Under One Person: I Have a Billion Taoist Gods Within Me

Li Yuan stood in the center of the courtyard, his moon-white Taoist robe glowing warmly in the lamplight.

The halo was not like the reflection of ordinary fabric under candlelight, but rather seemed to be the innate radiance emanating from his body.

He stood there quietly, without any posture, power, or authority, yet he seemed to be one with the entire world.

It's not that he merged into heaven and earth, but rather that heaven and earth quietly revolved around him as their axis.

Zhang Zhiwei bowed and clasped his hands in greeting. When he uttered the word "want," the entire courtyard fell silent.

Everyone is waiting.

How will this legendary, naturally born Daoist respond to this earth-shattering request?

Li Yuan looked at Zhang Zhiwei, at those bright and piercing eyes, at that open and undisguised desire and fighting spirit.

In those eyes, there was a piety in seeking the truth, a sharp edge in competition, and the youthful impulse to try when facing higher peaks.

There is also the genuine awe that seekers feel when facing the unknown.

After a moment, he smiled slightly.

That smile was as faint as the moon emerging from behind a cloud, yet it seemed to carry some indescribable meaning.

It is like the composure of looking down at the sea of ​​clouds from the top of a mountain, and the depth of the abyss reflecting the stars.

That smile contained no condescending superiority, no elder’s affection for a younger person, only the understanding and appreciation between fellow travelers.

"it is good."

There is only one word.

The instant that word was uttered.

Everyone in the courtyard felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from their hearts, only to be lifted by an even heavier one.

Li Yuan nodded slightly, then lowered his eyes, his hands hanging naturally at his sides.

He didn't make any hand seals, didn't perform any ritualistic movements.

There was no burning of incense, no chanting of incantations, no drawing of talismans, and no performing of ritualistic steps.

There are no external rituals required for ordinary invocation ceremonies.

There were no warning signs whatsoever.

He was just—

He closed his eyes.

At that moment, the lights in the courtyard were still shining brightly, and the guests were still holding their breath.

But everyone "senseed" a certain change.

The change was extremely subtle, extremely slow, yet extremely resolute.

Like the first ray of white light quietly appearing on the eastern horizon in the deepest darkness before dawn.

Like the first faint sound of flowing water beneath the frozen surface of a river at the end of winter.

Li Yuan stood in the center of the courtyard, softly chanting, his voice not loud, yet it seemed to reach the deepest source of people's hearts.

"Primordial Qi, which opened up the world."

"The Way surpasses all heavens, and its grace extends to all beings."

"To subdue demons and protect the Way, to establish the ultimate teachings."

"Great compassion and great vows, great holiness and great mercy."

This is not a spell.

It is not a talisman.

It is not any ritual that requires "invoking" external deities.

This is just a short segment.

Reciting.

A heartfelt, natural recitation, flowing like a spring.

Like a baby crying, like a spring bird singing, like the celestial music of the wind blowing through the bamboo forest.

However, just as the chanting ended...

Suddenly, a clear light burst forth from the ancestral aperture between Li Yuan's eyebrows.

The light was extremely gentle, as gentle as moonlight falling into a deep pool without causing a ripple.

Yet it is also extremely profound, so profound that it seems to contain the origin of all dharmas, all forms, and all paths throughout history.

The light did not shine outward, but rather converged inward, yet it clearly shone into the hearts of everyone, revealing depths they themselves had never seen before.

at the same time...

Within the inner landscape of Liyuan.

The ancient and majestic Daluo Palace, guarded by all the gods, suddenly shone brightly at this moment!

That light was not ordinary light, but "original light" that transcended the opposition of light and darkness.

As the "Scripture of Salvation" says, "It is light without light, and color without color," which is the natural manifestation of the essence of the Great Dao.

Deep within the palace, among the countless divine thrones.

There is an extremely special and noble divine seat whose clear light, like a celestial river pouring down, illuminates the entire inner world!

The deity seated on that altar was not an ordinary god.

But a—

The phantom image of an old man with white hair, a youthful face, kind eyes, wearing a Bagua immortal robe, and holding the Three-Five Demon-Slaying Male and Female Swords.

He was surrounded by purple aura, which was neither cloud nor mist, but the essence of the Great Dao and the primordial spirit.

It is a concrete manifestation of the "purple smoke and three pure clouds above and below" mentioned in the Huangting Jing.

Behind them, one could vaguely see a magnificent scene of ten thousand thunderbolts guarding the area and a thousand immortals paying homage.

That was the original true form of the thirty-six Thunder Gods and the seventy-two Thunder Heavenly Lords;

Those are the true men of past dynasties recorded in the Three Caverns, Four Auxiliaries, and Seven Divisions of Scriptures.

Those eyes, which seemed to see through the ages, opened slightly at this moment, as if piercing through endless time and space, connecting with Li Yuan's thoughts.

In those eyes, there was the sharpness of the first lightning bolt when the world was created, the boundless compassion of teaching the people, the thunderous majesty of subduing demons, and the detached ease of ascending to the heavens.

This is--

Celestial Master Zhang Daoling!

The founder of the Zhengyi School of Taoism!

Three days of teachings by the Great Master!

The Supreme One Who Subdues Demons and Protects the Way!

He received the Supreme Lord Laozi's personal instruction at Heming Mountain in Sichuan, and obtained the Jade Secret Manual of the Supreme Lord Laozi's Three-Five Capital Merit and the Secret Code of the Orthodox Unity Alliance.

That night, the mountains and valleys echoed, and purple clouds stretched for 30,000 miles in the east. Laozi sat upright on a cloud and personally taught the Way of the Alliance.

He founded the Celestial Masters sect, established twenty-four administrative offices, set up the system of sacrificial officials, educated the people, and exorcised evil spirits and demons.

This made the land of Bashu so that doors were left unlocked at night, lost items were not picked up on the road, ghosts and demons hid themselves, and evil spirits fled.

He was personally taught by Laozi, and could use talismans, water, and incantations to save people and terrify ghosts and demons.

He laid the foundation for the enduring Taoist tradition of Longhu Mountain for thousands of years, making him the patriarch of the Celestial Masters for all ages.

On the day he ascended to heaven, celestial music resounded, exotic fragrance filled the mountains, flocks of cranes gathered, and the people knelt to see him off.

And at this moment—

The true form of the illustrious Celestial Master of the Zhengyi School in the history of Taoism is quietly "awakening" in the Daluo Palace within the inner landscape of Liyuan!

No, it's not "summoned".

It's not about "inviting" them.

It is not any "coming" that requires a "ritual".

But -

He was already here.

From the moment Li Yuan was born into this world and his inner landscape transformed into the Great Luo Palace.

Each of the gods in this pantheon already possesses their own divine throne within this divine court.

They weren't summoned by Li Yuan; they were already there.

Because the Dao of Li Yuan and their Dao are originally one;

The source of Liyuan and their source are originally one.

The Zhuangzi states: "Heaven and earth were born together with me, and all things are one with me."

It is not that they are born together and then become one, but rather that they originate from the same source, and are simply called "born together".

The *Xi Sheng Jing* states, "My fate is in my own hands, not in Heaven."

It does not mean that humans can surpass the heavens, but rather that humans and the heavens are one; cultivating oneself is cultivating the heavens, and seeing oneself is seeing the Dao.

The Yin Fu Jing states: "The universe is in your hand, and all transformations arise from your body."

It does not mean that humans can control the universe, but rather that all things in the universe are contained within me, and that there is no inherent inside or outside between me and the universe.

No summons is required.

No rituals are required.

Just—

A single thought arises.

The image of the Celestial Master will then appear from the divine throne in response to the call.

That thought was not the thought of "wanting to summon the Celestial Master".

Rather, it is the realization that "the Celestial Master was originally here."

Li Yuan opened his eyes.

In that instant—

The world has changed.

It was as if this world, from this moment on, no longer "belonged" to anyone present.

It was as if this world, from this moment on, belonged only to—

One being exists.

No, it's not "belongs to".

That being was originally the master of this world, and was one with it.

He simply came back.

Like a wanderer returning home, like a king returning to court, like the Daoist ancestor descending upon the world he manifested.

The next moment...

A phantom figure slowly emerged from behind Li Yuan.

The phantom was initially just a wisp of purple energy, which emanated from the ancestral aperture between Li Yuan's eyebrows, rising gently like smoke and mist.

That purple aura was no ordinary aura.

Rather, it is the primordial primordial energy described in the "Scripture of Salvation" as "greatly circulating Brahma energy, pervading the ten directions," which is the origin of all energy and the source of all laws.

Each wisp of purple aura contains countless tiny talismanic patterns; those natural Dao patterns are the imprints of the Dao itself.

The purple aura began to condense, rotate, and take shape three feet behind Li Yuan.

The rotation is like the movement of Tai Chi, the interaction of Yin and Yang, the generation and restraint of the Five Elements, and the evolution of the Eight Trigrams.

The purple aura grew more and more abundant and denser, naturally emanating from every acupoint on Li Yuan's body.

At this moment, those acupoints seemed to become windows leading to the origin of the Great Dao, continuously gushing out primordial Qi.

In an instant, it gathered into a sea of ​​purple energy behind Li Yuan.

That sea of ​​purple mist was vast and boundless, and its depths were unfathomable.

The faint phantoms of countless gods, immortal officials, heavenly soldiers, and mythical beasts can be seen within them.

Those were the Taoist deities commanded by the Celestial Master Zhang Daoling. They were the protectors who accompanied him when he taught sentient beings, and the subordinates who obeyed his orders when he subdued demons.

That sea of ​​purple mist contained an indescribable majesty and vastness.

It's not oppression, not intimidation, but a higher level of "sense of presence".

Like an ant gazing at the sky, like a mayfly oblivious to the passing of time, that heartfelt and sincere admiration arises from the very source, from the root of the Tao, from the deepest part of life.

It was as if all the orthodox Taoist practices, all the talismans and secrets, and all the vows and beliefs of those who subdue demons and protect the Tao throughout history had found their source in this purple aura.

Those laws, those talismans, those vows and beliefs all flowed from this source; at this moment, they are simply returning home.

Purple energy gathers.

The outline of a figure gradually came into view.

First, there was a nine-beam crown, inlaid with the Big Dipper, its starlight shimmering.

The Big Dipper is formed from the essence of the seven stars: Tian Shu, Tian Xuan, Tian Ji, Tian Quan, Yu Heng, Kai Yang, and Yao Guang.

Each star corresponds to the star lord of that star in the sky, and each contains the power of a star that can turn the tide of the universe.

Then there was a face with white hair and a youthful countenance, kind and gentle, yet possessing an imposing and dignified air.

That kind and benevolent expression is the compassion revealed when teaching and enlightening sentient beings; that dignified presence without anger is the majesty displayed when subduing demons and monsters.

The two are inherently incompatible, yet they blend perfectly on this face—

Like yin and yang complementing each other, like water and fire in harmony.

Then there was the celestial robe embroidered with the Eight Trigrams, cloud patterns, and the sun, moon, and stars, which became clearer and more vivid as the purple aura filled the robe.

The Eight Trigrams were drawn by Fu Xi and are the basic symbols of heaven and earth and all things; the cloud patterns are transformed from the Dao Qi and are the natural trajectory of the Dao's operation; the sun, moon and stars are the essence of the universe and the embodiment of the essence of space and time.

finally--

It's that sword.

The Three-Five Demon-Slaying Swords (Male and Female).

The sword is about three feet long, and its entire body is filled with a dark blue light, which is the "primordial light" of the beginning of the Dao, when the Dao and the gods were one.

The hilt of the sword was engraved with countless intricate talismanic patterns, each pattern seemingly containing supreme power capable of annihilating all evil spirits—

That was a talisman technique personally taught by Laozi, the fundamental method by which the Celestial Master subdued demons.

Swords are divided into male and female; the male sword suppresses demons, while the female sword slays evil.

When the mighty sword is drawn, all demons bow their heads.

When the female sword is drawn, all evil spirits flee in terror.

With both swords drawn, the heavens and earth were purified!

At this moment, it appeared beside the illusory figure. Although it was not yet drawn, it had already caused all the cultivators present who practiced thunder magic and talisman magic to tremble with fear and almost lose their composure.

It was a tremor that came from the depths of one's soul—not fear, but a complex feeling of both intimacy and awe when facing the source.

It is like a wanderer seeing his father, a student seeing his mentor, or a lost person seeing a lighthouse.

Qin Muting knelt down with a "plop".

He was trembling all over, his eyes were filled with tears, and his lips were moving, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He recognized the illusory figure.

The portrait of this ancestral master can be found in the ancient texts passed down through generations of the Shenxiao School.

He is the ancestor of Taoist thunder magic, the source of talismans, the founder of the Zhengyi lineage, and the supreme being in the hearts of countless cultivators.

Although the Shenxiao Sect is known for its thunder magic, its roots are still the Zhengyi Mengwei Dao passed down by the Celestial Master.

Now, this being—

right in front of you.

It is not a statue, not a portrait, not any form of "symbol".

It truly carries that ancient and desolate "true meaning of Dharma".

That vast and ancient feeling is the legacy of the late Han Dynasty, the Taoist charm of Sichuan, the mist and haze of Heming Mountain, and the clouds and fog of Qingcheng Mountain.

It is the seed of Tao left behind by the Celestial Master when he taught the people. After thousands of years, it still takes root and sprouts at this moment.

Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing, the contemporary Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain, the leader of the Taoist sect, and the most prominent figure in the world of extraordinary people, suddenly stood up!

He stared intently at the gradually forming phantom behind Li Yuan, his pupils contracting violently, his face turning from rosy to pale in an instant, and then from pale to an abnormal flush.

His lips were trembling.

His hands were trembling.

His Dao heart, which had been calm and undisturbed for a century, was now like a candle flickering in the wind, swaying violently!

"Grandmaster...Grandmaster..."

Zhang Jingqing's voice was so hoarse it was almost indistinguishable.

The voice contained shock, ecstasy, disbelief, and a century-long, pent-up affection for one another.

He staggered and nearly lost his balance.

Lu Xuan, who was standing beside him, reacted quickly and helped him up, but he felt that the Taoist priest's whole body was trembling violently, like a withered leaf in the autumn wind.

"Celestial Master!"

Lu Xuan was shocked. He had never seen this Celestial Master, who was usually unfazed even when Mount Tai collapsed before him, show such a discomposure.

Zhang Jingqing ignored him.

His gaze was fixed on the illusory figure of purple energy behind Li Yuan, and his eyes were already slightly red.

Nearly a century.

He was in charge of the Celestial Master's Mansion for nearly a century.

For nearly a century, he would burn incense and kowtow before the statue of the Celestial Master every morning and evening as part of his daily prayers.

Each stick of incense, each prayer, each kowtow—all these were expressions of his most sincere reverence for the patriarch who founded the Taoist lineage.

Over the past century, he has tried countless times in meditation to sense the Daoist spirit of the Celestial Master, attempting to establish even the slightest connection with this founder of the Daoist lineage.

He sat alone in a quiet room late at night, climbed to a high place to observe the weather at dawn, and focused his mind on introspection during storms.

All I ask is to sense the presence of the Celestial Master.

But there has never been any response.

Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing thought that was just wishful thinking.

He thought that was just an ideal state recorded in ancient books, which was impossible to achieve in reality.

He thought that the Celestial Master had already ascended to the Heavenly Court and was forever separated from the mortal world.

He thought he could only worship before the idol, only search for it in the classics, and only meet it in his dreams.

But at this moment—

The Celestial Master is right before my eyes.

It is not an ethereal sensation, nor a faint, elusive Daoist charm.

It was real, tangible, and formed, carrying that pair of demon-slaying swords—

Ancestral Celestial Master!

Those eyes that seemed to see through the ages, that immortal robe embroidered with the Eight Trigrams, that divine sword that slayed demons and vanquished evil—

Every detail is exactly the same as the portrait of the Celestial Master enshrined in the Celestial Master's Mansion.

No, it is more real than a portrait, more vivid than a sculpture, and closer to that existence itself than any man-made image.

Zhang Jingqing's eyes reddened, and a thin layer of tears welled up in her eyes, but they never fell.

He just stared intently at the phantom, his Adam's apple bobbing violently, but he couldn't utter a single word.

The emotions that had been building up for a century surged forth like an undercurrent.

However, he suppressed it deep in his heart with his century-long cultivation, only letting a tiny bit slip through his slightly trembling hands and reddened eyes.

The illusory figure seemed to sense his gaze.

The Celestial Master lowered his eyes slightly, and those eyes that could see through the ages met the gaze of the contemporary Celestial Master across countless years.

That touch was as light as a spring breeze brushing against the willow branches.

This caused Zhang Jingqing to tremble violently, and tears streamed down her face.

Because in that one glance, he saw—

I saw the sincerity of the Celestial Master when he was inspired by Laozi's teachings at Crane Cry Mountain.

I witnessed the compassion of the Celestial Master when he established his rule and taught in Sichuan.

I witnessed the majesty of the Celestial Master as he wielded his sword to subdue demons;

I witnessed the transcendence of the Celestial Master as he ascended to Heaven.

He also saw the Celestial Master's recognition of his junior disciple.

That glance seemed to say:

"I know you have diligently cultivated yourself for a hundred years, I have seen you burn incense day and night, and I have heard you prostrate yourself at dawn and dusk."

I know everything about you.

The next moment...

Zhang Jingqing, the leader of the Taoist sect and the Celestial Master who had been in charge of Longhu Mountain for decades, slowly raised his hands and straightened his clothes.

Then--

He bowed deeply towards the illusory figure.

That bow was so deep it was almost a ninety-degree angle, so solemn it was as if a hundred years of cultivation had been given away in this one gesture.

After the ceremony, Celestial Master Zhang Jingqing straightened up, still as upright as a pine tree, but his reddened eyes and slightly trembling hands spoke of the turmoil he had never felt before.

The courtyard was completely silent.

Only the purple aura flowed slowly in the night.