The number in the Great Metaphysical is fifty; of these, forty-nine are employed.
The Great Dao has three thousand paths, all leading to the attainment of the Dao Fruit.
Yet, paths intersect and intertwine, support each other, and also oppose and counteract one another.
Take Yin and Yang, water and fire, for instance...
The Exposition Dao of the Primordial promotes acting in accord with Heaven, explicating the Heavenly Dao, classifying all beings into tiers, and teaching according to their abilities; Tongtian's Severing Dao follows the principle of the fifty paths of the Great Dao, leaving forty-nine, signifying a slim chance of survival for all beings, advocating teaching without discriminating, where all those inclined towards the Dao can join, seizing that slim chance for everything.
These two conflicting philosophies are mutually exclusive, just like water and fire cannot mix.
Yet both achieved Sainthood through their teachings.
