16. The Hermits Book
1. The Bookstore and the Ancient Book
Huang Zhihua was a young clerk at a bookstore in the center of the city. The bookstore was located in a narrow alley in a bustling commercial district, and the red bricks on its exterior walls had weathered and crumbled, as if whispering about the prosperity of the past. Zhihua loved the tranquility of the place, especially when he was alone sorting through piles of books, because it felt as though he had entered another world.
One rainy afternoon, the store manager asked him to clean out the old books covered in dust in the basement storage room. In the shadows at the very bottom of a bookshelf, he discovered a yellowed and weathered ancient book. Silver lettering was printed on its cover: The Hermits Book.
When he opened the book, the pages had become fragile, like dried leaves. The book recorded a long-lost philosophy of hermit life, exploring the mysterious connection between the universe and the self, as well as the path of spiritual cultivation leading toward the “Realm of Ultimate Goodness.”
Zhihua could not suppress his curiosity. The contents of the book seemed to be calling out to him.
2. The Hermits Land
As he read, Zhihua learned that the philosophy of hermit life originated with a hermit named Ying Wuchou, who lived in seclusion in a distant valley. He refused all visitors and would speak only with those who genuinely yearned for the truth.
Zhihua made up his mind to travel to that valley in search of Ying Wuchou.
During his journey, he encountered several important characters:
Lin Wanjun—a woman well versed in astrology who predicted that Zhihuas journey would be filled with trials and difficult choices.
Guo Zilong—an old man who claimed to have once met Ying Wuchou, but who was filled with regret because he had failed to pass the trials.
The Man in Black—someone who was always watching Zhihua from the shadows and seemed to have an ulterior motive.
Zhihua traveled through alternating landscapes of wastelands, dense forests, glaciers, and volcanoes, gradually realizing that this journey was not merely a search for the hermit, but also an exploration of his own inner self.
3. Ying Wuchou
In a secluded and tranquil valley, Zhihua finally found Ying Wuchou. The hermit was an old man with silver hair and a peaceful expression, yet his eyes were as unfathomable as the deep sea.
Ying Wuchou told Zhihua, “Wisdom does not come from books. It comes from exploring your own heart. Your journey may have been long, but your true spiritual practice has only just begun.”
Under the hermits guidance, Zhihua learned how to search within himself for answers instead of relying on books or external knowledge. What the hermit taught him was not a specific skill, but a kind of wisdom in which “non-action leads to accomplishment.”
4. The Return
After returning to the city, Zhihua let go of his obsession with books and turned his attention instead to his own inner cultivation. He began writing down his insights and sharing these experiences with people who longed to discover their true selves.
Back at the bookstore, he reopened The Hermits Book, only to discover that the words inside were gradually disappearing, as if the book had existed from the very beginning solely to guide him toward Ying Wuchou.
Just then, the Man in Black appeared in the bookstore.
“It seems you have completed this journey,” the Man in Black said in a low voice, revealing a strange smile.
5. The Unexpected Twist
The Man in Black revealed his true identity—he was Ying Wuchou himself. The so-called valley and hermit had never existed. Everything had been an illusion created by Ying Wuchou to test Zhihua.
“True wisdom has never been found somewhere far away. It lies in the choices you make when faced with illusions,” Ying Wuchou said calmly.
It turned out that all the fantastical sights and characters Zhihua had encountered during his journey were projections of his own mind, brought forth by Ying Wuchou through the philosophy in the book as a way of guiding him. Lin Wanjun, Guo Zilong, and even the figure of the hermit were all manifestations of different parts of his inner self.
Zhihua was astonished, yet at the same time, everything suddenly became clear to him.
After Ying Wuchou departed, the bookstore returned to its usual tranquility, as if nothing had ever happened.
Huang Zhihua placed The Hermits Book deep inside the bookstore, yet he knew that the true Hermits Book had already opened within his own heart.
