At the foot of Chaoyang Peak in Mount Hua, the Taoist Xuanyou sat down with several old monks from the Chan, Vinaya, and Pure Land schools of Buddhism in the Central Plains to discuss the Tao, expound on metaphysics and interpretation, and each gained something from their conversation.
Lanruo Temple, Guobei County.
Ever since Lin Yi unleashed that sword that illuminated the netherworld, his mind and spirit have been endlessly rising with the sword light.
It's neither upward nor downward; the concept of space doesn't exist here. It's as if you're looking down at the entire world from beyond the heavens, or as if you've entered the very source of creation.
This was the final gift from the Yellow Emperor.
Yin and Yang, life and death, reality and illusion... countless profound mysteries were presented before Lin Yi, yet he could not comprehend even the slightest bit of them.
Within his dantian, 365 talismans transformed into a long rainbow and flew into the ancestral aperture between his eyebrows.
A bridge spanned the sky, and the Star River True Qi, like a mighty Yangtze River, surged into the sea of consciousness.
The innate spiritual light shone brightly, illuminating the "Gate to the Other Shore" and copying all this information.
The strange state gradually disappeared, and the Xuanyuan Sword Qi had descended upon the City of the Dead.
A sacred and solemn golden sword light descended, and the entire city seemed to melt away rapidly, like snow under the sun.
A loud roar erupted, filled with boundless anger, resentment, and hatred...
This is the deepest obsession of billions of souls buried deep in the underworld, which even the darkest winds of the netherworld cannot blow away, take away, or dissolve.
There was once a glimmer of hope in the underworld, but ever since Zhu Hongwu separated the realms of heaven and man, and immortals and Buddhas disappeared from this world, all that remains is endless, unending despair.
If Zhu Yuanzhang had successfully transformed the Dragon Court into the Heavenly Court, he would have had ample time to manipulate fate and clean up the mess. Unfortunately, he failed.
Losers will naturally pay the price.
After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, China was plunged into ruin, and its people and social standing were completely lost.
It wasn't until the Heavenly Emperor stepped on Yingzhao, reignited the sparks of revolution, and recreated the universe that China once again rose to prominence in the East.
"Will today be a turning point in history?" Lin Yi murmured to himself.
The City of the Wrongfully Dead was destroyed, and some of the evil spirits who managed to escape encountered the Yin soldiers and generals from the Ming Dynasty's Dragon Court.
The next moment, a purple aura of the human emperor appeared, stretching for 30,000 miles and extending in all directions.
A large seal flew out from the purple mist and landed on the ruins of the City of the Wrongfully Dead.
The Netherworld passage closed, and Lin Yi only saw two characters. Although he didn't recognize them, he naturally understood their meaning—Mount Tai.
"Does Fellow Daoist Zhang know any deities related to Mount Tai?" Lin Yi asked Zhang Tianshi beside him.
After a moment's thought, Zhang Tianshi said, "Mount Tai is the foremost of the Five Sacred Mountains, the sacred site where Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han performed the Fengshan ceremony to worship Heaven. The mountain has been inhabited by deities since ancient times. If we were to name the most famous one, it would undoubtedly be the Eastern Peak Emperor, who once established the 'Underworld'."
"Please enlighten me, Fellow Daoist Zhang?" Lin Yi said.
Zhang Tianshi said, "The Eastern Peak Emperor was born very early. He falsely claimed the name of Taihao Fuxi and gained the recognition of various Taoist sects, who allowed him to collect incense offerings. Based on his merits in operating the 'Underworld,' the Eastern Peak Emperor established the Eighteen Hell Kingdoms. Unfortunately, he was later coveted by the Buddhist sect. During the Tang Dynasty, the Four Great Bodhisattvas joined forces to attack his Taoist temple and seize his foundation. After that, his fate became a mystery."
Lin Yi nodded, then said, "From now on, Zhu Hongwu should be able to subdue the ghosts and gods of the underworld and unify the netherworld, right?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Tianshi chuckled and said, "The affairs of the divine are swift in their rise and swift in their fall. If the Ming Dynasty were still in power, the ghosts and gods of the underworld would find it difficult to withstand its might. If the Ming Dynasty were to fall, how could the imperial court remain secure for long?"
"Heaven, Earth, Man, God, and Ghost. Heaven creates all living beings, Earth nurtures all things, therefore Man is the third. The Human Emperor can bestow a god with a single word, or destroy a god with a single word. If he does not become a true god who holds the law and is one with the Dao, he will not be freed for a single day."
"Now that this matter is settled, I should return to the mountain for quiet cultivation. If Fellow Daoist Qingxuan has any urgent matters, you can have Ji Tong send me a letter."
"Take care, Fellow Daoist Zhang," Lin Yi said.
………………
With clear skies and crisp autumn air, it's the perfect time for hiking and enjoying the scenery.
Lin Yi stepped on the fallen leaves and climbed Fragrant Hills in the western suburbs of the capital.
At the summit of this mountain is a huge breast-shaped rock, resembling an incense burner. At dawn and dusk, when it is shrouded in mist, it looks like incense smoke rising from the burner, hence the name Incense Burner Mountain, or simply Fragrant Mountain.
With clear skies and light clouds, climbing to the peak and gazing into the distance is a truly exhilarating experience, making one forget both honor and disgrace.
This was the second month since Lin Yi returned to the capital after dealing with the matters at Lanruo Temple.
Living in the mortal world, one is naturally surrounded by countless worldly affairs, like threads that keep winding around and entangling one another.
It makes one want to draw their sword and take care of all this mess with one strike, seeking peace and tranquility.
With effort comes reward.
Lin Yi stretched out his hand, and the continuous waves of holy virtue rippled in his palm, like a clear spring.
After a few breaths, a spark ignited again in the clear spring. Water and fire mingled, yin and yang complemented each other, containing infinite mysteries.
There are five virtues in the universe: sage virtue, morality, fortune, merit, and hidden virtue, all of which are innate.
In recent days, Lin Yi has read through the treasured books in the Ming Dynasty palace and joined the Quanzhen Sect, finally gaining a preliminary understanding of the Five Virtues of Heaven.
In his initial understanding, he could not figure out one question: if the five virtues all come from human behavior, how can they be called "innate"?
The Five Virtues are a reward from Heaven and Earth for an individual's behavior.
Everything in the world is interconnected and mutually influential, including the principles of the universe and the laws of nature.
Whatever influence a person exerts on the principles of the Great Dao and the laws governing the operation of Heaven and Earth will naturally bring corresponding consequences.
In other words, forces act in pairs.