At the deep and quiet hour of night, the Kunlun Mountains remained shrouded in mist and clouds. Occasionally, a light could be seen, or the roar of beasts and cries of birds heard, yet the scent of humanity was notably absent.
Within the Jade Deficiency Palace, He Mu and Fang Huayin had yet to return from their journey, while Da Qinggen was absorbed in his games. Across the vast expanse of the Daoist temple, only Meng Qi sat upright in the grand hall. Behind him loomed the towering statue of Yuanshi, the Primordial Unity, with glazed lamps flickering. Wisps of lotus fragrance drifted gently through the air, carried by cool and refreshing breezes.
His eyes were half-closed, yet the true spirit reflecting his innate wisdom had long transcended the Real World, residing at an infinite height, gazing down upon the myriad realms. What he saw was folded and distorted, completely different from the normal “mode” of vision.
This was the legendary perspective!
His form was like that of the Immortal Realm, covering the heavens and earth. Meng Qi’s divine consciousness spread outward, gradually permeating more and more universes.
However, the number of universes was infinite, like bubbles upon a sea of chaos. To imprint all of them, his “Other-Self Imprint” would naturally emerge with the birth of universes or the splitting of cosmic fragments. Yet this still required a long cultivation process.
At the same time, the universes, paradises, fragments, or worlds already marked with his “Other-Self Imprint” needed deeper communication and increased harmony, gradually growing to the point where they could channel galactic-level power.
These were the two major aspects of legendary cultivation, demanding meticulous effort. When perfected, one could attempt to break through the final barrier into the last stage of the Sea of Bitterness, mastering the transformations of creation itself and wielding immense spiritual might and power.
Although Xiao Sang had already returned to life, fulfilling Meng Qi’s greatest wish, the pressure from the Demon Buddha and the Golden Emperor remained. Yuan Shi, the Primordial Unity, remained an ambiguous figure, neither clearly good nor evil, so cultivation could not afford even the slightest slack.
The grand hall gradually grew darker, as if sinking into the Sea of Chaos. Meng Qi, like a statue in the darkness, exuded an air of lofty detachment, almost untouchable.
At that very moment, his eyes abruptly snapped open. Within their depths burned an ancient glazed lamp of indescribable hues, mirroring the landscape across tens of thousands of miles with crystalline clarity.
The bright moon above was suddenly veiled in black, and the stars, like windproof lanterns, dimmed in an instant. The void above Kunlun Mountain boiled without warning, and a figure descended, holding a white lotus scripture. With two heads and six arms, accompanied by ethereal sounds, petals of celestial flowers drifted down—it was the Holy Scripture Bearer of the Luo Sect!
This was not the same Bearer who had once been old and in need of longevity pills, but rather the original master whose power had been borrowed when the Bearer manifested his Dharma form, and the original form he had taken!
Another great being at the peak of legend had awakened early!
Simultaneously, a radiant light pierced through the darkness above Kunlun Mountain. A flawlessly proportioned hand, neither too bony nor too fleshy, emerged from nowhere, holding high a glazed lantern that illuminated the path home. The Lamp Bearer, as handsome as a scholar, had fully recovered after several days of rest.
With pale, colorless eyes and wearing a rosary of skull beads, Sha Wujing, gripping his treasured staff, manifested beside the Holy Scripture Bearer with omnipresence.
Beside him, a massive dark shadow slowly rose. Hands formed a seal resembling the mouth of a treasure vase, drawing the image of Kunlun Mountain into it. Instantly, the surroundings felt as if enclosed within a sealed vessel, isolating the inside from the outside, forming a self-contained immortal realm, stripping even legendary beings of their omnipresence.
The surroundings darkened. In the distance, the city lights flickered faintly, as if in another world, untouchable.
The Vase Bearer!
Another divine messenger under the Eternal Mother!
In just a few days, the Luo Sect had gathered all four of its divine messengers, clearly showing the Golden Emperor’s emphasis on this mission.
Meng Qi, his eyes now open, did not strike first. He sighed inwardly: “What must come will always arrive…”
With Xiao Sang revived, how could the Eternal Mother not sense it? She would surely send someone to test or search the Jade Deficiency Palace.
The Holy Scripture Bearer stepped forward, his voice booming: “Master Su, the Eternal Mother has always had the heart of a Buddha, and does not wish to trouble you. Please cooperate and allow us to inspect the Jade Deficiency Palace and your inner universe. If you stubbornly resist, we are not without decisive means.”
At this moment, the Vase Bearer had clearly borrowed the power of the Vacuum Homeland and the Boundless Sea Pearl, severing Kunlun Mountain from the Real World. The Moonlight Bodhisattva and the disciples of the Medicine King Buddha had already settled their karmic debts. Alone before the four divine messengers, Meng Qi remained calm, his brows still, his gaze unwavering, a faint smile on his lips: “This matter is not to be settled with words.”
The meaning was clear without further explanation. The Holy Scripture Bearer said no more. The white lotus scripture in his hand flipped open on its own, revealing the title on its cover:
“The Eternal Mother’s Descent Manual”!
As soon as the book moved, a distant, ethereal voice echoed through the void, harmonizing with the previous booming voice:
“Teach the multitudes: the mortal world is filled with suffering, bound in cycles of rebirth, enduring pain life after life.”
With these words, dark mist surged from Kunlun Mountain, and the void opened into countless dark whirlpools, as if leading to the cycle of rebirth, to suffering.
A single word could determine the laws of this world!
Meng Qi slowly raised his gaze, like a statue in the darkness opening its eyes.
…
The five altars symbolizing the ancient Five Emperors—Red, Green, Yellow, White, and Black—exuded an aura of antiquity, as if they had stood for thousands or even tens of thousands of years. They surrounded the towering Nine-Tiered Heaven-Sealing Platform, immersed in the rhythms of heaven and earth.
Atop the Heaven-Sealing Platform, Shao Xuan and Xi E, legendary beings of the Human Emperor’s lineage, sat at its edge. Below, many ancestral immortals and mighty warriors of the Zhou Dynasty were carefully setting up ancient, solemn restrictions.
The secret construction phase had begun with the chaos of the ancient Demon Buddha, and over tens of thousands of years, most of the Heaven-Sealing Platform had gradually taken shape. Now, with the time of fate approaching and the Final Calamity imminent, it was finally time for its full completion.
With such long preparation, the platform was nearly ninety percent complete in just three days. However, the remaining parts either required precise timing or had to be constructed on-site, taking two or three months to complete.
During this time, even though Shao Xuan and Xi E possessed omnipresence, they remained cautious, personally guarding the site, fearing sabotage by Buddhist immortals, demons, or heretics.
Before them floated the Ark of the End. Xi E lifted her gaze to the stars above, each as bright as the moon. Through the gales and mists, she saw the jade towers and crystal halls atop them.
These were stars where legendary beings, even great sages of creation, slumbered—fragments of the ancient Real World.
“Master Su has proven himself a legend, prematurely triggering the changes of the Final Calamity. If the Heaven-Sealing Platform is not completed within this year, we will face the return of countless Immortal Lords and Buddhas. Our hopes will grow ever dimmer,” Xi E sighed.
Their early awakening also required a process, as it would otherwise greatly harm them—just like Sha Wujing. Thus, for at least a year or so, the Real World could barely maintain its old state.
Shao Xuan gave a faint, bitter smile: “Those who have already returned early won’t just watch idly.”
The closer they came to completion, the more he feared.
If the Heaven-Sealing Platform was completed, leveraging the Real World’s unique nature, it would immediately radiate across countless universes, imprinting the mark of humanity, allowing the current Human Emperor, Gao Lan, to accumulate a sufficient number of “Other-Self Imprints” in the shortest time.
And this was merely one of the platform’s least significant functions.
How could others possibly ignore it?
In Changle City, Yu Banshan and Qi Jinxiu had found a lodging house and were focusing on cultivation.
After some reflection, Yu Banshan came to understand that his cultivation path within the “Primordial Gold Scripture” was constrained by the irreversible Mysterious Pass. Fortunately, his lower-tier techniques could be integrated into the All-Encompassing Seal, enabling gradual refinement. This barely viable approach was still acceptable. Otherwise, he would have no choice but to turn to the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts.
After a period of quiet cultivation, a sudden tremor passed through his heart. He stood and walked to the window, gazing outside. Changle was oddly quiet.
Though it was late, as the capital of the world and near a land of indulgence, such silence was unusual.
After scanning the surroundings and seeing nothing amiss, Yu Banshan thought he might be overreacting. Just as he turned to return, he froze.
The Heaven-Sealing Platform, clearly visible from here, was gone!
Gone!
Such a massive structure had vanished!
…
Though Shao Xuan and Xi E appeared to be chatting casually, they remained highly vigilant of their surroundings. Suddenly, their hearts stirred. They stood up simultaneously as a pale, translucent glow radiated around them. One after another, fragrant white lotuses materialized in midair, slowly unfurling their petals, emanating boundless purity.
“Maitreya!” Shao Xuan and Xi E’s gazes darkened. Each placed a hand upon the Ark of the End.
The white lotuses formed a platform, and a stout, golden Buddha appeared, bearing a faint resemblance to Zhao Qian, the former Crown Prince of the Jin Dynasty. With a warm smile, he said: “Esteemed ones, the Heaven-Sealing Platform will surely bring conflict and suffering to countless lives. My heart is filled with compassion—I have come to make a proposal. Why not entrust it to this fat monk for safekeeping?”
Amidst the surrounding glazed light, other golden figures could faintly be seen.
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