Journey to the West: I have Nine Golden Crows Inside Me-Chapter 1341 - 911 Renovate Shangqing Palace_2

"Furthermore, from now on, Immortals must not fall in love with Mortals. Should anyone violate this, then fulfill their wish, strip them of their cultivation, and cast them down the mountain."

Jiang Chen had suddenly come to understand why the Heavenly Realm had a rule forbidding love between Immortals and Mortals.

Officials’ relatives can be managed by higher-ranking officials when they commit evil deeds, but for the relatives of Immortals, which mortal official would dare to intervene? Even the Yin Gods of the Underworld would have to side with the relatives of Immortals.

Their wrongdoing is even worse than that of officials.

Moreover, Mortals usually have family and friends. If they encounter troubles and seek out Immortals, asking one to extend life and another to delay death, should the Immortals help or not?

Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the most critical parts of the cycle of Reincarnation. If Immortals were to intervene, they would inevitably disturb the rules of Reincarnation, thereby violating the Heavenly Edicts. Yet, if they do not help, they would be indifferent to human emotion and, over time, surely be resented.

The Jade Emperor had seen this future unfold before he became the Heavenly Emperor. It was then that he specifically enacted this Heavenly Rule, prohibiting romantic unions between Immortal and Mortal.

What he forbade was the love between Immortal and Mortal, what he guarded against was Immortals interfering with Reincarnation for love.

Of course, he only prohibited love between Immortal and Mortal but did not forbid love between Immortals.

Children of Immortals, being Innate beings, are naturally different from Mortals, born outside the cycle of Reincarnation. Moreover, from their birth, they are bound by the Heavenly Rules. Should they commit evil, there will be divine punishment to settle the score.

If Immortals truly wish to love Mortals, why not cultivate their lovers into Immortals? If they lack even this resolve, it’s evident that their love is not as steadfast as it may seem.

"Yes!"

After a moment of silence, Zhang Daoling replied.

"The Heavenly Rules are said to be the laws of Heaven Court, but they actually constrain all disciples of the Mystic Sect, as they were established by the Taoist Ancestors. Named Heavenly Rules, they are in fact the rules of the Mystic Sect."

"Disciples of the Shangqing Palace, if one day they enter the Heaven Court, will serve in the Shenxiao Mansion, representing Heaven to uphold criminal laws. Your responsibilities are so grave, you must set an example and keep these Heavenly Rules firmly in mind, not violating a single one."

"To know the law and yet violate it is to incur an even greater punishment!"

Seizing the moment before Zhang Daoling left, Jiang Chen said with a heavy heart.

The Shangqing Palace corresponds with the Shenxiao Mansion, yet the Shenxiao Mansion is appointed by the Taoist Ancestors to hold supreme authority over the laws of Heaven and Earth, a place of high position and significant power.

The number of Mystic Sect disciples is vast, and they are all keeping an eye on the Shenxiao Mansion, waiting for it to slip up so they can overthrow it. After all, no one wishes to have someone else ruling over them.

In such a situation, if the disciples of Shangqing Palace cannot lead by example and defend the Heavenly Rules with their lives, then what awaits them is the fate of Neverending Calamity.

By joining the Shangqing Palace and enjoying superior treatment, they take on the associated responsibilities. Did they think that privilege comes without a price? There is always a cost.

Disciples of the Shangqing Palace, live to become Immortals, die to become Gods, and can even reincarnate to begin anew, a unique status Between Heaven and Earth.

And the reason they are afforded such treatment is in the hope that they will defend the Heavenly Rules with their lives.

...

...

"Alas, the disciples of the Shangqing Palace are still not giving us peace of mind."

After Zhang Daoling had left, Jiang Chen spoke to the void with a sigh.

Knowing that the human heart is fickle, Jiang Chen had therefore entrusted the authority of appointing local deities to Mo. The tens of thousands of local deities throughout Mo State were all chosen by Mo.

Outsiders only had the right to recommend, not to appoint, local deities. Even candidates personally recommended by Zhang Daoling, if they did not gain Mo’s approval, could not take up the position.

Mo is a God, indifferent by nature, free of convoluted thoughts, and able to strictly enforce Jiang Chen’s will. This is good, but not without its drawbacks; namely, an inability to adapt and be flexible.

But overall, the benefits are always greater than the drawbacks. This could be seen from the performance of the city gods and disciples of the Shangqing Palace. Over the years, the Shangqing Palace had its share of degenerates, yet city gods rarely encountered problems.

As for how to select a city god, Jiang Chen’s definition was not to look at cultivation level, but character, choosing from among mortals and officials, rather than from Immortal Persons.

Most city gods were officials who had wholeheartedly served the people in their lifetimes, whether greatly wise or greatly courageous. Having been advocates for the people in life, their original intentions remained unchanged in death, naturally making them city gods that everyone praised.

"Ancestral God, your compliment overestimates me, I was simply following your instructions,"

Cang replied with an indifferent tone. He was unfamiliar with human sentiments and customs, not truly foolish. He was also aware of his shortcomings: inflexibility and an excessive adherence to rules and regulations.

Yet rules and regulations are not omnipotent; they generally apply to most situations but not every one. Thus, Cang had encountered problems while carrying out Jiang Chen’s orders too.

But on the whole, the good far outweighed the bad.

"You’ve done quite well indeed. Even if I myself were to handle it, I couldn’t have been so impartial. Even sages have moments of disagreement, how much more so between you and me?"

Jiang Chen encouraged Cang, and then finally began to discuss the important matters at hand.

"Since there are no issues with the city god system, next, I will expand the city god doctrine throughout the Nine States. You don’t need to manage this matter; don’t do anything, just watch silently from the side."

"Use your eyes, use your heart, earnestly observe and comprehend the vast mortal world. When you see through the mortal realm, that’s when you’ll become a Quasi-Saint."

Although Zhang Daoling was Jiang Chen’s disciple, in terms of closeness, Cang had a deeper connection with him. Cang was a creature he’d created; his very own child, with whom Jiang Chen naturally took special care.

To speak plainly, Zhang Daoling was merely a disciple in name, one he had had to accept due to heavenly mandate. How could that relationship compare to that with Cang, whom he had created with his own hands? This relationship was akin to that of a father and son.

Besides Cang, another being Jiang Chen took great care of was Amitabha Buddha. Like Cang, he was also a creature Jiang Chen had created himself.

Cang was the future master of the Divine Dao, while Amitabha Buddha was innately the progenitor of ten thousand Buddhas. From the moment of birth, he had been focused on the mantle of the master of Buddhism Dao.

"The Nine States are in chaos, Ancestral God, are you therefore expanding the city god system across the Nine States to protect the citizens within?"

Cang pondered and suddenly asked.

"Cang, I am pleased that you would think this way, it shows that you have started to contemplate, which signifies progress,"

Seeing Cang begin to think, Jiang Chen showed great satisfaction, revealing a smile akin to that of an affectionate father.

After all, nobody wants their child to behave like a robot, executing tasks by fixed programming. Without joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, one is not a complete person.

After commending Cang, Jiang Chen continued to explain, enunciating his thoughts one by one: "What you said is correct, but it’s only a part, not the whole. The city god system’s most significant effects are reflected in three aspects."

"The first aspect is to alleviate the burden on the Netherworld. Each city god is responsible for the living beings within their domain, judging the good and evil of souls. Undoubtedly, this would greatly improve the efficiency of the Netherworld."

"The second aspect is that people receive their karmic recompense. The existence of city gods lets the world know that divine beings observe from three feet above their heads, thus making them cautious in their actions, not daring to flaunt their behaviors, and if not acting virtuously, at least refraining from committing evil."

"In this way, the world will be set right."

"The third aspect is what you mentioned, protecting the citizens of a city. The primary duty of a city god is indeed to protect the inhabitants of a city from the harm of monsters and demons."

"In the current times, with the Nine States greatly distressed, it is inevitable that monsters, demons, and ghosts will take advantage of the confusion to harm human lives, and likewise bandits and marauders may attack and plunder cities."

"At such times, expanding the city god doctrine will allow city gods to protect the citizens, suppress monsters and ghosts, and warn bandits and marauders, preventing them from disturbing the people."

Having said this, Jiang Chen paused slightly and turned to look in the direction of the Nine States. In his eyes appeared scenes of civilians wearing yellow turbans and Taoist practitioners using talisman water to treat the illnesses of the people.

These were the Yellow Turbans Army, those Taoist practitioners were disciples of the Yellow Heaven Dao, and those people they were helping, even if not followers now, would soon become believers of the Yellow Heaven Dao.

The founder of the Yellow Heaven Dao was named Huang Jiao, the reincarnation of the elder of central extreme, Huang Jiao Daxian.