Chapter 696: Zhili
This time, the target was not within the Imperial Capital but outside it, in the area commonly known as Zhili.
Zhili was not a single state, but a region of various prefectures and counties directly under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Capital, the heartland of the emperor’s power.
The Governor of Zhili had many duties, tasked to oversee and inspect not only provincial matters but also to command the Donghai Navy. Thus, the Zhili Governor was a first-rank officer, the highest of all regional officers.
During the reign of the Emperor Gaozu, the Holy Xuan’s wife served as the Great Sage of the Taiping Sect. At that time, Donghuang was not yet an Immortal and held official positions at court. He first served as the Chief Admiral of the Donghai Navy, later concurrently assuming the post of the Zhili Governor. It was not until the Holy Xuan replaced the Great Sages of the Three Sects that Donghuang was summoned back to Jade Capital to succeed his sister-in-law as the second Great Sage of the Taiping Sect, becoming the head of the Li family. Since the Holy Xuan had no direct descendants, the current main branch of the Li family descended from Donghuang. However, as the Holy Xuan and Donghuang were fathered by Li Daoxu, the Li family's claim of being descendants of the Holy Xuan was not entirely inaccurate.
As for why the Holy Xuan had no descendants, some claimed it was due to him defying heaven’s will. It was said that the Wei Dynasty was meant to continue for three more generations after Emperor Shenzong. But the Holy Xuan’s actions disrupted this, ending the line with Emperor Shenzong. Thus, the Holy Xuan was struck by divine punishment. Unlike Emperor Gaozu, the Holy Xuan was not granted a reprieve by the heavens to leave behind heirs and was forced to ascend ahead of time.
Others said that it went beyond that. Confucianism was supposed to rise, with the School of Philosophy replacing the School of Principle. Buddhism would have seized the momentum to share dominance. But the Holy Xuan forcibly shifted the balance, ensuring the rise of the Daoist Order instead.
In short, it all came down to one explanation—the Holy Xuan was punished by heaven.
It was not surprising that such rumors spread. In truth, the Holy Xuan’s condition in his final years did seem abnormal. Having unified the Daoist Order and revived it, his prestige was immense. After defeating the Lord Buddha, the Holy Xuan’s fame soared to unprecedented heights. With that momentum, it would have been easy to unite the three sects. Yet after his victory, the Holy Xuan became reclusive, delegating all affairs to the three Deputy Grand Masters, who rarely saw him as well.
That was strange enough. It was widely acknowledged that the Holy Xuan had passed his first heavenly tribulation, which meant he could remain in the mortal world for 200 years. Yet, without unifying the three sects or resolving the issue of the Ancient Immortals, the Holy Xuan chose to ascend from the mortal realm alongside his wife. Those who had witnessed it remained tight-lipped—their silence coordinated. This became one of the major mysteries since the revival of the Daoist Order.
Judging from the Holy Xuan’s strange behavior, it seemed he had indeed faced difficulties during his final days in the mortal world, which made it impossible for him to oversee the Daoist Order fully.
This gave rise to a theory. Although the Holy Xuan had defeated the Lord Buddha, he had also suffered severe wounds that could not be healed. In the end, he had no choice but to ascend as a way to resolve these injuries.