144: Chapter 144 The More Reason Is Revealed
---
Outside the Zixiao Palace, the Chaos was silent.
Inside the Zixiao Palace, only the Seven Saints remained.
They gazed in the direction Lu Mingyuan had departed, silent for a long time.
That direction led into the depths of the Chaos.
It was the place Lu Mingyuan had entered.
It was his own path.
Finally, Yuanshi Tianzun spoke.
"Only with his departure has the Great Debate of Zixiao truly concluded."
Laozi nodded.
"Yes. During the debate, the principles were on our tongues. After the debate, the principles are in our hearts. He took those principles with him to walk his own path. If he walks it through, the principles become true."
Tongtian Jiaozhu looked into the depths of the Chaos.
"Do you think he can walk it through?"
Jieyin smiled.
"Whether he can walk it through is not up to us. It is up to him."
Zhunti said:
"It is up to him, and also to the path. If the path is walkable, he can walk it. If the path is impassable, he will find another. He is the one that escaped; he will always find a way."
Nüwa looked in the direction he had left, a trace of worry in her gaze.
"But his Heart Demon will not be light."
Houtu nodded.
"I preside over Reincarnation and have seen the Heart Demons of countless people. The further one walks, the heavier the Heart Demon. The more one gains, the more complex the Heart Demon. On this journey, he has received the Legacy of seven schools; his heart holds too much. If those things cannot be transformed, they will become demons."
Yuanshi Tianzun remained silent for a moment.
Then, he said:
"Then we shall see how he transforms them."
---
Outside the Zixiao Palace, within the Chaos.
Lu Mingyuan walked.
He did not know where to go.
He only knew to move forward.
One step at a time.
But as he walked, he suddenly realized something was amiss with his surroundings.
The Chaos was no longer a monotonous expanse of grey.
It began to have color.
It began to have form.
It began to have... things.
He stopped and looked around.
Those colors were shifting.
Those forms were twisting.
Those things were moving closer to him.
He tightened his grip on the Green Bamboo Staff.
"Who's there?"
No one answered.
Only those colors, those forms, those things, drawing nearer.
Drawing nearer.
Then, he saw it.
That was... Tieniu.
---
Tieniu stood there, looking at him.
Still that honest, simple face.
Still those honest, simple eyes.
Still that honest, simple smile.
But there was something in that smile.
Something that said, "How are you still alive?"
Lu Mingyuan was stunned.
"Tieniu?"
Tieniu did not speak.
He just looked at him.
Looked at him.
Until it made Lu Mingyuan's heart crawl.
Lu Mingyuan took a step forward.
"Tieniu, how are you here?"
Tieniu spoke.
"Why can't I be here?"
His voice was the same as in life.
But there was something in that voice.
Something that did not belong to Tieniu.
Lu Mingyuan said:
"You're dead. I buried you with my own hands."
Tieniu smiled.
That smile was very cold.
"Right. I'm dead. I died for you."
He looked at Lu Mingyuan.
"I took that blow for you, and I died. You live. You live well. You stand here, listening to the Saints lecture, receiving the Saints' transmissions, walking your own path. And me? I lie in the earth, knowing nothing."
Lu Mingyuan stood there, listening.
As he listened, his heart began to ache.
That ache was not physical pain.
It was the ache of the heart.
The ache of having one's most painful spot prodded.
He looked at Tieniu.
"Tieniu, I'm sorry..."
Tieniu cut him off.
"What use is sorry? Can sorry bring me back to life? Can sorry let me stand here too, listening to the Saints lecture? Can sorry let me walk my own path too?"
He looked at Lu Mingyuan.
"You owe me. You'll owe me for a lifetime."
---
Lu Mingyuan stood there, unable to speak.
He knew what Tieniu said was true.
Tieniu had taken that blow for him.
Tieniu had died for him.
He lived.
That was the fact.
An undeniable fact.
He looked at Tieniu, his eyes reddening.
"Tieniu, I... I think of you every day. Every time the Demon Tide comes, I think of you. Every time a Loose Cultivator falls, I think of you. Every time I stand before The Rift, I think of you."
Tieniu sneered.
"What use is thinking? Can thinking bring me back to life?"
Lu Mingyuan shook his head.
"No."
Tieniu asked:
"Then why do you still think?"
Lu Mingyuan said:
"I think of you because you are in my heart. With you in my heart, I do not stand alone. With you in my heart, I know the blow you took for me was not in vain. With you in my heart, I know I must keep walking for you."
He looked at Tieniu.
"I cannot let your death be in vain."
Tieniu looked at him, something appearing in his gaze.
That something was complex.
There was hatred, unwillingness, resentment, and also... a trace of something indescribable.
He spoke.
"But I am still dead."
Lu Mingyuan nodded.
"Yes. You are still dead. I cannot bring you back to life. I cannot have you stand here too. I cannot have you walk your own path too."
He paused.
"But I can let you live on in my heart. I can let you live on in what I do. I can let you live on in the path I walk."
He looked at Tieniu.
"You died, but you did not die in vain. Because you still live. You live on in my heart. You live on in what I do. You live on in the path I walk."
---
Tieniu fell silent.
For a very, very long time.
Then, he suddenly smiled.
That smile was no longer cold.
It was that honest, familiar, Tieniu smile.
He looked at Lu Mingyuan.
"Alright, I'm leaving."
Lu Mingyuan was taken aback.
"Leaving? Going where?"
Tieniu said:
"Back to where I belong."
He looked at Lu Mingyuan.
"I just came to see if you were doing well. To see if you remembered me. To see if you were living well for me."
He paused.
"You're living well. I can rest easy."
Then, his figure began to fade.
Growing fainter.
Growing fainter.
Lu Mingyuan reached out, wanting to grasp him.
But grasped only air.
Tieniu looked at him and smiled one last time.
"The living must keep walking for the dead. That's what you said. Don't forget."
Then, he vanished.
Vanished into the grey expanse of Chaos.
Vanished completely.
As if he had never been there.
---
Lu Mingyuan stood there, looking at the spot where Tieniu had vanished.
His hand still outstretched.
Tears streamed down.
He knew that was not the real Tieniu.
That was his Heart Demon.
That was the guilt in his heart, taking Tieniu's form, coming to question him.
But he wished it had been the real Tieniu.
He wished Tieniu had truly come.
He wished Tieniu had truly asked him those questions.
Because he could not ask himself those questions.
Because he could not answer himself those questions.
Now, Tieniu had asked.
He had answered.
Tieniu had left.
But his heart felt a little lighter.
Not completely light.
But the slight lightness that comes after being questioned and answering.
He stood there, wiped his tears.
Then, continued walking forward.
---
As he walked, his surroundings changed again.
No longer the grey Chaos.
It became a room.
A familiar room.
It was that room in Heyin city.
The room where he copied books to make a living.
The room before he met Master Xuanweizi.
In the room, there was a person.
A young man.
Sitting at the desk, copying books.
That young man wore coarse cloth clothes, had calluses on his hands, and weariness on his face.
That was... himself.
It was Lu Mingyuan at twenty.
The Lu Mingyuan who had not yet met Xuanweizi.
The Lu Mingyuan who did not yet know what cultivation was.
Lu Mingyuan stood there, looking at that young man.
That young man suddenly looked up and stared at him.
"Who are you?"
Lu Mingyuan did not know how to answer.
He looked at that young man.
Looked into those eyes.
In those eyes was weariness, confusion, uncertainty about the future.
That was him not long ago.
That was him before he began walking.
That was him who did not yet know where he would go.
---
The young man asked again.
"Who are you?"
Lu Mingyuan spoke.
"I am you."
The young man was stunned.
"Me?"
Lu Mingyuan nodded.
"Yes. I am you. I am you twenty years from now."
The young man looked at him, something appearing in his gaze.
There was doubt, disbelief, and also... a trace of curiosity.
"Me twenty years from now? What am I like twenty years from now?"
Lu Mingyuan thought for a moment.
"Twenty years from now, you have walked many paths. You have been to the Three Mountains of Daoism, the Three Temples of Buddhism, the Three Academies of Confucianism, and the Three Sects of Martial Arts. You have met many people. Done many things. Killed many demon soldiers. Saved many people."
He looked at the young man.
"Twenty years from now, you have stood before The Rift, stood within the Demon Tide, stood inside the Zixiao Palace. You have listened to the Saints lecture, received their transmissions, debated all the immortals under heaven."
The young man listened, his eyes widening.
"Really?"
Lu Mingyuan nodded.
"Really."
The young man asked:
"Then am I, twenty years from now, powerful?"
Lu Mingyuan smiled.
"Powerful. Very powerful."
The young man asked again:
"Then am I, twenty years from now, happy?"
This question made Lu Mingyuan pause.
Happy?
He thought about it.
When at The Rift, he was not happy.
Watching Loose Cultivators die, he was not happy.
Remembering Tieniu, he was not happy.
Having his heart filled with the Saints' transmissions, he was not happy either.
But were there times he was happy?
Yes.
Drinking with Sun Wukong, he was happy.
Discussing martial arts with Yang Jian, he was happy.
Standing together with Fa Ming, Zhang Lingyun, Li Haoran, Yue Wushuang, he was happy.
When Zhenyuanzi said 'the Ginseng Fruits are plentiful,' he was happy.
That final smile Tieniu gave before leaving, that also brought happiness.
He looked at the young man.
"There are times of happiness. And times of unhappiness."
The young man asked:
"So, in the end, is it happiness, or unhappiness?"
Lu Mingyuan thought about it.
[part:gemini-3.0-flash]
"When I'm happy, I'm truly happy. When I'm unhappy, I'm truly unhappy. But regardless of being happy or not, the path is right there. I must walk. I must keep walking."
---
The young man looked at him for a long, long time.
Then, he asked a question.
"Is it worth it?"
Lu Mingyuan asked:
"Is what worth it?"
The young man said:
"Walking so many paths, meeting so many people, doing so many things, killing so many demon soldiers, saving so many people—is it worth it?"
He looked at Lu Mingyuan.
"You stand here with so many things on your shoulders and such weight in your heart—is it worth it?"
This question was asked very deeply.
It struck at the very root.
Lu Mingyuan stood there, looking at the young man.
Looking at the self who hadn't started walking yet.
He remembered the words of Master Xuanweizi.
He remembered the days and nights at The Rift.
He remembered Tie Niu, the Loose Cultivators, Sun Wukong, Yang Jian, Fa Ming, Zhang Lingyun, Li Haoran, and Yue Wushuang.
He remembered the Saints in Zixiao Palace, those debates, and the transmission of the Dao.
He looked at the young man.
"It's worth it."
The young man asked:
"Why?"
Lu Mingyuan said:
"Because once you've walked it, you know. Because once you've stood there, you understand. Because once you've done it, you don't regret it."
He looked at the young man.
"Before you walk, you don't know what lies ahead. Once you walk, you know. Even if you know there is bitterness, hardship, and death ahead, you still know. Knowing makes it worth it."
The young man looked at him, and light appeared in his gaze.
That light was the light of understanding.
He nodded.
"Then I'm going."
Lu Mingyuan asked:
"Where to?"
The young man smiled.
"To walk my path."
Then, his figure began to fade.
Fainter and fainter.
Fainter and fainter.
Finally, he smiled.
"Me from twenty years in the future, thank you for telling me this."
Then, he disappeared.
Disappeared in that room.
Disappeared before that table.
Disappeared under that oil lamp.
---
Lu Mingyuan stood there, looking at the place where the young man had vanished.
He knew that wasn't the real him.
That was his Heart Demon.
It was the confusion in his heart taking his own form to question him.
But the questions that confused self asked were real.
Is it worth it?
Are you happy?
What will I be like twenty years from now?
He stood there and thought for a moment.
Then, he smiled.
That smile was very light.
As light as the wind.
But within that wind, there was something.
There was the relief of finally having understood.
He continued walking forward.
---
As he walked, his surroundings changed again.
They turned into a mountain.
A familiar mountain.
It was Zhongnan Mountain.
The mountain where the ancient temple was located.
The place where he met Master Xuanweizi.
On the mountain path, there was a person.
An old man.
Standing by the roadside, watching him.
It was Master Xuanweizi.
Lu Mingyuan walked over quickly.
"Master!"
Xuanweizi looked at him and smiled.
That smile was the same as before.
Gentle, kind, like looking at his own child.
"You've come?"
Lu Mingyuan nodded.
"I've come."
Xuanweizi asked:
"Are you tired of walking?"
Lu Mingyuan thought for a moment.
"A little."
Xuanweizi said:
"If you are tired, rest for a while. Once rested, walk again."
Lu Mingyuan stood there, looking at Xuanweizi.
Looking at that familiar face.
Looking at those gentle eyes.
He suddenly remembered many things.
Remembering that rainy night when he met Xuanweizi in the ancient temple.
Remembering Xuanweizi teaching him the Classic of Purity and Tranquility and the introductory Mind-Cultivation Technique.
Remembering Xuanweizi giving him the Green Bamboo Staff, Jade Pendant, and qiankun bag.
Remembering Xuanweizi seeing him off down the mountain, saying 'cultivation is walking'.
Remembering Xuanweizi waiting for his return at Zhongnan Mountain to help him in Undergoing Tribulation.
He looked at Xuanweizi.
"Master, did your Disciple walk the right path?"
---
Xuanweizi looked at him.
"What do you think?"
Lu Mingyuan thought for a moment.
"I don't know."
Xuanweizi asked:
"Don't know what?"
Lu Mingyuan said:
"I don't know if the path I walked was right. I don't know if the things I did were proper. I don't know if the Dao I attained is true. I don't know... if Master will be disappointed."
Xuanweizi smiled.
That smile was very gentle.
"Child, the path you walk is your own path. Whether it is right or wrong lies not with your Master, but with you. The things you do are your own affairs. Whether they are proper or not lies not with your Master, but with you. The Dao you attain is your own Dao. Whether it is true or not lies not with your Master, but with you."
He looked at Lu Mingyuan.
"Master has only one question."
Lu Mingyuan asked:
"What question?"
Xuanweizi said:
"Will you still walk?"
Lu Mingyuan froze.
"Will I still walk?"
Xuanweizi nodded.
"Correct. Will you still walk? Regardless of right or wrong, regardless of propriety, regardless of truth—will you still walk?"
Lu Mingyuan stood there, thinking about this question.
Will I still walk?
He remembered the days and nights at The Rift.
He remembered those Loose Cultivators, those demon soldiers, those battles, and those who had died.
He remembered those debates in Zixiao Palace, those transmissions of the Dao, and those gazes.
He remembered Tie Niu, his younger self, and Master Xuanweizi.
He spoke.
"Yes."
He looked at Xuanweizi.
"Your Disciple will still walk."
Xuanweizi asked:
"Why?"
Lu Mingyuan said:
"Because if I don't walk, I won't know what lies ahead. Because if I don't walk, I would be failing those who stood in my stead. Because if I don't walk, I would no longer be a Disciple."
He looked at Xuanweizi.
"What Master taught me was to walk. By walking, I am following Master's words. If I do not walk, I am disobeying Master."
Xuanweizi smiled.
That smile was full of gratification.
"Good. Walk. Keep walking. Walk until the day you can walk no more."
He reached out and patted Lu Mingyuan on the head.
That hand was very light.
As light as the wind.
But within that wind, there was something.
There was a Master's recognition of his Disciple.
There was an elder's blessing for a child.
There was the gaze of the path's starting point watching the path's distant horizon.
Then, his figure also began to fade.
Fainter and fainter.
Fainter and fainter.
Finally, he smiled.
"Child, Master will wait for you at the end."
Then, he disappeared.
Disappeared on that mountain path.
Disappeared before that ancient temple.
Disappeared into the mists of Zhongnan Mountain.
---
Lu Mingyuan stood there, looking at the place where Xuanweizi had vanished.
Tears fell once again.
But this time, they were not tears of sorrow.
They were tears of finally being recognized.
They were tears of finally knowing where to go.
They were tears of no longer being confused.
He stood there and wiped away his tears.
Then, he bowed deeply toward the place where Xuanweizi had disappeared.
"Master, I understand. I will keep walking. I will walk until the day I can walk no more. I will walk to the end. I will walk to where you are waiting for me."
Then, he straightened up.
He continued walking forward.
---
As he walked, the surrounding Chaos slowly returned to its original state.
A gray expanse.
Nothing at all.
But he knew that something had changed.
The things in his heart no longer weighed him down.
Those Legacies, those Daoist arts, those expectations, those entrustments—they were still there.
But they were no longer a burden in his heart.
They had become the path beneath his feet.
They had become the strength for his stride.
They had become his reason to keep going.
He walked.
Step by step.
Not fast.
Not slow.
He just walked.
---
Suddenly, he felt something.
He stopped.
Looking ahead.
In the Chaos ahead, there was light.
That light was very bright.
Dazzlingly bright.
But within that brightness, there was something.
There was a path.
A path leading further beyond.
A path leading to where he was meant to go.
He looked at the light.
He smiled.
That smile was very light.
As light as the wind.
But within that wind, there was something.
There was the clarity that only someone who has finally emerged from confusion can possess.
He spoke.
"The clearer the truth, the clearer the path. Debating without results, the result lies in the walking. Passing on without doubt, the doubt lies in the realization. Once you have walked it, you will know. Once you have realized it, you will understand."
He paused.
"My thanks to all the Seniors. My thanks to those who have died. My thanks to my younger self. My thanks to Master."
Then, he took a step.
Toward the light.
Toward the path.
Toward the place he was meant to walk next.
He walked on.
---
In Zixiao Palace, the Seven Saints were still looking in that direction.
Suddenly, Laozi smiled.
That smile was very faint.
But within that faintness, there was something.
There was gratification.
Yuanshi Tianzun asked:
"What happened?"
Laozi said:
"He has walked out."
Sect Leader Tongtian asked:
"Walked out from where?"
Laozi said:
"He has walked out from within his own heart."
Jieyin nodded.
"The Heart Demon is broken."
Zhunti said:
"One broken, three to go."
Nuwa said:
"But this one was the most difficult."
Houtu asked:
"The most difficult? Which one?"
Nuwa said:
"Doubt. Doubting oneself. Doubting one's path. Doubting one's Dao. Doubting if one is worth it. Doubting if one is worthy. Doubting if one should."
She paused.
"This Doubt is broken. The following Fear, Obsession, and Self will be easy to break."
Yuanshi Tianzun nodded.
"Yes. Doubt is the root. Once the root is broken, the branches and leaves are easy to prune."
He looked into the depths of Chaos.
"Now we shall see how he prunes those branches and leaves."
---
Amidst the Chaos, Lu Mingyuan continued walking.
Toward the light.
Toward the path.
Toward the place he was meant to go.
He didn't know what else lay ahead.
He didn't know how many more Heart Demons were waiting for him.
He didn't know how much further he had to walk.
But he walked on.
Because as he walks, he will know.
Because as he walks, he will understand.
Because as he walks, he will arrive.
The truth becomes clearer.
The path becomes clearer.
Just walk.