Chapter 568: First Ancestor of Heaven-Man

"Cultivating both nature and life is the only way to be a Heaven-Man."

"If you only cultivate one side, or if the realms of nature and life are too far apart, you will fall into the predicament of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man. Since Bodhidharma, countless heroes who should have been able to reach the peak were just troubled by missing the secret manual of one realm, and had to waste their lives in the current realm."

Jianzhen looked at Li Miao and smiled.

"But in this monk's view, Benefactor first cultivated the three paths of life, and then cultivated Xuanlan. I don't know if Benefactor's means to avoid the Five Decays of Heaven and Man were self-realized, or if there is another origin?"

Li Miao did not answer.

He stood in place, squinting at Jianzhen, neither affirming nor opposing.

Jianzhen saw that Li Miao was unwilling to speak, but was not annoyed, and continued to say with a smile.

"Since Benefactor is unwilling to say, let this monk say it."

"Benefactor should know Master Zhang Sanfeng."

Li Miao frowned.

"Master Zhang Sanfeng was born five hundred years after you died. How do you know him?"

Jianzhen smiled and pointed to his heart.

"This monk's nature is gathered from the Enryaku-ji monks. What they know, this monk naturally knows some—in short, this monk understands the current situation very well, no need for Benefactor to introduce."

"Back to the topic, does Benefactor know where Master Zhang Sanfeng's martial arts began?"

Li Miao replied.

"Shaolin."

Jianzhen nodded.

"That's right. Master Zhang Sanfeng was a lay disciple of my Shaolin when he was young. At the age of fourteen, he rebelled out of Shaolin for some reason, lived in seclusion on Mount Wudang, and attained the Dao there, founding the Wudang Sect."

"There is a saying that he was not valued in Shaolin back then because his talent was dull and his comprehension was extremely poor. I don't know if Benefactor has heard of it?"

Li Miao nodded.

"Heard of it, not a rumor?"

Jianzhen smiled.

"No."

"Although this monk doesn't know the situation at that time very well, this monk can be sure that this is not a rumor, and Shaolin would never let a root with talent comparable to Bodhidharma rebel out of the gate."

"Even if they were pedantic, even if Master Zhang Sanfeng resisted Buddhism, Shaolin would at least not let him leave at the age of fourteen—the likes and dislikes of young people can be changed, and Shaolin is not pedantic to the point of not even knowing the means of showing grace and expecting repayment."

Li Miao laughed.

"The Master is quite frank."

Jianzhen shook his head.

"This monk died because of pedantry, so naturally I have some insights... Back to the topic, Benefactor's situation should be somewhat similar to Master Zhang Sanfeng's, right?"

"But Benefactor is different from Master Zhang Sanfeng. He had already solved this problem after cultivating the Heaven-Man realm, while Benefactor is still exploring the secret within it to this day."

Li Miao raised an eyebrow.

"Master, if you have something to say, just say it."

Jianzhen smiled.

"Although this monk doesn't know why, I can tell Benefactor who to go to to solve it."

"Who?"

"Master Zhang Sanfeng."

Li Miao's pupils shrank.

"Did Master Zhang Sanfeng leave a letter, or?"

Jianzhen smiled.

"Why need a letter? Benefactor can just go and ask him."

"... Is he still alive?"

"Naturally."

"Where?"

"Ise Grand Shrine."

"... Seriously injured and dying, trapped in a lonely city, or like Master Bodhidharma and you, left a trace of nature?"

"Neither."

Jianzhen said decisively.

"He is still alive."

"Because at that time point two hundred years ago, no one could kill him. On this point, this monk is incomparably sure."

Li Miao shrugged. ===== CHAPTER 569 =====