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

Poetry:

The dusty road to the east connects to the misty ferry, and a stretch of water reveals the utmost benevolence.

Even a withered tree, devoid of heart, can still offer alms; only then can one realize that the Great Way resides within the mortal body.

After breaking free from the demons of fame and eliminating the demon of pride in his heart, Su Qingxuan followed the post road eastward, heading straight for Luoyang, the capital of the Great Xia Dynasty. It was late spring, and the lingering moisture from the snow-capped mountains of the Western Regions spread to the Yellow River basin. The continuous spring rains stopped and started again, washing the grass and trees on both banks until they were lush and green. The willows on the banks sprouted buds like silk, and the fragrant grass covered the paths. The streams and rivers, nourished by the spring rains, gradually rose and became more rapid, their clear waves shimmering, carrying fallen flowers and leaves as they flowed eastward without ceasing.

The young man, still dressed in a simple blue robe, walked with a steady, unhurried gait. The three ancestral artifacts lay close to his body, the primordial energy of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism flowing gently and harmoniously within his dantian. Having experienced enlightenment in ancient temples and broken free from illusions, his Dao heart had become increasingly humble and pure, devoid of any youthful arrogance. Only occasionally, when he recalled the withered wood inscriptions, the spiritual essence of the tattered scroll, and the secret power of the bronze seal, would a hazy doubt rise in his mind—these three ancestral artifacts were no ordinary magical implements; their origins and mysteries must be intricately connected to the ancestors of the Su family. However, the clues were few, like viewing flowers through fog, the full picture remaining elusive. He did not cling to any particular path, but simply followed the natural order, continuing to refine his Dao heart amidst the myriad phenomena of the mortal world, verifying the ultimate truths of the three teachings.

That day, Su Qingxuan arrived at Qinglang Ferry, a tributary of the Yellow River. Here, the river meandered, the banks were steep, and the current was swift. After the spring rains, the water was even stronger, with turbid waves surging and crashing against the blue stones on the bank, making a splashing sound. There were no boats at the ferry crossing; only a muddy path wound around the bank. Few people walked there; only the wind rustling the willow branches and the birdsong echoed through the valley, creating a scene of serene wildness. Su Qingxuan was walking slowly along the path when suddenly a shrill cry pierced the tranquility of the wilderness from not far away, making his heart tighten.

He hurried towards the sound and saw a young woman in simple clothes and a simple hairpin sitting slumped in the muddy water on the bank. She was struggling to get up, her face pale, her eyes wide open, staring at the rushing river, crying and wailing. Looking further into the river, he saw an infant wrapped in a floral swaddle, being swept up and down by the turbid waves. The small body looked extremely fragile in the waves, and it seemed that it would be swept into the deep pool in the middle of the river and become the belly of fish.

The woman was traveling home with her one-year-old child when she slipped on the muddy bank, lost her balance, and the baby slipped from her arms and fell into the swift-flowing river. Driven by her love for her child, the woman, having already reached the bank, disregarded the icy water and treacherous waves and plunged into the frigid water, swimming desperately towards her infant.

Although the river had thawed from the winter ice in late spring, it was still bitterly cold. The current was swift, the waves surging, and the woman, who couldn't swim, struggled and choked on the water several times, becoming exhausted and her face turning bluish-purple. But her maternal instincts gave her an astonishing burst of strength, and she finally managed to grab the swaddled baby in a gap in the waves. However, the river's sweeping force far exceeded her expectations. With her last ounce of strength, she lifted the infant high, carrying it towards the crooked branches of an old willow tree on the bank, trying to save the child from danger.

The baby, perched on a branch, cried weakly. The woman could no longer hold on; a wave swept her away, and she was swept helplessly towards the center of the river. She flailed her arms, trying to grab onto the grass and trees on the bank, but the turbulent waves were too strong, and there was no branch to hold onto. Her strength was completely exhausted, and her eyes were filled with despair. Gazing at her child on the branch, tears mingled with the river water and streamed down her face. She was about to be swallowed by the merciless waves, and mother and child would be separated forever.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Su Qingxuan witnessed this tragic scene, his Confucian compassion surged like a tidal wave, and his Buddhist mercy penetrated to the bone. Overwhelmed with grief, he lost all composure. He immediately circulated the primordial internal energy from the fusion of the three religions within his dantian. With a light touch of his toes on the bluestone, his body shot out like an arrow, ready to leap into the river and use his cultivation to rescue the mother and child together.

At this critical moment, the ancient withered tree in Su Qingxuan's arms suddenly trembled violently, as if sensing Su Qingxuan's thoughts and the peril of the common people, and moved on its own. Before the young man could reach out to touch it, the withered tree flew out on its own, transforming into a pale, shimmering light, and flew straight into the rushing river, its speed like a shooting star chasing the moon.

The moment the dead wood entered the water, strange things suddenly happened.

The once dry, cracked, and lifeless log slowly unfurled in the water, its wood grain gleaming with a faint, ethereal light. It transformed into a long, thick, and sturdy piece of driftwood, its buoyancy strong and its stability like a rock. It drifted with the waves to the side of the woman, who was desperately struggling. On the verge of life and death, the woman instinctively clung tightly to the driftwood. The driftwood, like a stabilizing anchor, steadily supported her frail body, preventing her from being swept away by the waves. It then slowly floated upstream, toward the horizontal branch of an old willow on the shore, lifting both the baby on the branch and the woman in the water, and bringing them safely to the shallow shore.

In less than half an incense stick's time, both mother and son were safely rescued from the perilous waves.

The woman, holding her baby who had stopped crying, slumped onto the wet muddy bank. She was soaked to the bone and her face was still deathly pale, but she was overjoyed to have survived the ordeal. Tears streamed down her face as she repeatedly kowtowed to the driftwood in the water, overwhelmed with gratitude. She murmured Buddhist prayers, thanking the Bodhisattva for her protection and the spirits for saving her life.

Su Qingxuan walked quickly to the shore and saw the piece of driftwood that had performed the act of protecting life slowly rise from the water. It lost its bright white light and returned to its dry and unremarkable appearance. The wood, covered with water droplets, flew automatically towards the boy and landed steadily in his palm.

He looked down and examined it closely, and his heart sank.

On the already existing cracks in the withered tree, a new, extremely fine and deep crack appeared. Deep within the crack, the faint, shimmering white spiritual light that once flowed dimmed slightly, and a very faint primordial spiritual energy slowly dissipated from the crack, like a candle flame about to go out. Clearly, in order to save the mother and child, the withered tree had exhausted its own primordial spiritual energy that had been hidden for ten thousand years, and its vital energy was severely damaged.

Su Qingxuan gently stroked the new cracks in the withered wood with his palm, feeling a cool touch on his fingertips. A myriad of emotions welled up within him. The withered wood seemed to sense something as well, its spiritual energy resonating with Su Qingxuan's. A profound and unforgettable realization washed over him like spring water, completely permeating his Dao heart.

This piece of ancestral dead wood, seemingly without speech, heart, wisdom, or knowledge, yet... possesses the magnanimity of a Confucian scholar, the transcendence of a Taoist, and the compassion of a Buddhist. In times of crisis, it spontaneously sacrifices itself to protect life, expending its own millennia-old spiritual essence without regret, seeking no reward, no empty fame, purely in harmony with the life force of heaven and earth, purely guarding its original intention of protecting life.

Confucianism teaches that "sacrificing oneself for righteousness and giving up one's life for justice" is the responsibility of a virtuous person in establishing themselves and practicing the Way, and that one should not hesitate to die for righteousness and benevolence.

Taoism teaches that "Tao follows nature, benefits all things without contention," which is the true nature of coexistence among all living beings, conforming to the vitality of life, and benefiting all living things.

The Buddhist saying "giving one's body to feed a tiger, cutting off one's flesh to feed an eagle" represents the ultimate compassion for saving the world, where one is willing to sacrifice oneself to save all sentient beings.

The withered tree, devoid of wisdom, performs the purest act of self-sacrifice to save lives; devoid of thought, it upholds the most fundamental principles of the universe's vitality. Self-sacrifice is not for fame or profit, but solely to protect the very life force of all living beings, solely to safeguard the true nature of the universe. This is the essence of the Great Way—simple, true, and pure.

Through this experience, Su Qingxuan no longer viewed the concept of "selflessness" as an empty theoretical notion from books, but gained a direct and tangible understanding. This experience was a profound and deeply ingrained realization, etched into his very being. Selflessness is not foolish courage, nor is it an obsession; rather, it is an innate expression of one's true nature, a manifestation of the harmonious integration of the three teachings. He imprinted this understanding deeply into his heart, and the concepts of selflessness and compassion within the three teachings completely merged and unified, elevating his Daoist heart to a new level. For Su Qingxuan, this understanding of "selflessness" seemed... to be innate.

The woman, clutching her infant, struggled to her feet and walked to Su Qingxuan. She knelt again, kowtowing in gratitude, her words earnest and overflowing with thanks. Su Qingxuan quickly bent down to help her up, gently comforting her and informing her of the treacherous river and the need for caution in her future travels. He then took some dry rations from his bag and gave them to her and her child to eat. The woman thanked him profusely, clutching her child, turning back every few steps as she gradually disappeared into the misty late spring air.

Su Qingxuan stood on the banks of Qinglang Ferry, gently stroking the withered tree in his arms whose spiritual energy had been depleted. He sat quietly for a moment, thoroughly integrating his insights from this selfless enlightenment into the fundamental energy of the three religions. Once his mind had calmed down, he packed his bags and continued eastward along the post road. The road ahead was long, but he was still heading towards Luoyang City.

After traveling for several more days, the late spring rains ceased, the sun grew stronger, and the roadside vegetation became lush, with birdsong gradually rising. One day, they arrived at a desolate mountain wilderness. In a mountain hollow stood a dilapidated mountain god temple, its statues covered in dust, rubble scattered everywhere, with only a corner offering shelter from the sun and rain. Seeing that evening was approaching, Su Qingxuan entered the temple to rest, intending to spend the night there and continue his journey at dawn.

He had just found a clean corner in the temple and settled down cross-legged when he heard dragging footsteps outside. Accompanied by a few soft coughs, an elderly man dressed in an old scholar's robe, carrying a worn-out book box and leaning on a bamboo cane, walked unsteadily into the temple. The old man was nearly seventy years old, with white hair and beard, a thin face, and a melancholy look between his brows. The corners of his eyes and brows were etched with the marks of time, clearly showing that he had suffered a long and arduous journey.

The old man was taken aback when he saw that there was already a young man in the temple. He then bowed respectfully, displaying impeccable manners and the demeanor of a Confucian scholar. Upon seeing this, Su Qingxuan immediately rose and returned the courtesy of a junior, saying gently, "Sir, you must be tired from your journey. Please rest in this temple. I, Su Qingxuan, will take shelter here from the night."

The old man saw that although the boy was young, he had a calm demeanor, a scholarly air, and spoke humbly. He was immediately impressed and introduced himself: "I am Zhou Yan, courtesy name Shouzhuo. I was originally a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Because I spoke frankly and remonstrated with the powerful, I was demoted to the remote and desolate southern border. I am just passing through here and have bothered you, young friend."

It turns out that Zhou Shouzhou was a traditional Confucian scholar who devoted his life to studying the classics of Confucius and Mencius and adhered to the Confucian way of governing the world. He was an upright official who dared to speak out and remonstrate, but he offended the treacherous officials in the court and was framed for crimes. He was demoted and exiled and traveled all the way south from the capital Luoyang. He was in a state of hardship and had nowhere to use his talents. He was filled with resentment and helplessness.

Both were Confucian scholars, and despite their age difference, they felt like old friends. In the dilapidated temple, they gathered dry branches and grass to make a fire for warmth. The flickering firelight illuminated their two serene faces as they sat facing each other and talked all night long, from Confucian classics to the way of governing the world, from the hardships of the people to the rise and fall of the nation.

Throughout his life, Zhou Shouzhou adhered strictly to the orthodox Confucian tradition. When discussing governance, his words were forceful and resounding, always quoting Confucius and Mencius, and always following the principles of propriety. He advocated "governing with virtue and bringing peace to the people with benevolence," and condemned the oppressive policies of corrupt officials who harassed the people, the powerful who seized land, and the displacement of the common people. He believed these were all caused by deviating from the Confucian ideals of benevolent governance and abandoning the principles of propriety and discipline. His words were filled with a sincere concern for the country and its people, as well as resentment at being unappreciated, lamenting the decline of the Confucian path and the suffering of the people.

Su Qingxuan listened quietly without interrupting. Only after the old man finished speaking and his mind had calmed somewhat did he slowly begin to speak. Drawing upon his own experiences and insights gained from traveling the world and seeking out wise teachers, he integrated the principles of governance from Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. His words were gentle and sincere.

"What you say about Confucian benevolent governance is the foundation of good governance. When the people are well-fed and clothed, they know honor and shame; when the granaries are full, they know etiquette. Establishing principles and rules, setting order, and ensuring people's livelihood are the 'applications' of good governance, which are indispensable. However, the way to govern the world cannot be fully encompassed by Confucianism alone. Taoism and Buddhism also contain profound principles within them."

"Taoism teaches 'following the natural course and governing by non-action,' which does not mean doing nothing or letting things go unchecked. Rather, it means conforming to the will of the people and the favorable timing and location, without imposing harsh policies that disturb the people or engaging in reckless and chaotic governance. Like spring rain falling naturally, it nourishes things silently, without going against the will of the people or violating the way of heaven. This is the 'body' of governing the world and lays the foundation for benevolent governance. Buddhism teaches 'compassion and universal salvation,' which means viewing the suffering of all living beings with a compassionate heart, relieving their difficulties and worries, without being harsh or violent, and with a gentle and compassionate heart. This is the 'heart' of governing the world and forging the core of benevolent governance."

He then recounted his experiences in disaster relief at Anfeng Dike, stopping the fighting in Hanshi Town, burying bones at the border town to prove loyalty and righteousness, and attaining enlightenment and compassion for the poor at an ancient temple, using real-life events to illustrate the principle of complementarity among the three religions: Confucianism's benevolent governance and disaster relief are the means to bring peace to the people; Taoism's ability to resolve conflicts and hatred is the essence of governance; and Buddhism's compassion and care for the poor is the heart of compassion for the people. None of the three can be lacking. Adhering solely to Confucianism easily leads to harshness, adhering solely to Taoism easily leads to laxity, and practicing solely to Buddhism easily leads to nihilism. Only when the three religions complement each other, with Taoism as the essence, Buddhism as the heart, and Confucianism as the means, can a long-term peaceful and stable world be achieved, and can the common people truly be saved and the world be at peace.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shouzhou frowned deeply, his face showing displeasure. He sternly rebuked him: "You brat, talking nonsense! Confucianism is the legitimate and eternal doctrine of the Great Xia Dynasty. The teachings of Confucius and Mencius are unchanging for all time. Taoism and Buddhism are heretical, mere empty talk of metaphysical principles. How can they interfere in the important affairs of governing the country? Incorporating miscellaneous schools of thought is neither fish nor fowl. Not only can it not govern the world, but it will also disrupt the order of things and mislead the country and its people!"

The old man had been trapped by the sectarian views of Confucianism all his life, regarding Taoism and Buddhism as heretical doctrines, and firmly adhering to the belief of "exclusive veneration of Confucianism." Upon hearing this, he was naturally furious, and his words were fierce, full of disdain and rebuke.

Su Qingxuan remained calm and composed, neither arguing nor trying to force his ideas upon the other party. Instead, he meticulously recounted the hardships of the people, the corruption in the court, and the chaos in the martial arts world that he had witnessed along the way, speaking with facts and persuading with reason. He stated that rigidly adhering to Confucian doctrines without considering the will of the people would make benevolent governance difficult; lacking compassion would easily lead to harsh discipline; and deviating from the natural way would easily result in chaotic governance. Only by breaking down sectarian barriers, integrating the strengths of the three teachings, and compensating for their respective weaknesses could the Confucian ideal of "the elderly being cared for, the young being educated, the poor being supported, and the needy being assisted" be truly realized.

After listening, Zhou Shouzhou remained silent, stroking his beard in deep thought. The anger on his face gradually faded, replaced by profound contemplation and shock. He had spent his life immersed in Confucian classics, confined by his own school of thought, never stepping outside the doctrines of Confucius and Mencius to view governance. Today, listening to the young man demonstrate the complementarity of the three teachings through real-life examples, every word hitting the nail on the head and every sentence resonating with people's lives, was far more insightful and practical than rigidly adhering to orthodoxy and engaging in empty talk about doctrines.

After a long silence, Zhou Shouzhou sighed deeply, stood up, and bowed deeply to Su Qingxuan. His expression was solemn, full of admiration: "Young friend, you are so young, yet you possess such profound insight. I, an old man, am conservative and pedantic, trapped by sectarian views for decades, like a frog in a well. Only today do I realize that the Great Way has no sectarian boundaries, and there are no fixed rules for governing the world. If one takes the Way as the foundation, following the will of Heaven and the people; takes Buddhism as the heart, cherishing compassion for all living beings; and takes Confucianism as the application, establishing principles and benevolent governance, then the three teachings can complement and reinforce each other, perhaps then one can truly bring peace to the world and save all living beings. I am truly impressed and ashamed of my own inferiority!"

After a long night of conversation, Su Qingxuan's idea of ​​"complementary teachings among the three religions" was fully formed. It was no longer a vague fusion of the three religions' essence, but a clear distinction between substance and function, and between the fundamental and the superficial. Each of the three religions has its own essence and function, complementing each other and being indispensable. This was another major enlightenment for him after the initial integration of the three religions. His Dao heart became more complete and transparent, and he gained a clearer understanding of the Great Dao of the common path of mortals and saints and the unity of the three religions.

The next day at dawn, the sun rose, and the dilapidated temple was filled with warmth. The two bid farewell. Zhou Shouzhou, carrying his book box and leaning on his bamboo cane, continued south to the southern border. Although the road ahead was arduous, his mind was at peace and he was no longer troubled by resentment. Su Qingxuan, on the other hand, packed his bags and continued eastward toward Luoyang. The concept of the mutual complementarity of the three religions had taken deep root in his heart.

One day, Su Qingxuan arrived at the summit of an unnamed mountain. The summit was open and flat, offering a panoramic view of the vast starry sky. There were no trees to obstruct the view, no worldly noise, only a cool evening breeze and a dazzling starry sky. Seeing the serene scenery and feeling a sense of peace, Su Qingxuan decided to sit quietly on the summit for the night, reflecting on his journey of study and verifying his insights from the three religions.

He sat cross-legged on a blue stone atop the mountain, taking out three ancestral artifacts from his bosom and gently placing them before him: a yellowed and incomplete Confucian manual, an ancient bronze seal with a warm and rustic feel, and an ancient, withered tree whose spiritual energy had been diminished. The three artifacts lay quietly on the blue stone, faintly radiating a shared spiritual light under the starlight and moonlight. Though their forms differed, their energy was connected, as if they were originally one.

Looking at the three ancestral artifacts, Su Qingxuan recalled his long journey of learning and cultivation since he first arrived in Qingxi Town, Jiangnan. Suddenly, he gained a clearer understanding of the connection between the three religions and the three artifacts than ever before:

Confucianism instilled in him a profound sense of responsibility to save the world and bring peace to the people, and made him understand "why" he cultivated himself—for the common people, for righteousness, for the sake of heaven and earth, and for the sake of the people's destiny;

Taoism gave him a way of life that follows nature, and taught him "how to do" cultivation—to go with the flow, not to be reckless or attached, to harmonize yin and yang, and to resolve conflicts between the body and mind and the outside world.

Buddhism gave him a pure and compassionate mindset to help others, allowing him to know "what kind of mind to use" in spiritual practice—to be compassionate, humble, and free from attachments, so as to see one's true nature.

Looking at the three ancestral artifacts again, they also subtly echo the fundamental principles of the three religions:

The fragments of Confucianism's core teachings illuminate wisdom and light, integrating Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist principles. They embody the Confucian spirit of perseverance and responsibility, the Taoist spirit of harmony and inclusiveness, and the Buddhist wisdom of the unity of all things.

Ancient dead wood, with its life force contained within, transforms into floating wood, sacrificing itself to protect life. This embodies the Buddhist compassion for all beings, follows the Taoist principle of natural life force, and embodies the Confucian philosophy of the endless cycle of life in the universe.

Ancient bronze seals are used to ward off evil and neutralize malevolence. They are used in Taoism to establish order in conflict, in Confucianism to establish the principles of heaven and earth, and contain the wisdom of the Buddhist middle way.

All three things contain the original order of the unity of the three teachings.

Each of the three items has its own function, yet they share a common origin and coexist symbiotically. Clearly, they were not created by ordinary people after birth, but rather originated from the same source, undoubtedly ancient treasures left behind by the ancestors of the Su family. Su Qingxuan's heart was filled with vague doubts: Could the ancient great power mentioned by Daoist Xuanqing of Langya Mountain and the monk Liaochen of Dajue Temple, who held complete treasures of the three religions and suppressed the cataclysm of heaven and earth, be his own ancestor of the Su family? What earth-shattering event occurred in ancient times that caused his ancestor to sacrifice himself to suppress the calamity, shatter and scatter the treasures, and leave the secret manuals incomplete? Now, he only has the three ancestral artifacts with him, with no other clues. The identity of his ancestor and the secrets of ancient times are like a chaotic fog, shrouding his mind and leaving him completely puzzled.

From a young age, he cultivated the Confucian mental techniques. After his cultivation improved significantly, he rarely slept. Meditation and breath regulation were his rest and cultivation. His mind was clear, without dreams or thoughts, and he had long since transcended the mundane state of sleep. But tonight, the stars on the mountaintop shone brightly, and the evening breeze was cool. Doubts arose in his mind, and his thoughts became complicated. He gradually felt drowsy, and in a daze, he sat cross-legged and fell into a deep sleep.

This sleep led me into an unprecedented dream.

In the dream, the landscape and the myriad phenomena of the mortal world were no longer found, but rather a chaotic and desolate ancient battlefield. Heaven and earth were shattered, the Milky Way hung upside down, and endless darkness coalesced into a boundless black shadow. The black shadow howled fiercely, its voice shaking the chaos, its malevolent aura reaching the heavens, devouring the life force of heaven and earth, causing all things to wither, and leaving countless lives in ruins. The three realms and six paths all faced the calamity of collapse.

In the center of the chaos stood an incomparably majestic figure, clad in simple, ancient robes, surrounded by three beams of pure light—gold, blue, and white—the very essence of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. In his hands lay three flawless treasures: a complete scroll gleaming with golden light, a massive and imposing bronze seal, and a section of vibrant, heaven-reaching spiritual wood—the complete forms of the incomplete scroll, the bronze seal, and the withered wood in Su Qingxuan's possession!

That figure, whose aura was of the same origin as Su Qingxuan's bloodline, faintly exuded the guiding force of Su family ancestors, majestic yet compassionate, standing tall amidst the chaotic calamity, like a pillar supporting the sky, guarding the last remaining glimmer of life in the world.

The boundless black shadow roared again, its voice piercing and ferocious, echoing through the chaos, filled with disdain and violence: "The unification of the three religions? It's nothing but a heaven-defying delusion! Heaven and earth have no fixed laws, and all laws have no common origin. Your attempt to unify the three religions and unite all laws is nothing but self-destruction. In the end, you cannot protect this world and all living beings!"

The ancestral phantom slowly turned around, its face blurred, its features indistinct, except for a pair of clear, bright eyes that held the light of the origin of the three religions. It let out a long sigh that shook the chaos, full of sorrow and helplessness: "When the common people are in trouble, when heaven and earth are in peril, the three religions unite as one, only to protect life, not to defy the heavens."

Having spoken, the ancestral phantom raised its hand, transforming the complete scroll, the bronze seal, and the heaven-reaching spiritual wood in its hand into three beams of clear light—one gold, one blue, and one white. These beams then coalesced into a massive seal, which crashed down, directly confronting the boundless black shadow. The three beams of clear light merged and merged into the phantom of the seal. The primordial energies of the three religions were completely integrated, transforming into an unprecedented pillar of primordial light that forcefully suppressed the black shadow that had devoured heaven and earth. Chaos gradually subsided, the shattered world returned to order, and withered life slowly revived.

Then, the ancestral phantom gradually dissipated, turning into specks of clear light that merged into the world, disappearing without a trace. The three complete treasures also shattered and scattered: the golden scroll, the azure seal, and the white withered wood fell into the mortal world, their whereabouts unknown, leaving only endless chaotic aftershocks and secrets unsolved for ten thousand years.

The dream abruptly ended.

Su Qingxuan suddenly woke up, drenched in cold sweat, his heart pounding, gasping for breath, his eyes filled with shock and confusion. The dream he had just had was incredibly real, as if he had personally experienced that ancient catastrophe and witnessed the heroic act of his ancestors suppressing the calamity.

He looked down at his palm and saw that the ancient, withered wood, now devoid of spiritual energy, was burning hot. Within the cracks, faint golden, blue, and white lights flickered and disappeared in an instant, returning to their dim state as if they had never existed. Only the lingering heat in his palm proved that the dream he had just experienced was not an illusion.

The starry sky atop the mountain was still dazzling, the evening breeze was still cool, and all was quiet except for the sound of the boy's heartbeat, which was exceptionally clear in the silence.

Su Qingxuan sat atop the mountain, his palm tightly gripping a withered tree branch, his heart filled with intense doubts, as vast as a galaxy and as bewildering as chaos.

Who exactly were my Su family ancestors?

What earth-shattering catastrophe occurred on the ancient chaotic battlefield?

Our ancestors used the three treasures of the three religions to suppress calamities and protect life, so why did they perish and their treasures scatter to the mortal world?

Why would the great Dao, which unites the three religions, be dismissed by the shadowy figure as a heaven-defying delusion?

When will this mystery, which has remained unsolved for millennia, finally be revealed?

A host of doubts lingered in his mind, refusing to dissipate. But he only had the three ancestral artifacts with him, and no other clues to follow. He could only bury this earth-shattering doubt deep in his heart and continue his journey eastward, seeking the secrets of his ancestors and verifying the supreme path of the unity of the three religions through trials in the mortal world.

It is:

On the mountaintop, a dream of chaos and dust lingers; the ancestral shadow, holding precious stones, suppresses the turbidity.

Three treasures are hidden in ancient secrets, and a young man with a heart full of curiosity asks the heavens and men.