Suddenly, a golden light flashed before Shi Chan's eyes, and the old monk reappeared in front of him. Looking at him, Shi Chan knew immediately that he was his first incarnation.
The old monk gazed at Shi Chan and asked softly, "Now, I ask you again, would you choose all living beings, or would you choose her?"
With a faint smile on his face, Shi Chan looked at the old monk with a peaceful gaze, as if looking into his own heart, and replied gently, "Her."
The old monk frowned slightly, a look of confusion on his face. He pressed on, asking, "Why?"
Shi Chan smiled faintly and replied, "Because I love her."
The old monk pressed on, asking in bewilderment, "You have witnessed ten thousand years of cultivation; surely you cannot see through human emotions and love?"
Shi Chan gently shook his head and said softly, "I can see through it, but I don't want to. I have lived for others for ten thousand years. Now, I just want to live for myself once."
The old monk shook his head helplessly, and in a flash, he disappeared from Shi Chan's sight.
As the old monk disappeared, two paths appeared before Shi Chan. He turned to look to the left and saw that the path to the left was extremely wide, with incense smoke lingering on it, flowers covering the path, and devout believers kneeling along the sides.
The wide road shone with golden light, and melodious chanting and the sound of wooden fish echoed from it. Shi Chan looked up and saw that the road led directly to the Western Paradise, a world filled with peace and tranquility. At that moment, the Buddha and other Buddhas seemed to be discussing the scriptures, and a lively discussion was taking place.
Shi Chan turned his head to look to the right and found that the road on the right was much narrower and simpler. It was a country road, and at the end of the road was a newly built wooden house. In front of the house was a woman wearing a phoenix crown and a wedding robe. Her wedding dress was as red as fire, and she was smiling at him.
Without the slightest hesitation, Shi Chan turned and stepped onto the path on the right.
With a calm and serene smile on his face, he walked step by step toward the slender figure in front of the wooden building.
Suddenly, the old monk from before appeared in front of Shi Chan. He put his hands together in a Buddhist salute to Shi Chan and said softly, "Ten thousand years of cultivation is not easy. I hope you will reconsider."
Shi Chan chuckled and shook his head. Without pausing for a moment, he quickly reached the old monk, smoothly passed through the old monk's illusory body, and continued walking forward.
Another illusory image of a middle-aged monk appeared on the path in front of Shi Chan. Like the old monk before him, he put his hands together in a deep bow and said softly, "Ten thousand years of cultivation is not easy. I hope you will reconsider."
Zen Master Shi did not pause for even a moment.
And so, Shi Chan walked step by step along the path toward the woman he loved. Along the way, one after another, the phantom images of monks of different ages appeared in front of him, trying to stop him from moving forward, but Shi Chan ignored them all.
Finally, he got closer and closer to the woman in the bright red wedding dress, and then a gray-robed monk appeared in front of him—it was Jiawu.
With gentle eyes and brows, Jiawu clasped his hands together in a Buddhist salute to Shichan and said softly, "Shichan, ten thousand years of cultivation is not easy. I hope you will reconsider."
Shi Chan suddenly stopped in his tracks. He put his hands together and returned the greeting to Jia Wu, smiling as he replied, "For me, ten thousand years of cultivation, becoming a Buddha or a saint, is nothing compared to the smile on her lips."
Jiawu shook his head gently and disappeared.
Shi Chan looked up at the smiling woman in front of him, walked quickly over, opened his arms and hugged her.
Shi Chan held the woman in his arms tightly, his eyes slightly closed, and said softly, "Liuli, I love you."
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