The World Is a Living Being / Shirou's Path to Immortality...

"Can you teach me how to bring happiness to all mankind?"

Some of the gods exchanged glances, while others smiled mysteriously; none of them stepped forward first.

"Let me introduce you to a few. They are rare sages among the gods, and they are also humans from the same world as you. After attaining enlightenment in their lifetimes, they either wrote books or dictated their teachings, leaving behind classics for the world and saving countless lives. After their deaths, they were worshipped by the world and their deification was elevated to the highest level of sainthood."

After becoming immortals or saints, they continued to observe the world and predict the future, further refining their own philosophies. Would you like to learn from them?

"Firstly, the doctrine developed by Abraham in the West insists that this world is inherently imperfect, that humans are born with original sin, that this life is for redemption, and that after death, an omnipotent and one God will guide people into heaven."

You can recreate paradise for the world.

"Secondly: Zoroastrianism a dualistic view of good and evil, suggesting that the world is destined to be divided into light and darkness, and that one day darkness will attack light, light will fight against it, and ultimately light will defeat darkness."

You can persuade people to do good and resist evil; the wicked will eventually fall into hell and be tortured.

Thirdly: Manichaeism in the Middle East teaches the theory of two doctrines and three periods. The two doctrines refer to darkness and light, that is, good and evil. The three periods refer to the initial period, the middle period, and the final period.

At the beginning, light and shadow separated.

In the intermediate stage, darkness invades light, light and darkness struggle, and the two merge.

In the later stages, light and dark separate again, and this process repeats.

You can make people understand darkness and light, neither of which is good or evil, but all for the sake of a mission."

Shirou shook his head. Although these doctrines were great and had played a very important role in Human History, they were not what he wanted.

Old Ancestor Hongmeng also said:

"Daoism teaches that the way of nature is to follow the natural order. In the world, yin and yang, good and evil, beauty and ugliness, existence and non-existence, difficulty and ease, long and short are all interdependent, and everything is natural. Therefore, following the natural order is the 'Tao.' If you distort nature, you may gain temporary benefits, but you may cause greater mistakes. You can learn the Tao and let all mankind return to nature."

"Confucian scholar uphold the Zhou Rites of Zhou, taking rites as their foundation: 'Let the ruler be a ruler, the minister a minister, the father a father, the son a son...'; taking virtue as their foundation: 'Human nature is both good and evil, and morality can be used to educate people,' enabling them to know honor and shame, and distinguish right from wrong; taking humanity as their foundation: 'As heaven's movement is ever vigorous, so should a gentleman constantly strive for self-improvement; as earth's nature is receptive, so should a gentleman cultivate virtue to bear all things.' By combining these three principles, one can seek universal harmony. You can study Confucianism and spread morality and etiquette to the world."

"The Buddha also chose to tell the world that life is impermanent, it is both painful and blissful, and ultimately it is all nothingness. The more attached one is to appearances, the more suffering one experiences. People should let go of their attachments, because everything will eventually turn to nothingness. Only by realizing everything and clinging to no hope can one be free from suffering; this is the state of 'emptiness.' You can learn Buddhism."

Shirou shook his head again.

"Since that's the case..." Old Ancestor Hongmeng placed his elbows on his thighs, raised his palms and formed a hand seal. Then, light rose from the ground and two twelve-petaled lotus platforms appeared.

One is named "Lotus of Inquiry," and the other is named "Lotus of Proof."

Chapter 1204 The World is a Biological World

"The more the truth is debated, the clearer it becomes. Now, I invite all fellow Daoists to discuss the Dao with Shirou Emiya, hoping to help him resolve his doubts. The topic is the happiness of all mankind. As long as the questioner is convinced, whether the problem is solved or abandoned, it can be considered as proof of the Dao."

"Not only humans, but all living beings are the same. That's why we've been watching over them for thousands of years, waiting for new miracles to be born in the many worlds, to arrive at new explanations," said the Old Ancestor Hongmeng.

The Lotus of Inquiry floated towards Shirou sat on it. Then the Lotus of Proof swayed gently from side to side, waiting for the immortal to debate with Shirou.

At this point, the immortals were also amused. If it were just about taking on a cheap disciple and helping him achieve some kind of worldly happiness, most of them wouldn't be interested. But if he joined the lotus platform and they could sit down and discuss the Dao, they would be much more interested.

That would allow the Daoist Buddha and the old nun to step aside.

"Can't we create a system that can bring happiness to everyone?" Shirou asked, sitting on the lotus platform.

"Impossible." Among the gods, a Buddha with a large belly and a topknot jumped onto the lotus platform and spoke.

Have you ever considered whether your wish for the world to be happy is truly happiness? Or can you describe what your ideal world would be like?

"If there were no more wars, no more misfortunes, and no more people feeling despair because of sorrow, I think that would be a happy world," Shirou said.

"If everyone in the world had the same happiness, could their lives truly be called 'happy'? And if everyone in the world suffered the same misfortune, wouldn't the same apply?"

"Humans are born to pursue happiness. If happiness has no meaning in the first place, then what should people pursue?" Shirou asked in surprise.

"But if we continue to think deeper, what we ultimately arrive at is... nothingness?"

"Nothingness...?"

"You're caught in a vicious cycle of contradictions. No matter what you do, the result is the same, isn't it? Even if you feel uneasy and fearful, you don't know why. If you realize that you are part of the system, in the end there is only nothing left."

"Really..."

When people encounter situations they cannot control, they are truly helpless. Changing a person is incredibly difficult; even correcting a small flaw is challenging, yet people always try to change others, and the final result is predictable.

And at that time, wasn't the feeling in my heart a sense of emptiness...?

"However! If people only think about themselves, they will become narrow-minded. It is true that sometimes people will forcefully demand that others change because of reasons such as 'I am doing this for your own good' or 'I am thinking of you.' In fact, this is a kind of self-actualization, and in the end, they will naturally not be understood, but will instead become frustrated."

However, her concern for others is genuine. When she realizes the problem and tries to understand others in a practical way, she becomes more empathetic and considerate than others.

"Hahaha, Buddha, you can't do it! I'll do it!"

One of the gods, dressed in jet black with horns on his head and a tall stature, stepped forward. He was none other than the god King Yama, who had previously played the role of the Shirou.

He was actually the God King who ruled over a world similar to hell, and he said, "It doesn't exist! Because the world is not a system that can be maintained simply by happiness. Only by establishing laws and enforcing punishments can the world function."

Shirou was dissatisfied.

Before Shirou could speak, the God King began, "First of all, all living beings are forgetful. If the laws are lenient and lenient, the people will soon forget that the laws even exist."

Shirou's point is indeed undeniable.

"But if the law is too harsh or even cruel, the people will become numb or overly radical, either becoming cogs in a machine or completely broken and rampaging."

"Therefore, the world is in constant motion in order to make its people aware of their own existence, and the world strongly proclaims its existence at regular intervals."

"You mean the system that operates in this world is designed to create misfortune?" Shirou asked in surprise.

"I'm not talking about misfortune, but on a larger scale. Let's take Earth as an example." The God King grinned mischievously, determined to convince Shirou!

"Depending on the perspective, perhaps the leaders of the defeated nations in the two world wars also made contributions to the world."

"Within nations and societies, certain heroes emerge periodically. Sometimes these heroes wage war, and war can sometimes spur the development of science and industry. It's important to understand that civilian technology often stems from military technology. Computers, wireless communication systems, and satellite positioning systems—technologies that are now indispensable to daily life—were initially developed for the purpose of warfare."

"Science and industry can sometimes be destroyed by war," Shirou retorted.

"Then let it be destroyed. After destruction, things will start running again. For animals and nations, the thing to avoid most is stagnation. A state of no change, of being unable to move, is basically close to death. Yes! If we are completely trapped in a state of happiness or unhappiness, then the world is doomed!"

"Humanity itself is the cause of misfortune, but it is not the result of the will of a negligent leader or a tyrant. He is merely a link in the chain, a cog in the machine. Even the human race as a whole is a cog in the machine."

The world moves to declare its existence, sometimes in the form of natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis, sometimes in the form of pollution and destruction caused by humans, and sometimes in the form of diseases and plagues spread by other animals.

These natural disasters, man-made calamities, and plagues will all disappear in time. Ultimately, for the world, all the ups and downs are just a part of the world's dynamics.

If we use human society as an analogy, it's like economic operations, regime changes, sometimes violent wars, and sometimes periods of peace. Things happen cyclically when they're supposed to happen, and a nation is always looking for opportunities for change.

Humanity will repeatedly try and fail in this process, repeating this cycle over long periods of time, pursuing various possibilities. When a nation's economy falters, people become dissatisfied and demoralized, riots occur. After war or riots, everything returns to a blank slate, and it all starts anew.

Shirou couldn't accept the idea that humanity was being destroyed, and shook his head.

The God King wanted to explain, but was taken away by a beam of white light and removed from the lotus platform.

This time, it was not a humanoid god or demon that ascended the lotus platform, but the White Tiger, one of the Four Divine Beasts.

"Please recall the evolution of animals."

A demon king laughed and said, "But I don't remember ever evolving; I can't recall it."

The surrounding deities burst into laughter.

Chapter 1205 Shirou's Path to Immortality

The White Tiger, associated with the element of metal, is the master of weapons. It has a body as white as snow, without any other hairs, and its roar stirs up the wind.

Although provoked, they were not angry. In such discussions, every deity was an extremely intelligent and proud being, and naturally each had their own principles to uphold, so no one would concede to the other. It was just a small verbal provocation, which was nothing at all.

White Tiger continued:

"Survival of the fittest. Animal evolution doesn't have a simple, clear purpose. For example, the giraffe's neck became longer not because it wanted a longer neck to reach the leaves on higher leaves. It was a mutation that occurred by chance, and the mutation just happened to be more adaptable to the environment, so it survived."

Ancient giraffes had both long and short necks. When the environment changed, the grass and leaves in low-lying areas were all eaten up, so the short-necked giraffes starved to death, while the giraffes that could reach the leaves in higher places survived. They continued to reproduce and eventually became the giraffes we see today.

"Evolution is a process of repeated failures and trial and error. There is no single correct method or direction for evolution. Organisms spend a long time constantly repeating the process of sudden mutation and adaptation to survive. The result of evolution is to continue living."

The White Tiger stuck out its tongue and licked it; the words coming from her mouth were very convincing.

Shirou once read a book that said: Human history is a history of mistakes. Humans never learn from history, but they have developed by dealing with their mistakes.

Perhaps human life is actually a series of repeated failures and explorations.

'But... is the world really destined to be this cruel? Can it only move forward through constant failure and mistakes? Are all those who sacrificed their lives simply told they were unfit to live?'

White Tiger seemed to sense Shirou's thoughts, but she looked directly into Shirou eyes and said coldly:

"Just like the surviving animals, the world is pretty much the same."

"The world? The world isn't an animal," Shirou argued. "If you say that plants can move, you could barely call plants animals literally."

But can the world be described like that? What? The world can shake? Well, the bed at home shakes too, does that mean the bed is an animal?

"No, do you think the world you live in is dead? Actually, in some ways, the world is quite similar to that of animals," the White Tiger continued.

"The world is by no means a mechanical, systemic existence. Don't you think so? For example, is a country mechanical? It's filled with all sorts of people, politicians, and bureaucrats' egos and pride, jealousy and desires, these emotions intricately intertwined, causing unpredictable phenomena. Like the actions of animals, it cannot be calculated by logic."

"A country that can't be calculated logically isn't a nation," Shirou said. "Don't we have a constitution and laws? The logic of obeying the law should apply."

The God King who had previously played the role of King Yama nodded repeatedly, still insisting that law and punishment were the best way to govern the world.

"No, a nation certainly outlives a constitution or law, doesn't it? Laws are constantly changing. A nation survives for more complex desires. When a nation falls into a state of anarchy due to war, do you stop considering it a nation?"

The purpose of a state is neither to protect the lives of its citizens, nor to manage welfare or pensions. The state operates to ensure its own continued existence. Just as animals constantly seek evolutionary possibilities, repeatedly failing and groping in the face of sudden mutations, so too do states and organizations. They extend countless unseen tentacles, searching for 'opportunities for change' or 'pathways to increase survival rates.'

"What are you trying to say? Are humans just cogs in the machine for the world to keep running?" Shirou asked.

"Yes, the world is just like animals and nations, only thinking about survival. So you shouldn't be thinking about the happiness of all mankind, but rather learn from me the way of the world's animals."

"Even if the world does have such a mechanism, animals rely on what nature provides and assimilate to it. Humans, on the other hand, fight against nature. Living things also have the choice to pursue happiness! Just like a cat, even though it's not good at swimming, it still wants to eat fish, doesn't it?" Shirou said seriously.

"Uh..." The White Tiger was taken aback. Why ask that question? She's not a cat, okay?

However, White Tiger was still pushed off the lotus platform by Baiguang. She stared wide-eyed, but at this moment, the phoenix on the jade branch swayed its long tail, and White Tiger's attention was immediately drawn to it, and she forgot about the matter again.

"Trouble is a very special thing; only humans have it. Although a person's life is often unsatisfactory, it's better to be a dissatisfied Socrates than a satisfied pig!" said a bearded man in a white Roman robe.

"Even people with troubles can find happiness! If trouble itself is happiness!" Shirou denied it again. He wasn't trying to deny the negative aspects of humanity, nor was human happiness something that could be obtained without effort.

Perhaps there is no such thing as absolute or permanent happiness for humanity, but Shirou doesn't want to give up. After all, reality is so cruel, and the world's workings are far from perfect. So, proportionally speaking, what is the highest possible level of happiness among humans?

For example, while being rich doesn't necessarily mean being happy, it's an undeniable fact that when faced with issues that can be resolved with wealth, the rich tend to have a much better experience than the poor.

However, in terms of spiritual happiness, people who lead simpler lives are often more likely to experience happiness than those whose living environments are overly complex. Spiritual pain often outweighs physical pain, so it cannot be asserted that satisfying material needs will bring happiness.

So how should this segmented distribution of happiness be allocated?

The bearded man was defeated.

"Only humans can transform into physical beasts, or ascend to godhood! So how about all of humanity ascend to godhood? Or how about all of humanity regress to Monkey? Only humans possess a unique self, living with their own beliefs. If we want to attain complete happiness, how about starting by abandoning humanity?"

"No! My premise is humanity. Whether it's evolution or degeneration, if it's humanity's own choice, I won't stop it, but that's not something I can force on humanity to choose for them," Shirou said, denying it.

This debate continued for an unknown period of time, but no one could convince Shirou, and no one could come up with a solution. Eventually, the other gods who were willing to speak up had nothing more to say.

"So, Shirou Emiya, have you decided who you want to learn from to become an immortal?" Old Ancestor Hongmeng asked, looking at the young man standing on the Lotus of Inquiry.

All the gods, saints, and Divine Beast present turned their gazes to Shirou.

Now, Shirou's quest for immortality has become a target of criticism and fault-finding; they are more interested in knowing who Shirou will choose.

Chapter 1206 Returning Home on Red Clouds

In response to the question posed by the Old Ancestor Hongmeng.

Shirou shook his head regretfully. There were clearly many extraordinary beings here, yet he couldn't learn from them, couldn't emulate them. Was achieving happiness for all humanity really that difficult?

"Your ideas have greatly inspired me, but the answers I'm looking for aren't here—either the future or creating a new world to guide people to heaven or Pure Land. I think what I truly want to change is the present!"

After the discussion, Shirou's thoughts gradually became clearer. He was different from the saints and gods here, and his beliefs also differed from those of the white god.

"If you don't want to walk this path, and if you haven't found your mentor here, then go and create your own path," the Old Ancestor Hongmeng said to Shirou.

"Should I be the one to create it?" Shirou, feeling lost yet also enlightened.

"Go back! Since your heart is not here, then go back to where your heart truly belongs," the Old Ancestor Hongmeng said loudly.

"Wait, I've come here and haven't yet obtained the Sage Technique! The Sage Technique for protecting the world, different from the one used by the White God!" Shirou shouted.

"You have obtained everything you desired. All immortal techniques, whatever you wish to do, you can accomplish." The voice of the Old Ancestor Hongmeng drifted from afar, by which time the celestial palace in the sky was getting farther and farther away from Shirou.

In the blink of an eye, Shirou was back at Mount Buzhou. Then a strong wind swept in and carried Shirou into the clouds. The next instant, he appeared on the city wall of Luoyang City.

At this time, the Tang Dynasty had ended its Kaiyuan Flourishing Age and entered the middle period of decline. The An Lushan Rebellion broke out, and Emperor Xuanzong, Li Longji, had to flee from Chang'an. He was already over seventy years old at this time.

During his time at Mawei Posthouse, the soldiers escorting him mutinied. In order to quell the soldiers' anger, Li Longji had no choice but to agree to order Yang Guifei to commit suicide.

Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, murdered his brother and forced his father to abdicate, but from the perspective of the grasslands, he was already the Heavenly Khan and Great Hero. Although he was morally flawed, his family was not upright, and he did not discipline his children properly, the succession of the Li dynasty was as fraught with conflict as that of the grassland tribes.

However, after ascending to the throne, he worked diligently and appointed officials according to their abilities, so he is still recognized as eternal emperor.