Chapter 30: Divine Power and Imperial Report
Qi Xuansu put the large amount of food he bought in order, cooked himself a pot of white porridge, and boiled the medicine.
To anyone, Qi Xuansu at this time was just a Taoist priest in the flower garden mentioned by Zhang Yuelu. There was no sign of Qi Xuansu's fierceness when he killed people alone from the gate of the county government to the back house.
In fact, Qi Xuansu did not have a habit of killing people. He just regarded it as a job. He would not get joy from it, nor would he have too much guilt. This was due to Qi Niang's teaching. Killing was only a means, not an end. Qi Niang also made an analogy. People are like swords. When it is time to kill people, of course they should unsheathe, but when it is not time to unsheathe, they should learn to "hide".
Every year, Qi Niang would make a specific assessment for Qi Xuansu to prevent Qi Xuansu from having abnormal mental state and even a tendency to go astray.
There are also such assessments within the Taoist sect, but they are not for all Taoist disciples, but only for foreign affairs disciples of special halls such as Beichen Hall and Tiangang Hall.
The assessment is divided into four levels: A, B, C, and D.
Grade A means there are no problems and it is intact; Grade B means there are slight flaws, but the impact is not big, and only needs regular recuperation; Grade C means that the mind has been affected and needs to be transferred from the current position for long-term recuperation; Grade D means that it is no longer possible to live a normal life and has a potential tendency to madness, and needs immediate intervention and treatment, or even house arrest.
Qi Xuansu has been evaluated as Grade A for three consecutive years.
As for why Zhang Yuelu was able to see through the murderous aura hidden in Qi Xuansu, it was due to the "manifestation of infants" realm of the exiled immortals. This realm can acquire three basic magical powers, namely "Purple Star Astrology", "Immortal Qi-Seeing Technique" and "Immortal Travel Technique".
Zhang Yuelu used the "Immortal Qi-Seeing Technique" to look at Qi Xuansu, and naturally he could see the faint red surrounding Qi Xuansu.
As a simplified version of the exiled immortal, the realm corresponding to the Sanren is the "Saint Fetus" realm, and can also acquire three similar magical powers, namely "Innate Divine Calculation", "Qi-Seeing Technique" and "Out-of-Body Technique".
The superiority of the two can be distinguished just from the name. "The Immortal's Qi-Watching Technique" is the best method, while "The Qi-Watching Technique" can only be regarded as the medium method.
Throughout the ages, there have been many people seeking the Tao. There are also many methods in the world.
It is said that there are three thousand great ways and eight hundred side doors, and there are even more methods for various magics and supernatural powers. Although this statement is a bit exaggerated, it can also be seen that there are many kinds of magics in the world. It's just that there are high and low ways, and there are high and low methods. The Taoist school summarizes that those who have four successes in practicing methods are different from small success, medium success, high success, and great success.
The method of small success only seeks quick success. The method of medium success does not understand the great way. The method of high success follows the principles of heaven and earth. The method of great success can achieve longevity and ascension.
"Fa" is divided into Tao and Technique.
Tao is the method, and practicing the method is to improve one's own realm and cultivation; Technique is various supernatural powers, which cannot improve the realm and cultivation, but have various uses.
Whether it is "The Immortal's Qi-Watching Technique" or "The Qi-Watching Technique", they are all within the scope of supernatural powers.
As for the Dharma, Xuansheng summoned all the great immortals and immortals of the Taoist sect, gathered all the Dharmas together, and then eliminated the dross and retained the essence, integrating them into five methods that were progressive and without the worry of going astray and directly pointed to the great way of ascension. With these five methods as the foundation, the five veins were integrated. Later, the scattered people also developed on the basis of these five methods.
To this day, from the immortals to the ninth-grade Taoist priests, the Dharmas used are all the great methods compiled by Xuansheng, without any difference. The speed of progress depends on the amount of resources, the quality of qualifications, and the degree of effort. It must be said that Xuansheng's vision and courage far exceeded those of the ancestors of all generations, which enabled him to revive the Taoist sect and create the situation where the Taoist sect controls the world today.
It is said that Xuansheng also planned to integrate the supernatural powers, but it was not completed because the project was too arduous and there was too much opposition from the Taoist sect.
To this day, the so-called methods of great success, upper success, middle success, and small success all refer to supernatural powers. In terms of the method, everyone is practicing the method of great success after the integration of Xuansheng, and there is no distinction between high and low.
The corresponding cultivation methods of these magical powers are provided by the Taoist sect, which are completely open and even widely circulated outside the Taoist sect. As long as the realm is sufficient, everyone can practice.
Individuals can also learn the magical powers of the exiled immortals, but it is inevitable that they will get half the result with twice the effort. After all, after the summary and induction of the Taoist ancestors of all generations, the corresponding inheritance has the most suitable magical powers. If you must deviate from this route, you will undoubtedly think that your own strength can surpass the collective experience and wisdom of the Taoist ancestors of all generations, and you will inevitably hit a wall.
In addition, there are some methods that must be practiced after meritorious service or other conditions are met.
For example, the "Five Thunders Tianxin Zhengfa", the great method of the Great Zhenren Mansion of the Zhengyi Sect. The method part of it has been included in the system of Qi Refiners by Xuansheng, and everyone can practice it, and it can probably be touched at the stage of returning to the truth. The remaining magical powers that have never been passed on can only be practiced by the core disciples of the Zhengyi Sect. The corresponding Taiping and Quanzhen factions also have special magical powers that are not easily shown to others.
Qi Xuansu does not have any special magical powers, and now only has three basic magical powers.
The path to immortality is divided into three major stages: heavenly man, innate man, and acquired man. Taoism further subdivides it into several small stages to unify the different realms of each inheritance system.
Acquired man has two stages: cultivation and holding the elixir. Innate man has three stages: Kunlun, Yuxu, and returning to the truth. These five stages correspond to the five realms of foundation building, Qi training, inner elixir, jade tripod, and holy fetus of casual people, and correspond to the five realms of refined gold refining, refining into qi, jade liquid returning to elixir, purple qi coming from the void, and manifesting infants of exiled immortals.
Qi Xuansu is now in the Inner Alchemy Realm. There is no corresponding magical power in the Foundation Establishment Realm. In the Qi Refining Realm, one can cultivate "Body Protection Qi", which is only a minor method, inherited from the Qi Refining Master, inferior to the "Body Protection Qi" of the Qi Refining Master, and even inferior to the "Five Qi Smoke Net" of the Exiled Immortal.
In the Inner Alchemy Realm, two magical powers can be cultivated, one is "Yin Yang Eyes", which is also a minor method, inherited from the Taoist priests, and inferior to the Taoist priests' medium method "Transparent Eyes". "Yin Yang Eyes" can only detect ghosts, while "Transparent Eyes" can directly freeze ghosts.
The other is the medium method "Sword Controlling Technique", which is inferior to the "Sword Controlling Technique" of the Qi Refining Master, and requires a real flying sword. "Sword Controlling Technique" also requires a flying sword, but after practicing to a certain level, even an ordinary long sword can be used as easily as a flying sword.
In short, the advantage of Sanren is that he can practice the magical powers of the other five inheritances, but his disadvantage is that they are all sparse.
After the Inner Alchemy Realm is the Jade Tripod Realm, where two intermediate methods can be practiced.
One is the "Bigu Technique", which is not very useful in fighting with others. Depending on the degree of practice, it can greatly reduce its own consumption, from one meal a day to one meal every three days, then to eating wind and drinking dew, and finally not eating at all.
One is the "Cicada Shedding Technique", which can temporarily create a fake body to replace death, which is an extremely practical life-saving magical power.
This method is derived from the "Fake Body for the Tribulation" of the exiled immortal.
The "Cicada Shedding Technique" can only avoid swords and ordinary water and fire spells, but cannot avoid Gu Spells and the Suppression of Nightmares. The "Fake Body for the Tribulation" of the exiled immortal is a substitute with flesh and blood transformed by heart and blood, which is the same as the original breath. Whether it is a curse spell or a soul-stealing technique through blood and hair, it can all be borne by the fake body, which is the upper method. It is said that after practicing to the extreme, supplemented by other precious materials and part of one's own cultivation, one can even deceive the way of heaven and endure the heavenly tribulation, hence the name "responding to the tribulation".
This is the huge gap between the scattered people and the exiled immortals, which cannot be forced.
Qi Niang once promised Qi Xuansu that as long as Qi Xuansu entered the Yuding realm, she would teach Qi Xuansu a special magical power unique to the Qingping Society on behalf of the Qingping Society, a real method of superior achievement, for free.
If Qi Xuansu is willing to spend another 300 Taiping coins, Qi Niang would not mind teaching him her "Cold Moon Saw". Although it is only a medium-level method, it is enough to have a hand, which is far better than the "Sword Controlling Technique" without a flying sword.
In addition, Qi Niang also knows "Xuan Yin Tu" and "Chan Xin Si". The former is the same as "Cold Moon Saw", which is a magical power of a warrior and a medium-level method. The latter is a magical power of a Qi Refiner and a method of superior achievement. The price is 500 Taiping coins and 1,000 Taiping coins respectively. Bargaining is not allowed, not even for one's own son.
Qi Xuansu could only sigh.
In fact, Qi Xuansu could also use his merits to exchange for skills from the Qingping Society through Qi Niang, or exchange for elixirs to improve his cultivation. This is quite similar to the Taoist merit system, but Qi Xuansu still wanted to accumulate 9,000 merits to leave the Qingping Society, so he did not take any action, which also led to his slow progress.
The porridge was cooked, and Qi Xuansu served himself a bowl. While drinking the porridge, he read the court newspaper he bought.
The court newspaper originated from the court. At first, it was a copy of the emperor's edict and the memorials of officials and officials issued by local officials. An ancient poem says: "Sitting and watching the court newspaper, talking about the old man, talking about Chushan and remembering the drunkard."
Now the Taoist has formalized it, printed it with movable type, recorded various Taoist policies and interesting anecdotes, and sold it publicly. Each copy costs five Ruyi coins, but it is generally only available in Yujing City and various major Daofu.
Today's official newspaper publicly reported for the first time the demonic riot in the Western Regions. This demonic riot has lasted for two months. Five caravans have been attacked. However, the Western Region Daofu was too busy fighting with Shamanism to take care of it, so it had to ask for help from the ancestral temple.
Shamanism is a branch of the ancient witch religion. After the fall of witch religion, Shamanism went far away to the grassland and became the state religion of the Golden Horde. Its strength should not be underestimated. The Western Region Daofu often clashed with Shamanism. It is no wonder that the Western Region Daofu was short of manpower to fight against Shamanism with the power of a local Daofu.
Qi Xuansu continued to read on. Then the rotating great real person issued an edict to further crack down on secret societies in various places, requiring local Daofu to strictly implement the decree of the ancestral temple.
Further down, there was the relevant news of the Nine Halls.
The head of the ancestral temple met with the Buddhist envoy.
The Duzhi Hall issued a summary of the Duzhi for the first half of this year and a brief budget for the second half of this year.
Ziwei Hall released the preliminary results of the eight methods assessment for spring and summer, and announced the list of related Taoist priests who were promoted or demoted.
Beichen Hall announced the list of prisoners who need to be executed after the beginning of autumn, as well as the detailed description of the relevant crimes, to serve as a warning to others.
After finishing a bowl of porridge, the medicine was not yet boiled.
Qi Xuansu put down the official report and suddenly remembered a sentence from Xuansheng: "Since we are the orthodox of the world, we must act openly and not hide our actions, so that the people of the world can see it with their own eyes."