Chapter 160: First there is emotion, then one must sever and forget emotion, only then can one attain the Great Dao

Once these words were spoken, the crowd was left speechless, feeling as though a demon of unprecedented magnitude had appeared.

Yan Hongye looked toward the sedan and said:

"Senior Brother, you were once single-mindedly devoted to saving the common people of the world, often boasting of being a Xuanxin Sect member who protects the righteous path of the human world. Have you forgotten all of this?"

"If I said I had forgotten, what would you do?" Zhuang Buran replied in a calm voice.

Yan Hongye's expression was resolute:

"Then I would certainly make you remember, and turn you back into the carefree and lazy Zhuge Liuyun from before."

"How do you know that the Zhuge Liuyun from before wasn't the fake one, and that the Zhuge Liuyun standing before you now is the true one?" Zhuang Buran's tone was peaceful.

Yan Hongye said, enunciating every word:

"I don't believe it."

Zhuang Buran smiled and spoke nonchalantly:

"Everyone, there is still more than half a year left until the day the Heavenly Demon strikes the Seven Killings. Cherish these few remaining days well."

Having said this, the sedan was lifted lightly and soared into the air. Over a hundred men in black withdrew their energy, dispersed their black talismans, and swiftly gave chase.

The crowd immediately collapsed, half-kneeling on the ground from exhaustion.

Half a month later.

In a place called Panlong Valley, a group of men in black guarded a sedan, moving with the speed of ghosts as they roamed the vast valley.

They saw a village in the valley, and in a secluded spot not far from the village, there stood a small bamboo hut.

A gentle and refined young man was roasting meat outside the bamboo hut, using flames that emerged from a dungeon to cook it.

From within the dungeon, a faint, somewhat gentle dragon's roar could be heard.

Immediately after, a sedan, guarded by the men in black, landed not far from the refined young man.

Zhuang Buran lifted the sedan curtain and stepped out, saying:

"To have meat but no wine is surely a pity. Why don't I treat you to wine, and you treat me to meat?"

The refined young man was taken aback. Hearing the strange, emotionally charged cries from the dungeon, he felt exceptionally puzzled.

He thought to himself that he and Xiao Lan had depended on each other for many years; he could understand the meaning behind every one of her roars. This time, however, he felt they were filled with many indescribable emotions, such as excitement, nervousness, and fear.

"All who come are guests, please, take a seat." The refined young man gestured with his hand and added:

"My name is Zhuge Wuwei. May I ask your honorable name?"

As Zhuang Buran sat opposite the refined young man, Jia Yi and Jia Er brought out wine pots, cups, plates, and chopsticks, and poured three cups of wine.

"Could it be that you have another friend, sir?" Zhuge Wuwei asked, looking slightly puzzled.

"Recently, there have indeed been some people pursuing me, but I imagine they won't be able to find this place for the time being."

Zhuang Buran suddenly smiled and reminded him:

"Brother Wuwei, the fire is a bit too strong. If you keep roasting your meat like this, I'm afraid it will burn."

"Uh... Xiao Lan, that's enough, the meat is already cooked." Zhuge Wuwei hurriedly spoke up.

A moment later, before Zhuge Wuwei could react, Jia Yi snatched the roasted meat from his hand. With a flash of cold light, the large chunk of meat was skewered, divided into three portions, and landed on their respective plates.

Zhuang Buran smiled:

"Brother Wuwei, the person underneath should be your friend. Why not invite her to join us?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the cries from the dungeon became even more agitated.

"Xiao Lan is a fire dragon. Are you not afraid?" Zhuge Wuwei looked at the silver-haired young man's eerie blue pupils, seemingly realizing something.

Zhuang Buran flicked his sleeve, sending the hollow iron cover flying. He then pressed his palm downward, and a cloud-like force flowed down into the hole.

"What are you doing?"

Zhuge Wuwei instinctively felt worried. As he stood up to stop him, his shoulder was immediately pressed down by Jia Yi, leaving him unable to move.

"Please, Brother Wuwei, stay calm. I only wish for your friend to dine with us more conveniently."

Zhuang Buran said softly to reassure him. Then, a beautiful woman in her thirties with blue pupils floated gracefully out of the hole.

Zhuge Wuwei was overjoyed, especially when he saw the blue pupils in her eyes, which seemed to confirm something even further. He smiled happily and said:

"You mother and son have been separated for nearly twenty years. Tonight, you are finally reunited. This is truly a joyous and celebratory occasion."

After Lan Mo emerged, she saw Zhuang Buran's silver hair and immediately asked with immense worry:

"Ming'er, after you recovered, everything was healthy and well. How did your hair become like this?"

Anxious, she grabbed the silver-haired young man's sleeve:

"Is it because the demonic curse on you hasn't been completely lifted? Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable?"

Zhuang Buran transformed his bare feet into a seven or eight-foot-long blue dragon tail and smiled:

"It is nothing. Perhaps my demon bloodline ancestors were silver-haired to begin with."

"Furthermore, I was able to lift the demonic curse from you; what other curse could possibly harm me? This is merely the awakening of my demon bloodline."

Seeing this, Lan Mo felt the heavy stone in her heart drop, but suddenly, her heart tightened again:

"Do you not mind that your mother is a demon?"

Zhuang Buran asked back with a smile:

"Then do you mind that your son is half-human, half-demon?"

"What foolish words are you saying? How could a mother ever despise her own son?" Lan Mo hurriedly said.

Zhuang Buran's heart stirred. He transformed his dragon tail back into two feet, gently helped Lan Mo to sit, and sat down beside her, happily saying:

"Today, I roamed around Panlong Valley and found that the scenery here is quite good, very suitable for living in seclusion."

"In the coming days, why don't you take me around to see the sights, Mother?"

"Alright, no matter where you want to go, Mother will accompany you," Lan Mo said with a smile.

"Brother Wuwei, you shouldn't mind if I build a bamboo pavilion next to your wooden hut, should you?" Zhuang Buran said to Zhuge Wuwei.

"How could I?"

As soon as Zhuge Wuwei finished speaking, he saw the men in black not far away leap into the air. Within seven or eight breaths, they returned carrying bamboo poles and began to build the bamboo pavilion in an orderly fashion.

He couldn't help but ask:

"These are...?"

"I am naturally lazy, so I crafted some puppets to take care of my daily affairs," Zhuang Buran said nonchalantly.

"I never imagined Daoist arts could be used this way. I am impressed, truly impressed," Zhuge Wuwei exclaimed.

"You are too kind, you are too kind."

Zhuang Buran brought a plate of divided roasted meat to Lan Mo and said with a smile:

"Since it is still early, why don't you tell me about the interesting things that have happened over these years, and then I will tell you some of mine."

"Alright."

After Lan Mo also placed a plate of roasted meat in front of Zhuang Buran, she first spoke of the interesting things she had experienced in the Yin Moon Demon Palace, and then began to talk about the fun things she had encountered in the valley over the years.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten days passed.

On this day, three more unexpected visitors arrived at Panlong Valley; they were none other than Yan Chixia's family of three.

"It's a good thing Liuyun's display when traveling was large enough for us to find out his whereabouts. I just don't know how he found out Lan Mo was living in seclusion in Panlong Valley," Yan Chixia said suspiciously.

"Why do you care so much? Now that the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect and the Yin Moon Dynasty have put aside their past grievances and grudges, they only want to work together to stop Liuyun from destroying the world on the day the Heavenly Demon strikes the Seven Killings."

Sima Sanniang said:

"I think Liuyun must have been injured by the infinite demonic energy of the Yin World Ghost Spring after practicing the 'Xuanxin Profound Mystery', causing him to go into a demonic frenzy and his temperament to change drastically."

"As long as we cure his demonic frenzy, we will be able to see the Liuyun from before."

As she said this, she looked at her daughter, who had become increasingly silent lately, and voiced the worry she had kept hidden for a long time:

"Hongye, you must not do anything rash and go practicing that 'Xuanxin Profound Mystery' again."

"If you do that, you will have completely betrayed Liuyun's good intentions. If he recovers, he will certainly blame himself."

"Mother, I know what I am doing," Yan Hongye nodded gently.

Immediately after, the three of them used the 'Thousand-Mile Godly Travel Talisman' together. Led by Yan Chixia, they arrived in front of the small wooden hut in the valley and saw a three-story bamboo pavilion, with peach trees planted in the courtyard.

They faintly heard laughter from the bamboo courtyard, so they stepped forward to knock on the door and pushed it open to enter.

Yan Hongye's gaze froze, and she stared blankly at the lazy silver-haired young man lying under an old peach tree.

"Sigh, days of laughter and joy always pass quickly. I suppose it is time to go."

Zhuang Buran sighed suddenly, and Lan Mo, who was lying beside him, immediately fell into a deep sleep.

"Brother Wuwei, you can be considered half a brother to me, and having accompanied my mother for nearly twenty years, you have long since developed a deeply profound mother-son bond."

"In this way, let her memory be completely devoid of me, knowing only that she has a son like you. From now on, she will surely be able to live a plain and happy life, just as she has these past few days."

He stood up and said indifferently:

"To cultivate the Supreme Heartless Path, one must not merely sever the seven emotions and six desires, but rather clarify the heart and see one's nature, attaining the Heavenly Dao. Therefore, one must first have emotion, then sever and forget emotion, only then can one attain the Great Dao."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 161 =====