I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 370 The Primordial Dao, Cultivating the Three Methods Simultaneously

When falsehood is taken for truth, even truth becomes falsehood; when truth is taken for falsehood, even falsehood becomes truth.

Sometimes in this world, things really are judged by actions, not intentions.

In the countless years before Xu Qing came to Baiyun Cave, there were countless people who sought out the Primordial Ancestor to learn from.

Immortals and saints, mortals and demons, whether through careful planning or by chance, only a handful truly receive guidance from the patriarch.

But in just a short while today, the number of students the patriarch had seen exceeded ten.

It's not common for outsiders to come to him in groups to learn from him, but it's not exactly rare either. What's strange is that these students are all 'celestial beings' who possess merit and purity, even more righteous than those from the orthodox schools of Taoism.

During this unusual period of time, a group of extraordinary beings appeared in the world, which even the most knowledgeable patriarchs found astonishing.

He had never seen such a scene, not even in times of peace and tranquility, let alone during a time of great calamity!
Nine-tailed spirit fox, nine-lived black cat, bird of five virtues, red-tailed spirit monkey.
These creatures are inherently difficult to tame. If you were to say that the person who raised these creatures was a human sage or a high-ranking monk or Taoist priest who was proficient in the art of education and possessed all the virtues of morality, intelligence, physical fitness, and beauty, the patriarch would not be surprised.

But how did you manage to cultivate so many extraordinary talents from a pile of dung?
Not to mention this is happening at a time when people's hearts are not at peace and the world is in turmoil.

Seeing Xu Qing's devout expression and his desire to become his disciple, the patriarch ultimately gave him a chance.

It wasn't because of the boy's piety, nor because he liked the boy, but simply because the patriarch wanted something interesting to amuse himself.

Furthermore, the merits and virtues revealed about the other party are genuine, and their future prospects are promising.

Unfortunately, this kid's mind was confined to one corner. Although he stood there, he always had a sense of vigilance, as if he were always independent of others, which hindered his mental development.

Simply put, it's the sense of openness and clarity that comes before one has seen the Great Way.

So much so that even from a great distance, the patriarch could feel the sensation of that wild horse running rampant within the walled city.

In other words, the road to heaven was cut off, and the city was completely isolated from the outside world, so no one knew what was happening inside. Otherwise, anyone who saw this wild horse would have had to control it and would never have allowed it to grow wildly.

The vast world, the four Brahma realms.

For the first time, the untamed corpse monster broke away from the mortal world and arrived in another bizarre and wonderful place.

As far as Xu Qing could see, the sky was upside down and the ground was made of crystal.

In the void, scattered floating islands are arranged like a chessboard.

The place where Xu Qing stood was neither an island nor an island. He tried to connect with the earth's veins, but he did not generate any earth energy. However, crystal trees that were as transparent and luminous as glass and agate were growing vigorously around him.

The branches of those precious trees were as translucent as coral, and the veins of their leaves flowed with fireflies. When the wind passed by, they rustled down like jade dust, which turned into blue smoke upon touching the ground, and then diffused into rainbow streams, paving a path through the Milky Way. When people walked over them, ripples and flowing light appeared, like a dream.

Occasionally, the cry of a crane could be heard from afar. Xu Qing looked up and saw three or five black cranes skimming across the water. With each flap of their wings, golden dust fell from their feathers, which instantly blossomed and withered upon landing.

Xu Qing patted his cheeks, feeling that he must have mistakenly eaten some mushrooms from southern Yunnan, otherwise how could he have ended up in such an unreal place?

About seven or eight steps away from Xu Qing, the child riding the divine ox was sizing up the young man who was looking around.

"So he is a person who has returned to the true nature of all things and whose spiritual light has suddenly become clear. No wonder he can teach so many celestial beings."

The patriarch, suddenly realizing the situation, laughed and said:

"Heaven shows no favoritism, but always favors the virtuous; this person is truly blessed."

Hearing the patriarch's words, the old ox beneath him asked in confusion, "Isn't this just some strange fellow from another sect? Why would the patriarch call him a human being?"

The boy in red smiled without saying a word. He revealed himself and rode the divine ox to the young man.

"Young man, are you looking for me?"

Xu Qing, who had been muttering incantations and burning incense, finally showed a look of surprise.

"So it is the celestial child before me. I am Xu Qing, and I have come to seek a master and learn skills. May I ask if the master of this place is here?"

The child in red felt helpless. These students, trapped in worldly affairs and unable to transcend them, ultimately had a narrow perspective.

"This place is unclaimed, without a master. If you wish to become an apprentice, there is no one else here besides me."

Xu Qing instantly realized what was happening.

Yes! Gods are formless and not bound by physical form. In the eyes of the divine, the physical body is nothing but a fleeting cloud, not worth mentioning.

Having figured out the connection, Xu Qing immediately paid homage to his master.

In Xu Qing's eyes, a person who could create the Ruyi Treasure Book and command the respect of even the Heavenly Emperor could not be an ordinary immortal or god.

Along the way, Xu Qing knew what a powerful backer meant to a rogue cultivator. Just like when Yuan Gong stole the Heavenly Book, if the white ape's master hadn't been the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, the Heavenly Emperor would never have so easily made Yuan Gong guard the Heavenly Book as punishment.

Guarding the Heavenly Book, seemingly a form of punishment, was in fact tantamount to giving Lord Yuan an opportunity to study it.

Now that the Cat Immortal Hall is gaining more and more influence, and the construction of the Baosheng Temple has reached a critical juncture, Xu Qing can almost foresee that as soon as the Tongtian Road opens and the Jade Universe is cleared, his Immortal Hall will probably be the first to be targeted.

In the secular world, he might be able to keep the immortal hall in order with his own strength, but once he breaks through this barrier, the consequences will be unpredictable.

The child in red found it increasingly amusing to see Xu Qing's decisive decision to become his disciple.

"Tell me why you want to become my apprentice?"

Xu Qing raised his head and truthfully explained his desire, as the sect leader, to seek a method to protect the Dao and maintain the Immortal Hall.

The child in red had a gleam in his eyes.

This person does resemble that black cat somewhat, but he lacks the cat's pure heart.

The child in red stepped forward and asked again, "How can I, a child, be your teacher? Aren't you afraid you've chosen the wrong place to worship?"

Xu Qing cupped his hands and said, "Gods have no form. I have always heard that those who are immortals, saints, or Buddhas have a thousand faces and a thousand appearances. If we trace their origins, they are all infants."

"For example, the great sage of literature is also called the Bodhisattva of Confucianism. His disciples and grand-disciples also said: A great man does not lose his childlike heart."

“Senior, even if you were a child, or even an infant in front of me, I would still respectfully regard you as my teacher.”

The child in red stared at Xu Qing for a long time before finally speaking:
"You are neither an immortal, nor a god, nor a ghost, nor a human; you cultivate immortality, godhood, ghosthood, and even more so, humanity."

"I cannot be your teacher, but since you have come here, it proves that we have some kind of connection. Tell me, what do you want to learn?"

Xu Qing, who was about to ask to learn the Heavenly Gang Technique, suddenly changed his mind and said, "This student is dull-witted. May I ask, teacher, is there any mystery in the cultivation of the several non-several methods?"

The child in red now felt a bit more approval. Although the young man before him had a wide range of cultivation paths and a somewhat inconsistent mind, he was fortunate to be intelligent and possessed considerable wisdom.

The patriarch smiled slightly and said, "There is nothing mysterious about it. You are a human being, but also an alien. You are only temporarily blinded by the obstacles of knowledge and perception. If you can recognize yourself, you will immediately understand your true nature and will no longer be confused by the three obstacles."

Xu Qing felt a chill run down his spine. Upon hearing the word "alien," he realized that the other party had seen through his background, but he became even more confused.

How can I be both an outsider and a human being?

He was clearly a zombie; to call him dead would be a joke. Those who are zombies have long transcended the realm of humanity; the living and the dead are no longer relevant to them.

These theories about corpses are mentioned in literature and the "Book of Nourishing Corpses," and are believed by all, regardless of whether they are righteous or evil, or by ordinary people.

But how did he suddenly become an adult again?

The patriarch looked at Xu Qing and said in a calm tone:

"A person without a heart dies, and a lamp without a wick goes out."

"But if the heart is in the person and the lamp is in the heart, as long as the heart does not die, the lamp will not go out."

"If your heart is not dead, how can you die?"

The patriarch smiled and said, "This person is not that person. The way of man cannot be explained by a mere physical body."

Xu Qing was startled, as if enlightened, and many ineffable truths were revealed, just like a sudden enlightenment.

Of the three realms (heaven, earth, and man), humanity resides in the middle.

Heaven, Earth, and Man coexist, therefore the Way is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and Man is also great.

Therefore, there are four great things in the realm, and humans are one of them.
The "human" here does not refer to a physical body of flesh and blood, nor to a zombie body, but rather to a fundamental force and law that is on par with heaven and earth.

Therefore, the person mentioned by the patriarch is the fundamental entity of the universe. It inherits the laws of the heavens and the virtues of the earth, and is the key to connecting heaven and earth and harmonizing all things.

Therefore, the way of humanity is the 'true way,' which is to return to one's original, simple nature.

Taoism pursues returning to simplicity and authenticity, which refers to the most original and genuine state of humanity, and the true nature of humankind.

Xu Qing's mind suddenly cleared, and he subconsciously said:
"Transformation into human, god, and ghost; cultivate these three methods simultaneously; with a single-minded focus on seeing one's true nature, one can perceive the Great Dao."

Although Xu Qing had not yet mastered the Heavenly Gang Technique, he felt that his trip had been worthwhile.

The child in red nodded, which was unusual, showing that he truly approved of Xu Qing.

"Do you have any supernatural abilities you'd like to learn?"

Seeing Xu Qing hesitate, the patriarch said, "I have the Way of the Techniques; the Way of the Flowing; the Way of Stillness and the Way of Movement; in addition, there are methods to avoid the Three Calamities and various transformation techniques. Which one do you wish to learn?"

Xu Qing felt that the words sounded familiar. Weren't these all unorthodox and heretical techniques?
"The students only want to learn the Thirty-Six Heavenly Divine Powers, while the others don't want to learn them."

The patriarch raised an eyebrow: "Although the Heavenly Gang Technique is powerful, it is merely a supernatural power, not the path of cultivation. How many cultivators do not seek immortality? Your cultivation of the Heavenly Gang Technique is like asking a blind man for directions; in the end, it's like trying to draw water with a bamboo basket, all for naught."

Xu Qing felt that this ancestor must have never seen such an outstanding zombie as him. What use would a zombie like him be for immortality?

That thing is worthless!
"Students are half-dead, so they can only cultivate as many supernatural powers as they can. If they want to live forever, it's no different from adding clothes in the summer heat or eating a full meal. It's really a pointless exercise."

The patriarch suddenly realized that he had almost forgotten that this was a stubborn rock that had attained enlightenment in a latrine. Its flavor was completely different from the stubborn rocks he had seen before. How could he be judged by ordinary standards?
It's ironic that some stubborn rocks are obsessed with immortality, while others regard them as worthless trash. This stark contrast makes one marvel at the unpredictable nature of life.

The child in red seemed to remember something and let out a sigh. Then he asked again, "Very well, but I must warn you beforehand that the Heavenly Gang Technique is not easy to learn or master. You must not be greedy for more, otherwise you will end up with a monstrosity and then blame me."

Realizing his thoughts had been seen through, Xu Qing immediately changed his mind, saying he wanted to learn the thirty-six supernatural powers instead:

"Then the student will learn twelve supernatural powers. As the saying goes, there are twelve stars in the heavens and twelve sons on earth. This is exactly the number of a cycle of immortal destiny, no more and no less, and it is exactly in line with the changes of heaven and earth."

Next, Xu Qing used the process of elimination to eliminate all twenty-four supernatural abilities that the members of the Immortal Hall had learned, leaving only twelve supernatural abilities for the patriarch to use.

"."

The patriarch reached out to touch the ruler, but refrained from doing so.

This kid, like that mischievous monkey and the white ape, was never a simpleton.

There was no sun or moon beyond the sky. Xu Qing didn't know how long he had been there, only that time passed like a horse galloping past the window.

When he came to his senses, he already knew the methods of cultivating the twelve Heavenly Divine Powers, such as 'Mending the Sky and Bathing the Sun, Shifting Stars and Changing Constellations, Returning to Heaven and Returning to the Sun, and Transforming into a Fetus'.

Xu Qing once again paid homage with the respect due to a teacher.
"I am dull-witted, but I am fortunate to have received your guidance. I will always remember your kindness."

The patriarch glanced at Xu Qing and immediately drew a line, saying, "What great favor have I done for you? The Heavenly Gang Method was not passed down to you alone. Don't talk about remembering or not remembering. As long as you don't tell anyone about me when you leave, I will consider it as repaying a favor."

At this point, the patriarch seemed to remember something, and his expression suddenly turned cold as he said:

"Don't take this to heart. If I find out that you're using my name to cause trouble and stir up trouble everywhere, I certainly won't let you off easily!"

"Have you remembered it?"

Xu Qing found the words increasingly familiar; wasn't this the kind of thing he liked to say when accepting disciples and teaching students? He never expected that it would be used on himself.

"The teacher's words are etched in the students' hearts, and they will never forget them."

The child in red chuckled and said, "I'm not your teacher."

Xu Qing shook his head: "Even a teacher for a day is still a teacher. A teacher may not acknowledge a disciple, but a disciple cannot disown a teacher."

The patriarch remained expressionless and did not refute further. He simply raised his hand, and the surrounding scenery began to distort and change.

Seeing that he was about to escape, Xu Qing hurriedly asked, "Has this student not yet asked the teacher's name?"

"Names are but dust and grime of creation; appearances are but illusions of the true and constant. Sages are nameless, and divine beings are without merit, so why do you need to ask me about my origins?"

"Nameless and without merit, this is Hunyuan." Xu Qing instantly understood. His teacher was indeed the owner of the Ruyi Treasure Book, the Hunyuan Ancestor whom Yuan Gong had mentioned, who was elusive and rarely seen.

Unfortunately, Yuan Gong first became a disciple of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady, and later met the Primordial Ancestor.

The Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady was a student of the patriarch, so according to seniority, Master Yuan should be the patriarch's grand-disciple.

By a twist of fate, Xu Qing was actually a generation older than the white-haired monkey.

Within the White Cloud Cave, the secrets of heaven remain hidden.

At this moment, the wall engraved with the heavenly script has completely returned to normal. However, the Heavenly Gang Law is superior to the Earthly Fiend Law, and can only be learned once. Once someone learns it, the heavenly secret will be lost forever.

Xu Qing came to his senses and looked around, only to find that it was just past midnight. What were several days outside were no more than the length of a cup of tea inside the White Cloud Cave.

Seeing that the Heavenly Book had completely disappeared, the Red-tailed Monkey stepped forward to comfort him:
"Don't be discouraged, Sect Leader. We're all family. When you have some free time another day, I'll explain the Heavenly Gang Technique to you."

Xu Qing looked at the red-tailed monkey comforting him in the same way it had comforted the other monkey at the beginning, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and say:
"How do you know I can't learn the Heavenly Gang Technique? As the sect leader, I only wanted you to comprehend it first. In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, I have already learned the remaining supernatural powers and gathered the thirty-six Heavenly Gang numbers."

Red-tailed Monkey counted on his fingers and found that everyone had only learned twenty-four skills in total. Even Qingqing Niangniang, who had the best aptitude and was most favored by the patriarch, had only learned nine skills.

The sect leader, however, learned the remaining twelve skills all by himself?

The red-tailed monkey was filled with emotion.

Otherwise, how could a human become the sect leader? All the supernatural powers it has learned combined are only a fraction of what a sect leader can achieve!
(End of this chapter)