Dao Heart

At this very moment, outside the world...

The Diviner Young Master, from another part of the mainland, clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. "Tsk, what good luck."

"However, it wasn't without its gains."

He said this while toying with the shadow in his hand.

This is a trace of his Innate Dao Rhyme.

Demon Seed.

This is the reason why he was able to directly enter the sect of the Wushen Mountain, gain the favor of the Great Diviner, and become a personal disciple.

The Demon Seed can directly enter the opponent's Primordial Spirit, invade the weakest point in their heart, and then forcibly drag them into the demonic realm.

There, everything was exactly the same as real, and everything that happened was real.

However, the other party will fall into different mindsets depending on the weaknesses that are being exploited.

In that situation, if the opponent dies, then they are truly dead, and he will remember every move they made, which is equivalent to a rehearsal of the battle.

Conversely, if he loses, regardless of whether the opponent has broken through the demonic realm or killed him within it, everything will revert to the beginning, as if nothing had ever happened.

It's essentially a forced battle, and the person must win, cannot lose, and will also be forcibly attached to the weakness of their Dao heart, making them confused and controlled by their instincts.

Master said that his Demon Seed essentially works by exploiting the weaknesses of Dao heart and then dragging them into the Time Shard of Time Shard, where the events are half true and half false.

If you want it to come true, then it will.

If you want it to be fake, then it's just a dream.

Because this trace of Daoist essence had already touched the light of the universe and was of great help to the Dao of divination, the great diviner accepted him as a disciple.

However, there is a limitation: it can only be used twice on one person, after which that person will become immune to the Demon Seed.

Since he left his master's school to gain experience, very few people have been able to break or resist the Demon Seed.

Li Qi, as expected of a disciple of the Great Shaman, is indeed a worthy opponent.

And then there's... that Bai Di, look at his sword, it looks like the Xiezhi Sword, hmm, the Xie Zhi from White Snake Prefecture? He must be from White Snake Prefecture? Is he Li Qi's follower?

And who exactly is that woman named Shen Shuibi?

Why could she see through all my Technique Method at a glance? She shouldn't be from Wushen Mountain. Could she be from another Dao Lineage, which is why she's so knowledgeable?

Which Dao Lineage possess this ability at the ninth rank?

Is Wan Zang Ge of Human Path? Or something else? Or perhaps she also possesses Innate Dao Rhyme, but simply hasn't discovered it herself?

"I don't know, but let's wait and see." He put away the Demon Seed and continued to observe.

His master had told him that when he couldn't figure out the answer, it meant that there weren't enough clues. As a diviner, he should use his own methods to continue to obtain clues and do his best to ensure that nothing was missed.

As for using the Demon Seed on Shen Shuibi and Bai Di, he had never even considered it.

There's no need to involve outsiders in the conflict between the divination masters and the healers. If Demon Seed demonic seed makes a move and you can't break it, you'll die. Unless absolutely necessary, there's no need to kill anyone; it only offends people for no reason.

He doesn't consider the people in these small worlds as human beings, but he still considers the people of the world as human beings.

Meanwhile, on Li Qi's side...

He opened his eyes.

I found myself still in the car.

Bai Di sat in the front passenger seat, completely unaware.

Li Qi discovered that his back was completely soaked, and there were also two hands pressing on his temples.

The hands felt incredibly soft, and he also saw a barrier in front of him, isolating the back seat from the outside world and preventing sound from spreading.

Turning my head, I saw it was Shen Shuibi.

She adjusted her posture so that her hand could rest on Li Qi's temple, and it was in this way that Li Qi received an important reminder in the demonic realm.

If not, Li Qi would probably have fallen victim to the trap.

"Thank you, Miss Shen, it's all thanks to you again this time..." Li Qi immediately expressed his gratitude.

Shen Shuibi, however, continued to press Li Qi's temples and said to him, "I had a feeling about this before, but I felt that it might not be a bad thing for you, so I didn't tell you."

"It's not a bad thing after all..." Li Qi's eyes were bloodshot. He slumped in the car, letting Shen Shuibi send a cool breath into his body, swirling around his brain.

"I've been too arrogant. These past few days, I've always been standing on high, acting like I'm in control. I've become arrogant and conceited, and I've lost myself a bit." Li Qi took a deep breath.

"I thought that by being neither servile nor arrogant in front of the governor and others, and by not boasting, I had already maintained humility. Little did I know that arrogance never comes from one's attitude toward superiors, but rather from one's attitude toward subordinates."

"When I was in power, I knew how vast the world was, so I was cautious and timid, dared not do too much, and constantly reflected on myself."

"But after entering this small world, I learned that its foundation was not deep, and it even used some petty tricks to manipulate the Heavenly Dao. So I felt extremely superior to Zhang Deming and the others, and I was complacent about my title of 'Young Master'. I felt that although I was nothing in the world, here I was a real big shot." Li Qi said, reflecting on his conclusions.

Then he sighed, "Alas, I am arrogant without realizing it, proud without self-control. My Dao heart has already left a flaw."

Li Qi truly realized his mistake and the flaws in his Dao heart, which is why he was in such a weak state.

However, after hearing this, Shen Shuibi's previously worried expression disappeared, and instead, a hint of joy appeared in her eyes. "Being able to realize this means that there is already a chance to make up for this flaw."

"I didn't say it directly before because the Dao heart is something that cannot be spoken of directly. Too much talk can easily provoke rebellion. One must realize it on one's own. But it seems that you are quite remarkable, Li Qi!" She said happily, "The flaw in the Dao heart is a problem that even many powerful beings are troubled by. Many people can recognize their own flaws, but they can never fix them. You were able to realize it after my little reminder. It is clear that two-thirds of the purpose of this journey to another realm has been achieved." Shen Shuibi said with a smile.

Hearing Shen Shuibi praise him, Li Qi felt a little pleased, but he quickly calmed down and asked himself why he was so happy. Was it because of pride or something else?

After this experience, he became more vigilant and realized that he must constantly reflect on himself so as not to fall into the flaws of his Dao heart and become someone else.

However, after thinking it over, he suddenly realized something. "Two-thirds of the purpose of this trip to the outer realms? Isn't our purpose to learn the Daoist principles?"

"Ah, so you think the Outer Dao are very difficult?" Shen Shuibi asked in return.

Li Qi thought for a moment and had to admit it, so he replied, "... It's very simple."

"That's right. The unique Daoist principles of this small world are not difficult to understand. Just learn step by step and visit it, and you will naturally understand it. There's nothing strange about it."

"All the travels to foreign lands are actually for the purpose of changing the mindset of disciples of major sects like you, to see how your mindset will change after you Heaven Creation, and how to stabilize your Dao heart."

"Comprehension of the Dao and learning of knowledge can be done at any time without needing to come out specifically for training. However, solidifying your Dao heart is a lesson that will remain unchanged throughout your entire Dao Path for thousands of years. Therefore, this will definitely be your first lesson after you descend the mountain."

"I actually noticed it a long time ago, because when the prefect invited you, I knew it must be the Great Shaman's order for this training."

"The Dao heart is the foundation of cultivation. If the Dao heart is insufficient, then martial artists will not have the perseverance to practice their fists day after day for ten years, Shaman will not have the awe for heaven and earth and nature, Daoists will no longer adhere to the principle of detachment and cultivation, and cultivators of the Human Path will become irritable and cruel to the people."

Shen Shuibi continued, "Without the Dao heart to uphold, cultivation will ultimately be nothing but an empty dream. At that time, all your cultivation will no longer belong to you."

It's no longer its own?

This statement made Li Qi feel somewhat strange.

Even if there's a flaw in one's Dao heart, it shouldn't be me, right?

Therefore, Li Qi humbly asked, "Why do you say that? If there's a flaw in Dao heart, does that mean one is no longer oneself?"

Shen Shuibi looked at Li Qi and said naturally, "It's very simple. A common man, in a fit of rage, might kill someone in the street. Do you think he made that decision himself?"

Upon hearing this question, Li Qi frowned and fell into deep thought.

Yeah?

Right?

Even if anger cloudes one's judgment, it should still be a decision made by oneself.

But is that really true?

No.

In a fit of rage, a common man killed someone in the street.

In reality, when a common man gets angry, and commits murder in the street, it's because he's acting impulsively, driven by rage and instinct. His true nature has been clouded by anger.

At that point, the decision he made was no longer his own.

"So, think about it again: what's the difference between the anger of a scholar, which results in two corpses lying in the ground and blood flowing five steps, and the anger of a common man?" Shen Shuibi asked him again.

Her tone was persuasive and guiding, leading Li Qi step by step to find the answer.

Li Qi continued to ponder.

The difference between "a common man's anger leads to a murder in the street" and "a scholar's anger leads to two corpses and bloodshed within five steps".

Both were acts of provoking someone to commit murder, and in terms of the outcome, they were no different.

But what is the reality?

A fool might act impulsively and kill someone, and he might later feel immense regret, fear, sorrow, and hatred for his own impulsiveness.

Because the man acted without thinking, driven by rage, he failed to discover a better solution and only realized afterwards that he didn't actually need to kill anyone.

But a man's anger will never lead to regret, because he has thought things through carefully before taking action, he already understands the reasons and process behind his decision, and he has concluded that this is the best way, so he resolutely does it, even if it means dying nine times over.

This is the difference between "a surge of courage" and "a sense of righteousness".

This is the difference between making a decision when Dao heart is clouded and when Dao heart is clear.

With such clarity, one can attain liberation, and in the pursuit of the Way, one will not fear life or death, nor be afraid of powerful enemies. One can live for the Way and die for the Way.

People do not cultivate their minds, so they are not free. They have a distorted sense of right and wrong, and they mistake falsehood for truth. Every person is like a slave, enslaved and bound by desires, impulses, and various emotions.

Thus, bound by desires, they are born against their will, die against their will, love and hate against their will, and toil and struggle their entire lives against their will. They do not know why they are like this, nor how to get rid of it all. They just live by habit, going through birth, aging, sickness and death. They are driven by many things under the shackles and cannot be free.

But at this moment, Li Qi's doubts arose.

"Miss Shen, according to this logic, does cultivating the Tao mean abandoning all emotions and desires and turning oneself into a robot? Analyzing the pros and cons of everything, wouldn't that be being solely driven by self-interest and seeking only one's own benefit and security? In that case, would it still be considered cultivation?" Li Qi asked, his brows furrowed in utter bewilderment.

Shen Shuibi tilted her head and asked in confusion, "Why would you think that?"

"It's not about making you not driven by desires, but about abandoning desires altogether. Desires are a part of the 'heart.' If you abandon them, will your heart still be whole?"

"What is meant by a clear and bright Dao heart? It means using wisdom to observe yourself, constantly reflecting. With reflection, you can achieve inner and outer clarity and not be driven by simple desires, thus recognizing your true nature."

"Having come to know one's true nature, one can clear away confusion, cast aside anger and delusion, and understand what one's desires are, what one wants, what provokes one's anger, and what the motivations and reasons are for one's actions."

"When your mind is clear and you understand these things, how could you possibly do something that is misled by desire?"

"Just like the contrast between your current state and your past self, you were previously misled by arrogance, which obscured your Dao heart. So, do you really think that kind of behavior is something you could do?"

Shen Shuibi threw out a series of questions, forcing Li Qi to think again.

Then, Li Qi had to admit that what she said made a lot of sense.

Is freedom defined as being driven by instinct to act recklessly and letting one's desires swell? That is nothing more than being a slave to desire, and cannot be called freedom at all.

Dao heart is free from the confusion of greed, anger, and ignorance, unburdened by the causes and effects of karma, and unswayed by doubts, fears, anger, or other emotions. One knows one's true nature and acts accordingly.

Without hesitation, pursue your own path, understand what you truly love and what you truly pursue, and then use all your energy and wisdom to achieve that goal.

This is the heart of Dao Pursuer; this is the 'Dao heart'.

Those Dao Pursuer must have this kind of heart in order to persevere and move forward with determination, maintaining their initial passion throughout their long lives; otherwise, they will only be controlled by power and desire in the long run.

After figuring this out, Li Qi suddenly felt that many of his confusions had vanished.

After gaining power, it seemed that all the dust that had clouded my heart during my cultivation was swept away.

The Dao exists externally; it is the law governing the operation of the entire universe.

The Tao resides within the body; it is the principle governing the microcosm of the human body.

At this moment, the dust that had been on his Dao heart was swept away, and his inner world seemed to become much clearer, with the circulation of various internal energies and divine energy within his body becoming smoother.

Seeing this, Shen Shuibi happily removed the barrier.

No one noticed what had just happened.