Sea of Suffering 1190

gan to stir as well. She dared not invite a Taoist priest—fearful of exposing her livelihood and attracting trouble."But he actually dared to come looking for me Doesn't he know my uncle is the top co...The pure originates from turbidity, the moving establishes stillness.

When a person can often be tranquil, all things in heaven and earth return to their proper place.

Those who study the Tao and recite this Sutra will immediately be protected by ten celestial gods.

The two words "quiet" and "stillness" are essential for those who practice cultivating the Dao. Only by purifying one's body and calming one's mind can one comprehend the Great Dao.

The Dao might be too far away for me, all I can think about right now is Mu Wanchen who has turned me away.

Maybe he encountered some situation that prevented him from contacting me, maybe he's in danger and has no time to care about me, or maybe he's injured...

I don't know if these worries count as overthinking. The quieter it gets around me, the more the name Mu Wanchen fills my mind.

I've lost count of how many times I recited the Bao-gao. At first, I could still hear the rustling of trees outside the grand doors behind me, but gradually it became silent.

The wind died down, and the rustling of leaves ceased.

In my ears and in my heart, there is only the sound of my own chanting.

A sudden cool breath touched my back, waking me.

I blankly opened my eyes.

The statue of the deity was gone, and even the slightly swaying prayer flags had vanished.

There was no grand hall in front of me, no garden behind me, not even a cushion for me to kneel upon.

A faint yellow glow surrounded me, but there was nothing else to be seen.

When I touch it, it's still a husband. It seems to be able to appear anywhere I am, but now its form is different.

Before, it was pure white, soft fur and large horns. Now, its form is faintly glowing with a misty, ethereal "wing-like" light trailing behind it.

Its eyes were clear and transparent, looking at me softly.

"How did all of you end up here" I instinctively covered my stomach.

The Female Gu isn't out yet. This place doesn't look like it has water either, it's more like a vast, empty desert with no end in sight. I just stand here in the emptiness, staring blankly at Fuzhu.

Why does it always seem to be around me

"I remained in this world for many years, all to complete the mission." It spoke.

"What task"

"Guide the female worm to where it needs to go... If the female worm doesn't get nourishment from the male worm for a long time, it will gradually weaken. Have you been feeling unwell lately" She looked at me with some worry in her eyes.

"Not feeling well" I shook my head. "Besides being a bit down and depressed, I don't really have any discomfort... Pregnancy symptoms aren't really considered 'discomfort', are they"

"My dear, you've lost weight. I can feel it. You haven't been eating much lately… that's not a good sign."

"Anorexia" I was taken aback, as if I hadn't noticed what I had eaten.

"Don't forget, the female Gu is highly poisonous. It only releases toxins when it recognizes its master. But if the male Gu isn't around for too long, it will get agitated. The Gu and the host live symbiotically, which can cause some changes in your body... No one can say for sure what these changes will be, so don't ignore your own body."

I lowered my eyes slightly. I didn't want to ignore my own body, but with Mu Wanchen gone, how could I possibly care about anything else when I felt so lost

I raised my hand to support my stomach, which was already subtly rounded.

"...Let's go, fortunately you come from a Taoist family. If you were an ordinary person, you wouldn't be able to get here at all." Fu Zhu sighed softly and urged me to get up.

"Where am I I was just reciting the scriptures in the main hall, and now when I opened my eyes, I'm here..."

"This is the realm of illusions, a crack between the three worlds. Only devout divine thoughts can reach this place, and the pilgrimage path lies right here..."

I don't quite understand what everyone is saying, but I know this place is special. I just don't know where to go.

"This place is barren, with no signs or markers. Which way should I go" I looked around, not even a tree, let alone a blade of grass, was in sight.

The world is all one color, making it easy to get lost.

He pointed with his horns in a direction and said, "The Great Divine you have chanted a thousand times is in that direction...the East Pole."

Every step a knock, this way of walking I don't know when I can see the mountain gate.

I don't know how long I walked for, my elbows and knees were scraped raw, but I didn't feel any pain. Fu Zhu looked at me with some worry in his eyes.

"Fu Zhu, what's with that look I don't hurt," I explained to it.

“It’s not a good thing to not feel pain,” she shook her head. “If you can't feel hunger or even slight pain, it means the female gu has already begun to change within your body…”

"Don't scare me, I'm still pregnant..." I said, covering my stomach.

"I'm not scaring you... never mind, let's go. Come on, I'll walk with you." It took a few steps then turned back to look at me, like a signpost guiding my way.

"Will you walk with me"

"Hmm."

"Can we walk into the territory of honored and divine immortals" I questioned with doubt.

"Hmm."

"Isn't it said that the mortal and immortal realms are separate" I was full of questions.

"When you see the mountain gate, you are already considered no ordinary person." Fu Zhu explained patiently.

"How long will it take to reach the mountain gate"

"If you keep asking, it's estimated that you won't see it in a hundred years."

Okay.

Heavenly dew in the clouds, crimson glow appears and disappears.

I do not know the date, month, day or distance traveled.

I vaguely felt raindrops on my face. Looking up, I could see a patch of clouds with a rosy glow.

That piece of cloud is so high up, boundless and limitless.

There is a hint of auspicious rainbow within, yet it hangs alone in the sky. There are no stairs for me to climb and pay homage.

"...Is it raining" I touched the cool water droplets on my face and asked in confusion.

Before the husband could answer, the little boy who had appeared before, carrying a large gourd and a whisk, ran towards me.

"The little princess is here" he smiled at me.

I was taken aback and hurriedly asked, “Is this it Are the gates of the Great Emperor Qinghua and the Celestial Venerable Taiyi here”

The little boy said with a grin, “We’re almost there. But the Divine said that although Princess Consort joined our Supreme Profound Gate, her status is noble and different from ordinary disciples. She can’t be treated as a disciple, but with the courtesy of a guest...”

"Huh " I widened my eyes, what does this mean

"Venerable One, aren't you... unwilling to help" I hurriedly asked.

This sounds a bit disrespectful, but the child's words made me feel like the deity might not want me as a "disciple" after all.

The little boy, with dust swirling around him like a seasoned sage, cleared his throat and said, "The husband of the young princess is the Great Shaman King, who descends from the bloodline of the Ten Shamans of Mount Spirit. The Ten Shamans of Mount Spirit were chosen by the Ancestral God, thus transcending the three realms and not being bound by the five elements. They should be treated with courtesy... Of course, the Jade Emperor of the North Heaven and the Great Shaman King Muhuaichen have a master-disciple relationship, which the Supreme God Taiyi also knows. Therefore, even though the young princess is younger and less experienced, she should also be treated with courtesy..."

He paused for a moment and whispered to me, "In short, it's because there is a troublesome person in the Ten Witches of Ling Shan. He is domineering and unreasonable. Since you are carrying the Yin Gu Ling Kun, Tai Yi Shen avoids suspicion and cannot directly take you as his disciple..."

I frowned, "Then why didn't you just say it What was the point of all this roundabout talk" that!” I couldn’t help but say, “It must be some kind of lube… it was too intense, they broke the bottle”Mu Wanchen couldn't help but glance back at me: "You have thick skin."I... this... what's goin...