Chapter 169 Receive and Dispatch by the Spiri (2/2)

In a sudden, the sword aura disappeared and the pain stopped. Back in reality, there were streaks of fresh blood at the corners of Chao Xiaoyu’s lips. The lotus blade that was in midair was really dim, like her complexion that was slightly paled.

Shen Lian’s Dao robes swayed in the wind and the sword aura in front of him had already disappeared. He calmly and serenely studied her without that fierce and formidable sword aura. He looked fully at ease, his eyes were gentle and warm with a jade-like shine to it, which was one out of this world.

Chao Xiaoyu now felt that Shen Lian’s temperament was like the mountain after the rain, it was clean and without dust. In her mind, a saying resounded, ‘a person can dirty the water, the water cannot dirty the person, the water comes and goes, there is no dust within it’.

The fierce and formidable slaughter of the sword will have melted into Shen Lian’s spiritual consciousness, like the impurities that had fallen into the water. As the water flows it is being washed away. Ultimately, it cannot change the clear properties of the flowing water.

Shen Lian now had walked on the different path as Chen Jianmei. Chen Jianmei saw the meaning of the Dharma by grandmaster Qingyuan and got inspired. He had gotten the dharma and forgotten about it. It is like when Buddha picked up the flower and Kassapa smiled. Even though it was passed down from the same origin, but who could say that what Kassapa got is entirely the will of Buddha?

This cannot be said, it could be said clearly. It also could not be stated with understanding, only Kassapa knew in his mind.

Chen Jianmei was exactly like this by creating his own dharma. If he could outdo his master even though he did not know that he could but it was already wrong even though it appeared to be right. It is said that it is then it is when it is said it is not then it is not. However, he would not be confined to the path of grandmaster Qingyuan. He could only follow the grandmaster’s way but could not surpass him, becoming a craftsman that would do things routinely without thinking.

Shen Lian did not have Chen Jianmei’s brilliance but he combined the sword will with his own being. However, it was not his nature that actively melted into this sword will. He understood the true meaning of the slaughter which made the sword will to combine with the anger within his nature.

Like the many changing forms of water, there is the monstrous power of the flood waters and then there was the peaceful flow of the water, which caused the sword will to not be able to control him but only become a form to his original ‘dao’.

He did not vanquish and kill Chao Xiaoyu was exactly his control over the essence of the slaughter, indulgence does not mean impudicity. The freedom that a cultivator has does not mean that one can have no restrictions of any kind but to be able to restrain oneself from being controlled by certain emotions and committing actions that would go against one’s nature.

Shen Lian finally understood the last step to complete the dan path. Like the filled qi water container 1[1] that would overflow, one must be able to keep in balance when being filled and making oneself be able to receive and dispatch freely so that one would not skew to a side and be overflowed. Doing the opposite would mean failure on the verge of success.

Shen Lian smiled faintly at Chao Xiaoyu with both his hand clasped behind his back. He flew to Chao Xiaoyu’s side and the lotus blade put some distance between itself and him as though it was spooked.

Chao Xiaoyu watched as Shen Lian went further away. This was a massive blow to her in her entire life. This was not the difference in capability but her second guessing towards her path.

Why did she had such a big heart for the pursuit of Dao and had such rapid progression but still could not compare to Shen Lian?

During the first encounter, if Shen Lian were to fight to the death, she would still have a 70 percent certainty that she could win. Then, during the battle in the imperial city, even when Shen Lian had a breakthrough and she was heavily injured, she would still feel that Shen Lian was nothing more than a powerful enemy. Furthermore, there was not a true Dao fight between the two of them so their conflict would not be considered formidable.

This was also why she felt that she could convince Shen Lian to lend her the merit instrument. After all, Shen Lian still had a breakthrough in the end and did not suffer any injuries in the end.

This time, Chao Xiaoyu would not have guessed that someone like Shen Lian would still remember about that incident and not even give her the chance to state her conditions. During their second life and death duel, Shen Lian did not really take her seriously and dared to hone himself between life and death. At the same time, Shen Lian’s true intention was made clear, he did not want revenge but only treated her as a whetstone.

Afterwards, he was able to freely receive and dispatch. While he was able to defeat her and scarred her, which would be considered somewhat of a retaliation for what happened before, and then leave gracefully, showing that he did not want to have anything to do with her anymore. This thoroughly presented his methods, aspirations and his tolerance that was different than the tackiness of the world, while simultaneously made Chao Xiaoyu be able to really comprehend Shen Lian as a person clearly.[1] 欹器 is an ancient water container that easily slanted and overflowed. It would slant if there is little water, enough water it would stand straight and when it’s full it would overflow.