The Profound Truth of Other-Selves, the Karma of Suiren

The two continued walking.

Soon, they arrived beneath a towering tree. Its branches and leaves spanned ten thousand acres, blotting out the sky and sun. While it appeared unremarkable on the surface, at night, its foliage would transform into a massive cloud of fire. The flames emitted by the branches were not scorching; instead, they offered a sense of warmth.

This was the Suiming Tree, a top-grade Innate Spiritual Root, and also the place where Xuan Qing had once cultivated.

"My eyes were dull before; I never realized that this Suiming Tree was actually a top-grade Innate Spiritual Root!" Xuan Qing stretched out his right hand to stroke the trunk, chuckling softly, "Tens of thousands of years have passed, yet only you remain as you were."

At this moment, he suddenly experienced an epiphany. This tree seemed to have formed a connection with him, and under the influence of incense, it had even developed a faint trace of sentience.

"Incense Godhood!"

In the current Primordial World, the Immortal Dao system was dominant. Logically, "Incense Godhood" should not exist. However, because Xuan Qing had once drilled wood to make fire beneath the Suiming Tree, the divine tree had become imbued with a measure of merit. Coupled with the incense offerings from the nearby human race, the divine tree had unexpectedly transformed into something akin to a "Spirit Sacrifice."

In Xuan Qing's perception, this divine tree was like another version of himself. He couldn't help but laugh, "Am I Suiren, or are you Suiren?"

Tens of thousands of years had passed, and the human race had multiplied generation after generation. The new humans had never seen Xuan Qing, so they regarded the Suiming Tree as the incarnation of Xuan Qing.

Xuan Qing shook his head and smiled wryly, "When the false is taken for true, the true becomes false; when the true is taken for false, the false becomes true. With truth and falsehood so intertwined, why bother distinguishing them so clearly?"

Suddenly, he recalled the distinction between the "True Self" and "Other Selves" mentioned by the Three Pure Ones when they preached. Other Selves arise from thought and serve as a reflection of the True Self's Dao.

"Heavenly Immortal Trait: Infinite Other Selves!"

As Heavenly Dao Saints, the Three Pure Ones had each cultivated a specific realm and developed it to its absolute limit, using it to derive characteristics similar to those of a "Great Luo."

For a Sage, acting as an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao, projecting themselves across the heavens, and imprinting their presence upon ten thousand worlds was a trivial matter. They did so only in the hope of adding another brick to the foundation of the Immortal Dao.

The Dao varies by the individual!

Everyone's understanding, perception, and realization of the Great Dao are different, just as there are no two identical leaves in this world.

Even for the same person, at different times and in different places, different realizations will arise. These realizations are the reflections of the True Self.

The trait of Infinite Other Selves involves using a single spark of spiritual light to manifest infinite incarnations of the "Other Self," exploring the same Great Dao from different dimensions and different realms.

Because of this, theoretically, the Heavenly Immortal Realm could achieve it, which is why the Three Pure Ones classified it as a Heavenly Immortal Trait.

However, among the disciples of the Three Teachings, few delved into this trait. Only Taiyi of the Chan Sect had shown much interest in it.

Xuan Qing had not placed much importance on it in the past, either.

In his view, wasn't it more efficient to prioritize improving one's own cultivation and realm, and then observe the mysteries of the Great Dao from a higher-dimensional perspective?

But now, he felt his previous thinking had been gravely mistaken. A ten-thousand-foot tower rises from the ground, but if the original foundation is not solid and one's perception is biased, would the Great Dao one sees upon breaking through to a higher realm truly be the authentic one?

The Other Self Incarnation allows one's consciousness to perceive the self from the perspective of others, to correct the self, and to allow one's own Dao Fruit to evolve toward the most perfect state.

Just like the Primordial Lord of Heaven: some find him dignified and solemn, some find him to have the bearing of an immortal, and others find his eyes to reveal the ruthlessness of the Heavenly Dao.

This was what Four-Valuables had said.

The Primordial Lord of Heaven has no fixed form; everyone glimpses only the Primordial Lord of Heaven that exists within their own heart.

In Xuan Qing's heart, the Primordial Lord of Heaven he longed to see was one who cherished fraternal bonds and spoke with a hidden kindness, which was why he appeared so amiable.

As for the outer sect disciples of the Jie Sect, because they had heard rumors that the Primordial Lord of Heaven disliked those with fur and horns, the Primordial Lord of Heaven they saw was like a ferocious god ready to choose someone to devour.

"What am I like?"

At this moment, Xuan Qing could not help but ponder what he looked like in the eyes of others.

In the eyes of Sect Master Tongtian, he might be a sensible disciple; in the eyes of Daoist Duobao, he might be a fellow Daoist with whom he could discuss the path of Artifact Refining; in the eyes of the Primordial Lord of Heaven, he might be the most reasonable existence in the Jie Sect; and in the eyes of Youchao Shi, he might be the infinitely wise Suiren Shi!

In the eyes of others, he might be yet another image. It was just like the blind men touching an elephant—what everyone saw was never the entirety of him.

Infinite Other Selves, varying from person to person!

"So that's how it is!"

Xuan Qing laughed aloud. Above his head, the Eternal Great Luo Heaven flickered in and out of existence. Suddenly, a ray of spiritual light flew out, immediately strengthening itself by borrowing the power of incense and faith from the Suiming Tree. A middle-aged man with bare feet, dressed in animal skins and holding a torch, manifested instantly. He stood atop the crown of the Suiming Tree, revealing a sense of boundless brilliance as if he intended to pierce through the ten directions and the three lifetimes.

"From now on, you are Suiren!"

This was the method Xuan Qing had devised: using an Other Self Incarnation to bear the karma of Suiren Shi, thereby bringing his true self's Dao fruit to a state of flawlessness and purity.

"Greetings, fellow Daoist!"

The Suiren Shi, born from a spark of Xuan Qing's spiritual light and the power of human faith, smiled slightly and nodded in greeting to both Xuan Qing and Youchao Shi.

"You are too polite, fellow Daoist!"

Xuan Qing immediately returned the salute.

At the same time, an epiphany rose in his heart—it was Suiren Shi's insights into the Great Dao of Fire. The Forge of Creation began to operate on its own. The various Innate Divine Fires he had once contemplated, such as the Sky Burning Violet Fire, the Golden Fire of Karma Washing, the Netherworld Ghost Fire, and the Samadhi True Fire, instantly transformed into streams of light of various colors, merging into the Suiming Tree. The torch in Suiren Shi's hand also became scorching, violent, and profound in an instant, as if it encompassed all the phenomena of the myriad worlds.

Youchao Shi watched, dumbfounded.

Although he also practiced cultivation, the methods Xuan Qing had displayed were still somewhat beyond his comprehension.

"Sui!"

"What is going on?"

Youchao Shi looked at Xuan Qing, but Xuan Qing pointed toward the middle-aged man holding the torch: "From now on, he is the Suiren Shi who drills wood to make fire!"

Afterward, Xuan Qing explained his relationship with "Suiren Shi" to Youchao Shi.

The being who had stepped down from the tree also smiled and said: "From this day forth, I am Suiren! For the billions of years to come, I shall advance and retreat together with the human race!"

As Suiren Shi spoke, in a trance, Xuan Qing seemed to hear the ceaseless sounds of sacrificial chants echoing from the endless reaches of time and space.

"It is the Fire Epoch, the stars and constellations are arrayed!"

"It is the Fire Epoch, the path of fire flourishes!"

"It is the Fire Epoch, truly reflecting all forms!"

"It is the Fire Epoch, trusting in our Sui!"

"It is the Fire Epoch, bowing before the Sui Emperor!"

These profound, resonant chants filled the ten directions, sounding as if they came from the very dawn of antiquity, yet also as if they were ringing out from the future, echoing incessantly in Xuan Qing's ears.

He suddenly felt his Primordial Spirit lighten, as if some shackle had been severed. His understanding of the Great Dao of Fire soared rapidly, as if he had become a deity presiding over flames.

"Only today do I know that I am I!"

He let out a hearty laugh, then with a shift of his mind, his consciousness transitioned to the perspective of Suiren Shi, and he began to examine the existence of his true self through the lens of this Other Self Incarnation.

Several days later, Xuan Qing bid farewell to Youchao Shi and left the Human Ancestral Land, while Suiren Shi took his place, continuing the work of enlightening the human race.

As the saying goes: Shackled in the past, today the profound truth is clear. With worldly karma exhausted, I step upon the immortal ladder!

New book, seeking follows, favorites, recommendations, and monthly tickets.