The True Scheme and the Five Nectars

With one blow, he shattered a lama's head, and Li Qi's injuries slowly healed.

The physical body has healed, but the microcosm within the body has not yet healed and will require several years to recover.

He wasn't the Demon Prince after all, so he couldn't act like nothing had happened even after being injured like that. He simply collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

A severed heart meridian is a very serious injury.

Even for a powerful being, having their heart ripped out is a fatal wound. Just look at the ancient imperial tutor, the one who was tricked and killed by the White Chen Fox King Bodhisattva; even without his heart, he still perished.

Because this heart is not a simple physical organ. If it were just a physical body, it would be fine to replace a few more. But if one is proficient in the art of transformation, it would not be difficult to take out seventeen or eighteen hearts.

The real issue is that the 'mind' itself is an important component of the microcosm of the human body.

The heart, the essence of human beings, is the master of vital energy. Just as humans follow the laws of Heaven, the North Star is the one that holds the reins and maintains order in the twenty-eight constellations. The North Star resides in its place, and all the other stars revolve around it. The heart is the North Star of human beings. If one can preserve one's heart, one can cultivate one's nature.

As the sages said, "The mind resides in the body, which is the position of the ruler. The sage judges things, but is not swayed by them. When the mind is at peace, the world is at peace; when the mind is well-governed, the people are well-governed. Governance is the mind, and peace is the mind."

Even Human Path places great importance on this, and can be written as follows:

Scholars arise from the heart, and the heart is the master of the body. The ears and eyes follow the heart. If the heart is not in learning, one will not hear what is being recited, nor see what is being read. If one wishes to refine one's learning, one must first rectify one's heart, and then reason and righteousness will enter into one's understanding.

Therefore, if the mind dwells on the eyes, it will forget the ears, and thus one will not hear; if the mind dwells on the ears, it will forget the eyes, and thus one will not see.

Why is the most important thing called the 'core' in the microcosm of the human body? Essentially, it's because the 'heart' occupies an absolutely central and crucial position within this microcosm.

The heart is responsible for energizing other places.

If the brain is the organ of thought, then the heart is the engine; hence the saying, "The heart is the master of a person's vital energy."

For example, as mentioned earlier. "If the mind dwells on the eyes, one will forget the ears; if the mind dwells on the ears, one will forget the eyes."

If your mind is focused on your eyes, you'll easily forget about your ears, causing you to be unable to hear anything else.

If you focus your mind on listening to sounds, you will unconsciously close your eyes when you are listening attentively.

Therefore, the mind, within the microcosm of the human body, is responsible for a person's attention, focus, or, in other words, the 'energy' needed for the operation of other parts of the microcosm of the human body.

That's why there's the concept of "Dao heart" (the heart of the Dao). Essentially, it's about how dedicated you are to your Dao. The strength of your Dao heart is a measure of how much you're committed to the path of pursuing the Dao.

Therefore, Li Qi had just had his heart meridian pierced, and at this moment he felt only a daze, as if he were half-awake and half-asleep. He had no interest in anything, forgot what he saw after just one glance, and seemed unable to hear the sounds around him.

Fortunately, the heart meridian is not the 'heart' itself in the microcosm of the human body; the heart meridian is merely a pathway for transportation. He forcibly connected with it using his cultivation, stabilized his mind, and then began to repair it.

However, the matter is not over yet.

Just as Li Qi sat down to recuperate, he saw the fifth-rank lama return from the sky.

Li Qi suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the lama who had returned.

Bad food.

"Even severely injured, you were still able to kill my disciple. You are truly remarkable. As expected of the young master of Wushen Mountain, your previous move of using the power of all heavens to command the Earthly Deity the Buddhist kingdom was indeed beautiful." The lama slowly landed.

Li Qi immediately began to make plans in his mind.

However, his heart meridian had just been damaged, making it difficult for him to concentrate. He couldn't think of any good solutions for the time being and could only look at the other person.

But the lama's attention was not on Li Qi. Instead, he gently beckoned and grabbed his disciple's headless corpse, holding it in his hand.

Then, the Human-skin Thangka behind him suddenly opened its mouth, swallowed the corpse, and began to chew it.

Bones, flesh, fat, internal organs, and blood were mixed into a crimson blur within that enormous maw that resembled a blender. The cultivation of a sixth-rank cultivator gushed out continuously, only to be absorbed back into Tangka.

This lama didn't care at all that this was his disciple.

After chewing for a while, the entire corpse had turned into pus and blood, making the Thangka appear even more vibrant.

"Hmm... The disciple's taste, though not as good as the junior brother's, is still quite a tonic. I just wonder how the young master of Wushen Mountain tastes." The lama walked to Li Qi's side.

Li Qi has not lost his ability to move, but it's useless for him to move now, and he can't possibly outrun a fifth-rank official.

However, he wasn't afraid at all, and simply said, "Senior is really... indiscriminate in his eating habits, but I'm afraid you won't be able to eat me today."

"Oh? Why? Are you trying to bring up your sect elders? But this is the Western Paradise. No matter how strong your sect elders are, what can they do to me here? Even if you have powerful backers, my backers won't stand idly by when your masters come, will they?"

"Tsongkhapa is indeed powerful, and he also has Manjushri Bodhisattva and Black Heaven behind him, so if things really get out of hand, there's no way to get revenge. But senior, look at my cultivation method, there's a hint of Dakini Heaven in it," Li Qi said with a smile.

"It's perfectly normal to have the shadow of Dakini Heaven. You're not practicing the orthodox Dakini Heaven method, so what's so strange about having the shadow?" The lama was still chewing on the thangka, just looking at it... almost finished chewing.

After they finish chewing, it will probably be Li Qi's turn.

But Li Qi still didn't show any panic. Instead, he said, "But I clearly just came out of the Dakini Heaven. Senior also saw my previous methods. If the Buddhist Heavens I observed didn't have the approval of the Bodhisattvas, I'm afraid the Vajra of Enforcement wouldn't be so lenient, would they?"

"Well, this only proves that you do have a connection with Dakini Heaven, but what does it have to do with me?" the lama asked. "You're not going to tell me that Dakini Heaven- rank official, would personally stand up for someone as low as sixth-rank, are you?"

That's a joke. Unless you're Dakini Heaven's lover, you're dead, so be it. Why would a mere third-rank sovereign personally step forward for a sixth-rank Shaman who has absolutely no connection to him?

Even a fool would find it impossible; Dakini Heaven were to seek a lover, he would not choose a sixth-rank official.

Li Qi knew it was impossible, but he still said, "Actually, letting me observe the heavens is a reward. Dakini Heaven has other instructions for me. I am carrying out her mission. If I die, my master and the Buddhist sect may be able to stop me, but Dakini Heaven will definitely be angry."

"Even Dakini Heaven could not kill me," the lama replied.

"But they will definitely find it repulsive. I am only a sixth-rank official. Is it worth it for a senior to suffer the resentment of a third-rank official?" Li Qi asked rhetorically.

"Why isn't it worth it? Do you think you're so bad?" The lama asked in surprise. "Look at you. Your cultivation is solid, your foundation is profound, and all the Dao Lineage within your body operate in an orderly manner without interfering with each other. Your small world is already showing signs of potential. If you were to reach the fifth rank and completely transform the illusory into the real, you would surely soar to great heights. If I were to eat you, I would definitely make significant progress."

"Speaking of this, I'm a little curious. It's not surprising that you eat people, but why would eating people increase your cultivation? My Dao Path is mine after all. Even if you devour my human body and my small world, at most you'll just have a bunch of useless impurities in your body. It should be purely harmful and useless. Since I'm about to die, I beg you to enlighten me and let me die knowing the truth." Li Qi put his hands together in a Buddhist gesture and asked curiously.

That sounds like something a lunatic would say, asking such a question when you're about to die.

What's even more mysterious is that this fifth-rank lama sat down and earnestly explained to Li Qi how he managed to do such a thing.

He then sat down in front of Li Qi and said, "Benefactor, please look at the Five Nectars in my hand. They are clearly filthy and evil. Why are they called nectar?"

Li Qi looked at the Five Nectars inside the skull. After being refined, it no longer resembled anything filthy; it was just some red and white crystalline liquid, which did indeed look somewhat like 'nectar'.

"Growing up like this, it's normal for it to be called Ganlu, right?" Li Qi guessed.

"How could it be such an absurd and childish game? In reality, the Five Nectars require a complicated refining process. After preparing the Five Meats and Five Nectars, they must be mixed with Amida Wine, herbs, etc., and placed into a 'Skull Cup' made of human skulls. Then, one must visualize wind wheels and fire wheels rising from below the Skull Cup."

"The skull is used because, like the brain, it can carry human intelligence and enhance human thought. Through visualization, the contents inside the skull are made to boil, and then, through Secret Method, the boiling contents are transformed into mercury. When the impure substances such as the Five Meats and the Five Nectars have gone through the three processes of purification, increase, and transformation, the nectar is completed, and at this point, it is no longer impure."

"They are all filthy things, so why do they become filthy after being refined? The reason is very simple: filth and purity are only a matter of a single thought. Taking the filthy nectar pill can eliminate the mind of discrimination."

"The purpose of refining and consuming these impure things is simply to break the cultivator's attachment to and distinction between purity and impurity."

"By breaking through the practitioner's distinction between purity and impurity, one realizes that all dharmas in the heavens are nothing but suffering, emptiness, and non-self. One can even realize that all dharmas in the three realms are transformations, manifestations, and appearances of one's own mind, and are not real dharmas. Therefore, one can eliminate self-view and self-attachment, thereby achieving the effect of breaking through attachment to purity and impurity."

"Even the ultimate purity and defilement can be transformed through contemplation, so what is there that cannot be transformed? Do you agree with this principle? In this way, emptiness and form become one, emptiness is form, and form is emptiness, just like your cultivation."

"Your cultivation and your corpse are just like this nectar pill. What's the difference between so-called impure energy and pure cultivation? It's just that what you see as pure cultivation is impure energy in my eyes, isn't it? The cultivation itself hasn't changed. It's still the same energy that revolves around the Dao, coming from your body to mine unchanged. Since nothing has changed, why is there a distinction between impure energy and pure cultivation? Isn't this just clinging to appearances?"

"So, all I need to do is visualize from your perspective, and it will become a state of pure cultivation, just like the Five Nectars transforming from purity to defilement, and then from defilement to purity, where emptiness and form are one."

This fifth-rank lama spoke in great detail, directly revealing his own lineage and foundation of spiritual practice.

Although these facts don't constitute a true basis for the theory, knowing them greatly reduces the difficulty of making predictions.

However, after hearing this, Li Qi suddenly widened his eyes.

Etc.

Different perspectives?

He suddenly realized something.

The perspective of an ant is different from that of a human.

In other words, other people's perspectives are different from one's own.

Li Qi was aware of this difference early on, and the Dao struggle within him actually originated from this. Therefore, he had been searching for an absolute God's perspective.

For example, his way of resolving the Daoist conflict at this moment is to assume an 'ultimate Dao,' an absolute God's perspective that can see everything, to look down on all Dao Lineage. In this way, having an ultimate Dao means that all Dao Lineage are essentially the same, thus naturally eliminating the Daoist conflict.

This "ultimate Dao" is actually a concept proposed by the Daoist school. The Daoist school transforms all things in the world into the two poles of Yin and Yang, indicating that everything in the world is contradictory. Contradictions exist widely among all things, but at the same time they are also harmonious. There is an Ultimate Great Dao that reconciles all contradictions.

Li Qi then used this to reconcile all Dao Path conflicts within his body.

But now, this fifth-rank lama has given him another idea.

Perhaps...

There is no ultimate Tao, and there is no supreme Dao Lineage.

There is no absolute 'God's perspective', or rather, the true God's perspective is essentially the ability to switch between all perspectives.

Yes, a stable, absolute, supreme perspective is unrealistic. However, if you can freely and casually switch your perspective, then you are essentially having a God's-eye view.

However, there is a fundamental difference between the two.

Li Qi suddenly sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

He understood.

He found a way to resolve the internal conflict within himself.

Within Li Qi's body, numerous Dao Lineage suddenly emerged.

Li Qi began his spiritual practice in front of that fifth-rank lama, casually treating him as a protector.

The lama, however, did not eat Li Qi directly, but simply waited for him.

Until—two months later.

Two months later, Li Qi opened his eyes.

The internal conflict within him has been completely resolved, and it will not erupt again, at least in the foreseeable future.

Li Qi has found the true God's perspective, the true method to comprehend all the Dao Lineage!

He opened his eyes, reached out his hand, and shook it.

It seems... that the issue of Dao dispute has been resolved, and we have already touched the edge of the fifth rank.

Then he turned his head and looked at the lama.

The lama smiled at Li Qi and said, "You owe me a life, and you also owe me a great favor."

"I will keep it in mind." Li Qi put his hands together and bowed.

The lama laughed heartily and rode away on a cloud.