Long Chen looked at the lotus seed, which had gathered the power of a world, and his heart raced wildly. This seed must be a divine artifact that defies heaven.
"Senior, I saved the little one only because of my own heart. I never thought about any reward..." Although this was a heaven-defying divine artifact, accepting such a gift made Long Chen feel uneasy.
"No, no, no, this isn't a reward, and it's definitely not a transaction. This should be fate, and also a karma.
The lotus seeds in the lotus world have just ripened when you arrive, and you happen to need them—this is fate. The woman smiled faintly.
Long Chen looked at the lotus seed in his hand. It seemed to be made of pure gold, yet without a trace of weight, just floating quietly there.
He couldn't sense its power, but it seemed to grant people endless strength. Although he didn't know its origin, Long Chen saw that the entire Lotus World's power was pouring into its body. This lotus seed was definitely priceless.
"When you say I need it, do you mean ...?" Long Chen couldn't help but ask.
The woman smiled, "Your life is painful. Your body is half darkness, half is light. You struggle to maintain its balance, as if standing on the edge of an abyss, walking on thin ice."
You have slain countless lives and know you were right, but you fear you have killed the wrong good person and will regret it for life, causing your heart to sink and lead you into the path of demons.
You try hard to stay true to yourself, but the more cautious you are, the harder it gets. You keep adding burdens to yourself. A person's strength can be infinite, and that's relative to external forces.
But no matter how strong a person is, if they keep adding burdens to themselves, one day they will eventually crush themselves.
You must know: Bodhi originally has no tree, nor is a bright mirror a stand; it is originally nothing, so where can dust gather? "
Long Chen's heart trembled. He had heard this poem since he was very young; in the academy on the Tianwu Continent, it was a must-have question.
The Bodhi tree, also known as the Wisdom Tree, refers to those with pure hearts, carefully guarding their original heart, and inwardly observing their minds; the spiritual platform first appears. The Bright Mirror Stand, in practitioners' mouths, is also called the Spirit Platform.
There are two poems in total, each written by two people. One of them is: 'Body like a bodhi tree, heart like a bright mirror stand, constantly diligently brushing and cleaning, so as not to attract dust.'
This was an attitude of being cautious in speech and action, diligently cultivating, just like Long Chen now, afraid that even the slightest mistake would cloud his Dao heart. Every day, he kept cleaning incessantly, just as the woman said—standing on the edge of an abyss as if walking on thin ice, trembling with fear, not daring to make the slightest mistake.
The other poem was written by another person, equally simple and easy to understand, but its realm was completely different.
Bodhi originally has no tree; the bright mirror is not a stand; originally there is not a single thing—where could dust and dust alight? What Bodhi tree? What Mingjing Stand? That's all nonsense. There was nothing to begin with, and you keep wiping it every time—what's the point of wiping it? Who are you showing it to? Not even a hair—what dust could you possibly stir up with?
Long Chen never expected that the poem he had heard as a child, this unknown predecessor before him, would also know about it. Awakening him now, Long Chen felt as if enlightened.
He bowed respectfully to the woman and said, "Thank you for your guidance, senior. I suddenly understood." At
this moment, Long Chen seemed to have broken free from the curse, breaking free from his shackles, and he felt completely at ease.
He used to worry that he might become demonic, always cautious and constantly calculating how to limit the growth of his inner demons. This mindset itself is a sign of being possessed.
So, Long Chen was truly exhausted from living now, no longer feeling full of vigor and vitality that he had when he left the Fengming Empire.
But now, with the woman's guidance, Long Chen seemed to have returned to those carefree days, his body full of energy and confidence in himself. At that moment, he felt the world was filled with sunshine, dispelling the gloom deep within his heart.
The woman smiled, "You must take good care of this lotus seed. It will be very useful to you. Keep it." "
Thank you, senior."
Long Chen thanked him again, sending the lotus seed into the chaotic space. He buried it in the ground, hoping it would grow more golden lotuses in the future.
Because Long Chen discovered that the golden lotus here contained a rich power of flame, and this fire power seemed like the most primal kind of flame. Although he didn't know how to use it, he knew it was truly extraordinary.
"Buzz!"
But what Long Chen didn't expect was that the lotus seed actually broke through the earth, flew straight into the sky, and stopped above the chaotic world, then came to a halt.
While it remained still, it slowly emitted a gentle glow, and the chaotic world was dyed with golden divine radiance because of it.
The Chaos World hadn't changed because of it, but the moment its golden divine radiance blossomed, Long Chen seemed to be reborn, his essence, energy, and spirit instantly elevated to their peak.
Long Chen was changing, but he didn't know exactly where he was changing. The feeling was mysterious and indescribable. He felt so relaxed, as if all dangers were nothing, and no matter how great the difficulties, he had the confidence to face them.
"Don't call me senior. According to human customs, my surname should be Gong. You can call me Aunt Gong." Seeing the golden radiance begin to glow on Long Chen's face, the woman smiled and nodded.
"Aunt Gong,"
Long Chen said respectfully. He was filled with gratitude toward this kind elder. Setting aside what the lotus seed was, just her guidance had benefited him greatly. However, Long Chen did not realize that the skill she spoke of and the palace he spoke of were completely different concepts.
"Good child, don't burden yourself too much. Actually, the world isn't that complicated.
There are good people in the world, but evil spirits run rampant, and the lives of good people are uncertain. A saint will emerge to protect the path for all kind-hearted beings.
Those who carry firewood for all beings must not be allowed to freeze to death in wind and snow; those who pave the way for the good must not let others be trapped in danger.
You are both a firewood carrier and a trailblazer, but there are far too few people who can help you, so your path is even harder than others'.
When people are weak, there are the most bad people, so often, there's no need to distinguish between good and evil; instead, you must unwaveringly pursue your ideals.
Because among kind people, there are fools. When good people are foolish, they can cause even greater harm than evil people. Good intentions but bad deeds bring harm to the common people are all too common.
In this world, only the merits of the Heavenly Dao are truly fair. Just because you have a kind heart and commit a crime doesn't mean you can escape punishment.
The path of merit is about only the result, not the process. You only need to know that your path is for all living beings, not for selfish desires. Then go ahead and act without any hesitation. The woman gently stroked Long Chen's cheek with her jade-like hand and spoke solemnly.
At this moment, she was like a mother reminding her child, telling him not to be afraid, that he was right.
At that moment, Long Chen's eyes reddened, and tears nearly fell. She seemed able to see through his heart, his soul, and all his grievances. Even Long Chen, a man of iron, couldn't bear it.
"Good child, go and return to your world. The divine radiance of Jinlian will always shine upon you, and you will never be alone." The woman looked at Long Chen and encouraged him.
Long Chen nodded, bowed to the woman again, and turned to step into the spatial gate.