Emperor Zhaode "woke up" and felt as if his body was floating, as if a gust of wind could blow him away.
The moonlight poured down like flowing water, paving a dreamlike path to the heavens.
Emperor Zhaode floated over and walked along the celestial path to its end, where a magnificent garden awaited.
A Taoist priest dressed in a blue robe and holding a long sword stood quietly on a rockery.
Beneath the artificial hill lay a golden centipede, cut in two, several meters long, looking fierce, ferocious, and terrifying.
The Taoist priest opened his eyes, saw Emperor Zhaode, bowed, and said, "This humble Taoist priest was passing through the capital tonight when he inadvertently discovered a great demon infiltrating the court, intending to repeat the deeds of the serpent king Wang Mang who wreaked havoc on the Han Dynasty and the great demon Zhu Wen who usurped the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, he killed him. I have specially invited Your Majesty to come here to apologize."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Zhaode was greatly alarmed, and the scene before him shattered instantly.
In the end, he only saw the Taoist priest walk away singing.
The song goes: "Riding the wind on my sword, I vanquish demons across heaven and earth. My tall crown brushes the dark sky, I roam freely throughout the nine provinces..."
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Zhaode awoke with a start and cried out, "Someone come here!"
“Your Majesty,” someone immediately responded.
Emperor Zhaode opened his mouth as if to speak, but then hesitated and didn't say anything. Instead, he asked, "What time is it now?"
"Your Majesty, it is now the second quarter of the hour of Yin."
"I understand. You may leave," Emperor Zhaode said.
"yes."
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Chapter Fifteen: Buddha is the Way, Pure Mystery True Man
The sky was just beginning to brighten.
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Zhaode stared at the secret report in his hand, remaining silent for a long time.
It turns out that our own Ming Dynasty has already narrowly escaped death.
After a long while, Emperor Zhaode sighed.
The hope of immortality was sought but not attained by Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han.
This is ultimately just wishful thinking.
Give up, a voice inside kept urging me.
"I am not reconciled!" Emperor Zhaode let out a low growl. Even if it was all a lie, he would rather die in his dream.
“A dream…” Emperor Zhaode’s eyes suddenly lit up as he thought of the Taoist priest who flew through the sky on a sword in his dream.
"Riding a crane to Kongtong, riding a dragon to Dinghu." These few words encapsulate the story of the Yellow Emperor seeking guidance from Guangchengzi, and then ascending to heaven on a dragon after attaining enlightenment.
This was also the most cherished vision in the hearts of emperors throughout history.
"We must find that immortal." Emperor Zhaode had already bestowed the title of immortal upon Lin Yi'an in his heart. He was like a drowning man who would desperately grab onto even the smallest straw.
In a green mountain outside the capital, Lin Yi walked towards the summit in the morning light.
Xuanyou Daoist, Zhang Tianshi, and Changsheng Daoist have all left. They are ultimately people who live outside the world and do not wish to be too involved in worldly affairs.
The seeds have been sown; whether or not a harvest will be reaped depends on the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people.
The eastern sky was already turning white. Lin Yi walked slowly and steadily, each step firm and grounded.
Climbing a mountain is a form of spiritual practice.
When Lin Yi reached the mountaintop, it was just as the sun was rising in the east, its rays bursting forth and illuminating the world.
The morning light shines on the earth and mountains, brimming with vitality. The forests are bright, the valleys are bright, and the streams are bright. The fields are lush and green, fish dart happily in the water, and birds soar freely among the trees.
All things under the frosty sky compete freely; this is a moving experience stemming from life itself.
Although this feeling of being moved lasted only for a fleeting moment, it was deeply etched in Lin Yi's heart.
The universe is infinite, and time and space are boundless.
In comparison, life is truly insignificant, yet this insignificant life is the most incredible miracle in the universe, from which infinite possibilities, immortal legacy, and wonderful emotions, thoughts, and wisdom all arise.
Sunlight shone on his face, and Lin Yi smiled slightly, "Anything is possible, isn't it?"
Since he was born into this world, a question has been lurking in his heart: is this world real or fake?
The shock of seeing the things recorded in words, images, and audio in the memories of the previous Earth become a real world far surpasses that of when Lin Yi first traveled to the Great Xia world.
If these thoughts buried deep in one's heart continue to accumulate, they may turn into the old clichés of inner demons or demons of the mind.
That would be a denial of one's own path of spiritual practice.
Lin Yi stood quietly on the mountaintop. After dispelling the confusion in his heart, although it did not directly bring about a breakthrough in his cultivation level, it made him see the road ahead more clearly.
………………
Three days later, Lin Yi's whereabouts appeared on Emperor Zhaode's desk.
Of course, this is largely due to the fact that he did not deliberately try to hide it.
Inside the Imperial Study in the Forbidden City.