Chapter 498: The Dao of Heaven and Earth is Vast and Great

The setting sun melted into gold, and the evening clouds were all dyed in colorful colors, exceptionally gorgeous, drifting leisurely.

At this time on the river, as Chen Hang and He Chang worked together to pull up the cast net, white foam splashed, and ripples spread layer by layer.

When the net hit the small fishing boat, the boat trembled slightly, and the rice cake He Chang had left on the side of the gunwale at noon was tilted.

Fortunately, the space on the fishing boat was not wide, and He Chang was quick-eyed and fast-handed, catching it just in time before it fell into the water.

"This net is not bad, it's a pity that the gang doesn't have a real big boat, otherwise we could have caught more!"

He Chang stuffed the remaining rice cake into his mouth and chewed it up.

While kicking the few large green-headed fish in the net with his feet, he turned his head and smiled at Chen Hang.

Chen Hang handed the water bottle to He Chang and nodded, agreeing.

Fishing boats come in all sizes, and according to the size of the boat, the fishing methods are naturally different.

The so-called thousand-bushel fishing boat, with six sails, far like floating gulls, near like mountain surges, rushing against the wind and riding the waves, appearing and disappearing in deep waves.

Large fishing boats mostly use dragnet, cloth pocket nets, shrimp nets, back nets, and rolling hooks when fishing. Often, one catch is full of scales and shellfish, fish and crabs like mountains, far from what small fishing boats can compare to.

But the manpower required to drive a large fishing boat is also several times that of a small boat.

Not only is there a boat boss issuing orders and steering, but there are also wind-watchers, oar-hands, cabin-hands responsible for poling, and female workers serving as cooks.

And for these "family boats" and "brother boats" that Chen Hang is currently on, a boat only needs two or three people at most, and when fishing, they mostly use the method of casting nets, casting as they catch, as well as supporting nets, lever nets, and pocket nets, etc.

The so-called things have pros and cons; although this small fishing boat is far inferior to the large fishing boat in terms of catch, it is convenient and fast.

Even when going out to play in the water, you can cast a few nets at any time.

And Chen Hang has been with the Zhuxi Gang for two years now, and when he goes out on the boat, he mostly accompanies He Chang.

Over the years, he has long been an experienced fisherman, and because he can read and write, he has made no small contribution to the gang.

Even after the old leader He Hui had the intention of enjoying his grandchildren, the gang members below wanted to recommend him to take the position, but Chen Hang shook his head and refused, and the gang members below then gave up.

At this time, Chen Hang bent down and scooped up a handful of river water, patted it on his face, and dissipated some of the heat.

And after nodding slightly to Xun Jian on the distant river bank, he also smiled at He Chang:

"That's it for today, go and collect those shrimp cages, and we'll go home."

He Chang naturally had no objection to hearing this, and the two of them rocked the small boat slowly toward the lush water grass, chatting casually along the way.

And as they talked,

He Chang felt Chen Hang's voice gradually lower.

He hurriedly turned his head to look, and saw Chen Hang looking at the river, as if lost in thought.

He Chang had long been accustomed to this scene, just smiled, and shrugged his shoulders lightly.

The Feiyun River is a tributary of the Fushui and is also where the Zhuxi Gang's fishermen make a living.

At this time, He Chang followed Chen Hang's line of sight and saw the vast river flowing continuously under the setting sun.

After the Feiyun River bypassed the Shishou Mountain not far away, it turned into a hazy white silk, winding between the continuous green mountains, and finally seemed to merge into the Fushui, but He Chang could no longer see it.

He only saw the sunset spreading on the water, the evening light painting gold, half the river desolate and half red.

On both banks, there was faint smoke rising, but it was as light as ink marks stained by water, as if it existed and yet did not.

Standing here, listening to the sound of the river waves pounding the bottom of the boat, the small boat under his feet swaying, He Chang felt an inexplicable sense of vastness and emptiness.

He felt as if he were the only one in this vast world, and everything else was gradually moving away, sinking into the setting sun that was slowly moving westward.

The sky is quiet and clear, the earth is fixed and peaceful.

The Dao of heaven and earth is vast and great...

"If you have the hope of cultivating the Dao and longevity, what would you do?"

Just when He Chang felt inexplicably dazed, a voice suddenly startled him.

"..."

When Chen Hang's voice sounded, his strange feeling instantly disappeared like ice melting and snow thawing.

He Chang patted his head blankly and looked at the river water under his feet again.

He had seen this scenery hundreds or thousands of times, but why hadn't he seen such strangeness in the past?

"Big Brother Chen, I know my own abilities... I'm just a half-baked person in learning martial arts, often suppressed by that Huang Min, let alone the illusory cultivation of longevity."

He Chang shook his head, as if to drive away that trace of strangeness just now.

Facing Chen Hang's question, he didn't doubt it, just thought about it seriously and said sincerely:

"In my opinion, so-called cultivation is not as glorious as the rumors in the world, and it's not as stable as my fishing livelihood."

"I would like to hear the details."

Chen Hang smiled.

Seeing that Chen Hang seemed to be interested in talking, He Chang was a chatterbox, so he simply stopped the oar and shook his head:

"Big Brother Chen should have heard of my brother He Yan, right?"

"Naturally, a disciple of the Yuanshan Mansion in the Liang Kingdom, a famous figure in Xiaqiu City back then."

"When my brother joined the Yuanshan Mansion, I was still a little boy, knowing nothing, just ignorantly feeling that the family had suddenly become rich, no longer living in a broken thatched hut, my father changed from helping on the boat to having his own boat, and my mother added quite a few beautiful

jewelry.

Later, when I was a little older, I remembered things, and I finally knew that these were actually my brother's credit.

At that time, I naturally also wanted to cultivate the Dao, and pestered my brother for a long time, letting him teach me how to realize embryonic breathing, but unfortunately, I had no talent for cultivation, and tried many times, but failed.

Later, my brother died, died in a training session..."

He Chang was silent for a while, and said complexly:

"So-called cultivation, how can it be as easy and glorious as people think? Because of my brother, I roughly know some things.

Talent, external medicine, Dharma lineage, sect, spiritual energy...

All these things, if one is missing, even if one cultivates the Dao, it will be extremely difficult, just like my brother.

Big Brother Chen, I know you are moved by Dong Tie's matter, but my brother once said a word to me, which I have remembered until now. This is what my brother saw in a Daoist book.

He said, in the nine-turn furnace, half becomes corpse-decomposed charcoal, outside the three-corpse pass, all are rotten roots of yellow buds!

This cultivation, how many people have really achieved the so-called Great Dao in the book?

To tell the truth, even if I really had the opportunity to cultivate the Dao like Dong Tie, I would not be willing to fight for that possible opportunity!"

The Dong Tie that He Chang mentioned was originally a farmer in Zhuxi Village, with a poor family background, it can be said that he had no tiles above and no place to stand below, usually only relying on helping others to make a living.

Because his wandering habits of cheating were hard to change, Dong Tie's reputation in Zhuxi Village was not very good, and naturally, no good woman was willing to marry him.

However, such a person recently hit luck. Because he accidentally picked up a half-broken talisman jade, he was found by the cultivation sect of the Liang Kingdom, the Fangyuan Sect.

Although the Fangyuan Sect confiscated the talisman jade, they also gave Dong Tie some compensation.

Even though Dong Tie was too old and his roots were low, the Fangyuan Sect still made an exception to accept Dong Tie into the mountain, letting him worship under an elder.

Once this matter spread, it was even more lively than when He Yan joined the Yuanshan Mansion ten years ago.

The people of Zhuxi Village treated this matter as a novel topic, almost everyone was jealous and envious, only wishing that they were the ones who accidentally picked up the talisman jade.

Only He Chang's reaction to this matter was indifferent. He was a chatterbox, but he hadn't mentioned this matter a few times.

Obviously, for the matter of cultivation and longevity, He Chang's attitude was definitely not enthusiastic...

And hearing Chen Hang speak like this today, He Chang only thought that Chen Hang was stimulated by Dong Tie's matter, so he hurriedly comforted him, and also said his own heart-to-heart words.

Chen Hang pondered slightly and asked again:

"If all external things are sufficient, and there is no fear of accidents, what would you do?"

He Chang thought about it,

and still shook his head.

"I have already started a family, with parents and a virtuous wife at home, and my children are smart and cute. I wish I could be by their side every day, how could I be willing to leave?"

He Chang put his hand on the boat shed, pondered seriously for a while, and then said freely:

"Besides, I have grown up in this water town since I was a child. Flying in the sky and escaping the earth, longevity and freedom, are all too far away for me.

I am very satisfied with my current life, just feeling that I am pitied by the gods and Buddhas of heaven and earth.

Even if I knew that cultivation could have greater benefits, I would not be willing to leave my family, not willing to leave my hometown..."

After saying this, He Chang couldn't help but laugh in his heart.

This was clearly a random chat between the two, but he became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, as if this really happened before his eyes.

However, He Chang didn't doubt it, because over the years, the two had experienced such boundless chatting not once or twice.

He Chang just treated the matter just now as Chen Hang being moved by Dong Tie's matter, which is why he asked that question.

"Big Brother Chen, I am such a useless person, don't laugh at me." He Chang scratched his head.

"No."

Chen Hang shook his head.

At this time, there was a thin layer of twilight at the corner of the sky, like mist and smoke.

The river breeze blew slowly, although it was still mixed with some heat that had not dissipated, it also made people feel refreshed.

"Generally speaking, being satisfied in life is contentment, and there is no greater joy than being worry-free, and no greater wealth than contentment..."

Chen Hang paused and smiled, not saying much, and said:

"Let's go, we've already delayed a lot of work."

He Chang nodded, and after the two of them waited for a while and collected the shrimp cages one by one, they slowly rocked the small fishing boat back to the river bank.

At this time, He Chang saw Xun Jian, who had been waiting for a long time, walk over, and he was not surprised, just smiled and nodded to him.

He knew that this person was a wealthy merchant from out of town in Xiaqiu City, and because he loved Chen Hang's good handwriting, he often came to visit. He Chang had also met Xun Jian a few times and was not a stranger.

Although he didn't know why Xun Jian came here today to ask for words or reminisce, He Chang didn't stay long.

After packing up and saying goodbye to Chen Hang, he sang a fisherman's chant and happily dragged the net away.

"Xun Gong came here today, I wonder what advice you have?"

Seeing He Chang's figure gradually walking away until he disappeared, Chen Hang took back his gaze and asked Xun Jian with a smile.

"True Person, please don't joke. In front of the True Person, how can this old dragon deserve the word 'Gong'!" Xun Jian waved his hands repeatedly.

Although he had been familiar with Chen Hang for two years, Xun Jian still felt inexplicably restrained in front of Chen Hang and could not be calm.

Back then, after Chen Hang killed Qian Lie, he not only did not leave,

but instead lived in Xiaqiu City openly, without hiding his traces at all.

The reaction of the Hundred Barbarian Palace upon learning of this matter was quite intriguing; Elder Liu, who was known for his arrogance, did not lash out first, but instead personally visited a few months later to apologize and presented a jade box.

Xun Jian saw with his own eyes the jade box being opened by Chen Hang.

Inside the box were just a pair of jade eyeballs and a Heavenly Human Void White Pill.

Those eyeballs were clearly from Elder Liu himself, gouged out by his own hand to punish himself for not recognizing people.

Although great cultivators have the ability to regenerate flesh and blood, this kind of small injury is actually not painful or itchy, but Elder Liu spent a lot of effort to refine his own pupils into golden light Dharma eyes.

To act like this is equivalent to wasting this Dharma eye supernatural power, and the loss is naturally not small.

As for the Heavenly Human Void White Pill, it goes without saying.

This object was originally Elder Liu's birthday gift for the Bai Man Palace Daoist Child. Even the various precious medicines had not been gathered, and it should be decades away from truly appearing in the world.

And the reason Elder Liu recruited Qian Lie was precisely because of the alchemy matter.

Although I don't know where Elder Liu sought another Heavenly Human Void White Pill, Xun Jian has recently heard rumors that Elder Liu seems to have found the Zongyuan Mountain and spent a great deal of family wealth to barely obtain this pill treasure.

These two things in the box are one more extraordinary than the other.

Elder Liu's sincerity made Xun Jian, an outsider, moved!

And Xun Jian had already believed Chen Hang's identity by seven or eight points, and after the apology, he was even more convinced.

In order to have ties with Chen Hang, he also found a house in Xiaqiu City and lived in this mortal city.

"The Bai Man Palace Daoist Child has sent a talisman letter, inviting the True Person to visit the Bai Man Palace to discuss the Dao."

After chatting with Chen Hang for a few words, Xun Jian didn't dare to delay today's business and hurriedly took out a letter carefully.

Chen Hang took it in his hand, scanned it once, and then collected it into his sleeve casually.

And after a while, when Xun Jian wanted to say goodbye, Chen Hang suddenly called him to stop.

"Although the Dragon Essence can help the dragon species grow their Dao practice, if used too much, it is actually a kind of fierce poison, just like the Water Gong Zhi, which will secretly ruin the foundation.

This object came from my hands. If Xun Gong suffers from chronic illness because of this, I will also be unbearable to see it. What did you encounter that made you so eager to increase your magic power?"

Xun Jian was startled when he heard this, and after a long while, he smiled bitterly and shook his head, helplessly:

"True Person, please forgive me, this old man, this old man..."

Seeing him stuttering, Chen Hang thought it was because of some unbearable matter.

He didn't force it, just smiled and let it pass.

And after Xun Jian said goodbye, Chen Hang looked at the winding great river in front of him again.

He stood in place for a long time, suddenly shook his head inexplicably, and sang loudly:

"Everyone has attachments, like the descent of heaven's energy and the ascent of earth's energy, naturally, but the principle of change, the end of existence, the beginning of nothingness, who can peek into its sect?"

After singing this, he picked up the few small shrimp cages and didn't look much more.

One foot deep and one foot shallow, his figure slowly disappeared.

And as summer went and autumn came, in the blink of an eye, fifteen years of cold and heat passed.

This day, Chen Hang, who was walking toward the fishing boat in the morning, suddenly received a spiritual message.

He opened it and looked, and before long he smiled freely:

"It seems it's time."