An Old Ghost Played with Fire and Relished It

Even though Xie Luoxian had some contact with the cult back then, she still wanted to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship.

Their interactions were likely based on intelligence gathering, exploiting the information gaps among the lower classes of various countries to seize their interests.

Whether for consolidating rule or for other purposes, a dedicated liaison agency could be formed by trusted confidants from both sides.

The so-called correspondence is rather subtle.

They are more familiar with each other and place greater emphasis on personal relationships.

If it's not a translation error by Zhao Sijie, or a problem with the priest's word choice.

That only proves that those letters were not specifically written to the religious community.

The priest, upon hearing this question, also fell into deep thought.

"I only learned of the correspondence between the sect and the Empress Dowager over the years by chance. As for Ancestor Qianyang, I have never met him."

The priest wanted to understand Chu Tianshu's thoughts and give him an answer that Chu Tianshu would like to hear.

But when he secretly glanced over, he was met with Chu Tianshu's indifferent gaze.

He couldn't discern any inclination in it at all.

All I want is your honest thinking.

Chu Tianshu said slowly and deliberately, "In this situation, any answer is acceptable, except for dishonesty, which is a sin."

The priest lowered his gaze, deep in thought.

"Upon careful reflection, there must indeed be a very powerful but not entirely trustworthy distinguished guest within the Roman Holy See's sanctuary."

"Yes, I sensed this several times during my performance reviews. I inquired a little and received a warning, but since it didn't concern me much, I didn't pursue it further at the time."

The church's power was extraordinary, enabling them to have a distinguished guest who could be kept in their own holy land and to receive frequent letters from Xie Luoxian.

It's most likely that it's the Ancestor Qianyang.

Lan Ziya asked in bewilderment, "Ancestor Qianyang is already ranked number one on the Heavenly Ranking. It would be fine if he went to a foreign land for sightseeing, but what good would it do him to stay there for so long?"

Chu Tianshu toyed with the black knife, gently stroking its back, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

"Ancestor Qianyang has many titles on the Heavenly Ranking, all of which are related to his fondness for mentoring younger generations."

"Countless renowned figures from all walks of life, from various schools and professions, claim to have received his guidance."

"Many of them may be actively trying to ride on the coattails of this Heavenly Ranking celebrity."

Upon hearing this, Lan Ziya already anticipated that the next word would be "but".

He followed Chu Tianshu's train of thought and took over the "but".

"However, among those listed on the Heavenly Ranking, quite a few claim to have received guidance from the Ancestor Qianyang."

"For those who ascend to the Heavenly Ranking, it's most advantageous for their reputation to belong to themselves. There's no reason for them all to be so upright and righteous, proactively mentioning that they received guidance in their early years."

Lan Ziya spoke with increasing fluency, stroking his long beard, his eyes gleaming, while his other hand counted on his fingers, seemingly recalling the statements of those on the Heavenly Ranking.

"What's even stranger is that they almost always mentioned their unique skills or most well-known achievements only after they had ascended to the Heavenly Ranking, claiming they were entirely guided by their ancestor."

Dream-Eating Marquis wasn't stupid; upon hearing this, he already understood, but he was still quite surprised.

"Are you saying he's a fraud and a charlatan?!"

"But this—"

The Dream-Eating Marquis asked doubtfully, "If the blessing of the Heavenly Ranking exceeds one's own cultivation level, it can easily bring trouble, especially trouble caused by fame that doesn't belong to oneself."

"Brother Lan is so overwhelmed by the title of God of Wealth that he's practically in heaven. Ancestor Qianyang is already number one on the Heavenly Ranking, and he's gained so many good reputations for guiding others that he's practically worshipped by the common people like the God of Literature or the Big Dipper."

"Isn't he just courting death?"

Since the creation of the Heavenly Ranking, countless people have tried to use this method to deceive the world and steal fame.

However, they soon discovered that doing so would only backfire; not only would they fail to unleash their full potential, but they would also be very likely to suffer from qi deviation.

After more than two hundred years, with so many people drowning while crossing the river, no one would intentionally do such a thing anymore.

Conversely, if someone in the martial arts world tries to frame or flatter someone to their detriment, the person in question must come forward to refute the rumors and use all their power to hunt down and kill the person who flattered them.

In his early years, Lan Ziya also refuted many rumors about himself.

However, he was later restricted by the imperial court and could only allow people to worship him as the god of wealth, which made his situation increasingly dangerous.

Throughout history, those seeking fame and fortune have been even more eager and numerous than those seeking wealth.

With fame and status, money will naturally follow.

Having money doesn't necessarily guarantee immediate fame and status.

The reputation of the Ancestor Qianyang for mentoring younger generations and enlightening those with affinity is not only associated with fame and fortune, but also with longevity.

After all, progress in martial arts can genuinely extend one's lifespan.

If this is not his true behavior, but rather a deliberate act of deception to steal fame.

He was practically courting death, running like a madman.

"Humans are never satisfied, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, some people, because of their insatiable desires, are prone to taking bad paths."

Chu Tianshu closed his eyes in deep thought, then suddenly let out a sneer.

"Judging by the timeline, Ancestor Qianyang only did these things after he reached the top three of the Heavenly Ranking through his own strength. His foundation was already formidable, so his efficiency in endurance and refining was naturally different from ordinary people."

"But there's one thing he probably didn't anticipate: when he's in first place, fame snowballs much faster than usual."

The person who achieves first place in any renowned field.

Its fame is so great that it often leads the second and third place by a significant margin.

In reality, it may not be much better than the second or third, but people are always more accustomed to remembering the first and praising the second. In this case, the image of the Ancestor Qianyang, who deceived the world and stole his reputation, of liking to give away opportunities, only added fuel to the fire.

The Dream-Eating Marquis asked in surprise, "Then why isn't he hurrying to dispel the rumors and save his own life?"

Lan Ziya understood it very well.

"Dream Marquis, how could someone who has come this far give up so easily?"

"Besides, even if he personally came out to refute the rumors at this point, it might not be very effective."

The power of the human heart cannot be easily fooled.

Once a trend becomes a major force, the more profit one gains from it, the harder it is to break free.

"But to have played to this extent and still not killed himself, this old ghost is really something else."

Chu Tianshu laughed.

"No wonder he went to the West to make a bet with Wan Longsheng; it was probably just a side purpose."

At this point, not only Lan Ziya and the Dream-Eating Marquis, but even the priests vaguely understood what was going on.

The Ancestor Qianyang traveled tens of thousands of miles westward and never returned. Firstly, the influence of the Heavenly Ranking should be slightly reduced.

Secondly, it must be for the purpose of studying the Lord's Wooden Ark.

The Heavenly Ranking is shared by so many names.

The Lord's Wooden Ark represents only a single God.

Although the power within this cabinet is clearly contradictory, it means that no one in the church can inherit a large share of it.

The fact that this cabinet can exist stably is enough to demonstrate that the creation of nature is a marvel of craftsmanship, and there is a unique mystery behind it.

Lan Ziya's brows furrowed with worry, and he said in a deep voice, "What if that Qianyang really manages to figure something out?"

"It's normal for him to have achieved results. If he hadn't made any progress, would he be alive today, and would he still have so many letters exchanged?"

Chu Tianshu remained calm and waved to the disciples who were guarding him.

The disciples immediately stepped forward to drag the priest and the others away.

"Don't drag it."

Chu Tianshu raised his voice slightly to stop his disciples from behaving rudely.

"After I rest a bit, I still need this man to deliver a message for me. Take him out!"