C22 The Road to Becoming a Taoist.

Within the enigmatic cosmos of the human body, all things are in ceaseless motion.

Over millennia, the celestial equator and star positions have been anything but constant. Amidst the boundless sea of stars and clouds, the dance of life and death, the interplay of yin and yang, unfolds massive transformations at every moment. Only by elevating one's will to divine heights, quelling all else, can one truly master their destiny.

Hanyu Xiaotian's thoughts drifted to Hanyu Qingtian, the venerable Chief of the Hanyu Family. In previous encounters, respect was the sole sentiment he harbored. Yet, reflecting now, the Chief seemed more than mere flesh and blood. His presence seemed to envelop heaven and earth, immutable even if the cosmos itself were to perish.

"Perhaps that is the essence of the patriarch's Dao—how wondrous the realm of the heavens!" Hanyu Xiaotian could now, with his own perception, confirm Hanyu Qingtian's exalted state. Such a revelation would astound anyone who heard it.

"My dantian is sealed, rendering the initial step of transforming essence into energy impossible. Even with the external Qi, the time it would take for me to circulate it is a thousandfold that of an average Martial Cultivator. To advance further and refine the body's major acupoints is beyond contemplation. The path of martial arts is closed to me; the routes of essence and Qi are severed. My only recourse in seeking the Dao... is through divinity."

"Taoism can nurture a holy embryo, transmuting the primordial spirit; Buddhism can forge relics, shaping the Dharma body; martial arts can ascend to the immortal stage, achieving transcendence. I, then, shall harness the starry river and command the cosmos!"

"To heaven and earth, humans are but mayflies; to the Great Dao, even the cosmos is a fleeting shadow. Only the primordial spirit endures, transcending the elemental union. Its essence may crumble with the cosmos, but with the primordial spirit intact, there are no bounds. The genesis of heaven and earth stems from this. Those who shield the primordial spirit transcend the duality of yin and yang, existing beyond the three realms. This is the true nature, the original face."

Emerging from the Library at dusk, the sky was painted with the blood-red hues of the setting sun, while stars began to sprinkle their light, weaving a tapestry of mystery, as if from a dream.

Standing at the top of the library steps, Hanyu Xiaotian gazed into the infinite starry expanse. "Though my body is unfit for martial practice, my heart aspires to the Dao. The Great Dao is boundless, and I shall tirelessly seek its depths."

With these words, Hanyu Xiaotian remained himself, yet his aura underwent a profound transformation, radiating an ineffable allure. The ignited stars within the microcosm of his mind sparked an indescribable shift.

If Hanyu Xiaotian could peer into his own consciousness, he would witness his inner universe breaking free from invisible fetters. Dark regions now blazed with new stars, each beginning to orbit in a mysterious harmony.

Casting a final glance at the place that had catalyzed his metamorphosis, he turned and vanished into the embrace of the night.

Unbeknownst to Hanyu Xiaotian, the words he uttered today would illuminate his path, guiding him unerringly on the journey ahead.

"Not bad, little one. Hanyu Qingtian is already a prodigy, and now another emerges. It looks like the Hanyu Family is set to welcome yet another remarkable individual in the future. I can't help but wonder about the good karma our ancestors must have amassed."

In the depths of the Scripture Pavilion, a white-haired elder was hunched over, gently placing a physical book back onto the shelf, all the while murmuring to himself.

"Alas, the kids these days are all so eager to rush to the Scripture Pavilion. The ones who take the time to come here and actually read are becoming rarer and rarer. Qingtian, though, he's a dutiful one, always stopping by to check on me... Ahem, cough..."

The old man's tone suggested he had an intimate understanding of all the goings-on within the Library, and he was particularly aware of the transformations occurring within Hanyu Xiaotian. His standing was also incredibly high; he referred to the current Chief of the Hanyu Family, Hanyu Qingtian, as a 'child'!

Just who was he? Merely an elderly steward of the Library? It's likely that only Hanyu Qingtian and a select few others were privy to his true identity.