Chapter 5: The Three Teachings of the World

After the man landed, he slowly turned his body, his gaze sweeping over several dense trees behind him. With a cold snort, he said: "Brother Dao has been following me for a full three hours. Are you planning to continue following me?"

What matters are more important than the position of the Prime Minister of the Northern Han dynasty?

Ye Chen felt puzzled, not understanding why this woman would say such things to him. It should be noted that her words were not mere idle chatter; they clearly contained significant secrets. Ye Chen was very reluctant to hear these secrets, fearing that he might be silenced to prevent him from revealing them. However, since this woman had deliberately spoken them, it was likely that she had some ulterior motive, perhaps even related to the reason why she spared his life instead of killing him.

Three muffled sounds rang out in succession, and Ye Chen felt a dizzying sensation before his eyes. The two figures had already separated, standing about four to five zhang apart, staring intently at each other.

What brings this woman to this desolate and chaotic battlefield

Ye Chen thought to himself, pretending not to understand what the woman was saying. Moreover, he had already been struck by her finger and could not make any sound, so he simply stared out the window.

Meanwhile, in the dock a hundred steps away, the woman gently patted Ye Chen's back once more, then her figure floated up and she nestled into a corner of the cargo hold in the dock.

The two were initially taken aback, clearly not expecting that the treasured item was so close. Immediately, they were overjoyed, and almost simultaneously let out a fierce roar, their figures darting like lightning as they lunged towards the dock where Ye Chen was located

At that moment, a woman beside Ye Chen suddenly extended her right hand and patted him on the back. Ye Chen vaguely felt as if something had been affixed to his back. Then, he saw a yellow incense stick appear in her hand, which she casually inserted into a gap in the wooden planks of the nearby dock. With a casual motion of her right hand, the yellow incense stick was ignited, releasing a nearly invisible stream of yellow smoke.

The woman paid no attention to Ye Chen's reaction; after speaking, she fell silent.

Both of them were initiators of the Yellow Turban Rebellion at that time, differing only in their respective doctrines.

Si Luoyi's eyes sparkled with brilliance as he looked at him without showing any signs of weakness, smiling and saying: "So it is Brother Guo Wuwei, the Prime Minister of the Northern Han Kingdom! I have long heard that Brother Guo is a direct disciple of Master Zhang of the Taiping Sect, secretly manipulating the Northern Han state. I did not expect this legend to be true. However, I did not anticipate that Brother Guo not only possesses the abilities of a Prime Minister but also has such profound skills in Daoism."

Silo Yi's voice echoed along the riverbank: "It seems that you and I share the same objective, both seeking that Daoist treasure, and until now, you have likely gained nothing. Why not come out, my friend? We can share the information we each possess and discuss it together; perhaps we can deduce the location of that Daoist treasure. At that time, we can each rely on our own abilities to compete for it. What do you say?"

On the riverbank outside the window, Si Luoyi and Guo Wuwei exchanged a glance, and simultaneously soared into the air, landing atop two large trees. After ensuring they could see the distant anomalies, both displayed expressions of vigilance, each channeling their Taoist true energy into the jade pendants in their hands

At this point, Guo Wuwei fell silent and turned his gaze towards Si Luoyi

Si Luoyi laughed heartily, his entire robe swelling up, and said loudly: "What is said to be 'first courtesy, then military action,' you, my fellow Daoist, are doing it the other way around, interesting indeed." As he spoke the last sentence, he suddenly soared into the air

It turns out that there are indeed individuals with such remarkable martial arts in this era. This is far more impressive than Li Junhao, the leader of the Southern Gang, whom I encountered at the Eternal City market. Just now, this woman appeared silently behind me, and she must have used the legendary lightness skill. As Ye Chen murmured to himself, his heart sank to the depths. Being in the hands of such a powerful enemy, escaping would be exceedingly difficult

Ye Chen silently exclaimed that it was not good, realizing that something significant was amiss. However, before he could take any action, a sudden flash of white light emanated from his back. Immediately afterward, he felt the jade pendant on his chest suddenly heat up and begin to hum and tremble.

In the dark of night, a white light suddenly appeared in the dock, which had originally been empty a hundred steps away, and was immediately noticed by Si Luoyi and Guo Wuwei, who were always vigilant for any unusual phenomena in the vicinity

In the next moment, a wondrous and extraordinary event occurred

Having been in this world for half a year, Ye Chen has often heard during casual conversations about the religious disputes between the Taiyi Sect and the Taiping Sect, particularly regarding some miraculous Taoist techniques and supernatural powers. However, coming from a society with highly developed science in the future, Ye Chen has always regarded this with skepticism, believing it to be nothing more than the misguided rumors of the common people.

Ye Chen knew that it must be the problem with the yellow scented candle, and then he felt a wave of dizziness, directly fainting and losing consciousness

The newcomer is a person of similar tall stature, but considerably slimmer than Si Luoyi. This individual is dressed in an exceptionally exquisite robe, yet their hairstyle resembles that of a bureaucrat. At this moment, their eyes reveal no concealment of the murderous intent within as they gaze at Si Luoyi

In the south, a sect known as the Taidao has risen, claiming to be a grand synthesis of the Taiping Dao and the Tianshi Dao. According to popular legend, its founder, Chen Jingyuan, has attained divine powers, particularly with the talismans he draws, which are said to summon winds and rain. He is regarded as the foremost Daoist figure in the south and also served as the national master of the Southern Han dynasty, holding a god-like status in the hearts of some folk believers

Siluoyi understood that it was time to reveal some information. With a chuckle, he said: "My situation is quite similar to what Brother Guo has mentioned. This indicates that the legends surrounding this treasure are indeed true; it requires the simultaneous activation of two other treasures to elicit a response from that particular treasure. Therefore, I propose that the two of us take out the treasures we are carrying and activate them at the same time."

However, immediately after, Ye Chen's heart stirred as he recalled the various contemporary information and materials he had collected in the Yongle border city, which included some information regarding the contemporary religious forces.

Guo Wuwei had clearly anticipated Si Luo's proposal. Upon hearing it, he did not speak but merely let out a cold snort and carefully took out a jade pendant from his bosom. Upon seeing this, Si Luo mirrored the action.

Buddhism, which has always had a fateful rivalry with Taoism on Chinese soil, is referred to as the righteous and the evil sects. As far as Ye Chen knows, this is because there were two major Buddhist sects at that time, which, like the Taoist sects of Taiyi and Taiping, also had significant influence and power among the people in various countries, and their impact was profound

Ye Chen subtly observed the shapes of the jade pendants in the hands of the two individuals, and his heart involuntarily trembled. The jade pendants they held appeared to be identical to the pendant hanging around his neck.

However, Buddhism and Taoism are somewhat different. Buddhism exists outside of the orthodox Buddhist sects, and in recent years, a new sect known as Maitreya Buddhism has emerged, with a considerable following, reportedly numbering in the hundreds of thousands. However, it has consistently been regarded as heretical by orthodox Buddhism.

In the north, the Taiping Sect, which venerates Zhang Ling, the founder of the Taishang Xuan Yuan Tianshi Dao, as its ancestor, flourished the most. Similarly, it is said that its leader, Zhang Wumeng, transmitted the Five Thunder Method of Shenxiao to the north. For many years, he has been in fierce conflict with Chen Jingyuan over the position of Taoist succession, with both sides being irreconcilable.

Silo Yi stood leisurely with his hands behind his back on the riverbank, his gaze sweeping back and forth over all the nearby places where someone could be hiding. However, apart from him, no one else appeared.

At that moment, the sweet voice of the woman once again entered Ye Chen's ears, quick and light, saying: "I never expected that for the Tianxing Jade Pendant, Zhang Wumeng would actually abandon the Northern Han forces he had painstakingly built, sending out the cunning and shrewd Guo Wuwei instead."

Both of these Taoist sects claim to be the orthodox representatives of Taoism, said to have been transmitted from the Taiping Dao founded by Zhang Jiao at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Tianshi Dao established by Zhang Ling

Guo Wuwei's sinister laughter echoed outside, drawing the attention of the two individuals. He then said: "Enough with the nonsense, my master has stated that the treasured artifact has re-emerged, and its location is at Yongle Border City. However, Yongle Border City has now been occupied by the Khitan army, transforming it into their rear base. Meanwhile, some of the residents of Yongle Border City have become refugees, fleeing to other places, while others have been captured by the Khitan army, reduced to laborers, serving the Khitan in setting up their encampments."

The two Daoist sects are the Southern Taiji School and the Northern Taiping Sect

In the past decade or so, there has been a saying regarding the religious forces in the land of China: "Daoism has two sects, one in the south and one in the north, while Buddhism has two schools, one orthodox and one heterodox"

On the riverbank stood a burly man dressed in a black robe. Upon seeing this person, for some reason, Ye Chen instinctively knew that he was a formidable character, likely as powerful as the young girl beside him

The two jade pendants emitted a soft hum simultaneously, followed by a gentle sound, and then each shot forth a beam of light, one white and one purple.

Ye Chen felt a stir in his heart, wondering if the person the man spoke of was the woman beside him, but upon further thought, he felt it was not the case. He was intently observing the movements of the burly man when suddenly, the alluring voice of the young girl, intentionally lowered yet filled with temptation, echoed in his ears: "Looking at this burly and fat figure resembling a bear, it should be Si Luoyi, the favored disciple of the Taoist master Chen Jingyuan. I didn't expect Chen Jingyuan to send this bear to search for the Tianxing jade pendant."

Before losing consciousness, he faintly felt as if a great light was emanating from his chest, and it seemed to be a shade of blue, yet more akin to starlight

This information flashed through Ye Chen's mind. He speculated that the woman beside him was most likely affiliated with a Taoist force, but he was unsure whether she belonged to the Taiyi Sect, the Taiping Sect, or perhaps neither. He simply did not expect to encounter her.

Ye Chenxin was in a life-and-death situation, wanting to say something, but the enchantress had made a move on his throat, making it difficult for him to produce any sound. He attempted to escape, but stumbled and fell to the ground, lying back against the boat's side.

In the shadows, Ye Chen was observing the Taoist who had appeared behind him. He noticed that the man's eyes were narrow and long, and combined with the sharp, piercing gaze, they resembled two blades, instilling a sense of dread in those who looked upon them. Upon hearing that this person was actually the Prime Minister of the Northern Han, he thought to himself, isn't the Song Dynasty currently attacking the Northern Han? How could Guo Wuwei, as the Prime Minister of the Northern Han, not remain by the side of the Northern Han Emperor to assist him in defending the country, but instead appear near the desolate town at the border of Yongle?

As soon as the voice fell, a faint sound of wind suddenly arose, and a figure shot out from the crown of a large tree, like a wisp of fine smoke, rushing towards Si Luoyi

Bang bang bang