Chapter 396: Legacy Illusion

The illusory world can become reality in a single thought.

Lin Chuan transformed in an instant, becoming a child.

And before his eyes was a murder scene, the victims being his father and mother.

The sea of blood‑soaked hatred stirred Lin Chuan's emotions.

It made him want to break free of his restraints and slay those lawless brigands, but Lin Chuan knew that breaking free would mean defeat.

This is only a trial.

Relying solely on a child's own power, he can accomplish nothing.

The brigands who annihilated his entire clan finally discovered Lin Chuan and intended to root him out as well.

At the critical moment, a gust of wind swept him away.

Lin Chuan saw an elder with an ethereal, Daoist bearing.

"Child, your aptitude is fine; would you be willing to enter the Immortal Gate with me?" the elder asked.

"Immortal elder, I am willing."

The child, seeking revenge, can only gain greater power; following this elder is his sole hope for survival.

"Fine."

The elder stroked his beard and smiled, "After entering my Immortal Gate, you must eradicate Mortal Dust's evil thoughts, must take an oath, and never commit killing sins again."

Lin Chuan did not know what the test criteria of this illusion were.

Choosing between the Immortal path and the seven emotions and six desires?

Or abandoning personal hatred for the great righteousness of all beings?

But Lin Chuan had no choice; he could only follow the elder, take the oath, never be attached to Mortal Dust again, and devote his heart to Daoism.

"Alright."

The elder smiled, "I will grant you the Dao name Xuan Kong; from now on, you shall cultivate with me."

Thus, the Xuan Kong that Lin Chuan became followed the elder in cultivation within the illusion.

Day after day, year after year.

Xuan Kong's talent gradually manifested, and soon he inherited the elder's legacy.

During this process, he also learned the elder's identity.

The elder's name is Chen Qing, hailing from the Bu Tian Lineage; his birth mission is to guard the world, a legacy passed down the line.

Advancing cultivation in the Bu Tian Lineage is very simple.

As long as one practices step by step, one can become the strongest in the world.

The most important factor is the state of mind.

If the Bu Tian Lineage's state of mind is damaged, it will be countered by the laws of Heaven and Earth, reduced to a wastrel, becoming a disaster.

"Indeed! The same script again?"

Again faced with a choice between the masses and the individual.

Lin Chuan has already sunk into the secret realm.

His choices are naturally limited: either inherit the Bu Tian Lineage's mantle and become a Guardian of Heaven and Earth's laws.

Or relinquish Mortal Dust's thoughts and be punished by Heaven and Earth.

"Xuan Kong, after so many years of cultivating Daoism, your mind is still unsettled," the elder sighed.

"Shifu, without avenging the blood feud, my heart cannot settle."

Xuan Kong no longer restrained himself and spoke his true feelings.

"I, as your teacher, know you have always wanted revenge, but you have taken an oath; there is no turning back for you."

"If you entertain a killing thought, you will be punished by Heaven and Earth, body and spirit annihilated."

"I once thought that cultivating Daoism could smooth your Mortal Dust's evil thoughts, let you discern great good and great evil, and understand how to choose between the masses and personal desire."

"Now it seems your state‑of‑mind cultivation is still far lacking."

The elder's tone was full of disappointment.

Xuan Kong retorted, "I only wish to avenge my parents' blood feud; is that wrong?"

"Exactly."

The elder said, "But you already made an oath to let go of this grievance; having made a commitment, you must bear Karma."

"You may go take revenge."

"When you are disturbed by evil thoughts and become a disaster, I, as your teacher, will also cleanse the sect."

"That is Karma."

"All things have Karma."

The elder's words not only failed to calm Xuan Kong, but instead made his inner fury rise further.

Xuan Kong asked, "Why do those who killed my parents not have to bear Karma? Why can they transform from murderous brigands into renowned magistrates?"

"They clearly committed countless evils, yet are completely forgotten by the world and can enjoy wealth and honor?"

"Why have I been bullied since childhood, and those bullies, because their parents hold high positions, can continue to bully me?"

"Born at the bottom, exploited, bullied— is this Karma?"

Xuan Kong's eyes reddened as he launched a barrage of questions.

"Their deeds have their own karmic retribution," the elder said.

"But I cannot see it!"

Xuan Kong's murderous aura surged, with no concealment left.

"There are many things you cannot see; even if you kill one villain, countless others still exist."

"Even if you eliminate the evildoers, when you stand in their place, you will become the new evildoer, and someone will come to eliminate you."

"The cycle of Karma among Mortal Dust is nothing beyond this."

"Destiny is predetermined from birth; the Karma you wish to see remains unseen until you die."

"All sentient beings, in the end, are ultimately just a handful of yellow earth."

"Xuan Kong, do you understand?"

The old man spoke profound Daoism.

"I don't understand!"

Xuan Kong retorted angrily, "I will turn them into a handful of yellow earth right now; that is the retribution they deserve!"

The old man sighed, "Fanchen is just like that; you kill one evildoer, what of ten evildoers?"

"Evil will always exist, and the suffering people will always exist."

"Their lives are brief; as time passes, you will find that what you care about is actually meaningless."

"When you can finally understand this principle, you will truly comprehend the mystery of my Repair Heaven lineage."

"Only then can you obtain the final inheritance."

"How to choose is within a single thought; Karma and fate, as taught by the master, have already been clarified; what you do is up to you."

"The master will no longer persuade you."

The old man finished speaking and closed his eyes.

"Is this the final choice?"

In a hallucination, after reaching the end, only two paths were given to Lin Chuan.

Lin Chuan already had an answer in his heart.

"If one must abandon personal desire to obtain the inheritance, he would rather not, for even if he could forcibly suppress the fluctuations of the seven emotions and six desires, it would be meaningless."

"Things that are unsatisfactory, even if obtained, cannot truly be cultivated successfully."

"The limit Lin Chuan pursues in this life."

"The destinedly incompatible Daoist method is useless to practice; better to abandon it."

Xuan Kong descended the mountain from within the hallucination.

"Evildoers, do you still remember me?"

That night, a common man in fury slaughtered the entire clan of evildoers, leaving not a single child.

Xuan Kong said, "If the virtuous must always be oppressed by the wicked, then I would rather become the greatest evil in this world!"

"Guardian of all living beings! This should not be so!"

Lin Chuan's soul power surged, "To hell with your inheritance."

Boom!

The hallucination shattered with a boom.

"Did I fail?"

Even if the trial fails, Lin Chuan does not care; he can only say that differing paths do not cooperate, and this road is destined not to suit him.

Just as he was about to withdraw, a golden light scattered ahead.

An ancient tome fell.

It bore five large characters: "One Qi Transforms the Three Purities."