UGB Chapter 91 Preaching is also due to
Chapter 91 Preaching is also due to
Chapter 92 Preaching is also due to
After taking the Merit Soil from the ancient cave in the Southern Wilderness and refining the Origin Stone Bead left by the ancient ferocious beast, the Azure Phoenix Ancestor and Xuan Yao decided to leave without lingering. They rode their escape light and headed back to the Undying Volcano.
Both journeys took place in the southern part of the prehistoric wilderness.
The two traveled swiftly, crossing countless mountains and traversing boundless seas of clouds. In just a few months, the vast fiery cloud of interwoven crimson and gold reappeared before them.
Beneath the fiery clouds lies the immortal volcano.
Upon entering the ancestral land of the Phoenix Clan, the Azure Phoenix Ancestor, having fought the Great Luo Beast for three days and three nights, had not suffered any fundamental damage, but had still depleted a considerable amount of his original magical power.
After settling Xuan Yao in, she went to the Nanming Fire Vein deep within the Undying Volcano to meditate and recuperate.
Xuan Yao was originally a guest from Xikunlun, and had formed good relations with the Phoenix Clan on several occasions, so he was naturally treated as an honored guest.
The phoenix maid led him to a secluded cave near the parasol tree forest to stay temporarily.
This place is backed by a sacred red-gold tree and faces a warm, spiritual spring.
The forest fire element is full of vitality, yet it is not scorching; instead, it possesses a sense of tranquility and growth.
With the branches and leaves of the parasol tree drooping down and the rosy clouds dotting the sky, it is a perfect place for quiet meditation.
Xuan Yao entered the cave, sat cross-legged, and carefully put away the cold jade box containing the merit soil and the stone bead that sealed the source of the ferocious beast. He was about to regulate his qi.
Suddenly, a clear and melodious phoenix cry came from outside the cave, followed by gentle laughter.
"Young friend Xuanyao, your journey south has been fruitful, and I have come to offer my congratulations."
Upon hearing the sound, Xuan Yao immediately stood up and went out of the cave to greet him.
Outside the cave stood a Taoist priest in white robes, with white hair and beard, a clear and bright expression, and a faint auspicious aura surrounding him.
It was another Grand Ancestor of the Phoenix Clan, the Grand Ancestor Honghu.
Behind the Ancestor Honghu, there was a young girl dressed in white feathered fairy robes. The girl had delicate features and a gentle aura; she was none other than Hongling, whom Xuanyao had rescued from the East Sea.
Xuan Yao dared not be negligent and stepped forward to bow in respect.
"Junior Xuan Yao greets Ancestor Honghu."
Ancestor Honghu smiled and helped him up, his gaze sweeping over Xuan Yao, a hint of approval in his eyes.
With his perspective as a Great Luo Golden Immortal, he could naturally see that Xuan Yao's current aura was different from before.
Although Xuan Yao had already reached the peak of the Golden Immortal realm in the past.
Now, one line is in the Eastern Kunlun Mountains, and the other is in the Southern Wilderness. With the Earth element's merit and virtue as their foundation, plus the original profound foundation of the four elements of metal, water, fire, and wood, the five elements' energy is now complete.
Once he returns to Xikunlun and secludes himself to cultivate his Dao foundation, the path to becoming a Taiyi Golden Immortal will no longer be far away.
"Young friend, your Qi is in perfect harmony, and you have acquired all the spiritual treasures of the five elements. You are already on the verge of reaching the Taiyi realm."
The Old Ancestor Honghu stroked his beard and smiled, his tone tinged with emotion.
"With such a fine disciple as you, Fellow Daoist Queen Mother of the West, the lineage of Xikunlun truly has a worthy successor."
"I observe that you possess a calm and composed nature, and know how to act appropriately. In the future, you will surely have a place in the vast and boundless world."
Xuan Yao bowed slightly and said, "Ancestor, you flatter me. I am able to achieve what I have today entirely thanks to my master's cultivation and the Phoenix Clan's assistance on several occasions. If it weren't for Ancestor Qingluan's personal protection, how could I have safely obtained that earth-elemental divine artifact?"
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xuan Yao's gaze fell on Hong Ling, who was standing behind Ancestor Hong Hu.
Compared to when he was being hunted down by cultivators from Zifu Continent in the East Sea, Hong Ling has changed quite a bit.
That life-or-death ordeal allowed her to witness the treacherous nature of the primordial world and the methods of powerful beings.
The impetuousness and naivety in her eyes have faded considerably.
Now she stood quietly behind Ancestor Honghu, her expression calm and her breathing much more steady.
However, when Xuan Yao observed her with his auspicious and pure energy, he saw that a wisp of shadow still lingered on her spiritual platform.
That's not a bottleneck in cultivation, but rather a confusion in one's Dao heart.
The Phoenix Clan carries the boundless karma left behind by the Dragon-Han Calamity. From the moment their descendants are born, it is as if an invisible mountain is pressing down on their true spirits.
Although Hongling was a direct descendant, she was not immune to this predicament. She could not see the future of the Phoenix Clan, nor did she know where she should stand in this world of great strife.
Xuan Yao gazed at the girl in white, a thought flashing through his mind.
He cultivates the path of virtue and merit, and places the greatest importance on cause and effect.
The Phoenix Clan had shown him kindness by gifting him fire, bestowing upon him treasures, and protecting him as well as the Azure Phoenix Ancestor.
If these favors are not repaid, when the time comes to condense the Taiyi Dao Fruit in the future, it will inevitably leave a hindrance on one's Dao heart.
Thinking of this, Xuan Yao's expression turned serious, and he said to Ancestor Honghu, "Ancestor, now that I have all five elements, I should return to Xikunlun for seclusion as soon as possible. However, the Phoenix Clan has helped me several times, and I am deeply grateful. I cannot simply leave."
He looked at Hongling, his voice softening slightly.
"Although Fellow Daoist Hongling has a calm and composed mind, he still has some confusion that remains unresolved."
I am but a humble Taoist, but I wish to linger at the Undying Volcano for a while, to preach and answer questions for Fellow Taoist Hongling.
Firstly, to organize my own knowledge; secondly, to repay the Phoenix Clan for their goodwill. I wonder what the Ancestor thinks?
Upon hearing this, the old ancestor Honghu's eyes immediately lit up with joy.
He knew that Xuan Yao had an extraordinary background.
Although this child possesses the body of a Black Tiger, he received the teachings of the Queen Mother of the West, cultivating virtue, mystic evil, array formations, and swordsmanship, and is also able to integrate the Southern Bright Fire into his own path.
For Hongling, it was a rare stroke of good fortune that such a person was willing to open a platform to preach.
"Since you have such a wish, young friend, how could I possibly refuse?"
Ancestor Honghu nodded with pleasure, then turned to look at Hongling.
"Hongling, why don't you thank Senior Xuanyao?"
Hong Ling was also startled and quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully.
"Thank you for your guidance, senior."
From that day on, Xuan Yao settled down temporarily by the Wutong Forest.
He didn't make a big fuss; he simply set up a small altar on a red jade platform outside the cave.
Around the stone platform, several ancient sycamore trees droop their reddish-gold branches and leaves.
The wind rustles through the forest, casting fiery shadows on the leaves. A wisp of white mist rises from the sacred spring. The fiery energy and the pure air blend together, creating a unique and ethereal atmosphere.
For the next several decades, Xuan Yao sat upright on the red jade platform every day and began to preach.
Hongling sat down under the table, listening intently.
At first, only Hong Ling listened to the teachings.
As Xuan Yao's teachings deepened, a pure light of blessings began to circulate around the stone platform, and the Southern Bright Fire intent transformed into subtle fire patterns that flickered uncertainly in the void.
The clear light and the fiery intent combined, causing a gentle murmur of spiritual energy to resonate in the paulownia grove, as if an invisible Daoist chant was echoing.
This unusual phenomenon quickly attracted many young members of the Phoenix Clan.
The Phoenix Clan is an ancient and powerful clan, with no shortage of powerful figures or profound lineages.
However, the path Xuan Yao followed was different from the Fire Virtue Great Dao that the Phoenix Clan usually cultivated.
He used the body of the Black Tiger of the Future to fuse the blessings and evil spirits into one furnace, and also cultivated the Dao of Array and Sword, and further refined the Southern Bright Fire into a protective fire.
This approach is unconventional, yet it has its own set of rules.
For these Phoenix Clan descendants who have long lived in the immortal volcano, it was both novel and something to learn from.
As a result, more and more members of the Phoenix Clan gradually gathered around the Wutong Forest.
At first, he listened from a distance, but later, seeing that Xuan Yao did not drive him away, he respectfully sat down and listened to the teachings with Hong Ling.
Xuan Yao didn't care about this.
He doesn't preach empty talk or delve into profound mysteries; instead, he categorizes and recounts his experiences from his years of wandering through the wilderness.
Xuan Yao sat upright on the stone platform, his body radiating a clear, watery light. His voice was not loud, but each word was clear and resonant, touching the hearts of everyone present.
He first spoke of blessings and virtues.
"So-called blessings and virtues are not simply about being compassionate, nor are they about always yielding. The essence of blessings and virtues lies in following the natural order, knowing when to advance and when to retreat, cultivating good relationships, and avoiding bad consequences."
He then shared the true meaning of the blessings and virtues he had received from the Queen Mother of the West with the audience.
The great calamity of heaven and earth is like a torrent. If one only knows how to be strong and fight for supremacy, even if one has a moment of power, one will eventually be swallowed up by the calamity.
Only by understanding when to advance and when to retreat, what is permissible and what is impermissible, can one maintain a sliver of clarity amidst calamity.
Then he talked about Xuan Sha and Nanming Li Huo.
"The evil energy is the fierce energy of heaven and earth, which is most likely to harm others and also most likely to harm oneself."
However, if one cultivates virtue as one's foundation and refines it with true fire, even malevolent energy can be transformed into a protective force.
Xuan Yao raised his right hand, and a wisp of crimson-gold fire mark appeared at his fingertips.
The fire mark was small, but extremely pure.
Inside, the Southern Bright Fire flickers, while a line of black gold and mysterious evil energy lingers within, and pure and auspicious energy flows slowly around it.
The three elements are interdependent and do not conflict in the slightest; rather, they seem to be a perfect match.
The Phoenix Clan disciples below the stage, most of whom cultivated the virtue of fire, couldn't help but fix their gazes upon seeing this scene.
Xuan Yao slowly said, "The Southern Bright Fire is one of the primordial pure fires, capable of burning away impurities and purifying the mind. You were born in volcanoes and grew up in fire veins, and you are used to seeing its power to burn mountains and boil seas, but you often overlook its wonder in purifying the mind."
"Fire can harm others, but it can also purify oneself."
If one can guide a spark of pure fire into the heart of the Way, burning away distracting thoughts and illuminating one's true nature, the path of cultivation will naturally become much clearer.
He then went on to explain the principles of the Three Powers Formation.
This was something he obtained while discussing Taoism with the Sanqing School in Dongkunlun.
Heaven, Earth, and Man—each has its proper place.
The wonder of formations lies not only in trapping and killing the enemy, but also in conforming to the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, giving magical power a place to reside, and giving changes a fundamental basis.
He also spoke about the principles of the precious way.
This was an inspiration he gained from the Taoist Master Duobao.
Magical artifacts can certainly aid in the path to enlightenment, and formations can protect the body, but external things are ultimately just external things.
If a cultivator is obsessed with treasures or enslaved by supernatural powers, he is prone to putting the cart before the horse.
"Treasures can be used, but not coveted."
A formation can be relied upon, but not clung to.
The Dao resides within oneself; magical treasures and arrays are merely tools for practicing the Dao.
As Xuan Yao finished speaking, his gaze swept over the crowd, his voice calm.
"In the past, the cultivators of Zifu Continent relied on their origins and treasures, acted recklessly, and their virtues did not match their positions, ultimately leading to their deaths and the dissipation of their cultivation. You must not fail to heed the lessons of these examples."
This preaching lasted for several decades.
What Xuan Yao said was all based on his own cultivation journey; he did not deliberately mystify or hide anything.
The Phoenix Clan disciples below the stage listened intently, and although many did not immediately break through to a higher realm, they gained considerable insight.
Even the Azure Phoenix Ancestor and the Swan Ancestor, who occasionally listened in the shadows, couldn't help but nod in agreement.
Xuan Yao is not very old, yet he has managed to organize his own path to such an extent, without being biased or scattered, which is truly rare.
On the last day of the sermon, the sycamore grove was quiet and still.
The golden phoenix tree droops its branches quietly, and the white mist from the spiritual spring gently swirls around the stone platform.
Hundreds of Phoenix Clan descendants sat upright in the forest, all calming their minds and not daring to have the slightest distracting thoughts.
Xuan Yao withdrew the clear light around him and focused his gaze on Hong Ling at the front.
Of all the years, Hongling listened most attentively. Although her cultivation hadn't improved much, her aura was much purer than before.
The gloom between his brows had mostly dissipated.
Xuan Yao looked at her, his tone becoming more serious.
"Hongling, do you know why the Phoenix Clan is still trapped in the Undying Volcano?"
Hong Ling trembled slightly and replied in a low voice, "Because my clan committed atrocities during the Dragon-Han Calamity, we bear the karmic burden of Heaven."
Xuan Yao nodded, then gently shook his head.
"That's true, but not entirely accurate."
He stood up, his sleeves fluttering slightly, and a ray of clear light spread across the red jade platform.
"Although the karma is heavy, it is not entirely without the opportunity to resolve it."
In the past, the Phoenix Clan suppressed the Fiery Eye with her own body, precisely to leave a way out for the descendants of the Phoenix Clan.
Xuan Yao's gaze swept over all the Phoenix Clan disciples present, and his voice slowly echoed through the parasol tree forest.
"You are born with the burden of karma; this is cause and effect, and also destiny."
But the fire of Nanming was originally a pure fire that burned away impurities and preserved truth.
If it is only used as a tool for killing, karma will remain karma, only becoming heavier with the passage of time.
"But if you can understand the principle of purifying karma with fire and bearing calamities with your heart, and transform the Southern Bright Fire into a furnace fire to cleanse your own impurities and a bright lamp to illuminate your Dao heart, the Phoenix Clan may well be able to forge its own path in this era of great strife."
Purify karma with fire.
Bear the burden of calamity with your heart.
As these eight words fell, a Taoist chant seemed to echo through the sycamore grove.
The Phoenix Clan disciples felt a jolt in their hearts. The dark clouds pressing down on the depths of their true spirits seemed to be illuminated by a ray of firelight; though not completely dissipated, the light of day had already appeared.
Hong Ling's mind suddenly became clear.
The confusion that had troubled her for years melted away like frost and snow meeting the sun.
She looked up at Xuan Yao on the stone platform, her eyes no longer filled with hesitation, but with clarity.
A moment later, Hongling bowed down and performed a very solemn salute.
"Junior Hongling will keep in mind the teachings of his senior."
In the sycamore grove, hundreds of Phoenix Clan members also knelt down, their voices echoing throughout the forest.
"Thank you for passing on your knowledge, senior."
Xuan Yao stood on the platform and accepted the bow with composure.
Looking at these younger generations of the Phoenix Clan before him, he saw that life was beginning to sprout in their eyes, and the karmic entanglement in his heart also dissipated without hindrance.