The distant morning bell, the deep evening drum, the misty mountains are bathed in the clouds and fog. From the rising sun at dawn to the fading sunset, the sky is changing with the wind and clouds, white clouds and gray dogs rolling by, time ultimately does not stop for anyone.

  The majestic Tianyin Temple stands proudly on Mount Sumeru, like a compassionate giant gazing out at the world. Countless ordinary people gather from all directions in the early morning to pay homage and worship before the statues of deities within the temple halls, expressing their joys and sorrows, seeking divine protection. Millions come together, millions disperse, day after day, never changing, as the years pass by like gatherings and separations. Only the golden statues of the gods within the temple, the eternal lamps in front of the hall, and the wisps of incense smoke have witnessed all the vicissitudes of life.

  Ghostly, or perhaps it was Zhang Xiaofan from back then, once again entered the small hut where the remains of Pu Zhi's divine monk were kept. Another day and night passed, during which there wasn't a single movement inside the hut. Pu Hui had occasionally gone to the small courtyard outside the hut, stood still for a long time before leaving with a sigh. Only Fa Xiang had been standing in the courtyard outside the hut since Ghostly entered the room, waiting with unexpectedly great patience.

  No one knew why the Dharma stood here, but including Master Pu Heng, other monks in Tianyin Temple did not ask him questions, and the Dharma also persisted in standing alone, as if waiting for something.

  The setting sun was like blood, casting a red glow over the western horizon's evening clouds. Far away, the edge of the clouds seemed to have a thin layer of golden light, very beautiful. The beauty of nature is actually around us, it just depends on whether you look and whether you care.

  Gazing at the distant sunset, he was lost in thought, standing for a day and night. His clear face seemed to have no fatigue, but instead, his bright eyes sparkled with profound wisdom.

  "What are you looking at?" Suddenly, a voice rang out from beside him, and Fahsiang was startled, waking up from his own thoughts. He saw that Puhong Shangren had somehow appeared in the courtyard again, standing beside him with a smile on his face, gazing at him.

  "Reporting back to Master, I was gazing at the western sky's late clouds and suddenly had an epiphany, which led me to be distracted and unaware of your arrival, thus being slow in responding."

  Pu Heng smiled and said: "Don't mind the trivial etiquette, but I wonder what you have gained from the western sky's late glow?"

  Fa Xiang pondered for a moment, then said: "I stood here for a day and a night. At night, I gazed at the numerous stars, and during the day, I saw the blue sky. Now, as the sun sets in the east, all the splendor has faded away, leaving only some residual light shining on the western sky. I suddenly feel a sense of sadness in my heart. Life is like this, time is like this, heaven and earth, and all things are like this. For a moment, I forgot that I was born in this world, so small as if I were a grain of sand in the vast ocean. What's the meaning of life?"

  Pu Heng nodded and said, "You indeed have extraordinary wisdom, my disciple. All things in the world have their own destiny, so even with a thousand changes and ten thousand transformations, there is still an unalterable Way of Heaven. You can understand this principle from the rising and setting of the sun, which is already quite remarkable."

  Fa Xiang bowed respectfully to Pu Heng and said, "Thank you, Master, for your praise. I dare not accept it. Although I have gained some insight, my doubts have only grown more numerous and greater. I am puzzled - since the fate of all things is already determined and everything will eventually wither away, why do countless people toil their whole lives, entangled in worldly emotions and relationships? The Buddha says that he can save all sentient beings, but those beings may not necessarily want to be saved by the Buddha. Why is this so? Is it not possible for the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, free from worries, hatred, emotions, and desires, to attract these countless beings? I am ignorant, please enlighten me, Master."

  After saying this, Faxiang lowered his head and clasped his hands together in prayer, reciting Buddha's name.

  Pu Heng looked at Fa Xiang for a long time, nodded slowly, and a smile appeared on his face. However, he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gazed at the western sky's sunset that Fa Xiang had been looking at earlier, and after a moment, said: "What you were just looking at, is it this western sunset?"

  "Yes, disciple sees that time flies quickly, the sun sets in the west, and the passage of time is not to be stayed. With a sorrowful and perplexed heart, I ask Master."

  Pu Hongshang smiled and said: "In a little while, the sun will set completely, at that time, even this sunset glow can't be seen."

  The law is subtle and easily misunderstood; I don't know what Mr. Pu meant by his words, so I just responded with a "yes".

  The figure on the Puhe River gazed calmly at the western horizon, where the sun was slowly setting. The sky grew darker and dusk approached. He said indifferently, "The sunset is heartless, it cannot be detained. But can you still see this rising day tomorrow morning?"

  His whole body shook, his heart seemed to be moved, and for a moment he couldn't speak, with a thoughtful expression on his face.

  Pu Heng turned back to look at Fa Xiang, a faint smile on his face, and then remained silent.

  The sky gradually darkened, the sunset finally fell completely, and soon after, a bright moon slowly rose from the eastern sky, its light like water, shining brightly, pouring down on the world.

  Under the night sky, the Tianyin Temple is quiet and peaceful under the moonlight, although it is no longer as prosperous and bustling as it was during the day, but it has another kind of serene and elegant beauty.

  On the top of Mount Xumi, in the small courtyard of Xiaotian Temple, the master and apprentice stood silently, standing quietly in the courtyard, in the gentle mountain breeze that blew up the hem of their clothes.

  ********

  It was unknown how much time had passed when the moon was high in the sky. Suddenly, a faint sound of laughter came from within the quiet courtyard.

  His face was filled with joy, he took a few steps forward, walked to the center of the small courtyard, looked up at the sky and gazed at the moon. All he saw was the bright moonlight shining in his eyes, pouring directly onto his white monk's robe, just like frost and snow.

  Fa Xiang burst out laughing, turned around and knelt down to Pu Hui Shangren who was smiling beside him, clasped his hands together in respect and said: "Thank you, Master, for your guidance. I have finally understood."

  The person in front of Pu Hui's eyes was filled with a warm and comforting color. At this moment, looking at the disciple kneeling in front of him, although he had already reached the realm where he was not surprised by honor or humiliation, his face still showed genuine joy. He stretched out his hand to gently stroke the top of Fa Xiang's head, saying three words:

  "Good!"

  "Good!"

  "Good!"

  "You are naturally intelligent, a rare talent in the world. But what's more important is that you have another layer of wisdom in understanding Buddhist teachings. Among our four fellow disciples back then, it was actually your senior fellow disciple Pu Zhi who was the most intelligent. Unfortunately, he took the wrong path, wasted his talents on Buddhism, and sought immortality, ending up with a terrible fate. Your enlightenment today is not only your good fortune but also the good fortune of Tianyin Temple."

  Fa Xiang was taken aback, looked up at Pu Heng Shang Ren and asked: "Master, what do you mean by this? I don't quite understand."

  Pu Heng shook his head, first stretching out his hand to help Fa Xiang up, then the joyful expression on his face gradually faded away. He said faintly: "In these years, I have been busy with worldly affairs day and night, so that my Buddhist enlightenment has stagnated and not made progress. I was wrongly given a reputation in this secular world, and for half my life, I have been struggling, but cannot let go. After your uncle Pu Zhi passed away, I had the intention of hiding from the world, but unfortunately, there was no one among my disciples who could take over the ancestral business. Although it is something outside of myself, I still couldn't easily give it up. Now that I have you, I can finally put my mind at ease and go."

  Fa Xiang was shocked, his face lost color, and the body that had just stood up immediately knelt down again. He said urgently: "Master, what are you talking about? How can Tianyin Temple be separated from you? Moreover, I also want to accompany Master day and night, listening to your teachings. Please, Master, do not abandon me and the monks of Tianyin Temple to return to seclusion." After finishing speaking, he kept kowtowing.

  Pu Heng sighed, and immediately let out a sigh, pulling Fa Xiang up, saying: "Foolish child, foolish child, is there a banquet in the world that will not disperse? However, for my master's return to seclusion, it's not an urgent matter, it can't be achieved overnight, you don't have to rush, everything must be settled properly, only then can I put my mind at ease."

  Her eyes were filled with tears, but she knew that Pu Heng's decision to retire was unstoppable. Fortunately, as her teacher had said, although he had made up his mind, there was no urgency yet. She would wait for another opportunity to persuade him again. With this thought, she finally stopped crying and stood aside.

  Pu Heng looked up at the sky, only to see the moonlight shining through, desolate and beautiful. He gazed for a long time, then suddenly said: "Let's go in and take a look at that little donor."

  "What?"

  Pu Heng said calmly, "Right or wrong, gratitude or resentment, no matter what, there must be a conclusion in the end." After speaking, he didn't say another word and walked towards that small hut. Fa Xiang slowly followed behind him, looking at the door getting closer and closer, and for some reason, his heart became tense.

  One day and one night passed, during which, facing Master Pu Zhi, what exactly did Gui Li do?

  What else will he do?

  The answer appeared before them at the moment they lifted the door curtain and pushed open the wooden door, and walked quietly into the house.

  In the empty and desolate house, the silver light of "Yu Bing Pan" still flickered.

  Nothing happened!

  Puzhi Fa Shen still sat cross-legged on the jade ice plate, while opposite him, Gui Li or Zhang Xiaofan sat with their knees crossed, facing away from Puhong Shangren He Fa Xiang, silently gazing at Puzhi's face in the faint light.

  Pu Heng Shangren took a deep breath, just about to speak, when he suddenly felt a movement behind him. He turned his head to look and found Fa Xiang lightly tugging on his sleeve. Seeing Pu Heng Shangren turn around, he gestured with his eyes towards Gui Li's lower body.

  Pu Heng turned his head to look, and couldn't help but frown. Everything in the room seemed unchanged, except for the area around Gui Li's seated position, where the green brick floor within a three-foot radius was cracked all over, with dense fine cracks covering the ground around him. The closer it got to his body, the denser the cracks became. Within a foot of his body, the green bricks were no longer cracked, but had completely turned into powder.

  No one knew what had happened to Gui Li that day and night, perhaps no one would ever know.

  Pu Heng slowly walked to Gui Li's front, looked down at the ground in front of him, and said in a calm tone: "Sir, you have been here for a day and a night, have you thought it through?"

  The demon slowly withdrew his gaze from Pu Zhi Fa and looked at Pu Hong Shang Ren. Pu Hong Shang Ren's heart skipped a beat, only to see that the demon's face was pale and haggard, with a look of exhaustion. Although he had been here for only one day and night, it seemed as if he had experienced the vicissitudes of life for a hundred years.

  With palms together, he softly chanted: "Amitabha Buddha!"

  The ghost slowly stood up, but as he did, his body suddenly shook and he almost lost his footing. Fah Xiang and Pu Heng both furrowed their brows, and Fah Xiang was about to step forward to support him when the ghost had already regained his balance. He took a deep breath, then straightened his body again, facing Pu Heng.

  His body looked weak at a glance, but for some reason, he seemed as strong and resilient as Mount Sumeru at this moment.

  "Master..." His voice was somewhat hoarse.

  Pu Heng stepped forward and clasped his hands together in a salute: "Yes, what instructions does the donor have?"

  "The deceased is at peace when buried in the earth, you... Master Pu Zhi's physical body was cremated and laid to rest!"

  Pu Heng Shang Ren's body shook as he looked at Gui Li, and after a moment, Pu Heng Shang Ren let out a long sigh, seemingly unable to bear it. In a low voice, he said: "Benefactor, have you come to terms with it?"

  He gave a cruel and mournful smile, gazing at Pu Zhi who was sitting in the dim light. The muscles on his face tensed up then relaxed, and he slowly said: "I had only spent one night with this great master years ago, yet I had knelt down before him, willingly kowtowing to him, calling him 'master'. He saved me, but also harmed me; without him, there would be no me. The deceased is already gone. Although I am not a Buddhist disciple, I know that the Buddhist family values rebirth the most. Since he refused to enter the soil even at his death, it can be seen that he had regret in his heart..."

  A chill breath, faintly emanating from his hand, was almost simultaneously sensed by Pu Hong and Fa Xiang. That surge of eerie, demonic power: "The Blood-Drinking Pearl's demonic energy is so intense, over the years I've felt it myself, and somewhat understand the reason behind it." As he spoke, Gui Li slowly turned around, walking towards the door, his hoarse voice occasionally letting out a cough or two.

  The Master Pu Heng stood behind him, clasped his hands together and chanted Buddha's name towards his back. Master Pu Heng then said: "The donor's heart is kind and generous, touching heaven and earth. I, the old monk, have come to thank the donor on behalf of my late brother, Master Pu Zhi. I will follow the donor's instructions and perform the funeral rites for my brother's body soon, but before that, does the donor have any other requests?"

  The ghostly figure had already reached the door, his hand stretched out towards the doorknob, but after a moment, he stopped and stood there as if frozen. Pu Heng and Fa Xiang didn't know what was on his mind, they just stared at him in silence.

  The ghost slowly turned around, and once again saw that old and slightly painful face. This face, he had only seen twice in his life, the memories of the past decade or so flooded his mind, but in the end, it was just that stormy night, with a kind and peaceful smile in front of him.

  Is he Gui Li, or is he Zhang Xiaofan? Who knows?

  Who else cares?

  "Pffft!"

  That man, right at the entrance, facing the one sitting in the soft glow of the jade plate, a lifetime of painful dharma remains, just like that young boy back then, knelt down to him, solemnly kowtowed three times. Then, he raised his head, with a stern expression, and on his face was an unending deep sorrow, saying: "Master!……"

  ……

  Dead silence!

  "Master, rest in peace!"

  He said in a low voice, then stood up, and without saying another word, turned around, opened the door, and walked out.

  ********

  The monk walked like Pu Heng, and Fa Xiang was also speechless for a moment, just watching Gui Li walk out of the small hut. In the silence, Fa Xiang sighed and said, "He really has great wisdom, great kindness, and compassion! He is truly a rare man in the world, Amitabha Buddha..."

  Pu Heng turned around and looked at Pu Zhi Fa Shen. After a while, he clasped his hands together and said: "Younger brother, you can finally rest in peace... Eh?"

  Pu Hong Shangren let out a cry of surprise, which also startled Fa Xiang. He hastily followed Pu Hong Shangren's gaze and was immediately shocked as well, his face filled with astonishment.

  Only to see Pan sitting on the jade ice plate, the universal wisdom dharma body has changed at this moment. In the silver-white micro-light like frost and snow, the universal wisdom dharma body is actually weathered into powder like sandstone, bit by bit, turning into fine dust that is almost invisible to the naked eye, slowly falling down. On his aged face, somehow, the original hint of pain has disappeared, revealing a hint of a relieved smile.

  As the erosion speed gets faster and faster, the whole body is about to disappear. Pu Heng's eyes are filled with tears, and he clasps his hands together: "Younger brother, younger brother, your wish has been fulfilled, and older brother is also happy for you. From now on, the Buddhist ocean is boundless, take care of yourself."

  The universal wisdom Dharma body quickly turned into a whirlwind, and finally all turned into white powder dust. From the silver-white micro-light emitted from the Jade Ice Plate in mid-air, it slowly fell down. At this moment, the Jade Ice Plate suddenly burst forth with a brilliant light after receiving those powdery dusts. In the small closed room, there was suddenly an inexplicable force that blew up the wind.

  In the distant and obscure place, as if there is a Buddhist chanting, slowly spreading over.

  The jade ice plate shone brighter and brighter, the wind speed in the small house also faster and faster, Pu Heng and Fa Xiang's monk robes were blown to make a rustling sound, the two looked at each other in horror. Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound came from the jade ice plate, the light burst out violently, countless dust particles were suspended in the frosty snow-like faint light, flying out in all directions, a deafening roar, and then exploded!

  "Boom!"

  Dust and dirt flew everywhere, only to be immediately overwhelmed by a dazzlingly brilliant light. The walls surrounding the small cottage were instantly destroyed by the strange, icy glow of the jade ice plate, leaving no trace behind. Only the bright moonlight remained, shining like snow, reflecting off the mountain peaks, in the stillness of the human world, there was such a strange and wondrous sight.

  The jade ice plate slowly rose from the ground in a burst of brilliant light, with silver-white powder and dust swirling around it as if possessed of a spirit. In the original courtyard outside the house, Gui Liang stood silently, looking up at the sky with tears streaming down his face.

  The jade ice plate flew over by itself and circled around Gui Li's body three times before finally stopping in front of him.

  The demon's gaze was fixed intently on the wisps of smoke, his teeth clenched tightly, barely holding himself back.

  Then, in that almost solidified radiance, the beautiful and desolate night sky of heaven and earth, the Jade Ice Plate emitted a soft sound, like breaking ice and snow, clear music echoing. In front of Gui Li, this heavenly treasure also turned into countless powder dust, shining brightly under the moonlight, like falling snowflakes, dazzling and eye-catching.

  In the distance, the mountain wind blows, countless dust and smoke drift with the wind, floating in mid-air, carried by the breeze to a distant place, and finally gradually disappear...