Chapter 7, Passing the Light

The true ability to capture objects lies in the fact that whatever the divine consciousness locks onto becomes that object; even if it cannot be taken away, it will not mistakenly seize something else. A practitioner who truly masters the ability to capture objects will not make such errors

The two individuals deliberated on how to guide their kin into the initial realm, a task they had never attempted before, and it took them a long time to reach a decision. Then, Ruoshui took an object from her sleeve and said: "This is the bone from the wing root of the three-realm demon bird, which evidently possesses the power of body refinement, having become as tough as iron and stone. Take a close look; Panhu actually left bite marks on it!"

The tiger cub obtained the item but did not leave, as there were still matters to attend to. He tilted his small face upward and, with a look of complete admiration, abruptly asked: "Why is it that that strange bird can snatch things away from a distance, while the red-billed falcon and the forest owl cannot? Is it because that strange bird is particularly large?"

Ruo Shui: "The location chosen by our ancestors to establish the village had to have a water source and game, while also avoiding wind and rain disasters as well as various threats. Naturally, it would not be a place frequented by demonic birds or beasts. Today's events are merely a coincidence, yet they are bound to occur. If such incidents had never happened over the years, that would truly be an unexpected occurrence"

The first possibility is that the lifespan has come to an end. Although the mountain deity is regarded as a divine being by various tribes, it cannot exist eternally; there will eventually come a day when it departs. The second possibility is that it has truly fallen into a deep slumber, requiring a long time to awaken, or it may be in seclusion, practicing some secret technique. The third possibility is the most elusive, which is that the mountain deity has ascended to the heavens and achieved immortality, as legends suggest.

Ruo Shui slightly frowned and said: "If that is the case, everything will have to rely on ourselves. You and I received the guidance of the Mountain God back in the day and cultivated the secrets he imparted, allowing us to retain our vitality and youth. However, even the Mountain God himself will eventually depart, and we cannot remain here forever. ... ... In your opinion, what realm is that demon bird in today?"

Hu Wa then remembered the serious matter: "Pan Hu cannot sleep, constantly grunting there, probably because the wound hurts a lot. Do you have any way to alleviate the pain?" Such matters are usually best addressed by Water Granny, but she has already gone to rest, and Mountain Lord is nearby, with some commotion still in the house.

If Shan replied: "There are three possibilities..."

Although such events are rare, they inevitably occur from time to time, and when they do, they often result in serious casualties among the clan members. Sometimes, when faced with powerful and formidable monsters, the tribe tends to choose to retreat for self-preservation, striving to minimize unnecessary losses. However, paying a price is also unavoidable. The wilderness is fraught with peril, and various calamities are trials that people must endure.

If Shan nodded slightly, it seemed as if he was speaking to himself: "Originally, there were no lamps in the world until someone created them, and only then did something called a lamp come into existence. However, regardless of whether people understand what a lamp is, by using dishes, grass stems, and hemp oil in this way, it will appear, and then a name can be given to it, such as calling it a lamp.

If Ruo Shan and Ruo Shui spoke in very soft voices, Hu Wa did not hear them, and he also did not know that Shan Ye lit the lamp tonight specifically to wait for Shui Po Po. Ruo Shui asked Ruo Shan the same question as Hu Wa, but Ruo Shan gave a completely different answer. If Hu Wa had heard it, he might have felt even more confused. What does Shui Po Po look like? Doesn't Shan Ye know? Does he really need to light the lamp to see?

The clan leader of the mountain said with a wry smile: "It is not that I am remarkable, but rather that I have seen lights beyond the mountain. The truly remarkable person is someone else, but unfortunately, I do not know who that is."

Ruo Shan retorted: "What have you understood?"

If Shan finally said: "I once thought that the best outcome would be the second possibility, but that idea is too selfish; for the mountain deity himself, I hope for the third scenario, after all, he has protected the various tribes for at least a hundred years"

If Ruo Shan did not reveal the origins of this white-feathered Gu Diao today, why should he allow his clansmen to live under the shadow of fear? This represents an unknown that ordinary people can hardly comprehend or resist; however, today he allowed his clansmen to witness the terror of the strange bird with their own eyes, ensuring that they will maintain sufficient vigilance in similar situations in the future. In the end, he subdued the monstrous bird, providing his clansmen with courage and hope

Ruo Shan quickly shook his head and said: "No! I first learned and mastered it, and only then did I become the clan leader"

Although today's events are rare, encountering them once every few years is considered normal. Such occurrences have never happened in a century, as there has always been a mountain deity guarding this place. In the past, when those monstrous birds entered this area, they would receive warnings and guidance from the mountain deity. The deity does this not only to protect the various tribes that worship him, but also to protect these monstrous beings.

Such matters are difficult to explain clearly to Huwa, and even with an adult, it would be challenging to articulate. However, Huwa nodded his little head earnestly and replied, "Oh, I understand!"

Regardless, we must do our utmost to give it a try. It has been a hundred years since anyone in our clan has undertaken such an endeavor. I hope that someone can step into the initial realm under our guidance and achieve even greater heights in the future. ... ... Unfortunately, neither of us has entered the sixth realm over the years, and we are unable to leave behind a truly complete legacy. We can only take one step at a time and hope that future generations will have the fortune to encounter something different.

It is said that the path to ascend to the heavens consists of eight layers, nine turns, and seventy-two steps. Throughout history, the journeys of exploration have varied among individuals, resulting in either success or failure, with differing methods and descriptions of each level of attainment. However, from the means at hand, there exists a certain common characteristic, typically referred to as the initial realm, second realm, third realm, fourth realm, fifth realm, sixth realm, seventh realm, and the realm of transformation

In the light, Ruo Shan said: "Just now, Huwa came by and asked many questions, which were exactly what I had been thinking about."

Ruoshui said in a deep voice: "They have experienced it today, and our ancestors have experienced it as well. The tribes of today are far stronger and more prosperous than in the times of our ancestors, and naturally, they are better equipped to cope with it. We need not worry too much."

In the wild mountains, there is no shortage of prey, which can be easily obtained with their abilities. Why risk injury or even death? Various situations can be encountered among human tribes. However, there are exceptions; some spiritual beasts may not fully understand what human settlements are about, and they are also in the process of learning and exploring, leaving behind various experiences and lessons. Meanwhile, some supernatural beings come with specific intentions, seeking things that cannot be found elsewhere. However, there are exceptions; some spiritual beasts may not fully understand what human settlements are about, and they are also in the process of learning and exploring, leaving behind various experiences and lessons. Meanwhile, some supernatural beings come with specific intentions, seeking things that cannot be found elsewhere

Tiger Boy: "But how can one possess such abilities? Is it necessary to become the clan leader to achieve that?"

Only Ruoshui understood all of this in the village, and she did not reveal it in front of her clansmen. However, Ruoshan knew that Ruoshui would definitely come to discuss it with him, so on this night, when they faced the first attack from the demon birds in a hundred years, he lit the first lamp in the village. In the ancient tribe, there were generally no secrets among the clansmen, but these two individuals guarded a shared secret, which could only be communicated between them.

He - Tu - Shu Ruoshans thought for a moment before replying: "This is not a skill that ordinary people are born with, nor can everyone learn it; it also requires talent and luck. It is like lighting a lamp; in the darkness, what others cannot see, you are able to see."

If you are not worried, then why did you say nothing when all the clansmen were present

If Ruoshui sighed and said: "At that time, the mountain god told you that he would fall into a deep sleep and might never appear again, and that you could seek help from the Qingshui clan. However, two months later, the Qingshui clan was completely destroyed, and you have not informed the clansmen of this news. Now it seems, what exactly has happened to the mountain god?"

Tiger Boy: "Oh, I understand now; one must know how to light a lamp in order to learn this skill"

Ruo Shan nodded slightly: "It has been nearly four years since I last heard the voice of the Mountain God. If the Mountain God were still present, such things would not have occurred. After slaying that monstrous bird today, I led the clansmen in offering sacrifices to the Mountain God according to ancient rituals. The faith of the clansmen is incredibly pure and sincere, yet I still received no response, as if the Mountain God had long since departed from us"

Tiger Boy: "I originally wanted to ask—why are you able to subdue that strange bird while others cannot? It turns out that the clan leader has special abilities, which others in the village do not possess! Is that correct?"

The young tiger opened its small hands carefully to hold it, glanced under the light, and recognized that this was the shelled hemp seed kernel, already smelling ripe. The tribe members usually eat hemp seeds directly, as they are very fragrant, and only remove the shell when they need to extract oil. Eating too many hemp seeds may cause dizziness, but the tribe members do not consume enough hemp seeds at a time to induce dizziness.

If it is not like this, that kind of bird is called the White-feathered Goshawk, but not all White-feathered Goshawks possess this ability; it is quite rare. Perhaps some owls or red-billed falcons also have this ability, but they too are very rare

Ruo Shui: "Did you not also say nothing? It was actually Hu Wa who noticed, but this child does not understand what is going on... From today onwards, it is best that you and I do not leave the village at the same time; we must always leave one person here."

Tiger Boy: "Why are you able to acquire such skills, while others in the village cannot? What must one do to learn them?"

Tiger Boy: "Is it a different ability compared to the Lin Owl and the Red-footed Falcon? Is this ability the power to grasp things from a distance? Do such strange birds all possess this ability?"

Shan Ye explained: "Consuming a little of this substance each time is fine, but if you eat too much, it can cause dizziness. As for the pain relief, it is because I have specially processed it; it is not that ordinary hemp seeds can be used this way." Seeing Hu Wa still holding the hemp seed kernels there, he asked again: "Do you have any other matters?"

A slender figure walked in, making almost no sound. The visitor was Granny Shui. She sat down opposite Ruoshan and softly asked, "Why do you light the lamp tonight?"

As he spoke, he turned his head to look outside the house; the night in the wilderness was boundless, and the light he had lit could only faintly illuminate the items within this stone house

It has been many years; I have not thought about these questions for a long time. However, tonight, as I turned on the lights, I found myself pondering again. Such mysteries have long existed in the world; it all depends on whether people can discover them and how much they can uncover. Yet, what we know is still far too little! — I once asked the mountain deity, and the mountain deity answered in the same way.

The mountain dweller took a ceramic dish, typically used for holding water, but filled it instead with oil extracted from hemp seeds. He then immersed one half of a grass stem into the oil, allowing the other half to extend beyond the edge of the dish. The internal fibers of this grass stem are dense and soft, with excellent water absorption properties, capable of soaking up the hemp oil completely. The mountain dweller then took flint to ignite the hemp fiber, setting the grass stem ablaze.

If Shan sighed softly, he patiently explained in another way: "I also go out. What should we do if something like this happens when I am not around? Today, Bozhuang and Zhongzhuang performed very well. If it weren't for that big bird being so formidable, we would have been knocked down by a regular raptor long ago"

If Shan frowned and said: "How could a demonic bird have intruded into this place and attacked the tribe's village? This has never happened in my memory"

For example, when he sees someone flying in the sky, he can only wonder how that person is able to fly without wings. He feels a sense of novelty and surprise rather than disbelief, which is why he asked those questions today. In his eyes, the ability to illuminate a lamp he has never seen before is actually more miraculous than that mythical bird capable of capturing objects from a distance.

The grass stems did not ignite quickly; a flame rose from the tip, casting a dim light that faintly illuminated everything in the stone house. Tiger Boy stared in astonishment and asked, "Mountain Elder, what is this?"

Yet Shan said: "Even if he is already an adult, can we truly explain it? You and I were fortunate to enter the initial stage and received guidance from the mountain deity, cultivating all the way to the present. We understand what divine powers and magical abilities are, and we know how to utilize them. But can we clearly explain to our kin—why do they exist, and why are we able to cultivate them?"

At this moment, Tiger Boy had already fed the pangolin all the hemp seeds, and the pangolin no longer made any noise; it soon fell into a drowsy sleep. Tiger Boy was pondering the words of Mountain Elder from earlier; he seemed to have a slight understanding of what a metaphor was, yet other matters appeared even more confusing. He had no extra thoughts, merely reflecting on it, feeling even more dazed than the pangolin, and soon drifted off to sleep.

The green vine seemed to understand, nodding its head and saying, "Oh, yes, the clan members should all practice how to hunt." Then, clenching its small fist, it declared, "When I grow up, I will definitely be more capable than Bozhuang and Zhongzhuang, and I will also be able to bring down that bad bird!"

Ruo Shui also said: "The Tiger Boy has been in Lu Village for less than four years, which is precisely the age when he begins to open his eyes to the world and gradually learns to think. Everything is new and unknown to him, and he hopes to find explanations. The preciousness of a child's heart lies in its lack of prejudice; it has not yet been obscured by too many known things, allowing him to see the questions that people no longer think about or even realize."

While Tiger Boy and Pan Hu were enjoying their meal in the small house nearby, they heard Mountain Elder and Green Vine conversing, yet they paid no attention to the grandiose words spoken by Green Vine. After nightfall, the clan members returned to their homes to sleep, but Tiger Boy had business to attend to and went to Ruoshans' house, where he was astonished to find Mountain Elder fiddling with an object he had never seen before

The events that occurred early this morning are unprecedented in this village for a century. The white-feathered Gu Diao is not a typical prey for the barbaric tribes, nor can it be dealt with by ordinary tribesmen. It is a demon bird that has long attained spiritual intelligence and possesses powerful magical abilities. Such demon birds have learned to think and assess gains and losses, and they rarely attack human settlements without reason.

If the mountain sighed and said: "However, since I have had memory, it has indeed been over one hundred years, and such a thing has never occurred before; today is the first time! This may be a sign, a beginning, and it will happen again in the future, yet the current tribespeople have never experienced these things."

Master Shan's humility only made Huwa feel that he was immensely knowledgeable, almost omniscient. Huwa looked at the magical lamp and said: "The dish, the grass stem, and the hemp oil, all of which are found in the village and I have seen before, yet I never thought they could be transformed into a lamp!"

The clan leader, Shan Ye, who was regarded by his kin as almost omniscient, was now nearly at his wit's end under the relentless questioning of Hu Wa, and hurriedly sent the child back. After Hu Wa left, Ruo Shan remained seated by the stone table, quietly gazing at the flickering light, and reached out to adjust the piece of grass stem that served as the wick.

It seemed as if Shan had long anticipated her arrival, showing not the slightest hint of surprise. His gaze shifted from the light to her face as he softly replied: "Because I can see your appearance clearly under the light"

It is precisely for this reason that, although he could not understand what Master Shan was saying, he deeply etched every word spoken by Master Shan into his mind. This was not a child deliberately trying to remember something, but rather an almost indelible impression that naturally remained, much like the first time he saw this light. Then, Huwa asked the simplest question: "Why did you light the lamp tonight?"

This is not merely a matter of counting; it is simply a way of reference. In reality, different traditions and explorations have their own terminologies for various realms, which are often unknown to outsiders. Moreover, some traditions are incomplete, having only explored up to a certain point, making it impossible to describe the higher realms. In such cases, one can only summarize and imagine them using numbers

The curious tiger cub asked, "Mountain Grandpa, besides extracting oil for lighting, can hemp seeds also relieve pain for wounds?"

If Shan was at a loss for words, he said: "It's not that knowing how to light a lamp means you can master it; this is just a metaphor, do you understand? For example, when we say a stone looks like an egg, that's a metaphor, but a stone is not an egg. ... ... Forget it, you are still too young; you will understand when you grow up! Panhu is humming again, you should go back now"

This statement was evidently too profound for Tiger Boy. Today, his young heart has been subjected to too much shock. In the early morning, Mountain Grandpa first immobilized the enormous monster bird from a distance, and after dark, he surprisingly lit a lamp! In Tiger Boy's eyes, Mountain Grandpa has become a divine being.

Ruo Shui further remarked: "Upon entering the Third Realm, one gains the ability to manipulate objects from a distance. However, that demon bird likely possesses only the initial capabilities of the Third Realm; it attempted to seize the green vine but instead lifted Hu Wa's stick into the sky. Later, when it tried to capture Hu Wa, it merely stirred up dust on the ground. The divine power of object manipulation should not be employed in such a manner."

In other words, before there were lights in the world, lights actually already existed; it merely depended on whether people were aware of them and whether they could discover and illuminate them. From this perspective, everything in the world had its reason for existence even before it appeared; otherwise, it would not have come into being. The mysteries among all things, regardless of whether we know them or how much we know, have always been there.

Ruo Shui: "I also heard it, this child is still too young to explain it to him clearly"

Master Shan replied: "This is a lamp, lit with hemp oil!"

He sincerely exclaimed, "Master Shan, you are truly remarkable"

After a moment of silence, Ruoshui looked at the faint light of hetushu.com and suddenly asked, "Has the Mountain God truly become silent?"

Even if the mountain elder wishes to see, why bother lighting a lamp in the dark and wasting oil? It is much clearer to see in broad daylight! Confusions like this, perhaps he will naturally understand when he grows up; however, the answers to the words spoken by the mountain elder, in this wilderness, countless generations of tribes will never find an answer in their lifetime. If one does not understand, then so be it; there are boundless mysteries in this world.

If Shan was momentarily taken aback, he nodded and said, "It is like this."

Today, this mythical bird may have happened to fly across the sky, attracted by the sound of roosters, and whimsically decided to catch a couple of hens as prey. It likely had no understanding of human villages, nor did it seem to care. At that time, the sky had not yet fully brightened, and the villagers were probably still asleep. It swooped down from the heights and effortlessly seized two hens, as if it were merely a game. Surely, no one would risk their life for two hens against such a powerful mythical creature.

If the mountain nodded and smiled, saying: "Very good, you have ambition!"

If Shan got up and grabbed a handful of something from a ceramic jar in the corner of the room, and handed it to Huwawa, saying: "Let Panhu eat this, and it will be able to sleep."

In our early years, you and I were fortunate to enter the initial realm, guided by the mountain deity during the sacrificial ceremony. Now that the mountain deity has become silent, it falls upon us to guide our people ourselves, though we do not know if we will succeed

The difficulty of communicating with beasts is comparable to a person entering the realm of transformation. Embarking on the path of cultivation through spiritual intelligence is a great fortune. However, if one, in a state of ignorance, causes unnecessary casualties and brings about avoidable harm to oneself, it is indeed a great pity. The mountain deity is clearly unwilling to witness such occurrences.

If Shan said: "It can capture objects from a distance, it is indeed a three-realm demon bird. Among our clan, apart from you and me, only Bo Zhuang and Zhong Zhuang were fortunate enough to enter the initial realm and begin their cultivation. Now they have reached the second realm, yet have not achieved the complete ninth transformation. After all these years, it is likely that they will find it very difficult to break through to the third realm. We need to see which of the children in the clan still has hope for greater achievements in the future"

Master Shan gazed at the lights, seemingly lost in thought, and said: "Because I am pondering how to comprehend the mysteries of all things and understand what lies beyond our current knowledge. It is akin to lighting a lamp in the darkness." At this point, he seemed to come back to his senses, realizing he was speaking to a child like Huwa, and smiled, saying: "It is already dark; what brings you to me?"

This is the first time Huwawa learned that there is such a thing as a "lamp" in the world, and it is truly marvelous. Huwawa understands what fire is; a bonfire can emit light and heat in the darkness, allowing people to gather around it to sing, dance, or keep warm. However, the feeling of a "lamp" is completely different; a lamp is that point of light that pierces through the darkness

Yet, Shan shook his head and said: "That may not necessarily be the case. The so-called 'nine transformations of each realm' is merely a summary by the people of the world. The creatures of the mountains and fields have no one to teach them; how would they know such intricacies? They cultivate through their own sense of spirit, and may have long since entered the third realm, but all their methods are still in the process of exploration and summarization. This process is very lengthy; if no one enlightens them, they must slowly comprehend it on their own"

But how could it have anticipated that this village would be so special? As soon as the rooster crowed, everyone was ready, with bows drawn and spears in hand, waiting for the predatory birds to swoop down from the sky! It was just like the villagers never expected such a formidable creature to descend from above! And the demon bird could not have imagined that there was a master like Ruo Shan in the village!

If Shan was momentarily taken aback, he then replied: "That is not the case; it is only because it possesses a very special ability."