Chapter 243: with translation of chapter title

"243. Chapter 243: The lecture on the Dao finally begins; you bear the Emperor's mandate."

Translation: "243. Chapter 243: The lecture on the Dao finally begins; you bear the Emperor's mandate."

Already done.

【10】

Translation: "Just then another person arrived; Qi's eyes grew more satisfied, the Three Pure Ones also knew they could not delay any longer, and in the end it was Yuanshi Dao Ren who spoke:"

We need to keep punctuation? We'll keep as is.

Translation: "Such rebels who dare to overthrow the superior, foolishly trying to stop a cart with a mantis's arms or to shake a tree with a mayfly, are naturally not wise."

We need to keep the quotes? The source includes Chinese quotation marks. We should translate the content but we can omit the Chinese quotes; just output the English sentence. Usually we drop the Chinese quotes. We'll output the English sentence without quotation marks.

【16】

Translation: "They may have ambition, but lack compassion for heaven and earth and pity for all beings; they are not good people."

Translation: "Having said this, Yuanshi said no more; with outsiders present, he felt these two points were the limit and could not be pressed further."

【20】

Translation: "Qi naturally understood the reasoning, would not press further, and simply smiled, saying: 'Fellow Daoist, you are absolutely right; such a person who neither knows how to be honored nor is wise or benevolent could not bear the responsibility of overseeing heaven and earth and all beings.'"

We need to keep the quoted speech. We'll translate the quote as English with quotes.

【26】

Translation: "Their actions are merely laughable, or at most stir up a temporary wind and rain, but cannot last long."

Translation: "Di Jun also voiced his agreement from the side:"

【30】

Translation: "What Qi said is reasonable; such people foolishly cultivate, unaware of heavenly numbers and ignorant of great righteousness—how could they possibly become the lord of heaven and earth?"

Translation: "Their deeds merely add a few ripples in the Wilderness; their whole life is nothing more than that."

【36】

Translation: "Fuxi, Taiyi, and Nüwa also smiled and said: 'Indeed, it should be so.'"

Seeing Hongjun's agreement, the Eastern King Lord's heart suddenly surged with wild joy, and he spoke again: 'Reporting to the Dao Ancestor, I have long dwelt in the Primordial; having heard that the Immortal Dao is exquisite, I have therefore turned to follow it, and now I have made great progress.'

Translation: "For a moment, everyone in the hall chatted and laughed happily, the atmosphere extremely cheerful."

Translation: "The Three Pure Ones did feel a bit of bitterness in their hearts, but it vanished like passing clouds."

【40】

Translation: "Having said that, given their status, those ambitious ones might not like it, but they would not dare to scheme against them openly."

Translation: "As long as the three brothers are united, no matter how the outside world changes with wind and cloud, it cannot affect them."

【44】

Translation: "Time passed slowly; most of the three thousand red-dust guests previously mentioned had arrived, only a few scattered individuals were still missing, and the hall's atmosphere was no longer lively, gradually calming down."

Translation: "As the last arrivals, Jieyin and Zhunti entered, the gates of Purple Dawn Palace slowly closed, a purple qi spread amid the solemn gazes of the crowd, and Hongjun lay reclined above it."

【51】

Translation: "His gaze swept over the crowd, as if to memorize their faces; seeing no difference from his expectation, Hongjun then rose to sit upright and sang loudly: 'Reclining above the ninefold clouds, the mat holds the True Dao. Beyond the mysterious yellow of heaven and earth, I shall be the honored master of the teaching. Leader of the Profound Gate, I transform the One Qi into Hongjun.'"

【54】

【56】

【60】

We'll combine.

Translation: "After finishing the poem, Hongjun then spoke: 'Everyone, as previously stated, now that you have arrived, you have entered my poor Daoist's Profound Gate; since this is so, my Dao lineage shall be bestowed upon you.'"

【64】

Translation: "Seeming to know something, Hongjun paused for a moment and then spoke:"

Translation: "Now that you have entered my sect, while the lecture on the Dao has not yet begun, if you have any questions, you may ask them."

【68】

Translation: "For any question, this poor Daoist will surely have an answer."

Translation: "After Hongjun finished speaking, his gaze specifically fell upon where Dong Wanggong stood for a glance, though it did not draw outsiders' attention."

【72】

Translation: "No sooner had his words fallen than someone stepped forward to ask: 'Great God, within the Profound Gate, is there truly a method to attain the Dao and achieve Primordial Unity?'"

Translation: "Hongjun looked kind and benevolent, smiling and nodding in reply:"

【76】

Translation: "Yes."

Translation: "The crowd instantly rejoiced beyond expectation, overcome with excitement; the questioner wanted to ask again, but seeing everyone's excitement, he held his tongue, leaving the chance to others."

【80】

Translation: "Another person then spoke: 'Great God, does this method require changing one's cultivation to the Immortal Path? Can the Divine Path also practice it?'"

Translation: "Hongjun's expression unchanged, still smiling, he replied: 'The method is not a mere technique; what matters most is the foundation, the Great Dao admits no distinction—naturally there is no obstacle; the Immortal Path can practice it, and the Divine Path can as well.'"

【84】

Translation: "After that person received the explanation, Dong Wanggong could no longer restrain himself and finally spoke:"

Translation: "O Great God above, now that the Profound Gate has been established, it should be the ancestral source of the world's Dao lineage; it directly connects to the root of the Great Dao, and the Great God is willing to spread it widely throughout the world—thus he is the Dao Ancestor!"

【88】

Translation: "Upon hearing this, the crowd was startled, turning their gazes toward Dong Wanggong, but then they seemed to realize and immediately voiced their support for Hongjun being the Dao Ancestor."

Translation: "Seeing the crowd's attitude, Hongjun's smile deepened slightly, yet he only replied lightly: 'Good.'"

Good.

【33】...

【34】...

Actually I think I misaligned. Let's re-examine the original lines after line 33:

Given the original list:

【33】 again duplicate? Actually the user repeated 【33】 and 【34】 again with same content but different indices? Let's see:

【34】...

Seeing Hongjun's agreement, Dong Wanggong's heart instantly filled with wild joy, and he spoke again: "Reporting to Dao Ancestor, disciple has long dwelt in the primordial wilderness, having heard that the Immortal Dao is profound, thus I turned to cultivate under the Immortal Dao, and now I have made great progress."

Hongjun glanced at Dong Wanggong, gave a light laugh, then said: "This matter will be made clear to everyone later during the Dao lecture; there's no need to be so impatient, for this is a taboo in cultivation."

Indeed, as soon as Hongjun's words fell, Dong Wanggong immediately replied: "Disciple thanks Dao Ancestor for the instruction; Mu Gong will surely keep it in mind."

Having received the Dao Ancestor's instruction, feeling grateful for the Dao Ancestor's grace, I wish to establish an Immortal Court in the primordial wilderness, to manage all immortals under heaven, and to spread the Dao Ancestor's teachings.

Qi He Di Jun's eyes flashed a hint of killing intent, yet he suppressed it; this occasion is special, after the Dao lecture ends, there will naturally be a time for reckoning.

Kunpeng felt somewhat ill at ease, tilted his head to look toward where Di Jun was; seeing Di Jun slightly shake his head, he then remained composed and settled down again.

Line

"His actions involve no loss of virtue; he also puts effort into the affairs of the wilderness; his fate is also extraordinary, similar to yours." "If you do not establish an Immortal Court but choose to join the Heavenly Court, this humble Daoist can recommend you; after several Heavenly Emperors attain the Dao of Mixed Yuan, I will help you become a regional Heavenly Emperor."

Reporting to the Dao Ancestor, Wood Duke is not a person greedy for power; establishing the Immortal Court is to repay the Dao Ancestor's kindness.

Translation: "Moreover, the Wood Lord has many friends, all of whom are like-minded, willing to take it upon themselves to spread the Immortal Dao, and do not wish to see again the present turmoil of immortals and demons."

Translation: "Although one of the heavenly emperors of the Heavenly Court is fine, he has his own laws; if the Wood Lord does this, it would be a betrayal of his friends' aspirations, and the Wood Lord does not wish to act thus."

Translation: "What the Eastern King Lord means is that he still has many like-minded friends, and the Heavenly Court has its own heavenly rules and regulations."

Translation: "If he joins the Heavenly Court, he cannot violate the heavenly rules to bestow titles and rewards upon them."

Translation: "Moreover, the personnel of the Heavenly Court's departments are now clearly divided; his like-minded friends may not be able to join, and thus they cannot naturally be used by him."

Translation: "His friends support him, but he cannot bring them sufficient benefits; this is the reason for betrayal that the Eastern King Lord spoke of."

Translation: "Moreover, one must wait for several heavenly emperors to attain the Dao and achieve the Mixed Yuan before entering to fill gaps and make up for deficiencies, and the waiting time is too long."

Translation: "Furthermore, whether one can succeed in attaining the Dao is another matter; making him wait like this, he is unwilling."

Translation: "Hongjun and everyone naturally understand his thoughts, but mostly they do not take it to heart; even for Hongjun, the Eastern King Lord's answer was already within his expectations."

Translation: "Very well, since you have such sincere intention, this humble daoist will also fulfill you."

Translation: "But have you considered that your path is full of twists and dangers, while this humble daoist cannot help you?"

Translation: "Hongjun's eyes held a light of unknown meaning, yet no one noticed; all gazes were focused on the Eastern King Lord."

Translation: "Reporting to the Dao Ancestor, the Wood Lord's resolve is firm; since ancient times, those capable of great deeds ought not fear hardship and peril."

Translation: "Hongjun still bears that kindly visage, and he said gently: 'Good, then, since it is so, listen to the Dao's decree.'"

Translation: "O male Wood Lord who hears the decree, since you have such intention, cultivating the Pure Yang Great Dao, you possess the innate Pure Yang destiny, commanding the Pure Yang qi of all heavens, and shall be the foremost male immortal under heaven."

Translation: "I bestow upon you a supreme-grade innate spiritual treasure, the dragon-head staff, for the protection of the Dao and self-defense; may you not forget these words, and may you serve as an example of the Immortal Dao."

For the protection of the Dao and self-defense; an example.

Translation: "Hongjun's voice echoed across the Primordial earth, causing Qi and Di Jun, among others, to look extremely embarrassed; yet before his words ceased, Hongjun spoke again:"

Translation: "O female Guihui who hears the decree, you cultivate the Mysterious Yin Great Dao, possess the innate Mysterious Yin destiny, command the Mysterious Yin qi of all heavens, and shall be the foremost female immortal under heaven."

Translation: "I bestow upon you a supreme-grade innate spiritual root, the Ren-water flat peach tree; this tree blooms every thirty thousand years, bears fruit every thirty thousand years, and matures after another thirty thousand years."

Translation: "This fruit has the effect of replenishing primordial qi, nourishing the internal organs, refining spirit and soul, and promoting qi and blood."

Translation: "Eating this fruit, one can instantly attain the body of a Golden Immortal, free from calamity and tribulation, and the three calamities and six dangers shall not befall one."

Translation: "Ordinary people, upon seeing it, gain clear vision without need of cultivation; they can readily learn the technique of the spiritual eye, hearing it once, their lifespan never ends, and if untouched by the calamity of weapons, they shall live as long as the sun and moon."

Translation: "Hope you..."

Check: just that.

Translation: "Guihui's eyes filled with disbelief, and he felt the gazes of Di Jun and Qi upon him; his heart suddenly trembled greatly, feeling that his doom was at hand."

Translation: "Before Hongjun could finish speaking, Guihui interrupted:"

Translation: "Reporting to the Dao Ancestor, Guihui is merely a wandering cultivator of Kunlun, having neither performed meritorious deeds nor harbored the will to govern the world; he only wishes to cultivate in seclusion."

Translation: "The gifts and titles bestowed by the Dao Ancestor, Guihui truly has no desire to accept; it is not due to external factors, for his aspirations lie elsewhere."

Translation: "Hongjun remained unmoved; after his words were finished, he then spoke again to explain:"

Translation: "This is not my intention; your destiny is special, and thus it must be so."

Translation: "Guihui fell into contemplation, yet did not know how to proceed; after much hesitation, he made up his mind and decided that, after the exposition of the Dao concludes, he will go to the Heavenly Court to apologize."

Translation: "Even if he surrenders the Ren-water flat peach and joins the Heavenly Court, as long as he can avoid calamity and tribulation, it would still be worthwhile."

Translation: "From Hongjun's sleeve flew two treasures: one was a dragon-head staff, which flew into the Eastern King Lord's hand, prompting him to offer thanks repeatedly."

Translation: "The other is a water flat peach tree; within the Purple Heaven Palace it appears barely a foot tall, like a potted plant, yet seeing the knotted tendons on it, everyone can imagine the size of its true form."

Water flat peach tree and Purple Heaven Palace.

Translation: "However, the recipients' attitudes toward the treasures are completely different: the Eastern King Lord is overjoyed, while Guihui wears a worried, grim face, as if about to face execution."

Translation: "Hongjun paid no heed to the varied expressions of the crowd; after bestowing the treasures, he spoke:"

Translation: "Everyone, since all matters are now concluded, I suppose there will be no further questions; the time for expounding the Dao approaches, so each should focus the mind and calm the spirit."

Time for expounding the Dao; focus the mind and calm the spirit.

Translation: "Having said that, Hongjun closed his eyes; upon hearing a bell ring, he slowly opened them and said: 'The time for expounding the Dao has arrived; the exposition of the Dao begins.'"

Translation: "Afterward, in everyone's sight, Hongjun's lips moved slightly, yet no sound was heard; only myriad golden lotuses blossomed, and countless rosy clouds rose."

Translation: "Qi at first felt nothing, but then suddenly sensed the Great Dao revealed before him, without any obstruction; Hongjun's words, which had been silent, now resonated like a great bell."

Translation: "Within that sound, Qi's thoughts and reflections caused the Great Dao to shift; the secrets of heaven and earth were revealed before him, and every insight felt as if aided by a deity."

Translation: "Past doubts and difficulties, within that sound, whenever Qi had a thought he could gain understanding; whenever he had a question, he would surely receive an answer."

Translation: "Qi immersed therein, at times his brow furrowed slightly, at times his face showed joy; he felt as if he were within the Heavenly Dao, as when he first united with the Dao."

Translation: "Hongjun gazed at Qi with some astonishment, knowing that Qi must have previously encountered an opportunity to unite with the Dao."

Translation: "Otherwise, his understanding of the Heavenly Dao's words would not be so swift; Hongjun felt a degree of envy, yet he made no move, merely turning his gaze elsewhere."

Translation: "Hongjun's gaze narrowed, falling upon Jieyin and Zhunti; he showed displeasure, seeing that their bodies emitted relic light, and the sky was filled with seventy-two golden rainbows."

Translation: "The golden rainbows bore a hint of illusion, seeming to hold great compassion like the great sun in the sky, yet also carrying a dreamlike quality, appearing both true and false."

Translation: "The two ends of the golden rainbows join, forming a circle, yet the head and tail are indistinct, like cause and effect blurred, seeming entangled yet illusory."

Hongjun at a glance saw the principle contained within; it is to toy with cause and effect, to seek truth in dreams; within the Dao of immortals, this is magic! (End of chapter)