Hearing this, Su Ziji lifted his cup and took a sip of tea, smiling. "Now that is strange. Do you know why?"
The Wild Daoist looked grave and pondered briefly. "Perhaps because it has no divine efficacy."
"No divine efficacy? I see plenty of miracles attributed to monks and in the Brahma Scriptures!"
"As for the miracles of monks and Brahma Scriptures, with nothing but tongues and ink, they can conjure up as many as they please." The Wild Daoist's face held a trace of disdain.
"The Daoist Sect has alchemists. They may not achieve immortality, but prolonging life and enhancing vitality is certainly within their power. Yet no matter how eloquently the Brahma Sect speaks, no matter how dazzlingly it paints its words, it lacks such ability. Compared side by side, how could the upper and middle ranks of the powerful and noble be persuaded to believe?"
The greater one's power and influence, the more interested one became in immortality and longevity. Daoists could refine elixirs. Even if ordinary Daoists could not produce good pills, the mere existence of a small handful of supreme alchemists was enough to make the powerful flock to them like ducks.
Take the emperor seated upon the dragon throne—why did he secretly keep a Huo Wuyong?
Was it not because, though he possessed all under heaven, he was still only a mortal man and wished to live a few more years? Especially as he grew older and his body worsened, that yearning would only become stronger.
"When neither side has tangible proof, naturally people look to see who can best cater to the ruler's wishes."
"But when there is tangible proof—proof of such tremendous importance—the ranks naturally separate themselves."
My previous thinking fell into a misunderstanding, Su Ziji reflected. *The Brahma Sect cannot break