Only Upon Finding a Clear Mirror Did I Know Myself

"Only upon finding Bright Mirror did I know myself."

"Five years ago, I broke through my ignorance and awakened. Though my body was decaying and my vital blood declining, Heaven took pity and granted me a thread of hope. My saving grace was a fair aptitude for comprehension."

"After five years of secluded cultivation, I finally achieved something."

"This Yin and Yang Foundation Establishment Method was the fruit of five years of painstaking devotion, through summer heat and winter cold, studying three hundred volumes of Daoist scriptures."

The Daoists reacted differently to his words.

Aside from True Person Xuan Yang, that simple soul who nodded in belief and rose to congratulate him, none immediately offered their congratulations.

Abbey Master Xuanxu looked thoughtful.

Xuan Su and Xuan Tong were shocked.

Xuan Yin, Xuan Yu, and Xuan Kong were half convinced and half doubtful.

They had assumed the Yin and Yang Method had been left behind by the previous abbey master, and that Senior Brother Xuanming had only brought his years of accumulated learning to fruition after five years of secluded cultivation in the library.

When Xuan Yang had suggested the former possibility earlier, they had thought he was merely being polite to preserve Senior Brother Xuanming's dignity.

To think it might actually be true.

Was this claim true or false?

Xuanming took in all their reactions.

He had said everything that needed saying.

The others could believe him or not as they pleased.

He would not waste more breath over such a trivial matter, much less fly into a rage over it.

If an ox refused to drink, was he supposed to force its head down?

Besides, apart from Xuanxu and Xuan Yang, he was not truly close to the other Daoists. There was even less reason to get angry.

Inside the Scripture Pavilion, Xuanxu rose from the seat of honor on the left, formed the flower-pinching gesture, and bowed to Xuanming in the Daoist manner, saying shamefacedly:

"A broad heart makes for a long path; a narrow heart makes for a short one."

"Senior Brother, you have broken out of your cage and gained a new life. Naturally, the world you see is different from before."

"For these five years, we have imprisoned our own Dao Hearts. A single leaf blinded us, and we continued judging you through old eyes."

The Daoists' hearts trembled slightly at these words.

As though the clouds had parted to reveal the sun, understanding dawned upon them.

Xuan Yin, Xuan Kong, and the others immediately rose to apologize, their faces filled with shame.

The Scripture Pavilion, Truth-Seeking Abbey.

Xuanming waved a hand and smiled in satisfaction.

He smiled not because they had apologized, but because Xuanxu had broken through his mental barrier so quickly and openly admitted his mistake. Such an upright spirit spoke to the truth of his Dao.

Given time, careful refinement, and devoted cultivation, his attainment would surely rise another level.

As for the other Daoists...

If they were sincere, all the better—their Dao Hearts had a chance to advance.

If they were only pretending, that was fine too. He was not the one imprisoning his heart.

Daoist Xuan Yang belatedly caught on. Seeing that even the abbey master who always kept him in line had a day when he admitted fault, he immediately bared his teeth in a delighted grin.

Only when Xuanxu glared at him did he sit bolt upright, lowering his gaze to his nose and then to his heart.

Once everyone had settled into their seats again, Xuanming continued:

"I was born in Truth-Seeking Abbey, grew up in Truth-Seeking Abbey, and grew old in Truth-Seeking Abbey. It was also here that I sought the Dao and entered its path."

"After all these wasted years, I have never repaid the abbey in the slightest."

"I possess nothing of worth. Only this Yin and Yang Foundation Establishment Manual is barely presentable. I shall therefore offer this method to our sect, for the abbey's disciples to practice and all of you to study."

"But this method hinges upon affinity. Those without the right affinity will find it difficult to master, and must not force it."

"I hope that, whether they succeed or fail, all our disciples will guard against arrogance and impatience, neither lose heart nor become discouraged, and devote themselves to seeking the Dao."

"The Yin and Yang Method offers only a temporary advantage. The Great Dao is lofty and distant, and Heaven's ways are ever-changing. No Dao is higher or lower, no method stronger or weaker. How far one travels ultimately depends on the person, not the method."

His words brought both surprise and delight to the Daoists.

They were surprised that Xuanming was willing to hand over the method.

Though they had asked about it, they knew their limits.

Without permission, they would not pry into the mysteries of the Yin and Yang Foundation Establishment Manual. Their questions had mostly been meant to satisfy their curiosity and confirm that the abbey now possessed another superior foundation establishment method.

After all, Truth-Seeking Abbey had a legacy of over a hundred and fifty years, yet neither its founding patriarch nor any abbey master down to Xuanxu, the third, had established their foundations with a superior method.

It was not that they had not wanted to. They had possessed none.

At the end of the day, Truth-Seeking Abbey was only a small sect.

Their delight, too, came from Senior Brother Xuanming's willingness to hand over the Yin and Yang Foundation Establishment Method.

Not only would this greatly enrich the abbey's reserves, but they could also study it themselves. By drawing connections to what they already knew, they might even advance their cultivation.

"Senior Brother, we cannot accept this."

Xuan Void instinctively declined.

Not because he did not want it, but out of courtesy.

Xuanming rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"You truly don't want it?"

"Then I shall take it back."

At these words, Xuanxu's expression changed drastically.

Under the other Daoists' covert glares, he felt as though he were sitting on needles, with thorns digging into his back.

Abandoning decorum and reserve, he hastily said:

"Wait, Senior Brother."

"I want it! I do!"

Xuanming burst into hearty laughter.

The other Daoists laughed freely as well.

Even Xuanxu himself began to laugh.

He pointed lightly at Xuanming. How could he fail to realize that his senior brother had played him?

To think Senior Brother Xuanming had such a mischievous side, quite unbecoming of his age.

Still, he was not annoyed in the slightest.

Partly because, as abbey master, Xuanxu had the magnanimity to accommodate others, and partly because he had already guessed that Senior Brother Xuanming was teasing him.

He had merely played along.

After all, this was his own senior brother.

And this senior brother was willing to offer a superior foundation establishment method.

Everything else was superficial and of little consequence.

Besides, lightening the atmosphere was a good thing.

Xuanming understood this too.

His gaze toward Xuanxu grew a little warmer.

No wonder he had become abbey master.

He was upright and openhearted, yet knew how to adapt.

Once the laughter subsided, they returned to business.

Xuanming continued:

"Send someone to the Scripture Pavilion in three days."

"I will make a copy of the Yin and Yang Foundation Establishment Manual."

Xuan Void rose.

The other Daoists rose as well.

With solemn expressions, they all bowed in the Daoist manner.

"Thank you for your generosity, Senior Brother."

"On behalf of everyone in Truth-Seeking Abbey, we thank you, Senior Brother."

From the seat of honor on the right, Xuanming rose and returned their bows. "As a member of Truth-Seeking Abbey, it is only right that I contribute."

"Besides, the abbey and I share prosperity and loss, weal and woe. If Truth-Seeking Abbey thrives, I benefit too. I need not fret over mundane affairs or worry about resources."

"Ultimately, this is also for my own Dao Path."

He spoke frankly, his Dao Heart clear.

He made no attempt to conceal either his public spirit or his private interests.

Such spirit and breadth of mind inspired admiration in them all.

Had they been in his place, they would not have possessed the boldness and resolve to offer the Yin and Yang Method so quickly.

Much less openly state their own motives.

Senior Brother Xuanming was truly forthright.

For that very reason, their respect was no longer a superficial courtesy demanded by his standing. It now held genuine sincerity.

It was directed more toward Xuanming himself than toward his position as their senior brother.

"The Heavenly Dao is utterly impartial, but human hearts have private desires."

"If we judged hearts alone, no one beneath Heaven would be perfect. People like us judge deeds, not hearts."

"Senior Brother's willingness to offer a superior foundation establishment method is a great service to Truth-Seeking Abbey. That is an undeniable fact."

As abbey master, Xuanxu spoke on everyone's behalf.

Fair in reward and punishment, he added, "Rest assured, Senior Brother. I will certainly not let you suffer a loss."

The other Daoists agreed. "As it should be."

Inside the Scripture Pavilion.

Xuanming gently stroked his beard.

He was very pleased that Xuanxu knew how to respond appropriately.

Though he had stayed in the Scripture Pavilion for the past five years, he had not been cut off from the world. Xuanxu and Xuan Yang occasionally visited him.

Through those few encounters...

And the pavilion keeper's Eight Trigrams...

Xuanming had gained some understanding of Xuanxu's temperament.

He knew that even without asking, this junior brother of his, the abbey master, would offer something in return.

Combining favor with authority and leniency with firmness was the way to lead those beneath him and win the respect of the entire abbey.

With the matter settled, the Daoists chatted idly.

Their conversation with Xuanming held less distance and more warmth.

Inside the Scripture Pavilion, the atmosphere was harmonious and cheerful.

Outside the Scripture Pavilion, Daoists young and old were likewise talking.

Many had witnessed the unusual phenomenon of Xuanming entering the Dao and breaking through today, and discussion ran rife.

Some said their martial uncle was a late-blooming talent, growing stronger with age; others said his utter sincerity had made even metal and stone yield.

Some said their martial granduncle had cultivated diligently in the Scripture Pavilion for five years, then taken a miraculous Spirit Pill left by the previous abbey master at the crucial moment, soaring into the sky and astonishing everyone with a single cry.

Whatever their guesses, Xuanming had temporarily become the focus of Truth-Seeking Abbey, and every Daoist spoke of him with heartfelt reverence.

Those who had admired his perseverance respected him even more.

Those who had looked down on him now felt both respect and fear.

News that Xuanming had handed over a superior foundation establishment method did not spread through the abbey. Its leaders kept their lips tightly sealed.

This was the result of Xuanming's discussion with them.

An innocent man committed no crime, yet possessing a precious jade made him guilty.

Truth-Seeking Abbey was only a small Daoist lineage. Until it had sufficient strength, the fewer people who knew of its superior foundation establishment method, the better.

Fortunately!

Very few other Daoists in the abbey knew the differences between foundation establishment methods. They were all the senior direct disciples of the assembled Daoists, at least thirty years old, and understood the gravity of the matter.

After receiving warnings from the abbey master and their teachers, they guarded the secret like sealed bottles.

As for Xuanming's entry into the Dao and breakthrough, they explained that he had spent five years refining himself, practiced the abbey's intermediate foundation establishment method, and taken a Spirit Pill left by the previous abbey master. They deliberately spread this account.

Their aim was to lessen the impact and avoid drawing prying eyes from every quarter.

This, too, was the result of discussions between Xuanming and the other Daoists.

Those with little strength should keep a low profile; those whose Dao was weak should proceed steadily.

Until Xuanming reached the third realm and possessed sufficient strength to protect himself, caution came first, lest petty villains exploit their vulnerability.

There was no shame in this. Rather, it was a Daoist philosophy of survival that followed the heart, knowing when to bend and when to stand straight.

The Path-Seeking Courtyard, Scripture Pavilion.

Located within the Scripture Pavilion, this was Xuanming's residence. It was small, but like a sparrow with all its organs, it had everything it needed.

A century-old pine, a bluestone path, stone stools and chairs, murmuring water, a three-foot lotus pond, three thatched rooms, meditation cushions, sandalwood incense, bookshelves, scripture scrolls, a tea tray...

Truth-Seeking Abbey lay deep in the mountains and was already tranquil.

Yet this place found stillness within stillness, carving out further peace within a peaceful setting. This tiny patch of land was a haven beyond the world.

After seeing the Daoists off, Xuanming returned to his residence and sat beneath the gnarled old pine, his thoughts surging.

His decision to hand over the superior foundation establishment method had come after careful consideration.

This world was far too dangerous.

It was a great age of cultivation.

Sword immortals of the mortal world rode their swords for a thousand miles; Daoist True Persons sailed through the Void upon the wind; Buddhist arhats brought forth lotuses with every step; ancient demons deep in the mountains slaughtered living beings...

Only by taking what each needed, benefiting one another, could he and Truth-Seeking Abbey help each other flourish.

To gain, one must let go; only by giving something up could one gain something in return.

Taking without giving might seem profitable, but in truth, it meant cultivating oneself without cultivating the heart, leaving everything empty in the end.

Though a savior complex was absolutely to be avoided, a cultivator had to think broadly and be generous of heart.

With a vast world within, there would always be a boat to ferry others across.

Only then could his heart be free of guilt, his thoughts flow unhindered, and his cultivation of the Dao bear fruit.

What was more, his unique method of cultivation made the growth of the Truth-Seeking Abbey all the more necessary. With this thought, Xuanming sank his Divine consciousness into the mystic pass.