Chapter 108: To Awaken the Celestial Eye, One Must Annihilate Worldly Attachments (Final)

Contribute? You want me to contribute? How am I supposed to contribute when I don't even have a head to offer?!

Qingzhi’s face twisted into a grotesque grimace. After a long while, a flash of inspiration struck her mind. Seemingly recalling something unspeakably awkward, she twitched her eyebrows vigorously—they looked like two little worms squirming and tumbling—which imbued her entire face with an inexplicable expression.

“Are you going mad again?” Wei Lingjiang pressed her hand to her forehead, her lips curling faintly. She quickly suppressed that trace of a smile, forcing out an absent-minded laugh. In the past, even with her master standing right beside them, seeing Qingzhi’s absurd antics would have made her unable to resist tugging at those chubby cheeks to tease the girl. But now, she felt only a swaying, inexplicably strange sense of heaviness. It was as if she were at the very bottom of a dark abyss, struggling to catch her breath.

“You don’t mean to use a honey trap, do you? This… this is not good, is it?” Qingzhi, still oblivious, spun her thoughts rapidly and bared her teeth. “You want me, Lady Qingzhi, to personally step into the fray and seduce the Lord of Xuhuang Heaven, that what’s-his-name… Red Essence Ceramic… Ceramic…”

“The God-King of Ten Thousand Blessings, Red Essence Ceramic Smelter,” Master Zhuojing said.

“Right! The God-King of Ten Thousand Blessings, Red Essence Ceramic Smelter!” Qingzhi slapped her head and made a face. “Don’t tell me you want me to capture this man? And then whisper sweet nothings in his ear to get him to take back the Wind-Fire Meditation Cushion he lent to Wei Shao?! Impossible! I tell you, absolutely impossible!” She scowled, her eyebrows resembling two silkworm pupae, and planted her hands on her hips, shouting righteously, “Although I’m nearly three hundred years old, I’m still just a little child! You people are truly heartless! You actually want Qingzhi to do such a thing?! Forget it! Don’t even think about it!”

After she finished, she shot a side-glance at Master Zhuojing and added silently in her heart: *Even if I were to whisper sweet nothings, I’d be whispering for you, you old witch, to go fill the Sea Eye! You’d be the first one I’d send!*

Listening to Qingzhi’s shouting, even Master Zhuojing felt her brow twitch slightly. She suppressed the urge to fling the girl away and sighed softly. “The God-King of Ten Thousand Blessings, Red Essence Ceramic Smelter, has never remarried since the death of his consort, nor has he ever taken a concubine. What on earth are you thinking about all day? Besides—” She glanced at Qingzhi, who stood there like a chubby little winter melon with her hands on her hips, and smiled knowingly. “That man is a God-King who rules over an entire Heaven. Even if he were truly struck by madness, he is not one to settle for just anyone.”

Qingzhi froze, not understanding the implication. It took several breaths for the meaning to sink in, at which point she stomped her feet in anger, wishing she could charge at her. But she dared not be insolent, so she merely hung her head and glared at Master Zhuojing with dissatisfaction.

“I want you to make a trip to Ququan Heaven in your true form to pay a visit to the Great Saint Candle Dragon in the Colorless Palace.” Master Zhuojing remained unmoved. “I will prepare the carriage and retinue of the Chiming Sect for you. You shall travel in the Great Six Geng Nine-Cloud Chariot, escorted by eight hundred yellow-tasseled talisman warriors, with golden maidens in attendance! You are the envoy representing the Kuangxu Palace of our sect. Remember, do not neglect the etiquette, lest others look down upon our palace!”

“An envoy to the Colorless Palace in Ququan Heaven? Me?” Qingzhi was startled. Forgetting her anger for a moment, she pointed at her own nose in hesitation. “You actually want me to visit the Great Saint Candle Dragon? That’s not good… Why don’t you send someone else? How about that old man with the long eyebrows?”

“Junior Brother Longmei has already gone to visit a friend in the Yuchen Sect. He is notoriously fond of wine, and the pot of Fire Abode Immortal Nectar that Junior Brother Yin spent eight hundred years brewing is potent enough to intoxicate an Origin Spirit. Once he drinks it, he surely won’t bother to disperse the alcohol; I fear he won’t wake up for half a year.” Master Zhuojing shook her head. “Furthermore, the other true masters of our sect have no dealings with Ququan Heaven. You alone were raised by the Great Saint Candle Dragon for a time. The heavy responsibility of this mission can only fall upon you. You must persuade the Great Saint Candle Dragon to move and meet with the God-King of Ten Thousand Blessings, Red Essence Ceramic Smelter, and convince that God-King to retract his intentions and take back the Wind-Fire Meditation Cushion from Wei Shao.”

“The Great Saint Candle Dragon is a prized warrior under the command of the God-King of Ten Thousand Blessings. The two have braved life and death for years, and their friendship is unbreakable. The God-King was able to conquer fifty-five divine nations and unify the sea and land creatures of Xuhuang Heaven because the Great Saint Candle Dragon contributed greatly, nearly losing his life and soul several times to protect him.” Master Zhuojing said solemnly, “If the Great Saint Candle Dragon is willing to intervene, taking back the Wind-Fire Meditation Cushion should not be difficult. In any case, the Wind-Fire Meditation Cushion must not remain in Wei Shao’s hands. Do you understand?”

Qingzhi hiccuped in alarm, her expression turning bitter.

Among the myriad heavens and paths, as countless as grains of sand, the Great Saint Candle Dragon practiced the ancient demonic arts and had attained the fruit of a Great Saint. Within the orthodox immortal path, he was a supreme power comparable to the Dao Lords. This demonic Great Saint indeed shared an unbreakable bond with the God-King of Ten Thousand Blessings—they were even life-and-death confidants. It was said that when Chen Yushu fled from Xuhuang Heaven to Xudu Heaven, he stole the God-King’s “Sanskrit Banner of the Myriad Divine Lords.” At that time, it was the Great Saint Candle Dragon who personally took action to capture and execute Chen Yushu… only to be blocked by the Dao Lord of the Divine House, Xuhua of the Doushu Sect. It was unknown what price was paid to quell his rage, causing the Great Saint Candle Dragon to return empty-handed.

She had indeed been raised by the Great Saint Candle Dragon for a time and had lived in the Colorless Palace. By all logic, no one in the entire Chiming Sect was better suited than Qingzhi to be the envoy to Ququan Heaven. But…

“When I came to Xudu Heaven, I secretly ate all the Bright Sun Pearls that the Great Saint had hidden away. My brain was stuffed, and I wasn’t thinking straight, so I even beat up the Great Saint’s sons and made them crawl on the ground and call me Auntie…” Qingzhi said with a mournful face. “Returning to the Colorless Palace now is like a lamb walking into a tiger’s den! The Great Saint will surely pluck out every one of my bird feathers!”

Despite her inner resistance, she finally sighed as if resigned to death and nodded silently.

“I have already prepared the offering for the Great Saint Candle Dragon; take it with you. As for the God-King of Ten Thousand Blessings…” Master Zhuojing hesitated, her eyes flickering. “Regardless of what conditions Wei Shao sets, our Kuangxu Palace will double the compensation. If things still go awry, then we shall even sacrifice my Five-Elements Mutual-Killing Sword!”

“Master—” Wei Lingjiang gasped.

“I know that as long as Wei Shao lives, your heart will not be at peace.” Master Zhuojing interrupted, brooking no refusal. “For you to attain the status of Dao Child, half the elders of Kuangxu Palace are striving and risking their lives! Say no more. It is merely a flying sword; if it must be given up, so be it! As long as you can ascend to your position, even if I die, it will be worth it!”

Wei Lingjiang looked at her with complex eyes, bowed her head in silence, and performed a salute. Qingzhi scratched her head, bewildered, and simply followed suit with a nod.

“Very well. It is not yet time for my true self to return to Lutai Mountain; I must head to Nanchanzhou later. Lingjiang, this matter is finished. There is no benefit in your spirit body remaining in the Southern Territory.” Master Zhuojing looked up. “It is time for you to return to the sect.”

“…” Wei Lingjiang trembled. After a long hesitation, she finally bowed her head in silence under that calm, cold gaze.

***

“After the pill is formed, will everything be up to me?” she asked hoarsely.

“Once you attain the First Grade Pill, the Pure Yang Dao Fruit will be within reach! If you then become the Dao Child, this entire province will be yours to rule in the future! Who would dare to defy your will? Who would dare to go against your heart!” Master Zhuojing softened her tone slightly. “You are on the verge of forming your pill; this is precisely when inner demons disturb the path. I am not trying to hinder you. Before the supreme immortal path, all other matters should be set aside.”

Another long, silent pause followed. After a long time, she finally lowered her gaze. After whispering a few more instructions to Qingzhi, her body disintegrated into a wisp of clear energy, which Master Zhuojing caught with a golden talisman. In an instant, it shot into the sky, heading straight for Lutai Mountain.

The room seemed to fall silent instantly. Cold wind blew through. Qingzhi pulled her neck back, moving further away from Master Zhuojing. Sharing a room with this person made her feel as if ants were crawling all over her skin; she was entirely ill at ease.

“Uh… aren’t we still going to send an envoy to Ququan Heaven? Should I return to the sect as well?” After waiting for a long time and seeing that Master Zhuojing had no intention of speaking, sitting by the tea table with her eyes closed, Qingzhi couldn’t help but rub her hands and ask tentatively.

“What did Lingjiang say to you?” Master Zhuojing asked.

Qingzhi didn’t want to speak, but one glance from the master forced her to spill everything.

“With such behavior, how can you catch the eye of Palace Master Chisong? Change your narrative and cut off any hope between the two of them once and for all.” Master Zhuojing ignored Qingzhi’s ugly expression and pondered for a moment. “You—”

Before she could finish, Qingzhi turned and ran! Just as she was about to leap out the window, she was frozen in place by Master Zhuojing’s finger.

“Why are you telling me these things?! Old witch! You really do have it in for me, you have bad intentions!” Qingzhi’s face crumbled, tears welling up. “You want to drive a wedge between me and the Young Lady?! I didn’t hear anything! I didn’t hear a thing! Do whatever you want yourself; Qingzhi and you are not on the same side!”

“You are a Blue Bird, a primordial god-demon. If Lingjiang is to ascend, your assistance is indispensable. Why would I hide this from you? Of course, I also need you to go to Ququan Heaven to visit the Great Saint Candle Dragon. You won’t be able to return for several years, so there’s no risk of you revealing anything to Lingjiang…” Master Zhuojing looked at Qingzhi, who was howling at the top of her lungs, and said calmly, “I didn’t hide it from you, first because I couldn’t deceive you, and second, because I need you to help me cover things up… That person, Chen Heng, is deeply entangled in many things. For Lingjiang to get involved with him is by no means a good thing.”

Qingzhi lifted her tearful head, her face full of confusion.

“He is the offspring of True Master Yushu,” Master Zhuojing said indifferently. “The offspring of the Primordial Demon Sect’s Chen Yushu. Do you understand now?”

Qingzhi’s eyes widened in shock. Terrified, she hiccuped uncontrollably. “Really?!”

A jolt went through her heart. Her mind felt as if thunder were crashing, churning everything into a blur. She repeated dully, “Really?”

Master Zhuojing nodded. Qingzhi was stunned into silence. Before she could recover and say anything, footsteps suddenly sounded on the long staircase outside the corridor.

“…How about you knock me unconscious? Or you could transform into the Young Lady’s likeness, please, I beg you!” Qingzhi wished she could punch herself to death. “If I say it! The Young Lady will kill me! Send someone else! Great Master Zhuojing, I will never dare to scold you behind your back again!”

“I need not say more about Chen Yushu; you have heard the stories. Qingzhi, your fate is tied to Lingjiang’s—you rise and fall together.” Master Zhuojing looked at her deeply. “How you decide is already clear in your own heart…”

Having said this, her form vanished from where she stood, leaving Qingzhi alone in the room, crying without tears. Before she could fret for long, the footsteps drew near.

*Chen Heng… Chen Yushu… Chen Heng… Chen Yushu…*

*The Scripture of Human Husbandry!*

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her brain. This name, suddenly appearing, made everything clear to her, followed by a wave of cold fear! No! Even if there was only a sliver of possibility! She must never let the Scripture of Human Husbandry touch her!

“Chen… Chen Heng!”

With no time to think further, Qingzhi hardened her heart and pushed the door open, shouting. She stumbled a few steps and looked up. A few paces away, the white-clad Daoist paused, looking slightly surprised. Today, his expression seemed different from the past; a rare, faint smile graced his lips. If one looked closely, one might even glimpse a hint of embarrassment and unease…

But Qingzhi’s mind was a tangled mess. She didn’t know how much time passed, but only when her stomach growled did she snap out of it and rub her face vigorously.

“The Young Lady asked me to bring some words to you…”

She smiled bitterly in her heart, bowed her head with rare solemnity, and lowered her gaze.

***

The sunlight was fading. In the slanting, hazy light, Qingzhi stopped her mouth, shrinking her neck as she scrutinized Chen Heng. Based on Master Zhuojing’s word-for-word instructions, she had expected this man to be shocked, ashamed, disgusted, or even furious.

But as always, no expression could be read from that face—no joy, no sorrow, no anger.

“So, Senior Sister has already returned to the sect. I haven’t even had the chance to congratulate her on her progress in cultivation…” Chen Heng’s expression remained calm, and he smiled. “Then, how will you return?”

“I suppose… someone from the sect will come to get me…” Qingzhi lowered her head in embarrassment, turning her face away, and couldn’t help but add, “Also, you—”

“No, there is nothing. I have never forgotten the kindness of Senior Sister gifting me the *Technique of Scattering Scenery and Concealing Form*. If there is anything I can do to serve in the future, please tell her…” Chen Heng lowered his sleeves and bowed deeply. After a moment of silence, he said faintly, “Heng will surely exert himself to the utmost and dare not refuse.”

“You…” Qingzhi felt a sudden pang of sadness. She wanted to say something more, but when she looked up, she met Chen Heng’s eyes directly.

“However, I have one more question,” Chen Heng said. “Before leaving, did Senior Sister leave any words for me?”

Qingzhi hesitated for a moment. Before she could speak, her mouth spoke on its own: “No!”

“Is that so?” Chen Heng lowered his eyelids and nodded slightly. The two remained silent for a while.

“I understand,” he said.

In this awkward atmosphere, Qingzhi’s stomach growled again. She hurriedly lowered her head, bid Chen Heng farewell, and scurried into the room as if fleeing. The moment she guiltily closed the door, she suddenly remembered that Chen Heng had been holding a flowering branch in his right hand. Her heart jumped in fear!

*…Damn it! This is going to be the death of me!*

Qingzhi’s stomach growled ferociously once more. Before she could even hesitate, a beam of clear light shone from the void. In an instant, the light faded, and the entire room was empty, devoid of any sound.

***

The lanterns lit up the night, and the dew moistened the incense burners. The flower market was bathed in light. The moon shone upon the tiles. Thin clouds dispersed, and the bright moon was about to descend. People were everywhere, and the lamps were brilliant—countless pedestrians moved across the island like a weaving loom. As far as the eye could see, the streets were filled with carriages and silk handkerchiefs, dust trailing behind horses.

In front of a pavilion on the lakeshore, Chen Heng watched the scene silently for a long time. He withdrew his gaze and looked down at the flowering branch he held in his right hand. A sense of self-mockery welled up in his heart, and he chuckled. “It was like this in my past life, and it is the same in this life? In the end, it is only me alone. That, too, is interesting.”

He heard the insincerity in Qingzhi’s words and guessed that there might be hidden secrets here. Yet, a numb, weary feeling threatened to drain all his strength. Every step he took felt as if he were being bound tighter by dense ropes, causing a slight dizziness, like the hundred days of suffering he endured while imprisoned in the water dungeon when he first arrived in this world.

“My future path is still unknown, and yet my mind has already become chaotic. Have I changed? How long has it been since I found peace, that I have already forgotten to be vigilant?” Recalling the events since he arrived at Fuyu Lake, Chen Heng felt it was absurd, melancholic, and yet somewhat amusing.

He was silent for a long time, then suddenly leaned over and let go. In front of him were the rippling lake waters, and by the bank grew several weeping willows. The flowering branch bobbed a few times with the ripples before being swallowed by the water, sinking to the very bottom, drifting to who knew where. On the shore, the sounds of pipes and drums filled the air, and people came and went amidst the flickering shadows of the lamps, giving a dreamlike, hazy feeling.

“The hearts of sentient beings are endless.” He lowered his gaze, leaning against the willow behind him, watching the calm lake and the people on the shore. After a long time, he said flatly, “Great truths are hard to name.”

“If one wishes to open the Heavenly Eye…”

After a long silence, Chen Heng suddenly clapped his hands and laughed, bending his waist deeply. “If one wishes to open the Heavenly Eye, one must extinguish worldly emotions!”

*If one wishes to open the Heavenly Eye, one must extinguish worldly emotions!*

After reciting this in his heart several times, Chen Heng suddenly felt his entire body lighten, as if a shackle had been removed. It was light, refreshing, and free, as if he could fly into the void with a single step. At the same time, the divine ability, the Primordial Great Sun Divine Light, stirred slightly. Within his Golden Seal Divine Chamber, a Primordial Flame-Light All-Illuminating Divine Lord suddenly opened his eyes and let out a thunderous roar!

“Looking up at the kalpas, looking down at the void—is this the achievement I have reached?” Chen Heng sensed the change in his body and couldn’t help but laugh at himself. “The Great Dao is not yet formed, and I have no leisure to scheme for other things. It was my fault.”

Far away, in the dark, churning water, the branch seemed to bob in the tide a few times before disappearing. Chen Heng watched this scene quietly until the branch drifted away with the moon and was gone, then he withdrew his gaze.

“Indeed, my heart was clouded…” He shook his head, laughed heartily, shook his sleeves, and turned to leave, never looking back.