Pei Xuanjing was fully invested in making this plan successful. The reason wasn't only for gaining experience for ascending to the Immortal Realm in the future, but he thought there was a much more critical point.
He wondered if he could use these base points to connect, using the power of Incense Faith to construct a real Divine Kingdom?
Since his current approach resembled the internet of his previous world, could he develop a second virtual world, constructing a genuine Divine Kingdom?
Once such a Divine Kingdom was established, it would be like a new world for the martial artists of this world. They would enter it mentally, like surfing the internet in his previous life, and cultivate and exchange ideas in the Divine Kingdom.
Of course, the benefits didn't end there. Suppose he could build a Divine Kingdom. In that case, it would signify that Pei Xuanjing had taken full control of the world, and he would be the true god in this world, possessing supreme authority. Provided this Divine Kingdom was not destroyed, would it mean that Pei Xuanjing could live forever?
The conjectures might seem outlandish, but they were not groundless. At least Pei Xuanjing thought it was a feasible method.
Throughout ancient times, numerous powerhouses attempted various methods in search of the path to immortality, similar to the formation of those Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands. If those at the peak of cultivation in the Spirit Realm knew about Pei Xuanjing's idea, they would not mock him. Instead, they would be keen to follow, even crazily so.
As Pei Xuanjing pondered his plan, he preached to the powerful individuals there to compete for the positions of instructors at his Taoist Academy branch.
He had been preaching for over twenty days. According to the promised three lectures, each lasting over a month, the first was almost complete. However, it was unclear how much these people gained during this period, excluding themselves.
Initially, when the Taoist Academy in Tiandu was established, the instructors' realms varied, but none below par. Since these instructors gained a lot from the Academy over the years, the position was now highly sought after.
Therefore, when Pei Xuanjing intended to establish branches of the Taoist Academy and recruit instructors for these branches, the martial artist cultivators who confidently came forward were no pushovers. The weakest were in the Second-Class Martial Arts Realm and some powerful ones had already reached the Spirit Realm's Second Layer.
Although Pei Xuanjing didn't make any demands while recruiting instructors, the fierce competition naturally eliminated a number of individuals. All those who remained were contenders. Even the weakest, stuck at Second-Class Martial Arts realm, excelled in some aspect. They either possessed extraordinary combat power or exceptional comprehension ability. In other words, no mediocrity remained.
Despite this, even after so many individuals were eliminated through internal competition, nearly 10,000 individuals qualified to listen to Pei Xuanjing's preaching, reflecting the intensity of the competition.
Pei Xuanjing calmly discussed his understanding and awareness of cultivation. Although he did not speak loudly, his words clearly reached everyone around him.
It had been over twenty days. Pei Xuanjing started with simple topics and gradually moved to more complex ones. Now he was discussing the cultivation methods at the peak of the Mortal Realm, i.e., the First-grade Martial Artist Realm.
Fortunately, even the weakest among them were Second-Class Martial Artists. Although some found it challenging, they did understand. To them, it was, undoubtedly, an opportunity of a lifetime. Many Independent Practitioners might have fortuitously stepped into the Second-Class Martial Arts Realm, but their understanding of their Dao came from random bits and pieces and was not very profound. The things that Pei Xuanjing was talking about were like timely rain for them.
"So, there's so much to know about the First-Class Martial Arts Realm. I regret breaking through early and not having a solid foundation. I can only look forward to the Master's next lecture on the Spirit Realm cultivation method and see if there is any way to remedy it," a cultivator in the Spirit Realm thought.
They used to think that being in the Spirit Realm meant that cultivation methods from the Mortal Martial Details were no longer useful to them. Many wouldn't have considered listening seriously if they had not needed to obtain contribution points from grasping the essence of the preaching.
However, they were startled when they listened. After hearing Pei Xuanjing's exposition on Mortal Martial details, they realized that although they had reached the Spirit Realm, it was merely due to chance; their understanding of many things was still incomplete and lacking.
Therefore, even though they had reached the Spirit Realm, it wasn't necessarily beneficial. Their foundation was not robust enough. It might affect their future cultivation journey.
This sudden fear quickly spread among many cultivators in the Spirit Realm. Even if they knew they might not have the chance to reach the peak of cultivation in the future, no one, due to an inherent instinct, would want to make the same mistakes knowing the problems with their foundations. They would rather attempt to fix the issues.
Many people were now waiting for the next lecture. They hoped the Headmaster would give them guidance during his discussion of the initial practice methods of the Spirit Realm on how to strengthen their foundation.
After all, the Headmaster was not just anyone. He was the well-known Pei Xuanjing, the only saint in the world, who was the one to resolve the age-old problem of fake grandmaster cultivators.
Lecture by a Sixth Level powerhouse of the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm was a rare opportunity, even in the Sky Wasteland. Even the lectures given by these strong individuals in Sky Wasteland were mostly for their own disciples, and they would definitely not impart teachings to many people so generously.
So, among those participating in the competition to become instructors at the Taoist Academy, besides the powerhouses from the Daming World, there were also some cultivators who had returned from the Sky Wasteland hidden amongst them. Everyone had the idea to blend into the crowd. They wanted to take the opportunity to see what kind of tactics Pei Xuanjing was planning for the Taoist Academy, and if they could receive teachings from a powerhouse of the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm, it would undoubtedly be a win-win situation.
As for their presence, Pei Xuanjing had already anticipated it and was neither surprised nor repelled. Instead, he didn't deliberately investigate their identities and allowed them to hide.
Nothing can be extreme. Pei Xuanjing has shown his majesty and declared his rules to everyone, so he also needed to show some attitude to tell them that he is not always against them. As long as they do not disturb the situation, he can tolerate their stay in the Daming World.
"I wonder how many people the dean is prepared to select from these individuals, and if there are any he particularly favors?" Qingyang Zi asked as he and Pei Xuanjing strolled leisurely around the Taoist Academy.
As the deputy dean of the Taoist Academy, Qingyang Zi was actually the person in charge of managing the institution. Pei Xuanjing hardly concerned himself with these affairs, leaving many decisions and responsibilities to Qingyang Zi.
For example, the construction of numerous branches of the Taoist Academy was a monumentally complex task. Given the vast territory of the Great Ming Dynasty, brimming with numerous prefectures and counties, and the addition of territories outside the border, the infrastructure needed to be set up in many more areas.
Currently, the Taoist Academy was short-staffed, making it practically impossible to build outposts in every town and city in one go.
So, according to his reasoning, they should start constructing branches in populous cities within various prefectures, and create an overall framework, then proceed with other matters.
Regardless, he did require from Pei Xuanjing an estimate of the number of potential candidates, a number that would allow him to make necessary adjustments and ensure the completeness of the plan, minimizing unexpected occurrences.
In terms of favored individuals among the potential candidates, he needed to establish some connections early on, investigate their backgrounds, and consider their suitability.
Pei Xuanjing responded with a smile: "The number of successful candidates depends not on me, but on them. As for favoring anyone, it's still too early to say."
He didn't particularly care how many individuals were selected this time, believing that it depended on the insights these people had gained.
Pei Xuanjing always thought that waste was just a resource in the wrong place. This was certainly true for the martial artists and cultivators who came to hear him speak; they might have flaws in character, but for sure they were not incompetent people.
Therefore, as long as these individuals could show sufficient ability, he might not need to eliminate anyone. After all, there were many instructors and deans needed for the branches of the Taoist Academy he intended to build. Even if he took all the current candidates, it wouldn't feel excessive.
As for whom he favored, given the huge number of people, gaining a deep understanding of everyone in a short period of time could be challenging for others, but not for Pei Xuanjing with his immense spiritual power. Even a cursory glance would give him some basic understanding of these candidates.
He didn't give a direct answer for a simple reason: it was still early, and his opinions might strongly influence Qingyang Zi, potentially introducing bias into the selection – something he wanted to avoid.
Based on his status and influence, even if he did not express his preference explicitly, a slight change in his demeanor could spark many reactions. While Qingyang Zi might be able to remain impartial, the same could not be guaranteed for the people involved in the selection. They might veer off fair practices in an attempt to cater to his perceived preferences.
"The Dean's magnanimity is our luck," said Qingyang Zi with a sigh once he comprehended Pei Xuanjing's intention.
While many people often demand fairness, most only desire to be the recipients of special preference. It is only when they cannot enjoy such privileges that they yearn for fairness.
Such a stance adopted by Pei Xuanjing was highly beneficial for the selectors as well as Qingyang Zi.
After all, if Pei Xuanjing were to break this impartiality, how then could Qingyang Zi, as the administrator, face his subordinates and demand them to maintain fairness?
Pei Xuanjing chuckled, "You make it sound more grandiose than it is. You're flattering me."
In his former life, he was an ordinary person who had missed out on opportunities because the selectors favored the competitors. Now, as a selector himself, he strived to maintain a semblance of fairness, even if it might never be absolute.
Qingyang Zi laughed but did not refute, still believing that Pei Xuanjing's action was exemplary.
During their stroll, they suddenly noticed Pei Xuanjing's cheerful expression becoming somber, a touch of anger creeping onto his face.
"Dean, what happened?" Qingyang Zi inquired.
Pei Xuanjing had looked happy during their conversation, and the sudden shift in his mood suggested something had upset him.
Given Pei Xuanjing's current status and disposition, he would normally shrug off many issues. So, it was apparent that whatever had upset him this time was no small matter, especially when he did not even bother to veil his anger.
However, the frown that had appeared on Pei Xuanjing's face disappeared after a moment. He resumed his bright smile, commenting nonchalantly: "Pang Hong encountered some trouble. A disruption occurred that required my spiritual consciousness to intervene."
As Pei Xuanjing's direct disciple and having a matchless master, Pang Hong might not be the best in this world, but he was quite safe since nobody dared to harm him easily.
Nevertheless, Pei Xuanjing still cared a great deal about this disciple. He left some life-saving objects with Pang Hong, which could be triggered when he faced danger and it would summon Pei Xuanjing's spiritual consciousness.
Hisss!
On hearing this, Qingyang Zi took a sharp intake of breath. Witnessing Pei Xuanjing's tranquil demeanor did not ease his anxiety, but instead aroused a sense of alarm within him.
He knew what Pang Hong had been up to lately, and the fact that the latter faced danger that required Pei Xuanjing's intervention indicated a serious matter. Surely, it would cause a shockwave once the news broke out.
It seemed like someone was in deep trouble!
That was the first thought that crossed Qingyang Zi's mind.
After all, Pei Xuanjing, an unmatched cultivator of the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm, had not intervened in any matter for many years. Now that he had, it was bound to cause a sensation.
...
Pang Hong stared coldly at the person standing in front of him. At this moment, he looked nothing like the cooly composed deputy chief of the Shenxiao Sect. His clothes were tattered, his hair disheveled, he clutched a divine sword in his hand, and a trickle of blood dripped down from the corner of his mouth.
Master is busy; the disciple bears the burden.
With Pei Xuanjing's current status, he rarely interfered directly. Mostly, he left it to his disciples and subordinates to execute his decisions.
When Pei Xuanjing announced the rule forbidding spiritual beings from harming commoners and martial artists, the Shenxiao Sect and the strong organizations of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty were tasked with overseeing the enforcement of this rule.
Not long ago, Pang Hong received news that some strong beings from the Sky Wasteland had slaughtered martial artists in a forbidden, blessed place in an attempt to seize treasures. So, he led a team to investigate.
"What terrible luck!"
This was the only thought in Zuo Qiuhanyan's heart.
Zuo Qiuhanyan was born into a minor force of the Demonic Way in the Sky Wasteland. Eventually, the force he belonged to was wiped out by others, leaving him as the sole survivor.
However, even though he escaped death, Zuo Qiuhanyan had no idea of avenging his people.
After all, the Demonic Way is fundamentally different from the Righteous Path. The Demonic Way is inherently oppressive. Zuo Qiuhanyan was humiliated by others in his own force. If it hadn't been for his fear of the powerful people within the force, he would have escaped earlier.
Now that his force had been destroyed, it felt more like a release from bondage. He was more comfortable than ever before.
Utilizing the skills he obtained while fleeing, Zuo Qiuhanyan became an average independent practitioner, mingling in the Demonic Way. Through hundreds of years of cultivation, he managed to fortuitously step into the Sixth Level of the Spirit Realm, placing him second only to those who had reached the Sixth Level. Although he couldn't act recklessly, his life was pretty decent as long as he didn't offend the strong. He could rule a region and indulge himself.
However, fate is often unpredictable. Just a few years after finally working his way up, Zuo Qiuhanyan, who hadn't yet had the chance to enjoy himself, made enemies with a Righteous Path cultivator over a treasure.
Although he defeated his enemy thanks to his superior skills, he still let his opponent escape.
After the man escaped, he called upon the experts of his sect for revenge. Several Sixth Level Spirit Realm experts chased after Zuo Qiuhanyan. With no way out, he ended up in a desperate situation, unexpectedly returning to the legendary Ancestral Land by chance.
However, despite surviving once again, Zuo Qiuhanyan was in poor condition. He had been severely injured by multiple adversaries of the same realm, and his power was greatly reduced after returning to the ancestral land and being rejected by its will. He could only muster less than one hundredth of his previous power, barely equivalent to the combat power of someone in the Second Layer of the Spirit Realm.
Fortunately, the revival of Heaven and Earth didn't last long. His combat power at the Spirit Realm Second Layer still ranked him among the top. As long as he didn't encounter unbeatable opponents like Pei Xuanjing or giants like Xue Wuheng and Zhao Baiyang, ordinary martial artists were no match for him.
During this time, Zuo Qiuhanyan had been focusing on healing his injuries. However, his injuries were indeed severe. If he wanted to recover quickly, he would need some rare spiritual medicine. Even though the ancestral land had awakened and had brought forth countless spiritual medicines and rare treasures, it wasn't as if these were as common as cabbages on a street. At least not for a stranger like him to easily find.
Therefore, Zuo Qiuhanyan focused on Forbidden Places and Blessed Lands. With his power, there was hardly anyone who could resist him when he entered these places. The Forbidden Places and Blessed Lands he entered were ownerless. He didn't even attempt to touch those that were forbidden and claimed by major forces.
"I don't understand. Are the lives of some martial artists so valuable that they are worth you doing this? Can their value exceed mine to the point where you have to confront me to death?" Zuo Qiuhanyan looked at Pang Hong coldly, his eyes filled with confusion and incomprehension: "You should know that in the Sky Wasteland, even the major Righteous Path sects wouldn't pick a fight with me over such matters."
He, who was born into the Demonic Way, acted ruthlessly and decisively. He killed without mercy those who dared to fight him.
Although he had heard of the rules laid down by Pei Xuanjing, Zuo Qiuhanyan didn't take them too seriously. To Zuo Qiuhanyan, who had crawled his way up in the harsh Law of the Jungle in the Sky Wasteland, this was nothing. Those people were just asking for death.
In his opinion, Pei Xuanjing, like those of the Righteous Path in the Sky Wasteland, was just trying to purchase people's affection and establish a good reputation. He would not actually take action. As long as he didn't antagonize the Taoist School and didn't intentionally provoke them, they wouldn't bother him.
But what Zuo Qiuhanyan didn't expect was that these people were actually serious. The moment he had finished plundering from a Forbidden Place and stepped out, he was ambushed.
"Regardless of how things work in the Sky Wasteland, in this world, since my master has set the rules, you all can only comply. Those who willfully reject wisdom will inevitably face punishment." Pang Hong's stance was resolute.
Zuo Qiuhanyan was not the first person Pang Hong had met from the Sky Wasteland who, even after hearing about Pei Xuanjing's rules, dared to ignore them. Each had their own justification, each had their own backing.
However, Pang Hong was decisive. No matter what thoughts or reasons you have, if you defy the rules set by our master, you will have to pay the price.
Those in the past who did not measure up were captured by Pang Hong. The unforgivable ones were immediately executed by Pang Hong on the spot – his attitude would not waver even slightly.
"A mere cultivator at the Spirit Realm Second Layer, had you not been sheltered by Pei Xuanjing behind you, you wouldn't even have the right to speak on equal terms with me." Zuo Qiuhanyan said disdainfully.
As a practitioner at the Spirit Realm Sixth Level, even in the Sky Wasteland where the strong abound, he considered himself a formidable elite. In his eyes, a cultivator at the Spirit Realm Second Layer was only slightly stronger than an ant.
What he was wary of was the peerless Pei Xuanjing, who had reached the Seventh Level of the Spirit Realm Sixth Level, the national mentor of the Great Ming, the head of the Shenxiao Sect, and the leader of the Taoist schools.
Were it not for him, the present Pang Hong would have no right to speak on equal terms with him, even though he had not yet regained his peak strength.
The two clashed after a disagreement.
At this moment, although Zuo Qiuhanyan had not yet fully recovered to the peak level, he didn't think Pang Hong was worth mentioning at all. He was confident he could suppress him with a flip of his hand, even if Pang Hong potentially had some ace up his sleeve left by the peerless power, Pei Xuanjing.
Unfortunately, for him, Pang Hong's combat power far exceeded his expectations.
As the only direct disciple of the peerless Pei Xuanjing, the training that Pang Hong received was far beyond his imagination. Apart from cultivating Pei Xuanjing's Mysterious Skill, Pang Hong had also received inheritance from a Blessed Land in a Forbidden Place. Later, he received the genuine inheritance from the Shenxiao Sect's Forbidden Place. Any of these would be an unattainable inheritance to many, but all of these were gifted to Pang Hong for his cultivation.
One could say that although Pang Hong was only at the Spirit Realm Second Layer, his actual combat power was much more. He might not even lose if he were to challenge a cultivator at the Spirit Realm Third Level.
More importantly, he was holding the Shenxiao Sword. This divine sword was initially forged by Pei Xuanjing from Purple Lightning Divine Gold and the spear from Ying Zhong of the Great River old country, alloyed with countless Mysterious Iron and crafted as a cooperative effort by the masters at Tiangong Workshop.
Originally, this divine sword was cast for Pei Xuanjing himself. But after it was successfully forged, he had already broken through to the Seventh Level of the Spirit Realm, and thereby, had learned how to forge divine weapons using the Power of Incense Fire. So, he gave up this divine sword, temporarily bestowing it on Pang Hong, his sect's head, as his personal sword.
It could be said that now, with the Shenxiao Sword in his hand, Pang Hong was an unparalleled warrior who even had the ability to fight a cultivator at the Fourth Level of the Spirit Realm. This was the reason why Pei Xuanjing was confident in assigning Pang Hong to deal with the matter.
Before he met Zuo Qiuhanyan, many had already fallen to his sword, including a cultivator at the Fourth Level of the Spirit Realm. So, this was the reason why Pang Hong dared to confront Zuo Qiuhanyan in the first place.
Of course, Pang Hong could never have imagined that the man before him was not only a Fifth Level practitioner, but also a peak cultivator at the Sixth Level of the Spirit Realm.