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

Poetry:

The ocean embraces all rivers, yet doubts and slanders arise; beneath the Bodhi tree, the voice of the Way is clear.

The alchemical furnace, hidden in darkness, erodes and disperses its spiritual essence; the jade disc, newly opened, reveals a startling light.

Inside Guiyi Courtyard, under the three-colored Bodhi tree.

Su Qingxuan and Yun Miaozi sat facing each other, with tea smoke curling from the stone table between them.

Xuanqing, Liaochen, and the four fairies sat around them.

Su Qingxuan's expression turned solemn.

He gazed at the starry night sky and slowly said:

"Our ancestors laid out plans over a period of ten thousand years, not to build an invincible palace, but to sow an inextinguishable flame."

External demons are easy to control, but inner demons are difficult to guard against——

Can Trinity Palace truly embrace all cultures?

Can the syncretism of the three religions truly bear the weight of people's hearts?

He withdrew his gaze and looked at the crowd:

"Pass down the order:"

The Trinity Palace has a "Discussion Hall" where anyone can ask questions or have doubts.

The alchemy room, storehouse, and scripture pavilion, except for the core forbidden area, are all open to disciples.

Everyone was taken aback.

Master Xuanqing hesitated: "Qingxuan, isn't this going too far...?"

"Trust is the sharpest sword to shatter suspicion," Su Qingxuan said with a smile.

"If we ourselves are without shame before the Great Dao, what is there to fear in questioning? If the Three Ones True Secret is truly the right path, what is there to fear in debate?"

Let them see, let them ask, even—

His gaze was far-reaching: "Let them 'test' us."

"Only the path that can withstand the scrutiny of countless eyes and the test of countless thoughts is the true path."

This is a hurdle that must be overcome by the Three Ones Palace, and by the path of the unity of the three teachings.

A night breeze rustled the leaves of the Bodhi tree, as if in response.

Yun Miaozi stared at Su Qingxuan's profile, and in a daze, he seemed to see that white-clad figure from 100,000 years ago again.

He raised his cup to the sky, using tea instead of wine:

"Lord Su Lie, you can rest assured now."

This young man's magnanimity is no less than yours.

The tea is gone and the moon is bright.

The lights on Sancai Peak shone like stars, and the clear sound of Taoist chants lingered faintly.

……

Within ten days of beginning its sermons, the Sanyi Palace has undergone a complete transformation.

Inside the Wenli Hall in the east wing of Wenhua Pavilion, all three hundred prayer cushions were occupied.

Lin Wanqing stood before the hall, her Spring and Autumn Annals brush hovering in the air, and verses from the Doctrine of the Mean appeared in the air:

"When harmony is achieved, heaven and earth are in their proper places, and all things flourish."

As the golden characters flowed, she narrated her story in a gentle and detailed manner:

The Confucian concept of "moderation and harmony" does not mean compromise or pleasing both sides.

Instead, it is about upholding righteousness and moderation, and pursuing harmony and mutual benefit.

This concept of "middle way" is essentially the same as the Taoist concept of "harmonious energy" and the Buddhist concept of "the Middle Way."

A student in a blue robe stood up and bowed in greeting:

Sir, if this logic applies, when Confucian scholars cultivate their "righteous spirit," can they draw upon the Daoist principles of naturalness to harmonize their fierce and masculine tendencies?

"Good question." Lin Wanqing smiled slightly, and with a turn of her pen, the golden characters transformed into streams of blue and white energy that intertwined without clashing.

"The value of righteousness lies in 'righteousness,' not in 'rigidity.' When nurtured by the natural order, righteousness will flow continuously, like a river flowing across the land, rather than like a raging fire burning a plain."

She looked at the student: "You can go to the Alchemy Academy of Qingxu Pavilion."

Take half a wisp of 'Pure Spirit Cloud Qi' and try it for three days. If you encounter any obstacles, come back to me.

"Thank you, Mr. Xie!" the student exclaimed excitedly, bowing again.

Such groundbreaking guidance was rarely seen in sects in the past.

The air inside the Qingxu Pavilion's alchemy courtyard was filled with the fragrance of medicinal herbs.

Xiao Lingxi was facing a purple bronze alchemy furnace, demonstrating the method of refining the "Three Talents Fusion Spirit Pill" to the dozens of alchemists sitting around.

The furnace fire has three colors: the bottom layer has a warm, golden fire; the middle layer has a lively, bluish fire; and the top layer has a clear, white fire.

"This elixir uses the Confucian 'Heart-Nourishing Herb' as the principal ingredient, the Taoist 'Pure Spirit Flower' as the secondary ingredient, and the Buddhist 'Tranquil Lotus' as the auxiliary ingredient."

Xiao Lingxi's hand gestures changed, and the three-colored flames moved as if they were her own arms.

"The key to controlling the heat lies in sensing the inherent nature of the material."

Metal and fire should be nurtured properly, but not excessively, otherwise they will become scorched and withered.

The nature of fire must be transformed by the spring breeze, like a willow in spring.

"White fire purifies its essence, just as moonlight cleanses the dust."

A middle-aged alchemist looked enlightened:

"So that's how it is! In the past, when I refined the 'Pure Heart Pill,' I only used Dao Fire to urge it on, and the success rate of the pill was less than 30%."

If the heat is applied in three stages, it follows the properties of the medicine…”

He calculated with his fingers, then suddenly clapped his hands, exclaiming, "Brilliant! It can at least increase the success rate to 60%!"

Xiao Lingxi smiled and handed over a jade slip:

"This is a table showing the mutual generation and restraint of a thousand common spiritual materials. Fellow Daoists may take it for reference."

The Daoist practice is fundamentally for the benefit of the world; the Three Ones Palace does not distinguish between sects.

The "Compassionate Meditation Room" in Prajna Pavilion presents a completely different scene.

Inside the meditation room, the Buddha statues exude compassion, and the scriptures convey peace.

Outside the meditation room, there is a still pond with lotus leaves floating on its surface.

Xiao Lingyue sat cross-legged by the pond, closed her eyes, and spoke softly:

"Today we will not recite scriptures or discuss Dharma; you may simply observe this pond."

More than a hundred cultivators—

There were monks in their robes, novices, independent practitioners, and even Taoist priests with furrowed brows—

He watched the water's surface as instructed.

At first, the waves were as calm as a mirror, with only occasional ripples from a gentle breeze.

Half an incense stick later, a novice monk suddenly whispered:

"The water...the water reflects my thoughts!"

Everyone looked intently and indeed saw an illusion appear on the water's surface:

Some saw tales of past sectarian conflicts, some saw the狰狞 faces of demons, and some saw the fear of their lifespans ending—

The phantoms shift and turn, each a manifestation of one's own inner turmoil.

Xiao Lingyue's voice flowed like a clear spring: "The water is still, and what it reflects is nothing but external objects."

The mirror of the heart is the same—

Troubles are not inherent in the mind, but are projections of clinging to external circumstances.

You may try this: neither refuse nor retain, just observe.

After another half incense stick's time, a white-haired Taoist priest suddenly burst into tears:

"I saw it..."

He witnessed the scene from years ago when, in the struggle for a longevity pill, a fellow disciple was accidentally injured.

For the past three hundred years, this scene has appeared in my dreams every night…

The reflection on the water's surface is a scene from a tragic event from years past.

"I've seen it, that's good." Xiao Lingyue opened her eyes, her gaze compassionate.

"To see is to no longer run away."

This thought is like a reflection in water; the reflection is not water, and the thought is not the mind.

Just let it flow.

The Taoist priest bowed deeply three times to Xiao Lingyue.

A gloomy aura that had accumulated over three hundred years slowly dissipated from his body, and his cultivation subtly began to loosen.

All the monks present gained some insight, and the atmosphere inside and outside the meditation room became increasingly clear.

The shouts and cheers on the training ground were deafening.

With the Crimson-Tasseled Demon-Slaying Spear in hand, he was sparring with eighteen military cultivators in a battle formation.

This battle formation is extraordinary—

In the middle of the front, six people held shields and moved with steady steps. The shields had golden runes hidden on them, which were a fusion of the Confucian "Zheng Yu" method.

The six men on the left wing, armed with guns, moved with unpredictable agility, their guns flashing like snakes, subtly embodying the Taoist principle of "orthodox and unorthodox" transformations.

The six men on the right wing wielded swords, their auras deep and powerful, their offense and defense perfectly aligned, embodying the Buddhist concept of "Vajra."

"Change formation!" Chi Ying shouted.

The eighteen people responded and moved.

The shield formation in front suddenly dispersed, transforming into three groups, each group combining shields, spears, and sturdiness, like three iron lotus flowers blooming.

With a flick of his crimson-tasseled silver spear, he aimed straight for the heart of the formation, but the three sets of wheels neutralized his attack, the force vanishing like mud into the sea.

"Good!" Wang Lingguan, who was watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but cheer.

"This 'Three-in-One Rotation Formation' actually integrates the principles of advancement and retreat of the three religions into the battle formation!"

If a battle formation of ten thousand men were like this, it could easily hold off a million demon soldiers!

Chi Ying sheathed his spear, wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, and grinned, saying, "You flatter me, sir."

This formation still lacks the fighting spirit and vigor; we need to ask General Wuqu for guidance.

"Easy!" Several generals behind Wang Lingguan were already eager to try.

"Fairy Crimson Tassel, let us demonstrate the 'Breaking Army Formation' for you!"

For a moment, the martial arts arena was filled with a murderous aura, but it was a fair and just battle of wits, free from any sectarian bias.

Amidst this magnificent scene, shadows, like ink stains on rice paper, subtly spread...

First, news came from the Alchemy Academy:

After the three new disciples took the "Neiyuan Pill", their cultivation level regressed instead of improving, and they felt a stagnation in their dantian.

Xiao Lingxi personally inspected the alchemy furnace, medicinal herbs, and fire control, and found no problems. However, the three pills did indeed exude a faint, chilling aura.

"It's not a problem with the pill." Yun Miaozi picked up a Qi-Nourishing Pill, closed his eyes slightly, and probed into it with his divine sense.

"After the pill was formed, it was soaked in 'Spirit-Eroding Powder' using a secret method."

This powder is colorless and odorless, and its effects only manifest three days after entering the body. It first stagnates spiritual energy, then erodes the foundation of one's cultivation; it is extremely insidious.

"Once the elixir is completed, it will be immediately sealed in a jade bottle and guarded closely. Who could possibly steal it?" Xiao Lingxi's pretty face was frosty.

"It might not be a person."

A wisp of grayish-white flame rose from Yun Miaozi's palm. The Peiyuan Pill turned to ashes in the fire, but a trace of black energy struggled to escape...

"It's 'Shadow Puppet'—"

Puppet crafted from the remnant souls of cultivators can become invisible and pass through walls and restrictions.

This thing can sneak in, and it's impossible to guard against it.

Almost simultaneously, unusual phenomena occurred in the Wenli Hall, the Zen Room, and the Battle Pavilion:

Some disciples suddenly became restless and agitated during their practice, and the scriptures they used to understand suddenly became obscure and difficult to comprehend.

A novice monk saw strange illusions while meditating and almost went into a state of demonic possession.

The two military strategists even lost control during a sparring match and nearly seriously injured their comrade.

Rumors grow like weeds:

"Have you heard? The Three Ones True Technique requires the disciple's soul to be refined as nourishment..."

"Those old monsters from the Loose Immortal Alliance are actually puppets created by Su Qingxuan!"

"I saw with my own eyes that some disciples' cultivation had regressed, and their faces had aged a hundred years!"

People's hearts are restless.

Among the new disciples, some have begun to secretly conspire...

In the dining hall, scripture pavilion, and even meditation rooms, various horrifying "insider stories" were "unintentionally" revealed, and panic spread like a plague...

Within just a few days, nearly a hundred new disciples had already begun to consider quitting.

Hundreds more people gathered at the mountain gate, demanding to have their cultivation techniques examined and the "restriction" lifted.

Master Xuanqing and Master Liaochen personally tried to appease him, but to little avail.

Chi Ying's silver spear trembled with rage: "I'll find those who spread rumors, and shoot them one by one!"

"No." Lin Wanqing pressed her hand down, her eyes clear and cold.

"Using force now is exactly what they want. They want to force us to show our 'domineering' side and confirm the rumors."

"So we'll just let them make a scene?" Chi Ying gritted her teeth.

Su Qingxuan, who had been silent all along, slowly stood up:

"Open a forum for discussion and set up a 'Mirror of Inquiry.' Anyone with doubts may come and ask questions. Anyone who wishes to examine themselves may look into the mirror."

"The Mirror of Inquiry?" Everyone was taken aback.

Su Qingxuan looked at Yun Miaozi: "Elder Yun, I remember you mentioned that beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, there is a 'Clear Jade Wall'."

Elder Yun, could you please fetch it for Qingxuan?

Yun Miaozi suddenly realized: "Yes! No one knows this better than I do."

This jade disc is an ancient wonder that can illuminate the origin of a cultivator's cultivation technique and the imprint of their soul.

If someone cultivates demonic arts or is placed under a restriction, strange phenomena will surely appear on the wall.

"Alliance Leader, please wait a moment. I will be right back."

"Excellent! Let this jade disc be used as a mirror and hung in the Hall of Discussion."

Su Qingxuan said calmly, "To cultivate truth, one must first illuminate one's heart."

As the morning sun rises, we gather at the Hall of Discussion.

A three-zhang-tall, lustrous white jade disc stands before the hall, smooth as a mirror.

Bathed in sunlight, it shimmered with a warm, lustrous sheen.

In front of the Hall of Discussion, there are nine steps, which are meant to represent "the extreme of numbers, the end of the Way".

At Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the bell tolls nine times.

Su Qingxuan, dressed in plain clothes and a blue robe, ascended the steps.

Thousands of people gathered below the stage.

The front row consisted of a hundred newcomers who were considering quitting.

Behind them were hundreds of people who had gathered to cause trouble.

The back row consists of cultivators observing from all sides.

Further away, Yu Xuanzi and his group mingled in the crowd, watching with cold smiles.

"Today's session is solely for the purpose of resolving doubts."

Su Qingxuan stood before the jade disc, his voice clear and resonant:

"The authenticity of the bewitching techniques is questionable; bewitching has its restrictions—"

Anyone with doubts may come up to the stage for verification, or question me in court. I, Su, will answer all questions and will never lie.

A commotion broke out in the audience.

Suddenly, a young man in a yellow robe stepped out from among the new disciples.

He strode onto the stage, cupped his hands in greeting to Su Qingxuan, but his tone was barbed:

"Palace Master Su, may I ask first: the Three Ones True Technique is said to integrate the three teachings."

"But after only three days of cultivation, I am already experiencing a dull pain in my dantian and a confused state of mind. What is the reason for this?"

Su Qingxuan did not answer, but simply stepped aside, gesturing for him to go to the jade wall.

The young man in the yellow robe snorted and walked to the clear jade disc.

Sunlight cast his shadow on the wall.

At first, nothing seemed amiss, but after three breaths, ripples suddenly appeared on the surface of the wall.

A wisp of black energy appeared in his dantian, wriggling like a living thing!

"What...what is this?!" The young man in the yellow robe's expression changed drastically.

The audience erupted in uproar!

That black aura was cold and eerie, definitely not something that could be found in righteous cultivation techniques!

Su Qingxuan pointed his fingers into the air, and a wisp of three-colored spiritual light entered the young man's dantian.

The young man screamed and collapsed to the ground, spitting out a wisp of black smoke.

The black smoke twisted in the air and transformed into a hideous ghost face, shrieking as it lunged at the audience below!

"Demon Seed!" Yun Miaozi waved his sleeve, and the gray-white flames burned the ghost mask to ashes.

"This child has been infected with a 'heart demon'. He is fine on ordinary days, but once he begins to cultivate righteous techniques..."

The demonic seed then flared up, creating painful illusions and making people suspect that the technique had flaws.

His gaze swept across the audience like lightning: "Anyone else suffering from hidden pain in their dantian or mental confusion? Come up here and I'll examine them!"

Seven more people went up on stage, their faces pale under the mirror.

All six people have demonic seeds within them, but only one person's qi circulation was flawed due to being too eager for quick results.

Su Qingxuan made his move one by one, and wherever the three-colored spiritual light passed, the demonic seeds were completely eradicated.

The six men felt a sudden lightness throughout their bodies, and the sluggishness and pain of the past vanished.

"Now, are there still people who doubt the authenticity of the technique, and whether the restrictions are truly in place?"

Su Qingxuan looked at the young man in the yellow robe.

The young man knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face:

"Disciple...disciple has been deceived by treacherous people!"

Three days ago, someone secretly sent me a message saying that I had practiced evil arts.

If I don't expose them soon, I'll become a puppet... I... I've been bewitched..."

Where is that person now?

"I don't know... but he left this jade pendant, saying that it could be crushed for help in case of crisis."

The young man in the yellow robe trembled as he pulled out a jet-black jade pendant.

Su Qingxuan took it, probed it with his divine sense, and suddenly sneered.

Three-colored spiritual flames ignited in his palm, the jade pendant shattered, but a wisp of black energy rapidly fled to the north!

"Chase!" With a flick of his crimson-tasseled silver spear, his figure transformed into a rainbow of light.

Almost simultaneously, a deafening explosion came from the direction of the northern wilderness, and demonic energy soared into the sky!

The Loose Immortal Alliance cultivators, who had been lying in ambush, had already clashed with the demonic cultivators!

……

The Discussion Hall is temporarily closed.

Su Qingxuan returned to the quiet room of Guiyi Courtyard, holding the fragment of the refined jade pendant in his hand.

The demonic energy remaining on it shares the same origin as that in the Illusionary Demon Sea and the Demon Lord that our ancestors fought against ten thousand years ago.

He sat cross-legged under the Bodhi tree, with the Three Jewels placed in front of him, and closed his eyes to concentrate.

This time, he took the initiative to resonate deep within his bloodline and used his divine sense to probe into the fragments of memories passed down for 100,000 years.

The scene returned to the ruins.

But this time, he "saw" it more clearly.

The battle between Ancestor Su Lie and the Demon Lord is nearing its end.

The Demon Lord's thousand-foot-tall demonic body was badly damaged, and his demonic blood turned into black rain that corroded the earth.

The ancestor's white robes were stained with blood, and the light of the Three Treasures dimmed and became obscured, as he prepared to make a final, all-out attack to completely kill the Demon Lord.

Just before the final blow, the ancestor suddenly stopped.

His eyes swirled with profound Dao patterns, as if he could see through the river of time and understand the true nature of the Demon Lord.

"I see……"

The ancestors whispered, their voices filled with boundless sorrow:

"You are not born a demon, but rather a product of the evil thoughts of the three realms."

The cultivators' sectarian interests, their greed for immortality, their lust for slaughter, and the poison of jealousy...

All sorts of obsessions and evil thoughts have come together to form this body.

The Demon Lord laughed wildly, his laughter interspersed with the screams of countless living beings:

"Since you know that I am the manifestation of the thoughts of all living beings, killing me is to annihilate all living beings!"

Su Lie, do you dare?!

"I dare not," the ancestor said calmly, "but if you are allowed to run rampant, the Three Realms will also fall into the realm of demons."

He looked down at the three treasures in his hands, then looked up at the endless void, his gaze seemingly reaching ten thousand years into the future:

"This calamity shall be temporarily sealed by my own body."

But the seal will eventually come to an end...

Future generations should have those who carry on the Way and practice the method of returning the three teachings to their origin.

Harmonize the minds of all beings, and eradicate the soil from which you breed.

The Demon Lord roared, "Ten thousand years later, people's hearts remain the same!"

Greed, anger, ignorance, pride, and doubt—have you ever lacked these?! Your efforts are all in vain!

"Then let's take the gamble." The ancestor smiled, his smile as gentle as a spring breeze.

"I bet that ten thousand years from now, there will be someone as foolish as me who will attempt what seems impossible."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly pressed the three treasures into his chest!

The golden book, the small seal, and the spirit wood radiated endless brilliance, merging with his Dao foundation, essence, blood, and soul...

Transformed into seals spanning the three realms, countless sealing nodes—

Meanwhile, the Demon Lord's true form was firmly suppressed deep within the Ruins of Return!

In the final moment, the ancestor looked back at the human world, his gaze piercing through millennia, meeting Su Qingxuan's eyes across time and space in the quiet room.

"Descendants of the future... this game is entrusted to you."

The scene was shattered.

Su Qingxuan opened her eyes, her face already covered in tears.

He finally understood—

The Demon Lord cannot be killed, because he originates from the human heart.

Only by reconciling the three religions and harmonizing the thoughts of all beings, leading people toward goodness, can the root of the problem be solved.

This path is destined to be full of thorns.

Because what it aims to address are long-standing problems and vested interests...

It is the deepest fear and greed in people's hearts.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Chi Ying stood on the other side of the door, his tone solemn:

"Young Master, Yu Xuanzi and the others are surrounded on the northern slope, but..."

They crushed a black token and summoned a "Demon General of the Void"!

The immortals of the Scattered Immortals Alliance are using the "Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Formation" to surround the demon general.

However… that demon general was at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, and his combat strength was comparable to that of a Great Luo Immortal!

Su Qingxuan wiped away her tears and slowly stood up.

Sensing the master's thoughts, the Three Treasures spontaneously floated up and circled around him.

"It's finally here."

He pushed open the door and stepped out, gazing at the towering demonic aura to the north, his eyes as calm as an abyss.

"Then let the world see if the syncretism of the three religions can vanquish demons!"

It is:

A hundred thousand years of planning, a single gamble; a heart serene across three thousand worlds.

The seeds of evil arise from delusions; yet I dare to claim that the three teachings are without dispute.