Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator.

At this moment, in Li Ji's eyes, Zuo Ci was not some charlatan putting on a show; he was clearly the professional talent Li Ji had been seeking for many years without success.

The Dao follows nature!

Well said! Dao... nature and science, that's very reasonable.

By the time Li Ji and Zuo Ci sat facing each other, and Li Ji had personally poured tea for Zuo Ci, Zuo Ci was not just flattered; he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, fearing that this cup might be his last.

"May I know the Daoist Master's secular name and courtesy name?" Li Ji asked amiably.

Zuo Ci braced himself and replied, "This humble Daoist is Zuo Ci, courtesy name Yuanfang."

"May I address the Daoist Master by his courtesy name?" Li Ji asked again.

"I am greatly honored," Zuo Ci replied.

Li Ji poured more tea for Zuo Ci again, and then said in a gentle tone.

"Yuanfang has been kind to me. Just now, I was wary and repeatedly tested you with words. Please don't take offense."

"I wouldn't dare."

"Now that I know Yuanfang has the heart for the Great Han, let this tea be a substitute for wine to apologize to Yuanfang. From now on, we two should work together with one heart."

With that, Li Ji raised his cup to signal to Zuo Ci.

Seeing that Li Ji did not seem to be speaking ironically, and hearing the meaning of acceptance, Zuo Ci quickly raised his cup in response.

In an instant, the two sides changed the tense atmosphere from before, and instead seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Immediately, Zuo Ci also quickly introduced to Li Ji how he planned to transform Taoism, mainly focusing on cracking down on illegal Taoist lineages, revising the essence of Taoism, promoting truth, goodness, and beauty, and so on.

In short, it was a plan that Zuo Ci had come up with based on the changes in Buddhism and combined with the current situation of Taoism.

The aim was to keep up with the pace of the Great Han at all times and follow behind Liu Huangshu to earn a share of the merit of supporting the dynasty.

"Not bad, not bad..."

Li Ji made a simple comment, then changed the subject and said, "But, it's not enough!"

"Please enlighten me, Marquis."

Zuo Ci's expression turned serious, understanding that the main course was coming, and Zuo Ci was ready to drastically castrate Taoism according to Li Ji's intentions.

It's just that the influence of the Taiping Dao is too great. If Liu Bei eventually wins the world, there will be no place for Taoism in the Great Han, and even a large-scale and continuous extermination of Taoism will be carried out in the Great Han.

Therefore, in order to allow Taoism to survive, and even embark on a new path, Zuo Ci understood that he must integrate with the Great Han and become the Taoism needed by the Great Han, the Taoism needed by the new Han Emperor.

'Castration is just to abandon unnecessary burdens, it doesn't matter...'

Zuo Ci self-advised, and then listened carefully to the content put forward by Li Ji, preparing to implement them one by one.

"Why are there several different directions in one Taoism? And even formed a Taoist lineage like the Taiping Dao that brings disaster to the country and the people?"

Li Ji asked, causing Zuo Ci's forehead to sweat.

The existence of the Taiping Dao has undoubtedly become a threshold that Zuo Ci wants to eat royal food but cannot get around.

"As long as the Marquis gives the order, this humble Daoist will immediately go and take Nan Hua's head..."

Without giving Zuo Ci a chance to finish speaking, Li Ji raised his hand to interrupt, and then said.

"What's the use of killing one Nan Hua? Won't there be Bei Hua, Dong Hua, and Xi Hua in the future? Nan Hua is the direct cause of the Taiping Dao's rebellion, but the root cause is the internal chaos and disunity of Taoism."

"As far as I know, Taoism contains a vast array of things, including celestial phenomena, astral weaving, five escapes and six armors, medical skills, alchemy, and so on, but internally it has never formed a real integration."

"Take the matter of furnace explosions as an example. Why do furnace explosions happen? Most of them rely entirely on experience to control, or rely on the theory of ghosts and gods and the will of heaven. In this way, various opinions and Taoist lineages will naturally form within Taoism."

"Isn't having multiple completely different Taoist lineages in one Taoism a betrayal and misinterpretation of the sages Huangdi and Laozi?"

Li Ji's words, which pointed directly to the key points, made Zuo Ci both fascinated and dripping with sweat.

This is also the major contradiction currently facing the interior of Taoism. Since the Han Dynasty, the continuous development of Huang-Lao studies has also created a large number of Taoist alchemists.

However, there has never been a unified voice within Taoism, but it can be said that there are many factions, each seeking a way for the next step of development.

Zuo Ci performed a disciple's salute and asked for advice, "Then what does the Marquis think should be done?"

Li Ji solemnly said in a deep voice.

"Great unification, to achieve great unification in all aspects within Taoism, for example, in the matter of furnace explosions, why do furnace explosions occur? What is the relationship between the power of furnace explosions and what?"

"And for example, the changes in celestial phenomena, now all rely on experience and personal understanding to deduce, should the principles be gradually summarized to form detailed content?"

"And those five escapes and six armors, medical skills, alchemy, the art of the bedchamber, etc., most Taoists only know what it is, but do not know why, and then they attribute all unknown things to ghosts and gods and the will of heaven, which is a big mistake."

"If the Daoist Master can investigate and integrate all the unknown or unresolved things in Taoism one by one, this is the great unification of Taoism."

Zuo Ci couldn't help but sigh in shock, and said with sincere conviction.

"The Marquis's lesson is correct, that's indeed the case, but this humble Daoist asks himself that he is proficient in all kinds of Taoism, but relying on the strength of this humble Daoist alone, plus three or five disciples, I am afraid that it will be difficult to achieve the great unification that the Marquis said even if I exhaust my life's efforts."

Li Ji pondered slightly, and then said.

"I also have a great fondness for Taoism."

"Really?" Zuo Ci showed a look of surprise, never expecting that the National Scholar Marquis was also a fellow traveler.

"Naturally!"

Li Ji nodded, and then said with a sigh, "It's just that I was born in troubled times, and I can't abandon the common people and hide in the mountains and forests to cultivate myself."

After a pause, Li Ji continued.

"Therefore, in fact, I also don't want to see Taoism decline, but before, for the sake of the world's common people, I had to suppress the Taiping Dao in order to seek social stability."

"If the Daoist Master can greatly unify Taoism, it is also my wish. Therefore, Ji..."

Speaking of this, Li Ji showed a hesitant look, but finally he became firm and said in a low voice.

"Does the Daoist Master know about the Ren De Academy?"

"I have heard of it," Zuo Ci replied.

Li Ji nodded, and then whispered.

"In order to revitalize Taoism, and also to allow Taoism to achieve great unification as soon as possible."

"I think the best way is to establish an academy belonging to Taoism, with the Daoist Master serving as the head of the academy, recruiting talented students to teach and impart knowledge, and then gathering the strength of the students to achieve the great unification of Taoism."

Even with Zuo Ci's state of mind, at this moment, he also widened his eyes, so excited that he couldn't control himself.

If we really investigate, the so-called Taoists in this era have never been able to get on the stage, and they are completely incomparable with Confucianism.

And to establish an academy belonging to Taoism, what an honor is this?

Zuo Ci was so excited that he trembled, as if he had already seen the great unification of Taoism and the future of vigorous development.

"Of course, the Daoist Master also knows that there are not a few people who are prejudiced against Taoism, so this academy also needs to cleverly set up a name for appropriate concealment," Li Ji said.

"Understood, understood."

Li Ji asked with a smile.

"It is not advisable to take the name Dao Fa Academy, why not call it... Natural Academy?" (End of this chapter)