Bazhun’an, if you’d truly understood "the self," wouldn’t ask such questions as "what is the self."
Now, Xu Xiaoshou didn’t answer but kicked the ball back, for he couldn’t articulate clearly either.
Rather than speaking ambiguously, better not to speak at all.
After slightly pondering, Bazhun’an decided to tackle the question from another angle, for Xu Xiaoshou as well as himself.
As he’s always been one who doesn’t require answers from others, mostly discussing to find those who resonate simultaneously will inadvertently provide an "inspiration," or he might understand by discussing:
"I left the village at fourteen, experienced the destruction of family, lost life’s aning, aimlessly wandering, bewildered in the world, seeking rebirth."
"I progressively re-ignited old dreams, rushed to the capital for exams, journeyed through majestic landscapes, finally t Wen Ting and Ning Honghong, binding in sisterhood."
"I, from here was transford, entering the realm of Spiritual Cultivation."
Xu Xiaoshou slightly froze.
He had never heard Bazhun’an tell his past story before.
Only knowing Old Eight had a past with Wen Ting and Ning Honghong, much closer than ordinary friends.
"Clarifying my path..."
Kong Yuhen silently murmured, upon hearing his gaze filled with more mories, yet unable to recall anything.
anwhile, he nervously fumbled the wooden door pendant in his hand, appearing sowhat anxious, sowhat distracted.
"Born with photographic mory, excellent realization quality, read extensively as a child, learned many principles, though seldom displayed, knowing my stubborn nature, eyes held above peers, often looking down on contemporaries."
"Wen Ting, considered one of the few who could keep up with my thoughts."
"Following him all along, I and Ning Honghong gradually entered Spiritual Cultivation, midway he taught us Ancient Sword Technique, Ning Honghong... also known as Storyteller, the one fond of wearing red dresses."
Bazhun’an detached from his mories, glanced across the tea table, caring for Xu Xiaoshou and Kong Yuhen.
There was no need for it.
Ning Honghong’s na, Xu Xiaoshou already heard of, continuing to listen to Bazhun’an narrate "myself":
"Wen Ting practiced Ancient Sword Technique, intended to teach us self-defense, but for Ning Honghong, what he taught and spoke was like a heavenly book, incomprehensible."
"To , however, whenever taught would learn, wherever pointed would understand, often extrapolating beyond taught insights - I’ve always been this way, no matter what’s learned comprehended quickly, Wen Ting thus suffered long."
"Along his path, entered Burial Sword Tomb reading Sword Sutra, Wen Ting said he gained seven from Sword Sutra, renowned as today’s great talent in sword practicing."
"I read the entire text, didn’t find it obscure, realized 3000 Sword Styles, Sword Flow eighteen, Nine Major Sword Techniques, could also pinpoint errors within Sword Sutra texts, adding annotations."
Bazhun’an squinted slightly, tone a bit amused: "Wen Ting was furious, claid I tarnished ’Sword Sutra,’ wanted to beat , I retaliated with Ancient Sword Technique, from then on, he couldn’t defeat ."
Xu Xiaoshou listened and grinned, secretly rolled his eyes.
If anyone else bragged like this, he would smack them, but Bazhun’an’s words...
Considering his achievents now, the legendary accounts left in Spiritual Cultivation, and his past never self-exalting deanor.
His words, likely remain conservative.
Wen Ting followed him, taught him swordsmanship, ultimately not rely "suffered long," it must have been struck doubting life multiple tis.
"After finishing reading ’Sword Sutra,’ I felt inspired, once asked Wen Ting such a question..." Bazhun’an set down the wine cup.
Xu Xiaoshou and Kong Yuhen looked, each curious: "What question?"
Bazhun’an said: "Secular life spans a hundred years, experiences Seven Emotions and Six Desires, tastes sour sweet bitter spicy, finally returns to dust a handful; Spiritual Cultivation spans ten thousand years, pursues Struggle for the Great Path, aims transcendence, inevitably falls by death and dissipated Path. Both, what are the similarities and differences?"
All Ti Forgotten Sorrow Pavilion suddenly beca silent.
Kong Yuhen, Xu Xiaoshou exchanged glances, didn’t answer.
Bazhun’an asked and answered himself: "Mortal realm contests less, what competes isn’t strong, rarely involving life death, securing secular diverse states, regardless of lifespan, instead aids cultivation; Spiritual Cultivation is survival of the fittest, forest law, Cultivators exhibit primal beast behavior, yet still wish to awaken spiritual intelligence, seize fortunes..."
He shook his head: "Way principles are reversed!"
Xu Xiaoshou inhaled sharply.
Upon careful thought, it seed truly so.
Even high above clouds Senior Rao Yaoyao, practicing Red Dust Sword using comprehension, relies on the Mortal World emperor nobility, impoverished commoners’ life, to enter the Path, reach Enlightennt, attain the Path.
This Path, essentially observed, just as Bazhun’an stated, fundantally arrives inversely!
"But the Great Path has always been this way."
"Great Path’s causation, creates today’s fruit of mortal and Spiritual Cultivation, has been so for millions years, why say ’reverse’?"
Bazhun’an lightly tapped the cup rim, frowned slightly, spoke calmly:
"Thus I ponder, this isn’t reversal of Way principles, but human’s downfall due to the Path."
"In other words, humans haven’t discerned the true self, thus the Great Path plays them, ’self,’ trapped within the Path."
He tapped his finger, heavily struck on the tea table surface, making hearts tremble, its sound not loud, yet deafening:
"Discern the self, thus understand the Path, cultivate the Path, play with the Path, attain carefree freedom - this is the sequential order of ’cultivating,’ which ordinary people cannot achieve."
All Ti Forgotten Sorrow Pavilion beca silent as a pin drop.
Kong Yuhen evidently listened, eyes sowhat focused, even forgetting to fiddle with the wooden door pendant in his hand, mouth agape speechless.
Xu Xiaoshou was also slightly tingled listening, he couldn’t restrain himself from changing the topic: "How old were you then?"
Bazhun’an stunned: "Seventeen, eighteen years old?"
Hiss!
Is this the fattest pig?
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