Mister Sea flew for over 100 miles, his body wrapped in golden rays, with the Buddha palm clearly printed on his body. As he fell from the sky, he glided for a distance before the palm sign eventually disappeared. At the same time, a palm-shaped hole could be seen in his golden robe, revealing his delicate skin within, but without any mark on it.
Mister Sea frowned, and then the golden colored mana birth from within. The hole in his robe slowly covered in the golden mana, and it finally sewed up the yellow robe.
Someone was heard laughing; it was so hysterically loud, “Mister Sea, why didn’t you wait for me to fight with the baldy?”
These words came out from huge man, standing on a little hill from a distance. His forehead was covered in little warts and lumps.
This had to be Nine-Headed Demon King, who smiled with such a radiant face.
Mister Sea thought to himself: It is so frustrating to let this rascal see my unlucky state. He might have asked for Nine-Headed Demon King’s favor, but he still did not look up to this fellow, thinking that he was too vulgar.
Mister Sea regarded himself as a high classed demon with style. This Nine-Headed Demon King was so vulgar, yet he enjoyed following other’s style. If not because if he was easy to trick, Young Mister Sea would not have asked for his assistance.
However ever since this thing had agreed to help him, he delayed for more than ten years before he came to Xi Huang. Although to them demons, a decade is no different from a normal person’s ten days, yet it still ticked Mister Sea off.
He thought so, but his face did not show it, and he looked at Nine-headed Demon King and said, “When did Nine brother arrive here? Why didn’t you contact me earlier that you are here? I have another house in Xi Huang, where I can treat you a meal before you work”.
Nine-headed Demon King stepped out and appeared in front of Mister Sea. He had the ability to shrink lands to inches, a skill even more powerful than those at Guang Qing Xian clan. As he took his step, the grounds around it started to vibrate.
Then, Nine-headed Demon King smirked, “I am here to attend a good event, and collect an instrument”.
Mister Sea blinked his eyes, “Oh, what is this precious item that caught Brother Nine’s attention?”
Nine-headed Demon replied, “Mister Sea, don’t you want to invite me to your house? How about checking out my house here?” He waved his hand, and there were little house figures on his hands.
The view within, including the arrangement of furniture in the house was very real.
Nine-headed Demon King opened his mouth, and a ray of black light was shot out from within. It spread to its surrounding and turned the little hills into flat ground, and finally threw this little house figure out, which eventually landed on the ground and expanded into a real mountain mansion.
There were also three words carved at the main entrance “Nine Saints Mansion”, the fonts were very fierce.
He sounded proud, “Mister Sea, what do you think of my little precious here, it is mobile and convenient to bring around.” Mystical instruments were quite scarce in the world, and one which could change the size of an accommodation at will was even rarer. As Nine-Head Demon King had one instrument like this one, he would gain more face in front of his friends. Even a filthy rich person like Mister Sea could not bring out any item similar to this.
Mister Sea looked at this Nine Saints Mansion, muttered and sighed, “Brother Nine, you have gotten yourself into a big trouble”. He did not expect that the fellow would be brutal, he also lacked exposure to have the nerve to grab something belonging to that person.
On this end, Shen Lian obviously did not know what happened to Mister Sea. Master Hui Ke also rejected the help offered by Shen Lian.
Hui Ke dragged his single arm, walked past the people’s staring, and disappeared into the snow.
The fight between Mister Sea and Hui Ke had caused quite a ruckus, so clearly witnessed by those around them. This was one fight they had not encountered in their lives. It only took a brief moment for Hui Ke to detach his own arm and fought off Mister Sea.
Everyone was shocked by this scene, and was feeling sorry for Hui Ke’s wounds, but was curious of where this Mister Sea came from.
However, Hui Ke had left too hastily, so they had to come up and ask those closest to him, them being Shen Lian, Song Qingyi, and Qiu Xie. Just before those people could come up, Shen Lian and the rest had left immediately.
Hui Ke did not have the intention to preach about Buddhism. He opined that if he explained his view on Buddhism to the others, he would be the only one listening.
Even though his understanding was quite extreme to some Bhikkhu, he still said it without reservation, and never stopped anywhere. This was what they call “moving”.
Shen Lian was jealous of Hui Ke, because he had created his own path, and had no doubt in it. Song Qingyi had his own path as well, a path taught by Lu Jiuyan. He need not search for other paths, he just had to follow suit.
Qi Xiu was quite similar to Song Qingyi, with a slight difference. She really had a compassionate heart. At this time of winter cold, many people were starving and freezing. When Qi Xiu saw those poor people who fell sick on the street, she would go up and do whatever she could for them.
Shen Lian may have seen many lives and deaths, he still took some of the golden leaves from his own and passed them to Qi Xiu.
These currencies could bring a simple shed and pails of hot congee to nourish the poor.
Qi Xiu is passionate about helping people, whereas Song Qingyi was one who had to help. Shen Lian just helped occasionally, mainly because Qi Xiu was healing people with the Seal of No Fear only. At a time when she utilized too much, he would teach her some medical skills and diagnosis techniques.
This would lighten her load to save more people with her limited abilities.
Qi Xiu could only save these people temporarily, not for life. Yet Shen Lian still recognized her efforts, as there were too many people in this world who would not bother at people in need of help.
Not to say they were wrong since not all people were saints and compassionate.
But one had to admit that a person who lent their hand to help others is a good person.
Shen Lian stood afar alone. It did not snow today, but it was still cold, yet Shen Lian could feel no pain in this chill, not even Xiao Xun, and Qian Mo.
Those poor people in shabby clothes could feel it though, as they all seek warmth around the fire in the shed.
Though Shen Lian and co did not feel cold, they still had three separate huts for their own stay. This Qi Xiu could not understand, and Shen Lian explained that even a kind person should not be cruel to their own.
He thought that being kind to own self would enable one to be kinder to others, and not be kind to others and harsh on themselves. This may not be as noble as how Hui Ke broke his arm, but Shen Lian was just being realistic.
He merely advised Qi Xiu, and Qi Xiu was very obedient to him.
Shen Lian thought that he was still one step away from achieving the level of Huan Dan, yet still felt so far. That feeling was like seeing the moon’s reflection in the water, yet he could not touch it.
The image of the moon in the water was all illusion and without a trace of truth.
Shen Lian did not know when he could take this step, maybe many years later, at one point, he would suddenly understand like Chen Jianmei, or maybe he would not understand till the end like San Wen Daoren.
Fire burning from far, the skies covered in stars, the moonlit like an eyebrow. He could hear the breathing sound of Song Qingyi’s medication, and the scripture reading by Qi Xiu, and the noise coming out from the peasant’s huts.
His senses were getting more and more sensitive, as he could identify, pinpoint and analyze every happening around him.
These are all non-related to him. Shen Lian had this sudden urge to do something pointless, to put him away from this thought of being stuck in his cultivation.
In the freezing cold night, he strolled aimlessly. The streets had very few people; all houses’ doors were shut. As he passed by Zhui Xian Ju, it was bustling inside. Shen Lian suddenly felt like drinking wine.
He rarely drank, the last time he had a heartfelt drink, was the night before he left Shen family to study the path of Daoism. He had a very delightful drinking session with Bai Yufei.
Shen Lian still remembered Bai Yufei saying, “You are not a very exciting person”.
After all these years, Shen Lian felt that he had gone through some changes, but also unchanged in many ways.
He was strong-willed, but not as much as Chen Jianmei; he had tenacity, but Hui Ke had even more. But he was still Shen Lian.
Same old Shen Lian being Shen Lian, he did not stand long in front of Zui Xian Ju, he did not enter either. He wanted to drink wine, but not in a place like this, because the inn was too large, with too many people and too much noise inside.
Ruo Xi enjoyed the hustle and bustle, whereas Shen Lian loved the quietness.
Thinking of Ruo Xi, Shen Lian’s urge to drink grew stronger.
After walking past seven shops later, there was a little inn, which was not closed yet.
As Shen Lian entered, he became its only customer, without much special treatment of course.
The wine inn was managed by an old man, looked like he was past sixties, with many wrinkles on his face. He would be considered long-lived amongst the worldly peasants.
He looked like he still had light feet, just lacked passion, maybe because of his poor business. As to why the business was bad, in the eyes of Shen Lian, the tables and chairs were already old, but old man wiped them clean and kept the inn neat and tidy.
He ordered a jug of wine and sipped slowly.
Before the jug was halved, another person entered the shop.
In this chilly night, the lady’s white folded dress was flowing gracefully. She was pretty like the angel, as her arms were slightly showing, and her skin was very fair. Her body figure’s proportion was obviously the perfect number, and the curves on her chest would cause a man to have compromising thoughts.
Shen Lian had not seen many ladies more good looking than her and even recognized her.
He should actually act upon it, but he got lazy.
She came in slowly, effortlessly twisted her waist. An attractive aroma came attacking, and she sat opposite Shen Lian. Shen Lian saw that this lady was very smiley, with crystal clear eyes, very mesmerizing.
The lady proceeded to clap her delicate hands, and told the old man, “Old man, please give a small fire stove for me to warm up my wine. Also please give one beef, one white meat, one plate of peanuts, plus two jugs of wine and a cup”. The lady’s voice was clear like the mountain streams which hit on the rocks, also similar to that of falling beads and breaking jade, so sweet to the ears.
The wine and dishes were served fast. It seemed that any badly performing inn would still have wine and dishes on standby.
