Chapter Seventeen: The Second Array of Disillusionment

“Elder brother, from what I see, among the six great formations, only the Gate of Illusion should be easily solvable. Judging by its name, the situation within the Gate of Illusion is no more than the ‘greed, anger, and ignorance’ from the Three Precepts. Thus, I’d like to give it a try. What do you think, elder brother?” As the Supreme Lord Laozi recounted the perils within the Gate of Death, Primordial Lord Yuanshi felt somewhat light-hearted. Wasn’t it just crossing the so-called Road of Yellow Springs or the River of Forgetfulness to attain one’s own Dao?

In truth, Supreme Lord Laozi didn’t mention his experiences of rebirth, marriage, and having children in that other world. If he’d told those stories, this talkative brother of his would have pestered him endlessly.

Now that Supreme Lord Laozi had found his own Dao, he was no longer as impatient as before, and instead, he had gained a measure of wisdom.

“Very well. If you find yourself in trouble, simply call for me and I will come at once.” Having already found his own path, but seeing his second brother still wandering outside the Great Way, Laozi, after much thought, granted Yuanshi Tianzun’s request.

Approaching the Gate of Illusion, Yuanshi Tianzun sensed not the slightest fluctuation of spiritual energy and, unperturbed, simply pulled open the door to the Illusory Realm.

Upon entering, he immediately felt the spiritual energy here was far denser than even within the outer array. Sweeping the realm with his spiritual sense, he saw only verdant mountains and clear waters, abundant flora, and not a single sentient spirit. His tightly strung nerves finally relaxed.

He found a place to sit, cross-legged, and began absorbing the spiritual energy to break through his own cultivation.

As time flowed on, Yuanshi Tianzun found his cultivation advancing at a lightning pace—from the late stage of Profound Immortal, to the peak, then through the early, middle, late, and peak stages of Grand Unity, ascending all the way to the middle and late stages of Golden Immortal of Great Luo. This leap of three full realms filled Yuanshi Tianzun with delight. He felt his power inexhaustible, and those profound truths of the Dao that once eluded him now became clear at a single thought.

Thrilled by his rapid progress, Yuanshi Tianzun wished to call Laozi to join him in cultivation. But before he could rise, he sensed his cultivation loosening once more, as if about to break through to the realm of Hunyuan Golden Immortal.

Paying no mind to Laozi, he sat back down to await the final moment.

With a thunderous boom, the entire world trembled—Yuanshi Tianzun had attained sainthood.

Heavenly maidens scattered flowers, golden lotuses sprang from the earth, and an aura of peace suffused the entire realm.

No sooner had he become a saint than all living beings in the world came to pay homage. But Yuanshi Tianzun, lost in the joy of his own enlightenment, failed to notice that there had been no living beings here before.

A multitude of spirit monsters gathered to worship him. A wolf demon asked, “Heavenly Lord, will you teach us divine arts, impart your magical laws, save our lives, and spread your virtue?”

Yuanshi Tianzun, unconcerned about their origins and unwilling to shatter his own happiness, replied, “Granted.”

At once, the mountains and valleys resounded with cheers—“Heavenly Lord’s magic, the Lord’s virtue!”—which made Yuanshi Tianzun lose himself even further.

“I am the eldest disciple; this is my seat,” declared the wolf demon, named White Wolf, to a jade tiger.

“I am the eldest disciple!” the jade tiger retorted stubbornly.

Seeing a fight was about to break out, Yuanshi Tianzun rebuked them in a thunderous voice, and the quarrel ceased at once.

He said to White Wolf, “You shall be my eldest disciple.”

And to Jade Tiger, “You shall be my second disciple.”

The two demons fell silent, no longer speaking, and listened intently to Yuanshi Tianzun expound the Dao.

Having become a saint, at the pinnacle of this world, Yuanshi Tianzun began to think of his elder brother, Supreme Lord Laozi. Using his spiritual sense to search, he found no trace of the entrance through which he had come. Somewhat alarmed, he began to divine with his fingers.

Meanwhile, among his disciples, disputes and entanglements abounded, with quarrels erupting daily.

One day, a weasel demon stole several wild chickens. One of the chickens’ distant relatives was the weasel’s senior brother. On learning of this, the chicken demon came to inquire, and the weasel demon, unwilling to explain, started a fight.

The weasel was White Wolf’s trusted aide, so White Wolf rallied his supporters. The chicken demon was the beloved of Jade Tiger, who also called his own brothers to join the fray.

When the enemies met, their eyes blazed, and unable to find common ground, the two factions of disciples began to battle furiously.

When Yuanshi Tianzun finally regained clarity, he calculated and saw that nearly all his disciples had perished, the mountains awash with fresh blood, the scent of slaughter thick in the air.

Though he had not interacted deeply with his disciples, he had felt a true affection for them. How could such feelings simply be erased?

He fell into deep self-reproach. Why had he not established rules? Why had he not taught them his methods? Why had he not resolved the rivalries among his disciples? Why, why?

When Yuanshi Tianzun next opened his eyes, the battlefield had vanished; all that remained were those green mountains and clear waters, and his own cultivation was yet at the middle stage of Profound Immortal.

Why hadn’t he realized that all of it was an illusion? If only he had recalled the teachings of the “Primordial Sovereign Way,” he could have freed himself without wasting so much time.

Outside, Supreme Lord Laozi saw the talismans on the Gates of Illusion and Annihilation flickering, then suddenly dissipating into a gentle breeze.

Seeing Yuanshi Tianzun still at the middle stage of Profound Immortal, a nameless anger rose in his heart—all his efforts had come to nothing. He nearly succumbed to inner demons, but at that moment, the longevity lock that protected the Three Pure Ones shone brightly, sending a trace of coolness to Yuanshi Tianzun, who immediately regained clarity. So that was it—he still had a long road ahead: attaining Hunyuan was inevitable, bestowing the teachings upon the world was a necessity, and in the future, he must be strict in selecting and guiding disciples, so his Dao could be inherited and spread, blessing the vast prehistoric world.

Yuanshi Tianzun was transmitted out of the Illusory Realm. Supreme Lord Laozi immediately stepped forward and asked, “Are you unharmed?” Laozi was surprised—he had emerged even faster than himself. What strange fortune had he encountered?

“No harm done. It turns out the Illusory and Annihilation Realms are connected as one. Within the Illusory Realm, I gained some insights into the management of a sect.” Yuanshi Tianzun explained everything to Laozi, leaving nothing out.

At first, Laozi nodded, then pricked up his ears, listening intently. He resolved in his heart that, in selecting disciples, he too must be even stricter, so as not to lose the true transmission of the Dao.

High above the great formation, Ancestor Hongjun watched Yuanshi Tianzun’s actions in the Illusory Realm and nodded gently. It seemed that those chosen by Heaven’s Way were indeed not mistaken. To recognize one’s errors and correct them is a great virtue—he is a worthy seed indeed.