Qing Ling raised an eyebrow, Bai Ze, the divine beast, a future wise one of the demon race.
"Bai Ze? Also a creature of innate origins, already a Golden Immortal, though his path is not particularly clear."
Ancestor Jiu Xuan chuckled, "Fellow Daoist's judgment of people is exceptionally accurate."
He turned, picked up the third cup of tea by the stone table, and handed it to Bai Ze. "Have you not paid your respects to your teacher yet?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Ze bowed deeply.
Qing Ling's eyelids twitched violently, and he quickly raised a hand as if to stop him.
Bai Ze's bow had not yet been completed.
"What is the meaning of this, Fellow Daoist?" Qing Ling frowned, "I never said I would take in a disciple to teach the Way."
Bai Ze, the foremost among the Ten Great Demon Marshals of the ancient Heavenly Court, was a key minister to Emperors Jun and Taiyi.
If he accepted him, the calamity of the Wu and Yao would likely intensify.
Jiu Xuan smiled, "Does Fellow Daoist recall the promise made in the Underworld?
Today, I seek only one thing. Is Fellow Daoist going to renege on your word?"
Qing Ling felt a pang of bitterness. "How about we exchange it for something else? I am willing to protect the Nine-Colored Deer tribe and ensure their eternal survival."
Jiu Xuan shook his head, "I seek only this.
When Xi Mountain was at its weakest, the clan leader used the strength of the entire tribe to protect an innate divine being, and after the divine being grew, they protected the Snake tribe for eternity.
Fellow Daoist, you should understand my intentions, right?"
Qing Ling was momentarily speechless. This Jiu Xuan wished to emulate Granny Hua Geng and himself, nurturing Bai Ze to then support the Nine-Colored Deer tribe.
His mind raced, and he compromised. "I can take Bai Ze in and teach him the Way of cultivation, but not as a disciple.
I have resolved that in this life, I will never take in a disciple! Fellow Daoist, do not make things difficult for me."
Ancestor Jiu Xuan's brows furrowed. After much deliberation, he said, "Very well. Since Fellow Daoist's mind is made up, I understand.
Although Bai Ze is not your disciple, he will be considered part of the Dug Guang lineage. As for his future path, it will be as he wishes."
Qing Ling nodded, signifying his agreement.
Bai Ze held the tea cup and bowed, "Bai Ze pays his respects to the Dao Master. Please accept this tea, Dao Master!"
Qing Ling nodded, took the tea cup from Bai Ze's hand, and drank it down in one gulp.
"From this day forth, you, Bai Ze, belong to my Dug Guang lineage. When you travel through the Primordial World, you may use my name to protect yourself.
I will teach you the true methods of the Great Way. Once you reach the Great Luo realm, you are free to stay or leave.
But no matter when, once you enter Dug Guang, you must remember that you must never do anything that harms my Dug Guang. Otherwise, even the vastness of heaven and earth will offer no refuge for your life!"
Bai Ze respectfully bowed again, "Bai Ze remembers this in his heart and would never forget!"
"Rise," Qing Ling said with a smile. "From now on, you will reside within Dug Guang. If you have any doubts about cultivation, you may come to Jianmu to find me at any time."
Bai Ze stood up and replied somewhat formally, "Thank you, Dao Master."
Ancestor Jiu Xuan, seeing this, chuckled, "Now I can rest easy and depart."
Qing Ling asked in confusion, "Where is Fellow Daoist going?"
Jiu Xuan sighed, "Naturally, to the outer chaos."
"Why go to the outer heavens?" Qing Ling asked. "The three tribes are now a thing of the past. Fellow Daoist could roam freely across the lands and enjoy the world."
"Alas, but the Heavenly Dao now governs the Primordial World. Once Hongjun achieves the realm of the Hunyuan Wuji Da Luo Golden Immortal Venerable, the Heavenly Dao will unify. We ancient mighty beings, who do not possess great fortune to sustain ourselves, will be used by the Heavenly Dao to benefit the Primordial World.
Therefore, we have no choice but to leave the Primordial World and find refuge in the chaos."
Qing Ling raised an eyebrow. "Since the Heavenly Dao does not permit it, why doesn't Fellow Daoist join my Earthly Dao? With the Earthly Dao as refuge, the Heavenly Dao would find it difficult to harm you."
Ancestor Jiu Xuan shook his head. "I am old and truly have no desire to participate.
To contend with heaven, to fight with earth, to scheme against all beings, to vie for glory with all the Ways – that is for the younger generation like yourselves. I am already in the Heavenly-Human Five Decays, my fate is sealed, my heart is weary. I would rather enjoy my remaining years in peace."
"Bai Ze, after I leave, you must diligently seek the Way and the Dharma from the Dao Master.
Although you are not of my Nine-Colored Deer tribe, you possess my tribe's essence. Having resided within my tribe for several Yuan Hui, you are, in a sense, half a Nine-Colored Deer. Although I have made many arrangements for our kin, in the future, I will still need you to look after them."
Bai Ze's eyes were slightly moist. "Bai Ze remembers. I will never forget the Old Ancestor's kindness."
Jiu Xuan left with a smile, giving Qing Ling a strand of nine-colored thread that could guide him to find him in the chaos.
Qing Ling was momentarily lost in thought. Perhaps, escaping the Primordial World to the chaos, to live alone without contention or struggle, enjoying immeasurable longevity, was indeed a good destination.
Alas, he carried too much. These karmic entanglements were unclear, and even hiding in the chaos would lead to him being found. When the mortal calamity arrived, no one could save him!
Qing Ling turned to look at Bai Ze, who was still in a daze, and smiled. "Let's go. I'll show you the inner Dug Guang and find a place for your cave dwelling."
Bai Ze suddenly came to his senses and quickly agreed, following behind Qing Ling.
On the way, spirit grasses were everywhere, and spirit beasts roamed freely.
A plump white rabbit darted out, nibbling on grass and looking at him curiously with its red eyes.
A eland ambled past him without the slightest fear.
Colorful butterflies chased his white robes playfully, and spirit birds chirped on small branches. The wind on the prairie was calm and peaceful, devoid of slaughter or conflict, isolated from the world and harmonious with it.
Qing Ling walked ahead of him, his solitary back tall and imposing, a senior who commanded reverence, yet possessed a face that stirred the hearts of all beings.
Bai Ze watched him, one hand behind his back, walking with an air of leisure. Yet, the light and shadows of the world did not fall upon him, and the wind from all directions did not stir the hem of his clothes.
He was like an otherworldly immortal, possessing more of an immortal aura than any immortal Bai Ze had ever seen, yet he did not consider himself an immortal.
"Have you found a place you fancy?"
Qing Ling turned back and asked.
Bai Ze blinked, then quickly lowered his head. "Anywhere is fine for Bai Ze."
Qing Ling chuckled at his timid demeanor. "Then find one yourself. Once your cave dwelling is settled, come find me under Jianmu."
Qing Ling turned and disappeared into the void.
Bai Ze bowed to the spot where he had vanished, "Farewell, Dao Master."
Only then did he stand up and examine this land carefully.
Bai Ze opened his mind, sensing the natural world.
Within Dug Guang, the thoughts of all things, the intentions of all beings, were connected to his being.
Bai Ze found a depression in the grassland and built a stone house. Three small houses stood side-by-side on the prairie. Surrounded by cattle, sheep, deer, and birds, with vast green grasslands stretching to the horizon, he was momentarily lost in thought. Dug Guang was beautiful.
Beneath Jianmu, Qing Ling's mind raced. In his primordial spirit space, countless threads of karma were divided, entangled and complex. The disturbances of myriad worlds played out in his mind.
The calamity of the Wu and Yao had drawn closer to him.
Taiyi, Kunpeng, Dijiang, and Bai Ze – the Wu and Yao figures he had met, along with the Three Pure Ones, the Bodhi Tree and White Lotus of the West, and the great powers of the Wu and Yao and Primordial World known from his past life – all formed a knot in his mind.
A knot formed by thousands of entangled threads.
With every tiny movement of a single thread, there were tens of thousands of different combinations and changes.
Qing Ling searched through myriad karmic threads for the optimal solution!
After a long while, he opened his eyes.
At the same time, a voice sounded.
"Bai Ze pays his respects to the Dao Master."
Qing Ling slowly said, "Sit!"
Beneath Jianmu, there were no houses or rooms, only two meditation cushions, one of which had just materialized.
Bai Ze slowly sat down.
Qing Ling smiled and said, "What Way do you wish to cultivate?"
Bai Ze pondered and retorted, "What Ways does the Dao Master have to cultivate? Can you teach me any one of the Three Thousand Great Ways if I choose it?"
"Naturally. Once one path is mastered, all paths are mastered." Qing Ling raised a finger, and a seed fell into the soil. "I have already walked beyond all the Ways. Even if I have not personally trodden another path, from a higher vantage point, I can still perceive all the Ways."
"But Bai Ze has heard immortals say: 'If our Ways differ, we cannot conspire together!'"
Qing Ling smiled and pointed at the grass between them. The seed broke through the soil and sprouted.
"The Three Thousand Great Ways converge to the same destination! Watch!
A new sprout breaks through the earth, life's creation nurturing vitality.
The initial sprout endures wind, rain, sun, and moon, then grows robustly.
Year after year, as time flows, the small tree's leaves occupy a zhang of space in this world.
Under the vast starry night sky, the tree absorbs starlight. Cold comes and heat goes, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, the four seasons revolve, and growth and decay repeat.
The Three Thousand Great Ways create the myriad phenomena of the world; in fact, within one Way, there are three thousand, and the three thousand Ways can also be unified into one.
My Wood Way, if I call it the Wood Way, then it is the Wood Way.
If I say it is the creation of life, then it is.
If I say it can transform Yin and Yang, then it can.
I have one Way that can transform into three thousand Ways!
As long as you can reach the point where one Way is your Way, the differences between all the Ways in the world will disappear in your eyes."
Bai Ze was filled with confusion. He had never witnessed such discourse on the Dao, yet he felt it was profoundly imbued with the essence of the Dao. The Dao, as spoken by him, was mysterious and profound, as if opening a gate to infinite wonders!
But he remembered one sentence: I have one Way that can transform into the three thousand Ways of the world.