Chapter 2: The Two Schools Engage in a Fierce Battle, Kong Xuan's Authority

  Only seven fairies wearing rainbow-colored clothes walked among the fairy houses with baskets in their hands, each basket filled with bright red and juicy peaches, and every fairy family's table had one.

  The Queen Mother saw that all the immortals had already received their peaches and said: "These peaches are the product of the Peach Root, which was bestowed by the Ancestor of the Tao. The Peach Root is one of the three great spiritual roots produced in the Primordial Chaos. Now, there are 3,600 peach trees in the Peach Garden, with 1,200 trees in front, bearing small flowers and fruit that ripen every 3,000 years. Those who eat them will become immortals and have a healthy and light body. In the middle, there are 1,200 trees with layered flowers and sweet fruit that ripen every 6,000 years. Those who eat them will rise to the clouds and ascend to heaven, living forever without aging. At the back, there are 1,200 trees with purple veins and crimson cores that ripen every 9,000 years. Those who eat them will live as long as Heaven and Earth, and their fate will be tied to the sun and moon." A strong sense of pride and satisfaction was evident in her words.

  The Jade Emperor smiled and said: "All the immortals are invited!"

  The immortals all congratulated and took up their own peaches to eat. Kong Xuan also picked up the purple-veined, crimson-skinned peach from the table, lightly biting into it, and suddenly felt the fruit's flesh was fresh, crisp, and refreshing, with plenty of juice and a beautiful flavor, leaving a fragrant aftertaste in his mouth. Moreover, there was a surge of innate spiritual energy flowing through his five viscera and six bowels, cleansing and refreshing him to an unprecedented degree! Kong Xuan secretly sighed: It's no wonder it's one of the three great spiritual roots of the Primordial Chaos - truly a wonderful fruit!

  The immortals finished their meal, and some of them sat down with their eyes closed, quietly refining the innate spiritual energy in their bodies. Since the Great War between the Sorcerers and the Demons, the Desolate Continent had been shattered into four pieces, destroying countless spiritual veins and sacred mountains. As a result, the spiritual energy in the world was no longer as it was before. Perhaps only the spiritual energy within the Saints' Realm remained innate. However, ordinary immortals could not casually enter the Saints' Realm to pay homage to the Saints. Therefore, this peaches were even more precious!

  Before long, a voice came from the side of the Tianxian sect: "It's rare for Your Majesty to invite us today. Since all the disciples of various sects are present, why don't we discuss the matter of who is superior?"

  Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at that person and saw him sitting at the head of the assembly of immortals from the Chunyang sect. He had a double topknot on his head, wore a robe with the colors of yin and yang, and had a white crane flying amidst clouds beside him. His face was radiant and his bones were strong, with an aura of auspicious clouds surrounding his body. It turned out to be the Immortal of the Blazing Lamp!

  The person who lit the lamp was not ordinary, but a great god who had existed since the beginning of heaven and earth with Zhunti Zidi. He once listened to the Tao in the Purple Mansion, and on the Treasure Cliff, he obtained one of the four pre-heavenly spirit lamps, the Luli Lamp, also known as the Lingjiu Lamp. The Taoist temple was built in the Yuangu Cave of Mount Lingjiu. After Hongjun merged with the Tao, the saints established their teachings and became holy. He then joined the school of Yuanshi Tianzun, respecting Yuanshi as his teacher. Later, Yuanshi Tianzun took in twelve disciples and ordered them to call Rongdeng "teacher", because Rongdeng was also an old friend from the Purple Mansion. It can be seen that his position in the Taoist teachings is only below Yuanshi Tianzun.

  Zhenyuanzi smiled and said, "Brother Dao's words are indeed correct! Today, we have received the emperor's kindness, and we are gathered here together. Why not discuss the great Tao together? Wouldn't that be delightful?"

  The Jade Emperor saw that Zhenyuanzi had also spoken up, and so said: "Since it's come to this, we might as well hold a grand assembly to discuss the Tao - what harm could it do?"

  All the immortals below exclaimed: "Excellent!"

  "The Master once said: 'There is a thing that was born before heaven and earth. Silent, empty, standing alone, unchanging, circulating without danger, it can be the mother of heaven and earth. I do not know its name, but for convenience, let us call it Dao, and forcibly give it the name Great.' Therefore, we consider its Dao as the beginning of heaven and earth, and the mother of all things; thus it is able to fill up heaven and earth, transform and nourish all things. It is great in that it encompasses the universe, small in that it enters into every tiny thing; there is nowhere it does not exist, nowhere it does not remain; because it has no shape, therefore it has no place where it does not exist."

  All the immortals nodded in agreement, and the Grand Master of Xuandu said: "The elder brother's words are indeed correct! Our master also said: 'The Tao is great, heaven is great, earth is great, and man is also great. Therefore, man follows the earth, the earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Tao, and the Tao follows nature!' Therefore, when man does not go against the earth, he can be completely safe, following the law of the earth. When the earth does not go against heaven, it can bear everything, following the law of heaven. When heaven does not go against the Tao, it can cover everything, following the law of the Tao. When the Tao does not go against nature, it can attain complete authenticity, following the law of nature. The law of nature is to follow the square when in a square shape, and to follow the circle when in a circular shape, without going against nature at all. Nature is beyond words, the ultimate truth. Intelligence cannot reach the unknown, while physical form cannot reach spiritual image, spiritual image cannot reach the formless, and ritual cannot reach the formless, therefore they follow each other's laws."

  The numerous immortals nodded in agreement, and the Lamp-Lit Wayperson said: "Brother Dao's words are not mistaken! One must know that the Heavenly Way operates on its own principles; we should follow Heaven and act accordingly, understand the Heavenly Way, cultivate virtues, and attain the true Dao!" The group of immortals who were explaining the teachings all chimed in with approval.

  "That's right, brother Duan," said the multi-treasured Taoist with a smile. "What you said is indeed correct, but don't you know that heaven rewards diligence? Without striving for it, how can we obtain it? We should seize that thread of heavenly way to use for ourselves!" The other Taoists of the Interception School also nodded in agreement.

  "That side's Grand Disciple Guang Chengzi snorted and said disdainfully, 'The Heavenly Way is so profound and vast, how can it be arbitrarily cut off? Fellow Daoist, you're just joking!'"

  One sentence, however, was enough to offend all the immortals of the Intercepting Sect. They all glared at Guang Chengzi, for the phrase "Intercept one line of Heavenly Way" is the essence of the teachings of the Intercepting Sect and a subtle expression of the Supreme Clarity. All the disciples of the Intercepting Sect regard it as the highest truth. Now that Guang Chengzi has spoken to defile it, he has committed an offense against the taboos of all the immortals of the Intercepting Sect!

  There was a fairy named Qiong Xiao who jumped out and shouted: "Gong Chengzi, how dare you insult me and cut off my teachings?"

  Guang Chengzi snorted, "It's not that I'm humiliating or belittling the Jian Jiao, it's just that the Jian Jiao is far inferior to my Tian Jiao. My Tian Jiao is the orthodox school of Pangu, embodying the heart of heaven and conforming to the heavenly way. It is truly the path of cultivating immortals and becoming a divine being!"

  The three primordial sages, led by the Cloudy Sylph, sneered and said: "Is it only allowed for you to preach as the orthodox Pangu, while my interception is not? My master and your master are both transformed by Pangu, we worship the same master. Your orthodox teaching has achieved true immortality, but mine is not inferior?" This remark left Guang Chengzi speechless. As a matter of fact, Tongtian Jiao's master was also one of Pangu's primordial spirits. Moreover, Jie Jiao was known as the sect that welcomed millions of immortals, and it was indeed not lacking in true immortals. However, previously, disciples from various sects had been sent down the mountain to spread their teachings, and there had already been conflicts between the disciples of Zhuan Jiao and Jie Jiao. The disciples of Zhuan Jiao always considered themselves the orthodox Pangu, so they looked down on the disciples of Jie Jiao who were transformed from strange beasts, often whispering behind their backs that they were just feathered birds and beasts, and not worthy of cultivating immortality. This greatly enraged the disciples of Jie Jiao. Because the three sects originated from the same family, they had been restraining themselves from causing trouble for the disciples of Zhuan Jiao. But today, Guang Chengzi's boastful words had already provoked a group of Jie Jiao disciples.

  "Boundless Heaven Venerable!" The Burning Lamp Daoist loudly proclaimed his dao number, and immediately a celebratory cloud the size of half an acre appeared above his head, emitting brilliant light. On top of the cloud were three flowers, from which hung down green mysterious energy. The three flowers supported a lamp and a ruler, precisely the Burning Lamp Daoist's magical tools: the Crystal Lamp and the Heaven and Earth Ruler!

  A group of transcendent immortals from the Golden Lotus Sect appeared, riding on auspicious clouds, with three flowers above their heads supporting their respective magical treasures. Suddenly, a brilliant light burst forth, shooting straight towards the crowd of immortals from the Zhengyi Sect.

  Duobao let out a loud roar, and immediately appeared above his head a celebratory cloud, on top of which floated three flowers. On the three flowers were over a thousand spiritual treasures: swords, knives, staffs, spears, halberds, whips... all sorts of rare and precious items, their brilliant light illuminating the entire great hall, causing the assembled immortals to gasp in amazement. The disciples of the Zhengyi sect behind Duobao also revealed their own three flowers: Yunxiao's Hunyuan Golden Dipper, Bixiao's Golden Scissors, Zhao Gongming's Twenty-four Dinghai Divine Pearls... the Zhengyi side was also bathed in a brilliant blue light that pressed down on the Tianxian Golden Immortals.

  Two beams of light collided in the center of the grand hall, splashing sparks everywhere. A dull and oppressive atmosphere filled the entire hall, yet neither side could gain the upper hand. The magical powers gradually intensified, stirring up the invisible air currents that rustled the curtains above, producing a howling wind sound. At this moment, the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother had turned pale with rage. The disciples of the Xuanmen and Tianyi sects were openly engaging in a magical duel within the Lingxiao Hall, clearly not taking the two deities seriously. How could they not be infuriated?

  Both sides were desperately urging their magical powers, neither giving in to the other. Suddenly, a cold hum entered the ears, although it was faint, but when heard by everyone, it was like thunder, before anyone could react, only a strong sense of oppression came, instantly pinning everyone to the ground, unable to move!

  Everyone was shocked! The pressure transmitted from the direction of Chao made people look over, and at this time, Kong Xuan's eyes were slightly closed, with a sharp light flashing in his eyes. That extremely powerful aura was coming from him wave after wave, but it didn't surpass that of the other saints. Zhenyuanzi, who was sitting next to him, was secretly shocked and thought to himself: Indeed, there is no false reputation under the great name, Kong Xuan becoming the number one person under the saint is not unreasonable!

  Kong Xuan swept his gaze over the disciples of Yan Jiao and Jie Jiao, instantly making them feel a chill from the bottom of their hearts, not daring to speak up. Kong Xuan coldly snorted: "You all have such big guts! Whether you are from Yan Jiao or Jie Jiao, you are all my Xuanmen disciples. Now you actually dare to fight each other here, do you really think I don't dare to punish you on behalf of your master?"

  The crowd of immortals felt a chill in their hearts as they finally remembered the Xuanqing sect's reward and punishment system. Now, they were caught off guard while competing with each other, after all, there was a saint behind them. Although they weren't afraid of Kong Xuan, looking at his current aura, it wasn't something they could resist either. The only thing they didn't know was how Kong Xuan would punish them!

  Kong Xuan continued: "Moreover, this is the Heavenly Court, and the Jade Emperor is the heavenly emperor appointed by our ancestors. You are so slow and rude, it's truly disrespectful to our ancestors!"

  These words were a bit too heavy, after all, Hong Jun had already merged with the Heavenly Way, how could he care about these trivial matters? However, the crowd couldn't be rude to him either, otherwise it would be disrespecting their master and ancestors. At that time, even if Yuanshi Tongtian wanted to speak up for them, Hong Xuan would still have to punish them. Therefore, everyone's face turned pale, unsure of what to say.

  The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother looked at the disciples of the Xuan Jiao and Er Jiao below, feeling extremely pleased in their hearts, and were even more grateful to the Xuan Qing sect. The Great Master Xuandu secretly sighed, he could see things clearly, Kong Xuan didn't really want to punish them, it was just a show of power.

  Kong Xuan was also frightened, and at this time, he had established his authority among the crowd. He had just relieved the pressure, and the immortals only felt that their bodies suddenly became lighter, and they were able to stand up.

  Kong Xuan said to the crowd: "To become an immortal, one must first be a gentleman. If the way of man is not cultivated, the way of immortality is far away. The way of man is the foundation of the way of immortality, and the way of immortality is the ultimate goal of the way of man. Without the way of man, how can one seek the way of immortality?" He didn't care about the ugly expressions of the crowd of immortals, turned around to face the Jade Emperor and said: "I have been out for a long time, it's time to go back, I thank the Jade Emperor for his kindness!"

  The Jade Emperor heard this and hastily said: "Since that's the case, I won't keep you any longer, Daoist friend. If you have some free time, feel free to come to the Heavenly Court for a visit."

  Kong Xuan nodded and said: "I'm awake!" He then bowed to the immortals in the hall, and with a gentle smile, walked out of the grand hall and rode off on a cloud.

  After this, the immortals also lost interest and bid farewell to the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother one after another. The banquet ended in an unhappy dispersal. From then on, the four teachings' disciples, no matter what they thought in their hearts, dared not show disrespect to the Jade Emperor on the surface! Kong Xuan's prestige spread throughout the three realms instantly, under the saint, no one dared to oppose him, and no one did not respect him!

  It is: The two teachings of Zheng and Jue are strong in combat, the prestige of Confucius shakes the three realms!