Lin Qi's disappearance (Chapter 24) and the subsequent tale of the Dimensional Vendor (Chapter 25) did not bring peace to the cultivation world; it merely escalated the hysteria. The world now believed that the Unstained Sage had achieved Perfect Transience—the ability to willfully exit reality using a humble wooden bucket and paid for his ultimate spiritual comfort (the Pillow of Absolute Nullity) with immortality candy.
Sect Master Wu, despite his immediate grief, found himself the centerpiece of the greatest religious and political phenomenon in history: the Pilgrimage of the Empty Seat.
The Problem of the Empty Seat
The entire cultivation world, from the lowest Outer Disciples to the highest Palace Masters (including Master Ming and the recovering Lord Jin), converged upon the Whispering Willow Sect. They didn't come to find Lin Qi; they came to pay homage to the Empty Seat where he achieved ultimate enlightenment.
The focal point of the pilgrimage was Lin Qi's former chamber. The disciples treated the abandoned room as a sacred relic.
* The Broken Chair where Lin Qi sat was now the Throne of Humility.
* The Lumpy Cushion (which Lin Qi had hated) was the Cushion of Enduring Trial.
* The Dust on the floor (which Lin Qi had neglected to sweep) was the Dust of Transcendent Essence, instantly absorbed by pilgrims for spiritual purification.
Sect Master Wu quickly monetized the phenomenon, charging exorbitant fees for tours, spiritual consultations, and even renting out space near the Thunder Dragon, Sparky, who remained in perpetual, frozen guard (Chapter 24).
The Accidental Revelation of the Dao
Princess Lianhua, however, was not content with mere worship. She stood reverently before the small, unmoving, hibernating dragon, Sparky. She had observed Lin Qi enough to know that his seemingly random actions always carried profound meaning.
She focused on Sparky, recognizing the immense power the dragon contained and the profound, absolute solitude of its eternal vigil.
"The Mudra of Non-Existence requires a focus point for the Master's eventual return," Lianhua mused aloud. "The Master did not leave this magnificent creature behind for nothing."
Lianhua suddenly experienced a terrifying moment of clarity, misinterpreting Lin Qi's final casual instruction to Sparky.
"The dragon is not merely guarding the sect!" she cried out. "It is the Dimensional Anchor! The Master has entered the Void, and only by achieving true, loyal Stillness and Perfect Obedience will this creature trigger his return! The dragon's inaction is the highest form of Cosmic Service!"
Lianhua immediately ordered that every disciple in the Heaven-Shattering Palace must spend a minimum of one week every year attempting to achieve the level of motionless, internal solitude demonstrated by the dragon—a practice she named the "Dao of Absolute Stillness."
The Final Ascendance
Sect Master Wu, realizing the gravity of this new religious decree, formalized the belief system. Lin Qi had become the focus of a new global faith.
The simple wooden bucket that Lin Qi used for his escape was recovered and placed upon a jeweled pedestal. It became the Chalice of Transience—the symbol of the faith.
Wu finalized the ultimate fate of the sect: it was no longer a cultivation school, but the Shrine of the Empty Seat.
He delivered the final, most glorious testament to the gathered masses:
> "The Unstained Sage is not gone! He has ascended to the highest state—the state of Pure Potential! He left behind only the lessons of his unintentional power. To follow the Dao of the Empty Seat is to achieve ultimate power through laziness, humility, and catastrophic luck!"
>
Lin Qi, miles away, woke up from his peaceful sleep, feeling refreshed. He reached into his paper bag, found his last salty plum, and contentedly chewed it. He was finally just a simple man, blissfully unaware that he had just inadvertently become the founder of a global religious movement and the spiritual anchor for the entire cultivation world.
The true, true end.