Looking at the notes he had copied out: "Without tranquility, there can be no clarity; without detachment, there can be no far-reaching vision." This was his favorite line, taken from Zhuge Liang's *Admonition to His Son*. Yang Xi read it over and down several times, then picked up his pen and wrote, "Alas! Detachment from fame and wealth, and inner tranquility—I am detached enough. But what is tranquility, and what on earth is still weighing on my heart?" Yang Xi felt utterly perplexed.
With his martial arts having reached this realm, what was he supposed to be thinking about? What was he supposed to do? What did it mean to transcend the mundane? This question had been plaguing Yang Xi for a long time.
After reading for a while, Yang Xi decided that tonight was not the night to force a breakthrough in his state of mind. Such mystical matters could not be rushed; perhaps at some random moment, upon seeing a single character or hearing a joke, the epiphany would simply strike him. Thus, he abandoned his efforts to probe further, choosing instead to wash up and go to sleep.
Chapter 33