In the chanting of the Heart Sutra, Chen Xuanze did not keep anything from Chen Qianqian. The little girl was unaware of the terror of the ancient covenant, and that was why Chen Xuanze trusted Baihu Sun Xiangsheng, who was in charge of intelligence, to take her away.

Without his permission, Chen Qianqian had no way of revealing anything related to him. A few days ago, when Chen Qianqian reappeared at the Demon Suppression Bureau, Lord Wang learned about it from Baihu Sun Xiangsheng. After Sun left, Lord Wang sighed, "The flow of energy is mysterious, indeed difficult to predict."

As for Wang Qingxuan and the Third Burial Monk, these two were not fools. Since the 'Heaven's Punishment,' events of warmth and coldness among people were common for nearly a thousand years in Qingyun Sect and Shasheng Monastery. They would not reveal the scripture that appeared out of thin air to outsiders.

Seeing the anticipation in Wang Qingxuan's eyes, Chen Xuanze couldn't treat him unfairly. "Qingxuan, I have a copy of the Tao Te Ching. See if it enlightens you."

Without waiting for Wang Qingxuan to assure him, Chen Xuanze sat there and softly recited, "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of ten thousand things. Thus, the constant void enables one to observe the true essence. The constant being enables one to see the outer manifestations..."

Chen Xuanze was ignorant of Buddhist teachings, but he possessed Daoist practices, and many of his magical arts were of Daoist origin. Not to mention that the top-notch skill he currently possessed, the Twelve-Year Cicada, was a supreme Daoist technique recorded in his mind.

With the benefit of experiences from his previous life, he had diligently memorized more than five thousand words. Reciting them now, it was completely different from chanting the Heart Sutra just a while ago. The voice was not loud, but it seemed like celestial music from the nine heavens, each word containing the profoundness of the three thousand Dao.

Unconsciously, the sun had set, and the sound of cicadas began. Wang Qingxuan had long been sitting cross-legged, circulating the internal energy of Qingyun Jing. The clear qi surrounded him, resonating with every word and sentence spoken by Chen Xuanze, harmonizing with the cycles of birth and death of all things.

This was the first time Chen Xuanze recited the Tao Te Ching in this world. Unlike his past life, shortly after beginning the recitation, Chen Xuanze entered a mysterious state. Involuntarily, he activated the Twelve-Year Cicada.

Half an hour later, the magnificent recitation of five thousand words was complete. As the last word fell, the clear qi around Wang Qingxuan instantly converged into his body. Then, a three-inch phantom emerged from the top of his head, sitting in the same posture as Wang Qingxuan. After three breaths, the phantom sank into the top of his head.

Daoist rank six, achieved the state of leaving the body. Chen Xuanze had no extraordinary signs, but only he knew that this recitation had elevated him to Daoist rank eight, the state of enlightenment. What made him even happier was that the Twelve-Year Cicada was no longer a difficult and obscure technique; he now had a good understanding of many aspects.

When the two came back to their senses, they unexpectedly found that Chen Qianqian, who had been fishing, had already revealed her true form. Her snake body had returned to a length of over five meters, with gleaming lights flickering on every scale.

This signifies that the snake demon's cultivation, which Chen Xuanze had cut away, has now been restored.

"Snake demon, a cultivation of one hundred and thirty years, bearing the bloodline of feathered snakes, with an unlimited future."

Information in the Sea of Consciousness indicated that not only did Chen Qianqian recover her cultivation, but she also advanced ten years in her spiritual journey.

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Everyone gained something, and Chen Xuanze was pleased. These were his trusted subordinates, and it was uncertain which of them would become a prominent figure in the future, reaching the third or even second tier.

...

"All families are divided into nine ranks. Do you know the different levels?" After Chen Qianqian returned to her human form, Chen Xuanze asked what he wanted to know.

Wang Qingxuan shook his head and said, "I know the nine ranks of Daoism and Buddhism. I'm not well-versed in martial arts, and I'm not sure about Confucianism. For the demon race, it is divided based on cultivation, and there are no named ranks."

Chen Xuanze pretended to listen attentively, and Wang Qingxuan continued, "In Daoism, the nine ranks, from bottom to top, are Foundation Building, Enlightenment, Spirit Wandering, Out-of-Body, and I am currently at the sixth rank, Out-of-Body. Going further up are fifth rank Golden Elixir, fourth rank Divine Movement, third rank Solar Spirit, second rank Celestial Phenomenon, and first rank Nine Heavens."

Looking at Sanzang, Wang Qingxuan nodded, then continued, "In Buddhism, the nine ranks are Novice, Warrior Monk, Demon Exorciser, Sutra Transmission. Sanzang is currently at the sixth rank of Sutra Transmission. Going further up are fifth rank Precept, fourth rank Practitioner, third rank Vajra, second rank Arhat, and first rank Bodhisattva."

"As for martial artists, I know little about them. The ninth rank is refining essence, eighth rank refining skin, seventh rank refining bones, sixth rank copper skin, and fifth rank iron bones. Going further up, the third rank is innate, the second rank is subtle, and I haven't heard of the fourth and first ranks."

Chen Xuanze nodded. Having consumed the Essence Refining Marrow Fruit, his physical body was at a half-step third rank. With the rapid absorption of stellar energy, his actual cultivation was only refining skin at the eighth rank. Combining this with the eighth rank Out-of-Body state, confronting seventh rank opponents posed no significant problem, but facing sixth rank opponents would be challenging.

Chen Qianqian added, "Our demon race is simple. We don't have as many twists and turns as humans. Thirty years, fifty years, one hundred years, two hundred years, three hundred years, five hundred years, a thousand years, and one thousand five hundred years of cultivation correspond to the nine ranks to the second rank for you humans. A first-rank Great Demon hasn't appeared for many years, and it's said that the first rank isn't determined by years of cultivation."

Wang Qingxuan nodded in agreement, explaining, "Actually, the first ranks of each faction are quite similar. Without reaching the first rank, it's challenging to understand the profoundness."

Ignoring Wang Qingxuan's explanation, Chen Xuanze stepped forward and gave Chen Qianqian a slap.

With the strength brought by his stellar Nine Revolutions, coupled with internal force, Chen Qianqian was knocked down, and a large bump swelled on her snowy forehead. If she were in her true form, the bump would be on top, resembling an emerging horn.

"Do you know why I'm hitting you? I've told you that you're human now! What about your demon race and our human race? What? Do you still want to return to the Bai Shan Hei Shui?"

Under Chen Xuanze's questioning, Chen Qianqian lowered her head, shaking it vigorously. She didn't want to go back. In nearly half a month, Sun Baihu had not only coerced and tempted her but also made her understand many benefits of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

In this place, one could truly pardon and suppress all kinds of righteous gods. Only a fool would return to serve the Mongols in the Bai Shan Hei Shui.

Chen Xuanze, seeing Chen Qianqian's remorseful attitude, said, "I'll transcribe the Tao Te Ching twice later. One copy for you, remember it, and then destroy it."

This was his reward for Chen Qianqian, hoping she would gain insights from the Tao Te Ching.

The other copy naturally belonged to Wang Qingxuan.

The Third Burial Monk didn't receive this treatment. The Heart Sutra had few words, and he had already memorized them. At this moment, he was silently reciting them.

After expressing his gratitude, Wang Qingxuan asked, "Chen Ge, I know I shouldn't ask, but I'm curious. Where did this Tao Te Ching come from? Please don't rush to scold me. I discovered that many passages in it are similar to the Qingyun Classic of our Qingyun Sect, but it seems to be several layers higher."

Chen Xuanze shook his head, choosing not to answer the question. It was obvious – the Tao Te Ching was the foundation of Daoism. What was the Qingyun Classic compared to it? If there were no Qingyun Classic, wouldn't it be turning the world upside down? Did the little Daoist not realize that if Laozi rode a green ox and came to destroy him, he wouldn't know how to appreciate it?

Just as Chen Xuanze finished reciting the Tao Te Ching, a crack appeared on the forehead of the wooden statue of the founder in the Tongtian Temple, and the great seal of the Dragon Tiger Mountain emitted billowing clear qi. Various abnormalities occurred in the lineages of Daoism all over the world.

Fortunately, these places were inherently mysterious, so nobody paid much attention to it.