Yinshan Record

Chapter 474 The Unconventional Senior Brother's Inner and Outer Core (Part 2)

Only then did Su Che understand from Yu Lizi's explanation that the six instructors of Huangtiandao actually had to work shifts, divided into two shifts, alternating every thirty days. Their specific task was to manage the defenses within the Huangtiandao sect.

With so many cultivators gathered in the outer void, they were like lights held high in the darkness; no demon could resist such temptation. Even though Huangtiandao had a Dao leader in charge, how many of the countless demons truly knew when to advance and retreat?
Sometimes, when things get busy, in addition to the six instructors, other fellow disciples need to be invited to help. Sometimes, even experts at the level of Earth Immortals and Tribulation Techniques need to join in.

Su Che immediately understood why Yu Lizi had left him to fend for himself for so long.

It wasn't that her mentor didn't value her, but rather that the extraterrestrial demons wouldn't give Yu Lizi a break.

As for why one shouldn't listen to the patriarch's teachings, according to Yu Lizi, it's best to listen to Huang Tiandao's lectures less often.

"The Dao Ancestor did not preach the Dharma, but rather expounded the Dharma. Although the two are separated by only one word, they are worlds apart."

Yu Lizi explained.

The so-called "teaching the Dharma" is when a teacher begins to lecture, imparting knowledge, teaching skills, and resolving doubts, gradually clarifying your questions. The "demonstration of the Dharma," on the other hand, is when one's own profound cultivation directly explains your future path and the various obstacles you may encounter.

If you're looking at it from an efficiency standpoint, then the performance method is definitely more sophisticated.

It directly addresses the root of the great principles and the core of the problem, teaching according to individual aptitude, which can almost be described as perfect.

However, there is another very important issue here.

Obstacles to perception.

Huang Tiandao's first exposition of the Dharma naturally pointed directly to the fundamental principles of the Great Dao, but how much of it could those who listened actually absorb?
It's likely that only one or two out of ten people can fully comprehend that feeling and enlightenment. At the same time, because they received the relevant information from the Daoist Master, they inevitably become more prejudiced, focusing entirely on the content of the Daoist Master's teachings while neglecting other issues in their practice.

According to Yu Lizi's conclusion, the Yellow Heaven Dao's first demonstration of the Dao was not intended for those who had not yet achieved immortality. Just like Su Che now, he was not much better than a blank sheet of paper. Although he had cultivated himself to the point of establishing his dominance, his understanding of the Great Dao and his mastery of the Nine Laws of Heaven and Man were simply insufficient to receive the Daoist teachings demonstrated by the Yellow Heaven Dao.

This is exactly what is meant by "pulling up seedlings to help them grow." It may seem like there has been a lot of improvement, but without one's own understanding and exploration, it is just a castle in the air and will actually damage one's foundation.

Of course, Su Che still had reservations about Yu Lizi's words.

After all, the senior brother was right beside him. His body hair was all white, so he looked like he was just starting out in cultivation. Teacher Yu Lizi was undoubtedly good at fighting, but he was probably a bit lacking in disciplining his disciples.

"The Dao and the Dharma are two words. Dao is naturally the Great Dao, but it also depends on the individual's understanding. Otherwise, if the Patriarch sat in the Central Plains doing nothing but expounding the Dharma day after day, could he have turned the entire Central Plains into Earth Immortals?"

Yu Lizi's comments on his own teacher are also very much in his own style, speaking his mind directly and without any ambiguity.

Su Che listened attentively and nodded repeatedly, while the senior brother next to him seemed to be already familiar with his teacher's style.

"Archer, release the Yinshan Cave Netherworld Treasure Scroll so I can see how your cultivation is progressing."

Su Che nodded and summoned the Yinshan Cave Netherworld Treasure Scroll. A clear light appeared behind his head, within which a treasure scroll was faintly visible. His body was surrounded by shimmering spiritual light, making him look like an enlightened immortal.

This Zhou Jue Yin Tian Secret Manual is Su Che's own foundation. He has never relaxed his cultivation for a single day. However, he does not have a method to condense the core. He has reached the limit of his cultivation to this extent.

"Ti Xuan, what do you think of Junior Brother's cultivation level?"

Yu Lizi didn't offer any comment, but instead asked the senior disciple next to her.

Liu Tixuan frowned and looked at it for a long time before slowly saying, "Teacher, I think Junior Brother Su's cultivation is still a bit lacking."

"Where is the difference?"

Yu Lizi nodded, seemingly agreeing with his senior brother's insights.

"I believe the problem lies in the words 'spiritual clarity' and 'intelligence'."

Spiritual enlightenment?

Su Che looked at Yu Lizi, unsure of how to reconcile, and then glanced at his senior brother beside him.

Although this senior brother's cultivation level seemed to be still in its early stages, Su Che dared not underestimate him. After all, he was the founding senior brother of his lineage and was definitely not an ordinary person.

However, I have already reached the level of a pivotal figure. Can my senior brother really see my shortcomings?

Suddenly, Yu Lizi threw something out of his sleeve. It shone brightly between his fingers and palms and smashed down on Su Che's head with tremendous force.

It was an indigo blue pearl, its surface shimmering with watery light. The light emanated from it, seemingly slow but actually rapid, and it came crashing down towards him. Su Che immediately sensed it and released a burst of magical power from the Yinshan Cave Netherworld Treasure Talisman, intending to block the pearl.

As soon as they made contact, Su Che cried out in alarm. The pearl released by Yu Lizi was only a tiny bit, but when it landed on his head, it felt like a mountain. Su Che quickly gathered all his magical power and focused it into one point to meet the pearl head-on. He used up almost all his magical power before he managed to keep the pearl about a foot above his head.

If I had reacted a little slower or lacked magic power, I probably would have been smashed into mincemeat by this precious pearl.

“This precious pearl contains the waters of three rivers and five marshes. When it presses down on your head, it feels like a mountain. I only used one-tenth of my strength, and you couldn’t hold on.”

Yu Lizi shook his head, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied with his disciple's cultivation level.

"Archer, let me ask you, what is the purpose of spiritual practice?"

Su Che felt as if a mountain was hanging over his head. He had already exhausted his magic power just trying to keep the bead from falling, so he had no energy left to answer Yu Lizi's question.

Fortunately, Yu Lizi wasn't waiting for Su Che's reply.

“Cultivation seeks the Dao and its methods. The Dao is the Great Dao, and the methods are supernatural powers and wondrous techniques. Between the Great Dao and the wondrous techniques, there is something that cannot be bypassed, and that is me.”

"If this 'me' is taken away, even if the Great Dao is boundless and the wondrous methods are unparalleled, they will all belong to others and have nothing to do with me. Therefore, this 'me' must not be missing. But what is this 'me'?"

"Is this physical body that breathes and breathes me? Or is this spirit that unites with my soul me? If the physical body is me, then I am me now, but when the physical body decays and dies, will I still be me, ultimately becoming a ghost in the human world?"

"If I am the spirit, then where am I when I close my eyes and sleep forever? If my soul is damaged, does that mean I have already perished?"

"It is clear that none of these things are the true self, but merely a combination of terms. The self I am is a seed of innate spiritual light that appeared when Yin and Yang energies were combined. With this seed, my physical body was formed, and my soul was born. As long as this seed exists, I will not perish for thousands of years. If this seed is lost, then I will cease to exist completely."

"The physical body is merely a vessel for the innate spiritual seed, and the soul is just a manifestation of the innate spiritual seed. The essence of cultivation is, in the final analysis, the cultivation of this innate spiritual seed."

(End of this chapter)