Chapter 632 - The Same Dream
Chapter 632: The Same Dream
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Shen Lian gazed at the direction of Mount Yin which was cut off by the Yellow Springs. In addition to being where dead and alive met, the rules were different and hence, even he could not detect what was happening over there easily. However, he roughly knew that was Qianmo, also known as Kui Li who was fighting with the Bull King.
They were both top demons, it would not be easy for them to know who would be the winner in the end.
Even Shen Lian could not get involved because of the innate pride Kui Li held.
If she needed help, she would have gone to Shen Lian previously.
Chen Jinchan who was by Shen Lian’s side said, “Honored master since Lu Jiuyuan already assigned Wang Shidao to send the painting back, I don’t think you should go and see him.”
Shen Lian spoke slowly, “Lu Jiuyuan invited me with honor to discuss Dao. If I don’t attend, it is a small matter for my personal reputation, but it will bring shame to Qing Xuan, and it is not something you and I wish to happen. Furthermore, even if he did not send me the painting, I was always ready to attend. Now, after he sent the painting over, if I decide to not go because I don’t dare to, it seems rather absurd.”
Chen Jinchan had nothing to say. Not everything in the world could be analyzed by its cost and benefit.
Shen Lian gazed into infinity and said softly, “Furthermore, someone has waited for me for a thousand years.”
Chen Jinchan was curious about who had waited for the honored master for a thousand years. He was sure it was not Lu Jiuyuan but who among the Xuantian Sect could it be?
He tried his best to figure it out but he could not, because nobody outside the Xuantian Sect knew Zhao Xiaoyu was trapped within the Xuantian Sect.
Shen Lian went to Zifu peak again. He walked past the willow tree, he green willow leaves were just like Gu Caiwei’s eyebrows. The willow flowers were just like Gu Caiwei’s smile.
He owed a great deal to a lot of people throughout his life. The only thing he could do was to remember those who had made him feel wonderful in his life. Even though it was meaningless to the people who had passed on, such as the shortness of life, who could even be able to keep track of everything that was meaningful?
Eventually, Shen Lian arrived at the Hall of the Founding Masters where the line of Taixu stood. He removed the painting of Founding Master Qingshui and Shen Lian replaced it with the painting from Wang Shidao. There was no other painting which could represent the line of Taixu better than the empty scroll. When one reached the top of Taixu and had his own thoughts about the teaching, one for certain would be acting like a Great Way of heaven and earth. Only as such the Taixu Strategy was known as the supreme technique in the world.
Throughout Shen Lian’s life, he had a lot of miraculous encounters but only the Mastery of Senses and Taixu Strategy had a determining effect on his life. Whether it was intentional or not, he had to thank Lingbao Tianzun and Founding Master Qingshui.
He kept the painting of Idle Clouds Reflected on a Pond that represented Founding Master Qingshui with him. Unknowingly, the grandmaster Ziling had left Qing Xuan for a thousand years. The universe was vast, even the nearest star was of a far distance from this world. He did not know which star the grandmaster Ziling was on, or whether she was in another world, and that whether her and the grandmaster Qing Xiao were fine.
Chen Jianmei’s Anatta Sword had brought ripples to Shen Lian’s still Daoist heart. Gu Caiwei’s death brought his Daoist heart to the secular world again. When he was in front of the Hall of the Founding Masters, Shen Lian began to miss her.
From a human to a celestial, a lot of his emotions had faded out as he attained a higher state. However, he had gained some humanity again and this was not because he had lost his Daoist heart. Furthermore, it seemed to contain the profoundness of ‘Dao is compassionate but heartless; Dao is heartless but compassionate’.
The reality was, Shen Lian did not feel repulsed by these emotions in the recent days. He allowed them to stick around, just like a fine wine, the longer it was kept, the better it tasted. Everything had its place, and living was just like a dream.
The essence of Free Form Incarnation and Dream Heart Sutra had finally combined into one. Shen Lian all the while had kept to the principle that, “the Daoist heart is like a bright mirror; one has to clean it often.” This time when he tried to clean the dust in his heart, his heart was clearer than ever.
It was just like cleaning the mirror with a dirty cloth. As he changed it into a clean cloth, the bright mirror in his Daoist heart was clearer.
It was a matter of course, but ultimately, Shen Lian was who he was because of the important people in his life. Hence, instead of feeling happy, he was feeling rather melancholic.
Fang Yanying’s pain was temporary but Shen Lian’s grief would last a long time.
The reason was so because Fang Yanying chose to walk on the path of the killing sword, just like Chen Jianmei. As there was only oneself, hence, there was no self. As Fang Yanying was one with compassion, she would eventually end up walking on the path of heartlessness.
This was, however, not the highest state for swordcraft as Shen Lian came to a revelation at that moment. The heaven and earth were born being and being was born from non-being, and from non-being, there came the being. The heaven and earth were born from being and hence, it was a circle with no end. It was the most beautiful and kind swordcraft but not the highest swordcraft.
The only thing was whether Chen Senior Apprentice-Brother was aware of it when he was using the Anatta Sword. Shen Lian could not be sure, otherwise, Chen Jianmei perhaps could have survived. However, other than Chen Jianmei himself, no one would know about it.
He needed to look for an opportunity to share his revelation with Fang Yanying, in hope that she would understand. Otherwise, when Fang Yanying became completely heartless, it would be irreversible.
Shen Lian continued to walk towards a cave which was behind the line of Taixu section. A long time ago, grandmaster Ziling used to isolate herself in there to heal herself. Currently, it was Ruoxi who was inside.
The cave was filled with ice formed by Ice Light. After a thousand years, it continued to absorb the spiritual opportunity of Zifu peak and the Daoist rhythm of Daoist master Taiyi. The Xuan Ice was inseparable from Ruoxi. If Shen Lian were to break the ice, it would mean to hurt Ruoxi.
In addition, Ruoxi was still fighting against the will of the Primal Lord of Grand Simplicity in her sleep.
Even with the barrier of the Xuan Ice, Shen Lian could feel a strong will, like a star which never seemed to fade.
However, even with such a strong will, Ruoxi’s body was not entirely under her control.
It was not that Shen Lian could not do anything. If Ruoxi was dreaming, Shen Lian too could be dreaming.
They would have the same dream this day.
Shen Ruoxi had died again and again. She could no longer differentiate whether it was a dream or another karmic cycle. The first time she died, she was born as a Young Lady of a rich family. Out of curiosity, she ran away from home with a poor scholar. They were stopped by her family and eventually the scholar dumped her. Her reputation was tainted and eventually, she was nailed to death in a coffin.
Since then, her soul was filled with anger and as such, it was easier for her soul to retain its form compared to others. It also helped her retain the memories of her past life.
However, after every reincarnation, her memories would disappear. Until the moment right before her death, she would then regain her memories of the past.
This time she was dead again. Just like in the past, she would reincarnate again.
She thought that this time around, it would be a mystery in the fetus but this time, it was not. She was born in an extremely wealthy family and to be exact, she became the Princess of a Commander. She was well loved but such happy times did not last long.
When she was eight, a Daoist nun arrived at the residence and she killed everyone within the residence and took her away. The Daoist nun was apparently the lover of her father but her father, in the end, married her mother instead. After she attained Dao, the first thing she did was to seek revenge. In the Daoist nun’s words, it was to cut the ties.