Under One Person: My Inner Realm Connects to All Worlds!

Chapter 96 When Things Never End
Upon hearing this title, Han Yun's face darkened, and he couldn't help but ask, "Where did you hear that from, Daoist Master?"

The middle-aged Taoist priest solemnly straightened his clothes and bowed, saying, "I am Mingxin, the abbot of the Jade Emperor Temple, and a member of the Shenxiao Sect."

“A few days ago, we received a message from the Shenxiao Ancestral Temple, saying that a young man named Han Yun is a direct disciple of the patriarch Ge Hong from another generation, and that we should regard meeting him as meeting our teacher.”

Han Yun was taken aback upon hearing this, and then said, "Daoist Mingxin, you flatter me. I only received the inheritance of Senior Ge Hong by chance, and I am not worthy of such a great gift."

Mingxin, however, said solemnly, “The Patriarch has personally transmitted this knowledge, which is of utmost importance. The entire Shenxiao Sect has already issued orders to all its branch temples that if they encounter the young Patriarch, they should treat him with the utmost respect.”

Seeing that the other party was really stubborn, Han Yun didn't want to persuade him any further, so he had no choice but to accept the Mingxin Grand Ceremony.

Then, Han Yun explained his purpose: "I heard that there may be a method for making colored sculptures in the Jade Emperor Temple. I wonder if it's true or not?"

Master Mingxin nodded: "Indeed, there is, but only a fragmented part. It is a method for refining grass tendons and hemp bones. Later, through the evolution of generations, some predecessors combined it with curse techniques, turning it into the scarecrow curse technique. This technique is sinister. I wonder if you want it, little patriarch?"

Han Yun shook his head and said, "I am only interested in the method of refining grass tendons and bones. To be honest, I was entrusted by Master Huiming of Shuanglin Temple to restore the tradition of colored sculpture. I previously obtained the method of clay sculpture from Yunfeng Temple in Mianshan."

"What we lack right now is the art of using grass tendons and bones, and the finishing touches and colors. I am willing to exchange it for a lineage of skills. I wonder if that would be acceptable?"

Master Mingxin smiled and said, "Since it is what the young master needs, this humble Taoist will naturally offer it up. There is no need for exchange."

Han Yun replied solemnly, “The Daoist school emphasizes the concept of succession. Since I have a request, I should naturally provide something in return. Moreover, the matter of inheritance is not a matter of one person’s private interests; fairness should be the priority.”

"And I won't lie to you, once I get this method, I will definitely make a copy for Shuanglin Temple."

Upon hearing this, Mingxin's eyes flashed with admiration, and he nodded, saying, "Young Master is indeed very righteous. In that case, I will accept this gift on behalf of the Jade Emperor Temple."

After saying this, Mingxin led Han Yun to the Sutra Repository in the back hall. He took out a roll of yellowed silk from a sandalwood box. The scroll was densely covered with the key techniques for refining grass tendons and hemp bones.

Han Yun took it and examined it closely. He found that the method was indeed mysterious. It used five-year-old mugwort as the warp and three-year-old hemp as the weft, supplemented with cinnabar, realgar and other substances, and then processed it with a secret method. This method could make the joints of the statue flexible like a living person, and even be able to carry a part of the innate Qi.

However, when Han Yun was passing on his skills, Master Mingxin proposed to exchange them for the Buddhist art of clay sculpting.

Han Yun thought for a moment and then called the monk at Yunfeng Temple. The monk nodded and smiled, "This is a matter of mutual benefit between the two families, so I naturally agree."

The rest is simple: since there are no problems on either side, we just need to exchange them.

The main reason is that Han Yun's seniority is exceptionally high, making him a mediator between the two sides. On the Taoist side, Han Yun is the patriarch, and on the Buddhist side, he is too!
The disciples of the Buddha of Emptiness are directly equivalent to a living Buddha.

After the exchange, Han Yun consulted Master Mingxin for clues about the technique of adding color to painted sculptures.

Master Mingxin pondered for a moment and said, "The art of painting the eyes is said to have been mastered by Wu Daozi of the Tang Dynasty. It later spread to the common people and was absorbed and improved by various schools of painted sculpture. The records of the Jade Emperor Temple only mention it briefly, but..."

He paused, then continued, "Currently, the Wang family, one of the Ten Elders, possesses the highest level of painting skills. They may have collections, but the Wang family has always acted domineeringly, making them difficult to deal with!"

Upon hearing this, Han Yun frowned: "Isn't there anywhere else that might be, like the Iron Buddha Temple?"

Master Mingxin shook his head as well: "I know the details of the Iron Buddha Temple. The method of using grass tendons and bones to heal is also passed down there, but with an extra step: special iron wire is added, which is why it is called the Iron Buddha Temple."

"The purpose is simply to ensure that the statues last longer; it's not a sophisticated method, and the movements are far less flexible than normal painted sculptures."

Upon hearing this, Han Yun lightly tapped the sandalwood table with his fingertips and pondered, "In that case, the art of finishing touches has become the most difficult part to master." "Very well!"

Han Yun said with a sense of relief, "Things never end. There's no such thing as a perfect life forever. Just let things happen as they come."

Master Mingxin smiled and said, "Little Ancestor sees things clearly."

As Han Yun left the Jade Emperor Temple, dusk was approaching. He declined Master Mingxin's invitation to stay the night and walked alone up the mountain stone steps.

Then his figure vanished, and he entered the inner space.

The center of the Peach Garden.

The Mirror Demon sat cross-legged under the Bodhi tree, while the Five Dragons and the Golden Lion climbed up and down beside it without resting for a moment. When the Mirror Demon saw Han Yun arrive, it slowly opened its eyes.

Han Yun stood with his hands behind his back and asked, "Having traversed the sixty-four worlds, have you truly seen the joys and sorrows of love between men and women in this world? Do you still harbor any resentment or hatred?"

The Mirror Demon bowed respectfully and said with a wry smile, "Your Highness, I still can't see through it."

Han Yun sighed and said, "Some lovers will eventually become a couple, while others will be infatuated men and women who cannot find true love and will make mistakes and misunderstandings. All things in this world have their own causes and conditions."

Immediately, Han Yun casually waved his hand, revealing the original ending of the Eternal Night Star River World, as well as the reason for its female owner and the unfaithful man, to the Mirror Demon.

After seeing all this, the mirror demon finally showed a sense of relief, and then its form suddenly became illusory.

She was originally a spirit formed from a trace of demonic power that transformed from a bewitching woman into a resentful woman. Now that her resentment has dissipated, she naturally cannot maintain her original form.

At this moment, Han Yun summoned his inner energy and injected it into his body to help stabilize his form.

The mirror demon sensed the energy flowing within her body, closed her eyes to feel it for a moment, and when she opened them again, the demonic aura around her had faded somewhat, replaced by a more ethereal quality. Gratitude appeared in her eyes: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."

Han Yun nodded slightly: "Now that you have let go of your obsession, you no longer need to be trapped in the past. From now on, would you be willing to follow me in cultivation and comprehend the Great Dao?"

Without hesitation, the Mirror Demon knelt down and said, "The Mirror Demon is willing to follow the Crown Prince and listen to his teachings."

"good."

"Now that you have reformed, the Mirror Demon's light is no longer suitable for you. So let's change your name to Mirror Spirit. As for your Daoist title, it will be: Lingdu!"

"The universe is both spiritual and beautiful, all reflected in this mirror!"

Upon hearing this, the Mirror Spirit bowed again and said, "The Mirror Spirit thanks the Crown Prince for bestowing this name upon me."

Han Yun raised his hand to support her, and a gentle breeze lifted her up: "From today onwards, you will cultivate in this Peach Garden. Although the Five Dragons and the Golden Lion are unruly, they are not bad-hearted. You can interact with them more."

As they were talking, the golden-haired little beast suddenly darted onto the Mirror Spirit's shoulder and affectionately nuzzled her cheek. Five small dragons also circled over, swimming around her and emitting clear, melodious dragon roars.

The gloom that had lingered between the Mirror Spirit's brows finally dissipated completely.

(End of this chapter)