Zhenren Wuliu is an old man with kind eyes and a beard as white as snow. When he saw someone opening the altar, he appeared.
When he saw Gu Qingze, he looked at him with a smile, very kind, and without any signs of cultivation, like an ordinary old man.
He sat casually on the ground and waved his hand, motioning Gu Qingze to sit down as well. His casualness revealed a sense of freedom that was otherworldly.
Although Gu Qingze felt that this move was a bit casual, he sat down on the ground as he was told, thinking secretly in his heart. He wanted to ask about the "second trial", but he didn't expect that Master Wuliu broke the silence first.
"After so long, someone finally comes to chat with an old man like me." There was emotion and deep meaning in the words of Master Wuliu.
"Master Wuliu...actually I..." Gu Qingze hesitated to speak.
"Hey, young man, don't be impatient. Maybe if we have a good chat, what you want will naturally appear."
Master Wulv spoke meaningfully, stroking his beard at the same time, with a wise light flashing in his eyes, as if he could see through the hearts of all things in the world.
Gu Qingze nodded, as if he understood something. He was no longer in a hurry to speak, but looked at Master Wuliu quietly.
Master Wuliu also looked at him with a smile, his eyes full of recognition.
He spoke slowly, his tone relaxed and contented: "Young man, do you know what 'Tao' is?"
Gu Qingze was stunned. He didn't expect that Master Wuliu would suddenly ask this question.
He pondered for a moment, then replied, following a passage from a book he had read before: "Tao is the fundamental principle of heaven and earth, the source of human nature. It is invisible and formless, yet omnipresent, guiding the operation of all things."
Upon hearing this, Master Wulv nodded and said with a smile, "That's right, that's right. The Dao is indeed the righteous principle of heaven and earth, and the source of human nature. It is both the law of the world and the guidance of the human heart."
"But..." he changed the subject, "Your understanding of the Tao is not yet thorough enough."
"Tao is not only the fundamental principles of heaven and earth and the origin of human nature, but also a state of mind and a pursuit. It transcends images and concepts and is an invisible force that permeates all things in the world and is hidden deep within every human heart."
"What you call 'guiding the operation of all things' is only one part of the Dao's function. The true meaning of the Dao is the pursuit of nature and harmony, conforming to Heaven's will, and the process of cultivating one's inner self."
Master Wuyou paused for a moment and looked at Gu Qingze, his eyes full of expectation: "Even if I say this, you may still not understand. Then let me tell you a story."
He smiled and spoke slowly, his tone filled with a sense of leisure and nostalgia:
"Long, long ago, there was a young monk who was filled with longing and pursuit for the Tao. He visited famous teachers and studied the classics diligently, hoping to find the true meaning of the Tao."
"One day, he came to the top of a towering mountain and met an old man. The old man looked ordinary, but in fact he had the bearing of an immortal, and exuded a sense of extraordinary power. The young monk asked the old man for the true meaning of 'Tao'."
"The old man didn't answer directly. Instead, he led him to a gorgeous sea of flowers. There, the flowers competed with each other in splendor, the colors were dazzling, butterflies danced gracefully, a scene of harmony and beauty. The old man asked the young monk: 'Look at this sea of flowers, isn't it beautiful?'"
The young monk nodded in agreement. The elder continued, "This sea of flowers is beautiful because it conforms to nature. Each flower blooms in its own place, without coercion or competition. This is a manifestation of the Tao—naturalness and harmony."
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