Chapter 926: Seeking the Dao from Toads and Seeking the Dao from Humans
Dan Feng Lai's hands and feet turned ice-cold, and a beast-like roar escaped his throat. Ancestral God King was the Ancestral Heavenly Venerable among the Ten Heavenly Venerables, and these people were all his disciples. He had many disciples, his students spread far and wide, yet Ancestral God King didn't have the energy to teach them all himself.
Therefore, it was Dan Feng Lai who taught these junior brothers and sisters!
Dan Feng Lai had a teacher's grace toward them, and they held him in the highest esteem. This kind of bond was difficult for ordinary people to imagine.
So many junior brothers and sisters from the Ancestral King Palace had died here. His heart ached as if cut by knives, yet he still hardened his heart, suppressing the roar and swallowing it back down!
Ancestral God King's gaze fell upon him, and he said lightly, "Pastoral Heavenly Venerable has committed heinous crimes, taking advantage of my absence from the palace to kill over two hundred of my disciples. My disciple Feng Lai witnessed it with his own eyes. Is that so, Feng Lai?"
Dan Feng Lai bowed, numb and expressionless. "It is exactly so. This disciple saw it with his own eyes."
Ancestral God King nodded with satisfaction, stepped down from the Abyss-Gazing Platform, and patted him on the shoulder. "This matter of reforming the laws is treasonous. You have also heard some of the River of Heaven Divine Treasures, but your cultivation is already very high. I believe you know the advantages and disadvantages and won't act recklessly."
Dan Feng Lai acknowledged, woodenly saying, "This disciple understands. Reforming the laws violates the ancestral laws and is treasonous. This disciple detests such shameless behavior and wishes nothing more than to eradicate it."
Ancestral God King walked past him, saying leisurely, "That scoundrel Pastoral Heavenly Venerable, after ruining Langxuan Divine Emperor, has come to ruin me. Which Heavenly Venerable will he target next? When this brat came to the Heavenly Court, many thought he would surely die, but unexpectedly, he has become more active instead... Feng Lai, properly settle the affairs of these junior brothers and sisters. Their families are to be generously rewarded."
"This disciple obeys the decree."
Dan Feng Lai raised his head, watching him depart, and silently said in his heart, "Junior brothers and sisters died because of Pastoral Heavenly Venerable. If he hadn't spread the teachings or expounded the Dao, the master would never have killed them! Pastoral Heavenly Venerable, our hatred is irreconcilable, and I will not rest until you are dead!"
He dared not hold a grudge against Ancestral God King, so this hatred had to be transferred onto Qin Mu.
"Pastoral Heavenly Venerable, Hong Heavenly Venerable is in seclusion, and our Hong Heavenly Palace has closed its doors, not receiving outside guests."
Yun Chu Xiu led Qin Mu and the others to the Hong Heavenly Palace. The deity guarding the palace gate said apologetically, "When the Heavenly Venerable comes out of seclusion, this minor deity will report your visit to Hong Heavenly Venerable. He will surely return the visit. Please return, Pastoral Heavenly Venerable."
Qin Mu and the others had no choice but to leave.
Yun Chu Xiu then led them to Xiao Heavenly Venerable's mansion, where they received the same reply.
They arrived at Fire Heavenly Venerable's Heavenly Palace. The deity guarding the gate said, "There are unusual movements in the Great Void. Fire Heavenly Venerable has taken his disciples to tour the Great Void to investigate. It is unknown when he will return."
When they reached Xiao Heavenly Venerable's place, a divine being said, "Xiao Heavenly Venerable and Fire Heavenly Venerable have gone together with their disciples to tour the Great Void. They are not in the palace. Please return, Pastoral Heavenly Venerable."
Yun Chu Xiu sighed, puzzled. "Could it be that all the Heavenly Venerables have gone out?"
Yun Jian Li's eyes flickered, and he smiled. "Why not try Yan Heavenly Venerable and Qiang Heavenly Venerable's places?"
Yun Chu Xiu glanced at him and said sweetly, "Brother, have you forgotten? Those two Heavenly Venerables are Celestial Consorts, living in the rear palace. How could we possibly see them? It's better to visit Hao Heavenly Venerable. Surely he hasn't gone out as well?"
Yun Jian Li smiled without speaking, thinking to himself, "Which Heavenly Venerable is she? Among the Ten Heavenly Venerables of the Heavenly Court, besides Qiang Heavenly Venerable and Yan Heavenly Venerable, there are also Palace Heavenly Venerable and Void Heavenly Venerable who are women. But these two Heavenly Venerables are also avoiding us. Could it be that the Empress and her sister have turned into men?"
Qin Mu said, "I won't go see Hao Heavenly Venerable. There's some bad blood between us, and we don't get along. If I go, he'll just kick me out. I've heard that the Dao Ancestor has returned to the Heavenly Court, so let's go to the Heavenly Court Dao Sect and visit this old Daoist."
Yun Chu Xiu loved stirring up trouble, but when Qin Mu said he wanted to see the Dao Ancestor, she lost interest.
Qin Mu's purpose in coming was to see the Dao Ancestor. He just hadn't expected so many things to happen, turning Langxuan Divine Palace and Ancestral King Palace upside down, with the other Heavenly Venerables avoiding him.
But visiting the Heavenly Court Dao Sect to call on the Dao Ancestor wouldn't seem so abrupt.
Heavenly Court Dao Sect.
The Dao Sect hadn't expected Qin Mu to visit, so much so that the old Daoist guarding the mountain gate and the guardian divine beasts stared blankly as Qin Mu and his group approached. It wasn't until they reached the gate that they came to their senses and hurriedly ran back to report.
After a while, an old Daoist led many Dao Sect disciples forward to greet them, apologizing, "The Heavenly Venerable has come from afar, and we failed to welcome you. Please forgive us."
Qin Mu studied the old Daoist. He wasn't the Dao Ancestor he had seen during the Dragon Han era, but judging by his voice, he was the old Daoist who had entered the Scripture Depository with Fire Heavenly Venerable.
"Heavenly Venerable, this is the Dao Master of the Dao Sect," Yun Jian Li reminded him.
"Is the Dao Ancestor here?" Qin Mu asked.
The Heavenly Court Dao Master quickly replied, "The Dao Ancestor returned to the Dao Sect a few days ago and is currently in seclusion. Perhaps the Heavenly Venerable could come another day?"
Qin Mu smiled. "No matter. I can wait for him to come out of seclusion."
The Heavenly Court Dao Master had no choice but to invite him into the mountain.
The Heavenly Court Dao Sect occupied a vast area, far more luxurious than the Yan Kang Dao Sect. It was a Heavenly Palace called the Yu Qing Heavenly Palace.
The Dao Sect under Lin Xuan Dao Master, even though the Kunlun Realm belonged to the Dao Sect's territory, only occupied one mountain peak with a few scattered Daoist temples and little incense.
However, the Heavenly Court Dao Sect was extremely extravagant, with magnificent palaces, halls, and countless towers and pavilions. The Daoists here were not dressed in simple Daoist robes; their attire was luxurious, and they even had servants and attendants to manage their daily needs.
In fact, those who entered the Heavenly Court Dao Sect were not true Daoists. Daoists were cultivators of the Dao with few desires, but the disciples of the Heavenly Court Dao Sect were only there to learn the Dao Sect's techniques and divination, treating it as a place to study Daoist arts and divine abilities.
As for the core teachings of the Dao Sect's doctrine, they couldn't care less.
They weren't real Daoists; they were the children of Heavenly Court nobles sent there to gild their resumes.
In contrast, the Yan Kang Dao Sect still preserved the core teachings established by the Dao Ancestor when he founded the Dao Sect and upheld them diligently. Both the previous old Dao Master and the current Lin Xuan Dao Master had done quite well.
Of course, there were also some Daoists in the Heavenly Court Dao Sect wearing Daoist robes, with an immortal air about them, but their numbers were too few.
As Qin Mu walked along, he felt a deep sense of reflection.
There were real monks and fake monks, real Daoists and fake Daoists. If one merely wore the outer garment without inner cultivation, it was just deception.
"The true transmission of the Dao Sect is not in the Heavenly Court."
Qin Mu watched some young men and women in splendid attire, thinking to himself, "No wonder the Dao Ancestor doesn't often return to the Dao Sect."
Just then, a Daoist hurried over and whispered a few words to the Heavenly Court Dao Master.
The Heavenly Court Dao Master nodded slightly and smiled. "Heavenly Venerable, everyone, the Dao Ancestor has come out of seclusion. Upon hearing of the Heavenly Venerable's visit, he has instructed me to invite you all over. Please follow me."
Qin Mu was delighted and followed him forward, with the others trailing behind.
Yun Chu Xiu smiled. "When Pastoral Heavenly Venerable went to visit the various Heavenly Venerables, none dared to receive him. But the Dao Ancestor is bold enough to see Pastoral Heavenly Venerable."
The Heavenly Court Dao Master quickly smiled apologetically. "The Dao Ancestor is merely the Dao Ancestor of our Dao Sect; how dare he be ranked alongside the Heavenly Venerables? When the Heavenly Venerable visits, how could the Dao Ancestor dare not to see him?"
They arrived at the main hall of the Dao Sect. This hall was located where the Ling Xiao Hall of the Yu Qing Heavenly Palace would be, but it wasn't built in the Ling Xiao Hall's style.
On the contrary, this main hall was unexpectedly humble—a thatched cottage serving as a Daoist temple, about six or seven zhang in size. There were no divine beasts guarding the gate. Instead, Qin Mu saw two toads squatting on the stone steps, one on the left and one on the right.
The two toads seemed to have intelligence. Hearing footsteps, they slowly pushed their eyes out from their heads, lazily opened their eyelids, glanced at them, and croaked.
Then the two toads slowly retracted their eyes back into their heads, covering them tightly and smoothly.
Yan Er jumped down from Qin Mu's shoulder and tapped one of the toads on the head with her beak.
The toad slowly pushed its eyes out again and said unhurriedly, "What is it?"
"You can talk!"
Yan Er was startled, hopping back two steps, and said warily, "Are you demons?"
The toad rolled its eyes and said displeasedly, "Can't you talk too?"
"I'm different. I'm a half-god. You're a toad!"
Yan Er hopped forward and laughed. "If you were an ordinary toad, you couldn't talk, unless you've cultivated into a spirit."
The toad said, "I am the Dao, not a toad. Naturally, I can talk."
Yan Er was amazed. Dragon Qilin brought his big head close and asked curiously, "You are the Dao? Who told you that?"
"The old Daoist said so."
The toad said seriously, "He said the Dao is a toad. He wants to seek the Dao and has something to ask of us, so he brought us here to put up a front. You wouldn't understand. Scram."
Yan Er and Dragon Qilin stared at each other with wide eyes.
Qin Mu followed the Heavenly Court Dao Master into this small, shabby temple. The Heavenly Court Dao Master turned around and said apologetically to Yun Jian Li, Qi Jiu Ying, and the others, "Everyone, the Dao Ancestor will only see the Heavenly Venerable. Please wait here."
Yun Jian Li and Qi Jiu Ying quickly said, "We wouldn't dare. Dao Master, please go ahead."
They all knew that although the Heavenly Court Dao Master appeared to be a bowing, scraping old Daoist without opinions, his strength was unfathomable, second only to the Dao Ancestor in the Dao Sect.
But Yun Chu Xiu was a bit unhappy. She also wanted to go in and hear what the Dao Ancestor and Qin Mu were discussing. However, the Heavenly Court Dao Master stood guard at the door with a smile on his face, clearly not intending to let anyone but Qin Mu inside.
"This slovenly Daoist is so secretive and sneaky. What is he up to?" Yun Chu Xiu snorted coldly.
Qin Mu walked into the thatched cottage and saw a slovenly old Daoist sitting under a green lamp. When he saw Qin Mu arrive, the old Daoist stood up and smiled. "Pastoral Heavenly Venerable, long time no see."
Qin Mu smiled. "Long time no see."
The old Daoist pulled out his wooden hairpin and trimmed the lamp wick, smiling. "There are many ears and eyes here. Heavenly Venerable, come with me into the lamp to talk."
The green lamp burst into a brilliant flower of light. When the light returned to normal, the old Daoist and Qin Mu had already vanished!
When Qin Mu's vision cleared, he found they had arrived in a cosmos within the lamp wick. At the entrance of this cosmos, he could see a flame shaped like a lamp flame, but it was tens of thousands of zhang tall, incredibly astonishing.
The Dao Ancestor was right beside him, saying leisurely, "The Yan Kang Calamity erupted, and the Yan Kang reforms were interrupted. When I heard that Pastoral Heavenly Venerable had entered the Heavenly Court alone, I hurried back, intending to help and repay the guidance you once gave me. I didn't expect the Heavenly Venerable's methods to be extraordinary, easily resolving your own crisis. However, Heavenly Venerable, your actions are too contrary to the harmony of heaven. You have disrupted the Heavenly Court. Do you know how many people and divine beings will die because of your actions?"
Qin Mu sneered. "The Dao Ancestor is compassionate. Do you know how many people died in the Yan Kang Calamity? Less than one in ten survived! Tens of billions of lives turned to ashes! Did the Dao Ancestor ever sympathize with them?"
The Dao Ancestor sighed. "When the Yan Kang Calamity erupted, I was helpless as well."
Qin Mu said, "The Dao Sect advocates non-action, but in today's world, non-action leads to death! You cannot save the people of the world, yet you blame me for disrupting the Heavenly Court and causing the deaths of some Heavenly Venerable's disciples?"
"I dare not."
The Dao Ancestor said, "But all living things, from flowers and grass to trees, are lives..."
"Ignorant! Hypocritical!"
Qin Mu shook his head. "Dao Ancestor, how many people have died because of your help to the Heavenly Court in researching the divine arts of the ancient gods? You are also guilty for the deaths in the Yan Kang Calamity. Are these lives less valuable than the flowers and grass you speak of? I merely ruined Langxuan Divine Palace and Ancestral King Palace, and you come to question me. Who questions you? You say the Dao is a toad, but toads don't understand the Dao. Humans do! Humans not only understand it but can also create the Dao."
"Dao Ancestor, you have been seeking the Dao from the blind! If you want to attain the Dao, it's not about learning the Dao or asking about the Dao, but about creating your own Dao! Those who can create the Dao are the Dao itself!"
He shouted, "Seeking the Dao from the Dao is inferior to seeking the Dao from humans!"
The Dao Ancestor's mind shook, and he said solemnly, "This old Daoist was once guided by the Heavenly Venerable, and today I am guided again. I have received your teachings."