Chapter 271 Memories of the Past, Difficult to Let Go

Wei Yuan returned to the Mountain Sea Realm once again.

This time, he first went to Chaoge City and obtained the item he had planned for a long time from the Grand Tutor. Wu Yu and Fei Yu had also been helping to collect materials outside during this period. Finally, Wei Yuan stuffed that rather large bag into his sleeve.

Then, riding the bo-horse, he hurried to Zhong Mountain under the cover of night.

The bo-horse had been present when Wei Yuan discussed things with Zhujiu Yin before, so when the bo-dragon heard that Wei Yuan was going to Zhong Mountain again, a trace of unease arose in its heart involuntarily. As they got closer and closer to Zhong Mountain, this feeling grew stronger and stronger.

It raised its head and said, "Mountain God, there's something this little dragon wants to ask you."

"Are you going to see the Venerable Zhujiu Yin again this time?"

"Yes."

"...Are you going to cook for Him again?"

"Of course."

The bo-dragon became even more cautious and said:

"Is it because you killed the Drum God this time?"

Wei Yuan glanced at it: "You're quite clever."

The bo-dragon's fur almost stood on end. It stopped in mid-air, refusing to move forward, its voice almost crying out, its face full of grief, "My God, you killed his son and you're going to cook for him?!"

"This, this, this... Let's go back."

"Let's go back!"

"Do you have a custom where people eat after someone's son dies?"

Wei Yuan nodded seriously and said, "Yes, we do."

"Huh?!"

The bo-dragon's voice was stuck in its throat.

Wei Yuan reached out and patted the bo-dragon, saying, "Let's go forward, I guarantee you'll be safe."

The young Daoist rode the bo-dragon backwards and sang to himself as if joking:

"When a person lies down, a cloth is laid, all the villagers wait for the dishes to be made."

"Those who walk, those who carry, followed by a swath of white."

At this time, it was night in the Mountain Sea Realm. The bo-dragon trod through the air, feeling that Wei Yuan's out-of-tune song was filled with a strange sense of gloom. For some reason, its scales felt cold, until the last line, when he clapped his hands and laughed, saying, "From now on, I shall never return to the mortal world."

Although it was still simple, it had a touch of carefree feeling.

It was unclear whether it was the words themselves or the person singing the last line.

The bo-dragon was very fast. Wei Yuan could already see Zhong Mountain in the darkness. It would be a lie to say that he wasn't worried about Zhujiu Yin's reaction, but after all, this matter was something that Zhujiu Yin himself had asked Wei Yuan to do. With Zhujiu Yin's character, he wouldn't be likely to vent his anger on him.

Wei Yuan landed, and the bo-dragon's legs were a little weak.

Thoughts flashed through its mind.

It felt that Wei Yuan was planning to offer it to Zhujiu Yin as a spare sacrifice.

It tremblingly opened its mouth and said, "Should I go find some prey?"

Wei Yuan shook his head and said, "No need this time."

He looked at Zhong Mountain in the deep night, pondered for a moment, and tapped the void with his fingers, saying:

"Zhujiu Yin, I have come to fulfill our appointment..."

……………………

As the fluctuations of the magical arts gradually dissipated, a ripple seemed to surge around Zhong Mountain, sealing off the heaven and earth belonging to the entire Zhong Mountain. When Wei Yuan withdrew his gaze from this fluctuation, which was clearly a sealing divine power, Zhujiu Yin had already appeared before Wei Yuan.

He was still wearing his ink-colored casual clothes with crimson edges, his whole body as if shrouded in a layer of mist.

Making it difficult to see clearly.

But even though he couldn't see clearly, Wei Yuan still felt two gazes falling on his face.

Zhujiu Yin slowly said, "You, have you brought the true spirit of Drum..."

Wei Yuan nodded and said, "I have not failed my mission."

He raised his hand and took out the true spirit of Drum from his sleeve. When it was taken out, the true spirit lit up with a faint light, separated from Wei Yuan's palm, and flew towards Zhujiu Yin. Finally, Zhujiu Yin looked at the true spirit in this stream of light, was silent for a moment, and said in a plain voice:

"Acceptable."

"You have completed your part, and I will fulfill my duty to help you refine the Emperor's Pool."

Wei Yuan saw that Zhujiu Yin's temperament was melancholy, different from his usual indifferentness. He knew that even gods would inevitably feel a sense of loss when they saw the true spirit of their only son. Thinking of Feng Siyu's answer, Wei Yuan restrained the expression on his face, looking kind and solemn. He pointed to the stone table and said, "It's rare to see you, Zhujiu Yin."

"Before going to the Emperor's Pool, would you like to eat something?"

The bo-dragon was so shocked that it almost howled.

Did you have to bring up this topic at this time?

Zhujiu Yin did not get angry or displeased. His eyes pierced through the mist and stared at Wei Yuan, slowly saying, "I just heard you say from afar that when humans in the mortal world die, there will be banquets. Is it because the human race has a short lifespan, so they don't take life and death to heart?"

"In your opinion, what does life and death represent?"

Wei Yuan was surprised, and immediately felt the emotions implied in Zhujiu Yin's question.

Such a big question about life and death was more like Zhujiu Yin asking himself than asking Wei Yuan. Even if Zhujiu Yin was peaceful and indifferent, he was still a god, and did not think that such a question could be answered by a human.

Normally, he would not even ask such a question. The death of his only son, Drum, had brought a huge impact to his heart. Even the Heavenly God who supported the Nine Netherworlds in the ancient years would occasionally have emotional fluctuations and a moment of confusion.

Even if it was imperceptible.

Wei Yuan adjusted his sitting posture and asked the bo-dragon to find prey.

Then, he waved his sleeves and had the reversed flowing wind grind the grains into powder. This time, he prepared to make some pastries and other food. While waiting for the bo-dragon to return, Wei Yuan wiped his hands, thought for a moment, and said, "Your question is very big, and there may not even be a truly correct answer."

"However, I thought of a story that you can listen to."

He was like a storyteller, pausing his voice and saying:

"There was such a person, he and his wife loved each other for a lifetime, but his wife died before him, and when his friends came to visit him, they found that this person was just sitting on the ground, drumming on a pot and singing, that is, beating on a clay pot as a musical instrument, and even singing loudly."

Zhujiu Yin asked, "Was this person and his wife not on good terms?"

Wei Yuan shook his head and said, "No, very good. The two grew old together, um, I mean, they slowly grew old together, until their hair was all white."

Zhujiu Yin frowned, and slowly said, "Is this person heartless and unrighteous?"

Wei Yuan still shook his head and said, "No, he can be said to be a person who values ​​love and righteousness."

Zhujiu Yin pondered for a long time, unable to understand, and said, "Why is this?"

"Although we are immortal, we have also seen humans die like grass and trees. Their relatives are extremely sad. Why is this person reacting like this?"

This was different from the reactions of the humans and even some gods that Zhujiu Yin had seen.

Some mountain gods also die, equally panicked.

Wei Yuan sat cross-legged, his eyes looking at Zhujiu Yin, and replied, "Because he said that in the heaven and earth, in the past, his wife had never been born, neither with form nor with the breath of birth, but just a vast wisp of breath in the heaven and earth, which happened to change and have breath."

"The breath changed and had form, conceived for ten months and had life, and then died again."

"This is the same as the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. What is the use of being sad and crying?"

Wei Yuan's voice paused slightly, and when he saw Zhujiu Yin vaguely seeming to notice something, he leaned forward slightly and said, "Humans are like this, and so are gods."

He said, "When heaven and earth were first born, were there gods?"

"No."

"Gods were initially just a ball of breath, which changed and gave birth to form, and with form there was life, and life will eventually change and return to death. Everything is like the rotation of the four seasons, the law and the great path of heaven and earth. All living beings are included in it. Sadness and pain cannot change this process."

Zhujiu Yin's eyes moved slightly.

There was a faint sense of shock in his heart.

In Wei Yuan's description, he seemed to see a slovenly man, drumming on a pot and singing, saying words that almost no one understood at the time, but vaguely encompassed the life and death of all things in the world, even gods. Zhujiu Yin faintly did not believe it, and slowly said, "Is he really just a human...?"

Wei Yuan nodded and said, "His name is Zhuang Zhou."

"He is a person who only lived for eighty years. What does Zhujiu Yin think of his view of life and death?"

Zhujiu Yin suppressed the fluctuations in his heart, his voice calm and indifferent:

"It's just because it doesn't involve himself."

"Such things as life and death, seeing others die is at most just a sigh in the heart. If it doesn't fall on oneself, no one knows the terror of death."

Wei Yuan picked up a branch and stirred the rising fire, and smiled:

"Venerable God, you are right."

"Then, this should be said to the day he died."

"When his wife died, he said, 'Heaven and earth are like a giant room, singing and crying are a great understanding'."

"And when he died, he said, 'I am dying now, then who is first? If I live another hundred years, then who is last? Since the first cannot be avoided, why be greedy for a moment?'"

Zhujiu Yin was as if struck by lightning, with a faint shock in his heart, and murmured:

"Since the first cannot be avoided, why be greedy for a moment?"

At this moment, he seemed to see the man named Zhuang Zhou with peaceful eyes, seeing through life and death and the years, staring at the gods. The gods have a long lifespan, almost immortal, but since life and death are already fixed, and cannot be avoided, the longevity of the gods is just greed for a moment. From the vast perspective of heaven and earth, all things rotate, and there is not much difference.

Such plain but grand words, Zhujiu Yin was lost for a long time, and then asked:

"Did he die?"

Wei Yuan replied, "He died thousands of years ago."

Zhujiu Yin was silent for a moment, and said, "What a pity..."

He sighed again and said, "Even if Drum commits the crime of violating the contract and killing gods, and is eventually killed by Yao and returns to heaven and earth, is it no different from other living beings?"

Wei Yuan smiled and said calmly, "There is also another old man who said two sentences."

"Heaven and earth are not benevolent, and treat all things as straw dogs."

"The way of heaven is constant, not for Yao to exist, not for Jie to perish."

"The meaning of these two sentences combined is probably that the great path of heaven and earth is fair and incomparable. It will not change its laws because there are more virtuous people or more tyrannical criminals in the world. Everything is treated equally in its eyes."

As an ancient god, Zhujiu Yin could better feel the meaning contained in such words.

He rarely felt the state of being in turmoil again, and slowly said:

"Did Zhuang Zhou say this too?"

"No."

Wei Yuan replied, "This was said by an old man named Lao Dan."

"Although later generations have given him many, many legends and myths, he is undoubtedly just a mortal. I think that compared with gods and immortals, it is the mortals who created those legends that make people yearn for them even more."

"Perhaps it is because we all think that these things are almost impossible for people to do, so we can only push them to the gods and immortals."

A trace of fluctuation flashed in Zhujiu Yin's eyes.

He was silent for a long time and said:

"I am beginning to think that the choice King Yu made back then may have been the right one."

Wei Yuan said frankly, "My Shenzhou has been vast for thousands of years, and there has never been a shortage of such characters. Zhujiu Yin, if you are interested, why not go to the mortal world with me for a while? Your lifespan is long, and even a few hundred years is just a snap of your fingers to you."

"It's also good to witness the birth of generations of outstanding people and get to know them."

"Moreover, there are more delicacies in the mortal world than I know."

"How is it?"

Wei Yuan seemed to just casually propose it.

Zhujiu Yin stared at him and said plainly, "Do you want me to be biased towards the human race?"

Wei Yuan's body stiffened, but he simply raised his eyes and stared at Zhujiu Yin:

"But I didn't lie."

Zhujiu Yin shook his head and said, "No need."

Wei Yuan felt regret in his heart. It would be good if Zhujiu Yin really had enough interest in the mortal world. However, this may also turn the mortal world into a second Nine Netherworlds, where it must rely on Zhujiu Yin to live well. This made Wei Yuan feel a chill in his heart. That kind of human race would return to ancient times.

This matter, I am afraid, still depends on himself.

When the bo-dragon returned, for some reason, it instinctively felt that the atmosphere between Wei Yuan and Zhujiu Yin had become much gentler, without the heavy solemnity it had when it left at the beginning. Compared to that, it was closer to the time when it saw Zhujiu Yin last time, and it was relieved in its heart.

Wei Yuan made all kinds of pastries. Using the small water control divine power obtained from Wu Zhiqi, combined with the Earth Fiend magic, he successfully created a magic steamer, placing the pastries in front of Zhujiu Yin. For some reason, this time Zhujiu Yin did not eat as heartily as before, but was more gentle.

It seems that the matter of Drum still had a great impact on him.

But speaking of Drum...

A doubt arose in Wei Yuan's heart, and he subconsciously glanced at Zhujiu Yin several times. Zhujiu Yin ate a pastry and said lightly, "What else? Just say it."

Wei Yuan pondered his words and said, "Drum is your son?"

Zhujiu Yin nodded.

Wei Yuan held his fist against his chin and said, "Is there a second Candle Dragon in the world?"

"I don't remember you having a wife."

"I didn't even write it in my book."

This is a big omission.

It must be made up.

Cough cough, I'm just finishing up King Yu's work.

Absolutely not because of curiosity and gossip.

Zhujiu Yin paused.

He looked at Wei Yuan with plain eyes and said, "Why do you think gods have gender?"

Wei Yuan was stunned, looked at Zhujiu Yin, and stammered:

"You you you... Zhujiu Yin, you can be both male and..."

Zhujiu Yin said in a plain voice, "According to you humans, I am male."

"I just corrected your statement."

"Also, swallow the question you want to ask."

"Or, one day you can go to the Queen Mother of the West and ask her what is going on."

"I can introduce you."

Then I would be beaten to death.

Wei Yuan's mouth twitched, and he swallowed the words in his throat.

He took the opportunity to ask, "Do you know where the Queen Mother of the West is?"

Zhujiu Yin glanced at him and said, "I know, but I can't tell you."

"Your current strength... um, is acceptable."

Zhujiu Yin reluctantly gave an evaluation, glanced at Wei Yuan, and said plainly:

"Ordinary mountain gods and water gods will not be your opponents, but that is all."

"If you rashly participate in the affairs of West Kunlun, you will only be completely destroyed."

"Including the matter of King Yu, don't ask me either. I can't tell you. Letting you go to the east of Mount Chongwu before and take away Yu's sword was already a bit out of line, so you'd better dispel this idea in your heart."

Wei Yuan said, "Can I ask why you can't say it?"

Zhujiu Yin replied, "Because it's a contract."

"With whom?"

"King Yu."

Wei Yuan got an answer that he had not expected at all, and was slightly stunned.

Zhujiu Yin stood up and said:

"What I said about the essence of the gods is just to tell you that the gods were all in a state of Yin and Yang at the beginning. They chose a certain side of themselves. Drum, he was not conceived like living beings. I once saw Nuwa and imitated her method of creating the first human race to create Drum."

"It's a pity that in the end I have to give him peace."

Zhujiu Yin sighed and said, "Let's go."

"We've chatted for a long time. It's time to help you refine the Emperor's Pool."

Wei Yuan thought of the Daoist-Buddhist dispute half a month later, temporarily restrained the thoughts in his heart, and nodded slowly.

ps: Today's update, 4,700 words..., the following plot needs to be sorted out.

Also, I'm going to adjust my schedule, please take half a day off~

Thanks to book friend 20210805093210924 for the reward, thank you~