Chapter 321 The Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin (The Climax Begins, Please Vote for Monthly Tickets!)
Fourteen years ago.
At the brink of death, Meng Yaoyin gave instructions to the then two-year-old Ning Zhuo.
"The Immortal City is in constant decline, and the selection standards are also dropping. Zhuo'er, by the time you're fourteen, the selection criteria for Puppet Immortal City will lower to the Qi Refining Stage. This will be your greatest opportunity!"
"Zhuo'er, you must study the Puppet Arts diligently. You must personally design the constructs, assemble them yourself, and operate them yourself. These are all part of the selection criteria for Puppet Immortal City."
"Under no circumstances should you cultivate the Ning Family's techniques to the Foundation Establishment stage!"
"Do not let others know of your dedication to this. Do not stand out too much; your father and I are no longer here, and no one will truly be your support. You must hide yourself well, not too excellent, not too bad, just be average. You need to grow up ordinarily, accumulate quietly, and avoid drawing attention."
"I've seen too much... so many geniuses die prematurely..."
"Mother's Iron Armor of Cang will be left to protect you; it possesses the power of Foundation Establishment."
"And also this treasure—my Buddha Heart Demon Seal! I was lucky to acquire it from Lava Immortal Palace. Never reveal it."
After giving her instructions, in the last moments of her life, she fell into hesitation: "I don't even know if teaching you this is the right thing."
"Zhuo'er, take good care of yourself. If things don't go well, just give up on Lava Immortal Palace."
"Life is the most important thing. Mother just wants you to live, to live well!"
"If you're alive, Mother will be happy."
Two-year-old Ning Zhuo tightly gripped his mother's bloodstained robe: "Mother, Mother, stop saying that. I don't want you to die, don't die, waahhh..."
His mother finally said: "Good Zhuo'er, don't be afraid... don't be afraid... Mother is here... Mother will protect you from below..."
In the next moment, her heart stopped beating, and her hand slowly slipped from Ning Zhuo's head.
Ning Zhuo froze, softly calling: "Mother... Mother, wake up, wake up!"
Then, his voice grew louder as he threw himself into his mother's arms, crying bitterly.
He cried until he fainted.
Meng Yaoyin's soul let out a soft sigh, drifting away from her lifeless body.
She reached out, wanting to caress Ning Zhuo, but her hand passed right through him.
Meng Yaoyin's soul formed hand seals, using the puppet manipulation technique to control her body, making it stand upright.
From her storage bracelet, she took out a prepared substitute corpse and placed it in the original spot.
Before leaving, she knelt down, silently gazing at Ning Zhuo’s sleeping face, showing deep reluctance.
A moment later, she suppressed her emotions, controlling her body to descend into the underground chamber and using the teleportation array to leave.
She first teleported to a secret underground base, then made a transfer and entered Huoshi Mountain.
Familiar with the path, she followed the tunnel to reach Lava Immortal Palace.
Guided by the palace's light, she once again entered.
This was her first time entering the palace after her death, and her emotions were complex.
With her authority intact, she smoothly entered the Gourd Furnace Forest.
Her soul emitted traces of purple light, and Meng Yaoyin sighed inwardly: "Even in death, this Dao injury still lingers. Now I can only hope that after refining my essence, I can eliminate this Dao wound!"
The Dao wound weighed on her, causing her state to rapidly deteriorate. Struggling, she controlled her body and entered the golden furnace.
Fire Burial Prajna Spirit-Resolving Sutra!
The flames roared to life, and Meng Yaoyin endured the excruciating pain of soul-burning and spirit-refining. But she remained silently coiled in the furnace, enduring with tremendous willpower, never uttering a single word.
"Zhuo'er, Zhuo'er, if I succeed this time, Mother can still be there for you as you grow."
"If I fail..."
She smiled sorrowfully, filled with resolve, without the slightest hesitation.
"Whether I succeed or fail, my soul will surely be dispersed. I still had plenty of life left, I could have gone to the underworld and lived for much longer. But for my son, I am willing to take this dangerous gamble, refining myself."
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, hidden in the shadows, was deeply shocked as it watched the scene.
"So ruthless, this woman is far too ruthless!"
The golden furnace shattered, and the Buddhist doctor descended, the essence Meng Yaoyin had refined entering the puppet body.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit marveled: "She actually succeeded!"
"Such immense pain, and she didn't utter a single sound. I remember when I was refined... I wailed and roared from start to finish..."
"Truly, a person must be ruthless to become a demon!"
Seeing the Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin leave the palace, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit felt completely satisfied: "Meng Yaoyin is truly my benefactor!"
"Not only did she find the loophole, but she also took away my Buddha Heart Demon Seal and more. Even after death, she could still bring out the Buddhist Doctor. She's far too formidable."
"I hope that in the future, there will be more people like her."
"If I encounter a few more like her, my escape from here will be just around the corner!"
...
The Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin returned along the same path and saw Ning Zhuo again.
She extended her puppet hand, gently caressing Ning Zhuo's face.
Then, she began adjusting the parts inside her puppet body.
A warm Buddhist light, like orange sunlight or flowing water, flowed from her body and into Ning Zhuo's upper dantian and spiritual sea.
"Zhuo'er, Mother is giving you a gift."
"This is the true essence of the Mirror Platform Spirit Technique, one of the Three Sect Supreme Arts!"
"Mother has hidden the entire scripture in your spiritual sea. In the future, if you cultivate this technique, you will face no obstacles."
After completing this task, the Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin quietly concealed herself.
...
Changing clothes, attending the memorial, sending the death notice, arranging the ancestral hall... Coffin preparation, condolences, vigil, funeral procession, burial...
The Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin observed everything in secret, personally witnessing her own funeral, filling her with mixed emotions. Seeing Ning Zhuo, who looked like a lifeless puppet, silent and still, pained her deeply.
She hesitated and never revealed herself.
Because of the Dao wound!
She needed to confirm that she had rid herself of the Dao wound. Otherwise, even if they reunited, it would only bring more sorrow and separation.
...
The Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin stopped her breathing technique, a flash of purple light flickering in her eyes.
"The Dao wound..." She was filled with regret.
Even after refining her essence, she hadn't escaped this soul-harvesting entanglement.
"So, how much longer can I exist this time?"
She smiled bitterly, feeling fortunate that she hadn't revealed herself to Ning Zhuo again.
...
Late at night.
"Mother, Mother, where are you? Don't leave me..." Two-year-old Ning Zhuo curled up under the blankets, having a nightmare.
Meng Yaoyin revealed herself.
Suppressing her sorrow, she walked gently to the bedside, knelt halfway down, and carefully held Ning Zhuo's small hand.
She spoke softly:
Clouds fly, clouds fly, soaring over white rivers and emerald hills.
Streams flow around big trees, sunlight spreads across green grass heaps.
Clouds fly, winds chase, flying over rivers and starlight.
The heavens and earth are vast and brilliant, clouds swirl and drift as winds blow.
Clouds fly, hearts grow weary, flying over rainbows and misty skies.
The glow of the sky gradually fades, the moon quietly reflects the darkening night.
Clouds fly, dreams return, flying over longing and sorrow.
In your dreams, Mother holds you, guiding you back home for peaceful sleep.
As the familiar lullaby played, Ning Zhuo's furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and he peacefully drifted into sleep.
This happened more and more frequently.
One night, before Meng Yaoyin could sing the lullaby, Ning Zhuo was startled awake from a nightmare and opened his eyes abruptly.
He saw a puppet by his bedside and screamed in terror.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it's Mother, it's Mother," Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin quickly soothed him in a soft voice.
Ning Zhuo shrank to the farthest corner of the bed, tightly wrapping himself in the blanket, trembling with fear.
The Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin was heartbroken. Instinctively, she reached out to touch Ning Zhuo, but then saw her puppet arm.
Her heart trembled, and she withdrew her hand, sitting halfway on the bed.
She began to softly sing:
"Clouds fly, clouds fly..."
The song drew Ning Zhuo's attention. He mustered the courage to open a small gap in the blanket, then slowly widened it, finally sticking his head out
.
He stared blankly at the Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin, gradually realizing that this was indeed his mother.
Tears filled his eyes, and when the song ended, he threw off the blanket, running full speed into Meng Yaoyin’s arms.
He cried out, tears streaming down: "Mother—!"
"Zhuo'er, my dear Zhuo'er." Meng Yaoyin held Ning Zhuo close, stroking the back of his head, her emotions deep, but no tears fell.
...
Now that they had reunited, Meng Yaoyin no longer forced herself to endure the pain of separation. She secretly cared for Ning Zhuo daily, teaching him in the shadows.
She primarily taught him the Puppet Arts.
It wasn't until one loses something that they realize its true value.
Ning Zhuo clung tightly to Meng Yaoyin, carefully listening to her every word.
"Mother, Mother," Ning Zhuo called softly.
Meng Yaoyin returned to her senses.
Ning Zhuo nestled in her arms, gazing up at her with innocent eyes, his childish voice saying, "Mother, you can't lose focus during class, that's not good."
Meng Yaoyin lowered her head, gently kissing his forehead, softly apologizing, while the shadow in her heart quietly expanded.
She knew it was the Dao wound at work.
At first, her essence barely sensed it. Soon after, faint traces of purple light began to appear.
Now, these purple lights had become fine strands.
The past was repeating itself, and Meng Yaoyin knew her time was once again running out.
Her heart was filled with sadness and confusion. She didn't know how to explain the truth to Ning Zhuo.
...
A sneaky figure appeared near the Ning residence.
Meng Yaoyin acted decisively.
Thud.
The sneaky figure hit the ground.
Ning Zhuo saw this and was frightened, his face turning pale. He stammered: "M-Mother, you-you killed-killed him?"
Meng Yaoyin shook her head: "He was acting suspiciously, carrying cultivation. He’s probably a seasoned thief. However, he’s not dead, just given a minor punishment."
Ning Zhuo saw the unconscious figure on the ground, shocked but showing sympathy and pity: "He's like me, just a child too."
"Mother, if we leave him here, won't he bleed to death?"
Meng Yaoyin smiled slightly: "Do you want to save him?"
"Yes!" Ning Zhuo nodded eagerly.
Meng Yaoyin thought about her limited time and decided to let Ning Zhuo learn a lesson from this experience. "Then it's up to you. Since you want to save him, you'll have to do it yourself, without relying on Mother."
Ning Zhuo was overjoyed: "Thank you, Mother!"
Receiving permission, he quickly dragged Sun Lingtong into the small courtyard.
(End of this chapter)