17: Chapter 17 The Mystic Master Presents Three Treasures
By the time they returned to Xuanwei Temple, the sky was completely dark.
Two wind lanterns hung beneath the temple eaves, their dim yellow glow swaying in the wind and snow, illuminating a hunched figure at the entrance. Xuanweizi stood on the steps wrapped in a thick cloak, snow covering his shoulders, appearing as if he had been waiting for a long time. Lu Mingyuan felt a surge of warmth in his heart and stepped forward quickly: "Master, your Disciple has returned."
Xuanweizi's gaze swept over him, and he nodded slightly: "Enter the temple to speak."
Inside the main hall, the charcoal fire burned brightly, dispelling the chill from their bodies. Qingfeng brought hot tea while Mingyue handed over dry towels; the two young Daoist boys obediently withdrew, leaving only the master and Disciple in the hall. Lu Mingyuan took out the purchased items one by one to report, and when he mentioned the mountain bandits, he omitted the details of treating Wang Meng, only stating that he continued his journey after repelling the bandits.
Xuanweizi listened quietly and took a sip of tea: "Are you injured?"
"A superficial wound, it's no matter." Lu Mingyuan moved his left shoulder—there was a gash from a woodcutter's cleaver where the blood had already congealed.
The old Daoist set down his teacup and pressed his hand forward through the air. A warm green light surged from his palm, enveloping Lu Mingyuan's shoulder. An itchy sensation came from the wound, and within moments, the flesh healed, leaving only a faint red mark.
"Thank you for the healing, Master," Lu Mingyuan said.
Xuanweizi shook his head instead: "Wounds are easy to heal, but the heart is hard to settle. Are you wondering whether letting those bandits go was right or wrong?"
Lu Mingyuan was startled, then gave a bitter smile: "As expected, I cannot hide anything from Master."
"You have a lingering 'Qi of conflict' on your body." Xuanweizi pointed to the space between his brows. "The Eye of Clarity allows you to perceive all things, but it also leaves your inner thoughts with nowhere to hide. Speak then, why the conflict?"
Lu Mingyuan recounted the process of treating Wang Meng, hearing his oath, and then discovering the person spying in the shadows. Finally, he whispered: "Your Disciple does not know... if this mercy gave them a chance to reform, or if it condoned their evil deeds."
The hall fell silent, with only the crackling of the charcoal fire.
After a long while, Xuanweizi spoke slowly: "Do you know why this poor Daoist sent you down the mountain?"
"To purchase supplies and test my cultivation."
"Those are the superficial reasons," Xuanweizi said. "The true intention was to let you experience 'choice'."
He stood up and walked to the taiji diagram in the center of the hall: "The path of cultivation is full of choices. When to advance, when to retreat; when to be firm, when to be soft; when to show mercy, and when to strike like thunder. These choices have no standard answers because behind every choice is a unique Karma."
He turned to look at Lu Mingyuan: "Your choice today was based on what you knew, felt, and believed at the time. You saw that the man still had a conscience, so you gave him a chance; you saw the spying, so you became vigilant. This is your 'Dao'—maintaining vigilance within mercy, and upholding principles within tolerance. As for whether this choice bears good or evil fruit..."
The old Daoist paused: "That is a matter for the future. And the future is subject to change."
"Subject to change?"
"You released that man; he might truly reform, or he might return to his old ways." Xuanweizi walked back to his seat. "But you also left behind an oath and that mark of Noble Spirit. These could all become variables when he makes his future choices. Therefore, there is no need to dwell on 'right or wrong'; you need only have a clear conscience."
Lu Mingyuan pondered for a long time, and the Qi of conflict in his chest gradually dissipated. Indeed, he had done his best at the time and left a backup plan. As for the outcome, that was Wang Meng's own choice and his future Karma.
"Your Disciple understands."
"It is good that you understand." A slight smile appeared on Xuanweizi's face. "Today's lesson is more useful than three months of boxing practice. However—"
His tone shifted: "Since you have already experienced the world down the mountain, it is time for you to formally set out on a journey."
Lu Mingyuan's heart tightened: "Master wants me to leave?"
"Not leave, but travel," Xuanweizi said seriously. "Cultivation cannot be done behind closed doors; one must see heaven and earth, see all living beings, and see oneself. Although Zhongnan Mountain is good, it is ultimately just one corner. You should go to the wider world, visit famous mountains and great rivers, meet masters of the Three Teachings, and temper your Dao Heart in the Mortal World."
He paused: "Originally, I wanted you to wait until your Foundation Establishment was stable before going down, but the blood-light in the Northwest has spread slightly in recent days. Time... is running short."
Lu Mingyuan thought of that dark red Rift, and his heart sank.
"Therefore, before you descend the mountain, this poor Daoist has three things to give you."
Xuanweizi took the first item from his sleeve—it was that very green bamboo staff.
"This staff is named 'Tingchao'. This poor Daoist obtained it three hundred years ago on the shores of the East Sea. At that time, a ten-thousand-year-old spiritual bamboo grew between the tides, listening to the rising tides by day and watching the falling tides by night, its body naturally developing spiritual resonance. I took one section and refined it with Samadhi True Fire for forty-nine days to create this staff."
He handed the bamboo staff over: "As you have used it these past days, have you felt anything?"
Lu Mingyuan took the bamboo staff and focused his senses. Under his Clear Sight, the pale green Spiritual Qi inside the staff ebbed and flowed like the tides, and the faint sound of ocean waves echoed in his consciousness.
"It seems... to have the rhythm of the tides?"
"Correct." Xuanweizi nodded. "This staff has three great uses: First, it can change its weight and length according to your will, shrinking to the size of a hairpin or growing into a twelve-foot pole. Second, the staff body contains the power of the tides, doubling the power of water-element Spells. Third..."
He tapped the head of the staff, and the tip of the bamboo staff suddenly lit up with a tiny spark of light, like a beacon at sea.
"This staff is connected to the tides of the East Sea. If you encounter a life-or-death crisis, you can channel your True Qi into this light to summon a phantom of the East Sea tides for protection. Though it lasts only an instant, it can block a full-strength strike from the Nascent Soul Stage. But remember, this method can only be used three times in a lifetime; use it cautiously."
Lu Mingyuan solemnly took the bamboo staff, feeling it heavy in his hand—not just from the weight of the staff, but from the weight of his master's kindness.
Xuanweizi then took out the second item—a jade pendant.
The jade pendant was in the shape of a taiji diagram, half black and half white, black as ink and white as congealed fat. A bead the size of a grain of rice was set into each eye of the Yin and Yang fish; the left bead was crimson like fire, and the right was azure like water. Eight tiny characters were carved on the edge of the pendant: 'The Dao follows nature, Virtue matches Heaven and Earth'.
"This pendant is named 'Virtue'. It is the item I wore when I attained the Dao." Xuanweizi's tone was flat, but the content was earth-shattering.
Lu Mingyuan's hand trembled, and he nearly dropped the jade pendant. Worn when he attained the Dao... wouldn't that make it an item once carried by a Saint?!
"No need to panic." Xuanweizi placed the jade pendant into his palm. "This pendant has three Body-Protecting abilities: First, wearing it normally will calm your mind and help you comprehend the Great Dao. Second, when encountering evil or heterodox paths, the Yin and Yang Qi within the pendant will naturally react, with black Qi protecting the body and white Qi expelling evil. Third..."
His fingertip touched the eyes of the Yin and Yang fish on the pendant, and both beads lit up simultaneously.
"If you encounter a fatal crisis, crushing the red bead can summon a 'Divine Light of Li-Fire' to incinerate all evil; crushing the blue bead can call forth a 'True Astral of Profound Water' to protect you as you escape. But once the two beads are shattered, this pendant will lose most of its power, leaving only the mind-calming effect."
Lu Mingyuan gripped the jade pendant, feeling a warm and peaceful aura spread through his arm and across his entire body, even causing the rotation of his Chaotic Dao Foundation to soothe slightly. This gift was too heavy, so heavy he did not know how to respond.
"Master, this is too precious..."
"No matter how precious a treasure is, it cannot compare to a human life." Xuanweizi waved his hand. "You carry the opportunity of the one that escaped; the risks you will face in the future are far beyond what ordinary Cultivators can compare to. These Body-Protecting items are merely to give you an extra thread of survival."
He took out the third item—a green cloth bag.
The bag was the size of a palm and looked ordinary in style, like a commoner's pouch for carrying money. But looking closely, the mouth of the bag was embroidered with an Eight Trigrams pattern in silver thread, and the body of the bag had faint spatial fluctuations.
"This bag is named 'Qiankun', and it contains a small space of three square feet." Xuanweizi said. "Tie it to your waist; you can put your daily sundries, Magical Artifacts, and Medicinal Pills inside, and retrieving them requires only a thought. Time flows ten times slower inside the bag than outside, so stored food and herbs will stay fresh."
Lu Mingyuan took the bag and tried putting the teacup from the table inside. With a thought, the teacup disappeared, and the bag's appearance remained unchanged. With another thought, the teacup reappeared in his hand.
"This..." He was both surprised and delighted.
"When traveling abroad, it is inevitable to eat and sleep in the wild. With this bag, you can save much trouble." Xuanweizi looked at him, a trace of complex emotion flashing in his eyes. "These three items are enough for you to use until the Golden Core Stage. But remember—external objects are ultimately external objects. Your true reliance will always be your own cultivation, wisdom, and Heart-Nature."
Lu Mingyuan put away the three treasures one by one, stepped back three paces, knelt down, and performed the grand ceremony of three prostrations and nine kowtows: "Master's generous gifts are engraved in my heart. In this life, I will never fail your teachings nor the reputation of Xuanwei Temple."
Xuanweizi did not help him up, calmly accepting the salute.
Only after Lu Mingyuan rose did he say slowly: "Tomorrow morning, you shall descend the mountain. First, visit Longhu Mountain to seek the Dao, then go to Mount Song to pay respects to the Buddha, and then travel and study everywhere. In three years, regardless of your cultivation, you must return to Zhongnan Mountain once."
"Yes," Lu Mingyuan replied.
"One last word." Xuanweizi gazed at him, speaking word by word, "On the path of cultivation, you will meet many people. Some will become friends, some will become enemies, and some will be mere passersby. But no matter who you meet, remember—hold onto your original heart, and you will reach the end."
As his voice fell, the wind and snow outside the hall suddenly intensified.
The wind lanterns swayed, casting the shadows of the master and Disciple onto the wall, stretching them very long.
Lu Mingyuan gripped the tingchao staff, Virtue Pendant, and qiankun bag in his hands, feeling his shoulders heavy with responsibility, but his heart was filled with warmth.
The depth of a master's grace was nothing more than this.
That night, he did not sleep.