Amid the thin mist, faint images emerged, and Yin Tingxue fixed her gaze intently.

As if seeing the future, Yin Tingxue saw the yellow dog die—frozen to death by the next dawn. The puppy howled desperately, but nothing could bring its deceased mother back.

After its death, the dog's soul entered the cycle of reincarnation and was reborn into a family with the surname Huang. It was a prosperous household where the Family Head had passed the imperial examinations, their courtyard bustling with visitors. There, the soul was reborn as a girl, her piercing cries shaking the entire house.

"You see, after reincarnation, it won't want for food or clothing, enjoying even the riches of silk and brocade. This Huang family will not only produce an official who ranks high, but their daughter Huang Xiaomei will also live a life of glory and happiness,"

Master Zhihui spoke in a calm and measured tone:

"If you save it now, the time will no longer align, and it would lose its chance to reincarnate into that family. In its next life, it would return once more as an animal, enduring enslavement and scorn."

As if responding to Master Zhihui's words, the images began to change gradually.

In this vision, if the yellow dog were saved, it would live a few more years but still eventually die, only to reincarnate again as a dog. It would scrape by on scraps discarded by humans, guarding someone's home. One drunken night, its master would kick and beat it severely, leaving it hurt and broken once more.

In the icy depths of another winter night, the yellow dog would die again, frozen to the point it resembled a lump of decayed flesh.

Yin Tingxue stared blankly for a moment,

unsure of what she should say.

Master Zhihui gently pointed out:

"You see, by saving it, you would disrupt its karmic fate.

Just as Chen Yi disrupted your karmic fate."

Yin Tingxue pursed her lips tightly, not knowing how to respond, but suddenly, a vague understanding dawned upon her.

If she were to save this yellow dog, it would miss out on a better reincarnation and a happier life in its next existence, instead falling into further misfortune.

And it seemed eerily similar to how Chen Yi had taken her away from the Prince Mansion, wrecking her… karmic destiny.

She pressed her lips tighter, unable to utter a word.

Master Zhihui observed the changes in her expression, a warm smile resting on her face.

A flicker of intensity passed fleetingly through her eyes, but it was gone in an instant.

After countless careful manipulations, today, everything was finally back on track.

Everything was worth it. After this night, Yin Tingxue would achieve spiritual enlightenment and attain the title of Medicine Buddha, while Chen Yi, too, would come to realize his truths and willingly transform himself into a stone to mend the heavens.

Master Zhihui waited patiently, calmly observing the girl's every reaction, just awaiting her eventual nod.

Yin Tingxue's lips trembled briefly. After a long silence, she suddenly spoke:

"But he's been good to me now. I'm living very happily."

Master Zhihui froze in place.

Her pupils widened as the girl's words reverberated in her ears. She stared at Yin Tingxue in disbelief.

After a long pause, Master Zhihui regained herself and forced a smile:

"You are attached, clinging to fleeting thoughts. How can you attain liberation this way?"

In this world, there are always people deeply attached, unable to transcend their obsessions, remaining blind to the impermanence of life. It seemed that Yin Tingxue's reluctance to awaken stemmed from his temporary kindness. But didn't she understand? When she aged, when her beauty had faded, how would she be treated then?

Without attaining Nirvana and Buddhahood, without transcending the cycle of reincarnation, one must endure the Eight Sufferings of life. All existence leads to suffering.

Yin Tingxue didn't rush to reply. As though attempting to prove something, she reached into her pocket and retrieved something.

It was a paper flower, thin and fragile.

The paper flower was tiny in the stillness of the night, barely the size of her palm, quietly blooming without a single movement.

Master Zhihui's gaze fell. Slowly, she said:

"It's just a paper flower."

"But… it's proof of his affection."

"So," Master Zhihui chuckled, unable to suppress a laugh, "what are you trying to say? That because of this, he is kind to you? That you cling to this paper flower, refusing to attain Buddhahood?"

Yin Tingxue gazed at the small paper flower, her voice soft and tender: "There is Zen within it."

"Some people find enlightenment in the impermanence of flowers blooming and withering," Master Zhihui responded slowly, "but this is merely a paper flower. It never truly bloomed and cannot wither. How could Zen exist in it?"

Yin Tingxue whispered gently in response:

"But such a flower will never wither."

Master Zhihui's brows furrowed tightly. She could see clearly now; Yin Tingxue's attachment to self was far too deep.

Was it because of his influence?

The nun sneered coldly in her heart and said:

"Do you not understand the impermanence of life? Haven't you witnessed enough of the unpredictable nature of the human world?"

She thought the girl would stubbornly persist in her delusion.

But Yin Tingxue said, unexpectedly:

"I've seen much of it."

Master Zhihui paused, startled.

Yin Tingxue, recalling her past, spoke softly:

"I am the daughter of the Prince of Xiang. I had a carefree and wonderful childhood. Mother adored me, and Father doted on me as well. Our household seemed to have everything; food, clothing, riches—it was never lacking. When I was six or seven, Mother began teaching me Buddhist Law, telling me that life is impermanent. Back then, I couldn't understand what she meant. But a few years later, Mother passed away.

That was the first time I truly understood what impermanence meant. I couldn't fathom that Mother would actually die. It was beyond imagining. Father changed after that, dismissing all my handmaidens and locking me within the Prince Mansion, forcing me day and night to chant the Divine Sect's scriptures. Often, he would gaze at me sorrowfully, as if mourning Mother. Later… when the family fell into ruin, he was exiled.

From there, I ended up in Chen Yi's hands. He bullied me, forced me to become a concubine, and claimed that I had killed him in a past life. But I had no idea what had happened and couldn't make sense of it all. I obeyed him in every way. Gradually, his heart softened. He took me to Yintai Temple. It was then I realized that everything was fleeting—happy childhoods, cherished memories, even Yintai Temple itself—all vanished in an instant."

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