The Kingdom of Dwarves was located deep in the mountains, constantly hunted and harassed by birds, wild beasts, poisonous snakes, and insects.
Even a larger mountain cat could consider them prey.
Due to the limited arable land in the valley they cultivated, their main food sources were still hunting and gathering.
Although the valley they initially chose was relatively peaceful without natural disasters like poisonous mists or floods, they would still go hungry during continuous rainy days.
This led to not only a halt in population growth but also a continual decline over the years. Over ten thousand had entered the mountains originally, and although there were minor recoveries, the overall trend was decreasing.
Especially during several severe natural and man-made disasters, including internal rebellions, the population drastically reduced.
These years, they have lived in constant fear, always facing the danger of national extinction and species eradication.
Thus, when the Monarch saw that Mo Zhui and his two brothers looked similar to himself yet possessed divine skills to fly through the skies and move mountains, he wanted to keep them, even at the cost of abdicating the throne.
Mo Zhui agreed to stay and make significant changes here after being persuaded by Shi Feiyang.
Shi Feiyang calculated and found that Bai Guanhong was catching insects for raising gu worms over two thousand miles away in dense forests, and thus summoned him with a Flying Sword Transmission.
He, as the National Master of Great Ming, wrote a morial describing the situation of the Kingdom of Dwarves and requested the current Emperor to grant it official status.
He asked Mo Zhui to think of a new na for the country and asked the King to select twelve of the sharpest and strongest dwarves as tribute envoys. They were to bring treasures of their nation, a set of twelve ceramics made from special local clay, depicting the twelve Zodiac animals starting with the Void Sun Rat up to the Room Fire Pig.
These items corresponded to the Twelve Branches of the Heavenly Palace in the Yellow Path and had been brought into the mountains when their nation fell ten thousand years ago. They served as the "umbilical cord" connecting the Kingdom of Dwarves with the civilization of the Central Plains.
The ancestors had arranged that, should there co a ti for restoration during a grand sacrificial ceremony when celestial envoys from a powerful nation visited, this set of "Ancient Treasures" should be presented.
Initially, the hope for re-establishnt of their nation rested on this set of items. Once re-civilization and a second bloom of culture occurred, these physical items would no longer be useful.
Mo Zhui, after discussing with Shi Feiyang, decided to send this treasure, along with Shi Feiyang’s morial, to the capital through Bai Guanhong.
After Bai Guanhong left, the Kingdom of Dwarves began preparing for the abdication ceremony.
Shi Feiyang taught Mo Zhui, "To cultivate the Great Dao of the Three Emperors, one must start with understanding humanity. To comprehend humanity, one must first understand human nature. Human nature is built on the foundation of beastly nature; humans are originally beasts, thus everyone possesses beastly nature, which is the base color, and humanity is the elevation."
Possessing humanity allows humans to live better, unite, exert greater vitality, overco obstacles, and eventually beco masters in this primordial world. The difference between human nature and beastly nature ultimately boils down to public versus private concerns; private desires are the base color, while public interest is the elevation.
Everyone has private desires. In a collective, every individual in their respective roles instinctively seeks their own benefits, thus the larger the population, the more likely they are to beco a disorderly crowd. Leaders who advocate for more benefits for more people are the truly wise; this is the principle of university education."
Mo Zhui asked, "Did they beco increasingly smaller over the years because they lost their humanity and revealed their beastly nature? If I help them re-establish their humanity, will they grow larger again?"
Shi Feiyang replied, "Whether they grow larger or smaller is actually irrelevant. They might even beco foolish or turn on each other. Essentially, the greater the beastly nature, the heavier the focus on personal gain, and it will inevitably lead to self-destruction in various forms."
Mo Zhui, deeply concerned, said, "I originally thought that as long as they obey and I teach them Daoist techniques of Immortal Law, strengthening themselves physically and ntally, overcoming wild beasts, harmonizing Yin Yang, ensuring that the winds are favorable and the rains tily, eating well and living well, the population would naturally increase and they would gradually beco stronger and return to their larger size."
"That would an turning them into pets, tools, puppets. Each individual has their private desires; it’s impossible for everyone to act for the public good," explained Shi Feiyang, "The advocate for maximizing public interest was Mozi. However, he ignored the inherent beastly nature of humans, advocated for communal living and support, extolled public interest to the extre, demanded complete selflessness from people, and was ultimately abandoned by them. The nations that elevate personal interest to the extre might appear in a few hundred years, but they, too, cannot last long. One must face the reality of public and private interests and adjust according to the actual situation."
Mo Zhui then asked, "Father, you established the Demon Kingdom in the Outer Heaven Divine Mountain, but you often stay in Central Earth and never interfere with its governance. Has the public interest reached its peak there?"
"Of course not. Whether it is humans or demons, the inherent beastly nature is the sa, and the humanity established through civilization is also the sa," Shi Feiyang warned him not to blindly imitate the thods of the Outer Heaven Divine Mountain, shifting the conversation, "The Great Dao of the Three Emperors is comprehended through the establishnt and observation of humanity.
This is the principle of humanity; Huaxia has a history of ten thousand years, and every Emperor continuously explores and summarizes this. The Han Dynasty had the Grand Debate on Salt and Iron, discussing whether various minerals in the country should be public or private property. So believed it should be public, while others thought it should be private.
Throughout our current dynasty, the struggle between public and private ownership of mines continues, reaching a climax during the Wanli Dynasty. The court officials bitterly criticized the Emperor for competing with the public for profits, the eunuch party leading the country astray. In reality, private profits all entered the private treasury of the Emperor. The state coffers had long been emptied, not a hair left.
Under Wanli, excessive mining taxes were hoarded in the private treasury, available during disasters and wars if needed. If everything fell into private hands, it would all be over! In the Song Dynasty, the Emperor and the scholars seemingly governed together, but in reality, the state perished while the scholars could still beco nobles and ministers without losing their positions.
As a king, one must read history. Many emperors in history were initially brilliant but suddenly beca foolish and incompetent later on, with many inexplicable actions. These are the key considerations; deep reflection is needed. Everything should be considered from the perspective of public versus private interests to achieve clarity."
Shi Feiyang also told him, "Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. I tell you these to explain the fundantals of human and beastly nature, public and private interests. It’s not about copying exactly or rigidly applying them; the specific thods are not important, but the underlying principles are."
Huaxia has always used one core set of principles to derive various "spells." This applies to personal cultivation, state governance, and even dicine.
Because at the core of their Dao, humans and nature are integrated as one, allowing myriad principles to arise from the Dao, from which innurable techniques are born.
Mo Zhui, having listened, gained new insights and ideas about how to cultivate his heart and qi, how to treat his private and public concerns, and even how to govern the country of little people.
Shi Feiyang then said, "Any country founded amidst peril and hardship must face a decisive battle for its establishnt. If it survives, the dynasty will last long; if not, it will likely end by the second generation. However, within danger lies opportunity, much like a person’s tribulation. If you overco it, there are many benefits. According to my calculations, your small country also has such a tribulation ahead, and it stems from you."
The tribulation he spoke of was those people searching everywhere for the Queen Mother Grass.
Mo Zhui could choose to face this tribulation in this valley, together with the little people. By obtaining Mo Zhui, they had hope of returning to their original state, but the tribulation ca with them as well.
If they overca it, Mo Zhui and the little people, having undergone a spell baptism, would reap many benefits afterward.
Mo Zhui could also choose to go elsewhere and fight those people, but such a separation of the future monarch from the nation also planted many seeds of calamity.
In "Journey to the West" Dan Scripture, the journey west reflects one country and one monarch, indivisible from the body of the state. Mo Zhui’s situation was getting a taste of this as well.
The next night, Sui Yin arrived alone at Baiyang Mountain.
He first t Shi Longgu, who was waiting there and led him to see Shi Feiyang.
Shi Feiyang asked Sui Yin, "Do you still rember ?"
His appearance had not changed over the years, and Sui Yin, even frightened in his dreams by him, rembered distinctly and hurriedly replied, "Junior rembers."
"Do you also know who I am?"
"Yes, junior knows. Senior is the master of Outer Heaven Divine Mountain, the Great Ming National Master, Master Yuan Yang."
"Good, knowing is good. When you left Bai Man Mountain, you went under the wing of the Red-haired Ancestor. Today, I have to inform you that the Red-haired Ancestor will face the sa situation as the Green Robe Ancestor did in the past."
"Ah?" Sui Yin was shocked, "Senior, are you going to confront Red Wood Ridge? May I ask how did you and the Red-haired Ancestor beco enemies?"
Sui Yin had fled alone back then and only later, upon gathering intelligence, learned that the Green Robe Ancestor had gone west, and Xin Chenzi had entered under the Red-haired Ancestor, introducing him as well.
Over the years, Sui Yin had only seen the Red-haired Ancestor twice, and his Daoist Technique teachings were mostly passed down by Hong Changbao in place of the teacher. For every spell transmitted, they had to do many things as paynt, the interaction always sowhat deaning. Those "Green Robe lineage" disciples did not have an easy ti under the Red-haired Ancestor.
Although they were said to be the disciples of the Red-haired Ancestor, in reality, even younger branches like Yao Kaijiang, who were of the direct lineage, could boss them around. Thus, they never truly established a master-disciple relationship with the Red-haired Ancestor.
Shi Feiyang told Sui Yin, "I didn’t have any deep hatred with the Red-haired Ancestor, but this ti I took his Five Elents Divine Fire Furnace to compensate my disciple, and he will surely be relentless. With his disciples instigating, he will surely seek a fight to the death with , but he can’t defeat , and in the end, it will bring annihilation upon his clan."
If anyone else dared make such a bold statent, not taking the Red-haired Ancestor seriously, Sui Yin would have definitely mocked their arrogance.
But coming from Shi Feiyang, everything seed so natural, so serene.
"Today, I have asked you here to convey a ssage to the Red-haired Ancestor. His disciples are scheming to find the Queen Mother Grass that I raised, and the Qu Yuan they nearly killed is my newly accepted disciple. Let the Five Elents Divine Furnace be a compensation,
and while no lives have been lost yet, both sides should cease. Let him restrain his disciples from causing more trouble. In the future, to survive the great catastrophe of heaven and earth, he might still need my help. I know he is aggrieved, but if he insists on seeking revenge, he will surely end in the total obliteration of his lineage.
He is also proficient in mystical arts and even keeps a Heavenly Demon. Let him weigh the pros and cons here; immortal cultivation is not about fighting and killing, it’s about elevating oneself. Of course, I know these words will likely fall on deaf ears, especially with evil influences around, so this is rely courtesy before force."
He took out an Immortal Pill and a Jade Talisman, handing them to Sui Yin, "I’m not making you deliver the ssage for nothing; these two items are your compensation. If you survive this tribulation, go to Yuan Hua at Little Antarctic Outer Heaven Divine Mountain; he will arrange a place for you to cultivate quietly. From then on, as long as you abstain from causing trouble, you can enjoy the blessings of a tranquil immortal life."
Sui Yin understood his words, although there were a few points his mind still couldn’t process.
Yet he knew Shi Feiyang’s Daoist Skills were profound, and to him, killing Sui Yin would be as easy as slaughtering a chicken. He needed to agree no matter what.
To gain Shi Feiyang’s trust, he swallowed the elixir imdiately and wore the Jade Talisman on his body.
Then, Shi Feiyang instructed him to leave Baiyang Mountain and take the ssage to the Red-haired Ancestor.
When Sui Yin arrived at Red Wood Ridge, he learned that the Red-haired Ancestor had already left seclusion and was currently receiving guests.
Sui Yin wondered, "It’s not even the ti for master’s seclusion to end, according to what Brother Hong said earlier, master would need another two or three months to leave seclusion."
A disciple of the Red-haired Ancestor said, "Master left seclusion early because an important guest had arrived, and in the morning, they almost got into a fight, even activating the Asura Blood Transformation Array on the mountain."
Sui Yin was startled, "What kind of enemy could pose such a challenge that even my senior brothers’ mana was insufficient, forcing the activation of the Mountain Protection Array?"
He had heard that the Red-haired Ancestor had enmity with Evil Corpse Gu Chen, for whom the Asura Blood Transformation Array was specifically prepared. He couldn’t help but think: Could it be that Evil Corpse Gu Chen had co? But how could they have turned from enemies to allies?
At that mont, in the cave of the Red-haired Ancestor, a young man in green clothes sat in the highest seat, his handso face intense, holding a vivid green bamboo staff.
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