Black Myth: Starting from the Destined One
Chapter 219 - 180: The World’s Foremost Talented King Tianran!

Chapter 219: Chapter 180: The World’s Foremost Talented King Tianran!

Li Ping’an fully understood and nodded silently as he said:

"Emperor Tathagata, I understand now, the ’self’ is Li Ping’an, the ’id’ is the Destined One, and the ’super-ego’ is the combination of desires of both!"

"Since the heavenly order has collapsed and someone is needed to restore order, killing is also helping, killing is also restoring order, killing is the heavenly way itself. There will be no more scruples or obstructions in my actions from now on!"

The Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk put his palms together with joy, and said:

"Congratulations, you have found your destiny, so now face it directly!"

"Thank you, Emperor Tathagata, for guiding me out of confusion! Today, my heart demons were removed! My Taoist Heart will no longer be affected by killing!"

After thanking him, Li Ping’an bowed again and asked the question he was most concerned about:

"Emperor Tathagata, to be honest, I have come to Chang’an City only for one thing, and that is to find a woman named Zixia. However, I have been searching for many days in Chang’an City and have not found her, not even a trace of her. I hope Emperor Tathagata can help me escape this torment and find that woman soon."

After listening to this, the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk calculated, and then hinted:

"Tomorrow is the once-in-a-decade Grand Ritual of the Heavenly Master for all the Taoist sects under Heaven. You might find her there."

"Thank you, Emperor Tathagata! Thank you, Emperor Tathagata!"

With this hint, Li Ping’an suddenly recalled that before Pei Yuanjing challenged him, he asked if he was attending the so-called Grand Ritual of the Heavenly Master; if he were, Pei Yuanjing would not challenge him. As someone without a sect, Li Ping’an naturally didn’t qualify to attend, which is why Pei Yuanjing insisted on challenging him, afraid to miss this rare opportunity!

Combining this with Zixia’s previous statement about coming to Chang’an to accomplish a significant affair, it meant Zixia came to Chang’an surely to attend the Grand Ritual of the Heavenly Master; in other words, Zixia could be found at the Grand Ritual of the Heavenly Master!

Having found Zixia’s whereabouts, Li Ping’an was overjoyed. He could put this matter aside for now and proceeded to ask the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk one last question:

"Emperor Tathagata, I understood all that you’ve just said, to encourage the good and slay the evil, which is the current heavenly way. But before I came to the True Buddha Temple, I killed someone who was neither good nor evil, so did I make a mistake then?"

"Right or wrong is unimportant. What matters is recognition!"

The Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk further instructed with patience:

"Recognizing one’s mistakes is awakening, correcting one’s mistakes is achievement, discovering all faults is enlightenment, and rectifying all faults is perfection."

"Because your cultivation speed of Taoist Magic is too fast, surpassing the normal rate, which is akin to spoiling things by haste, coupled with the fact that you killed people, therefore, you have heart demons. However, just now I have already enlightened you, and as long as your cultivation is slower from now on, your heart demons will be removed, and right or wrong will not be so important."

"The Taoist often say, ’the Way of Heaven is to take from what has in excess to make good what is deficient.’ Right and wrong were not caused by you! It is the current heavenly way! When evil outweighs the good, killings must occur to maintain the balance of the heavenly way!"

"Also this Book of the Earth, which has a deep connection with you, your future cultivation relies entirely on this book. If you do not wish to return it soon to the Ancestor of Earth Immortals Zhen Yuanzi, you must be careful to keep it safe and never lose it. Should this book fall into the hands of evildoers, it will certainly cause havoc, and the heavenly order will undoubtedly collapse!"

"I fully understand now!"

Having asked all his questions, and feeling complete in his heart, Li Ping’an bowed three times to the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk.

Seeing that Li Ping’an had spoken with his master, the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk, for so long and discussed so many Zen mysteries, Mahaparinirvana, the Monk Who Broke Precepts, couldn’t hold back any longer and turned to the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk to ask:

"Master, as you have said, life has four realms: Seeing oneself, seeing the world, seeing all beings, and then seeing oneself again. Which level am I in?"

"You have reached the realm of Seeing All Beings," said the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk truthfully.

"Heh heh!"

Mahaparinirvana, the Monk Who Broke Precepts, immediately put his hand on Li Ping’an’s shoulder, looking very proud, and with his thumb raised boasted:

"Brother, see? My realm is higher than yours, hahahaha!"

"Maha, you are different from others."

The Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk then advised:

"For ordinary people, the first realm is Seeing Oneself, but your first realm is Seeing All Beings, your second realm is Seeing the World, and only the third realm is Seeing Oneself."

"Ah?"

Mahaparinirvana, the Monk Who Broke Precepts, touched his shining bald head somewhat embarrassed:

"So it is..."

Worried that Mahaparinirvana, the Monk Who Broke Precepts, might overthink, the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk explained:

"However, you shouldn’t lose heart, for when you reach the realm of Seeing Oneself, you will achieve Buddhahood on the spot."

"Thank you for the guidance, Master."

After bowing in gratitude to the Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk, Mahaparinirvana, the Monk Who Broke Precepts, asked again:

"Master, I have many faults, which I’m sure your disciple—my previous master, Zen Master Zhizhen—must have mentioned in his letter to you. I don’t really care about them, but this habit of mine to root out the strong and support the weak, my fondness for killing, is truly hard to change. May I ask my teacher, is this killing habit my heart demon? Will killing so many people affect my future enlightenment?"

"Those who promote goodness have Buddha in their hearts; with the wrath of Vajra, they punish the evil and subdue demons!"

The Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk patted the head of Mahaparinirvana, the Monk Who Broke Precepts, encouragingly and said:

"You are different from ordinary people, born with Buddha-nature and Buddha-heart. You kill only to save others, and because of your temperament, you naturally won’t have heart demons. You can do as you wish, and if you feel like killing evildoers, just do it. Leave the salvation to your master."