Inside the bamboo hut, Kunpeng was immersed in his realization as merit entered his body. Myriad principles manifested upon him. Sitting cross-legged there, he seemed like the incarnation of the Dao itself—mysterious beyond mystery!
After a long while, Kunpeng suddenly opened his eyes. Two beams of solid-looking light shot forth, while countless rivers formed from supreme truths flowed through his unusually clear gaze. The Merit Divine Light behind his head slowly faded away. At this moment, the aura erupting from him was like a peerless treasured sword drawn from its sheath, sharp and overbearing!
Vast magical power spread from his body, and an ancient, eternal aura permeated the air. Every movement he made stirred spatial ripples and sent spiritual energy into a frenzy. A casual attack could even shatter space itself! It was truly terrifying!
"Congratulations, worthy brother, on your great advance in cultivation. You are not far from attaining the Dao and becoming a Saint!"
As his imposing aura receded and Kunpeng returned to seeming ordinary, a voice transmission came from outside the bamboo hut. Kunpeng smiled faintly, sprang to his feet, and walked out. Looking at Mu Jizi not far away, he approached him and said sincerely, "For this matter, I must thank you for your guidance, elder brother!"
"You and I are brothers. Do not stand on ceremony!" Mu Jizi smiled faintly, his gaze calm and casual, showing not the slightest envy toward Kunpeng's increased cultivation!
"Haha, it was this younger brother who was being overly formal. Elder brother, do not blame me!" Kunpeng laughed heartily and said no more. He knew well that without Mu Jizi's help, he could never have reached his present cultivation!
"Hehe!" Mu Jizi shook his head with a smile, gazed into the distance, and said, "Now that your cultivation has improved, worthy brother, you must have comprehended some principles. Since that is so, why do we brothers not discuss the Dao here, enlightening the living beings on this island and opening their spiritual wisdom!"
"Excellent!" Kunpeng laughed. "This younger brother has long wished to listen to elder brother's Grand Dao, yet never had the chance. Now that I have such a blessed opportunity, how could I refuse!"
"Hehe!" Mu Jizi shook his head with a smile, yet in his heart, he cherished this bond between brothers who walked the same path!
Thus, the two stopped speaking nonsense. They exchanged a glance, then both sat cross-legged and began to expound upon the Grand Dao!
Mu Jizi said, "What can transform, bring forth intelligence, abandon form and cast off wisdom, and become one with the Grand Dao places the root before the traces; thus, it borrows spirit and entrusts it with use. Spirit is that which responds according to circumstance. Scattered, it has five forms and transforms into ten thousand spirits. It gains its name from what lies within."
"The qin is harmony. The threefold overlap refers to the three dantians, overlapping with the various palaces. The fetal immortal is the great deity of the fetal spirit, also called the fetal true one, dwelling within the Bright Hall. Within the three fields are nine breaths, shining and calling forth light so that nothing remains unilluminated. The three dantians, the three origins, and the three cavern chambers combine into the Nine Palaces. Within the palaces are the Heavenly Emperor's nine souls, transforming into nine breaths and then into nine spirits. Entering through a person's nose, they circulate through the brain palaces, reflect brightly upward, and thus are called emerging between the heavens."
"The spirit canopy is the brow. The bright pearl is the pupil of the eye. Purple smoke is the qi of the gaze. When essence is complete and spirit abundant, essence and spirit are both whole; thus there is no lingering harm."
Kunpeng said, "Soul spirit refers to the ethereal and corporeal souls. By day, they dwell in the two eyes; by night, the ethereal soul resides in the liver and the corporeal soul in the lungs. Guanyuan is the navel. The navel is the palace where life is received, so the soul spirit lies above, while Guanyuan rests below. The upper soul spirit is the division of Heaven; the lower Guanyuan is the division of Earth. Soul spirit has no form, while Guanyuan has substance. Man follows the form and image of Heaven and Earth. Lesser Yang is the left eye; Great Yin is the right eye."
"The secret gate lies between the two kidneys at the back of the waist, the entrance to the twin kidneys, like the gates of the kidneys themselves. The kidneys are the palace that stores essence and must be guarded closely, so it does not spill out in restless leakage. The gate of life is the navel—the gate where life and fate are handed over before birth and upon birth."
"The sun and moon are the essence of yin and yang. Breathing is the qi of yin and yang, modeled after the qi of Heaven and Earth. Exhalation is outward and is yang; inhalation is inward and belongs to yin. Between exhalation and inhalation, the heart must preserve it, precisely within the single character of emptiness."
"The four qi are the spiritual qi of the four seasons. The arrayed constellations are the three luminaries. One should always preserve primordial qi joined with the body, while also preserving the sun, moon, and stars, their spiritual radiance shining down and arrayed across one's body, clearly joining one with Heaven. In time, this allows one to commune with spirits and unite one's heart with the Dao."
"..."
Though Mu Jizi and Kunpeng appeared to be discussing the Dao, they were in truth expounding it for the many living beings upon the island. What they taught concerned understanding the body's acupoints and meridians, communicating with the qi of Heaven, drawing qi into the body—moving from detail to simplicity, plain and easy to understand!
"The inner image is a metaphor. Purple and yellow are the three essences within the body. The light seen by the eyes is the radiance and color of purple and yellow, returning into the dantian..."
Principle after principle flowed from their mouths, carried far and wide on waves of magical power!
When the many living beings on the island heard them, their bodies all trembled. Then, no longer frolicking and playing as usual, they put away their laughing faces and gathered devoutly toward the bamboo grove where Mu Jizi and Kunpeng sat!
The supreme principles of the Grand Dao emerged from Mu Jizi and Kunpeng's mouths. Their expressions were solemn, and their magical power accompanied those truths. Though the Dao they taught was not as extraordinary as a Saint's sermon, innate spiritual qi still gathered in streams, while golden lotuses formed from magical power appeared out of thin air. This spiritual qi and magical power seemed to have gained sentience, changing and transforming as they pleased!
Spirit beasts moved about, and before long, they had gathered around Mu Jizi and Kunpeng!
At this moment, these spirit beasts made not the slightest clamor. Each sat cross-legged in orderly fashion ten meters away from Mu Jizi and Kunpeng. As time passed, the two were surrounded layer upon layer by spirit beasts like rolling ocean tides!
Spiritual qi surged and magical power carried their voices afar, beyond the island and echoing over the sea. For a time, even many creatures of the ocean came swarming over!
The sea roared, and wave after wave crashed against the island's shore. All the underwater spirit beasts wishing to enter the island felt the world spin around them, only to find themselves returned to where they had begun!
Thus, the spirit beasts did not force the issue. They all concealed themselves beneath the sea around the island, listening to the supreme principles of the Grand Dao drifting out from within...
Mu Jizi and Kunpeng spoke of the Dao for three thousand years. During those three thousand years, countless spirit beasts opened their spiritual wisdom. Those of exceptional aptitude even took human form, while many bamboo plants and trees also awakened their wisdom and gained spirits. From then on, they shed their status as ordinary wood, became spiritual timber, and stepped onto the path of cultivation!
After three thousand years had passed, Mu Jizi and Kunpeng both ceased their teaching. The two exchanged a glance.
Then Kunpeng said, "From this day onward, this island shall be called Two Sages Island. You have listened to the Grand Dao and opened your spiritual wisdom, thus possessing great blessings and karmic fortune. Henceforth, you shall be the spirit beasts guarding Two Sages Island. Today's sermon ends here. Withdraw and cultivate diligently!"
Though his voice was calm, it carried an authority that allowed no defiance. The spirit beasts dared not say more and all kowtowed before withdrawing!
Once the spirit beasts had departed, Kunpeng said with a cheerful smile, "Elder brother, now that all these spirit beasts have opened their spiritual wisdom, there is no need to worry about them turning this island into a smoky, filthy mess!"
Even now, Kunpeng believed that Mu Jizi had taught the island's living beings the Dao merely because he regretted the damage done to the island's spiritual trees! How could he know that in the early days of the Primordial Wilderness, the sooner one opened one's spiritual wisdom, the greater one's advantage in future generations? Perhaps the countless living beings on this island might play a role in the future contest for destiny's favor against the Saints!
"Good!" Mu Jizi nodded, offering no further explanation!
Today's second update is here. Please support with all kinds of votes!
The VIP member reading experience has been optimized. Tap the center of the screen to bring up the menu, allowing convenient access to "Settings," "Previous Page," "Next Page," and "Back to Top."
At the request of many readers, an ad-free function for VIP members has now been introduced.
Click to view
Before you continue