Donghuang Ziji

Chapter 797 Exhausting All Possibilities

"Fellow Daoist Shou, what do you think of this precious tree?"

Chu Tai suddenly appeared under the treasure tree, faint ripples appeared under his feet, and bits of cosmic light condensed into dew, gathered into a river, and surrounded the treasure tree.

Nourished by the light of the universe, the precious tree continued to grow. In the blink of an eye, its crown grew to the extent that it blocked out the sky. The lush leaves exuded a divine aura, gradually reflecting the direction of the mountains and rivers of the East, and the changes in the human world.

The emerald leaves trembled gently and collided with each other. Amid the sound of jade colliding, there were also the hustle and bustle of the world, the Buddhist sounds from the Western Paradise, and the wonderful music from the Heavenly Palace echoing among the branches.

The fruits hanging above swayed along, making bursts of giggles like children playing.

Taoist Shou looked up and found that the fruits had shed their shells one by one, revealing their inner essence. They were complete with limbs and facial features, and looked like children less than three days old.

"Ginseng fruit?"

Taoist Shou instantly thought of the greatest treasure of the Earthly Immortal Dao that came from Daluo Heaven, which symbolized the highest spiritual root of the Earthly Immortal Dao Fruit of Longevity - the ginseng fruit tree.

According to legend, the ginseng fruit tree takes three thousand years to bloom, three thousand years to bear fruit, and another three thousand years to mature. It takes nearly ten thousand years to bear thirty to thirty-six fruits, symbolizing the thirty-six kinds of immortal fruits of the earthly immortal path.

But Taoist Shou also heard that six of the thirty-six kinds of immortality fruits are not unique to the Earthly Immortals. Therefore, in different heavens, the number of fruits produced by ginseng fruit trees is not uniform. It may be thirty, thirty-one, thirty-three, or at most thirty-six.

At this moment, the spiritual roots created by Chu Tai gave him a similar feeling.

Chu Tai, who had also heard similar rumors, looked at the less than forty fruits on the treasure tree and shook his head and replied: "I dare not reach for that earthly treasure. I can only say that when I created this thing, I referred to the power of the treasure tree."

Among the fruits on the tree at this moment, twenty-seven are barely ripe, with ruddy complexions like those of children, eight are green and you can still see the grassy texture, and the last four are sometimes illusory and sometimes condensed. They appear ripe one second and disappear the next.

Taoist Shou was not clear, but Chu Tai could see it clearly. The twenty-seven barely ripe fruits respectively symbolized the twenty-seven relatively complete paths to longevity in the entire Dongyue Dharma Realm, which could guide people to explore the path to the upper three levels.

Among them, eight of them were ripened by the aura of the third and second grade Taoist fruits under the Taoist fruit system of Donghuang Taiyi, Dongjun, Yunzhongjun, Dasimi, Shaosimi, Shan Gui, Hebo, Xiangjun and Xiangfuren, which were imprinted on the Donghuang Bell.

The Buddha's three major Dao fruit systems ripened two fruits, and the demon fairy and demon saint's two Dao fruit systems ripened one fruit.

Secondly, there are two ripened third-grade Dao Qi mastered by the incarnation of Donghuang and the [Taiyi] Dao Fruit mastered by Chu Tai.

Taoist Shou and his fellow apprentices ripened two of their Dao fruits.

The power of the East itself ripened two of them.

The rest are the result of the response from the Holy King Avenue and the Divine Way in the Central Plains and the East.

The eight green fruits are the result of the other Taoist fruit systems on the Donghuang Bell, as well as many immortal and divine powers. Although one can walk, it may not be easy, nor may one be able to enter the path of the upper three grades.

The four fruits that are sometimes illusory and sometimes condensed are the power of the four True Lords Hunyuan, Qingshi, Yuli and Taiyi.

These fruits hanging on the treasure tree are not edible like the ginseng fruit tree. The essence of these fruits is corresponding power and status, and they are the support of the Dongyue Dharma Realm covering the human world.

Theoretically speaking, unless the monk who was pulled into it could break free from the power of the thirty-nine fruits on it, it would be impossible for him to fight outside the Dharma Realm.

If there are any battles between high-ranking cultivators who are not restricted or outside the Dharma Realm, the impact will be borne mostly by the Dongyue Dharma Realm.

From a certain perspective, Chu Tai has further severed the connection between immortals, gods, Buddhas, demons and humans, further giving way to the human world and giving all living beings more rights to choose.

Chu Tai told Taoist Shou his idea, and he couldn't help but sighed and said, "Fellow Daoist, please be merciful, but will this really work? In the past, there were saint kings who thought about giving up their thrones to the common people, but they failed in the end."

"For many creatures, compared to so-called dignity and freedom, they hope to survive or pass on their bloodline."

Taoist Shou saw many living beings in the East through the long river that kept spreading upwards and through the cosmic light flowing in it.

He pointed to the people coming and going in those marginal areas and said, "These are typical and also the majority of people in the world."

"That's why I need to wake you up."

Chu Tai smiled, pointing to the academies built in many places and said, "Fellow Daoist, you don't think that I have built academies in various places in the past ten years just to improve the literary spirit, strengthen the spirit, and give birth to many civilized gods."

"But how many of them can realize the truth? How many of their descendants will continue to be grateful to you in 20 or 30 years?"

"Although I really want to say that I don't want to impose my choice on them, this time I did impose it. I forced them to make their own choice. As a forcer, why should I ask them to be grateful to me?"

Chu Tai asked back, and continued to look at the children in the academy: "Through learning, they know the vastness of the world. Maybe they will resent their background, or be grateful for the opportunity to study, or complain that I haven't done enough? But they will eventually forge their own paths. Compared to being restricted to one place and trapped in one place in the past, they can make more choices."

"And the choice is the greatest reward they give me. Now that I have received the reward, can I be considered even with them?"

Chu Tai asked Taoist Shou with a smile, and the Taoist remained silent for a long time.

What Chu Tai did not say was that the reason why he transformed the treasure tree into the appearance of a ginseng fruit tree was, on the one hand, because the core of the treasure tree was the second-grade Taoist fruit [Earth Immortal] under the Donghuang Taoist fruit system, and on the other hand, he also hoped that these "fruits" could have their own choices.

Although only twenty-seven routes are feasible now, eight are still being explored, and four cannot be relied upon, Chu Tai believes that in the future all living beings will make the thousands of flowers on the branches bloom again and bear fruit again, with countless "fruits" hanging on them for future generations to choose from.

"What if they want more? What if they want to occupy more resources?"

"That is their own business. Although I want to give all living beings the right to choose, both the Shinto gods and the immortal monks are also part of all living beings. I can't really give up the gods and monks for the sake of human beings, because their choices are equally important." Chu Tai stretched out his hand and a leaf fell into the long river of cosmic light. It returned to the human world through the cosmic light, guiding a Taiyi Xianmen monk who was praying silently to walk on the right path and lead another revival of the former Taiyi Xianmen.

The Taiyi Immortal Sect was not very big before its demise, and its inherited classics stopped at the fifth level. After its revival, it only affected a small area, giving the creatures in this area an additional choice for the future.

"In my imagination, the best ending is that the immortal way becomes a choice for all living beings, the divine way becomes the supervision of the human way, and the immortal way becomes the supervision of the divine way. In the end, the human way becomes the most important foundation of the immortal way and the divine way. The three form a dynamic balance, giving each other more rights to choose, and cutting off their right to choose..."

As he spoke, some terrifying futures had already emerged from the long river of cosmic light.

As humanity continued to flourish, they began to study many convenient methods of practice, not seeking morality or inner qualities, but simply pursuing efficiency, productivity, and results.

Everyone is like a clockwork machine, able to move forward along a fixed trajectory. Children go to school not for a better choice, but because this is the only choice that suits them best.

People travel to different places to work not in pursuit of a better future, but because they want a stable life and this is their only choice.

At the same time, all kinds of simple temptations and joys appear everywhere in the world, relaxing people's spirits and venting their emotions, but they cannot alleviate the emptiness in the hearts of all beings, so that all kinds of self-destructive tendencies emerge and many evil beliefs re-emerge.

Taoist Shou frowned, "Lord Demon Dao? No, it's not just Lord Demon Dao, there are also traces of Buddha Demon Dao, Blood Demon Dao and Heaven Demon Dao. But if you look deeper, there are also traces of Buddha Dao, Immortal Dao and God Dao. It's just that they have all more or less lost their original basic concepts and turned to pursue resources?"

Taoist Shou said the last word with some uncertainty. The future reflected by the light of the universe kept rising, from certain individuals and groups at the beginning, to an area, and even the entire East.

The veins of the earth were dug up, the blessed land was destroyed, the vital energy was extracted frantically to support the operation of the entire country, and countless machines were manufactured, all for the purpose of defeating the Central Plains.

Therefore, the entire human world has become a logistics factory for many gods and monks in the Dongyue Dharma Realm, producing a lot of resources every moment and providing for many low-level monks.

However, this action also caused countless people who originally had choices to lose the opportunity to choose again, which ultimately led to the destruction of Chu Tai Dao Fruit and the fall of the East.

"The choice that will definitely lead to this possibility is the one that must be cut off."

As he spoke, Chu Tai stretched out his hand and gently moved the long river of cosmic light, causing many future images to dissipate in the river.

But this move did not satisfy Taoist Shou. He was even a little worried and asked, "Daoyou, why do you only cut off those options that will definitely lead to this possibility, instead of cutting off this future possibility?"

"Because among the possibilities and choices that could lead to this kind of future, there are also countless possibilities that could lead sentient beings to a better direction. I cannot cut off the many rights that sentient beings could have chosen just for one possibility."

"Even if they will suffer a lot?"

"That is their right. Fellow Daoist, please do not think that I am merciful and want to protect them as a saint. In essence, they are also my helpers in exploring the Dao Fruit of Taiyi. I will give them more options for the future and reduce the impact of irresistible forces."

Chu Tai said, looking at the human world, "As for the various tortures and sufferings they endured during that time, they are not within my consideration."

"In fact, I even hope that they can understand more truths and make more and better choices in the process of getting up after falling. After all, the vast majority of people are ordinary people. They don't have so much foresight and resources, but their choices are still meaningful and worth my attention and memory. Look at this..."

Chu Tai pointed to a future in the long river. An ordinary person had been searching for a lifetime but had never found the answer to a question.

Taoist Shou frowned. He saw what the man was looking for and knew that the other party's wisdom was not enough to solve the problem. Even if he tried his best in the end, he would only take a small step forward in exploring the problem, but it would not have any meaning for the result of this problem.

The Taoist couldn't understand it, but Chu Tai stretched the light of the universe. Countless ordinary people came one after another to solve this problem, searching for the answer.

Some of them spend their entire lives searching outside the door, some step inside, take a small step forward, and advance closer to the answer, while others take a big leap forward but end up in a dead end, telling those who come after them a result of failure.

But there is the problem, and there is the answer.

The unknown iron wall ignores the charge of all living beings. After all, they are just flesh and blood, and their lifespan is limited.

So, the bones piled up in front of the iron wall, forming a staircase for the next seeker of knowledge to move forward.

People groped and explored, and the piles of bones kept piling up.

Because people know that the iron wall is not infinite and will be crossed one day.

Regardless of whether the person who finally crosses the ladder is ordinary or not, does that mean the initial step has no meaning?
Are the things done by the people who first discovered the existence of the Iron Wall and those who fell in front of it meaningless?

Chu Tai looked at Taoist Shou and asked in a low voice. The light wheel behind his head was spinning, and the [Taiyi] Dao Fruit appeared. Countless choices, countless beginnings, and countless starting points kept flashing.

At the same time, the prerequisites or foundations before the choices, before the beginnings, and before the starting points are also flickering.

"Fellow Daoist Shou, do you think they are different from us in terms of seeking the truth?"

Taoist Shou remained silent. Chu Tai did not ask any more questions, but started talking to himself.

"I have always felt that a universe without sentient beings is meaningless. But do sentient beings interfered with by us have meaning? Or do we, who have been influenced by you True Lords and have come to this point, have meaning?"

"Of course there is. Every step I take is a part of me and my meaning. Regardless of whether this choice is good or bad, or whether it fits my original idea, this choice is there and has already passed. It is the basis for me to make more choices in the beginning. And now, I want to share this right with them, even if it is not complete..."

"As for why they cut off that future, the fundamental reason is that I died in that future. If not, I am even a little curious whether they can create a new future based on this. After all, that is the choice of countless sentient beings. If a certain amount of time is added, it is enough to exhaust all possibilities..."

"Fellow Daoist, please be merciful!"

(End of this chapter)