Chapter Sixty-Six: Yu Ji, Who Has Connections Above Her, Xiu Family
"Hehe, sir, your methods are indeed extraordinary. No wonder you were the first to break through to the Celestial Immortal realm after the cycle of reincarnation began." Yu Ji said with some surprise as she looked at Zhang Jiao, who suppressed the secrets of heaven with a wave of his hand.
At this moment, Yu Ji had no makeup on and was wearing a set of sacrificial clothing. In her hand, she held a jade pendant.
Zhang Jiao, standing to the side, was dressed simply in a Taoist robe—the common kind, with a giant yin-yang symbol in the front and a Bagua diagram in the back. He held a whisk in his hand, giving him a rather otherworldly and ethereal air.
He looked like a harmless old man. However, at this moment, Yu Ji dared not underestimate him in the slightest.
It's important to understand that none of the people outside, whether it's Xun Shuang with his family's scholarly background, or Wang Yue, Liu Feng, Zhang Rang, or Ma Teng, are simpletons. Even the weakest among them, Zhang Rang and Ma Teng, possess the strength of the late stage of the fifth rank.
With the help of Xunzi's handwritten letter, this sacred treasure, such a powerful force should theoretically be able to uncover most of the secrets within the cave. Yet, the result was that so many people were firmly blocked by Zhang Jiao alone.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Jiao's eyes widened instantly, then he regained his composure and said with a smile, "As expected of Yu Ji, she was already a peak Celestial Immortal back then. The title of head of the Xiu family is truly well-deserved."
Since his breakthrough, Zhang Jiao had been constantly careful to disguise himself as a peak fifth-tier Earth Immortal. Apart from his second and third brothers and his daughter, no one else knew this.
But now, Yu Ji saw right through him. This caused Zhang Jiao to subconsciously change his opinion of these older figures. It seemed that although these older generation figures had failed, they weren't entirely without merit.
“Indeed, I was a descendant of the Xiu family back then. During the chaos at the end of the Qin Dynasty, the person I chose was the Overlord. It’s just a pity that I failed in the end.” Yu Ji said with some sadness.
They had a very good chance of success, but who would have thought they'd run into Liu Bang, a guy with no principles. He didn't follow any unspoken rules; he'd promised something one minute and then completely ignore it the next.
(The Chu River and Han Border were agreed upon, but then they turned around and betrayed the agreement, setting a precedent for monarchs who have no shame whatsoever.)
It can be said that, starting with Liu Bang, the personal morality of emperors throughout history has declined sharply. (From Liu Bang onwards, very few emperors had any sense of shame.)
The emperors who followed, Emperor Wen and Emperor Wu, were even more shameless than the last. Emperor Ling of Han, on the other hand, had mastered the essence of Machiavellianism, to the point that even Consort Yu was somewhat oblivious to the ways of the world.
“However, now that the cycle of reincarnation has begun again, I also have connections in high places. At that time, I only need to contact my sect to easily resolve everything. Moreover, my master is Nanzi,” Yu Ji said proudly.
Throughout history, the status of women has been declining. However, many women refused to submit to this, forming their own school known as the Xiu family. The specific founder is unknown, but their influence was considerable.
At the very least, it was one of the Hundred Schools of Thought. Therefore, in terms of backing, Yu Ji had nothing to fear. Furthermore, with the start of reincarnation and the merging of all realms, what Yu Ji said was indeed true.
"With your talent, Daoist Master, ascending to this realm is only a matter of time. When that time comes, no matter which great world you go to, your sect can help you. So, if you're willing, Daoist Master, I can introduce you to the masters of various Daoist sects," Yu Ji said confidently.
Although the fighting prowess of the Xiu family descendants has never been particularly impressive throughout history, their network of connections is vast!
From the Daoist consorts of the highest Daoists, to the concubines and empresses of various dynasties, to the wives of many outstanding figures, the Xiu family could establish connections and have a word with them.
Therefore, Yu Ji's promise couldn't be considered a lie. However, who was Zhang Jiao? He was a super genius, one that might not be seen even once every tens of thousands of years. Why would he worry about such a trivial matter?
"Haha, Yu Ji needn't worry about that. Let's get down to business and see what the benefits are!" Zhang Jiao said coldly.
Upon hearing this, Yu Ji smiled freely and continued, "I have heard that you, Daoist, have great ambitions. You wish to establish a Daoist Kingdom on Earth, a paradise on earth. Is this true?"
“Indeed, I have always harbored this ambition, and now that I've stated it directly, there's nothing wrong with it,” Zhang Jiao said. As he spoke, he shook the whisk in his hand, and then closed his eyes.
Seeing this, Yu Ji had no choice but to reveal her trump card.
"Ten thousand years ago, Wang Mang, the Confucian leader who claimed to be the reincarnation of the Duke of Zhou, wanted to use Confucian scholars as his backbone to govern the world and establish a utopian world as envisioned by Confucianism."
"Originally, Wang Mang had already succeeded. At that time, in terms of cultivation, he was at the peak of the sixth rank, which is the so-called peak of a saint. It can be said that even if Confucius were reborn or Mencius were alive, their strength in this world would be only that much."
"At that time, all measures, whether it was nationalizing all land, abolishing slavery, or rewarding inventions and innovations, were all highly successful. (Historically, this time traveler failed; here, he did. Please refrain from criticism.)"
"As a result, even at this point, Wang Mang was still not satisfied and even intended to use the Confucian Way to replace the current Heaven and the Azure Heaven, and completely change the will of Heaven in this world."
"If he succeeds, then the Confucian way will surely be passed down from generation to generation. This world will forever be dominated by Confucianism," Yu Ji slowly explained.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Jiao's eyes gleamed with golden light. Then, he said earnestly, "I know all this, and I also know that Wang Mang at that time had successfully created a small 'sky' of Confucianism!"
“Indeed, although the attempt to replace the Way of Heaven with Confucianism and Taoism failed, the artificially created ‘Heaven’ has been successfully preserved. Now, it is in my hands. Although we failed, we can still learn from the experience, can’t we?” Yu Ji said with a smile.
She refused to believe that Zhang Jiao could resist such a great temptation. She had also heard a little about Zhang Jiao's thoughts. The Way of the Yellow Heaven, well, those who are interested know it.
Having obtained this item, Zhang Jiao could use it as a reference, make some modifications, and artificially create a true yellow sky. Then, replacing the blue sky with the yellow sky would be much easier.
"I am very curious, how did such an important item end up in your hands?" Zhang Jiao asked with some curiosity.
It's really hard to understand. Such a powerful weapon, even if it wasn't destroyed, should have been kept in the Liu family's treasury. How could it have fallen into Yu Ji's hands?
Upon hearing this, Yu Ji smiled and said, "Empress Yin Lihua, wife of Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu, is a descendant of my Xiu family. And I am the head of the Xiu family in this realm."
Of course, after Yin Lihua took out this item, she ignored him. There was no need to tell Zhang Jiao about such a secret matter.
“Alright, since it’s this item, it’s settled then. In a moment, I’ll stop Xun Shuang, the head of the Xun family, for you,” Zhang Jiao said with a smile.
Seeing this, Yu Ji smiled slightly. She knew that with this item, Zhang Jiao couldn't refuse. Then, she left the place and went to another house.
"My little sister has finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for so long." Yu Ji said with a smile as she looked at the figure inside the house.
Standing inside the room was a beautiful woman. Moreover, her elegance was top-tier; she was in no way inferior to Yu Ji. She was also wearing a cloak.
However, she, who was admiring the flowers, could no longer be happy after seeing Yu Ji.
“Why be so hypocritical? It’s just a transaction. You give me the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Scripture, and I’ll risk my life for you. Why make it sound so nice?” the woman said firmly.
This woman is none other than the renowned Nine-Tailed Fox Queen, one of the top demon kings in the world today. Her strength has reached the peak of the Earth Immortal realm. She is considered one of the strongest warriors in the world.
As for the "Nine-Tailed Heavenly Scripture," it is actually the cultivation manual of the nine-tailed fox clan. The previous owner of this manual was the infamous Su Daji.
However, the Nine-Tailed Fox lineage was lost after Daji's death. As a result, the Nine-Tailed Fox clan, which was once a prominent force among the demon race, became a complete joke!
Therefore, whether it was to enhance its strength, purify its bloodline, or help its race, this demon had no other choice. Even knowing that making a deal with Yu Ji to help Xiang Yu resurrect would bring immense calamity, it still had no choice but to come.
Upon hearing this, Yu Ji smiled and said, "Why worry, sister? It's just a secret manual. Although it's very precious, how could it possibly stump my Xiu family? Here, this is the first half of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Scripture. If you cultivate it step by step, you can easily reach the peak of the Heavenly Immortal realm."