nyslfriends Chapter 25 The Competition of Myriad Races
Chapter 25 The Competition of Myriad Races
Inside the Wuzhuang Temple, time quietly slips away amidst the lingering Taoist chants and the rising golden light of merit, like a babbling brook that never stops, day and night.
The tiny, firefly-like spark of spiritual light within the nine-clawed, merit-filled, mysterious golden dragon.
Under the alternating lectures and careful nurturing of Zhen Yuanzi, who expounded on the profound foundation of the earth and the origin of all things, Wanshou Yuanjun, who demonstrated the vitality of Yi wood and its cyclical nature, and Hongyun, who depicted the vastness of the sky and the ever-changing winds, earth-shaking changes have already taken place.
It was no longer that initial, confused, and seemingly ephemeral faint tremor, but had grown stronger and more solid, transforming into a swirling, spiritual mist about the size of a fist.
The light mist was subdued in color, with a pure, intelligent white light at its core and a faint, dark golden glow around it, showing its close connection with the golden dragon's body.
It already possesses a basic foundation of intelligence, though it is far from being able to think clearly and express its thoughts.
However, they began to vaguely understand some simple, benevolent fluctuations of thought from the outside world—such as "stability" in Zhen Yuanzi's Daoist rhyme, "growth" in Wanshou Yuanjun's Daoist rhyme, and "freedom" in Hongyun's Daoist rhyme.
Especially when the two young Taoist boys, Qingfeng and Mingyue, crept closer day after day.
When they gently stroke the cool dragon scales with their pure, innocent little hands, imbued with the fresh scent of plants, their nascent intelligence transmits a faint yet real, almost instinctive wave of joy, like a newborn animal's attachment to its mother.
It even began to passively and slowly absorb the surrounding merit and primordial energy, as well as the omnipresent Pangu legacy energy originating from the ancestral vein of Longevity Mountain within the Wuzhuang Temple, to nourish itself and make that spiritual mist even more lustrous.
However, when their spiritual intelligence grew to a certain level, the three Great Luo Golden Immortals, who had achieved the pinnacle of cultivation, almost simultaneously noticed the bottleneck.
Zhen Yuanzi stopped preaching first, his deep gaze seemingly able to pierce through the dragon's body, staring directly at the cloud of spiritual light and mist, and slowly said: "At this point, the power of the Dao Sound Initiation is nearing its peak. The basic source of this spiritual root is now solid, and the understanding of the world has taken shape, like a rough jade being carved for the first time, or a fledgling eagle with its feathers fully grown."
The voice of the Longevity Goddess was clear and melodious, like a spring striking stone.
"Indeed. The perfection of spiritual wisdom cannot be achieved solely through external indoctrination."
It requires the individual to calmly contemplate and accumulate knowledge over time, gradually internalizing the teachings we impart, like a seed buried deep in fertile soil. Only through its own sprouting and breakthrough can it take root, grow strong, and flourish. This is a process of gradual refinement, and cannot be forced.
Although Hongyun was impatient, she understood the key point and nodded, saying:
"What you two fellow Daoists say is quite right. It seems that all we can do now is wait for it to ripen and fall naturally, and for its wisdom to emerge on its own. But this wait will probably take many years." His tone carried a hint of barely perceptible expectation and a touch of helplessness.
The three powerful beings all knew that this golden dragon's origins were far extraordinary, and the complete development and perfection of its intelligence would likely take far longer than that of ordinary beings; it couldn't be rushed. Fortunately, Wuzhuang Temple was a blessed land, where time and spiritual energy were plentiful.
Time passes unnoticed in the mountains, and the passing of winter is unknown. On this day, Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun were discussing the Dao under the ginseng fruit tree when Zhen Yuanzi suddenly felt a slight stirring in his heart, and a thought of "wanting to move after being still" naturally arose.
Since they took human form, apart from necessary protection and preaching, they have almost never stepped out of the Wanshou Mountain barrier.
Now that everything in the mountains has settled down, the golden dragon's spiritual development has entered a stable period, and all that is needed is to wait for the passage of time to bring about change.
The avatar of the Longevity Goddess, who possesses the cultivation of a Great Luo Golden Immortal and is in perfect harmony with the original body, is stationed in the temple.
In addition, the Wanshou Mountain itself is naturally formed with a powerful protective array that connects to the veins of the primordial land, and the Four Symbols Guardian Array is formed by the echoing energy of the Four Symbols Banana Trees left by Hongyun. It can be described as impregnable and foolproof.
Zhen Yuanzi raised his eyes to look at the churning sea of clouds on the horizon outside the temple, a hint of inquiry appearing on his ancient and majestic face. He said to Hongyun:
"Fellow Daoist Hongyun, since we took human form, we have lived on this mountain. Although we have found peace and quiet, we have never truly experienced the vastness of this primordial world."
Now that there is nothing to do in the mountains, and the golden dragon needs time to gestate, why don't we take this opportunity to travel out and explore? Firstly, we can witness the magnificent scenery of the primordial world and confirm the principles in our hearts; secondly, we might encounter some fortuitous events and broaden our horizons.
Upon hearing this, Hongyun's eyes immediately lit up. His nature, like the clouds, yearned for freedom and unrestraint, and he had long longed for the legendary primordial land. He clapped his hands and laughed, his crimson Taoist robe fluttering like flames.
"Excellent! Excellent! Fellow Daoist Zhen Yuanzi's suggestion is exactly what I wanted! Sitting in the mountains all day long, although one can make progress in one's cultivation, one will eventually lose some of the vibrant spirit of the world."
To traverse the primordial wilderness, observe the birth and death of all things, comprehend the principles of the rise and fall of races, and verify what we have learned amidst the confluence of events—this is the true path of cultivation for us!
Once the two had made up their minds, they no longer hesitated. They immediately summoned the Goddess of Longevity and the Gentle Breeze and Bright Moon, and carefully entrusted them with the task of guarding the temple and taking care of the Golden Dragon.
The Goddess of Longevity smiled calmly, her body emanating a tranquil aura of Wood, bringing peace of mind. She bowed and said:
"Your Excellency and Fellow Daoist Hongyun can proceed with peace of mind."
I am in the mountains, and I perceive every blade of grass and every tree, so there will be no mistakes.
I will keep a close eye on this golden dragon as it grows, guiding it to develop steadily.
"While the two of you have been traveling through the primordial world, though things appear peaceful now, undercurrents are lurking beneath the surface. The power of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans is growing, and friction is increasing daily. You must be careful, stay true to yourselves, and refrain from easily getting caught up in the vortex of trouble."
The two young Taoist boys, Qingfeng and Mingyue, knew that their masters were going on a long journey. Although they were reluctant to see them go, they were mostly curious. They blinked their big eyes and gave a crisp promise:
"Don't worry, Master (Master Hongyun), we will definitely obey Master Yuanjun's orders and take good care of the house and this big golden dragon!"
After giving the instructions, Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun did not delay any longer.
The two nodded to each other, and with a slight movement, they transformed into two streaks of light, one yellow and one red, silently escaping the Wuzhuang Temple's protective mountain formation and leaving the blessed land of Longevity Mountain.
After leaving the mountain, they did not have the same clear goal and all-out escape as when Wanshou Yuanjun went to Buzhou Mountain.
Instead, he deliberately slowed down and concealed his vast and unfathomable aura as a Great Luo Golden Immortal, revealing only fluctuations at the level of a Taiyi Golden Immortal.
Like two ordinary cultivators traveling together, they leisurely walked across the primordial land, truly beginning their aimless and spontaneous primordial journey.
Along the way, even with their profound cultivation and transcendent nature, they were still awestruck by the magnificent atmosphere and wild vitality of the primordial world in its early days.
There are countless majestic and towering mountains that stretch into the clouds, their bodies naturally engraved with profound Daoist patterns, exuding an ancient and boundless aura.
The mighty rivers, flowing ceaselessly, meander like giant dragons, nourishing countless creatures along their banks, their water vapor containing a rich essence of water.
The vast primeval forest is dark and shady, with ancient trees reaching for the sky, exotic plants and flowers everywhere, and poisonous insects and ferocious beasts lurking, enacting the most primitive law of the jungle.
There are also bottomless abysses and swamps, filled with chaotic currents, as if connected to unknown secret realms.
The innate spiritual energy between heaven and earth was so rich that it was almost impossible to dissolve. Taking a breath made one feel refreshed and one's cultivation level increased slightly.
What impressed them even more was the spectacular scene of "all races competing and hundreds of boats racing".
At this time in the primordial world, the three races of dragon, phoenix, and qilin had indeed begun to emerge. Relying on their innate powerful origins and bloodline talents, they each occupied vast and rich territories, and their power continued to expand, forming a tripartite balance of power.
However, it was far from reaching the peak of its power, sweeping across the eight wastelands, waging endless wars, and dominating the primordial world as described in later legends.
Although there are frictions and small-scale probing conflicts on the borders of their territories among the three races, and they are wary of each other, a large-scale all-out war has not yet broken out, and the overall situation maintains a delicate and fragile balance.
They once hid in the clouds and saw a divine dragon moving through the clouds and bringing rain. The huge dragon body was sometimes visible and sometimes hidden in the dark clouds, with scales and claws flying, controlling wind, water, thunder and lightning. It was majestic and sacred, and its blessings extended to the region.
I once gazed at the immortal volcanoes in the south and saw a phoenix spreading its wings, its five virtues shining down, and hundreds of birds following suit, their calls clear and melodious, a magnificent sight imbued with auspiciousness.
I have even seen a Qilin emerge from the central land, riding on auspicious clouds. Wherever it walks, vegetation flourishes, sweet springs gush forth, and auspicious energy abounds. The benevolent spirit of this beast is truly captivating.
Besides these, countless other unique races live and multiply: the Giant Spirits possess immense strength, the Winged Race soars through the skies, the Wood Spirits coexist with plants, and the Yaksha race dwells on the edge of the Netherworld…
With diverse forms and unique talents, they all strive to survive and develop in this vast world, demonstrating their own ways of survival and the nascent forms of civilization.
The entire primordial world was filled with a grand scene that was primitive, savage, chaotic, yet full of vitality and boundless energy.