Dark clouds churned.
Lightning crackled.
Wind and sand roared.
The ruins trembled.
Amidst the chaos, the mysterious Elder stood alone, his expression growing ever more bewildered and lost. His eyes turned increasingly vacant and lifeless, like an ancient senior who had cultivated for countless years only to have his soul grow dull and his consciousness blurred, afflicted by a senile dementia—a truly pitiable sight.
"How about we find a place to have a couple of drinks?"
Having finally encountered someone from the Wu-Dao Era, Gu Qingfeng had originally hoped to glean some information. However, this Old Senior might truly be lost, or perhaps he had genuinely forgotten everything.
Since that was the case, Gu Qingfeng couldn't be bothered to press further. Taking pity on the old man, he suggested going for a drink.
"A couple of drinks?
Drink what?"
"Wine, of course. What else?"
Seeing the mysterious Elder's confused expression, Gu Qingfeng asked, "What's wrong? Don't tell me you've even forgotten the taste of wine?"
As he spoke, Gu Qingfeng took out a jar of fine wine, poured a cup, and handed it over.
The mysterious Elder took the cup without hesitation, tipped his head back, and downed it in one go. Then he closed his eyes, as if savoring the memory. Only after a long while did he slowly open his eyes. A flicker of complex emotion passed through his vacant gaze as he said, "If this is what is called wine, then this old man must have drunk it before."
"Good."
Gu Qingfeng glanced around and said, "You've turned this place into a mess anyway. No need to look elsewhere; let's drink right here."
Without further ado, Gu Qingfeng unceremoniously took out several dozen jars of fine wine, sat down on the spot, opened one, and began drinking freely with the mysterious Elder.
To tell the truth, the old man could really hold his liquor. Jar after jar, without even pausing for breath, he gulped down over ten jars in one go, still looking utterly unsatisfied. He drank with unbridled gusto.
"I say, Old Senior, let's take it slow. No rush. There's plenty more, absolutely enough to satisfy you."
"Young man, thank you for this fine wine. It has been far, far too long since this old man last tasted wine. Truly a lingering pleasure... a lingering pleasure."
"Oh? Judging by your tone, have you remembered something?"
"No. I'm merely savoring this feeling."
"Since you're savoring it, then drink more. Here, let's finish this jar."
After downing another three jars in succession, the mysterious Elder said, "Young man, if you notice anything amiss later, you must leave immediately."
"What's wrong?"
"This old man's consciousness fluctuates. Though I may seem clear-headed now, the next moment it could become blurred. When my consciousness fades, I have no control and do not know what I might do."
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye out."
Gu Qingfeng raised his cup and drank, then asked, "But, speaking of which, can't you recall anything at all about the Wu-Dao Era?"
"I cannot recall...
Truly forgotten. Everything is forgotten..."
"You've even forgotten who you yourself are?"
"Forgotten..."
"Alright. Then, Old Senior, what did you mean by those two sentences you uttered when you first arrived? What 'everything is false'?"
"I do not know. This old man does not know either. I merely had that feeling and spoke nonsense. You should not take it seriously."
Gu Qingfeng was utterly defeated. Yet, he remained unwilling to give up and pressed on, "Let's do this: I won't ask what you know. Just tell me what you still remember right now. Surely your mind isn't completely empty, with nothing at all?"
"This old man does not remember. I remember nothing. Even if there are memories, they are only fragmented, intermittent, and blurred."
"Then do you know what this place is?"
"I do not know."
"If you don't know, why did you charge in here?"
"To find a mountain."
Hearing that the mysterious Elder was searching for a mountain, Gu Qingfeng's spirits instantly lifted. He quickly asked, "What mountain? Could it be Wu Dao Mountain?"
"I do not know. Nor do I remember. This old man does not even know why I am searching for that mountain."
Gu Qingfeng then took out the Nirvana Silence-and-Forgetting Self Scroll from his storage bag and pointed to the Wu Dao Mountain depicted on it. "Is it this mountain?"
The mysterious Elder took the scroll and examined it carefully. At first, there was no reaction. But after looking for a while, his expression gradually began to change. His eyes were no longer vacant but grew agitated. His bewildered expression turned excited, and even the muscles at the corner of his mouth twitched unnaturally.
"It is this mountain! Yes...
It is this mountain! This old man has been searching for this Mountain of Illusion!"
"Mountain of Illusion?" Gu Qingfeng asked, puzzled. "Isn't this Wu Dao Mountain?"
"No!
This is the Mountain of Illusion!
It must be the Mountain of Illusion!
There is no mistake!
This old man could never mistake it. This is the Mountain of Illusion!"
Perhaps truly too agitated and excited, the mysterious Elder grabbed Gu Qingfeng's hand and asked, "Young man, do you know where the Mountain of Illusion is?"
"Old Senior, to be frank, I am also searching for this mountain."
Gu Qingfeng pondered that perhaps 'Wu Dao Mountain' was merely a name given by later generations. The mountain's true name might be what the mysterious Elder called the Mountain of Illusion.
"But, Old Senior, why are you searching for this mountain?"
"Why?
Yes...
Why is this old man searching for the Mountain of Illusion? What is the Mountain of Illusion?"
The mysterious Elder's expression grew dazed and bewildered again. He murmured, "Why am I searching for the Mountain of Illusion? What is the Mountain of Illusion?"
He closed his eyes, trying to remember. After a moment, he shook his head and said dejectedly, "I cannot recall...
I truly cannot recall. This old man only remembers that the Mountain of Illusion is the place where everything begins, and it should also be the place where everything ends...
It should be so...
Once the Mountain of Illusion is found, the truth of all things will be revealed. All things...
will...
everything...
all..."
"What place where everything begins? What place where everything ends? And what truth exactly?"
"I do not know. I cannot recall...
Forgotten."
After chatting with the mysterious Elder for so long, Gu Qingfeng felt increasingly mentally exhausted, as if he were talking to a madman.
"Forget it. If you can't remember, then don't force it. Come, let's drink."
"Young man, I am truly sorry. This old man really cannot remember...
and cannot be of any help to you."
"It's fine. Let's just consider it making a friend."
"A friend?"
Hearing the word 'friend,' the mysterious Elder fell into deep thought once more.
"What is it?"
"Nothing. It's just that the word 'friend' seems too unfamiliar and distant to this old man."
"That was before. From now on, with me as your friend, you will surely redefine the meaning of the word."
The mysterious Elder shook his head, though it was unclear what he meant by it.
"Young man, there is one question this old man does not know if I should ask."
"Please go ahead, Old Senior."
"Earlier you said you were also searching for the Mountain of Illusion. For what reason?"