Chapter 74

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Qi Wuhuo asked with some doubt: “Origin Canon?”

Yun Qin nodded. “Yes. If it’s a technique created by the uncles of each lineage, it will incorporate their personal insights and style, making it something others are not permitted to learn. Only the origin canon, though obscure and difficult to understand, is the most pure. It is a straightforward method. In any case, I will look for it. Tomorrow, after explaining things clearly to the teacher, I’ll contact you.”

“Though it’s very challenging, Wuhuo, you’re a truly extraordinary genius, so there shouldn’t be a problem!” Yun Qin flashed a radiant smile. It seemed the grandeur and romanticism of the young Daoist’s earlier phrase, ‘washing one’s feet in the Milky Way’, made her feel that Qi Wuhuo was not only a genius but also an unusually interesting one.

In the Xuanzong Daoist Lineage, under the teachings of the Three Purities, there was no shortage of extraordinarily talented individuals.

Yet none were as intriguing as this young man before her.

Qi Wuhuo didn’t quite know how to respond, so he could only nod and say: “I’ll give it a try.”

Suddenly, Yun Qin thought of something and reminded him: “Ah, right. Wuhuo, finish the osmanthus cake first.”

She explained: “There are many techniques within the Xuantan arts, but they are hard to learn. Once you’ve mastered it, you can give it to me.”

“You can also try to see if it’s as delicious as they say.”

The girl pondered in her heart for a moment. Considering how complex such techniques were, she figured Qi Wuhuo would need at least half a year to master them, or even three to five years to learn them well. However, she refrained from mentioning this, worried it might dampen the boy’s confidence and enthusiasm. Instead, her thoughts shifted abruptly as she recalled another detail and began to speak with a smile:

“I heard that this is often used by Daoist disciples when giving offerings to the ancestors of their lineage.”

“Ah, I’m not saying we have that kind of relationship.”

“It’s just that I’ve heard a lot of interesting things in the past.”

“But all of them were told to me by Uncle Niu.”

Yun Qin, clearly entertained, began sharing Uncle Niu’s amusing stories with her companion.

Some Xuantan techniques wouldn’t actually send physical objects from the mortal world to the Heavenly Court.

Instead, they would offer only the essence or aura of the item, which would rise along with the smoke, carried into the clouds and delivered to the Heavenly Court.

As a result, some juniors of certain sects, craving their favorite snacks, would offer precisely what they wanted to eat to the patriarchs as an offering.

Until one day, the patriarch, unable to tolerate it any longer, appeared in the dream of his disciple—who happened to be the master of the Daoist temple at the time. With a long sigh, the patriarch uttered just three words:

[It’s too sweet.]

It’s said that on that day, the master of the temple chased his disciples all over the mountains with a broom, shouting at the top of his lungs:

“The patriarch has only five teeth left, and you’re still offering him sweets?!”

“And sticky ones like [Honey Tri-Swords] at that?!”

“You brat! What do you take the Great Ancestor for?!”

The disciple, clutching his head as he fled, yelled back: “If the Great Ancestor doesn’t eat it, just consider it as meant for me!”

“Isn’t it only natural for great-grandfathers to give their descendants snacks?!”

The old Daoist chased the young Daoist. The young Daoist ran, the young Daoist cried, and the young Daoist howled.

According to Uncle Niu, on that day, the mountain spirits and monsters all grabbed pine nuts, hid themselves, and gleefully watched the commotion.

Even ascetic monks were driven to cursing by the gluttony of a disciple.

And because of this outburst, they incurred karmic retribution.

That night, the old man and the young boy, both contrite, knelt obediently before the portrait of the ancestor, offering incense in penance.

As the old Daoist knelt burning incense, he still found time to flick the young disciple’s forehead sharply.

The girl’s vivid retelling brought the story to life, and Qi Wuhuo found it entertaining. Even monks and practitioners weren’t entirely detached from worldly matters—they had their own preferences and were full of life. Even those True Persons who had advanced their cultivation to the point of receiving celestial decrees and ascending to the Heavenly Court shared these traits.

But how did Uncle Niu know about these things?

Weren’t these events of the mortal world?

Qi Wuhuo was curious.

As his spiritual power dwindled, he exchanged a few more casual words with Yun Qin before ceasing the [Round Light Manifestation Technique]. The spiritual brilliance of the technique dissipated, and the bronze mirror before him returned to its original unadorned and ordinary appearance.

The young Daoist gazed at the bronze mirror in front of him.

From Uncle Niu’s and Yun Qin’s words, he could already infer that this mirror was anything but ordinary.

To the naked eye, the mirror’s surface was riddled with scars, and most of its body was covered in a faint green patina of copper rust. If it were placed in the outside world, it might not fetch even three or five coins. However, since it was a treasure, it deserved proper care. One day, Qi Wuhuo thought, he would find a way to return it to Yun Qin and Uncle Yun.

With that thought, he carefully stored the mirror away.

This time, the contact didn’t last long, but it left him feeling drained of his Primordial Qi, with his Primordial Spirit faintly aching. He warned himself not to overuse this technique so recklessly in the future. Barely mustering the energy, he fetched some water for a quick wash before collapsing onto the bed. As soon as his eyes closed, his spirit felt as if it were falling, and he quickly sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Yun Qin, however, had a cultivation level far superior to Qi Wuhuo’s. Going a day without sleep was no issue for her.

Having few peers of her age to talk to, her heart was light and joyful. She decided to head straight to the Shangqing Scripture Pavilion, one of the few places she was allowed to visit. Entering the pavilion, she saw an elderly man with snow-white hair sitting cross-legged on a meditation mat. Surrounding him, countless streams of spiritual light flowed and transformed, brilliant as the morning clouds and as intricate as the starry sky.

Yun Qin slowed her steps and approached respectfully. Bowing deeply, she said: “Disciple Yun Qin greets the honored Heavenly Lord.”

The old man appeared ordinary, clad in a simple hemp robe. His hair was white, and his face showed the signs of age.

While his strength might not have seemed extraordinary, his status was unparalleled.

Titled as the Lingbao [Scripture Master], the Clear Origin Pillar of Firmness and Sublime Dao Heavenly Lord of Qingyang, a figure of great renown who resided in the Qingyang Celestial Palace.

Even disciples of the Shangqing lineage who had reached the realm of [Divine Immortal] would show him respect, addressing him as a senior. The old man placed the scroll he was reading aside, looked up at the young girl, and asked with a smile:

“So it’s the little disciple of Danhua Fuying.”

“Why are you not cultivating in seclusion under the Ox Constellation, studying your Star Sovereign’s methods, and instead coming to my Shangqing Library?”

“Could it be that you’ve already mastered everything your teacher has taught you?”

“Are you here to find some alchemical scriptures, iron-bound manuals, jade texts, or talisman scrolls to study further?”

Yun Qin’s face turned slightly pale as she said: “Disciple merely wishes to borrow some texts regarding Xuantan techniques.”

The old man replied casually: “Your teacher’s lineage, then—”

Before he could finish, Yun Qin quickly added: “I wish to see the Original Canon.”

“Oh? The original texts?”

Qingyang Miaodao Heavenly Lord looked at Yun Qin with a faintly amused expression. With a slight gesture in the air, countless streams of light coalesced into towering bookshelves. These shelves were filled with scrolls carved from jade. He said: “They’re all there. Go ahead and take a look.”

[TL_Note: Qingyang Miaodao = Clear Origin Pillar of Firmness and Sublime Dao]

After bowing in gratitude, Yun Qin approached the bookshelves, searching for the relevant method.

In the fifth row, third column of the shelves, she found the section she was looking for. After some thought, she turned back and asked: “Heavenly Lord, why aren’t the original texts restricted from being viewed by disciples?”

The old man smiled gently and asked in return: “Why should they be restricted?”

“If others read them, then so be it.”

“Your lineage traces back to the Shangqing Yuchen Great Dao Sovereign, the Lingbao Great Heavenly Venerable. Naturally, you should understand that the Dao Sovereign’s philosophy is one of spontaneity and noninterference. The original texts were all created by him, yet he once said that they are merely records of the natural laws that already exist in the world. Since these laws are inherent to the world, all beings are free to cultivate and comprehend them.”

“Besides, do you know what the Three Pure Ones truly represent?”

Yun Qin thought for a moment and replied: “They are all Dao Ancestors.”

Qingyang Miaodao Heavenly Lord shook his head gently, his tone warm. “Such a childish answer. It seems Celestial Monarch Danhua Fuying has not yet explained this to you.”

“The Three Pure Ones are those who comprehended the [Dao] first, observing the principles of the Way and attaining their supreme positions.”

“They are all Dao Ancestors.”

“As for the other two, it is neither my place nor my right to speak of them. The rules of conduct are strict.”

“And our Shangqing Yuchen Great Dao Sovereign, the Great Heavenly Venerable Lingbao… why is he referred to as the Dao Ancestor? Yun Qin, do you know about the Daoist Cloud Script?”

The young girl nodded and recited from her teacher’s teachings:

“Cloud Seal, Thunder Mark, Dragon Glyph, Phoenix Script, and Ancient Goldstone Text—these are characters inherently imbued with the profound resonance of the Dao.”

“Even the act of reciting them can stir the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth. The Daoist scriptures and talismans are recorded using these characters. Among them, Cloud Seal originates from the patterns of auspicious clouds in the heavens, Thunder Mark captures the traces of thunder’s path, Dragon Glyph and Phoenix Script stem from the innate essence of beings such as dragons and phoenixes, while Ancient Goldstone Text was created by Daoist disciples themselves.”

“These categories are numerous and varied.”

Qingyang Miaodao Heavenly Lord nodded approvingly.

Yun Qin breathed a sigh of relief.

The old Heavenly Lord teased: “Quite well-memorized.”

Her cheeks flushed faintly at the remark.

Stroking his beard, the elder continued: “Yet, you’re not wrong. These scripts are indeed secret traditions. But do you know which text is the most ancient, the most original, and the most potent of all?”

Yun Qin appeared puzzled, and the elder, with a carefree air, said: “Go ahead and recite the Shangqing Proclamation.”

The girl obliged, reciting solemnly: “To dwell in the Shangqing Realm, titled Lingbao Sovereign. Born of the Primordial Calamity, bearing ninety-nine thousand Brahmic Qi. Radiant with the Red Text, six hundred and sixty-eight True Characters. Opening the [Nine Heavens] through the [Primal Scarlet Script]. Dividing five epochs by the Jade Chronicles of the Aeons. Heaven as the warp, Earth as the weft—majestic as the source of creation. Governing Yin and Yang, origin of thunder and lightning. Infinite compassion, infinite vows, infinite wisdom, infinite mercy. Yuchen Dao Sovereign, Lingbao Heavenly Venerable.”

As she finished, understanding slowly dawned upon Yun Qin.

Qingyang Miaodao Heavenly Lord stroked his beard and spoke with an even tone: “The initial six hundred and sixty-eight [Supreme Scarlet Spirit Writings] were created by the Dao Ancestor.”

“These glyphs preceded all Daoist scripts, embodying the essence of chaos.”

“The words themselves are divine powers, capable of connecting Heaven and Earth, issuing commands to spirits and deities.”

“However, due to their overwhelming potency and complexity, the Dao Sovereign refined them into the simpler forms of the [Nine Heavens Jade Script].”

“To hold a Jade Script in one’s mouth, a single utterance could establish the laws of Heaven and Earth.”

“Following this simplification came the era of what you know as the most ancient Cloud Seal Script.”

“The Dao Sovereign used these two types of sacred scripts to record the Daoist Canon and its methods, disseminating them throughout the world. This made it possible for the resonance of the [Dao] to be transmitted and for the written word to carry divine power. Without such scripts, ordinary languages and characters would be incapable of expressing or bearing the [Dao], rendering the Great Dao and divine arts untransmittable.”

“This contribution led to the prosperity of later Daoist traditions. For such merit, he is called a Founder of the Dao.”

He then gestured toward the jade book in the girl’s hand and smiled warmly, “What you call the [Original Text] isn’t truly the original.”

“It’s an simplified version.”

“The genuine [Original Text] was written in [Supreme Scarlet Spirit Writings].”

“After all, this [Original Text] is derived from the insights the Great Heavenly Venerable gained from observing the laws of Heaven and Earth.”

Yun Qin stood there, stunned, staring at the jade book in her hands.

Qingyang Miaodao Heavenly Lord stroked his beard, satisfied that the young disciple had begun to grasp the profound meaning and weight behind the [Original Text].

The girl blurted out instinctively:

“Can [Supreme Scarlet Spirit Writings] be taught to others?”

PS:

Lingbao Jingshi Qingyuan Dangang Qingyang Miaodao Tianjun – Dao Fa Hui Yuan, Volume Three.

Resides in Qingyang Heaven Palace.

Head of the Three Masters of Lingbao.

Supreme Scarlet Spirit Writings and Nine Heavens Jade Script originate from Lingbao Boundless Salvation Upper-Class Sublime Scripture, Chapter Ten: The Section on Primordial Scarlet Glyphs, part of the Daoist Canon, Dongzhen Division.