"Oh? A sanctuary?" Laozi pondered briefly, his gaze narrowing slightly. "Dare I ask why you two have made this special visit?"
Zhunti sneered inwardly, while the smile on his face deepened. "Please forgive us, Brother Dao. The West is barren and thin in spiritual qi, its spiritual veins withered, precious artifacts difficult to find. We have come only in hopes of borrowing Brother Dao's Tai Chi Diagram, and asking Brother Yuanshi to grant us the Pangu Banner for temporary use."
"You overstate the matter, fellow Daoists. You and I are both indestructible Saints of the Primordial Chaos. Why treat such a trifling matter with such solemnity?" Laozi said evenly.
"Then many thanks to Brother Dao for fulfilling our wish." Daoist Jieyin and Zhunti answered in unison.
"Why thank me? Establishing teachings and spreading the Dao this time will also benefit your advancement upon the path. It is truly a fine karmic affinity," Laozi said blandly.
Hearing this, the smiles of the two men gradually broadened. Daoist Jieyin seized the moment to suggest, "Why do we not discuss the Great Dao together, test and verify each other's paths, and make up for our shortcomings? What does Brother Dao think?"
Laozi laughed heartily. "Excellent! Since that is so, let this humble one begin and ask you two for your judgment: what, precisely, is the difference between the Dao of East and West?"
Daoist Jieyin pondered before saying, "The Eastern Dao models Heaven and follows Earth, adapting to circumstance and returning to the Great Dao of nature. Though our West has gradually flourished, it still appears thin in comparison. Our cultivation still requires tempering and further refinement. Does Brother Dao agree?"
Zhunti continued, "Indeed. Though the Great Dao is manifold, we need only guard one heart—taking Bodhi as the seed and compassion as