Chapter 1070: Neither Dead nor Alive

Looking afar at Mount Tianzhu, peaks intertwined with clouds, piercing through the layers of rosy dawn, soaring straight to Lingxiao Hall.

Meng Qi gazed at the towering, majestic mountain from afar, his heart heavy with an inexplicable sense of danger. Given his current cultivation realm and martial prowess, even if Mount Tianzhu was rife with forbidden techniques, unless he encountered a demon-god-level opponent comparable to the Overking, such a foreboding premonition would not easily arise within him.

Mount Tianzhu pierced through the layered clouds above and extended deep underground, enveloped in thick, unyielding black mist—denser than demonic aura, heavier with death than sinister energy. This eerie, decaying sensation reminded Meng Qi of the ruined Ling Mountain.

“So it’s indeed connected to the ancient Ling Mountain battle,” Meng Qi nodded slightly, his eyes revealing a hint of gravity. “It emits no aura, as if dormant, yet still makes me sense danger. In those days, it certainly couldn’t have been an insignificant figure. Could this be one of the fortunate Great Sages who managed to escape?”

As for the “Immortal Demon God” mentioned by the Huangjing King, having experienced the events of the Investiture of the Gods and Journey to the West, Meng Qi listened with a grain of salt. Unlike the matter of Ling Mountain, the moment he laid eyes on Mount Tianzhu, he was certain. Who knew whether Huangjing’s information was accurate or if the “Immortal Demon God” had deliberately spread rumors.

Of course, if his words were true, then very few of those who had experienced the Investiture of the Gods, Journey to the West, and the battle of Ling Mountain remained. Meng Qi could make an educated guess—such as Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s mount, the White Elephant, formerly the Lingya Immortal of the Jie Sect; the Twin Demon Kings of Lion-Camel Ridge; or Guanyin Bodhisattva’s mount, the Golden-Headed Hou, once the Jinguang Immortal of the Jie Sect, also known as the “Grand Tutor Sai” of the Kingdom of Zhuzi.

Though not reaching the level of Creation, they were still legendary Great Sages!

As thoughts whirled, Meng Qi took out the “Myriad Realms Universal Knowledge Talisman,” recording Mount Tianzhu’s image. If he perished here, it would automatically transmit his status to summon reinforcements.

Then he sat cross-legged in a concealed spot, adjusting his Shan Yun Crown. A surge of Primordial Qi erupted, forming a canopy of auspicious clouds a zhang wide, radiating chaotic, dark light. From it emerged a towering figure, flying forth with a faint golden glow on its surface. Every movement exuded power capable of shattering the void.

This was Meng Qi’s “Indestructible Dao Body” incarnation.

The “Immortal Demon God” of Mount Tianzhu was terrifying—it was no benevolent sanctuary. It wasn’t worth risking his true self, as an avatar could be re-cultivated upon death, unlike Han Guang, who required specific objects for rebirth. Meng Qi primarily relied on his supreme ability, “One Qi Manifests Three Pure Ones,” and the techniques he had cultivated.

Of course, compared to Han Guang’s Yama and Heavenly Emperor incarnations, his divine incarnations had time limits—maintaining one lasted a moment, two lasted the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, and three lasted sixty breaths. Each had its own advantages and disadvantages.

The “Indestructible Dao Body” shook itself, transforming into a Daoist wearing a Shan Yun Crown and Shui He Robe, riding a somersault cloud toward Mount Tianzhu.

A few instants later, Meng Qi halted at Tianzhu Mountain’s edge, spotting two tiger-headed, human-bodied demons emerging from the black mist. Their bodies glowed dark-blue, exuding faint death and decay. In a cold, low voice, they commanded: “Halt!”

Meng Qi deliberately simulated a dragon’s aura and scales, intimidating the two Demon Venerables, then bowed: “This humble Daoist is the ‘Heavenly Lord of Other Transformation,’ from the Eastern Sea, seeking an audience with the ‘Undying Demon God.'”

“My Lord forbids outsiders. Return!” one demon snapped.

Meng Qi smiled faintly: “Convey two phrases to your Lord. If he still refuses, I’ll leave immediately.”

Deeply affected by Meng Qi’s demonic aura, the demons maintained their politeness. One inquired, “What phrases?”

Meng Qi sneered, “Ananda’s transformation, an old acquaintance from Mount Ling.”

“An old friend of Ling Shan?” Though unaware of “A’nan’s transformation,” the demons were acutely sensitive to the mention of “an old friend of Ling Shan.” Long ago, many Great Sages of the demon race were trapped at Ling Shan, unable to break free. The Demon Saint Matriarch meditated there until her demise, leaving the demon uprising unfinished. Their Lord had witnessed the fall of Heaven and survived the battle at Ling Shan. It was said that he was the only demon besides the Demon Saint Matriarch to escape, earning him transcendent status and renown across the Four Great Continents.

Now this stranger claimed to be a survivor from Mount Ling!

Could he be an ancient demon god who escaped the calamity of the Sacred Mountain?

Hearing these eight words, the two patrolling demons dared not delay. One rushed into the mountain to report, while the other guarded the forbidden barrier, blocking Meng Qi from advancing.

Soon, Tianzhu Mountain trembled violently, spewing dust and black mist. Combined with its inherent sinister decay and deathly aura, the surroundings resembled an apocalyptic scene.

The black mist swirled into a vortex, forming a path into Tianzhu Mountain. A terrifying, dead-like will faintly emerged within.

“If truly an old friend, enter,” a voice, neither old nor young, male nor female, echoed.

What was there to fear? This was merely an incarnation… Meng Qi smiled and stepped forward, entering the vortex. Light and shadows shifted, instantly transporting him into a tomb chamber illuminated by countless eternal lamps. Water splashed beneath his feet, eroding vitality, while a sinister, decaying aura of death surged upward.

No coffin was placed in the chamber, symbolizing “immortality.” At the far end, beneath the eternal lamps, stood a black ice-cloud bed. Seated cross-legged upon it was a figure entirely enveloped in pitch-black robes. Its aura was completely sealed, exuding no demonic energy—only a faint trace of death lingered.

“You weren’t at Ling Mountain back then. How do you know about A-nan’s change?” the shadow spoke slowly.

Meng Qi’s eight words—”old friend from Ling Mountain”—were directed at the gate demons to ensure their report, while “Ananda’s transformation” targeted the demon god as a key to capturing attention. Similarly, the demon god’s permission to enter, the posing of this question, and the environment resembling the ruins of Ling Mountain convinced Meng Qi that it had indeed witnessed the battle of Ling Mountain.

“Ananda’s transformation marked the turning point of the battle at Mount Ling, where countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas succumbed to darkness, astonishing everyone,” Meng Qi said with a serene smile. “As for this humble Daoist, I was indeed present at Mount Ling back then, though greatly altered. You simply failed to recognize me.”

“A mere incarnation, hard to recognize. Who are you truly?” The “Undying Demon God” coldly pierced through the truth.

Such keen insight must belong to a legendary figure… Meng Qi maintained his smile: “At the crucial moment, I slew Jia-she, altered the formation, turned death into life, and transformed the Dharma into demonic intent. Tell me, who am I?”

“A-nan!”

The shadow roared furiously, releasing an aura like a collapsing, exploding sun. Waves of pressure surged relentlessly, cracking Meng Qi’s golden glow, isolating him from heaven and earth, threatening to destroy his inner universe-tao cavity. The eternal lamps around him disintegrated into dust.

Meng Qi activated his Indestructible Dao Body, channeling tao cavity power to resist this brief, terrifying assault. He felt like a final villain—thanks entirely to Mara-Buddha A-nan!

“How did you become so weak?” The shadow, whether a Great Sage or a Great Being, sensed something amiss after unleashing his suppressed rage. As one of the Buddha’s most outstanding disciples, a supreme Arhat, and a potential ruler of the Saha Pure Land, Ananda had long since attained the Creation realm—a true grandmaster. Even an incarnation shouldn’t be merely at the Earth Immortal level; it should at least reach the Heaven Immortal tier, though this opponent’s Earth Immortal possessed partial Heaven Immortal power.

Maintaining composure, Meng Qi clasped his hands behind his back, smiling: “I am A-nan, yet not quite A-nan.”

“Hmm?” The Undying Demon God let out a contemplative murmur.

After fleeing from Ling Mountain, Ananda was relentlessly pursued by the Demon Sage. Relying on the Wheel Sealing to survive, he chose the path of reincarnation to seek the Other Shore. Yet, with demonic intent in his heart and the Demon Sage’s decree ensuring his eternal hunt, each cycle of rebirth weakened him further. Eventually, he abandoned the teachings of Buddhism, fully embraced the demonic path, reversed the cultivation of the Tathagata Palm, attained the Other Shore, and proclaimed himself the Mara-Buddha. Meng Qi succinctly recounted Ananda’s story, each word striking the Undying Demon God like thunder. During the time it had remained in seclusion, Ananda had endured so much—finally reaching the Other Shore.

So that’s why he could reverse the Myriad Buddhas Formation back then—with the “Wheel Sealing” in his possession…

Seeing the Undying Demon God remain silent, Meng Qi continued, “The chaos of Mara-Buddha was suppressed and sealed deep within Lingshan by the Buddha himself.”

“The Buddha…” The Undying Demon God suddenly spoke. “He intervened?”

The tone was subtle, complex beyond words.

Meng Qi frowned, suddenly harboring other suspicions. Perhaps the Undying Demon God wasn’t who he had imagined.

“Yes, the Buddha, who had attained the Dao Fruit, intervened.” Meng Qi described truthfully.

The Undying Demon God sat in silence, seemingly lost in thought, remaining unresponsive for a long time.

Meng Qi spoke again: “This humble Daoist is a projection deliberately hidden by Mara-Buddha, cultivated by him to escape confinement. However, through the struggle between Other Shore beings, I successfully severed ties with A-nan. The stronger I grow, the weaker A-nan becomes—we are now irreconcilable foes.”

“So you’ve come to inquire about the Ling Mountain matter?” The Undying Demon God finally spoke.

Its vast knowledge allowed it to judge Meng Qi’s account to some extent.

“Please, Venerable Demon God, speak freely.” Meng Qi did not bring up Wuzhuang Monastery at first.

Both the Buddhist and demonic sects despised A-nan. Using opposition to A-nan as a pretext, Meng Qi could easily extract a great deal of information.

The Undying Demon God spoke slowly: “The sudden assault by the Demon Sage on Spirit Mountain, coupled with betrayals such as the Buddha’s tamed Great Peacock Bright King, swiftly shifted the balance of power. At this pivotal moment, Ananda and Kasyapa took charge of the Great Barrier of the Saha Pure Land, buying precious time for reinforcements from other Pure Lands and enabling the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to establish the Myriad Buddhas Formation. Simultaneously, Amitabha Buddha of the Western Paradise and the Ancient Buddha of the Bodhi Pure Land projected their divine consciousness, preparing to intervene.”

Amitabha Buddha and the Ancient Buddha of Bodhi—two supreme beings from the Other Shore—participated in the battle of Ling Mountain? Meng Qi took a sharp breath, realizing that the conflict at Ling Mountain was far more intricate than he had ever imagined.

At the critical moment, as you said, A-nan suddenly slew Jia-she. Utilizing the Wheel Sealing, he altered the Myriad Buddhas Formation, transforming death into life, Dharma into demonic will, dragging the Saha Pure Land and reinforcing Buddhas and Bodhisattvas into the deepest, darkest abyss, turning Ling Mountain into Jiuyou. The resulting power even threatened beings of the Other Shore. Then, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven unleashed his full might, piercing Ling Mountain with his Golden-Hooped Rod, creating an uncontaminated sealed Pure Land and granting the remaining Great and Demonic Sages a chance to survive.

“The Undying Demon God” continued slowly: “I seized this fleeting moment of instability, grasping a thread of survival to escape from Ling Mountain. What happened afterward, I know little of.”

Meng Qi strongly suspected that the Undying Demon God knew more about what was to come, but dared not reveal secrets related to beings from the Other Shore.

With a sigh, Meng Qi suddenly remarked, “From your tone and description, you don’t seem to align with the demonic stance, but rather resemble a great figure from the Buddhist sect. Though you fled from Ling Mountain back then, you were also tainted by the terrifying power of the reversed Myriad Buddhas Formation. ‘Undying’ yet not truly alive, you’ve survived under the guise of your mount, harnessing and modifying the power of Jiuyou through Tianzhu Mountain.”

No wonder this place resembled the ruined Ling Mountain—it was like the descent of Jiuyou!

“Undying, yet not alive…” The Undying Demon God let out a bitter laugh, his voice laced with self-mockery.

Meng Qi spoke solemnly: “Should I address you as Bodhisattva Puxian or Bodhisattva Guanyin?”