The Ancestor said, "Humans have three spirits accompanying them: the Yuan Spirit, the Consciousness Spirit, and the Desire Spirit. To achieve the Great Dao, one must first eliminate the Consciousness Spirit and the Desire Spirit, and clarify the Yuan Spirit."
"In the Southern Zhanbu Continent, people are greedy for power, not cultivating their Yuan Spirit."
"Child, you must seek the assistance of five individuals to have a chance at achieving the Great Dao; otherwise, it will be difficult to succeed, and you will eventually perish and lose the Dao!"
The Ancestor's tone was stern, half worried and half solemn.
Jiang Yuan felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.
He had encountered this teaching in a dream before.
Humans are born with three spirits: the Yuan Spirit, the Consciousness Spirit, and the Desire Spirit.
The Yuan Spirit is the true self, representing the purest and most innocent aspect of oneself, free from thoughts and distractions, residing in the abode of the Yuan Spirit.
The Consciousness Spirit is the voice of the heart, often expressing itself when thoughts are numerous; it is the Consciousness Spirit that causes turmoil, delighting in swaying people's thoughts, leading them to hesitation and indecision.
The Desire Spirit governs all kinds of desires.
When a person wishes to strive for success, the Desire Spirit will interfere, making them think of various entertainments, leading to laxity.
For those who uphold their precepts, the Desire Spirit is the most feared, as it easily leads one to break their vows.
He understood the three spirits of humans.
But what did it mean to seek the assistance of five individuals?
Jiang Yuan asked, "Master, who are these five individuals?"
The Ancestor replied, "Heart Monkey, Intent Horse, Golden Duke, Wood Mother, Yellow Granny! With the protection of these five, your Yuan Spirit can eliminate the Consciousness Spirit and the Desire Spirit, allowing you to cultivate the true path of the Golden Elixir!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan pondered deeply and asked again, "Master, where can I find these five individuals?"
The Ancestor smiled without speaking and pointed at Jiang Yuan.
Jiang Yuan was puzzled.
The Ancestor chuckled, "Child, think slowly. If you can obtain even one of the five to assist you, you can enter the Dao!"
"Go now, go now!"
After saying this, the Ancestor waved his sleeve, sending him back.
Jiang Yuan had no choice but to leave the Ancestor's quiet chamber.
The Ancestor watched Jiang Yuan depart, murmuring to himself, "This is a secret of the Dao. If you can comprehend it, I will pass on the path of the Golden Elixir to you."
"If you cannot comprehend it, I will teach you a side door to the right fruit instead, you restless child."
The Ancestor shook his head with a smile, closed his eyes, and settled his mind.
...
Back in the quiet chamber.
Jiang Yuan sat cross-legged on the mat, contemplating deeply, reflecting on what the Ancestor had said.
The Ancestor instructed him to seek the five individuals for protection: Heart Monkey, Intent Horse, Golden Duke, Wood Mother, Yellow Granny.
Were these five truly human?
No.
The Ancestor's last finger pointed at him.
These five were not real people; the five could be him, and he could also be the five.
Jiang Yuan had a remarkable understanding; he could grasp the principle.
Yet he could not clearly understand what these five truly represented.
As the Ancestor said, humans are born with three spirits accompanying them.
Where did these five come from?
And where are they?
How could he obtain the protection of the five?
The Yuan Spirit and the Desire Spirit, the Consciousness Spirit are adversaries; the five must assist the Yuan Spirit to suppress the Desire Spirit and the Consciousness Spirit.
Heart Monkey and Intent Horse often refer to an unsettled mind, like a runaway horse or a monkey in the mountains, difficult to control.
Where could he find them?
Jiang Yuan furrowed his brow, pondering for a long time, unable to find a way.
He sat in silence, not knowing how long it had been.
Jiang Yuan remained motionless, diligently studying, like a clay statue, neither eating nor drinking, neither happy nor angry, just sitting there, seeking enlightenment until the end of time, until the seas dried and the rocks crumbled.
...
He did not know how time passed, only that the eight festivals and four seasons came and went without his awareness.
Jiang Yuan's mind was restless, like trying to fish for the moon in the water; a flicker of inspiration danced before him, yet he could never grasp it, making no progress.
He was truly in a dilemma.
Dong!!!
A sound like a bell and drum echoed in Jiang Yuan's mind, as if a great force was pulling him out.
He awoke from his dream, opening his eyes to find himself in the quiet chamber, only to discover that it was indeed "fine dust everywhere enchanting the eyes, coarse ash filling the valley rolling like sesame."
How could it be like this?
He swept away dust and cleared the chamber daily; how could it be so dirty?
Jiang Yuan rose from the mat, shaking his robes, and as the dust settled, he stepped forward, faintly hearing laughter and the sound of chess from outside the chamber.
He pushed the door open and stepped out.
Outside the quiet chamber, the east was bright, and the sounds came from outside the cave.
Jiang Yuan turned to see the door of the Ancestor's quiet chamber wide open, suspecting the Ancestor was outside.
He hurried towards the cave entrance.
As he approached, he saw a stone table outside the cave, with the Ancestor sitting on the eastern side, and an old man sitting opposite him.
The old man wore a purple robe, had white hair but a youthful face, and was spirited and amiable.
The two were engrossed in a game of "Xiangqi" at the stone table.
"Child, have you comprehended for three years? Have you awakened?" The Ancestor smiled and asked as Jiang Yuan stepped out.
Jiang Yuan was greatly shocked upon hearing this; in the blink of an eye, three years had passed.
He was astonished, "Master, did I really comprehend for three years?"
The Ancestor nodded, "Not a bit off; today marks exactly three years."
Jiang Yuan thought to himself, due to cause and effect, time indeed flies like a shuttle, and he had not noticed the passage of time.
He had once known of a strange tale in a dream, about a woodcutter who chopped wood on a mountain, watching an immortal play chess.
Unexpectedly, in the span of a game, a hundred years passed below the mountain, with the world changing and people gone.
In his moment of comprehension, he was quite similar to that strange woodcutter.
Three years felt like a mere instant to him.
"Puti, your disciple is quite interesting," the old man with the youthful face chuckled, holding two chess pieces in his hand, showing great interest.
Jiang Yuan looked over, not recognizing the old man, but seeing that he was familiar with the Ancestor, he assumed he must be an old immortal and greeted him.
The Ancestor smiled and said, "This is a friend of mine; you may call him Mr. Boyang."
Jiang Yuan was once again shocked; how could he not know the name Boyang? In the great dream, he had heard of a remarkable person who authored the "Dao De Jing," leaving a legacy for generations.
This remarkable person was Laozi, surnamed Li, named Dan, styled Boyang, from the Spring and Autumn period.
This Boyang must be Laozi.
But this was the Western Zhou period.
Unless...
This Laozi was the Taishang Laojun!
Only the Taishang Laojun could enjoy immortality.
This place was "Journey to the West," and Laozi being the Taishang Laojun seemed not surprising.
His master was the Puti Ancestor, and it was reasonable for him to know the Taishang Laojun.
Jiang Yuan did not feel flustered; his master was not necessarily weaker than the Taishang Laojun.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yuan bowed again and said, "Guangxin pays respects to Mr. Boyang."
Guangxin was his dharma name.
Laozi smiled and said, "Get up; you are quite clever. In the Southern Zhanbu Continent, it is rare to find someone so talented."
The Ancestor said, "Does my child catch your eye?"
Laozi nodded and said, "Indeed, Guangxin must be struggling to enter the Dao. Puti, why do you not guide him, allowing the Consciousness Spirit to cloud his heart and the Desire Spirit to obscure his eyes?"
"The Consciousness Spirit clouds my heart, and the Desire Spirit obscures my eyes?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan suddenly realized.
He had comprehended for three years without finding a way, only feeling a flicker of inspiration, like a fish darting about, glimpsing yet unable to grasp it, and it turned out to be this way.
He wished to understand where the "five individuals" were, so he could invite them to assist him in dealing with the Consciousness Spirit and the Desire Spirit.
These two spirits must be obstructing him to prevent him from seeing the "five individuals."
It was indeed like this; he had thought his hard work was in vain, wasting three years of effort...
(End of Chapter)