The dock of the Xuantian Great Vessel was vast, containing many inner docks.
One of these inner docks was decorated like a grand hall, with a ceiling carved from purple-golden huamu wood depicting coiled dragons, and floors paved with white-gold jade.
However.
This hall-like inner dock contained no tables or chairs, not even a single piece.
The empty inner dock held only a single milky-white meditation cushion.
The cushion was placed beneath a wall.
This wall appeared as if made of crystal, translucent and sparkling. Within the crystal, flames seemed to burn—flames profound and mysterious, wondrous and subtle, forming an infinitely profound and mysterious character for 'Tranquility'.
Two people stood within the inner dock.
One was a handsome man of striking elegance and extraordinary bearing.
The man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing the crystal wall, yet his eyes were closed. He was not looking, but seemed more lost in contemplation.
Not far away stood an old man.
The old man had hair as white as snow, slightly hunched, his head bowed.
The old man was the person in charge of this Xuantian Great Vessel, also known as the Xuantian Shipmaster, addressed as Elder Jin—a profound and powerful Immortal.
That handsome man of striking elegance was none other than Mo Baiyu, who bore the Immortal Dao's Edict Mandate.
After returning from the deck, Mo Baiyu had gone nowhere else, coming directly here.
Several hours had passed, and he had not spoken a word, simply standing beneath the crystal wall, eyes closed in contemplation.
Elder Jin had likewise done nothing, accompanying Mo Baiyu the entire time.
The empty inner dock was utterly silent, like the vast, boundless void.
No one knew how much time had passed when, suddenly, a voice shattered the stillness, like a meteor streaking across the night sky.
"Elder Jin."
The speaker was Mo Baiyu. He still stood beneath the crystal wall, eyes closed, not opening them, only asking softly: "Where does our fear come from, and what is its source?"
Elder Jin had remained bowing from beginning to end. Even when answering Mo Baiyu's question, he did not raise his head. After a moment of thought, he said, "Fear comes from within, originating from the unknown."
"Why do we feel fear towards unknown things?"
Mo Baiyu asked another question. Elder Jin responded, "Because we are accustomed to the known. For known things, no matter how dangerous, we have some psychological preparation. But unknown things are often unpredictable, beyond our control. Once something exceeds our understanding, the heart grows unsettled. Once unsettled, fear follows."
Mo Baiyu asked no more, still standing beneath the crystal wall with closed eyes, deep in thought.
After another long while, Elder Jin spoke: "Master, is it because you cannot let go of the encounter on the deck earlier?"
Mo Baiyu did not respond to Elder Jin's question.
Elder Jin continued, "If Master cannot let go because of the deck encounter, that is truly overthinking, mistaking vigilance for fear. Master did not act on the deck today out of vigilance, not fear. Showing due vigilance towards the unknown is a sign of maturity, indicating Master's state of mind grows ever more mature, no longer impulsively losing reason due to external influences."
"At all times, facing any situation, one must maintain a calm heart. Only by maintaining a calm heart can one make accurate judgments, thus remaining undefeated. This old man finds Master's performance on the deck earlier impeccable."
Perhaps Elder Jin's words brought some relief to his troubled heart. Mo Baiyu drew a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, asking, "What is your view of the four on the deck?"
"Regarding that Yunyan Xianzi, this old man can assert she is not an Immortal, nor should she be a Demon. If this old man's speculation is correct, she should be a Demon Monarch, and a formidable one at that. As for how formidable, this old man cannot say."
"That demonic youth called Yi Shangxing, though he did not hide his identity like Yunyan Xianzi...
This old man always felt the demonic aura on him was somewhat peculiar...
To be precise, not so pure. What identity Yi Shangxing truly holds, this old man cannot deduce for the moment."
"And that old Daoist...
Seems Human yet not Human, seems Immortal yet not Immortal, utterly mysterious. This person's existence is likely unfathomable. This old man dares not make presumptuous inferences."
"As for that person who calls himself 'Great Master'..." Elder Jin pondered a moment, then shook his head. "This old man truly cannot say."
"Why?"
"Yunyan Xianzi and that demonic youth Yi Shangxing, even including that unfathomable old Daoist—though their existences are quite mysterious, full of unknowns, and their spiritual auras are rather chaotic, true and false intermixed, making them impossible to discern—at least, through their spiritual auras, there are traces to follow. They also know to disguise, to conceal, indicating they still harbor some apprehension in their hearts."
"In contrast, that person who calls himself 'Great Master'... this old man carefully probed several times and am very certain he truly possesses no Cultivation Level, no Fortune whatsoever. Apart from the most basic Human spiritual aura, his entire body has no other spiritual aura, practically no different from a mortal in the mundane world."
"If one encountered such a person in the mundane world, it would not be strange. But such an existence appearing in the mixed and chaotic Great Desolate inevitably gives one pause."
Mo Baiyu said, "A mundane mortal appearing in the Great Desolate might be strange, but if a Worthy One bearing the Human Dao's Edict Mandate appears in the Great Desolate, it does not seem so strange, does it?"
"Master does not understand this old man's meaning."
Elder Jin said, "Though that 'Great Master' presents himself as a Worthy One, this old man believes he is not a Worthy One."
"Why?"
"This old man encountered Worthy Ones in the ancient era. So-called Worthy Ones are indeed as legends say: their fleshly bodies are firm as rock, and their strength is immense."
"In the Golden Sun Celestial Domain, many witnessed him obliterating a demonic beast with just a wave of his hand. Since he possesses no Cultivation Level and no Fortune, if he is not a Worthy One, then what is he?"
"The strangeness lies precisely there."
Elder Jin explained, "According to this old man's knowledge, though Worthy Ones' fleshly bodies are firm as rock and immensely strong, that does not mean they lack Cultivation Level or lack Fortune. On the contrary, those Worthy Ones were each heaven-defying prodigies, not only possessing profound Cultivation Level but also bodies full of Fortune, each more peculiar than the last."
"In this old man's impression, the existence of Worthy Ones is like being Human yet not Human, being Immortal yet not Immortal, situated between the Human Dao and the Immortal Dao—much like that old Daoist. To be honest, compared to that person who calls himself 'Great Master', this old man actually feels that old Daoist more resembles a legendary Worthy One."
Finally.
Mo Baiyu, who had been standing with closed eyes in contemplation, opened them, gazing at the profound and mysterious, wondrous and subtle character for 'Tranquility' formed by flames on the crystal wall. He asked, "If he is not a Worthy One, then what kind of existence is he?"
"This old man does not know..." Elder Jin sighed deeply. "Nor can I imagine what kind of existence he is."