The Greedy Butterflies dispersed, and Shi Jingzhi managed to remain standing.
He stubbornly supported his spine, still with a few Greed Butterflies perched on his head. Sensing his precarious state, Yin Ci furrowed his brow and tightened his embrace.
There was more than one mountain in the Huilian Mountain Range. The Jianchen Temple was nestled among the three slightly lower peaks surrounding the main peak of Huilian Mountain. Because of the layered structure of three outer layers, the mountain range was named Huilian*.
*Clarity: [Hui] (回) means circles, return, revolve, among other meanings, while [lian] ( 莲) means lotus. Basically, the mountain range has three lower peaks that surrounds (revolves/circle around) the main peak making it look like a lotus, giving the mountain its name.
The group was climbing the outermost and lowest peak, clearly guarded by the Greed Butterflies. Shi Jingzhi’s condition had finally stabilized, and they should leave this area immediately to prevent another attack.
Su Si and Yan Qing were still able to move, and if they mustered their strength and hurried, they might be able to escape before sunset.
Yin Ci made a prompt decision. “I’ll carry you on my back, and we’ll leave first.”
But Shi Jingzhi didn’t budge.
“No need. It’s fine here. Let’s rest here.”
Shi Jingzhi’s voice was unusually calm. He tried to stand straight and gently squeezed Yin Ci’s hand as if to reassure him. “Besides, if I collapse like this, who will lead you?”
Rest here? In front of the Greed Butterflies’ nest?
Yin Ci chuckled. “Shizun, a person’s state of mind is not constant. Your qi was desolate just now, and you don’t seem like someone who has shattered their own vows. Your condition is also unstable. If you get lost in your thoughts again, the Greed Butterflies will build their nest on your head… With this cycle repeating, we won’t be able to leave.”
Shi Jingzhi’s myriad of desires were only temporarily soothed and calmed, not disappeared completely. Moreover, this time his tranquility technique had borrowed external assistance, so it was impossible to maintain it for long.
Shi Jingzhi didn’t immediately respond.
He first released his embrace, took a step back, and gently placed his hand on Yin Ci’s face, as if trying to use touch to replace sight. “Are you not injured? I remember hitting you several times.”
“I managed to evade most of the attacks and didn’t suffer serious injuries. Shizun, your consciousness was blurred. Perhaps you remembered incorrectly.” Was this person trying to change the subject? Yin Ci’s face couldn’t help but darken.
Shi Jingzhi furrowed his brow and looked at his disciple up and down. Yin Ci’s clothes had several damaged areas, but there were no obvious wounds or bloodstains on his body.
After a moment of silence, Shi Jingzhi changed the topic. “…A’Ci, that technique is quite useful. Where did you learn it?”
“That technique is called ‘Purifying Words*’, an adaptation of the Buddhist scriptures. It can be considered a somewhat esoteric technique for calming the mind. It was taught by my family, and it may have been passed down outside as well.”
*[Wu Chen Yan] (无尘言) Lit. means words without dust. It suggests that the words spoken are free from mundane or worldly contamination, making them untainted by worldly desires, attachments, or impurities.
This was indeed not a lie.
The adaptation was true, and its circulation was also true. In order to counter the state of losing control, Yin Ci tried many mental techniques, among which “Purifying Words” was particularly effective.
However, the version he used for Shi Jingzhi was his personal adaptation—back then, to teach the Little Mute, Yin Ci modified the originally stern and imposing mental technique to make it gentler and more soothing, specifically targeting the conflicting desires.
“Purifying Words” didn’t bring any benefits to martial arts practice, and there were countless calming techniques in the world. It wasn’t a cure-all. It had been passed down in an ordinary and vague manner for hundreds of years, giving rise to numerous versions, making its origin difficult to trace.
Indeed, Shi Jingzhi didn’t pursue further questions. He just planted the “Medicine Cures Illness” flag into the ground, as if he intended to set up camp right there. “My state wasn’t good earlier, and I didn’t memorize all the acupoints. A’Ci, please teach me the method again in detail.”
Yin Ci: “…”
Yin Ci: “Shizun, let’s find another place to learn. It’s not urgent.”
Shi Jingzhi remained silent for a long time, then sighed lightly. “To be honest, I have been running away all along.”
“What do you mean?”
“Since I became conscious, I have been running away. It doesn’t matter how unsightly I look; I take one step forward at a time, simply seeking to get by… Now that A’Ci is by my side, I feel at ease. Suddenly, I think it wouldn’t be bad to walk forward righteously.”
Shi Jingzhi’s voice was close, weak in tone, but with a hint of a smile.
“I have lost control in the Ghost Tomb before, and I have lost control in the forbidden area as well. Perhaps I could get through with a momentary burst of power, but as you know, A’Ci, relying solely on undisciplined brute force, I would definitely be no match for true masters.”
“I don’t want to run away anymore. All desires in the world are thoughts in my mind, and I must fully control them. Now it seems that there is nothing more effective than using the Greed Butterflies for training.”
“A’Ci, teach me, okay?”
Yin Ci didn’t know what to say for a moment.
The reason why Greedy Butterflies were difficult to deal with lay in their nature of pursuing hope and indulging in pleasure. The more realistic the dreams, the more desperate one became upon waking up. If it was repeated over and over again, the contrast would be enough to drive a person insane.
Not to mention that Shi Jingzhi had “object addiction”. Even ordinary people sought solace in alcohol, pursuing momentary illusions and release. Even Yin Ci himself was eager to move forward and escape from the darkness before him.
Yet this person firmly held his hand and said with a smile that he wanted to stay.
To face the deepest fear and despair, to shape the heart with thousands of arrows piercing through.
“Rest for a moment and listen to the opinions of Yan Qing and Su Si.”
Perhaps it was disagreement, or perhaps it was out of sympathy. Yin Ci instinctively avoided this topic.
Indeed, not long after Shi Jingzhi sat down, the Greed Butterflies showed signs of approaching again. Yan Qing was on guard against them, heating the flatbread from his backpack and brewing tea with snow water. The four of them managed to have a meal together.
Yan Qing and Su Si were unusually quiet. Yin Ci couldn’t see the expressions of these two servants, but the solemn atmosphere permeated through the darkness, chilling the air, even making the food feel colder.
“Has Sect Master Shi ever had contact with the Immortal Sect?” Su Si finally asked with a heavy heart, halfway through biting the flatbread.
Shi Jingzhi was somewhat surprised. “The Immortal Sect? Are you referring to the Mishan Sect?”
The Mishan Sect was the only “Immortal Sect” recognized by the martial world. While the people of this sect may dress elegantly, their association with “ascending to immortality” wasn’t significant. Compared to other sects, the Mishan Sect excelled in exorcizing demons, creating formations, and crafting weapons. Among them, there were also masters who had tasted immortal wine. Over time, people started calling them the “Immortal Sect”.
Most of the extraordinary formation techniques circulating in the martial world were created by the Mishan Sect, and the remaining few were adaptations from the Mishan Sect’s techniques. This path was profound, and it took ten to twenty years to achieve any accomplishment. There was a saying that you can’t have both the fish and the bear paw*. Martial artists worshiped strength and were unwilling to waste time on such things.
*(鱼与熊掌不可兼得) Idiom referring to you can’t be greedy when faced with two desirable but mutually exclusive options. You have to make a choice between the two and can’t have both. (AKA you can’t have your cake and eat it too).
As a result, the Mishan Sect became a distinct faction, clearly separated from other martial sects, truly deserving the title of the “Immortal Sect”.
However, the Mishan Sect was located in the far north of Great Yun, in an extremely remote location. Its disciples liked to feign profundity and appear mysterious, so ordinary people rarely encountered them.
Shi Jingzhi racked his brains but couldn’t figure out when he had any dealings with the people from the Immortal Sect. The only one who remained elusive in his memory was that person in black.
After the dispersal of the Greed Butterflies, Shi Jingzhi kept trying to recall. However, memories were like shifting sands, uncontrollably slipping through his fingers and sinking into darkness.
Yin Ci wasn’t wrong; he hadn’t overcome his own desires.
He still couldn’t remember the person’s face or their voice. But he knew how that person smiled at him and how gentle their gaze was. That vague figure was hidden deep in his memories, casting a faint shadow over his true self, making it impossible for him to see through it.
Could that person be from the Immortal Sect? Was it that person who tampered with his memories?
With all his thoughts, Shi Jingzhi continued to conceal them, smiling as he replied, “I have never seen anyone from the Mishan Sect. Why are you suddenly asking about this?”
“When Sect Master used your techniques earlier, there was a heavenly and earthly qi. I thought it might be some kind of technique and couldn’t help but think of the Immortal Sect… I was overthinking.” Su Si followed with a forced smile.
“Uh.” Shi Jingzhi didn’t pursue further. “If you two are uncomfortable staying here, go around and explore the surroundings. Remember to bring back some meat and use the dried rations sparingly from the bag.”
Su Si was taken aback. “Aren’t we leaving?”
Shi Jingzhi: “You two don’t attract the Greed Butterflies much, so there shouldn’t be any issues. I can’t swallow this anger, so I intend to have another confrontation with them.”
Su Si choked on the spot. After a while, he lowered his voice and leaned closer, saying, “San Zi, this Kushan Sect…”
Yan Qing: “…Let’s not talk about it. I understand.”
He stood up and casually lifted Su Si. “Sect Master, I’m going hunting with A’Si.”
Shi Jingzhi nodded approvingly, and several dozen more Greed Butterflies landed on his head, resembling a hat adorned with the radiance of spring.
The sunlight was radiant, and the mountain breeze was pure as snow. The pond water was clear, and the koi fish leisurely swam.
Only two people remained in front of the pond.
Seeing that Shi Jingzhi had made up his mind not to leave, Yin Ci sighed. “Aren’t you going to ask Su Si?”
Shi Jingzhi confidently replied, “I know he definitely saw something just now. What if I press him too hard and he runs away? Su Si knows what’s important. When the time comes, he will speak for himself.”
“You didn’t ask me because of that too?” Even with the name of a descendant of the Su family supporting him, during their previous battle, his imposing demeanor, unlike that of an ordinary young man, was enough for Shi Jingzhi to sense something was amiss.
“A’Ci is different.”
Shi Jingzhi’s smile grew stronger.
“Even if you are the King Yan of the underworld, accompanying me until now, I have no regrets. Since there are no regrets, why bother getting to the bottom of it?”
Yin Ci tightened his fingers, holding back all the considerations and probes.
Shi Jingzhi had changed.
Compared to the scattered state when they first met, Yin Ci vaguely sensed the contours of a person. ‘It’s such a pity,’ he thought. With his eyes shrouded in darkness, he couldn’t see Shi Jingzhi’s eyes.
“Alright, I’ll teach you the ‘Purifying Words’. This time, I won’t help you. You can only rely on partial acupoints, achieving half the result with twice the effort. Have you made up your mind?”
“Mm.”
……
The sunlight slowly crawled across their bodies, and Yin Ci could discern the passage of time. Besides that, he could only hear the rustling of clothes, the footsteps on water and stone, and the faint trembling of butterfly wings. Shi Jingzhi was using all his qinggong and inner force to confront the swarm of Greed Butterflies.
This time, he wouldn’t intervene, Yin Ci thought. Since Shi Jingzhi was willing to endure hardships, he had to learn to bear the consequences.
Yin Ci sat on a stone platform with Shi Jingzhi’s flag placed beside him. The flagpole felt smooth and warm to the touch under the sunlight. On the other side, there was a teapot and sweet cakes, and Shi Jingzhi even prepared a cushion for him. Flames flickered nearby, and he didn’t feel the least bit cold.
These items seemed to form a peculiar little formation. The scent of incense lingered around him, and even the darkness in front of him no longer felt heavy.
Unfortunately, it was too far away, and Yin Ci couldn’t sense the subtle air currents or know the progress of the battle.
How is his cheap master doing? Has his mind been broken by the ever-changing desires, or is he still struggling?
How wonderful it would be to catch just a glimpse.
Finally, the surrounding temperature gradually dropped, and the distinctive chill of the night spread across the ground. From noon until sunset, several hours passed slowly. At this moment, the evening glow of the setting sun should have bathed the mountains and fields.
The sound of clothes rustling ceased, and for the first time in those several hours, Shi Jingzhi stopped moving.
Yin Ci twitched in place, instinctively trying to stand up. However, the accumulated coldness of centuries held him in place, anchoring him to the spot.
“Shizun?” After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke up.
…He really wanted to catch a glimpse.
In just an instant, he cast aside the suffocation brought by the darkness. The Greed Butterflies perched on Yin Ci’s hair fluttered their wings.
Before Shi Jingzhi could respond, the Buddha Heart Formation provided him with an answer. For some reason, in that fleeting moment, the darkness before Yin Ci’s eyes suddenly dissipated.
Sure enough, the sun was setting in the west, casting its radiant glow everywhere.
The small pond reflected the evening sky, resembling molten gold. The Buddha’s head in the center of the pond had slightly closed eyes, exuding a tranquil and compassionate aura. The pure white stone statue had been tinged with a deep blue by the night, adorned with a golden-red border, adding a touch of solemnity out of thin air.
Shi Jingzhi was standing atop the Buddha’s head.
This time, his head wasn’t covered by Greed Butterflies.
All the butterflies flew in the air, forming a few clusters of thin clouds around Shi Jingzhi, obediently flowing with his movements. The evening sun was vibrant, and the evening glow was brilliant. The swarm of butterflies danced in this beautiful world, resembling sparks flying in flames.
Like scattered red leaves in deep autumn.
Hearing Yin Ci’s call, Shi Jingzhi turned his head. A radiant smile graced his face as his long hair swayed in the breeze, the tips tousled by a dozen fluttering butterflies. His gray-white clothes were covered in the red glow, turning into a warm and cozy shade of red.
Yin Ci finally saw the other person’s eyes clearly. They were filled with joy and contentment, free from any shadows, brimming with vitality.
Just like this noisy world, burning and crashing into his vision.
Yin Ci didn’t know how long this brightness would last. He should have looked around—at least turned around to see what kind of inner demon was behind him.
But Yin Ci couldn’t turn back. His throat felt slightly sore, and his gaze was fixed firmly on the other person.
‘So, this is how it is,’ he thought.
At the moment his heart was set free, everything in front of him was once again enveloped in darkness. Yin Ci lowered his eyes, unable to see the terrifying inner demon as big as a mountain behind him.
Shi Jingzhi remained completely unaware.
He had been floating in despair and pain for most of the day, but he finally learned to gather his desires and firmly hold onto that madness. Although they would still cause him immense suffering and sleepless nights, they could no longer take away his mental state.
The turbid sea of desires sank to the bottom, peacefully resting in the clear waters of his mind. They rose and fell with his thoughts, and the Greed Butterflies had no power over him.
Considering it was a small progress, Shi Jingzhi was quite satisfied. Upon hearing his disciple’s call, he turned his head with a smile, stepping lightly on the gentle breeze, and quickly appeared in front of Yin Ci.
“A’Ci, you’ve made a great achievement. That mantra is truly effective. I can finally get rid of those butterflies! I thought it would take two or three days.” He patted Yin Ci’s shoulder, feeling content. “We’ll rest here for one more night and then continue our journey.”
Yin Ci remained silent.
“A’Ci?”
“…It’s nothing. Congratulations, Shizun.”
Yin Ci displayed a smile—a smile that hadn’t been calculated but came completely from his heart.
Perhaps he truly was an evil entity from the abyss, but he would never become King Yan that sought lives.
He wanted this person to live a good life.
This time, it was Shi Jingzhi who stood frozen in place. He looked at this unfamiliar smile, and the overwhelming qi that had shaken the heavens and earth vanished in an instant. A slight uneasiness began to grow in his chest.
Shi Jingzhi cleared his throat and turned around. “I’ll heat up a few red bean cakes… A’Ci, how many do you want?”
At the same time, in Yidu.
The National Teacher, Jiang Youyue, was practicing calligraphy when suddenly there was a light tapping sound behind him. He paused and looked up, only to see a bonsai on the shrine trembling slightly, blooming a few tiny flowers.
“Interesting.”
His finger traced over the flower buds.
“Even though ‘desire’ has been sealed, it still wants to break free, huh? …Master, you truly didn’t misjudge him. That kid surname Shi is bound to have great potential.”
“He has only recently left the palace yet already made such progress. His little disciple is probably not unrelated to this.”
The author has something to say:
The fox really has a growth system ☆-∑(>ω0)b
Considering his growth environment, it’s unreasonable for him to be able to suppress the 300-year-old Demonic Lord Yin right from the start…
Demonic Lord Yin: With so many versions of “Purifying Words”, you can just make it up.
Fox Shi: Understood. It’s so precise, you can’t escape from this matter.
