Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

After the pleasantries were over, spiritual tea was served, and the tea party officially began. At first, everyone talked about their experiences in Tianyuan, interesting stories about cultivation, and gossip about various sects, and the atmosphere was quite relaxed.

Jin Wanqian was skilled at social maneuvering and witty remarks, keeping the atmosphere lively and welcoming.

But gradually, the topic shifted to cultivation itself. An old man from the "Thick Earth Sect" in the Central Region, with a Golden Core Perfection cultivation level and a stern face, coughed lightly, drawing everyone's attention. His gaze swept over the several Golden Core cultivators present, finally lingering on Shen Mo for a moment before he slowly spoke:

"It is a rare occasion for all of you talented young people to gather here today. I am a few years older than you, and I would like to offer my humble opinion as a starting point. I have a question that I have pondered for many years without finding an answer, and I would like to ask you all for your guidance."

He paused, then said, "On the path of cultivation, accumulating spiritual power is the foundation, while comprehending the Great Dao is the direction. However, should one first exert all one's strength to condense spiritual power and solidify the foundation, and then, when the spiritual power is abundant and the time is ripe, comprehend the Great Dao and seek a breakthrough?"

"Should we first seek harmony with the Great Dao, understand our true nature, and govern the laws with the Dao? Only in this way can the accumulation of spiritual power be twice as effective, and the foundation more solid?"

"Which of these two should come first, and which is more important? This is a question that has troubled me for many years, and I hope you will kindly offer your guidance."

This question, seemingly ordinary, is actually quite tricky. It touches upon the most fundamental debate on the path of spiritual practice, and there is no standard answer; it all depends on individual understanding and choice of path.

But to bring it up in this context is clearly a test, especially for a newly promoted Nascent Soul cultivator like Shen Mo, whose "foundation is highly questionable".

The hall fell silent, and everyone wore thoughtful expressions. Several Golden Core cultivators exchanged glances, and a middle-aged cultivator dressed in fine robes, from a prominent cultivation family, spoke first:

"In my opinion, spiritual power should be the priority. The Great Dao is elusive and difficult to grasp. Without a strong foundation of spiritual power, one is like a tree without roots or water without a source. No matter how profound one's understanding is, it is difficult to put it into practice, and breaking through the bottleneck is merely a castle in the air."

"We cultivators should be down-to-earth, first seeking pure and abundant spiritual energy, and then striving for enlightenment of the Great Dao."

Another elderly man, who appeared to be a rogue cultivator and had reached the peak of the Golden Core stage, shook his head and retorted: "That's not true. The Dao is the foundation, and the method is the application. Without the guidance of the correct Dao, no matter how much spiritual power one accumulates, it's like a blind man riding a blind horse, approaching a deep pool in the middle of the night. One might even go astray, and the thicker the foundation, the heavier the backlash."

"First, one should understand one's own mind and nature, and align oneself with the Great Dao. Then, the accumulation of spiritual power will naturally follow, and one's foundation will be more solid."

Both sides presented their arguments, citing numerous sources and seemingly logical explanations. Several more people joined the discussion, their viewpoints perhaps biased, but generally falling within the scope of these two schools of thought.

Jin Wanqian listened with a smile, nodding occasionally, but his gaze kept glancing at Shen Mo, who remained silent.

The elder from the Thick Earth Sect turned his gaze back to Shen Mo and said, "I have long heard that Sect Leader Shen has reached the Nascent Soul stage in thirty years with astonishing talent. His understanding of the path of cultivation must be unique. I wonder what your insights are on this?"

He's finally here. All eyes in the hall are once again focused on Shen Mo. The air seems to freeze for a moment.

Shen Mo put down his teacup, looked up at the old man from the Hou Tu Sect, and then slowly swept his gaze over the crowd. His face showed no annoyance at being troubled, nor any eagerness to explain. He remained calm and composed.

"I dare not presume to offer such insightful opinions," Shen Mo said, his voice clear and steady. "What you fellow Daoists said just now is all reasonable. Spiritual power is the foundation, and the Great Dao is the direction, which is indeed the basis of cultivation. However, in my opinion, separating these two and discussing which comes first or last might... be a fallacy in itself."

"Oh? What do you mean by that, Sect Leader Shen?" The old man from the Thick Earth Sect raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Cultivation is like walking a road. Spiritual power is the footsteps, and the Great Dao is the direction." Shen Mo said slowly. "If you only focus on looking at the road and rushing forward without looking up to see the direction, you may walk faster, but you are very likely to go astray or even fall into the abyss."

"If you only gaze longingly at the direction and talk about the great path without taking any steps, no matter how good the direction is, you will never reach the other shore."

He paused, a glint of light in his eyes: "Therefore, steps and direction are two sides of the same coin, complementing each other, with no absolute order of importance. With each step you take, you gain a deeper understanding of the road ahead; with a clearer view of the direction, your steps become more resolute."

"The so-called 'testing knowledge through action and guiding action through knowledge' is a cyclical process, and this is the right path."

"As for the foundation..." Shen Mo looked at the old man from the Thick Earth Sect with clear eyes, "In my humble opinion, a truly solid foundation may not be the 'thickness' of spiritual power accumulation, nor the 'depth' of understanding of a certain Great Dao."

"Instead, it is a kind of 'harmony' and 'understanding' that naturally forms through the continuous interaction, verification and integration of 'action' and 'knowledge'."

"Like the ocean embracing all rivers, it is unconventional yet possesses its own origin and foundation. Spiritual power can be transformed into Daoist rhyme, and Daoist rhyme can also nourish spiritual power."

"When you reach a certain level, your spiritual power, soul, physical body, and understanding of the Dao will become one. Perhaps... that is the true 'foundation'."

He did not quote any profound classics, but used the simplest language to explain the core understanding of "source" and "flow", "knowledge" and "action" derived from the "Yuanhai Daojing".

This understanding may not be complete, but the original and harmonious concept it contains gave many Golden Core cultivators present, who were struggling to figure out their future path and were torn between "spiritual power" and "the Great Dao," a sudden jolt, as if a new window had been opened for them.

Even the stern-faced elder of the Thick Earth Sect showed a hint of shock and deep thought. He carefully pondered Shen Mo's words, and after a long while, he slowly cupped his hands: "The ocean embraces all rivers, and each has its own source... Action and knowledge are one, and harmony and understanding are achieved... Sect Leader Shen's words are thought-provoking, and I have learned a great deal."

The questioning and scrutinizing tone in his voice had largely dissipated, replaced by genuine reflection.

The other Golden Core cultivators also showed expressions of realization or deep thought, and their gazes toward Shen Mo became less dismissive and more solemn.

To be able to say such things, regardless of one's level of cultivation, demonstrates a level of understanding of the "Tao" that far surpasses that of one's peers.

Jin Wanqian's eyes gleamed, and he clapped his hands, laughing, "Wonderful! Wonderful indeed! Sect Leader Shen's few words have hit the nail on the head, enlightening us all! Truly a prodigy, I admire you, I admire you!"

The atmosphere in the hall changed instantly. The subtle targeting and scrutiny that had been present earlier faded considerably.

However, just as everyone was praising or pondering, Shen Mo's spiritual sense keenly detected two extremely subtle and fleeting scrutinizing divine thoughts.

These two divine thoughts were completely different from the aura of everyone present; they were more ancient, more composed, and more... indifferent.

They didn't come from anyone in the hall, but seemed to be cast down from a higher place, from some hidden corner of this Gathering Immortals Pavilion. They lingered briefly on him, especially on the trace of the Daoist rhyme of the Origin Sea Daoist Scripture that naturally flowed from his voice, as if carrying a certain sense of assessment, before disappearing without a trace, so quickly that one would think it was an illusion.

Shen Mo felt a slight chill in his heart, but his face remained expressionless. He simply picked up his teacup and took another sip, seemingly oblivious to the two divine thoughts.

The tea party continued, and the topic returned to a more relaxed tone. But after this discussion, Shen Mo's standing in everyone's eyes had changed.

Afterwards, some people asked him questions about cultivation. Shen Mo answered them all with plain and insightful language, neither pretending to be profound nor holding back his knowledge, which won him a lot of goodwill.

The two newly promoted Nascent Soul guest elders also took the initiative to exchange their experiences in stabilizing their cultivation levels with Shen Mo, and their attitude was quite polite.

When the tea party ended and everyone dispersed, several people had already exchanged contact information with Shen Mo, agreeing to discuss the matter further at a future opportunity.

Jin Wanqian personally escorted Shen Mo to the bottom of Juxian Pavilion and earnestly expressed that Wanbaolou would do its best to help if needed in the future.