926 Life is A Cultivation (1/2)
The Drunkard looked at the Abbey Dean as if he was looking at an idiot, and said with a trembling voice, ”You are out of your mind.”
The Abbey Dean answered with a smile, ”On the contrary, I've never been so sober.”
The Drunkard furrowed his eyebrows even further and asked, ”If, and I mean if, she could never return to Haotian's Divine Kingdom and you had chosen to proceed on her behalf, what would happen to this world?”
The door of the stone cottage was still opened.
The Abbey Dean stared into the blue sky above the plateau and said, ”The would will remain unchanged because everyone, including you, seems to have forgotten one thing.”
The Drunkard asked seriously, ”What's that?”
The Abbey Dean raised his right hand and pointed to the sky, ”Haotian is in the human world, but Haotian is also above in Heaven.”
The Drunkard finally understood and became silent.
”I knew you would agree to my suggestion.” The Abbey Dean continued calmly, ”If she were to stay in the human world forever, then how could you be immortal?”
The Drunkard was confused and asked, ”You said just now to see through this world is to know what everyone really wants. If what I want is immortality, then what do you want?”
”I want eternity,” said the Abbey Dean.
The Drunkard pondered on his words and felt his infinite desire.
The Abbey Dean continued, ”Eternity means no change. Any change will lead to an end.”
That was the fundamental conflict between the Academy and Taoism. For someone like the Drunkard, it was an obvious fact. He frowned and asked, ”Even if it were to become like a pool of stagnant water?”
The Abbey Dean said, ”You and I live here. Our numerous predecessors and descendants had lived and will live here. There are lush trees and blooming peach blossoms. Who would say it is like a pool of stagnant water?”
The Drunkard doubted. ”That probably won't convince the Headmaster.”
The Abbey Dean said, ”Even if it were to become a pool of stagnant water, it is eternity.”
The Drunkard asked, ”I want immortality because I want to be alive. Is eternity really so important to you?”
The Abbey Dean said after a long pause, ”Ever since I have been enlightened, I have been thinking of that question. I've found that I cannot accept a world without eternity.”
It became quiet again inside the stone cottage. His voice resounded continuously as if it was trying to awake every bird in Peach Mountain and every flower around the Divine Halls.
”If there will be an end to everything, then what is the significance of every existence throughout time? Whenever I come across that possibility, I feel the most profound despair. Don't you find that depairing?” the Abbey Dean asked the Drunkard seriously. In the meantime, he was also asking his disciple and Long Qing as well as everyone in the world, including the Headmaster and those from the Academy.
The Drunkard found it bitter. He did not know how to answer because when he thought carefully, he sensed the most profound horror hidden in this question, which prevented him from thinking further. He asked instead, ”How about yourself? What if you could not find eternity together with Heaven and Earth?”
The Abbey Dean answered, ”Everyone is a part of this Heaven and Earth. If Heaven and Earth is eternal, we will definitely be eternal.”
The Drunkard asked, ”Even without your own consciousness?”
The Abbey Dean said, ”It is already comforting enough to know that eternity exists.”
The Drunkard shook his head with disagreement. ”Your thinking has already deviated from the true meaning of life.”
The Abbey Dean smiled and asked, ”Isn't that the reason why we cultivate?”
...
...
Life is a cultivation.
Ning Que could not remember where he saw that sentence, but he remembered it because he found it very sophisticated and extremely magnificent.
While he toured around the world with Sangsang, they crossed many rivers and mountains and met many strangers as well as acquaintances. He suddenly realized this saying was very substantial. Then he found out he might have mistaken it with another saying — life is a journey.
The sceneries changed constantly on their journey and so did their sentiments. Leaving Linkang, they crossed the Great Swamp, traveled along the southern part of Yan Kingdom and entered the territory of Tang Empire. Ning Que suddenly regained his good mood — they finally returned home. The green fields looked so charming and even the smell of manure in the wind was not that disgusting.
People appeared differently when they were in a very good mood. As for Ning Que, he would repeatedly do very simple tasks. It was the only way that he could fully express his happiness.
He sometimes wrote on the ground with sticks, and sometimes sharpened his slasher against the stone, or sang a part of a song repeatedly.
He sat on the back of the big black horse and kept Sangsang in his arms. It was a bit hard to hold her tight because of her lofty figure, but that did not affect his good mood at all.
”Hey Jude, lalalalalalala...”
It seemed to be a song from his previous life. He could only remember the first line and kept repeating it. There might be some other reason for his good mood. He kept singing and became so happy that even his eyebrows dancing.
Sangsang had been indifferent until he was only singing that line. She became more and more annoyed and looked gloomy. She looked gloomy for a long time before Ning Que finally noticed that she was unhappy. He got close, looked into her eyes and asked, ”What's the matter?”
Sangsang said, ”I don't like being called a black pig.” *(see note)
Ning Que finally understood why she was unhappy and tried hard to keep himself from laughing. He said, ”Your have such fair skin now. Who could call you black? Don't be so sensitive, okay?
Sangsang said, ”It was just because you kept thinking of me being dark in the past. That's why I'm not happy.”
Troubles like misunderstanding song lyrics were merely some episodes along their way. They rode on the big black horse and continued to the east. They saw the golden rape flowers in the fields and farmers' cottages in bright colors. They finally came to the City of Chang'an.