Chapter 326: Three Insights of Life

After Hua Changxi, Jingliao, and Yan Zhenzhen emerged from Guiyi Master's tent, Hua Changxi walked ahead in silence.

Clearly, Hua Changxi had not gotten the answer she wanted from Guiyi Master; the problem of being unable to ignite the white flame remained unsolved.

Jingliao and Yan Zhenzhen exchanged helpless glances.

Unable to hold back, Jingliao was the first to speak and console her: "Changxi, many things can't be rushed, and many answers cannot be given directly by others—you need to realize them yourself."

Hua Changxi stopped and turned to look at Jingliao and Yan Zhenzhen: "I feel like after talking with Guiyi Master, I'm even more confused."

Yan Zhenzhen stepped forward: "Guiyi Master explained it very clearly. To ignite the white flame, you must be good-hearted from within." She paused, "It's easy for people to deceive others, but it's very hard for people to deceive themselves. Maybe you don't know yourself as well as you think."

Hua Changxi looked at her, her tone a bit sharp: "Are you trying to say that in essence I'm a dark person, but I think of myself as kind-hearted?"

Yan Zhenzhen frowned: "That's not what I meant."

Jingliao helped explain: "What Zhenzhen means is that at this stage, you might not yet see your true self clearly."

"In life, there are three insights: seeing yourself, seeing heaven and earth, and seeing all beings."

"Seeing yourself, understanding your return path."

"Adhering to goodness is an active choice along the return path of life."

"No one denies your good deeds, but have you truly resolved to devote yourself wholeheartedly to goodness and regard it as your lifelong pursuit?"

Hua Changxi retorted: "Does that mean everyone who ignited the yang flame can practice goodness for their entire lives?"

Jingliao: "At least at the moment they ignited the yang flame, all those people were firm in choosing to adhere to goodness."

"Adhering to goodness is a continuous process."

"There are actually quite a few people who have ignited both yin and yang flames, but not many can maintain the balance between the two."

"A large number of people initially ignite the yang flame, but later, because they indulge in desires, their yang flame is devoured by the yin flame and extinguished."

"That is why my master said that maintaining the balance of yin and yang flames is also a form of cultivation."

Hua Changxi's gaze flickered, but she said nothing.

Jingliao paused: "Perhaps the reason some people cannot ignite the yang flame or cannot keep it burning is that their hearts are not firm enough, constantly wavering and hesitating."

"This, in turn, is related to people not yet having found what they truly want to pursue, so they are disturbed by external influences and remain in a state of weighing trade-offs."

Hua Changxi looked at Jingliao and Yan Zhenzhen: "You two have both ignited yin and yang flames. I ask you, have you both found your 'true selves'?"

Jingliao and Yan Zhenzhen exchanged a glance, looked at Hua Changxi, and nodded together.

Hua Changxi was unconvinced: "You all say I don't understand myself enough. What about you? Maybe you don't really understand yourselves either—maybe you're also deceiving yourselves?"

Jingliao looked at her: "There is a way to test whether you have truly found yourself: have a single intention or aspiration in your heart, not swayed by others, not resentful of what you encounter, and at any time it can remove all your doubts."

Hua Changxi heard this and quickly said: "I have such an aspiration and belief too—to become strong."

This time Jingliao was no longer subtle and cut straight to the point: "What you call becoming strong is driven by fear, and fear is fuel that nourishes and amplifies the yin flame."

"Boom~"

These words exploded in Hua Changxi's mind like a lightning bolt, leaving her unable to voice any rebuttal.

Jingliao looked at her: "Goodness comes from love for this world."

Yan Zhenzhen saw that Hua Changxi's expression was not good, so she tugged at Jingliao, signaling him to stop talking.

Jingliao still insisted on asking one more question: "Changxi, think carefully. In your heart, besides fear, is there any 'love' you want to persistently protect?"

This question made Hua Changxi's heart even more confused.

Love?

Doesn't she have love?

Hua Changxi no longer wanted to talk much: "I'm a bit confused right now. I need to go back and think it over carefully. Thank you both for today."

Before they parted, Yan Zhenzhen also said: "Know when to stop, then you can have certainty; with certainty, you can be calm; with calm, you can be at ease; with ease, you can ponder; after pondering, you can attain."

"Changxi, this is what my teacher told me before I embarked on the path of cultivation. I now pass this saying on to you, hoping you will find yourself soon."

Hua Changxi nodded to indicate she had taken note, and then parted ways with Yan Zhenzhen and Jingliao.

Hua Changxi's mind was in a mess, so she didn't go back to the Danyuan Peak medicine stall to continue seeing patients, but instead returned to the Danyuan Peak bamboo cottage.

"See yourself, know your way home."

Where was her way home?

"See yourself..."

What does it mean to truly see yourself?

Yourself...

What was the true self like?

Was it the daughter of the Hua family?

Or the master of Wuzhi Mountain?

Or the peak master of Danyuan Peak?

Or perhaps the lord of Lingguang Hall?

Hua Changxi suddenly realized that none of these identities were ones she had actively chosen.

Birth was determined by heaven, and Wuzhi Mountain, Danyuan Peak, and Lingguang Hall were all obtained through coincidences; throughout it all, she had been passive.

So, what did she truly want to pursue?

Hua Changxi realized that this was a question she couldn't answer at the moment; in other words, what Jingliao and Yan Zhenzhen had said was true—she hadn't found herself yet!

"Peak Master."

Just as Hua Changxi's thoughts were scattering, Chu Junhao's voice came from outside the bamboo cottage.

Hua Changxi wasn't in the mood to see anyone and initially wanted to send Chu Junhao away, but she noticed that even though she hadn't appeared, Chu Junhao had already assumed the posture of an apprentice seeking an audience.

If it were anyone else, Hua Changxi wouldn't have been too surprised, but he was a prince. What kind of motivation had driven him to set aside the pride of a prince?

Hua Changxi suddenly wanted to talk with Chu Junhao. "Come in."

Chu Junhao had already prepared to be refused at the door, but now hearing that Hua Changxi was willing to see him, his eyes immediately lit up.

Seeing the bamboo courtyard door open, Chu Junhao quickly walked in.

Hua Changxi was sitting by the stone table in the courtyard. Seeing Chu Junhao enter, she pointed at a stone stool. "Sit."

Chu Junhao smiled and said, "Thank you, Peak Master." Then he sat down calmly.

Hua Changxi looked at him. "What do you need from me?"

Chu Junhao: "I just saw that you had returned, Peak Master, so I came to ask when you'll be going to Qihuang Hall No. 6 to teach the alchemy class again."

Hua Changxi: "What, are you in a hurry?"

Chu Junhao: "After attending the alchemy class you taught, I realized that I still have a long way to go before becoming an excellent alchemist."

"I don't have any treatment experience, and I couldn't go to help at Qisheng Palace either. During this time, I've been reviewing your lessons, and there are many points I'm confused about. I'm impatient and eager to get them resolved, so as soon as I saw you return, I couldn't help but come to find you."

"I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

Hua Changxi looked at Chu Junhao's earnest expression and suddenly asked, "You're a prince with power and influence. Why are you studying alchemy so diligently?"

Chu Junhao was taken aback, then quickly smiled and said, "When you're alive, you need to have something to strive for, right?"

Hua Changxi: "Your aspiration is to become an alchemist?"

Chu Junhao saw Hua Changxi staring directly at him and chose to answer from his heart: "I don't know what I truly pursue either, but at this stage, I want to learn alchemy well."

"Once I have an idea, I'll put all my effort into doing it. No matter what the result is, at least I won't let down the person I am at this moment."

Hua Changxi listened and said thoughtfully, "Not let down the self at this moment..."

Indeed, what one can grasp is always only the present moment.

Worrying about the future is nothing but unnecessary trouble.

Perhaps, as long as she does what she's doing at the moment well, one day she will see herself clearly and find herself.

As for Master Guiyi's 'pursuing good,' perhaps it was because she lacked experience and her mind wasn't mature enough that she couldn't comprehend it. Rather than sitting here lost in thought, she might as well go do something concrete.