Chapter 363 - Ignorance

Even the favored legitimate youngest son of the Li family, such as Li Longchuan, would probably get his head bashed in by Old Lady Li if he dared to change his own name in the family register.Yet Li Fengyao managed to do just that.

Not to mention his ambition, his capability was certainly extraordinary.

Jiang Wang could only sigh, “He’s someone with lofty aspirations!”

Xu Xiangqian knew that Jiang Wang had come to Linzi for important matters and naturally wouldn’t entice him to go off and frolic elsewhere.

They left the bustling Changhua Avenue and went their separate ways.

For Jiang Wang, the purpose of his trip to deliver gifts had been achieved, and he had not failed the trust placed in him.

The Zhong Xuan Family had in the Qi capital their own Marquis of Bowang mansion, grand and noble, yet…

With Zhongxuan Zun present, Zhongxuan Sheng naturally wouldn’t move in to add to his own troubles.

During earlier visits to Linzi for social interactions, the chubby man had spent a hefty sum to purchase a luxurious residence solely for entertaining and feasting.

However, lacking in noble and historical lineage, such a mansion was grand but in the eyes of the true aristocracy, it ultimately came up short in heritage.

From this, one could glimpse the disparity within the family between Zhongxuan Zun and Zhongxuan Sheng.

Zhongxuan Zun was already seen as the young master of Marquis of Bowang’s mansion, while Zhongxuan Sheng, though he held a distinguished status within the mansion, was, after all, always one step behind in all matters.

Linzi had seven famous scenic spots known collectively, with “Maple Glows and Twilight” being one of them.

Zhongxuan Sheng’s private residence was located near the famed Xiashan Mountain, far exceeding the value of ordinary opulent homes and could be considered extravagant.

Bearing Zhongxuan Zun at the forefront, he couldn’t make the most of the Marquis of Bowang’s name to his advantage but could only try to display his own strengths.

Wealth was one such strength.

When Jiang Wang arrived at this mansion, Zhongxuan Sheng had not yet returned.

But the servants in the house had long been instructed and naturally did not neglect him.

Xiashan Mountain was not named for its dawn or dusk glows but because the mountain was covered with red maples that bloomed like an evening glow, hence named “Xiashan.”

It was said that on every year’s Mid-Autumn evening, looking from afar at Xiashan, one could see the evening sky’s rosy clouds perfectly blending with the red maples of Xiashan, creating a spectacular sight.

As one complemented the other, lighting up in red splendor, it was hence called “Maple Glows and Twilight.”

The room where Jiang Wang stayed had a window that opened to a view of Xiashan Mountain, which was undoubtedly an excellent spot,

however…

This inevitably reminded him of the maple forest outside Fenglin City, and of the people inside Fenglin City.

He had once unsheathed his sword among the drifting maple leaves to dance, a pure time that’s hard to come by again.

In the blink of an eye, years had passed, and those who were once by his side…

Jiang Wang stood by the window, his gaze distant and unfocused.

The tiger was in the army, fortunately having avoided that disaster, but there was no further contact since then.

Little Qingyu was fostered at Lingxiao Pavilion, and no matter how devoted Ye Qingyu was, with her tiny sensitive heart, she couldn’t avoid feeling bewildered.

Yet he himself couldn’t claim to have a stable foothold at present, with everything he had liable to be lost at any time.

No matter how reluctant his heart was, he couldn’t bring her over…

The evening breeze made the maple leaves rustle, and from a distance, they looked like waves in a red sea.

Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching quickly.

Thinking of this, Jiang Wang closed the window.

He sat back on the couch and began to explore the Five Mansions Sea.

Because time was too short, and the urge to bring Qingyu back as soon as possible was too urgent, he could hardly afford much time for sentimentality.

The greatest advantage of the Heaven and Earth Lonely Island’s vast expanse was most directly manifested when navigating the Ascending Dragon Realm through the obscure mist, where one could more clearly sense the position of Heaven and Earth Lonely Island.

Due to its vastness, it was hard to get lost.

His mind sunk into the Ascending Dragon Dao Spiral, and as usual, he started by organizing Tongtian Palace itself.

A “guest” resided in Tongtian Palace, so he had to be this cautious.

The Star Python affectionately coiled around a few times, then went on to traverse the Star River Dao Spiral again.

Jiang Yan remained as stable as Mount Tai, while Dark Candle was very well-behaved.

Exploring within the fog of ignorance feels quite wonderful.

The entire Tongtian Palace began to move in the form of the Ascending Dragon Realm’s Dao veins, with the mind controlling them, becoming one with the dragon.

As such, he could keenly feel the constant erosion of the fog of ignorance upon the “body of the ascending dragon.”

He needed to continuously mobilize Path Origin to repair the eroded parts, while remembering the sensation of the journey, constantly exploring “forward”.

Because in the fog of ignorance, there were no such things as directions; naturally, there was no before or after, no left or right.

However, as cultivators do not wish to get lost, they often need to imagine a direction for themselves.

Jiang Wang, being outside the massive Heaven and Earth Lonely Island and having the Divine Power Seed as a beacon, had a somewhat clearer sense of “direction.”

Struggling against the fog of ignorance was something that ran through the entire process of cultivating in the Ascending Dragon Realm.

Given the scale of Jiang Wang’s Heaven and Earth Lonely Island and the beacon formed by the Divine Power Seed, this process was much safer for him than for the average cultivator.

But Jiang Wang still set a relatively high alert line for himself, and as soon as the reserve of Path Origin reached this alert line and the repair speed began to lag behind the erosion rate, he would immediately return.

At that time, his essence, qi, and spirit were still sufficient to support a battle on the spiritual soul level.

In other words, he had specifically reserved a margin to deal with Jiang Yan.

Some cultivators say that the process of traversing the fog of ignorance is a process of imbuing one’s Path Origin into the fog.

This statement is not without reason.

The Dao vein of the Ascending Dragon itself becomes a “battlefield” between the cultivator’s Path Origin and the fog of ignorance, amidst the constant erosion and repair.

Path Origin itself is not just a simple sublimation of qi and blood, but a perfect fusion of intention and power, the living being’s real feedback to the primordial source of heaven and earth.

It is the beginning of the great Dao and the foundation of all cultivation.

As for the fog of ignorance that confounds the three souls and blinds the seven senses, it is the corrosion and hindrance to cultivation.

What is “ignorance?”

It is the unenlightened, the foolish.

In fact, it is also the most primitive state!

A person’s cultivation begins with Path Origin.

The term “Path Origin” itself implies “the beginning of the Dao.” In a sense, it is Path Origin that ends ignorance!

Therefore, when a cultivator can complete the exploration of the Five Mansions within the fog of ignorance, lock onto the positions of the Five Mansions one by one, and thoroughly clear the influence of the fog of ignorance, they have effectively achieved “enlightenment” for themselves.

Gaining control of their own body, having their own “room,” they can then work from the inside out.

Thus, the realm following the Ascending Dragon Realm is called the Inner Mansion Realm!

Buddhism often likens the mortal world to the sea of suffering, viewing the human body as a solitary boat.

In cultivation, it speaks of navigating one’s own Dao veins, exploring the Five Mansion Sea amidst the fog of ignorance.

It discusses the cultivation of the Ascending Dragon Realm.

The saying, “The body is like the Bodhi tree, the mind like a bright mirror stand.

Always strive to wipe it clean, let no dust alight,” explicates that in this process, one must constantly repair oneself, not allowing the Ascending Dragon’s Dao veins to become too tainted by “dust” and ultimately lost in the fog of ignorance.

Of course, there are also those naturally enlightened Bodhisattvas who claim, “Originally not a single thing existed, where could the dust alight?” For them, the fog of ignorance might as well not exist.

But for the average cultivator, this doesn’t hold much relevance.

And Confucianist Gate says, “If a man cannot sweep his own house, how can he sweep the world?”

In terms of cultivation, it means that if one cannot clear one’s own state of ignorance and achieve self “enlightenment,” then one is not fit to instruct the masses.

What’s described here is the threshold to entering the Inner Mansion Realm.

When Zhongxuan Sheng returned, night had fallen.

He came back reeking of alcohol, his face weary.

Yet as soon as he arrived home, dismissed the servants, and entered Jiang Wang’s room, his eyes suddenly opened wide, and his tired expression vanished.

“How did today’s proceedings go?” Jiang Wang asked, while slowly finishing his practice.

Zhongxuan Sheng replied in a deep voice, “Very full, very dirty!”

As the Dao vein of the Ascending Dragon emerged from the fog of ignorance and returned to the Heaven and Earth Lonely Island, Jiang Wang retracted his focus.

“What happened?”

Zhongxuan Sheng spoke discontentedly, yet his face was smiling, “I’ve faced rejection all day, a nose full of soot!”