Shang Shujue opened his eyes and saw a vast grassland. He was sitting cross-legged under a lush loquat tree, dressed in a white training uniform that looked very neat.
He looked around at his surroundings, momentarily lost in thought. After a while, some familiar yet strange images surfaced in his mind. Familiar because he seemed to have seen them before, strange because it felt like he was seeing them for the first time.
After a long while, he finally remembered what world he was in, what time it was, and what kind of person he was. He sat there for a while, then clutched his chest.
"I grew up here, so I shouldn't feel lost or helpless. But why do I always feel a bit annoyed?"
"Junior brother! Stop cultivating! Master has been looking for you for ages. Come with me quickly, don't keep him waiting. If you're any later, he'll punish you again!"
While Shang Shujue was racking his brains, he heard an urgent shout from not far behind him. He turned around and saw a handsome young Daoist priest in Daoist robes running towards him. He paused for a moment before remembering his identity.
He was an orphan abandoned by his family at a young age and had few relatives or friends. While wandering, he was discovered by the abbot of a Daoist temple who had come down from the mountain to experience the various aspects of life, and was taken in as his disciple.
Now, twenty-five years have passed since I started following him, and this year happens to be the beginning of the spiritual energy revival. This world is an urban cultivation world.
His intuition told him that if he didn't take any action before the spiritual energy was fully restored, the world would fall into endless darkness.
Burning, killing, looting, and atrocities, with evil thoughts running rampant, will inevitably breed many treacherous forces, causing the entire world to be destroyed, and then the meaning of his cultivation will be lost.
Therefore, he needs to create a set of protective laws for the vulnerable groups in this world, even in the context of numerous cultivators, and a supreme law to limit the wanton killing of those with high cultivation levels.
Rules are essential for the proper functioning of the world; without them, the world will ultimately descend into chaos, and everyone will inevitably perish.
Shang Shujue's master had cultivated for many years and was even more powerful than him. He was certain that his master had summoned him because he had discovered the resurgence of spiritual energy.
"Seventh Senior Brother, don't run over here. I'm coming right away. This place is too steep to run in."
Shang Shujue called out to his seventh senior brother, then used the loquat tree as a support to stand up. His legs were a little numb, so he took out a remedy pill from his pocket, swallowed it, and felt better.
Seeing that he stood up and walked towards him, the seventh senior brother didn't go over. Instead, he stood there and waited for him. When he saw that he was walking slowly, he couldn't stand it anymore, so he rushed over, grabbed him, and started running like crazy.
"Hey, junior brother, you're too slow! I'll drag you along! Hurry, hurry, something terrible has happened to Master!"
Hey! Watch your step!
The two brothers rushed back to Clear Cloud Daoist Temple. Their master, Temple Master Qingfeng, was sitting in meditation in the courtyard, surrounded by white light spots that created a large space around him. The other brothers were very anxious, but they couldn't get even a fraction of a step closer.
"Junior Brother! You've finally arrived! Master was teaching us how to circulate our energy in the courtyard, but as he practiced, these things started gathering around him, and we couldn't get close to him."
When the eldest disciple saw Shang Shujue arrive, he rushed over and grabbed his shoulder, asking him with great concern what had happened. Since the junior disciple entered the temple, he had displayed exceptional talent and ability, and everyone liked to seek his help whenever there was any trouble in the temple.
"Senior Brother, don't worry." Shang Shujue patted his senior brother's arm, looked at their master in the courtyard, narrowed his eyes slightly, and spoke after a long while, "The white light surrounding Master should be spiritual energy. Master is about to officially embark on the path of cultivation."
As soon as Shang Shujue finished speaking, everyone was stunned for a long time and hadn't reacted yet. Suddenly, the spiritual energy surrounding their master in the courtyard seemed to come alive.
They instantly burrowed into his body, and the next second, his master's white hair suddenly turned black again, and the wrinkles on his face lessened.
Everyone was stunned, and it took them a long time to come to their senses after their master opened his eyes. They rushed over to hug him, chattering with concern. Shang Shujue did not go over.
"Disciples, I recently discovered that the spiritual energy in Clear Cloud Temple is extremely abundant. I never expected that just now, by simply circulating the Qi-Guiding Art, I was able to break through to the First Level of Qi Refining."
After calming his disciples down, Temple Master Qingfeng stroked his beard and shaved in a rather pleasant mood. However, he quickly realized that this was not a good sign.
"But this is not a good sign. If spiritual energy revives, everyone in the world will be able to cultivate, which will make it difficult for ordinary people in this world."
After a pause, Temple Master Qingfeng looked up at the sky and sighed softly, "The world is destined to change..."
After that day, the Daoists of Clear Wind Temple gathered in the mountains and forests to cultivate. As Daoists and practitioners, they naturally had to punish evil and eliminate wickedness. Before the spiritual energy was fully restored, they had to have the ability to protect themselves.
Among all of Temple Master Qingfeng's disciples, Shang Shujue was the most talented and had the best temperament. Therefore, before teaching his disciples to formally guide their Qi into their bodies, he had a private talk with Shang Shujue.
"... If spiritual energy revives, and humanity is divided into different classes, leading to utter chaos in the world, what will you do then?"
After a moment of silence, Shang Shujue placed a black piece, looked up into the eyes of the Temple Master Qingfeng, his gaze unwavering and righteous. "I will establish rules and laws that suit the survival of people in a chaotic world before it descends."
The Temple Master Qingfeng paused in stroking his beard, whether taken aback by Shang Shujue's tone or intimidated by his unwavering confidence, he didn't laugh for a while.
"Hahaha... As expected of the last disciple chosen by my Temple Master Qingfeng, our aspirations are so similar."
"The moment I saw you, I knew you were no ordinary person, Jue'er. Do whatever you want. If you get tired, come back to this temple. Your master can take care of you."
Shang Shujue paused for a moment, then smiled and tapped the chessboard. He had lost his solemnity and looked like a young boy.
"Master, you lost again. I want fried chicken tonight, remember to make it for me, okay? I'm going to cultivate now, hahaha..."
Shang Shujue walked away with a smile, his posture bearing a striking resemblance to that of Temple Master Qingfeng. Temple Master Qingfeng stared at the chessboard before him for a long while, then also smiled.
"This child... is destined for greatness..."
In the eyes of the Temple Master Qingfeng, Shang Shujue was radiating purple and golden light. If he hadn't concealed his cultivation level, he probably would have been blinded by the brilliance...