Gu Qingfeng carefully examined the entire Mobi Blue Peak but found no cave dwelling.
Yet he did not give up.
Afterwards,
he examined it once more.
Unfortunately, he still found nothing.
By the third examination, there was still no discovery.
However,
Gu Qingfeng had a vague feeling that something was off about the entire Mobi Blue Peak, though he couldn't pinpoint exactly what at the moment.
It was purely a feeling.
He went back and forth, examining it several more times. It wasn't until the ninth examination that he inadvertently noticed something unusual—and quite peculiar at that.
Someone had tampered with Mobi Blue Peak.
To be precise, someone had used Mobi Blue Peak to alter the surrounding Natural Order. This alteration was exceptionally sophisticated, actually changing along with the external Great Natural Order.
This method was undeniably brilliant. Gu Qingfeng had been examining based on the Natural Order; if a cave dwelling existed here, the Natural Order would certainly show changes. But he hadn't expected the Natural Order here to be an illusion—an illusion that would change along with the true Natural Order. Though an illusion, it was convincing enough to seem real.
Having seen through the illusion, Gu Qingfeng immediately released his divine sense, shattered the illusion, and probed deeper. Sure enough, a cave dwelling appeared on Mobi Blue Peak.
To say he wasn't excited would be a lie.
Without a second thought, Gu Qingfeng extended his divine sense. The structure of the cave dwelling was immediately clear in his mind. With a single thought, he vanished in a flash, merging with nature and entering the cave dwelling.
In this world, in this Great Natural Order, as long as Gu Qingfeng wished, he could enter any cave dwelling at will.
Because his physical body had long since merged with heaven and earth.
Heaven above, earth below—he could come and go as he pleased. If he wished, a single thought could take him to the Ninth Heaven, another to the Nine Netherworlds, let alone this tiny world and its small nature.
The cave dwelling contained a world within a world.
A small realm like a speck of dust.
It was truly small, containing only a single Private Garden.
Beyond that, there was nothing else.
When Gu Qingfeng flashed into the cave dwelling, he found himself standing within the Private Garden inside.
The garden was filled with many flowers, all vibrant purple Mobi Blue Flowers.
There were several trees in the garden, with a swing hanging from one, though no one sat upon it.
There was also a pavilion in the garden, empty with no furnishings.
Could this be Tang Hengxi's cave dwelling?
He didn't know.
Gu Qingfeng dared not speculate recklessly. Suppressing his somewhat agitated heart, he walked into the garden, opened the door, and entered a refined hall. The hall contained no tables or chairs, not even a single one. What it did have were Paintings—the entire room was filled with them.
Seeing these Paintings, Gu Qingfeng's excited heart could no longer restrain its pounding. For every Painting in the room depicted scenes from places he and Tang Hengxi had visited in the past.
At this moment, Gu Qingfeng finally confirmed that this cave dwelling must have been opened by Tang Hengxi.
Tang Hengxi was still alive.
Not only was she alive, she likely visited this place often.
Because Gu Qingfeng could tell the Paintings were from different years. The earliest one was from over four hundred years ago—to be precise, painted by Tang Hengxi not long after he left Yanluo Kingdom. After that, she painted another at regular intervals.
Gu Qingfeng gazed at one Painting after another.
Some were from a hundred years ago.
Some from ninety years ago.
Some from eighty years ago.
And some from fifty years ago.
It seemed Tang Hengxi visited this place once every ten years.
The most recent Painting was from seven years ago.
Confirming Tang Hengxi was alive, the heart Gu Qingfeng had long kept suspended finally settled.
As long as Tang Hengxi was alive, Gu Qingfeng had ways to find her. Moreover, she returned every ten years. The most recent Painting was from seven years ago, meaning she would return in another three years. Gu Qingfeng thought that even if he waited here, he could wait three years for Tang Hengxi to return.
"It's good she's alive, as long as she's alive..." What he owed from the past, Gu Qingfeng would definitely repay this time. He didn't want to leave any more regrets, nor let anyone worry or grieve for him anymore.
Gu Qingfeng looked at the room full of Paintings. These Paintings seemed to carry Tang Hengxi's emotional journey over the years.
Back when Gu Qingfeng left, Tang Hengxi's heart was shattered with grief.
When Gu Qingfeng found new love in the Divine Continent, Tang Hengxi was filled with anger and resentment.
During Gu Qingfeng's campaigns north and south, Tang Hengxi's heart went from wanting to forget to being unable to forget.
Then from reminiscing to longing.
She wanted to pursue him but hesitated.
When Gu Qingfeng was annihilated by the Immortal Dao Judgment,
Tang Hengxi, overwhelmed by sorrow, went mad questioning love. After awakening, she refused to believe it, could not accept it, and then began to search, began to wait, day after day, year after year.
After viewing all the Paintings in the room, Gu Qingfeng felt as if he had experienced over four hundred years himself. Deep in his heart was an indescribable ache, yet more than that, it was guilt and self-reproach.
Though he cultivated the supreme Great Freedom of Buddhism, in matters of emotion, he could never find freedom.
The word 'love' is the greatest variable between heaven and earth. It lies neither within karmic retribution nor within the cycle of fate. One's state of mind can never truly transcend it.
Gu Qingfeng stayed in this cave dwelling's Private Garden for a long time. When he left, he set up another formation. This way, as soon as Tang Hengxi returned, he would know immediately.
Emerging from the cave dwelling, outside it was just sunset.
The Mobi Blue Flowers covering the mountains and plains appeared even more magnificent under the sunset, and Mobi Blue Peak resembled an elegant woman—as elegant as Tang Hengxi herself.
Learning Tang Hengxi was alive, Gu Qingfeng's mood was greatly lifted. Since awakening in the Great Northwest, his spirits had never been as high as they were today.
As they say, good news lifts the spirits.
This trip to Mobi Blue Peak was absolutely good news for Gu Qingfeng. His previously frail essence, energy, and spirit seemed to grow vigorous again.
Thus, it called for a grand toast.
"Come, Fei Kui, find a place and have a couple of drinks with me."
"Young Master, where would you like to go?"
"Since we're at the garden pavilion, let's find a place here. Today, we drink until we're drunk or until we return. Keep me company drinking to my heart's content, and I'll grant you one wish, lad."
Hearing this, Fei Kui was instantly thrilled and quickly assented: "Young Master, this humble one will make arrangements for you right away."
The sun set once more, dusk drawing near.
As dusk faded, darkness gradually descended.
The moonlight tonight was beautiful.
The night at Yunchuan Garden Pavilion was even more bustling and lively. Young people walked in twos and threes. Just as Fei Kui had said earlier, those with Dao companions came to play with them, while those without hoped to find one here. Who could predict the affairs of life? What if one encountered a romantic encounter? Wouldn't that be delightful?