Daoist Master of Qing Xuan

Shen Lian pointed at Yi Zhi with his fishing rod. At that moment, Yi Zhi felt like it was the end for him.

It was just like what was written in the register of life and death. If the person was recorded to be dead by midnight, he would not live till dawn the next day.

Yi Zhi moved but he was not moving forward or backward. He was not going up, down, left or right but he gave out a feeling that he was moving.

Because of this odd “movement”, all in a sudden, Shen Lian’s killing vibe had lost track of its target.

Shen Lian was impressed as Yi Zhi, in fact, had moved. This movement was not made by him but instead, it was from his surrounding with him being at the center of everything.

The movement was relative. As everything was moving, Yi Zhi was moving in relation to it.

Shen Lian too was part of the everything and he did not escape from Yi Zhi’s odd technique. Shen Lian felt that the reason why Yi Zhi was better than Guan Longzi was that he had a better understanding of things. He was able to peel off the external layers to see the principle.

The reason why Yi Zhi said he was number one in witchcraft was that the most famous witchcraft was the Prayer of the Masses and Yi Zhi made use of the prayer in this principle.

He was not praying to the God or the demons or any grand beings. He was praying to the unwavering principle that existed in everything.

As people always said, to make changes with feelings and to make an understanding with principle. It was appropriate to be used here too as Yi Zhi made the principle move and hence, everything else followed suit.

The principle within everything was the essence of the technique of Yi. From Yi Zhi’s description, it was definitely not a boast that he could refine Lianshanyi.

Shen Lian did not intend to compete against Yi Zhi in terms of achievement in the technique of Yi. He swung his fishing rod around and the reeds that were tainted red by the sunset soon flew around. The odd thing was that when they flew, they behaved as if they were out of the physical world and that the red sunset could not leave a trace on them. If that was the only thing, it was fine but the thing was, Yi Zhi could see clearly the original color of the reeds.

The reeds were as white as snow.

The reeds which were white as snow was coming towards him in a stern manner. They were not like everything else and they were not dream-like. He could not treat them as something that really existed but he too could not ignore them as they pointed straight to his heart.

Yi Zhi was surprised, “What a great “difference between the object and the self.”

He could peel off the external layer to identify the real principle but even the ‘principle’ was only his mere understanding. Shen Lian sent the reeds flying and hence, what he saw were the reeds but then again, they were not exactly the reeds. They could well be imaginary. Whether they were real or imaginary, it simply depended on his judgment. In reality, they were where the “difference between the object and the self” were hidden. They were what Yi Zhi could see by his eyes. He needed to distinguish whether what he saw were the reeds or whether “he” saw the reeds.

Just like the saying by Buddha, “Everything that has a form is not real. Once one is able to realize that, one can then be enlightened.”

This was just like how when a common man was knocked out, he felt like he could see stars dancing in his eyes but in reality, there were no stars seen. They could only be observed because of the concussion. However, if there were indeed stars in the void and what the eyes were seeing were still imaginary, what should one do with this?

This was the “difference between the object and the self”. An object was an object and the self was the self. If one could see an object because of the self, would one consider the object as real?

That was the challenge Yi Zhi was facing, whether he could ignore the snow-like reeds that were flying towards him and simply treat them as imaginary. However, if there was a reality within the imaginary, what should he do?

To be enlightened meant to be able to see the principle, seeing not the shape but the reality.

The technique Shen Lian just used was from Dream Heart Sutra and Free Form Incantation. Furthermore, he combined the Powang state among the nine states of cultivation from Qing Xuan Earth and Star with the two techniques.

Even though everyone had to overcome Powang, only after the Daoist master Tianyi from Qing Xuan Earth and Star decided on the nine states of cultivation with a systematic approach, people then had a grasp on the concept.

Yi Zhi surely had broken through the whims. However, even if one could break the whims, it did not mean there would be no whims for the rest of the life as he was limited in terms of the systematic understanding of Powang. Hence, he was facing such a difficult situation. He did not know the foundation of the technique thus, he could not break through.

For someone from Qing Xuan Earth and Star, if they knew Shen Lian turned the most terrified state by ninety-nine percent of cultivators into a technique, they would surely be shocked. They too would exclaim about Shen Lian’s creativity and his ability.

If not because he was riding on the old Daoist’s and Yanxu’s sources, regardless of how creative Shen Lian was, he would not be able to use this trick.

From this aspect, Shen Lian was considered an exemplar to the statement: plant a tree where the descendants could sit under.

Shen Lian not only possessed the dream-like technique. When Yi Zhi hesitated, the fishing rod moved and pierced through the void. As the void collapsed, the spiritual opportunity from the two sides of the river was concentrated at that one spot which ultimate target was Yi Zhi.

The scary thing was, while it was a killing sword, at this point in time there was no sound. Nothing odd was happening.

Shen Lian calmly became one with the sword. He turned into a streak of ray and headed off without looking back.

Yi Zhi finally came to a revelation, his mind was clear and he could see the reality. However, it was already too late. Shen Lian needed not to daze him for long, that short moment was sufficient.

The bit of ray remained in between Yi Zhi’s brows was not a bit more, not a bit less. The terrible killing vibes spread from his brows to his limbs and into his soul.

While he successfully cultivated an inextinguishable divine aura where at most he only had to go through the karmic cycle again, he still was not willing to just go away. Afterall, if he missed this opportunity where the world would be turned around, he had no idea how long he would have to wait for the next one. Whether he could get hold of the timing, was another story.

When Yi Zhi was having thousand of thoughts, Shen Lian’s true body had already appeared. From the side of the water, none would realize he turned into a killing sword just now which could send Yi Zhi through the karmic cycle.

Yi Zhi sighed, “I am convinced.”

“I apologize for any offense, friend.” Shen Lian smiled, as he stood by the wind. At that moment, the sunset. The stars and the moon lit up the Yi river. The quaint scenery was beautiful.

Occasionally the cicadas sang, and the swimming fish sunk and resurfaced. It could stir a thousand thoughts.

Yi Zhi said, “What do you want me to do?”

Shen Lian said, “Your previous suggestion to Jing Er is great. If only I can be as great as you at strategic planning, I would not have to seek you out and hence, naturally, we will follow your idea in the early phase.”

Yi Zhi looked slightly pleased, as ultimately his strategy was reliable. He looked at Si Jing, “As long as monarch agrees with this.”

Si Jing’s restriction was released. Shen Lian’s deep eyes looked towards her and sighed, “Jing Er, can you just let this be the one time I ask for a favor from you?”

Si Jing’s heart shook as she responded softly, “Sir, you know I can turn down anybody but you.”

Yi Zhi’s comfort disappeared after he saw this scene. He really doubted that if Si Jing previously agreed with his plan and in the most critical moment, whether she would let Shen Lian win just because of what he said.

By then even if he exhausted the whole of the underworld, he still would not be able to relieve his anger and pain.