Chapter 65: The Resolve to Propagate the Dharma

Liachen’s plan to distribute talismanic water on a grand scale and save the common people was soon shattered by reality. Human strength had its limits. Talismans were not things one could obtain casually. One had to quiet the mind, visualize the required forms, and infuse the talisman with one’s own cultivation before it could possess any effect. Everything else was merely yellow paper brushed with cinnabar.

After three days, Liachen began to consider leaving. Though he possessed many talismans, they were no match for the ferocity of the plague. The Daoist arts might be wondrous, but they could not turn back a natural disaster.

Liachen personally went to the clan chief’s home to bid him farewell. Who could have known that the moment he spoke, the clan chief would freeze, then burst into tears and fall to his knees before him?

“Immortal Elder, your heart is filled with compassion. How can you abandon the thousands of mountain folk here? In this plague, nine households out of ten have been destroyed. It is only because you remain among us that the people of these mountains have been spared death and the ruin of their homes. We beg you, Immortal Elder, do not leave! If you go, the plague will return. What will become of us?”

Having said this, the old man, more than seventy years of age, collapsed to the ground and began kowtowing and wailing without end.

Liachen was speechless. He helped the clan chief to his feet and sighed.

“Boundless Taiyi, Heavenly Worthy Who Rescues from Suffering. Since this poor Daoist has come here to aid the mountain people, naturally I will not abandon them.”

With that, he left the clan chief’s home, his heart heavy with thought.

The sun was sinking toward dusk. It had lost the sharpness of midday and had begun slowly drawing in its radiance, wavering on the edge of the heavens as though about to fall.

Liachen walked on in silence. Whenever the villagers passed him, they greeted him and bowed one after another. Though he had been there only three days, he had already breathed new life into the little village, drawing it back from the terror of death. Once the plague was no longer a threat, the villagers began leaving their homes and returning to their former lives.

Looking at that tranquil little village, Liachen hardly dared imagine what it would have become without him. In a year of great pestilence, how many villages had been wiped out and how many households utterly destroyed?

Deep into the night, Liachen stroked the spirit stone Yunlingzi had given him and remained silent. Its spiritual energy had now been exhausted. To seek out another spirit stone would likely be nothing more than a delusion.

Yunlingzi’s fortune had been extraordinary. The spirit stone she obtained should never have belonged to the mortal world in the first place. It had been used as the core of a formation suppressing the Nine Netherworlds. Liachen did not know how that ancient master had brought himself to bury such a precious spirit stone within the formation.

But now, would Liachen not likewise have to harden his heart and sacrifice this priceless treasure of the mortal realm? He could grind it into powder and use it in place of talismanic water, distributing it widely to save the people.

The next morning, Liachen did not open the medicine hut as usual to treat the sick. Instead, he hung a sign at the entrance that read, “Please wait. Do not make a disturbance.” Then he closed the doors tightly, and no sound came from within.

By noon, more and more patients and their relatives had gathered outside. Some had traveled dozens of miles along mountain roads, carrying their loved ones through hardship, only to find the medicine hut’s “open door of convenience” firmly shut.

The families of the sick gradually became agitated. Some pounded on the door. Some cursed angrily. Others even attempted to climb over the wall. All the varied faces of humanity were on display.

Seeing that matters were about to turn ugly, the clan chief brought many clansmen to maintain order, preventing anything truly regrettable from happening. Yet the relatives of the patients believed that there was now no hope of treatment. Watching their loved ones weaken with every passing moment, they could not help but give birth to resentment. Grief overcame them, and outside the medicine hut they wept as one.

How could Liachen not know what was happening outside? He let out a long sigh.

He had treated everyone without accepting a single coin. Yet his original desire to save the world had caused the people to take his help for granted. They had come to believe that if he refused to save them, he had wronged them. They often turned maliciously against him—as though he owed them a debt despite never having borrowed anything. How could that not stir anger in Liachen’s heart?

Only after silently reciting the Purifying Heart Mantra many times did he suppress his turbulent emotions. Murmuring, “Taiyi, Boundless Heavenly Worthy Who Rescues from Suffering,” he slowly opened the doors of the medicine hut.

The moment Liachen stepped outside, the bustling cries, pleas, and curses ceased.

He gave another long sigh.

“Taiyi, Supreme Heavenly Worthy Who Transcends Calamity. This poor Daoist has no cause and effect with any of you. Saving a life is a kindness; refusing to save one is ordinary. Why do you think this poor Daoist easy to bully?”

When Liachen finished speaking, not only did the relatives who had come from afar freeze in astonishment, but even the nearby villagers who had been helping protect the medicine hut fell silent.

“That is true. The Daoist has no family ties or friendship with you, nor has he accepted any benefit from you. Why must he help you save your loved ones? If he does not, does that mean he owes you something—that he must endure your accusations, abuse, and even attacks?”

The thoughts of the crowd turned swiftly. At last, one of the local villagers spoke aloud, while the rest remained silent, not daring to say a word.

Those who had traveled from far away and had lost control of themselves moments before now assumed they had certainly offended the Immortal Elder. Surely he would refuse to treat them ever again.

Regret and remorse seized them. Tears streamed endlessly down their faces.

“This poor Daoist came here to aid the world, without distinguishing between noble and lowly, rich and poor, friend and stranger. Yet cause and effect must still be honored. There can be no consequence without a cause. If you still wish me to save your loved ones, then wait a little longer.”

After speaking, Liachen walked directly toward the clan chief.

“Boundless Blessings to the Heavenly Worthy. This poor Daoist thanks the clan chief.”

He bowed deeply.

Liachen then led the clan chief and several villagers to a small hill behind the village.

“From here, this poor Daoist can see the movement of the earth veins. There should be a clear spring beneath this mountain. I wish to use its water as medicine. Will the clan chief permit it?”

“Of course, of course. Immortal Elder, use it as you please.”

The clan chief’s mouth fell open. A spring in this barren hill? He had lived for more than seventy years—how had he never heard of one?

Liachen smiled faintly. After pondering for a moment, he bent down and picked up a dead branch from the ground.

He silently recited an incantation, then cast the branch into the air and cried,

“When a withered tree meets spring, let it sprout anew; when it touches earth, let roots descend and a clear spring surge forth!”

The branch drifted in circles through the sky, as though supported by an invisible wind, and flew toward the middle of the small hill. As Liachen’s voice faded, it suddenly shot downward like an arrow loosed from a bow and plunged fiercely into the earth.

With a tremendous roar, the ground trembled several times.

In secret, Liachen had drawn the earth veins aside and redirected a small underground stream to this hill. Naturally, such matters were not something outsiders could understand.

The instant the branch entered the soil halfway up the hill, a clear spring burst skyward, flashing with seven-colored radiance beneath the sunlight. The clan chief and the villagers were so frightened that they stood dumbstruck.

More astonishing still, the dead branch Liachen had thrown down took root the moment it touched the ground. Green shoots emerged at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the tree began to grow rapidly. Before long, it had become a great elm, lush with greenery and overflowing with vitality.

A miracle had revealed itself. The clan chief and the villagers stood there helplessly, unable to move. Only after a long while did they recover their senses—yet Liachen was already nowhere beside them.

The clan chief was startled. He immediately ordered one villager to hurry back to the village and report what had happened. Then he led the others toward the spring, caring nothing for his age. Strength seemed to surge endlessly through him, and he charged forward like a young man.

“The Immortal has gone.”

After searching everywhere and finding no trace of Liachen, the clan chief sighed in bewilderment. Then his gaze turned toward the spring.

“Within the Realm of Azure Brilliance and Eternal Joy, in the Wondrous Palace of the Eastern Ultimate, within the Forest of Seven Treasures, upon the seat of the Nine-Colored Lotus, surrounded by the myriad perfected beings and enveloped in hundreds of billions of auspicious rays, stands the Jade Clarity Spirit Treasure Worthy, the One Who Appears as the Mysterious Originator. In times of immense calamity, he extends his compassion to save the afflicted. Through the gate of sweet dew, his wondrous Dao-body and violet-gold auspicious form respond to every sincere invocation. His vows know no bounds. Great Sage, Great Compassion, Great Mercy, Great Vow, manifesting throughout the ten directions and universally delivering all living beings—through billions upon billions of kalpas, rescuing measureless souls wherever he hears their cries—the Taiyi Heavenly Worthy Who Rescues from Suffering, Sovereign of the Azure Mystery and Nine Yangs.

“Whenever mortals wish to seek deliverance from calamity, they should recite the name of the Taiyi Heavenly Worthy Who Rescues from Suffering that very day. Give three bushels of white rice to aid the poor and weak. Keep benevolence in your heart, and sincerity will bring efficacy. Know that the Way of Heaven cannot be deceived. The human way begins with giving. Take heed!”

At some unknown moment, a great stone stele had appeared beside the spring. Upon it were carved the sacred proclamation of the Taiyi Heavenly Worthy Who Rescues from Suffering, along with Liachen’s message.

Beneath the stone, the clear spring gushed forth without end. A delicate fragrance rose from the water, and merely breathing it in was enough to make one’s spirit lift.

“Quickly! Quickly, inform the families of the sick and have them come draw water. And from now on, anyone who comes to collect it must first donate three bushels of white rice to charity. We must also build a temple beside this sacred spring. Heaven has blessed our clan!

“This spring exists because an Immortal has entrusted it to us for the saving of lives. Every member of our clan must guard it with the utmost care. No one may harbor selfish thoughts or ulterior motives. Otherwise, that person shall be expelled from the clan! With the Immortal above us, our descendants will flourish and our blessings will never end. Now this old man can finally go smiling to meet our ancestors.”

Tears of excitement streamed down the old clan chief’s face. Yet in his heart, he bitterly regretted the missed opportunity. Immortal destiny had stood before him—how had he failed to recognize that this was no ordinary Daoist, but a living Immortal? If only he had asked for a spiritual pill!

But such thoughts could remain only in his heart. He would never dare speak them aloud.

In truth, while the clan chief and the others were standing there stunned, Liachen had already reached the spring. It surged forth from a fissure more than a thousand meters beneath the rocks, sweet and clear. It was worthy of being called a fine mountain spring and was in no way inferior to the waters of Jade Spring Mountain.

Unfortunately, its water vein was too small and could never become truly great.

Liachen crushed the spirit stone and mixed the powder into the spring. He then buried several stone-carved talismans around it. With the spirit talismans gathering the pure yang energy from the surroundings, together with the spiritual energy contained in the powdered stone, the spring became a true medicinal spring.

A mere plague would never again pose a great threat.

Before leaving, Liachen drew a large stone to the site and carved upon it the sacred proclamation of the Taiyi Heavenly Worthy Who Rescues from Suffering, together with his message. Anyone who possessed a sincere heart and quietly recited the words each day would naturally receive divine protection and be spared disaster and misfortune.

At the same time, Daoist faith would take deep root across the surrounding hundred miles.

“Adrift through the mortal world for forty springtimes, I trust in Heaven’s natural truth, free from striving and affairs. My life rests within the cauldron of Heaven and Earth; my livelihood depends only upon the turning of the sun and moon. Within the qi of the Eight Trigrams lies a hidden treasure; within the radiance of the Five Elements dwells the concealed spirit. Though mulberry fields change, I remain unchanged, forever a transcendent man amid the mortal world.”

With a single movement, Liachen was already dozens of miles away. Still dressed in his blue Daoist robes, his hair bound with a wooden pin, he hummed his own patriarch’s song and continued toward Guiyang.

As he walked, however, he discovered that quite a number of people were standing in the road ahead.

Liachen was deeply puzzled.

Could people really have the audacity to block the official road?