Xiniu Hezhou was originally located at the intersection of Taoist and Western religious forces, a typical no-man's-land. Later, during the great war between the Lich King and the Demon King, Mount Buzhou, the pillar of heaven, collapsed, causing the primordial land to tilt, with the west becoming higher than the east. This made the already barren Xiniu Hezhou even more covered with towering mountains. Thus, it became a paradise for the surviving demons and monsters of the war. Most of the unruly demons established themselves as kings of the mountains in Xiniu Hezhou, and among them were many highly skilled individuals.
Beiju Luzhou is bitterly cold and sparsely populated, but Haotian dares not wage war there. Despite his current imposing appearance, Haotian doesn't dare go too far. For example, in Beiju Luzhou, since the division of the four continents, Nuwa relocated many powerful demons and monsters to live there. Xuantian, for some unknown reason, moved the Pangu Palace there as well. It's not surprising that Xuantian possesses this power; he is, in a sense, a member of the Wu clan, and due to his connection with Houtu, although not publicly acknowledged, most people with some influence know of him. Of course, this level of influence would at least require owning a sect or being an ancient quasi-saint.
Right now, to the east of Beiju Luzhou are the demon race, and to the west are the witch race. In the Pangu Palace, there are Jiufeng, Xiangliu, and the headless Xingtian. The strength of these three ancient great witches should not be underestimated. Not to mention that the demon race also has great demons such as Bai Ze, Jimeng, Yingzhao, and Feilian, each of whom can stand alone and are enough to give the Heavenly Court a hard time.
It seems that Xiniu Hezhou is the easiest place to make a move, but Haotian doesn't dare to. Although Xiniu Hezhou may seem to be inhabited only by some demons, it is too close to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Basically, Xiniu Hezhou is Buddhist territory. If I'm not mistaken, the powerful demons stationed outside the gates all have some connection with the sages of the East. If Haotian doesn't even have this much insight, then what's the point of talking?
Not to mention that Haotian was troubled by how to strengthen the power of the Heavenly Court.
In the Eastern Continent, in the vassal state of Lu, along a desolate ancient road, an elderly man with white hair rode atop a blue ox, while a middle-aged Taoist priest led the ox slowly along. They were none other than the Supreme Lord Laozi, the head of the Three Pure Ones, and Duobao Daoist, the former chief disciple of the Jie Sect.
As Laozi was walking, he suddenly felt something and spread out the Taiji diagram in the air. Then his body slowly rose up, and Laozi sat upright on the Taiji diagram, bowing to the Dao Ancestor's Zixiao Palace from afar.
Duobao knew that Laozi was going to explain the Great Dao of the Great Purity Sage, and he immediately showed excitement. He bowed to Laozi, sat down on the ground, and listened attentively.
The Tai Chi diagram emitted wisps of primordial chaos, enveloping Laozi. Laozi closed his eyes, immersing himself in it, merging with the primordial chaos, and he himself seemed to become ethereal and indistinct…
Heaven and earth seemed to stand still. The morning sun rose, and its rays fell upon Laozi, creating a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere that inspired a sense of reverence and worship...
Laozi began to recite: "The Tao that can be spoken of 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. Therefore, one should always be without desire, so as to observe its mystery. These two are the same in origin but different in name; they are both called profound. Profound and yet more profound, the gateway to all mysteries..." In short, it means that the principles of heaven, earth, and all things, when expressed in words, are no longer the original meaning; principles, when given names and forms, are no longer the original principles.
The Great Way is something that can only be understood, not explained! How much you can explore depends entirely on your own destiny and opportunities!
Some people spend their entire lives without ever leaving their homes, oblivious to the changing seasons, burying themselves in arduous cultivation, yet they stray further and further from the true path; others, indulging in unrestrained behavior and daydreaming of the autumn seasons, somehow find their own true path.
The Great Way is a thing; it can only be felt with the heart, not sought with the eyes…
Duobao felt as if bathed in a spring breeze, as if waves of warmth were washing over his soul. Ahead seemed to be a towering mountain, and he ran towards it, only to find that the mountain was farther away than he thought…
Laozi continued reciting, "The Tao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, Three gives birth to all things. All things carry Yin and embrace Yang, and through the interaction of these two forces, harmony is achieved..." Duobao suddenly recalled his own life: he was originally a stone in front of the Dao Ancestor's Zixiao Palace, absorbing the spiritual energy there day and night. One day, as he was contemplating how to transform himself, a resolute-looking Daoist appeared before him, wielding a cyan sword. This Daoist enlightened him.
From then on, he became this Taoist's disciple. He also learned that this Taoist was none other than Tongtian Jiaozhu, one of the Three Pure Ones. He followed Tongtian Jiaozhu on his travels, and gradually more and more junior disciples joined him. Later, Tongtian Jiaozhu established the Jie Sect, and he became the sect's chief disciple. At that time, the Jie Sect was extremely prosperous, with countless immortals coming to pay homage…
Who knew that during the Investiture of the Gods war, the Jie Sect was tricked by the Chan, Buddhist, and other sects. If it weren't for the help of Penglai Island, they would have been completely wiped out. Fortunately, their four disciples were still alive, so there was still a chance...
At that time, I thought every day about how to create the Taiji Diagram, how to revitalize the Jie Sect, and how to seek revenge against the three sages and four saints of the Chan Buddha, even if it meant my death and being reduced to ashes...
But during these three hundred years, with Laozi explaining the Great Dao of the Supreme Sage to him every day, his originally unwavering heart began to waver, and he even felt that the resentment in his heart was decreasing day by day...
Now, the Supreme Sage Laozi is explaining the unsurpassed Dao to me. Everyone has their own Dao, but where is my Dao, Duobao's Dao...?
Laozi was still reciting: "True words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not true. The good do not argue; those who argue are not good. The wise are not learned; those who are learned are not wise. The sage does not accumulate; the more he does for others, the more he has; the more he shares with others, the more he receives. The way of Heaven benefits without harming; the way of the sage acts without contending." After finishing this sentence, Laozi slowly addressed Duobao, who was sitting in front of him, and said: "This is the Great Dao of the Supreme Purity Sage that I have comprehended! It consists of eighty-one chapters, the first thirty-seven being 'Dao' and the last forty-four being 'De'. It can be named the 'Tao Te Ching'!" Suddenly, a seven-colored ray of light flew from the sky and landed directly on Laozi.
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