“Mother Wu Sheng?”
Returning to Earth, yet still hearing this name, Meng Qi felt momentarily dazed, as if he were still within the Realm of Reality.
Yet upon careful thought, based on his limited historical knowledge, “Mother Wu Sheng” was definitely not a sudden phenomenon on Earth. Her origins could be traced back to the Ming Dynasty, with scholarly arguments suggesting her emergence from the White Lotus Society, which was rooted in the Maitreya belief.
In other words, Mother Wu Sheng had known Earth long ago.
Moreover, Earth’s history included Daoist and Buddhist traditions, including the legend of Laozi (Li Dan) composing the Dao De Jing with its five thousand characters—this was not merely derived from the novels Journey to the West and Fengshen Yanyi!
Thus, it seemed that those great figures from the other shore had never been truly unaware of Earth… Nodding thoughtfully, Meng Qi mused: Water hides within the sea, and people vanish within the crowd. If the Demon Buddha were to leave behind an “other self” in an extremely secret location, the very attribute of secrecy would easily draw attention. It would require great effort to conceal such a place. But simply cutting off all contact and abandoning it on Earth—a planet visited by those from the other shore—who would bother checking an ordinary, unremarkable person?
Seeing Meng Qi nod, the neighbor’s older brother immediately showed a surprised expression: “You’re also one of the brothers under Mother’s guidance?”
“I merely know the name,” Meng Qi replied with a slight smile, snapping back to reality.
The neighbor’s expression turned solemn: “The Mother is the beginning of all things and the ultimate destination. She is the god of gods. She teaches us, ‘All men in the world are brothers, and all women are sisters.’ We should respect and love each other, support one another, and wait for the Mother’s descent to ferry us across the sea of suffering and return to our true and pure homeland.”
These words were clearly taught by someone. The neighbor had probably recited them countless times. He continued: “Xiao Meng, I admit I’ve had a rough life. I was bad at studying, lost money in business, and except for drugs, I indulged in all vices—drinking, gambling, and womanizing. I’m almost forty, still without a house or a car, living off my parents, and I don’t even have a girlfriend. Everyone mocks and despises me. Life feels meaningless. But after believing in Mother Wu Sheng and joining the church, suddenly I gained a whole bunch of brothers and sisters. They genuinely helped me, and even solved my singlehood problem—I’m getting married by the end of the year.”
“Look at you, you’re no spring chicken either. Your aunt and uncle have been worried about your marriage. Why not join our Luo Jiao (Lo Sect)? As long as you awaken and cleanse your past sins, there will surely be a good girl for you to try things with.”
Wow, joining the church gets you a spouse? This ‘combat effectiveness’ is unbeatable! Meng Qi’s lips twitched slightly. Suddenly, he thought of himself and couldn’t help but smile bitterly: Come to think of it, my own wife was also given by the Luo Sect, but unfortunately, I lost her…
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Meng Qi’s eyes slightly narrowed as he sensed faint prayers flowing from his neighbor into the void.
Was the Mother really harvesting faith here?
“I’m sorry, but I’ve already joined another church,” he replied earnestly, “Our doctrine is similar to yours, but even more inclusive—’All men and women in the world are brothers and sisters!'”
“Ah…” The neighbor was momentarily stunned, his face blank. Then he saw Meng Qi extend his right hand. His index finger was long and slender, glowing faintly with a translucent luster, gently touching the neighbor’s forehead.
With a bang, the neighbor felt a swirl of light spots, black and white intertwining, as if the world had become illusory.
Meng Qi grasped the strongest karmic thread emanating from the neighbor, a thread shimmering faintly with the glow of prayers, and his divine consciousness seeped in, rapidly spreading toward its end.
The Earth’s environment was relatively simple. Many deities were merely legendary imprints without the power to manifest in the world. Thus, the karmic threads related to prayers were naturally very straightforward, allowing Meng Qi to directly seize and trace them backward!
The void shimmered, ripples spreading outward. A chaotic hue flickered along the karmic thread, pausing briefly at each node before swiftly choosing the next path and continuing forward.
In a nearby neighborhood, within a certain residence, a group of people were sitting before a statue of Mother Wu Sheng, reciting scriptures from their texts. Gradually, invisible rays of light gathered on the statue. Suddenly, the statue silently dimmed, as if wrapped in darkness, like sunlight blocked, briefly sinking into shadow.
In an instant, the statue returned to normal.
The same dimming and revival occurred one after another—at the county shrine, the city shrine, and the provincial capital shrine, like a relay.
…
A low-profile black car drove along the highway, then turned left, presented credentials, and entered a heavily guarded estate with sentries at the gate.
The estate was vast, with guards stationed every three steps and surveillance posts every five. Monitoring devices and various high-tech equipment were everywhere.
Inside the car, aside from the driver, there were two men and a woman. The man sitting in the front passenger seat wore a suit and tie, held official documents, and his face bore deep reverence. The young woman in the backseat was in the prime of her youth, lightly made up, her beautiful eyes filled with admiration as she gazed at the man beside her.
This man wore retro, all-white clothing, his hair as white as snow, his face wrinkle-free, exuding an aura of Daoist transcendence. He sat calmly, showing no reaction as the car entered this restricted area.
“Master, you truly are a living immortal. My heart is pounding, yet you seem completely at ease,” the woman said with admiration in her eyes.
Because they were about to meet one of the nation’s top officials, a person who held the country’s fate in his hands. If they could impress him, the Luo Jiao would take a major step forward!
The Master did not open his eyes, smiling slightly: “My body and soul have already been devoted to the Mother. All people are brothers and sisters. What is there to be nervous about?”
“Yes, our devotion is still insufficient,” the front passenger man nodded thoughtfully. “Master, this official suffers from a severe illness. His willingness to meet us is due to modern medicine being able only to delay its progression. In desperation, he seeks divine help. How confident are you in curing him?”
He and the driver were originally subordinates of this high-ranking official, but after witnessing the Master’s miraculous abilities, they had been completely converted into devout followers of the Mother.
The young woman frowned slightly, thinking the question was impertinent, questioning the Master’s abilities—it seemed he had only recently joined the faith!
The Master waved his hand, his smooth face still with eyes closed: “Since the fall of the Shang Dynasty, the heavens have been damaged, and gods, Buddhas, immortals, and sages have all been restricted, unable to openly claim divinity or manifest miracles. If you had asked this question twenty years ago, I would have said I had no confidence at all, perhaps offering only psychological comfort. But now, as the end times approach and restrictions loosen, the Mother, out of compassion for humanity, has descended into the mortal world. My abilities are no longer what they were.”
As he finished speaking, his eyes opened. They were filled with chaos, no pupils visible, shooting out two-foot-long beams of prayer energy.
“Mother Wu Sheng, the Pure and Void Homeland.” The other three whispered reverently, filled with excitement, as the car continued its smooth journey.
What is a living immortal? This was it!
After multiple layers of security checks, the car stopped in front of a villa, where bodyguards stood at every corner, all eyes focused on the vehicle.
The Master remained unaffected, walking steadily and calmly, like strolling in his own courtyard. Though his eyes were closed, he moved as if returning home, without a single stumble.
After another round of thorough checks, including body searches, the Master and his entourage finally entered the study. A slightly overweight elderly man with dyed black hair sat solemnly on the sofa, flanked by a secretary and several trusted bodyguards.
“Due to my position, many formalities are unavoidable. I appreciate your patience,” the elderly man said with a slight smile, rising to greet them.
The Master’s eyes remained closed, his voice warm and gentle: “With the nation’s fate resting on your shoulders, how could you be careless? We completely understand.”
After some polite small talk, they took their seats. The elderly man glanced at his subordinates and smiled: “Our nation’s history is long and profound. While some traditional practices may be outdated, many still hold great value. I’ve heard that Mr. Huang has previously healed several patients with pancreatic cancer?”
Not a question, but a statement. His subordinates had already verified the truth beforehand.
“It is not my ability, but the Mother’s grace,” the Master replied, taking a red cloth from his chest and slowly unfolding it. Beneath it lay petals of the white lotus, within which stood a warm jade statue depicting an exquisitely beautiful woman. Her delicate features radiated maternal compassion.
The bodyguards beside the elderly man were shocked, for during the earlier body search, no statue or cloth had been found!
How had he hidden them?
The Master carefully placed the Mother’s jade statue and stood up, bowing solemnly: “May the Mother show mercy to mankind and spare this man from his illness.”
Instantly, faint rays of light rose from the statue, shimmering with dazzling colors, leaving the elderly man and his subordinates astonished.
The light gathered into a single beam and suddenly poured onto the elderly man. Immediately, he felt his entire body lighten, the dull pain in his afflicted area completely disappearing. His slightly wrinkled skin visibly smoothed and became youthful before their eyes.
A few breaths later, the light receded. The elderly man inspected himself in delighted disbelief, exclaiming: “Mr. Huang truly is a living immortal!”
The surrounding people also changed expressions, now filled with reverence.
The Master smiled, his eyes opening, still filled with chaos: “A minor trick, unworthy of such praise.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the jade statue on the table suddenly dimmed, as if covered by a black cloth.
Immediately afterward, a pure white hand appeared above the Master’s head, slowly descending.
“Help!” A surge of extreme terror flooded the Master’s mind, and he instinctively cried out.
Yet he was already seized by that long, powerful hand and dragged directly into the void!
In an instant, the statue’s light returned to normal, but the spot where the Master had stood was now empty.
Only then did the surrounding guards snap back to their senses and draw their weapons.
Despite their rigorous training, their expressions were filled with terror, as if what had just happened was a movie scene, surreal and dreamlike.
The Master’s twisted face and terrified eyes in his final moments deeply imprinted themselves into their minds.
What had just happened? The elderly man was filled with shock and doubt, as if returning to his childhood, listening to his father’s tales of gods and ghosts.
“Check the surveillance equipment. See if anything was recorded,” he calmly ordered his attendants.
…
The Master’s hair was disheveled, his former immortal aura completely shattered. As the surroundings shifted, he found himself in a dimly lit staircase, facing a young man with his hands in his pockets. Though outwardly youthful, the young man’s eyes were deep and filled with a faint sense of vicissitude, as if he had witnessed the erosion of time.
Thinking of the terrifying scene of being seized from afar, the Master swallowed hard, barely managing to steady his voice: “May I ask who you are? I am an emissary of Mother Wu Sheng. Let us speak calmly.”
The Mother was a genuine deity, one of the supreme beings across all realms. Her name alone was enough to intimidate most immortals and gods! The Master tried to bolster his confidence with this thought, yet the events from before left him too shaken to be overly forceful. That mysterious technique was beyond anything he had ever heard.
Meng Qi smiled slightly: “I have long battled against the Mother. I am no stranger to her. There’s no need for introductions.”
Battled against the Mother for years? The Master’s pupils constricted, his heart pounding wildly.
Had he encountered one of the Mother’s greatest enemies?
What kind of being could rival the Mother for so long? One certainly not to be trifled with!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage