When Li Yundong returned to the camps fifteen minutes later, every single one of the pilgrims were on their feet, staring at him with frightful eyes. A few men even had their rifles out while others were armed with hunting bows. Some of the women were hiding inside the foreigners' jeep.
Relief spread across each of their faces when they saw that it was him.
Li Yundong strode past the frightened crowd and stopped in front of Changbagela. "What's the matter? Y'all look like you've just seen a ghost."
Changbagela seemed a little shaken as well. "There was a strange noise," he said. "We thought it was the wolves."
"Oh no, that was me," Li Yundong said. "I was…"
Was what? Blowing shit up? Deforesting?
"Training." Li Yundong cleared his throat. "I was training."
The colors returned to Changbagela's countenance. "So there weren't any wolves?" Suddenly, Changbagela gave him a reverent look. "Or… Did you take care of the wolves as… you know, part of your training?"
Li Yundong laughed. "No. There were no wolves." Li Yundong turned towards the armed men who looked like they were about to charge into a war zone. "Y'all can relax."
Changbagela sighed and waved to his followers. "Alright, settle down, people. No wolves, so we're safe. Return to your tents and get some rest."
There was a collective sigh, after which the crowd began to disperse.
"Changbagela," Li Yundong said when Changbagela turned away to leave. "May I have a word in private?"
From the corner of his eyes, Li Yundong saw Meiduo watching him curiously. She was holding the shoes he had returned to her. Something about Meiduo felt different.
"Sure. Follow me." Changbagela smiled and began to walk away.
Li Yundong followed Changbagela until they reached the inside of Changbagela's tent. Li Yundong declined the glass of water that Changbagela had offered him and sat down at a corner of the large tent.
Changbagela lowered himself across from him and arranged himself into a meditative posture. "So. Are you going to tell me who you really are?"
Li Yundong's gaze rose sharply.
Changbagela merely smiled at him. "I know there's something special about you, so I gave it a little thought and made a few educated guesses. Are you perhaps…" His brows rose just a tad. "A Cultivator?"
Li Yundong held Changbagela's gaze for a moment, then let his head drop. "Yes..."
Changbagela closed his eyes and pressed his palms together. "Amitabha… Perhaps there is some truth after all in the saying that you're the reincarnation of Mahakala…"
Li Yundong rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah… About that… Well, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about…" Li Yundong dropped his hand and stared into Changbagela's eyes. "Everyone kept calling me by that name. I want to understand why."
Changbagela nodded and took a sip of tea. "How much do you know about Mahakala?"
Li Yundong shook his head. "Not much. I just know that he's a deity that your people worship."
Changbagela nodded. "Mahakala is actually a Sanskrit term. We Tibetans actually call him Nagpo Chenpo, which means Great Black One; or Gonpo, which means protector."
Chills ran down Li Yundong's spine. The Great Black One. Again, this matched the physical description of his personal god, which had dark—almost black—skin.
Li Yundong shook his head a little. "Who, or what, does he protect?"
"Everything related to Buddha and Buddha's teachings, of course."
Li Yundong frowned. "Everything… as in…"
"The worshippers. Temples. Scriptures. Everything." Changbagela smiled. "That's why Mahakala was also known as the Dharma Protector."
"Dharma?"
Changbagela nodded. "Yes."
"Oh. Um…" Li Yundong scratched his head. "Do you mind elaborating on that? I mean, the Buddhist lingo is a little lost on me, so…"
Changbagela chuckled. "Well, in essence, Dharma means the teachings of Buddha. But in a broader sense, it can be thought of as the ultimate truth which transcends the three realms and the wheel of becoming. You can think of it as the truth or the ultimate truth that governs the way that things really are."
Wasn't that a bit similar to the Tao?
"Wow. That's sounds like a lot to protect…"
Changbagela shrugged. "He is a protector after all. It's in his nature."
Li Yundong nodded, but said nothing.
"Now I have a question," Changbagela said all of a sudden.
Li Yundong regarded the old man for a moment, then nodded. "Fire away."
"What happened earlier? I mean before you ran off on your own." Changbagela paused as though he was trying to choose his words carefully. "You mentioned something about a code?"
"Oh. That. Well, it's just…" Li Yundong shrugged. "I realized that certain parts of the Mahamudra Tantra contained a coded message, that's all."
Changbagela smiled. "Ah. So you had an epiphany then?"
Li Yundong cleared his throat. "Well… Sort of…"
"And did you find your answer?"
Li Yundong nodded resolutely. "Yes." Pretty sure the fallen trees, scattered leaves, and broken twigs could attest to that.
Changbagela chuckled. "Maybe it was the right call to give the book to you after all." Changbagela suddenly looked towards him. "Did you know that you uttered Mahakala's other name during your epiphany?"
Li Yundong could feel his own eyes widening. "Seriously? Did I?"
Changbagela chuckled. "My hearing might have declined with age, but I'm quite sure I heard you say Mahavairocana."
"Oh, yeah. I did say that…"
"May I ask why you mentioned that name?" Changbagela paused for a moment. "It had something to do with your epiphany, am I right?"
Li Yundong nodded. "Yes. I realized something about one of Mahavairocana's hand signs."
Changbagela had a thoughtful look on his face.
"Which hand sign, if you don't mind me asking? Well, I'm pretty sure you mentioned it just now, but you were mumbling to yourself, so I couldn't catch what you were saying."
"Um… The Intelligent Fist."
Changbagela's eyes widened just a tad. "Ah… The Intelligent Fist… Now I see…" He chuckled. "No wonder you asked me about the mantra."
Li Yundong sat up straighter and shifted closer to Changbagela.
"Changbagela…"
"Yes?"
Li Yundong cleared his throat. "Hypothetically speaking…"
Changbagela laughed, his eyes shone with amusement. "Oh, so we're speaking in hypotheticals now, eh? Fine. Go on, then."
Li Yundong smirked, then continued, "Hypothetically speaking, if these hand signs contain the secrets to hidden powers, what would they be?"
Changbagela chuckled.
"Then I shall tell you, my friend, that according to Vajrayana Buddhism, each hand sign does indeed hold the secrets to unlock a unique divine power."
"What kind of divine power?"
"According to Vajrayana Buddhism, these hand signs—or mudras—can be split into three categories. The combative, Ganges, and tantric mudras. The Intelligent Fist mudra belongs to the third category since it requires a mantra."
"What kind of divine power does the Intelligent Fist mudra give then?"
Changbagela smiled. "Patience, young man."
Li Yundong blushed. "Sorry."
"The combative mudras, as its name implies, mostly deal physical damage when used. Ganges is the name of a river that originates in the Himalayas and flows southeast across the Ganges Valley." Changbagela smiled. "And as you know, a river nourishes and cleans. It washes away undesirable things. It is a source of life, you see?"
Understanding dawned on Li Yundong. "So the Ganges mudras have healing effects?"
Changbagela nodded. "Not all of them though. Some can be used to end disasters. Others can be used as a form of blessing."
"And the last category?"
"Ah. The tantric mudras are special." Changbagela shot him a pointed look. "They are protective in nature."
"Like a shield?"
"Some, yes. But not all of them are shields."
"What things can they protect their user against?"
"A wide range of things," Changbagela said. "It repels physical objects. It purifies evil and repels demonic auras, etc."
"I see…"
So that's what the Intelligent Fist mudra does... The fallen trees must be the effect of the physical repulsion.
"All these are, of course, hypothetical and have no basis in reality…"
Li Yundong raised his gaze and saw Changbagela staring at him with his brows raised.
Li Yundong laughed. "Of course. These are all hypothetical." Suddenly, Li Yundong stopped laughing and gave Changbagela a serious look. "Suppose that if, in this hypothetical scenario, a Buddhist lama were to give away a precious text containing these secrets… Would he face dire consequences for doing so?"
Changbagela smiled casually. "Who knows?"
"But the lama would've been accused of giving away the temple's secrets."
Changbagela smirked. "Ah. But these hypothetical secrets are so obscure that very few people can unveil them." Changbagela's smirk turned into a grin. "And if anyone does manage to unveil these secrets, then there isn't a single doubt in my mind that the text is in the right hands."
Li Yundong pondered Changbagela's words silently.
"Now I have another question."
Li Yundong stared at Changbagela for a moment. "Are we still talking in hypotheticals?"
Changbagela laughed. "No."
Li Yundong smiled. "Go ahead, sir."
"You always seemed a little defensive whenever we call you Mahakala." Changbagela paused for a moment. "Why is that?"
Li Yundong sighed. "I had…" How the heck was he supposed to explain Ishvara and his personal god? "Well… I had a vision of some sort."
Changbagela leaned forward slightly. "A vision?"
"Yeah… Sort of like a dream, where I was this omnipotent god with six arms and three faces."
Changbagela stroked his beard. "Hmm…"
"Anyway." Li Yundong waved his hand a few times. "It creeped me out a little when you guys described Mahakala to me. Coz you said six arms and three faces, which is exactly what I saw in the vision." He chuckled. "Maybe it's all just a coincidence."
"Coincidence?"
Li Yundong looked at Changbagela, taken aback by his skeptical tone. "I mean, yeah. I'm a Cultivator, but I'm not an all-powerful Buddhist deity."
In fact, he was a complete nobody before Su Chan came into his life, before the Renyuan Jindan.
"You have an aptitude for martial arts, don't you? You have good battle instincts. You're a natural warrior. You anger easily and tend to settle things with your fists..."
"But—"
"And I have no doubt that you are a great cook too. You know your way around the kitchen and enjoy serving food to others. Also, you have a great desire to protect the poor and the weak." Changbagela raised his brows. "And let me guess, it angers you greatly whenever you see injustice?"
Li Yundong gaped at the old man. "How did you…"
Changbagela pressed his palms together. "Amitabha... All the traits I mentioned belonged to Mahakala. In fact, most ancient Buddhist texts described Mahakala as the god of battle, the Lord of the Kitchen, and the Lord of Justice." Changbagela smiled. "I do not think it is a mere coincidence that you happen to have those traits too, Zhenren Li."
Li Yundong sat there wordlessly, staring at the tent's tarpaulin flooring.
After what felt like forever, Changbagela broke the silence.
"Your difficulty lies in the fact that your mind is filled with assumptions about yourself, Zhenren Li."
Li Yundong looked up from the tarpaulin.
Changbagela smiled. "The mind is a beautiful servant, but a dangerous master. Your assumptions will eventually become a leash through which your mind controls you. Cut the leash. Be the master of your own mind. Discover, not assume. Be aware instead of presumptive. Perhaps then the truth about yourself shall reveal itself to you."
Li Yundong smiled and nodded. "You're a wise man, Changbagela."
Changbagela shook his head. "Not a wise man, Zhenren Li. But a peaceful man."
Li Yundong wondered what Changbagela meant by that. He chuckled. Typical Buddhist monks, always speaking in riddles.
Li Yundong rose to his feet and bowed slightly. "This has been very enlightening, Changbagela. Thank you."
Changbagela pressed his palms together and bowed.
"Good night," Li Yundong said, then walked out of the tent.
***
After leaving Changbagela's tent, Li Yundong grabbed his backpack and headed towards the brook to take a bath. He had gone longer without one, but he figured he should make full use of the clean water from the brook before he left the camp tomorrow morning. On the way to the brook, he passed by a few women who greeted him in Tibetan. He answered the greetings with polite nods and smiles before hurrying off.
The brook was vacant when he arrived, which was perfect. This wouldn't take long anyway—ten minutes tops, he figured.
He found a rock near the far end of the brook and lowered his backpack onto it.
Then, he pulled out a clean towel from his backpack and began stripping off his clothes. A minute later, he stood in the brook and began to wash the dirt and grime off his body. The sky was clear tonight, and the moonlight was ample enough that he could make out the state of his skin.
He smiled when he began to wonder what Su Chan would think if she saw him now. Surely, his princess would start making fun of him for his lack of hygiene. But of course, she was more than welcome to help him in the personal hygiene department. He certainly wouldn't mind a backrub.
His thoughts about Su Chan ended when he heard a rustling sound behind him. He froze.
"Who's there?!" he yelled and turned around to face the intruder.
He wasn't expecting to see Meiduo standing there without a single stitch on.
Li Yundong gasped and covered his eyes. "What the hell?!"
Then, he scrambled out of the brook and ran towards the rock where he placed his backpack. He grabbed his towel and then covered himself with it. When he was done, he looked up and, much to his horror, saw a still-very-naked Meiduo walking towards him. He gasped and quickly turned around.
"For God's sake, Meiduo! Put some clothes on!"
"Why won't you look at me, Brother Li?" Meiduo said. "Don't you find me beautiful?"
"Come on! Meiduo! Quit messing around!"
"I'm not messing around, Brother Li…"
Li Yundong took a deep breath. "Alright, look. Why don't you put on some clothes first, and then we'll talk, okay?"
More rustling of grass.
"You like me, don't you?"
"Wha— I never said…" Li Yundong uncovered his eyes, but cursed when he saw that Meiduo was still naked. Dammit! Li Yundong scanned the ground until he saw a traditional Tibetan robe lying on the grass several feet away. He ran over and picked up the robe from the ground, then threw the robe around Meiduo's shoulders.
Meiduo reached up and tried to wrap her arms around his neck.
Li Yundong pushed her hands away and stepped back. "Stop this, Meiduo… You shouldn't be doing this… I—"
"Why not!" Meiduo's eyes were filled with tears now. "Why won't you look at me like you did this morning?"
"What? This morning—"
Li Yundong froze. This morning he had mistaken Meiduo for Su Chan and ended up hugging her. Oh God. He had made such a mess of things.
"Listen. About this morning, I can explain—"
"You looked at me with so much love, Brother Li. Why won't you look at me like that again?"
Li Yundong sighed and sat down on the rock. "Because my heart already belongs to another woman."
"W- What?"
Li Yundong ran a hand through his hair. "I'm already in love with someone else."
"But this morning… You…" Meiduo gasped. "Oh my God… Y- You thought… You thought I was her this morning…"
Li Yundong nodded. "I was having a dream about her. Then I woke up. It was dark, and… I mistook you for her. I… I'm sorry."
Silence passed between them.
When Li Yundong couldn't stand the awkwardness anymore, he opened his mouth to speak.
"Meiduo—"
"Are you married?"
Li Yundong stared at Meiduo, stunned. Moments later, he regained his composure. "No. I'm not married. I have a girlfriend."
Meiduo burst into tears and sobbed into her hands.
Li Yundong sighed and stood up from the rock. He walked over and placed a hand on Meiduo's quivering shoulders. Slowly, he guided Meiduo towards the rock.
"Sit," he said. "Let me tell you a story."
Once Meiduo got settled on the rock, Li Yundong sat down beside her and began recounting the story of how he and Su Chan met, leaving out the parts about the Renyuan Jindan and the fact that Su Chan was a fox spirit.
"And that's pretty much how we met. I was on my way back to my apartment because I got drunk after a failed love confession…" Li Yundong chuckled and stared down at his hands. "And then… voila. There she was, the most beautiful woman I've ever met."
"Was it… Was it love at first sight?" Meiduo's sobs had turned into snivels.
"Nah…" Li Yundong shook his head, then smiled. "Well, I'm not gonna lie. For me, it was lust at first sight. As for her…I'm pretty sure it was neither." Li Yundong chuckled darkly. "I had nothing back then. Literally nothing." Li Yundong shot Meiduo a look and waved a hand in front of his face. "I don't always look like this."
Meiduo frowned. "What do you mean? You mean the beard and the long hair?"
"No. I meant I was fat and chubby."
The way Meiduo's jaw went slack was so comical that Li Yundong laughed out loud.
"B- But now you look so… so…"
Li Yundong shrugged. "It only happened after I met her."
And after I swallowed a magical pill by accident.
Meiduo pulled her robe tighter around her shoulders. "But she accepted you when you were… chubby?"
"You cold?"
Meiduo nodded. "A little…"
Li Yundong rummaged through his backpack and pulled out another towel, then offered it to Meiduo.
"Yes, she did," Li Yundong answered as Meiduo took the towel. "Well, she did have an ulterior motive at the beginning." Li Yundong smiled at the memory of Su Chan's teary confession that night. "But I found out later that she had a change of heart. She abandoned her original cause and chose to be with me instead."
Sometimes he still couldn't believe that Su Chan had given up the Renyuan Jindan for him.
"Then why are you here? Why aren't you with her now?"
Li Yundong slowly looked up from his hands. There was a hint of boldness in Meiduo's tone, as though the question was meant as a challenge.
Then, as if sensing her own impertinence, Meiduo blushed and looked away. "I- Is she… Is she alright?" she asked in a more tentative tone.
"She's fine." Li Yundong sighed. "At least I know she's somewhere safe."
That seemed to have gotten Meiduo's attention as her eyes snapped back to his face. Plastered across her face was a look of alarm and concern.
"Was she in danger before?"
Li Yundong smiled wryly. "She's in danger every second she's with me."
"What do you mean?"
Li Yundong sat there in silence.
"Brother Li?"
Li Yundong looked up into the night sky. "I did some things recently… Things that some might consider questionable." He lowered his gaze from the sky and looked at Meiduo. "Things that are punishable by death."
The look of alarm on Meiduo's face intensified. "Wait. Are you a fugitive?"
Li Yundong thought for a few seconds, then shook his head. "No, I don't think I am…" A fugitive from the Heavens, yes. But the law? Maybe not. As far as he could tell, the authorities had not called for his arrest yet. He had a feeling that he had Zhou Qin to thank for that.
"I don't get it, Brother Li. You're not making any sense."
"I can't tell you the details. All I can say is that I did some questionable things that pissed off certain powerful… parties." Li Yundong shrugged. "And my punishment is death."
At least the He family hadn't put a bounty on his head.
Meiduo was silent for a long while. Li Yundong turned his head to the side to check whether she was still there. Finally, Meiduo looked into his eyes. "Is this what your trip is about? Are you trying to escape death?"
"No," Li Yundong stated firmly. "It's the opposite, actually. This trip is meant to help prepare me for my punishment. If I train myself hard enough, I might survive."
He had never really discussed with Zi Yuan about his chances of surviving the Heavenly Thunder, but he knew it was pretty slim. He Shao turned into ashes in literally just seconds after being struck. With the Jindan's help, Li Yundong might last, what, a few minutes?
"What on earth did you do, Brother Li? And what kind of punishment are we talking about here? Electrocution?"
Meiduo's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Li Yundong smirked. Electrocution pretty much summed it up.
"Brother Li?"
Li Yundong opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again. He sighed and shook his head.
"Right. You can't tell me. I get it." Meiduo sounded disappointed.
"If…" Li Yundong trailed off. He really didn't know the best way to say this.
"Yes?"
Li Yundong cleared his throat. "Let's say there's a man who owns a powerful weapon."
Meiduo frowned. "A weapon? What kind of weapon?"
"One that can destroy a person in an instant. But, at the same time, it'll also bring death to its user."
Meiduo's baffled expression made him laugh.
Seconds later, he stopped laughing and raised a palm. "Bear with me for a second, okay?"
Meiduo smiled for the first time since their unfortunate "accident."
"Okay," she said.
"Anyway, this man—the man with the weapon, well, let's call him Weapon Guy—encountered another man. And let's call this second man Evil Guy." Li Yundong kicked a loose pebble on the ground. "Evil Guy… Well, Evil Guy was very wealthy. And very powerful too. He had a lot of influence. However, he used his wealth and influence to do bad things."
"Right. Because he's an evil man…" Meiduo said dryly.
Li Yundong nodded. "He killed without remorse. He raped and violated women… and basically treated everyone else like trash."
Meiduo's face scrunched up. "That's horrible…"
Horrible was an understatement.
"Then one day, Evil Guy crossed the line and murdered two of Weapon Guy's friends. When Weapon Guy learned about his friends' deaths at hands of Evil Guy, he… Well, he lost it. He decided right then and there that he'd had enough. He didn't want Evil Guy to hurt anyone else, so he killed Evil Guy with the weapon."
Li Yundong turned his head and saw Meiduo watching him carefully. Meiduo hadn't said a single word, but he knew he had her full attention. She looked like she was processing his words carefully.
Li Yundong smiled wryly.
Perhaps she would change her mind about her feelings for him after this.
Li Yundong lowered his gaze and kicked another loose pebble. The pebble rolled away until it stopped at the edge of the brook. "Some might think of Weapon Guy as a sanctimonious and self-righteous prick who killed Evil Guy because he was looking for an emotion outlet. They might think it was all about vengeance, because Evil Guy murdered two of his friends in cold blood. Others might think that Evil Guy had it coming, that Evil Guy's death is justified because he had too much influence for the legal system to work properly." Li Yundong sighed and angled his head towards the sky. "I guess the question is… Was Weapon Guy wrong in killing Evil Guy?"
The stars blinked down at him in a peaceful, almost idyllic, manner. The silence between them was palpable. Li Yundong would've thought that he had gone deaf if it weren't for the sounds of the flowing water that came from the brook.
Just when Li Yundong was about to move the conversation forward, Meiduo spoke.
"Killing is wrong," she said softly. "Buddha said that taking a life, be it animal or human, would lead to karmic consequences."
Li Yundong chuckled wryly. I thought so…
"He's brave though…"
Li Yundong looked down from the sky towards Meiduo and raised his brows.
"The man with the weapon," Meiduo said. "I think he's brave?"
"Yeah?"
Meiduo nodded weakly.
Brave but dumb I guess.
"Was he aware that using the weapon would cost him his life?" Meiduo asked.
"Yes."
Meiduo released a hum of approval. "And yet he still did it." There was a brief pause. "In a way, he sacrificed his own life to protect everyone else from that evil man." Meiduo gazed at him steadily. "He would rather suffer the karmic consequences of taking a life than have anyone else suffer at the hands of the evil man."
Well. That's… an interesting way to look at it.
Li Yundong nodded. "I guess so."
Meiduo smiled. "That's why I said he's brave."
"He was angry too I think," Li Yundong said, stealing a glance at Meiduo. "I can't help but think that vengeance was also part of why he did it." Li Yundong sighed. "Which is why he is paying the price now."
There was another stretch of silence.
"Are you… Are you going to die, Brother Li?"
Li Yundong stared out into the dark silhouette of trees. Ao Wushuang didn't seem optimistic at all and had insisted on taking Su Chan as far away from him as possible. She did promise Su Chan that she would find a way to help him, but he couldn't help wondering if it was even possible to survive the Heavenly Thunder at his current level. Cultivators typically didn't have to worry about the Heavenly Thunder until they had reached the eighth phase of Cultivation—the Lightning Retribution phase. Su Chan herself had said so during their conversation with Zi Yuan.
Man… the eighth phase.
Yet here he was, forced to survive the Heavenly Thunder after passing just the fourth phase of Cultivation. That was like asking a three-year old to survive being run over by a truck.
Zi Yuan had remained pretty tight-lipped on the subject of his impending divine punishment, telling him to just worry about passing the Zhuji phase. What he didn't understand, though, was why. Why did she push him to pass the Zhuji phase so quickly? If even Ao Wushuang had doubts about his chances of surviving the divine punishment, shouldn't he refrain from passing the Zhuji phase for now? Was there something about the Heavenly Thunder that he wasn't told? Somehow, he couldn't shake the feeling that both Zi Yuan and Ao Wushuang were hiding something from him.
"Brother Li?"
Li Yundong looked towards Meiduo. "Sorry. You were saying?"
A look of concern flitted across Meiduo's face. "I asked if… if you're going to die…"
Right. The million-dollar question.
Li Yundong sighed. "I don't know, Meiduo. I don't know."
"Maybe… Maybe you can talk to Changbagela about this? Perhaps he could perform a sacred ritual for your protection…"
"It isn't fair to drag Changbagela into this." Li Yundong shook his head. "This is something that I have to face alone." He, Li Yundong, was the one who made the choice to kill He Shao. This was his punishment, his cross to bear. "I have to become stronger so that I can survive this."
"And after you survive, you'll return to the woman you love?"
Li Yundong regarded Meiduo steadily. "Yes."
Silence ensued. Meiduo looked like she was holding back tears.
"I- I understand, Brother Li." Meiduo stood up and handed him the towel.
Li Yundong took the towel, searching for the right words to say.
"You'll meet someone, Meiduo."
Meiduo shook her head and smiled. "A- All the best in your training!"
Then, she ran off without waiting for Li Yundong to respond. Li Yundong dropped the towel into his lap and sighed.
***
At dawn, Li Yundong stood outside Changbagela's tent. He didn't want to leave without at least saying goodbye to the old man.
"Just come in, Zhenren Li." Changbagela amused voice sounded from inside the tent. "I promise there is nothing indecent for you to see even if you barge in without announcement. It's just an old monk and his prayer wheels in here."
Li Yundong chuckled. "Pardon the intrusion, then, Changbagela."
Li Yundong parted the tent flaps and stepped in.
True to his word, Changbagela was sitting at the center of the tent, meditating. The old man opened his eyes when he sensed Li Yundong's presence.
"Ah. Leaving already, I see?"
Li Yundong nodded. "It is for the best."
His original plan was to let the pilgrims guide him towards the summit of Mount Duonian until he felt it was the right time to pass the Zhuji phase. And when the moment for him to pass the Zhuji phase—he hadn't yet experienced this mysterious feeling Zi Yuan had told him about—came, he would then part ways with the pilgrims and look for a private and inaccessible spot to pass the Zhuji phase. This was crucial for two main reasons: he shouldn't be disturbed during the process; and his surroundings should be clear of innocent bystanders when the Heavenly Thunder struck.
Admittedly, he hadn't thought things through.
Now, he had to leave before Meiduo got even more attached.
"Why do you think it is for the best, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I'm a Cultivator," Li Yundong answered. "I have enemies. It's better for me to travel alone."
"I see…"
"Will you guys be fine on your own? What with the wolves and everything."
"We have measures. Rifles and bows." Changbagela shook his head. "But with Buddha's blessing, I hope we don't run into any wolves. It is not advisable to take lives, be it human or animal."
"Best wishes, then."
"Likewise." Changbagela stood up. "Where will you go next?"
"The Himalayas."
Changbagela raised his brows, then stared at Li Yundong's backpack. "With so little supplies?"
Li Yundong nodded. "This is enough."
Changbagela looked concerned.
Li Yundong gave him a reassuring smile. "Part of my training is to be able to survive in any circumstances."
How could he survive the Heavenly Thunder if he couldn't even survive the harsh conditions of the Himalayas?
Changbagela grabbed his arms. "Take some of our food supplies with you at least."
Li Yundong laughed. "It's okay. Your people need them more than I do."
"I insist, Zhenren Li."
Li Yundong sighed. "Alright, then."
Changbagela led Li Yundong to the wagon, where Li Yundong filled his backpack with more food supplies.
"Farewell, Zhenren Li." Changbagela pressed his palms together. "May Buddha's blessings follow you through the rest of your journey."
Li Yundong bowed. "Thank you for everything, Changbagela. For your hospitality, your advice, and for the book."
"Are you sure you don't want me to wake Meiduo so she can say her goodbyes?"
Li Yundong nodded resolutely. "Yes, I'm sure."
With that, he turned and started walking downhill.
***
Meiduo's eyes shot open when she felt an insistent shake on her shoulder. She rolled around and rubbed her eyes groggily.
"What?" she mumbled.
"Your Brother Li is leaving…"
Meiduo sat bolt upright and stared at the person who woke up. It was one of Changbagela's trusted helpers.
"Yes," the man whispered. "I saw him enter Changbagela's tent with his backpack and all."
Meiduo scrambled out of her tent and ran into Changbagela's tent.
"Changbagela! Is it true?! Has he left?!" she shouted, not caring that she might have just woken up the entire camp.
Changbagela stood up and walked towards her. "Come, child."
Changbagela led her away from his tent towards the path downhill.
"There he is," Changbagela said, pointing along the path.
Meiduo squinted and, through the first light of dawn, saw Brother Li's figure slowly walking down the winding path.
Something wet dripped down Meiduo's cheeks, and she sang the first song that came to mind:
That day, standing amidst the smoky halls of the temple with my eyes closed, I heard your gentle chants;
That month, I spun my prayer wheel, not to free myself from the path of sin, but to touch your fingertips;
That year, I went on a pilgrimage along a winding, mountain path, not to be closer to the divine, but to be closer to your warmth;
That lifetime, I traveled across mountains and oceans, not to achieve enlightenment, but so that our paths might cross…
Translator's Notes:
Hello, dear readers of the English Adaptation of RAFSIMH, this is Anthony speaking.
First and foremost, thank you so much for reading, commenting, and following this work. Your support, comments, and constructive criticisms mean the world to us. Rest assured that we will keep working hard to deliver the best reading experience to you guys.
After a bit of research, I found the title of the song, the one Meiduo sang at the end of the chapter. It is a beautiful Mandarin song named 那一天 (Na Yi Tian, meaning, "That Day") by Jamyang Dolma. Here is a youtube link to it.
It truly is a beautiful song. Very soothing to the ears. When I reached the end of the chapter, I could totally picture the scene in my head with that song playing in the background. Imagine watching Li Yundong's back as he slowly made his way down Mount Duonian while Meiduo's singing voice resounded through the crisp mountain air. It has a haunting and powerful effect, at least to me. It really showed the growth of Li Yundong as a character. The author had done a superb job in picking the song.
I do recommend checking out the song. If you don't understand the lyrics, no problem. Just flick me a message on Discord. I will translate the lyrics and then post them there.
These are tough times indeed. The covid-19 outbreak is affecting everyone in the world, and I hope everyone of you guys are taking good care of yourselves. Stay safe, and do take proper precautions. Please stay indoors unless you have no choice. And hey, if you need a break from all that stress and negativity, you can always seek refuge in the world of Su Chan and her seemingly limitless adorkableness. This is why we are doing what we are doing anyway: to give our readers a moment of joy and enjoyment, even if it's for just a few minutes.
Again, thank you very much. And take care. Cheers.
Anthony.
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