Chapter 7: Town Yuan Loses His Tongue and Leaks Heavenly Secrets; Pan Gu Bestows a Symbol and Discusses Fortune

  "There are actually nine of them!" Zhenyuanzi listened and couldn't help but feel a little shocked: "If that's the case, even the lotus root may not be able to compare, and it would not be an exaggeration to call it the first spiritual root of the pre-heavenly world! Such a spiritual root, if left unguarded, would be envied by heaven above and coveted by cultivators below, and would naturally face calamity after calamity. No wonder in my past life I only heard about the four pre-heavenly calabazas on this vine, the other calabazas must have all suffered calamities, what a pity!"

  Zhenyuanzi's guess was about 80-90% similar to the truth. It turned out that this congenital calabaza root was born in the midst of Hongmeng, before the heaven and earth were opened, two calabazas had already been formed. Pangu's opening of the heaven and earth was indeed a great creation for the living beings of later generations, but for the living beings in Hongmeng, it was a great destruction, a great disaster. The living beings that survived this disaster were less than one percent. In this great disaster, not only were the two mature calabazas destroyed, but the fundamental body of the calabaza spirit also suffered heavy damage, and the newly formed spiritual consciousness fell into hibernation, causing the birth time of other calabazas to be greatly delayed.

  After the sky was opened, the spiritual root fell on Mount Kunlun and took countless years to recover. According to reason, it should have produced seven more gourds. However, its fate was fraught with difficulties and calamities. Not only were the first three gourds picked by people, but when it came to the fourth gourd, Lu Ya's vengeful heart led him to pick it prematurely. He not only took the gourd but also extracted the spiritual consciousness that had just recovered from the spiritual root and refined it into an immature gourd, creating the "Heavenly Slayer Flying Knife". The gourd lost its spiritual consciousness and without the nourishment of the primordial chaotic energy, the spiritual root withered and could no longer produce the next three gourds. When the Heavenly Slayer Flying Knife was raised, a thread of light appeared inside the gourd, about three feet long, with an object on top that was seven inches long, with eyebrows and eyes containing two white lights that shone downwards, nailing down the Mud Ball Palace. This object was the spiritual consciousness of the gourd root, which although immature, had been refined and possessed great power, making it difficult for gods to resist. When Lu Ya used this treasure, he would bow his head and say: "Please turn around, treasure." Only then would the treasure turn around and behead others. Although Lu Ya treated this gourd with great respect, no matter how respectful he was, in the end, he completely destroyed a perfectly good primordial spiritual root, reducing it to a killing tool, which is truly pitiful.

  The Heavenly Way is most impartial, and Lu Ye was also entangled in this retribution. Since the Great Calamity of Hong Huang, it has been difficult to make progress in his cultivation. Although he later turned from evil to righteousness and finally converted to Buddhism, he ultimately found it impossible to attain enlightenment.

  Really

  The poor Hongmeng soon grew up, with many children and joints of emerald green body.

  Only because of being envied by heaven for having a full count, thus inviting calamities and damaging one's spiritual root.

  One pluck two plucks lose melon and fruit, three plucks four plucks exhaust one's vital energy.

  Who can recognize the calabaza from birth? Later generations unknowingly call it purple gold.

  Zhenyuanzi's heart felt a sense, and he solemnly said: "Since this spiritual root is mine, I must protect it completely and make its function perfect. Even in the great calamity of Honghuang, I will not let it be damaged in the slightest!"

  Although this is not an oath, it is also a promise! It must be known that the cultivators, whether they are oaths or promises, have a great way to govern themselves in the dark, and cannot be lightly promised. Otherwise, if it cannot be fulfilled, it will inevitably affect the cultivation, bring calamity, and even give birth to heart demons, making it difficult to achieve peace of mind for life, let alone cultivate with one's whole heart.

  Therefore, when Zhenyuanzi made such a promise, it was not only a respect for Hulu Root, but also a sympathy for him as a fellow pre-heavenly spiritual root! Indeed, as soon as the words were spoken, the Hulu Spiritual Root in the cauldron immediately released a pleasant and intimate feeling, and the connection between Zhenyuanzi's person-fruit tree became more intimate and harmonious. The connection to Hulu Root in Zhenyuanzi's spiritual consciousness also became clearer, and even the wood spirit energy within it seemed to be controllable.

  As soon as the words came out, Zhenyuanzi immediately sensed that something was wrong. After all, half of his spiritual consciousness had crossed over from another world, so he naturally knew a thing or two about future events. However, with Pangu by his side, and knowing that Pangu would eventually die after opening up the sky, their deepening friendship made him even more reluctant to let Pangu know about future events. Although this was a case of "covering one's ears while stealing a bell", it was also human nature. Therefore, in all the conversations he had with Pangu, he had never once leaked any information about the future, and yet now he had accidentally let something slip out.

  Indeed, Pangu heard this and his whole body shook, asking: "Where is Honghuang?"

  Things have come to this, Zhenyuanzi hesitated for a moment and could only force himself to say: "I see that the Hongmeng world is disorderly and chaotic, with yuanqi in disarray and few living beings. It does not conform to the principles of great harmony and cannot last long. After destruction and re-establishment, it may become a new world, as the Hongyuan world."

  Pangu said: "What a wonderful world of chaos. But then what kind of world is after the chaos? Have you ever thought about it, fellow Taoist?"

  Zhenyuanzi said with a gloomy expression: "This... has never been."

  Pangu saw that Zhenyuanzi was not happy, what kind of cultivation he had, what he thought in his heart, how could he not know? He smiled calmly and said: "Fellow Taoist, there is no need to hide. I belong to the opening of heaven, my fate is already fixed, even if I die because of this, it is inevitable. I have calculated this matter long ago, but it's not convenient to tell fellow Taoists, so as not to disturb our pleasure of traveling together! Unexpectedly, fellow Taoist has also calculated it out now, and his merits are greatly advanced, which is a joy!"

  Zhenyuanzi heard this and felt both sadness and emotion in his heart, and he muttered: "Fellow Taoist..." but didn't know what to say next.

  Pangu smiled and said: "The number is fixed, fellow Taoist doesn't need to be like this. But since the fellow Taoist has spoken out about this matter, our fate of traveling together has also come to an end!"

  Zhenyuanzi was shocked and asked: "But why?"

  Pangu said: "Although under the Great Way, all things are like straw dogs, even I cannot control myself. However, everything has a thread of opportunity, and it still requires effort to strive for it. Fellow Daoist, although you have encountered the乙 wood spirit root, your luck has greatly increased. But according to my calculations for fellow daoist, in this vast universe, there are still two more spirit roots, which complement each other like yin and yang, with infinite uses, and their luck is even greater than yours, suppressing yours by one level. It's just that these two spirit roots have just gained spiritual awareness and have not yet transformed into physical bodies. This is fellow daoist's thread of opportunity. Therefore, if fellow daoist wants to seize this thread of opportunity, you must quickly find those two spirit roots! If you only accompany me on a tour, wasting your efforts, squandering this thread of opportunity, waiting for the two spirit roots to transform into physical bodies, fellow daoist will no longer have a chance."

  Zhenyuanzi was awakened by Pangu's words, and suddenly enlightened. Combining his previous thoughts with the memories of his past life, he suddenly understood everything. He knew that Pangu was not speaking empty words to scare him, but there were indeed two more spiritual roots in the chaos, which were undoubtedly the lotus root and the bodhi root. Later, they transformed into the Western teaching's guide for Taoist practitioners and the accurate teaching's guide for Taoist practitioners. In their past lives, they had founded sects, established teachings, obtained the mixed yuan dao fruit, and achieved the position of a saint. These two spiritual roots indeed suppressed the ginseng root and the calabaza root, no wonder Zhenyuanzi was so helpless in his past life.

  Pangu Dao said: "Where does this Taoist friend want to go?"

  Pangu said: "I'm fortunate to have met fellow Taoists, mutually verifying each other. After that, studying the Great Way and making progress were greatly accelerated. Therefore, before opening up the sky, there was still leisure time, so I went on a tour everywhere, made many preparations, and waited for opportunities! Who knows, my chance might be tied to fellow Taoists!"

  Zhenyuanzi knew that they would be parting soon, so he hastily asked for guidance: "The Hongmeng world is vast and boundless, how can I find those two spiritual roots? I still hope that my Taoist friend will teach me."

  Pangu smiled and said, "The Great Way is obscure, and I also find it difficult to know in detail. At the time of parting, there is only one sentence to send you: Reflect on yourself, do not seek outside. If you gain nothing, ask the gourd again."

  He took out another jade token and handed it to Zhenyuanzi, saying: "This jade token has my primordial spirit's seal. At the time of the opening of heaven, I will inform you, you can come quickly."

  Having spoken, he drifted away.

  Zhenyuanzi gazed at Pangu's receding back, and suddenly a hundred emotions welled up, five flavors mixed together, and he almost shed tears. Although he was a reincarnated body, and had cultivated in the primordial chaos for countless years, he still couldn't completely erase his seven emotions and six desires. Having traveled with Pangu for so long, their deep emotional bond couldn't be expressed in words. Now that they were suddenly parting ways, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. Thinking again about Pangu, the magnificent and kind deity who would soon sacrifice himself to create the heavens, his heart was filled with even more unbearable grief.

  Pangu however was a man of his word and left without any hesitation or delay, just like his usual rough and bold style.

  Just as Zhenyuanzi was sinking into his emotions, the jade token in his hand emitted a gentle and peaceful aura that directly entered his heart, sweeping away his negative emotions. In an instant, he regained clarity of mind and purity of spirit.

  Zhenyuanzi suddenly realized, and couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. For ordinary people, the seven emotions and six desires are like eating and dressing, nothing could be more normal. But for Zhenyuanzi and these old immortals and demons who have cultivated for countless years, desire is the most likely to confuse one's mind and lead them astray, it is a great taboo for cultivators. If they fall into the seven emotions and six desires, it would be a disaster, their hearts would be in chaos.

  Because emotions and desires are shallow, while the Great Way is constant. To use shallow emotions and desires to cultivate the constant Great Way is like an ant trying to shake a pillar - it's absolutely impossible. Moreover, the Great Way has no emotions, sages have no emotions, and immortals also have no emotions.

  "If even the seven emotions and six desires cannot be restrained, I'm afraid it would be easy for others to take advantage of my weakness, let alone compete with those saints. It seems that in the future, I need to pay more attention to cultivating my mind." Zhenyuanzi couldn't help but secretly warn himself.

  In fact, with the cultivation of two yuan and above, it is not necessary to have these emotions. It's just that in the memory of the later generations of Zhenyuanzi, there is a kind of innate worship and admiration for Pangu, regarding him as an elder brother or father, so when parting ways, his heart and spirit are lost.

  He bowed his head to look at the jade token, but saw that it was like jade but not jade, about the size of a palm, with both ends flat and the middle thick, with what seemed to be black and white misty air inside, moving slowly. When Zhenyuanzi looked closely, he found that it vaguely resembled the shape of Taiji.

  "Taiji Yufu!" Zhenyuanzi was shocked: "Splitting the infinite to establish Taiji, could it be that Pangu's method of opening the sky and establishing Taiji was actually inspired by this jade symbol?"

  Because of the Pangu Yuanshen imprint, it can be said that this jade symbol is still a thing of Pangu, so Zhongyuanzi also dare not rashly use his divine consciousness to explore the internal restrictions of the jade symbol, and its function cannot be known. However, as something that Pangu carries with him, how could it be an ordinary object? Just looking at this object can actively protect the Yuanshen, sweep away heart demons, is already a remarkable effect.

  He put away the jade token, and Zhenyuanzi's eyes flashed as he gazed into the vast expanse of the void. It seemed as if he wanted to pierce through the void itself, his expression thoughtful. A moment later, he struck his palms together and declared resolutely, "A thread of life hangs in the balance - we have no choice but to fight for it!"

  It is indeed:

  One word awakens the person from a dream.

  Beyond the spiritual root, there is another spiritual root.

  Where does the vast and profound Hong Meng come from?

  And also turn inward and examine oneself.