Inside Casual Hall, time seemed to stand still. Lin Xuan's answer had already fallen, yet its echoes still seemed to linger among the beams and pillars, striking at the Daoist hearts of everyone who had heard it. His discussion of "Dao," "methods," and "teaching" had leaped entirely beyond the established metaphysical framework of the Primordial World. With a rationality and meticulous analysis that came close to "defying orthodoxy," he had broken down grand concepts into components that could be applied and verified.
Holy Mother of Fire Spirit was utterly dumbfounded. He had practiced for many years, listened to his Master preach the Dao, and discussed its principles with many fellow disciples, yet he had never heard anyone compare "Dao" to a "road" and a "tool," or judge the merits of a "method" by whether it was "suitable" and could "develop." Much less had anyone ever made the sacred task of "teaching" so concrete, with measures like a "Knowledge Base," a "resource platform," and "Mutual Learning and Teaching"—all completely unheard-of. His mind buzzed. He felt both the clarity of sudden enlightenment and the dizziness of having his understanding overturned. When he looked at Lin Xuan, he felt not merely admiration, but a hint of awe.
Above them on the Cloud Bed, the Pure Light representing the Divine Sense of Sovereign of the Heavens rippled once more, after a long silence that had been almost suffocating. This time, the movement was no longer slight. It was as if a boulder had been thrown into a calm lake, setting off wave after wave of light.
From within the Pure Light came a faint sigh, as though from ages past. Then Sovereign of the Heavens spoke in a calm yet dignified voice, each word seemingly imbued with the resonant tones of the Great Dao:
"Xuanyuanzi..."
Just three words, yet they made Lin Xuan's heart tremble. The voice no longer carried the detached scrutiny of their first meeting. Instead, there was something unprecedented in it: solemnity and curiosity.
"What you said, at first hearing, does indeed seem to be an answer to the wrong question," Sovereign of the Heavens said slowly. "When the Primordial World discusses the Dao, all speak of comprehending the Heavenly Dao, aligning with nature, and following Heaven's will to respond to the people. Yet you speak of 'patterns,' 'tools,' 'standards,' and 'systems'... This is not the orthodox doctrine of Xuanmen."
Lin Xuan's heart tightened, but he did not panic. He simply lowered his head respectfully and waited for him to continue.
Sure enough, Sovereign of the Heavens abruptly changed tack. His voice now held undisguised astonishment and admiration. "But on careful thought, every word you say is a gem, pointing straight to the source! You bring the ethereal 'Dao' down to the knowable and perceptible 'principles'; reduce the abstruse 'methods' to 'tools' that are useful or useless; and turn the grand aspiration of teaching all living beings into practical plans—who can be taught, what to teach them, and how to teach them well!"
The Pure Light suddenly flared brighter, and Sovereign of the Heavens raised his voice, betraying an emotion rarely seen in a Sage. "Especially this 'Teaching According to Aptitude,' 'Shared Knowledge,' and 'Mutual Learning and Teaching'! What a fine 'Mutual Learning and Teaching'! I founded the Interception Sect to seize a sliver of hope for all living beings. Yet my thoughts have mostly been on opening the mountain gates wide and 'Teaching without discrimination.' I never gave much thought to how much learning the very word 'teaching' contains, or how many possibilities it holds!"
He seemed to be talking to himself, yet also discussing the matter with Lin Xuan. "If we follow your advice—establishing tiers and standards, sharing resources, and encouraging debate—could we not turn that 'sliver of hope' into a steady stream, nourishing the lands of more beings with the right affinity? Instead of leaving everything to each disciple's own fate and fortune, with only a few ever succeeding?"
At this point, Sovereign of the Heavens seemed completely absorbed by this new way of thinking. The Pure Light surged as he began to work it through. "Establish basic Daoist academies to teach common knowledge such as Breathing Exercises, identifying Spirit Grass, and basic formations... Create a contribution system, allowing disciples to earn advanced techniques or resources by completing tasks, exploring secret realms, or innovating methods... Hold regular discussions of the Dao, open to all, with merit as the only criterion... We could even establish specialized institutes to study the hundred arts, such as alchemy, weapon forging, and formations, making them more specialized and systematic..."
After considering it for a while, the Pure Light slowly settled. Sovereign of the Heavens spoke calmly once more, though his admiration had only grown stronger. "Xuanyuanzi, your way of thinking is unusual, yet it secretly accords with the true meaning of 'Interception': breaking free of the constraints of old frameworks and opening up possibilities for new paths! This is no ordinary cleverness. It is great wisdom!"
It was an exceptionally high appraisal! He had directly affirmed the value of Lin Xuan's ideas, elevating them to a level that aligned with the core tenets of the Interception Sect!
Holy Mother of Fire Spirit listened, his heart surging with excitement. He had never seen his Master praise anyone like this, let alone a human rogue cultivator! He looked at Lin Xuan with almost worshipful admiration.
The weight on Lin Xuan's heart lifted. He knew that his risky "answer" had succeeded. He hurriedly bowed. "Your praise is undeserved, Sage. This junior would not dare accept it. These are merely a few shallow thoughts. It is this junior's honor to have won your favor."
"No need for false modesty," Sovereign of the Heavens interrupted him. "Wisdom has nothing to do with one's origins, and insight has nothing to do with one's roots. Since you possess such aptitude, remaining at this secluded residence on Kunlun Mountain would be a waste of your talents."
A more substantial intent from within the Pure Light settled upon Lin Xuan. "Xuanyuanzi, my true self is at Biyou Palace on Jin'ao Island in the East Sea. Would you be willing to accompany Huo Ling to Jin'ao Island and join the Interception Sect? You need not start as a nominal disciple. I can grant you the position of Guest Minister, with the benefits of an elder, to devote yourself to studying the sect's doctrine and reforming its affairs. The library at Biyou Palace, the Alchemy Room, and the weapon-forging chambers will all be open to you. I want to see what brilliance your 'Scientific Thinking' can bring forth in my Interception Sect!"
Guest Minister! The benefits of an elder! A dedicated role studying the sect's doctrine!
This offer far exceeded Lin Xuan's expectations! He would be skipping every low-level position and becoming one of the Interception Sect's core strategists from the outset! It was clear just how highly Sovereign of the Heavens valued his "Scientific Thinking."
With such an opportunity right before him, how could Lin Xuan let it slip by? He suppressed his excitement and bowed deeply. "Thank you for your kindness, Sage. Xuanyuanzi is willing to go to Jin'ao Island and do everything in his power to contribute, however modestly, to the prosperity of the Interception Sect!"
"Good!" Sovereign of the Heavens sounded pleased. "Excellent! Huo Ling."
"This disciple is here!" Holy Mother of Fire Spirit replied at once.
"Take my decree and make the preparations at once. Escort Guest Minister Xuanyuanzi to Biyou Palace on Jin'ao Island to meet Duobao, and arrange all the necessary matters."
"I obey your decree!" Holy Mother of Fire Spirit answered loudly, his face alight with excitement.
The Pure Light on the Cloud Bed gradually faded, and Sovereign of the Heavens' Divine Sense seemed about to depart. But at the very end, he sent Lin Xuan one last meaningful remark: "Xuanyuanzi, the established rules of the Primordial World may not be the only rules. Your 'science' may bring new variables to this world. Make good use of it."
When his voice faded, the Pure Light vanished completely, and Casual Hall returned to stillness.
Lin Xuan stood where he was, turning the Sage's final words over in his mind, his emotions in turmoil. He understood that the tiny butterfly that was him had officially begun to flap its wings—and the storm might soon rise because of it.
An answer to the wrong question? No. It was a mind-shaking blow from an entirely higher level of thought! With his "scientific" framework of ideas, far ahead of its time, Lin Xuan had not only won over Sovereign of the Heavens, but had also secured an exceptionally high starting point for himself. The road to the heart of the Interception Sect now lay open.
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