Chapter 1158: “Observing”

When he returned to the Jade Emptiness Palace last time, he indeed discovered a contingency plan left by Xiao Sang. This was conveyed through the event of “once entering the Jade Emptiness Palace and glancing at the Primordial Chaos Lotus Seed,” which transmitted two messages: first, that she indeed had other preparations and wouldn’t perish so easily, and second, that her preparations were connected to the Primordial Chaos Lotus Seed. The exact location, however, remained to be further explored. Yet afterward, no related clues emerged, and despite his exhaustive contemplation, he found no way to alleviate his sorrow.

Now, could it be that a senior figure from the Luo Sect, following the Golden Emperor’s guidance, had found a faint clue?

Was the clue hidden within the vanished ancient Fusang Tree’s fairyland?

Was the Chaos Lotus Seed that Xiao Sang revived hidden near the ancient Fusang Tree?

And did this matter have any connection with Donghuang Taiyi, who perished in ancient times?

A whirlwind of questions, urgency, impulses, and expectations surged within Meng Qi, blending into a complex, indescribable sensation. Ignoring the astonished gazes of the people around him, he longed to rush to the ancient Fusang Tree located in the Feixiang Cloud Sea, hoping to obtain Xiao Sang’s hidden preparations before the Luo Sect members.

However, he currently had no Daoist power within him. His inner scenery was gone, his nine orifices self-sealed. As an ordinary person, how could he possibly reach the Fusang Tree realm, let alone beat the Luo Sect members there?

Feelings of frustration, annoyance, and helplessness surged forth, but recent experiences quickly brought Meng Qi back to his senses. Thinking from another perspective, he mused, “Even if I hadn’t severed my martial cultivation power and hadn’t pursued the singular Dao, even if the peerless blade had awakened to the legendary realm, how could I possibly stop true Grand Sages? At best, I could only protect myself!”

“The gap between Legendary and Immortal is a major divide, one that no divine artifact’s spirit can bridge. The peerless blade allowing me to defend against Grand Sages is already an extreme rarity across the ten thousand worlds. The feeling of helplessness doesn’t equate to giving up on martial cultivation.”

Amidst the intense emotional fluctuations and the collision between past and present experiences and insights, he reconstructed a new mode of thinking based on his understanding—one free from emotional influence, not controlled by impulsive habits or behavioral tendencies.

Was this another aspect of the “True Self,” one of its myriad manifestations?

Yet, even so, Meng Qi realized he had never considered retreating from this matter or standing idly by.

“What is helpless is my martial cultivation, not ‘I’ myself…” He sighed, as if gaining an epiphany. He once again took out the Myriad Worlds Awareness Talisman given by Huang Chang and logged into the virtual realm, searching for the “customer service number” of the Jade Emptiness Courier Service.

Yes, the Jade Emptiness Courier Service’s “customer service number”!

True, he could no longer remember his old friends’ talisman codes, but there was always an alternative way!

Then, he chose to contact a live agent.

At the Jade Emptiness Palace in Kunlun Mountains, Daqinggen’s countless branches danced like countless arms playing a game he had learned from his disciple when suddenly he heard a ringing sound.

He turned his head, puzzled, muttering, “A customer service request from Jade Emptiness Courier?”

The Jade Emptiness Courier’s customer service number was rarely dialed because their service was instant and error-free, and their prices were non-negotiable, leaving little need for customer support.

“Should I pretend to be busy?” He hesitated, glancing toward the depths of the palace, unsure where the Sect Leader had gone or when he would return.

After some consideration, seeing the caller’s persistence, Daqinggen finally extended a branch and tapped the button.

“Hello, this is the Jade Emptiness Courier Myriad Worlds Service Center…” he squeaked in a high-pitched voice. But before he could finish his greeting, a voice both familiar and strange interrupted him: “Dqinggen? It’s me, Su Meng.”

” Sect Leader? Impossible!” Daqinggen laughed heartily. The voice, aura, and feeling were all wrong. How could this be the Sect Leader? Besides, the Sect Leader could directly manifest anywhere through karmic connections—why would he need the Jade Emptiness Courier?

I’m the one who usually tricks others, how could someone trick me?

Just as he was about to hang up, the other party spoke quickly yet clearly: “Dqinggen, you’ve always been curious about dual cultivation between men and women, repeatedly searching for the ‘Martial Cultivation Exchange’ group of the Su Nu Sect, only to end up with a pile of worthless junk… Addicted to shopping on the Myriad Realms Mall, squandering recklessly until you had to cut off your hands and feet to survive… A gaming addict, greedy for petty gains, fond of bragging, willing to sacrifice even your dignity for a few Yuanhuang coins. Tell me, should I let you continue as the gatekeeper?”

The Great Green Root turned completely green, its sap seeping out like sweat, then it suddenly fell to its knees with a thud and cried out loudly, “Forgive me, Venerable Sect Leader! This lowly one is blind as a dog and deaf as a dog, failing to recognize Your Eminence! This, this is just a hobby of mine—it absolutely won’t interfere with my duties as a gatekeeper. Please rest assured, Venerable Sect Leader! Whatever you command me to change, I’d rather die than disobey…”

He swore with utmost sincerity, and Meng Qi said in a deep voice, “Considering your efforts if not merits, I will set these matters aside for now. Very well, help me directly transfer this call to Emperor Gao Lan of the Great Zhou.”

“Yes, I’ll get it done right away!” Da Qinggen didn’t hesitate and immediately utilized part of his authority over the Myriad Worlds Communication Sphere to connect the call deep within the Great Zhou imperial palace.

Only after finishing the task did he wipe off a cold sweat, sighing with lingering fear: “Even the master has started checking on us…”

“Fortunately, I have deep qualifications, being the Elder of Jade Void…”

He sighed deeply, uttering words interspersed with the vocabulary of the Fairbankian world.

On the other side, Gao Lan was far from being comparable to Da Qinggen. After just a few words, he confirmed Meng Qi’s identity and said with authority, “Third Brother, you reached out in such haste—is there something urgent?”

Luo Jiao discovered clues left behind by Xiao Sang, which pointed directly to the ancient Fusang Tree. He was attempting to open that boundary realm. Although I know this request is excessive, I had no choice but to come to you, Imperial Brother, hoping you could persuade the two legendary powerhouses of the Human Emperor’s lineage to lend their aid and retrieve the items related to Xiao Sang.

Dealing with legendary powerhouses is truly a matter of great significance. Given the bond between the two of them, even Meng Qi couldn’t help but speak with added courtesy.

After hearing this, Gao Lan suddenly sighed and said, “Love comes without knowing why, but once it begins, it grows ever deeper.”

“Big bro, this isn’t the time to show off your ‘ladies’ man’ credentials…” Meng Qi’s eyelids twitched.

With a sigh, Gao Lan said calmly, “I have regrets from the past. How could I bear to see you follow in my footsteps? I will ask Shao Xuan and Xi E to intervene. However, this is not their responsibility after all. If the situation becomes too dangerous and genuinely threatens their lives, they certainly won’t risk their lives for it. Even if I issue a forceful order, there would be no way to compel them.”

“That will do.” Meng Qi was aware that the legends of the two human emperor descendants, Shaoxuan and Xi’e, could only assist to this extent. He wasn’t surprised and calmly responded.

After hanging up the call, Meng Qi noticed the stunned looks around him. Without his martial arts abilities, he couldn’t block the sound, and even though he had deliberately lowered his voice, it was inevitable that the sharp-eared martial artists nearby would hear.

They looked at themselves as if they were staring at a madman—one who mistook delusions for reality. Just moments ago, they were merely pondering “great matters of the Real,” but now they had the audacity to impersonate the Primordial Emperor, this towering figure across all realms!

No thoughts arose in Meng Qi’s mind. He silently recited the honorable name of the Moonlight Bodhisattva, then murmured to himself, “Bodhisattva, I wish to enter the Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli to witness the matter of the ancient Fusang tree.”

Before the words had even faded, he vanished into thin air—disappearing right before everyone’s eyes. Meanwhile, the twins cheered, “What beautiful moonlight!”

“Uncle was taken away by the moonlight!”

……

With a flash of light, Meng Qi’s vision was filled with a stretch of pure blue land, spanning countless kalpas and encompassing infinite Buddha realms. Serene and self-generating, it was nearly perfect—the familiar Eastern Pure Lapis Lazuli World.

The towering bodhi tree withers and flourishes, its Buddhist meaning profound. The Moonlight Bodhisattva sits beneath the withered tree, his form as pure as the bright moon, with countless overlapping figures facing all directions: “I thought the benefactor would request to visit the ancient Fusang tree.”

Meng Qi smiled without showing any agitation: “I did have that thought, a very strong one. But I asked myself: What’s the use of going? Can I actually help? Or would I just be a burden? After answering these questions, I chose to come here instead. Emotional impulses, the habit of charging ahead, or the desire to be there—all these should be restrained under such circumstances at this moment.”

With a gentle wave of his right hand, the Moonlight Bodhisattva conjured an Eight Treasures Merit Pool between the two figures. It reflected the Cloud Sea Non-Thought Realm and illuminated that ancient Fusang tree.

The illusion surrounding it began to crack, faintly revealing the mist-shrouded immortal islands and mountains within.

Meng Qi sat cross-legged, his expression calm as usual, with a faint smile at the corners of his mouth, as if this matter had nothing to do with him.

“Benefactor, do you not worry, do you not anticipate, do you not feel anxious?” The voice of Bodhisattva Moonlight echoed all around.

Meng Qi smiled and said, “Will these emotions be of any help in this matter?”

“No.” The Moonlight Bodhisattva smiled and shook his head.

Meng Qi nodded and said, “So, they are all there, but I am not bound or influenced by them, falling into incorrect patterns or making wrong decisions.”

“In that case, what difference does it make whether you see or do not see the ancient Fusang tree?” The Moonlight Bodhisattva statue seemed to be discussing Zen.

“If there’s no difference, why not take a look?” Meng Qi turned his gaze toward the Eight Treasures Merit Pond, where Shao Xuan and Xi E, dressed in ancient attire, appeared directly beside the illusory gap with their omnipresent ability. Xi E held the shrunken Ark of Doom, while Shao Xuan stood empty-handed.

Seeing this, he reached his hand toward the Merit Pool. Suddenly, a streak of purple shot from his palm, plunging into the water and piercing through the barrier like a bolt of heavenly purple lightning. In an instant, it flew to Shaoxuan’s side.

Crackling sounds filled the air as the long saber displayed unparalleled might!

Shaoxuan grasped the peerless divine weapon, weighed it in his hand, smiled in acknowledgment, and took a step forward into the breach, with Xi’e following closely behind.