blogombal Chapter 193 Inquiring into the Heart of the Dao, Manifesting the Human Path
Chapter 193 Inquiring into the Heart of the Dao, Manifesting the Human Path
On December 13th, the Los Angeles sun seemed to favor Laurel Estate, its golden rays like a warm veil gently covering every inch of the land. Lin Yan pushed open the main building's door and stepped into this morning light. He took a deep breath of the crisp air, squinted slightly, and felt the warmth of the light penetrating his eyelids. He reached out his hand, as if wanting to embrace this light, letting himself be completely enveloped in its warm glow.
When Tang Liuqian came downstairs, this was the scene that greeted him. The incomparably handsome young man was bathed in the holy morning light, his profile soft, his expression serene, and he seemed to be surrounded by a hazy halo. The bloodshed and cruelty in the warehouse last night seemed like a dream now. Tang Liuqian was momentarily speechless, afraid of disturbing this almost divine tranquility.
Lin Yan seemed to sense something, turned around, and saw Tang Liuqian on the stairs. His face immediately lit up with a bright, untroubled smile, and his voice was clear and melodious: "Good morning, Brother Liuqian!"
Tang Liuqian snapped out of his daze, suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, and replied with a smile, "Xiao Yan, happy birthday!"
Half an hour later, Li Wenbin, Zheng Jiaming, and the others came downstairs one after another. Last night's experience had taken its toll on them; their faces showed signs of hangover exhaustion, and they had gotten up late. Li Wenbin forced a smile and said, "Ayan, happy birthday!" Zheng Jiaming followed closely behind, offering his sincere blessings.
Seeing his friends gathered together, Lin Yan blinked happily, his eyes sparkling with youthful exuberance: "I'm finally another year older!"
He didn't shy away from last night's events; instead, he brought it up himself, his gaze sweeping over everyone: "Do you all know why I brought you all along last night to deal with Thomas's matter? Actually, I could have had my men handle it cleanly, without a trace of bloodshed."
Li Wenbin honestly shook his head, genuinely puzzled. Tang Liuqian had some vague guesses, but he wanted to hear Lin Yan's answer even more.
Lin Yan's tone became calm and profound, as if he were telling an ancient truth: "Wenbin, Jiaming, Liuqian, your upbringing has been too smooth. You've been pampered since childhood, and the circles and families around you have intentionally or unintentionally removed the most naked 'evil' of human nature from your worldview, causing the world you see to always be covered by a beautiful filter."
He paused, his voice clear and calm: "But people like you can't build a successful business. You see, sometimes someone wants to kill you without any deep-seated hatred; they might just dislike you at first sight, find your presence an eyesore. In that case, even breathing is wrong. When we decide to join forces to build a business and create our own brand, it means we're taking a bite out of other people's food. With this causal relationship of mutual benefit, the more we earn and the higher we climb, the more people will secretly hope we die a horrible death."
His gaze seemed to pierce through to the heart: "Human nature is inherently evil, or rather, the greed and malice of human nature are far more boundless than you imagine. I don't want you to live in an ivory tower forever. It's time to learn to see this complex and real world like a true adult. A person's life cannot only be full of flowers and brocade; there are also thorns and undercurrents. In everything you do, you must learn to first assume the worst about potential opponents and prepare for the worst in everything, so that you can better survive in this cruel world and protect what you want to protect."
Li Wenbin was deeply shaken. Looking at Lin Yan's calm face, he couldn't help but ask the question that troubled him most: "Yan...yesterday you...you killed someone. Will this...affect you emotionally? Will you...feel uncomfortable?"
This question, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, created ripples in Lin Yan's heart.
He was stunned.
Yes... In my past life, I was just an ordinary person who grew up in a society governed by the rule of law. Why is it that now, after personally ending a life, my heart is so calm and unmoved? Is it because I've killed too many people and become numb? Or is it because I killed only scum who deserved to die, so I have no psychological burden?
It seems... that's not it.
Lin Yan vaguely sensed that the answer to this question was crucial to the foundation of his cultivation! He didn't even have time to respond to Li Wenbin before his eyes lost focus and he fell into deep thought. As if his soul had left his body, he ignored everyone present and instinctively and absentmindedly turned around, walking step by step upstairs.
"Ayan?" Li Wenbin tried to call out to him, but Lin Yi gently stopped him. Lin Yi's gaze was deep as he said in a low voice, "Young Master Wenbin, let Xiaoyan go. He must be thinking about something very important. Let's go have breakfast first and not disturb him."
Back in the quiet and luxurious master suite on the second floor, Lin Yan almost instinctively entered that mysterious space that belonged only to him.
Within the space, spiritual energy swirled. Lin Yan sat cross-legged in the void, beginning to carefully review his actions since his transmigration.
Why did he use space resources to open a black market in mainland China to sell grain at low prices, and why did he establish the Lin Group in Hong Kong to trade with the state? Was it out of pure goodwill? Not entirely. It was more because he wanted to do it, felt he should do it, that it would give him peace of mind and allow him to build up his foundation.
Why send golden core puppets to plunder resources globally and establish a global presence? Is it to dominate the world? No, it's to acquire enough capital and power to support him and those around him in a better "life" and to act more freely.
Was his friendship with Li Wenbin, Zheng Jiaming, and Tang Liuqian, and his willingness to help them, motivated by ulterior motives? No, it was because being with them made him feel relaxed and happy, and he was willing to give them his affection and strength.
Similarly, why did he clear out the Golden Triangle, kill Thomas, and eliminate the Brown family? Was it for justice? No, there is no absolute justice or right and wrong in this world, only different perspectives. The fundamental reason is that the Brown family threatened his safety and peace, and crossed his bottom line, so he wanted to eliminate them once and for all.
"That's it..." Lin Yan's eyes grew brighter and brighter, as if they had pierced through layers of fog. "My core principle has never been about good and evil, right and wrong, but about doing as I please! I do not accept any coercion or manipulation from anyone or anything!"
"Everything I've done, whether it's redemption or slaughter, whether it's meticulous planning or impulsiveness, is simply because—I want to do it!"
This thought exploded in his mind like a thunderclap!
"In this mortal world, I possess spatial abilities and have Golden Core cultivators as my allies. I have sufficient strength to support my 'freedom of choice'!"
But then, a deeper question arose: "What if... what if one day I find the path to the true world of cultivation? In that world where powerful beings abound and the strong prey on the weak, will my strength still be able to support my 'freedom' and 'carefree' existence?"
The answer seems to be no. In the world of cultivation, there will always be beings more powerful.
"So, when that time comes, will I be willing to grovel and compromise just to survive?"
"I don't want to!"
Do I want to die?
"In no mood!"
A powerful will surged within my chest!
"Therefore, I must cultivate diligently! Continuously grow stronger! Why cultivate? Not to become a king or a hegemon, not for immortality itself, but to—guarantee my eternal freedom! To have the qualification and power to act as I please, without betraying my true nature, no matter where I am!"
"What I pursue is true freedom and ultimate liberation!"
"My way of humanity is this way of carefree wandering! All my actions are guided by my true heart, moving with my mind, acting on my thoughts, regardless of worldly right or wrong, seeking only a clear conscience and true freedom!"
"boom--!!"
At the very moment that enlightenment was fully formed, it was as if some invisible shackle within Lin Yan's body had been broken! An indescribable pure light burst forth from the deepest part of his soul, initially faint, then growing brighter and brighter, more and more intense!
The light was pure and vast, carrying a sense of transcendence, freedom, and unrestraint. It surged forth and finally coalesced behind Lin Yan into a humanoid phantom three times larger than his true form!
This phantom was dressed in an ancient and flowing brocade robe, with long, black hair loosely tied up with only a simple hairpin. Its face was identical to Lin Yan's, but it had no vivid expression. Its eyes were closed, exuding a divine majesty that seemed to disregard the mortal world and stand high in the clouds! It was not a physical entity, yet it emanated a chilling pressure, as if it were the embodiment of the "Dao"!
Lin Yan was enveloped in the light emanating from the illusory figure, as if he had returned to the womb of life's origin, warm, safe, and full of infinite possibilities.
"Buzz—!"
Within the space, all the spiritual energy instantly boiled over! As if summoned by a supreme being, it surged towards Lin Yan with unprecedented speed and scale, forming a huge vortex of spiritual energy, with Lin Yan and the phantom behind him at its center!
"This...this is?!" The Golden Core cultivators who had been cultivating in seclusion within the space, including Elder Fu and Elder Zhen, were all startled by this earth-shattering phenomenon and appeared one after another. They stared dumbfounded at the divine phantom, feeling the pure "free and unfettered" Daoist aura, their faces filled with extreme shock and disbelief!
"The Dao Image has solidified! This is... this is the beginning of the Human Path, and an extremely high-quality manifestation of the Dao Foundation!" Elder Fu's voice trembled, almost bursting into tears. "Young Master... he actually crossed this threshold that countless cultivators cannot even touch in their entire lives while still in the Foundation Establishment stage?!"
This process lasted for an unknown amount of time, seemingly a moment, yet also like ten thousand years.
When Lin Yan opened his eyes again, the enormous phantom behind him and the surrounding vortex of spiritual energy had quietly dissipated. His eyes held a restrained divine light, but upon closer inspection, it seemed as if a galaxy was flowing deep within them, containing endless possibilities and transcendence.
He subconsciously scanned himself with his divine sense and was immediately stunned!
Late stage of Foundation Establishment Level 9!
His cultivation level skyrocketed from the fifth level of Foundation Establishment to the late stage of the ninth level! He was only one step away from condensing his Golden Core! Moreover, upon careful sensing, he found that his cultivation barrier was incredibly solid, his spiritual energy was refined and pure, without the slightest hint of weakness, and the stability of his foundation far surpassed that of ordinary arduous cultivation! This sudden improvement was practically equivalent to hundreds of years of arduous cultivation within the space, aided by the flow of time!
Moreover, he clearly "saw" a miniature version of the enormous phantom from deep within his consciousness, hovering quietly above the millstone, radiating a pure and carefree Daoist aura. With a slight thought, the towering divine phantom could faintly appear behind him.
"Is this...the manifestation of my humanity in the world?" Lin Yan realized. This illusory image was not a divine power directly used for attack, but rather a reflection of his Dao heart, a concrete manifestation of his "Free and Unfettered" will. Its strength depended on the firmness of his Dao heart and the depth of his understanding of the true meaning of "Free and Unfettered." How to specifically use and enhance it still required him to slowly explore and comprehend it in the future.
He looked at the Golden Core cultivators around him who were still in shock and ecstasy, and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.
This epiphany brought him far more benefits than he had imagined. Not only did his cultivation level improve significantly, but more importantly, he truly found his own "path" and clarified the direction and meaning of his future cultivation.
The path to freedom begins here.