On the final day of his stay at the Taiping Temple, Xu Qing engaged in discussions with Zhang Pingsheng for over a week, gaining much from the experience.
Both Zhengyi Dao and the Five Elders Temple possess orthodox Taoist traditions, but while the practice at the Five Elders Temple leans toward tranquility, Zhengyi Dao leans toward action, favoring demon hunting and protecting the Tao, as well as controlling rain and sunshine.
In times of chaos, they are also willing to sacrifice themselves by entering the world to save people from disaster.
If not for the near annihilation of Zhengyi Dao, Zhang Pingsheng might have already embarked on the path of demon hunting and safeguarding the Tao.
"Are you going to the Celestial Master's Mansion?"
Zhang Pingsheng frowned.
Xu Qing nodded and said, "I mentioned before, I've had some connection with the Celestial Master's Mansion."
"However, it's not a good connection."
"Even if I hadn't met Daoist Zhang, I would still make a trip to the Celestial Master's Mansion."
From his discussions with Zhang Pingsheng over these days, Xu Qing already had a clear understanding of the Celestial Masters.
Before this, he wasn't confident about extinguishing all the shadows of the Elder Celestial Master at once.
If he startled the opponent, releasing a Celestial Master with skills not inferior to the Primordial Spirit True Man, Xu Qing wasn't afraid of revenge, but the Immortals outside the various halls would have to be concerned.
But now that Xu Qing learned the secret of the shadow division technique from Zhang Pingsheng, it was as if he held the opponent's lifeline. When he went to the Capital City now, the situation would be drastically different!
"Do you really have a method to deal with it?"
Zhang Pingsheng racked his brains but couldn't think of a countermeasure.
Besides being adept at using magic for the Tao and rescuing the world, the Celestial Master's Mansion frequently performs actions to stabilize the nation.
The initial Celestial Master's Mansion was seen by the people as a national religion that protected all beings.
But now, besides stealing the nation's fate and attempting to enjoy everlasting power, the Mansion has lost its original purpose.
For instance, when the current emperor went north and then south, the Celestial Master urged his disciples to assist Emperor Zhu under the pretext of aiding a wise ruler in overthrowing the previous regime. After their success, the Celestial Master's Mansion widely publicized their achievements, and officials like those at the Honglu Temple and the Directorate of Ceremonies, who have always been in cahoots with the Mansion, also openly and secretly supported the Mansion as the national religion.
Emperor Zhu, being new to his position, in order to reward merits and punish wrongdoings, had no choice but to establish the Celestial Master's Mansion as the national religion.
However, the Emperor didn't know that the matter of national religion was of great consequence. In the eyes of those in cultivation, once such a religion is established, the nation's fate would become closely linked with it, and if the Mansion were to fall, the nation's fate would suffer damage, shaking its foundation.
When Emperor Zhu realized his mistake, it was too late. Because of this, he supported Chen Liu'Er in establishing a new religion, hoping to use Buddhist doctrines to educate the masses and reduce the Mansion's influence on the nation's foundation.
Moreover, in Zhang Pingsheng's impression, the Celestial Master also cultivated nine demon shadows and possessed the secret art of nirvana and rebirth. As long as his shadows existed, he could reincarnate through the shadows of others nearby.
Once he reincarnated as an infant, no one—even those skilled in divining methods—could trace him.
Hearing Zhang Pingsheng's concerns, Xu Qing not only didn't worry but instead laughed heartily:
"All methods under heaven have both yin and yang. He has his reincarnation technique, and I have my method of eradication. This is the natural balance of all things; within seven steps, there must be an antidote. Daoist friend, there's no need to overestimate others and undermine yourself..."
As the two were talking, suddenly, a fiery cloud gathered a hundred miles outside the temple.
Zhang Pingsheng swiftly moved to the top of the temple, exclaiming in surprise, "Such a dense demonic aura! This must be an ancient powerful demon attempting to cross the Celestial Fire tribulation!"
Xu Qing followed closely, also detecting that familiar demonic aura.
But the demonic aura had barely emerged when another surging demonic energy rose into the sky not far away.
Zhang Pingsheng was eager to move, but seeing the Taoist children pointing at the fiery cloud in astonishment in front of the temple, the Celestial Master's true teachings suppressed the urge to investigate.
"Don't you plan to go and see?"
"..."
Xu Qing glanced at Zhang Pingsheng, certain the Celestial Master was up to no good.
"It's just my disciple crossing the tribulation, nothing worth seeing."
Who? Whose disciple?
Zhang Pingsheng was shocked and said, "Surely you jest, how could a righteous person like yourself accept demons as disciples?"
"Who said I am a righteous person? Don't pin labels on me!"
Xu Qing looked at Zhang Pingsheng with a smile, an inscrutable smile that sent shivers down his spine.
"Daoist Zhang, do you think the Celestial Master of the mansion and his disciples are humans or demons?"
Xu Qing suddenly changed the topic.
Zhang Pingsheng frowned, deep in thought.
Xu Qing continued, "They wear human skins but perform sinister deeds; they have black hearts!"
"While my disciples, though demonic, never engage in such shameful acts, they clearly have sincere hearts."
"Daoist Zhang, who do you think is the real demon?"
Zhang Pingsheng suddenly realized something and asked, "Are those demons crossing the Celestial Fire tribulation the monkey spirit and crow monster that were clearing the river channel before?"
It's true that prejudice is a mountain in the heart!
With such a polluted river, if cultivated individuals took action, they were respected as Daoist friends and brothers; but if it were monkeys and crows, they'd immediately become monsters and demons...
"Remove the skin, and you see the flesh; remove the flesh, and you see the bone; remove the bone, and you see the marrow. If a person removes their skin, perhaps it conceals demonic flesh and blood; if a monster removes its skin, how do you know it doesn't conceal a sincere heart?"
Xu Qing immediately employed the words used to win over Master Jingxu, speaking once more of Hu Baosong and Ge Hongwen's discourse on goblins, ghostly demons, and heretical devils.
"Whether something is fabricated by humans or whether it is truly demonic, as long as we can enlighten our hearts and see our true nature, there's no need to be concerned about the superficial differences of human, ghost, or monster, demon or god. You should know, demons can masquerade as ghosts, evil can transform into demons, and even gods can fall into demons. What's important is the distinction in your own heart."