At this very moment, Chen Yun was savoring the taste of it.
He suddenly realized that his consciousness was automatically rising.
From the peak of the mountain to the expanse of the universe, and then to seeing the boundless starry sky.
The path that stars move along.
The composition of particles that make up everything.
One scene after another is embedded in the consciousness.
Far away, or right in front of one's eyes.
There was the "path of the great Dao" that he had seen unintentionally the last time he merged with nature.
This time, Chen Yun saw it a bit more clearly than last time.
As he observed, it seemed that countless lights were stirred in the path of the Dao, these lights dragged long light tails as they moved along the Dao, yet they dissipated quickly.
Chen Yun tried to remember it.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried to remember, he just couldn't manage to retain it.
In the next moment, a faint cracking sound of stone breaking echoed gently in his ears.
Chen Yun suddenly awoke from his daze.
Looking closely, he noticed that it was already the pre-dawn hours.
"Huh? I only blinked for a moment, how did it get so bright so suddenly?"
Chen Yun felt a bit strange.
Moreover, he felt that the Dan qi within him had been depleted.
Turning his head, he saw that Xie Ziran was sitting calmly on a massive rock.
He reverently asked, "Teacher, have I been standing here all night?"
Xie Ziran said in a faint tone, "Seven days."
"Ah?" Chen Yun was greatly surprised, "Have I been standing here for seven days?"
Xie Ziran nodded and said, "Gaining understanding of the path of heaven and earth, seven days are not many. I sometimes gain such understanding for a year and a half, and I am curious. How can you, with such shallow cultivation, be able to merge with nature and gain an understanding of the path of heaven and earth? What sort of scene did you see?"
Normally, Xie Ziran was as immovable as a stone, and never developed curiosity, let alone proactively inquired about Chen Yun.
Hearing the other person's question, Chen Yun thought for a moment and then honestly said, "I felt my consciousness extending from the peak of the mountain to the expanse of the universe. I saw stars twinkling and flowing, and also saw the light emitted by the path of the Dao."
Xie Ziran looked at him with some surprise and asked worriedly, "You... did you remember how those lights were moving?"
Chen Yun helplessly shook his head, "I didn't."
Xie Ziran encouraged, "When you merge with nature next time, try your best to remember the movement of those light trajectories. If one day you can remember them and apply them to yourself, that will be your opportunity to truly unify with the Dao."
Chen Yun said, "Thank you for your guidance, teacher."
He suddenly recalled that he and Xie Ziran had come to listen to Laozi give a sermon before, and it seemed that it was nearing the end.
In fact, Xie Ziran had arrived near Luoyang during the day.
Based on the time calculation, logically speaking, he shouldn't have missed Laozi's sermon.
Chen Yun thought about it and understood what had happened. Without a doubt, Xie Ziran had probably been listening to the teachings on Laojun Mountain when he sensed Chen Yun's trouble and came in a hurry, missing the opportunity to hear Laozi's lecture.
This made him feel somewhat touched.
Xie Ziran, although he usually appears very cold, as if he is indifferent to everything.
But, whenever he was in danger, the other had not once come to his rescue.
For instance, before he was attacked by Xuanzhenzi and Dongmiaofuren, it was Xie Ziran who had his disciple Han Ziming intervene to save him.
This time, when he was attacked by the earth demon and his spiritual intelligence was invaded, it was once again Xie Ziran who came to help him.
To be honest, Chen Yun really didn't know how to thank the other person.
While he was thinking about it, Xie Ziran suddenly stood up and walked to the edge of the cliff.
A gentle breeze swept past, blowing her white skirt as it fluttered, with wisps of mist swirling around her ankle, as if a fairy stood in the fairyland.
Seeing this scene, Chen Yun couldn't help but praise again in his heart. Even if he didn't see the other's peerless appearance, just looking at his/her profile, the demeanor of transcending the mundane world was enough to deeply impress people.
At this moment, there was no evil thought in his heart. He simply appreciated Xie Ziran's ethereal aura.
Chen Yun walked up to stand shoulder to shoulder with Xie Ziran at the cliff edge, "Teacher, are you leaving?"
Xie Ziran looked ahead and said, "Seeing the sunrise at Laojun mountain is a beautiful sight. Afterwards, we can leave."
Chen Yun didn't expect the other to have such leisurely mood, hummed and said, "I'll accompany teacher to watch the sunrise before going back."
Xie Ziran didn't say anything; he simply stood there, gazing out.
Initially, everything around was misty and the scenery appeared somewhat vague.
However, as time passed, one after another ray of the eastern dawn emerged at the horizon, gradually driving away the stars and the waning moon.
The sky slowly began to dawn, with a faint blue sky embedded with a few remaining stars.
The land was shrouded in a misty veil, like a light gray veil.
All things were still, with occasional birds flying by, creating a heartwarming and delightful atmosphere.
Chen Yun turned his head and looked at Xie Ziran, who was staring ahead, his face without any expression, as if he were telling something.
He couldn't tell what it was, but he knew that the other had seemed to blend into the natural environment and disappeared.
The other was standing right next to him, yet he couldn't sense their presence?
Chen Yun knew that the other's cultivation was earth-shattering, and this didn't surprise him.
To be honest, he had many things he wanted to say to Xie Ziran, but he was restrained by his status and couldn't express them.
Some things may be like Xie Ziran at this moment, seemingly existing yet somehow ethereal.
Chen Yun turned his gaze back and waited quietly for the sun to rise.
Suddenly, the sea of clouds in front of him began to boil, a beam of golden light flashed up from the horizon in the east.
Heaven and earth slowly brightened.
The sky, mountains, rivers, and all things in the world seemed to be covered with a layer of red silk.
The glow of the rising sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the mountains, and radiant light shone in all directions.
It echoed with the ancient and elegant architectural group in the mountains, magnificent as a painting.
Chen Yun exclaimed, "This scene only occurs in the sky, and is rarely heard on earth."
Xie Ziran recited a verse for no apparent reason, "One day seated in an empty room, clouds and mist swirl in the space. Like listening to the harmony of strings and flutes, emanating from the boundless sky. The bright day turns into obscurity, with a chilly landscape of wind and scenes. The eaves and rafters flicker in light and shadow, radiating colors that seem interconnected."
Chen Yun turned his head to look, about to praise the meaning of this poem.
Who would have thought that Xie Ziran's figure had already dissipated with the morning breeze.
As if she had never appeared, a lingering fragrance remained.
Chen Yun knew that Xie Ziran had left, and he could only helplessly shake his head.
It is likely that we will never meet again until another day.
He recalled a verse from Li Shangyin's "WuTi" poem, softly murmuring, "It is hard to meet, and even harder to part. The east wind is powerless as flowers wither."
This poem is so similar to my own feelings.
There are some things that I can never obtain, but I still desire them.
Although this feeling is not pleasant, Chen Yun knew one thing: that not obtaining something is also a form of cultivation.
He did not linger any longer over the beautiful sight of the sun rising in the east.
Chen Yun placed his hands behind his back and used the wind to float towards the city.
