The Three Teachings Converge into One: The Path of the Mortal and the Saintly is the Same

Poetry:

A grand banquet brings joy and conversation, while ancient pavilions and secluded corridors are shrouded in mist.

The painted wall hides a soul filled with resentment and evil spirits; within this millennium-old demonic scheme, one must explore its depths.

Meanwhile, Su Qingxuan and the four women were at the headquarters of the "Continental Civilization Dialogue Foundation."

In an ancient castle, I have dinner with Arthur, the head of the foundation.

The atmosphere at the dinner was very harmonious, and both hosts and guests enjoyed themselves immensely.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Arthur put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth, and smiled at Su Qingxuan, saying:

"Professor Su, I have some fine Da Xia Yun Ding Dan robes treasured in my study."

It's an old tea from decades ago.

Would you be interested in sharing a cup of tea with me alone and discussing the art of tea in the East and West?

"They're here." Su Qingxuan thought to himself.

He nodded and said with a smile, "That is indeed my wish, I dare not ask."

"That's great." Arthur smiled and stood up.

"Ladies, please make yourselves at home. Professor Su and I will be right back."

Lin Wanqing and the other three women looked at Su Qingxuan with some concern.

Su Qingxuan gave them a reassuring look, then followed Arthur out of the restaurant.

The two walked up the spiral staircase to the top floor of the castle.

The corridor was dimly lit, and the walls were adorned with portraits of members of the Hornsorren family throughout history.

The figures in the painting are dressed in gorgeous clothes and stare coldly at the pedestrians in the corridor.

Su Qingxuan noticed that the eyes in these portraits seemed to move as the person moved.

Moreover, behind each painting lies a powerful vengeful spirit.

These vengeful spirits are all patriarchs of the Hornsoron family throughout history.

After their deaths, their souls were bound by the demonic seed, remaining forever in this ancient castle, becoming nourishment for the demonic seed...

Arthur led Su Qingxuan to a door at the end of the corridor.

A complex magic circle was engraved on the door, and in the center of the magic circle was a black lotus flower!

"This is my study." Arthur opened the door and gestured for me to enter.

"Please come in."

Su Qingxuan stepped inside.

The study is large, decorated in a simple yet luxurious style, and outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows is the dark Silver Mirror Lake.

The lake water shimmered under the moonlight, like countless eyes watching over this place.

The walls of the study were covered with medieval oil paintings, armor, and weapons.

A huge mahogany desk sits in the center of the room, with a bronze lamp and some ancient books on it.

Behind the desk was a bookshelf that reached the ceiling beams, filled with various precious ancient books and manuscripts.

The entire study was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood and ink.

It certainly looks like a great place to read and enjoy tea.

Only Su Qingxuan could perceive that beneath this fragrance lay the scent of blood and demonic energy.

"Professor Su, please have a seat," Arthur said with a smile as he walked to a tea table.

"I'll brew tea for you myself."

Su Qingxuan sat down on the chair opposite the tea table, his gaze sweeping over every corner of the study.

He could see clearly that the entire study was a giant magic circle.

Every oil painting, every piece of armor, and every weapon on the wall is part of a magic circle.

The desk was located at the very core of the magic circle.

Arthur skillfully brewed the tea, his movements elegant and fluid, full of beauty.

Soon, a rich aroma of tea filled the entire study.

"Professor Su, please have a taste." Arthur pushed a cup of freshly brewed tea towards Su Qingxuan.

"This is the authentic Yunding Danpao mother tree tea from your Great Xia, there are very few of them in the whole world."

Su Qingxuan picked up the teacup and gently inhaled the aroma of the tea.

It is indeed authentic Danpao tea, with a rich aroma and mellow taste.

But he sensed a faint trace of a mind-altering potion mixed into the aroma of the tea.

This potion is colorless and odorless, making it extremely difficult to detect. Even highly skilled cultivators can fall victim to it if they are not careful.

Once ingested, one will lose their composure and be controlled by the spellcaster.

Su Qingxuan remained calm, subtly circulating his internal energy.

A golden aura enveloped the teacup, completely purifying the potion in the tea.

Then, he took a small sip, put down his teacup, and said with a smile:

"It is indeed a fine tea. The aroma is elegant and long-lasting, and the taste is mellow and sweet. It is truly a genuine Danpao tea king."

"I'm glad Professor Su likes it." Arthur also picked up his teacup.

He took a sip, then looked at Su Qingxuan and asked with a smile,

"Professor Su, you've traveled all over the continent of Europa these past few days and met many people."

I've also visited many places. What are your thoughts on the current situation in Europa?

Su Qingxuan put down his teacup, looked out at the dark lake, and said calmly:

"It has a long history and a brief period of cultural prosperity, but now it is spiritually distressed and uncertain about the future."

"Clear!" Arthur slapped his thigh, his face beaming with excitement.

"Professor Su, you've hit the nail on the head! That's exactly the situation Eurodo is in now."

They cling to their past glory, but have no idea where tomorrow will bring.

They possess advanced magical technology and a powerful economy, yet they cannot find meaning in life.

People are becoming increasingly anxious, increasingly lonely, and increasingly empty-minded…

He walked to the window, gazing at the night outside, his voice carrying a compassionate and melancholic tone, deep and weathered:

"Professor Su, do you know? When I was young, I was also full of hope for the future of Eurodo."

I believe that democracy, freedom, and reason can lead humanity forward.

Towards a better world.

But as I get older, I've increasingly realized that these things...

It cannot fundamentally solve humanity's most fundamental problems.

"Oh?" Su Qingxuan said calmly, "I'd like to hear the details."

Arthur turned around and looked at Su Qingxuan, his eyes filled with sorrow:

Technology cannot solve the problem of life and death, and systems cannot provide meaning.

Love cannot quell greed, and morality cannot restrain desire.

Human beings are inherently selfish, greedy, and cruel.

No matter how advanced civilization becomes, these human traits will not change.

"So, you believe that human civilization is beyond hope?" Su Qingxuan asked.

"Yes," Arthur nodded, his tone heavy.

"Human civilization has come to an end, and we are heading towards self-destruction."

War, plague, environmental degradation, resource depletion...

None of these problems can be solved using existing methods.

Before long, humanity will be completely wiped out in a massive catastrophe.

He paused, then changed the subject, a strange glint flashing in his eyes:

"But Professor Su, do you know?"

The reason why Europa has fallen to this state, and why humanity has come to this point, is because...

It wasn't a coincidence; it was the result of someone guiding things step by step behind the scenes.

Su Qingxuan showed interest, leaned forward, and asked:

"Oh? Who is it?!"

"It's us." A mysterious and manic smile appeared on Arthur's face.

"The Gate of Truth, the Apostles of the Void, the Black Lotus Society!"

Su Qingxuan picked up his teacup, took another sip, and said nothing.

Arthur seemed dissatisfied with Su Qingxuan's reaction.

He tried to inspire Su Qingxuan with his passion, and he excitedly said:

"Professor Su, do you think the rise of the Holy Church was accidental?"

Do you think the outbreak of the Holy Light Revival Movement and the rational Enlightenment was accidental?

Do you believe that the advancement of the magical industrial revolution and the outbreak of the two continental wars were merely coincidental?

Arthur's voice became deep and seductive:

"No, none of this is accidental. It was all orchestrated by us."

"During the Middle Ages, Europa also had his own path of spiritual practice."

Druids communicate with nature and grasp the mysteries of life;

Mystics explore the depths of the soul and possess powerful spiritual strength;

Alchemists study the transformation of matter, pursuing the possibility of immortality.

At that time, Europe was a land of brilliant civilization and produced many powerful figures.

While not yet comparable to the Great Xia civilization in the east, in this western world...

Yet it reached the pinnacle of civilization.

"But all of this came to an end with the rise of the Holy Church."

We support the Holy Church, in the name of "the one true God".

They burned all heretical scriptures and wiped out all wizards and scholars.

The lineage of Eurodo's spiritual practice was severed.

We have imprisoned the spirit of many Europeans within the confines of scholastic theology.

Let them be ignorant and blindly obedient, becoming our puppets.

"And so, over a thousand years have passed."

When people begin to doubt theology,

We also spearheaded the Holy Light Revival Movement and the Rational Enlightenment movement.

We raise the banner of "rationality" to free people from the shackles of theology.

But the "rationality" we advocate is merely instrumental rationality.

We only teach people "how" to do things, but not how to think about "why" they should do them.

We only teach people to pursue efficiency and profit, but not to pursue meaning and value.

At this point, Arthur paused, revealing a cryptic and sinister smile:

"Heh, thanks to our covert planning, they finally succeeded."

The wisdom of ten thousand years of civilization from the Great Xia in the east, and so...

A magical industrial revolution broke out, magical technology developed rapidly, and material resources became extremely abundant.

Without the accumulation of civilization, the more abundant the material wealth, the less the people's spirit...

The more empty they feel, the more they become puppets of machines and slaves to money.

They are busy and bustling every day, yet they don't know why they live.

I gave them everything, but they lost their souls.

"Then, we planned two more continental wars,"

We have caused humanity to kill each other, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of millions of people.

We must show humanity just how fragile and vulnerable so-called "civilization" truly is.

We must plunge humanity into despair, make them lose faith in themselves.

Arthur became more and more excited as he spoke, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism:

"Professor Su, do you see? The world we live in now is exactly the world we want."

Hundreds of millions of people struggle with anxiety, loneliness, and emptiness.

Their pain, their despair, their malice,

These are all the most delicious food for our Lord.

Our Lord is slowly awakening from his slumber, and the moment he awakens...

The whole world will be plunged into chaos.

Su Qingxuan listened quietly, his face expressionless.

He didn't speak until Arthur finished, his voice cold:

"So you do all this to awaken..."

"Your so-called 'Lord' is causing the destruction of the entire world?"

"Destruction? No, no, Professor Su, you're mistaken."

Arthur shook his head, his smile growing increasingly sinister.

"This is not destruction, but rebirth."

The old world is rotten and decaying; only by completely destroying it can we achieve our goal.

Only then can we build a completely new world.

A world without pain, without despair, without constraints.

He walked up to Su Qingxuan, leaning slightly forward, his eyes filled with seduction:

"Professor Su, you are a smart person."

You should understand that humanity is beyond redemption.

Rather than perish with them, join us and embrace the chaos.

Transcend good and evil, and submit to the Lord's command; you will gain true eternity and freedom.

"Eternity and freedom?" Su Qingxuan sneered.

"Your so-called eternity is nothing more than surviving by feeding on the lives and souls of others;

What you call freedom is nothing more than becoming a slave to the Demon Lord, never to be reincarnated.

Such eternity and freedom... I don't want it.

Arthur's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

He continued:

"Professor Su, I know you look down on us, but you have to admit that what I said is true."

Human civilization is hopeless. Your concept of "civilization of mind," while good, is...

But it's simply impossible to achieve; the inherent flaws of human nature cannot be changed.

"No, you're wrong." Su Qingxuan shook his head, his eyes resolute.

"At the beginning of life, people are inherently good."

There is a seed of kindness in everyone's heart.

With proper guidance, everyone can cultivate a pure heart and become a better version of themselves.

The goal of moral civilization is not to eliminate human desires, but to guide them.

Let it become a driving force for human progress.

I believe that as long as we persevere in our efforts,

Humanity will surely overcome its current predicament and usher in a bright future.

"Stubborn fool!" Arthur's face finally darkened.

"Su Qingxuan, I'm only offering you kind advice because I value your talent. Don't be so stubborn and refuse to listen to reason!"

"Oh?" Su Qingxuan raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you trying to force me to stay?"

"That's right." Arthur sneered.

"If you don't join, you will be destroyed."

To tell you the truth, from the moment you stepped into this castle,

You have already fallen into my trap.

Today, you either join us, or you stay here forever.

"You think you can compete?" Su Qingxuan said disdainfully.

"Me?" A ruthless glint flashed in Arthur's eyes.

"Su Qingxuan, do you really think I'm just a foundation chairman?"

I tell you, I am the Apostle of the Ruins, the highest-ranking official in the Western World.

My Lord personally planted a demonic seed within me, granting me immense power.

This ancient castle is an important stronghold of our lord on the continent of Eurod.

Here, my power will be amplified a hundredfold.

Don't think you're just a mortal; even if a true immortal came, you wouldn't leave alive!

"Is that so?" Su Qingxuan slowly stood up, exuding a powerful aura.

"Then I'll test just how capable you are, you demon servant."

"You're asking for it!" Arthur roared, slapping his hand hard.

"Boom!"

With a loud bang, the study door and windows slammed shut at the same time.

The medieval oil paintings on the wall suddenly "came to life"!

The figures in the painting have eyes that move, making a "crunching" sound.

Their armor and weapons emitted an eerie black light.

A sinister aura surged from the painting, coalescing into dozens of demonic soldiers clad in black armor and wielding sharp blades.

These demonic soldiers had ferocious faces, bloodshot eyes, and exuded a strong killing intent as they surrounded Su Qingxuan.

At the same time, a huge crimson magic circle appeared on the floor of the study.

Countless twisted, blood-red runes swirled on the magic circle, emitting a buzzing vibration.

A crimson light barrier rose from the magic circle, enveloping the entire study.

It formed an impregnable cage, isolating all connections between the inside and outside.

Su Qingxuan's eyes narrowed slightly. This magic circle was exactly the same as the underground magic circle in the Sakura Kingdom.

They all felt familiar to him; they were fragments of his memories from when he rescued his relatives in the underworld.

Outside the window, the entire castle was shrouded in dark, demonic energy, which surged skyward.

It obscured the moon and stars in the sky.

The waters of Silver Mirror Lake churned violently, emitting a deafening roar.

Countless shadowy figures rose from the lakebed, swirling around the ancient castle with low, mournful cries.

"This is the 'Demon Prison Within the Painting,' which I have spent hundreds of years creating."

It was forged from the accumulated obsessions of the Hornsorren family over generations and from the countless souls trapped here.

Arthur stood in the center of the magic circle, a smug smile on his face.

"Here, I am God, and I can control everything here at will."

Su Qingxuan, I'm giving you one last chance. Hand over the Three Meridians Seal fragments and join us.

Otherwise, you will be trapped here forever, your soul gradually eroded by the demonic soldiers.

Ultimately, they became nothing more than nourishment for the enemy, with no chance of escape!

Su Qingxuan looked around, his expression remaining calm.

He glanced at the hideous demonic soldiers, then at the massive crimson magic circle, and said calmly:

"Since ancient times, evil has never prevailed over good."

Today, I'll show you too.

What, then, is the true power of the Great Xia civilization!

It is:

The black lotus imprisons the heavens, demonic energy surges, a thousand years of sins gather in the cold lamp.

A righteous cry shakes the world, vowing to vanquish evil and protect all living beings.