A strong wind does not last all morning, nor does a sudden rain last all day.

Chapter 92 A strong wind does not last all morning, nor does a sudden rain last all day.

Li Yuan withdrew his gaze and looked out the window.

The train continued its journey forward, and the fields, mountains, and rivers outside the window continued to unfold quietly under the sunlight.

The fields were still fields, with golden waves of rice stretching as far as the eye could see. Farmers were bent over, busy in the fields, their figures as small as ants.

The mountains and rivers were still mountains and rivers, layer upon layer, lush and verdant, with the mountain mist rising slowly in the sunlight, like the warm breath of the earth.

The river was still a river, winding like a ribbon, shimmering in the sunlight like a flowing silver chain.

They don't know what just happened in this carriage, nor do they need to know.

Heaven and earth are not benevolent, not because they are cruel, but because they are heartless.

I have no interest in human life and death, no interest in the gathering and scattering of insects, and no interest in any human affairs.

The sun rises when it should rise and sets when it should set; clouds gather when they should gather and disperse when they should disperse; the wind comes when it should come and goes when it should go.

We won't take a single minute less of the photos just because someone died in this carriage;

The fact that the Gu Mother in the Gu Master's belly has disappeared will not make him any more enlightened.

The mess in the carriage was still there, the filth that had gushed from people's bodies was still there, and the gasps of the passengers who had survived the ordeal were still there.

The Gu Master was still slumped in his seat, his face as pale as paper, although the wound on his abdomen had been sealed by golden light.

But the bloodstains all over his body, his tattered clothes, and his curled-up posture still told us that what had just happened was not a dream.

But outside the window, everything seemed normal.

The sun is still the same sun, neither sad nor happy, neither bright nor dark.

The clouds are still the same clouds, neither gathering nor scattering, neither thick nor thin.

The wind was still the same wind, neither fast nor slow, neither hot nor cold.

The deepest truth in the universe is hidden in these two words: "as usual".

The Tao Te Ching says, "A whirlwind does not last all morning, nor does a sudden rain last all day."

No matter how strong the wind is, it won't blow for a whole morning; no matter how heavy the rain is, it won't last all day.

If even the universe is like this, how much more so are human affairs?

What was just a breathtaking scene, now seems like nothing more than a speck of dust in the word "as usual".

The fate of the Gu Master, the calamity of the passengers, the coming and going of the golden light—in the eyes of heaven and earth, they were nothing more than a falling leaf, a drifting cloud.

What difference does it make whether it's scattered or a drop of dew evaporating?

This is what "as usual" means.

It's not indifference, it's not heartlessness; it's just that heaven and earth have always been this way, and all things have always been this way.

Human joys and sorrows, separations and reunions, are but a fleeting moment in the grand transformation of heaven and earth.

At that moment, in the realm of heaven and earth, it didn't even constitute a thought.

He closed his eyes slightly.

This train journey is getting more and more interesting.

The thought was extremely faint, like a ripple on the surface of water that was about to dissipate.

It wasn't curiosity—curiosity was too strong, carrying with it the anxiety and urgency of the human heart; those weren't in his thoughts.

It wasn't vigilance—he was too vigilant, with the slight tremor of a taut bowstring, yet these thoughts didn't even cross his mind.

It is not any emotion that can be named.

Those emotions are all fabrications of the human heart, a filter between "I" and "the world".

But for him, there was no such filter.

I just saw it.

I saw the cause and effect of this train journey.

The Gu Master is the pawn, the Gu Mother is the insurance, and the person behind the scenes is the player wielding the pieces.

Behind the hand that holds the chess pieces, there is a wrist; behind the wrist, there is an arm; behind the arm, there is a shoulder; behind the shoulder, there is a pair of eyes.

Those eyes were watching all of this, waiting for something.

Like a fisherman watching the water, waiting for the fish to come.

I saw that there was a player behind this chess piece.

The Gu Master was merely a puppet pushed to the forefront; the one truly controlling everything behind the scenes was someone else.

Who is that person?

Why would that person attack a busload of innocent civilians?

Was that person's target the train itself, or someone on the train?

Or is it simply a ploy to create panic?

We've seen a bigger scheme behind this panic.

This train is not the final destination, but just passing through.

These passengers are not the target, but merely a tool.

Those Gu worms are not the goal, but merely a means to an end.

That person is playing a very big game, and this train carriage is just an insignificant corner of the chessboard.

And he happened to be on that train.

exactly.

In this world, there are hardly any perfect coincidences.

The Book of Changes states: "The wise man anticipates trouble and takes precautions against it."

A sage can discern the significant from the subtle, and foresee the end from the beginning.

The Gu mother in the Gu master's belly is a "trouble" left behind by the person behind the scenes;

The Gu worms on the passenger's body were a "micro" planted by the person behind the scenes.

What can we see from this "micro" detail?

To be able to see the methods of the person behind the scenes, to see their thoughts, to see what they are plotting.

The bigger picture.

And he happened to be on that train.

Was it a coincidence, or an inevitability?

Was it a chance encounter, or was it meant to be here all along?

Outside the window, the train continued its journey forward.

The fields, mountains, and rivers outside the window still stretched out quietly under the sunlight, as if nothing had ever happened.

Inside the carriage, the mess on the floor was still there, the whispers of the passengers who had survived the ordeal were still there, and the Gu Master whose wounds were sealed with golden light was still unconscious.

Li Yuan stood quietly by the window, his moon-white Taoist robe gleaming faintly in the afternoon sunlight.

That light was different from the golden light used to exorcise the poison earlier. The golden light earlier was moving, functional, and descended to the human world.

The light at this moment is still, tangible, and emanates naturally from within.

It's not that he's emitting light; the light was always there.

It's just that the sunlight happened to shine in at that moment, making it visible to everyone.

Like a Buddha statue deep within an ancient temple, usually hidden in the shadows, its face is obscured.

But at one moment, sunlight slanted in through the window and fell on the Buddha's face, making the Buddha light up.

It's not that the Buddha has become brighter, it's that the light has become brighter.

But without Buddha, where does the light fall?

Li Yuan's lips curled up slightly.

The curve was so shallow that it was almost invisible.

But in that instant, something flickered gently deep in the depths of his eyes.

It's not a smile; a smile is for others.

That's understanding—understanding is for oneself.

He understood the causes and effects of this journey, the ins and outs of this game, why he was on this journey, and where he should go next.

The carriage finally quieted down.

The passengers slumped in their seats, some still sobbing softly, some shivering while holding their children, and some staring blankly out the window with empty eyes.

The train police and conductors had arrived sometime earlier, but they stood at the junction of the carriages, not daring to approach the golden light, the black insects, and the exploded corpses that had just appeared—things that were far beyond their comprehension.

Li Yuan turned around and looked at Wei Shufen.

The black bead, about the size of a thumb, still lay quietly in his palm, its golden patterns faded, leaving only a few faint traces of light.

He tucked the beads into his sleeve, his gaze settling on the Miao girl's face. His tone was calm but went straight to the point: "Do you know what really happened?"

Wei Shufen was squatting on the ground examining the corpse of the Gu Master.

Upon hearing this, she raised her head, a hint of seriousness flashing in her bright black eyes.

She stood up and used her toes to part the tattered fabric, revealing the unrecognizable corpse deep inside its abdominal cavity, where there was nothing but a pool of black water.

"This person should be an outsider of the Medicine Immortal Society."

She spoke in a very low voice, as if she were talking about something extremely private.

"He was also cursed, specifically the 'Yin Leech Gu' among Yin Gu."

Li Yuan's brow twitched slightly: "The Yin Leech Gu?"

Wei Shufen nodded, her gaze returning to the corpse: "Once anyone is infected with the Yin Leech Gu, a Yin Leech will form inside their stomach."

"It's not a real leech, it's a leech-like thing formed from venomous insects."

"It attaches itself to the internal organs and feeds on the essence and blood of the five internal organs."

"If the antidote isn't taken within a certain timeframe, it will grow larger and larger, eventually..."

"Like this. The intestines burst open and the belly ruptured, spilling out of the body."

"If the person afflicted by the Gu is subjected to severe stimulation, such as serious injury, unconsciousness, or attempts to say something they shouldn't, the Yin Lie inside their body will go out of control and take effect on the spot."

Li Yuan nodded slightly, without replying.

Wei Shufen continued, "The kind of worm cocoon gu that infected the people in the carriage before, once implanted, will cause the worm to parasitize..."

Within the human body, it absorbs vital energy and continuously produces a cocoon.

"Those cocoons will be expelled from the body, and the silkworms will emerge from the cocoons and become adults."

"Those flying insects feed on human flesh, and—they can be collected and used as excellent nourishment for cultivating certain more advanced Gu worms."

"It seems that this person used poison to harm everyone in the carriage for this very purpose."

"If we hadn't brought the situation under control in time, everyone on the train would have been doomed and turned into breeding grounds for these flying insects."

After listening, Li Yuan turned his head to look at himself.

The connection between the two carriages was already crowded with passengers and staff who had rushed over after hearing the news. They peered in, but no one dared to cross that invisible line.

Li Yuan withdrew his gaze, his tone still calm, yet carrying an undeniable certainty: "So you mean that the person who used the Gu poison was controlled by someone else to do this?"

Wei Shufen nodded slightly, her expression grave: "This is precisely the method his backers use to control their peripheral members."

"The person who casts the spell is also cursed. If successful, there is an antidote; if unsuccessful, they are silenced."

"As expected, there's a powerful force behind it." Li Yuan murmured, his gaze falling on the already cold corpse, a glint flashing in his eyes.

The silk is complex.

"It seems this matter is indeed of great importance."

He paused, a faint smile appearing on his lips, but without any warmth: "You Miao people are truly hospitable."

Wei Shufen understood the implication in his words, but instead of being annoyed, she earnestly explained, "It's because the Medicine Immortal Society has become increasingly rampant recently, constantly causing trouble in various places."

"But Gu is just a means. The person who invented Gu poison raised and fed Gu to people in order to cure diseases and save lives, not to harm people."

"But later, many people used it for evil purposes. Now, good and evil exist only in the mind of the practitioner."

As she spoke, a hint of sadness flashed in her bright black eyes, as if she were recalling some unpleasant past events.

"The Medicine Immortal Gathering?"

Li Yuan silently recited these three words in his heart, his expression unchanged, but a very subtle fluctuation appeared in his eyes.

He was familiar with that name.

In my past life memories, the Medicine Immortal Society was a secret society that had been circulating in Miao territory for hundreds of years, and most of its members were masters of Gu poison.

They were once revered as a sacred religion, using witchcraft to save people, but later they embarked on a completely different path.

I never expected to hear that name again here, in this way.

Wei Shufen, oblivious to his momentary unease, continued, "My master told me that in the early days of the Medicine Immortal Society, their actions truly lived up to the name 'Medicine Immortal Society,' and they were even once revered as a sacred sect."

"But I don't know when it started, but in pursuit of the ultimate Gu technique, the people of the Medicine Immortal Society actually began to try raising Gu with people, or even refining Gu with people."

Her voice trembled slightly, as if she was suppressing something.

"Especially in the last two years, countless locals and outsiders have been poisoned by the Medicine Fairy Society."

"I have seen a village with my own eyes, the entire village, young and old, none of them were spared."

"Their bodies were hollowed out by Gu worms, leaving only skin and bones that would collapse with a gust of wind."

"About two weeks ago, the people we sent from our Miao village to the Medicine Fairy Gathering suddenly sent back a message."

"The Medicine Immortal Society is secretly planning a major event, one that only the highest-ranking members are qualified to participate in."

"Nobody knows exactly what it is."

"But it can't be a good thing if it can make those lunatics make such a fuss."

She raised her head and looked at Li Yuan, and there was something new in her bright black eyes at that moment.

It wasn't a request, nor a plea, but something deeper, more profound, and harder to put into words.

"In order to stop the Medicine Immortal Society's conspiracy and prevent them from succeeding, my master specially sent us to gather information and investigate the situation. We are to return to the village immediately to report any news we have."

After she finished speaking, she fell silent.

The only sounds in the carriage were the clatter of the wheels rolling over the rails and the howling wind outside the window.

Li Yuan listened quietly without responding immediately.

Of course he could tell.

Wei Shufen told him so much, in such detail, even revealing the secrets of the village, the intelligence about the Medicine Immortal Society, and even her own master's plans. This was not just idle chatter, nor was it an explanation.

Miao girls are not simple-minded; they are all extremely skilled at using love spells on the men they love.

But Wei Shufen's thoughts at this moment were deeper and heavier than those of the love potion.

She's gambling.

I'm betting he'll stay.

I'm betting he'll make a move.

She gambled that he would help her, help her Miao village, and help those innocent people who were being poisoned by the Medicine Fairy Society.

The carriage remained quiet for a long time.

Wei Shufen stood there, neither urging him nor saying anything more, but simply waiting quietly for him to speak.

Li Yuan looked at her, and there was a light in his gentle eyes that was hard for others to detect.

It was a profound understanding that came from seeing through everything, something he himself couldn't quite explain at that moment.

half an hour.

He spoke, his voice still gentle and calm, yet seemingly carrying a faint hint of amusement: "You've said so much to me, are you trying to get me to stay and help you and your Miao village thwart the Medicine Immortal Society's conspiracy?"