The conflict between Buddhism and Taoism has existed for a long time. Regardless, Daniel Davis is considered a disciple of the Taoist Heavenly Sect, so naturally, he must act in the interests of Taoism. He couldn't allow such an outstanding disciple to be snatched away by another sect. Given Xu Ziling's temperament and talent, if he hadn't been tricked by Shi Feixuan into becoming a protector of Buddhism, he would have had a very high chance of achieving the legendary "Breaking the Void."
This isn't to say that Kou Zhong isn't capable, but the two of them walk different paths.
In this world, the reason Taoism isn't well-known is largely due to Ning Daoqi. As the so-called "Number One Taoist" and "Top Martial Artist of the Central Plains," as long as no one could replace his status, even if Taoists were deeply dissatisfied, they couldn't openly break with him.
Of course, while they couldn't completely sever ties with Ning Daoqi, he would never have the chance to witness the true depth of Taoism. For example, the "Yellow Sky Great Method" was something Ning Daoqi would never get to see in its entirety.
"Brother Daniel, have you ever seen an immortal?"
While Xu Ziling, Kou Zhong, Du Fuwei, and the others were still reeling from the secrets Daniel Davis had revealed, Kou Zhong quickly recovered. His eyes sparkled as he suddenly asked this question.
This question immediately drew everyone's attention back to Daniel Davis.
"You'll find out in due time."
Daniel Davis gave Kou Zhong a meaningful smile. Immortals? What were they compared to the gods he had seen, like the Coiling Dragon and Ju Mang? However, this wasn't the right time to bring up such topics. It wasn't about whether they would believe him or not, but rather that revealing too much might cause Cihang Jingzhai and Jingnian Chanyuan to retreat into hiding. If that happened, dealing with them would become much more troublesome.
If you delve deeper into Cihang Jingzhai, you'll find that this sect is essentially a bully—aggressive when they can win, submissive when they can't. In this era, because they had allied themselves with the top martial artist of the Central Plains, they acted with impunity. The term "Choosing the Emperor on Behalf of Heaven" alone shows just how arrogant they were.
However, if you look at Cihang Jingzhai in the "Tales of the Borderlands," you'll find that they were far less prominent. This was because the demonic sects during that era were much stronger. Mu Qingliu and Shi Zhixuan were evenly matched, and this was Shi Zhixuan at his peak, not the mentally fractured version.
Moreover, during that time, the demonic sects' two factions and six paths were united, unlike the current era where they were divided. In terms of strength, the demonic sects of Mu Qingliu's era were also stronger. In this era, aside from Shi Zhixuan and Zhu Yuyan, the others were significantly weaker.
Therefore, it was crucial to display some strength—enough to make Cihang Jingzhai and the others feel they could still contend, but not so much that they would retreat. This way, they would continue with their plans. After all, from the moment Li Shimin's name was chosen, this was a plan they had been working on for over twenty years. They wouldn't abandon it just because of a minor setback.
In fact, in the original story, if Kou Zhong and Xu Zilian hadn't intervened in the internal strife of the Li family, Cihang Jingzhai, including Ning Daoqi, would have personally stepped in. Otherwise, if the demonic sects had taken advantage of the situation, they would have been devastated. It was only because of the Twin Heroes' actions that the Buddhist sects didn't get a chance to intervene, making it seem like they were indifferent to worldly affairs.
Buddhism thrives in times of peace, while Taoism descends during chaos. Although this statement might be somewhat extreme, it holds some truth. For example, Taoism is extremely cautious about its disciples leaving the sect, while Buddhism claims to save all beings, almost as if they want everyone in the world to become monks.
There's a term called "Buddha Land on Earth," but there's no such thing as a "Taoist Land on Earth." If you look at the birthplace of Buddhism during this period, India, you'll see that Buddhism wasn't without the ambition to turn the Central Plains into such a place.
Unfortunately, the Central Plains had far too many heroes and strong individuals, far surpassing the likes of India. It was impossible for Buddhism to gain the supreme authority it held in India or the small tribes beyond the borders.
Even Li Shimin, who was supported by Cihang Jingzhai and Jingnian Chanyuan, immediately began restricting the power of Buddhism after becoming emperor.
"Alright, you're not even at the grandmaster level yet. There's no need to focus on these matters. It won't do you any good," Daniel Davis said, seeing Kou Zhong pondering the meaning of his earlier words.
"Then, Brother Daniel, have you reached the grandmaster level?" Kou Zhong asked again. This question wasn't just from Kou Zhong; everyone present wanted to know.
"Like I said before, you'll find out in due time."
Daniel Davis neither confirmed nor denied whether he was a grandmaster, leaving it up to interpretation. However, based on his appearance, most people wouldn't believe he had reached the grandmaster level. After all, in this era, the Twin Heroes hadn't yet made their mark, and it was hard to imagine someone so young achieving such a level.
"Alright, let's get back to the previous topic," Daniel Davis said, shifting the conversation.
"Is it about immortals?" Kou Zhong eagerly asked.
"It's about the Taoist Heavenly Sect," Daniel Davis said, shaking his head slightly at Kou Zhong. Now that Kou Zhong realized Daniel Davis meant them no harm, he had quickly reverted to his usual self.
Today, Daniel Davis intended to establish the reputation of the Taoist Heavenly Sect. What he had said earlier was just the beginning; there was much more to fill in.
He chose the Taoist Heavenly Sect over other schools like the Yin-Yang School or the Hundred Schools of Thought, such as the School of Diplomacy, for two reasons. First, during this period, many of the Hundred Schools of Thought had transformed into the demonic sects.
Second, he wanted to use this opportunity to connect with the Taoist forces of this world. Just because only Ning Daoqi appeared in the original story doesn't mean Taoism lacked other powerful figures. After all, Taoism had produced individuals who achieved "Breaking the Void," and Ning Daoqi himself was cultivated by Taoism. The Louguan Taoist Sect held a position in Taoism similar to that of Cihang Jingzhai and Jingnian Chanyuan in Buddhism.
To unify the world, no matter how strong one person is, it's impossible to do it alone. This was especially true for Daniel Davis, who wanted to minimize the harm caused by the rebel armies to ordinary people.
"Zhong Shao," just as Kou Zhong was about to continue, Xu Zilian tugged at his arm and shook his head.
"Let's get back on track. The reason the Taoist Heavenly Sect isn't well-known in the martial world is that we are a reclusive sect. Under normal circumstances, we wouldn't reveal our identities."
"Brother Daniel, then why are you revealing your identity now?" Kou Zhong asked curiously. This wasn't just Kou Zhong's question; Daniel Davis and Du Fuwei were also wondering, but they wouldn't ask directly like Kou Zhong.
"Zhong Shao," Xu Zilian frowned slightly. Kou Zhong's question had a somewhat provocative tone.
"You'll understand once I finish explaining. Now, can you listen quietly, my dear Zhong Shao?" Daniel Davis wasn't angered by Kou Zhong's interruption. He wasn't that petty.
"Brother Daniel, you can just call me Xiao Zhong. I don't deserve the title 'Zhong Shao.'"
"Why not? You, Kou Zhong, are just of humble origins. If you had the same background, do you think you'd be inferior to the disciples of the aristocratic families?"
"Of course not! If I had the same background, I, Kou Zhong, would surpass them by miles!" Kou Zhong immediately straightened up and declared with pride. Even Xu Zilian's expression became serious.
"Exactly. Zhong Shao, let me ask you a question. What do you think of the demonic sects? Are they good or evil?" Daniel Davis had originally planned to continue building the background of the Taoist Heavenly Sect, but seeing Kou Zhong and Xu Zilian's expressions, he suddenly changed the topic.
"If you had asked me before, I would have said they're evil. But since you're asking, there must be some hidden truth, right?" Kou Zhong's eyes sparkled as he answered. Kou Zhong was sharp—he had even dropped Daniel Davis's surname and simply called him "brother."
"You're quite clever," Daniel Davis said with a slight smile. Then he continued, "That's right. Let me tell you a principle: don't just follow what others say. In the eyes of many, the demonic sects are evil, and the orthodox sects are righteous. But in reality, this world doesn't distinguish between orthodoxy and heresy. There's only good and evil.
"Even within the demonic sects, there are good people. And among the orthodox sects, there are plenty who do evil."
"Brother, since they're called the demonic sects, even if there are good people among them, they're probably in the minority, right? The evil ones make up the majority. Otherwise, they wouldn't be called the demonic sects," Kou Zhong said thoughtfully.
Kou Zhong and Xu Zilian weren't fools. It wasn't easy to fool them.
"That's true, but some things need to be viewed from a different perspective. The same event, seen from a different angle, can lead to completely opposite conclusions.
"Some things can't be judged by appearances alone. You need to see the essence beneath the surface."
The Buddhist sects in "Twin Heroes of the Tang Dynasty," whether it's Cihang Jingzhai or Jingnian Chanyuan, always acted righteously, in stark contrast to the demonic sects' lawlessness.
However, if you think carefully about the architecture of Jingnian Chanyuan, aside from the three-colored glazed tiles, just the small bronze hall alone shows how extravagant they were. After all, bronze was a form of wealth during this era.
Why did Daniel Davis target the Buddhist sects? Did he hate them? Of course not. He had no issue with any sect. The reason he made plans against them was simply because of their greed and excessive wealth accumulation, which made them even more detestable than the aristocratic families.
Many aristocratic families of this era were similar to the Buddhist sects, but the aristocratic families had one advantage: they at least participated in production and followed some laws. The Buddhist sects, on the other hand, did not engage in production and did not respect the law.
During this era, the Buddhist sects held significant power. For example, if someone committed a crime, they could avoid punishment by becoming a monk. The reasoning was simple: by eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures, they were already atoning for their sins. This was utterly ridiculous.
It was precisely because of this that emperors throughout history were wary of Buddhism. There were even several instances of anti-Buddhist campaigns.
Daniel Davis naturally wouldn't go so far as to eradicate Buddhism. After all, a religion can't be completely wiped out. Just look at how Confucianism became dominant while the Hundred Schools of Thought were suppressed—yet the Hundred Schools still survived.
However, in this world, establishing something like the Tourism Bureau from "The Outcast" was one of his plans. Since the Buddhist sects occupied most of the best lands, they should develop them.
"These matters aren't for discussion now. I'll explain them to you in detail later. Let's continue with the previous topic. You all know about the demonic sects, but you probably know little about their origins," Daniel Davis continued.
"What you're saying doesn't seem to have much to do with the Taoist Heavenly Sect," Shan Wanjing, Madam Dongming's daughter, interjected impatiently, causing Madam Dongming to pull her back.
"Don't worry, you'll soon see how it's related," Daniel Davis said. If he wasn't angry at Kou Zhong, he certainly wouldn't be angry at a beauty like Shan Wanjing. Thinking about how this beauty ended up marrying some unknown man in the original story, Daniel Davis felt it would be better to let those men die.
Aside from Madam Dongming, no one present, including Daniel Davis and Du Fuwei, knew the true origins of the demonic sects.
"The so-called demonic sects were originally called the Holy Sect. They were formed by the remnants of the Hundred Schools of Thought after they were suppressed. However, after so many years, they've lost most of their original teachings."
The two factions and six paths of the demonic sects still bore traces of the Hundred Schools of Thought. For example, the Assassin's Pavilion would undoubtedly have been part of the School of Diplomacy during the Spring and Autumn period.
During the Spring and Autumn period, assassins weren't seen in a negative light. They were even considered one of the Hundred Schools of Thought, with "Records of the Grand Historian" including a chapter on assassins.
"The Taoist Heavenly Sect has existed since the pre-Qin era, practicing in seclusion. However, our senior Zhuangzi, witnessing the dominance of Confucianism and the suppression of the Hundred Schools, held discussions with the leaders of the various schools. Afterward, the teachings of the Hundred Schools were preserved within the Taoist Heavenly Sect. In other words, I possess the complete teachings of all the Hundred Schools of Thought."
This wasn't entirely a lie, as Daniel Davis did have these teachings—they just came from the world of "Qin's Moon."
The revelation of a pre-Qin era reclusive sect left everyone present in stunned silence, digesting this earth-shattering information.
"I recall that Zhuangzi and Dong Zhongshu weren't from the same era," Daniel Davis said after some thought, looking at Daniel Davis.
"The reason I've emerged now is simple: to witness the 'Breaking the Void' of the Demon Emperor Xiang Yutian."
Another bombshell. While the pre-Qin era and figures like Zhuangzi felt distant and unreal, the Demon Emperor Xiang Yutian was a different matter entirely.
"Are you saying that the Demon Emperor achieved 'Breaking the Void' not long ago?" Du Fuwei asked with a grave expression.
"Exactly. Whether it's the first-generation Demon Emperor Xie Bo, the current Demon Emperor Xiang Yutian, the Sword Immortal Yan Fei, or the Heavenly Master Sun En, their 'Breaking the Void' was witnessed by disciples of the Taoist Heavenly Sect."
Of course, this was a lie. But even if it was a lie, Daniel Davis wasn't afraid of being exposed—unless those who had achieved "Breaking the Void" returned.
Using these half-truths to elicit complex reactions from Daniel Davis, Du Fuwei, and the others gave Daniel Davis a rare sense of satisfaction. It was a bit of mischief on his part.
"Of course, witnessing the Demon Emperor Xiang Yutian's 'Breaking the Void' is only one of my goals. The other is to bring an end to the chaos of this era."
---
(End of Chapter)
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