Chapter 8: Compliance and Resistance

  "Bencao Gangmu" is indeed Li Shizhen's life work, but it also has limitations of his own era. However, Xu Xian would not be limited in this way, although in actual medical practice, he may not be as good as a professional doctor.

  But he was more confident than all the doctors of this era in understanding the structure and operation mode of the human body, which was enough to cover the medicine of this era.

  Bai Suzhen looked at the man in front of her, who still had a hint of childishness, yet somehow exuded an air of grandeur that could change the world. She actually believed his boastful words: "Once I finish writing this book, no other medical texts will be needed!"

  Suddenly he asked: "You are also a cultivator of Chinese literature, aren't you?"

  Xu Xian was taken aback and said: "I should be, I guess!" Although his original intention for cultivating the Tao was just to make a living.

  "Everyone's path must be cultivated by themselves, if you want to ask me, it's better to ask yourself, is this your path?"

  Xu Xian couldn't help but ask himself: What is the Tao? He was actually just an ordinary person who had learned some magic, with a bit of power, but he didn't dare to be arrogant or proud, what kind of cultivator was he!

  But actually, there are some, aren't there? From the very beginning, there were those who didn't care about their lives and jumped into the icy lake, or those who didn't care about fame and fought with scoundrels. No matter how ordinary a person is in daily life, at least in that moment, they are extraordinary, right? Is that also a kind of Tao?

  Why is it that until now, I have become hesitant? Although I already possess greater power and no longer need to worry about my life and future, I have lost the carefree spirit of before. Is it because of a life of wealth and luxury that even that bit of bookish elegance has been ground away?

  I am not a sage who "takes the world's worries as my own," but if I have the opportunity to help countless people, can I just ignore it? Not taking action when seeing injustice is not being a man! Even if someone mocks me, what's the harm? Even if someone misunderstands me, what's there to fear? As long as my heart remains, no matter the outcome, I can be without regret! This is what it means to cultivate one's character!

  "If 'Tao' is understood literally, isn't it just a road? A road that leads to the goal, and one that you decide to take yourself."

  But roads are always walked out by people and repaired by people.

  Who would have thought that one could really live forever, and yet, through generations of effort, spanning thousands of years, there emerged these heavenly gods and buddhas. Our ancestors faced what seemed like an impossible task, but they were able to devote their heart and soul to it, and ultimately achieved success. I possess so many advantages, yet why should I escape due to some predetermined fate?

  Afraid of following the arrangement of fate and being teased by fate, I would like to ask, what is the number? What is the heavenly will? What is going with the flow, and what is against it?

  Some people say that those who follow the natural order are immortal, and that one can live forever by following the will of heaven.

  Some say that rebels are immortals, but they are actually stealing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to defy their fate.

  But Xu Xian suddenly realized that the so-called fairy, the so-called Buddha, and the so-called human being have always been doing only four words - following and reversing. Da Yu's water control needs to dredge the river course, follow the nature of the water, is this considered following? If not, and forcibly blocking it, he would have been killed like his father, what about King Yu Dingding.

  But Da Yu's ultimate goal is to control the flood and resist natural disasters, is this considered a reversal? If not, where does the meaning of "following" lie?

  Cultivation is the same, only by following nature to absorb essence and refine energy can one resist the erosion of time on life, achieve longevity, become an immortal, and defy heaven. "Following" is precisely for defying, wanting to "defy" cannot be done without following.

  If all you can do is oppose, and all you can say are absurd things like "Heaven and earth are not benevolent", cursing away non-stop with "Damn the heavens, damn the heavens", as if that would show how special you are, but in the end you're just a self-righteous madman, an inexplicable joke.

  If all you know is to follow, then you are nothing but an ordinary person drifting with the tide, every day talking about fate and fortune, only knowing how to hang the two words "heavenly way" on your lips, being extremely careful not to make a mistake, until defeat and death still have to lament "Heaven has destroyed me!" Then I ask you, where is your dignity as a human being?

  The Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, took seven steps on the red lotus, and said, "In heaven and earth, I alone am revered!" Those who dislike him say this is a boastful and arrogant statement, while those who love him say it is the Buddha's majestic spirit.

  But did he really mean himself by "I"? At that time, he was not a Buddha or even a monk, but just an ordinary practitioner, just a person!

  That "I" refers to humans, referring to all living beings on earth and in the heavens, every living being born into this world.

  Think of this vast world, the ocean is deep and the land is wide, but between the blue sea and the mulberry field, it's just a helpless dead thing that can't change anything for its own existence.

  But only humble and insignificant creatures, in this brief life and death, go to strive for their own lives, to struggle.

  If they are not "the only ones", what else is "the only one"? If there is no ambition and courage to be the only one, how can we struggle for a share of freedom in this silent universe? Moreover, under the vast sky, in this short life, if it's not like that, then what's the difference between us and a rock by the river?

  I came to this world, not for the sake of following or opposing, but just for my own way, to strive and struggle. Don't lose your original heart, don't forget your original nature, otherwise, what's the difference between success and failure?

  "It's a pity that clothes are not enough, but it's better to have no regrets in one's heart." Even if the fields are barren and food is scarce, as long as one doesn't go against their original aspirations, they will still be at peace with themselves.

  As long as I act according to my conscience and follow my heart, why should I fear what others say or fear fate? Where the truth is, even if a million people are against me, I will still go forward!

  Even if one day, I really walk into the nest of fate, at that time there is only a fight to strive for. If you are afraid from the beginning and escape, how can you be called a man!

  In heaven and on earth, I alone am revered. The Great Way is vague and obscure, all questions are answered by the heart!

  Bai Suzhen watched from the side, seeing Xu Xian first frowning, seemingly full of doubts. Then he became excited, as if his spirit was in turmoil. After that, his face showed a resolute color, like a brave warrior going into battle. Finally, he seemed to have thought of something, and suddenly put his hands together, like an old monk entering meditation, with a hint of a knowing smile gradually appearing at the corner of his mouth.

  Bai Suzhen looked at Xu Xian's state and the word "enlightenment" arose in her mind, but she didn't know how much impact her previous words had on Xu Xian.

  Xu Xian's choice was not just about writing a book, but making a choice about whether to follow his original destiny. Moreover, he had calculated that if he were to seriously write this book, it would take at least over a year, and how many years of one's life can be wasted like this.

  At this moment, a drastic change was also taking place in Xu Xian's divine soul. The radiance of the Sun Master Star no longer spread out in all directions, but instead converged strangely, not radiating light or burning with fire, but rather flowing over Xu Xian's body like water, forming a layer of water film that enveloped him.

  It reminded Bai Suzhen of her own shedding, but it was completely different. The layer of water membrane did not seem to be impurities that were about to be excluded and retreated, but rather like a purification extracted from Xu Xian's body, containing it on top. If one had to say what it looked like, it would be like the layer of gold lacquer on the Buddha statue in the temple, which was constantly thickening, with its color also deepening. As if to form a golden Xu Xian.

  Xu Xian still had his hands clasped together, eyes tightly closed, and a calm expression. However, on the golden Xu Xian's face, his expression changed constantly, sometimes truly angry, sometimes calm, and sometimes ferocious. It was as if it floated on top of the real Xu Xian's face, expressing some kind of intention.

  The golden illusion danced with both hands, but Xu Xian simply clasped his hands together. The dancing golden arms seemed to be restricted by Xu Xian's real arms and could not make too much of an out-of-bounds movement. In the end, he only moved his fingers slightly, forming a seal: the Unmoving Bright King Seal.

  At the moment when Yin and Fa merged, a golden illusion suddenly opened its eyes wide, with golden light shining through its pupils, like two suns, making it impossible to look directly at it. However, Xu Xian in the water membrane still had his eyes tightly closed.

  At the same time, the golden illusion suddenly opened its mouth and shouted "Lin". This shout, if an ordinary person saw it, would only see Xu Xian suddenly opening his mouth without making any sound. But to Bai Suzhen, it was like a thunderclap, shaking the house. And in the golden water membrane, the real Xu Xian was pursing his lips, and that hint of a smile had already disappeared, becoming solemn and stern.

  It's a long story, but in fact it was just an instant. Xuxian once again displayed the golden virtual image, and for countless times, he displayed the Immobility Seal of Mingwang and the Nine-Character True Words.

  At that moment, a golden wave surged from Xu Xian's golden eyes, and the virtual image underwent a heaven-shaking transformation wherever the wave passed. If it was originally like a layer of flowing liquid being forced to condense, now it seemed to have solidified into a semi-transparent solid. The expression on the virtual image also synchronized with Xu Xian's, equally solemn and stern. Only its eyes remained closed.

  Bai Suzhen thought that the layer of emptiness was Yang Jian's soul escaping, and she couldn't help but let out a cry of surprise: "The golden body is complete!"

  In Buddhism, the most fundamental pursuit is to condense ?arīra and cast a golden body. This is similar to the Golden Elixir and Yang Shen of Taoism, and the Inner Elixir of demons. It can be considered the foundation of practitioners. Without these things, cultivation would be in vain.

  If one can tell a Buddhist disciple's level of attainment through titles such as Arhat or Bodhisattva, then the size of their golden body can often reveal a Buddhist disciple's spiritual power.

  The title is essentially just a name, even the position in Buddhism. The Western Paradise calls many "Buddhas", but many are only those who have made great contributions to the compilation of Buddhist scriptures and the management of Buddhist affairs. They have played a huge role in the spread of Buddhism. But not everyone is practicing.

  The famous Ksitigarbha and Guanyin in the world are all Bodhisattvas, although their fruit positions are not the highest, they are all first-class figures in Buddhism.

  And Fa Hai is not even considered an Arhat, yet he can obtain the golden alms bowl bestowed by the Tathagata. It's imaginable how great his spiritual power is. If he were to reveal his golden body, it's likely that ordinary Arhats wouldn't be able to match him.