Clark laughed and said:
• "How ironic! What's the point? I was on the verge of death just now, and then I find an inheritance waiting for me to claim! But in the end, I'm severely wounded, yet a part of my heart tells me the Master will come!"
Clark rested his back on one of the stone chairs. It wasn't comfortable, but better than standing.
There was a corpse with many books beside it. Clark forced himself to stand and went to one of the shelves. The first book Clark laid his hand on was titled "The Art of Yin and Yang," and written below it was: "Intellectual Authenticity."
Clark returned to the stone chair. There were many books, but "The Art of Yin and Yang" had piqued his interest.
He opened the first page, which was the introduction. Clark read aloud:
• "They say: If you find a story for humanity, he was the first intellectual artist! Yes, and not just that! There are those called combat artists, but there is even the intellectual artist! This man was a great king ruling the East and West, possessing everything: a beautiful wife and a life of luxury any man dreams of! Naturally, but in a single day and night, everything turned upside down! His wife and ministers met him with betrayal! She wanted to take everything for herself and didn't want him! She confronted him with the truth: 'Woman: I never loved you! I was just poor, and by a twist of fate, you loved me but I didn't love you! You weren't handsome nor generous! You only amused yourself with sexual desires! I expected to live a royal romantic love story, but it turned out you only thought about 'what's in your pants'! At that moment... perhaps this truth was delayed! But I refrained from bearing your children! Because you are, by nature, trash! And trash like you don't deserve to create offspring or a family! And so, I conspired and did the impossible to get rid of you! And I truly succeeded!'"
The king laughed maniacally and said:
• "Hahahaha! How laughable! I expected that! I could have killed you, but I preferred to wait! You might ask: why? But I love seeing the intelligent and placing them under my control to see how they will betray me! By nature, women have traits of domination and betrayal! And if you think I didn't know, you are mistaken! And if you also think I didn't know you were using horrific methods like 'aborting the fetus', I knew! Sadly, you didn't build relationships or anything! You fooled yourself into thinking everyone hates me and wants me dead! Perhaps they hate me, but I subdued them by force! Don't think your beauty is enough to convince people with refined words! There are two types of intelligent people: those who lick boots and get breadcrumbs, and another type who wants everything for themselves! The intelligent one balances between the two! If you possess the power to obtain everything, then take it! But if you don't possess that power, then being content with the little that lasts is better than a lot that vanishes! Isn't that right? But you kicked the blessing with your own feet!"
Suddenly, the king surged forward with a demonic aura and beheaded her! He threw her head to the guards and said:
• "Throw her with the trash like the others!"
That king never married or took a wife again! Perhaps because love was impossible, or due to the social status he achieved! But he was so intelligent that he let the wolf into his house! Just to see how the betrayal would unfold! But he didn't care! He was truly a king! It was just a trivial matter! He recorded his memories and everything to learn and prepare the generations after him!
He said while on his palace balcony:
• "They tell you: This is bad, and this is good? But the truth is just to silence you! Why? Because you are weak! That might be good sometimes! At times, you must know your place! You might be scum, or you might be a manipulator! I classify humans into two types: manipulator and scum! Or what I like to call 'opportunistic dogs'! But what terrifies humans most isn't the coldness of the executioner or the torturer, but the coldness of the people watching as he is tortured or beheaded! And that, in truth, is my life's lesson: No one will look at you or care about your suffering! If you possess power, then crush everyone! And if you don't possess it to demand your rights, then be silent and live the rest of your life in peace! No one wants their head cut off! But whoever orders it, the end justifies the means! A ruler must be a great master who severs necks and enacts laws! And the people are tools! That is the true ruler! Because a weak ruler is consumed like food! People must see you as something sublime, not human! You must, to your citizens, resemble something unattainable or indispensable! And thus, you create the great image for yourself! Who will betray you after that? Perhaps your ministers! But if you enslave their hearts, they too won't betray you! The most dangerous among them are the religious leaders! But what if you delude the religious leaders into believing you are doing this for the sake of religion?! Then their hearts will yield to you! In fact, they will even commit massacres for you, thinking it's a cosmic cause, and wish you a long life! That is the first lesson in the style of Intellectual Authenticity!"
Clark laughed, closed the book, spat a little blood, and said:
• "He's truly a tyrant! But he's right about much! Humans always devour each other! The strong, if they see you on the roadside, will kick you just to feel powerful! All humans do those actions to convince themselves of their strength! In truth, we all do that! Contentment is easy! But what is the method? It's not hard to predict dangers! Because the king in that story knew the betrayal would come from that woman! That's why he married her just to see how she would betray him! He set traps for her and let her plan while he pretended to be foolish! Therefore, Intellectual Authenticity isn't difficult! If I told you: Listen! You have an army of tens of thousands of soldiers, and among them are your blood brothers from your mother and father! And one of them offers you: Sacrifice that army and you will rule this kingdom without any exception! Everyone! The fool will remain in his shallow social status and convince himself with principles! But I will sacrifice them! And a laugh will cover my face! They don't matter! Let them all die! Isn't that right, my teacher???"
Tai Fei laughed:
• "I didn't expect you to expose me! It seems I'm not like before!"
Clark replied:
• "The World is the one who exposed you! Its precision is immense!"
• "Your World is truly precise! But I liked your speech! You are right! But in truth, who is the owner of that book? And who was the king?! He is the owner of this Immortal Consciousness! And he is still alive too!!!"
• "What?! Is he then the owner of the temple we are in?!"
The Master replied:
• "Perhaps, and perhaps not! But the truth is, I think he has reached the Immortal World! But Clark, haven't you noticed the Taoist mark that appeared on your forehead?! It seems you have approached Enlightenment!"
Clark replied, touching his forehead:
• "What?! How?! What do you mean?!"
Tai Fei replied:
• "The marks of the Dao spread in the soul and body! And those marks help one reach the peak of refinement! And it seems you have obtained one! The funny thing is that the requirements to enter the Immortal Layer are the Dao marks! And you have now obtained one of them, Clark! You are very close! But you have a long journey ahead to achieve that! Now let's go treat you! Your wounds are serious!"
To be continued...