The Eternal Way-Chapter 218: The Debate Between Father and Son (Part 2)

In the ancient primordial era, the first Dao paths that humanity tread were those of martial arts and Wu Dao.

Martial arts were practiced to strengthen the body, facing countless challenges in the wilderness.

However, martial artists could only serve as vanguards. The high casualty rates led to a gap in leadership, making it impossible for them to sustainably lead the remaining populace.

Thus, the most primitive "Wu" was born.

The early Shamans and Diviners traveled across the land, negotiating between powerful deities using their wisdom. Through trade and clever strategies, they secured protection for the fragile human race from the gods.

At this time, Shamans and Diviners were leaders among the people. They were the core of the tribe, spreading culture, healing the wounded, divining celestial phenomena, communicating with deities, and protecting the people. They simultaneously served as leaders, teachers, doctors, and ritual masters.

Titles like "Wu Yi" (Witch Doctor), "Wu Shi" (Witch Historian), and "Wu Shi" (Witch Mage) originated from this.

Yun Fang, with proper etiquette and a loud voice, responded: "I have read the classics of Humanism, and the Guoyu states:"

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"In ancient times, those whose spirits were clear and undivided, who were also pure, solemn, and upright in heart, whose wisdom could discern righteousness above and below, whose sagacity could illuminate far and wide, whose insight could enlighten, and whose hearing could perceive clearly—such individuals were visited by the divine spirits. In men, they were called xi (覡), and in women, they were called wu (巫)."

"Thus, they were appointed to establish the positions and ranks of the spirits, to prepare sacrificial animals, vessels, seasonal offerings, and proper attire, and then to appoint descendants of the ancient sages, who had illustrious achievements and knowledge of the names of mountains and rivers, the principal ancestors, the affairs of ancestral temples, the generations of the Zhaomu lineage, the diligence of reverence, the propriety of rituals, the norms of decorum, the elevation of demeanor, the essence of loyalty and trustworthiness, and the purity of sacrifices, to honor and clarify the spirits. Such individuals were appointed as zhu (invokers)."

"They were made to understand the life cycles of the four seasons, the creatures for sacrifice, the categories of jade and silk, the protocols of ceremonial attire, the measurements of ritual vessels, the degrees of secondary deities, the positions of shields and screens, the sites of altars, the gods of heaven and earth, the origins of surnames and clans, and to follow the ancient codes with devotion. Such individuals were appointed as zong (ancestral overseers)."

"The wise and virtuous, though perceptive, did not act on their own authority. Therefore, divination was established to consult the spirits. The virtue of shi (yarrow stalks) is round and spiritual, while the virtue of hexagrams is square and wise. Divination assists governance in a general way, demonstrating the existence of ghosts and spirits, and clarifying one's intentions—it is used for bu (diviners)."

"Thus, there were officials overseeing the matters of heaven, earth, spirits, people, and all living things. These were called the five offices, each responsible for its own order without interfering with one another. Thus, the people were able to cultivate loyalty and trustworthiness, and the spirits were able to manifest their bright virtues. People and spirits had distinct roles, respecting but not profaning one another. Therefore, the spirits bestowed good harvests, the people enjoyed material prosperity, calamities did not arise, and their needs were never lacking."

The meaning of this passage is:

In ancient times, among the human race, those who were spiritually focused, solemn, and righteous—whose intelligence harmonized Heaven and Earth, whose sagacity illuminated far and wide, whose vision was clear, and whose hearing reached everywhere—were visited by the divine. Among men, they were called *xi*; among women, they were called *wu*.

These individuals also had distinctions:

Some could establish the positions and hierarchies of the gods, specify sacrificial animals, vessels, and attire, understand the names of mountains and rivers, the ancestral tablets of forefathers, the affairs of ancestral temples, the order of generations, the diligence of reverence, the appropriateness of rituals, the standards of decorum, the cultivation of appearances, the essence of loyalty and trust, the purity of sacrifices, and communicate with the divine. These were called 'Zhu' (Invoker).

Some understood the cycles of the seasons, sacrificial animals, types of jade and silk, rites of ceremonial attire, quantities of ritual vessels, hierarchies of positions, locations of altars, gods above and below, origins of surnames, and adhered to ancient laws. These were called 'Zong' (Ancestral Master).

Others remained in the background. Even the wise and divine could not act arbitrarily, so they used divination to question the spirits, employing augury and wisdom to clarify themselves. These were called 'Bu' (Diviner).

Finally, there were Shamans and Diviners overseeing Heaven, Earth, people, gods, and objects—the Five Offices—each managing their respective duties without confusion.

Thus, the ancient people practiced loyalty and trust, and the gods manifested virtue. Humans and gods had distinct roles, respecting but not desecrating one another. The gods bestowed blessings, crops grew abundantly, and the people offered sacrifices in exchange for freedom from calamity and an abundance of resources.

(Note: This summary of 'Zhu,' 'Zong,' and the Five Offices comes from the *Guoyu,* while the summary of 'Bu' comes from the *Lunheng.* One is from the Zhou Dynasty, the other from the Han Dynasty. Both reveal that Shamans and Diviners were the original bearers of Chinese culture. Traditional Chinese Dao, philosophy, reason, literature, and history were all built upon Shamanic foundations. Although they gradually declined, replaced by more advanced schools of thought, the influence of Shamanic ideas permeated the Hundred Schools of Thought, including Daoism, Confucianism, and Legalism. This constituted an important part of China's diverse culture. Hence, it is said that Humanism evolved from Wu Dao.)

"Clearly, the ancient sages of Humanism revered Wu Dao, and historical records show that Humanism developed from Wu Dao. Why, then, do modern people denigrate Shamans and Diviners as barbarians?"

"Could it be that you have betrayed the sages of Humanism? Forgetting your roots and losing all sense of propriety, have you forgotten where Humanism originated?"

Yun Fang spoke with righteous indignation.

Though neither side could fight, their verbal sparring would not cease. Thus, Yun Fang appeared somewhat aggressive.

When Great Shaman Yun Fang brought up the "father-son relationship," the faces of the Zhiren from Humanism darkened.

However, being Zhiren, he merely paused for half a second before responding:

"The merit of Shamans and Diviners saving our ancestors is undeniable, but the claim of a father-son relationship is baseless. Have you forgotten the chaos caused by the Jiuli tribe in ancient times, when humans and gods mingled indiscriminately?"

"When every household claimed to be a Shaman or Diviner, there was no standard of integrity. The people were impoverished by the demands of sacrifices, yet received no blessings or protection. Sacrifices were excessive and unregulated, humans and gods shared equal status, oaths were treated lightly, and there was no reverence. The gods lost interest in human practices, sacrifices were impure, crops failed to receive divine blessings, and food for offerings disappeared. Calamities multiplied, and the vitality of humanity nearly expired. Are these not the disasters caused by Shamans and Diviners?"

The meaning of this statement is that the Jiuli tribe, which once revered Shamans and Diviners, disrupted morality by mixing humans and gods indiscriminately. Every family performed sacrifices for personal gain, claiming to be Shamans or Diviners, without any standards of integrity.

The people suffered under the burden of sacrificial offerings but received no blessings or protection. Sacrifices were excessive and unregulated, humans and gods shared equal status, oaths were disregarded, and there was no reverence. The gods became indifferent to human practices, sacrifices were impure, crops failed to thrive, and calamities multiplied. Was this not the disaster caused by Shamans and Diviners?

At this point, the Zhiren bowed toward the Central Plains and respectfully said: "Fortunately, Emperor Zhuanxu descended with a mandate, appointing Nan Zheng to oversee the gods and Huo Zheng to oversee the people, restoring the old order and preventing interference between humans and gods. This is what is called 'Severing the Connection Between Heaven and Earth!'"

Then, turning to Yun Fang, he sharply rebuked: "Later, Emperor Yao nurtured the descendants of Zhong and Li, not forgetting their forebears, and restored their traditions. From the Xia to the Shang Dynasties, the Zhong and Li clans continued to oversee Heaven and Earth, distinguishing the positions and hierarchies of humans and gods. Since then, the abuse of sacrifices and wild gods ceased, and Humanism flourished! The orthodox lineage of Shamans and Diviners lies in the Central Plains. Your so-called barbarians merely stole the title of Shamans and Diviners. How can you compare to the orthodoxy of the Central Plains?!"

This statement carried significant weight.

Yun Fang's expression turned uncomfortable.

The general meaning is as follows: Later, the Way of Humanity finally emerged. At that time, the Human Emperor Zhuanxu inherited these responsibilities. He thus ordered Nangzheng 'Chong'(重) to oversee the reconciliation with the divine, and Huozheng 'Li'(黎) to manage the affairs of harmonizing the people in order to restore the original order and prevent mutual violation or disrespect. This is what is referred to as 'Jue Di Tian Tong' (Severing the Connection Between Earth and Heaven), aimed at cutting off the pathways of communication between humans and gods, and eliminating the influence of the Wu Dao on humanity.

Shamans and Diviners were intermediaries between Heaven, Earth, gods, humans, and ghosts. Removing the intermediaries made communication between the two sides naturally difficult.

Later, Emperor Yao revived the descendants of Chong and Li, not forgetting their ancestors' traditions, and restored their oversight of sacrifices. From the Xia to the Shang Dynasties, the Zhong and Li clans continued to oversee Heaven and Earth, distinguishing the positions and hierarchies of humans and gods. Thus, the abuse of sacrifices and wild gods ceased, and the exploitation of sacrifices for personal gain by Shamans and Diviners ended.

Therefore, the orthodox lineage of Shamans and Diviners belongs to the Zhong and Li clans, who served as ministers of the Central Plains emperors, overseeing sacrifices generation after generation.

As for your Wu Deity Mountain lineage, you are merely usurpers of the title of Shamans and Diviners. How can you claim kinship with the Tang Dynasty as "father and son"?

Yun Fang immediately retorted after hearing this.

The two sides engaged in fierce verbal sparring, beginning with an analysis of Humanism versus Wu Dao.

Zhu Fengdan looked irritated, watching the two sides argue.

Though they cited classical texts and used eloquent language, anyone seeing it for the first time might admire their literary skill. But for Zhu Fengdan, it was rather tedious.

Such arguments...

The Wu Deity Mountain and the Tang Dynasty had gone through this countless times. But arguing endlessly achieved nothing.

How could a debate over Dao traditions yield a result?

It would be better to settle it with fists.

However...

The other side had a handwritten decree from a Second-Rank official...

In the Tang Dynasty, even official ranks followed a nine-rank system. Humanism had special methods, using the dynasty's fortune to elevate officials. When someone assumed a rank, their cultivation would rise to match it.

For example, the Minister of Works was a Second-Rank official, so his cultivation would naturally rise to Second-Rank.

Though temporary and weaker than ordinary Second-Rank cultivators, it was still genuine Second-Rank power.

Upon leaving office, this cultivation would fade, passing to the next successor.

This method was astonishing—no cultivation required, no burden at all.

As long as you held an official position, with the emperor's edict and seal, you immediately gained the rank and all associated divine powers.

Of course, these powers belonged to the position, not the individual, disappearing upon resignation. There were also term limits.

The principle was similar to Shen Shuibei's array. The official position was like a giant mech, and the official was its pilot.

Whoever took the position could operate the mech, though performance varied based on skill.

This system created a peculiar phenomenon in the Tang Dynasty: the total number of high-level combatants remained constant, but the individuals holding these positions constantly rotated.

Thus, Zhu Fengdan looked down on these transient Tang Dynasty officials.

However, beyond these transient figures, there were true powerhouses who cultivated their strength independently.

Some served in government positions, using only the divine powers of their rank while hiding their true strength, which might far exceed their "mech."

Others were wandering martial artists, rural sages, or imperial guards—none to be underestimated.

But... the three Third-Rank individuals present, except for the Daoism Earth Immortal, owed their rank to their official positions.

The two Military Protectors, third-rank officials, commanded the palace guard and were likely trusted by the emperor.

The leading Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, who had read the earlier decree, was also third-rank, serving under the Minister of Works and handling financial matters.

As for the Daosim Earth Immortal, he was genuinely Third-Rank. It was unclear how he got involved. Did Daoism and the Tang Dynasty still cooperate as before?

Even though the Daoist Luo Fu Mountain Paradise had been destroyed, what was the Dao Sect thinking? Or had they intervened in severing the Luo Fu Mountain Paradise lineage?

Why? Just because of the Sun and Moon True Lead Cauldron? That hardly seemed necessary. Couldn't the Dao Sect produce other Second-Rank treasures? They could have exchanged them later.

While Zhu Fengdan watched their verbal duel, his mind pondered the hidden implications.

Eventually, even the bickering stopped.

After several hours of citing classics, it was time for action.

Both sides sat silently in place, no longer speaking, while Dao Resonance surged around them, conveying near-infinite information to those capable of perceiving the Dao.

This was language beyond words. Anyone who could sense the Dao could transmit incredible amounts of information through Dao Resonance.

This was "debating the Dao."

Since mere words couldn't convince the other side, a more persuasive method was needed: debating the Dao.

These Dao Resonances could precisely depict a future, a future derived through calculation.

Debating the Dao involved infinite Dao Resonance calculations to determine who was "right."

In essence, each side presented their reasoning. If both sides insisted they were correct, they would lay out the details of their conclusions for everyone to see. Like formulas laid bare, the more convincing argument became obvious.

Such debates rarely had decisive outcomes, as everything ultimately boiled down to probabilities. The future was uncertain—even with a 90% chance of success, a 10% uncertainty remained. Thus, debates could determine superiority but rarely victory.

However, the sheer volume of information conveyed during these debates was immense, enough to overwhelm anyone below Fourth-Rank. Thus, it was reserved for communication among high-level cultivators.

This debate lasted eight full hours.

Zhu Fengdan sat idly, bored, watching Yun Fang face off against four opponents.

Suddenly, he stood up and gazed into the distance.

There... was Hundred Forests?

Was his disciple performing a ritual?