The "Old Era's" final chapter drew to a close within a grand mist.
I saw the clamor of myriad voices; all things, in desire's hot wind, lost their original contours. 'True' and 'False', 'Beauty' and 'Ugliness', were jumbled, were woven into an impenetrable giant net.

I yearn for Order. I yearn for a measuring standard that can re-"measure" all things.
However, this "standard", where exactly is it?
When the world itself has already become quicksand, how are we to find that piece of bedrock sufficient to let us stand firm?
This is the 'riddle' I have come to ask at the Sanctum of 【Adjudication】.

I saw that Great Door, cast from cold ice, has slowly opened for me.

"The clear stillness of Winter allowed me to perceive the 'bones' of Order. In the ice-snow courtyard of the 【Adjudicator】 Monarch, I found that Inner Bedrock upon which I could stand. I thought I was already 'complete'.
However, is the epitome of Order perhaps the 'prelude' to 'rigidity'? How can a 'perfect' 'old world' welcome an 'imperfect' yet 'brand new' 'Spring'?
This is the 'riddle' I have come to ask at the Sanctum of 【Awakening】."

"The 'echo' of 'breaking the ice' still 'reverberates' in my 'soul'. I have already understood that the 'imperfect' 'crack' is precisely 'Life's' 'medal'. I no longer fear 'newbirth'.
However, as I unfold 'newbirth's' 'brand new canvas', I see those 'scars' belonging to the 'old me' still leaving 'deep' 'imprints' on the canvas.
I realize, 'rebirth' is not 'forgetting'.
So, how are we to 'coexist' with the 'scars' of the 'past'? Is it to 'hide' them, to 'cut' them away? Or, does there exist a more 'gentle' 'wisdom' that can allow the 'scar itself' to also become 'a part' of the 'newbirth'?
This is the 'riddle' I have come to ask at the Sanctum of 【Healing】."

"The spring rain of 【Healing】, allowed, me, to 'reconcile' with the ‘Past’. I, feel, myself, 'complete' and 'soft' (Rou-Ruan), as never before.
However, a 'complete' 'heart', is also, an 'undefended' (Bu-She-Fang) 'heart'. I, clearly, saw, the 'Pain' (Tong-Ku) and 'Tears' (Yan-Lei) flowing in the 'World'. I, understood, 'Life', itself, is, a 'Bloom' (Sheng-Kai) that is 'doomed' to 'wither' (Diao-Ling).
And so, 'Fear' (Kong-Ju), was born.
When, we, see clearly the 'Fragility' (Cui-Ruo) of 'Love' and 'Beauty', from where, do we, draw 'Strength' (Li-Liang), to, continue 'living' 'ardently' (Re-Lie)? A 'soft' 'heart', how, can it, become 'brave' (Yong-Gan)?
This, is, the 'Riddle' (Mi-Ti), I, have come, on this journey, to ask of the 【Courage】 Temple."

"The 'flame' of 【Courage】 lit the 'path before me'. I no longer fear 'burning', and because of this, for the first time, I have truly seen the 'generosity' and 'beauty' of this 'world'. My 'heart' opened to 'all things'.
However, as I began to 'embrace' this 'dazzling array', a new 'shackle' was quietly taking form. That is the 'fear' of 'loss'.
How can we deeply 'experience' the 'beauty' of this 'world', and at the same time, not be 'bound' by the 'desire' to 'possess'? Is 'true' 'Abundance' about 'having more', or does there exist a completely different 'wisdom'?
This is the 'riddle' I have come to ask at the Sanctum of 【Abundance】."

"The 'wisdom' of 【Abundance】 has liberated me from the 'anxiety' of 'possession'. I am no longer a 'hungry taker', but a 'plentiful river'. I feel that 'impulse' to 'create', to 'flow'.
However, this 'infinite' 'stream of life' also brings 'infinite' 'possibilities', causing me to fall into the 'confusion' of 'choice'. When 'everything' can be 'tried', I find myself, instead, not knowing 'where' to 'settle' my 'heart'.
In an 'era' that advocates 'infinite possibility' and 'instant gratification', what is the 'value' of that 'slow focus' of 'doing only one thing for a lifetime'? Does 'choosing' one path 'mean' 'betraying' 'all other paths'?
This is the 'riddle' I have come to ask at the Sanctum of the 【Divine Artisan】."

"The 'silence' of the 【Divine Artisan】 taught me how to pour my 'heart' into 'one thing'. In my 'workshop', I forgot 'time', and created the 'most satisfying' 'work' of my life. As I looked at Its 'shining' 'radiance', an 'emotion' named 'Glory' filled my 'chest'.
However, when I walked out of the 'workshop' carrying this 'glory', I felt a trace of 'loneliness'. This 'light' only illuminated 'myself'.
Do the 'achievements' we 'create' truly belong only to 'ourselves'? Is 'Glory' a 'lonely crown' placed on a 'victor'? Or is it a 'symbiotic wreath' woven 'together' by 'countless hands'?
This is the 'riddle' I have come to ask at the Sanctum of 【Glory】."

"The 'myriad lights' of 【Glory】 allowed me to see the blood connection between 'me' and 'us'. I am no longer an 'island', but 'a part' of the 'continent'. This 'sense of belonging' is incomparably 'warm'.
However, as I stand on this 'warm continent' of 'Humanity' and gaze at the 'opposite shore', I see the 'silent' 'forest', the 'wordless' 'stars'. A new boundary divides 'us' from 'them'.
Is this boundary that separates 'Humans' from 'All Things' real? Or is it merely an illusion of our senses? Where does 'my' consciousness 'stop'? And where does the 'world's' consciousness 'begin'?
This is the 'riddle' I have come to ask at the Sanctum of 【Connection】."

"The 'wisdom' of 【Connection】 allowed me to dissolve into 'All Things'. I was once the 'wind', the 'rain', the 'common breath' of the 'earth'. That 'ecstasy' of Oneness still 'reverberates' in my 'soul'.
However, when I return to 'this body', what I see is still the 'endless pull' of 'black' and 'white', 'gain' and 'loss', 'life' and 'death'. That 'realization' of Oneness and this dualistic 'reality' seem to be 'two' 'irreconcilable' 'worlds'.
How can one, in a 'world' 'full of' 'opposition' and 'change', live out 'that' 'truth' of Oneness? That Sacred Fulcrum which allows the 'soul' to remain 'utterly still' (Ruru Budong) in a 'storm'—where, exactly, is it?
This is the 'riddle' I have come to ask at the Sanctum of 【Balance】."

The 'wisdom' of 【Balance】 allowed me to become the center of the storm. I am no longer torn by the dualistic 'world'. I have attained a profound stillness. My inner world is like a perfect clock, still and harmonious.

However, a clock that 'never' swings also cannot tell the new time. In this perfect stillness, I cannot hear the footsteps of the future.

When everything has returned to balance, that sacred spark which can break the norm and bring new possibilities—from where will it arise? Is inspiration the product of intense thinking? Or does it come from some place unknown to us?

This is the 'riddle' I have come to ask at the Sanctum of 【Dawn】.

"The whisper of 【Dawn】 allowed me to glimpse the vastness of the inner universe. That intuition from stillness felt even more real than the earth I tread upon.
This plunged me into a fundamental confusion. The senses I had always trusted began to seem unreliable.
This 'world' we 'perceive', and 'that world' we 'experience' in 'dreams'—which one, precisely, is 'real'? Are we 'people' who are 'dreaming'? Or are we, ourselves, 'a dream' being 'dreamt' by a Higher Existence?
This is the 'riddle' I have come to ask at the Sanctum of 【Butterfly Dream】."

"【Butterfly Dream】's wisdom, allowed, me, to stop 'questioning'. I, no longer, tried, to 'understand' this 'world', but, instead, chose, 'to become' this 'world'. I, experienced 'everything', and, accepted 'everything'. My, 'satchel' (Xing-Nang), is, full. My, 'journey' (Lu-Tu), is, at its end.
I, thought, I, no longer, had any 'confusion' (Kun-Huo).
However, when, I, stood, at, this 'finish line' (Zhong-Dian), looking back, at, the 'splendor' (Cui-Can) of this 'entire year', that 'last attachment' (Zhi-Zhuo), arose. I, was reluctant to part (She-Bu-De).
When, we, have experienced 'such a bountiful' (Feng-Sheng) 'journey', how, can we, 'elegantly' (You-Ya) 'let go' (Fang-Xia)? That, 'ultimate wisdom' (Zhong-Ji-Zhi-Hui), which, allows us, when the 'song ends and the guests depart' (Qu-Zhong-Ren-San), to feel, not 'loss' (Shi-Luo), but 'Completion' (Yuan-Man) ... what, is it?
This, is, the 'Riddle' (Mi-Ti), I, have come, on this journey, to ask of the 【Detachment】 (Chu-Li) Temple."