Primordial Era: Reborn as Zhen Yuanzi, taking control of the underground passage

Chapter 215 The Surprise of Nuwa and the Others

Upon entering the main hall of Wuzhuang Temple, an even richer and purer innate spiritual energy and Daoist charm rushed towards them, instantly clearing the minds of Nuwa, Fuxi, Jieyin, and Zhunti.

The interior of the main hall is not magnificent, but simple and natural. The dome is high and far, as if it contains the universe. On the four walls, there are faint shadows of primordial mountains and rivers flowing, and earth, water, fire and wind rising and falling, which is the natural manifestation of the Daoist charm of the earth.

Zhen Yuanzi sat upright on the cloud bed in the main seat, his face peaceful, his aura blending into the entire hall and even the entire Longevity Mountain, unfathomable.

The Old Ancestor Hongyun sat to his left, a leisurely smile on his face, his aura detached and carefree. The Yin-Yang Daoist sat to his right, his body radiating a balanced flow of Yin and Yang energies, his Daoist aura profound.

Upon seeing the four enter, Zhen Yuanzi smiled slightly and gestured for them to sit down, saying, "Young friends, there's no need for such formalities. Please have a seat."

A gentle breeze and a bright moon had already brought four clean prayer cushions and placed them below.

Nuwa, Fuxi, Jieyin, and Zhunti respectfully expressed their gratitude before taking their seats in turn.

Zhenwu, Dihuang, Kongxuan, and the Golden-Winged Roc, who had led them there, bowed silently at Zhen Yuanzi's signal and left the main hall to return to their respective places of cultivation.

Only the host and seven guests remained in the hall.

Zhen Yuanzi's gaze was gentle. He first looked at Nuwa and Fuxi and said, "Young friends Fuxi and Nuwa, you two are the true descendants of Pangu and the sacred beings of Buzhou Mountain. What brings you here to my Wanshou Mountain today?"

Although he could deduce the secrets of heaven, he preferred to consult with others as a sign of respect.

Upon hearing this, Fuxi quickly stood up, cupped his hands again, and said sincerely, "Reporting to Senior, my younger sister and I have come here today specifically to express our gratitude for your past kindness."

"Oh? I'd like to hear the details." Zhen Yuanzi was slightly curious. Although he had a past connection with Buzhou Mountain, he didn't know the specifics of the favor.

Fuxi respectfully said, "At the end of the Dragon-Han Great Calamity, the war between the three races spread to Buzhou, and countless scattered cultivators were displaced and lived in constant fear."

"It was you, sir, who manifested your divine power at the foot of Buzhou Mountain, expounding the Great Dao, comforting all living beings, invoking the merits of Heaven, and afterwards protecting the relocated creatures. Your merits are immeasurable."

His tone was filled with deep admiration. "At that time, my younger sister and I were still in the late stages of pregnancy and just beginning to develop our minds. Although we were unable to be there in person to hear the story."

However, the profound teachings of the predecessors resonated with the Daoist spirit of Mount Buzhou, which contained the Daoist spirit of inclusiveness, order, and vitality.

Like a gentle spring breeze and nourishing rain, it nurtured our bodies, greatly benefiting my siblings and playing a crucial role in our initial understanding of the Great Dao.

Such guidance is like a beacon in the darkness; we, the younger siblings, will never forget it, and have come today to express our gratitude!

As he spoke, he and Nuwa rose together and bowed solemnly to Zhen Yuanzi.

Zhen Yuanzi then realized that there was such a cause and effect.

His sermon that day was for two reasons: first, to show compassion for all living beings, and second, to lay out the underground passage and gather good fortune. Unexpectedly, it also benefited these two authentic Pangu lineages who were still in the womb.

He accepted the bow with composure and said with a smile, "I see. My past sermons were simply a matter of following the natural course of events. If they were of any benefit to you two young friends, it was simply fate. There's no need to worry about it too much."

Nuwa's voice was clear and melodious, filled with gratitude: "For you, senior, it may have been a casual act, but for me, it was an enlightenment on the path of cultivation, a kindness akin to being reborn."

Having appeased Nuwa and Fuxi, Zhen Yuanzi turned his gaze to Jieyin and Zhunti, his tone even more amiable: "As for the purpose of your visit, my two young friends from the West, I do know a little about it. Is it for that sermon outside Mount Sumeru in the past?"

""

Jieyin and Zhunti immediately stood up, their expressions even more excited and respectful. Jieyin's voice trembled slightly: "Indeed! Senior, you are wise! Back then, my fellow disciple and I were still in the nascent stage of enlightenment, and we were fortunate enough to be spared by you, senior, and were able to preach the foundation of the Great Dao outside the mountain."

It points directly to the core of the Great Luo, laying an unparalleled foundation for us, and protecting us as we safely weathered the aftermath of the demonic calamity. This grace and virtue are heavier than Mount Sumeru!

"We juniors have never forgotten you. Now that our cultivation has been somewhat consolidated, we have come to pay our respects to you, senior!" After saying this, he and Zhunti bowed deeply.

Zhunti, speaking earnestly, said, "Senior not only gave me guidance, but also performed immeasurable merits in restoring the West and purifying the vengeful spirits. For the West, this is nothing short of a rebirth!"

We are deeply grateful! Their words were filled with heartfelt sincerity.

Zhen Yuanzi nodded slightly, accepting their greetings, and felt quite moved.

The chess pieces I casually placed back then, and the good relationships I forged, now seem to have been worthwhile.

The Old Ancestor Hongyun laughed from the side, "Excellent, excellent. You are grateful and do not forget your roots. It is evident that you are all people of pure heart and firm Daoist conviction. Your future achievements are limitless."

The Yin-Yang Daoist also sized up the four of them, nodding in praise: "Fellow Daoist Fuxi possesses profound heavenly secrets and boundless wisdom; Fellow Daoist Nuwa is blessed with divine creation and boundless vitality; Fellow Daoist Jieyin has a vast vow and a deep foundation; Fellow Daoist Zhunti is clever and resourceful, forging his own path. All of you are among the most outstanding in the primordial world, blessed by great fortune."

Upon receiving such praise from three top prehistoric beings, Nuwa, Fuxi, Jieyin, and Zhunti were both delighted and apprehensive, repeatedly saying they dared not accept it.

At this moment, Zhen Yuanzi's heart stirred. He looked around at Hongyun and Yin Yang and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Hongyun, Fellow Daoist Yin Yang, it is a rare opportunity to meet you all today. All four of you are talented and virtuous, and you are also destined to be with us."

Why don't we take this opportunity to hold another lecture and explain the profound meaning of the Great Way to them?

Hongyun clapped his hands and laughed, "Excellent! Discussing the Dao with the younger generation is a delightful thing, and it can also verify what we have learned."

The Yin-Yang Taoist nodded with a smile: "That's exactly right. It's their good fortune to be able to hear the three of us expound the Dao together."

Nuwa, Fuxi, Jieyin, and Zhunti could hardly believe their ears upon hearing this!

They thought that being able to see the elders in person and express their gratitude would be a great honor.

I never imagined that I would have such an incredible opportunity to hear three powerful figures with unfathomable cultivation levels who participated in the battle between the Dao and the Demon! This is a blessing I could only dream of!

The four men immediately rose, their excitement evident, and bowed deeply: "We, the juniors, thank you for your kindness, seniors! We will certainly listen attentively and live up to your expectations!"

Zhen Yuanzi nodded slightly and transmitted his thoughts to Wuzhuang Temple in an instant: "All disciples of my temple, whether personally instructed or registered, shall quickly proceed to the square outside the main hall and wait to listen to the teachings."

In an instant, Wuzhuang Temple was bustling with activity once again. Zhenwu, Emperor, Kong Xuan, and the Golden-Winged Roc were the first to arrive and sat cross-legged at the very front of the plaza.

Immediately afterwards, the disciples including the Nine-Headed Lion, the Four Divine Beasts, the Qilin, and the Jade Qilin, as well as many beings at the Taiyi and Golden Immortal realms, gathered in an orderly fashion on the vast square outside the main hall, each with an expression of anticipation and solemnity.

They knew how precious the opportunity it was to hear the master and the two guest teachers preach at the same time!

Inside the main hall, Zhen Yuanzi, Hongyun, and Yin Yang looked at each other and nodded.

Zhen Yuanzi spoke first, his voice resounding like the pulse of the earth, echoing throughout the hall: "The Dao is boundless yet inexhaustible in its use; it is deep and seems to be the origin of all things—the earth resides in the center, bearing the four elements, possessing great virtue and carrying all things; it is the mother of all things—"

He reiterated the fundamental principles of the Earth's Way, but this time, he combined his own practice of repairing the West and purifying vengeful spirits to explain the dual nature of the Earth as both "bearing" and "purifying," and how to resolve malevolence and nourish life with a tolerant heart.

During the sermon, the illusory image of the Earth Book floated and sank behind him, evolving the process of the Western land from death to rebirth. The Taoist charm became more concrete and profound, allowing the listeners, especially Jieyin and Zhunti, to have a deeper understanding of "bearing" and "redemption".

Immediately following, Ancestor Hongyun continued, his Daoist voice clear and carefree, seemingly transcending the mundane world: "To be carefree is to be unrestrained. However, to attain true carefreeness, one must understand the rotation of the four elements and grasp the fundamental principles of heaven and earth—one must embrace the four elements with one's heart and roam the vast void with one's spirit to attain great freedom—"

He closely integrates the Way of Freedom with the cycle of the Four Symbols, explaining how to maintain one's true self amidst the chaos of the world, how to use the power of the Four Symbols to stabilize oneself, and ultimately achieve transcendence.

Its Taoist charm inspired the four-symbol banana trees outside the hall to radiate countless rays of light, and the aura of the four symbols permeated the air, opening the minds of all who listened to the Tao. Nuwa, in particular, gained a new understanding of the "spirituality" and "nature" contained in its Tao of Creation.

Finally, the Yin-Yang Taoist spoke, his voice calm yet profound, carrying the power of order that could stabilize the universe: "The Book of Changes has the Taiji, which gives rise to the Two Forms. The Two Forms give rise to the Four Symbols, and the Four Symbols give rise to the Eight Trigrams—all things carry Yin and embrace Yang, and through the interaction of these forces, harmony is achieved. Balance is the ultimate principle of Heaven and Earth—"

Using the Tai Chi symbol as a starting point, he meticulously analyzed the subtle and profound mysteries of Yin and Yang, elucidating the fundamental role of the principle of balance in spiritual practice, interpersonal relationships, and even the operation of heaven and earth.

When he preached, the phantom image of the Taiji diagram enveloped the main hall, and the Yin and Yang energies evolved into endless wondrous forms.

This allowed Fuxi to see the changes of Yin and Yang in the celestial divination more clearly, and also allowed Kong Xuan and the Golden-Winged Roc to understand their own Five Elements...

The understanding of the origin of Yin and Yang has reached a new level.

The three great beings, though possessing vastly different Daoist styles, complemented each other perfectly.

The earth's profound inclusiveness, the carefree transcendence and agility, and the balanced order of Yin and Yang intertwine to form a grand and perfect panorama of the Great Dao.

Inside the main hall, Nuwa, Fuxi, Jieyin, and Zhunti were completely absorbed, feeling as if many of the doubts they had encountered in their past cultivation had suddenly become clear, and their understanding of their own Great Dao was deepening at an astonishing speed.

Outside the main hall, the disciples of Wuzhuang also gained something, their auras continuously condensing and improving under the baptism of Daoist energy.

This sermon lasted for a full forty-nine years.

As the last sound faded, the lingering echoes of the Great Dao seemed to resonate throughout the world.

Nuwa and the other three slowly opened their eyes, their eyes shining brightly. Their cultivation had clearly improved significantly, and their gratitude towards Zhen Yuanzi and the other two was beyond measure.