owlsbooks Chapter 14: Quietly Cultivating the Great Dao of Bai Ze!
Chapter 14: Quietly Cultivating the Great Dao of Bai Ze!
"Taibai, now that all the invitations to the sages have been delivered and the arrangements for the Peach Banquet have been finalized, what should we do next?"
Li Taibai lowered his head and pondered, carefully considering the current situation in the primordial world: "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, we only need to observe the general trend of the primordial world. Now that the world has just passed the great calamity of the witches and demons, the human race has risen, and it is the beginning of the reign of the Three Sovereigns. The sages have already secretly laid out their plans and are controlling the direction of the world. Our foundations are still shallow, and it is not advisable to act rashly. We might as well wait for the peaches to ripen, successfully hold the Peach Banquet, stabilize the face of the Heavenly Court, and win over the hearts of the immortals and gods of the Three Realms before going to the land ruled by the Three Sovereigns to seek opportunities and consolidate Your Majesty's foundation of rule."
Upon hearing this, Yaochi's eyes showed some concern: "You and I are going to the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to seek opportunities, but that was the golden age of the human race, and the order had already been established by the sages. If I were to intervene so rashly, wouldn't I offend the sages and needlessly invite trouble?"
Upon hearing this, Li Taibai's expression grew even more solemn. He directly advised, "Your Majesty is the Great Celestial Venerable, personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor to govern all immortals. You bear the divine duty of overseeing all immortals in the Three Realms and regulating the order of the immortal path. How can you completely ignore the affairs of the Three Realms? If you remain secluded and indifferent to the affairs of the primordial world for a long time, what difference is there between Your Majesty's position as the Great Celestial Venerable and a mere decoration in the world? How can you expect the immortals and gods of the Three Realms to truly submit to you?"
"That being said, arbitrarily interfering with the cycle of heaven and earth and the changes of the human race will inevitably affect the interests of the sages, arouse their fear and suppression, and the consequences will be unimaginable."
Yaochi sighed softly, her heart filled with helplessness.
Upon hearing this, Li Taibai sighed deeply, his tone tinged with reluctance, yet he had no choice but to speak frankly: "Your Majesty, this is a matter of unavoidable necessity! Your Majesty may know that the title of Great Celestial Venerable who commands all immortals is inherently an extremely awkward one. Whether one becomes a pawn manipulated by the sages, or breaks free from these shackles and truly wields power, depends entirely on whether Your Majesty dares to take this step and dares to forge a path to enlightenment for yourself. I was just speaking bluntly and offended you; please forgive me, Your Majesty."
After saying this, Li Bai hurriedly bowed and apologized, saying that it was wrong to put Yaochi in danger, but if he didn't cause some trouble, he would just become a roadside nuisance!
This is inevitable; there simply isn't enough fortune in the primordial world for them to fight over!
If you want to sit at the table and eat, it's impossible for others to give you food. They won't do that; they have their own disciples.
Li Bai could see clearly that Yaochi's current true position was that it had a title, a seat, and a status, but lacked the strength to actually sit at the table.
The title bestowed upon him by the Dao Ancestor Hongjun himself was: Great Heavenly Venerable Who Rules Over All Immortals.
This was the special seat reserved for her at the primordial banquet.
The Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, the Two Sages of the West, and Haotian cannot erase her title. She was born to be qualified to sit at the top table of the prehistoric world. She is not a wild immortal, not a rogue cultivator, and not a minor figure.
Haotian was tricked because he recklessly tried to get on the table, but Li Taibai would never be reckless.
Yaochi's cultivation level was only at the early stage of Quasi-Saint, far inferior to that of a Primordial Saint.
His sphere of influence is limited to Yaochi, and he has very few subordinates, practically just a handful.
Without prestige, without accomplishing anything significant in the primordial world, there's no way to build up prestige, and that won't do.
In terms of discourse power, the Chan and Jie sects vied for the right to interpret the Heavenly Dao. Haotian held the divine power of the Heavenly Court, and no matter what, he had to be included, even in the Investiture of the Gods.
Nuwa holds the power to create all living beings, and the two Western Saints rule over the West!
Only Yaochi has the name of a ruler of immortals, but no real power to do so.
This is like having a chair set up for you, your name engraved on the seat, but you're powerless, have no backing, and no credentials. A group of big shots are eating around you, and you can only watch from the sidelines, afraid to pick up food, speak, touch your chopsticks, or even sit at the table.
If Yaochi wants to attain enlightenment, gather fortune, and escape its fate as a pawn, it must truly be on the table and cannot remain a mere decoration in a corner forever.
The Dao of Yaochi governs all immortals here. Logically speaking, the registration, enfeoffment, and immortal islands of all immortals in the Three Realms should belong to Yaochi, but none of them are there now.
The Way of Haotian governs the order of heaven and earth and commands all gods.
The Dao of the Primordial Beginning: solidifying the Way of Heaven and determining destiny.
The Path to Heaven: A Glimmer of Hope, Equal for All Immortals.
Nuwa's Tao: To create all living beings and propagate all races.
The Dao of Yaochi governs all immortals in the Three Realms. If there are no immortals in the world, the Dao of Yaochi will collapse. Without immortals, their titles become meaningless. Once their titles become meaningless, their fortune will be cut off, and they will never be able to attain the Dao.
Want to live a quiet, secluded life? The more you retreat, the more you avoid the world, the less you dare to interfere in the Three Realms, the more you resemble a mere puppet.
This is the core point of Li Bai's advice to Yaochi, and naturally, it must be said that this is the duty of a subject!
Yaochi gently waved her hand, raising her delicate hand slightly, indicating to Taibai not to be so polite: "You and I, ruler and subject, are of one mind, sharing weal and woe, why bother with such formalities? Everything you say, Taibai, is true, I already understand it in my heart, but I just didn't want to face it directly. Taibai, please explain it to me in detail, I want to hear the advantages and disadvantages clearly."
"Your Majesty is wise."
Li Bai spoke earnestly, "Your Majesty, as the Great Celestial Venerable who governs all immortals, you are in charge of all those who have attained immortality in the Three Realms. But if the path of immortality withers, if there are no immortals to become, and no immortals to govern, then what is the meaning of Your Majesty's position as Great Celestial Venerable? And to whom should you govern?"
Yaochi shuddered: "Yes... if there are no immortals in the world, whom should I rule? What use is this position of Great Heavenly Venerable?"
"That's exactly right."
Li Taibai pressed his advantage, continuing, "Your Majesty's path is inherently tied to the immortals of the Three Realms, and to the rise and fall of the immortal path. If Your Majesty remains entrenched in the Jade Pool, refusing to intervene in worldly affairs, nurturing immortal sects, gathering immortals and gods, or accumulating prestige and fortune, then this power to rule the immortals will ultimately be merely nominal, nothing more than empty words. In that case, how can Your Majesty attain enlightenment, break through your own limitations, and transform from someone whose title is undeserved to one who truly deserves it?"
"If Your Majesty wishes to attain enlightenment and secure your position as the Great Heavenly Venerable, you must seek opportunities within the Three Realms. To seek such opportunities, you will inevitably have to provoke the plans of the Sages. This is an unavoidable path and Your Majesty's only way out."
Upon hearing this, Yaochi's bewilderment gradually faded, replaced by a hint of realization: "Taibai is right. I am not a carefree immortal after all. Bearing the Dao Ancestor's decree and holding the position of Great Heavenly Venerable, I am no longer in control of my own destiny. My path to enlightenment has long been bound by my identity, leaving me with no way to retreat or avoid it. I have no choice but to accept it."
Li Taibai softened his tone and carefully analyzed the essential difference between her and Haotian: "Your Majesty, you and Haotian, though seemingly both rulers of the Heavenly Court, actually wield vastly different powers. Haotian, the Great Heavenly Venerable, commands all the gods of the Three Realms, governs the cycle of heaven and earth, and the order of yin and yang. He is acting on behalf of the Dao Ancestor to govern all things in heaven and earth. Your Majesty, on the other hand, commands all the immortals of the Three Realms, and governs all those who have attained immortality and transcended the mortal realm. You are solely in charge of the immortal path. This is the essential difference between the two."
"Now that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is depleted, and after the great calamity of the witch and demon, the immortal path has declined, and there are very few who can attain the Dao and become immortals. Therefore, the way of the goddess's rule has nowhere to be implemented. Without immortals to govern and without the path of immortals to flourish, she will naturally have no reputation and no fortune to bestow upon her. Without fortune and reputation, the path to proving the Dao will naturally be difficult to take even a step."
Yaochi nodded slowly, the gloom in her eyes dissipating slightly, and said in a deep voice, "What Taibai said is entirely reasonable, and I understand it all. So, what should we do now?"
Li Taibai calmly replied, "Now is the time of Emperor Fuxi's reign, and the human race's fortune is at its peak. The positions of the Earth Emperor and the Human Emperor have already been arranged by the sages. The most important thing now is to stabilize the order of the Jade Pool Immortal Realm, manage the Peach Garden, and organize the affairs of the celestial realm. You and I, as ruler and subject, should work together to cultivate and improve our own cultivation."
"After the Peach Banquet comes to a successful conclusion, we should observe the situation in the Three Realms and the attitude of the Sages. By analyzing the evolution of the banquet, we can determine the future trend and then make the next major plan. That would be the most prudent approach."
Yaochi's eyes finally lit up, and she nodded heavily: "Very well! As you say, let us wait nine thousand years, hold the Peach Banquet successfully, and then you and I, ruler and subject, will discuss our future plans!"
...............
Now Li Bai has also begun to plan his own cultivation, and has now received the blessing of Xihe, and has hidden many immortal scriptures!
It should be noted that if they possess even top-tier innate spiritual treasures like the Sun and Moon Essence Wheel, they naturally have no shortage of immortal scriptures. These are intended for the future revival of the demon race, and are therefore reserved for the incompetent Lu Ya.
It contains not only rare treasures from the Lich Wars era, but also the unique supernatural powers and techniques of the ten ancient demon saints, making it a truly rare treasure.
Upon entering the treasure vault, one is greeted by a myriad of rays of light and an aura of precious treasures, with all sorts of rare and precious materials displayed on both sides!
Li Taibai arrived at the central jade platform, where several ancient jade slips were placed. Each slip was imbued with a profound and sacred aura of demonic cultivation, representing the divine power inheritance of the Ten Great Demon Saints.
Li Taibai stepped forward slowly, observing intently. He pondered to himself that he was born from the essence of Geng metal, and his cultivation was shallow. If he did not have powerful supernatural abilities, he would eventually face many inconveniences when traveling to the Three Realms.
As he was engrossed in his meditation, soft footsteps sounded behind him. The Queen Mother of the West slowly entered the treasure vault, looked at the focused Li Taibai, and softly asked, "Taibai, are you here to cultivate these supernatural powers?"
Li Taibai quickly turned around: "Your Majesty, I was originally formed from the essence of Geng metal, sharing the same metal element as Your Majesty. Now, I still have several thousand years of leisure time, and I wish to take this opportunity to diligently improve my cultivation, develop supernatural powers, and magical abilities. In the future, when I travel through the Three Realms and serve Your Majesty, I will be able to do so more safely and conveniently. My aptitude is shallow, so I beg Your Majesty not to be so stingy as to personally teach me how to cultivate these supernatural powers."
Yaochi looked at Li Taibai, who was wholeheartedly planning for the emperor and diligently cultivating, and nodded gently with approval in her eyes: "Very well. Your current cultivation level is indeed very low in the Three Realms. If you encounter danger, you will find it difficult to protect yourself. You should first improve your cultivation and master protective divine abilities so that you can act freely in the Three Realms and live up to your loyalty."
Having said that, Yaochi stepped forward, picked up the jade slip containing the divine abilities of the ten demon saints from the jade platform, and said softly, "I will accompany you to comprehend the unique divine abilities of these ten demon saints. Each one has its own profound mysteries. Listen carefully, and I will explain the essence of their Dao to you one by one..."
................
Li Taibai stared intently at the jade slip, his divine sense probing and comprehending each technique. After a moment, he withdrew his attention, bowed to Yaochi, and said, "Your Majesty, the inheritances of the Ten Great Demon Saints each have their own merits, but upon careful comprehension, all the other techniques contradict my original Dao heart. Only the technique of the Great Sage Bai Ze resonates with my aura and aligns with my Dao heart. I can focus solely on cultivating this technique."
"Oh?"
Yaochi asked softly, "Why are none of the other demon saint techniques suitable for Taibai? Please explain in detail."
Li Taibai calmly began to analyze, point by point: "Your Majesty, the great sages such as Ji Meng and Jiu Ying all possess cultivation methods that emphasize killing and violence, filled with malevolent and demonic energy. Cultivating these methods easily disturbs one's Dao heart and taints one with the calamity of killing, which contradicts the path of a civil official assisting in governance and devising strategies. Bi Fang is associated with the element of fire, and Ying Zhao with the element of plants, which clashes with my innate Geng metal element, making it difficult for them to make progress in their cultivation..."
"Only the Great Sage Bai Ze, who does not advocate killing and instead focuses on the path of wisdom, understands all things, discerns the secrets of heaven, and comprehends cause and effect, possesses a pure and balanced cultivation method, and attains enlightenment entirely through awakened mind and wisdom. This perfectly aligns with my innate Geng metal nature—sharp yet not violent, adept at observing trends and making decisive plans. Furthermore, it fits the current primordial order of sages' games, requiring them to discern right from wrong and predict the grand scheme of things. Therefore, he is more suitable to advise Your Majesty!"
Yaochi nodded repeatedly, her eyes full of approval: "Indeed, you are intelligent and resourceful, meticulous and adept at planning. Now that the world is ruled by a sage, there is no large-scale killing in the primordial world. Cultivating the killing techniques of other demon saints will not be of much benefit, but will only easily lead to trouble. Cultivating Bai Ze's techniques is the best choice."
Yaochi raised her hand and took Bai Ze's jade slip into her hand. Immortal light poured into the jade slip, and a clear golden light slowly overflowed, revealing the full name of the cultivation technique!
Bai Ze's enlightened principle!
"This is the supreme mental cultivation method that the Great Sage Bai Ze has practiced throughout his life. It perfectly matches your natal star configuration of the Morning Star. The light of the Morning Star illuminates and dispels illusions, while the wisdom of Bai Ze comprehends all things. The two complement each other and can be described as a match made in heaven. Therefore, I will now expound this method to you, my dear minister!"
Bai Ze himself is a quasi-saint, and his own Dao is exceptionally profound, while Taibai Jinxing is only at the early stage of Taiyi Golden Immortal. If Taibai were to learn it on his own, it would be in vain even if he studied for tens of millions of years, because he would not be able to understand it until he reached the required level.
However, Yaochi himself is a quasi-saint. With Yaochi present, it can be said that although his preaching is not as good as that of a saint, it is still far superior to what Li Bai could achieve through his own research.
In other words, even though one could follow other sages and be their disciple, one was not qualified to receive personal instruction from them. However, Yaochi could personally provide Li Bai with personal instruction at any time.
Although Bai Ze's cultivation method is not the Great Dao of Saints, it is at least a top-level Great Dao at the Quasi-Saint level. This cultivation method is divided into ten levels, with the main cultivation of insight, enlightenment, discernment of the Dao, recognition of roots, observation of destiny, severing calamities, breaking through falsehoods, knowing the heart, understanding the mystery, and uniting with the Dao, progressing step by step, leading directly to the peak of the Dao of Wisdom!
Among them are many great supernatural powers, such as the all-seeing eye, the opening of the Bai Ze Dao eye, and the breaking of all the obscurations of the Heavenly Dao, the secrets of the sages, the fog of time and space, and the chaos and falsehood.
Of course, these scriptures exaggerate a bit. If one truly comprehends the Great Dao, it may not be impossible, at least at the Quasi-Saint level.
...............
The temple of the Dao Ancestor has been erected. Now is the time to arrange everything properly within nine thousand years. This is the time for Bai Ze to compete for the position of the Dao Ancestor's Grand Sacrifice in Yaochi, and it is also the time to truly establish his reputation in all directions of the Three Realms!