Chapter 294 - Easy to Obtain Dao but Difficult to Preserve Dao
The sun set below the horizon as stars took over the skies. The ocean gradually regained calmness and eventually returned to peace unlike the tsunami scenario moments before.
Shen Lian peeped to his right and could sense a killing vibe.
As he visualized, the aura vanished without a trace, as if it was never there.
Shen Lian"s mind was clear as he perceived that the person who was secretly peeping them had left.
This person was certainly not any weaker than Bai Suhuan and was a highly skilled Dao cultivator. He was able to enter and exit the realm in a clear-cut fas.h.i.+on and that certainly would make him a fearsome person.
Meanwhile, a dejected Bai Suhuan was finally ready to tell Shen Lian the truth.
Apparently, Bai Suhuan had another blood relative of the name Chen Mubai, who was one of the Twelve True Zhenrens of Guangqing. Bai Suhuan only found out about this person fifty years ago.
Shen Lian thought a person like Bai Suhuan who had given up desires would not be easily affected by the words of other people, even if that person was related by blood. But this person used this as an excuse to get in touch with Bai Suhuan and manipulated him to gain insider information about Qing Xuan. It was also through Chen Mubai that Bai Suhan found out about the celestial medicine that could prolong one"s life.
When Qing Xuan declined, Bai Suhuan felt that it was not a big deal to leak confidential information as Qing Xuan would most probably not punish him as the school was desperate to fill up the vacancy.
He objected the idea of Shen Lian taking over the chief"s position because he felt that Shen Lian"s talent and young age would jeopardize his position at the school.
Because of that incident, Bai Suhuan felt that Shen Lian was suspicious of him. As for the case of the celestial medicine, he found it hard to explain to Shen Lian. Under the pressure that his doomsday was about to arrive, he made the risky decision to first obtain the medicine and then decide what to do with it later.
In order to obtain the medicine, he had proved a couple of times and realized that no one knew about the whereabouts of Shen Lian. That was when he decided that he needed to take action.
He coaxed Zhang Ruoxu"s nephew, Zhang Lingxian to join him as he knew that this person was extremely dissatisfied with Shen Lian. Besides that, everyone knew that Zhang Ruoxu"s treatment towards Shen Lian was beyond a teacher-student relations.h.i.+p. If things did not work out, at least he could use Zhang Lingxian to cus.h.i.+on the impact or even turn the tables around.
After hearing Bai Suhuan"s side of the story, Shen Lian responded, "Doyen Bai, do you seriously think that your thing with Chen Mubai can be concealed from the Grand Ancestor Master who has been protecting the Taiwei Pavilion for years? If he sensed something odd in your activities all these years, he could easily trace back to you, even if the Guangqing Celestial School tried to cover up your tracks. If he has the intention, with his skills, he could easily track you down and watch every step you take."
Bai Suhuan smiled bitterly, "Yes, I"ve thought of it but I"ve been fine for all these years. Naturally, I a.s.sumed that he knew nothing about it. But looking at it now, he probably knew everything but he chose to not confront me about it."
Shen Lian calmly responded, "That"s because you"ve never visited the Taiwei Pavilion all these years."
"Why would I want to go to the Taiwei Pavilion since I"ve committed something so terrible like this?" Bai Suhuan said.
Shen Lian responded, "Perhaps he"s waiting for you to come. If you are not willing to face such a small matter, how would you breakthrough Xuw.a.n.g? Practice and cultivation were like sailing against the current; you either keep forging ahead or you fall behind. Doyen Bai, can you try to rediscover your original intention when you first started practicing Dao and achieving Huandan. I believe you were more courageous, intelligent and determined back then compared to the person you are today."
The journey of Dao cultivation was never an easy one as cultivators have to endure many painful experiences that ordinary people could not withstand and they might face all sorts of spontaneous obstacles. But the biggest obstacle was the long-term maintenance of the heart of Dao. Some people were still able to stay high-spirited upon achieving Huandan but once they get to the stage of Pow.a.n.g, they had long abandoned their original intention of choosing Dao.
And that was how the age-old saying, "It is easy to obtain Dao but it"s difficult to preserve Dao" came about.
A true Daoist would not only willing sacrifice themselves in a deadly fight but they too were brave enough to face the stains on the mirror of their bier.
Although Shen Lian was impressed by Bai Suhuan"s determination to fight him, at this very moment, he could see through the weakness behind Bai Suhuan"s lack of courage. He had lost his heart of Dao and that was why he failed to make any progress for the past years. All he could do was cultivate his mana and refined his techniques.
Bai Suhuan asked, "If I didn"t get involved in the incident today and waited for you to appear and request for the celestial medicine instead, would you have given it to me?"
Shen Lian calmly replied, "I would have given it to you if you"ve done so. But I would feel sorry for you. You have yet to breakthrough Xuw.a.n.g after hundreds of years, so what"s the point of living a few extra years. You"re only wearing down your Dao."
Bai Suhuan replied in a sad tone, "That is true and it sounds foolish but I always have that hope that perhaps if I lived longer, I could return to my original path, my initial intention of cultivating and regain my true nature. I was foolish."
Shen Lian sighed, "It"s not too late for you to realize this now but there"s a price to pay for your actions today. I have decided to insert a Celestial Sealing Nail on you to lock your cultivation. You will be in captivity for a hundred years at the back mountain of the Taiyi Peak. Do you subdue to that?"
Bai Suhuan calmly replied, "I only have three years left, there"s no point of keeping me in captivity for a hundred years."
Shen Lian smiled but did not answer. The melodious sea breeze led Shen Lian and Bai Suhuan back to the sh.o.r.e of Qing Xuan.
Time slipped by without a trace.
It had been a year since Shen Lian captured Bai Suhuan. He sat by the door and talked about Daoism. Even the Huandan Doyen benefited from his talk. Bai Suhuan and Zhang Lingxian were imprisoned at the back mountains to reflect on their actions. This was an extremely lenient punishment for them.
Zhang Lingxian"s prejudice towards Shen Lian was too deep, he insisted that Zhang Ruoxu was unfair to him.
Shen Lian was not bothered by trivial matters as such. Right or wrong, Zhang Lingxian psychosis-liked paranoia was beyond rescue.
This turmoil in Qing Xuan was just a mini-episode.
Shen Lian believed the old Daoist had seen it coming but wanted to help Bai Suhuan face his fears and recover his nature to obtain immortality.
Unfortunately, Bai Suhuan failed to prevail over his barrier as he was still hoping to extend his lifespan and for a miracle to help him overcome Xuw.a.n.g and obtain immortality.
Miracles would not happen in an uncertain future. A true Daoist will seize the moment.
The old Daoist took this as a test to polish Bai Suhuan, hoping that he could genuinely enlightened and stay clean of external desires. Unfortunately, Bai Suhuan failed to pa.s.s this level and took the road not supposed to be taken. As for why Shen Lian would appear at the right time when things were most critical, it was actually the old Daoist"s consciousness that led Shen Lian out.
This had always been Qing Xuan"s way of honing their disciples; it was also the reason why they were able to produce countless immortals in their million years of history.
"Qing Xuan will never give up on their disciples unless it is the disciples themselves that have given up. Qing Xuan too will not set boundaries to any of their disciples, unless it is the disciples that limit themselves." A melodious voice of Dao could be heard on the loop by the River of Spirits.
Every Doyens and disciple who were present looked up to the Taiyi Peak to see Shen Lian who was on a lotus flower, leisurely delivering his speech.
At this very moment, they felt that Shen Lian had entered the state of holy deities. Everything he said or did leave a deep impression on them.