Chapter 237: Four Questions!!!

Two days later.

In Shu Mountain, within a rather elegant small courtyard.

As Zhuang Buran leisurely sipped tea, Chang Yin, Chang Hao, and others came running in.

"Senior Brother, something happened!" Chang Hao exclaimed hurriedly.

"The sect leader and the four elders are cutting their hands on the Heaven-Reaching Stone alongside Jingtian, and we don't know why."

"In the face of great matters, one must keep a tranquil mind; junior brothers and sisters, do not be fickle and impatient."

Zhuang Buran rose to his feet:

"If any elder has business, we should serve them and follow me to the Heaven-Reaching Stone."

"Yes."

Numerous Shu Mountain disciples, as if suddenly finding their backbone, replied in unison.

Before the Heaven-Reaching Stone, Elder Cang Gu, upon seeing the youth in white Daoist robes leading the Shu Mountain disciples forward, immediately rebuked:

"Why have you come here? Hurry back!"

Zhuang Buran clasped his fists in salute:

"I do not know what affair has caused the elders to mobilize the masses, but this unworthy disciple wishes to devote his full effort to relieve their worries."

Numerous Shu Mountain disciples clasped their fists and spoke in unison:

"We disciples also wish to devote our full effort to relieve their worries."

"Chang Qing, as the eldest disciple of Shu Mountain, you are disciplining your junior brothers like this!" Elder Cang Gu snapped angrily:

"Since we didn't summon you, there must be a reason not to; get lost at once!"

Elder Qingwei spoke gently:

"Chang Qing, you need not worry about this matter; take your fellow disciples and return."

Zhuang Buran said in a low voice:

"According to our sect's records, whoever stains the Heaven-Reaching Stone with blood, if endorsed by the divine realm, will cause it to display a passage linking the mortal realm and the divine realm."

"The five masters have already cut their hands, yet the Heaven-Reaching Stone showed no spiritual response; perhaps let me and my fellow disciples give it a try."

"Perhaps this way we can relieve the elders' worries."

The Shu Mountain disciples said in unison:

"Please, elders, allow us disciples to try."

"Old man, you five have already tried; why not let them try as well?" Jingtian chuckled:

"That's what they call treating a dead horse as if it were alive."

Elder Qingwei's brows relaxed:

"Chang Qing possesses an immortal affinity; perhaps he is more qualified than we to receive the divine realm's approval."

"The four great elders, including Elder Jing Ming, immediately realized; they had previously wanted to keep the disciples unaware of the demonic qi, but had forgotten this matter. If one were to say who in all of Shu Mountain is most likely to ascend to immortality, it would be only their own eldest disciple."

"Thus, aside from the worldly immortal Jingtian, he is naturally the one most capable of receiving the divine realm's approval."

"Elder He Yang suddenly spoke:"

"Chang Qing, please step forward and press your hand upon the yin-yang fish in the Heaven-Reaching Stone together with this young brother Jingtian."

"Yes."

"As the two pressed their bloodied palms onto the yin-yang fish, a sudden surge of golden light burst forth; Jingtian was caught off guard and knocked to the ground, while the youth in white Daoist robes retreated two or three steps."

"The yin-yang fish then shot forth a beam of light, projecting a map route in midair."

"Old man, it turns out what you said is all true." Jingtian's face showed utter disbelief: "I actually am some kind of heavenly person!"

"Chang Yin, quickly record this map." Elder Cang Gu decided on the spot.

"Disciple obeys."

"Chang Yin produced the paper and brush he carried and swiftly drew the map."

"Chang Qing, Jingtian, you have already received the divine realm's approval; you need only pass through the Ancient Vine Forest, Fengdu, Thunder Prefecture, and the Undersea City to obtain the Five Spirit Pearls, after which you can reach the divine realm."

"Elder Qingwei said solemnly:"

"Afterward, place the box I entrust to you into the divine realm's Heavenly Pool, and the task will be considered complete."

"From now on, the gate to the divine realm will remain open for three hundred days; you must reach the Heavenly Gate within that time."

"Zhuang Buran feigned incomprehension:"

"The box?"

"Elder Cang Gu spoke harshly:"

"What's with the questions? As a Shu Mountain disciple, the primary rule is that when given an order, you only act, you do not ask; hurry down and prepare for departure."

"Disciple receives the order."

"Under the starry night, in the Hall of the Ultimate."

"I do not know why the five masters summoned the disciple late at night."

"Chang Qing, take off your shoes."

"Elder Cang Gu gestured, indicating that the youth in white Daoist robes should sit on the specially placed stool in the hall."

"As Zhuang Buran sat on the stool, having removed his shoes and socks, he saw Elder Qingwei arrive with a basin of foot-washing water, his face full of kindness."

"Immediately, he disregarded the dignity of the Shu Mountain sect leader and the solemnity of the teacher-student bond, actually intending to personally wash the feet of the youth in white Daoist robes."

"Disciple."

"Zhuang Buran had just risen to his feet when Elder Qingwei grabbed him:"

"Just sit down; there's no need to worry about etiquette."

"Having said that, he began to wash the feet of the youth in white Daoist robes."

A ripple appeared in Zhuang Buran's eyes; in this realm he was directly reborn, and only because of the three-life love tribulation in his fate did he return to his true self in the third life.

Chang Qing, do you think that as the leader of Shu Mountain Sect, one should be lofty and aloft, or should one be humble and lowly?

The Water Way flows freely, following nature without obstruction; the Heavenly Way is silent, governing through non-action; the Earthly Way is soundless, bearing all things without moving; the Human Way is the self, cultivating the inner mind to attain the Dao.

Zhuang Buran spoke in an orderly manner:

All because perceiving the great principle of heaven and earth makes the mind clear; all because the mind is clear one follows the Way; thus the disciple knows the white and guards the black.

Qingwei Daozhang chuckled and said:

"I originally thought you would say 'know the male, guard the female,' but I didn't expect you to say 'know the white, guard the black.'"

One is to deeply know what is strength and yet calmly hold the position of softness; the other is to deeply know one's innate purity and yet guard the darkness of chaos.

The Canggu Elder standing nearby was rather satisfied:

If one becomes the leader of Shu Mountain Sect, although one should not be overly rigid, neither should one be overly soft; otherwise one loses one's edge, which is also not good.

Qingwei Daozhang raised his head, smiled, and asked:

Chang Qing, the scriptures of our sect have been before your eyes since childhood, and the principles are well known, but do you truly understand?

"The disciple indeed has doubts in his heart; please, the five masters, enlighten me a little." Zhuang Buran spoke softly.

"If a stranger falls into the water and I don't save them, they will die; should I save them or not?"

"If one pursues a correct result with a wrong method, is that right or wrong?"

"If killing an innocent good person could save ten people, should one do it or not?"

He paused between each word:

"If killing five people could save thousands, even tens of thousands, or all the people under heaven, should one kill or not?"

Instantly, the hall fell quiet and soundless.

The Shu Mountain Five Elders, upon hearing this, were suddenly shaken in their hearts; they could no longer fail to understand what their eldest disciple had come to know.

"The Immortal Way esteems life, saves boundlessly, does not save!"

Qingwei Daoist spoke with resounding force:

"Chang Qing, to save others one must first save oneself; if one wishes to save others, one must eliminate confusion and realize the Great Dao, only then can one save all beings."

"The first principle of our cultivation is to benefit all things; your own life is also among all things, so whether to save or not to save is the yin and yang of the Dao, and the Dao does not restrict your own choice."

"As the saying goes, Daoists speak of bearing and accepting, Buddhists speak of cause and effect; the choices you make and their consequences are precisely that bearing and accepting, and though there are myriad Daoist techniques, the key lies in the two words 'adaptability'."

"The second question also belongs to the yin-yang duality; it mainly depends on you, whether you value the process or the result."

"The Way of Warfare attacks strategy, which is the essence of our Daoism; I originally have no form, yet also have myriad manifestations; what form I take is determined by external conditions; in all the ancient texts, the message throughout is to see evil and turn it worse, evil then turns to good, see good and make it better, and etiquette comes and goes."

"Daoist methods, laws, techniques, and instruments are all means; their purpose is to return to non-action, thereby your two previous questions, though different paths, lead to the same goal; as your teacher, I have only one sentence to give you."

"Do not go about doing good deeds; instead, do what you believe is right."

"The third question is much the same as the fourth."

Qingwei Daozhang narrowed his eyes and said:

"Kill!"

(End of chapter)