Taiwu Xixi caught up to the wandering Little Monü.
The two girls, one large and one small, gazed at each other.
Taiwu Xixi was cheerful and generous, optimistic and lively, like a grand fireworks display illuminating the night sky—bustling, intimate, yet elusive before it bloomed.
As for Little Monü, she was clean, innocent, distant from others but close to nature, like a proud, cold plum blossom, growing on a cliff, unreachable by anyone.
Taiwu Xixi extended her hand, and Little Monü scrutinized her, her furrowed brow relaxing slightly, as she entrusted her hand to Taiwu.
In an instant, divine wills intertwined.
Taiwu Xixi hummed, then turned her head and called to Simon, "Buddha Child, I feel my cultivation has solidified so much."
Simon nodded, not replying, and instead gazed at the distant village where wisps of smoke rose. That was Taiwu Village, the heartland of the Taishi Successor, and also the sealing place of the Demon God Shu's true body.
Although the Demon God Shu, as the evil of all sentient beings, had no tangible material existence, it still had a body that manifested in the world. Simply put, the true Demon God Shu was like Simon's Sambhogakāya, an existence beyond concept, and the Demon God Shu's true body sealed in Taiwu Village was its Nirmanakaya.
This Nirmanakaya was semi-existent; only by continuously weakening its avatars could the Nirmanakaya be revealed.
The Demon God Shu's avatars were precisely those Stranger (outsiders) in the Sword Tomb.
There were nine Stranger (outsiders) in total, but only seven Sword Tombs, because only seven needed to be unsealed for the Demon God Shu's Nirmanakaya to manifest.
The Demon God Shu's seal was composed of ten Divine Swords, but its significance was limited, at most reducing some suffering in the human world. As the seven Sword Tombs gradually dissolved, the demonic barrier shrouding the land would become even more terrifying—in the absence of Pure Lands.
Pure Lands were unaffected by the Demon God Shu.
The source of these ten Divine Weapons was the Demon God Shu's ten weapons, each with its own spiritual wonder. They were obtained by sword-smiths who extracted their essence, forged them into sword blanks, then collected rare materials to melt and cast them, finally entrusting them to Stranger (outsiders) to gather the power of the Three Talents, thus possessing various divine powers.
For example, with Monü Yi, the wielder's attacks were continuous and endless, their power constantly accumulating to infinity.
However, after defeating the Sword Tomb Stranger (outsiders), one could only obtain the hilt of the Divine Sword, greatly weakening its efficacy, and falling into demonic possession after use. A blade to banish demons, yet also a source of evil, much like the human heart.
Simon sighed slightly. A Buddha Child's teachings to the world, after all, struggled to subdue evil thoughts, unless all sentient beings were extinguished.
Extinguish the self-view, the view of sentient beings, the life-span view, to eliminate attachments. Then, the world would achieve great harmony, and everyone would turn to good. The Demon God Shu would no longer be able to exist.
However, sometimes, absolute goodness is not necessarily a good thing.
Simon hesitated; the future of the world was in his hands. Where the great ship would sail was entirely up to him.
Just as He said, he was more like a great roc; he would bring about entirely new changes, allowing this melancholic world to unleash its final potential, either to endure or to be destroyed.
As for the Demon God Shu, it was a poisonous fruit, a product that should not have appeared.
Correct this error.
Simon gazed at Little Monü—who, held by Taiwu Xixi's hand, half-hid behind her, her eyes fixed only on the scenery.
The incomplete soul in the sword hilt could only give birth to such a naive child, who would never grow up; once she grew up, it would be the end.
Taiwu Xixi's face was full of contentment, "Buddha Child, you also think she's very cute, don't you? Ooh-hoo, she's just like a little civet cat." She let go of her hand, letting Little Monü play by herself, then ran to Simon's side.
Although Taiwu Xixi's figure could be described as slender, even with her hair bun, she only reached Simon's waist. She beckoned to Simon, indicating she wanted to whisper, so Simon bent down, and the little girl leaned into his ear, softly saying, "She's so pitiful, let's not expose her. She shouldn't be a living person, right? Her past can't be revisited. Let's just pretend nothing happened and let her be happy, okay?"
Simon nodded, straightened up, and smiled, "You are much kinder than before."
"What are you talking about! Hmph, so strange. I say, Buddha Child, you really like to hide things." Taiwu Xixi put her hands on her hips, "I don't care about you, it's getting dark, I'm going to cook."
With that, an epiphyllum flew out from between her brows, transforming into a golden round mirror, about ten feet in diameter. The mirror surface shimmered with light, slowly revealing a scene from another world.
Taiwu Xixi instructed Little Monü, "I'm going to cook and will be back soon. You can tell me what you want to eat, okay? Wait here for a bit, with this… you can call him Da Shi, or Buddha Child, it's all the same."
Little Monü gently twirled a flower branch, nodded, "I understand."
Taiwu Xixi ran into the Pure Land, while the epiphyllum mirror remained in place. Looking through it, one could see a small kitchen, which was the little girl's residence in the Pure Land. She was responsible for the meals of the people in the surrounding area—though unpaid, it wasn't obligatory, but entirely out of interest.
Watching her busy herself among the pots, pans, and bowls in the kitchen was still very interesting, like a buzzing bee, with its noisy hum passing through the barrier between worlds.
"What should I make? Braised sea cucumber with scallions? No, that takes too long. I'll make steamed crab first…"
Simon stood under the perpetually setting sun, its even light spreading out. Li Dingxun had seen this sun with his own eyes. It wasn't a real sun, but for mortals, it made no difference.
There was something in the world that looked like the sun and functioned exactly like the sun; then it was the sun—or called something else.
Little Monü looked down, staring at Simon's shadow. She seemed a bit reserved.
No one spoke first, having nothing to say, perhaps all preoccupied with their thoughts.
After about half an hour, Taiwu Xixi shouted, "Dinner's ready!"
Two people emerged from the epiphyllum mirror, carrying an Eight Immortals table. One wore a black Daoist robe, the other a plain embroidered deep garment. They were Wang Ping'an and the other, who had just run to Taiwu Xixi's residence to find her, arriving just in time for dinner.
"Buddha Child, may you be well." They put down the table and bowed to Simon with clasped hands.
"Two Laymen, I trust you have been well." Simon particularly looked at Bai Zimo for a moment. If he were to awaken, he would immediately sense the Sambhogakāya of Lu Yuan Bodhisattva.
After the two freeloaders set up the chairs and stools, Taiwu Xixi brought over the food trays: eight dishes and one soup.
This open-air feast thus began simply. Five people: Simon sat on the east side, the little girl and Little Monü on his left, the Daoist on his right, and Bai Zimo opposite him.
During the meal, due to Simon's silence, the atmosphere was quite solemn, except for Taiwu Xixi.
She was busy taking care of Little Monü, who, even while eating, refused to put down her flower branch, so Taiwu Xixi fed her bite by bite.
Wang Ping'an, peeking, had a lovesick expression, seemingly fantasizing about a beautiful married life.
Taiwu Xixi looked up, and the Daoist quickly composed himself, straightening his face, looking like he was seriously eating.
"Eek, what are you thinking about?"
Little Monü also glanced at the Daoist, then whispered something into Taiwu Xixi's ear.
Wang Ping'an tried hard to prick up his ears, but he just couldn't hear what she said. He maintained a calm facade, but cold sweat was already trickling down from his temples.
Bai Zimo asked curiously, "What? Is it hot? Yes, this summer indeed has some heat, but look at this beautiful mountain scenery, the distant homes with their cooking smoke, doesn't it also make one feel refreshed and joyful? It's truly a feast for the eyes, beauty entering my belly." He spoke earnestly, but his lips were already unconsciously curving into a smile.
Wang Ping'an was bewildered, "Momo, you've changed…"
Looking at Simon again, he put down his chopsticks and quietly watched the Daoist.
"Ah, ha, yes, it's hot, heh, I'll go get a basin of iced plum juice for everyone to cool down."
Taiwu Xixi slapped the table, "You're not allowed to go."
"What are your orders?"
"I want you to stop being a Daoist, can you?"
"Yes."
"I want you to abolish all your martial arts, can you?"
"Yes."
"I want you to marry me, can you?"
"Yes."
"Alright then, with Buddha Child and Big Brother Bai as witnesses, we are now husband and wife!"
"Yes."
Wang Ping'an kept murmuring, "Yes, yes, yes…"
Whatever you say, I agree.
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