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

Poetry:

The ink-black shadows in the wind are as cold as hooks; how could a solitary peak, with its proud spirit, be without strategy?

With mortal body I dare to shoulder a thousand-year legacy, with unwavering loyalty that lasts for eternity.

Above the desolate forests on the northern slopes, leaden-gray clouds hung low...

It seemed as if it could crush this ravaged mountain range at any moment.

The air was stagnant, thick with the smells of burning and blood—the oppressive stench of a major battle.

At the center of the battlefield, a ten-zhang-tall demon general stood like a pillar stabilizing the sea.

Its entire body was covered in dark red crystal armor, with magma-like demonic blood flowing between the gaps in the armor plates.

Each heavy breath caused the surrounding space to distort and groan.

On that face, three scarlet eyes were fixed intently on the immortals below.

With a giant axe burning with demonic flames in his hand, he could cause the space within a hundred feet to collapse with just a light swing.

"boom--!"

The giant axe cleaved down again, its power comparable to a falling star.

The "Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Array," composed of more than ten Loose Immortals and Golden Immortals, groaned under the strain...

The array's light dimmed rapidly, like a candle flickering in the wind.

Several Golden Immortals with slightly weaker cultivation levels coughed up a mouthful of golden blood, their faces ashen, and their bodies swaying precariously.

Su Qingxuan arrived through the void, his plain blue Daoist robe fluttering in the raging demonic wind...

It appeared so frail, yet it was unshakeable.

He watched as the demonic axe roared toward him, powerful enough to split mountains and cleave seas.

There was no fear in his eyes, only a deep, ocean-like compassion.

"The devil originates in the heart, and it should also be destroyed in the heart."

Su Qingxuan raised his hand, his fingertips slicing through the void, as if the great Dao's voice boomed behind him.

In an instant, a torrent of three colors surged out of his body!

Righteous energy, like a golden bridge spanning the sky, upright and righteous, suppressed the tyrannical aura of the demon general;

The innate Dao energy, like a gentle stream, seems soft, yet it seeps back along the veins of demonic energy...

Silently and imperceptibly, it disintegrates its internal structure;

The true meaning of Vairocana Buddha shines like the blazing sun, compassionate yet majestic.

It purifies the overwhelming resentment and filth.

"The three religions unite as one, suppress!"

The three colors of light intertwined, transforming into a gigantic hand that blotted out the sky.

Carrying the immense power to pacify the world, it slammed down...

This move was originally a mortal martial art called "Buddha's Palm".

Because it incorporates the original and true meaning of the three religions,

The power is now incomparable to what it once was.

The once arrogant demon general let out a defiant roar...

Its enormous body disintegrated inch by inch in the light.

In the end, it turned into a sky full of black ash, drifting away with the wind...

Only charred remains were left.

The deathly silence of the immortals who survived the calamity.

Yu Xuanzi and the others collapsed to the ground, their faces ashen.

They had no power to resist anymore, and their eyes were filled with fear.

In this battle, the San-ichi Palace won a great victory, and the rumors were dispelled without a doubt.

Those individual rogue immortals who were originally taking a wait-and-see attitude towards Su Qingxuan.

The eyes that looked at him at that moment were filled with awe and respect.

Yun Miaozi stood with his hands behind his back to one side, his aura as a peak Great Luo Golden Immortal well concealed, his heart undisturbed.

He would never take action unless absolutely necessary.

Su Qingxuan must walk his own path.

……

suddenly,

A very unique aura wafted from the horizon.

The aura wasn't sharp; in fact, it could be said to be somewhat restrained.

Yet it carries with it a sense of antiquity and vicissitude, accumulated over thousands of years.

It was as if a moving ancient site had suddenly descended upon this scorched earth.

A figure in azure blue appeared, slowly descending from the distant sky.

The pace may seem leisurely, but it actually involves minimizing the distance traveled.

In the blink of an eye, it traversed countless mountains and rivers, arriving on the spot.

But it was Mo Chen, an elder of the Dan Ding Sect?

But the feeling he gives off right now is quite different from before.

That restrained aura carried a suffocating sense of oppression.

It was as if it wasn't a person walking towards it, but a moving ancient tomb.

It exudes an ancient and cold aura of rules.

"Elder Mo?" Su Qingxuan frowned slightly.

The ink settled on the ground, his face as rigid as a stone carving, devoid of sorrow or joy.

He didn't look at Su Qingxuan first, but went straight to the pile of ashes of the demon general.

He crouched down and extended his fingers, which were as stiff as withered wood.

Gently pick up a wisp of still-warm black ash.

"His methods are acceptable, but his resolve is not firm," Mo Chen said calmly.

The sound was dry, like two rough stones rubbing together.

"Palace Master Su, do you think you've destroyed a demonic clone?"

"So, you've won this game? It's just like removing a single brick from the city wall."

Su Qingxuan's heart skipped a beat, and he was about to reply when...

Yun Miaozi, standing beside him, suddenly let out a gasp, her voice tinged with excitement.

Yun Miaozi stared intently at Mo Chen's retreating figure, her cloudy eyes initially filled with confusion, then erupting in unbelievable shock:

"This Daoist charm...this...the strange aura that transforms decay into wonder..."

Are you a descendant of the Mohist school?

No! The Mohist school disappeared 20,000 years ago.

It's rarely recorded in the sect's records, you..."

Mo Chen slowly stood up and turned around.

His eyes held a cold indifference and scrutiny that seemed to have seen through eternity.

"The Mohist school has disappeared, hence the name Mo Chen (墨沉)."

His tone was calm, but what he said next struck everyone like a heavy blow.

"As for your ancestor Su Lie, that revered Sage Su..."

I only learned of this from the surviving ancient texts after I ascended to the celestial realm 30,000 years ago.

It turns out that the reason why the Three Realms have been barely surviving for 100,000 years is because of him, who disbanded his army and sealed the Demon Lord.

I have the utmost respect for the sage Su.

He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze like two icy spikes piercing Su Qingxuan:

"And you, Su Qingxuan!"

Since you have inherited the will of your ancestors, you should act like a guardian of the Way!

We should have the indomitable spirit of the people of our Great Xia!

Instead of acting like a self-absorbed immortal, basking in smug satisfaction!

Su Qingxuan was terrified, as if struck by lightning: "The people of Great Xia...?"

This word, like a key, instantly unlocked the floodgates of his memory...

The Great Xia Dynasty in the human realm, the imperial city, Emperor Jinghe, father and mother, the old man in gray robes, the boatman at the ferry...

Those worldly affairs that he gradually forgot after his ascension,

It appeared before my eyes with perfect clarity at that moment.

"Not bad!" Mo Chen's voice suddenly rose, and his emotions finally began to fluctuate.

He seemed to be carrying the grief and indignation accumulated over tens of thousands of years.

"I am indeed from the Great Xia Dynasty of the Human Realm!"

"Ascended to the heavens 30,000 years ago..."

Unfortunately, in the past two thousand years, no one from our Great Xia has been able to ascend to this place!

Until you, Su Qingxuan!

Until you appeared, it was like a pebble breaking through the stagnant pool of heaven!

He pressed forward relentlessly, his aura suddenly becoming sharp as a knife, cutting through the void:

"I have come today not to reminisce, but solely to verify the Way!"

"Su Qingxuan, ask yourself, who do you think you are?"

"Is he the chosen one, or the one and only savior? The savior of these three realms?"

"You think you can rely on the concept of the unity of the three religions and a few victories."

"You think you can turn the tide? Naïve! Foolish!"

Mo Chen sneered repeatedly, his gaze sweeping over all the immortals present, including Yun Miaozi.

"Look at this celestial realm, these so-called immortals, including your disciples."

Which one of them doesn't prioritize their own longevity and freedom?

Many will add flowers to brocade, but who will offer charcoal in the snow?

When the moment of life and death truly arrives, that is the day the Demon Lord breaks free from his seal.

Who would truly die for you? Who would die for the billions of ordinary people of the Great Xia Dynasty?!

"Mo Chen! Stop spouting nonsense!"

Yun Miaozi was furious, his hair and beard stood on end, and the aura of a Great Luo Immortal surged around him.

"I follow in the footsteps of Lord Lie and carry on the legacy of Saint Su."

Leading the Scattered Immortals Alliance, they silently guarded the Ruins of Return for ten thousand years.

Through countless hardships, we have never retreated even a single step!

"Difficult?" Mo Chen scoffed, then abruptly flicked his sleeve.

A dazzling scroll of light and shadow flew out from the sleeve.

Suspended in mid-air, the image is clearly visible.

That wasn't some grand scene of an earth-shattering battle.

It is, in fact, the most ordinary corner of the great human world—

The scene depicts a dilapidated thatched hut in a deserted village.

A wandering monk is mending his tattered robe under the light of an oil lamp.

Outside the window, the cold wind howled, and the faint roars of enemy soldiers could be heard.

It was a ferry crossing amidst a blizzard, and an old boatman gritted his teeth...

Struggling to pole through the icy river, the boat carried terrified scholars, women and children, and scrolls of books.

In the dimly lit, shabby room, a scholar coughed up blood.

He continued copying classic texts under the oil lamp until the oil ran out and the lamp burned out...

"Yun Miaozi! You are the one who guards the peace of this celestial realm,"

They enjoy the offerings of countless incense sticks from the human world!

As a peak Great Luo Golden Immortal, you possess great supernatural powers, making it easy for you to travel between the Heavenly Realm and the Mortal Realm.

But have you ever done anything to bring peace to the world?

Did you ever reach out and save a village when human invasion and massacre struck?

Did it ever bring a single drop of rain to the parched farmland?

Mo Chen's voice was like a thunderclap, resounding deep within everyone's soul.

"You, high above, have been gods for so long, you've long forgotten..."

The human realm is the root of the three realms! It is the source of the three realms' prosperity, stability, and well-being!

He suddenly pointed to the mortals in the painting, who were as insignificant as dust.

The voice trembled with excitement:

"Take my Great Xia Dynasty, for example, its national fortune over tens of thousands of years."

It has never been supported by you high and mighty gods!

It's thanks to them!

Whenever the Great Xia Dynasty faced the threat of extinction, there was always a group of people who stood up.

They lacked extraordinary cultivation, and had no hope of ascension; they remained mere mortals throughout their lives!

"Like that wandering monk, he bought time for the villagers to evacuate."

He embraced gunpowder and perished together with the enemy, leaving no trace of his body;

Like the boatman at the ferry crossing, he preserved the flame of civilization in order to "transfer the gentry south".

He worked tirelessly for three days and three nights, ferrying people back and forth, until he finally collapsed from exhaustion on the oars, his body floating downstream…

"They are the true guardians of the three teachings!"

"They lived quietly among the people, protecting the principles in their hearts and preserving the flame of civilization."

They would rather die than let the flame of the Great Xia Dynasty die out.

Even after death, they won't deserve to leave their names behind! Not even a tombstone!

Su Qingxuan trembled violently, as if struck by lightning.

In an instant, fragments of memories from the human world flashed through my mind—

The gray-robed Taoist who had silently protected him since childhood,

The old man who gave him a bowl of hot soup in the deserted village,

The wandering monk who enlightened him that "the path is under your feet,"

Those nameless heroes who protected him all the way, the newly appointed official...

They are all guardians of the Way!

He once thought that, apart from the company of four women,

He is a solitary sword, a lone warrior on his path of self-cultivation.

Little did they know that he had actually grown up under the protection of countless guardians of the Way.

Especially his hometown, the Great Xia Dynasty, which has stood for tens of thousands of years.

He even recalled the kindness shown to him by those who had recognized his talent and opportunities.

Emperor Jinghe, who devoted his life to serving his country.

When they saw him off on his mission to the Western Regions, his eyes held a mixture of earnest anticipation and lingering reluctance…

Without the support, encouragement, and impetus of all these diverse individuals...

How could Su Qingxuan have achieved what he has today?

He is now a high-ranking deity, and he even learned this from his master, Daoist Xuanqing.

After he ascended to the heavens, he was already regarded as a saint in the Great Xia Dynasty.

His ancestral halls and temples are everywhere, where he is worshipped and offered incense...

Since ascending to the Heavenly Realm, Su Qingxuan's cultivation has progressed rapidly.

Is it merely due to the unique nature of the cultivation technique? Or is it simply due to the blessing of the Three Treasures?

Didn't they receive countless offerings of incense and prayers from the Great Xia Dynasty in the human realm to bless the land?

With the deepest blessings and wishes of hundreds of millions of people of the Great Xia Dynasty?

Su Qingxuan suddenly realized: his cultivation, his achievements...

Beneath his feet lies a Great Wall built of the blood and flesh of hundreds of millions of ordinary people.

Mo Chen turned to look at Su Qingxuan, the coldness in his eyes melting slightly, transforming into a complex mix of expectation and heartache:

"Su Qingxuan, why do you think your ancestor Su Lie died?"

Because he was one of these people, and he was also a guardian of the faith.

He simply did what a guardian of morality should do—

He stepped forward when the people needed him.

He never considered himself some supreme deity!

"When you first mentioned the unification of the three religions at the Sanyi Palace, I initially thought it was just the wild talk of some madman who was obsessed with cultivating immortality."

Until I saw you in the Illusionary Demon Sea, you could have stayed out of trouble, but you insisted on bearing the heavy burden of being a "protector".

Only then did I realize that Su Sheng's path had not been severed.

Mo Chen sighed, his tone softening, filled with endless vicissitudes:

"I ascended to heaven 30,000 years ago, concealing my true name and calling myself 'Chen'."

It's because I've seen through it all. While the Mohist philosophy of universal love and non-aggression is grand, it can't withstand the erosion of time.

But as long as this spirit of "protecting the Way" remains, even if the Mohist school sinks, the Great Xia will not.

"As long as the Great Xia Dynasty doesn't sink, the human realm won't sink either."

If the human realm doesn't sink, the three realms won't sink!

"That Qian Yuan Creation Pill is neither a transaction nor a reward for you."

It's for that wandering monk, for that boatman...

This is a gift in return to all the mortals who, though unable to ascend, still silently protect us with their own flesh and blood.

Su Qingxuan's eyes welled up with tears, which she could no longer hold back and burst forth.

The arrogance in my heart, that sense of superiority of "who else but me?", was completely shattered at this moment.

"This junior...has learned a great deal."

Su Qingxuan bowed deeply, bending his waist very low.

This time, the bent back held no arrogance, only a heavy sense of respect, guilt, and responsibility.

Yun Miaozi, standing to the side, was also in tears.

This Great Immortal, who had lived for a hundred thousand years, faced the tiny yet magnificent illusory figure of a mortal within the light and shadow…

He kowtowed three times, deeply and devoutly.

Mo Chen closed the scroll, his figure gradually becoming ethereal, as if he were about to merge into the world.

"A righteous path is never lonely; it always has neighbors. Su Qingxuan, remember that!"

Your neighbors are not just those scheming gods in the heavens.

Even more so, there are the millions of mortals under the heavens who regard you as their hope and build a shrine for you.

Don't let them down!

The azure figure transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the rolling dark clouds.

Su Qingxuan stood alone on the peak, the evening breeze ruffling his plain blue Taoist robe.

He no longer looked at the celestial void, but instead looked down.

Below, the endless lights of countless homes, like stars in the sky.

"I see……"

Su Qingxuan murmured to himself, his tears still wet, but his eyes were as firm as a rock.

"Our ancestors protected the Way, and so do ordinary people."

Without the nation's destiny, how can an individual have the destiny for self-cultivation?

And this eternal national destiny actually originated from this.

He clenched his fists, all traces of arrogance and frivolity that had arisen from defeating the demon general vanished.

Instead, there is a sense of responsibility as heavy as a mountain.

Although it was heavy, it also made him feel incredibly grounded.

He knew he wasn't fighting alone.

Behind him stood millions upon millions...

The most adorable people!

It is:

With a single glance, I take in the lights of countless homes; I bow my head and willingly serve as an ox for the people.

The Three Realms are rooted in humanity; the iron armor, cold and piercing, protects the golden goblet.