Chapter 548: We are taking on some trouble

It was still that same quiet room, now converted into an alchemy chamber.

In the center sat an alchemy furnace, with a few meditation cushions around it, and two wooden shelves to the side holding the ingredients for alchemy.

"Third Third Shixiong," the Xiao Xiao Shimei said to him again, "You have only just taken on disciples, and now you are here guarding me as I refine pills. Won't this delay you in teaching them?"

"It won't. Xu Yi and Pu Mei are on the mountain, just like our former First Third Third Shixiong and Second Third Third Shixiong, and there is also Lord Wan and the others. They can teach Xian Zhu the basics. As for the more profound things, there is still Fuyao. In a while, I plan to call Xu Yi, Pu Mei, and Xian Zhu over as well, to let them observe here and cultivate using the spiritual charm of the Golden Core," Lin Jue said, smiling at her. "Besides, in these past two years, I have learned a new skill from Teacher Fuyao..."

"What skill?"

Lin Jue did not speak, but swayed slightly.

In an instant, two Lin Jues appeared in the quiet room.

"The Art of the Avatar."

This was something Fuyao had learned from the Queen Mother of the West, and now it had come to Lin Jue.

"Start the fire."

"Mm..."

The Xiao Xiao Shimei primarily cultivated the Five Elements Spiritual Method and Five Elements spells. After sitting down, she simply pointed a finger at the alchemy furnace—

Boom! A raging flame ignited within the furnace!

The temperature in the quiet room rose rapidly.

Lin Jue also sat down. Ziyun and Xiaohua looked down, saw two more meditation cushions on the floor, and each found one to sit on.

"This is for you," Lin Jue said, tossing out a thin garment. "This is a Fire-Washing Robe. It originally belonged to your Fourth Third Shixiong Uncle. I borrowed it when I was refining pills before, and now I have borrowed it again. Wearing it, you won't fear the high heat of the flames during alchemy."

"Many thanks, Third Shixiong Uncle."

Ziyun hurriedly took it and draped it over her body.

"Watch carefully and learn well. Every Golden Core formula in this world is the crystallization of the understanding of the Great Dao by ancient alchemy masters, the result of their painstaking research. This Four Directions Five Elements Golden Core is one of the few that is suitable for our Spiritual Method Sect; it is not something just anyone can obtain. Although it has fallen into the mortal world, it still surpasses ninety-nine percent of the spiritual pills in the world. It has the effect of helping Spiritual Method Sect cultivators achieve the Truth and attain the Dao, and it remains beneficial even after achieving the Truth and attaining the Dao. You will need to refine it in the future as well," Lin Jue said to Ziyun. "In a few days, I will call Xu Yi, Pu Mei, and Xian Zhu over to learn too."

"I have noted it down." Although Ziyun had grown up, she remained obedient. "Many thanks, Third Shixiong Uncle."

"And what about me?"

A cat's head poked out from the side!

"You? Don't run around in the quiet room and knock over the alchemy ingredients. If you want to run, go outside. Don't crawl into the alchemy furnace, and definitely don't catch any mice or sparrows and bring them in."

"Okay!"

Xiaohua nodded solemnly, as if she had taken it to heart.

The Xiao Xiao Shimei remained silent. Although she had heard everything, she did not say a word, focusing only on refining the pills.

Time passed slowly.

Ziyun went from draping the Fire-Washing Robe over her shoulders to covering herself with it, even covering her head, leaving only her eyes exposed to watch her master refine pills and listen to her senior uncle's guidance.

Xiaohua moved from her own cushion into Ziyun's arms, hiding under the Fire-Washing Robe.

The timing of this alchemy was a bit earlier than in the illusionary realm.

Although Lin Jue guarded his Xiao Xiao Shimei as she refined pills and provided guidance, he was ultimately much more relaxed than her. He could often slack off, sometimes even letting his avatar return to Mount Feng to check on the disciples' progress and teach them spells, and sometimes going to admire the red leaves on the mountain or the snowy scenery in the deep mountains.

Sometimes he would go out for a stroll to see the capital.

Sometimes he would visit the Imperial Palace to catch up with old friends.

Inside the Imperial Palace, the Vice Minister of Rites arrived with the Director of the Bureau of Ancestral Temples to report.

"Your Majesty, last night this old subject had a dream. I dreamt of an envoy from the Celestial Emperor." The Director of the Bureau of Ancestral Temples spoke, looking somewhat timid.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor felt a sense of foreboding:

"What did you dream of?"

"The Celestial Emperor's envoy told this old subject that for the past ten years, the Daoists of the Purple Firmament Palace have been searching for and eliminating demons in Qinzhou, and the divine soldiers and generals from the Nine Heavens have often descended to the mortal realm, cooperating with the City God's day and night patrols to investigate everywhere. They discovered that in many places, the common people were worshiping evil gods, leading to them being harmed by these evil gods. There were also instances of orthodox gods, once granted imperial edicts, falling into depravity." The Director paused as he spoke. "This... this is precisely because the canonization of gods in the mortal realm was too hasty. Before granting the edicts, they only heard of the person's deeds before death, or only a part of their life's deeds, without strict examination, leading to them being deceived."

The Emperor's expression darkened; he already understood, but he still asked:

"What do you mean? Speak plainly!"

"It is said... it is said that gods are like officials in the mortal realm. Mortal officials are appointed by the Imperial Court, so gods should naturally be appointed by the Heavenly Court. Therefore... therefore, from now on, when canonizing gods, it must be reported to the Nine Heavens by the Bureau of Ancestral Temples for the Celestial Emperor to review and decide. It will no longer be a concern for the mortal realm, saving the mortal Imperial Court some effort, and also preventing instances of orthodox gods falling into depravity and corruption."

"Vice Minister Zhou, what is your view?"

The Emperor turned his head to look at the Vice Minister of Rites beside him.

The current Vice Minister of Rites was the one who had been promoted from the Director of the Bureau of Ancestral Temples during the previous dynasty, and he understood the matters of sacrificial rites and gods the best.

"This... this old subject believes that, firstly, Director He's dream indeed holds some truth. This old subject has reviewed the case files; the common people's worship and canonization of gods are indeed not rigorous enough. There are indeed instances of reckless worship of evil gods, and even cases where canonized Mountain Gods, Earth Gods, Road Gods, River Gods, and City Gods fail to act, act recklessly, or even extort incense and offerings, or condone demons and ghosts in order to gather incense. This was especially prevalent in the previous dynasty."

"Secondly, in some places, gods can indeed be compared to mortal officials..."

Vice Minister Zhou looked up at the Emperor, and seeing that the Emperor's expression was not good, he immediately said: "However, gods originally come from people, from the mortal realm. Since ancient times, the Imperial Court and the mortal people have had the power to canonize gods, especially the Emperor."

"As for this third point, this is only Director He's dream. Although gods do often send dreams to the Director of the Bureau of Ancestral Temples, the Director is also a person, and people will have wild thoughts. As the saying goes, what one thinks about by day, one dreams about by night; it is normal to dream of some strange things. We must wait for the True Person from the Purple Firmament Palace to request an audience, and have the two phases corroborate each other, before we can determine the truth."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone came from outside to report:

"True Person Mingchang of the Purple Firmament Palace requests an audience."

With a bang! The Emperor slapped the armrest of his chair with one palm, easily snapping the armrest!

Both old subjects were startled.

At this moment, the Chief Eunuch by his side was considerate, immediately bowing and asking in a low voice:

"Your Majesty, the seafood newly sent from the East Sea, which you just ordered the Imperial Kitchen to prepare, is likely almost ready now."

Only then did the Emperor's expression soften slightly, and he waved his hand:

"Send a portion to the original courtyard."

"Yes..."

With this, the Emperor's heart also calmed down.

"Make True Person Mingchang wait!"

The Emperor waved his hand indifferently, then said again:

"I know that the people of the world revere gods and yearn for immortals, but gods originally come from people. You, as the high officials of the Ministry of Rites of my Great Yu, especially Director He, are responsible for sacrificial rites to gods and communicating with them. You represent the entire Imperial Court, the entire mortal world. How can you be so timid and shrinking? Does this not let gods naturally suppress the mortal world, suppress the Imperial Court? Or is it that you two old subjects have not yet shed the customs of the previous dynasty?"

Upon hearing this, the two old subjects were filled with fear and trepidation, repeatedly saying they dared not.

With the current dynasty newly established, the Imperial Court, and the Emperor himself, were indeed far tougher than the previous dynasty, and far tougher than the end of the previous dynasty.

After all, this Emperor and some of the great generals under his command truly dared to draw their blades against gods, and had truly beheaded demons, ghosts, and evil gods.

The two old subjects suddenly realized something—

Perhaps the current dynasty had indeed swept away the atmosphere of the previous dynasty. In this Emperor, they saw the shadow of the Great You from the history books. That was a dynasty where the Emperor feared neither demons nor gods.

However, the Purple Firmament Palace and the Celestial Emperor of this dynasty were also very overbearing.

Imperial power and divine power were already in conflict.

"Invite Fan Tian Shi Nan!" the Emperor said. "Once Fan Tian Shi Nan arrives, then invite True Person Mingchang to come in and see me."

On the bustling streets of the capital, imperial guards were clearing the way, and behind them, several eunuchs were carefully holding food boxes, walking with small, hurried steps to deliver the food boxes to the courtyard where the Emperor and True Person Lin had once lived.

Occasionally glancing back, they heard pedestrians on the roadside and merchants in the teahouses and taverns speaking the name of Fan Tian Shi Nan.

The eunuch was still young and had no impression of any Fan Tian Shi Fan or Lord Pan, only occasionally hearing a few sentences about Fan Tian Shi Fan, Lord Pan, and the Wei Shui River God in the stories of the elders. He often heard stories about True Person Lin in the palace, sometimes told together with the Emperor, but he had never seen him.

In the capital today, the one with the greatest fame and the most respected by the people was undoubtedly Fan Tian Shi Nan.

Following several imperial rewards and commendations from the Imperial Court, Fan Tian Shi Nan distributed the rewarded wealth to the poor inside and outside the city. Coupled with the popularity of the strange tales books compiled and edited by scholars, in which the names of the Gathering Immortal Mansion and Fan Tian Shi Nan could often be seen, he was revered by everyone, feared by demons and ghosts, and the fame of Fan Tian Shi Nan was spreading rapidly.

Walking through the streets and alleys like this, they soon arrived in front of that residence.

Unlike in the past, there were now many battle-hardened imperial guards standing here, on duty day and night.

It was said that this was the place where the Emperor and True Person Lin had once lived, and now True Person Lin had returned here, in seclusion to refine pills.

"The Emperor has an order..."

The leading eunuch announced his identity and purpose.

The young eunuch holding the food box looked up and saw that the sky seemed to have a few more rays of rosy light. The stories of True Person Lin refining pills to become an immortal that he had heard in the capital years ago came flooding back.

In the quiet room, several people were carrying the food boxes back.

"Master, Third Shixiong Uncle, this was sent from the palace. They said it is seafood sent from the East Sea, prepared by the best imperial chefs in the Imperial Kitchen," Ziyun, as the senior sister, said.

"Seafood from the East Sea..."

Lin Jue suddenly remembered when he had traveled to the East Sea with the fox to collect the morning glow energy of the East Sea, and how he had eaten to his heart's content by the seaside.

In the blink of an eye, so much time had passed.

He hadn't expected that by hitching a ride with Lord Luo, he would still be able to eat it in the capital.

"Xiao Xiao Shimei, focus on refining the pills and eat a little less. You all should study more and also eat a little less. Xian Zhu is a vegetarian, so she doesn't need to eat. Fuyao, Xiaohua, and I will take on the trouble and eat a little more."

"..."

Several people put down the food boxes and opened them, looking at each other.

"By the way, Master!"

Xu Yi suddenly had a flash of inspiration and took a letter out of his bosom: "A letter from First Third Shixiong Uncle."

"Let me see..."

Lin Jue took the letter and read it while eating.

Several disciples exchanged glances and quickly started eating. ===== CHAPTER 549 =====