TAOIST TEMPLE 1

"Youdun, have you ever experienced an imaginary dream while meditating?"

By any chance, the patients at that time were less than usual, it gave Zhu Su and Zhu Youdun spare time to chat.

Zhu Youdun put a pitcher containing Blood-Activating medicated wine on a cupboard. "Perhaps no... but perhaps yes, I'm not so sure. The mountain breeze is so cool it can usually make me almost fall asleep..." He smiled, embarrassed.

"Or maybe at that time I almost fell asleep and all I saw was no more than a dream?..."

"Fu Wang, do you experience an imaginary dream while meditating?"

"Well..." Zhu Su sighed. "Such a very strange dream... As if someone was appearing inside my mind, talking with me, but under normal circumstances like this, he doesn't appear... sounds strange, eh?"

"I am just a novice in meditation, so I can't give you helpful advice. We should ask it to Physician Li," Zhu Youdun suggested.

"Physician Li won't be able to solve my problem." But, could anyone solve the problem? Who would be able to put out the total desire for revenge raging violently inside his heart?

All of a sudden Zhu Su remembered, the moment when he came to Yunnan for the first time because of being exiled by his father. He once meditated on Mount Laojun. Aside from a large lake surrounded by a natural flower garden and high bluish mountain as the backdrop. Then, other memories also enter his mind. He could get a sensation of peace and enlightenment which could not even be taught by the best teachers in the whole country. And, did he also get the key to exposing Xie Wang's villainy in his meditation on that place?

"I want to go to Mount Laojun," Zhu Su automatically murmured.

"Right at this moment, Fu Wang?" Zhu Youdun ensured.

"Yes," Zhu Su answered firmly. He stared at the sun outside the window, which now began to direct to the west. The air was not so hot since it was already dusk. "You can follow me, Youdun. There the lake is very interesting. It's not the beauty that is interesting, instead, it is the mysterious and mystical sensation which emanates the charm... and it's unexplainable, you should go there and feel it by yourself."

"Your words are so alluring, I am now interested in joining too. Who knows, I may get a speck of ideas to write." If Zhu Su had a great interest in medicine, then Zhu Youdun had affection more for writing and theater. But, despite their different hobbies, both had the same interest topic. That was, philosophy and spiritual science.

Early winter breeze blew on them as they came out of the medical center, and it continued to accompany them all the way they climbed up Mount Laojun. The weather grew colder as they climbed higher. Thick fog began to blur their views of the pathway. But it did not dampen Zhu Su's enthusiasm to continue his walk.

Zhu Su took Zhu Youdun in a different direction from the usual pathway they used to go through to meditate. It was also further and consisted of many bends. Zhu Youdun himself was less familiar with Yunnan than Zhu Su. If he went just by himself, he would be lost for sure, that was why he meditated only at the foot of the mountain and did not go far into the mountain.

Finally, they arrived. Stopping his step, Zhu Su stared at the scenery that gave him thousands of memories. At the same time, Zhu Youdun was immediately stunned as he gazed at the "Magical Lake". The lake lying before him was different from the lake he used to see. What captivated him was not only its beauty. It was hard to capture the beauty of everything when winter came and no alive plants embellished it. It was, something else... something untouchable by the human mind in this lonely and isolated place.

Thick mountain mist was piling on the surface of the lake, giving an impression as if both of them were coming to the residence for The Inhuman Divine Beings.

"Am I coming into The Realm of the Gods?..." Zhu Youdun whispered.

"Do you know why this mountain is named Mount Laojun?"

"Because the myth says that Taishang Laojun (God Title for Laozi) concocted a magical pile for eternal life on this mountain."

"Even Laozi can be attracted to this mountain. It must not be just any mountain. Dao is a philosophy which emphasizes the relationship between human and nature. And Laozi has noticed such a very strong energy of nature in here."

"So, does it explain why I can be so attracted to this lake?"

"And you're not the only one who gets amazed." Zhu Su pointed to a Taoist temple hidden behind a grove of trees. Twelve years had passed, and the vague image of the Taoist Temple was still the same as the first time Zhu Su saw.

"Is it Taoist Temple?"

"Sure. Here is Mount Laojun."

"Perhaps the Taoist priesthood can get supernatural powers after training on this mountain?"

"That's an interesting question. I also want to know the answer."

"You haven't made any interaction with the dwellers of that temple?"

Zhu Su shook his head.

"Auch, that's a shame, because I'm curious to know..."

"But don't practice just because you want to get a supernatural power, Boy. It's no more than being allured by desire. The results won't be good."

"Ah, I won't get supernatural powers since I am still attached to worldly pleasure," Zhu Youdun smiled slightly.

Zhu Su also laughed. "We humans will certainly be difficult to escape from earthly attachment. The Path of Buddha is difficult to go through, and so is the Way of Confucius - Zhong Yong (The Doctrine of Mean). But even though it is difficult to go through, we should keep learning on it, since it has been our Way. Zhong Yong teaches us not to be the extremist by being fanatical with only some aspects, instead, we should choose the Middle Way. If we find it difficult to be free from earthly attachment, at least we must practice to control it so as not to attach with extreme points and thus it doesn't lead us to suffering."