Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme - Chapter 565

Chapter 565: Chapter 342: Discussing the Dao_2

Returning to Void and becoming divine is one thing, while Integration is another, but don’t be fooled by the seemingly small difference of one realm between Integration Mahayana. In reality, it’s the difference between heaven and earth. Many cultivators at the Integration phase, such as Lord Chu Shan and Lord Lutu, have been trapped by the bottleneck of the Integration phase for tens of thousands of years, finding it difficult to condense the Immortal Spirit Mechanism and progress to the Mahayana Realm.

For such cultivators, receiving guidance in the discourse of Mahayana is an invaluable opportunity. It might allow them to leverage the experience to shake the bottleneck and break through the realm.

Alas, such opportunities are genuinely scarce. After all, the current atmosphere in the Cultivation Realm isn’t good, with the major Immortal Gates often hoarding their secrets. Buddhism and the Heavenly Court are even using such opportunities as bait, forcing independent cultivators to join them.

Unless born within the gates of the Immortal Gods and having elders who are Mahayana cultivators or even Tribulation Passing Immortals, it’s very hard for average Integration practitioners to receive guidance from the adept. They can only seek the relics of predecessors, absorbing experience from their inheritance.

Today, this Pill Origin Gathering hosted by Xu Yang, not only grants Spirit Pills but also offers discourses on Taoism and teaching by the likes of True Person Ziyang and other Mahayana cultivators. For everyone present, this is indeed a tremendous opportunity.

Invisibly, the significance of this Pill Origin Gathering has risen considerably.

“Brother Dao, your act is a boon to the Cultivation Realm, and the merit is immeasurable!”

“Toiling behind closed doors is indeed not advisable.”

“A discussion on Taoism and an exchange of insights will be greatly beneficial to us.”

Individuals like the Peony Fairy already knew about this and had no objections, nodding in agreement straightaway.

“Then let me be the first to begin,”

Xu Yang said with a smile, setting an example, “I base my teachings on Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, so let’s start from here—the Dao of the Five Elements, from the simple to the complex, for everyone to witness!”

With that, he began to narrate smoothly under the watchful eyes of the audience.

In the discourse of Taoism, there are many Tao and methods to be taught, where to start?

Of course, it starts from the most fundamental practices.

As cultivators practice, they prioritize doctrine, wealth, companions, and location, with doctrine being of utmost importance.

Xu Yang thus began his discourse. Although there were no miraculous phenomena such as flowers raining from the sky or golden lotuses springing from the ground, his speech was characterized by its gradual deepening, stability, and comprehensiveness, which allowed everyone to gain something and rarely caused confusion or frustration.

Seeing this, the Peony Fairy and others couldn’t help but praise incessantly.

“Zhen Yuan, you truly excel in the art of teaching!”

“Introducing concepts gently and progressing steadily—not to mention others, but we’ve also gained a lot from it.”

“To review the old and understand the new, how marvelous, indeed!”

“Big brother is truly exceptional. With such teaching prowess, the Wuzhuang Lineage will surely flourish.”

“…”

Thus, in the Wuzhuang Temple, the sound of Taoism and doctrine echoed unceasingly for years, and in the blink of an eye, three days had passed.

Xu Yang ceased speaking, touching on just enough to make a point, waking the audience from their trance, leaving them feeling a sense of loss.

Xu Yang remained reticent, turning his gaze to True Person Ziyang, “Would you like to share your insights?”

“Then let this old man make a modest contribution,”

True Person Ziyang didn’t refuse and took over the discourse.

The gap became apparent in such a comparison.

Though True Person Ziyang was a senior in the Mahayana realm and even the founder of Enlightenment Cave on Mount Jinhua, his teachings were not as approachable as Xu Yang’s.

When it came to complex and obscure matters, even cultivators at the Integration phase found it challenging, furrowing their brows, let alone those at the Returning to Void and becoming Divine stage. For those with duller aptitudes, they were completely baffled, scratching their heads in confusion.

True Person Ziyang didn’t elaborate too much on this, for this was his teaching style; it was also the dominant style of teaching in the State of South Observance and the greater Earth Immortal Cultivation Realm.

A rotten wood cannot be carved; if one can’t understand, it signifies the lack of aptitude. Without sufficient aptitude, there isn’t much meaning in teaching. The major Immortal Gates are unwilling to spend vast amounts of time and resources grooming disciples with mediocre talent. Once they are like mud that cannot support a wall, even if they are forcibly propped up, their future achievements will be quite limited.

Therefore, the major Immortal Gates only teach the truly talented. If one is not a favored child of heaven, it is difficult to even enter their path.

Thus, three days later, after True Person Ziyang had mostly finished speaking, Pure Jun Sword Lord took his turn.

Compared to True Person Ziyang, Pure Jun Sword Lord was even less adept at teaching, communicating in even more obscure terms and focusing on the Sword Dao. Most of the cultivators seated below did not understand, and trying too hard only confused their minds, resulting in extreme chaos.

Next, the Peony Fairy took her turn; it was somewhat better, but still not much clearer. Only a small portion of the audience could grasp her meaning, while the vast majority were in a state of half-comprehension.

The last to speak was the Great Roc King, and he was another story altogether!

As an utterly self-taught cultivator from a half-human, half-demon hybrid lineage, his rise to the Mahayana Realm was entirely reliant on his exceptional talent and a strong fate. He was a case that could not be replicated, and he even put himself in a position of being attacked from within and without. If it hadn’t been for Xu Yang’s rescue, he would have exploded and died long ago.

Thus, he had no experience to speak of, and even if others had, they wouldn’t dare to listen, so in the end, he simply didn’t take the stage.

Five Great Mahayana experts, each with their own characteristics.

But unquestionably the most popular was Xu Yang, so after Peony Fairy had finished speaking, the audience’s gaze shifted back to him, eagerly waiting.

To learn the Tao in the morning and die in the evening would be no regret, such an opportunity lay before them, and the audience could not concern themselves with much else.

Xu Yang smiled and took control of the situation again, “The fundamental principles of cultivation have mostly been discussed already. If any Brother Dao has gained some insights or is confused about any difficulties, you may stand and speak freely, and we shall solve them together!”

“This…”

The crowd looked at each other, all hesitant.

In the end, it was Lord Chu Shan, who had a closer relationship, who stood up, “Brother Dao, there is something I don’t understand, which is the Mahayana Immortal Spirit Mechanism that True Person Ziyang just mentioned…”

“Indeed, that point is quite obscure,” said Xu Yang, nodding his head and looking toward True Person Ziyang who nodded in agreement, then turned back his gaze to explain to Lord Chu Shan, “The Dao of Mahayana, the Immortal Spirit Mechanism…”

In this way, he re-analyzed what True Person Ziyang had just discussed, making it clear to the audience, suddenly enlightening them.

It was the same logic, the same content, but Xu Yang’s explanation was so accessible that all the listeners gained insights.

“This…”

“Zhen Yuan, you are truly a scholar that reaches the heavens!”

“The same principle, yet Zhen Yuan makes it so easy to understand!”

The audience marveled at what they heard, and True Person Ziyang himself exclaimed, “Such teaching prowess, I am truly outmatched!”

Xu Yang smiled and replied, “However, when it comes to the fundamental principles, if it involves the secrets of the Great Dao, I also would not be able to explain thus.”

This statement wasn’t modesty; he could indeed make basic principles of cultivation clear thanks to his own accumulation of knowledge and his teaching skills.

But should it involve the Great Dao Core Methods, like the fire-element techniques and secrets of the Purple Sun Great Day which True Person Ziyang cultivated, he wouldn’t be able to analyze them like this because he didn’t fully understand them either.

However, such foundational and life-sustaining teachings would obviously not be shared by True Person Ziyang, who could only discuss the basics of Mahayana; thus, Xu Yang had no trouble explaining them.

Through Xu Yang’s explanations, Lord Chu Shan became enlightened and sat down satisfied. Then, an Integration stage cultivator stood up, “I also have something I don’t understand about what True Monarch Pure Jun discussed regarding the Sword Dao…”

Xu Yang smiled and, with a glance toward Pure Jun Sword Lord and receiving his consent, began to dissect the lesson.

So it went, cultivators asked questions, Xu Yang resolved doubts, deftly breaking down the complexities that several Great Mahayana experts had discussed. Although these were mostly fundamental concepts, his profound knowledge was evident.

Three days later, the fundamental principles had been largely addressed. All the cultivators present gained something, even the Great Mahayana experts felt refreshed with new insights.

“The fundamental principles are largely as such,” Xu Yang regained control, smiling as he spoke, “But cultivators face many obstacles; we can’t rely solely on fundamental longevity techniques. We also need protective arts for defense and combat, as well as means for wealth and companionship. Hence, we shall now discuss Dao Protection techniques and the various magical arts.”

Having said that, he scanned the crowd and asked, “Which Brother Dao wishes to start?”

“Allow me to begin,” Pure Jun Sword Lord was the first to respond, looking toward Xu Yang with a smile, “I have traveled the world recently, visiting the State of East Victorious Divine Land, and even went up to the Heavenly Court to meet a few friends. In Heavenly Court, I saw a novel Mana Point, called ‘Heavenly Mechanics Methods’, a form of Spiritual Treasure Armor Skill!”

Xu Yang: “…”

Upon hearing this, Xu Yang fell silent, and everyone was surprised.

“Heavenly Mechanics Methods?”

“Spiritual Treasure Armor Skill?”

“A new method from Heavenly Court?”

“This…”

The audience exchanged looks, clearly all unfamiliar with it.

Pure Jun Sword Lord smiled, “This Mana Point allows using a core treasure, through Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation, to command countless artifacts, combining hundreds of thousands, even millions of Magic Artifacts into one form, called the Spiritual Treasure Battle Armor, its combat capabilities are extraordinary!”

Having said that, he took out a Storage Ring, “It took me a great deal of effort to acquire a set from the Taibai Star Palace. Fellow Daoists, please appreciate it and see what is novel and unique about this method.”