Chapter 779: Side Story 4:16

Li Qingying told Xiao Jiu about what had happened downstream while directing her subordinates to collect the good things along the riverbank.

Next, she had to investigate the origin of these things, consider how to properly dispose of them, and figure out how to prevent such downstream incidents from happening again…

Xiao Jiu stood by the riverbank but fell into deep thought.

Li Qingying said, only scattered metalwares and ornaments had appeared downstream, while upstream so far no such phenomenon had occurred… That is to say, those few items downstream were likely washed down from this stretch by the river.

The source is right here in this stretch!

And yet just that little bit downstream cost two bold people their lives—so what would ordinary people do when they see this pair of glittering golden treasures before them?

Do the townsfolk of Wufu Town really have such high awareness?

And why did it have to be her, Xiao Jiu, who personally witnessed these good things being swept up by the river?

And that prophetic dream…

Xiao Jiu couldn't help but suspect that all of this was aimed at her.

At dawn, the rain stopped.

The Pearl Coil River returned to its former calm.

Li Qingying would need at least a few days to handle this matter; Xiao Jiu thought it over and called Xingchen.

Xiao Jiu considered that, for her, the vast majority of things nowadays were no big deal.

But she also had times when she got stuck in a rut or couldn't have a sudden enlightenment.

For example, with this dream incident, she faintly sensed something but couldn't grasp it, leaving her troubled.

At times like these, she really wanted to talk with Xingchen.

She placed the call, and it was quickly connected.

But the one who answered was not Xingchen, but his disciple, Bu Kong the little monk.

Bu Kong is fourteen this year; he's been by Xingchen's side for five years, managing all of Xingchen's daily life, and accompanies him when Xingchen goes out to lecture and transmit teachings.

He seemed to know Xiao Jiu was about to call; after connecting, he said, "Amitabha, Master is busy up ahead and specifically instructed me to await your call. He said he cannot give you any advice regarding what you've recently encountered, only to pass on these eight characters: Remain unmoving, hold fast to your original heart."

Remain unmoving, hold fast to your original heart.

Xiao Jiu is smart; she knew Xingchen must have calculated that something had recently happened on her end.

If he could give her a hint, he would surely help her.

Just as a few years ago, he left her his prayer beads and told her, "Do good deeds, do not ask about the future."

But today, he avoided her call.

This shows that she must pass this trial on her own.

Whether blessing or disaster, disaster cannot be avoided.

Xiao Jiu then stopped dwelling on it.

Xingchen, after all, is still soft-hearted; though he said he couldn't help her, he still gave her those eight-character maxims.

These eight characters are crucial.

Xiao Jiu looked them up.

The four characters "Remain unmoving" come from chapter thirty-two of the Diamond Sutra: "Not taking on form, remain unmoving."

The meaning is, when encountering matters, one's heart should not be disturbed by external circumstances, appearances, or emotions; one must remain clear and resolute.

This clarity and resoluteness does not refer to mere indifference and numbness, but rather a kind of fortitude.

Fortitude…

Xiao Jiu seemed to have understood something.

Those gold, jewelry, gems, and so on—so big and shiny—wouldn't it be hard for ordinary people not to be moved upon seeing them?

Even knowing these items' origins are unclear and taking them back might bring much trouble, still some people rush forward.

Even after scooping them all up, they dare to plunge into the heavy rain and waves, going into the river to pan for gold… These people have lost their original hearts in the face of money.

Xiao Jiu understands this principle, but she can't comprehend: if this trial is aimed at her, testing her with gold and silver treasures, isn't that too childish?

As a dignified Nirvana Phoenix and the steward of Yin Dang Hang, what kind of gold and silver treasures has she not seen?

Even that gold necklace Liu Junyan gave her is so heavy she can't lift her neck.

After that day, no more incidents of panning for gold in huge waves occurred in the Pearl Coil River.

Everything that happened that night seemed like a dream.

And that dream took away two living lives.

Xiao Jiu originally wanted to go around asking people about her dream, but after hearing Bu Kong relay Xingchen's words and following the huge-wave gold-panning incident, she abandoned that idea.

She is no longer the clueless Xiao Jiu of before; having endured so many great winds and waves, she understands that if this truly is a trial aimed at her, the more information she seeks, the greater the risk avoided, and the harder the subsequent trials she will face will become.

Better to keep a calm mindset and respond steadily.

After a week's interval, Xiao Jiu fell into a dream again.

This time, the person in the dream neither scolded nor struck her; they simply sat cross-legged facing each other, as if entering meditation, and passed through the entire dream together.

The next morning, when Xiao Jiu woke up, she had a premonition that something was about to happen.

But this time, the dream contained no forewarning.

Over the next few days, everything was calm and tranquil, and Xiao Jiu did not dream.

Until Tang Xun called from her side, urging her to hurry to the Feng Clan, because Shan Shan had encountered trouble.

Since the Nine Nether War, the Feng Clan has developed steadily.

In recent years, Shan Shan has also progressed rapidly.

This child, after all, was born to be the new Phoenix Lord, and the entire Feng Clan holds high expectations for her.

As the Ancient Feng Clan's Fire Seed gradually awakens, capable Feng Clan seniors have returned, subjecting Shan Shan to various temperings one after another.

A few days ago, Shan Shan was about to enter the Nirvana Fire Realm in Cangwu Mountain to take on a challenge, which Xiao Jiu knew about.

This is the necessary path for Shan Shan's growth; Xiao Jiu also believes she can pass through smoothly.

But unexpectedly, a problem arose midway; at the scheduled time, Shan Shan still hadn't come out.

A Cheng divined a hexagram, and the omen was extremely inauspicious.

Tang Xun then became anxious.

Shan Shan is her lifeline; she cannot tolerate even the slightest mishap.

As her aunt, she takes care of Shan Shan far more than Xiao Jiu does.

Xiao Jiu rushed over immediately.

Upon entering the Feng Clan, she saw that on the side of Cangwu Mountain, flames were blazing fiercely, and the Nirvana fire had roasted the entire Cangwu Mountain like a Flaming Mountain.

That parasol tree standing beside the mountain now resembled a fire tree, inhaling and exhaling tongues of fire, rustling.

Seeing this, Xiao Jiu couldn't help but recall the scene of her own Nirvana in the Nirvana fire region of Cangwu Mountain back then.

That time, she almost died in the Nirvana fire region.

And now, is her Shan Shan also suffering the same predicament she once faced?

She is still so young...

Xiao Jiu instantly transformed into a Nirvana phoenix, spreading her wings and flying toward Cangwu Mountain.

She had once fought her way out of the Nirvana fire region; she has the experience and the ability to bring her Shan Shan out of it.

No matter how dangerous, with her present, Shan Shan will surely come to no harm.

But when she charged to the peak of Cangwu Mountain, folded her wings, and prepared to dive into the sea of fire, she suddenly thought of something.

Remain unmoving, uphold the original heart...