Chapter 124
Chapter 124
After the memorial service ended, my father and grandfather were taken away for cremation.
By the time they were returned to me, they had been placed inside urns.
A person’s entire life ultimately boils down to these two handfuls of ash.
My grandfather believed in metaphysics and tradition, so he had always said while he was alive that he wanted to be buried in the earth to find peace. However, since traditional burials are no longer permitted, I could only choose a nice cemetery to inter them. I suppose that counts as returning to the earth.
In the span of a single month, I had lost three people who were very important to me in quick succession.
But life had to go on. After leaving the cemetery, I went back home to tidy things up.
Before they passed, my father and grandfather had arranged everything. They had deposited all their money into my bank account-about five hundred thousand yuan in total.
The house had also been transferred into my name several years ago.
They didn’t leave much behind, except for a single book titled Mysteries of the Six Yao.
My father had been reading this book constantly before he passed. I didn’t know exactly what kind of book it was, only that it was related to metaphysics.
I took the book and went to find Old Zhao Seven to ask for his guidance.
“It seems your father knew how to draw talismans; he likely learned it from this,” Old Zhao Seven said as he flipped through the pages. “This book has quite a pedigree and is fairly old. Whatever your grandfather knew was probably learned from this as well.”
I asked Old Zhao Seven if it was an evil book.
He shook his head. “No, it’s a legitimate text. Moreover, the knowledge contained within is vast and profound.”
“Then could you explain the specific contents of this book to me?” After all, this was the legacy left behind by my grandfather and father.
Old Zhao Seven set the book down and said, “Six Yao is actually an evolution of the Yi Jing. It is a branch of divination and hexagram reading. Legend has it that it was created by King Wen of Zhou and later expanded and perfected by the Western Han scholar Jing Fang, who established a complete system called Six Yao Divination.”
“Six Yao Divination is different from ancient methods like Plum Blossom Numerology or Zi Wei Dou Shu. It focuses more on the calculation of ‘numbers.’ If you were to compare it to an academic discipline, it would be like mathematics or physics. It requires rigorous conversion and logical reasoning to determine the future trend or answer to a specific event.”
I was somewhat puzzled. “So, this book is just for casting hexagrams? If my grandfather knew how to use it, why did he go looking for a Fortune-Teller to calculate my life and death back then?”
Old Zhao Seven explained, “Many people among the common folk study divination and fortune-telling, but almost all of them study Plum Blossom, Zi Wei, or the Four Pillars and Eight Characters. Very few study Six Yao because it is incredibly difficult, and mastering it is even harder. Clearly, your grandfather never quite mastered it.”
“Furthermore, this book doesn’t just talk about casting hexagrams.”
I nodded, understanding his point.
If it only covered hexagrams, my father wouldn’t have known how to draw talismans. The book likely contained other things as well.
“Speaking of divination, we first have to understand the difference between casting a hexagram and fortune-telling. They are actually two different concepts.”
Old Zhao Seven continued, “Fortune-telling calculates a person’s destiny for their entire life, whereas casting a hexagram is ‘asking about a matter’-that is, asking about the development and outcome of a specific future event.”
“However, the wisdom of the ancients is beyond our comprehension. In ancient times, there was a founding master of fortune-telling called the Daoist in Hemp Robe. In his original work, Fire Pearl Forest, he claimed that ‘one hexagram determines a lifetime.’ What does that mean? It means using the Six Yao prediction method to perform fortune-telling-calculating the destiny of a person’s entire life.”
“This just goes to show that the mysteries hidden within the Six Yao have yet to be fully unearthed.”
“In recent times, a divine talent emerged. Taking the Six Yao as his foundation, he fused Qimen Magic into it, creating his own distinct lineage and establishing a comprehensive system. This system encompasses divination, talismans, Arrays, and mechanical contraptions.”
“It’s a great pity, however, that this man died in his twenties. He didn’t have the chance to pass down his inventions himself. Fortunately, someone compiled his work into a book called the Mysteries of the Six Yao.”
I was stunned.
Wasn’t that the very book in my hands?
I flipped to the final page and saw these few lines:
“The contents of this book were created by my late mentor, Tang Zhui. Those who succeed him with goodness shall find virtue; if the wicked learn this, using it for improper ends, they shall meet a wretched end.”
As I finished reading, the hair on my arms stood on end.
Because both my grandfather and my father had studied it…
Could the reason they ended up like this be because they read this book?
If that was the case, wasn’t this an evil book?
Old Zhao Seven seemed to read my mind. “The arts themselves are neither good nor evil; that lies within the person. Your father and grandfather didn’t end up this way just because of the book. Their mistake was using it for the wrong reasons.”
“Your father learned what was inside and killed Wang Shujun twice.”
I lowered my head, feeling a weight of guilt as if I were the one who had done it.
“Is there really such a thing as retribution in this world?”
“There is,” Old Zhao Seven replied without hesitation.
“My father and grandfather… are they facing retribution too?”
Old Zhao Seven looked reluctant to meet my eyes, but he eventually nodded.
“Then… can they be reincarnated?”
“You keep asking me these kinds of questions…”
Old Zhao Seven looked troubled. “At a time like this, it’s hard for me to tell you the truth and crush your spirits.”
I said, “Just tell me the truth.”
Old Zhao Seven sighed. “They can’t.”
I nearly jumped out of my seat.
Didn’t that mean my father and grandfather would have to suffer in the underworld even after death?
“Live your life well and do many good deeds.”
Old Zhao Seven looked at me, speaking with earnest gravity. “In the future, you can use the merit you accumulate to atone for their sins, allowing them to be reincarnated sooner.”
I was momentarily dazed. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe him, but perhaps because I knew so little about these things, I felt like he was just trying to comfort me.
Old Zhao Seven smiled. “I’m not just comforting you; I’m telling the truth. If you finish that book, you’ll realize even without me telling you that karma exists in this world.”
“Your father and grandfather did those things for your sake. Therefore, their actions are karmically linked to you. Because of that, the merit you earn can offset their transgressions.”
I clutched the book, feeling a sense of displacement. “Can I learn it?”
Old Zhao Seven said indifferently, “Whether you learn it or not is up to you. Some things are predestined. If you are fated to learn it, the day will come when you do. If you aren’t meant to, then even if you read it a hundred times, it will be for nothing.”
“But regardless of whether you learn it, you must maintain a heart of reverence and compassion. It will be for your own good.”
I nodded, etching Old Zhao Seven’s words into my heart.