I am a living immortal.

The news that was spread quickly spread throughout the world.

The news that the Han Dynasty was about to take action against Buddhism and Taoism spread like wildfire. Furthermore, the Han Emperor had appointed a national preceptor to handle the matter. This was a devastating event for the entire Han Dynasty, stirring up an unimaginable uproar.

The big man was very lively for a while.

All eyes were focused on Heming Mountain, the ancestral home of Taoism, and the Lotus Buddha Kingdom, the main Buddhist temple. They all wanted to see what the attitudes of the leaders of these two religions were.

Surprisingly, however, these two religious leaders showed little reaction, seemingly oblivious to the situation. Did they truly not know? Did they truly not care? Not necessarily.

……

Heming Mountain, Xuantian Alliance.

Heming Mountain is an unremarkable peak. Although it is majestic, it is only in relative terms. However, this mountain is special because it is based on the number nine, which corresponds to the great number of heaven, and is also the ancestral home of Taoism.

On top of Heming Mountain is the Xuantian League, which is built against the mountain and contains the Eight Trigrams, the Big Dipper, the Zodiac, and is embedded with mathematical mysteries.

Yet, even in such a quiet place, the air was filled with anxiety. Inside the main hall, Alliance Leader Zhang Yan sat on the upper floor, watching the heated argument unfold below.

Some were hot-tempered and would rather die than obey, some tried to persuade them peacefully with kind words, and some said they would wait and see after the so-called national teacher arrived.

For a moment, the hall was in chaos, even the calming incense couldn't soothe the restlessness within. Why? Because this time, their opponent was the Han Dynasty. If it were any other force, even the Lotus Buddha Kingdom, the Xuantian Alliance wouldn't be afraid. They would simply sip their fragrant tea and discuss countermeasures, taking whatever they needed to do, without rushing or getting impatient, following their heart's desire.

That's because they knew that regardless of victory or defeat, the Xuantian League was still the Xuantian League. But the Han Dynasty was different. It could truly uproot the Xuantian League, the ancestral home of Taoism, and flatten it. In the Han Dynasty, no matter who you were, to offend the Han Dynasty was to offend Heaven.

No matter how powerful you are, there is nowhere to escape.

Escape, where to? The ancestral temple is here. This is why Taoism and Buddhism have been increasingly low-key lately. But even if they are low-key, they are still the leaders, bearing the brunt of the consequences.

A group of Taoist priests were jumping up and down in panic. This time it was really a moment of life and death.

"Quiet!" Zhang Yan sighed and stopped the quarreling among the group of people.

Everyone turned their gaze over and fell silent in an instant, as if they had found their backbone.

Seeing that everyone was quiet, Zhang Yan asked, "Is this news accurate?"

"Accurate! Whether it's in the court or among the people, it's basically being spread. The emperor has also spoken. There's no smoke without fire. This matter is almost certainly true." A Taoist priest with white hair and a youthful face stood up and said. He was one of the few who remained calm.

"So why now?" Finding impatience was futile, the Taoists forced themselves to calm down and search for the root cause. Everything has a reason, and the key question was why the imperial court chose this moment to take action against Taoism and Buddhism.

"Because of a prophecy."

"Yes, the Chief of the Astronomical Supervision Department once said that when an extraordinary person appears, the country will change."

"I believe you all know that the incident of the star falling into the wilderness some time ago was an omen. And that strange man was given full authority to handle this matter and was appointed as the national teacher. The court must have seen some kind of changes from that strange man. Not only the two sects, but also the Zhenbei Army and the Zhennan Army have shown unusual movements." Another blind Taoist looked up and said.

"Xiongnu, Baiyue?"

"It seems you're not stupid. This time, it's not just us they're targeting. The entire court is being reorganized. Externally, it's the Xiongnu and the Baiyue, and internally, it's you and me. We're all unnecessary elements in the Han Dynasty's eyes, that's all. Now that you know this, what can you do?"

"There are only two choices: be tough and fight to the death with the imperial court, or surrender with the entire Taoist sect. That's it."

"The Han people of today are no longer the Han people they were a hundred years ago. Think carefully about the consequences and think twice before you act." The blind Taoist priest yawned with lifeless eyes and continued tauntingly, "I see, you've been flattered to the point of losing your bearings. Even a blind man like me can't grasp such a simple truth."

"What are you worried about? The ancestral temple, or your own status, wealth and glory? Only you know."

Among those present, only a few people remained calm, and these few people also saw things most clearly.

However, such people are a minority after all, and they will not suddenly realize something because of a few sober words, otherwise they would not be arguing here.

It's just that I can't bear to let go.

"You, you... How can you boost others' ambitions and destroy your own prestige? Taoism has lasted for thousands of years, how can you be the imperial court's lackeys? Our century-old foundation has been destroyed by you and me, you... you..."

I don’t know if they were angry out of shame or really mad, but many Taoists pointed with red faces.

It looked like there was going to be a fight again.

Zhang Yan watched coldly, his eyes filled with fatigue. This was far more tiring than his earlier days of exorcising demons and monsters. He was now over a hundred years old, and no longer possessed the ambition he had once possessed. Now, he simply wanted to preserve this legacy.

However, the opposite happened. While those who were clear-headed spoke the truth, Zhang Yan felt it was too indifferent. While those who were enraged felt a strong sense of identity with the Xuantian Alliance, this identification was simply because it brought them benefits and status. Furthermore, these people were foolish and unable to see the situation clearly. They thought that resisting the Han court might kill them faster than killing themselves.

Those who both agreed and saw clearly were now silent, for they had no recourse but to respond with silence. This was simply unsolvable. If it were the time of the previous emperor, there would be some recourse.

Back then, the Xuantian League was at its peak, while the Han Dynasty was far from being as powerful. But the timing was wrong; the Han Dynasty was now at its peak. Consider Taoism today: despite Zhang Yan's oppression, it remained the leader. However, those sober and intelligent individuals, with their divine hearts, had become alienated from the Xuantian League.

Actually, this is understandable. After all, who would abandon their own sect for no reason? These were once the best, but what happened to them now? An old blind man, a young man with white hair, and an alcoholic.

What about them? The old blind man had a plan that was perfect.

The young man with white hair was once the leader of the younger generation. And the drunkard, even in his downfall, was still a sword master.

These people had fought bravely for the sect, yet in the end, they didn't receive the treatment they deserved. Why? Because Zhang Yan, despite his formidable strength and courage, wasn't suited to be the leader. He became leader simply because his surname was Zhang.