"Because the celestial signs have changed." The middle-aged Taoist sighed deeply, then stood up and walked out of the pavilion.
"How is that possible?" The young Taoist exclaimed in shock.
"Yes, how is it possible? By the way, has anything significant happened in the world recently?" The middle-aged Taoist, having calmed himself, casually asked.
"Zhai Rang and Li Mi of the Wagang Army have had a falling out, and now the Wagang Army is split in two. Oh, Master, do we have a hidden Heavenly Sect in Taoism?" The young Taoist briefly explained the recent changes in the Wagang Army and then asked.
"The hidden Heavenly Sect of Taoism? What's that?" The middle-aged Taoist looked at his disciple with confusion.
"It's something the Li family asked about." The young Taoist then recounted everything he knew about the Heavenly Sect.
"The pre-Qin era? How is that possible? Let's go." The middle-aged Taoist immediately headed out of the bamboo grove, with the young Taoist following closely behind. They soon arrived at the main hall of the Taoist temple.
"Master Yuan." A middle-aged man in the hall, who had been examining the statues, immediately clasped his hands and bowed respectfully upon seeing the middle-aged Taoist.
"Ah, it's Master Li." After exchanging greetings, the middle-aged Taoist asked, "I heard from Chunfeng about the Heavenly Sect of Taoism. Could you tell me more about it?"
"My elder brother asked me to inquire whether the Heavenly Sect of Taoism is real or not." The middle-aged man then provided a more detailed account of the Heavenly Sect, even attributing the split of the Wagang Army to its influence.
"Well, Taoism has a long history. To be honest, I'm not sure if there really is a hidden Heavenly Sect." The middle-aged Taoist replied ambiguously.
"I see. Then, Master Yuan, have you considered our proposal?" The middle-aged man asked, his gaze fixed on the Taoist.
"The time is not yet right." The middle-aged Taoist smiled mysteriously.
"Understood. Farewell." The middle-aged man turned and left.
"Master, is this Heavenly Sect of Taoism really part of our Taoist tradition?" After the man left, the young Taoist hurriedly asked.
"There's no such thing as a hidden Heavenly Sect. If there were, do you think I wouldn't know about it? But this matter is strange. Pack your things. We'll go see Elder Sun. He might know something."
"Yes, Master." The young Taoist quickly left the hall.
"The Heavenly Sect of Taoism, the Evil Emperor Xiang Yutian... Send word to have Wan Wan make contact with him."
"The Heavenly Sect of Taoism, the Evil Emperor Xiang Yutian... Notify Feixuan and have her make contact."
While the Taoist community was stirred by the news of the Heavenly Sect, both the Demonic Sect and the Cihang Jingzhai also took action. Interestingly, the leaders of these two factions issued nearly identical orders, a testament to their long-standing rivalry.
If Wan Wan and Shi Feixuan were destined rivals, then Zhu Yuyan and Fan Qinghui were old enemies. The reason they weren't considered destined rivals was that Zhu Yuyan's true rival wasn't Fan Qinghui but Bi Xiuxin.
Strangely, according to the rules of Cihang Jingzhai, only one disciple was supposed to walk the world each generation. Yet, during Bi Xiuxin's time, Fan Qinghui also emerged.
"You're not suited for the blade. You should practice the sword. Tai Chi also has sword techniques." Watching Xu Ziling wield his blade again, Daniel Davis couldn't stand it any longer. He took the blade from Xu Ziling's hands and reforged it into a sword.
Strictly speaking, Xu Ziling didn't need a weapon. His body was his weapon, and in the original story, he rarely used weapons later on.
But for Daniel Davis, perhaps it was a personal preference, he felt that Xu Ziling would look more dashing with a sword. Besides, the difference between Tai Chi Fist and Tai Chi Sword wasn't significant. As for Tai Chi Blade, that was out of the question.
"Alright, you've memorized the Dao De Jing. It's time for us to leave this place."
Since Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling learned quickly, Daniel Davis decided to stay an extra day to teach Xu Ziling the Dao De Jing. Although the Dao De Jing wasn't a secret text and was widely circulated even in this era, Xu Ziling, as a street rat, had no way to access it.
By introducing it now, Daniel Davis ensured that Xu Ziling would never become a protector of Buddhism. The Dao De Jing was profound, and the more one's understanding deepened, the more one realized the immense wisdom it contained.
Xu Ziling loved the Dao De Jing and could recite it after just one reading. In contrast, Kou Zhong nearly fell asleep after hearing the first few lines.
"First, I'll show you how temples operate." Seeing is believing. After leaving the valley, Daniel Davis didn't immediately part ways with the Twin Dragons. Instead, he took them to the nearest town to show them the inner workings of Buddhist temples.
Given his understanding of Buddhism, Daniel Davis wasn't worried about encountering some enlightened monk who might change the Twin Dragons' perception of Buddhism. Even the Pure Thought Monastery had its flaws, let alone other temples.
Buddhist temples were the largest moneylenders of the era. The term "pawnshop" originated from the temple's treasury system. Many Buddhist scriptures even recorded that monks could lend money to earn interest for the use of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
Even in Journey to the West, when Tang Sanzang reached the Western Heaven, he had to offer tribute to obtain the scriptures. It was quite ironic.
"These bald donkeys are despicable!"
After their investigation, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling's expressions turned grim. The opulence of the temples was one thing, but the warehouses filled with gold, silver, and jewels, as well as the staggering amount of land recorded in the ledgers, made them furious. If Daniel Davis hadn't stopped them, they might have stormed into the temple and killed the abbot.
In the end, they could only leave, cursing in frustration. The reason was simple: unless they killed everyone in the temple, eliminating just the abbot would achieve nothing. The temple's system would remain unchanged.
If it were Daniel Davis, he wouldn't hesitate to wipe out an entire temple. But Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling couldn't do that. Unless it was during war or a life-and-death situation, they only targeted their main enemies and avoided collateral damage.
"Frustrating, isn't it? I feel the same. Nothing has changed."
After leaving the temple, Daniel Davis took the Twin Dragons to visit nearby villages. The area was relatively peaceful, with no rebel armies nearby. However, upon closer inspection, many problems became apparent.
Throughout the two thousand years of ancient feudal society in China, until modern times, the overall structure had seen little change. Technology had stagnated, and the dominance of Confucianism had even led to a regression compared to the Hundred Schools of Thought during the Warring States period.
"Alright, enough of this depressing talk. Let's go to the city and have a good meal."
If this had been before meeting Daniel Davis, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling would have been thrilled. Back then, they were just street rats dreaming of feasting on meat and wine. They had even sold the Dongming Sect's account books to Li Shimin for a mere few dozen taels of silver.
Strictly speaking, those account books could have been sold for a thousand taels of gold.
In the largest restaurant in Dongping County, the three of them sat by a window on the second floor. As the fine dishes and wine were served, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling began to eat and drink heartily, their spirits lifting.
"There seem to be a lot of people here, especially martial artists." From their window seat, they could clearly see the bustling streets below. The restaurant was also filled with martial artists.
"Something must be happening. Watch this. Waiter!" Kou Zhong called out loudly. Brothels and restaurants were often hubs of information, especially in crowded places like this. Kou Zhong's method was simple: use money to get information from the waiter.
"Turns out Shi Qingxuan is coming."
From the waiter, they quickly learned why so many martial artists had gathered. The renowned Shi Qingxuan was coming to celebrate Wang Tong's birthday. Many hoped to catch a glimpse of her or at least hear her famous flute playing.
Shi Qingxuan was a household name in the Central Plains. Even Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, as former street rats in Yangzhou, had heard of her.
Another famous figure was Shang Xiufang, known as the number one talented woman in the world. She later seemed to develop feelings for Kou Zhong.
In modern terms, Shi Qingxuan and Shang Xiufang were like superstars. Even in times of chaos, people still sought to catch a glimpse of them.
Shi Qingxuan's fame overshadowed Wang Tong, the birthday celebrant. Wang Tong was a renowned scholar and a grandmaster on par with the leaders of the four great clans.
However, after achieving fame in his thirties, Wang Tong abandoned martial arts for scholarship, no longer teaching martial skills but only lecturing. This change was said to be related to past events, possibly involving Bi Xiuxin, given his attitude toward Shi Qingxuan.
Of course, the claim that his martial arts were on par with the leaders of the four great clans was somewhat exaggerated. Song Que of the Song Clan was usually excluded from such comparisons, much like how the "Four Heavenly Kings" often included a fifth member.
"I remember she has the Evil King Shi Zhixuan's Immortal Seal Technique and is being pursued by four individuals seeking the Evil Emperor's Sacred Relic. What luck!"
Since Shi Qingxuan was coming, Daniel Davis naturally wouldn't miss the opportunity. The Twin Dragons also wanted to see her. Even if they weren't fans, the chance to see a superstar was too good to pass up.
Wang Tong, as a grandmaster and renowned scholar, lived in a luxurious mansion in the southern part of the city. Given the number of people drawn by Shi Qingxuan's fame, not everyone could enter Wang's mansion.
Thus, the square outside the mansion was filled with tables and chairs for those who couldn't enter, offering them a place to rest and eat.
Since this was for Shi Qingxuan's reputation, Wang Tong spared no expense, hosting a grand banquet.
"Gentlemen, this way."
Led by a servant from Wang's mansion, Daniel Davis and the Twin Dragons entered the mansion without an invitation. Daniel Davis's dignified demeanor ensured that no one dared to ask for an invitation.
"Looks like clothes really do make the man." The Twin Dragons were now dressed in fine clothing, and their auras, enhanced by the Longevity Art, made them stand out.
"Wang Shichong, the Governor of Luoyang. My luck is truly good."
Seeing Wang Shichong seated in the main hall, Daniel Davis smiled. He knew some things about Wang Shichong, such as his connections with the Great Ming Cult. However, Daniel Davis wasn't concerned. With his arrival, the Great Ming Cult was insignificant and would be dealt with eventually.
What mattered was that Wang Shichong was the Governor of Luoyang. In Daniel Davis's plans, Luoyang's geographical location was crucial, second only to Chang'an. Considering the future, Luoyang's strategic importance might even surpass Chang'an.
Wang Shichong was a fool. Despite holding Luoyang and its advantages, he lost everything in the end. But for Daniel Davis, this was a good thing, as it gave him a clear path to take action.
Luoyang was Daniel Davis's chosen capital. Rather than following Kou Zhong's original path of gradual development, starting directly in Luoyang was a better option.
Moreover, Cihang Jingzhai's "Heavenly Selection of the Emperor" and the Pure Thought Monastery were both in Luoyang.
Sitting with Wang Shichong were Wang Tong, the host, and Ouyang Xiyi, a grandmaster of the same era as Ning Daoqi.
"It's you two little dogs! I've finally found you!" Just as Daniel Davis was observing Wang Shichong, several people surrounded them. The leader was a young, somewhat spoiled girl, glaring angrily at Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling.
"You really have a lot of enemies." Daniel Davis sighed, looking at the Twin Dragons, who were equally exasperated. They hadn't expected to run into the spoiled girl here.
"How did you offend her so badly?" Daniel Davis glanced at the girl's heaving chest and asked curiously.
"It's not our fault. We met her when we were with Old Du. In fact, we saved her."
Even though they were enemies with Du Fuwei, perhaps out of habit, Xu Ziling still referred to him as "Old Du." Kou Zhong, on the other hand, always called him "Dad."
(End of Chapter)
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