"Way, grand can open heaven and earth, micro can nurture everything in the world."

    The resounding, deafening voice of the young man still echoes in the ears.

    Memory of the scene just seen, Chen Yun felt a sense of awakening.

    Although the "way gives birth to one, one generates two, two leads to three, three breeds everything" change in operation that he had just seen was beyond his understanding, Chen Yun found himself in the scene, experiencing the process from nothingness to existence and back to one and even three leading to everything, subtly grasping something he had never experienced before. His heart's mood suddenly elevated.

    "All things in the world are forged by the Tao, all phenomena arise with the Tao, and all return to nothingness with the Tao."

    Chen Yun sat cross-legged under the starlight, constantly gaining insights from the magnificent phenomenon brought by someone who claimed to be his future disciple.

    The scene where the Tao generates everything is very shocking, and he can't understand it for now.

    The deepest realization Chen Yun had was the vastness of the scene he witnessed before his consciousness returned to reality.

    In an instant, the world collapses.

    What kind of great strength is it that can reach this level?

    Even the world has a day of collapse, let alone all things in the universe.

    Why then, should one be so attached to love that cannot be obtained?

    The highest state of personal infatuation is enduring through the ages, enduring through the end of time, and enduring until the stones wear out and the sea dries up.

    However, the concepts of heaven becoming ancient, earth growing old, sea drying up, and stones wearing out are not the ultimate form of eternity.

    True eternity is only the Tao that endures.

    When the world collapses, the Tao remains, and when all things wither, the Tao hangs in the void.

    All things in the world, from the insignificant ants to the vast celestial beings, are all governed by the Tao, and they move forward under its dominion.

    Suddenly, Chen Yun thought of a line from the "Yin-Feng Jing. Part 1": "The Tao controls all things, the wise yield to the powerful." He had also mentioned this to his teacher.

    "When the heavens unleash their destructive force, they change the stars and their positions; when the earth unleashes its destructive force, dragons and snakes rise from the land; when humans unleash their destructive force, heaven and earth are reversed."

    He murmured this profound maxim.

    That was all he said in his conversation with his teacher at the beginning.

    In fact, there was an even more important sentence: when heaven and human beings unite, all changes are anchored in stability.

    What does it mean for heaven and humanity to unite, and for all changes to have a stable foundation?

    Heaven and people's fusion is the concept of heaven and people's resonance.

    Interactions between heaven and humanity resonate with each other, which is the merging and manifestation of the life-and-death forces.

    Although there are countless changes, the fundamental principle remains unchanged.

    The Tao is virtual, and the container is tangible;

    The Tao has no form, while events have forms.

    Things with forms are more accessible to people.

    The formless body of the Dao is really difficult to grasp.

    It is precisely the emptiness and formlessness that are the essence, playing a decisive role.

    "Even if I obtain her, can I guarantee that she will be eternal?" Chen Yun understood the key point. "Even the heavens and earth cannot determine their foundation, let alone trivial private affairs like love. That is just a small path of love."

    True great love is the love without attachment.

    The love without attachment is for tolerance.

    Not loving is not true indifference, but rather a profound understanding of the natural laws of things, respecting it, practicing it, and protecting it.

    The same is true for small love as well.

    Xie Ziran pursues the great Dao to transcend the heavens and earth.

    If that's the case, why did he have to be so obsessed with "obtaining"?

    Respecting her, supporting her, and protecting her still remains true love.

    Upon reaching this realization, Chen Yun felt that his soul was undergoing a metamorphosis, and was ascending to a higher level.

    Perhaps the sharp improvement of his mindset, originally accepting the violent surge of true qi within his body, as a small boat in the sea facing the storm, swinging violently and close to breaking apart, his soul suddenly became as stable as mountains that have been lying across the sky since ancient times.

    As the fluctuations of his soul ceased, the violent surging true qi within his body also gradually calmed down.

    Chen Yun finally understood his resolve, and what he truly desired.

    What I desire is not the mutual support that comes with time, but to decipher the mystery of the Dao and attain the true eternal wisdom.

    A radiant smile appeared on his face, and some residual violent qi that had not returned to its original position slowly exuded from his body, dispersing across the ice and snow.

    Suddenly, the ice around him melted.

    Green shoots began to appear in the frozen soil that had lain dormant for millions of years, barren and lifeless. It was as if ancient seeds buried deep in the earth, long since deprived of life, had suddenly been revived, sprouted anew, and grown robustly in hopes of one day reaching for the sky and the moon.

    Vast streams of true qi shimmered like stars.

    It covered an area of about 2-3 miles.

    The tender shoots quickly pierced through the ground. Some were beginning to bud, while others slowly bloomed with fragrance.

    ...

    "What's going on?"

    "The ice and snow melted instantly, and flowers and green grass grew?"

    Wu Kejiu, Long Nu Sanjiu, Ding Xu, and others, who were continuing their usual rounds, immediately noticed the sudden change around them and looked at each other with surprise.

    Someone, after looking around for a while, soon discovered the anomaly and pointed at the camp direction in disbelief, saying, "It's Mr. Chen! It's Mr. Chen who is unknown what grand law he is practicing and causing unusual changes in the sky and earth!"

    "Hmm?"

    "Mr. Chen?"

    Wu Kejiu, Long Nu Sanjiu, and Ding Xu hurriedly gathered their gaze and looked towards the camp.

    Instantly, everyone witnessed a stunning sight.

    What can be seen is that the figure of Chen Yun in the center of the camp is emitting a "starlight" that is continuously spreading, nourishing all things in the sky and earth.

    Wu Kejiu was stunned on the spot, "This...?"

    Long Nu Sanjiu also widened her eyes, "Ah, Mr. Chen is...?"

    Ding Xu and the rest of the other twenty or so people did not speak, but the deep shock in their eyes betrayed their true feelings.

    Everyone suddenly realized that Chen Yun was not practicing some grand law to nourish everything in the sky and earth, but had grasped the essence of life. He was immersed in the understanding of the Dao, his true qi spontaneously surged within him, spreading to all around him. This burst of energy brought life back to the land.

    This is a realm of great proficiency!

    Even celestial beings who have attained enlightenment might not be able to grasp it.

    Now, Mr. Chen, at the level of a high-ranking mage, has grasped such profound wisdom?

    Wu Kejiu got goosebumps. He knew that if Mr. Chen did not fall due to external forces, he was witnessing the gradual rise of a future great master of the Taoist sect, like the rising sun.

    Long Nu Sanjiu and Ding Xu, as well as the rest of the others, also understood what they were witnessing. They were all extremely shocked.

    ...

    The most shocking sight was for the people who were originally sleeping in the camp.

    Qin Ming, Xu Yang, and Zhang Ling, as well as the others who were sleeping, felt an infinite vitality enveloping their bodies in their dreams. They woke up suddenly and saw flowers blooming everywhere and green grass covering Chen Yun.

    This anomaly, so moving.

    Everyone was utterly captivated.

    It took a good half-hour before Chen Yun's body no longer released any true qi, and the warmth suddenly disappeared.

    Meanwhile, cold winds swept in, freezing the flowers and green grass instantly. They withered and then were covered by snow and ice, as if they had never existed.

    It was only then that Qin Ming, Xu Yang, Zhang Ling, and the others came to their senses.

    No one had the heart to sleep anymore. They quickly got up and came to Chen Yun's side.

    "Mr. Chen?"

    "What profound and perfect great Dao have you grasped?"

    Xu Yang, Zhang Ling, and Sun Yan stared at Chen Yun's face, their eyes filled with disbelief and awe.

    With a pale face, Chen Yun looked up at the concerned and astonished faces of the crowd. He smiled faintly, as if it were the spring breeze, "I have had some insight into a minor path."

    Just a minor insight can make this frozen soil bloom with flowers and grass all over?

    The crowd did not believe it at all, but they knew from Chen Yun's mouth that he had indeed grasped it.

    Just as Qin Ming was about to ask again, Wu Kejiu, Long Nu Sanjiu, Ding Xu, and the others flew back from a distance.

    "Mr. Chen, what was that just now?"

    "You were not in a state of firewalking, how come you seem to have had a new breakthrough?"

    "Yes, just now, there were flowers blooming and grass spreading all over a radius of two or three miles. I was almost too stunned to see it."

    The group of inspectors all asked in turn.

    Chen Yun's smile was as warm as the winter sun, bringing deep tranquility to everyone's hearts.

    His tone was measured, as if it contained some changes of the Dao, "At first, I was going crazy with firewalking. But since fortune and misfortune are intertwined, I accidentally shattered the magical barrier and gained some insight into profound principles. Therefore, I needed to expel some 'waste qi' from within my body that had been caused by the crazy surge of true qi due to the firewalking. It just so happened that this helped nourish the surrounding land."

    Upon hearing this, Wu Kejiu was shocked, "Mr. Chen, you broke through the state of madness just by sitting still for the night?"

    Qin Ming and Long Nu Sanjiu looked at each other in disbelief, showing great shock.

    Chen Yun nodded slightly, "Well."

    Wu Kejiu inhaled deeply, "I have been practicing for decades. I have never seen anyone break free from madness without relying on external forces. Only those with true wisdom and perseverance can achieve such a feat."

    Wu Kejiu actually had a second half that he did not say.

    Actually, everyone present, including Qin Ming, Long Nu Sanjiu, Zhang Ling, Ding Xu, and Xu Yang, all knew what the unspoken half sentence was.

    Mr. Chen is truly a master with great wisdom and perseverance!

    The term Daoist primarily refers to those who practice Daoism, and in certain contexts, can also be used as a respectful title for practitioners of Daoism.

    Previously, people considered Chen Yun to be a Daoist simply because he was a practitioner of the Dao, without any special respect being implied in the title.

    At this moment, everyone addressing Chen Yun as "Daoist" is a completely respectful term!

    A person who can break free from the state of madness through his own great wisdom and perseverance is not worthy of respect?

    Encountering disasters is something any cultivator may face, and breaking free from them is not an uncommon occurrence.

    However, those who are able to break free from various disasters are not necessarily waiting until they fall into a state of madness before doing so.

    If we compare calamities to diseases, many cultivators can notice their illness as soon as it occurs, then use various medicines or their own wisdom and perseverance to cure the "disease".

    Fire walking is quite different.

    It's more like a disease that has advanced to the point of being incurable. At this stage, medicine is essentially ineffective, and it's hard for someone to escape by relying solely on their own wisdom and perseverance.

    Why do you say that?

    Imagine if someone were diagnosed with cancer. Is it not easier to treat in the early stages?

    But what if it's in the late stages and has already spread?

    Firewalking is the "cancerous late stage" of such a "disease" calamity, and it has already developed into a complex condition that is incurable.

    Yet, it is precisely because of this terrifyingness that Chen Yun was able to find a slim chance of survival by relying on his own great wisdom and perseverance, breaking through the state of madness and thus gaining deeper insights.

    This is nothing short of a miracle!

    The crowd looked at Chen Yun with admiration, remaining silent for a long time.

    Suddenly, Wu Kejiu laughed bitterly and shook his head, "Even those who broke through the state of madness with the help of external forces could significantly improve their cultivation in a short period of time. Mr. Chen being able to break through the barrier of madness by relying on his own strength is bound to see a rapid increase in cultivation in the near future. I remember when we first entered the Yueyue Lake Cave. Your cultivation was far below mine, but later you quickly surpassed me. At that time, I could still keep up with you, but now after today's event, I fear that I will never be able to catch up to you again and will never be able to see your back!"

    Qin Ming, Long Nu Sanjiu, and Ding Xu all nodded in agreement.

    Yes, with Mr. Chen's own strength, he has broken through the state of madness and will undoubtedly see a significant leap in his cultivation. In a few years, it's possible that none of them will even be able to catch a glimpse of the tail lights of Mr. Chen.

    From the beginning, their cultivation levels were similar, and some were even higher than him. But now, their perception cannot even keep up with him, and everyone feels heartbroken, feeling that the gap between people is greater than that between humans and pigs.

    Although everyone is very disheartened, they are also genuinely happy for Chen Yun.

    They know that this "leading elder brother" has a very good chance of achieving enlightenment and becoming an immortal through his own efforts, which is something to celebrate.

    Once Chen Yun achieves enlightenment, with the help of his family's power, it wouldn't be difficult for him to become a god.

    Perhaps, Mr. Chen will become a true deity revered throughout the heavens and realms in the future!

    (End of chapter)