Disciples Discuss the Tao

Jieyin and Zhunti cupped their fists and bowed in unison, saying, "Greetings, honored senior brothers!"

Taishang, Yuanshi, and Tongtian returned the bow and said, "Greetings, junior brothers."

The five stood up straight, looked at each other, and smiled. The atmosphere seemed exceptionally harmonious.

Taishang looked at the five people behind Jieyin and Zhunti and asked, "Are these your esteemed disciples?!"

Zhunti smiled and replied, "They can hardly be called esteemed disciples. The West is poor and lacks the abundance of talent found in the East. Here, they might be considered passable, but in the East, they would be nothing but mediocre."

The five people behind Jieyin and Zhunti lowered their heads and remained silent, appearing very humble.

Yuanshi said, "If they have caught the eye of both junior brothers, how could they be mediocre?

Duobao, you will be responsible for hosting these junior brothers from the West. Do not neglect them or show any disrespect."

Daoist Duobao respectfully replied, "Understood!"

Zhunti said, "You may all go now! Learn well and seek guidance from your senior brothers."

Three people behind Jieyin and Zhunti respectfully and humbly replied, "Understood!"

They followed Duobao and the others closely towards the back mountain.

Taishang smiled and said, "It is rare for you two junior brothers to visit. Would you care to accompany me to admire the beautiful scenery of Kunlun?"

Jieyin revealed a slight smile and said, "It is better to obey than to refuse."

"Heh heh~" A light laugh echoed through heaven and earth. A crisp sound rang out above Mount Kunlun, "Senior brothers are gathering, why didn't you inform me?!"

Taishang, Jieyin, and the others looked up at the sky in unison. They saw ripples appear in the sky, and a noble and breathtakingly beautiful woman slowly descended from the ripples.

Zhunti cupped his fists and bowed respectfully, saying, "It was a sudden impulse. We decided on the spur of the moment to visit our three senior brothers, acting on a whim. We dared not disturb our senior sister."

Taishang smiled and said, "Since our junior sister has also arrived, let us hold a Pill Appreciation Ceremony today! This old Taoist has refined a new batch of immortal pills. I invite junior sister and junior brothers to appraise them."

Empress Nuwa landed before them and chuckled, "Then thank you, senior brother."

The group instantly vanished from the front of the great hall. The next moment, they appeared beneath a large tree in the back mountain, sitting around a stone table. Fallen leaves drifted around them, creating a serene atmosphere.

A moment later, Holy Mother Wudang and Holy Mother Jinling arrived, serving immortal fruits and fine wine, before retreating.

In the back mountain, there was a waterfall, with flowing mountain springs and blooming flowers. It was indeed an exceptionally beautiful place.

Duobao and the others escorted their distant fellow disciples from the West to this location.

Duobao smiled and asked, "How shall I address you, junior brothers?"

"My name is Medicine Master~"

"I am Ksitigarbha~"

"I am Mahasthamaprapta~"

"I am Sunlight~"

"I am Moonlight~"

All five bowed in unison.

Duobao nodded and said, "Please be seated, junior brothers."

Moonlight looked around and asked doubtfully, "Where shall we sit?"

Duobao replied, "The Tao follows nature. Naturally, we shall sit on the ground." He then floated onto a rock and looked at them.

The other dozen or so registered disciples also sat cross-legged. A few even let out laughter, their gazes fixed on Medicine Master and the others.

Medicine Master smiled and said, "We were too attached to form." He tidied his clothes and sat on the ground.

Duobao looked at Buddha Medicine Master and the others, a look of admiration flashing in his eyes.

The group chatted about ancient and modern anecdotes. As they talked, the conversation drifted towards discussing the Tao, and their differences gradually widened. The sound of laughter became much less frequent.

Rustle, rustle~ The sound of flapping wings.

An injured, beautiful little bird fell from the sky, closely followed by a golden eagle swooping down to snatch the bird.

Buddha Medicine Master waved his hand, releasing a golden light that blocked the golden eagle.

A young man with large ears, wanting to ease the tense atmosphere, immediately joked, "What good luck! Food delivered right to our doorstep. Let me kill it, roast it, and serve it to our visiting junior brothers from the West."

Buddha Medicine Master shook his head and said, "Thank you for your kind offer, fellow Daoist. In my West, we do not engage in acts of killing."

He then looked at Daoist Duobao and said, "Fellow Daoist, this is your dojo. How should this situation be handled?"

Daoist Duobao said calmly, "The strong prey on the weak; this is the rule of heaven and earth. Releasing them back into the forest is the way."

Medicine Master shook his head and said, "If released back into nature, this beautiful forest spirit will surely die. Can you truly bear it, fellow Daoist?"

Daoist Duobao frowned and sized up Medicine Master, asking, "What would you do?"

Buddha Medicine Master stood up, took the beautiful little bird in his hand, and brushed his hand over its injured wing. A golden light flowed, and the bird's injuries instantly healed. It chirped joyfully.

Medicine Master tossed it casually. The bird spread its wings and soared high into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.

The young man with large ears, feeling his face had been slapped, sneered, "Fellow Daoist saved the little bird, but what about this golden eagle? Is that not unfair?"

Medicine Master smiled and looked at the golden eagle, saying, "I snatched a piece of meat from you. How about I return a piece to you now?"

The golden eagle looked up at Medicine Master with its head held high.

Medicine Master lifted his clothes, made a knife with his hand, and cut down. A large piece of bloody chest meat fell off.

The golden eagle lowered its head, picked up the chest meat, spread its wings, and flew high into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.

Everyone stared at Medicine Master with wide eyes. He had actually done that. Although he wouldn't die, the pain was real!

Medicine Master tidied his clothes and looked at the young man with big ears, saying with a smile, "Now, both sides are alive."

The young man with big ears had a grim expression and remained silent.

Daoist Duobao looked at Medicine Master with a solemn expression. He had come prepared! The appearance of the golden eagle and the birds was also very strange. Was this their Western Taoism?!

Medicine Master sat cross-legged on a bluestone.

Ksitigarbha stood up and walked to a female disciple, sitting down beside her.

On the other side, under a tree, Holy Mother Jinling whispered, "What does he want to do?"

Holy Mother Wudang shook her head and said, "I don't know!"

Holy Mother Jinling said coldly, "I think they're just here to cause trouble."

The female disciple next to Ksitigarbha frowned and said, "This humble Taoist, Shi Ji, has seen Senior Brother. Has Senior Brother sat in the wrong place?"

Ksitigarbha shook his head and remained silent.

"Please, Senior Brother, change your seat!"

Ksitigarbha continued to shake his head and remained silent.

A flash of anger crossed Shi Ji's eyes, and she formed a hand seal.

Daoist Duobao suddenly spoke, "Do not attack our guests."

Shi Ji's hands paused. Her hand seal changed, and a strong gust of wind blew towards Ksitigarbha, carrying sand and dust, enveloping him.

Ksitigarbha sat on the ground, unmoving, ignoring the flying sand and wind.

Seeing that the wind was ineffective, Shi Ji changed her finger seals. The ground rumbled and vibrated like water waves, but Ksitigarbha remained unmoving.

Lightning bolts descended from the sky, striking around Ksitigarbha, but he still remained unmoving.

****Wind, frost, lightning, and thunder could not make Ksitigarbha move; it was as if he had grown into the ground.

Shi Ji suddenly stood up, her face ashen, and said, "Good! Well done, fellow Taoist from the West." She waved her sleeve and strode away.

Ksitigarbha opened his eyes and said with a smile, "Fellow Taoist, do you know why all your spells and divine abilities could not defeat me?"

Shi Ji stopped in her tracks and said mockingly, "Because you are shameless."

Ksitigarbha shook his head and said, "You got one word right. It's because I am 'wu' (nothingness).

Your spells, your 'you' (existence), are limited, finite, measurable, bounded;

While I have no spells, my 'wu' is infinite, endless, immeasurable, boundless.

The relationship between 'wu' and 'you' is to respond to all changes with constancy. I am unchanging, therefore I overcome your myriad changes."

Shi Ji suddenly turned to look at Ksitigarbha and said, "What do you mean?"

Ksitigarbha smiled and said, "Wu is a tolerant mindset, a calm state of being. You need to learn it."

Shi Ji's expression changed several times, and she turned and walked away.

Daoist Duobao murmured to himself, "A fine 'wu'. The Tao of the West is indeed interesting."