Chapter Eighty-Seven: Ashes to Ashes, the Way to the Way

Before we left Varanasi, I brought Yiyi back once more to the banks of the Ganges.

Not for sightseeing, but to pay our respects.

I had prepared no offering. I simply stood at the riverbank, watching the water that bore the weight of countless beliefs, of life and death alike, flow on in silence.

"Father, are we... seeing off that old grandfather?" Yiyi asked softly. She had already changed into a well-fitted outfit, graceful and upright, drawing many sideways glances from passersby.

"Yes, and no." I said slowly. "We are seeing off the man himself. But what we honor is the path he walked."

I raised my hand, palm upward. A thread of pure immortal essence gathered in my palm and formed a tiny, translucent azure lotus.

This lotus contained my reverence for the old monk's willingness to sacrifice himself for the Buddhist path.

Different paths do not make for common counsel. And yet the loftiness of a path can still resonate.

He entered hell with his own body and secured my daughter's wholeness, and in doing so he let me see my own attachment. I have written this karma into my heart.

With a flick of my finger, the blue lotus flew soundlessly outward and fell into the Ganges. It did not drift with the current. The instant it touched the water, it blossomed with a gentle light, then slowly sank and vanished.

I believed the spirit of this river would understand what I meant.

"Father, that old grandfather... will he come back?" There was a trace of reluctance in Yiyi's eyes.

"Perhaps he will, perhaps he won't." I looked into the distance, my gaze deep. "His path is emptiness, a return to heaven and earth. Perhaps a drop of water in this river, a grain of sand on the bank, or a wisp of wind in the sky is him. He is everywhere, and nowhere to be found."

Yiyi did not fully understand, but she could feel the solemnity in my words. Following my example, she pressed her palms together and bowed deeply to the Ganges.

After this, I had no more burdens in my heart.

As for the ninth, and final, spirit stone, I truly had no clue. All the remaining leads had gone cold. The world was vast; finding it would be like searching for a needle in the ocean.

"Let's go home first," I said to Yiyi.

"Home?" She froze for a moment, then reacted, joy lighting up her eyes. "Back to the Immortal Hall of Penglai?"

"Yes. Home."

I led Yiyi into the familiar spatial passage that led to the shores of the Eastern Sea.

Passing through the ripples of space, we were met by a familiar sea breeze rich with boundless spiritual energy.

The mist-shrouded Penglai Immortal Isle remained as tranquil as an earthly paradise.

Yiyi and I appeared on the white jade plaza directly before the immortal hall.

"Wah, we're finally back!" Yiyi cried out, opening her arms and spinning around the empty plaza like a happy butterfly. Her long hair and skirt flew outward, painting a breathtaking picture.

Seeing the sincere delight on her face, a smile also rose at the corners of my mouth.

Yet just then, my divine sense caught a faint trace of something unusual.

Inside the immortal hall, besides Yiyi and me, there was a third living being.

And this being's aura... was strong, unfamiliar, yet carrying a faint and elusive sense of familiarity.

Who was it?

By right, this place should have been accessible only to me.

My brows knit slightly. I caught Yiyi by the hand and signaled for silence.

"What's wrong, Father?" Yiyi asked, confused.

"There's someone in the hall," I said gravely.

Yiyi instantly became alert. Though she had just recovered, after her soul had become whole her perception had sharpened to an extraordinary degree. She sensed carefully as well, and her face showed surprise. "Huh? There really is... and this feeling... it's so strange."

We exchanged a look and slowly ascended the steps leading to the main hall.

The doors stood slightly ajar.

I gently pushed open the heavy doors, and the scene inside left both of us stunned on the spot.

In the center of the spacious and magnificent hall, with her back to us, stood a young woman dressed in white, like snow.

She, too, had a cascade of silver-white hair and a tall, slender figure, almost identical to Yiyi in that moment. She seemed to be gazing absentmindedly at the star-filled dome above the hall, not even noticing our entrance.

From behind, she looked like Yiyi's reflection in a mirror.

"You..." Yiyi blurted out, her voice full of shock and uncertainty.

At her voice, the white-clad girl trembled slightly and slowly turned around.

When I saw her face, both Yiyi and I were completely stunned.

It was a face of unearthly beauty, its features as exquisite as the finest work of art, her skin as white as snow, tender enough to seem untouched by the world. But what drew the eye most were her eyes.

They were a pair of pure golden eyes without the slightest impurity, like the finest glazed crystal—clear, innocent, and carrying a trace of untouched naivete and liveliness.

Seeing us, she first froze, then those golden eyes suddenly burst with unbelievable joy.

"Master! Yiyi!"

Her voice was crisp and pleasant, with a uniquely soft and lilting tone.

That name, that voice...

In both Yiyi's mind and mine, there instantly surfaced the image of a fluffy little white fox that loved clutching fruit and chirping all day long.

"You... you are... Little White?" Yiyi pointed at her, stammering, her face filled with disbelief.

The white-clad girl nodded vigorously, tears of joy welling in her eyes. She seemed about to rush over, yet hesitated, standing there in some embarrassment and at a loss.

My gaze, meanwhile, had fallen upon her back.

There, six huge fluffy white fox tails were swaying faintly with excitement.