Techniques and Dao

Chapter 234 Epilogue
If emptiness and the veil of the year star disappear together.

Guanyin Bodhisattva removed the golden shackles from Hua Sheng's body, and Hua Sheng and Mieying bowed in gratitude to the Bodhisattva.

Looking at the ruins scattered everywhere, Guanyin sighed, "I bear responsibility for this tragedy at the Zen temple. I should go to the Buddha to apologize, and ultimately give an explanation to the Heavenly Court and the Holy Court."

Hua Sheng said, "Bodhisattva, there are many reasons for this matter, but the main blame lies with me alone."

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva glanced at Hua Sheng and said, "Are you the disciple who won the Victorious Buddha's guide?"

Hua Sheng, seeing that Guanyin Bodhisattva knew him, quickly said, "Indeed, disciple Hua Sheng greets the Bodhisattva."

Guanzizai smiled faintly and said, "The fact that the Victorious Fighting Buddha was willing to lend you the Golden Cudgel shows that you are no ordinary person. However, since you have the blood of the Phoenix Spirit, you must be extremely cautious in your actions to avoid causing further bloodshed."

Hua Sheng exclaimed in surprise, "Ah? This... Please enlighten me, Bodhisattva."

Guanzizai shook his head and said, "It has not been easy to get to this point. Do not look back on the past."

Guanzizai raised his left hand, and a jade bottle appeared in his palm. He gently picked up a willow branch and sprinkled it downwards. The wounds on Huasheng, Mieying, Buxu and others were immediately healed as soon as the sweet dew was sprinkled on them.

Looking at the rubble everywhere, Mieying asked, "Bodhisattva, what will become of the Great Thousand Zen Temple...?"

Guanzizai said, "Times have changed. Perhaps the temple's fate is sealed."

He glanced at Hua Sheng and continued, "Having gone through this ordeal, the laws that were changed to save Ruo Kong back then also ended up here. Perhaps there will never be another orphan like you again."

Having said that, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, dressed in plain clothes, drifted away and disappeared.

The sky and earth darkened, and a vast expanse of snow began to fall again.

After bowing deeply to see Guanyin Bodhisattva off, Hua Sheng raised her head and, thinking of her experiences over the past three days, felt a surge of sorrow. She staggered a few steps and fell to the ground on the stone steps.

Although the wound in his heart had healed, it still ached faintly, reminding Hua Sheng of Ruo Kong, who shared a similar fate. He couldn't bring himself to hate the gentle monk. They were both orphans, both called ants, both tightly bound by the veil of the yearning star, and both ultimately carrying a deep wound in their hearts.

Hua Sheng was lucky; Jane saved his life. But for Ruo Kong, who went alone to another time and space, only death awaited him.

Thinking of Ruokong, I also think of Weiyu, who was wearing the veil of the Year Star. Ruokong and Weiyu were both people close to me, but in the end, fate forced them onto a path of life and death. Knowing it was a dead end, Huasheng could not escape it.

Wei Yu and Ruo Kong are not bad people; they just want to do the right thing.

Who was at fault? What did I do wrong to make everything irreversible? Hua Sheng couldn't find the answers.

He stared blankly at the fragments of the Thousand-Year Incense Burner scattered on the ground, recalling the scene he had seen when he pierced through the veil of Jupiter.

"So it turns out that Ruokong was the one who gave Weiyu the Suixing Yarn. That's why Weiyu...recognized him back then."

This brought Hua Sheng's thoughts back to the past, to a dream he had during the third round of the Heavenly Eye Trial. In the dream, he met Wei Yu at Xuanwu Divine Mountain.

Wei Yu was crying alone at the time, and mentioned "the Great Monk" in her voice. Now it seems that this was not Hua Sheng's imagination. When Wei Yu met Ruo Kong just now, she also called him "the Great Monk".

That wasn't a dream; it was the "contaminated" Heavenly Eye Trial. Perhaps it was Wei Yu who was corrupting the Immortal Array. Because Wei Yu was an outsider, she possessed a power that was beyond our comprehension, which corrupted the Immortal Array.

"so……"

Hua Sheng thought to himself, wasn't the building covered in vines and the city in the rain in the third game a fusion of Ming You's world and "Qiao Hezi"? Perhaps there were other things mixed in, but this scene was definitely not wrong.

In an instant, Hua Sheng found the answers to many of his questions. Although many things remained unclear, all the mysteries would eventually be solved. Wei Yu must have really said those words in his dream; she must remember them. But Hua Sheng would never have the chance to verify them again. Whether in the world of magic or that mad world, he could never ask Wei Yu face to face again.

Some things we only realize the terrifying power of time after they've passed. Time doesn't just take away time itself, but also emotions, opportunities, choices, all possibilities in life, and life itself.

Even with the seemingly time-reversing magic of the Year Star Veil, its owner cannot escape the passage of time.

Moreover, without the gauze of time, life is but a speck of dust blown by the winds of time.

White-haired Mieying walked over and sat down next to Huasheng. When she rested her head on Huasheng's shoulder, Xiaoqi, who had turned brown-haired, asked, "Why did Ruokong give the Suixing Sha to Weiyu?"

Looking at the haggard-looking Mieying, Hua Sheng felt a mix of emotions and shook his head, saying, "Perhaps Ruokong saw something with the Year Star Veil. This may have happened in the past, or it may happen in the future."

Mieying said softly, "The past changes the future, and the future changes the past. Is this what Ruokong meant by reincarnation?"

Hua Sheng remained silent.

Mieying continued, "Now that they've all left, isn't it all over?"

"I don't know..." Hua Sheng leaned her head against Mie Ying and said, "I thought everything was real, but after learning the truth about how the Starry Sky Veil was condensed, I don't even... I don't even know if this moment is really happening."

Mieying asked softly, "So, do you like this?"

Hua Sheng nodded.

Mieying smiled knowingly and said, "Huasheng, do you remember the night before last when it snowed just as heavily? We couldn't fly, so we had to run for our lives. The road was really difficult back then. Even if the road ahead is even more difficult, I will still accompany you."

Hanamori smiled too. "Everything that means something to me is here, especially you. But I have to find an answer. If there is no answer, everything may just vanish like smoke."

"So, will I, too, become nothing more than a fleeting memory?"

"I don't know, but at least we wouldn't be like this now."

Mie Ying said thoughtfully, "I like it the way it is now."

Hanamori continued, "If this world didn't exist, I'd rather die. Really, death isn't scary to me; what I fear is losing all of this."

Mieying did not answer, but Huasheng felt her clothes on her shoulders were soaked with her tears.

Hua Sheng said softly, "Even if it costs me my life, I will never let this stop."

Mieying said, "Your present and your future belong to me, so I'll accept your past as well. Isn't your affection the reason I like you?"

Hua Sheng and Mie Ying sat quietly on the stone steps.

Hua Sheng thought, "Yes, a lifetime is nothing more than a speck of dust blown by the winds of time. But after all, it's not just your life, it's also the life of the person you love."

The snow was falling heavily, but it was no longer cold.

The glistening snowflakes covered the incense burner and turned their heads white.

(End of this chapter)