Cangjie was deeply shocked by what he heard, never expecting that his teacher could explain the teachings of several sages so clearly in just a few words. Then he listened to Xuan Tiandao.

“When the Dao Ancestor established his sagehood, he said there would be nine sages under his tutelage. Now, seven have gathered, and five sages have established a religion. Nuwa originally had abundant opportunities, but she missed the chance to establish a religion because she couldn’t let go of the demon race. Afterwards, she wanted to establish a religion again, but she couldn’t. Several sages and great religions have divided up the fortune of heaven and earth, and Nuwa has no great treasure to suppress the fortune. Even if she wanted to establish a religion, she couldn’t.” Xuan Tian slowly said.

Cangjie listened carefully, pondering in his mind. The situation was indeed as described. Although he had not participated in the events of the ancient primordial era, he knew quite a bit about them. Nuwa couldn't let go of the demon race back then and didn't establish a religion. As a result, she gave away the huge pie of the human religion to Laozi. After that, it was impossible to establish a religion again. The demon race's fortune had already declined, and Nuwa didn't have any great treasures to suppress the fortune. If she established a religion, she would just have to wait for the religion to be destroyed.

"Why didn't the teacher establish a teaching?" Cangjie wondered why Xuantian hadn't established a teaching.

Xuan Tian looked at him and laughed, "Back then, the Dao Ancestor ordered me to be the protector of the Xuanmen sect and not to establish a sect."

Cangjie was greatly surprised upon hearing this. Wasn't the Dao Ancestor showing favoritism? How could the Daoist lineage be passed down if a religion wasn't established? Wasn't this a bit too biased?

Xuan Tian smiled and said, "It's not that Dao Ancestor is biased in this matter. As a protector of the Xuanmen, my fortune is already extremely profound. Furthermore, even if I don't establish a sect, I won't let them monopolize the fortune of this world."

Cangjie was puzzled. Although Penglai Island had some strength outside and some prestige among humans, it could not compare with the major sects.

Xuan Tian noticed Cang Jie's confusion and smiled at him, saying, "Isn't there you here?"

Nine-Standing Faction (They actually slept through it!)

"Me?" Cangjie asked in surprise.

"Yes, it's you." Xuan Tian's eyes narrowed into slits with laughter.

"How could I??" Cangjie was completely bewildered by Xuantian and had no idea what was going on.

Xuan Tian laughed and said, "Listen to me." Seeing Cang Jie looking at him, he said, "Back then, your creation of characters was a meritorious act of heaven and earth. You are known as the ancestor of writing among the human race. No matter which sect spreads its teachings, they all need to use your characters. If you establish a sect, you will gain a great advantage, and they will owe you a karmic debt."

"Then how can I establish a religion? What would its doctrine be? This is simply impossible. Teacher, please don't make things difficult for me." Cangjie had no intention of establishing any sect.

Xuan Tian narrowed his eyes and smiled, "This matter is yours. It's not a right, but it's an obligation."

Without waiting for Cangjie to speak, he said to him, "As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement. Remember this saying, and go to wait outside Hangu Pass. Your opportunity will come."

Cangjie was confused and Xuan Tian forced him to leave, but that's another story.

On the desolate ancient road of Hangu Pass, a setting sun slants across the three thousand miles of the Yellow River.

A young, strong Taoist priest, leading a blue ox, approached in the afterglow of the setting sun. A white-haired old man sat atop the ox, gazing up at the setting sun and murmuring to himself, "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao! The name that can be named is not the eternal name! Nameless, it is the origin of heaven and earth; named, it is the mother of all things!" The two men and the ox walked slowly, becoming one with the heavens and earth. Wherever they passed, birds forgot to fly, beasts forgot to walk, and all things in heaven and earth seemed to stand still for the two.

For the first three hundred years of the four hundred years, Laozi confined Duobao within the Taiji Diagram to cultivate his mind and nature. In the last hundred years, he took Duobao on a journey through the primordial world, firstly to spread the great laws of Taoism and prepare for the rise of Buddhism; secondly, to teach Duobao the great laws of the Taiqing Sage, thus enlightening him.

Yin Xi, the official guarding Hangu Pass, had been fond of astronomical observation and reading ancient texts since childhood, possessing profound knowledge. Seeing purple clouds gathering in the east, stretching for thirty thousand li, shaped like a flying dragon rolling from east to west, he knew a sage was about to arrive. He then ordered men to sweep the road for forty li and burn incense along the way to welcome the sage. That afternoon, as the setting sun cast its light eastward, Yin Xi suddenly saw an old man among the sparse travelers below the pass, riding backward on a blue ox. The old man had snow-white hair, eyebrows reaching his temples, ears reaching his shoulders, and a beard reaching his knees; he wore a simple, clean robe with a red face. Yin Xi looked up to the sky and exclaimed, "I am fortunate to have seen a sage!" He then rushed forward, knelt before the blue ox, and bowed, saying, "Yin Xi pays his respects to the sage."

Laozi saw that the person bowing to him had a square face, thick lips, long eyebrows, and a straight nose. He was dignified but not cold, gentle but not obsequious. Laozi knew that he had some connection with this person. He deliberately tested him and said, "It is an extraordinary courtesy for the gatekeeper to bow to this poor old man! I dare not accept it. May I ask what advice you have for me?" Yin Xi said, "Old man, you are a sage! I beg you to stay at the gate and guide me on the path of cultivation."

Lao Tzu then asked, "What is it about me that makes me so deserving of your favor? I am ashamed, I am utterly humiliated."

Yin Xi said, “I am not talented, but I am good at observing the heavens and know a little about changes. When I see purple clouds coming from the east, I know that a sage is traveling to the west. When I see the purple clouds rolling like a dragon, which is 30,000 miles long, I know that the one coming is a supreme sage, not an ordinary sage. When I see white clouds swirling around the head of the purple clouds, I know that the sage has white hair and is an old man. When I see the Azure Ox Star leading the purple clouds, I know that the sage is coming on an Azure Ox.”

Upon hearing this, Lao Tzu laughed heartily: "You flatter me, you flatter me!"

Upon hearing this, Yin Xi was overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly. Afterwards, Yin Xi led Laozi to the official residence, invited him to sit in the seat of honor, burned incense, and performed the disciple's rites, earnestly pleading, "Teacher, you are the great sage of our time! A sage does not claim his own wisdom as his own, but takes the wisdom of all people as his responsibility. Now you intend to live in seclusion and be unbenevolent; those seeking your teachings will surely find it difficult to find! Why not write down your sage wisdom in a book? Although I am shallow, I wish to pass it down to future generations on your behalf, so that your name may be remembered for eternity and benefit countless generations."

Lao Tzu promised to use the rise and fall of dynasties and the safety and well-being of the people as lessons, tracing their origins, and wrote two parts, totaling five thousand words. The first part begins with "The Tao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name," hence it is called the *Tao Te Ching*. The second part begins with "The highest virtue is not virtue, therefore it is virtue; the lowest virtue does not lose virtue, therefore it is not virtue," hence it is called the *Te Ching*, together they are called the *Tao Te Ching*. The *Tao Te Ching* speaks of the fundamental nature of the universe, containing the mechanism of change in heaven and earth, and the wonder of the transformation of yin and yang; the second part, the *Te Ching*, speaks of the way of living in the world, containing the art of advancing and retreating in human affairs, and the way to longevity. This is the foundation of the doctrines of human education.

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