Chapter 279: line with translation of chapter title

The world of Journey to the West.

-> "Journey to the West world."

Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.

-> "Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens."

A golden long bridge sliced through the cosmos, stretching into a mist-enveloped fairyland.

-> "A golden long bridge cut through the universe, extending into a misty fairyland."

Feng Yi stood on the golden long bridge, calmly gazing at the celestial sanctuary before him.

-> "Feng Yi stood on the golden long bridge, calmly looking at the immortal holy land before him."

High above, though sunless, the light remained undimmed; amid the immortal mist, divine birds glided, auspicious beasts wandered, a scene of peaceful harmony.

-> "In the high sky, there was no sun yet the light did not diminish; amidst the misty immortal aura, immortal birds flew slowly, auspicious beasts strolled, a scene of peace and harmony."

This is a genuine realm of morality.

-> "This is a true land of morality."

The moment he arrived, Feng Yi felt a slight oddity—his Dao was subtly affected, as though he had stepped into a new realm of myriad heavens.

-> "At the moment of arriving here, Feng Yi instantly felt a slight strangeness; his own Great Dao was subtly affected, as if he had come to a new myriad worlds."

Here morality, rules, and Dao are self-contained.

-> "This place has its own morality, its own rules, its own Dao!"

This is the dojo of the Moral Heavenly Venerable, the eldest of them all—the Great Crimson Heaven of the Taiqing Realm.

-> "This is the dojo of the Morality Heavenly Venerable, the oldest being; the Taiqing Realm, the Great Crimson Heaven."

His thoughts turning, Feng Yi focused his gaze on the heart of this fairyland, on that ordinary Daoist temple.

-> "With thoughts turning in his heart, Feng Yi directed his gaze to the very center of this fairyland, to that ordinary Daoist temple."

Above the Daoist temple were three ancient characters: Tushita Palace.

-> "On the Daoist temple were written three ancient characters: Tusita Palace!"

Before Tushita Palace stood two youthful attendants, one in gold robes, the other in silver, as if they had long been waiting outside.

-> "Before Tusita Palace stood two child attendants, one wearing golden robes, the other silver robes, as if they had long been waiting outside the gate."

Though they looked like children, their aura was formidable—each a legendary powerhouse unique among all realms.

-> "Though they looked like children, their aura was not weak; each was a legendary powerhouse unique among all realms."

Seeing Feng Yi step down from the golden bridge, the two hurried forward and respectfully bowed, saying:

-> "Seeing Feng Yi's figure descend from the golden long bridge, the two hurried forward and respectfully bowed, saying:"

"Greetings, Your Majesty! My lord invites Your Majesty to enter!"

"Greetings, Your Majesty! My lord invites Your Majesty to enter!"

Golden Horn, Silver Horn

-> "\"Golden Horn, Silver Horn\"" (The Chinese uses 【】 which are book title marks; we can use double quotes.)

Seeing the two, Feng Yi gave a slight nod and said, "Thank you for your trouble, both of you!"

Thank you for your trouble, both of you!

"Not at all, Your Majesty, please!"

-> "\"Not at all, Your Majesty, please! \"" (Keep quotes.)

Having said that, Golden Horn and Silver Horn turned and led Feng Yi into Tushita Palace.

-> "Having said that, Golden Horn and Silver Horn turned and led Feng Yi into Tusita Palace."

Though Tushita Palace is a far-shore monastery, its rank is a notch above the mundane world; its layout, however, is simple and unadorned, without much extravagance.

-> "Although Tusita Palace is a daoist realm beyond the shore, its level is slightly higher than the mundane world, yet its layout is quite simple and unadorned, lacking much extravagance."

Furthermore, there are hardly any beings inside—just a Daoist, an ox, a monkey, and the two attendants.

-> "Moreover, there were not many beings there: only a Daoist, an ox, a monkey, and the two child attendants."

After passing through several gates, Feng Yi entered a quiet chamber housing an Eight Trigrams furnace, where he saw a Dao-robed elder seated cross-legged before the furnace.

-> "Passing through several gates, Feng Yi arrived at a quiet room housing an Eight Trigrams Furnace, where he saw an old Daoist robed figure sitting cross-legged before the furnace."

The elder had white hair and a beard, sat cross-legged on a cloud bed, with a black-and-white yin-yang fish intertwined scroll hanging behind him.

-> "The old man had white hair and a beard, sat cross-legged on a cloud bed, with a black-and-white yin-yang fish intertwined scroll hanging behind him."

At this moment, His eyes were half-closed, revealing no aura, like an utterly ordinary natural law of heaven and earth.

-> "At this moment, His eyes were half-closed, revealing no aura, just like an ordinary natural law of heaven and earth."

Yet, within this naturalness, the Dao-robed elder gave Feng Yi a feeling of the most ancient and profound weight, completely different from the impressions of the other far-shore beings.

-> "Yet within this naturalness, the robed old man gave Feng Yi a feeling of the most ancient and heavy weight, completely different from the sensations given by the other shore beings."

Even Amitabha Buddha, the eldest in Feng Yi's perception, lacked this sense of weight that the Moral Heavenly Venerable possessed.

-> "Even Amitabha Buddha, the most ancient being, in Feng Yi's perception, lacked this heaviness that the Morality Heavenly Venerable possessed."

"No wonder the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Venerable never appear in the world; even the Moral Heavenly Venerable, as the foundation of existence, is so weighty—hard to imagine how immense the karmic burden borne by the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, as the cause of all fruits, must be!"

-> "\"No wonder Yuanshi Tianzun and Lingbao Tianzun never appear in the world; even the Morality Heavenly Venerable, the 'foundation of existence,' is so heavy that it's hard to imagine how vast the karma borne by Yuanshi Tianzun, the 'cause of all fruits,' must be. \"" Need to keep quotes.

"Doing nothing yet leaving nothing undone—this style of action suits the Moral Heavenly Venerable's present state, for the more one interferes in worldly affairs, the greater the karmic stain; thus non-action, going with nature, is best!"

-> "\"Non-action yet accomplishing everything; this style of the Morality Heavenly Venerable is perhaps most fitting for His current state, after all, the more He intervenes in worldly affairs, the more karma He accumulates, so it's best to practice non-action and let things take their natural course! \"" Need quotes.

This thought arose in his mind, and Feng Yi couldn't help but feel moved.

-> "This thought arose in his heart, and Feng Yi couldn't help but feel moved."

On the path of reduction to emptiness, transcendence created by the Dao Lord, the Three Pure Ones, as a manifestation of one aspect of the Dao, carry a heavy status that is actually a burden to themselves.

-> "On the path of reduction to emptiness, the transcendence way created by the Dao Venerable, the Three Pure Ones, as a manifestation of one aspect of the Great Dao, are a heavy position that, for themselves, is actually a burden."

This is also a characteristic of late-stage cultivation in these heavens: for them, to transcend, they no longer need to add, but to subtract a little.

-> "This is also a characteristic of cultivation in these heavens at later stages: for them, to transcend, they no longer need to add, but need to subtract a little."

The stronger one becomes, the harder it is to ultimately achieve transcendence.

-> "The stronger one is, the harder it becomes to ultimately transcend."

This differs from the realm of sacrificial Dao, for attaining a realm above sacrificial Dao requires burning away everything, pushing sublimation to the extreme.

-> "This differs from the Sacrificial Dao realm; after all, to achieve a realm above the Sacrificial Dao, one must burn everything to the utmost, seeking ultimate sublimation."

No matter how much karma one carries, a single flame can consume it all, reducing everything to emptiness.

-> "No matter how much karma one carries, a single 'fire' burns it all, leaving everything empty."

Whether one can recover from extinction and rise from ruin is a matter of fate.

-> "As for whether one can revive from extinction and rise from ruin, that depends on luck."

On the contrary, the stronger one is, the deeper the accumulation; after burning everything away, it becomes more possible to be reborn from extinction and surpass all.

-> "On the contrary, the stronger one is, the deeper the accumulation; after burning everything, the more likely one can revive from extinction and surpass all."

For example, the empress in the original work, due to insufficient accumulation, could not be reborn after burning everything away, and thus entered the realm above sacrificial Dao.

-> "For example, the empress in the original work, due to insufficient accumulation, could not revive after burning everything and instead entered the realm above the Sacrificial Dao."

But where there is gain, there is loss!

-> "But, for every gain there is a loss!"

Unlike achieving the realm above sacrificial Dao, which requires a desperate, almost suicidal breakthrough, attaining the position of Dao fruit is far less dangerous.

-> "Unlike the near-suicidal breakthrough of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats needed to achieve the Sacrificial Dao realm, attaining the Dao Fruit position is far less dangerous."

Once the reduction-to-emptiness is accomplished, as long as one does not extremistly draw power from the primordial cycle like the Golden Emperor, attaining the Dao fruit position becomes almost a matter of course.

-> "Once the reduction to emptiness is completed, as long as one does not extremes like the Golden Emperor drawing power from the epoch cycle, attaining the Dao Fruit position is almost a matter of course."

This, too, may be the different breakthrough paths resulting from the distinct cultivation styles of the two worlds.

-> "This is also due to the different cultivation styles of the two worlds producing different breakthrough paths!"

One has fewer restrictions, making the breakthrough process more perilous; the other has greater restrictions, requiring careful consideration at each step, yet its breakthrough process is safer.

-> "One has fewer restrictions, making the breakthrough process more dangerous; the other has greater restrictions, requiring careful consideration at each step, yet the breakthrough process is safer."

And the Three Pure Ones, as the oldest and most powerful beings of this heaven and earth, naturally have a path to transcendence that is beyond imagination in difficulty.

-> "And the Three Pure Ones, as the three oldest and most powerful beings of this heaven and earth, naturally have a transcendence path that is unimaginably difficult."

Furthermore, due to their unity as one, it can be said that among all far-shore beings, the Three Pure Ones face the highest difficulty of transcendence, with no exception.

-> "Furthermore, due to the Three Pure Ones being one entity, it can be said that among all shore-beings, the difficulty of transcendence for the Three Pure Ones is the highest, with no exception."

Otherwise, given that the Three Pure Ones almost completely overwhelm the rest of the far-shore beings in this heaven with terrifying power, how could the others possibly have a chance to contend with them for the Dao fruit position?

-> "Otherwise, with the Three Pure Ones almost crushing the remaining shore-beings of these heavens with terrifying power, how could the other shore-beings possibly have a chance to contend with them for the Dao Fruit position?"

At the moment Feng Yi felt this insight, the Moral Heavenly Venerable's eyes half-opened, and he slowly spoke: "How should I address you, fellow Daoist? As Fuhuang, Taihao, or Renhuang?"

-> "At the moment Feng Yi felt this insight, the Morality Heavenly Venerable's eyes half-opened, and He slowly spoke: \"How should I address you, fellow Daoist? Fuxi Emperor, Taihao, or Human Emperor? \""

"Greetings, Moral Daoist!"

-> "\"Greetings, Morality Heavenly Venerable! \""

A faint smile appeared in Feng Yi's eyes, and he softly said, "Just call me Fuxi, fellow Daoist."

-> "A faint smile appeared in Feng Yi's eyes as he softly said, \"Just call me Fuxi, fellow Daoist. \""

"Fuxi."

-> "\"Fuxi. \""

The Moral Heavenly Venerable gazed deeply at the figure before him, and in his mind arose the epithet of Fuhuang that circulates in some heavens, making a certain suspicion grow clearer.

-> "The Morality Heavenly Venerable gazed deeply at the figure before Him, and in His mind arose the epithet of Fuxi Emperor transmitted in some heavens, making His suspicion grow clearer."

Meanwhile, Feng Yi simply gazed silently at the Moral Heavenly Venerable, awaiting his next words.

-> "Feng Yi merely looked silently at the Morality Heavenly Venerable, awaiting His next words."

At that moment, the Moral Heavenly Venerable's eyes shifted slightly, revealing faintly the endless spectacle of cosmic birth and death.

-> "Just then, the Morality Heavenly Venerable's eyes shifted slightly, revealing a faint vision of the endless universe's birth and death."

Hum

-> "Hum"

Heaven and earth abruptly changed; the black-and-white yin-yang fish intertwined Taiji diagram flew from behind the Moral Heavenly Venerable, transforming into two black and white yin-yang fish with intertwined heads and tails, which flew toward Feng Yi.

-> "Heaven and earth suddenly changed; the black-and-white yin-yang fish intertwined Taiji diagram flew from behind the Morality Heavenly Venerable, transforming into two black and white yin-yang fish with intertwined heads and tails, shooting toward Feng Yi."

Seeing this, Feng Yi's expression hardly changed; a thought stirred in his mind, and the River Chart and Luo Book appeared before him.

-> "Seeing this, Feng Yi's expression did not change much; with a thought, the Hetu Luoshu appeared before him."

The ten black-and-white points of light on the tortoise-shell tome constantly shifted, interpreting the principles of yin-yang, the five elements, heavenly secrets, fate, and the ultimate truth of the Yi Dao, directly colliding with the black-and-white yin-yang fish.

-> "The ten black-and-white light points on the tortoise-shell book constantly shifted, interpreting the Yin-Yang Five Elements, the heavenly secrets of fate, the ultimate principle of the Yi Dao, directly colliding with the black-and-white yin-yang fish."

Hum

-> "Hum"

Heaven and earth stilled; time and space contracted, dimensions dissipated, and everything seemed to cease to exist.

-> "Heaven and earth stilled, time and space coiled, dimensions dissipated, everything seemed nonexistent."

But the next moment, the black-and-white yin-yang fish turned, light and time reversed, the scattered reappeared, and the destroyed became whole again.

-> "But the next moment, the black-and-white yin-yang fish circulated, light and time reversed, the dissipated reappeared, the destroyed became whole again."

The yin-yang fish returned behind the Moral Heavenly Venerable, turning into a scroll hanging on the wall.

The Venerable of Virtue and Dao and Feng Yi's figures remained unmoving, still retaining their original appearance.

Everything in the quiet chamber returned to its previous state, only the flames in the Eight Trigrams furnace continued to burn, as if what had just happened were merely an illusion.

"As expected!"

The Venerable of Virtue and Dao's aged and tranquil voice sounded: "Fuxi Daoist friend, you are not a sentient being of these heavens, are you?"

"Your discerning eyes are like a torch, Daoist friend!"

Feng Yi flicked his sleeve, brushing off nonexistent dust from his robes, smiled faintly, and said: "I am indeed not a sentient being of these heavens; I merely have a deeper connection with the Fuxi and Taihao of these heavens."

The Venerable of Virtue and Dao nodded; with His realm, He naturally understood this situation.

Similar to us, yet not exactly the same as us.

For example, He Himself, as the oldest, is already the sole entity above time and space, but if a new universe were born, a corresponding being similar to the Venerable of Virtue and Dao would also arise.

Because He Himself is a manifestation of one aspect of the Dao.

At the same time, those who cultivate or comprehend His Great Dao, even if not His other self, will continually draw nearer to His own Dao.

This is also why many other-shore-level supreme divine arts have appeared in these heavens; it is precisely these other-shore beings exploring the path of reduction and seeking emptiness, as well as the Dao Fruit path.

Those who practice the arts they created, in the process of continual comprehension and growth, also continually draw near to the Dao contained within those arts, and can ultimately become candidates for reduction and seeking emptiness among those other-shore beings.

Otherwise, why would these other-shore beings need to create supreme divine arts perfected to the extreme?

However, this Fuxi Daoist friend before us actually spread this connection beyond these heavens, which still caused the Venerable of Virtue and Dao some alarm.

On the other side, seeing the Venerable of Virtue and Dao nod, Feng Yi extended a hand; a clear light flew from the Luo Book, directly transforming into an old Dao-robed figure whose aura was harmonious and natural.

This Dao-robed elder is completely different from the Venerable of Virtue and Dao, his aura vastly superior in strength, yet he gives the impression of also being the Venerable of Virtue and Dao.

Hum

The Venerable of Virtue and Dao's eyes changed for the first time; the black-and-white yin-yang fish swirled within His pupils, reflecting the details of the Dao-robed elder before Him.

Feng Yi pointed to the Dao-robed elder beside Him and said meaningfully: "Virtue Daoist friend, this is the Venerable of Virtue and Dao of the other worlds."

"The other worlds?"

"I see!"

The Venerable of Virtue and Dao's tone carried a hint of sigh as He said: "In fact, beyond the boundless Chaos of the world we inhabit, other worlds still exist; the old Dao has long suspected that after the Venerable's transcendence, He likely departed from our world, wandering beyond the boundless Chaos, merely"

He paused here, then continued: "It turns out that those other worlds also have beings similar to us, which I had not imagined; truly, the Dao knows no bounds!"

He originally thought that attaining the Dao Fruit position and transcending was already the endpoint of the Great Dao, but now it appears not to be so at all.

Because He exists as the source of the Dao, similar beings to the Venerable of Virtue and Dao will arise among the myriad worlds of these heavens.

Perhaps within the true myriad heavens there exists an ineffable being, the true source of the Dao, which is why similar beings to Him are born in the other worlds.

"What the Daoist friend says is indeed correct!"

Feng Yi nodded, a hint of thought in His eyes, and said: "At least in some of the heavens I have visited, there exist beings comparable to the Dao Fruit, or similar to it, yet they have not yet reached the ultimate end of the Dao."

What Feng Yi referred to is that 'ailing' Bronze Hall Master.

The Venerable of Virtue and Dao's eyes brightened as He looked at Feng Yi and asked: "Is the external-path other-shore way you now tread sourced from those heavens?"

As the oldest, who is somewhat stronger than Amitabha Buddha, He naturally also discovered the marvel of this external-path other-shore way contained within Feng Yi's body; this too is a Great Dao path not inferior to the Dao Fruit.

"Not bad."

A faint smile appeared on Feng Yi's face as He said: "Those heavens are in no way inferior to this world; if you are willing, Daoist friend, I can guide you to descend there, which I believe will greatly inspire your future path, and even lead you to several other heavens no less than this world."

On the plateau above, there are a bunch of strange ancestors at the Dao-sacrificing realm; being able to fool a few helpers over there is naturally the best.

"Oh?"

The Venerable of Virtue and Dao's eyes flickered slightly, but He did not directly agree, instead saying lightly: "Do you know what symbol I, the old Dao, represent?"

"The foundation of existence!"

Feng Yi smiled faintly, playing with the River Chart and Luo Book in His palm, and said casually: "Just like reduction and seeking emptiness, cultivating a practitioner capable of bearing your symbol, Daoist friend, would suffice; this should be much easier than completing reduction and seeking emptiness, and I think the one you have chosen now is quite good."

"Moreover, even if I cannot leave for the time being, I can awaken a being similar to my other self in those heavens for you, Daoist friend, so you may witness the Daoist scenery of the other heavens."

The Venerable of Virtue and Dao fell silent.

Such single-mindedly Dao-seeking beings wish to transcend precisely because they have already completely mastered all the Great Daos of these heavens.

Now there is an opportunity to go to a new heaven, to comprehend a new Great Dao; how could He not be moved!

Feng Yi also did not urge, merely waiting quietly.

After a while, the Venerable of Virtue and Dao suddenly spoke: "Then, Daoist friend, what do you need?"

Feng Yi's expression turned solemn, and He said word by word: "My human emperor's form must take charge of all things in these heavens and myriad worlds, including the birth and destruction of epochs, making the human Dao eternal!"

In these heavens, the birth and destruction of epochs are the supreme principle of heaven and earth's operation, an immutable law from ancient times.

And the Venerable created a special path by borrowing the rules of the epoch cycle, the Dao Fruit path.

When the ancient being completes reduction and seeking emptiness, casting all of his karma onto others to bear, he himself falls into a special state where existence and non-existence contradict each other.

In this special state, the ancient being can draw the power of an epoch's cycle from its birth to its destruction, allowing his Dao Fruit to fully mature, thereby transcending.

And now, Feng Yi's human emperor form taking full charge of these heavens, including the birth and destruction of epochs, signifies that He controls the qualification for the birth of the Dao Fruit position; how could other other-shore beings possibly agree?

However, the Venerable of Virtue and Dao did not directly refuse, but instead asked an unrelated question:

"What is non-action?"

Feng Yi's eyes flickered slightly, He met the Venerable's gaze, and said: "To go with the trend, to follow nature's law, to abide by the Dao, to respond to heaven in due time—that is non-action! Non-action is not inaction; it is arranging oneself according to the great trend, everything lies within the Dao, with the Dao upon one, non-action yet nothing left undone."

Saying this, Feng Yi felt a hint of enlightenment, the corners of His mouth twitched into a light smile, and He said: "I see now, I understand, thank you, Daoist friend."

After speaking, Feng Yi did not linger, turned and left the Tushita Palace.

The Venerable of Virtue and Dao's meaning is clear; each side may proceed with their own plans.

If Feng Yi can accomplish the plan to take charge of the heavens, He will not obstruct it, but will instead go along and agree to the two parties' transaction.

If Feng Yi cannot do so, then He will not extend a helping hand, but will carry out His original plan.

To follow nature, non-action yet nothing left undone—this is the Dao of the Venerable of Virtue and Dao.

After confirming Morality Heavenly Venerable's idea, Feng Yi could also rest assured and finish his own plan.

After Feng Yi's figure disappeared, Morality Heavenly Venerable gazed into the distant heavens and earth with deep eyes, and whispered:

"The remaining Heavenly Spirit Treasures"

(End of chapter)