“If that’s the case, then if one wishes to use causality to achieve success, one should seek a reputable sect, borrow the sect’s strength, gain more benefits, and suffer fewer karmic retributions. Or one could try to discover the secrets of the Dao, thereby seeking blessings and avoiding misfortunes. But what if one chooses not to involve oneself in causality?” Mei Qing asked.
“If one chooses not to involve oneself in causality, then when acting, one need not consider any restrictions or concerns, and can simply follow one’s desires. For example, those involved in causality dare not commit excessive killings, or else they will suffer severe karmic consequences. However, those who do not involve themselves in causality can act without restraint; no matter how much killing they commit, it will not add a single calamity to their fate. However, those who do not involve themselves in causality have two major drawbacks. First, heavenly tribulations come without warning and follow no discernible pattern, so when undergoing them, one’s success depends entirely on one’s cultivation level, mental fortitude, and luck, which makes them particularly troubling. Second, cultivators in the cultivation world tend to have certain prejudices against such people, and some even regard them as practitioners of the demonic path.”
“In that case, wouldn’t the benefits of involving oneself in causality far outweigh those of not involving oneself? Why did Master ask me to consider this?” Mei Qing asked, somewhat confused.
“Firstly, Master Ku must have already noticed that you naturally lack a strong sense of causality in your disposition. Even if you were to involve yourself in causality, it might not bring you much benefit. Secondly, well, over the past few centuries, the benefits brought by causality have gradually diminished, and instead, its drawbacks have become increasingly apparent,” Zhang Shisan said somewhat gloomily.
Originally, when the concept of causality was first introduced into the Central Plains and accepted by the cultivation world, it was highly effective for a time. The number of cultivators who ascended to immortality surged dramatically, and the cultivation world was filled with joy and celebration. Everyone regarded causality as the ultimate method, believing that they had finally solved the cultivation world’s most persistent and troubling problem. However, after a while, the number of ascensions began to decline, and people started to feel uneasy. No one dared to voice their concerns, but everyone realized that the situation was not improving—it was getting worse. In fact, in recent centuries, there had not been a single successful ascension!
Faced with this situation, various sects began to suspect the efficacy of causality. Although no one openly suggested that causality might be the cause, the doubt lingered in everyone’s hearts.
“What does this have to do with causality? If the method of causality was so ineffective, why did the number of ascensions increase sharply when it was first adopted?” Mei Qing asked.
“That’s precisely the point. In the beginning, causality was simple, and karmic retribution was not severe, so many cultivators ascended. However, these sudden ascensions created karmic consequences that later generations had to bear, making their burdens heavier and heavier. This is merely a theory, and there is no concrete evidence to support it. Initially, many sects were inclined to break free from the constraints of causality and return to the old ways. However, during the previous dynasty, there was a person who did not involve himself in causality and caused chaos throughout the Daoist world. Since then, sects have closed their doors, too preoccupied to pay much attention, and few dared to choose the path outside of causality anymore,” Zhang Shisan said, his gaze distant and his tone filled with a sense of melancholy.
“Oh? Who was this person?” Mei Qing pressed.
“He was none other than Zhang Liusun, the leader of the Xuan Sect.”
The name Zhang Liusun now rang in Mei Qing’s ears like thunder.
With his own strength, he had stirred up chaos throughout the Daoist world, making him a true overlord of the Daoist sects. At the time, Mei Qing had also wondered why this leader of the Xuan Sect had acted so fearlessly. Today, hearing Zhang Shisan’s explanation, it seemed that the matter was also related to the issue of causality, and there might be more hidden truths.
“Zhang Liusun possessed extraordinary talent, unmatched by anyone else. Perhaps you, Mei Qing, also know of this person. He originally came from our own TianShi Sect. At the time, the elders of the sect had high hopes for him. However, after he had just begun to establish his foundation in cultivation, he declared: ‘Opportunity lies within me; what does causality have to do with it?’ He firmly believed that cultivation was meant to bring joy and freedom to the heart, and that the path of fear, restraint, and avoidance was only suitable for timid and useless cowards, whom he refused to emulate. Therefore, he insisted on not involving himself in causality and pursued cultivation entirely according to his own will,” Zhang Shisan told Mei Qing.
“At that time, all the sects in the cultivation world regarded causality as the golden key to cultivation. Although the number of ascensions had already begun to decline, it was not yet as severe as it is now. When Zhang Liusun made his declaration, the elders of the sect were deeply displeased. Sighing, looking back now, if the sect had been more far-sighted and assigned him a good master to guide him carefully, he might have brought great glory to our sect.
“At that time, Zhang Liusun was still young, although his talent was extraordinary. However, he was not from a prestigious lineage, and his personality was arrogant and strong-willed. Coupled with his refusal to involve himself in causality and his defiance of others’ advice, which elder would be willing to take him as a disciple? Eventually, seeing his remarkable talent and reluctant to let it go to waste, they simply assigned him to a senior elder with high status, and left him to his own devices.
“At the time, that elder was nearing ascension and was constantly in retreat, preparing to face heavenly tribulations, leaving him no time to attend to Zhang Liusun. However, Zhang Liusun was exceptional. He managed to cultivate on his own, relying solely on his own strength. Within just a few decades, he advanced two stages and gradually became recognized as the top young expert among the younger generation of Longhu Mountain.
“Not long after, Zhang Liusun’s master failed to ascend after facing heavenly tribulations, and Zhang Liusun, unwilling to change sects, continued cultivating on his own. Later, the sect changed leadership, and Zhang Zongyan became the new leader.
“Speaking of cultivation skills, Zhang Zongyan could not even compare with Zhang Liusun, nor was he particularly outstanding among his peers. However, he came from a legitimate lineage, was kind-hearted and honest, so his appointment as TianShi was not questioned by anyone. Especially unexpectedly, the usually solitary and arrogant Zhang Liusun got along well with Zhang Zongyan. At the time, the elders of the sect were quite pleased about this. Who could have imagined that Zhang Liusun was actually a man of deep scheming and far-reaching ambitions, far beyond the reach of ordinary people?
“At that time, it was the Yuan Dynasty. The emperor of the previous dynasty favored Buddhism and Daoism and held the TianShi sect in high regard. However, since he was a ruler of a different ethnicity, although we cultivators were not completely detached from worldly affairs, we were not necessarily willing to submit to him. However, since the rise of causality, all sects and cultivators focused on avoiding trouble and minimizing karmic involvement, adopting a cautious and passive attitude, unwilling to provoke conflicts. Naturally, our TianShi sect also adopted a superficially cooperative stance, merely seeking to avoid mistakes.
“However, the court unexpectedly issued an imperial decree summoning the current TianShi to the capital. This caused considerable difficulty. ‘The situation was like riding a tiger; how could one hesitate?’ Finally, Zhang Liusun stepped forward and said, ‘Since everyone is afraid of getting involved in trouble and causality, let me, who is not afraid of causality, accompany Zhang Zongyan on this journey. Zhang Zongyan can simply play the part, and I will handle all the challenges and difficulties.’
“Since no one was willing to get involved in this messy situation, and it was rare to find someone unafraid of trouble, everyone naturally agreed. Moreover, Zhang Liusun’s cultivation had progressed rapidly, nearly matching some of the senior elders in the sect. Therefore, it was only natural that he accompany Zhang Zongyan to meet the emperor.
“However, no one could have predicted that Zhang Liusun’s journey would bring about countless troubles. From then on, the Southern sects of the Daoist world were unified under Zhengyi, causing great damage and leaving each sect isolated and self-reliant. Zhang Liusun established his own Xuan sect, and our Longhu Mountain almost became the enemy of the entire Daoist world. Alas, who can truly untangle the complex causes and effects behind all this?”
Zhang Shisan spoke with a tone of melancholy, filled with emotion and sorrow.
Although Zhang Shisan did not go into detail about Zhang Liusun’s experiences in the capital, Mei Qing could still imagine how Zhang Liusun, with his own strength, had moved the Yuan emperor, been honored as the national teacher, and then separated from the sect to establish the Xuan sect. He united all Daoist sects under the Zhengyi sect, displaying extraordinary skill and influence. Hearing about this now, it was still enough to make one’s heart race with awe.
“When Zhang Liusun wanted to establish the Xuan sect independently, the elders of the sect tried to dissuade him. They even offered that if he returned to Longhu Mountain, they would recommend him to the Grand Elder’s door, allowing him to choose freely from the sect’s secret techniques and methods. However, Zhang Liusun replied, ‘Although I have established the Xuan sect separately, I have not forgotten my origins. I will certainly repay Longhu Mountain and help the TianShi sect flourish and grow. As for the matter of secret techniques and methods, I say: My Dao is mine alone; I do not beg from others. A true man, who dares to cultivate against the heavens, should not fear the dangers of the path or the words of others. I will not follow in the footsteps of others or pick up the leftovers of past generations.’ When Zhang Shisan mentioned this elder, his expression was quite complex.
“My Dao is mine alone; I do not beg from others,” Mei Qing murmured. “With such a mindset, it’s no wonder the leader of the Xuan sect could stand alone and establish his own school.”
“Ah, in fact, when he said that, he probably harbored resentment toward the sect. At the time, with his extraordinary talent, he did not receive fair treatment. Other disciples had masters who carefully guided them, but he alone had to rely on second-rate methods available to any junior disciple, and through sheer determination, he managed to reach the early stages of the cultivation path. However, at that point, he had no further techniques to follow. Unless it was a prestigious sect like ours, who else would have such profound cultivation methods to guide him? Therefore, the sect’s words at the time indeed carried an element of coercion. But Zhang Liusun was so proud that he rather devised his own schemes. He destroyed the Shenxiao sect to obtain their cultivation methods instead of accepting the techniques from the TianShi sect anymore,” Zhang Shisan shook his head and said.
Mei Qing could not help but sigh. Zhang Liusun was indeed proud to an extreme. Just because he had not received the true teachings of the TianShi sect in his early years, he refused to accept their methods ever again. In the early stages of cultivation, with some basic techniques and through his own talent, he could still make progress. But when it came to the deeper levels of cultivation, without genuine advanced methods, it was nearly impossible to advance even an inch. It turned out that Zhang Liusun had gone to great lengths to destroy the Shenxiao sect, not only to unify the Zhengyi sect and eliminate obstacles but also to obtain the cultivation techniques necessary to establish a foundation for his new sect.
As Zhang Shisan recounted these past events, his voice grew hoarse, and his emotions were clearly stirred. “At the time, when he said he would repay his original sect, everyone thought it was just a casual remark. No one expected him to actually persuade the imperial court to issue an edict unifying all Daoist sects under Zhengyi, with Longhu Mountain as the ancestral temple, thus overseeing all Daoist sects in the cultivation world. This repayment indeed helped the TianShi sect flourish in a way that had never been seen since its founding. However, no one could have foreseen that this move would also earn the TianShi sect the enmity of other Daoist sects. Looking back at the recent years when the imperial court stripped the TianShi sect of its title and other sects took the opportunity to attack us, leading to the decline of our sect and a state of near collapse, was this not the consequence of our previous prosperity?”
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