Chapter 137: Now This Is Impressive

Upon hearing Cao He’s generous response, Huaizhu felt her tension ease and finally voiced the doubts that had been weighing on her heart.

"Senior, it is like this: ever since I was young, I have been frail and sickly. My progress in cultivation has been sluggish, and my understanding of the Dao remains superficial. To this day, I do not know what the Dao truly is, nor do I understand the purpose of those who walk its path."

As Huaizhu spoke, she wondered if such a profound figure as Cao He would find this question difficult to answer.

Hearing this, Ye Qiu was also momentarily stunned, thinking to himself: "What is the Dao? That is a rather vast question. It is as grand as the myriad worlds and as minute as a speck of dust; there is no single, precise answer for all things. This kid is going to crash! He’s trying to show off for the first time and has already run into such a thorny problem. Sigh, it looks like I’ll have to bail him out later. He is my underling, after all; if he loses face, wouldn't I be losing face too?"

Ye Qiu contemplated intervening if Cao He failed to answer. Little did he know, Cao He was not panicked in the slightest; in fact, he felt a surge of amusement.

With a calm and detached air, Cao He replied, "What is the Dao? There are three thousand questions regarding the Dao, and every person’s understanding is different. However, my understanding is this: the Dao can be this vast world, or it can be a tiny speck of dust. Everything has a spirit, and the Dao is simply the path within one's own heart. If one has the Dao in their heart, even a tiny speck of dust can fill the vast ocean, and a single blade of grass can sever the sun, the moon, and the stars. This is the Dao—things that seem subtle and devoid of meaning can exert infinite power..."

Ye Qiu: "???"
*Did you peek at my thoughts? You’re so good at bluffing! You just spat out the very answer I was thinking of. You’re even better at blowing smoke than I am...*

"A speck of dust can fill the sea? A blade of grass can sever the sun, moon, and stars?"
"Hiss... how can this be!"

The entire room was stunned by Cao He’s words. Even Qingcheng, who had been meditating nearby, was jolted awake by the sheer aura of pretension radiating from Cao He.

*Good grief, since when did this guy become such a master of posturing? Good heavens, you’ve turned a speck of dust into a deity; you’re better at this than I am...*

Qingcheng was dumbfounded. He hadn't realized that showing off could be used in such a way. Watching the young women in the room, he saw they were completely mesmerized, their eyes filled with genuine, unadulterated adoration.

*My god, he is just too good at this!*

*No, it seems I need to keep up with the trends and learn a few more tricks. I want to show off like that in the future, too...*

At that moment, Qingcheng gave up on his cultivation, turned around, and began to watch Cao He with rapt attention. These days, posing was far more interesting than meditating. Cultivation? Forget it! Is showing off not much more satisfying? As long as you can pull off a good performance, beauty and wealth will follow—who needs to work hard for anything?

"A speck of dust can fill the sea, a blade of grass can sever the sun, moon, and stars... Hiss... what kind of realm is this? I cannot believe that such a magnificent and majestic statement could come from a young man who has barely reached adulthood..."

Huaizhu was instantly overwhelmed. She savored the words, and her mind felt as clear as a mirror; her understanding of the Dao seemed to have reached a new height.

Seeing their reaction, Cao He was ecstatic, but he dared not show it for fear of ruining his facade. *Haha, wonderful! Truly wonderful! For the first time in my life, I’ve discovered that showing off is this exhilarating. No wonder the Shopkeeper is so addicted to it every day. Who could resist this? It’s a thrill beyond words; even if I were to be exposed, this moment alone would be worth a lifetime...*

With a nervous heart, Huaizhu asked, "Senior, what of the second question? How should that be resolved?"

The second question?
Cao He paused, fell into deep contemplation for a moment, and spoke slowly: "What is the purpose of those who cultivate the Dao? Heh... It is to establish peace for a chaotic world, to secure the destiny of the common people, and to continue the lost teachings of the ancient sages. This is what a true cultivator of the Dao should do..."

Ye Qiu: "???"
Upon hearing this, Ye Qiu was frozen in place.
*You are truly shameless! You just lifted it wholesale? Not changing a single word, just taking it and using it? If I recall correctly, I said this exact thing when I was preaching in the wilderness, didn't I? What, you’re doing it again? And the way it sounds now, it’s as if these are your words and I’ve become the plagiarist? Goodness, to be this shameless—I’m actually starting to admire you...*

"To establish peace for a chaotic world, to secure the destiny of the common people, and to continue the lost teachings of the ancient sages? Hiss... damn, this is just too cool! No, no, I must write this down. I will definitely use this in the future..."

Hearing this for the first time, Qingcheng was stunned. He frantically committed the words to memory so he could use them to show off later. He had never heard such a display of linguistic artistry in his life; he realized for the first time that the art of language could be so miraculous.

Just uttering these words was enough to stun everyone. Why worry about not being able to show off after this?

"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! In the art of posturing, I am no match for him..."
Qingcheng was thoroughly convinced, even beginning to doubt his own existence. He had thought he was the only one who knew how to pose, but he never expected that an honest fellow like Cao He would not only learn how to do it but surpass him entirely.

Huaizhu and the others were completely shocked, unable to maintain their composure.

"Heaven, what kind of heart must one possess to speak such words? A master, this is truly a master. He is even more terrifying than the immortals we have met before. Even that Immortal Elder Kumu from the Imperial City might not be able to utter such earth-shattering words..."

For a moment, Huaizhu was at a loss for words to describe her feelings. She felt overwhelmed. Looking at Cao He now, she sensed a strange aura of coolness and detachment; he was no longer the ordinary man she had first seen, but someone suffused with an immortal presence.

*This person’s understanding of the Dao is unfathomable! He is no different from the image of the master my father described. It seems... he is the savior I have been searching for.*

Huaizhu made a difficult decision. She carefully observed the three men before her. Ye Qiu was the most stunning, but he had not said a word from the beginning, and his personality was so inscrutable that she dared not approach him. Qingcheng had a certain heroic air, but he seemed restless; his realm was clearly not as profound as Cao He’s.

The gap was obvious. Cao He was clearly more powerful than Qingcheng, and while Ye Qiu was likely even more formidable than Cao He, his cold demeanor made her hesitate. Thus, Huaizhu chose Cao He and said excitedly, "Senior, please save my life. This young woman will be eternally grateful..."

"Ah?"
The sudden turn of events left Cao He stunned. He hadn't expected that after all his posturing, he would actually be asked to save someone.
*This is a disaster! I only learned how to show off from Ye Qiu, not how to practice medicine.*

He recalled that when Ye Qiu first showed off, he had encountered a similar situation, and Ye Qiu had successfully saved Fu Yao’s life. But the situation was different now. Back then, Fu Yao had been visibly wounded, but Huaizhu didn't look injured at all.