Chapter 620 — The Sagely Way Handed Down Twenty Thousand Years
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 4
Shen Mu walked over and said to the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, "Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, the Woodcutter Sage wishes to see you. " The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping trembled from head to foot, raised his head to look at him, astonished and delighted.
The two came to Luofu Heaven. The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping raised his head and looked at the tall, towering altar, where a middle-aged man in woodcutter's garb stood. The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping's heart surged; he straightened his robes and was about to climb the altar and seek audience, when suddenly the Woodcutter Sage's voice came down from the altar, full and loud as a bell: "Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, I have three questions for you. Answer these three, and you may come up the altar to see me!
Climb! " The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping stepped up the stone stairs to one third of the way, and suddenly the Woodcutter Sage's voice came down: "First I ask after your first intent!
Answer! " The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping halted and said in a clear voice: "To establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, to establish a mission for the living people, to continue the lost learning of past sages, to open peace for ten thousand generations — that is my first intent!
" Atop the altar, the Woodcutter Sage was silent a moment, then said, "Climb.
" The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping climbed on. At two thirds of the way, the Woodcutter Sage's voice came down once more: "Second I ask after your Dao heart!
Answer! " The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping halted, refined and elegant in bearing, his spirit soaring: "First intent unchanged, Dao heart forever firm!
" "Come up!
" The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping climbed on, and as he neared the top the Woodcutter Sage asked, "Third question: do you know that for this you will die, that for this you will lose your name and your good repute, that those of later ages will forget you, hate you even? This undertaking, this road, may destroy not only your life but your name, and leave you nameless hereafter. " "I know. " The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping bowed. "I am willing to do it, with a clear conscience, without complaint and without regret.
" The Woodcutter Sage smiled.
"I have taught countless people, but taken only two disciples, and neither of those two disciples ever received my mantle or my true transmission.
The flower bloomed outside the door instead. Come up. " The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping ascended the last stair and came to the top of the altar, face to face with the Woodcutter Sage.
Clang— The great axe behind the Woodcutter Sage fell to the ground and stuck there.
The woodcutter sat upon the axe's back, legs planted wide and bold, both hands upon his knees: "You may take me as your master.
" The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping lifted his blue robe, knelt, and said in a deep voice, "A scholar of Jiangling pays his respects to his teacher! " Shen Mu looked up at the top of the altar, tears wetting his cheeks without his knowing it. He had witnessed this transmission of the Sage's Way, spanning the two ages of Kaihuang and Jingping.
The Sage's burden passed from the shoulders of one age to the shoulders of the next. There was no heart-stopping spectacle, no stirring declaration — yet it moved him to tears.