Refining the Dao into Godhood: A Tale of the Jie Sect
Chapter 36 [Good Causes Good Effects, Bad Causes Bad Effects]

Chapter 36: Chapter 36 [Good Causes Good Effects, Bad Causes Bad Effects]

Heaven and Earth are unkind, treating all beings as stray dogs; the Saints are indifferent, viewing all spirits as mere grass. In the eyes of Heavenly Dao and the Saints, the Human Race, Demon Clan, Witch Clan, and Dragon Clan are all the same and indistinct.

This is not necessarily a bad thing.

For an indifferent Heavenly Dao ensures fairness and justice; it will not favor any clan due to personal likes or dislikes.

However, for the current Human Race, this is absolutely not good news!

Of course, Saints are also human, possessing human emotions and cannot be considered truly indifferent; they each have their own concerns in their hearts!

Nuwa cares about Fu Xi.

The Three Pure Ones care about their own Daoist lineage, their own doctrines, and their own disciples.

As for the two Western Saints, whose acquaintance Xuanqing has not yet made, they are likely hoping for the prosperity of the Western and to reclaim the Merit they had borrowed from Heavenly Dao when they became Saints.

"Heaven impartially covers; Earth impartially supports!"

In Xuanqing’s heart, a new doubt arises: "If Heavenly Dao is completely impartial, why does it let the Human Race become the so-called protagonist of Heaven and Earth in the future?"

"Could it be, merely because the word ’human’ fittingly aligns with the Three Powers?"

"But the Human Dao should be the Dao of all beings, the Dao of all spirits, not confined to one clan."

"Moreover, the cosmos here is extremely peculiar; ordinary people are considered three-dimensional beings, while Saints are at least eight-dimensional, even nine-dimensional beings, fundamentally not on the same level, yet they coexist in the same Hongmeng Great Realm!"

"Chaos, order!"

"The Primordial World is like a convergence point of multiple dimensions, with chaos harboring a trace of order, and within order, an indiscernible chaos!"

In fact, the stronger their cultivation, the more people revere this cosmos. Ordinary humans fear the consequences, immortals fear the cause; the Primordial World is a land interwoven with countless causes and effects.

However, with Xuanqing’s current cultivation and knowledge, he is unable to see through the true essence of this world.

Some things, in his eyes, are contradictory and inexplicable, such as "Heavenly Dao being impartial" and the "Human Race becoming the protagonist of Heaven and Earth’!

If Heavenly Dao is impartial, then all spirits should be equal and there should no so-called protagonist of Heaven and Earth!

But if Heavenly Dao is biased, why treat the Human Race like this, allowing them to be massively slaughtered by the Demon Clan while also making them the protagonist of Heaven and Earth?

He does not understand!

Suddenly, a thought flashes in his mind, recalling Daoist Ancestor Hong Jun, thinking of what Tongtian Sect Master once said; Heavenly Dao has flaws, and Daoist Ancestor Hong Jun merged with the Dao to mend them!

"Could it be, Heavenly Dao is inherently impartial, but it is not complete, and Daoist Ancestor Hong Jun attempted to amend it, yet inadvertently created new flaws?"

Otherwise, it simply cannot be explained!

Of course, this is just a more reasonable explanation that Xuanqing forcefully provides to himself.

He does not know what state Daoist Ancestor Hong Jun, in merging with the Dao, truly is. What was the purpose of the merge? Did any errors occur during the process?

He then looks towards Nuwa and asks, "May I ask Holy Mother, after Daoist Ancestor merged with the Dao, were there any changes in the rules of Heavenly Dao?"

"Have you also noticed this?"

Nuwa, upon hearing this, shows a slightly surprised expression: "Heavenly Dao is indeed continually changing! It is evolving in the direction that all beings hope for!"

Evolving in the direction that all beings hope for?

Xuanqing frowns slightly, then suddenly realizes, "Unity of Heaven and Man, is it drawing from the power of all beings?"

"Exactly!"

Nuwa nods.

Xuanqing’s expression slightly relaxes, but he is reminded of the words of Divine Monarch Zhi Ming.

Human will is the predominating force!

The direction of Heavenly Dao’s evolution is guided by the thoughts of the majority of beings. Heavenly Dao follows the trend of human will, leveraging the human will to shift the grand trend of Heaven and Earth, not just an empty phrase.

But...

"Are the thoughts of all beings necessarily right?"

Xuanqing voiced the doubts in his heart.

It wasn’t that he opposed the masses, but because, before he traveled through time, he had seen too many cases where rash decisions led to errors.

More people do not always mean they are right!

He once saw, in a certain place that suffered from flooding, after the flood, an official resolved to build flood levees, but it was deemed a wasteful and costly effort, causing public outcry at that moment.

Although the official, in the end, went against public opinion and spent substantial resources to construct the flood levees, not many people appreciated his effort.

Only years later, when an unprecedented flood struck, did those protected by the levees realize the official’s good intentions.

There were many such instances.

He had heard about a principal in a certain place who frequently conducted earthquake drills, which many parents thought was a distraction from schooling, but when an earthquake occurred, they admired the principal’s foresight.

Every issue has two sides, and the majority opinion is not always correct.

Such cases had been all too common in Xuanqing’s experiences before traveling through time.

Just like most people, all hope to buy cheap grains, but low prices harm farmers, forcing those who grow grains to seek other livelihoods, thus creating a vicious cycle.

Therefore, having more people does not always mean they are right!

Xuanqing pondered for a moment, sorted out his thoughts, and bowed to Nuwa: "Lady, forgive my frankness, but I do not agree that Heavenly Dao should evolve according to the will of the masses!"

"Just like a person who made a minor mistake, a crime not deserving death, but those having grudges against him bribe the qualified judges, can the final verdict still be fair?"

"I heard that Emperor Jun crafted the Evil Summoning Banner to control the Demon Clan, holding their lives in his thoughts; then, are the expressed thoughts of these demons genuinely their own, or are they Emperor Jun’s?"

Before traveling, Xuanqing could not share these cases with Nuwa, but he was adept at extrapolating from one example to another, and Emperor Jun crafting the Evil Summoning Banner was a perfect argument.

"There is some logic in what you say!"

Nuwa nodded: "But the Daoist Ancestor has merged with the Dao, and Heavenly Dao is also evolving in the direction the beings aspire to, a fact that cannot be changed!"

At this moment, she too questioned her own persistence, doubted the direction of evolutions of Heavenly Dao.

But what’s done is done!

And she didn’t have the power to change it!

She admitted openly, "Even saints have their own desires, and this palace is no exception! But since this is the will of the beings, whether the outcome is good or bad, regardless of the direction the grand trend of Heavenly Dao takes, that will be what they must bear!"

"This..."

Xuanqing was rendered speechless.

As Nuwa said, since Heavenly Dao complies with the hearts of the people, even if it leads to self-inflicted problems one day, the beings of Primordial have no reason to blame Heavenly Dao.

Because it was the majority among them that guided the grand trend of Heavenly Dao.

At this moment, Xuanqing seemed to understand why the future would take the trajectory he remembered.

The great war between the Witch and Demon Clan led to the breaking of the Heavenly Pillar, billions of beings perished, and those who survived naturally hoped that the future main actors in the world would not be as savage as the Witch and Demon Clan.

With two Saints endorsing and Human Race appearing harmless to humans and animals, they naturally took up the Heaven’s mandate to become the eternal protagonists set by Heavenly Dao.

Later on, acquired beings increased in number, and they were unable to reach the heights of the Innate Sacred, Primordial entered the Acquired era to bridge the gap between them.

Moreover, with Zhuanxu cutting Jian Mu and reaching Heavenly connections, and Jiang Ziya enfeoffing gods, many acquired beings also could wield authority like the Innate Sacred.

Eventually, even brought about the apocalypse of the decline, cutting off the possibilities of cultivation.

"People’s hearts!"

Xuanqing couldn’t help but show a bitter smile.

Although this was all his speculation, he seemed to see that predetermined future, where the beings of Primordial all paid the price for their thoughts.

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