Article 18 Cause (Three)

  Outside the town, on a small road, an old man is holding a little child.

  "You're really foolish, fighting against heaven, what can you gain? The gods won't accept you, the ghosts won't take you in, you have no place to rest. What's the point, Master?" The old man shook his head and sighed from time to time.

  In the Yuquan Temple, Master Zhiyuan shook his head after reading it and also shook his head at the old man:

  "He has fallen deeply into demonic possession and is now suffering the torments of the True Fire of Samadhi within his body, I fear..."

  "Master, I discovered before entering that the pool of clear water in front of your temple is actually the outlet of an ancient spring. For ordinary people, drinking from it can cure illnesses and strengthen their bodies. But for those who have attained the Tao, it's a sacred medicine that heals wounds. May I use some?"

  "Is this what you said would be used?" A voice came from outside the door, and in an instant a figure appeared before his eyes.

  "Shuǐ Dé Xīng Jūn?" The old man exclaimed in surprise.

  "Not bad, you have quite a big nerve, dispersing the Huo De Xing Jun's nine Dao immortal fate, I'm afraid it won't be an immortal body again. The Jade Emperor is furious and specially sent me to eliminate you all."

  Before he could even move, the old man had already picked up the reincarnated child and rushed out of the window towards the water pool. Water Deity Star Lord couldn't let him have his way and flew after him. With a single sword strike, the old man's back was injured, and a mouthful of blood spurted out, rendering him unable to move anymore. Just as Water Deity Star Lord was about to take his life, a sudden Buddhist chant sounded, and someone flashed in front of him, blocking his path - it was actually Master Zhiyuan.

  "Master, why is this?" Shuǐ Dé Xīng Jūn was perplexed.

  "Ani Buddha, Shang Xian, can you spare an old man's life? Please don't kill."

  "Master, do you know who he is?"

  "I don't know."

  "Why did you want to save him?"

  "Can there be hope in the rise and fall of flowers? Maybe or maybe not, changes are unpredictable. What is predictable? A single turn of Buddha's head is a cycle. I look up to the great immortal with reverence."

  "What does the master mean?"

  "He is now suffering from the torment of true fire, and his life is unbearable. He has already been bound by karma and is atoning for his sins. Not far from our temple, there is a tower called 'Eliminating Karma'. We will suppress him in the tower, where he will never be able to leave for eternity. Hopefully, he can reflect on his mistakes and change his ways within the tower."

  "The Jade Emperor's decree cannot be disobeyed."

  "Hmm, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. The Jade Emperor still owes me a favor, I think we're even now."

  The Water Star Lord has flown away. The old man picked up the reincarnated child and knelt down in front of Zhiyuan:

  "Thank you, Master, for saving me." After saying this, he kept kowtowing non-stop.

  "No need to thank me, hurry up and take your master to the tower to heal his wounds. A hundred years ago, I had a chance encounter with your master when he was a reincarnated child, I saw that his nature is not bad, but his obsessive heart is too heavy, which led him to fall into the devil's path. I hope the spiritual energy in the tower can help him dispel this evil energy and return to the ranks of cultivators. Amitabha."

  From then on, the old man took care of the reincarnated child in the tower every day. Relying on the clear water from the pool in front of Yuquan Temple, he slowly dissipated the Samadhi True Fire in his body and eliminated a lot of demonic nature in his heart. Gradually, he was able to walk on the ground and eat and drink normally. Perhaps after dying and being reborn, his temper had become much more subdued. Every day, he would recite scriptures in the tower, occasionally staring blankly at the sun outside the window.

  On this day, the old man brought over a meal and placed it in front of him. The reincarnated child put down the book in his hand and said:

  "Scattered people, was I wrong in the past?" The old man's name is Song Sanren.

  "Master, what is wrong and what is right? Judging by one's heart, without shame in one's heart, that is what is right."

  "Hehe, maybe I've been sitting here for too long, my heart has become calm. Now I even want to continue this kind of life, never having any troubles, that would be great."

  "Master, your disciple will always follow you."

  "Your lifespan is exhausted, you can only serve me for three more years. After reincarnation, you will be born into a noble family, which is good, and you won't have to suffer with me like this. It's been a long time since we've gone out, how about we leave the tower and take a walk?"