Under One Person: The Seeker of the Dao in the Lü Family

Chapter 378 Gao Lian Kneels and Kowtowing, Begging for Medical Treatment

Seeing that the crowd around him had cleared out, Lü Ci was not in a hurry to catch the carriage. He walked in the area that Lü Qian had set up, and toured and admired the "scenes" transformed from the illusion of light and shadow.

Among the changing landscapes of the four seasons and all directions, Lü Ci could identify the mountain range where Lü Family Village was located, as well as the majestic Wudang Mountain, the imposing Tai Mountain, the precipitous Hua Mountain, and Longhu Mountain, the ancestral home of Taoism...

Famous Taoist mountains and ancestral temples, all kinds of landscapes, show their different appearances as the light and shadow rotate, exuding a lot of mysterious Taoist charm.

"These are the paths I've walked."

Lu Qian held up the dazzling umbrella with one hand and played with the light and shadow before him with the other. Unusually, he did not refer to himself as "this humble Taoist" but used the most primitive form of address, "I".

"For twenty-eight years I have sought the path, and I walk alone on the river of time."

"Bearing the karmic burdens and forging lasting bonds, I will never regret the past or the future."

Lu Qian raised his head slightly, his pupils reflecting shimmering images. These images, representing the past, flashed by and never lingered in his eyes. Just as he was whispering to himself, the entanglements of the past and the future never caused him any regret or worry.

This is a gathering of minds, a review and examination of the past years, and a summary of one's state of mind and spiritual practice.

A spiritual practitioner cultivates their nature and life, and their true self!

The past, present, and future are like the upper, middle, and lower sections of a river. Time flows from the riverbed of the past into the present, carrying the silt and sand of this moment towards the riverbed of the future.

These three elements may seem unrelated, but they represent the passage of time, marking the relentless and unwavering flow of the river of time.

However, the rivers of the past, present, and future do not always intersect; they can also merge into one and become inseparable.

The "me" of the past has not disappeared, but has become the foundation of the "me" of today, shaping who I am now, and the "me" of today is choosing the possibilities and direction of the "me" of the future.

In the long river of time, what moves is never time itself, but rather "I" who measures time and marks the boundaries between the past, present, and future.

The present becomes the past, the future becomes this moment. "I" come from the past, exist in the present, and move towards the future.

Each person's "true self" permeates their own unique river of time. The word "years" is both a universal law and each person's own "history book."

As the ancients said, "The Six Classics interpret me, and I interpret the Six Classics."

Similarly, "Time etches itself upon me, and I etch upon time."

The passage of time leaves its mark on the bodies and minds of all living things, and the traces of the existence of all living things give time its color and meaning, leaving the mark of each "I" on the laws that belong to all living beings.

"I" is the "true self" of all living things, and also the "true self" hidden beneath the myriad faces of each person.

In the midst of all things, we are often lost in the fog and lose our true selves. Those who traverse time with their "true selves" are the "practitioners" and "awakened ones" on the path of spiritual cultivation.

A traveler on the path of spiritual practice observes the myriad phenomena of the world, savors its myriad flavors, reflects on the past to introspect, and looks to the future to plan. This journey should not be mixed with regret or worry.

If one feels regret in self-reflection, then one is a person in the present who is stuck in the past.

If one worries while making plans, then one is living in a fantasy about the future.

Lü Qian is using his "true self" of this time, this place, and this person to examine and clarify the karmic consequences of his past actions. This is both a form of self-reflection and the beginning of a new future.

Once the liquidation is complete, the "debts" and "causes" of the past will be settled, and there will be no more "karma" and "effect" to disturb the future.

The faint light and shadow in Lü Qian's pupils gradually faded, and a tiny flame slowly lit up deep within his eyes. Just as the flame was about to take shape, the sound of car tires rubbing against the ground suddenly rang out outside the closed station.

The sharp, piercing sound shattered the silence inside the venue, and one could almost smell the burning rubber tires from the emergency stop.

Immediately following the sound of the train doors opening and closing, a huge wheeled hospital bed was pulled into the station. The person lying on the bed was not a patient, but a life support pod.

"Bang!"

Leading the way in pulling the hospital bed was Gao Lian. He and his subordinates rushed into the station, their hurried eyes scanning the area. After locking onto the figures of the Lü family grandfather and grandson, the group of panicked men instantly calmed down and then ran towards the two at an even faster pace.

"Master Lü Qian, Immortal Lü Qian, we beg you, please save Erzhuang!"

Before Gao Lian even reached Lü Qian, he excitedly shouted at the top of his lungs. Lü Qian, with his back to them, did not let the flames in his eyes dissipate; instead, they burned even more intensely and vividly.

"Now I understand why the patriarchs preferred to cultivate in secluded mountain forests with few people."

The "inventory" of Dao Integration did not stop with Gao Lian's intrusion. A tiny, almost flickering flame of support fell into Lü Qian's eyes and into the blazing Dao fire.

Seeing this wisp of burden that could be easily extinguished, Lü Qian didn't dwell on it too much, and the Dao Fire burned even brighter under the influence of this wisp of burden.

Dressed in a white shirt and holding a colorful umbrella, Lü Qian turned around casually and confidently, reciting a few simple, song-like phrases with a smile.

"Unfortunately, this humble Taoist priest prefers to immerse himself in the mortal world, and I welcome that!"

"The world is noisy, the mortal realm is the most noisy, the mortal realm is chaotic, and the human heart is the most chaotic; if the heart is calm, the mortal realm is like a celestial palace, if the heart is still, the mortal realm is like a spiritual heaven."

"I am just an ordinary Taoist priest, with the body of an ordinary person and the heart of an ordinary person."

In the short time it took Lü Qian to say a few words, the Dao fire burning in his pupils reached its peak. An ethereal aura, imperceptible to ordinary people, emanated from him with every breath. With every gesture, this living immortal became increasingly otherworldly and ethereal, yet also appeared more real and tangible.

This authentic and concrete reality meant that, despite the widespread rumors of his ascension to immortality, he didn't evoke a lofty aura. Instead, viewers felt a deep connection to him, as if he were right beside them, so close that sincere prayers would be answered...

In his haste and nervous state, Gao Lian failed to notice Lü Qian's change. At this moment, the old father's mind was filled with thoughts of his daughter's life. In his eyes, Lü Qian's figure seemed to have changed, becoming incredibly tall and incredibly close.

"Thump!"

Gao Lian, who had no time to think about these changes, knelt down in front of Lü Qian before he had even settled in. Then, this family head and company manager, who had been in a high position for half his life, suddenly kowtowed to Lü Qian.

"Please, Master Lü Qian, save my Erzhuang! I beg you, Master Lü..."

"Knock knock knock..."

After meeting Gao Lian, he didn't say a word else. He didn't plead for the Gao family, nor did he make a fuss about the previous favors. The old father just kept kowtowing and bowing, the dull thuds like muffled thunder, continuously exploding on the floor.

Inside this train station in Northeast China, a father is kowtowing and begging for help for his daughter, while in Quanzhen Temples, Zhengyi Temples, and even Buddhist monasteries across the country, some elderly people suddenly sit cross-legged and close their eyes.

On Mount Wudang, Zhou Meng sat in the magnificent golden-roofed hall, chanting incantations.

"With utmost sincerity, I pay homage to the Great Heavenly Venerable Xuan Yang, who vanquishes demons and restores order to the world..."