https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-533-Enlightenment-from-the-Taoist-Ancestor/12535850/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-535-Gratitude-to-the-Dao-Ancestor-Blood-Devil-s-Beautiful-Aspiration/12535857/
Chapter 534: Xu Yan's Understanding of Enlightenment, and the Opportunity Bestowed by the Founder
Chapter 534: Xu Yan's Understanding of Enlightenment, and the Opportunity Bestowed by the Founder
Smack!
Just as Mu Zhu was finishing his sentence, Feng Yan lashed out with a whip, striking him harshly.
"How dare you!"
Feng Yan struck again with the whip, his anger evident. "The Founder is compassionate and enlightens all life. Though you are barbaric, the Founder still shows mercy and guides you. How could he kill or humiliate you?
"You are an uncivilized barbarian who does not understand the Founder's compassion. All of this is for your own good!"
Li Xuan watched as Feng Yan reprimanded Mu Zhu, and he couldn't help but marvel at how much Feng Yan had learned from Shi Er.
Xu Yan and the others wore strange expressions on their faces as well.
They glanced at Chi Mao, unable to resist.
Chi Mao rolled her eyes. That bastard, Shi Er—I've taught him a lesson plenty of times, paying him back for when he beat me up!
At that moment, Mu Zhu was bewildered. Was the Founder doing this for my own good as well?
He glanced at Su Lingxiu and then looked up at Feng Yan. His mind was in turmoil. How could he, such a powerful being, end up like this after being captured?
"Master, please let me dissect him." Su Lingxiu tugged at her master's arm.
"Do not act recklessly," Li Xuan said with a nonchalant smile. "We must respect the wishes of others, even if they are no longer able to resist or pose a threat."
"Yes, Master!" Su Lingxiu nodded.
She understood that Mu Zhu had been restrained by her master and was no longer a threat. Whenever her master wanted to study him, she could take action directly.
Mu Zhu, on the other hand, felt a sense of relief.
Feng Yan stood by, frustrated at Mu Zhu's stubbornness. "Don't you understand? The Founder is doing this for your own good. Show some gratitude!"
Mu Zhu hesitated. Even though the Founder was incredibly powerful, he still couldn't bring himself to bow and express his thanks; something in his heart held him back.
Feng Yan struck again with the whip, pretending to be doing it for Mu Zhu's own good. He transmitted his voice to Mu Zhu, "Do you want to be dissected? The Founder is easy to talk to, but the Founder's true disciples are not so easily persuaded!"
Mu Zhu's entire body trembled at these words.
His dignity and pride no longer seemed important.
Moreover, the Founder's strength was far more formidable than that of the unchanging deity from the Unchanging Temple. Bowing to him was not a disgrace!
Thus, he bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Founder!"
"Hmm." Li Xuan revealed a satisfied smile.
With a wave of his hand, a broom appeared in front of Mu Zhu.
"Calm your mind and sweep the floor. Sweep away your violent aura and contemplate the emotions of the mortal world. Go."
Although Mu Zhu was extremely reluctant, he knew that he had no room for resistance at that moment.
He lacked the courage to stubbornly refuse and stand his ground.
So, he picked up the broom.
"Thank you, Founder!"
The broom was quite heavy, and it felt weighty in his hands. This was no ordinary broom. With his strength sealed, sweeping the floor with this broom was a challenging task.
"Follow me."
Feng Yan led Mu Zhu away to assign him the task of sweeping the floor.
Mu Zhu couldn't wait to leave. He was now afraid of Su Lingxiu and feared that she would capture and dissect him.
"The broom is quite heavy, isn't it? The Founder is teaching and refining you. Once your violent aura is gone and you understand the teachings, you will be able to progress further.
"Remember, the Founder is merciful and even gives someone as barbaric and violent as you a chance to accept guidance..."
Feng Yan continued to instruct Mu Zhu as they walked.
Mu Zhu was dazed. After all that had happened—being captured, beaten, and struck—it was all for his own good?
Was the Founder's heart truly as boundless as the Unchanging Land itself?
Xu Yan looked at his master with admiration, marveling inwardly, "When will I be able to reach my master's level of enlightenment? To beat one's enemy and have them not resent you, but instead be grateful—this is a realm that's too high for me!"
Tianzi, seeing Mu Zhu learning to sweep the floor earnestly under Feng Yan's supervision in the courtyard, scratched her head, confused. "Aren't you going to kill him?"
Before Li Xuan could answer, Xu Yan spoke with a solemn tone, "Tianzi, Master is the Founder. He has surpassed the realm of fighting and killing. When Master takes action, it is to teach us.
"Just like in the past, when Master waved his hand and eradicated our enemies, he was teaching us that we must not show mercy or softness towards our foes, nor should we rely on our status. When we strike, it must be with the intent to obliterate them completely.
"Now, Master is teaching us that as our cultivation realm improves, our mental state must also evolve. We must not rely solely on fighting and killing. We need to understand the concept of enlightenment.
"Especially you, Tianzi, as the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao, should comprehend the principle of enlightenment. There are many intricacies to this path of enlightenment, so ponder and meditate on it to understand its true meaning!"
Meng Chong, Su Lingxiu, Fang Hao, and Jiang Buling nodded vigorously, "Big Brother Xu Yan is right!"
The eldest senior brother was the one who best understood the profound meaning behind the master's actions. If he said it was correct, then it was undoubtedly the absolute truth.
Li Xuan marveled inwardly, impressed by his senior disciple, the pioneer of the martial path. He truly understood my intentions!
Xu Yan beamed with joy, realizing that he had once again grasped his master's profound meaning.
"So, teaching and transforming, huh? I understand now!" Tianzi scratched his head as he muttered to himself.
Xu Yan, fearing that Tianzi might have misinterpreted his words, quickly added, "Teaching and transforming has a deeper meaning. Some enemies are obstinate and unyielding. For such foes, the best form of teaching and transforming is to send them back to the cycle of reincarnation!"
Tianzi nodded vigorously as he looked at Xu Yan. "I understand now. We should differentiate our methods of teaching and transforming. Different enemies require different approaches!"
Xu Yan nodded in agreement. "It's good that you understand."
The unexpected attack concluded with the annihilation of a True Spirit at the Heaven and Earth Master level, the capture of Mu Zhu, and his punishment of sweeping the floors at the Qinghua Sect.
Following this battle, the Great Wilderness Heaven and Earth entered a period of growth, as countless Unchanging True Spirits were released into the world, nourishing it and transforming into precious resources for cultivating martial artists.
With the annihilation of the Unchanging True Spirits, their divine souls were pulled back into the cycle of reincarnation, setting it in motion once more.
The Heavenly Dao, governing the Heaven and Earth, became increasingly sophisticated and powerful.
The various Realm Masters felt a sense of urgency, choosing to seclude themselves to contemplate the Heavenly Dao and enhance their strength as quickly as possible.
Many martial artists benefited from this battle, and the names of Fang Hao of the Qinghua Sect and the talented Su Lingxiu of the Evergreen Pavilion began to circulate among the strong.
The existence of Elixir medicine martial artists and Mysterious Gate martial artists also became widely known.
Numerous powerful figures sought to send their younger generations to the Qinghua Sect to cultivate either the Qimen martial path or the Elixir Medicine martial path.
The Qimen Court and the Elixir Medicine Court of the Qinghua Sect soon became bustling hubs of activity.
Of course, admission to these courts was highly selective, and only those with exceptional talent were accepted.
The newly recruited disciples were naturally not taught by Su Lingxiu herself, but by the Elixir martial artists and pill refiners within the Elixir Medicine Court.
While the martial artists in the Elixir Medicine Court were not particularly strong yet, their numbers had grown significantly, and among them were quite a few pill refiners, even if complete elixir medicine martial artists were still rare.
The affairs of the Elixir Court were handled by Yue'er, Zhou Ying, and occasionally, Ziyun, with only the most important matters being brought to Su Lingxiu's attention. The court's operations were now highly efficient and well-organized.
As for Fang Hao, being the leader of the Qinghua Sect, he naturally wasn't involved in the day-to-day management of the Qimen Court. Moreover, his responsibilities as the leader were relatively limited.
The Qimen Court was overseen by Yue Changming, Feng Yan, and several others. They had already cultivated a number of martial artists skilled in artifact refinement and formation techniques, enough to guide the newly recruited disciples.
Unless an extraordinarily talented individual was recruited, Fang Hao wouldn't personally provide guidance. Thus far, no genius worthy of his personal attention had appeared.
The cultivation of sword and knife techniques was also being taught, and the number of sword cultivators had increased significantly, largely due to Xu Yan's influence.
Additionally, more martial artists began to cultivate their physical bodies, especially those from the lineage of body cultivators. They were all eager to learn how to cultivate the pure martial path.
However, the entry requirements for the Qinghua Sect were extremely high, and many powerful figures eventually discovered that the Great Wilderness Martial Arts Academy also taught these martial paths.
As a result, they sent their younger generations, who couldn't enter the Qinghua Sect, to the Great Wilderness Martial Arts Academy for further studies.
These younger generations, born of powerful families, tended to be arrogant and proud. When they first arrived at the academy, they looked down on the other students, considering themselves superior.
Naturally, this led to disciplinary actions. The Great Wilderness Martial Arts Academy did not tolerate such behavior, and those who seriously violated the academy's rules were expelled without hesitation.
There was an incident where a powerful figure's descendant caused severe damage to another student's martial arts foundation. This descendant was immediately expelled from the academy.
The powerful figure was furious and even caused a disturbance at the Great Wilderness Academy, as he believed that the academy was too weak.
With a single move, he suppressed several of the academy's strong martial artists, even severely injuring Bai Yunkong. This matter reached Canglan Island, and Xu Yan immediately slew the troublemaker with a single sword strike!
After this incident, the Great Wilderness Martial Arts Academy amended its rules, raising the bar for student admission, especially for the descendants of powerful figures. Not only were the entrance requirements made more stringent, but high tuition fees were also imposed!
For ordinary or lowly-born geniuses, the requirements remained low, and the more talented they were, the lower the requirements became, to the point of having no requirements at all.
However, for the descendants of powerful figures, in addition to the talent requirement, the payment of tuition fees became mandatory!
After this incident, no powerful figure dared to underestimate the Great Wilderness Martial Arts Academy, and no one dared to violate the academy's rules again.
He was a true disciple of the Dao Ancestor!
As the heavens and earth gradually expanded, the Heavenly Dao was also evolving, albeit slowly. Nonetheless, it was a process of enhancement.
The strength of the entire world was also steadily increasing.
The heavens and earth had entered a new phase, as if on the brink of a transformative period.
Li Xuan remained as carefree and leisurely as ever, observing the changing times with a detached air. By his side was only his maid, Cailing'er, attending to him as he lived the life of a young master of a prestigious family.
While some enjoyed their leisure, others were burdened with tasks.
Tianzi was incredibly busy, not only having to continue deceiving the Blood Demon but also devising ways to improve the Underworld and the cycle of reincarnation. On top of that, she had to personally guide Yu Yao, Tai Miao, Tian Sha, and others in their understanding of the Heavenly Dao.
In addition to Tianzi's endeavors, Sulingxiu was equally occupied. On one hand, she was strengthening the Blood Extreme Soul Species and instructing it in the art of cultivating its soul species, preparing to seize the power of the Blood Demon. On the other hand, she was collaborating with Tianzi to further deceive the Blood Demon.
Moreover, she was also treating Tai He and Tai Kun, finding their injuries intriguing and worthy of in-depth study.
She was particularly fascinated by the peculiar aura they carried, said to be influenced by the one from the Unchanging Temple.
These injuries and the mysterious aura piqued Sulingxiu's interest immensely, and despite her busy schedule, she made time to delve into their peculiar conditions and the enigmatic energy that enveloped them.
Tai He and Tai Kun were thrilled by the prospect of a potential cure and were highly cooperative during the treatment, even agreeing without hesitation to Sulingxiu's offer to dissect them to explore the root of their injuries.
Due to her overwhelming commitments, Sulingxiu truly had no spare time, and thus, the matter of dissecting Mu Zhu had to be temporarily shelved.
As for Mu Zhu, he donned coarse clothing and held a broom, resembling an elderly man. Every day, under Feng Yan's arrangements, he was tasked with sweeping the courtyard and its surroundings.
Initially, Mu Zhu was apprehensive, fearing that Sulingxiu would suddenly appear and take him away for dissection, as he currently had no means to resist her strength.
However, as time passed without any sign of Sulingxiu, he gradually began to relax.
"Now you understand that I'm doing this for your own good, right? If not for me, you would have been dissected by now," Feng Yan said, patting Mu Zhu's shoulder.
Mu Zhu nodded, starting to believe that Feng Yan was indeed looking out for him.
"Sweep diligently, three times a day, without slacking off," Feng Yan instructed. "Don't complain about the weight of the broom or the hardship of the task.
"You used to be powerful, and I'm sure you've endured your fair share of hardships. Compared to what you've been through, this is nothing. All you need to do is maintain a stable mental state.
"This is not a punishment from the Dao Ancestor, but an opportunity bestowed upon you. You are not merely sweeping the floor; you are sweeping away your violent aura and cultivating your path to enlightenment..."
Feng Yan's tone was earnest and solemn as he spoke of the Dao Ancestor, his expression filled with reverence. He impressed upon Mu Zhu that this was not a punishment but a chance for growth granted by the Dao Ancestor, and it was something to be grateful for.
At first, Mu Zhu was skeptical of Feng Yan's words, doubting that this menial task of sweeping the floor could be an opportunity from the Dao Ancestor.
However, as Feng Yan repeatedly emphasized the Dao Ancestor's benevolence and wisdom, Mu Zhu gradually began to question his own assumptions. Could it be that the Dao Ancestor truly had his best interests at heart?
Day after day, Mu Zhu swept the floor, resting when he felt tired. Over time, he found himself growing fond of the tranquility of this simple task, a respite from the constant demands of the Unchanging Temple and its missions.
Feng Yan's words echoed in his mind: "This is an opportunity bestowed by the Dao Ancestor, and it is for your own good..."
"No," Mu Zhu shook his head, gritting his teeth as he tried to reinforce his conviction. "Being captured and having my strength sealed cannot possibly be for my benefit."
For several consecutive days, Feng Yan did not appear, and Mu Zhu was not assigned any sweeping tasks. Nonetheless, he continued to sweep diligently on his own.
He felt a sense of confusion and wondered where Feng Yan had gone, finding it somewhat unsettling to be without Feng Yan's constant lectures.
Then, one day, he learned that Feng Yan had been occupied with other matters, and a newcomer named Shi Er had been assigned to oversee his sweeping duties.
This Shi Er was far weaker than Feng Yan.
(End of Chapter)
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