454: Chapter 48: Enlightennt and the Nascent Soul, Attainnt of the Dao is also Enlightennt of the Buddha 454: Chapter 48: Enlightennt and the Nascent Soul, Attainnt of the Dao is also Enlightennt of the Buddha The heavens and earth began to disintegrate, the firmant torn apart like a sheet of paper.
The True Buddha gazed in astonishnt; He had not anticipated that a mortal woman could unravel the ga He had set.
Yet, the aura emanating from her three souls and seven spirits was no different from that of a mortal.
Her only distinctive feature was the addition of a trace of Qingcang’s aura.
Had she the ability to conceal her power before Him, she would not be bound by the Heavenly Rules and Earthly Laws, nor would she remain in Wu Wang City to preserve her life.
The Heaven and Earth Two Saints had no authority over Immortals, one of the Heavenly Rules and Earthly Laws; Transcenders do not feature in the Book of Life and Death, Saints do not belong to the Five Elents.
If the Heavenly Rules and Earthly Laws could be violated at will, then Gu Wen would have easily revived her.
How could a re mortal shatter the Pure Land of the Buddha Country?
The True Buddha looked toward Gu Wen, his body radiating an aura of Daoist charm, unraveling the Pure Land of the Buddha Country as his figure stretched boundlessly and relaxed.
The Supre Calming Heart Scripture contains no otherworldly magic, only serving to break through illusions.
This mortal woman held no Saint’s Power; she simply chanted the ntal thod, and thus she broke through the Pure Land of the Buddha Country.
“There is nothing that is not nothing; serenely and forever silent.
If silence is empty of silence, how can desires arise?”
The Goddess continued with the next line, and the wedding procession began to vanish, the distant towns turning into a clump of yellow earth.
Gu SiJu and Gu Wuzeng disappeared into smoke, and Gu Ernu, fighting against Chi Yu Zi, tumbled off his horse, laying on the ground and laughing loudly: “How wonderful for you to recite just one line of the heart-clearing scripture and we vanish, yet desires will not dissipate.”
Gu Sanyou watched her dissolving lower half, sighing faintly, “Is it truly important what is real and what is not?
If unable to be fulfilled, why should the unreal not be real?”
Gu Daxi chuckled and shook his head wryly, “This dream of a yellow millet could last a thousand years, why bother?”
The Seven Emotions coalesced, and the Six Desires unified.
The Goddess from the heavens never touches the dust of the mortal world, her gaze fixated on Gu Wen all this while, her voice, cool and detached, continued to chant: “When silence is empty of silence, how can desires arise?
With desires not born, there is true serenity.”
Gu Wen stared deeply for a mont, then slowly closed his eyes, his eyelids closing as darkness fell upon the world.
Silently he ditated in his heart, his thoughts like thunder, leveling the Buddhas across the sky.
‘True forever responds to things, true forever attains nature.
Forever responsive and forever serene, forever in tranquil clarity.’
‘Such is tranquility, gradually entering the true path.
Once entered, it is called achieving the path.’
With the words “having achieved the path” spoken, heaven and earth completely collapsed, and the Goddess’s presence vanished as well.
That’s why I never wanted to see you; either it’s false, or I am powerless.
This dream of yellow millet is a dream of your existence and longing.
—————–
That year, the Daoist was forty years old and had nearly established his Daoist foundation, yet had not attained immortality.
Daxia was just established, at the beginning of a golden era.
Beneath the jujube tree in the small courtyard sat Li Yunshang, Yu Hua, Gu Wen, and Chi Yu Zi, gathered around a small table, brewing tea and facing each other.
As usual, Gu Wen was being grilled by his master to discuss “how to establish an ideal society,” a topic he couldn’t really co up with any good ideas for—all his knowledge ca from the great n of his previous life.
In hypothetical terms, using Daqian as the model, he formulated a process of transitioning from feudal society to capitalist society.
He used relatively simple and accessible terminology, suggesting reverence for rchants and respect for workers.
“If there were a guide to the ideal society, upon encountering feudalism, he would certainly urge them to dabble in capitalism.”
Hearing this, Li Yunshang couldn’t help but chuckle and asked, “Does the disciple an that rchants are sowhat better for the people than kings?”
“rchants are not much better than nobles, but a rchant who handles his affairs poorly can go bankrupt.”
“Do you an to suggest making power more fluid?
But when a Cultivator amasses great power, even if their governance is inadequate, they are not likely to relinquish it easily.”
“That would require the master to establish a systematized governing institution.”
“How do you systemize it?
Rules are made by n and can always be changed; no lofty rationale can outweigh the size of a fist.”
“Yes, the ideal society is almost impossible.”
Gu Wen nodded in agreent, seizing the chance to instill in his ‘Saint’ master:
“Cultivation is for the freedom to roam; why concern oneself with others?
‘When injustice is t, draw the sword to assist,’ but it’s nonsensical that I should draw my sword for all the world’s injustices.”
Li Yunshang smiled, full of mirth, simply pinching Gu Wen’s cheek without saying much more.
His disciple, bearing the Saint’s Technique, yet lacking a Saint’s heart.
He has no aspiration for universal harmony, no concern for the world’s people, and she would not force it.
“Those with greater ability do more work; as a teacher with such strength, shouldn’t I do more?”
“Personal heroism should not be encouraged.”
“The teacher feels that she, too, grew up eating grains; how is it becoming personal to help one’s own people?
Should everyone be as strong as before my good deeds cease to be personal?”
Li Yunshang was exceedingly smart, having long learned Gu Wen’s rhetoric and crafted her rebuttal.
“Disciple, you’ve beco attached.”
“Tsk…”
Gu Wen looked away, changing the subject to Yu Hua, “Did you get a haircut?”
Yu Hua covered her mouth with a giggle, aware that he was diverting the conversation, but still nodded in acquiescence, “I trimd a few spots; otherwise, it drags on the floor when I squat down.”
She styled a simple high ponytail, a single wooden hairpin holding it in place, revealing her fair ears, adding to her striking and spirited appearance.
“However, going out like this can attract unnecessary trouble; I used to prefer covering it up.”
Saying this, Yu Hua removed her hairpin and then split her hair to drape symtrically over her shoulders, tied in loops, hanging at either side.
A modest pair of looped buns, sotis also called maidservant’s hair.
Yu Hua’s presence beca slightly less striking, turning from an intense twelve out of ten to just a ten.
Gu Wen bluntly said, “You’re not as pretty anymore.”
Hearing this, Yu Hua did not get annoyed like most won would but explained in a gentle voice,
“Appearance is a double-edged sword; it can push into higher circles to be a re trophy.
I am reluctant to do so, yet I cannot avoid the trouble it brings, so I resort to various thods to conceal it.”
“Since joining the Ru Dao Sect, I’ve rarely shown my face, except at the Tianxuan Conference, where it’s mandated that one’s appearance cannot be concealed.”
Gu Wen then asked, “And then you encountered many suitors?”
“Why do you always care about such superficial things?” Yu Hua replied, sowhat annoyed, following which Li Yunshang, who was chewing on rice crackers, also curiously asked, “Girl, how do they compare to my disciple?”
“…”
Yu Hua helplessly sighed; this master and disciple pair were similar in so ways, always out of tune.
She simply ignored the question and said, “Back then, I struggled mightily just to barely make it into the top five hundred of the list.
As for Chi Yu Zi, he ranked second, just one place behind Xiao Yunyi.”
As she spoke, Yu Hua rubbed the unseeing, unhearing Chi Yu Zi.
Divine Thought was transmitted, repeating the conversation.
Chi Yu Zi’s delicate and exquisite face remained expressionless as he communicated through thoughts, “Although Sister Yu Hua was only ranked five hundred, I think she was first in appearance.”
“You still dare to jest about .”
Yu Hua grabbed Chi Yu Zi’s head and flicked his forehead hard.
Without a sense of pain, he continued, “Sister Yu Hua has a great figure too, soft and squishy.
She’s not fat, but she feels aty to the touch.”
As his words reached the ears of the others, Li Yunshang unhesitatingly reached into her spacious Daoist robe, instantly eliciting a startled cry from Yu Hua who protested, embarrassed and annoyed,
“Ancestor Master, what are you doing?”
Li Yunshang turned to Gu Wen and reported, “A treasure of immortality!
My disciple is blessed.”
Gu Wen felt a bit awkward and turned away; he did not have such a frivolous master.
Seeing this, Li Yunshang slapped his shoulder and mocked, “Acting so prudish, soone could easily play upon your desires for Yu Hua, and if not satisfied, a deficiency would arise.”
Yu Hua said, “I have taught Gu Wen a ntal thod to ward off Heart Demons.”
“That which can be resisted is not a Heart Demon, at most it’s rely a lustful thought.”
Li Yunshang shook her head, her manner turning from light-hearted to serious as she said, “When you face a Heart Demon in the future, rember not to indulge in desires.
Of the seven emotions and six desires—joy, anger, worry, fear, hatred, and desire—guard against desire, and the Ten Thousand Demons shall not touch you.”
Yu Hua was clearly a good student and assud the proper posture as she asked, “I am foolish, please enlighten further.”
“A person changes according to their heart, but similarity remains.
We can spread out the risk of Heart Demons by imagining our hearts as our family—parents, siblings—forming a household.”
“The father, the head of the household, should manifest as our cultivation.
The brother, who protects the younger sibling, that we should be the smallest.”
Li Yunshang held up one finger, her valiant face emphasizing, “When plagued by Heart Demons, fleeing may be a temporary solution, but constant fleeing brings endless benefits.”
Yu Hua was slightly taken aback, were these words befitting of the Qingcang Immortal?
Gu Wen had already gotten used to it.
His master was truly a peerless Immortal, yet only hoped for his juniors to run away in the face of danger.
Yu Hua said, “Grand Ancestor, no one can run away forever.”
“It’s not necessary to run away forever, just until poor Daoist arrives.” Li Yunshang replied, then, as if thinking of sothing, patted Gu Wen.
“However, poor Daoist probably won’t live much longer, so it will be up to you then.
I don’t expect you to protect all under heaven, but you must take good care of Yu Hua and the others.”
“…”
The mood sank and Yu Hua imdiately joked, “I’ve always been the one protecting him.
Now it’s ti to repay the debt.”
Gu Wen nodded seriously, “From now on, I will protect you, even if it ans my life and Dao end.”
“Pfft…
It sounds like you’re going to die any mont now.”
Yu Hua couldn’t help but laugh lightly at his earnestness, and her smile gradually softened.
“Such an approach will only expose your weaknesses and hinder your cultivation.
I hope to encounter the Great Dao before you, not after.”
“Because only through cultivation can we beco omnipotent.”
Before the Daoist attained immortality, she said the Great Dao is supre, cultivation for oneself alone.
After the Daoist attained immortality, she said, a path with emotions surpasses one without.
—————–
Surrounded by the scent of incense, he opened his eyes once more to find himself in the Buddhist temple before the golden Buddha.
A plainly dressed female crown stood before him, her towering presence overshadowing the radiant light of the golden Buddha, as if a pair of invisible hands were twisting the Buddha down.
Chi Yu Zi was on the left, and on the right was a nun in white and gold Kasaya.
Gu Wen felt as though he had had a long dream, his eyes revealing a faint glimr.
As Yin and Yang first transford, mists intertwined and the universe seed to sweep away, the Infinite Dao was born from stillness into motion.
The little Daoist in the Qi Sea folded his hands in prayer, a strand of hair growing out, one inch long, then three inches, six inches, reaching nine inches at its utmost.
This was the Nascent Soul, born from thought, ford from a wish.
The deepest wishes and intentions, like Buddha’s setting forth his great vows, were necessary to cultivate the Nascent Soul.
“Amitabha Buddha, has the benefactor beco Buddha?”
The voice of the True Buddha rang deep and solemn like a temple bell, but a hint of urgency could be detected at the end of the sound.
If one can enlighten the Mixed Elent, what does it matter if it dissipates?
Buddha’s compassion is great, Buddha loves Gu Wen.
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