AWB Chapter 908: Laoshan V Shen'ao
Chapter 908: Laoshan V Shen'ao
Cause and effect are clearly defined and unmistakable. How can one plant beans and grow hemp? If good and evil are rewarded without sin, how can a sage believe in it?
There are green pines on the mountain and flowers at the foot of the mountain, but the flowers laugh at the green pines for being inferior to them. One day, a cold frost falls, and only the green pines are visible, but no flowers.
Evil is the plowshare, and good is the mud; good people are often oppressed by evil. The iron plowshare is replaced year after year, but the mud in the fields is never replaced.
Su Xiaoya stood by the lake, quietly gazing at the mirror-like calm water. However, the waves in her heart were far beyond the reach of the lake.
"All things are empty, but cause and effect are not empty." She murmured this ancient proverb softly, and an inexplicable emotion surged in her heart.
Although she has not yet realized the true meaning of cause and effect, she knows that the power of cause and effect cannot be ignored.
The monks’ reverence for cause and effect is just like the reverence that mortals have for the gods.
Especially when dealing with mortals, monks are extremely cautious and will never harm them without reason. Because once a cause and effect is established with a mortal, then when they pass through the tribulation, the terrifying tribulation thunder will mercilessly settle accounts with them, and the fight will not stop until they die.
Of course, evil cultivators are an exception.
These desperate people, seeing no hope in cultivation, chose deviant paths, embarking on a path that ran counter to the righteous path. They were already destined to be unable to ascend, so they were relatively less concerned with cause and effect.
We're all going to die anyway, so no matter how we die, it doesn't matter. So no matter what kind of crazy cultivation method you use, just live one day at a time, and be as strong as you can be.
Therefore, members of cults are all unscrupulous and extremely evil, and they do not deserve to die.
Su Xiaoya naturally wouldn't turn a blind eye to the actions of these evil cultivators, especially the "Evil God Temple". Since they had touched her reverse scale, how could she allow them to continue to do evil without any harm?
The scene has ended. No matter what the reason, Shen Ao has brought him real benefits - breaking through the Mahayana stage, and it is a continuous breakthrough.
In order to help her break through, Shen Ao even used up the divine power that he had accumulated over time. If Su Xiaoya hadn't controlled herself, she could have directly broken through to the Great Perfection of the Mahayana Stage.
Hey!
All things are empty, but cause and effect are not empty!
These words echoed in Su Xiaoya's mind like the morning bell and evening drum. She really didn't want to owe such a huge cause and effect.
After all, she had always been extremely attentive to matters of karma, and never easily owed favors to others—it was too much trouble to repay them. If she couldn't resolve the karma, it would be difficult to transcend the tribulation and ascend to heaven through the thunder tribulation of the heavens!
Of course, Yu Shuheng was an exception. They were destined to be partners in life and death. The same was true for Lao Bai and Lao Jin (Golden Dragon). They were all tools from other worlds, number one, two, three, and four, and naturally formed a kind of alliance with each other.
As for Yu Wenxuan and Bai Yiyi, Su Xiaoya was not too worried about any consequences.
After all, she saved Yuwen Zhangyu's life, and now everyone tirelessly travels across the East China Sea to help Bai Yiyi find Qingqiu. Their bond has long transcended mere friendship, becoming a partnership that has weathered storms together, sharing life and death. On this journey, discussing cause and effect seems rather redundant.
After careful consideration, Su Xiaoya finally decided to help the divine Ao transform and help it embark on the path of cultivation again. Although doing so may lead to a series of consequences, she believes that everything is for the best.
As for whether future generations will lose Laoshan, lose the story of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, and whether the Taoist temples in Laoshan will disappear as a result, Su Xiaoya does not think this is a serious matter.
After all, the world is so big and there are many Taoist temples. Even if there is no Taoist temple in Laoshan, there are still Taoist temples in Longhushan, Wudangshan, etc.
Moreover, after experiencing so many things, Su Xiaoya even began to doubt whether the Laoshan Taoist Temple had never given up over the countless years and had been silently working to revive the Shen Ao.
As far as Su Xiaoya knew, the Taoist priests of Mount Laoshan had boundless magical powers, but they only accepted those who were destined to be accepted.
Of course, the standards for accepting disciples were not low. If one wanted to join a Taoist temple and learn witchcraft, one had to cultivate one's mind and cultivate one's character, free from distractions. Only if one passed the assessment would the Taoist priests of Laoshan accept one as a disciple.
As for the Taoist priests of Mount Laoshan, the most famous stories about them on Blue Planet are "Cutting Paper into the Moon" and "Turning Chopsticks into Chang'e".
It was said that a Taoist priest from Mount Laoshan was drinking with two guests. It was dark and no candles were lit.
The Taoist priest of Mount Laoshan cut a round mirror out of paper and pasted it on the wall. After a while, the room was illuminated like the bright moon, and everything inside could be seen clearly.
The disciples were busy serving around him.
At this time, one of the guests said, "Today's beautiful night is really a happy occasion. We must all share in the joy."
So the Taoist priest from Mount Laoshan took a wine pot from the table, distributed it to his disciples, and told them to drink as much as they wanted until they were drunk.
The Taoist priest at Mount Laoshan had seven or eight disciples. How could they all drink from the single pot of wine? The disciples rushed to find cups and bowls, scrambling to drink first, fearing the pot would be empty by their turn. However, despite the back and forth pouring, the amount of wine in the pot didn't decrease at all.
After a while, another guest said, "Thank you, host, for the bright moon. However, drinking in silence like this is too boring. Why not invite Chang'e from the Moon Palace?"
The Taoist priest from Mount Laoshan tossed his chopsticks into the air. A moment later, a beautiful woman emerged from the air. At first, she was less than a foot tall, but upon reaching the ground, she was the same height as an average person. With a slender waist and beautiful features, she gracefully danced the Colorful Feather Dance.
After a while, he sang again: "Immortal, come back and seclude me in the vast cold..."
The song was clear and melodious, like the sound of a flute. When she finished, she spun lightly and leaped onto the table. As everyone watched in amazement, the fairy had transformed back into a chopstick.
The Taoist priest from Laoshan and the guests burst into laughter.
Another guest said, "When drinking with a good friend, a thousand cups are not enough. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Would you mind giving me a farewell banquet at the Moon Palace?"
So the three of them moved the banquet and gradually entered the middle of the moon.
The disciples watched the three men drinking in the moonlight, their beards and eyebrows clearly visible, just like reflections in a mirror, and they were all envious.
The bright moon sets in the west and the night grows darker.
One of the disciples lit a candle and entered the room, only to see the Taoist priest from Mount Laoshan sitting alone at the table. The guests were nowhere to be seen, but leftovers were still on the table.
Looking back at the moon on the wall, it was just a round piece of paper the size of a mirror.
Zhuang Zhou dreamed of a butterfly? The butterfly dreamed of Zhuang Zhou? This shows that the Taoists of Mount Laoshan have profound Taoist skills.
Taoism in Laoshan has a long history, and one of the more down-to-earth stories is the legend of Zhang Feifei, a Taoist priest in Laoshan.
Zhang Feifei is proficient in the thousand-year-old Laoshan Taoism. He can communicate with all things in nature through telepathy and possesses magical powers such as calling the wind and rain, moving mountains and filling the sea, and traveling thousands of miles in an instant.
One day, a severe drought struck the villages near Mount Laoshan. The crops withered and the homes were deserted.
The villagers rushed to Laoshan for help. Zhang Feifei felt deeply their suffering and used his Taoist magic to call the wind and rain, bringing life back to the village.
It is better to teach someone to fish than to teach him to fish.
Zhang Feifei also set up a Taoist college in the village to teach children Taoist wisdom and ways of thinking, cultivate their moral character and cultivation, and help the village gradually get out of poverty.
In the Laoshan Taoist lineage, cultivation is not done in isolation, but is combined with "benefiting the world and benefiting people." For example, Taoists such as Li Yuanzhong participated in the national salvation movement during the Anti-Japanese War, embodying the concept of "Taoism in the world."
Some Taoists transform the results of their practice into contributions to society by opening Taoist temples, imparting wisdom, practicing medicine and saving lives, thus realizing "cultivating one's own body, and one's virtue will be true."
From ancient times to the present, Laoshan Taoism has always advocated the combination of "worldly cultivation" and "worldly practice".
There are many legends and stories about Taoist priests in Laoshan among the people, such as exorcising ghosts and monsters, suppressing zombies, etc.
During the Anti-Japanese War, many Taoist priests in Laoshan bravely fought to defend their country. After defeating the enemy, they returned to their temples, donned Taoist robes, and prayed for the people of the world.
Anyway, ever since she heard about the deeds of Li Yuanzhong and other Taoist priests from Laoshan who participated in the national salvation movement during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Su Xiaoya has had a new understanding of Taoist temples and has more expectations for Taoist classics.
Therefore, Su Xiaoya bought all the Taoist classics and read them carefully at home, including Laozi's "Tao Te Ching", Zhuangzi's "Nanhua Jing" ("Zhuangzi"), as well as "Yin Fu Jing", "Wen Shi Jing", "Huang Ting Jing", "Taiping Jing", "Bao Pu Zi Neipian", "Zhou Yi Can Tong Qi", "Wu Zhen Pian"...
Every sip and every bite is the result of past karma.
These classics made it easier for Su Xiaoya to grasp the essence of her cultivation, which was twice the result with half the effort. So, there weren't so many geniuses in the world; it was all about accumulating knowledge and practicing diligently.
Su Xiaoya really thought so, but she didn't know that if she said this outside, she would really be beaten to death.
All I can say is that even genius needs diligence.
However, Su Xiaoya was more curious about the fact that, throughout Blue Star's history, the Divine Ao had never been able to transform and rebuild, yet the Laoshan Taoist temple had always existed. So, the Taoists had always persisted and never given up, right?
The human race, as the leader of all living things, is favored by heaven for a reason.
Su Xiaoya was quite curious about the cultivation methods of Laoshan Taoists. If her guess was true, then the Taoists in Laoshan were all disciples of Mahayana cultivators, and there were more than just one or two Mahayana cultivators.
"One by one, help me look up the cultivation methods of Laoshan Taoist." At this time, it is naturally the fastest to find the system one by one.
The system did not disappoint Su Xiaoya. It quickly retrieved the information and directly exchanged it to Su Xiaoya.
Well!
Su Xiaoya was a little stunned. Is the system so smart now?
Seeing Su Xiaoya's silly look, System Yiyiyi couldn't help but laugh secretly. Su Xiaoya had handed over the authority to the system's residual soul a long time ago, but after the residual soul disappeared, System Yiyiyi never used this privilege.
He preferred to interact with Su Xiaoya, so that he wouldn't feel cold and like a "machine." Although, he was actually a "machine," just a "machine" with advanced intelligence.
Su Xiaoya was only stunned for a moment, then began to read the information the system extracted for him one by one:
Taoism in Laoshan emphasizes the dual cultivation of nature and life, and practitioners often meditate in quiet places such as caves and peaks to absorb the natural spiritual energy.
Cultivating "nature" refers to cultivating one's spirit, mind, and morality. It emphasizes improving one's inner state through chanting scriptures, quiet contemplation, and observing precepts, pursuing a clear mind and pure thoughts, and realizing one's true nature.
Cultivating "life" refers to cultivating the body, qi and blood, and vital energy, and regulating the body through internal alchemy, qigong, and guiding techniques to achieve the purpose of strengthening the body and prolonging life. For example, the "innate qigong" taught by Taoist Master Kuang Changxiu belongs to this category.
Laoshan is connected to the mountains and the sea and is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round. Taoist priests in Laoshan usually use the mountains and forests as their "cultivation grounds" and advocate "Tao follows nature". They understand the laws of Taoism by getting close to mountains and rivers and observing nature.
Therefore, the human race has always been repaying the savior Shen Ao, and even if it has sacrificed generation after generation, they have never given up.
After figuring out the whole thing, Su Xiaoya didn't know what to think for a moment. She just murmured softly, "It's time! It's luck! It's fate!"
This is also the cause and effect between the human race and the divine Ao!
The human race always remembers that on that mist-shrouded mountaintop, there lies a divine crystal of the divine turtle's origin, and for generations, they have devoutly nurtured this faith in their hearts—for ten thousand years, even if they die, they will never regret it!
Su Xiaoya looked at the divine crystal at the bottom of the lake. Its aura had stabilized. It only needed another hundred years of care to fully repair it and regain its divinity.
Su Xiaoya couldn't help but look towards the lakeside, where there was a pile of rocks. Standing one after another, not very tall, they simply and quietly guarded...
With her eyesight, how could she not see that they were tombs - low, simple and casual tombs without tombstones.
The wild flowers in front of each tomb swayed gently in the wind.
Su Xiaoya could be sure without even asking Princess Kunming that those buried here were all human Mahayana cultivators who had volunteered to sacrifice themselves.
They all just built a simple tomb with stones, no names engraved, no tombstones. They were truly born from heaven and earth, and scattered among heaven and earth, with an indescribable open-mindedness...
Su Xiaoya only felt her nose sour, and her heart, which had been as hard as iron, was now filled with an inexplicable emotion that could not be driven away.
Su Xiaoya looked up at the sky, blinked hard, took a deep breath, filled her chest, and then slowly exhaled...
He repeated this until he no longer felt so suffocated, then he slowly walked to the lake, bent down and picked the wild flowers by the lake.
They picked the flowers one bunch at a time and placed them in front of the tombs, making sure not a single one was left out.
This mountain, this lake, and these wild flowers are the best commemorations of these Mahayana monks of the human race.
Of course, Su Xiaoya would take on the mission and awaken the Divine Ao's "Origin Divine Crystal." The efforts of these human Mahayana cultivators naturally couldn't be in vain.
This is inheritance!
Su Xiaoya returned to the lake and looked at the "Origin Divine Crystal" at the bottom of the lake.
With everyone's concerted efforts, the "Origin Divine Crystal" has already grown to a size of ten feet, with a colorful halo flowing endlessly. The light from the bottom of the lake can even penetrate the earth's crust and connect with the spiritual veins deep in the earth.
As time passed, the sea of clouds on the mountaintop gathered and dispersed, and the grass by the lake withered and flourished. As the human cultivators continued to transform their divine power, the light of the Origin Divine Crystal was able to penetrate the sea of clouds, forming a golden light curtain for a hundred miles around the lake atop the floating island.
The broken lines on the "Origin Divine Crystal" are also healing at a speed visible to the naked eye under the nourishment of these divine powers, and even the grass and trees in the mountains are growing more lush.
The so-called protection knows no boundaries or race. The Mahayana cultivators of the human race used their lives as fuel to ignite the flame of survival; and Princess Kunpeng, in gratitude for saving her life, took on the burden of humanity, fulfilling this oath that transcends race.
Today Su Xiaoya appeared here, so she naturally would not turn a blind eye. Since Shen Ao saved the human race, it was reasonable for her to wake Shen Ao up.
Su Xiaoya silently felt the Chaos Stone, then sensed the divine power contained in the 'Origin Divine Crystal', and smiled.
This so-called divine power is nothing but the pure power of chaos that has been purified and compressed.
No wonder a sudden enlightenment allowed the "Origin Divine Crystal" to easily help her break through to the Mahayana stage. After all, the only thing between her and the Mahayana stage was the improvement of her state of mind.
Since she has "divine power", and a lot of it, things will be easy to handle. Su Xiaoya sat cross-legged and began to practice the magic formula:
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth converged once again, and divine power poured into the lakebed like a golden river. The Origin Divine Crystal seemed to sense the call and shone brightly.
Nourished by the purer divine power, the divine crystal shone even brighter. The colorful halo at the bottom of the lake even reflected the sea of clouds on the top of the mountain through the lake water, bathing the entire Cangwu Mountain in a peaceful light.
A whirlwind swirled around Su Xiaoya, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth converged towards her like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea. After being tempered by the Yin-Yang diagram in her dantian, this spiritual energy suddenly turned into a faint golden color - that was divine power!
Pure divine power was injected into the bottom of the lake, and the halo of the original divine crystal instantly became several times brighter, and even the lake water was covered with golden ripples.