There is a record in "Zhibeiyou", "The life of a person is the gathering of Qi; the gathering is life, the dispersion is death. If death and life are disciples, what trouble do I have?"
Human life and death are nothing more than the temporary gathering and dispersion of Qi. When Qi gathers, life occurs, and when Qi disperses, death occurs. Life and death are just different manifestations of Qi in each stage of the life body.
If this tone never fades, does it mean that even if the body returns to nothingness, the spirit can always be preserved.
Zhuangzi believes that life and death are nothing more than the gathering and dispersion of Qi, so what is this so-called "Qi"?
In the third realm, heaven and earth are refining qi. What is being refining?
Is there any connection between the two?
With all kinds of doubts, Ye Qin fell into deeper meditation.
The breath was deeply hidden in his body and circulated continuously.
At this moment, he has entered the third realm, and he no longer cares about whether his life span can be extended.
If you hear the Tao in the morning, you will die in the evening.
Ye Qin no longer has any regrets in his heart, and he doesn't even care about life and death.
This otherworldly feeling made his exhausted spirit become extremely active, and even grew a lot, and he kept moving towards the void.
Those gray substances, traveling around with his spirit, constantly exploring the void, made Ye Qin's soul extremely comfortable, which can be said to be hearty.
And in reality.
Ye Qin had closed his eyes. The whole snake was hovering in place, its scales were dim, and it looked like it was dead.
The small animals around him formed a circle around him, like stars looming over the moon, with tears shining and their expressions filled with human sadness.
The moonlight shone on Ye Qin's body, as if he was seeing him off, and it looked like some ancient sacrificial ceremony was being held.
At the foot of the mountain, the woman lying on the bed was already breathless.
As her condition worsened, even using medicine to hang her body was of no avail. She had been lying in bed for many days, unable to get out of bed and walk normally.
On this day, she seemed to feel something and called the village chief and his party, as well as Hu Xiaocao.
Hu Xiaocao clutched the woman's cold hand, tears glistening with tears, and his eyes were red from crying, "Mom, don't leave me, Xiaocao will be very good and obedient."
The woman raised her hands, as if she wanted to touch her head, but in the end her hands fell down without strength, and she had no choice but to give up.
"Ahem, Xiaocao, you must listen to the village chief and uncle from now on. Mom is gone. You must take good care of yourself and worship the mountain god on time."
The woman talked a lot intermittently, and she kept coughing during this period, which made people worry that she would die in the middle of speaking.
"Sister Hu, please take a rest first."
The woman shook her head, her pale face reflecting her red eyes, "I'm afraid if I don't say it now, I won't have a chance in the future."
She looked at the village chief, her expression full of pleading.
"Village Chief, please take care of Xiaocao after I leave. She is also pitiful. She has lost her father since she was a child. Now I have to leave too."
The village chief nodded quickly and assured: "This is natural."
He paused, his voice choked up, and said rather unbearably: "After you leave, all of us will take good care of Xiaocao, so don't worry."
"Village Chief, Uncle Zhang, and Aunt Li. Thanks to you for taking care of us and me over the years. I will never be able to repay your kindness in this life. I can only work for you in the next life."
A short and fat woman next to her wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, her eyes red.
"Girl from the Hu family, what are you talking about? We are fellow villagers. If you say this, you will be outspoken. Don't worry, I will take care of Xiaocao as my own child from now on."
"Thank you so much."
The woman had never read a book and had no education. She could only say thank you over and over again and hoped that after her death, the villagers would take more care of Xiaocao.
When a mother reaches the end of her life, she is still thinking about her children.
"Xiaocao, mom is sorry for you too. This seriously ill body has delayed you and I won't be able to stay with you in the future. You must listen to everyone."
After the woman said these words, she seemed to have expended all her strength, her face became even paler, and her breathing became rapid.
Hu Xiaocao cried uncontrollably, sobbing and begging the woman not to leave.
It was already summer, but the woman's body temperature was incredibly low.
Hu Xiaocao rubbed the woman's hands hard, trying to warm her body, but it had no effect.
Everyone present was moved when they saw such a scene.
Aunt Li pulled Hu Xiaocao and wiped her tears while comforting her: "Good boy, Xiaocao, your mother is just too tired. She needs to have a good rest."
Hu Xiaocao, who had always been sensible, seemed a bit stubborn at this moment.
"You lied. Mom will never wake up again after resting, just like dad."
In the past, Hu Xiaocao did not understand what death meant.
Her mother told her that her father had gone to a far away place. Every time Hu Xiaocao missed her father, she would sit at the entrance of the village and wait.
But she didn't see that familiar figure from dawn to dusk.
When she asked again, her mother told her that her father had turned into a little star and was looking at the grass in the sky.
Hu Xiaocao moved a small stool and sat in the yard, looking up at the stars in the sky, trying to find the star that belonged to her father.
There were so many stars in the sky that Hu Xiaocao cried anxiously but could not find them.
Then, she knew that her father was dead and would never come back. From that moment on, Hu Xiaocao had the concept of death in her little head.
But now my mother has to be like my father. How can I accept such successive blows at such a young age?
Hu Xiaocao's eyes were red, and he couldn't bear it anymore and ran out.
"Little grass!"
Aunt Li originally wanted to chase her, but was stopped by the village chief, "Let the baby go, Xiaocao is feeling miserable."
Seeing that the woman was critically ill and Xiaocao was still young, the villagers could only help arrange the funeral arrangements in advance and wait for the woman to be buried on the day she died.
Lao Zhang, a coffin maker from the east of the village, has excellent craftsmanship, good quality and good price. Knowing that the mother and daughter were in poor conditions, and knowing that the woman didn't have much time, he made a coffin for free without saying a word.
Soon, the inside and outside of the courtyard were filled with white flags, as well as some items used for holding wedding ceremonies. Everyone who came in and out of the courtyard had a heavy expression on their face.
The courtyard was filled with a suffocating breath of death, which almost made Hu Xiaocao unable to breathe.
She stared blankly at the villagers rushing in and out, her eyes were as swollen as walnuts, and she almost didn't eat for most of the day.
Aunt Li couldn't stand it, so she brought over a bowl of rice with an egg on top and a large piece of sizzling and oily bacon. It was very appetizing.
Normally, Hu Xiaocao would have devoured it without saying a word, but now she was just staring at the woman's room in a daze.
It's like a kind of escape mentality. As long as Hu Xiaocao doesn't look, her mother will always be there.
She was really scared. When she stepped into the room again, she saw her mother's face sleeping forever.
(End of chapter)
