Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 542: Law of Immortality, Guozhuo Makes a Vow_1

Chapter 542: Chapter 542: Law of Immortality, Guozhuo Makes a Vow_1

"An old acquaintance wishes to see me?" Pei Jiang was dealing with administrative affairs. Ever since the disappearance of Emperor Heng, he’d been plagued by constant worries.

Now, hearing someone had come claiming to be an old acquaintance stirred even more annoyance within him.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t received old acquaintances before; most of them were merely seeking to curry favor due to his elevated position. He had sent them all away, intending to deal with this one similarly: just offer some money and be done with it.

As for granting an official post, that was completely out of the question. He wouldn’t just give away positions like that without careful consideration.

"Based on the previous... wait, who is this visitor?" He had been about to say he would dismiss the visitor as before. But on second thought, it wasn’t so simple; it was only proper to inquire about the visitor’s identity first. In the past, he would have at least asked before deciding on a course of action. This time, however, his vexation had almost made him overlook this crucial step.

"The visitor says he’s an old acquaintance from the Dai Temple and claims he’s here for you to fulfill an agreement, my lord," the attendant reported, without adding any embellishments or omitting any details.

Upon hearing these words, Pei Jiang’s face instantly lit up with joy.

"So it’s Mr. Wang who has come! Please usher him in quickly!"

An old acquaintance from the Dai Temple, an agreement... The moment these two elements combined, Pei Jiang immediately thought of ’Wang Xueshu’.

Among those who had changed his life, besides ’Wang Xueshu’, no one else was truly worth mentioning.

"My lord, who is this gentleman? And what agreement does he have with you?" a middle-aged man nearby asked with a frown, witnessing the scene. This didn’t seem like a good sign.

He wasn’t trying to compete for favor or power; he merely hoped the agreement wouldn’t turn out to be some outrageous commitment.

"This matter goes back to when..." Pei Jiang gave a brief summary of the situation, allowing the middle-aged man to understand the gist.

The middle-aged man looked rather bewildered. "So, we truly are the legitimate lineage of the Dai Temple?"

He was genuinely surprised. Previously, when Pei Jiang had claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Dai Temple, the man had thought it was merely a ploy to enhance Pei Jiang’s reputation. But now, it seemed Pei Jiang was not only the true successor, but even the Charms they used were passed down from the Dai Temple.

"Yes, that’s what I’ve been saying from the beginning," Pei Jiang replied, somewhat exasperated.

"Such a great talent! My lord, you should recruit him as soon as possible to prevent any misfortune befalling him while he remains unaligned." Recruiting the visitor was the middle-aged man’s immediate thought.

As for protecting the Ancestor Court of Mount Tai Temple, it wasn’t a major issue. Granting reputation and wealth but withholding power would limit their expansion and proselytizing. Symbolism could take precedence over actual power.

"I will do my best." Pei Jiang wasn’t very confident about this, as ’Wang Xueshu’ had already rejected him once before.

"There’s one more matter that requires your careful consideration, my lord." The middle-aged man’s expression turned serious as he continued, "If the Dai Temple desires expansion, my lord, you must not allow it, even if Mr. Wang tries to leverage a past favor to ask. This is to prevent future generations from suffering needless disasters."

"I understand," Pei Jiang affirmed, naturally aware of this.

He could bestow wealth, fame, and luxury upon the Dai Temple. However, he would neither allow them to spread their faith nor strengthen themselves. Not only would he refuse, but he would also strongly restrict it.

"If that’s the case, then I shall withdraw for a moment." With those words, the middle-aged man rose and headed toward the rear hall hidden behind a screen. From there, he couldn’t see the visitor but could overhear the conversation and provide Pei Jiang with reminders through subtle signals if needed. This was one of an Aide’s duties.

The middle-aged man held a higher position, serving as a Think Tank, but he was also capable of performing an Aide’s duties.

"Go on." Pei Jiang naturally didn’t stop him; the man was his confidant, and he trusted him completely.

’Wang Xueshu’ might have done him a great service, but Pei Jiang also knew the man had intentionally used him for his own purposes from the start. There had to be something he was after. Gratitude was personal, but matters of the realm were paramount.

Before long, ’Wang Xueshu’ was brought in. His bearing was unchanged, and he still had the appearance of a young man.

"It’s been a long time, Mr. Wang. Please, sit down," Pei Jiang said, rising to welcome him.

Wang Linchi, seeing this, also broke into a broad smile. "You flatter me, Lord Pei. Nowadays, you are a person of great importance."

As they sat down and began reminiscing, it was clear that Pei Jiang had changed considerably. When they first met, Pei Jiang was just a hot-blooded novice, the kind whose blunt words could leave one speechless. But now, he handled matters effortlessly and was even trying to draw information from Wang Linchi.

Wang Linchi, however, made no attempt to probe. He had been observing Pei Jiang all along, so he knew everything Pei Jiang had done, even overhearing the earlier conversation with his confidant. But Wang Linchi didn’t care; he wasn’t here to revive the Dai Temple.

He was here to find someone to use; there was absolutely no need for such pleasantries.

Nevertheless, he had to set the stage properly. He couldn’t just play his ace card immediately, as that would easily arouse suspicion of ill intent.

"Now that Lord Pei has accomplished great things and even the land of Mount Tai has come under your jurisdiction, I’ve come for Lord Pei to fulfill his promise," said Wang Linchi, smiling amiably.

"Naturally. Preserving the Ancestor Court of Mount Tai Temple is no problem at all," Pei Jiang declared boldly, though his words were quite ambiguous.

Because "preserving" could be interpreted in several ways; even just maintaining a small temple could count.

"We do need a clear plan," said Wang Linchi, his smile fading, his expression turning serious.

The implication was clear: don’t try such petty scheming.

However, Pei Jiang pretended not to understand and continued, "A clear plan is definitely necessary, but we lack talent within the Great Heng. The six ministries within the province were filled with remnants of the Demon Gods, all of whom I have executed. The Ministry of Rites is particularly empty."

The implication was that it wasn’t feasible yet. They could discuss it later, but the promise would be honored for now.

As for how it should be managed in the future, once his power was firmly established, it wouldn’t be Wang Linchi dictating terms, but rather Pei Jiang deciding them. Whoever held the dominant position would lead.

"No need to worry, I’ve brought it with me. Please take a look, Lord Pei." As he spoke, Wang Linchi took out a document and handed it to Pei Jiang.

Pei Jiang understood that delay was no longer possible, but it didn’t matter; they could discuss it slowly. There was no rush.

He was fully prepared for a protracted negotiation.

However, as he read the contents, his eyes widened.

"Mr. Wang, are you sure this is a charter to preserve the Dai Temple, not one to cause its decline?" Pei Jiang was momentarily speechless.

The charter contained nothing related to proselytizing or benefits. It was entirely composed of rules and regulations designed to constrain the Dai Temple’s Temple Master and personnel, like a miniature set of laws, yet even stricter than actual law.

Under these conditions, the Dai Temple would surely decline within a decade, as none of its members would be able to meet the criteria.

"Lord Pei, do you know how strict the Dai Temple used to be?" Wang Linchi asked.

"Of course. Later on... wait, Mr. Wang, are you saying you want to restore the ancient laws? But nowadays, if..." Pei Jiang felt he had misjudged Mr. Wang, attributing his own petty mindset to a nobler person.

Before he could finish, Wang Linchi cut him off.

"If its worship ceases because of this, then so be it," Wang Linchi stated.

This surprised Pei Jiang; he hadn’t expected Wang Linchi to be so resolute.

"The Holy Emperor has fallen, and the Dai Temple is merely an empty shell. If we don’t impose more restrictions, future incidents may occur that would disgrace the Holy Emperor," Wang Linchi said with a calm expression.

"The Holy Emperor has fallen! This... I..." This news was even more shocking, and Pei Jiang struggled to process it.

"The Heavenly Luo Million Paths Dog Deity claimed to have a flawless strategy. Why do you think He made frequent mistakes? It was because the Holy Emperor severed His own Divine Power to forge a path to survival for you, Lord Pei, Li Qinglian, and that scourge."

"This matter should not be spread. The Holy Emperor is deceased; this faith must not be revived. Rest assured, Lord Pei, the Dai Temple is now truly just a temple. It cannot produce deities nor propagate faith," said Wang Linchi, with an expression that conveyed, ’You don’t need to be wary of me.’

"In that case, I’ll agree to your charter, Mr. Wang. I’ll assign someone to handle this, ensuring that as long as my descendants exist, the Dai Temple will remain," Pei Jiang agreed. It was a proposition with all benefits and no drawbacks.

"Do you truly mean it?" Wang Linchi seized the opportunity. It was time to coax Pei Jiang into practicing the Foundation version of Inner Dan Method.

"Absolutely!"

"Would you dare to swear an oath? If any of your descendants violate it, your dynasty shall fall," Wang Linchi proposed without hesitation.

"This..." Everyone knew Pei Jiang harbored ambitions of becoming emperor and was making preparations, though the time was not yet ripe. Only Wang Linchi had stated it so openly.

"I am willing to offer the techniques passed down by the Holy Emperor as a gift. Each level mastered can extend one’s lifespan and preserve youth, with advanced stages even leading to Immortality," said Wang Linchi, striking while the iron was hot.

Pei Jiang was naturally moved, but being rational and still young, he didn’t have an overwhelming desire for longevity. He said, "If Mr. Wang doesn’t mind, how about staying in the palace for a few days to allow me some time to ponder?"

"That’s fine," Wang Linchi agreed. He knew such a matter wouldn’t be settled so easily. After all, this was a Feudal Dynasty, and oaths were taken very seriously.