Chapter 336: 336. Chapter 336: If the heart does not die, the Dao does not arise

336. Chapter 336: If the heart does not die, the Dao does not arise.

A red snake, as beautiful as red jade, Wusheng gazed at the red snake before him, his eyes showing tenderness, the deep maternal love evident.

Meanwhile, the black python wandered to Wusheng's side at this moment, its body slowly coiling around Wusheng, but Wusheng seemed oblivious, his gaze not lingering on the black python at all.

Wusheng suddenly spoke: "Our child is so beautiful, like a piece of red jade; why not name him Qiong Yao?"

The black python didn't care, its body still continuously coiling around Wusheng, it said perfunctorily: "Fine, then as you wish."

Hearing this, Wusheng slowly shifted his gaze to the black python, his voice without fluctuation, he said slowly: "You need not be so anxious; since we had an agreement beforehand, I will not break it. Now that the child you have longed for has been born, don't you want to take another look?"

The black python's pupils contracted instantly, realizing it had been anxious, it slowly withdrew from Wusheng's body, just as it was thinking to take a look, it saw Wusheng, right before its eyes, swallow the newborn child!

The black python was instantly shocked, exclaiming:

"What are you doing?!"

Wusheng then fiercely attacked the black python, biting its vital point with a single strike; its white-jade-like scales rippled in the water as if swaying with it.

The black python's eyes were filled with fear and horror, its face showing disbelief, which filled Wusheng with delight.

"'Black Python' instantly realized it had lost, and with some doubt asked: 'I thought I had shown no flaw; all of this was constructed according to your memory, each step reasonable.'"

"'You, as I expected, are immersed in it; I am certain I made no mistake, yet why have you awakened?'"

Wusheng said nothing, instead accelerating his devouring, bit by bit swallowing the black head into his belly, until he had consumed nearly half of the 'black python,' then he explained: "Awakened? Perhaps not; I simply do not want to die, I do not want to become part of another's origin! I want to live! I want to glimpse the Great Dao!"

"'Qiong Yao is not my child; if he weren't here, could I live better? Could I focus more on seeking the Dao?'"

"'I don't know, but since I learned Qiong Yao is not my child, I have felt regret and hatred, yet I truly love him.'"

"'This love makes me hesitate; it is too heavy, heavier than hatred, heavier than life!'"

"'But when I realized this could be redeemed, do you know? When I followed my heart and swallowed Qiong Yao, how light I felt!'"

"'So light that I felt life and vows could be cast aside; that moment, how free!'"

Wusheng's pupils revealed madness, but more so heaviness and pain; the black python, as Wusheng kept devouring, had only a bit of its tail tip left outside.

"'You are the heavenly demon of legend, are you not? I truly must thank you, for letting me awaken amidst desire, hatred, obsession, and love.'"

"'Rest assured, I will remember you well; you will become nourishment for my cultivation progress, aiding me in attaining the Dao.'"

Wusheng's voice conveyed confidence, but the heavenly demon inside his belly then spoke with a cold laugh:

"'Very good; you should indeed remember me well, after all you see me as a burden, the encumbrance that made you obsessed—I have helped you resolve it.'"

"'I recall his name is Qiong Yao, right? From now on, you have no more ties; the bond in your heart, I have untied it for you—hahaha!'"

The Wusheng who had just been mad and confident now panicked, shouting: "Even at death's door you still try to deceive me! Wretched thing, how could my child come to harm?!"

While speaking, Wusheng suddenly sped up his movements; the heavenly demon's laughter ceased abruptly, and the surrounding environment shattered along with it.

Wusheng slowly awoke, but suddenly his body stiffened; the eyes that seemed about to open were now tightly shut, and his body began to tremble incessantly.

Wusheng felt the cold body entwined with himself, his heart beginning to panic inexplicably; she dared not open her eyes, fearing to see the scene she most wished not to see.

How she wished she were still in the heavenly demon's illusion, yet the gently flowing water, the icy body on her, her own realm, constantly reminded her that this was reality.

After an unknown time, Wusheng could no longer restrain himself, trembling as he opened his eyes, only to find no trace of Qiong Yao before him; the body entwined with her had long since left only a thin layer of snake shed, its color no longer vivid red, and through the gaps in the scales one could even see the white bones faintly wrapped within.

Inside, there was not a trace of flesh or blood, not a shred of essence left; the stars and moon in the sky told her that their breakthrough was but a moment away, yet Qiong Yao had already been completely devoured by the heavenly demon.

Wusheng's unconscious writhing caused the entwined white bones to collapse with a crash; the water source at the pond's bottom flowed, washing the snake shed into ruin.

Wusheng took human form, his eyes a dull gray-white, devoid of any vitality; he numbly gathered Qiong Yao's remains, yet let the water blow away the pallid bones, leaving only a long scroll of snake shed, though tattered, it remained.

Suddenly, the pond water emitted a gleaming white light; Qiong Yao's snake shed within the light transformed into red water sleeves, wrapping around Wusheng's body.

Only then did Wusheng gradually awaken from his daze, a speck of spiritual light flickering in his mind's platform.

As his divine sense touched the light, the originally faint glow suddenly burst forth with ten thousand zhang of radiance, illuminating his entire sea of consciousness; within that radiance, Wusheng's expression gradually calmed.

Gently stroking the water sleeves wrapped around his body, Wusheng suddenly realized that everything he had previously failed to understand about the Dao now seemed divinely aided, easily absorbed and accepted.

In Yunmze Marsh, Qi gazed at a lotus that suddenly bloomed before him, feeling something in his heart, then looked toward the clouds on the horizon, only after a long while did he slowly return to himself.

Only when the great sun rose in the east did Qi sigh slowly: "Such is heavenly fate, such is the calamity of destiny; our affinity ends here. I never imagined that the plaything you once toyed with would now have such fortune."

"'If the heart does not die, the Dao does not arise; he goes farther than you, having passed today's tribulation, his future is limitless.'"

Qi waved his hand, sending a droplet of water toward the outside of chaos, straight into the Demon Realm; moments later, a streak of meteor streaked across the night sky, falling into the Primordial Wilderness.

Qi watched the meteor fall to the ground, yet ultimately took no action, merely turning toward the Heaven Realm; the affairs of the Primordial Wilderness were settled, he ought to return.

Just as he was about to enter the Heaven Realm, the white spirit on which Qi sat, after hesitating, spoke:

"'My lord, was that shooting star just now Ao Xing?'"

Although Bailing was inquiring, her tone conveyed an inexplicable certainty; Qi glanced downward and gave a soft press.

The ox's head turned, looking at Qi upon it; Bailing hesitated repeatedly, then asked again: 'My lord, are we truly not going to intervene? Ao Xing, after all, shares some affinity with us, leaving behind many memories.'

Qi spoke in a flat tone, refusing: 'My affinity with him is exhausted; having taken his true spirit from the Demon Realm, preventing him from falling into the demonic path, using him as sustenance for human cultivation, I have already done the utmost benevolence and righteousness.'

"'As for his future, whether he can attain the Dao, that depends on himself alone; I can do nothing to help.'"

"'Straying onto the wrong path is not beyond salvation, yet people lack perseverance; how could they glimpse the Great Dao if they willingly plunge into the heavenly demon's maw? How then could I save them?'"

Bailing nodded, said no more, merely slowed her pace considerably, occasionally looking back at where the meteor had fallen.

Qi's brows furrowed slightly, but seeing Bailing's appearance, he eventually spoke to ease her mind:

"'Ao Xing and I have exhausted our affinity; I will naturally not interfere further. You, too, are a perfected Great Luo Golden Immortal; although you are my mount, you are an independent person—if you wish to save, go ahead; what's the point in this posture?'"

"'You only need to remember: the gods do not save those who abandon themselves, for saving them is futile; since your heart is not here, go on then.'"

Qi rose from Bailing's back and headed alone toward Mount Buzhou; Bailing, seeing this, hurriedly quickened her pace to follow, smiling apologetically:

"'My lord, please wait for me; although Ao Xing and I are on good terms, naturally your affairs weigh more heavily—no matter what, I must first see you safely back.'"

Qi, however, took a few more steps forward, leaving Bailing unable to keep up; as Bailing grew weary, a distant voice of Qi came slowly: 'It's only a short distance; I can still walk it. Since you have the heart to go, you had better hurry, lest a careless step become fodder for mountain beasts.'

Bailing then realized: at this moment, Ao Xing was merely a true spirit; even if reincarnated, he would be no more than an infant—how could he have the strength to protect himself!

After hastily bidding farewell, she anxiously ran toward the place where Ao Xing's true spirit had fallen.

Meanwhile, Qi paid no heed at all, just as he had said: since their affinity was exhausted, why bother toiling for him?

Since they do not value the Great Dao and are willing to sacrifice their life, why should Qi painstakingly guide them into the Dao? In the end, they are simply someone who cannot attain the Dao; it would be better to be an ordinary living being, pursuing emotions and life.

To have them abandon everything in pursuit of the Dao is to lead people to chase after illusory things like flowers in the mirror and moon in the water; that is a wrong path.

As for Bai Ling, in Qi's view, that is Bai Ling's own affair; Bai Ling wishes to let the former friend return and is willing to put in the effort, so Qi naturally will not interfere further.

After all, Bai Ling is also an independent person; since they are willing, Qi need only reach out at the crucial moment and give them a push.

Having just returned to their palace, Qi saw Taiyi's envoy arrive carrying a jug of wine, without many words, merely smiling at Qi and saying, "Judging by your appearance, you must have much turmoil in your heart; I am not good with words, all I can offer you is wine—how about a drink?"

Qi let out a helpless laugh, looking at Taiyi before them, unsure of what they felt, but eventually spoke: "As for the matter of Ao Xing, to me it's nothing much; I merely feel that the Great Dao is difficult, resenting their lack of striving. Yet your sudden coming and going leaves me unsure how to conduct myself."

Taiyi, however, remained extremely calm, also speaking: "It is merely a meteor streaking across; ultimately they are not a fellow Daoist—such has always been the case in the Primordial Wilderness."

Those who seek the Dao with intent are limited by talent, environment, opportunity, and fate; lacking any one, they cannot glimpse the threshold. Such people are like carp crossing the river, endless.

Yet even so, they are resolutely determined, leaving home, departing their comfortable environment, heading into the vast world, seeking a faint hope.

And there are those who seek the Dao without intent; even if everything is arranged, talent, environment, opportunity, and fate all present, they walk the proper path.

But eventually they will be attracted by roadside flora, heavenly stars and moon, human emotions, casting the Great Dao behind their backs, pursuing momentary pleasure.

In the end they waste time; when the five declines of heaven and man arrive, only then do they suddenly awaken, but it is too late—what can be done?

Such people are also like carp crossing the river, one after another; the predecessors were like this, and the successors see it yet remain unawakened—this is the norm.

The distinction between humans and gods, between humans and immortals, is precisely this; I once taught Ao Xing, passing on his supernatural arts, though his original purpose was not pure, who would dare say this is not an opportunity?

After his reincarnation, did you not also arrange everything—whether the innate spiritual roots used for cultivation, or guiding him into the Great Law—this must directly point to the root.

Yet even so, is it not also unsatisfactory? The Dao lineage of Cloud Dream Marsh is certainly not light; those who bear it must be heroes of the world.

In my view, this is normal; if you merely picked someone at random based on fate as a standard, and they could bear the Cloud Dream Marsh Dao lineage, that would truly be monstrous.

Qi then realized, this is not Ao Xing's fault; fundamentally, it is that I had too high expectations of him.

Only someone like Ao Xing is the norm of the primordial wilderness; if everyone had the heart to seek the Dao, how could the myriad innate divinities have been nurtured by heaven and earth?

Enough, enough, let's go drink; looking back, this matter is merely the self‑trouble of a mediocre person, and it is I who am attached to appearances.

Qi smiled helplessly, and Taiyi beside him nodded satisfied—how could the weight of the Dao lineage possibly be inherited so easily?

If it were that simple, then within the Xuanmen there would not be only those six; even the Dao Ancestor Hongjun would not need to lay out mats, just search a few people by fate in the primordial wilderness.

Qi drank the wine in the cup; the familiar taste instantly brought back his memories, and only after a long while did he smile and say:

The wine you sought from Daoist Friend Panwang back then—you actually still have it stored; I don't know whether to praise you for not enjoying it or to scold you for hoarding wealth.

Taiyi then said indifferently:

This is the last jar, and I also added many spiritual fruits mixed in; finally I re‑refined it with the sun's true fire, otherwise countless eons would have passed and how could you drink it.

This also counts as having expended great effort, only then restoring the former flavor; in my view, if you truly want to savor it again, you must still make another trip to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.

Qi, however, shook his head and said:

The Hundred Thousand Great Mountains are a rare peaceful place in the primordial wilderness; so far they have experienced few calamities, and given our current status, it's better not to go and cause trouble for Daoist Friend Panwang.

It is not easy to maintain; if we let the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains fall into the sight of all beings, that would truly be a sin.

(End of chapter)