If the erudition just now represented the wisdom of Reason,
then the Nothingness now represents the meaninglessness of wisdom.
It even represents that the birth, growth, and Death of all things in the world are meaningless.
They will all ultimately return to Nothingness.
Just as Its introduction states.
The existence of Nothingness is a mystery; Its image is shrouded in layers of mist.
IX never associates with other Aeons. It believes that the essence of the multiverse is Nothingness, and therefore existence is meaningless.
“You may gaze at the brilliant stars, but never stare into the abyss of Nothingness.
There is nothing in that black mist; even a single glance is enough to make mortals abandon Reason.”
—Chaos Medic Murong
“Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form.”
“This Nothingness Aeon truly possesses great enlightenment and great magic power,” Ji Gong sat up, shedding his usual wild and uninhibited demeanor.
He looked up at the words and images flashing across the heaven's curtain, deeply moved.
Beside him, there was also a monk meditating and chanting scriptures, who was the abbot of Lingyin Temple.
“Daoji, all phenomena arise from causes and conditions and are empty in nature. The present moment is existence,” the abbot shook his head and said. “Isn’t everything before our eyes gathered together due to conditions? This is existence.”
“The Diamond Sutra says, ‘The Buddha speaks of worlds, which are not worlds, therefore they are called worlds.’”
“Hahaha. Without attachment in the heart, there is no confusion; letting go of a single thought brings myriad comforts,” Ji Gong replied with a smile.
“Abbot, I haven’t fallen into this Nothingness, you know,” he shook the tattered palm-leaf fan in his hand and continued.
“Existence and Nothingness are not incompatible entities. In my opinion, these two are merely concepts of process and result.”
---
Warring States Period
(Note: The following dialogue is merely a personal opinion. I am not qualified or capable of imitating what the two historical sages were like.)
Our great philosopher Zhuangzi was arguing with his friend Huizi on a bridge.
You are not a fish, how do you know the joy of fish?
You are not me, how do you know I don’t know the joy of fish?
Neither of them would yield.
Finally, the changing images on the light screen caught their attention.
“The Dao cannot be seen, the Dao cannot be heard, the Dao cannot be spoken.”
“Tranquility, silence, emptiness, and non-action—this is the Great Dao itself,” Zhuangzi looked thoughtfully at the heaven's curtain.
But Huizi immediately objected: “Heretical nonsense! You old man are still playing tricks like this!”
“If everything in the world is meaningless, then why would the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth allow us living beings to be conceived within Heaven and Earth?”
“No, no,” Zhuang Zhou shook his head and said, “You, this owl who loves rotten rats, how can you understand the thoughts of my phoenix?”
Does this universe have meaning? Unspeakable.
What is the purpose of the universe? Unspeakable.
What is the origin of living beings? Unspeakable.
What is the meaning of what we have experienced in the past, what we are doing now, and what will happen in the future?
Also unspeakable.
But, is Nothingness truly the most fundamental truth of the entire world? Still unspeakable.
Who can, who possesses, who is qualified to answer the meaning of existence regarding these questions?
“You cannot, I cannot, even those untouchable great Aeons who appeared in the light screen are not capable of answering.”
“That’s why there are so many, symbolizing different concepts. Oh, in the words of the light screen, symbolizing different destinies.”
Zhuangzi slowly said, looking at the splashes of water occasionally stirred up by fish under the bridge.
“Look at these fish; they toil their whole lives, flapping their fins daily for food, and finally return to Death.”
In this lifetime, they will encounter destruction, water pollution, and drought.
Encounter The Hunt, being caught by fishermen.
Encounter Abundance, healing their wounds.
Encounter Immortality, their own Death, giving birth to new life.
Finally returning to Nothingness.”
Beginning, process, end.
Each part of this system must exist simultaneously for Nothingness to have meaning.
Without a beginning, there is no process, and thus no end of Nothingness.
It is said that the great power of Nothingness is enough to annihilate all known and unknown universes in a single thought.
But It still silently remains there, waiting for the universe to naturally reach its end.
---
Southern and Northern Dynasties period, Emperor Wenxuan of Qi, Gao Yang.
He was gathering officials and palace maids to play the harmonious music of life in the palace.
Upon seeing the appearance of the Nothingness Aeon, he was, on the contrary, the most disdainful one.
Of course, judging from his appearance, running around naked, he might have consumed some elixirs.
“Tsk, what kind of evil deity is this, spouting nonsense. Nothingness? I’ll do whatever I want, that’s my meaning!”
Late Ming Dynasty
Chongzhen collapsed weakly onto the dragon chair behind him, his face filled with despair. This talk of Nothingness directly pierced his chest.
“Hehehe, even the gods are hinting that everything I am is meaningless. My Great Ming is destined to perish.”
---
At this moment, a transparent button suddenly appeared before the eyes of those emperors and generals.
The function of the button also appeared in their minds: they could choose to enter the light screen and face the Aeon directly.
(Note: Those with weak mental fortitude, do not use.)
Alas, this warning became the action that stirred the nerves of the crowd.
“Hmph, I’ve never feared anything in my life! Enter!” Li Shimin pressed the button in front of him without hesitation.
Instantly, a wave of dizziness swept through his mind.
He only felt the world spinning, everything around him appeared distorted, like a fast-forwarded rotation.
The next second.
Everything stopped.
....
....
Emptiness, silence, loneliness, exhaustion, Nothingness.
Li Shimin transformed into a ball of light and appeared before the Nothingness Aeon, saying nothing.
Time passed minute by minute, and he still made no movement.
Was he asleep?
No, he had fallen into Nothingness.
Speaking, thinking, acting—all were meaningless.
Otherwise, he would accompany the Nothingness Aeon, abandon thought, and let the universe push him elsewhere, since the world would all return to Nothingness anyway.
“Clang—!”
Suddenly, the sound of a chime striking rang in Li Shimin’s ears.
The sound was ethereal, as if it came from the Ninth Heaven.
His gradually unfocused gaze instantly sharpened. When he came to, he was still standing in his original spot, in the imperial palace.
“Ha, ha, ha—” He lost his footing and fell to the ground, his eyes wide, panting in panic.
Sweat streamed from his forehead and back, soaking his entire clothing.
And like him were Emperor Qin Shihuang Ying Zheng, Emperor Taizu of Ming Zhu Yuanzhang, and Emperor Wu of Han Liu Che, among others.
“Phew, this Nothingness Aeon is truly terrifying. Just a glance, and I almost couldn’t come back.”
Ying Zheng prostrated himself on the desk, resting for a long while before recovering.
In the following days, he uncharacteristically had his guards gather around him, as if he was afraid of being alone.
As for Zhu Yuanzhang, he frantically ran through the palace corridors and huddled with Empress Ma.
Then he took a group of guards to the fields within the imperial palace and toiled for an entire day.
According to him, only by farming in the fields, engaging in this most primitive form of labor, did he feel alive.
Even the morning court on the second day was handled by the Crown Prince.
Liu Che was even more affected. He consecutively inspected several armies.
Then he went to Shanglin Park and led his personal guards on The Hunt.