Chapter 55 of 100
Chapter 55
17 min read4,234 words
"Master, what do you need?" Although it was just a moment, Yang Zhen had already thought rapidly, pondering ways to deal with Laozi.
"Sit down first!" Laozi pointed to the mat in front of him and said to Yang Zhen.
After Yang Zhen sat down, Laozi began, "Have you ever heard of the war between the Witches and the Demons in ancient times?"
"I've heard my master mention it!" Yang Zhen couldn't guess Laozi's intentions, so he could only temporarily go along with Laozi, remaining calm and adaptable.
Laozi nodded, of course knowing who Yang Zhen's master was. He didn't say more but directly asked Yang Zhen, "Do you know why, after that initial battle, both the Witch and Demon races were severely weakened, almost to the point of extinction? But today, the Witch race has vanished, while the Demon race remains active in the primordial world, even after the two great calamities of the Witch-Demon War and the Divine Sealing War, the Demon race has not been eradicated. Do you know the reason for this?"
Yang Zhen glanced at Laozi, not expecting him to ask this question. He replied, "It's probably due to reproduction. Among all things in heaven and earth, mountains, stones, grass, trees, birds, and beasts, once they gain intelligence and begin to cultivate, they are considered part of the Demon race. In this way, although the human race is the main character of heaven and earth, the number of the Demon race is not less than that of the human race. However, the process of gaining intelligence for the Demon race is extremely difficult, so they gradually lost their status as the main character of heaven and earth.
In comparison, the Witch race is much worse. The Witch race has difficulty reproducing and is very warlike, not knowing that each death means a loss. After several major battles, of course, they could only face extinction."
Yang Zhen spoke with enthusiasm, giving Laozi a biology lesson on the role of reproduction.
The reason Yang Zhen gave was something Laozi had never thought of. After all, the eras they lived in were different, and the education they received was also different. According to Laozi's thinking, it should be that the Demon race was stronger, had more fortune, and had the Sage Nüwa, which ensured their survival.
But upon careful thought, what Yang Zhen said was not without reason. The Demon race not only has a wide variety of species, but their reproduction rate is hundreds of times faster than that of the Witch race. This makes sense.
However, Laozi thought that if he let this little cat get away with it, today's meeting would be for nothing. So Laozi narrowed his eyes and said calmly, "You, little cat, have some insight, but there are some things your master may not have told you."
"I would like to hear more!" Yang Zhen said.
"The path of cultivation for the Demon race is extremely difficult, but the Heavenly Dao is fair. The more you put in, the more you get. Since the Heavenly Dao has set such a high threshold for the Demon race, it will make up for it in other ways," Laozi explained.
"Can it be said that the Heavenly Dao, while closing a door, also leaves a window open?" Yang Zhen asked.
"It can also be said that way!" Laozi replied.
Sighing silently, Yang Zhen said dejectedly, "But I find that the Heavenly Dao not only closed the door but didn't even leave a window for me."
Smiling slightly, Laozi said, "No, because the bodies of the Demon race are different from humans, when the Demon race undergoes the heavenly tribulation and transforms into human form, they will develop a unique skill from their original form, which the Demon race calls 'Innate Skill.' Since you, little cat, are a Demon, you can cultivate the Innate Skill, which is an advantage of the Demon race."
"Innate Skill?" Yang Zhen was somewhat excited. Could it be that Laozi was going to teach him the method of cultivating the Innate Skill? That would be a pleasant surprise.
After all, Yang Zhen had been in the primordial world for over three hundred years and had heard of the Demon race's 'Innate Skill.' Although the Innate Skill is powerful, it is extremely difficult to cultivate. Without a cultivation method, it would be hard to comprehend it in a lifetime.
"To cultivate the Innate Skill, you must first undergo the heavenly tribulation and transform into human form. Although you are already in human form, that is only due to your master's spell. If you want to cultivate the Innate Skill, you must first pass the heavenly tribulation and achieve human form," Laozi said.
"What?" Yang Zhen was startled, not realizing that his current form was just a spell cast by Master Subhuti.
Knowing this, Yang Zhen hurriedly asked, "But my cultivation has already reached the Third Rank of the Great Immortal, and according to reason, I should have already undergone the heavenly tribulation. Why have I not felt any signs of it yet?" This was the most puzzling thing for Yang Zhen.
"That's because of your original form," Laozi explained. "When I first met you, I felt that your original form was quite extraordinary. Although it is not a primordial beast, it has a remarkable aura. In the Demon race, the purer the bloodline, the higher the cultivation required to undergo the heavenly tribulation. In my view, you will have to wait until you reach the Golden Immortal realm to undergo the heavenly tribulation."
"I see!"
...
When Yang Zhen left the Heavenly Palace, the mortal world was just beginning to see the sunrise.
In the early morning, a ray of light came from the east, and a red sun slowly rose above the horizon.
Quietly watching the rising sun, Yang Zhen's handsome face showed a mix of confusion and excitement. What would this new day bring?
Reflecting on the conversation with Laozi in the Jade Purity Palace, Yang Zhen felt he had gained a lot. Laozi not only taught him the method of cultivating the Innate Skill but also guided him in cultivation, showing him great favor.
But Yang Zhen couldn't figure out Laozi's true intentions.
From the original "Journey to the West," Laozi not only let Sun Wukong eat his Nine-Turn Golden Elixir but also helped him cultivate the "Fire-Eye Golden Vision" skill, giving Sun Wukong great benefits. Even after Yang Zhen's穿越 (time travel), this remained unchanged.
Just now, Laozi taught Yang Zhen the method of cultivating the 'Innate Skill' and guided him in cultivation, treating him extremely well.
This made Yang Zhen suspect Laozi's intentions. Was he deliberately helping the disciple of Master Subhuti, or did he have another purpose, or was it just a coincidence?
This was precisely what Yang Zhen couldn't understand. Laozi was an incarnation of a Sage, and if he personally got involved in scheming, it couldn't be ignored.
Although the Sage Laozi advocates non-action, this is what makes him the most terrifying, making it impossible to guess his true intentions. People can only act according to the script designed by Laozi, often without realizing they have been tricked.
Yang Zhen didn't think a small 'Journey to the West' event was worth such a grand effort by the Sage Laozi.
So what is his true purpose?
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