Chapter 1466 - 794: Farewell to Empress An (Double-Length)

"Yi'er..."

Seeing that woman again, Chen Yi was very calm.

Calmer than he had imagined himself to be.

Has the hatred faded...?

The hatred remained intense, settling down, settling into the calluses on his fingertips, which were also the accumulation of swordsmanship.

The vivid memories of the past had transformed into blocks of yellow and red, blurred all around, except for the central figure with a frayed edge, still clear, right in front of his eyes.

Perhaps one day, that long-settled hatred would erupt and flood the sky,

Or perhaps, it would be today.

Chen Yi curled the corners of his mouth, intending to say "Please leave," but as his facial muscles twitched, his brows furrowed into an angry glare.

This expression could not utter polite words, so Chen Yi slowly enunciated:

"It's you."

"…Yi'er."

Once again, Empress An spoke, her palace attire surrounded by Buddha Light, her clothes fluttering as she stood beside Samantabhadra, making her also seem like an immortal Bodhisattva in a mural, holding a lotus blossom in her hands.

But her lowered brows and eyes carried a compassion that even a Bodhisattva did not have.

"Yi'er..."

As she ended the third time, hesitating for words, she smiled and said:

"You've put on weight..."

A sword suddenly broke through the air, a majestic sword momentum appeared out of nowhere, instantly threatening to split the woman in palace attire in half.

Clang!

The lingering sound of a temple gong echoed, a buzzing sound, and the suddenly erupted sword was clamped between Samantabhadra's hands.

The massive sword momentum violently collided between the hands, while the escaping Sword Qi still swept towards Empress An, who sighed gently and flicked it aside, dissipating the last surge of Sword Qi. When she turned her head to look again, Chen Yi saw some astonishment in her eyes, and then amusement mixed with helplessness.

Indeed, the feeling was right.

It was not Zhu E pretending to be the Empress Dowager; this woman was the genuine mother of a dynasty.

Her surname was An.

Chen Yi pressed the ferocity on his face into his heart, calmed his emotions, and when he looked up again, Empress An seemed to have become another person, someone he did not recognize, someone he did not pity... an enemy.

No more complicated thoughts, Chen Yi temporarily halted the overwhelming sword momentum, staring at Samantabhadra, his gaze extremely cold.

Samantabhadra clasped his hands together, chanting a Buddhist mantra, and said, "My friend here only wishes to see you, why take such drastic action?"

Chen Yi sneered and said, "Meeting an enemy, one's eyes burn with anger."

"You killed Medicine Buddha, and you are also my enemy, I have let it go, can't you let go?"

"What does your letting go have to do with me?

If you can't let go, I will kill you now."

Faced with this man suddenly filled with murderous intent, Samantabhadra was momentarily at a loss for words, while the white elephant under him curled its trunk uneasily.

The beautiful woman in palace attire beside him raised her hand slightly and said, "Samantabhadra, no need to say more, this is between him and me."

Empress An addressed Samantabhadra as an equal, and Chen Yi noticed this point, suddenly understanding something.

Samantabhadra chanted a Buddhist mantra and said, "Dharma King, please take care of yourself first. Even after destroying the Zhong Shi, this benefactor still harbors such strong killing intent, showing the depth of his hatred..."

The beautiful woman in palace attire murmured, "His love was equally deep..."

The words were extremely low, heard by no one but herself.

Samantabhadra drove the white elephant a step forward, raised a hand, and said, "Benefactor, there is no need to carry such killing intent, the Dharma King's true form is not here, what you see is but a dewdrop and illusion."

After the initial turbulence, Chen Yi's emotions had calmed, and he casually asked, "Is she the one you selected?"

Samantabhadra nodded slightly, not denying it, "Just as the Mountain and River God selected you, we in the Spirit Mountain World also selected the Dharma King."

With the decline of the Great Tao and the Heavenly Pillar about to collapse, the myriad gods and Buddhas are naturally not unified, and in the face of great calamity, they each show their divine skills and find their own way out.

Back in the Capital City, there had been a confrontation with Empress An. At that time, Chen Yi knew she carried the legacy of King Zhuanlun, transforming overnight from a deep palace woman who hadn't stepped out for over ten years into one with overwhelming Martial Arts, but knew little about the matters of gods and Buddhas. At this moment, piecing together past clues, he realized that the legacy of King Zhuanlun did not stop there.

Just as he himself is now the hope of the Mountain and River God, the Sword Armor of Yin Sword Mountain is the hope of Heavenly Savior, and Empress An... had become the hope of the Spirit Mountain World.

Noticing Chen Yi's gaze surveying her again, Empress An suppressed many emotions, leaving only compassion as she smiled and said:

"After all these years, seeing you again I knew you wouldn't have kind words."

"As for the matters of the past, I indeed wronged you, but you wronged me as well..."

Hearing this, Samantabhadra secretly thought 'not good,' lips slightly moving, preparing to chant a Buddhist mantra once more, ready to intercept another strike.

However, the man's expression was as calm as an ancient well, showing unexpected tolerance. He simply waved his hand and said:

"I overestimated you, leave."

Upon hearing this, Samantabhadra was about to chant a farewell, when a massive force from the earth and sky surged, even the four great Bodhisattvas were pushed further and further, in the blink of an eye to the horizon, then in another blink, to the Spirit Mountain World.

The mountain is spiritual and picturesque, the faint scent of sandalwood, with Buddhist mantras whispering from all directions.

He turned his head and saw Empress An smiling helplessly, making a gesture of respect with one palm, saying:

"Samantabhadra, do not take offense, the young one is obstinate, always loving to get into dead ends."

"I dare not take offense."

After returning the salute, the white elephant under Samantabhadra relaxed and lay down softly on the ground. He patted it and then said:

"Dharma King, have you resolved your inner conflict?"

"Resolved most of it."

"Good."

A gleam flashed in Empress An's eyes,

She noticed there was still a red string with a pendant on his chest...

"Very good."

................

Eyes open, returning.

The incense in front of Chen Yi had burned less than a tenth, the two women beside him were still clasping their hands in respect, and the once radiant Samantabhadra Bodhisattva statue in the hall had dimmed a little.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva was no longer in this Emei Golden Hall, not a trace could be seen.

The time spent in the Heart Lake World was not short, but in the real world, it was just a few breaths. Chen Yi retracted his clasped hands and shook his sleeves, and beside him, Yin Weiyin glanced sideways to find that he had lost interest in visiting.

Though surprised, Yin Weiyin was accustomed to his fluctuating moods, and tugged on Miss Donggong's sleeve, signaling her to follow.

Chen Yi turned and stepped out of the hall, moving steadily, and within a few breaths, he passed the Great Hall and the Heavenly King Hall, arriving under the plaque of Huazang Temple, where the novice monk, snoring, suddenly saw someone approaching like the wind, startled, and got up, murmuring, "Amitabha."

He also realized he was walking too fast.

After leaving the temple, he paused briefly, taking in the vast cloud sea of Emei Mountain, veiled in a thin golden light, yet Chen Yi had no interest in appreciating this unusual vista.

Footsteps sounded behind him as Yin Weiyin and Donggong Ruoshu approached one after the other. Chen Yi gathered his thoughts, and the three slowly descended the steps.

The novice monk murmured "Amitabha" again, but the three did not return the greeting. Before the little monk could complain about their lack of manners, several voices with trembling tones cried out from inside.

"...Buddha Light! The Buddha Light has appeared again!"

"The cloud sea! Look at the cloud sea!"

"Samantabhadra Bodhisattva... The Bodhisattva has manifested!"

The novice monk was momentarily stunned, instinctively turning his head before quickly looking back to see the direction of the mountain gate. A group of three gradually moved away, their silhouettes becoming hidden among the trees.

He only remembered the white-clothed layman had an exceptionally celestial demeanor.

"Ami... Tuo Tuo Buddha... Encountered an immortal..."

................

After the three left, Huazang Temple closed its gates, and inside, the sound of sutra chanting filled the air, presumably from daylight until evening, chanting through the night.

Descending the winding mountain path slowly, Donggong Ruoshu, with keen ears, curiously turned to peer into the temple gates, but unfortunately, the courtyard walls and temple buildings blocked the view, revealing nothing.

"What happened inside? Suddenly so lively?" She asked curiously, "It was not lively when we were inside."

No response from the others, no one paid her any mind.

Chen Yi looked down at the stone steps disappearing underfoot, while Yin Weiyin watched the road ahead, glancing at him from time to time.

Upon reaching the midpoint, the Elephant Washing Pool appeared again, the old monk still chanting scriptures, Huazang Temple's chatter now far away, bringing a moment of tranquility.

Passing Immortal Peak Temple, Chen Yi remembered something and suddenly spoke:

"Luan Huang, is your birthday coming soon?"

Her birthday again.

The women with romantic ties to him, Chen Yi knew all their birthdays—Little Fox in November, Min Ning in March, Qin Qingluo in April, Zhu E in August, Lin Wanxiao in July, and incidentally, both he and Zhou Yitang were born in September...

Clearly remembered so many women's birthdays,

Yet strangely, it seemed he had only celebrated her birthday.

Many women met at the wrong times, missed them, especially Little Fox, despite accompanying him for long, always missed it every time.

The female crown touched her cloud-patterned hairpin, her eyes brightening, he was not too foolish, quickly grasping the second meaning of her written note.

A worthy disciple indeed.

"What... do you want?" Chen Yi asked aloud.

So agreeable?

Yin Weiyin was slightly surprised, before she could be happy, she realized he might be in a bad mood.

Remembering how Tingxue said, when he was unhappy, he was always good to women, and if he was like this to her, he would be the same to himself...

Considering Huazang Temple's sudden clamor, he must have encountered something...

The female crown pondered a moment, unsure how to respond, then thought about how Yin Tingxue would answer if present, and softly said:

"I want you to be happier."

Chen Yi froze, the stone steps halting beneath him, turning his head to say:

"...What are you talking about."

Yin Weiyin smiled gently, saying softly:

"Your heart is restless, you think I cannot see it?"

"True."

Chen Yi paused, not wanting her to worry, adding:

"My own matters, no need for you to think about them."

Yin Weiyin's brows furrowed slightly, inwardly noting his lack of candor, often saying she was clueless, yet he actually didn't grasp things well either, but there was no need to pursue the matter now, questioning him would surely make him impatient, better to wait for his mood to improve to discuss.

After a brief pause, they continued down the mountain, during which neither spoke again,

Miss Donggong followed at the end, listening as their footsteps gradually aligned, blinking as she felt it didn't matter if they ignored her.

Wasn't this rather interesting.

The mountain path winds, the mountain breeze gradually rises, along the branches, another monkey appears, at a clearing ahead, a monk is distributing cakes,

Reaching Bao Guo Temple, it grows larger, the wind carries Sword Qi.