Nightfall

Sangsang could not get rid of the world of mortals embodied in her. Therefore, she searched for the Buddha and entered the world inside the chessboard. She deeply bonded with Ning Que in that world and thus experienced the three poisons of attachment, aversion and obsession.

Ning Que wanted to save her, so he helped her shake off the three poisons of attachment, aversion and obsession to dispel the world of immortals in her body. By building the statue of Buddha, they had cut her bond to the human world.

The Academy did not see this, neither did the Buddha plan it this way. Throughout the endless samsara, no living beings could have ever predicted her will because she is Heaven.

The Buddha could see through cause and effect. But she was the rule of cause and effect. She used the Buddha"s trap to defeat the Academy"s plan, and dug out the possibility from the impossible. That was Haotian"s greatest wisdom, and Ning Que"s greatest pain.

Ning Que stood on top of the city walls and stared indifferently in the spring breeze. He said, "When we were in the small courtyard in Chaoyang City… It must have been fun for you to watch me cheerfully running around, buying supplies and cooking every meal for you. I have called many people "idiot" throughout my life. I thought they were indeed stupid. Now I finally realize I am the stupidest idiot in the world."

Sangsang walked up to his side and looked at the human world that was bathing in the spring breeze. She held her hands behind her back and said, "There was no deceit because I didn"t know either. It was only when the result of cause and effect was unveiled that I realized what my will was."

Ning Que mocked, "Do you think I would believe you?"

Sangsang said, "It doesn"t matter whether you believe or not. Like I said in the Academy yesterday, no one knew what would have happened, not even me. That"s really Heaven"s works."

"Indeed. Heaven"s works. Actually, during our last few years in the chessboard I already sensed it, but I refused to believe it. That was why I never asked. I worked hard with my iron cutla.s.s to build the statue of Buddha on that mountain. Although you were on my back, I had always been lonely. I was so lonely that I even wanted to die…"

Ning Que looked at the crowded streets and lively markets inside the city walls and continued, "Whenever you were awake, you seldom talked to me. At the beginning I thought you were just too tired. Then I realized it was because you did not want to talk to me… I was very disappointed and became worried. Because that meant your feelings for me were fading, or that you were hiding something. What was that you were hiding?" He turned to Sangsang and said calmly, "Were you afraid that if you were to stay too close to me, you won"t be able to cut your bond with the human world? If that"s the case, then I could at least find some relief."

Instead of answering, Sangsang asked, "Since you already sensed it and began to worry, why didn"t you say or do anything?"

"The Heaven predicts everything. It is indeed scary. Yet I"m not scared at all. Because I still have the G.o.d-Stunning Array. You shouldn"t have told me this. I don"t think you have completely dispelled the world of immortals from your body. The Academy might have used the G.o.d-Stunning Array against Heaven and you would have been able to return to the Divine Kingdom through that. But now it would never happen." Ning Que said emotionlessly, "Even if you were to become the ruthless Haotian again, as long as you cannot return to the Divine Kingdom, then there would be nothing worse than what we had in the Divine Hall of Light previously. We are bound to be entangled, no less than a pair of burned omelettes."

Sangsang said, "I told you this because even without the help of the G.o.d-Stunning Array I can still return to the Divine Kingdom."

Ning Que said, "Don"t brag. You are not a buffalo."

Sangsang corrected him, "It was a black pig."

Ning Que said, "No matter what color the pig is, there"s no way you can return."

Sangsang said, "Inside the world of the chessboard, I experienced the endless suffering of the mortal world. I had my own flesh cut to dispel the poisons to cut the bond with human world. I even saw the Ark. My divine will is well illuminated now."

Ning Que recalled the horrible Ark in Nirvana and felt worried.

"Your Master was different from the Buddha. He integrated himself with the human world. Even I was not able to locate him. But the Buddha tried to hide from me by creating a separate s.p.a.ce with the help of a.s.sembled wills of all living beings. They were both great Divine Abilities. I could not integrate with the human world, therefore I could only use the Buddha"s way to obtain the power from his separate s.p.a.ce."

Sangsang continued. "Belief is the wills of all living beings. I am the owner of the world and have numerous pious followers. Throughout the hundreds of thousands of years, I have overlooked the human world with indifference and never thought of making a good use of or to enhance the power generated from the belief of all living beings. I have learned a lot from the Buddha regarding this issue."

Ning Que asked, "Do you mean the Ark?"

Sangsang said, "The Buddha wanted to liberate all the living beings, therefore all living beings helped him reach Nirvana. I want my followers to help me, so I need to help them first. Then I can embark and head for my destination."

Ning Que asked, "Where is your destination?"

Sangsang answered, "I was born in the Divine Kingdom. My destination is of course the Divine Kingdom."

Ning Que looked above to the gray sky and said nothing.

Sangsang reached out to somewhere in the south. Several miles to the south of the city was the Academy.

The indigo lion Sangsang brought out of the chessboard was preparing for a fight against a big white goose. The lion"s mane was erected and it was growling to threaten the goose. But instead of making an attack, it looked to the far away meadow from time to time.

The big white goose was already a big trouble for it, yet there was an old ox napping on the meadow. It knew clearly that if the old ox were to wake up, it would be doomed.

The indigo lion could not understand why it had been confronted with so many horrifying beings ever since it left the chessboard. It was completely different from what it learned in the chessboard. This world was so vicious.

All of a sudden, an invisible power broke through the Cloud Gate Array from above, got hold of the indigo lion and disappeared immediately. The big white goose looked above but could not find the new invader. It got bored and went to take a bath in the brook.

Then the indigo lion appeared on top of the city wall on Sangsang"s hand. Its hair was held tightly and it was in pain. It worried that she would pluck out its hair so it did not dare to resist.

Sangsang flicked her sleeves toward the outside of the city walls and a refres.h.i.+ng breeze blew gently throughout the human world.

Years ago during the Rite to Light, there was also a refres.h.i.+ng breeze that blew gently across the human world. But this time it was more refres.h.i.+ng and gentle, and it brought more vitality.

The refres.h.i.+ng breeze first came to the Divine Halls of West-Hill. The peach blossoms in the valley bloomed even more charmingly in the breeze. The followers kneeling on the plateaus and the front yard were rejuvenated by the breeze.

Their worries, fears, griefs, and despairs were all purified by the breeze. The blind felt that their world was brightening up gradually, and the deaf heard some indistinct sounds. The sounds were the chanting of the numerous followers. Under the guidance of the Hierarch of the Divine Halls of West-Hill, over a hundred thousand divine priests, deacons, and pious followers were chanting.

It was a very beautifully written and rhyming canon of Taoism. It arouse holiness and detachment. It was the ending verse of the West-Hill literary canon, the "Stanza of Liberation and Ascension" from the Supreme Celestial Verse of Splendid Jade Cave.

The spring breeze prevailed while the chanting reached out to every corner in the human world. Throughout tens of thousands of Taoist temples across the kingdom, millions of priests started chanting this literary canon which they were very familiar with.

The spring breeze lingered in the mountains and forests and kissed the clouds. It eventually turned into rain and fell continuously onto the human world. The raindrops glowed in a golden color but became crystal clear when they fell on the ground

The spring rain fell on Peach Mountain. It wetted the forests and darkened the peach blossoms. In a remote corner of the Revelation Inst.i.tute, a pile of dried firewood became damp.

A skinny little priest was taking shelter from the rain. He was the lowest ranking servant in the Divine Halls. No one noticed him during the extremely important ceremony today. Seeing that the firewood was damped, the little priest became anxious and tried to move the pile inside the kitchen. He could not care about himself getting wet from the rain.

Crystal clear rain water fell on him and turned into numerous glowing golden spots. Then they penetrated through his stained robe and nurtured his body and Taoist heart.

In the small town by the border of the Song and Yan Kingdoms, the Drunkard stood by the door and watched the rain. His right hand was holding the flagon and trembled. He let the rain water fall continuously on his ageless face.

The rain also fell on the poorly maintained roof of the butcher shop. It dripped from the cracks of the roof and fell on the chopping board. It fell on the fat white pig feet, mixed with blood, and fell on the Butcher"s head.

They all clearly sensed that the darkness and filthiness deep down in their souls were washed away by the rain. Their rotten bodies welcomed the new life.

The Drunkard left the teahouse and the Dutcher left his butcher shop. They went to the only street in town and stood at opposite ends. They bathed in the pattering spring rain and felt extremely touched and determined.

The spring breeze and the spring rain were everywhere in the human world, from the Divine Halls of West-Hill to the sh.o.r.e of the East Sea. It even rained the in the heart of the remotest Wilderness in the north.

The rain fell on the yurts of the Golden Tribe. The pattering sounds sounded like someone was beating randomly on a broken war drum. The Wilderness was quiet and the falling of rain sounded distinctly.

Chanyu had a serious face and led his wife, sons, and dozens of generals of the imperial court to kneel in the rain. They prayed constantly and hope that the Tengri would bestow them with courage.

The national master together with over a dozen of major priests kneeled on top of the meadow. They reached out to welcome the rain and blessing from Heaven. The national master"s aging face was washed by the rain and instantly became younger. The major priests were also enveloped by golden glory.

The national master closed his eyes and kneeled in the rain quietly to sense the vitality and most profound Divine Power conveyed by the rain. He felt tranquility and reverence.

It was also raining in Xuankong Temple. Jun Mo slightly frowned when the rain fell onto his iron sword. The iron sword became darker and sharper in the rain and put on a layer of glory. His clothes were wet, and he became sharper too. Jung Mo knew what this was. A few years ago he told her in person that he would never accept any gifts from Haotian. But when she was determined, he would not be able to resist it.

In the wilderness outside the pit, the big black horse pulled the heavy carriage through the chaotic Euphrates poplars. The spring rain fell on its body and took away all his fatigue and loneliness.

It squinted at the spring rain and felt reluctant to say goodbye.

Similar things happened everywhere throughout the human world.

Some cultivator cried with joy in the rain. He had cultivated exhaustingly for dozens of years but could not enter the Seethrough State until today. Some secluded Taoist cultivator even reached the Knowing Destiny overnight.

The very-sick were recovering. They dying were freed from pain and returned peacefully to the Divine Kingdom. Whoever believed in Haotian was blessed because the spring rain was her gift to the human world.

After this spring breeze and rain, the little priest in the Revelation Inst.i.tute would no longer be a servant. He would become a genius in cultivation, and a highly respected and powerful figure in the future. The Drunkard and the Butcher would no longer linger in their meaningless lives. They would enjoy lively days in the human world then return to the Divine Kingdom. The national master of the Golden Tribe and many other strong cultivators had been illuminated and bestowed with stronger power in the rain.

The Buddha only liberated those who believed in him, and of course Haotian"s gift was not meant for everyone. The monks of Xuankong Temple were caught miserably in the rain. In front the stone cottage on the plateau of the West-Hill, the Abbey Dean was still a wastrel kneeling in the rain. He had become even paler in the chilling rain.

Everyone in Taoism was blessed as long as he was a pious follower of Haotian. The Abbey Dean was the leader of Taoism but was exempted from this blessing. He knew that it was not because his belief in Haotian was not firm and pious enough, but because that Haotian was still punis.h.i.+ng him for his irreverence previously.

Watching the spring rain falling onto the human world, the Abbey Dean put on a bitter smile, but he still looked very determined. As long as the human world remains peaceful as it is now, why would I care about being abandoned by Haotian?

As for Chen Pipi and Tang Xiaotang in Linkang City, the millions of new followers in front of the imperial palace in the South Jin Kingdom, Ye Su in the shabby Taoist temple of the Song Kingdom and the dozens of people from the neighborhood who were listening to his teaching, what were they thinking about?

The spring rain also fell onto the City of Chang"an. The fresh and clear rain water carried extremely dense vitality. It was Haotian"s blessing and compa.s.sion for the human world. Therefore, the G.o.d-Stunning Array was not activated.

Xiaocao slept for a whole day inside the House of Red Sleeves. Even the imperial physician that Mistress Jian brought there could not tell what was wrong with Xiaocao. When the spring rain fell, she woke up. She walked to the window and stood there to watch the rain drip down from the eaves. She said thanked Sangsang in her heart.

Zeng Jing and his wife woke up to the pattering sounds of the spring rain. They walked to the pavilion in the garden hand in hand and watched the rain fall. They felt that something had happened and were sad, but they could not figure out why.

Spring rain fell onto the human world. Haotian bestowed blessings to hundreds of millions of followers and made their belief even firmer, and maybe even fanatical. Numerous bouts of invisible energy came out of halls and cottages, out of the souls of all living beings, and darted up to the sky in the rain. Every living being repaid Haotian in this way.

Hundreds of millions of bouts of the purest Divine Energy arrived at the south of Chang"an and integrated harmoniously. It disturbed the rain and brightened up the dark clouds.

On top of the city wall, Ning Que stood by Sangsang. He sensed a mysterious fragrance at first. Then the fragrance enveloped the entire human world. Then, a beautiful and aery melody followed.

In the mysterious fragrance and the aery melody, numerous golden petals floated down and numerous bouts of energy penetrated from above the clouds. A huge vessel appeared. It was a golden Ark.

Numerous followers used their wills to form the Ark and were ready to escort Haotian to the Divine Kingdom.