14: Chapter 14 Enlightenment

What is the Dao?

What is the Dao?

During these eighty-plus days of drinking at the tavern, Su Fan questioned his heart over and over again, not knowing why he had become increasingly obsessed with this question lately.

He felt as if something was wrong with his consciousness, bordering on a state of madness.

Wine does not intoxicate a person; a person intoxicates themselves.

The yellow wine was only used to refresh his spirit.

He had gone from a tolerance of two bowls at the beginning to eighteen bowls at the end, yet he still could not get drunk.

"Customer, you have arrived."

The waiter had a great fondness for this handsome Young Master who came to drink on time every day. He hurriedly wiped the table clean, brought the wine and cooked beef, and added a plate of peanuts.

He had started serving peanuts a long time ago.

Su Fan took a sip of the yellow wine and scanned the hall indifferently. He didn't know which singer this was, but her voice was still as haunting and sorrowful as the first one.

She was currently singing the lyrics he had written just yesterday.

"When will the spring flowers and autumn moon end? How much of the past do I know?

"The east wind blew through the small building again last night; I cannot bear to look back at my homeland under the bright moon.

"The carved railings and jade steps should still be there, but the rosy faces have changed.

"Ask how much sorrow one can have? It is just like a river of spring water flowing east."

These were the lyrics of Li Yu, unknown to anyone on the Tianxuan Continent.

The new singer finished singing and cast a look of admiration, but the handsome Young Master she had set her sights on had already risen to leave...

There was a fight in the small town.

Su Fan only took a brief glance before hurrying away and returning to the inn.

Even if someone was beaten until they bled or even crippled, he did not look twice.

He could have solved this matter by simply moving a finger.

However, he did not want to interfere, nor did he want to meddle in the Karma of Mortals.

The days passed in this dry and boring manner...

Day after day.

Until the one hundredth day.

The several Soul Transformation Stage Venerables who were observing him could no longer sit still.

"What on earth is this kid doing? Shouldn't he be looking for The Demoness?"

"He flew around randomly for half a year, and I endured it. He walked for two days, and I endured that too. But this time, he has been drinking for a hundred days and listening to songs for a hundred days. He is so leisurely, I am going to be angered to death by him!"

"Old Ancestor Bing, please think of a way to make him search for The Demoness!"

"Didn't Venerable Bu say that this kid has a thread of connection with The Demoness and that we would definitely be able to find her through him? Dragging this out like this is not the way to go!"

The old man holding an ice staff stroked his white beard and pondered slowly: "Can you not see? This kid is not enjoying a life of ease. Do you still remember how you got through your Foundation Establishment Realm Great Perfection stage?"

"Old Ancestor Bing, what time is it now? What does this have to do with our Foundation Establishment?"

"Have you forgotten how you achieved Core Formation?"

"Oh... I remember now!"

"Old Ancestor Bing, do you mean...?"

The eyes of the several Soul Transformation Stage Venerables flashed with skeptical light, and they spoke in unison: "...Enlightenment of the Dao?"

"To break through from the Foundation Establishment Realm Great Perfection stage to the Golden Core Stage, one needs to experience enlightenment of the Dao once. Those who can comprehend the Great Dao can break through the Bottleneck and condense the Golden Core, while those who cannot comprehend the Dao will remain in the Foundation Establishment Realm forever until their Lifespan is exhausted..."

"Is this kid about to condense a Golden Core? Is he experiencing enlightenment of the Dao?"

"In my opinion, that must be the case."

Upon hearing this, the several Soul Transformation Stage Venerables gasped.

This 'Dao', can it be comprehended in such a way?

Back in the day, from the Foundation Establishment Realm Great Perfection stage to Core Formation, which one of them didn't lock themselves in a dark room, contemplating for years, or even decades, just to comprehend a trace of the supreme Dao.

This kid, drinking, eating meat, and listening to music every day, can also comprehend the Dao?

Thinking of this, a Soul Transformation Stage Venerable laughed mockingly: "If one could comprehend the Dao by drinking, eating meat, and listening to music every day, then what was our hard work worth back then? This kid definitely does not have such talent; it is impossible for him to comprehend the Great Dao."

Old Ancestor Bing's eyes flickered as he said slowly: "This kid only spent a few short months from the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment to the Great Perfection stage of Foundation Establishment. Everyone, how long did it take you?"

"Why mention that, Old Ancestor Bing? Anyway, I don't remember; that was one thousand eight hundred years ago."

"Brother, you don't remember, but I still do. It took me a full twenty years, and my talent was ranked first in the Sect..."

"I also remember; it took me twenty-two years, and my talent was also in the top two of my Family..."

"Wait... Old Ancestor Bing, what do you mean? Given time, will this kid's cultivation surpass ours?"

Several Soul Transformation Stage Venerables looked at Old Ancestor Bing in astonishment.

Old Ancestor Bing smiled slightly and shook his head: "Not surpass you, but surpass me... I also spent several years back then."

"Then should this kid still be kept?"

Someone asked in a low voice.

Thinking to himself, with such talent, could Old Ancestor Bing be wanting to take him as a Personal Disciple?

Who would have thought, everyone saw a flash of ruthlessness on Old Ancestor Bing's face.

"Do not keep him! This kid must be killed!"

"Why?"

Someone gathered the courage to ask in a low voice.

"Because this kid has already incurred Karma with The Demoness. Our Daos are different; if he is not a friend, he is an enemy. Leaving him creates too many variables. To be safe, he must be killed."

Old Ancestor Bing's voice rang out slowly, and above the clouds, all the mist instantly condensed into ice...

"Then let's just not let him achieve Core Formation. If he cannot be used by me, and I cannot kill him now, then I will first disturb his Dao Heart and not let him achieve Core Formation. I have been so angry these days with nowhere to vent; I am going to mess with him!"

After speaking, the most impatient Soul Transformation Stage Venerable flew down towards the small town...

"Yang Kui!"

"Do not be impatient!"

The other Soul Transformation Stage Venerables reached out to stop him, but Old Ancestor Bing said with a smile in his eyes: "Let him go. I happen to be bored, and I also want to go and meet this kid..."

...

[The tavern waiter is sick]

[I heard that someone put medicine in the wine. The waiter only snuck a drink of two jiao of wine, and he began vomiting and having diarrhea, becoming very ill, but he still dragged his sick body to work at the tavern]

[The new singer has put on a veil, her brows and eyes carrying a thick sense of melancholy, revealing endless sorrow. The way she secretly looks at you has become desolate]

[It turns out she has contracted leprosy and does not have much time left]

[The wine is no longer as fragrant as before, and the taste of the beef is not as good as it used to be]

[A new, bad-tempered old man has come to the tavern, with a Red Beard and green eyes. He does not look like someone from the Liuyun Kingdom. Like you, he comes to the tavern to drink every day]

[But he is noisy every day, disturbing the peace]

"Hey! I'm talking to you, waiter. Why are your hands shaking while you pour the wine!?"

"Customer, I am sick, that is why. I am truly sorry, customer. Please bear with me..."

"Sick? Did you drink fake wine? Hahahaha!"

The old man laughed unscrupulously, and then looked at the new singer: "You woman, why are you covering your face for no reason? You are out here selling songs, why are you still so concerned about your face?"

[When the old man said these things brazenly, the corner of his eyes glanced at you intentionally or unintentionally]

[You understand that this is directed at you]