Chapter 325: Upholding Goodness

The Divine Lamp fell into the Four Spirits Realm just over a thousand years ago, yet it caused Great Jin to undergo three enormous transformations: from low martial to high martial, and then to immortal cultivation.

Hua Changxi: "The fall of the Divine Lamp feels like a signal of the revival of spiritual energy."

Master Guiyi, who had remained silent all along, spoke up: "That's not wrong. The Divine Lamp came from beyond the realm. The Four Spirits Realm is sealed; logically, objects from outside should not be able to break through the realm wall and fall in."

"The fact that the Divine Lamp from outside could fall in shows that the realm wall was already loosening at that time."

Hua Changxi, Jing Liao, and Yan Zhenzhen all nodded in agreement.

Master Guiyi continued: "According to what we currently know about artifact grades, the Divine Lamp is at least an eighth-grade Dao artifact."

"Logically speaking, even if an eighth-grade Dao artifact were shattered, it would not be something a mortal could control. However, the Divine Lamp specifically uses human emotions and desires as fuel."

"All humans have desires, and this leads to the situation where anyone who picks up a fragment of the Divine Lamp has a chance to ignite that fragment."

"The Divine Lamp burns the two flames of yin and yang. What are yin and yang?"

"Heaven and earth are divided into yin and yang. Yin symbolizes the chaotic and violent side of the world; yang represents the bright and friendly side."

"The yang flame of the Divine Lamp can help people ignite the good thoughts in their hearts, while the yin flame can evoke evil thoughts and various desires in people's hearts."

"When the Divine Lamp is complete, the two flames of yin and yang embrace each other. Those with affinity can draw the yin and yang flames into their bodies, and through perceiving them, they can become more acutely aware of their own good and evil thoughts."

"Only when both the yin and yang flames are burning is there balance and harmony. At this time, it has positive significance for both mortals and cultivators."

"However, after the Divine Lamp shattered, many people who picked up fragments either had only the white jade lotus petals or only the black jade lotus petals. Those who managed to collect both are extremely rare."

"The white jade lotus petals can only be ignited by those with a pure and good heart; not many can ignite them. As for the black jade lotus petals... as long as they fall into the hands of someone with strong desires, they can be ignited."

"In this way, the balance between good and evil is broken."

"Whether one only ignites the white jade lotus petals or only the black jade lotus petals, in the end they will suffer backlash."

"In the last five hundred years of the Great Jin dynasty, it has actually been in a state of turmoil and instability."

At this point, Master Guiyi showed a compassionate expression, and Jing Liao and Yan Zhenzhen also sighed heavily.

Master Guiyi: "The yang flame stimulates the bright and friendly side of people, and all humans yearn for beauty and peace. Anyone who ignites the white jade lotus petals can attract a large number of followers."

"The yin flame, on the other hand, evokes the evil thoughts and various desires in people's hearts. Evil thoughts are often accompanied by fear and the threat of death, and desires are like bottomless pits. Those who ignite the black jade lotus petals can also expand their power by evoking people's fear and various desires."

"The separation of the black and white lotus petals led to the division of good and evil, even turning them into opposites."

"Because the number of people who ignite the white jade lotus petals is significantly less than those who ignite the black ones, the overall social atmosphere has been continuously shifting toward evil thoughts and desires."

"Asura Sect—you all should know about it. Why has the imperial court been unable to eradicate it? It is because there are too many people with excessive desires, allowing the Asura Sect to continuously recruit new disciples."

Master Guiyi looked at Hua Changxi: "You have only ignited the yin flame in your body. This problem must be resolved as soon as possible."

"You asked earlier: what is the difference between someone who has ignited the yin flame and someone who hasn't?"

"Let me put it this way: everyone has desires, but under normal circumstances, desires lie dormant in the body."

"The world is chaotic, and the vast majority of people live in chaos. As long as they are not violently stimulated by the outside world, ordinary people in most situations have little awareness of their own desires."

"It's like how a greedy person never thinks they are greedy."

"However, after igniting the yin flame, as long as a person is provoked by desires, the yin flame will grow stronger. In such a situation, one cannot deceive oneself."

Hua Changxi: "Then in that case, igniting the yin flame is also a good thing."

Master Guiyi nodded with a smile: "I think the artifact master who originally forged the Divine Lamp indeed intended to create a tool to help cultivators in their training. Therefore, whether igniting the yang flame or the yin flame, as long as it is used correctly, it is beneficial for cultivation."

"However, desires are hard to control. Especially evil desires, when catalyzed by death and fear, will unconsciously devour and destroy, eventually leading to ruin."

"Without the balance of the yang flame, the yin flame will grow endlessly until it consumes the cultivator's mind, making the cultivator completely controlled by it. At that point, the person is no longer a person but a vessel of desire."

Jing Liao continued: "Demonic qi is the best catalyst for evoking people's evil thoughts. That batch of Nascent Soul cultivators who ignited the yin flame, once they inhale demonic qi, it will cause the yin flame to grow. As the yin flame grows, it will once again stimulate the various desires and evil thoughts at the bottom of people's hearts. In this way, their destructiveness will become greater and greater."

As he spoke, he looked at Hua Changxi.

"Before you ignite the yang flame, you must stay away from demonic qi."

Hua Changxi nodded seriously, indicating that she had taken note, and then asked the question she was most concerned about: "Master, why can't I ignite the yang flame?"

Master Guiyi looked at her: "Since the Divine Lamp was forged to assist cultivation, igniting both the yin and yang flames can also be regarded as a kind of cultivation."

"The fuel of the Divine Lamp is the seven emotions and six desires. To balance the yin and yang flames means to control one's own emotions and desires."

"Flower Little Friend, do you think you have controlled your emotions and desires well?"

Hua Changxi was stunned by the question: "I think... I have."

Master Guiyi, Jingliao, Yan Zhenzhen: "..."

Jingliao: "It's not about what you think. People can be arrogant, self-deceiving, self-diminishing, and trapped in the world of their own imagination. The self you think you are may not be your true self."

Hua Changxi frowned.

Master Guiyi asked with a smile: "Flower Little Friend, do you think you understand yourself?"

Hua Changxi: "I think... I understand myself quite well."

Hearing this, Master Guiyi smiled helplessly.

Hua Changxi saw it: "Then what must I do to truly understand myself?"

Master Guiyi looked at her: "Others are like mirrors! People need to know themselves through interactions with others."

Hua Changxi paused: "What does that have to do with igniting the Blazing Flame?"

Master Guiyi: "Do you know why the Dark Flame is easier to ignite than the Blazing Flame?"

"Because the Dark Flame can be passively ignited. Amidst the surging desires, a tiny stimulus can trigger people's greed, anger, and ignorance; but good thoughts require people to actively choose and persist."

"Persevering in good is the key to igniting the Blazing Flame."

Hua Changxi widened her eyes: "I have been actively persevering in good." She paused, "During the chaos at the Artifact Saint Palace this time, I saved many people."

Master Guiyi looked at her: "Persevering in good is not about what kind of deeds are done, but about the active choice and active persistence from the heart."

"Let me ask like this: if treating those wounded outside would harm you, Flower Little Friend, would you still choose to save them? Moreover, if saving the wounded threatened your life, would you still be willing then?"

Hua Changxi frowned: "Master, do you mean that your so-called 'persevering in good' requires people to 'harm themselves to benefit others'?"

Master Guiyi shook his head: "It's not about harming yourself to benefit others; rather, you need to clearly know what kind of person you truly want to become—neither catering to the outside world nor being influenced by it."

"Persevering in good means that good thoughts have merged with you and become a part of your body. You guard that little bit of good thought like you guard yourself. It's that you want to become this kind of person."

Hua Changxi: "Master, your standard for persevering in good is too high. I don't believe there are so many such people in this world."

Master Guiyi: "...Perhaps it's not that they don't exist, but that you yourself are not pure enough."