Chapter 5: All Four Are Empty (5)
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Good Shiyuan suddenly burst into laughter,
“Frost North Snow, did you forget that night when you and Shiyuan were in bed and I stepped in to steal some cuddles?
Your lips are really sweet—I quite enjoyed that.”
Liao Chen, already full of sorrow at the Female Emperor’s words, lowered his head, his face hidden in the shadows. No one could tell what expression he wore now.
Meanwhile, Leng Yi shouted from the other side, “What a three-timing hussy!”
Lin Nan shot a glance at Liao Chen and silently sighed. Another innocent boy has been betrayed; this kind of blow was undoubtedly huge.
She didn’t want this either.
But alas, Good Shiyuan was like a chattering parrot, clearly relishing in stirring the pot.
“If you want to rekindle that romance, I’m all in,” he said with a smirk.
Good Shiyuan shook his head vigorously, “Haha, trying to trick me into getting closer? No way.
It’s a pity you showed your cards too soon, even a clone of yours wouldn’t know how to change its face.
But I can’t blame you; who would have thought the Monster King was still alive in this world?”
Lin Nan replied coolly, “So, when you transformed into Shi Jinghai and led the Martial Arts Alliance to wipe out the Demon Sect, you found me and decided to go easy on me instead of executing me.”
“Exactly! I purposely let you escape and kept people on your tail, discovering you had settled near Lehua Town’s mountains.
I was about 80% sure this was the place where the Human Emperor sealed himself.
From that moment, I began setting up the Demon-Subduing Array.”
Good Shiyuan’s tone hinted at a touch of smug foresight.
“I get it now,” Lin Nan sighed. “You set yourself up in the mountain stronghold to call the martial artists to gather in Lehua Town, all while working on the array right under their noses.”
“That’s right! My opponent is the Human Emperor’s clone—how could I let my guard down?
If a bunch of people showed up randomly in the valley near the stronghold, it would surely catch your attention.
But during the climax of completing the array, we needed a lot of hands on deck, so I had to think of this scheme.
Fortunately, your clone—no, you—really did fall head over heels for Young Master Shi, saving me quite the trouble.
Though I couldn’t resist jumping in during the night together, because, you know, I just had to taste what it’s like to be the Human Emperor; oh, it was delightful.
If I weren’t the Demon Emperor, spending my life with a beauty like you would be heavenly indulgence.”
Lin Nan smiled, as if transported back to that night, shy and affectionate,
“Yeah, we almost… back then, I really liked you. Too bad that pesky bl**d Cloak Building spoiled the fun.”
Good Shiyuan grimaced, “Yeah, I did fall for you a bit back then. But don’t worry, I’ve wiped out bl**d Cloak Building, so that’s one less annoyance.”
“How about we… rekindle the spark?”
Good Shiyuan shuddered, suddenly looking at her like he had never seen the Human Emperor before, peering into her eyes.
He noticed her gaze shimmering slightly, her nearly flawless face contrasting with her pale complexion from bl**d loss, making her striking charm something he hadn’t encountered before.
At that moment, Good Shiyuan genuinely had this thought:
Why do they need to keep fighting? If the two of them teamed up, wouldn’t they be like an immensely happy couple in a fairytale?
Ding! Good Shiyuan’s affection level has reached 100%!
Your Luck Value has leveled up to level 10, gaining 5000 points. You now have a total of 10,000 Luck Value.
“You’re just a hussy!”
“Grass! I knew you were flirting with other men!”
Leng Yi kept shouting from the side.
Perhaps because Good Shiyuan’s presence intensified the build-up of demon energy in the valley, injured and somewhat revived by the energy, Leng Yi gradually got back up.
He glared at Lin Nan, who was pityingly injured in the abdomen, and unleashed all his pent-up anger on Good Shiyuan.
“Who the hell do you think you are? You think you’re untouchable? I’ll chop you down right here today!”
“Calm down, Chief Leng, we were the same person 500 years ago.”
“Haha, back then, the Wang family was still one! Besides, you are you and I am me. I never thought I had to follow your orders. Who do you think you are? I grew up in a pile of corpses—I’m not scared of your little act!”
As Leng Yi spoke, the cold, sharp light of his kn*fe swirled around, aiming at Good Shiyuan.
Good Shiyuan barely managed to defend himself, momentarily getting overwhelmed by Leng Yi’s intimidating energy.
At this moment, Liao Chen seemed to be meditating, eyes tightly closed, mumbling words.
“The law doesn’t arise from itself; it arises due to causes; however, due to causes, there is no inherent self. Thus, understanding derives from reasoning, misunderstanding leads to confusion. Confusion causes the cycle of life and d*ath, understanding leads to cessation of desires. Body and mind are suffering; the end of suffering brings joy. However, the path to end suffering can only be through great enlightenment. The utmost understanding and ending of confusion leads to forgetting both body and mind, being eternally joyful, which is known as Nirvana. If I don’t propagate this, how can suffering beings be saved? Understanding doesn’t arise by itself; it requires gradual learning, the superficial use of names. Yet, to pacify the heart, it’s easier to start from emptiness, to tame them.”
“Unity is a reflection, truly an illusion. Illusion comprises the six senses and the four great elements. Combining inside and out, the illusion creates affecting energies. Gathering within seems to have connections.”
“Knowing the illusion leads to detachment; once detached, awakening comes, and there is no gradual progress.”
“Om mani padme hum!”
Hearing the Female Emperor say she disliked him, especially while flirting with other men right in front of him,
Especially when he was just coming into the realization of love, thinking this feeling was the most solid wall in the world, never to fall.
He had even prepared to accompany her in the icy coffin for a lifetime.
But alas, the truth was right there: Frost North Snow was the Female Emperor, and the Female Emperor was Frost North Snow!
The pain felt like a kn*fe slicing through!
With the emotional highs and lows, the overwhelming heartache felt like the moment a mirror shatters. Liao Chen suddenly realized something.
If love’s trials aren’t painful enough, how can they be called trials of love? How can they help the soul ascend?
It has to hurt to the point where the soul almost shatters for one to truly grasp the profound transformation after successfully crossing tribulations!
But… once passed, there’s no love or hate left, seeing through everything, letting go of everything—a detached state, one has become a Buddha.
Why become a Buddha?
Only because the Celestial General has great responsibilities for this person.
“Boom! Boom!”
The dark clouds hovering above began to dissipate amid the rumbling thunder.
In just a moment, the sky turned azure, radiant with sunlight, and a rainbow appeared faintly on the horizon.
A fragrant breeze blew, causing petals to flutter around.
Everyone, including the Martial Arts Alliance members holding grand banners, was taken aback.
And then a more shocking scene unfolded before them,
Liao Chen was slowly floating cross-legged in mid-air, his left hand resting peacefully on his belly, and his right hand forming a Buddhist seal.
A warm light shone down from the sky, enveloping him.
Lin Nan lowered her head and suddenly noticed her wounds had miraculously healed without her even realizing it!
