Chapter 290: The Normality of the Human World

Wen Daolun said sternly, "No wonder you didn't feel anything; she couldn't get into your sea of consciousness at all."

"Why?"

"A person's sea of consciousness has more or less some instinctive protection to reject external enemies. My Tong Kao only looks young, but in reality, its yin age is over three hundred years; sneaking into others' sea of consciousness is easy." Wen Daolun's eyes were also curious, "But she told me that the periphery of your sea of consciousness is all a maze; she took the wrong turn several times and almost couldn't get out."

"A maze?" This answer was far beyond He Lingchuan's expectations, "She couldn't break in by force?"

"You want her to break in by force?" Wen Daolun laughed, "If she messes up your sea of consciousness, you might become an idiot."

Then how was the god's intrusion last time resolved? He Lingchuan did feel exhausted afterwards, wishing he could lie down and sleep for three days and nights. But he was very sure he hadn't become an idiot or a fool.

Should be, right?

Does this mean he is very durable? "The Tong Kao also mentioned that this layer of maze is very tough; with her cultivation, she couldn't break it; and she vaguely felt that if she wanted to resort to force to break it, the consequences would likely be serious." Wen Daolun leaned back, "What kind of divine arts have you practiced?"

He Lingchuan listed them one by one, and Wen Daolun immediately said, "Given your age and cultivation, that couldn't be a defense you built yourself. The person behind the scenes doesn't want to expose your true fate. So—"

"Your deep fortune might also be a superficial illusion created." He exhaled lightly, "This situation where the body and soul are separated, each corresponding to a different fate, is truly very rare."

"The fates of the body and soul… are different?" He Lingchuan's back felt a bit numb; this was indeed his current situation! "A person's good fortune is limited; it's impossible to only have good luck forever; the backlash must be borne by your fate, which is the so-called external accumulation and internal destruction, or what is called external fortune and internal disaster!" Wen Daolun explained, "Day after day of piling up fortune into disaster, it will eventually explode; this is called having no fortune to enjoy!"

He Lingchuan touched his chin and asked, "The Tong Kao couldn't even break into my sea of consciousness; can you just rely on deduction to say I have external fortune and internal disaster?"

"Aren't there still two verses?" Wen Daolun smiled, "Of course, the most important thing is that you are not an isolated case. This situation is rare, but I have already witnessed it once before."

He Lingchuan blurted out, "Who?"

Wen Daolun shook his head, "It has nothing to do with you."

He wouldn't say, and no one here could force him.

He Lingchuan felt stifled and sighed, "Since there is disaster, you must tell me how to alleviate it?"

"After the great catastrophe of heaven and earth, fate is not entirely determined by heaven; it is also in your own hands."

He Lingchuan immediately remembered the old turtle's original words: "There is no ending called 'destined by fate.'" But what he wanted now was a solution, a solution! "Then let's see: you think of a character, and I'll help you break it down." Wen Daolun moved the things on the small table and placed a cup of water in front of He Lingchuan, "Just the first character you can think of right now, do not overthink it!"

He wanted He Lingchuan to break down the first character he found in his subconscious.

Since Wen Daolun said so, He Lingchuan didn't overthink it; he reached out to dip his finger in the water, paused in the air, and then landed on the wooden desk, forming it in a few strokes.

This character was—

Courage! He Lingchuan indeed didn't overthink it, writing only by his true heart.

If there really was disaster, he thought what he needed most might be this character.

Wen Daolun stroked his beard and praised, "The youth is promising. Are you a patrol guard, or have you already joined the Great Wind Army?"

"Patrol guard." He Lingchuan said seriously, "Striving to join the Great Wind Army."

"Good, good." Wen Daolun reached out and also wrote the character "Courage" on the small table, "This is your 'Courage' character; if you remove the 'strength' below, it becomes 'Yong' (a passage). This character can be interpreted in two ways: first, the handle of a large bell; that is, if others want to use the large bell, whether hanging or striking, they must go through you; second, a palace corridor, because the high walls on both sides are hard to cross, you are the only convenient path."

Hearing this, He Lingchuan muttered, "Making wedding clothes for others?"

Didn't this match the old turtle's verses?

"The 'Yong' character can also have a person radical added, becoming 'Yong' (a figurine)." On the shelf behind Wen Daolun, there happened to be a clay figurine of a boy; he turned around, took it, and placed it on the small table.

This boy figurine wasn't very exquisite, and the clothes on its body were either red or green. He Lingchuan looked at the exaggerated and hypocritical smile on its face and subconsciously shivered.

"I don't need to say more about the meaning of a figurine, right?"

Sun Fuling whispered from the side, "What a 'body like a cage'."

"But the premise for these two characters is that the 'Courage' character has had its 'strength' taken away." Wen Daolun said softly, "This 'strength' character might be where your opportunity lies."

Having great strength is the only way to change fate.

This principle seems to be universal in every world.

He Lingchuan dipped his finger in water and wrote the character "Strength" on the table, looked at it for a long time, and then coughed lightly, "Then the 'Yong' character can also have a walking radical and a water radical added."

That is "Tong" (pass through) and "Yong" (gush).

The growth of strength takes time; while he is not yet strong enough, are there other ways to avoid disaster?

Wen Daolun asked him back, "What do you think?"

"Can these two characters be put together?" He Lingchuan bluffed, "Could it be that I should leave when I encounter water?"

"Maybe." Wen Daolun smiled, "I said, after the natural disaster, the numbers of fate are no longer precise; your fate…"

"Is determined yet undetermined." He Lingchuan could answer for him, "I know."

This time seeking a solution, he seemed to understand, yet seemed not to fully understand.

It seems both the old turtle and Wen Daolun like to be mysterious; perhaps they themselves only have a half-understanding, or perhaps such things are inherently impossible to explain clearly.

Wen Daolun stopped there, took out a miniature chessboard from somewhere, and turned to Sun Fuling, "Little girl Sun, shall we play another game?"

Sun Fuling was also very straightforward, "Sure, what is Mr. Wen prepared to lose this time?"

Wen Daolun was almost choked, and after a long while, he said, "Last time was just carelessness!"

Sun Fuling didn't move, "If you lose, you must come to the Shumin Academy to give five lectures."

"Two lectures." Wen Daolun shook his head, "I don't have that much time."

The two bargained and finally settled on three lectures.

Of course, if Sun Fuling lost, she didn't have to pay; what was Wen Daolun's status, how could he ask for a stake from a junior?

He Lingchuan had no love for chess; he forced himself to watch for a while and then became drowsy.

By the time Sun Fuling shook his sleeve, the carriage had returned to Panlongcheng: "We're here."

He Lingchuan woke up instantly: "Mr. Wen lost again?"

Wen Daolun's beard curled, but he didn't deny it.

He had indeed lost again, and lost even more miserably than last time.

"At such a young age, your chess skills are truly…" He sighed, "It reminds me of someone."

He Lingchuan asked for him: "Who?"

"Commander Zhong's beloved daughter." Wen Daolun got out of the carriage after saying this and stood on the ground, stretching his back.

In fact, personal guards had already reported on the road that the monsters under the God-Descending Platform had run away and hadn't been caught.

He Lingchuan simply told Wen Daolun about the strange things regarding the old woman, and then said, "I have no evidence, just making a random deduction for Mr. Wen to consider."

Wen Daolun didn't interrupt him from beginning to end, listened carefully, and then nodded, "This news is useful, thank you."

Sigh, another meeting to attend; Wen Daolun hurried back.

The large group of people also left with him.

The cold wind on the South Gate Square made Sun Fuling wrap her coat tighter. Having just come from the warm carriage, she was a bit unaccustomed.

Seeing this, He Lingchuan said, "Let's go home."

After saying this, he himself was slightly stunned.

However, there was nothing wrong with this sentence; the two's homes were right next to each other. Sun Fuling didn't seem to hear anything strange and nodded repeatedly: "Mm-hmm!"

Just as the two were about to climb into the carriage they had hired, Sun Fuling suddenly asked him again: "Seeing your complexion has been bad all day, what happened?"

He Lingchuan subconsciously said, "Nothing." This girl was too sharp; he thought he had been hiding it well.

Sun Fuling immediately stopped and tilted her head to look at him: "Tell me. Being miserable alone in Panlongcheng is not a wise approach."

He finally sighed, "I just lost a comrade… a good comrade."

Mao Tao had sacrificed himself, and he didn't even have time to burn a few more paper coins for this loyal subordinate.

And apart from him, it seemed no one cared about this matter, or this person.

From the moment he was buried in the yellow earth, this name went with the wind.

Sun Fuling gently pressed his wrist, and the warmth of her palm came through: "The world is impermanent; life and death are the norm."

She didn't ask which comrade it was; in Panlongcheng, parting by death was the norm.

He Lingchuan nodded; what else could he do if he didn't think this way?

She asked again: "Did you release a lotus lamp?"

"What?" He didn't understand.

"Follow me."

Sun Fuling pulled him into a narrow street by the square; a few households had their doors open, and it was unclear whether they were merchants or residents.

Such street-side residents had the advantage of location and could do business by setting up a small stall directly at their courtyard gate.

Sun Fuling chose one and walked over, saying, "Buy an ice lamp."

This shop seemed to sell general goods; the shopkeeper heard this, turned around and walked back into the courtyard, and before long, brought over a string of ice lamps tied with straw rope.

The ice lamp was shaped like a blooming lotus platform, the size of a bowl, and the carving was very exquisite; even the texture of the petals was carved out.

Inside the lotus core was a small candle, the length of which was only one-third of a little finger.

Sun Fuling paid the money, held the lamp, and strolled outward:

"The lamps made by this shopkeeper have the best craftsmanship."

Outside was the square, where there was a lake; the lake water hadn't frozen, and He Lingchuan could see the figures of fat fish swimming lazily.

Sun Fuling handed the ice lamp to him: "As long as you put it into the lake, the hot springs underground will push it outward."

It was dusk, and after the sun set, it got dark very quickly.

He Lingchuan took a fire starter to light the small candle, held the lotus lamp and muttered a few words, then gently placed it into the water.

(End of Chapter)