Jing Shu replied, “I do not believe you.”

　　She left as soon as she finished the sentence because she wanted to return to the Demon Master Palace as soon as possible. She hoped that founding master would advance and save that darn Shen Lian. If he could not be saved, at least she tried her best.

　　Rāma eyes followed Jing Shu as she left. The Amitâbha scripture that he held in his hands had an embroidery of a Buddha’s image. It looked as if all worries were resolved, with endless knowledge, forever untiring.

　　It was the image of Amitâbha, also known as the immeasurable Buddha. Among the heavens, he was one of the few people who possessed supreme detachment.

　　At the bottom of the pagoda a monkey’s head emerged. It said, “Amitâbha has already disappeared for a long time. Who could find him?”

　　Rāma softly replied, “Rumor has it that Daoist Master Taiyi once traveled to Sukhavati, taking away with him three scrolls of scripture. The Amitâbha scripture was among the three.”

　　After hearing the taboo name of Daoist Master Taiyi, Hanuman could not help but form an expression of deep reverence. He said, “Could it be that Daoist Master Taiyi is the one who wanted to meet the great Vishnu? After all, if it were him, it would not be surprising at all that he knew the connection between you and Vishnu.”

　　Rāma answered, “It is not Daoist Master Taiyi. Because regardless if it were me, or Vishnu, we are both considered too petty and low in his very eyes. I already know who this person is. And if I’m sure Vishnu would know as well. Regarding this matter, Vishnu will deal with it.”

　　Hanuman was still rather clueless, and so asked, “Vishnu and Buddha had set themselves against each other before. Daoist Master Taiyi is equal to Buddha. How could Vishnu be considered petty and low in the eyes of Daoist Master Taiyi?”

　　With a forced smile, Rāma replied, “Vishnu was ignorant. That was why he went and challenged Buddha. On account of them having reached such a stage, it would be an existence that we can never understand.”

　　Hanuman asked, “Similarly, this little brat seems to be very ignorant. Do you think he can pull through and overcome this trial?”

　　Rāma leisurely replied, “I do not know, but I hope that he is able to do so.”

　　Hanuman questioned, “Why?”

　　Rāma gave his answer, “Because in this way, things will be much more special. It signifies that he is able to challenge the power and prestige of the Daoist Master. It also represents that bystanders are able to do so. Vishnu lost his confidence owing to his challenge of Buddha, but I have not lost mine.”

　　It was only now that Hanuman suddenly understood what Rāma meant. Rāma genuinely wanted Shen Lian to succeed because the Daoist Master represented the supreme and unsurpassable, unable to be challenged. However, if Shen Lian succeeded, it would give Rāma a kind of confidence. That was what Vishnu lacked. Now, Rāma could rediscover it.

　　Vishnu was great, but he could never be as great as Buddha. Rāma was different in a way that he had endless possibilities.

　　…

　　Even though Jing Shu had a Dao target in returning to that once-populated-but-now-barren place, it took her half a day’s time to shuttle between time and space to return to Demon Master Palace. However, she did not notice that the palace was sealed shut. Regardless of what means she used, she was unable to open its doors.

　　She believed that founding master knew of her return, but with the palace closed shut, she had no way of returning to the palace, not for the time being at least. No one dared to attack the palace, so it being closed shut was not because of defending against someone, but rather to prevent anyone from leaving. Jing Shu immediately understood what this meant.

　　Formerly, when Demon Master Palace was sealed shut, it symbolized that a great trial was to happen in all of heaven and earth and the universe.

　　This time was no different. She may not be in the palace, but she was also a part of the trial. She was not afraid of going through the trial, but she took some pity upon Shen Lian.

　　She somewhat absent-mindedly headed back towards the direction of Biyou Palace. It would had been the second day by the time she returned.

　　The morning sun appeared just above the sea and a bright golden light glazed everywhere. Clear and crystalline was the gleaming reflection of waves in the sunlight. The scene was beautiful and touching, but it could not spark even the slightest of interest in Jing Shu.

　　She reached Biyou Palace and noticed that the Four Elements were yet to quiet down. It was because of Biyou Palace’s special characteristics that the Four Elements were yet to shatter into pieces.

　　To be precise, Biyou Palace was a world of its own, and a very special one at that.

　　Jing Shu was rather surprised, as Shen Lian’s consciousness was surprisingly still present, though in a much weakened state compared to the previous day.

　　This was like a sole flame. With even the simplest of blows, the flame became smaller. It flickered from side to side, but it was inextinguishable.

　　Jing Shu was not the only one who was surprised. Lady Mother of the Chariot felt the same as well. It was obvious that Shen Lian was already dejected and listless as if he was dead. Why then, was he still stubbornly withstand everything?

　　The portraits of Lingbao Tianzun’s technique were still in existence, similar to an illusion filled only with emptiness and obscurity.

　　When faced with the portrait, Shen Lian’s consciousness was like an insignificant piece of dust. It was safe to say that there was absolutely no need to stubbornly resist until the end. The feeling of powerlessness had already spread onto the totality of his thoughts.

　　Ever since he had his consciousness, he had never once experienced this kind of despair, as he had tried all means before. Yet, when faced with Daoist Master, Shen Lian was but a mere game.

　　The deity in front of him did not even need to use any state in order to cause each of Shen Lian’s attempts to be in vain.

　　He should not have attempted to surpass the Shangqing Daoist Master. It was truly the stupidest thing he had ever done in his whole life. He was now paying the price for being so unbelievably egoistic and ignorant.

　　The Four Elements could extinguish his consciousness at any time, and by then the real soul which he entrusted to the Realm of Dreams would suffer the same fate. There was no doubt in his mind that the real soul would be stripped out of the Realm of Dreams at any time.

　　The jade Ruyi broke Shen Lian’s arrogance as well as the outward perfection of his. It also enabled him to become a truly vivid human. He was no higher than the ordinary, common folk Shen Lian of the past – he remained a sentient being, a living entity.

　　He suffered too – association with that which he hated, separation from that which he loved, and inability to fulfil that which he desired. The pain, difficulty, and suffering experienced in life did not simply vanish just because he became a celestial.

　　Shangqing Daoist Master’s Supreme Art of Spiritual Enhancement contributed to a Shen Lian that was perfect only in an illusory sense. It was not the real him.

　　Until now, Shen Lian still retained the independence of his consciousness, because when the time came and he had to return to being nothingness, he displayed an incomparable will to live owing to the fact that he wanted to continue living.

　　There was so much that he was unwilling to let go of in this world. He wanted to revive Chen Jianmei. He wanted to retrieve Gu Caiwei again. He wanted to cause the Daoist who passed him the secret to immortality to reappear in front of him.

　　Most importantly, one particular person emerged in his thoughts. A thousand supernatural powers and endless magnificent Dao fall short of the goodness of a gentleman; if he reverted to nothingness, she would be very disappointed indeed.

　　If he was not at the end of life, he would never have realised the things and people that he still cared for. Perhaps he had to lose them all in order to feel how precious and valuable they were. This was but a common failing inherent in human nature.

　　In the midst of such unwillingness, Shen Lian withstood another day, though the havoc-wreaking of the Four Elements was fiercer now. The illusory portrait of Lingbao Tianzun solidified a little more, it was as if the real Shanqing Daoist Master would manifest in the world yet another time.

　　Shen Lian understood however, that the solidifying of the portrait was because he himself was being absorbed.

　　Nonetheless, it was hard to say, because when the face of Lingbao Tianzun gradually became clearer, it was surprisingly similar to him. This ‘him’ was the map of Shen Lian’s original self and not his actual appearance.

　　Shen Lian thought of something absurd: could it be that Lingbao Tianzun wished to arrive in this world through the devouring of ‘him’?

　　Shen Lian could not delve deeper into this thought, because along with the solidifying of Lingbao Tianzun’s virtual shadow, a more serious defeat appeared in his consciousness. This time, even if he was unwilling, it seemed as though he had no way of persevering further.

　　“As of this moment, do you think that there could be another miracle?” Lady Mother of the Chariot indifferently asked Kui Li.

　　Shen Lian’s endurance up until now had caused Kui Li to be rather worried. However, the time had come for her to finally breathe a sigh of relief.