The True Lord Tests the Dao (Part Two)
When Su Yao saw him shake his head, he said nothing and fell into thought once more.
After a long while, seeing that Su Yao had not answered, he raised his right hand and gave a gentle wave. Thunder rose from the earth, and a winter wind came from the south.
He waved his hand again. Thunder sounded from the heavens, and the winter wind came from the north.
Su Yao raised his head and looked at the sky. Though it was clear and cloudless, streaks of lightning filled the horizon.
In an instant, something stirred in his heart, and he spoke:
"Yet between heaven and earth, there are times of calamity. Outer Daos may disrupt the natural order, or the strong may overstep their bounds, causing the guiding principles to collapse, the Three Powers to fall out of balance, and all living beings to lose their places.
"At such times, the Three Powers have no choice but to intervene.
"They do so not to meddle in the actions of living beings, but to safeguard the foundation that lets each of them remain secure in its place.
"When a dike bursts, for instance, one must first rebuild it; only then can the water flow naturally along its course. When the guiding principles collapse, one must first restore them; only then can all beings follow their own paths.
"Thus, the Three Powers stand above all. In ordinary times, they establish the guiding principles and do not act rashly; when calamity comes, they act to safeguard and restore order.
"Stillness and action alike serve the greater principle of 'letting all living beings remain secure in their places.'
"We of the Jade Pure One hold ourselves in honor and esteem, precisely to uphold these guiding principles. We do not meddle in the private affairs of the mortal world, but safeguard the common good of the Great Dao."
"This is the true meaning of 'standing above all things without contending with them, going before all beings without being stained by the world.'
"To refrain from contention is to leave the private affairs of living beings untouched; to safeguard is to protect the common good on which they all depend.
"The two go hand in hand without conflict. What contradiction is there?"
Having finished, he bowed his head and waited quietly.
The True Lord neither agreed nor disagreed. Instead, he asked another question:
"The Three Pure Ones opened the Immortal Dao, then the Three Sovereigns governed the world and the Five Emperors established the proper order. The Human Dao, the Immortal Dao, and the Heavenly Dao all flourished. Yet each of the Three Pure Ones has a Great Dao: Supreme Purity has the Supreme Ultimate and Two Forms, the Jade Pure One has the Three Powers, and Highest Clarity has the Four Symbols. Thus, internal strife continued without end, and the Outer Daos gained power. Now those within and without have joined forces, the Three Pure Ones are no more, the Outer Daos run rampant, and the Immortal Dao is on the verge of decline. What is the solution?"
Su Yao pondered in silence. That question was not easy to answer.
He still remembered the struggle between the bright moon, the imperial seal, and the three lights of the sun, moon, and stars. He did not believe that no outsiders were listening in on their conversation now.
He glanced at the True Lord seated above him, only to hear him speak again:
"The rosy clouds gather and scatter, moving with the heart. Though you are skilled in debate, the Dao lies not in words, but in the heart."
Su Yao understood at once that the True Lord had not spoken those words for his benefit, so he replied:
"This disciple understands. Thank you for your guidance, True Lord."
The True Lord shook his head and asked again:
"Is there a way to become an immortal?"
Hearing this, Su Yao bowed again and answered:
"There is a way to become an immortal, and yet there is no way.
"The Dao lies in spontaneity, not in forcing things.
"The rosy clouds rise and fall according to the seasons, not by their own intent. Whether one becomes an immortal is realized through the heart, yet the heart cannot be grasped.
"If one clings to becoming an immortal, one has already fallen into deliberate action; if one indulges in inaction, one sinks into the mortal world.
"One must only hold to the center and attain harmony, neither stained nor obstructed. Look inward at the heart, and the heart has no heart; look outward at the form, and the form has no form.
"When heart and form are both forgotten, one's true nature reveals itself. Then the Dao arrives without being sought, and immortality is achieved without being expected.
"This is the true meaning of 'the rosy clouds gather and scatter, moving with the heart.' If the heart remains still, the clouds do not scatter; if the heart stirs rashly, even an immortal becomes a devil.
"This is my humble understanding. I hope the True Lord will instruct me."
The True Lord fell silent for a moment, then chuckled a few times and paid Su Yao no heed.
He raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing the horizon, and spoke in a desolate tone:
"The Three Pure Ones sprang from the same source, yet divided into three Daos. Those who follow different Daos cannot make plans together. Years of internal strife have only drained our vitality, while the Outer Daos slipped in through the cracks, and the foundations of the Immortal Dao have gradually rotted. Like a great building on the verge of collapse, it cannot be held up by a single beam. Yet heaven and earth have their own ordained course. How could the rise and fall of the Immortal Dao be determined by human effort? In the past, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors established the proper order and governed the world. Immortals and mortals were distinct, each secure in their place. Now the sovereigns wish to rule over all living beings, while the immortals cling to life. The rosy clouds are about to sink, not because they do not wish to rise, but because the hour has grown late. Do you know what 'the twilight of immortals' means? It is not the immortals who are in twilight, but the Dao. All we can do is guard this one corner and await those who come after us. If there is a fortuitous opportunity, perhaps it can flourish again; if not, we will not blame heaven. Dao Emulates Own Inherent Spontaneity: those who follow it prosper, and those who defy it perish."
Su Yao's heart trembled at these words. He bowed his head and paid his respects again. "This disciple thanks you for the lesson."
The True Lord still did not respond. Instead, he looked at Su Yao.
"That old devil at the foot of the mountain planted a devil seed in your body. I truly cannot eradicate it; for now, I can only suppress it. You must go to Biyou Palace and ask for lightning to destroy it."
Ignoring the terror in Su Yao's eyes, he continued:
"Since you have come up the mountain, I shall teach you a secret Jade Void technique."
With that, he lifted a hand, and two white lotuses flew out of the lotus pond.
He made another gesture with his hand, and a beam of white light flew into the space between Su Yao's brows.
Su Yao hurriedly sensed the Secret Method, and heard him say:
"In years past, Primordial Lady Yunxiao, the Mysterious Pure One Who Returns to Turbidity amid the Turbid Heavens, set up the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation and defiled the true immortal bodies of the assembled immortals. Dao Ancestor Yuqing bestowed this method, and today I shall teach it to you."
He paused.
"White lotus of the primordial beginning, pure and free of dust.
"Protect my body, let no art intrude.
"Water cannot drown me, fire cannot burn me.
"Let evil and devils retreat, let my Dao proceed unhindered."
When he finished, he waved his hand, and Su Yao's body rose beyond his control. The two white lotuses flew beneath his feet, and endless runes poured from the True Lord's hand.
Su Yao knew this secret Jade Void technique.
Following the Method Formula the True Lord had passed on to him, as well as the True Lord's guidance, he began to circulate his Qi.
He was incomparably weak at the moment. Fortunately, the True Lord was there to guide his Qi circulation.
An hour later, the True Lord withdrew his power and looked at Su Yao.
"You have only just mastered this method. Cultivate it for another year, and you will be able to use it normally."
Su Yao descended and bowed in thanks.
"Thank you, True Lord."
The True Lord waved his hand.
"You should thank the founding master for taking a mother lotus from Jade Void back then. Otherwise, even with the method, you could not have cultivated it."
He paused.
"Go down the mountain now."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he waved his hand gently. In the next instant, Su Yao and the others appeared at the foot of Zhongnan.
After coming to his senses, Su Yao looked at Mount Zhongnan and once again offered the salute of a disciple.
Liu Yunhe and Li Siyi followed suit.
Little Red and Little Orange flapped their wings beside them, joining in the salute.
On the mountain, the True Lord rose, looked toward the horizon, and drew the peachwood sword at his waist, pointing it at the sky.
"Just watch, just watch.
"Today I bow to you; another day, you will beg me."
Then he gave a great laugh, turned around, and returned to the thatched cottage.
Inside the Jade Void Palace, the Heavenly Venerable still reclined high upon the cloud bed, while Qizhenzi sat cross-legged on a cushion.
He watched the images transmitted by the treasured mirror in the air.
Qizhenzi's eyes held both hatred and helplessness, but there was nothing he could do. He therefore looked up at the sect master above.
"Sect Master, Su Yao has been afflicted with that old devil's devil seed. I hope you will step forward and ask the Third Master for a bolt of heavenly lightning. Otherwise, I fear it will be difficult to carry out the task of spreading the earth!"
Above him, the sect master chuckled.
"The longer Senior lives, the more childlike he becomes."
He paused.
"With Xicheng acting this way, I wonder how Senior regards it. Our Dao views heaven and earth through the Three Powers, yet the Human Dao flourishes while the Immortal Dao is about to decline. Is there a flaw in our Dao?"
"With the rise of the Human Dao, how many disciples of Supreme Purity and Highest Clarity have intervened in it? The founding master left instructions that we must not intervene, except in the succession of the Five Phases. This time, we are taking the opportunity to enter the world and spread the earth to test the sovereigns. I do not know how it will go."
Qizhenzi's expression changed slightly when he heard this, and he remained silent. It was not easy for him to get involved. Over the years, because of Qixia Temple, he had helped resist the South Sea Devil Lord several times, and many Dao lineages under the Jade Pure One had voiced complaints.
After considering it for a moment, he said:
"This time, testing them is one purpose, training our juniors is the second, and the succession of the earth virtue is the third. With all Three Powers accounted for, I expect there will not be too many problems."
Seated above, the sect master said nothing more. He waved his hand, signaling for Qizhenzi to leave.