Chapter 9: I, the Dao Master, Have Achieved Immortality and Enlightenment

Time slips away, fleeting like an arrow. Before one knows it, sixteen years have passed in silence.

Lu Ge seems to have completely integrated into this era. He has almost forgotten the bitter hardships of his senior year of high school. Only occasionally, in the depths of midnight, do memories of the past resurface.

Living constantly by the side of a sage and listening to his teachings daily, it stands to reason that even a pig should have become enlightened by now. Yet, for some unknown reason, apart from the "Seven Stars Death-Dealing Sword Qi" bestowed upon him by the Big Dipper at the very beginning, Lu Ge had never comprehended any other supernatural powers.

Fortunately, his nightly observation of the stars for sixteen years was not in vain. He had completely mastered the Death-Dealing Sword Qi. From its initial state—straightforward and knowing only how to strike blindly—it had evolved to the point where the sword qi could now bend and flow as he willed. He had truly chewed this supernatural power down to the bone.

It was mid-autumn. Lu Ge sat under a tree in the courtyard, looking up at the sky. He had reached the point where he could observe the stars even during the day, though he could only see the Big Dipper. While mortals saw nothing but a blue sky, white clouds, and the brilliant sun, Lu Ge could clearly see seven great stars flickering above.

"Little Lu, observing the stars again?" the Green Ox asked with a squint and a smile.

Lu Ge did not look back, merely replying, "Yes."

"I only have this one supernatural power, so I can only focus on its path."

The Green Ox pondered for a moment before saying, "You have been learning the Way from the Master for sixteen years; truly speaking, your cultivation is not low."

"Have you ever thought that the reason you haven't comprehended other supernatural powers is because you are too focused on the stars?"

"If one does not observe other things, how can one comprehend the Way? Supernatural powers do not appear out of thin air."

Hearing this, a spark of inspiration flashed through Lu Ge’s mind. *Hiss*, the Ox is making some sense. Although he did not watch the stars for all twelve hours of the day, his heart and mind remained immersed in them during his leisure time. Everything in the world entered his eyes, but not his heart.

With this thought, Lu Ge withdrew his gaze from the Big Dipper. The closest thing to him was the ancient tree in front of him. This tree had been here even longer than Lu Ge. Throughout the four seasons, it remained lush and green, never showing signs of yellowing or withering.

Lu Ge stared intently at the ancient tree, and in a trance, he seemed to see the river of time flowing before his eyes. He saw it grow from a seed, sprouting and breaking through the soil; he saw it grow from a tiny branch with delicate leaves into a towering tree. It had witnessed the ebb and flow of human affairs and the parting of life and death, yet regardless of how time shifted, it remained robust.

A spark of inspiration exploded in Lu Ge’s heart, and the foundation of his sixteen years of cultivation seemed to manifest at this moment. A seed of the Way descended from the heavens and merged into the space between his brows.

"A seed of supernatural power?"

As the seed entered his body, Lu Ge naturally understood its name.

"I have comprehended a supernatural power."

This should have been a joyful occasion, but Lu Ge’s heart was as still as water, without a ripple.

After years of studying the Way, although he could not yet reach the state of "forgetting emotions," he was not prone to losing his composure.

"You've succeeded?" The Green Ox’s eyes lit up as he leaned in to ask.

Lu Ge slowly opened his eyes and nodded with a smile. "This supernatural power was surprisingly easy to comprehend. It wasn't as difficult as I imagined."

The Green Ox chuckled, "After learning the Way for so many years, and with the Master teaching you personally, it was only natural for things to fall into place. It was only because you refused to observe the myriad things of the world that you were delayed. Now that you’ve opened your heart, success comes easily. By the way, what is the name of this new power?"

Lu Ge felt the seed of power within his mind.

*Longevity!!!*

"It is the power of Longevity. From this moment on, my lifespan is no longer restricted; I shall exist forever. As long as I am not killed, I will never die." Lu Ge murmured softly.

Throughout history, this was the dream of countless people, and he had now achieved it.

The Green Ox nodded, "You are truly suited for the path of observing the world, comprehending the Great Way, and cultivating supernatural powers. With the power of Longevity as your foundation, you have nothing to worry about in the future."

Lu Ge asked in confusion, "Oh? I asked Old Li before what path of cultivation I should take, and he told me not to rush. Why are you saying today that I am suited for the path of Great Way supernatural powers?"

The Green Ox shook his head, "When the Master told you not to rush, he was waiting to see what your first supernatural power would be. If it were anything else, you would need to walk the path of universal cultivation—inhaling the essence of heaven and earth, practicing spells, and seeking longevity. But your first power is Longevity itself. This is the foundation for the path of supernatural cultivation. After all, human life is limited, and observing the world to comprehend the Way takes hundreds or thousands of years. Without longevity, I fear you would never have been able to comprehend a second power in this lifetime."

Lu Ge suddenly understood. If one gains longevity, there is plenty of time to observe the heavens and the earth, ponder the Great Way, and refine supernatural powers. But if one does not, one must follow the path of universal cultivation—refining essence into qi, qi into spirit, spirit into emptiness, and emptiness into the Way—all to seek longevity.

So, the end of the universal cultivation path is merely the starting point of the supernatural path?

"You have truly attained the Way now," the Green Ox said with a hint of emotion. "In the future, I won't have to worry about waking up one day and finding you dead. Good, I can finally get a good night's sleep."

Lu Ge glared at the Green Ox. *Hey, this old ox can't think of anything better to say.*

"I’m done talking to you," Lu Ge said as he stood up. "I’ve comprehended my power; I need to go share the good news with Old Li."

Lu Ge stood up happily and headed straight for the house. Upon entering, he saw Lao Dan packing his luggage.

"Huh?" Lu Ge asked in confusion. "What are you doing? Are you going out?"

Lao Dan did not look up and replied, "Indeed. You have now attained the Way of Longevity, and the time is right. Pack your things quickly; we are going for a walk to the West."

Lu Ge felt a jolt in his heart, suddenly realizing the name of this "dungeon."

*West through the Hangu Pass.*

Is the day for the birth of the *Tao Te Ching* finally here?

Packing was simple, as there was not much to bring—merely some clothes and travel money. By the afternoon, after Lu Ge had attained longevity that morning, he was already being led out of the house by Lao Dan.

Lao Dan sat on the back of the Green Ox, and Lu Ge led the ox by the rein. Just like that, they abruptly bid farewell to the small courtyard where they had lived for sixteen years.

Passing by the gate of Li Da’s house, Lu Ge stopped. Now that they were leaving, they would likely never meet again.

"Old Li, I'm going to say goodbye to Li Da," Lu Ge said, turning back.

Li Da was now nearly fifty and had long since passed his woodcutting business on to his son, enjoying a peaceful life at home. Lu Ge did not stand on ceremony and pushed open the courtyard gate, walking toward the inner room as if he were in his own home.

Inside, he found Li Da busy at the stove.

"Brother Li, busy?" Lu Ge greeted him with a smile.

When Li Da turned and saw it was Lu Ge, his face creased into a wide smile. "You're here. Sit for a moment, I'll be done in a second. You have to try the new dish I’ve been working on."

Lu Ge reached out a hand, "No, I can't. I came here to bid you farewell."

Li Da froze, looking at Lu Ge in astonishment. "Farewell? Where are you going?"

Lu Ge smiled, "Old Li wants to go to the West to have a look, and I am going with him."

Li Da said irritably, "Wait, what are you two doing? Uncle is already at such an age; why can't he just enjoy his life at home instead of running around? What is it, afraid we won't take care of him in his old age? And you, why didn't you try to talk him out of it? With his old bones, he’s going to go out the gate? Isn't he afraid of dying halfway there? No, I have to go talk to him."