Immortal Father
Chapter 739 - 739 258 Taiqing Imparts the Dao Scripture Three More Requests for Votes!

739: Chapter 258: Taiqing Imparts the Dao Scripture [Three More Requests for Votes!] 739: Chapter 258: Taiqing Imparts the Dao Scripture [Three More Requests for Votes!] Is the cat out of the bag?!

Did the Taiqing Sect Leader overhear his flattery of the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan?

Li Ping’an’s Adam’s apple bobbed nervously, resisting the urge to kneel and kowtow.

He maintained the posture of a Daoist bow, rapidly contemplating several options in his mind, each of which he promptly dismissed.

‘Nothing can be hidden from my brother in the Taiqing.’

No choice but to risk everything!

Li Ping’an declared aloud, “Thus!

The Heavenly Dao takes from the excess and gives to the lacking, whereas the human Dao takes from the lacking to serve the excess.”

“Good.”

The eyes of Laozi from the Taiqing held no divine light but simply gazed at Li Ping’an as he said slowly,

“The Dao of the world is like the drawing of a bow.

The high is pressed down, the low is lifted; the excessive is reduced, and the deficient is supplemented.

Thus, the Heavenly Dao takes from the excess and gives to the lacking, whereas the human Dao takes from the lacking to serve the excess.

Who can afford to give from their excess to the heavens?

Is such a person not a follower of the Dao?”

Li Ping’an felt stunned and could only bow his head and maintain a posture of deep respect.

Laozi then asked, “This scripture exists only in my heart and has not been spread to the world.

From where did you hear it?”

‘A stroke of genius on my part?’

Li Ping’an truly wanted to reply in that manner, but staying true to himself, looking inward, and retracing his original nature, he decided to confess the truth.

He said, “Elder ancestral teacher, in my youth, I heard someone mention this scripture!

I am slow-witted and remember only a few phrases.”

Laozi said, “Recite all the scriptures you know.”

“Yes!”

Li Ping’an organized the sentences from the “Dao De Jing” in his memory and realized that he had already used many scriptures in the past.

Laozi had said only this, perhaps because after his encounter with the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan, Laozi had started to take notice of him, who was previously ‘nameless.’

Having chosen the path of seeking the truth, Li Ping’an dared not conceal anything and began to recite softly,

“The Dao that can be told is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name.

The nameless is the beginning of all things; the named is the mother of all things.

Therefore, always without desire, one observes its essence…”

“Heaven and Earth are not kind.

They regard the myriad creatures as straw dogs.

The Sage is not kind.

He regards the people as straw dogs…”

“The highest good is like water.

Water is good at benefiting all things without striving, dwelling in places people dislike…”

“All things in the world come from being.

And being comes from non-being.

The Dao produces one, one produces two, two produces three, three produces all things.

All things bear yin and embrace yang, and with the intermingling energy, they achieve harmony.”

…

Li Ping’an recited more than a dozen sections consecutively, which were the ones he remembered most deeply and clearly.

As he continued reciting, a strange sensation grew within his Daoist heart.

“Reciting the ‘Dao De Jing’ to the Taiqing Laozi in the Desolate Era”?

The passages from the “Dao De Jing” that he remembered most vividly were more about the ‘Dao’ than the ‘De’; the former contains profound truths of the Great Dao, and the latter more about the philosophies of governance, intended for the cultivation of inner sageliness and outer kingliness.

Gradually, Li Ping’an’s speech slowed and his eyes took on a contemplative look.

He closed his eyes subconsciously.

A strand of mysterious Dao Charm circled around him.

There he was, in front of the Taiqing Laozi, reciting scriptures that Laozi had not mentioned to anyone else, and then…

he began to comprehend the Dao on the spot.

Even the leader of the Taqing Sect, the foremost of the Three Pure Ones, noted for his tranquility and non-action, couldn’t help but frown slightly as he watched Li Ping’an closely.

After a while, the Taiqing nodded slightly, his emaciated finger, seemingly from beyond this world, flicked a dot of light towards Li Ping’an.

Li Ping’an naturally assumed a cross-legged meditation posture, and dozens of chapters of scriptures resonated within him.

“The scriptures you know are slightly incorrect; here is the original.”

Li Ping’an’s spirit lifted.

Though he did not know yet if he had passed the trial, the opportunity before him demanded his full grasp!

So he stilled his heart to comprehend and carefully memorized the dozens of chapters.

Slowly, he descended into a deeper state of enlightenment, where self and object were forgotten, embracing the origin and returning to the One, casting aside all external matters.

Seven days and nights passed by.

The Holy Mother had returned to the Holy Mother Palace, not waiting any further here.

Daoxian light surged around Li Ping’an, and his Dao Realm actually advanced by one stage, while behind him, a shallow Tai Chi Diagram shadow slowly emerged.

He opened his eyes slowly, his gaze clear like an ancient well, with a thoughtful look still present.

“How is your comprehension?”

The voice of the Taiqing Laozi reached him, and Li Ping’an awakened as if from a dream.

Laozi said, “You have battles ahead of you and cannot dwell on enlightenment for long.”

Li Ping’an rose quickly to resume the Daoist bowing posture, “Thank you, elder ancestral teacher, for imparting the Dao!”

“Good.”

Laozi nodded slightly:

“I am aware of the matters concerning both you and your father’s follower.

I will not trouble you with those.

Since you have come here today, I have three questions for you.”

“Please enlighten me.”

Laozi asked, “What should one do as the Heavenly Emperor?”

Li Ping’an thought deeply, weighing his words carefully.

It took him almost half an hour to respond:

“One should curb the Heavenly Dao for the sake of all beings, strive for the survival of all spirits, add integrity to heaven and earth, and bring divine punishment to demons!”

Laozi then asked, “Can good and evil coexist within one heart?”

Li Ping’an continued to ponder, taking more than half an hour this time before replying:

“Good and evil both exist and do not exist within one heart!

“From the perspective of beings, the nature of goodness or evilness stems from the heart’s choices, unrelated directly to one’s inherent nature.

A person of evil nature can restrain themselves, while a person of good nature can also indulge, therefore the goodness or evilness of beings should be judged by their actions, not their hearts.

“The thoughts of good and evil dwell in the hearts of beings, but whether a being is good or evil should be determined by law!”

Laozi nodded slowly and posed a third question, “If the Heavenly Emperor errs, who can hold him accountable?”

This question had Li Ping’an pondering for a long time.

There were many potential answers, such as establishing a perfect oversight system, treating the transgressions of the Heavenly Emperor the same as common people’s, asserting that heavenly principles are above the Heavenly Emperor, and so forth.

But as he was about to speak, Li Ping’an felt that none of these were the right answer.