Techniques and Dao

Chapter 41 Riding a Crane
Wei Yu covered her mouth and laughed: "Didn't you want to ask Wei Yu? Of course I'll tell you. This is just the tip of the iceberg!"

"No wonder you were able to become the deputy registrar of the student council."

“That’s not the reason!” Wei Yu said. “If you’re willing to go find the Time Bodhi, I can go with you!”

"But this is my personal matter, and I can't let you be put in danger too." Hua Sheng felt that being alone wasn't a big deal, but if Wei Yu were to suffer any misfortune, he would never forgive himself. Conversely, he desperately wanted to recall the past; his memory held too many secrets. He wanted to know why he had come to Shengpingning, what he had experienced before, and why the old woman he encountered during the box-stealing game recognized him, and where the pattern on her body came from.

Hanamori felt that the lost memories wouldn't last long, and that she must have experienced a series of events in a very short period of time.

"Huh? You're worried about me?" Wei Yu looked disdainful. "You're not the only one who can use Lingxiao-level immortal techniques. I'm here to be your bodyguard."

Faced with Wei Yu's mockery, Hua Sheng was powerless to refute: "I'm just worried that this Panxian Cave is unfathomably deep, and even a Lingxiao-level immortal technique might not be able to properly protect us."

"You're worrying too much. Didn't I just say that the mortal realm is made up of energy strings? You grew up in the mortal realm, coming into contact with countless energy strings every day, and you haven't seen any danger, have you?"

"But the strings there are very obedient, existing in a regular pattern for hundreds of millions of years. What you're describing sounds like they don't follow the rules, clearly disorganized and undisciplined!"

"I'm here!" Wei Yu said confidently. "Panxian Cave is about two thousand miles from here. If we travel by cloud, it only takes half an hour to get there. Doesn't Xiyuan have a few days off?"

"As for riding the clouds, I'm not very skilled in flying techniques yet, so I'm afraid I won't be able to fly for that long."

Wei Yu winked mischievously: "Looks like you're going to hitch a ride with me, Master Hua!"

Just as Hua Sheng was about to answer, he suddenly felt someone approaching from behind. He turned around and saw Tai Shang Xiao Jun's face.

"Hey! What are you two whispering about again?" Tai Shang Xiao Jun frowned, looking at Hua Sheng and Wei Yu.

"Us?" Hua Sheng suddenly stammered incoherently.

Wei Yu remained calm and said, "If I told you, don't spread it around!"

"I swear to the Dao Ancestor that I will not tell."

Wei Yu glanced at him: "Isn't the Dao Ancestor your grandfather, Laozi? They're all from the same family. You look like a spoiled young master. You need to find someone else to swear to."

Tai Shang Xiao Jun said, "How about we swear to the Buddha that we will absolutely keep our mouths shut!"

Wei Yu was satisfied and whispered, "You understand. Hua Sheng lost a part of his memory, so I suggested that we go together to find the Time Bodhi and use it to restore Hua Sheng's mind to the time when he lost his memory, so that he can remember."

"What?" Tai Shang Xiao Jun looked around. "You're going to Panxian Cave? That's a forbidden area of ​​Shengping Ning, no one is allowed to go near it! You might get expelled from the Academy of Arts and Sciences!"

"Huh?" Hua Sheng shouted, "Forbidden area? Except..."

Wei Yu quickly pointed her finger at Hua Sheng's mouth, but before she could utter the word "name" (meaning "dismissed"), Hua Sheng suddenly became mute.

Therefore, the sentence becomes:

"Except... Abba aba, Abba aba!"

Hanamori pointed anxiously to his throat.

Tai Shang Xiao Jun quickly dispelled the spell for him: "Young man, please lower your voice. Do you think you're the loudspeaker of the Magic Academy?"

Once her voice returned, Hua Sheng quickly said, "Wei Yu, you didn't tell me this Panxian Cave was a forbidden area!"

Wei Yu said, "Of course. If a treasure that can control time is not in a forbidden area, there is naturally a risk that it will be taken away."

Tai Shang Xiao Jun: "It's called a forbidden area, but not only because of the Panxian Cave and the Time Bodhi there."

"Is there any other reason?" Hua Sheng pressed.

"Alas, as a descendant of the immortals, this is a difficult word to say," said Taishang Xiaojun, looking troubled.

What words even gods would refrain from uttering? Hua Sheng turned to look at Wei Yu. Wei Yu was a celestial being; surely she could tell him the reason.

After thinking for a long time, Wei Yu slowly said, "Because that area belongs to Buddhism."

"Buddhism?" Hua Sheng repeated the word slowly. He had never considered this question before. He had indeed heard tales of gods and Buddhas in stories since childhood, but upon reflection, immortals and Buddhas couldn't really be considered to belong to the same sect. However, in mythology, immortals and Buddhas often appeared together, so he hadn't bothered to distinguish them further. But if he had to be honest, they certainly belonged to different realms. He asked, "Then what does this mean?"

Wei Yu said, "Shengpingning was originally part of the ancient land of the Tang Dynasty and was inhabited by Taoist immortals. Later, due to the monument at Wu Zetian's Qianling Mausoleum, it had to be moved away from the land."

"What happened to Wu Zetian this time?"

Wei Yu replied, "This is a long story, I'll tell you in detail later. You just need to know that when Sheng Pingning moved away, the seven immortals who built the Sheng Pingning Wonderland at that time, with the help of Guanyin Bodhisattva, built Sheng Pingning in the tears of Guanyin Bodhisattva. Therefore, although Sheng Pingning is a Taoist wonderland, it has Buddhist roots. These Buddhist roots have become a forbidden area for Taoists. Or, from the perspective of mortals, they have different areas of faith."

"So that's how it is," Hua Sheng murmured. "I didn't expect there to be two factions involved. Will they become enemies?"

"Not quite. So both sides treat each other with courtesy, and try to avoid discussing controversial points." Tai Shang Xiao Jun sighed, "As the Holy Peaceful Immortal Realm of the Immortal Path, its central 'Holding Hub' state contains a Buddhist area. It seems somewhat out of place, so actually..."

Tai Shang Xiao Jun lowered his voice and leaned closer to say, "Therefore, the Immortal Realm has privately discussed that this was a selfish intention deliberately left behind by Guan Zizai Bodhisattva when establishing the Holy Peace and Tranquility."

"Selfish?"

“The Buddha said: It cannot be spoken, it cannot be spoken.” Taishang Xiaojun shook his head. “But which place, when it was first established, didn’t have some historical issues left over?”

"Will we be discovered if we go?" Hua Sheng asked, somewhat worried.

"As long as you're careful, you won't easily get caught!" Tai Shang Xiao Jun's face was full of shrewdness. "Why do you look more interested than I am?" Hua Sheng suddenly felt that Tai Shang Xiao Jun's expression was like that of someone going on vacation.

"Come on, come on! This is for your own good, Hua Sheng! Haven't you seen how in exciting stories, once the forbidden area is mentioned, they always have to go there?" Tai Shang Xiao Jun hooked his arm around Hua Sheng's neck and said dashingly, "Aren't boundaries meant to be transcended, and rules meant to be broken? Haha."

Hua Sheng suddenly realized he had fallen into a trap. Although it was supposed to help him regain his memories, it felt more like accompanying Tai Shang Xiao Jun on a trip.

Is this what a god of a higher dimension should look like? Hua Sheng shook his head helplessly.

Before they knew it, it was the next morning.

At Tai Shang Xiao Jun's suggestion, everyone met at a secluded spot outside the Academy of Arts and Sciences before dawn. Early the next morning, Hua Sheng went to Tai Shang Xiao Jun's room to find him, only to discover that the room had already been cleaned and was empty.

So he went to the agreed place, and Wei Yu arrived shortly after. The two waited for a while, but still did not see the shadow of Tai Shang Xiao Jun.

Wei Yu seemed a little impatient.

"Could this third-generation official have overslept?"

“He left earlier than me. When I just got up, I saw that his room was already empty. I thought he had arrived a long time ago,” Hua Sheng said.

"Should we contact him?" Hua Sheng took out the Ruihua Treasure Mirror from her bosom. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew up, scattering Wei Yu's long silver hair. She pressed her hair down and looked up, only to see that Tai Shang Xiao Jun was sitting on a five-meter-long crane, slowly descending to the ground from above them.

"Huh? It's arrived on a crane, how cool!" This was the first time in Hua Sheng's life that he had come into close contact with such a large crane, and he was immediately excited that people could even sit on it.

“It’s because I’ve considered that you, Hua Sheng, are not yet proficient in cloud-riding techniques. Although riding a crane is slightly slower than flying on a cloud, at least there’s a place to sit, which saves a lot of energy.” Tai Shang Xiao Jun stroked the crane’s neck. “This is a treasure kept in the Xiyuan Academy. I secretly took one out from the top of Xuanwu Divine Mountain this morning.”

Wei Yu said, "Isn't there a ceremony for the Xuanwu Divine Mountain in a few days? These cranes are all going to be used, how can we just sneak them here?"

"Relax, relax! The Xi Academy keeps dozens of them. It's not like the army where they line up and count off all day. They won't notice if one or two are missing. Besides, most cranes are kept as pets. They need to get some exercise sometimes, don't you think, little crane?" Tai Shang Xiao Jun said, patting the top of the crane.

The crane responded with a series of cries.

"Don't take pictures randomly, what if it gets angry? What if it refuses to carry us halfway and throws us off the mountain?" Hua Sheng stopped Tai Shang Xiao Jun from taking pictures of the crane's crest. He touched the feathers on the crane's back and felt that they were extremely warm and delicate, like stroking a fine cashmere blanket.

"It's almost dawn. With so many people coming and going, it would be too conspicuous for us to take off. It's best to leave as soon as possible!" Wei Yu said as a cloud of auspiciousness rose from beneath her feet and floated up.

Tai Shang Xiao Jun touched the crane's neck, and the crane, indeed possessing sentience, immediately lowered its body. Tai Shang Xiao Jun stepped onto the crane's back, and then pulled Hua Sheng up as well.

"I've never ridden a crane before. Is there a seatbelt on this?" Hua Sheng asked, feeling around on the crane's back.

"Have you ever seen someone wearing a seatbelt while riding a horse?" Tai Shang Xiao Jun asked.

"But I'm afraid it won't be stable during takeoff and landing. The feathers on its back are so fine and smooth, it's a bit nerve-wracking to be thousands of meters in the air."

"You think this is a private jet? With a flight attendant? Wait, there's a pretty young lady right here." Tai Shang Xiao Jun glanced sideways at Hua Sheng. "Sir, would you like tea, coffee, or a pretty young lady?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the crane let out a cry and took flight. Hua Sheng quickly grabbed the crane's feathers with both hands, but it felt as stable as an elevator rising, and before she knew it, she was halfway up in the air. Looking down, the entire scenery of the Shudo Academy came into view. Next to it was the Rhine Theater, where she and Wei Yu had watched a performance together last time. The surrounding streets and buildings were like miniature models, enveloped by endless green mountains and forests, a breathtaking sight.

After climbing to a certain height, the crane began to soar steadily. Although it was already halfway up in the air, perhaps because the crane was enchanted, the wind in the air did not blow on its back, and the temperature was very comfortable. Hua Sheng relaxed and began to admire the scenery below.

Hua Sheng gazed at the beautiful scenery, his mind slowly drifting away. This was the first time he had left the Daoist Academy. He had long heard that the entire territory of Shengpingning spanned over six million square kilometers, making it no exaggeration to call it a kingdom. Aside from the area where the academy was located, there must be many more wondrous cities here. During his time in Shengpingning, he was fortunate to have met Tai Shang Xiao Jun and Wei Yu, these two disciples, one immortal and one spirit, who had provided him with much assistance on his path of cultivation. Without them and Immortal Master Yu Ran, he truly couldn't imagine what it would have been like to be alone.

"What are you thinking about?" Tai Shang Xiao Jun turned around. "It's so quiet behind me. I thought you had fallen."

Hua Sheng laughed: "Actually, I really want to thank you both. Tai Shang Xiao Jun and Wei Yu, I don't know what I would do here without you two!"

Wei Yu turned her head to look at Hua Sheng. Her long sleeves of her college uniform and her deep silver hair swayed in the wind, highlighting her snow-white skin and revealing a sweet smile.

Hua Sheng then discovered that she had a cute little tiger tooth hidden inside.

"This is a fortunate coincidence for Weiyu," Weiyu said.

"Oh dear! Wei Yu, you're being too biased. This place is too hot and crowded; it seems there's no room for me." Tai Shang Xiao Jun complained. "You two must have had a connection in your past lives, right? Wei Yu, why don't you ride on the crane's back? I'd rather go up to the clouds and enjoy the cool breeze. I'm really sitting on pins and needles right now."

Hua Sheng was about to argue with Tai Shang Xiao Jun when Wei Yu said generously, "Sure! Could you please move over a bit?"

After saying this, Wei Yu stepped onto the crane's back, actually pushing Tai Shang Xiao Jun off the crane's back from high in the sky. The crane was startled and began to shake and throb.

Hua Sheng tried to grab Tai Shang Xiao Jun by clinging to the crane's back, but ultimately failed and let him fall.

"Hey! Are you alright, Taishang Xiaojun?" Hua Sheng called out from his prone position.

Tai Shang Xiao Jun then leisurely flew up from behind Hua Sheng on a cloud: "Wei Yu, you've no manners at all. Have you forgotten which great immortal brought the crane?"

Wei Yu covered her mouth with her sleeve and laughed: "Wei Yu is so forgetful. But she knows that if the Xi Academy finds out that the crane has been kidnapped, someone will take the blame!"

Above them was a clear blue sky, and the bright sunshine made them feel incredibly warm and comfortable. Wei Yu stretched, revealing her slender, snow-white arms, which made Hua Sheng's heart pound.

The sunlight casts the shadows of cranes soaring through the sky onto the ground, accompanied by the endless mountains, rivers, and fields below. The gray shadows of the cranes sometimes grow larger and sometimes smaller.

Gazing at the boundless beauty beneath the crane's wings, Hana suddenly felt that simply staying here was enough. Past memories were, in truth, dispensable. To the mortal realm, she was already dead. Since she was dead, why bother searching for memories of her past life?
Not all questions need answers. Some questions may simply have no answers at all.

Hua Sheng's eyes welled up with tears. He suddenly realized that all the beautiful things in this world are based on an extremely fragile balance. The more beautiful something is, the more difficult it is to protect that fleeting balance.

(End of this chapter)