Da Xuan Martial Saint

Chapter 1073: Chapter 530: Second Life Reincarnation (Part 2)

"... "

Chen Mu heard the servant girl’s words and casually shifted his gaze to look at her.

This plain glance immediately frightened her quite a bit, and she quickly kneeled by the table, timidly saying: "The servant girl only wishes to alleviate the Young Master’s worries. Young Master please consider my words as nonsense, and I beg for lenient punishment."

The master hadn’t spoken, yet the maid had taken the initiative to ask, which was naturally a transgression, and a severe punishment was quite normal.

Chen Mu looked at the servant girl, suddenly threw the book in his hand in front of her, and said:

"Do you know how to write?"

"I know a little."

"Go copy it once."

"Yes."

The servant girl promptly responded, taking the book in her hand and retreating to the side.

Chen Mu watched the servant girl copying the book on the stool beside him, noticing that this maid bore a four to five part resemblance in her brows and eyes to Xiao He in his youth. After watching for a while longer, he suddenly recalled some amusing events from his past life.

The gentle and lovable maid was waiting beside him for punishment, yet he punished her to copy the book, and suddenly found it somewhat amusing. After all, despite things and people having changed, his thoughts and ideas had greatly diverged from those of his distant past life.

Though he was looking at the book, what he pondered was still the Time Dao.

What is Time?

Previously a solitary hunter, now a young master of a wealthy family, top scholar... What is the connection between these identities and the Time Dao?

Chen Mu did not understand.

Even in his attitude towards the people of this world, he was somewhat indecisive, unsure of whether this world truly existed, or it was merely a virtual realm evolved by the system panel; at least the current him could not discern it.

If it is indeed a real world, he would not want to leave too much causality, especially regarding bloodlines. If he were to leave offspring in this world, how should it be accounted for? Would everything be resolved once this life concludes?

Yet if he wishes to avoid causality, then he should renounce worldly affairs and cultivate.

Should he renounce worldly affairs and cultivate in every reincarnation?

Then the system panel could simply let him enter in his true form, directly as an ascetic wandering this world to witness the changes, without the need to have him delve into the mortal world and experience such a real life.

Chen Mu currently couldn’t figure out which path is right, and his comprehension of the Time Dao had reached a bottleneck. For the time being, he was quite indecisive, but ultimately, his time in this world was infinite, allowing him endless Time to consume and squander. If he couldn’t comprehend it in this life, there would be reincarnation and another life.

"To transcend the world, to be within the world, whether at home or renouncing it, perhaps it’s all the same."

"Regarding the Time Dao, none of this has any connection. Time remains there, like a witness, emotionlessly overlooking all beings."

Chen Mu shook his head slightly in his heart.

Perhaps what he must do rather should not be so deliberate, but rather should be more immersed, to truly experience Time more profoundly.

He stood up, walked to the maid Servant Book in front of him. The maid was still bent over the stool copying the book. Though crouching, she still wrote row after row of elegant small characters, the text was beautiful. Evidently, unlike her claim of knowing ’a little,’ she was trained since youth, being a top choice in appearance and figure to be arranged by his side.

"Servant Book."

Chen Mu suddenly spoke.

The young girl heard the call, paused her actions, and raised her head to look at Chen Mu.

Chen Mu asked: "How long have you been by my side?"

The servant girl obediently replied: "In reply to the Young Master, three years and twenty-seven days."

Chen Mu said: "You recall quite clearly."

The servant girl smiled sweetly: "Being able to serve the Young Master is something many envy, the servant naturally remembers each and every day clearly."

Chen Mu extended his hand, his finger lightly brushing her cheek, then turned and walked out of the study, saying:

"Don’t copy the book anymore."

"Follow me to the room."

The servant girl held a pen in one hand, watching Chen Mu turn away, momentarily dazed, but quickly snapped out of it, her charming small face blushing immediately, her eyes carrying a hint of delight and shyness.

Could it be...

She quickly put down the pen, momentarily flustered, even accidentally knocked over the chair, and hastily straightened it. She saw the ink on the pen smeared on the floor tile, becoming more and more frantic, rushing to wipe it clean.

Chen Mu listened to the sounds coming from behind, shook his head with a laugh, inexplicably feeling more at ease, and continued to walk forward.

...

The elders of the An family were very pleased.

Because Chen Mu, who had always been indifferent to worldly matters, had finally shown interest in a concubine named ’Shi Shu’, it was a relief to everyone. After all, for a talented young master like Chen Mu of the An family, avoiding women was almost considered a flaw.

A short year later, Shi Shu gave birth to an illegitimate son for Chen Mu, and her status rose accordingly, from concubine to secondary wife.

Several years later,

Chen Mu went to the capital for the imperial examinations, coming first in the provincial examination, becoming a Provincial Graduate. Regrettably, he did not attain the top scorer position in the final palace examination, failing to become a Triple Crown champion, but he did secure third place and was known as An Flower, appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy.

A year later, he married the second daughter of the Vice Minister of Ministry of Revenue, Wang Han, and thereafter his official career flourished with rapid promotions. Eventually, after several decades, he reached the position of Minister of War and retired honorably at the age of sixty-three, fully withdrawing from the Imperial Court.

At the age of sixty-four, Chen Mu returned to his hometown, still enjoying reading and often visiting temples and Taoist monasteries to discuss Dao with abbots and Taoist leaders.

At seventy-two, with his health declining rapidly, Chen Mu lay bedridden, nearing the end of his lifespan.

"Master, Master..."

Shi Shu, now with a head full of white hair and a face full of wrinkles, lay by Chen Mu’s bedside, quietly weeping. She was Chen Mu’s first concubine, the first to bear him offspring, and her status in the family was second only to Chen Mu’s main wife. Yet, compared to that main wife, her feelings for Chen Mu were the deepest, and she had accompanied him the longest.

Looking at the frail and dying Chen Mu lying in bed, she could only sob continuously, repeating that ’it will get better.’

Chen Mu, on the other hand, remained very calm.

At this moment, his body was weak to the extreme, struggling even to move a single hand, never before had he felt this kind of frailty, but his gaze remained indifferent. Looking at the similarly aged Shi Shu, he gently lifted his hand to stroke her white hair.

"I will not die, no need to be so sad."

Chen Mu said.

"Yes, yes, the master is certainly blessed and will be fine..."

Shi Shu said, choking with sobs.

She knew that Chen Mu often frequented temples and monasteries, seeking immortality and asking the Buddha, often speaking astonishing words. Now, hearing Chen Mu’s words, she was not too surprised, only holding Chen Mu’s hand tightly.

Beside her were several other men and women, some about fifty years old, others only in their teens. The younger ones were all crying, and a few of the older ones looked at Chen Mu with complex expressions.

Their feelings towards this father, Chen Mu, were very complicated.

Regardless of whether they were legitimate sons or elder illegitimate sons.

Because Chen Mu was indifferent to everything, there was almost no father-son relationship between them, yet at the same time, they had all received guidance and support from Chen Mu, among them the eldest son, An Lan, was now a governor.

Yet even as a governor, An Lan always felt that Chen Mu never truly looked at him seriously, or rather, Chen Mu’s attitude was very peculiar, as if the achievements he had made were merely insignificant ripples in Chen Mu’s eyes.

Even though Chen Mu had once been the Minister of War, now that he had advanced further, he was still just Minister of War.

"An Lan."

Chen Mu suddenly spoke.

"Father."

Although An Lan’s expression was complex, upon hearing Chen Mu’s call, he still responded softly and stepped forward: "Do you have any instructions?"

Chen Mu looked at him, ultimately saying nothing, merely showing an expression that An Lan had never understood.

This look, An Lan had seen almost his entire life.

He couldn’t help but step forward, wanting to ask what Chen Mu truly thought of him, but as he neared, he saw that Chen Mu’s pupils had already dispersed, his whole body leaning against the bed, and he was silent.

In an instant.

The entire house and outside were filled with the sound of wailing.

Not only had a former Minister of War passed, but also the father of a current governor.

In this flood of crying, An Lan slightly opened his mouth, but ultimately closed it again, then slowly looked up towards the ceiling and closed his eyes, with only one thought circling in his mind.

What have you been watching your whole life?

What were you thinking at the end?