194: Chapter 194 Farewell

With the resolution from Zixiao Palace settled, Lu Mingyuan did not immediately step into the depths of Chaos.

He stood at the boundary between Chaos and the Primordial World, looking back. That gaze pierced through the mists of Chaos, through the barriers of heaven and earth, and saw all living beings in the Three Realms. He saw the people guarding the outpost on Mount Buzhou, the people waiting by The Rift in the Northwest, and Xuanweizi's white hair in the ancient temple in Heyin City.

He had a myriad of reluctance in his heart, but he couldn't embark on his journey with it. Because reluctance was a rope that would pull him back. He had to cut the rope to go far. Cutting it wasn't forgetting; it was letting go. Letting go wasn't abandoning; it was carrying it with him. Carrying it with him without letting it trip him up.

"Baize, I want to go back for a trip."

"Go back? Where to?"

"Back to the Primordial World. To say goodbye to them."

Baize didn't object. It knew that saying goodbye wasn't weakness; it was courage. Only those who dared to say goodbye dared to go far. Those who didn't dare to say goodbye would forever have a thorn in their heart, a thorn that would prick them, making every step painful. They wouldn't go far, nor fast.

---

Huaguo Mountain, Water Curtain Cave.

Sun Wukong was drinking. He drank alone, very slowly, sipping bit by bit. The monkey soldiers dared not approach, because the Great King was in a bad mood today. Why was he in a bad mood? No one knew. But everyone knew that when the Great King was in a bad mood, it was best to stay far away from him.

Lu Mingyuan landed in front of the Water Curtain Cave.

"Old Sun."

Sun Wukong looked up, saw him, and his eyes lit up. That light vanished in a flash, replaced by a surge of anger. "Why are you here? Didn't you go to Chaos? Go! Go die! Go Mend the Heavens! Go be a hero! I can drink alone, I don't need you to bother!"

Lu Mingyuan walked over, sat beside him, picked up the wine pot, and took a sip.

"Good wine."

"Of course it's good wine. The wine from Huaguo Mountain is the best in the Three Realms."

"Then I must drink a few more sips."

"Drink! Drink up and then scram!"

Lu Mingyuan didn't leave. He put down the wine pot and looked at Sun Wukong. This monkey who sprang from a stone, this Great Sage Equal to Heaven who wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, this pilgrim who protected Tang Sanzang for fourteen years on the Journey to the West, this Victorious Fighting Buddha who led his monkey soldiers in the bloody battle at Spirit Mountain. In his eyes, there was fire, light, and tears.

"Old Sun, I'm leaving."

"I know."

"To Chaos."

"I know."

"I don't know how long I'll be gone."

"I know."

"Perhaps I won't return."

"Nonsense!" Sun Wukong slammed the stone table, making the wine pot jump. "You won't return? If you don't return, I'll go to Chaos to find you! No matter how vast Chaos is, it's no match for my golden cudgel! No matter how many Demon Gods there are, they're no match for my hairs! Do you believe me?"

"I believe you."

"Then don't talk about not returning."

"Alright. I won't say it anymore."

Both fell silent. The wind blew through the Water Curtain Cave, the sound of the waterfall was loud, but they could hear each other's breathing. Sun Wukong's breathing was rapid, like a drumbeat. Lu Mingyuan's breathing was slow, like flowing water.

"Old Sun, after I'm gone, keep an eye on the Northwest for me."

"Why should I?"

"Because you are the Great Sage Equal to Heaven."

"The title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven has long been gone."

"But your heart still is."

Sun Wukong said nothing. He looked at Lu Mingyuan for a long time. Then he reached out, clenched his hand into a fist, and pounded Lu Mingyuan's shoulder. That punch was heavy, heavy as a mountain. But Lu Mingyuan didn't dodge, nor did he cry out in pain. He smiled, and as he smiled, his eyes turned red.

"I'll wait for you to come back," Sun Wukong said. "If I don't wait for you, I'll go to Chaos to find you. If I can't find you, I'll cause a ruckus in Chaos. I'll turn heaven and earth upside down, I'll split Chaos open, until you come out."

"Alright."

Lu Mingyuan stood up and hugged Sun Wukong. The embrace was short, short as a flash of lightning. But the embrace was warm, warm as the sun. Sun Wukong's body was hard, hard as stone. But his heart was soft, soft as water.

"I'm leaving."

"Scram then."

Lu Mingyuan turned and flew into the sky. Behind him, Sun Wukong stood in front of the Water Curtain Cave, holding his golden cudgel, a tear in his eye. That tear didn't fall, because he was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and the Great Sage Equal to Heaven didn't cry. But he was crying inside, crying like the waterfall of Huaguo Mountain, gushing ceaselessly.

---

Guanjiang Estuary, True Lord Temple.

Yang Jian was practicing with his blade. His blade was fast, so fast that the blade itself was invisible, only the gleam of the blade could be seen. That light danced in the moonlight, like a silver Dragon. The silver Dragon circled, rolled, and chopped in the air, slicing the air into pieces.

Lu Mingyuan landed in front of the temple.

"Brother Yang."

Yang Jian sheathed his blade, turned, and looked at him. His eyes were cold, cold as ice. But beneath that ice was fire, magma, something burning hot.

"You're leaving?"

"I'm leaving."

"To Chaos?"

"To Chaos."

"I'll go with you."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because Chaos is my path, not yours. Your path is here, at Guanjiang Estuary, in the mortal world, by the side of those who need protection. If I leave, this place needs you even more."

Yang Jian said nothing. He put his blade back into its sheath, walked up to Lu Mingyuan, and extended his hand. Lu Mingyuan grasped his hand. Both their hands were hard, hard as iron. But in that iron was warmth, blood flow, and a heartbeat.

"There is no time in Chaos," Yang Jian said. "You might feel like you've been gone a long time, but it's only an instant. You might feel it's only an instant, but ten thousand years might have passed. Don't get lost."

"I won't. I have a lamp."

"A lamp?"

Lu Mingyuan took out Zhao Sanniang's oil lamp from his embrace. The lamp was still lit, flickering like a beating heart.

"An old woman gave it to me. She said, if the lamp is lit, I'll know the way home."

Yang Jian looked at the lamp for a long time. Then he nodded. "A good lamp. With it, you won't get lost."

"Brother Yang, after I'm gone, Sun Wukong will be watching the Northwest. You help me watch him. He has a hot temper and is prone to impulsiveness. When he gets impulsive, no one can stop him. You can stop him."

"I can't stop him."

"You can. Because you are Yang Jian. If you can even stop Sun Wukong, what can't you stop?"

The corner of Yang Jian's mouth twitched, a smile. He rarely smiled, but when he did, it was beautiful. Like a flower blooming on ice, cold and aloof, yet warm.

"I'll wait for you to come back," Yang Jian said. "If I don't wait for you, I'll go to Chaos with that monkey to find you. By then, the three of us will cause a ruckus together, turning heaven and earth upside down."

"Alright."

Lu Mingyuan turned and flew into the sky. Behind him, Yang Jian stood in front of the True Lord Temple, holding his three-pointed double-edged blade, a light in his eyes. That light was cold, cold as ice. But in that ice was fire, hope, and waiting.

---

Northwest, Buzhou Mountain Ruins.

Zhang Qingyuan, Zhou Zheng, Liu Rushi, Shi Hu, Liu Laogen, Zhao Sanniang, and all three hundred and eighty people were there. They stood on the hillside, in the wind, under the moonlight. No one spoke, only the wind blew.

Lu Mingyuan descended, looking at them.

"I'm back again."

"We knew you'd come back," Zhang Qingyuan said. "You can't bear to leave us."

"I can't."

"Then don't leave."

"No. I must go."

Zhang Qingyuan fell silent. He was Lu Mingyuan's first Disciple, having followed him since Zhangjiaji. He had witnessed Lu Mingyuan's every Breakthrough, every Epiphany, every fall and rise. He knew that the path Master had to take, no one could stop. If they couldn't stop him, they could only see him off. If they couldn't see him to the end, they could see him off for a stretch. A stretch seen off was a stretch counted.

"Master, if you leave, what about the Northwest?"

"I leave it to you."

"Can we hold it?"

"You can."

"What if we can't?"

"Then run. Once you run, don't look back. Living is better than dying. If you live, you can wait for me to come back. When I come back, I can make up for the places you couldn't hold."

Zhang Qingyuan nodded. He didn't ask anymore, because Master had already said all that needed to be said. The rest wasn't to be spoken, but to be done with one's life.

Zhou Zheng stepped forward and hugged Lu Mingyuan. He was a Loose Cultivator, rescued by Lu Mingyuan from a Demon General. Since then, he had followed Lu Mingyuan and never left. His life was given by Lu Mingyuan, and he would use this life where Lu Mingyuan wanted him to.

"Sir, when you leave, I will look after them for you."

"Good."

"When you return, I'll be the first to greet you."

"Good."

"If you don't return, I'll go find you."

"Don't look. You won't find me even if you do. Chaos is too vast."

"Then I'll wait at the edge of Chaos. I'll wait until the end of time, until the seas dry and rocks crumble, until you emerge."

Lu Mingyuan patted his shoulder, saying nothing. No words were needed; they both understood.

Liu Rushi stepped forward. She was the liaison for the Loose Cultivator Alliance, sent three months ago for support, and then she didn't leave. Because she found a home here, found brothers and sisters, found things worth guarding with her life.

"Mr. Lu, I don't have much ability. I only know how to send messages. When you leave, I'll send messages for you. I'll spread the news of the Northwest throughout the Three Realms, letting everyone know that there are people guarding here, people waiting, people Mending the Heavens."

"Good."

Shi Hu stepped forward. He was a hunter by trade and wasn't good with pretty words. He just said: "Mr. Lu, you go. We'll guard. Whenever you come back, we'll hand over our shift."

"Good."

Liu Laogen stepped forward. He was a sentinel, guarding the river valley for three months. His legs weren't good, and standing for long hurt. But he never sat down, because sitting down meant he couldn't see the river, and not seeing the river meant Devilish Qi could leak, and Devilish Qi leaking would harm the people to the south.

"Mr. Lu, you go. I won't see you off. I'll guard. When you return, I'll greet you."

"Good."

Zhao Sanniang was the last to step forward. She said nothing, just looked at Lu Mingyuan, at his eyes, at his face, at the lamp in his hand. The lamp was still lit, flickering like a beating heart.

"The lamp is still lit," she said.

"Still lit."

"Don't let it go out."

"I won't."

"If it goes out, you won't find your way home."

"I know."

Zhao Sanniang reached out and touched the lamp. Her hand was rough, rough as tree bark. But that hand was warm, warm as spring. She touched the lamp as if touching a child's heart.

"Go," she said. "Don't look back. If you look back, you won't go far."

Lu Mingyuan looked at her, wanting to say something, but nothing came out. Because he knew that Zhao Sanniang had given him her heart, and he was taking it away. The heart taken away must be brought back. If he couldn't bring it back, Zhao Sanniang's heart would be empty. And once empty, it could never be filled again.

He turned, facing the direction of Chaos. Baize crouched on his shoulder, the oil lamp held in his hand.

"I'm leaving," he said.

No one answered. Only the wind blew.

He took a step and walked. Not hurried, not agitated, not clinging. He walked slowly, steadily, lightly. One step at a time. One day at a time. One year at a time.

Behind him, three hundred and eighty people stood. They didn't leave, didn't disperse, didn't retreat. They stood there, on Mount Buzhou, in the wind, under the moonlight. There was light in their eyes, a weak light, weak as a firefly. But that light wouldn't extinguish, no matter how strong the wind, how deep the darkness, how heavy the despair.

That light was called waiting. That light was called steadfastness. That light was called hope.

That light was called Lu Mingyuan.

---

Baize crouched on Lu Mingyuan's shoulder, looked at the distant figures, and suddenly spoke.

"Do you know why they are willing to follow you?"

"I don't know."

"Because you treat them as people. Not pawns, not tools, not cannon fodder. But people. People of flesh and blood. People who feel pain, who cry, who are afraid, who miss home."

Lu Mingyuan said nothing.

"In this world, many people treat others as ladders, stepping on them to climb high, then kicking the ladder away. You don't. You treat others as a path, but you don't step on them; you walk with them. As you walk, you become fellow travelers. Fellow travelers don't abandon each other."

"So I have to come back."

"Yes. You have to come back. If you don't, their wait will be in vain."

"I won't let them wait in vain."

"I know."

Chaos was in the distance. There was no sky, no earth, no time, no space. Only a vast gray expanse, like the world before its creation. It was the origin of all things, and the destination of all Dharma.

Lu Mingyuan walked in. The lamp was still lit, flickering.

That light shone in Chaos. Very weak, weak as a firefly. But that light would not extinguish, because behind him, three hundred and eighty hearts were beating, Sun Wukong, Yang Jian, and Nezha's fists were clenched, and Zhao Sanniang's lamp was shining.