Chapter 303: Five Thousand Words of Morality, a Success‑Studies Treatise!

Primordial Purple Qi connected with the Heavenly Dao.

At that moment, boundless light poured down, enveloping the venue and continually spreading outward.

Under that light, every cultivator present felt as if their spirit had been baptized, inexplicably entering the state of Emptiness, Stillness, and Sincerity.

In this state, mindset is the most stable, the most rational, and also most receptive to others' viewpoints and able to absorb new knowledge.

Those who can accomplish great things must have a calm mind and a clear spirit—as seen when Mount Tai collapses before them without changing countenance.

The Venerable of Morality began by bestowing blessings, making every listener of the Dao a qualified good student.

Afterwards, he cleared his throat and truly began his lecture.

For this day, the Venerable of Morality had prepared for a very long time.

Many manuscripts were written, inside of which many were discarded and revised, finally yielding only a few finished works.

Invited by the leader of the Human Race and paid a sky-high speaking fee, he came here to speak about what?

Speak the Great Principle!

However, the Great Principle—anyone can speak it eloquently.

But mere preaching isn't enough; one must also lead people to put it into practice……that is where a teacher's ability is truly tested.

If not so, the various sages of the Human Race would have no need to invite the Venerable of Morality here.

Banners and slogans, they have already posted far too many.

Regarding the Human Race's spiritual uplift, promoting positive energy and discarding negative energy—this is lectured day after day, year after year.

Promoting what behavior is worthy of honor and pride, what behavior should be despised and make the actor feel ashamed……this has been said since the Human Race's birth, continuing to the present.

However, under the covert manipulation of the Demon Race, the Human Race's overall thought inevitably drifts awry.

Even though it cannot be denied, there are still countless shining points within, yet the overall situation makes the Human Race's leaders feel danger.

Even so, it is still because years ago they rejected the proposal of the Demon God Envoy of the Monster Clan Heavenly Court, preventing the famed "Kun-Kun Communication Platform" of the Great Kunpeng Sage from spreading in, they built an intranet and tenaciously guarded the Human Race's presently pure spirit.

Otherwise, the Human Race, pure as a drop of clear water, would have fallen into the Demon Race's great dye vat……likely already assimilated to the point that many Human Race wise men and sages would be stunned.

Unfortunately, due to the need for development and communication, we still must let external Demon Race beings enter, preparing for future vertical and horizontal alliances and the overthrow of the Heavenly Court.

Some passages were opened, also allowing malicious demons to take advantage and slip in.

The Venerable of Morality, then entered under these circumstances.

He intends to conduct a lecture that is the most profound and most educationally significant.

After the lecture ends, he is likely to immediately become a Heavenly Dao Saint and announce his withdrawal from the Witch-Demon Contention mire, focusing wholly on assisting the operation of the Heavenly Dao.

Otherwise, the Venerable of Morality feels that when he enters Mount Buzhou upright, exiting……he will likely come out sideways.

Because in that Heavenly Court that messed up big affairs, the mighty divine-ability beings there do not pull the Zhou Tian Star Dou Great Formation over to trap him in a circle to beat him up……that would truly be a ghostly sight!

At that moment, a Heavenly Dao Saint is a quite decent immortality medallion.

Even if there is a pit behind that position.

007 cannot escape, must go become a living tool person.

But also being strongly suppressed by Eternal Suppression.

After all, these have precedents.

The Tool Person's Hongjun Dao Ancestor is about to turn over.

And the Rahu Demon Ancestor of Eternal Suppression has a distant, uncertain release date.

"'Having done such an extraordinarily stimulating deed, yet still managing to preserve one's life……Worth it! Worth it!'"

A gleam of bright, splendid light flashed in the Heavenly Venerable's eyes—it was his heart excited, cheering.

Using education to stir the Human Dao's heart, to show it a dawn……for an educator, is there any career greater and more inspiring than this?

None!

"'I must succeed!'"

The Heavenly Venerable needs no investigation to know how eye-catching he is now—perhaps every Great Luo who can breathe in this era has already turned their gaze toward him.

Even the countless beings seated below in the audience, heaven knows how many are incarnations, alter egos!

If he succeeds, his fame will last for myriad ages.

If he fails, he will likely be laughed at for a long time.

Although in his state of mind, he cannot afford to lose.

But this would deal a heavy blow to the Great Dao that the Venerable of Morality practices.

Thereafter, if one wishes to explore higher and farther realms, difficulty will increase.

So……

"'The Great Principle I speak of must be given a title with enough appeal.'"

Brief time, in the Venerable of Morality's perception, stretched to almost infinite, points of inspiration flashing forth, numerous drafts appearing.

Great Luo feeds you chicken soup……

The Heavenly Venerable teaches you how to be honored as an ancestor……

Laozi leads you toward success……

"'Alas, nowadays people's utilitarian hearts are very heavy……'"

"'We teachers also shouldn't forcibly twist their original intentions, giving them a blunt wake‑up call to make them turn back from error……'"

"'One must guide them indirectly, dangling a carrot before the donkey……'"

"'Let them, stimulated by interest, walk the proper path with red eyes……'"

"'After all, it's not one‑on‑one but one‑to‑many……being able to do this, I too have done my best.'"

With a flick of the horsetail whisk, the Venerable of Morality opened his clear voice and began a novel "Success Studies" grand lecture.

——Are you still troubled by your own mediocrity?

——Are you still troubled by dissatisfaction with life?

Then listen to my five thousand words of morality, using virtue to illuminate the Dao, and unite with Heaven in truth!

……

"I have been invited by the leaders of humanity to come here and give a lecture."

"This lecture—I, the Morality Heavenly Venerable, the prepared Heavenly Dao Saint, the overseer of the Daoist Gate, will personally guide everyone on how to achieve success."

"As long as those present understand, comprehend, and are able to put it into practice."

"Then sooner or later, you will be able to achieve the same career accomplishments as I!"

The opening remarks of the Morality Heavenly Venerable immediately attracted the attention of many beings.

After all, he said he would transmit the secret of wealth and lecture on the principles of success.

Fact proves it.

Often, topics such as achieving fame and status, becoming a general manager, marrying a rich and beautiful woman, and reaching the pinnacle of life can excite people's passions and stir their emotions.

The Heavenly Venerable began with this topic, thus taking the first step.

Afterward, he began an impassioned speech, recounting how he rose from an extraordinarily ordinary and weak innate divinity to become today the supreme chairman of the Daoist Gate.

"... Looking back, I once lived with my two younger brothers in the Kunlun Mountains."

"That era was chaotic! Too chaotic!"

"First came ferocious beasts rampaging across the land."

"Then came the rampage of the demon ancestor."

"We three brothers lived from day to day, unable to guarantee morning safety, forced to flee eastward XZ, enduring a difficult existence."

The Morality Heavenly Venerable spoke at length about his past life.

He too was once just as ordinary as everyone present!

He even had two burdens to carry, as an elder brother needing to support his family, shouldering responsibility and duty.

However.

Even though he was as ordinary as anyone, he ultimately overcame countless difficulties and obstacles.

"Fortunately."

"Under the pressure of many dangerous situations, I came to understand the most profound principle, knowing how to achieve success and put it into practice, founding the Daoist Gate, from an insignificant worker to becoming today's leader of the Daoist Gate."

"Today, at the invitation of humanity's leaders, I will selflessly impart my insights, so that more beings may also succeed... This too may be my great vow of teaching!"

The Morality Heavenly Venerable expounded on his past, using similar experiences to evoke resonance.

Then, using his present achievements, he dangled a carrot before the audience.

As for whether those experiences are false...

In the Kunlun Mountains, Yuanshi Tianzun and Lingbao Tianzun, watching the live broadcast, exchanged a glance.

Finally, they spoke in unison.

"We feel as if we have been seriously offended?"

……

"To succeed, one important thing to note is not to be too obstinate or too blind."

"If you possess a pair of eyes skilled at discovery, you will find many opportunities."

"Beauty is beautiful because ugliness exists; goodness is good because evil exists. Thus being and non-being oppose each other to arise, difficulty and ease oppose each other to form, long and short compare to become apparent, high and low oppose each other to depend, sound and voice depend on each other to harmonize, before and after oppose each other to appear—this is the eternal principle."

"We must view problems objectively and dialectically, maximizing tolerance... Then we will find our options suddenly multiplied."

While the Morality Heavenly Venerable outwardly lectured on the study of success, secretly he began a painstaking education, starting to disseminate his painstaking works.

"Everyone under heaven knows that beauty is beauty, thus evil is already; everyone knows that goodness is goodness, thus not-good..."

……

"The second key on the road to success is to penetrate the original heart and forge a good character, so that one can go further on the path to success."

"As the saying goes, one who understands others is wise; one who understands oneself is truly clever. One who defeats others has strength; one who defeats oneself is truly strong. One who knows contentment is wealthy; one who is diligent and industrious has ambition. One who abides by duty can endure without decline; one who, though dead, is not forgotten by people, truly attains eternity..."

……

"Having these two elements, we usually can achieve some minor accomplishments and realize small goals."

"But at this point, remember: we must not become proud because of them, or else all prior effort will be wasted."

"Because, tiptoeing to stand higher actually makes one unsteady; taking big steps to move faster actually prevents far-reaching progress; self-display actually prevents self-clarity; self-conceit actually prevents discerning right from wrong; self-boasting actually fails to establish merit; arrogance actually prevents long-lasting nobility."

"These hasty, ostentatious behaviors are as superfluous as leftover scraps, all detestable, things that those seeking ultimate success must discard."

……

"With broad vision, embracing all phenomena, maximizing the market, possessing the greatest space of choice..."

"Starting from one's own conditions, formulate the most practical decisions, advance steadily, neither arrogant nor hasty, always able to keep to one's original heart, focus on the long term, not be bewitched by temporary interests..."

"Having done these, having done them well, you will inevitably achieve success."

"Perhaps the next Heavenly Venerable of the Daoist Gate is among you present!"

The Morality Heavenly Venerable spoke with highly enticing content, causing the audience's applause to be warm and lasting.

He was not merely preaching.

Soon, he also gave many vivid examples to prove his words were not empty.

In fact, if these great principles could truly be practiced, they would indeed yield considerable achievements.

However, people rarely possess perseverance and great willpower to carry them through life, and lacking detailed examples to inspire, they always feel it is too far removed from themselves.

And now, the Morality Heavenly Venerable has given them this lesson, feeding them a bowl of chicken soup.

Although we don't know, how long-lasting the effect of this chicken soup could be.

But surely, for a short while, it is still quite effective.

It's just like a stimulant.

……

After explaining the successful operation and concrete cases, the Moral Heavenly Venerable saw that the timing was about right and could administer a strong medicine.

Thus, he began to further influence people's hearts, continuing to establish correct values.

He taught in this way——

Not over-revering those who self-promote as so-called talents and abilities can prevent people from competing for fame and profit; not over-inflating the price of rare treasures can prevent people from becoming thieves; not flaunting things that can arouse people's greed and desire can keep their minds from being disturbed…… Acting in this way, those who possess 'wisdom and capability' would not dare to recklessly cause trouble.

To be a perfect and successful person, one needs a noble spirit and exalted character…… And the most perfect and successful person is one who can devote his life to the world. Only such a person can be entrusted with the authority to govern the world.

……

From personal mindset, he spoke to all the world's beings.

From self-love, expanding to love for others.

From cultivating oneself alone, to aiding the whole world.

The Moral Heavenly Venerable also went to great pains, conducting a teaching that devoted the utmost effort of his life.

When the lecture came to an end.

He seemed merely to be sitting in the assembly, speaking to the beings below.

But in fact, he had already risen to an unfathomable height.

Heavenly Venerable, speaking to the Honghuang world, speaking to the human subconscious in the dim darkness!

The lingering divine sound echoed through the vast universe, echoed through the Myriad Heavens world, echoed through the ages.

A great power was gestating, a latent spark of goodness in the heart of every being.

They disregarded the limits of time and space, converging and flowing, accumulating little by little, finally forming a heart-river that spanned boundless time and space; under the Moral Heavenly Venerable's teaching, it would transform the entirety of humanity and lead it onto a brand-new path!

This seemed like the Heavenly Venerable striking out with all his might.

However……

"Dang!"

In the gentle tolling of the bell, the great Supreme Emperor Noble Bell hanging in the Heavenly Court resonated, and the grandest epic and sorrowful song surged forth, stirring the fate of the Demon Race and shattering this heart-river.

This clash was brief and swift, moreover occurring at an exalted, unfathomable level, ultimately unknown to all beings.

Only the utmost Great Luo could perceive it clearly.

"Ah..."

On Mount Buzhou, the Heavenly Venerable let out a faint sigh from his heart, slightly shook his head, and did not continue to retaliate.

As he waved his horsetail whisk, he gave a summary of his personal lecture that was drawing to a close.

"Dao gives rise to all things in the world; Virtue nurtures all things in the world. Therefore all things in the world honor Dao and value Virtue. The reason Dao and Virtue are honored and valued is not because anyone bestowed dignity and worth upon them, but because they always follow nature. Dao and Virtue give rise to all things, nurture all things, cause all things to grow, develop, bear fruit, and mature, sustaining and protecting them. While nurturing all things without claiming them as one's own, enriching all things without taking credit, fostering all things without dominating them—this is the most subtle and profound Virtue."

"We, as beings, whether in the process of achieving our endeavors in our interactions with others, hoping to gain the aid of Dao and obtain the greatest external force; or in our personal cultivation on the Dao path, interacting with heaven and earth, communicating with the world, longing for the unity of heaven and humanity, letting ourselves become a river that guides the heavenly earth's vital energy sea, all need to follow the principles of Dao and Virtue."

(End of chapter)