Chapter 79 - 41 Joy of Seeking Dao

"This dao heart, even a Carefree Practitioner might not necessarily be able to maintain it." Upon hearing this, the three low-level disciples besides Wang Qi were all startled. Wang Qi was also somewhat surprised. In the history he was familiar with, the Earth mathematician Lagrange did indeed neglect mathematics in his later years due to his immersion in theology. But was it possible that the Carefree Practitioner of Shenzhou, Grangri, lost his dao heart due to some mysterious connection between the two worlds? Was this a coincidence, or was the connection between the two worlds tighter than I had imagined? But if the connection between the two worlds was really so tight, then how could there be signs of the Shenzhou Immortal Path gradually deviating from the historical trajectory of Earth? Why? What principle were the two worlds connected by? The more Wang Qi thought about it, the more he felt a strange sense of illusion from the world. At that moment, the dry firewood in the campfire crackled loudly, abruptly pulling him back to reality. Wang Qi forcefully suppressed the doubts in his heart, glanced around with a slight palpitation, and then clenched his fists tightly. The tactile feeling from his hands somewhat reassured him. At least this feeling was very real. The mana circulating endlessly in his body could also definitely be felt. "I thought I could accept even something as strange as transmigration, and now I could face even the strangest things with stability," Wang Qi mocked himself. "It looks like regaining my self-positioning as a scientific research personnel in my subconscious isn't entirely a good thing. If I still had that indifferent mentality from the village, I wouldn't have had any interest in thoroughly investigating these matters." Wang Qi's odd behavior only lasted for a moment, and his companions, who were all stunned by Su Junyu's words, did not notice him. Su Junyu thought that his words had also frightened this new disciple who often had silly ideas. Seeing that his "fable" had achieved the desired effect, Su Junyu smiled, changed his tone, and said, "Senior Ge was born at a time when the Ancient Method had not yet been destroyed, and he was an artistic apprentice, highly influenced by the Ancient Method. You are born at a good time now; the Modern System has been fully established, and the Law Gate for dao heart has also been created. Moreover, the research on mental state by Yangshen Pavilion has never stopped, and Senior Ge is using their results to reestablish his Dao Heart. Although I don't know much about the situation of Carefree Practitioners, I think the moment when Senior Ge returns to the pinnacle of mathematics is not too far off." Wu Shiqin asked, "Then, how should one practice dao heart?" "That's the question I asked you before," Su Junyu said seriously, "The dilemma between 'the joy of seeking Dao' and 'the joy in the joy of seeking Dao'." Wu Shiqin said, "Please explain in detail." Su Junyu asked, "First, I have a question for you all. What is your purpose in cultivating?" Wu Shiqin replied, "I think, only by standing at the pinnacle is life not lived in vain." Wu Fan also honestly answered, "Without concealing it from Senior Brother, my father is a Loose Cultivator, and we were always financially tight due to cultivation. I cultivate merely to stand out and provide a better life for my parents and family." Su Junyu nodded, "Not bad, very simple wishes. Mao Zimiao, what about you?" The Half-demon Girl was somewhat embarrassed, "I just followed my father in cultivation since I was young, meow, I haven't really thought about this issue." Su Junyu was noncommittal. Finally, he asked Wang Qi, "And you?" Wang Qi, looking up at the night sky, smiled and said, "Me? Well, I am all about seeking excitement." "Excitement?" "Yes," Wang Qi continued, "Just doing interesting things, that's what I call excitement." "Oh," Su Junyu nodded, "Not bad, not bad at all. Fame and wealth, power and strength. Longevity Sight, Divine Power, rivaling national treasures, Supreme Fame—all these are the benefits of cultivation, all are the joys of cultivation. Once your Cultivation is high, you can do as you please, doing what you want to do, this is the joy of cultivation." "But, have you ever thought about joy in the very act of cultivation?" The others looked at one another, "The act of cultivation itself?" "You've all experienced the joy of cultivation; you've tasted it. But you few scamps, while knowing the joy of cultivation, you do not yet understand the joy in the joy of cultivation!" The three of them were still puzzled, but there seemed to be a glimmer of something in Wang Qi's mind. Su Junyu laughed loudly, "The Dao! The Dao! The root of cultivation is in seeking the Dao, and the joy in the joy of cultivation lies in the Dao!" Seeing the group still confused, Su Junyu stood up energetically and said, "The joy of cultivation is merely a diversion in the long journey of life. If one indulges in it, even achieving Longevity is just adding a corpse in a skin bag to the world. What use is such a longevity?" "To know the Dao in the morning and be content to die in the evening, that's what it means!" "To know the Dao in the morning and be content to die in the evening..." Wu Shiqin repeated Su Junyu's words, suddenly realizing something, "Senior Brother Su, before you came here you asked me..." "I remember I said this to you, 'If one day, you find the Dao you seek is not what you delight in, what will you do?'" Su Junyu stared at Wu Shiqin, then continued, "Don't answer me yet, first let me tell you three cases." "The first case is the Regret of a Wanderer." "The Guiyi Alliance's Mai Siwei summarized All Laws Return to One with the Heavenly Song and deduced the operation of all things in Heaven and Earth. All the cultivators in Shenzhou thought the Dao of all things was about to be grasped, and Mai, the predecessor, would ascend to become an Immortal soon. At that time, countless cultivators in the Guiyi Alliance were trying to fill the last gap in the great Dao understood by the predecessor to complete the Great Dao. Senior Pu, who was then in the Guiyi Alliance, tried to complete the Dao of the Heavenly Song by contemplating light and electricity, but ultimately realized the Discrete Dao and Mysterious Dao. This major enlightenment not only failed to complete the Dao of the predecessor but also ruined an imminent path to Immortal Ascension. Unable to accept his own realization, Senior Pu left the Guiyi Alliance in disappointment and established the Mysterious Palace." "The second case, the Folly of Fentian." "Before Senior Pu realized the Discrete Dao, Fentian Marquis Kelvin once said, 'Our path is nearing its end. Although there are still two unresolved issues, they are not far off.' At that time, many cultivators believed that the Great Dao was about to be exhausted, and what we had not yet sought were just two small issues. However, these two small issues ultimately led to a deeper understanding of the Great Dao—Senior Pu's Discrete Dao, Taiyi Heavenly Venerable's Shape Comparison Technique, and the Daoist of Uncertainty's Mysterious Dao, all belong to this deeper insight. The statement of Fentian Marquis also came to be known as the Folly of Fentian." "The third case, the Pain of Skin-Cutting." "Senior Luo Qiefu, a predecessor of Wanfa Sect, had a unique understanding on the Geometry Dao. However, this insight contradicted the Geometry Dao of the Wanfa Sect, and he was ridiculed by everyone. Depressed, Senior Luo succumbed to Deviation, became blind, fell chronically ill, and to this day, has not achieved Carefree." After Su Junyu finished speaking, he looked at the four people in front of the campfire and said, "To adhere to the Dao is neither simple nor pleasant. Now tell me, where lies the joy in seeking Dao?"