[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t":3,"chapter-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-346":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Living Among All Heavens, Achieving Immortality Through Merit",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2323914,4545,"Chapter 346: Emperor Gaozong Willingly Abandons the Central Plains","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-346",346,"\u003Cp>Inside the City God Temple, incense smoke curled in thick clouds, filling the courtyard below and rising to envelop the upper pavilions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing sat before the temple attendant, legs crossed, his spine straight, head upright, posture perfect; the attendant nodded slightly, convinced Gu Qing’s claim—“I’ve long wished to become a Daoist, eager to receive the talisman”—was genuine, for someone outside the Daoist sect to possess such discipline was truly impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder he was recommended by a deity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendant suppressed his thoughts and introduced himself to Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendant’s name was Huang Qing, of the Maoshan lineage, said to have originated with the True Person Mao Ying, a man of profound learning, devoted to Daoist cultivation, who fasted for three months, paid homage to Wang Jun, the second-generation disciple of the Supreme Elder, trained for twenty years, and was then led by Wang Jun to meet the Queen Mother of the West, where he studied the True Scripture of the Primordial Heavenly King and eventually attained immortality, wandering the Purple Void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After True Person Mao Ying, our Maoshan lineage split into two branches.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Qing explained to Gu Qing: “One branch is the Shangqing line, which cultivates through visualization, breath absorption, swallowing saliva, chanting spells, and wearing talismans, drawing the spirits of heaven and earth into oneself to achieve immortality and ascend to the Shangqing rank; since the rise of the Neidan school, few still practice this path.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The other branch is the Zhenling line—we transmit precepts and talismans, cultivate the Lingbao scriptures, understand the full spectrum of divine beings, and through writing spells and chanting sutras, harmonize yin and yang; when merit is sufficient, one may attain the path of the divine, creating boundless transformations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing nodded in understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shangqing leans toward physical cultivation; Zhenling leans toward bureaucratic affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I will transmit precepts and talismans to you—we practice the Zhenling line, chant the Lingbao scriptures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Qing retrieved the Lingbao scripture and handed it to Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing flipped through it briefly; it was no different from what he had read before, though one passage claimed Buddhism was a minor offshoot transmitted by the Primordial Heavenly Lord, urging Buddhists to humbly return to Daoism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After explaining all this, Huang Qing imparted the First Precepts to Gu Qing, then led him in worshiping the immortals and granting him the talisman; once completed, Gu Qing felt every pore of his body suddenly open, his connection to the primordial qi of heaven and earth becoming unprecedentedly tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze now perceived the spiritual essence of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing’s expression turned curious—he hadn’t expected the qi, once so difficult to manipulate, to become so lively after receiving the talisman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After receiving the talisman, your name is now recorded in the Celestial Court.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Qing said after the talisman ceremony: “You cultivate with sincerity and have caught the attention of deities—your future achievements will surely be extraordinary. As long as you faithfully uphold the precepts, your time to rise will come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing bowed to Huang Qing, then received from him a scroll containing a general overview of cultivation in the current world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Present-day human cultivation can be anchored by the Neidan school, and in common terms, it is “Qi Refinement,” “Foundation Establishment,” “Golden Core,” “Nascent Soul,” “Crossing the Tribulation,” and “Immortality.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond immortality, nothing can be measured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing’s cultivation, the Heavenly Book of Ten Thousand Methods Returning to the Source, is a method from outside this world and has not yet been integrated into it; yet based on Xiao Qing’s calculations, Gu Qing judged himself to be at the Golden Core stage—his accumulated reserves were substantial, and if he mastered this world’s methods, he should quickly solidify his Golden Core and achieve the Nascent Soul. Fa Hai and Bai Suzhen, by contrast, were at the Crossing the Tribulation stage; once they passed the threshold, they could instantly become immortals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This soft meal must be eaten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This soft meal is delicious!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrying this thought, Gu Qing went directly to Xu Xian’s elder sister’s home to discuss their wedding, hoping to settle everything swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think we should marry in February.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing tapped the table and said to Xu Jiaorong: “I just went to the City God Temple and had a Daoist match our birth charts—February twenty-sixth is an auspicious day for marriage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nineteenth day of the second lunar month is the birthday of Guanyin Bodhisattva; Bai Niangzi may have visited the Bodhisattva on that day and received divine guidance. Qingming Festival, also called the Third Month Festival, is when all things revive and animals enter their breeding season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are too many variables here—Gu Qing wished to force Xu Xian into marriage right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Won’t that be too hasty?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jiaorong said instinctively upon hearing the date.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Organizing a wedding requires so many preparations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s like crossing a river and finding a ferryman—how fortuitous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing persuaded Xu Jiaorong: “Their birth charts, combined with February twenty-sixth, are perfect—better than perfect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jiaorong didn’t understand such things; she simply accepted what Gu Qing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the matter settled, Gu Qing exhaled softly and asked Li Gongfu whether the temple treasury silver had been stolen last night after the statue was hung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lately, the treasury thefts have reached the Son of Heaven’s ears.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Gongfu sighed in relief: “Thankfully, it’s been suppressed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Gongfu never imagined such a bizarre case would lead him, in the end, to choose between seeking help from people or seeking help from himself—and he chose to seek the gods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And seeking the gods actually worked!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing smiled, recalling the talisman he had received; now that he knew the names of the Ten Directions’ immortals, he could invoke deities and draw talismans through ritual, communicating between yin and yang—but this method leaned heavily on bureaucratic connections, and with his low status, most of these deities were beyond his reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After careful thought, Gu Qing realized his only viable action at this stage was to paint divine images at home and perform the opening-of-eyes ritual to empower them further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While sipping tea, a shout came from outside—a constable’s voice cried: “Chief Li! Chief Li! Something’s happened! The Prince of Liang’s son wants to take your younger brother’s wife as a concubine!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Gu Qing immediately rose and headed toward the Pei household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Prince of Liang’s son was named Liang Lian, a man who bullied the innocent and terrorized the weak in Lin’an; in Bai Niangzi’s tale, he was killed by Xiao Qing, sparking a blood feud between the Xu family and the Liang household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Gu Qing rushed toward the Pei residence, his thoughts racing, he arrived to find chaos—the Pei family gate was shut, Liang’s men surrounded it, pressing the Pei daughter to come out and board the sedan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing asked those nearby, listening carefully to the surrounding noise to piece together the full story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the eighth day of the second month, while strolling by West Lake, Liang Lian saw Pei Yaoqin. Afterward, he inquired repeatedly, learned her address, and sent his servants with a sedan to her home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liang household held great power in Lin’an; Pei Yaoqin was merely the daughter of a wealthy merchant—this intimidation would end in a foregone conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yaoqin has already been promised to my disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing stepped forward boldly to defend her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liang household’s leader, a man in his thirties or forties, tall and muscular, accustomed to bullying with Liang Lian, upon hearing Gu Qing’s words, casually swung a slap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Slap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound rang sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing stood motionless; the Liang household’s leader’s cheek turned red, blood poured from his mouth, and when he spat, a tooth fell out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Er!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liang household’s servants, seeing this, rushed at Gu Qing together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing reached out, seized Brother Er by the collar, and as bystanders watched, the leader was lifted like a weapon, swung and slammed around by Gu Qing—“Oof!” “Oof!”—the Liang men charged in but fell fast; in moments, the scene was a mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Children might ask: “You, Daoist, just received precepts and you’re already beating people?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in Gu Qing’s First True Precepts, there is no prohibition against striking others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding crowd, seeing the Liang household’s men so humiliated, began to cheer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing held Brother Er aloft and sneered: “You like hitting people? Why not hit the Jurchens?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who had been beaten hardest, filled with rage moments before, suddenly felt a twinge of shame upon hearing “Jurchens”; he gathered his men, gathered the sedan, and slunk away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Gu, you’re amazing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd praised Gu Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing bowed to the people, then knocked on the Pei family gate; the Peis’ faces were complex, unsure how to react to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liang household’s oppression had left them helpless, but Gu Qing’s defiance terrified them even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being beaten, the Liang household’s next strike would be even more terrible…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing reassured Pei the Squire: “I’ll handle this quickly—it won’t affect the wedding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yaoqin, watching Gu Qing beat the Liang household’s men yet remain calm and composed, felt conflicted; she had agreed to marry Xu Xian because he was easy to control, but today, Gu Qing’s display of power stirred in her a desire to be a small, protected woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Gu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yaoqin hesitantly spoke, stepping closer to Gu Qing, her eyes filled with longing: “Your wife…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gu Qing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could finish, a voice called out; she turned to see a young man in blue robes pushing through the crowd, grabbing Gu Qing’s arm, examining his knuckles and the skin beneath his sleeve, smiling: “Didn’t know you were so good with your fists.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just a little skill, nothing much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing replied modestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After receiving the talisman, Gu Qing’s horizons had broadened; he now understood many of the world’s rules and could act with confidence, no longer needing to hide certain things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s more than ‘a little skill.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing pinched Gu Qing’s flesh, studying him with unusual interest, glanced at Pei Yaoqin, then took his arm: “Come over here—I have something to tell you…” and pulled him aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Yaoqin watched Gu Qing’s intimate posture with the blue-clad man, noting how the man’s ears reddened; her fleeting romantic thoughts vanished instantly—she decided pursuing her ambitions was far more appealing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xiao Qing pulled Gu Qing away, she sighed softly; moments earlier, seeing them so close in the crowd, she had impulsively dragged him over—but now, alone, she had nothing to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Cen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing looked at Xiao Qing and asked: “Are there any capable people in the imperial palace?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing’s eyes widened and she quickly stopped him: “That place is not to be trifled with.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing nodded—he knew well that Wanyan Gou’s side must have powerful figures; but after offending the Liang household, he had thought of Wanyan Gou, reasoning that since he’d already incurred one enemy, why not add another? Let Lin’an erupt—it would make him safer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Liang household’s offense against you means nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing didn’t think Gu Qing had offended the Liang household—she believed the Liang household had offended Gu Qing: “Tonight, I’ll teach them a lesson—they won’t dare come near you again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have my own plan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing smiled at Xiao Qing—he knew her method was merely trickery to frighten the Liang household into awe, but they could summon Fa Hai; her antics might only provoke them further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two strolled and chatted, unaware they had reached Tongren Hall, where a few patients still waited; Xu Xian sat at his desk, diagnosing patients with meticulous care—Gu Qing watched and felt reassured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your disciple is unusually upright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing, watching Xu Xian collect fees with clear accounts, praised him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why I need to find him a good wife.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing and Xiao Qing entered the back courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing rarely agreed with finding Xu Xian a good wife—but now she insisted: “That girl won’t be snatched by the Liang household!” She didn’t know why, but she was eager for Pei Yaoqin to marry quickly—perhaps because the girl’s sudden blush had been too piercing to ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this reflection, Xiao Qing glanced at the snakes—easy to care for, fed every few days, cleaned once in a while, kept in their cage otherwise; yet now, inside the cage, two snakes were entwined in mating, making Xiao Qing distinctly uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unaware, night fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hear you possess the Lamb Fat Jade Vase, the Flame Divine Pearl, the Divine Jun Heavenly Music Scroll, and the Time Eight Trigrams Chart—precious beyond measure, and I long for them. At midnight tomorrow, I shall come under the moonlight to take them. You, Zhao Gou, have abandoned the Central Plains; taking a few of your treasures is no great matter, is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing watched Gu Qing write evenly, filling multiple sheets of paper, and asked curiously in a whisper: \"Are you writing this to the Emperor?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a world without immortals or gods, Gu Qing would have stormed the palace long ago. But in this world where immortals and gods exist, even Nüwa would calculate the fate of a ruler like King Zhou before striking him down—she wouldn’t simply crush him with one blow. Gu Qing once didn’t understand this, but after reading Daoist scriptures, he could only go with the flow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the four treasures mentioned in this letter, they were coveted by the Liang Prince’s mansion from the imperial palace. In the tale of Bai Niangzi, after Xiao Qing stole them, the Liang Prince immediately seized them back, terrified they might reach the Emperor’s ears and bring him ruin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, the Liang Prince’s downfall stemmed from this very thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing had no interest in playing tit-for-tat with the Liang Prince’s mansion—he only wanted to ensure Pei Yaoqin married quickly, to lure Bai Niangzi on the third day of the third month, and thus secure his soft meal. So when the Liang Prince’s men drew near, Gu Qing intended to crush them outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night street was silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Qing, bow in hand, went with Xiao Qing to the imperial palace. Outside its gates, he drew his bow, aimed the arrow skyward, and fired toward the approximate direction of the Emperor’s sleeping quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Swoosh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Swoosh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Swoosh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He fired several arrows in succession; when they struck the ground, they exploded with loud cracks, ensuring Zhao Gou would hear the noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qing gazed at Gu Qing with eager eyes, feeling they were cut from the same cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2444,"2026-06-20T17:04:27.745Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","87f7fd04012afd3c9141eb8ac7f20dcb5af15bd679960d83def3c7b055223b8e","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-347","living-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-chapter-345",449,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fliving-among-all-heavens-achieving-immortality-t-cover.jpg"]