The sun sets in the west, casting a glow over the glazed golden roof of Jingyang Palace.
Amidst the dusk, Bai Li kneels on a cushion, the sunset illuminating her slender back, which is straight like a thin bamboo growing on a sheer cliff, making the deep blue Daoist robe appear particularly spacious.
Bai Li has been kneeling here for a long time, so long that each breath she takes stirs up the dust inside the hall.
The hall is extremely quiet.
Not the usual quietness, but a tranquility that seems cleansed.
Bai Li's lips move slightly as low chanting resounds from the main hall: "To be selfless is to let go of feelings, yet to grasp feelings is a burden; obsession forms shackles, but forgetfulness leads to freedom, enlightenment can reveal the primordial truth. The Dao gives birth to all things, emotion is the root; emotions give rise to myriad appearances, non-attachment is genuine..."
