The Quest for Immortality

After mastering the new Fireball Technique, Mo Hua dedicated his efforts to studying arrays.

A few days later, after becoming proficient in the Reverse Spirit Array, Mo Hua sought advice from Mr. Zhuang. Mr. Zhuang pondered for a moment and then suddenly asked:

”Hua’er, cultivators seek the Dao of Heaven. Do you know what the Dao of Heaven is?”

Mo Hua thought for a moment and replied, ”Is it immortality?”

”Immortality is the result, not the Dao of Heaven itself.”

”Isn’t immortality the same as attaining the Dao?” Mo Hua asked.

Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and said earnestly:

”Immortals attain the Dao to achieve longevity. Only by comprehending the Great Dao and practicing the principles of the Dao of Heaven can one ultimately achieve immortality.”

”If one does not comprehend the Dao of Heaven and practice the laws of the Great Dao, but instead blindly seeks immortality, they are pursuing the superficial and ignoring the fundamental. This will inevitably lead to a misguided path.”

Mo Hua seemed to understand but still nodded, remembering Mr. Zhuang’s words.

”Does the Five Elements count as the Dao of Heaven?” Mo Hua thought and asked.

”Yes, it does,” Mr. Zhuang replied.

”If the Five Elements count...” Mo Hua continued to think, ”then do the Two Poles, the Three Talents, the Four Symbols, the Seven Stars, or the use of spiritual sense, physical body, and spiritual power all count as forms of the Dao of Heaven?”

Mo Hua was a bit uncertain.

Mr. Zhuang nodded.

Mo Hua was stunned, ”If that’s the case, isn’t the Great Dao too diverse...”

Mr. Zhuang said, ”The Great Dao encompasses myriad things. Everything in this world, every blade of grass and every tree, all conform to the Dao of Heaven.”

Seeing that Mo Hua did not quite understand, Mr. Zhuang explained further:

”Ancient cultivators observed the heavens and the earth, studied all things in the world, and understood the principles of the operation of the forces of heaven and earth. This is how they created all the methods of cultivation, as well as arrays, pills, talismans, and artifacts.”

”Everything in this world follows the Dao of Heaven, and the power of cultivators also originates from the Dao of Heaven.”

Mo Hua pondered for a while and then asked, puzzled:

”If everything in this world follows the Dao of Heaven, what about those who go against it? Are they following it or defying it?”

”The so-called defiance of the Dao of Heaven is actually also following the Dao of Heaven.”

Mr. Zhuang explained, ”The Great Dao encompasses creation and destruction. Those who follow the Dao of Heaven follow the path of ’creation,’ while those who defy it follow the path of ’destruction.’”

Mo Hua suddenly understood a bit.

The Dao of Heaven is divided into two poles, opposing yet complementing each other.

Existence and non-existence give rise to each other, creation and destruction shape each other, righteousness and evil contrast, and good and evil accompany each other.

Everything is part of the Dao. All human actions also follow the ’Dao,’ but some ’Dao’ are eternal, while others lead only to self-destruction.

Mo Hua thought for a while but still had some confusion:

”If everything in this world follows the Dao of Heaven, then all that we see and hear is the Dao. What are cultivators seeking the Dao of Heaven for?”

Mr. Zhuang said, ”The Great Dao encompasses all things, but it also implies chaos and complexity, with both righteousness and evil, truth and falsehood, appearance and essence.”

”Humans have eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, while objects have color, sound, fragrance, taste, touch, and law. Every day, what we see, hear, and know is a mix of good and bad, truth and falsehood. Over time, one naturally becomes immersed in illusions and superficiality, making it difficult to perceive the true essence of the Great Dao.”

Mo Hua’s eyes brightened, and then he said:

”It’s like looking at a visualization diagram, where one needs to see beyond the surface to glimpse the true essence?”

Mr. Zhuang’s eyes showed a hint of satisfaction, and he nodded slightly.

Mo Hua was still puzzled, ”Then what counts as the true essence of the Great Dao?”

Mr. Zhuang said, ”That is something you have to figure out for yourself. As long as you have not become an immortal, the Dao you recognize is not the true essence of the Dao. Some are even flawed or erroneous.”

Mr. Zhuang then smiled, ”I have not become an immortal either, so what I tell you is certainly not correct. What I perceive as the true essence might just be a deeper layer of the surface, not the ultimate Great Dao.”

”I understand, sir,” Mo Hua nodded. ”The principles one comprehends through personal understanding are one’s own. No matter how much others say, no matter how right, if I haven’t experienced it, I cannot fully grasp it.”

”Therefore, seeking the Dao of Heaven requires personal understanding. Even if the initial comprehension is shallow, as long as one keeps thinking and understanding, gradually discerning truth from falsehood, one will eventually see the true essence of the Great Dao.”

Mr. Zhuang nodded, ”Well said.”

Mo Hua smiled but was still somewhat uncertain, ”Sir, I’m just at the Qi refining stage and already thinking about comprehending the Dao of Heaven. Is it too early...”

Mr. Zhuang shook his head, his voice gentle:

”Cultivation starts from the Qi refining stage, and understanding the Dao also starts from bit by bit, step by step, from low to high, from weak to strong, from shallow to deep. Only then can one form a Dao heart and truly comprehend the Great Dao.”

”Just like observing this world, if you look from a high position, you will be blinded by your own height and see only yourself. Only by looking from the lowest point, seeing all living beings, and witnessing the hardships of cultivators, can you see the most essential things in this world.”

Mo Hua nodded, lost in thought.

But he was still young and inexperienced. Although he roughly understood Mr. Zhuang’s meaning, he had not seen the broader cultivation world outside of Tongxian City, so his comprehension was not deep.

Mr. Zhuang sighed softly, ”These principles, I didn’t intend to tell you now. Telling you now is too early...”

But if I don’t say it now, I may not have the chance to say it later...

Mo Hua was taken aback and understood Mr. Zhuang’s meaning. He then solemnly nodded and said:

”Sir, I will remember all your teachings!”

Mr. Zhuang smiled slightly and said:

”Since you understand this principle, I can teach you the use of the Reverse Spirit Array.”

Mo Hua was a bit surprised, ”Does the Reverse Spirit Array have something to do with these principles?”

Mr. Zhuang said, ”Cultivators seek the Dao of Heaven, which involves both the Dao heart and cultivation level. To pursue the Great Dao, both the Dao heart and cultivation are indispensable.”

”What I mentioned earlier relates to the Dao heart. What I am about to teach you concerns cultivation and arrays, or rather, the essence of the Dao of Heaven in terms of spiritual power.”

Mr. Zhuang’s tone gradually slowed, and his gaze became profound.

Mo Hua’s eyes sharpened, and he sat upright, listening attentively.

Mr. Zhuang gently exhaled and slowly said:

”The origin of heaven and earth is Qi. At the beginning of the universe, a single Qi transformed and gave birth to all things in the heavens and earth.”

”The original Qi is called the Primordial Qi. Its breath is chaotic and powerful. After countless years, the chaos cleared and became the Vital Qi of all things.”

”Among them, the purest and densest Qi, which can be refined and utilized by cultivators, is Spiritual Qi. Spiritual Qi contains the power of the Dao of Heaven. This power is called spiritual power.”

”All methods and Dao techniques in the world, whether related to metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, or ice, fundamentally derive from the manifestation of spiritual power.”

”The spells of spiritual cultivators, as well as the blood Qi and strength of body cultivators, although they appear different, are also forms of spiritual power.”

Mo Hua suddenly understood:

”So, the power of the Five Elements, as well as spells, blood Qi, and strength, are all manifestations, and spiritual power is the essence of their power?”

Mr. Zhuang nodded, ”Indeed, all Dao techniques, whether spells or martial arts, are constructed from spiritual power.”

”Are arrays the same?”

”Arrays are the same.”

Mo Hua thought for a moment and understood.

Arrays require array eyes to provide spiritual power. Spiritual power flows through array patterns and eventually forms the distinct power of the Five Elements arrays.

”Then, what is different about the Reverse Spirit Array?” Mo Hua asked.

Mr. Zhuang paused for a moment and then said slowly:

”Ordinary arrays gather and form spiritual power to create the power of the Five Elements. The Reverse Spirit Array, however, reverses and decomposes spiritual power, generating a purer and more fundamental power of destruction closer to the essence of the Great Dao.”

”The Great Dao encompasses creation and destruction. Gathering leads to creation, while decomposition leads to destruction!”

”The Reverse Spirit Array contains the power of destruction and decomposition of the Great Dao. What it truly decomposes is not the array but the more essential spiritual power within the array!”