Chapter 698: The Battle of the Great Road

 In the Third Ancestor Pagoda, Li Qing continued to demonstrate his powerful magical powers, including the Nine Immortal Sealing Seals, the Anti-Ancient, the Death Word Jue... and even Hongtian's own Hongchen Dao Jue.

Hongtian, who has completed the path of true immortality, has not yet created the complete art of the world of mortals, but all kinds of methods have the aura of the world of mortals and are extremely powerful.

 In the early Yuan Dynasty, it was easier to enlighten to Tao, and the understanding of Tao was deeper. Some extremely powerful methods were created. Some methods were difficult for Li Qing to handle, but his Flowing Moon Steps could solve all kinds of methods.

Li Qing's "Death" trick was difficult for Hongtian to deal with, so he also used clever ways to avoid it.

The literary fight lasted for sixteen days, with both sides going back and forth, showing off their magical powers. Li Qing lamented that he had met a good opponent. Hongtian was worthy of being the first person in the early Yuan Dynasty. In the literary fight between the two, there was no clear winner. burden.

"I can't take away this third treasure." Li Qing stopped and stopped showing his magical power. If the fight continued, he would not be able to defeat Hongtian.

Hongtian didn't want to end it easily. He smiled and said: "In terms of magical powers, you and I are indeed indistinguishable, but we have not yet decided on the path. You said that the path you seek is the strongest path in all eternity."

“It just so happens that I think so too. We should work together on the Dao concept.”

 The way is divided into high and low... Li Qing pondered, he believed that the way respects people and is invincible.

“Then the Tao respects the superior and the inferior!” Li Qing nodded. The fundamental principle is that there is no distinction between superior and inferior. What the two sides need to distinguish is that Tao respects people and humans respect both Tao and Tao.

 Through previous duels, both sides have a very good understanding of their respective nine avenues.

 Outside the Third Ancestor Pagoda, the four creatures Hong, Pan, Hao, and Liu Tong were already anxious.

"Sixteen days ago, Lin Fusheng failed to break through the Taoist pass. It stands to reason that he has already left the tower at this moment, so why is there still no movement?" Liu Tong frowned, "Is nothing going to happen to Lin Fusheng?"

"Probably not," Hong looked uncertain, "The ancestors' last words are that there is no danger to the Third Ancestral Pagoda. If the barrier cannot be broken, it will not be a problem."

"Wait a little longer. After all, we have never entered the tower." Pan Ning said, "If Fellow Daoist Lin can't come out for a few more days, we will forcibly bombard the Third Ancestor Tower and activate the weapon spirits in the tower."

Li Qing naturally didn't know about the signs that the tower was about to be attacked outside. He was fully preparing to compete with Hongtian in Taoism.

This duel is about Tao respecting people and respecting humanity together.

Li Qing explained his own Tao: "In the late Yinshen period, I summarized the three realms of Tao, which are Tao respects people, people respect Tao, and Tao respects Tao."

“People respect Tao and become slaves of Tao, which is the lowest Tao concept; Tao respects Tao, which is pure Tao and isolates the relationship between people and Tao.”

“People are our first priority. We monks who cultivate the Tao cannot be bound by the Tao. People should be above the Tao. My Tao is the Tao that respects people. All Tao respects me. I am the Tao.”

 After speaking, a ball of Tao Qi appeared on the top of Li Qing's head, and the Tao Qi floated between him and Hongtian.

There is no judge in this debate of Dao thoughts. It can only be decided by heaven. Let the Dao Qi generated by Dao thoughts compete with each other to determine the winner.

Hongtian also explained his Tao: "Monks seek Tao and explore step by step. In fact, there is no distinction between the two. Humanity and Tao should be respected together. People who are below Tao or people who are above Tao are wrong ideas about Tao."

“When you are a monk, the road is elusive and elusive. Only when you grow up in cultivation will you have the opportunity to understand it.”

“The Dao has its spirit. If you hold the mentality that people are higher than the Dao, you will only be hated by the Dao. If you hold the mentality that people are lower than the Dao, you will be despised by the Dao.”

“Only by treating others as equals and treating others with courtesy can we walk along the path and pursue the ultimate goal of the path.”

 After speaking, a ball of Dao Qi also appeared on the top of Hongtian's head. Hongtian's Dao Qi suddenly impacted Li Qing's Dao Qi, which was faintly stronger than Li Qing's Dao Qi.

 …

 Hongtian's face was full of joy. His initial Taoist energy was superior to that of Li Qing, and he seemed to have a higher intention.

Li Qingdao was determined and retorted: "Tao respects people and humans respect each other, they have something in common, but humanity's mutual respect has an extra 'human respecting Tao'. This is a flaw, and it abandons the rank of human beings."

"No," Hongtian said with a smile, "the two have nothing in common. Both of them have the meaning of 'Tao respects people', but your Tao is a forced respect for Tao, so it will consider people's ranks. Abandoned.”

“The ‘Tao respects people’ in mutual respect for humanity is a kind of mutual understanding that cannot be taken apart alone. It and ‘people respect Tao’ complement each other, and the two cannot exist without each other.”

“The ‘respect’ in mutual respect in humanity means equality. No one is the slave of another, and this is not a flaw.”

“Your compulsion to ‘revere people from the Tao’ implies that you look down on the Tao. Monks seek the Tao but look down on the Tao. Isn’t this a huge conflict? This is the big flaw!”

Through these words, Hongtian's Taoism suppressed Li Qing even more.

"My Tao is not a forced respect for Tao," Li Qing shook his head: "When the Tao of other living creatures respect others, they may have a sense of coercion and subdue the Tao, but I do not. When the Tao respects me, it is completely willing."

Li Qing originally wanted to talk about the construction of the Taoist foundation in the ninth life, but after thinking about it, he still didn't mention a word.

Hongtian said happily: "Your personal situation is just a special case. What we are talking about now is the common sense of Tao respecting people and humanity. This is the universal idea of ​​Tao. Even if your situation is special, we cannot deny that 'Tao respects people.'" 'There is a sense of coercion in it."

Both sides spoke harshly to each other, but after a few simple debates about Taoism, Li Qing tended to be suppressed, and even in the battle of Taoism, he was at a disadvantage.

Even so, Li Qing's Taoist heart did not waver in the slightest. He said: "Humanity and Tao respect this road. The first step in pursuing the ultimate goal of Tao is to stay within the Tao without being bound by it."

“I have not yet discerned the first step in how the Tao respects people, but your Tao, in order to achieve this, has to rely on other heretics.”

"Borrowing other Tao is ultimately an illusion and cannot be taken seriously. Monks cannot be bound by Tao and should start from Tao itself."

Hongtian said with a smile: "When pursuing the ultimate goal of the Tao, what matters is the result. Furthermore, human beings respect both Tao and Tao. There is no distinction between one's own Tao and those of outsiders."

“Respecting the Ways of Humanity means respecting all Ways, and both outsiders and one’s own Ways are equal.”

“In my opinion, the original and supreme principles are the same as other ordinary ways. Who dares to say that the worldly path I require is weaker than any of the original and supreme principles?”

Li Qing retorted: "The ultimate way of respecting humanity and humanity is to unite humanity and humanity, change the past experience, and make life unshakable. People are not humans, and I am not myself. This is the act of abandoning the 'true self'. The 'true self' has been lost, and there is no return." What’s the point?”

Hongtian replied: "Before the Tao, there is no 'true self'. Man is the Tao!"

Hongtian refuted again: "The saying that Tao respects people, blindly pursues people above Tao, only then will they be abandoned by Tao."

“Tao governs heaven and earth. Tao is the foundation of spiritual practice. If the Tao respects people to the extreme, it will only lead to people being despised by the Tao.”

“Monks like us all need a certain chance to realize the Tao. If the Tao is exposed, it will be easier to realize the Tao. The Tao is hidden deep. The life span of the monks alone is not enough to realize the Tao.”

 “This path of respecting people by the Tao cannot pursue the ultimate of the Tao at all. This is a wrong path!”

 “As you take a deeper path, your relationship with the ‘Tao’ will only become farther and farther away.”

“The Tao respects people, but there is no ultimate in Tao!”

　　　…”

"No!" Li Qing: "I always believe that we should start from the nature of human beings. Human beings are stronger than Tao. Tao does not change, but people are always getting stronger. In the beginning, people are weak and Tao is strong. When Tao reaches its extreme, people are strong. weak."

Hongtian: "Wrong, Tao itself has no power. The essence of Tao is principle. From beginning to end, Tao will not differentiate between people. When we seek Tao, we understand Tao step by step, rather than trying to conquer Tao step by step."

"The 'Tao' is your cultivation, it is the power of your mouth. Use the 'Tao' you seek, and then it will be better than the Tao. It is too strong to be stronger than the Tao. It is also a distortion of reasoning and refutation."

 …

 Li Qing: "Tao is powerful, not just reason. When you are at your peak, you can put aside Tao, even if you only use your immortal power, you can conquer all the great ways!"

Hongtian: "Cultivation of immortality means cultivating the Tao, and it is also returning to the Tao. The power of immortality may be able to subdue the Tao, but that will be another brand-new cultivation system, not the immortal way we cultivate!"

Li Qing: "The Tao is just a scenery on the way to practice. If you say that I have been abandoned by the Tao, it doesn't matter. When I become stronger, I will take the initiative to abandon all the Tao!"

"Man is stronger than the Tao. Even if I abandon the Tao, I will still be myself, live forever and be free, without being bound!"

Hongtian: "If a person who respects the Tao does not have the ultimate Tao, how can he have longevity and freedom? Your Tao will be cut off when the Tao abandons you!"

The dispute between the two sides reached its most intense moment. No matter how Hongtian argued, Li Qing always insisted on his own Taoism.

Finally, Hongtian calmed down and said with a smile: "There is no need to argue any further. You can no longer listen to other Taoisms and are so stubborn that you insist on your so-called Taoism."

 “Humanity goes hand in hand, which is the ultimate principle.”

"Look!" Hongtian pointed to the place where the two sides' Dao Qi were competing. Li Qing's Dao Qi was completely swallowed up, leaving no trace left.

Hongtian said in a deep voice: "Whether you admit it or not in this debate on Taoism, you lose. Taoism respects people, but ultimately it is not as good as sharing humanity with respect."

 Did you lose? A complex look flashed in Li Qing's eyes, he paused for a moment, and he smiled easily: "If you lose, you lose. I won't take the third treasure. The way I demand will not change."

Hong Tianyu said: "It is better to respect people with Taoism than to respect humanity together. Why don't you stop and think carefully and find a way to respect humanity together. Respecting humanity together is the most powerful way and can lead to longevity."

Li Qing bowed, said nothing, turned around, and stepped out of the Third Ancestor Pagoda.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, you finally came out. If you don't come out, we will bombard the Third Ancestor Tower by force." Hong, Pan, and Hao breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Li Qing come out of the tower safely.

 Liu Tongdao: "Three thousand years of failure to break the Dao Pass, the situation in the Immortal Relics is terrifying and changing, and the years have been wasted."

“It’s not a waste, I took out the two treasures, Pan Yuan Jia and Hao Yue Sword.” Li Qing said with a smile.

"How could you get the treasure if you didn't fail the pass?" Liu Tong was surprised.

“I don’t know,” Li Qing thought, “Maybe the weapon spirit of the Third Ancestral Pagoda knew about the external situation and took the initiative to send it.”

Hong Zhengse said: "Please, Taoist friend, explain the Tao Pass in the tower."

Li Qing explained in detail the issue of mutual respect for humanity and Tao. Only when Hong, Pan, Hao, etc. follow the path of mutual respect for humanity and Tao can they have the opportunity to see the extreme of Tao.

But in fact, Hong, Pan, and Hao cannot seek the extreme of the Tao. Three fruits are indispensable. If a creature with two fruits has broken through the path to true immortality, it cannot seek immortality.

 The souls of the Two Paths of Fruit seek immortality and can only refine their destiny.

“What about you? Do you want to figure out how to break through the path to true immortality?” Liu Tong asked.

Li Qing said leisurely: "It is basically clear that a retreat can be the first step towards breaking through to the path of true immortality!"

 (End of this chapter)