Wielding the Thunders Across Two Worlds

"Daoist culture is a traditional culture rooted in the native soil of Celestial Xia. Taoist thought is a vital intellectual pillar of Celestial Xia’s traditional culture."

"The five thousand words of the Tao Te Ching illuminate the philosophical principle of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, laying the foundation for the attitude of the Celestial Xia people toward nature, society, and life."

"Many politicians, thinkers, physicians, and poets throughout Celestial Xia’s history were also deeply influenced by Daoist culture."

"When the Divine Land was in peril, Daoists from all walks of life came to the nation’s aid, resisting invasion and leaving behind various legends. They contributed their efforts, and even their lives, to the establishment of the new world."

"Entering the new century, Taoist thought has not faded. Taoist Masters continue to keep pace with the times, innovating and constantly progressing, contributing their strength to the continuation of Celestial Xia’s culture and the well-being of the Celestial Xia people."

At the press conference, the spokesperson faced countless flashing lights, microphones, and eager eyes. After delivering the statement above, they left the stage with a smile.

"Is this the official announcement?"

"It has to be!"

As live footage of the event went viral, the spokesperson’s statement and various other leaks prompted a flurry of analysis from all corners of the internet. Influencers made videos, and bloggers wrote long articles, each offering their own take.

"First, they tied Daoist culture and Taoist thought to Celestial Xia, establishing the central idea."

"Second, they praised the value of the Tao Te Ching, a core Daoist classic, and famous Daoist figures throughout history."

"Third, they highlighted the contribution of Daoist power to the new world, stating that ’we are one family’ to crush the hopes of those with ulterior motives."

"Finally, they used the phrase ’innovating’ to indirectly explain the situation from decades ago. It wasn’t that these people weren’t willing to help back then, but that they likely hadn’t yet obtained this kind of power."

"The blogger nailed it!"

"The OP makes a good point!"

"Hey, wait a minute. Other countries have Extraordinary Beings too. How do you explain that?"

"Explain my ass! Did you not see the ’power’ those so-called Extraordinary Beings showed off?"

After Jingyi’s identity was exposed and Western reporters confirmed the Kabia incident, a group of Extraordinary Beings also tried to cash in on the hype by creating online accounts.

But the power they displayed was worlds apart from what the few old Daoists from Celestial Xia had shown. It was no exaggeration to call it the difference between a firefly and the bright moon.

"Didn’t the Grand Commander of Huaqi Country say they have a Superpower Special Service Bureau? Sounds like they have superheroes like the Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Superman, and The Flash."

"So... where are they?"

"When these old Daoists hadn’t shown themselves, you guys didn’t know anything either. Maybe Huaqi Country’s superheroes just haven’t revealed themselves yet."

"But the question is, is Huaqi Country the type to hide its strengths?"

"I don’t believe it. They definitely have them. Just wait! Huaqi Country and Sakura Country must have powerful Extraordinary Beings too. The current situation is only possible because of a mutual balance of power. You all just wait to eat your words!"

"Whether they have them or not, we definitely do. So what’s the situation now? Riding the Wind, a Cloud Collection Spell... is this a Spiritual Qi Revival?"

"Celestial Xia Daoism is so badass now, so what about the people from the world’s other major religions? Can a Red Cardinal summon Six-winged Angels?"

"Well, why don’t you go to the Vatican and ask?"

"The CEO of a ’friendly religion’ just had a major screw-up."

"Don’t be a contrarian. No one thinks a CEO is all that powerful. The truly powerful ones are definitely the Cultivators. Haven’t you seen that the CEO of the Taoist Association looks completely clueless right now too?"

"Does anyone here use their brain? Didn’t you notice the press conference only mentioned the Taoist Family?"

The internet was in an uproar, and the real world was buzzing with excitement.

In just one day, from famous mountain temples to remote little shrines, all were packed shoulder-to-shoulder with visitors, the air thick with the smoke of booming Incense offerings.

The Daoists in every Taoist Temple tirelessly told visitors that they were just ordinary people, unable to fly or wield Magical Treasures. What was seen in the video was a special case, they said, and not everyone could practice cultivation.

But no matter what they said, they couldn’t dampen the public’s soaring enthusiasm. At the same time, because everyone now knew that real Cultivators existed, most people were relatively restrained, and there were no disputes over things like cutting in line.

Logically, a time of national fervor should have been a golden opportunity for scammers to shine. This time, however, no con artists pretending to be able to teach Cultivation appeared at the famous mountain temples. It was unclear whether this was due to a sudden crisis of conscience or a healthy dose of fear.

...

"Wow!"

Yangcheng, Yuanfa Palace. The place was bustling with people, and incense smoke curled into the air, yet everything was orderly and the atmosphere was harmonious.

"I thought that after you were all exposed, everyone’s worldview would be shattered and there’d be a period of chaos," Jiang Shishi said, looking at Gu Zhao beside her. "I didn’t expect it to seem like nothing’s changed."

"That’s because they’ve long been inoculated, and besides, these things don’t really affect their daily lives," Gu Zhao said with a smile. "If people learned that a solar flare was going to cause the end of the world in a month, then you’d see how long the current order would last.

The few Daoists returned to their mountains after performing their techniques, not showing themselves before the public. The Daoists at the major mountain Taoist Temples are still ordinary people.

Everyone’s an adult. Even if their hearts are stirred, they’re smart enough to know that not everyone can practice Cultivation. Otherwise, it would have been soldiers in the sky that day, not Daoists."

’How could the system not keep such a transcendent, mystical power in its own hands unless it had no other choice?’

And to be honest, Gu Zhao had given the system a chance. Never mind the various Taoist Sect scriptures; he had even given them the relatively simple Supreme Meridian Breathing Technique and True Qi Eight-section Brocade, which had been compiled and organized by the old Daoists of Daluo Palace.

But if you can’t practice it, you just can’t practice it!

It’s like Elder Qian’s mechanics manuscripts. They cost twenty yuan a copy and have been hailed as a top-tier Cultivation Technique for the Human Race.

This "Cultivation Technique" doesn’t even involve metaphysics. It’s just math and physics that anyone can learn—albeit at a slightly more advanced level. And if you master it, you become a pillar of the state, a top-tier talent.

So let me ask, why doesn’t everyone learn it? Is it because they don’t want to?

Xiao Ya laughed. "Didn’t you know? The latest trend on social media is posting pictures of books—everything from the Tao Te Ching to Laozi’s Xiang’er Annotation, not to mention other Taoist Sect scriptures like the Huangting Scripture, the Shangqing Great Cave Scripture, the Chongyang Quanzhen Collection, Daoist Magic Origin, Fa Hai’s Pearl of Wisdom, and the Ten Books of Cultivation."

Gu Zhao shook his head. "I had no idea. But I suppose it’s a good thing. Daoist Scriptures encourage people to be upright and ward off evil. Reading some Daoist Scripture is better than watching those mindless short videos."

Jiang Shishi smiled. "I thought you were going to say ’mindless web novels.’"

Gu Zhao replied with a straight face, "Most web novels do require a brain."

The three of them chatted and laughed as they walked into Yuanfa Palace. Inside, tourists were offering incense to the deities, asking for fortunes, and purchasing religious items. Besides the fact that there were far more worshippers than before, not much else had changed.

Seeing this small part, one could infer the whole; other places in the country were likely much the same.

Gu Zhao was thus reassured. He and the two women strolled through the palace, lighting incense for all the Divine Statues, before heading out to find a place to eat and enjoy the nightlife.