bookandnovel Chapter 131 On the Dao—What is Righteousness and Demonism?
Chapter 131 On the Dao—What is Righteousness and Demonism?
Lu Ming and his group were placed in the Yangxin Pavilion by the Zhenwu Sect.
The Yangxin Pavilion is hidden on the spiritual vein at the waist of the main peak. The spirit-gathering array inside the pavilion operates day and night, and the rich spiritual energy of heaven and earth condenses into milky white mist.
Lu Ming had been meditating cross-legged for several hours, the medicinal power of the pills nourishing his damaged meridians and bones, and the Xuan Yuan True Qi in his body was now circulating smoothly.
Although his injuries were steadily improving, his mind remained in turmoil, unable to find any peace.
Ning Qingxue's words kept echoing in his mind.
Ning Qingxue's words in the Tian Shu Relics echoed in my mind like an inscription engraved in my heart.
The Demon Ancestor stood against the immortals, taking his thoughts as the foundation of his Dao, and questioned the inner demons.
The demonic path teaches without discrimination; regardless of social status, good or evil, or even those abandoned by the immortal path, anyone with the determination to defy fate can enter the path.
There is no absolute good or evil in the world, only differences in perspective. We may not follow the way of Heaven, but only our own hearts.
These words overturned his understanding established since childhood at the Taoist academy, yet he could not easily refute them.
He recalled the years he spent wandering in the Northern Wilderness, and those rogue cultivators.
Those rogue cultivators are mediocre in talent, without any sect or school. They receive neither guidance from immortal sects nor any cultivation resources, and they cannot even obtain the most basic cultivation techniques.
They couldn't even get close to the threshold of cultivation, and in the end, they could only struggle at the bottom until their lifespan was exhausted and they turned into a handful of yellow earth.
He couldn't help but recall the accusations made by the rogue cultivator outside Wangnan City.
The indiscriminate teaching of the demonic path, however, provided these people with a way to survive.
Regardless of aptitude, background, or whether one is rejected by the righteous path, as long as one has unwavering determination and dares to defy fate, one can embark on the path of cultivation.
This sense of fairness, this spirit of refusing to bow to an unjust fate, made Lu Ming feel from the bottom of his heart that the principles of the demonic path were indeed reasonable.
However, the teachings of his master and the records in the immortal scriptures constantly reminded him that the demonic path was an evil path that brought chaos to the world, and that the righteous and the demonic were irreconcilable, as had always been the case.
Two conflicting thoughts tore at his mind, making him restless and causing his resolve to waver.
After much deliberation, Lu Ming got up, pushed open the wooden door of the meditation room, and followed the scent of his senior brother Chu Tianyi, slowly walking towards the viewing corridor outside the Yangxin Pavilion.
On the veranda, Chu Tianyi stood leaning against the railing, his robes fluttering in the mountain breeze.
Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around and saw Lu Ming's furrowed brows. He smiled gently and asked, "Are you still feeling unwell?"
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. My injuries are much better now." Lu Ming's tone was full of confusion. "I have come here today because there is a very important matter concerning the principles of the Dao that I would like to ask Senior Brother for guidance on."
Chu Tian raised his hand, gesturing for him to come closer. "If you have any questions, please tell me."
Lu Ming slowly recited the demonic doctrines he had heard, word by word: "Senior Brother, I have heard that the doctrines of the demonic path are to defy fate and guard one's mind."
"The Demon Lord established the rule of teaching without discrimination, which is to give the helpless people of the world a way to survive."
"I recall the rogue cultivators I saw in the Northern Wilderness. They were without sects or factions, and the sects monopolized resources, leaving them with no opportunity to cultivate. Yet the demonic path was willing to accept them, giving them the possibility to defy fate."
"After careful consideration, I found that the ideas of the demonic path made a lot of sense. Not being able to be controlled by fate and not bowing to fate is the spirit that cultivators should have."
Lu Ming paused, his confusion deepening: "But the sect's scriptures and the teachings of our elders all say that the demonic path wreaks havoc on the world, and that the righteous and the demonic are irreconcilable."
"The more I agree with the ideology of the demonic path, the more conflicted I become. I feel that the original intention of the demonic path is not wrong, but I also believe in the order and principles of the righteous path. I don't know who is right and who is wrong."
Chu Tian listened quietly, not immediately refuting, but instead nodding slightly, a hint of approval in his eyes:
"You are able to set aside the shallow prejudices of worldly good and evil, not blindly follow worldly conclusions, and are willing to think about the two paths of good and evil. This independent thinking is far beyond your peers."
"Your acceptance of the demonic path doesn't mean your resolve is weak, but rather that you've seen its purest form: respect for individual convictions and resistance against unjust fate."
Lu Ming was slightly taken aback. He didn't expect that his senior brother would not only not reprimand him, but would also affirm his idea.
"But Lu Ming, you must understand that what you see is only the original intention of the demonic path, not the consequences of its spread throughout the world." Chu Tianyi changed the subject, his tone gradually becoming solemn.
He gazed into the distance and said, "The struggle between good and evil has never been a struggle over original intentions, but a struggle over the Great Dao, a struggle over the order of the world's survival."
"It is precisely because the two paths lead to opposite ends that good and evil are ultimately irreconcilable."
"Do you know that in ancient times, there was no distinction between good and evil, nor was there any order in the world?"
"The cultivators of that time were all like the demonic path, believing in the supremacy of the individual, without any constraints of good and evil, and without any rules or bottom lines."
"For a single elixir, fellow disciples can kill each other."
In order to break through a cultivation realm, cultivators can sacrifice tens of thousands of mortals.
In the struggle for spiritual veins, major sects are willing to annihilate minor sects, leaving no one alive.
"Those rogue cultivators you encountered in the Northern Wilderness were merely struggling to survive. But once they gained immense power, how many of them could maintain their integrity?"
"I once heard my elders in the sect say that there was a rogue demonic cultivator in the southern region of Qingzhou. He was originally a poor mortal, but he entered the demonic path because of his obsession. At first, he only plundered scattered resources, but the stronger he became, the more greedy he became."
"In the end, in order to cultivate his evil arts, he actually sacrificed the blood of all the mortals in an entire city, using the essence of thousands of living beings to enhance his cultivation."
"In his eyes, this was defying fate and following his heart, but for those innocent mortals, it was a catastrophe."
Chu Tianyi's voice lowered, each word striking Lu Ming's heart:
"The teachings of the demonic path, which are inclusive and fair, are actually fraught with danger."
"It does not discriminate between human nature and good and evil. The most wicked and evil people can cultivate it, the people with wicked intentions can cultivate it, and even a madman who wants to destroy the world can step into the demonic path."
"When everyone clings to their own obsessions, resorting to any means to fight for life, seize opportunities, and take away survival, there will be no order in the world, only the survival of the fittest."
"Mortals are like weeds, and the weak become nourishment; this is the inevitable outcome of the rampant spread of demonic forces."
Lu Ming was deeply shocked; he had never considered this possibility.
He only saw the original intention of the demonic path in providing a way out for lower-level cultivators, but he never considered what kind of devastating consequences the unrestrained power would bring.
"Then what is the purpose of the order of the immortal path?" Lu Ming couldn't help but ask.
"The path of immortality is about cultivating the way for the survival of the world as a whole."
Chu Tianyi slowly opened his mouth and spoke of the origin of order: "After the chaos of ancient times, the sages of the immortal path saw the suffering of the people and thus established rules, set order, defined good and evil, distinguished right from wrong, and followed the way of heaven."
"The so-called 'following the will of Heaven' does not mean accepting one's fate, but rather not breaking the foundation of the operation of Heaven and Earth, not wantonly slaughtering living beings, and not disrupting the balance of Yin and Yang."
"The so-called education for different groups does not mean discriminating against those with mediocre abilities, but rather screening out those who are prone to going astray and curbing chaos at its source."
"You must know that the resources of heaven and earth are limited. If you are of mediocre talent and embark on the path of cultivation, even if you have no ill intentions at the beginning, you will inevitably feel resentment later and go astray."
"The order established by the immortal path restrained the greed of cultivators, protected the lives of mortals, and transformed the world from a hell of survival of the fittest back into a peaceful and orderly human realm."
"In the righteous path, there are indeed hypocrites and selfish individuals, but under the constraints of righteousness and order, they dare not do things that anger heaven and man, nor do they dare to easily slaughter the common people."
"This constraint is the life-saving charm for all living beings and the foundation for the survival of heaven and earth."
"One is obsessed with the individual, the other with the world as a whole. One is unrestrained, the other strictly adheres to order."
"These two philosophies were destined to be incompatible and irreconcilable from the very beginning."
Standing on the corridor, Lu Ming felt a slight tremor in his heart, as the fog in his mind was gradually lifted.
He understood; Ning Qingxue was referring to the original intention of the demonic path, the individual's struggle.
The sect was talking about the consequences of the rampant spread of demonic arts, which would be a catastrophe for the world.
Both statements are not unfounded; they simply reflect different perspectives and stances.
He understood the indomitable spirit of the demonic path and also grasped the responsibility of the immortal path.
Seeing the confusion gradually fading from his eyes, Chu Tian's expression grew even more solemn, and he warned him word by word:
"Lu Ming, it's a good thing that you can understand the demonic path and see through the essence of the struggle between good and evil. It shows that you have broken free from the shackles of worldly life and have truly begun to think about the path to your own greatness."
"But you must remember that true steadfastness of the Dao is never blind obedience in ignorance, nor is it prejudice based on only one aspect, nor is it a compromise with worldly affairs."
"It is that you see through all the truths, know the original intentions and consequences of the two paths of good and evil, understand the magnificence of individual struggle, and also understand the importance of world order."
"After you have seen through all the complexities and contradictions of the world, you can still adhere to your original path and uphold the original intention of maintaining the order of heaven and earth."
"To see through the darkness yet still turn towards the light; to know the truth yet still uphold one's original aspirations. This is the truly steadfast heart of the Way."
As soon as he finished speaking, a mountain wind suddenly rose, swirling the spiritual mist of Yangxin Pavilion and brushing against Lu Ming's face.
Lu Ming's eyes showed struggle as he said, "But Senior Brother, didn't we compete for opportunities and have obsessions in our previous cultivation?"
Chu Tianyi sighed slightly, but still said slowly, "Can you see the Tai Chi Yin-Yang diagram? Yin and Yang interact, there is Yang within Yin, and Yin within Yang."
"Although the ideals of immortality are to follow the laws of nature and maintain the order of heaven and earth, we who cultivate immortality are also independent individuals. We will compete and fight during our cultivation, but we have our bottom line."
"Those who follow the demonic path claim to disregard the laws of heaven, but do they abide by the rules of their sect?"
"We shouldn't be too extreme in our views. Individual obsessions and the order of the world are inherently in conflict."
"We can only prevent our obsessions from becoming extreme within the framework of order, but we cannot eliminate them entirely. This is because the righteous and demonic paths have different focuses."
Lu Ming seemed to be deep in thought, then asked, "Since the Immortal Path follows the Way of Heaven, and since the Way of Heaven is ruthless, why did the sages of the Immortal Path care about the world and establish order for it?"
Chu Tianyi replied, "The Way of Heaven is neither heartless nor sentimental, but rather detached from emotion. The highest realm of Taoism is the Supreme Detachment from Emotion."
"If Heaven were without emotion, how could it nurture all things? If Heaven were with emotion, how could it disregard the birth and death of all things?"
"Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs. This is neither benevolence nor ruthlessness."
Lu Ming stood there in a daze for a long time. He felt as if a fog had been cleared from his mind, but there was still fog ahead of the fog.
He understood the helplessness of the demonic path and pitied the struggles for survival of the lower-level cultivators.
But he also knew that the order of the immortal path was the order of the world, and it was the great path he had to uphold.
Chu Tianyi continued, "Heaven's way is biased, and so are people's. The truth behind this cannot be explained in a few words; it requires your own understanding and experience."
"If you can't distinguish right from wrong in this world, then you must first distinguish your position."
Lu Ming remained standing in the same spot, lost in thought.
Chu Tianyi gently patted Lu Ming's shoulder: "It's normal for a young person to be confused for a while."
"You entered the Taoist academy to cultivate at the age of twelve, and after less than seven years of cultivation there, you disappeared in the Land of Immortal Remnants for thirty years."
"You have been inexperienced in the ways of the world for so many years. It is natural for you to reflect on these things once you come into contact with them. Reflection is the right thing to do. This does not mean that your faith is not firm."
"Everyone has their own reasons. I'm just stating my reasons, and you'll have your own reasons in the future too."
Chu Tian patted Lu Ming on the shoulder, sighed, and said, "You don't need to deliberately agree with my reasoning, nor do you need to deliberately agree with worldly reasoning."
"Your coming to seek answers is tantamount to asking me to make the choice for you, while you give up your own choice."
Lu Ming's eyes widened in confusion, and he said thoughtfully, "Give up your choice?"
Chu Tian looked into the distance and said as if reminiscing, "My master Xuanji once told me that if you seek my approval in order to get my answers, then my level will limit your vision."
"If you seek answers in order to gain the approval of the world, then the world will build high walls around you."
"Seeking answers may allow you to repeat the correctness of your predecessors, but you will never be able to forge a new path. You will never be able to forge your own path, your own way."
After Chu Tian finished speaking, he looked intently at Lu Ming: "Unsolved answers exist throughout the world, and if you want to become a true powerhouse, you must create answers for the world!"
Lu Ming was momentarily dazed. He suddenly recalled what Martial Ancestor Pan Yi from the Immortal Remnant Land had told him: he must find his own path.
The so-called Tao is not only the method of cultivation, but also one's own philosophy and one's own answer.
"Senior Brother, I understand. There is no right or wrong in the path of cultivation, but every choice will inevitably produce a result. What I need to understand is the result I will have to face after making a choice." Lu Ming was still deep in thought.
"Alright, go back and take good care of yourself. Don't overthink it," Chu Tianyi said to Lu Ming with a smile.
"Thank you for your explanation, Senior Brother." Lu Ming clasped his hands in a fist salute to Chu Tian, then turned and left.
"Remember, don't mention what we said today to outsiders. Just understand the道理 (principles/reasons) yourself."
"The constraints of worldly conventions are very powerful. If you don't have enough ability but still insist on believing in your own answer, you will inevitably be regarded as an outcast with an impure heart..."
"When your cultivation level is not commensurate with your ideals, then first abide by the answers of the world," Chu Tianyi said to Lu Ming's back.
Lu Ming paused, then remained silent for a moment before replying, "Understood, thank you, Senior Brother."
Above the corridor, a light mist swirls around, and a gentle mountain breeze blows.
Lu Ming has returned to the pavilion.
Some roads you have to walk yourself, and some paths you have to figure out for yourself.
Chu Tianyi gazed at Lu Ming's figure, shook his head helplessly, and sighed slightly: "After giving so many high-sounding reasons, in the end, it's nothing more than a struggle for interests. If the righteous and the demonic are truly irreconcilable, then what is the point of the so-called following the will of Heaven and aligning with the Dao..."
"But Master's teachings are truly..."