CHAPTER 881: CHAPTER 881: PROVIDING GUIDANCE

Ye Xuan explained: "All things have Dao, Laozi’s Tao Te Ching once said, Dao begets one, one begets two, two begets three, three begets all things! And from the beginning of the world’s existence, there have been many kinds of Dao, life has Dao, heaven and earth have Dao, martial arts have Dao, even music has Dao."

"If you want to find the flaws and shortcomings in music and then improve them, you must first understand what the music Dao is! When you truly comprehend the Dao of music, your musical attainment will be very profound, and the more thoroughly you understand, the higher your personal attainment will be. Then, going back to find the flaws and shortcomings in music becomes very simple, and of course, you can quickly find them and perfect them excellently!"

Fearing that Yao Xingtong wouldn’t understand, Ye Xuan explained in detail, methodically and orderly, yet it still left the latter confused.

However, she did grasp some of the meaning and couldn’t help asking, "Are you saying that the reason you were able to modify the piece to perfection so quickly is because you’ve understood this Dao of music and reached a deep musical attainment?"

"You could say that, but you could also say not!" Ye Xuan shook his head.

His response left Yao Xingtong even more confused! So is it or isn’t it?

Ye Xuan further explained: "I was able to do all this indeed because of the Dao of music, but it’s very complicated and not something that can be understood overnight! And now, I’ve only grasped a bit of it, far from full understanding! However, just with this superficial understanding, it allows me to have a high ability of discernment and judgment in music."

"I get it now,"

Yao Xingtong nodded and asked again, "Can you explain in detail what the Dao of music is?"

Ye Xuan said: "Let me simplify it, Dao is the origin of all things, you can understand the Dao of music as the essence of music. As long as we continuously trace back to the origin, we can keep approaching Dao! Regarding this, I can only give you a general concept, since ultimately it relies on one’s own understanding."

"Actually, to put it simply, it’s just this principle, the question is whether you can comprehend it! Dao is inherently deep and profound, and I can’t explain it to you in detail because it’s hard to clarify! Even I, until now, haven’t fully figured out what the Dao of music truly is."

At this point, Ye Xuan shook his head and sighed: "Don’t even mention the Dao of music, even for the martial arts I’ve been cultivating and researching for so long, which I understand the deepest, yet I can’t fathom it. Even my master sees the Dao of martial arts like seeing flowers in a mist, let alone comprehend its true essence! This requires you to feel little by little; others can’t help you."

Upon hearing this, Yao Xingtong vaguely grasped Ye Xuan’s meaning, but couldn’t completely understand, so she nodded in a way of seeming to understand and asked, "Ye Xuan, can you tell me how I can approach and touch the Dao of music? I want to improve myself in music again, to touch the Dao of music!"

"Haha, you don’t need to make any contact." Ye Xuan smiled slightly.

"Why is that?"

"Because you’ve already touched the Dao of music!"

"I’ve already touched it?" Yao Xingtong was quite surprised.

"Indeed! Although the Dao of music sounds ethereal, it has always been around you. When you started delving into music, it meant you had already touched the Dao of music, your continuous research and sublimation are a kind of understanding of the Dao of music, only you haven’t realized it."

Ye Xuan explained with a smile: "Of course, no matter which Dao it is, they are all vast and profound, and the Dao of music is no exception! What you’ve understood so far is relatively shallow, wanting to comprehend the higher levels requires continuous effort on your part, as long as you reach a certain realm, you can do it like me."

Yao Xingtong furrowed her brows slightly and said: "Even though the saying goes so, I completely don’t know how to approach it! Previously, I didn’t have the awareness of touching the Dao of music, what form of effort would be correct?"

"Originally, according to my thoughts, as long as I continuously delve into music, my attainment would naturally become higher and higher! But hearing what you said, I feel my previous thoughts were wrong again, now I feel more confused, not knowing what to do."

Saying this, she showed a troubled expression on her face, as if she completely didn’t know how to choose.

Ye Xuan said: "You don’t need to be so troubled, actually, this question is simple! Just don’t get disturbed by others, follow your own heart, do as you originally intended. During the process of realization, achieve harmony with nature! Discard so-called human concepts or any driven desires, don’t lose your true heart! Do not seek fame and wealth; if the purpose and desire drive you to comprehend, you will never truly understand the Dao of music, and will be blocked at its door!"

"Only by doing nothing and following nature, holding firm to your belief, can you possibly see through the essence of music from the outside!"

Ye Xuan said righteously: "Only this way can you gradually approach the true meaning of music. To observe the great Dao, one must first immerse one’s heart in the origins of things! Laozi said such words in the Tao Te Ching."

"Your meaning is to make me not forget my original intention?" Yao Xingtong asked.

"Exactly, that’s what it means!"

Ye Xuan nodded and continued after a pause: "Xingtong, if your purpose of delving into music is for fame and money, then you don’t need to touch the Dao of music, because it is meaningless to you! You won’t research to a higher realm, just follow the path of other artists."

"But if you really love music and genuinely want to grasp the true meaning of the Dao of music, you need to let go of external things, including the pursuit of fame and fortune! Because you don’t need to deliberately pursue, once you truly understand, these will naturally come. Even, you might gain more than you would from normal pursuits! Even being remembered through the ages might not be impossible."

"That’s why I asked if you truly love music, only by learning to be at ease can you gain! What you need to do is let go, deeply feel the music, you can feel from life, feel from nature..."

Ye Xuan guided: "In short, the Dao of all things in the world is interconnected! Just concentrate on researching, without any distractions, do nothing and follow your heart, then you can achieve superior accomplishments in the Dao of music."

After listening to Ye Xuan, Yao Xingtong murmured: "Without distractions, do nothing and follow the heart..."

Although she couldn’t completely understand instantly, it was much better than before.

"Ye Xuan, thank you for telling me these things. You opened a door to a new world for me, truly I have benefited a lot!" Yao Xingtong expressed sincere gratitude.

Then, her pretty face smiled like a bright blooming flower:

"Even though the Dao of music still seems distant to me, I nonetheless want to try to explore! Life must have some pursuits, right? What if I succeed! Anyway, thank you for guiding me through this confusion."