Chapter 11: The Tao of Nature

  Tianyi Lao smiled at Sun Ming, while the rest of the people had expressions all over their faces, some were surprised, some were unbelievable, some were admiring, and more were disbelieving.

  "Ling Ming knows why I hurriedly asked you to come over?" Tianyi Old Ancestor said.

  "Elder, I don't know, but from your expression, it seems that I haven't made you angry," said Sun Mingdao.

  "Ling Ming, I had you come here to dispel the doubts of everyone. Your cultivation is at the foundation building stage... no, that's not right." Tian Yi Long Lao asked in doubt.

  "During the enlightenment period, it seems that refining this object has brought you many benefits. Come and tell us, as a foundation-building cultivator, why are your refined instruments more solid than those of a golden elixir cultivator? And how did you break through from the foundation-building period to the enlightenment period?" Tianyi smiled and asked.

  "It seems that the master did indeed anticipate this would happen." Sun Ming looked at the broken shield on the table, and only one "eggshell" was so eye-catching.

  "Whatever, if I'm dead, then I'm dead." Sun Ming thought to himself.

  "All of you let me, a junior who has just entered the foundation-building period, speak with you about these truths, it truly makes me feel ashamed and fearful." said Sun Mingdao.

  "Just say it if you want to, stop being so nagging." Ling Yu said with a bad tone seeing that the first prize which was supposed to be his went to Sun Ming instead, someone he looked down on as "trash".

  "It's just that, maybe it was just a temporary luck. " Ling Xing said disdainfully, with a look of contempt in his eyes.

  "Alright, be quiet for a moment, Meng? You try to deceive me." Tian said.

  Seeing everyone stop talking, Tianyi elder said: "Lingming, you tell everyone."

  "Today, most of the shields that everyone has been crafting are following the old habits and conventions, but I was just participating in the competition with an attitude of just trying it out, so I didn't deliberately follow any rules. I just had an attitude of trying to see what would happen when crafting this shield." Sun Ming said.

  "You say we're stuck in our ways, does that mean all the ancestors and predecessors were wrong?" Ling Xing said with a furious expression. It seemed she didn't want to miss any opportunity to strike at Sun Ming.

  "Of course not, Ling Xing Shijie. I was just trying it out. Besides, didn't those seniors before us experiment countless times when creating each new instrument?" Sun Mingdao said.

  "All right, Ling Xing, don't say anything else, let Ling Ming continue." Tian Yi elder said.

  Ling Xing's words were cut off and she could only glare venomously at Sun Ming, no longer speaking.

  Sun Ming seemed to be enjoying Ling Xing's gaze and took a step forward, saying.

  "The shape of this eggshell is curved evenly and symmetrically. When a certain part of the outer shell receives pressure, it is transmitted evenly to the surrounding parts, reducing the impact effect. That's why I forged such a shape." said Sun Mingdao.

  "And I chose copper and green turquoise instead of the more durable xuan iron and secret silver because these two materials can be both hard and soft, and when placed together, they produce a more stable effect." said Sun Mingdao.

  "Ling Ming, you've just entered the inner sect today. How do you know the properties and names of these materials so well? Where did you learn them from?" Ling Yu asked. As soon as he spoke, the murmurs in the hall grew louder again.

  "That's right, outer sect disciples aren't allowed to learn artifact refinement before entering the inner sect. Where did this Ling Ming learn it from?" asked Disciple Jia of the Lingzi generation.

  "That's right, could he be a spy from another school." said Ling Zi's junior brother Yi.

  "Lingming, you explain it to everyone." Tianyi Elder said.

  "Yes, outer disciples can't learn to refine equipment, but in the book pavilion on Qishen Mountain where outer disciples live, there are some books that record some basic materials for refining equipment. I learned this part from there, and both Shifu Lingyuan and Shifu Lingfeng can testify for me." After speaking, Sun Ming nodded at Lingyuan and Lingfeng.

  "In fact, I can prove that Ling Ming has been the most diligent disciple of the outer sect in recent years. Not only does he work hard to cultivate himself, but he also often enters and exits the library." said Ling Feng.

  "It's true, during the Outer Gate Grand Competition, Ling Ming used his own Cold Sparrow Sword to cut off my Cold Sparrow Sword." said Ling Yuan.

  Ling Yuan's words caused a stir around him, and everyone couldn't help but wonder "Is this still the same person who only had one star of heavenly fire elemental power?"

  "Alright, the question is settled, Lingming you continue from here." Tian said.

  "The cultivation methods of the Cultivators are diverse, our Qī Líng Zōng focuses on refining artifacts to attain enlightenment. While refining artifacts, we also increase our cultivation level. Our ancestor, the founder of Qī Líng Zōng, was exceptionally talented and made us juniors admire him." Sun Ming spoke fluently. At this time, Tiān Yī Lǎo Zhě also nodded slightly in agreement.

  "What is referred to as the Three Thousand Great Ways, every one of them can become the Way. This egg is a manifestation of a kind of reproductive method in the natural world, it is a manifestation of the simplicity of the Great Way." - Sun Mingdao.

  "What a great phrase, 'Three thousand grand roads, every single one can become the Way, a good phrase is the most simple and direct way.' Tianyi Zi said with a big smile on his face."

  "Unexpectedly, Lingming, your cultivation is not high, but your understanding of the Great Dao makes me feel ashamed." Tianyi said.

  "How dare I, how dare I? How can I compare with the seniors? This is just some of my own thoughts." said Sun Mingdao.

  "Good apprentice, my uncle's teachings have become yours, you really..." Yun Zhongzi said with a smile.

  "Master, you've rested enough. I'm saying this on behalf of my uncle and the others, so it's not disrespect to them." Sun Ming thought to himself with a smile, addressing Yun Zhongzi.

  "Whatever, it's not like I can go back anyway. Let's just forget about the gratitude and resentment between us as master and disciple. You want to use me however you want? My Master Uncle won't come here to punish you, haha." Yun Zhongzi laughed.

  "Go on," said Tian Yidao.

  "Yes, elder, I think the Heavenly Way is vast and boundless, calm and unmoving, bestowing its blessings on the world without seeking reward, nurturing all things without seeking to possess them. The virtue of Heaven is light and clear, high and bright, calm and subtle, so the three lights shine constantly, and the four seasons follow in order.

  The Earth follows the virtue of Heaven, embracing the mysterious and the yellow, with yin and yang in harmony. Therefore, it can bring to completion the forms of all things, fulfill the substance of all things, all being the transformation of the Earth's Way following the Heavenly Way, completing the birth and nurturing of Heaven.

  So it is said that "the Earth follows Heaven". Heaven follows the Way, the Way having no form or name, no sound or smell, being utterly subtle and wonderful. Heaven, Earth, humans, and all things are all born from the Great Way, nurtured to completion by the Great Way, so the Great Way is the mother of Heaven, Earth, and all things.

  If Heaven did not follow the Way, yin and yang would not be able to ascend or descend, transformation would not be able to respond. Therefore, the Great Way flows through the three talents, transforms within the universe, establishes the nature of all things, fulfills the destiny of all things, ending and beginning all things, all being the wonderful workings of Heaven following the Way.

  So it is said that "Heaven follows the Way"."

  Tian Yi seemed to be thinking of something, while most of the others looked bewildered.

  "Seemingly enlightened, Tianyi continued to speak."

  "The power of the Tao is endless, constantly generating and regenerating, giving birth to heaven and earth, ghosts and gods, emperors and saints. All are differentiated by the natural function of the Tao, without any artificial factors. The Tao is a natural power that operates spontaneously, it has no why, nor is it for anything, it simply is, originally still, without beginning or end, without before or after, without birth or destruction; yet from this non-birth and non-destruction, the universe, heaven and earth, and all living things were naturally created, forming the natural phenomenon of endless birth and death. This is what is meant by 'the Tao models itself on nature'." - Sun Mingdao

  "We cultivate the Refining Instrument not just for greater power, but to comprehend the ultimate principles of heaven and earth through refinement, thereby enhancing our cultivation. This time's grand competition, defense, I originally didn't plan on participating, but Elder gave a precondition that no array formations could be added. I think the only area where I'm inferior to these inner sect disciples is in array formations, so I decided to participate in the trial. Although for me, there's almost no advantageous aspect, I believe that success, whether it's for humans or cultivators, always emerges from adversity." - Sun Mingdao

  "A good sentence, success is grown in adversity, if you haven't already joined the Xuan Kong Sect, I would have taken you as my personal disciple." Tian Yi said. As soon as he spoke, it immediately caused a commotion below.

  "Ling Ming, you continue," Tian Yi asked, "how is this faint earth-attribute spiritual energy constantly entering the interior of this shield?"

  "It's actually able to withstand the full force of a Yuan Ying period disciple's attack without being damaged, at the very least it's a spiritual artifact level treasure. That you, an opening period disciple, were able to refine it is quite astonishing." Tian Yi said.

  "Elder, I'm not quite clear about this myself. Just now when I successfully refined it, I only felt the spiritual energy of heaven and earth rushing into my body, and then I broke through in a daze." Sun Ming said with a foolish expression.

  "This yellow earth attribute spiritual energy is also related to this, and it may also be related to the copper essence at that time. I'm not clear about it either. Now, if you ask me to refine a shield that is exactly the same, I dare say that I won't be able to do it." Sun Ming said.

  "Ah, it seems that Lingming has entered the legendary state of enlightenment. It's extremely difficult to encounter such a state. If I were in his shoes, I'd probably be able to enter the Tribulation period by now." He said with a hint of envy as he gazed at Sun Ming.

  "Elder, I have decided not to participate in the next Great Competition." Sun Mingdao

  "Why?" Tian asked.

  "This round I won was purely accidental, the later questions will be more and more difficult, if I participate again it would be self-deception." said Sun Mingdao.

  "Good, good, good!" Tianyi elder said three "good"s in a row.

  "It's cowardly to know what can be done but not do it, and it's arrogant to know what can't be done but try anyway. You've achieved such a great victory, yet you're willing to give up the temptation and stop abruptly - you're truly a good child." The Heavenly Elder looked at Sun Ming with kindness, as if looking at his own grandson, causing a wave of jealousy among the others in the square.

  "Ah, Xuan Kong, you've taken in a good disciple." Tian Yi looked at Xuan Kong with a complex expression.

  "Thank you, elder, for the compliment." Xuan Kong said. The fellow disciples who came with him were all filled with regret and self-reproach, wondering why they hadn't discovered Sun Ming's hidden talent back then.

  "Lingming, don't worry, after this grand competition ends, I will definitely ask the sect leader to give you a chance to enter the Wuji Pavilion." Tianyi said.