Chapter 4 Fourth Level of the Book

The fourth level of space within the book.

Lord Yu Huo's light gently illuminated everything as Xu Jingming listened with reverence.

"Emotions are the outward manifestations of the heart. But desire is what lies within," Lord Yu Huo said. "All emotions are extensions of desire."

"Because of the intense desire to survive, one strives and works hard to evolve. Evolution is for the sake of surviving longer and living better," Lord Yu Huo said. "Greed, lust for power, and all sorts of intense desires drive the progress of living beings."

"But uncontrollable desires can also lead living beings to ruin."

"Every living being has desires." Lord Yu Huo looked at Xu Jingming. "If there were no desires, then that being wouldn't be considered alive. It would be no different from a puppet."

Xu Jingming listened obediently.

"What is the source of desire?" Lord Yu Huo said, "If one were to force a source for desire, it would be… the body."

"The body is the foundation of life, the vessel of the heart," Lord Yu Huo said. "The bodies of high-dimensional lifeforms vary greatly. Some are as large as celestial bodies, some are merely 'information streams' entrenched in the hearts of other lifeforms, and some are terrifying flames…"

"No matter what kind of body, they all have one thing in common: they carry life, the heart, and consciousness." Xu Jingming nodded.

"Most bodies have ears, eyes, mouths, noses, skin, and so on. So they like to hear beautiful sounds, see magnificent scenery, enjoy delicious food, like pleasant smells, and like to wear comfortable clothes…"

"If you were a stone, without ears, eyes, mouth, or nose, and never needing to eat or drink, you naturally wouldn't have an appetite. If you never had eyes, you wouldn't have any concept of beautiful scenery."

"So some desires are generated by the body itself."

"The fourth level of the *Ba Fang Tu* (Eight Directions Diagram) is about controlling the two most fundamental desires of all living beings—the desire for food and the desire for sex."

"When living beings come into this world, they must eat to survive! Regardless of low- or high-dimensional life, to maintain life, they need to consume enough energy. Thus, the desire for food arises."

"For living beings to reproduce, they naturally have the desire for sex. Only in this way can they continue from generation to generation."

"You need to fully understand and control these two fundamental desires. Let them become a help to your evolution, not a hindrance."

Lord Yu Huo said, "The more fundamental the desire, the greater the threat if it becomes an obstacle."

"For low-dimensional lifeforms, unrestrained appetite… will damage the body and affect the survival of the species. For high-dimensional lifeforms, excessive pursuit of precious evolutionary resources will lead to fierce competition, which makes it easier for them to die."

"Upon reaching the Eternal realm, the lifespans of high-dimensional lifeforms are theoretically endless. But few of them live for even ten abyssal eras! A very small number die because of great calamities, but the vast majority are killed in the struggle for resources."

"Control your desires, and you can live longer."

Lord Yu Huo looked at Xu Jingming. "Living long is actually a resource! Sometimes, you don't need precious treasures or inheritances. Even with ordinary inheritances for reference… you can still become powerful by exploring over a long period of time."

"Once the desire for sex is unleashed, the destructiveness is even more self-evident. In minor cases, it can destroy a clan or a country; in major cases, it can trigger a great calamity."

Lord Yu Huo said, "Any kind of desire, once controlled, is an endless source of power. Once out of control, it is an endless force of destruction."

"Even if you reach the Heart Intent realm and completely master your emotions, can you say that you have perfectly controlled the two most basic desires?" Lord Yu Huo smiled. "If you are confident, you can accept the fourth trial."

"The trial of food and sex," Lord Yu Huo said with a smile.

…

Xu Jingming fell into an illusion.

He became a refugee, walking with difficulty.

"So hungry, so hungry." Xu Jingming only felt hunger impacting his consciousness again and again. The trees in the distance had been stripped bare. The refugees devoured everything they saw like termites.

The river had dried up, and the fish and shrimp were long gone.

Suddenly, Xu Jingming saw two white steamed buns on the withered yellow weeds ahead. At that moment, his hunger exploded even more violently, as if to drown his consciousness.

"So many refugees around, but only two buns." Xu Jingming was thin and weak, but he forcibly restrained himself and watched as a group of refugees rushed over. For the sake of the two buns, they fought like wild beasts, eventually leaving behind several corpses. The one who ate the buns was also seriously injured, and he looked around warily with a dagger in his hand. But he was doomed to die soon due to his serious injuries.

"Even if delicious food is right in front of you, even if you are starving mad, you must remain calm. Letting desire control you will turn you into a beast, and you won't live long." Xu Jingming endured the hunger and walked step by step. Suddenly, the illusion before his eyes dissipated.

He fell into a new illusion.

"All of you, eat as much as you can. The three who eat the most within an hour can live. The rest must die." A black-clothed man said indifferently. A group of black-clothed men watched the group of commoners with weapons in their hands. Xu Jingming was one of the commoners.

Xu Jingming lived in the second scene for half a year before he passed the trial.

Scene after scene of illusions.

He brought the power of appetite to an unbelievable level, but Xu Jingming fell under the eighth scene of the appetite trial before he even began the 'sex' trial.

The two fundamental desires, 'appetite' and 'sex,' were obviously extremely difficult to perfectly control.

What is perfect control?

It is to adapt to them, use them, and make them your help.

It is also to control them and not let them become your hindrance.

"Desire is a double-edged sword. Wanting only the benefits and not willing to bear any backlash is difficult even for high-dimensional lifeforms," Xu Jingming sighed. "I fell under the appetite trial and haven't even undergone the sex trial."

Wo Chi Xi Hong Shi reminds you: Remember to collect it after reading.