The Spiritual Attainment of Minghe

However, walls had ears and the news that Jiang Ziya had an Auspicious Mark of Winged Tiger still leaked out. Honored Lord of the Origin did not feel angry. Instead, he felt honored that the person who was part in the God Deification Ceremony now became a member of the Clan of Enlightenment, which meant that it was the Clan of Enlightenment that dominated the Battle of Gods Investiture. At this point, the Clan of Enlightenment gained an advantage. However, the glee that Honoured Lord of the Origin felt did not last long.

Before long, news came that Shen Gongbao, the newly recruited disciple of Sage Zhunti in the Western Religious Sect, also had an Auspicious Mark of Winged Tiger, which shocked both Honored Lord of the Origin and Zhunti. There were two people with the Auspicious Mark of Winged Tiger to be in the God Deification Ceremony. After an investigation, both truly had the Auspicious Mark of Winged Tiger. However, since they were both enveloped by tribulation clouds, it was hard to deduce further.

That being said, in contrast, Zhunti was particularly proud, not for other reasons, but for that Shen Gongbao’s aptitude was ten times as much as that of Jiang Ziya. It had been more than three decades since Jiang Ziya became the disciple of Honoured Lord of the Origin. Honored Lord of the Origin had trained him mentally and made him eat many spiritual fruits, spiritual medicines and magic elixirs, but Jiang Ziya’s cultivation still did not improve.

But Shen Gongbao was different. The few resources he received from Sage Zhunti for cultivation was nothing compared to those Jiang Ziya had from Honored Lord of the Origin, but his cultivation improved quickly. In the past three decades, Shen Gongbao had reached the realm of Primordial Unity Black Immortal from an Earthly Immortal, two realms higher than Jiang Ziya’s.

In comparison, Honored Lord of the Origin naturally felt shamed. In fact, there was a way to rapidly improve Jiang Ziya’s cultivation. That was to go to his big brother, Laozi, and ask for one golden elixir. Nine Cycles Golden Elixirs were rare, but the other golden elixirs were common and Laozi surely would give it to him. However, Honored Lord of the Origin felt embarrassed.

If it got out that Honored Lord of the Origin needed others to help him teach his disciple, he would be extremely ashamed. So Honored Lord of the Origin could only let it go, providing all kinds of cultivating resources and teaching him as usual and as for which realm Jiang Ziya would reach, it depends on his fate. It would be fine if Jiang Ziya was actually part of the God Deification Ceremony. If not, Honored Lord of the Origin had no way about it, either. He could not snatch Shen Gongbao from the Western Religious Sect.

Jiang Ziya’s cultivation improved slowly, but he was not discouraged. Besides, Jiang Ziya learned military tactics and state-governing strategies as well, which was arranged by Honored Lord of the Origin. The Battle of Gods Investiture was aimed at destroying the Shang and revitalizing the Zhou, thus the people in the God Deification Ceremony naturally needed to understand both. Honored Lord of the Origin was preparing for the unforseen.

Jiang Ziya’s cultivation was not high, but he was a true blue second-generation disciple of the Clan of Enlightenment, and the only one taught by Honoured Lord of the Origin in person besides Twelve Golden Immortals, so he had a very high status. Jiang Ziya was an easygoing person in nature, whether the second-generation disciples or younger generation disciples, he got along with them.

The situation of Shen Gongbao was much better than that of Jiang Ziya. Shen Gongbao was called a genius as his cultivation improved rapidly. Moreover, he was highly regarded by Sage Zhunti. Since he was candid in nature and fond of making friends, he got along well with the disciples in the clan. Whenever he was free, he would travel through the Untainted Land and make friends with capable people and called each other Fellow Taoist.

What made Zhunti admire most was that Shen Gongbao even recruited a lot of individual cultivators for the Western Religious Sect, which made Zhunti very happy. Even though Zhunti was in the East, because of the God Deification Ceremony, he was unable to recruit many to the Western Religious Sect at this juncture so as to avoid the hostility of all Sages in the East. However, it was different if Shen Gongbao did so. Shen Gongbao was a junior and a person listed in the God Deification Ceremony, so all Sages could only turn a blind eye to him.

Four decades had passed since they two became disciples. One day, Honoured Lord of the Origin suddenly called White Crane Lad and ordered. "Child, go invite your martial uncle Jiang, I have something to speak with him." Hearing that, White Crane Lad turned into an Immortal Crane and flew over Mount Kunlun, only to find Jiang Ziya meditating on a large stone.

White Crane Lad hovered over Jiang Ziya’s head, shouting with his long and sharp beak. "Martial uncle Jiang, the master asked me to summon you. You’d better go quickly." After hearing the words, Jiang Ziya stood up from the big stone and waved to White Crane Lad, hinting that he had heard it. He adjusted his clothes and hurried to Yuxu Palace.

Entering Yuxu Palace, Jiang Ziya saw Honoured Lord of the Origin sitting on the platform with his eyes slightly closed, as if he were in meditation. Jiang Ziya dared not neglect his greetings. He stepped forward and bowed. "Master, your disciple greets you. I wonder what did Master call me for." Jiang Ziya was worried whenever he came to see Honored Lord of the Origin, fearing that Honored Lord of the Origin would expel him and ask him to leave the mountain because of his poor aptitude.

However, today his premonition came true. Honored Lord of the Origin opened his eyes and said, "Jiang Shang, four decades years have passed since you became my disciple. Unfortunately, you’re born with bad luck and it’s difficult for you to comprehend the Way of Celestial Immortality. You could only be a mortal and enjoy the riches of the world. Now the Luck of Cheng Tang had ended and the royal family of Zhou will revitalize, thus it’s time for you to leave the mountain."

Jiang Ziya was shocked upon hearing his words. He pleaded bitterly,"Master, I’m sincere to comprehend the Way of Celestial Immortality. Though the progress is slow, my mind of Taoism is firm and I’m determined to leave the mortal world. So I beg you to show mercy and allow me to stay in Mount Kunlun." Jiang Ziya immediately broke down in tears upon hearing Honored Lord of the Origin ordering him to leave the mountain. He prayed hard that Honored Lord of Origin would withdraw his order.

Honored Lord of the Origin sighed. "My child, that’s the will of Heaven, and I can’t go against it. Now that the Cultivation Tribulation descend again and the God Deification Ceremony is drawing near. You’re part of the God Deification Ceremony, thus you can’t stay on the mountain for long. When you achieve your duties being part of the God Deification Ceremony, you’ll climb the mountain someday, so you don’t have to worry. You’d better pack and leave the mountain as soon as possible!" Finishing his words, Honored Lord of the Origin waved his sleeves and disappeared.

Seeing this, Jiang Ziya had to bow and say, "Master, your disciple accepts your order and will go down the mountain now." After returning to his own Immortal’s Cave, Jiang Ziya packed his things, said goodbye to his fellow seniors and juniors and descended Mount Kunlun. However, Jiang Ziya had been on the mountain for four decades years, and now he suddenly had to go down the maintain, so he did not know where to go. Suddenly, he thought that he still had a sworn brother, thus he could go to him for help and make plans in the future.

Same as Jiang Ziya, Shen Gongbao also got the order from Zhunti, who ordered him to leave the mountain to help the Lord. Unlike Jiang Ziya, Shen Gongbao had friends all over the world, so he could go anywhere. After leaving the Square Mountain, Shen Gongbao visited his friends and inquired about human affairs in passing. He would give full consideration before making any decisions, otherwise, he might suffer losses.

After some inquiries, Shen Gongbao basically knew about the current human affairs. King Zhou of the Shang was tyrannical and state affairs were in chaos, so King Zhou was definitely not an enlightened Lord. Chonghu Marquis was cruel and merciless and helped a tyrant to victimize his subjects, thus he was not an enlightened Lord either. Except for the two dead vassals of the four, only Marquis of the West Ji Chang was left. However, Ji Chang was currently imprisoned at You Li, so it was difficult for him to get out.

After much deliberation, Shen Gongbao decided to go to Xiqi first, as the Shang Dynasty was the world of the Clan of Severity. As the disciple of the Western Religious Sect influenced by Zhunti and other disciples, Shen Gongbao had lost his lost his liking of the Clan of Severity. Instead, he wanted to go Xiqi, where the Clan of Severity did have a hand in, so as to make an opening for the Western Religious Sect in the Battle of Gods Investiture.

Now that Bo Yikao, the eldest son of Ji Chang, dominated state affairs with the help of numerous capable people, including Boyi, Shuqi, Taidian, Hong Yao, San Yisheng and others, Xiqi was peaceful compared to other cities in the nine provinces. Seeing such a situation, Shen Gongbao felt that he had come to the right place, so he stayed in Xiqi for the time being in order to handle matters.

As the small hid in the wild while the great hid in the city. Shen Gongbao immediately went to the city of Xiqi and set up a shop for divination. For those who asked for divination, Shen Gongbao only charged one penny. Since Shen Gongbao was good at divining, his divination always came true, which made him famous in Xiqi. Endless crowds of people came to ask for divination every day and Shen Gongbao never refused anyone. He opened the door in the day from 7 a.m and closed the door at 5 p.m everyday without fail interruption.