Make the Immortal Sect Great Again

Inside the Great Peace Mortuary, Wang Ping opened his eyes.

He immediately clutched his head. His pupils trembled violently as passage after passage of a demonic scripture surfaced in his mind.

Other-Transformation Freedom Control Desire Realm Celestial Manual!

Just looking at those words, Wang Ping could vaguely see a bizarre bodhisattva with both male and female forms, sitting cross-legged on a lotus platform and chanting scripture.

It proclaimed that the mortal realm was a vast sea of desire. The masses struggled within it, sinking into pleasure and giving free rein to their lusts—and this was only natural. However, worldly desires had limits. Once a person indulged in every possible pleasure, they would naturally break free from them, never to hold them in their heart again.

This was Emptiness.

Therefore, ”indulging in pleasure is Emptiness.” The scripture acknowledged all desires, even encouraging people to fulfill them so they could transcend them—

The scripture abruptly ended.

The chanting in his mind suddenly vanished. Wang Ping stood rooted to the spot, practically drooling, before finally snapping out of it a moment later.

”Wait... where is the rest?!”That was right. The Other-Transformation Freedom Control Desire Realm Celestial Manual only had a beginning. It barely finished explaining its core philosophy before abruptly cutting off.

If the scripture’s goal was to guide a practitioner from ”indulgence” to ”liberation,” the actual text only covered the ”indulgence” half... No, even that part was incomplete. Wang Ping had to strip away the fluff just to piece together a single secret method from the scattered verses.

Desire Realm Heavenly Birth Method.

”This is a secret art for bodily transformation. Once mastered, my physical body will convert into a special cultivation physique known as the Desire Realm Deva.”

This physique could not only sense the thoughts and emotions of others, but it could also condense the spiritual perception typical of a cultivator—all without formal practice.

”What a treasure!”

Wang Ping pumped his fist in excitement. He had thought his time as human livestock for the Immortal Gate had yielded nothing, yet right before he died, he had stumbled upon a massive stroke of luck.

And Daoist Nun You had forced it on him, no less.

She was truly a good person.

With such a profound debt of gratitude, he would definitely have to find a good opportunity to repay her with all his heart next time.

”It is just a pity the scripture is incomplete. It only has a secret art to modify my physique, with no actual cultivation method to let me formally walk the immortal path. Otherwise, I would have really hit the jackpot.”

At that thought, Wang Ping took a deep breath.

”Calm down. Do not be greedy.”

”Besides, cultivating immortality is not my only option. There is still the Great Shun Dynasty and its martial arts. If I practice to the absolute peak, there might still be a future in it.”

Wang Ping had always let his circumstances dictate his mindset. His moral baseline was nothing if not flexible.

Before, he had wanted to return to the Great Shun Dynasty just to stomp on the weak, but since the path to immortality was currently closed to him, he instantly became a staunch supporter of the martial path. A top-tier martial artist would not necessarily lose to an immortal!

With that in mind, Wang Ping immediately finalized his plans.

”I will head back to the Great Shun Dynasty first and master the Desire Realm Heavenly Birth Method. I should probably learn a few martial arts, too. Once I have enough strength, I will return to explore the Immortal Gate World!”

Immediately after, he looked toward the Taiping Sutra.

However, right at that moment, Wang Ping noticed new text suddenly appearing on the title page of the towering book, right beneath the words Outer Heavenly Demon:

[Current Status: Refugee (Commoner).]

[Current Destiny: 1 (White Lotus Sect Hall Master)]

[Consume destiny to exchange for a new status?]

”What is this...?”

Looking at the writing on the scripture scroll, Wang Ping immediately recalled the other function of the Outer Heavenly Demon: consuming destiny to purchase a new status!

According to the description, however, it could only be used in specific worlds.

”Does this specific world refer to the Great Shun Dynasty?”

After all, White Lotus Sect Hall Master was his title when he died the first time, yet he had not received any prompt to choose a new status when he went to the Immortal Gate World.

”Status is divided into six ranks.”

”Commoner, Yamen Runner, Scholar, Red Robe, Purple Minister, Golden Noble... For every rank my destiny increases, I can exchange it for a status of the corresponding level.”

This was excellent!

He was spending the White Lotus Sect’s destiny anyway. If it was gone, it was gone. Plus, that old bastard Shouchong had given him the hall master position. Wouldn’t it be a waste not to use it?

With that in mind, Wang Ping nodded without hesitation. ”Exchange it!”

The moment he spoke, the text on the Taiping Sutra began to blur. His destiny instantly dropped to zero, and the status section slowly began to radiate light.

It was a mystical glow.

Soon after, Wang Ping watched the description in the brackets of his status section change from Commoner to Yamen Runner, and the title itself began to shift.

Merchant, Noble, Scholar... Numerous statuses flashed past one by one. In the end, however, it locked onto a title that took Wang Ping by surprise:

Bailiff.

Taking a deep breath, Wang Ping strode into the portal of the Outer Heavenly Demon, his vision slowly swallowed by the light.

...

Wang Ping opened his eyes.

A small room greeted his sight.

He was standing in the middle of it. Right in front of him sat a bronze mirror, which clearly reflected the slightly exhausted face of a man in his early twenties.

Is this... me?

Wang Ping immediately realized something: he hadn’t possessed a stranger this time. The face in the mirror was identical to his original one, just aged down to his youth.

His feelings were somewhat complicated at that moment.

This is fine too. Instead of possessing a stranger, I was directly given a new status. I am still me, just a firework of a different color...

Soon, memories began to surface.

Rather than actual memories, they felt more like a background briefing. Wang Ping quickly understood his situation, and his newly relaxed expression grew solemn once more.

This... is Longxing County!

In my last life, I was killed by the bailiffs of the Longxing County Yamen. In this life, I have actually become a bailiff myself? And a fresh recruit at that?

According to my new background, my family has worked as bailiffs for three generations. We are registered in the County Yamen, essentially making us a bailiff lineage. Because my father died heroically in the line of duty, his position opened up, allowing me to be drafted into the Yamen to fill the vacancy. They have already prepared my appointment letter and all my equipment.

At that thought, Wang Ping shifted his gaze.

He immediately spotted the official bailiff appointment letter resting on a nearby table, alongside an Oxtail Saber, a uniform, and a martial arts manual.

...Wait, a martial arts manual?!

Instantly shedding his casual demeanor, Wang Ping perked up, hurried over to the table, and snatched up the manual.

Yama’s Three Demon Sabers

”This is the Longxing County bailiffs’... no, this is the standard martial art issued to all bailiffs under the Great Shun Dynasty. It is a brutal technique focused entirely on slaughter!”

Wang Ping flipped open the manual, reading the cultivation method word for word.

Next, he reached for the Oxtail Saber on the table. With a sharp clang, the long blade left its sheath, illuminating the room with a cold, pale gleam.

”This saber art... has its pros and cons.”

Wang Ping frowned in thought as he casually swung the Oxtail Saber.

The upside was that this saber art only contained combat techniques and breathing exercises; it completely lacked internal refinement methods. This was because the imperial court had already mass-produced standard Oxtail Sabers for all its bailiffs.

As a result, bailiffs did not need refinement methods at all. With the Oxtail Saber in hand, mastering the basics of the saber art was merely a matter of time. This made it far simpler than the Plain Moon Lotus Blade passed down by that old bastard Shouchong, which required a certain level of comprehension and forced the practitioner to spend their own money to forge weapons. Here, the imperial court provided everything.

However, that was also its fatal flaw.

”Without a refinement method, a martial artist has no foundation. The moment the Oxtail Saber breaks or gets confiscated, this martial art is basically useless.”

”The imperial court sure knows how to scheme,” Wang Ping murmured in admiration.

”This setup permanently binds the bailiffs to the County Yamen, while ensuring that even if the cultivation method leaks out, outsiders can never truly master it.”

Just as Wang Ping was analyzing the martial art, a sudden knock came from the door.

”...Who is it?”

Raising an eyebrow, Wang Ping kept his grip on the saber and pushed the door open with keen vigilance. To his surprise, a servant boy holding a tiered food box was standing outside.

”My lord, I have brought your meal.”

The servant bowed deeply, respectfully offering the food box as he asked softly, ”Please have a look, my lord. Is there anything that does not suit your tastes?”

Only then did Wang Ping remember that he was a bailiff now.

This meal was one of his perks. As a bailiff, all three of his daily meals were provided entirely free of charge by Yuelai Tower, the largest restaurant in Longxing County.

They called it free, but it was essentially a protection fee.

After all, bailiffs held massive authority in Longxing County. There was a reason they were nicknamed ”street-clearing tigers.” Their power could easily help merchants line their pockets.

It could just as easily bankrupt them.

As everyone knew, collusion between government officials and merchants turned a profit faster than armed robbery. Yuelai Tower had only grown to its current scale by obediently supplying these daily meals.

After sending the servant away, Wang Ping carried the food box inside.

When he lifted the lid, a mouthwatering aroma instantly wafted out. Every grain of rice was plump and translucent, while the vegetables and meat were of the highest quality. Eating food like this would easily double his efficiency in martial arts training.

”Is this... Wojiao Rice?”

Wang Ping’s jaw dropped slightly. He recognized the grains. Wojiao Rice was a rare mutated variety cultivated through secret methods, making it countless times more precious than ordinary polished rice.

Beyond that, the meat appeared to come from some kind of demonic beast, and the vegetables had been specially harvested from a medicinal field, completely packed with blood-nourishing and qi-boosting properties. Let alone eating it, just standing nearby and breathing in the scent made Wang Ping’s qi and blood boil, circulating with incredible smoothness.

”These absolute parasites...”

Staring at the feast, Wang Ping couldn’t help but think back to his previous life in the countryside. At the time, he had thought his diet of plain rice and basic meat was already quite decent.

Compared to the people in the county town, he might as well have been eating dirt.

And this was merely the standard fare for the lowest-ranking bailiffs in the County Yamen. What on earth did the true high-ranking officials eat? Wang Ping couldn’t even begin to imagine it.

A wave of profound grief washed over him.

Years ago, his greatest dream had been to finish his undercover mission and enter the County Yamen as a decorated hero, officially securing an imperial salary.

He had poured his blood, sweat, and tears into that goal, only to be brutally betrayed and slaughtered.

Thinking of that, Wang Ping looked at the Taiping Sutra, which had effortlessly landed him a job as a bailiff in the County Yamen, and let out a heartfelt sigh:

Sure enough... personal effort is important, but at the end of the day, there is nothing like having a cheat!

Anger and sheer audacity surged within him. He grabbed a spoon, violently dug a massive chunk of food out of the box, and shoved it into his mouth.

God... it’s so good!

...

Longxing County, a certain courtyard in the eastern part of the city. At the exact moment Wang Ping resurrected with his new identity, a pair of tightly shut eyes abruptly snapped open.

”What is going on...?!”

Accompanied by a furious, bewildered shout, a spark of lightning seemed to flash through the dim room. Deep within those wide eyes lay a maelstrom of confusion and burning resentment.

Immediately after, another voice rang out.

”Master? What happened?”

If Wang Ping were there, he would have instantly recognized the speaker. It was none other than his good senior brother, Xie Shi.

As for the furious figure, that was naturally the leader of the White Lotus Sect, the old Daoist priest, Shouchong.

Shouchong’s eyes twitched madly. His normally ruddy complexion deepened into a feverish, crimson flush, and his tightly clenched jaw trembled.

A second later.

”Guh!”

He threw his head back and spewed a mouthful of hot blood into the air. His flushed face instantly drained of color, taking on the ghastly pallor of a corpse.

A moment later, his hoarse, owl-like voice echoed eerily through the room:

”The destiny... is gone.”

”The destiny of my White Lotus Sect... I traveled far and wide, shedding blood against government troops three times over just to build our reputation and destiny, and suddenly, nearly half of it is gone!”

Shouchong felt as if his heart were bleeding.

With so much destiny wiped out, his carefully laid plans would have to be completely rewritten. Unforeseen variables would plague his every move, and his hopes of advancing his martial arts had grown agonizingly slim.

”Who did this?! Who is plotting against me?!”

Rumble!

A sound like rolling thunder echoed within the confines of the room, yet not a single decibel leaked outside. It was a terrifying display of his profound cultivation, proving that despite his fury, Shouchong hadn’t lost his mind.

After a long silence, Shouchong spoke again:

”Someone must have tampered with the Lotus Blade. There is no other explanation. I have to retrieve it. I cannot leave it in the hands of the government any longer.”

Hearing this, Xie Shi looked at him with deep concern:

”Master, the County Yamen is a heavily fortified imperial stronghold, guarded by those black-clad dogs from the Divine Constabulary. It is simply too dangerous. One wrong move, and disaster could strike.”

Shouchong turned to look at Xie Shi, tilting his head slightly:

”Of course I understand that... But do not worry, my good disciple. I have already prepared a foolproof plan. A mere County Yamen cannot hold me.”

A look of profound awe crossed Xie Shi’s face. ”Master, are you going to storm the County Yamen?”

”No. You are going to storm the County Yamen.”

Xie Shi: ”...???”