Public Sermon: When Quantum Mechanics Meets Cultivation

The "Outline for the Optimization and Doctrinal Development of the Jie Sect (Draft)" has not been formally promulgated, but its core ideas, especially the "Contribution Points" system and the pilot preparations for "Daoist Canon Standardization," have already quietly circulated among the higher echelons of Jin'ao Island and some perceptive disciples, sparking considerable debate. Supporters see unprecedented opportunities and efficiency improvements, while doubters worry about tradition being overthrown and existing order being challenged.

Amidst this undercurrent of unrest, Duobao Daoist made a decision. After communicating with Sovereign of the Heavens via divine sense, he announced that in three days, a public sermon would be held at the "Ten Thousand Laws Plaza" in front of Biyou Palace. The main speaker would not be a senior elder, but the new "Special Invited Researcher"—Xuanyuanzi! The sermon's topic was even more unheard of—"Change" and "Constancy": Glimpsing the Profound Secrets of the Great Dao Through Microscopic Changes.

The news caused an uproar on Jin'ao Island.

To have a Human Race cultivator, who had only joined a few months ago and whose cultivation was merely Refining Essence into Qi, give a public sermon? And on such a bizarre topic? This was unprecedented in the entire history of the Jie Sect! Even with the success of previous pilot projects, many disciples, especially those who had cultivated for many years and considered themselves important inner disciples and a few elders, were filled with confusion and doubt.

"Researcher Xuanyuanzi indeed has unique ideas, but a public sermon... isn't that treating it too lightly?"

"Microscopic changes? How can such a minor path be compared to the Great Dao?"

"Could it be that Senior Brother Duobao and the Sovereign have been bewitched by him?"

Lin Xuan heard various discussions but merely smiled. He knew well that to truly implement reforms, the support of the upper echelons and the understanding of the leadership were far from enough; one must win the hearts of the vast majority of lower and middle-tier disciples. This sermon was not only a dissemination of knowledge but also a promotion of ideology, a battle to overcome ingrained concepts.

Three days passed in a flash. The Ten Thousand Laws Plaza was crowded, with not only newly initiated disciples but also many curious inner disciples, and even some elders hidden in the clouds or at the edges of the plaza, wanting to see what would happen. Duobao Daoist personally presided over the front of the plaza to show his support.

As the appointed time arrived, Lin Xuan, dressed in a simple blue researcher's robe, walked onto the sermon stage in the center of the plaza with steady steps. He swept his gaze over the crowd below with their varied expressions and spoke calmly. His voice was not loud but clearly reached every disciple's ears:

"Fellow disciples, today, Xuanyuanzi is not here to impart any profound Daoist techniques, nor to explain secret arts. I merely wish to discuss with you some seemingly ordinary, yet potentially fundamental issues concerning our cultivation." He paused and posed a question, "In our cultivation, we absorb and expel spiritual energy, refine our divine consciousness, and comprehend the Heavenly Dao. So, I ask, what exactly is this spiritual energy of heaven and earth? And how can our divine consciousness perceive and draw upon it?"

The audience was silent for a moment, and a disciple tentatively replied, "Spiritual energy is the essence of heaven and earth, formless and intangible, pervading the void." "Divine consciousness is the power of the soul, mysterious and profound, capable of perceiving all things."

Lin Xuan nodded, "Well answered. However, how can something 'formless and intangible' pervade the void? And how does the 'mysterious and profound' operate?" Seeing everyone fall into thought, he changed the subject, "Today, I will attempt to use a new 'language,' a perspective of observing 'microscopic changes,' to glimpse the tip of the iceberg of these questions."

He did not directly introduce the unfamiliar term "quantum" but started with the most intuitive phenomena: "Have you all observed how a drop of water can wear through a stone? A weak drop of water, over a long period, can pierce a hard stone. This is the power of the microscopic, acting continuously to cause macroscopic changes. Cultivation is similar; every breath, every thought, is a microscopic action that accumulates to form the foundation of the Great Dao."

Then, he introduced the core concept: "In my homeland, ancient sages proposed a hypothesis. They believed that the most minuscule foundations that constitute all things in this world are not fixed and unchanging like grains of sand. When they are not 'observed,' their state is uncertain, like a blurry 'wave,' possessing countless possibilities. Only when they are 'observed' or interact with other things do they 'choose' a definite state to present themselves, like a 'wave' condensing into a 'particle.' This phenomenon can temporarily be called 'wave-particle duality' and the 'observer effect.'"

A commotion and whispers began to spread in the audience; this theory was too bizarre! How could something be both like a wave and a particle? And could its state change due to observation?

Lin Xuan calmly continued, combining the theory with cultivation phenomena: "Viewed in this light, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth might be seen as a form of energy ocean in a 'wave' state, full of possibilities. And the 'divine consciousness' of us cultivators can be regarded as a special 'observational' power. When we concentrate our minds and use our divine consciousness to 'perceive' and 'guide' spiritual energy, we are performing an 'observation,' causing this 'wave' of spiritual energy to 'collapse' into a particle-state energy that can be absorbed and utilized where and in the direction we need it! This, perhaps, is part of the essence of 'drawing Qi into the body'!"

At this statement, the entire venue was astonished! Even Duobao Daoist, seated at the front, opened his eyes and showed a look of deep thought. Explaining the esoteric process of drawing Qi into the body with "wave-particle transformation" and "observational collapse," though unheard of, possessed a strange, convincing logical beauty!

"Let's look at spellcasting next," Lin Xuan seized the opportunity. "A fireball spell doesn't conjure fire out of nothing. Instead, we use our divine consciousness as a guide and our magic power as a medium to strongly 'observe' and 'set' the microscopic energy in a specific area, causing it to 'choose' the state of violent combustion, releasing light and heat as 'particles'! Escape techniques also involve temporarily 'setting' the state of ourselves and the surrounding spatial energy to achieve high-speed movement."

He further extended his ideas to more profound realms: "Even... why is the calculation of Heavenly Secrets often vague and easily disturbed? Perhaps it is precisely because Heavenly Secrets themselves are in a macroscopic state of 'quantum superposition,' possessing countless possible futures. The act of calculation itself is a strong 'observation,' which will inevitably affect or even 'collapse' part of the Heavenly Secrets, making the outcome unpredictable. This might be part of the deeper reason why 'Heavenly Secrets cannot be revealed'!"

The plaza was silent, everyone stunned by this new worldview. This was no longer a simple explanation of techniques but a contemplation touching upon the origin of the Great Dao!

Finally, Lin Xuan returned to Sovereign of the Heavens' doctrine: "And the Sovereign's words, 'to intercept a sliver of life,' perfectly align with this principle! All things in heaven and earth, the river of fate, originally have infinite possibilities (wave state). We, the cultivators of the Jie Sect, must, within these infinite possibilities, use our great willpower and wisdom to actively 'observe,' 'intervene,' and 'choose' that 'sliver of life' (particle state) that is most beneficial to all beings and most likely to achieve transcendence, and 'intercept' it from the chaos! This is acting in accordance with the principle of microscopic change and carrying out macroscopic deeds of saving the world!"

The sermon concluded, and Lin Xuan bowed, "What I have said today is merely Xuanyuanzi's humble opinion, intended to provoke thought and hopefully open a new window of contemplation for all fellow disciples. The Great Dao is infinite, and exploration never ceases. Thank you all."

Silence lingered for several breaths, then erupted into thunderous applause and discussions! Many disciples, especially those with active minds and frequent confusions, had eyes shining with excitement and sudden enlightenment! They had never imagined that cultivation could be understood from such an angle! Some elders also stroked their beards in contemplation; while they might not have fully accepted everything, they had to admit that this discourse was highly inspiring and opened new avenues of thought for them.

Duobao Daoist stood up, surveyed the crowd, and his voice spread across the plaza: "What Researcher Xuanyuanzi has spoken today, though not traditional Daoist methods, is deeply thought-provoking and offers a new perspective, greatly benefiting our cultivation! The Sovereign often says that the Dao has no fixed methods, only adapting to change. Today's sermon is precisely a manifestation of our Jie Sect's spirit of 'daring to innovate'! I hope all fellow disciples will ponder it carefully and integrate it into your understanding!"

This unconventional sermon undoubtedly achieved unprecedented success. It not only greatly enhanced Lin Xuan's reputation and recognition among ordinary disciples but, more importantly, sowed the seeds of "scientific inquiry" in the hearts of countless Jie Sect followers.

When quantum mechanics met immortal cultivation, the sparks that collided illuminated an unprecedented path of exploration. The name Xuanyuanzi, from this moment on, truly resounded throughout Jin'ao Island.