the Spirit Realm in betweenimmortality?
Upon hearing Pei Xuanjing's words, Qingxu's brow furrowed. He recalled that he had once read the notes left by the patriarch in his later years, which included some predictions made by the patriarch, and they seemed to mention this issue.
Initially, he was somewhat skeptical about the truth of this information, but after adding the Longevity Plan proposed by the Shenxiao Sect, he treated it as a speculation made by the patriarch.
Now that even Pei Xuanjing was speaking in these terms, he wasn't quite sure anymore.
If this major realm truly existed, then was the Longevity Plan real or a hoax? Would it make one become an immortal in one step, or was it just for breaking through into the so-called Spirit Realm?
"Who did you hear this from, Taoist friend? Is it true or false?" He could not help but ask..
"This information was something I stumbled upon in an ancient text, but I can assure you there's a 90 percent chance it's accurate," Pei Xuanjing said with utmost seriousness.
Although he did not disclose the information about the Netherworld Book, he still gave an affirmative answer.
Seeing how earnest Pei Xuanjing was, the Taoist Qingxu did not take him lightly and turned his gaze towards Bai Xiaosheng beside him.
Presumably, Bai Xiaosheng, who was known for his omniscience, could provide an answer.
"From the information I have, Pei's words are not false. According to the traditional classification in the Cultivation World, the martial arts first-grade realm is indeed just the pinnacle of the Mortal Realm. Above it is a larger realm called the Spirit Realm.
However, after the Tang Dynasty, this realm disappeared completely from history, meaning that no one has broken through the first-grade martial artist realm since then.
In particular, after the last dynasty erased many records and resources, no one even knew about the existence of this realm.
It wasn't until Emperor Taizu established the Great Ming Dynasty that the concept of three realms and nine grades in martial arts was established for the selection of talents for the Ming Dynasty, and it was only then that all families and sects accepted it," Bai Xiaosheng declared openly, sharing all the information he Imew.
"If that's the case, is the Shenxiao Sect's Longevity Plan just a joke? And if you know this, why did you get involved?" Pei Xuanjing asked, puzzled.
Since, as the other party stated, the Longevity Plan is not genuinely capable of attaining immortality, why would he participate? Don't these two points contradict each other?
Taoist Qingxu also looked perplexed. If it wasn't for his longstanding friendship with Bai Xiaosheng, and his deep trust in him, anyone else would suspect that he had ulterior motives, harboring hidden intentions.
Bai Xiaosheng chuckled and revealed his motives: "Whether the Shenxiao Sect's Longevity Plan can truly lead to becoming an immortal, I do not know. What I do know, however, is that if this plan is successfully implemented, it can at least allow us to break our current realm and enter the first-grade realm, or as you just mentioned, the Spirit Realm."
He glanced at the two of them and continued: "Moreover, our Bai Xiaosheng lineage has conjectured based on generations of knowledge that heaven and earth are cyclical, always undergoing a recurring cycle. When heaven and earth decline, cultivation tends to decline as well, making longevity hard to obtain. But when heaven and earth regenerate, the cultivation of the Immortal Path will flourish, making longevity possible. The talk of Fairy Gods will no longer be empty words, and there will be chances of ascension. Over a hundred years ago, the previous Bai Xiaosheng worked with the contemporary Master Prognosticator to extrapolate the changes in heaven and earth. The result was that among our generation, one person could potentially ascend to immortality and divinity, rather than it remaining a legend."
As learned men, both Pei Xuanjing and Taoist Qingxu naturally recognized the last part of Bai
Xiaosheng's speech as a narration recorded in the "Records of Strange Tales in Shenzhou."
Pei Xuanjing began to understand the other party's intention and said: "So, you participate in this plan not for the supposed longevity, but to use this scheme by Shenxiao Sect to break through to the Spirit Realm. After that, you wish to seize the initiative when heaven and earth rejuvenate?"
"That's the plan. " Bai Xiaosheng admitted. He continued, "Of course, I'm also genuinely interested in understanding where the mystery of the Shenxiao Sect's Longevity Plan lies? Because we are not sure how much information and clues the Shenxiao Sect had received when they formulated this Longevity Plan, or how useful they are."
They didn't know how much information the Shenxiao Sect got initially. After all, the Jinmen Feather Guest at that time was not only high-ranking but also a highly formidable martial artist. If he really wanted to withhold some information, even the Bai Xiaosheng lineage wouldn't be able to find out everything.
This was also one of the reasons why they didn't hesitate to accept the proposition when the Shenxiao Sect offered to collaborate.
Taoist Qingxu reflected on his initial reaction to the plan, and it didn't seem fake. He believed that the other party hadn't deceived him.
However, another doubt soon emerged in his mind.
Taoist Qingxu said, "Now I understand why you reacted the way you did earlier."
"What?" Bai Xiaosheng asked, not quite catching his meaning.
Taoist Qingxu continued, "You were not as upset earlier because you had already guessed something, so while the plan may be surprising, it didn't exceed your expectations. Or did you know about it all along?"
As he spoke these words, Taoist Qingxu's expression was serious. He needed a satisfactory answer from Bai Xiaosheng.
Gazing at his old friend whom he had known for many years, Bai Xiaosheng knew that without a precise response, he could lose his trust. And not only would their friendship crumble, but they might also become enemies.
He sighed deeply and said, "I wasn't angry because, indeed, I somewhat expected this. More importantly, this plan reminds me of something.
The Shenxiao Sect seemed incredibly lucky to even find out about this, thus enabling them to devise such a plan."
Without waiting for their queries, he continued speaking: "Do you know that this Divine Kingdom project on earth is not the brainchild of the Shenxiao Sect? This plan actually appeared a very long time ago.
Legend has it that during the final years of the Divine Han era, the Taoist School produced a supreme Master. He climbed from being an ordinary wandering Taoist to a great cultivator in a short time using an heavenly book he stumbled upon.
At that time, the Divine Han era was ridden with corrupt officials, where the rich possessed vast lands and the poor had no place to stay. The people had a hard life; they were ragged and starving.
The Master, unwilling to see the people in such a miserable state, sought to create a peaceful world where everyone could be as mighty as dragons, living a peaceful and stable life, with plenty of food and clothing. Hence, he established thirty-six areas, proclaiming himself as the Taoist of Peace, and wanted to establish a Divine Kingdom on earth.
Although this method might not lead to longevity, many people believed it to be feasible. At the very least, it could produce numerous powerful individuals and prolong many lives.
The method devised by the Shenxiao Sect for longevity is strikingly similar to that of the Taoist of
So, my first reaction after hearing about this plan was that the Shenxiao Sect's scheme might probably be successful. But, it's a shame that this plan is too grand. We simply couldn't accomplish it on our own."
Keep in mind that the Bai Xiaosheng lineage had a much longer history than the Shenxiao Sect. However, they had always merely heard of such things and never have chance to witness them.
Yet, the Shenxiao Sect got their hands on it.
Could it be that Shenxiao Sect was fated for greatness? Bai Xiaosheng couldn't help but wonder..