Chapter 264 Awakening (Slightly revised! Please reread!)
Ouyang Rong opened his eyes.
I lay in a beam of moonlight.
All sides were pitch black.
The only source of light was a circular opening about ten meters overhead.
It resembles a small skylight.
A beam of hazy moonlight fell alone from the moon, making the 'person under the moon' appear cold all over, and it was unclear how long he had been asleep.
The moonlight was cold and desolate, as if it were the early morning, and the night was as cool as water.
Ouyang Rong felt like he had a very long dream, a dream filled with bizarre and fantastical things, and within it, something that seemed very warm and important.
But when I opened my eyes, the "dream" faded into the distance, and this warm and important thing also faded into the distance, its silhouette blurred.
Even if you reach out, you can't grab it.
He couldn't recall its true form for a moment.
The more I thought about it, the more blurred my vision became.
After bathing alone in the moonlight for a while, Ouyang Rong's chapped lips twitched slightly.
"Where is this? Why... does this place look so familiar?"
My thoughts upon waking were scattered like a porcelain bowl that crashed to the ground, shattered into pieces.
A faint, sandalwood-like fragrance filled the air, and his first thought was of a time when he accidentally stumbled upon an old temple deep in the mountains during his childhood adventures.
Images of green tiles, red walls, bronze bells, and drum towers all came flooding my mind.
It's unclear whether these are memories from a past life or memories from this life.
Since awakening in the Pure Land Palace, his memories of this parallel world have begun to merge and overlap, with more and more details of this life's memories gradually returning, making them inseparable...
Remaining motionless in a supine position, the dazed look on Ouyang Rong's face, a result of waking up from a long sleep, gradually faded.
However, along with the restoration of the sense of smell, other senses also return without warning.
"Ouch, it hurts so much."
On the lotus-shaped stone seat, Ouyang Rong suddenly sat up, rubbing his lower back with both hands.
In addition to feeling cold, his waist, shoulders, and limbs also felt intermittent soreness.
Especially the kidneys.
It felt like being shaken apart by a hundred strong men taking turns.
What kind of suffering did they endure?
Ouyang Rong hissed as he inhaled and struggled to stand up, supporting his back.
He looked around and surveyed his surroundings.
His expression froze.
Well opening, moonlight, lotus pedestal, murals...
It is the Pure Land Palace.
But Ouyang Rong vaguely remembered that before he closed his eyes and lost consciousness, he had exhausted all the spiritual energy and merit purple mist in his dantian, and with that breath of "unjust energy" in his chest, he killed Qiu Shenji and rescued his junior sister and the others.
Why am I here when I woke up, instead of in bed? Where are my junior sisters?
"The Great Sage has awakened?"
An annoying, shrill old voice came from behind.
Ouyang Rong turned his head and saw three dark figures sitting in the darkness behind him.
They were three people I knew very well.
The old Taoist priest, dressed in a crane-feather cloak, leaned against the wall, sitting on the ground with his legs spread wide like a dustpan.
Smiling, she asked, "Speaking of which, Great Sage, why have you retreated back to the Pure Land again? Can't you stand that hell outside anymore? Are the ignorant masses beyond saving? Does the Great Sage need to relax a bit?"
"We can't go out!" Activated by the sensitive words, a withered monk abruptly stood up and blurted out, trembling all over, pointing one finger to the ground and the other to the sky:
"Benefactor, this place is the Pure Land of Lotus Flowers, and above it lies the Avici Hell!"
“…” Ouyang Rong.
He silently shifted his gaze and saw a slender girl sitting next to Xiuzhen, the "Master of Ignorance" who was giving him a pitying and persuasive speech. She was hugging her knees, burying her face in her hands, and not saying a word.
It was that pretty, mute girl with the missing finger.
However, this time, the mute girl did not peek at him with her eyes, as clear as autumn water streams, through the gap between her knees and slender arms as she had when they first met.
She buried her face and remained motionless, as if asleep.
It also possesses a quiet aura, making it almost invisible in the dimly lit underground palace, and extremely easy to overlook.
Xiuzhen looked reluctant and reminded him again:
"Amitabha Buddha, benefactor, if you go out, you will be immediately devoured by evil creatures!"
The old Taoist priest in the crane-cloak turned his head with a smile to look at Ouyang Rong's reaction.
Ouyang Rong stared at the withered monk, who had a pitying look on his face, for a while.
He nodded.
With his back to the well and the lotus pedestal, he walked up to the old Taoist in the crane-cloak, the withered monk, and the pretty mute girl, and sat down without any hesitation.
The four people in the underground palace reunited once again.
This scene seems familiar.
Ouyang Rong nodded in agreement: "I don't know if Master is right, but the outside world is indeed undoubtedly a hellish place, however..."
The conversation stopped.
Xiuzhen looked puzzled, but the old Taoist priest in the crane-cloak beside her became interested and changed his sitting posture:
"But what?"
Ouyang Rong did not answer, but looked down at his clean scholar's robe and then touched his forehead.
The short, choppy hair that was cut when Liang Han publicly listed his "three crimes" has grown quite a bit. It has been kept clean and smooth by someone who is meticulous about hair. I don't know how long it has been dormant, but it must have been for quite a while.
Ouyang Rong's gaze swept casually over the equally clean and tidy underground palace.
On the day the Dingjian was born, he summoned "Craftsman" in this secluded underground palace with his true name, and killed Liu Zilin and the blue-clothed servants. The bloody limbs and remains scattered on the ground have now all disappeared.
It's unclear whether they were dealt with by the monks or by the junior sister and Yan Liulang.
From this perspective, the Wei family is unaware that Wei Shaoxuan has died suddenly, or rather, they have not yet suspected him and come looking for him.
Xiuzhen, who was knocked unconscious by Liu Zilin's punch, seemed completely unharmed, and her chin even appeared to have gotten a bit fuller, indicating that she'd been eating well lately.
As for the murals on the four sides of the underground palace... Ouyang Rong, who was tidying his clothes with his head down, silently withdrew his gaze.
Without the Moonlight Sword activating the strange stone carving of "Return to the Countryside" beneath the lotus throne, and with the unrepaired and damaged sections of the murals on all four sides, there is no trace of the "Return to the Countryside" poem.
It should not have been discovered.
I wonder what Master Zhongma used to carve those moonlit characters back then... the cauldron sword he stole from Emperor Sui Feng?
As Ouyang Rong turned his head in a daze, the old Taoist priest in the crane-cloak said with dissatisfaction:
"Great Sage, could you please stop leaving things unfinished?"
Ouyang Rong still didn't answer, then turned to ask:
"You... what are you doing here?" He glanced at the quiet, pretty mute girl sitting opposite him with her knees drawn up.
Ouyang Rong vaguely sensed that the atmosphere inside the underground palace was somewhat strange, as were the people inside.
The old Taoist priest in the crane-cloak retorted, "Why we are here is not important; what is important is why you are here?"
Ouyang Rong frowned and nodded, murmuring, "Yes, why am I here..."
He turned to look at the lotus pedestal in the center of the underground palace, and at the wellhead above where a beam of moonlight slanted down.
Ouyang Rong kept his head tilted back, silently rubbing his aching shoulders and lower back with his palms, murmuring in a barely audible voice:
"Spending the night at Donglin Temple... Is it Master Shandao again...? But why am I sleepwalking and wandering around like last time after recovering from my illness...? Is there something here attracting me...?"
He couldn't help but recall the very long dream he had while he was unconscious. There seemed to be something very important and warm in the dream, but he couldn't remember what it was at the moment.
A hint of confusion flashed in his eyes.
Ouyang Rong suddenly turned around and asked the three old Taoists in crane cloaks:
"Am I really sleepwalking? Did you guys see how I fell down?"
Without any keyword activation, Xiuzhen continued chanting scriptures with a dazed expression, while only the old Taoist priest in the crane-cloak nodded and said:
"Sleepwalking? Pretty much, that confused state is just like sleepwalking."
The old Taoist priest smiled.
Ouyang Rong frowned, raised his eyes, and carefully examined the old Taoist priest in the crane-cloak:
"What is your name, Taoist priest?"
"His surname is Master."
"Yes, Master Sun."
"..." Old Taoist in crane cloak.
Ouyang Rong smiled. Generally, those who call someone "grandfather" are actually their grandsons.
"The Great Sage is indeed clever." Old Monster Sun sneered, "Heh, if only he could put that cleverness into other things."
Ouyang Rong pointed to the quiet, pretty mute girl beside him, "Does Master Sun know this young lady's name?"
Sun the Old Monster didn't answer, but instead asked, "Great Sage, do you want a wife?"
Ouyang Rong was taken aback for a moment, then a look of helplessness appeared on his face:
"So, this means that you can only find out a girl's given name after you become husband and wife? That's quite an old-fashioned and conservative custom."
"The wedding customs in her hometown are indeed old-fashioned and conservative, so old-fashioned and conservative that it's infuriating."
Old Monster Sun gave a soft "humph".
"Come ask me again when you're ready to get married," he said calmly, waving his hand dismissively.
"Now, she's just an unwanted little mute. She has nothing left but a 'name.' How can we let you get something for nothing?"
Ouyang Rong frowned, swallowed his complaints, and changed the subject:
“I came to the Beitian Aid Home to look for you two last time, but you weren’t there. Why are you back now? Could it be that… you were taken to the mountains by the county government to seek refuge a few days ago? And were you sent back by your families? Why are you running around in the well again?”
After a pause, he extended a friendly gesture, saying, "If you have any difficulties at home or in the temple, you can tell me. I know the abbot of this temple, who is very generous."
The old Taoist priest in the crane-cloak glanced at the mute girl who had been keeping her head down and remaining silent, then smiled and pointed at the recovered young man:
"Great Sage, you are just too clever."
“I told you, I am not a saint.” Ouyang Rong shook his head to correct him, glanced at the faint pus peeking out from the old Taoist’s neck in his crane-cloak, and nodded.
"Is the old Taoist priest here to seek treatment for boils from the abbot of Donglin Temple?" He had a lot of experience with this and exclaimed, "Master Shandao's medical skills are indeed very good."
Old Monster Sun nodded in agreement: "It seems that you, Great Sage, were also cured by him."
“It should be, but…” Ouyang Rong touched his neat and clean short hair and his clean clothes, and couldn’t help but see a proud and aloof figure in red with her hands behind her back.
He sighed softly.
What is she doing now? She must be very worried about him while he was in a coma. Before he fell into a coma that day, he vaguely felt that she was holding him, and he seemed to hear a woman crying in his ear.
Ouyang Rong suddenly felt a strong urge to see his junior sister.
Now, immediately, right away.
The young magistrate seemed to regain all his energy instantly, and stood up in a flash.
He turned his back to the shadows and walked towards the lotus pedestal bathed in moonlight, speaking with a firm and calm voice:
"This place was indeed once my sanctuary, and it still is. Thank you all for being here with me once again."
The monk Xiuzhen saw the figure walking towards the well and his face showed fear.
The old Taoist priest in the crane-cloak did not stop him, but asked with great interest, "Then why are you so determined to leave this time? You said it yourself, this place is a pure land, and outside is an inescapable hell. Why don't you learn from this ignorant master?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head: "I have seen through the so-called Pure Land. I no longer have any hope of ascending to the other shore. People cannot live in beautiful lies forever. They should stand firm and look around. This world does not keep silent about those who are capable. Why should they seek freedom in an eternal Pure Land?"
He looked up at the outside of the well.
Just then, Ouyang Rong happened to pass by the mute girl who was hugging her knees, and she suddenly reached out and stopped him again.
Ouyang Rong looked down.
A sheepskin water sac lay on her tiny hand with only four fingers.
This time, Ouyang Rong shook his head and refused, instead looking down and asking, "May I borrow your sword?"
The mute girl's body stiffened slightly as she pulled out the long cloth bag that had been sitting on her buttocks.
Clang—! The three-foot sword was drawn, its light flowing like water across the ceiling of the underground palace. Ouyang Rong's eyes showed slight surprise: "What a fine sword!" He walked to the lotus platform and carved a line of words next to the "Return Home" stone inscription left by Master Zhongma.
Ouyang Rong turned back to his sword, returned to the lotus platform, and once again grasped the rope ladder that had fallen from the well. He suddenly turned back to the panicked and anxious Xiuzhen and said:
"Hell... going there is hell!"
Sun the Old Monster suddenly asked, "What if I'm destined to be forever condemned to hell?"
“Then you will be condemned to eternal damnation.” Ouyang Rong laughed heartily.
Ouyang Rong raised his head and began to climb. Just before he reached the top of the well, he suddenly looked down as if struck by a flash of inspiration.
Inside the secluded underground palace below, all three looked up at him.
This includes... a pretty mute girl.
Ouyang Rong saw those clear, stream-like eyes again.
She was still the same as before, with a hint of reluctance showing on her delicate and pitiful face.
Ouyang Rong subconsciously glanced at it a couple more times.
A moment later, he suddenly turned his head and loudly questioned:
"Master Sun, what is the first principle of the Holy Truth?"
Without waiting for a reply, he grabbed the rope and pulled hard, flipping the well over.
In the vast underground palace, a Confucian scholar departed once again.
The Taoist priest, the monk, and the mute girl stayed behind.
The monk sat on the ground, his eyes filled with fear.
The Taoist priest stood there, seemingly lost in thought;
The mute girl looked up, her face filled with reluctance.
The old Taoist priest in his crane-feather cloak stepped forward and glanced at the newly added line of stone carvings beneath the lotus pedestal, located below the four characters "归去来兮" (Return Home).
"Today I hold the long spear in my hand... when will I bind the azure dragon?"
Old Man Sun's eyes widened slightly.
"Well, lad, what a boastful tone." He nodded and laughed, saying, "So you're completely devoid of sainthood?"
No one answered.
A moment later, Old Monster Sun turned and sighed:
"Don't look anymore, you mute girl. They've all left, and they didn't even glance at you."
"Let's go. You've already seen him lively and energetic. This is the last time you'll see him. Your two senior sisters are still waiting for us. Don't be late, or I'll be the one in trouble again..."
Zhao Qingxiu kept her head tilted back, her bright eyes unblinking, pointing towards the well opening: "Huh?"
"You ask, is it dark yet?" The old Taoist in the crane cloak was speechless: "Nonsense, are you blind? Can't you even see that? It's already past dawn, it's dark outside. Don't be stupid and keep looking, what are you looking at?"
"Hey, hey, yah." A little head tilted back and shook its head vigorously.
The mute girl pointed upwards at Ouyang Rong's dashing departing figure, her smile as radiant as a flower.
No, it's dawn.
————
P.S.: Don't worry, Xiao Rong also feels sorry for the mute girl and will absolutely not cause her any irreparable damage!
Those who have read Sword Maiden should understand Xiao Rong.
It's all for the sweetness that follows! It's going to be incredibly sweet!
(End of this chapter)
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