Chapter Sixteen: The Illusory Realm of the Gate of Death

The Supreme Elder entered the Gate of Death. Although the primordial turbid energy blocked the entrance, within the gate itself there was no fluctuation of vital energy. Indeed, there was no sign of any vital energy, but the souls of creatures who had perished drifted through the space. In the primordial chaos, souls rarely wandered; if a creature died and its soul was weak, the dense vital energy of heaven and earth would devour it, while those with strong souls would seize another body and be reborn.

Yet here, the souls seemed unable to see the Supreme Elder, each walking alone along the path ahead. He hurried to follow, eager to investigate. He saw a road, beside which stood a stone tablet inscribed “Yellow Springs Road,” a river named “River of Forgetfulness,” and a bridge called “Bridge of Uncertainty.” Intrigued, the Supreme Elder continued onward, and when he reached the middle of the Bridge of Uncertainty, he found himself gazing into the waters below.

All manner of past events surfaced before his eyes: cultivating alongside Primordial Lord and Master of Heaven, seeking the Way together, refining elixirs, debating philosophy. Those beautiful memories shimmered upon the crystal-clear water beneath the bridge. In the blink of an eye, he saw the Three Pure Ones confronting the loose immortals, and the Supreme Elder unconsciously clenched his hand. “I will not allow such things to happen,” he resolved.

Beyond the Bridge of Uncertainty stood a mound called “Platform of Longing for Home,” where an old woman offered Lady Meng’s Soup. When Lady Meng saw the Supreme Elder, her eyes flickered involuntarily; she lowered her gaze and softly recited:

“Distant is the Yellow Springs Road,
Gentle is the River of Forgetfulness.
Who gazes beneath the Bridge of Uncertainty,
Finds the past forever gone.
Upon the Platform of Longing stands
Old Lady Meng with her soup.
One bowl down the throat, clear and refreshing,
Past and present lives become known.
On the shore, the Stone of Three Lives
Reveals the threads of fate.
Flowers bloom, flowers fall as they must,
Who, I wonder, cares for my heart?”

With that, Lady Meng let out a gentle sigh and said no more.

Beside the River of Forgetfulness stood the Stone of Three Lives; the soup erased all memories, while the stone recorded the karmic ties of past and present. The Supreme Elder crossed the Bridge of Uncertainty, looked back from the Platform of Longing at the place he had come from, and drank the soup Lady Meng had brewed with water from the River of Forgetfulness; within the bowl was a colorless potion. He drank it without hesitation and walked toward the swirling vortex of space.

He felt his world spinning; dizziness overcame him. When his mind cleared, he found himself transformed into a newborn infant. The wet nurse slapped his bottom, and though he wished to speak, only the wails of an infant emerged. A woman saw the child and her eyes softened with maternal affection.

A middle-aged man, witnessing this scene, said to the woman, “My dear, you have worked hard. Why don’t you give our child a name?” The woman replied, “All is for my lord to decide; I dare not presume.” The man burst into hearty laughter. “You know my heart well!” He took the child from her arms and said, “This child’s ears are large and thick; let us call him Li Er.” The woman’s gratitude overflowed. “Thank you, my lord, for bestowing the name.” The man laughed again.

Listening to the couple’s conversation, the Supreme Elder felt a stir within. “Am I Li Er?” he wondered, confused. As time passed, the sense of belonging in this world grew stronger, until he became deeply entwined, unable to extricate himself. “Since I am here, I shall accept it,” he thought quietly.

In the blink of an eye, seven years had passed. The Supreme Elder, now seven years old, was no longer the newborn infant but a lively, mischievous child. At that age, most families would hire teachers for their children, but Old Li—the middle-aged man—was troubled. His son was too extraordinary; he learned everything instantly, leaving the tutors embarrassed and at a loss. Since the child was so gifted, perhaps it was best to let him play for a few years. Watching his clever, spirited son, he felt both proud and resigned.

Ten more years passed, and Li Er had grown up. He reached the age of marriage. Although the Supreme Elder knew he did not belong to this world, the deep affection for his parents tugged at his heart; in the end, he chose to settle down and establish a family.

As time went on, Li Er’s reputation rose: teaching others, guiding them to weigh both sides of every matter, debating the merits and faults of life. On the day he grew old and lay in bed, he looked at his weeping wife and said, “You have suffered for me. In pursuing great endeavors, I neglected my family. Only at the end do I regret it. It was my mistake.”

His wife replied, “You have accomplished great things and broken your heart for them, yet have nurtured the world with wisdom. That is the mark of a true gentleman. Why call it a mistake?” Tears flowed from her eyes, touching Li Er deeply.

The soul returned to the Nine Springs, to the Yellow Springs once more, to the Bridge of Uncertainty, with the River of Forgetfulness still flowing endlessly. On the Platform of Longing, images of joy and sorrow with his parents, sharing scholarly happiness with wife and children, flickered like shadows. Unconsciously, tears fell from his eyes. These were tears for family, tears of gratitude—thank you for helping me understand.

His “family” seemed aware of the Supreme Elder’s gaze, each waving to him before their figures faded away. At that moment, Lady Meng asked, “Do you understand?”

“I do. Life and death are but emptiness; all past events drift before the eyes like passing clouds. All is void; every effort ends in nothingness.

That is non-action—non-action, yet nothing remains undone.” The Supreme Elder finally found his path.

Suddenly, the scenes around him changed, and he realized he was seated in meditation not far from Primordial Lord.

While waiting for the Supreme Elder, Primordial Lord noticed that the spiritual energy in the great formation was denser than that of Kunlun Mountain, more beneficial to cultivation. Since his elder brother would not emerge soon, it would do no harm to cultivate a little himself. Primordial Lord sat cross-legged and used his Three Pure Ones Dao to refine himself.

Seeing that Primordial Lord was fine, the Supreme Elder smiled in relief. He looked toward the five great gates, confident that his brothers would succeed.

Hearing a sound, Primordial Lord opened his eyes and saw the Supreme Elder emerge. He jumped up and hurried forward, asking, “How are you, elder brother? Are you all right?” Primordial Lord was anxious; he had “lost” his younger brother, and he resolved to protect his elder brother at all costs.

Meeting Primordial Lord’s concerned gaze, the Supreme Elder’s heart filled with joy. “I am unharmed; I have merely found my path,” he replied.

Hearing this, Primordial Lord was visibly delighted. “Really? That’s wonderful! But where is my path?” He lowered his head, unable to speak.

“The Great Dao is elusive, but one day it will be ours. How can you lose heart?” the Supreme Elder rebuked him.

“I swear to grasp the ultimate truth of the Dao,” Primordial Lord replied, looking into the Supreme Elder’s eyes.

The Supreme Elder laughed gently and nodded in understanding.

In the cave, Patriarch Hongjun watched the Supreme Elder’s “performance” and nodded in approval. He frowned slightly, thinking, “That Supreme Elder was moved by ‘attachment’ within the Gate of Death; he may have to temper himself in the mortal world. The Gate of Death merely reveals the deepest parts of one’s heart, and you have found yours.” Patriarch Hongjun was very pleased with his eldest disciple and awaited the performance of Jade Purity.