Chapter 186: The Cause and Effect

“Are you so sure that the child will help you enter the path of deity?” The mountain god of Fengwu Mountain said with a smile, stroking the feathers of a big bird beside him. Looking closely, the appearance of the big bird was exactly the same as the gray owl head that the mountain god had been wearing before.

After hearing what the mountain god asked, Xiaobai did not answer, but just drank his tea. He had stayed in this world for many years, and it had been a long time since he had drunk such a magical tea.

Seeing that Xiaobai didn’t answer him, the old mountain god of Fengwu Mountain didn’t seem annoyed, and continued to comb the feathers of the gray owl from time to time. The gray owl seemed to enjoy it very much, just squinting its eyes and enjoying it, and making a “coo” sound from time to time, looking very comfortable.

After a long time, the gray owl suddenly opened its eyes, tilted its head to look at the old mountain god, and heard the old mountain god say “Go!” Then it flapped its wings and flew towards the southeast.

The old mountain god kept staring at the gray owl until it disappeared from the horizon. Then he turned around and looked at Xiaobai. Although his eyes were covered by his long white eyebrows, for some reason, he could still feel the gaze in them that seemed to be able to see through others.

“I just calculated that those kids are now gathered together and are probably in danger. I saw you were worried about the kids before, why are you so calm now?”

Hearing this, Xiaobai slowly put down the teacup in his hand, rubbed his fingers and said: “Didn’t you calculate that they would come back? Since you are good at predicting, why bother asking again?” He stood up and looked towards the southeast direction where the gray owl flew, but said no more.

When the old mountain god heard this, he seemed to be embarrassed as if his secrets were exposed. He just laughed and said, “I am just a follower of the great god Pangu. I can’t predict everything…”

Xiaobai smiled when he heard this, but did not turn around. He still looked to the southeast, which was the direction of Nanhuai.

According to my observation of Zhao Wuyang at the Yuanqing Sect a few days ago, although the child is not strong enough, he is constantly improving. Even if he encounters any danger, there is no need to worry too much. Now that he knows his identity and his wife’s affairs, it is better to leave him for a while so that he can reorganize his thoughts.

Looking at the silent Xiaobai, the old mountain god sighed in boredom, shook his head and sat down. At this time, Xiaobai suddenly turned around and looked at him. Although his eyes were calm, the mountain god couldn’t help but shudder.

“I guess you secretly gave the secret recipe of Yunmeng Land to the fairy Tumi because you found it boring! You are the instigator of all this. I wonder how the kid from the Long family will deal with you after he knows about this.”

Xiaobai said this very calmly, then sat back on the wooden chair, holding the teacup and said no more.

The old mountain god heard this and complained bitterly in his heart – although he stole the recipe of Huitian Dan from Fairy Yao Ji, he just wanted to study it, and he didn’t intend to give it to Tu Mi, right? That little girl was very capable, and she tricked the recipe from him in a few moves. Now he has nowhere to complain, and he is afraid that Fairy Yao Ji will know about this, so he escaped from Yunmengze.

This is just like the fairy Yao Ji, whom he sees every day. If she knew about this, wouldn’t she be torn to pieces?

Now, Hui Tiandanfang didn’t know where the little fairy Tumi had put him. If he could find him and explain to Fairy Yaoji, he would have a chance to return to Yunmeng. That was the paradise of the gods! Unlike this world, it was now filled with evil spirits. Even if he stayed like this, he felt very uncomfortable.

The old mountain god took a sip of the immortal tea with a bitter face, but for some reason, the immortal tea tasted so bitter that it pierced his cheeks…

……

The Zhao residence was as quiet and peaceful as usual. Zhao Wuyang sat lazily under the porch basking in the sun, while Mrs. Qiao was embroidering a handkerchief. The sunlight shone through the old locust tree in the yard, dappling on Mrs. Qiao’s body, but her face was never obscured by the shadow of the old locust tree, as if the light grew on her face.

Zhao Wuyang opened his eyes and looked at his mother. He suddenly felt that it was not bad to live like this. It was quiet and leisurely. He looked at the old locust tree next to him. It seemed like an old man, just watching over them quietly.

But it wasn’t the old locust tree that had been silently protecting them…

Zhao Wuyang sighed secretly, his eyes filled with tears, but he said nothing, just rocking silently on the recliner…

How wonderful it would be if all this were true…

When he first stepped into this illusory place, he was confused for a long time, indulging in the love and care of his mother, but he knew that all this was not real.

He began to dislike himself. Why was he not controlled by illusions? Why was he so clear-headed and calm? Why was the mother in front of him so illusory?

Only then did Zhao Wuyang realize that the most sober person is actually the most painful, because many times, he can see through everything but is powerless to do anything.

Just when he was feeling mixed emotions, he heard a ringing of a bell. The sound of the bell was so clear and crisp that his heart seemed to calm down with the ringing of the bell.

Just at this moment, a black cat jumped onto Zhao Wuyang’s legs, scratched him for a while, then turned around, found a comfortable direction, and lay down with its back to him.

This scene was so familiar. He remembered that when he was a child, he and his mother often did this in the yard. While his mother was doing her own things, she would tell him some interesting stories, such as those about gods, monsters, and cultivating immortals.

Later, when he was older, still in the same courtyard, his mother still did her work, but she no longer talked about ancient stories with him, but would often check his homework.

After the examination, he and his mother would sit in the yard, basking in the warm sun, and the days would be peaceful. Every time, Ah Jin would jump on him and bask in the sunshine with them.

Looking at the shiny black fur of Ajin on his legs, Zhao Wuyang was distracted for a moment, and unconsciously raised his hand to touch him. At this moment, Ajin suddenly turned back to look at Zhao Wuyang, and those golden eyes seemed to be able to see through his heart even in this illusion.

Zhao Wuyang looked at the familiar eyes and was confused for a moment, but Ah Jin, who was staring at him, suddenly spoke:
“Nothing’s wrong! Don’t get addicted, keep your heart! Now is not the time to rest!”

This this……

Is this the real Jin?!
But after being surprised, when he looked again, Ajin actually lay down again, as if nothing had happened just now.

Zhao Wuyang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up, scaring Ah Jin so much that he jumped a few feet away. Before leaving, he stared at him and meowed twice as if complaining, completely losing his previous spirit. His action also seemed to scare Mrs. Qiao, who was concentrating on embroidering a handkerchief. She hurriedly asked what happened, her eyes full of concern.

Looking at this familiar face, Zhao Wuyang struggled for a long time, and finally made up his mind. He said with tears in his eyes: “After all, you are just an obsession in my heart. If I indulge in this, I will never be able to look forward, and I will never be able to grow up. I will never be able to become the kind of person you taught me to be since I was a child.”

After hearing what Zhao Wuyang said, Mrs. Qiao was stunned for a moment, then she started to laugh, her face full of joy and tenderness. She took the handkerchief she had just embroidered off the embroidery frame and handed it to Zhao Wuyang. Zhao Wuyang looked down and saw that the handkerchief was embroidered with neither mandarin ducks nor flowers, but a wild goose flapping its wings and about to take off.

“Child, there is no right or wrong in becoming a certain kind of person. You don’t have to listen to others about what kind of person you want to be. It’s all up to you.” Mrs. Qiao hugged Zhao Wuyang in her arms and stroked his head, as if she was extremely reluctant to let him go. Even Zhao Wuyang couldn’t tell whether this was an illusion or reality.

After a long time, Mrs. Qiao pushed Zhao Wuyang away and said softly, “Go!”

Suddenly, the scene in the courtyard rippled like water waves. Looking at the gradually blurred face of Mrs. Qiao, Zhao Wuyang finally regained his composure. He quickly reached out to grab his mother, but the scene in front of him became even more blurred. He was anxious and couldn’t help shouting:

“Mother!”

But as soon as he finished speaking, he fell into darkness, and in this darkness, Zhao Wuyang seemed to be asleep…

……

“Why don’t you save me…why don’t you save me…”

Like a complaint or a curse, Shao Xunxun’s shrill cries lingered in Lu Ying’s ears. But it wasn’t that he didn’t want to save him, but now Hui Wu was standing in front of him, how could he help him?
But Hui Wu didn’t seem to be in a hurry to kill him. He just looked at Lu Ying coldly without saying a word. Lu Ying didn’t know what he was thinking, so he just held his breath and was on guard.

But after being on guard for a long time, Hui Wu still didn’t make a move. Except for Shao Xunxuan who kept wailing with his arms stretched out, the two of them were stuck in this stalemate, as if they were cast under a spell of immobilization.

Lu Ying couldn’t bear to listen any longer. Shao Xunxun’s wailing made him extremely anxious. He quickly said to Hui Wu, “After all, we were once from the same sect. Why do you have to kill us all?”

Hearing this, Hui Wu stared at Lu Ying and sneered, “Fellow disciple? I consider him a fellow disciple, but he only considers me a servant. He is just born more noble, how is he superior to others?”

Lu Ying didn’t know how to answer. What Hui Wu said was indeed reasonable, but the world was like this now, and who could overturn it? That was why he went up the mountain to seek the truth! But…

“You don’t have to act so hypocritical,” Hui Wu continued, “You are just an accomplice who stands by and watches coldly. What’s the difference between you and him? Why do you act like this? It’s disgusting!”

These words made Lu Ying unable to refute. When he was in the sect, he had indeed seen everything Shao Xunxun did, but he had never done anything to help him, and he had never even said a word of justice. It was just…

But why did he feel like he had heard Huiwu’s words somewhere before?
Just as Lu Ying was frowning and thinking, Hui Wu suddenly attacked, and his demonic claws wrapped in black mist attacked Lu Ying’s face. Lu Ying was startled and drew his sword to resist, but Hui Wu smiled evilly, and when he was about to get close, he turned into a ball of black mist and disappeared.

Lu Ying was extremely surprised. He didn’t know what Hui Wu’s intention was. Was he trying to lure Hui Wu away in order to catch him off guard?
Just as he was puzzled, as the black fog dissipated, two arms suddenly hugged him tightly. It was Shao Xunxun who had been howling. Lu Ying could not move, and only heard Shao Xunxun’s head saying strangely: “Since you won’t save me, then turn into a demon with me!”

Just as he finished speaking, the lump of meat gradually rubbed Lu Ying into it, making a sound like frying oil skin, which was disgusting to look at.

Lu Ying was imprisoned and unable to move. After a while, he was completely absorbed by the stump, leaving only a piece of his robe hanging outside. But strangely, after being absorbed by the meat, although he could not feel his limbs, his thoughts were unusually clear, as if he was still himself.

But this rare clear mind was now trapped in darkness, unable to escape. At this moment, a series of voices kept colliding with his clarity.

“You are an accomplice! Birds of a feather!”

“Why don’t you save me, save me!”

“High-sounding and hypocritical!”

“I’m in so much pain! I don’t want to die!”

……

Lu Ying’s consciousness was constantly being attacked. He wanted to cry out, but what he heard in his ears was Shao Xunxuan’s howling, which was shrill, miserable and horrifying.

The wailing and complaining made Lu Ying a little dazed. He even felt that all this was his fault. If he hadn’t been so prudent and hadn’t turned a blind eye, so many things wouldn’t have happened, and the tragedy of his fellow disciples killing each other wouldn’t have happened.

It’s all my own fault…

It’s all my own fault…

Lu Ying gradually sank into despair, and he could no longer tell whether he was Shao Xunxuan or himself. At this moment, a beam of light suddenly came from a distance. Although he had no body, he could see it clearly and could clearly feel the warmth brought by the light.

“No one is perfect, and the seven emotions are inevitable. Therefore, those who practice Taoism need to correct their hearts and morals, discard the dross, and accept the essence. If people are good, treat them with kindness; if people are evil, benevolence and righteousness should not be done…”

This was the voice that echoed in his ears when he broke through the realm. Now that he thought about it, it actually came from Lingxiang’s mouth! Lu Ying suddenly remembered the theory of the fierce tiger and the weak rabbit that Lingxiang had told him before going down the mountain.

It is true that if you let the tiger go back to the mountains, the rabbits will be in danger, but if you let the weak rabbits continue to reproduce, the mountains and forests will be in danger. If the mountains and forests are in danger, all living things will be in danger!

The same is true for cause and effect. The cause of watching others in the past has resulted in the result of being devoured. It is just a cycle of cause and effect. What is there to be afraid of? Shao Xunxuan is now in this situation because of the cause in the past. Huiwu is now reaping the fruits of others’ actions and will eventually bear fruits in the future.

Thinking of this, Lu Ying’s consciousness suddenly became clear, and even his body, which had lost consciousness before, could feel it again. He felt that the self in his dantian, which was originally very illusory, could now feel more real.

Unexpectedly, this illusion caused Lu Ying to break through the second stage of foundation building!
And at the moment he broke through, the noise filling his ears suddenly quieted down, and the surroundings returned to silence again.

……

(End of this chapter)