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

Poetry:

Ten thousand emotions stir up dust, and the illusionary sea traps this body.

The obstacles in one's heart must eventually be overcome, only then can one prove that the crystal is eternally pure.

Meanwhile, Su Qingxuan and the four fairies fought back against their pursuers and broke the Spirit-Locking Array in Echo Valley, but did not take the opportunity to escape.

Instead, they sneaked into the deepest, most echoing crevice in the valley.

The rock walls here are as smooth as a mirror, and the layers of black stone completely isolate the outside world from the sounds, leaving only the sound of the five people's steady breathing and the flow of magic.

It is an excellent place to rest and recuperate, and it also allows one to avoid the initial scouting by the Seven Kill Pavilion assassins.

Although the battle just now was quick and decisive, it still depleted a lot of the four women's magical power.

The battle aura emanating from the tip of the red-tasseled spear had not yet completely faded.

Xiao Lingxi's Purple Cloud Furnace was slightly warm.

The ink on the brush in Lin Wanqing's hand seemed slightly dimmed.

The Buddhist mudra on Xiao Lingyue's fingertips was also loosening.

Although Su Qingxuan borrowed the Three Treasures and the Qian Yuan Creation Pill, he restored seven or eight tenths of his original essence.

The stagnation in the meridians caused by forcibly unleashing the Chaos Sword Qi has not yet been completely resolved.

He sat cross-legged in the center of the crevice and first sorted through all the storage bags he had just confiscated.

He selected a few Illusionary Sea Crystals containing pure spiritual power and distributed them to the four women.

Then, use the mental cultivation method of "Spring and Autumn Annals" to mutually comprehend and verify with "Great Celestial Immortal Technique" to replenish the final true essence.

The four women each received a Phantom Sea Crystal and, following Su Qingxuan's guidance, circulated their cultivation techniques, drawing the pure spiritual energy within the crystal into their bodies.

The Illusionary Sea Crystal of the Illusionary Demon Sea is inherently beneficial for stabilizing one's Dao heart and nourishing one's soul.

With the help of the Mind-Clearing Pill that Xiao Lingxi had previously refined, the four of them regained their peak aura in just a few incense sticks' time.

His eyes shone brightly, and his previous fatigue and weariness vanished.

Chi Ying gripped the spear tightly, the spear's aura of battle contained within, and the faint phantom of a military formation emanated from her body.

Xiao Lingxi hung the Purple Cloud Furnace above his head, ready to deal with any sudden crisis at any time;

Lin Wanqing placed the Spring and Autumn Annals Pen on her lap, her noble and righteous spirit flowing slowly, and a faint scholarly aura emanated from her body;

Xiao Lingyue clasped her hands together, and a warm Buddhist light emanated from behind her head, purifying all the evil energy within the rift and making this small space peaceful and serene.

Su Qingxuan stopped practicing and looked at the quiet profiles of the four women beside him.

The long-standing confusion in my heart surged up again.

From their first meeting in the human realm to their ascension to the heavens, they endured countless life-and-death trials along the way.

The four women remained steadfastly by his side, never abandoning him.

He had pondered this countless times in secret: the four women were originally the personal maids of his ancestor, Su Lie.

They share an emotional bond with their ancestors that transcends life and death.

After our ancestor died a martyr, his four daughters followed him without hesitation. This deep affection and loyalty should have belonged to our ancestor alone.

But why is it that since he began cultivating the Su family's tradition and awakening his bloodline, the four women's feelings for him have grown even deeper?

That tacit understanding and bond is not merely a matter of "master and servant" or "fellow disciples".

It's more like a destiny etched into one's soul, a connection that has endured for hundreds of thousands of years and has never been erased.

He and his ancestor were clearly two individuals separated by 100,000 years.

He is a descendant of the Su family, inheriting their bloodline, but he is not the reincarnation of his ancestor.

Yet whenever I turn the pages of the Spring and Autumn Annals and touch the imprint of mountains and rivers and the ancient Bodhi wood, a strange sense of familiarity always wells up in my heart.

It was as if those cultivation techniques and magical treasures were inherently intertwined with his bloodline. Fragments of his ancestors' past memories would also surface in his mind unexpectedly.

Especially in the Illusionary Demon Sea, a realm that directly touches the heart and reflects the soul.

All the illusions I had previously encountered were the deepest obsessions and desires of my heart.

What he couldn't let go of the most were the four women beside him.

His willingness to live and die with them, to never abandon them, was so intense that it even moved him.

Having cultivated himself to this point, he has long since transcended worldly desires and abandoned superficial physical cravings.

Yet this deep and enduring affection, spanning hundreds of thousands of years, has only grown purer and more profound.

He could clearly feel the way the four women looked at him.

It contains both reverence for the Lord and a deep, unforgettable love.

That affection wasn't directed at the identity of "a descendant of the Su family," but at Su Qingxuan himself.

Yet the source of this love is clearly connected to his ancestor Su Lie.

He had tried to find the reason behind it, but he could never find the answer.

I simply took it as an inexplicable bond brought about by bloodline inheritance.

Until this moment, they were in the deepest crevice of the Illusionary Demon Sea.

The chaotic laws and the power of resonance between his soul and the surroundings amplified his confusion, making it difficult for him to calm down, and even causing a slight ripple in his Dao heart.

"Young master, is something on your mind?"

Lin Wanqing was the most observant and was the first to notice Su Qingxuan's unusual behavior.

She slowly finished her practice, spoke softly, her tone full of concern.

She understood Su Qingxuan's thoughts best; whenever Su Qingxuan was restless, a faint trace of sorrow would always appear between his brows.

This subtle change is hard for others to notice, but she can always see it at a glance.

Su Qingxuan raised his eyes, looked at Lin Wanqing, and then glanced at Xiao Lingxi, Xiao Lingyue and Chi Ying.

Seeing that the four had finished their practice and were looking at him with worried eyes, he felt a warmth in his heart and sighed softly:

"Wanqing, Lingxi, Lingyue, Chiying."

A question has been lingering in my mind for many years, one I have never been able to shake off. Today, standing in the Sea of ​​Illusions, this thought has grown even stronger. I don't know whether I should ask it or not.

"Please speak freely, young master. We will tell you everything we know."

The four women responded in unison, their expressions solemn.

They were of one mind with Su Qingxuan and had long sensed his confusion, but they had never brought it up themselves, only silently accompanying him and waiting for him to speak first.

Su Qingxuan took a deep breath and stared intently at the four women.

His voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly:

You were originally maids under our ancestor Su Lie, and you shared a deep and lasting bond with him, remaining by his side for ten thousand years.

Even though our ancestors were martyred, you never abandoned them.

But why is it that since you met me, you have also been so devoted to me, staying together until now, inseparable even in life and death?

I am not an ancestor, but merely a descendant of the Su family 100,000 years later.

In terms of cultivation and aptitude, we are far inferior to our ancestors. How can we be worthy of your entrustment?

Upon hearing this, the rift fell silent instantly, with only the faint sound of mist from outside the Echo Valley gently echoing within it.

Upon hearing this, the four women were all stunned, and tears welled up in their eyes.

Lin Wanqing's eyes were slightly red, Xiao Lingxi gently bit her lip, Xiao Lingyue clasped her hands together, her eyes full of tenderness, and Chi Ying tightened her grip on the gun, her eyes full of determination and deep affection.

After a long while, Lin Wanqing slowly walked to Su Qingxuan, gently curtsied, and spoke in a soft but firm voice:

Young master, do you know that from the moment you awakened the Su family bloodline in the human realm and began cultivating the Spring and Autumn Annals, you were no longer just a descendant of the Su family?

The four of us, since the death of our ancestors, have been reincarnated for 100,000 years.

They were waiting only for the pure-blooded descendant, as prophesied by Sage Su, who could inherit the legacy of the three religions and break through the calamity.

"An ancestral prophecy?" Su Qingxuan was shocked and looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with astonishment.

"Exactly."

Xiao Lingxi stepped forward and took over the conversation.

"Sage Su's cultivation was extraordinary back then, and he understood the cause and effect of the three realms."

He had already calculated that he would have to use force to eliminate the demon.

Furthermore, the seal on the Demon Lord will inevitably loosen after 100,000 years, bringing a catastrophe to the Three Realms.

The one who can resolve this calamity and complete the great undertaking of unifying the three religions is not himself, but the purest descendant of the Su family 100,000 years later.

Su Shi once said that he devoted his life to unifying the three religions, but due to the limitations of the times and the lack of opportune moment, he was unable to achieve success.

Only by sealing his life's cultivation, the origins of the three religions, and his complete memories within the Su family's three treasures, can he await the awakening of future generations.

Xiao Lingyue clasped her hands together, a gentle Buddhist light slowly flowing around her. Fragments of memories from ten thousand years ago surfaced in her eyes as she softly said:

"Amitabha! Sage Su used great supernatural powers and secret methods to block the propagation of the pure bloodline of the Su family."

It wasn't until 100,000 years later that you, young master, were born with the purest bloodline.

The young master's bloodline is the purest bloodline condensed by his ancestor through a lifetime of cultivation, without a trace of impurity, and originating from the same source as his ancestor's bloodline.

Meanwhile, the young master cultivates the "Spring and Autumn Annals," absorbing the Taoist spiritual power of the Mountain and River Seal and comprehending the Buddhist Zen of the Ten Thousand Year Bodhi Root.

Unbeknownst to them, they had already merged with the three fundamental teachings of their ancestors.

The memories, Dao heart, and will of his ancestors had already gradually merged into his soul as his cultivation level increased.

Chi Ying stepped forward, knelt on one knee, held a long spear, and looked intently at Su Qingxuan, her voice gentle yet powerful:

"Young master, you are not the reincarnation of our ancestor, but you are better than the reincarnation itself."

You are a descendant of the Su family, and an independent young master Su.

But at the same time, you are also the continuation of the ancestral will, the one whom the ancestral have been waiting for for 100,000 years to be destined for this calamity.

From the perspective of the origin of the soul, you and the ancestors are one. The ancestors' wishes, the ancestors' feelings, and the ancestors' promises to the four of us are all inherited by you, young master.

The one we love... is the sage Su Lie from 100,000 years ago.

And this affection, even from the current Young Master Su Qingxuan, has remained unchanged for ten thousand years, and will never change.

Su Qingxuan was shocked and his mind was in turmoil.

Countless long-forgotten fragments of memory surged forth like a tidal wave, instantly filling his sea of ​​consciousness.

Those are the memories of our ancestor Su Lie:

As a young man, he set his sights high, traveled throughout the three realms, and practiced Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, eventually reaching the state of sainthood in all of them.

He became close friends with Wenru Taiqing Tianzun, Buddha, and Zhenwu Dadi through discussions on Taoism, and thus got to know and befriend four women.

Our ancestors sought to break down the barriers between the three schools of thought, unify their teachings into one, and usher in a new era of "universal harmony and the unity of the three teachings."

To realize the grand vision of "eternal peace in the three realms and the eternal practice of the Dharma for all living beings".

With the support and guidance of the Heavenly Venerable, Buddha, and Great Emperor, the four women followed Saint Su through the Three Realms, fighting side by side.

Sage Su also made a promise: "When the Three Realms are at peace, I will take you into seclusion in the void and live a carefree life."

Then, in order to seal the Demon Lord, he sacrificed himself, sealing his soul and memories, along with the origins of the three religions, within the Three Treasures, awaiting the awakening of his bloodline ten thousand years later...

These fragments of memory are not blurry phantoms, but incredibly clear images.

Every scene and every word felt as real as if he had experienced it himself.

At the same time, the chaotic golden core in his dantian suddenly accelerated its rotation.

A three-colored spiritual light emanated from his body—

The righteous spirit of Confucianism, the serene and profound charm of Taoism, and the compassionate wisdom and radiant light of Buddhism.

The three elements intertwined and merged, forming a dazzling three-colored light shield that enveloped him and the four women.

The Mountain and River Seal, which had been dormant within his dantian, suddenly rose slowly into the air.

The seal's surface is covered with ancient blue patterns, exuding a profound and weighty Taoist aura.

That was a treasure forged by our ancestors using the power of mountains and rivers.

At this moment, a map of the Three Realms from 100,000 years ago faintly appeared on the seal.

The Spring and Autumn Annals pen in Lin Wanqing's hand echoes the Mountain and River Seal.

The tip of the pen gleamed with a magnificent golden light, writing out the eight characters "Three Teachings in One, Never Forget the Original Intention," each character embodying the great principles of Confucianism.

The Bodhi Root, which had been dormant for some time, burst forth from the dantian, soaring into the air and radiating a warm, gentle Buddhist light.

Golden lotus flowers bloom from the Bodhi root, bathed in Buddha's light.

It purifies the chaotic aura within the rift.

And the Spring and Autumn Annals are now running automatically.

The mental techniques and mantras perfectly match the memories of our ancestors.

The origins of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are completely integrated within him.

After a hundred thousand years, the three treasures of the Su family finally resonated completely in the illusory land of the Illusory Demon Sea!

The three colors of spiritual light intertwined, and the phantom of the ancestor Su Lie slowly emerged in the light.

The phantom's face bore a striking resemblance to Su Qingxuan, exuding a magnanimous air and possessing gentle eyes.

His gaze fell on the four women, filled with guilt and tenderness, then turned to Su Qingxuan, filled with expectation and relief.

"...Ancestor." Su Qingxuan looked at the illusory figure, his voice choked with emotion.

At this moment, he finally understood everything, and all his confusion and bewilderment vanished.

He was not an ancestor, yet he was also an ancestor.

He is the independent Su Qingxuan.

They have their own Daoist beliefs, their own will, and their own emotions.

But his bloodline, his origin, and his heritage all come from his ancestors.

The memories, the Daoist heart, and the promises of his ancestors have long been integrated with his soul, becoming inseparable.

The ancestor's plan, spanning ten thousand years, was not only to ensure he inherited the great cause of unifying the three religions and averting the catastrophe in the three realms, but also to fulfill his promise to the four women—

He will continue and fulfill the wishes and affections that his ancestors could not fulfill.

It turns out that his emotional ties with the four women did not come out of thin air, but were a destiny that had been predetermined 100,000 years ago.

The ancestors had long foreseen that the person destined for this calamity 100,000 years from now would rekindle his romance with the four women.

This bond of sharing life and death, of hearts intertwined,

It is a love that spans ten thousand years, a bond etched into the very soul.

It is a heart more profound than the sea drying up and the rocks crumbling, and more precious than eternity.

Every sip and every bite is preordained; our bond will last a thousand years, and our initial vows will remain unchanged.

Su Qingxuan muttered to himself.

The confusion and bewilderment in his eyes completely vanished, replaced by...

An unprecedented clarity and determination.

His Dao heart instantly became perfect, more stable and clearer than before.

He looked at the four women, his eyes filled with deep affection and solemnity. He slowly reached out and helped each of them up, his voice steady and powerful.

"I will fulfill the promises that our ancestors failed to keep."

"The great task our ancestors failed to complete, I will finish."

"From this day forward, I, Su Qingxuan, will no longer be separated from my ancestors."

I will be with the four of you through thick and thin, and we will never be apart.

Once the demonic calamity is quelled and peace reigns in the Three Realms, I will surely lead you all to seclusion in the void, to live freely for eternity, and never betray you!

"Young Master!"

The four women could no longer suppress their emotions, and tears streamed down their faces.

They were all overjoyed and wept, rushing into Su Qingxuan's arms.

The five embraced tightly, their souls connected and their hearts in sync.

That affection, spanning hundreds of thousands of years, becomes ever more profound and pure in the spiritual light of the resonance of the Three Jewels.

At this moment, Su Qingxuan felt completely comfortable, and the three teachings' techniques were becoming more and more harmonious.

The Chaos Golden Core shone brightly, though its cultivation level was still only at the late stage of Celestial Immortal.

Despite not breaking through to a higher realm, his injuries have been fully healed, and his combat power has increased several times over.

With a clear and discerning Dao mind and a stable spirit, even if one encounters the ultimate illusion of the Illusionary Demon Sea again, one can easily see through it without wavering in the slightest.

The power of the Su family's three treasures was fully unleashed due to his enlightenment.

The imprint of mountains and rivers can stabilize the universe and suppress illusions.

The Spring and Autumn Annals can dispel falsehoods and uphold the Way.

Bodhi wood can purify evil spirits and nourish the soul.

The three complement each other, becoming his and the four women's strongest support in the Illusionary Demon Sea.

Just as the five people were in perfect harmony and the three treasures resonated perfectly.

Suddenly, a very faint sound, almost blending into the sound of the Echo Valley mist, came from outside the rift.

The voice was as light as a feather, yet it carried a chilling coldness and a sinister killing intent.

Even through the layers of black rocks and cliffs, one could clearly feel the chilling killing intent.

"They're here."

It is:

Old vows are renewed, the spirit of the Way endures; the three lights reflect each other, cleansing the vastness.

With a mind free from all attachments and delusions, Nirvana and rebirth become one's true home.