Chapter 3: All things in the world have a predestined law

Hearing the sound of turning pages, Ye Qin, as if possessed, poked his head out at this moment; the handwriting was somewhat blurry, but he could barely make out the content.

Heaven and earth steal from all things; all things steal from man; man steals from all things.

When the three thefts are proper, the three talents are at peace.

These words slowly appeared in his mind, quickly taking root and sprouting, and could not be dispelled.

Ye Qin froze on the spot.

How familiar, as if I've heard it somewhere before.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall where he had heard these words; it felt like he heard them on his deathbed, or perhaps in a past life.

A strange feeling welled up in his heart again.

Ye Qin could be certain he had never read this ancient book before, yet where did this sense of familiarity come from?

A voice in his mind kept urging him to continue reading; his dazed consciousness became clear again, and he was pulled back into the world of the living.

The more Ye Qin read, the more he was entranced; a few short sentences seemed to reveal the infinite mysteries of the universe, a shock that words could not describe.

It was as if someone had parted the mist before his eyes, revealing a new world, like an anointing that made even his bodily pain negligible.

Ye Qin's wound was still bleeding, but at this moment he felt nothing at all.

He didn't know why, but these texts should have been obscure and hard to understand, given that he used to dread reading classical Chinese.

But now he could easily grasp their meaning, as if he had suddenly unlocked some secret.

According to the ancient text:

【The Way of nature is still, therefore all things in heaven and earth arise; the Way of heaven and earth permeates, therefore yin and yang prevail.

Since animals and plants both possess spirituality, why can't we believe that the atmosphere filling heaven and earth lacks any spiritual qi? Or that the fundamental source of life shared between heaven, earth, all things, and humanity is one?

Animals are innately close to nature, with rich senses; although they have spirituality from ancient times to the present, they lack wisdom.

Humans are the opposite: although they possess wisdom, by eating grains and mingling in the mortal world, constantly undergoing rebirth, they have lost their spirituality.

All things in the world mutually generate and overcome; one wanes as the other waxes; there is nothing perfect and complete—this conforms to the Way of yin-yang balance.】

Ye Qin grew more astonished as he read; the content could be described as astonishing through the ages, its thought provoking deep reflection, stirring up stormy waves in his heart.

Most importantly, it also mentions a key thought—cultivation.

Since ancient times, those seeking immortality and the Dao have not been few, yet no one has ever been heard of succeeding.

Perhaps it is because they are constrained by the heavens and earth and their own species.

Take humans for example: although they are the most spiritual of all things, they themselves lack spiritual qi and cannot draw near to nature.

Although animals are favored by heaven and earth, able to exert their own innate talents and specialties, being intimately close to nature, they lack wisdom, and everything is done by instinct.

Therefore, whether animals or humans, they are innately flawed, yet maintain yin-yang balance, conforming to the law of growth and cycles of all things.

It must be said that although antiquity lacked science, the thoughts of our ancestors were earth-shaking; thus many modern scientific views may not directly point to the source as ancient thought does.

"The sun and moon have numbers, the big and small are fixed; sacred achievement arises therefrom, divinities emerge therefrom. Its opportunity for theft—under heaven none cannot see, none cannot know. The gentleman who obtains it strengthens himself; the petty person who obtains it takes life lightly."

As the wind stirred, Ye Qin recited each word and sentence aloud, almost deafening and startling, as if a string deep within his heart had been plucked.

The sun and moon have a fixed number; only by understanding these principles can great achievement arise—this is what is called the "heavenly opportunity".

However, these things cannot be perceived by ordinary people; only those with insight can see them.

"I was once human, but now, having been reborn and transmigrated into a snake, I possess both human wisdom and animal spirituality—so is this my heavenly opportunity?"

Ye Qin's breathing grew hurried; his bright red snake tongue flicked back and forth in the air, expressing his unrestrained emotions.

An astonishing, world-shaking idea sprang from his heart.

This is his "heavenly opportunity"; does it mean he has gained a chance unparalleled throughout history—the condition for cultivation!

Humans and animals, due to their innate constraints, cannot cultivate nor utilize the spiritual qi of heaven and earth; but for Ye Qin, such constraints simply do not exist.

Because he is both human and animal!

He knows he is somewhat fanciful, but having already transmigrated and been reborn as a snake, cultivation doesn't sound especially absurd?

It's just that no one has ever achieved it since ancient times!

"To observe the Way of heaven, to follow heaven's conduct, is exhaustive. Heaven has five thieves; those who see them prosper. The five thieves are in the heart; they are carried out in heaven. The universe is in the hand; myriad transformations arise from the body."

Looking at the content of the ancient book, Ye Qin's resolve to cultivate grew firmer.

Observing the heavens' running course, fulfilling the mission bestowed by heaven.

All things in the world have a predestined law; in the unseen depths, it is as if an invisible thread links them all together.

Originally Ye Qin harbored a death wish, but now his mindset has undergone a complete transformation.

He thought that transmigrating into a dying snake was a joke played by heaven, but he never expected it to be a unique bridge—more accurately, it is his opportunity.

If he can seize it, the snake may transform into a jiao; if he lets go, he will die and the Dao will vanish.

If he can truly cultivate, perhaps he can heal his bodily injuries; previously awaiting death was due to circumstance, but now hope of life lies before him.

Even if there is only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, even if it is merely an impractical fantasy, Ye Qin will still give it his all.

"Anyway, it's just waiting to die; better to give it a try—who knows, maybe I can survive."

Even if he fails, Ye Qin has nothing to lose.

People all seek life, not death.

Before, there was no way, after all there was fundamentally no hope of survival; but having just finished reading the content of the ancient book, Ye Qin's mind cleared, he forged a new path, and found another method.

Moreover, he has a premonition that perhaps he truly can succeed in cultivation.

Ye Qin is a man of action; having such an idea in his mind, he immediately puts it into practice, and moreover, he doesn't have much time left.

"But how exactly can one cultivate?"

Regarding this, the book contains no record; he can only rely on Ye Qin himself to explore.

They say the beginning of all things is hard; this saying is indeed true.

Ye Qin recalled the novels and TV dramas he had once seen, which all said that one must sink the qi into the dantian, sit cross-legged, and draw qi into the body.

So the question is, where is a snake's dantian?

Humans and snakes have completely different structures; they're not even the same species.

Throughout history, the human cultivation path has only transmitted ideas; no sage has ever succeeded in practice, let alone a snake.

Its icy beast's eye looks dull, lacking the cold-blooded ruthlessness of the Serpent Kind, and instead shows a hint of humanity.

Ye Qin realized that cultivation sounds easy in theory, but in practice it's extremely difficult—nothing like he imagined.

Because he has to figure everything out himself—exploring, seeking, pioneering!

(End of chapter)