Song of Adolescence

Chapter 195 Dragon’s Fortune Rides the Heavens

Hundreds of years ago, Buddhism was introduced to the land from the west. Buddhist masters spread their teachings among the people and popularised their beliefs of benevolence in one’s heart. In just a few decades, they amassed countless believers. However, Daoism claimed that the element of the east was wood, which belonged to yang, and originated from Dao; the element of the west was metal, which belonged to yin, and originated from Buddhism. Those who respected yang disdained yin, and believed Daoism surpassed Buddhism. Hence, the dispute between Buddhism and Daoism began.

This dispute lasted another hundreds of years.

In the past few hundred years, those in power had mostly believed in Daoism, because Daoism emphasized longevity and Buddhism imparted asceticism, which was not popular among monarchs. Therefore, there were often brutal acts of destroying Buddhist temples. However, since Beili was established, Buddhism and Daoism were given equal standing. So, Buddhism and Daoism came under the charge of the Heavenly Revelations Court of State Ceremonial, and the person in charge was the Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial. However, this position had been left vacant for many years so it came under the jurisdiction of the Eunuch of Incense. Presently, the Court of State Ceremonial could govern Buddhism, but they did not dare to speak carelessly about Daoism. That was due to the existence of the Directorate of Astronomy in Heavenly Revelations City.

The Directorate of Astronomy was only in charge of the divination of important affairs of the imperial court. It used to be a very small department with only seven or eight people. But, ever since Qi Tianchen took over as Director of Astrology, the Emperor’s trust in the Directorate of Astronomy increased day by day. Presently, there were nearly a hundred people in the department with five designated as celestial masters. Qi Tianchen was even appointed the State Preceptor. It was said that including Qi Tianchen, all six martial experts in the Directorate of Astronomy were in the Unfettered Heavenly Realm. They were all martial experts that were hard to come by in the martial world, and were situated in the imperial capital as a deterrence to the martial world.

However, Qi Tianchen, who sounded like he was half immortal, was always kind to others and when he spoke, there was always a faint smile on his face.

"Dao is invisible and intangible, but it gives birth to all things in the world. Dao, when dispersed is defined as qi, when condensed is defined as divine. The so-called gods and immortals are also different. In the "Scriptures of the Great Peace", gods and immortals are divided into six classes." Qi Tianchen smiled as he flicked his horsetail whisk, and slowly continued, "First is a spiritual being (神人), second is a perfected being (真人), third is a transcendent being (仙人), fourth is a being of Dao (道人), fifth is a wise being (圣人), and sixth is a virtuous being (贤人). A spiritual being is in charge of Heaven, a perfected being is in charge of Earth, a transcendent being is in charge of wind and rain, a being of Dao is in charge of teaching fortune, a wise being is in charge of governing the people, a virtuous being records and assists a wise being to rule over all people, and a whole country cannot lack in any one."

The man sitting opposite Qi Tianchen began by frowning as he listened quietly, and then he became somewhat confused. "The wise being is in charge of governing the people, and the virtuous being assists the wise being. Don\'t these two positions refer to the current Emperor and the Grand Mentor in the imperial court? Are they considered immortals too?"

"That’s right. This is one of the definitions. A treasured book of our Daoism, "Chart of the Ranks and Functions of the Perfected Immortals", divides the gods into seven levels, namely: the Jade Pure One (玉清), the Supreme Pure One (上清), the Supreme Ultimate (太极), the Grand Pure One (太清), the Nine Palaces (九宫), the Grotto Heavens (洞天), the Great Yin (太阴)." Qi Tianchen raised his cup of tea and took a sip. "We have many Daoist classics about the classification and definitions of gods and immortals, and there are more than one definition. I’ve only given you two examples. If Lanyue Marquis is interested, you can stay for lunch today and I can tell you more about it. Well, I’m afraid we won’t be done by dinner either."

Lanyue Marquis was startled for a moment and he smiled wryly. "The State Preceptor should not make fun of me. The State Preceptor is highly intelligent, so I’m sure you know exactly what kind of immortal I’m asking about."

Qi Tianchen shook his head. "I’ve only heard the bare details."

Lanyue Marquis finally stopped evading and said, "I heard someone say that beyond Three Snake Islands, there is an immortal mountain named Penglai Island. There’s an immortal who lives on the island who can ascend with the wind and ride on the wind, accompanied only by heaven and earth, aging with the sun and the moon. I wonder if the State Preceptor knows this immortal?"

Qi Tianchen thought for a while and smiled. "Was it Baili Dongjun who told you?"

"It wasn’t Citymaster Baili who told me, but it was certainly heard through Citymaster Baili’s mouth," Lanyue Marquis said. "The State Preceptor has also heard of it?"

"Naturally. Baili Dongjun once told me about his experience there, but I once advised him not to return to that immortal island." Qi Tianchen finally put away his smile and his expression was serious.

"Why?" Lanyue Marquis asked.

Qi Tianchen stood up, pulled out a book from his desk, and said, "This is a treasured book from our Daoism, "The Supreme Immortal Chart". The book says "there are three ways of cultivation, and immortals are divided into five classes." The five classes of immortals are Celestial Immortal (天仙), Spirit Immortal (神仙), Earth Immortal (地仙), Human Immortal (人仙), Ghost Immortal (鬼仙)."

Lanyue Marquis was getting even more confused. "Why is the State Preceptor telling me about the Daoist classifications of immortals again? As a layman listening to your teachings, I’m mystified. I only feel like it’s something very profound and mysterious yet completely incomprehensible."

"Don\'t worry, among these five classes of immortals, you will definitely find the one you mentioned." Qi Tianchen continued, "To fly amidst the clouds, a simple matter to attain divinity, to be a Celestial Immortal, is also a cloud-flying immortal. This is a Celestial Immortal and belongs in the highest heaven of the Daoism Thirty-Six Heavens, the Great Overarching Heaven (大罗天). Naturally, he will not travel to any immortal island."

"The second classification is Spirit Immortal. They do not live nor die, they’re neither empty nor full, they’re what we call a perfected being. These immortals are invisible, but they are capable of divine transformations. They’re also not the type of immortal you’re talking about. The third classification is the Earth Immortal. In the "Supreme Immortal Chart", Earth Immortals have the abilities of Spirit Immortals but are part Spirit Immortals. They can live forever, so they’re immortals who are earthbound and travel the land at leisure. They’re in the middle classification of immortals."

"That immortal is an Earth Immortal?" Lanyue Marquis was surprised.

Qi Tianchen shook his head gently. "The Marquis need not be anxious. Below the Earth Immortal, there is the Human Immortal. Human Immortals can achieve longevity, but they have not attained enlightenment with the Great Dao. They master only one method of cultivation, but stop at that little achievement. Although they’re able to prolong their lives and can even rejuvenate to a younger state, they will eventually die. Hence, those under Earth Immortals are no longer what most people in the world think of as immortals. There are, in fact, many such Human Immortals in the world. On Qingcheng Mountain, the previous Sectmaster, Lü Suzhen, who ascended a few years ago was considered one. This one before you is also considered one."

Lanyue Marquis, who seldom showed his surprise outwardly, was well and truly shocked now. "State Preceptor, you’ve attained immortality?"

Qi Tianchen smiled and shook his head. "If we follow what’s written in the “Supreme Immortal Chart”, then I could say I’m a Human Immortal. But if we’re talking about what most people refer to as feathered immortals who ascended, those true divine immortals that ride on the wind, then I’m far, far below it. In fact, I’ve never seen one nor heard of one, and my shifu had never seen one, and the shifu of my shifu had also never seen one. But, such myths and tales of fantasy should not be carelessly spoken in the end."

"State Preceptor is saying that there are, in fact, no divine immortals in the world?" Lanyue Marquis was astonished. Such words were being said from a cultivator of Daoism, what’s more, the one saying it was the State Preceptor, the most honoured Daoist in the court.

"Our Daoism does indeed have a lot of cultivation methods. As long as you concentrate on cultivating Daoism, you can achieve great longevity. When my great grandmaster ascended, he was 170 years old, and although his hair was completely white, he still looked like a young man. As for the immortals above Human Immortals, Tianchen has not seen any, but if there truly was one in the world, it’s not impossible. For example, the so-called immortal on Penglai Island may be an Earth Immortal who really exists in the world." Qi Tianchen paused for a while. "But there is another possibility."

"What possibility?" Lanyue Marquis asked.

"He could be the sixth classification of immortals in the "Supreme Immortal Chart", the Ghost Immortal." Qi Tianchen put down his book and slowly explained, "Ghost Immortals, their appearance are undefined, they’re ghosts without family names, they have no name on the Three Mountains, and do not enter the cycle of reincarnation. Cultivators of Daoism who succumb to human desires finally descend into evil. Although they achieved divine powers, they have lost the Great Dao. They’re immortal in name but are actually ghosts. Such a person has immense divine powers, but their spirit can be lost any time, trapped in a stage where they can’t choose life nor can they choose death. Not to mention god, they’re not even human."

Lanyue Marquis sweated profusely the more he listened. When Qi Tianchen talked about the Earth Immortal, he already thought the concept ethereal and fantastical, enviable yet also fearful. But, this “Ghost Immortal” was even more frightening and unsettling. He murmured, "How can this be good?"

"Marquis, don’t panic. Ghost Immortals sound scary when you describe them. But, they’re not truly ghosts nor are they immortals. They’re but humans. They’ve just cultivated the wrong way and if there was a guide to bring them back to the right way, they can still be a benevolent person," Qi Tianchen consoled.

"Shizun, shizun." A little Daoist child suddenly ran in.

"What\'s the matter?" Qi Tianchen asked lightly.

"The Emperor, His Majesty the Emperor is here!" The little Daoist panted breathlessly.

Lanyue Marquis and Qi Tianchen exchanged a look and the Marquis laughed wryly. "My huang-xiong is also getting anxious."