Chapter 587: West Out of Han Gu Guan

Li Er lived in the village for many more years.

During those years, life passed slowly and quietly.

Every day he sat in the courtyard, watching the sunrise and sunset, watching the clouds roll and unfold.

Occasionally, passersby came to ask for advice, and he would say a few words.

When no one came, he would sit alone.

Yu Lin remained lazy, either lying in the courtyard to sunbathe or riding his green ox out to wander.

Now the green ox would run when it saw him, but it couldn't go far before being caught and brought back.

The village children grew up, married and had children, and then had new children of their own.

Those new children still ran wild at the village entrance, still chased dogs and caught fish, and were still called home by adults for meals.

Li Er watched them, occasionally smiling.

He recalled that he himself had been like that as a child.

……

That day, Li Er got up very early.

He changed into a clean set of clothes and packed up his belongings.

Then he walked out of the courtyard and stood at the village entrance.

The villagers heard the news and rushed over, surrounding him.

"Mr. Li, where are you going?"

"Mr. Li, you're old; you shouldn't go."

"Yes, yes, stay; we'll take care of you."

They spoke one after another, their eyes full of reluctance.

After so many years, they had long grown accustomed to Li Er's presence.

The old man who always sat in the courtyard sunbathing, the old man who occasionally gave them lectures, the old man who looked no different from ordinary folks yet somehow seemed different.

He had become part of the village.

Li Er looked at them and gave a faint smile.

"It's time to go."

An old woman's eyes reddened.

"Mr. Li, if you leave like this, I'm afraid..."

She didn't finish, but everyone understood.

At this age, undertaking such a journey, it's likely a one-way trip.

Li Er said nothing.

He simply turned and walked toward the outside of the village.

The green ox was already waiting by the roadside. Seeing Li Er approach, it gently lowered its head, letting him mount.

Li Er swung up onto the ox's back.

He turned his head for one last look at the village where he had lived for many years, and at those familiar faces.

Then he withdrew his gaze and gently patted the ox's head.

"Let's go."

The green ox stepped forward, bearing him, slowly walking toward the distance.

The villagers stood in place, watching that receding figure grow farther away, not dispersing for a long time.

Yu Lin appeared at the village entrance at some point, watching that retreating back, and grinned.

"Wait for me."

He stepped to follow, and in just a few strides caught up with that green ox.

"This time you're not letting me ride the ox?"

Li Er smiled: "I've grown old like this myself."

"Shouldn't I get to ride? This is my ox."

"Fine, fine, let's go."

The two of them and the ox slowly walked toward the distance.

……

All the way west.

They walked past fields, across mountains and rivers, past city after city, village after village.

Not knowing how long they had walked, a mighty pass appeared ahead.

Han Gu Guan.

The pass was built into the mountains, towering and perilous.

The mountains on either side were like axe‑cut cliffs, and a narrow, elongated valley wound between them.

The pass city was tall and solid, glowing with an ancient golden light in the sunset.

Along the valley, ancient trees rose high, shading the sky.

Wind blew from the valley mouth, carrying the scent of mountains and wilderness, and some indistinct, distant desolation.

Li Er rode on the ox's back, gazing at this mighty pass.

Beyond this lay another world.

Yu Lin stood beside him, looking up at the sky.

"The sun is about to set."

Li Er nodded.

He was about to urge the ox forward when he suddenly heard a voice coming from ahead.

"But is it Mr. Li?"

Li Er raised his head.

A middle-aged man was quickly walking toward him.

The man wore a long robe, his face was gaunt, his eyes bright and full of joy and excitement.

He walked up to Li Er and bowed deeply.

"Yin Xi, Commander of Han Gu Guan, pays respects to Mr. Li!"

Li Er looked at him.

"Do you know me?"

Yin Xi straightened up, laughing, said:

"Mr. Li's name is known throughout the world; I have admired you for years, only regretting that I never had the chance to meet you. Today, sir, passing through Han Gu Guan, is truly my fortune!"

He looked eagerly at Li Er, his eyes full of admiration, and asked:

"Sir, are you leaving the pass?"

Li Er nodded.

Yin Xi's smile froze slightly.

"Leaving the pass? Where are you going, sir?"

Li Er said: "Wandering the world."

Yin Xi was stunned.

He looked at Li Er, then at the green ox, then at Li Er's grayish hair and weather-beaten face, and suddenly a feeling welled up in his heart that he could not express.

Such an old man, such a long journey...

He knew that this departure would likely never see him return.

He wanted to detain him.

But what reason could he use?

He thought and thought, then suddenly had an idea.

"Sir," he said, his tone respectful and sincere, "I dare not stop you from leaving the pass, but..."

He paused.

"I only have a humble request."

Li Er looked at him.

Yin Xi took a deep breath and said:

"Sir, your learning reaches the heavens, your wisdom is like the sea; if you leave the pass like this without leaving a single word, would it not be a pity? How will future generations hear your teachings?"

He looked at Li Er, his eyes full of earnest pleading.

"This humble official dares to ask that you leave behind a work."

"Even if it is just a short piece, so that posterity may know that there once was a Mr. Li in this world!"

Li Er remained silent for a moment.

Then he nodded.

"Good."

Li Er stayed at Han Gu Guan.

Yin Xi arranged a quiet room for him, personally delivering meals each day, never daring to disturb.

He merely stood outside the door each day, waiting, hoping.

Yu Lin did not move in.

He stood at the highest point of the pass city, facing east.

The sunset had completely sunk, leaving only a hint of dark red on the horizon.

A night wind blew from the valley mouth, bringing a bit of chill.

He lay there, motionless.

"So comfortable.............."

One day, two days, three days.

On the morning of the fourth day.

The sky just began to lighten, the east showed a fish-belly white.

Yu Lin stood on the pass city, facing east, his gaze penetrating clouds, void, all tangible and intangible things.

The moment he had been waiting for arrived.

In the east, a hint of purple quietly appeared.

That purple was extremely faint, light, like the first ray of dawn, or as if someone had lightly brushed a watercolor on the horizon.

But once it appeared, it spread, diffused, and surged at incredible speed!

The purple turned into flowing clouds.

The flowing clouds turned into mist.

The mist, carrying an ineffable spirituality, drifted toward Han Gu Guan.

The more it drifted, the faster it went.

It drifted ever nearer.

Finally, the Purple Qi that filled the sky surged like a tide, covering the heavens and earth, stretching three thousand li!

The whole Han Gu Guan, the entire valley, and the whole sky were enveloped by that purple light.

The soldiers guarding the pass were stunned.

Some knelt down, some stared wide‑eyed, some opened their mouths but could not utter a sound.

Yin Xi rushed out, looking at the sky‑filled Purple Qi, trembling all over.

"This is... this is..."

He suddenly understood something.

He turned and rushed toward Li Er's room.

The door opened.

Li Er stood in the doorway, holding a Bamboo Slip in his hand.

Morning light fell on him, and also on the sky‑filled Purple Qi.

His expression was calm, his gaze distant, as if his whole being merged with that purple light.

He handed the Bamboo Slip to Yin Xi.

Yin Xi took it with both hands and unfolded it.

The Bamboo Slip was small, yet it contained five thousand characters!

Each character was a pearl, each sentence profound.

The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name.

Nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; named is the mother of all things.

Therefore, one is often without desire to perceive its subtlety; one is often with desire to perceive its boundaries............................

His hand trembled slightly.

He lifted his head and looked at Li Er.

Li Er said nothing.

He simply turned and walked toward the outside of the pass.

The green ox was already waiting.

He flipped onto the ox's back, did not look back, and walked toward the outside of the pass.

Purple Qi surged behind him, like an endless river, like a beam of light that pierced heaven and earth.

Yu Lin leapt down from the pass city and landed beside him.

He turned, facing east, toward the direction he had come from.

Li Er stopped the green ox and dismounted.

"Leaving?"

Yu Lin nodded.

"Yes."

Li Er looked at him and said with a smile:

"Take care on your way."

Yu Lin continued to nod:

"Take care on your way."

The green ox set off.

Hm?

Something's wrong?

It turned its head, glanced at the figure on its back, eyes full of shock:

"Wait, when did Yu Lin get on it?!"

"Lao Jun was just standing there watching?"

"You don't want your ox anymore?"

Perhaps seeing the fear in the green ox's eyes, Lao Jun then shouted:

"Alright, you can return it to me now, can you?"

"Fine."

Yu Lin dismounted from the green ox, patted its hindquarters, and said with a smile:

"Ox brother, I didn't sit for nothing; I'll find you a cow later."

The green ox:

"................. Moo~"

After that.

Under Yin Xi's gaze.

The two people and the ox each walked, one toward the west, the other toward the east.

The sky‑filled Purple Qi faded gradually as they departed.

Until it vanished completely.

Got something to do, it's the first watch today~