Chapter 36
After putting on the bracelet, Heng Yu raised her wrist and shook it.
The bracelet was a little loose and slid down her arm when she raised it, but the carvings were intricate and complemented her black dress.
Glancing at Yuanjing and Mi Yi, who were standing silently, Heng Yu suggested, “Shall we leave this place for a while?”
“Alright.”
“It’s early winter. The plum blossoms outside the city must be blooming,” Heng Yu hinted.
“This poor monk still has Buddhist scriptures to study.”
Heng Yu frowned. “Can’t you spare even half an hour? The plum blossoms in Ping City are said to be exceptional.”
Liaowu opened his mouth, then sighed. “…Alright.”
As he followed Heng Yu, he rubbed his forehead.
He suddenly felt a little regretful. He had indulged Lord Luo’s requests too much in the past, and now, he had become accustomed to agreeing to them instinctively.
Even when he refused, his refusal wasn’t firm enough.
Heng Yu and Liaowu thoughtfully left the door ajar as they left.
Yuanjing still stood outside, his figure like a statue.
Mi Yi stood by the table, her expression weary.
After a while, a cold north wind blew into the room.
The wind seemed to chill Mi Yi to the bone, and she coughed violently, spitting up blood.
Yuanjing finally moved. He entered the room, closed the window, walked over to Mi Yi, and handed her a bottle of pills.
“Take them. Why torture yourself?” Yuanjing said.
Mi Yi closed her eyes, snatched the bottle from his hand, and swallowed the pills.
Seeing her breathing stabilize, Yuanjing joined his hands together. “The Buddha-son and Fellow Daoist Luo have already made things clear. Would you be willing to sit down with me and talk about everything? Three hundred years of entanglement, you’re not the only one who’s tired.”
Mi Yi slowly opened her eyes and looked at Yuanjing intently.
Her gaze traveled from his chin to his lips, to the black rune on his cheek, and finally to his beautiful eyes.
Three hundred years ago, he had been sitting under a kapok tree, chanting scriptures and preaching.
It had been raining that day, and she had been passing by with an umbrella. A casual glance, and she was captivated by his eyes. His gaze was pure and gentle, and Mi Yi felt she could see the passage of time, the flow of mountains and rivers, within them.
She had been bored and restless in the sect and had sneaked out to the mortal world.
“…Just one glance, and my heart was set ablaze. I thought to myself, I must pull this man down from his pedestal and make him see only me.”
“I’ve never been on a pedestal. I’m just an ordinary cultivator,” Yuanjing’s voice was still gentle.
He regretted his past actions but didn’t blame Mi Yi.
What was there to blame her for?
Temptations were everywhere. That was the tribulation Buddha had set for him. If he had been able to maintain his faith and overcome the tribulation, he wouldn’t be in this situation now.
If there was anyone to blame, it was himself.
“Indeed, without our titles and statuses, we’re just ordinary people,” Mi Yi chuckled self-deprecatingly. “No wonder those two juniors questioned us. We couldn’t even see things as clearly as they did.”
As she spoke, Mi Yi recalled the interaction between Heng Yu and Liaowu — serene and harmonious, like a peaceful picture.
Their harmonious relationship was far better than hers and Yuanjing’s.
Mi Yi’s expression turned serious as she looked at Yuanjing. “I, Mi Yi, am neither entirely good nor entirely evil. I’ve harmed countless people, but I’ve never felt guilty.”
Hearing this, Yuanjing smiled bitterly: She was a demonic woman of the Hehuan Sect; of course, she wouldn’t feel guilty.
“But—” Mi Yi’s sudden change of tone made Yuanjing look up at her. “Yuanjing, most of the mistakes in the past were mine. Three hundred years ago, I shouldn’t have seduced you. A hundred years ago, I shouldn’t have broken my vows and trampled on your genuine feelings. But the mistakes have been made. Now, I only hope that after I die, you can find peace and no longer be tormented by me.”
“Whether you return to the Buddhist path or find a secluded place to live in peace, perhaps I was just a tribulation Buddha sent you. After overcoming this tribulation, may you—” Mi Yi made a solemn gesture. “Achieve enlightenment.”
Only a few plum blossoms had bloomed outside the city. Heng Yu and Liaowu returned after a brief visit.
Of course, Heng Yu returned with a freshly picked plum blossom in her hand — she had picked it herself, with Liaowu standing right there, not even protesting. Heng Yu knew then that the so-called principles of the Undying Sect’s Buddhist cultivators weren’t so reliable after all.
Entering the restaurant with the plum blossom, Heng Yu saw Liaonian sitting in a corner on the first floor, drinking tea. She walked over and asked curiously, “Why aren’t you in your room?”
Liaonian scratched his head. “I was afraid something would happen to Yuanjing and Mi Yi.”
“They’ll be fine. After being scolded by your senior brother, they’ve realized their mistakes and are now having a childish reconcil—”
Before she could finish the word “reconciliation,” Liaonian tugged on her sleeve.
Heng Yu looked up and saw Yuanjing standing quietly on the third floor, watching her.
Caught red-handed, Heng Yu smiled calmly. “Senior, are you finished talking?”
Yuanjing smiled softly.
The bitterness on his face had disappeared, replaced by a relaxed demeanor.
“Mi Yi isn’t feeling well and couldn’t talk for long. I lit a calming incense and let her rest.”
He walked down the stairs and out of the restaurant.
The sunlight outside was weak, not offering much warmth, only making people feel lazy. Yuanjing stood in a place where light and shadow met, the sunlight falling only on his lower body.
He walked further out, listening to the sounds of the mortal world, feeling the sunlight and cold wind on his skin — in this moment, his senses were incredibly sharp, and he suddenly felt a renewed love for this world.
Heng Yu walked over to him at some point.
Hearing her footsteps, Yuanjing opened his eyes and smiled.
His smile was bright, gentle, pure, and innocent.
Heng Yu couldn’t help but look at him and noticed a faint dimple on his left cheek.
Yuanjing said, “You must be tired of eating restaurant food all the time. I’ll cook you a meal later as a thank you.”
Looking at Heng Yu, he added, “I’m currently returning to secular life, so I can cook meat dishes.”
“Currently?” Heng Yu sensed something amiss.
“Mi Yi likes lively places. After she passes away, I’ll bury her ashes outside the city. Then I’ll return to the Buddhist path and become an ordinary Buddhist cultivator. At that time, I won’t be able to break any precepts anymore.”
Having enjoyed enough sunlight, Yuanjing went to find the owner to borrow the kitchen.
Watching him leave, Heng Yu stretched.
The wooden bracelet slid down her wrist. She turned to Liaowu, standing in the sunlight, and shook her right hand.
“I think this bracelet needs a bell.”
“Why?”
Heng Yu continued shaking her hand. “Wouldn’t it sound nice?”
“But a bracelet with a bell wouldn’t look good.”
“You’re right. Then my left hand is still empty.”
Heng Yu lowered her right hand and raised her empty left hand.
She winked at Liaowu, trying to give him a hint.
Liaowu smiled. “This poor monk has been delaying my studies. I should return to my room now.”
He turned and went upstairs.
Liaonian made a face at Heng Yu, jumped off his stool, and ran after his senior brother, afraid of being caught by her.
Heng Yu called out, “My hint was so obvious. Pretending not to hear isn’t very nice, is it?”
Liaowu had just reached the third-floor corridor. He turned to look at Heng Yu. “This poor monk will also teach Lord Luo a lesson today.”
Heng Yu looked up and heard Liaowu say, “Lord Luo should be self-reliant. Liaonian, at thirteen or fourteen, already knows that he should strive for what he wants himself.”
His voice was clear, laced with amusement.
The amusement dispelled Heng Yu’s frustration.
She smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, I understand. I’ll work hard.”
Work hard to get Liaowu to make her another bracelet.
That was also considered “self-reliant.”
Meanwhile, Yuanjing obtained the owner’s permission and borrowed the kitchen after paying some silver.
He declined all offers of help and worked alone in the smoky kitchen.
Heng Yu went into the kitchen a few times and saw Yuanjing cleaning live shrimps by the basin, his movements swift and practiced, not minding that his robes were getting wet.
Looking at his robes and the live shrimps in his hand, Heng Yu felt a sense of dissonance. But then she smiled — Yuanjing, embracing the mortal world, his mind tempered by experience, would surely achieve enlightenment if he returned to the Buddhist path.
Three hundred years of hardship in exchange for a smooth path to enlightenment in the future, whether it was worth it or not, wasn’t for her, a mere observer, to judge.
Half an hour later, all the dishes were ready.
After arranging the dishes, Yuanjing went upstairs to wake Mi Yi.
He gently helped her downstairs, and she didn’t refuse his help.
They interacted like old friends at the dinner table, their movements harmonious and gentle.
For the next few days, Yuanjing cooked all their meals.
On the fourth day, Mi Yi’s condition worsened rapidly. In the middle of the night, she coughed violently, spitting up blood.
Yuanjing, Heng Yu, and the others rushed to her room.
By the time they arrived, Mi Yi was covered in blood, her once black and shiny hair turning white rapidly, her beautiful face becoming pale and aged.
Even cultivators who could maintain their youthful appearance would show signs of aging when their lifespan truly reached its end.
Seeing Yuanjing, Mi Yi struggled to sit up.
Yuanjing hurried over and gently helped her up.
“Are you in pain?”
“Yes.”
Yuanjing said gently, “It’s alright.”
“Am I… very ugly now…”
Mi Yi coughed up more blood as she spoke, her words broken and strained.
Warm blood splattered onto Yuanjing’s hand, and his voice trembled. “Lord Mi… your beauty is unparalleled.”
Mi Yi tried to smile.
But before her lips could curve upwards, she clutched the bed and coughed up another mouthful of blood.
Yuanjing’s red robes were stained even redder with her blood.
Mi Yi wiped the blood from her lips and struggled to sit up straighter.
Her gaze passed over Heng Yu and Liaowu, finally settling on the plum blossom on the table. “When you bury me, remember to place a plum blossom on my grave. And also a hibiscus flower. I wonder if there are any dark blood hibiscuses in this season?”
She touched the hibiscus flower tattoo at the corner of her eye.
Lowering her hand, she noticed the wrinkles on her skin.
She seemed displeased and pursed her lips slightly.
Then, everything stopped.
All her love and hate, all her resentment, ended with her death.
Yuanjing’s hand trembled as he closed her eyes. He waved his sleeve, and the window opened, a cold north wind blowing into the room, carrying Mi Yi’s ashes away.
Cultivators stole the essence of heaven and earth, defying the natural order. Upon death, they naturally returned to heaven and earth.
After Mi Yi’s body completely turned to dust, Yuanjing waved his hand, collecting the ashes into a wooden urn.
He closed the urn, as if closing away all his past love and hate.
Then, he stood up from the bedside and, looking at the bloodstains on the bed, was about to bend down when —
Heng Yu stepped forward. “I’ll have someone clean this up later. You should take her and leave.”
Yuanjing’s gaze was vacant. He nodded absently. “Thank you.” He took two steps, then stumbled.
Before anyone could help him, he steadied himself and smiled bitterly. “Excuse me.” He nodded at them and disappeared in a flash.
Heng Yu sighed and shook her head, then instructed Liaonian. “The commotion was quite loud. The owner must be awake. Go find him and tell him I’m willing to pay ten low-grade spirit stones to have someone clean this up. The stained bed needs to be replaced. Just tell me the cost later.”
It wasn’t a large sum, so Heng Yu naturally paid for it.
Liaonian quickly ran downstairs.
Only Liaowu and Heng Yu remained in the room.
Heng Yu turned to look at Liaowu.
She had originally wanted to say something, but meeting his gaze, she simply tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled faintly.
Yuanjing sat alone in a plum grove all night.
The next morning, covered in dew, he returned to the restaurant.
Soon, Xiaoyaozi, Dao Zhuo, and the others arrived.
Zhou Chuang, having recovered his foundation and fully awakened, was with them.
“Mi Yi has passed away,” Heng Yu said directly.
She looked Zhou Chuang up and down, confirming that he had indeed recovered, although his cultivation was currently at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. He would need time to cultivate back to his previous level.
Hearing this, Xiaoyaozi snorted coldly.
Zhou Chuang’s expression was complex, a mixture of hatred and other emotions.
Noticing this, Heng Yu raised an eyebrow.
“Master, since she’s dead, let’s leave,” Zhou Chuang finally said, coughing slightly.
Xiaoyaozi frowned, but after a moment of thought, he knew that the culprit was dead. Continuing to dwell on it would make him seem unreasonable.
“Alright, let’s go!”
Xiaoyaozi flicked his sleeves and left.
His disciples quickly followed.
Dao Zhuo and Mu Huan stayed behind, not in a hurry to leave.
Dao Zhuo, in his Daoist robes and tall crown, bowed to Heng Yu and the others. “Now that this matter is settled, this poor Daoist will return to the Dao Sect.”
Mu Huan pouted. “I haven’t even had a chance to chat with the Buddha-son. Are we leaving so soon?”
Dao Zhuo said calmly, “Lord Mu came with me to track down Mi Yi. Now that the matter is resolved, you can stay wherever you like.”
Heng Yu chuckled softly. “The Buddha-son has nothing to chat with you about.”
Mu Huan ignored Dao Zhuo and glared at Heng Yu. “Is that your opinion, or the Buddha-son’s?”
“In this matter, my opinion is the Buddha-son’s.”
Heng Yu reached out to take Liaowu’s hand.
But as her hand touched his sleeve, he stepped back.
“See? The Buddha-son doesn’t—” Before Mu Huan could finish her mocking remark, Liaowu said, “This poor monk is not acquainted with Lord Mu.”
Heng Yu gave Mu Huan a triumphant look.
Mu Huan swayed her slender waist, her smooth legs and waist faintly visible beneath her revealing dress.
Passersby stared at her.
“Buddha-son, we can always get to know each other.”
Heng Yu stepped forward, wrapped her arm around Mu Huan’s slender waist, and squeezed it. “Feels nice.”
“You!” Mu Huan was startled and quickly stepped back.
“Don’t tell me you can’t take a joke,” Heng Yu said, feigning displeasure.
Mu Huan stamped her foot. “Fine, we’ll meet again in two months anyway. I’ll chat with the Buddha-son then.”
“Two months later?” Heng Yu frowned.
“Haven’t you received the sect’s message? The ten-yearly Dharma Assembly will be held in two months. It’s a gathering for the younger generation of all major sects, a chance to compete and exchange ideas.”
Hearing Mu Huan’s explanation, understanding dawned on Heng Yu — this was the Dharma Assembly that had made Liaowu famous.
Then, she realized something else.
If it was a gathering for the younger generation, she would likely meet not only Mu Huan but also Wu Mei, Chi, and the others.
While Heng Yu was lost in thought, Dao Zhuo turned to leave. Mu Huan bit her lip, muttered “fool,” and quickly followed him.
When Heng Yu came back to her senses, only Liaowu remained beside her. “Senior Brother Liaowu, do you need to attend this Dharma Assembly?”
“In a month, the Undying Sect will depart for the Sword Sect. This poor monk will lead the younger generation.”
“Then I—”
Before she could finish, Liaowu said, “Lord Luo can travel with the Undying Sect’s airship. It’s not a problem.”
Heng Yu’s expression relaxed. “Thank you.”
As they entered the restaurant, Heng Yu turned around and saw Yuanjing, holding his alms bowl and nine-ring tin staff, looking as if he was about to leave.
“I’ve troubled you both these past few days,” Yuanjing walked towards Heng Yu and Liaowu. “This poor monk will now seek my own Buddhist path. I hope we meet again.”
He had started referring to himself as “this poor monk” again.
Noticing this subtle change, Heng Yu smiled. “Until we meet again.”
Yuanjing smiled, his smile serene and devout. “Farewell.”
He walked out of the restaurant, going against the flow of people on the street.
The sunlight shone on him, making him appear almost holy.
Heng Yu watched him leave, feeling as if she could hear faint Buddhist chants emanating from his retreating figure.
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