Chapter 18: Forsaking Immortality to Seek the Dao, Leaving or Staying with Composure

Zhang Boqi's expression changed abruptly, and his cuffs trembled slightly.

During the first few years, he had actually fed it on time every month.

But later, he felt it was too much of a waste to let such high-quality Jade Spirit Grass be eaten by a mountain demon, so he secretly skimmed some off and stuffed it into his own stomach.

Without waiting for an answer, the copper coins suddenly jumped; the second line turned from Yang to Yin, and the hexagram instantly transformed into the sign of *Wei Ji* (Before Completion).

"As I thought."

The Jade Bone Immortal let out a cold snort. "Jade Spirit Grass is of Yin nature; it was meant to harmonize the ferocious nature of the mountain demon. Instead, you secretly skimmed it to consume for yourself, causing an imbalance of Yin and Yang within your body."

With a sweep of her sleeve, the copper coins struck the table with a sharp *clink*. "The fourth line has changed; cold qi rushes to the heart—have you recently felt stagnation in your sea of qi and a lack of spiritual energy during cultivation?"

The disciples broke into an uproar. Zhang Boqi’s face turned ashen, and he prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to lift his head.

The Jade Bone Immortal closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, her tone was frigid.

"The *Wei Ji* hexagram can eventually be crossed, but your intent has already strayed. From this day forth, go to the Beast Taming Cliff and face the wall for a hundred days. Feed the mountain demon with your own essence and blood every day to repay what you owe.

If, after a hundred days, the beast's nature remains untamed..."

With a flick of her finger, a copper coin embedded itself into the table in front of Zhang Boqi with a *ding*. "...then the Yin poison within you cannot be fully purged, and your cultivation shall never progress again."

After thanking the Jade Bone Immortal with a deathly pale face, Zhang Boqi stumbled out of the Hall of Hearing the Dao.

Following this incident, the atmosphere in the Hall became much heavier. Many disciples who had been looking forward to receiving guidance now felt anxious.

Some even prayed silently in their hearts that they would not be the one chosen.

The Jade Bone Immortal cared little for this. She casually pointed into the crowd again. "You, do you have a request, or are you filled with doubt?"

The female disciple who was pointed at rose in a panic and shook her head hurriedly. "This disciple has no request, nor any doubt!"

A subtle expression appeared on the Jade Bone Immortal's face, and she shook her head with a light laugh.

"Rivers do not speak, yet they flow; the bright moon has no heart, yet it shines upon people. To claim no doubt when there is doubt is itself a doubt; to be obsessed with not seeking is a form of seeking.

The *Tao Te Ching* says, 'To know that one does not know is the highest.' Yet you do not even dare to admit your 'not knowing.' Very well, sit down."

The female disciple broke into a cold sweat and sat down, covering her face under the complex gazes of the others.

The Jade Bone Immortal's gaze swept through the crowd before finally settling on one person. "You, do you have a request, or are you filled with doubt?"

The woman rose, bowed solemnly to the Immortal, and then spoke.

"This disciple, Fang Qiluo, has been practicing the Dao for twenty-six years. I have cultivated diligently every day without slackening. However, my parents are elderly, and as an only daughter, I am unable to serve them by my side, a shame I cannot bear.

Through my cultivation, I have realized that for a mortal to seek the Dao is truly like rowing upstream. This body is still bound by the Five Elements, yet I desire to leap beyond the Three Realms—how difficult it is!

I do not seek immortality; I only seek to return home early to serve my parents for the rest of my life."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall was shocked.

Although miscellaneous laborers in the immortal sects do not attain longevity, practicing the methods of immortals not only strengthens the bones and makes one immune to disease, but also allows one to accumulate spirit stones to support a household.

If one performs exceptionally well and receives a "Letter of Recommendation" from a Master, one can use it to recommend descendants to enter the Taixuan Sect, continuing the path of seeking the Dao.

Though an immortal disciple cannot enjoy carefree leisure for long, it is still better than a hundred years of worldly toil.

Therefore, those like Fang Qiluo, who wished to actively leave the immortal sect, were extremely rare.

Hearing this, the Jade Bone Immortal observed Fang Qiluo calmly and said only

"When you entered my Taixuan Sect, you should have known the rules of our Daoist sect. For those seeking the Dao, the greatest taboo is a wavering will. Your words today already show the signs of a scattered Daoist heart. Considering your filial piety is pitiable, I shall overlook this transgression. You may go."

Upon hearing this, a trace of helpless bitterness appeared on Fang Qiluo's face.

A scattered Daoist heart? Perhaps.

In these twenty-six years, she had spent every day weeding herbs, driving away pests, and meditating to circulate her qi.

But ultimately, she had no spiritual root; her progress was slow, and of the spiritual energy gathered through daily cultivation, not even one-tenth remained.

When she first entered Taixuan, she too had a heart of pure devotion, capable of questioning the heavens and the earth.

But after more than nine thousand days and nights, her cultivation had stagnated, and her pure heart had been worn down until nothing remained.

Since she could not become an immortal, what use was there in staying at Taixuan and taking those spirit stone monthly stipends?

Perhaps for a mortal like her, seeking the Dao was never meant to be.

Fang Qiluo bowed deeply. "Qiluo is dull-witted; I implore the Master to grant my wish."

The Jade Bone Immortal lowered her eyes and sighed softly. "Since you know the difficulty of a mortal frame ascending to immortality, you should cherish this opportunity even more. Alas, your spiritual platform is covered in dust and your Daoist heart has decayed; forcing you to stay would only harm the tranquility of the Mysterious Gate. You may leave."

"Thank you, Immortal."

Fang Qiluo bowed once more, then stood straight, smoothing her sleeves, and softly chanted

"Fifteen kowtows to the Mysterious Gate, the crowd marvels at the spiritual grace. Twenty-six years observing the stars, only then knowing the Great Dao is light. The cinnabar has not yet congealed, the bright mirror is already dusty. I shall leave my shoes among the pines, to wander leisurely through the clouds of Longtou."

After her chant, amidst the complex gazes of the crowd, Fang Qiluo departed with an air of liberation.

The Jade Bone Immortal clapped her hands and laughed. "To know what to take and what to let go—is that not great enlightenment? The world often says that attachment is delusion, yet they do not know that forcing transcendence is also a form of madness.

Staying or leaving are both paths of the Dao; wakefulness and drunkenness spring from the same source. Wonderful, wonderful, truly wonderful!"

Having laughed, she also flicked her sleeves and turned, walking away upon the clouds.

She left behind a room of disciples, quietly contemplating the profound mysteries in the Master's words.

Shen Yinshu tapped her head and muttered softly, "The Master's words are just like her hexagram readings—obscure, difficult to understand, and baffling.

That Senior Sister clearly has no fate with the Great Dao after descending the mountain, so how did it become 'staying or leaving are both paths of the Dao'?"

Jiang Youling laughed. "The Heavenly Dao has its constants; between gain and loss, there is a destiny. That Senior Sister gave up immortal longevity but gained worldly freedom. To seek what one desires and obtain it—is that not another way of attaining the Dao?"

Shen Yinshu seemed to understand for a moment, but then shook her head.

"Forget it, I don't want to think about these brain-taxing things anymore. Let's go, let's eat! I've been listening to lectures for hours and I'm starving!"

After finishing their meal, Jiang Youling hurried back to the Talisman Courtyard to check the quality and condition of the tree bark in the cellar.

The "Three Soakings and Three Sunnings" process was on its third drying stage; she could not let it be ruined in this final step.

At the hour of the Rooster, Jiang Youling brought out agarwood to light, carefully steaming the tree bark.

It was not until half a quarter-hour later, when the bark had become thin and flexible, that she finished the task.

With this, the "Three Soakings and Three Sunnings" process was finally complete. The talisman paper blanks had gone from the original thirty sheets to thirteen.

Jiang Youling felt secretly fortunate; luckily, she had intentionally taken twenty extra sheets when she first harvested the bark, otherwise she might not have been able to deliver on time at the end of the month.

The most complex six processes were finished; the subsequent steps of setting the paper and consecration were relatively simpler.

"Setting the paper" involved cutting the talisman paper into uniform sizes, seven inches long and three inches wide.

The cutting required precise knife work in a single, continuous motion; any slight deviation that damaged the paper would render all previous efforts useless.

As for "consecration," it was even simpler; one only needed to offer the talisman paper before the Five Elements Altar in the Talisman Courtyard and silently recite incantations for three days.

The next day, when it came time to set the paper, Jiang Youling did not rush to start.

She first patiently observed the techniques others used when cutting paper, then took a meteoric iron knife to study its properties. Only after a long time did she take a green jade ruler to hold the paper down and begin cutting with extreme caution.

(End of Chapter)