Chapter 666: Chapter 386: What I Taught Zhongni Has Never Been Like This
If the assumptions are correct, Kong Qiu was likely one of the earliest nourishments for Taiqing, meant to be consumed when He attained the Supreme Fruit Position—yet something went amiss, probably due to intervention from another Supreme, leading the Celestial Lord of Tao and Virtue to fail, and thus giving rise to a Confucian Supreme Saint with the Supreme Fruit Position.
This explains the formidable and peculiar strength of ritual law—after all, it is the principle practiced by a Supreme, endorsed by a Supreme.
"No wonder the two factions of Confucianism, without Sub-Saint, can contend with Taoism and Buddhism, which are backed by Celestial Venerates and Buddhas, in a Different Dimension, thanks to ritual law...."
As Zhang Fusheng whispered to himself, the sage in the Celestial Vault above had descended to the ground, standing silently before the once boisterous crowd at the Nine Nether Stronghold, none dared to speak.
The Taiping Daoist, also reduced to the level of beginning Venerate, yet remained unafraid,
Ignoring the sage, he cupped his hands towards the Human Ancestor:
"Forefather, you have surpassed the cycle of a hundred reincarnations, you may enter the Nine Nether Stronghold."
The Human Ancestor nodded, but made no move,
Meanwhile, the middle-aged man seated in the Celestial Position of Respect for the Worthy approached slowly, with a radiant ritual law above his head, chimes echoing unceasingly,
Before the Pool of Reincarnation, he also cupped his hands towards the Human Ancestor, clearly in awe,
Then,
He turned to the Taiping Daoist:
"Must I also endure a hundred reincarnations to enter the Nine Nether Stronghold?"
The Taiping Daoist Lord, neither arrogant nor humble, cupped his hands:
"Naturally."
Respect for the Worthy chuckled lightly, neither annoyed nor anxious, merely turning to gaze at the assembled thousands.
These people, from the four corners of the world, or the nobles of the Celestial Capital, the weakest among them in the Innate Realm, included Venerates and Great Powers,
As for Great Divine Power Users, most had already entered the Nine Nether Stronghold with their tribes or juniors, leaving few outside.
Respect for the Worthy smiled and looked up at the many True Gods still striving to arrive,
His smile widened as he turned to the crowd, speaking slowly:
"Since I have come to the mortal world, I have seen ritual and music collapse, and life suffer."
"I am here to rectify ritual law, clarify virtue, and establish order for the living."
"To uphold benevolence and righteousness, allowing virtues to flourish."
Each word of Respect for the Worthy was as profound as the deep beat of drums; openly, He could be deemed ’invincible’ at this place, so naturally, none dared rebut.
After a while,
Seeing the Human Ancestor lead the Zhang Family into the Nine Nether Stronghold,
Respect for the Worthy felt utterly reassured, a brilliant light gleamed in His eyes—a chance!
This might be the greatest opportunity of His life!
Those beings from the Different Dimension have yet to descend, He stands as the foremost of this age,
If He truly establishes ritual law and order for this Netherworld and the world beyond, perhaps...
Today might be the day He attains the Sub-Saint position, genuinely rivaling Celestial Venerates and Buddhas!
The very thought sparked a grander display of ritual law above His head,
He smiled and said:
"Every one present holds a high position in this vast mortal world and bears a part of its destiny."
"Since this is the case....in the presence of ritual law, the saint’s path reveals itself to the world."
"Why not pay homage?"
"Why not pay homage!"
A great voice soared, as astonishing as the ritual law, revealing the shadow of the [Saint’s Path]—the path left by Saint Confucius!
Zhang Fusheng clearly sensed that the Supreme Saint Celestial Position suppressed beneath the Six Paths of Reincarnation was trembling, as if about to break free from the Six Paths, to leap forth!
Interesting.
This fellow...can actually cause turmoil in the Supreme Saint Celestial Position?
Is it because He is the first in this era trying to establish ritual law for the world?
Zhang Fusheng was deep in thought, yet numerous others around him had already shown signs of prostrating under the grand might of the saint’s path and being ’enlightened’!
Respect for the Worthy seeks to enlighten all beings here!
"Can’t...can’t resist it!" Cui Liuduo spoke through gritted teeth, as those around him began prostrating one by one,
Elders, Cui Wenda, Cui Wending...
Even some former Venerates and Great Powers found their minds fracturing under the immense saint’s path and high-hanging ritual law, being enlightened!
In the distance.
"This young one certainly has grand ambitions."
The Mistress of the Timeless chuckled:
"The first to manifest the saint’s path of Saint Confucius in this age, intending to enlighten the world...should He succeed, the Sub-Saint position, even the Sage position, might not be beyond His reach."
The Confucian Saints are Daluo, while the Supreme Saints possess the Supreme Fruit Position.
Beside him, the Northern Emperor nodded slightly:
"Shall we not interfere?"
"To what end would we interfere?"
The Mother of All Things spoke casually:
"The Federation is crumbling, and there should indeed be a new entity to maintain order in the world."
"Whether it is the new Celestial Court steered by an unknown hand, or the Sumeru Buddha Land emerging from the Two Realms Mountain."
"Or even the brilliant rites and grand path of Saint Confucius..."
After a pause,
The Mother of All Things revealed a faint smile:
"Whatever it may be, it is of no consequence to us. A stable order, after all, allows me to better enlighten the spiritual nature of beings, and moreover..."
Her eyes reflected the swaying river of spirituality, glinting with light:
"Moreover, if Zhang Fusheng is truly here, would he willingly consent to be enlightened?"
"If he were to resist, would that not be the perfect opportunity for us to draw him out?"
The Northern Emperor squinted:
"Is everyone who resists inherently Zhang Fusheng?"
"Not necessarily."
The Mother of All Things calmly pointed to the rites and the brilliant path of the saint above, continuing:
"But this young one is nearing Sub-Saint, and in this Netherworld, who could match him? Unless we and other true spirits of the old era intervene."
"Otherwise, the only one who could contend with him is Zhang Fusheng."
The Northern Emperor raised an eyebrow:
"But the last time I met Zhang Fusheng, he was merely a Great Power...."
"How can such a person be measured by common sense?" The Mother of All Things retorted.
The Northern Emperor sighed, refraining from further words, though his brow furrowed slightly in worry.
If that fellow Daoist Fusheng were truly exposed, he could not protect him with his own strength... In this place,
Even a perfectly unharmed Daluo might face entrapment and potentially fall to extinction!
The Northern Emperor pondered heavily.
In the distance, before the Nine Nether Stronghold.
Li Xian calmly let his hands fall, simply gazing as one by one others prostrated, all becoming enlightened,
gradually, even the Great Powers and the few Great Divine Power Users struggled to sustain themselves,
and by that moment, those who still stood were truly conspicuous.
For instance... two young individuals.
Li Xian looked on calmly, gazing at the two youths, before one of them cupped his hands in a salute:
"Junior Zhang Wentian greets the senior."
Zhang Wentian braced himself against the brilliant path of the saint and the hanging rites, speaking gravely:
"Junior already holds a legacy, these rites... perhaps I shall not learn them."
As he spoke,
he silently communicated with the wooden carving in his possession, barely visible wisps of shadow rising and falling behind him, though the figure was unclear, the timeless Taoist charm was immensely profound!
"True spirit of the old world....."
Li Xian squinted his eyes, harboring great fear toward these vestiges of the old world,
and immediately refrained from imposing, retracting the brilliant path’s [enlightenment] on the youth, but... what of the other one?
He looked at the seemingly ordinary youth beside Zhang Wentian.
The youth also raised his head timely, speaking calmly:
"In the past I taught Confucius, to govern with rites, to subdue the unruly through force, but never to enforce enlightenment upon others."
"Such actions are no different from the Buddhist Sect’s enlightenment."
The airy voice echoed, confusion appearing on Li Xian’s face—who is Confucius?
While countless indifferent Daluo observing this changed expression completely!
It was at this moment.
In the depths of the true spirit.
Symbolizing the one hundredth life, the illusory ’timeline’ slowly dissolved, slowly merging with [real history].
Time stirred with imperceptible ripples,
On Mount Nizhong, the old gentleman on that mountain, the wooden house, the rusty sword, that small grave mound!
All floated upon the river of time, revealing signs, reflecting traces of Tao!
When false becomes true.
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