Chapter 326: Three Visions of Life

After Hua Changxi, Jing Liao, and Yan Zhenzhen emerged from Grand Master Guiyi's tent, Hua Changxi walked silently ahead.

It was evident that Hua Changxi had not obtained the answer she sought from Grand Master Guiyi; the problem of being unable to ignite the white flame remained unresolved.

Seeing this, Jing Liao and Yan Zhenzhen exchanged a helpless glance.

Unable to hold back, Jing Liao spoke first to comfort her: "Changxi, many things cannot be rushed. Many answers cannot be directly given by others; you must realize them yourself."

Hua Changxi stopped, turned, and looked at Jing Liao and Yan Zhenzhen: "Why do I feel even more confused after talking with Grand Master Guiyi?"

Yan Zhenzhen stepped forward: "Grand Master Guiyi made it very clear. To ignite the white flame, one must sincerely aspire toward goodness." She paused. "It is easy for people to deceive others, but extremely difficult for a person to deceive themselves. Perhaps you do not know yourself as well as you imagine."

Hua Changxi looked at her, her tone somewhat sharp: "Are you saying that my true nature is dark, while I believe myself to be kind-hearted?"

Yan Zhenzhen frowned: "That is not what I mean."

Jing Liao helped explain: "Zhenzhen means that at this stage, you may not yet see your true self clearly."

"Life involves three visions: seeing oneself, seeing heaven and earth, and seeing all living beings."

"Seeing oneself clarifies the path home."

"Upholding goodness is an active choice on life's journey home."

"No one denies your good deeds, but have you determined to wholeheartedly aspire toward goodness and made it your lifelong pursuit?"

Hua Changxi retorted: "Does that mean everyone who has ignited the yang flame can remain good throughout their entire lives?"

Jing Liao replied: "At least at the moment they ignited the yang flame, those people firmly chose to uphold goodness."

"Upholding goodness is a continuous process."

"In fact, no small number of people have ignited both yin and yang flames, but few can maintain the balance between them."

"A large portion of people initially ignite the yang flame, but later, because they become immersed in desire, their yang flame is devoured by the yin flame and extinguished."

"Therefore, my master said that maintaining the balance between yin and yang flames is itself a form of cultivation."

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

Jing Liao paused briefly: "Perhaps the reason some cannot ignite the yang flame, or cannot keep it burning, lies in their lack of firm resolve; they constantly waver and hesitate."

"This relates to people not yet having found what they truly wish to pursue. Thus, they are influenced by external factors and remain trapped in weighing gains and losses."

Hua Changxi looked at Jing Liao and Yan Zhenzhen: "Both of you have ignited yin and yang flames. Let me ask you: Have you both found your 'true selves'?"

Jing Liao and Yan Zhenzhen exchanged a glance, then looked at Hua Changxi and nodded in unison.

Unconvinced, Hua Changxi thought: "You all say I don't understand myself enough, but what about you? Perhaps you don't understand yourselves either; perhaps you are also deceiving yourselves?"

Jing Liao looked at her: "There is a way to test whether you have truly found yourself: when you hold a single thought or aspiration in your heart, you do not waver because of others, nor do you complain due to circumstances. No matter when, it can dispel all your doubts."

Upon hearing this, Hua Changxi quickly said: "I also have such an aspiration and conviction: to become stronger."

This time, Jing Liao did not mince words, striking straight to the point: "Your so-called desire to become stronger is driven by fear, and fear is the fuel that nourishes and strengthens the yin flame."

'Boom~'

These words exploded in Hua Changxi's mind like a bolt of lightning, leaving her without any voice to refute.

Jing Liao looked at her: "Goodness stems from love for this world."

Seeing that Hua Changxi's expression was not good, Yan Zhenzhen tugged at Jing Liao, signaling her to stop speaking.

Yet Jing Liao persisted, asking one more question: "Changxi, think carefully. In your heart, besides fear, is there any 'love' you wish to persist in protecting?"

This question threw Hua Changxi's heart into even greater chaos.

Love?

Did she possess no love?

Hua Changxi no longer wished to talk much: "I am a bit confused right now. I need to go back and think thoroughly. Thank you both for today."

Before parting, Yan Zhenzhen also said: "Know where to stop, and you will have stability; with stability, you can attain tranquility; with tranquility, you can find peace; with peace, you can deliberate; with deliberation, you can achieve."

"Changxi, my tutor told me this before I embarked on the path of cultivation. Now I pass these words to you, hoping you will find yourself soon."

Hua Changxi nodded to indicate she had memorized it, then parted ways with Yan Zhenzhen and Jing Liao.

With her mind in turmoil, Hua Changxi did not return to the medicine stall on Danyuan Peak to continue seeing patients; instead, she returned to the bamboo hut on Danyuan Peak.

"Seeing oneself clarifies the path home."

Where was her path home?

"Seeing oneself..."

What did it mean to truly see oneself?

Oneself...

What did the true self look like?

Was it being a daughter of the Hua family?

Or being the Mountain Lord of Mount Wuzhi?

Or perhaps the Peak Master of Danyuan Peak?

Or was it being the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall?

Hua Changxi suddenly realized that none of these identities were choices she had actively made.

Birth is determined by heaven. Mount Wuzhi, Danyuan Peak, and Lingguang Hall were all acquired through chance encounters; throughout it all, she had remained passive.

So, what was it that she truly wished to pursue?

Hua Changxi discovered that this was a question she currently could not answer. In other words, what Jing Liao and Yan Zhenzhen said was true: she had not yet found herself!

"Peak Master."

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

Hua Changxi was in no mood to see anyone and intended to dismiss Chu Junhao, but she noticed that even without her appearing, Chu Junhao outside the hut had fully assumed the posture of an apprentice seeking an audience.

If it were anyone else acting this way, Hua Changxi would not have found it strange, but he was an Imperial Prince. What kind of motivation had compelled him to set aside the dignity of an Imperial Prince?

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

Chu Junhao had long prepared himself to be turned away, so upon hearing that Hua Changxi was willing to see him, his eyes immediately brightened.

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

Hua Changxi sat by the stone table in the courtyard; seeing Chu Junhao enter, she pointed to a stone stool and said, "Sit."

Chu Junhao smiled and said, "Thank you, Peak Master," then sat down with ease.

Hua Changxi looked at him and asked, "What do you want from me?"

Chu Junhao replied, "I just saw the Peak Master return and wanted to come up and ask when we will resume the alchemy lessons at Qihuang Hall No. 6?"

Hua Changxi asked, "Why, are you in such a hurry?"

Chu Junhao said, "Only after attending the Peak Master's alchemy lecture did I realize there is still a vast gap between me and becoming an excellent alchemist."

"I lack experience in healing and was unable to assist at the Artifact Sage Palace, so during this time I have been reviewing your lessons, many points of which remain unclear to me. Being impatient by nature and eager to resolve these doubts, I could not help but come knocking as soon as I saw you return."

"I hope I haven't disturbed you?"

Looking at Chu Junhao's sincere expression, Hua Changxi suddenly asked, "You are an Imperial Prince, wielding power and influence; why do you study alchemy with such diligence?"

Chu Junhao paused for a moment, then quickly smiled and said, "To live, one must have some aspiration."

Hua Changxi asked, "Is your aspiration to become an alchemist?"

Meeting Hua Changxi's direct gaze, Chu Junhao chose to answer from his heart: "I do not know what I truly seek, but at this stage, I wish to master alchemy."

"Once I form an idea, I devote myself to it completely; regardless of the outcome, at least I will not betray my present self."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi fell into thoughtful silence: "Not betraying one's present self..."

Indeed, what people can grasp has always been only the present moment.

How the future unfolds is merely unnecessary worry by mediocre minds.

Perhaps, by simply doing well what lies before her now, she would one day see herself clearly and find her true self.

As for Grand Master Guiyi's words on 'upholding goodness,' perhaps she simply lacked sufficient trial and depth of mind to comprehend them; rather than indulging in empty speculation here, it would be better to engage in concrete actions.