New Doctrine
M'uru has regained the power of the Sacred Pool's waters and can communicate again, which is a good thing. Zul'ra and Liadrin are working on a new doctrine of the Light and need someone to preach it, and M'uru is undoubtedly the right person. 💥😺 ♧☮
The Naaru are a race that radiates the Light from birth. Their faith is in the natural the Light. Of course, their faith in the Light is not based on any fixed content, but merely on an innate, selfless order. As for the specific content, it is up to each individual to understand.
It was also because of his innate faith in the Light that M'uru did not turn to the dark side when the Sin'dorei drained his the Light. Because of his selfless and benevolent heart, no matter what he faced, he would attribute the source of the problem to himself, rather than blaming the Sin'dorei for their rudeness and barbarity. In short, he was a born saint.
Zul'ra referenced Buddhism from her previous life and gave a new definition to the Light. First, the ultimate goal of the Light. The ultimate goal of the Light religion is very vague. Some sects believe it is to become Val'kyr, some branches believe it is to redeem Consecration, and some believe it is to sublimate and become one with the Light. Zul'ra defined it as the other shore.
The doctrines of the Light vary due to different races and perceptions, but every different the Light faith has one thing in common: the world is divided into light and darkness, good and cruelty, justice and evil, heaven and hell, and everyone should stay away from evil and cruelty and turn to goodness and justice.
Without altering the original characteristics of the Light, Zul'ra redefined light and darkness. Life is a darkness, full of suffering, and to illuminate this darkness and get rid of that suffering, one must use one's wisdom to illuminate the darkness. In other words, light and darkness are human feelings, not the state of the world, and the world is not a duality.
M'uru found Zul'ra's opinion very novel. As a being radiating the Light, he was born with holiness. He was the one who taught others how to experience the Light, but no one taught him how to define the world or understand the Light!
Because of his incomplete understanding, after hearing Zul'ra's remarks, M'uru compared them with his own experience and found that this statement actually made a lot of sense.
"Zul'ra Jin, how should we use wisdom to illuminate the darkness?" M'uru asked Zul'ra, reflecting on his own life experiences.
"Faith, understanding, practice, and verification; faith is the gateway, and after understanding the meaning of the Light, one must put it into practice and ultimately verify the result." Zul'ra and his family do not seek two masters and continue to borrow Buddhist practice theories, as a way of thanking the materials he collected when he was writing novels in his previous life.
"So what are the hardships in life, and how can we get rid of them?"
"Life has eight sufferings: birth, old age, sickness, death, resentment and hatred caused by being together, reluctance caused by separation, desires that cannot be obtained, and obstacles in the five senses of contact, feeling, thinking, acting, and consciousness. The only way to be free from these sufferings is to reach the other shore..." Zul'ra modified and explained some Buddhist terms.
"How can we reach the other shore? What defines the other shore?"
"The suffering people experience in this world is like a great river. Crossing this river and entering a state of neither birth nor death is the perfect other shore. To reach the other shore, one must break free from the cycle of reincarnation."
What is reincarnation?
"Reincarnation is an endless cycle of cause and effect, from beginning to end. Just like Arthas, who initially wanted to rid his country of the plague and demons, so he went north to retrieve Frostmourne, but ultimately fell into corruption. His desire to rid the plague and demons was the cause at the beginning, and his fall into corruption after taking the sword was the effect at the end. And the effect at the end is yet another new cause."
"Every single moment of our lives is a continuous cycle of cause and effect, and in this cycle, we are more often in darkness and ignorance than in the light."
"Then how can one escape the cycle of reincarnation?"
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"We are stuck in this cycle of rebirth because of three poisons: greed, anger, and delusion. To remove these poisons, we must cultivate virtue, achieve inner peace, and increase wisdom through three means."
"So how exactly can we achieve these goals?"
"To cultivate virtue, one should be strict with oneself, abide by the precepts, demand of oneself like Paladin, and endure everything. To achieve inner peace, one should learn to reflect and contemplate. To increase wisdom, one needs practice and meditation."
"Whatever we do, it's a step-by-step process. We must remain calm, then seek wisdom, and use our wisdom to illuminate the darkness."
"..." M'uru's questions came one after another, and Zul'ra answered them one by one based on Buddhist theories, successively introducing novel doctrines such as cause and effect and reincarnation.
Although the questions and answers were rather mundane, they contained a wealth of philosophical knowledge and an understanding of life and the universe. After the questions and answers were nearly finished, M'uru and Zul'ra began to debate, using examples to support their conclusions.
While M'uru and Zul'ra were engaged in their debate, Liadrin stood by and listened in, also taking notes of their conversation. These notes were eventually proofread, bound, and published as a new the Light text to spread new doctrines.
Just as Zul'ra and M'uru were debating the new doctrines of the Light, and Liadrin was engrossed in memorizing them, in Hearthglen of the Eastern Kingdoms, it was February of the twenty-fourth year since the Dark Portal opened.
As the spring breeze awakens the earth, the Scarlet Crusade has entered a phase of secretly gathering strength, preparing to launch an attack on the Forsaken and reclaim the Lordaeron City in one fell swoop.
However, just as the bow was about to be drawn, bad news reached Hearthglen, and Renault, covered in blood, rushed into Scarlet Monastery in a panic.
Scarlet Monastery is Ascetic Monastery, once a sacred place on the northern coast of Lordaeron. It was devastated by the the Scourge, but the Scarlet Crusade reclaimed it and used it as a command center and logistical base for the war against the Forsaken.
"Father, Darion, Darion has been taken by the Undead." Renault, covered in blood, burst into the conference room, his eyes glazed over, his expression and voice filled with anxiety.
"What?" Alexandros was discussing with his adjutant Abbendis about issuing war orders immediately and preparing everyone, but unexpectedly received the unfortunate news of his son.
"Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on him?" After a brief moment of distraction, Alexandros suddenly erupted in rage, glaring fiercely at Renault, somewhat exasperated.
"It's not my fault. I reminded him, but he wouldn't listen to me," Renault defended himself.
"Take me there quickly! Where was he taken?" Alexandros gritted his teeth. Darion was his most beloved youngest son.
Stratholme.
"No, Ashbringer, you can't do this! We've gathered our strength and are just waiting for your command to begin the battle!" Abbendis tried to stop Alexandros as Renault replied.
"Alfred, you must understand, that's my son. I can't abandon him. Don't worry! Everything here is in your hands. I won't take any extra soldiers; I'll be back in time, as the Ashbringer guarantees." Alexandros's face was anxious; his youngest son's disappearance had completely clouded his judgment and mind.
There's nothing left at night.