Memorial Service: A Celebration of Life
The seventh day after the discovery...
The main hall of the School of Harmony had been transformed into a sacred and beautiful space. Hundreds of flowers—plum blossoms, chrysanthemums, delicate lotuses—created a garden of memory and tribute. Simple yet meaningful photographs and artwork decorated the walls, telling the story of a life dedicated to service.
Li Yuan, in the form of a pure soul invisible to mortal eyes, observed from a corner as the people who had become his family gathered to honor the memory of Li Qingshan.
More than a thousand people, he marveled. From Hexin residents to representatives from dozens of communities across three provinces. All drawn together by the shared experience of a man who chose to live quietly yet impactfully.
Chen Daming stood at the front of the gathering, his face composed but his eyes showing a depth of grief that had been processed with wisdom.
"Friends and family," Daming began in a voice that carried the authority earned through years of mentoring, "we gather not only to mourn a loss, but to celebrate a life that showed us that wisdom serves best when shared with humility and compassion."
A perfect opening. He truly understands the essence of what Li Qingshan represented.
A-Ming stepped forward, now a mature man in his forties with graying hair and a face weathered by years of leadership responsibilities.
"Elder Uncle Li saved me when I was a street child with no hope and no future. But his salvation didn't stop at providing food and shelter. He taught me that every person has the potential to contribute something meaningful to the world."
His voice broke slightly with emotion. "Now, in the work that I do in the northeastern communities, every day I try to honor his example by seeing potential in others that they don't yet see in themselves."
Xiao Hua, an elegant woman with a healer's gentle manner, spoke about lessons in compassionate care. Liu-er shared stories about sustainable agriculture innovations that had improved life for hundreds of farming families. Jin described fair trade networks that had brought prosperity without exploitation.
Each of them carrying forward a different aspect of the wisdom we developed together. A network of impact that will continue for generations.
Sister Lin, leaning on a walking stick but speaking with a voice that was clear and strong, addressed the gathering with the memory that went back the furthest.
"Li Qingshan arrived in Hexin almost thirty years ago as a man who seemed to have experienced much, but he never spoke about past achievements or demanded recognition. Instead, he simply... began helping. Quietly, consistently, with no agenda except to make life better for others."
Tears flowed freely in the audience as Elder Sister continued.
"He taught us that true strength lies not in dominating others, but in helping others discover their own power. That real wisdom shows itself not in impressive speeches, but in small acts of daily kindness and practical problem-solving."
The Understanding of Home pulsed gently throughout the space, providing comfort to grieving hearts even though they couldn't identify the source of the feeling of home and belonging that sustained them.
The most moving part of the ceremony came when the youngest generation stepped forward. Chen Xiaoli, the eight-year-old who had wept beside the casket, now stood with a dozen other children, each holding a simple drawing or craft that represented a lesson they had learned from "Grandpa Uncle."
"Grandpa Uncle taught us," Xiaoli said in a small but clear voice, "that the biggest trees grow from the smallest seeds. He said we are all seeds with the potential to grow into something beautiful and helpful."
Ten-year-old Wang Jun held up a drawing of a community garden. "He showed us that when everyone contributes something small, together we create something big and beautiful."
From the mouths of children, wisdom distilled to its essential truths.
Li Yuan felt an overwhelming wave of gratitude and fulfillment. These young ones understand. The principles we practiced will continue not as rigid rules, but as a living wisdom that adapts to each new situation.
Representatives from the regional network stood together to make a collective commitment.
Master Chen from Dongyang Province declared: "The communities in our region pledge to continue the cooperative relationships that Elder Li helped facilitate. His approach to resolving conflicts through understanding rather than force will guide our future negotiations."
Official Zhang from the Provincial Government added: "The educational innovations pioneered at the School of Harmony will be implemented carefully in pilot programs, with an emphasis on maintaining the authenticity and local adaptation that Elder Li always emphasized."
Master Wei Ling from the Mirror Academy concluded: "The principles that Elder Li embodied—service without recognition, wisdom applied for practical benefit, leadership that empowers others—will continue to be taught and practiced in the institutions that share his vision."
A truly sustainable system. A network that functions based on shared values rather than a dependence on a particular individual.
Later, as the crowd dispersed and the casket was prepared for burial...
Li Yuan observed the final private moments as the closest family members said their personal goodbyes. Chen Daming placed a hand on the casket with a whispered promise: "I will honor the trust you placed in me, Uncle. The community will continue to grow in directions that you would be proud of."
Sister Lin left a single white flower, murmuring: "Thank you for showing us that home is not a place, but a feeling of belonging with people who care about each other."
Chen Wei, a practical man of few words, simply stood in silent gratitude for a friendship that had enriched decades of his life.
Time for the final release.
Sunset, at the hillside cemetery overlooking Hexin...
A simple burial ceremony, attended by core community members. Words of gratitude, prayers for a peaceful rest, and commitments to continue the work that had been begun.
Li Yuan felt the moment when the last handful of earth covered the casket. The connection to the physical form that had served as Li Qingshan for thirty years was finally severed completely.
Li Qingshan is finished. That chapter of the infinite journey is now closed with dignity and love.
The conscious body that had allowed him to experience mortal life dissolved into peaceful non-existence, leaving only the pure soul that had chosen to live as a human for a deeper understanding of community, belonging, and service.
The same night, as Hexin settled into a quiet rest...
Li Yuan, now completely free from physical form, felt the ancient calling that had been dormant for three decades. The Eldest Breath—the ultimate harmony that lay beyond all partial understanding.
He rose from the earth with a movement that was not flying but rather... becoming one with the elements that connected all things. The form of a pure soul ascending through the layers of the atmosphere, supported by winds that recognized him as a kindred spirit.
The clouds parted to welcome a presence that had learned wisdom from living fully as a mortal while retaining the essence of immortal understanding.
Below, the Understanding of Home continued to pulse in a radius that gradually expanded, ensuring that the feeling of home and belonging would linger in Hexin for many years to come—a final blessing for the community that had given him the gift of authentic human experience.
Thirty years as Li Qingshan had taught him precious lessons: that immortal beings can find meaning in mortality, that true wisdom shows itself in humble service, that love extends not through dominance but through the empowerment of others.
As Li Yuan ascended toward the stars that had witnessed his journey for more than three centuries, he carried with him treasures that could only be gained through living fully in a mortal community:
The understanding of patience that comes from watching children grow slowly into wise adults.
The knowledge of friendship that develops through shared daily struggles and small mutual supports.
An appreciation for mortality's gift: the urgency that makes every moment precious, every relationship valuable, every act of kindness meaningful.
The world is limitless, he reflected as Hexin became a small light in the distance below. Infinite communities, infinite opportunities for service, infinite ways to grow in understanding.
Those who read to understand have opened the door of true comprehension.
And in that opening, the endless journey continues—from one form of service to another, from one community to the next, from one level of understanding to one deeper still.
Li Yuan travels on, toward the Eldest Breath, toward ultimate harmony, toward an understanding that transcends all boundaries between the self and the cosmos, carrying within his immortal soul the treasure of mortal love that will enrich whatever forms of service await him in a journey that has no end.
Epilogue: A Living Legacy
Five years later...
A traveler passing through Hexin would find a thriving community that exemplified the best aspects of human cooperation. The School of Harmony had become renowned throughout the empire for its educational approach that combined academic learning with character development. The regional cooperation network functioned smoothly, resolving conflicts and coordinating resources with an efficiency that impressed government observers.
Chen Daming, now a fully mature leader, guided the community with a wisdom that honored Li Qingshan's example while adapting to new challenges. A-Ming's children learned in schools that reflected the principles first taught in simple circles in Li Qingshan's garden.
Most remarkably: visitors often commented on the unusual feeling of welcome and belonging that pervaded Hexin. Newcomers found unusual ease in settling into community life. Conflicts resolved with less difficulty than expected. People reported a sense of being "at home" even when far from their places of birth.
The Understanding of Home, slowly fading but still present, continued to bless the place that had been a true home for an immortal soul who chose to live for a time as one among many, a teacher among students, a servant among those who serve.
And in the vast sky above, the journey continues toward an understanding that has no end, carried forward by a spirit that learned that wisdom finds its highest expression not in power over others, but in the love that empowers others to discover their own infinite potential.
Li Yuan travels on, toward the Eldest Breath, toward ultimate harmony, toward an understanding that transcends all boundaries between the self and the cosmos, carrying within his immortal soul the treasure of mortal love that will enrich whatever forms of service await in a journey that has no ending.
终
END ARC