Chapter 128: Dao Xin

At this moment, in the outside world,

that Young Master Diviner, on another part of the continent, let out a displeased click of his tongue: “Tsk, what good luck.”

“However, it’s not like there were no gains.”

He played with the shadow in his hand, saying so.

This was a trace of his Innate Dao Resonance.

The Demonic Seed.

This was the root cause of him directly entering the Shaman God Mountain gate, gaining the favor of the Grand Diviner, and becoming a Personal Disciple.

The Demonic Seed could directly enter the opponent’s Nascent Soul, invade the weakest point in their heart, and then forcefully drag the opponent into a demonic realm.

There, everything was exactly like reality, and everything that happened was real.

It was just that the opponent would fall into different states of mind due to the different weaknesses being invaded.

In that situation, if the opponent died, then they truly died, and the moves the opponent used would be recorded by him one by one, which was equivalent to a simulated battle.

But conversely, if he lost, whether the opponent saw through the demonic realm or killed him in the demonic realm, everything would revert to the beginning, as if nothing had happened.

It was equivalent to a forced battle, and that person had to win, could not lose, and would also be forcibly attached with the weakness of their Dao Heart, making them muddled and dominated by instinct.

Master said that the essence of his Demonic Seed was to expose the weaknesses of the Dao Heart, and then drag people into fragments of time and space, where things were half-true and half-false.

If he wanted it to be true, then it was true.

If he wanted it to be false, then it was an illusion.

Because this trace of Dao Resonance had already touched time and space, it was of great help to the Dao of Divination, which was why the Grand Diviner accepted him as a Disciple.

However, there were also limitations, which was that it could only be used twice on one person; after that, that person would be immune to the Demonic Seed.

Since he left the Master for training, those who could break or resist the Demonic Seed were few and far between.

Li Qi, this person, was indeed worthy of being the Disciple of the Grand Invoker, truly an opponent who could contend with him.

Also… that Bai Di, looking at his sword, it seemed to be the Xiezhi Sword, hmm, is that the Xiezhi from White Snake Prefecture? Then he should be from White Snake Prefecture? Is he Li Qi’s attendant?

And that woman named Shen Shuibi, who exactly is she?

Why could she see through all of his techniques at a glance? She shouldn’t be from Shaman God Mountain. Could it be that she’s from another Dao Orthodoxy, and therefore well-informed?

Which Dao Orthodoxy has this ability at the ninth rank?

The Human Dao’s Myriad Treasures Pavilion? Or something else? Or does she also have an Innate Dao Resonance, but he just hasn’t discovered it?

“I don’t know, but let’s wait and see.” He put away the Demonic Seed and continued to observe.

Master had told him that when he couldn’t figure out the answer, it meant there weren’t enough clues. As a Diviner, he should use his methods to continue acquiring clues and try his best to be foolproof.

As for using the Demonic Seed on Shen Shuibi and Bai Di, he hadn’t even thought about it.

The conflict between Diviners and Grand Invoker didn’t need to involve outsiders. If the Demonic Seed was used and couldn’t be broken, it meant death. Unless absolutely necessary, there was no need to kill people and offend them for no reason.

He didn’t treat the people of these miniature heaven and earths as people, but he still treated the people of that world as people.

——————

And on Li Qi’s side.

He opened his eyes.

He found himself still in the carriage.

Bai Di was sitting in the front passenger seat, seemingly unaware.

Li Qi found his back drenched, and there was a pair of hands pressing on his temples.

The touch of these hands was very soft, and at the same time, he saw a barrier in front of him, separating the back seat from the outside, preventing sound from spreading out.

He turned his head and saw it was Shen Shuibi.

She adjusted her sitting posture so that her hands could rest on Li Qi’s temples, and it was precisely this that gave Li Qi an important reminder within the demonic realm.

If it weren’t for that, Li Qi would probably have fallen into the trap.

“Thank you, Shen Guniang, I owe you a lot again this time…” Li Qi immediately expressed his gratitude.

Shen Shuibi, however, continued to press Li Qi’s temples and said to him: “I had noticed something earlier, but I felt that this matter might not necessarily be a bad thing for you, so I didn’t tell you.”

“It’s really not a bad thing…” Li Qi’s eyes were bloodshot, and he slumped in the carriage, allowing Shen Shuibi to transfer a cool Qi into his body, circling his brain.

“I was too arrogant. These past few days, I always stood at a high place, as if I was strategizing, arrogant and conceited, already a bit lost.” Li Qi took a deep breath.

“I thought I was neither humble nor arrogant in front of the Prefect and others, and that not boasting was already maintaining humility, but I didn’t realize that arrogance never comes from one’s attitude towards superiors, but from one’s attitude towards subordinates.”

“When I was in the world, I knew how vast the world was, so I was cautious and dared not do much, constantly reflecting on myself.”

“But after coming to this miniature heaven and earth, knowing that its foundation was not deep, and even used some clever tricks to play with the Heavenly Dao once, I felt a strong sense of superiority towards Zhang Deming and the others, and was complacent about my title of ‘Young Master’, feeling that although I was nothing in the world, here, I was indeed a significant figure.” Li Qi said, recounting the results of his introspection.

Then, he sighed: “Alas, arrogant and unaware, proud but without self-restraint, my Dao Heart has already developed flaws.”

Li Qi truly realized his mistake and the flaw in his Dao Heart, which was why he was in such a weakened state.

However, after Shen Shuibi listened, her previous worried expression disappeared, and instead, her eyes showed a hint of joy: “Being able to realize this means there’s a chance to mend this flaw.”

“I didn’t say it directly before because the Dao Heart cannot be spoken of directly. Too many words can easily provoke a backlash; one must comprehend it on their own. But it seems, Li Qi, you are still very good!” She said happily: “Flaws in the Dao Heart trouble even many great cultivators. Many people can recognize their flaws but can never mend them. You were able to awaken with just my small reminder. It shows that two-thirds of the purpose of this journey to a foreign land has been achieved.” Shen Shuibi said with a smile.

Li Qi felt a little secretly pleased when he heard Shen Shuibi praise him, but he immediately calmed down and asked himself why he was happy? Was it because of arrogance or something else?

After this experience, he had become vigilant, understanding that he must always reflect on himself so as not to fall into the flaws of the Dao Heart and eventually become someone else.

It’s just that, after thinking, he suddenly realized something: “Two-thirds of the purpose of this trip to a foreign land? Aren’t our goals to learn the Dao Resonance?”

“Ah, do you think the foreign Dao Resonance is very difficult then?” Shen Shuibi asked in return.

Li Qi recalled for a moment and had to admit it, so he replied: “…It’s very simple.”

“That’s right, the foreign Dao Resonance of such a miniature heaven and earth is inherently not difficult. By following the steps, visiting, you can naturally understand it, and there’s nothing strange about it.”

“The purpose of all foreign travels is actually to help Disciples of great sects like you change your mindset, to see how your mindset changes after leaving the world, and how to stabilize your Dao Heart.”

“Perceiving the Dao Resonance, learning knowledge, these can be done at any time, there’s no need to specifically go out for training, but stabilizing the Dao Heart is a constant lesson that accompanies your entire Dao path for tens of thousands of years, so your first lesson after descending the mountain must be this.”

“I actually noticed it early on, because when that Prefect invited you, I knew that this training must have been arranged by the Grand Invoker.”

“The Dao Heart is the foundation of cultivation. If the Dao Heart is insufficient, then a Martial Artist will lose the perseverance to practice their punches for ten years as one day, a Shaman will lose their reverence for Heaven and Earth natural, and people of the Dao will no longer adhere to a simple and pure cultivation, while those who cultivate the Human Dao will become irritable and oppressive towards the common people.”

Shen Shuibi said here, “Without the Dao Heart to uphold it, cultivation in the later stages will only be in vain. At that time, all your cultivation will no longer be your own.”

No longer his own?

This sentence made Li Qi feel a bit strange.

Even if the Dao Heart had flaws, it wouldn’t stop being himself, would it?

So, Li Qi humbly asked for guidance: “Why do you say that? If the Dao Heart has flaws, it’s no longer oneself?”

Shen Shuibi looked at Li Qi and said naturally: “It’s very simple. A common man, in a fit of rage, kills someone in the street. Do you think the decision to kill was made by himself?”

Hearing this question, Li Qi frowned and fell into deep thought.

Is it?

It should be.

Even if anger clouded his mind, it should still be his own decision.

But, is it really?

No, it’s not.

A common man, in a fit of rage, kills someone in the street.

But in reality, when a common man, in a fit of rage, is consumed by anger and kills someone, it’s a moment of hotheadedness, driven by anger, driven by instinct. His true self has been obscured by anger.

At that time, the decision he made was no longer his own.

“So, think again, what’s the difference between the rage of a scholar, where two corpses lie and blood flows five paces, and the rage of a common man?” Shen Shuibi asked him again.

Her tone was gentle and persuasive, guiding Li Qi step by step to ponder the answer.

Li Qi continued to ponder.

The difference between a common man, in a fit of rage, killing someone in the street, and a scholar’s rage, where two corpses lie and blood flows five paces?

Both involve killing out of anger, and in terms of outcome, there’s no difference.

But in reality?

The common man just got hot-headed and stabbed someone to death. It’s highly likely that he will regret it immensely afterwards, feeling fear and sorrow, and hating himself for being so impulsive at the time.

Because the common man didn’t think it through; when he was driven by anger, he didn’t find a better solution, and only afterwards did he realize that he didn’t actually need to kill anyone.

But the scholar’s rage would not regret it at all, because he had carefully considered it before acting. He already understood the cause and process of his decision and concluded that this was the best method, so he resolutely did it, able to act without regret even if he faced nine deaths.

This is the difference between “a surge of courage” and “where righteousness lies.”

This is also the difference between a Dao Heart that is obscured and a Dao Heart that is clear when making decisions.

With such clarity, one can be liberated, fearless of life and death in the pursuit of Dao, unafraid of powerful enemies, and can live for the Dao and die for the Dao.

People in the world do not cultivate their minds, so they are not free. They confuse right and wrong, mistaking falsehood for truth. Every person is like a slave, enslaved and bound by desires, impulses, and various emotions.

In this way, under the bondage of desire, they live involuntarily, die involuntarily, love and hate involuntarily, and toil involuntarily throughout their lives, neither knowing why they do so nor how to break free from it all. They just live habitually, experiencing birth, aging, sickness, and death, driven by many things under the shackles, without freedom.

But at this point, Li Qi’s confusion arose.

“Shen Guniang, then according to this, does cultivating the Dao mean abandoning the seven emotions and six desires, turning oneself into a robot? Analyzing pros and cons in everything, wouldn’t that be purely self-serving, only seeking one’s own benefit and stability? If so, would that still count as cultivation?” Li Qi asked, his brows tightly furrowed, extremely puzzled.

Shen Shuibi tilted her head and said, puzzled: “Why would you think that?”

“Not being driven by desires doesn’t mean abandoning desires. Desire itself is a component of the ‘Heart.’ If you abandon it, is your Heart still complete?”

“What is meant by a clear Dao Heart? It is to use wisdom to observe oneself, to constantly reflect. With reflection, one’s inner and outer self can become bright and clear, not driven by mere desires, recognizing one’s original true Heart.”

“Once you recognize your original true Heart, clarify confusion, discard greed, anger, and ignorance, understand what your desires are, what you truly want, what ignites your anger, and what are the motives and reasons behind your actions.”

“When your heart is clear and you understand these things, how could you do things that are misled by desire?”

“Just like the comparison between you now and before, you were previously misled by arrogance, obscuring your Dao Heart. So, do you really think such behavior was something you would do?”

Shen Shuibi threw out a series of questions, once again forcing Li Qi to ponder.

Then, Li Qi had to admit that what she said made a lot of sense.

Is being driven by instinct to act recklessly, allowing one’s desires to swell, truly freedom? That is merely being a slave to desires, not even a shred of freedom.

A clear Dao Heart, not confused by greed, anger, and ignorance, not bound by various Karma, not swayed by doubts, fears, anger, and other emotions, knowing one’s true self, and acting according to that true self.

To pursue one’s Dao without hesitation, to understand what one truly loves, what one truly seeks, and then to use all one’s energy and wisdom to achieve that goal.

This is the heart of a Dao Seeker, this is the ‘Dao Heart’.

All Dao Seekers must possess such a Heart to persevere steadfastly forward, maintaining their initial passion throughout their long lives; otherwise, they will only be manipulated by power and desire over a long period of time.

After understanding this, Li Qi suddenly felt that much of the confusion in his heart had completely disappeared.

After gaining power, the dust that had accumulated on his heart from cultivation seemed to have been swept away.

Dao in the external world is the law of the entire great Heaven and Earth.

Dao within the body is the principle of the human body’s miniature heaven and earth.

At this moment, the dust that had once been on his Dao Heart was swept away, and his human body’s miniature heaven and earth seemed to have become much clearer, and the circulation of various inner Qi and internal Divine Qi became smoother.

Seeing this, Shen Shuibi happily removed the barrier.

No one noticed what had just happened.