Within the ruins of the Celestial Court, ripples shimmered gently, creating a dreamlike and surreal scene. As Meng Qi heard the term “third brother,” his scalp prickled, and he sternly retorted, “Help me?”
Bi Jingxuan, worried about being attacked by both of them, had already distanced herself. However, despite her limited discernment, she wasn’t completely swayed by Han Guang’s mere address. She didn’t rashly flee or attack Meng Qi, as simplicity of mind isn’t synonymous with stupidity.
A gentle breeze blew as Han Guang, his wide sleeves fluttering, spoke calmly and effortlessly, “Do you know why I pretended to be possessed by the Celestial Emperor in front of A-nan?”
Without waiting for an answer, he exuded a terrifying Celestial Immortal aura, yet it quickly receded. He appeared ordinary, but the more unassuming he seemed, the more dangerous Meng Qi sensed the Demon Patriarch to be.
“You said it was to uncover A-nan’s secrets. You should know well enough that A-nan is merely an imprint, responding according to historical progression. No matter how you act, he will only give the answers consistent with the original history,” Meng Qi remained cautious, withholding nothing and directly revealing in front of Bi Jingxuan that A-nan was merely an imprint.
An imprint? Bi Jingxuan’s eyes flickered, her brows slightly furrowed in confusion, not quite understanding why A-nan was just an imprint.
Han Guang chuckled, “Dear younger brother, you know what happened but not why. A-nan is indeed an imprint now, but where does this imprint come from? It is formed from past experiences and has become part of the real world’s normal functioning. Unless you can resist the real world’s strongest correction, even if you had killed ‘A-nan’ on the spot just now, you would have found him resurrected instantly, impossible to eradicate completely.”
“Since it is generated from past experiences, he isn’t a rigid statue. While maintaining the general historical progression, he draws responses from past experiences to deal with different situations.”
Drawing responses from past experiences? No wonder A-nan didn’t recognize me from the future, while Han Guang believed he might answer questions about the past. Though Meng Qi had inherited many teachings, he had never received systematic instruction and thus lacked the depth of insight possessed by Han Guang and Gu Xiaosang in the past.
With a smile, the Demon Patriarch clasped his hands behind his back and said, “Therefore, I wanted to test whether I could discover the true reason behind A-nan’s betrayal of the Celestial Emperor.”
A-nan betrayed the Celestial Emperor? Bi Jingxuan grew even more confused. When had the Buddha’s disciple become a subordinate of the Celestial Emperor?
Han Guang’s voice was magnetic, “As the Thunder God, he secretly conspired with the Demon Lord and later betrayed the Celestial Emperor in a crucial battle. After transforming into A-nan, he rebelled at the Vulture Peak, directly causing the Nirvana of countless Buddhas. The two dominant powers of the mythic era—the Celestial Court and the Buddhist sect—either disintegrated, leaving only a few survivors, or were severely weakened and never regained their former glory. Moreover, despite the Demoness’s deep affection, he coldly betrayed her, leading to the demise of nearly all the great demon kings. Even if someone wields the golden staff today, after countless eons, how many could possibly still survive?”
Meng Qi was already aware of these facts and thus unsurprised by Han Guang’s account. However, Bi Jingxuan, hearing this for the first time, was shocked, as if struck repeatedly by thunderbolts from the heavens.
A-nan was actually the Thunder God of the Celestial Court!
And he had betrayed the Celestial Court, the Vulture Peak, and the demon race!
“The top figure in the Celestial Court, one of the two most outstanding disciples of the Buddha, the future ruler of the Pure Land of Saha, and the beloved of the Demoness—each identity brought him immense benefits, yet he betrayed them all, making one suspect he had gone mad. But a madman could never have reached the other shore. What did he want? What was his true purpose? Why did he betray them? Aren’t you curious?” Han Guang expounded eloquently.
Given my relationship with the Demon Buddha A-nan, how could I not be curious? I just lacked clues to investigate! Meng Qi inwardly grumbled at Han Guang but nodded frankly, “Curious.”
With the Demon Buddha looming over him, bound to be freed eventually, unless he could strengthen himself beforehand, he would have to rely on other Transcendent Beings’ wariness of the Demon Buddha, which was not his preference. To counter the Demon Buddha, improving himself was one aspect, but uncovering his secrets was another. If he could glean even a bit from Han Guang, that would be excellent.
Reaching the other shore? A-nan eventually reached the other shore? Who sealed him, leaving only an imprint? Bi Jingxuan’s eyes narrowed, filled with shock.
“I am also curious, but unfortunately, I couldn’t trick it out just now. I can only confirm from his reaction that his betrayal was definitely not baseless,” Han Guang sighed, his demeanor still carefree.
Meng Qi contemplated, “His treachery caused the collapse and decline of the three great powers—the Celestial Court, Vulture Peak, and the demon race. Considering who stands to gain, only the Daoist sect and the Nine Nether remain as suspects. Could he be a pawn of one of the Three Pure Ones, or a formidable entity secretly nurtured in the Nine Nether?”
At least A-nan also betrayed the Demon Lord, prompting him to say, “You came too late.”
“The whereabouts of the Three Pure Ones remain unknown, making this hard to verify. Moreover, I suspect it’s not that simple,” Han Guang mused thoughtfully.
“But how does this relate to your request for me to ‘help you’?” Meng Qi circled back to the main point.
Han Guang chuckled, “A man without ambition cannot stand. I’ve come this far step by step—how could I not aspire to the position of the Celestial Emperor, ruling over all heavens and worlds?”
“You’re not the demon destined to destroy the world?” Meng Qi mocked.
“Time is merciless, and the era must end. Isn’t this the end of the world?” Han Guang smiled calmly. “With such ambitions, I must make thorough preparations. Among them, the most important is the attitude of the Transcendent Beings. Only by accurately gauging their stance can I maneuver strategically, forming alliances and counterbalances to truly become the Celestial Emperor. Otherwise, not only would I fail to reach the other shore, but I might be swatted down like a mosquito upon entering the realm of creation, for only a Transcendent Being can counter another.”
To discern the Transcendent Beings’ attitudes, the most crucial step is to reconstruct the events from the era of the Investiture of the Gods to the battle at the Vulture Peak, uncovering their relationships. Ananda is a pivotal figure in this convoluted history, even the key to it all. Understanding his secrets is like grasping the key thread, allowing one to begin unraveling the entire story.
A man without long-term plans will face immediate troubles. Han Guang perfectly exemplified this in front of Meng Qi, causing him to deeply reflect. Indeed, his own nature was not that of a ruthless hero. He had always been carefree, treating the world’s beauty as mere entertainment, lacking strong initiative. Without the pressure of the Six Dao Reincarnation Master, he wouldn’t have advanced so quickly. Without the threat of the Demon Buddha or the motivation from Xiaosang’s death, he wouldn’t have delivered the two fateful strikes severing the past and rejecting the future. Without the drive to resurrect Xiaosang and help his companions, and without the pressure of the Demon Buddha’s impending escape, he wouldn’t have continued relentlessly after achieving the Dharmakaya. Even leaving behind the “self-imprint” was due to the approaching banquet at Golden Turtle Island.
In the future, he should learn more from the Demon Patriarch…
“But this still doesn’t explain how it relates to your request for me to ‘help you,'” Meng Qi expressed his confusion again.
The Demon Patriarch had committed countless atrocities, causing many acquaintances to die. Meng Qi had no intention of accepting his help, but the situation was strange. If the truth wasn’t uncovered, he couldn’t feel at ease.
Han Guang laughed heartily, “Dear younger brother, you still don’t understand? If I want to ascend to the position of the Celestial Emperor, my enemies are countless. For example, Yuan Hong of the Golden Turtle Island and many other powerful beings have similar ambitions. If I suddenly emerged, I would become the target of all arrows. Moreover, no matter how I try to hide, it’s impossible to keep it secret forever. Like the moonlight on a clear night, clouds may obscure it temporarily but not forever.”
“Fortunately, there’s you in this world. You’ve had great fortune in the past and are now an important pawn in restraining A-nan, possibly even the new Primordial Heaven Venerable. Your brilliance is like the sun, drawing everyone’s attention—whether it’s caution, vigilance, nurturing, or control. These conflicting intentions will distract the powerful beings from focusing on me. The moonlight may be impossible to conceal, but it can be overshadowed by the sun’s brightness.”
“Just think, before you appeared, how prominent I was, famous throughout the world. But once you emerged, my fame remained, though not as before.”
“Therefore, I will help you shine even brighter!”
The new Primordial Heaven Venerable? Bi Jingxuan suddenly turned her head toward Meng Qi, widening the distance between them.
At this moment, Han Guang smiled slightly at Bi Jingxuan and said, “My dear third brother is a direct disciple of the Jade Void, possessing the Nine Seals of Primordial Heaven. When all nine seals are united, the Primordial Heaven Venerable emerges, so isn’t it possible for him to become the new Primordial Heaven Venerable?”
Bi Jingxuan’s expression shifted, her vigilance toward Meng Qi increasing, though she hadn’t fully believed Han Guang’s words yet.
A subtle attempt at sowing discord—what a skillful move by the Demon Patriarch… Meng Qi’s voice was heavy, “Unfortunately, I don’t wish to accept your help.”
Han Guang shook his head and smiled, “Whether you wish it or not is one matter; whether I choose to help is another.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a long knife with shimmering waves appeared behind him, and the ruins of the Celestial Court instantly darkened like the depths of the ocean.
No, only around Meng Qi did this occur. Bi Jingxuan, having distanced herself, was not enveloped.
Han Guang deliberately called him “third brother” to widen the gap between Meng Qi and Bi Jingxuan, preventing them from combining forces to break through the isolation? Meng Qi realized this clearly. He wanted to attack, but the surroundings became viscous and slow, lacking destructive power yet making everything accelerate, diverging from the external space-time. Han Guang and Bi Jingxuan were now isolated from him, with only a voice echoing in his ears:
“Five years in one night, Brother Two helps you achieve the Earth Immortal realm!”
Five years in one night? So that’s how Han Guang gained those ten years! Meng Qi suddenly understood.
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