Ch74 - Amitabha

Editor: Sahloknir

Jiang Yinghe’s spiritual energy passed through Tong Guiyu’s foundation and spirit. He sensed the other’s unstable and hole-ridden primordial spirit, which was nothing like what a Hollowed Cave Xianjun’s should look like.

Unfortunately, Tong Guiyu was likely to be in a similar situation as Abbot Chan Qing.

He abruptly withdrew his hand and frowned at Tong Guiyu. “…Were you being truthful when you told me that your heart was wavering?”

That was the first question that popped into Jiang Yinghe’s mind, and the look on Tong Guiyu’s face was answer enough.

Tong Guiyu withdrew his hand and casually brushed his bloodstained sleeve clean. “I didn’t invite you here for my sake, but I do have a favour to ask of you.”

Jiang Yinghe vaguely knew what this request would be, but he didn’t say anything and watched him go on.

Tong Guiyu said, “If I were to die unexpectedly, please take care of He Huan Sect on my behalf. I have already made many arrangements so that any incidents would have minimal impacts on the Sect. But the hearts of those belonging to He Huan Sect are not united. If the transfer of power to my successor is not smooth, then the small fries barring the way should be dealt with as necessary.”

His words were not overly solemn, but there was clear killing intent laced within. To his side, Chan Qing averted his eyes slightly and muttered, “Amitabha.”

Tong Guiyu realized his faux pas. He turned to apologise, “This one surnamed Tong has misspoken and disturbed the Abbot.”

Jiang Yinghe listened to what sounded like the last words of a dying man. Then he saw Tong Guiyu take out a book from his Qiankun pouch, entitled ‘Last Words’. Flipping through it, there were actually well over ten thousand words written within, like a novel.

“There is one more thing.” Tong Guiyu said, “I…”

He paused to gather his thoughts, which was rather out of character for him. Then he smoothly spoke, “I have tarnished the reputation of Huai Qing Zhenren. Yao Wang Valley’s healing cultivators have always been pure. They should not be with promiscuous people like me. If my life comes to an end, I hope you, my good friend, could help me…”

“Take care of your widow?”

Tong Guiyu didn’t expect him to say that. He took a minute to retort, “…A life-saving benefactor.”

Jiang Yinghe emotionlessly listened until now. He tapped a finger against the end of his whisk. “You never faced such troubles when you were missing the emotionless part of your passion root. But once I returned it to you as I took mine back, you’ve encountered a life-threatening situation like this.”

Tong Guiyu looked at him and said, “This has nothing to do with that…”

“Not necessarily.” Jiang Yinghe changed the subject, “Take out Hongyan so I can have a look.”

Tong Guiyu was silent for a moment. He raised a hand and retrieved his life-bound weapon from his foundation. As Hongyan’s magnificent and vivid blade emerged, a pale peach sword pendant fell into his hand.

“You…remind me of another person.” Jiang Yinghe gazed at the sword pendant and said, “The path to the Dao is right in front of him, but his heart wavers due to the appearance of another. He was unwilling to break away, eventually being dragged into a bottomless abyss.”

The Dao Ancestor cultivated the Supreme path. Although very different from the Harmony path, the two shared some similarities. Those who walked the Supreme path could not love just one person, their love was meant for all living beings.

Therefore, when Jiang Yinghe appeared by his side, the Dao Ancestor’s mind became so disturbed that he had to split his soul to live on.

Jiang Yinghe patted the book of last words in his hand and spoke about his own experiences dealing with this kind of problem. “The instability of your Dao heart proves that the relationship between you and your saviour is one that is different from the kind seen in He Huan Sect. From what I know, the Harmony path doesn’t forbid polygamy, but only monogamy.”

He was absolutely correct. Although Jiang Yinghe’s cultivation hasn’t fully returned, the breadth of his vision was far beyond that of any normal human.

“You want to climb ashore, but your Dao heart refuses to let you go.” Jiang Yinghe looked into Tong Guiyu’s eyes. “In that case, you just have to forget your benefactor.”

Tong Guiyu gripped Hongyan tighter. A faint light surrounded the sword.

Jiang Yinghe gave it a glance before continuing, “In the teahouses on the banks of the River Styx in the Nether Realm, there is a drink to wipe away emotions. When you have forgotten how he helped you, I will personally kill Chou Yongzhou for you. Then you will never experience this problem again.”

As he spoke, he observed Tong Guiyu’s expression. The other person suddenly looked up during his heartless words, like he wanted to tell him to stop.

But when he saw Jiang Yinghe’s expression, Tong Guiyu knew that these words were meant to test him.

On the other side, Chan Qing had already guessed Jiang Yinghe’s intentions. But he still coughed lightly twice. “Amitabha.”

Jiang Yinghe turned and said to Chan Qing, “My words were thoughtless. Forgive me, Abbot.”

Chan Qing nodded slightly without saying anything.

Jiang Yinghe got a glimpse into Tong Guiyu’s mind from his reaction. “If you can’t bear to touch him, fine. You might as well risk it all in this case. I will preserve your spirit while you discard your cultivation and enter the cycle of reincarnation. If you recultivate under a different path and build a righteous reputation, you will be able to marry into Yao Wang Valley one day.”

“Easy for you to say.” Tong Guiyu was gripping his sword so hard that the back of his hand was turning blue and white. Blood spilled as the skin of his palm pressed against the blade. “Who knows when we will be reunited in the next life? Even if I have the guts to do such a thing, it could take hundreds or even thousands of years to complete! Can he wait that long?!”

Tong Guiyu was usually a laid back, playful and cynical man who liked to boast that he had seen it all when it came to ‘flowers’. Rarely did he experience emotions so strong that he couldn’t conceal them.

“My death alone is enough to settle my debt with He Huan Sect, but ruining Huai Qing’s reputation for centuries and disregarding the 3000 year old rules of Yao Wang Valley… Such acts would definitely invite the scorn of others.”

The blade in his palm sank into his flesh, leaving layers upon layers of blood on the sword. One side of Hongyan might be dyed in crimson, but the sword pendant on the other was still as clean and fresh as ever.

At this moment, someone suddenly knocked on the door of the meditation room. Kong Jing’s respectful voice could be heard.

“Shifu, Huai Qing Zhenren of Yao Wang Valley has been waiting outside for a long time. He said that he wanted to meet with…Benefactor Tong.”

The scent of Buddhist incense filled the room.

Tong Guiyu’s hand relaxed. Only now did he realize he had cut himself. He casually wiped away the blood and closed his eyes. “…Little He, let’s continue talking about that favour…”

“Maybe he’s willing to wait.”

Tong Guiyu paused.

Jiang Yinghe slowly brushed the whisk resting on his sleeve and said lightly, “How would you know if you don’t ask?”

“How long would he be willing to wait for a momentary pleasure?”

“Before your return, I will naturally follow your will and render aid.” Jiang  Yinghe looked out the window and saw a small, white cat sitting on the windowsill outside, his tail all wet from the recent drizzle. “Even if it is a momentary pleasure, it is still far from the worst case scenario.”

His words managed to block out all retreats, making it hard to disagree.

Outside, the kitten pawed at the window, trying to get inside. As the wooden window gradually opened, the sound of the rain became clearer.

Until Tong Guiyu stood up and walked past Jiang Yinghe.

Jiang Yinghe was not certain that Tong Guiyu would go meet Chou Yongzhou, but at least there was a chance now that he’d stopped holing up in the mediation room. He did not follow him out. Instead, he remained opposite Chan Qing and poured the Abbot a cup of tea.

Lan Ruo Temple’s ‘Morushui’ was almost tasteless.

Chan Qing thanked him and watched as the little, white cat by the window jumped in and shook the rain from his body. He could tell from his scent that this was not an ordinary cat, but he didn’t say anything as the cat cuddled in Jiang Yinghe’s arms.

Jiang Yinghe hugged this sticky bun with one hand while saying, “His attitude was so negative. Did he lose his way after hearing Abbot’s prediction?”

“A person’s past and current life, their present and future…all are vast and boundless.” Chan Qing said.

Jiang Yinghe nodded.

He suddenly grasped a point in those words. He raised his eyes and asked, “Past lives and present lives? Past and future?”

Chan Qing nodded and said, “Tong Xianjun came to the same realization as Jiang Xianjun. This was why he felt so hopeless and began to arrange his affairs without seeking other solutions.”

So that was what happened. Jiang Yinghe thought as he glanced at the most recent task about finding out the pasts of his disciples. He couldn’t help but ask, “Abbot, could you help me divine the past and future of another person?”

Chan Qing was silent for a moment. He seemed to already know who this person was. Finally, he just waved and summoned a water mirror. “It is up to Xianjun whether this will succeed or not.”

With these words, he uttered a mantra and left.

The Buddhist incense lingered everywhere as the sound of rain falling continued.

—-

Jiang Yinghe could only make out a hazy shadow in the mirror before he was pulled into a void.

Before he could even confirm who he was thinking of, his divine sense had already entered the water mirror. The moment he returned to was under torrential rain.

In the night, the storm raged on as lightning flashed brightly above the clouds. The rumbling of thunder was accompanied by the mournful screams of a woman.

The woman shouted a man’s name, almost shredding her vocal cords until they bled. Her desperation and pain pierced through the clouds.

Before Jiang Yinghe could make sense of whose perspective this was, he noticed the bright red blood spreading out from underneath the courtyard steps.

Drop by drop, blood dripped down into a child’s eyes.

Suddenly, a pair of bloodstained hands carried away the red-eyed child. This stunningly beautiful woman, dishevelled and covered in blood with dirt on the hem of her clothes, murmured nonsense as she fled with all her might.

The courtyard was next to a dense forest. As she ran with the child in her arms, she cut down all who stood in her way, like a cornered wolf with a broken leg.

There were many who chased her, but most stopped their pursuit as time went on. Jiang Yinghe still didn’t know whose perspective this was. He could only watch as this person hastily glanced behind them.

Immediately, he understood the reason why some people had turned back.

In mid-air, several cultivators wearing robes that identified them as members of the righteous faction surrounded a person. They all had calm and ruthless expressions, fully intent on getting rid of evil and—

Purging a threat from within their sect.

In the center, surrounded by the cultivators, a man covered in wounds rose from the ground. A barrier fuelled by his very soul stood behind him, blocking their path.

It was Li Yunxiao.

A peerless genius of the past.

This fact inexplicably surfaced in Jiang Yinghe’s mind.

Just as the barrier was about to collapse, the man whose features were no longer distinguishable due to his wounds struggled to his feet. His longsword was dyed crimson by his flowing blood.

In the next instant, as the cultivators in the air shattered the barrier, Li Yunxiao detonated his core, annihilating both his body and soul.

He ceased to exist entirely.

There was little known about Li Huanhan’s parents, only a brief account existed: Sword cultivator Li Yunxiao colluded with an evil sect and fell in love with the demoness Ning Fengyao, giving birth to a wretched heavenly demon. He was then pursued by the righteous faction and killed on a rainy night.

Jiang Yinghe looked at the sky.

The rain stopped with his death, but the sword-wielding righteous cultivators chased after the wife and son of their former fellow disciple, attempting to eradicate the root of the problem.

Clouds broke up the cold sky, softening the blood-red sunrise.

Author’s Corner

HeHe, Tongtong: Balabala…

Chan Qing: …Amitabha. You speak of those things again.