"This...
Huang Lao, my brain is a bit slow. Could you explain it more clearly? I still don't understand how any of this relates to what an 'upright person' is."
"Don't be impatient. Listen to this old man explain it slowly."
Huang Lao picked up his wine cup and took a small sip before continuing, "You should know what Heavenly Destiny is, right?"
"Of course I know that."
Lei Lie nodded. "Every era has its own Heavenly Destiny. The Heavenly Destiny of the Present-Ancient Era is the Star Lord; those who bear the Heavenly Destiny of the Star Lord are all Lords. The Heavenly Destiny of the Ancient Era was the Throne, making one a King. The Heavenly Destiny of the Primeval Era was the Imperial Seal, making one an Emperor. The Heavenly Destiny of the Grand Antiquity was the Imperial Authority, making one a Sovereign."
"Very good."
Huang Lao gave Lei Lie an approving look. "Then do you know which Great Daos each era's Heavenly Destiny belongs to?"
"That's not so easy to say, is it? When Heavenly Destiny descends, it might be the Immortal Dao, or it might be the Buddha Dao, the Monster Dao, the Monster Dao... the Ghost Dao, and so on... all are possible."
"Indeed. When Heavenly Destiny descends, any of the Three Thousand Great Daos could bear it. The Human Dao is also one of the Great Daos. Have you ever heard of the Human Dao having a Heavenly Destiny?"
"This..." Lei Lie thought carefully. In his memory, he truly hadn't heard of the Human Dao having any Heavenly Destiny. He asked in confusion, "Right! The Human Dao is one of the Three Thousand Great Daos, so why haven't I heard of a Human Dao Heavenly Destiny? Since ancient times, there have been Immortal Thrones, Demon Thrones, Monster Thrones, and even Heavenly Thrones... but I've never heard of a Human Throne."
Lei Lie asked, "Could it be that the Human Dao has never produced a Heavenly Destiny?"
"No! The Human Dao has produced Heavenly Destiny, and it has produced one in every era."
"If the Human Dao has produced Heavenly Destiny in every era, then why have I never heard of it?"
"The reason is simple. It's because the Human Dao's Heavenly Destiny has been snatched away by other Great Daos every time."
"Snatched away by other Great Daos? By which Dao?"
Seeing Huang Lao fall silent, Lei Lie seemed to realize something. "Could it be... the Immortal Dao?"
Huang Lao continued, "The Immortal Dao has always wanted the Human Dao to be its subsidiary Dao. Therefore, it has always suppressed the rise of the Human Dao. Whenever the Human Dao produces a Heavenly Destiny, they snatch it away at the first opportunity. This way, the Human Dao can never have a chance to rise, let alone flourish again. And the Immortal Dao can keep the Human Dao as its subsidiary Dao forever. As long as it has the Human Dao as its foundation, the Immortal Dao's power grows stronger and stronger."
As he spoke, Huang Lao sighed heavily.
This sigh was both for the sorrow and the misfortune of the Human Dao.
"A long, long time ago, a saying once circulated: 'He who gains the Human Dao, gains Heaven and Earth.' As long as the Immortal Dao continues to dominate the Human Dao, it will soon be able to replace the Heavenly Dao and truly rule over Heaven and Earth."
"This...
Huang Lao, I... although I find some of the Immortal Dao's actions quite despicable, I am, after all, an immortal. I was born an immortal from my mother's womb—a congenital immortal. It's true that some of the things the Immortal Dao does are rather underhanded, but to say they would snatch away the Human Dao's Heavenly Destiny just to suppress its rise... isn't that...
just too disgusting? Are these things you're saying true or false?"
"This old man also heard it from some seniors."
"So you heard it too? That means these matters don't have any solid evidence either?"
"That's not necessarily true. At the very least, this old man knows of one person who was once besieged by the Great Daos because of the Human Throne."
"There really is such a person? Who?"
"This person you also know."
"Who?"
"It's precisely the once-mighty, awe-inspiring Nine Heavens Emperor who shook the Great Desolate!"
"You Di?" Lei Lie asked blankly. "That can't be right. As far as I know, You Di only ever ascended to the Immortal-Demon Throne and the Nine Heavens Imperial Seal. I've never heard of him ascending to a Human Throne."
"Brother Lei Lie, how much do you know about You Di's affairs?"
"Heh heh, Huang Lao, to be honest with you, if you were talking about anyone else, I, Lei Lie, might not know much. But when it comes to You Di, let me put it this way: among all the overlords who have shaken the Great Desolate since ancient times, the one I admire most is You Di. He is my idol. I know almost everything he did back in the day. I've never heard of him ascending to a Human Throne."
"It's normal you haven't heard of it, because You Di indeed never ascended to the Human Throne back then."
"Then why did you say You Di was besieged by the Great Daos because of the Human Throne?"
"Although You Di never ascended to the Human Throne back then, he achieved the most mysterious Human Dao Creation since ancient times."
"The most mysterious Human Dao Creation since ancient times? There's such a thing? How come I don't know? Wait!"
Suddenly, Lei Lie remembered a legend about You Di. He exclaimed, "Are you talking about the 'Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship' that You Di achieved back then?"
"That's right! It's precisely the 'Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship'!"
"Good heavens!"
Lei Lie drew a deep breath and tilted his head back to gulp down a mouthful of wine.
Just as he had said, he had always regarded You Di as his idol, feeling immense admiration and worship for him. He was also thoroughly familiar with You Di's deeds, so naturally, he knew that You Di had once achieved a miraculous Creation: the Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship.
Legend had it that after You Di manifested the Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship, all immortals, all buddhas, all monsters, all demons, and so on—the Great Daos of Heaven and Earth transformed into the myriad phenomena of all living beings—all bowed in worship to You Di.
Some said the Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship was the Creation of the Human Throne.
Others said it was the Creation of the Human Imperial Seal.
Still others said it was the Creation of Human Imperial Authority.
Some even said it was the Creation of the Human Dao's Progenitor.
There were even those who said the emergence of this Creation, the Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship, might herald the rise of the Human Dao.
What kind of Creation the Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship truly was, no one knew, and no one could clearly explain.
It was only known that after You Di achieved this Creation back then, the Immortal Dao, the Monster Dao, the Monster Dao, including the reclusive Western Heaven Buddha Dao, and even the ever-elusive Heavenly Dao itself all appeared, seeking to obliterate You Di and seize his Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship.
Fortunately, You Di's existence was overwhelmingly powerful. Even the combined forces of the Three Thousand Great Daos could not shake him in the slightest.
Not only that.
Later, relying on the Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship, You Di seemed to have gestated a taboo of the Human Dao, something like an incarnation of 'ascending to the highest heavens, descending to the Yellow Springs'!
Although You Di ultimately turned to ashes and dust—and not for the sake of the Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship, but for the sake of the even more terrifying legend of Original Sin—nevertheless, the fact that You Di was jointly besieged by the Three Thousand Great Daos back then for gestating the Myriad Living Stupas, Myriad Phenomena Worship was something no one could deny.
Thinking of this, Lei Lie also realized that what Huang Lao was saying might very well be true. The Immortal Dao would stop at nothing to suppress the rise of the Human Dao.
"Damn it all! The Immortal Dao is just too despicable!"
Lei Lie viciously gulped down another mouthful of wine, cursing the Immortal Dao angrily.