The Great Way to Truth, Starting from Jiazi Laodao

Chapter 106: Bai Ze's descendants, reflecting the world

Daqing Mountain, Tiger Cave.

Bai Tingshan took out a wooden box and opened it to reveal a brush. It was full of spiritual light and was obviously a spiritual tool. He then listened to the introduction:
"Fellow Daoist, this red sandalwood wolf hair brush is made of thousand-year-old red sandalwood and the tail hair of a wolf demon in the Saint Embryo Realm. Whether it is for writing Confucian texts or drawing Taoist talismans, it will achieve twice the result with half the effort. Now I am giving it to you, and I hope you can agree to one of Bai's requests."

Xuanming was surprised: "I don't know what's going on?"

Glancing at the fat girl who was sleeping soundly, Bai Tingshan continued, "My wife and I have known each other for three hundred years. We have each had our own experiences. She obtained the treasure left by the mountain god, while I have my ancestral bloodline.

I thought my luck was turning for the better, but I didn't expect disaster to strike. A hundred years ago, because I had a trace of Bai Ze blood in my body, I was coveted by all parties. Demons, humans and gods all wanted to kill me and take my blood. Although Bai and my wife killed all the enemies, we were also seriously injured. She even fell from the throne of a god, her vitality was greatly damaged, and she had a miscarriage.

Afterwards, I was like a stray dog. I was hunted down and wandered for several years before I finally settled down in Daqing Mountain. Finally, she gave birth to Huniu and passed away.

Bai devoted himself to practice and after achieving the holy fetus, he went out to kill his enemies and avenge himself, but Hu Niu was born with a defect and practice was difficult. Although I can cure the congenital deficiency of Qiao Da's daughter, I can do nothing about my daughter's stubborn illness.

My wife once said before her death that the way of the mountain god might be able to make up for Hu Niu's original nature. I sensed a similar aura to my wife from my Taoist friend, and I boldly guessed that my Taoist friend must have achieved great accomplishments in the way of nature and mountains and waters.

I wanted to benefit my fellow Taoist by discussing Taoism, so that I could ask him to teach my daughter. I didn't expect that you are so profound and your practice is beyond my expectation. I can only think of another way. I want to exchange this item for the Dharma of Fate. Please help me."

Bai Tingshan spoke frankly, revealing his intentions and plans with quite a bit of gentlemanly demeanor, even telling the story of his awakening of Bai Ze's bloodline.

Although it has something to do with the fact that he now has the ability to protect himself and his thin bloodline, it also shows that he is sincere.

---

Inside the Shanjun Cave, Bai Tingshan put down the red sandalwood wolf-hair brush, stood up and bowed. At this moment, he was no longer a great demon in the Saint Embryo Realm, but just a father, so this salute was sincere and heartfelt.

Xuanming accepted the gift calmly. Seeing this, Bai Tingshan couldn't help but smile, knowing that he agreed to this matter: "Thank you, fellow Taoist."

He picked up the red sandalwood wolf-hair brush, examined it carefully, put it into the box, pushed it back, and said, "Daoyou often writes with great speed, and this brush is the best thing to use with you.

I came down the mountain this time to celebrate my elder sister's birthday. My nephew's family has been farming and studying for a hundred years, and they have entered the door of Confucianism. If you are willing, you may give me the four words "farming and studying" and I think it will be helpful for the younger generation to practice cultivation if it is written by a great Confucian scholar."

Bai Tingshan smiled when he heard this, without any pretense, he picked up the rosewood wolf-hair brush, walked to the table, and wrote the four big words "farming and studying to pass on the family" with a splash of ink, pouring out the great Confucian legalism and noble spirit.

At the same time, he wrote two lines of poetry on another blank piece of paper: Farming and reading are passed down from generation to generation, and poetry and books are passed down from generation to generation with elegant charm.

Every word is shining, every line is full of noble spirit. The moment I stop writing, a bright and upright breath gushes out and condenses on the paper in an instant.

Putting down the wolf-hair brush, Bai Tingshan framed the two pieces of calligraphy, put them into a scroll and handed it over. Xuanming stood up, bowed his head in greeting, and waved his sleeves to put away the scroll.

He tapped the tiger's head lightly with his fingers to wake up the sleeping tiger. He brought the dazed tiger girl to the table, rolled up his sleeves, picked up the wolf-hair brush, and started writing on the paper.

The words "mountains and waters" appeared on the paper as he wrote. He then raised his hand and clenched it, drawing inspiration from the Daqing Mountain. He used the spirit of mountains and waters as ink and the spirit of plants and trees as a brush to write a character "mountain".

There is water in the mountains, and the water nourishes the mountains. The mountains and water are connected, nourishing all things and becoming spirituality. From the spirituality there is truth, and from the truth there is divinity. This is the way of mountains and waters.

Although Xuanming was not familiar with the way of mountain gods, he was proficient in the way of earth immortals. The two were similar in nature, but the difference was that mountain gods were about maintenance, while earth immortals were about creation. They both cultivated by borrowing the earth and gave back to the earth. He waved his sleeves and struck the mountain character into the mountain king's brow. The sleepy Hu Niu suddenly widened her eyes and immersed herself in it. She couldn't help shaking her tail and raising the corners of her mouth.

After doing all this, Xuanming did not stay long. He asked Baiting Mountain for some seeds of plants unique to Daqing Mountain, then rode a deer down the mountain and said goodbye.

As for how the belief in tigers spread, how the village witch knew the whereabouts of the tigers, and why the news was not leaked, Xuanming did not delve into it too much. Not everything in the world needs to be investigated to the bottom. Meeting is fate, solving is fate, no solution means no fate, and forcing is inferior. Giving the tiger a chance is because she is dedicated to the people and has never killed innocent people, and because of the transaction with Bai Tingshan, they share what they have, which is also fate.

Thinking of the Confucian mountain in Taijitian, his own improved Taoism, and the two inscriptions by great Confucian scholars, Xuanming could not help but smile. This trip to Wohu Village was a fruitful one.

The sun was rising, black swallows were calling, spirit deer were galloping, and the white-haired Taoist priest was walking on the official road with them. The light was gradually rising under their feet and the darkness was gradually fading above their heads. Smoke was curling from the villages along the way and there were lush clumps of grass and trees on both sides, giving off a leisurely and comfortable pastoral atmosphere.

At the foot of Daqing Mountain, Bai Tingshan watched the figure going farther and farther away, his heart moved, and with a wave of his sleeves, he prepared a table, brushes and ink, and began to paint in the morning glow. His brushstrokes were as fast as flies, and he painted freely. Soon, a picture of a Taoist riding a deer on a morning trip appeared on the paper, every detail was clear and lifelike. The white-haired old Taoist was in the darkness, walking towards the morning sun, between light and darkness, and the scene of walking between the two ends of yin and yang came into his face.

When the great scholar was painting, the world was filled with mysteries and inspiration surged. At the moment the painting was completed, Xuanming, on the official road, felt something in his heart. He turned his head to look back where he came from. While stroking his beard, he also felt leisurely and relaxed. He waved his sleeves lightly, and a mysterious light entered the painting. Suddenly, the characters in the painting had a touch of spiritual charm, as if they had come alive.

In front of Danqing, Bai Tingshan smiled and bowed to Xuanming's direction. They would meet again someday as mountains and rivers would meet again.

---

As more and more people came, the spirit deer turned into an ordinary donkey, and Xuanming became an ordinary Taoist priest with an unremarkable appearance.

Sometimes he rode a donkey, sometimes he led a donkey, sometimes he went along the official road, sometimes he turned into a narrow path, sometimes he stayed in people's houses, sometimes he stayed in the wilderness, observing the surrounding scenery and the people coming and going. He was both traveling and practicing the truth and realizing the truth.

Bai Tingshan uses pen and ink to paint on paper, while Xuanming uses Qi as a guide to paint in his mind, recording the scenery along the way and reflecting the various human emotions.

With every step forward, a touch of energy enters the heart. The mountain does not refuse to be thin and yet remains dangerous, the sea does not refuse to be rich and yet remains deep. Accumulate in your heart what you see, hear, think and understand on the road. Sooner or later, it will burst forth and nurture the great way. Now, every step is a process of accumulation and sedimentation.

As he walked and saw things along the way, Xuanming's knowledge broadened greatly. He had seen streams flow backwards, a single tree become a forest, an octogenarian scholar drunkenly lying in the mountains and rivers, and young children bullying the powerless old man. He had seen chivalrous men dueling with swords, and unruly warriors swearing brotherhood with each other in a free and easy manner. However, what he saw most was birds and beasts hunting and breeding in the mountains, and all kinds of people gathering from all over the place.

Five days later, a white-haired Taoist priest leading a donkey entered the territory of Cangyue County. By evening, the surrounding area was deserted and there were dark clouds all over the sky. It was obvious that a heavy rain was coming.

Xuanming climbed the mountain and found a long-abandoned ancient temple in the mountains to take shelter. As soon as he entered the main hall and picked up firewood, heavy rain came down. Fortunately, although the ancient temple was dilapidated, overgrown with weeds, the old walls were peeling off and covered with cobwebs, the tiles of the main hall were relatively intact and could barely keep out the wind and rain.

Although Xuanming did not care about these, since he was walking in the mortal world and experiencing the worldly affairs like a mortal, he naturally had to use less magic. He should put on more clothes when it was cold and take shelter when it rained. He should eat when he was hungry and drink water when he was thirsty. He should laugh when he was happy and roar when he was angry. This was both the way of the worldly affairs and the law of nature. Xuanming did this both to cultivate himself and to practice the Tao.

One stick of incense later, Xuanming had just baked the multi-grain steamed buns he bought from a farmer on the road. The aroma filled the air when hurried footsteps could be heard outside the door.

Inside the dilapidated temple, Xuanming sighed.

In the wild mountains and wilderness or in wild temples taking shelter from the rain, accidents are most likely to happen. I just hope everything goes well tonight and nothing goes wrong.

Soon the first wave of people entered the temple and headed towards the fire.

(End of this chapter)