Postscript: Alsophila Valley, Extra: Xuanxiao Palace
Postscript Alsophila Valley
The year 2099.
Alsophila Valley has become a world-famous tourist destination.
The unsightly cement archway at the entrance has been removed, and the incongruous cable car has vanished. Those who simply can't climb the mountain can take an AI-controlled drone directly to the summit. The mountain, previously exposed by the cable car construction, has been restored to lush vegetation. The valley is tranquil, the air clean, and there's no entrance fee. Year-round, tourists of all colors flock here to explore the valley floor or hike and climb Eagle Rock, embracing harmony between man and nature. More importantly, they come here to pay tribute to the two great figures who lived a century ago.
On the left and right of the valley mouth stand two memorial halls designed by famous 20th-century architects.
The building on the left is themed after clouds and is called the Cloud Pavilion. It commemorates the legendary general Luo Guyun.
General Luo was a man of both military and civil caliber, a distinguished figure. A descendant of a warlord, he was a renowned anti-Japanese general known for his rigorous military discipline. He achieved remarkable military success. He defended the city during World War II, defeating several large-scale Japanese offensives. The hundreds of thousands of soldiers he led in the Luo Army infuriated the enemy and made significant contributions to China's victory in the War of Resistance. He was later assassinated by a traitor colluding with the Japanese. Seriously wounded, he sought medical treatment in New York, where he later resided. The Moren Group, which he founded, has been around for over a century and remains one of the world's most influential companies. The museum houses a large collection of photographs, most of which depict him in his early years in uniform. He maintained a low profile abroad in his later years, leaving few photographs. General Luo was a skilled calligrapher and painter, and the museum houses his collection. It is said that a simple painting by him could fetch hundreds of millions of yuan at auction.
The building on the right is themed after the moon and is called the Moon Pavilion. It commemorates one of the greatest musicians in music history, Charles Francis Xiangyue Xiao, also known as Mr. Xiao Xiangyue, a Chinese musician living overseas.
Mr. Xiangyue was already a household name in China in his early years. He later studied in Sweden, where he studied under Mr. Charlade, a national treasure of Sweden. During World War II, he performed in the United States, where his exceptional musical talent secured significant international aid for China's war of resistance. He was subsequently abducted by the Japanese and taken to the 73rd Immigration Base, where he was brutally tortured. After the victory of the war, he went to the United States for treatment. After recovering, he returned to his alma mater, the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, to teach, and created numerous classic and highly popular works. His musical achievements have been universally recognized, making him the musician with the most fans to date. He is also the only musician to have won the Nobel Peace Prize for his remarkable ability to write peace through music and dissolve hatred with love. Later, due to health reasons, he retired for many years. However, the popularity of his music remains unmatched in modern times.
General Luo was a native of Anyang. His father, Luo Qifeng, was a warlord who dominated the southwest and northwest. Mr. Xiangyue was a native of Luling and began teaching at Luling County Primary School at the age of fifteen. Because these two outstanding figures shared a deep love for Alsophila spinulosa Valley during their lifetime, they frequently visited it together. Later generations established separate memorial halls for them, offering a place for future generations to admire.
The two also share a passion for philanthropy. The Yunyue Foundation, which they founded, continues to operate efficiently to this day. It is the world's oldest and largest charitable organization. For over a century, wherever there has been disease or disaster, the Foundation has been present. Following General Luo's will, the Moren Foundation annually contributes a significant portion of its profits to the Foundation. Artists, especially musicians and painters, often live in poverty, only to find their works recognized after their death. Mr. Xiangyue is an exception. The royalties from his works alone have already generated astronomical figures, and he has donated all proceeds to the Foundation. This love, transcending national boundaries and races, has become an eternal light that illuminates humanity's path forward.
There's no consensus on their love life. General Luo Guoyun remained unmarried throughout his life, widely considered to have zero scandals. Some say his early years were devoted to state affairs, leaving him too busy to care for his children's affairs. Later, he dedicated himself to the development of the Moren Group, rejecting offers from prominent ladies and wealthy businessmen. Some say his secret love was for Mr. Xiangyue, but his popularity meant he could only wait on the sidelines. Others say he and Mr. Xiangyue were always together, calling each other brothers... Mr. Xiangyue dated royal princesses and famous movie stars of the time, yet remained unmarried. Some say he was originally planning to marry Princess Elsa, but later canceled the engagement. Others say he and General Luo had always admired each other, and they were uninterested in the many suitors who surrounded them...
A group of students arrived at the valley entrance and first went to the Cloud Hall on the left. A female student, gazing at a striking photograph of a general in military uniform hanging on the wall, exclaimed, "Oh my God! Were all the handsome men of a century ago so chaste? Such a handsome, powerful, and wealthy, godlike figure, yet he had zero scandals?" They then went to the Moon Hall, where photos, works, and reports from the time were displayed. The female student sighed, "A perfect man like Mr. Xiangyue, whose fame and legacy are immortalized through the ages, was destined to belong to no one person... I wonder how many hearts were broken by him back then..."
The Davidia involucrata tree on the back mountain is lush and leafy. The tree hole is still there, but the branches are thicker.
A century ago, the barren earth beside the tree hole was dug several feet deep to place a clay pot. Now, with the surrounding vegetation lush and overgrown, no trace of it remains. Inside the pot are the remains of the two individuals from the memorial hall at the entrance of the valley. In me, in you, together, we rest undisturbed beside this tree hole. Under the thousand-year-old tree, we snuggle together, whispering to each other...
Extra: Xuanxiao Palace
"How dare you! Two ignorant fellows, you actually dare to sacrifice your cultivation to secretly come to the mortal world to experience... love? What's the use of love? Can it help you increase your spiritual power?" Emperor Qingying, who ruled over the nine heavens, was sitting in Xuanxiao Palace and was furious.
Kneeling before His Highness were the Emperor’s most proud disciple, Venerable Zaiyun, and the guardian Venerable Pu Yue from the Yeming constellation.
Three thousand years ago, the Night Star Constellation, one hundred thousand light years away from Xuanxiao Palace, was about to collapse.
Seeing the inhabitants of the Night Constellation on the brink of annihilation, Pu Yue, the guardian of the Night Constellation, gave up her chance to escape alone and expended her life's cultivation to restore her original form, an ancient, immortal sacred tree. She sealed the genetic code of the Night Constellation within the sacred tree, hoping that one day these lives could be resurrected in other constellations.
The Emperor, ruling over the Nine Heavens, became aware of the events unfolding within the Night Star Constellation and dispatched his most trusted disciple, Zaiyun, with his celestial troops and generals to rescue them. Upon Zaiyun's arrival, the Night Star Constellation had collapsed into ash, and the ancient sacred tree remained only a charred skewer. Zaiyun brought it back to Xuanxiao Palace, where the life sealed within the sacred tree was revived in another constellation. However, Venerable Pu Yue was on the verge of annihilation, dispersing into the void. In gratitude for his sacrifice of his soul to save humanity, the Emperor planted the sacred tree in the Land of Bliss, barely preserving its spirit and commanding Venerable Zaiyun to guard it.
After receiving the order, Zaiyun watered the sacred tree with nectar every day and carefully cared for it. He even pricked his finger and nourished the sacred tree with his own blood. By the third millennium, the sacred tree finally sprouted a new bud, which then grew into a new leaf.
The sacred tree was filled with gratitude, yet unable to express it. Every day, upon seeing Zaiyun, it would joyfully shake its new leaves, trying to convey its gratitude. Zaiyun would also gently caress the new leaf, pressing it to his cheek for a loving touch, or placing it on his lips for a kiss.
One day, Zaiyun wandered before the sacred tree and suddenly said, "I've heard that there's a true and pure emotion in the human world called love. How about we go to the human world together and experience what great and perfect love is?" The sacred tree was speechless, but the new leaf struggled to break free from the branch, fluttering and falling to the mortal world. Zaiyun also drew the sword from his waist, cut his fingertips, and a drop of blood dangled and fell to the human world.
On the Xuanxiao Palace, the Emperor sat on either side with the left guardian Xihe and the right guardian Changxi. Xihe and Changxi had both watched Zaiyun grow up, and were very protective of him.
Xihe advised, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Zaiyun was just having fun for a moment and it didn't cause any consequences. Your Majesty, please forgive him this time." Changxi also said, "Your Majesty, you are very perceptive. Pu Yue would have needed thousands of years to cultivate back to his immortal form, but he suddenly returned this morning. Perhaps his spiritual power increased after his trip to the mortal world..."
The Emperor sternly said, "These two little devils are confusing the world! If they want to experience perfect love, don't they know that people are divided into male and female? Men are yang, women are yin, and the harmony of yin and yang is the way of humanity! They don't even understand this, and you still have the nerve to talk about love!"
Zai Yun, relying on the Emperor's daily favor and the protection of his two guardians, refused to give in. He stiffened his neck and said, "Love doesn't lie in the physical appearance of a man and a woman. It's not that we didn't understand, we did it on purpose! Does that mean the union of a man and a woman is perfect? Zai Yun has observed the human world for thousands of years. Most mortal couples are passionate for a while, but after three to five years, the novelty wears off and they end up getting divorced, betrayed, or having affairs. There are so many melodramatic stories! For money and material things, they become strangers, turn against each other, and hate each other. Their lives are full of ups and downs... and when they have children, they worry about them all their lives! How can they talk about perfection? That love... in Zai Yun's opinion, is almost the same as suffering!"
The Emperor was very disdainful: "People in this world say that living to a hundred years and having many children and grandchildren is the only way to be considered perfect! You have only lived for over eighty years and have no children. How can that be considered perfect?"
Pu Yue's newly recovered immortal body was still somewhat weak. She whispered, "Your Majesty, firstly, with Pu Yue's current cultivation, she can only survive eighty-two years in the human world. Childbirth consumes a lot of vitality. Even if she were reborn as a woman, giving birth would damage her life span. Secondly, we believe that the human body ages very easily. If one is old, ill, and has difficulty moving, then it would be incomplete..."
Zai Yun replied, "This...we were a little too impatient! Pu Yue's spiritual energy and blood had just coalesced, and the leaf hadn't even fully developed yet, yet we couldn't wait to leave for the mortal world. As a result, he was born with congenital defects and was frail and sickly. This is truly unsatisfactory! Next time...next time, we must be more prepared!"
The Emperor held his forehead with his hand: "What, there will be a next time?"
"Next time...will you still be two men next time?" Chang Xi asked curiously.
Zai Yun said, "The Dharmakaya has no form. All forms are illusory. In our immortal world, there is no gender, so why distinguish between male and female?"
Pu Yue whispered: "Next time... next time it won't be a human..."
Xihe was at a loss for words: "If it's not a human, then what is it?"
Pu Yue said: "Venerable Zaiyun believes that robots with human emotions and intelligence are more suitable for us. They will not get sick or age..."
"Yes! Human life is fragile and short, it is really not a good carrier... Next time we want immortality and eternal companionship!" Zai Yun said loudly.
The Emperor stepped down from the lofty Xuanxiao throne and lifted Zaiyun's skirt. His entire calf was wrapped in bloody gauze. He sneered, "To help Pu Yuexiu regain his immortal form, you even cut off a piece of your tendon and bone for him. Your love is truly profound, isn't it? If you don't cherish yourself like this, how will you inherit my legacy? How can I trust you with the lives of the Nine Heavens?"
Zaiyun had just cut off his tendons and bones and implanted them in the sacred tree when he was captured and brought here by his two guardians. He ignored the excruciating pain in his calf and looked at Pu Yue's frail body and pale face with genuine worry. He held his head high and said, "If I can't even protect the one I love, how can I possibly protect the people? Pu Yue has only just regained his celestial form and can't kneel for long. I'm taking him back to the palace to rest!"
The Emperor was furious: "This is sheer treason! Since you've ruined your own path to immortality, you can't blame your master!"
A terrifying thunderbolt struck down, enveloping Zai Yun. It looked like he was about to be reduced to ashes... Pu Yue, who was kneeling beside him, rushed into the thunderbolt without hesitation and used her body to protect Zai Yun: "You broke my bones, and I will block the thunderbolt for you. If you want to destroy me, you must destroy me first..."
The thunderbolt actually struck Pu Yue. At the moment when her body and soul were scattered, she wanted to reach out and touch Zai Yun's face again, but she couldn't reach it. She turned into a wisp of green smoke and dissipated into the void.
"Pu Yue!" Zai Yun's heart and liver were broken. He spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted on the ground.
In the Xuanxiao Divine Pool, a divine embryo is evolving.
The Emperor solemnly declared: "If you want to wear the crown, you must bear its weight. Venerable Pu Yue has passed the test. He and Venerable Zai Yun will serve as each other's armor and together they will resist the Nine Heavens..."
Zai Yun, who had just woken up, prostrated himself on the ground: "Master... what... what is going on?"
The Emperor sighed, "For millions of years, this Xuanxiao Palace has grown colder and colder. I have spent millions of years at the pinnacle of power, alone and lonely. It's so cold up there, my heart is frozen..."
A dazzling chain of light flung him into the divine pool. Zaiyun was astonished to discover that his injured leg had instantly healed. The divine embryo rapidly grew, revealing itself as the handsome Pu Yue... but the Emperor quickly withered, transferring all his life's cultivation into their bodies.
These nine heavens have never been protected by a single deity. Each generation of emperors possesses two: one possesses the power of destruction, destroying old matter, and the other possesses the power of creation, repairing the shattered cracks in space and reshaping new structures. The two serve as each other's armor, mutually dependent.
When it came time for Qingying to assume the throne, his master carefully selected the virtuous and accomplished Master Zhao Ming. Their bond was deep, and they had braved danger together, achieving remarkable military exploits. With one final tribulation to overcome, he would be able to ascend the throne smoothly.
Millions of years have passed... Whenever Qingying closed his eyes, he would recall the day his master sent them to the Abyss to rescue a spaceship from an alien star system. A pair of dark hands suddenly pushed him down into the all-consuming black hole, a cage from which not even light could escape... Behind him, Zhao Ming roared with hatred: "Why? Why were you born to the pinnacle of power, looking down upon all living things? I work so hard, I excel, yet you always outdo me?" His body tore, his heart torn. Fortunately, it was only his incarnation that shared the abyss with Zhao Ming...
That betrayal crushed his sincerity to dust. For eons, he'd chosen to guard Xuanxiao Palace alone. He was terrified, afraid of repeating the same mistake. The heart-wrenching pain kept him awake day by day, and he preferred to endure the hardship alone. Watching Zaiyun grow up under the care of Xihe and Changxi, he vowed to find a god for him who would never betray him, a god who would live with him and rule the Nine Heavens together...
The Emperor's voice grew increasingly distant: "You will stand together at the pinnacle of power for billions of years... You will be each other's armor, unbreakable. This is the greatest gift I leave to all living beings..."
Zaiyun and Pu Yue looked at each other and smiled. "No matter how cold this Xuanxiao Palace is, with you by my side, it is better than a thousand jade buildings. From now on, we will protect this world side by side; we will walk through these nine heavens hand in hand."
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