Chapter 1918

Jue Chen bowed devoutly toward Songshan: "The World Honored One has decreed that all Fomen sects gather at Songshan to deliberate on great matters."

Liansheng exclaimed in delight: "Deliberate on great matters?"

"Precisely!" Jue Chen nodded. "The World Honored One has been reborn, awakened to his past lives, and found the Fomen sects obsessed with profit and lacking unity—he intends to unify them all."

Upon hearing this, Liansheng's heart tightened.

If so, could he still remain abbot of his own sect?

"After success is achieved, all virtuous ones may become Jin Gang or Luo Han."

At these words, Liansheng cast his earlier thoughts far into the clouds.

"We humbly obey the World Honored One's sacred decree!"

Compared to immortality and becoming a Buddha or Ancestor, what is the lordship of a single sect?

Jue Chen smiled: "Abbot Liansheng, your awakening will surely earn great praise from the World Honored One."

"How dare I! How dare I!"

Liansheng bowed humbly: "Before Abbot Jue Chen, how could this humble monk dare call himself abbot?"

Such flattery made the disciples behind Liansheng break out in goosebumps.

Jue Chen, however, found it deeply pleasing, nodded lightly, and offered no rebuttal.

"This journey to Songshan is long and perilous. I carry the World Honored One's decree to deliver to you the Bright Spell granted by the Taixuan Dao Ancestor, to be used against demonic forces."

Liansheng was startled: "The Taixuan Dao Ancestor?"

"Indeed," Jue Chen nodded, his face grave. "As the World Honored One says, the Taixuan Dao Ancestor is the source of all laws in the boundless worlds—he holds him in the highest reverence, lamenting only that he cannot become his disciple and hear his teachings. Fortunately, the Dao Ancestor, in his mercy, bestowed this divine spell, sufficient to protect us and subdue external demons."

Liansheng and the monks behind him stared in stunned silence.

Isn't the World Honored One the top of Fomen? Why does he revere other immortals?

The group entered the temple, fasted and bathed, then received the Bright Spell.

"Praise the Taixuan Dao Ancestor..."

As the Bright Spell echoed, not a trace of doubt remained in Liansheng's heart.

Merely chanting the spell could reverse aging and grant power to subdue dragons and tame tigers.

Such a being—no wonder the World Honored One reveres him so, and laments not being his disciple.

They had felt the benefits of the Bright Spell.

At this moment, Liansheng and the others felt the same.

If the World Honored One became the Dao Ancestor's disciple and received true transmission, wouldn't such blessings multiply?

The next day.

Only three monks remained at Donglin Temple; all others accompanied Liansheng to Songshan to pay homage to the World Honored One, the Buddha.

"What a pity! Why must we stay behind to guard the temple?"

"Now we cannot pay homage to the World Honored One or to the Dao Ancestor's statue."

The monks left behind watched the abbot depart, their faces filled with regret.

On the other side.

Zhang Junbao had left Shaolin and become entangled in the affairs of the world.

At this time, it was the late Song dynasty, eunuchs ruled, and the people suffered.

The timeline of this world was bizarre.

Though called late Song, it featured Ming-era figures and official titles—utterly chaotic.

But this did not matter.

At least in Zhang Junbao's view, this era, though chaotic, held nothing unreasonable.

Xiang Yang.

"We humbly welcome the True Martial Great Emperor!"

Zhang Junbao had just taken Xiang Yang with monk-soldiers and gathered tens of thousands of troops when a group of Daoist Priests rushed toward him.

Seeing him, they prostrated themselves on the ground.

Zhang Junbao claimed to be the True Martial Great Emperor, seeking to cleanse the world of injustice and restore peace.

At first, Daoism had dismissed him, even despised him.

Everyone knew the True Martial Great Emperor was a Daoist immortal.

To claim the title of True Martial would not drag Daoism into the mud as well?

Since the Five Pecks of Rice and the Taiping Dao, true Daoist practitioners had feared any association with rebellion.

Until Zhang Junbao displayed divine powers, conquered dozens of cities, and gathered nearly two hundred thousand troops, altering the fate of the world.

Daoism then finally took notice.

This man was no charlatan—he truly possessed great divine power, and might indeed be the True Martial Great Emperor.

Especially Daoist Priests from Wudang, who had witnessed Zhang Junbao riding clouds and mist, shattering a mountain peak with a wave of his hand, and terrifying tens of thousands of soldiers, were utterly convinced of his identity.

Great Emperor, why did your reincarnation return not to Daoism, but to a band of monks?

Is Daoism truly so unworthy?

Thus came the scene at the beginning. (Zhao Nuo Zhao)

Zhang Junbao gazed at the sea of Daoist Priests—old and young, men and women—all prostrate before him, and felt a headache coming on.

Though Tianbao had always firmly believed he was the True Martial Great Emperor, and he himself had proclaimed it to gather many followers,

he truly had no memories of being the True Martial.

That was why he had never approached the Daoist sect.

Without the True Martial's memories, walking up to them directly left him lacking inner confidence.

"Oh, Great Emperor, could it be that we have come too late?"

An old Daoist Priest asked in a trembling voice, "If the Great Emperor will forgive us, this old priest is willing to die to atone for our sin!"

Saying this, he moved to slit his throat.

Zhang Junbao swiftly reached out through the air, snatching the sword from his hand, and soothed, "All of you, calm down. I did not seek the Daoist faith's aid because I have merely cultivated divine abilities—I have not yet awakened my past-life memories."

The crowd understood, and their doubts vanished.

"Great Emperor, this is not important!"

"Yes, please, Great Emperor, return to the Daoist faith and accept our homage!"