Heaven and earth tell me to burn incense and bow my head. They call it the Heavenly Way. If I obey, they will grant me this body.
No clear-minded soul is welcome in this world. They call it the ways of the world. If I show deference, they will let me scrape by for the rest of my life.
I was willing to be an obedient fool, but heaven and earth are tyrannical, and the world is unjust. They leave me no peace of mind, not even a moment of calm.
Then, clad in these plain clothes and holding this three-foot sword, I will fight my way up to the highest heavens,
and ask the gods filling the skies: Can I defy the Heavenly Way? Can I overturn the ways of the world?
