Chapter 396: Crazy?

Fu Zhi's eyes instantly lit up with excitement.

He couldn't make sense of things like Tian, Di, Yue, or Jie.

But now, with everything laid out so plainly before him, if he still couldn't understand, it would be utterly inexcusable.

"Ling Wen?"

"Is this Ling Zhen?"

Fu Zhi's heart was shaken to its core, overwhelmed with astonishment.

Xu Xiao Shou had shown him a perspective far beyond his reach—something so elevated that even looking up at it in his daily life felt impossible.

"The world is the world, the Dao is the Dao, and Ling Zhen is Ling Zhen."

"The three are linked through recursive processes, where Ling Zhen borrows from the Dao, and the Dao upholds the rules."

This was the essence of a Ling Zhen master's philosophy.

It was a process of complete self-realization, harnessing the power of heaven and earth.

In contrast, Tian Ji Shu was entirely different.

In the philosophy of Tian Ji Shu, the world was the Dao, the Dao was the array, the array was the person, and the person was the world.

All of it flowed seamlessly together.

Or rather, they were the same essence in different forms!

No distinctions needed, no differences at all!

All living and non-living things were composed of the Dao.

The Dao constructed the world, gave birth to humanity, and its origin remained unchanging.

Fu Zhi could hardly believe that such an idea was emerging from Xu Xiao Shou's demonstration.

Yet, seeing the amused and approving glint in his eyes, Fu Zhi realized it wasn't his imagination—Xu Xiao Shou was indeed conveying this very meaning.

"So, what you're trying to say is... Tian Ji Shu?"

Xu Xiao Shou paused for a moment.

"No."

"What I mean is still 'Fang Zhi Shu'!"

Fu Zhi felt a headache coming on; the moment he heard the word "textile," he wanted to explode.

Clearly, Xu Xiao Shou had depth and substance.

But they just weren't on the same wavelength, and that feeling was unbearable!

Fu Zhi sensed he was on the brink of a breakthrough, yet something was missing—just a tiny bit.

He grew frantic, digging his toes into the ground, scratching his head, and even veins bulging on his neck from the strain.

Watching Fu Zhi struggle, Xu Xiao Shou suddenly recalled his own experience entering the "Fang Zhi Jing Tong" illusion.

Back then, no one had guided him.

It had taken him an unknown number of years to grasp the transition from human life force patterns to the world's patterns.

Though the illusion made it feel like an eternal instant, Xu Xiao Shou knew he had spent a lot of time on it.

Those processes had been erased by the illusion's unique rules.

Or rather, the illusion itself was a presentation of knowledge, and Xu Xiao Shou had mastered it in a single moment.

In that moment, he was transported to a space with different rules, experiencing the world in its entirety.

"What is it..." Fu Zhi muttered anxiously.

Xu Xiao Shou watched him pacing in circles, finding it amusing, and said gently, "You're too fixated on how the Dao is presented."

Fu Zhi froze.

He felt Xu Xiao Shou's words strike like thunder, bringing sudden enlightenment.

Before he could think further, Xu Xiao Shou's voice continued from behind.

"'Tian Ji Shu' or 'Fang Zhi Shu'—what does it matter?"

"Ultimately, every way of using power boils down to the great Dao, to the rules."

"I've shown you two worlds: one as seen by ordinary people, and one as seen by Ling Zhen masters."

"Or rather, as seen through what you call Tian Ji Shu."

"But so what?"

Xu Xiao Shou stepped in front of the completely still Fu Zhi and looked at him intently.

"Since you've chosen to view the world through Ling Wen, does it really matter what tools you use to understand the Dao?"

Tools?

Was Tian Ji Shu just a tool?

Enlightenment surged through Fu Zhi's mind, rushing straight to the top of his head, as Xu Xiao Shou kicked open the door to a new world for him.

"It doesn't matter!"

He exclaimed ecstatically, almost roaring, "The Dao is Ling Wen, Ling Wen is the Dao—everything can be inscribed, everything can become the Dao?"

"Yes, that's it!"

"You're absolutely right! A world can be seen as empty, but if it were truly empty, how could everything run so orderly?"

"So, the existence of Ling Wen—or invisible Ling Wen—is the great Dao?"

Xu Xiao Shou wore an expression of approval, as if to say, "This student is teachable." This insight would undoubtedly be a huge help to someone as obsessed with Ling Zhen as Fu Zhi.

No one could comprehend the level of shock Xu Xiao Shou had felt upon seeing that new world in the illusion.

What the illusion presented might be the ultimate form of a mastery-type passive skill.

So, even though his current "Fang Zhi Shu" could only demonstrate something like a Chinese knot or a basketball net,

The theory alone was enough to captivate and drive mad anyone in the world studying Ling Zhen!

And this was just scratching the surface of "Fang Zhi Jing Tong" within "Fang Zhi Xue"!

Xu Xiao Shou watched Fu Zhi clutching his head and jumping around in excitement, tears streaming down his face, and he couldn't help but smile.

"I get it!" Fu Zhi covered his head, acting like a madman possessed, muttering obsessively.

"So that's what 'Tian Ji Shu' is, that's what 'Fang Zhi Shu' really is..."

"I understand!"

"So 'Tian Shu Ji Pan' was meant to convey this!"

"I was wrong..."

He wailed, "Nested Ling Zhen is one approach, but at its core, it's still bound by the fixed form of Ling Zhen."

"Anything constrained by 'form,' no matter how nested or powerful, can never achieve the 'formless' Dao!"

"I'm such a fool!"

With a few sharp slaps, Xu Xiao Shou watched as Fu Zhi wildly smacked his own face, completely stunned.

Was it really necessary to get this worked up...?

Looking at this near-deranged man, Xu Xiao Shou realized that if he didn't calm down, Fu Xing might soon lose a father.

Xu Xiao Shou hesitated, then thought of the massive hand manipulating the world's rules that he had seen at the end of the "Fang Zhi Jing Tong" illusion.

"There's one more thing, though I'm not sure if I should say it..."

Fu Zhi instantly snapped out of his frenzy and lunged at Xu Xiao Shou, dropping to his knees almost.

"Xiao Shou brother!"

"Go ahead and say it!"

"I'm all ears! I was wrong, I messed up earlier—I shouldn't have doubted you, I can't misunderstand you, I... I'm ashamed!"

Xu Xiao Shou was nearly scared out of his wits; Fu Zhi's expression was so exaggerated, like a man-eating flower bud about to bloom—it was terrifying.

"Calm down."

He steadied Fu Zhi until the man was trembling but somewhat composed, then said, "How does Ling Wen come about?"

"By drawing it!"

Fu Zhi answered immediately, his face flushed with excitement.

He knew Xu Xiao Shou was asking profound, fundamental questions, so he added, "Drawn by hand!"

Xu Xiao Shou nodded in satisfaction—this guy had real insight.

He continued, "Then, if Ling Wen is the Dao, how does the Dao come into being?"

"What do you mean..."

Fu Zhi was stunned.

How does it appear? Of course, it's drawn by people!

But...

Drawing... the Dao?

In that instant, Fu Zhi felt like his head had been struck by some primordial bell, leaving it blank.

The excitement in his eyes faded, his pupils contracted sharply, and terror surged in.

Finally, his eyes were filled only with bewilderment and fear.

Xu Xiao Shou looked at Fu Zhi in surprise; his intention had just been to help the guy cool off a bit.

But Fu Zhi...

This middle-aged man seemed to have unraveled some monumental mystery, suddenly clutching his head and howling in disbelief.

"No—no, it's impossible!"

Xu Xiao Shou: ???

Has he... lost it?