A Quiet Dawn
April 15, the thirtieth year...
Chen Daming knocked on Li Qingshan's door with a subtle sense of concern. Elder Uncle was usually already up for their morning meditation and tea, but today there was no answer, no sound of movement from inside the house.
"Uncle Qingshan?" Daming called out, his voice louder. "Uncle, is everything alright?"
A profound silence, broken only by the sound of morning birds and a gentle breeze through the leaves.
With his heart beginning to race with apprehension, Daming opened the unlocked door—Li Qingshan never locked his door, saying that a true home is open to those who need sanctuary.
He found Li Qingshan lying peacefully in his bed, his face calm with a slight smile, his hands folded with grace over his chest. On the nightstand, there was an envelope with the name "Daming" written in familiar calligraphy.
No breathing. No pulse. But an expression of complete peace, as if he had simply... melted into eternal rest.
In a spiritual dimension invisible to Chen Daming...
Li Yuan—now returned to his true identity—stood as a pure soul beside the conscious body that had served as Li Qingshan for thirty years. With careful attention, he maintained a minimal connection to keep the appearance of a natural death without a dramatic disappearance.
Life as a human named Li Qingshan has ended, he reflected with a mixture of sadness and peace. Since I first became a pure soul, I thought I wanted to be human again. And here Li Qingshan was created—to experience what it means to truly belong to a community.
Now, I will live again with the name Li Yuan. But first, I must wait until this body is buried with the proper ceremony and the respect it deserves. Only then can I release this conscious body completely and return to the wider journey.
The Understanding of Home still pulsed in a hundred-meter radius, giving a feeling of comfort and belonging to everyone in the vicinity—a final gift for the community that had been his home for three decades.
Back in the visible world...
Chen Daming read the letter with trembling hands:
"My dearest Daming,
If you are reading this, then the time for my ultimate spiritual pilgrimage has arrived. Do not grieve for my departure, but celebrate the life that has been shared with joy and purpose.
In the desk drawer, you will find complete documentation for all network connections, financial arrangements, and transition plans. Everything has been prepared to ensure a smooth continuation of the work we built together.
Most importantly: remember that wisdom lives not in a person, but in the principles and values that we practiced together. Continue to serve with humility, lead with compassion, and always prioritize community welfare above individual recognition.
You are ready for these responsibilities. Trust in the wisdom you have developed, and remember that the best leaders are those who help others discover their own strengths.
With love and infinite confidence in a bright future,
Uncle Qingshan"
The Spreading News
Within hours, the news of Li Qingshan's peaceful passing spread throughout Hexin and beyond with surprising speed. Runners and messenger services carried the word to the network of communities that had been touched by his influence over decades.
Sister Lin arrived at the house with tears streaming down her weathered cheeks, followed shortly by Chen Wei with an expression of profound loss mixed with gratitude for a friendship that had enriched his life immeasurably.
"He looks... peaceful," Sister Lin whispered while standing beside the body that still radiated a sense of tranquil wisdom. "As if he simply decided that the time had come to move on to the next phase of his journey."
Chen Wei nodded, unable to speak past the tightness in his throat. In the corner, he noticed a small wooden sculpture that Li Qingshan had carved—a simple representation of a tree with deep roots and branches reaching skyward. On the base, an inscription that read: "Growth continues even after the gardener has moved on."
Widespread Grief
The second day after the discovery...
A-Ming arrived from the northeastern region with a face streaked with tears, accompanied by Xiao Hua, Jin, Liu-er, and all the original "children" whom Li Qingshan had rescued and raised. They gathered in the main hall of the School of Harmony, supporting each other through a grief that felt like losing a father, a teacher, and a spiritual anchor simultaneously.
"He didn't just save us," A-Ming said with a voice broken by emotion. "He showed us how to save ourselves and then help others do the same."
Xiao Hua, now a mature woman with responsibilities as a community healer, wept with deep sorrow. "Every lesson he taught, every moment he spent with us—it all led to this. He was preparing us to continue without him, but I... I never realized how much it would hurt."
In the streets of Hexin, normal activities had slowed to a respectful pause. Shopkeepers closed their businesses early, children played with unusual quiet, and neighbors gathered in small groups to share memories and console each other.
Mrs. Zhang, an elderly woman who had known Li Qingshan since his arrival decades ago, sat in a garden with tears falling onto the flowers she tended. "He made everyone feel... important. Like our lives mattered, like we had something valuable to contribute."
Old Master Feng, who had initially been suspicious of a newcomer who seemed too wise for his apparent age, now praised the memory of the man who had proven skeptics wrong through consistent service and humility. "He never tried to impress anyone, but everyone was impressed by his sincerity and wisdom."
The Network in Mourning
The third day...
Representatives from dozens of communities throughout the region began arriving to pay their respects to the man who had facilitated cooperation, resolved conflicts, and taught sustainable approaches to community development.
Government officials from the provincial level sent formal condolences, acknowledging Li Qingshan's contributions to regional stability and innovation in community governance.
Master Wei Ling from the Mirror Academy arrived with a delegation, carrying a letter from Master Shui that expressed profound sorrow for the loss of a man who had embodied the principles the Academy sought to teach and preserve.
"Elder Li was living proof," Master Wei Ling spoke to the gathering, "that wisdom serves its highest purpose when it is applied for the benefit of others, not for personal advancement or recognition."
Preparing for the Final Goodbye
The fourth and fifth days...
Chen Daming, despite his overwhelming grief, demonstrated the leadership that Li Qingshan had trained him for. Working with Sister Lin, Chen Wei, and a core group of senior community members, he organized a memorial service that would honor Li Qingshan's life and values rather than simply mourn his death.
"Uncle would want a celebration of the impact he made, not just sadness about his departure," Daming declared in a voice that grew stronger with each decision.
They arranged for the body to be displayed in the main hall of the School of Harmony, surrounded by flowers from every garden in Hexin and beyond. A simple wooden casket, crafted by Chen Wei with love and skill, reflected Li Qingshan's preference for simplicity over ostentation.
Visitors came in a steady stream—former students, community leaders, families who had been helped during crises, children who had learned to read in his classes, elderly who had found comfort in his presence during difficult times.
Each visitor left with a small offering: flowers, handwritten notes, simple crafts, or just silent moments of gratitude and prayer.
In the unseen spiritual dimension...
Li Yuan observed with deep emotion as the community that had become his family grieved for a loss that felt enormous despite being the natural conclusion of a well-lived life.
Their grief is a testament to the love that was shared, he reflected. The depth of their sorrow mirrors the depth of the connection that developed over thirty years of shared experiences.
The Understanding of Home continued to pulse, providing comfort to the mourners even as they struggled with the reality of departure. People reported feeling an unexplained sense of home and belonging even in the midst of grief—Li Qingshan's final gift to the community that had given him meaning and purpose.
Two more days until the burial ceremony. Then I will release this conscious body and return to the wider journey, carrying the memory of this experience as a permanent treasure in my immortal soul.
But for now, I wait and observe, honoring the grief of the people who loved Li Qingshan and celebrating a legacy that will continue to enrich lives long after the physical form has returned to the earth.
The Children's Tears
Most heartbreaking of all was the reaction of the youngest generation—the children and grandchildren of Li Qingshan's original students, who had known him as a beloved "Grandpa Uncle" who always had time for stories, gentle corrections for mistakes, and encouragement for dreams.
Eight-year-old Chen Xiaoli, the great-niece of Chen Daming, sat beside the casket with tears that would not stop. "Grandpa Uncle promised to teach me how to carve birds from wood. Who will teach me now?"
Her question echoed a pain that was felt throughout the community: who would provide the wisdom that had seemed inexhaustible? Who would offer comfort in times of uncertainty? Who would help resolve conflicts with patience and understanding?
In their innocent grief, the children expressed what the adults felt but could not articulate: a sense that the world had become less safe, less understandable, less... home-like... without the presence that had been a constant source of stability and love.
This pain, Li Yuan observed with an aching heart, is the price of a deep connection. But it is also proof that the connection was real, valuable, and transformative for all who experienced it.