: Love Is Letting Go

Author: Gu Zhenren

Date: 2024-12-16

Flames blazed fiercely, their scorching heat distorting the atmosphere.

Magma boiled, and from within, a hill-sized crimson flame beast—a Nascent Soul-level Flame-treading Lizard—burst forth!

It charged from the south, slamming hard into the Molten Immortal Palace.

Meanwhile, from the north, a Nascent Soul-level Raging Fire Snake, engulfed in intense flames, opened its mouth and spewed a torrent of fire.

The unbearably hot flames baked the spherical shield of the Molten Immortal Palace. The shield, already damaged, cracked extensively under the dual assault of the two Nascent Soul-level beasts, and the situation looked grim.

"Vile beasts," Meng Kui coldly snorted.

Spell—Mystery in the Palm!

Four giant hand seals materialized, splitting into two groups and rushing toward the Nascent Soul-level beasts to the north and south.

The Raging Fire Snake hissed, twisting its massive body to evade.

The Flame-treading Lizard, however, did not dodge. It withstood the hand seals' blows and continued its frenzied assault on the spherical shield.

The Immortal Palace trembled!

Under the Flame-treading Lizard's fierce attack, the nearest mechanical structures collapsed one after another. The ground cracked, and soon, a corner of the palace broke away from the main body, crumbling and falling into the magma below.

The magma surged into towering waves from the impact, crashing against the ruins surrounding the palace.

While the spherical shield had yet to close, large amounts of magma seeped into the Molten Immortal Palace, burning down more structures and leaving devastation in their wake.

Deep within the mist, Meng Kui's gaze was distant, his expression unreadable.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A battle suddenly erupted in the inner section of the Molten Immortal Palace.

The shadowy demonic cultivator reappeared, chasing Yang Chanyu!

The commotion caused by the Nascent Soul-level beasts had already awakened nearly all the cultivators in the palace.

The fight between the shadowy demonic cultivator and Yang Chanyu immediately drew widespread attention.

A streak of golden light, like a rainbow, cut through the sky, swiftly approaching the battlefield where Yang Chanyu and the shadowy demonic cultivator fought.

From the familiar aura, everyone knew it was none other than Zhu Xuanji!

Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment-level crimson flame beasts gathered again, surging toward the inner sections of the Molten Immortal Palace like tidal waves.

"The opportunity has come," Zhu Xuanji silently commanded.

Following his orders, members of the three renovation teams, assigned to the Command Platform and the Five Elements Artillery Towers, collaborated to execute the plan.

Under their influence, only a few mechanical constructs intercepted the beasts, blocking their path to the Gourd Furnace Forest.

The Longyuan Fire Spirit grew anxious and quickly contacted Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo still held his second-rank authority, and his orders overrode those of the three renovation teams.

Thus, a large number of mechanical constructs converged toward the Furnace Forest, and Five Elements projectiles rained down like a storm, covering the beast horde.

However, due to Ning Zhuo's deliberate negligence, some crimson flame beasts managed to break into the Golden Furnace Ruins.

The real Zhu Xuanji suddenly appeared and, to the Longyuan Fire Spirit's shock, followed the beasts into the Golden Furnace Ruins!

The previous Zhu Xuanji was not the real one but an imposter—Zhu Zhen in disguise.

The Longyuan Fire Spirit couldn't monitor Zhu Xuanji at all times, as it was preoccupied with managing the palace's defenses and fending off the endless beast attacks.

Thus, it had failed to detect the covert identity swap between Zhu Zhen and Zhu Xuanji.

"Young master, young master!"

"Act quickly, hurry!"

"We must not let Zhu Xuanji uncover any clues!"

At that moment, the Longyuan Fire Spirit felt as if its heart had leaped into its throat, even though it had no heart.

Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth and made a decision. "Zhu Xuanji, you forced my hand!"

With the Longyuan Fire Spirit's assistance, he unleashed the full offensive power of the Five Elements Artillery Towers. Five Elements projectiles fell like a torrential downpour, launching a terrifying assault that completely enveloped the Golden Furnace Ruins.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Amid the intense bombardment, Zhu Xuanji barely managed to hold his ground.

He knew he had to race against time. With limited time, he could only choose one location to investigate.

Golden Furnaces Two, Three, and Four had all been destroyed, and they held invaluable clues!

After a moment of hesitation, Zhu Xuanji finally chose Golden Furnace Two.

The reason lay in the riddle poem Ning Zhuo had given him.

Zhu Xuanji had instantly recognized the answer as "Two" upon reading it.

He was convinced that Ning Zhuo was pointing him toward Golden Furnace Two.

He rushed to the ruins of Golden Furnace Two, placed his hand on it, and with great difficulty, cast a spell to trace its origins.

Through his Heavenly Golden Eye, he witnessed the following scene:

The door of Golden Furnace Two swung open, and a teleportation circle spewed forth countless materials.

These materials were of exceptional quality, ranging from Golden Core-level to Nascent Soul-level.

Among them, one item stood out—a dragon's body. It was exquisitely crafted, as if carved from crystal, with crimson and orange flames shimmering silently within, radiating both danger and breathtaking beauty.

At this sight, Zhu Xuanji's pupils contracted sharply.

Next, he saw all the materials being fed into the furnace.

The furnace door closed, and the refining process began. The roar of a dragon echoed from within.

The refining process was brief.

Cracks rapidly spread across the furnace's surface, and by the time the refining was complete and the flames died down, the furnace shattered into fragments.

From the ruins, a small mechanical construct rose slowly.

It resembled a dragon, about the length of an adult's forearm.

Its head was majestic, with forked horns and naturally flowing whiskers. Its eyes, like crimson crystals, glowed with a golden-red hue.

Its scales were silver-white, enveloped in a faint golden aura.

Its claws were sharp and could retract into its body through mechanical transformation.

Its tail swayed gracefully, with trailing whiskers that emitted flames, leaving fiery trails in the air as it moved.

Mechanical Construct—Ten-Thousand-Mile Roaming Dragon!

Zhu Xuanji quickly recognized it.

This was a classic mechanical construct.

Starting from the mortal-level One-Inch Hibernating Worm, to the Qi Refining-level Ten-Inch Startled Snake, the Foundation Establishment-level Hundred-Foot Coiling Python, the Golden Core-level Thousand-Fathom Entwining Dragon, and finally the Nascent Soul-level Ten-Thousand-Mile Roaming Dragon.

The Ten-Thousand-Mile Roaming Dragon could change size, move swiftly, and had exceptional endurance, making it an excellent transportation tool.

The vision abruptly ended.

But Zhu Xuanji suddenly understood!

"Ning Zhuo's clue was extremely valuable."

"I see now!"

"The Longyuan Fire Spirit is the problem!!"

Regretfully, Zhu Xuanji glanced at the ruins of Golden Furnaces Three and Four, which had been devastated by the artillery fire.

Unable to hold out any longer, he retreated for the time being.

"Did he discover something?" the Longyuan Fire Spirit asked nervously.

The artillery fire was too dense, making it impossible to observe what was happening inside.

It had no idea what Zhu Xuanji had been doing in there!

The bombardment continued for a while before finally ceasing.

The original Golden Furnace Ruins had become a deep pit, with debris scattered inside and out.

As Zhu Xuanji had anticipated, Zhu Zhen returned empty-handed.

The two conferred in private, with Zhu Xuanji transmitting his findings and his inference about the palace spirit to Zhu Zhen.

Zhu Zhen was puzzled and directly asked how Zhu Xuanji had deduced this.

Zhu Xuanji sighed. "You don't know the history of the Molten Immortal Palace or the situation with Golden Furnace One."

He explained to Zhu Zhen that he had once seen the royal secrets in the capital...

Hundreds of years ago:

Mount Huoshi had just erupted, covering the land in magma and shrouding the sky in toxic smoke. The devastation was unimaginable, and countless lives were lost.

San Zong Shang Ren, dressed in a pristine white monk's robe as pure as snow, descended slowly from the sky, his sleeves fluttering in the wind.

His face was as steady as an ancient pine, his brow filled with compassion and sorrow, his demeanor transcendent.

Another resplendent golden light shot through the sky, landing nearby and transforming into an elegant and beautiful woman.

She wore a magnificent golden phoenix-embroidered robe, radiant and dazzling, with pearls and jewels adorning the edges of her attire. Her aura was dignified and authoritative.

The woman's phoenix eyes blazed with anger as she stared intently at San Zong Shang Ren, her voice tinged with resentment and accusation: "You heartless man, you've finally returned! Since you've come to my kingdom, why didn't you visit me in the capital? Do you know how long I've waited for you?"

San Zong Shang Ren did not turn around, his gaze fixed on the scorching land below, his tone utterly calm: "Southern Empress, I told you many years ago: our bond has ended. It's better to forget each other in this vast world than to cling to the past."

The woman was none other than the founding empress of Nandou. She shouted angrily: "You say it's over, so it's over? I don't agree!"

"For all these years, do you know how much I've missed you? I even changed the name of my kingdom to Nandou."

"Red beans grow in the southern land, sprouting branches in spring. May you gather them often, for they evoke the deepest longing..."

"San Lang, I don't believe you haven't thought of me all these years!"

As the Empress of Nandou spoke, her voice trembled, and her eyes reddened.

San Zong Shang Ren shook his head and sighed deeply. He took a mechanical model from his robe and tossed it lightly into the air.

The model swiftly expanded into an enormous immortal palace, blocking the sunlight and casting a massive shadow on the ground.

The palace, with its red bricks and golden pillars, stood majestic and magnificent—it was the Molten Immortal Palace!

Seeing this, the Empress of Nandou brightened, her voice softening further: "San Lang, you do remember our past."

"Back then, we were so harmonious, spending our days together building this mechanical palace."

"You laid out the architecture and laid the foundation, while I sculpted the statues and refined the details."

"We shared such beautiful times in this palace."

"We can continue."

"San Lang, I've established a kingdom, fulfilling my lifelong wish. Come back, let's live together as we once did!"

San Zong Shang Ren remained with his back to the Empress of Nandou, offering no response. Instead, he used his spiritual vision to observe Mount Huoshi below.

The Empress of Nandou floated closer, but an invisible barrier blocked her path.

"San Lang," the Empress called out, her voice filled with genuine emotion.

San Zong Shang Ren ignored her, his eyes suddenly focusing as he stirred.

Instantly, the Molten Immortal Palace emitted a beam of treasure light, piercing the mountain and plunging into the depths of the magma.

A dragon's roar erupted as a Nascent Soul-level Raging Fire Dragon, enraged, burst out of Mount Huoshi.

Under the Empress of Nandou's pitying gaze, the Raging Fire Dragon courageously charged toward the Molten Immortal Palace, intent on crashing into it!

San Zong Shang Ren gently extended his hands.

The Raging Fire Dragon's body shrank rapidly as it flew through the air, until it was no larger than a small snake, less than three inches long, when it landed in San Zong Shang Ren's palms.

The Raging Fire Dragon struggled fiercely but could not escape San Zong Shang Ren's grasp.

The Molten Immortal Palace slowly descended, like a collapsing mountain, pressing down on the atmosphere with a rumbling sound.

San Zong Shang Ren sat cross-legged in the sky, looking down at the palace.

He lightly pinched the Raging Fire Dragon's neck and extracted its soul.

"Go," San Zong Shang Ren flicked his finger gently.

The Nascent Soul-level Raging Fire Dragon's soul shot like a meteor into Golden Furnace One.

Cremation Prajna Soul Liberation Sutra!

Fierce flames blazed, and within a few breaths, the furnace collapsed, refining into a Longyuan Fire Spirit.

The Empress of Nandou watched in surprise: "It was clearly a dragon snake, so why does its spirit resemble a dragon turtle?"

The Longyuan Fire Spirit was initially confused but soon roared in anger at San Zong Shang Ren.

San Zong Shang Reached out again, drawing the Longyuan Fire Spirit into his palm.

Compressed to an extremely small size, the Longyuan Fire Spirit looked up at San Zong Shang Ren like an ant gazing at a towering pillar or a Buddha.

San Zong Shang Ren spoke slowly: "In eight hundred years, a heavenly calamity will sweep the world, with rivers of blood and corpses littering the land."

"Dragon and snake will rise, and kings will emerge frequently. A sage will descend to cleanse the world."

"Raging Fire Dragon, you were formed from the essence of countless souls lost in the volcano, combined with the mountain's endless fire poison and geothermal energy."

"You were born with heavy sin."

"If left to your natural course, you would be slain by a new king, your foundation transformed into materials to contribute to his reign."

"Today, I shall deliver you."

"From now on, you shall serve as the palace spirit, controlling the immortal palace and guarding Mount Huoshi."

"As long as Mount Huoshi remains peaceful, free from slaughter and innocent suffering, you will clear your innate sin in seven hundred and twenty years. Then, you can shed this turtle shell and truly become a dragon spirit."

"Look."

San Zong Shang Ren slightly raised his hand, directing the dragon spirit's attention to its former serpent body.

Though it was a Raging Fire Dragon, it possessed immortal potential!

When it reached the Nascent Soul level, this potential naturally transformed into a divine ability—Spirit Gathering Crystal Condensation.

This ability allowed it to gather spiritual energy, compressing it repeatedly until it solidified into spirit crystals.

The bodies of the Raging Fire Snake lineage were originally composed of formless flames, but this one was extraordinary, compressing its fire spiritual energy through Spirit Gathering Crystal Condensation to form a solid dragon serpent body.

San Zong Shang Ren continued: "Your body is preserved for you, and only you can use it."

"Once seven hundred and twenty years have passed, use the Molten Immortal Palace to create a mechanical body, free yourself from this cage, and roam the world."

With that, San Zong Shang Ren gently tossed the Longyuan Fire Spirit into the main hall of the palace and placed the fire crystal dragon body into the palace treasury.

San Zong Shang Ren pointed his index finger at Mount Huoshi.

The Molten Immortal Palace accelerated its descent.

Watching the symbol of her and San Zong Shang Ren's love about to sink into the mountain to suppress the volcano, the Empress of Nandou cried out: "San Lang, must you do this? How heartless!"

"Where is your love?"

"You once said that even after entering the Buddhist path, love still exists!!"

San Zong Shang Ren clasped his hands and chanted: "Thus I have heard: The Tathagata's compassion bestows great love, extending throughout the boundless realms. Great love is the heart of the Buddha, the welfare of all beings... If a bodhisattva holds great love in their heart, all realms become kin. Without distinction of rank, all are beings, equally cared for, selflessly devoted... Thus, the bodhisattva sees the suffering of beings as their own suffering, their heart like an ocean, with endless compassion..."

The Empress of Nandou, enraged, interrupted: "San Lang, stop chanting!!"

San Zong Shang Ren sighed: "This is the great love of Buddhism, not desire."

The Empress of Nandou retorted angrily: "I don't understand!"

San Zong Shang Ren fell silent for a moment: "Love is compassion."

After a pause, he added: "Love is letting go."

As he spoke, the Molten Immortal Palace reached the summit of Mount Huoshi.

"San Lang!" the Empress of Nandou cried out sorrowfully, her voice filled with anguish. "I cannot let go!"

But San Zong Shang Ren remained with his hands clasped, his lowered gaze seeming to pierce through a thousand years.

He murmured:

"Golden furnace, crimson flames refine the soul,

The immortal palace buries the mountain to save the people.

I advise the Southern Empress to release her attachments,

For past affections scatter like smoke before the dust.

All beings suffer from heavy desires,

Believing themselves masters, yet puppets they remain.

The Buddha's compassion is great love,

Let go of the heart's obstacles, and the path will form."

The Empress of Nandou felt utterly desolate, shedding tears of despair. But her pride as an empress kept her from turning and fleeing.

Gritting her teeth, she channeled her magic power and forcibly extracted a treasure from the palace.

The treasure landed in her hand, revealing itself as a mirror.

The mirror was encircled by an exquisitely crafted golden phoenix, radiating extreme elegance and beauty. It was the Golden Phoenix Mirror!

San Zong Shang Ren was moved for the first time, slightly turning to look at the Empress of Nandou.

The Empress of Nandou declared through gritted teeth: "This is mine. I won't cooperate with you or contribute to your compassion."

San Zong Shang Ren shook his head slightly: "Southern Empress, you were not destined to rule, yet you founded a kingdom by relying on my Life Thread Suspension divine ability."

"If you leave the Golden Phoenix Mirror, you will repay this karma. This would be beneficial for you."

The Empress of Nandou was momentarily