As the year draws to a close, if you were to ask who the busiest person in all of Jin Sect is, it would undoubtedly be Xu Qing.
As the leader of the Three Sects and chief of the Jin Sect, Xu Qing has mastered the art of time management to perfection.
With the Bao Sheng Temple's Marriage Hall newly established, Xu Qing quickly designated two positions for matchmaking and solving marital conflicts: one for the Red String, and another for the Green String. The matchmaking is managed by 'Tushan Aunt', also known as 'Fox Immortal Aunt', Daoist Yizhen.
As for solving conflicts, Xu Qing temporarily takes on that responsibility.
He might not excel as a mediator, but when it comes to breaking up, demolishing dilapidated old temples, he is unsurpassed!
Besides Bao Sheng Temple, the Cat Immortal Hall of Da Luo Sect also cannot do without him as the Sect Leader to distribute incense fire and draft new centennial plans.
Currently, the mundane world, and even the Three Realms and Six Paths, are facing unprecedented millennial changes; Xu Qing must plan ahead, guide the disciples of the Three Sects through these perplexing times, and prepare for contingencies.
"These changes are not just about the trends of heaven and earth but also about human revolution. You must imprint my words on your hearts, do not say you were not forewarned!"
The turbulence that the mundane world may face could be immense.
This revolution may not mean much to a Primordial Spirit True Man like Zhang Pingsheng or the elders of the Immortal Hall, but for the named disciples within the sect, or the Galloping Immortal who have just entered and lack cultivation, it is akin to a deadly calamity upon them.
Unlike other sect leaders who might be more lenient, Xu Qing immediately sets strict rules: whoever disobeys during the calamity and enters it without authorization will be dealt with according to sect regulations.
This is an ironclad rule, as golden as the law, that cannot be defied in the slightest!
From the Supervision Hall to the Altar Master and Hall Master, the rules apply equally.
Xu Qing has forged his sect like an ironclad fortress, only to lead the immortal disciples alongside him through every catastrophe and reach the other shore.
The immortals merely see the Sect Leader's stern demeanor but are unaware of Xu Qing's painstaking efforts.
Everyone only knows that once you seriously violate the rules and get expelled, you'll be left to face the calamity on your own.
Furthermore, losing the highest-paying job both in heaven and on earth.
Remember, Huang Laoshu, who once chose not to join the Cat Immortal Hall, has already perished.
Who dares to guarantee they won't be the next Huang Laoshu when they are expelled without a backing?
For this reason, Xu Qing established the rules to be implemented across the Three Sects simultaneously.
Veterans like Zhang Pingsheng and Xin Yuan Monk quickly detected something was amiss.
While it is one thing for the Sect Leader to place such importance on the changes of the next century, why has Bao Sheng Temple also reached a consensus and devised a plan accordingly?
The monk and Daoist admit that their experience and foresight in managing temples are inferior to the Sect Leader and the deities of Bao Sheng Temple.
What to do? When you can't work out the problem, are you not capable of copying the answers?
So, as soon as Xu Qing's cultivation guidelines were implemented, Zhang Shufang's Celestial Master's Mansion and Chen Liu'er's Ancient Perception Temple followed suit with new 'cultivation laws'.
While the cultivation guidelines seem complex, they can be summarized in one sentence—
Seize the moment, act accordingly, retain and disguise.
Incense fire deities generally have two stages. One is to remain conspicuous, having a temple for people to worship, while those revered in homes as household gods are scattered and do not form a climate.
Another stage is like the Kitchen God or the Earth God, who can enjoy incense offerings from thousands of homes without having an external temple.
Since Xu Qing founded the Three Sects, only Bao Sheng Temple and the Cat Immortal Hall's Family Guardian Immortal have reached the second threshold.
As for Da Luo Sect, there is still a long way to go.
However, Xu Qing is not worried, for the day when the Yin River reciprocates the twelve states will be the time when the Three Sects' reputation flourishes.
At that time, even if worldly changes are uncontrollable, his temple system of the Three Sects can go unnoticed into homes and be undisturbed by any calamity.
After arranging matters for the present and future, Xu Qing took advantage of the sect's annual meeting to impart various techniques like the Taiyi Celestial Immortal Mantra, the Earth Abyss Golden Seal, Earth Immortal Breathing Technique, and Qi Gathering and Returning to the Origin to disciples who accumulated enough virtue in their cultivation.
Being the busiest person in Jin Sect, Xu Qing juggled the affairs of the Three Sects while finding time to go to Shuimen Bridge Villa to listen to Liu Su'e and her disciple Xiu Niang sing opera for him, which exhausted him tremendously!
Just after watching a play, with the duo about to massage his shoulders and serve him tea, another urgent news from the main sect arrived.
Leaving Shuimen Bridge, Xu Qing listened to the cawing of crows as he made his way to Underground Street without stopping.
At the end of the street, a flickering silhouette paced back and forth.
Xu Qing stepped forward, yet before he could speak, the man bowed first.
"I am Wang Liang, Duke Zhen of this dynasty, once an acquaintance of your grandfather..."
Xu Qing's brow twitched as he listened further.
"Three days ago, for reasons unknown, my soul departed from my body, unable to return. In that time, the Imperial Physician was at a loss, and when Celestial Master Zhang from the Celestial Master's Mansion came to diagnose, he claimed my fate had reached its endpoint. I sought a solution from the Celestial Master, but to no avail."
"I have trained in martial arts from a young age, and have now reached the pinnacle of my lineage, only a step away from becoming a Celestial Person. But I never imagined this step would be an insurmountable chasm."
"I am unwilling to accept this fate; hence, I am here today to seek a way to resolve my heart's knot from the descendant of an old friend."
Xu Qing responded with a question: "You have risen to the rank of Duke, the highest position among officials, and have lived to the age of ninety-nine. What could you be unwilling to accept?"
"..."
Wang Liang shook his head and replied, "This is not what I desire. If you ask me what regrets I have in this life, there are three."