The Emperor Reigns Them All

Chapter 173 The Immortal Court, Common Folk, and the Great Tao

Staring blankly at the spot where little black and white fish disappeared with his mouth wide open, the browned cloaked Taoist froze as though he had seen a ghost.

Half the morning had past, and the food had long turned cold in the chipped pottery bowl before the browned cloaked Taoist finally came to his senses. Obviously eating was the last thing on his mind. Instead, he placed the bowl on the edge of the sink, closed his eyes, and mumbled some Incantation Gestures as though trying to figure something out.

“Qi-refining Level 9...heavens, those two little kids actually reached the Qi-refining Level 9! How is that possible?”

The browned cloaked Taoist shuddered and couldn’t help looking up at the sky and muttered, “How could I use divination in this terrible weather? There is not a star in sight!”

Mad with anxiety, the browned cloaked Taoist paced up and down with his hands clasped behind his back in the courtyard. He mumbled, “Although the Boji Mountain is not exactly well known, it is, however, a good place to gather wind and water to achieve Luck. The two fish, one black and one white that I have raised for twenty years, have absorbed the creation of heaven and earth and the Spirit of nature. Their powers are not to be underestimated.”

“And I have built up a lot of good will with all the good deeds for the benefit of the villagers for twenty years, not slacking off for a single day. With the creation of heaven and earth, the spirit of the mountain and water, and the massive support of the villagers, the day my fish reach maturity will be the opportunity for my two disciples to gain deep cultivations.

“When they went up to the mountain in the past, I put a few drops of their blood into the water tank, melted them into the two fish and established a secret connection to ensure that the fish can be used for both of them. Now...”

The browned cloaked Taoist looked up at the sky silently, bearing grief and indignation on his face, “But why did they run away before reaching maturity?”

He dropped his head and sighed, “I can be at peace with the fish running away if they just went to find my two disciples, but the problem is...”

The browned cloaked Taoist paused for a moment and once again, his tone turned sorrowful and angry, “Although the Boji Mountain is pouring with power and I have done a lot good deeds, who could jump from Qi-refining Level 5 up to Qi-refining Level 9 directly? If everyone followed this example, then the world would be in chaos!”

“It’s abnormal, so abnormal. I have to prognosticate again and try to figure things out.” Calmly, the browned cloaked Taoist became concentrated, closed his eyes, and made Incantation Gestures again.

A moment later, his eyes opened wide with shock, “What the hell? Penglai Island also produced two kids who have reached the Qi-refining Level 9?”

“What a mess! It’s all messed up!” The browned cloaked Taoist suddenly rushed out of the Taoist Temple after realizing something.

He rushed out of the gate and saw the hunter who dressed like a Penglai Taoist on the ground, vomiting blood. He breathed a sigh of relief and rushed into the cave and knelt before him.

His sudden appearance shocked the Penglai Taoist, and his pale face turned gray immediately. He laughed and said sadly, “I know, you will never let me go. So go ahead. Kill me!”

“I have no interest in killing you. There are more pressing matters I need to ask you.” The browned cloaked Taoist was very anxious. Even his eyed looked no longer dull but piercing. He then added, “Tell me about those two kids from your neck of the woods. How is it possible that they have reached Qi-refining Level 9 at the tender age of 20?”

The Penglai Taoist’s expression changed and his eyes lit up, “I don’t know!”

“You don’t know?” The browned cloaked Taoist repeated those words with the intent to kill.

The Penglai Taoist stuck out his neck and said, “My Senior Brother did this and how could I know?”

The browned cloaked Taoist threw him a sharp look with his teeth clenched and threatened, “Don’t force me to use the Soul Searching Charm!”

The Penglai Taoist’s face turned pale, and said indignantly, “Go ahead!”

The browned cloaked Taoist relaxed his body, breaking his threatening act and sighed, “How could you be more shameless than me?”

“No one is as shameless as you!” Screamed the Penglai Taoist.

Not wanting to get into an argument, the browned cloaked Taoist curled his lips. He sat down and said bitterly, “To be honest, my two disciples had also reached the Qi-refining Level 9. I’m afraid they’ve been possessed!”

“Possessed?” Suddenly the Penglai Taoist was interested. His face turned pale as he recalled something. He then proceeded to ask, “I heard that it was March when the little girl went up to the mountain at the age of three, and it was snowing. Also, the peach blossoms bloomed overnight all over the mountains, is that true?”

The browned cloaked Taoist answered in a cocky tone, “That’s nothing! They are my disciples after all!”

He had barely finished showing off when suddenly his eyebrows twitched. He then turned to the Penglai Taoist and asked, “What are you insinuating?”

“I don’t think that they are possessed. It should be reincarnations!” The Penglai Taoist concluded.

The browned cloaked Taoist froze.

“Is there any wine?” asked the Penglai Taoist. He began raising his voice again. Now he felt as though he was back being the hunter who drank and bragged with the browned cloaked Taoist in the past.

The browned cloaked Taoist said, ”No wine! Spit it out!”

The Penglai Taoist held back his anger, realizing that he had to eat his pride being under some else’s roof. He tidied his clothes, looked at the browned cloaked Taoist straightly and said, “When the world was in chaos and the Taoist sect was at the heights, my Penglai Immortal’s sect acted out of the norm. Instead of supporting a feudal prince, we sought to control the Pinglu commissioner and take the initiative to take over the world. Do you know why?”

The browned cloaked Taoist replied scornfully, “You were trying to take over the position of adviser to the realm. I think you bit off more than you could chew. Even during the days when the Taoist sect was at the heights of power, the emperor did not relent power to you. Come to your senses! You were too greedy.” “Instead of wasting that time on trying to achieve the impossible, your sect would’ve been better off helping people and curing diseases. With so many Taoists in the world, if everyone did that, the world would be a better place. You have really brought shame to the Taoist sect! ”

“Shut up! You are the one who brought shame to Taoist sect! You speak without knowing the facts! Do you think the world would be a better place if all the Taoists just helped the people? Such nonsense! The world is in peril because the emperor and the imperial court are all useless. They help themselves by skimming off the people and abusing their power. How could the world not be in chaos with such leaders? Only when the Taoist sect rises above the emperor and makes the powers that be respect us could there then be peace and happiness for the masses!”

The Penglai Taoist suddenly became furious and roused, sputtering everywhere.

The browned cloaked Taoist waved his hand in disagreement and added, “I don’t believe any of that, you’d better continue with the previous topic.”

Then the Penglai Taoist said resentfully, “I’ve no more to say.”

The browned cloaked Taoist asked, “Have you finished?”

The Penglai Taoist then replied, “We, the Taoist sect strongly believe that the powers that be have caused too much suffering for the people. Hence we’ve decided to overthrow it and establish a new rule! Think about it, for thousands of years, every dynasty that rises and falls have caused pain for people. Only when the Taoist sect rules the world, can there be lasting peace!”

The browned cloaked Taoist asked in confusion, “What does that have to do with my two disciples? And what does it have to do with your great Junior Priestess?”

“You are slow!” Penglai Taoist looked angry and said, “Let me ask you, why Old Master Jiang helped King Wu overthrow Emperor Zhou?”

The browned cloaked Taoist replied, “Because he was a cruel leader without compassion, thus inflicting pain on the people. So the heavens came down and helped King Wu establish a new rule, which in turn helped the people out of turmoil.”

The Penglai Taoist then said, “There you go! Now the world is again in peril, and the Immortals have already reincarnated to set the world straight! Being a member of the Immortal Court for the three realms yourself, how could you watch the world be in chaos without doing anything?”

The browned cloaked Taoist began to see the light, “So that’s why the Junior Priestess appeared on Penglai Island.”

“Exactly!” answered the Penglai Taoist with a heavy nod.

The browned cloaked Taoist then asked, “So according to you, Penglai has the support of the Immortal Court, and taking over the world is just a matter of time?”

“You are right!” answered the Penglai Taoist strongly, “anytime a mortal leader turns the world into chaos, the immortals will reincarnate and set it straight again. It’s as though a connection between the mortals and immortals is created whenever there is chaos. Once the immortals establish a new rule, they will then return to the Immortal Court.”

The browned cloaked Taoist added, “Why does Immortal Court care about the battle for power amongst the mortals? Just let them fight amongst themselves.”

The Penglai Taoist was furious, “What are you talking about? There’s compassion for the people in every Immortal’s heart. How could they watch them suffer?”

The Penglai Taoist eased his tone, “Look, every Immortal has compassion and empathy. But every time the world is in chaos, the immortals would have to reincarnate, which is a lot of hassle. Thus if the Taoist sect were above the secular imperial power, then if need be, we could represent the Immortal Court in the mortal court and set things straight. Wouldn’t the world be better off?”

The browned cloaked Taoist was silent.

The Penglai Taoist smiled and said, “Do you believe it now?”

The browned cloaked Taoist sighed and said seriously, “I almost bought it.”

The Penglai Taoist asked, “Why almost?”

The browned cloaked Taoist replied, “You Penglais stand high above the masses with your ‘holier than thou attitude’. How could I then believe that you would ever care about the common folk?”

Penglai Taoist glared at him and said, “When did Penglai ever not care about the common folk? As for our bright clothes and grand gestures, it is also to awe them. Let those who are powerful and ill-conceived fear our majesty. Otherwise, they would run amok, right?”

The browned cloaked Taoist said, “I have different ideas.”

“And what’s that?” asked the Penglai Taoist.

The browned cloaked Taoist stood up and replied, “Every time the world turns chaotic, a new rule will be established. Just like during the Spring and Autumn Period, hundreds were at war for power. Ever since the Han dynasty, when Cofuscious Philosophy became popular, The Taoist sect and the Immortal Court have been threatened. It is especially apparent now, so none is at ease.”

“What is the foundation of the Immortal Court’s existence? It is the mortal worship and belief, the endless incense, from which luck can be accumulated. Once the people in the world longer believe in the Immortal Court, then the connection with the immortals will be broken.”

“If so, the immortals would no longer be immortal, but merely a monk, a deeply cultivated and strong monk at best. They would no longer be able to escape the fate of death and result in living in the wild mountains and lakes like savages, which is why the Taoist sect and the Immortal Court have sent numerous immortals to this realm via reincarnation to help the Taoist sect maintain its status. Thus whenever the world is in chaos, the Taoist sect is always ready to restore order.”

“In the final analysis, the master of heaven and earth is not the Immortal Court, but common people!”

“The fact that they became immortals and ranked themselves after King Wu overthrew emperor Zhou was because they established their merits in the mortal world, and left great merits for the people. Without building cache by bringing peace and contentment for the people, in turn earning their respect, no matter how strong the cultivators were, they would still turn to ashes and dust.”

Having finished his little soliloquy, the browned cloaked Taoist ruffled his sleeves proudly.

He looked at the stunned Penglai Taoist and continued, “When the world was falling apart and orthodoxy no longer existed, all the accumulated luck had disappeared in the nine states. From which the Taoist sect was born, and the Great Tao rose. Although the Great Tao has a long history, the Taoist Sect is not its master but merely the followers of the Great Tao. During the Spring and Autumn period, why did hundreds fight for power? It’s because all of them had absorbed some of the luck mentioned above. How did they absorb the luck? By helping people and earning their respect and worship.”

“When common folks no longer support a particular imperial court, this court, in turn, will perish. Vice versa, when common folks believe in a particular feudal prince, this feudal prince may inherit the orthodox rule in troubled times. The Great Tao rises from a path in the fields, also known as a way or direction, which dwells in the heart of every common folk. And not in the Immortal Court of the Taoist sect!”

“The reason why the Taoist sect can exist between heaven and earth is not because of how powerful it is. But because the Taoist sect had once done good deeds for the common folk!”

The Penglai Taoist was pale, almost losing his wits.

After a long paused he added with clenched teeth, “But Penglai has the Junior Priestess, this is an indisputable fact! Their strength is tyrannical, and they will surely bring turmoil to the world!”

The browned cloaked Taoist laughed and replied, “My two disciples are also born.”

The Penglai Taoist said, “If your two disciples are also reincarnated immortals, they would have to obey orders from the Immortal Court!”

The browned cloaked Taoist said, “Not all the Immortals of the Immortal Court think like you, some may forget their roots, others will not!”

The Penglai Taoist said, “Don’t tell me anything about forgetting roots! Even if your disciples were reincarnated immortals, they would be eliminated by the Immortal Court if they don’t obey orders!”

The browned cloaked Taoist laughed, “Although the immortals are enshrined and ranked in the Immortal Court, they are based on the merits for the people. As long as their merits are not destroyed, the immortals will not die.”

“The Immortal Court is not a dictatorship, so no one can act rashly. Even if the Immortal Court is angry, all they could do is take away the authority of the immortal at most. Who can have a say in the life or death of the immortals? So how could it eliminate the immortals? All life has spirits, which thrives on following the Great Tao, and not following the orders of the Immortal Court!”

The Penglai Taoist was red with rage, “Nonsense!”

The browned cloaked Taoist sighed and looked at the Penglai Taoist. He had pity in his eyes, “If the Immortal Court is really as what you say, and is of such mentality, I am afraid that the chaos will be in not only the world but also the Immortal Court. If that is true, it will anger the Great Tao, and all he merits will be offset by sin. By which time the immortals will fall, and the Immortal Court...”

The browned cloaked Taoist stopped and did not go further, shaking his head and leaving the cave.

The Penglai Taoist roared with anger behind him, “What nonsense!” “Repent now and you still have a chance! If you don’t obey the Immortal Court, and anger the Immortal Court, you will die a painful death! ”

The browned cloaked Taoist had already returned to the Taoist temple, not dignifying him with a response.

Back at the Taoist temple, the browned cloaked Taoist picked up the bowl on the edge of the tank. He began eating the food in the bowl without caring about the fact that the food had turned cold. He ate until there was not one grain and leaf left.

The effort of the disciples could be compromised by being heartless, but wasting anything would not be forgiven.

The browned cloaked Taoist suddenly smiled.

Divine punishment?

Death?

Death should not be feared.

Dying before the Great Tao merely meant rebirth in the light.

...

Zhang Yunhe stared at the Senior Priestess without movement. A few words managed to jump out of his mouth, “So Senior Priestess, who are you exactly?”

The Senior Priestess looked calm and replied, “Who am I? I am now the Senior Priestess of the Penglai Immortal’s sect. As for your other question, is it really important?”

Stunned, Zhang Yunhe turned back and fell silent.

The reason why Zhang Yunhe had a strong interest in the Senior Priestess was only that he felt the Senior Priestess was probably not a mortal. This was something that Zhang Yunhe had never thought of before. Such a thing was too much to comprehend, almost beyond his usual cognition.

But when he thought about it carefully, it was not so unacceptable. Since mortals could become immortals, why couldn’t the immortals reincarnate?

However, it had been a long time since someone became an Immortal. Although Zhang Yunhe’s cultivation was as deep as anyone’s, he almost forgot about the next step. Everyone was used to the fact that cultivators practiced and became stronger. As for the elusive immortality, it was too far away to reach. If it were not for Zhang Yunhe’s extraordinary talent which moved him quickly in the ladder of cultivation, he would not have thought about such an elusive thing. And in turn, he would not have doubted the Senior Priestess before him.

Having heard the Senior Priestess’s words, Zhang Yunhe could at least affirm that the Senior Priestess was the reincarnation of an immortal. This gave him mixed feelings. After all, it meant that a cultivator could truly become Immortal. This might not be tempting for the common cultivator, but Zhang Yunhe was no common one. There was a hint of possibility for him.

Zhang Yunhe took a deep breath and suppressed those thoughts. After calming himself, Zhang Yunhe noticed that the situation in Pinglu suddenly became very interesting. In the land of the five states, appeared four reincarnated immortals.

Zhang Yunhe said, “There are the God of Moon and the God of Giant Spirit standing across who are forces to be reckoned with! However, since you have reincarnated as a mortal, then dealing with one of them should not be a problem. But I am just a mortal, and how can I compete with them?”

Hearing “since you have reincarnated as a mortal...” the Senior Priestess changed her face with a sneer, but she didn’t say anything.

After Zhang Yunhe finished, she replied calmly, “Even if they were once immortals, they are now merely humans with flesh and blood, albeit reaching the Qi-refining Level 9, the same as you.”

Then the Senior Priestess revealed a strange and tempting smile, “Zhang Yunhe, don’t you want a taste of fighting an immortal? Now is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, don’t miss it.”

Zhang Yunhe raised his Flying Crane Sword and added with a smile, “I don’t care if you are an immortal and how the taste of killing an immortal is. Since we meet each other, let’s have a fight!”

As he finished his words, Su Emei and Wei Xiaozhuang woke up from the state of the big dream, and when their eyes cleared up, sharp looks were cast on him and the Senior Priestess.

Having heard Zhang Yunhe’s words, Su Emei’s gentle lips moved. It seemed to outline the hint of a smile, which was simply beautiful.

Clear yellow light rose from the sword in her hand, spreading all over the sword. Osmanthus shaped petals began to appear. When the shape of the last petal formed, a clear smile appeared on Su Emei’s face and she sliced down on Zhang Yunhe with her sword!