Chapter 120: Patriarch’s Examination
Translator: Ninetales Editor: Fish Creek
Qin Mu was bewildered, "Patriarch didn't have this thought?"
The young patriarch fell silent for a moment and sighed, "Yes, I did. Put your head temporarily on your neck, and continue your words."
Qin Mu continued, "I see that Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor's path somewhat conforms with our sacred cult's teaching: the path of the saint which is for the everyday use of commoners. If our sacred cult depends on Eternal Peace, we won't decline like the other sects and could instead expand and grow stronger. This is the first point."
He paused for a while and continued, "Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor's primary schools, colleges, and Imperial College have a drawback and it is huge. It can't be seen in a short period of time but after two to three hundred years, the result will become apparent."
The young patriarch revealed a curious look and asked, "What's the drawback?"
Qin Mu asked, "May I dare to ask Patriarch, how many percents of the scholars in Imperial College are from poor families?"
The young patriarch revealed a smile as he obviously knew what he was implying. He replied, "Ten percent."
Qin Mu asked again, "Over these years, how many percent of the young officials in Eternal Peace Empire come from Imperial College?"
The young patriarch replied, "Seventy-two percent are from Imperial College. The other old ministers are from various big sects and there are also some that have climbed up step by step."
"From my speculation, two hundred years later, all the officials in the world would come from Imperial College and there will be no scholars from poor families in Imperial College!"
Qin Mu saw his float sinking downwards and didn't hurry to pull back his rod, instead, he waited for a while, "Two hundred years later, children from poor families would remain poor for their entire lives and children from rich families would remain rich for their entire lives. The people's resentment would accumulate over the days and months, which will surely explode. The rich and influential families would take this chance to revolt and overthrow the Imperial Family and that would be the time our sacred cult would rule the world. With our surging power, no one would be a match for us and no one could resist us."
He raised his rod and a huge fish was hooked. However, this fish was extremely strong and the fishing line snapped. The huge fished plopped back into the water and vanished without a trace.
The young patriarch laughed coldly, "You want to rebel and frame our sacred cult as unrighteous, off with your head!"
Qin kept quiet for a moment and said, "Patriarch, stop joking."
The young patriarch became speechless. He had also caught a fish but it was a small one. Lifting his rod up, he continued, "Alright, we'll take about proper matters. What happens after you turn our sacred cult into another Eternal Peace Empire after two hundred years? When a huge battle wipes clean Eternal Peace and destroys the powerful families, there will be powerful families two hundred years later which would overthrow the rule of our sacred cult. How would you solve it?"
Qin Mu was stumped and shook his head, "I haven't thought about what would happen after two hundred years. May Patriarch enlighten me."
The young patriarch broke a willow branch and speared the fish. He then stood up, "Even I can't see what would happen after two hundred years. Young Cult Master, since you can see two hundred years ahead at your age, you are already a qualified cult master. You've passed my test. My thinking is different from yours. What I'm thinking is the teachings of our sacred cult."
Qin Mu's heart jolted slightly as he looked towards this young elder.
The young patriarch said unhurriedly, "The path of the saint is none other than the everyday use for common people. Anyone who does otherwise is considered heresy! To act straightforwardly, to follow the course of nature, that's the meaning of path. When Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor rose abruptly, I had detected his great ambition. When he asked me about the path, I had told him this sentence in Great Educational Heavenly Devil Scriptures. What he is doing now is the essence of this sentence."
Qin Mu's heart and mind wavered and he bowed in awe, "Patriarch is wise and is already a saint. You wish to make an imperceptible influence and turn Eternal Peace Empire in our sacred cult. If Eternal Peace Empire is able to achieve the path of the saint, Eternal Peace Empire would be Heavenly Saint Cult!"
The young patriarch shook his head, "Eternal Peace Empire and Imperial Preceptor can't achieve the path of the saint and neither could I. Just like you said, the power and resources would be in the hands of powerful families two hundred years later. The poor will become poorer and the rich will become richer. This isn't the path of the saint of our Heavenly Saint Cult. I wanted to influence Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor and Eternal Peace Empire; however, it looks like I had already failed. I'm old, this responsibility would be passed on to you. All I can help you is to manage the cult for you for another few more years."
He held the fish in his hand and carried the poles on his back. Qin Mu followed behind him and saw this elder finding a col to set up a pot in the paramount sacred place of everyone's heart in Eternal Peace Empire. Adding water and starting a fire, he removed the scales and organs of the fish before throwing it into the pot.
Looking at the water in the pot, young patriarch took out some seasonings and sprinkled them into the pot, "Another few months later, I'll retire from the position of Grand Chancellor. I'm old and I want to spend my last few years traveling. There are still many places in this world I have yet to explore and the sacred cult would be in your hands. After I retire, I will hold an ascension ceremony and personally see you become the cult master of the sacred cult."
Qin Mu was slightly troubled and asked, "I'm currently only at Five Elements Realm. For me to directly take over the sacred cult, would it be too early and hard to convince the masses?"
Young patriarch signaled him to sit down. Qin Mu sat down with legs crossed in front of the pot and smelt the fragrance of the fish soup.
Young patriarch replied, "The sacred cult is actually more dispersed. All three hundred and sixty hall masters are spread throughout the land and our followers are all over Eternal Peace. Even the elders and the heavenly kings are hard to gather together. You can be a cult master that washes his hands of his responsibility. If this really doesn't work out, ain't I still alive? When I'm still alive, no one would dare to touch you, not even Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor."
Qin Mu's heart slightly wavered and tried to ask, "Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor should be trying to control our sacred cult, am I right?"
"Of course he does. However, you can make him be at ease."
Young patriarch tasted the fish soup and felt that the heat wasn't there yet so he added more firewood, "You need to know that you are still young and have a low cultivation. He won't put you in his eyes and will feel that he can control you. If he could achieve the path of the saint, there's nothing to lose by letting him control you and control the sacred cult. If he can't do it, you will just have to replace him."
It was as if he was saying an insignificant matter; however, this matter was a major event that involved an interregnum between two dynasties!
Qin Mu tasted the fish soup and felt that it was delicious and very refreshing, making him can't help exclaiming in admiration.
Suddenly he remembered a thing and immediately asked, "Patriarch, is there a technique missing in Great Education Heavenly Devil Scriptures? After studying it for these few days, I didn't find a technique which could unify all skills in Great Educational Heavenly Devil Scriptures."
Young patriarch stretched his hand and grabbed towards the air and got two bowls and a ladle from god knows where. Qin Mu took over the ladle and started to ladle out the soup.
Just now young patriarch grabbed towards the air, this kind of spell was recorded in Great Educational Heavenly Devil Scriptures. It was called Five Ghosts Transport Spell, to be able to steal things from far away without anyone knowing."
"The Unity Technique of Great Educational Heavenly Devil Scripture is only imparted to the cult master and is passed down from cult master to cult master."
The young patriarch drank a mouth of fish soup and heaved a sigh, "The content in Great Educational Heavenly Devil Scriptures can all be imparted out except for the Unity Technique that only the cult master could cultivate. When you become the sacred cult master, Li Tianxing would impart it to you."
Qin Mu stared blankly. Wasn't Cult Master Li Tianxing already dead?
From the young patriarch's tone, Li Tianxing seemed to still be alive.
Drinking the fish soup, he found it more and more delicious so he asked, "Patriarch, what fish is this?"
The young patriarch replied, "The qi of the nine dragons gathered here and formed this lake. These fish here absorb the dragon qi, therefore, they are called Nine Dragons Carp. This kind of fish has a body full of hard bones and not much meat, therefore they could only be used for simmering and the soup simmered from them are especially delicious."
Qin Mu looked pensive, "Patriarch means to let me become a Nine Dragons Carp with a body full of hard bones?"
The young patriarch gave him a stare, "Aren't you thinking too much? What's so bad about being a human that you want to become a fish? Do you want to get simmered in soup? I'm just craving for fish soup that's why I had brought you here."
Qin Mu was embarrassed. It seemed that the old man really was craving and just wanted to drink fish soup.
The two of them sat down and slowly drank the soup, enjoying it very much.
Qin Mu picked out a fish bone and drew a picture on the ground. He drew out the Six Fusion Realm's circulation diagram of Overlord Body Three Elixir Body and asked, "Patriarch, I have seen this circulation diagram in Hall of Azure Yang. However, there isn't a preceding diagram, can I ask if Patriarch had seen the preceding diagram of this picture?"
The young patriarch looked at it carefully and was astonished, "What do you need this circulation diagram of this technique for? You recognize this technique?"
Qin Mu nodded his head and said, "This is the Six Fusion Realm's circulation diagram of Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique."
The young patriarch had a weird expression, "Even I don't know this is Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique, who told you so?"
"Village Chief did."
The young patriarch stared blankly for a moment and sighed ruefully, "This old fellow is still wiser than me. I can't recognize this technique and didn't know its name but he did. He still the smarter one. So this technique is called Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique, that old fellow indeed has lots of experience and knowledge. I had seen this circulation diagram in an ancient ruin. Other than this picture, there also a few incomplete pictures. I saw the myriads of marvels in the circulation of the diagrams which were extraordinary, therefore I had memorized them down and carved them in Hall of Azure Yang. The techniques in Hall of Azure Yang are all incomplete diagrams and this is one of the incomplete ones."
He paused for a moment and asked, "You are cultivating this technique?"
Qin Mu nodded his head, "I had cultivated Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique since I was a child."
The young patriarch hesitated for a moment, "By rights, you should be cultivating the Unity Technique of our sacred cult, but there must be a reason why that old fellow in your village made you cultivate this Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique. With his profound knowledge, he didn't teach you his technique and instead taught you Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique. This means it's even better than his technique. Good techniques often have points in common. Why don't you cultivate both techniques? It might even contribute to your cultivation."
Qin Mu understood and replied, "I haven't found the preceding diagram of Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique. Without the technique of Five Elements Realm, I can't continue cultivating."