"As Ning Que headed towards the barren lands, Yan Se faced him with a farewell, both in life and perhaps death. Knowing his own lifespan was nearing its end and wanting to see his disciple one last time, he held back his tears and simply said that he would continue teaching him upon his return.
His profound love was all evident in those glistening tears.
Wei Guangming broke through his confinement and arrived in the Tang Kingdom, residing in Ning Que's home. Coincidentally, while out buying groceries, he was encountered by Master Yan Se. The world knew that Wei Guangming was searching for the Son of Hades to kill him, and Master Yan Se vaguely suspected that Ning Que was the one Wei Guangming sought.
For his disciple, a battle with Wei Guangming was inevitable. Both Master Yan Se and Wei Guangming were at the peak of the Fate domain, perhaps on the verge of breaking through the fifth realm to reach the Celestial Revelation. Yet, for a battle between beings of such profound cultivation, there were no earth-shattering clashes.
There was only serenity and splendor. The two exchanged blows, and the sky became as brilliant as fireworks. But once the spectacle ended, the lives of these two old men meant they had reached their conclusion.
Before his death, Master Yan Se broke through the fifth realm. Like Wei Guangming, he peered into the secrets of heaven in his final moments, learning that Ning Que would one day draw true divine talismans and discerning Sang Sang's true identity.
Both old men turned to ashes in contentment.
Su Mu paused for a moment, and the painting then revealed the next figure.
'Originally a lotus that gracefully descended into the mortal world, yet his life was altered because of his wife.'
'In the West, there was a lotus that descended gracefully into the world, blooming thirty-two petals, each distinct, each a world in itself. He was born into a common family and was originally named Lian Sheng. Later, he debated with an elder at Lan Ke Temple for thirty-two days, earning fame throughout the land.
He then entered Buddhism and was given the Dharma name Lian Sheng Thirty-two. Lian Sheng was both demon and Buddha, both righteous and evil. He was a young master from a prominent family in the Song Kingdom. Upon his birth, unusual celestial phenomena appeared, and the water lilies in his mansion's backyard bloomed overnight.
Along with the blooming lotus flowers, a baby boy was born that night. Thus, that baby boy was named Lian Sheng. The lotus, a sacred Buddhist object, was born into the Demonic Sect, because Lian Sheng's ancestors had been members of the Demonic Sect for generations.
Lian Sheng's destiny was sealed from the moment of his birth. His wife discovered this, which is why she was silenced by her father.
Lian Sheng meditated by the grave for a night, desperately searching for the origin of this world. From then on, he resolved to enter the Dao and cultivate.
While everyone worshipped Haotian, viewing fate as inevitable and life and death as their destination, Lian Sheng raised a dissenting voice. He wanted to change this world. He saw through its decay and filth, and thus sought to break and establish anew, for without destruction, there is no creation.
Such a person, though a demon, would also be a sage. Even in failure, he would be remembered for all eternity. Unfortunately, someone beside him had taken a step ahead. It could be said that Ke Haoran was Lian Sheng's tribulation. However, if Lian Sheng could overcome this tribulation, he would become a sage; if not, he would never rise again.
Lian Sheng was a man of genius. Even the Master had once said he was right. But as the saying goes, extreme wisdom leads to harm. The line between genius and madman is a fine one. Lian Sheng developed jealousy towards Ke Haoran. His Dao heart, once unblemished, began to stray.
His Great Dao became tainted with selfishness. He wished to incite a mortal combat between Xiling and the Academy, and even seize the opportunity to eliminate Ke Haoran. Thus, he made a self-destructive move.
Committing wanton slaughter, he used cruel techniques like the Gluttony to cruelly kill Ke Haoran's beloved, directly driving Ke Haoran to madness.
Yet, the mad Ke Haoran was still more cunning than him. Ke Haoran found him, used bluestones as a fence, swordplay as a ruse, and the Vast Sword Qi to set up a cage, forcing him to endure torment as atonement.
After twenty years of atonement, he not only did not die or repent, but instead, his last shred of humanity was extinguished, transforming him into a complete devil.
Finally, after being defeated by Ning Que, he awoke with a start and sent some of his perceptions to Ning Que, considering it a good deed done in his final moments.
He still remembered his most classic line: "I am the Grand Arbiter, once seated on the Jade Ink Throne. I am the Grand Priest of the Demonic Sect, chosen to be its leader. I am the Guardian of the Buddhist Sect's Gates, capable of commanding ten thousand monks. My life was one of unparalleled glory and pride. I could become a Buddha if I wished, or a demon if I wished. Where is the logic in that?"
Lian Sheng was pure yet also dark; he was a sage and also a demon. Like the Master, he was one of the few who deeply understood this world. Like the Master, he was also one of those who truly wished to change this world. It was just that the Master had more patience, Ke Haoran was more direct, and Lian Sheng was more frenzied.
The painting dissolved, surrounded by starlight, the world of *Ever Night* transforming into a streak of starlight that traversed before everyone's eyes.
"Let's speak of the next figure."
'A scholar covered in dust, astonishingly brilliant Li Manman.'
'Li Manman was the Master's first disciple. He wore old jackets and worn shoes, carried a scripture scroll and a wooden ladle, his body covered in dust, yet his face held serenity.
As the senior disciple of the Tang Kingdom Academy, he ranked first in the Academy after the junior martial uncle. The 'first' here referred to being the best in everything, be it music, chess, calligraphy, painting, or formations. The senior disciple's charm lay in the contrast between slowness and speed.
The contrast between gentleness and dazzling brilliance. He spoke slowly, cooked slowly, and cultivated slowly. A realm that ordinary people could reach in ten years, he took seventeen years to achieve. Yet, he was also a person of extreme speed, breaking through two realms in a single day after enlightenment.
Within three days, he could break through the chasm beyond the fifth realm and enter the Realm of No Distance. After finding the short wooden stick the Master had left in the mortal world, he became the fastest skilled fighter. Sword Saint Liu Bai once asked him, "You are clearly the fastest person, so why are you called Manman (slow)?"
The senior disciple replied, "Because I am slow, I can be fast."
These six words encapsulated his characteristic. Because he allowed himself to be slow, he was not consumed by impatience. He sought with a calm heart, ultimately becoming that fastest person.
After the Master ascended to heaven, the entire world declared war on Tang. All cultivators attacked the Academy. The senior disciple became the leader and backbone of the Academy. He realized his own understanding: "The Master said, 'The Speaker of the Scriptures at Xuankong Temple has words that become actions.'"
Then, with his skill in the Realm of No Distance, he engaged in a pursuit battle with the Daoist master Chen. At critical moments, he would appear to aid the Academy in repelling the enemy.
Finally, due to the decline of the Daoist sect and the destruction of most of its collected texts in the great war, the elders of the Daoist sect knelt and begged Li Manman to leave some of their methods for the Daoist sect. He originally intended to leave behind a magnificent work, expounding on all three thousand Great Daos, but was dissuaded by Yu Lian, as it would delay his and the junior martial uncle's journey around the world.
Thus, they left behind five thousand words of the Tao Te Ching and then floated west beyond Hangu Pass, their whereabouts unknown.
This section paid homage to the ancient tale of Lao Tzu leaving behind the five-thousand-word Tao Te Ching and riding an ox westward beyond Hangu Pass, with purple qi traversing three thousand miles.
Li Manman assimilated some of the essence of Yan Hui and Lao Tzu, and in the contrast between speed and slowness, he forged his own Dao.
This is what is meant by: one ox, one cart, fish and meat, a beautiful companion, and picturesque scenery. Li Manman's life path is indeed enviable.