The improved female villains regained their memories.

Chapter 199 The Righteous Path

Before he was fully conscious, Luo Benqing was taken into a secret room.

Where is this?

He rubbed his eyes and looked around.

The room was very quiet, surrounded by stone bricks, and the chill ran deep into the bones, as if it were underground.

He woke up on the bed next to him and is now standing on the ground, facing an open wooden door. The deep tunnel in front of him is indistinct, like the gaping maw of some giant beast.

"you're awake."

An old woman appeared in front of Luo Benqing.

She was hunched over, leaning on a cane, her face full of wrinkles, but her white hair revealed a kind heart. She opened her hand, sprinkled some cool powder, and said with a smile, "This is the Guardian Heaven Sect, I am Granny Weaver Girl. Don't be nervous, this is not a bad place."

The cooling powder seemed to have a calming effect. After being sprinkled with it, Luo Benqing felt much better. He calmed his mind, politely bowed to Granny Weaver Girl, and asked, "Hello, Granny Weaver Girl, my name is Luo Benqing. Why did I come to this place? What is going on?"

"Hehe, no need to rush, come with me, I'll tell you slowly."

The Record of Cultivating the Way of Heaven says that the gate is a mysterious place.

Inside the gate, the infinite, the eternal, and the non-existent are all reduced to mystery. Nothingness and existence cannot be distinguished; they all exist behind the gate, representing the origin of the Way of Heaven (or, some say, the origin of the Great Way).

The book "The Record of Cultivation of the Heavenly Dao" is so old that people have different interpretations of it. For the people of the Heavenly Protection Sect, it is better to complete their respective tasks—tasks from the Heavenly Dao—rather than to interpret the book.

The Guardian Heaven Sect controls the gate and also possesses the power to communicate with the Heavenly Dao.

“Our world is called the main world because it has a gate that allows direct communication with the Heavenly Dao,” Granny Weaver said as she led Luo Benqing along. “But the universe is full of infinite creations. There is our world, but there are also other worlds, which are called secondary worlds.”

The main world is the place where the origin of the Heavenly Dao exists, while the secondary world, although it does not have the Heavenly Dao, also bears traces of the Heavenly Dao because it is also created.

This is why, although all worlds have primary and secondary aspects, the methods of cultivation are essentially the same. It's just that some worlds have a scarcity of spiritual energy or killing techniques (such as Su Murong's world), while in other worlds, cultivation is not practiced at all, and the entire process is supported by technology, with mechanical ascension.

But regardless of the world, whether one cultivates or not, in essence, they are all creations of the Heavenly Dao, and are part of the Creator.

"Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs. They show no favoritism, nor do they harm any one, because to them they are all the same. Therefore, many, many years ago, they were indifferent to all the worlds, until—"

"—Humans have appeared."

"Humans are the most intelligent of all beings. The emergence of humans led to the birth of humanity. Heaven created humans, but it never imagined that humans would create humanity."

"The Way of Heaven has no favoritism, but the Way of Humanity does. The Way of Heaven takes from those who have more than enough and gives to those who have less than enough, while the Way of Humanity takes from those who have less than enough and gives to those who have more than enough. The Way of Heaven suppresses the strongest and will not allow any one species to dominate the world for too long. However, because the human race has comprehended the Way of Humanity, it has long held the position of the world's hegemon without wavering."

"Humanity's actions also provoked the wrath of Heaven. Thus, in the ancient times millions of years ago, a struggle between humanity and Heaven began."

The first person to raise the banner of humanity was Fuxi.

He keenly sensed that the power of the Heavenly Dao was very strong. Humans were born from Heaven and Earth and were children of Heaven and Earth. The Heavenly Dao was like an ancestor to them. Who would rebel against their ancestor? Wouldn't that make them an unfilial son?

Therefore, at that time, Fuxi first proposed the concept of harmony between heaven and man. Why must the way of heaven and the way of man fight? We can find a balance between the way of heaven and the way of man, so that the way of heaven will not suppress the human race for too long, and the human race can rely on the way of heaven to survive for a long time.

Thus, the hexagrams were born.

The so-called hexagrams are essentially Fuxi's observations of the Way of Heaven. A hexagram is composed of lines (yao, second tone), which are divided into yin and yang lines, representing the yin and yang energies of Heaven and Earth. Fuxi found that balance point, allowing humanity to pass through its initial period of stability, a period of harmony between Heaven and humanity.

Cultivation relied on spiritual energy, and agriculture relied on astronomy. At that time, humanity was completely dependent on the Heavenly Dao, so the Heavenly Dao did not suppress humans very severely. Demons could summon wind and rain, and there were ferocious beasts in the forest that could devour humans at any time. Unless you were the strongest, the Heavenly Dao would not take you seriously.

But gradually, humanity grew stronger and more prosperous, and therefore, the heavens became angry.

The first time Heaven was enraged was when a celestial being named Nuwa offered herself as a sacrifice to appease Heaven's anger. The second time Heaven was enraged was because the human race defeated the demon race and created writing, clothing, wheels, and other things that defied Heaven.

When Heaven first raged, heavenly fire descended; when Heaven raged a second time, floods poured down. The first time Heaven raged, humanity still had Nuwa, but the second time, no one could quell Heaven's fury.

Therefore, people made countless efforts and finally, under the leadership of Yu the Great, gradually resolved the suppression of human affairs by the Way of Heaven. But this also meant that human affairs would no longer bow down to the Way of Heaven. The original harmony was transformed into how to utilize the Way of Heaven.

“There is an ancient secret. Legend has it that there was a man from the ancient Yue tribe named Wang, Huo, and Wensheng. He traveled to the mountains and rivers, thinking about how to utilize the Way of Heaven. Finally, he found a way to utilize it among the rolling mountains. That was also the earliest way to utilize it.”

"Later, an unknown person was inspired by the earth and believed that all things in the world originated from the heavens and were stored on the earth, thus finding a second way to utilize them."

"But unfortunately, the methods for using the first two have been lost, and even the third one is rarely used anymore."

Humans exploited the Way of Heaven by any means necessary, and after they had exhausted their power, they became the world's hegemons, and then they began to think about how to guard against the Way of Heaven.

The Way of Heaven was naturally unwilling to be suppressed by the Way of Humanity, so it began to frequently interfere with the Way of Humanity.

The most intense, the most extreme, the most emotional, and the most representative of human nature—that is the essence of humanity.

The most moderate, the most ordinary, but the one most in tune with the will of Heaven, is the essence of the Way of Heaven.

The former is the villain, and the latter is the hero.

Villains are often self-centered, while heroes are often centered on the world.

The Weaver Girl Granny then began to speak, and soon led Luo Benqing into an ancestral hall.

In the spacious cave, before Luo Benqing were rows of celestial tablets, each inscribed with a person's name, and in front of each tablet was a burning candle.

"This is..." Luo Benqing asked, his eyes wide with a mixture of awe and curiosity.

"These people are all like me."

The Weaver Girl spoke softly, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"They were all people who risked their lives to protect the Way of Heaven."

"They are all on the right path."

Chapter 200: The Protagonist, the Villain, Humanity, and Heavenly Dao Combined

Luo Benqing held his breath, looking at the nameplates one after another in front of him.

He saw many names, like stars in the night, using themselves as fuel to illuminate the long night.

“Grandma, I don’t understand. Since Heaven’s will is to suppress the human race and the way of humanity, why should we risk our lives to protect Heaven’s will?” Luo Benmo asked softly.

The Weaver Girl remained silent for a moment before speaking: "Child, do you really think that humanity will bring good to our human race?"

"The so-called human way, born from the human race, represents the collective of human society and foreshadows the highest system and legal system of mankind. However, how can a system established by man compare with a system established by Heaven? In ancient times, Heaven and man were in harmony. Rulers needed to understand both the Way of Heaven and the Way of Man, emphasizing inner sagehood and outer kingship. Thus, dynasties changed hands for thousands of years. Later, Heaven and man gradually separated. Rulers no longer studied the Way of Heaven, but only the Way of Man, emphasizing outward Confucianism and inward Legalism. Thus, dynasties changed hands every few hundred years. With the separation of Heaven and man, the most selfish aspect of human way slowly manifested in the highest individual."

“Child, in this world, where are there people who live forever, and where are there things that live forever? Even the highest cultivators can only achieve the state of being in harmony with the Heavenly Dao. The Heavenly Dao is subject to fate, let alone humans. The Heavenly Dao is not immutable; it will collapse one day. We humans are no different, because we come from the Heavenly Dao and will return to it after death.”

"So, is humanity truly suitable for our human race? No, look at those rulers, who provide for themselves with the support of all the people. The imperial arts, benevolence, righteousness, and propriety are all merely the laws of humanity. Heaven has no favorites, it takes from the surplus to supplement the deficiency, and it is completely impartial and selfless. That is the true way of ruling. Therefore, if we want our human race to survive for a long time, on the one hand, we must protect, rely on, and acknowledge Heaven's way; on the other hand, we must suppress, control, and rule humanity. This is what is meant by matching virtue with Heaven and governing people with reverence for Heaven."

The Way of Heaven has no thoughts, no love or hate.

It emerged from the Great Dao, silently enacting its own laws. The reason it attacked humanity was not out of personal love or hate, but simply because the human race had become too powerful.

Without the Way of Heaven, humanity cannot enjoy lasting peace and stability; with only the Way of Humanity, humanity is left only with chaos and war. Nature and humanity are like two wild horses, recklessly pulling at human thought. Therefore, sages throughout history have been searching for a way to govern the world in a unified and peaceful manner.

However, before this solution could be found, the flourishing of humanity began to disrupt this balance. In the sub-world, more and more people began to break free from the shackles left by the world's will, seeking the origin of the Heavenly Dao, aspiring to become the greatest immortal of all time. The number of villains increased, their wolf-like eyes fixed intently on the gates of the main world, on the Heavenly Dao.

The righteous, who were given hope by Heaven, were initially able to survive and kill the villains with the help of divine guidance and fortuitous encounters. However, as the villains grew stronger and more tenacious, the righteous not only could not suppress them but were also killed by them.

It was under these circumstances that the Guardian Heaven Sect was born.

"When the righteous faction cannot suppress the villains and is instead killed by them, the Heavenly Dao will often use the will of the world to bring in other souls to replace the most promising righteous faction members. These righteous souls will be absorbed by the traces of the Heavenly Dao, their bodies will be reshaped, and then they will be pushed out of the gate. This is the origin of the protectors of the Dao."

The Weaver Girl smiled and pointed to the fate tablets above, saying, "These fate tablets you see represent the righteous people of this next world. Because they are favored by the Heavenly Dao, they are also called protagonists, including me. I am also a protagonist."

There is usually only one villain, either male or female, who is often the epitome of humanity and rarely appears. When she does appear, it inevitably leads to bloodshed.

There are usually two main characters, a male protagonist and a female protagonist. They are both favored by the Heavenly Dao and the World Will, and therefore have the most opportunities and the best luck.

The struggle between the villains and the protagonists is endless. After the capable people leave one by one, this world becomes a game of chess between the way of heaven and the way of humanity, and everyone in the game becomes a pawn.

After defeating the protagonist, the villains typically fall into one of two categories. First, they reign supreme in their original world, living a life of decadence and debauchery. Second, they don't choose to remain confined to their own secondary world; instead, they seek a higher and broader path, breaking free from the constraints of their original world and confronting the very laws of nature.

The first type is manageable; even if defeated, Heaven still has the power to retaliate. Thousands of years later, the villain who ruled the world will pass away, and the protagonist supported by Heaven will rise again. The second type, however, would harm the very essence of Heaven. Heaven would label such villains from the very beginning, hence they are often called "titled villains."

Characters like Wen Shihan, the ruthless climber, and Luo Benmo, the savior of villains, are considered titled villains. When facing titled villains, the Heavenly Dao's plans are often more profound, and the struggles are more intense than before.

"The guardians of the path will not face ordinary villains, but villains with titles. These villains have been tested by blood and fire and are often different from ordinary people. They are more resourceful than ordinary villains. So, child, do you understand? What you are facing is not an ordinary enemy, but a group of madmen, a group of madmen who want to defy the heavens and rule the world with their own bodies."

Luo Benqing listened, somewhat mesmerized. He felt a sense of duty, and also a sense of honor, which he didn't reject, as if he were born to do so. He lowered his head, thought for a moment, and asked, "Grandma, what you just said seems to be about the secondary world. In our main world, do we also have villains and protagonists?"

"some."

If the secondary world is a side battlefield where the essence of humanity and the traces of the Heavenly Way clash, then the main world is the direct confrontation between humanity and the Heavenly Way.

Since it is a direct confrontation, the representatives of both sides are undoubtedly the best of the best.

There is only one villain and one protagonist. Unlike other secondary worlds where the emergence of a named villain is a low-probability event, the villain in the main world is bound to be a named villain. His scale, spirit, wisdom, and methods will surpass those of other villains by thousands of times, making him the most direct threat to the Heavenly Dao.

The protagonist of the main world is also known as the Child of Destiny. There are always unusual phenomena at his birth. Fearing that he might perish, the heavens will arrange many benefactors to protect him and ensure his safe growth. He is often the main force against the villains of the main world and the leader of the twelve guardians in the Guardian Sect.

"Each generation of chosen ones is different, but without a doubt, they are all exceptionally talented. Their talents not only far surpass those of the protagonists of other worlds, but they can also rival the villains of the main world."

"And our chosen one of this year... you'll see her when you turn around."

Luo Benqing was still somewhat bewildered after hearing the Weaver Girl's description.

Luo Benqing was indeed very interested in everything she said, but he came from his own world and his memories were still there. Now, suddenly being exposed to so much new information, he inevitably felt a little uncomfortable.

The Weaver Girl, seeing his expression, knew what he was thinking and smiled slightly: "Are you thinking about things on your side?"

"Yes." Luo Benqing nodded. "To be honest, Mother, I have an older sister over there, and I... I'm very worried about her..."

"Alright, I've already told you so much. It's a good opportunity for you to meet that chosen one and have her do some divination for you."

"Deduction?"

"Well, protectors like us all come from within the sect. The Heavenly Dao doesn't do things without a reason. Protectors who come from within the sect can more or less restrain the villains who are about to attack. Therefore, some immortals with strong divination abilities can deduce from us protectors how strong the villains who are coming are, and at the same time, they can also deduce the past of people like us."

The old woman smiled helplessly: "After all, not everyone who travels through time arrives unscathed. The one before you was seriously injured right after arriving, but fortunately, he didn't lose any memories."

"Oh, I see..."

Luo Benqing responded in a low voice, his curiosity about the place growing stronger, so he dared not ask any more questions.

"Let's go without delay."

The Weaver Girl Granny reached out and took Luo Benqing's hand, simultaneously unleashing a divine killing move. In an instant, the two were transported to a magnificent palace.

Enveloped in ethereal clouds, Luo Benqing could see nothing around him except for the main hall itself. This place felt like a true immortal realm, filling him, a man who had never seen the world before, with a sense of unease.

As I walked forward, a man approached from the opposite direction. He was eight feet tall, disheveled from head to toe, with a wine jug hanging from his waist. He reeked of alcohol, his eyes were blurry with drunkenness, but his steps were steady.

When the Weaver Girl saw him, she was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Did you go to see the Chosen One?"

"Hmm, another newcomer has arrived." The disheveled uncle's expression was no longer joking; his face was serious. "This crisis is probably even bigger than before."

"Someone else is coming?"