Chapter 110: Taoist Classics
Holding the lamp, Xiaoyao Lang searched around the library, looking for any books that caught his eye.
"Wow! So many classics! No wonder there are four people guarding this place!"
While marveling at the contents, Xiaoyao Lang glanced at them and found that they contained several internal energy cultivation methods, as well as various manuals for knives, swords, spears, whips, clubs, halberds, arrows, darts, fists, palms, legs, and fingers. They also included chess manuals and musical scores.
Xiaoyao Lang searched through the sword manual and found the "Limitless Sword Technique" there. He exclaimed, "It really exists! It's exactly the same sword technique I've been studying."
Xiaoyao Lang looked to the other side and found there were also classics from various schools of thought. Among them were Confucian classics such as the *Shangshu Jing*, *Shijing*, and *Yuejing*; Legalist classics such as the *Fajing*, *Han Feizi*, *Shangzi*, *Guanzi*, and *Yueji*; and Military classics such as *Sunzi Fa*, *Qi Sunzi*, *Wu Zi Fa*, *Mengji*, and *Hanji*.
Xiaoyao Lang looked at these things with little interest. Just as he was feeling disappointed, he saw the Taoist classics, and his eyes immediately lit up.
"Taoist classics!"
As he spoke, he hurriedly searched through the books and found many classics, including "The Yellow Emperor", "Taigong" (not Jiang Taigong, although Jiang Taigong was also a Taoist master, but there were no books about him here), "Huang Shigong", "Zifang Ji", "Guanzi Jing", "Wenzi Jing", "Canmeng", "Dizi" (written by Dizi Xi, the founder of Tianji Palace), "Five Elements Jue", "Xuanhuang Jue", "Yin Yang Liangji", "Zhuangzi", "Derivation Method", "Guiguzi Volume 2", "Laozi", and "Zhuge Yuhe Shu".
When Xiaoyao Lang was examining the books, he would open each one and read a few notes. In the end, he chose two classics: "The Broken Dream" and "Laozi".
After tidying up the books, Xiaoyao Lang lit a lamp and left the library. His four senior brothers remained seated in meditation, and did not say or do anything when they saw him leave the stone chamber.
Seeing this, Xiaoyao Lang tried to move the stone tiger with his hands, intending to activate the mechanism and close the stone door. However, no matter how hard he tried, the stone tiger did not budge an inch, leaving Xiaoyao Lang feeling embarrassed.
Just when they were feeling helpless, Senior Brother Xuan raised his palm and unleashed a powerful strike from a distance. With a series of "crackling" sounds, the stone door slowly closed.
Upon seeing this, Xiaoyao Lang turned around and bowed respectfully, saying, "Thank you for your help, senior!"
Seeing this, Senior Brother Xuan said calmly, "Since you are the husband of the sect leader, you don't need to address me as senior, nor do you need to bow to me."
Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao Lang respectfully replied, "Senior, you are mistaken. My relationship with Linglong is that of husband and wife. My acquaintance with you is simply out of common sense. As your senior is respected, how could I, a junior, be disrespectful?"
Upon hearing this, Senior Brother Xuan coldly remarked, "How can one be considered a gentleman if one is not bound by etiquette and rules?"
Xiaoyao Lang declared, "Those who observe etiquette are not all gentlemen; a gentleman's virtue lies in his heart, not in his manners. Those who lack virtue are not all villains; a gentleman's virtue lies in his actions, not in his morals."
Upon hearing this, the four senior brothers opened their eyes for a moment. The eldest senior brother spoke up, saying, "I never expected that you would have such profound understanding of the world at such a young age. We must look at you with new respect."
Senior Brother Xuan also wore a smile, seemingly quite admiring of Xiaoyao Lang. He then asked, "What is the purpose of the book in your possession, young hero?"
Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao Lang felt embarrassed. He put the book in his pocket, intending to quietly take it out of the stone chamber. He thought to himself, "Can this old man see through clothes? Does he know I'm carrying some ancient texts?"
Little did Xiaoyao Lang know that Senior Brother Xuan was merely deceiving him; with so many secret manuals and classic texts, who wouldn't be tempted?
Xiaoyao Lang said boldly, "Please forgive me, senior. These two books are too profound. I really want to study them carefully and will return them soon." As he spoke, he took out two classic books from his bosom.
At this moment, Senior Brother Mao gave Xiaoyao Lang a disdainful look, while Senior Brother Bian, unable to hide his irritable temper, said, "If you want to consult the classics, just take them openly and honestly. Why bother with such secrecy?"
Xiaoyao Lang heard that Senior Brother Bian was secretly cursing him as a thief, and he couldn't answer for a moment.
At this moment, Senior Brother Xuan said again, "Young hero, since you are also the husband of the sect leader, you can read all the books in the room. May I ask what you have chosen?"
Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao Lang hurriedly stepped forward to present the letter, saying, "Please take a look, senior."
Senior Brother Xuan slightly opened his eyes to take a look and saw that the book at the top was the *Tao Te Ching*. Suddenly, his eyes brightened and he picked up the *Tao Te Ching*, only to find that the book below was *The Broken Dream*. He then laughed loudly and said, "Young hero, your discerning eye truly makes one look at you differently!" After saying this, he put down the book, closed his eyes, and remained silent.
Xiaoyao Lang was secretly puzzled, but he didn't ask any further questions. He then bowed and left.
As soon as Xiaoyao Lang emerged from the Xuanwu Chamber, Senior Brother Bian asked, "Senior Brother Xuan, what martial arts manual did that kid choose that made you act like this?"
After a moment of silence, Senior Brother Xuan opened his eyes and said calmly, "The Broken Dream and Lao Tzu."
Upon hearing this, the three were secretly surprised and found it hard to believe. Senior Brother Bian said quietly, "How could that kid choose two useless books?"
Senior Brother Xuan said calmly, "What do you mean by useless? When Junior Sister Yu first entered the library, her first choice was also 'Remnant Dream'. Now her cultivation is almost catching up with Master's. There may be a reason behind this."
Xiaoyao Lang, carrying the books, happily arrived at Yu Linglong's room. Seeing her meditating and breathing, he did not disturb her but sat down beside her to read the books.
After a long time, Xiaoyao Langjing comprehended the book "Laozi" and found it to be like his own thoughts, feeling as if he had met a kindred spirit from another era.
Cause and effect. All things in the world are constantly changing. One change gives rise to another, while the primordial chaos remains eternally unchanged. Action inevitably leads to action, while inaction allows one to calmly observe change. When change aligns with one's will, it is acceptable. Cause and effect follow each other.
Willingness to give. All people have desires; they are the essence of the spirit. Humans live by desires; without them, we perish. Desires can be relinquished, exchanged, but remember that loss is an eternal balance. To dream of rice cakes, one must work; to dream of becoming a scholar, one must study diligently. Give up rice cakes and becoming a scholar, and you can gain leisure in this fleeting life. The choice is your own; do not blame others for gains or losses.
Good and evil. What is good? What is evil? If everyone kills someone, that is evil; if everyone helps someone, that is good. To use good to eliminate good is evil; to use evil to control evil is good.
Reality and illusion. All things in the world are real in one aspect, and illusory in all aspects. The distinction between reality and illusion is determined by one's own understanding. Just as the sun in the sky has a real aspect that we all know, but its illusory aspect is indescribable. The ancients said that the sun is the sun, and the ancients said that the moon is the moon. The real name resides in the heart; one should focus on both the illusory and the real.
At this moment, Yu Linglong opened her eyes, looked at Xiaoyao Lang, and said, "What are you looking at? You are so focused and silent."
Xiaoyao Lang sighed, "What a pity! The ancients are gone, leaving only this timeless book!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Linglong smiled faintly and said, "What classic book dares to call itself a book of a thousand years?" As she spoke, she made a move and took the book from a distance. With a flick of her sleeve, the book was in her hand.
Xiaoyao Lang was stunned for a moment. He saw Yu Linglong raise her hand and wave it, and the book in his hand was easily snatched from her grasp. In this small space of just over ten feet, she could sit and absorb the book so easily; "forcibly taking" it was "as easy as turning one's hand"!
Yu Linglong waved her hand and glanced at it. It turned out to be an ancient classic. She smiled and said, "Young Master Yu, you praise this book so highly. What profound insights do you have gained from it?"
Xiaoyao Lang sighed and said, "The law of all ages remains unchanged, and all phenomena in the world arise from the mind."
Yu Linglong then asked, "What is Dharma?"
Xiaoyao Lang: "Indescribable, omnipresent."
Yu Linglong: "What is Hunyuan?"
Xiaoyao Lang: "Born in response to the heavens and earth, responding to the changes of all things, and returning all things to their origin."
Upon hearing this, Yu Linglong was secretly delighted. After pondering for a moment, she said, "Since you have such a profound understanding, do you know whether people in the world can live forever?"
Xiaoyao Lang then said, "As I have suggested, immortality is truly impossible for mortals."
Yu Linglong: "Why?"
Xiaoyao Lang sighed and said, "If there is no death, how can there be life? If there is no death, how can there be a next life! The world changes, but the primordial chaos remains unchanged. No matter what it transforms into, it is all within the primordial chaos, waiting for the changes of all things."
Upon hearing this, Yu Linglong chimed in, "So that's how it is..."
Xiaoyao Lang said boldly, "In that case, if we view life and death as a change in all things, then it is both the end of life and the beginning of life."
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