Chapter 159

Entering the streets of Everlasting Peace, Zhou Shuo's first feeling was solemnity, and while walking those bustling streets, his feeling was grandeur; this is a Great Tang dynasty just entered its prosperous age, although people's hearts remain dark, yet the lives of the common folk have been turned around, the era is stepping into a good direction.

It is precisely because of the turning of the era's life that the Great Tang dynasty could have Tang Sanzang journey west to obtain scriptures, salvaging some of the Dharma's fortune; if the era continues to descend into chaos, then this world would have no hope.

Zhou Shuo entered through the North Gate, straight along Zhuque Avenue for a tour; first he saw the extraordinarily bustling Xuanwu Gate, then went to see the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, which he never expected—inside the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, many demons were actually suppressed.

In this world, where there is righteousness there is also wickedness; where there are demons, there naturally are those who exorcise demons and uphold the Dao. In Everlasting Peace City, the two major newly risen sects of humanity, the Great Tang Government and the Transformation and Birth Temple, are located in the south and southeast of the city.

Disciples of the Great Tang Government apprentice under Duke Lu Guo Cheng Yaojin; this was personally approved by Tang Emperor Li Shimin, they cultivate the peerless martial arts, tasked with exterminating demons and upholding the Great Tang as their duty; whereas disciples of the Transformation and Birth Temple apprentice under Master Kongdu, specializing in Qi Huang's art and Hinayana Buddhism, to save all beings.

Besides humanity's two major sects, Everlasting Peace City also has countless experts—for example, Yuan Tiangang, who sits atop the heavenly terrace observing omens and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda; his uncle Yuan Shoucheng, who is accurate with every divination; as well as Duke Yi Guo Qin Qiong and Chancellor Wei Zheng, all of whom are first-rate figures.

Everlasting Peace City could be called a place where tigers lie hidden and dragons lurk, yet Zhou Shuo, after circling once, felt too lazy to go further; he directly left via the West Gate heading for Ye City, without even visiting the Great Tang Government or the Transformation and Birth Temple, simply because he found it boring.

The further Zhou Shuo cultivated, the lazier he became about fighting others to the death, feeling it unnecessary and lacking major grudges; even if someone is bad, that's their own affair, and as long as they don't offend him, he sees no need to go out of his way to seek others' faults.

After leaving Everlasting Peace City, Zhou Shuo headed west all the way, taking in the scenery of mountains and fields; along the road he bought a large sweet watermelon from an old woman, and after eating his fill, he hurried straight west to Establish and Prosper City.

If Everlasting Peace City's interior is the grand and magnificent image of the prosperous Tang, then Establish and Prosper City's interior is a tranquil utopia apart from the world; although it also has its share of petty scheming, compared to North Gate Town it is much better, yet it still cannot avoid having demons wreak havoc.

While staying in Establish and Prosper City, Zhou Shuo, on a whim, saw a woman with a worried frown; taking the opportunity of asking her for a water bowl, he learned she bore the surname Wang, her husband had died at sea, and her son had gone missing, hence her worried frown.

"Elder Sister-in-law Wang, haven't you asked the neighbors to search everywhere?" Zhou Shuo asked, smiling, while drinking the water from the ladle; the atmosphere of Establish and Prosper City is not as terrible as North Gate Town's, so asking the neighbors for help should be fine, right!

"I asked Elder Brother Ma and Elder Brother Zhou to look, but we couldn't find him; Old Man Sun over there is also busy, I heard the vengeful spirits at sea are bothering him, so how could I trouble him?" Elder Sister-in-law Wang said with a bitter face.

"Having drunk a sip of your water today, elder sister-in-law, I'll think of a way for you! Elder sister-in-law, do you happen to have Huzi's old clothing?" Zhou Shuo returned the empty ladle to the woman with a smile.

"Sir, do you really have a way?" Elder Sister-in-law Wang took the ladle, looking at the fellow who offered help, she couldn't help but feel slightly moved, yet also doubtful.

"I studied the Dao in the mountains; having now descended, encountering a fated connection, I naturally ought to lend a hand." Zhou Shuo said, smiling and nodding.

"If you can truly find my son, sir, then I, Wang, would be grateful beyond measure even if I had to toil like an ox or horse; Huzi's old clothing is still here, left at home." Elder Sister-in-law Wang hurriedly threw down the ladle, rushed inside, and fetched several sets of clothing.

"One piece is enough, preferably the one he often wore before disappearing." Zhou Shuo looked at the woman holding a pile of clothes, twitched the corner of his mouth, and gave a reminder; Elder Sister-in-law Wang quickly picked out a half-worn garment.

Zhou Shuo took the garment from the woman's hand, seized a thread of its qi, then used a jade talisman to wrap the qi around it, and sent the talisman flying into the sky to go on its own.

"Elder sister-in-law, wait; I'll be back in half a day." After saying that, Zhou Shuo tossed aside the grateful, tearful Elder Sister-in-law Wang, and himself followed the talisman as it flew away.

Dharma treasures are far more sensitive than humans, just like a hunting dog's sense of smell surpasses ours; even the faintest traces of qi can be followed to uncover clues, and Zhou Shuo, following the talisman, flew out of Establish and Prosper City eastward, soon locating the target by the seaside.

The target was a living corpse with a bluish-black face and bared fangs in its mouth; upon finding it, it was pressing an old man in blue clothing and a square hat; Zhou Shuo, without a word, stepped forward and kicked it away.

"Old sir, are you alright?" Zhou Shuo kicked aside the corpse-like fellow, turned his head, and looked at the old gentleman.

"It's fine, it's fine… that's Huzi, he's…" The old gentleman, having been pursued enough by the living corpse to be exasperated, pointed at the kicked-away living corpse, unable to speak.

"I know, you needn't say; this is Huzi, the son of Elder Sister-in-law Wang, right?" Zhou Shuo looked at the old gentleman, smoothed his qi, and explained.

"Exactly, that's right." The old gentleman hurriedly nodded at Zhou Shuo's words.

"He's become a living corpse, poisoned—this won't be easy to cure." Zhou Shuo watched the old gentleman gradually regain his breath, observed the corpse poison in him: his limbs were stiff yet not quite, the living corpse's fangs bared from its mouth; he waved a hand, using a talisman seal to immobilize it, then took stock—aside from the bluish-black face and fangs, its age was only about fifteen or sixteen, a fine youth—how did it contract corpse poison?

"Ah, Elder Sister-in-law Wang will have to rely on him from now on; we need to think of a solution." The old gentleman caught his breath, stepped forward to examine the immobile living corpse youth, took his pulse; as for Zhou Shuo's displayed arts, he wasn't the least surprised—there are plenty of such people in this world, some just see them more, some less, and some never at all.

"This corpse poison, frankly speaking, looks a little… slightly familiar." Zhou Shuo looked at the corpse-transformed youth, sniffed its qi, and raised his eyebrows; he recalled the bone spirit—although he had only caught a fleeting glimpse of her that day, the corpse-rot poison she used against demonic wind seemed to be this very qi.

"Hero, do you have a solution?" The old gentleman, after taking the pulse and finding nothing for a while, grew anxious and asked Zhou Shuo.

"I have some spiritual medicines on me, but none are effective against this, and I can't think of a way." Zhou Shuo shook his head; this living corpse youth is currently half-corpsified; to save him one must first expel the poison, then restore his vital qi—he doesn't know direct healing, and he doesn't presently have the immortal pill needed.

"Tsk, I recall now—while gathering herbs on the East Sea, I once met a strange person; perhaps finding her would yield a method?" The old gentleman said, seeing Zhou Shuo shake his head.

"Alright, you lead the way, I'll carry him on my back." Zhou Shuo, without a word, hoisted the gradually stiffening Huzi by the waist.

"Go." The old gentleman, his breath now steady after two gasps, hearing Zhou Shuo's words, uttered a single reply and immediately turned his feet to sprint up the seaside slope; Zhou Shuo naturally followed, simultaneously waving his hand to give him two Master Dai's incantations, lightening his body and adding speed.

After running over several ridges, a pavilion stood quietly on the ridge; a figure lay slumped on the stone chairs and tables inside the cool pavilion, but upon seeing that figure, the old gentleman's face lit up with joy, and he led Zhou Shuo forward to pay respects.

"Chu heroine, please save a life?"

Zhou Shuo lifted Huzi and followed the old gentleman forward; he saw within the pavilion a lady with a lotus-like face, willow-slim waist, emanating a serene immortal aura, resting her chin in her hand as she gazed at the waterfall on the cliff yonder; only after the old gentleman called out did she turn around.

"Chu heroine, please save a life?" The old gentleman, looking at the serene lady, repeatedly bowed his hands in plea; the lady first cast her tranquil gaze upon Zhou Shuo.

"…" Zhou Shuo, looking at the woman gazing at him, slightly bowed his head, and simultaneously set Huzi down on the ground.

"I have a riddle: there is a thing that neither births nor perishes, neither defiles nor purifies, neither increases nor decreases; may I ask, Great Sage, what is it?" The woman did not rush to heal, posing the question to Zhou Shuo, leaving the old gentleman beside her baffled—why pose a riddle now?

"The human mind and nature—neither births nor perishes, neither defiles nor purifies, neither increases nor decreases." Zhou Shuo replied without hesitation.

"Indeed, worthy of a Great Sage; do you know the two words 'karmic law'?" The woman, seeing Zhou Shuo's immediate answer, nodded in approval.

"True marvel of affinity: when affinity arrives, it responds; when it departs, it purifies; constantly one attains purity." Zhou Shuo nodded.

"Then here, I wish the Great Sage success on his westward journey; the poor monk has finished this affair, yet must return to Mount Luojia." Bright Buddha light flared up, then instantly retracted; the Chu-surnamed woman had already vanished from the pavilion, a pure wind swept the wilds, the Huzi sitting on the ground blinked up half‑seated in bewilderment, and the old gentleman beside him stared wide‑eyed in shock.

"Boundless great compassion, shared body great sorrow—truly a state of realization." Zhou Shuo looked at the flickering dim Buddha light, at Huzi now sitting calmly, his expression somewhat solemn; that Chu-surnamed woman was no other than the additional Great Compassion Avalokiteshvara among the four great bodhisattvas of Buddhism.

Buddhism stresses the character 'affinity'; everything has cause and effect, yet this Avalokiteshvara is different—she universally hears the sounds of the world, salvaging the affinity of the unbound, delivering all beings; each of the four great bodhisattvas possesses an exalted state.

"Great… hero…" The old gentleman felt Huzi's pulse, then looked toward Zhou Shuo.

"Affairs here are settled; I won't linger any longer, old sir, take care; little ghost, be filial to your mother, be a good child." Zhou Shuo bowed his hands to the old gentleman, gave Huzi a word of advice, then drifted away, seeking a boat to cross the East Sea, heading west to Aolai Kingdom; hearing that the world wished him success on his westward journey, though he didn't understand the purpose, yet upon reaching Aolai Kingdom's Flower‑Fruit Mountain, things began to make sense.