"What’s going on, why do I feel so restless tonight?"
Feng Chouzi inexplicably felt his divine soul was agitated, as if he were in a steaming pot, with a suffocating heat that made him restless and uneasy.
He opened his eyes, his face flushed, and loosened the luxurious purple robe he was wearing.
Inside the four-tiered temple, the sacred and mysterious chanting still echoed, accompanied by several copper incense burners, slowly surrounding the space.
As the Commanding Daoist Official of the Seal and Ribbon Bureau in the Divine Capital Central Hub, Feng Chouzi held considerable power.
In fact, he was only slightly inferior to the few ancestors of the North and South Studies.
As well as the Commanding Daoist Officials of the other two bureaus.
Moreover, he held a holy decree from the Emperor and a secret order from Lord Zhou Jue of the North Study.
His conveyance was the soaring Dragon Tooth Battleship.
Such was the grandeur of the specifications!
Even the Lay Daoist Officials of the Prefecture City and County City, upon seeing him,
would have to respectfully and reverently clear the streets to welcome him!
"My lord, shall we disperse the incense a bit?"
The attendant, dressed as a Daoist Child, crawled forward on his knees.
"No need, incense is a rare commodity, how can one waste it?
These people chant sincerely and pray to the Five Directions Emperor Monarch, which I see with my eyes and remember in my heart.
We absolutely must not let them down!"
Feng Chouzi waved his hand.
The four-tiered temple was like a misty cloud, the incense smoke as if thick blue smoke, all gathered from the sincere and devout followers outside in the main hall, who offered prayers to the Five Directions Emperor Monarch.
He then activated the Secret Technique bestowed by the Dragon Court, drawing from the power of their wishes to strengthen his Divine Soul Thoughts.
Achieving a result that yields twice the gain with half the effort.
"Let the multitude be beasts of burden, to elevate me to a dragon and elephant! Such unparalleled legacy is enough to ensure the enduring prosperity of the Daoist Official system, and maintain the eternal reign of the Dragon Court; truly wonderful!"
Feng Chouzi took a deep breath of incense smoke, which, like long serpents, continuously entered his nostrils.
The pure power of united wishes, offered in prayers and chants,
slowly enveloped each resplendent thought, polished and refined, making them shine even brighter, and his strength gradually increased.
The blissful enjoyment that felt like transcending to an immortal state, completely soothing the restless divine soul of Feng Chouzi and calming his turbulent thoughts.
He let out a long breath, and after a moment, gathered himself from his intoxicated state:
"The Sword Sect is arrogant, defying the Court, and will inevitably suffer a great loss sooner or later.
Governance by the Dragon Court relies on Daoist Officials, not unruly sects."
Feng Chouzi glancing upward, settled his luxurious purple robe back on, fastening the cloud-patterned jade belt.
Several attendants quickly crawled forward on their knees, bowing at his feet, one arching his back, another holding his boots.
"My lord, would you like to have a meal?"
"Some simple tea and plain food will suffice."
Feng Chouzi stepped into his boots, placing his foot on the back of the attendant, meticulously arranging his attire to maintain a dignified appearance.
Then, swaggering, he was escorted out of the temple.
"I specially prepared a good meal for you."
Upon learning that Feng Chouzi had finished his cultivation, the androgynous-looking Changxiaozi swiftly arrived, bending in salutation:
"Although Yihai Prefecture is a remote and impoverished area, the waters of the Nu Yun River are quite clear, nurturing many valuable and spirit fish, which are still edible."
Feng Chouzi, feeling slightly sobered by the river breeze, responded:
"No need. I observe a vegetarian day every ten days, keep to abstinence, and refrain from meat to purify my body and mind."
Changxiaozi’s expression remained unchanged, lowering his head in flattery:
"My lord is truly strict in his discipline, unwavering in his pursuit of the Dao, which earns our admiration!"
It is not only in Buddhism that such discipline exists.
The Daoist sect also has strict precepts.
Furthermore, as Daoism flourished in the Red County Divine Land, Buddhist temples declined.
Many practices were absorbed and made their own use.
For example, the practice of vegetarianism was an early preference of the Supreme Emperor.
For ages, what comes from above influences below, and this has never changed.
The Daoist Officials of the Divine Capital Central Hub quickly followed suit, forming a prevailing trend.
Over time, vegetarian restaurants in the streets and alleys of the Divine Capital became famous far and wide.
Many monks even left the monastic life to become chefs.
"Someday, when we have time, I will treat you to the renowned ’Eighteen Arhats’ Vegetarian Meal’ at Jade Sea Tower."
Standing at the bow of the ship, Feng Chouzi gazed at the wide river, his mood instantly lifted.
"Thank you, my lord."
Changxiaozi was overjoyed, for what he ate was not important, but the fact that his superior was willing to take him along was the key.
The Divine Capital Central Hub, with its ten thousand Daoist Officials, sounded grand indeed.
But many spent a lifetime with only the meager spiritual resources granted, toiling like beasts of burden, just another insignificant pawn.
Without supporters and patrons to help and support, how could one rise through the ranks and hold real power?
Merely relying on the salary provided might not even suffice to fund their own cultivation.
"If you do your job well, opportunities for advancement will not be lacking."
Feng Chouzi casually made empty promises.
He recalled how diligently he had worked for his godfather in the past, hearing such words more than a hundred times, yet he never received a promotion or advancement.
In the end, he had to kick his godfather, who held him down, out of the way to become the Commander of the Seal and Ribbon Bureau.
"The vegetarian meal is ready."
Changxiaozi lowered his posture, humble in demeanor.
"Before I arrived, Lord Zhou Jue of the North Study was summoned.
He said, Yihai Prefecture is a small place with shallow ponds, but it harbors dragons and tigers and has great waves, so I should proceed with caution."
Feng Chouzi waved his sleeve, producing a geomantic map and unfurling it in midair.
Streams of clear energy surged forth, some long, some short, some bright, some dark.
"Looking carefully, apart from those few bothersome fellows of the Meridian Sword Sect, I see no notable figures."
Feng Chouzi lowered his gaze, glancing mildly.
For a region like a prefecture, to have a handful of Four Cultivation Grandmasters and Four Realms Daoist Cultivators was already remarkable.
But for Feng Chouzi, who had come from the Divine Capital Central Hub and was himself a Ghost Immortal, it still did not escape the assessment of being a ’rural place.’