Chapter 567: The comprehension of life since long ago (Double Chapter)
Translator: ChibiGeneral Editor: ChibiGeneral
The corners of Fang Yuan"s lips curled up into a smile as he read the ink text on the sides of the bowl.
This calamity beckoning Gu was a rank seven Immortal Gu, a rank higher than Fang Yuan"s Spring Autumn Cicada. Its ability was extremely strange, actually involving the matter of earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations.
The middle section of the ink text explained its ability in detail. When a Gu Immortal goes through calamity and invokes disaster, calamity beckoning Gu could detach the earthly calamity and heavenly tribulation from the original target, and draw them to oneself.
Fang Yuan"s expression could not help but become strange.
Such an Immortal Gu, who would dare to use it?
What terrifying and destructive strength did earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations have, how terrifying was its heavenly power? Instead of spending one"s days to their heart"s content, using calamity beckoning Gu to attract these earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations, wasn"t this seeking one"s own doom?
Gu Immortal Mo Yao was the thirty-sixth generation fairy of the grand Spirit Affinity House, why would she refine an Immortal Gu like this?
The last section of the ink text provided the reason.
It turned out she was really courting death!
Back then when she and Bo Qing were deeply in love, they were a famous couple of the righteous path and a romantic tale of their story spread throughout the five regions.
Sword Immortal Bo Qing had outstanding talent with no opponents that matched him in the whole world; he was well known as "the pseudo-Immortal Venerable who split the five regions with his sword, it was fortunate for the people in the world that love changed him".
Even in the whole wide world, looking at his entire life, the only thing in front of him was the one supreme goal of breaking through to rank nine.
However, challenging the rank nine barrier was extremely dangerous, even the grand Sword Immortal had a feeling that he was walking on thin ice and only had a fifteen percent chance of success at most.
Bo Qing"s ambition was lofty, vowing to reach the apex that was rank nine. Mo Yao persuaded him in vain, and as such, she could only tearfully make preparations to a.s.sist him.
Bo Qing set up his inheritances and arranged for future events. His first attempt of breaking through failed; he was left in a state of heavy injuries for seventy years, bedridden the whole time without being able to even budge, his everyday life was all taken care of by Mo Yao.
After his injuries got better, Bo Qing once again desired to break through to rank nine.
Mo Yao knew the difficulty level of this, especially during the final trial of breaking through to rank nine when limitless earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations would descend. Bo Qing might have terrifying battle strength but he lacked the sustainability to endure through the trial.
To help her husband, she secretly betrayed her sect and started to make plans towards Eighty-Eight True Yang Building.
Eighty-Eight True Yang Building was the famous setup created by an Immortal Venerable and the skillful Long Hair Ancestor, the number one Immortal Gu house in the world. Mo Yao had already started her research on it a long time ago and had gained much insight from it which helped her to deepen her grandmaster refinement path attainment.
She might be a variant human and did not have Giant Sun"s bloodline, but Spirit Affinity House had provided many outstanding girls to Giant Sun to become his concubines during his time. Among them, several female Gu Immortals had gained Giant Sun Immortal Venerable"s favor.
Thus, Spirit Affinity House was able to obtain many secrets of Giant Sun Immortal Venerable which included detailed information on Eighty-Eight True Yang Building.
Mo Yao was able to learn of Eighty-Eight True Yang Building"s secret from these resources.
Imperial Court blessed land was situated at the exact center of northern plains, the s.p.a.ce inside was as vast as a world and the time was separated into day and night as well, the good fortune in Eighty-Eight True Yang Building was extremely deep. Thus, at every set interval of time, it would attract extremely powerful earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations.
Giant Sun Immortal Venerable considered this point and placed a "divert disaster Gu" when setting up Eighty-Eight True Yang Building which was an important cornerstone of Eighty-Eight True Yang Building.
This Gu was a rank seven Immortal Gu and was one of the essence of Giant Sun Immortal Venerable"s luck path; it could divert the earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations in Imperial Court blessed land to the outside world. Because of this, the earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations formed into the ten year blizzard disaster that spread over the entire northern plains.
Conversely, Giant Sun Immortal Venerable used this ten year blizzard disaster to set up a rule which formed into the tradition of the Imperial Court contest.
Mo Yao discovered a loophole that was not strictly a loophole in this point.
Originally, Imperial Court blessed land co-existed with Eighty-Eight True Yang Building in symbiosis, and as such, every ten years, there would be vast and powerful earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations. At this time, Imperial Court blessed land would open up a small crack in accordance to divert disaster Gu, to send out the earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations.
Imperial Court blessed land was set by Giant Sun Immortal Venerable to only allow mortals to enter or exit and did not allow the entry of Gu Immortals. But at the time when it had to divert disaster, there would be a hidden crack in Imperial Court blessed land from which the calamities and tribulations would rush out like a flood, and at this time the setup that prevents Gu Immortals from entering would be ineffective.
Mo Yao used this small crack and risked her very life in going against the calamities and tribulations to enter Imperial Court blessed land.
She spent close to ten years investigating inside the blessed land and after suffering countless hards.h.i.+ps, she was able to find the crucial node through her grandmaster refinement path attainment -—it was the small tower at Di Qiu area.
Next, she risked the danger of awakening Giant Sun"s will and destroyed this small tower, using the backward flow of the heavenly power to sense divert disaster Gu and create a cave that would foster "calamity beckoning Gu".
After she succeeded in refining the early stage of the Immortal Gu, she set up the Immortal Gu house Water Pavilion in this nameless valley.
Inside the pavilion, Mo Yao completely nurtured the early stage Immortal Gu to its completed form and brought the calamity beckoning Gu outside secretly using the chance when the blessed land was diverting disaster.
She did not destroy all these arrangements just in case of any accidents. If Bo Qing failed in his breakthrough again and calamity beckoning Gu was also destroyed in earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations, then she would have to enter the blessed land again to refine calamity beckoning Gu.
However, she never returned after this.
Sword Immortal Bo Qing"s second attempt at breaking through to rank nine failed completely and he was turned into ashes by the vast heavenly tribulations. As for Mo Yao, she perished alongside him.
"So it was like that. Breaking through to rank nine involves numerous difficulties and dangers. Mo Yao set up this inheritance secretly beforehand but did not explain the true content of the inheritance; it was because this action was betraying the sect. But she still left the preceding clues for the sect in the end. In my previous life, central continent"s Gu Immortals schemed against Imperial Court blessed land and destroyed Eighty-Eight True Yang Building by using the clues she had left behind." As Fang Yuan recalled now, he immediately had a feeling of the fog dispersing in his mind and everything had gotten an explanation.
There was a poem left at the ending of the ink text —
The long immortal path is filled with obstacles; encounters occur at faraway places.
Too long has pa.s.sed, emotions and hatred have already lasted for a long time.
My lord thinks about the apex of immortality, while I think of his safety.
Life and death are separated, I will support my lord"s dreams.
This was clearly Mo Yao"s work.
The path of a Gu Immortal is long and filled with difficulties, however I was fortunate enough to meet with my lord.
Unknowingly, emotions and hatred tangled, and I was unable to free myself.
Lord"s sight was focused on the limit of the immortal path, while my gaze was on my lord himself.
The attempt of breaking through to rank nine was a near death situation. I was not willing to be separated with him by life and death, so all I could do was to help my lord realize his dream in my own way!
To protect her love, to help Bo Qing walk to the peak of a Gu Immortal, Mo Yao was willing to sacrifice herself, using calamity beckoning Gu to draw the earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations to herself.
"A strange woman…" Fang Yuan sighed.
Although he would absolute not make such a sacrifice because of love, it did not hinder Fang Yuan from understanding such a person.
It was to the extent where his understanding of this was deeper than others.
Humans that live in this world had desires, they had their goals and meanings in life.
Mo Yao"s goal was her lover. Fang Yuan"s goal was to chase eternal life.
The different desires, different goals and different meanings forged all kinds of lives in this huge world to create heroes that had their own independent character.
Fang Yuan"s gaze fell towards the center of the giant vermillion bowl.
The coc.o.o.n had already burst open and calamity beckoning Gu had already completely formed. Its shape was like a silkworm coc.o.o.n with a grey body and the size of a little finger. It was currently moving up and down in the water.
Calamity beckoning Gu was a genuine self sacrifice Gu and was used to abandon oneself for others.
This Gu seemed to have no use to Fang Yuan, but in fact still had an enormous value.
First of all, it was an Immortal Gu. Even if he did not use it, he could exchange it for an enormous amount of immortal essence stones in treasure yellow heaven.
Secondly, it was a luck path Gu that was able to attract earthly calamities and heavenly tribulations. Calamities and tribulations were powerful, but as long as one was strong and tough enough, then they could use it in a unique way to harm others.
Finally, it was formed by borrowing the strength of one of the cornerstones of Eighty-Eight True Yang Building — Divert Disaster Gu. It and divert disaster Gu could be said to be two sides of the same coin; one attracted calamities while the other diverted disaster. This connection would provide huge a.s.sistance to Fang Yuan"s plans in Eighty-Eight True Yang Building.
However, even though there was a connection to it in his heart, there was a condition before Fang Yuan could completely subdue this Gu.
Mo Yao had mentioned it in detail in the ink text on the side of the bowl.
There was a necessary condition to subdue calamity beckoning Gu. It did not matter whether it was a mortal or immortal, but they had to have the heart of self sacrifice.
If they did not have the heart to sacrifice themselves and forcibly tried to subdue calamity beckoning Gu, in the best case, it would lead to a backlash from the Immortal Gu; and in the most serious case, the Immortal Gu would self-destruct and cause harm to the Gu Master"s life.
In the Water Pavilion, Fang Yuan stood in front of the giant bowl, with no expression on his face.
Heart of self sacrifice, did he have it?
...
"Cough cough cough." Tang Miao Ming covered her lips with a handkerchief, her beautiful brows furrowing deeply in pain.
"Big sister!" Tang tribe"s third young master Tang Fang called out from the side with a lamenting expression.
Tang Miao Ming was lying back in bed; she waved her hand to indicate Tang Fang to not worry.
Tang Fang heaved a deep sigh as he looked at the blood on the handkerchief: "Big sister, why did you risk your life? What good is there in pa.s.sing this round? Father and the others have already pa.s.sed away, you are my only relative left, what would I do if anything happened to you?"
Tang Miao Ming lightly caressed Tang Fang"s hair: "Third brother, you are our Tang tribe"s tribe leader, you should not be lacking in ambition. Our Tang tribe had suffered heavily in this Imperial Court contest and was almost swallowed by other tribes. Now is a very rare opportunity, we need to use Eighty-Eight True Yang Building to make our tribe prosper again."
Tang Fang pouted in a nonchalant manner: "But big sister, you suffered heavy injuries by trying to force your way through the round, the gains do not make up for the losses. I have been very distressed because of this and had no mood to manage the tribe"s affairs these days."
"What?" Tang Miao Ming"s expression turned solemn and she stared at Tang Fang sharply.
Without any hesitation, she reprimanded him: "Tribe leader Tang Fang, you have a heavy responsibility upon you, how could you still have the sentiments of a child? Reviving the tribe is your duty, it is the meaning of being the leader of a tribe. From now on, I do not want to hear you complain like this ever again, do you understand?"
"Big... big sister, I was wrong." Tang Fang immediately stood up from the edge of the bed and lowered his head to admit his mistake with an ashamed expression. His big sister was the one who loved him the most since young.
Tang Miao Ming"s gaze gradually softened, sighing faintly: "Third brother, I know your nature, you like travelling and want to be free from this duty, to live a life without any restraints. But you are the last man in our family, you should be brave enough to a.s.sume this responsibility. From now on, the meaning of your life will be to revitalize the tribe, do you understand?"
"Big sister is right, I understand. Don"t get angry big sister, you are still injured."
Tang Miao Ming said in a solemn tone: "After returning, copy the first section of chapter three of <> ten times."
Tang Fang"s heart was immediately filled with warmth.
Since young, his big sister"s punishment to him was to make him copy books.
"Big sister, take a good rest, I will go copy it now."
<>, chapter three, first section —
Ren Zu"s second daughter Desolate Ancient Moon climbed Cheng Bai mountain and searched for success Gu to rescue her father from the door of life and death.
But at the final juncture, she failed and lost her sense of self, becoming an ugly and powerful monster.
Without his daughter to rescue him, and his eldest son Verdant Great Sun still addicted and dejected, Ren Zu was trapped in Luo Po valley, unable to return to life.
Luo Po valley was like a giant maze, its paths twisted and turned. Occasionally, boundless bewilderment fog would spread and cause the soul to slacken; and occasionally, Luo Po wind that was as sharp as a knife would blow and cut down souls.
Ren Zu had a spiritual body now and was unable to find the way out of the bewilderment fog. His soul was cut down by Luo Po wind, becoming weaker and weaker, and the situation turned even more dangerous.
The soul fragments cut down by Luo Po wind started to converge gradually and turned into a youth.
Like this, Ren Zu"s third son was born.
He was Northern Dark Ice Soul.
"My son, thank you for your company. I do not have much time left, having you to accompany me in my final days, father did not have to feel lonely." Ren Zu sighed with deep emotions.
Northern Dark Ice Soul had a cold appearance but was warm-hearted, and although he did not speak much, he was very filial to Ren Zu. And as he looked at Ren Zu growing weaker and weaker every day, his mood also became heavier.
He decided to rescue Ren Zu.
Ren Zu sensed his determination, and felt both happiness and heartache: "Don"t be worried my son, I know of your filial heart, I now understand that life and death cannot be forced. Humans will die in the end, this is our fate."
Northern Dark Ice Soul said in a sobbing tone: "Father, I know your words are right. I also know my efforts might be in vain. But looking at you growing weaker like this, if I do not make an effort, my heart will feel even more pain. Let me do something for you."
Ren Zu sighed and could only let him go.
Northern Dark Ice Soul wandered in the vast Luo Po valley; he was born here, as such, Luo Po wind could not cut down his soul and the bewilderment fog could not obstruct his vision.
He searched bitterly but could not find the exit.
Right as he was becoming more desperate, he came across a Gu worm.
"Well, well, to think I would be discovered by you." This Gu was like a ladybug with a chubby spherical body, but it was extremely agile and was flas.h.i.+ng around Northern Dark Ice Soul"s body.
Northern Dark Ice Soul"s eyes brightened as he asked in curiosity: "What Gu are you?"
"I am known as unexpected." This Gu worm replied.
Northern Dark Ice Soul"s gaze dimmed down: "So you are unexpected Gu, it is a pity you are not success Gu."
Unexpected Gu sneered: "Young man, do not look down on me. I have a love-hate relation with success Gu. The strength of unexpectedness is very powerful. Do you know what your encounter with me here represents?"
"What?"
Unexpected Gu shook its chubby body and said proudly: "What kind of place is this? This is Luo Po valley, a death realm. You being here means you are already dead. But by encountering me, you have come across an unexpected event in "death" - that is "life". Grab me, I will take you out to the human world and you can be resurrected again."
"Really?" Northern Dark Ice Soul was exulted, "Can I bring my father along?"
Unexpected Gu shook its head: "It is you who encountered me, not your father, so I can only take you."
Northern Dark Ice Soul was extremely disappointed, refusing: "Since I cannot take my father with me, then I will not go. I will accompany my father till his final moment."
Unexpected Gu laughed loudly and spoke in a domineering tone: "Unexpectedness in life is beyond your control. Young man, you must come with me!"
The moment it finished speaking, unexpected Gu forcibly took Northern Dark Ice Soul and instantly left life and death door, arriving in the human world.
Northern Dark Ice Soul obtained flesh body and was feeling extremely bewildered facing this vast world alone.
Unexpected Gu disappeared. He suddenly remembered Ren Zu once saying he had an elder sister who was called Desolate Ancient Moon.
At this moment, cognition Gu took the initiative to find him: "Young man, do not be suspicious, cognition has always been the friend of humans, I am here to help you."
Cognition Gu told Northern Dark Ice Soul about Cheng Bai mountain and also the events detailing Desolate Ancient Moon.
Northern Dark Ice Soul decided to first see his elder sister.
When he saw Desolate Ancient Moon, his tears fell in sadness.
Northern Dark Ice Soul tried to converse with Desolate Ancient Moon, but Desolate Ancient Moon who had turned into a monster kept on repeating questions.
"Where is this?"
Northern Dark Ice Soul thought for a while and answered: "This is the human world, living beings can move about here. Above us is the heavens and below our feet is earth."
"Who am I?" Desolate Ancient Moon asked again.
"You are a human, Ren Zu"s second child, your name is Desolate Ancient Moon. You are my elder sister." Northern Dark Ice Soul replied.
"Elder sister, wake up quickly. Our father is trapped in Luo Po valley, dying, we need to resurrect him soon."
"Ren Zu? Desolate Ancient Moon? Resurrect?" The monster shook its head, extremely puzzled, "Why should I resurrect him? Could it be that humans should not die? What disadvantage is there in death? Why do humans live? Why do I live?"
This time, Northern Dark Ice Soul was not able to answer.
Why do people live?
As Northern Dark Ice Soul pondered over this question, bewilderment Gu quietly approached him, making him lose his sense of the surroundings.
Subsequently, love Gu and disguise Gu also approached him.
Cognition Gu felt a big headache when it saw them. These several Gu were famous for their mischief and would often move together, even cognition Gu did not want to provoke them.
"Love, have you not harmed enough people? Why are you not letting them go?" Cognition Gu sighed.
"Don"t try to speak reason with me, I am completely unreasonable." Love Gu said in a unruly tone, "Get lost, cognition, I do not like you."
Cognition Gu could only leave helplessly.
"Another human came again? Haha!" Love Gu was extremely happy when it saw Northern Dark Ice Soul, because it had another target to play with.
It and disguise Gu were sworn brothers, and on the spot, it used disguise Gu"s power to disguise as cognition Gu.
"Young man, your elder sister has lost herself. If you want to save her, you need to find meaning Gu."
Northern Dark Ice Soul regained his senses and asked love Gu without doubting: "I have seen unexpected Gu, please tell me where this meaning Gu is? How should I look for it?"
Love Gu deceived him in a serious tone: "Oh human, you should know, there is a meaning to why you are all living in this world. As long as you find meaning Gu, your elder sister can awaken. Follow the direction I point towards and keep moving forward, you will eventually find meaning Gu."
Northern Dark Ice Soul expressed his grat.i.tude before immediately setting off.
Love, bewilderment and disguise Gu guffawed as they looked at his receding figure.
In this world, how could there be a meaning Gu?
There was simply no such Gu, Northern Dark Ice Soul would, as such, not find it no matter how much he searched for it.
"Fool, who told you all to anger me? I will let you guys know how terrifying the punishment of love can be! From now on, let"s follow him and toy with him in turns."
Love Gu"s proposal was approved by the other two Gu.
Thereupon, the three Gu played tricks on Northern Dark Ice Soul in turns, he suffered so much that words could not describe it. But to find this non-existent meaning Gu, he kept on persevering.
Such spirit moved cognition Gu. And when love Gu was not present, cognition Gu approached Northern Dark Ice Soul to help him.
"Cognition, what are you doing? We are having a great time." Bewilderment Gu and disguise Gu were extremely displeased with cognition.
Cognition Gu laughed: "I am afraid of love, but I am not afraid of you two. Young man, use my strength to come to your senses."
Northern Dark Ice Soul used cognition Gu"s power to realize the truth; he was no longer bewildered and he had seen through the disguise.
Bewilderment Gu and disguise Gu could only leave in defeat.
Northern Dark Ice Soul expressed grat.i.tude to cognition Gu: "Thank you cognition Gu. Because of you, I have thought of a way to save elder sister."
"Eh? What way is that?"
"In this world, there is indeed no meaning Gu. But why can"t I create a meaning Gu?" Northern Dark Ice Soul replied confidently.
Human life might have no meaning, but they could give a meaning to it.
Northern Dark Ice Soul came back to Desolate Ancient Moon"s side and personally created a meaning Gu and pressed it into Desolate Ancient Moon"s head.
"The meaning in my life is to search for success Gu and resurrect father! I understand now, I get it!" Desolate Ancient Moon"s eyes brightened.
...
"Meaning in life huh..." Tang Fang put down his brush.
It was late at night, warm silver light covered the land in Imperial Court blessed land.
He was deeply moved after repeatedly copying the book.
"People will feel bewildered as they live in this world. But as long as they can find their meaning in life, they will find their direction and be able to move forward bravely. At the same time, they will also understand what they want to do and what they do not want to do, and they will not be afraid of sacrifice. Big sister"s intent in making me copy the book should be this."
He lightly pushed open the window and looked at the beautiful and dazzling sacred palace, thinking of the variety of people in it, some were strong, some were weak.
His mood gradually uplifted: "Every person"s life has all sort of meaning. And the meaning of my life is to lead the tribe towards prosperity!"
...
At the same time, in Water Pavilion.
"A heart of self sacrifice?" The corners of Fang Yuan"s lips curled up into a lofty smile.
Without any hesitation, he moved his hand towards the giant bowl and directly picked up the calamity beckoning Gu.
As it absorbed his aura, calamity beckoning Gu"s body flashed with radiance and soon became Fang Yuan"s possession. The whole process was extremely smooth with not the least bit of tremor and backlash.
With the ident.i.ty of a transmigrator and the experience gained in the five hundred years in his past life, Fang Yuan had already seen through life and death; familial feelings, friends.h.i.+p and love were not any his interests.
Only eternal life, this majestic and unattainable target, could make the journey of his life become more interesting.
This was the meaning he gave to this life!
Pursuing eternal life did not mean he was afraid of death or afraid of failure.
He calmly accepted death and failure.
Whether eternal life existed or not, there was no evidence to prove it.
But even if it did not exist, so what?
Fang Yuan enjoyed the process. In the process of pursuing eternal life, he found his meaning and felt that this life was quite interesting.
The lowly l.u.s.t and desires of his body, satisfaction of love and hatred, he was already tired of them.
Only eternal life was worthy of being his target to pursue.
"As a result, the necessary resolve to sacrifice, I already have it." Fang Yuan"s gaze shone eerily as he played around with the rank seven Immortal Gu in his hand.