Chapter 1482 - 802: Who Is the Heartless One (Triple Bonus Chapter)

In the guest room, the incense burned gently.

Chang Yuzi brewed fresh tea, a wild tea produced on Zhongnan Mountain, with coarse leaves but a clear and bright green color.

Yin Weiyin sat on the mat by the window, her veil hat taken off and placed aside, revealing a face so pristine it seemed untouched by the mortal world. Opposite her, the nun was from a secluded nunnery on Emei Mountain, and the Taoist was a loose cultivator from Qingcheng Mountain.

They had exchanged names and origins earlier, with brief pleasantries.

After a round of tea, the Taoist spoke first, pointing outside where the distant clamor could be faintly heard: "The grand event of ascension is rare in a millennium, yet such clamor as if it's a bustling market, losing its essence of tranquility. What does the Illuminant Sage think?"

Yin Weiyin gazed down at the tea leaves floating in her cup and said calmly, "Form is born from the mind, the realm changes with the heart. They see the fervor of ascension, seeking blessings from immortal fate, thus it becomes a bustling market. If they see the clouds dispersing and gathering, tides rising and falling, this place becomes a Cave Heaven Blessed Land."

The nun softly chanted a Buddhist title and said:

"The sage's words deeply grasp the subtlety of 'arising the mind without residing anywhere.' However, in my humble opinion, the word 'see' still falls into the routine, losing some level.

If one neither sees nor hears, what would this Liuyun Palace become?

A Cave Heaven Blessed Land or a bustling market?"

"Not seeing, not hearing, is mere emptiness, ignorance and apathy, doing nothing, then one is enlightened," Yin Weiyin lifted her eyes, her gaze coldly sweeping over the three, she suddenly remembered someone and sighed: "Conversely, only seeing, only hearing, is clinging to existence, clinging to 'existence', then one cannot attain the Way."

The female crown's gaze seemed to recall someone, and a slight smile passed over the nun's wizened face, she no longer spoke, just slowly moved the sandalwood rosary in her hand.

Chang Yuzi was absorbed in listening, couldn't help but interject: "The words of the Illuminant Sage remind me of a case often mentioned by Ancestor Yunzhou.

In the past, a monk asked Zhao Zhou: 'What is the meaning of the Patriarch coming from the West?'

Zhao Zhou replied: 'The cypress in the courtyard.' The monk did not understand and asked again, Zhao Zhou still answered: 'The cypress in the courtyard.'

This cypress, is it seen, or unseen?"

The Taoist chuckled: "Zhao Zhou, the ancient Buddha, sharp in his responses. In my humble opinion, if that monk had overturned the table and sternly asked 'where is the cypress', Zhao Zhou might not have been able to answer."

Yin Weiyin slightly shook her head, her fingertips unconsciously drawing on her knee, her tone still calm: "Flipping the table and asking sternly stirs a thought of anger, further falling into disadvantage. Zhao Zhou answered the cypress, it lies neither in the cypress nor in the answer, but in cutting off all flows in the present moment. If the monk truly understood, he would have been immediately enlightened upon hearing, why need to ask again after crossing countless mountains?"

She paused, then suddenly changed the topic, turning to Chang Yuzi: "Fellow Daoist, you just mentioned Master Yunzhou... At this ascension day, is there still a 'cypress' in the master's heart?"

With these words, the room abruptly fell silent.

The incense smoke stood straight, soon scattered by a breeze through the window.

Chang Yuzi's expression changed, he opened his mouth, ultimately turned into a bitter smile: "The state of mind of the ancestor, how could someone as ordinary as me fathom it..."

The Taoist stroked his short beard, his gaze deepening: "In my early years of travel, I once heard an old tale. Before Master Yunzhou became renowned, he seemed to have some entanglements with the White Lotus Sect, the emotional tribulation is the hardest to overcome."

The nun's hand stopped moving the beads, she sighed: "The emotional barrier is hard to break, and obstacles of the Tao arise easily. If it is not broken, even if one reaches the level of a True Man, if any earthly ties remain untransformed, it is like rowing against the current."

Yin Weiyin remained silent, she recalled Chen Yi's gaze at the peach blossoms when going up the mountain, and remembered his resistance whenever she mentioned "becoming an Immortal."

His resistance was not only due to her but also because the emotional barrier was hard to break, unwilling to let go of the mortal world.

And herself? Seemingly firm in every step, urging him to accompany, but deep within, is there also a 'cypress' fearing his departure, fearing ascending alone?

This thought arose, her Heart Lake trembled slightly, she immediately composed herself, silently reciting the Supreme Forget Love Technique to suppress it.

Thus, her expression remained serene and unperturbed.

Chang Yuzi slowly returned to his senses, and looking at Yin Weiyin again, a surge of strong emotion welled up within him.

This Illuminant Sage, appearing just over twenty, yet a few pointers just now, uncovering Zen koans, Taoist subtleties, and even the unfathomable 'heart matter' of Ancestor Yunzhou, peeling them like silk, strand by strand.

That clarity long transcended the realm of ordinary youthful talents, even caused him, a High Priest practicing for decades in Liuyun Palace, to feel somewhat ashamed.

Recalling their previous encounter, how could this be a peer-discussing Taoism? It was more like... a True Immortal descending to the mortal world, occasionally revealing a glimpse, enlightening the unenlightened.

He was lost in thought, the Taoist beside who had been quietly observing, asked with a smile: "Fellow Daoist Changyu, your mind seemed to wander far, did you recall something important?"

Chang Yuzi came back to his senses, knowing his faux pas, hurriedly composed himself.

"I apologize for making everyone laugh," he chuckled, "it's nothing important, just listening to the lofty discussion of the Illuminant Sage, I was touched and suddenly remembered a small incident from a few days ago, carrying some... twist of fate.

Without hiding from you all, just a few days ago, I even took time to visit the vicinity of Emei Mountain. Not for anything else, but having heard about the sighting of a Spirit Deer, rumored to be favored by the Spiritual Energy in the mountains. If seen, one might gain some blessings, even slightly beneficial to cultivation. I set up an incense array, laid down a talismanic charm, and waited silently for an entire night...

As you might have guessed, I returned with nothing."

At this, Chang Yuzi shifted the topic, his gaze naturally falling on Yin Weiyin, "By coincidence, on the way down the mountain that day, I happened to encounter the party of the Illuminant Sage, does the sage remember?"