Chapter 740 - 533: Discern Your True Self (Part 2)

Chapter 740: Chapter 533: Discern Your True Self (Part 2)

A few humbly expressed their gratitude, and Lu Qian looked up, surveying the surroundings, his voice resonating through Minglong Mountain, carried by spiritual power.

"If one relies on cultivation to fight fiercely and act wantonly, doom is certain. To dominate by force is not my wish."

"The path of the Immortal Dao is like sailing upstream against the current. A lone sailor in a small boat may have the advantage of agility, but as soon as a big storm arises, the boat capsizes, leading to doom. Only by uniting as one, combining our efforts to build a great ship, hoist the sails high, sturdy and powerful, can we sail through stormy seas and reach the vast ocean!"

"The Yunshan Sect is the great ship on our journey against the current, seeking the end of the Immortal Dao."

"Fellow disciples, companions, and subordinate sects. You may row, hoist the sails, draw the bow, or fire the cannon, while I steer and navigate for you all!"

"Today, Wu Yan and I have achieved the Golden Core, marking our progress, your progress, and the progress of this vessel."

"In life or death, honor or disgrace, fortune or misfortune, prosperity or decline, on this long immortal path, on this mystical journey, I share this with all of you!"

"If you do not fail me, I shall never fail you!"

The morning sun was radiant, clouds floated leisurely, and Lu Qian’s crane cloak fluttered as he stood atop Minglong Mountain. His voice was clear and resounding, shaking the skies and startling all. All the disciples and Feathered Scholars present were wholeheartedly convinced, bowing to the ground and shouting loudly.

"We solemnly follow the Sect Leader’s decrees!"

At that moment, Lu Qian felt his thoughts become clear, the heavens wide and the earth vast, experiencing the profound Celestial-Human Communication, as the Golden Core and Golden Branches reflected each other, spiritual power automatically circulated within him, five-colored lights faintly visible, and a surging spiritual pressure ascended to the heavens.

Suddenly, he gained a realization, could this be his true heart and nature?

Before achieving the Golden Core, cultivators often focused solely on life skills, qi collection, qi cultivation, and transporting circulation, ultimately overcoming the Celestial Tribulation to enter the Golden Core Realm.

However, after forming the Golden Core, one can no longer neglect inner nature cultivation. Nurturing nature and cultivating destiny, harmonizing the dragon and tiger, and unifying life and spirit are necessary to eliminate the heart demon and pass through the great tribulation. Only when the heart and body are perfect and flawless can one return to the innate, shattering the core into an infant.

As for how to reduce the karmic obstacles within the heart and ultimately subdue the heart demon to reach such a state of perfection, there have traditionally been two major methods.

The first school is "Convergence." These cultivators believe that the restless monkey mind should be tamed through effort. By cultivating the mind in stillness, nurturing nature with simplicity, suppressing evil thoughts, and rendering the Heart Lake tranquil and mirror-like, constantly polished to remain unstained. By observing others, oneself, and all beings in heaven and earth, the heart demon is left with no place to hide.

The second school is "Nature." These cultivators believe that the restless monkey mind is due to its being trapped in a cage, and if released into the forest, it will be free and unrestrained, returning to its true nature, naturally attaining perfection.

Therefore, their cultivation method is to discern one’s true heart and nature, follow nature, return to one’s original state, allowing thoughts to always remain clear, so that the heart demon cannot stir any waves.

For tens of thousands of years, in the Cultivation Realm, the "Convergence Sect" initially dominated.

However, the word "quiet" contains "struggle," "stability" contains "haste," and "endurance" contains "blade"... the method of Convergence is kind to others but harsh on oneself, making cultivation extremely difficult. Without exceptional wisdom, it is easy to lose concentration and falter.

Thus, today, the "Natural Sect" has become mainstream, advocating following one’s heart and being natural. It seems to have no threshold, allowing everyone to learn, but there are numerous acupoints.

When the "Natural Sect" first emerged, its cultivation methods were not unified, filled with confusion, with many going astray. Those who indulged in violence found joy in killing and humiliation, those who indulged in lust reveled in daily debauchery, and those who were cold found superiority in being heartless and indifferent...

As a result, these individuals either became demonic outcasts hunted by enraged cultivators, or their heart demons ran rampant and devoured them prematurely.

Only then did cultivators realize that "following one’s heart" and "indulgence" are fundamentally different concepts.

If one cannot discern their true heart and find their true self, simply taking the path of indulgence and doing as one pleases leads to a dead end.

What you seek is natural joy and rejoicing in virtue, rather than insatiable desires leading to hellish downfall, where the margin of error is indeed heaven and earth apart.

The method of cultivating "Nature" is to discern one’s true heart, find one’s true self, ultimately answering the ultimate question, "Who am I?"

At this moment, Lu Qian had an epiphany, his expression subtly changed, and Master Cangfeng and Ye Xiao realized he had stepped onto the path of self-discovery, astonished yet filled with admiration and respect.

To begin understanding one’s true heart on the first day of forming the Golden Core is indeed a rare talent, a prodigy.

Wang Yu stood quietly under the shade of a tree, watching Lu Qian’s Golden Core Spiritual Pressure rise, with everyone paying homage to Lu Qian. Suddenly, a long-buried memory fragment, long forgotten, reemerged.

Misty clouds, green Spirit Mountain.

A lovable mentor, cordial peers, one of the most beautiful memories of cultivation.

And today’s Yun Mountain, already far surpassing the foundation laid by the founding patriarch, Master Yeyang!

Senior Brother Yang, do you see this?

A gentle tremor on the purple talisman on his Divine Soul erased these memories. Wang Yu raised his hand in surprise, touching the corner of his eye, where a hint of moisture had gathered.

...Am I crying? Why?

Lu Qian’s realization did not last long. Soon he returned to himself, encouraging everyone once more, then asked Jiang Qingfeng to temporarily oversee the overall situation, with Lin Le assisting. One to organize the healing and recuperation of the injured disciples and subordinate sect Feathered Scholars from this battle, two to establish records and awards, prepare rewards, and organize thanksgiving gifts, and three to immediately reconstruct the Mountain Gate, reorganize the Minglong Mountain Range, preparing tasks such as hosting the Pill Formation Ceremony.