Nightfall

All were silent by the chessboard. Master Qishan looked at Sangsang quietly, a complicated expression crossing his thin face. There was shock from seeing the truth, and a hint of fear. In the end, all these emotions turned into one of confusion.

Ning Que observed Sangsang’s condition anxiously and did not see Master Qishan’s odd expression. Otherwise, he might have noticed something. Then, he heard the Master sigh.

He looked up nervously. By then, Master Qishan’s expression had already returned to normal. He had a gentle and benevolent smile as if he had escaped from a terrifying situation. He was satisfied and calm.

“The three games of chess on Tile Mountain have a long history. However, only five have experienced the final game like you two. And you, young lady, are the second person to solve the three rounds of chess consecutively.”

Said Master Qishan as he looked at Sangsang tenderly.

After ascertaining that Sangsang was fine and that the world in the chessboard was but an illusion, Ning Que could finally rest assured. Hearing the master’s praise for Sangsang, he asked, “Who was the other person who solved the three rounds first?”

Master Qishan said a name that had disappeared from this world for many years. However, it was a name that Ning Que was very familiar with. He looked into Ning Que’s eyes and said with a slight smile, “It was Younger Brother Lotus.”

The Master’s gaze was calm and seemingly powerless. However, Ning Que felt as if he could see through all his disguises and the fragments of consciousness deep in his sense of perception. He felt a little uneasy.

He lowered his head subconsciously, unwilling to meet the Master’s gaze in order to hide his unease. He continued, “Who were the three who played chess on this chessboard?”

Master Qishan answered, “The Headmaster, Mr. Ke, and the abbey dean.”

Ning Que forgot his unease for a moment when he heard the three names. He raised his head in shock.

To him, his teacher, Youngest Uncle and the abbey dean of the Zhishou Abbey were the most powerful figures in this world. No matter how powerful Lotus or Sangsang was, they could not surpass the three.

“How is it possible that the Headmaster couldn’t solve this game of chess?”

Master Qishan answered, “This game of chess is unable to trap them. Why would they need to solve it?”

Ning Que’s question was to move the topic away from Lotus, to prevent the Master from finding out what he had hidden. Since it worked, he did not continue the questioning.

He looked at the Master and asked, “Sangsang has already solved the game. Can you heal her?”

Master Qishan said, “I would treat her even if she could not solve the game. Since she has solved the game, then there’s no reason not to treat her.”

Ning Que’s voice was a little dry due to his nerves. He asked, “Can she be cured?”

It was unknown whether he had used up too much energy refereeing the last game of chess or because he was already weak. Master Qishan seemed to be even more haggard. When he listened to Ning Que’s concern, he coughed bitterly before tiredly lowering his head. He was silent for a long while.

Ning Que grew even more anxious when he did not get an answer.

After some time, Master Qishan tenderly looked up at Sangsang and said, “There is no illness in the world that cannot be cured. However, it will be difficult and painful to cure it.”

Sangsang glanced at Ning Que and said serenely and with determination, “I’m not afraid of pain.”

She was not afraid of death, but she did not want to die. That was because she knew that Ning Que would be very sad if she died. He might even die with her. That was why she wanted to live. She would continue living no matter how much pain she had to endure. That was why her answer was so firm.

Master Qishan looked at her with the beginnings of a smile. He answered just as firmly, “Then I will definitely be able to cure you.”

When he heard that, Ning Que suddenly felt a buzz in his mind, and he could not hear anything further. His body seemed to have suddenly turned into floating clouds on the cliff. He stumbled onto the futon and could not speak.

Almost at the same time, all the tightly closed pores on his skin began to sweat. His Academy uniform was drenched in seconds, looking as if he had been in the rain.

This year, while he had seemed as calm as usual and did not seem any different when conversing with others and fulfilling matters. In reality, he had been anxious and fearful in the extreme because of Sangsang’s illness.

When he heard the Master’s affirmative, the negative emotions he had kept within him for a long time were quicky released in one go, along with the cold sweat. His body and heart were taken over by the extreme joy he felt, and he felt as if he was about to float up into the sky. However, this sudden release of emotions had caused an intense blow to his body. He suddenly became very weak and was like a severely ill patient who had just started to recover.

Master Qishan looked at him and guessed that he must have endured unimaginable torment and pain. He comforted him kindly, “This is a cause for celebration.”

Sangsang took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat that flowed like rain from Ning Que’s face.

Ning Que smiled with difficulty, saying, “This is indeed something to celebrate.”

Master Qishan looked at the cultivators outside the cottage, who had come to pray to the mountains. He said, “Since this calls for celebration, then we should celebrate. I will answer a question from everyone.”

When he heard that, Ning Que found the strength to sit upright and stare into the Master’s eyes. He reminded him very seriously, “We came first, Master, so you should treat her first.”

Master Qishan laughed and said, “Curing an illness isn’t so simple. Otherwise, why would you leave the Academy to look for an old monk like me? You have to let me make some preparations.”

Ning Que did not agree and said, “The longer we drag this, the more dangerous it is.”

Master Qishan said, “It is not yet a time for it to be dangerous... rest assured.”

The first part of his statement seemed to have a deeper meaning. What time was he referring to? However, Ning Que only heard the last part of the statement. He did not notice anything else.

When they heard that Master Qishan would answer the questions of everyone present, the cultivators outside the cottage were overjoyed. Only Monk Guan Hai appeared surprised. He was worried about his teacher’s health.

The Flower Addict had returned from the Buddha statue at the peak of the mountain to the cottage. She heard the last part of the conversation and knew that Sangsang’s illness could be cured. She remained indifferent, but her fingers were pinched together, breaking the little flower in her hand.

...

...

The hour was late. The back of Tile Mountain was so dark it looked as if it was deep in the night. Cultivators silently lined up outside the cottage, waiting to enter. The Lanke Temple’s monks had lit torches outside the cottage, and the flames flickered in the mountain breeze. They shone on the faces of the people lined up and moved chaotically, just like their feelings while in wait.

According to legends spread through the world, Master Qishan’s ability to prophesize was even better than that of the Great Divine Priest of Revelation of the West-Hill Divine Palace. Furthermore, he could solve all doubts, and was able to fulfill demands just like Buddha.

It was every cultivator’s dream to have Master Qishan solve their doubts. They were all very excited to have Master Qishan answer them; no matter whether it was an obstacle in their path to cultivation, a question that had long bothered them, or a person or incident that troubled them.

The cultivators would, of course, use this opportunity to solve their greatest doubts or pain. However, those were often their greatest secrets. This meant that they had to reveal them to Master Qishan, so they felt somewhat afraid.

From time to time, Master Qishan would cough painfully in the ivy-covered cliff cave.

It was unknown when the black horse carriage entered the cottage. Sangsang, who was in the carriage, had a fur coat and was snuggled in the blankets. She was no longer cold. However, when she heard the master cough, she could not help but cough painfully as well. Her face paled.

Ning Que, who was sitting by the carriage window lifted up the curtains to look around the cliff cave. He complained somewhat annoyedly, “The old man knows that his cough is contagious, why didn’t he try to control himself.”

This was a deliberate joke on Ning Que’s part, but Sangsang did not laugh like she did for his sake in the past. She said worriedly, “Master’s illness seems to have gotten worse.”

Ning Que was speechless. Even though Master Qishan had been ill for long, weakened and haggard, yet he wasn’t as weak as he was now when they first met. What had aggravated his illness?

It was naturally caused by the Go game.

...

...

The Buddhism Sect stresses on equality of all beings, but it was impossible to achieve absolute equality. For example, during the Yue Laan Hungry Ghost Festival, ordinary people would not even have the opportunity to enter the Wa mountain, so how would they meet Master Qishan? As such, how would they even have the opportunity to compete with cultivators on an equal footing and gain the chance to become the fated one?

Not even those who have come to the mountain today were equal. Master Qishan did not arrange the order in which the cultivators were to enter. As such, this was decided by the abbot of the Lanke Temple.

Other than the West-Hill Divine Palace and the Academy, most cultivators in the world did not dare go against royalty. The South Jin Kindom was second only to the Tang Empire. As such, the Crown Prince of South Jin Kingdom was the first to enter.

The South Jin Kingdom Crown Prince did not stay in the cave for long before leaving. Nobody knew what question he had asked, or whether it had anything to do with his fate with the Calligraphy Addict or the future of South Jin Kingdom. But he seemed a little lost, and they guessed that while the answer he had received was not pleasant, it wasn’t unfavorable either. He might not be able to understand it just yet.

Quni Madi’s status in the cultivation world was extremely high. She was also the royal aunt of the Yuelun Kingdom. As such, she was the second to enter.

The cliff cave was very clean and simply furnished. There was a futon, a straw mat, two blankets and some necessities. Master Qishan sat on the futon.

Quni Madi looked at the Master. Unlike other cultivators who were respectful, she did not bother to hide the hatred and ridicule in her expression.

He looked at her quietly and said, “That year, you insisted on coming to see me on Tile Mountain. I have lived in seclusion for many years, but was forced to write you a letter. It seems as if I was really wrong.”

“You were wrong.”

Quni Madi said hatefully, “You are my only elder in the Buddhism Sect. I came to you that year for you to clear my doubts. I asked if I should give birth to the child in my womb, and you said I should. I did so, and then, my child and I were separated for decades, and I had to grieve his death. Of course you were wrong.”

Master Qishan sighed and said, “Even though the child was still in your womb, he was already a life. Buddhism is compassionate, so how could we kill? Furthermore, the child was highly fated for Buddhism.”

Quni Madi said shrilly, “If you could see that the child was fated for Buddhism, then why couldn’t you tell that he would be killed by those in Chang’an? If you couldn’t see that, then you shouldn’t have left me that letter!”

Master Qishan said, “These have all passed and there is no use speaking of them now. I don’t understand... why visit if you bear such a grudge toward me?”

Quni Madi panted in pain before calming down. She stared at the master and said hatefully, “You were wrong once, so I want you to prophesy for me again.”

Master Qishan said with an odd expression, “What else do you want to know?”

Quni Madi said viciously, “I want to know when Ning Que will die!”

Master Qishan shook his head, “Not even Buddha can foretell life and death, much less an ordinary person like myself.”

Quni Madi said heatedly, “Then you have to tell me how I can get revenge for my son!”

Master Qishan suddenly looked up and out of the cave. He thought of the Buddhist chariot from the faraway Xuankong Temple. After a long moment of silence, he said, “Since you’ve already made plans, why come and ask me?”

Then, he looked at Quni Madi quietly and said, “But I have to remind you. You have been a Buddhist for decades, but you cannot shed your anger and hatred. You cannot blame others for this. You cannot blame the person on the Buddhist chariot, nor those in the Yuelun palace and least of all that child you bore. You have to ask yourself.”

“The thing you hate most— if not for what happened in the Wilderness, Ning Que wouldn’t shame you before the palace. Dao Shi wouldn’t have returned to Yuelun or go to Chang’an to be killed by Ning Que. You want revenge. Who should you serve it to? Ning Que or yourself?”

Said Master Qishan as he looked at her sympathetically.

Quni Madi was incensed when she heard this, and her entire body trembled. Green veins appeared in her right hand as she clutched her wooden cane tightly. She yelled, “It is fine if you do not wish to answer my question. Why make up mystical things again? Uncle Qishan, you are not Buddha, but you dare to give what was requested like Buddha. You will come to a violent death!”

Master Qishan said, “I am in the mortal world but I desire to reach the Buddhist Kingdom. I just want to lift the burdens of those in the world. I knew that I would suffer karma, and will accept death. What is the difference between a violent death and dying from old age?”

...

...

The Flower Addict, Lu Chenjia did not enter the cave. She looked at the cultivators quietly and indifferently. She was already detached from this world and no longer had any doubts. As such, she did not need to enter the cave to ask the master to solve any.

The cultivators all had their own doubts, so they entered the cave one after another. None of them stayed for long, but all had a satisfied look on their faces when they came out. However, no one mentioned what they had asked about.

Mo Shanshan should have been one of the first to enter the cave, but she did not fight with the cultivators. Perhaps she was thinking of what to ask, so she only entered the cave at the very end.

She sat on the futon silently, not knowing what to ask. After a long while, she said somewhat shamefacedly, “I really don’t know what to ask.”

As the Calligraphy Addict who had entered the Knowing Destiny State at a young age, she had become a Divine Talisman Master. She was doted upon by the Master of Calligrapher and was respected by her peers. It seemed as if there wouldn’t be anything lacking in Mo Shanshan’s life.

Master Qishan looked at her and said tenderly, “Since you have come to Tile Mountain, you must have had a problem at the beginning. And all problems require an answer.”

Mo Shanshan thought of the black horse carriage. She smiled and said, “I did have a problem that I wanted to ask you to solve, however, I have already received an answer.”

Master Qishan answered, “That is good.”

Mo Shanshan stood up and bowed to him politely before leaving the cottage.

She suddenly stopped at the entrance. She turned and asked, “Master, there is a concept called reincarnation in Buddhism. Is there... really an afterlife?”

She suddenly smiled and said, “I was just asking, you don’t have to answer.”

Master Qishan did not answer, but he also smiled.