Chapter 101

Chapter 101: The Fall of the Divine

"O-F-C-O-U-R-S-E! W-E-A-R-E-L-O-O-K-I-N-G-F-O-R-T-H-E-T-A-I-C-H-A-N-G-S-Z-O-N-G!"

In the silent broadcast room, a circle of elderly leaders sat around the screen, their large, dark under-eye bags revealing the sleepless nights they had endured lately. After a long moment, one of the senior leaders, holding a cigarette between his teeth, took a deep drag and then, through the haze of smoke, stroked his nearly bald forehead. "Young Gu...," he said.

Mr. Gu sat at their feet, sobbing loudly.

At the main headquarters of the Tai Chang Sect—

After the impassioned advertisement transitioned into a shampoo commercial, the actors' clear and resonant voices lingered in the air like echoes that refused to fade.

Chairman Wei Xi sat on the sofa, staring at the screen with an unprecedented excitement. It wasn't easy, but the Tai Chang Sect had finally taken this historic leap forward.

The room was quiet. Recalling that Wei Tianyi seemed to have been speaking to him earlier but he hadn't paid attention, Wei Xi turned to look at him. "Tianyi, what did you say just now?"

Wei Tianyi: "..."

Wei Tianyi didn't meet his gaze. With an empty expression, he turned away, not even bothering to put on his coat before stepping out into the cold wind outside.

What on earth was going on? It felt as if he had just woken up from an unprovoked nightmare and needed a blast of cool air to snap back to reality.

Wei Xi: "?"

Why did he react like that?

Wei Xi couldn't fathom the reason, so he turned to Elder Wang, an elderly devotee who, despite her age, was knowledgeable and experienced, having also navigated the business world in her youth. The initial idea for promoting the sect through advertising had originated from her, and if one were to enumerate the contributions, she would certainly deserve a commendable mention.

Elder Wang, sensing his gaze, fell silent for a moment before struggling to locate the armrest of the sofa twice before finally managing to support herself as she stood up, trembling. "…Perhaps I should still go and burn some incense for the Celestial Venerated."

The two of them left, one after the other, and neither the disciple nor the devotee seemed particularly thrilled about their sect's first advertisement. Wei Xi couldn't help but feel disappointed and wanted to ask his disciple what was happening.

His second disciple, propping his chin in his hand, sat beside him and, noticing Wei Xi's gaze, didn't seem keen on speaking either. His expression conveyed a hint of exasperation.

Fortunately, at that moment, his eldest disciple rushed over with tears in his eyes, holding his phone. "Master! Master! Listen! Please listen!"

Through the phone came a cacophony of wails and howls, the ghosts of Taicang Sect were ecstatic. Uncle Shen was weeping uncontrollably. "Headmaster!!! We're on TV, oh sob sob sob!!!"

Tuanjieyi was also overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down his face. "Master, how do you think my ad slogan turned out? To write it, I spent a whole week studying viral marketing strategies with Fang Xiaojie. That's how I crafted such a straightforward and impactful script. From now on, our Taicang Sect will surely flourish more and more!"

This was the appropriate reaction!

Wei Xi finally felt relieved. It seemed that his decision to advertise was indeed a wise one. From now on, the reputation of their sect would soar to great heights, known throughout the world. With this, a future of prosperous incense offerings and countless believers didn't seem too far off.

************

If one were to assess his prediction... it wasn't entirely wrong. At that moment, countless question marks dominated the real-time feeds across various forums and social networks—

"????????"

"????????"

"???? Could anyone who was watching Channel XX just now confirm if the ad that the OP saw wasn't just an illusion?"

With this question, discussions exploded like a lit fuse, spinning out of control.

Mainly, the viewers were utterly stunned.

Think about it, when did the Tai Cang Sect's advertisement air? During primetime. What kind of program aired during primetime? "Believe in Science!" What kind of audience watched "Believe in Science"? While they might poke fun at the show, their mockery was at most playful banter. Those who tuned in at specific times were fans who criticized yet firmly believed in science. Yet, as they laughed and ridiculed the program for manipulating emotions while reinforcing their materialist worldview with revelations devoid of any mystical elements, a barrage of feudal superstition suddenly slammed into them from out of nowhere.

How were the helpless viewers supposed to digest this?

Listen to the slogans – "What if you're afraid of ghosts? What if you're afraid of demons? What if your home's feng shui is bad?"

Forget about what the television station was promoting; the ad seemed to be promoting a Taoist temple, but why would a Taoist temple start advertising on TV in this day and age?! What's going on with your industry??

The following content was even more bizarre – something about the Taicang Sect Ghost House Detective Agency. What kind of strange services did they offer??

The netizens were all confused at this point, and some began speculating that it was a prank show created by the TV station. But as the masses dug deeper, they realized that these seemingly fictional businesses were actually real! The Taicang Sect Ghost House was already a minor internet celebrity among ghost house enthusiasts and young locals in the capital city. Even the detective agency, which most people had never heard of before, had numerous customer reviews online.

As for the talent agency and health centers mentioned later, they could be legally verified on business registration websites, and seemed to be operating well within the rules of commerce.

Already bewildering, the situation reached a new level of confusion with the ad's final stroke of genius.

The villain thanked the Taoist priests for helping him find work, and suddenly became a successful ghost. What was the message behind this??

Some befuddled netizens left comments laughing, "Are they advocating harmonious coexistence between humans and ghosts, working together towards success? I'm crying, this is basically an inspiring job-hunting story promoting world peace. It's a public service announcement!"

Of course, after the initial burst of laughter, no one took it seriously. As the initial wave of sarcastic remarks subsided, people started pondering the hidden meaning behind this absurd advertisement.

What? You're saying it's just a plain promotional advertisement? How could that be! Sure, we started off joking around, but who doesn't know how strictly the authorities scrutinize content related to superstition these days? Putting that aside, what does a Taoist temple want by going through such lengths to evade censorship and appear on television? If it's not against humanity or the country, then is it all just to advertise their ghost-catching abilities? Throughout five thousand years of history, has anyone ever seen such a bizarre religion?

Netizens possess remarkable deductive skills. After this advertisement gained widespread attention and numerous calls to the authorities went unanswered, they eventually pieced together the entire story using their fertile imaginations.

The state isn't intervening; Taicang Sect must have connections.

Since Taicang Sect has connections, there must be a reason behind the government's inaction, probably something with deep implications.

Many enraged bloggers began speculating sensibly online: "Could it be that Taicang Sect was sent by the propaganda department?"

Upon reflection, it made perfect sense. In recent years, the country hasn't been at peace. Perhaps it's due to the side effects of information overload, but news related to superstition has suddenly proliferated. Frequently, posts would appear online claiming encounters with ghosts or spirits. Although these posts were swiftly deleted by the censors, their mere existence stirred significant discussions, cumulatively forming a considerable force.

Recently, when the water level in Wushan Reservoir in the south rose abruptly, many locals excitedly spread rumors online that they had encountered the Longyou from the ancient text "Classic of Mountains and Seas," and were convinced that the rise was linked to this creature, as the text mentioned its ability to cause floods. It seemed to fit perfectly.

Can you believe these people? They actually believe in myths like the "Classic of Mountains and Seas." If they use that book to explain natural disasters, attributing the surge in Wushan Reservoir to Longyou, then does that mean the previous drought was caused by Fei Yi, as per the book?

Absolutely absurd!

Not to mention the Dragon Shadow incident in the Yellow River, followed by heavy rainfall and floods along the downstream coastal regions. Despite "Trust Science" and various news media debunking these myths, many people still stubbornly cling to their preferred version of the truth.

Due to the increasing number of malevolent cults emerging, all claiming to uphold righteousness while committing nefarious deeds, like the Cult of Self-Cultivation that was apprehended in Xin Nan previously. Rumors had it that they secretly sowed discord among couples. Yet, despite this, many elderly in Xin Nan still blindly trusted them and devoted themselves to practicing qigong.

These individuals were the reason for occasional unrest in the otherwise stable society, causing widespread anxiety among all sectors.

Some science communicators found the current situation utterly frustrating. Despite their efforts, as large as the platform "Believe in Science" might be, it couldn't convince everyone to trust in scientific reasoning. Compared to that, how could they, with their limited reach, hope to make a difference?

Upon this realization, it dawned on everyone – the Taicang Sect was actually an ally, no wonder their actions seemed so eccentric!

Television commercials and official channels reached every corner of the nation, what vast platforms they were! It was better to promote a legitimate and lawful belief to those ordinary citizens who lacked information and education, and were thus more susceptible to deception by cults.

*************

This argument became even more convincing with the support of another piece of evidence that emerged shortly after.

A renowned zoology blogger promptly posted the updated list of protected animals online, delightfully remarking, "Take a look at what's been added."

Initially, netizens were confused, but upon seeing the update, they all started forwarding it in fits of laughter:

"What the hell is 'bladder explosion'?? Hahahaha!!"

"Super Protected Species, Azure Dragon, Hahahaha!!!"

"No complaints here! Celebrating Azure Dragon's rightful recognition! Retweet this comment for a chance to win a 666 red envelope for the lucky dragon descendant in three days."

"What nonsense! What's with Azure Dragon? Why is it instantly granted top protection status, even higher than our Giant Pandas? Panda fans are not having it [dog emoji]!"

"Hey! Your pandas really have no shame. In terms of identity and status, how dare you compete with our Azure Dragons! With our Dragon's arrival, your national treasures might lose their throne!"

"Exactly, what kind of wild fowl dares to cluck here? Better find a coop for it quickly. Our Azure Dragons have held the center stage for thousands of years, why should we lose to your pandas?"

"23333, didn't expect the first super protected species since the founding of the country to be an Azure Dragon. Honestly, the rarity deserves the honor, hahaha!"

"Foreigners: '???? You guys actually have real dragons????'"

"Country: I'm tickled pink by this prank!"

Science communicators couldn't help but chuckle, "Taking the path of cults, leaving no room for superstition. Such an effective approach from the Taicang Sect, very ojbk!"

************

United Righteousness was initially flustered. After the ad aired, apart from the fans who were left speechless by the shock, a flood of unfamiliar accounts emerged on Weibo, fiercely criticizing them for promoting feudal superstition and even threatening to report them to some authority. The public reaction was entirely different from what he had anticipated.

He didn't dare to tell his master about this issue but secretly discussed it with his junior brother, who only stared at him as if he were an idiot.

United Righteousness felt deeply hurt. After searching online for opinions, he finally realized that there seemed to be something wrong. The contemporary society was no longer the era when the entire population was illiterate and turned to deities for help. The core socialist values shone brightly across the world, and even traditional Buddhism and Taoism were ridiculed by many young people. His newly emerged small sect couldn't gain widespread acceptance.

Just as he was feeling sad, the tide suddenly turned. Those accounts that had fiercely criticized their sect before now made a comeback, leaving friendly apologies:

"Hahaha, sorry, sorry, I was impulsive and didn't recognize you as an ally. Retracting my 40-meter-long saber and slapping myself on the head."

"Sending pasta to our ally. You've been wronged, ally. Keep up the good work and strive for believers all over the world!"

United Righteousness: "???"

What was going on here?

There was also a popular science blogger in the comment section who had previously left a deep impression on him and had sparked quite a storm.

The blogger deleted their previous condemnatory comments, and the top post was now changed to: "Believe in science, oppose meaningless worship. The road ahead is long for our ally, and more effort is needed."

United Righteousness was utterly confused, and fueled by the anger from being scolded earlier, he couldn't help but reply, "What are you talking about? Of course, our sect worships deities. Didn't you see the pinned post? We worship the Supreme Immortal of Enlightenment!"

The blogger, who had initially shown great hostility, now retweeted with a veiled yet intimate tone, "I get it, I get it. The Supreme Immortal of Enlightenment, right? Believing in science, believing in the Supreme Immortal of Enlightenment. No need for further explanation, I'm the first to believe!"

Under that retweet, a flood of "hahas" appeared. Honestly, anyone with even a slight understanding of religion knew there had never been such a deity as the Supreme Immortal of Enlightenment throughout history. The ally from Taicang Sect was putting on quite an elaborate act, actually participating in their online feud.

After this comical spectacle, countless netizens' feeds were flooded with the hashtag "#Believe in Science, Believe in the Supreme Immortal of Enlightenment," along with the viral Taicang Sect's eerie advertisement. It instantly surpassed numerous celebrities in terms of popularity, creating a bizarre phenomenon.

United Righteousness: "???"

After Wei Xi enjoyed the amusement, he finally remembered to ask his disciple about the market response.

With confusion in his eyes, United Righteousness stared at the growing number of accounts claiming to be followers of Taicang Sect and the almost scientifically implausible rise in their follower count. After a moment of silence, he could only summarize it as, "It seems very enthusiastic. I don't know why, but everyone is actively responding."

Wei Xi had no frame of reference for this situation but nodded in satisfaction. "Looks like our business strategy is on the right track. Don't you think so, Que'er?"

Shuo Zong: "…"

If you mean taking the route of a cult to leave no room for other cults, then yes, that's true.

**************

The second disciple of the Taicang Sect, the only one with a semblance of sanity, was utterly speechless after witnessing the entire saga of the advertising controversy. He was at a loss for words both towards his idiotic master-disciple duo within the sect and the wildly imaginative netizens online.

Wei Xi's worldview had solidified through this incident. Indeed, the methods to bring honor to one's family beyond the mountains were far more intricate than what Wei Dedao had taught before. As his senior disciple had mentioned, in modern society, one must follow the path of the times.

Just as he was pondering over his next move, Mr. Gu paid another visit.

Mr. Gu appeared much older since their last meeting. Upon entering, he wore a bizarre mix of a smile and tears on his face. "Master Wei, how has the impact been since the release of the sect's advertisement?"

Certainly, that's quite commendable. Lately, apart from other matters, there have been numerous wandering spirits and wayward ghosts applying spontaneously to their sect. They were all drawn by the job advertisements of Taicang Sect that they saw in various settings. Ordinary TV viewers might not know, but how could ghosts fail to recognize their own kind among the villains portrayed on screen? The fact that Taicang Sect could afford to advertise indicated that it was a legitimate and large-scale company with ample resources. Therefore, regardless of their abilities, all these wandering spirits approached the job interviews with great humility and sincerity, hoping to become as successful in the ghostly realm as the villains depicted in the ad.

Capitalizing on this wave of popularity, Uncle Shen attracted numerous promising talents, who would daily call to offer their congratulations. Moreover, due to its appearance on television, playing a rather significant and speaking role, and its dashing appearance in a suit, it unexpectedly gained some fame in the ghost realm. This led to the female ghost employees in the company treating it differently, and wandering ghosts seeking employment treated it like a celebrity.

Renowned and pleased with the attention, Mr. Shen embraced his newfound popularity. In the company, he cultivated an image of a business elite, dedicating himself even more to his work. He tirelessly worked overtime without seeking extra compensation, igniting a wave of enthusiasm among the entire staff.

This is indeed an outstanding achievement for the Taicang Sect.

Mr. Gu also perceived the satisfaction in his eyes and let out a bitter laugh. "To get this advertisement approved, both my colleagues and I in the department faced considerable pressure. It's a relief that Master Wei finds it satisfactory."

His words were absolutely sincere. Ads of this genre were originally not allowed to be aired on television, let alone online, during their review process. Fortunately, due to various reasons, the online response later on was redirected onto a more acceptable path. The impact wasn't as severe as they initially imagined; in fact, it even achieved an unexpectedly positive outcome. However, at the beginning, everyone in the department, from top to bottom, had braced themselves for the worst.

To be honest, at first, the top leaders were quite opposed to it. However, after considering various factors, they eventually abandoned that idea. Apart from the assurance given by the former senior leader, the most crucial factor was their recognition of Taicang Sect's seemingly extraordinary capabilities.

After their encounter with the Azure Dragon, they learned from the local Taoist Association's elders that the Black Tortoise had already made an appearance.

Although the Daoist priests were secretive about the specifics of their previous encounter with Xin Nan's demonic cult, the information that filtered down to them all pointed to one fact — it was someone from Taicang Sect who had captured Black Tortoise back then.

Mr. Gu, as the director of "Believe in Science," although he hadn't personally witnessed the capture of the Black Tortoise, he had indeed seen with his own eyes the entrapment of the Azure Dragon!

Wei Xi's ruthless display back then, riding the Azure Dragon and gnawing on its scales, still sends chills down his spine even in the middle of the night. Though it was ultimately a mineral water bottle that played the decisive role, there was no doubt about Wei Xi's formidable combat strength, right?

In this present state of unrest across the nation, the Taoist Association's masters were not only weak in power but also severely understaffed. A major corporation, which frequently collaborated with higher authorities, had stringent requirements to enlist their aid, far beyond Mr. Gu's rank. Burdened with a mountain of unresolved issues within his department, he could only strive harder to secure benefits for Wei Xi if he wished for a long-term collaboration.

"It's like this," Mr. Gu began hesitantly, "Master Wei is surely aware of the severe drought in Wuhua, and how the Daoist Association's leaders have urgently departed for Wuhua to pray for rain."

Wuhua was the region where Fei Yi had been captured, and it was said that not a single drop of rain had fallen there in over three months. Wuhua was an agriculturally rich province, and many people still relied on the whims of the weather for their livelihoods. The consequences of the Fei Yi's presence were severe; Wei Xi had seen photos sent by local Daoist priests showing cracked earth, nearly dried-up rivers and lakes, and withered crops. Despite the government's desperate efforts to supply water, they could not guarantee an adequate daily provision for the residents. Thus, even though it was winter, the distress on the faces of the locals was evident. If the drought persisted, spring planting in the countryside would be out of the question next year, and urban life would inevitably face even harsher challenges.

The Daoist priests didn't have much hope for invoking rain. Originally, they had wanted to invite Wei Xi along, but since he also had no idea how to pray for rain, he declined the group activity.

Wei Xi found it odd at the time. Wasn't Azure Dragon proficient in water? Wouldn't it be easy to just bring it along to the zoo?

But his second disciple explained, "Azure Dragon may be skilled in water, but there needs to be water for it to manipulate. In ancient times, dragons did indeed take on the role of bringing rain for a period, but their responsibility was merely to swallow clouds and exhale mist. Bestowing rain is far from simple. Heavenly Law maintains balance in all things and doesn't grant any divine beast the exclusive ability to rain. Rainfall is the responsibility of the Star Deities, Master Wind and Water General."

Wei Xi didn't quite grasp the meaning, but after hearing his disciple's words, he realized that the Azure Dragon might not be of much use: "Then why not ask them to summon those two star deities?"

At this, the second disciple only gave an enigmatic laugh, his gaze directed towards the sky with a complex mix of mockery and pity in his eyes.

Heavenly Law could collapse, and everything in the world was fickle. Even if these beings had been revered by the entire nation since the Qin and Han dynasties, they would still fall when their time came. How many believers could still recall the names of Master Wind and Water General today?

Wei Xi didn't fully understand what his disciple's silence signified, but he could still comprehend Mr. Gu's words. Nodding, he said, "I understand, Mr. Gu. You're here for something else? Unfortunately, I'm not skilled in this domain and have no intention of participating in their rain-making ritual."

Mr. Gu hastily shook his head and took out his phone. "Master Wei, you've misunderstood. I came to seek your help for another matter, unrelated to praying for rain."

*************

The video Mr. Gu showed Wei Xi was chaotic, seemingly depicting a law enforcement scene with several people pinned to the ground by the police. Despite being subdued, these individuals showed no fear, instead cursing at the officers with phrases like "Why are you dogs meddling in other people's business?!"

Mr. Gu sighed. "This is footage provided by the Yue He City police of an enforcement operation. The arrested individuals were members of an illegal cult conducting unauthorized rituals. Given Master Wei's experience in dealing with the Cult of Self-Cultivation, I've come to request your assistance."

Unity Yi was astonished on the side. "How could there be another cult?"

Mr. Gu shook his head. "I have no idea what's going on. In recent years, cult organizations across the country have become more and more rampant. It's unclear what kind of connections exist behind them. In any case, cults tend to interact with one another. Master Wei might not have heard this, but before Zhang Pang joined the Cultivation Sect, he was involved in a pyramid scheme at Yue He. We later cooperated with the police to interrogate him, and we confirmed that many of his tactics were learned during his time at Yue He. However, compared to his fraudulent activities and qigong propagation methods in Xin Nan, the cult practices at Yue He are far more terrifying. The reason they were arrested by the police this time was that they intended to sacrifice a pair of young boys and girls to their evil deity."

Wei Xi: "Human sacrifice?"

Mr. Gu: "Yes, fortunately, the children were rescued by local police officers before they were drowned in the river."

Wei Xi nodded, showing no particular reaction to the topic involving human lives. He fell into deep thought.

Mr. Gu watched his expression nervously. Wei Xi was so powerful, and usually, he appeared somewhat arrogant, not even sparing a glance for Azure Dragon. Last time, when they cooperated to capture the dragon, he had made such a difficult request. Now, without any advertisement deal, Mr. Gu wondered if Wei Xi would agree to his favor.

After a while, Wei Xi spoke with solemnity, "Mr. Gu, in principle, since we've worked together once, I shouldn't be saying this..."

Hearing these words, Mr. Gu felt a sense of despair. Was he really going to refuse?

Wei Xi continued slowly, "—Last time, you didn't pay us, but since we did get some advertising exposure, I didn't push the issue. Will you be paying us this time? Or are you considering a long-term collaboration with a membership card?"

Mr. Gu: "..."

*********

Mr. Gu had been instrumental in helping before, offering generous compensation, and with just a casual mention, he agreed to have his department handle the issuance of Taicang Sect's gold card. Wei Xi finally understood why his eldest disciple often emphasized the benefits of collaborating with government agencies in those books. Indeed, dealing with official institutions proved far more efficient than with private companies or individuals. The amount deposited instantly set a new record for the sect's card issuance history.

Wei Xi sensed that he might seek more opportunities to cooperate with the state in the future.

As for cults, the experience with the XiuSheng Sect left a deep impression. If all the cult members outside the mountains were like Zhang Pang and the XiuSheng Sect, Wei Xi could easily deal with a dozen or more each week without much effort.

Though Wei Xi didn't take it too seriously, his second disciple suddenly grabbed him before he left.

Wei Xi inquired, "What's the matter?"

His second disciple lifted his gaze to the sky. The air in the capital had been rather poor since winter arrived, but for the past couple of days, the sky was unexpectedly clear. It was already dark now, with a bright moon hanging high and scattered stars sprinkling across the celestial canvas. They were not numerous, and their light was rather dim.

Wei Xi vaguely recalled reading about this phenomenon online. Netizens and experts alike attributed it to the terrible environment, which caused the stars in the city to appear so faint and scarce. At the same time, they would share pictures of starry skies taken in rural areas or abroad, which appeared much more magnificent than what one could see in the capital.

However, whenever Wei Xi saw those photos, he felt a sense of dissonance. His experience was vastly different from those netizens who exclaimed, "So beautiful!" or "Too stunning!" His jumbled memories subtly reminded him that the sky shouldn't look like this.

Even in those highly praised photos, the stars' radiance seemed inadequate to him.

However, he wasn't sure where this realization had originated.

The second disciple gazed at the sky for so long that Wei Xi subconsciously looked up as well, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

At that moment, the second disciple lowered his head thoughtfully. For an instant, Wei Xi sensed a chilling emotion in his gaze, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end instinctively.

A warm hand covered the back of his neck, gently stroking it. The second disciple seemed to have noticed Wei Xi's tension and returned to his usual cool and composed demeanor. He spoke softly, "It's nothing. I just noticed that the stars are particularly bright tonight."

He opened the car door for Wei Xi and then deliberately didn't get in with him. Instead, he closed the door and walked around to the other side of the vehicle.

Once he was certain that Wei Xi couldn't see him, he pulled out his vibrating phone—

"Xia Shouren, did you see it too?"

Xia Shouren hummed in response, his voice unusually serious, "Master Wind and Master Rain's stars are shining brightly."

Shuo Zong said coldly, "They're almost descending into darkness."

Xia Shouren replied, "I thought things couldn't get any worse, but it seems there's a divine fall. Their location appears to be near Yue He City. I'll lead a team there right away. As for the gods... what's your plan?"

Shuo Zong glanced at the carriage. Noticing Wei Xi wasn't getting in, he rolled down the window and leaned out to search, "Que'er?"

Standing amidst the biting cold, Shuo Zong kept one hand in his pocket while the corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. However, his icy voice starkly contrasted with the gentle curve of his lips as he said,

"What else could my plan be? Bring my Godslayer Whip and come find me."