fell into the island!>In an instant, the ocean of light dissipated, and streaks of crimson filled the sky.Let me know if you have any other text you'd like translated!A rainbow of clouds appears, str...What is God
Upon hearing this question, Wan Zhuren fell into deep thought.
This is probably a question that every Taoist cultivator has, they are accustomed to the existence of guardian deities and have heard countless legends about gods.
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If the story is false, why can talismans summon guardian deities If the story is true, why can guardian deities only protect the altar and have no use for all sorts of supernatural arts to command ghosts and spirits
Where are the celestial beings From where do the divine warriors of the altar come Can the Dao court bestow titles upon earth deities Are celestial beings also bestowed titles by the Dao court
“The talisman has no fixed form, it is animated by Qi. The talisman serves as the body, and through it comes the spirit,” the old Taoist said slowly in four sentences.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of all present changed drastically. Having reached such a high level of cultivation, they could sometimes faintly sense it, but it was still hard to believe. "God... is a Rune God"
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The old Taoist didn't answer. His gaze was distant, as if he wanted to peer through the ages. He spoke slowly, "The Way of Talismans begins with Zhengyi and reaches its peak in Shenxiao. At the dawn of Taoism, the first generation of masters observed the changes in celestial phenomena, the mysterious energy flying in the air, and thus comprehended the Dao of Talismans. A talisman is a single spark of spiritual light, connecting heaven and earth. It embodies the spirit and forms the talisman god, containing the core secrets of talismanry. Afterward, they created talismans, combining the practice of inhaling qi with techniques to create scriptures, passing them down through generations. Talismans connect with the divine. By entering the talisman altar and constantly reflecting, later generations could understand the teachings of their predecessors and forge ahead. Thus, the Way of Talismans was established."
"The origins of talismans are diverse, with each sect's talismanic deities being unique and not affiliated with one another."
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In ancient times, when divine thunder soared and Taoism flourished, enlightened immortals proclaimed the teachings of the Dao to the world. They summoned all eminent real people from various schools to gather at the Heavenly Palace of Shenxiao. There they united in practicing Qi cultivation, internal alchemy, meditation, talismanry, shamanism, and various magical arts. Their purpose was to establish the Daoist rules and regulations, defining the codes of conduct for future generations.
"When all the true ones proclaimed goodness, they jointly established the Dao Court, built the Divine Court, and cast divine talismans!"
"With the Celestial Master as supreme, the Nine Heavens Golden Gate was opened on Mount Shenxiao. Beneath the Nine Heavens Golden Gate, there were three divisions: set up, rule, and altar. This formed the rudimentary form of the Dao Court. Nine ranks of immortal officials were established, and the High-Shang Shenxiao Scroll was bestowed. Real people from various sects were selected to serve in the Dao Court and lead the world. Internally, it had the responsibility of overseeing the four directions, and externally, it had the function of preaching and transforming Heaven's will. Whether Taoist cultivators or others, they were all subject to the Dao Court's jurisdiction, known as the Godly Thunder Grand Administrator."
The responsibility of the Dao court lies in fostering the prosperity of the Dao sect, warding off external evils, transmitting the lineage of Daoism, and establishing a system from its inception that breaks away from the chaotic practices of the past. It truly marks the beginning of the flourishing of our Dao sect. Numerous celestial masters and high-ranking immortals have meticulously studied the essential teachings of each school and cultivated scriptures to establish nine major positions within the Dao. They summoned all the talismanic spirits of various schools, inviting them into the divine court. Thus began the ritual invocation of the heavenly gods!
"The Divine Court is where the divine symbols reside. The formations gather the intentions of cultivators from all over the world, forming a manifestation of Taoist power that soars high in the nine heavens. It is invisible and unreachable to mortal eyes."
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> At that time, the cultivation world revered thunder techniques. Thunder is the vital pivot of heaven and earth; the celestial pivot and terrestrial pivot, yang thunder and yin lightning, govern all things. All schools had thunder techniques passed down through generations, and the number of thunder dao talismans and divine manifestations was countless. The Shenxiao Thunder Technique was especially unrivaled in the world.
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"Dao Ting takes thunder magic as its foundation, and according to the legend of the Nine Heavens, it constructs a nine-tiered Divine Court. It divides the divine symbols into nine layers of positions and corresponds them one by one with the practice positions. The highest ninth heaven is called Shenxiao Yuqing Miaokang Da Yu Tian, followed by Zixiao Hejing Shuangque Huashan Tian. The eighth heaven enshrines Jiutian Yingyuan Leisheng Puhuatian Zun, which is what later generations call the ancestor of thunder!"
Apart from thunder magic, other Daoist practices like yin-yang, five elements, and celestial phenomena are all enshrined in the Divine Court, but they ultimately fall under the Thunder Department. Because thunder magic is considered supreme, the Divine Court is also known as Thunder City, or the Heavenly Court of Thunder Gods.
"From then on, the talismans also changed, becoming a token of trust connecting to the Divine Court. My Daoist cultivators, regardless of their sect or lineage, and whether they belong to a Taoist temple or not, can communicate with the Divine Court through talismans, feel the presence of the deities, summon corresponding celestial gods, invite them to the altar, and those with profound cultivation can even summon celestial gods to bless their troops, greatly enhancing their strength to ward off external enemies."
The Dao court established a "du gong" (all-encompassing achievement) in each region it governed, and whoever held the "du gong" seal wielded its power. This seal was the tangible manifestation and extension of the Divine Court's might in the mortal world. With every new region established, the Dao sect's strength grew by a fraction. As the Dao sect prospered, an increasing number of cultivators' divine intents converged towards the Nine Heavens, further solidifying the Divine Court's foundation.
"It can be imagined that as long as the Divine Court remains intact, even if all Daoist Masters ascend or perish, the divine talismans will remain, ensuring the prosperity of the Taoist Sect for eternity."
"This assembly is the greatest event in Daoism, recorded in history as the Heavenly Thunder Concordance!"
The old Taoist's speech was slow and measured, as he recounted tales of the past while reminiscing about the old ways. But hidden within his words were secrets that could shake everyone to their core.
Wan Zhenshen's face was increasingly shocked, now knowing the depth of this place.
Until the old Taoist's words fell softly, Wan Zhenren suddenly came to his senses. He was speechless for a long time, but soon realized that the Dao court his master uncle spoke of seemed vastly different from the present.
At that time, the Daoding only had the Shenxiao General Administration and did not involve Tianshuyuan and Beijue Xieyuan.
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Also, why can we only invite deities to descend now and not allow heavenly beings to bless the army
He opened his mouth, about to voice his confusion, but saw that his master's gaze was fixed on the white stone altar outside the hall, lost in thought. He hurriedly closed his mouth, not daring to disturb him.
After a short while, the old Taoist withdrew his gaze and looked at Wan Zhenren with piercing eyes, as if he could see through everything and into his heart.
"The nine major positions of my Taoist school are Zhengyi, Morality, Cave God, Ascension to Xuan, Cave Xuan, Five Fu, River Map, Cave Truth, and Bi Dao. Among them, Bi Dao is the most special and shouldn't be listed separately. Legend has it that the third step of Cave Truth can be called Bi Dao."
“The position of Fu Shen (God of Symbols) also corresponds to it. The Nine Heavens Yingyuan Lei Sheng Pu Hua Tianzun position belongs to the first step of Dongzhen.”
“The transmission of the Divine Seal can be passed down, and simultaneously, the deduction of the Divine Seal is also related to the Great Dao of Talismans. The establishment of the Divine Court has another profound meaning: it gathers the power of the Taoist sect and jointly performs the Great Dao! In the deductions of the revered predecessors, above Lei Zu, in the second step of Dong Zhen, there should be the Southern Pole Longevity Emperor.”
“It's a pity that even the wise sages of yore, having exhausted all their skills in Daoism, were unable to evolve this divine talisman. After countless failures, the esteemed Sage Gaozhen, filled with grief and contemplation, decided to reopen the Shenxiao Upper Palace and convene the Shenxiao Council once more!”
In the Hall of Shenxiao, various immortals debated for a hundred years according to legend. They finally decided to make major changes to their laws and replace the Daoist system, altering the divine court.
"Jiuxiao Jiutian still serves as the Leicheng for the Thunder Department gods. The remaining divine essence is invited out, and the Zhoutian stars are arranged to form a grand formation based on the Zhoutian star formations. This reestablishes the Divine Court and recreates the deities of the Doubu. The River Han hosts countless deities, encompassing all things. Wherever starlight shines, there are divine beings above and below."
Within the Taoist court, the Tianshu Yuan was established from the Shenxiao General Command, where officials were granted official talismans. After this, all those in charge of Du Gong (imperial duties), Jing Zhu (protecting the sovereign), and Tan Zhu (altar masters) came from the Tianshu Yuan. They were responsible for overseeing the four directions, governing the Taoist sect, and responding to the celestial deities of the Doubu.
...However...
The old Taoist's tone suddenly changed, and he paused.
Wan Zhenren was listening intently, realizing that his uncle should be about to talk about the origins of Beiji Qu Xie Yuan. As someone who hailed from Beiji Qu Xie Yuan himself, he was naturally more invested in this topic, his expression becoming increasingly serious.
However, during that assembly of the Shenxiao, some high-ranking cultivators presented differing opinions. They believed that all spirit gods were illusory and lacked a firm foundation, making it difficult to attain the Great Dao. Therefore, they argued that cultivators should achieve true unity with the divine, only then could one truly become a god.
Upon hearing this, Wan Zhenren's expression trembled, and he murmured, "To unite truth with the divine, the Dao of the gods..."
"Exactly," the old Taoist nodded, "This act unintentionally opened the way for the divine path. However, at the time, many True Ones did not agree with this path. A Celestial Master argued against everyone, willingly risking his life to test the law, dying without regret, and finally persuading the True Ones. But the Dao Gate was in its early stages of reform, with a thousand things happening at once, it was difficult to provide more support. Moreover, this path went against ancient methods. To stabilize people's hearts, rules were set, and it was deduced that this path should not interfere with the internal affairs of the Dao Gate, lest it shake the foundation. Therefore, some Immortal Officials were separated from the Dao Court, following the Celestial Master to establish the Beiji Exorcism Academy."
"The Earth Empress" Wan Zhenren, hailing from the Beijiu Exorcism Institute, pondered for a moment and instantly guessed the celestial master's identity.
All other sects, including Tianshu Courtyard, venerate talisman gods. Only Beiji Exorcism Institute worships true gods!
He is a deity, and also an eminent Taoist sage!
“It was she, the Celestial Master known as Houtu, who painstakingly and tirelessly deciphered the mysteries of the divine Dao. She is rightfully considered the Queen of the Earth Deities!”
When the Beiji Exorcism Institute was first established, it aimed to examine and suppress ghosts, demons, and monsters. Its duty was to eliminate evil spirits and verify the Shinto faith. At that time, the Beiji Exorcism Institute faced restrictions both within and outside the Taoist sect. The only place where it had freedom was in the Niehe region, a remote area seldom visited by humans. Demons and ghosts ran rampant there, and many courageous practitioners ventured into Niehe to hunt for them.
“Hòu Tǔ Tiān Shī refined the Twenty-Four Celestial Prisons Diagram, established Six Heavenly Palaces on Fēng Dōu Ló Shān, performed rituals to summon ghost and divine spirits, proclaimed himself the Emperor of Fengdu, also known as the Northern Yin Emperor. He also improved the Imperial Rites Scroll, transmitted it to the Exorcism Academy, strengthened the power of summoning ghost and divine spirits through talismans, and personally named it the Northern Emperor Talisman.”
“The Twenty-Four Heavens Prison stands in the City of Hades, detaining demons and ghosts. They are refined into ghost soldiers, judged for their merits and demerits. Those who wish to return to righteousness will have their spirits unified and be sealed as gods, entering the Six Heavens Palace of the City of Hades to lead the ghost soldiers. This not only allows my Taoist sect to expand its territory. Furthermore, with the connection between the Six Heavens Palace of the City of Hades and the Heavenly Court established, the ghosts of the City of Hades, like Fu Gods, can be summoned by talismans and assist Taoist cultivators! This means that the way of Shinto and the legal doctrines of Taoism can coexist!”
When it comes to the later-heaven Taoist Master and the Ancestors of the Exorcism Institute, the old Taoist's face was filled with reverence.
Yet Wan Zhenren heard something else in his words, which gave rise to even greater confusion in his heart.
What is the relationship between Yèhé (孽河) and Yèyuán (孽原) Also, what is the origin of Yīntiángōng (陰天宮), and what is its connection to Fēngdǒu (酆都)
The old Daoist noticed the expression on Wan Zhenren's face. "At the beginning of heaven and earth, yin and yang were not yet divided, clarity and turbidity were indistinguishable, known as the Qi of the Six Heavens. The Qi of the Six Heavens remained in the world, gathering and sinking, transforming into the River of Wickedness in the Great Thousand World. Ghosts of the Six Heavens run rampant, making it a forbidden land for living beings. Daoist cultivators communicate with the Divine Court through talismans, drawing upon the power of the Divine Court to pacify the Qi of the Six Heavens, summoning divine generals to guard the altar and protect the primordial spirit. This way, they can enter the River of Wickedness to hunt and slay demons. As for the origins of Yintian Palace, it is because the first palace master obtained the incomplete map of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons…"
After a pause, the old Taoist priest continued to speak, ignoring Wan Zhenren's face filled with astonishment. "The ghosts and gods have been formed, the Dao can be practiced, the Daoist sect is trembling, and there has been three times of Shenxiao Council, and the Shenxiao Palace has reopened!"
“This Shenxiao Conference only discusses matters of Shinto.”
“In Taoist discourse, Zhen Shen is called Di Gi to distinguish it from celestial gods. Di Gi is divided into Yin Si and Yang Si, with Fengdu Liu Tian Gong being the seat of Yin Si and each administering its own divine affairs. Yang Si governs the world above.”
"Yangsi includes land deities like Hebo, city gods and local deities, dragon palaces, mountain temples, rivers, seas, the Five Mountains and Four Sacred Wells, cities and countries. All these can be bestowed with divine status. Daoist disciples who desire to become deities often choose to be City Gods, Mountain Gods, or Dragon Palace deities. Among them, Dongyue Yuehuang (God of the Eastern Mountain) is considered the most revered, known as Dongyue Dadi (Great Emperor of the East Mountain), holding a similar position to the Hades Emperor, although by that time, the Hades Emperor was no longer the same as Hou Tu Tian Shi."
"The Yin and Yang Divisions stand side by side, with the Six Heavens' ghosts and foreign enemies entering Fengdu. Each Division manages demons and ghosts, as well as those who have committed crimes, who are sent to Yuehuang Temple for examination and judgement of their merits and demerits. The Yin and Yang Division's deities and spirits are also summoned by the Beijue Exorcism Institute, daring not to commit any offenses."
“When the world is governed with justice, the Mother Earth Celestial Master ascends to a higher position, entering the second step of True Cave. Their sacred name carries the will of Heaven, emulating the Empress Dowager of Earth and Heaven!”
"From then on, Tianshu Academy continued its previous duties. Beiji Exorcism Institute proclaimed itself the headquarters for all evil spirits, summoning and interrogating ghosts and gods. The Shenxiao Command only remained with Lei Fa cultivators, renamed as Thunder Jade Palace, specializing in Lei Fa cultivation to safeguard the Taoist court."
"After three meetings of the Shenxiao Council, the laws evolved, and the pattern of two courts, one mansion, and three major official positions in the Dao Court was thus solidified! This is indeed a time of great prosperity for our Taoist sect."
Speaking of this, the old Taoist rarely became lost in thought, his face showing a longing expression, as he envisioned the prosperous scene of Taoism. "Back then, both halls and one mansion produced outstanding figures. Above were the divine court and celestial gods, below was the Fengdu Ghost Prison, and the mortal world had Earthly officials assisted by immortals to govern the world. There were ghost soldiers expanding the borders, and the Thunder Department guarding them. Whether inside or outside the Taoist court, all obeyed. At its peak, there were twenty-four administrators alone: eight in each of the upper, middle, and lower ranks. There were also various assistant administrators, subordinate administrators, roving administrators, as well as... The North Pole Exorcism Courtyard's four separate administrations opened on the edge of the Xie River!"
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Four differences treated!
All of a sudden, waves of shock and awe surged within their hearts. They had a vague understanding of something profound.
Just now, he and his master uncle were both daydreaming, imagining what the Daoist sect would have been like at its peak.
Regardless of heaven or earth, inside or outside the Taoist tradition, among practitioners or ordinary people, the Dao Court's will is omnipresent. Wherever its decrees reach, none dare to disobey.
The problem lies here!
Cultivators from the Dao Gate could enjoy the benefits of the Dao Court, but those outside the Dao Gate were required to abide by its rules and regulations. Otherwise, they would face punishment. Even as a high-ranking official in the Dao Court like Wan Zhenren, he could still imagine how oppressed cultivators outside the Dao Gate must feel under the rule of the Dao Court.
Cultivators yearn for freedom above all else.
Moreover, as the Dao Court grows increasingly powerful, more and more territories are brought under its rule. With Daoist deities and talismanic arts thriving side by side, there is no sign of weakness. This will inevitably cause panic among other forces, and even within the Daoist sect itself, there will be voices of discontent.
After all, Taoist schools of thought are not just about talismans!
Thinking of the Sibei Treatment, thinking of the 24 Heavenly Prisons in Yintiangong's desolate picture, thinking of the silent Thunder Jade Mansion, thinking of the Northern Pole Exorcism Institute and Tianshu Institute, which now have almost no difference in ability, and…
Shinto, originally another major lineage of the Daoist tradition, is now suppressed and demonized.
It's possible that when Shintoism was not yet fully established, the Dao court encountered troubles. Alternatively, it could be that the current Dao court is too weak to manage Shintoism properly.
Wan Zhenshen instantly thought of many things, his voice choked with difficulty: "Could it be that the Divine Court..."
"The God Temple has crumbled."
The old Taoist sighed, four words were enough to explain everything.
"The Thunder Jade Mansion bore the responsibility of guarding, suffering the heaviest losses, with nearly all the Heavenly Gods of the Thunder Department shattered. However, the Divine Court wasn't completely destroyed, otherwise, we wouldn't even have Altar Guardians like ourselves, unable to survive in the Abyssal Origins. Our duty is to find and reclaim the Divine Court. There are prophecies that when the Divine Court is re-established, it will be the time when the Dao Court returns to the Grand Thousand!"
When Wan Zhen heard this, his gloomy mood suddenly lifted. At the same time, he understood the reasons his master uncle had explained, "Could it be that the Divine Court is in Guishan's sacrificial altar"
The old Taoist said, "It's one of the most likely places, but no matter what, we can't let the demons get there first. Otherwise, do you know the consequences"
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"Demons have seized the divine positions!"
Wan Zhenren gasped in shock.
Tomorrow I will take a day off.
I'm currently on a business trip, with lots of pressing matters and a tight schedule. I was planning to take a day off today, but considering how crucial this chapter is, I have to push my work back by one day.
We'll be heading back the day after tomorrow, I'll try to update you as much as possible. I'll let you know the details when the time comes.
(The end)
>.While Qin Sang was contemplating the Heavenly River Counter-killing Formation, Tai'乙 was practicing asceticism in Qingyang Guan.>Qin Sang subtly revealed to him his plan to leave and travel the world...