Chapter 27
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Edicts are the mandates of heaven.
The one who issues the order holds the scepter to summon people.
And as for the Taishang…
One dares not imagine, dares not speak, dares not even write about.
Thus the Primordial Qi between Heaven and Earth seemed to gather and surge violently. Tao Taigong’s heart raced wildly, and he staggered, feeling as though he were being pulled into a whirlpool. When he looked up, the heavens and earth appeared clear, yet all he could hear were two voices—one old and gentle, the other young and clear—chanting softly. Gradually, the elder’s voice faded, like an illusion.
Leaving only the bright, calm voice of the young man.
“Taishang Edict, transcend your lonely soul, all ghosts and spirits, may the four lives receive grace.”
“Those with heads, transcend; those without heads, rise. Killed by sword or blade, drowned or hanged.
“Clear deaths and hidden deaths, grievances and twisted deaths, creditors and enemies come to collect the souls.”
“Kneel before my altar, the Eight Trigrams shine brightly. Stand out at the threshold and transcend to another realm.”
Qi Wuhuo merely followed the old man’s chanting, repeating the words as he played the qin. As his fingers moved across the strings, threads of golden light began to flow from the instrument. He saw the Yin Qi dissipating from the victims’ bodies, and in the golden light, their ghastly appearances—twisted by violent deaths—were restored to their original forms.
Their clothes became clean and neat, and the bloodstains and bruises faded away.
A gentle golden glow surrounded each of them.
In the end, they seemed to realize that it was time for them to depart. They glanced at the faint golden light enveloping their bodies, and with gratitude, they looked toward the young man playing the qin. As Qi Wuhuo tried to stand and return their gesture, he staggered, unable to rise.
The elder, stroking his beard, spoke calmly: “Do not strain yourself.”
“This technique you used relies on your great wish to help others, consuming your Primordial Spirit in the process.”
“Although I aided you, you’ve still exhausted yourself quite a bit.”
Qi Wuhuo nodded, his fingers pressing gently on the qin strings, offering a warm smile as he watched the souls gradually vanish. Only after they had gone did he turn his gaze away and ask: “Old Sir, what is the name of this technique?”
The old man casually stroked his beard and replied:
“Just thought of it on the spot. It doesn’t have a name.”
Qi Wuhuo asked in confusion: “On the spot?”
The elder, without missing a beat, laughed heartily; “Yes, yes, this old man has lived too long and only just managed to recall it.”
“As we get older, we tend to forget things more easily.”
Qi Wuhuo said: “But if you’ve remembered it, surely it has a name.”
“It does have a name, this old man just remembered it.”
The old man stroked his beard and said with a smile:
“Yes, I just remembered it.”
“The full name should be <The Supreme Dao Lord’s Incantation for Saving the Suffering and Guiding to Rebirth>.’”
Qi Wuhuo muttered: “Incantation…?”
The elder continued, smiling: “Daoist scriptures generally have some distinctions. Based on their complexity, they can roughly be categorized into [Mysterious Methods], [Profound Chapters], [Jade Formulas], [Daoist Classics], and [True Scriptures] in increasing order of difficulty. However, although [True Scriptures] have the highest rank, they are also the most widely circulated. Regardless of the actual level of the writings, most will bear the name of [True Scriptures].”
“I don’t think they were being arrogant.”
“Those who wrote the scriptures likely hoped that future generations would strive to improve and push forward with great strides.”
“To truly elevate their foundational methods to the level of [True Scripture].”
The elder seemed to deeply appreciate this aspiration.
Qi Wuhuo muttered those few words to himself, then thought of Tantai Xuan, who had cultivated the Innate Qi and mastered the Wind Control divine ability, claiming the ability to establish his own sect. <Lingbao Nine Underworlds Long Night Profound Chapter of Raising Corpses and Delivering Souls>, he realized that it too was classified as a Profound Chapter. He couldn’t help but feel curious about his own path of cultivation. After hesitating for a moment, he wanted to ask but thought better of it and kept his mouth shut.”
The elder smiled and asked: “Is there something you wish to ask, Wuhuo?”
Qi Wuhuo pressed his lips together.
Eventually, with a bit of youthful spirit, he lowered his voice and quickly mumbled: “What exactly have you been teaching me?”
The old man laughed heartily.
Finally, he had seen a glimpse of youth in the boy, who had remained so calm and composed while slaying evil cultivators and guiding lost souls.
Pointing his finger at the blue-robed youth, he laughed; “Ah, you, you, haha!”
“But after all, you’re still young. Treat what happens in dreams as a test of your heart; whether true or false, they cannot be taken as absolute truth.”
“You’re asking what you’re cultivating?”
“If I must say it clearly,”
“What I told you is guidance, and what I passed on to you can’t really be considered a complete Daoist canon.”
“So…”
The old man’s voice paused briefly as he stroked his beard, his expression warm and carefree as he spoke: “Listen closely to what I am about to say. What I have taught you.”
“Does not fall into these five categories.”
“Does not belong to the [Mysterious Methods], is not included in the [Profound Chapters], and is not a scroll of the [Jade Formulas].”
“Is not stored in the [Daoist Classics] and is not recorded in the [True Scriptures].”
“It is only passed down orally, known to only you and me, and practiced only by you.”
“And this, in the future, cannot be passed on to anyone else.”
Qi Wuhuo, with his limited understanding of cultivation, didn’t fully grasp the elder’s joking words.
The old man took from Qi Wuhuo the scroll containing the written wishes and regrets of the departed souls, reading over the heartfelt words meant for their families, every sentence filled with sincerity and emotion. The old man covered the scroll with a sigh, then asked: “Do you know, Wuhuo, why in the Daoist tradition, passing on the Dao requires multiple heart trials, and only those with pure and steadfast hearts can be entrusted with the Great Dao?”
Looking at the written words, the old man continued: “Those who cultivate seek immortality. In the first half of their lives, they often travel the world freely, carefree, and unrestrained.”
“They dismiss various methods of extending life with disdain.”
“But as time goes on, and the limits of their lifespan approach, the path forward becomes blocked.”
“The longer they live, the more they are overwhelmed by fear. If their heart is not strong enough, they often cannot bear such terror and slowly change, becoming what we call a [Parasite]. A parasite is like a venomous insect… In order to extend their lifespan, they will resort to any means necessary.”
“Though every sect is extremely cautious when passing down their teachings, human nature is fickle, and this is difficult to predict.”
Qi Wuhuo muttered: “Parasite…”
In the old man’s words, he seemed to see one young Daoist after another, much like himself—spirited and confident in their youth—moving forward step by step, but eventually unable to withstand the pressure of their dwindling lifespan. Slowly, they twisted and deviated from their original intentions, becoming like parasites in the cracks of heaven and earth, twisting in their desire to prolong their lives.
The old man glanced at him and asked: “Do you wonder why?”
“Because once you refine your Primordial Essence and retrieve your Life Treasure, you will see clearly how long your lifespan is.”
Qi Wuhuo’s expression shifted as he understood the weight of these words.
“From that point on, with each passing day, you will know exactly how much Primordial Qi and lifespan you are using up.”
“You will feel, with utter clarity, the approach of your death with every passing day.”
The old man raised two fingers and lightly pointed at Qi Wuhuo’s forehead. Qi Wuhuo felt a sense of stagnation and piercing pain in his Niwan Palace between his brows as the old man said:
[TL_Note: The Niwan Palace (泥丸宮, Níwán Gōng) is a term in Daoist internal alchemy and traditional Chinese medicine, often associated with spiritual cultivation. It is considered an important energy center located in the head, typically identified with the upper part of the brain or the center of the forehead, sometimes corresponding to the “third eye” in other traditions. In Daoism, it is thought to be a key area where spiritual and mental energy (shen, or spirit) is concentrated and cultivated.]
“It’s as if you are watching a sword, destined to take your life, drawing closer to you day by day.”
“You cannot avoid it, you cannot escape it. You are destined to lose your Primordial Qi and die on that day, at that moment. Every day brings you closer, every month it continues without pause.”
“One step is not fast, yet it is unceasing.”
“This is the great terror.”
The elder rubbed the boy’s head, smiling as he said: “But remember this.”
“Although you seek immortality, facing death without fear, singing joyfully as one faces it, is what makes a true Daoist.”
“Since you have called yourself Pindao, so you must understand what it means to be a Daoist.”
“Walking the Great Dao, aligning body and mind with natural principles, following the Dao in all things, that is the essence of being a Daoist.”
“Today, I will pass on four words to you, Wuhuo, and you must remember them carefully.”
The elder paused for a moment before saying:
“Seek, but don’t covet.”
“It seems a friend has come for you. I will not show myself…”
The old man gently ruffled Qi Wuhuo’s black hair, and as he lifted his hand, he vanished naturally without a trace.
Qi Wuhuo’s Primordial Spirit was deeply exhausted, but he sensed a familiar presence outside the door, but could not identify which of the land gods it was. He wanted to get up and open the door, but he was unable to move his body, as it was even more fatigued than his Primordial Spirit, he could only place his hands on the qin, using his Primordial Spirit to play a note, which opened the door.
Tao Taigong stood before the low wooden door, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
He had just heard the sound of the qin and witnessed those souls, once refined through the Lingbao Dongxuan’s lineage methods, being directly transcended—
[TL_Note: Dongxuan is a section of the Daoist Canon, delving into the more profound metaphysical principles]
A single qin melody and the souls were freed?!!
The old land god was also familiar with the underworld emissaries before, but had never heard of such a method!
He wanted to retreat.
But didn’t dare!
In his hesitation, he suddenly heard the qin’s soft and lingering note, deep and distant as a pine tree, like an immortal. The wooden door opened naturally.
A young man sat beneath the plum tree, playing the qin, his blue robe was as old as before, his black hair hanging down, his voice clear and warm:
“A friend from afar—what joy it is.”
“Friend, please come in…”
