Two years had passed since Li Ya and Zhang Buku had met.
In those two years, the seas continued to surge with activity, countless cultivators and demons rushed into the Sea Breaking Rift. Such strife never ceased; some found their fateful breakthroughs while others fell with regret.
The Supreme Sect had been peaceful, with the majority of its disciples diligently pursuing their cultivation.
Days in Medicine Valley were even more serene.
On this day, Gu An arrived early in Mystic Valley, waiting for someone who was soon to appear.
Near noontime, dressed in black, Li Ya descended from the sky, landing below the pavilion. This time, he didn’t enter through the window but stood beneath it, gazing at Gu An’s windowsill, silent for a long time without taking a step forward.
The Blood Prison Great Saint, lying on the ground, watched him with a peculiar look in its eyes.
It could feel that his mood was very low, and his entire being seemed dispirited and lost.
“Senior Brother Li, why have you come?” Lu Jiujia hurried over, asking excitedly.
Li Ya snapped out of his trance and looked towards him, managing a strained smile, “I came to see your Senior Brother Gu.”
“He’s upstairs. Usually, he doesn’t spend much time in Mystic Valley, but today he’s been here all morning. So he was waiting for you, after all,” Lu Jiujia remarked with a sigh.
He could obviously tell something was off with Li Ya, hence his words.
Li Ya nodded at him, then ascended the stairs.
Upon reaching the second floor, he pushed open the door and entered.
Gu An, who was seated in a chair, put down the Supreme Secret Records book he had been reading and looked at Li Ya, exclaiming with surprise, “Senior Brother Li, what brings you here?”
Looking at Gu An, Li Ya’s eyes suddenly reddened. He closed the door behind him, then walked over to the desk, clenching his fists tightly and gritting his teeth.
Gu An’s smile faded as he asked anxiously, “What’s wrong? What happened?”
Li Ya dared not meet Gu An’s gaze because Zhang Buku had once said that Gu An was his only senior relative.
“Zhang Buku…” Li Ya started with difficulty.
“What happened to him?” Gu An stood up abruptly.
Li Ya took a deep breath and recounted what had happened to Zhang Buku.
After listening, Gu An collapsed in his chair, looking just as dispirited, deepening Li Ya’s distress.
“Wait, you said he became a Divine Exotic Resentful Ghost, which means he’s still here, isn’t he?” Gu An asked urgently, as if grasping at a thought.
Li Ya turned his head and replied, “He’s still here, but becoming a Divine Exotic Resentful Ghost means he’s no longer who he was. He’s become a monster that devours living spirits, never to know freedom…”
Gu An countered, “Did you see him do that?”
Li Ya froze for a moment, then looked at him.
Gu An’s expression became calm as he said, “Buku has always had a tough life, carrying the burden of half of the Demon Clan’s bloodline, but he has managed to survive till now. Why can’t he turn misfortune into safety this time?”
“But…” Li Ya stammered.
“Senior Brother, this incident isn’t your fault. He chose to venture into the Sea Breaking Rift himself. Don’t carry too much burden. Besides, I truly believe he can turn danger into safety.”
“Junior Brother Gu, I…” Li Ya began.
“Look at you. If Buku saw you like this, he would surely laugh at you. Aren’t you brothers who have gone through life and death together? Do you intend to join him in death? You must have faith in him. He will definitely be able to turn danger into safety. If you don’t cultivate diligently, you might even fall behind him. After every great adversity comes great fortune. Don’t underestimate him.”
Gu An said with a smile, a look of anticipation on his face.
Li Ya knew Gu An was comforting him, but he couldn’t help but think, what if Zhang Buku truly could overcome this peril?
Gu An invited him to sit down and inquired about his experiences over the years.
Li Ya began to share his life in the past years, and Gu An interjected with questions from time to time. The more he did so, the more ashamed Li Ya felt.
Zhang Buku was gone. The pain in Junior Brother Gu’s heart must have been no less intense than his, considering Junior Brother Gu also carried the emotional weight of Zhang Chunqiu.
And yet, Junior Brother Gu still comforted him.
A Divine Exotic Immortal Spirit appeared on Li Ya’s shoulder without him noticing. It looked at Gu An, blinked slyly, but Li Ya missed this moment.
The two brothers talked for a long time.
Until dusk, Li Ya stood up. He looked at Gu An and said, “I’ve come back this time just to tell you about this. Thank you, Junior Brother Gu. I won’t give up hope. I’ll cultivate even harder and will save Zhang Buku sooner or later!”
Determination colored his face, and his eyes blazed with fighting spirit.
Gu An naturally encouraged him.
And so, Li Ya left. He didn’t exit through the window but walked down the stairs. Gu An did not accompany him.
Li Ya stopped in front of the Blood Prison Great Saint, turned to look at it, and said, “Ox-Head, I swear I won’t let anyone I care about end up in danger again. And your master, I will protect him too!”
With those words, he leaped into the sky and vanished into the horizon.
The Blood Prison Great Saint rolled its eyes and muttered, “Crazy in the head. Who’s protecting who? And why are you telling me? Am I your father?”
…
A month after Li Ya’s departure, another person returned.
It was the monk Shen Xinzi. He made his way to the Third Medicine Valley.
He paused at the entrance to the valley, somewhat dazed by the sight of its inhabitants sweeping, watering the soil, playing Go, painting, and playfully chasing each other.
Everything seemed so harmonious.
For some reason, the moment he returned here, Shen Xinzi inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief; the gloom in his heart began to dissipate.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the valley.
Soon after, he saw You Yingying. She saw him too and instinctively wanted to avoid him, but he sent her a message asking her to halt.
Shen Xinzi approached her with a serious expression.
You Yingying nervously asked, “What do you want? I haven’t harmed anyone!”
Shen Xinzi closed his eyes and said, “Amitabha, benefactor, the monk has come to apologize. I was indeed rash and overly stubborn and judgmental before. It’s true that everyone in the world may accuse you, but this monk cannot. I apologize. Henceforth, I will not bother you again.”
He put his palms together and bowed in apology.
You Yingying was stunned and rather perplexed.
Before she could ask any questions, Shen Xinzi turned and left.
Watching his retreating figure, You Yingying muttered to herself, “What has he been through these years? It feels like he’s been struck down.”
She had always been quite afraid of Shen Xinzi, but after hearing his words just now, she strangely felt sympathy for him, rather than joy for her own sake.
Shaking her head, she decided not to dwell on it any further.
Whatever the case, she had to stay away from that monk; what if he went crazy again one day?
Shen Xinzi arrived at the Go-playing area, where still dozens of people gathered. He saw the Valley Master Gu An approaching and nodded to each other as a greeting.
Then they stood behind the crowd to watch the game.
Suddenly, Shen Xinzi had a notion and looked towards Gu An. Stepping towards him, he whispered, “Valley Master, might I have a word in private?”
Gu An glanced at him, then nodded.
“Let’s talk in my room,” Gu An said.
Shen Xinzi had sacrificed himself to save Li Ya and the whole town, which improved Gu An’s opinion of him.
Although the monk was stubborn, when it came to action, he dared to face danger, genuinely caring for the lives of others, not just paying lip service.
The Nine-Finger Divine Lord, who was playing Go, noticed their figures. He smirked, withdrew his gaze, and continued his game, exclaiming, “You really play a lousy game of Go. Even the country children outside the Supreme Sect could outplay this mess. No, let that cow play; it would do better than you!”
The Blood Prison Great Saint, who heard this from afar, was infuriated, but he held back.
After all, Gu An had once said the Nine-Finger Divine Lord was an Immortal who had just concealed his cultivation level.
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“Just keep playing. Better you don’t cultivate anymore. Once I release my cultivation level, I’ll make you my mount and turn you into a toad!” The Blood Prison Great Saint thought to himself, and this brought him pleasure. He immediately cheered up.
Elsewhere, Gu An led Shen Xinzi upstairs.
Shen Xinzi took the initiative to close the door.
After inviting him to sit down, Gu An began making tea.
While waiting, Shen Xinzi looked around at the multitude of books in the room, even noticing his favorite “Journey to the West.”
Having “Journey to the West” there made him feel even more favorably towards Gu An.
Gu An placed the hot tea in front of him, then sat down, smiling and asked, “What brings Daoist Friend to seek a discussion?”
Shen Xinzi took a deep breath and said, “Benefactor, it’s like this. I have a good friend who has spent his life detesting evil and seeking to vanquish demons to save the suffering masses. However, he suddenly discovered he was a reincarnation of a demon. What should he do?”
Classic “I have a friend” scenario.
Gu An pondered and said, “Is the relationship between past and present lives so important? What sin cannot be washed away even through reincarnation? Why should he fret, why not just continue walking the path he believes in?”
“But he truly is a demon…” Shen Xinzi began.
“So what? Are demons absolutely bad, and are humans definitely good? Do you really think you should distance yourself from this friend? Daoist Friend, if that’s the case, then I have to speak up. It’s disappointing that monks who have supposedly transcended worldly matters are so caught up in appearances.”
Gu An began an impassioned critique of Shen Xinzi.
His inclination to give advice had been thoroughly roused!
Shen Xinzi did not get angry and listened intently.
Gu An, who had invented the game of Go, must have extraordinary insight, and Shen Xinzi had previously felt that Gu An’s perspective on life was truly open-minded; his moral standing was undoubtedly higher than his own.
Cultivation isn’t all about increasing one’s cultivation level!
Gu An talked for a while, feeling refreshed once he had finished. It didn’t matter to him whether Shen Xinzi took the advice to heart, he simply felt good about having aired his views.
Shen Xinzi, deep in thought, asked, “If one lays down the butcher’s knife, can they truly become a Buddha on the spot?”
Gu An replied, not without irritation, “How can that be possible? That’s just being unreasonable. Sins need to be washed away by good deeds. Besides, your friend has not done anything evil in this life and has even saved many people, right?”
Shen Xinzi nodded, his previously furrowed brows finally relaxing.
He began to ponder.
Gu An did not disturb him and simply picked up a book to read.
The room fell into silence.
After a full half of an ancient hour, Shen Xinzi stood up, bowed to Gu An, and said, “Amitabha. Thank you, benefactor, for resolving my doubts.”
Gu An waved his hand and said, “What’s there to thank for? If you really want to express gratitude, find time to guide the disciples of my valley in their cultivation.”
Shen Xinzi did not refuse, and inwardly he felt moved. Gu An was truly a profound being, always considering others.
He asked, “Benefactor, I see you have many books in your room. May I take a look at one?”
Upon hearing this, Gu An began looking around.
Shen Xinzi suggested, “How about the book in your hands lend it to this monk to study?”
Gu An’s expression changed instantly, and he closed the Supreme Secret Records and said, “Not this one!”
