Chapter 92: The Grace of Teaching! (Second Update)

Ye Qin had some doubts, but could not yet confirm.

Apart from this mysterious itch, there were no adverse effects on his body, no changes had appeared, and it was gradually fading, so Ye Qin temporarily set aside this worry.

Whether or not he grew scales and horns, it was nothing bad; he actually looked forward to the day of becoming a dragon, but for now it was clearly premature.

After these few days, feeling that his cultivation had solidified, Ye Qin planned to visit the Daoist temple again before the heavenly tribulation arrived.

Thanks to fate, there is a beginning and an end.

Because of the old Daoist's words, Ye Qin was enlightened, so he adopted external elixir technique, through refining elixirs, finally condensing postnatal qi within his body, thereby forming a qi cluster.

This is the grace of teaching.

Ye Qin glanced at the herbs nearby and selected a well-preserved ginseng.

This was also dug up by animals accidentally while they were searching for herbs.

Ye Qin carried the ginseng in his mouth and went again to the Daoist temple; this also counts as a "snake affection incident," no matter how you say it, it also means he received favor from the old Daoist, and he does not like to owe others.

Of course, there is another more important reason:

The Daoist temple, there is something he is interested in!

Previously, Ye Qin, eager to return and wanting to condense qi, did not stay long at the Daoist temple.

Now he has broken through, reaching the first realm of the second stage of cultivation, his cultivation level solidified, this time he has plenty of time, and after the breakthrough he can also undertake new contemplation.

And his new object of contemplation comes from the Daoist temple.

This time Ye Qin goes to the Daoist temple in order to conduct better observation.

After a long journey, he finally arrived at the Daoist temple before dark, entering through the main gate as before, and faintly heard the old Daoist's voice.

"So-called virtuous people are respected by all, aided by heaven's way, blessed with fortune, kept far from wickedness, guarded by spirits, their endeavors surely succeed, and they may hope to become immortals."

"So, Master, you mean we should always wholeheartedly pursue goodness and do more good deeds, no matter when or where? In that case heaven will protect us, and blessings will follow."

The young Daoist's voice sounded puzzled: "But why, despite our many good deeds, is the incense at our Daoist temple still not thriving? If this continues, our temple will have to close its doors."

The old Daoist's whisk lightly tapped the young Daoist's head, his voice full of calm.

"How have I usually taught you? Do good deeds without asking about the future; if you do good only for reward, what difference is there between you and those who seek fame and profit?"

"When people act, heaven watches; heaven sees it all."

The young Daoist covered his head, sincerely admitting his mistake: "Master, I know I was wrong; I won't have such thoughts again."

The old Daoist nodded satisfactorily.

"When the heart arises from goodness, even if goodness has not yet been enacted, auspicious spirits already follow; thus the virtuous speak goodness, see goodness, do goodness—one day three goods, and after three years heaven will surely bestow blessings."

The young Daoist could not help but ask again: "Master, when will our blessings—"

The old Daoist slightly raised his eyebrows, his aura imposing without anger: "You've forgotten how I just taught you!"

The words that followed were immediately swallowed back by the young Daoist, who gave a hehe laugh: "Master, rest assured, I absolutely do not mean that."

The voices of master and disciple gave this desolate, run-down Daoist temple a touch of lively vitality.

Needless to say, the old Daoist possesses some genuine substance; his attitude toward the Dao reveals this.

If one were not sincerely devoted to the Dao, they could not utter such words; likewise, it is evident that the old Daoist is indifferent to fame and gain, not regarding external things.

The young Daoist looked at the shadow outside the hall and discovered Ye Qin's presence.

"Eh, another snake has run in!"

The young Daoist exclaimed in surprise; probably not long since Ye Qin's last departure, plus a strong impression, he quickly realized this snake looked somewhat familiar.

"It feels like I've seen it somewhere before—this isn't the snake from last time?"

After all, Ye Qin's appearance is still quite distinctive, so the young Daoist's memory is fresh.

He suddenly slapped his forehead: "Master, come quickly and look—the snake from last time has come again."

That strange snake did not linger long; it seemed to have placed something on the ground and then left.

The young Daoist ran over curiously, and was dumbfounded, suspecting he was hallucinating; lying on the ground was a yellow plant with countless filaments, its outline vaguely humanoid.

It was actually a ginseng root!

At that moment the old Daoist also came out hearing the commotion: "What's all this fuss about?"

The young Daoist stammered: "Master, Master, snake, ginseng."

Because he was so startled, the young Daoist could not utter a complete sentence for a while; if he hadn't seen it himself, he would even suspect he had just hallucinated.

The old Daoist also saw what was in the young Daoist's hand: "Where did this ginseng come from?"

The young Daoist instinctively replied: "The snake gave it."

Old Dao:???

The young Daoist swallowed, "Master! Just now that snake brought over a ginseng!"

"You must not have slept enough—"

The old Daoist picked up the ginseng and examined it carefully; the roots and filaments were intact, likely wild and rather old, which if put on the market could fetch a good price.

The young Daoist still wore a dazed expression, not yet recovered from the shock, rubbing his eyes.

"That's probably right; I just saw the snake seem to have placed something, and when I arrived the snake was gone, leaving only this ginseng on the ground."

Master and disciple exchanged a glance, each seeing shock in the other's eyes.

"Could it be that this ginseng really was brought by the snake?"

"The point is, why would someone give them ginseng for no reason? It seems their only connection was that previous encounter."

The old Daoist gave the young Daoist his morning lesson; however long he spoke, that's how long the snake stayed.

In the minds of master and disciple arose an absurd idea.

"Could it be that the snake understood Master's words, so this time it specially brought ginseng to express thanks?"

"This is precisely the so-called 'snake affection incident'! It's rather particular, huh."

The young Daoist, without realizing it, was half right.

The old Daoist glared at the young Daoist, and lightly tapped him with his whisk, saying, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

The young Daoist couldn't help muttering, "I didn't say anything wrong."

Although this sounds utterly fantastical, there are stories of animals repaying kindness, but an animal listening to the Dao and returning the favor is unprecedented.

Everyone says all things have spirits; the old Daoist, at his age, has seen his share of storms, yet he truly has never seen such a situation before.

A snake could listen to the Dao, and even as a token of gratitude, it brought over a ginseng root.

Speaking of these events outright sounds like pure fantasy; those unaware might think he is fabricating stories.

But the young Daoist witnessed it himself, and moreover, this ginseng root cannot be faked.

It couldn't be that someone just threw it here for no reason.

The Daoist temple is remote, with few visitors normally, let alone someone discarding such precious ginseng here.

The master and disciple hurried to look for that snake, but unfortunately they did not find it.

The snake's comings and goings left no trace; every move was mysterious, leaving a deep impression on the master and disciple.

However, this matter was merely a beginning.

Ye Qin set down the ginseng, strolled around the Daoist temple, and this time his main purpose in coming was to select a new object of contemplation.

Coincidentally, he had also broken through, and it was time to begin contemplating the new workings of heaven and earth.

The second great Realm has myriad connections with Daoism; this might be an intangible karmic tie.

Daoism emphasizes internal alchemy, with internal and external elixir methods; its development in this area is comparatively systematic, and Ye Qin's desire to condense an elixir also received a hint from it.

Combining his own development, he forged a unique elixir path for himself.

Using imperial flowing fluid, he guided the life essence from the herbs out, so that the two combined, allowing postnatal qi to be retained within the body, and further forming a qi elixir.

Therefore he decided that the contemplation object for this stage should also be selected from Daoism, believing it could form a complementary effect with his qi elixir.

Moreover, from the current situation, aside from the Daoist temple, the outside world temporarily offers nothing that interests him greatly and is also more suited to him.

As for the great rivers and mountains, sun and moon, stars… he is quite interested, but alas, the snake's value lies in its self-awareness.

Thus, after weighing all considerations, Ye Qin's trip to the Daoist temple came about.

Within the Daoist temple there are many objects that can be contemplated; the most powerful are the statues, such as the Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, the Queen Mother of the West, the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak, Lü Immortal, and so on.

However, given the current circumstances, these statues are temporarily unsuitable for Ye Qin to contemplate, as they are relatively difficult and he has not yet reached that level in his Realm.

In contemplation, human figures are the most difficult; moreover, their exalted identities aside, even if we set aside whether gods truly exist in the world, even if they do not, the faith-based spiritual power accumulated over centuries of worship superimposed upon them would be terrifyingly strong, making them utterly unsuitable for contemplation; a slight mistake could easily provoke a backlash, resulting in the opposite of the intended effect.

Besides those, there are also the Taiji Eight Trigrams diagram and Daoist inner‑vision charts, etc.; after careful consideration, Ye Qin found them unsuitable as well, for the ideas they contain are too profound, and he cannot presently fathom these great principles.

Ye Qin wandered around the Daoist temple, and already had an idea in mind.

He walked out of the Daoist temple and came onto the external blue‑stone steps, where plenty of greenery could well conceal his figure.

From this angle one can see the full appearance of the Daoist temple not far away.

Ye Qin examined it carefully; he had already observed the temple's detailed structure while inside.

Because the Daoist temple is small in scale, its floor area is not large, but though the sparrow is small, it possesses all five viscera—everything that should be present is there.

There is the main hall, plus side halls and wing rooms.

To be frank, in former times the Daoist temple's scale was not considered small, but with the changing times, more and more monasteries have sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain.

Compared to the number of monasteries, Daoist temples are indeed far too few.

And this historically long‑standing Daoist temple has also begun to be forgotten, with no one remembering its former glory.

Although the Daoist temple is dilapidated and deserted, one reason is that the old Daoists lack funds for repair; another is its long history.

One can see that this building has existed for several decades, having endured wind and rain; in the long river of time, its originally bright colors have gradually faded, leaving only a mottled appearance.

It is like a silent sage, quietly watching the Daoist temple from its initial construction's prosperity, with incense thronging, slowly advance toward aging.

The rise and fall of things follows heavenly decree.

Nothing can remain perpetually flourishing; where there is prosperity, decline will naturally follow.

Ye Qin had previously observed that the interior of the Daoist temple is a balanced, symmetrical structure; according to the Eight Trigrams directions, Qian south, Kun north—that is, south of heaven, north of earth—taking the meridian as the central axis, with a layout facing south while sitting north.

Thus the halls enshrining Daoist venerable deities are all placed on the central axis, such as the Three Pure Ones; the two sides, following the principle of east sun, west moon, and Kan‑Li symmetry, set up auxiliary halls to enshrine the various gods.

This symmetrical layout embodies the hierarchical idea of 'the exalted reside in the center.'

Moreover, following Yin‑Yang and Five Phases thought, no detail of arrangement or placement is overlooked; especially the old Daoists' meditation spots, with the mats situated in the exact east.

The east, represented by the Azure Dragon, belongs to wood and is yang, which exactly matches the Daoist's cultivation to attain 'pure yang' and return to the Dao.

Even the layout of the side halls corresponds to the four cardinal phases—wood, fire, metal, water—plus the central earth, thus comprising all five phases.

It is said that all things are assigned the Five Phases, which mutually generate in a cycle; therefore the Five Phases also occupy an important position in Daoism.

The furnishings inside the Daoist temple all adopt the number nine, namely the principle of 'nine nines return to one.'

Daoism also has the saying that the Dao gives birth to One, and One gives birth to all things.

Furthermore, a well has been dug in the Daoist temple; Daoism possesses ample yang qi, and this well also symbolizes yin‑yang balance and the harmony of heaven and earth.

Even the exterior of the well adopts auspicious beast motifs, which can be said to guard the locality.

This also accords with the Daoist idea that the highest goodness is like water.

The young Daoist also placed several green potted plants around the ancient well as decoration; not too many, not too few—just exactly nine pots.

The entire layout, decoration, and placement of the statues in the Daoist temple can be said to be full of particularities, not casually arranged.

Although its scale is small, nothing that should be there is lacking; indeed it is even more rigorous than an ordinary Daoist temple or monastery.

Taiji Yin‑Yang, the Five Phases, Eight Trigrams, the principle of 'nine nines return to one,' and other famous Daoist ideas are all thoroughly carried through.

Ye Qin pays such close attention and understands it so thoroughly because the object of his contemplation this time is precisely—the Daoist temple!

The entire Shangqing Observatory is his object of contemplation!

The highest goodness is like water; pure and tranquil, non‑acting.

Those Daoist deity images are not suitable for direct contemplation, for the time being he is not yet up to it.

Since that's the case, Ye Qin simply went offbeat, directly visualizing the Daoist temple, which also avoided confronting those god images head-on.

And after this investigation, combining the temple's internal environment and surrounding structures, this idea was further confirmed.

But Shangqing Temple is not that easy to visualize.

Although it is merely a building, in terms of physical footprint, it is currently the largest among the objects of visualization.

Of course, this refers to the microscopic level.

The previously visualized White Bone had a certain shape; the moon afterward, from Ye Qin's macroscopic observation perspective, the entity seen was not large either, and things like clouds and thunder and lightning afterward can be big or small.

Like the Shangqing Temple before him, however, it is an actual building, and moreover an immovable inanimate object.

This also means it differs from the previous visualization objects, so the method of visualization should also be different.

Ye Qin calmed his mind and steadied his breath, but he found he could not fully immerse himself.

He always felt as if an invisible thin film blocked his view in front of him, preventing him from fully observing the temple's entirety.

With difficulty, a concrete image of the Daoist temple formed in his mind, but it was quickly scattered again.

"Perhaps my method of visualization is wrong?"

Ye Qin thought he already understood the entire temple well enough, but perhaps this understanding was only superficial, and there might be other places he had overlooked.

"Since this is a Daoist temple, I can try approaching it from the perspective of Daoism."

Daoist thought holds that humans follow the earth, the earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows nature.

The Dao follows nature; governing through non-action, one should harmonize with the surrounding nature.

Even the layout of the entire Daoist temple consistently embodies the idea of unity between heaven and humanity.

Since Ye Qin intends to visualize the Daoist temple, he cannot look at it in isolation; he must also connect it with the surroundings.

After realizing this, Ye Qin did not rush to visualize; instead, he began to wander around the surroundings.

He had long understood the principle that haste makes waste.

Ye Qin leisurely strolled around the Daoist temple for a circuit; one must admit that although the place is a bit remote, the environment is truly tranquil, with insect chirps and bird calls incessantly filling the ears.

Compared to his own mountain peak, it is certainly still lacking, but compared to the surroundings, it is already quite good.

Ye Qin chose a spot with the highest terrain; though secluded, the view is exceptionally open, the Daoist temple lies not far away, and from here he can clearly overlook the whole structure.

Not only is the interior of the Daoist temple particular, but even the site chosen for the temple is quite good.

On his way here, Ye Qin had once seen a small stream that flowed straight toward the Daoist temple, trending from south to east; the water was clear and transparent, moreover sweet-tasting, and tiny fish could be seen swimming to and fro.

In feng shui, obtaining water is supreme.

In feng shui, the position of water is very important; if the water here is good, the location certainly won't be bad.

Conversely, if it is in an evil place where nothing grows, even the water is foul-smelling.

Thus water and the local environment are closely related, able to reflect certain things.

Along the way there were also many plants, vibrant and lush; adding that gurgling stream, they blend together, the Dao follows nature, giving rise to endless vitality, forming a good cycle.

The terrain of the Daoist temple should be slightly higher, with the surroundings slightly lower; the chosen site is a terrain where stars surround the moon, indeed a good place for gathering blessings and absorbing qi.

From Ye Qin's position, the entire Daoist temple looks like a divine turtle striding forward with its head raised, and also like the divine turtle carrying the temple as it moves ahead.

Moreover, the blue stone steps before the Daoist temple bend and curve, resembling a swimming snake.

The two complement each other, forming a totem symbol of the turtle-snake union, reminiscent of the head of Xuanwu; it is said this is the incarnation of the True Martial Great Emperor, and also the scene pursued by the Daoist household in seeking unity of heaven and humanity.

Although this place is remote and the terrain is not complicated, there are mountains and water; surely the founders of the Daoist temple must have had great expertise in feng shui, otherwise they would not have chosen this site.

Feng shui is not superstition; it is an important discipline within architecture, and indeed has scientific basis.

Even nowadays, whether official or civilian, most buildings conform to feng shui requirements.

A good feng shui treasure site can form a special magnetic field; people residing there can reap boundless benefits.

From a feng shui perspective, this site's terrain happens to be stars surrounding the moon, the divine turtle bearing auspicious signs; it is an excellent treasure land.

The original intention was to shelter descendants and bless humanity; the builders' starting point was good, and when first built, the temple's incense flourished indeed for a period.

But who would have thought it would become too remote later, plus the rapidly changing times; as time passed, the temple gradually declined, and all this can only be said to be heavenly fate.

Nowadays, at the old Daoist priest's place, the Daoist temple already has a history of nearly a hundred years.

Ye Qin surveyed the exterior of the Daoist temple in a full circle, then looked in each direction—northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest—leaving none unexamined; in his mind he already had an enlightenment.

The structure and outline of the Daoist temple became increasingly clear, as if that invisible thin film were gradually dissipating.

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(End of chapter)