In the virtual cosmos, at the Nine-Star Bay near the lake on Heilong Mountain Island, three figures were seated.
A tall youth with short black hair cut close to the skin sat in casual clothes, yet exuded the aura of a spear ready to pierce the heavens. Beside him on the left sat a bald youth in a clean white robe, his smile radiant with saintliness, calming the soul.
Beside these two sat a slightly leaner youth, emanating a faint murderous aura, like a cold blade emerging from a sea of blood, cold and ruthlessly terrifying.
“Sanzi, your mindset is increasingly leaning toward extremes,” the bald youth shook his head and smiled.
“Second Brother, I may not match your level of cultivation in the heart, and I can’t break through this barrier for now, so I’ll keep walking the extreme path. At least this way I can still improve,” Luo Feng smiled. He himself had noticed that, because he had long resided in the Blood-Net World ruins of the ancient gods within the Tai Chu Secret Realm, he had been influenced by the killing aura for decades.
His nature had always been bloodthirsty and cold, and after being affected by the killing aura, with his Golden-Horned Giant Beast clone fusing with so many Blood-Net Crystals, even in the virtual cosmic network Luo Feng faintly exuded a killing aura.
“Extreme paths are ultimately minor ways,” Thunderclap Sage shook his head.
“Second Brother,” Hong said calmly, “you don’t have to force Sanzi. In cultivating the heart, Sanzi is also an anomaly! He can refine his heart to such an extent, untainted by a single speck of dust, unswayed by any temptation. Absolute purity, absolute rejection, absolute focus… this kind of absoluteness is itself a form of heart cultivation.”
Thunderclap Sage was stunned, then nodded slightly, and asked in confusion, “Yes, but still…”
“Hmm,” Hong looked at Luo Feng, “Sanzi.”
“Big Brother,” Luo Feng smiled at Hong.
“You and Second Brother have given me a lot of guidance in heart cultivation, but heart cultivation is completely different from other forms of training. It’s a transcendence of the soul’s realm,” Hong smiled at Luo Feng, “In the past, I’ve explained many mysteries to you, but today I’ll classify the stages from the highest level.”
“Hmm?” Luo Feng’s eyes lit up.
“What is the heart? What is the heart’s realm?”
“What is the heart’s realm?” Hong smiled, “From the perspective of martial artists’ training, the heart is actually the will!”
“Your will’s strength is already an anomaly,” Hong said slowly, “However… overall, from the great stages of cultivation, you’re still only at the first stage of the three stages of heart cultivation.”
“The first stage?” Luo Feng was startled, “Three stages of heart cultivation?”
“This is just my own classification,” Hong smiled slightly, “In our ancient Chinese culture, the cultivation of the heart’s realm has always been highly valued… various inner trials and temperings are all aimed at the true self, seeing through the true self. As the saying goes, ‘Bodhi has no tree, the mirror has no stand, originally nothing exists, where can dust come from?’ This is all about pointing directly at the true nature, seeing the true nature through the heart’s realm.”
Luo Feng slightly furrowed his brow.
“You now have a heart as clear as a mirror, untouched by a speck of dust, your heart refined like a blade, cutting through all obstacles. You’ve already reached a very high level of cultivating the true self, seeing the true nature,” Hong sighed, “And you’re still continuously refining your true self, making your will even more refined! No matter how refined it becomes, it’s still the first stage.”
“What about the second stage?” Luo Feng asked quickly.
“Simply put… Harmony between Heaven and Man!” Hong pointed to Thunderclap beside him, “Your second brother is at this second stage.”
“What does Harmony between Heaven and Man mean?” Luo Feng asked.
“Heaven and Man in perfect harmony, the heart’s realm reaching great perfection,” Hong smiled, “What is great perfection? When Yin and Yang unite, the Dao naturally arises. What is the union of Yin and Yang? Your pursuit of the true nature, seeking the extreme, this is walking the extreme! As the saying goes, when Yin reaches its peak, Yang is born; when Yang reaches its peak, Yin is born. Walking the extreme alone may improve, but the union of Yin and Yang is true perfection.”
“For example, in dealing with people and affairs, one must combine firmness with flexibility, be firm when needed, and gentle when appropriate!”
“This is also true of the heart’s realm. When it should be refined like a blade, it should be refined. When it should be gentle like water, it should be gentle like water. As the saying goes, ‘Drawing a knife to cut water, the water flows on; water can never be severed!’ In terms of defense, water surpasses even the hardest shield,” Hong smiled, “The union of Yin and Yang, harmony between Heaven and Man, the heart’s realm reaching great perfection, and this ideal height of perfection… is also known as the innocent heart! This is already the theoretical peak. This is your second brother.”
Luo Feng listened in awe, asking, “I understand the heart like a blade, but how can the heart be like water?”
“The principle can be explained, but the realm cannot be clearly described,” Hong smiled and shook his head.
“So… the first stage is pointing directly at the true heart, seeing the true nature, seeing through all illusions. The second stage is the union of Yin and Yang, harmony between Heaven and Man, the innocent heart, the heart’s realm reaching great perfection,” Luo Feng asked quickly, “If the second stage is already the theoretical peak, what about the third stage?”
Thunderclap beside him smiled, “As for the third stage, the elder brother has only touched its edge.”
“The third stage.”
Hong spoke softly, “It is I who have only touched its edge. The heart is infinitely empty and clear, the heart can be infinitely vast. The heart can embrace everything.”
“What do you mean, elder brother?” Luo Feng asked.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Hong smiled, “Let me explain it this way. If the second stage’s union of Yin and Yang can be considered harmony with Heaven and Man, perfectly harmonizing with the heavens, then the third stage… is the heart infinitely vast, embracing Heaven and Earth, embracing the infinite universe, embracing everything. Any and all wills can be embraced, whether it be killing, whether it be the desire for wealth, whether it be the desire for beauty, whether it be the desire for power, everything can be embraced.”
Luo Feng was startled.
Everything can be embraced?
“If one attains the third Heart Realm, not even the mightiest of warriors, the most formidable beings, nor any will in existence… can sway me,” Hong said with a serene smile.
“Wow, that’s freaky,” Luo Feng’s eyes widened.
“Freaky, right?” the bald youth in the white robe, Thunderclap, laughed beside him, “Harmony between Heaven and Man, the innocent heart, whether it be ancient yoga or ancient Chinese culture, it’s already considered the theoretical peak. But what your elder brother is talking about… in the history of ancient Chinese culture, someone did propose it, but whether anyone has achieved it is unknown.”
Luo Feng looked at Hong and felt even more respect.
Three stages of heart cultivation.
The first stage, seeing the true nature, pointing directly at the true heart. In many Buddhist scriptures and Daoist texts, this is considered a manifestation of ‘attaining the Dao’.
The second stage, harmony between Heaven and Man, the innocent heart. This is already considered the theoretical peak.
The third stage, the heart infinitely vast, the heart embracing everything. This is somewhat incredible.
“Elder brother, how can one reach the third heart realm?” Luo Feng couldn’t help but ask, “The second heart realm, I vaguely feel like I’ve touched it a bit, but I’ve never been able to grasp it.”
Heart cultivation depends entirely on one’s own heart.
Luo Feng’s insight into seeing the true nature has reached an extreme, and he indeed vaguely understands the principle of the union of Yin and Yang.
“It’s hard to explain clearly. I also gained some understanding through reading some books and experiencing some things,” Hong smiled, “There’s a saying — ‘Without desire, one is strong.’ An ancient saying also goes, ‘Because he does not contend, the world cannot contend with him.’ In fact, our ancient Chinese culture contains many great truths of heart cultivation. These two sentences… were enlightening for me to touch the edge of the third heart realm.”
“Without desire, one is strong? Because he does not contend, the world cannot contend with him?” Luo Feng furrowed his brow, “These two sentences are simple in meaning, and I understand them. But what you’re saying is…”
“The Chinese civilization is brilliant, with countless outstanding figures. Those who can achieve harmony between Heaven and Man and have an innocent heart are all ancient sages. You should reach this second stage first,” Hong laughed, “Oh, I recommend a method to you. Reading some ancient Chinese books might be helpful to you.”
“Hmm,” Luo Feng nodded slightly, suddenly feeling a stir in his heart, “The Mosha Clan clone has arrived!”
…
The Mosha Clan clone, riding a Machine Race spacecraft, after several months of near-light-speed flight outside the Blood-Net World, finally returned.
Through the crimson clouds, a faint figure instantly crossed thousands of kilometers, landing at the edge of the giant pit, then flashing into it.
…
Within the giant pit’s mansion.
Luo Feng, wearing bronze battle armor, had already risen from the stone bed, gazing towards the entrance ahead. A black figure appeared out of nowhere—it was the Mosha Clan Luo Feng.
“Ten Blood-Net Crystals,” the Mosha Clan clone casually left ten Blood-Net Crystals and then quietly departed again, directly crossing the 18 cloud layers, boarding the Machine Race spacecraft, hovering in the void outside the Blood-Net World. For safety… having the Mosha Clan stay outside the void with the primal core is at least safe.
Within the giant pit’s mansion.
“Finally got the Blood-Net Crystals,” Luo Feng picked up the ten Blood-Net Crystals, a faint helpless smile on his face, “Last time I gave all the Blood-Net Crystals to the Golden-Horned Giant Beast for fusion, not leaving a single one, leaving my main body without any Blood-Net Crystals to fuse.”
Thirty years.
Thirty whole years, enduring the transformation of the killing aura on his body, yet without any Blood-Net Crystals to attempt fusion.
“Let’s try it, see if I can fuse the third one,” Luo Feng took out a Blood-Net Crystal. His main body had already fused two… thirty years later, attempting to fuse the third again.
Hiss!
His palm was cut, the Blood-Net Crystal placed on the wound, the killing will impacting Luo Feng’s will.
“Compared to the Golden-Horned Giant Beast’s fusion, this killing will is laughably weak,” Luo Feng sighed, then his entire body began to feel intense pain as his body started to transform… but for Luo Feng, who had successfully endured the fusion of the 91st and 92nd crystals, the pain of fusing the third was nothing.
Blood threads of energy poured into Luo Feng’s body…
The Blood-Net Crystal became increasingly transparent.
“Crack!”
Suddenly, a sound of a rib breaking echoed from Luo Feng’s chest.
“It actually failed,” Luo Feng looked at the nearly transparent Blood-Net Crystal on his palm, large amounts of blood energy flowing back, causing the Blood-Net Crystal to quickly return to its original state, helpless.
“It’s really getting harder and harder to fuse. I fused the second one after staying in the ancient god ruins for two years. But now, after staying for a full thirty years, I still can’t fuse the third,” Luo Feng shook his head, “It seems the genetic makeup of the Golden-Horned Giant Beast’s body is indeed far superior to that of humans, at least in some special aspects, it’s very superior.”
Although he failed, Luo Feng was not the least bit annoyed, instead filled with anticipation, “Judging from the situation, I still have hope of fusing the third Blood-Net Crystal. Becoming a Blood Warrior and obtaining the Blood-Net Medal. When I return, I’ll get 100,000 points.”
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