Chapter 3, The Clash of Immortals

Therefore, the impact of this matter on Xiao Hao is: there is no stepping stone!

The martial arts that are popular in the world today can only be regarded as methods of cultivating qi that were practiced in the past; with the arrival of the end of the Dharma, diligent practice can indeed yield some abilities, but they are far inferior to those of ancient times. However, there is an advantage: the cultivation methods are now widely disseminated across the world, and the various sects are using this approach to select outstanding disciples; this has also provided a path for the vast majority of common people to seek survival

A little bit of luck can elevate a person to great heights! What would happen if one could gather the fortune of the world for oneself? Ascending like a celestial being is truly not a dream!

To become an emperor and unify the world

As for why Xiao Hao insists on sticking to a single path, why must he pursue the imperial road? It's simple; having come to this world with great difficulty, even if he were to die, he would want to do so in a grand and spectacular manner! Others have crossed over and claimed kingship, so he certainly cannot one day meet someone who asks, "Xiao Hao, what have you accomplished?" and respond, "I spent my whole life as a farmer and never even found a wife!"

When turning to the rear, one can see the distant Xiao Family Town, which is also the location of one's hometown

Unlike traditional practices, these spontaneously formed schools of thought emphasize not engaging in direct cultivation, but rather "directly understanding the profound principles of heaven and earth through human effort, and then achieving sanctity on the spot." Another distinction from cultivation is that they do not excessively pursue formidable combat power; in fact, many of them are completely powerless before attaining enlightenment, and they are not exempt from the common human experiences of aging, illness, and death.

Han Sheng and Zhang Yun stood guard beside Xiao Hao, one on the left and the other on the right, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords, their expressions serious. However, occasionally, their glances towards Xiao Hao were filled with subtle admiration. Not to mention anything else, the precious weapons made of refined iron, which are hard to come by outside, were scattered all over the ground here, even the hoes were forged from refined iron. However, they did not dare to take them out yet

The aristocracy, sects, and royal nobility exploit the fortunes of the lower classes to satisfy their own desires. As a result, the poor become poorer, and the rich become richer. It is evident that under such circumstances, no one would be willing to provide a path for the commoners from humble backgrounds to rise. Any talent that emerges must be eliminated! If you do not come to serve us as our subservient, you must perish! What is a genius? It is someone who is inherently endowed with great fortune—this is a panacea for the aristocratic families! Therefore, if you do not pledge your loyalty, I will let you die!

Having been in this world for thirteen years now, I have a fairly good understanding of the general situation. Firstly, this world is filled with many legends, most of which are based on facts. However, due to current limitations and other factors, many things that Xiao Hao knows are somewhat ambiguous.

How does one embark on the path of emperors? Regrettably, there are no words of wisdom to offer guidance. It is said that all beginnings are difficult, and with the *Book of Changes*, Xiao Hao finds himself struggling at the outset. Xiao Hao firmly believes that with his insights and vision, along with a foundational understanding of the celestial texts, once he makes a start, he will undoubtedly carve out a unique path for himself. However, at present, he lacks even the stepping stones, let alone the means to enter the door.

What is different is that after several years of exploration, I finally understood that there is actually half a book of heavenly scriptures in my mind! This book only has the upper half, while the lower half seems to have been violently torn apart, with only the cover displaying a character "天" in the style of golden seal script. The lower half is fragmented, as if it is narrating the cruelty of violence. However, it is regrettable that even with this half of the heavenly scriptures, Xiao Hao is still unable to open it; every day he can only stare blankly at the cover.

At the age of three, Xiao Hao proposed the method of "boiling the sea for salt"; the solubility of sodium chloride does not change dramatically with temperature, and by utilizing this, it is possible to purify table salt in large quantities. Although the method is quite rudimentary, it is the most practical. As a result, the Xiao family amassed great wealth through refined salt. Xiao Hao also became a child prodigy. However, Xiao Shilong, who understood the world well, protected his son very carefully from a young age, ensuring that no rumors reached the outside; after the age of five, Xiao Hao further learned to "hide his light and bide his time," refraining from taking the initiative in any matters.

The early sages of the Nine Streams were quite decisive. Since the world has begun to enter the era of decline, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is destined to dissipate, they chose to abandon spiritual energy altogether and dedicate their entire being to the cultivation of fortune. Therefore, once they attain enlightenment, these individuals possess the ability of "divine communication"! In other words, they can directly acquire supernatural powers

The initiation of practice is said to require a foundation of one hundred days

It is therefore understandable that in the late Shang Dynasty, the "jun" (ruler) was dissatisfied and sought to develop in the direction of the "di" (emperor). As a result, panic spread throughout the world, and the aristocratic families, sects, and vassal states united to destroy the Shang Dynasty, obliterating the legacies of both the royal way and the hegemonic way. Ultimately, this led to the current fragmented state of the Eastern Victory Divine Land, where the aristocratic families and the royal family now stand in equal regard.

These two examples alone illustrate the significance of luck. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it is a means by which the world manipulates all things

It is said that this system of the nine schools should be quite popular as it can lead to divine powers. However, the difficulty lies in the fact that "seeking the heavenly way through human effort is limited by human capacity." Ultimately, very few manage to enter its gates. In the realm of humanity, the paths of forced effort and decline are merely on par with each other.

The inheritance of the nine streams is based on family bloodlines and clans, forming a relatively closed system of transmission. It was already difficult, and this has further led to artificial monopolies. However, there is no alternative; this method of seeking the Dao itself relies on human effort to pursue the heavenly principles. Humans, after all, are inherently selfish! It is not as if cultivation emphasizes a state of tranquility and minimal desires—indeed, this is merely a means to deceive the common people.

As for the location of the heavenly book, it remains unclear and indistinct, seemingly residing in the mind. However, as long as one contemplates it silently, it can be vividly perceived, appearing right before the eyes. Through careful experimentation, Xiao Hao discovered that this heavenly book is visible only to him, while others cannot see it. Yet, as the saying goes, caution brings longevity; Xiao Hao cannot be certain that no one else can see it. Therefore, he remains vigilant—after all, since he himself has arrived in this world, it is possible that there are indeed others who can perceive the heavenly book.

At this moment, however, Xiao Hao's gaze was somewhat vacant, clearly lost in thought. In the distance, the broad Youlong River could be faintly seen, and with the surging waves in the river, the opposite bank was not visible. Amidst the rolling waves, one or two small boats could occasionally be seen fishing. The season had already entered late autumn; although it was not yet cold enough for biting winds, there was a distinct chill in the air.

Someone is blessed with good fortune, encountering noble individuals upon leaving home, winning the lottery with all top prizes, and effortlessly saving a person who turns out to be the President of the country

The three branches of the Daoist tradition are

Cultivation is passed down through sects; it emphasizes spiritual energy and combat power, among other aspects. In the human world, the primary sect is the Daoist school. Naturally, the Daoist tradition spans countless realms and is exceptionally complex

The ancient first king, Shennong, who is also the ancestor of the agricultural families among the nine streams today, was a person who took the cultivation of grains and livestock to the utmost limit; however, in this world, Shennong did not possess medicine; instead, a medical prodigy emerged from Shennong's son

Moreover, there is another important reason: the Heavenly Book! What is the Heavenly Book? There are many interpretations, but at least Xiao Hao believes that the Heavenly Book is the book of the Heavenly Emperor! Well, this guy currently only has half of it! It cannot be opened yet!

Then, Xiao Hao saw streams of golden light falling from the cracks, some landing on the ground transforming into various legendary treasures, some morphing into celestial birds and beasts, and others becoming palaces and mountains; in any case, the entire territory of China was in chaos! Ultimately, there were even streams of purple light cascading down, among which one particularly noticeable stream happened to strike Xiao Hao on the head! After that, it goes without saying, when Xiao Hao awoke again, he found himself in this world!

However, after the Shang Dynasty, for reasons unknown, the world rose up in rebellion against it. Ultimately, after the Shang Dynasty, the realm was fragmented into four parts and five pieces, never to be unified again. To this day, it is said that tens of thousands of generations have passed, and there is no systematic method of recording years here. Furthermore, with the chaos among various states, each has its own era name, resulting in utter confusion.

Domination, on the other hand, is the true rule achieved through the use of force, penal law, and power

I remember when I was running around the streets with my friends, suddenly a crackling sound echoed from the sky, more piercing and grand than lightning, even causing my soul to tremble! Then I saw the sky actually split open, a fissure stretching across the heavens, wide enough to be half the size of a city, revealing a place reminiscent of a legendary celestial court. ... After that, I heard someone say, "Old Sun, my soul has been freed, I will smash your Lingxiao Palace;" followed by various noisy sounds; then a dignified voice roared: "Monkey Head, you actually destroyed the Heavenly Book, heaven and earth cannot tolerate this..."

Overall, it can be said that the world today is somewhat clearly divided into three parts. This so-called division is not one of fragmentation, but rather of the transmission of the Dao. This division has arisen because, prior to the era of the Three Sovereigns in ancient times, the world began to gradually transition into the age of decline. During this process, spiritual energy began to wane, and one of the world's fundamental sources, known as "Qi Yun" or "Fortune," began to manifest. However, since Qi Yun can be referred to as a fundamental source, it is understandable that it is indeed elusive. During this process, spiritual energy began to wane, and one of the world's fundamental sources, known as "Qi Yun" or "Fortune," began to manifest. However, since Qi Yun can be referred to as a fundamental source, it is understandable that it is indeed elusive

Indeed, Xiao Hao sighed inwardly, realizing that the reason he could see so far was that this world was surprisingly flat! At the very least, what he knew at this moment was that it was approximately flat!

First, there is the traditional method of cultivation, known as practice, which ultimately leads to ascension. However, before the Three Kings, the world began to enter the era of decline, and the spiritual energy in the world started to dissipate, leading to a gradual decline in cultivation. As a result, today, cultivators can only confine themselves to deep mountains, referring to themselves as hermits. Of course, this is a modest way of speaking, as a starving camel is still larger than a horse; cultivation remains significant and cannot be overlooked. Yet, the decline of cultivation is also evident to everyone. Of course, this is a modest way of speaking, as a starving camel is still larger than a horse; cultivation remains significant and cannot be overlooked. Yet, the decline of cultivation is also evident to everyone.

Among the common people, those who have become wealthy can only be referred to as "humble origins," as they do not enter the ruling class! To put it bluntly, you are merely the frog prince among a group of toads, still food for the predators!

Far away, Xiao Hao, unaware of the situation, has inadvertently hit the mark! He was only focused on resolving his troubles, not realizing that he had truly spoken the truth, ruining someone else's opportunity! That prime minister was indeed setting up a formation, preparing to seize the fortune of the Great Li royal court's three thousand miles of territory!

However, being part of the ruling class is merely a facade; in reality, there are deeper reasons, which is the concept of "Qi Yun"! This is also a conclusion drawn by Xiao Hao over the years

Some say that there are many origins in the universe, but the most abundant, the most easily regenerated, and the most important is fortune! Spiritual energy is like the silt on the surface of fortune. Now that spiritual energy has been exhausted, fortune is revealed! Of course, the world of the end of the Dharma is also slowly and gradually approaching! However, there are rumors that before the true arrival of the world of the end of the Dharma, there will be a "return of light" in the era that is about to pass!

Before discussing fate, it is necessary to mention "luck"

With this sentence, along with other phrases, Xiao Hao, based on his "past" experiences and over a decade of learning and understanding from books about this world, has formed his own conjectures.

There are also those who are unfortunate, getting hit by a car when they step outside, only to fall into an abyss, where beneath the abyss lies a decaying dove...

Moreover, this world has already become a half-end-of-law world, or it can be said that it is in the transition from the cultivation world to the end-of-law world. Seeing that there is no hope for cultivation, one can only find a way to gather the fortune of the world to oneself, and then make a breakthrough!

The last type is the Royal Meteorology. However, Royal Meteorology has now declined, and the world is fragmented, no, it should be said to be shattered! Moreover, there are almost no written records regarding Royal Meteorology, and even oral transmission is scarce. Such a situation has certainly caught Xiao Hao's attention

After seven or eight years of repeated verification and extensive reading, I have finally found some clues. At least, this is how Xiao Hao perceives it: In the later period of the Shang Dynasty, the royal family was no longer satisfied with the "Way of Kings" and began to shift towards the "Way of Hegemony"; however, the aristocratic families and sects were unwilling to see such a situation occur, and thus united to overthrow the Shang Dynasty at that time

The scholar enters the door, and there is a saying about the hardships of studying by the cold window

And every time he stands here, Xiao Hao cannot help but think of his former self in another world! It is said that his arrival in this world is a reflection of a saying: When immortals fight, mortals suffer!

And great fortune is simply luck

In ancient times, the second king Cangjie, the invention of writing was undoubtedly a hallmark of civilization reaching maturity and completeness. Therefore, it is widely believed that Cangjie had the功 of "stealing the heavens".

However, if commoners are exceptionally talented, they can enter these families or serve as officials through examinations similar to the imperial examinations conducted by various families and royal families. They may not hold official positions initially, but through several generations of hard work, they can ultimately become part of the gentry. Yet, this path is arduous! One can easily understand that if this path were smooth, how could it still be called the ruling class?

But why do the aristocratic families, sects, and feudal lords unite to destroy the royal way and the hegemonic way? It is, of course, because the most effective method of gathering fortune in the world generally has only one: a family-ruled state

However, luck is ultimately limited; even if it can be regenerated, it will never surpass human greed! Human desire is ultimately infinite

In order to uncover the reasons behind this, Xiao Hao perused a vast number of books and even went into the community to collect various folk tales; ultimately, in a damaged novel, Xiao Hao came across the following phrases: "The path of the weak king obstructs the path of the tyrant; burn the book of the emperor, sever the path of the sovereign"

However, in general, Xiao Hao also made a summary. Firstly, this is no longer Earth, and some knowledge about Earth, especially knowledge related to the universe and the starry sky, is somewhat inappropriate here. Secondly, the current world should be a corner of a world mentioned in the local legends of the Three Thousand Three Hundred Great Worlds, known as Dongsheng Shenzhou. However, after verification, Xiao Hao understood that this is not the world from "Journey to the West"; it is merely a case of having the same name. Furthermore, the current world should be a corner of a world mentioned in the local legends of the Three Thousand Three Hundred Great Worlds, known as Dongsheng Shenzhou. However, after verification, Xiao Hao understood that this is not the world from "Journey to the West"; it is merely a case of having the same name.

This gradually formed the current ruling class: kings and feudal lords (which should actually be considered minor kings), nobles and gentry (the latter two are mostly aristocratic families, with nobles being the direct descendants and gentry being the collateral branches), followed by the commoners. Below the commoners, of course, are the slaves; however, slaves have largely disappeared today, replaced by those labeled as "low-status individuals," such as songstresses and courtesans.

Looking to the left, one can see the towering Goddess Peak, which is the highest peak of the Great Li Royal Court; surrounding it, the undulating mountain ridges extend like two wings.

Secondly, the Three Sovereigns began a system that was spontaneously formed by humanity, as people sought the truth of heaven, earth, and humanity. This led to a hundred schools of thought contending with one another, ultimately converging into what is now known as the Nine Streams: Confucianism, the Miscellaneous School, Mohism, Legalism, the School of Names, Agrarianism, Militarism, Medicine, and the School of Diplomacy. The remaining schools are merely marginal and do not constitute a significant presence.

Thus, it is understandable that the aristocracy and the powerful joined forces to destroy the imperial texts! If a figure akin to Qin Shi Huang were to emerge in this world, everyone would be left to fend for themselves! Therefore, for the sake of their own futures, they could only unite to obliterate the prosperous Shang Dynasty! Consequently, this Shang Dynasty, which was preparing to transition towards a tyrannical imperial path, left not even a single word behind.

Additionally, this world is filled with various ancient legends, yet there are no Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors; instead, there is only the ancient Three Kings. Following the Three Kings, the Xia Dynasty and the Shang Dynasty emerged

And if you turn your head slightly to the right, you will faintly see a deep blue ribbon at the horizon merging with the white clouds; that is the ocean

During this period, Xiao Hao often stood quietly in the mountains, gazing into the distance, with an exceptionally unique valley behind him. The uniqueness of this valley lies in the fact that it has been arranged by Xiao Hao since he was 5 years old. To be honest, it contains almost all "basic" elements, such as paper, carbon steel, printing technology, gunpowder, and some fundamentals of mathematics and physics. The foundation here remains weak, but at least it can be considered as having sown the seeds. ... To be honest, it contains almost all "basic" elements, such as paper, carbon steel, printing technology, gunpowder, and some fundamentals of mathematics and physics. The foundation here remains weak, but at least it can be considered as having sown the seeds. ... It is indeed somewhat embarrassing for Earthlings to come to another world without showing their skills, isn't it

In ancient times, the third king, Xia Qi, unified the Eastern Victory Divine Continent for the first time, establishing a unified great dynasty: the Xia; it was a dynasty rather than an empire; it ruled the Divine Continent for a thousand years. Afterward, the Xia declined and the Shang rose, ruling the Eastern Victory Divine Continent for eight hundred years

The so-called "royal way" refers to the governance of the world by a monarch through benevolence and righteousness, using virtuous policies to pacify the subjects, harmonizing the various regions, and coordinating with all nations; in other words, the royal way can only achieve nominal unity; for everything else, you must ensure the inheritance of their traditions and governance, and you cannot interfere, only express your admiration. Moreover, when others encounter issues, you must promptly address them