Only one step remains.
Since the emergence of the cult "Dao Xian Gong," especially in recent months, its popularity has grown exponentially. While this is undoubtedly related to Xu Zhengyang's continuous establishment of City God Temples, it is undeniable that the "Dao Xian Gong" organization has brought Xu Zhengyang enormous benefits.
If it weren't for the fact that so many of these "Taoist Immortal Techniques" had been developed in such a short time, and that these people were absolutely loyal to the gods in the dark, how could Xu Zhengyang have been able to rise through the ranks as smoothly as he had when he was a low-level deity, relying on sufficient divine power to level up?
You see, it's like playing a game; the requirements get higher with each level up.
Not to mention taking it a step further.
Therefore, Xu Zhengyang naturally felt a strange sensation: Dao Xian Gong, Master Jialan, the vast number of cult followers, or even the masterminds behind the scenes who orchestrated and controlled such a large and rapidly growing cult organization...
Should I thank you?
Or should I thank you?
Should I thank you properly?
From a selfish perspective, it seems that Xu Zhengyang had no choice but to remember those who helped him.
Unfortunately, as a deity, and as a person with a conscience and the ability to do many good deeds, Xu Zhengyang must "be ungrateful, dismantle the bridge after crossing the river, and kill the donkey after it has done its work."
However, it seems that long ago in the Heavenly Court, the great gods already knew that a fellow named Xu Zhengyang would appear and become the sole deity in the Three Realms. Therefore, these beings, whom Xu Zhengyang truly hated with a passion, were extremely jealous of him. So, when they joined forces to create the Heavenly Laws, they deliberately established a series of rules that seemed specifically designed to make things difficult for Xu Zhengyang.
Gods should not be killed indiscriminately, especially believers.
Having just promoted Xu Zhengyang, the Records of the Nine Provinces and the Heavenly Laws clearly sensed the raging, domineering aura emanating from Xu Zhengyang's heart. So they quickly informed him of this rule, warning him to be careful not to destroy his own foundation.
This point is quite intriguing, and Xu Zhengyang can understand it.
After all, from another perspective, mortals who believe in God are the God of God, the very foundation of God's eternal existence. To put it bluntly, mortals who believe in God are also the God's providers.
The problem was that Xu Zhengyang felt uneasy about this promotion. It was so much like the officialdom of ordinary people; the higher one climbed, the more taboos and restrictions arose, and the more careful one had to be in doing things. It wasn't like what ordinary people thought, where high rank meant high power and everything was great.
Therefore, Xu Zhengyang said to the Records of Nine Provinces and the Heavenly Rules: "Of course I won't kill indiscriminately..."
For Xu Zhengyang, who had been immersed in the ways of modern society for so long, the ancient laws and regulations were something he could easily glean from a teacher—he could even understand the concept of exploiting loopholes. He didn't have the skill or knowledge to exploit loopholes in human laws, but for these outdated laws and regulations, it was quite simple to find loopholes, play word games, and cheat.
Clearly, his somewhat shameless thoughts could not escape the notice of the Nine Provinces Records and the Heavenly Laws.
Unfortunately, powerful artifacts like the Nine Provinces Record and the Heavenly Laws are now often unavoidable compromises for Xu Zhengyang.
First, they had no choice but to comply with Xu Zhengyang's powerful, unreasonable, and extremely disrespectful demands, granting him the position of acting emperor temporarily; second, the extremely high position of emperor was not something that divine artifacts like the Heavenly Laws and the Records of the Nine Provinces could bestow.
In other words, Xu Zhengyang has now become one of the Four Imperial Star Lords in terms of impeccable strength.
So, in this situation where there are no other gods in the Three Realms besides him, he can just stubbornly declare himself the Heavenly Emperor, and who can do anything to him?
Anyway... his skills aren't up to par yet, so let him brag if he wants.
All Tian Tiao and Jiu Zhou Lu could do was to accommodate him and then have to relax his authority and territory restrictions.
Therefore, Xu Zhengyang is not too concerned about the constraints imposed on him by the Heavenly Laws. He can maintain his strong stance and do things that the Heavenly Laws forbid, such as carrying out bloody suppression in an extremely violent and ruthless manner to resolve the current situation as quickly as possible.
But after calming down and thinking about it, I realized I absolutely couldn't do that.
Because if we do that, what if the situation worsens, just as the people above are worried about?
While killing is the most direct and quickest way to resolve issues, it is by no means the best method. There are too many unpredictable and serious consequences.
...
In the evening, Xu Zhengyang arrived in Beijing.
The capital city seemed unaffected by the current uproar over the "Taoist Immortal Cultivation Techniques" incident. As always, the streets were bustling with traffic, and people in the bustling metropolis were busy with their lives.
The Mercedes drove straight along the highway into the area within the Third Ring Road.
Even before the streetlights came on, the windows of the high-rise buildings were already lit up, and the neon lights in front of all kinds of entertainment, leisure, dining, shopping and other places were flashing.
When the followers of "Dao Xian Gong" held demonstrations and protests in various places, a small number of such gatherings inevitably appeared in the capital as well. However, as the capital of the country, the security and emergency measures in all aspects were quite complete. In addition, Xu Zhengyang had also made special efforts to deploy a large number of ghost messengers in the capital. Therefore, as soon as there were any signs of illegal gatherings and disturbances, they were forcefully suppressed.
Most of the ghost messengers in the capital are still closely monitoring the leaders of certain "Taoist Immortal Cultivation" organizations in the capital, just in case. Of course, various government agencies are also paying close attention to them.
Once inside the Third Ring Road, the Jingming Expressway section can be considered the end of the journey.
Special vehicles were waiting there, and with flashing police lights, Xu Zhengyang's Mercedes followed a car with a special pass towards the city center, escorted by two police cars with flashing lights in front and behind.
The road was clear and unobstructed. The police car stopped at the entrance of the building complex, and then two cars drove into the heavily guarded compound, one after the other.
Xu Zhengyang couldn't explain why, but he had a strong aversion to this place.
The vehicle stopped in front of a five-story building, and someone naturally stepped forward to open the door, leading the way for Xu Zhengyang to enter the building.
By this time, it was completely dark. Under the cover of night, the spacious courtyard was quiet and serene, yet it exuded an unsettling sense of solemnity and reverence, with a touch of chill.
The meeting room, which wasn't very spacious, still contained only a few people, who sat there calmly discussing some issues.
They were all waiting for Xu Zhengyang to arrive.
It's not that they couldn't get things done without Xu Zhengyang. On the contrary, without Xu Zhengyang's presence, they could more easily handle everything.
The problem is that they suspect Xu Zhengyang. If Xu Zhengyang really is the mastermind behind it all, then…
How should we deal with this?
In the past, Li Ruiyu, as a senior military officer, would obviously not participate in such conversations and discussions, as it was not his responsibility.
However, they made an exception and invited Li Ruiyu today as well.
Li Ruiyu and Li Ruiqing knew perfectly well that with them around, the atmosphere would be relatively more relaxed when discussing certain topics.
The door was pushed open, and Xu Zhengyang walked in with a smile, led by a security guard in a suit.
The guards then withdrew and closed the door.
Xu Zhengyang was dressed in a white shirt, black trousers, and leather shoes. With short hair, he appeared simple, easy-going, and quite spirited—a promising young man.
Before he arrived, everyone present had already wondered how they should greet him. Should they all stand up? No, that wouldn't be right. Should they all stand up and shake hands? That wouldn't be appropriate either... So when Xu Zhengyang came in, everyone present simply smiled and nodded at him.
"Hello, leaders!" Xu Zhengyang, being a bachelor, greeted everyone with a smile and a nod, then naturally walked to the sofa that had been reserved for him and sat down.
It was located at the very end of the row of single sofas on the right, but slightly angled towards the center of the room.
So after Xu Zhengyang sat down, he faced one of the two people sitting in the middle.
This feeling is a bit...
On trial?
At this point, the only person who could still have such wicked thoughts is probably someone like Xu Zhengyang, who is not human.
After sitting down, Xu Zhengyang turned his head to look at Li Ruiyu, who was sitting closest to him, and greeted him with a smile, "Dad, you're here today too."
It's a truism, but like many ordinary people, Xu Zhengyang felt it was necessary to say it, much like asking a neighbor in the village, "Have you eaten?" It also helped to ease the awkward atmosphere. Like everyone else present, Xu Zhengyang often felt he shouldn't have been there, and that his presence made everyone feel uncomfortable.
It would be more convenient and comfortable to talk to Li Ruiqing over the phone.
"Mm." Li Ruiyu nodded, his expression calm and composed.
"Has everyone eaten?" Xu Zhengyang greeted them with a smile.
The roommates were quite embarrassed, except for the two men sitting in the middle who were almost face-to-face with Xu Zhengyang, who smiled and said, "It seems Zhengyang hasn't eaten yet. Let's all have a simple meal together in a bit..."
Xu Zhengyang nodded, then leaned back on the sofa with a natural expression, without saying a word.
As if Xu Zhengyang had not appeared, those present resumed their discussion of the topics they had previously agreed upon.
This is, of course, a question of how to deal with the "Dao Xian Gong" cult. This involves many aspects that require careful attention, analysis, and discussion. For example, the matter has already been reported to the United Nations, and communications have been made with some countries with which the cult has good relations… these are signs that action is imminent.
In addition, individual countries have expressed their concern about the recent conflicts occurring within their borders, offering their hopes and condemnations. This is also within the scope of discussion. Given the current international situation, the notion that a country's autonomy and laws should not be subject to interference from others is merely empty rhetoric.
You have to consider your image, don't you?
To put it simply, we're all business people. If your reputation is ruined, who will want to do business with you?
Furthermore, if I continue doing business with you, but they want to sever ties with me, wouldn't my business suffer losses?
In any case, everyone has their own moral compass, and from time to time they will either act selfishly for personal gain or simply remain silent and watch the show.
These discussions, without avoiding Xu Zhengyang, were intended to let him hear them, and also to gather his opinions and views later.
"Zhengyang, what do you think?"
They came as soon as they were told.
Xu Zhengyang smiled and said, "That's good."
"How's it going on your end?"
Xu Zhengyang thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Zhonghai, Fuhe, Jiangjing, Haixia... these cities were the first to have the situation brought under control after such incidents occurred, preventing it from escalating further. Moreover, there have been differing opinions emerging within the 'Dao Xian Gong' organization. You know that, right?"
Those present were slightly surprised, then nodded in agreement.
“If we have enough time, we can make the ‘Dao Immortal Technique’ disappear in less than half a year.” Xu Zhengyang raised his hand, held up his index finger, and said very seriously, “However, time is indeed very tight… In fact, this is your business, and I’m being a bit nosy.”
Li Ruiqing said with a wry smile, "You can't say that, Zhengyang; besides, where would we find so much time to make arrangements?"
“Yes, everyone has a responsibility.” Xu Zhengyang put down his hand, glanced at everyone, and smiled, “But if I do good deeds with good intentions but people become suspicious, wouldn’t I be meddling in other people’s business?”
These words clearly revealed a sense of dissatisfaction.
It wasn't that Xu Zhengyang was petty, but during their discussion earlier, they had intentionally or unintentionally mentioned the so-called mastermind. "Hmm, the forces of hostile foreign countries, how they are, and so on. Our investigation has reached a stalemate, and we must urgently address the situation domestically."
So, if this incident suddenly broke out not because of Ye Wan's little accident, could it be that someone leaked the news that we were preparing to ban the illegal cult "Dao Xian Gong" in advance? Or, is there another mastermind behind the "Dao Xian Gong" organization?
Xu Zhengyang was naturally dissatisfied.
Oh, I am working so hard, certainly to maintain my divine dignity so that it cannot be profaned or misused; but isn't this also of great help to you?
However, Xu Zhengyang also felt genuinely guilty. The conclusions drawn by Ouyang Ying—no, more accurately, by Ouyang Ying, Li Bingjie, and even Li Haidong—were factual. In other words, he, Xu Zhengyang, bore indirect responsibility for the rapid growth of the "Dao Xian Gong" cult in such a short time.
For this reason, Xu Zhengyang also had to eradicate the "Dao Xian Gong" cult.
And this indirect responsibility, of course, was something that these shrewd people present had already considered long ago.
So the important figure sitting opposite him spoke up: "Zhengyang, judging from the importance we've placed on you in the past, you should understand that the country has granted you absolute power in major events, and even in some minor matters, right?"
"Yes." Xu Zhengyang did not deny it.
This is true. Otherwise, why would Xu Zhengyang's City God's Office, when its ghost messengers perform certain tasks, be able to deal with criminals who break the law without violating too many heavenly rules, and instead rely on mortal legal institutions to handle those criminal acts and individuals?
In this respect, both sides help each other.
"This kind of magic is fundamentally deceptive. If there were no miracles, how could so many people be bewitched and convinced?" An upright official sitting to the side looked directly at Xu Zhengyang and said without fear, "Who else can perform miracles?"
It points directly at Xu Zhengyang!
Xu Zhengyang nodded and said, "Besides me and my subordinates, there is no one else. In other words, any miracles other than those I know and control are false and deceptive."