Applied Immortality

Chapter 73: Harmony in Self, Endurance in Purpose

“Resolve of Dao is by no means easy, nor is it joyful. So you tell me, where is the joy in seeking Dao?”

Su Junyu’s question fell like a ton of bricks on their heads.

Seeking Dao might lead to destroying everything one believed in, losing one’s status, or even living a morose life.

How could this arduous journey have anything joyful?

The answer came from Wang Qi, having snapped from his spiral of doubt.

“When understanding Dao, each moment of profound realization carries with it the joy in seeking Dao.”

Su Junyu started, then smiled, “I didn’t think, you of all people, would come up with such a sound argument, Wang Qi.”

Any praise would always go to Wang Qi’s head, usually. This time around, however, Su Junyu’s rare appreciation was met with silence. Even Mao Zimiao found it unusual. The demonborn girl turned over in worry, only to be frightened by Wang Qi’s look.

Mao Zimiao never saw him like this. She had only seen the smiling and obnoxiously cocky Wang Qi, as if no hardship could ever bring him down. Right now, though, Wang Qi clutched his knees as he stared dazedly into the bonfire on the verge of crying. 

Wang Qi shook his head.

Su Junyu couldn’t understand Wang Qi’s reaction: “Uh, so my words triggered a sudden understanding. To be honest, I find your resolve the worst here, but since you had a realization, uh, well…”

Mao Zimiao was worried. “Senior Brother Su, just where are you going with this, nya?”

Su Junyu took a deep breath to settle his thoughts. “Wang Qi’s talent is beyond anything I thought possible, but I find his resolve wanting. He always goes on about this or that being interesting, but I felt through his every action that he doesn’t care about anything.”

“Nya?” Mao Zimiao tilted her clueless head in Wang Qi’s direction.

Wu Fan looked tense. “Senior Brother Su, Senior Brother Wang is brilliant; his perception is beyond ours. While he’s having his realization, we’re still in the dark. Please go on with your lesson.” 

Su Junyu nodded, sitting back down. “I also want to explain some things. Modern cultivation’s resolve is based on the saying, ‘harmony in self, endurance in purpose.'”

The words struck a chord in the three of them, feeling their hearts racing yet missing a tiny piece before they could have their realization.

“The saying can be split into two parts. ‘Harmony in self’ points to not going through a life of bitterness or being obsessed with incredible skills. Self means one’s true character. It means not letting cultivation warp one’s view. Among modern cultivators, there are those going after fame and fortune, like Lord White Marsh I mentioned; those that are warlike, like Elusive Palace’s Daoist Indisputable, Senior Pauli; there are those inclined to teach; those enjoying solitude; those enjoying music; those enjoying food. All of these aspects are the seniors’ true faces, unchanging despite cultivation. On the other hand, if those training in swords only have the sword in their minds at all times, then they have fallen short of the mark. The life gained by being true to yourself is true longevity.

“In the second part, ‘endurance in purpose,’ the purpose part refers to what Wang Qi once said—the first-ever joy when you glimpsed into Dao. It is a relishing moment impossible to forget. Lord White Marsh is after fame and fortune, but once he abandoned it all for the Dao in his heart and went up against the world. Pauli’s lust for battle is uncaring about the results of the fights he’s in, fighting just to express the Dao in his heart. The weight of the joy in Dao you have in your heart represents how far you can go when seeking Dao.” 

Su Junyu left the three with their thoughts.

He smiled, reading on their faces that they had gone through a realization: “Harmony in self, endurance in purpose. Let us encourage each other.” 

Senior Brother ended his teaching, but Wang Qi stopped him from returning to his book: “Senior Brother Su, regarding the cases you just mentioned, they should have a follow-up, right?”

Su Junyu asked, “Interested?”

“What happened to seniors afterward? And what is that about Lord White Marsh going up against the world?”

“Planck started Elusive Palace, managing it with painstaking effort for many years. Afterward, Scorching Metal Valley’s Rutherford’s disciple, Bohr, due to his heart straying from Dao, brought his disciples to Elusive Palace, turning it into what you see today as one of the five best. Senior Planck once said to Senior Bohr, ‘I am glad to have kept the initial path.’

“The Searing Heaven Fallacy is seen today as nothing more than a cosmic joke. Searing Heaven also laughed when hearing about it, saying, ‘I’m glad it was my fault.’

“Senior Lobachevsky’s cultivation stagnates even now, but he’s still at ease. Another Myriad Arts Sect Unfettered, Senior Warped Demon Riemann proved long ago that Senior Lobachevsky’s realization is correct, redeeming his name. Nowadays, Senior Riemann treats Senior Lobachevsky as his disciple.

“In the days Lord White Marsh achieved his path, this was also the era when Transcendent’s reputation reached its peak. Due to one mistake from Transcendent, cultivators thought the Celestial Element Series was the Dao to encompass how all things worked, with the Dao’s power supporting this series of fundamental laws. Only Lord White Marsh believed Dao’s power was an unnecessary concept. Lord White Marsh unified math with astronomy, writing a book containing all his insights. The revelation caused widespread shock. Only when the Supreme Lord’s comparative path appeared had Dao’s power been proven. Although the comparative path’s model of the universe surpassed Lord White Marsh’s calculations, Lord White Marsh didn’t take his failure at heart, instead running before Transcendent to shout, ‘I won after all.’ Afterward, Lord White Marsh threw himself completely into the White Marsh Algorithm.” 

Wang Qi nodded. “I recall Myriad Arts Sect having someone called Senior Poincare.”

Su Junyu nodded. “Lord of Arithmetic Poincare and Arbiter of Arithmetic Hilbert are known as the very first experts of the Myriad Arts Sect.”

Wang Qi asked, “Has the Lord of Arithmetic made any contributions to the comparative path and the elusive path?”

“Sure did. Lord of Arithmetic is one of the founders of the elusive path.”

Su Junyu found Wang Qi pulled a weird smile. “What did you realize?”