Seeking the Dao

When Yuan Tian returned to the thatched hut where Hongjun cultivated, he found Hongjun exactly as he had been when Yuan Tian left—eyes closed, sitting motionless, as if asleep.

"You have finished cultivating?" Hongjun's voice suddenly rang through the previously silent room, and his closed eyes had already opened.

"Yes, Master!" Yuan Tian first bowed to Hongjun, then answered.

"Star, do you have some question you need to ask your master?" Hongjun looked as though he had already known.

What Yuan Tian most wanted to ask right now was not how to advance to Quasi-Sage, but rather: Master Hongjun, why are you always smiling? Wasn't it said that you always wore a stiff expression, utterly blank-faced? Wasn't that called cultivating the Emotionless Dao? Why were you always grinning? Of course, though Yuan Tian dearly wanted to know, he would not ask even if beaten to death. Perhaps someday he could egg his three senior brothers on to ask. His third senior brother seemed to have a rather straightforward temperament.

"Yes, Master! May I ask, Master, what is the Dao?" He ought to ask a few profound questions first. He could not immediately ask, "Why can't I find the thread leading to advancement to Quasi-Sage?" How vulgar would that be? It would make him seem so lacking in face. Although Yuan Tian considered himself rather vulgar and did not think face was worth much, having it was still better than not having it. Besides, the more of that stuff one had, the less likely one was to lose out.

"Then what is the 'Dao' in your heart, disciple?" Rather than answering Yuan Tian's question first, Hongjun instead questioned him.

What exactly was this Dao? Yuan Tian truly had never given it proper thought. What was the Dao?

The opening of the