Quinn Shepherd asked in confusion, "Did the Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch never have that idea?"
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch fell silent for a moment, then sighed, "I did. Your head stays on your neck for now—go on."
Quinn continued, "From what I've observed of the Imperial Preceptor, both his actions and our Holy Cult's doctrine follow the sage’s way and serve the common people. If our Holy Cult attaches itself to the Everpeace Empire, we won't decline like other sects—instead, we'll thrive and grow stronger. That's the first point."
He paused before continuing, "But the Imperial Preceptor's system of elementary, secondary, and Imperial Academy education has a major flaw—a flaw so deep it won't show for a while, but in two or three hundred years, it'll become obvious."
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch looked intrigued. "And what is that flaw?"
Quinn asked, "May I ask, Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch—how many scholars in the Imperial Academy come from poor families?"
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch smiled, clearly knowing where Quinn was headed. "About ten percent."
Quinn pressed on, "In recent years, how many young officials in the Everpeace Empire have come from the Imperial Academy?"
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch replied, "Roughly seventy percent are from the Imperial Academy. The rest are old ministers from various sects, or those who climbed up step by step."
"If my calculations are right, in two hundred years, nearly all officials will hail from the Imperial Academy, and among its students, barely one in a hundred will come from a poor family!"
Quinn watched the float sink, but didn’t reel in immediately. After a moment, he said, "Two hundred years from now, poor families will remain poor for generations, while the rich stay rich. Resentment will build up month by month, year by year, until it finally explodes. The noble houses will seize the chance to rise up and topple the dynasty. That’ll be the moment our Holy Cult unifies the world—unstoppable, unmatched."
He lifted the rod—a huge fish was hooked, but its strength was immense. With a snap, the fishing line broke and the big fish vanished into the water.
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch sneered, "So you want to rebel and drag our Holy Cult into injustice? I ought to take your head!"
Quinn was silent for a moment. "Patriarch, don’t joke around."
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch chuckled, having caught a small fish himself. He reeled it in and said, "Alright, let’s get serious. In two hundred years, you’d have the Holy Cult become another Everpeace Empire. Then what? After a great war wipes out the old noble clans, new ones will rise in another two hundred years, and someone will come to overthrow our Holy Cult. How will you solve that?"
Quinn hesitated, then shook his head. "I haven’t considered what happens two hundred years later. Please enlighten me, Patriarch."
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch broke off a willow branch, strung up his fish, and stood. "I can’t see two hundred years ahead either. Young Cult Master, you’re so young yet you can see two centuries into the future—that’s enough to pass as a qualified sect leader. You’ve passed. My focus is different; I care about the Holy Cult’s doctrine."
Quinn was shaken and looked at the youthful old man.
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch said leisurely, "The sage’s way is no different from the common people’s daily use; anything that differs is heresy. Acting by one’s nature, purely following what is natural, is called the Dao. When the Imperial Preceptor first rose to power, I sensed his ambition. He came to ask me about the Dao, and I shared this line from the Grand Fostering Heavenly Demon Sutra. Everything he’s doing now stems from that sentence."
Quinn was deeply moved and bowed. "Patriarch, your wisdom is saintly—you’re already a sage. You want to subtly transform the Everpeace Empire into the Holy Cult, and if Everpeace truly follows the sage’s way, it’ll become the Cult of the Heavenly Saint!"
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch shook his head. "Neither the Everpeace Empire nor the Imperial Preceptor can truly achieve the sage’s way, and neither can I. As you said, in two hundred years, power and resources will be monopolized by the noble clans, the rich richer and the poor poorer. That’s not the way of the Cult of the Heavenly Saint. I tried to influence the Imperial Preceptor and the Everpeace Empire, but I’ve failed. I’m old now—this burden is yours. All I can do is hold the fort for you a few more years."
He carried the fish and rod, with Quinn following behind. The old man found a mountain hollow and, right in the Everpeace Empire’s most sacred ground, set up a pot, drew water, started a fire, and cleaned and gutted the fish before tossing it in.
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch looked at the pot, added some seasoning from his sleeve, and said, "In a few months, I’ll resign as Grand Rector. I’m old; I want to travel a bit before my time’s up. There are many places in this world I’ve never seen. The Holy Cult will be yours. After I step down, I’ll personally preside over your enthronement as Cult Master—I want to see it with my own eyes."
Quinn looked troubled. "I’m still only in the Five Luminaries Realm. Isn’t it too soon for me to lead the Holy Cult? Will people accept me?"
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch gestured for him to sit. Quinn copied him, sitting cross-legged by the pot, savoring the aroma of fish soup.
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch said, "The Holy Cult is actually pretty scattered. The Three Hundred and Sixty Halls are spread all over, and our followers are everywhere in Everpeace. Even the elders and Heavenly Kings rarely gather. You could be a hands-off Cult Master if you want. If things get tough, I’m still alive—no one will dare touch you, not even the Imperial Preceptor."
Quinn’s heart stirred. He probed, "The Imperial Preceptor wants to control the Holy Cult, doesn’t he?"
"Of course he does. But you can put his mind at ease."
The Young Heavenly Demon Patriarch tasted the fish soup, found it undercooked, and added more fire. "You’re young and your cultivation is low—he won’t see you as a threat. He’ll think he can control you. If he truly follows the sage’s way, letting him control you and the Holy Cult is fine. But if he can’t, you’ll take his place."
He spoke as if it were a trivial matter, yet it was nothing less than the fate of the dynasty itself.