The nun casually extended her hand, and a red "Flower of the Afterlife" materialized within her grasp.
"Flower of the Afterlife," as the name implies, is a flower that grows on the other shore.
Fingering the vibrant red petals, she moved her lips slightly and asked a question:
"What kind of flower do you see?"
Chen Yi squinted his eyes and replied, "Flower of the Afterlife."
"But I see a white lotus," the nun said.
"A white lotus?" Chen Yi questioned.
The white lotus and the Flower of the Afterlife are nearly opposites: the former signifies enlightenment, transcendence from the cycle of reincarnation, while the latter is regarded as a flower of the underworld, a symbol of life and death.
"That's correct," the nun confirmed.
Chen Yi realized she might be speaking in riddles, hinting at Zen, and thus grew more cautious, his hand subconsciously stroking his severed arm.
The nun asked, with a semblance of ambiguity, "Have you reached the other shore?"
