Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

"The dragon soaring to the heavens represents the extreme of Yang."

The Book of Changes says, "The ninth line at the top: The dragon soaring too high will have regrets. Fullness cannot last long."

Li Yan continued:

"Junior brother's fighting spirit is soaring to the sky, his sharpness is overwhelming, like a dragon soaring through the heavens, reaching the extreme of masculinity."

"However, when yang reaches its extreme, yin arises, and extreme rigidity is easily broken. Thus, the dragon is trapped in the mud, constrained by its soft strength."

Sun Wukong seemed to understand but not quite, and asked anxiously, "Then what should we do?!"

"Regret means knowing when to advance and when to retreat."

Li Yan watched as the three points of soft energy circulated within the shadow of the staff.

"When a dragon soars too high and knows regret, it understands when to advance and retreat, when to survive and perish. Instead of retreating, it advances; instead of contending, it yields; instead of being rigid, it becomes gentle."

He spoke each word clearly:

"Use their own methods against them."

After he finished speaking, Yuntai fell silent again.

The young Taoist priest's gaze shifted slightly, landing on Li Yan.

The stay was a little longer than before.

Sun Wukong, however, was still completely confused.

He entered the path of Tao through battle, taking a path of relentless progress and proving his heart through force.

His principles of yielding, not fighting, and using softness to overcome hardness are contrary to his nature.

At this moment, when I tried to think, my mind was in a daze, and the stick in my hand became increasingly unsteady.

"Senior brother... explain more clearly!" The monkey gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face.

Li Yan sighed softly.

Knowing that this monkey is simple and honest, it is difficult for it to understand the principle of the interplay between right and wrong.

The diagram of the twenty-seventh game of "The Endgame of Heavenly Chess" appeared in the mirror of the mind.

The central image depicts a dragon, its head held high towards the sky, while its tail droops slightly as if looking back.

The side note on the eight characters indicates that the extreme of Yang transforms into Yin, and the extreme of hardness gives rise to softness.

There was another line of smaller text.

Dragons fight in the wild, their blood turning black and yellow.

However, black and yellow are the mixture of heaven and earth.

Heaven is black and earth is yellow; yin and yang complement each other, and thus creation occurs.

While pondering, Li Yan looked at Sun Wukong and quickly said, "Junior Brother Sun, take a look at those three soft points."

"At the center of your brow, I will temper your sharpness. At the pulse of your wrist, I will cut off your flow. At the feet, I will confine your foundation."

"The three are interconnected, like water circulating endlessly. The more forcefully you attack, the tighter this net becomes."

Sun Wukong stared intently at the three points of soft energy, seemingly gaining some insight, yet unable to grasp the key.

Li Yan continued:

"Water, though gentle, is not invincible. It has no fixed shape, taking on any shape, yet it also has the potential to transform its form and momentum."

"Observe the circulation of that gentle force."

The space between the eyebrows is soft yet strong, like water seeping into sand; this is the effect of permeation.

The wrist pulse is supple yet strong, like a dam breaking a river; this is the force of intercepting the flow.

The soft force beneath the feet resembles a dragon trapped in a marsh; this is the posture of being submerged.

"Although the three are connected, there must be gaps between their transformations."

Sun Wukong's spirits lifted: "Where is the gap?!"

Li Yan's eyes were fully open, and his mind's mirror reflected the trajectory of the three points of soft, flowing energy.

"Water flows and changes according to the time and direction."

Li Yan recalled the theory of meridian flow explained by Master Qingzhu.

"It is noon now, when the yang energy is at its peak."

Although water is gentle and flowing, it is suppressed by the yang energy of heaven and earth, and its flow will inevitably encounter stagnation.

He pointed to a spot in the mud at his feet: "Look there."

Sun Wukong looked in the direction the finger pointed.

Beneath the eye sockets, deep within the mud, a wisp of golden light appeared.

That was an unusual phenomenon caused by the yang energy at noon seeping into the water and creating a gentle, yielding force.

Metal generates water, but at noon, the yang energy belongs to fire, and fire overcomes metal.

This wisp of golden light represents the weak point in the water circulation system.

Sun Wukong's golden eyes shone brightly, and the Crystal Tree within his body trembled violently.

The gold-colored patterns all lit up.

The incomparably sharp Geng metal spirit, following the shadow of the staff, pierced towards that golden light.

"Buzz!"

The swamp trembled.

When the golden light encounters the energy of Geng metal, it is like oil being poured into fire, becoming even more violent.

"boom!"

The circulation of soft energy was disrupted by this sudden attack.

The mud beneath their feet began to loosen slightly.

The giant ape phantom struggled with its feet and rose three-tenths of an inch.

The young Taoist priest's gaze narrowed slightly, but he remained calm and composed, flicking his left sleeve slightly.

In the swamp, the golden light suddenly vanished.

It transformed into a gentle, flowing force of water.

The soft force, following the energy of Geng metal, surged upwards and into the core of the staff's shadow.

Just as Sun Wukong felt his feet loosen, before he could show any joy, he felt a surge of water-based energy rushing towards him.

Wherever it passed, the sharpness of the metal element quickly melted away.

"not good!"

The monkey's expression changed drastically, and it quickly cut off the Geng metal's spiritual energy.

A moment of silence fell upon the platform.

The mud beneath Sun Wukong's feet loosened for less than half a breath before he was struck by a backlash from the soft force.

The water's gentle force surged upwards, heading straight for the giant ape's heart, as if a chill had flowed into its guts, aiming to completely freeze its boiling fighting spirit.

"Buzz!"

The shadow of the stick shook the heavens and earth, and the illusory images of mountains and rivers crumbled inch by inch.

The phantom of the giant ape looked up and roared to the sky.

The light in his eyes was dim, like a candle flickering in the wind.

The disciples below the stage were all deeply shaken.

The platinum sword shadow between Zhao Yuanqing's brows receded, transforming into a cold star that sank into his ancestral aperture, his expression solemn.

The female cultivator in red parted her lips slightly, her hands already clenched into fists inside her sleeves.

Mo Zhu sighed softly, her hand resting on her forehead. The verdant bamboo shadows swayed, and the branches and leaves moved slightly.

Further away, several veteran disciples with profound auras all closed their eyes and shook their heads.

Three fingers trap the dragon, and the soft force backfires.

In this round, Junior Brother Sun probably won't be able to hold on.

Even those in the middle and back rows who were assigned to sweep could sense from the scene of the landslide that everything was doomed.

Some people sighed with regret, while others looked on with pity.

Zhou Ming stood in the front row of the registration area, looking at the golden figure struggling on the stage.

He then looked at Li Yan, who was standing quietly below the stage, and a complex expression flashed in his eyes.

Is there any other way for him?

"Junior Brother Sun."

Li Yan's voice rang out again from below the stage.

"When a dragon soars too high, it will regret it; this does not mean retreating. Regret means returning to one's original position and restoring one's original heart."

Sun Wukong's golden eyes barely focused as he looked at Li Yan, his eyes bloodshot: "Senior brother... what do you mean?!"

Li Yan's eyes reflected the three points of soft, circulating energy.

In the mirror of the mind, the diagram of the twenty-seventh game of the game "The Endgame of Heavenly Chess" overlaps with the scene before my eyes.

The dragon's head is held high towards the sky; this is called "Kang".

The dragon's tail droops as it looks back; this signifies regret.

The dragon that has soared too high will know to regret it, not by bowing its head, but by looking back and examining its own fundamental nature.

"What is the foundation upon which you have created this world?"

Sun Wukong was taken aback, and subconsciously said, "It is naturally my way of fighting, the sharpness of the metal element..."

"Where does the sharp edge of the metal industry come from?" Li Yan pressed.

"From..." Sun Wukong was speechless.

The sharpness and vigor of the metal element stem from his inherently unruly nature and surging fighting spirit.

However, at this moment, their fighting spirit has been thwarted and their morale has been dampened. What is the root cause?

Li Yan said no more, but simply pointed to his own heart and then to Sun Wukong's ancestral aperture.

Sun Wukong shuddered.

The confusion in his golden eyes gradually dissipated, and a glimmer of understanding emerged.

The battles against heaven and earth, the collapse of mountains and rivers, and the roar of giant apes are all external phenomena.

The real core of his being is his unruly and ever-victorious spirit.

The three elements of softness and strength are used to subdue the three elements of heaven, man, and earth.

Heavenly position transforms sharp energy, human position intercepts the flow of energy, and social position confines one's foundation.

While seemingly a strategy of dividing and controlling, it is actually a strategy of winning hearts and minds.

The gentle strength between the eyebrows can soften sharpness, thus diminishing its edge and blunting its ambition.

The wrist pulse, with its gentle strength, cuts off the flow of qi and blood, thus hindering the opponent's fighting spirit.

The soft force underfoot traps the foundation, thus binding the opponent's movements and preventing them from advancing or retreating.

The purpose of combining the three elements was to completely extinguish his fighting spirit.

The forceful attack just now was precisely a clash of equals.

When you fall right into someone's trap, yin arises from yang, and extreme rigidity is easily broken.

If a dragon soars too high and does not know how to repent, it will surely suffer calamity.

Having understood this, Sun Wukong slowly closed his eyes and focused his mind into his ancestral aperture.

Inside the ancestral aperture, the three-foot-tall glazed Dao tree had lost its luster and withered its branches and leaves due to the forced growth.

The various battle runes branded on the tree trunk were all dim and lifeless.

Sun Wukong gently stroked the Dao Tree with his divine sense, sensing the resentment, anger, and struggle emanating from it.

And there was also a hint of deep-seated weariness.

He was inherently unruly, and since his birth, he had fought against heaven and earth, never admitting defeat.

After joining Fangcun Mountain, he made even greater progress, and after observing chess for three days, he directly entered the realm of "Chengshu" (a legendary chess master), becoming unparalleled in his prowess.

However, is the Way only about advancing and never retreating?

Is war merely about being tough without being flexible?

It is better to stop than to hold on to something until it is full.

If you sharpen something to its limit, you cannot maintain it for long.

I used to think it was just a catchphrase of Senior Brother Li, but today I realize that every word is true.

Thinking of this, the raging battle fire in Sun Wukong's heart changed.

The crystal tree, sensing his heart, also began to change.

The withered branches and leaves slowly unfurled, and the dim Dao patterns lit up again.

This time, however, the light has become gentle and warm.

On the tree trunk, in addition to the battle runes, some new patterns were faintly emerging.

The mountains stand firm, the streams flow gently, vegetation flourishes, and the stars are arrayed...

These patterns are the changes that arose from his calming mind and the natural interaction between the Dao Tree and heaven and earth.

Rigidity cannot last, nor can gentleness be maintained.

The way to longevity lies in balancing strength and gentleness.

The shadows of the trees swayed, and the Taoist spirit flowed.

Sun Wukong closed his eyes and stood still, his aura gradually calming down.

That soaring fighting spirit quietly receded and ceased to emanate outwards.

Meanwhile, in the center of the cloud platform, the world of stick shadows, which was on the verge of collapse, also changed.

The giant ape phantom slowly withdrew its stance and sat down cross-legged.

The gentle strength transforms into sharpness, and the sharpness flows smoothly, permeating the giant ape's entire body and nourishing its form.

By cutting off the flow of qi and blood, the qi and blood can be redirected and find alternative paths, forming their own cycle.

The swamp confines the foundation, but the foundation is deeply rooted within it, using the thick soil of the swamp to stabilize itself.

The soft can overcome the hard, and it can also nurture the hard.

Extreme rigidity gives rise to softness, and extreme softness can also give rise to rigidity.

This is the meaning of "the dragon soaring too high will regret it," returning to its original position and restoring its original nature.

Knowing when to advance and retreat, when to survive and when to perish, without losing one's integrity.

offstage.

The disciples were dumbfounded.

The world of sticks, which had shown signs of defeat just moments before, has now stabilized.

Although the impasse has not been broken, it is no longer collapsing.

The giant ape phantom sat cross-legged in the mud, its aura harmonious and subtly balanced with the three soft energies.

"this……"

Zhao Yuanqing opened his eyes, and a white gold star shone again between his brows as he stared at the changes on the stage.

The crimson aura surrounding the female cultivator in red froze, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.

Mo Zhu paused, her hand resting on her forehead. The verdant bamboo shadows stood straight, their branches and leaves trembling slightly.

Further away, several veteran disciples also showed signs of emotion.

"Retreating to advance, accepting instead of resisting, has Junior Brother Sun figured it out?" someone whispered.

"It's both enlightenment and change."

The other person slowly said, "Containing one's fighting spirit and combining strength with gentleness, this is the transformation of the Dao realm."

Everyone remained silent.

Transformation in one's spiritual realm often requires years of accumulated experience, or may only be possible through great opportunities or setbacks.

Sun Wukong actually underwent a transformation during the game of chess?

Such talent, such temperament...

For a moment, the disciples felt a mix of emotions, including envy, admiration, and a deep sense of awe.

At the center of the cloud platform.

The young Taoist priest stood still, his face, shrouded in a clear light, revealing no expression.

His gaze swept over Li Yan, who stood silently observing the situation.

A hint of approval flashed deep in his eyes.

He did not make any further moves, but simply observed the situation.

The three-finger agreement has passed; the outcome of this game is no longer important.

The important thing is that this monkey has vaguely found its own way.

The Taoist priest lowered his gaze slightly.

At this moment, Sun Wukong slowly opened his eyes.

Within his golden eyes, a divine light shone forth, making them appear even more profound.

He looked at the center of the cloud platform, where a giant ape sat cross-legged, its soft energy circulating.

The two achieved a strange harmony.

Although the impasse has not been broken, the position has been firmly established.

"senior."

Sun Wukong bowed deeply to the young Taoist priest:

"This disciple... concedes defeat."

The words "I admit defeat" were uttered without a trace of resentment, but rather with a sense of relief.

The Taoist priest nodded slightly:

"If you haven't collapsed after three fingers have passed, then you've passed the test."

Having said that, he lightly flicked his sleeve.

The shadow of the staff vanished into thin air, turning into specks of golden light that disappeared into Sun Wukong's body.

Those three points of soft force also dissipated.

Sun Wukong felt a lightness throughout his body, and the radiance of the Glazed Tree within his Ancestral Aperture flowed, with the Dao patterns of strength and gentleness intertwining, becoming increasingly solid.

Although his cultivation level did not increase dramatically, his foundation became much more solid.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior." Sun Wukong bowed again.

The Taoist priest did not speak, but simply pointed with his finger.

A sliver of clear light flew out and landed between Sun Wukong's eyebrows.

In an instant, a scripture appeared in Sun Wukong's mind.

The text is short, just over a thousand words, and is called "The Chapter on Strength and Softness".

It is a profound article that elucidates the principles of the balance between strength and gentleness, and the mutual transformation of Yin and Yang.

Every word is precious, pointing directly to the fundamental principles of Tao.

After a brief glance, Sun Wukong felt all his previous confusion suddenly clear, and he quickly closed his eyes to contemplate it.

The Taoist priest bestowed the scriptures and then stopped looking at him, turning his gaze to the audience below the stage.

A gentle voice resounded throughout the Yuntai Terrace.

"Next."

The disciples, still reeling from the shock of Sun Wukong's arrival, looked at each other in bewilderment.

Although Junior Brother Sun was defeated, he was still honorable, and he was even given scriptures by his senior, which can be described as a great stroke of luck.

Who will dare to step up next?

For a moment, Yuntai was silent.

Li Yan stood still.

The process of Sun Wukong's transformation was imprinted in the mirror of his mind.

[Observing the transformation of the Dao realm, comprehending the principle of the mutual transformation of strength and gentleness, further consolidating the foundation, and condensing the Dao seed: 65%]

Just one step away.

He looked away, not rushing forward.

The Taoist priest glanced at the audience below the stage, but did not urge them on.

His gaze lingered briefly on the several disciples with their composed auras before finally returning to Li Yan.

The stay was longer than any previous time.

He grew so tall that even the few true disciples around him noticed something was amiss and turned their heads to look at him.

Li Yan's mind stirred slightly as he sensed that gaze could penetrate the hidden aura of the hibernating dragon and look directly at the embryonic seed of the Dao.

He slightly raised his head to meet that gaze.

Eyes facing each other.

In that instant, Li Yan seemed to see a vast starry sky swirling in the Taoist's eyes.

Stars and rivers flow, years pass, all things are born and die, all are contained within this.

A vast and ancient aura emanates from within my gaze.

However, his mind remained steadfast, and a bright light flashed from the embryonic seed in his Niwan Palace, isolating him from the vast Daoist charm.

I take only a wisp of tranquility and peace from it to nourish myself.

A faint smile seemed to flicker across the Taoist's eyes.

He didn't wait any longer and said gently, "Would the young friend in the gray robe below the stage be willing to come forward and give it a try?"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

All eyes turned to Li Yan.

Surprise, scrutiny, and envy were all present.

Li Yan remained calm and showed no sign of being flattered.

He hesitated for a moment, then took a step forward and bowed towards the center of the cloud platform:

"Disciple Li Yan respectfully obeys the senior's instructions."

Step by step, he stepped onto the white jade ground of the cloud platform, walked to the center, and stood facing the Taoist.

He wore a simple gray robe, a wooden sword hung at his waist, and his aura was limited to only three orifices.

Compared to the many extraordinary phenomena that had just been observed in the true teachings, this seemed quite ordinary.

Sun Wukong opened his eyes, his golden pupils looking at Li Yan. He grinned and transmitted his voice:

"Senior brother, have fun! I believe in you!"

Li Yan nodded slightly.

Gou Dao does not mean non-contention.

Instead, they do not strive for momentary glory or seek meaningless fame.

Today's game is not about winning, but about verifying one's own path and opening the door to the lineage of knowledge.