From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 325 Seeking Fire to Prove the Dao
It was late at night when a mournful howl of apes came from afar.

The embers of the fire flickered in the courtyard, seemingly about to be extinguished by the darkness of the night.

Guided by Xuanjizi, Meng Yuan's mind became clear and unobstructed, and he couldn't help but let out a long, joyful roar.

Xuanjizi laughed heartily, extremely satisfied.

Suwen walked out of the thatched hut and saw the old man and the young man laughing hysterically. He did not stop them or ask why they were laughing. He simply stood aside and waited.

"It's hard to find peace and quiet late at night."

A gentle voice came from the direction of Yunshan Temple, followed by a breeze. Upon landing, one saw an old nun in blue robes, none other than Liaoxian from Yunshan Temple.

"Amitabha." Upon seeing the appearance of the old and young, Liaoxian knew that their state of mind had improved, so she sincerely asked, "I wonder what you two have gained? This humble nun is all ears."

"The old Taoist has reached a point where he can't go any further. This is something Meng Feiyuan has achieved; he has broken through the barrier of desire."

“Amitabha Buddha, all conditioned things are without self, all phenomena are impermanent.” Master Liaoxian smiled and looked at Meng Yuan, praising, “Congratulations, young friend.”

Seeing that Meng Yuan lacked the composure and tranquility that comes with breaking through the barrier, and instead exuded a murderous aura, Abbess Liaoxian couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "How did you break through the barrier?"

“That’s easy!” Xuanjizi answered on Meng Yuan’s behalf. He pointed at Liaoxian and said, “Your Buddhist teachings are based solely on your thoughts. The so-called freedom from worry and fear is due to the desires in your heart, which entangle you and cause you to become deeply trapped in them.”

“This is indeed the root of desire.” Abbess Liaoxian nodded, waiting for Xuanjizi to explain.

Xuanjizi sat cross-legged on the recliner, holding a whisk in his arms, and asked in return, "According to your Buddhist customs, how should this be done?"

“Upholding precepts, concentration, and wisdom, one can break free from attachment to self.” Abbess Liaoxian spoke very succinctly, without elaborating on the underlying principles, because she knew that Xuanjizi was well-versed in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and that Meng Feiyuan was also known as a scholar.

“Junior sister, your reasoning is sound. If you have worries and fears, you should naturally cultivate diligently and then correct them.” Xuanjizi pointed to his chest and asked, “But why should I be the one to correct them? And not someone else? The worries and fears are given to me by the Great Thousand Worlds, so am I obligated to change them? Why isn’t it the Great Thousand Worlds that changes them?”

Upon hearing this, Abbess Liaoxian was stunned. She opened her mouth, but didn't know how to refute it.

Suwen listened quietly from the side. She had thought that Daoist Xuanjizi would surely have some profound insights, but she never expected that they were treacherous and disrespectful to his master and ancestors, and that he was looking down on the world.

Clearly, this fellow Daoist Meng Feiyuan also holds this view, and his mind is open and clear.

Suwen always felt that Xuanjizi's words were problematic and absolutely wrong, but she wanted to refute them, yet she didn't know where to begin.

"Amitabha." Master Liaoxian was indeed a highly skilled person. She had already come to her senses. She looked at Xuanjizi with concern, and then at Meng Yuan, asking, "Is this also your opinion, young friend?"

"I have gained some understanding after receiving guidance from Daoist Xuanjizi," Meng Yuan said.

"This kind of thinking is unacceptable, as it is the easiest way to go astray and take a wrong path." Liao Xian said very seriously, "Do you know why Wusheng Luohan attained enlightenment? Why did Qingguangzi attain enlightenment? Wusheng Luohan made a great vow that he would not become a Buddha until hell was emptied. Qingguangzi even wanted to build a Buddha kingdom on earth. Both of them succeeded, but their paths went against the Buddha's compassionate salvation."

"Then, according to what the nun said, how should one overcome obstacles and attain enlightenment?" Meng Yuanlai asked.

“Knowing that there is no self and no impermanence, one should uphold the precepts and accumulate blessings,” said Abbess Liaoxian.

"It's still the same old art of patience," Master Xuanji chuckled.

"Master, then why do you make me accept the impermanence of self and others, and encourage me to uphold the precepts and accumulate merit? Why not have others accept the impermanence of self and others uphold the precepts and accumulate merit?" Meng Yuan asked.

“Young friend, you can only help others by helping yourself,” said Abbess Liaoxian.

“Junior sister, you have already fallen into obsession,” Xuanjizi said with a smile.

"That's not the case." Master Liaoxian was extremely learned, and she immediately said, "Confucianism speaks of inner sagehood and outer kingship, Taoism speaks of returning to simplicity and truth, and Buddhism speaks of Nirvana and transcendence. All three teachings—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism—are about seeking the Tao. So why seek the Tao, and how do we seek the Tao?"

Master Liaoxian's words had touched upon the fundamental issues of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Meng Yuan knew the facts but not the reasons, Su Wen looked bewildered, while Xuanji Zi confidently stroked his beard.

The Confucian ideal is to become a king or a saint, the Taoism is about natural knowledge, and the Buddhism is about Nirvana and liberation, transcending the cycle of reincarnation.

The difference between Master Liaoxian and Meng Yuan and Xuanjizi lies in the different theories of human nature in the three schools of thought. Confucianism says that human nature is inherently good or evil, Taoism says that the nature of Tao is inherently true, and Buddhism says that there is no self and that all things arise from causes and conditions, which is to say that the nature of humanity is empty and still.

The three religions are undoubtedly first-rate schools of thought, but the fundamental source of their pursuit of the Way lies in the fact that Confucianism sees the collapse of ritual and music, Taoism sees the deviation from nature, and Buddhism sees ignorance and attachment, that is, falling into greed, anger and delusion.

Since the three schools of thought all understand why they seek the Tao, their methods of seeking the Tao differ. Confucianism aims at self-discipline and restoring propriety, Taoism at fasting the mind and sitting in oblivion, and Buddhism at breaking free from attachment to self.

"Unconditional compassion and universal empathy." Abbess Liaoxian solemnly said, word by word, "By observing the absence of self and breaking the attachment to self, one can understand that the five aggregates are not self. As the ancients said, the sage's body is without self, and without self, one cannot be taught. This is where the difference lies between the teachings of Confucianism and Taoism."

After Master Liaoxian finished speaking, she saw Xuanjizi stroking his beard without saying a word, clearly indicating that he had understood.

Then look at Meng Feiyuan, who is known as a scholar. He is touching his chin and is also very serious, which shows that he is looking for a way to refute the argument.

The most disappointing one was Suwen, a Buddhist disciple of Yunshan Temple. She stared wide-eyed, touching her small bald head, looking completely bewildered, as if she were trapped in a state of ignorance and helplessness.

"Suwen, you don't understand?" Master Liaoxian was not angry because of her disciple's incompetence, but instead gently guided her.

"Your disciple is foolish," Suwen said truthfully.

Meng Yuan originally wanted to ask Master Xian what she meant by talking so much, but the master did not point out her own shallowness and ignorance. Instead, she used her own disciple to save face for her guest, which showed that she was indeed a highly accomplished monk.

“What I mean is that Confucianism is fixated on ‘how it should be,’ while Taoism questions ‘how it originally was.’ The debate between Confucianism and Taoism is about ‘what existence is.’ But Buddhism has transcended this, pointing directly to ‘existence is suffering, and suffering can be extinguished,’” said Master Liaokong.

"Disciple understands," Suwen replied, somewhat bewildered.

Meng Yuan stopped stroking his chin, because he finally understood what Master Xian had said.

"How to eliminate suffering?" Master Liaoxian asked slowly and earnestly, "Giving, patience, wisdom, and seeing that the five aggregates are empty."

In the stillness of the night, amidst the crackling of matches, Xuanjizi suddenly asked, "Junior Sister, your Buddhist sect teaches that all sentient beings suffer. Do you wait until all sentient beings are free from suffering?"

"Compassion saves all beings. Those who have attained enlightenment guide those who come after," Master Liaoxian replied slowly.

"If that's the case, Junior Sister, then what about the heavy snow of the past few days?" Xuanjizi sat cross-legged on the recliner, equally solemn. "The snow was falling heavily, and even birds were hard to see. Did the Arhat Wusheng have any compassion?"

Xuanjizi pointed to the sky and continued, "The saying goes that all living beings suffer. When the city is covered in snow, young masters and nobles are trapped in the kitchen, unable to enjoy the spring scenery or experience any carefree life. This is naturally considered 'suffering.' Meanwhile, ordinary people outside are destitute, and their wives and daughters freeze to death. This is also 'suffering.'" Suwen listened carefully, but she didn't quite understand, because the "suffering" mentioned by Abbess Liaoxian was different from the "suffering" mentioned by Daoist Xuanjizi, but it made a lot of sense.

Xuanjizi continued, “All beings suffer, but in reality, beings are not afraid of suffering, but rather of the unfairness of suffering.”

Master Liaoxian remained silent, and Suwen became bewildered again.

"Therefore, if one is free from love, there is neither sorrow nor fear?" Xuanjizi waved his hand, the Daoist's figure fluttering, "When you encounter problems, don't always think about your own reasons, think more about whether it's someone else's problem!"

Xuanjizi pointed at Meng Yuan and said loudly, "The principle that Jingxu spent half his life trying to understand, this kid figured it out in one day! In the final analysis, martial artists can learn the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, but they must not forget their duty as martial artists!"

"Alas. Senior brother, Jingshan is indeed your disciple." Abbess Liaoxian sighed, looked at Meng Yuan, and said, "The road ahead is long, young friend, please take care. The journey is difficult, and there are many forks in the road, so you should be careful."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master." Meng Yuan clasped his hands in a salute.

“When the snow melts and spring arrives, and the night is still, there should be fireflies even in the decaying grass.” Master Liaoxian was not discouraged by Xuanjizi’s argument, but instead spoke with great gentleness, “Although the thatched hut is dilapidated, it can still serve as a place to prove the Dao.”

Meng Yuan said no more and immediately stepped into the thatched hut.

The door and narrow window were tightly closed. Meng Yuan sat cross-legged, without a thought or intention.

Indeed, my mind was no longer filled with all sorts of strange and unusual images, but was instead tranquil and peaceful, without a trace of chaos, and instead gave rise to a sense of clarity.

Instead of rushing to find his own path, Meng Yuan recalled the heavy snow that fell when he first arrived outside Songhe Prefecture.

To make a living, he submitted himself to the princess and got a job casting pigs and sheep. Later, by chance, he learned martial arts.

Again and again, Meng Yuan recalled what Master Nie had said about what a martial artist was, and he had also heard Miss Ying and Xuanjizi talk about the difference between martial artists and Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Later, he also heard Mingyue and Dugu Ying talk about the mindset of martial artists, and he had also witnessed the way of martial artists of Xi Yisheng and Dugu Sheng.

According to Master Nie, the path of a martial artist is a path of striving, a path of perseverance, a path of carving out a way from the impossible.

As his cultivation level increased, Meng Yuan gained a deeper understanding of martial artists and increasingly agreed with Master Nie's views.

Of course, the difficulties a martial artist faces in advancing further are self-evident. While physical strength and comprehension are important, one must also understand one's own path—knowing where one comes from and understanding where one is going.

Never forget your original aspiration, and understand the meaning of coming and going.

Meng Yuan's heart was truly free of any worldly distractions; he was solely devoted to the Dao.

After an unknown amount of time, Meng Yuan finally calmed his mind and recalled his feelings and insights during his previous seclusion.

Then she recalled the changes in her state of mind before and after the great battle with Monk Jinhai, and the changes in her state of mind when she saw Honglian burning with karmic fire.

Meng Yuan ultimately failed to find the secret method that resonated with him, but he already knew that what he should seek was fire, and a fire completely different from the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, the Ignorant Karmic Fire, and the Fire that scorches the heavens and burns the earth.

Forgetting all his thoughts, Meng Yuan carefully examined himself.

With robust flesh and blood, strong bones and muscles, stable internal organs, unified mind and spirit, and harmony between the inside and outside, a subtle inner fire slowly surges within the body, sweeping away all chaos and burning away countless impurities.

After meditating for a long time, the two dantians stirred slightly, and the jade liquid slowly flowed out. The upper, middle and lower dantians seemed to be stirred, and there was a trembling sensation.

As Meng Yuan contemplated, he felt that the three heavens above, below, and in the middle were as vast as heaven and earth, seemingly capable of containing countless phenomena.

And each of these veins, each connection point, seems to hold the great power of heaven and earth, just waiting to be unlocked.

Thinking this, the jade liquid flowed like silk threads, extremely slowly, and then filled the upper, middle and lower three heavens reflected in the dantian, even surging out and slowly filling the external manifestations of the upper, middle and lower heavens.

In an instant, Meng Yuan felt his body become heavy, as if he were carrying everything on his back, about to be crushed into dust. It was as if he were standing in front of a door, with one hand already outstretched, waiting for both hands to push the door open.

Meng Yuan had a vague feeling that once the gate was broken open, a tremendous force of heaven and earth would surely surge forth from within.

If one can withstand the immense power of this force, one will be able to grasp its essence and then know how to seek it in the future.

However, if one is not strong enough to withstand the wondrous power of heaven and earth, one will fall into endless flames, where karmic fire burns away all karma, and the raging fire scorches the body, until neither body nor mind can survive.

Seeing how high the gate was, Meng Yuan realized that as long as he quickly activated the jade liquid, and then the upper, middle and lower three heavens flickered and connected with each other, he could obtain a key.

If the key is correct, it can open the box and release the tiger, whose fate is uncertain. But if the key is wrong, it may release other things, such as the might of a dragon or the tinyness of a mayfly.

Meng Yuan was not in a hurry. Instead, he continued to calm his mind and focus his spirit, slowly nourishing his spirit while urging the jade liquid to slowly circulate among the upper, middle, and lower three heavens.

No one knows how much time has passed; the jade liquid dries up and then fills up again, and dries up again, going through countless cycles.

The so-called Heavenly Secrets and Divine Powers are meant to unlock one's own secrets. One only needs to strike the upper, middle, and lower three heavens with jade liquid, regardless of which place comes first or last, or how many times the upper, middle, and lower three heavens are experienced in total. However, whether one place is added or missing, what one gains and sees will inevitably be different, or even drastically different.

Meng Yuan's search for the secrets of heaven that resonate with him is also a pursuit of the hidden treasures that resonate with him, in order to strengthen himself and wait for the day when he is reborn as a celestial being, and may be able to break through to the third rank of the realm.

The Jade Liquid lingered in the upper, middle, and lower three realms for a long time, and Meng Yuan never dared to actually open the secret chamber.

"Master Nie said he once comprehended a divine secret that granted him longevity. So how should I name the divine secret I have obtained?"

Recalling the upheaval in Songhe Prefecture, Meng Yuan stopped dwelling on it, and with a thought, the jade liquid gushed out.

In an instant, Meng Yuan felt the sky descending upon him, while the earth rose up. He felt like an ant, not even qualified to be crushed. There was only boundless pressure, like the roar of heaven and earth.

"This is..." It was noon, and Su Wen, who had been guarding outside the courtyard, saw a wisp of flame shoot into the sky from the thatched hut.

The flames showed no signs of raging or mysterious power; they resembled ordinary cooking smoke, firewood lit by farmers in the dead of winter, or green flames rising from cremation pits outside the city.

The flame was so small that it lacked any power, and seemed on the verge of being extinguished at any moment.

"Master, did Senior Brother Meng succeed?" Suwen asked blankly.

"If you don't die, you can succeed." Xuanjizi said truthfully.

(End of this chapter)