Jiang Yuan walked deep into the pavilion and saw an iron cage, within which were three or four people, both men and women.
Upon seeing Jiang Yuan, the men and women were filled with terror, collapsing to the ground, fearing that Jiang Yuan was a demon come to eat them and take their lives.
Jiang Yuan said, “Do not be afraid, I am a cultivator. I have come under my master's orders to eliminate the demons of Yuzhu Mountain and specifically to rescue you.”
Hearing this, the men and women trembled, and a bold young man asked, “Is it true? Are you really here to save us?”
Without a word, Jiang Yuan opened the iron cage.
Seeing this, the men and women immediately understood that Jiang Yuan was indeed there to save them.
They stepped out of the cage and knelt on the ground, sincerely bowing their heads, “Thank you, immortal, for your rescue! Thank you, immortal, for your rescue!”
Jiang Yuan shook his head and helped them up one by one, saying, “I am not an immortal, but a cultivator. Are you from the Southern Zhanbu Continent?”
The men and women could not bow any further and replied, “Indeed, indeed! There are three disasters in the Southern Zhanbu Continent, and the nobles are in chaos, it is a mess.”
Jiang Yuan sighed inwardly, examining the three or four people, and asked, “Is there anyone among you who truly seeks to cultivate? To be honest, I have a master's order to rescue a cultivator.”
A ragged young man said, “To not hide it from you, Master, I am indeed a cultivator. I sought the Dao in the Southern Zhanbu Continent but found nothing, so I drifted across the vast ocean and ended up here, only to be captured by demons.”
Jiang Yuan was overjoyed upon hearing this and said, “Come with me. My master’s法名 is Bodhi, residing in Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, in the Xieyue Sanxing Cave, he is indeed an immortal.”
The young man was naturally delighted to hear this.
He had been seeking to cultivate, and upon learning of the immortal’s location, how could he not be happy?
Jiang Yuan then asked the others if they had any intention of cultivating.
He had already seen that the remaining ones were not true cultivators, their hearts were restless, and he knew they were not seeking the Dao, yet he still inquired.
As expected, the men and women politely declined, only wishing for a way to survive and return to the Southern Zhanbu Continent one day.
Just as the ancestor said, “Only worry about food and clothing, why fear the King of Hell taking your life?”
Jiang Yuan escorted the men and women out of the pavilion and took the young man back to Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, traveling on foot.
The young man was indeed an ordinary mortal, and Jiang Yuan found it difficult to carry him while leaping, so he could only walk along the same path they had come.
……
After walking thirty miles, Jiang Yuan estimated that the young man was an ordinary person, walking slowly and stopping frequently.
It took them two days to finally reach Lingtai Fangcun Mountain.
Along the way, Jiang Yuan learned the young man’s mortal name was Feng Liu.
His character was decent and he was quite bold, but Jiang Yuan noticed that Feng Liu’s heart was also restless, more so than he had expected.
He was puzzled as to why the ancestor said he was a cultivator; with a restless heart, cultivation would be difficult.
Xieyue Sanxing Cave.
Jiang Yuan brought Feng Liu to the Yao Platform and saw the ancestor sitting high on the platform, knowing that the ancestor was waiting for him.
Jiang Yuan quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Master, I have come after eliminating demons and rescuing the children, here to report to you.”
The ancestor praised him, saying, “Child, you are clever. Please take a seat first.”
Jiang Yuan sat on the mat upon hearing this.
The young man Feng Liu saw the ancestor and immediately bowed down, saying, “Master, Master! Disciple is sincerely devoted to the Dao. I have traveled through the Southern Zhanbu Continent without success, and now that I have encountered the opportunity for the Dao, I hope you will teach me!”
The ancestor said, “State your name and origin clearly before you bow again.”
The young man replied, “Disciple is from the Qi region of the Zhou Dynasty in the Southern Zhanbu Continent. I am sincerely devoted to the Dao, wandering in the Southern Zhanbu Continent, seeing no path to follow, and drifting across the ocean to arrive at the Western Niuhe Continent.”
The ancestor smiled upon hearing this and looked at Jiang Yuan, saying, “Child, you have some similarities with him.”
Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, “Master, those who hear the Dao are all one, there is no distinction of before and after.”
The ancestor said, “That is reasonable.”
After saying this, he looked back at the young man and asked, “Do you truly seek to cultivate?”
The young man bowed down again, knocking his head countless times, saying, “Disciple is sincerely devoted to cultivation! I hope Master will accept me and teach me the way of cultivation!”
The ancestor said, “Do you truly wish for cultivation?”
The young man replied, “Indeed, indeed! Disciple is sincere and unrepentant!”
The ancestor said, “In that case, I will accept you as my disciple and you will be a small cultivator under my guidance. What is your mortal surname and name?”
The young man joyfully replied, “Master, my name is Feng Liu.”
The ancestor nodded, “Since you have entered my cave, you will cultivate with me and must have a法名. My sect has twelve characters, which are ‘Broad Wisdom, True Suchness, Sea of Nature, Enlightened Realization.’ You will be the second generation. Your heart is restless, and wisdom is difficult to settle, so your法名 will be Da Hui.”
The young man Da Hui bowed in gratitude, overjoyed, “Disciple Da Hui thanks Master for granting me a法名.”
The ancestor said, “Do not rush into cultivation yet. There is a family outside, the Zuo family. The head of the family is over forty years old and enjoys chopping firewood during the day. You will help him chop firewood, and when he says it is enough, you will stop. At that time, I will pass on the Dao to you.”
Da Hui accepted the order and left.
The Yao Platform remained with the ancestor and Jiang Yuan.
The ancestor looked at Jiang Yuan and said, “Child, what do you think of Da Hui?”
Jiang Yuan pondered and replied, “His heart is restless. Teaching him to chop firewood will not help him grow; he will surely fail.”
The ancestor nodded and said, “Indeed, Da Hui’s heart is restless, and his karma is not yet severed. However, cultivating a small path is not harmful. I estimate that Da Hui will stay in the cave for some time before leaving.”
Jiang Yuan understood that the quiet room in Xieyue Sanxing Cave was originally meant for ‘dormitory’ use.
The ancestor knew that cultivators could not stay for long.
Jiang Yuan said, “Master, do not worry. I will stay in the cave.”
The ancestor pointed at Jiang Yuan and jokingly scolded, “You child, even if you want to take in five people, you still need to carry more. If you do not stay in the cave, where else will you stay? You will be punished!”
Jiang Yuan smiled and said, “Master, this is my way of showing filial piety!”
The ancestor said, “Go, go, go! Hurry and burn some gold offerings, do not put on airs.”
Jiang Yuan had no choice but to leave.
……
Time truly passed quickly, and cultivating in the mountains was indeed ‘without year or record, self-pure and tranquil.’
Five years passed.
Jiang Yuan refined the Wenzhi and Wuhuo, and the two pearls gradually took shape.
The two pearls flew up and down like fire wheels, and the Wenzhi and Wuhuo became increasingly refined, truly embodying ‘real gold fears no fire’s tempering.’
On this day,
Jiang Yuan was in Xieyue Sanxing Cave, listening to the ancestor sitting high on the platform expounding the Dao, and Da Hui was also among them.
The ancestor had not yet begun to speak.
Da Hui stepped out from the group, bowed down, and said, “Master! Disciple has been chopping firewood for a long time, and today I seek your teaching of the Dao.”
The ancestor looked at Jiang Yuan and asked, “Child, how long has Da Hui been chopping firewood?”
Jiang Yuan replied, “Master, I have been refining gold offerings daily, using Yin fire during the winter solstice and Yang fire during the summer solstice, cycling back and forth for five years, it should be five years.”
The ancestor nodded and looked at Da Hui, saying, “After chopping firewood for five years, has the head of the Zuo family said it is enough?”
Da Hui replied, “It is enough, it is enough!”
The ancestor asked again, “Is it true?”
Da Hui replied, “True!”
Jiang Yuan remained silent upon seeing this.
He had the assistance of his primordial spirit and could perceive that Da Hui’s heart was still restless and unsettled.
The ancestor’s words about chopping firewood were indeed reasonable; perhaps it was to sever karma and calm the restless heart.
At this moment, Da Hui’s words were no different from abandoning the true path.
The ancestor, with a kind heart, decided to teach him a small path, but if Da Hui learned it, he would surely face calamity in the future.
As expected, the ancestor pondered and said, “In that case, I will teach you a path, the way of the ‘Quiet’ character, which is to rest and guard the grain, to be tranquil and non-action, to meditate and sit in Zen, to abstain from speech and maintain a vegetarian diet, and to cultivate in sleep and standing.”
Da Hui was overjoyed, saying, “Disciple wishes to learn!”
He was indeed a restless heart, with karma not yet severed, how could he distinguish between the side paths and the true path…
New book period seeking readers!
(End of Chapter)