The Heavens: A Qing, the Yue Girl at the beginning

"Information can actually be transmitted using the different oscillation frequencies of true magnetic rays? That's eye-opening!"

A hint of surprise flashed in Tuoba Wuchou's eyes. Although he had come into contact with the concept of communication at the interstellar altar, such clear and real-time remote image transmission was still beyond his imagination.

Does this mean that the technology the other side possesses is no less than that of the You Dynasty at its peak, or even rivals that of foreign lands?

"good."

Zhao Qing replied calmly, thinking that he had demonstrated such methods more than once or twice before, but this was the first time that it had been recognized on the spot as involving electromagnetic wave communication—no wonder he was the former marshal of the Tianliang Army, with such keen perception.

Everyone stared intently at the suspended light screen, which seemed to be looking down from the heavens, quickly zooming in and focusing on a rugged archipelago surrounded by a gray-blue ocean.

The images are so clear that you can even distinguish the broken waves at the edge of the island and the plumes of sulfur rising from the crater.

Along the island's coast, a sizable fleet of ships can be seen anchored there. The ships are dark-hulled, covered with iron plates and armor, and their masts are adorned with ferocious sea monster flags.

Deep within the island, one can vaguely see clusters of shacks and dark, excavated caves.

And, a mirror stand device on the mountaintop that flickers between light and shadow.

Perhaps due to the strong sea winds, only the leeward valleys have sparse low forests, and some meadows are scattered in the low-lying areas. The rest are bare black volcanic rocks and gray-white frozen tundra, which looks desolate and bleak.

Occasionally, a pale green aurora would silently flow across the sky, adding to the eeriness of the scene.

"These are... those overseas islands used for experiments back then? Now they actually have foreign troops stationed here? What is their purpose?"

Tuoba Wuchou's pupils contracted slightly as he recognized this forbidden area, which had once been marked as "Ice and Fire Island Arc" on the Tianliang map. "In terms of maritime trade routes, this place should be completely worthless."

"So they've set their sights on the Night Demon Ape that escaped from the streets years ago," Zhan Mohe thought for a moment and analyzed.
"The monsters of the four realms generally have an extremely fast growth cycle, thick skin and flesh that are difficult to be injured by arrows, and they are extremely agile and have a strong desire to attack. If they can be successfully tamed, they will be a great help to the Zheng family of Jiaodong."

"From what you're saying, it seems that quite a few Night Demon Apes have survived, causing trouble to this day?"

Tuoba Wuchou wasn't too surprised and continued to take responsibility:
"After destroying Tianliang, I didn't stay at Zushan all the time to set up many restrictions. In order to solve the problems buried in the past, I naturally came to this archipelago again and spent time cleaning it up several times."

"Now it seems that we only followed the aura to find the Rakshasa who had killed all those above the fifth realm, and then dispersed the cloud magnetic layer covering the sky, causing countless star rays and golden winds and fire lines to fall from it, overturning the primordial energy order within a thousand miles. However, we failed to achieve complete success, allowing some remnants to escape this calamity by chance."

"Mutation and adaptation might be one possibility, but a more plausible hypothesis is that Zheng took advantage of the chaos and cool weather to secretly abduct several flocks, kept them in captivity, and then moved them back to their original habitat..." He spoke with certainty, then asked:
"But, separated by such a vast distance, more than ten thousand miles, how could they achieve real-time observation? Where did this information come from? A celestial eye suspended in the air? No, it's only been half an hour since it got dark, it should be nighttime over there, so how could it be so clear? But..."

Zhao Qing smiled without saying a word, but with a flick of his finger, several small windows instantly appeared in a corner of the projected screen. Each window displayed different light spots, lines, and data streams, which were then labeled:
Wind speed, cloud height, ocean current vector, distribution of the island's atmospheric field, location of the ship's heat source and load...

The dotted lines representing flight paths originate from the edges of the entire light screen and extend towards the harbor area.

Noticing the blinking spindle-shaped cursor on the dotted line, Zhan Mohe seemed to have made a connection to something, and his eyes flickered slightly:

"I've heard that the Chu Dynasty has recently made a significant breakthrough in talisman craftsmanship, showcasing a completely new type of military force: the air force. This initial demonstration has left the Qin people helpless and filled with trepidation..."

"These overseas islands are almost in the far north ice zone, too far from the Central Plains. Even the Qin Dynasty, known for its powerful navy, is too far away to reach them and cannot mobilize its forces in a short time due to logistical problems."

"To cross vast waters, sail across oceans, and directly attack this place to achieve victory, perhaps only the air force can do it."

As the undisputed national advisor of the Wu clan, Zhan Mohe was certainly not only outstanding in martial arts, or merely inherited the name passed down through generations of his Zhan clan. He was also knowledgeable and insightful, with a thorough understanding of the current situation and major events of various dynasties, and could guide the overall direction of his country.

In this field, neither the Empress Dowager Wu, who had held power for many years, nor the Ling Shan Divine General, who possessed the highest combat strength, nor the equally brilliant Marshal Yelü Canglang, could match him.

Having fully foreseen the bleak prospect of the grasslands declining and being divided and annexed by Qin and Chu, Zhan Mohe made advance plans and chose the dangerous move of plotting for the elixir of immortality, which resulted in his capture by Zhao Qing.

Now, having a strong suspicion that the Chu Dynasty's reforms were closely related to the other party, and that they had even directly provided the technology, he was filled with mixed thoughts. He thought that surrendering the entire country might not be a bad way out, and he became even more determined to submit. However, he did not say it out loud, but focused on watching the changes on the screen.

Sure enough, as Zhao Qing's thoughts stirred slightly, several different sound sources rang out, with a soft and steady engine hum in the background:

"Tianyuan Jia Chen Fire Attack 01, Report: Altitude 30,000 feet, target location locked, distance 140 li."

"Clouds cover 72% of the area, with cumulonimbus clouds at the lower level. Volcanic activity is high, with multiple eruptions continuously releasing sulfurous fumes, which interferes with conventional optical detection but has a minor impact on the spiritual scanning and ice crystal fogging system. The wind speed is stable at level 7 west-northwest, and has no significant impact on the course."

"Tianyuan Yishen Jinyin 01 received. Maintain altitude and proceed in stealth. According to the pre-arranged plan, Jia Chen formation will be responsible for the first wave of saturation attacks, with key targets: main warships, auxiliary warships, and the mountaintop mirror platform. Yishen formation will be responsible for mental interference, battlefield monitoring, and preparing to deal with Tengshe and other sudden threats."

"Repeated Operational Order: Swift and decisive action, complete destruction of the target facility, elimination of maximum manpower, and avoidance of protracted engagements. Operation time: forty breaths later."

"Jia Chen 01 understands. Instructions confirmed: Saturation strike, destroy facilities, eliminate manpower, avoid entanglement. Proceed in forty breaths."

"Confirmed on February 10, 02 (Year of the Dragon)".

"Yi-Shen 01 and 02 confirmed. The sword intent pulse has been fully charged, the focusing lens module is normal, and it can be started at any time."

The dotted cursor on the screen suddenly accelerated, and the viewpoint changed accordingly, as if it were attached to the lead fighter jet.

The streamlined silver-gray coating of the "Sky Kite" is clearly visible, along with the sword-like barrier-breaking cone and scattering glow protruding from its nose, overlooking the gradually clearing outline of the archipelago below, obscured by dark clouds.

To its side and rear, a cloud of ice mist, nearly a thousand feet in diameter and with a strangely fluctuating refractive index, had silently spread out, enveloping the entire Sky Kites formation and creating a dual camouflage effect of optical and spiritual perception, as if it had blended into the background.

……

At almost the same time, the Zheng family's patrol fleet, with its flagship "Gongwei" and a massive iron hull weighing 250,000 shi, swayed slightly in the strong sea wind and waves, its water magic array almost ready to go.

On the deck, several lookouts, wrapped in thick fur coats, were huddled behind the windshield, idly chewing on dried meat and sipping small sips of liquor to ward off the cold, completely unaware of the danger.

Unlike high altitudes, the fog near the sea is so thick that visibility is less than 100 feet. Even with telescopic devices, if one's cultivation level is insufficient, one cannot see any distant targets.

"Damn it, this godforsaken place, not even a godforsaken place, not even a pirate, and I'm on night watch every day, I'm freezing to death..."

A sentry muttered something, rubbing his frozen hands. His gaze casually swept across the dark sea. Several small patrol boats drifted slowly at the entrance to the harbor like ghosts, their lanterns hanging from the bows swaying in the waves, their light pitifully weak.

"Stop talking nonsense and keep a close eye on things! Even though no outsiders have been to this place for hundreds of years, rules are rules!"

An elderly man with a full beard scolded, "You're not guarding this or that, do you want to go and keep the medicine people company?"

"Don't dare!"

The young sentry yawned, but didn't take the words to heart. After all, reporting him wouldn't do the other party any good; it was just a joke. "Old Guo, I wonder when spring will come? If we could switch shifts, hunt a few sea otters on the shore, and sell them for a good price, then..."

"Hehe, you heard it from Liangzi and the others, didn't you? That's ancient history... If there were such a good thing, how could it possibly be your turn? Would the master's wealth be distributed to us servants of different surnames?" The old man laughed sarcastically.

Further away, several fast patrol boats responsible for perimeter security were routinely patrolling in the thick fog.

The sailors on board were mostly drowsy, wrapped in thicker fur coats, huddled in their cabins with their arms crossed, leaving only one or two people gazing symbolically from the bow: "I really want to go back to the big ship and warm myself by the fire!"

"Finish this shift quickly, then we can have some hot soup."

For the Zheng family's fleet in Jiaodong, this archipelago, far from the shipping routes, had always been an absolute "safe zone".

The so-called "garrison" was nothing more than guarding the "medicine people" and "night apes" kept in caves on the island, to prevent them from rioting or being attacked by sea monsters that didn't know their own mortality.

Vigilance? It has long been worn down by the long, monotonous years.

……

Deep within the island lies a settlement inhabited by people who practice medicine.

Leaning against a charcoal brazier in the corner of the shed, a gaunt old man huddled on a simple bed covered with a tattered cotton cloth.

One of his arms was wrapped in dirty strips of cloth, beneath which lay a freshly cut wound that throbbed faintly.

The air was filled with a faint smell of blood and a strange odor of herbs, along with wisps of thin, barely perceptible purple mist.

A muffled cough came from next door; it was another drug victim who had been "harvested." The old man's cloudy eyes stared at the low stone roof, devoid of anger or sorrow, only a deathly numbness.

Living, they are slaughtered and bled; dead, they become food for monsters.

That is the whole meaning of their existence.

Cultivation? The meager amount of internal energy that had just been condensed was absorbed by the "thing" inside the body, making it all in vain.

Hope? It was extinguished long ago in the countless fragmented days and nights.

Suddenly, an extremely faint, almost imperceptible buzzing sound came from the very high sky, like the flapping of a mosquito's wings, and disappeared in an instant.

The old man's eyes twitched slightly.

It's probably an illusion, or just the sound of wind blowing through the crater.

……

Above a hot spring pool near the crater.

Two giant serpents, each several tens of feet long and covered in triangular, jet-black scales, leaped out of the water.

They circled each other as if riding on clouds, rising higher and higher, taking turns to call out, with a faint fishy smell carried on the wind between them.

The Tengshe is not a snake, but a type of dragon, and the most powerful monster race in the sea. Adults reach the peak of the sixth realm.

Unlike many dragons that can take flight and rely on wings or fleshy wings, the Tengshe looks like a wingless giant python. It is not related to the Yinglong lineage at all, but is closer to the Xuanyuan.

The famous image of the Black Tortoise in the North is composed of the "Heavenly Gate Spirit Tortoise" carrying the "Earth Axis Teng Snake" on its back.

Those with knowledge or experience raising dragons would clearly recognize this scene: the two serpents' cries are actually a mating act, using the wind to transmit their essence—a non-contact conception…

In the face of crises and subtle changes in the primordial energy of heaven and earth, the vast majority of demonic beasts possess an instinctive perception that even surpasses that of powerful cultivators; this is their innate talent.

In this special state, Tengshe could not care about its surroundings. Its dim vertical pupils occasionally swept across the sea and sky, but it obviously failed to catch the trace of the enemy descending from afar.

……

On the screen, the dotted line cursor representing the Sky Kite formation had quietly approached within fifty miles of the target.

"Jia Chen 01 Report: Altitude reduced to 15,000 feet, target clarity improved. The heat source of the main battleship 'Gyūo' is stable. Six auxiliary ships and sixteen small patrol boats are anchored. The energy fluctuation of the mountaintop mirror platform is weak, and it is in standby mode. The two ends of the Tengshe are located in the crater area of ​​the main island and are active."

"Yi-San 01 received. Mirror Platform possesses aerial counter-attack capability; prioritize suppression. Tengshe, hand over to my formation. Jia-Chen formation, disarm ice fog camouflage, engines up, prepare for dive, approach skimming the sea, execute saturation strike as planned. Ten breaths countdown." "Ten, nine, eight..."

The chilling countdown echoed through the communication channel, like the footsteps of death.

"Seven, six, five..."

In the harbor below, on the bridge of the "Bow Tail" ship, a fifth-realm cultivator on watch was idly wiping the trigger of a Great Qin Long Wind Crossbow. He occasionally glanced at the steamy porthole, but the thick fog outside still obscured everything.

"Four, three, two..."

In the medicine shack area, the old man seemed to hear that faint buzzing sound again, this time clearer than before. His chapped lips moved, but he only curled his body up tighter in the end.

"one!"

"action!"

Om-!
The icy mist cloud that enveloped the Sky Kite formation vanished instantly!

Ten streamlined, silver-gray fighter jets swooped down from the sky like lightning tearing through the night. The bomb bays under the central duct of the ring-shaped wings opened, releasing cylindrical shells that flashed with purple lightning and were engraved with intricate explosive runes—the Purple Lightning Fire Bombs!

As the name suggests, the main raw material of this product is purple thunder saltpeter – which is mainly produced in Yan territory, but recently spiritual material-grade nitrate crystals have also been discovered in Chu territory – a rare mineral containing positive yang thunder energy, combined with spiritual sulfur from volcanoes and charcoal from burning spiritual plants, and then blended and condensed.

Simply put, it's an enhanced version of the gunpowder formula, and as it turns out, when ignited by true essence, its effect is exactly the same.

However, its power is tens of thousands of times greater.

After detaching from the support, their miniature crystal pulse detonation engines at the tail immediately ignited, giving them a brief and precise vector acceleration, and they shot toward their respective targets: the bridge and power array of the Bowtail, as well as key parts of several "Raging Wave Dragon" class ships!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom...!
A series of violent explosions erupted in an instant! The deafening roar ripped through the silent, cold night!
"Enemy attack!"

The fifth-realm cultivator on the bridge suddenly looked up, his face drained of color. He only had time to let out a shrill, distorted roar before he was engulfed by the raging purplish-red lightning and intense shockwaves, along with his crossbow, and annihilated in the expanding giant sphere of light.

Within the harbor, several small patrol boats were torn apart and capsized like paper boats by the shockwave of the explosion, flames shooting into the sky and illuminating the thick fog. Electricity crackled across the deck of the frigate, and a huge gash was blasted into its hull, allowing seawater to rush in.

The crew members awoke with a start, screaming in terror, and scrambled about like headless flies, desperately searching for any usable weapons. A few cultivators frantically tried to draw their crossbows, load their True Essence Heavy Armor and Yin Sha Throwing Cannons, but where were their targets?
Only the deathly flames kept falling from the sky!
"Help!"

"Quick! Aim at the sky!" an officer roared through the thick smoke.

"I can't see! The fog is too thick! Ah—!" His scream was abruptly cut short, followed by the desperate cries of the others.

"The ship is sinking!"

The sentry, who had been complaining, was thrown by the blast wave and slammed hard against the wooden-clad iron side of the ship, the sound of his bones cracking clearly audible.

Old Guo had half his head sliced ​​off by a flying piece of metal, and his headless body collapsed onto the deck.

Some people tried to jump into the sea, but were paralyzed by the spreading residual electric field, convulsing and sinking into the icy cold water.

Inside the harbor, flames soared into the sky, thick smoke obscured the moon, and the seawater was dyed an eerie reddish-brown. Floating on the sea were wreckage and struggling drowners. Then, a new round of bombs was launched, with countless spheres encased in glass shells and faintly emitting a blazing white light—the Blazing Sun Sandblast Talismans!

"UFO Sword and Shield! Quick! Raise the UFO Sword and Shield!"

"Flying swords provide support! Shoot them down! Slash! Slash! Slash!"

The thick iron armor of the Bowtail shimmered with layers of deep, dark light, and a protective shield of sword shadows condensed. However, before it could stabilize, it was scorched by the intense heat of the sun!

The flowing golden flames were forced into the gaps between the sword and shield as they operated under immense pressure, gradually seeping in, melting through, and disintegrating the runes themselves.

As for the more than twenty flying swords that subsequently soared into the sky, they merely futilely slashed and cut across the low sky, failing to lock onto even half of their targets—the dropped ammunition had already exploded, while the fighter jets were farther and faster than them, and also carried several layers of mercury rune arrays to shield against divine thought locking.

The mirror platform atop the mountain clearly sensed the intrusion of the enemy. Star rays driven by meteorites and multiple sixth-realm true essences rapidly condensed on its concave surface, forming a pale white stream of starfire.

Just as it was about to sweep across the heavens and earth with a horizontal slash, it suddenly stopped for some unknown reason, and then the entire building was cut in half.

Tengshe roared and soared into the sky. Just as he was determined to destroy the villain who had ruined his plans, he was attracted by two ghostly approaching Type B Gold Hidden Fighter Jets that were causing a disturbance with phosphorescent arrows.

With a slight adjustment to the wingtip nozzle matrix of one of the fighter jets, the Xuanbing Flying Rope suddenly launched out, its cold iron claws flashing with eerie blue lightning, and pierced straight into a vital spot.

The magnetostrictive strangulation wave burst forth, and the contact point instantly turned crimson, disrupting neurotransmitters and causing it to slack off. It was then swept away by the wing blade of the second aircraft, cutting a deep, charred wound that revealed the bone!

"Release the Tai Sui dust! Awaken the Yaksha!"

An old woman's furious roar echoed from the depths of the island. Surviving ships spewed thick purple mist, and piercing whistles pierced through the roar of explosions.

……

On the screen, the projection view suddenly switched to the entrance of a huge cave on the island's mountain wall.

In the deep darkness, first a single point, then two points... then countless, star-like, scarlet points of light appeared!
Those are the eyes of the Night Demon Ape!

"Ow—!"

"Roar--!"

A deafening roar erupted from the cave, filled with boundless violence and madness.

The next moment, like a black torrent bursting through a dam, countless dark figures flapped their bat-like fleshy wings and surged out of the cave!

They are about the same height as a normal person, but their bodies are hunched over, covered with rough, dark purple skin, with a wingspan of over ten feet, no hair, and a ferocious head like an ape, with foot-long, pale fangs protruding from their mouths.

What's most chilling are those eyes that burn with a bloody light in the night, filled with a pure desire for destruction.

Tens of thousands of Night Demon Apes!

Like an enraged swarm of bees, they instantly blotted out the sky, forming a suffocating, churning black cloud.

"Jia Chen Formation, objective: remaining ships and the suspected entrance to the Night Demon Ape's lair. Execute the Zhou Tian Sword Wheel, low-altitude raid!"

"Roger that!"

After dropping their bombs, the ten Sky Kite Jia Chen fire attack fighters did not climb. Instead, they lowered their altitude further, almost skimming the churning waves, and used elegant barrel roll maneuvers to avoid the scattered cannonballs, crossbow bolts, and flying swords fired from below.
The cultivator in the co-pilot's seat poured all his true energy into activating the sword energy vector nozzles on the edge of the ring-shaped wing. The silver-gray fuselage began to spin at high speed, with dazzling plasma arcs trailing behind the wingtips.

In an instant, ten "sword wheels" with a diameter of over a hundred feet, formed by scorching gales, took shape above the sea.

Accompanied by the gushing spray, like a water-cooled circular saw, with a shrill whistling sound that tore through the air, it crushed towards the remaining ships in the harbor and the entrances to several huge caves on the island's mountain walls!

Nothing could stop them in their wake. The ear-piercing sounds of twisting metal, cracking rocks, and boiling seawater mingled with the aftershocks of the explosions, heralding the final chapter of the Zheng family fleet's demise.

Blood mist, shattered pieces of flesh, and broken wings rained down from the sky like a torrential downpour.

The flying dust, the pervasive smoke and sulfurous odor were sucked in and mixed together in the churning tornado, transforming into a dark red, foul-smelling ribbon of wind that danced wildly...

It is truly a scene of "wielding a sword and waving a brocade banner a hundred feet long, with ten unique skills soaring in the sky and fans flying in profusion!"
"The wall...the wall has fallen down!"

"Charge! Charge out!" Some of the drug users smashed through the crumbling wall with fierce determination, their eyes fearless, staggering towards that elusive freedom.

Finally, the perspective shifts upwards, returning to a bird's-eye view, taking in the entire island harbor below that has been transformed into a hellish landscape.

Without a doubt, this surprise attack led by "Sky Kite" achieved an overwhelming and near-perfect tactical victory.

"These Night Demon Apes are quite different from those I've seen before. Their habits have changed a lot, perhaps due to differences in breeding and diet, in order to facilitate large-scale breeding and control..."

Tuoba Wuchou spoke calmly, his gaze sweeping over the brutal yet efficient carnage on the screen. His face remained largely expressionless, as if he were watching not a bloody battle, but the final game of a chess match that had already been played out:

"If I'm not mistaken, the battle scenes projected on this screen are partly from the aircraft' own equipment, and partly from some kind of unmanned automated puppet suspended at a higher position, which is then combined and aggregated? Truly ingenious!"

"Whether it's capturing light and shadow, analyzing energy fluctuations, mapping terrain, or locking onto targets, the construction of these rune arrays far surpasses any observatory or communication device I've ever seen back then."

"The ingenuity of the concept is truly remarkable."

“But if we only look at the record,” he shook his head, “it is… not very outstanding, and has many flaws.”

"These bird-like battle suits, meticulously crafted at great expense, make extensive use of the characteristics of wind to achieve high-speed flight. Their lethality against ordinary soldiers is extremely astonishing, approaching the power of a seventh-realm grandmaster. They are also particularly adept at surprise attacks and coordinated operations, with strong concealment and high mobility."

“However,” Tuoba Wuchou changed the subject, “even if hundreds or thousands of these armored vehicles were assembled into a battle formation, blotting out the sky, and commanded by a master strategist, the total force they could mobilize would still be more than a match for me alone!”

"Objectively speaking, their design limits aren't very high. Even with numerous optimizations, they still struggle to overcome the original barriers unless they're completely overhauled and started from scratch." He continued his analysis, not shying away from the topic despite his respect for Zhao Qing:
"For cultivators at the fifth and sixth realms, this kind of giant runic armor is certainly a very good combination of magical artifacts. It can greatly increase their strength and integrate the true essence of several people into one, with a clear division of labor within, just like controlling a flying sword magnified a thousand times..."

"However, if it is changed to a Seven Realms Mountain Moving Commander, it may become a burden, and its effectiveness will not be as good as going into battle empty-handed."

"Moreover, driving them for a long time would undoubtedly require a massive amount of rune crystals and spiritual materials, well-trained cultivators to operate them, and a huge logistical system to support them. The cost of their manufacturing, maintenance, and wear and tear is probably far beyond what is needed to train one or two high-level cultivators."

"Such a huge investment, if only to achieve a massacre of low-level targets, its cost-effectiveness... is really hard to praise."

"This battle, seemingly a resounding victory with brilliant results, is actually..." Tuoba Wuchou softly concluded, "not very meaningful."

"It proved the sophistication of the technology, the feasibility of long-range strikes, and that under certain conditions, tactics that rely on weaponry to overcome force can achieve local advantages. But..."

"But one fundamental fact remains unchanged: in this world, and even in the vast cosmos, what ultimately determines the rise and fall of civilizations and the survival of races is the individual standing at the pinnacle of power!" Zhao Qing picked up where he left off, repeating the other's earlier argument:
"Those who can touch the laws, control the origin, and shake the universe with their own will... the strongest beings! Isn't that right?"

"That's it."

Tuoba Wuchou replied, "Do you have any other advice?"

"I wouldn't call it instruction," Zhao Qing smiled slightly. "It's just that you seem to have completely misunderstood me: when did I ever say that showing this combat footage was to prove that technological advancements can allow people to win against stronger opponents?"

"The spirit is greater than the form—can't you even grasp this fundamental truth? Are you still stuck at the level of material appearances?"

"Having already relinquished his identity as the Marshal of the Tianliang Army and discarded the burdens of lightness and heaviness, shouldn't he become a humble seeker and learner of the Way?"

"Observation is the observation of the mind, attachment is the attachment of the mind. There is nothing outside of it, so how can it be verified? Before accommodating the Way, one must walk together! Emptiness and existence are the wondrous functions that follow conditions."

...(End of chapter)