Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 61 - 61 53 Yu Hua Says Goodbye

61: Chapter 53 Yu Hua Says Goodbye 61: Chapter 53 Yu Hua Says Goodbye Meridians are like roads, with Grand Circulations and small cycles; each advancement in cultivation is an expansion of the meridians.

Ordinary disciples from major sects possess a foundation in cultivation, and their foundation affects the meridians only qualitatively.

But Gu Wen had never cultivated before; his meridians were sealed off, so the improvement in his foundation was significant on their size.

Thus, Yu Hua could deduce that Gu Wen must have reached the Foundation Establishment Second Level.

But wasn’t this a bit too fast?

“I entered Daqian at the beginning of spring, and now at the end of spring, he has already reached the Second Level.”

Yu Hua pursed her lips, her beautiful eyes filled with uncertainty, staring intently at the ordinary face that was so close.

The elusive first disciple of her sect, first on the local List and ninth on the Heavenly Destiny List, a Three Pure Daoist standing at the peak among his contemporaries.

He advanced one level each month in his first year of foundation establishment, a feat that stunned the world and prompted countless sects to send people to gather information.

Whenever he broke through in his cultivation, people from all over the cultivation world would quickly be waving documents containing brief reports in the streets and lanes.

The man in front of her, dressed in plain black and appearing to be an ordinary mortal to outsiders, had reached Foundation Establishment First Level in four days without any guidance and advanced to the Second Level three months later.

He lacked the renown of the Three Pure Daoist and went unnoticed.

Such talent, at this moment, only she could see.

She asked, “You have made considerable progress in your cultivation recently.”

Gu Wen answered without hesitation, “Fortunate.”

“To what extent was this fortune?”

“Slightly more refined.”

Gu Wen felt a chill on his cheek, opened his eyes, and saw Yu Hua pinching his cheek, puzzlingly asking, “Hmm?”

“I’m just curious if your skin is glued on.” Yu Hua said while forcefully tugging at Gu Wen’s cheek, not letting go even when he began to feel pain.

“When did you make this breakthrough?”

“Luckily broke through.”

Gu Wen’s speech was somewhat unclear due to his mouth being pulled.

Discovered by Yu Hua, he wasn’t the least bit panicked; instead, he felt somewhat relieved, much like a college roommate asking about exam scores—always attributing it to luck.

Modest, yet showing off.

Yu Hua said, “Continue.”

She was curious how far he could stretch the truth, having never seen someone so capable of fabrications.

Gu Wen was adept at hiding his skills, slippery as an eel, always starting to hide things when least expected.

Yu Hua didn’t demand that he disclose everything, but his excuses were always elaborate.

Foundation Establishment Second Level in three months was also due to luck, right?

“Well…

three days ago, I was walking on Dragon Bridge and met a beggar-dressed mysterious expert who gave me guidance.”

“How tall was he?”

“Nine feet six inches.”

Yu Hua paused for a few seconds, then couldn’t help but snicker, but she didn’t stop pulling, saying, “I’m listening.”

“He said one thing to me.”

“What was it?”

“What is the Dao?”

The topic suddenly turned serious, but Yu Hua didn’t believe that something profound could come from him.

It might be plausible from someone else, who might quote classic texts, but Gu Wen was the ultimate ‘cultivation-blind’ man with no formal Mystical Sect education.

However, to keep him talking, Yu Hua cooperatively asked, “So what is the Dao?”

Gu Wen replied, “The Dao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Dao.

The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.”

“….”

Yu Hua showed a hint of surprise.

These were words of paramount Dao, representing cultivators everywhere, and the Three Pure Sect had similar notions.

But coming from someone with no cultivation background, the meaning was entirely different.

She didn’t believe there was any mystical expert; even if there were, it was unlikely Gu Wen would converse with him—more likely, he would avoid them.

But she believed the words were his own; he was not an ordinary mortal but a genius beyond conventional understanding, even more so than the Three Pure Daoist.

“Fellow Daoist Yu Hua, what do you think of these words?

Could they be some miraculous method?”

Gu Wen’s eyes revealed a probing look.

He had always wondered about something, if one could cultivate, then surely the ancient teachings must be somewhat useful?

Previously, he hadn’t trusted Yu Hua, but now that she had gained his trust, he took the opportunity to test her.

As the top ranker on the Heavenly List, she should be able to perceive the nuances.

Yu Hua shook her head and said, “It’s not a godly miracle method, to describe it that way would only belittle it.

Just like the first line of the verse, ‘the Dao that can be told is not the eternal Dao.'”

Gu Wen, somewhat dissatisfied, asked again, “Fellow Daoist, what do you think the Dao that can be spoken of is?”

Yu Hua thought Gu Wen was testing her.

After pondering for a moment, she answered, “Daoist skill, all divine miracle methods, are applications of the Dao.”

Much like the ancestral generations’ interpretations of the Tao Te Ching, Yu Hua, truly being a cultivator, understood the gist after just one hearing.

The difference was that their world allowed them to utilize these interpretations, whereas in his previous life, at least during his era, there was nothing transcendent.

But this wasn’t something that could be used directly.

How long would it take for him to truly understand?

Gu Wen suddenly lost interest, more concerned with the present than a distant future.

“Am I wrong?”

Seeing the change in Gu Wen’s demeanor, Yu Hua felt a bit puzzled but hoped he would offer a different insight.

Gu Wen shook his head and said, “Fellow Daoist, your understanding is very correct.

A great master once explained to me, ‘the Dao that can be daoed is not the constant Dao.

The name that can be named is not the constant name.'”

This was the silk manuscript version of the Tao Te Ching.

Due to the passage of time and inevitable alterations, mistranscriptions, omissions in transmission, there were many versions, and this one aligned more with what Yu Hua had said.

“This makes it easier to understand.”

Yu Hua lowered her head and pondered for a long time.

She really wanted to delve deeper into her studies; perhaps aligning it with her own cultivation could lead to new insight into Qingcang’s Power.

But seeing the wounds on Gu Wen’s body, she suppressed her thirst for cultivating and said,

“Let’s heal the wounds first.”

Under Yu Hua’s urging, Gu Wen entered meditation again, but suddenly felt his shirt being unbuttoned, the cold night air chilling him.

Gu Wen opened his eyes and asked, “Do I need to take off my clothes?”

“Your wound is stuck to your clothes, if we don’t remove them it will be more troublesome to handle after the wounds heal.”

“Alright then.”

Yu Hua gently separated the fabric from the wound using her mana, and Gu Wen’s wounds visibly began healing as he assimilated the pill.

As she reached for Gu Wen’s pants, he couldn’t hold back anymore and opened his eyes to stop her, saying, “Fellow Daoist, maybe I should do it myself, men and women should not be too close.”

Yu Hua frowned and said, “I don’t adhere to these worldly conventions.

What if you leave debris inside the wound while doing it yourself?

Is the matter of healing not important enough to overlook such formalities?

Isn’t life more important than rules?”

“I insist, I insist,” Gu Wen said with a wry smile.

“Besides, some remnants are inevitable, it won’t kill me.”

He wasn’t shy, but he believed in maintaining a proper distance in relationships.

Their relationship hadn’t moved towards a romantic direction, and up to now, it hadn’t developed into one.候 Gu Wen was resistant to such uncontrolled relations; he preferred a more utilitarian approach, at least to clearly understand where both stood.

Not to engage in a frivolous exchange with an unattainable immortal.

After all, basic needs come before desires.

We are just Fellow Daoists, after all.

“If you insist.”

Yu Hua turned away.

With the help of the pill, his injuries healed rapidly, and the pain throughout his body was replaced by a numbing sensation, prompting Gu Wen to breathe a sigh of relief.

While not fatal, Gu Wen could endure it, but he had no inclination towards masochism; naturally, he felt much better when the pain subsided.

Gu Wen opened his eyes; under the moonlight, Yu Hua’s silhouette was turned away from him, perhaps boredly looking outside through the window on tip-toes.

After he had redressed, he said, “I’m ready.”

Yu Hua turned back to face him, her tone slightly stern as she spoke, “In cultivating Qi, only the self is of utmost importance; everything else is expendable.

As long as a breath of True Qi remains, one can become an immortal and seek the Dao.”

“I am leaving Bianjing.

From now on, you must take care of yourself.”

Gu Wen, puzzled, asked, “Fellow Daoist, are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow,” Yu Hua nodded slightly, her voice unfluctuating, “Yesterday, I followed the water veins and found a clue to an opportunity.

The location is roughly in Lin Chuan.

Daqian’s treasure ship is already prepared and docked outside the Bianjing Shipping Bureau.”

“The journey is long and unpredictable; I might not return.”

With that, Yu Hua extended her hand.

Without needing Gu Wen to reach out, she gently took his fingers and imparted her True Method under the bright moon.

“Beyond the Immortal Land, if you bear no grudges, go to Three Pure Mountain.

Remembering how you got injured this time, I am imparting to you a life-saving True Method, so you won’t die in the Immortal Land.”

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to accompany you to Broken Sword Mountain some day.”