41: Chapter 41 Sitting and Discussing the Way

Jiang Changge withdrew the Creation Sutra, stepped through the rain of light, and entered the Formation.

The scene before him changed abruptly.

There were no purple bamboos, no spiritual mist, and not even the heavens and earth.

All that remained was a simple bamboo house.

The bamboo house was not large, about three zhang square, and was built entirely from purple bamboo.

The bamboo stalks were lustrous like jade, with faint spiritual light circulating within them.

A string of wind chimes hung under the eaves, swaying gently in the spiritual breeze and emitting a crisp, melodious sound.

In front of the bamboo house was a stone table.

Beside the stone table sat an old man with white hair.

The old man wore a gray Daoist robe, his hair and beard were completely white, his face was gaunt, and his skin was like withered tree bark, covered in the marks of time.

He sat cross-legged on a stone stool, holding a purple bamboo leaf in his hand, as if examining something.

Jiang Changge stopped and his gaze fell upon the old man.

He could feel that the old man before him was not a physical entity, but a wisp of a remnant soul.

However, the aura contained within that remnant soul made his heart tremble slightly.

That aura was more powerful than any Cultivator he had ever seen, and many times stronger than Ancestor Zhou Huaixu at the Peak of Undergoing Tribulation.

It was even a bit stronger than the wicked Dragon he had encountered in the Cave of Years.

"Immortal Zizhu?" Jiang Changge asked, his tone calm.

The old man looked up; his eyes were cloudy and deep, reflecting the vicissitudes of endless years.

The moment his gaze landed on Jiang Changge, the old man's pupils contracted slightly, and a flash of astonishment crossed his eyes.

"How many years has it been? You are the fourth person to step into this Formation."

Immortal Zizhu's voice was hoarse and distant, as if it had traveled through time and space from the ancient era.

Jiang Changge's expression was indifferent, standing with his hands behind his back, his sleeves fluttering slightly in the spiritual breeze.

Immortal Zizhu slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping back and forth over Jiang Changge, a strange expression appearing in his cloudy eyes.

"In the Xuanhuang World, only a Red Dust Immortal can break this Formation."

He paused, his tone filled with a touch of emotion.

"Before I passed away, two Red Dust Immortals came here one after another. Those two Fellow Daoists were both leaders of their time, with transcendent Dao methods."

"Unfortunately, they spent quite a lot of effort when breaking the Formation. The first one took three days and three nights, and the second one took a day and a night."

Immortal Zizhu's gaze fell upon Jiang Changge, and a hint of disbelief flashed in his eyes.

"And yet, Fellow Daoist, you broke my Formation in just a moment."

"Although I only have a wisp of a remnant soul left, I can still tell that when you broke the Formation, you didn't even use your full strength."

He took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress the shock in his heart.

"The Dao you cultivate is truly unfathomable."

Jiang Changge's expression did not change, but inwardly, he was secretly amused.

How could he be a Red Dust Immortal? He was only at the Late Stage of Mahayana.

Breaking the Formation relied on the profoundness of the Creation Sutra, not on how strong his power was.

It was all thanks to the System masking his aura that the remnant soul of Immortal Zizhu had developed such a misconception.

However, since the other party had misunderstood, he couldn't be bothered to explain.

"Fellow Daoist, you overpraise me." Jiang Changge said in a calm tone, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings.

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of light flashed in Immortal Zizhu's cloudy eyes.

He sat down again and gestured for Jiang Changge to sit: "Since Fellow Daoist has entered my Daoist field, it is fate."

"I have passed away for many years, and it is rare to meet a like-minded person. I wonder if I could discuss the Dao with you, Fellow Daoist?"

Jiang Changge's heart stirred.

Discussing the Dao? This was good; being able to discuss the Dao with a Red Dust Immortal would be extremely beneficial for his future Immortal Ascension.

Jiang Changge sat down on the stone stool on the other side of the stone table, flicked his robes, and appeared composed.

"Since it is fate, I shall naturally accompany you."

Immortal Zizhu nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the purple bamboo leaf in his hand.

After a moment of silence, he slowly began: "I have cultivated the Dao my whole life, using purple bamboo as the foundation and vegetation as the Dao."

"I dare say I have glimpsed seven or eight parts of the true meaning regarding the principles of the vegetation of heaven and earth."

He looked up at Jiang Changge: "Fellow Daoist, do you think the Dao of vegetation can lead to the Great Dao?"

When Jiang Changge heard this, he wondered, what did he know about the Dao of vegetation?

But his expression remained unchanged. He picked up a cup of clear tea that had appeared on the stone table at some point, took a gentle sip, and used the opportunity to quickly search through the Daoist classics he had read in his previous life.

"The Dao of vegetation lies in birth, in growth, in withering, and in flourishing."

Jiang Changge put down the teacup, his gaze distant.

"However, birth, aging, sickness, and death, and the alternation of withering and flourishing, are not unique to vegetation. All things in heaven and earth follow this principle. Therefore, the Dao of vegetation is the Dao of heaven and earth, and it is also the Great Dao itself."

Immortal Zizhu's eyes flashed with astonishment, and he nodded slightly, asking further: "Then, Fellow Daoist, how do you think a Cultivator should comprehend the Dao of vegetation?"

Jiang Changge thought for a moment, deconstructing the Creation Sutra and integrating it with many other classics.

His tone was distant and profound: "The Dao follows nature. A Cultivator who wishes to comprehend the Dao of vegetation should be like vegetation: conforming to heaven and earth, taking root in the Dao, bathing in Spiritual Qi, and experiencing wind and rain to achieve growth."

"It cannot be forced, and it cannot be rushed."

Immortal Zizhu heard this and remained silent for a long time.

He lowered his head, looking at the purple bamboo leaf in his hand, a thoughtful expression appearing in his cloudy eyes.

"Conforming to heaven and earth, taking root in the Dao... It cannot be forced, it cannot be rushed."

He muttered to himself, repeatedly ruminating on Jiang Changge's words, as if he had realized something from them.

A moment later, he looked up, the cloudiness in his eyes seemingly dissipating, replaced by a touch of clarity.

"Fellow Daoist's words have enlightened me."

Immortal Zizhu's tone carried a touch of emotion.

"Before I passed away, I was obsessed with comprehending the true meaning of the Dao of vegetation. I cultivated bitterly for thousands of years but was never able to break through that shackle."

"Now, hearing Fellow Daoist's words, I realize that I have been on the wrong path from the very beginning."

He paused and gave a self-deprecating smile: "I have always been forcing it, always trying to rush it. But I forgot that the Dao of vegetation is inherently a Dao of conforming to heaven and earth; how could it be forced?"

Jiang Changge's expression did not change, but inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Since this old man had figured out the principle himself, it saved him from having to continue making things up.

"That Fellow Daoist can realize this principle shows deep Dao affinity." Jiang Changge said in a calm tone.

Immortal Zizhu looked deeply at Jiang Changge, his eyes full of admiration.

"Fellow Daoist's Dao methods are profound and your insights are unique; I am far from your equal."

He stood up and bowed deeply to Jiang Changge.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for your guidance. Although I only have a wisp of a remnant soul left, I can consider this life not to have been in vain."

Jiang Changge raised his hand in a gesture to help him up: "Fellow Daoist, there is no need for such formalities."

Immortal Zizhu straightened up, his gaze falling on Jiang Changge, a flash of determination in his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist, you broke into the Formation and guided me out of my confusion. I have nothing to repay you with, so I am willing to gift you the Dao I have comprehended throughout my life."

He raised his hand, and the purple bamboo leaf floated up from his hand, hovering in mid-air and emitting a faint purple light.

On the bamboo leaf, countless fine characters faintly circulated, emitting an ancient and vast aura.

"This is the Dao I have comprehended throughout my life—the True Explanation of Purple Bamboo."

"Although it is not as profound as the Dao you cultivate, it is still a decent technique. I hope you will accept it."

Jiang Changge looked at the purple bamboo leaf, his heart stirring slightly.

He didn't really need this True Explanation of Purple Bamboo, but there was no harm in accepting it; he could pass it on to his Disciples in the future.