I Can Fix My Talent in Hundred Lives

Many people had deep, blood-soaked hatred toward the gentry on the stage; eyes reddened, they violently shoved aside the crowd, wanting to rush up and tear these villains apart with their own hands, but were firmly blocked by the Daoist Soldiers maintaining order at the side.

The Daoist Soldiers wore Profound Daoist Robes, sharp blades at their waists, their expressions solemn; yet they did not hurl abuse at the common folk, only gently dissuaded them.

At high noon, the public trial ended!

With a single command from the Law Enforcement Daoist, the executioners raised their large knives; cold light flashed, and one after another, sinful heads rolled off the platform, blood splattering onto the bluestone slabs, staining a wide patch red.

The commoners erupted into a round of thunderous cheers.

After the public trial ended, Wang Xuan immediately led a group of Taishang Dao disciples to methodically carry out the follow-up matters.

In the open space, tall piles of promissory notes, servant contracts, and the gentry’s land deeds had long since been stacked up.

Wang Xuan held a torch in his hand and said loudly:

"Today, we of the Taishang Dao are acting on Heaven’s behalf, burning all promissory notes and servant contracts, so that the common people will no longer be trapped by debt, no longer be enslaved!"

"We will furthermore divide the land among the people, so that every follower of the Taishang Dao will have fields to till and food to eat!"

With that, he threw the torch toward the mountain-like piles of documents; Flame sprang up in an instant, crackling as thick smoke billowed.

Those promissory notes and contracts that symbolized oppression and exploitation turned to ash in the Flame.

The commoners watched this scene, their eyes full of excitement; they clapped and shouted in praise, and cheers once again resounded throughout the city.

"The land divided today shall all be Church land, and all followers of the Taishang Dao may receive a share!"

"One person enters the Dao, and ten mu of land are allotted; the fields belong to the individual and may not be sold."

As soon as these words were spoken, the city’s commoners instantly boiled over.

The crowd that had only been whispering before now became a roar of voices.

Everyone’s faces showed an excitement they could hardly believe, as they squeezed forward, chattering away as they asked about the details.

"Daoist, Daoist, how does one enter the Dao? What are the requirements to enter the Dao?"

"Yes, yes, after entering the Dao, can we really get ten mu of land? It’s not a scam, is it?"

"After entering the Dao, what else must we do? Do we have to pay money? Do we have to perform corvée labor?"

At the back of the crowd, several scholars in long gowns heard these words and slightly furrowed their brows.

Most of them came from ordinary families; a few were even farm boys chosen to study.

So when the Taishang Dao broke the city, they were not purged, and managed to keep their lives.

At first, seeing the Taishang Dao disciples so disciplined and not disturbing the commoners, they felt curious about this new rebel force, even somewhat favorable toward it.

But now, upon hearing the land-division policy Wang Xuan announced, the doubts and worries in their hearts gradually increased.

Scholar Li gently shook his head; with some dissatisfaction and concern in his tone, he said in a low voice to the person beside him:

"How can this be?"

"To kill some powerful, evil gentry as a warning and to intimidate the wicked is reasonable enough."

"But to carry out land redistribution on such a large scale, making the black-headed commoners all enter the Dao—where does that leave us Confucian scholars?"

"Since ancient times, governing the country and bringing peace to the realm has always required reliance on the scholar-gentry, on the learning of the Saints."

"To act thus, completely casting aside Confucianism and exalting Daoist Technique, is to lose the hearts of scholars under Heaven. In the future, how will they seize the realm and stabilize the people’s hearts?"

The Scholar Bai beside him gave him a glance, a hint of helplessness in his eyes, and said softly:

"Brother Li, have you grown muddle-headed?"

"Just look at that broken city wall, and do not forget the Celestial Thunder of that day."

"These times are not what they once were!"

"In the past, when was there ever a Celestial King descended to the world?"

"The one sitting on the Golden Throne in the imperial hall, though called the Son of Heaven, is still only a mortal, unable to call the wind or summon the rain."

"But now the Celestial King has descended, founding the Taishang Dao and saving the common people from fire and water; in the human realm a theocratic state should naturally be established, with Daoist Technique exalted."

"We scholars, rather than stubbornly clinging to the classics, might as well comply with the Heavenly Dao and enter the Dao early; we can also do some practical good for the common people—why not?"

Having said this, Scholar Bai no longer hesitated. He pushed through the crowd on his own, quickly walked forward, cupped his hands in salute to the Taishang Dao disciple who was explaining how to enter the Dao, and asked in a respectful tone:

"Daoist, I am willing to enter the Dao; may I ask Daoist to inform me what rules must be observed and what must be done to enter the Dao?"

Scholar Li beside him was instantly struck dumb.

He looked at Scholar Bai’s back, a bitter smile appearing on his face as he sighed inwardly:

This Brother Bai, though born of a farming family, is truly decisive—so easily he has chosen to abandon Confucian learning and submit himself under the banner of the Taishang Dao.

Not far away, an old scholar with graying hair and a withered face saw Scholar Bai’s action and could not help but give a cold snort. Lowering his voice, he spoke with utter disdain and anger:

"All those decades of reading the Saints’ classics have been read into the belly of a dog!"

"So young and already a licentiate, with such a boundless future; yet now he would betray the Saints, follow rebels, and abandon the Dao—truly shameless!"

...

On the other side, facing the common folk’s questions, the Taishang Dao disciples patiently and carefully explained:

"Fellow villagers, after entering the Dao, you will be Peripheral Followers of our Taishang Dao. You need not pay money, you need not perform corvée labor; you only need to gather daily to read the scriptures and pray, to worship the Daoist Master, and to remember the Daoist rules."

"After entering the Dao, you must observe the Three Prohibitions, which you must keep firmly in mind: no theft, no lies, no bullying the weak."

"Anyone who violates the Three Prohibitions is going against the Heavenly Dao; Daoist Technique will not tolerate it. They will surely suffer Heaven’s punishment and Earth’s destruction, fall in the next life as pigs and dogs, and never attain rebirth through all eternity!"

"Besides this, you must also uphold goodness, virtue, filial piety, and obedience; revere Heaven and Earth, revere your parents, and revere your fellow disciples."

"Treat others kindly, live in harmony with your neighbors, be filial to your parents, and loving toward your brothers—that is to practice Daoist Technique. The Daoist Master will naturally protect you all, letting you live with food and clothing secure, in peace and smoothness."

Hearing these words, the surrounding commoners were all greatly astonished, their faces showing expressions of disbelief.

They had originally thought that entering the Dao would surely come with harsh requirements.

They never imagined it would be so relaxed!

You get ten mu of land just like that, and this is all that’s required?

Gathering each day to recite scriptures and pray, obeying the Three Prohibitions, espousing goodness, virtue, and filial obedience?

Compared to renting land from landlords and rich gentry, this was far easier—renting their land meant not only paying high rents but also enduring the landlord’s bullying.

Upon hearing this, Scholar Bai thought to himself:

"It truly is different now!"

He spoke up at once, his tone firm:

"Daoist, I am willing to enter the Dao; may I ask Daoist to handle the procedures for my entry into the Dao!"

This decisive act made even the Taishang Dao disciple doing the explaining look at him in a new light. Nodding, he said:

"Good! Since your resolve is firm, you will surely be able to practice Daoist Technique; the Daoist Master will naturally protect you."

"What is your name, benefactor?"

Scholar Bai cupped his hands: "Bai Gongming!"

...

However, there were still many commoners who remained hesitant.

Among them, a thin, dark-faced porter hesitated for a long time before finally mustering his courage and quietly asking:

"Daoist, after entering the Dao, will we have to become Daoist Soldiers and go on campaign with the army?"

Hearing this, the Taishang Dao disciple gave him a glance, smiled gently, and said:

"Do not be afraid, benefactor."

"Our Taishang Dao, under the Daoist Master, is divided into four Levels: Protectors, core disciples, ordinary disciples, and Peripheral Followers; different Levels bear different responsibilities."

"You who enter the Dao today are only Peripheral Followers. You need only recite scriptures and pray every day and obey the Daoist rules; you need not wear Daoist Robes, nor bear any other responsibilities, and certainly need not go to the battlefield or become Daoist Soldiers."

He pointed to the gray cloth Daoist Robe on his own body and went on:

"I am an ordinary disciple; I may wear the Daoist Robe, participate in ordinary Daoist Technique activities, and help maintain order."

"As for the Daoist Soldiers, they are all core disciples; they may drink Divine Power talisman water and gain the strength of dragon and tiger, charged with guarding the Daoist Master and waging war on the battlefield—that is a tremendous honor, not something everyone can undertake."

"So rest easy, benefactor. Ordinary followers need not go to war; you need only farm in peace, recite scriptures and pray, and you can enjoy the protection of the Daoist Master and live out your days in stability."

After hearing this explanation, the doubts in that farmer’s heart instantly vanished; his face lit up with excitement as he hurriedly said:

"Good! Good! I will enter the Dao too! I want land as well!"

Once there was the first, there was a second.

The commoners all stepped forward in turn, scrambling to enroll in the Dao, their faces full of excitement and anticipation.

In the open space, the шум of voices surged, a scene of bustling liveliness.

And those scholars who still harbored doubts looked at everything before their eyes with varied expressions: some sank into deep thought, some still held fast to their own views, while others began to feel tempted to enter the Dao.