Chapter 279: Cultivators from All Sides Enter Longyuan

The actions of Greater Xia drove countless countries into frenzy, after all such an event can be said to be a once-in-a-century occurrence, exchanging rare resources for common resources.

However, among these countries, some people did not completely lose their reason, and in the end they still retained one-third of their food, steel, cotton, fuel, etc., to prepare for their own country's needs.

"Oh my God, we really struck it rich this time; I have no idea what the Greater Xia High Officials were thinking."

"Exchanging common resources for non-renewable energy is just stupid; could the Greater Xia High Officials have gotten hit on the head?"

"Never mind them; anyway the agreement has already been signed, and even if they wanted to go back on it, it's too late."

"Could there be some deeper meaning? After all, the country isn't stupid!"

"Yeah, I always feel something's off!"

"Trust the country!"

This news transmitted back domestically, and many citizens also showed expressions of disbelief; they all knew what this signified.

Some cursed the Greater Xia High Officials as muddleheaded, completely digging their own graves; some were clueless, utterly unable to grasp the situation; and some thought the high officials might have ulterior motives.

But no matter which view, Hua Tiancheng and company didn't pay much attention; perhaps after a while, as Earth's cataclysm gradually descends, everyone will realize how wise Greater Xia's current actions are!

At the same time, the Greater Xia relevant departments also began to act, starting to construct training halls for cultivation in each region.

Most of these training halls are located in the central districts of the major regions, directly selecting the most prosperous streets.

As for the reason for construction, Greater Xia outwardly claimed it was for citizens to strengthen their bodies.

【According to the relevant department's investigation, our citizens' physical fitness has been declining year by year; to remind the populace to exercise more, the state decided to allocate funds to build training halls nationwide for strengthening the body!】

When this news came out, many citizens didn't have a big reaction, after all it's a government welfare policy, similar to building people's-benefit parks or other public works; there's nothing worth making a fuss over.

Only they were somewhat surprised that an ordinary fitness training hall would actually be built in the very center of the city.

Besides curiosity, the populace didn't think much more; they actually welcomed the establishment of the training halls, but this behavior left many real estate companies dumbfounded.

You must know that in today's major cities, there is hardly any spare land left, especially in the city center where every inch is worth its weight in gold; saying the land is piled up with gold is not an exaggeration.

These real estate companies, in order to seize the central city land, almost fought each other to death; some even went through back doors, giving many benefits and pre-determining many plots of land.

The result was that before any groundbreaking, the Greater Xia relevant departments had already requisitioned them—no need to mention explanations, not even any notice was given.

Even the deposits they paid were refunded double; this series of operations left them dumbfounded, completely unable to accept it, after all it was the land they had painstakingly wanted to develop, and now it's just gone.

Countless real estate companies went to the Land Administration Bureau to ask what was going on, but these management departments were also completely at a loss.

The superiors said nothing at all, only issuing an order, and then there was no further word.

Faced with all this, many real estate companies could only helplessly accept; you can't twist your arm against your thigh—if the state needs land for construction, who dares to contend for it?

Originally they thought this would be the end, but they didn't expect it was merely the beginning.

When they were about to start construction on their own, they discovered that all nearby building materials had been purchased by the relevant departments, said to be for supplying the construction of the training halls.

They took a deep breath, endured it, planning to increase transportation costs to purchase building materials elsewhere, but when they went to the neighboring city to look, all materials had been snapped up by the relevant departments!

Timber, cement, sand, etc. —nothing remained, and even mining was prohibited!

"What the hell! Everything's been bought up? What on earth is the government trying to do?!"

"It's just building training halls, after all—why would they need so much material! Exactly how large a site are they planning to construct?!"

Many real estate dealers ranted wildly, completely unable to figure out what's going on; what exactly does the government intend to do?

Previously exchanging so many resources with foreign countries wasn't enough, and now they're turning to domestic resources as well, demanding all of this at once!

At the very moment when Greater Xia's various cities were undertaking massive construction, building Daoist temples, Hua Tiancheng also planned to send people to Wu Du.

Besides building an academy here—a major undertaking—another group of people headed to Longyuan Mountain Range to hold further talks with the Great Demon, seeking basic cultivation methods; if they could hire it to come down from the mountain, that would be even better.

The government's actions proceeded in an orderly manner; the vast populace knew nothing of it, aside from sighing that the newly issued regulations were increasing in number, they otherwise had no suspicions.

However, there still were a few people who sensed something amiss; even if this group felt the abnormality, they absolutely could not imagine that these measures were related to heavenly and earthly cataclysm, nor could they imagine what changes Greater Xia would undergo thereafter.

A Daoist temple in Wu Du City.

Once bustling with incense, the Supreme Clarity Temple is now desolate; the stone steps outside are overgrown with greenery, covering the original color, showing that no one has passed through for a long time, to the point that moss thrives and grows wildly here.

Occasionally, a couple of stray cats pass by, see the tightly shut doors, and can't help but shake their heads and sigh.

"The Daoist Priest said he was going on a wandering pilgrimage; I never expected he wouldn't come back."

"Who says otherwise? I also don't know when the Daoist Priest will be able to return; if this continues, the Daoist temple will soon be forgotten."

"Back then, how many people came flocking here; the incense was so thriving, I just can't understand why the Daoist Priest suddenly closed the temple."

The residents living nearby were discussing, their words full of regret, but one of them widened his eyes, staring down the road's end and suddenly fell silent.

His companion beside him, seeing this, hurriedly followed his gaze and looked over.

Only see an elder slowly approaching, wearing a dark-blue Daoist robe, hair and beard all white, truly possessing the aura of an immortal sage—exactly the person they had just been discussing, the Qingwei Daoist Priest of the Supreme Clarity Temple.

The two rubbed their eyes, still thinking they were seeing things; upon taking a closer look, the old Daoist had already walked up to them and stammered out: "Qingwei, Qingwei Daoist Priest?"

The old Daoist nodded, and only then did they confirm they weren't seeing an illusion.

"Wonderful, Qingwei Daoist Priest, you've finally returned! We were just wondering when the Supreme Clarity Temple would reopen."

"Today really is a good day; we need to go inform everyone—you have no idea how many people have been looking forward to, just waiting for your return."

The two chattered on without cease, not noticing Qingwei Daoist Priest's somewhat odd expression, only then realizing that only the Daoist Priest himself had returned, his former little disciple not accompanying him.

"Daoist Priest, why didn't your little disciple come back together?"

Qingwei Daoist Priest waved the fly whisk in his hand, bowed slightly to express apology, and said: "Boundless Heavenly Venerable, this humble Daoist returned this time in order to completely close the Daoist temple."

The two's smiles instantly stiffened at the corners of their mouths.

It turned out the Daoist Priest's return was not to reopen the temple, but to completely close it!

Upon hearing this news, the two were stunned for a long time, only reacting after a good while: "Why is this?"

Qingwei Daoist Priest slowly smiled, his smile carrying deep meaning: "This humble Daoist intends to cultivate immortality—"

Having said that, without waiting for the two to react, Qingwei Daoist Priest walked farther and farther away.

By the time they reacted, all they saw was Qingwei Daoist Priest's back; they didn't know if it was their illusion, but this encounter always gave them the feeling that the Daoist Priest's ethereal aura had become even more pronounced, giving a sense of not being a mere mortal.

An unknown wind blew, the dark Daoist robe fluttering loudly, actually giving the impression that he might take flight and ascend to immortality at any moment.

The two men gaped, astonishment almost solidifying on their faces; clearly even Qingwei Daozhang's speed wasn't fast, yet in an instant he disappeared.

After a moment, when they went to look at the temple gate again, the originally unfixed sign had been replaced by a notice of total closure, and the immortal‑looking figure also disappeared.

It seemed that everything they had just seen was merely an illusion.

Not only the Shangqing Temple, but also the Qixia Temple on neighboring Yunling Ridge was experiencing a similar scene.

The sky had just shown a fish‑belly white; faintly the lingering toll of bells could be heard, and as the clouds and rosy light spread across the heavens, they washed the ancient temple in layers of color.

The temple reflected among the green trees, its apricot‑yellow walls, blue‑gray roof ridges, and deep‑green towering ancient trees were all bathed in the rose‑red morning glow.

By rights, at this time the monks should be doing their morning service; usually by now the wooden fish would be sounding, accompanied by sutras, floating above the temple, making it lively.

But now it was utterly silent, only thin white smoke curling around the temple grounds.

Visitors hurrying to offer morning incense found it strange; they had wanted to enter the temple, but were stopped by the monks outside, who said, "Amitabha, today the temple does not receive outside guests."

The visitors couldn't help but ask, "May I dare ask if something major is happening today?"

The monk merely shook his head.

Seeing that he did not wish to speak further, the visitors didn't take it to heart, assuming the temple had some inconvenient matter, and kindly said, "Then we'll come back later."

Who would have thought the monk would keep shaking his head, saying, "You don't need to come later either; it would be a wasted trip."

The visitors' doubts deepened: "Why is that?"

"Because Xiguangsi is about to close."

The monk's plain remark stirred a great commotion among the many visitors; everyone's faces showed surprise, and some even wondered if today was April Fools' Day.

"Master, are you joking? Why would Xiguangsi close?"

The monk placed his palms together and said, "Amitabha, monastics do not tell falsehoods."

Seeing his solemn expression, they finally believed him, yet still could not accept the fact: "It was running fine—how could it suddenly close?"

"Did the temple run into some problem?"

"What exactly caused the sudden closure?"

"If there is a difficulty, we can all help together."

Xiguangsi, a famed ancient temple, has a history of a thousand years; it was founded by the Jin‑dynasty eminent monk Zhidun, showing its long heritage—from antiquity to the present, worshippers have come in an endless stream, and its incense flourishes.

They do not operate for profit; the incense offerings suffice for daily expenses. Moreover, the temple's numinous power has produced many marvels, drawing many pilgrims, even visitors from afar who travel thousands of miles.

Such a millennium‑old temple closing suddenly—how could one not be astonished?

This is unprecedented.

If the temple is closed, where should the monks inside go, and why would they shut it down for no reason?

The visitors harbored many doubts, crowding the temple gate and refusing to disperse, hoping for an explanation.

If the temple truly faced some difficulty that prevented it from operating, speaking of it would let everyone lend a hand.

The monk at the gate had never seen such a scene; faced with the incessant questioning of the visitors, he was clearly overwhelmed and had to call the abbot.

The abbot in a yellow kasaya came slowly; his countenance was calm, his aura peaceful, as if a deity seated on a high platform— in an instant he quieted the noisy crowd.

No one knew why, but gazing at the venerable abbot's kind face eased their anxiety; his aura seemed to possess a miraculous power, like a mountain spring gently flowing over the crowd.

It seemed even speaking loudly was a sin, as if it were a desecration of the divine.

"Amitabha, thank you for your concern; the temple itself has no problem, but we are closing it for our own reasons."

The visitors could not contain their curiosity and asked, "Then why is that?"

The abbot revealed a mysterious smile: "Because we are going to seek the true Great Dao."

"What is the true Great Dao?"

"Cultivation of immortality."

When the abbot said this, his expression turned grave and solemn, and specks of light flickered in his eyes.

Earlier, after Xiguangsi learned that the Longyuan Immortal Sect had been established, it sent some monks to study there; by recent days they had achieved results, and seeing the power they displayed caused the remaining monks to become excited.

Such otherworldly power was truly amazing; even those monks whose minds were as still as water could not help but stir ripples.

Finally the abbot made a momentous decision: effective immediately, close the temple and have all the monks join the Longyuan Sect to study.

This decision was approved by everyone, with not a single monk opposing.

After all, the union of Buddhist and Daoist methods does not mean the lineage is broken; rather, it continues in a new way, flowing far into the future.

Moreover, during this period the monks studying at the Longyuan Immortal Sect have gained much, attaining a deeper understanding of the Buddha‑Dharma, which is why the earlier conversation took place.

But ordinary visitors did not know the reason; the abbot's two light‑hearted words struck like a heavy hammer, leaving everyone dazed and even thinking they had suffered auditory hallucinations.

A group of highly respected monks, instead of guarding the ancestral temple and spreading the Buddha‑Dharma, actually declared in public that they would go cultivate immortality—and they didn't hesitate to close the temple!

How is this any different from Lin Daiyu wanting to uproot a willow tree?

It is simply absurd!

The visitors stared, speechless, feeling as if tossed by a wind, their jaws nearly dropping from shock.

The abbot gave no further explanation, returned with the monks to the temple, then shut the gates tightly, unaware of how great a shock his words had dealt to the visitors' hearts.

"Did I hear correctly? The monks want to cultivate immortality?"

"Could it be that the abbot also likes reading fantasy novels, or is he a hardcore fever‑patient?"

"This is downright hilarious; anyway I don't believe it."

"I don't believe it either—who gave the abbot that bewitching soup?"

The visitors argued back and forth, wanting to intervene but lacking the power; soon a notice was posted at the temple gate, though its wording was tactful and did not mention the reason of seeking immortality.

The incident still caused a considerable stir locally, with people endlessly discussing why the monks had closed the temple—could it really be that they went to cultivate immortality?

For a time, all kinds of theories sprang up.

Meanwhile, at the Wu Du Police Bureau, Sun Zhenbang and his disciple Xie Yixuan also submitted their resignations.

The bureau chief looked at Sun Zhenbang's resignation letter, his face full of disbelief.

「Lao Sun, you haven't made a mistake, have you? Resigning at this time!! 」

「Is your brain pinched by the door!! 」

Sun Zhenbang has been a police officer for several decades; during this time his performance has consistently been good, and he is already a backbone member of the bureau, being fair and strict, moreover incorruptible, always holding his post, and moreover steadily rising in rank.

The bureau chief thinks highly of him, even intending to cultivate Sun Zhenbang as his successor, and had previously hinted at this idea.

But now Sun Zhenbang actually submitted his resignation letter; this move is truly baffling.

「Do you know? I intended this position for you. 」

The bureau chief lowered his voice, pointed at his own seat, and said he would retire soon, meaning Sun Zhenbang could sit in a high position within a few years.

But Sun Zhenbang said he wants to resign at this critical juncture!

「You've been taking leave frequently lately, each time for several days; is there something at home? 」

「If you have any difficulties, you can tell me; there's no need to resign—you're not playing with your own future, are you? 」

Upon hearing the bureau chief's words, Sun Zhenbang's eyes were firm, his face showing no change: "Thank you, bureau chief, for your care and cultivation over the years, but I have more important things to do."

The bureau chief couldn't help but become interested, and instinctively asked: "What do you have to do?"

「After living this long, I have finally discovered the true meaning of life: the Great Dao is formless, giving birth to heaven and earth; the Great Dao is unfeeling, governing the sun and moon; the Great Dao is nameless, nurturing all things. 」

Upon hearing this, the bureau chief couldn't help but twitch his mouth, and couldn't help but interrupt Sun Zhenbang's long-winded discourse: "Stop, Old Sun, I'm saying you really have nothing wrong? What's the point of all this talk?"

He looked Sun Zhenbang up and down, his expression full of confusion and scrutiny; if it weren't that the person before him looked no different from before, one would suspect he had been possessed by something.

Xie Yixuan interjected from the side: "The elder's meaning——"

In a moment of slip of the tongue, he accidentally shouted the title used in Longyuan Immortal Sect; seeing the bureau chief's puzzled look, Xie Yixuan quickly corrected: "Team Leader Sun means he wants to go cultivate immortality."

The bureau chief was instantly speechless.

"You hear what this is saying?"

He knows Xie Yixuan's personality; when he has nothing to do, he likes to read those cultivation novels; aside from this hobby, he has no major flaws, and is a promising seedling.

Originally letting Sun Zhenbang bring Xie Yixuan along was hoped to guide him onto the right path, but now not only has he not been brought back, he has instead been led astray by Xie Yixuan!

Logically, Sun Zhenbang, being a veteran police officer, shouldn't be led into a ditch, yet this is exactly what happened.

For a moment, the bureau chief's temples throbbed with anger; he took a deep breath and shouted his full name:

「Sun Zhenbang, have you thought this through? This is no child's play; if I were to agree, there would be no turning back! 」

His voice involuntarily rose a few degrees, attempting to pull this wayward old horse, Sun Zhenbang, back onto the right track.

「Think back to your police oath when you first joined! Don't forget your original aspiration! Do you really want to abandon your career for some illusory, ethereal things? 」

Sun Zhenbang fell silent for a moment, looking at his police badge placed on the desk, the five-star red flag on it still vivid, just like his original aspiration, unchanged from beginning to end.

The reason he became a police officer was to safeguard social order, uphold justice, and protect people's lives and property; this remains true now.

Only by mastering power can one protect more people!

His original aspiration has now transformed into a steadfast Dao heart!

Seeing Sun Zhenbang silent and speechless, the bureau chief thought he had changed his mind and understood, and instantly showed a relieved smile.

But he never expected that the next second, Sun Zhenbang would slowly speak: "Sorry, bureau chief; perhaps you don't understand now, but you will someday."

As his words fell, he walked out of the office without looking back, leaving only the speechless bureau chief, who couldn't fathom how a fine veteran police officer would say he wanted to go cultivate immortality.

But there's nothing to be done; Sun Zhenbang has already decided, he has been advised, and it's come to this—there is no other way. (End of chapter)