Chapter 83: The Patriarch Awakens

As the saying goes, “Many hands make light work.” With the combined efforts of so many cultivators, the pure, primordial vital energy that was born from their shared insight into the Dao, emerging from the void, astounded Hua Feng and the others, while slowly mending the parched fissures deep within Zhang Sanfeng’s meridians and dantian.

Inside the Wudang Sect’s audience hall, over a hundred people had participated in the transformation array designed to generate vital energy from nothingness. This included not just Wudang’s own strength, but also experts from various allied sects who had come to assist. They pushed the power of the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation and the essence of Taiji to their absolute limits.

Yet, the energy required to heal a Grandmaster of the Yuan Sage level was beyond extraordinary.

“The Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of all things. Therefore, ever without desire, one can see the mystery; ever with desire, one can see the manifestations. These two emerge together yet differ in name; together they are called the profound, the most profound of the profound, the gateway to all mysteries.

All under Heaven know beauty as beauty, and thus ugliness exists. All know good as good, and thus non-good exists. Therefore, being and non-being give birth to each other; difficult and easy complement each other; long and short define each other; high and low lean on each other; sound and silence harmonize; front and back follow each other. Thus, the sage acts without action, teaches without words; all things rise and he does not refuse them, he creates but does not possess, works but does not claim credit, achieves but does not dwell. Because he does not dwell, his merit never departs.

…

The Dao is empty yet inexhaustible; profound, it is like the ancestor of all things. It blunts the sharp, unravels the tangled, softens the light, merges with the dust; tranquil, it seems ever-present. I do not know whose child it is, but it appears to precede even the Lord of Heaven and Earth.

Heaven and Earth are not benevolent; they treat all things as straw dogs. The sage is not benevolent; he treats the people as straw dogs. Is not the space between Heaven and Earth like a bellows? Empty, yet never exhausted; the more it moves, the more comes out. Many words hasten exhaustion; better to hold to the center.

The valley spirit never dies; this is called the mysterious feminine. The gate of the mysterious feminine is called the root of Heaven and Earth. It is continuous, seemingly ever-present, and its use never fails.

Heaven is long and Earth is enduring. The reason Heaven and Earth can be long and enduring is because they do not live for themselves; thus they can long endure. Therefore, the sage puts himself last and finds himself in front; he is detached and yet preserved. Is it not because he is selfless that he fulfills himself?

…A hall filled with gold and jade cannot be guarded forever; better to quit while ahead. Wealth and pride beget disaster. Achieving merit and retiring—this is the way of Heaven.

…This is called the form without form, the image without substance; elusive and indistinct. Approach it and you do not see its head; follow it and you do not see its back. Hold to the ancient Dao to manage present affairs; knowing the ancient origin is called the thread of the Dao.”

The chanting of the Dao De Jing by the assembled crowd continued in the hall. After ten repetitions, the radiance emanating from each person gradually became more and more tangible. Hua Feng, Yichenzi, Dan Qiusheng, and the others dared not slacken, relentlessly compressing the vital energy within the stream guided by Yichenzi until it was as fine as a strand of hair. This was then transformed into a liquid current of vital energy as it entered Zhang Sanfeng’s meridians and dantian, flowing into every corner of his body that needed repair.

This method closely resembled intravenous infusion in medicine; to those like Hua Feng, who had never witnessed such a healing technique, it was a revelation. Who knew vital energy could be used in such a way? It was truly marvelous!

Behind the screen, Zhang Sanfeng’s breathing grew steadier. The vital energy imbued with the power of the Dao, evoked by the chanting of so many masters, manifested as countless golden threads of script, weaving delicately to mend the old and new wounds left by centuries spent tracking the Qiongqi, matching wits and courage with the beast.

After a while, Yichenzi, whose spiritual sense had remained focused on Zhang Sanfeng, detected changes in his internal energy.

“Disband the array!”

At Yichenzi’s command, Hua Feng, Dan Qiusheng, Master Zhang of the Celestial Masters’ Sect, the Shaolin abbot Liaoran, the head of the Xiaoyao Sect, and the others slowly withdrew the stream of vital energy under Yichenzi’s lead. The rest of the assembly also ceased gathering and channeling their energy.

“Senior, how is Master Zhang?” Hua Feng stepped forward to inquire.

Yichenzi looked up and saw the faint mark of the Flame Emperor on the young man’s brow, recognizing him as the newly appointed chivalrous leader of the Peasant School and the current heir of the Flame Emperor. “He is fine. He should awaken shortly. My thanks to the Peasant School and to all our fellow Daoists!” Yichenzi clasped his hands and bowed deeply to everyone.

“You are too polite, Master Yichenzi. We did little; as long as Master Zhang is well, it is a blessing for the martial world and for China as a whole,” Dan Qiusheng said, helping Yichenzi up.

“Thanks to all of you for aiding Wudang. Ruoshui, go fetch one hundred each of the Blood Vitality Pills, Soaring Dragon Pills, and Marrow Restoration Pills I have refined, and distribute them among our fellow Daoists and comrades. Please take a moment to meditate and recover on the mats here in the hall while I go to check on the Patriarch.”

These pills, unique to Wudang’s alchemical arts, were renowned for greatly aiding the younger disciples’ cultivation. Except for a handful of sects with similar medicines, such as the Xiaoyao Sect and the Celestial Masters’ Sect, most were deeply grateful for Yichenzi’s generous gifts. After all, they had only answered the Dao Alliance’s call and contributed little effort themselves.

Lin Ruoshui rose and led several junior disciples to the alchemy room.

“Please, Master, as you wish,” the assembly responded, cupping their hands in return.