NOVGO.NET Chapter 2339 - Debating the Dao on a Snowy Night
Chapter 2339 – Debating the Dao on a Snowy Night
The fragrance of roasting meat wafted into the air.
The flavor of the wine gradually deepened.
Outside a run-down temple, night was fast approaching, and snow flew through the air, pouring down like a waterfall and splattering the night skies. Cold winds cut through the sky like knives.
But none of them could disperse the warmth within the temple. The bonfire blazed, dispersing the inky darkness and alleviating the bone-piercing chill..
The dozing Su Yi stretched in his wicker chair, then grabbed the roasting meat and heated wine and feasted.
He’d spent the past year wandering the wilds and delighting in the red dust of mundanity, heedless of worldly affairs. When he encountered strife and adversity, he took it in coldly, then floated off.
The past year had steadied his heart and mind. He calmly took in the beauty of heaven and earth and all facets of creation.
His cultivation base hadn’t risen, but it was purer and firmer.
To the people of this world, he seemed no more than a passing stranger caked in dust.
In his eyes, this journey was a rare chance to empty his mind completely.
He’d nurtured an air of leisurely freedom, tempered a heart free of worries, and severed worldly strife and entered the red dust. It was only when he was alone that he could set everything aside, jump free of his cage, and see himself clearly once more.
Those who hurried missed the scenery along the way. Ultimately, he’d broken through too quickly, and overcome too many storms. He was right in the thick of things, and there was no avoiding rushing about. His time was not his own.
This was what it meant to be fettered. It was only by breaking through it all and jumping out of his cage that he could see the road ahead clearly.
In truth, over the past year, Su Yi even set aside all thoughts of his cultivation, instead immersing himself in exploring the world of mortals.
Everything he felt and thought came straight from the heart, only for him to set it aside in a flash.
What was comfortable? What felt good? He just followed his heart, acting naturally, yet never improperly.
He delighted in solitude, and found himself in his travels.
Cold winds whooshed by. The night was dark and heavy. The cloak of snow remained, but it had obviously diminished. It no longer resembled goose down. Instead, it looked like granules of salt.
Even after finishing the roast meat and most of the wine, Su Yi didn’t feel full, but he’d at least satisfied his tongue.
Su Yi patted his stomach, then sprawled out comfortably in his wicker chair once more. He planned to sleep, then set off at daybreak.
Suddenly, he recalled the most shallow and obvious of Buddhist verses. “Walking is cultivation, sitting is cultivation, at ease in movement and in stillness, both in speech and in silence.”
It was a simple phrase, and easily understood, but sometimes, the greatest of truths were also the simplest.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps emanated from beyond the run-down temple.
“Ee? There’s still an hour left before this Snowy Night Discussion of the Dao. Don’t tell me someone got here early?”
“Someone really did! I can smell wine, roasted meat, and even a campfire.”
“Come on, let’s go have a look.”
As these voices ran out, a group walked into the run-down temple. There were ten or so people in total.
There was a strikingly handsome, lavishly dressed young couple, an amiable-looking old man with the air of a Daoist immortal, a middle-aged man who looked like a woodcutter, and a young man dressed like a scholar…
When they arrived and saw Su Yi dozing by the fire, they couldn’t help but be stunned.
“Forgive us for disturbing you, but might I ask your sect of origin?” the old man in Daoist robes clasped his fist and asked with a smile.
Su Yi opened his eyes and looked the group over. “I’m just passing through. I’ll leave tomorrow morning.”
The group exchanged glances. All of them visibly relaxed.
“So that’s it.” The old man in Daoist robes smiled. “We’ve long since made arrangements to debate the Dao on a snowy night in this very temple. If you aren’t opposed, you’d be welcome to join us, Fellow Daoist.”
Su Yi smiled and waved the offer away. “I’m not interested, but you should go right ahead.”
With that, he got up and moved his wicker chair to a corner of the hall.
When they saw how willing Su Yi was to compromise, the group felt increasingly relaxed.
“I see that you’re a cultivator too. This is a jug of wine I brewed personally. It’s nothing overly precious, but it has a highly distinctive flavor. Please sample it.” A mature, graceful beauty stepped out of the group and placed a jug of wine beside Su Yi.
“Thank you.” Su Yi inclined his head.
The mature beauty smiled. “It was only proper. After all, we’re all fellow Daoists. Our paths crossed, and that means we’re connected by fate.”
The group then sat on the run-down temple floor and took out all manner of wines and delicacies.
Some took out pens, brushes, paper, and inkstones, while others took out flutes, pipa, or other instruments.
Then, the group drank, feasted, and conversed. The atmosphere was lively and harmonious.
Outside the temple, the skies were as dark as ink. Winds laden with flurries flew through the air, but inside, the atmosphere was bright with smiles and laughter.
Someone played a fast-paced tune on the flute, while another strummed her zither in accompaniment.
Someone else waved their brush about the page, drawing a scene of their Snowy Night Discussion of the Dao and inviting a chorus of cheers.
Someone else sang a song lamenting the difficulties of cultivation. It resonated with many of the guests.
Others sat and had animated discussions of the Dao.
Occasionally, someone glanced at Su Yi, but when they saw him dozing in his wicker chair, they quickly looked away.
It was just… How could Su Yi possibly have fallen asleep? It was a piercingly cold, snowy night in the wilderness, yet he’d happened upon a gathering like this. It was naturally quite interesting.
In Su Yi’s eyes, the attendees’ cultivations weren’t even worth mentioning. Even the strongest had only recently stepped into the Immortal Dao and become a Universe Realm Immortal. The others had yet to even achieve immortality.
They were obviously from different parts of the world. They’d gathered here tonight, first to feast and make merry, and second to discuss the profound and debate the Dao.
There was nothing useful for Su Yi in their conversation. On the contrary, some of them had ludicrously egregious errors in their understanding of the Grand Dao.
Still, the lively, harmonious atmosphere was infectious.
On the path of cultivation, frequent gatherings with like-minded individuals, with wine and lively discussions of the Dao, were naturally a joyful thing.
But halfway through this Snowy Night Discussion of the Dao, a cold, icy voice rang out, interrupting the festivities.
“You monsters sure know how to enjoy yourselves!”
As the voice rang out, a bone-chilling gale blew into the hall, extinguishing the bonfire.
The conversation, laughter, drinking, and music all came to an abrupt halt. The artist put away his brush and ink, and the drinkers rose to their feet.
Nothing remained of the lively atmosphere; the entire hall was now silent and stifled.
The group rose, then gazed outside the hall, their expressions unfriendly.
A young man with a saber on his back approached through the snow and darkness.
His skin was dark, and his features were clear and angular. His tangled hair was tied into a casual topknot, and his eyes were cold as ice. They glinted like frigid stars.
Although his robes were worn out and shabby, there was no disguising his sharp, imposing presence.
When they saw him, the ten-or-so cultivators were stunned. All of them looked stricken.
“Mu Bai, an outer sect disciple of the Spirit Suppression Hall of the Opening Origins Daoist Sect, has come to slay the wicked!” The young man took the medallion from his waist and displayed it, then said coldly, “You’re welcome to run, but I guarantee that anyone who tries will be the first to die!”
His words were colder than even the frigid gales. The cultivators all stiffened, their expressions full of disbelief.
Mu Bai of the Spirit Suppression Hall of the Opening Origins Daoist Sect was a cold, heartless saber immortal who killed decisively!
He might have existed on the fringes of his sect, but he still wasn’t someone rogue cultivators like them would dare to provoke!
“Your Excellency Mu, we’ve gathered here today to discuss the Dao. We’ve done nothing to incite the wrath of heaven. Have you perhaps misunderstood?” the old man in Daoist robes said humbly.
He was the leader of the group, and the only yao immortal among them.
“If you know my name, I’m sure you know how I do things. I would never have come looking for you without sufficient proof,” Mu Bai said coldly. “Take you, for instance. Nineteen years ago, you infiltrated Rising Cloud City and brutally extracted the blood and souls of three hundred and sixty-six children, all to cultivate a secret art! And that’s just one of the many crimes you’ve committed in your life!”
The old man in Daoist robes looked stricken. “You cannot falsely accuse the innocent. I never…!”
Mu Bai laughed coldly and took a copper lamp out of his sleeves. There was a soul trapped inside.
“This is your legacy disciple. Not long ago, he hosted a Living Banquet on Eight River Mountain, treating a group of fellow yao cultivators to a feast of ninety-nine still-breathing young cultivators. His cruelty is enough to anger both men and gods!
“I destroyed those monsters. Your disciple, however, told me everything you did in exchange for his own life! Do you still need proof?”
The old man in Daoist robes had an increasingly unsightly look on his face.
Mu Bai’s gaze was as sharp as a knife as he looked at the others. “That goes for you too! You put on a show of righteousness, but who among you hasn’t committed heinous crimes?”
“Competition is part of life, and only the strong survive. What expert of the God Domain hasn’t killed anyone before?” argued a lavishly dressed man. “Besides… How could worldly affairs possibly be black and white? You yourself have amassed a mountain of corpses over the years, haven’t you, Your Excellency Mu Bai?”
Splurt!
A flash of snow-white saber light followed, killing the lavishly dressed man on the spot and splattering the ground with blood.
The other rogue cultivators were all startled and furious.
Su Yi watched silently from the corner. He didn’t react at all.
“My sword is called Punisher of Sins. I only kill monstrous evildoers like yourselves,” Mu Bai said coldly. “The way I see it, black is black, and white is white. Goodness must be repaid, and evil must be punished. Those are the rules of heaven, and how things ought to be!
“Heinous sinners like you ought to be killed!”
He spoke with staunch conviction, his saber buzzing and shaking on his back, as if resonating with him. Its hums echoed throughout the hall.
Mu Bai’s presence was increasingly imposing. Many of the cultivators shuddered from head to toe, not daring to meet his gaze.
Su Yi couldn’t help but feel stunned. The voice of his heart is resonating with his saber! This is obviously no mere act. He’s truly taken it upon himself to rid the world of evil.
People like him were exceedingly rare in the God Domain’s world of cultivation.
He was obviously a special case!