Chapter 52: All Living Things and I

When it comes to bewitching the hearts of men, the methods of the Buddhist schools are indeed far superior to those of the Taoists. In previous generations, there were those who attained the Dharma-body of the Water-Moon Guanyin; wherever they walked, a nation would convert to Buddhism.

The Nine Lotus Sect shares a profound connection with Buddhism, and its origins are ancient. Many years ago, a man of great power, known only by the surname Luo, preached in a desolate mountain. He expounded upon the essence of both Buddhism and Taoism, establishing "Emptiness" as the fundamental nature of the universe.

In time, the number of those who came to hear him grew, and people began to call him Patriarch Luo. One day, after finishing his sermon, Patriarch Luo shook the Great Thousand Worlds and departed, shattering the void. His disciples revered him as their founding master and formed the Luo Sect. It produced many formidable figures and flourished for a time.

Because Patriarch Luo’s teachings emphasized that all things are created by the mind and eschewed written scriptures, the gifted figures within the Luo Sect each interpreted his profound methods according to their own temperaments, leading to a proliferation of divergent branches. Eventually, these factions clashed, causing the great Luo Sect to crumble and splinter into numerous secret sects, of which the Nine Lotus Sect is one. The "Nine Lotus Sutra" leans more heavily toward Buddhist essence; it is said that to reach its highest depths, one requires the aid of the incense and vows of sentient beings. Thus, they often seize upon times of chaos to expand their following.

Given these requirements of the Nine Lotus Sutra, Shen Lian could roughly guess some of the opponent's motives. Though their words were calm, their Taoist hearts were already engaged in a fierce battle; Shen Lian simply refrained from projecting his Yin Spirit to avoid a complete falling out. After all, unless a cultivator has absolute certainty, they rarely engage in a life-or-death struggle, unless it concerns the attainment of the Way.

Zhao Xiaoyu was the first person Shen Lian had encountered who, while at a similar level of cultivation, could match him in spiritual strength. From beginning to end, Shen Lian had been unable to suppress her or seize the absolute initiative. Facing Zhao Xiaoyu’s words, Shen Lian smiled faintly, like moonlight rippling on water. Their mental duel intensified, and though intangible, it began to affect the physical realm. In this atmosphere, he said softly, "When I studied at Qingxuan, I never heard of any distinction between 'outer' and 'inner' ways. If there are 'outer ways,' then in my view, everything other than myself is an outer way."

Upon hearing "everything other than myself is an outer way," the stalemate of their mental duel shifted instantly. Zhao Xiaoyu was shaken; her dreamlike, enchanting aura vanished. Her appearance remained unchanged, yet she looked more like an ordinary, delicate girl from next door. Sensing the shift in her energy, Shen Lian did not press his advantage. His heart remained serene, his eyes as clear as stars in the dark night, calm and peaceful.

Zhao Xiaoyu smiled brightly. "Master Shen’s words are already close to the Way."

That previous remark was not something Shen Lian had realized himself, but something he had read elsewhere. The reason it had such a profound impact on Zhao Xiaoyu was that the Nine Lotus Great Dharma follows the path of the Divine, gathering the faith of sentient beings. While the principle is "sentient beings are not me, and I am not sentient beings," the reliance on their vows makes it difficult to maintain one's true self.

Everything other than myself is an outer way. The "outer way" is the method, not the self.

In truth, the Taoist pursuit of true nature, the Buddhist focus on righteous awakening, and the Luo Sect’s talk of Emptiness are all simple and clear. Yet, knowing is one thing, and fully comprehending is another; the most difficult task is the unity of knowledge and action.

Shen Lian’s clever remark merely gave Zhao Xiaoyu a momentary shock, providing a chance for them to break off their mental duel. Had he pursued it relentlessly, not to mention that he had no certainty of victory, even if he had won, he could hardly have retreated unscathed, and it would have offered no benefit to his own cultivation.

"The classics of both Buddhism and Taoism speak of the Way, yet they still cannot lead us to transcendence, and besides, being 'close to the Way' is just that. How can the Great Way be understood through mere words?" Shen Lian smiled. There is indeed such a thing as sudden enlightenment, but who cares about the years of accumulation that precede it?

Hearing this, Zhao Xiaoyu lowered her head slightly, a strand of hair falling across the corner of her mouth, making her look exceptionally beautiful.

The sound of a zither suddenly rang out, like a soft sigh, or the gentle movement of dew on a lotus leaf, or a breeze brushing through willow branches under a bright moon. The melody was composed of varied individual notes, forming a natural rhythm that felt like the fusion of heaven, earth, and humanity, drawing the listener into a state of purity and emptiness.

Shen Lian understood this intuitively and closed his eyes to listen. It was as if he were amidst empty mountains with flowing springs and a bright moon shining through the pines. Finally, the music ceased, and silence returned. The zither was put away, replaced by clear wine on the table—crisp, sweet, and lingering on the palate, leaving both body and mind refreshed.

The two discussed the mysteries of the Way, the phenomena of the world, and the wonders of past and present. Before they knew it, the moon was high in the sky. When the time came to part, Zhao Xiaoyu did not mention her purpose. Shen Lian returned to the shore; the moon cast its light, the Milky Way reflected in the water, and all was crystal clear.

Only his heart remained unsettled.

Zhao Xiaoyu’s words were profound, her magic deep. As a successor to the Nine Lotus Secret Sect, her objective was evident: to use the incense of sentient beings to achieve her own ends. Of course, the incense and vows of sentient beings alone are not enough to master the Nine Lotus Sutra. If they were, many cultivators would have chosen the path of the Divine.

In truth, the path of the Divine offers rapid progress, but it is the most perilous. Once one fails, the soul is damaged, and one's original nature and spiritual light suffer as well. Yet, once achieved, this path allows one to transform the Yin Spirit into an indestructible spiritual light, capable of dividing into countless incarnations, rendering one nearly immortal—in terms of self-preservation, it surpasses other paths.

Zhao Xiaoyu’s chosen path would inevitably put her at odds with the Empress. Perhaps she already knew the Empress intended to see him and had sought him out in advance to use him. However, Shen Lian had not been deceived; his spiritual center remained clear throughout, which was why she eventually abandoned her plans.

The Empress could not be unaware of the Nine Lotus Sect and Zhao Xiaoyu; it was highly likely they had already been fighting. Shen Lian’s cultivation was already sufficient to disturb the balance between them. He had arrived at this moment and been drawn into the game; whether to advance or retreat would only be clear after he had met the Empress.

After returning to the clinic, Ruoxi was already fast asleep. He tucked in the blanket she had kicked off, then, as he had in the past, he settled into a deep meditation. After listening to Zhao Xiaoyu’s music, his meditation that night was exceptionally deep. In his Niwan Palace, within his spiritual center, the innate deity holding the jade ruyi appeared as expected.

His attention gradually focused on the jade ruyi. The ruyi was originally modeled after the human hand, symbolizing the extension of human will. In the secular world, its function was to scratch itches. Thus, it also symbolized the chaotic thoughts of the human heart, rising and falling, and served as a means to suppress those floating distractions.

Previously, Shen Lian could only visualize the general shape of the ruyi and could not see its patterns clearly. Tonight, there seemed to be new progress. There were many lines on the handle of the ruyi, generally divisible into nine, though he could not clearly discern what they were. As he focused his attention upon them, archaic incantations flowed into his heart, obscure and difficult to articulate.