The Word of Heaven

Chapter 358 Walking with the Past

The journey was so long, beyond everyone's expectations.

After leaving Qingjing Temple, the Daoist Master did not go directly to the capital, but instead traveled the world.

From late spring to midsummer, he walked through lush mountains and forests, through bustling or quiet cities and towns, through the same landscapes he had seen before, but he was no longer as low-key as before, refusing to interact with the world.

This time, he was able to act on a whim, so he became a common sight in private schools in rural villages, a leisurely person who sang at night while drinking at poetry gatherings in prefectures and cities, and a Taoist boy who heard celestial music coming from the depths of the clouds in a Taoist temple and was thus enlightened... People were initially bewildered, but then they realized why these legends originated, and thus began to be excited and surging.

Countless cultivators flocked to seek every trace left by the Dao Master, hoping to have a chance encounter with him that was not a mere coincidence, to hear the wondrous sounds and Daoist rhymes, and to become mountain dwellers. Meanwhile, local officials of the Great Qin were filled with worry, and the matter even led to several fierce arguments in the imperial court, until the White Emperor personally issued an edict to quell the unrest.

This is still the calm before the storm, but unlike the Weiyang Palace incident of that year, as time goes by, many people gradually realize that this will be a war between two people, which will still determine the fate of all living beings, but will no longer be related to them.

After this heartbreaking realization came to mind, the worries and fears gradually faded and dissipated, leaving only the focus on the present.

The White Emperor made no comment on this.

Gu Zhuo continued to travel and enjoy the scenery, leaving behind countless legends and opportunities for the world to come.

Later generations of Taoists visited and heard about these events, and recorded them diligently. They then spent more than ten years gathering ideas to fill in the gaps and compile the information into a book called "The Immortal's Traces," which became a priceless treasure passed down within the Taoist community.

……

……

The city of Cangzhou is now calm.

This prefecture, situated at the mouth of the East China Sea, remains as prosperous as ever, untouched by the decline of Chang Le Temple.

The abbot's passing brought a low profile to Chang Le Temple, which manifested in the shrinking of its sphere of influence and the fact that flowers had not bloomed on the island for a long time.

For years, the nuns have been gazing at the withered branches of the trees in despair. Even in the scorching summer, they cannot see a single green shoot. Some of them couldn’t help but ask their elders if the poem’s claim that flowers bloom again was false.

The elder looked distressed, unsure how to respond.

Just as he was stammering, someone came to pay their respects at the mountain.

The man was dressed in a blue robe, and his appearance was inexplicably difficult to discern. However, the young girls all felt that his features were gentle and approachable.

A cacophony of calls, like the chirping of a hundred birds, arose. They were all young masters. The man in the blue robe smiled and greeted them as he walked toward the former residence of the abbess.

The young nuns were filled with regret, thinking that it was a place they could never go to, when suddenly they heard a series of exclamations from their elders.

"What's wrong?"

"Look up! Look up quickly!"

Countless eyes looked upwards, only to see the sunlight inexplicably sparse and fragmented.

Under the scorching summer sun, the flowers bloom against the season.

Like countless flames reignited.

……

……

The magnificent scenery of Chang Le Nunnery attracted a constant stream of tourists, but Gu Zhuo had already left.

People aren't flowers; when they die, they die.

Offering sacrifices is simply a way to honor the living.

Gu Zhuo had a good impression of the nun.

In a sense, his change of attitude towards Zen Buddhism was directly related to the abbess and the monk Wugou.

Presenting an island full of blooming flowers is both a token of goodwill and a serendipitous coincidence.

……

……

They sailed against the wind and waves, and then returned to land in the southeast.

The scenery of Cihang Temple remains unchanged.

The Zen room is surrounded by flowers and trees, making the sound of rain pattering through the leaves even clearer.

The Immaculate Monk was still alive and had a pleasant conversation with Gu Zhuo.

Chattering and babbling, the little monk happily bathed in the powdery rain, his bare feet dancing joyfully.

He talked about how he survived, and every now and then he would wink at Gu Zhuo to take credit, and then he would sigh and stroke his non-existent gray hair, proudly and smugly saying that this was truly the will of Heaven.

Gu Zhuo was very pleased to hear this.

This reminded him of their first meeting on the banks of the Wei River.

After staying at Cihang Temple for several days, the two traveled southwest together, and by the time they passed Yunmengze, autumn had arrived.

The leaves on the distant mountains are tinged with red, scattered here and there among the lush green, some of them quite eye-catching.

The monk Wugou suggested going boating on the sea, but Gu Zhuo refused, of course, because Gu Zhuo disliked it.

Being with monks is nowhere near as enjoyable as traveling with girls.

For this reason, Gu Zhuo stayed at Yuan Gou Temple for a few days, gave two sermons, and then left.

The monk watched him leave, somewhat worried that it might be a final farewell, and decided to paint a picture of him.

Gu Zhuo was unaware of this matter.

……

……

When autumn colors deepen, old friends from Xuandu return.

Yu Sheng and Gu Zhuo embraced and sat down on the stone steps in front of the Taoist temple.

"Didn't that letter say everything that needed to be said?"

I still want to see you.

Gu Zhuo thought for a moment, then didn't reach out and hug Yu Sheng, but simply moved closer.

Shoulder to shoulder, we watched the sunset together.

A long period of silence.

Gu Zhuo said, "I also want to tell you about them."

"Ah."

Yu Sheng's voice remained unchanged: "I agree to everything."

Gu Zhuo didn't react immediately and subconsciously said, "I've thought about this a lot... huh?"

Yu Sheng said calmly, "You heard me right."

Gu Zhuo didn't know what to say.

In this long-awaited silence, his eyes became incredibly complex, and it took an unknown amount of time for them to calm down.

"But don't do such stupid things again."

Yu Sheng turned her head, her profile particularly beautiful in the warm yellow glow of the setting sun, and said earnestly, "I can get angry too." Gu Zhuo thought to himself, "It would be strange if you didn't get angry."

Yu Sheng said softly, "Let's just pretend we know nothing about this, and keep it to ourselves."

Gu Zhuo asked, "Don't you find that strange?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized that they were very inappropriate and extremely foolish.

Yu Sheng wasn't angry.

For some reason, she was unusually calm today, and said, "Of course there are strange reasons, but does it matter?"

“A hundred years ago, I would have thought this was very important because I was the eldest princess of the Great Qin Dynasty, and my marriage would cause upheaval in the world. But now I am just myself.”

She reached out and gently stroked Gu Zhuo's cheek, saying earnestly, "That's all."

……

……

Autumn goes and winter comes, and the scenery of Xuandu is beautiful in all four seasons.

They ate wild mushroom hotpot, drank tea and wine, and talked all night long by candlelight in that Taoist temple.

When the conversation was quiet, the silver bell tied to Yu Sheng's ankle would often ring incessantly, creating a chaotic noise.

The next morning, perhaps because wind and snow had blown into the palace, the wooden floor was damp.

Hot springs dot the mountains, and thick fog adorns the distant scenery, giving familiar landscapes a fresh perspective.

This is something that both he and she like.

Sitting side by side, a wooden tray floating on the spring water holds an ice glass, and the taste of the wine as it goes down is so refreshing.

However, the intense heat that followed always brought out satisfied sighs from their lips.

……

……

Happy times are always short-lived.

Before spring arrived, Gu Zhuo descended the mountain and left Xuandu.

The whole world is waiting for him; he can't keep dragging that day on indefinitely, that wouldn't be good.

Wangjing is Gu Zhuo's last place of residence.

This city is so old that the passage of years is almost negligible.

Walking in the cold wind of late winter, Gu Zhuo wanted to eat that bowl of mixed noodles, but found that the shop had stopped making it.

This left him somewhat disappointed; even after strolling through the old scenery of Cheung Chau Academy, he still felt uneasy.

The eaves of the Lin residence were no longer black; they were covered with dark red marks, said to be traces left by a bloody battle.

When Gu Zhuo and Lin Wanyi reunited outside the library, the first thing that came to the former's mind was this unexpected turn of events.

Pushing open the wooden door, the creaking sound of the hinges turning is as if the warm yellow lights of that year have been rekindled, making the dim light of the day fade away.

"If everything could start over, do you know who I am, would you still say those words?"

Gu Zhuo asked casually, because it was just a casual chat.

After hearing this, Lin Wanyi remained silent for a long time before saying seriously, "Of course."

Gu Zhuo smiled.

Lin Wanyi looked into his eyes and said self-deprecatingly, "I'm just that kind of arrogant person."

"But I really like this answer."

"don't know."

"Changzhou Academy, Tongsheng Pill, the assassination attempt on Wuyou Mountain, you stood up for me and confronted Jin Ge, we traveled together to the capital, we stood by each other through storms, and then there was the Summer Festival..."

Gu Zhuo smiled and said, "So much has happened in the past. Looking back now, I think you will feel like you're in another world. But it's not that far away. So I'm glad you are still the same person you were before, and you haven't been worn down by the world into someone I don't recognize."

Lin Wanyi was speechless with bewilderment.

A moment later, she reached out her hand to Gu Zhuo, just like back then.

"I'm going to the capital to do something extremely important to me. What about you?"

"It just so happens to be on the way."

"Come with us?"

"Come with us."

……

……

The matter was settled.

Years later, Gu Zhuo and Lin Wanyi went to the capital again, but they were no longer candidates going to the capital.

At that time, frost covered the road to the East Gate of Wangjing, and the waning moon shone over Hengtang.

So desolate and bleak.

The people seeing them off on both sides of the road were silent, all knowing that this was likely the last time the two would leave Wangjing, and that they would probably never return.

The reason they never return may be death, or they may have traveled far away to an unknown place and never come back.

but.

Is there anything wrong with that?
The girl is young and still youthful.

Is not it?
……

……

Shen Du, Jing Hai.

The White Emperor opened his eyes after a long period of seclusion.

Fragments of the dawn and dusk clock hang silently in front of me, shimmering with an indescribable, wondrous light, utterly captivating.

After pondering for a moment, he learned that Gu Zhuo would arrive in nine days, so he issued an imperial decree.

The message is very clear, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

—Welcoming the Daoist Master into the Divine Capital.

Then the White Emperor went to the Cold Palace and met the Empress.

"I didn't expect you to come to see me."

The Empress tucked her disheveled hair behind her ears; her appearance, even without makeup, was still beautiful.

She gazed quietly at the aged emperor, then suddenly chuckled and asked, "Your Majesty, are you entrusting the young emperor to someone else?"

(End of this chapter)