Chapter 783 - 236: Defying Heaven and Revolting Against the Dao
[This Chapter was from yesterday, I forgot to set it on schedule.
There will be another update today!]
·
Chapter 236: "Defy the Heavens, Go Against the Tao"
Ten pounds of Li Fire Copper.
The value of this item, Chen Yan quickly calculated in his mind, would be around a hundred thousand Jade Coins—simply repairing a Substitute Puppet doesn’t require so much.
However, Li Fire Copper itself is an extremely rare substance and is an important material for making Magical Artifacts and Magical Treasures.
Chen Yan admitted that he was indeed tempted—to repair the Substitute Puppet on one hand, as it would serve as an extra life-saving trump card.
On the other hand, since he had obtained Nangong Sheng’s insights on Artifact Refining, he also wanted to put more thought and effort into creating Magical Artifacts, and such rare materials were not to be missed.
After contemplating for a while, Chen Yan slowly said, "I can’t guarantee you anything, but I can forward your Artifact Refining techniques and insights to Nangong Sheng and let him take a look—as to whether he will appreciate you, I cannot guarantee."
Nan Qiao heard this and nodded without hesitation, "As long as you can do that, Fellow Daoist, it would count as helping me!"
Chen Yan frowned and looked at Nan Qiao, saying, "Ten pounds of Li Fire Copper is valuable. If you are willing to present these ten pounds of Li Fire Copper as a gift to that Family’s scion, as an apology, it might let him spare your family.
Why bother giving these things to me, asking me to recommend you to Nangong Sheng, to gamble on an uncertain possibility?"
Nan Qiao sighed, with a trace of unwillingness in his eyes, and after a moment of silence, spoke softly, "Fellow Daoist, although my Nan family is not an illustrious Family, we also have our dignity.
That person treats my Nan family like dogs and pigs, consistently oppressing and belittling us. If there were any other choice, we would not wish to bow down to him!
Moreover, that person’s nature is reckless and arrogant, his behavior is debauched, and he is narrow-minded and vengeful—a mad dog!
Even if we kneel this time, offering these gifts, perhaps even sacrificing my sister, might allow him to spare my family—but what about the future?
He is a mad dog, a capricious scoundrel. If he steps on us again in the future, does my Nan family still need to bleed ourselves dry to cater to him? To be bullied by him again and again?
Instead, it’s better to fight for once and for all. As long as I can be accepted as a disciple by the Saint’s Sect, then my family will no longer need to fear his persecution."
Chen Yan nodded, thought for a moment, and still decided to speak upfront, "I heard that in recent times, the Saint’s doctrine you learned from the sect didn’t turn out well. It seems your understanding and insights on the teachings were also not well-received, why is that?"
The question had to be clarified—if the other party were truly a failure, then recommending him to Nangong Sheng would be a wasted effort.
Nan Qiao listened to the question, his eyes dimmed, "To not hide anything from Fellow Daoist, actually... during my time selecting and cultivating in the sect’s outer courtyard, I increasingly felt that the doctrine of the Celestial Demon Yin Yang Joyful Sect seemed to clash with the path I’ve learned over the past few decades."
"Oh?" Chen Yan suddenly became interested!
The Saint’s doctrine of the sect, and this Nan Qiao actually cannot learn it? It seems, it’s not just a matter of being unable to learn, but there’s a conflict, or disdain?
He originally wouldn’t be interested in such matters, but his Finger Ring’s two Artifact Spirits had expressed disdain towards this Saint’s sect’s Taoist Skill, with a dismissive attitude.
Keep in mind, this is the Saint’s doctrine of the sect!
In the Domain Realm, achieving the position of a Venerable Saint is like being a deity. The doctrinal lineage and cultivation path left by a Venerable Saint—how could it possibly be inadequate?
These questions, he wanted to ask the Artifact Spirits in the Finger Ring quite a lot, but they couldn’t be contacted, couldn’t be communicated with.
Just as this Nan Qiao couldn’t learn the Saint’s doctrine, he couldn’t resist following up with questions.
Nan Qiao, after hearing, displayed hesitation and internal struggle on his face, seeming to have concerns, but ultimately he was in need of Chen Yan’s help and dared not refuse to answer Chen Yan’s question, afraid of offending this only hope of his now.
Finally, Nan Qiao hesitated repeatedly and slowly said, "The sect’s doctrine emphasizes facing one’s true heart directly, harmonizing yin and yang. To put it bluntly, the ultimate path is summed up in two words—fusion. Or perhaps, balance.
Do not misunderstand, the sect’s teachings also acknowledge the Heart Demon, and do not reject it, even encouraging everyone to face and accept it.
But at its core, Celestial Demon, Celestial before Demon. Heaven above, Demon below.
The ultimate purpose of facing the Heart Demon is to thoroughly understand it, then dissolve it using the power of the Heavenly Principle, ultimately achieving fusion.
Such a cultivation route isn’t consistent with my path of Artifact Refining. I am no longer a novice cultivator and have been practicing for decades with an established Taoist heart, making it difficult to reconcile with such doctrines.
So, when I heard the awakening bell, the sect’s Saint Dao Rhyme, and the elders’ teachings, I felt that they were entirely incompatible with my recognized Taoist heart, it’s just... just..."
Understandable, conflicting values make it difficult to assimilate.
Chen Yan sighed, "But you must understand, since the Dao heart conflicts, even if you somehow remain in the Celestial Demon Yin Yang Joyful Sect as an official disciple, if your Dao heart is not in harmony, your future cultivation path will likely have significant troubles too!"
The so-called Dao heart is inherent cognition and belief in one’s cultivation path.