"Become my disciple." Inside a palanquin, escorted by hundreds of armored drakes, Ling Aotian asked Xiao Chen out of the blue. Xiao Chen twitched. Just what was this human kid asking him to be ..? His disciple? Just where did this kid get that kind of confidence..?
"Haa! Ha ha ! I must say brother Ling, you're quite humorous." Xiao Chen shrugged Ling Aotian's atrocious request with a laugh. Just how old was he..? And how old was Ling Aotian..? 16..? He could tell Ling Aotian was a young man by just looking at him. While he was almost 25 and was already at the body and soul tempering realm. In any sect, he would easily become an inner disciple without even taking any test and this human wanted him to address him as master..?
"I am not. This will also be your only chance to become my disciple. When I Ling Aotian exit this Palanquin, the offer is off. At best you can only be my surboninate if you impress me."
" I must say brother Ling, you are very ambitious. Even wanting this young master of the drake race to become your disciple..!" Xiao Chen's tone changed, his voice filled with a tinge of anger and much pride. Pride of his race, pride of his cultivation and even pride of the fact that he wholeheartedly believed that drakes were superior to humans. Of course he wouldn't say that openly but, how could that disdain towards humans be hidden from Ling Aotian..?
"You should know that let alone drakes, bug even the entire demon race will never be superior to the human race right..!!" Xiao Chen got up from his seat after these words entered his ears. 'How preposterous ! Does this human think he can insult the whole demon race in the snow demon Domain and just be ..?? ' These were most likely his thoughts. But reality was different, he was different. His demeanour as a noble of the drake race would never allow him to make such an outburst to someone who he invited to his palanquin.
"Ling Aotian..! Please take note of your environment. I offered way, I offered clothing and yet you insult me..?"
Ling Aotian was now already wearing green robes with serpant like embroideries of the left half of his body. He was cleaned up and the palanquin was moving at a steady path towards the gate of Mar Long city.
"I am sorry if you took my comments as an insult brother Xiao. I only intended to guide you out of the delusion your chubby friend had earlier." Xiao Chen was stunned. Was this person still holding a grudge from earlier..?
" The thing is Brother Xiao, I only asked you to become my disciple because I see potential, not because I see myself as superior, but because I have something to teach."
" And what would that be brother Ling..? " Ling Aotian noticed how Xiao Chen called him brother, while he had just addressed him rudely as Ling Aotian mere moments ago.
He wondered, 'does he call me politely since he wants to learn or does he do it just to jeer at me. Aaaah, the heart.'
The human heart. This was something Ling Aotian never understood. It was what kept him from advancing further in his cultivation in his future self.
In the future, or the version from where his memories came from, Ling Aotian struck a bottleneck at the first heaven stage of the heaven merging realm. This is after he had lost to GUI Ying and joined the Ghostly Shadow sect / GUI Ying sect.
It was his tenth day in the sect, his arrogance still deep in his being, his pride seething out like a gashing spring and his skill on the peak of the world. He believed that their was nothing he could learn from this world, let alone this sect that accepted from all and sundry. He found this sect peculiar, from rogue cultivators to demon cultivators all were accepted. In this peculiar day, Ling Aotian had just finished refining the most beautiful sword in the world. Wether it was it's tier, it's shape, it's sharpness, it's spirit. All was perfect.
On this particular day, Ling Aotian cultivated right after refining this sword. It was his greatest work and he was hopping it was enough to make him breakthrough to the second heavenstage of heaven merging. That was how he cultivated, making breakthroughs in his refining, which in turn increased his comprehension while also increasing his mental realm. He was ready to breakthrough..!
However, just before he could break through,his heart skipped a beat as he saw a fairy in mortal flesh flying over his mountain peak. Although he only got a glimpse of her,he was utterly enchanted. He stared at the lingering aura left on her path.
" Aaajh young love." A voice sounded in his mountain peak. Looking back, it was GUI Ying comfortablly drinking tea in his mountain peak. Ling Aotian had no idea how he got here..and he did not care, the only thing in his mind being..." Who was that..?" Ling Aotian asked, not hiding the fact he was infatuated.
"Better I don't tell you." GUI Ying answered his voice carying a tone of mockary. " Patriach ? Does the sect not allow dual cultivation ..?"
Puuh !! GUI Ying sput all his tea at Ling Aotian's face.
" Why..why not..?" GUI Ying answered then continue.." But you can't with her.." "why ..?" Ling Aotian pushed. " She's the ice queen, she merged with heaven's emotionless side." Ling Aotian narrowed his eyes.
" Well I mearged with heaven's refining daos, I will refine heaven's emotions if need be..!"
"And what about the human heart..??" Ling Aotian froze. His whole body spasming as he felt his minor realm's bottleneck becoming a vast ocean that had no end. Nor any begining.
" The human heart."
" Pardon..??" Xiao Chen couldn't hear Ling Aotian's mumble.
"Do you know why that, although the magical beast take human form to become demons ..??" Ling Aotian asked after hearing Xiao Chen's pardon.
" To better understand the heavenly Daos." His answer was immediate, with no hint of hesitation.
" And what do y'ou think the dao is, brother Xiao ..?"
A long silence followed. With heavy breathing eminating from Xiao Chen's heart. He could not understand the question, but that could not be..! This was a question he had many times in his sect. It was something he had seen many drake, human, and other demon cultivators debate about. But at this moment, his mind was blank. He looked at Ling Aotian and said the first thing that came to his mind.
"The dao is perfect, the dao is just, the dao is impartial, the dao is heaven the dao is essence, the dao is source and also the end." This was like a programmed answer. It was something he had heard people say since his childhood. Even if some had different meanings and opinions, this was ultimately one way to put it. It was an answer that even he felt proud of.
" Is that something you feel is correct. Is that something you could teach and lecture your drake disciples in the future..? Brother Xiao, calm your mind. Each and every being has his own dao. Something they believe in with all their heart, something that later forms one dao heart. " Ling Aotian pause then said.." Do you know the reason you could not dare offend me when I slapped your attendant black and blue..? Was it because of my cultivation..? Was it because of my extreme physique ..? Was it because of my martial intent ....?? No !! The only difference between me and you is one thing... Dao heart. "
"What do you mean..? " Xiao Chen lost his cool for the first time since his talk with Ling Aotian began.He raised his voice as he stood up glairing at Ling Aotian who was seated opposite of him.
" What is the dao..? " Ling Aotian asked again. Xiao Chen calmed down, his thoughts running amack as he racked his brain. After few minutes of consideration he finally said..
"The Dao is silence.It does not speak, yet all words return to it. it does not move, yet all paths stem from it. It has no will, yet it shapes all things. It does not judge, yet all justice emerges in it. it is neither kind nor cruel,but in its stillness, it reveals the truth of all things"
Ha ! Ha ! Ha! " You really do not believe that right ..??"
Xiao Chen frowned, his answer this time came from him. It was his own understanding, his own comprehension of the Dao.
"My apologies brother Xiao, but if you still think like that after all this time..then you are really stupid..!! "
"Ling Aotian !!" The table between the two broke from Xiao Chen's fist. Ling Aotian just looked at him emotionless " Do you really think that the heavens are just..? Do you thing that it does not judge..? It has no will..?? That it does not speak..?? Then how do cultivators comprehend the dao..? Do they not merger with the dao in order to feel it's will..? To hear it's call..? To see it's truth..? Why do you cultivate Xiao Chen ..? Is it because of realm, power..?or maybe longevity ...?" Ling Aotian asked, his voice raised so much the the attendants carrying the palanquin stooped and stared at the palanquin.
" Aaah it's such a waste to talk to mindless fools. Brother Xiao , I will take my leave shortly. Let me impart something I just recently comprehended.."
"Heaven is impartial, heaven is just, heaven is essence, heaven is soul, heaven is spirit, heaven is earth, earth is human, earth is heaven and so human is heaven. But humans are not just, humans are not impartial, humans are greed, humans are lust, humans are jealousy, humans are sin, humans are imperfection hence heaven is also imperfect. " Ling Aotian pause then said.." The dao is impartial and just, but the heavenly daos are not. They are tyrannical, they are biased, and are restrictive. Always controlling the flow of events and fate like we mortals are puppets, brainwashing stupid little things like you into believing wholeheartedly. Sigh..!! I'll be taking my leave."
And just like that Ling Aotian took his leave, Xiao Chen stunned in place,not daring to even move. At this moment he was questioning all things. Why was he alive..? Why does he cultivate ..? Is it not to defy the heavens ..? But why does he need to defy the heavens for longevity if the heavens are perfect..? Why are the demon race at an equal standing with other races of this world if the heavens are just..!! .
He felt rattled, his dao heart that he had barely formed crumbling down like Lego pieces kicked by a toddler.
Why do you cultivate ..? Ling Aotian's voice could be heard, menecing but with reson.