Chapter 29: What Is the True Way of Heaven and Earth! (Part One)

Chapter 29: What Is the True Way of Heaven and Earth!

Lu Jin collapsed onto the ground, his eyes vacant, bereft of hope for life. Why had things turned out this way?

He was utterly perplexed—by all rights, he was considered one of the top talents among the younger generation. If not the absolute best, he was certainly among the elite. He had recently gained the guidance of a master versed in the primordial qi, and with these two blessings combined, he ought to have twice the happiness… twice the joy. So why had it all become like this?

Zheng Zha could not bear to watch any longer. He walked over and patted Lu Jin’s shoulder, sighing, “Lu, don’t overthink it. You and I, in the eyes of ordinary cultivators, are already freaks.”

“But this one is a freak among freaks. Don’t judge him by human standards.”

“Even if I were to challenge him, the outcome would likely be the same.”

As the saying goes, comparing oneself to others only brings grief. Though his own situation was pitiful, discovering someone equally miserable brought him a measure of solace.

Lu Jin lifted his eyelids, slowly regaining his senses. He asked weakly, trembling, “You too, just one slap?!”

Zheng Zha’s face darkened instantly. He had tried to comfort Lu Jin, only to have his own wounds reopened.

What’s the point of keeping such friends around—waiting for the New Year together? Speaking of which, the New Year was indeed approaching.

Should he invite Luo Feng to stay, so that the entire Shangqing Sect could enjoy the holiday as a family?

This thought flitted through Zheng Zha’s mind.

After a while, Luo Feng came back to himself, and Lu Jin had recovered his breath.

“How do you feel?” Luo Feng asked with a smile, pulling Lu Jin up and dusting him off.

“Thank you for your guidance, senior. I am thoroughly convinced,” Lu Jin replied.

Though barely in his twenties, Lu Jin’s fair face was solemn and sincere, his tone unusually respectful.

He was at an age when pride should run high, yet he did not take his loss as a blow to his dignity, nor did he blame others.

Luo Feng nodded. Though Lu Jin’s abilities were somewhat lacking, the fact that he could embody sincerity was rare.

He decided to offer Lu Jin some advice.

“We are friends brought together by fate, and our exchange was merely for mutual improvement, nothing more. But if, one day, you face an enemy as strong as I am, what should you do?”

Luo Feng asked pointedly.

Zheng Zha silently grumbled to himself: There’s no one in this world as absurdly powerful as you. Strength unmatched, yet ever cautious.

He suspected that Luo Feng was no longer a mere cultivator, but rather a practitioner from ancient times.

If one really encountered such an opponent, one might as well sit and await death.

Compared to Zheng Zha, Lu Jin was like a pure, innocent rabbit. Faced with the question from his senior, he pondered briefly.

Then, he clasped his fists and declared with righteous fervor, “Though my skills may be inferior, I will never bow my head, nor kneel in submission. I will fight to the death, honoring the teachings of my sect and preserving my family’s dignity!”

“Wrong!” Luo Feng shouted, shaking his head and sighing, clearly disappointed by Lu Jin’s uprightness.

“What did you mean, senior?” Lu Jin asked hesitantly.

“If the enemy is weak, hide and seek them out, find their associates, and eliminate them all at once.

If the enemy is strong, withdraw and conceal yourself, seek out your elders and friends.

If the enemy is even stronger, hide your presence, seek the true way, and bide your time.

If the enemy is inhuman, retreat to the mountains, survive for a hundred years, and dance on their graves.”

Luo Feng spoke earnestly; these were hard-won lessons that he rarely shared.

“Senior, isn’t this a loss of integrity? How can a cultivator submit to the enemy?” Lu Jin exclaimed in surprise.

Everything Luo Feng said contradicted what he had been taught by his elders.

“You are mistaken,” Luo Feng replied with a hearty laugh, wagging his finger.

“Let me ask you: Is it easier to engage in a life-or-death struggle with your enemy, or to temporarily retreat?”

Without hesitation, Lu Jin answered, “Naturally, it is easier to fight to the death and defend the true way.”

Luo Feng nodded. “As you said, choosing to fight to the death is easier. But, Lu Jin, do you know? True strength is about facing difficulties head-on, enduring the harsh scrutiny and biting remarks of the world.”

“Throughout history, how many masters lived ordinary lives? The deeds of the grandmasters of every generation were astonishing. As they say, one cannot reach enlightenment without madness; to shock the world is no vain death, and those who are never envied are mediocre.”

Lu Jin stood as if struck by lightning, stunned.

Luo Feng’s words were entirely contrary to the principles Lu Jin had always held, and in many ways, they violated his beliefs. Yet, upon reflection, there seemed to be some truth in them.

This…

Seeing Lu Jin absorb his words, Luo Feng nodded with satisfaction.

Lu Jin’s uprightness had disappointed him, but not to the point of despair.

After a moment, Luo Feng decided to further challenge Lu Jin’s understanding.

“Lu Jin, I know that what I say differs from the true way you hold in your heart. But I ask you to consider one more thing.”

“If one day you fall to your enemy, what expression will your foes wear? And what grief will your family, juniors, and friends endure?”

“If, instead, you face your enemy, preserve the spark of hope, protect your disciples and allies, deliver the crucial intelligence, and, when the evil path is on the verge of victory, strike the fatal blow—would that not be a great joy?”

Once again, Luo Feng’s words opened new horizons for Lu Jin.

There was a certain logic to what his senior said.

No one wished for their loved ones to suffer and their enemies to rejoice.

Finally, Luo Feng delivered the decisive lesson: “Retreat is not shameful. A well-executed retreat deserves praise, just as a great victory does.”

“A strategic retreat is a move taken for the greater good, a well-considered action, a necessary prelude to a counterattack!”

“In truth, retreat is not always defeat—it requires great wisdom. Sometimes, a strategic withdrawal leads to success. When faced with choices, we must learn to let go. Letting go does not mean failure.”

“An ancient sage once said: ‘If you keep the land but lose the people, you lose both. If you keep the people but lose the land, both will be preserved.’”

What is the true way of heaven and earth?

This is the true way of heaven and earth!

For a long time, Lu Jin pondered deeply, then nodded.

He understood!

“Thank you for your guidance, senior!”

Luo Feng graciously accepted Lu Jin’s bow.

He hoped that, thanks to these words, the San Yi Sect would survive this ordeal.

After all, there were few left who cultivated the primordial qi.

Luo Feng longed for the day he could exchange insights with the San Yi Sect, explore the path of the physical body, and reach the peak of cultivation.

…

Luo Feng lingered at the Shangqing Sect for several days, unconcerned. Compared to his hometown, the spiritual energy here was abundant, making it more suitable for cultivation.

Lu Jin, however, could not stay. Though a disciple of the San Yi Sect and the young master of the Lu family, he was young and already burdened with many affairs.

As he prepared to depart, Lu Jin seemed hesitant, causing Zheng Zha to grow impatient. “If you have something to say, spit it out! Don’t dawdle like an old woman.”

Lu Jin smiled awkwardly, then bowed to Luo Feng and asked, “May I ask, senior…”

[Second chapter will be posted tonight, third chapter at midnight]
[Thanks to Frostfall Feather for the five hundred reward]
[Thanks to Persian Who Eats Oranges for the one hundred reward]
[Thanks to Emperor Gou for the one hundred reward]
(End of chapter)