Old Green Ox wore a thoroughly stifled expression.
He had finally managed to charge out and let his hooves fly, but before he could take more than a few steps, his vision blurred. Then he saw the old man, and found himself there too. He was frustrated that he had failed to escape, yet also delighted to see the old man again after so long. His feelings were terribly complicated.
Qi WuHuo stepped forward to pay his respects and laid out all the questions weighing on his mind.
The old man stroked his beard and asked with a smile, "You've seen the Dao of the Northern Pole, and the Dao of the Southern Pole."
"Though you're troubled, WuHuo, you must have your own thoughts by now. Have you already abandoned what you said that day about suppressing the Dao of Heaven, Earth, Man, God, and Ghost?"
A chill bristled across Old Green Ox's back.
His pair of ox eyes widened as he stared fixedly at the young Daoist before him.
What?!!
Suppress Heaven, Earth, Man, God, and Ghost?
What a boast!
Hiss—this young Daoist looked so mild and unassuming. How could he have even more of a rebellious streak than that fellow Xuan Du?!
The young Daoist stood before the old man and said, "I certainly haven't."
"It's just..."
The old man smiled and picked up where he left off. "It's just that you feel you haven't seen or learned enough. Simply saying those words carries little weight before the Northern Pole and the Southern Pole. You must act, not merely speak. Is that it?"
Qi WuHuo nodded.
The old man said, "That is as it should be. Then what troubles you, WuHuo, is not knowledge, but action."
"You already know, but you have yet to fully walk the Dao.