owlsbooks Chapter 75 The Way of Red Clouds
Chapter 75 The Way of Red Clouds
In the blink of an eye, only Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun Patriarch, who was still immersed in his great gains and insights, remained in the courtyard.
Hongyun exhaled a long breath, carrying a Daoist aura, his face etched with lingering smiles and deep emotion. Looking at Zhen Yuanzi, he sincerely exclaimed, "Fellow Daoist's discourse was truly exquisite, every word a gem, profound in its subtle meaning, pointing directly to the origin of the Great Dao! Even I, who pride myself on having reached the Great Luo Perfection realm, have felt enlightened and greatly benefited from listening to it today!"
"Many subtle points that I had only vaguely sensed and failed to deeply contemplate in my previous cultivation have now become clear. It's as if my foundation in the Dao has been cleansed and tempered anew, becoming even more transparent and harmonious than before!"
He paused, his tone involuntarily carrying a rare hint of confusion and unprecedented solemnity, his brows furrowing slightly: "However... above the Great Luo realm, the Primordial Chaos Dao is truly elusive and difficult to find, like a mirage, visible yet intangible."
"What puzzles me even more is that my innate nature contains the four elements of earth, water, wind, and fire. Although I have benefited from the long-term influence of the Four Symbols Banana Tree and the frequent discussions with fellow Daoists, which have deepened my understanding of the Four Symbols..."
"But... what should be the foundation, focusing on one path to break through to the Hunyuan realm, or... should one try to do both? If one tries to do both, how should one manage them so that they don't become a hindrance but rather an asset? Alas, after much deliberation, it is truly difficult to make a decision, as if I were lost in a fog."
This was precisely the core problem that had troubled Hongyun for so long, and the mental obstacle preventing him from taking that crucial step. Possessing all four elements seemed to indicate boundless potential and profound foundation, but it also meant that his path was scattered, and his energy and mind were difficult to fully concentrate.
Unlike those powerful beings who specialize in a single law and can concentrate all their energy and resources to single-mindedly pursue the supreme Primordial Dao Fruit, he seemed to be standing at a crossroads, where every path seemed possible, yet was also full of unknowns and risks.
Upon hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi smiled calmly, his gaze as deep as the starry sky, as if he had already seen through the confusion and struggle deep in Hongyun's heart.
He spoke slowly, his voice calm yet carrying an unwavering certainty that revealed the essence of things: "Fellow Daoist, you have become attached to appearances, stuck in a rut. There are three thousand Great Daos, each leading to the Primordial Chaos; this is the ultimate truth. Who has ever established a rule that the Path of Primordial Chaos can only be followed in one direction, incompatible with all other paths?"
Upon hearing this, Hongyun was startled, her eyes revealing a strong look of inquiry and contemplation, as if a ray of light had pierced through part of the fog.
Zhen Yuanzi continued calmly, his tone guiding: "Your innate origin is the convergence of earth, water, wind, and fire. This is a creation of heaven, a unique endowment and immense blessing bestowed upon you by Pangu when he created the world. Why forcibly relinquish it and damage your foundation?"
"Ordinary cultivators, due to limited energy, insufficient foundation, or shallow fortune, must choose one path and master it to have a chance to glimpse the Great Dao. However, fellow Daoist, your foundation is so profound and your fortune so enduring that it is among the best in the entire primordial world..."
"Furthermore, this innate spiritual root, the Four Symbols Banana Tree, which resonates with your very being, will accompany you for a long time, providing unparalleled assistance in harmonizing the Four Symbols and comprehending the Great Dao. With such uniquely advantageous conditions, why not go against the grain and do what ordinary people dare not even think of or do?"
He gazed intently at Hongyun, his tone becoming more forceful as he spoke, each word distinct: "Your future path is not about choosing one and abandoning the others, but about integrating the four elements into one, merging earth, water, wind, and fire into your own being!"
"Using the power of the four elements' rotation, mutual generation and restraint, you will evolve the foundation of chaos, forming an inner world within your body! By using this to break through to the Primordial Chaos realm, once successful, the Primordial Chaos Dao Fruit you attain will no longer be a single-attribute law Dao Fruit, but a four-element chaotic Dao Fruit!"
"Its foundation is so solid, its potential so immense, and its control over the laws of heaven and earth so comprehensive that it will far surpass those Primordial Golden Immortals who only wield a single law! At that time, with a mere thought, earth, water, wind, and fire will follow each other, and it will not be impossible for it to evolve the world's birth and death, or to reshape earth, water, fire, and wind. How can those who follow a single extreme path compare to its profound and vast power?"
Hongyun was deeply shaken, as if a thunderclap had exploded in his mind! Zhen Yuanzi's words were not just simple comfort or encouragement, but rather opened a magnificent door to infinite possibilities that he had never seen before!
He had only ever been preoccupied with "choice" in the past, but had never thought about "integration" and "domination"! Indeed, all things in the universe are subject to the evolution of the Four Symbols. If one could use oneself as a furnace to absorb the origin of the Four Symbols, and dominate their generation and restraint changes, returning to the One, what a magnificent and splendid realm that would be! This is not abandonment, but transcendence! It is the true "return to the origin"!
"Moreover," Zhen Yuanzi saw the growing brilliance in Hongyun's eyes, knowing he was already moved, and softened his tone, adding a touch of composure and encouragement, "the one thing we cultivators have in abundance is time."
"You have the innate spiritual root of the Four Symbols Banana Tree to accompany you for a long time, helping you to comprehend the Dao and harmonize your inner self; you have the blessed land of Longevity Mountain to rely on, with its boundless spiritual energy; and moreover, you and I are fellow Daoists, often discussing and verifying our understanding of the Dao, supporting each other."
"Even if this method is unprecedented, fraught with difficulties and obstacles, and requires far more time and effort than others, so what? Once successful, the vastness of the path ahead and the grandeur of the journey will far surpass anything ordinary cultivators can achieve. This is exchanging temporary hardship for a foundation that will last for eternity—why not do it?"
Hongyun took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. The long-standing confusion and hesitation in her chest were completely swept away at this moment, and she suddenly felt enlightened, as if she had seen the sun after the clouds had parted and could see the blue sky!
His face was no longer clouded by confusion; instead, it was filled with unwavering determination and burgeoning pride. He clapped his hands and laughed, his voice echoing through the courtyard: "Brilliant! Brilliant! Fellow Daoist's words are truly like a wake-up call, rousing me from my dream!"
"It is my foolishness and attachment to appearances that have led me astray! Having received such a generous gift from Heaven and Earth, possessing the essence of the Four Symbols within me, how can I squander this precious gift and bind my own hands? Therefore, I will follow your advice, fellow Daoist, and from this day forward, I will resolve to walk the path of returning to the origin of the Four Symbols and establishing a foundation in chaos! Even if there are a thousand difficulties and dangers, a hundred twists and turns, I will still go forth, without any regrets!"
Seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi nodded with a smile, feeling gratified. If Hongyun could achieve Hunyuan through this all-encompassing Dao that points directly to the origin of chaos, his future potential would be limitless. He would surely become a powerful assistant and reliable ally in his future practice of the Dao and in dealing with the unpredictable trends of the primordial world.
Moreover, the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Path chosen by Hongyun is also subtly in line with the core idea of his own "Earth Chaos Scripture," which encompasses all laws and evolves chaos. In the future, when the two discuss and verify the Dao, they will surely complement each other and make progress together.
The two powerful beings standing at the pinnacle of the primordial world smiled at each other, their unspoken understanding and expectations for the future conveyed in their silence.
At the summit of Longevity Mountain, clouds swirled and the four-symbol banana trees shimmered with light. A crucial decision concerning the birth of yet another Primordial Golden Immortal was quietly made here, planting a vital seed for the future landscape of the primordial world.