Chapter 103: Discussing Principles While Seated

“The Dao can transform all things, endlessly changing, appearing and disappearing; everything originates from it. Although one’s inherent nature is fixed, a person can supplement it with external elements to elevate their destiny. All beings exist within the two words ‘Heaven and Earth,’ representing the sky and the earth—flexible, generative, adapting according to thought and circumstance.”

Wang Yuanfeng entered a state beyond sorrow and joy, his spirit wandering within the Dao, comprehending the lesson imparted by the Golden Carp.

It was as if he saw a carp that cultivated virtue and established its character. After illuminating its mind and realizing its true nature, it understood the Dao. Combining its innate destiny and fortune through diligent practice, it elevated its fate, aspiring that one day it would transform into a dragon, soaring freely between heaven and earth, untouched by calamity, free from birth, aging, sickness, and death.

Having finished speaking, the Golden Carp withdrew the illusionary carp in its hands, its aura receding as it once again entered a profound and obscure state.

Wang Yuanfeng, deeply moved by the discourse, realized that the Golden Carp cultivated its destiny from within the Dao, outwardly reflecting its principles—this was the way of the dragon.

The path of the dragon and the path of humanity bore resemblance; man is like the dragon, and the dragon like man. The surrounding silence confirmed that the Golden Carp had concluded its teaching. This was its unique Dao, just as Wang Yuanfeng had his own.

It was akin to a master who teaches ten disciples, each following a distinct path, neither wholly right nor wrong, yet all part of the greater Dao.

Wang Yuanfeng then emptied his mind and said, “The Great Dao is formless, giving birth to heaven and earth. The Great Dao is impassive, nurturing all things. The Dao creates all beings and destroys all beings; this is the natural birth and natural death, the principle of the Dao.

Humans seek longevity and eternal life, but only the Dao alone is supreme. Therefore, those who pursue the Dao understand the Dao; the virtuous align with virtue; the lost align with loss.

To cultivate the Dao requires diligence, perseverance, subtle refinement, and utmost sincerity toward the Dao to truly attain it. The Great Dao never distances itself from people; it is man who distances himself from the Dao. Those who comprehend the Dao may take heaven and earth as their teachers. As it is said: observe the way of heaven, hold fast to the conduct of heaven, and you shall reach fulfillment!”

Upon finishing, a subtle purple sword light surged, filling the entire spiritual domain. It was simple, yet vast; elusive, yet omnipresent.

At this moment, the Golden Carp used its innate divine ability to sense all of this. The Dao, inherently formless, can only be imprinted by the mind—this is called the mind seal. The Golden Carp, being clever and possessing innate powers, shared a similar Dao with Wang Yuanfeng, though it had yet to apply it fully.

Contemplating the truths within the purple light, the Golden Carp recalled its former perceptions—sometimes objects, sometimes people, or certain fateful connections—but it had never truly focused on heaven and earth and nature itself. The Dao was right beside it, yet it sought it far and wide.

A sudden tremor shook the primordial chaos, as if a chain around the heart were broken, releasing an inexplicable lightness. Within, the demonic essence surged swiftly, and the inner elixir became more refined.

After this profound insight, Wang Yuanfeng opened his eyes and saw the Golden Carp’s changed state. It was clear the carp had just awakened from enlightenment. Indeed, the Golden Carp was intelligent and had long studied diligently but had lacked guidance, relying solely on self-exploration to reach this point.

Today, through exchange with Wang Yuanfeng, it had grasped related principles, breaking free from mental shackles and advancing in cultivation.

Seeing the Golden Carp enter a deep meditation, Wang Yuanfeng closed his eyes, delving into the cosmic heaven to verify his own cultivation.

The cosmic heaven was his Dao. Within, the Eastern Azure Dragon constellation flickered, signaling that fate had arrived. His own fortune was on the rise; all cosmic palaces were near illumination, requiring only the infusion of qi to shine forth. Yet, the core remained shrouded in gray mist, which Wang Yuanfeng believed would only activate once the cosmic instrument was complete.

To light all the palaces, one must traverse this world extensively.

With a clear direction, Wang Yuanfeng gathered his thoughts, entering tranquil meditation. His breath was faint and subtle. Though his elixir had been sacrificed, further cultivation would be troublesome and possibly not worth the effort.

Cultivators did not always follow a single path. In ancient times, there was no concept of elixir cultivation, yet countless practitioners emerged, and innumerable immortals were born. For some unknown reason, this world initially embraced the elixir path.

However, in his previous life during the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, the world knew no six-cycle reincarnation, but rather five paths and six bridges. The Western religion settled in the Central Plains, transforming barbarians into Buddhists to create the Western Pure Land and attract followers.

They plagiarized Taoist scriptures and invoked ancestral traditions, claiming the barbarian Buddha was a reincarnation, asserting the immortals valued life while Buddhists valued death.

Immortal cultivation sought eternal life; Buddhists sought to extinguish the cycle of rebirth. To build the six-cycle reincarnation, they sacrificed the fortune and blessings of Central Plains believers, severing the path of qi refinement cultivation.

Consequently, from emperors to commoners, lifespans shortened. To survive, the elixir cultivation method was invented. By the Ming dynasty, no one ascended to immortality, ushering in an era of decline until the final passing.

Yet this world, lacking the six-cycle reincarnation that drains fortune, will continue to evolve for the better. Thus, Wang Yuanfeng’s path was to cultivate qi through meditation, eventually awakening his spirit to the Dao. Once the spirit arrived, the realm would naturally follow, and cultivation would rise accordingly.

The next day, the Golden Carp awoke from meditation, eyes flashing with two golden rays. Seeing Wang Yuanfeng watching him, he folded his legs, knelt on the meditation mat, and said, “I thank you, benefactor, for your guidance. My cultivation has improved greatly because of you.”

Wang Yuanfeng chuckled and replied, “This is the fruit of your own accumulated efforts. I merely discussed the Dao with you.”

Seeing Wang Yuanfeng did not refuse his kneeling, the Golden Carp bowed deeply again and said, “I humbly ask you, benefactor, to accept me as your disciple.”

Wang Yuanfeng paid no heed to the kneeling, pondering. Though he knew many methods of cultivation, none truly suited the carp. Moreover, the Golden Carp had already formed its own Dao, which conflicted with his own. Forcing a change would be counterproductive.

It seemed the carp had to rely on itself.

Suddenly, something in his bosom glowed, reminding Wang Yuanfeng of its origin. He realized his negligence.

This object had been left behind after he destroyed the Centipede Demon in Shengjing. The Centipede Demon, named Compassionate Salvation, was nearly sent to the Western Heaven by several Thunder Bombs set off by Wang Yuanfeng. Forced to abandon most of its body to escape, only this jade tablet remained when its body was destroyed.

He had previously examined it; the inheritance jade tablet had never been opened. If conditions were not met, it would be destroyed without granting the inheritance.

Looking at the Golden Carp prostrate on the mat, clad in golden armor and horns, radiating brightness, and considering that the inheritance jade tablet belonged to the Golden Light Immortal—a being who cultivated the elixir through the Golden Light Divine Art and seemingly left no disciples but preserved his legacy in this tablet—it all fit perfectly.

Wang Yuanfeng then said to the Golden Carp, “You and I have no master-disciple bond.”

Hearing this, the Golden Carp felt a pang of disappointment. To cultivators, the Dao is supreme; apart from life and death, nothing is greater. True masters are hard to find, and the Dao is difficult to attain. Yet he quickly adjusted his mindset.

Wang Yuanfeng nodded, impressed by the carp’s temperament for so swiftly regaining composure. “But your Dao is indeed connected to mine.”